CORONAVIRUS: A convoy of five military trucks took 30 coffins of COVID-19 victims from Bergamo, where the cemetery is full, to a cemetery in Piedmont, Saturday, March 21. Italy has reported 47,021 COVID-19 infections and 4,032 deaths, so far.
Close to 1 billion people worldwide were confined to their homes Saturday as the global coronavirus death toll shot past 11,000 and U.S. states rolled out lockdown measures already imposed across swathes of Europe. The pandemic has completely upended lives across the planet, restricting movement, shutting schools and forcing millions to work from home. While President Donald Trump insisted the United States was "winning" the war against the virus, individual states dramatically ramped up restrictions, with New York and Illinois joining California in ordering residents to stay home. The virus death toll surged past 11,000 worldwide, with 4,000 alone in worst-hit Italy where the daily number of fatalities has shot up relentlessly over the past week.

Massive Truck Lines at Hungary Romania Border Over Coronavirus Concerns
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Long lines of vehicles were waiting at a border crossing between Hungary and Romania, Sunday, March 22, with trucks being the only vehicles allowed to enter Hungary. Turkish officials are threatening to seize factories where face masks are produced if the companies running them do not agree to sell their products to the government. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told Turkish state-run media Monday the companies must stop hoarding their stock and sign contracts with the health ministry or they will be seized. He was quoted as saying the government would pay a fair price for the face masks. Soylu said the government Sunday carried out simultaneous raids on depots of some local producers that were stockpiling the protective masks.

Muslims Pray Outside Closed Holy Site in Jerusalem
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Muslims prayed outside the gates of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, Monday, March 23, after authorities indefinitely closed to compound to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Analysts say they see some Middle Eastern countries adopting strong measures to combat COVID-19 even as it continues to spread, while others are maintaining a cloak of secrecy about the infection rates. From the closure of Muslim pilgrimages and sweeping state of emergency declarations, coronavirus has introduced unprecedented changes, upending the region’s daily life. Saudi Arabia plans to convene a virtual summit next week bringing together the leaders from the Group of 20 major economies, in a bid to improve coordination of efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic and see what is working, and what is not. Jordanian analyst Osama al Sharif says some Mideast governments are taking the necessary steps ahead of their Western counterparts. "Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, I think they did a much better job than many Western countries. Look at Italy, Spain, Germany, UK and US all of them were very late in realizing how dangerous this pandemic is and taking public measures to contain and mitigate it," he said.

Germany Coronavirus Testing Nose Swabs
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Medics test patients for the novel coronavirus by collecting samples from their nose in Munich, Germany, Monday, March 23. A new testing station for the coronavirus has opened in Munich for health staff, police officers, firefighters and other essential workers. Meanwhile, scientists in the Department of Virology at the Technical University of Munich, study the virus to understand its short and long-term impact. The death rate in Germany has been low, with 130 recorded so far, and Germany has taken in patients from France and Italy for treatment. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The outbreak has infected more than 377,000 globally with over 16,500 deaths linked to the virus.

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Secretary Antony Blinken
@SecBlinken

Wishing a #HappyNowruz to everyone around the world who celebrates this festive occasion. May the Nowruz spirit of rebirth and renewal guide us all to better days!
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US Border Patrol Agents Rescue Two Migrant Children
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Two Honduran children were rescued from a small island in the Rio Grande by U.S. border patrol agents, Thursday, April 15. The two children, aged seven and 13, said they were not related and told authorities they were separated from their mothers in Mexico. Their rescuers were carrying out a routine patrol in airboats when they spotted small footprints and became suspicious. (REUTERS)

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Statement from President Joe Biden Marking Nowruz

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Find transcript here
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Today, Jill and I send our best wishes to everyone celebrating Nowruz across the United States and around the world—from the Middle East, to Central and South Asia, to the Caucasus, to Europe.

The Nowruz holiday brings loved ones together around the Haft-Sin table to reflect on the year that has passed and renew hope for the year ahead. This year, Nowruz comes at a difficult time for many families, when hope is needed more than ever—including for the women of Iran who are fighting for their human rights and fundamental freedoms. The United States will continue to stand with them, and all the citizens of Iran who are inspiring the world with their conviction and courage. And together with our partners, we will continue to hold Iranian officials accountable for their attacks against their people.

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As we welcome the season of spring—and the new growth and possibility it brings—we have decorated our Haft-Sin table at the White House to reflect our hopes for the new year. And, we join Americans everywhere in celebrating the diverse diaspora communities who continue to strengthen the fabric of our nation, generation after generation. To everyone celebrating, Eid-eh Shoma Mobarak—we wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year.

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