COVID-19

Courteney Cox's Friends are there for her in coronavirus isolation

Cox told TV host Jimmy Kimmel she remembered very little about the hit sitcom in which she played Monica for a decade.

"People love the show so much, I decided to binge watch Friends... it's really good!" she said via video link.

"I don't remember even being on the show, I have such a bad memory."

She added: "I remember obviously loving everybody there and having fun and I remember certain times of my life I was there, but I don't remember episodes."

Visits at French Polynesia's prisons suspended

The French High Commission said inmates would instead be allotted phone time to communicate with their friends and families.

The High Commission said some inmates might be released early, but that would not be considered if the individual was a risk to the public.

Last month, France was found guilty in the European Court of Human Rights of breaching the human rights of prisoners in Tahiti by treating them in a degrading manner.

Coronavirus: Six members of boxing teams who attended qualifier said to have tested positive

The Turkish Boxing Federation said two fighters and a coach tested positive since returning from the event.

Marko Marovic of the Croatian Boxing Federation also claims a fighter and two of its coaches have the disease.

He told BBC Sport: "Our epidemiologist says they were most probably infected during [the] Tokyo 2020 qualifier."

Marovic, secretary general of the Croatian Boxing Federation, added: "Our first concern is the health of our boxing family. We are still praying that everything ends well and there will be no other positive tests."

Guam reports 45 confirmed Covid-19 cases

Lou Leon Guerrero says a total of eight people tested positive on Thursday.

Governor Guerrero says as well as those 45, there are four additional cases from the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

The aircraft carrier has docked in Guam, after reports of sailors testing positive for Covid-19.

There are 5000 sailors onboard, though no one will be allowed to leave the vessel.

     

Tahiti Covid-19 cases climb to 30

The government said one of them is in hospital.

According to a visiting WHO official, the infections are all in Tahiti and Moorea.

There are no reports of suspected cases in the outer islands but a number of students arriving in Rangiroa from Tahiti last week were isolation with symptoms of the illness.

The Swiss tourist who fell ill with the virus when he arrived in Fakarava has recovered in Tahiti.

     

Coronavirus: Australia reverses 30 minute hair appointment rule

However, while appointments can now go on for longer, hairdressers and barbers must still observe the "four square metre per person" rule.

Salons have been allowed to remain open, despite other businesses being closed amid the coronavirus outbreak.

But some have called for all salons and barbers to be shut during the outbreak, which has killed 13 in Australia.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a number of new restrictions, which saw play centres, libraries and museums closed from midnight on Wednesday.

RFU to ask Eddie Jones to take a pay cut as pandemic hits finances

The RFU is facing revenue losses in the region of £45-50million over the next 18 months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Discussions are being held with Jones and his coaching assistants over a reduction in salary, the PA news agency understands.

Jones is the highest paid coach in international rugby, earning in the region of £750,000 per year.

The 60-year-old’s current deal expires in July 2021 and as yet there has been no move to extend his contract until the next World Cup in 2023.

Coronavirus: Spain’s death toll surpasses China’s

The number of deaths has risen by 738 in just 24 hours to a total of 3434 - a record spike for Spain.

By comparison, China has officially reported 3285 deaths, while Italy - the worst affected country - has 6820.

Spain's prime minister will later ask MPs to extend his country's state of emergency for another two weeks.

Lawmakers are expected to agree to Pedro Sánchez's request for lockdown measures to stay in place until 11 April. Under the rules, people are banned from leaving home except for buying essential supplies and medicines, or for work.

Tahiti tourist exodus continues amid flight cancellations

The French High Commission in French Polynesia said since last Friday a total of 2600 tourists had been able to fly out of Tahiti.

This Friday, a last flight bound for France is scheduled to take off before regular services are suspended until at least late April.

The High Commission said since the start of the crisis an air bridge set up with the domestic carrier Air Tahiti had allowed 2,500 holiday makers to fly from the outer islands back to Tahiti.

Six from Tokelau scholarship group stranded in Fiji

They are part of a group of 20 scholarship students and family who were in Fiji to study.

The head of Tokelau's public service said they tried to repatriate them but most were now stranded in Fiji and New Zealand because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Aukusitino Vitale said 14 of the students were currently in quarantine in Auckland.

Mr Vitale said a public servant who was on a training course in Fiji was also now isolated in Wellington.

He said five of those stranded in Fiji belong to one family.