Posts made in March 2020

LIQUI MOLY ×
MercedesCup

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Quality and continuity characterize LIQUI MOLY. This applies to the lubricant brand’s products and services as well as to its sponsorship – including the MercedesCup. The German company will support the tennis tournament as premium sponsor until 2022.

“The MercedesCup offers LIQUI MOLY an ideal opportunity to position our brand perfectly at a top-quality sporting event. And because we are not a fan of one-day wonders, but always strive for long-term partnerships in all business areas, it is therefore a logical step for us to continue the cooperation for another three years up to 2022,” explains Peter Baumann. He is responsible for the marketing of the lubricant specialist.

The collaboration began in 2012. At that time, the tournament in Stuttgart was still a clay-court tournament. Three years later, the surface was switched to grass. “This has given the tournament an enormous boost and it continues to develop extremely positively,” says Peter Baumann about the event, which is a fixed part of the ATP World Tour. This year, it will be held from 6 to 14 June.

In Stuttgart, the brand will be shown on the boards along the back and sides of the court, i.e. in prime view of the cameras – a key factor for a correspondingly high presence in the media. Once again, more than 100 journalists from Germany and abroad will be reporting from the tournament. The MercedesCup is broadcast in over 20 countries worldwide. A seven-figure audience is guaranteed, as proven by previous tournaments. And LIQUI MOLY is exclusively the only lubricant brand to be involved.

Tournament director Edwin Weindorfer is also looking forward to continuing the cooperation that began eight years ago: “This economically highly successful company is a very important partner, not only for the MercedesCup but also for numerous other sports. With this in mind, we are very proud that our cooperation with LIQUI MOLY has lasted so long.”

It Began Before I knew It

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By Gary Dickson

There is little doubt that travel whether for business or pleasure stimulates the mind, challenges preconceptions, and promotes a flexible attitude. And I’m no different from anyone else and lucky enough to have had a business before I retired that provided a heady amount of high-end luxury travel as well as an association with people of impeccable taste and sophistication. These experiences are ingrained in my memory as beautiful dreams but there were a few nightmares along the way.

It all began a long time before I was in the business world of fashion, hospitality, perfumes, and jewelry. While that platform allowed me to combine business and pleasure trips to the design centers of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, and Milan, those adventures only continued a predilection that I had developed when I was a graduate student in Switzerland. I used my time off to travel to cities in Europe and beyond like Amsterdam, London, Budapest, Berlin, Athens, even Casablanca, and Marrakesh, and my favorite, Paris many times. But it all began long ago with my mother and father.

My mother was a stickler on many subjects, but particularly about books and thank-you notes. In fact, she was my first editor. Whenever an occasion required that I reciprocate some favor or event, she would not only remind and then remind me again of the necessity of sending a hand-written and timely thank you note but would also review a draft of my authorship to see that it captured the essence and etiquette of the moment. In effect, this meant that the thank you note had to re-tell the story of the event and its importance, but also how I particularly enjoyed the experience, as well as the obligatory praise for the hostess. Let’s just say politely in her memory that my first draft never passed muster.

And then there were the books; first, the ones that she read to me as a child in the afternoons curled up in her reassuring lap, and later, the ones of the summer reading schedule prescribed by my school that she insisted were subject to the equal time provision with the sports that I so dearly preferred.

Then there was my father, the consummate printer, the compositor/typesetter. In printing you learn a lot about precision–words, spelling, type fonts, wrong fonts, kerning, spacing, alignment, plus you’re exposed to every business and profession, and how they want the public to perceive and value them.

My father loved hand-made wool three-piece suits. He loved Cadillacs. He loved music and Broadway; so each year this Georgia couple, my parents, went to New York to see the latest shows and eat at Sardi’s, and they took me along from eight years old on to see Guys and Dolls, The King and I, South Pacific, Fanny, and a host of others.

And when I graduated from university and was accepted to a graduate program by a university in Switzerland, they reluctantly agreed although my father thought it too extravagant and my mother thought it too far.

Then in Switzerland, I met my first wife, an artist. As a matter of fact, her extended family were all artists to one degree or another: Dante professors, art restorers, etc. Their devotion and patronage of the artiigiani in Florence rubbed off on me. We made jaunts all over Tuscany searching for the special and unique.

Then later, when I became active in my father’s business, I helped change its course to reflect those qualities inherent in artistic workmanship. This tack in heading endeared our company to graphic designers across the country, indeed the world.

When I retired, I found that I had all these vignettes of people, places, and stories that were always popping up. Catalytic to these memories is my wife Susie who loves travel and new experiences as much as I do. Through her complicity, my personal souvenirs are re-lived. Sometimes a ragout is better the next day.

And after all, isn’t every story even if it is about an afternoon in a small town, a travel story? Life is a journey, and it is up to us to enjoy every bump along the way. But to do this, you must possess a level of consciousness, pay attention, and enjoy the trip. I remember people used to ask me if I had had a good trip. And my response was always that I don’t do bad trips.

Several years ago, when I was taking advanced French literature courses at the Alliance Française, LA, my French professor asked me if I had ever written anything. I answered, No.

But in reality, I have been writing all my life, if not on paper, then in my head. I took her advice and attended writing classes at UCLA where after five months I had my first novel.

Many people have asked if my stories are autobiographical or even if certain parts are true. I always respond that in every story a little truth resides, but more importantly it is the synthesis of experience and observation that provide the fodder for narrative. Said best by Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson:“I am a part of all that I’ve met.”

Gary Dickson is an inveterate traveler and a Francophile, sans merci. Educated in the United States and Switzerland in history, literature, and the classics, Gary is the author of The Poetry of Good Eats, An Improbable Pairing, and A Spy With Scruples.

Connect with Dickson at GaryDickson.us, Facebook.com/GaryDicksonAuthor/, and Instagram.com/GaryDicksonAuthor.

Washington Examiner Weekly Podcast

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The Washington Examiner is excited to announce the launch of a new weekly podcast.

This week, the Washington Examiner launched Mag Men, a podcastfeaturing the magazine editors of the Washington Examiner, offering analysis and commentary of the week’s news and what stories the editors are working on for the week ahead.

It will be hosted by Executive Editor Seth Mandel, Managing Editor Jay Caruso, Life and Arts Editor Park MacDougal and Deputy Editor J. Grant Addison.

“The combined experience of the editors and their diverse perspectives will make Mag Men the most eclectic political podcast out there,” said Mandel.

Ricochet, which averages 5 million downloads a month, also handles the hosting and distribution of other Washington Examiner podcasts, including the “Hashing it Out,” a weekly podcast hosted by Siraj Hashmi, “The Byron York Show,” hosted by Washington Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York, and “Examining Politics, “a daily podcast hosted by talk-show host Larry O’Connor.

Peter Robinson and Rob Long, the co-founders of Ricochet and Ricochet CEO Scott Immergut said, “We are of course thrilled to be carrying the Washington Examiner Editor’s Podcast (Mag Men) and extending our relationship with MediaDC”.
In the next several weeks, Ricochet and the Washington Examiner will be launching additional podcasts.

All of the Washington Examiner podcasts are available at washingtonexaminer.com/podcasts.

Washington Examiner brings readers excellence in news coverage, reporting and thoughtful commentary. It is published by MediaDC, a subsidiary of Clarity Media.

Riochet.com is the leading center-right audio network online, has been producing podcasts since 2011, and is also home to a vibrant community of members and listeners who discuss and discuss every topic under the sun in a fully moderated discussion site. Ricochet was founded in 2011 and distributes and sells podcasts for Commentary Magazine, The Daily Wire, Washington Free Beacon, National Review, The Hoover Institution, AEI, the Heritage Foundation, and many more.

The 5 Most Beautifully-Crafted Online Casino Games Today

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Let’s face it: The online casino industry is not the first place you would think to look when searching for stunning artistic creations. But the industry is hugely competitive at the developer level; and, when there is intense competition, stylistic choices are integral to helping your creations stand out from the crowd.

Indeed, with the technology now available to developers, they effectively have a blank canvas to create what they want. Designers have broken the rules, and casino games no longer must be designed in a linear fashion.

Below we are going to look at five online casino games that stand out as, well, artistic creations. You can win money with these games, sure. But the designs are the real winners:

North Storm – Rabcat

A new game from up-and-coming developer Rabcat, North Storm captures one of the most popular themes in online casino gaming at the moment – Norse mythology. While other games with a similar theme have perhaps cashed in on the popularity of Marvel’s Thor movies, Rabcat has gone much more traditional with North Storm. The slot is beautifully-crafted, featuring Norse symbols and iconography presented on a 3D platform. The subtle hues of colour, as well as a 3D snow effect, add to a pleasurable atmosphere for gaming.

Quantum Blackjack – Playtech

One of the biggest trends in online casino gaming is the concept of progressive betting blackjack. In a nutshell, that’s blackjack as you know it, but with supercharged prizes added to the mix. Quantum Blackjack is very much of that sort, but the presentation is simply outstanding. Played live through a studio stream or in a virtual format, Quantum Blackjack features a jet black backdrop with stark neon lines shaping the blackjack table. It looks like the kind of casino game you would find in the movie, Tron.

White Rabbit – Big Time Gaming

In its base game, White Rabbit resembles most other slots. However, once the bonus game launches, this Alice in Wonderland-themed slot transforms into something else altogether. The bonus game is a series of free spins played on a new reel set, which expands when cupcakes land on the screen. To be honest, it’s a difficult concept to describe, so different is it to anything else we have seen in the online casino world. In true Lewis Carroll style, White Rabbit takes you to a world you have never seen before.

Age of the Gods Roulette Live – Playtech

With this one, the question of whether it’s stylish or gawdy is perhaps a matter of personal taste. Age of the Gods Roulette is played in a studio with real dealers, and it has become one of the most popular games around since its 2017 release. The studio is designed to look like Mount Olympus – the game has a Greek mythology theme – and the croupiers dress in garb to make them look like Greek gods. Sounds tacky? Perhaps. But it somehow works, and it makes an exciting change from the standard roulette games you find everywhere else.

Archangels: Salvation – NetEnt

This game from NetEnt hints at the future of online casino; namely, that video slots are becoming more like video games. The graphics on Archangels: Salvation are nothing short of sensational, and they would not look out of place on a PlayStation 4. The screen is split between a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ angel, both of whom can interrupt the play to add special prizes. It looks a little bit like World of Warcraft, but, of course, there is that extra allure of some massive prizes on offer. Top stuff from NetEnt, which boasts one of the best in-house design teams in the industry.

Bad Child x “Candy”

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BAD CHILD SHARES THE OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR LATEST SINGLE, “CANDY” TRACK FEATURED ON THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK FOR NETFLIX FILM, TO ALL THE BOYS: P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU

Canadian singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist known as BAD CHILD unveils the energetically charged music video for his latest single, “Candy”, released earlier this year via Capitol Records stateside alongside 21 Entertainment and Universal Music Canada and Virgin Records in the UK: WATCH HERE. BAD CHILD’s creativity shines throughout the video with the use of his crafted drawings intertwined with psychedelic overlay effects and bright neon lights. The spirited video expresses his authenticity and bold energy, leaving everyone watching with the urge to dance. On the new music video, BAD CHILD notes: “I wanted to work on something interdisciplinary and I found it was a perfect medium to explore animation. Like the song I wanted to create a truly multimedia experience.” “Candy” was included as part of the tracklisting of the original soundtrack for the Netflix film, To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, the sequel to the most-watched Netflix film of 2018 – To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. BAD CHILD appears on the soundtrack as the only Canadian artist with other songs by Chaz Cardigan, Marina, Sofi Tukker and more. Listen to the original soundtrack HERE. The “Candy” music video arrives as follow up to the latest BAD CHILD project, “I”, released in February. Presented as a couplet of two tracks; “Candy” and “Behave”, “I” is the first installment of a series of new releases over the course of the year. Listen to “I” HERE BAD CHILD’s eccentric music and unique vision landed him on the festival circuit last summer playing some of the world’s most prestigious line ups including; Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and Osheaga. This year is no different as he gears up to join grandson for four Canadian shows in Toronto Montreal and Kingston then heads out with German recording artist NoMBe for 32 dates across North America. See full list of upcoming shows below.

BAD CHILD is an artist looking to come to terms with his childhood and his upbringing. After losing his mother at a young age and dealing with heartbreak, he sought refuge from the world in music. Since then he’s been breaking new ground with his genre-bending and distinguished sound palette. Last year, he released his debut EP Sign Up and became one of Canada’s most exciting exports; profiled in Wonderland Magazine, Complex, HillyDilly, Sidewalk Hustle, Atwood Magazine and the Toronto Star. BAD CHILD’s first radio single “Breathing Fire” peaked at top five on alternative radio in Canada plus he has been nominated for 2019 SOCAN Songwriting Prize alongside Dilly Dally, grandson and Kaytranda and was recently chosen as one of 33 artists selected for the Music Video Production (MVP) Project sponsored by RBC and the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

BAD CHILD UPCOMING SHOWS
03/28 – Toronto, ON (The Danforth Music Hall+)
03/29 – Toronto, ON (The Danforth Music Hall+)
03/30 – Montreal, QC (Club Soda+)
04/01 – Kingston, ON (The Ale House+)
04/21 – Tucson, AX (191 Toole*)
04/22 – Phoenix, AZ (Valley Bar*)
04/23 Las Vegas, NV (Bunkhouse Saloon*)
04/24 – Salt Lake City, UT (Kilby Court*)
04/25 – Denver, CO (Marquis Theater*)
04/27 – Santa Fe, NM (Meow Wolf*)
04/30 – Dallas, TX (HOB Dallas Cambridge Room*)
05/01 – Austin, TX (Antone’s*)
05/02 – Houston, TX (House of Blues Houston*)
05/03 – New Orleans, LA (House of Blues*)
05/05 – Orlando, FL (The Abbey*)
05/06 – Fort Lauderdale, FL (Culture Room*)
05/08 – Atlanta, GA (Aisle 5*)
05/09 – Nashville, TN (The Basement East*)
05/12 – Philadelphia, PA (The Fillmore Philadelphia*)
05/13 – Washington, DC (Songbyrd Music House*)
05/15 – New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom*)
05/16 – Boston, MA (Brighton Music Hall*)
05/19 – Montreal, QC (Le Belmont*)
05/20 – Toronto, ON (The Velvet Underground*)
05/22 – Detroit, MI (Saint Andrew’s Hall*)
05/23 – Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall*)
05/24 – Saint Paul, MN (Amsterdam Bar and Hall*)
05/27 – Seattle, WA (The Crocodile*)
05/28 – Vancouver, BC (Venue Nightclub*)
05/29 – Portland, OR (Hawthorne Theatre*)
05/30 – Boise, ID (Neurolux*)
06/01 – Santa Cruz, CA (The Catalyst Atrium*)
06/02 – San Francisco, CA (August Hall*)
06/04 – Santa Barbara, CA (Soho Restaurant & Music Club*)
06/05 – San Diego, CA (Music Box*)
06/06 – Los Angeles, CA (The Belasco Theatre*)
+ Support for grandson *Support for NoMBe

FOLLOW BAD CHILD: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Twitter

KATY PERRY – NEVER WORN WHITE

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Capitol Records released Katy Perry’s new song, “Never Worn White.” She wrote the moving piano ballad with Johan Carlsson, John Ryan and Jacob Kasher Hindlin. It was produced by Carlsson. Download / stream “Never Worn White” HERE.

Parisian directing duo J.A.C.K. (Madonna, Christine and the Queens) helmed the official video, which can be viewed HERE.

About Katy Perry

Since Katy Perry’s Capitol Record debut in 2008 with One of the Boys, she has racked up a cumulative 35 billion streams alongside worldwide sales of over 45 million adjusted albums and 135 million tracks with her albums One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, PRISM and Witness, and her latest singles, Gold-certified “Never Really Over,” “Small Talk” and “Harleys In Hawaii.” Views of her 2013 video “Roar” recently surpassed three billion – making Katy the first female artist to reach this milestone. Katy was also the first female artist to have four videos surpass a billion views each. Her videos for “Firework” and “Last Friday Night” have over one billion views, while “Dark Horse” has surpassed the 2.7 billion mark. Katy’s 2015 Super Bowl performance is the highest-rated in the event’s history. She is one of only five artists in history to have topped 100 million certified units with their digital singles – and the first-ever Capitol Records recording artist to join the elite RIAA 100 Million Certified Songs club.

Aside from being one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, Katy is an active advocate of many philanthropic causes. In 2013, Katy was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador as a result of her commitment to improving the lives of children worldwide. From traveling to Vietnam and Madagascar to highlight the needs of some of the world’s most vulnerable children, to recording PSAs about the importance of empowering girls and supporting adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, as well as raising awareness for UNICEF’s emergency relief efforts, Katy has used her powerful voice to advocate for children and support UNICEF’s mission to ensure every child’s right to health, education, equality, and protection. She was awarded with the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award in 2016.

Emily Ratajkowski × STRONG

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Model, actress and entrepreneur Emily Ratajkowski attended a STRONG by Zumba high-intensity workout event at New York City hot-spot Terminal 5 today (Wednesday, March 4). The non-dance, high-intensity full body work-out class was taught by STRONG by Zumba Master Trainer and fitness phenomenon Michelle Lewin for over 125 people.

#SBZStrongerTogether, the two social media powerhouse personalities have nearly 40MM Instagram followers combined. Emily is wearing STRONG by Zumba’s latest apparel collection.

*Photo credit: Janice Yim for STRONG by Zumba

Lola Young x New Track

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LOLA YOUNG SHARES NEW SONG, “PICK ME UP”

Track Is From Her New EP, Renaissance, Set For April 7 Release On Capitol Records

Download / Stream “Pick Me Up” HERE

Today, Capitol Records released “Pick Me Up,” a new song from Lola Young – the 19-year-old South London artist recently hailed as “a rising star” by MTV UK. Produced by frequent collaborator Manuka, the soulful “Pick Me Up” showcases Young’s wry, intelligent songwriting and remarkable vocal range. Download / stream “Pick Me Up” HERE. The track is from her forthcoming EP, Renaissance, which will be released on April 7.

“‘Pick Me Up’ is about the struggles of a relationship, and the highs and lows of being in love but also the difficulty of feeling like you only want a person more when they ‘let you down,’” says Lola Young, who will perform at London’s Courtyard Theatre tonight as part of BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac’s AMP London 2020.

Young won acclaim for her fall 2019 debut EP, Intro , which contained such songs as “6 Feet Under,” Blind Love” and “3rd of Jan.” In its first week of release, “6 Feet Under” received more than 100,000 Spotify plays and streams now top 450,000. British GQ hailed the song as a “sultry pop banger.” Clash Magazine praised her video for “3rd Of Jan” as “a ruthlessly honest pop document…[it] finds Lola Young dancing alone in her dressing room, an intimate glimpse into her inner world.” View “3rd of Jan” HERE.

In a recent feature, Q Magazine observed, “Young’s songs bring her open-hearted lyricism and London Twang together with a neo-jazz sensibility with one foot always pointed in the direction of the nearest dancefloor.” Music Week described her music as “a red-raw mix of folky storytelling, hip-hop lyricism and soulful melodies.”

Drawing on a unique gift for writing songs that encapsulate and explore the human condition, Young turns extremely personal emotions into songs that resonate with universal truths. She began writing music at age 11. She won the 2015 Open Mic competition in the UK, beating over 9,000 acts with the original song “Never Enough.” Young is a recent graduate of the Brit School, whose alumni include Amy Winehouse, Adele, Freya Ridings, FKA Twigs, Jade Bird, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Loyle Carner and Rex Orange County.

Follow Lola Young:

Instagram | Facebook | Website

Lola Young, Pick Me Up, Capitol Records, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

Microsoft AI x “Bode Vault”

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Emily Adams Bode and Microsoft AI introduce the ‘Bode Vault:’ the first-ever digital quilt expert

Microsoft develops a custom-built digital library of thousands of hand-sourced materials, streamlining the NYC-based designer’s approach to creative process and production

Highly celebrated New York fashion designer Emily Adams Bode has partnered with Microsoft to develop the world’s first AI-powered digital quilt expert that draws upon an interactive archive of antique patterns as a comprehensive resource for design, production, inventory management, and storytelling. As the platform grows and develops its own internal intelligence, the Bode Vault is set to become an industry-changing tool for pairing the rich tapestry of human history with the best of machine insight.

Emily Adams Bode, the founder of eponymous luxury menswear brand Bode, was the first female designer to show at Men’s New York Fashion Week, the winner of the 2019 CFDA Award for Emerging Designer of the Year, and most recently granted the Inaugural Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation . Passionate about traditional garment making, her clothing is a nostalgic nod to American craftsmanship and the pieces she designs are deeply personal, each employing the timeless and historic garment-making technique: quilting. Marrying modern workwear silhouettes with the female-centric traditional techniques of quilting and applique, each piece is laden with its own history. All of the garments in the Bode line have a unique narrative that are based on a specific person or moment in history.

“I am excited to partner with Microsoft to help tell and share the stories of American quilts. This partnership uses technology to help us identify quilts in the field and in our stores. I aim to reinvigorate the rich history behind these textiles for my design team as we continue to grow with the potential of it becoming public facing.” says Emily Adams Bode.

With increasing demand, Bode is faced with the challenge of finding ways of organizing and categorizing an extensive inventory of bespoke raw materials — she looked to Microsoft as a long-time technical innovator within the industry to develop a solution for streamlining growth and efficiency. Initially trained on Bode’s existing quilt collection that was compiled by her team, as well as Bode’s extensive network of quilt experts and vendors to establish a rich historical reference toolset from which the Microsoft AI technologies could evolve. The result is a powerful design-to-production platform that draws from history’s most comprehensive library of textiles that is reshaping the company’s internal process, with the potential to do so for the fashion industry at large. Built with Microsoft Custom Vision AI and an integrated database system called Cosmos DB an extension of Microsoft Azure, the archive is trained on hundreds of images to make up a nuanced library that contains an archive of historic quilts of various patterns. From keeping track of inventory to offering up niche institutional knowledge, the archive is also an educational tool that it serves a host of essential functions for the business.

“The partnership with Bode demonstrates how Microsoft technology is unlocking creative and enterprise innovation for fashion designers and the industry,” says Maruschka Loubser, Director of Brand Partnerships at Microsoft. “Particularly for smaller companies, this allows them to rethink their process and structure with technology as a collaborative tool.”

For more information visit bodenewyork.com and microsoft.com/inculture.

Emily Adams Bode, Bode Vault, Microsoft, Vaughn Lowery, Sam Berman, 360 Magazine,

Emily Adams Bode, Bode Vault, Microsoft, Vaughn Lowery, 360 Magazine

Coronavirus × Weather’s Impact

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Daily coronavirus briefing: Global mortality rate for COVID-19 is 3.4%, WHO says

Weather and its potential impact on how COVID-19 behaves has remained a consistent focus since the outbreak erupted.

Coronavirus, officially recognized as COVID-19, took less than three months to travel around the world. After surfacing in late 2019, the virus has spread to more than 50 countries and claimed thousands of lives. After weeks of slowly spreading around the United States, the first American fatality from the virus occurred outside Seattle, Washington in King County just before the calendar flipped to March. As of Wednesday, nine deaths were blamed on the COVID-19 in the U.S., all in Washington state.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) has avoided deeming the virus a pandemic, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “This virus has pandemic potential.”

Weather and its potential impact on how COVID-19 behaves has remained a consistent focus since the outbreak erupted.

Spreading Coronavirus
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, alongside Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist and the MERS-CoV technical lead for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme. (WHO)

Hong Kong University pathology professor John Nicholls said that he suspected three factors would potentially kill the virus, according to the transcript of a private conference call in early February.

“Three things the virus does not like: 1. Sunlight, 2. Temperature, and 3. Humidity,” Nicholls said in remarks that were leaked on social media. “The virus can remain intact at 4 degrees (39 degrees Fahrenheit) or 10 degrees (50 F) … But at 30 degrees (86 degrees F) then you get inactivation.”

The CDC has cautioned that not enough is known about the virus to say for sure that weather will affect the spread, but a spokesperson said, “I’m happy to hope that it [the threat] goes down as the weather warms up.”

As experts work toward a better understanding, the world shudders in fear of the unknown, a worry that has rocked global financial markets. In what was the worst financial week since 2008 in the U.S., jitters sent the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all plunging on Feb. 23. The markets rebounded a bit on Monday, March, 2, but volatility remained high through Tuesday’s trading session.

Here are the latest updates, listed in eastern time, and the most important things you need to know about coronavirus.

** March 4, 12:16 p.m.
During a press conference on Wednesday morning, officials declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles county in response to the coronavirus. This will help to open up funding from the state to combat the virus. This announcement came shortly after six new cases were reported in the county. “I want to reiterate this is not a response rooted in panic,” L.A. County supervisor Kathryn Barger said, according to The Los Angeles Times. “We need every tool at our disposal.”

** March 4, 11:29 a.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state has risen to six.

Cuomo said the four new cases are tied to a 50-year-old man from New Rochelle, a New York City suburb about 20 miles northeast of Manhattan in Westchester County. Officials said on Tuesday this was the second confirmed patient in the state.

The patient’s wife, two of his children and the neighbor who drove the man to the hospital are the latest confirmed to have the virus. The man remains hospitalized while his family is quarantined in their home.

On Tuesday, officials said the man, a lawyer who works in Manhattan, had not traveled to any of the countries where the number of COVID-19 cases is the highest, indicating this was a case of community spread.

Cuomo also said students with the State University of New York and the City University of New York that were studying abroad in China, Italy, Japan, Iran or South Korea were being transported home. Upon arrival they will be quarantined for 14 days.

“Remember: We have been expecting more cases & we are fully prepared,” Cuomo said. “There is no cause for undue anxiety.”

** March 4, 9:55 a.m.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. climbed past 125 on Wednesday, with 9 fatalities blamed on the virus — all in Washington state. It’s not time to panic, but being vigilant is always wise. Here’s a reminder on what coronavirus symptoms to look out for, according to the WHO.

Fever is a symptom in 90% of COVID-19 cases

70% of cases include a dry cough as a symptom

Symptoms usually do not include a runny nose

** March 4, 9:41 a.m.
The COVID-19 global mortality rate is 3.4%, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday. “Globally, about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died. By comparison, seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than 1% of those infected,” he said.

** March 4, 9:20 a.m.
Italy’s government will close all of the country’s schools and universities from Thursday until mid-March as a result of the virus, according to a report from Italian newswire service ANSA.

Italy has reported more than 2,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the death toll in the country stands at 79. Only China, South Korea and Iran have a higher number of cases.

** March 4, 8 a.m.
After being closed for three days due to fears about the spread of COVID-19, Paris’ famed Louvre Museum reopened on Wednesday.

According to The Associated Press, museum employees voted to return to work on Wednesday after the museum’s management presented several new “anti-virus” measures. This includes wider distributions of disinfectants and more frequent staff rotations so employees can wash their hands, the AP said.

The Louvre is said to be the world’s most visited museum and in 2019 attracted more than 9.6 million visitors. The museum’s website states that about 25% of its visitors in 2019 were French, with “visitors from other countries representing almost three-quarters of total attendance.” Weather in Paris for the next week will be mostly rainy and chilly, according to the AccuWeather forecast.

** March 4, 7:42 a.m.
An Amazon employee in Seattle has tested positive for COVID-19.

“We’re supporting the affected employee who is in quarantine,” a company spokesperson told Reuters. The company also said two employees in Milan, Italy were infected and in quarantine.

In total, Washington state has 27 cases of COVID-19, the most of any state in the U.S., and all of the U.S. fatalities have occurred in Washington.

** March 4, 6:40 a.m.
Here are the latest updated numbers from around the world according to Johns Hopkins University:

Total confirmed cases: 93,455

Total deaths: 3,198

Total recovered: 50,743

Tuesday’s 2,500 new cases was the largest jump globally in new confirmed cases since Feb. 14.

See the Full Story

About AccuWeather, Inc. and AccuWeather.com
AccuWeather, recognized and documented as the most accurate source of weather forecasts and warnings in the world, has saved tens of thousands of lives, prevented hundreds of thousands of injuries and tens of billions of dollars in property damage. With global headquarters in State College, PA and other offices around the world, AccuWeather serves more than 1.5 billion people daily to help them plan their lives and get more out of their day through digital media properties, such as AccuWeather.com and mobile, as well as radio, television, newspapers, and the national 24/7 AccuWeather Network channel. Additionally, AccuWeather produces and distributes news, weather content, and video for more than 180,000 third-party websites.