Study reveals how masks disrupt facial perception

Beer-Sheva [Israel]: A new study suggests that it may be difficult to recognize familiar faces when people wear surgical masks to help them protect against COVID-19.

According to the findings published in the journal Scientific Reports, during the pandemic, the identification of people wearing masks has often presented a unique challenge. This new study led by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel and York University in Canada reveals the impact of this predicament and its potentially significant repercussions.

"For those of you who don't always recognize a friend or acquaintance wearing a mask, you are not alone," according to the researchers Prof. Tzvi Ganel, head of the Laboratory for Visual Perception and Action at the BGU Department of Psychology, and Prof. Erez Freud, who earned his Ph.D. at BGU and is now a faculty member at York University in Toronto, Ontario.

"Faces are among the most informative and significant visual stimuli in human perception and play a unique role in communicative, social daily interactions," the researchers note. "The unprecedented effort to minimize COVID-19 transmission has created a new dimension in facial recognition due to mask-wearing."

To examine the effects of wearing masks, Prof. Ganel and Prof. Freud used a modified version of the Cambridge Face Memory Test, the standard for assessing facial perception, which included masked and unmasked faces. The study was conducted online with a large group of nearly 500 people.

The researchers found that the success rate of identifying someone wearing a mask was reduced by 15%. "This could lead to many errors in correctly recognizing people we know, or alternatively, accidentally recognizing faces of unfamiliar people as people we know," says Prof. Galia Avidan who is a member of the BGU Department of Psychology and the Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, and an expert on facial recognition and perception. "Face masks could be even more challenging to people whose face recognition skills are not ideal to begin with and cause greater impairment."

The research team also found that masks specifically interfered with extracting a holistic impression of faces and led to feature-by-feature processing which is a less accurate and more time-consuming strategy.

"Instead of looking at the entire face, we're now forced to look at eyes, nose, cheeks, and other visible elements separately to construct an entire facial face percept - which we used to do instantly," the researchers say.

These changes in performance, with the alteration along with the processing style of faces, could have significant effects on activities of daily living, including social interactions, as well as other situations involving personal interactions, such as education.

"Given that mask-wearing has rapidly become an important norm in countries around the globe, future research should explore the social and psychological implications of wearing masks on human behavior," Ganel says. "The magnitude of the effect of masks that we report in the current study is probably an underestimation of the actual degree in performance dropdown for masked faces."

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British tourists sneak out of Swiss ski resort to avoid COVID-19 quarantine

Geneva: Hundreds of British tourists forced into quarantine in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier fled in the night rather than seeing their holidays go downhill, the local municipality said Sunday.

Around 200 of the 420 or so affected British tourists in the luxury Alpine ski station quit under the cover of darkness, the SonntagsZeitung newspaper reported.

Switzerland’s ski resorts were set to boom with snow-seeking British tourists - but a flight ban due to the new COVID-19 variant raging in England put those plans on ice.

The drastic ruling by the Swiss government also included a 10-day retroactive quarantine for anyone who arrived from Britain since December 14, following the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus which experts fear spreads more quickly.

Some of the British tourists affected in Verbier left immediately, while others stuck it out for a bit before quitting.

“Many of them stayed in quarantine for a day before they set off unnoticed under the cover of darkness,” Jean-Marc Sandoz, spokesman for the wider Bagnes municipality, told SZ.

He called the whole situation “the worst week our community has ever experienced”.

British tourists normally make up 21 per cent of the Verbier clientele, and most start pouring in just after Christmas.

Voted Switzerland’s best ski resort for the past two years, Verbier markets itself as offering “adrenaline-packed thrills, simple pleasures and a chic lifestyle”.

The Verbier Tourist Office has been holding daily crisis cell meetings to try to deal with the ever-changing coronavirus picture.

Breakfast untouched

“It was when they saw the meal trays remained untouched that the hoteliers noticed that the customers had gone,” Sandoz told ATS news agency.

He said that according to a Saturday survey of the ski resort’s hotels, fewer than 10 people would still be in quarantine.

The rest would either have left or their quarantine time would have expired.

“We can’t blame them. In most cases, quarantine was untenable. Imagine four people staying in a hotel room of 20 square metres,” Sandoz said.

He said the tourists left feeling “a little angry with Switzerland” and with the sense of having been “trapped”.

Flights between Switzerland and the two countries were halted on Monday, but the first outbound flights from Zurich to Britain resumed on Thursday.

Two cases of the new British coronavirus variant have been detected in Switzerland and one in neighbouring Liechtenstein, the Swiss health ministry said Sunday.

Two cases of the new South African variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, have also been detected, the ministry said.

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New wearable device detects hand gesture you intend to make

New York: Imagine typing on a computer without a keyboard, playing a video game without a controller or driving a car without a wheel. A team of scientists has developed a new device that can recognise hand gestures based on electrical signals detected in the forearm.

The system, which couples wearable biosensors with artificial intelligence (AI), could one day be used to control prosthetics or to interact with almost any type of electronic device, said engineers from University of California, Berkeley.

"Prosthetics are one important application of this technology, but besides that, it also offers a very intuitive way of communicating with computers." said Ali Moin, who helped design the device as a doctoral student in UC Berkeley's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences.

Reading hand gestures is one way of improving human-computer interaction.

"And, while there are other ways of doing that, by, for instance, using cameras and computer vision, this is a good solution that also maintains an individual's privacy," Moin said in a new paper appeared in the journal Nature Electronics.

To create the hand gesture recognition system, the team collaborated with Ana Arias, a professor of electrical engineering at UC Berkeley, to design a flexible armband that can read the electrical signals at 64 different points on the forearm.

The electrical signals are then fed into an electrical chip, which is programmed with an AI algorithm capable of associating these signal patterns in the forearm with specific hand gestures.

The team succeeded in teaching the algorithm to recognise 21 individual hand gestures, including a thumbs-up, a fist, a flat hand, holding up individual fingers and counting numbers.

Like other AI software, the algorithm has to first "learn" how electrical signals in the arm correspond with individual hand gestures.

To do this, each user has to wear the cuff while making the hand gestures one by one.

"In gesture recognition, your signals are going to change over time, and that can affect the performance of your model," Moin said.

"We were able to greatly improve the classification accuracy by updating the model on the device."

Another advantage of the new device is that all of the computing occurs locally on the chip: No personal data are transmitted to a nearby computer or device.

Not only does this speed up the computing time, but it also ensures that personal biological data remain private.

While the device is not ready to be a commercial product yet, it could likely get there with a few tweaks, said Jan Rabaey, senior author of the paper.

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COVID-19 vaccinations begin in Latin America

Mexico City: Mexico inoculated its first person against COVID-19 to kick off a fightback from a pandemic that has killed 120,000 people in the country and battered the economy, celebrating a Christmas roll-out that also began elsewhere in Latin America.

In a ceremony broadcast on national media and watched by the president, officials directed the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to 59-year-old nurse Maria Irene Ramirez, head nurse at the intensive care unit of Mexico City’s Ruben Lenero hospital.

“This is the best gift that I could have received in 2020,” said Ramirez, adding that it would give her strength to continue the “war” against the pandemic.

Afterwards, the government broadcast the vaccine being given to medical personnel in other parts of Mexico.

Pfizer’s is the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach Mexico, which has also signed deals for vaccines from other firms.

Chile received the first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Thursday, with inoculations of health workers due to begin immediately.

300,000 doses

In Costa Rica, health workers administered the first doses of Pfizer vaccine to a pair of senior citizens in a home near the capital San Jose, while some 300,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine arrived in Argentina.

“My message is that everyone should be vaccinated,” said Jorge De Ford, a 72-year-old former university professor who was one of the first two in Costa Rica to get the injection.

No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved yet for use in Brazil, Latin America’s most populous country.

In Mexico, the first Pfizer shipment arrived on Wednesday containing only 3,000 doses of the vaccine. The next one will contain 50,000 doses, with Mexico slated to receive 1.4 million units of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine by Jan. 31.

“And thus begins the road to the end of the pandemic,” Martha Delgado, a deputy foreign minister tasked with securing vaccine supplies for Mexico, said on Twitter.

The vaccine roll-out is expected to last months and will initially prioritize Mexican medical staff. A September report by Amnesty International found Mexico had lost more healthcare workers to the virus than any other country.

Mexican infections and deaths are surging, putting hospitals under immense strain, and prompting fresh lockdowns in Mexico City and its urban sprawl last week.

A Stanford University-Mexico CIDE research group study found Mexico City could breach its hospital capacity in late December and peak in late January.

Over 1.35 million cases and 120,300 coronavirus deaths have been reported in Mexico, which has the fourth-highest official death toll from COVID-19 worldwide. The government acknowledges that the real figures are likely significantly higher.

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Sindh CM highlights free healthcare by major hospitals

Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that three of the major hospitals being managed by his government have been providing modern health care treatment facilities free of charge to the people from all over the country.

Shah highlighted these services while meeting a batch of under-training police officers at the Chief Minister’s House on Tuesday.

The three hospitals providing these facilities are: Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute of Medical Sciences Gambat providing free liver transplant; Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi providing free cancer treatment services; and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Karachi and its branches in the province providing free cardiac care and surgical services.

Shah told the officers that his government had been utilising public-private partnership (PPP) for mega development projects in the province. One such project is the recently launched 38km-long Malir Expressway in Karachi. He also said that his government was reconstructing road networks and drainage systems in Karachi.

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Kamala Harris receives COVID-19 vaccine

Washington: US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine against the novel coronavirus.

According to the Biden-Harris transition team, Harris was vaccinated on Tuesday by Patricia Cummings, a clinical nurse manager at the United Medical Center.

In a tweet late Tuesday, Harris said: "Today I got the COVID-19 vaccine. I am incredibly grateful to our frontline healthcare workers, scientists, and researchers who made this moment possible.

"When you're able to take the vaccine, get it. This is about saving lives."

Harris' vaccination, which was also broadcast live on TV, came almost a week after President-elect Joe Biden received his.

After receiving the shot, Harris said she wants to "encourage everyone to get the vaccine. It is relatively painless. It happens really quickly. It is safe".

The Vice President-elect also confirmed that her husband, Doug Emhoff, would be receiving the first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday, CNN reported.

"I want to remind people that right in your community is where you can take the vaccine, where you will receive the vaccine, by folks you may know, folks who are otherwise working in the same hospital where your children were born.

"Folks who are working in the same hospital where an elderly relative received the kind of care that they needed," CNN quoted Harris as saying.

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for two Covid-19 vaccines: one from Pfizer/BioNTech and one from Moderna.

The two vaccines have shown similar efficacy levels of near 95 per cent, and both require two doses administered several weeks apart.

On December 18, Vice President Mike Pence, Second Lady Karen Pence, Surgeon General Jerome Adams,House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination all on live TV, in a bid to instill confidence among Americans.

President Donald Trump, who had tested positive for the virus in October, is yet to get vaccinated.

As of Wednesday morning, the US, currently the hardest-hit country in the world by the pandemic, has registered a total of 19,299,960 confirmed coronavirus cases and 334,830 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Both tallies are the highest in the world.

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Knife attack in China: At Least 7 killed in Northeastern China, suspect arrested

BEIJING : At least seven people were killed and another seven injured in a knife attack in northeastern China, state media reported Sunday.

The attack in the city of Kaiyuan in Liaoning province was carried out outside a sauna and bathhouse. The suspect, identified by the media by his surname Yang, was arrested while the motive for the attack remains unknown.

Chinese law restricts the sale and possession of firearms, and mass attacks are generally carried out with knives or homemade explosives.

Perpetrators of similar attacks in the past have been described as mentally ill or bearing grudges against society.

In earlier attacks, a school security guard wielding a knife injured at least 39 people at a kindergarten in the southern region of Guangxi in June this year. The culprit was sentenced to death.

In 2018, a man killed one and injured 12 in a knife attack at a shopping mall in Beijing.

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Kamal Haasan's MNM General Secretary joins BJP

Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP got a Christmas gift on Friday with Arunachalam, General Secretary of Kamal Haasan's MNM party joining the saffron brigade.

Speaking to reporters Arunachalam said he joined BJP as MNM did not agree with his views on the three farm laws.

Arunachalam joined BJP here in the presence of Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Information and Broadcasting, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Prakash Javadekar.

Arunachalam said he had urged MNM not to oppose the three farm laws on the grounds it was brought by BJP government but support them as they are good for the farmers.

But MNM decided to oppose the farm laws, Arunachalam said.

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Tamil superstar Rajinikanth will not launch political party

In news that has shocked political circles in India, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth has announced he will not be launching a political party on December 31, as previously announced.

The news comes a day after the actor was discharged from a hospital in Hyderabad where he was admitted for two nights following fluctuations in his blood pressure.

He flew home to Chennai on December 28 and was told to take bed rest for a week and take further care of his hypertension.

In a long statement posted on his Twitter account, the actor wrote in Tamil: “With profound sadness I have to announce that I won’t enter politics. I alone know the pain I have experienced while announcing this decision. Without entering electoral politics, I will serve the people. This decision of mine will disappoint my fans and people but please forgive me.”

The actor also stated that he took his ill health as a sign and an indication to quit politics.

“If I campaigned only through the media and social media after I started the party, I would not be able to create the political upheaval among people and win big in the elections. No one with political experience will deny this reality,” he further wrote.

The actor has, however, stated that he will continue to support the people of Tamil Nadu.

Rajinikanth, who turned 70 on December 12, has had a stressful month. Days after members of his film unit testing positive for COVID-19, Rajinikanth tested negative and went into isolation. However, his blood pressure fluctuations resulted in a hospital stay.

Upon discharge, doctors stated in view of his post-transplant status, labile hypertension and age, he had to undergo regular monitoring of blood pressure. He was also advised to undertake minimal physical activity and to avoid stress.

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COVID-19: Hong Kong imposes three-week hotel quarantine for visitors

Hong Kong: Hong Kong extended its compulsory quarantine to three weeks for almost all international travellers from Friday, saying the measure was needed to prevent new, more infectious, coronavirus variants from spreading.

The government said expert advice suggested that the incubation period of the virus could be longer than 14 days in some people - so passengers will now have to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated hotels for three weeks, rather than the previous two.

Only travellers arriving from mainland China, Macau, and Taiwan will be exempt from the tighter restrictions.

New variant

The government also announced a ban on people who have stayed in South Africa in the past 21 days from entering Hong Kong.

A new variant of the coronavirus, believed to be more infectious, has been spreading in South Africa, and several other countries have placed restrictions on travellers from the nation.

Since Tuesday, flights from Britain have also been banned from Hong Kong, following the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus there.

Health officials said two students returned to Hong Kong from the UK might have been infected by this new variant.

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India: Elderly couple murdered in Andhra’s Krishna district

Krishna: An elderly couple was allegedly murdered in Kanchikacherla village of Krishna district. Some ornaments were also stolen from their residence, a police investigation is underway.

Speaking to ANI Kanchikacherla sub-inspector, Ranganath said, “Bandarupalli Nageswara Rao (75), and his wife Prameela Rani resided in Kanchikacherla. Their son stays in Vijayawada and daughter in Hyderabad. On Saturday morning, their maid went to the house but returned as the door was not opened. The couple did not come out till evening. That is when the neighbours started doubting and later broke the door and found the couple dead. They immediately informed the police and the couple’s children.”

Broke in

Police immediately rushed to the spot and found that somebody broke into the house from kitchen’s side. Some ornaments were also stolen and the couple was found murdered. The police filed a case under the provisions of trespass, theft and murder, according to the police official.

Children of the deceased couple reached the village on Saturday night.

Their daughter said, “She had talked to her mother on Friday night at around 9:30 pm. Based on that, the police suspect that the murder took place after 10 pm on Friday night. Dog squad and values team have been deployed. An investigation is underway.

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COVID-19: New virus variant hits US as Biden vows all-out effort

Washington: The new variant of coronavirus was detected for the first time Tuesday in the United States and Latin America as President-elect Joe Biden vowed to significantly ramp up the vaccination drive.

The new strain, which first emerged in the UK, pushed Britain to a new daily record of infections and led South Africa to impose a raft of new measures, amid fears around the world that holiday revelers are aggravating the spike in infections.

The EU health agency warned the strain carried a high risk for more hospitalizations and deaths - not because the infections are more severe but because it spreads more easily.

The Rocky Mountain state of Colorado recorded what is believed to be the first case in the United States - which has suffered the highest death toll of the year-old pandemic that has claimed more than 1.78 million lives globally. Nearly 338,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the US.

Governor Jared Polis said a man in his 20s near Denver was infected with the variant known as B.1.1.7 and is isolating.

Biden, after a briefing from experts, warned that the dire Covid situation may not ease up until "well into March."

"The next few weeks and months are going to be very tough - a very tough period for our nation, maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic," he said.

Hospitalizations are back at an all-time high in the US at more than 121,000 as of Monday.

In Los Angeles, ambulances waited all day to unload Covid patients, with more than 95 percent of hospitals forced to divert new cases away, and one reportedly treating patients in its gift shop and chapel. Southern California extended a three-week old lockdown indefinitely Tuesday.

'Greatest operational challenge'

Biden called mass vaccination the "greatest operational challenge we've ever faced as a nation" - and promised the US would do better after he replaces defeated President Donald Trump on January 20.

"The Trump administration's plan to distribute vaccines is falling far behind," Biden said, promising: "I'm going to move Heaven and Earth to get us going in the right direction."

The Trump administration had predicted that 20 million Americans would be vaccinated by the end of December.

With days left, some 2.1 million have received the first shot of the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Biden renewed his promise to administer 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office and confirmed he would invoke a Korean War-era law to force private industry to step up production.

"We're planning a whole-of-government effort and we're going to work to set up vaccination sites and send mobile units to hard-to-reach communities," Biden said.

With health workers desperately waiting, politicians have been among first to be vaccinated in a stated goal of setting an example, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris taking her first dose Tuesday before cameras in Washington.

As conspiracy theories spread on the internet, a new poll by Ipsos Global Advisor showed that just four in 10 people in France want to get vaccinated, a figure that is only slightly higher in Russia and South Africa.

Record cases in Britain

Britain's government came under pressure to tighten restrictions as it announced a record 24-hour high of 53,135 new infections.

Critical care doctor Samantha Batt-Rawden said medical staff were at "breaking point."

"We are incredibly thin on the ground. NHS (National Health Service) staff have not been prioritized for the vaccine and are going off sick in droves with the new strain," she tweeted.

In South Africa, which has recorded more than 300 cases of the new variant and is the first African nation to hit one million cases, the government banned the sale of alcohol and made masks compulsory in public.

"We have let down our guard, and unfortunately we are now paying the price," said President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Chile on Tuesday became the first Latin American country to detect the new strain, in a woman who returned from Madrid after also visiting Britain and Dubai.

In response, health authorities announced a 10-day quarantine from December 31 for all arrivals.

The new strain was also detected in the United Arab Emirates and India, which has the second-biggest caseload in the world.

Worrisome trends have been increasing worldwide, with South Korea - hailed for its early success - logging its highest daily death toll yet.

And Moscow reported a 27 percent increase in fatalities in the capital from October to November - a day after Russia admitted its number of COVID-19 deaths were more than three times higher than previously reported.

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Magnitude 5.3 earthquake strikes eastern Turkey

Istanbul: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said, while the interior minister said there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 15.95 km (9.91 miles), AFAD said, adding that the epicentre of the quake was the Elazig province, which had been struck by a 6.8 quake in January, which killed 39 people.

"There is nothing negative so far. All our teams continue their examinations on the ground," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Twitter.

Turkish media said the earthquake was also felt in Malatya, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa provinces.

Turkey is situated in one of the world's most active earthquake zones.

A magnitude 6.8 quake hit Elazig in January, killing more than 40 people.

In November, a powerful 7.0 magnitude quake hit the Aegean Sea, killing 114 people and wounding more than 1,000.

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Jobless benefits set to expire as Trump resists signing relief bill

Washington: Millions of Americans are set to lose their unemployment coverage after Saturday as President Donald Trump resisted signing a sweeping $900 billion aid package until lawmakers more than tripled the size of relief checks, putting the fate of the measure in limbo.

Trump’s resistance to signing the bill risks leaving millions of unemployed Americans without crucial benefits, jeopardizes other critical assistance for businesses and families set to lapse at the end of the year, and raises the possibility of a government shutdown Tuesday.

The president blindsided lawmakers this past week when he described as “a disgrace” a relief compromise that overwhelmingly passed both chambers and was negotiated by his own Treasury secretary. He hinted he might veto the measure unless lawmakers raised the bill’s $600 direct payment checks to $2,000, and Trump, who was largely absent from negotiations over the compromise, doubled down on that criticism Saturday while offering little clarity on his plans. A White House spokesperson declined to indicate what the president intended to do.

“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill,” Trump said on Twitter Saturday, a day he continued to dedicate many of his posts to falsehoods about the election.

If the president does not sign the $2.3 trillion spending package, which includes the $900 billion in pandemic aid as well as funding to keep the government open past Monday, coverage under two federal jobless programs that expanded and extended benefits will lapse after Saturday, meaning millions of unemployed workers will lose them.

Economic recovery

The consequences of such a delay are dire, economists, policy experts and lawmakers said, particularly as the country’s economic recovery continues to sputter and the pandemic ravages the country. Some warned that any resolution at this point may be too late for families who will have lost their only lifeline shielding them from the brunt of the pandemic’s economic toll and will further burden overwhelmed state unemployment agencies waiting for guidance on how to enact the legislation.

“Foreclosures, hunger, homelessness, suicide,” said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project, a nonprofit workers rights group. “There will be very permanent things that happen to people that can’t be fixed by a check in three weeks.”

Even if the legislation becomes law before the end of the 116th Congress on Jan. 3, the delay will have guaranteed a temporary lapse in unemployment benefits because states will not be allowed to restart benefits until the first week of January.

The delay has also effectively reduced the scope of the extension and expansions in the relief bill because they are still scheduled to end in mid-March. A provision in the bill adding $300 a week to unemployment benefits would now last for 10 weeks, instead of the intended 11.

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Donald Trump, under pressure, signs $900b COVID-19 relief bill

West Palm Beach: After delaying for nearly a week and under pressure from all sides, US President Donald Trump finally signed a massive $900 billion stimulus bill Sunday, in a long-sought boost for millions of Americans and businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The package "providing coronavirus emergency response and relief" is part of a larger spending bill that, with Trump's signature, will avoid a government shutdown on Tuesday.

"I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more," the president said in a statement from his Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

For days, Trump refused to put his signature on the relief package approved overwhelmingly by Congress following months of negotiation, calling it a "disgrace."

Two federal unemployment benefit programs approved in March as part of an initial COVID-19 relief plan expired at midnight on Saturday, cutting off an estimated 12 million Americans, according to The Century Foundation think tank.

The relief package, passed by Congress on December 21, would extend those benefits as well as others set to expire in the days ahead.

But in his statement, Trump continued to push for the $600 direct payments to US taxpayers spelled out in the bill to be more than tripled, and argued the legislation included too much excess spending on unrelated programs.

He has not said why he waited until the bill was already approved to make his views known.

President-elect Joe Biden, due to be sworn in January 20 after beating Trump in November's election, had warned of "devastating consequences" on Saturday if the president continued his refusal.

'Chaos and misery'

Earlier Sunday, before the bill was signed, some Republicans urged Trump to change course.

"I understand he wants to be remembered for advocating for big checks, but the danger is he'll be remembered for chaos and misery and erratic behavior if he allows this to expire," Republican Senator Pat Toomey told Fox News on Sunday.

Democrats in Congress sought Thursday to approve a measure to increase the direct payments in line with what Trump wants, but Republicans blocked it.

It was seen largely as a theatrical move with little hope of passage designed to expose the rift between Republicans and the outgoing president.

Senator Bernie Sanders said earlier Sunday that "what the president is doing right now is unbelievably cruel."

"Many millions of people are losing their extended unemployment benefits," he said on ABC.

"They're going to be evicted from their apartments because the eviction moratorium is ending."

Sanders said increased direct payments could be approved in the coming days.

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US police officer fired after killing unarmed black man

Washington: A white police officer who shot dead a black man in Columbus, Ohio, last week was fired on Monday, city officials said.

The death of Andre Maurice Hill triggered outrage in a country that has been racked by protests against police brutality and systemic racism since the spring.

The 47-year-old African-American was in the garage of a house when he was shot several times by a police officer who had been called to the scene for a minor incident.

The officer, Adam Coy, was initially suspended after the shooting.

"The evidence provided solid rationale for termination," said Columbus police chief Thomas Quinlan. "Mr Coy will now have to answer to the state investigators for the death of Andre Hill."

Hill, who was not armed at the time of the shooting, was the second African-American killed by police in less than three weeks in Columbus.

"Andre Hill's death is another tragic example of the tendency of police to view black people as criminal or dangerous, and it points to the need for comprehensive, national police reform," said Ben Crump, a lawyer who has represented the families of several of the victims of police killings, including that of George Floyd, whose death in May triggered the biggest wave of racial protests in decades.

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New Year's Eve: How Australia, UK, Singapore and other countries are celebrating

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New Zealand in command after day 1 of first Test against Pakistan

Mount Maunganui: Kane Williamson made an unbeaten 94 and shared a 120-run partnership with Ross Taylor which lifted New Zealand into a strong position at stumps Saturday on the first day of the first cricket Test against Pakistan.

Taylor made 70 and Williamson added a further 89 with Henry Nicholls who was 42 not out at stumps when New Zealand were 222-3.

Williamson came to the crease when only three balls had been bowled and remained for the next 86.3 overs, reshaping the New Zealand innings and changing the course of the first day.

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• Former England bowler and commentator Robin Jackman dies aged 75

Pakistan had been on top after winning the toss, bowling on a green pitch and after Shaheen Afridi removed New Zealand openers Tom Latham for four and Tom Blundell for five with only 13 runs on the board.

New Zealand faced their first real crisis of the domestic summer. In two Tests against the West Indies they lost the toss and made scores of 519-7 and 460 to set up innings victories and a 2-0 series sweep.

On Saturday, Pakistan’s more disciplined attack made much better use of the toss and conditions than the West Indies. Shaheen brought pace and bounce which generated catches behind the wicket: Latham and Blundell were caught in the slip cordon and Taylor fell to a catch by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Mohammad Abbas brought immense accuracy and perseverance, conceding only 10 runs from his first 11 overs.

Williamson and Taylor were forced to graft for runs early. Taylor’s half-century from 127 balls was his 34th in Tests but second slowest in terms of balls faced, while Williamson’s, from 154 balls, was his 33rd and his second slowest in New Zealand.

By lunch they had lifted New Zealand to 55-2 and they reached their half-century partnership from 125 balls.

The pitch mellowed in the second session and, while the Pakistan bowlers maintained good line and length, Taylor and Williamson were able to bat more freely. They posted their 10th century partnership in Tests from 249 deliveries, adding to the record of New Zealand’s most prolific Test partnership.

Taylor had special cause to celebrate as he was making a record 438th international appearance across all formats, overtaking Daniel Vetorri’s record of 437. He has form a special alliance with Williamson, with whom he has batted more than 150 times in Tests and scored more than 3,000 runs.

“At the start of my career I was happy just to play one or two games and to have come this far is nice,” Taylor said. “Throughout the whole of the summer the pitches have been a little bit green, this one not as green as the other two. In Tests you expect it to do a little bit for the first couple of hours and it certainly did that.

“We’re happy to get through pretty unscathed: 222-3 after losing those early wickets, we certainly would have taken at the start of the day.”

Even Williamson had his moments. He was dropped at second slip, a hard chance, when he was 18 and again by Haris Sohail when he was 86. But he batted on, unruffled by those moments.

His late partnership with Nicholls gave substance to the New Zealand total and concern to Pakistan. Williamson made a career-best 251 in his most-recent innings in the first Test against the West Indies while Nicholls made 174 in the second Test.

Shaheen finished the day with 3-55 while Abbas had no wicket for 25 runs from 21 overs, 11 of which were maidens.

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Christmas celebrated around the world under the pandemic’s shadow

Vatican City: Christmas festivities began Friday, with hundreds of millions across the world under coronavirus restrictions celebrating a pared-down version of a holiday typically marked by travel and large gatherings.

The battle to halt the pandemic, which has claimed more than 1.7 million lives, is far from over despite the launching of mass vaccine campaigns that offer the promise of an eventual return to normalcy.

Churches across South Korea stood largely empty, with worshippers congregating online as the country reported a new daily caseload record.

“It really is heartbreaking to see,” said Park Jae-woo, a member of the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul which would usually expect up to 10,000 worshippers, but on Friday was only able to welcome 15 staff and choir members.

And in Catholic-majority Philippine, services were rocked when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the country, capping off a troubled yuletide already muted by bans on parties and carol singing.

Despite warm weather, the usual picnicking crowds also avoided the sands of Sydney’s Bondi Beach, while the waves were empty of surfing Santas and patrolling police officers enforced social distancing rules.

Pope Francis, spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics across the globe, celebrated Christmas Eve mass in St Peter’s Basilica before fewer than 200 masked faithful, mostly employees of the tiny state of Vatican City.

The mass, traditionally held at midnight, had been moved forward by two hours to 7:30 pm (1830 GMT) to meet Italy’s curfew rules.

Papal mass

Before the pandemic hit, several thousand believers and tourists had obtained precious tickets to attend the papal mass.

On Thursday evening, St Peter’s Square, usually thronged with people on Christmas Eve was deserted, illuminated by the glow of its towering Christmas tree and the lights of a police car.

Tough new coronavirus restrictions were imposed on Thursday over the Christmas and New Year period across Italy, the country hardest hit by the virus in Europe, with nearly 71,000 deaths and more than two million cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Christmas Eve mass commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in Bethlehem.

In his homily, the Argentinean pope stressed that the birth of a child reminds us not to spend our days “lamenting our lots, but soothing the tears of those who suffer”, serving “the poor”.

Francis, who just celebrated his 84th birthday, will address his eighth Christmas message “Urbi et orbi” (“to the city and the world”) Friday by video from the apostolic palace, to prevent a crowd from gathering in St Peter’s Square.

Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born, was preparing for a Christmas unlike any in its recent history.

Holiday season

The Christmas Eve mass at the Church of the Nativity is traditionally the highlight of a holiday season that sees hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank.

The mass online this year, with only clergy and select individuals allowed inside the basilica, which was sterilised Thursday ahead of the service.

“Everyone feels darkened, tired, exhausted, oppressed for too long under the heavy burden of this pandemic that besieges our lives,” said the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

In war-ravaged northeast Syria, hundreds of residents of a predominantly Christian neighbourhood in the town of Qamishli ditched face masks and donned Santa hats, throwing caution to the wind to celebrate a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

“We were concerned celebrations would be cancelled this year due to the novel coronavirus, but as you can see everyone is here celebrating and we are happy,” said Maria Danhou, a 36-year-old mother of two.

Germany has been forced to cancel its famous Christmas markets, while in Kuwait, churches were closed until January 10 despite being home to a large Christian community.

For many, the isolation that has defined the past year will continue into Christmas Day and beyond - such as in Belgium, where residents are largely limited to welcoming a single visitor.

Britons, meanwhile, were cut off from swathes of the world, due to the emergence of a new Covid-19 strain.

Some UK border restrictions have been temporarily relaxed for the holidays, but thousands from other European countries are still stranded in England.

“Home for Christmas? Forget it,” said Laurent Beghin, a French truck driver who delivered his cargo but was still stuck days later.

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2021 in sports: Anyone for tennis, Olympics, football?

Olympics 2020

The 2020 Summer Olympics: This is the first time in history that the Olympic Games have been rescheduled, rather than cancelled, since their foundation in 1896. The global sporting event, to be hosted in Tokyo, has now been pushed to July 23-August 8, 2021, despite retaining its title of Tokyo 2020. This also marks the fourth time the Olympics have been majorly hindered by external forces — the other three, all cancellations, happened during the First and Second World Wars.

Football

Germany's Timo Werner (second left) vies for the ball with Belarus' Sergey Matvejchik during the Uefa Euro 2020 qualifiying match in Moenchengladbach. Image Credit: AFP

FIFA Club World Cup 2020 in Qatar: The Club World Cup features the winners of six continental confederations, as well as the league champions of the host nation. The 17th edition of the event takes place from February 1 to 11 in Doha. Liverpool were the defending champions, but they won’t compete, after being eliminated from the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

UEFA Euro 2020: The UEFA Euro 2020 — now taking place June 11-July 11, 2021 — is going to be historic for several reasons. Instead of being hosted in one country, it will take place across 12 different cities in 12 different countries, to celebrate its 60th anniversary. It will also be the first UEFA Championship to feature the controversial video assistant referee (VAR) technology.

Copa America 2021: Another sporting event pushed back due to the pandemic, the Copa America 2021 will take place in Columbia and Argentina, marking the first time since 1983 that it takes place in more than one country. Brazil are the defending champions after their ninth title win in 2019.

UEFA Europa and Champions League Finals: The Europa League final will take place on May 26, 2021 in Gdansk, Poland . The men’s Champions League final is set to played days later on May 29, 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey, while the women’s Champions League title — the only international competition for European women’s football clubs — will be decided on May 16, 2021 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Cricket

Bitter rivals Pakistan and India will not meet in the group stage of the T20 World Cup in 2020 in Australia. Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News Archives

2020 Asia Cup: The 15th edition of the tournament, with matches being played as Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), has been postponed from September 2020 to June 21, 2021, with Sri Lanka Cricket hosting the competition.

2021 T20 World Cup: The 7th ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tournament was first scheduled to take place in Australia in 2020. However it has officially been moved to India, where it will be played across October and November.

Basketball

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James Image Credit: AFP

The 2020-21 FIBA Europe Cup: The FIBA Europe Cup, now in its 5th year, was postponed due to Covid-19. It will now take place from January 26-April 25.

Basketball Champions League 2020-21: The fifth season of the BCL began in September this year, but it’s set to run until May 21, 2021.

2021 FIBA Asia Cup: The 30th continental basketball championship out of Asia has been postponed from 2020 to 2021, now taking place August 16-18. Indonesia hosts again — the country last hosted in 1993 — while Australia defend their title.

2021 Basketball Africa League (BAL): This new, joint venture between the NBA and FIBA (replacing the FIBA AfroLeague) was supposed to have its inaugural season in 2020. It’s now been pushed to 2021; however, specific dates haven’t been announced yet due to the pandemic.

2020-21 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague: The previous season was abandoned due to travel restrictions imposed by the global pandemic, so the EuroLeague board announced that the same 18 teams from last season will continue in the competition.

2020-21 EuroLeague Women: The 63rd edition of the event is set to take place from December 1 until April 2021. Meanwhile, the EuroCup Women began on December 9 and will wrap at an undetermined date.

Golf

Lee Westwood in action at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai Image Credit: Supplied

Masters Tournament: The Masters Tournament will open the four major golfing events of the year in 2021, kicking off on April 5 and wrapping up on April 11.

2021 PGA Championship: It’s the 103rd year of the PGA Championship, and this time, it will take place from May 20-23 in South Carolina with a prize fund of $11million.

US Open: Falling on both the European Tour and PGA Tour, the US Open is set to take place June 17-20, with a purse of $12,500,000.

The Open Championship: The British Open — aka the oldest golf tournament in the world, dating. Back to 1860 — will end the majors in 2021, running from July 11-18.

Baseball

St Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong, left, talks to Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa during a spring training baseball game before the coronavirus lockdown. Image Credit: AP

2021 World Baseball Classic (WBC): The United States, who won the title in 2017, return to defend their title in this international tournament, set to take place from March 9-23, 2021, in three host countries: Japan, Taiwan and the US. The tournament has been expanded to include 20 national teams, rather than 16.

2021 Major League Baseball All-Star Game: The 91st Major League Baseball All-Star Game will see the American League face off against the National League on July 31, 2021, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rugby

Members of South African rugby team pose with the Webb Ellis Trophy after winning the Rugby World Cup at Yokohama on Saturday. Image Credit: AFP

The 2021 Rugby League World Cup: This is the 16th edition of the event, to be held in England from October 23 until November 27. The tournament features 16 teams — which is two teams more than the last two tournaments. They will battle it out for the title across 31 matches total.

Motorsports

Max Verstappen wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 Image Credit: AFP

2021 Formula One World Championships: Lewis Hamilton is the defending champion, after winning the 2020 World Championship at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix. As usual, the 2021 season will end in Yas Marina Circuit at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, scheduled to take place on December 5. Though there were major regulatory changes expected for the 2021 championships, these have been put on hold in response to the Covid-19 disruptions.

Horse Racing

Race 6 at Horse racing action at Meydan for Dubai World Cup Carnival on February 13 Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Royal Ascot: The most valuable horse race in Britain (£3.68million in 2020), taking place June 15-20, 2021, is looking down an uncertain path. A statement on their official website reads: “Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the current uncertainty as to when we will be able to welcome spectators back to Ascot Racecourse, we are currently not selling tickets for Royal Ascot 2021 until the New Year.”

2021 Dubai World Cup Carnival: Worth approximately $6million in prize money, the World Cup Carnival will take place across seven race meetings between January and March of 2021. This ends with the Dubai World Cup — but not before the Super Saturday race meeting, worth a whopping $1.7million, on March 6.

Tennis

Karolina Pliskova during the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Image Credit: AFP

Australian Open and French Open: Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, is set to take place from February 8-2021. The French Open follows from May 23-June 6.

2021 Wimbledon Championships: Wimbledon is up next from June 28-July 11. However, an updated stated that Wimbledon 2021 will either be a full capacity championship, a reduced capacity championship or a ‘behind closed door’ championship, depending on the government and pandemic. The UK is currently experiencing a mutated version of Covid-19. The 2020 Wimbledon Championships were cancelled, marking the first time Wimbledon was called off since the Second World War.

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship 2021: The championship, likely to be pushed back by a couple of weeks due to the pandemic, was initially meant to kick off with the WTA tournament on February 14 and wrap up with the ATP final on February 27. Now, reports suggest it will take place in March instead, after the new Australian Open dates (February 8-21).

ATP Cup: The second ever edition of the event will take place with only 12 teams instead of 24, due to Covid-19 restrictions, and the hard court men’s tournament will take place in Melbourne from February 1-5. Serbia won in 2020, beating Spain with 2-1 in the final.

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In pictures: Is Sourav Ganguly ready to step on to the political pitch?

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Photos: Hundreds of migrants freezing in heavy snow in Bosnia camp

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Colombian taxi driver and canine co-pilot spread Christmas cheer

People looking for a bit of Christmas merriment in the Colombian capital might find it in an unexpected place: the front seat of a taxi, in the form of a costumed canine co-pilot.

Taxi driver Nicolas Walteros and his beloved dog Colonel take passengers around the city together, dressed in matching green Santa tops and hats, aviator sunglasses and a fluffy fake beard resting on the pup's blonde snout.

"We're showing people a Christmas of hope where there's not just material things but what's in people's hearts," said Walteros, 52, as he and the pooch cruised around crowded, high-altitude Bogota two days before Christmas, their vehicle decked out in fake pine boughs. "That's Christmas!" Walteros found Colonel, a mutt with shaggy fur and floppy ears, on the street six years ago and the dog has been riding shotgun daily for three, usually dressed in a police costume.

The pair start work at 4 a.m., attracting smiles and attention throughout their shift.

"It's unusual, but this year has been unusual and getting into a cab with a dog dressed as Santa Claus is fun!," said passenger Cesar Reina.

Walteros said there is no end to his love for the hound.

"Colonel is a friend, a buddy. I can't explain what I have in my heart for him," Walteros said, his voice cracking.

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Photos: Second Taiwan-born panda cub makes media debut

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Farmers' Protest: Delhi Police detains Priyanka Gandhi, other Congress leaders

New Delhi: Delhi Police detained Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders on Thursday for taking out a march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and submit a memorandum containing two crore signatures seeking his intervention in farm laws issue.

"We are living in a democracy and they are elected MPs. They have the right to meet the President and they should be allowed. What is the problem with that? Government is not ready to listen to voices of lakhs of farmers camping at borders," said Gandhi after she was stopped by the police.

Any dissent against this govt is classified as having elements of terror. We are undertaking this march to voice our support for the farmers, she added.

"It is a sin to use the kind of names they (BJP leaders and supporters) used for farmers. If the government is calling them anti-nationals, then the government is a sinner," the Congress leader added.

Priyanka Gandhi further said that sometimes BJP says Congress is so weak that they do not qualify as Opposition but on the other hand they claim the Congress party to be powerful enough to make farmers camp at the Delhi borders.

"Sometimes they say we are so weak that we don't qualify as Opposition and sometimes, they say that we are so powerful that we have made lakhs of farmers camp at the border (of Delhi) for a month. They should first decide what we are," she added.

Meanwhile, Chanakyapuri ACP, Pragya had earlier today said that only the leaders, who have permission, will be allowed to go to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"No permission has been granted for Congress' march to Rashtrapati Bhavan today. However, three leaders, who have appointments at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will be allowed to go," said Deepak Yadav, Additional District Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at Congress headquarters at 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi earlier today and met senior party leaders and MPs there.

Farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

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2020 in review: Weather disasters ‘boosted by climate change’

Paris: The ten costliest weather disasters worldwide this year saw insured damages worth $150 billion, topping the figure for 2019 and reflecting a long-term impact of global warming, according to a report Monday.

The same disasters claimed at least 3,500 lives and displaced more than 13.5 million people.

From Australia’s out-of-control wildfires in January to a record number of Atlantic hurricanes through November, the true cost of the year’s climate-enhanced calamities was in fact far higher because most losses were uninsured.

Not surprisingly, the burden fell disproportionately on poor nations, according to the annual tally from global NGO Christian Aid, entitled “Count the cost of 2020: a year of climate breakdown”.

Only four per cent of economic losses from climate-impacted extreme events in low-income countries were insured, compared with 60 per cent in high-income economies, the report said, citing a study last month in The Lancet.

“Whether floods in Asia, locusts in Africa, or storms in Europe and the Americas, climate change has continued to rage in 2020,” said Christian Aid’s climate policy lead, Kat Kramer.

Extreme weather disasters, of course, have plagued humanity long before manmade global warming began to mess with the planet’s climate system.

But more than a century of temperature and precipitation data, along with decades of satellite data on hurricanes and sea level rise, have left no doubt that Earth’s warming surface temperature is amplifying their impact.

Massive tropical storms - variously known as hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones - are now more likely, for example, to be stronger, last longer, carry more water and wander beyond their historical range.

2020’s record-breaking 30 named Atlantic hurricanes - with at least 400 fatalities and $41 billion in damages - suggest the world could see more such storms as well.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) had to use Greek symbols after running out of letters in the Latin alphabet.

Extremes, not averages

Intense summer flooding in China and India, where the monsoon season brought abnormal amounts of rainfall for the second year running, are also consistent with projections on how climate will impact precipitation.

Five of the most costly extreme weather events in 2020 were related to Asia’s unusually rainy monsoon.

“The 2020 flood was one of the worst in the history of Bangladesh, more than a quarter of the country was under water,” said Shahjahan Mondal, director of the Institute of Flood and Water Management at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

Wildfires that scorched record areas in California, Australia and even Russia’s Siberian hinterland, much of it within the Arctic Circle, are also consistent with a warmer world, and a predicted to get worse as temperatures climb.

The planet’s average surface temperature has gone up at least 1.1 degrees Celsius on average compared to the late 19th-century, with much of that warming occurring in the last half-century.

Global warming cap

The 2015 Paris Agreement enjoins the world’s nations to collectively cap global warming at “well below” 2C, and even 1.5C if feasible.

A landmark report in 2018 from the UN’s IPCC climate science advisory panel showed that 1.5C is a safer threshold, but the likelihood of staying below it have grown vanishingly small, according to many experts.

“Ultimately, the impacts of climate change will be felt via the extremes, and not average changes,” noted Sarah Perkins-Kilpatrick, a senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales’ Climate Change Research Centre.

If the growing frequency and intensity of natural weather disasters is consistent with modelling projections, the new field of attribution science is now able to put a number on how much more likely such an event is due to global warming.

The unprecedented wildfires that destroyed 20 per cent of Australia’s forests and killed tens of millions of wild animals in late 2019 and early 2020, for example, were made at least 30 per cent more likely, according to research led by Friederike Otto at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute.

In Europe, meanwhile, the chance of deadly heatwaves occurring has risen nearly 100 fold compared to a century ago, according to recent research.

“Heatwaves and floods which used to be ‘once in a century’ events are becoming more regular occurrences,” noted WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

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Britain sends more troops to Dover to clear lorry queues

Dover: Britain deployed additional military personnel to the port of Dover on Friday to help clear the queues of lorries following the resumption of cross-channel travel for drivers who test negative for COVID-19.

Ferry services between Dover and the French port of Calais restarted on Thursday, ending several days of a blockade imposed by France following the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in England.

Traffic was moving only slowly through the port on Friday, a public holiday. Most trucks were still parked further up the motorway as drivers waited to take tests before being allowed to board the cross-channel ferries.

Nasal swab

Soldiers were checking vehicles and drivers’ documents at the entrance to the port and French officials, in Dover to help clear the backlog, were seen administering a nasal swab to a driver.

An additional 800 British troops have now been deployed to the port, on top of the 300 sent initially, British media reported.

The French and British governments agreed to end the blockade late on Tuesday but the long lines of trucks are expected to take days to clear, British authorities have said.

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COVID-19: China ramps up virus controls to head off winter wave

Beijing: Temperature checks, queues for tests and inspections at airports - Chinese authorities have stepped up health checks to snuff out the threat of a coronavirus resurgence.

China, where the virus first emerged around a year ago, largely contained its outbreak, and its economy has roared back to life.

But Beijing is taking few risks with coronavirus cases skyrocketing in many parts of the world and the threat of a new variant experts believe could be more transmissible.

Strict checks have been imposed across neighbourhoods in the capital Beijing, where suspected virus cases have been detected.

Workers in full PPE are spraying boats and airport arrival areas as part of a swift mobilisation to contain potential winter outbreaks.

Orderly queues snaked outside a testing site in the Shunyi district of Beijing, while officials checked health data stored on QR codes of visitors to Beijing hospitals.

China reported just 21 new cases on Monday, the majority imported.

The official national death toll remains at 4,634 with nearly 87,000 infections reported by authorities.

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COVID-19 vaccinations begin in Latin America

Mexico City: Mexico inoculated its first person against COVID-19 to kick off a fightback from a pandemic that has killed 120,000 people in the country and battered the economy, celebrating a Christmas roll-out that also began elsewhere in Latin America.

In a ceremony broadcast on national media and watched by the president, officials directed the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to 59-year-old nurse Maria Irene Ramirez, head nurse at the intensive care unit of Mexico City’s Ruben Lenero hospital.

“This is the best gift that I could have received in 2020,” said Ramirez, adding that it would give her strength to continue the “war” against the pandemic.

Afterwards, the government broadcast the vaccine being given to medical personnel in other parts of Mexico.

Pfizer’s is the first COVID-19 vaccine to reach Mexico, which has also signed deals for vaccines from other firms.

Chile received the first 10,000 doses of a 10-million order of Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine on Thursday, with inoculations of health workers due to begin immediately.

300,000 doses

In Costa Rica, health workers administered the first doses of Pfizer vaccine to a pair of senior citizens in a home near the capital San Jose, while some 300,000 doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine arrived in Argentina.

“My message is that everyone should be vaccinated,” said Jorge De Ford, a 72-year-old former university professor who was one of the first two in Costa Rica to get the injection.

No COVID-19 vaccine has been approved yet for use in Brazil, Latin America’s most populous country.

In Mexico, the first Pfizer shipment arrived on Wednesday containing only 3,000 doses of the vaccine. The next one will contain 50,000 doses, with Mexico slated to receive 1.4 million units of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine by Jan. 31.

“And thus begins the road to the end of the pandemic,” Martha Delgado, a deputy foreign minister tasked with securing vaccine supplies for Mexico, said on Twitter.

The vaccine roll-out is expected to last months and will initially prioritize Mexican medical staff. A September report by Amnesty International found Mexico had lost more healthcare workers to the virus than any other country.

Mexican infections and deaths are surging, putting hospitals under immense strain, and prompting fresh lockdowns in Mexico City and its urban sprawl last week.

A Stanford University-Mexico CIDE research group study found Mexico City could breach its hospital capacity in late December and peak in late January.

Over 1.35 million cases and 120,300 coronavirus deaths have been reported in Mexico, which has the fourth-highest official death toll from COVID-19 worldwide. The government acknowledges that the real figures are likely significantly higher.

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COVID-19 pandemic severe, but 'not necessarily the big one': WHO

Geneva: The novel coronavirus has had a devastating impact around the globe, but the World Health Organization warned Monday that worse pandemics could lie ahead, urging the world to get "serious" about preparedness.

"This is a wakeup call," WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan told reporters at a briefing marking a year since the UN agency first learned of the new virus spreading in China.

Since then, COVID-19 has killed nearly 1.8 million people around the world, out of over 80 million infected.

"This pandemic has been very severe," Ryan acknowledged.

"It has spread around the world extremely quickly and it has affected every corner of this planet, but this is not necessarily the big one."

He stressed that while the virus is "very transmissible, and it kills people... its current case fatality (rate) is reasonably low in comparison to other emerging diseases."

"We need to get ready for something that may even be more severe in the future."

WHO senior advisor Bruce Aylward also cautioned that while the world had made huge scientific progress to address the coronavirus crisis, including developing vaccines at record speed, it remained far from prepared to ward off future pandemics.

"We are into second and third waves of this virus and we are still not prepared to deal with and manage those," he told the briefing.

"So while we are better prepared... we are not fully prepared for this one, let alone the next one."

'More ambition'

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus meanwhile voiced hope that the COVID-19 pandemic had helped the world become more prepared to tackle future threats.

"In terms of awareness, I think we are now getting it," he said.

But he stressed that it was "time now to be really serious."

"More ambition will be necessary."

But Tedros also hailed how scientists around the world were working closely together to help bring the pandemic to an end.

He specifically mentioned the two new strains of the virus that have emerged in Britain and South Africa, which appear to be more infectious that previous strains.

"We are working with scientists in the UK and South Africa who are carrying out epidemiologic and laboratory studies, which will guide next steps," he said.

He hailed the two countries for testing and tracking the new variants.

And with more than 50 countries now imposing travel restrictions on Britain, he also warned against taking punishing measures against countries that transparently share such results.

"Only if countries are looking and testing effectively will you be able to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope," he said.

"We must ensure that countries are not punished for transparently sharing new scientific findings."

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2020 in Review: Future tense for cricket as bio bubble start to take its toll

Kolkata: If anyone had wagered at the start of the year that the Indian Premier League will be held lock, stock and barrel in the UAE - or that fast bowlers will be banned from using saliva on the ball to retain its shine - it would have been written off as fantasy tales.

The COVID-19 pandemic ensured it happened as international cricket found its way for a resumption in July with the England versus West Indies Test series, but the sport is again staring at a certain degree of uncertainty with travel restrictions back to-and-fro from the UK while several leading cricketers complaining of the ‘bubble fatigue.’

The stress of living inside the bio-bubble, the only way forward for cricket to continue, proved tiresome for the professional cricketers and a number of reported breaches in their team hotel saw England abandoing their tour of a white ball series of South Africa midway.

Michael Vaughan, former England captain, branded the decision “alarming”, with him writing: “I worry that in future it will only be the rich nations that can put on cricket in bio-secure bubbles.”

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• 2020 in review: Chadwick Boseman, Naya Rivera and other stars who died this year

While a big name as Australia’s David Warner has feared that the pressure of living in the bubble may force him to take a tough call on his international career, a number of England players - including their white ball captain Eoin Morgan - have voiced similar concerns.

Someone like Jason Holder, the West Indies Test skipper who survived months on the road after visiting England to resume international cricket and a person with mature head on his shoulders, was also not immune to such pressure. “Going from bubble to bubble, being isolated in a room, sometimes the room just gets smaller and smaller by the second,” said Holder following the second of West Indies’ two innings defeats in New Zealand earlier this month.

International cricket resumed with a three-Test series between England and the West Indies in July, but behind closed doors and a historic ban in place for bowlers from using saliva on balls. Image Credit: AP

It was soon on the back of a landmark day for women’s cricket on March 8, when Australia beat India to win women’s Twenty20 World Cup in front of a Melbourne crowd of more than 86,000, that the sport came to a grinding halt due to the pandemic. The India versus South Africa white ball series was the next one to be cancelled with the Proteas already in India - before the pandemic forced the sport to come to a stop.

When the action resumed five months later, the world was a changed place. The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has to be complimented for being proactive by setting a template where international action can begin with strict bio-bubbles being created at two venues - Rose Bowl in Southampton and Old Trafford in Manchester - where team hotels were inside the stadium premises. It was a given that like the football leagues in Europe, the action had to take place behind closed doors but the guidelines approved by International Cricket Council (ICC) ratified a ban on the use of saliva by fast bowlers and fielders - an age-old practice to retain the shine on one side of the ball to derive swing.

This was certainly bad news for the bowlers in red ball cricket, but they have learnt to live with it as a number of Test series were being fitted in till year-end with an eye towards completing the backlog for the World Test Championship. This saw as many as three Tests: India-Australia, Pakistan-New Zealand and South Africa-Sri Lanka starting on the Boxing Day.

No shakehands please: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (in yellow) and Rohit Sharma, captains of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians respectively, greet each other during IPL after toss in the new style in vogue in the times of COVID-19. Image Credit: BCCI

In a perfect summary of the topsy-turvy cricket year, ICC eventually decided to postpone the men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in October-November in Australia after waiting on a decision for more than two months. This, however, opened the door for Indian cricket board to find a window for the IPL - and both BCCI and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) deserve a big round of applause for hosting the showpiece in the UAE amid such challenging conditions.

In a separate development, the ECB postponed its new domestic Hundred tournament, a 100-balls per side competition for men and women, while announcing 62 redundancies and pay cuts for players. The ECB also forecast a loss of more than 100 million pounds ($135 million) this year, potentially rising to 200 million pounds in 2021.

No centuries for Virat Kohli

For India, one of the powerhouses of the game, it was not a particularly memorable year in the international arena. Virat Kohli & Co had started the year with a forgettable tour of New Zealand while it was a rare year which saw the Indian captain finish it without any centuries for the first time since his debut in international cricket in 2011.

Till the beginning of their Boxing Day Test, Indian men’s team played a total of 23 international matches - three Tests, 11 T20Is, nine ODIs, and 11 T20Is. They lost all three Tests (two against New Zealand and the first Test in Adelaide which saw the infamous capitulation of 36) - though they registered wins in 10 T20s and three ODIs.

While it’s laudable that they lost just one of the 11 T20 matches, the results of One-day Internationals and Tests left a lot to be desired. On the women’s front, the Indian team played 11 international matches - all T20 internationals and they registered wins in eight matches. Going by the numbers, the performance of the Indian team looks highly impressive.

However, the three losses include one which will sting them the most - the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup against Australia on March 8 - the International Women’s Day - at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Post Script: The sport got a new boss when Greg Barclay, chairman of New Zealand Cricket, took over as the chairman of ICC on November 24. He succeeded Shashank Manohar of India, who stepped down from July 1 after two terms.

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COVID-19 virus will stay with us for next 10 years: BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin

London: As the world grapples with the pandemic amid the origin of newer and potentially lethal strains, BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin has said that the deadly virus is going to stay with us for the next decade at least.

In a virtual press conference this week, Sahin spoke about the potential virus deadline when asked when life could return to normal.

"We need a new definition of normal. The virus will stay with us for the next 10 years," he told mediapersons.

BioNTech's vaccine, developed with the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, has been authorised for use in more than 45 countries, including Britain and the US.

Sahin also said that the vaccine can be adjusted for the new UK variant in about six weeks.

"In principle, the beauty of the messenger technology is that we can directly start to engineer a vaccine which completely mimics this new mutation - we could be able to provide a new vaccine technically within six weeks," he was quoted as saying in media reports.

Sahin said he was confident that the new variant of the COVID-19 strain in the UK would not impact the efficacy of the vaccine.

The new strain of COVID is causing worry all around the world including in India, and it remains to be seen what effect it could have.

After the discovery of a second new variant of the novel coronavirus in Britain, the UK has reported the highest number of COVID-19 fatalities this week, since late April.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the second new variant was reportedly related to travellers from South Africa, and two cases have been reported so far.

"This new variant is highly concerning because it is yet more transmissible and it appears to have mutated further than the new variant that has been discovered in the UK," he said this week.

On December 19, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the discovery of a first mutant Covid-19 strain which is said to be about 70 per cent more transmissible.

As a result, Johnson imposed Tier Four restrictions om London and other parts of England.

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India: Newly married woman runs away with cash, jewellery

Shamli: A man has filed a complaint against his newly-married wife who has allegedly run away from his home with cash and gold jewellery.

In his complaint filed at the Shamli police station, Pinku, who is a resident of the Simbhalka village in Shamli district, said he got married on November 25. His wife, who is a resident of Baghpat district, was missing from December 26 night.

Pinku alleged that his wife has run away from his home and has taken away Rs70,000 (Dh3,494) cash and gold jewellery.

According to the police spokesperson, inquiries in the wife's village revealed that her family is also 'missing' from their home.

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India government invites 40 farmers’ unions for next round of talks on Dec 30

New Delhi: The Indian government on Monday invited 40 protesting farmer unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a “logical solution” to the current impasse over the farm laws.

The government’s invite followed a proposal made by unions last week to hold the talks on Tuesday, December 29, on agenda including modalities for the repeal of the three laws enacted in September.

In a letter to the unions, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal has invited them for holding talks at 2pm on Wednesday at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital. The last formal meeting took place on December 5, in which union leaders had demanded a clear ‘yes or no’ answer from the government on their main demand of the repeal of the three laws.

Taking note of the unions’ offer to resume talks, Aggarwal said, “The government is also committed to finding a logical solution on all relevant issues with a clear intention and an open mind.”

With regard to the proposed agenda by the unions for the meeting, the Secretary said a detailed discussion will take place on three farm laws, MSP procurement system as well as Electricity Amendment bill and ordinance to tackle air pollution in and around Delhi/NCR.

However, the government letter did not make any specific reference to one key condition proposed by the unions seeking talks on modalities for the repeal of the Acts.

Draft proposal

So far, five rounds of formal talks held between the Centre and 40 protesting farmer unions remained inconclusive. The last round of talks was held on December 5, while the sixth round of talks originally scheduled for December 9 was called off a day after an informal meeting of Home Minister Amit Shah with some union leaders failed to reach any breakthrough.

The government had, however, followed up Shah’s meeting with a draft proposal sent to the unions in which it had suggested 7-8 amendments to the new laws and written assurance on the MSP procurement system.

In its December 26th letter written to the government, farmer unions gave December 29 for the resumption of talks while made it clear that the modalities for the repeal of three farm laws and guarantee for MSP -- minimum support price at which the government procures crops from farmers - should be part of the agenda for resuming talks with the government.

The date given by the government for the next round of talks is the same day when unions have also decided to hold a tractor march from Singhu Border and Tikri Border to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) highway.

Threat to intensify stir

It’s been over a month now that thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camping at Delhi borders seeking repeal of the three farm laws. They have threatened to intensify their stir in the coming days if their demands are not fulfilled.

The government has presented these laws as major agriculture reforms aimed at helping farmers and increasing their income, but protesting unions fear that these Acts have left them at the mercy of big corporates by weakening MSP and mandi systems.

While talks have remained deadlocked between the Centre and the agitating unions for almost a month now, the government has been meeting various other farmer groups that have extended their support to the new laws.

The government has alleged that protesting farmers are misled by opposition parties for their own political gains.

'Wall of lies'

Speaking at an event, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said a “wall of lies” has been spread in a “planned manner” among farmers against the new farm laws, but it will not last long and protesting peasants will soon realise the truth.

The minister reiterated he remains hopeful to find an early solution to end the impasse.

“I am happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought revolutionary changes through farm laws keeping the future in mind. I am confident that these laws will benefit poor, small and marginal farmers across the country,” Tomar said.

Modi, while flagging off the 100th ‘Kisan Rail’, also asserted that his government has undertaken historic reforms in the farm sector to boost agriculture and strengthen farmers and it will continue to do so with full force and dedication.

The ‘Kisan Rail’, a service started by his government, will help small and marginal farmers, who are over 80 per cent of the peasantry, in supplying their produce to far-off markets, the prime minister said, adding that big demand for its services led to a rise in its frequency.

This will also help boost the income of farmers, he added.

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Pakistan announces renewed commitment to protect minorities and promote interfaith harmony

Islamabad: Pakistan intends to promote interfaith harmony and offer improved protection to the minorities so that they do not fall victim to false accusations.

Talking to Gulf News, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, said that under the new policy, “Pakistan government is committed to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws and protect minorities from becoming victims of forced marriages and forced conversions” that have already been restricted due to the rapid response by law enforcement agencies.

Ashrafi, Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), also vowed that the government is fully committed to curbing victimization of minority groups in the name of blasphemy. He also strongly condemned the recent targeting of those belonging to Qadiyani community and said that “all Islamic scholars have unanimously agreed that killing of an individual is akin to killing of the entire humanity” as per the Islamic teachings.

Pakistani scholar urged the common people not to take law into their hands, as “it is the responsibility of the government and the court to punish the individual who committed any crime.” He added that “no individual, group organization in the country would be allowed to carry out extrajudicial killings and create chaos in the country.”

Christian workers saved

Last month, Pakistan’s religious scholars’ council intervened to rescue six Christian workers in Lahore who had been implicated and detained in the blasphemy case.

“Alhamdulillah (Thank God), the Ulema Council saved the lives of Christians with timely mediation” Ashrafi said. “The misuse of the law has drastically reduced due to effective coordination between different religious scholars. However, the government is committed to containing misuse of the blasphemy law and would immediately intervene in such cases,” he told Gulf News.

The country is also setting up a special coordination centre to specifically examine cases of forced religious conversions, forced as well as underage marriages and to provide timely relief to minorities. “During the last two months, we offered relief to the minorities in 101 cases out the 104 cases reviewed” by the religious scholars, he informed.

The cases included hate speech, forced conversions and blasphemy. “We saved over 100 people from the misuse of laws and false charges. This demonstrates the country’s determination to protect and stand up for minorities.” The issue related to the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad that earlier stirred a controversy has also been cordially resolved after approval from Pakistan’s national council of clerics, he added

Interfaith harmony councils

The government will soon set up interfaith harmony councils across the country to promote religious tolerance on the advise of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the premier’s special assistant said. The council that would include representatives of all religions and sects of Islam aims to “keep a check on misuse of blasphemy laws” that are often used to settle personal scores.

“PM Imran Khan has specifically assured equal rights to all minorities as defined in the Constitution of Pakistan” with zero-tolerance against any discrimination. Under the new initiative, the government also plans to hold training sessions for imams and introduce topics on religious harmony and tolerance in the school curriculum as interfaith dialogue is essential to eradicate the menace of sectarian violence and extremism, Ashrafi said.

Although 96 per cent of Pakistan’s population is Muslim but the country is also home to diverse religious minorities including Christian, Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs and Buddhists.

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Seven US lawmakers write to Pompeo on farmers' protest in India

Washington: A group of seven influential US lawmakers, including Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, have written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging him to raise the issue of farmers' protest in India with his Indian counterpart.

India has called the remarks by foreign leaders and politicians on protests by farmers as "ill-informed" and "unwarranted", asserting that the matter pertains to the internal affairs of a democratic country.

"We have seen some ill-informed comments'relating to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said earlier this month.

This is an issue of particular concern to Sikh Americans linked to Punjab, although it also heavily impacts the Indian Americans belonging to other Indian states, the lawmakers said in their letter to Pompeo dated December 23.

'Many Indian Americans are directly affected as they have family members and ancestral land in Punjab and are concerned for the well-being of their families in India. In view of this serious situation, we urge you to contact your Indian counterpart to reinforce the United States' commitment to the freedom of political speech abroad,' they said.

In their letter, the lawmakers said that the US as a nation that is familiar with political protests can offer counsel to India during their current period of social disturbance.

'As national legislators, we respect the right of the government of India to determine national policy, in compliance with existing law. We also acknowledge the rights of those in India and abroad who are currently protesting peacefully against agricultural laws that many Indian farmers see as an attack on their economic security,' the lawmakers said.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting on various borders of Delhi since November 26, seeking repeal of three farm laws enacted in September.

Dubbing these laws as "anti-farmer", these farmers claim that the newly enacted legislations would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. There have been multiple rounds of talks between representatives of the protestors and the Indian government but the logjam continues.

In addition to Jayapal, the letter has been signed by Congressmen Donald Norcross, Brendan F Boyle, Brian Fitzpatrick, Mary Gay Scanlon, Debbie Dingell and David Trone.

Over the past few weeks, more than a dozen US Congressmen have expressed their concerns on the ongoing protest by the farmers in India.

Earlier this month, Congressman John Garamendi, Co-Chair of the American Sikh Caucus, along with Congressman Jim Costa and Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee -members of the American Sikh Caucus- sent a letter to Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, expressing solidarity with the protestors and defending their right to peaceful protest.

Democratic American lawmaker David Trone on Tuesday urged the Indian government to provide safety to the protesting farmers and hailed the recent offers of dialogue and a proposal from India's Supreme Court to set up mediation.

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Millions of Sydney residents asked to ‘limit’ Christmas festivities to fight COVID-19 cluster

Sydney: Millions of Sydney residents were asked to limit their mobility over the Christmas holidays, with some families in lockdown and festive gatherings limited to 10 visitors indoors, as officials try to contain a COVID-19 outbreak which now totals 100.

Australia’s most populous city has been virtually isolated from the rest of the country with state border closures or mandatory 14-day quarantine for Sydney arrivals.

“Please limit your mobility,” New South Wales (NSW) state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

“Apart from those close family gatherings, which we have allowed over the Christmas break, we don’t want people moving around unless you absolutely have to.” The neighbouring state of Victoria on Thursday advised its residents not to “hug or kiss” any visitors who had been in Sydney in the past 10 days.

More than a quarter of a million people in Sydney’s northern beach suburbs remain in some form of lockdown on Christmas Eve after a new coronavirus cluster emerged there last week.

Authorities are concerned infections may spread city-wide and are daily issuing an ever growing list of potential transmission sites across the city and calling on people to be tested and isolate.

NSW Health said a record 60,000 coronavirus tests were carried out in the 24 hours to 8pm (0900 GMT) Wednesday.

Sydney recorded nine new local COVID-19 cases on Thursday, up from eight the previous day as a lockdown and social restrictions seem to be containing the fresh outbreak.

Berejiklian said a decision on whether to extend restrictions will be made on Dec. 26.

Before the Sydney cluster, NSW had gone a month without any locally acquired infections, and officials are still struggling to determine the source of the outbreak. Genomic testing found the virus strain came from the United States.

All arrivals in Australia undertake a mandatory hotel quarantine, though some aviation workers are able to self-isolate without stringent supervision.

Two international airline crew have tested positive and been placed in Victoria’s hotel quarantine programme this week, said the state’s commander of COVID testing programme Jeroen Weimar.

In Queensland state, a crew member of a luxury super yacht recently arrived from the Maldives has tested positive in the port of Cairns.

Australia has reported just over 28,000 coronavirus cases and 908 deaths.

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