The coronavirus is creating weird new business opportunities, from robots to anti-spitting hats

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The outbreak of the novel coronavirus is crashing global markets and affecting everything from air travel to the film industry to local businesses. Still, some companies stand to benefit somehow from this outbreak, which has now spread to scores of countries and infected more than 100,000 people. They include firms that sell deep-cleaning products, remote services like Peloton and Zoom, and, of course, the hand sanitizer company Purell.

But the sellers of some lesser-known products also seem to view the coronavirus as a unique business opportunity. These companies are pushing the idea that gadgets like air purifiers, …

How the coronavirus outbreak is roiling the film and entertainment industries

The Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, which was first identified in China in December, has had sweeping effects in the public health, business, and travel sectors, among others. And while the repercussions for the entertainment industry may seem to pale in comparison to the clear threat the virus poses to human life, the ripple effects do have implications for the people around the world who make a living producing and distributing movies, music, and more.

The immense and lucrative Chinese film industry was almost immediately hit as movie theaters across the country were closed and major releases were delayed. Hollywood

Italy’s coronavirus crisis could be America’s

Three weeks ago, Italy barely had a coronavirus problem. Back then, when there were just three confirmed cases, shops and cafes were open, tourists flowed in and out of the country’s magnificent holiday destinations, and quarantines were relegated to history: 14th-century Venice during the Black Death.

Now, Italy has the highest number of reported Covid-19 cases and deaths outside China: more than 10,100, and 631, respectively, as of March 11. Those figures are higher than that of two other coronavirus hot zones — Iran and South Korea — and higher than that of any other country in Europe. …

Who is winning the March 10 delegate count so far

With votes still being counted — and, in some states, cast — here’s the total delegate count for the March 10 Democratic primary contests so far, powered by results from our partners at Decision Desk and the Virginia Center for Politics.

Voters in six states — Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, and Washington — headed to the polls Tuesday, with approximately 9 percent of national pledged delegates at stake.

As of 10:30 pm ET, polls have closed in four states (and parts of a fifth), and the race has been called for former Vice President Joe Biden in Mississippi, …

Coachella is postponed until October due to coronavirus

Coachella, one of the largest annual music festivals in the US, has been postponed due to concerns about the novel coronavirus. The Indio, California-based event will be pushed back from April to October, organizer Goldenvoice announced Tuesday.

Another Goldenvoice festival, the country music-oriented Stagecoach, has also been postponed.

“At the direction of the County of Riverside and local health authorities, we must sadly confirm the rescheduling of Coachella and Stagecoach due to COVID-19 concerns,” Goldenvoice said in a statement. “While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, …

Taiwan has millions of visitors from China and only 45 coronavirus cases. Here’s how.

All signs pointed to the novel coronavirus being bad news for Taiwan. The country of 23 million is just 81 miles from mainland China, with frequent flights back and forth and hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese citizens who live and work in China. Taiwan had 2.7 million visitors from China last year.

But as of today, Taiwan has just 45 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases, and only one death. Health experts do not expect that the country is overlooking many cases, either. That’s many fewer than its neighbors like Japan and South Korea and one of the best containment track …

US airlines are waiving fees and canceling domestic flights as coronavirus spreads

American Airlines on March 10 announced temporary reductions in its domestic flight schedule that would extend into summer, the latest move by a US airline related to rising travel concerns during the coronavirus outbreak. This decision follows United and JetBlue’s announcement on March 4 that they would cut back on domestic routes until May, and shows how US-based airlines are buckling down to reduce overhead costs. Carriers, including American, Alaska, Delta, JetBlue, and United, are also waiving some change and cancellation ticket fees for both domestic and international flights, as people reassess their travel plans.

However, be sure to …

March 10 primaries

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Songs to wash your hands by: Memes are an unexpected ally in the fight against coronavirus

As the novel coronavirus (a.k.a. Covid-19) spreads, plenty of exploitative scheming and misinformation has proliferated online — but the internet has also become a crucial tool for sharing important, legitimate facts about the outbreak, including scientific info, travel updates, and news on the death toll and spread.

Naturally, there have also been plenty of memes. But due to a combination of unprepared governments, delays in testing for the coronavirus, xenophobia, and general public confusion, meme-makers are treating the threat a little less flippantly than they did during other global scares of the recent past. So …

Will coronavirus cause a global recession? We still don’t know.

Well, that was bad. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 2,000 points on Monday, over growing fears about the novel coronavirus outbreak and oil prices. Markets in Europe and Asia also tumbled, in one of the worst weeks for stocks since the 2008 financial crisis.

This is just the latest grim economic news. The spread of Covid-19, as the disease is formally known, is unsettling supply chains, sapping sales of some products, throwing travel into chaos, freaking out the stock markets, and intensifying fears of a global recession.

There’s still so