Here's what you need to know about the
coronavirus right now:
International haj pilgrims barred
Saudi Arabia said on Monday it would bar arrivals from
abroad for the haj this year due to the coronavirus, making this
the first year in modern times that Muslims from around the
world have not been allowed to make the annual pilgrimage to
Mecca, a tenet which all Muslims aim to perform at least once.
Some 2.5 million pilgrims typically visit the holiest sites
of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj. Official
data shows Saudi Arabia earns around $12 billion a year from the
haj and the lesser, year-round pilgrimage known as umrah.
International arrivals for umrah pilgrimages have also been
suspended until further notice.
Ceramic used in spine implants inactivates coronavirus
Silicon nitride, a ceramic often used in spinal implants
because it kills bacteria by releasing disinfectant chemicals
from its surface, can also inactivate the new coronavirus,
according to a new study done in Japan, which has not yet been
peer reviewed.
"Further studies are needed to validate these findings and
investigate whether silicon nitride can be incorporated into
personal protective equipment and commonly touched surfaces, as
a strategy to discourage viral persistence and disease spread,"
the researchers said.
Shares of ceramics company SiNtx Technologies Inc, which
makes the silicon nitride powder, jumped 170% on the report.
Fashion labels rethink approach to catwalks
French luxury label Christian Dior said on Monday it would
press ahead with a calendar of fashion shows for this year
starting in July with an Italian catwalk display - but without
the celebrated front-row audience of A-listers.
The coronavirus crisis has accelerated a rethink among
high-end brands of how collections are presented, with some
opting out of costly events and restricting the number of
clothing ranges they produce.
Playing to the plants
Barcelona's Liceu opera house reopened its doors on Monday
for the first time in over three months to hold a concert
exclusively for a quiet, leafy audience of nearly 2,300 house
plants. Organisers said the intention was to reflect on the
absurdity of the human condition in the era of the coronavirus,
which deprives people of their position as spectators.
The six-minute "Concert for the Biocene" featured a string
quartet playing Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's
"Chrysanthemum", chosen for its requiem-like sadness. Both
before and after the six-minute performance, the four elegantly
dressed musicians respectfully bowed to the "audience".