الخبر alkbr

30 DAY SELF CARE CHALLENGE

2023-05-18T05:42:00.001-02:00

try a new recipe
Go for a sunrise walk
Spend an evening reading
Take a long bath
Do a face mask
Journal
Call a friend or family member
Try a new restaurant
Change your sheets
Go through your wardrobe and donate old clothes
Listen to a podcast
Go to bed early
Spend time in the sun
Print out some photos
Sleep in
Do some baking
Create a playlist
Burn a candle
Drink a tea
Meditate
Do 30 mins of exercise
Have a big breakfast
Do some painting
Organize your study area
Write down 3 things you are grateful for
Put your phone away
Do Yoga
Watch a funny movie
Have a power nap
Plant something

How to Clean Out Your Phone ?

2023-05-16T05:24:00.003-02:00

Ever wanna restart your phone? these steps make it seem like your phone is fresh so follow along.

1. The first thing you do to get more storage is delete pictures. if you decide to delete them forever great, and if you want to keep them then save them to Google Drive cause it has unlimited storage. then delete the google drive app.

2. Delete text messages and contacts. I feel like letting go of threads and contacts makes my phone feel so much fresh. delete people you don't talk to

3. Delete unnecessary apps, if you don't use the app.. why do you have it? download it periodically too

4. Go through Snapchat and delete repeated memories and people who's story annoy you because it takes up storage, I do the same thing with Twitter--I like a clean page.

5. I also love to make new ringtones and fondle around my settings.

6. Change your lock screen and home screen.

HAVE AN ORGANIZED PHONE!

Ideas For a Bad Day ! 50 tips

2023-05-15T14:13:00.001-02:00

How to overcome a bad day?

1. Drink herbal tea

2. Try affirmations

3. Write ten things grateful for 28. call or text someone you love

4. Take a detox bath

5. Try a face mask

6. Breathe deeply

7. Light your favorite candle

8. Watch a motivational ted talk

9. Exercise

10. Walk in nature

11. Buy yourself flowers

12. Write 5 things you love

13. Journal

14. Make a vision board

15. Declutter 10 items

16. Read a personal growth book

17. Go for a long walk

18. Listen to your favorite music

19. Do something to laugh

20. Plan a getaway

21. Cook your favorite meal

22. Watch your favorite show

23. Have a night with friends

24. Do a brain dump

25. Go out for a date night

26. Do something new

27. Give yourself a manicure

28-Call or text someone you love

29. Do yoga poses

30. Listen to your favorite podcast

31. Spend time with someone inspiring

32. Stretch

33. Do a spa day

34. Do a digital detox

35. Eat a salad or smoothie

36. Go out in the sunshine

37. Go to your favorite place

38. Take some pretty photos

39. Get a massage

40. Hug someone

41. Drink a full glass of water

42. Read inspirational quotes

43. Put on nice clothes & makeup

44. Sleep

45. Watch the sunrise

46. Refresh your morning routine

47. Change your sheets

48. Diffuse essential oils

49. Do something nice for someone

50. Go out for a coffee.

“Breathe. It’s just a bad day, not a bad life.”

How To Overcome Procrastination ?

2023-05-14T03:46:00.000-02:00

"MY ADVICE IS TO NEVER DO TOMORROW WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY. PROCRASTINATION IS THE THIEF OF TIME."

1-Try not to catastrophize, or make a huge deal out of something.

2 Focus on why you are doing a task, and what are the benefits of completing it.

3-Get out your calendar and schedule when you are going to work on a project.

4-Be realistic about your goals.

5-Chunk your tasks into smaller, and more manageable parts.

6- Stop giving excuses and waiting for the 'perfect' moment to start your task.

7- Find someone who will help you be accountable, and stay on track.

8-Optimize your environment by removing anything that might hinder your work.

9-Establish a reward if and only if you do what you set out to do.

10- Forgive yourself for procrastinating.

11-Do not focus too much on perfectionism, instead, focus on being better than

perfect.

12-Avoid the words "I have to..." or "I should..." These types of phrases imply that you have no choice, that you won't do it unless you must. For example, never say to yourself: "I have to study".

13-Say "I choose to...", or "I am ready to..." For example: "I choose to study now", or "I am ready to study". This way of thinking implies that you have control of the situation.

14-Countdown: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1..." and do it! Quit whatever it is you are doing and get to work!

DO IT!

How To Reduce Stress and Anxiety! Effective tips

2023-05-13T15:46:00.004-02:00

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work."

so how can we stop stress?

THERE ARE SOME WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS :

1-GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Inadequate or poor-quality sleep can negatively affect your mood, mental alertness, energy
level, and physical health.

2-LEARN RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

Meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, deep breathing exercises,
and yoga is a powerful relaxation technique and stress-busters.

3-STRENGTHEN YOUR SOCIAL NETWORK

Connect with others by taking a class, joining an organization, or participating in a
support group.

4-HONE YOUR TIME-MANAGEMENT SKILLS

The more efficiently you can juggle work and family demands. the lowest stress level.

5-RESOLVE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

Do not let stressful situations fester. Hold family problem-solving sessions and use negotiation skills at home and at work.

6-NURTURE YOURSELF

Treat yourself to a massage, take a walk or a nap, or listen to your favorite music.

7-KEEP A JOURNAL

For tracking and recording things in your daily life that are causing you the most stress.

8-ASK FOR HELP

Do not be afraid to ask for help from your spouse, friends, and neighbors. If stress and anxiety persist, talk to your doctor.

"Take life day by day and be grateful for the little things. Don’t get stressed over what you can’t control.”

What To Do Before The Exam? Get A+

2023-05-12T06:46:00.002-02:00

10 Things to do before a big exam

1-Just a week or two before the exam, get a plan ready for test preparation.

2-Keep exam status as a reference

3-Accordingly, plan the numbers of hours you are allotting for studies.

4-For Practical subjects like Math and Science give equal importance to both theories and practice

time sessions.

5-Next plan how you are going to utilize it to cover all the subjects for the exams.

6-Practice more past papers to get the hang of the exams.

7-Eat good food

8-Do not ignore your night's sleep or else you will be groggy.

9-Instead of sitting at your study desk at all hours, take out some time for exercise, at least try

walking.

10-Most importantly do not panic. Just be a cool and complete revision.

7 Things to Think About the Night Before an Exam

1-POSITIVE IMAGERY

Spend some time visualizing a positive
exam experience. This will increase your confidence, help with nerves and enhance your mood.

2-YOUR BEST PERFORMANCE

Think about a previous good performance.

What helped you do well at that time

and how you will apply that tomorrow?

3-YOUR PREPARATION

Boost your confidence by reminding

yourself of how well you have prepared

and how much revision you have done.

4-FOCUS ON YOURSELF

Focus on yourself and don't compare yourself
to others as this will make you feel stressed.
Instead, focus on what you can control.

5-THE CHALLENGE

If you see the exam as a threat, it will make

you stressed. View the exam as an opportunity

or as a challenge. This will make you feel better.

6-OVERCOMING SETBACKS

Remind yourself how you overcame previous setbacks.

This will help you deal with future challenges

and build mental resilience.

7-A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

A good night's sleep helps improve creativity,

problem-solving, concentration, and memory.

This is more important than last-minute cramming.

GOOD LUCK ^^

How To Get Organized in Only 7 Days?

2023-05-11T06:16:00.003-02:00

"For every minute spent on the organization, an hour is earned "

So here are some tips for organizing your home in only a week!

Day one : (Kitchen )

1-PICK UP ITEMS THAT DON'T BELONG
2-LOAD DISHES INTO THE DISHWASHER
3-WASH POTS AND PANS
4-RUN THE DISPOSAL
5-DISINFECT THE SINK
6-RUN THE DISHWASHER
7-WIPE DOWN FAUCET
8-CLEAN OUT THE MICROWAVE
9-WIPE THE BACKSPLASH
10-CLEAN THE STOVE
11-WIPE DOWN ALL APPLIANCES
12-SPOT CLEAN CABINETS
13-SANITIZE KITCHEN COUNTERS
14-SWEEP KITCHEN FLOOR
15-MOP KITCHEN FLOOR

Day two : (Bedroom )

1- STRIP BED LINENS AND WASH
2-PICK UP ITEMS THAT DON'T BELONG
3-PUT DIRTY CLOTHES IN THE HAMPER
4-DECLUTTER & STRAIGHTEN NIGHTSTAND
5- DUST NIGHTSTANDS & ACCESSORIES
6-SPOT CLEAN NIGHTSTANDS AND FURNITURE
7-POLISH WOOD FURNITURE
8-DUST LAMPSHADES
9-WIPE BASEBOARDS AND DOORS
10-DUST FURNITURE
11-TAKE OUT THE TRASH
12-REPLACE BED LINENS AND MAKE BED
13-DUST WINDOW TREATMENTS
14-SPOT CLEAN CARPET STAINS
15-VACUUM CARPET

Day three :(Bathroom)

1-PICK UP ITEMS THAT DON'T BELONG
2-TAKE DIRTY TOWELS TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM
3-PUT OUT NEW TOWELS
4-WIPE MIRROR
5-WIPE COUNTERTOPS
6-WIPE SINK FAUCET
7-SCRUB SINK
8-WIPE FRONT OF THE CABINETS
9-WIPE EXTERIOR OF THE TOILET
10-SCRUB THE SHOWER/TUB
11-SCRUB INSIDE OF THE TOILET
12-SHAKE OR VACUUM RUGS
13-SWEEP & MOP FLOOR
14-STOCK TOILET PAPER
15-TAKE OUT THE TRASH

Day four :(Laundry room)

1-PICK UP ITEMS THAT DON'T BELONG
2-FINISH WASHING LAUNDRY
3-FINISH DRYING LAUNDRY
4-ORGANIZE CLEANING SUPPLIES
5-ORGANIZE LAUNDRY SUPPLIES
6-PUT AWAY ALL CLEAN LAUNDRY
7-VACUUM BEHIND/BETWEEN WASHER & DRYER
8-CLEAN OUT THE LINT FILTER
9-WIPE DOWN THE WASHER AND DRYER
10-RUN HOT WASHER CYCLE WITH BLEACH TO CLEAN
11-WIPE BASEBOARDS AND DOORS
12-TAKE OUT THE TRASH
13-SWEEP THE LAUNDRY ROOM
14-MOP THE LAUNDRY ROOM
15-RESTOCK CLEANERS

Day five :(office )

1-CLEAN COMPUTER MONITOR AND KEYBOARD WITH AN AIR DUSTER AND CLOTH
2-UPDATE ALL CONTACTS
3-CLEAN THE DESKTOP OF UNWANTED FILES AND APPLICATIONS
4-CLEAN OUT PAPER FILES AND SHRED OLD PAPER.

Day six :(Living/Family Room)

1-VACUUM THE CARPET AND UNDERNEATH FURNITURE
2-REPLACE BATTERIES IN REMOTES
3-DUST AND CLEAN THE TELEVISION
4-DUST AND POLISH FURNITURE
5-VACUUM BETWEEN CUSHIONS
6-WASH THROW BLANKETS AND PILLOWS
7-DUST ENTERTAINMENT DEVICES
8-DUST FAN AND LIGHT FIXTURES
9-REPLACE LIGHT BULBS, IF NEEDED

Day seven :(kids room )

1-TIDY TOPS OF DESK & DRESSER
2-TOYS & STUFFIES PUT AWAY
3-DRESSER DRAWERS CLOSED
4-CLEAN CLOTHES AND PUT THEM AWAY
5-DIRTY CLOTHES IN THE HAMPER
6-BOOKS ON BOOKSHELF
7-SHOES NEATLY PUT AWAY
8-BED MADE

Remember to take a break.

How to actually wake up early ?

2023-05-10T15:05:00.001-02:00

Wake up early so that you can make your dreams come true instead of just dreaming!

Waking up early has a lot of benefits, so let me tell you some of them.

Benefits of waking up early :

1-More productive.

2-Feel less stressed out.

3-Take care of yourself first.

4-More mindful.

5-Sleep better.

6-Have more energy.

7-Build self-discipline habits.

8-Accomplish goals.

9-Have time to work out.

After we know the benefits of waking up early, now let's talk about how to do this.

tips on how to actually wake up early:

1-Gradually adjust your sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up a little earlier each day.

2-Create a bedtime routine that helps you wind down and relax before sleep.

3-Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.

4-Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool to promote good sleep.

5-Use an alarm clock or app that gradually wakes you with light or sound.

6-Get up as soon as your alarm goes off and avoid hitting snooze.

7-Have a reason to wake up early, such as exercise or a productive task.

8-Be consistent with your sleep schedule, even on weekends.

9-Remember that waking up early is a habit that takes time and effort to develop. Stick with it and you'll soon enjoy the benefits of starting your day on the right foot.

So Wake up early and tackle the day before it tackles you.

All you need to know about the climate conference

2022-11-10T10:47:00.003-02:00

The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2022

has begun starting from Monday 7/11/2022 to the next

week in the city of Sharm el-Sheikh

It discusses the issue of climate change, and discusses the

. posed solutions to confront and address it

The World leaders flock to the annual conference and It serves

as the official meeting of the Parties to the United

. Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

It is an international treaty signed by most countries of the world

. with the aim of limiting the impact of human activity on the climate

it is known that 197 countries have signed the framework agreement called

Parties ,and the parties to the United Nations Climate Change Conference

have met annually since 1995 ,With the aim of assessing progress made in

dealing with climate change, negotiating to prevent dangerous interference

by human activities on the climate system, setting legally binding limits on

greenhouse gas emissions for each individual country, and setting an

.implementation mechanism

. Any final COP text must be approved by consensus

Whereas, the annual COP meetings are a means through which the

global community coordinates actions to reduce greenhouse gas

. missions that are leading to global warming

The main goal is to cap the increase in global average temperatures,

which is currently on track for an increase of about 2.7°C or more

.by the end of the century

Al-Mashat: House of Representatives Approves Two International Cooperation Agreements Worth $ 53 Million to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic

2020-08-24T08:15:00.001-02:00

Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, said that the House of Representatives has approved two international cooperation agreements with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Arab Fund for Development worth $53 million to support the state's efforts and its emergency response to combat the COVID-19 pandemic
Al Mashat added that these two agreements come within the framework of the “Global Partnerships for Effective Development Cooperation” multi-stakeholder platform launched in April 2020, which aims to strengthen partnerships to harmonize all development interventions to maximize impact and work towards ending poverty, fighting inequality and addressing the urgency of climate change.
The minister noted that the COVID-19 proved the urgent need for international cooperation and coordination to overcome the crisis and support countries to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as no country will be able to overcome the current crisis on its own.
The House of Representatives approved Presidential Decision No. 452 of 2020 regarding approval of a loan agreement between Egypt and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to fund the emergency response to combat COVID-19 in Egypt worth 50 million US dollars signed on 5 March. The parliament also approved Presidential Decision No. 427 of 2020 regarding approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between Egypt and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development to provide aid worth one million Kuwaiti dinars, equivalent to $ 3.2 million, to contribute to supporting the fight against the pandemic.
To enhance the government's emergency response capacity to combat the pandemic, Al Mashat clarified that the agreement signed with the World Bank helps achieve so by providing medical equipment, training medical personnel, equipping quarantine rooms and treatment centers to combat the virus, and mobilizing rapid response teams to track contacts of cases. Additionally, it will help in developing content and tools to improve public awareness of HIV prevention, as well as innovative monitoring and evaluation of social distancing strategies.
She pointed out that the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development aims to contribute to meeting urgent needs to support efforts to combat the COVID-19 and limit its spread, as well as to cover the costs of meeting basic medical equipment, medicines, and means of monitoring to limit the spread of the virus, all of which help ensure protect citizens.
Al-Mashat stressed the importance of these agreements to achieve Goal 3 of SDGs for good health and wellbeing, as well as Goal 17 for partnerships to achieve the goals, noting the ministry’s persistent efforts to push for a human-centered economy within the framework of cooperation between development partners to win international assistance for projects that are in line with the National Development Agenda 2030.

Tiger Woods praises 'fantastic' Black Lives Matter movement

2020-07-15T09:42:00.000-02:00

Ahead of his first competitive appearance since the death of George Floyd, Tiger Woods has called the Black Lives Matter movement "fantastic."

Speaking before the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, Woods believes that the BLM movement is a way to move society forward in its search for equality.
"I think change is fantastic," he said in a press conference. "As long as we make changes without hurting the innocent -- and unfortunately that has happened, hopefully it doesn't happen in the future -- but a movement and change is fantastic.
"That's how society develops. That's how we grow. That's how we move forward. That's how we have fairness. Unfortunately, we've lost innocent lives along the way, and hopefully we don't lose any more in the future as we move to a much better place socially."

Trump offers denial and delusion as pandemic crisis overtakes his presidency

2020-07-15T09:34:00.002-02:00

Rarely has a president shown himself to be so unequal to a tragic national emergency.

Hundreds of Americans are dying daily and tens of thousands are getting infected from a once-in-a-century virus. States and cities are closing down again, threatening to trigger a ruinous new economic slump. Doctors and nurses lack sufficient protective gear as they battle the deadly pathogen. And with testing swamped by waves of disease, one top official is warning of the "the most difficult time" ever for US public health this winter.
Yet this is what is on Donald Trump's mind: Joe Biden didn't fix the country's roads and bridges, crowds of bikers and boaters in MAGA hats prove that election polls are wrong, and the border wall is almost finished (except it isn't). Oh, and by the way, where is Hunter Biden?
Trump struck all the wrong notes on Tuesday, a day when Florida, now the world's coronavirus epicenter, recorded its highest-ever Covid-19 death toll, and Texas broke its record for single day infections. The President offered denial and delusion at a White House appearance that even by his standards was a rambling, grievance-fueled mess.
What is needed from Trump and his administration is a plan to tackle the most relentless national challenge since World War II, consoling words to memorialize the 136,000 Americans who are already dead and the thousands destined to follow, and the rhetoric to summon the will to triumph over this invisible enemy.

All Trump could offer on Tuesday was self-pity, incoherence and indifference. He came across as a leader living in a different dimension from his people and their fear and suffering and uncertainty about what the coming months will bring.

Al-Azhar is banned from pubg game because of the player's kneeling scenes

2020-06-04T21:49:00.000-02:00

Al-Azhar International Center for Electronic Fatwa warned of the game "Mobile Phone" after a new update that contains the player kneeling to a idol in a map called "Sanhok", where the player is required to kneel to obtain equipment and weapons.

The center said: "The danger of the game did not depend on killing, suicide and self-harm, but rather exceeded it to directly affect the belief of our children, so that the risk of this game increases recently after the issuance of an update that contains the prostration of the player and his kneeling to idol in order to obtain concessions within the game." .

He continued: "There is no doubt that it is a very dangerous matter, a great influence on the souls of our youth and young people who represent the majority of the fans of this game. For a child or a young man to resort to other than God, Glory be to Him, to ask a benefit or pay a harmful thing, even in a virtual, entertaining electronic reality, something that disturbs his belief in God his Creator Glory be to Him, and underestimates the worship of others, even if it is a stone that does neither harm nor benefit.

The Center reiterated its affirmation of the sanctity of all electronic games "that call for violence or contain wrong ideas by which it is intended to distort the faith or the law and contempt of religion, and call for kneeling or prostrating to other than God Almighty or humiliation of sanctities or violence or hatred or terrorism or harm to the soul or others."

India is using drones and fire trucks to fight its worst locust invasion in almost 30 years

2020-06-02T05:29:00.000-02:00

As India continues its battle with the coronavirus pandemic a new kind of invasion is threatening to destroy vital crops and vegetation -- the worst locust swarm the country has seen in almost 30 years.

Waves of desert locusts -- millions strong and stretching up to 7 kilometers (4 miles) long -- crossed into India's western state of Rajasthan from neighboring Pakistan in early May and swarms have since pushed into five different states in search of food.
The desert locust is the most destructive of all food-eating locust species because of its speed and ability to multiply rapidly, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Adult locusts can fly up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) a day and eat their own body weight -- equal to 2 grams -- worth of fresh vegetation in that period.
A swarm can vary from one to several hundred square kilometers -- with each square kilometer containing up to 80 million adult locusts.
The FAO said much of the locust movements were driven by the strong westerly winds in the wake of Cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal, which slammed into India and Bangladesh on May 20, killing at least 90 people and causing more than $13.2 billion dollars in damage.
From Rajasthan, the swarm entered Uttar Pradesh -- which borders the capital New Delhi -- in the north, Madhya Pradesh in central India and Maharashtra and Gujarat in the west on Thursday, according to India's agriculture minister.
Other states have been put on alert. Jharkhand in the country's east, issued a state-wide alert to farmers on Sunday to prepare for locust swarms, according to P K Sannigrahi, senior scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra Knowledge Network in the state.
"Lighting a fire, bursting crackers, banging plates and tins, and playing the drums as well can chase locusts away, these insects can't tolerate loud noises," the advisory issued to farmers read.
The New Delhi government also issued an advisory to be prepared if the swarms turned toward the national capital.

Police arrested 66 protesters in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Monday night

2020-06-02T05:16:00.002-02:00

Law enforcement in Saint Paul, Minnesota arrested 66 protesters Monday night during a peaceful protest outside the State Capitol, police said.

Demonstrators marched from the governor’s mansion to the Capitol to protest the death of George Floyd. Those who refused to leave after the 10 p.m. curfew went into effect were quietly taken away in restraints.

St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell told CNN earlier today that "our heart breaks for the Floyd family."

"Our community is hurting, our police officers are hurting," Axtell said. "All of the police leaders throughout the country and leaders throughout the country in general need to open our eyes, ears, and most importantly, our hearts to what is going on throughout the country."

He also suggested the other Minneapolis officers involved in Floyd's death held responsibility. "We have a strict policy in the St. Paul police department that you have an absolute duty to intervene," he said. "It was absolutely preventable."
CNN

Trump: Corona Virus sourced from China's Wuhan Laboratory

2020-05-01T02:04:00.003-02:00

Donald Trump claims to have seen evidence to substantiate the
unproven theory that the coronavirus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, despite US intelligence agencies’ conclusion that the virus was “not manmade or genetically modified”.

“We’re going to see where it comes from,” Trump said at a White House event on Thursday. “We have people looking at it very, very strongly. Scientific people, intelligence people, and others. We’re going to put it all together. I think we will have a very good answer eventually. And China might even tell us.”

Pressed to explain what evidence he had seen that the virus originated in a Chinese lab, Trump responded, “I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that.”

Prior to the White House event, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the clearinghouse for the web of US spy agencies, issued a statement asserting that the intelligence community “concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified”.

“The intelligence community will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan,” the statement added.

Trump’s comments came as global infections passed 3.25 million, a third of which were in the US, and where the death toll was approaching 63,000. Recoveries worldwide have passed 1 million.
The US president is increasingly making Beijing’s handling of the outbreak a major issue for his November re-election campaign and has repeatedly threatened retaliation against Beijing.

The president and his allies have repeatedly touted the theory – for which there is no evidence – that an infectious disease lab in Wuhan, the center of the Chinese outbreak, was the source of the global pandemic that has killed more than 220,000 worldwide.

The World Health Organization’s representative in China, Gauden Galea, said the organisation has made requests of Chinese authorities to join research into the origins of the virus. “We know that some national investigation is happening but at this stage we have not been invited to join,” he told Sky News in remarks published on Thursday.
He said the WHO has not been able to look at logs from two laboratories in Wuhan that were working on viruses but that researchers are convinced the disease was not manufactured.

“From all available evidence, WHO colleagues in our three-level system are convinced that the origins are in Wuhan and that it is a naturally occurring, not a manufactured, virus,” he said.

Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said earlier this month that “the mere fact that we don’t know the answers that China hasn’t shared the answers I think is very, very telling”. Pompeo pressed China to let outside experts into the lab “so that we can determine precisely where this virus began”.

Scientists say the virus arose naturally in bats. Even so, Pompeo and others have pointed fingers at an institute that is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has done groundbreaking research tracing the likely origins of the Sars virus, finding new bat viruses and discovering how they could jump to people.

“We know that there is the Wuhan Institute of Virology just a handful of miles away from where the wet market was,” Pompeo said two weeks ago. The institute has an address eight miles, or 13 km, from the market.

US officials say the American embassy in Beijing flagged concerns about potential safety issues at the lab in Wuhan in 2018 but have yet to find any evidence the virus originated there nearly two years later.

After initially praising the Chinese government’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, Trump has reversed course in recent weeks, blaming China for not containing the virus more quickly.

On Thursday Trump said: “I don’t want to cast any dispersions [sic], I just will tell you that China would like to see sleepy Joe Biden” win the presidential election in November. “China doesn’t want to see me re-elected.”
The president’s recent attacks on China line up with leaked Republican party memos, published by Politico, encouraging candidates to aggressively target Beijing in their public remarks on the pandemic.

The Chinese government said on Thursday that any claims that the coronavirus was released from a laboratory were “unfounded and purely fabricated out of nothing”.
The foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang cited the institute’s director, Yuan Zhiming, as saying the lab strictly implements bio-security procedures that would prevent the release of any pathogen.

Advertisement

Geng also refuted Trump’s claim that China was attempting to meddle in the US election. “The US presidential election is an internal affair, we have no interest in interfering in it,” he said.

He also criticized US politicians who have suggested China should be held accountable for the global pandemic, saying they should spend their time on “better controlling the epidemic situation at home”.

In an op-ed published on Thursday, editor of the state-run Global Times, Hu Xijin, labelled Trump’s focus on China a “stunt to divert Americans’ rage towards his administration’s own incompetence in fighting the virus”.

“Only by making Americans hate China can they make sure that the public might overlook the fact that Trump’s team is stained with the blood of Americans,” said Hu.

Trump says US is investigating claims that coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab

2020-04-16T01:58:00.002-02:00

President Donald Trump says the US has "passed the peak" of new
Covid-19 cases and predicted some states would reopen this month.

At the daily White House virus briefing, Mr Trump said new reopening guidelines would be announced on Thursday after he speaks to governors.

"We'll be the comeback kids, all of us," the president said. "We want to get our country back."

The US has nearly 637,716 confirmed Covid-19 cases and over 30,826 deaths
"The data suggests that nationwide, we have passed the peak of new cases," Mr Trump told reporters in the Rose Garden on Wednesday.

"Hopefully that will continue, and we will continue to make great progress."

?Why is NYC reporting a sudden surge in virus deaths
Asked why the US accounted for such a significant proportion of the global death toll of 136,908, Mr Trump accused other countries of lying about their mortality rate.

"Does anybody really believe the numbers of some of these countries?" he said, naming China.

The Trump administration has previously pencilled in 1 May as a possible date to reopen the nation, but the president said some
states may be able to return to normalcy earlier than that
"I think that will be a very exciting time indeed," he said.

When questioned about the dangers of reopening the nation too soon, Mr Trump said: "There's also death involved in keeping it closed."

He cited mental health issues, saying suicide hotlines were "exploding" as the economy freezes.

Millions of Americans have lost their jobs due to lockdown measures across the country, and unemployment numbers are at record levels.

Retail sales dropped by 8.7% in March, the biggest decline since tracking began in 1992, according to government data released on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the governors of Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania each issued orders or guidelines that residents should wear face masks as they venture into society in the coming weeks.
"We are going to be getting back to normal - it will be a new normal," Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said large gatherings such as sports events and concerts would probably not be allowed in the city until 2021.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meanwhile said China must show "full transparency" on coronavirus, during a call with his Beijing counterpart, Yang Jiechi, the Department of State said.

Mr Pompeo has repeatedly accused Beijing of covering up the scale of the outbreak in the early days, which China denies.

Coronavirus cradle Wuhan partly reopens after lockdown

2020-03-28T08:23:00.000-02:00

The city in China where the coronavirus pandemic began, Wuhan,

has partially re-opened after more than two months of isolation.

Crowds of passengers were pictured arriving at Wuhan train station on Saturday.

People are being allowed to enter but not leave, according to reports.

Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, saw more than 50,000 coronavirus cases. At least 3,000 people in Hubei died from the disease.

But numbers have fallen dramatically, according to China's figures. The state on Saturday reported 54 new cases emerging the previous day - which it said were all imported.

As it battles to control cases coming from abroad, China has announced a temporary ban on all foreign visitors, even if they have visas or residence permits. It is also limiting Chinese and foreign airlines to one flight per week, and flights must not be more than 75% full.

Coronavirus: Trump suspends travel from Europe to US

2020-03-12T05:02:00.002-02:00

US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new travel
restrictions on Europe in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

But he said the "strong but necessary" restrictions would not apply to the UK, which has 460 cases of the virus.

A presidential proclamation issued later specified that only travellers from the 26 countries in the Schengen border-free travel area were barred.

This leaves a number of other European countries as well as the UK unaffected.

"To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe," Mr Trump said from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening.

"The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight," he added. The travel order does not apply to US citizens.

There are 1,135 confirmed cases of the virus across the US, with 38 deaths so far.
Mr Trump said the European Union had "failed to take the same precautions" as the US in fighting the virus.

A Presidential Proclamation, published shortly after Mr Trump's speech, specified that the ban applies to anyone who has been in the EU's Schengen border-free area within 14 days prior to their arrival in the US.

This implies that Ireland is excluded from the ban as it is not one of the 26 Schengen countries. Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania are also EU members without being part of the Schengen area. Other countries - like Switzerland and Iceland - are part of Schengen but not in the European Union.

Mr Trump spoke just hours after Italy - the worst affected country outside China - announced tough new restrictions on its citizens. It will close all shops except food stores and pharmacies as part of its nationwide lockdown.

He said the travel suspension would also "apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo" coming from Europe into the US. But he later tweeted to say that "trade will in no way be affected" by the new measures

Mr Trump also announced plans to provide billions of dollars in loans to small businesses, and urged Congress to pass major tax relief measures in an attempt to stymie the effect of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy.

"We are marshalling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people," he said.

What's the situation in the US?
Officials had said the risk of infection was low for the general US public, but concern deepened after a number of new cases were confirmed earlier this month.

Containment efforts have begun in earnest. Troops have been deployed to New Rochelle, just north of New York City, where one outbreak is believed to have originated.

The National Guard will deliver food to some individuals who have been told to self-isolate there.

Here are the African countries with confirmed coronavirus cases

2020-03-12T04:53:00.001-02:00

As coronavirus spreads across the globe, countries in Africa are taking preventive measures to keep the disease out and many are showing a strong level of preparedness to counter its spread.

There are now more than 100 cases recorded in 11 countries in Africa, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization.
Egypt remains the nation with the most reported cases with 59, more than half of all confirmed cases on the continent.
Most of the cases in Egypt are among passengers and crew members aboard a Nile cruise ship coming from southern city of Aswan to Luxor, Egypt state-run Ahram Online reported.
Egypt's health ministry announced Sunday that a German citizen was the first death from the virus in the country, according to Ahram Online.
Handwashing at bus stops
Although there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Rwanda, citizens are encouraged to maintain good hygiene.
A video posted by The New Times Rwanda on Twitter shows commuters washing their hands at taps installed at a bus station in Kigali.

China expels Wall Street Journal reporters over article

2020-02-20T00:17:00.000-02:00

China announced that it would expel three journalists from the American "Wall Street Journal" because of the title of an editorial published earlier this month, which it considered "racial discrimination", while the newspaper confirmed that its journalists were asked to leave within five days.

The expulsion decision, which is considered the most severe against foreign media, came in the past few years, while Beijing also condemned Washington's decision to tighten laws on the official Chinese media in the United States, saying it was "irrational and unacceptable."
Later, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned this decision and urged Beijing to respect freedom of the press.

"The responsible countries are aware that the free press publishes the facts and expresses their views," Pompeo said in a statement. "The correct answer is to present opposition arguments, not to restrict freedom of expression."

William Lewis, chief executive of the Dow Jones Group, the Wall Street Journal publisher, said in a statement sent to AFP: "It was not our intention to offend with this address. However, he clearly annoyed the Chinese, which we regret."

The official recalled that opinion pieces on the Wall Street Journal were completely separate from the editorial board.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jing Shuang said the editorial entitled "China is the actual sick man in Asia" involved "racial discrimination" and "arousal", and condemned the newspaper for not making an official apology.

"So today, China has decided to withdraw the cards of three reporters from the Wall Street Journal in Beijing," Ging told a press conference.
The newspaper reported that the deputy director of the office, Josh Chen, and the reporter Zhao Ding, both US citizens, and journalist Philip Wynn, who is Australian, were asked to leave the country within five days.

The article, written by Professor at the University of Bard Walter Russell Mead, also criticized the Chinese government's first response measures to the emerging Corona Virus crisis - the Wuhan city government described the epidemic as "secret and serving its interests," considering national efforts ineffective.

The article, published on February 3, "defames the efforts of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in combating the epidemic."
The epidemic, which the World Health Organization has named Covid-19, has killed more than 2,000 people in China, infected more than 74,000 others, and has moved to more than 20 countries around the world.

"Positive" developments for Corona and talk of "benign type"

2020-02-19T02:47:00.002-02:00

China announced earlier that the death toll from the emerging corona virus has risen to two thousand, but today, Wednesday, the rate of new infections has continued to decrease, in an indication of significance.

The National Health Committee said the Chinese mainland had recorded 1,749 new cases of coronavirus, Tuesday, down from the previous day's 1886 cases, and Tuesday's cases represented the lowest rate of new infections since January 29.

This brings the total number of confirmed infections on the mainland to 74,185 cases so far.

Declining numbers of infections indicate an assumed efficacy over China's tough measures to contain the virus, which has raised global concerns.

On Monday, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanum Gebresus, announced that, according to a study conducted by the "Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention", which involved more than 72 thousand people infected with Covid-19 disease caused by the virus, it has been proven that more than 80% of patients are infected With a benign form of this disease.

Likewise, the study showed that the death rate of the new coronavirus is negligible in those under the age of 40, as it does not exceed 0.2 percent, and then increases gradually with age.

The number of deaths from the virus on the Chinese mainland reached 2004 through the end of Tuesday, an increase of 136 deaths from the previous day.

Outside mainland China, the number of people infected with the virus has reached nearly 900 today, spread over nearly 30 countries, and only 6 of them died after it was announced in Hong Kong, Wednesday morning, that the second death from the virus had been recorded for a 70-year-old man.

The man was already suffering from latent illness, and he is one of 62 people confirmed to have the virus in the city.

The director of the Wuhan City Hospital died of the Corona virus

2020-02-18T03:30:00.001-02:00

Chinese state television announced the death of a director of a major hospital in Wuhan on Tuesday, due to infection with the new Corona virus.

The source said Lu Zhiming, general manager of Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, died of infection with the emerging coronavirus, on Tuesday morning.

The news came after the Chinese doctor underwent emergency recovery, after his health had deteriorated greatly due to HIV infection, according to a social media account of a director of the Hubei Provincial Health Committee.

Official figures released on Tuesday revealed that the death toll from the emerging corona virus has exceeded 1,800 people in China.

And counted the health authorities in the province from which the virus began to spread, 1,807 new infections on Tuesday, bringing the total to at least 72,300 infections in China.

There are no drugs or vaccines yet for the new virus, and the process of developing and trying new drugs may take several months

Russia: subjecting participants to meetings with Putin to examine the Corona virus

2020-02-06T14:04:00.000-02:00

The Kremlin announced Thursday that it has begun subjecting officials and journalists attending events in which President Vladimir Putin is being subjected to a thermal examination in light of fears of the emerging Corona virus.

"This is a precautionary measure," Presidential Spokesman Dmitry

Peskov told the official news agency, RIA Novosti, after examining reporters in the Kremlin Thursday afternoon.

Peskov added that all those present at the meetings attended by the Russian leader will be examined.

"There are now new security measures in the Kremlin - one of them carries a thermal camera to measure your temperature," said Anton Zelnov, a freelance TV reporter on his Facebook page.

And the temperatures of all the journalists working in the Kremlin took place before the start of the State Council meeting (an official consulting institution) on Thursday, and all of them were allowed in, according to the official news agency.

The agency quoted officials as saying that the measure was taken to prevent the spread of the new Corona virus in Russia.

Two outbreaks of the epidemic have been confirmed in Russia, which shares a 4,000-km border with China, and both sufferers have Chinese citizenship and are receiving treatment at a Siberian hospital.

Russia closed its land border with China and took other measures to halt the spread of the virus.

The Kremlin's move is not surprising, as Putin has always sought to protect himself from health risks.

And last year, the Russian President brought his special cup to a formal dinner at the G20 summit in Japan. This left a wave of funny comments on social media.

A video of dinner showed the Russian leader, who has been in office for nearly 20 years, drinking from a white cup while other leaders drinking from regular drinking glasses

Killed and injured in random shooting at the University of Texas, American

2020-02-03T21:00:00.000-02:00

Two people were killed and a third injured in a shooting incident at the University of Texas A&M Commerce in Texas, USA.

US media, citing sources, said that all lectures that were scheduled for the rest of the day at the university, about 100 km northeast of Dallas, were canceled.