Face Recognition Market Discover How Increased Adoption of Among Developing Economies Offers A Major Opportunity in Industry – Skyline Gazette

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The global Face Recognition Market report covers comprehensively all aspects of the different industry verticals. This includes past performance analysis, latest market performance estimation and future forecast based on the drivers, challenges and trends. The future projection for the forecast period is covered within the Face Recognition industry report. Moreover, the Face Recognition market segmentation helps the reader with a comprehensive overview of the overall Face Recognition industry, assisting them in making strategic decisions.

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SummaryThe report offers detailed coverage of the main market dynamics. The market research dynamics includes historical and forecast market data, market segmentation, and major market trends. The report evaluates the Face Recognition market by volume and value, on the basis of application, type and end-users. The report further studies the present status and forecasts future prospects of the global Face Recognition market for 2020-2025.

Market Segment as follows:

Key Companies included in this report: The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Face Recognition Market including are Aware, Inc., Ayonix Corporation, Cognitec Systems GmbH, Gemalto NV, NEC Corporation, Animetrics, Daon, Id3 Technologies, Idemia, Innovatrics, Megvii, Neurotechnology, NVISO SA, StereoVision Imaging, Inc., and Techno Brain Group.On the basis of Services, the Global Face Recognition Market is studied across Cloud-based Facial Recognition Services and Training and Consulting Services.On the basis of Technology, the Global Face Recognition Market is studied across 2D Facial Recognition, 3D Facial Recognition, and Facial Analytics Recognition.On the basis of Vertical, the Global Face Recognition Market is studied across Automotive, BFSI, Education, Energy and Utilities, Government and Defense, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Retail and eCommerce, and Telecom.On the basis of Application, the Global Face Recognition Market is studied across Access Control, Attendance Tracking and Monitoring, Emotion Recognition, Law Enforcement, Robotics, and eLearning.

The market has been studied in the five major regions such as Asia-Pacific[China, Southeast Asia, India, Japan, Korea, Oceania], Europe[Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland], North America[United States, Canada, Mexico], Middle East & Africa[GCC, North Africa, South Africa], South America[Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru]. Further, the report has been classified by types and applications by geography. The report surveys major countries on the basis of type and application.

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Table of Contents :Part 1: Market Overview, Development, and Segment by Type, Application & RegionPart 2: Global Market by company, Type, Application & GeographyPart 3-4: Asia-Pacific Market by Type, Application & GeographyPart 5-6: Europe Market by Type, Application & GeographyPart 7-8: North America Market by Type, Application & GeographyPart 9-10: South America Market by Type, Application & GeographyPart 11-12: Middle East & Africa Market by Type, Application & GeographyPart 13: Company information, Sales, Cost, Margin etc.Part 14: Conclusion

Each manufacturer covered in the report has a unique detailed company profile that explains their Face Recognition market strategies including new product development, expansions and acquisitions & mergers and their market performance evaluation.

The report further evaluates key players on the basis of market size, share, revenue estimation, and profit statistics. The overall market outlook is combined as a summary of the global Face Recognition market. The report provides the latest developments in the Face Recognition industry such as the news updates, surveys analysis, as well as statistics in tabular and graphical formats.

To conclude, the report presents a SWOT analysis, to sum up the information covered in the global Face Recognition market report, making it easier for the customers to plan their activities accordingly and make informed decisions. To know more about the report, get in touch with Regal Intelligence.

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Face Recognition Market Discover How Increased Adoption of Among Developing Economies Offers A Major Opportunity in Industry - Skyline Gazette

Energy and sleep markets grow more sophisticated by addressing both concerns – Nutritional Outlook

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We can all use a boost. Lack of sleep, stress at work, having a social life; it all adds up to create exhaustion that makes us rely on substances like coffee or energy drinks to keep us moving throughout the day. Ironically, those things combined can also add up to a restless nights sleep. As a result, consumers are turning to dietary supplements in the hopes of finding a healthy way to sustain their energy and get a decent nights sleep.

Energy

According to the Council for Responsible Nutritions 2019 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, energy is the second most cited reason that a whopping 32% of supplement users take dietary supplements. What does that look like age-wise? The majority of supplement users (42%) who cite energy support as a reason they take supplements are between the age of 18 and 34, but consumers between the age of 35 and 54 still make up 35% of those who seek out energy products.

According to market researcher Innova Market Insights, food and beverage launches, including supplements, with energy and alertness claims grew 20%, globally, between 2014 and 2018. Sports nutrition is among the top market categories whose food and beverage launches are making energy and alertness claims, representing 38% of the global share of launches in 2018. Not only that, sports nutrition is also among the fastest growing categories, with food and beverage launches of products with energy and alertness claims growing 40% since 2014.

According to market researcher SPINS, during the 52 weeks ending October 6, 2019, energy support was one of the mainstream retail channels three bestselling ingredient categories, earning $803 million. Some of the bestselling energy-support ingredients in that channel overlap with sports nutrition, such as protein and creatine, whose sales grew 61.8% and 11.6% over the previous year, respectively. One of the most prominent sources of energy for the everyday consumer is caffeine. According to SPINS, in the mainstream channel, sales of caffeine grew 14.7% over the previous year, to $109 million.

While energy is important, consumers are also looking for balance. They are drawing distinctions between physical energy and mental energy, and understanding that superficial ideas of energy arent enough to get them through their workday or even a workout. In May of 2019, the World Health Organization classified burnout as an occupational phenomenon. It defined it as a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, 2) increased mental distance from ones job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to ones job, and 3) reduced professional efficacy.1

Concerns about burnout open up the energy category to new ingredients that complement energy ingredients. For example, dietary supplement ingredients classified as nootropics, which are meant to support cognition and focus, can be marketed in sports nutrition to improve workout performance and longevity. Nootropics, such as those found in the NOOstart product from ThinkNOO, are marketed to complement your morning cup of coffee. One of its active ingredients, L-theanine, is known to reduce the side effects associated with caffeine such as the jitters, for example. By taking a capsule 30 minutes prior to ones morning coffee, consumers can expect their bodies to more efficiently process the caffeine they consume, the company says.

[Coffee] is the most consumed beverage after water, says Shannon OBrien, founder and CEO of ThinkNOO. There are these unspoken side effects of coffee that people dont often think about. The jitters, the crash in the afternoon, and what people dont often realize is that coffee does actually have a much slower breakdown cycle for how long it takes to get out of the body, especially if youre topping up multiple times a day with any kind of caffeine. So, what we then looked at was how do you level out that energy throughout the day so people have more sustained healthy energy rather than turning to cup after cup after cup, which led us to a range of different nutrients.

The connection between energy and focus is extending into the gaming space, where e-sport athletes play hours of video games, requiring focus and fast reaction times. Traditionally, energy drinks have been a big part of gaming culture, but ingredients like L-theanine and MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), which also help the body process caffeine, open the door to healthier options.

Weve been speaking to a bunch of e-sports teams, and theyre really looking into this with scientific rigor, says OBrien. Especially when youre playing reactionary games that require a lot of precision, within 45 minutes of having caffeine, you are actually ineffective, worse than baseline. So, its at about the 45 minutes to an hour mark that you are out of your peak.

Sleep

The flipside of energy is sleep, and what we consume to keep ourselves alert during the day can have consequences for how well we sleep at night. Natural sleep aids provide a potential solution. According to SPINS, during the 52 weeks ending October 6, 2019, in the mainstream retail channel, the sleep category earned $389.8 million, growing 24.3% since the previous year. In the natural category, sleep sales grew 11.2% to $29 million. One of the bestselling ingredients in the category is melatonin, which grew in sales by 10.2% in the natural channel to $11 million, and by 26.4% in the mainstream channel to $322 million.

ThinkNOO keeps the consumers desire for restful sleep in mind with its NOOreset product, which aims to counteract the ill effects of caffeine consumption and to replenish the body of nutrients lost during the day.

The main ingredient we have in there is rutaecarpine, which is a plant extract that has really positive initial research showing it can assist with the production of key enzymes that break down caffeine, explains OBrien. On the flip side of that is that caffeine causes the absorption of a lot of nutrients of which weve looked to target and really replenish so that you get a more restful sleep and end up feeling better.

These products are an example of how the mindset around energy is shifting, taking on a more holistic approach that acknowledges the importance of the mind in our overall physical health.

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Energy and sleep markets grow more sophisticated by addressing both concerns - Nutritional Outlook

Italy reveals results of food and drink controls – Food Safety News

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Most issues with food and beverages in Italy involved products of animal origin and were microbiological, according to a recent report from authorities.

In 2018, almost 50,500 samples of food products were taken from all stages of the supply chain and nearly 130,000 analyzes conducted as part of official controls. From these analytical checks almost 1,500 had problems, revealing a non-compliance rate of 1.14 percent.

More than 78,000 checks were for microbiological reasons, mostly for Salmonella, followed by Listeria and E. coli, including Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC). Vibrio, Campylobacter, norovirus, Yersinia enterocolitica and Cronobacter sakazakii were also part of tests. Activities were coordinated by the Ministry of Health (Ministero Della Salute).

A total of 1,314 non-conformities were found mostly for E. coli, including STEC, followed by Campylobacter, Listeria and Salmonella.

Types of issues detectedThe highest percentage of irregularities involved microbiological issues in meat, fish and dairy products. The second category for microbiological irregularities was other food products such as composite dishes, including ready meals.

Out of 2,342 checks for allergens, 39 showed non-compliance.

Categories of foods with the greatest non-compliance are meats and derived products, cereals, composite dishes, confectionery products and spices.

Most testing for chemical elements concerned heavy metals with 59 of 21,518 analyzes irregular. For organic contaminants such as dioxins, PCBs, 3-MCPD and others, out of 20,161 analytical tests 29 were not compliant.

Almost 160,000 import consignments were subject to official controls, of which about two-thirds were food of non-animal origin. For this type of food, which concerned 106,116 consignments, 3,781 samples were taken and 214 were rejected. From these samples, 5,204 analyzes were carried out for Salmonella, aflatoxins and pesticides.

Checks on trade in products of animal origin led to 49 items being rejected out of 7,658 controlled lots. Rejections mostly related to bivalve mollusks for norovirus, fishery products for parasites, heavy metals or pathogenic microorganisms and poultry for Salmonella.

NAS and Guardia di Finanza operationsThe 38 NAS Carabinieri units carried out more than 50,000 checks. They found non-conformities in the catering, flour, bread and pasta and dairy product sectors. Investigations led to the arrest of 13 people for crimes including sale of harmful foods dangerous for public health or in poor condition. Almost 24 million kilograms and liters of food and drink was seized.

Local NAS units were also part of a number of operations involving wine, organic foods and fruit and vegetables.

In January 2018, NAS Florence held five people responsible for marketing counterfeit wine by adding water to it with more than 800 bottles seized. One month later, NAS Lecce busted a wine adulteration operation that consisted of adding sugar and other prohibited additives to wine.

In May, NAS Bologna seized 7,000-kilogram of raw materials and food supplements, some of which had expired dates, valued at 200,000 ($220,000). Other items such as vegetables were seized for a lack of traceability information or labeling that misled the consumer on place of origin. In November, NAS Alessandria found an operation in the organic sector using banned plant protection and pesticides.

The Guardia di Finanza, a unit responsible for investigating financial crime and smuggling, also seized more than 1,384 tons of agri-food products and 207,000 liters of liquids in 2018. Confiscated products included partially fermented grapes, wine and sparkling wine, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and fruit.

One operation involved seizure of 13,812 bottles of prosecco with false origin labels. The load, found inside a truck from Greece and bound for France, had the words Product of Italy on the packaging as well as Wine of Italy and Product of Italy on the bottles. Documentary checks found all transported goods had been produced with grapes grown in Bulgaria.

Another found a large quantity of oil with a false indication of origin in March 2018. The seized cargo consisted of 18,000 packs of sunflower oil, or 22,880 liters, which was produced in Bulgaria but had two Italian flags on labels of the bottles.

High botulism levelsItaly sent 398 notifications via the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed in 2018. Products of Italian origin were involved in 156 alerts and 86 of these were raised by another country. Non-conformities mostly involved animal feed, fruit and vegetables, meat excluding poultry, and cereals. These were mainly due to microbiological contamination, such as Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli, but also allergens and foreign bodies. A total of 209 Italian food recalls were published on the Ministry of Health website in 2018.

Meanwhile, Italy is the European country with the highest number of botulism cases, according to the National Reference Center for Botulism (CNRB).

From 1986 to June 2019, 342 laboratory-confirmed reports of botulism involving 501 people were recorded based on recently released data.

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food. However, they can start as soon as six hours after or up to 10 days later.

It can cause symptoms including general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, and paralysis of breathing muscles. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also occur. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

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Italy reveals results of food and drink controls - Food Safety News

CBD at the crossroads: a response to the FSA guidelines – Health Europa

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As the cannabis market has grown exponentially over the last year, there has been a massive influx of new companies offering a range of CBD infused products including oils, to vape pens, tincture, gummies, chocolates, and wellness products.

As a result of demand and product innovation, the CBD industry is reportedly set to be worth an impressive 1bn by 2025, surpassing sales of popular supplements such as vitamin C and D.

Until now, CBD has been in a period of regulatory uncertainty and the industry faced understandable criticism when high profile cannabis probes found that over half of the most popular CBD oils did not contain the amount of CBD promised on the label.

On 13 February 2020, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced a deadline of 31 March 2021 for the submission of a valid application for novel food authorisation for businesses selling food and food supplements containing CBD in the UK. Contained in the announcement, was a warning to all CBD companies that failure to comply may result in products being taken off the shelves. Alongside this warning, the FSA also issued its first ever safety advice to consumers of CBD products.

The UK guidelines, which do not apply to Scotland, come a little more than a year after the European Union added hemp extracts and hemp-derived products containing cannabinoids including CBD to a list known as the Novel Food Catalogue.

As the FSA only overlooks the food and beverage industry, the standards wont be applicable to vapes, cosmetics, or other items not for consumption or those containing controlled drugs such as THC, or products making medicinal claims.

The statement made by the FSA should be seen as an opportunity for those of us looking to work in a compliant industry and this increased regulatory scrutiny will likely see dodgy operators exiting the market, leading to a better product market place and increasing trust from the end user. The move towards better regulation standards is therefore a welcome one.

There is a great need for companies to be more stringent about the contents and overall safety of the cannabidiol products they produce. As steps are taken to protect consumers and ensure the products available are legitimate and safe, the CBD industry will have a space to safely and sustainably grow.

A vital component of moving the industry forward is for consumers to be properly informed about CBD; its different forms, strengths, recommended intake, proven benefits and potential side-effects. In this regard, the FSAs guidelines are a step in the right direction. Yet there are elements to the advice which are simply too restrictive, risking suffocating the market and so come across as anti-business.

For example, the FSA has recommended healthy adults to think carefully before taking CBD and to have a maximum daily intake of 70mg a day. This makes the UK the first country in the world to set recommended limits for CBD consumption. Yet the only evidence of adverse effects from CBD is from extremely high doses. There is no scientific rationale for the 70 mg limit.

Trade associations such as CannaPro and the CTA have done good work in ensuring the quality of the products and trading standards of their members and by recommending a cautious, research-backed maximum daily dose of 200mg for adults.

It is therefore a shame that the FSA hasnt considered wider views of the industry, instead choosing to partner with a relatively new trade association that charges significant membership fees to ultimately benefit larger companies on its books. This ignores some of the great work smaller businesses have achieved in future proofing their business models and creating safe high-quality products.

The FSA needs to work with longstanding trade associations to improve the regulation of CBD products without damaging the market and to update its consumer guidelines based on the huge amount of anecdotal evidence and observational studies currently available.

Due to the huge costs involved in applying for Novel Food status, some companies are at risk. A large number of businesses will now need to enter proceedings to gain retrospective approval, a burdensome, expensive process which involves supplying a large amount of data from rigorous testing.

The FSAs deadline will now force firms to scramble to gather this data in just over a year.

Whilst I am pleased to see the FSA taking interest in the cannabidiol industry, its interventions, in my opinion, have been heavy handed. An improved regulatory system is essential, but this must be implemented with market longevity in mind.

CBD products enable people to benefit from the therapeutic effects of medicinal cannabis legally and without a prescription for some, the results are life changing. Its important we do not disrupt access to these products which are providing multiple benefits for peoples health and wellbeing.

Prof. Mike BarnesGuest AuthorCo-FounderMaple Tree Consultants

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CBD at the crossroads: a response to the FSA guidelines - Health Europa

Kissing and coronavirus spread – Daily Monitor

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By Dr Vincent Karuhanga

Can I get Covid-19 through kissing? Barenzi

Dear Barenzi,Kissing happens when one puts his/her lips in contact with another persons body part with the commonest kissing in Uganda being mouth to mouth.

Covid-19 is present in the mouth. Therefore, kissing can risk one the infection not only from exchange of saliva but also close proximity which is likely to transfer tiny water droplets containing the virus (droplet infection) to the healthy kisser. The tiny droplets can be expelled when a person coughs, sneezes, laughs, sings or talks and reach another persons mouth, nose or eyes, hence infecting them.

The tiny droplets can reach kissers who will not be at a distance of about six feet or more (social distancing) during kissing.Additionally, the virus can spread by touching surfaces, objects or the body of an infected person where the virus is present and then touching ones nose, mouth or eyes. Touching commonly happens automatically between kissing lovers also risking transmission. Kissing of the backs of hands as a greeting or respect may also risk transmission and should be avoided.

All kissing couples just like any other person require to have maximum personal and general hygiene by washing hands often, not touching their face, disinfecting all surfaces that are touched often by others or themselves, avoiding kissing unnecessarily, social distancing including crowd control and coughing or sneezing into the elbows.

If one has symptoms including cough, difficulty breathing, fever, chest pain and sore throat among others, they should not only avoid kissing but report to their doctor or call the help lines given by the Ministry of Health for help.

What is better at preventing coronavirus? Fruits or supplements with Vitamin C? Shalita

Dear Shalita,Vitamin C has been tried in many viral conditions including common colds and HIV infection with some varying subjective successes.

When one has to choose between natural and artificial food nutrition, fruits are better than food supplements but as a matter of treatment for various conditions where they are helpful, supplements may give a better dose that may have been prescribed.

It may be difficult to know how much nutrition may be contained in a given fruit apart from estimating how much of the required nutritional ingredient that will be absorbed to be utilised by the body.

Coronavirus just like any flu like symptom causing viruses, requires a good immune system which among others is built on consistently taking a balanced diet which includes fruits.

It is, therefore, important for Ugandans to constantly have fruits on their menu starting from infancy.Anyhow one can still consume fruits and take Vitamin C as well because it is never too late to build up immunity including using Vitamin C whatever its source.

Recently a person died in Kanungu and doctors reports indicated he had jiggers that led to tetanus. Is this possible? Enos

Dear Enos,Tetanus or lockjaw is due to an infection caused by tetanus bacteria found in diverse places including soil, saliva, dust and manure. The bacteria enter the body through dirty cuts or openings on the skin. People who get jiggers are mostly dirty and when the jigger fleas burrow into the skin, they create an area vulnerable to many infections including tetanus bacteria. Also the use of unsterilised equipment to remove the jiggers can risk tetanus.

Jiggers themselves do not cause tetanus but make it easy for the sufferer to get infected by tetanus bacteria.

Send your questions to: features@ug.nationmedia.com

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Kissing and coronavirus spread - Daily Monitor

The best meal replacement and muscle food home delivery options to stay healthy indoors (plus the best supplements deals) – T3

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With the shops ransacked due to people panic buying all the essential and non-essential food items, we have to get crafty to make sure we don't wreck our bodies by gorging on junk food and Easter eggs for weeks on end.With many food delivery services already struggling to fulfil orders, we found a loophole that can help you stay healthy and slim, all the while still providing you with all the essential nutrients: supplements!

Shop meal replacement options at Amazon UK

Shop meal replacement options at Walmart US

Supplements are not just for bodybuilders and especially in the case of meal replacement and muscle food options apart from providing ample amount of calories they also contain fibres and many micro and macronutrients your body needs to function well. The downside is that some supplements can taste a bit bland, especially if you have been training your taste buds on hot curry and super-sweet snacks in the past few months or years.

Apart from protein powder and weight gainers, protein manufacturers also produce and sell other food items that might interest even people who aren't into fitness, like peanut butter or vitamins. There are plenty of special offers and supplement deals to choose from, too, so if you want to err supplement your diet with some healthy snacks, read on to find out your best options and, of course, the best deals of all things healthy.

(Image credit: Bulk Powders)

Buy all the discounted supplement at Bulk Powders

Shop all things Bulk Powders at Amazon

You would think you can only get protein powder and creatine from Bulk Powders, right? You might be surprised to hear that they also stock and sell dried pasta, oats, multivitamin tablets, nuts and peanut butter too. Not to mention stuff like peanut flour and breakfast smoothie mix. Bulk Powders also has a great range of vegan products as well, in case you are interested in animal cruelty-free products.

(Image credit: Muscle Food)

Get food delivered to your door by Muscle Foods (check delivery slots before you buy)

Fancy some extra lean diced chicken breast or free range beef slices? How about high-protein cheese or fresh fish? Get it all from Muscle Food as well as vegetarian and vegan food stuff, delivered to your door. The earliest slot at the time of this being published is the 1 April, which is still weeks earlier than when Tesco will start delivering stuff again, apparently.

(Image credit: The Protein Works)

Shop the best supplements at The Protein Works

Check out all things The Protein Works at Amazon

We were blown away by the Loaded Nuts high-protein peanut butter by The Protein Works and you can get a tub of it today for 35% less. Better still, the Loaded Legends protein bar is also discounted, so are the delicious Protein Brownies.

As well as snacking, the Protein Works also has an extensive range of meal replacement shakes, including vegan and diet options plus superfood powders and vitamins. Get all the supplements you need to stay healthy from one place: the Protein Works.

(Image credit: Soylent)

Buy the Soylent RTD at Amazon

We actually sampled the vanilla flavoured Soylent recently and were pleasantly surprised that it tasted good compared to some other ready-to-drink products on the market. The Soylent Nutrition Shake contains 20 grams of plant protein and it also has 26 added vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A/D/E/K/B1/B2, magnesium, folic acid and many, many more.

(Image credit: Mana)

Buy Mana meal replacement products at Amazon UK

Buy the Mark 6 directly from Mana

The Mana Powder Mark 6 has six sources of fibre and just as many sources of fat, as well being nutritionally complete and 100% plant based. Each serving delivers 400 calories of energy and contains 21 grams of plant protein from six different sources, which are: isolated soy protein, isolated pea protein, oat protein, hemp protein, rice protein and algae protein. All the good stuff.

(Image credit: Huel)

Order meal replacement powders directly from Huel

We covered Huel in more detail here on T3 already. Huel Powder is a nutritionally complete powdered food that is high in protein and fibre, low in sugar and salt, rich in phytonutrients, and contains a balanced macro split of 37:30:30:3 ( in grams, carbohydrate:protein:fat:fibre) and all 26 essential vitamins and minerals. Additionally, it contains no lactose or any animal products, no soy, and no GMO.

(Image credit: MyProtein)

Shop the discounted range at MyProtein

Shop MyProtein products at Amazon UK

MyProtein's vegan range has expanded significantly recently and now includes almost 150 products (147 to be precise). There are vegan protein cookies, vegan 'carb crusher' bars, almond butter and even protein bars and vitamins, all free from animal products. As well as vegan products, MyProtein also offers 'regular' supplements as well and now, thanks to the special offer they have on, the more you spend, the more you save!

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The best meal replacement and muscle food home delivery options to stay healthy indoors (plus the best supplements deals) - T3

Fears of Coronavirus Catastrophe at Rikers Jail – The New York Times

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One inmate used an alcohol pad that a barber had given him after a haircut to sanitize a frequently used Rikers Island jailhouse phone. Another used a sock to hold a phone during a 15-minute call. A third said he and others have used diluted shampoo to disinfect cell bars and table tops.

In the nearly two weeks since the coronavirus seeped into New York Citys jail system, fears have grown of the potential of a public health catastrophe in the cellblocks where thousands are being held in close quarters.

Public officials have been working to release hundreds of people in jail, but while that effort is moving forward, law enforcement officials concerned about public safety have urged caution. Inside the jails, meanwhile, inmates including some of those waiting to be released have been struggling to protect themselves from the virus.

Youre on top of one another no matter what you do, said one man who was released from Rikers Island recently, who asked to be identified by his first name, Jimmy, because he feared retribution from law enforcement officials. Theres no ventilation. If anything is floating, everybody gets it.

As public officials across the country scramble to release their own vulnerable populations in jails and prisons as a result of the coronavirus, New Yorks complex on Rikers Island has provided a case study in the difficulty of balancing public safety and public health concerns.

On Monday, for instance, after weeks of cooperating with city officials, the citys five district attorneys attacked the seemingly haphazard process by which people, including some accused of violent crimes, were being released.

Even at this difficult time, our society must have the ability to safeguard those who are incarcerated, to avoid violating their rights or endangering the community, the district attorneys wrote in a scathing letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, adding that conditions at Rikers had the capacity to meet recommendations by federal health officials.

For the past two weeks, Mr. de Blasio has been pushing prosecutors and judges to release as many inmates as possible, after dire warnings from public defenders and jail health officials about the toll the disease could take inside lockups.

On Sunday, he said about 650 people had been released, bringing the citys total jail population to under 5,000 for the first time since 1949. On Friday, the mayor had said, We know we have to do this quickly.

Still, the rate of infection in the city jails has continued to climb, and by Monday, 167 inmates, 114 correction staff and 23 health workers had tested positive. Two correction staff members have died and a low number of inmates have been hospitalized, officials said.

More than 800 inmates are being held in isolation or in quarantined groups because someone in their jailhouse tested positive for the virus, the president of the correction officers union said. A medical building that includes the only contagious disease unit on Rikers Island is now full of sick detainees, officials said. The unit has 88 beds.

Fear of the virus has grown among inmates and correction officers, several said in interviews. Some incarcerated people have refused to do the work assigned to them or have started disturbances, demanding more cleaning supplies and masks. Others said that correction officers who are assigned to taking people to clinics have ignored their requests for medical attention. Some correction officers said they did not have the necessary equipment to protect themselves from the virus, and that they had received little guidance from leadership.

Peter Thorne, a spokesman for the city Department of Correction, said in a statement that the city is doing everything we can to safely and humanely house people in our custody during the epidemic. The city correction commissioner, Cynthia Brann, declined to be interviewed.

Two weeks ago, the department put out an action plan that included stepping up cleaning of inmate housing areas and staff common areas, having detainees sleep head to toe and asking them to stay three feet away from each other and to wash their hands frequently. Jail officials also said they had given correction staff members masks and other supplies.

Jail officials have reopened a recently closed building to house other inmates, placing detainees who test positive in one part of the facility and those with symptoms a fever, cough, sore throat in another, said two people with knowledge of the inner workings of the jail. Both groups were given masks.

Yet in interviews, six jail employees and eight people either recently released or still being held on Rikers Island described a tense, crowded and unsanitary atmosphere inside the 10 jails there. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs or out of fear of reprisals from law enforcement officials.

Jimmy, who was recently released from Rikers Island, said that he and other detainees had mixed shampoo with water and used the solution to disinfect countertops, doorknobs and other areas in a dorm shared by 50 men. They had not been given cleaning supplies, he said. Feces was on the walls of some holding pens and dorm areas, two detainees said.

Social distancing is impossible, he said. In the Rikers jailhouse where Jimmy was, 40 to 50 inmates use the same toilets and share three phones to call loved ones and lawyers. During meals, the detainees sit at five tables with six stools. Thats elbow to elbow, Jimmy said. Some of the tables are caked with food from previous meals, he said.

Department officials said that phones are sanitized every two hours and that inmates have access to soap and cleaning supplies.

Several detainees and recently released people said they learned about the virus from friends and family or from watching television. The only guidance they received from correction staff was a pamphlet instructing them to cough into their arms and to wash their hands often.

Another inmate said during a telephone interview that correction staff met with a group of detainees and encouraged them to eat more fruit, and told them that the coronavirus was no worse than the common cold.

The warning to keep their distance from one another was impractical, some detainees said, as beds in jailhouse dorms are 18 to 24 inches apart.

Octavious Williams, 53, an inmate and colon cancer survivor, said, Its like Im doomed. I feel like my life is in danger.

Another inmate, Michael Herrera, said detainees were still being moved around Rikers Island from one jail to another, despite the risk of spreading the virus.

What were going through is inhumane, said Mr. Herrera, 40, who is being held at the jail on a technical parole violation. Were left for dead. Were just stuck here.

Some infirm inmates waiting to be released have been in a legal limbo, as one public defender described it.

Take, for instance, a 24-year-old who violated his parole when he was arrested on a drug charge. He tested positive for the coronavirus and was transferred to a special quarantine unit, a room with 10 people, all of whom were also infected.

Prosecutors, health officials in the jail and the parole board had all consented to a plan to release the man, who has diabetes and pulmonary disease, but as of Monday morning, he remained stuck in a thicket of bureaucratic procedures, his lawyer, Lara Belkin, said.

Some jail staff members, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs, said they do not have protective gear like masks and gloves.

They have been told to bring their own soap into work and to check their own temperature, they said. Healthcare workers who are exposed to a person who has tested positive are expected to continue working unless they develop symptoms.

Everyone is wondering how were supposed to do the job, said one Rikers civilian staff member. Its really scary how unsanitary it is.

These correction officers also described sloppy quarantine procedures. In one instance, clothes belonging to a detainee who had tested positive were left in the guards work area. In another, an inmate with flu symptoms got a test for the virus but was sent back to his cellblock to await the results.

Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, said jail officials had been taking as long as a week to notify officers that they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. He urged the department to form a task force to better coordinate a response.

When is the department going to be proactive, Mr. Husamudeen said. Are they really ready for whats coming?

About half of the 5,200 inmates who were in city jails on March 23 were awaiting trial on violent felony charges. Most of the rest were serving sentences of less than a year or were being held on nonviolent felonies, misdemeanors or parole violations.

On Friday, the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said people detained for low-level parole violations would be released, a decision that should affect 400 people in New York City jails.

Every day matters, said Lorraine McEvilley, director of the Parole Revocation Defense Unit at the Legal Aid Society. People are just lingering in Rikers Island with no real understanding, purpose or knowledge on their part as to when they are going to get out.

Mayor de Blasios correction commissioner has the power to release people serving a year or less in a city jail into a work-release program. But the mayor has also tried to build consensus with the police and prosecutors over who should be let out. The final decision for people awaiting trial must be made by a judge or, in the case of parole violators, by state officials.

So far, law enforcement officials have approved about half of the names on City Halls list, according to the district attorneys offices. One reason is a worry about security. The police commissioner, Dermot F. Shea, for instance, has objected to releasing people charged with domestic violence and sex crimes.

Colby Hamilton, a spokesman with the Mayors Office of Criminal Justice, said, The mayor has consistently said that public safety concerns would mean not everyone would be released.

Nicole Hong and Ashley Southall contributed to this report.

Continued here:

Fears of Coronavirus Catastrophe at Rikers Jail - The New York Times

Ahead of the Curve? – Big Island Now

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COVID-19 testing at North Hawaii Community Hospital. (PC: Lynn Scully, NHCH)

Lieutenant Governor Josh Green played a high stakes round of the on the other hand game at a press conference Monday encouraging Hawaii residents that the state could see low COVID-19 mortality rates if people follow the rules, but warning that a failure to do so would still lead to a public health catastrophe.

This is how fast it goes bad for us. If people dont listen (and practice social distancing), there will be 8% more cases in two days, Green said of the infection curve the state is currently following. Four days later, it will be 15% more cases. On the sixth day it could be 43% more.

Those 43% more cases will represent hundreds of people who will test positive for COVID-19, and they themselves will spread (the disease) he continued. That is how we lose. That is how people die in the state of the Hawaii.

Hawaii is now capable of conducting 1,500 tests for COVID-19 every day, the third-highest rate in the country. As of Monday, public and private labs had tested more than 8,700 COVID-19 swabs.

Thats part of the reason Department of Health Director Bruce Anderson said the state has seen an upswing in positive results over the last five days, with between 23% of those tested coming up positive.

Since Gov. David Iges stay-at-home Emergency Proclamation went into effect on March 26, the number of confirmed cases in Hawaii has risen to the following totals:

The most recent days tally saw 29 new positive results. One case was a child, meaning now four cases in the state have been reported in children 16-years-old or younger.

Of Hawaiis 204 cases, 165 are residents and 19 are visitors. Arrivals at Hawaiian airports have plummeted to roughly 3% of typical passenger flow last year, as fewer than 900 people flew into a Hawaiian Island Sunday.

Weve essentially eliminated cases weve seen with travel, said Anderson, adding that all but cutting off that avenue of infection has now ushered Hawaii into the phase of the curve where community spread is the paramount concern.

Anderson said consecutive days of 29 confirmed cases, 26 confirmed cases and 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend indicate the public is now seeing some signs of localized community transmission.

Officials dont believe theres widespread community transition yet, however, as the states sentinel surveillance program has tested 254 random samples of patients from different islands who reported flu-like illnesses but tested negative for the flu virus. None of those tests have come back positive for COVID-19.

Green and Anderson both reiterated that right now is the time when social distancing will matter the most, with Green saying he believes that roughly three weeks is a reasonable timeline for Hawaii to see peak infection rates.

The governors stay-at-home proclamation and the 14-day, mandatory self-quarantine for all travelers visitor, resident or anyone who takes an inter-island flight starting Wednesday at midnight remain in effect until April 30.

The very best thing you can do to save the lives of our kpuna, is to please stay at home and listen to what the governor has asked us to do through April 30, Green said. Only go out when you absolutely need to.

We will be able to get out of this alive.

External triage center set up outside West Hawaii Community Health Center for COVID-19 testing. (PC: Tiffany DeMasters)

So far, everyone infected with COVID-19 in Hawaii has gotten out alive. As of noon Monday, only 12 of the 204 confirmed cases had required hospitalization. However, Green said six of those individuals are in intensive care units (ICUs) and two are on ventilators.

Currently, only 37% of the states 338 ICU beds are occupied. Only 11% of its 534 ventilators are in use.

If we do not quarantine at home, those numbers go up very fast, Green said. Just 400 of 500 people needing a ventilator will exceed our capacity to keep people alive.

If a surge of hospitalizations does come, which Green suggested would most likely occur in late April or into May, the state is working on technologies to expand its healthcare capacity.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii at Mnoa are collaborating with technical experts across the country to expand ventilator capacity and possibly split one machine so it can keep two people breathing simultaneously.

If necessary, alternate sites are being examined for use as healthcare facilities. Bed overflow could extend to the Hawaii Convention Center, for instance. Green noted that the state believes it might be able to bring several hundred more hospital beds online if necessary.

But if people follow social distancing mandates, he hopes Hawaii wont have to.

Were capable of beating this, Green said.

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During the coronavirus outbreak, a tale of two Rhode Islands – The Boston Globe

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Each night, when the chimes rang, audience members hurried to their seats at the historic Trinity Repertory Company in downtown Providence to watch an adaptation of Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities, a production that was drawing rave reviews.

For each of these Rhode Island institutions, it might be an exaggeration to say it was the best of times. Still, each pulsed with energy and promise, buoyed by the hope and anticipation of an early spring.

But then the coronavirus struck, and for many, it felt like the worst of times.

At Saint Raphaels, where the illness first surfaced, the virus left classrooms shuttered and silent.

At the cathedral, it left Mass canceled, the pews vacant.

At Trinity Rep., it left the stage empty, the seats unfilled.

You could call it a tale of two Rhode Islands.

We were the first to experience it, said Daniel Richard, principal of Saint Raphael Academy. It came very quickly to our doorstep.

Saint Rays, as its known in its home city of Pawtucket, is a 500-student school with active drama and athletic programs. Teams compete as the Saints, proudly wearing purple and gold. The school is named for the patron saint of healing.

In mid-February, St. Rays sent a group of 38 students and chaperones on a trip to Italy, Spain, and France. The vice principal for student life, Marc Thibault, led the trip, returning home feeling lousy enough that he decided not to go back to work.

As it turned out, Thibault had COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new virus Rhode Islands first case, which state officials announced on March 1. A Saint Rays student and a teacher also tested positive, and the school shut its doors, finding itself on the national threshold of an emerging global pandemic.

In all, about 150 students ended up in quarantine, Richard said, but the virus never spread to other students or staff. The kids, being Saints, held tight to what they needed to do which was to be good citizens, he said.

When the 14-day quarantine period was set to expire, Saint Rays began making plans to reopen on March 16. Alumni and parents helped buy purple-and-gold Saints Strong T-shirts for those returning, and administrators were planning to have heart-to-heart chats with each class about what the students had been through.

But on March 13, Governor Gina M. Raimondo closed all public schools, and private schools followed suit. Saint Rays remained shuttered.

As a cold rain came down last week, Richard sat in the Saint Rays administration building, looking out at Walcott Street and the schools college-style campus. A school bell sounded. Usually, he said, that would be the signal for hundreds of students to head down the street to their next class, moving among the schools seven buildings.

We have six parades a day thats what I always tell the kids, Richard said. And right now, you hear those bells ringing theres no one walking up and down the street. Its eerie.

And its sad, he said, because the students "bring so much energy and theyre primed for so many rites of passage.

For example, the virus has forced the cancellation of a statewide drama competition that was to include Saint Rays rendition of 101 Breakups, and it has prompted officials to call off the national cross-country championship that offered a stage for the schools record-setting track star, Darius Kipyego.

The kid ran the 800 (meters) in 1:49, Daniel said of Kipyego. I couldnt fall off a cliff that fast.

Also, this is the time of year when the school holds the Saints Olympics a competition among classes that helps raise money for a sister school in Africa and local food pantries. That effort was always led by Thibault, who recently sent an e-mail thanking the Saint Rays community.

"He knew that the community was sending him prayers throughout the whole process, Richard said. He was very appreciative. It carried him through some difficult moments.

Richard holds out hope that Saint Rays will reopen in April in time for prom night in May and graduation day in June. But he acknowledges the virus could return, and he notes that schools, restaurants, and stores remain closed throughout the state.

Every part of our normal existence has been put on hold, he said.

Also on hold are public celebrations of Rhode Islands faith life. The virus has forced churches, synagogues, and mosques across the state to cancel in-person worship.

On March 16, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin suspended all public Masses in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. So on Sunday, March 21, the mother church of the diocese the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul canceled its 10 a.m. Solemn Liturgy with Latin Chant."

Its been a long time since Ive had a Sunday off, the Rev. Monsignor Anthony Mancini, the cathedral rector, said as he sat in the empty Gothic Revival church Sunday morning. The last time this happened was in the Blizzard of 78.

Normally, 1,000 to 1,200 people would flock to the cathedral over the course of four weekend Masses, and 350 to 400 would turn out for the solemn chant Mass, he said.

As light filtered through the stained glass of the cathedrals great circular window, row upon row of wooden pews sat empty. And Mancini noted that soon the church calendar would turn to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter major events in the nations most Catholic state.

But he said pastors are being creative amid the crisis opening their churches for private prayer, holding Mass online, even taking drive-up confessions. And he urged Rhode Islanders to keep praying for those who are ill and for the most vulnerable.

From the empty cathedral, he offered a message of hope.

Faith reassures us that God hasnt left, despite all the dire predictions, Mancini said. This will pass. We will be back to some kind of normal.

A Tale of Two Cities was supposed to have run through March 22 at Trinity Rep.

But on March 12, Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza declared a state of emergency and revoked all entertainment licenses until further notice. That forced Trinity Rep. to cancel the final 12 of its 35 performances of Dickens historical novel about the French Revolution. Eventually, the theater canceled the rest of its current season, including runs of Sweat and Sweeney Todd.

This is obviously a very scary and uncertain time for everyone, Trinity Rep. executive director Tom Parrish said. It is an unprecedented situation.

Trinity Rep. will produce as much content as it can for social media and its website, such as videos with actors, but the theater finds itself with no revenue coming in and about 100 employees on the payroll.

Fortunately, we are in position to guarantee they will be paid for at least four weeks and then re-evaluate based on how the situation evolves, Parrish said. It is our full intention to produce again and get a show up as soon as we possibly can.

When the show does go on and all the restrictions, closings, and social distancing ends Rhode Islanders might find that they take fewer things for granted, he said.

"When we come through, there may be a sense of carpe diem where people dont put off going out with friends, spending time with family, he said. Its a reminder to live in the moment with the people and things that are most precious to you.

At Trinity Rep., the marquee still advertises A Tale of Two Cities. But the doors are locked, and an ominous warning is taped to the door: You cannot enter this building without your temperature being taken."

Inside the theater, though, a light still shines.

Caitlin Howle, Trinity Rep.s digital marketing coordinator, explained that theaters have a tradition of keeping a ghost light on at all times, mainly for safety reasons. And recently, Trinity Rep. participated in the national Ghostlight Project, in which artists and communities pledge to stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participation, and compassion for everyone.

The idea is that theater is a space for all no matter what, Howle said.

Even amid a pandemic.

The ghost light is on even now the theater is never dark, she said. Its our sign of hope.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com

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During the coronavirus outbreak, a tale of two Rhode Islands - The Boston Globe

COVID-19: What’s closed on Marco Island? – Marco News

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A microscopic image from the first U.S. case of COVID-19.(Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

City of Marco Island closed Mackle Parks playground, spray park and exterior bathrooms, according to a news release sent Monday.The beach and fishing areas located under the S.S. Jolley Bridge are also closed.

Collier County has closed parking lots andbeachaccess pointsat Tigertail Beach and South Beach. Following the county's lead, the city closed itspublic beach access by Madeiraand Crystal Shores.

"Closing public access points does not keep all citizens or residents offthe beach," according to the news release sent on March 19. "What it does accomplish islimiting the numberof beach goerswhich isconsistentwith thepublichealth guidelines regardingsocial distancing and mass gathering."

Residents Beachon Marco Island closedon March 20. "MICA agreed to close the Residents' Beach parking late this morning consistent with my recommendation that they do so," according to Marco Island City Manager Mike McNees.

The association also closed its office and Sarazen Park at 930 Swallow Ave., by South Beach.

More: Coronavirus: Easter Sunrise service cancelled; San Marco Catholic Church suspends mass

And: Marco Island tells visitors to 'stay home' during coronavirus pandemic

"Marco Island Police Department officials are patrolling the beach to ensure social distancing guidelines are being followed," according to anews releasesent on March 20."In general, the more civic responsibility there is in terms of guideline and order compliance, the less restrictive measures will have to be enacted by the government."

Following Gov. Ron DeSantis'announcementthat all airline passengers coming to Florida from New York and New Jersey will be ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days, the city of Marco Island is telling visitors to stay home.

"Under normal conditions, we would welcome visitors and part-time residents, but these are not normal conditions," the city wrote in anews releasesent on March 25."During this COVID-19 pandemic, we are putting our residents health and safety first."

What other facilities are closed?

Mackle Park'swalking path is open, according to a city news release sent on March 28. The city hall, police and fire-rescue buildings are closed to the public, the city announced on March 23.

Omar Rodrguez Ortiz is a community reporter for Naples Daily News and Marco Eagle. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram as@Omar_fromPR, and on Facebook. Support his work by subscribing to Naples Daily News.

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COVID-19: What's closed on Marco Island? - Marco News

A Group of Islands in Northern Scotland Have Too Much Clean Energy, so They Are Producing Hydrogen Power – Interesting Engineering

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In an energy-hungry world, it is hard to imagine anyone having too much clean energy, but such is the case for Orkney,a group of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. The islands have so much wind power that wind turbines need to be switched off on a daily basis.

RELATED:NOVEL WAVE DEVICE COULD DELIVER LOW-COST CLEAN ENERGY

The islands decided to put that extra energy to good use and started producing hydrogen power, reported CNN Business. 2017 saw a world first when theEuropean Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) used tidal energy to split water and make hydrogen.

This process is called electrolysis, and it has become quite common on Orkney. A collaboration between EMEC, Community Energy Scotland, and others is using excess wind energy for electrolysis, whileSurf 'n' Turf, a project by the Scottish government, is combining excess electricity from tidal and wind turbines for the same process.

Hydrogen emits no carbon and can also be stored. As such, it provides an important clean alternative to natural gas and can be a key to the world's transition to cleaner energy.

However, traditionally the creation of hydrogen has been powered by fossil fuels releasing many harmful emissions in the process. TheInternational Energy Agency estimates that hydrogen creation results in830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year, the equivalent of the CO2 emissions of the United Kingdom and Indonesia combined.

Luckily, Orkney is proving there is a new way to produce hydrogen, and while it's still very expensive, it could one day be done at scale.

For now,Orkney is using the gas to power vehicles and hopes one day to power a seagoing vessel. It will also be used to heat a primary school. Not bad, Orkney! Not bad at all.

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A Group of Islands in Northern Scotland Have Too Much Clean Energy, so They Are Producing Hydrogen Power - Interesting Engineering

In the time of coronavirus, Vancouver Islands gardeners grow resilient – The Globe and Mail

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Thomas Trauttmansdorff, a canoe guide from Ucluelet, B.C., who grew up on a farm in Ontario, tocks up on seeds and soil at a garden centre in Tofino.

Photography by Melissa Renwick/The Globe and Mail

After growing up on a farm in Jerseyville, Ont., Thomas Trauttmansdorff still has vague memories of running around the cow barns as a child.

As soon as he was old enough to push hay bails around, Mr. Trauttmansdorffs father, Fritz, put him to work the way his own father had done.

Working with family always has its ups and downs, said Mr. Trauttmansdorff, who later wandered in a different direction to pursue his passion for snowboarding. The 35-year-old moved to the West Coast in 2010, eventually landing in Ucluelet, B.C., after finding his niche as a kayak-turned-canoe guide.

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But as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 230 in British Columbia this week, his life has come full circle. Self-sufficiency has been brought back to the forefront of his mind.

Were out here at the end of the road where our supply chain is a little more vulnerable than a lot of big cities, he said from his Vancouver Island community. We are very dependent on these supply chains, and just taking a few little steps toward self-reliance is never a bad idea.

At OCN Garden Centre in Tofino, seed packets are flying off the shelves. Mr. Trauttmansdorff gets some advice from Trina Mattson, the owner, on how to plant them.

At home, Mr. Trauttmansdorff writes labels to make sure he gives each vegetable seed the proper care. 'Taking a few little steps toward self-reliance is never a bad idea,' he says of his community.

With his newfound motivation and the extra time off work to put those steps into action, Mr. Trauttmansdorff got the ball rolling by planting kale, tomatoes, carrots and a variety of other vegetables that he nurses from his dining room.

Needing somewhere to keep the seeds growing, it puts a little pressure on myself to follow through on building a greenhouse, he said.

Leah Austin, co-ordinator for the Tofino Community Food Initiative, also on B.C.'s Vancouver Island, said that with widespread pandemics such as COVID-19, people are starting to think differently about where their food comes from.

Weve grown within this society where we dont have the space and time to have a garden, she said.

Recently, Ms. Austin introduced a tower garden to her living room, which has 52 holes for plants to grow from.

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Leah Austin, co-ordinator for the The Tofino Community Food Initiative, and her nine-year-old daughter, Gemma, water the tower garden inside their home in Tofino.

While businesses within Ucluelet and Tofino are shutting down, Trina Mattson has kept the OCN Garden Centre in Tofino open. She said that it was a difficult decision, but community members asked her to stay open. People are able to call in their orders, which are later passed through the gate so there is no person-to-person contact involved.

Many people retreat to their gardens to reduce stress, she said, and as anxiety around COVID-19 rises, the last thing we wanted to do was take away any type of normalcy, she said.

While Mr. Trauttmansdorff may not yield a harvest like the ones he used to grow on his fathers farm, its a minor step toward being able to provide for yourself if worst comes to worst, he said.

Ive always felt that kind of gap of not farming in my life since I moved off the family farm, he said. Theres something very satisfying about seeing your years worth of work come off the field as a nice big crop and know that [its] going to feed people."

Mr. Trauttmansdorff organizes some seeds for planting.

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Civil Defense Announces 11th COVID-19 Case on Big Island – Big Island Now

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The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Big Island climbed from 10 to 11 overnight, according to a Sunday morning press release fromHawaii County Civil Defense. Saturday saw a jump in cases from seven to 10, according to the state Department of Health.

Civil Defense tallied total active coronavirus cases for Hawaii Island at six, who the county said are all quarantined at home and being monitored by DOH. As of Sunday, five people infected on the Big Island had recovered. No coronavirus-related hospitalizations had been required to date.

Gov. David Iges stay-at-home directive remains in effect and will remain until at least April 30. This proclamation identifies what activities are prohibited outside the home or place of residence and what is allowed. Call Civil Defense at 808-935-0031 for any clarification on this proclamation.

Under the proclamation outdoor exercise activities such as surfing and swimming are permitted as long as social distancing requirements and gatherings of no more than 10 people are maintained, Civil Defense said.

Drive-up coronavirus testing will be offered Sunday in Hilo at the Civic Auditorium from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Civil Defense Announces 11th COVID-19 Case on Big Island - Big Island Now

All schools ordered to close in Solomon Islands – RNZ

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The Solomon Islands government has extended a school closure notice, previously only for institutions in the capital Honiara and Guadalcanal, to the rest of the country.

The Solomon Star reported the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, Franco Rodie issued the directive, as part of the country's Covid-19 response strategy.

Dr Rodie said the mass repatriation of people from the capital to their home provinces following the declaration of a State of Public Emergency last week was causing anxiety and confusion for schools and education authorities.

Because of this Dr Rodie ordered all schools to close with a tentative return date set for the 27th of April.

Franco Rodie urged all students to return home to their parents and advised teachers to return to their home provinces if they did not feel safe where they had been posted.

He urged everyone to remain calm and listen to the official advice from the government and health authorities.

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All schools ordered to close in Solomon Islands - RNZ

Where To Get Hundreds Of Island Tunes For Animal Crossing: New Horizons, From Pop Songs To Theme Songs – Forbes

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Animal Crossing

Were now a week into release for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and that means people are moving along. I saw a bunch of players post the first images of their upgraded Resident Services Center on social media today, marking the moment in the game when the beginning really ends. The music kicks in, Isabelle moves to the island, and things start really moving. We get some new customization options, as well: a new island flag, for one, and the option to design an island tune.

Designing your island tune can be intimidating if youve got no musical experience whatsoever, but you shouldnt be afraid. For one thing, its set up on a scale that means there are no wrongnotes: its like playing a harmonica or only the white keys on a piano, nothing will ever sound too dissonant. But if you want something with a little bit more flair, the internet has you covered.

As usual, there are a bunch of songs on reddit, where theres a dedicated subreddit for sharing island tunes. But if you really want to get creative, theres a cool tool that was made available even before the game launched, so its absolutely stocked with songs. Check out the island tune creator at Nook Net, where you can both create your own tunes with the relative fluidity afforded by a computer and preview others.

The website seems to be moving a little bit slowly right now, likely due to increased traffic, but you can create your own songs, check out a few highlit ones in the spotlight section, or search uploaded tunes for yourself. You can get game songs, you can get the Imperial March: if it exists, there is an Animal Crossing Island Tune for it.

So get creative. I moved pretty quickly through the early phases of this thing in my usual haste, but now Im slowing down and getting things just so. That means that Ill likely be making my own island tune soon, and that i should probably change my flag from the lame preset leaf thing Ive got going on now.

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Where To Get Hundreds Of Island Tunes For Animal Crossing: New Horizons, From Pop Songs To Theme Songs - Forbes

Report: Staten Island man charged in N.J. crash that killed 3 – SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- A 38-year-old Staten Island man was arrested over the weekend in connection with a New Jersey crash that killed two adults and an infant.

Patrick Monahan was charged with three counts of aggravated manslaughter, three counts of vehicular homicide and one count of aggravated assault in connection with the March 27 incident on Convery Boulevard in Perth Amboy, according to an NJ.com report.

According to public records, Monahan is a Mariners Harbor resident. He is accused of driving aggressively, cutting in and out of traffic, and traveling 40 miles per hour in excess of the posted speed limit seconds prior to striking a Ford Minivan, according to the report.

Police found suspected controlled dangerous substances during a search of Monahans 2018 Ram pickup truck, according to the report.

The passengers in the minivan who died in the crash were a 47-year-old woman, a 44-year-old woman and an 8-month old. Both women reportedly were residents of Elizabeth, N.J., said the report.

Authorities said the crash occurred while Monahan was in violation of an executive order issued by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy that restricts non-essential activities in the state. Monahan was charged additionally in accordance with that order.

He allegedly told police he was in town to visit friends.

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For isolation, poetry is welcome relief: Island curators offer sites to browse – Shelter Island – Shelter Island Reporter

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Poetry, these days especially, can offersolace, peace, and a meditation that takes us away from the concerns andchallenges of life.

Bliss Morehead, founder and curator of theShelter Island Poetry Project, now in its 12th year, shared some suggestions onpoems and sources to browse. Working closely with Jocelyn Ozolins, thereference librarian (the Shelter Island Library is currently closed), Ms.Morehead had been developing plans for a poetry reading at the library in April which is National Poetry Month. Since the reading is now cancelled, they haveshared some of their favorite sites for poems, in hopes they will be helpful toour readers. There are also many selections available at the National Poetry Monthsite.

I am currently re-reading The Wild Braid,by Stanley Kunitz, Ms. Morehead said. If you dont love Kunitz now, you willafter your wanderings.

She described other Kunitz poems, includingThe Testing Tree, Touch Me and Halleys Comet as poetic bouquetsinspired by the poets work in his Provincetown garden.

Ms. Ozolins suggested that readers visit a poetrywebsite, brainpickings.org, created by Maria Popova, a Bulgarian-born writernow living in Brooklyn. The site is currently featuring masterpieces ofperspective, from poets including Jane Hirshfield, Marie Howe, Mary Oliver,Barbara Ras and others.

One of them, Mary Oliver, evokes a place likeShelter Island:

When I am Among the Trees

By Mary Oliver

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness.

I would almost say that they save me, anddaily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

in which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir in their leaves

and call out, Stay awhile.

The light flows from their branches.

And they call again, Its simple, they say,

and you too have come

into the world to do this, to go easy, to befilled

with light, and to shine.

Ms. Morehead said there is a full selectionof shelter poems to be found at the poets.org website.

Found there, this next poem speaks to the place we are all struggling to find within ourselves in trying times:

Hope is the Thing With Feathers

By Emily Dickinson

Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

And sore must be the storm

That could abash the little bird

That kept so many warm.

Ive heard it in the chillest land,

And on the strangest sea;

Yet, never, in extremity,

It asked a crumb of me.

This famous poem celebrates a beloved island, where the writer finds peace:

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

By William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay andwattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive forthe honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peacecomes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning towhere the cricket sings;

There midnights all a glimmer, and noon apurple glow,

And evening full of the linnets wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night andday

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds bythe shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on thepavements grey,

I hear it in the deep hearts core.

And finally, a couple of lines from W.H. Auden, for those who are working from home or in self-quarantine:

In the prison of his days

Teach the free man how to praise.

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For isolation, poetry is welcome relief: Island curators offer sites to browse - Shelter Island - Shelter Island Reporter

42 test positive for COVID-19 at Whidbey Island nursing home – The Daily Herald

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A total of 42 residents and staff members at the Careage of Whidbey in Coupeville have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Island County Public Health.

The highly contagious virus spread quickly through the rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility despite prompt testing and isolation of residents who tested positive, Island County Public Health Director Keith Higman said.

I think they did the right thing early on, he said of the Careage staff, explaining that people living in such facilities are susceptible to contracting the coronavirus because they tend to have weakened immune systems.

Life Care Center in Kirkland and several other Seattle-area nursing homes have been hit hard by the virus and have been the focus of national media. At least 37 deaths were linked to the coronavirus outbreak at Life Care Center alone.

One death in Island County was caused by COVID-19 and a total of 80 positive tests have been reported to the county.

Sean ONeill, executive director of Careage, said the facilitys 49 residents and 100 staff members have all been tested and results are back on all but a few.

Immediate testing identified people who had the virus and didnt yet have symptoms, allowing the facility to quarantine them before they passed it on.

Because we tested so quickly, we know the scope of the situation, he said, and have been able to isolate people early on.

ONeill said Careage officials have maintained close contact with residents families, WhidbeyHealth Medical Center, Island County Public Health and other agencies.

ONeill said Careage offers rehabilitation services for people who are recovering from surgery, an infection or a similar issue. In addition, the facility offers long-term nursing care for residents with special medical needs.

Careage also runs a childcare facility. ONeill said the childcare was closed March 13, and no children displayed symptoms.

He said parents were informed immediately after the positive tests from the nursing home were received.

Higman said Careage contacted Public Health after learning of the positive tests, which were just two to begin with.

The source of the virus has not been identified.

Higman said it may have come from a visitor, a staff member or a resident who underwent a medical procedure at another facility.

Higman explained that Public Healths role during an outbreak is to identify what it might mean for the rest of the population.

It often involves detective work.

Higmans staff is busy identifying and notifying people who may have come in contact with those who had contact with Careage, he said.

One of the first steps was to obtain visitor and travel logs. Public Health and Careage recently agreed to a memorandum of understanding that authorizes access to records.

ONeill said residents who tested positive are in quarantine and are being cared for by staff.

Were just taking it one day at a time, he said.

This story originally appeared in the Whidbey News-Times, a sister publication to The Herald.

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42 test positive for COVID-19 at Whidbey Island nursing home - The Daily Herald

On Maine island, several people with guns allegedly cut down tree to block driveway and force quarantine – Boston.com

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On the Maine island of Vinalhaven, an armed group allegedly told individuals to quarantine Friday amid the global coronavirus pandemic and even cut down a tree to block the driveway to their property, according to the Knox County Sheriffs Office.

Around 3:35 p.m., an individual used a VHF radio system to contact the Coast Guard for help at the residence in the area of Cripple Creek Road, authorities said.

The individual reported that several people with guns had cut down a tree and were telling them that they need to stay quarantined, the sheriffs office said on Facebook.

Sheriffs deputies, members of the Maine Marine Patrol, and a Coast Guard boarding party all responded. Vinalhaven, which has a population of just over 1,000 according to the last census, is roughly 14 miles off the coast of Rockland.

Law enforcement made contact with the complainant and discovered that a tree had in fact been cut down and dragged into the driveway to block the way, the sheriffs office said. The group had dispersed prior to law enforcements arrival.

These events do appear to be directed toward specific individuals and we do not feel there is a specific threat to the general public, the sheriffs office added.

The incident remained under investigation.

As the Bangor Daily News reported, state Rep. Genevieve McDonald, who represents the island, provided more of the alleged details on her personal Facebook page, noting, This is not something to be celebrated.

There are two guys from [New Jersey] on Vinalhaven who have been renting a house since September while working on a construction job. They went to the mainland, and were targeted because of their license plate when they arrived back on Vinalhaven.

There were some words between them and some locals, and the conversation apparently didnt go very well. I did hear the guys from [New Jersey] were fairly arrogant in their response. A group of local vigilantes decided to take matters into their own hands, and barricade these guys into their rental property. Marine Patrol and the USCG responded, along with [the Knox County Sheriffs Department].

THIS IS A TREMENDOUS WASTE OF RESOURCES.

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On Maine island, several people with guns allegedly cut down tree to block driveway and force quarantine - Boston.com

Love Islands Paige Turley teaches Finn Tapp more Scottish lingo as they snuggle up in bed – The Sun

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LOVE Island's Paige Turley taught Finley Tapp more Scottish lingo as they snuggled up in bed.

Finn has been spending time with his Love Island co-winner after travelling all the way to Scotland to isolate with her.

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Since then, Paige has been doing her best to teach the Milton Keynes boy Scottish words - including the one for sandwich.

The pair cuddled in bed, as Paige said:"Ayy so you have a piece. A piece in your lunch box."

Finn replied: "A piece of what."

She explained: "A piece of ham, a piece of crisp, a piece of tuna. It's a piece like a sandwich. You would say like, ya mam makes you a ham piece for your lunch box."

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Finn didn't get it, replying: "Mum can I have a ham sandwich please."

Two weeks ago she tried to get her boyfriend to understand "Scottish patter" by making him watch episodes of Still Game.

The singer, from Fauldhouse, West Lothian, recruited pesky pensioners Jack and Victorto help the Milton Keynes lad understand Scots slang.

Sharing snaps of him watching the BBC sitcom, she said: "Boy will understand Scottish patter.

"Teaching Finley Tapp the way with Still Game."

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Paige famously made Winter Love Island viewers proud for telling amateur footie star Finn not to be a bawbagduring the early days of their villa romance.

Both of the Love Island stars still haven't been paid their share of the 50,000, according to Paige.

for telling amatuer footie starFinn not to be a bawbagduring the early days of their villa romance.

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Love Islands Paige Turley teaches Finn Tapp more Scottish lingo as they snuggle up in bed - The Sun