The first US service member stationed inside the Pentagon was tested positive for COVID-19 on 26/3/2020

In a Wednesday release , the Department of Defense (DoD) explained that the “Marine is in isolation at his home and will undergo further assessment by health professionals. His last day in the Pentagon was March 13.”
The release also notes that the Marine followed both US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and DoD directives and isolated himself when an immediate family member started showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
“His workspace has been cleaned by a Pentagon response team, and a thorough contact investigation is underway to mitigate risk and preserve the health of the workforce at the Pentagon,” the statement adds.
The Pentagon on Wednesday also raised the military's health protection level on all DoD installations globally to the second-highest setting, known as “Charlie,” as the number of COVID-19-positive service members continues to increase.
Under the Charlie designation, large-scale meetings at some DoD installations will be canceled, people's temperatures will need to be taken before they are allowed into military buildings, and some entrances to buildings will be restricted, Pentagon spokesperson Alyssa Farah told reporters Wednesday.
According to Military.com , there are at least 227 coronavirus cases among US forces and a total of 435 cases within the DoD. On Sunday, the first COVID-19 death within the DoD was announced. The patient was a department contractor based in Crystal City, Virginia.

The Philippine Department of Health said that 343 new cases have been recorded in the country in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 1,418. The death toll stands at 71.
An aircraft destined for Tokyo, Japan with eight passengers and crew members on board has crashed near Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila, Philippines, Manila's main airport said. The flight was reportedly chartered by the Philippine government to evacuate a patient to Tokyo.
The Manila International Airport Authority has confirmed the accident, which it said took place at the end of the airport's Runway 24.
The plane was carrying three medical personnel, three crew members, a patient and a companion, Senator and Head of the Philippine Red Cross Richard Gordon said on Twitter.
The plane caught fire and exploded as it was taking off the NAIA runway 24.
— Richard J. Gordon (@DickGordonDG) March 29, 2020
Social media users have shared photos and videos of the plane. Fire crews were promptly dispatched to douse the plane with foam.
Shocks! Just in Airplane crash at NAIA Rwy 24 Lion Air aircraft registration RPC-5880 carrying Med supplies pic.twitter.com/Vkkv087Qx8
— s h é r ✈️ (@pursherrr) March 29, 2020
Plane burns in NAIA @gmanews (video from source) pic.twitter.com/YLh6sYWj7W
— Joseph Morong 🇵🇭 (@Joseph_Morong)
March 29, 2020
CTTO pic.twitter.com/eVD3wZB0yn
— ahitpogi 🔪 (@after_shave) March 29, 2020
Globally, more than 684,000 people have contracted the COVID-19 disease since the outbreak began in China in late December. Over 32,000 have died of virus-related complications.

New-York city in danger as covid19 death toll hikens today

As of today, the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre has registered more than 121,100 coronavirus cases in the United States, with the death toll from COVID-19 surpassing 2,000 people.
At the New York City’s Elmhurst Hospital on this Sunday as the number of coronavirus cases in the country has reached new heights: New York City alone has recorded 517 deaths from COVID-19, while over 100 fatalities have been reported elsewhere in New York state.
The United States is now the country with the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases. Italy and China are second and third, respectively.

The husband to Israelites prime minister's adviser has tested positive to covid19! Could Netanyahu be sick too?

Israel has so far reported 3,865 coronavirus cases in the country, as well as 425 fatalities from the virus.
The husband of adviser to the Israeli prime minister, Rivka Paluch, has tested positive for the COVID-19 infection as it continues to spread across the country, according to the media outlet Walla. Paluch, who not long ago met the ministers in Netanyahu's cabinet, was also tested in light of the news, but her results will only be available later in the day.
It so far remains unclear if Paluch also came into contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently.
Some 3,865 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Israel. Sixty-six of them remain in serious condition, according to the country's Health Ministry with 54 requiring a ventilator to breathe. Some 82 more individuals are in moderate condition, while the remainder only developed mild symptoms of the disease. There has been a total of 425 fatalities from COVID-19 in Israel since the pandemic broke out.
The Israeli government took steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, restricting citizens movements to buying food and medicine since 25 March and ordering them to stay home otherwise. A violation of these quarantine measures is punishable by a $140 fine or even imprisonment as the virus poses a grave danger to the elderly and those with chronic conditions. At least 13 people aged over 70 have died from COVID-19 in the country.

Russia finally has made an anti covid19 drug

Earlier in the day, Russia’s operational headquarters for preventing the spread of COVID-19 reported that the number of patients infected with the coronavirus in Russia has increased by 228 people over the past 24 hours, and that one more person has died.

The Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA) said in a statement that it has presented a drug to treat the coronavirus, which has affected almost every corner of the globe.

Russia's FMBA is working "on an effective and safe scheme to prevent the coronavirus infection on the basis of mefloquine, which will not only overcome the peak of incidence but also effectively control it in the future", their press service said.

As of 28 March, Russia has registered 1,264 COVID-19 cases in 62 regions.

Putin Says Russia May Defeat Coronavirus in Less Than Three Months

On 26 March, Russian President Vladimir Putin shared his views on what Russia needs to do to contain the virus.

"My colleague expects we will defeat the coronavirus in two or three months. This is a fine forecast, since in many countries people say the war will be going on for a very long period of time ... We will certainly get over this situation, and I hope even earlier than you have said [two or three months]”, Putin said at a meeting with Russian business persons on 26 March.

Russia has joined nations around the globe to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. The measures include travel restrictions, quarantine for infected individuals and people over the age of 65, a week-long paid holiday for non-essential workers that starts from 28 March, funding to encourage businesses to convert their resources to the production of medical equipment, and other steps.

Russian Scientists Successfully Sequence Full Genome of Coronavirus

A week ago, the Russian Health Ministry's press service said that Russian scientists had succeeded in sequencing the full genime of covid19 that will help develop a vaccine and the necessary drugs.

According to the ministry, the sequenced COVID-19 genome will help develop vaccines and antiviral drugs to treat the infection.

"This coronavirus is new for us; therefore it is critically important to be able to determine the path of its spread and entry into the territory of our country, its change. This information will help develop vaccines and antiviral drugs to treat the coronavirus", Dmitry Lionozov, the acting director of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza said as quoted by the press service.

The World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March. More than 600,000 cases were confirmed worldwide by Saturday and more than 27,000 people have died from complications caused by the coronavirus disease, according to Johns Hopkins University.

USA hassling to get a name to her newly formed space army

The fledgling military branch promised that it would continue to operate despite the coronavirus raging in the country and the US military reportedly diverting resources to help authorities combat the outbreak.

The US Space Force (USSF) is continuing to work on a name for its troops and will reveal one soon, after going through a number of suggestions coming from people who have already been assigned to the novel military branch, USSF chief General John Raymond announced.

"The naming of our space professionals, we did a crowdsourcing ... with over 700 responses to that, and we're narrowing down that list, and I think you'll be hearing an announcement on that in the very near future", he said.

The new force in its uniforms, insignia, and logo in a timely manner, the general added.

"We will not delay those announcements […] we will continue to make those announcements when they're ready", the Space Force head said.

The announcement comes as the Space Force had to cancel the Space Flag 20-2 military exercise planned for April due to the Corona virus outbreak in the country, where at least 85,356 cases have been reported - three of which are members of the newly formed American military branch.

The COVID-19 virus has claimed the lives of 1,246 people in the US so far and 28,717 globally. China was long the country with the greatest number of reported cases, but recently moved to third place, with Italy and the US taking the second and first places respectively.

© AFP 2020 / TIMOTHY A. CLARY

Pentagon Activates Special Protocols to Fight COVID-19, Can Hide Info About Infected Troops - Report

The US has ordered the National Guard to help civil authorities fight the infection, with the Pentagon reportedly initiating two contingency plans to do the same. Some 1,100 servicemen have reportedly been directed to help authorities in the states of New York and Washington.

Virgin Mary appears in Covid 19 hit town..and they claim she has come to save them

According to local witnesses, what started as a rainbow gradually transformed into the discernible features of Jesus Christ’s mother, with many firmly believing they are all under the protecting veil of the Holy Lady.

Christians have claimed the figure of Virgin Mary recently appeared on the Argentinian skyline as a sign the people are under her holy protection during the raging coronavirus epidemic.

The moment three shafts of blue and white light popped up on the horizon was captured on camera in the early evening hours on Wednesday, in San Carlos, in the province of Corrientes, northeastern Argentina.

This picture was taken in the sky above Argentina. Some see the The Virgin Mary🙏 pic.twitter.com/QZz0G4dbFt

— Biloxi Blue Resistance (@Kcamp1776) March 27, 2020

“In the sky a rainbow started to be seen, and then some drops started to create the figure (of the Virgin) in the sky surrounding the Sun,” wrote an unnamed netizen whose daughter captured the moment on camera. Local media outlets have also begun speculating on the now viral pictures, reporting that for some residents the figure seen in the sky was reminiscent of the Virgin of Itati, the patron saint of the province.

“Thanks Mother for protecting us, for interceding for God, and for your mercy for the people”, another person was cited by the Daily Star as commenting on the phenomenal sighting. The figure was also reportedly seen in the immediate neighbourhood - the town of Candelaria, also in San Carlos, considered to be one of the oldest Jesuit towns in the province.

“There are a lot of stories… I do know we are very sensitive, aren’t we asking for a bit of hope?” Nancy Cervantes Saez was cited as saying.

A sign of hope in trying times? https://t.co/Oijz8NDSpf

— 710 KURV (@710KURV) March 27, 2020

The sighting of the peculiarly shaped light flashes comes as the coronavirus pandemic rages across South America, with Argentina imposing a nationwide quarantine from 19 March until 31 March.

Statistics say the overall number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world at 601,520. In Argentina 601 have been infected to date, showing a rise of 101 in the past 24 hours.

Italy continues to be a hotspot of the pandemic, as the coronavirus plague has been declared by the WHO, with the death toll there (over 9,100 people) the highest in the world. The pandemic has caused lockdowns and national emergencies to be declared in most countries worldwide.

The new Coronavirus extortion scam asks for $4000 in Bitcoin or scammers will infect the victim’s family with the virus.

In the past, we’ve seen sextortionists email blackmailing people them by claiming to have access to their private data which may involve text messages, photos, and videos. But recently, with the Coronavirus pandemic, such attackers have started using the virus as an additional point in their emails.
How they do this is by emailing people warning them that they could infect one’s whole family with the coronavirus while leaking your secret data in the process. The subject line is cleverly positioned to include your name and password in succession attracting your attention in the first place and prompting you to open the email.
Further, they propose that if one wants to escape this life destructing humiliation, they should pay a certain amount of money within a specific time frame via a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.


In some cases to make it all the more convincing, they may also add a few breached credentials of yours which are easily available online giving the impression that they can access your data too if they have accessed your login details.
Nonetheless, to conclude, it is important you remember a few things. Firstly, it is scientifically impossible to infect someone with the disease over the internet(save the cringe-ness of some) and so just ignore such claims.
Secondly, if someone alleges to have your private data, it is highly likely that they won’t unless you receive the attached evidence indicating so. In the latter case, it is recommended that you get in touch with your local cybercrime unit as there’s no guarantee the blackmailing will stop even if you do make the payment.
Nevertheless, beware of ongoing cyber attacks related to Coronavirus. For instance, last week, HackRead.com published a report highlighting how dark web hackers are offering “online sales” on hacking tools but in reality, it’s just another trick to pwn unsuspected users.
In another recent report , researchers exposed how hackers have been using fake live maps of Coronavirus to deliver malware. However, it doesn’t end here. A so-called Coronavirus app was also caught using live-map to spread
CovidLock ransomware.
If you would like to research the ongoing pandemic or like to keep an eye on which country has been infected and which not, follow Bing COVID Tracker , Ncov2019.live or Johns Hopkins University’s live map for Coronavirus outbreak.

Germany laptop sold on e-bay has been found with vital info about Germany army

It is important that when an IT asset is disposed of, all sensitive information is destroyed for obvious purposes. However, there are times when an error may occur due to negligence leaking critical data in the process.
One such incident occurred a few days ago when a German military laptop was sold on eBay for just €90 inclusive of the shipping cost. Purchased by a firm named G Data which specializes in cybersecurity, they reported the entire incident in a company blog post on 16 March.

The computer, a product of Roda featured a 128 MB RAM and was running on Windows 2000 & an Intel Pentium III processor. When dug further, it turns out that the laptop contained sensitive information including military secrets.
Here is a photo of the laptop that was being sold on eBay:

Image credit: G Data
Identified to be originating from Bundeswehr – the German army – an administrator program was found on it called MODIS which had “GUEST” as its username already entered.
Trying “Guest” in the password field as well yielded fruit as the program logged in granting access. This led the researchers to find details of a tank equipped with an anti-aircraft system known as Ocelot. Additional information on its schematics, maintenance and operations were also available.

Image of the tank: G Data
As for how they knew it was sensitive is not only because of the nature of what was revealed to them but also the fact that “At the top of every page of the TDv you can see a confidentiality note: VS grade: only for official use” as described by the researchers.
Regardless, it is satisfactory to know that all of these details did not create any significant security risks as the instructions surrounding the tank were not usable by anyone but the German army itself due to only them possessing the specific tank at hand.
Malicious actors though may use the information as an edge in possible future attacks either on a cyber or physical level. In addition to this, Microsoft Outlook was found to be installed as well but logged out with no other data on the computer.
To conclude, leaving a complete program by mistake is one thing but many also fail to properly delete their files permanently when selling their computers or smartphones. For instance, according to a recent stud y done by the University of Hertfordshire, it has been found that among the 100 second-hand phones purchased by the firm on eBay specifically for the study between January and June in 2018, 17% of them contained the previous owner’s personal data.
To avoid making such errors, it is advised that one either remove/destroy their hard drive or use a professional program that can overwrite the disk leaving no room for recovery which may be possible otherwise.

The desert locust, dubbed “the most destructive migratory pest in the world” by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Locust Watch

As the world continues to combat COVID-19 novel coronavirus, millions in Africa and the Middle East are expected to also be hit with the ever-worsening desert locust crisis, which experts say has the ability to grow at an unprecedented rate due to favorable breeding conditions triggered by climate change.
The desert locust, dubbed “the most destructive migratory pest in the world” by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Locust Watch , is positioned to wreak havoc on the food security of millions of people after recently disrupting the lives of individuals in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting expert for the FAO, told The Guardian this week that while the desert locust swarms should be decreasing in the foreseeable future as they historically have, climate change has created a new normal that endangers the food security of some 25 million people.
The FAO official explained that desert locust populations begin to expand as a response to moist conditions and continue to thrive in areas that are plentiful in vegetation. He noted that it was May 2018’s Cyclone Mekunu that created an ideal environment in the desert between Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen for the desert locust, which can eat roughly the equivalent of its own mass in fresh food a day.

LOCUST WATCH/UN FAO
Desert Locust plagues can develop in a recession area that extends from West Africa to India; an area equivalent to about 16 million square km. Scattered solitarious locusts breed on winter, spring and summer rains that fall sporadically in this area. If heavy rains fall in successive seasonal breeding areas, the locusts will gregarize and, unless prevented by control, drought or migration to unsuitable habitats, plagues can form.
“Just about when those conditions are drying out and the breeding is coming to an end, a second cyclone came to the area,” Cressman said. “That allowed the conditions to continue to be favorable and another generation of breeding, so instead of increasing 400-fold, they increased 8,000-fold.”
Cyclone Sagar, the strongest recorded cyclone to hit Somalia, came about just days prior to Mekunu, and both were followed by Cyclone Luban mere months later in October 2018.
“Usually a cyclone brings favorable conditions for about six months, and then the habitat dries out, and so it’s not favourable for reproduction, and they die and migrate,” the FAO official explained about the insects.
However, warmer seas from climate change bring about an increase in cyclones and subsequent rainfall that create conditions conducive to desert locust breeding. The FAO highlights that “moist sandy or sandy/clay soil” is prime breeding ground for the insects.
“This analogous forecasting methodology used to work pretty good up until five years ago, and it’s just not working very well any more at all because of the rainfall, the timing, the distribution. It’s very different,” Cressman confessed.
According to current Locust Watch reporting , a total of 10 countries have seen substantial desert locust swarms recently: Kenya, Ethiopia, Yemen, Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Oman.
“The situation remains extremely alarming in the Horn of Africa, specifically Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia where widespread breeding is in progress and new swarms are starting to form,” the FAO stressed.
The UN organization filed an appeal in February which called for $138 million in funding to provide aid to countries impacted by the ravenous desert locusts. As of a March 16 news release , a total of $105 million has been pledged.