The Minneapolis police officer accused of killing a handcuffed African American man was charged with murder Friday as authorities declared a curfew after three nights of violent protests left parts of the city in flames.

Derek Chauvin, the white officer filmed kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed George Floyd for nearly nine minutes, was charged with one count of third degree murder — unintentionally causing a death — and one count of negligent manslaughter.

“This case is now ready, and we have charged it,” said county prosecutor Mike Freeman amid outrage over the latest death of an African American in police custody.

Relatives of the 46-year-old Floyd — who spoke Friday with President Donald Trump — welcomed news of the arrest as a “step on the road to justice,” but said they hoped for tougher charges and action against the other officers involved in Floyd’s detention and death.

Freeman said the three other officers were also under investigation, and that he anticipated charges. All four officers were fired from the police department Tuesday after video surfaced of Monday’s arrest.

Troops deployed

The announcement of charges came hours after hundreds of troops were deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul to try to prevent a fourth night of violent protests.

Scores of buildings have been burned and looted across the so-called Twin Cities, including a police station associated with the four officers.

Mayor Jacob Frey declared a night-long curfew Friday and Saturday as protesters began to appear on the streets in Minneapolis and St. Paul again Friday afternoon.

Some chanted “I can’t breathe” — Floyd’s words as Chauvin’s knee pressed on his neck.

“We don’t care about this,” said one African-American demonstrator, indicating the burned-out buildings.

“If this is what it takes, we’re willing to do more. You’all were already killing us, when we weren’t doing anything. … Let’s hope it makes a change,” he told AFP, without giving his name.

Police were out in force in other cities as protests took place in other cities including New York, Washington, Atlanta, Houston and Portland, hoping to prevent recurrences of the violence that hit Minneapolis.

Charges criticized

Floyd’s family issued a statement acknowledging Chauvin’s arrest, but calling the charges against him insufficient.

“We want a first degree murder charge. And we want to see the other officers arrested,” they said in a statement.

“The pain that the black community feels over this murder and what it reflects about the treatment of black people in America is raw and is spilling out onto streets across America.”

The third degree charge though reflected the official autopsy saying that even though Chauvin held his knee to Floyd’s neck for two minutes and 53 seconds after he became “non-responsive,” Floyd did not die of asphyxiation or strangulation.

“Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,” the charging document said.

“The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions, and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.”

‘This shouldn’t be normal’

After beginning the day attacking the protesters as “thugs” and threatening to send in federal troops to deal harshly with them, Trump shifted tone later on Friday, announcing he had called Floyd’s family to express his “sorrow.”

“I understand the hurt, I understand the pain. People have really been through a lot. The family of George is entitled to justice and the people of Minnesota are entitled to live in safety,” he said.

Former president Barack Obama said in a statement that he shared the “anguish” of millions of Americans over Floyd’s death.

“We have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly ‘normal’,” he said. “This shouldn’t be ‘normal’ in 2020 America.”

Obama’s former vice president Joe Biden, who is running for president, also spoke to Floyd’s family.

He called for justice and said it was time to heal the “open wound” of systemic racism in the United States.

US cop gets murder charge over death of African-American

A Minneapolis policeman accused of killing unarmed African-American George Floyd by kneeling on his neck was taken into custody Friday and charged with third-degree murder, officials said.

Derek Chauvin is one of four officers who were fired shortly after an explosive video emerged showing a handcuffed Floyd lying on the street as an officer identified as Chauvin pinned his knee to Floyd’s neck for at least five minutes on Monday.

The death of the 46-year-old Floyd has sparked days of sometimes violent demonstrations in Minneapolis and other US cities over police brutality against African-Americans.

So far, hundreds of shops have been damaged and a police station set on fire.

“Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is in custody,” Hennepin County prosecutor Mike Freeman told reporters.

“Chauvin has been charged… with murder and with manslaughter,” he added, specifying to reporters that the charge was third-degree murder.

US Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota applauded Chauvin’s arrest, calling it “the first step towards justice.”

In the graphic video footage, Floyd is seen saying that he can not breathe. Eventually, he went silent and limp, and he was later declared dead.

Protests swelled after federal authorities said Thursday that they were making the case a top priority but announced no arrests at that time.

Overnight, demonstrators broke through law enforcement barriers to overtake the Minneapolis police station where the four officers blamed for Floyd’s death were based.

A fire broke out and soon became an inferno that engulfed the structure.

Minnesota’s national guard announced that 500 troops were being deployed Friday for peacekeeping amid signs that the anger was nowhere near dissipating.

President Donald Trump blasted local officials and labelled the protesters “thugs,” threatening a harsh crackdown.

“These THUGS are dishonouring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen,” Trump tweeted.

“Just spoke to (Minnesota) Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Twitter concealed that tweet, saying it violated its policy on glorifying violence.

Former President Barack Obama said Friday he shared the “anguish” of millions of Americans over Floyd’s death and that racism cannot be “normal” in the United States.

“It can’t be ‘normal,’” Obama, the first black US president, said in a statement.

“If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must do better.” – AFP.


QNA/Nur-Sultan

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin met on Saturday with HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari, on the sidelines of the 5th Qatari and Kazakh High-Level Joint Committee, which concluded its meetings in Nur-Sultan.

The meeting dealt with enhancing bilateral co-operation in the commerce, investment, and industrial fields.

Al-Kuwari also met separately with Minister of National Economy of Republic of Kazakhstan Ruslan Dalenov; governor of Astana International Financial Centre Dr Kairat Kelimbetov; Minister of Trade and Integration Bakhyt Sultanov and Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov.

The meetings focused bilateral co-operation, reviewing developments of the Qatari economy in recent years, investment opportunities in all fields, investment incentives and legislations adopted by Qatar which included the law regulating foreign investment in the economy, in addition to the initiatives launched to support the private sector and increase foreign direct investments.

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Nur-Sultan: Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H E Askar Mamin met Saturday with Minister of Commerce and Industry H E Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, on the sidelines of the 5th Qatari and Kazakh High-Level Joint Committee, which concluded its meetings in Nur-Sultan. The meeting dealt with bilateral relations and facets of bilateral cooperation in the commerce, investment, and industrial fields. The two sides also discussed means to enhance ties.

H E the Minister of Commerce and Industry also met separately with Minister of National Economy of Republic of Kazakhstan, H E Ruslan Dalenov, Governor of Astana International Financial Centre, H E Dr. Kairat Kelimbetov, Minister of Trade and Integration, H E Bakhyt Sultanov, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan, H E Beibut Atamkulov.

The meetings dealt with reviewing bilateral cooperation, reviewing developments of the Qatari economy in recent years, investment opportunities in all fields, investment incentives and legislations adopted by the State which included a law regulating foreign investment in the economy, in addition to the initiatives launched to support the private sector and increase foreign direct investment.


LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lee Phillip Bell, who co-created “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” and hosted her own daytime talk show in Chicago for 33 years, has died. She was 91.

Bell died Tuesday of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, according to Eva Basler, a spokeswoman for the family and their company Bell-Phillip Television Productions.

Advertisement

“Our mother was a loving and supportive wife, mother and grandmother,” her family said in a statement. “Gracious and kind, she enriched the lives of all who knew her. We will miss her tremendously.”

Bell and her husband William J. Bell co-created two of daytime television’s most successful and enduring dramas. “Y&R” has been on the air since 1973, while “The Bold and the Beautiful” will mark its 33rd anniversary in March.

Born in Chicago on June 9, 1928, Bell began her career as a broadcast journalist in her hometown, where she hosted and produced her eponymous daytime talk show from 1953-1986 on WBBM-TV, the local CBS affiliate. She explored timely social issues and concerns, while also interviewing Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, Judy Garland, Clint Eastwood, Oprah Winfrey, Lucille Ball and the Beatles and Rolling Stones. She won 16 regional Emmy Awards for her show.

Bell also produced and narrated several award-winning specials and documentaries on such topics as foster children, rape and divorce.

Advertisement

Bell won a Daytime Emmy award for outstanding drama series for “Y&R” in 1975. She received a lifetime achievement award from the Daytime Emmys in 2007.

Her husband died in 2005. She is survived by her sons William and Bradley and daughter Lauralee Bell Martin, who appears on “Y&R.” William Bell is president and CEO of the family’s production company. Bradley is executive producer and head writer for “The Bold and the Beautiful.”

Her daughter-in-law, Colleen Bell, served as U.S. ambassador to Hungary during President Barack Obama’s administration and is executive director of the California Film Commission. Another daughter-in-law, Maria Arena Bell, is a former head writer on “Y&R.” Her other survivors are son-in-law Scott Martin and eight grandchildren.

Lee Phillip Bell, a co-creator of two of daytime television’s most successful and enduring soap operas, “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” died on Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 91.

Her death was confirmed by Eva Basler, a spokeswoman for the Bell family’s company, Bell-Phillip Television Productions.

Ms. Bell also hosted a daytime talk show in Chicago for more than three decades and as a broadcast journalist produced and narrated award-winning documentary specials.

She teamed up with her husband, William J. Bell, in creating “The Young and the Restless,” which has been on the air since 1973, and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which celebrates its 33rd anniversary in March. The dramas have attracted millions of viewers while tackling difficult topics like incest, alcoholism and teen pregnancy.


A firm owned by Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve's son and wife was awarded a contract of digitisation of the city police's official records by the previous BJP government in Maharashtra, sources said on Wednesday.

However, when Sanjay Barve was asked about it, he said the firm offered its services free of cost and there was no question of any financial gains to it.

The project of police records' digitisation was awarded to CrispQ Information Technologies Pvt Ltd for five years by the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government before the state Assembly polls were held in October last year, the sources said.

The company is owned by Barve's son Sumukh Barve and wife Sharmila Barve.

The firm sent a proposal on September 30, 2019 to the state government, offering its service "pro bono" (work undertaken voluntarily and without payment) to provide paperless office system to the Mumbai Police through a software called 'Notesheet Plus', an official said.

A copy of the proposal was marked to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), he said.

Records, complaints and service documents of the Mumbai Police personnel were to be digitised with the help of the specified software, the official said.

The proposal was approved by the government as the company was going to do the work for free, and the Mumbai Police Commissioner's office was also directed to finalise the number of units and files for the digitisation work, the official said.

However, the project did not start due to some technical issues, he added.

When contacted, Sanjay Barve said, "The company had offered its service 'pro bono' and it was for the benefit of the Mumbai Police."

The software, which was offered to be used by the company, is free and there is no question of any financial gains to the firm, he said.

Sanjay Barve is retiring from service on February 29.

ALSO READ | With people's blessings one can make comeback: Devendra Fadnavis

ALSO READ | Maharashtra to introduce bill to make learning Marathi till Class 10 compulsory

ALSO WATCH | Devendra Fadnavis denies snooping charges of Uddhav govt

A firm owned by Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve's son and wife was awarded a contract of digitisation of the city police's official records by the previous BJP government in Maharashtra, sources said on Wednesday.

However, when Barve was asked about it, he said the firm offered its services free of cost and there was no question of any financial gains to it.

The project of police records' digitisation was awarded to CrispQ Information Technologies Pvt Ltd for five years by the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government before the state Assembly polls were held in October last year, the sources said.

The company is owned by Barve's son Sumukh Barve and wife Sharmila Barve.

The firm sent a proposal on September 30, 2019 to the state government, offering its service "pro bono" (work undertaken voluntarily and without payment) to provide paperless office system to the Mumbai Police through a software called 'Notesheet Plus', an official said.

A copy of the proposal was marked to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), he said.

Records, complaints and service documents of the Mumbai Police personnel were to be digitised with the help of the specified software, the official said.

The proposal was approved by the government as the company was going to do the work for free, and the Mumbai Police Commissioner's office was also directed to finalise the number of units and files for the digitisation work, the official said.

However, the project did not start due to some technical issues, he added.

When contacted, Barve said, "The company had offered its service 'pro bono' and it was for the benefit of the Mumbai Police."

The software, which was offered to be used by the company, is free and there is no question of any financial gains to the firm, he said.

Barve is retiring from service on February 29.

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


Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.

Many more people may have been infected by the coronavirus than previously believed, a new study shows.

A recent study tested the blood of 3,300 volunteers in Santa Clara County, Calif., and found that between 2.5 and 4 percent of them had the antibodies that show they’ve recovered from COVID-19.

In a county the size of Santa Clara, where the population numbers 2 million, that rate of infection would mean between 48,000 and 81,000 people have fought off the virus — far more than the 1,000 who have officially tested positive there.

“Our findings suggest that there is somewhere between 50- and 80-fold more infections in our county than what’s known by the number of cases than are reported by our department of public health,” Dr. Eran Bendavid, the associate professor of medicine at Stanford University who led the study, said in an interview with ABC News.

Antibody blood tests, also known as serology tests, analyze blood from a finger prick. The process differs from coronavirus tests that swab the nose and throat.

The results, while limited, back a popular belief among health experts that significantly more people have been infected than testing shows — due to some people being asymptomatic and to the country’s limited testing capacity.

Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and ABC News contributor, cautioned that the results for the California county are not necessarily representative of the country’s population — but he said the study is “adding to this confirmation of what we’ve expected, which is a much larger number of cases than we ever anticipated.”

A sweeping COVID-19 testing initiative on the Navy’s coronavirus-stricken aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, found that 60 percent of its sailors who tested positive were asymptomatic.

But the link between a positive coronavirus antibody test and immunity is not yet clear.

The World Health Organization cautioned Friday that it’s not yet known whether having survived the deadly virus brings a universal immunity to reinfection.

“These antibody tests will be able to measure that level of serology presence, that level of antibodies, but that does not mean that somebody with antibodies” is immune, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the head of the WHO’s emerging diseases unit.

The results of an antibody test study including thousands of residents in California's Santa Clara County suggests that there have been tens of thousands more COVID-19 infections in the county than officially reported, according to ABC News.

What the study found: The study tested 3,300 residents of Santa Clara County and found that between 2.5% and 4% of them tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating that they had been infected in the past and had possibly developed immunity.

From that result, researchers estimated that between 48,000 and 81,000 people in the county (population 2 million) have already gotten COVID-19. Currently, the county has officially recorded approximately 1,000 cases.

What this could mean: This is just the latest data providing evidence that the coronavirus has spread far more broadly than we are able to confirm through COVID-19 tests, which are still scarce and typically only administered to those who are exhibiting symptoms.

"Our findings suggest that there is somewhere between 50- and 80-fold more infections in our county than what's known by the number of cases than are reported by our department of public health," Dr. Eran Bendavid, the associate professor of medicine at Stanford University who led the study, told ABC News' Diane Sawyer.

Other considerations: With this study, it's important to note that the use of online ads to recruit participants in the study could have skewed the sample some.

It's also not clear what level of immunity people with the antibodies have, and how long it might last. Assuming the antibodies provide some level of immunity, however, this study also indicates that potentially 95% of the country has not been exposed to the virus and therefore has no immunity.

As states prepare to gradually ease social distancing mandates and allow public life to resume normally, a lack of immunity in the population creates a possibility of coronavirus outbreaks once people start gathering again.

"[W]hat that means for things like, are we going to wait for people to get infected to get antibodies in order for them to get back to work ... knowing that well upwards of 90% of the population doesn't have antibodies is going to make that a very difficult choice," Bendavid told ABC News.


Britain said on Monday that China had questions to answer over the information it shared about the novel coronavirus outbreak, but refused to comment on reports that a U.S.-led intelligence consortium had accused Beijing of a cover-up.

The U.S. has scaled up its rhetoric over Chinese culpability for the coronavirus in recent days, with U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, saying on Sunday there was evidence the disease emerged from a Chinese lab.

Washington has so far presented no evidence publicly that the virus came from a lab, which Beijing strongly denies.

The Australian Telegraph reported the U.S.-led Five Eyes intelligence consortium had in a 15-page research dossier said China had deliberately suppressed or destroyed evidence of the coronavirus outbreak in an “assault on international transparency” that cost tens of thousands of lives.

The Five Eyes group compises U.S., British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand intelligence services.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “Every day I get intelligence bulletins from our agencies around the world.

“I don’t comment on individual bulletins, what I have and haven’t seen. That would be wrong.”

Loading...

Asked if China had questions to answer over how quickly it made the world aware of the extent of the crisis, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “I think it does.”

“China needs to be open and transparent about what it leant, its short comings but also its successes,” Wallace said, adding that the time for a post mortem was after the outbreak.

Reuters has not seen the Five Eyes dossier and was unable to immediately verify the Australian Telegraph report.

One Western intelligence source said it was now widely accepted that China had not been fully transparent.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was confident the coronavirus originated in a Chinese virology lab.

“Virus samples ordered destroyed at genomics labs, wildlife market stalls bleached, the genome sequence not shared publicly, the Shanghai lab closure for ‘rectification’,” the Telegraph quoted the document as saying.

“As we repeatedly point out, China has been fighting COVID-19 in an open, transparent and responsible manner,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular daily briefing on April 24.

The U.K. has added to international pressure on China to answer questions over information it gave the world about the coronavirus outbreak but said the priority now is to beat the pandemic.

Asked on Monday if China needed to explain how quickly it made the world aware of the extent of the virus, the U.K.'s defense minister said: "I think it does."

"But I think the time for the post-mortem on this is after we've all got it under control and have come through it and our economies are back to normal," U.K. Defense Minister Ben Wallace told LBC Radio.

"Only by being open and transparent will we learn about it, and China needs to be open and transparent about what it learned, and its shortcomings, but also its successes," Wallace said.

His comments come after a barrage of U.S. criticism against China regarding its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and accusations that it was not transparent when it came to making the world aware.

President Donald Trump has increasingly blamed China, and he repeated that accusation on Sunday, saying he believed that a "mistake" in China was the cause of the pandemic, though he did not present any evidence for the claim.

Speaking during a Fox News virtual town hall, Trump said, "I think they made a horrible mistake and didn't want to admit it."


Not all hospitals around the UK are banning new fathers and visitors from the maternity rooms, although some have brought in heavy restrictions amid the lockdown

Why Boris Johnson was allowed at the birth of his baby with fiancee Carrie Symonds

The Prime Minister is said to have been able to be at his fiancee's side as she gave birth to their first child together despite the lockdown.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many hospitals are only allowing one birth partner for the duration of labour and delivery, while homebirth services have temporarily been suspended.

Boris Johnson was able to be present at the birth just days after he was cleared to leave hospital after falling ill with Covid-19 himself - because the NHS hospital where his fiancee gave birth does allow dads to attend.

At some hospitals, fathers have been told not to attend pregnancy scans or maternity units, as hospitals bring in restrictions to halt the spread of coronavirus

Hospitals are allowed to bring in their own rules, meaning some have been more strict than others about visitors in birthing rooms during lockdown.

Follow our live blog for coronavirus news and updates

Image: Twitter) Twitter)

Some maternity units have brought in tight restrictions, as pregnant women are listed among the most vulnerable groups urged to take special precautions during the pandemic.

The couple's son has been named Wilfred Lawrence Nicholas Johnson, with his middle name a tribute to the St Thomas' Hospital doctors the PM credits with saving his life.

Wilfred was born elsewhere, at University College London Hospital (UCLH), where one person is allowed in to accompany women as they give birth during lockdown.

Image: AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images)

The hospital's advice to expectant mothers says they will have to give birth in an isolation room if they have tested positive for Covid-19.

Some staff would wear personal protective equipment (PPE) if expectant mother has the virus, UCLH's advice says.

The 55-year-old leader's fiancee Carrie Symonds, 32, had already had to self-isolate with symptoms of the virus before she gave birth.

While scientists are still working to understand Covid-19, many experts say it appears patients cannot be infected more than once.

Image: 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty) 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty)

Researchers are working on antibody tests that will be able to tell who has already had coronavirus in hopes working out who may already be immune can help Britain ease out of lockdown.

As Mr Johnson returned to the Downing Street helm last week, his partner and her baby were declared healthy and well after the birth.

A delighted Ms Symonds posted a picture of herself on Instagram last week cradling her first child, saying she “couldn’t be happier” and that her “heart is full”.

“Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson born on 29.04.20 at 9am," she wrote.

"Wilfred after Boris’ grandfather Lawrie after my grandfather Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart – the two doctors that saved Boris’ life last month.

“Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn’t be happier. My heart is full.”

UCLH chief executive Professor Marcel Levi said: “Congratulations to Carrie Symonds and prime minister Boris Johnson on the birth of their son. We wish them every happiness at this special time.

“I would like to thank the teams who cared for Carrie and her baby. They are an incredibly skilled, dedicated and compassionate group of professionals who put patients at the heart of everything they do.

"I am very proud of them and all our staff at UCLH who are working extremely hard in very difficult circumstances at the moment.”

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds

Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds have named their son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, in a tribute to their grandfathers and the doctors who helped save the Prime Minister’s life.

Ms Symonds, 32, posted a picture of her cradling the newborn on Instagram on Saturday, saying she “couldn’t be happier” and that her “heart is full”.

She praised the maternity team at University College Hospital in London, who she said “looked after us so well”.

Ms Symonds and Wilfred are understood to be back in Number 10 with Mr Johnson.

The couple announced on Wednesday that she had given birth to a baby boy earlier that day.

It came just weeks after Mr Johnson was discharged from intensive care where he had been battling coronavirus. Ms Symonds also suffered symptoms of the disease.

She wrote in her Instagram post: “Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson born on 29.04.20 at 9am.

“Wilfred after Boris’ grandfather, Lawrie after my grandfather, Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart – the two doctors that saved Boris’ life last month.

“Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn’t be happier. My heart is full.”

Mr Johnson, who is currently grappling with the Covid-19 crisis, is expected to take a “short period” of paternity leave later in the year.

The new family are planning to live in their Downing Street flat along with their dog Dilyn, Downing Street has said.

The baby’s first name is a tribute to Mr Johnson’s paternal grandfather, Osman Wilfred Kemal, later Johnson, whose father, an interior minister of the Ottoman Empire, was killed in the 1922 Turkish War of Independence. His mother, Winifred, died in childbirth.

Professor Marcel Levi, chief executive of University College London Hospital, congratulated the couple on the birth of their son.

He added: “I would like to thank the teams who cared for Carrie and her baby. They are an incredibly skilled, dedicated and compassionate group of professionals who put patients at the heart of everything they do.

“I am very proud of them and all our staff at UCLH who are working extremely hard in very difficult circumstances at the moment.”

In February, the couple announced they were expecting a baby in “early summer” and that they had become engaged at the end of 2019.

They made history as the first unmarried couple to officially live together in Downing Street when they moved in last summer, after Mr Johnson won the Conservative Party leadership contest.

The new arrival is the third baby born to a serving prime minister in recent history.

Clapping again for our tremendous carers tonight and wishing hero @captaintommoore a very happy birthday. I also have another wonderful reason to thank the NHS this week too ? Thank you so, so much! ????????? — Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 30, 2020

Tony Blair’s wife Cherie gave birth to son Leo in May 2000, three years after her husband’s first election victory.

David Cameron and wife Samantha welcomed daughter Florence in 2010.

The last babies born to prime ministers before Leo and Florence arrived more than 150 years ago.

Wilfred is Ms Symonds’s first child, while Mr Johnson is known to have fathered five others.


Dr. Suzanne Rivera is the first female president in the college's 145-year history.

Macalester College in St. Paul confirmed on Monday it has appointed Dr. Suzanne Rivera as the 17th president in its 145-year history.

Dr. Rivera was appointed from the Case Western Reserve University, where she is the Vice President for Research and Technology Management.

She will take up her new role this summer, in doing so becoming the first woman and Latinx person to hold the position.

She will replace Brian Rosenberg, who will step down from his duties in May having announced his resignation last year. He has been president of the college for 17 years.

"Dr. Rivera has distinguished herself through her work as an ethicist; her record of advancing the values of service, internationalism, and multiculturalism that define our institution; and her accomplishments as a senior leader in academia," said Jerry Crawford, Chair of the Macalester College Board of Trustees, in a Monday press statement.

"Her depth of knowledge and strategic thinking, as well as her ability to inspire, will serve the Macalester community well as we look to the opportunities and challenges of the future. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Rivera to Macalester."

Dr. Rivera has a BA in American Civilization from Brown University, an Ivy League school, as well as a Master's in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley.

She received her Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Dallas.

As well as working for CWRU, she has also held research leadership positions at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of California, Irvine, and has been involved in national social justice and equity initiatives.

"It is an incredible honor and privilege to join the Macalester family," Rivera said. “This is a community where curious people thrive, where individuality is celebrated, and where the purpose of education is to equip students with tools to make an impact in the wider world."

Next Weather: Top 10 Weather Day Going Into Weekend, But Severe Storms Possible SundayAfter a cooler week, it’s a Top 10 Weather Day Friday. Plus, the latest on a Next Weather Alert for Sunday.

Next Weather: Dry, Mild Thursday Before Top 10 Weather Day On FridayThursday will be a bit warmer than Wednesday and things will dry out, but Friday is really the day to look forward to.

Next Weather: A Top 10 Weather Day To Kick Off Memorial Day Weekend Next Weather's goal isn't only to focused on alerting Minnesotans to potentially severe weather, it's also about celebrating days that will be exceptionally beautiful. One such day is in the weekend forecast.

Next Weather: Soaking Rain Wednesday, Weekend Warmup AheadWednesday will be soggy, breezy and cool, with a high temperature of 53 degrees in the Twin Cities.

Madison Community Rallies To Restore Beloved, Storm-Damaged BallparkIn the town of 1,500, baseball brings people together. It’s been that way for decades. The storm destroyed a good portion of the outfield fence, took down four, 80-foot light towers, and ripped the roofs off of both dugouts.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his last respects to Rishi Kapoor after the veteran actor died in Mumbai on April 30. Rishi Kapoor was 67. Describing Rishi Kapoor as a "powerhouse of talent," PM Modi tweeted that he will "always recall" their interactions.

Expressing sincere condolences to Rishi Kapoor's family, PM Modi said that he is "anguished" by the veteran actor's demise.

"Multifaceted, endearing and lively...this was Rishi Kapoor ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India's progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti," PM Modi tweeted.

Read his tweet here:

Multifaceted, endearing and lively...this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2020

Actors, politicians as well as sports personalities posted tributes on social media and shared fond memories with Rishi Kapoor.

Rishi Kapoor was admitted to HN Reliance Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, his brother Randhir Kapoor said. The senior actor was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and he returned to India from New York in September 2019 after his cancer treatment.

Rishi Kapoor starred in iconic films including Kabhie Kabhie, Karz, Chandni and Amar Akbar Anthony. He was last seen in the web series The Body on Netflix.

Rishi Kapoor is survived by his son, actor Ranbir Kapoor, daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and wife Neetu Singh.

ALSO READ: Rishi Kapoor dies at 67: Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan lead Bollywood tributes to the legend

ALSO READ: Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor dies at 67 in Mumbai hospital

Bollywood veteran Rishi Kapoor passed away at 67 in Mumbai and the news was revealed by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan on his Twitter space. According to reports, he was with his wife Neetu Kapoor by his side when he breathed his last on Thursday. Taking to Twitter, Rajinikanth expressed how heartbroken he was to know the news of the legendary actor’s death. He wrote on the micro blogging website, Rajinikanth wrote, “Heartbroken ... Rest In Peace ... my dearest friend #RishiKapoor”

ALSO READ | Rishi Kapoor passes away: Check out the veteran actor's rare and unseen photos

Rishi Kapoor was admitted for an infection at a hospital on Wednesday morning. Before getting admitted to the hospital, he reportedly complained that he was not feeling well. He was getting treated at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Rishi Kapoor's elder brother and actor Randhir Kapoor confirmed the hospitalisation to a media house. Fans and followers of the actor took to the micro-blogging site to pay a tribute to the legendary actor.

Check out Rajinikanth's tweet for Rishi Kapoor below:

Kapoor, who is an active Twitter user with over 3.5 million followers, has not Tweeted any post after April 2. In 2018, Rishi Kapoor opened up that he was diagnosed with cancer. The actor was in New York for about one year to receive treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering completely. Post return to India, Kapoor's health had been making headlines every now and then.

ALSO READ | Rishi Kapoor Passes Away: Kapoor family confirms veteran actor succumbed to leukemia; Read full statement

In February, he was admitted to a hospital for a minor procedure. The news of the actor’s demise has now taken over the internet, at a time when celebrities are mourning the demise of Irrfan Khan, who passed away yesterday.

ALSO READ | Rishi Kapoor passes away at 67: Here are interesting facts about the veteran hero of Bollywood


Less than a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the closure of all Orange County beaches to stem the spread of the coronavirus, state officials have announced that three beach cities will be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week with certain limitations.

Dana Point, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach submitted plans to Sacramento that would allow the public to immediately access the coastline for active recreation only. The plans, approved Tuesday, include a range of measures to avoid overcrowding and allow safe physical distancing, according to the California Natural Resources Agency.

Under Huntington Beach’s plan, people are now permitted to use the beach from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the stipulation that they remain active. Sunbathing is not allowed. Parking meters along Pacific Coast Highway and the beach’s bike path are available for use, but the pier and the city’s beach parking lot will remain closed.

“We’re delighted to be reopening our beaches for active recreation, which will allow our community to once again enjoy the recreational and mental health benefits from spending time in the Pacific Ocean,” Mayor Lyn Semeta said in a prepared statement. “The new active recreation rules that we’re instituting will allow for continued beach access in a manner that emphasizes the need to practice safe social distancing.”

Seal Beach’s coastline will be open — beginning Monday — for limited hours Monday through Thursday with the requirement that visitors remain active while on the sand.

Advertisement

Officials in Dana Point said their beaches will also only be open to walking, running and recreational uses like swimming and surfing. No gatherings will be permitted, but the public can still access the city’s tide pools.

Dana Point City Manager Mike Killebrew said in a statement that he hopes “everyone understands how important it is that we all follow new guidelines that will promote socially responsible recreation and enjoyment by the public.”

“We know how important our beaches are to the residents of Dana Point. And we know how much residents value, especially now, access to our beautiful coastline,” he said.

State-operated beaches within the Huntington Beach and Dana Point city limits also reopened with the same active-recreation protocols, city officials said.

The move came a day after similar plans for Laguna Beach and San Clemente were approved by the state.

The only coastal city that has not yet gained approval from the state to reopen is Newport Beach. The city, just a few miles south of Huntington Beach, also submitted a plan to Sacramento on Saturday to safely reopen their coastline, said city spokesman John Pope.

“We have been closely coordinating with Huntington Beach about strategies to enhance the management of our beaches,” Pope said. “Despite repeated attempts by city staff to connect with state officials, we have not yet received any information on an approval or modifications, or when a decision might be made.”

1 / 46 People stroll along Laguna’s Main Beach after it reopened its beaches for active use only.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 2 / 46 Mathew Hanna jumps on a skim board at Laguna’s Main Beach on Tuesday morning as city reopened its beaches for active use only. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 3 / 46 Cathie Lawler with her dogs, Milo and Charlie, said “Absolutely fabulous. So good to see the beach” as she walked along Laguna Beach after it reopened for active use only. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 4 / 46 Goff Stepian rides a wave on his paddle board at Laguna’s Main Beach. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 5 / 46 People stroll along Laguna’s Main Beach after it reopened its beaches for active use only. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) 6 / 46 An aerial view of beach-goers playing volleyball on a nice day at the beach despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hard closure, which is still in place in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 7 / 46 An aerial view of a few surfers and beach-goers enjoying a nice day at the beach despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hard closure, which is still in place in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 8 / 46 An aerial view of a few surfers and beach-goers enjoying a nice day at the beach despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hard closure, which is still in place in Newport Beach on Monday. (Allen J. Schaben/Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 9 / 46 Bicyclists and pass the closed Boardwalk Sports store on the boardwalk in Newport Beach, on Monday. The business is only renting bicycles but is hoping to fully open after Gov. Newsom’s announcement that some businesses will be able to reopen. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 10 / 46 An aerial view of the Newport Beach pier, where a few surfers and beach-goers enjoy a nice day at the beach despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hard closure, which is still in place in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 11 / 46 Bill Beukers and his wife, Teresa, claim their constitutional rights as they speak to Newport Beach police officers. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 12 / 46 A surfer climbs over a barrier meant to keep visitors off the beach in Newport Beach on Saturday morning. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 13 / 46 Police and protesters find a shady spot along Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 14 / 46 Newport Beach lifeguards and police clear the beach during a closure that went into effect Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 15 / 46 Protesters stage a protest in Laguna Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 16 / 46 A motorcycle officer patrols the bike path near the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 17 / 46 Huntington Beach resident Kyle Richardson, 35, holds a sign telling California Gov. Gavin Newson to lift stay-at-home orders and reopen beaches, parks and the California economy, during a protest near the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 18 / 46 A Newport Beach lifeguard evacuates the beach as a closure went into effect Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 19 / 46 Protesters against beach closures walk in Newport Beach even though a beach closure went into effect Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 20 / 46 A police cruiser patrols near the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 21 / 46 Protesters gather near the Huntington Beach Pier, demanding that California Gov. Gavin Newson lift stay-at-home orders. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 22 / 46 People walk on the sand in Newport Beach despite the beach closure that went into effect Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 23 / 46 People enjoy the sun near the pier in Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 24 / 46 Under the watchful eyes of police officers, protesters against beach closures walk along Newport Beach even though a beach closure went into effect Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 25 / 46 A couple walks along the sand while others venture into the surf in Newport Beach even though Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered Orange County beaches closed. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 26 / 46 People enjoy the sun in downtown Huntington Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 27 / 46 A motorcycle officer watches the bike path near the Huntington Beach Pier on Saturday. California Gov. Gavin Newson ordered a hard closure of Orange County beaches this weekend. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 28 / 46 Surfers and others ventured to the beach in Newport Beach on Saturday despite the governor’s closure order. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 29 / 46 Saturday’s beach closure did not keep surfers out of the water in Newport Beach. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) 30 / 46 Protesters wave a variety of flags, including a Confederate one, along Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach on Saturday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) 31 / 46 An aerial view of a mostly empty Huntington Beach following Gov. Newsom’s “hard close” of Orange County beaches. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 32 / 46 Huntington Beach lifeguards patrol with a boat to try to get surfers to stop defying Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “hard close” order. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 33 / 46 Steve Christopher, right, reads a book in the shade of the pier as a beach-goer does flips across the beach on the last day of open beaches in Huntington Beach. “I think it’s what needs to be done,” Christopher said. “I saw it last week and it was packed.” (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 34 / 46 Surfers ride the waves on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier Friday, May 1, 2020. Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered Orange County beaches closed on Thursday despite opposition from local leaders. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 35 / 46 Emergency room nurse Rebecca McFarlane, of Covina, relaxes on her one day off from treating COVID-19 patients, on an open stretch of sand far away from other beach-goers on the last day of open beaches in Huntington Beach. “As a nurse, I have to wear all the PPE and on my one day off, I just want to relax on the beach,” McFarlane said. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 36 / 46 An aerial view of Huntington Beach after Gov. Newsom announced the “hard close” of all Orange County state and local beaches. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) 37 / 46 An aerial view shows visitors enjoying the sun and sand near the pier in Newport Beach on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 46 A surfer catches a wave while joining some of the thousands of beachgoers over the weekend in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 46 Newport Beach officials said beach visitors followed distancing guidelines over the weekend. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 46 On Tuesday, beachgoers pass a statue of Newport Beach lifeguard Ben Carlson, who died while conducting a rescue. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 46 A man in a protective mask walks his dog past a closed park near the pier in Newport Beach on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 46 A motorist makes a statement via a back window as pedestrians walk past a store display in Newport Beach that features a mannequin in a mask. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 46 Beachgoers dot the sand in an aerial view of Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 46 Weekend beach crowds, such as those in Huntington Beach, spurred alarm among some officials. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 46 People crowd the bike path near Huntington Beach pier on Saturday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 46 An aerial view shows surfers waiting for a wave Saturday off Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Newsom last week ordered a “hard close” of all Orange County beaches. The order came after an April heat wave sent thousands to the sand in some beach communities. Newsom called the images circulating of people congregating on Orange County’s shores “disturbing.”

The closure prompted a legal showdown between cities and the state, as well as outrage from the public . Some argued that the governor was targeting Orange County based on photographs that did not show the full scope of what was happening on the beaches.

Newsom on Tuesday praised local leaders in Orange County beach cities for working with his administration to reach an agreement. Just days ago, city leaders in Huntington Beach and Dana Point voted to take legal action against the governor.

Huntington Beach City Atty. Michael Gates said the city is continuing to move forward with its request for an injunction against the governor’s order despite the beaches being allowed to reopen.

Newsom said his administration has been negotiating with the beach cities since the weekend and said he hoped to make a future announcement about beach access in Orange County soon.

“It’s a spirit of collaboration and cooperation that is necessary as we move forward,” Newsom said during his daily COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to submit a plan to the state that would allow county-operated beaches to reopen for active recreation.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, who proposed the item, said it would help put county beaches in line with what was happening in nearby cities and allow people to get out and recreate along the coast.

“We want people to walk and jog and run and enjoy water sports but to keep moving,” she said, “and the state is fully behind that.”

Supervisor Don Wagner opposed the motion, along with Supervisor Michelle Steel, saying any restrictions on beach activity were arbitrary and that it was appalling that the county would bow to rules the governor put in place without input from local officials.

“This is exactly what we shouldn’t be doing as a government,” Wagner said.

Staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report.

California allows three more Orange County beaches to reopen

HUNTINGTON BEACH - California Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration gave approval Tuesday to plans by Huntington Beach and two smaller cities to reopen beaches that fell under his order shutting down the entire Orange County coast after a heat wave drew large crowds to the shore.

Huntington Beach, the world famous surfing mecca, and the cities of Dana Point and Seal Beach submitted plans consistent with the governor's orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic and include measures to avoid overcrowding and enable physical distancing, the state Natural Resources Agency said.

The action follows approval Monday of beach access plans submitted by two other cites, Laguna Beach and San Clemente, which essentially allow active use and not sunbathing.

Orange County will draft a similar plan after supervisors voted Tuesday to submit one to the state. Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said the move would let residents get fresh air and exercise without running the risk of spreading the coronavirus, which could further slow the resumption of economic activity.

“With the active recreation, it provides a high level of public health and safety,” she said. “If we have too many people in a given area and there's mass gathering, and they don't have face coverings, then potentially we're going to spread the risk of coronavirus and we're not going to be able to open up as quickly as possible.”

The move was opposed by two supervisors who argued that Newsom shouldn't have singled out the county for beach closures and that active plans don't let families with young children, or people with injures, enjoy the beach.

“No other county is required to do what this governor, in his arbitrary and capricious exercise of power, has asked us to submit to,” Supervisor Don Wagner said during the meeting. “I am disappointed that local governments in coastal cities felt the need to bow and scrape and throw together a plan.”

The governor announced on April 30 that he was ordering all Orange County beaches to shut down after spring heat spell prompted thousands of people to head to the coast, primarily at Huntington Beach and adjacent Newport Beach.

Huntington Beach filed a lawsuit trying to get its beach reopened, but a judge refused to immediately block the order. Newport Beach supported that suit.

Newport Beach has also submitted a proposal to the state reopen its beaches and hopes to hear soon, John Pope, a city spokesman, said in a statement.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

___

Antczak reported from Los Angeles.


Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 28) — Two more Filipinos quarantined at the New Clark City in Tarlac are exhibiting symptoms linked to coronavirus, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Friday.

The two Filipinos from the cruise ship docked in Japan due to numerous coronavirus cases, were brought to the hospital on Friday after complaining of sore throat.

Their swab tests will be sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

DOH reported on Thursday that three other Filipinos from the ship showed flu-like symptoms. Of the three, two already tested negative. The other one who was admitted to the hospital awaits his test result from the RITM.

Duque said that if anyone from the Diamond Princess cruise ship tests positive while they were quarantined in Tarlac, it won't be considered local transmission because they most likely contracted the virus inside the vessel.

Over 700 passengers and staff of the Diamond Princess were infected during their mandatory 14-day quarantine inside the vessel docked in Yokohama.

The five who exhibited symptoms after returning to the country are part of the 458 Filipinos, mostly crew members, brought home from the ship in Japan to New Clark City to undergo another phase of quarantine.

All those under quarantine are monitored twice a day to see if any of them would develop flu-like symptoms. Once any of them would exhibit signs and symptoms, they would be immediately referred to designated hospitals.

Seventy Filipino crew members of the Diamond Princess who tested positive for the coronavirus remain admitted in hospitals in Tokyo, Japan. Eight of the 10 who have recovered returned to the Philippines and were placed under monitoring, Duque said.

The Philippines has only three confirmed cases of coronavirus. Two have recovered, while one died.

There are only 30 patients under investigation.

"We are observing a steady decrease in the number of PUIs (patients under investigation) admitted in our health facilities and DOH is bent on sustaining this downward trend. While there is a looming prospect of positive COVID-19 cases among our repatriated kababayans, we call on everyone to continue to be vigilant partners of DOH in keeping the threat of COVID-19 at bay," Duque said.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 2) — Ten Filipinos quarantined at the New Clark City have been cleared for coronavirus infection while four others are awaiting their test results from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), a health official said Monday.

Health Assistant Maria Rosario Vergeire said 14 Filipinos from the Diamond Princess cruise ship showed flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, and sore throat that could indicate COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

"Among the 14 PUIs (patients under investigation), 10 tested negative for COVID-19 while 4 are with pending laboratory results. The PUIs are still admitted at the referral facility," Health Assistant Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing.

This is contrary to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III's earlier statement that all 13 symptomatic repatriates have tested negative for the highly-infectious illness.

Eight of the 10 who tested negative are set to be sent back to the New Clark City Athlete's Village to complete their quarantine after recovering from their mild illnesses.

All in all, 445 Filipinos — mostly crew members — were brought home from the Diamond Princess cruise ship last week. The repatriates, along with the health and foreign affairs personnel and volunteers from the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo who helped bring them home, were transported to the sporting village in Tarlac for the second round of 14-day quarantine.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Hans Cacdac said the Filipino crew will be given P10,000 each and transportation allowance to travel from New Clark City to their homes in the Philippines once they complete the quarantine requirements.

The repatriation did not include 80 Filipinos who have fallen ill to COVID-19 in Japan. Of this number, 32 have already recovered. Ten of those have already returned to the Philippines, while 22 other await repatriation details and will undergo strict DOH monitoring.

Some Americans, Britons, and Australians who were previously on the Diamond Princess only tested positive for coronavirus after they returned home from a 14-day quarantine. Among them is a 78-year-old man from Perth, Australia who became that country's first reported death due to the virus.

The World Health Organization said the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea, while others become infected but don’t develop any symptoms. About 80 percent of those infected recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who get COVID-19 become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing. Older people and those with underlying medical problmes like high blood pressure or diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness, the WHO added.

There are 43 patients under investigation admitted in various hospitals. The Philippines has three confirmed COVID-19 cases. Two of them have already recovered and returned to China, while one died — the first recorded death outside of mainland China.


New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Friday (February 7) hear Centre's appeal challenging the Delhi High Court verdict dismissing its plea against stay on the execution of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case. The matter will come up for hearing before the 3-judge bench, comprising Justices R Bhanumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna, around 12.30 PM.

On behalf of the Centre, Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj had moved the top court seeking an urgent hearing on its appeal challenging the Delhi High Court verdict which held on Wednesday that the Nirbhaya death row convicts have to be executed together and not separately.

The Centre told the top court that Tihar Jail authorities are unable to execute the convicts in the case despite the fact that their review petitions have been dismissed and curative petitions and mercy pleas of three of them have been rejected.

The high court had set a week's deadline for them to avail the remaining remedies. If the convicts choose not to make any type of petition in seven days from now, the institutions/ authorities concerned will deal with the matter, as per the law, without further delay, it said.

Live TV

Meanwhile, a trial court on Thursday sought the response of the four convicts on the plea of Tihar jail authorities seeking issuance of fresh death warrants against them.

The trial court had on January 31 stayed "till further orders" execution of the four convicts in the case -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31), who are lodged in Tihar Jail.

Later, the Centre moved the High Court against the stay of the execution of the convicts. Hours after the high court's verdict, the Centre filed an appeal against it in the apex court.

(With Agency Inputs)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Friday hear the Centre and Delhi government’s appeal challenging Delhi High Court’s order dismissing their plea staying the four Nirbhaya convicts’ execution in the 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case.Also Read - Amid Controversy Over Gyanvapi And Taj Mahal, Petition Filed in Supreme Court to Conduct 'Confidential' Survey of Ancient Mosques

A three-judge bench, comprising Justices R Bhanumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna, will hear the government’s plea at 12:30 PM against the Delhi High Court’s verdict. Also Read - 'Intrigued', Says Justice Chandrachud By Articles Written On GST Council Judgement

Hearing the matter, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait had on February 2 reserved order on the Centre’s plea. However, the central government moved the top court through its Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj seeking an urgent hearing on its appeal. Also Read - Navjot Singh Sidhu, Given 1 Year Jail in Road Rage Case, Lodged in Patiala Jail After Surrender

The Centre and the Delhi government had challenged the trial court’s order on January 31 that stayed the execution of the convicts – Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31) – until further orders. S

Expressing concern over the delay in execution, the victim’s parents urged the court to expeditiously decide the Centre’s plea and were assured by the judge that the order would be passed at the earliest.

Meanwhile, Delhi High Court on Wednesday maintained that all the four convicts will be hanged together. The high court also gave the convicts a week’s time to avail all legal remedies.

On January 7, warrants for the execution of all the four convicts in Tihar jail at 7 AM on January 22 were issued. However, the convicts could not be hanged because of pendency of mercy petition by one of them. Later, the trial court fixed February 1, 6 AM as the hanging date and time. That, too, got delayed in the wake of the legal remedies being exercised by the remaining Nirbhaya convicts.


Traders and officials, going by the ground report on onion crop patterns and expected arrivals in the market, predict that the glut will only increase

Traders and officials, going by the ground report on onion crop patterns and expected arrivals in the market, predict that the glut will only increase

After reaching highs of over ₹200 per kg, the price of onions is now seeing a steep crash with the new crop harvested over the last two weeks flooding the market. This has resulted in a glut of onions, say traders.

A kilo of onions, even of the best quality, is now trading at the ₹35 — ₹40 levels in the wholesale market, leaving many farmers who hoped to cash in on the shortage unhappy. They are retailing around ₹40 — ₹50.

Traders and officials, going by the ground report on onion crop patterns and expected arrivals in the market, predict that the glut will only increase. “The prices will fall below ₹20 by the month-end and may even fall below ₹10 by February-end,” predicted Ravi Kumar of the Bangalore Onions and Potatoes Traders’ Association.

This has left the farmers worried. At present, onions from Vijayapura and Chitradurga districts and the Nasik region of Maharashtra are flooding the wholesale markets in the State.

“The earlier crop suffered massive damage owing to heavy rains. Expecting high prices, farmers — even those who used to grow maize for a second crop — started growing onions,” Mr. Kumar explained. More onions are expected to come from Punjab and Madhya Pradesh by February, even as supply from within Karnataka is also expected to go up. This will further lead to crash in prices, traders predict.

“Though the price of onions shot up recently, we did not make much profit, as the yield was very low. Onions had turned wet and were decomposing in the fields itself. What we could sell was very low. But given the prices were started growing them again, only to see the prices crashing in a free fall. It will be tough to bear these losses,” said Basavaraj, a farmer from Vijayapura.

However, G. Srinivasan, Director, HOPCOMS, remains optimistic and says that the demand for onions will also increase especially as many households had limited or even stopped purchasing the staple ingredient for a while. “There will be a stabilisation of prices, but may not crash,” he said

Coconut farmers sustain losses

Coconut farmers, too, are bearing the brunt of the price crash. The price of a quintal of copra (dry coconut) that was in the range of ₹17,000-₹18,000, a few months ago, was trading at ₹11,500 on Saturday at Tiptur APMC, the prime coconut market in the State. The prices of coconuts have also seen a dip, from over ₹20 per nut to ₹17 per nut over the last few days. However, they are still being sold in the range of ₹25 and ₹30 in the retail market.

Devraj, a coconut farmer from Tiptur, said the present copra and coconut prices will not fetch them the cultivation cost.

“The input costs – diesel, labour and fertilizers – have gone up. The cost of copra should at least be around ₹15,000 per quintal if farmers have to recover the cultivation cost. Presently, we are reeling under losses,” he added.

Too Many Requests

Being an automatic bot that does not appear to be human

A playback page that has an unusual number of components

Excessive load on the Wayback machine not related to your activities

Saving too many pages in a give time frame

The best solution is to wait a few seconds and reload the existing page.

Please feel free to write to us at info@archive.org if you have questions about this. Please include the following information in your email:

502 Bad Gateway

502 Bad Gateway

nginx/1.19.5

Thank you


TIM BROOKE-TAYLOR, who was best known as part of British comedy troupe The Goodies, has died aged 79 after contracting coronavirus.

A highly influential and prominent figure in the UK comedy scene for more than half a century, Brooke-Taylor's career encompassed work in radio, television, film and theatre.

While he was known for his 40 years of contributions to the Radio 4 panel show I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, his lasting legacy is as one of the stars of The Goodies alongside Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie.

The anarchic TV comedy set in a flat shared by the three stars ran from 1970 to 1982 and drew in millions of viewers of all ages with its blend of wit and striking visual humour.

Children, meanwhile, may recall Brooke-Taylor as the narrator of the cult cartoon series Bananaman.

Brooke-Taylor's agent confirmed the news of his sad passing in a statement paying tribute to his life and work.

He said: "It is with great sadness that we announce Tim's death early today from Covid-19.

"We will remember him for so much but must just mention The Goodies and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

"He had, of course, many fans whom he always treated cheerfully even after long and exhausting rehearsals and recordings.

"He was an exceptional client and a pleasure to represent."

Just heard the devastating news of the death of Tim Brooke-Taylor. A hero for as long as I can remember, and –on a few golden occasions – a colleague and collaborator on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Gentle, kind, funny, wise, warm, but piercingly witty when he chose to be. So sad — Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) April 12, 2020

Garden, his Goodies co-star, was among the first to pay tribute to his friend and fellow performer.

He said: "I am terribly saddened by the loss of a dear colleague and close friend of over 50 years.

"Tim and I met at Cambridge University in the early 1960s and have enjoyed working together almost constantly from that time onwards, on radio, stage, and TV.

"He was a funny, sociable, generous man who was a delight to work with. Audiences found him not only hilarious but also adorable.

"His loss at this dreadful time is particularly hard to bear, and my thoughts are with Christine, Ben, Edward and their families."

He was joined by the likes of Stephen Fry, Jack Dee, Rob Brydon and David Walliams in paying their respects.

“I was obsessed with ‘The Goodies’ as a child, the first comedy show I really loved,” Walliams wrote.

“I queued up to get the Goodies’ autographs as a grown-up, and got to meet Tim Brooke-Taylor more recently at a party. I was in total awe, but he was so kind & generous. It is so sad he is gone.”

I was obsessed with ‘The Goodies’ as a child, the first comedy show I really loved. I queued up to get the Goodies’ autographs as a grown-up, and got to meet Tim Brooke-Taylor more recently at a party. I was in total awe, but he was so kind & generous. It is so sad he is gone. pic.twitter.com/wxyGpJoyIU — David Walliams HQ (@davidwalliams) April 12, 2020

Fry said: “A hero for as long as I can remember, and –on a few golden occasions – a colleague and collaborator on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

“Gentle, kind, funny, wise, warm, but piercingly witty when he chose to be. So sad.”

Brydon described him as “a wonderful man.

“So many happy times sat next to him on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue,” he added.

“My thoughts are with his family.”

So sad to hear that the great Tim Brooke Taylor has died. A wonderful man, so many happy times sat next to him on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Here we are with Barry, Colin and Graeme at a celebration of the show in January. He was on great form. My thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/9CfottzJVe — Rob Brydon (@RobBrydon) April 12, 2020

Jack Dee, the current host of I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue also said: "It has come as devastating news to hear that Tim has succumbed to this dreadful virus - especially when we all thought he was recovering.

"Tim was a delightful man and never anything but great company."

rooke-Taylor is survived by his wife Christine and sons Ben and Edward.

Too Many Requests

Being an automatic bot that does not appear to be human

A playback page that has an unusual number of components

Excessive load on the Wayback machine not related to your activities

Saving too many pages in a give time frame

The best solution is to wait a few seconds and reload the existing page.

Please feel free to write to us at info@archive.org if you have questions about this. Please include the following information in your email:

Thank you


A handwritten note at the memorial for Damien Helmbrecht reads: “My son, Damien. I miss you my boy. Love always and forever, Mom.” Olivia Sullivan/staff photo

Outside of the Westway Community Center in Federal Way, a memorial honors the life of a 19-year-old man who was shot and killed Monday night.

Just after 10:40 p.m. April 20, Federal Way police responded to reports of a shooting at the community center in the 33400 block of 21st Avenue SW. A male victim was found near the building, and although life-saving measures were attempted by first responders, he died at the scene.

The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Damien Helmbrecht. His cause of death was a gunshot wound to the torso and the death has been ruled a homicide, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Candles, bouquets of flowers, balloons, empty liquor bottles and handwritten notes are now placed at the corner of the community center’s driveway.

Tucked in a bundle of pink roses, a handwritten note reads: “My son, Damien. I miss you my boy. Love always and forever, Mom.”

A motive for the shooting has not been determined, and Federal Way police have not located any suspects. Investigation of the incident is still underway.

Talk to us Please share your story tips by emailing editor@federalwaymirror.com. To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.federalwaymirror.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

Police responded to a shooting at the Westway Community Center around 10:40 p.m. April 20.

A homicide investigation is underway after a 19-year-old man was shot and killed Monday night in Federal Way.

Just after 10:40 p.m. April 20, Federal Way patrol officers responded to reports of a shooting at the Westway Community Center in the 33400 block of 21st Ave. SW, according to FWPD Cmdr. Kurt Schwan.

When officers arrived, the male victim was found near the community center building. Life-saving measures were attempted by first responders, but the man’s injuries were fatal and he died at the scene.

Schwan noted the motive of the shooting has not yet been determined, and Federal Way detectives are assisting with the investigation.

Federal Way police have not released any suspect information at this time.


Complaints continue of a shortage of US dollars in the local market but members of the private sector are now optimistic that the situation will soon improve.

Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) President Richard Pandohie on Sunday night told RJR News that commercial banks have signalled that order is about to return to the currency market.

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor Richard Byles has said there is no shortage of US dollars in the local foreign exchange market.

Mr. Byles has reiterated that there is extra demand in the market.

He has also commented on the fluctuation in the exchange rate.

Speaking Friday on RJR's talk show programme, Hotline, Mr. Byles said the country's net international reserves cannot be used to intervene in the market every time the Jamaican dollar depreciates against the US currency.


A growing number of businesses and individuals worldwide have stopped using banknotes in fear that physical currency, handled by tens of thousands of people over its lifetime, could be a vector for the coronavirus.

Public officials and health experts have said the risk of transferring the virus person-to-person through the use of banknotes is low, but they don't rule it out.

Dr. Sanjay Maggirwar, chair of the George Washington University School of Medicine's department of microbiology, immunology and tropical medicine, recently told CBS MoneyWatch that researchers think coronaviruses "can stay on surfaces in their fully active states for at least 10 days. That includes cash and all kinds of other surfaces that people normally touch. So certainly with the coronavirus, cash handling is a concern."

Some businesses are refusing to accept currency, with while several countries have urged their citizens to stop using banknotes altogether.

Open Books, a non-profit bookstore in Chicago, sent an email to customers last week asking individuals not to use cash. A chain of diners in Washington State has also stopped accepting cash. And delivery services like Grubhub, Door Dash and others have instituted "no contact" deliveries, and have either stopped offering cash as a payment option or are actively discouraging it.

Even the Federal Reserve has taken efforts to make sure the nation's money supply isn't contaminated. Banknotes that circulated in Europe and Asia are being quarantined for seven to 10 days as a "precautionary measure," according to a Fed spokesperson.

While cash does carry some risk of passing on the virus, it is smaller than other transmission routes. A scientific paper published early in the outbreak found the virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The researchers, however, did not test whether it can live on banknote paper.

Meanwhile, the mere presence of live virus particles on banknotes does not mean they are a health hazard, public health experts said. Virus particles are unlikely to return to the air, or aerosolize, once on a surface.

"It's not impossible that there might be traces of virus on dollar bill, but if you wash your hands it should provide adequate protections — you shouldn't need anything else," Julie Fischer, a professor at the Center for Global Health Science and Society at Georgetown University, said on C-SPAN.

Other devices used to pay for items are just as likely to be vectors for disease transfer. Credit and debit cards are made of plastic and metal. ATMs are touched by hundreds of human hands a day. And studies show smartphones are heavily contaminated with bacteria because of their constant use.

Banknote avoidance isn't just happening in the U.S. In South Korea, which has been more successful in stemming the coronavirus outbreak, the country's central bank took all banknotes out of circulation for two weeks and, in some cases, burned paper money.

Iran is suffering the worst outbreak of the virus in the Middle East. Using cash there is common, but in recent weeks many people have avoided it and banks have announced that they will not accept cash from customers. Iranians often have multiple debit cards but cash is widely used in small-scale transactions, like buying bread in bakeries or leaving a tip. Many people have started even being careful in how they hand over debit cards, as contactless payment methods haven't caught on there.

In the U.S., there is concern that going cash-free shuts out millions of Americans who lack bank accounts or access to financial services like credit cards.

"Not everyone has a bank account, and there are some very important equity issues if we start encouraging cashless transactions," said Dr. Danielle Ompad, an epidemiologist at New York University's School of Global Public Health.

"Some people don't have a choice, so to say, 'You should only use cashless transactions,' is not sensitive to their circumstances," she said.

NEW YORK >> In a world suffering a pandemic, cash is no longer king.

A growing number of businesses and individuals worldwide have stopped using banknotes in fear that physical currency, handled by tens of thousands of people over their useful life, could be a vector for the spreading coronavirus.

Public officials and health experts have said that the risk of transferring the virus person-to-person through the use of banknotes is small. But that has not stopped businesses from refusing to accept currency and some countries from urging their citizens to stop using banknotes altogether.

Open Books, a non-profit bookstore in Chicago, sent an email to customers last week asking individuals not to use cash. A chain of diners in Washington State has also stopped accepting cash. And delivery services like Grubhub, Door Dash, and others have instituted “no contact” deliveries, and have either stopped offering cash as a payment option or are actively discouraging it.

Experts say cash does carry a risk of transmitting the virus, but the risk from cash so far is small compared with other transmission routes. A scientific paper published early in the outbreak found the virus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The researchers, however, did not test whether it can live on banknote paper.

The presence of live virus particles on banknotes does not mean they are a health hazard, public health experts said. Virus particles are unlikely to return to the air, or aerosolize, once on a surface.

“It’s not impossible that there might be traces of virus on dollar bills but if you wash your hands it should provide adequate protections, you shouldn’t need anything else,” said Julie Fischer, a professor at the Center for Global Health Science and Society at Georgetown University, on C-SPAN.

Other devices used to pay for items are just as likely to be vectors for disease transfer. Credit and debit cards are made of plastic and metal. ATMs are touched by hundreds of human hands a day. And there have been studies that show smartphones are heavily contaminated with bacteria because of their constant use.

Even the Federal Reserve has taken efforts to make sure the money supply is not contaminated. Banknotes that circulated in Europe and Asia are being quarantined for seven to 10 days as a “precautionary measure,” according to a Federal Reserve spokesperson.

While businesses are discouraging cash usage, there have been reports of customers making large withdrawals from ATMs in several parts of the country. Some banks have had to order additional cash from the Fed or keep ATMs stocked at higher levels to allow larger customer withdrawals.

Banknote avoidance is not just happening in the U.S. In South Korea, which has been more successful in stemming the outbreak, the country’s central bank took all banknotes out of circulation for two weeks or, in some cases, burned paper money.

Iran is suffering the worst outbreak of the virus in the Middle East. Using cash there is common, but in recent weeks many people have avoided it and banks have announced that they will not accept cash from customers. Iranians often have multiple debit cards but cash is widely used in small-scale transactions, like buying bread in bakeries or leaving a tip. Many people have started even being careful in how they hand over debit cards, as contactless payment methods haven’t caught on there.