SoftBank Group said Monday it would sell up to $41 billion in assets to finance a stock buyback, reduce debts and increase its cash reserves after weeks of heavy losses in its shares.
Read More
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-softbank-bn-assets-debt.html
Views: 0
The Lagos State Government has asked public officers to stay at home for 14 days as part of measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country.
The stay-at-home order affects officers from Grade level 1 to 12.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the order on Sunday during a statewide address.
Nigeria has recorded 28 confirmed cases of the pandemic, raising fears of a further spread.
The situation has forced several state governments to take stringent measures including closing schools and restricting public gatherings.
International flights into Nigeria have also been suspended to curb the spread of the virus.
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Read More
http://saharareporters.com/2020/03/22/breaking-lagos-government-asks-civil-servants-stay-home-two-weeks-over-coronavirus
Views: 0
As cases outside China have risen thirteenfold in the past two weeks, the World Health Organization says covid-19 outbreak can now be characterised as pandemic
Read More
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237190-the-who-is-now-calling-the-coronavirus-outbreak-a-pandemic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home
Views: 0
Your New Year resolutions might have already taken a slump, but Google is determined about achieving what it wants and has already taken steps in that direction. Unfortunately, it is even ready to push people for this purpose–at least this is what quite a few users of Google AdWords have to say. Though the online advertising service has done a commendable job at keeping its blog updated with relevant information, over the last few weeks users have been noticing a lot of news all over it…
Read More
http://www.associationofmarketing.org/articles/view.php?article_id=14362
Views: 0
PETALING JAYA: Please, stay at home and protect yourself and your family.
This was the ultimate message by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to all Malaysians in his special address tonight as the country enters its second day of the 14 days restriction of movement order (RMO).
Muhyiddin explained that the goal of the movement restrictions was to minimise exposure to the Covid-19 virus, after many among the public disregarded the order to travel to their hometowns, while others were spotted in public areas.
“The reason of the RMO is so that all of you need not travel. You don’t have to crowd the trains and buses or eateries, and your children are not required to go to school, which could expose them (to the virus).
“I plead to you, please, stay put where you are. I plead, just for this two weeks … stay at home quietly,” he said.
Muhyiddin said it was pertinent that Malaysians adhere to the RMO to break the chain of infection and ultimately reduce the number of those infected with the novel coronavirus.
He reminded the public that the virus could be transmitted from person to person through touch, and that if they continue to travel around, the chances of them contracting Covid-19 was higher.
He added that the reason the RMO was set to two weeks was because the Covid-19 has an incubation period of 14 days.
“The government is hoping that after this period, those still with symptoms can be identified and separated for treatment, and finally make Malaysia free of Covid-19.
“If during this period we are not successful, the government may be forced to extend the restriction order,” he said.
Muhyiddin said while the concept of staying home and avoiding public places looked simple in principle, this was particularly important if the country wishes to contain the virus.
He also urged those who need to move around to purchase essential daily items to practise good hygiene and avoid any physical contact with others.
“As a prime minister, I have a huge responsibility to handle the crisis. But I can’t possibly do it alone. I need all of your help. God willing, we can overcome this crisis together,” he said.
To date, 790 people have been infected by the Covid-19, with 117 new cases recorded today. Two Malaysians died to the virus on Tuesday.
Read More
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/just-stay-at-home-pleads-pm-updated-YB2146735
Views: 0
Amazon, in an attempt to fill its warehouses with toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other items in high demand, said Tuesday that it will limit what suppliers can send to its warehouses for the next three weeks.
Read More
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-jeans-amazon-limits-shipments-warehouses.html
Views: 0
Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari said Saturday it was suspending production for two weeks at two of its factories, citing “serious difficulties” related to Italy being in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read More
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-ferrari-production-coronavirus.html
Views: 0
LONDON: Football Association chairman Greg Clarke has reportedly told the Premier League he does not believe the domestic football season will be completed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Premier League suspended all fixtures at an emergency meeting on Friday. Matches in the English Football League, FA Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship are also on hold.
“It was unanimously decided to suspend the Premier League with the intention of returning on April 4, subject to medical advice and conditions at the time,“ the Premier League said in a statement.
Clarke said at the meeting that he did not think it was feasible for the season to be completed, according to a report in the Times.
The virus is not expected to peak in Britain for many weeks, raising doubts over an early April re-start for the Premier League.
The Times said it is understood that Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber also questioned the brevity of the suspension.
Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, is reported to have said it would at least allow time to consider the potential consequences and debate the possible solutions.
The decision was taken after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for Covid-19.
Arteta welcomed the move to put the season on hold.
“Feeling better already,“ he tweeted. “We’re all facing a huge & unprecedented challenge. Everyone’s health is all that matters right now.”
Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League with nine games remaining, chasing their first English top-flight title for 30 years.
If results had gone their way this weekend they could have wrapped up the title at Everton on Monday but manager Jurgen Klopp said he supported the move to suspend football.
He said in a club statement: “If it’s a choice between football and the good of the wider society, it’s no contest. Really, it isn’t.”
Financial hit
Football clubs at all levels face enormous losses if the season is not completed.
One senior figure in broadcasting told the Times: “The commercial reality for the Premier League and (European governing body) UEFA is that if they don’t complete their seasons then they are in breach of their broadcasting contracts.
“You would have broadcasters from all around the world saying, ‘In that case we are not paying for the season.’ For the Premier League you are talking around £3 billion (RM15.75 billion) income a year from overseas and domestic TV rights. There would also be financial implications if the competitions were squeezed so fewer matches were played.”
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told the BBC that clubs, especially in the lower divisions, would be hit hard by the disruption.
“I think many clubs are going to struggle significantly,“ he said. “Many clubs are surviving on a match-to-match basis and are reliant on the loyal few thousand turning up.
“We have to consider the staff at clubs, they are reliant on the income they get from football clubs to pay their own bills as well.”
The Premier League clubs are reportedly due to meet again next Thursday.
There are matches taking place on Saturday in the National League – the fifth tier of English football – but a number of games have been postponed, including the Yeovil v Barnet fixture.
“We currently have four staff that are showing symptoms of Covid-19 who are following government advice and self-isolating,“ Barnet said in a statement.
“As a consequence, we have taken measures to put all first-team staff into self-isolation.” — AFP
Read More
https://www.thesundaily.my/sport/premier-league-may-not-finish-says-fa-chief-DC2127566
Views: 0
The last of Apple’s 42 stores in China reopened Friday, as the country slowly goes back to work following weeks of quarantine that forced the closure of businesses.
Read More
https://techxplore.com/news/2020-03-apple-china-reopen.html
Views: 0
Remarks by Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall, World Health Organization Assistant Director-General, Emergency Response
Good afternoon.
I hope that your busy week was interrupted, like mine, with a moment of joy on Tuesday.
That moment was the celebration of a woman being discharged from an Ebola treatment centre in Beni. Her name is Masiko.
She was the last person in the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed to have Ebola.
Health workers and other responders sacrificed a lot to get to this point.
Since the outbreak was declared in August 2018 there have been 420 attacks on health facilities in DRC, resulting in 11 deaths and 86 injuries among health care workers and patients.
It’s been a huge amount of work. At the peak of the outbreak, more than 120 cases were being reported each week. 28 health zones were affected, with cases appearing 1200 kilometres apart. In response:
This work is continuing. The outbreak isn’t over. WHO recommends waiting two full incubation periods – that’s 42 days – after the last person tests negative a second time before declaring the end of the outbreak.
We must stay in active response mode to get us over that finish line.
We have to be prepared for other cases emerging. It’s is a very real risk.
Remember that during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa flare-ups of new cases occurred after the end of the outbreak.
There are four reasons why new cases may emerge during this 42-day period, or even after the end of the outbreak.
This is why it’s critical to maintain surveillance and rapid response capacities.
And that’s what we are doing. We’re still in full response mode.
In addition to the activities I already mentioned, I have to underline how critical it is to continue supporting the Survivor Programme, which provides follow-up care for almost all of the 1169 survivors in 26 health areas in North Kivu and Ituri. The programme also helps reduce the risks of re-introduction events.
We need to continue this work until the end of the outbreak, to keep the capacity in place to rapidly respond to flare-ups, to keep supporting survivors after the outbreak, and to transition the capacities built in this response toward building a stronger health system.
But to be very frank, right now the world risks dropping the baton at the finish line. WHO faces an immediate US $20 million funding gap. If no new resources are received, we will run out of money before the end of the outbreak.
We appreciate the generosity of donors who have supported the response since August 2018. Now we need to get over the finish line. WHO is calling on the international community to help us end this outbreak, and keep our promises to communities to build a stronger health system.
If we are forced to scale back operations because of a lack of funds, and then a new case emerges, we might not have the people and resources on the ground that we need to shut down transmission quickly. Just a single case could re-ignite the epidemic.
That would be a tragedy. An avoidable tragedy.
It is important that the global community doesn’t only focus efforts when there is an immediate threat, then walk away when the threat subsides.
The health system has to be strong to stop much more than Ebola. It has to stop malaria, measles, cholera, and now COVID-19.
There is a lot more work to do.
Thank you.
Read More
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/06-03-2020-end-in-sight-but-flare-ups-likely-in-the-ebola-outbreak-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo
Views: 0