A Chilean opera singer is keeping her neighbors entertained by singing classics from her window during the country's coronavirus quarantine.

Chilean soprano sings for neighbors during lockdown

Actor Matthew McConaughey shared a video with his fans on Monday (April 13), to teach them how to make face masks from bandanas.

Matthew McConaughey shows fans how to make face masks

Tidalwave Productions has added "Tiger King" to its Infamous series after the film became a world-wide phenomena with even U.S. president Trump talking about it during a press conference.

Netflix film 'Tiger King' gets the comic book treatment

Statues around monuments in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina have been covered with face masks to raise awareness among the pouplation, as the countries battle the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Face masks placed on statues in Rio and Buenos Aires to raise awareness amid pandemic

A 12-year-old Mexican boy is doing his bit to help with reported shortages of masks and visors brought on by the coronavirus pandemic by making his own to give to medics.

Mexican boy, 12, donates visors he creates on 3D printer to doctors

World War Two veteran Ermando Piveta, aged 99, became the oldest Brazilian to recover from the coronavirus on Tuesday (April 14).

'Bigger than winning the war': WWII vet, aged 99, survives coronavirus in Brazil

This is a love story. It began 50 years ago over an apple strudel in Paris, but Howard Smith says he has no time for romantic notions about the past. Right now he's worried about how the story will end.

Married for 50 years, a couple are separated by the coronavirus

Sri Lankans had a muted celebration of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on Monday (April 13) as a lockdown and a work from home order have been imposed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus lockdown mutes Sri Lanka's biggest festival, the celebration of New Year

A neighbourhood in Indonesia's central Java province has deployed local 'ghosts' to patrol the streets and scare people into staying home in order to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"Ghost" volunteers scare Indonesians into staying home

Antarctica is the only remaining continent in the world that has not seen a confirmed case of the new coronavirus - and Chilean authorities are working to keep it that way.

Chile works to keep Antarctica the last coronavirus-free continent

The two-match Test series between Australia and Bangladesh, which was scheduled to be held in the month of June, has been postponed due to health concerns and travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

The two-match Test series was to be held under the banner of ICC World Test Championship and the postponement will add to the complications of the WTC final, scheduled to be held in 2021. There have been a few bilateral Test series that have been cancelled due to the pandemic and re-organising them in a short time-space will not be an easy task even though the series can be rescheduled by bilateral agreements+.&nbsp;

"Postponing the tour is regrettable, but I would like to thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for the open, honest and responsible discussions that led us to this mutually-agreed position," Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-sure-who-went-easy-on-virat-kohli-for-ipl-contract-tim-paine-rubbishes-michael-clarkes-claims-of-aussies-being-scared-to-sledge-india-291544" hreflang="en">Not sure who went easy on Virat Kohli for IPL contract: Tim Paine rubbishes Michael Clarke's claims of Aussies being 'scared' to sledge India</a>

"The health of our people and communities is the number one priority for both Boards and that is reflected in the action we have taken in postponing the two Test matches.

"As we know, the global cricket calendar is very busy but we will do everything we can to honour our commitment to Bangladesh and will continue to work with the BCB on an agreed date."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sit-back-and-relax-at-home-kapil-dev-dismisses-shoaib-akhtars-proposal-of-india-pakistan-charity-series-to-fight-against-covid-19-291536" hreflang="en">'Sit back and relax at home' - Kapil Dev dismisses Shoaib Akhtar’s proposal of India-Pakistan charity series to fight against COVID-19</a>

Australian Test captain Tim Paine had earlier said that the Test series against Bangladesh was unlikely to be played as planned with the boards now agreeing to postpone the two-match rubber.&nbsp;

Moreover, there are major doubts about the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020) and other major cricketing events such as the Asia Cup 2020 and T20 World Cup. However, no official call has been taken on these big-shot tournaments, as of now.

The two-match Test series between Australia and Bangladesh, which was scheduled to be held in the month of June, has been postponed due to health concerns and travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-match Test series between Australia and Bangladesh, which was scheduled to be held in the month of June, has been postponed due to health concerns and travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-match Test series was to be held under the banner of ICC World Test Championship and the postponement will add to the complications of the WTC final, scheduled to be held in 2021. There have been a few bilateral Test series that have been cancelled due to the pandemic and re-organising them in a short time-space will not be an easy task even though the series can be rescheduled by bilateral agreements+. "Postponing the tour is regrettable, but I would like to thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for the open, honest and responsible discussions that led us to this mutually-agreed position," Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts said. ALSO READ: Not sure who went easy on Virat Kohli for IPL contract: Tim Paine rubbishes Michael Clarke's claims of Aussies being 'scared' to sledge India "The health of our people and communities is the number one priority for both Boards and that is reflected in the action we have taken in postponing the two Test matches. "As we know, the global cricket calendar is very busy but we will do everything we can to honour our commitment to Bangladesh and will continue to work with the BCB on an agreed date." ALSO READ: 'Sit back and relax at home' - Kapil Dev dismisses Shoaib Akhtar’s proposal of India-Pakistan charity series to fight against COVID-19 Australian Test captain Tim Paine had earlier said that the Test series against Bangladesh was unlikely to be played as planned with the boards now agreeing to postpone the two-match rubber. Moreover, there are major doubts about the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020) and other major cricketing events such as the Asia Cup 2020 and T20 World Cup. However, no official call has been taken on these big-shot tournaments, as of now.

Another one bites the dust as Australia vs Bangladesh Test series postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

Science has knocked religion and traditional healing methods out of the ring in the battle between rival approaches towards getting the coronavirus pandemic under control.

Global leaders have imposed science-driven solutions&nbsp;of lockdown, social distancing, and the search for medical cures&nbsp;after initially opting for political expediency or advocacy of traditional healing methods or religious precepts.

Remarkably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of a kingdom that was founded and shaped by an ultra-conservative strand of Islam, was one leader who was not held back by religion when he suspended the Umrah (the smaller pilgrimage to Mecca). He announced that this year’s Hajj could be cancelled, and locked down the holy city, as well as, its counterpart, Medina.

“What if this year’s Hajj was under Imran Khan rather than Mohammed bin Salman? Would he have waffled there as indeed he has in Pakistan?” asked Pakistani nuclear scientist, political analyst, and human rights activist Pervez Hoodbhoy.

Hoodbhoy noted that Pakistan is yet to import Saudi dates touted as a cure for all diseases by Maulana Tariq Jameel, Pakistan’s most popular preacher and an ally of Khan.

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei has similarly dropped his resistance to the closure of shrines in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad. His government has closed schools and universities and urged the public to stay at home while announcing that “low-risk” economic activity would be allowed to resume next week.

The consequences of science-based approaches for civilizationalists, who advocate policies inspired by religion or the supremacy of one religious group over another, could go far beyond what should shape public health policies.

They could threaten the foundations of their religious support base, as well as, their discriminatory policies towards religious or ethnic minorities. Israel is a case in point in terms of both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious support base and his policies towards Israeli nationals of Palestinian descent.

With ultra-orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods and cities emerging as the communities most affected by the coronavirus, some Israeli commentators argue that the pandemic could undermine rabbinical authority on a scale not seen since the Holocaust when large numbers left ultra-orthodoxy after rabbinical advice to remain in Europe proved devastating.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who together with his wife, has tested positive. Ultra-orthodox rabbis had to reverse themselves in recent days as the virus ate its way through their communities in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities.

“Torah no longer saves from death. The coronavirus has dealt an unimaginable blow to the rabbinical authority – and worldview – that ultra-Orthodox Jews previously regarded as infallible and eternal,” said prominent Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer, who authored an acclaimed biography of Netanyahu.

The non-discriminatory nature of the coronavirus forced the Israeli government last week to ramp up testing in communities of Israeli Palestinians which had been described by public health experts as a ticking time bomb.

The experts warned that Israeli Palestinians were an at-risk group, many of whom suffer from chronic diseases, live in crowded conditions, and are socially and economically disadvantaged.

“In terms of public health, due to the present situation, the Arab communities are likely to become epicentres of the coronavirus outbreak, which will threaten the health of the entire population,” said Nihaya Daoud, a public health lecturer at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.

Increased testing of Israel Palestinians tackles Israel’s immediate problem of attempting to stymie the spread of the virus. It doesn’t, however, address the longer-term structural threat to public health posed by imbalances in health infrastructure in Israeli Jewish and Israeli Palestinian communities, a lesson many Israelis could draw from the coronavirus crisis.

Drawing that lesson would challenge a pillar of Israeli policy with far-reaching consequences.

By the same token, the return home of some 45,000 Palestinian workers to the West Bank for this week’s Passover holiday is likely to create bottlenecks in both Israel and the Palestinian territory after the Israeli government decided that they would not be allowed to return because of health concerns.

The decision threatens to create a labour shortage in Israel, increase economic pressure on an already weakened Palestine Authority, and facilitate the spread of the virus on the West Bank given the administration’s inability to test all returnees.

“Because the two populations are so intertwined, curbing the virus only in one society is impossible,” said Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group.

It’s a lesson that applies universally, not just to Israelis and Palestinians. That is no truer than in Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps that dot the eastern Mediterranean.

The global pandemic also casts a glaring spotlight on the risks of looking the other way when hospitals and health infrastructure are deliberately destroyed in war-torn countries like in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad’s forces deliberately targetted hospitals, and in Yemen, where the Saudi-UAE-led coalition did the same.

No doubt, it is a lesson that anti-globalists and civilizationalists prefer not to hear.

Yet, whether anti-globalists and civilizationalists like it or not, the coronavirus is global and universal. So is the science that will ultimately help get control of the pandemic and eventually stop it in its tracks.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

(This article was originally published on <a href="https://insidearabia.com/stopping-covid-19-in-its-tracks-science-gets-the-upper-hand/">The Inside Arabia</a> ) 
&nbsp;

Science has knocked religion and traditional healing methods out of the ring in the battle between rival approaches towards getting the coronavirus pandemic under control.

Science has knocked religion and traditional healing methods out of the ring in the battle between rival approaches towards getting the coronavirus pandemic under control. Global leaders have imposed science-driven solutions of lockdown, social distancing, and the search for medical cures after initially opting for political expediency or advocacy of traditional healing methods or religious precepts. Remarkably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of a kingdom that was founded and shaped by an ultra-conservative strand of Islam, was one leader who was not held back by religion when he suspended the Umrah (the smaller pilgrimage to Mecca). He announced that this year’s Hajj could be cancelled, and locked down the holy city, as well as, its counterpart, Medina. “What if this year’s Hajj was under Imran Khan rather than Mohammed bin Salman? Would he have waffled there as indeed he has in Pakistan?” asked Pakistani nuclear scientist, political analyst, and human rights activist Pervez Hoodbhoy. Hoodbhoy noted that Pakistan is yet to import Saudi dates touted as a cure for all diseases by Maulana Tariq Jameel, Pakistan’s most popular preacher and an ally of Khan. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei has similarly dropped his resistance to the closure of shrines in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad. His government has closed schools and universities and urged the public to stay at home while announcing that “low-risk” economic activity would be allowed to resume next week. The consequences of science-based approaches for civilizationalists, who advocate policies inspired by religion or the supremacy of one religious group over another, could go far beyond what should shape public health policies. They could threaten the foundations of their religious support base, as well as, their discriminatory policies towards religious or ethnic minorities. Israel is a case in point in terms of both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s religious support base and his policies towards Israeli nationals of Palestinian descent. With ultra-orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods and cities emerging as the communities most affected by the coronavirus, some Israeli commentators argue that the pandemic could undermine rabbinical authority on a scale not seen since the Holocaust when large numbers left ultra-orthodoxy after rabbinical advice to remain in Europe proved devastating. Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who together with his wife, has tested positive. Ultra-orthodox rabbis had to reverse themselves in recent days as the virus ate its way through their communities in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities. “Torah no longer saves from death. The coronavirus has dealt an unimaginable blow to the rabbinical authority – and worldview – that ultra-Orthodox Jews previously regarded as infallible and eternal,” said prominent Israeli journalist Anshel Pfeffer, who authored an acclaimed biography of Netanyahu. The non-discriminatory nature of the coronavirus forced the Israeli government last week to ramp up testing in communities of Israeli Palestinians which had been described by public health experts as a ticking time bomb. The experts warned that Israeli Palestinians were an at-risk group, many of whom suffer from chronic diseases, live in crowded conditions, and are socially and economically disadvantaged. “In terms of public health, due to the present situation, the Arab communities are likely to become epicentres of the coronavirus outbreak, which will threaten the health of the entire population,” said Nihaya Daoud, a public health lecturer at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Increased testing of Israel Palestinians tackles Israel’s immediate problem of attempting to stymie the spread of the virus. It doesn’t, however, address the longer-term structural threat to public health posed by imbalances in health infrastructure in Israeli Jewish and Israeli Palestinian communities, a lesson many Israelis could draw from the coronavirus crisis. Drawing that lesson would challenge a pillar of Israeli policy with far-reaching consequences. By the same token, the return home of some 45,000 Palestinian workers to the West Bank for this week’s Passover holiday is likely to create bottlenecks in both Israel and the Palestinian territory after the Israeli government decided that they would not be allowed to return because of health concerns. The decision threatens to create a labour shortage in Israel, increase economic pressure on an already weakened Palestine Authority, and facilitate the spread of the virus on the West Bank given the administration’s inability to test all returnees. “Because the two populations are so intertwined, curbing the virus only in one society is impossible,” said Ofer Zalzberg of the International Crisis Group. It’s a lesson that applies universally, not just to Israelis and Palestinians. That is no truer than in Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps that dot the eastern Mediterranean. The global pandemic also casts a glaring spotlight on the risks of looking the other way when hospitals and health infrastructure are deliberately destroyed in war-torn countries like in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad’s forces deliberately targetted hospitals, and in Yemen, where the Saudi-UAE-led coalition did the same. No doubt, it is a lesson that anti-globalists and civilizationalists prefer not to hear. Yet, whether anti-globalists and civilizationalists like it or not, the coronavirus is global and universal. So is the science that will ultimately help get control of the pandemic and eventually stop it in its tracks. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) (This article was originally published on The Inside Arabia )

Science gets upper hand in the fight against coronavirus

Researchers in Belgium have used 3D printing to develop plastic devices that can convert snorkel masks into medical face guards, to help stretched hospitals as they battle the coronavirus outbreak.

Belgians turn snorkelling masks into coronavirus face guards for medical staff

Baker Mohammed Al-Khatib has added some new wares to his shop in Khan Younis: a range of “coronavirus” cakes. Khatib said on Wednesday (April 1) that the sweet treats in the shape of a child wearing a mask intended to raise awareness about precautions during the coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus bakes selling like hot cakes in Gaza

A Chilean company is promoting a reusable copper mask that can be manufactured in 3D printers they say will help alleviate the deficit of face masks in demand over the spread of the coronavirus.

Chileans make reusable copper masks to face coronavirus

American jazz musician Ellis Marsalis died on Wednesday (April 01) at the age of 85 from complications due to the coronavirus, reports Variety.

Jazz musician Ellis Marsalis dies of coronavirus complications – Variety

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India. Among the top 40 sportspersons to join the meeting with PM Modi were Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Hima Das, Mary Kom, among others.&nbsp;

This was the first time that PM Modi interacted with sports icons of India since the 21-day lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of the deadly virus in the country. With the COVID-19 virus spreading like a wildfire in the nation, PM Modi asked all the sportspersons to spread the message of social&nbsp;distancing in a bid to combat the dreaded virus.&nbsp;

The other prominent athletes included PT Usha, Pullela Gopichand, Vishwanathan Anand, Hima Das, Bajrang Punia, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Manu Bhaker, Sharad Kumar, Ajay Thakur and Cheteshwar Pujara, among others.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various sports via video conferencing today, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> situation in the country. <a href="https://t.co/NGzl4mL45x">pic.twitter.com/NGzl4mL45x</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1245957238193369088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virus-rewriting-history-books-in-tennis-mahesh-bhupathi-opens-up-on-wimbledon-cancellation-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290212" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more</a>

The likes of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Kohli, Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu&nbsp;and Hima Das offered their suggestions surrounding the COVID-19 situation in the country to PM Modi.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons, including Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu and Hima Das, via video conferencing today, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> situation in the country. <a href="https://t.co/eC4xKceL4a">pic.twitter.com/eC4xKceL4a</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1245958634028306432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, PM Modi urged people to gather for a unique exercise on April 5 at 9 PM to display the unity in the fight against COVID-19. PM Modi asked everyone to turn off all the lights at 9 PM, on April 5, and light a diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes as a display of unity in these tough times.

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From sharing videos that reaffirm the importance of fitness, helping the poor and needy, emphasising on social distancing as well as contributing to efforts such as PM-CARES, our sportspersons are doing excellent towards making India free from COVID-19.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1245987822525267968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-deepak-chahar-opens-up-on-life-in-lockdown-injuries-regaining-rhythm-and-love-for-guitar-289712" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar</a>

"On this Sunday, April 5, we will challenge the darkness of coronavirus threat together. On April 5, at 9 pm, I need your 9 minutes. At 9 pm, turn off all the lights in your houses and light a Diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes at your doors, or balcony," PM Modi said on Friday.

The sporting calendar has been shredded into pieces by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost all the major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the deadly virus.&nbsp;

In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India. Among the top 40 sportspersons to join the meeting with PM Modi were Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Hima Das, Mary Kom, among others. This was the first time that PM Modi interacted with sports icons of India since the 21-day lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of the deadly virus in the country. With the COVID-19 virus spreading like a wildfire in the nation, PM Modi asked all the sportspersons to spread the message of social distancing in a bid to combat the dreaded virus. The other prominent athletes included PT Usha, Pullela Gopichand, Vishwanathan Anand, Hima Das, Bajrang Punia, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Manu Bhaker, Sharad Kumar, Ajay Thakur and Cheteshwar Pujara, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various sports via video conferencing today, on #COVID19 situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/NGzl4mL45x — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2020 × ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more The likes of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Kohli, Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Hima Das offered their suggestions surrounding the COVID-19 situation in the country to PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons, including Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu and Hima Das, via video conferencing today, on #COVID19 situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/eC4xKceL4a — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2020 × Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, PM Modi urged people to gather for a unique exercise on April 5 at 9 PM to display the unity in the fight against COVID-19. PM Modi asked everyone to turn off all the lights at 9 PM, on April 5, and light a diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes as a display of unity in these tough times. From sharing videos that reaffirm the importance of fitness, helping the poor and needy, emphasising on social distancing as well as contributing to efforts such as PM-CARES, our sportspersons are doing excellent towards making India free from COVID-19. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2020 × ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar "On this Sunday, April 5, we will challenge the darkness of coronavirus threat together. On April 5, at 9 pm, I need your 9 minutes. At 9 pm, turn off all the lights in your houses and light a Diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes at your doors, or balcony," PM Modi said on Friday. The sporting calendar has been shredded into pieces by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost all the major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the deadly virus. In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.

PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India

Belly dancer live-streams performance to Tunisians on lockdown. Dressed in a shiny belly dance costume, Nermine Sfar twirls to Arabic pop music while live-streaming her performance straight from her living room. One of her videos was watched by some 130,000 people on Facebook.

Belly dancer live-streams performance to Tunisians on lockdown

British author J. K. Rowling is hoping her much-loved Harry Potter series will work its magic on bored children stuck at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Harry Pottering around at home? Rowling to rescue bored kids in lockdown

While millions are forced to quarantine at home, farmers in Bolivia and Colombia must work to supply the food needs of large cities yet precaution measures, such as wearing masks and avoiding human contact, are not regularly applied in the field, leaving farmers at risk.

Latin American farmers risk illness to feed their nations amid coronavirus outbreak

With more Australians staying at home due to stricter confinement rules, some are now turning to adopting and fostering pets as new companions to see out their isolation during the coronavirus pandemic.

"A new best friend": Australians turn to pet adoptions to ward off isolation blues

Mariachi musicians in their garish, traditional outfits idled in the middle of the plaza on Sunday (March 29) waiting for any passers-by who might pay for a tune.

Mexico City's mariachi culture falls silent as coronavirus takes toll

Not being able to physically get together and play music was no obstacle for British musician John Miles and the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra managed to record Miles' hit track 'Music' - separately.

John Miles and the Antwerp Philharmonic 'Quarantine' Orchestra perform 'Music'

Czech researchers have transformed low-cost snorkel masks available at local sporting goods shops into high-grade protection for medical workers and others against the coronavirus outbreak that has stretched health care resources.

Czechs researchers retrofit snorkel masks for coronavirus fight

Born in 1908, the world's oldest living man and UK's oldest woman share a birthday of March 29, and both turned 112 on Sunday.

World's oldest man and UK's oldest woman celebrate turning 112

Two Iraqi weightlifters have turned a rooftop in the northern city of Dohuk into a mini-gym hall to practice, after the government ordered shut gyms to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Iraqi weightlifters turn rooftop into gym amid coronavirus fears

The spread of coronavirus has given 19-year-old musician Zeid Abu Hiljeh a new stage to perform. The medical student and saxophone player is among dozens quarantined at a hotel in Jordan's Dead Sea, where he plays every night to an audience on lockdown.

Saxophone tunes uplift dozens in Jordanian quarantine

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29.&nbsp;

Krunal Pandya took to social media platform Twitter to post the video in which the duo is seen giving a heartfelt message at the end of the video. “We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7,” Krunal captioned the video.&nbsp;

“Stay safe everyone. Avoid going out, you can have fun indoors as well just like me and my family had. We urge everyone to observe lockdown and stop the spread of the coronavirus,” Pandya brothers said at the end of the video.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-to-be-held-from-july-23-august-8-in-2021-as-organisers-announce-new-dates-289490">Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23-August 8 in 2021 as organisers announce new dates</a>

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We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a> <a href="https://t.co/bje9m5n99j">pic.twitter.com/bje9m5n99j</a>
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) <a href="https://twitter.com/krunalpandya24/status/1244284776653053953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Hardik, who was in red-hot form before his international comeback, was named in the Indian team before the first ODI was abandoned due to rain. The series was eventually aborted due to novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-confirms-barcelona-players-will-take-70-wage-cut-and-contribute-to-club-employees-salary-amid-covid-19-pandemic-289485" hreflang="en">Lionel Messi confirms Barcelona players will take 70% wage cut and contribute to club employees' salary amid COVID-19 pandemic</a>

The South African team was sent back to their country on an immediate basis with Indian players returning to their respective residences.

Meanwhile, it is highly likely that IPL 2020 will also be scrapped this season amid COVID-19 pandemic. While there has no official update regarding the cancellation of IPL 2020, it is likely that the season will be scrapped with no mega auction next season.

All the major sporting events and leagues have been cancelled or postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Tokyo Olympics have been moved to 2021 with the organisers picking July 23 to August 8, 2021 being the revised dates for the Games.

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29.

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29. Krunal Pandya took to social media platform Twitter to post the video in which the duo is seen giving a heartfelt message at the end of the video. “We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7,” Krunal captioned the video. “Stay safe everyone. Avoid going out, you can have fun indoors as well just like me and my family had. We urge everyone to observe lockdown and stop the spread of the coronavirus,” Pandya brothers said at the end of the video. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23-August 8 in 2021 as organisers announce new dates We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/bje9m5n99j — Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) March 29, 2020 × Hardik, who was in red-hot form before his international comeback, was named in the Indian team before the first ODI was abandoned due to rain. The series was eventually aborted due to novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. ALSO READ: Lionel Messi confirms Barcelona players will take 70% wage cut and contribute to club employees' salary amid COVID-19 pandemic The South African team was sent back to their country on an immediate basis with Indian players returning to their respective residences. Meanwhile, it is highly likely that IPL 2020 will also be scrapped this season amid COVID-19 pandemic. While there has no official update regarding the cancellation of IPL 2020, it is likely that the season will be scrapped with no mega auction next season. All the major sporting events and leagues have been cancelled or postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Tokyo Olympics have been moved to 2021 with the organisers picking July 23 to August 8, 2021 being the revised dates for the Games.

WATCH: Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya play indoor cricket amid 21-day lock down due to COVID-19 pandemic

A talking parrot in Israel has a playful message for a world gripped by the coronavirus crisis: "Don't go out!" In crystal-clear Hebrew, Luca the parrot squawks "there is corona" and "don't go out", repeatedly echoing official health warnings.

Squawking parrot warns the world: 'Coronavirus! Don't go out!'

Poland's Krzysztof Penderecki, one of the world's most celebrated composers, died on Sunday at the age of 86, his family said.

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Venezuelan musician Zandu Montoya has been cheering up his neighbours by singing and playing cuatro every afternoon amid quarantine imposed to prevent more coronavirus cases.

Venezuelan musician sings to neighbours from balcony amid quarantine

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