Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize has won such praise for his handling of the coronavirus crisis that he’s being touted as a possible successor to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Travel and tourism have become casualties of coronavirus lockdown, but one travel writer has found a new way to highlight Scotland's beauty, writes Deborah Anderson

The Chaotic Scots Traveller Kay Gillespie delivers her Top 10 places She's dreaming about in Scotland

By James Campbell

NEW YORK (AP) — Andre Harrell, the Uptown Records founder who shaped the sound of hip hop and R&B in the late 80s and 90s with acts such as Mary J Blige and Heavy D, and who also launched the career of mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, has died. He was 59.Diddy's REVOLT company confirmed the death Saturday but no other details were immediately available. Harrell was the vice chairman at REVOLT.

War is the great distraction. Right or wrong, foolish or wise, it suspends all the usual political and economic rules. Suddenly a chancellor who has spent five and a half years telling us “there is no money” can find ready billions for warfare.

War, then. Another war. Still another war begun because the last guaranteed-conclusive war produced consequences that made one more shot in the dark inevitable. Intellectual and strategic failure is on a production line.

If modern lives were measured in unprecedented weather events, we would all be 200 years old. Defences against floods that were supposed to happen every other century are being overtopped in the space of a few winters. The victims surveying ruined homes and businesses are ageing fast.

Ian Bell, the award-winning Herald and Sunday Herald writer and columnist, died last week aged 59. Here are excerpts from 10 of his finest pieces of writing.

If modern lives were measured in unprecedented weather events, we would all be 200 years old. Defences against floods that were supposed to happen every other century are being overtopped in the space of a few winters. The victims surveying ruined homes and businesses are ageing fast.

RUTH Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, will take on Boris Johnson in the BBC's final EU debate, grandly entitled The Great Debate, which will be broadcast at 8pm tonight.

The accepted unit of measurement for long books is War and Peace. Library shelves bend and buckle under the weight of bigger doorstops, but it's Tolstoy's classic that has become the shorthand for a hefty tome.

EDINBURGH coach Richard Cockerill has explained that he played a part in Matt Scott’s move to Leicester Tigers after deciding he could not afford to keep the former Scotland centre.

Cairngorm National Park has moved online to give armchair visitors a flavour of a Highland spring, finds Sandra Dick

By Deborah Anderson

LEARNING from the problems and delays over PPE and testing will be essential to getting the vaccine strategy right, experts say.

Grief

Wise words

The paths around Hoolet are hard trodden these days, as the village takes its daily gulp of fresh air. Along hedgerows, down tree-lined avenues, through the woods and by the stream, legions of boots have stomped, marking out time. With almost no rain for six weeks, the lanes are dusty and tracks that were made by tractors, horses and bikes in the February mud have solidified into treacherous ruts.

IT could have been a warm welcome home for a conquering comedy hero when Billy Connolly appeared before an audience of Scottish school children at the BBC in Glasgow.

Source: www.aol.com - Saturday, May 09, 2020
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation’s top infectious disease expert and member of the White House coronavirus task force, says he’s going into a “modified quarantine” after coming into contact with an administration staff member who contracted COVID-19, CNN reported Saturday . Read more...

Source: www.reuters.com - Saturday, May 09, 2020
Malaysia's government extended the time frame for movement and business curbs by another four weeks to June 9, amid a gradual reopening of economic activity stunted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: www.wellingtondailynews.com - Saturday, May 09, 2020
The Freewill Baptist Church will be giving away food and other items to people in the community, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 16, but you have to make an appointment by calling the church office at 326-5521.Non-perishable food items and brand new items, such as fashion accessories, swimwear and home decor has been donated, Charlotte Brooks, church administrative assistant said. Shelter Insurance donated $1,000 worth of food.“Every donation is by the community [...]

Source: www.reuters.com - Sunday, May 10, 2020
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out a five-tier warning system for the coronavirus in England on Sunday when he outlines the government's plans to begin slowly easing lockdown measures, British media reported.

Source: spectator.org - Saturday, May 09, 2020
You have to give it to the enemies of the Constitution. They are clever as hell and they never stop trying. In the three plus years of the Trump administration, the left has made up the most outlandish, insane allegations against Mr. Trump. He’s a Russian agent. He’s a rapist. He takes bribes. He conspires to thwart the FBI. They libel and slander him in the one party media endlessly. When they took the House, they made up literally screaming schizoid paranoid accusations against him to try to impeach and convict him. They have utterly corrupted the FBI. They are well on their way to corrupting all of the “Intelligence” gatherings of the government. None of it worked. The truth saved Mr. Trump and the Constitution. The truth and Fox News and Rush and our own beloved American Spectator and the GOP Senate kept America whole and lawful. Now comes the latest challenge: the use of Covid-19 to demolish the Bill of Rights. This time it has worked. Yes, the virus is real and it’s truly horrible. Just gory and awful. But it’s being used to destroy Freedom of Worship, the right to assemble, the right to travel, the right to bear arms. In most states, the right to worship in groups has been killed dead while the “right” to go to Walmart remains intact. We, the people, cannot go to rallies for getting our rights back. But we can go to immense drug stores to buy eyeshadow. We cannot see our children and parents. But we can have unlimited rig

Source: www.justjared.com - Saturday, May 09, 2020
Looking for something fun to do while in quarantine? How about take classes from some of the world’s greatest teachers?! MasterClass makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best and the company is offering lessons from 80+ world-class instructors. The popular service was just spoofed on SNL with a hilarious sketch in which the comedians spoofed Britney Spears , Phoebe Waller-Bridge , and John Mulaney . You actually can learn acting from Oscar winners like Natalie Portman and Samuel L. Jackson , filmmaking from Martin Scorsese , singing from Christina Aguilera , tennis from Serena Williams , cooking from Gordon Ramsay , creativity and leadership from Anna Wintour , ballet technique from Misty Copeland , and business strategy from Disney’s Bob Iger . Each class includes around 20 video lessons that are 10 minutes long on average, along with an in-depth workbook. Right now, you can buy an annual membership to MasterClass that gives you access to every teacher’s lessons. For $180, you’ll get a membership, and you’ll also get to gift a membership to someone for free. This could be a perfect Mother’s Day present! Go to MasterClass.com right now to check it out and start learning. Disclosure: Some products on this site use affiliate links and we may earn commission for any purchase made through the links.

Source: www.justjared.com - Saturday, May 09, 2020
Alec Baldwin is back as President Trump on Saturday Night Live ! The actor once again impersonated the president on the sketch show’s season finale on Saturday (May 9). Alec as Trump made an appearance during the cold open, which featured a virtual graduation for college students. “I’m so honored to be your vale-dictator,” Alec as Trump said. “But today’s not about me. It’s about you. Although I should spend a little time on me first, because I’ve been treated very poorly, even worse than they treated Lincoln.” “You’re actually lucky to be graduating right now there are so many exciting new jobs out there, like grocery store bouncer, cam-girl, porch pirate, amateur nurse and coal,” he continued. “Don’t forget about coal. It’s in the ground, and you just dig down and grab it.” At the end of the cold open, Alec broke character, suggesting that this is his last time playing Trump . “And taped from my home, one last time,” Alec said, “it’s Saturday night.” Alec has been playing Trump for the past four years since the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Source: www.washingtontimes.com - Sunday, May 10, 2020
OAKLAND PARK, Fla. (AP) - There is nothing like a big smooch, gentle touch or a wet nose nuzzle with a happy dog. But social distancing rules, due to the impact of COVID-19, has created a barrier between those in need of canine therapy visits and those special pups that ...

Claudia, from Brazil, leads the ministry of OM in Bosnia. She shares her life and God’s love with the local people, bringing more to restoring faith in Christ—one cup of coffee at a time.

OM Bosnia distributes Samaritan’s Purse shoebox gifts to close to 2,000 children.

A scholarship from OM Bosnia gives a young woman from a needy family the chance to go to school.

OM worker Jael shares about believers in North West Bosnia growing in faith and learning the joy of giving.

Over the years, God used OM Bosnia’s firewood project tremendously. For the first time since 1999, there will be no wood provision this winter.

Providing disadvantaged children with backpacks brings the gospel into homes in remote Muslim villages of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In the Olympic city of Sarajevo, OM connects with the local people through spaghetti nights, sports, 'smoke breaks' and coffee.

Daniel Ottoson (US), who serves as a site leader at an international congregation in Finland, enjoys seeing Finns and foreigners serving and loving Jesus together.

As the Bus4Life begins its seventh tour, former driver Tuukka Linkopuu reflects on his two-year ministry while Esa Tuuri prepares to take the wheel.

A group of 45 OM volunteers from El Salvador are safe after a bus accident in Nicaragua last Saturday.

A team of 38 from El Salvador and Guatemala visited the Salvadoran city of Perquín to spread the message of the Saviour.

2012 marked the end of 30 years of OM under the leadership of Mauricio Hernandez, who has now handed over to Daniel Caballero.

OM team members in El Salvador reach out to young people in their country, challenging them to live a healthy life.

With the vision to promote healthy lives, OM educates people in topics like diabetes to reduce its incidence among members of the community.

A volunteer from Germany serving with OM El Salvador for 5 months learned that she can do all things through Christ.

Tony and his son Gabriel are moved by the mission-oriented heart of a local Pastor in El Salvador and decide to lend a hand.

Two children have the desire to serve God just like their father, the pastor of a church in their small village.

Michelle never expected to be involved in missions, but God had other plans.

No method is infallible when trying to reduce Bible poverty among the least reached, an OM worker discovers as he distributed Bibles.

“Aren’t there enough churches in Italy?” Not to reach the 50,000 people in Pisa, says OM team, who plants La Torre.

OM Ministry Leader, Lenna Lidstone, discusses how to use Discovery Bible Studies to see vibrant communities of Jesus Followers among the least reached.

Small outreach teams will share the life-changing message of the gospel with hundreds of women in brothels and on the street this Easter.