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In today’s briefing update, The headlines are – UK, schools and universities are calling for urgent clarity from the government after the announcement that GCSEs and A-Levels will be cancelled amid the coronavirus crisis.  

India, poor testing rates in the world’s second-most populous country may have hidden the true number of coronavirus cases. India has said it will not expand its testing, despite the WHO calling on nations to test, test, test.

Italy, despite a severe lockdown Italy is threatening to ban outdoor exercise as frustrations grow over the number of people ignoring the nationwide lockdown order. 

North Korea, Kim Jong Un has ordered workers to build a new hospital, despite the country still claiming to have no cases of Covid-19.

USA, Baltimore mayor has kindly asked residents to stop killing each other as they need hospital beds for coronavirus patients. 

Entertainment, Eastenders will stop filming until further notice in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The number of episodes shown each week will be limited to two. 

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India’s poor testing rate may have masked coronavirus cases

Aljazeera says Indian authorities have said they will not expand coronavirus testing, as most affected nations are doing, despite criticism that limited testing could leave COVID-19 cases undetected in the world’s second-most populous country. 

The WHO has urged all countries to test as widely as possible to curb the pandemic. But India has only been testing those who have travelled from affected countries or come in contact with a confirmed case and have shown symptoms after two weeks of quarantine. 

Read the full story on Aljazeera

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School shut down prompts exam clarity call

BBC News says schools and universities are calling for urgent clarity from the government after the announcement that GCSEs and A-Levels in England and Wales will be cancelled amid the coronavirus crisis.

Schools in the UK will close their doors on Friday except for vulnerable pupils or children of key workers. 

Universities UK said pupils should not lose the chance to go to university this year because of the moves.

It comes as the UK death toll rose to 104 on Wednesday.

Read the full story on BBC News

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Italy threatens to ban outdoor exercise in response to relentless coronavirus death toll 

France24 says the Italian government threatened on Wednesday to ban all outdoor exercise as the coronavirus death toll soared to 2,978 and frustrations grew over the number of people ignoring the nationwide lockdown order.

Italy was the first Western country to impose severe restrictions on movement to contain the illness. But a week after the curbs were imposed, the disease is still spreading and hospitals in the north are at breaking point. 

The northern region of Lombardy, on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic, asked recently retired health workers on Wednesday to return to work and help colleagues overwhelmed by the crisis.

Read the full story on France24

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Kim Jong Un orders workers to build a new hospital as North Korea continues to claim no coronavirus cases

Fox News says North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is calling on his country to quickly build a “modern general hospital” to “better protect the precious health and safety of our people” amid growing suspicion the Kingdom isn’t being honest about the coronavirus outbreak. 

State media reported Kim broke ground at the hospital construction site in Pyongyang on Tuesday as the North continues to insist it has now cases of Covid-19, despite it being between to virus hotbeds – China and South Korea. 

Read the full story on Fox News

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‘Leave hospital beds for coronavirus patients’ Baltimore mayor kindly asks residents to stop shooting each other

RT News reports Baltimore’s mayor has asked the city’s residents to stop killing one another, for the time being, asking them to not “clog up” hospital beds as the coronavirus pandemic spreads far and wide across the country.

“I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently,” Mayor Jack Young said at a press conference on Wednesday, adding, “For those of you who want to continue to shoot and kill people of this city, we’re not going to tolerate it. We’re going to come after you and we’re going to get you.

“We cannot clog up our hospitals, or their beds, with people who are being shot senselessly, because we’re going to need those beds for people who might be infected with the coronavirus.” 

Read the full story on RT News

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Filming of Eastenders suspended until further notice

Sky News says the BBC has suspended filming on Eastenders, Casualty and Holby City until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The number of new Eastenders episodes being shown each week is being reduced to two – with rival soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale also cutting the number of shows they broadcast each week. 

Filming on all BBC Studios’ continuing dramas has been halted following the latest government advice on tackling Covid-19, the corporation said.

Read the full story on Sky News

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