Former soccer player Ronaldinho Gaucho and his brother, Roberto Assis, appeared in court on March 7 over allegations the pair used fake passports to enter Paraguay.
Prosecutors say they were given the
false documents when they landed in the capital Asuncion on March 3.
Ronaldinho and his brother were
taken into custody on March 6, just hours after a judge refused to uphold a
prosecutor’s proposal for an alternative punishment.
The prosecutor argued the brothers
had been tricked. They deny any wrongdoing.
The Brazilians, who were questioned
by police, said they thought the passports were a courtesy gesture. Officers
later searched their hotel.
A judge now has to determine whether Ronaldinho Gaucho and his brother should be freed or remain in custody while further investigations are carried out.
In July 2019, Ronaldinho, now 39,
reportedly had his Brazilian and Spanish passports confiscated over unpaid
taxes and non-payment of fines for illegally building on a nature reserve in
Brazil.
Ronaldinho had traveled to Paraguay
to promote a book and a campaign for underprivileged children.
He was the 2004 and 2005 World
Player of the Year and reached the prime of his career at Spanish giants
Barcelona.
Ronaldinho won the World Cup for Brazil in 2002 alongside fellow superstar forwards Ronaldo and Rivaldo.
According to Chinese state media, the hotel was being used as a quarantine
facility monitoring people who had had close contact with coronavirus patients.
Xinjia Hotel reportedly opened in 2018 and had 80 guest rooms.
One woman told the Beijing News
website that relatives including her sister had been under quarantine there.
She said: “I can’t contact them, they’re not answering their phones.
“I’m under quarantine too [at another hotel] and I’m
very worried, I don’t know what to do. They were healthy, they took their
temperatures every day, and the tests showed that everything was normal.”
As of March 6, Fujian province had 296 cases of coronavirus. Meanwhile
10,819 people have been placed under observation because they have been in
close contact with someone infected.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 101,000 people
worldwide have now contracted the virus.
More than 3,000 people have died – the majority in the Chinese province of Hubei where the outbreak originated.
Do you work as a security guard? Does danger often surround you? Do you live in an unsafe neighbourhood? Let’s face the truth: Police officers cannot protect you at all times. Sometimes, you have to be your own hero.
In this article, we will discuss the basics of self-defence, adverse situations, and what can you do to come out of them.
Read on to learn something worth your time.
Self Defense is a countermeasure that involves protecting oneself from danger. It requires the right presence of mind to defend yourself from the attacker, meanwhile also taking measures so that they can’t restrain you. While it might sound a no-brainer, during unfavourable conditions when even the sanest people lose their calm and become anxious, it may still become tough.
The world is an uncertain place to live in. You can never predict what’s going to happen next, the situations you may have to face, and the things you may have to deal with. But we can do something to avoid getting hurt in unfavourable situations.
On that note, let’s look at some common critical situations that can be dealt with the basic knowledge of self-defence.
Attacker
The attacker can be an individual or a group of people attempting to harm you in one way or the other.
An attack can take place anytime and anywhere (it mostly does in isolated and secluded areas).
Yes, it may be easy to tackle a single attacker. But can you handle a bunch of them? What if one or all of them are armed? What if they attack from behind? You may not know how to respond, and your mind may freeze.
Burglar
What if vandals and thieves try to loot your property? Can you shoo them away yourself, or will you wait for the authorities to come? We suggest you should wait for the police, but what if the burglar tries to harm you? It will be too late before help can arrive.
Even if you have hired security services, it can take some time before they make an entry. That’s why it is safe knowing some self-defence tips.
Wild Animal
If you are a passionate hiker or camper, you may have faced a lot of difficult situations by now. That said, knowing how to protect yourself in the wild can give you peace of mind, and you can enjoy your time to the fullest.
Have you tackled a wild animal before? Even if you have, it is nearly impossible to battle all animals in the jungle, but you must be aware of some tricks that can help you escape such situations.
Self-Defence Tips
You don’t have to ride a horse or wear a cape to become a hero. Rather than giving in to such unfavourable conditions, know how to fight them and come out safe.
Enlisted below are some self-defence tips everyone should know about:
The best line of defence is to keep calm and stay shut. Only when your mind is at peace, can you make a rational decision and decide your course of action.
Keep pepper spray and a pair of handcuffs in your bag at all times. Even if you can’t fight back, you can distract the attacker, and cuff them so that they can’t try hurting you again.
Harm the assailant on the weak, sensitive regions of the body so that even if they are coming strong, you can get them all teary-eyed. Try to aim for the groin, eyes, nose, and spine.
Learn martial arts. You don’t have to be a pro to save yourself in such situations. Just basic knowledge can help too.
Assess the situation before acting upon it. If you are facing a group of robbers or gangsters, don’t fight back. Instead, be smart and try to hide until help arrives.
The above-mentioned tips can help you stay prepared should you face dangerous situations.
Coronavirus has been seen in more than 30 countries. The newly
discovered virus can spread from person to person and health officials
recommend simple steps to avoid becoming infected.
So, how can you prevent spreading or catching a virus?
Avoid touching your
face, your mouth, your nose and your eyes as this is a possible route of the
virus to enter and cause infection.
If you cough or sneeze and you don’t put your hand to your mouth and you touch surfaces, the virus can survive for several hours outside the body.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
So it’s important that you wash your hands effectively.
How to wash your hands:
take some soap
create a lather
clean the back of your hands and in between your fingers, the end of your fingers, your thumb (germs are present around nail area and on the back of the hands). Again, your palms. Your wrist and the top of your hand again.
rinse the soap off with water
turn off the tap with a tissue to prevent cross-contamination
The Iranian government has decided to limit
travel between its major cities as it tries to halt the spread of the
coronavirus, which has killed at least 107 people in the country.
Iran has already shut schools until April.
Health Minister Saeed Namaki said people should not use the break as an opportunity
to travel.
He also urged people to reduce the use of paper banknotes.
The measures come as the WHO warned some countries were not doing enough to
stop the virus.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted containment was still
possible, adding: “This is not a
time to give up.”
Iran is one of the worst-hit countries outside China, where the Covid-19
virus – which causes the coronavirus disease – originated.
Worldwide, authorities have confirmed more than 92,000 cases of the virus,
of which more than 80,000 are in China.
According to recent reports, more than 3,000 people have died globally, the
vast majority of them in China.
On March 5, Iran’s official death toll rose by 15 to 107, and the number of
confirmed cases increased by 591 to 3,513.
Iran’s state news agency Irna said the number of dead could be higher,
citing data from medical universities.
The data did not include statistics from the capital Tehran and Gilan province – two of the hardest-hit areas. The toll there was listed as “unknown”, Irna said.
Elizabeth Warren said she needed
some time to decide who to support.
Her departure may clear the path for
Bernie Sanders in particular – the sole progressive candidate left in the race.
Despite early momentum for her
campaign, Elizabeth Warren failed to convert enthusiasm into votes in the first
primary contests of 2020, not winning a single state.
With Elizabeth Warren’s departure, a Democratic race that began with a
record high of female candidates is now effectively left to two male
front-runners, who praised her and her campaign.
Asked how she made the decision to drop out, Elizabeth Warren said she
returned to the issues that anchored her campaign – the vast costs of student
loan debt, healthcare, and childcare that plague millions of Americans.
The former Harvard law professor was vaulted into the political arena more
than a decade ago as she pushed for tougher regulation of the financial sector
after the 2008 economic collapse.
In 2010, Elizabeth Warren helped the Obama White House set up the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau, a Wall Street watchdog agency she championed.
Two years later, Elizabeth Warren rode that momentum to a seat in the Senate for Massachusetts.
The Italian government is considering closing schools and
universities until mid-March because of the coronavirus outbreak, local media
reports say.
The plan to close schools and universities across the country until mid-March
was reportedly discussed at a government meeting focusing on the introduction
of emergency measures for tackling the spread of coronavirus.
Responding
to the reports, Italian Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said that the
decision – reported by the Italian news agency Ansa and several local outlets –
had not yet been taken but would be decided “in the next few hours”.
Earlier officials reported a jump in cases and deaths from the virus.
Italy has reported a 50% jump in deaths in the past 24 hours, with the total
standing at 79. Most of the deaths are in Lombardy.
Meanwhile, World Bank announces $12 billion aid package for
developing countries struggling with the virus.
The emergency package includes low-cost loans, grants and technical
assistance.
The action comes as leaders around the world pledge to shield their
countries from the economic impact of the outbreak.
It follows warnings that slowdown from the outbreak could tip countries into
recession.
The aid is intended to help countries improve their public health response
to the crisis, as well as work with the private sector to reduce the economic
impact.
Authorities have confirmed more than 92,000 cases of the virus worldwide of which more than 80,000 are in China. More than 3,000 people have died globally, the vast majority in China.
In a remarkable rebound for his campaign, Joe
Biden has won nine of the 14 states that voted to pick a Democratic White House
candidate on Super Tuesday.
The former vice-president to Barack Obama overturned predictions to narrowly
take the key state of Texas from his main challenger, Bernie Sanders.
However, Bernie Sanders is projected to win California – the biggest prize
of the night – as well as three other states.
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders lead the race to face Republican President
Donald Trump in November.
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent more than $500 million of his
own money on his campaign, but did not win a single state.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, once the frontrunner in the race, suffered a
humiliating defeat to Joe Biden in her home state of Massachusetts.
Super Tuesday awards more than 1,300 of the 1,991 delegates needed to clinch
the Democratic White House nomination in July.
As things stand, Joe Biden has 402 delegates and Bernie Sanders 314.
However, results from California, which has 415 delegates, could affect the
current standing.
Only last month, Joe Biden’s campaign was all but written off by some
observers after he finished a poor fourth in the Iowa caucuses and fifth in the
New Hampshire primary.
Joe Biden won Texas – the second biggest state with 228 delegates – along
with Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, North
Carolina and Virginia.
Maine, which has 24 delegates, is also yet to declare but partial results put
Joe Biden slightly ahead of Bernie Sanders.
Virginia and North Carolina are crucial because they are key swing states in
the 2020 election.
Exit polls across the board suggested Joe Biden attracted large majorities
of African-American voters, a crucial bloc for the Democratic Party.
Joe Biden, 77, also appears to have won among the type of suburban voters
who pollsters say have been turning away from the current president.
If Bernie Sanders, 78, does win California, as the Associated Press news
agency projects, he will pick up the lion’s share of the whopping 415 delegates
that the Golden State sends to the party convention.
The left-wing senator also won his home state of Vermont, along with
Colorado and Utah.
Bernie Sanders had been heavily favored to win Texas, but it was finally
claimed by Joe Biden.
In a victory speech, Bernie Sanders lambasted President Trump, but also took
a shot at Joe Biden.
He said: “We’re taking on the political
establishment.
“You cannot beat Trump with the
same-old, same-old kind of politics.”
The next primaries take place on March 0 in Michigan, Washington state, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri and North Dakota, with 352 delegates available.
Travelers from countries with severe
coronavirus outbreaks who arrive in some parts of China will have to undergo a
14-day quarantine, state media announce.
People coming from the virus hotspots of South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy
arriving in Beijing will have to be isolated, an official has said.
Shanghai and Guangdong announced similar restrictions earlier.
Authorities are worried the virus might be imported back into China.
Although most coronavirus deaths have been in China, on March 2 there were nine
times more new infections outside China than in.
Shanghai said it would require new arrivals from countries with
“relatively serious virus conditions” to be isolated, without naming
the countries.
Authorities are also asking overseas Chinese to reconsider travel plans.
Officials in one southern Chinese province said: “For the sake of your family’s health and safety, please
strengthen your precautions, carefully decide on your travel plans and minimize
mobility.”
On March 3, China reported 125 new virus cases – the lowest number of new
daily infections in six weeks. There were also 31 more deaths – all in Hubei
province, where the virus emerged.
There are now almost 90,000 cases worldwide in about 70 countries, although
the vast majority – just under 90% – remain in China, and most of those are in
Hubei province where the virus originated late last year.
Of the nearly 8,800 cases outside China, 81% are in four countries – Iran,
South Korea, Italy and Japan.
One of the countries worst affected outside China – Italy – said on March 2
that the death toll there had risen by 18 to 52. There are 1,835 confirmed
cases, most of them in the Lombardy and Veneto areas of the north. Nearly 150
people are said to have recovered.
However, Italy is seeing a slowdown in new cases. On March 2, the authorities said there were 258 new cases of the virus – a 16% increase on the previous day – after new cases spiked by 50% on March 1.
Business has become more competitive, and 2020 will be a breakout year for many businesses looking to maximize growth and boost profitability. There are certainly a number of business strategies businesses are turning to for maximum 2020 growth. But none are as important as apps. This is why apps are transforming 2020 business profitability with a number of important features.
Businesses are beginning to see the value in having apps for their customers. They could be apps that allow customers to access key information. They could be apps for secure transfers if the business is in the financial space. Regardless of industry, there can be an app to help boost growth and profitability. And when it comes to building these apps, a container registry and other factors are important.
For
your business, you need to create an app that works without fail, low error and
downtime rate. But you also need to ensure your app is powerful enough to
satisfy your customers’ or clients’ needs. This is why the following features
for your business app are very important.
Simplicity Is Essential For Your
Business App
If your
business app is too complex, you will lose the interest of your intended users.
This is bad for business, because you are creating an app for your users to
have more options, or better resources. If they don’t use the app, all is for
nothing.
This is why simplicity is critical when it comes to your business app in 2020. Serve up a great design that takes the cake for user experience (UX), and be sure to have a very simple navigation throughout the application.
Flexibility Is Just As Important
As Simplicity
When it
comes to apps in 2020, flexibility is key. You will need a very flexible
application for your business in order to keep your users happy. Remember, if
the end user is not happy, they will abandon the app and you will potentially
lose customers and/or clients.
Flexibility for your app can be a bit difficult to pin down. However, there are tools to ensure your app stays more flexible. For instance, you can utilize app containers to have a more flexible app. And don’t forget to keep automation a top priority as well.
Ensure Your App Is Lightning Fast
In today’s digital age, speed is essential. App users have plenty of choices among the billions of apps available for Android and iOS. This makes having a fast application for your business a must. In fact, this may be one of the most important features for your 2020 business app in order to boost business profitability.
Did you know that your business has less than three seconds to make an impression on the app user? Three seconds is not very long at all, so you will need to prioritize speed. If speed is lacking, you will have many users abandoning your business app.
How do
you make app speed a priority? One way is to ensure your user interface (UI) is
streamlined, and all backend code is good. Another way is to look for ways to
keep speed a priority during the actual app development stages.
Security Is More Important Than
Ever Before — Especially For Business Apps
The
number of cyber attacks on businesses in the past few years is a very clear
call to action for your business to take proper security measures when building
out your business application. App security is especially important if your app
will have user information, such as personal data, or even more important,
banking data.
Hackers and cyber criminals are pretty good at what they do these days too. They can use malware in your app to steal passwords and other data. This makes staying on top of app security a critical aspect of ensuring your customers and clients are safe if they download and use your business app.
Increase Your Business
Profitability In 2020 With A Business App
Apps
are definitely transforming 2020 business profitability, and the features your
business needs to ensure you get your piece of the profits are wide ranging.
The above features can help you get moving in the right direction. However,
they are only the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to do a bit of due diligence
when you begin developing your business app.
You
will also need to ensure you have the in-app features that meet your users’
needs. For instance, you can look at the questions your customers ask regularly
and implement features that address issues and problems your customers and/or
clients have. Make an app people will want to use, and your business will grow
exponentially in 2020.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has
said eight deputies have admitted possessing photos of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter
crash site.
The sheriff said he was “devastated and heartbroken” by the
conduct of those responsible.
He told media on March 2 that the deputies involved had deleted the images
on his direction.
Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine who died in
the crash on January 26.
The basketball legend was a
five-time NBA champion for his only team, the Los Angeles Lakers, and a double
Olympic gold medalist. After a 20-year career with the team Kobe Bryant retired
in April 2016.
The circulation of photos from the crash site and victims’ remains was first
reported by the Los Angeles Times
last week.
In response to the report, Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife, said she was
“absolutely devastated” by the “inexcusable and deplorable”
actions of first responders.
A lawyer for Vanessa Bryant said Alex Villanueva had assured her that
“all measures would be put in place to protect the families’
privacy”.
The lawyer’s statement said: “This
is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy
rights of the victims and their families.
“We are demanding that those
responsible for these alleged actions face the harshest possible discipline,
and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are
not further disseminated.”
In an interview with NBC News, Sheriff Villanueva said the photos were
brought to his attention by someone who had overheard a trainee deputy
discussing them at a bar.
He said: “That was my number one
priority, to make sure those photos no longer exist.
“We identified the deputies
involved, they came to the station on their own and had admitted they had taken
them and they had deleted them. And we’re content that those involved did
that.”
He also told KABC-TV that the deputies were under investigation and could
face disciplinary action.
Only personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the
coroner’s office were authorized to take photos of the crash scene, Alex
Villanueva said.
According to NBC News, at least two LA County Fire Department firefighters
also took photos and were ordered to delete them.
The cause of the crash in foggy
weather west of Los Angeles, California, is still being investigated.
Kobe Bryant was on his way to coach
his daughter Gianna’s basketball team in a local youth tournament at the Mamba
Sports Academy.
Lawyers for Vanessa Bryant have filed a lawsuit against the company that operated the helicopter, accusing the pilot of negligence.
It’s becoming increasingly common for businesses to have employees use personal devices for company work. Data from Syntonic shows that 87 percent of businesses are already having employees use personal devices for corporate applications. But there are some important things to consider here. These are five tips for running a successful bring-your-own-device program.
Determine What Devices to Use
There’s a long list of things that need to be considered when it comes to choosing what devices to use for a bring-your-own-device program. There are two main ways to go about this: Give all qualifying employees devices that they can take home; or allow employees to bring in their personal devices to work. There are some pretty distinct pros and cons to each scenario.
Business owners probably balk at the idea of handing out laptops and smartphones to all of their employees. Devices aren’t cheap, especially if they’re equipped with high-end hardware. But there’s a flipside to every coin. When employees just bring in their own pre-existing personal devices, it’s hard to know what’s being brought onto your network.
Employers need to determine which devices make sense to allow into the BYOD program — along with operating systems, and whether they should be utilized by the business or the employee’s preexisting device.
Nail Down Any Reimbursement Plans
People who benefit from a BYOD program tend to be those whose work isn’t restricted to the confines of an office. It’s often people who spend a significant amount of their time travelling or working outside of the office for a variety of reasons.
Due to this, they might find themselves in a situation where they need to use their personal data or other means in order to do company business. This is obviously not something that’s fair to the employee. Make sure there are protocols in place for how to reimburse anyone who needs repayment from any aspects related to the BYOD program.
Ensure Network Security
Network security is undoubtedly one of the most critical aspects to building and executing a BYOD workplace. There’s far more that needs to be considered on the security side when people are bringing devices to and from the workplace, remotely connecting to enterprise applications, and potentially using infected tech.
It’s essential for enterprises to employ endpoint protection to ensure the security of devices. This kind of monitoring can set off red flags even if a device isn’t on a company network. The perimeters of the modern workplace are expanding. Therefore, it’s necessary to adapt network security to this type of change. Opting for endpoint protection services can help deliver real-time responses to issues as they arise.
Be Transparent with Employees
It’s important the terms and conditions of your BYOD program are clear to all your employees who are part of it. Make sure everyone understands and agrees to what you’re telling them before moving forward.
For instance, it’s a very real concern that employees could be using compromised apps or programs on their devices without their knowledge. Employees need to understand why this is a danger to the organization. Education and careful approval into the BYOD program can limit the risks of this.
You also need to make it clear who fixes things if there’s an issue with a device. If someone’s device breaks down while doing company work, it’s not fair to expect the employee to pay for the repairs. Make it clear upfront who foots the bill in various instances.
Have an Off-Boarding Protocol
Not everyone in your organization is going to stay there forever. When they do decide it’s time to move on, you need to wipe your company’s critical applications from their devices.
Failing to do this could allow former employees to access sensitive data and other information after leaving the company. It’s also a vulnerability in case that former employee’s device is compromised at any point. Determine a BYOD protocol that allows for you to clean out all company apps without eliminating personal data.
Many companies find running a BYOD program makes sense for their businesses today. Make sure you understand some of the challenges before leaping ahead and implementing this kind of system.
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg has
announced he is ending his campaign for the White House.
Pete Buttigieg, 38, became the first openly gay presidential candidate from
a major party when he announced he was running for the Democratic nomination.
However, despite a successful start, his campaign lost momentum in recent
weeks.
Pete Buttigieg’s decision to drop out comes ahead of Super Tuesday, March 3,
in the Democratic race to take on Donald Trump.
Fourteen states will vote on Super Tuesday, by the end of which staunch
left-winger Bernie Sanders could have an unbeatable lead and be a step closer
to the nomination.
Pete Buttigieg’s departure leaves six Democrats still in the running – Joe
Biden, Michael Bloomberg, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Kobluchar and
Tulsi Gabbard.
Speaking to supporters in his hometown of South Bend, Indiana, Pete
Buttigieg stressed the values he said his campaign had hoped to promote.
He said: “And so we must recognize
that at this point in the race, the best way to keep faith with those goals and
ideals is to step aside and help bring our party and our nation together.
“So tonight I am making the
difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency.”
Pete Buttigieg pledged he would do “everything in my power” to
ensure a Democratic win in November’s election.
He won the first event of the primary season, the caucuses in Iowa on February
3. But he failed to repeat that success and win the delegates needed to make
him the front- runner and later confirm his nomination. On February 29, he
finished a distant fourth in South Carolina.
Joe Biden praised Pete Buttigieg’s campaigning effort in a tweet.
Pete Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten,
also addressed crowds of supporters in South Bend, saying: “About a year and a half ago, my husband came home from work and
told me – well he asked me: ‘What do you think about running for president?’
And I laughed! Not at him, but at life.
“Life gave me some interesting experiences, on my way
to find Pete. After falling in love with Pete, Pete got me to believe in
myself… and I told Pete to run [for office] because I knew there were other
kids sitting out there in this country who needed to believe in themselves,
too.”
Pete Buttigieg’s only political
experience had been as the centrist mayor of the 306th largest city in the US,
South Bend, Indiana between 2012 and January this year.
Before then, he had served as a US
Navy intelligence officer and in the Afghan war.
Pete Buttigieg was the first
millennial to run for the White House, and would have been the youngest
president to take office had he won.
The son of a Maltese immigrant, he had long been rumored as a possible
candidate in the 2020 election. But after announcing his candidacy in April
last year, he was able to break through a crowded group to become one of the
most recognizable faces in the campaign.
In that time, Pete Buttigieg raised more than $82 million, according to the
Federal Election Commission, one of the highest totals of all the candidates.
Pete Buttigieg – pronounced Boot-Edge-Edge – came out as gay aged 33 and
married his husband Chasten in June 2018.
He also struggled to build support among African-American voters, a point
emphasized by his poor showing in South Carolina.
Pete Buttigieg’s record as mayor came under fire among minority voters – he had fired South Bend’s first African American police chief and was criticized over how he handled the case of a white police officer who shot dead a black man last year.
Three unexplained coronavirus cases in
California, Oregon and Washington State raised concerns the virus could be
spreading within the community, officials say.
The patients have no known connection to a badly hit country.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 59 coronavirus
cases have been confirmed in the US.
On February 28, health officials in California’s Santa Clara County said an
older woman with chronic health conditions had been diagnosed with Covid-19.
According to officials, the patient is not known to have traveled to a
country badly affected by the coronavirus or been in contact with a person who
had.
Dr. Sara Cody, director of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department,
said: “This new case indicates that
there is evidence of community transmission but the extent is still not clear.”
Oregon health officials said a school employee in Clackamas County had
tested positive for the new coronavirus.
In Washington State, authorities said another case concerned a high school
student in Snohomish County.
Neither had any contact with a known case nor any history of travel to an
affected region.
These bring the total of unexplained cases in the country to four, after
another such case was reported in California on February 25.
The Democratic Party has criticized President Donald Trump’s response to the
outbreak, arguing that he has contradicted his own health officials and tried
to downplay the severity of the virus.
On February 28, President Trump hit back at Democrats, accusing them of
politicizing the outbreak.
“This is their new hoax,”
Donald Trump told a rally in South Carolina.
The president accused Democrats of advocating a policy of open borders and
said this was “a direct threat to the health and wellbeing of all
Americans”.
Earlier this week a patient who had no known connection with an affected
region died in France.
On February 28, the WHO upgraded the global risk of the outbreak to its
highest level.
However, it said there was still a chance of containing the new coronavirus
if its chain of transmission was broken.
WHO head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also stressed that fear and
misinformation were the biggest challenges to overcome.
He tweeted: “Our greatest enemy
right now is not the #coronavirus itself. It’s fear, rumors and stigma. And our
greatest assets are facts, reason and solidarity.”
Meanwhile, South Korea, which has the highest number of cases outside China,
mobilized the army on February 29.
Soldiers are disinfecting large parts of Daegu, the south-eastern city that has
been at the center of South Korea’s coronavirus outbreak.
On February 29, South Korea reported a sharp rise in the number of cases of
the Covid-19 disease. It now stands at 3,150.
The respiratory illness has killed 17 people in South Korea so far.
The spread of the virus there has been linked to the fringe Christian group
Shincheonji Church.
Authorities believe members infected one another during services in Daegu and then fanned out around the country, apparently undetected.
Under the agreement, the Talibans also agreed not to allow al-Qaeda or any
other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.
The US invaded Afghanistan after the
9/11 attacks in New York by the Afghanistan-based al-Qaeda group.
More than 2,400 US troops have been
killed during the conflict. About 12,000 are still stationed in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump has promised to put an end to the conflict.
The deal was signed by US special
envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar
with Mike Pompeo as a witness.
In a speech, Mike Pompeo urged the
militant group to “keep your promises to cut ties with al-Qaeda”.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said he
hoped Afghanistan could now emerge from four decades of conflict.
Meanwhile Defense Secretary Mark Esper was in the Afghan capital Kabul
alongside Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani – whose government did not take
part in the US-Taliban talks.
Mark Esper said: “This is a
hopeful moment, but it is only the beginning. The road ahead will not be easy.
Achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan will require patience and compromise
among all parties.”
He said the US would continue to support the Afghan government.
President Ghani said Afghanistan was “looking forward to a full ceasefire”.
The government said it was ready to negotiate with the Taliban.
Within the first 135 days of the deal the US will reduce its forces in
Afghanistan to 8,600, with allies also drawing down their forces
proportionately.
The move would allow President Donald Trump to show that he has brought
troops home ahead of the US presidential election in November.
The deal also provides for a prisoner swap. Some 5,000 Taliban prisoners and
1,000 Afghan security force prisoners would be exchanged by March 10, when
talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government are due to start.
The US will also lift sanctions against the Taliban and work with the UN to lift its separate sanctions against the group.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says
18,000 refugees have crossed Turkish borders into Europe after his country
“opened the doors” for them to travel.
He also said that the number is expected to hit 25,000 to 30,000 in the
coming days.
However, President Erdogan added, Turkey could no longer deal with the
amount of people fleeing Syria’s civil war.
Meanwhile, Greece says it has blocked thousands of migrants from entering
“illegally” from Turkey.
Greek authorities fired tear gas to attempt to disperse the crowds.
Turkey’s decision followed a deadly attack on Turkish troops by Syrian
government forces in northern Syria this week.
According to reports, at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in a
bombardment in Idlib, the last Syrian province where Syrian rebel groups hold
significant territory.
Syrian government forces, supported by Russia, have been trying to retake
Idlib from jihadist groups and Turkish-backed rebel factions.
Turkey is hosting 3.7 million Syrian refugees, as well as migrants from
other countries such as Afghanistan – but had previously stopped them from
leaving for Europe under an aid-linked deal with the EU.
President Erdogan accused the EU of breaking promises.
He said in Istanbul on February 29: “We
said months ago that if it goes on like this, we will have to open the doors.
They did not believe us, but we opened the doors yesterday.”
The president said that some 18,000 refugees had “pressed on the gates
and crossed” into Europe by February 29. He did not provide evidence of
these numbers.
“We will not close these doors in
the coming period and this will continue. Why? The European Union needs to keep
its promises. We don’t have to take care of this many refugees, to feed
them,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan added.
He also said that the EU had not given full financial aid agreed in the 2018
Turkey-EU refugee deal.
Greece announced that it had averted more than 4,000 attempts to cross into
the country. There were further clashes between migrants and Greek police on
February 29.
Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas told reporters: “The government will do whatever it
takes to protect its borders.”
President Erdogan also said that he had asked Russian President Vladimir
Putin – a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – to stand aside and
let Turkey “do what is necessary” with the Syrian government by
itself.
Turkey and Russia are backing opposing sides in the civil war. Turkey is opposed to the government of Bashar al-Assad and supports some rebel groups.
For those of you out there who don’t really know this, until 2013 the SEC push restrictions on group funding of real estate deals through general solicitation, but due to the passing of the Jobs Act, it lifted those restrictions and really paved the way to the growth of crowdfunding, which is probably why you’re starting to see more and more of these crowdfunding websites popping up such as RealtyMogul, Crowdshare, fundrise, Realtyshare, Oberlo and oberlo alternatives. These sites open up new opportunities for investors to participate in deals that they probably really worried to before on their own (just like they’re worried in taking part in high ticket dropshipping). Property generally speaking is just a way of spreading out the risk as well as the reward among a larger pool of investors and these websites like to buy into these investments in smaller chunks, that makes it a lot more accessible for the average investor, rather than, say, having to put an entire lump sum down for one deal or having to fund an entire development from start to finish on your own. Both options are very expensive, but crowdfunding helps alleviate that. What are the overall advantages and disadvantages of crowdfunding you might be asking? So to get things started to talk about some of the advantages for all my eight to five hours out there who want the benefits of real estate investing but just don’t have the time. This may be a good option for you, crowdfunding is more of a capital investment. You’re a silent investor, you’re getting all the benefits of investing. You just don’t have a say in how the money is allocated. One of the major benefits is that you get to broaden your investment options (including via the use of shopify chrome extension), rather than put $50,000 into one deal you can spread that among two, three four deals using crowdfunding and create multiple streams of income. So that’s another way of thinking about it.
Also you have accessibility to accredited
investors. Some of these websites will even vet their members to make sure that
they have the right amount of income that they continue to fund the deals,
because some of these sites have minimums of a hundred thousand, not everybody
can do that. But if you can participate in these networks, you have a
possibility of connecting with some of these other highly successful investors,
which is very valuable.
Most of this is done online. You can track your progress, track where your Investments go there’s not much of a paper trail, of course in the digital error that always makes things a lot easier at least for some of us. The next thing too is because you’re not managing, you’re not landlording – you don’t have to deal with tenants, toilets and trash huge relief, which is a huge relief. And of course, there’s lower fees which means better returns. Some of these websites provide the removal of the middleman – no agents, no brokerage. You could save on those fees, which definitely adds up across several deals saving you money and of course depending on who you crowdfund with, you could potentially say goodbye to indefinite holding periods. Unlike the money market, mutual funds we get penalized for pulling them out, pulling money out early for crowdfunding is a little bit more flexible. But yet there are still some hoops you got to jump through. But of course, you don’t have to wait until 65 to pull your money out. In any case, it is still of vital importance to learn how to drive traffic to your shopify store.
Now, let’s talk about some of the cons.
Most crowdfunding requires a minimum investment. So if you’re thinking you can
get involved with a few hundred bucks or maybe a thousand, two thousand you may
not be able to participate. Most websites have a minimum of $5,000. Okay, one
of the other disadvantages, depending on the deal, the chances are you may not
see any type of return for a few months, 6 even 12 months, especially if you’re
investing in one of those development type deals, where you just have to wait
for it to be built first and cross your fingers that it’s going to be a
successful deal. But make sure you pay attention to those types of Investments.
Next one is if you’re a control freak, this is not going to be a good fit for
you and what that means is,
again, you’re a silent investor. So if for
any reason you had an emergency where you need immediately pull this money out,
it could be rather difficult depending on the deal and if it’s a deal that’s
failing going down and you’re trying to pull out, more than likely you’re not
going to find anybody to take over for you and you could potentially lose your
money. So lack of liquidity is a big one for some investors. That’s one risk of
investment default from real rstate developers is higher in crowdfunding than
peer-to-peer. Any situation where you have a management company who go there is
doing good or not. It’s going to be a lot harder for you to control it than say
a peer-to-peer, one-on-one, where your input is actually being heard and
executed next less experienced investors are more likely to get stuck in a
crowdfunding campaign that they cannot afford, purely to the fact of lack of
due diligence, many new investors will get blindsided by the amazing appeal of
ROI on these websites and just put their money in, without really doing the
necessary research and homework and in that sense, you’re going to set yourself
up to potential heartbreak.
So always remember to do your due diligence
and your homework, to alleviate some of these risks, research the track record
for some of these companies, next the taxation regulations of crowdfunding can
be difficult for some, whether you’re investing through an entity or sole
proprietorship. Crowdfunding is relatively new, so we’re still trying to figure
out the details unless you were up to date with these tax laws this can
definitely slow you.
Down to the last but not least – if a
company’s due diligence process is not extensive enough, it’s like some of
these newer companies that are popping up, it could cause for poor vetting and
allow some of these deals to get through that aren’t quality and you won’t know
they’re bad until you put your money in and it goes, which can be scary. So it
all comes down to how much research you put in. Crowdfunding real estate is
like any investment strategy. It’s essential for you to do your homework and
research, report putting any of your hard-earned cash into a deal. This means
looking at the experience, the track record of these real estate developers,
who are soliciting crowdfunding money from you. Don’t be immediately fooled by
the ROI or the returns – these sites are designed to flash in front of you, so
you do put your money in, so don’t be distracted by any of the shiny object and
all the promises and guarantees you got to get down to the numbers, get down to
the facts, get down to the details and assess your risk because remember
there’s no such thing as a sure thing, especially in real estate.
On February 26, the World Health Organization said that for the first time
the virus was spreading faster outside China, where it originated.
Globally, more than 80,000 people in about 40 countries have been infected
with the new coronavirus, which emerged in December. The vast majority remain
in China.
Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, has
killed more than 2,700 people so far.
On February 26, authorities reported a total of 400 cases – a rise of 80
from February 25.
The worst-affected areas are in the industrial north of Italy – Lombardy,
the region around Milan, and Veneto near Venice. The outbreak has killed 12
people in the country so far.
Government officials have sought to reassure the public, and insisted steps
were being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
Schools, universities and cinemas have been closed and several public events
cancelled.
Eleven towns at the epicenter of the outbreak – home to a total of 55,000
people – have been quarantined.
There are fears that the outbreak may tip Italy into economic recession.
EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told reporters after meeting the
Italian health minister in Rome: “This
is a situation of concern, but we must not give in to panic.
“There are still many unknowns about this virus and in
particular its origin and how it spreads.”
In the past two days, Austria,
Croatia, Greece, Norway, Switzerland, Georgia and North Macedonia reported
their first coronavirus cases. Many of them involved people who had been to
Italy.
Maria Sharapova has decided to retire from tennis
at the age of 32.
In an article written for Vogue and
Vanity Fair, the five-time Grand Slam
champion said her body “had become a distraction” after a struggle
with shoulder injuries.
Maria Sharapova won her first Grand Slam at Wimbledon in 2004 at the age of
17 and completed the career slam – all four major titles – by winning the
French Open in 2012.
The former champion has dropped to 373 in the world, her lowest ranking
since August 2002, and has lost in the first round of her past three Grand Slam
tournaments.
In announcing her retirement, Maria Sharapova said: “I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying
goodbye.
“Looking back now, I realize that
tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours,
but the views from its peak were incredible.
“After 28 years and five Grand
Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain – to compete on a
different type of terrain.
“That relentless chase for
victories, though? That won’t ever diminish. No matter what lies ahead, I will
apply the same focus, the same work ethic, and all of the lessons I’ve learned
along the way.
“In the meantime, there are a few
simple things I’m really looking forward to: A sense of stillness with my
family. Lingering over a morning cup of coffee. Unexpected weekend getaways.
Workouts of my choice (hello, dance class!)”
Maria Sharapova said her 6-1, 6-1 first-round defeat by Serena Williams at
2019 US Open was the “final signal”.
She did not play again in 2019 after that defeat at Flushing Meadows and has
played just twice in 2020, including a straight sets loss to Croat Donna Vekic
in the Australian Open first round, her last competitive appearance..
Maria Sharapova shot to stardom in 2004 aged just 17 when victory over
Serena Williams saw her become the third-youngest woman to win the Wimbledon
singles title.
She would go on to become one of the most high-profile names in women’s
sport, winning 36 singles titles and earning more than $38 million in prize
money.
In 2005, Maria Sharapova became the first Russian woman to become world No 1, and won her second Grand Slam singles title at the US Open in 2006.
Iran’s deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi and a lawmaker have both tested positive for the new coronavirus, as the country struggles to contain an outbreak that has killed 15.
Iran is one of three hot-spots outside China causing concern that the virus could be becoming a pandemic.
On February 24, Iraj Harirchi denied covering up the scale of the outbreak. He appeared in physical discomfort as he spoke to reporters.
Meanwhile, Tehran lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi has also been infected.
Iran has reported 95 cases, but the actual number is thought to be higher.
According to the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), the
sudden increase in cases in countries outside China is “deeply concerning”.
On February 25, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington was
concerned that Iran may have concealed “vital details” about its
outbreak and urged all nations to “tell the truth about the
coronavirus”.
More people have died in Iran from the new coronavirus than anywhere else
outside China. Iran and China have strong trading links.
The other countries currently in the spotlight are Italy and South Korea, where cases have surged in recent days.
Hosni Mubarak’s death was confirmed by Egyptian state news on February 25.
Earlier in the day, the Al-Watan website
reported that he died at a military hospital.
He underwent surgery in late January and was photographed with his grandson
as he recovered.
On February 23, however, Hosni Mubarak’s
son Alaa said that the former president remained in intensive care.
Born in 1928, Hosni Mubarak entered
the air force as a teenager and went on to play a key role in the 1973
Arab-Israeli war.
He became president less than a
decade later, following the assassination of President Anwar Sadat, and played
a key role in the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
However, despite the billions of dollars
in military aid Egypt received during his time in office, unemployment, poverty
and corruption continued to grow.
Discontent boiled over in January
2011, after similar protests in Tunisia led to the overthrow of the president
there. Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down 18 days later.
Just over a year after Hosni Mubarak’s
overthrow, Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist politician, won Egypt’s first democratic
presidential election.
Mohamed Morsi lasted less than a
year in office. Amid mass protests, he was ousted in a military coup led by General
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
General Sisi went on to win two
presidential elections. Mohamed Morsi died in prison in 2019.
Having plants inside the office is not only a nice touch of style which makes the place look better, and there is in fact a lot more behind it than just aesthetic value. In fact having plants in the office, real or fake, have been proven to increase the mood of employees and clients, it has been found to have a huge impact on productivity and in the case of real plants, they have been shown to help reduce illness and therefore the amount of sick days which are taken. This however is something which not all businesses are keen on managing, despite the numerous benefits, which is why more companies are looking to make the most of indoor plant hire.
Seasonal Changes
Changing the plants in the office as the seasons begin and end is
going to be a costly job and likely a job that nobody really wants to do. This is of course one reason why many offices put their faith
in fake plants, but there really is no substitute for fresh seasonal plants
throughout the office. When you use a plant hire company however you can take
all of the difficulty out of this and make sure that your office is using the
plants which are in season right now. A hire company will come out and switch
them up when the new plants of the season are in bloom.
Expertise
Instead of buying flowers which don’t bloom or plants which die
because of the office environment, you can count on the fact that you will have
spectacular plants which are absolutely ideal for your workspace when you use a
hire company. The reason for this is that these working at the business have
expertise which you perhaps don’t, and they will be able to select the perfect
plant arrangement for your workspace, taking into consideration everything
about the environment where the plants will be.
Design
Whilst the benefits of having plants in the office or the
workplace most certainly do extend beyond their aesthetic value, this is
something which we just cannot avoid, and you want plants to look great. Once
again, this may be an area which the business doesn’t exactly specialize in,
which is why outsourcing the selection and the placement of the plants and
flowers makes for such a great idea. The guys in these teams know what looks
great with what and how to install the right amount of plants and flowers in
the right places, to make sure that your office or workspace looks great.
Psychology
Smells and colors which are given off plants have a huge impact on
your staff’s productivity levels, and hiring plants will ensure that you get
the right selection to help increase productivity. This can help avoid doing
the opposite, which would happen if you decided to pick up some lavender for
the office, which is known to send people to sleep.
Get the look and the impact of the perfect plants and flowers by
hiring a company to manage it.
Most coronavirus infections are in China,
the original source of the virus, where 77,000 people have the disease and
nearly 2,600 have died. The number of new cases there is now falling.
More than 1,200 cases have been confirmed in about 30 other countries and
there have been more than 20 deaths. Italy reported four more deaths on
February 24, raising the total there to seven.
China’s government announced a ban on the consumption of wild animals and a
crackdown on the hunting, transportation and trade of prohibited species, state
media say.
It is thought that the outbreak originated at a market in the city of Wuhan
selling wild animals.
On February 24, China reported 409 new infections, the bulk of which were in
Wuhan.
South Korea has the largest number of confirmed cases outside China. On February 24, the Asian country reported another 231 COVID-19 infections on taking the total there to more than 830. Eight people have died.
Around 7,700 troops have been quarantined after 11 military members were
infected.
However, the biggest virus clusters have been linked to a hospital and a
religious group near the south-eastern city of Daegu.
Italy has the largest number of cases in Europe, 229, and
announced a series of drastic measures over the weekend to try to contain the
outbreak.
In the regions of Lombardy and Veneto, a lock-down is in place in several
small towns. For the next two weeks, 50,000 residents will not be able to leave
without special permission.
Even outside the zone, many businesses and schools have suspended
activities, and sporting events have been cancelled.
Three deaths announced on February 24 were all in Lombardy, Italian media
reported.
It is not yet clear how the virus entered the country, officials said.
On
February 23, Iran announced it had 61 confirmed cases of coronavirus,
most of them in the holy city of Qom. Twelve of those infected have died, the
highest number of deaths outside China.
On February 24, a lawmaker in Qom accused the government of covering up the
extent of the outbreak, saying there were 50 deaths in the city alone. However,
the country’s deputy health minister quickly denied the claim.
On the same day, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain reported their first cases, all involving people who had come from Iran. Officials in Bahrain said the patient infected there was a school bus driver, and several schools had been closed as a result.
Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was
convicted in New York City of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual
act.
The 67-year-old was cleared of the most serious count of predatory sexual
assault. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
Harvey Weinstein still faces charges in Los Angeles of assaulting two women
in 2013.
At least 80 women had accused him of misconduct stretching back decades,
including actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek.
The allegations were at the center of the #MeToo movement that inspired
women to go public with misconduct allegations against powerful men.
Haevey Weinstein once enjoyed phenomenal success with Oscar winners such Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, The King’s
Speech and Shakespeare in Love.
The jury of seven men and five women reached their verdict on February 24,
the fifth day of deliberations.
Harvey Weinstein – who denied all charges – was convicted of assaulting
former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a
former aspiring actress, in 2013. The judge ordered him sent to jail
immediately.
However, the jury acquitted him on
two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life
sentence, and first-degree rape of Jessica Mann.
In the minutes after the verdict, Harvey
Weinstein showed no emotion as he talked to his lead lawyer Donna Rotunno. He
will be sentenced on March 11.
The third-degree rape charge in New
York is defined as engaging in intercourse with a person who is incapable of
consent, or under age 17, or who has not given consent for a reason other than
the inability to consent.
Prosecutors portrayed Harvey Weinstein
as a serial predator who used his position of power in Hollywood to manipulate
and attack women.
The defense team said intercourse between
Harvey Weinstein and the accusers was consensual, and that the accusers used
the relations to advance their careers. The allegations amounted to “regret
renamed as rape”, the defense said. Two of the accusers kept in contact
with Harvey Weinstein and had intimate relations with him after the alleged
attacks, they pointed out.
Mimi Haleyi, who had worked on one of Harvey Weinstein’s TV productions,
said she was assaulted by the producer after he invited her to his Lower
Manhattan home.
Jessica Mann said that she found
herself in an “extremely degrading” relationship with him that did
not involve intercourse until he raped her in a New York City hotel room in
2013.
She said he was a “Jekyll and
Hyde” figure who could be charming in public but showed his dark side when
they were alone.
Another one of Harvey Weinstein’s
accusers, actress Annabella Sciorra, told jurors he raped her in her apartment
one night in the mid-1990s.
Her allegation was too old to be
charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors used it in an attempt to
demonstrate that the accused was a repeat offender.
Following the verdict, Annabella
Sciorra said: “I spoke for myself
and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my
heart.”
Three other also women testified they were lured to apparent work meetings
with Harvey Weinstein, then assaulted.
Donna Rotunno told reporters outside the courthouse: “The fight is not over…Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it
like a man and he knows we will continue to fight for him and he knows that
this is not over.”
The lawyer said her client was disappointed, but “mentally tough”.
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of NBA legend Kobe
Bryant, is suing the owner of the helicopter that crashed last month, killing
her husband and 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
Kobe Bryant, Gianna and seven others died when the helicopter they were in
crashed in fog on January 26.
In the lawsuit, Vanessa Bryant says the pilot was negligent for flying in
such poor weather.
The lawsuit was filed shortly before a memorial service held in Los Angeles.
It says that Island Express Helicopters and the pilot, Ara George Zobayan,
had a “duty to use that degree of care that an ordinarily careful and
prudent pilot would use under the same or similar circumstances”.
The lawsuit alleges that the pilot – who died in the crash – did not assess
weather data before taking off.
It also says the pilot did not abort the flight despite the treacherous
conditions.
Island Express Helicopters authorized the flight “with full knowledge
that the subject helicopter was flying into unsafe weather conditions”,
the complaint says.
Vanessa Bryant is seeking undisclosed compensatory and punitive damages.
The company has suspended operations.
The aircraft – a Sikorsky S-76B – went down into a hillside outside the city
of Calabasas.
Conditions were foggy when the flight took off, and local police had
grounded their helicopters due to the poor weather.
The pilot asked air traffic controllers for a special clearance, known as
Special Visual Flight Rules, to fly in less than optimal weather, said NTSB
board member Jennifer Homendy, who went to the crash scene to collect evidence.
The helicopter, she added, circled in the air for 12 minutes before being
given the clearance. The pilot then asked controllers for “flight
following”, an assistance given to helicopters to avoid collisions, but
was told the craft was too low to be picked up by radar.
Minutes later, the pilot said he was “climbing to avoid a cloud
layer”, she added. The helicopter climbed and began a left descending
turn, according to radar data, before communication was lost. All those on
board were killed.
Kobe and Gianna Bryant were remembered in a “Celebration of Life”
memorial at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 24.
Beyoncé opened the service with her 2013 hit XO, which she said was one of Kobe Bryant’s favorite songs.
Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Bryant’s former teammate Shaquille O’Neal
were among those attending.
The Staples Center was Kobe Bryant’s home arena for much of his 20-season
career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaking at the event, Vanessa Bryant said of her husband: “He was mine. He was my everything,”
and called her daughter Gianna an “amazingly sweet and gentle
soul” whose smile took up her entire face.
Island Express Helicopters was limited to operating when the pilot was able to see clearly while flying.
