March 2020

Michael Sorkin, 71, Dies; Saw Architecture as a Vehicle for Change Michael Sorkin, one of architecture’s most outspoken public intellectuals, a polymath whose prodigious output of essays, lectures and designs, all promoting social justice, established him as the political conscience in the field, died on Thursday in Manhattan. He was 71. His wife and only immediate survivor, Joan Copjec, said the cause was the coronavirus. In lectures and in years of teaching, Mr. Sorkin inspired audiences and students to use architecture to change lives, resist the status quo and help achieve social equity. His motivational writings and projects helped reset...

German minister takes own life allegedly over coronavirus concerns The minister of finance in Germany’s Hesse region, Thomas Schaefer, was found dead on Saturday after he took his own life, Deutsche Welle reported. The country’s financial capital Frankfurt is in Hesse region. His body was found on the railway tracks between Frankfurt and another city, Mainz. According to the report, he left a note before he died by suicide. The contents of the letter have not been released. State premier Volker Bouffier linked Schaefer’s death to worries about the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout. “His [Schaefer’s] main concern was whether he...

Netanyahu aide diagnosed with coronavirus, unclear if Israeli PM affected An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Monday, but it was not immediately clear if the 70-year-old leader had been exposed or his work affected. “We will take action in accordance with Health Ministry directives,” an official said, announcing the diagnosis of the parliamentary aide, whom Israeli media described as being in good condition. The Health Ministry generally requires 14-day self-isolation and possible coronavirus testing for anyone deemed to have been in proximity with an infected person. Source: Hindustan Times

Coronavirus Outbreak: Grammy-winning American musician John Prine in critical condition, says family Singer-songwriter John Prine is critically ill and is being treated for coronavirus symptoms. His family tweeted that the award-winning artiste has been placed on a ventilator. Prine has a history of battling illnesses, having twice had cancer. “After a sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms, John was hospitalised on 26 March (Thursday). He was intubated on Saturday evening and continues receiving care, but his situation is critical,” the message on his official Twitter handle read. Source: Firstpost

Comedian Ken Shimura dies of Covid-19, is first Japanese celebrity to succumb to coronavirus Japanese comedian Ken Shimura, who had been hospitalised after being infected with the new coronavirus, has died, becoming the first Japanese celebrity to die of the virus. His death, late on Sunday, set off widespread grief among fans. Shimura, 70, one of Japan’s best-known comedians with a career dating back to the early 1970s, reportedly had lung cancer surgery in 2016. He developed a fever and respiratory problems on March 19 and was hospitalised, media said. Dominating the television comedy scene in the 1970s and 1980s, one...

Joe Diffie, Grammy award-winning singer, passes away from ‘complications of coronavirus’ Joe Diffie, a Grammy award-winning country music singer who had several chart-topping hits in the 1990s, has died of coronavirus. He was 61. Diffie’s death was announced on his Facebook page, which said he died on Sunday “from complications of coronavirus.” His death came just two days after he had announced that he had tested positive for the virus and was receiving medical care. “My family and I are asking for privacy at this time,” he said. “We want to remind the public and all my fans to be...

King of Thailand is ‘self-isolating’ in a luxury hotel with 20 women & several servants There is good coronavirus news, there is bad coronavirus news, and there is downright shocking coronavirus news. This story belongs to the third category. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected over 7.3 lakh people and claimed 34,781 lives. As a result, a large part of the world population is currently under lockdown to prevent large gatherings in public places. While millions of people are diligently following lockdown and quarantine rules, some have been openly defying them and going about their daily activities without a care in...

Shaktimaan to return amid lockdown, confirms Mukesh Khanna Joining the list of reruns on Doordarshan is another cult classic from the golden era of Indian television, superhero show Shaktimaan, veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, who featured in the titular role, has revealed. Earlier, it was announced the cult mythological series Ramayana, Mahabharat, Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Circus and Byomkesh Bakshi, featuring Rajit Kapur, will be re-telecast on the national broadcaster and its sister channels during the 21-day lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus. Source: The Indian Express

Saudi Arabia assures India of uninterrupted LPG supply: Dharmendra Pradhan India’s oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday that he had discussed global oil market developments with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Aramco’s Chief Executive Amin Nasser as well as uninterrupted LPG supplies to India. Prince Abdulaziz assured (me) of LPG supplies in the coming days to support our domestic requirement, Dharmendra Pradhan posted on his Twitter account. On Friday, two Indian refiners declared force majeure on crude purchases from the Middle East after fuel demand plummeted due to a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of...

No plan to extend 21-day lockdown, says Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba The Prasar Bharati News Service, India’s public broadcaster, has said that reports claiming that the government may further extend the 21-day nationwide lockdown are false. Referring to a report carrying the headline Modi govt could extend coronavirus lockdown by a week as migrant exodus triggers alarm’, Prasar Bharati said the news is fake. In a tweet on Monday, PBNS said, PBNS got in touch with the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on this news article, “The Cabinet Secretary expressed surprise and said that there is no such plan of extending...