Pro Pak Live News: November 2020

Monday, 30 November 2020

London to be placed in second highest COVID-19 risk category

London: London will be placed into the second highest COVID-19 risk category when a national lockdown ends on Dec. 2, while much of England remains under the toughest level of restrictions to control the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that blanket restrictions in England will end after a month-long lockdown, to be replaced by a system of regional restrictions to try to insulate the worst-hit areas.

“Hope is on the horizon but we still have further to go so we must all dig deep, the end is in sight, we mustn’t give up now,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told parliament.

“We must follow these new rules and make sure that our actions today will save lives in future and help get our country through this,” Hancock said.

The decision has been keenly anticipated by businesses all across the country whose ability to trade in the pre-Christmas period will be affected. Hospitality is one of the large sectors which will suffer the most in higher tiers.

London will be in tier 2, described as ‘high alert’. London was previously in tier 2 before the national lockdown was imposed, although a tighter set of rules for each tier was announced earlier this week.

No mixing of households indoors

For London, this means no mixing of households indoors and a maximum of six can meet people outdoors, hospitality venues can only offer alcohol alongside a substantial meal, and attendance will be tightly limited at sporting events.

Large swathes of the country including the northern city of Manchester and the prosperous south-east county of Kent, were placed into the tier 3, the highest tier, which is for areas with a very high or very rapidly rising level of infections.

In tier 3 hospitality venues must remain closed, except for takeaway services.

The decisions have been made according to five criteria, including the pressure on health services in each region and the rate of change in positive cases.

Only three regions in England were placed in the lowest category: the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Tiers will be reviewed on Dec. 16, making it possible for areas that slow the spread of the virus to be moved down a tier before Christmas.

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US Supreme Court blocks New York COVID-19 limits on houses of worship

Washington: As coronavirus cases surge again in the US, the Supreme Court late Wednesday barred New York from enforcing certain limits on attendance at churches and synagogues in areas designated as hard hit by the virus.

The justices split 5-4 with new Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the majority. It was the conservative’s first publicly discernible vote as a justice. The court’s three liberal justices and Chief Justice John Roberts dissented.

The move was a shift for the court. Earlier this year, when Barrett’s liberal predecessor, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was still on the court, the justices divided 5-4 to leave in place pandemic-related capacity restrictions affecting churches in California and Nevada.

The court’s action Wednesday could push New York to reevaluate its restrictions on houses of worship in areas designated virus hot spots. But the impact of the court’s action is also muted because the Catholic and Orthodox Jewish groups that sued to challenge the restrictions are no longer subject to them.

The Diocese of Brooklyn and Agudath Israel of America have churches and synagogues in areas of Brooklyn and Queens previously designated red and orange zones. In those red and orange zones, the state had capped attendance at houses of worship at 10 and 25 people, respectively. But those particular areas are now designated as yellow zones with less restrictive rules neither group challenged.

The justices acted on an emergency basis, temporarily barring New York from enforcing the restrictions against the groups while their lawsuits continue. In an unsigned opinion the court said the restrictions “single out houses of worship for especially harsh treatment.”

“Members of this Court are not public health experts, and we should respect the judgment of those with special expertise and responsibility in this area. But even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten. The restrictions at issue here, by effectively barring many from attending religious services, strike at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty,” the opinion said.

The opinion noted that in red zones, while a synagogue or church cannot admit more than 10 people, businesses deemed “essential,” from grocery stores to pet shops, can remain open without capacity limits. And in orange zones, while synagogues and churches are capped at 25 people, “even non-essential businesses may decide for themselves how many persons to admit.”

Roberts, in dissent, wrote that there was “simply no need” for the court’s action. “None of the houses of worship identified in the applications is now subject to any fixed numerical restrictions,” he said, adding that New York’s 10 and 25 person caps “do seem unduly restrictive.”

“The Governor might reinstate the restrictions. But he also might not. And it is a significant matter to override determinations made by public health officials concerning what is necessary for public safety in the midst of a deadly pandemic,” he wrote.

Roberts and four other justices wrote separately to explain their views. Barrett did not.

Victory for church

The court’s action was a victory for the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Jewish synagogues that had sued to challenge state restrictions announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Oct. 6.

The Diocese of Brooklyn, which covers Brooklyn and Queens, argued houses of worship were being unfairly singled out by the governor’s executive order. The diocese argued it had previously operated safely by capping attendance at 25% of a building’s capacity and taking other measures. Parts of Brooklyn and Queens are now in yellow zones where attendance at houses of worship is capped at 50% of a building’s capacity, but the church is keeping attendance lower.

“We are extremely grateful that the Supreme Court has acted so swiftly and decisively to protect one of our most fundamental constitutional rights _ the free exercise of religion,” said Randy Mastro, an attorney for the diocese, in a statement.

Avi Schick, an attorney for Agudath Israel of America, wrote in an email: “This is an historic victory. This landmark decision will ensure that religious practices and religious institutions will be protected from government edicts that do not treat religion with the respect demanded by the Constitution.”

Two lower courts had sided with New York in allowing the restrictions to remain in place. New York had argued that religious gatherings were being treated less restrictively than secular gatherings that carried the same infection risk, like concerts and theatrical performances. An email sent early Thursday by The Associated Press to the governor’s office seeking comment was not immediately returned.

There are currently several areas in New York designated orange zones but no red zones, according to a state website that tracks areas designated as hot spots.

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Hundreds evacuated as cyclone threatens India

Puducherry: Several thousand people in south-eastern India fled their homes on Wednesday, out of the path of a cyclone due to slam coastal areas after midnight, bringing with it heavy rain.

Nivar, classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, was expected to pack winds of 120 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 145 km/h when it makes landfall, forecasters said.

Thousands of state and national emergency personnel have been deployed in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry, where the cyclone was due to hit in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Local authorities have declared a public holiday, shutting everything except emergency services, and a spokesman for the National Crisis Management Committee said thousands had been evacuated from their homes.

Heavy rain was already falling in the region, and was expected to intensify in the next few hours.

In Puducherry, the rain-soaked streets and markets were all deserted.

Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi appealed to locals to stay indoors and abide by authorities’ instructions.

“Move to high places wherever you have to. There are relief centres. Please move there,” Bedi said in a video message on Twitter.

But people in some pockets along the coast were reluctant to abandon their homes and fishing boats and move to government shelters, an AFP reporter said.

In Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai, authorities said they were also closely observing the level of reservoirs and lakes to avoid a repeat of floods in 2015 when several hundred people died in the state.

Lake Chembarambakkam outside Chennai was expected to discharge extra water because of the heavy rains, and people in low-lying areas around the discharge area had been warned.

The cyclone’s centre was expected to pass some 175 kilometres northeast of Sri Lanka’s northern tip early on Wednesday.

No evacuation orders were issued in Sri Lanka but heavy rains were forecast, particularly in the north of the island nation.

Fishermen there were advised not to go out to sea.

More than 110 people died after “super cyclone” Amphan ravaged eastern India and Bangladesh in May, flattening villages, destroying farms and leaving millions without electricity.

But the death toll was far lower than the many thousands killed in previous cyclones of that size, a result of improved weather forecasting and better response plans.

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Photos: China launches Moon probe to bring back lunar rocks

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Pakistan: Mahira Khan and Sania Nishtar included in BBC's '100 most influential women' list

Islamabad: The world has acknowledged the role of two Pakistani women for bringing a meaningful change in society through their efforts to eradicate poverty and discrimination.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Sania Nishtar and Pakistan’s showbiz star and internationally-recognized movie artist Mahira Khan have been listed among the 100 most inspiring and influential women around the world.

Many are saying the two women’s inclusion in the BBC’s list of 100 reflects Pakistan’s brighter face — something the country needs badly in these times of sectarian differences and Islamic radicalism.

The BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women for year 2020 includes women who led change and made a difference during these turbulent times.

“This is an absolute honor for Pakistan. Dr Sania Nishtar is leading Ehsaas programme and this is what Sanna Marin is doing in Finland, leading the country’s all-female coalition government or Sarah Gilbert, who heads the Oxford University research into a coronavirus vaccine,” said a spokesperson of the Ehsaas Support Programme that Nishtar is heading.

“This distinction has been conferred upon Dr. Sania for her work and contribution in poverty alleviation, global health and development”, the spokesperson added.

In her message on this unique honour, Nishtar said, “The dramatic impact of COVID-19 presents us with a once-in-a-generation chance to build a fairer world and bring an end to poverty, inequality and the climate crisis. For this, women must be equal, empowered stakeholders.”

‘No ordinary actress’

Showbiz star of Pakistan, Khan has also been recognized for her influential role in Pakistani society and for making the people particularly the women realize their self-esteem and the great contribution in society.

According to the BBC’s acknowledgement, Khan has made it to the list because of her activism to highlight social issues in Pakistan and for “changing the narrative” in films and on TV.

“Khan is no ordinary actress – she is outspoken against sexual violence, refuses to endorse skin-lightening creams and supports the fight against racism,” it stated.

Khan has also been vocal about her support for Afghan refugee children in Pakistan. She is a national goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Khan’s recent criticism and refusal to work for certain brands that emphasized on ‘fair’ colour of skin also won her international fame.

It is because of a campaign run by her and other celebrities that a world-renowned brand of skin cream had to change its brand name.

The list of influential persons also includes women such as Michelle Yeoh, star of the new Avatar and Marvel films; Sarah Gilbert who heads the Oxford University research into a coronavirus vaccine; Jane Fonda, a climate activist and actor, and Bilkis Bano, an 82-year-old woman who became the face of the longest-running protest against the citizenship law in India.

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US to begin distributing Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody therapy

Washington: The US government will start distributing Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc’s newly authorised COVID-19 antibody combination on Tuesday, beginning with over 30,000 treatment courses, a health official said on Monday.

US officials on a call with reporters said doses will be allocated based on which states have the highest numbers of confirmed cases and hospitalisations, both of which are currently soaring nationwide.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Saturday issued emergency use authorisation for the treatment called REGN-COV2, which combines two monoclonal antibodies, to be used for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19.

Regeneron has said it expects to have enough REGEN-COV2 for about 80,000 patients by the end of this month. It expects to have enough doses to treat about 200,000 patients by the first week of January, rising to some 300,000 patients in total by the end of January.

The antibody cocktail was among the treatments given to US President Trump during his bout with COVID-19 last month. He declared it a virtual “cure” for COVID-19 at the time.

The treatment belongs to a class of biotech drugs known as monoclonal antibodies, which are manufactured copies of antibodies created by the human body to fight infections.

US regulators earlier this month authorised another antibody treatment for COVID-19 from Eli Lilly and Co.

Officials on Monday said the department of Health and Human Services has already helped distribute 120,000 doses of Lilly’s antibody to patients around the country.

More than 250,000 Americans have also been treated for their COVID-19 with antibody-rich convalescent plasma from recovered patients, officials said. Some health experts have argued that there is not enough data to show that convalescent plasma is an effective treatment.

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Pakistan and Saudi Arabia urged to enhance parliamentary ties

Islamabad: Pakistan’s national assembly speaker has called for improved interaction between the parliamentarians of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to further enhance high-level contacts.

Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser stressed for greater parliamentary exchanges between the two friendly countries in a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki on Thursday.

Frequent exchanges of parliamentary delegation will strengthen “bond of friendship” shared by the two countries, he said. “Pakistan greatly values its relations with Saudi Arabia” which has “open heartedly extended support for the development of Pakistan”, he added.

A delegation of Pakistani parliamentarians headed by Asad Qaiser visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2019 to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in parliamentary affairs. The delegation also called on King Salman and held meetings with Saudi Shura council members.

Trade ties

Besides political exchanges, Pakistan is also looking to improve trade ties with the Kingdom. Pakistani Consul General in Jeddah Khalid Majeed recently launched a campaign to enhance Pakistani exports by establishing close business relations between exporters of Pakistan and importers of Saudi Arabia. During a virtual meeting, organized by Pakistani consulate Jeddah, the consul general specifically urged Pakistani textile exporters to explore Saudi market

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong political, security and economic ties for decades. The two countries have always maintained close defense ties and the cooperation further improved after Pakistan’s former military chief Gen Raheel Sharif became the head of a 41-nation Saudi-formed Islamic Military Alliance to fight terrorism.

In August this year, Pakistan’s army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visited Riyadh to discuss and improve “bilateral relations, military cooperation, and common vision for preserving regional security.” During his visit, Gen Bajwa held talks with senior Saudi government officials, including Deputy Defence Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and Maj Gen Fayyad Al Ruwaili, the kingdom’s chief of general staff.

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Japan fights COVID-19 in luxurious style with million-yen masks

Tokyo: Japanese trend-setters can now protect against the coronavirus in luxurious style with opulent masks adorned with diamonds and pearls for a cool million yen ($9,600) each.

Cox Co’s Mask.com chain began selling the hand-made masks last week, with the aim of cheering up people and spurring sales in a fashion industry depressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The diamond masks are embellished with a 0.7 carat diamond and more than 300 pieces of Swarovski crystal, while the pearl masks contain some 330 Japanese Akoya pearls.

“Everyone is feeling down because of the coronavirus and it would be great if they could feel better by looking at one of these glittering masks,” Azusa Kajitaka, a mask concierge at the company’s store near Tokyo station, said on Wednesday.

“The jewellery and fabric industries have also been in a slump because of the coronavirus and so we did this as part of a project to help revitalise Japan,” she added.

Cox, part of retailing group Aeon Co, has opened Mask.com online and in six physical locations since September, offering more than 200 types of masks starting at 500 yen.

Some visitors to the store on Wednesday were concerned the million-yen masks might be out of their league.

“If I wear one of these face masks, I have to wear suitable fashion to match it. So I think it’s a bit embarrassing (to dress up),” said 66-year-old Mitsue Kaneko.

The Japanese masks are still far from the world’s most expensive. That honour belongs to a $1.5 million mask made with 250 grams of 18 karat gold designed by Israeli jeweller Yvel.

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England’s COVID-19 infections down 30% during national lockdown: Survey

London: COVID-19 infections have fallen by 30% during England’s month-long national lockdown and the virus is now in retreat, a large-scale study of more than 100,000 volunteers showed on Monday.

England began its second national lockdown on Nov. 5 to curb rapidly rising infections and protect its health system. The country is due to return to a regional approach to restrictions from Dec. 2.

Levels of infection fell 30%, with 96 people per 10,000 infected between Nov. 13 and Nov. 24, according to interim results of the study by Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI.

The last iteration of the research, carried out between Oct. 16 and Nov. 2, showed 130 infections per 10,000 people.

“The findings show cases were rising as the country entered lockdown, but this was followed by a decrease as national measures successfully lowered infection rates across the country,” a statement issued by the health department said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced criticism over the decision to lock down from within his own party where some said it was an unnecessary infringement on civil liberties. The opposition Labour Party said he had been too slow to react.

The reproductive number of the virus was estimated at 0.88, reinforcing data released on Friday which showed infection numbers were shrinking by between 0% and 2% every day.

While the statement said the prevalence of the disease was still high, it showed a sharp decrease in several areas of northern England which are due to enter the toughest tier of restrictions next week.

That could fuel further unrest within Johnson’s Conservative Party, where many lawmakers are unhappy at a system which places more than a third of the population under far-reaching restrictions on daily life.

Those measures are due to be put to a vote on Tuesday, in which Johnson may face the political embarrassment of having to rely on opposition party votes to pass the new rules.

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India players fined for slow over-rate in loss to Australia

Sydney: India players have been fined 20 per cent of their match fee for their slow over-rate against Australia in the first ODI in Sydney on Friday.

David Boon of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Virat Kohli’s side was ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

“In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,” the ICC said in a statement.

“Kohli pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing. On-field umpires Rod Tucker and Sam Nogajski, TV umpire Paul Reiffel and fourth umpire Gerard Abood levelled the charge.”

The first ODI between Australia and India on Friday went beyond the scheduled close by almost over an hour - the match was supposed to end at 10.15pm local time, but the final ball was delivered at 11.10pm. The game went on for about eight-and-a-half hours.

The match on Saturday was also held up during Australia’s innings after a couple of protesters came onto the pitch, delaying the proceedings. However, they caused a delay of only about five minutes.

Friday’s man-of-the-match Steve Smith said after the game that it was the longest ODI he has played.

“That was the longest 50 overs in the field I’ve ever had, that’s for sure,” Smith told reporters after the match. “I don’t know what to put it down to. Obviously there was the (pitch invaders) who came on the field in India’s innings which took a bit of time. And I think they went 45 minutes over the scheduled time and we were something similar. I don’t know why. Not sure why. But it certainly felt like a long time out there.”

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Islamabad police launches app to protect women against sexual harassment

Islamabad: Police in Islamabad have launched a mobile app, developed from the National Information Technology Board (NITB), to help women identify and trace harassers and report incidents of harassment.

With the help of the new app, the mobile phone users besides lodging complaints will also have the option to upload pictures and mark safe routes to travel to particular locations in the city.

The initiative is in line with the Islamabad police commitment and efforts to make the city and its public spaces safe for women harassment-free, said a senior police officer of Islamabad Superintendent Police (SP) Sarfaraz Virk. He urged citizens to make such initiatives successful by using them responsibly.

Under the e-police feature, mobile phone users will now be able to report incidents of harassment and assault and the app will alert the police of the area concerned to come into action against the culprits.

In any uncomfortable situation, women will just have to tap a button to share their location with the authorities, further said the official.

The step has been taken after an increasing number of complaints of sexual harassment by women from different walks of life.

In September, a woman cyclist Samar Khan had complained on social media that she was harassed by a man when she stopped her cycle at the red signal. According to Khan, she was fondled by an unknown person on a motorbike.

Inappropriate move

After making an inappropriate move, the man sped away. Khan shared on her twitter account that despite her best effort to chase the man on her bicycle, she was unable to catch him.

She pointed out she didn’t blame anyone, neither men nor the government for whatever happened to her. However, she went on to question her followers as on social media how they could ignore such incidents while witnessing them happen to a woman in public.

Immediately, after Khan’s complaint went viral, Islamabad administration and police stirred into action and a massive hunt down of the accused man started in various parts of Islamabad. Police even took help from the Close Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras to trace the man but didn’t succeed.

It was after the incident that the police IT section started work to protect women against harassment and as a result the new app was launched.

Incidents of sexual abuse are on rise in Islamabad’s public places and offices according to the Federal Ombudsman or Anti-Harassment’s recent report.

The report says that as a result of the awareness campaign, access to the Federal Ombudsman’s Office has been made easier for women, and in two years, the Federal Ombudsman for Anti-Harassment registered 490 cases of harassment by affected women, whereas 414 cases of these have been decided and 76 cases are pending.

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Photos: Pope Francis celebrates Mass with new cardinals

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AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine 'up to 90% effective'

AstraZeneca on Monday became the third pharmaceutical company to announce positive results from late-stage trials of a coronavirus vaccine, saying that its candidate, developed by Oxford University, is up to 90% effective.

Scientists and politicians alike hailed the third straight week of buoyant scientific news as a sign that, even as coronavirus cases surge to devastating levels in many countries, an end to the pandemic is in sight.

Image Credit: Graphic News

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After Cyclone Nivar, another storm likely to affect Tamil Nadu: India Meteorological Department

New Delhi: (PTI) Less than a week after Cyclone Nivar battered Tamil Nadu, another storm is expected to affect the southern state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

The cyclone will cross the Sri Lanka coast on December 2 and will bring heavy rain over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it said.

Last week, “very severe cyclonic storm” Nivar had hit Tamil Nadu. While there were no reports of loss of life, about 250,000 people were housed in cyclone shelters in the state as part of safety measures.

The IMD has issued a red-colour coded warning for the southern areas of Tamil Nadu, Kerala in view of the brewing storm and said that these areas are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall.

As the sea is expected to become rough due to the weather system, fishermen are advised not to venture into the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from the night of December 1 and along and off east Sri Lanka coast, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and Tamil Nadu-Kerala coasts from forenoon of December 2 for the subsequent 24 hours.

Also, those who are out at sea are advised to return to the coast by November 30, it said.

According to the IMD, a well-marked low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression.

“It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 24 hours. It is also likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross the Sri Lanka coast around the evening of December 2,” the IMD said.

“It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter and emerge into the Comorin area on December 3 morning,” the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said.

The IMD said squally weather with wind speed would gradually increase becoming 55-65 kilometres per hour gusting to 75 kmph over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from the night of December 1 and 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over southwest Bay of Bengal, along and off Sri Lanka coast.

Winds with a speed of 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph are likely over the Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and Tamil Nadu-Kerala coasts from December 2 forenoon for subsequent 24 hours, it said.

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6 COVID-19 vaccination centres set in Berlin, each handling 4,000 people a day, vaccine approval 'in the coming days'

BERLIN: Berlin is racing to open six mass vaccination centres capable of handling up to 4,000 people per day by mid-December, the project coordinator told Reuters on Thursday, as the city waits for authorities to approve the first vaccines. An empty trade fair hall, two airport terminals, a concert arena, a velodrome and an ice rink will be turned into six vaccination centres where it plans to administer up to 900,000 shots against the coronavirus in the first three months.

"The biggest challenge will be succeeding in getting the right people at the right time at the right vaccination centre," Broemme said on the sidelines of a fire drill at the city's makeshift COVID-19 hospital in a trade fair hall.

Albrecht Broemme said plans envisage 3,000 to 4,000 people per day being ferried through each centre in the same way as shoppers are guided through IKEA stores in one direction.

Approval 'in the coming days'

Broemme said Berlin is working on the assumption that around 80% of its doses in the first instance will come from Pfizer /BioNTech with the remaining 20% of the doses from AstraZeneca.

Germany appears to be the furthest ahead of European nations in its planning for the daunting logistical and administrative challenge that could be just a few weeks away if the first vaccines gain approval. Europe's drug watchdog expects to receive the first application for conditional marketing approval for a COVID-19 vaccine "in the coming days", it said on Thursday, the latest step towards making a shot available outside the United States.

Health Minister Jens Spahn said Germany has secured around 300 million vaccine doses. Other German states have said vaccination centres will be ready from mid-December and mobile teams will inoculate the most vulnerable.

Mixed reaction

Italy expects to have vaccinated most Italians by next September and is due to set out detailed plans on Dec. 2. France has said it could start administering shots as soon as the end of the year and will unveil its strategy next week.

Elsewhere in Europe, preparations appear mixed. In Spain, the government aims to vaccinate a substantial part of its population in the first half of 2021 and has opted to use trucks rather than centres to distribute the shots.

Britain plans to roll out vaccines using a mixture of centres and doctors' practices and is aiming to have enough shots to have some sort of normality after Easter.

In contrast, Hungary and Bulgaria are not expecting to receive their first shipments until Spring. Berlin's vaccination centres will be open seven days a week and on public holidays from 0900 to 1900, Broemme said, with the aim of completing the first phase within three months. After that people will get shots at doctors' practices and pharmacies.

Open 7 days a week

Those aged over 75 and healthcare workers are expected to be first-in-line, the city's health senator said last week. One challenge will be finding enough staff to operate the centres, which will need medical professionals, stewards and security guards. EasyJet has offered some of its first-aid trained staff, a spokesman said.

Broemme expects each person to spend around one hour in the centre. People will be monitored for side effects for around 30 minutes after receiving a shot amid strict social-distancing and hygiene standards.

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Parts of Europe reopen stores, Los Angeles sees new virus curbs

Paris: Parts of Europe will reopen stores on Saturday in time for the holiday season after progress in containing the coronavirus, but Los Angeles will halt nearly all gatherings with the pandemic surging across the United States.

Most countries hope to ease their virus rules for Christmas and New Year, allowing families a respite before bracing for what the world hopes is one last wave of restrictions until a clutch of promising new vaccines kick in.

Stores will lift their shutters in France on Saturday, while Poland's shopping centres will also reopen.

Belgium is to allow shops to reopen from December 1, but keep the current semi-lockdown in place possibly until mid-January.

The move mirrors similar easing in Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

The Italian government partially lifted restrictions in Lombardy and Piedmont in the north, and Calabria in the south from Sunday, changing their alert levels from red to orange.

And Ireland has also announced a staggered easing of restrictions to allow some businesses to reopen and for families to gather ahead of Christmas.

Speaking in a televised address, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the upcoming festive period "cannot and will not be the kind of Christmas we are used to" but added the easing of restrictions would offer "some respite from the hardships of 2020 and in particular, the last six weeks".

Germany, once a beacon of hope in Europe's coronavirus nightmare, logged more than one million cases on Friday, while Russia asked India to help mass produce its controversial Sputnik vaccine.

Although the virus spread is slowing thanks to weeks of tough restrictions, Europe remains at the heart of the pandemic, recording more cases than the United States in the past week.

Until recently, Germany's relative success in containing the virus had offered some sense of hope, with authorities putting in place some precautions that still allowed life to carry on almost as normal.

However, its measured approach has failed during the second wave, endangering the health of Europe's biggest economy and weighing on the mood as the northern hemisphere heads into the winter holidays.

Germany's Robert Koch Institute recorded more than 22,000 new daily cases on Friday, pushing the overall total beyond the one-million mark.

More worryingly, the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care has soared from around 360 in early October to more than 3,500 last week.

LA restrictions

The United States surpassed 13 million total cases on Friday - the world's highest - and officials were concerned whether gatherings on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday would further worsen the situation in the coming weeks.

The virus clouded the traditional "Black Friday" shopping day, but experts were expecting strong online sales.

Worry over the virus's rapid spread led Los Angeles county to announce a temporary ban on gatherings of people from different households, with religious services and protests exempt.

The order affecting the United States' second-largest city will take effect Monday and last at least three weeks, until December 20, the county's public health department said.

California last week imposed a night-time curfew across much of the state.

Sports was also affected in the United States.

The NFL postponed a pivotal matchup between the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens to Tuesday because of a Covid-19 outbreak among Ravens players.

Further north in Canada, whose largest city Toronto is under lockdown, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that a general who led NATO's mission in Iraq as well as Canadian troops in Afghanistan and Bosnia would spearhead a gigantic vaccination drive.

"This will be the biggest immunisation in the history of the country," Trudeau said.

Lockdown fatigue

The pandemic is spreading fastest in Asia and Latin America, and is up by a worrying 113 percent over the week in Mexico.

Globally, more than 1.4 million deaths and 61 million infections have been officially recorded, although the real numbers are unknown since testing and reporting methods vary greatly.

With the virus on the march and the rollout of the first vaccines not expected until next month, much of the world faces a gloomy winter under more lockdowns, with an accompanying increase in economic anxiety and mental strain.

Lockdown fatigue is spreading even as governments unfurl new measures to save healthcare systems from collapse.

One hairdresser in northern England has become a cause celebre among social media libertarians after stacking up fines totalling #17,000 ($23,000), invoking the Magna Carta of 1215.

Among others invoking Magna Carta to stay open have been a tattoo parlour in Bristol, western England, and a children's soft-play centre in Liverpool, in the northwest.

Law enforcers have taken a dim view, meting out fines and reminding all businesses that legislation of this year, not 800 years ago, is relevant and binding.

Nations are now trying to gauge how people, exhausted by one of the most traumatic years in generations, can enjoy a small holiday break without making things worse.

Playing it safe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for all EU resorts to be closed until January 10, making Switzerland - which is outside the bloc and is staying open - the go-to destination for ski fans.

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Pictures: Water logging in parts of Chennai ahead of Cyclone Nivar's landfall

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Government warns of serious consequences if Pakistan Democratic Movement rally causes spread of COVID-19

Islamabad: Though it is cold in Pakistan, the political temperature is on the rise with the date of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Multan rally drawing closer.

The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has warned of serious consequences in case the protest rally leads to spread of coronavirus.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s special assistant and media spokesperson of the Punjab government Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has made it clear the vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz will have to answer if coronavirus spreads as result of Monday’s Multan rally.

In a tweet, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said, “The thieves’ gang is responsible for spreading coronavirus in the country. Fearing their theft will be exposed they are now playing with the lives of the people through negative politics.”

After the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto testing positive for coronavirus, the party has nominated his sister and the youngest daughter of the assassinated leader of the party former premiere Benazir Bhutto, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari to attend the event and represent her brother.

Since this is going to be the first public appearance of Aseefa Bhutto as speaker, the PPP workers and office-bearers of the southern Punjab are making desperate efforts to make the Multan show a big success. Multan being the most populated city in the entire south Punjab is considered stronghold of the party and the party’s local leaders and workers of the adjacent cities DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Vehari, Bhakkar, Layyah , Sahiwal and Lodhran have been directed to ensure maximum participation in the rally.

Roads blocked

Meanwhile, with an aim to stop the PDM from holding its public gathering scheduled for Nov 30, the police and the district administration of Multan have placed containers around the venue—Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh—and police have been deployed outside. Besides, the rally venue has also been inundated with water, it is further learnt.

The police have arrested more than 200 workers of PDM constituent parties and raids are being conducted to arrest more. The lists of workers, particularly from the PPP and PML-N, have been provided to respective police stations.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who is in quarantine has condemned arrests of the party workers and leaders saying the fascist regime is out to harass the workers of the PPP.

Prime Minister Imran Khan last week had cautioned that the government would be compelled to enforce complete lockdown if the opposition did not desist from holding public gatherings at a time when the country was battling COVID-19.

Pakistan on Saturday reported 3,045 new cases of coronavirus in a period of twenty-four hours taking the tally of infections to 392,356 and 45 deaths making the toll 7,942. This is for the first time in recent days the country has reported more than 3,000 cases of coronavirus in one day.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, amid the second wave of COVID-19, the government has increased the number of tests and more than 48,000 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases has also jumped to an alarming figure of 46,821, according to the national health ministry’s portal.

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Kaavan the elephant departs for Cambodia, Islamabad residents heartbroken

Islamabad: After spending some 35 years of his life at the Marghazar Zoo of Islamabad and experiencing hardships, misery and solitary confinement in a 500-sq metre enclosure, the world’s loneliest elephant Kaavan Sunday evening finally left for his new home, Cambodia’s sanctuary for the Asian elephants.

The news of the elephant being shifted to Cambodia spread like wildfire and the local residents, families, particularly the national and the international media made a beeline to the Marghazar Zoo of Islamabad which is located at the foot of the Margalla Hills.

They had arrived in the morning despite the fact Kaavan’s transfer from the zoo to the Islamabad International Airport completed later in the day.

Sarim, a young boy of 6 shared with Gulf News he felt deeply sad overs hifting of Kaavan from Pakistan.

“Why did the Pakistan government not provide adequate facilities for Kaavan’s peaceful stay in the country”, asked he.

Air travel

The zoo administration and the Four Paws International (FPI), the international group of animal rights, kept the zoo gates closed in the morning unless the 5.1-ton heavy elephant was darted and shifted from one big crate to a smaller one constructed for his air travel.

Kaavan was taken in that transport box to the airport where a Russian aircraft Ilyushin Il-76 was waiting to airlift him along with the FPI team.

It was not easy to shift the pachyderm from one crate to the other though the two huge boxes were standing back to back, however a couple of tranquiliser darts, a pair or ropes, heavy chains and Frank Sinatra’s song ‘My Way’ worked for the team that was assigned the task.

Like always, head of FPI Dr Amir Khalil was in the frontline singing Sintara and coaxing the animal into the transport crate that was later put on an open truck.

The process of the crate transfer from Kaavan’s enclosure to the huge transport vehicle completed in three steps and after the box was finally put on the truck, all those standing anxiously heaved a sigh of relief.

Bid farewell

One could see tears of gratitude in the eyes of the FPI team and all those friends of Kaavan who had come to bid farewell to the animal that cheered up their lives all these years.

It was in May this year that a court had directed relocation of Kaavan from the Islamabad zoo. Even before that the US pop star Cher had raised voice for Kaavan and even sent a member of her team in 2016 to review the possibility of Kaavan’s shifting from Pakistan to some other country.

A US doctor of Pakistan origin Dr Samar had also launched an online petition “Free Kaavan” that built up pressure on the Pakistan government to unchain Kaavan and relent to its transfer to 25,000-acre Cambodian sanctuary.

Cher even travelled to Pakistan and a day earlier on Saturday visited the zoo to see that Kaavan was finally rescued. She had also thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government of Pakistan for approving the plan of Kaavan’s relocation.

Prime Minister’s aide on climate change Malik Amin Aslam, a senator of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Faisal Javed Khan, officials of the IWMB, the district and police administration were among the ‘last day’ visitors to pay farewell call on Kaavan and wish him bon voyage.

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Selfies next to Diego Maradona’s open coffin costs funeral workers jobs

Dubai: Three funeral home workers have been sacked after they posed for photos alongside the open coffin of Diego Maradona just before his funeral.

Maradona died on Thursday at the age of 60, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Claudio Fernández confirmed to a local radio station in Buenos Aires that he had lost his job at the funeral home, along with son Ismael and Diego Molina. One of the images shows Fernández and his son — smiling, with thumb raised — alongside the coffin. Medina appears in another image in the same pose.

“The workers were supposed to be preparing Maradona’s body for the wake when they instead stopped to pose for a picture with a thumbs-up next to the coffin. The owner of Sepelios Pinier funeral parlour in Buenos Aires told local media the three individuals were ‘outsourced employees’.

Claudio had to appeal for forgiveness after the images, that got circulated on social media, enraged Maradona fans who even gave him death threats.

“We were getting ready to take Diego to the wake and my son, being a typical youngster, made the thumbs-up sign and had his photo taken,” he told the radio station. ”I ask for everyone’s forgiveness. I’ve worked for Maradona’s father and his brother-in-law. I’ve been close to Diego while he was alive. I would never have disrespected him while he was alive because he was my idol and it was not my intention after he died.

“I know a lot of people have been very offended and have taken it badly. I know it upset them. I ask all of them to forgive us.”

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Hosts Australia hold the edge in ODI series against India

Dubai: Despite India having the slightly better record over the past two years against Australia in ODIs — winning seven of 12 matches — it will be the hosts who start as favourites when the three-game ODI series gets under way at Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.

Opening batsman Rohit Sharma is missing for the tourists and India are also short on bowling options due to the absence of all-rounders. Australia’s headache is that they have so many all-round options to choose from.

The last time India played Down Under, on their tour in 2018-19, they won the series 2-1 going against the usual trend in Australia over the years which has seen the hosts dominate. In 51 matches they have played in Australia, India have won just 13 times. They have lost 36 matches.

Mayank Agarwal is likely to replace Rohit. The right-handed batsman, who played for Kings XI Punjab as opener in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE, scored heavily in the first half of the tournament before his form tapered off. Nevertheless, he kept getting good starts and finished the tournament with 424 runs.

He will open the innings with left-hander Shikhar Dhawan, who too did very well in the IPL, scoring more than 600 runs and finishing second to KL Rahul in the race for the Orange Cap.

Speaking on Rohit’s absence, Australia skipper Aaron Finch said: “He is obviously a great player, someone who had great success against us. Like I said you want to play against the best players of all time. For Rohit, picking up injury wasn’t ideal for him. But whoever is going to replace him, possibly Mayank Aggarwal, he is in great form. So he will be replaced with a quality player.”

The fact that India’s top-order was in form during the IPL could bode well for them, with skipper Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer getting among the runs.

“Form in any format whether it is grade cricket or Test cricket, matters. It is nice to be getting runs and taking the field. Form is form,” added Finch who himself couldn’t make much of an impact in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore, scoring at just over 22 with one half-century.

For Australia, David Warner scored runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad but Steve Smith did not do too well for Rajasthan Royals.

However, the presence of all-round options could be where Australia may score against the Men in Blue.

They have multiple all-rounders as options while India have just Ravindra Jadeja. Hardik Pandya is in the squad, hasn’t been bowling recently, including in the IPL.

A lot will hinge on India’s main bowlers. If they wilt, then Aussies will pile on the runs. The surface is likely to be batting friendly although Finch said that it is a bit unknown.

“I spoke to Justin Langer but he said that it was covered up. It is a bit unknown. We will get there and see tomorrow,” said the Australian skipper.

The first two matches in Sydney will be played at 50 per cent crowd capacity while the third ODI at Canberra will be played at 65 per cent crowd capacity.

“The last time we played in front of crowds in Australia was a very long time ago. There has been a huge amount of work going to allow that to happen — from the public in various states there has been tremendous amount of work done to keep coronavirus under control. We are really excited. We know how much of a great atmosphere would it be,” said Finch.

India will play three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests against Australia.

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Clashes erupt as farmers blocked from entering Delhi to protest over new law

New Delhi: Thousands of Indian farmers scuffled with police on Friday as they tried to march to the capital, Delhi, in protest against new laws liberalising procurement that they say will leave them vulnerable to big companies.

Police fired tear gas at some places on the outskirts of Delhi and used water cannons at entry points to stop people coming into the city centre from the big farming state of Punjab.

Television showed plumes of smoke and some people throwing stones at police as thousands pressed against barricades, waving flags and sticks. Some rode tractors near the barriers.

“Although the police have tried to stop us with force, barricades and water cannons, we’ve decided to stay the course to make sure the government listens to the voice of millions of farmers,” said protesting farmer Sukrampal Dhayana.

Under the laws enacted in September that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a watershed for agriculture, farmers are free to sell their produce anywhere, including to big corporate buyers, instead of at government-regulated wholesale markets where farmers are assured of a minimum procurement price.

A traffic jam due to police barricading and checking to stop farmers coming to Delhi, at Gurugram-Delhi border in Gurugram, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. Image Credit: PTI

Many farmer organisations oppose the new law, saying it would leave small growers with little bargaining power. They also say they fear the government will eventually withdraw price support for wheat and rice.

The government says there is no plan to eliminate the wholesale markets.

Acting tough

As tensions rose, the Delhi police said it had urged the farmers to pull back in line with coronavirus restrictions in the capital under which large gatherings are not allowed.

At the Sindhu checkpoint on the highway leading to Delhi, hundreds of farmers sat down for a long wait.

Kulwant Singh, a 70-year-old farmer from Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab, said his group had brought rations for six months and even cooking gas cylinders and were prepared to camp there until farmers were allowed in to Delhi.

“We are not going back,” he said.

Farmers make up a powerful voting block across India and some leaders urged the Modi government not to crush the protests with an iron hand.

Senior cabinet ministers should talk to farmers’ organisations to understand their apprehensions over the new rules passed by the government, the leaders of the United Farmers Forum said in a letter to Modi.

The government says the new law is aimed at making the vast agriculture sector more efficient by freeing up farmers who want to sell directly to big retailers such as Walmart.

Farm Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told ANI that he had already invited farm leaders for talks next week.

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Senegal’s COVID-19 success raises herd immunity hypothesis

Dakar: Senegal has been widely praised for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with few infections and life returning to normal, but the reason behind its success still divides experts.

The government enacted a raft of anti-virus measures when the pandemic reached the West African nation. But some experts believe that herd immunity may explain the low level of cases.

With a mostly youthful population of some 16 million people, the country has recorded some 16,000 coronavirus cases and 331 deaths to date, according to the health ministry.

Like many African countries, Senegal would have racked up many thousands of deaths had it experienced an outbreak similar to the kind that ravaged Europe and the United States.

Senegal is “one of the model countries in terms of implementing COVID-19 prevention measures and it has reaped the benefits,” World Health Organisation official Nsenga Ngoy said during a virtual press conference this month.

The government closed its borders, schools and mosques when the virus first hit in March, as well as banning large gatherings and travel between cities, and imposing a night-time curfew.

People shop at the Tilene market in Dakar on November 24, 2020. Image Credit: AFP

It also undertook medical care for ailing COVID-19 patients, and aggressively isolated people who had come into contact with positive cases.

The government encouraged mask-wearing and social distancing too, measures that Ngoy said would continue to play a key role in keeping infections at bay.

Abdoulaye Bousso, one of the government officials in charge of Senegal’s coronavirus response, said that the measures staved off a collapse of the country’s health system.

Herd-immunity hypothesis

Mysteriously, however, Senegal has been registering fewer cases despite lifting its anti-virus measures - and despite the fact that mask-wearing and social distancing have slackened considerably.

The festival of Eid Al Adha in July saw swathes of the country travel to their home towns to celebrate with their families - without a discernible effect on infection rates.

Likewise for last month’s “Magal” religious festival, which saw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descend on Senegal’s second largest city Touba.

Referring to the Islamic festivals, Bousso said that “perhaps the question of immunity needs to be brought to the fore”.

Massamba Sassoum Diop, the head of the emergency-healthcare organisation SOS Medecins Senegal, agreed.

“We are aware that in Africa in general, and in Senegal in particular, we don’t have the deaths we should have had,” he said.

The doctor is convinced that a substantial part of the population has already acquired immunity, and estimated that proportion at around “60 per cent”.

The virus swept through Senegal’s mostly young population between March and August, Diop suggested, offering an immunity that may explain the decline in deaths and infections.

He pointed out that most recorded infections are in people between 20 and 60 years old, and that it is patients older than 65 who are most likely to die of COVID-19.

“It spread around the country, we’re sure,” Diop said, explaining that about 30 percent of COVID-19 tests in Senegal used to return positive results, compared to roughly one percent now.

Serological study

Diop acknowledged that the herd-immunity hypothesis is unproven, but said a serological study underway in Senegal could provide answers when it is released in several weeks.

Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr disagrees that herd-immunity is a factor.

He told reporters on Tuesday that Senegal’s low case numbers are “without a doubt due to the (government’s) response”.

“If herd immunity were the response, the corollary would be an extremely high number of deaths,” he said.

Senegalese health experts, and the World Health Organisation, are also warning against an overly optimistic interpretation of the virus situation in the country - one often triumphantly broadcast in local media.

And the government continues to urge vigilance. Health Minister Sarr said that current research available suggests that Senegal will be spared a second wave of infections.

“But we are still working under what is known as the pessimistic hypothesis,” he said.

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Sunday, 29 November 2020

Ramachandra Guha lashes out Sourav Ganguly, superstar culture in Indian cricket

New Delhi: Historian Ramachandra Guha, a former member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) that ran the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during the reforms process ordered by the Supreme Court, has lashed out at the superstar culture in Indian cricket that has allowed top cricketers to have veto power over every decision.

In an interview to www.espncricinfo.com about his new book, The Commonwealth of Cricket, Guha lavished praised on former India captain Bishan Bedi but blames the Board, especially the Vinod Rai-headed CoA, for not showing enough spine to stand up to the likes of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

"When Bedi once gave a television interview where he said some sarcastic things, he was banned for a (Test) match in Bangalore in 1974. Players had to get more power, they had to get organised, they had to be noticed, they had to be paid properly, which took a very long time. The generation of Bedi and (Sunil) Gavaskar was not really paid well till the fag end of their careers," said Guha.

"But now to elevate them into demigods and icons… one of the things I talk about is (Virat) Kohli and (Anil) Kumble and their rift (Kumble was forced to step down as coach after the 2017 Champions Trophy). How essentially Kohli had a veto over who could be his coach, which is not the case in any sporting team anywhere," Guha questioned the power given to the Indian captain.

Guha also touched upon an incident during a CoA meeting when he had asked the committee to consider demoting Dhoni in the central contracts system as he had retired from Test cricket. The rest of CoA, he says, was too scared to do that.

"(MS) Dhoni had decided: I'm not going to play Test cricket. He was only playing one-day cricket. And I said (in the CoA) that he should not get a (Grade) A contract. Simple. That contract is for people who play throughout the year. He has said, 'I'm not playing Test cricket'. Fine. That's his choice and he can be picked for the shorter form if he is good enough. (They said) 'No, we are too scared to demote him from A to B'. And more than the board, the CoA, appointed by the Supreme Court, chaired by a senior IAS officer, was too scared. I thought it was hugely, hugely problematic. So I protested about it while I was there. And when I got nowhere, I wrote about it," he explains.

Guha also lashed out at the current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, saying that the former India captain has capitulated.

"(Sourav) Ganguly (the BCCI president) has capitulated. I mean, there are things he should not be doing, given his extraordinary playing record and his credibility, whether he should be practising this shocking conflict of interest. The kind of example it sets is abysmal. I say this with some sadness because I admired Ganguly as a cricketer and as a captain. I'm glad I'm out of it and I'm just a fan again. I can just enjoy the game and not bother about the murkiness within the administration," he said.

Guha called Bishan Bedi a man of character.

"He is a person of enormous character, integrity and principle. He never equivocates, he never makes excuses. And he calls it as it is. These kinds of people are rare in public life in India. To find someone like Bishan Bedi, who is ramrod straight in his conduct, in any sphere of public life in India today is increasingly rare. He is also an incredibly generous man," Guha said of Bedi.

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