<p><strong>By Niema Moshiri</strong></p>

<p>When you hear the term “evolutionary tree,” you may think of Charles Darwin and the study of the relationships between different species over the span of millions of years.</p>

<p>While the concept of an “evolutionary tree” originated in Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” one can apply this concept to anything that evolves, including viruses. Scientists can study the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to learn more about how the genes of the virus function. It is also useful to make inferences about the spread of the virus around the world, and what type of vaccine may be most effective.</p>

<p>I am a bioinformatician who studies the relationships between epidemics and viral evolution, and I am among the many researchers now studying the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 because it can help researchers and public health officials track the spread of the virus over time. What we are finding is that the SARS-CoV-2 virus appears to be mutating more slowly than the seasonal flu which may allow scientists to develop a vaccine.</p>

<p><strong>How do sequences evolve?</strong><br />
<br />
Viruses evolve by mutating. That is, there are changes in their genetic code over time. The way it happens is a little like that game of telephone. Amy is the first player, and her word is “CAT.” She whispers her word to Ben, who accidentally hears “MAT.” Ben whispers his word to Carlos, who hears “MAD.” As the game of telephone goes on, the word will transform further and further away from its original form.</p>

<p>We can think of a biological genetic material as a sequence of letters, and over time, sequences mutate: The letters of the sequence can change. Scientists have developed various models of sequence evolution to help them study how mutations occur over time.</p>

<p>Much like our game of telephone, the genome sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes over time: Mutations occur randomly, and any changes that occur in a given virus will be inherited by all copies of the next generation. Then, much as we could try to decode how “CAT” became “MAD,” scientists can use models on genetic evolution to try to determine the most likely evolutionary history of the virus.</p>

<p><strong>How can we apply this to viruses like COVID-19?</strong><br />
<br />
DNA sequencing is the process of experimentally finding the sequence of nucleotides (A, C, G and T) – the chemical building blocks of genes – of a piece of DNA. DNA sequencing is largely used to study human diseases and genetics, but in recent years, sequencing has become a routine part of viral point of care, and as sequencing becomes cheaper and cheaper, viral sequencing will become even more frequent as time progresses.</p>

<p>RNA is a molecule similar to DNA, and it is essentially a temporary copy of a short segment of DNA. Specifically, in the central dogma of biology, DNA is transcribed into RNA. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, meaning our DNA sequencing technologies cannot directly decode its sequence. However, scientists can first reverse transcribe the RNA of the virus into complementary DNA (or cDNA), which can then be sequenced.</p>

<p>Given a collection of viral genome sequences, we can use our models of sequence evolution to predict the virus’s history, and we can use this to answer questions like, “How fast do mutations occur?” or “Where in the genome do mutations occur?” Knowing which genes are mutating frequently can be useful in drug design.</p>

<p>Tracking how viruses have changed in a location can also answer questions like, “How many separate outbreaks exist in my community?” This type of information can help public health officials contain the spread of the virus.</p>

<p>For COVID-19, there has been a global initiative to share viral genomes with all scientists. Given a collection of sequences with sample dates, scientists can infer the evolutionary history of the samples in real-time and use the information to infer the history of transmissions.</p>

<p>One such initiative is Nextstrain, an open-source project that provides users real-time reports of the spread of seasonal influenza, Ebola and many other infectious diseases. Most recently, they have been spearheading the evolutionary tracking of COVID-19 by providing a real-time analysis as well as a situation report meant to be readable by the general public. Further, they enable the global population to benefit from their efforts by translating the situation report to many other languages.</p>

<p>As the amount of available information grows, scientists need faster tools to be able to crunch the numbers. My lab at UC San Diego, in collaboration with the System Energy Efficiency (SEE) Lab led by Professor Tajana Šimunić Rosing, is working to create new algorithms, software tools and computer hardware to make the real-time analysis of the COVID-19 epidemic more feasible.</p>

<p><strong>What have we learned about the epidemic?</strong><br />
<br />
Based on current data, it seems as though SARS-CoV-2 mutates much more slowly than the seasonal flu. Specifically, SARS-CoV-2 seems to have a mutation rate of less than 25 mutations per year, whereas the seasonal flu has a mutation rate of almost 50 mutations per year.</p>

<p>Given that the SARS-CoV-2 genome is almost twice as large as the seasonal flu genome, it seems as though the seasonal flu mutates roughly four times as fast as SARS-CoV-2. The fact that the seasonal flu mutates so quickly is precisely why it is able to evade our vaccines, so the significantly slower mutation rate of SARS-CoV-2 gives us hope for the potential development of effective long-lasting vaccines against the virus.</p>

<p><em>(Niema Moshiri is Assistant Teaching Professor of Computer Science &amp; Engineering, University of California San Diego)</em></p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-scientists-are-tracking-the-genetic-evolution-of-covid-19-134201">the original article</a>)</em></p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


By Niema Moshiri When you hear the term “evolutionary tree,” you may think of Charles Darwin and the study of the relationships between different species over the span of millions of years.

By Niema Moshiri When you hear the term “evolutionary tree,” you may think of Charles Darwin and the study of the relationships between different species over the span of millions of years. While the concept of an “evolutionary tree” originated in Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” one can apply this concept to anything that evolves, including viruses. Scientists can study the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to learn more about how the genes of the virus function. It is also useful to make inferences about the spread of the virus around the world, and what type of vaccine may be most effective. I am a bioinformatician who studies the relationships between epidemics and viral evolution, and I am among the many researchers now studying the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 because it can help researchers and public health officials track the spread of the virus over time. What we are finding is that the SARS-CoV-2 virus appears to be mutating more slowly than the seasonal flu which may allow scientists to develop a vaccine. How do sequences evolve? Viruses evolve by mutating. That is, there are changes in their genetic code over time. The way it happens is a little like that game of telephone. Amy is the first player, and her word is “CAT.” She whispers her word to Ben, who accidentally hears “MAT.” Ben whispers his word to Carlos, who hears “MAD.” As the game of telephone goes on, the word will transform further and further away from its original form. We can think of a biological genetic material as a sequence of letters, and over time, sequences mutate: The letters of the sequence can change. Scientists have developed various models of sequence evolution to help them study how mutations occur over time. Much like our game of telephone, the genome sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus changes over time: Mutations occur randomly, and any changes that occur in a given virus will be inherited by all copies of the next generation. Then, much as we could try to decode how “CAT” became “MAD,” scientists can use models on genetic evolution to try to determine the most likely evolutionary history of the virus. How can we apply this to viruses like COVID-19? DNA sequencing is the process of experimentally finding the sequence of nucleotides (A, C, G and T) – the chemical building blocks of genes – of a piece of DNA. DNA sequencing is largely used to study human diseases and genetics, but in recent years, sequencing has become a routine part of viral point of care, and as sequencing becomes cheaper and cheaper, viral sequencing will become even more frequent as time progresses. RNA is a molecule similar to DNA, and it is essentially a temporary copy of a short segment of DNA. Specifically, in the central dogma of biology, DNA is transcribed into RNA. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, meaning our DNA sequencing technologies cannot directly decode its sequence. However, scientists can first reverse transcribe the RNA of the virus into complementary DNA (or cDNA), which can then be sequenced. Given a collection of viral genome sequences, we can use our models of sequence evolution to predict the virus’s history, and we can use this to answer questions like, “How fast do mutations occur?” or “Where in the genome do mutations occur?” Knowing which genes are mutating frequently can be useful in drug design. Tracking how viruses have changed in a location can also answer questions like, “How many separate outbreaks exist in my community?” This type of information can help public health officials contain the spread of the virus. For COVID-19, there has been a global initiative to share viral genomes with all scientists. Given a collection of sequences with sample dates, scientists can infer the evolutionary history of the samples in real-time and use the information to infer the history of transmissions. One such initiative is Nextstrain, an open-source project that provides users real-time reports of the spread of seasonal influenza, Ebola and many other infectious diseases. Most recently, they have been spearheading the evolutionary tracking of COVID-19 by providing a real-time analysis as well as a situation report meant to be readable by the general public. Further, they enable the global population to benefit from their efforts by translating the situation report to many other languages. As the amount of available information grows, scientists need faster tools to be able to crunch the numbers. My lab at UC San Diego, in collaboration with the System Energy Efficiency (SEE) Lab led by Professor Tajana Šimunić Rosing, is working to create new algorithms, software tools and computer hardware to make the real-time analysis of the COVID-19 epidemic more feasible. What have we learned about the epidemic? Based on current data, it seems as though SARS-CoV-2 mutates much more slowly than the seasonal flu. Specifically, SARS-CoV-2 seems to have a mutation rate of less than 25 mutations per year, whereas the seasonal flu has a mutation rate of almost 50 mutations per year. Given that the SARS-CoV-2 genome is almost twice as large as the seasonal flu genome, it seems as though the seasonal flu mutates roughly four times as fast as SARS-CoV-2. The fact that the seasonal flu mutates so quickly is precisely why it is able to evade our vaccines, so the significantly slower mutation rate of SARS-CoV-2 gives us hope for the potential development of effective long-lasting vaccines against the virus. (Niema Moshiri is Assistant Teaching Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, University of California San Diego) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Here’s how scientists are tracking the genetic evolution of COVID-19

<p>The world has come to a standstill while the global economy and markets are in a tailspin. While the global economy is possibly heading into a recession, there is still hope of quick recovery&nbsp;if the virus starts subsiding in a month or two.</p>

<p>Central banks and governments are going all out to contain economic collapse. Still enough damage is caused and the economy can be as bad as the 2008 crisis or even worse. Although if we look across the globe different areas are painted with a different brush. So, let’s try to find out what’s in store for the world in an era after the Coronavirus crisis is over.</p>

<p>The US damaged severely but its growth magnets still intact: An optimist of all times, US President Donald Trump has also declared this is bad and more than 100,000 people can die in the US. Various estimates suggest that the US economy is slipping into recession while unemployment is shooting up.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Its condition will be critical but will recover strongly because before Coronavirus crisis struck, the world's largest economy&nbsp;was on a strong footing. Its GDP grew at a moderate pace, unemployment was at a 50-year low and its global banks were strong. So, a strong foundation gives hope of a revival. Besides this, its three growth magnets would continue to attract the best talent. The top layer of finance, tech and show business would love to work in Wall Street, Silicon Valley and Hollywood now, even at faster rates because the rest of the world is relatively more damaged. Therefore, it is likely to emerge out of ashes like a phoenix.</p>

<p><strong>China:</strong><br />
<br />
Even before Coronavirus pandemic struck, the Chinese GDP growth rate was at 30 years low, its economy was showing cracks and trade war was damaging the Chinese economy. When the virus entered in this mix it slowed Chinese economy even further. During January-February, its industrial production figures and its retail sales data were very gloomy. It became clear that there will be a contraction in the Chinese economy during the January-March quarter. However, China was able to contain it just in Wuhan so the situation in the country is getting better. Economic indicators like PMI, shipping data, road congestion is reported to be improving. This implies that economic revival has begun. In fact, various reports predict that China will be the fastest-growing economy this year. Although risks associated with China are global and there could be a political backlash due to lack of transparency and fall in export demand (which contributes to 20 per cent of its GDP). So the Chinese economy showed signs of crack before virus but it was able to contain virus quickly. Therefore cracks did not break open and the economy could very well soon be back on track. Also with Coronavirus, the attention of the US has temporarily shifted away from the trade war and its high trade deficit with China. This will reduce China's risk for some more time.</p>

<p>India may recover quickly if the virus is contained in stage 2: In India, things were bleak even before Coronavirus knocked at its doors. GDP growth fell from 8 per cent to around 5 per cent, credit crunch, poor business sentiment, fiscal deficit breaching target, uneven monsoon and most importantly a fall in consumption were the risks already present. Even if the pandemic becomes worse, there is a possibility of economy quickly coming back on track and there would be lower damage due to coronavirus as compared to many other global nations. So, the increase in unemployment and bankruptcies would be relatively less than the rest of the world. The situation of NPAs was resolved to a large extent even before virus so that provided some cushion. Fall in oil price would also provide some relief. All that will ensure quick recovery and inflow of foreign money. Moreover, various estimations indicate that besides China, India can be the only major country to have positive growth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, the April-June quarter will be problematic but after that things will start improving and in October quarter we may see growth speeding up. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Europe:</strong><br />
<br />
The European economy was already weak due to double whammy of a trade war and Brexit. Germany, UK even went in contraction for a quarter last year, even for October-December quarter UK GDP stagnated. Due to the ageing population coronavirus shook the continent and can cause long-lasting impact. Brexit negotiations are not on the best footing also. European Union is unable to come up with joint action which indicates the underlying tension between the member states. So all of this poses a serious question about its recovery for a very long time.</p>

<p><strong>Gulf: </strong><br />
<br />
Gulf countries are facing a tough time as a fall in oil price will put huge pressure on income. Pilgrimage tourism, holiday tourism and expo events in UAE, Saudi and Iran will take a hit due to Corona pandemic. Since they need to give relief packages, there will be a strain on fiscal deficits. Postponement of Dubai 2020 Expo can impact UAE's plan to diversify the economy away from oil and tensions in OPEC+, with Saudi Arabia and Russia also pose concerns.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Stock Markets: </strong><br />
<br />
Go for major indices of the US, China and India, while Europe and Gulf countries can be avoided for the time being. Once virus peaks and markets hit bottom, you can also start dipping in mid-caps.</p>

<p><strong>Sectoral Situation: </strong><br />
<br />
As people will be more concerned about health, there would be a large increase in health insurance and hence insurance and healthcare sector would gain. Some banks are quite stable so they would survive but weaker ones will struggle so the wave of mergers and acquisitions in the financial sector can be in offing. IT companies, providing specific services like video streaming, e-commerce, video and teleconferencing stand to emerge victorious as well. For internet giants, advertising revenue can take a hit. But they stand to gain sensational insight in the human mind as to how it reacted during different phases of virus and lockdown. This would help them significantly in attracting user on their sites, retaining them and even influencing them. Cargo and Shipping Industry will recover quickly as people may hesitate to go out,&nbsp;but would continue ordering online. New players like automakers are entering in biotech and new innovations can revolutionise the biotech industry.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Oil Industry: </strong><br />
<br />
A fall in oil prices would also reduce the demand for its substitute goods like alternative sources of energy which would impact their development. Since lockdown shows the viability of working from home, commercial real estate can suffer. Due to the rise in unemployment, there isn't any likely rapid recovery in FMCG sector but high ticket items like real estate, passenger vehicles and luxury goods will take even longer to recover. Recovery in Aviation and Tourism will be slow due to the double whammy of rising unemployment and fear of the pandemic.<br />
For individual stocks company’s management can be the best gauge. As in such time, past data may not be able to indicate future development but efficient, creative management can give assurance that will come up with a way to navigate this tide.</p>

<p>The current situation is like shock therapy and in the post-Coronavirus era, there will be a tectonic shift in the world economic order.<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


The world has come to a standstill while the global economy and markets are in a tailspin. While the global economy is possibly heading into a recession, there is still hope of quick recovery if the virus starts subsiding in a month or two.

The world has come to a standstill while the global economy and markets are in a tailspin. While the global economy is possibly heading into a recession, there is still hope of quick recovery if the virus starts subsiding in a month or two. Central banks and governments are going all out to contain economic collapse. Still enough damage is caused and the economy can be as bad as the 2008 crisis or even worse. Although if we look across the globe different areas are painted with a different brush. So, let’s try to find out what’s in store for the world in an era after the Coronavirus crisis is over. The US damaged severely but its growth magnets still intact: An optimist of all times, US President Donald Trump has also declared this is bad and more than 100,000 people can die in the US. Various estimates suggest that the US economy is slipping into recession while unemployment is shooting up. Its condition will be critical but will recover strongly because before Coronavirus crisis struck, the world's largest economy was on a strong footing. Its GDP grew at a moderate pace, unemployment was at a 50-year low and its global banks were strong. So, a strong foundation gives hope of a revival. Besides this, its three growth magnets would continue to attract the best talent. The top layer of finance, tech and show business would love to work in Wall Street, Silicon Valley and Hollywood now, even at faster rates because the rest of the world is relatively more damaged. Therefore, it is likely to emerge out of ashes like a phoenix. China: Even before Coronavirus pandemic struck, the Chinese GDP growth rate was at 30 years low, its economy was showing cracks and trade war was damaging the Chinese economy. When the virus entered in this mix it slowed Chinese economy even further. During January-February, its industrial production figures and its retail sales data were very gloomy. It became clear that there will be a contraction in the Chinese economy during the January-March quarter. However, China was able to contain it just in Wuhan so the situation in the country is getting better. Economic indicators like PMI, shipping data, road congestion is reported to be improving. This implies that economic revival has begun. In fact, various reports predict that China will be the fastest-growing economy this year. Although risks associated with China are global and there could be a political backlash due to lack of transparency and fall in export demand (which contributes to 20 per cent of its GDP). So the Chinese economy showed signs of crack before virus but it was able to contain virus quickly. Therefore cracks did not break open and the economy could very well soon be back on track. Also with Coronavirus, the attention of the US has temporarily shifted away from the trade war and its high trade deficit with China. This will reduce China's risk for some more time. India may recover quickly if the virus is contained in stage 2: In India, things were bleak even before Coronavirus knocked at its doors. GDP growth fell from 8 per cent to around 5 per cent, credit crunch, poor business sentiment, fiscal deficit breaching target, uneven monsoon and most importantly a fall in consumption were the risks already present. Even if the pandemic becomes worse, there is a possibility of economy quickly coming back on track and there would be lower damage due to coronavirus as compared to many other global nations. So, the increase in unemployment and bankruptcies would be relatively less than the rest of the world. The situation of NPAs was resolved to a large extent even before virus so that provided some cushion. Fall in oil price would also provide some relief. All that will ensure quick recovery and inflow of foreign money. Moreover, various estimations indicate that besides China, India can be the only major country to have positive growth. So, the April-June quarter will be problematic but after that things will start improving and in October quarter we may see growth speeding up. Europe: The European economy was already weak due to double whammy of a trade war and Brexit. Germany, UK even went in contraction for a quarter last year, even for October-December quarter UK GDP stagnated. Due to the ageing population coronavirus shook the continent and can cause long-lasting impact. Brexit negotiations are not on the best footing also. European Union is unable to come up with joint action which indicates the underlying tension between the member states. So all of this poses a serious question about its recovery for a very long time. Gulf: Gulf countries are facing a tough time as a fall in oil price will put huge pressure on income. Pilgrimage tourism, holiday tourism and expo events in UAE, Saudi and Iran will take a hit due to Corona pandemic. Since they need to give relief packages, there will be a strain on fiscal deficits. Postponement of Dubai 2020 Expo can impact UAE's plan to diversify the economy away from oil and tensions in OPEC+, with Saudi Arabia and Russia also pose concerns. Stock Markets: Go for major indices of the US, China and India, while Europe and Gulf countries can be avoided for the time being. Once virus peaks and markets hit bottom, you can also start dipping in mid-caps. Sectoral Situation: As people will be more concerned about health, there would be a large increase in health insurance and hence insurance and healthcare sector would gain. Some banks are quite stable so they would survive but weaker ones will struggle so the wave of mergers and acquisitions in the financial sector can be in offing. IT companies, providing specific services like video streaming, e-commerce, video and teleconferencing stand to emerge victorious as well. For internet giants, advertising revenue can take a hit. But they stand to gain sensational insight in the human mind as to how it reacted during different phases of virus and lockdown. This would help them significantly in attracting user on their sites, retaining them and even influencing them. Cargo and Shipping Industry will recover quickly as people may hesitate to go out, but would continue ordering online. New players like automakers are entering in biotech and new innovations can revolutionise the biotech industry. Oil Industry: A fall in oil prices would also reduce the demand for its substitute goods like alternative sources of energy which would impact their development. Since lockdown shows the viability of working from home, commercial real estate can suffer. Due to the rise in unemployment, there isn't any likely rapid recovery in FMCG sector but high ticket items like real estate, passenger vehicles and luxury goods will take even longer to recover. Recovery in Aviation and Tourism will be slow due to the double whammy of rising unemployment and fear of the pandemic. For individual stocks company’s management can be the best gauge. As in such time, past data may not be able to indicate future development but efficient, creative management can give assurance that will come up with a way to navigate this tide. The current situation is like shock therapy and in the post-Coronavirus era, there will be a tectonic shift in the world economic order. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What's in store for the global economy after coronavirus is over?

<p>The last 10 years of Indian media has been dominated with polarised debated focused on views and not on the ground report. The shift was visible in 2010 but became a norm by 2013.</p>

<p>This marked the demise of ground reportage, health and environmental issues, and most prominently, issues related to concerns of the common man.</p>

<p>The spread of Covid19, in turn, has positively impacted journalism. The pandemic has shifted focus on civic journalism and issues which directly affect common people. There is a renewed focus on science, medicine, social hygiene, medical breakthroughs and health. Both print and broadcast journalism, over a period of time, had become highly focused on political issues.</p>

<p>Covid19, through the weight of its impact, has pushed the discourse towards the welfare of the people. Even economy was treated as God. Media reportage across the world is&nbsp;now more focused on the welfare of the people than the welfare of the economic system. It is a big shift. This shift became visible during the reportage of migrant workers in India. The reports came from ground and migrants had a voice. It was not lost in mindless debates. The issue of their survival and daily hardship became the primary issue.</p>

<p>The pandemic also showed that Indian mainstream media has done very little investment in science and technology reportage. Across the world, people are dedicated to this sector as artificial intelligence and robotics technology have permeated every aspect of society.</p>

<p>Though health as a beat does exist in newspapers, but there are very few science reporters in the Indian media industry.</p>

<p>Covid19 reminded the media that excessive focus on politics cannot serve people alone. The current crisis also shows the limitation of news in polarised form as it doesn’t address real issues and only cater to polarised politics. Covid19 has impacted this binary.</p>

<p>In future, coronavirus may be treated like any other outbreak which disrupted the world, but I hope it creates a lasting impact on our journalism. Journalism has a sacred bond with its readers and viewers. The sacred bond does not rest on the success of circulation or high viewership models, it rests on bringing important issues to light which have a real impact on people’s life.</p>

<p>It's high time that changes which have happened accidentally amid the coronavirus pandemic, continue to remain part of the culture of journalism and do not succumb to bigotry and hate. I hope it remains true to its noble cause which is reporting facts which makes a difference to the well-being of the society.</p>

<p>Epidemics and wars in past have changed the political system and impacted the ethics of the society. So, will be the case with Covid19 as it will impact politics and society. The only difference is that Covid19, unlike Spanish Flu or Bubonic or Justinian Plague, would be covered extensively. And here the strength of the journalism will be tested.</p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


The last 10 years of Indian media has been dominated with polarised debated focused on views and not on the ground report. The shift was visible in 2010 but became a norm by 2013.

The last 10 years of Indian media has been dominated with polarised debated focused on views and not on the ground report. The shift was visible in 2010 but became a norm by 2013. This marked the demise of ground reportage, health and environmental issues, and most prominently, issues related to concerns of the common man. The spread of Covid19, in turn, has positively impacted journalism. The pandemic has shifted focus on civic journalism and issues which directly affect common people. There is a renewed focus on science, medicine, social hygiene, medical breakthroughs and health. Both print and broadcast journalism, over a period of time, had become highly focused on political issues. Covid19, through the weight of its impact, has pushed the discourse towards the welfare of the people. Even economy was treated as God. Media reportage across the world is now more focused on the welfare of the people than the welfare of the economic system. It is a big shift. This shift became visible during the reportage of migrant workers in India. The reports came from ground and migrants had a voice. It was not lost in mindless debates. The issue of their survival and daily hardship became the primary issue. The pandemic also showed that Indian mainstream media has done very little investment in science and technology reportage. Across the world, people are dedicated to this sector as artificial intelligence and robotics technology have permeated every aspect of society. Though health as a beat does exist in newspapers, but there are very few science reporters in the Indian media industry. Covid19 reminded the media that excessive focus on politics cannot serve people alone. The current crisis also shows the limitation of news in polarised form as it doesn’t address real issues and only cater to polarised politics. Covid19 has impacted this binary. In future, coronavirus may be treated like any other outbreak which disrupted the world, but I hope it creates a lasting impact on our journalism. Journalism has a sacred bond with its readers and viewers. The sacred bond does not rest on the success of circulation or high viewership models, it rests on bringing important issues to light which have a real impact on people’s life. It's high time that changes which have happened accidentally amid the coronavirus pandemic, continue to remain part of the culture of journalism and do not succumb to bigotry and hate. I hope it remains true to its noble cause which is reporting facts which makes a difference to the well-being of the society. Epidemics and wars in past have changed the political system and impacted the ethics of the society. So, will be the case with Covid19 as it will impact politics and society. The only difference is that Covid19, unlike Spanish Flu or Bubonic or Justinian Plague, would be covered extensively. And here the strength of the journalism will be tested. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Coronavirus impact: Return of civic journalism

<p>Quarantine, social distancing, self-isolation. While these words have always existed, it’s the first time we have understood their meaning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The same actually holds true for all other words: hard work, compassion, family time, love, you only understand their meaning once you experience them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The year 2020 is going down in history books and we are a part of it. Till now we must have only lightly imagined what the wars and other crisis would have been like, but only when it has come upon us, do we really understand its gravity. We have been discussing World War III happening in outer space but here it is, in a mode we least expected and probably creating more damage overall. &nbsp;</p>

<p>COVID-19 has become a crisis as it had all the elements from the spread, lethality, unpreparedness, no availability of vaccine and likewise, new things would always catch us unprepared, unless we identify early signs of disbalance in the environment, from increasing forest fires to natural calamities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There is also an urgent need for an active risk management department in all governments which sparks an alarm as soon as they see any potential development which could potentially derail the society. We have also been investing in defence, missiles and bombs. All destructive, rather than constructively building up other areas of our systems. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It is also true that the time of crisis brings about the true self, thus this is a test. Did we think only about ourself or remembered the daily wage workers? Did we truly donate or just did it because we didn't want to be left out? did we actually feel&nbsp;bad for the ones who got infected or died? did we only think about our self or a bit about others as well? only we can judge what has been our intrinsic motives.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the other side, I see that a lot of youth have been wasting their time instead of building themselves up by engaging in constructive activities, apart from spending time with family and catching up with friends, which is also important. One cannot wait for the storm to pass to restart, to really grow both bad and good times need to be used to equal advantage. It is surprising to see that most successful startups that we see today started just after the financial crisis of 2008 from WhatsApp, Uber, Pinterest to Airbnb. This is a good time to spend on planning on your current startup, writing the book which you have been putting off, taking online classes, ideation and many more things. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It also brings about the human potential and the fact that no matter how tough the day, it eventually gets better. After all, we have 4.5 billion years of survival planning in our genes, this may seem new to us but our genes have been programmed for this, time and again. If only we can identify what kept us going in this time we can find that as motivation later in such situations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>History informs us that every 100 years we have had such a crisis from Plague to Spanish Flu and the World has rebuilt itself, all anew. It does make us think if there could be a larger reason behind this, to motivate us to change our lifestyle, reduce climate change, self introspect to understand what matters.</p>

<p>We should prepare ourself for more such crises in the 21st century with the disaster taking different forms. Business must build themselves like Lego blocks which can easily dismantle and restart and have low debt and a diverse market, governments must more holistically employ their budget for different measures, individuals can know the difference between necessity and want and spend accordingly. But moreover, there is a need to understand the response time to a crisis and how we rise after it. &nbsp;</p>

<p>We may be in the middle of this crisis and things may get worse before they get better, however, we must not forget the lessons learned and bring about the necessary changes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We have been using historic figures from 1919 to 2008 to measure the impact, however, our focus must be to work together and not allow this pandemic to create a new benchmark as a mother of all crises.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Quarantine, social distancing, self-isolation. While these words have always existed, it’s the first time we have understood their meaning. The same actually holds true for all other words: hard work, compassion, family time, love, you only understand their meaning once you experience them.

Quarantine, social distancing, self-isolation. While these words have always existed, it’s the first time we have understood their meaning. The same actually holds true for all other words: hard work, compassion, family time, love, you only understand their meaning once you experience them. The year 2020 is going down in history books and we are a part of it. Till now we must have only lightly imagined what the wars and other crisis would have been like, but only when it has come upon us, do we really understand its gravity. We have been discussing World War III happening in outer space but here it is, in a mode we least expected and probably creating more damage overall. COVID-19 has become a crisis as it had all the elements from the spread, lethality, unpreparedness, no availability of vaccine and likewise, new things would always catch us unprepared, unless we identify early signs of disbalance in the environment, from increasing forest fires to natural calamities. There is also an urgent need for an active risk management department in all governments which sparks an alarm as soon as they see any potential development which could potentially derail the society. We have also been investing in defence, missiles and bombs. All destructive, rather than constructively building up other areas of our systems. It is also true that the time of crisis brings about the true self, thus this is a test. Did we think only about ourself or remembered the daily wage workers? Did we truly donate or just did it because we didn't want to be left out? did we actually feel bad for the ones who got infected or died? did we only think about our self or a bit about others as well? only we can judge what has been our intrinsic motives. On the other side, I see that a lot of youth have been wasting their time instead of building themselves up by engaging in constructive activities, apart from spending time with family and catching up with friends, which is also important. One cannot wait for the storm to pass to restart, to really grow both bad and good times need to be used to equal advantage. It is surprising to see that most successful startups that we see today started just after the financial crisis of 2008 from WhatsApp, Uber, Pinterest to Airbnb. This is a good time to spend on planning on your current startup, writing the book which you have been putting off, taking online classes, ideation and many more things. It also brings about the human potential and the fact that no matter how tough the day, it eventually gets better. After all, we have 4.5 billion years of survival planning in our genes, this may seem new to us but our genes have been programmed for this, time and again. If only we can identify what kept us going in this time we can find that as motivation later in such situations. History informs us that every 100 years we have had such a crisis from Plague to Spanish Flu and the World has rebuilt itself, all anew. It does make us think if there could be a larger reason behind this, to motivate us to change our lifestyle, reduce climate change, self introspect to understand what matters. We should prepare ourself for more such crises in the 21st century with the disaster taking different forms. Business must build themselves like Lego blocks which can easily dismantle and restart and have low debt and a diverse market, governments must more holistically employ their budget for different measures, individuals can know the difference between necessity and want and spend accordingly. But moreover, there is a need to understand the response time to a crisis and how we rise after it. We may be in the middle of this crisis and things may get worse before they get better, however, we must not forget the lessons learned and bring about the necessary changes. We have been using historic figures from 1919 to 2008 to measure the impact, however, our focus must be to work together and not allow this pandemic to create a new benchmark as a mother of all crises. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The lessons we must learn from coronavirus pandemic

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to declare state of emergency to curb the spread of coronavirus as the confirmed number of cases in the country surged to over 4,500, local media reported.

Japan all set to declare state of emergency

<p class="MsoNormal">With the situation surrounding the deadly COVID-19 continuing to deteriorate with each passing day, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hands in the balance. The dreaded virus has left the entire sporting calendar in pieces with almost all the major tournaments and events getting cancelled or postponed. While IPL 2020, which was earlier set to start from March 29, was postponed till April 15 amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, there has been no official confirmation whether the cash-rich tournament will even take place this season or not.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The former Mental Conditioning and Strategic Leadership Coach of the Indian cricket team, Paddy Upton is of the view that the athletes are bound to witness a range of experiences during the ongoing lockdown. Upton said while it will be a welcome break for some of the players, many will feel a sense of anxiety and insecurity, both professionally and financially. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“For athletes, there would be a range of experiences, from welcome relief for the established to anxiety and insecurity, both professionally and financially, for possibly a greater number,” Upton told a leading daily.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong></o:p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-virat-kohli-pv-sindhu-to-mc-mary-kom-sports-fraternity-lights-diyas-candles-to-show-solidarity-in-fight-against-covid-19-290821" hreflang="en">From Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu to MC Mary Kom: Sports fraternity lights diyas, candles to show solidarity in fight against COVID-19</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“Fringe players and those at the early stages of their career, especially those who have very recently broken through to the next level, would naturally be feeling this break very disruptive,” he further added.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Upton termed IPL as a cash cow while adding that anxiety and depression arise within normal people when they tend to focus too much on themselves and the problems they are having. He further advised them to focus on other people and care for them while looking for opportunities that are available during this unprecedented scenario.</p>

<h2 class="MsoNormal"><strong>"IPL a cash cow"</strong></h2>

<p class="MsoNormal">“Naturally IPL is a huge highlight on the calendar for many cricketers, and a cash cow. Anxiety and depression arise within healthy and normal people, when they spend too much time focusing firstly on themselves, and secondly on the problems that they are having. I would really caution not only athletes but everyone, to use their awareness to guard against this very normal threat. The way to overcome it is to focus on other people, caring for them, and at the same time to look for opportunities that are available due to this additional time,” he said.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong></o:p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/vijender-singh-hopes-for-pro-career-to-resume-in-second-half-of-2020-290808" hreflang="en">Vijender Singh hopes for pro career to resume in second half of 2020</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“What’s important is to ensure we maintain a bigger perspective of our lives, specifically taking care of all the facets that make up who we are as humans, which include looking after the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspect of our lives,” Upton added.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, as per reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window during August-September while evaluating the options to conduct IPL 2020 later in the year.<o:p></o:p></p>


With the situation surrounding the deadly COVID-19 continuing to deteriorate with each passing day, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hands in the balance.

With the situation surrounding the deadly COVID-19 continuing to deteriorate with each passing day, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hands in the balance. The dreaded virus has left the entire sporting calendar in pieces with almost all the major tournaments and events getting cancelled or postponed. While IPL 2020, which was earlier set to start from March 29, was postponed till April 15 amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, there has been no official confirmation whether the cash-rich tournament will even take place this season or not. The former Mental Conditioning and Strategic Leadership Coach of the Indian cricket team, Paddy Upton is of the view that the athletes are bound to witness a range of experiences during the ongoing lockdown. Upton said while it will be a welcome break for some of the players, many will feel a sense of anxiety and insecurity, both professionally and financially. “For athletes, there would be a range of experiences, from welcome relief for the established to anxiety and insecurity, both professionally and financially, for possibly a greater number,” Upton told a leading daily. ALSO READ: From Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu to MC Mary Kom: Sports fraternity lights diyas, candles to show solidarity in fight against COVID-19 “Fringe players and those at the early stages of their career, especially those who have very recently broken through to the next level, would naturally be feeling this break very disruptive,” he further added. Upton termed IPL as a cash cow while adding that anxiety and depression arise within normal people when they tend to focus too much on themselves and the problems they are having. He further advised them to focus on other people and care for them while looking for opportunities that are available during this unprecedented scenario. "IPL a cash cow" “Naturally IPL is a huge highlight on the calendar for many cricketers, and a cash cow. Anxiety and depression arise within healthy and normal people, when they spend too much time focusing firstly on themselves, and secondly on the problems that they are having. I would really caution not only athletes but everyone, to use their awareness to guard against this very normal threat. The way to overcome it is to focus on other people, caring for them, and at the same time to look for opportunities that are available due to this additional time,” he said. ALSO READ: Vijender Singh hopes for pro career to resume in second half of 2020 “What’s important is to ensure we maintain a bigger perspective of our lives, specifically taking care of all the facets that make up who we are as humans, which include looking after the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspect of our lives,” Upton added. Meanwhile, as per reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window during August-September while evaluating the options to conduct IPL 2020 later in the year.

‘IPL a cash cow, break will lead to anxiety and insecurity for few players’: Paddy Upton

COVID-19 is hitting refugees camps, these camps could become the worst victims of coronavirus pandemic. Indiscriminate in targeting its victims, COVID-19 exposes the needs of tens of millions of refugees and displaced persons in destitute camps in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Bangladesh and shantytowns across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Overcrowded migrant camps at high risk of contracting COVID-19

The US President Donald Trump requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to supply Hydroxychloroquine tablets to the United States, so that the drug can be used to treat COVID-19 patients.

US seeks India's help amid coronavirus outbreak

The US President Donald Trump told Americans to brace for a big spike in COVID-19 fatalities in the coming days, as the country faces what he called the toughest two weeks of the pandemic.

COVID-19: Donald Trump warns of toughest two weeks

The global death toll due to the lethal coronavirus has surpassed 64,000. Over 708 new COVID-19 deaths have been reported in UK in 24 hours. Despite several warnings from authorities to stay at home, people are not following guidelines.

UK residents hit beaches, parks amid lockdown | Coronavirus Pandemic

Queen Elizabeth II is set to address to the nation and commonwealth countries about the coronavirus pandemic. In the message, the Queen will urge people to rise to the challenge posed by the coronavirus outbreak and will personally thank frontline healthcare staff and other key workers for their efforts during the crisis.

Queen Elizabeth II to address nation over COVID-19

The global death toll due to the lethal coronavirus has surpassed 64,000. Reports suggests that 85% of COVID-19 deaths in Europe has occurred in Spain, Italy, France and United Kingdom.

Over 708 new COVID-19 deaths reported in UK in 24 hours

In the 24 hours through 12 a.m. on Friday, 562 people, died from the virus in New York State, bringing the total death toll to nearly 3,000, double

COVID-19 deaths surge in New York City

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have begun providing emergency funds to developing and low-income countries across the world to strengthen their efforts to battle the rapidly spreading coronavirus.

IMF & World Bank's appeal to developed countries

<p>The world initially met the COVID-19 crisis in an uncoordinated fashion, with too many countries ignoring the warning signs and going it alone. It is now clear that the only way out of it is together.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The contrast between the silence of Europe’s streets and squares and the tumultuous, painful reality in many of its hospitals is heartbreaking. COVID-19 has not only Europe but the entire global community in its grip. It is already clear that the pandemic will reshape our world. But precisely, how will depend on the choices that we make today. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The coronavirus should be seen as the world’s common enemy. Though this is not a war, we nevertheless need a 'war-like'&nbsp;mobilisation of resources. But in times of crisis, our instinct is to turn inward, to fend for ourselves. This reaction, though understandable, is self-defeating. Going it alone all but guarantees that the fight will last longer, and that the human and economic costs will be far higher. Although the enemy has triggered nationalist reflexes, we can defeat it only with cross-border coordination – in Europe and beyond. We need a common international approach to the pandemic and for assisting the most vulnerable,&nbsp;those in developing countries and conflict zones. I have emphasised this point in recent discussions with G7 foreign ministers and many others. The European Union must and will be a part of the effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now is the time to show that solidarity is not an empty phrase. Fortunately, that is already being demonstrated in Europe, where France and Austria are sending more than three million masks to Italy, and where Germany is taking in and treating patients from France and Italy. After the first phase of diverging national decisions, we are now entering a phase of convergence in which the EU takes center stage. For its part, the organisation is stepping up with decisions to facilitate joint procurement of vital medical equipment, a joint economic stimulus, and coordinated consular efforts to repatriate stranded EU citizens. Following a virtual meeting of the European Council, EU leaders have agreed to intensify their joint efforts, not least by developing a European crisis-management system and a shared strategy to manage the coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The COVID-19 crisis is not a battle between countries or systems. At different stages of the pandemic, there has been reciprocal assistance between Europe, China, and others, demonstrating mutual support and solidarity. The EU supported China when the outbreak emerged at the beginning of the year, and now China is sending equipment and doctors to help affected countries around the world. These are concrete examples of global solidarity and cooperation; they need to become the norm. One way to think of COVID-19 is that it is accelerating history. Through whatever changes are in store, the EU must remain a unifying factor, by promoting joint efforts with China and the United States to address the pandemic and its consequences.<br />
<br />
Only with these three powers pulling in the same direction can the G20 and the United Nations make a real difference. Beyond international coordination between governments, cooperation among scientists, economists, and policymakers also needs to be scaled up. During the 2008 financial crisis, the G20 played a pivotal role in rescuing the global economy when it was in freefall.<br />
<br />
There is once again an urgent need for global leadership along these lines. There are four major priorities for global cooperation. First, we must pool resources to produce new treatments and a vaccine, which should be regarded as a global public good. Second, we need to limit the economic damage by coordinating fiscal- and monetary stimulus measures and protecting the global trade in goods. Third, we should be planning to re-open borders in a coordinated way whenever health authorities give the green light. Lastly, we must cooperate to fight disinformation campaigns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The outcome of the G20’s recent virtual summit points in this general direction. But global and multilateral initiatives will need to be sustained and fully implemented in the days and weeks ahead. As the virus spreads globally, we need to pay special attention to its growing impact on fragile countries, where it threatens to exacerbate existing security crises. In Syria, Yemen, Gaza, and Afghanistan, millions of people have already suffered through years of conflict. Just imagine what would follow if the coronavirus emerges in the region’s refugee camps, where sanitation and health services are already overstretched and humanitarian workers already struggle to deliver aid.</p>

<p>Then there is Africa, which is of paramount importance. Owing to the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic and other outbreaks, African countries have some experience that Europe lacks in this crisis. But health-care systems on the continent remain weak overall, and the number of infected people is growing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In many developing countries, a large number of people often have no choice but to go out every day and make a living in the informal economy. Worse, hand washing and social distancing can be far more difficult in these countries, because running water is not always available and families tend to live in cramped spaces. This is a fight that will need funding to win. Developing countries depend crucially on three sources of finance: foreign investment, remittances, and tourism. Yet all three are now being hit hard.<br />
<br />
Globally, capital flows have fallen dramatically as investors flee to safe havens and migrant workers lose jobs and are unable to send money home. We are facing a global recession; to avoid an economic crash in developing countries, significant financial support and credit lines will be needed – and soon. Coordination among central banks and international financial institutions is the only viable way forward. Finally, amid the overwhelming gloom, there is a chance to end long-running conflicts. There have already been some positive signs of cooperation between rivals.<br />
<br />
The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, for example, recently sent aid to Iran, which has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19. No one can afford to wage multiple wars at the same time. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged, we should use this crisis as an opportunity to restore peace.<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p><em>(First published on <a href="https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/global-priorities-covid19-response-by-josep-borrell-2020-03">Project.Syndicate.Org</a>)</em></p>


The world initially met the COVID-19 crisis in an uncoordinated fashion, with too many countries ignoring the warning signs and going it alone. It is now clear that the only way out of it is together.

The world initially met the COVID-19 crisis in an uncoordinated fashion, with too many countries ignoring the warning signs and going it alone. It is now clear that the only way out of it is together. The contrast between the silence of Europe’s streets and squares and the tumultuous, painful reality in many of its hospitals is heartbreaking. COVID-19 has not only Europe but the entire global community in its grip. It is already clear that the pandemic will reshape our world. But precisely, how will depend on the choices that we make today. The coronavirus should be seen as the world’s common enemy. Though this is not a war, we nevertheless need a 'war-like' mobilisation of resources. But in times of crisis, our instinct is to turn inward, to fend for ourselves. This reaction, though understandable, is self-defeating. Going it alone all but guarantees that the fight will last longer, and that the human and economic costs will be far higher. Although the enemy has triggered nationalist reflexes, we can defeat it only with cross-border coordination – in Europe and beyond. We need a common international approach to the pandemic and for assisting the most vulnerable, those in developing countries and conflict zones. I have emphasised this point in recent discussions with G7 foreign ministers and many others. The European Union must and will be a part of the effort. Now is the time to show that solidarity is not an empty phrase. Fortunately, that is already being demonstrated in Europe, where France and Austria are sending more than three million masks to Italy, and where Germany is taking in and treating patients from France and Italy. After the first phase of diverging national decisions, we are now entering a phase of convergence in which the EU takes center stage. For its part, the organisation is stepping up with decisions to facilitate joint procurement of vital medical equipment, a joint economic stimulus, and coordinated consular efforts to repatriate stranded EU citizens. Following a virtual meeting of the European Council, EU leaders have agreed to intensify their joint efforts, not least by developing a European crisis-management system and a shared strategy to manage the coronavirus. The COVID-19 crisis is not a battle between countries or systems. At different stages of the pandemic, there has been reciprocal assistance between Europe, China, and others, demonstrating mutual support and solidarity. The EU supported China when the outbreak emerged at the beginning of the year, and now China is sending equipment and doctors to help affected countries around the world. These are concrete examples of global solidarity and cooperation; they need to become the norm. One way to think of COVID-19 is that it is accelerating history. Through whatever changes are in store, the EU must remain a unifying factor, by promoting joint efforts with China and the United States to address the pandemic and its consequences. Only with these three powers pulling in the same direction can the G20 and the United Nations make a real difference. Beyond international coordination between governments, cooperation among scientists, economists, and policymakers also needs to be scaled up. During the 2008 financial crisis, the G20 played a pivotal role in rescuing the global economy when it was in freefall. There is once again an urgent need for global leadership along these lines. There are four major priorities for global cooperation. First, we must pool resources to produce new treatments and a vaccine, which should be regarded as a global public good. Second, we need to limit the economic damage by coordinating fiscal- and monetary stimulus measures and protecting the global trade in goods. Third, we should be planning to re-open borders in a coordinated way whenever health authorities give the green light. Lastly, we must cooperate to fight disinformation campaigns. The outcome of the G20’s recent virtual summit points in this general direction. But global and multilateral initiatives will need to be sustained and fully implemented in the days and weeks ahead. As the virus spreads globally, we need to pay special attention to its growing impact on fragile countries, where it threatens to exacerbate existing security crises. In Syria, Yemen, Gaza, and Afghanistan, millions of people have already suffered through years of conflict. Just imagine what would follow if the coronavirus emerges in the region’s refugee camps, where sanitation and health services are already overstretched and humanitarian workers already struggle to deliver aid. Then there is Africa, which is of paramount importance. Owing to the 2014-16 Ebola epidemic and other outbreaks, African countries have some experience that Europe lacks in this crisis. But health-care systems on the continent remain weak overall, and the number of infected people is growing. In many developing countries, a large number of people often have no choice but to go out every day and make a living in the informal economy. Worse, hand washing and social distancing can be far more difficult in these countries, because running water is not always available and families tend to live in cramped spaces. This is a fight that will need funding to win. Developing countries depend crucially on three sources of finance: foreign investment, remittances, and tourism. Yet all three are now being hit hard. Globally, capital flows have fallen dramatically as investors flee to safe havens and migrant workers lose jobs and are unable to send money home. We are facing a global recession; to avoid an economic crash in developing countries, significant financial support and credit lines will be needed – and soon. Coordination among central banks and international financial institutions is the only viable way forward. Finally, amid the overwhelming gloom, there is a chance to end long-running conflicts. There have already been some positive signs of cooperation between rivals. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, for example, recently sent aid to Iran, which has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19. No one can afford to wage multiple wars at the same time. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged, we should use this crisis as an opportunity to restore peace. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (First published on Project.Syndicate.Org)

Four priorities for a global strategy to contain coronavirus pandemic

At the moment there is no singular cure to coronavirus, medical specialist can only treat symptoms. From potential vaccines to antibody treatment. Watch our report to know more.

Watch: The race to develop COVID-19 vaccine

The United States recorded 1,169 deaths from COVID-19 in last 24 hours, which is the worst 24-hour death toll since the pandemic began. The total number of people who have died since the start of the pandemic in the United States is over 7,000.

COVID-19: 1,169 dead in US in last 24 hours

According to Morgan Stanley, the US economy is all set to shrink 5.5% in 2020. This would be the the worst decline since 1946.

COVID-19: US economy stares at worst fall since 1946

while addressing the leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the creation of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Emergency Fund for SAARC.

5 Indian Medical teams on standby to help SAARC countries

COVID-19 death toll in NY more than 9/11 fatalities

The global battle to acquire supplies | Coronavirus News | COVID-19 cases Individual governments have defended decisions to keep medical equipment at home, arguing they must take care of their medical workers and patients first

The global battle to acquire supplies

An intranasal vacccine for COVID-19 is under development by Indian pharma company Bharat Biotech. It announced yesterday that a unique intranasal vacccine named 'CoroFlu' is under development.

Indian pharma begins development and testing of COVID-19 vaccine

Coronavirus has taken the lives of over 2,900 people in the UK, with more than 33,700 infected. UK has reported 569 people dead in 24 hours.

Coronavirus Pandemic: UK records highest deaths in 24 hours

Life in isolation is bringing out the creative side of people. WION's Palki Sharma tells you what the world is doing to stay sane under lockdown.

Gravitas: Lockdown stories that will uplift your spirits

Designers in Germany are finding ways to make mask wearing more appealing. Munich-based designer Pia Bolte, is producing a selection of colourful masks, also has a slogan selection with the very popular: 'fuck the virus' design.

German designers' make special masks with a message

The US President Donald Trump informed reporters that he tested negative for the virus, saying: "I just took it this morning, it said the president tested negative for COVID-19." The United States reported the highest one-day death toll due to coronavirus recording 1,169 fatalities in the past 24 hours, according to the Johns Hopkins University live COVID-19 tracker.

Donald Trump again tests negative for coronavirus

The number of victims of domestic violence is rising amid a global lockdown. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why the world must reach out to those susceptible to physical abuse.

Gravitas: Global rise in violence against women during lockdown

What else is making news in the world? Watch this video for a quick check.

Coronavirus fears in Nigeria camps, Brazil prepares more graves

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfares held a press conference on COVID-19 cases in India. Health Ministry, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that all our efforts will go waste if we don't practice and follow social distancing. Watch the video to know more:

India's Health Ministry briefs media: Efforts will waste if social distancing not followed

<p>Dwayne Johnson took a bit of help from 'Moana' as he taught his youngest child the importance of washing hands.<br />
Johnson recently posted a video on his Instagram where he can be seen showing his youngest daughter how to wash hands and singing her a rap from 'Moana'- a film that he was a part of.<br />
<br />
A towel-clad Johnson, aka The Rock, shared the adorable video and called it the 'pre daddy's shower ritual.'<br />
<br />
"Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song 'You're Welcome' from 'Moana,' while I wash her hands," he wrote. "We realized a few weeks ago that the rap portion of the song is perfect timing when getting your little ones to have fun washing their hands."</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-fZQj1nUB0/?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">Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song “You’re Welcome” from MOANA, while I wash her hands. We realized a few weeks ago that the rap portion of the song is perfect timing when getting your little ones to have fun washing their hands. Stay healthy and safe, my friends. D And gotta love how at the start of this vid, baby Tia is like, “just shut your mouth and sing daddy” 😂</a></p>

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<p>Not only does Johnson rap but the little one also joins in much to her father's delight.<br />
<br />
Johnson was part of the voice cast of the 2016 animated Disney film.<br />
<br />
"Stay healthy and safe, my friends," he added in the post.<br />
<br />
Johnson's next collaboration with Disney is 'Jungle Cruise,' a film based on the theme park ride. The film is set to release in Summer this year but in a recent interview the actor admitted that the plan may change due to the coronavirus outbreak.</p>


Dwayne Johnson took a bit of help from 'Moana' as he taught his youngest child the importance of washing hands. Johnson recently posted a video on his Instagram where he can be seen showing his youngest daughter how to wash hands and singing her a rap from 'Moana'- a film that he was a part of.

Dwayne Johnson took a bit of help from 'Moana' as he taught his youngest child the importance of washing hands. Johnson recently posted a video on his Instagram where he can be seen showing his youngest daughter how to wash hands and singing her a rap from 'Moana'- a film that he was a part of. A towel-clad Johnson, aka The Rock, shared the adorable video and called it the 'pre daddy's shower ritual.' "Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song 'You're Welcome' from 'Moana,' while I wash her hands," he wrote. "We realized a few weeks ago that the rap portion of the song is perfect timing when getting your little ones to have fun washing their hands." View this post on Instagram Before my showers now, Baby Tia (mama mia) demands I sing the rap portion of my song “You’re Welcome” from MOANA, while I wash her hands. We realized a few weeks ago that the rap portion of the song is perfect timing when getting your little ones to have fun washing their hands. Stay healthy and safe, my friends. D And gotta love how at the start of this vid, baby Tia is like, “just shut your mouth and sing daddy” 😂 A post shared by therock (@therock) on Apr 2, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT × Not only does Johnson rap but the little one also joins in much to her father's delight. Johnson was part of the voice cast of the 2016 animated Disney film. "Stay healthy and safe, my friends," he added in the post. Johnson's next collaboration with Disney is 'Jungle Cruise,' a film based on the theme park ride. The film is set to release in Summer this year but in a recent interview the actor admitted that the plan may change due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Rock croons a song from 'Moana' as he teaches daughter the importance of hand wash

The World Bank on Thursday (April 2) approved $1 billion emergency financing to India in order to support better screening of COVID-10 patients, contact tracing and laboratory diagnostics.

World Bank allocates funds to fight coronavirus

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