From four walls
by Bernard Harbor

The coronavirus has now claimed 134 lives on this island; 36 in the north (where today's picture was taken) and 98 down south, where 13 new deaths were reported yesterday. There are currently over a million confirmed cases across the globe including 3,849 in the Republic, up 402 since Wednesday's count.

 

The economic aspects of the crisis dominate the Irish Times this morning. It reports on yesterday's frightening unemployment figures, a collapse in service sector activity, and a looming hole in the public finances. The Examiner majors on Leo Varadkar's hint of tax cuts.

 

If you're still smiling after all that, Stephen Collins reckons we might be heading into another general election later this year.

 

We reported on the education department's clarification about SNA reassignments yesterday. Meanwhile, RTÉ says the switch to an SNA "school inclusion model" is being deferred and the Times has a piece on the plight of parents of children with special needs this morning.

 

The Irish Independent  lists ten ways you can help others at this time, the Intensive Care Society of Ireland says hospitals are bearing up, and the Journal reports on anomalies in the

Covid-19 unemployment payment.

 

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary responses: So your Zen features Beethoven for the second Friday running. This clip of members of the Rotterdam Philharmonic coming together to play the Master's Ode to Joy from their homes is the most uplifting thing I saw all week.

 

Ciao.

 

Bernard

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