COVID-19 and Islam

+ an unseen threat to elections [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 6 March 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair [Kalpana Jain] A note from... Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor The coronavirus has affected public health, travel, the stock market – and now it is starting to change the ways people worship. Ministers are cutting sermons short, rabbis are advising against kissing Torahs – and Saudi Arabia has suspended the entry of pilgrims to its holy sites. Scholar of global Islam Ken Chitwood explains why [Muslims travel to Mecca and Medina]( on two different pilgrimages. The first – the umrah – is currently being affected by travel bans. It’s not yet clear if the restrictions will extend to the hajj, which is set to begin on July 28 this year. Also today: - [Reducing physical contact]( - [Dying on the job]( - [Leaning too hard on ice cream]( Top story Umrah pilgrims pray near the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File [Coronavirus fears put a halt to the Muslim pilgrimage of umrah – but not yet the hajj]( Ken Chitwood, Concordia College New York Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended pilgrimage to its holy sites. Many Muslims travel to these holy sites round the year for a pilgrimage known as Umrah. Here is what it means to their faith. Health + Medicine - [Love in the time of the coronavirus: Do you turn your back when someone offers you a hand, a kiss or a hug?]( Brian Labus, University of Nevada, Las Vegas At least temporarily, a kiss is no longer just a kiss. It could pass coronavirus. Even the French have suggested a ban on their traditional greeting. An expert explains why this is necessary. Politics + Society - [Why it took Congress 40 years to pass a bill acknowledging the Armenian genocide]( Eldad Ben Aharon, Leiden University The Shah of Iran, Jimmy Carter, Israel's foreign policy, Turkish politics and the US Armenian community are all elements in the long-running fight to pass a bill acknowledging the Armenian genocide. - [‘Internet of things’ could be an unseen threat to elections]( Laura DeNardis, American University School of Communication Co-opting internet-connected devices could disrupt transportation systems on Election Day, stymie political campaigns, or help make information warfare more credible. Economy + Business - [Why having fewer OSHA inspectors matters]( David Weil, Brandeis University A reduction in OSHA inspectors may lead to a reduction in workplace safety. Education - [Stop using food to reward and punish your kids]( Stephanie Meyers, Boston University There are better ways to convey your emotions. Arts + Culture - [How women dress for other women]( Jaimie Arona Krems, Oklahoma State University Recent research explores how women 'dress defensively' to avoid the aggression of other women. Science + Technology - [Autonomous vehicles can be fooled to ‘see’ nonexistent obstacles]( Yulong Cao, University of Michigan; Z. Morley Mao, University of Michigan Driverless vehicles rely heavily on sensors to navigate the world. They're vulnerable to attack if bad actors trick them into 'seeing' things that aren't there, potentially leading to deadly crashes. From our International Editions - [Ken Loach’s new film on the gig economy tells exactly the same story as our research]( Robert MacDonald, University of Huddersfield Flexibility is just a euphemism for exploitation. - [What can the Black Death tell us about the global economic consequences of a pandemic?]( Adrian R. Bell, University of Reading; Andrew Prescott, University of Glasgow; Helen Lacey, University of Oxford A look back at history can help us consider the economic effects of public health emergencies and how best to manage them. - [Why it’s easier for India to get to Mars than to tackle its toilet challenge]( Shyama V. Ramani, United Nations University For an emerging country like India, it is easier to take part in exploratory missions to Mars than to tackle its sanitation challenge. Today’s chart - [Enable images to see the chart]( From the article: [Americans still trust doctors and scientists during a public health crisis]( [Ellen Peters] Ellen Peters University of Oregon [Brittany Shoots-Reinhard] Brittany Shoots-Reinhard The Ohio State University [Michael Silverstein] Michael Silverstein University of Oregon [Raleigh Goodwin] Raleigh Goodwin University of Oregon [We need your help today to bring fact-based journalism to the public]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111