Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google said on Friday that they will work together to create contact tracing technology that aims to slow the spread of the coronavirus by allowing users to opt into logging other phones they have been near.

Apple, Google join hands to tackle COVID-19

The recent decisions of the Supreme Court regarding grant of permanent commission to women officers&nbsp;are&nbsp;seen as a landmark step towards women empowerment and corrective change to prevent perceived gender bias against women.&nbsp;

The concerns expressed by the government, on behalf of Indian Armed Forces, like physiology, motherhood and physical attributes, did not hold ground under the basic tenet of constitutional entitlement to dignity, which attaches to every individual irrespective of gender.&nbsp;

These are welcomed societal changes and the military system has to gear up accordingly to mitigate the concerns, yet ensuring that the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces is not compromised. The issue was extensively covered by the media, and the Armed Forces responded positively with Army Chief indicating that the roadmap for granting permanent commission to women officers is being put in place. The implementation, however, needs some serious analysis of some key issues to.

Decoding Alleged Gender Bias in Indian Armed Forces&nbsp;

A glance at the open-source coverage of SC decisions, seemed to suggest that Indian Military had the patriarchal mindset and SC has bettered the system with this landmark judgement. The background needs to be put into perspective. The women were first inducted as Military Nursing Officers in 1927, as Medical Officers from 1943 in British Indian Army as per organisational needs to look after troops, families and public during deployments, which included female population. Post-independence, the Induction of women officers into the Indian Army through Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) started in 1992, after the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.&nbsp;

In February 2019, the government granted a permanent commission to women officers in eight streams of the Army, in addition to the JAG and AEC, to which it was granted earlier in 2008. All these decisions were also pathbreaking, need-driven, societal changes taken voluntarily by Indian Military and not after the intervention of Courts; hence it may not be right to perceive that Indian Military carried patriarchal mindset and resisted such changes. It is a fact that there are different conditions of service for women officers and their men counterpart in most cases. These conditions of service keep getting modified to address concerns of women officers, starting from five years of service, changed to extendable by five years (5+5 years), followed by 5+5+4 and later made to 10+4 years.

The fact is that women officers are proud and essential members of the Indian military and their entry was need-based and not court driven. &nbsp;

The differences in conditions of service for women officers and their men counterparts can be perceived in favour, as well as, against them. No one can deny that women officers have concessions in physical standards during recruitment, in battle physical efficiency tests and are generally given softer appointments with due considerations to hygiene, sensitivities and privacy issues while accommodating them.

For selection they compete with female counterparts; hence selections of a specified number of women officers is assured, as they do not compete with men counterparts. The disadvantages of difference in service conditions were unequal growth opportunity to women officers, need for permanent commission and inadequate incentive, which have been the main reasons for the redressal given the Supreme Court. The cases wherein male officers tenures in difficult field stations have increased, in adjusting women officers for spouse postings, child care leave. This results in reduced time&nbsp;for male officers to be with family in peace locations, to attend to their family needs. Although male officers have not gone to courts against the resultant extra hardship caused in an attempt to help out women officers by the organisation.&nbsp;

This gender bias against men officers also needs to be set right. ‘Gender Equality’ is the societal need of the hour and applies to both female and male officers and should be ensured in the spirit of the judgement. &nbsp;

Operational Efficiency and Command Assignments&nbsp;&nbsp;

To implement the latest rulings of the SC on the grant of permanent commission to all women officers, their terms of engagement will have to be revised. As per media report,s the Indian Military is already working out models for it and I am sure that the system will settle down in due course, with some adjustments. The selection for command assignments has to merit-based irrespective of gender, which must not be compromised to ensure operational efficiency of the Indian Armed Forces. Translating the same in the spirit of achieving gender equality and SC judgement, the same standards have to be applied across the board, without any gender bias.&nbsp;It entails same hardships be suffered by all officers and the same selection process followed for successive promotions, irrespective of the gender. &nbsp;

To implement the same, the selection for the command should be done through their confidential reports and closed promotion board, common for both genders, and the names and gender of the profile should be hidden from selection board.&nbsp;

The best officers should get the command irrespective of gender, as the troops respect competent leaders, who rough out inconvenient times with them. These are some basics of soldiering, which must not be violated to ensure operational efficiency. It means that the concessions given to women officers in recruitment and softer tenures must be withdrawn, and they must go through the field and rough appointments with troops, to be at par with male counterparts and be accepted as ‘Leaders’ and not ‘Appointed Officers’.&nbsp;

Women Officers&nbsp;in Combat Arms&nbsp;&nbsp;

The fact that SC gave a decision, in March 2020, to induct women officers in all types of warships in Indian Navy, as a natural process of societal evolution, the possible induction of women into combat arms is going to be the next challenge, which Indian Military will be confronted with. The leadership in combat arms at each level, from detachment to highest formation, is laid on a bedrock principle of ‘Leading from the front’ which must not be compromised.

It implies that all officers and soldiers must go through same selection, toughness schedule, promotion exams, command criteria assignments and appointments with no concessions. SC has also endorsed suitability of the candidate as one of the criteria for such assignments in its ruling on March 17, 2020. &nbsp;Most foreign armies having women officers already have gender neutrality in physical standards or are working towards it. The issues like physiology, minimal facilities for habitat, hygiene in combat ships, bunkers and long-range patrols, privacy needs, motherhood and childcare concerns are well known to women officers, as well as, courts and public.&nbsp;

The women officers who volunteer for combat arms must be determined to overcome these issues. The only aspect which needs to be ensured is that the standards should not be lowered to adjust women officers, otherwise it will amount to compromising operational effectiveness of military for appeasement of few. 
 
The principle for selections in career progression should be the same as explained earlier for command assignments. It, therefore, implies that if every male infantry officer has to go through commando course, every women officer opting for infantry must go through the same. If every other combat arms officer has to go through Commando/Counterinsurgency/Mountain warfare course and serve in Rashtriya Rifle or Assam Rifle for at least one tenure, the same yardstick must apply to women officers.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The recent decisions of the Supreme Court regarding grant of permanent commission to women officers are seen as a landmark step towards women empowerment and corrective change to prevent perceived gender bias against women.

The recent decisions of the Supreme Court regarding grant of permanent commission to women officers are seen as a landmark step towards women empowerment and corrective change to prevent perceived gender bias against women. The concerns expressed by the government, on behalf of Indian Armed Forces, like physiology, motherhood and physical attributes, did not hold ground under the basic tenet of constitutional entitlement to dignity, which attaches to every individual irrespective of gender. These are welcomed societal changes and the military system has to gear up accordingly to mitigate the concerns, yet ensuring that the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces is not compromised. The issue was extensively covered by the media, and the Armed Forces responded positively with Army Chief indicating that the roadmap for granting permanent commission to women officers is being put in place. The implementation, however, needs some serious analysis of some key issues to. Decoding Alleged Gender Bias in Indian Armed Forces A glance at the open-source coverage of SC decisions, seemed to suggest that Indian Military had the patriarchal mindset and SC has bettered the system with this landmark judgement. The background needs to be put into perspective. The women were first inducted as Military Nursing Officers in 1927, as Medical Officers from 1943 in British Indian Army as per organisational needs to look after troops, families and public during deployments, which included female population. Post-independence, the Induction of women officers into the Indian Army through Women Special Entry Scheme (WSES) started in 1992, after the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. In February 2019, the government granted a permanent commission to women officers in eight streams of the Army, in addition to the JAG and AEC, to which it was granted earlier in 2008. All these decisions were also pathbreaking, need-driven, societal changes taken voluntarily by Indian Military and not after the intervention of Courts; hence it may not be right to perceive that Indian Military carried patriarchal mindset and resisted such changes. It is a fact that there are different conditions of service for women officers and their men counterpart in most cases. These conditions of service keep getting modified to address concerns of women officers, starting from five years of service, changed to extendable by five years (5+5 years), followed by 5+5+4 and later made to 10+4 years. The fact is that women officers are proud and essential members of the Indian military and their entry was need-based and not court driven. The differences in conditions of service for women officers and their men counterparts can be perceived in favour, as well as, against them. No one can deny that women officers have concessions in physical standards during recruitment, in battle physical efficiency tests and are generally given softer appointments with due considerations to hygiene, sensitivities and privacy issues while accommodating them. For selection they compete with female counterparts; hence selections of a specified number of women officers is assured, as they do not compete with men counterparts. The disadvantages of difference in service conditions were unequal growth opportunity to women officers, need for permanent commission and inadequate incentive, which have been the main reasons for the redressal given the Supreme Court. The cases wherein male officers tenures in difficult field stations have increased, in adjusting women officers for spouse postings, child care leave. This results in reduced time for male officers to be with family in peace locations, to attend to their family needs. Although male officers have not gone to courts against the resultant extra hardship caused in an attempt to help out women officers by the organisation. This gender bias against men officers also needs to be set right. ‘Gender Equality’ is the societal need of the hour and applies to both female and male officers and should be ensured in the spirit of the judgement. Operational Efficiency and Command Assignments To implement the latest rulings of the SC on the grant of permanent commission to all women officers, their terms of engagement will have to be revised. As per media report,s the Indian Military is already working out models for it and I am sure that the system will settle down in due course, with some adjustments. The selection for command assignments has to merit-based irrespective of gender, which must not be compromised to ensure operational efficiency of the Indian Armed Forces. Translating the same in the spirit of achieving gender equality and SC judgement, the same standards have to be applied across the board, without any gender bias. It entails same hardships be suffered by all officers and the same selection process followed for successive promotions, irrespective of the gender. To implement the same, the selection for the command should be done through their confidential reports and closed promotion board, common for both genders, and the names and gender of the profile should be hidden from selection board. The best officers should get the command irrespective of gender, as the troops respect competent leaders, who rough out inconvenient times with them. These are some basics of soldiering, which must not be violated to ensure operational efficiency. It means that the concessions given to women officers in recruitment and softer tenures must be withdrawn, and they must go through the field and rough appointments with troops, to be at par with male counterparts and be accepted as ‘Leaders’ and not ‘Appointed Officers’. Women Officers in Combat Arms The fact that SC gave a decision, in March 2020, to induct women officers in all types of warships in Indian Navy, as a natural process of societal evolution, the possible induction of women into combat arms is going to be the next challenge, which Indian Military will be confronted with. The leadership in combat arms at each level, from detachment to highest formation, is laid on a bedrock principle of ‘Leading from the front’ which must not be compromised. It implies that all officers and soldiers must go through same selection, toughness schedule, promotion exams, command criteria assignments and appointments with no concessions. SC has also endorsed suitability of the candidate as one of the criteria for such assignments in its ruling on March 17, 2020. Most foreign armies having women officers already have gender neutrality in physical standards or are working towards it. The issues like physiology, minimal facilities for habitat, hygiene in combat ships, bunkers and long-range patrols, privacy needs, motherhood and childcare concerns are well known to women officers, as well as, courts and public. The women officers who volunteer for combat arms must be determined to overcome these issues. The only aspect which needs to be ensured is that the standards should not be lowered to adjust women officers, otherwise it will amount to compromising operational effectiveness of military for appeasement of few. The principle for selections in career progression should be the same as explained earlier for command assignments. It, therefore, implies that if every male infantry officer has to go through commando course, every women officer opting for infantry must go through the same. If every other combat arms officer has to go through Commando/Counterinsurgency/Mountain warfare course and serve in Rashtriya Rifle or Assam Rifle for at least one tenure, the same yardstick must apply to women officers. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Equal roles for women in Indian Armed Forces: The road ahead

The Chinese government has issued a new draft list of livestock that can be farmed for meat in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

China issues draft list of livestock that can be farmed for meat

Activists in Latin America are scrambling to house and feed animals abandoned by owners who misguidedly fear their pets will infect them with the coronavirus or who are unable to feed animals amid lockdowns that have caused increased unemployment.

Coronavirus Outbreak: People abandoning pets due to fake news and misinformation

In this segment of WION Good News First, we get you to the story of a couple who got married in the times of lockdown.

WION Good News First: Love in the times of lockdown!

Globally, there is a ray of hope that with the arrival of summers, the intensity of novel coronavirus would likely to fall. However, US's top researchers at the National Academy of Sciences have warned otherwise. A report released by the National Academy of Sciences has said that the hot weather in the summers would not help to contain the spread of COVID-19. The findings remain inconclusive, but, the report says so far, there is no evidence, that suggests the link of spread with higher temperatures.

Study: Higher temperature would not help to contain the spread of COVID-19

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday left intensive care, where he had spent the three previous days for treatment against coronavirus, his Downing Street office said. This is not the first time when a British leader is out of action during a time of crisis. Watch our report to know more.

Boris Johnson not the 1st UK PM to be incapacitated | WION Ground Report

U.S. coronavirus cases topped 500,000 on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, although there are signs that Americans staying home was helping to curb new infections. Nearly 2,108 people lost their lives in US due to COVID-19 in last 24 hours.

Coronavirus Outbreak: US records rise of more than 130,000 cases in 5 days

New York accounts for one third of all coronavirus fatalities in the United States. What has made New York a virus hotspot in the United States? Watch our report to know more.

What made New York vulnerable to COVID-19

Coronavirus Outbreak: US records its highest daily death toll

In Spain and France the fatality rate is 10%, In Italy and UK it is about 12% while in Germany it is just 2%. How has Germany achieved this? Watch this video to know.

Coronavirus Pandemic: The reason behind Germany's low fatality rate

When the first few cases of COVID 19 were reported from China and other select countries in early to mid-January 2020, few would have realised that the world, as we know it, would be so drastically altered. Today a globalised world has become a cluster of localised countries, suspicious and wary of each other.&nbsp;

Within national boundaries, enclaves of humans have been created that are being encouraged to not ‘socialise’.&nbsp;

The health-related aspects of the emergency have been well covered with the exponential increase in cases in countries like Italy, Spain and the US constantly dominating the headlines. The economic impact has also gotten due importance with the IMF downgrading the growth prospects of several countries. What has perhaps been covered in parts but not fully understood is the larger political and social impact of the pandemic. In some countries, partial authoritarian regimes are converting into full dictatorships, media &amp; individual freedoms are being eroded, social contract with the governments is being questioned. In others, the class, regional and caste impact of the spread of the virus and measures taken to control it are creating grounds for civil unrest. With the perception of the China angle to the virus, World Health Organisation's (WHO) perceived missteps and strengthening of national borders in the EU, the systems of global governance are coming under increased pressure.&nbsp;

While the health impact of the pandemic will subside sooner or later, the trends mentioned above can have lasting consequences:&nbsp;

Political subterfuge and erosion of civil liberties: 
 
In an article published in The Times, Lord Sumption (former senior British judge) aptly summarised the situation – ‘Governments armed with vast powers are usually reluctant to part with it.’ I would add that some governments who have discovered new forms of surveillance or passed absolute ‘coronavirus’ emergency laws will be unable to give up the addiction of continuing to use them. In this context, it is prudent to mention developments in central and eastern Europe where a clash between ‘illiberal populists’ &amp; ‘nationalist governments’ and the perceived democratic, open values of the EU has been ongoing for some time now. &nbsp;

Officially Hungary became the first country to give far-reaching, unlimited and most importantly no-time bound power to its Prime Minister Viktor Orban to rule by decree on March 30. He now has an unlimited authority to fight the COVID emergency by suspending the parliament &amp; all future elections and imprisoning people for “violating a quarantine” and “spreading false information.” PM Orban has been heading towards the path of dismantling parliamentary democracy for some time now along with his government’s controversial anti-immigration stance and subtle tolerance of xenophobia and anti-Semitism. For the last two years, EU has contemplated invoking Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty to sanction Orban’s ‘illiberal’ actions.&nbsp;

In Poland, which has been trailing Hungary in its political developments, the government changed the electoral law overnight to ensure that the presidential elections go ahead on 10 May. Given the restrictions in place for fighting the health emergency, the only candidate who will be able to use state resources to organise a campaign will be the current president, Andrzej Duda. In Slovakia, special measures have been introduced by the government to violate privacy rules and access all citizen data. These measures are not restricted to this part of Europe – in Philippines police has been ordered to take harshest measures against opposition and critics who question the ‘lockdown measures’.&nbsp;

The repudiation may not be this blatant in other countries but increasingly there will be efforts to contain the whistleblowers &amp; critics who question either handling of the pandemic, laws passed or the help that most nations will need to take from China. From countries like Israel (use of secret cellphone data to track COVID outbreak), Myanmar (complete information censorship), Russia (extensive monitoring system that tracks all technological devices) to Venezeula – the governments have rolled out extensive surveillance and any criticism is being stifled. &nbsp;

The looming spectre of civil unrest: 
 
In India, a country of 1.3 billion people, as a nation-wide lockdown was enforced on March 24, millions of migrant labour walked on foot to reach their home states. They were stopped at various places, reportedly beaten by the police and many have been left in limbo. A telephonic survey of workers from North and Central India by an NGO revealed that if the lockdown continued beyond 21 days, 66 per cent of those interviewed will be unable to manage their household expenses. Many of them had no ration left for the day and were worried they would find no employment if the situation continued. &nbsp;

Latest reports from the US showed a surge in demand at food banks, with the food insecurity surging by 30 per cent just in the city of New York. Combined with unemployment and predicted recession, these conditions are likely to amplify. There have been reports of a surge in supermarket raids and robberies in Italy’s southern region as food shortages continue due to extension of the lockdown. As about half of the global population remains in lockdown, supply chains are broken and agricultural harvesting suffers – WHO and other agencies have spoken about the possibility of food riots, intensification of existing conflicts and a spectre of civil unrest. &nbsp;

Further weakening of global governance models: 
 
There is a fear that the COVID 19 crisis will amplify the global stress points – already US President Donald Trump’s regular emphasis on the ‘Chinese virus’ signifies the deepening of distrust with the Chinese leadership. In countries like Italy and Spain – narratives built around African immigrants being responsible for the virus are gaining prominence, which can further fuel the anti-immigration sentiment and populist movements. WHO’s, one of the very few global institutions of repute, role in the handling of the pandemic and accusations of ‘towing the China line’ are creating a renewed questioning of global institutions. &nbsp;

The global watchdogs will have their hands full in keenly observing as countries try to balance the exigencies of fighting the pandemic with increased surveillance and violation of privacy. Governments will have to be on their toes to formulate economic and social packages to ensure that unrest is checked. The pandemic has also offered a unique opportunity for nations to unite – to share information, technology and collaborate on economic revival. However, as of now, the global leadership remains uncoordinated and largely ‘national’. &nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

When the first few cases of COVID 19 were reported from China and other select countries in early to mid-January 2020, few would have realised that the world, as we know it, would be so drastically altered.

When the first few cases of COVID 19 were reported from China and other select countries in early to mid-January 2020, few would have realised that the world, as we know it, would be so drastically altered. Today a globalised world has become a cluster of localised countries, suspicious and wary of each other. Within national boundaries, enclaves of humans have been created that are being encouraged to not ‘socialise’. The health-related aspects of the emergency have been well covered with the exponential increase in cases in countries like Italy, Spain and the US constantly dominating the headlines. The economic impact has also gotten due importance with the IMF downgrading the growth prospects of several countries. What has perhaps been covered in parts but not fully understood is the larger political and social impact of the pandemic. In some countries, partial authoritarian regimes are converting into full dictatorships, media & individual freedoms are being eroded, social contract with the governments is being questioned. In others, the class, regional and caste impact of the spread of the virus and measures taken to control it are creating grounds for civil unrest. With the perception of the China angle to the virus, World Health Organisation's (WHO) perceived missteps and strengthening of national borders in the EU, the systems of global governance are coming under increased pressure. While the health impact of the pandemic will subside sooner or later, the trends mentioned above can have lasting consequences: Political subterfuge and erosion of civil liberties: In an article published in The Times, Lord Sumption (former senior British judge) aptly summarised the situation – ‘Governments armed with vast powers are usually reluctant to part with it.’ I would add that some governments who have discovered new forms of surveillance or passed absolute ‘coronavirus’ emergency laws will be unable to give up the addiction of continuing to use them. In this context, it is prudent to mention developments in central and eastern Europe where a clash between ‘illiberal populists’ & ‘nationalist governments’ and the perceived democratic, open values of the EU has been ongoing for some time now. Officially Hungary became the first country to give far-reaching, unlimited and most importantly no-time bound power to its Prime Minister Viktor Orban to rule by decree on March 30. He now has an unlimited authority to fight the COVID emergency by suspending the parliament & all future elections and imprisoning people for “violating a quarantine” and “spreading false information.” PM Orban has been heading towards the path of dismantling parliamentary democracy for some time now along with his government’s controversial anti-immigration stance and subtle tolerance of xenophobia and anti-Semitism. For the last two years, EU has contemplated invoking Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty to sanction Orban’s ‘illiberal’ actions. In Poland, which has been trailing Hungary in its political developments, the government changed the electoral law overnight to ensure that the presidential elections go ahead on 10 May. Given the restrictions in place for fighting the health emergency, the only candidate who will be able to use state resources to organise a campaign will be the current president, Andrzej Duda. In Slovakia, special measures have been introduced by the government to violate privacy rules and access all citizen data. These measures are not restricted to this part of Europe – in Philippines police has been ordered to take harshest measures against opposition and critics who question the ‘lockdown measures’. The repudiation may not be this blatant in other countries but increasingly there will be efforts to contain the whistleblowers & critics who question either handling of the pandemic, laws passed or the help that most nations will need to take from China. From countries like Israel (use of secret cellphone data to track COVID outbreak), Myanmar (complete information censorship), Russia (extensive monitoring system that tracks all technological devices) to Venezeula – the governments have rolled out extensive surveillance and any criticism is being stifled. The looming spectre of civil unrest: In India, a country of 1.3 billion people, as a nation-wide lockdown was enforced on March 24, millions of migrant labour walked on foot to reach their home states. They were stopped at various places, reportedly beaten by the police and many have been left in limbo. A telephonic survey of workers from North and Central India by an NGO revealed that if the lockdown continued beyond 21 days, 66 per cent of those interviewed will be unable to manage their household expenses. Many of them had no ration left for the day and were worried they would find no employment if the situation continued. Latest reports from the US showed a surge in demand at food banks, with the food insecurity surging by 30 per cent just in the city of New York. Combined with unemployment and predicted recession, these conditions are likely to amplify. There have been reports of a surge in supermarket raids and robberies in Italy’s southern region as food shortages continue due to extension of the lockdown. As about half of the global population remains in lockdown, supply chains are broken and agricultural harvesting suffers – WHO and other agencies have spoken about the possibility of food riots, intensification of existing conflicts and a spectre of civil unrest. Further weakening of global governance models: There is a fear that the COVID 19 crisis will amplify the global stress points – already US President Donald Trump’s regular emphasis on the ‘Chinese virus’ signifies the deepening of distrust with the Chinese leadership. In countries like Italy and Spain – narratives built around African immigrants being responsible for the virus are gaining prominence, which can further fuel the anti-immigration sentiment and populist movements. WHO’s, one of the very few global institutions of repute, role in the handling of the pandemic and accusations of ‘towing the China line’ are creating a renewed questioning of global institutions. The global watchdogs will have their hands full in keenly observing as countries try to balance the exigencies of fighting the pandemic with increased surveillance and violation of privacy. Governments will have to be on their toes to formulate economic and social packages to ensure that unrest is checked. The pandemic has also offered a unique opportunity for nations to unite – to share information, technology and collaborate on economic revival. However, as of now, the global leadership remains uncoordinated and largely ‘national’. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Socio-political implications of coronavirus pandemic

By Niki J P Alsford

North Korea continues to insist that it is completely free of coronavirus. The World Health Organisation’s representative to the country said that 709 people had been tested with no confirmed cases as of April 2.

Observers are naturally sceptical, particularly given the 10,000 cases and 200 deaths from COVID-19, the disease linked to the new coronavirus, in neighbouring South Korea.

North Korea has taken some of the most draconian measures since the virus was first reported in January. It was among the first countries to seal its borders in February. It automatically quarantined all foreign diplomats in Pyongyang for one month and controlled the movement of its population. Compared to North Korea’s response to SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014, it’s clear that the leadership in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is now being much more assertive – and this may have helped.

However, officials in North Korea have begun to ask for humanitarian assistance. To benefit, North Korea must navigate a range of sanctions. Aid organisations have had to secure emergency exemptions from the UN to allow specific shipments of aid to arrive in recent weeks. However, getting the shipments in also proves difficult because of strict border controls.

It’s still unclear whether the closure of the North Korean border has also stopped the state-sanctioned smuggling across the country’s border with China that the government uses to bypass certain sanctions.

If the border is now closed to these smuggling routes, then this is an opportunity to understand the full brunt of the sanctions. But if the smuggling continues, then the chances of COVID-19 spreading into North Korea are greatly increased.

Getting ready 
 
The DPRK’s official stance is that North Korea is clear of infection. This, however, is beginning to look unlikely.

In early March, South Korea’s Daily NK news reported that as many as 200 North Korean soldiers had died from COVID-19 with a further 4,000 in quarantine.

While reporting of the coronavirus is controlled in North Korea, information on the global pandemic is not being suppressed in the country. However, there are no specific public discussions taking place on whether there is an outbreak in North Korea.

The Rodung Shimun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea has reported on the country’s readiness to tackle COVID-19. On April 1, as well as an article that outlined the increase in reported cases in South Korea, it also reported that nurses are beloved and respected by the North Korean people. The cogs of the propaganda machine are beginning to turn.

Meanwhile, Chongnyon Jonwi, a daily paper in North Korea, has focused primarily on recent missile testing. The only reference given to any health issues was the construction of the Pyongyang General Hospital. Another paper, the Minju Choson, didn’t report on coronavirus directly either. It did discuss the construction of the hospital, but also referenced efforts by the Supreme People’s Assembly to improve general infectious disease prevention – without mentioning COVID-19 specifically.

Tight control

North Korea’s secretive response to coronavirus is no surprise, given its long history of isolationism, which reinforces the North Korean ideological concept of Juche, or self reliance.

However, the country’s leadership has not suggested that it won’t have any cases, but is focusing instead on its preparedness and the proactive measures being taken.

It’s possible that pride may be a factor in concealing an outbreak. The new round of missile testing in March could be seen as a strategic diversion technique. North Korea faces significant public health challenges, with aid workers clear that the past few decades have seen an increase in malnutrition.

Emphasis on the construction of the hospital – due to be finished by October in time for the 75th anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea – is a key part of the government’s domestic information strategy. But to complete the hospital ahead of schedule would require the work of thousands of North Koreans living, working and eating side by side. This would leave no space for social distancing in the country’s efforts to prevent an epidemic.

But then controlling the spread of information – and avoiding any panic – is a central part of how the regime’s leader, Kim Jong-un, holds onto power.

(Niki J P Alsford is Professor in Asia Pacific Studies, Director of the Asia Pacific Studies Institutes, University of Central Lancashire)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read <a href="https://theconversation.com/north-korea-insists-it-has-no-coronavirus-how-the-state-is-managing-the-story-135379">the original article</a>)

By Niki J P Alsford North Korea continues to insist that it is completely free of coronavirus. The World Health Organisation’s representative to the country said that 709 people had been tested with no confirmed cases as of April 2.

By Niki J P Alsford North Korea continues to insist that it is completely free of coronavirus. The World Health Organisation’s representative to the country said that 709 people had been tested with no confirmed cases as of April 2. Observers are naturally sceptical, particularly given the 10,000 cases and 200 deaths from COVID-19, the disease linked to the new coronavirus, in neighbouring South Korea. North Korea has taken some of the most draconian measures since the virus was first reported in January. It was among the first countries to seal its borders in February. It automatically quarantined all foreign diplomats in Pyongyang for one month and controlled the movement of its population. Compared to North Korea’s response to SARS in 2003 and Ebola in 2014, it’s clear that the leadership in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is now being much more assertive – and this may have helped. However, officials in North Korea have begun to ask for humanitarian assistance. To benefit, North Korea must navigate a range of sanctions. Aid organisations have had to secure emergency exemptions from the UN to allow specific shipments of aid to arrive in recent weeks. However, getting the shipments in also proves difficult because of strict border controls. It’s still unclear whether the closure of the North Korean border has also stopped the state-sanctioned smuggling across the country’s border with China that the government uses to bypass certain sanctions. If the border is now closed to these smuggling routes, then this is an opportunity to understand the full brunt of the sanctions. But if the smuggling continues, then the chances of COVID-19 spreading into North Korea are greatly increased. Getting ready The DPRK’s official stance is that North Korea is clear of infection. This, however, is beginning to look unlikely. In early March, South Korea’s Daily NK news reported that as many as 200 North Korean soldiers had died from COVID-19 with a further 4,000 in quarantine. While reporting of the coronavirus is controlled in North Korea, information on the global pandemic is not being suppressed in the country. However, there are no specific public discussions taking place on whether there is an outbreak in North Korea. The Rodung Shimun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea has reported on the country’s readiness to tackle COVID-19. On April 1, as well as an article that outlined the increase in reported cases in South Korea, it also reported that nurses are beloved and respected by the North Korean people. The cogs of the propaganda machine are beginning to turn. Meanwhile, Chongnyon Jonwi, a daily paper in North Korea, has focused primarily on recent missile testing. The only reference given to any health issues was the construction of the Pyongyang General Hospital. Another paper, the Minju Choson, didn’t report on coronavirus directly either. It did discuss the construction of the hospital, but also referenced efforts by the Supreme People’s Assembly to improve general infectious disease prevention – without mentioning COVID-19 specifically. Tight control North Korea’s secretive response to coronavirus is no surprise, given its long history of isolationism, which reinforces the North Korean ideological concept of Juche, or self reliance. However, the country’s leadership has not suggested that it won’t have any cases, but is focusing instead on its preparedness and the proactive measures being taken. It’s possible that pride may be a factor in concealing an outbreak. The new round of missile testing in March could be seen as a strategic diversion technique. North Korea faces significant public health challenges, with aid workers clear that the past few decades have seen an increase in malnutrition. Emphasis on the construction of the hospital – due to be finished by October in time for the 75th anniversary of the Worker’s Party of Korea – is a key part of the government’s domestic information strategy. But to complete the hospital ahead of schedule would require the work of thousands of North Koreans living, working and eating side by side. This would leave no space for social distancing in the country’s efforts to prevent an epidemic. But then controlling the spread of information – and avoiding any panic – is a central part of how the regime’s leader, Kim Jong-un, holds onto power. (Niki J P Alsford is Professor in Asia Pacific Studies, Director of the Asia Pacific Studies Institutes, University of Central Lancashire) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

North Korea insists it has no coronavirus – how the state is managing the story

From New York to Paris to England to New Delhi, life has come to a standstill with some three billion people confined to their homes as&nbsp;governments and agencies&nbsp;fight&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/new-york-city-from-a-global-cultural-capital-to-a-ghost-town-290305">coronavirus outbreak</a>.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/as-coronavirus-becomes-a-global-threat-who-china-ties-need-greater-international-scrutiny-291137">COVID 19 </a>infected more than 1.44 million people and killed over 83,000 worldwide.

The exact source of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/four-priorities-for-a-global-strategy-to-contain-coronavirus-pandemic-290518">novel coronavirus</a> remains under investigation, though it is thought to be linked to Wuhan wet market. Another theory&nbsp;says the virus was developed in a Chinese&nbsp;virology lab.

Here are the key developments since the novel coronavirus was announced:&nbsp;Coronavirus Timeline

December 30, 2019

The Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention in central China's Hubei province detected cases of "pneumonia of unknown cause". &nbsp;

December 31, 2019

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission confirmed 27 cases, telling the public not to go to enclosed public&nbsp; 
 
January 8, 2020

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said a new coronavirus could be behind a pneumonia epidemic documented in December in the Chinese city of Wuhan.&nbsp;

January 11, 2020

China announced&nbsp;its first death in Wuhan

January 24, 2020

The first cases in Europe are recorded, in France.&nbsp;

January 25, 2020

Hubei province followed Wuhan in being placed in quarantine

January 28, 2020

Germany and Japan announced the first two confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 outside China. Nations rushed to evacuate their citizens from China.

January 30, 2020

The WHO declared a "public health emergency of international concern".

February 2, 2020

The Philippines reported the first death outside China, a man from Wuhan.

February 7, 2020

The WHO warned that the world is running out of masks and other protective equipment.

February 19, 2020

As the toll topped 2,000, the WHO called for "proportionate" actions to COVID-19's international spread.

February 25, 2020

The WHO said&nbsp;there is a risk of a pandemic. The next day the number of new cases in the rest of the world surpasses that of China.

March 6-8, 2020

More than 100,000 cases were recorded around the world. Northern Italy was locked down, quickly followed by the rest of the country.

March 11, 2020

The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. US borders were gradually closed to around 30 countries. Governments and central banks rolled out massive economic support measures.

March 13, 2020

The WHO declared Europe as the pandemic's new epicentre.

By March 18, 2020

More than 2,00,000 cases were registered across the world.

March 19, 2020

Italy became the country with the highest death toll.&nbsp;

March 23, 2020

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned against a worse recession than the one that followed the 2008 world financial crisis.

Several<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/sporting-events-that-fell-victim-to-coronavirus-280070#la-liga-285951"> sporting events </a>were either cancelled or postponed due to the spread of the novel virus.&nbsp;

March 24, 2020

Indian Prime Minister announced a 21 days nationwide lockdown.

March 26, 2020

The leaders of the Group of 20 nations came together for an ‘extraordinary virtual G20 Summit’ to discuss the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the global economy.

March 28, 2020

As China's Wuhan started emerging from lockdown, Italy passed the 10,000 death mark.

April 7, 2020

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/neighbourhood-first-indias-policy-on-hydroxychloroquine-as-trump-demands-drug-for-us-291189">Indian government</a> decided to licence and paracetamol, in appropriate quantities, to the&nbsp;neighbouring countries. These drugs are seen as key in the treatment of coronavirus.

(With inputs from AFP and PTI)

From New York to Paris to England to New Delhi, life has come to a standstill with some three billion people confined to their homes as governments and agencies fight the coronavirus outbreak.

From New York to Paris to England to New Delhi, life has come to a standstill with some three billion people confined to their homes as governments and agencies fight the coronavirus outbreak. COVID 19 infected more than 1.44 million people and killed over 83,000 worldwide. The exact source of the novel coronavirus remains under investigation, though it is thought to be linked to Wuhan wet market. Another theory says the virus was developed in a Chinese virology lab. Here are the key developments since the novel coronavirus was announced: Coronavirus Timeline December 30, 2019 The Wuhan Center for Disease Control and Prevention in central China's Hubei province detected cases of "pneumonia of unknown cause". December 31, 2019 The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission confirmed 27 cases, telling the public not to go to enclosed public January 8, 2020 The World Health Organisation (WHO) said a new coronavirus could be behind a pneumonia epidemic documented in December in the Chinese city of Wuhan. January 11, 2020 China announced its first death in Wuhan January 24, 2020 The first cases in Europe are recorded, in France. January 25, 2020 Hubei province followed Wuhan in being placed in quarantine January 28, 2020 Germany and Japan announced the first two confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 outside China. Nations rushed to evacuate their citizens from China. January 30, 2020 The WHO declared a "public health emergency of international concern". February 2, 2020 The Philippines reported the first death outside China, a man from Wuhan. February 7, 2020 The WHO warned that the world is running out of masks and other protective equipment. February 19, 2020 As the toll topped 2,000, the WHO called for "proportionate" actions to COVID-19's international spread. February 25, 2020 The WHO said there is a risk of a pandemic. The next day the number of new cases in the rest of the world surpasses that of China. March 6-8, 2020 More than 100,000 cases were recorded around the world. Northern Italy was locked down, quickly followed by the rest of the country. March 11, 2020 The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. US borders were gradually closed to around 30 countries. Governments and central banks rolled out massive economic support measures. March 13, 2020 The WHO declared Europe as the pandemic's new epicentre. By March 18, 2020 More than 2,00,000 cases were registered across the world. March 19, 2020 Italy became the country with the highest death toll. March 23, 2020 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned against a worse recession than the one that followed the 2008 world financial crisis. Several sporting events were either cancelled or postponed due to the spread of the novel virus. March 24, 2020 Indian Prime Minister announced a 21 days nationwide lockdown. March 26, 2020 The leaders of the Group of 20 nations came together for an ‘extraordinary virtual G20 Summit’ to discuss the impact of coronavirus pandemic on the global economy. March 28, 2020 As China's Wuhan started emerging from lockdown, Italy passed the 10,000 death mark. April 7, 2020 The Indian government decided to licence and paracetamol, in appropriate quantities, to the neighbouring countries. These drugs are seen as key in the treatment of coronavirus. (With inputs from AFP and PTI)

Coronavirus timeline: From COVID-19's origin to spread

For many social-distancing and washing hands with soap and water is a privilege that they do not have. The coronavirus outbreak has led to financial strain on several families and the underprivileged are perhaps the most affected. 
 
Singer-songwriter Dua Lipa on Thursday through a series of tweets urged people to donate generously to the United Nations Children`s Fund (UNICEF) and help underprivileged children sail through the hard times of coronavirus pandemic. 
 
The singer said that the only possible precaution against coronavirus is self-isolation, which is not practically possible for children living in crowded refugee camps and they also lack the first line of defence, which is soap and water. 
"+++ V IMPORTANT - Please donate to @unicef because there is no option to self-isolate against COVID-19 for children living in crowded refugee camps. Many don`t even have access to soap and water, the first line of defence against this virus," she tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
+++ V IMPORTANT - Please donate to <a href="https://twitter.com/UNICEF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@unicef</a> because there is no option to self-isolate against COVID-19 for children living in crowded refugee camps. Many don't even have access to soap and water, the first line of defence against this virus.
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DUALIPA/status/1248214181024849920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In another tweet, she said that donations made to the UNICEF will help the children in the countries that have relatively weaker healthcare facilities. "Donating to UNICEF will help support children in countries with weaker healthcare systems; give more children access to soap and water; and provide communities with info on how to protect themselves from the virus," the 24-year-old singer tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Donating to UNICEF will help support children in countries with weaker healthcare systems; give more children access to soap and water; and provide communities with info on how to protect themselves from the virus.<a href="https://t.co/em7fG1l7A2">https://t.co/em7fG1l7A2</a> 
 
THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DUALIPA/status/1248214182509633536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

According to the World Health Organisation, as many as 14,38,994 people have been affected by the highly contagious virus globally and 85,586 people have lost their lives to it so far.

(With inputs from ANI)

For many social-distancing and washing hands with soap and water is a privilege that they do not have. The coronavirus outbreak has led to financial strain on several families and the underprivileged are perhaps the most affected.

For many social-distancing and washing hands with soap and water is a privilege that they do not have. The coronavirus outbreak has led to financial strain on several families and the underprivileged are perhaps the most affected. Singer-songwriter Dua Lipa on Thursday through a series of tweets urged people to donate generously to the United Nations Children`s Fund (UNICEF) and help underprivileged children sail through the hard times of coronavirus pandemic. The singer said that the only possible precaution against coronavirus is self-isolation, which is not practically possible for children living in crowded refugee camps and they also lack the first line of defence, which is soap and water. "+++ V IMPORTANT - Please donate to @unicef because there is no option to self-isolate against COVID-19 for children living in crowded refugee camps. Many don`t even have access to soap and water, the first line of defence against this virus," she tweeted. +++ V IMPORTANT - Please donate to @unicef because there is no option to self-isolate against COVID-19 for children living in crowded refugee camps. Many don't even have access to soap and water, the first line of defence against this virus. — DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) April 9, 2020 × In another tweet, she said that donations made to the UNICEF will help the children in the countries that have relatively weaker healthcare facilities. "Donating to UNICEF will help support children in countries with weaker healthcare systems; give more children access to soap and water; and provide communities with info on how to protect themselves from the virus," the 24-year-old singer tweeted. Donating to UNICEF will help support children in countries with weaker healthcare systems; give more children access to soap and water; and provide communities with info on how to protect themselves from the virus.https://t.co/em7fG1l7A2 THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️ — DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) April 9, 2020 × According to the World Health Organisation, as many as 14,38,994 people have been affected by the highly contagious virus globally and 85,586 people have lost their lives to it so far. (With inputs from ANI)

Dua Lipa urges fans to donate to UNICEF to help underprivileged children combat COVID-19

The Mumbai Police has received words of appreciation for their work amid coronavirus lockdown. Several Bollywood actors on Thursday expressed gratitude to the police force for working tirelessly to contain coronavirus in the city and to maintain order in time of crisis. 
 
Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal, Hrithik Roshan and others put out their gratitude on their social media handles. 
 
Akshay Kumar was the first to thank the police force and started the hashtag #DilSeThankYou. 
 
Acknowledging the contribution of all essential workers during the lockdown period, actor Akshay Kumar on Thursday encouraged people to use the hashtag "Dil Se Thank You" to express their gratitude to the people "who work to ensure our safety". 
 
In a video message shared on Twitter, the 52-year-old star recalled a conversation he had with a Mumbai police officer yesterday, who is also a good friend of the actor, and said that the conservation gave him a new insight into the situation."Akshay, you people are scared to come out of your homes, and the irony is we are afraid to go home. We do not want to transfer any sort of disease to our family as we are on the streets the whole day, meeting different kinds of people," Akshay quoted his friend in the police as saying.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Name : Akshay Kumar 
City : Mumbai 
 
Mere aur mere parivaar ki taraf se... 
Police, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, government officials, vendors, building ke guards ko <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilSeThankYou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilSeThankYou</a> 🙏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/N8dnb4Na63">pic.twitter.com/N8dnb4Na63</a>
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) <a href="https://twitter.com/akshaykumar/status/1248172655166930944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Following Kumar, his 'Sooryavanshi' co-star Katrina Kaif took to Instagram and thanked the police officials through both an Instagram post and a story. 
 
In the story, Kaif posted a picture of the `Mumbai Police` badge on the uniform of the officials and wrote: "Thank You."She also posted a video of the police officials on duty and wrote, "Thank You Mumbai Police. Saluting the bravery and dedication of the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Police who are working so hard while we stay in the safety and comfort of our homes." 
 
"Tremendous respect for all of you #DilSeThankYou #StayHome #MumbaiPolice #MaharashtraPolice," her caption further read.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-waKabhYne/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-waKabhYne/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-waKabhYne/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-waKabhYne/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Saluting the bravery and dedication of the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Police who are working so hard while we stay in the safety and comfort of our homes. Tremendous respect for all of you 🙏 #DilSeThankYou #StayHome #MumbaiPolice #MaharashtraPolice</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katrinakaif/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Katrina Kaif</a> (@katrinakaif) on <time datetime="2020-04-09T10:16:05+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 9, 2020 at 3:16am PDT</time>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

'Uri: The Surgical Strike` actor Vicky Kaushal took to Twitter and thanked Mumbai`s Director General of Police (DGP) and the rest of the officials."My heartfelt thanks and salute to each and every braveheart of @MumbaiPolice and @DGPMaharashtra who are out there, selflessly and relentlessly fighting the battle for all of us. You are the real heroes and I`m your fan for life! #ThankYouMumbaiPolice #ThankYouMaharshtraPolice," he tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My heartfelt thanks and salute to each and every braveheart of <a href="https://twitter.com/MumbaiPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MumbaiPolice</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DGPMaharashtra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DGPMaharashtra</a> who are out there, selflessly and relentlessly fighting the battle for all of us. You are the real heroes and I'm your fan for life! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouMumbaiPolice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouMumbaiPolice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouMaharshtraPolice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouMaharshtraPolice</a> <a href="https://t.co/FplgL5fR91">pic.twitter.com/FplgL5fR91</a>
— Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) <a href="https://twitter.com/vickykaushal09/status/1248211840892469248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra thanked the police officials in a special by posting a picture of herself holding a placard that read, `#Dil Se Thank You. Jai Hind.`"Mumbai se main, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, apne aur apne poore parivaar ki orr se @MumbaiPolice, @mybmc, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, govt. officials, vendors, building ke guards ko #DilSeThankYou kehna chahti hoon. Aap hain isiliye hum surakshit hain," she tweeted along with the picture.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mumbai se main, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, apne aur apne poore parivaar ki orr se <a href="https://twitter.com/MumbaiPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MumbaiPolice</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/mybmc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mybmc</a>, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, govt. officials, vendors, building ke guards ko <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DilSeThankYou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DilSeThankYou</a> kehna chahti hoon. 
Aap hain isiliye hum surakshit hain🙏🏻 <a href="https://t.co/i5a4yRUN3k">pic.twitter.com/i5a4yRUN3k</a>
— SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA (@TheShilpaShetty) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheShilpaShetty/status/1248221353284517890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Many other Bollywood celebrities including actors Shahid Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, and film director Karan Johar.

&nbsp;

The Mumbai Police has received words of appreciation for their work amid coronavirus lockdown. Several Bollywood actors on Thursday expressed gratitude to the police force for working tirelessly to contain coronavirus in the city and to maintain order in time of crisis.

The Mumbai Police has received words of appreciation for their work amid coronavirus lockdown. Several Bollywood actors on Thursday expressed gratitude to the police force for working tirelessly to contain coronavirus in the city and to maintain order in time of crisis. Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal, Hrithik Roshan and others put out their gratitude on their social media handles. Akshay Kumar was the first to thank the police force and started the hashtag #DilSeThankYou. Acknowledging the contribution of all essential workers during the lockdown period, actor Akshay Kumar on Thursday encouraged people to use the hashtag "Dil Se Thank You" to express their gratitude to the people "who work to ensure our safety". In a video message shared on Twitter, the 52-year-old star recalled a conversation he had with a Mumbai police officer yesterday, who is also a good friend of the actor, and said that the conservation gave him a new insight into the situation."Akshay, you people are scared to come out of your homes, and the irony is we are afraid to go home. We do not want to transfer any sort of disease to our family as we are on the streets the whole day, meeting different kinds of people," Akshay quoted his friend in the police as saying. Name : Akshay Kumar City : Mumbai Mere aur mere parivaar ki taraf se... Police, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, government officials, vendors, building ke guards ko #DilSeThankYou 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/N8dnb4Na63 — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 9, 2020 × Following Kumar, his 'Sooryavanshi' co-star Katrina Kaif took to Instagram and thanked the police officials through both an Instagram post and a story. In the story, Kaif posted a picture of the `Mumbai Police` badge on the uniform of the officials and wrote: "Thank You."She also posted a video of the police officials on duty and wrote, "Thank You Mumbai Police. Saluting the bravery and dedication of the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Police who are working so hard while we stay in the safety and comfort of our homes." "Tremendous respect for all of you #DilSeThankYou #StayHome #MumbaiPolice #MaharashtraPolice," her caption further read. View this post on Instagram Saluting the bravery and dedication of the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Police who are working so hard while we stay in the safety and comfort of our homes. Tremendous respect for all of you 🙏 #DilSeThankYou #StayHome #MumbaiPolice #MaharashtraPolice A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Apr 9, 2020 at 3:16am PDT × 'Uri: The Surgical Strike` actor Vicky Kaushal took to Twitter and thanked Mumbai`s Director General of Police (DGP) and the rest of the officials."My heartfelt thanks and salute to each and every braveheart of @MumbaiPolice and @DGPMaharashtra who are out there, selflessly and relentlessly fighting the battle for all of us. You are the real heroes and I`m your fan for life! #ThankYouMumbaiPolice #ThankYouMaharshtraPolice," he tweeted. My heartfelt thanks and salute to each and every braveheart of @MumbaiPolice and @DGPMaharashtra who are out there, selflessly and relentlessly fighting the battle for all of us. You are the real heroes and I'm your fan for life! #ThankYouMumbaiPolice #ThankYouMaharshtraPolice pic.twitter.com/FplgL5fR91 — Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) April 9, 2020 × Actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra thanked the police officials in a special by posting a picture of herself holding a placard that read, `#Dil Se Thank You. Jai Hind.`"Mumbai se main, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, apne aur apne poore parivaar ki orr se @MumbaiPolice, @mybmc, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, govt. officials, vendors, building ke guards ko #DilSeThankYou kehna chahti hoon. Aap hain isiliye hum surakshit hain," she tweeted along with the picture. Mumbai se main, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, apne aur apne poore parivaar ki orr se @MumbaiPolice, @mybmc, Nagar Nigam ke workers, doctors, nurses, NGOs, volunteers, govt. officials, vendors, building ke guards ko #DilSeThankYou kehna chahti hoon. Aap hain isiliye hum surakshit hain🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/i5a4yRUN3k — SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA (@TheShilpaShetty) April 9, 2020 × Many other Bollywood celebrities including actors Shahid Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, and film director Karan Johar.

Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal join Akshay Kumar to say 'Dil Se Thank You' to Mumbai Police

By Michael Skey and César Jiménez-Martínez

The coronavirus pandemic cuts across borders, cultures and political systems. As the virus spread across the planet, global institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) called for worldwide solidarity, arguing that “we’re all in this together and we can only stop it together”.

Despite the very obvious global nature of the pandemic and some of the more humanitarian responses to it, it has often been discussed in terms of national territories, priorities and communities.

Some have argued that nationalism is a worrying side-effect of the virus, pointing to the closure of national borders as a threat to globalisation or noting how some political leaders have tried to blame other countries. For instance, both the Trump administration in the US and the Bolsonaro administration in Brazil have courted controversy by blaming China for the coronavirus crisis.

The problem with these arguments is that they tend to view nationalism in very narrow, and very negative, terms. Often nationalism is associated with the actions of politicians or groups who are labelled as extremist, such as Hungary’s Victor Orbán or France’s Marine La Pen. But if we want to make sense of the continuing salience and power of the nation, particularly in times of crisis, we need a wider understanding of nationalism.

Shaped by national borders 
 
Our research argues that nationalism is much better defined as an established belief system, broadly accepted by many people around the globe – rather than an extremist ideology. Put simply, the world is perceived as “naturally” divided into identifiable nations, which influence the way people think and behave, and their responsibilities and entitlements.

Such a definition not only encompasses the nasty aspects of nationalism, but also points to the ways in which the lives of very ordinary people are often defined, represented and discussed in national terms. For example, by making an Italian meal, telling a joke about Canadians, researching the history of Japan or planning a visit to India.

The extreme nationalist outbursts also only make sense in relation to the unremarkable stuff that seems to generate much less concern or interest. In other words, Donald Trump’s diatribes against the “Chinese virus” only make sense in a world where most people take for granted that there is a country called China that has its own territory, history, government, culture and food.

The current pandemic has frequently been defined and understood in national terms. First and foremost, media reporting of the virus has primarily focused on the impact it’s having in particular nations, from China to South Korea, Iran, Italy and so on. The virus may ignore national borders, but our understanding of it continues to be shaped by those very borders.

Coming ‘home’ 
 
A second issue is the way in which responses to the virus are often shaped by national priorities and objectives. Global institutions such as the WHO and UN have coordinated some of the response to the pandemic and advised states on how best to deal with it. But it is national governments that are seen as primarily responsible for managing the pandemic and protecting “their” citizens.

One of the major responses by governments has been to recall citizens to their homeland and close national borders. Far from uniting humanity in a global endeavour, the pandemic has actually reinforced the physical and symbolic boundaries between a country’s citizens and foreigners. These actions may be viewed as exceptional but they are rarely reported as unjustified – it seems pretty normal that each person should belong to a nation which they return to during a moment of extreme crisis.

This also explains concerns about people stranded “abroad”. It is related to feelings of solidarity and calls to take care of each other, which are often aimed at fellow nationals rather than to the whole of humankind. In Britain, this can be seen in the groundswell of support for the country’s National Health Service. This idea of having a homeland where you can return, and where you feel relatively comfortable and protected, is what makes the nation such a powerful symbol during a time of global crisis.

As the crisis has progressed, it also seems that competition has increasingly characterised the way in which governments and citizens understand and narrate its spread and impact. Public debates have compared how well or badly national authorities have managed the situation, lambasting those who are seen to be either ill-equipped or adopting “incorrect” policies. There is also competition between governments to get hold of equipment to protect “their” citizens.

While solutions to the current pandemic obviously need to be global, national systems and communities continue to bring comfort to people during this time of anxiety and uncertainty. Dismissing nationalism as only the work of extremists or ideologues doesn’t take us very far in understanding why national forms of identification and solidarity still continue to matter to so many people around the globe. 
 
(Michael Skey is Lecturer in Media and Communications, Loughborough University; César Jiménez-Martínez is Lecturer Global Media and Communications, Cardiff University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-reveals-how-important-the-nation-is-to-our-daily-lives-135125">Read the original article</a>)

By Michael Skey and César Jiménez-Martínez The coronavirus pandemic cuts across borders, cultures and political systems. As the virus spread across the planet, global institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) called for worldwide solidarity, arguing that “we’re all in this together and we can only stop it together”.

By Michael Skey and César Jiménez-Martínez The coronavirus pandemic cuts across borders, cultures and political systems. As the virus spread across the planet, global institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) called for worldwide solidarity, arguing that “we’re all in this together and we can only stop it together”. Despite the very obvious global nature of the pandemic and some of the more humanitarian responses to it, it has often been discussed in terms of national territories, priorities and communities. Some have argued that nationalism is a worrying side-effect of the virus, pointing to the closure of national borders as a threat to globalisation or noting how some political leaders have tried to blame other countries. For instance, both the Trump administration in the US and the Bolsonaro administration in Brazil have courted controversy by blaming China for the coronavirus crisis. The problem with these arguments is that they tend to view nationalism in very narrow, and very negative, terms. Often nationalism is associated with the actions of politicians or groups who are labelled as extremist, such as Hungary’s Victor Orbán or France’s Marine La Pen. But if we want to make sense of the continuing salience and power of the nation, particularly in times of crisis, we need a wider understanding of nationalism. Shaped by national borders Our research argues that nationalism is much better defined as an established belief system, broadly accepted by many people around the globe – rather than an extremist ideology. Put simply, the world is perceived as “naturally” divided into identifiable nations, which influence the way people think and behave, and their responsibilities and entitlements. Such a definition not only encompasses the nasty aspects of nationalism, but also points to the ways in which the lives of very ordinary people are often defined, represented and discussed in national terms. For example, by making an Italian meal, telling a joke about Canadians, researching the history of Japan or planning a visit to India. The extreme nationalist outbursts also only make sense in relation to the unremarkable stuff that seems to generate much less concern or interest. In other words, Donald Trump’s diatribes against the “Chinese virus” only make sense in a world where most people take for granted that there is a country called China that has its own territory, history, government, culture and food. The current pandemic has frequently been defined and understood in national terms. First and foremost, media reporting of the virus has primarily focused on the impact it’s having in particular nations, from China to South Korea, Iran, Italy and so on. The virus may ignore national borders, but our understanding of it continues to be shaped by those very borders. Coming ‘home’ A second issue is the way in which responses to the virus are often shaped by national priorities and objectives. Global institutions such as the WHO and UN have coordinated some of the response to the pandemic and advised states on how best to deal with it. But it is national governments that are seen as primarily responsible for managing the pandemic and protecting “their” citizens. One of the major responses by governments has been to recall citizens to their homeland and close national borders. Far from uniting humanity in a global endeavour, the pandemic has actually reinforced the physical and symbolic boundaries between a country’s citizens and foreigners. These actions may be viewed as exceptional but they are rarely reported as unjustified – it seems pretty normal that each person should belong to a nation which they return to during a moment of extreme crisis. This also explains concerns about people stranded “abroad”. It is related to feelings of solidarity and calls to take care of each other, which are often aimed at fellow nationals rather than to the whole of humankind. In Britain, this can be seen in the groundswell of support for the country’s National Health Service. This idea of having a homeland where you can return, and where you feel relatively comfortable and protected, is what makes the nation such a powerful symbol during a time of global crisis. As the crisis has progressed, it also seems that competition has increasingly characterised the way in which governments and citizens understand and narrate its spread and impact. Public debates have compared how well or badly national authorities have managed the situation, lambasting those who are seen to be either ill-equipped or adopting “incorrect” policies. There is also competition between governments to get hold of equipment to protect “their” citizens. While solutions to the current pandemic obviously need to be global, national systems and communities continue to bring comfort to people during this time of anxiety and uncertainty. Dismissing nationalism as only the work of extremists or ideologues doesn’t take us very far in understanding why national forms of identification and solidarity still continue to matter to so many people around the globe. (Michael Skey is Lecturer in Media and Communications, Loughborough University; César Jiménez-Martínez is Lecturer Global Media and Communications, Cardiff University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Coronavirus reveals how important the nation is to our daily lives

A tiny bird flew in to make her nest on my verandah yesterday. She started with a few scraps of leaves and bits of straw, that magically grew to be her home over the course of the day. I don’t remember the last time I saw something like that.

Just a few weeks ago, we were all busy. Jobs demanded time, goals were high, we were dropping kids to school, meeting deadlines, wooing clients, picking up kids, braving traffic, and coordinating with pest control and the plumber. Weekends too had a predictable pattern - entertainment was chalked out - meet friends, have a party, video call parents, clean the house, stock the fridge, watch movies, eat ice-cream and the like. We spun around on our little axis with a plethora of stars, whizzing around us to make it all happen. Cooks, drivers, helpers, teachers, yoga instructors, hairdressers, everyone chipped in to build a life as we know it. And now, suddenly there is no one. Newspapers have disappeared from our doorsteps, cars are slowly collecting dust, and in most houses, there is no outside assistance to help with daily tasks. India is in a lockdown mode, and life is on hold.

It’s an unfamiliar state of affairs, especially in a country like ours. If you go by conversations on social media, it sounds like a period of trial and hardship, that is not necessarily only because of the threat from the virus.&nbsp;

WhatsApp groups are buzzing with suggestions on easy recipes, home fitness routines, curated list of ‘must-see’ films, how to keep our children busy and how to keep ourselves positive. It is as though we are desperately reaching out to each other, reminding ourselves on how to survive.&nbsp;

But why do we need reminding for something as basic as looking after our own selves and our families? It should be a natural state of being. Like all the other beasts in the world, we should take the onus for feeding and grooming ourselves.&nbsp;

Our bodies need to be heard, by us. No pilates or Zumba instructor should be passionately pushing us for 'one more’. Our grandmothers talked about cooking with love for our families, but we have comfortably given the task to an outsider who chops vegetables and makes rotis, with an eye on the clock. Our prayers have been outsourced to a priest or a modern age guru, who tells us how to ‘connect’ with our own inner selves. We raise our little ones, by herding them from school to maths tuitions, to music teachers, to football coaches, to ballet, robotics and the like. We stretch out for a pedicure, instead of bending over and scrubbing our toes on our own. But not anymore.&nbsp;

Millions of us are confined to our homes. The doors are closed. Our backs hurt from the swabbing and mopping. Cooking is not much fun if it is to be done every day. And try doing an official conference on Zoom with a toddler howling in the next room. Of course, it's not easy. Life has changed.

We are creatures of habit. Finding comfort in day to day routines, familiar food, friends and so on. Change is hard, and more so when it is not by choice. It is natural to want to complain about the present and be concerned about the future. These are difficult times. &nbsp;We keep telling each other that this is temporary. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that, it is also an opportunity.&nbsp;

In the modern world, we are defined by our careers, and what we do. How busy we are is a big part of our perceived identity. Days have accelerated. We are so used to streamlining objectives, being productive, paying back loans, mastering yoga poses, chasing our dreams and constantly competing to beat the odds. Now is the time to slow down.&nbsp;

This brief interlude in our lives gives us a chance to live in a simple way, the way we are meant to. If health is not an issue, then laziness cannot be an excuse. So look after yourself and your loved ones. Be in tune with your body and mind. Hear music, find time to talk, make love, listen to children, and if you are&nbsp;lucky, perhaps you will&nbsp;get to hear the birds as well.

A tiny bird flew in to make her nest on my verandah yesterday. She started with a few scraps of leaves and bits of straw, that magically grew to be her home over the course of the day.

A tiny bird flew in to make her nest on my verandah yesterday. She started with a few scraps of leaves and bits of straw, that magically grew to be her home over the course of the day. I don’t remember the last time I saw something like that. Just a few weeks ago, we were all busy. Jobs demanded time, goals were high, we were dropping kids to school, meeting deadlines, wooing clients, picking up kids, braving traffic, and coordinating with pest control and the plumber. Weekends too had a predictable pattern - entertainment was chalked out - meet friends, have a party, video call parents, clean the house, stock the fridge, watch movies, eat ice-cream and the like. We spun around on our little axis with a plethora of stars, whizzing around us to make it all happen. Cooks, drivers, helpers, teachers, yoga instructors, hairdressers, everyone chipped in to build a life as we know it. And now, suddenly there is no one. Newspapers have disappeared from our doorsteps, cars are slowly collecting dust, and in most houses, there is no outside assistance to help with daily tasks. India is in a lockdown mode, and life is on hold. It’s an unfamiliar state of affairs, especially in a country like ours. If you go by conversations on social media, it sounds like a period of trial and hardship, that is not necessarily only because of the threat from the virus. WhatsApp groups are buzzing with suggestions on easy recipes, home fitness routines, curated list of ‘must-see’ films, how to keep our children busy and how to keep ourselves positive. It is as though we are desperately reaching out to each other, reminding ourselves on how to survive. But why do we need reminding for something as basic as looking after our own selves and our families? It should be a natural state of being. Like all the other beasts in the world, we should take the onus for feeding and grooming ourselves. Our bodies need to be heard, by us. No pilates or Zumba instructor should be passionately pushing us for 'one more’. Our grandmothers talked about cooking with love for our families, but we have comfortably given the task to an outsider who chops vegetables and makes rotis, with an eye on the clock. Our prayers have been outsourced to a priest or a modern age guru, who tells us how to ‘connect’ with our own inner selves. We raise our little ones, by herding them from school to maths tuitions, to music teachers, to football coaches, to ballet, robotics and the like. We stretch out for a pedicure, instead of bending over and scrubbing our toes on our own. But not anymore. Millions of us are confined to our homes. The doors are closed. Our backs hurt from the swabbing and mopping. Cooking is not much fun if it is to be done every day. And try doing an official conference on Zoom with a toddler howling in the next room. Of course, it's not easy. Life has changed. We are creatures of habit. Finding comfort in day to day routines, familiar food, friends and so on. Change is hard, and more so when it is not by choice. It is natural to want to complain about the present and be concerned about the future. These are difficult times. We keep telling each other that this is temporary. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that, it is also an opportunity. In the modern world, we are defined by our careers, and what we do. How busy we are is a big part of our perceived identity. Days have accelerated. We are so used to streamlining objectives, being productive, paying back loans, mastering yoga poses, chasing our dreams and constantly competing to beat the odds. Now is the time to slow down. This brief interlude in our lives gives us a chance to live in a simple way, the way we are meant to. If health is not an issue, then laziness cannot be an excuse. So look after yourself and your loved ones. Be in tune with your body and mind. Hear music, find time to talk, make love, listen to children, and if you are lucky, perhaps you will get to hear the birds as well.

Blog: Coronavirus impact - now is the time to slow down

No matter which part of the world you are living in, chances are you are in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lockdowns-shouldnt-end-until-covid-19-vaccine-is-found-says-study-291549">lockdown </a>due to the coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-15-million-cases-of-coronavirus-registered-across-192-countries-291490">pandemic</a>, and stuck indoors for your own good. Some of us may be spending more time meeting our professional targets, others keep themselves occupied with household chores, and then there are those who are utilising this time to nurture their hobbies. But if you are among those who are struggling to make the most of the day, try out some of these apps that promise to not only help you kill boredom, but also boost your brain power.

1. QuizUp: The quiz app is pretty interesting and has something for everyone. The app includes a wide range of topics to choose from such as logos, movies, TV series, sports, music, science, food and so on. You can choose a subject as per your interest and mood. You can either choose to play as a single-player or with an opponent.

2. Paperama: If you are not really into quizzes, we have an even more interesting suggestion for you. Remember those days when you would create different objects like airplanes, boats and flowers by folding a paper? It was a creative activity that most of us enjoyed as children. And you know what? You can now learn the craft of origami on your phone. Download the Paperama app and there you go! The app brings you the paper-folding art in the form of a game. Note that each puzzle comes with a defined number of folds. You can only score if you fold the page with accuracy. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/working-from-home-5-tips-to-stay-safe-from-hackers-291352">Also Read:&nbsp;Working from home? 5 tips to stay safe from hackers</a>

3. Duolingo: It’s a digital place where you can learn different languages for free. Wondering how does it work? You can choose any language that you want to learn. It then starts to teach you words in the chosen language - that too with the help of pictures. It then asks you to take a quiz. There is an audio guide too, so that you can learn the correct pronunciation. And as you proceed, it keeps on getting tougher. Do give this language app a try.

4. Words With Friends 2: It’s a mobile word game - similar to the traditional board game, Scrabble. You can either play the game solo or you can challenge your friends. Besides being fun, it can help improve your vocabulary.

5. Elevate: The last on our list is a brain-training app. Elevate has a multitude of games that claim to improve your attention span, writing, speech, reading and processing power. What’s even more interesting is that it keeps a track of your performance.

So, the next time you find yourself with nothing to do, try out some of these boredom-busting apps. 
&nbsp;

No matter which part of the world you are living in, chances are you are in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, and stuck indoors for your own good. Some of us may be spending more time meeting our professional targets, others keep themselves occupied with household chores, and then there are those who are utilising this time to nurture their hobbies.

No matter which part of the world you are living in, chances are you are in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, and stuck indoors for your own good. Some of us may be spending more time meeting our professional targets, others keep themselves occupied with household chores, and then there are those who are utilising this time to nurture their hobbies. But if you are among those who are struggling to make the most of the day, try out some of these apps that promise to not only help you kill boredom, but also boost your brain power. 1. QuizUp: The quiz app is pretty interesting and has something for everyone. The app includes a wide range of topics to choose from such as logos, movies, TV series, sports, music, science, food and so on. You can choose a subject as per your interest and mood. You can either choose to play as a single-player or with an opponent. 2. Paperama: If you are not really into quizzes, we have an even more interesting suggestion for you. Remember those days when you would create different objects like airplanes, boats and flowers by folding a paper? It was a creative activity that most of us enjoyed as children. And you know what? You can now learn the craft of origami on your phone. Download the Paperama app and there you go! The app brings you the paper-folding art in the form of a game. Note that each puzzle comes with a defined number of folds. You can only score if you fold the page with accuracy. Also Read: Working from home? 5 tips to stay safe from hackers 3. Duolingo: It’s a digital place where you can learn different languages for free. Wondering how does it work? You can choose any language that you want to learn. It then starts to teach you words in the chosen language - that too with the help of pictures. It then asks you to take a quiz. There is an audio guide too, so that you can learn the correct pronunciation. And as you proceed, it keeps on getting tougher. Do give this language app a try. 4. Words With Friends 2: It’s a mobile word game - similar to the traditional board game, Scrabble. You can either play the game solo or you can challenge your friends. Besides being fun, it can help improve your vocabulary. 5. Elevate: The last on our list is a brain-training app. Elevate has a multitude of games that claim to improve your attention span, writing, speech, reading and processing power. What’s even more interesting is that it keeps a track of your performance. So, the next time you find yourself with nothing to do, try out some of these boredom-busting apps.

Coronavirus lockdown: 5 apps to kill your boredom

The word co-operation doesn't seem to exist in the American dictionary. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/wion-edit-why-a-strategic-reserve-for-medicine-is-need-of-the-hour-291311">United States</a> has always ignored the role of other nations in its agenda for hegemony. It is now struggling to contain the Coronavirus and is trying to bully allies.&nbsp;

Every time the US faces a crisis, it has one policy for itself, and a completely different one for the rest of the world. What's worse is that we've allowed this country to impose its views, interests and values on whoever it wants and however it wants. 
 
WATCH: &nbsp;The end of American supremacy?&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-edit-the-end-of-american-supremacy-291425/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/explained-us-president-donald-trumps-misplaced-priorities-289696">President Donald Trump</a> wants the people of Wisconsin to exercise their right to vote. Over 14,000 Americans have died due to this pandemic.&nbsp;Over 100&nbsp;deaths are from Wisconsin alone. This state beats the nationwide figure of some countries, but the US President wants the people of this state to defy the lockdown and risk their lives for votes.

America's health-care system is in a sorry state. Hospitals are overflowing, soccer stadiums, churches, convention centres and even ships are being converted into make-shift hospitals.

The financial capital, New York, has turned into a virus capital. It has reported over 80,000&nbsp;cases and more than 4,000 deaths.

Meanwhile, the US is busy piling up body-bags, buying ventilators from sanctioned Russian firms and blowing hot and cold with India over hydroxychloroquine.

America wants medical supplies from outside, but has itself banned the export of face masks.

We can only wait and see how this pandemic changes this world, but one thing can be safely said - among the casualties will be America's so-called supremacy. 
 
&nbsp;(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

The word co-operation doesn't seem to exist in the American dictionary. The United States has always ignored the role of other nations in its agenda for hegemony.

The word co-operation doesn't seem to exist in the American dictionary. The United States has always ignored the role of other nations in its agenda for hegemony. It is now struggling to contain the Coronavirus and is trying to bully allies. Every time the US faces a crisis, it has one policy for itself, and a completely different one for the rest of the world. What's worse is that we've allowed this country to impose its views, interests and values on whoever it wants and however it wants. WATCH: The end of American supremacy? × President Donald Trump wants the people of Wisconsin to exercise their right to vote. Over 14,000 Americans have died due to this pandemic. Over 100 deaths are from Wisconsin alone. This state beats the nationwide figure of some countries, but the US President wants the people of this state to defy the lockdown and risk their lives for votes. America's health-care system is in a sorry state. Hospitals are overflowing, soccer stadiums, churches, convention centres and even ships are being converted into make-shift hospitals. The financial capital, New York, has turned into a virus capital. It has reported over 80,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths. Meanwhile, the US is busy piling up body-bags, buying ventilators from sanctioned Russian firms and blowing hot and cold with India over hydroxychloroquine. America wants medical supplies from outside, but has itself banned the export of face masks. We can only wait and see how this pandemic changes this world, but one thing can be safely said - among the casualties will be America's so-called supremacy. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Could this be end of American hegemony?

Merely after three months of Coronavirus outbreak, the pandemic has already started impacting economies all across the globe.

In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 23, announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown. Pursuant thereto, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a Rs 1.7 trillion package to curtail the impact of the said lockdown. In the context of the economy, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das, had repeatedly assured that RBI holds enough capability to handle the emergency and shall utilise the same at the right time. Therefore, the RBI, on March 27, rolled out a long list of announcements in order to safeguard the economy from the vicious impact of the pandemic, including relaxation on instalments, lower interest rates and easier access to working capital to help the market function better without much financial pressure.&nbsp;

The RBI, as a major relief to retail borrowers, decided to defer the instalments on all term loans to businesses and individuals, including principal and interest, by a period of three months. However, each bank will take its own call so as to decide who can benefit from this measure. All commercial banks have been allowed to impose a moratorium of three months on paying instalments on term loans from March 1, 2020. The tenures will be extended accordingly. All lenders have also been permitted to defer interest payments on working capital loans by three months. It has been made clear that the accumulated interest shall be paid after expiry of the said period of three months. The Governor of the RBI clarified that the moratorium on term loan repayments and deferred interest payments on working capital will classify the borrowers as defaulters as NPA accounts and hence, there will be no adverse impact on the credit history thereof.&nbsp;

Apart from the relaxation provided to the customers as detailed above, the RBI, as an exceptional measure, also reduced the repo rate by 75 basis points or 0.75 per cent, which would mean that other banks can now borrow money from RBI at a much lower interest rate. This will also provide a boost to the industrial sector as industries will be able to get loans at cheaper interest rates, which would, in turn, result in commodities becoming cheaper, ultimately benefitting the end consumer. However, it is reiterated that each bank will have to decide how and when will it implement the lowered interest rates on the loans it offers. 
 
The RBI further reduced the Cash Reserve Ratio of all banks by 100 basis points, taking it down to 3 per cent from the earlier 4 per cent with effect from March 28 for a period of one year. This reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio would release Rs.1.37 lakh crores for banks in India. Furthermore, the RBI has decided that the banks can get durable liquidity up to Rs.1 lakh crore from the RBI for a three-year period. The RBI has also raised the borrowing limit of the Statutory Liquidity Ratio under the Marginal Standing Facility (“MSF”) to 3 per cent with immediate effect applicable up to March 30, intending to provide comfort to the banking system by allowing it to avail additional Rs.1.37 lakh crores of liquidity in times of stress at the MSF Rate so announced. More so, in these testing times, in order to discourage banks to park surplus funds, the RBI has reduced the reverse repo rate to 4 per cent.&nbsp;

However, it is made clear by the banks that the relaxation period of three months provided to the customers is not a waiver of the monthly instalments for three months, instead, it is a grace period for three months, to reduce to the burden and distress caused by the pandemic. Most banks have resolved to place the onus on the borrowers to inform the bank that they wish to take benefit of the three-month breathing period. However, once a borrower avails this facility, interest will continue to accrue on the principal outstanding for the entire period of the moratorium at rate agreed upon by the parties and the loan tenure will get extended by the corresponding period accordingly. Therefore, it is abundantly clear that it is only a deferment option and not a concession or waiver given by the banks to the customers, since the interest would continue to accrue for the entire period of the moratorium.&nbsp;

In a bid to mitigate the impact of the outbreak of the pandemic on businesses, industries and individuals, the RBI has tried to ensure that viable businesses and industries are not driven out of the market owing to financial distress. RBI has provided the much-needed rate cuts and tried to inject more liquidity in the economy to encourage each bank to lower its interest rates. Ideally, with such measures taken by the RBI, there must be a decline in the interest rates on loans offered by various banks, bringing down the overall cost of the loan of the customer. However, it remains to been seen how banks implement the aforementioned rate cuts on the loans they offer. None of these steps might prove to be effective if the banks are not ready to pass on this relaxation to the customers. However, with proper coordination and sensitivity of the banking industry, these steps are intended to reduce the burden on businesses, industries, individuals etc. and will give a huge boost to the economic activities with a view to safeguard our economy from the impact of the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Merely after three months of Coronavirus outbreak, the pandemic has already started impacting economies all across the globe. In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 23, announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown.

Merely after three months of Coronavirus outbreak, the pandemic has already started impacting economies all across the globe. In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 23, announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown. Pursuant thereto, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a Rs 1.7 trillion package to curtail the impact of the said lockdown. In the context of the economy, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das, had repeatedly assured that RBI holds enough capability to handle the emergency and shall utilise the same at the right time. Therefore, the RBI, on March 27, rolled out a long list of announcements in order to safeguard the economy from the vicious impact of the pandemic, including relaxation on instalments, lower interest rates and easier access to working capital to help the market function better without much financial pressure. The RBI, as a major relief to retail borrowers, decided to defer the instalments on all term loans to businesses and individuals, including principal and interest, by a period of three months. However, each bank will take its own call so as to decide who can benefit from this measure. All commercial banks have been allowed to impose a moratorium of three months on paying instalments on term loans from March 1, 2020. The tenures will be extended accordingly. All lenders have also been permitted to defer interest payments on working capital loans by three months. It has been made clear that the accumulated interest shall be paid after expiry of the said period of three months. The Governor of the RBI clarified that the moratorium on term loan repayments and deferred interest payments on working capital will classify the borrowers as defaulters as NPA accounts and hence, there will be no adverse impact on the credit history thereof. Apart from the relaxation provided to the customers as detailed above, the RBI, as an exceptional measure, also reduced the repo rate by 75 basis points or 0.75 per cent, which would mean that other banks can now borrow money from RBI at a much lower interest rate. This will also provide a boost to the industrial sector as industries will be able to get loans at cheaper interest rates, which would, in turn, result in commodities becoming cheaper, ultimately benefitting the end consumer. However, it is reiterated that each bank will have to decide how and when will it implement the lowered interest rates on the loans it offers. The RBI further reduced the Cash Reserve Ratio of all banks by 100 basis points, taking it down to 3 per cent from the earlier 4 per cent with effect from March 28 for a period of one year. This reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio would release Rs.1.37 lakh crores for banks in India. Furthermore, the RBI has decided that the banks can get durable liquidity up to Rs.1 lakh crore from the RBI for a three-year period. The RBI has also raised the borrowing limit of the Statutory Liquidity Ratio under the Marginal Standing Facility (“MSF”) to 3 per cent with immediate effect applicable up to March 30, intending to provide comfort to the banking system by allowing it to avail additional Rs.1.37 lakh crores of liquidity in times of stress at the MSF Rate so announced. More so, in these testing times, in order to discourage banks to park surplus funds, the RBI has reduced the reverse repo rate to 4 per cent. However, it is made clear by the banks that the relaxation period of three months provided to the customers is not a waiver of the monthly instalments for three months, instead, it is a grace period for three months, to reduce to the burden and distress caused by the pandemic. Most banks have resolved to place the onus on the borrowers to inform the bank that they wish to take benefit of the three-month breathing period. However, once a borrower avails this facility, interest will continue to accrue on the principal outstanding for the entire period of the moratorium at rate agreed upon by the parties and the loan tenure will get extended by the corresponding period accordingly. Therefore, it is abundantly clear that it is only a deferment option and not a concession or waiver given by the banks to the customers, since the interest would continue to accrue for the entire period of the moratorium. In a bid to mitigate the impact of the outbreak of the pandemic on businesses, industries and individuals, the RBI has tried to ensure that viable businesses and industries are not driven out of the market owing to financial distress. RBI has provided the much-needed rate cuts and tried to inject more liquidity in the economy to encourage each bank to lower its interest rates. Ideally, with such measures taken by the RBI, there must be a decline in the interest rates on loans offered by various banks, bringing down the overall cost of the loan of the customer. However, it remains to been seen how banks implement the aforementioned rate cuts on the loans they offer. None of these steps might prove to be effective if the banks are not ready to pass on this relaxation to the customers. However, with proper coordination and sensitivity of the banking industry, these steps are intended to reduce the burden on businesses, industries, individuals etc. and will give a huge boost to the economic activities with a view to safeguard our economy from the impact of the pandemic. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

RBI's timely and decisive response to safeguard Indian economy from coronavirus impact

More than 50 patients who recovered from COVID-19 in South Korea have now tested positive again, this is due to the concept called reactivation of the virus.

COVID-19 patients in South Korea test positive after recovery

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Guayaquil, the capital of Ecuador's Guayas province, has collapsed the region's health system. To deal with the increased number of deaths, temporary morgues were installed outside a hospital in Guayaquil, as the government distributes cardboard coffins.

Ecuador faces shortage of coffins, locals resort to cardboard boxes

Nearly 2,000 people infected with the new coronavirus have died in the United States in the last 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University as of 8:30 pm Tuesday (0030 GMT Wednesday). WION spoke to Dr. Anil Kaul about the nature of COVID-19 and its complex diagnosis.

WION speaks to Dr. Anil Kaul about nature of COVID-19 and its diagnosis

The Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux has confirmed that the major event won`t take the virtual route if it can`t be hosted as a physical event. 
 
Fremaux told Variety,"(For) Cannes, its soul, its history, its efficiency, it`s a model that wouldn`t work. What is a digital festival? A digital competition? We should start by asking rights holders if they agree." 
 
While teasing some titles that have been in the mix for the upcoming edition, Fremaux said, "Films by Wes Anderson or Paul Verhoeven on a computer? Discovering `Top Gun 2` or (Pixar`s) `Soul` elsewhere than in (a) theatre? These films have been postponed to be shown on a big screen; why would we want to show them before, on a digital device?" 
 
Since early March when the coronavirus outbreak became a global issue, there has been a giant question mark around the 2020 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. 
 
After weeks of speculation, organisers postponed the event on March 19 from its initial May unspooling to possibly late June or early July -- firm dates still have yet to be set. 
 
Fremaux also asserted that the `directors` of films are driven by the idea of showing their movies on a big screen and sharing them with others at events like festivals, not for their works to end up on an iPhone.He further added that "If all the festivals are cancelled, we will have to think of a way to showcase films, to avoid wasting a year, but I don`t think a precarious and improvised alternative of Cannes or Venice -- no sooner done than forgotten -- would be the solution." 
 
Concerns surrounding rights and windowing due to the risk of piracy and other issues are likely to emerge when the planned digital festival initiatives start rolling out later this year.Fremaux`s declaration echoes Venice`s topper Alberto Barbera`s comments over the weekend, which threw cold water on the prospect of a digital element to Venice and distinguished that fest from the digital-savvy Toronto International Film Festival, which is "a different type of festival," according to Barbera. 
 
Of course, the Cannes` refusal to go digital isn`t surprising. Fremaux is a die-hard lover of the big screen, he even hosts Lyon`s annual Lumiere Festival in homage to the French cinema pioneers, the Lumiere brothers.Over the years, the Cannes Film Festival has built its reputation as a launchpad for movies from around the world ahead of their theatrical bows in France and abroad -- a model that has successfully worked for decades, as it did last year with Bong Joon-ho`s `Parasite,` which went on to be a commercial hit and scoop four Oscars after winning the Palme d`Or. 
 
The film festival also works hand in hand with French distributors and exhibitors who are well represented on the board of the festival.Despite France`s three-week lockdown, Fremaux maintains that the festival is carrying on with the selection of films while monitoring the evolution of the pandemic. 
 
The festival recently stated that the key sales agents who represent the majority of titles in the competition have been submitting their films to Cannes` selection committee, and the dates for registration have been extended by a month and a half.Also, the French culture ministry and the city`s mayor are backing the Cannes, and they have announced the launch of a support cell for festivals scheduled for 2020.

&nbsp;

The Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux has confirmed that the major event won`t take the virtual route if it can`t be hosted as a physical event. Fremaux told Variety,"(For) Cannes, its soul, its history, its efficiency, it`s a model that wouldn`t work.

The Cannes film festival director Thierry Fremaux has confirmed that the major event won`t take the virtual route if it can`t be hosted as a physical event. Fremaux told Variety,"(For) Cannes, its soul, its history, its efficiency, it`s a model that wouldn`t work. What is a digital festival? A digital competition? We should start by asking rights holders if they agree." While teasing some titles that have been in the mix for the upcoming edition, Fremaux said, "Films by Wes Anderson or Paul Verhoeven on a computer? Discovering `Top Gun 2` or (Pixar`s) `Soul` elsewhere than in (a) theatre? These films have been postponed to be shown on a big screen; why would we want to show them before, on a digital device?" Since early March when the coronavirus outbreak became a global issue, there has been a giant question mark around the 2020 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. After weeks of speculation, organisers postponed the event on March 19 from its initial May unspooling to possibly late June or early July -- firm dates still have yet to be set. Fremaux also asserted that the `directors` of films are driven by the idea of showing their movies on a big screen and sharing them with others at events like festivals, not for their works to end up on an iPhone.He further added that "If all the festivals are cancelled, we will have to think of a way to showcase films, to avoid wasting a year, but I don`t think a precarious and improvised alternative of Cannes or Venice -- no sooner done than forgotten -- would be the solution." Concerns surrounding rights and windowing due to the risk of piracy and other issues are likely to emerge when the planned digital festival initiatives start rolling out later this year.Fremaux`s declaration echoes Venice`s topper Alberto Barbera`s comments over the weekend, which threw cold water on the prospect of a digital element to Venice and distinguished that fest from the digital-savvy Toronto International Film Festival, which is "a different type of festival," according to Barbera. Of course, the Cannes` refusal to go digital isn`t surprising. Fremaux is a die-hard lover of the big screen, he even hosts Lyon`s annual Lumiere Festival in homage to the French cinema pioneers, the Lumiere brothers.Over the years, the Cannes Film Festival has built its reputation as a launchpad for movies from around the world ahead of their theatrical bows in France and abroad -- a model that has successfully worked for decades, as it did last year with Bong Joon-ho`s `Parasite,` which went on to be a commercial hit and scoop four Oscars after winning the Palme d`Or. The film festival also works hand in hand with French distributors and exhibitors who are well represented on the board of the festival.Despite France`s three-week lockdown, Fremaux maintains that the festival is carrying on with the selection of films while monitoring the evolution of the pandemic. The festival recently stated that the key sales agents who represent the majority of titles in the competition have been submitting their films to Cannes` selection committee, and the dates for registration have been extended by a month and a half.Also, the French culture ministry and the city`s mayor are backing the Cannes, and they have announced the launch of a support cell for festivals scheduled for 2020.

Cannes Film Festival won't go virtual if all else fails, confirms director Fremaux

Data emerging from some states suggest that African Americans are bearing the brunt of the pandemic in the US. Experts say blacks are disproportionately impacted by underlying health conditions linked to poverty, face discrimination in medical care, and are more likely to work jobs that require them to leave their home.

Coronavirus Pandemic: African-Americans worst hit in United States

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-reports-fewer-than-50-coronavirus-cases-who-lauds-nations-response-290895">South Korean</a> model is being called the gold standard of the coronavirus fight. But the country may be facing a second wave of the Wuhan virus.

At least 51 patients have tested positive for the second time in Daegu, days after they were discharged.&nbsp;

However, experts have ruled out a re-infection. They are pointing at two possibilities: First, the virus may have reactivated - it was dormant and then became active again.&nbsp;

Second, the tests were faulty and could not detect the virus.

It's clear that the threat of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-extends-intensive-social-distancing-to-reach-50-daily-covid-19-cases-290573">the coronavirus</a> cannot be ruled out too easily. It remains hidden in humans, even after it appears to have been cured.

To deal with the crisis, South Korea is doing both - aggressive testing and quarantine. And the government is making life easier for people in isolation, they deliver special kits of essential items to quarantined citizens.

South Korea is also mulling on introducing electronic wristbands to electronically tag those under self-isolation. The country wants to make sure the virus is contained.

Last week, South Korea extended its intensive social distancing campaign by two weeks in order to reach the daily coronavirus positive cases of 50 a day.&nbsp;

In February, South Korea faced the worst coronavirus outbreak after mainland China when the virus's reach was limited to a few countries.

However, the country focussed on mass testing and contact tracing and then provided them good treatment, which resulted in a lower death rate.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The South Korean model is being called the gold standard of the coronavirus fight. But the country may be facing a second wave of the Wuhan virus. At least 51 patients have tested positive for the second time in Daegu, days after they were discharged.

The South Korean model is being called the gold standard of the coronavirus fight. But the country may be facing a second wave of the Wuhan virus. At least 51 patients have tested positive for the second time in Daegu, days after they were discharged. However, experts have ruled out a re-infection. They are pointing at two possibilities: First, the virus may have reactivated - it was dormant and then became active again. Second, the tests were faulty and could not detect the virus. It's clear that the threat of the coronavirus cannot be ruled out too easily. It remains hidden in humans, even after it appears to have been cured. To deal with the crisis, South Korea is doing both - aggressive testing and quarantine. And the government is making life easier for people in isolation, they deliver special kits of essential items to quarantined citizens. South Korea is also mulling on introducing electronic wristbands to electronically tag those under self-isolation. The country wants to make sure the virus is contained. Last week, South Korea extended its intensive social distancing campaign by two weeks in order to reach the daily coronavirus positive cases of 50 a day. In February, South Korea faced the worst coronavirus outbreak after mainland China when the virus's reach was limited to a few countries. However, the country focussed on mass testing and contact tracing and then provided them good treatment, which resulted in a lower death rate. (With inputs from agencies)

At least 51 recovered coronavirus patients test positive again in South Korea

Wuhan, the Chinese city hardest hit by the novel coronavirus outbreak, started lifting outbound travel restrictions from Wednesday after almost 11 weeks of lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19. A midnight lightshow brightens up Wuhan's sky as the central Chinese city enters the first day post-lockdown.

Midnight light show marks end of coronavirus lockdown in Wuhan

Nearly 2,000 people infected with the new coronavirus have died in the United States in the last 24 hours, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University as of 8:30 pm Tuesday (0030 GMT Wednesday).

Coronavirus Pandemic: US records highest daily COVID-19 death toll

The US President Donald Trump threatened on Tuesday (April 7) to cut US funding to the World Health Organization (WHO), accusing it of bias toward China, where the authorities lifted a two-and-a-half month travel ban on Wuhan, the city that spawned the global coronavirus pandemic.

Donald Trump accuses WHO of bias toward China, threatens to halt funding

After Salman and Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan has now stepped in to contribute to the PM CARE fund in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The actor is the latest entrant to a long list of celebrities who have come forward to contribute to the relief fund that has been initiated by PM Narendra Modi as the lockdown has effected scores of daily wage earners and their livelihoods. 
The actor has also made a contribution to Maharashtra CM's relief fund. 
 
In addition, Aamir will also be extending support to the daily wage workers who were employed in his upcoming film `Laal Singh Chaddha.` 
 
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the details about Khan`s donations on Twitter."AamirKhan donates to... #PMCares #Maharashtra Chief Minister Relief Fund, Extended support to the daily wage workers of his forthcoming film #LaalSinghChaddha," tweeted Adarsh.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AamirKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AamirKhan</a> donates to... 
⭐ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMCares?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMCares</a> 
⭐ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Maharashtra?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Maharashtra</a> Chief Minister Relief Fund 
⭐ Extended support to the daily wage workers of his forthcoming film <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LaalSinghChaddha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LaalSinghChaddha</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19Pandemic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19Pandemic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Covid_19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Covid_19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) <a href="https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/1247514524086702081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Many other Bollywood actors including superstar Akshay Kumar have donated to the PM-CARES Fund to help the government in fighting the battle against the highly contagious virus. 
 
With 354 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the total count of coronavirus positive cases in the country has gone up to 4,421, said the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Tuesday.

After Salman and Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan has now stepped in to contribute to the PM CARE fund in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The actor is the latest entrant to a long list of celebrities who have come forward to contribute to the relief fund that has been initiated by PM Narendra Modi as the lockdown has effected scores of daily wage earners and their livelihoods.

After Salman and Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan has now stepped in to contribute to the PM CARE fund in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The actor is the latest entrant to a long list of celebrities who have come forward to contribute to the relief fund that has been initiated by PM Narendra Modi as the lockdown has effected scores of daily wage earners and their livelihoods. The actor has also made a contribution to Maharashtra CM's relief fund. In addition, Aamir will also be extending support to the daily wage workers who were employed in his upcoming film `Laal Singh Chaddha.` Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the details about Khan`s donations on Twitter."AamirKhan donates to... #PMCares #Maharashtra Chief Minister Relief Fund, Extended support to the daily wage workers of his forthcoming film #LaalSinghChaddha," tweeted Adarsh. #AamirKhan donates to... ⭐ #PMCares ⭐ #Maharashtra Chief Minister Relief Fund ⭐ Extended support to the daily wage workers of his forthcoming film #LaalSinghChaddha.#COVID19Pandemic #CoronaVirus #Covid_19 #COVID19 — taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) April 7, 2020 × Many other Bollywood actors including superstar Akshay Kumar have donated to the PM-CARES Fund to help the government in fighting the battle against the highly contagious virus. With 354 new cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the total count of coronavirus positive cases in the country has gone up to 4,421, said the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Tuesday.

Aamir Khan extends financial support to daily wage workers of his film 'Laal Singh Chaddha'

covid-19

Covid 19, News on Covid 19, stories on Covid 19, articles on Covid 19, Covid 19 stories at Wion, Covid 19 news, Covid 19 latest news

covid 19