Brief. Me - January 8, 2026 2:35 pm
In this weeks edition of the Sunday Papers are dominated on the evergrowing coronavirus crisis. The prime minister advises 1.5 million people to self-isolate, the NHS is on the brink of collapse and how the military will help Britain’s most vulnerable.
In our special feature, we look at breaking Covid-19 news from around the world. – ‘Iran says it’s unwise to ask for US aid’ as regional leaders request a halt on US sanctions during the outbreak of this pandemic.
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Stay home to save your life, 1.5 million warned
The Sunday Times says more than a million people at risk from coronavirus have been warned to live at home in isolation for three months as Boris Johnson warned the pandemic could “overwhelm” the NHS. The paper says some 1.5 million letters have been sent out to those who are most likely to die from the disease, including people with cancer and respiratory diseases.
Read the full story on the Times
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NHS facing Italian-style crisis if we don’t stay at home says PM
The Sunday Telegraph says the NHS could face a similar crisis that’s been seen in Italy over the last few weeks, the PM has warned. Official guidance has allowed UK doctors to prioritise coronavirus patients most likely to survive, reports the paper. In his starkest warning yet, the prime minister said the UK was only two or three weeks behind Italy. In Italy, the death toll rose by 793 in just 24 hours on Saturday.
Read the full story on the Telegraph
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BORIS: NHS is on the brink of collapse
The Mail on Sunday reports on the prime minister’s plea for people to celebrate Mother’s Day with a video call rather than visiting mums in person. It comes as the PM warned the virus numbers were “very stark” and “accelerating.”
Read the full story on the Daily Mail
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For your Mother’s sake stay at home
The Sunday Express quotes the prime minister as saying the threat of the coronavirus “cannot be sugar-coated.” It also runs with an image of supermarket shelves stripped bare, adding “selfish shoppers told ‘you should be ashamed.’”
Read the full story on the Daily Express
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Military planners drafted in to aid vulnerable Britons
The Observer says military officials are to help ensure food and medicine reach vulnerable people isolated at home during the coronavirus crisis, the Observer reports. The paper says pharmacies, voluntary groups and food retailers are in talks with the government to ensure essential items reach people being told to remain in their home.
Read the full story on the Guardian
Italy’s death toll has surpassed that of China
The most number of deaths related to COVID-19 outside China have been in Italy. The number of deaths in Italy reached 3,405. The total number of cases in the country rose to 41,035 on Thursday, which includes 5,322 new cases.
Europe is careening into the eye of the storm, Germany has 11000 cases, France has 10,000 cases.
Read the Full Story on WTX News
UK Weather Forecast
Sunday 22nd March 2020
Sunrise 05:58
Sunset 18:20
Today
Dry and fine again for most today, with plenty of sunshine. However, the Northern and Western Isles will see thicker cloud and some patchy rain. A little chilly, with a brisk south-easterly wind.
Tonight
Much of the UK will be dry with clear skies, allowing a patchy frost to form. However, north-west Scotland will see cloud thicken with rain and strengthening winds later for the Western Isles.
Financial Update
Exchange Rates
US Dollar $ $1.21 120.3
UAE Dirham 4.45 4.41
Euro 1.09 1.08
Swiss Franc 6.76 6.62
Tweet of the Day
Happy Mother's Day... you mothers. pic.twitter.com/nr9PFUamWd
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) March 22, 2020
Treat of the week
https://wtxnews.com/2020/03/21/how-to-home-school-your-children-during-the-lockdown-period/
Renaissance
“Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine.”
–Alan Turing
Featured Story
Coronavirus news from around the globe
Arab News says Lebanon is in a race against time as their coronavirus cases soar.
The Lebanese prime minister Hassan Diab has asked the security forces to enforce stricter measures to keep people indoors and prevents gatherings to curb a coronavirus outbreak.
The measures will include patrols and checkpoints, calling on the Lebanese to stay home and only go out if “absolutely necessary.”
The prime minister’s announcement comes after Lebanese officials called for tougher emergency measures including curfews after the number of cases in the country surged to 230 on Saturday. It is understood four victims are in critical condition.
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Aljazeera News says Italy has reported nearly 800 coronavirus deaths in the largest daily rise.
The death toll in Italy has leapt by 793 to 4,825, officials confirmed. It is by far the largest daily spike in absolute terms since the contagion emerged a month ago.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Italy rose to 53,578 from a previous 47,021 an increase of 13.9 per cent, the country’s Civil Protection Agency said on Saturday.
Italy has reported 1,420 deaths since Friday. On Thursday, it overtook China as the country to register most deaths from the highly contagious virus.
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CNN says the world’s biggest “public curfew” exercise has begun in India.
India will be attempting the biggest social-distancing exercise for the next 14 hours.
As the India government attempts to stall the spreading of Covid-19, the new measures indicate the government is testing the waters on whether an official curfew could actually be imposed across the country.
Prime Minister Modi has kept up a steady stream of tweets since early morning, asking citizens to stay inside. “The steps we take now will help in the times to come. Stay indoors and stay healthy,” he said.
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RT News reports on Iran’s Supreme Leader saying it’s strange for the US to be offering Covid-19 help as there are ‘suspicions’ the US created the virus.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said it is “unwise” for Iran to reach out for US’ aid in tackling the coronavirus pandemic amid allegations that the infection could have been created in America in the first place.
“Several times Americans have offered to help Iran to contain the virus. Aside from the fact that there are suspicions about this virus being created by America … their offer is strange since they face shortages in their fight against the virus,” Khamenei said in a televised speech.
He did not go into the details about the accusations against the US and said he didn’t know if they were true. But noted it was “unwise” to ask for American aid given the circumstances.
CULTURA
Royals
