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Why Isn’t Anyone Following Me On Instagram?

Science & Technology

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Apr 21, 2020

If you just searched the words “why isn’t anyone following me on Instagram,” then you’re obviously frustrated. You put in a lot of work to establish your brand and create content. You are now attempting to build your audience, but no dice. No one’s following you. All of these other brand and business accounts seem to have figured out the secret, and you want to know what it is.

What are you doing wrong? Let’s address some of the possibilities.

Your content is boring

Content is the most important part of your Instagram account and strategy. It’s the ultimate reason why people follow you. Without content, you have nothing to share, and therefore no audience.

Simply having content is not enough. Images detailing promotions and sales won’t cut it — neither will poorly-shot photos of you and your friends if you have a personal brand. Every picture, every video, needs to be well-produced, dynamic, and interesting. How else will you capture people’s attention?

You post too inconsistently

It’s possible that people decide not to follow you because you post too inconsistently. Do you post three times a week, or once a month? Your content may have caught someone’s eye and they want to see more, but upon visiting your profile, they discover that you post so irregularly and infrequently that they decide you aren’t worth their time. They follow hundreds or even thousands of people already, and they aren’t interested in an account that will be drowned out.

You might also be posting too much. There is no definitive number of times per day or week to publish new material — it’s different for everyone — but posting too often makes you seem spammy. No one wants you clogging up their feed.

You don’t post at the right times

Besides the frequency at which you post, it’s also possible that people aren’t seeing your content to begin with. No wonder no one is following you! The time of day you post matters, such as in the morning when people wake up, in the afternoons when they get home from work, and at night before they go to bed.

The precise times of day to post at depends on your audience. Instead of relying on trial and error or guesswork to figure out when your audience is most active online, you can use analytics tools like Sprout Social, Buffer, and Later to tell you when the best opportunities are to share new material.

You’re trying too hard

Ask yourself: are you trying too hard? Are you trying too hard to be people’s friend, or win their affections? It’s true that users want to know you are accessible — such as through returned engagement and customer service — but don’t expect too much from your followers. They do not want to be friends with brands as if they are people, they just want you to care about their feedback.

It’s also against your best interests to try to seem more popular than you are. Purchasing fake followers for false social proof is more noticeable than you think. Users can see that you have a high follower count and low engagement rate, so don’t resort to something unethical. If you are struggling to attract followers and put your content in front of the right eyes, then you can buy targeted Instagram followers from other sources.

You keep forgetting hashtags

You may be neglecting hashtags. Hashtags are an integral component of Instagram and help keep an extremely cluttered platform navigable. With over a billion users and the even higher number of posts, hashtags categorize content so that people can find material and profiles that they are interested in.

Are you using hashtags in your posts? If not, you need to remember to tag them with relevant keywords. There is no definite number that will guarantee you perfect visibility, but most experts agree on 8-10. Make sure your hashtags are pertinent to your brand and not simply whatever is trending (though it is beneficial to pay attention to trending hashtags in your niche).

You don’t follow other people, either

If you want people to follow you, it’s important to follow other people, too! It’s not necessary to follow everyone who follows you (and no one likes it when someone follows them, only to be unfollowed as soon as it’s reciprocated), but you should follow a few of your fans and other strategic accounts. Participating in your field’s conversation means being able to interact with other users and brands.

So, why isn’t anyone following you on Instagram? It’s because you need to be strategic about your campaign, and not focus on only a few details. Why do you think people aren’t following you, and how will you fix it?

How to Find the Best Flowers to Order Online

How To...

Dana R

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Apr 21, 2020

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How to Find the Best Flowers to Order Online

Every year, people all across the globe spend more than $34 billion on flowers. Many of them patronize one of the many flower shops scattered around the world to do it.

But these days, it’s never been easier to order flowers online when you want to buy them for yourself or send them to someone special. You can find the best flowers for just about any occasion online in a matter of minutes and have them delivered on the same day in most instances.

It doesn’t matter if you want to freshen up your living room with a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers or show your mom how much you love her by surprising her with a bouquet of roses. You can pick out the perfect flowers online and have the best floral delivery service drop them off at any time.

Want to see just how easy it is to find the best flowers online and order them? Here are the steps you should take to experience it for yourself.

Begin by Taking a Look at Some of the Sites That Sell Flowers Online

The first thing you’re going to want to do if you’re interested in buying the best flowers online is take a look at some of the sites that specialize in selling them. This part of the process is going to be easier said than done.

There are more than 30,000 florists throughout the U.S. right now. And many of them have set their sights on providing people with the opportunity to buy flowers online in recent years.

The good news for you is that most of these florists are locally owned and operated and will only deliver flowers to those in their cities and towns. But the bad news is that there are still so many options out there for people interested in ordering flowers online, which can make it hard to pick one.

Start your search by familiarizing yourself with as many of these options as you can. Googling things like “flowers online order” and “best delivery flowers” should provide you with the names of some reputable companies.

You should consider both companies in the vicinity of your general location as well as companies that serve the entire nation.

See What Other People Have Said About Ordering Flowers From These Sites

Once you’ve compiled a list of the best floral delivery service options, poke around online and see what other people have said about ordering flowers from the sites you’re considered. You can learn a lot about them and what they bring to the table.

In a perfect world, you want to work with a flower delivery service that has pretty much nothing but great reviews. The reviews that you read from their past customers should say things like:

“WOW! My flowers arrived right on time and were so fresh. I can’t wait to order more flowers from this site in the future!”
“I ordered a bouquet of roses for my wife from this site last month and she is STILL raving about them. They were super fresh and looked even better than they did online!”
“I can’t believe what a great customer service team this site has. They helped me place a last-minute order and made sure the best flowers showed up at my front door on the morning of my anniversary. I will be back again next year!”

Even the best floral delivery service is going to get a negative review every now and then. But you should steer clear of working with a site if their reviews are filled with things like: “Flowers came TWO DAYS late and company didn’t seem to care. No refund and, more importantly, no apology. AWFUL!”

Check out the Different Types of Flowers Available Through the Sites

Do you have your sights set on ordering very specific types of flowers for yourself or someone else? You should keep in mind that not all sites that specialize in delivering flowers carry every type of flower.

Visit the sites that you’re thinking about using and browse through the different floral arrangements that they have listed. Look at the photos of the arrangements and, if they have them, scroll through the product descriptions for them as well.

These product descriptions should break down which flowers appear in each of the arrangements and give you a better idea of which flowers will be available to you if you order them through a particular site. Some of the most popular flower options are:

Roses
Carnations
Lilies
Daisies
Orchids
Gardenias
Tulips
Sunflowers
Dahlias

The great thing about flowers is that, if one type isn’t available for whatever reason, there is usually another type that would serve as a great substitute for it. But if you have a type of flower that you’re dead set on using, it’s a good idea to glance through what a site has to offer before placing an order through it.

Find out If the Sites Will Allow You to Create Customized Flower Bouquets

The average person doesn’t know a whole lot about what goes into creating a floral arrangement from scratch. It’s a big part of the reason why they choose to buy floral arrangements from flower shops or order the best flowers online.

Most people would prefer to leave the flower arranging to the professionals. They’re able to get a much better-finished product in the end when they buy a pre-made floral arrangement as opposed to trying to design it themselves.

With that being said, there are some people out there who do know a heck of a lot about creating beautiful flower bouquets. They know what they want a floral arrangement to look like and they expect to be able to order one that has been customized to their specifications.

Do you fall into this category? If so, you should know that not all floral delivery sites are going to allow you to customize the flower bouquets you order from them. Some take so many orders every day that they don’t have time to do too many customizations to their floral arrangements.

If you would like to order a customized flower arrangement for yourself or send one to someone you know, you’ll need to find a site that’s open to customization. A smaller site with more time to devote to customer service would probably be best.

See What Kinds of Floral Delivery Options Each Site Offers

Are you ordering flowers for yourself and not all that concerned about when they arrive as long as they show up at some point? Then you don’t have to spend too much time sifting through the floral delivery options you’ll get from different sites.

But if you’re ordering flowers for a birthday, an anniversary, a holiday, or another special occasion, you should be concerned about the floral delivery options that will be available to you. You do not want to place an order for flowers from a company that can’t deliver them on time.

Ideally, you should try to find a site that promises next-day and same-day delivery options. This will illustrate their commitment to delivering flowers as quickly as possible and give you options when it comes to when you will send flowers to someone.

Compare the Flower Prices That Each Site Extends to Customers

Unfortunately, a lot of the people who go looking for a site to provide them with flower delivery services make cost their No. 1 concern. They don’t think about most of the other things here and choose a service based solely on how much they charge for flowers and deliveries.

This is not the best way to track down a great site that’s going to provide you with superior products and services. More than likely, you’re going to end up sending subpar flowers to someone and hoping that they arrive on time if you take this approach to buying flowers online and go with your cheapest option.

Instead, you should compare the prices that a bunch of different sites offer for similar bouquets. Check out the prices for both the flowers that these sites sell and the delivery services that they provide.

Doing this will give you a much better idea as far as which sites provide great deals and which sites seem to be charging way too much for either flowers or delivery. This will make it easy for you to stay well within your budget when ordering the best flowers online.

Consider Ordering Floral Arrangements From a Flower Subscription Service

Thus far, we’ve focused mainly on how to go about searching for sites that make it their mission to provide people with flowers for special occasions. You might order from these sites once or twice a year, if that.

But it’s worth noting that there is another option for those who want to order the best flowers for themselves or for a special someone. You can look into using a flower subscription service that will send you flowers every week, every two weeks, or every month.

If you enjoy being surrounded by flowers all year round, this type of subscription service might be perfect for you. You can have flowers sent directly to your home as often as you would like without having to do anything other than keep your subscription active.

This type of subscription service would also make a great gift if you’re looking for something to buy your parent, your grandparent, your best friend, or your neighbor. People will absolutely love getting a flower delivery on a regular basis and will thank you over and over again for it.

The great thing about signing up for a flower subscription service—outside of all the gorgeous flowers, of course—is that these services know they need to fight to earn your repeat business every time they send flowers your way. It’ll guarantee that you find the freshest, most beautiful flowers waiting for you at your front door every time a floral arrangement is delivered.

Analyze How Fresh Flowers From a Site Are When They Arrive

You can do every single thing that we mentioned on this list and find what you think is the best floral delivery service in the business. But the truth is that you’re not really going to know if they’re the best until you see the flowers they send out.

There are plenty of sites out there that put up incredible photos of flowers and promise to offer the fastest delivery services around. They also claim to offer the best prices and great customer service to match.

But until you see the types of flowers that they send out for yourself, there’s no surefire way of knowing where they stand compared to other sites. You need to check out their flowers when they arrive to see how fresh and fragrant they truly are.

This will let you know whether or not you should order flowers from them again. If they don’t hit the mark, there are so many other great sites that would love to have your business.

Buying the Best Flowers Online Is Even Easier Than You Might Think

When different companies started selling their flowers online, ordering them turned into a crapshoot for many people. Those ordering flowers weren’t exactly sure what was going to show up.

But these days, the companies that specialize in selling the best flowers online have perfected the craft of creating beautiful floral arrangements and shipping them out to their customers. They have the whole process down to a science.

That has made it a little difficult for people to narrow down their choices and select one site over all the rest when ordering flowers online. But it’s made it so much easier for them to order flowers and to trust that they’re going to look amazing when they arrive.

If you’ve never tried ordering flowers online, give it a try today. You’ll be blown away by how simple it is to order them and have them sent anywhere you want.

Find out more about ordering flowers online by reading through the articles on our blog.

Coronavirus: US Oil Prices Fall to Lowest Level Since 1999

Clyde K. Valle

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Apr 20, 2020

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Coronavirus: US Oil Prices Fall to Lowest Level Since 1999

The price of US oil has dropped to a level not seen since 1999, as demand dries up and storage runs out.

The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil, dropped 14% to $15.65 in Asia trading on April 20.

The oil market has come under intense pressure during the coronavirus pandemic with a huge slump in demand.

US storage facilities are now struggling to cope with the glut of oil, weakening prices further.

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The oil industry has been struggling with both tumbling demand and in-fighting among producers about reducing output.

Earlier this month, OPEC members and its allies finally agreed a record deal to slash global output by about 10%. The deal was the largest cut in oil production ever to have been agreed.

However, analysts said the cuts were not big enough to make a difference.

Meanwhile, concern continues to mount that storage facilities in the US will run out of capacity, with stockpiles at Cushing, the main delivery point in the US for oil, rising almost 50% since the start of March, according to ANZ Bank.

“We hold some hope for a recovery later this year,” the bank said in its research note.

The drop was also driven by a technicality of the global oil market. Oil is traded on its future price and May futures contracts are due to expire on April 21. Traders will be keen to offload those holdings to avoid having to take delivery of the oil and incurring storage costs.

Brent oil, the benchmark used by Europe and the rest of the world, was slightly weaker, down 0.8% to $27.87 a barrel.

Coronavirus: Spain to Allow Children Outside After Six Weeks of Confinement

Europe News

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 19, 2020

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Coronavirus: Spain to Allow Children Outside After Six Weeks of Confinement

Spain will allow children outside after six weeks of confinement, the country’s prime minister has announced.

Spanish children have been kept at home since March 14, under strict measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Now PM Pedro Sánchez aims to relax the rule on April 27 so they can “get some fresh air”.

Meanwhile, Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, who has young children herself, this week pleaded with the government to allow children outside.

Spain has seen more than 20,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic and almost 200,000 reported cases.

In a TV briefing on April 18, PM Sánchez said Spain had left behind “the most extreme moments and contained the brutal onslaught of the pandemic”.

However, the prime minister said he would ask parliament to extend the country’s state of alarm to May 9 as the achievements made were “still insufficient and above all fragile” and could not be jeopardized by “hasty decisions”.

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Another 410 deaths were reported on April 19 – fewer than the previous day. The latest death toll is well down from the peak of the pandemic, and the government allowed some non-essential workers to resume construction and manufacturing on April 13.

However, the main lockdown measures remain in place, with adults only allowed out to visit food stores and pharmacies or work considered essential. Children have been barred from going outside their homes completely.

Spain’s eight million children have already spent five weeks in confinement and there has been growing unease at the risk to their health.

The Spanish Children’s Rights Coalition has warned of mental and physical health problems for children as a result of such measures and called for boys and girls to be allowed outside to play and do some physical activity.

Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau demanded: “These children need to get out. Wait no more: Free our children!”

Coronavirus: Orthodox Easter Celebrated Under Lockdown

James J. Williams

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Apr 18, 2020

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Coronavirus: Orthodox Easter Celebrated Under Lockdown

Orthodox Christians from all over the world are celebrating the most important festival in their calendar this weekend amid a series of restrictions and bans on traditional observance.

Authorities in Eastern Europe and the Middle East have said congregations must not attend services.

However, in Georgia, worshippers will still be able to attend churches.

Russia’s Orthodox Church has agreed to break from its annual traditions and is urging millions of believers not to attend church. Worshippers usually attend late-night processions to receive blessings. This year Mass will only be held in the presence of priests and other clergy.

In Greece, restrictions on movement have so far been widely praised for curbing the spread of coronavirus.

This Easter authorities have banned attendance of church services, which would normally attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

When the Holy Fire arrives in Athens on Saturday evening it will be taken to the Jerusalem patriarchate in Athens and unusually will not be distributed to churches elsewhere.

The Church has backed the ban and thousands of police have been deployed to prevent Greeks using the holiday to visit relatives or second homes.

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In Romania, people have been told they will not be allowed to leave their homes to receive the Holy Fire on Easter night or take bread splashed with holy water and wine, as is traditional. However, the Holy Light will be distributed to the homes of believers who request it.

The neighboring country, Bulgaria, has imposed a curfew on the capital Sofia to stop traffic in and out of the city to stop people heading off on holiday.

Churches in Serbia and Montenegro have told worshippers to celebrate Easter at home.

However, North Macedonia’s Orthodox Church says it will not use force to prevent people going to church.

InUkraine, officials have said riot police will be deployed if believers start gathering at churches in big numbers.

Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II held a Good Friday service without a congregation at a monastery north-east of Cairo. The service was televised live on Coptic Orthodox TV channels and showed deacons and priests gathered with gaps between them to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Holy Flame was taken on Saturday, April 18, to the Church of the Holy Nativity in the Palestinian town of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

The traditional Holy Fire ceremony went ahead in a near-deserted Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The church was closed last month and only a handful of Orthodox clergy, some of them wearing black masks, were allowed in for the ceremony.

A candle is traditionally lit with the Holy Fire in the crypt of the Holy Sepulchre by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, to symbolize the resurrection of Jesus.

Instead of the flame being passed on to thousands of pilgrims, this time the ceremony was attended by the Armenian Orthodox patriarch, four assistants and Coptic and Syrian archbishops, Israeli media report.

The church bells tolled and the flame was carried out of the church by Theophilos III and others to be taken to Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv and flown to 10 countries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVfwETJoZ40

Coronavirus: Wuhan Increases Death Toll By 50%

Kathryn R. Bown

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Apr 18, 2020

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Coronavirus: Wuhan Increases Death Toll By 50%

Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus originated last year, has raised its official Covid-19 death toll by 50%, adding 1,290 fatalities.

The city’s officials attributed the new figure to updated reporting and deaths outside hospitals. China has insisted there was no cover-up.

China has been accused of downplaying the severity of its virus outbreak.

Wuhan’s 11 million residents spent months in strict lockdown conditions, which have only recently been eased.

The latest official figures bring the death toll in Wuhan to 3,869, increasing the national total to more than 4,600.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, China has confirmed nearly 84,000 Covid-19 infections, the seventh-highest globally.

The new coronavirus has had a huge impact on China’s economy, which shrank for the first time in decades in the first quarter of the year.

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In a statement released on April 17, officials in Wuhan said the revised figures were the result of new data received from multiple sources, including records kept by funeral homes and prisons.

Deaths linked to the virus outside hospitals, such as people who died at home, had not previously been recorded.

According to the statement, the “statistical verification” followed efforts by authorities to “ensure that information on the city’s Covid-19 epidemic is open, transparent and the data [is] accurate”.

The statement added that health systems were initially overwhelmed and cases were “mistakenly reported” – in some instances counted more than once and in others missed entirely.

A shortage of testing capacity in the early stages meant that many infected patients were not accounted for, it said.

A spokesman for China’s National Health Commission, Mi Feng, said the new death count came from a “comprehensive review” of epidemic data.

In its daily news conference, the foreign ministry said accusations of a cover-up, which have been made most stridently on the world stage by President Donald Trump, were unsubstantiated. “We’ll never allow any concealment,” a spokesman said.

The April 17 revised figures come amid growing international concern that deaths in China have been under-reported. Questions have also been raised about Beijing’s handling of the epidemic, particularly in its early stages.

In December 2019, Chinese authorities launched an investigation into a mysterious viral pneumonia after cases began circulating in Wuhan.

The country reported the cases to the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN’s global health agency, on December 31.

However, WHO experts were only allowed to visit China and investigate the outbreak on February 10, by which time the country had more than 40,000 cases.

The mayor of Wuhan city has previously admitted there was a lack of action between the start of January – when about 100 cases had been confirmed – and January 23, when city-wide restrictions were enacted.

Around that time, Dr. Li Wenliang, who tried to warn his colleagues about an outbreak of a SARS-like virus, was silenced by the authorities. He later died from Covid-19.

Coronavirus: President Trump Unveils “Opening Up America Again” Guidelines

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 17, 2020

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Coronavirus: President Trump Unveils “Opening Up America Again” Guidelines

President Donald Trump has given governors guidance on reopening state economies in the coming months as the new coronavirus continues to spread across the US.

“Opening up America Again” guidelines outline three phases for states to gradually ease their lockdowns.

President Trump promised governors they would be handling the process themselves, with help from the federal government.

However, there has been a mixed reception to the plans, with a leading Democrat calling them vague and inconsistent.

The US currently has 699,044 confirmed cases and 36,849 deaths due to the virus, and President Trump has suggested some states could reopen this month.

In his daily briefing on April 16, the president declared “the next front in our war – opening up America again”.

He said: “America wants to be open and Americans want to be open. A national shutdown is not a sustainable long-term solution.”

The president said that a prolonged lockdown risked inflicting a serious toll on public health. He warned of a “sharp rise” in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, heart disease, and other “physical and mental” problems.

He told reporters that healthy citizens would be able to return to work “as conditions allow”. He said Americans would continue to be called upon to maintain social distancing measures and to stay home if they are unwell.

President Trump said that reopening the US economy would be done “one careful step at a time” but he called on state governors to move “very, very quickly, depending on what they want to do”.

Shortly afterwards, leading Democrat Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, called the new guidelines “vague and inconsistent”.

Nancy Pelosi said the document did “nothing to make up for the president’s failure to listen to the scientists and produce and distribute national rapid testing”.

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The Trump administration’s 18-page guidance document details three phases to reopen state economies, with each phase lasting, at minimum, 14 days.

The guidelines include some recommendations across all three phases including good personal hygiene and employers developing policies to ensure social distancing, testing and contact tracing.

Phase one includes much of the current lockdown measures such as avoiding non-essential travel and not gathering in groups. But it says large venues such as restaurants, places of worship and sports venues “can operate under strict physical distancing protocols”.

If there is no evidence of a resurgence of the coronavirus, phase two allows non-essential travel to resume. The guidance says schools can reopen and bars can operate “with diminished standing-room occupancy”.

Under phase three, states which are still seeing a downward trend of symptoms and cases can allow “public interactions” with physical distancing and the unrestricted staffing of worksites. Visits to care homes and hospitals can resume and bars can increase their standing room capacity.

Opening-Up-America-Again-GuidelinesDownload

According to the document, some regions could begin returning to normal after a month-long evaluation period, at the earliest.

In places where there are more infections or where rates begin to rise, it could take longer.

Dr. Deborah Birx, the co-ordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, told at the April 16 briefing that as states worked through the three phases, they could allow for more and more employees to return to work in increments.

Phase three would be the “new normal”, she said, and would still include suggestions that vulnerable people should avoid crowded spaces.

Tips for Making Your Engagement Special

Fashion & Style

Lisa.Felice

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Apr 17, 2020

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Getting engaged is a big deal. Making the decision to get married is a major commitment and one of the most special times in your life. You can celebrate your engagement properly by planning ahead and taking the time to enjoy every moment.

Find the Perfect Ring

First of all, to make the engagement special for your significant other, find the perfect engagement ring. Pay attention to your partner’s style of jewelry to get a good idea of what they like so you can match the ring to their personality.

Make sure that you get a band in a color and metal that they prefer, whether that is yellow gold, white gold, or platinum. You should also choose the cut and carat of the diamond to reflect your partner’s tastes.

An alternative to a traditional diamond that you may want to consider, is called a CVD, or chemical vapor deposition diamond. These gems are man made. They are grown in a lab over the course of about a month, and so they cost less than traditional diamonds.

CVD diamonds are of high quality and identical to traditionally mined diamonds. These diamonds will still have certain imperfections and different grades that are evaluated by a jeweler and affect the cost. Another advantage of a CVD diamond is that there are no negative impacts on the environment that can occur from mining practices.

Plan the Proposal

Once you have the perfect ring, you should plan your proposal. The day that you propose should be a special day that is fitting for you and your partner. Decide if you should propose in a public setting, or if the moment should be private between the two of you. Some people prefer a private engagement, while others enjoy being surrounded by their family and friends. This is a personal choice, and you may be able to get some insights into your partner’s preferences through casual conversation or by asking advice from those closest to her.

Choose the place that you will propose carefully. It should happen in a special place that has significance to you both. Make the proposal meaningful and from the heart. The words that you use don’t have to be fancy, they just need to be thoughtful and convey your deep feelings. Most people prefer that a proposal is a surprise, so try not to give away what you plan to do.

You may also want to ask your partner’s parents for their blessing before you propose.

Montgomery Bigamy Case: A Conroe Judge’s Change of Heart Isn’t Enough

U.S. News

Nancy Clayson

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Apr 16, 2020

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Montgomery Bigamy Case: A Conroe Judge’s Change of Heart Isn’t Enough

Press release

New developments in the Conroe bigamy case making headlines around the country.

Just days after getting slapped by the Texas Court of Appeals, State District Court Judge Patrice McDonald vacated her own court order that had forced a Willis man to pay tens of thousands of dollars to the woman who lied to him.

Last week the Ninth Court of Appeals in Beaumont issued an order saying that if the Conroe Judge didn’t reverse her decision unfairly condemning Mark Athans, they would do it for her.

Montgomery Bigamy Case: Ninth Court of Appeals Slaps Down Conroe Judge

The Court of Appeals acted after Judge McDonald placed Mark Athans in contempt and threatened jail time when he refused to pay $34,000 in support to Charity Lenee Parchem. Athans could prove Parchem was a serial bigamist but the judge refused to consider the evidence.

A South Dakota court has already voided the marriage. Parchem pleaded guilty to being married to another guy when she married Athans. Judge McDonald didn’t care.

Despite Judge McDonald’s forced change of heart, Athans still has to spend tens of thousands of dollars to appeal the court decision.

“This is more injustice on this poor guy,” says Wayne Dolcefino, President of the Houston-based investigative media firm, Dolcefino Consulting.

“It’s bad enough his wife lied to him. Judge McDonald should pay for the Athans appeal out of her own pocket. She has cost him a fortune. Then she should resign.”

Coronavirus: US Lost 20 Million Jobs Over the Last Four Weeks

Clyde K. Valle

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Apr 16, 2020

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Coronavirus: US Lost 20 Million Jobs Over the Last Four Weeks

More than 20 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits over the last four weeks, according to Department of Labor filings.

Another 5.2 million Americans lost their jobs last week as businesses remain shut amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The economic crisis comes as the number of US virus cases exceeds 629,000.

The surging joblessness is a stark reversal for the world’s biggest economy where the unemployment rate had been hovering around 3.5%. Economists now expect that rate to have hit double digits.

While the 5.2 million new claims in the week ended April 11 were down from 6.6 million the previous week, the numbers still eclipse prior records.

Many economists warn that elevated numbers will linger, with Goldman Sachs researchers expecting some 37 million claims by the end of May.

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Electronics chain Best Buy this week said it would furlough more than 50,000 employees, while Royal Caribbean Cruises announced it would cut or suspend about a quarter of its American workforce.

The moves come as retail sales plunged by a record 8.7%, while manufacturing output dropped by the most in more than 74 years.

The US has expanded its unemployment program, making disbursements bigger and more people – including the self-employed – eligible. Requests to participate have overwhelmed state offices, which process the applications.

On April 16, the Small Business Administration, which is in charge of administering that $349 billion program, announced it had run out of money.

President Donald Trump is expected to issue “new guidelines” for reopening the economy in parts of the country where experts believe the rate of infection is under control.

On April 15, the president said: “There has to be a balance. We have to get back to work.”

Coronavirus: Germany Announces Gradual Loosening of Lockdown Measures

Europe News

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 16, 2020

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Coronavirus: Germany Announces Gradual Loosening of Lockdown Measures

Germany is slowly easing restrictions brought in to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced.

Social distancing rules will stay in place until at least May 3, with the chancellor also recommending the use of face masks in shops and on public transport.

However, as of next week stores under a certain size could open their doors.

Schools will gradually start to reopen from May 4.

Angela Merkel said Germany had achieved “fragile intermediate success” through the strict measures.

She said the country “must keep focused and keep going”, adding that they “do not have a lot of room for manoeuvre”.

Large public gatherings including religious services will remain banned until August 31. Bars, cafes, restaurants, theaters and music venues will all remain closed.

According to Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany has 127,584 confirmed cases and has reported 3,254 deaths.

Angela Merkel’s announcement makes Germany the latest European nation to start easing restrictions.

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Denmark has reopened schools and nurseries for children up to the age of 11.

In Spain, construction and manufacturing work is back under way.

In Austria, thousands of smaller shops reopened on April 14, and the country will allow outdoor sport such as tennis, golf and athletics from May 1.

In Italy, some regions have reopened bookstores and children’s clothing stores.

France, however, has extended its lockdown measures for four more weeks until May 11. Belgium will maintain its restrictions until at least May 3.

In Russia, veterans groups have called for President Vladimir Putin to postpone the World War Two 75th anniversary victory parade planned for May 9, because of the risk it could pose to participants.

After a video conference with the heads of Germany’s 16 lands, Chancellor Merkel announced the gradual loosening of the strict lockdown measures.

Schools can reopen “gradually and very slowly” after May 4, she said, with new safety measures for breaks and school buses, and priority given to those students with exams.

She said: “It will be a great logistical effort and it needs very careful preparation.”

Stores of up to 800 square meters (8,600 sq ft) could be able to restart their businesses from Monday, provided they have “plans to maintain hygiene”, the chancellor said.

Car dealers, bike stores and bookstores can all reopen, regardless of their size. Hairdressers will be allowed to open their doors from May 4, provided they too comply with strict hygiene measures.

Angela Merkel strongly recommended people don protective face masks while shopping and while taking public transport, saying this “will help to protect other people”.

It makes Germany the latest country to issue guidance on face masks in public – although Chancellor Merkel did not make it mandatory.

German economy, the Europe’s biggest, entered a recession in March, its economy ministry said, citing “collapsing global demand, interruption of supply chains, changes in consumer behavior and uncertainty among investors”.

Last month, the German government passed a stimulus package worth €750bn ($816 billion) in a bid to help ease the effect of the coronavirus.

How To Be a Racehorse Owner Even If You’re Not Rich

Finance

Clyde K. Valle

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Apr 15, 2020

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How To Be a Racehorse Owner Even If You’re Not Rich

Owning your very own racehorse sounds like a cool idea to many, and maybe a dream for some. But isn’t racehorse ownership only reserved for the wealthy and elite of society?

Maybe owning a racehorse that’s currently already a champion might be out of reach for most people, but there are ways to own a racehorse that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg and drain all your financial resources.

For starters, you could buy a racehorse that’s still in training and not yet ready for racing, or purchase a younger horse from good breeding stock that hasn’t even commenced the pre-race training stage.

Image by Patrick Walrab von Buttlar from Pixabay

So what are the options for owning a racehorse if you’re not a millionaire, and what are some of the ownership benefits?

Let’s begin by checking out what opportunities are available to attain your slice of the horse racing dream.

The Different Options of Racehorse Ownership

When it comes to buying a racehorse, there’s no law that says you have to go it entirely alone. You can share the expenses and the responsibilities if you enter into a partnership.

Let’s look at the various options:

Outright/Sole Ownership – The biggest advantage to owning a racehorse entirely on your own is all the spoils are yours 100%. If your horse becomes a champion that wins many races, you’ll be pocketing cash left, right and centre. The downside is that you don’t really have anyone with a vested interest to share the victories, plus you incur all expenses regarding the training and upkeep of your horse.

Racehorse Partnership – This is one of the most common ways to buy a racehorse, by purchasing a percentage or a share in the horse. This is an option that makes racehorse ownership more affordable for everyone. You also have others to share the expenses and responsibilities.

Racehorse Syndicate – Also another extremely common option for ownership. Syndicates can comprise as many as 20 people, and this is often the way families/friends purchase shares in a racehorse. Basically your syndicate purchases a share in a horse, whether that be 10% or whatever. You never know, you and your friends just might end up with shares in one of the future Melbourne Cup horses.

Leasing a Racehorse – This is an interesting option, because it saves you having to buy a horse. Essentially you are renting the racehorse, where you agree to pay for costs and training fees, and in return you get to keep a percentage of any prize money won. The horse’s owner also receives an agreed percentage of any horse racing purses.

Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Holds Funding of WHO

U.S. News

Clyde K. Valle

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Apr 15, 2020

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Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Holds Funding of WHO

President Donald Trump has announced the US will halt funding to the WHO because it has “failed in its basic duty” in its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The president accused the UN health agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China, and said it must be held accountable.

In response, the UN chief said it was “not the time” to cut funds to the WHO.

President Trump has been under fire for his own handling of the pandemic.

He has sought to deflect persistent criticism that he acted too slowly to stop the virus’s spread by pointing to his decision in late January to place restrictions on travel from China.

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Donald Trump has accused the WHO of having “criticized” that decision and of being biased towards China more generally.

On April 14, President Trump told a news conference at the White House: “I am directing my administration to halt funding while a review is conducted to assess the World Health Organization’s role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”

The WHO is yet to directly respond but UN Secretary General António Guterres said the international community should be uniting “in solidarity to stop this virus”.

He said: “It is my belief that the World Health Organization must be supported, as it is absolutely critical to the world’s efforts to win the war against Covid-19.”

The WHO was founded in 1948 and has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It is the UN agency responsible for global public health, with 194 member states, and aims to “promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable”.

Its funding is made up of membership fees – which are known as “assessed contributions” and calculated based on wealth and population – and voluntary contributions.

The US is the WHO’s biggest single funder, providing $400 million in 2018-19 – just under 15% of its total budget.

According to the WHO website, China’s contribution in 2018-19 was almost $76 million in assessed contributions and about $10m in voluntary funding.

The second-largest WHO funder is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which provides 9.76% of the agency’s funds.

Bill Gates: “Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever.”

The WHO launched an appeal in March for $675 million to help fight the coronavirus pandemic and is reported to be planning a fresh appeal for at least $1 billion.

Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Lashes Out At Democrat Governors

U.S. News

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 14, 2020

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Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Lashes Out At Democrat Governors

President Donald Trump has been accused by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo of “spoiling for a fight”, as the president lashed out at “Democrat Governors”.

Several states, including New York, have begun cautious talks on reopening, but President Trump has claimed “total” power to lift virus lockdowns.

On April 14, Andrew Cuomo refuted the claim as President Trump took to Twitter to criticize the governor.

The US is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic with 554,684 cases and 23,608 deaths.

New York has the most cases, but has seen signs of improvement, leading Governor Cuomo and regional governors to discuss plans for eventual relaxation of restrictions.

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

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Governor Cuomo criticized President Trump at his daily press briefing, telling reporters that this was the governors’ prerogative, not the president’s. Andrew Cuomo would “not engage” in a fight with President Trump, he claimed, but added he would have “no choice” if the president the threatened the welfare of New Yorkers.

President Trump drew rebuke after claiming on April 13 that he had the ultimate authority to lift lockdown orders, contradicting governors and legal experts.

On April 14, the president took the row to Twitter criticizing Andrew Cuomo and issuing an oblique snipe at other governors.

President Trump tweeted: “Tell the Democrat Governors that ‘Mutiny On The Bounty’ was one of my all time favorite movies.

“A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain.”

The movie tells the story of a ship’s revolt in which mutineers meet with unhappy ends, with President Trump appearing to compare himself to the captain.

He aimed particular fire at Andrew Cuomo, who he said was calling “daily, even hourly, begging for everything,” like hospitals, beds, ventilators for his state. New York remains the US state hardest-hit by the coronavirus outbreak, reporting 778 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Andrew Cuomo told CNN on April 14: “I put my hand out in total partnership and cooperation with the president.”

The comments follow President Trump’s assertion on April 13 that “the president of the United States calls the shots,” during a combative press conference in which he feuded with reporters.

However, the US Constitution says the states maintain public order and safety.

The Trump administration has signaled May 1st as a potential date for easing the restrictions.

The current White House recommendations for Americans to avoid restaurants and non-essential travel and keep in-person gatherings to no more than 10 people expire on April 30.

Andrew Cuomo described President Trump’s position as a “shift” for the president, who had left the shuttering of states to governors.

Coronavirus: Italy and Austria Ease Lockdown for Some Businesses

Clyde K. Valle

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Apr 14, 2020

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Coronavirus: Italy and Austria Ease Lockdown for Some Businesses

Italy and Austria seek to ease restrictions brought in to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The European Commission has urged EU countries to co-ordinate with each other to relax measures gradually.

An internal document sent by the Commission to EU governments said that even phased measures would “unavoidably lead to a corresponding increase in new cases”.

Lifting restrictions had to wait for the spread of the virus to be reduced for a significant period, it said, with enough capacity in intensive care units to cope with a second surge in cases and increased testing, along with mass antibody tests.

Garden centers, DIY stores and small stores can open but with strict rules on social distancing.

Spain has allowed some businesses to return to work, and Denmark is reopening schools for younger children. Poland has said it will gradually lift restrictions on its economy from April 12, probably starting with general stores.

Spain reported its lowest increase in infections since March 20 on April 14. There has been a 1.8% increase from April 13 to 3,045. The number of deaths has gone up by 567 to 18,056.

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In France, President Emmanuel Macron extended France’s lockdown for another four weeks until May 11, as he said current restrictions had slowed the virus but not beaten it.

In Germany, the head of Robert Koch public health institute said that while there had been a slowdown it was too early to talk of a clear trend.

In Italy, where over 20,000 people have died in the pandemic, a limited number of shops and businesses have been allowed to reopen.

However, some of the worst-hit regions have decided to hold off.

Lombardy and other regions in the north will maintain their measures for longer.

After five weeks under lockdown, bookstores, stationery and clothes for babies and young children can reopen their doors but with strict rules on customer numbers and hygiene.

Businesses, stores and schools should lead the way, followed by limited reopening of restaurants, bars and cafes.

The reopening of bookshops and clothes stores for young children is a glimmer of hope, after Italy saw 20,465 fatalities, second only to the US in the number of deaths officially caused by Covid-19.

The daily toll of fatalities is now falling and the number of patients in intensive care has dropped for 10 days in a row to 3,260. However, Lombardy, where Italy’s outbreak began, still saw another 280 deaths declared on April 13, and officials have decided to allow children’s clothing shops to open, but not bookshops.

Also in the north, some of the worst-affected areas of Emilia-Romagna will stay locked down, while in Veneto officials are talking of a “soft lockdown”. Bookstores and clothing stores can open for two days a week, says Veneto governor Luca Zaia, and a ban on exercising more than 200m away from home has been lifted. But residents will still need to wear a mask and gloves if they go out.

Austria was one of the first European countries to follow neighboring Italy in imposing strict lockdown measures about a month ago, and the government says it has managed to flatten the curve of new infections. It has so far reported about 14,000 cases and 368 deaths.

Last week, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz unveiled plans to lift restrictions gradually.

In an open letter to the country on April 11, Sebastian Kurz said he wanted to “come out of this crisis as quickly as possible and fight for every job in Austria”.

From April 14, stores under 400 sq m (4,300 sq ft) in size are allowed to reopen, along with hardware stores and garden centers.

However, it is also compulsory for people to wear a mask in supermarkets and pharmacies.

Economy Minister Margarete Schramböck told Austrian TV: “Experience in countries that have handled it well has taught us that we have to move gradually.”

Larger stores, shopping centers and hairdressers are due to reopen from May 1, while restaurants and hotels could reopen from mid-May if health conditions allow, Austria’s chancellor has said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the slowing down of infections in some European countries but warned against lifting restrictions too early, so as not to prompt “a deadly resurgence”.

White House 2020: Bernie Sanders Endorses Joe Biden

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 14, 2020

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White House 2020: Bernie Sanders Endorses Joe Biden

Bernie Sanders has announced he is endorsing Joe Biden’s campaign to take on Donald Trump in November’s election.

The 78-year old pulled out of the contest to be the Democratic Party’s nominee last week, leaving Joe Biden as the only remaining candidate.

In a live split-screen webcast, former VP Joe Biden thanked his former rival for the endorsement.

Former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders urged all Americans to unite to defeat Donald Trump.

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The Vermont senator described Donald Trump as “the most dangerous president in the modern history of this country”.

He said: “Today I am asking all Americans – I’m asking every Democrat, I’m asking every independent, I’m asking a lot of Republicans – to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy which I endorse.

“It’s imperative that all of us work together.”

Joe Biden, 77, said he was “deeply grateful” for the endorsement and said he needed Bernie Sanders not just for the campaign, but to govern.

He said: “You’ve put the interests of this nation and the need to beat Donald Trump above all else. As you say – ‘Not me, us’.”

Addressing Bernie Sanders’ supporters, Joe Biden added: “I see you, I hear you, I understand the urgency of what it is that we have to get done in this country, and I hope you’ll join us.”

The former vice-president said he and Bernie Sanders were setting up policy working groups to address issues including climate change, health care and college fees.

It emerged shortly afterwards that Joe Biden had beaten Bernie Sanders in last week’s Wisconsin’s Democratic presidential primary – held amid controversy because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bernie Sanders, a self-described “Democratic socialist”, ended his presidential campaign last week, telling supporters he could see no feasible path to get enough votes to win the nomination.

The senator became an early front-runner, popular with younger voters, and made healthcare and income inequalities key election issues.

However, he slipped behind Joe Biden in recent weeks.

Bernie Sanders, an Independent, had sought the Democratic presidential nomination before, losing out in 2016 to Hillary Clinton.

Coronavirus: Spain Loosens Restrictions as Number of New Infections Continues to Drop

Europe News

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 13, 2020

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Coronavirus: Spain Loosens Restrictions as Number of New Infections Continues to Drop

Spain is beginning to ease strict lockdown measures that have brought its economy to a standstill.

People in manufacturing, construction and some services are being allowed to return to work, but must stick to strict safety guidelines.

The rest of the population must still remain at home.

Spain is one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus.

Almost 17,500 people with Covid-19 have died in the country, but the rate of new infections has been falling.

Italy – the hardest-hit country in Europe, with almost 19,900 deaths – will allow a narrow range of companies to resume operations on April 14.

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Spain’s health ministry said on April 13 that the daily number of deaths had dipped slightly, with 517 reported in the previous 24 hours, compared with 619 announced on April 12. The official total death toll is now 17,489.

The number of new infections continues to drop, with 3,477 confirmed cases bringing the total to 169,496.

PM Pedro Sánchez warned over the weekend: “We are still far from victory, from the moment when we will recover normality in our lives.”

“We are all keen to go back out on the streets… but our desire is even greater to win the war and prevent a relapse,” the prime minister added.

On April 13, the government lifted some of the restrictions put in place on March 27 and allowed businesses whose employees cannot work remotely to reopen.

Officials intend to distribute 10 million face masks on public transport.

Pedro Sánchez said the decision was taken after consulting a committee of experts.

The prime minister also noted that Spain had not entered the “second phase” of the fight against the coronavirus, when there would be any further loosening of the lockdown. That was at least two weeks away and would “be very gradual”, he added.

Builders can only work in areas away from local residents, so they cannot yet go back to doing home improvements.

Julian Assange Secretly Fathered Two Sons Inside Ecuadorian Embassy in London

Europe News

Lisa.Felice

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Apr 12, 2020

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Julian Assange Secretly Fathered Two Sons Inside Ecuadorian Embassy in London

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange secretly fathered two sons while living inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, his partner, lawyer Stella Morris, has revealed.

Stella Morris, 37, says she has been in a relationship with Julian Assange since 2015 and has been raising their two young sons on her own.

The South African-born lawyer spoke out amid fears over the spread of Covid-19 in Belmarsh Prison.

Julian Assange, 48, has been held there since being dragged from the Ecuadorian embassy a year ago.

The Australian is now seeking bail amid concerns over his health.

Stella Morris told The Mail on Sunday she was revealing their union for the first time because his “life is on the brink” and she does not believe the WikiLeaks founder would “survive infection with coronavirus”.

In a video posted on Wikileaks’ YouTube account, Stella Morris says she met Julian Assange in 2011 when she joined his legal team.

Julian Assange took refuge in the embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over an assault case that has since been dropped.

The Australian is also fighting extradition to the US on espionage charges.

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Stella Morris says she visited Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy almost every day and “got to know Julian very well”. The couple fell in love in 2015 and got engaged two years later.

The lawyer told The Mail on Sunday that Julian Assange had watched both boys being born via video link and they had visited their father at the embassy.

She said that 3-year-old Gabriel and one-year-old Max speak to their father via video calls.

In the WikiLeaks YouTube video, Stella Morris says: “Forming a family was a deliberate decision to break down those walls around him and imagine a life beyond that prison.

“While for many people it would seem insane to start a family in that context, for us it was the sane thing to do, to keep things real.

“It grounds me and when Julian sees the children it gives him a lot of peace and nurture and support. They are very happy children.”

Julian Assange was arrested on April 11, 2019 at the Ecuadorian embassy and detained for “failing to surrender to the court”.

He was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for breaching his bail conditions.

Julian Assange was due to be released from HMP Belmarsh in September 2019 after serving the custody period of his jail term.

However, a judge ruled that the WikiLeaks founder should remain in jail until his extradition hearing because of his “history of absconding”.

Details about the children with Stella Morris were seen by the Mail in court documents as part of his US extradition case.

Julian Assange is believed to have other children, although little is known about them. He has an adult son, Daniel Assange, who is reportedly a software designer in Australia.

Coronavirus: US Death Toll Becomes World’s Highest

U.S. News

Diane A. Wade

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Apr 12, 2020

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Coronavirus: US Death Toll Becomes World’s Highest

The US now has now overtaken Italy to have the highest death toll from Covid-19 in the world.

According to the latest figures, compiled by Johns Hopkins University, more than 20,000 people in the US have now died from coronavirus.

The grim milestone comes shortly after the US became the first nation to record more than 2,000 virus deaths in a single day.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on April 11 the state’s death toll appeared to be stabilizing.

Announcing a 24-hour figure of 783 new deaths, Governor Cuomo noted the last several days had seen around the same number.

He said: “That is not an all-time high, and you can see that the number is somewhat stabilizing but it is stabilizing at a horrific rate.

“These are just incredible numbers depicting incredible loss and pain.”

New York has become the epicenter of the outbreak in the US, recording more than 180,000 of the country’s nearly 530,000 cases.

As of April 11, every single US state has declared a disaster in response to the outbreak.

More than 100,000 have now died with the new virus around the world since the pandemic broke out in China in December.

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According to the Johns Hopkins tally, as of April 12, Italy reported 19,468 deaths while the US had 20,608.

There are now at least 529,951 confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the US.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has said the US is “starting to see the leveling off and coming down” of cases and deaths but says mitigation efforts such as social distancing should not be pulled back yet.

Federal social distancing recommendations, issued by President Donald Trump, are currently in place until April 30.

President Trump is facing twin pressures from the outbreak: with at least 16 million jobs lost in recent weeks as virus restrictions cripple the US economy.

Easter 2020: Pope Francis Urges People Not to Yield to Fear Over Coronavirus

World

James J. Williams

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Apr 12, 2020

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Easter 2020: Pope Francis Urges People Not to Yield to Fear Over Coronavirus

Speaking at his Easter vigil service in an almost empty St Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis has urged people not to “yield to fear” over coronavirus, calling on them to be “messengers of life in a time of death”.

Members of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholic community could follow a live stream of the service.

Lockdown measures are still in place across Italy, hard hit by the pandemic.

Italy’s PM Giuseppe Conte praised the leader of the Roman Catholic Church for his “gesture of responsibility” in marking Easter without a congregation.

Catholic Christians around the world are celebrating Easter, the most important festival in the Christian calendar, despite the restrictions that have left hundreds of millions confined to their homes. Many priests are conducting services in churches without congregations.

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Pope Francis recalled the Biblical account of a woman finding Jesus’s tomb empty on the day Christians believe he rose from the dead.

He said: “Then too, there was fear about the future and all that would need to be rebuilt. A painful memory, a hope cut short. For them, as for us, it was the darkest hour.”

“Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: this is the message of hope. It is addressed to us today,” the Pope added.

The Pope’s service, normally held in front of thousands of worshippers, was attended by only around a couple of dozen people. Several traditional features were also scaled back, including the baptism of converts.

On April 12, the Pope will give his Easter Sunday address at a ceremony behind closed doors. Historically it has been given to crowds in St Peter’s Square.