Israeli airline El Al suspends most operations

Source: CNN

Israeli airline El Al announced that it is suspending most of its operations beginning this Sunday, the company said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

The airline will maintain connections to New York, Newark, Toronto, London, Paris and Johannesburg, but flights to other locations, such as Moscow, Mumbai, and most destinations in Europe will be suspended.

The statement made no mention of when flights may resume.



Read more: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-03-12-20-intl-hnk/h_ae3d9f06459fcac6477c2f36b866d9be

Virus Shutters Nordic Schools as Number of Cases Hits 2,000

Source: Bloomberg

Denmark and Norway are closing schools while large gatherings have been banned across the Nordic region and swathes of workers sent home, as the number of people contaminated by the coronavirus approaches 2,000.

“We’re in uncharted territory here,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at an emergency press briefing convened late on Wednesday. “We’ve never tried anything like this before.”

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-11/denmark-shuts-down-schools-sends-home-non-critical-staff

Macron shuts all schools in France until further notice

Source: Washington Post

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the French public late Thursday, announcing that all schools and universities in France would be closed from Monday until further notice and that those over age 70 should stay home as much as possible.

Macron said that France’s borders would remain open and that any future closures would not be imposed without coordination with the European Union. But he urged every French citizen to make sacrifices in confronting what he called the most serious epidemic the country has faced in a century.

In recent months, Macron’s government has been the target of a slew of violent demonstrations against his reforms to France’s famously generous retirement system.

But on Thursday, Macron — often criticized in the French press for seeming aloof — promised a generous slew of provisions for those whose lives were most likely to be disrupted by the coronavirus. Chief among them was waiving penalties for late March tax payments.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/12/coronavirus-live-updates/

"Bill De Blasio: "I think we'll be at 1,000 [COVID-19] cases next week."

Live press conference

ALL Maryland and Ohio schools closing...

NYC COVID-19 cases essentially doubled overnight...

NCAA Championships have now been cancelled...

Previously, they were going to play without audiences.

I am hearing from a source that NYC will implement an isolation protocol starting on Sunday...

...checking for confirmation.

New York Is Keeping Broadway Theaters Open Despite Advice From Coronavirus Experts

Source: BuzzFeed News

The theaters have been deep-cleaned, according to the representatives, and both organizations are "closely following all protocols related to containment and prevention," including informing all employees who may have been exposed and urging all high-risk audience members to "monitor their health diligently."

But the shows still went on Wednesday night and the theaters have no current plans to close due to the virus — despite experts recommending "social distancing," or avoiding large crowds, to stop the spread of the virus.

Ticket holders were, however, permitted to exchange their tickets for ones at a later date.

In fact, several shows — including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? — have been offering $50 discount tickets to keep crowds coming as more and more people avoid large public gatherings.


Read more: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/coronavirus-broadway-theater-usher-tickets

DNC Statement on Sunday's Debate

DNC Communications Director Xochitl Hinojosa released the following statement regarding Sunday’s debate: