TIG Post

Tag: Coronavirus

  • UK doctor who urged PM to provide protective gear dies of virus

    A British doctor who warned United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson that health workers on the front line did not have enough personal protection equipment (PPE) has died of Coronavirus.

    Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, a 53-year-old consultant in the urology department at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Romford, worked for the NHS for more than 20 years after migrating from Bangladesh.

    He died on Wednesday aged 53 after spending 15 days in hospital.

    In a Facebook post on March 18 directly addressing Johnson, Chowdhury urged the prime minister to provide PPE for “each and every NHS health worker in the UK”, as he called for him to fast-track testing for medical staff.

    Doctors, nurses and other workers who are in direct contact with patients were trying to help, he wrote, “but we are also human beings [with] human rights like others [trying] to live in this world disease free with our family and children.”

    While he appreciated moral support being given to NHS workers, “we have to protect ourselves and our families and kids in this global disaster crisis by using appropriate PPE and remedies,” he said.

    “I hope we are by default entitled to get this minimal support for our safe medical practice.”

    Adnan Pavel, Chowdhury’s friend, described him as an “enthusiastic” mentor to young British Bangladeshi men in the UK and a selfless philanthropist to vulnerable people in Bangladesh.

    “He was such a good man. He was always very helpful to everyone. He was a man with life,” Pavel told Al Jazeera.

    Last year, Pavel and Chowdhury delivered a motivational speech to British Bangladeshi men who had just graduated or were about to apply to university.

    “He wanted to inspire them so that they could fulfil their calibre and become a successful doctor, engineer, journalist, academic, lawyer or accountant,” he said.

    “Because Dr Chowdhury was a senior doctor, he always actively helped junior doctors so that they could fulfil their career aspirations as well.”

    “He personally initiated many medical projects in remote villages in Bangladesh [providing] free medical treatment.”

    On February 8, Pavel interviewed Chowdhury for a TV programme on a Bangladeshi community channel, NTV Europe, about concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

    “Dr Chowdhury started talking about the [coronavirus] issue from the very beginning, asking why the British government and other European countries weren’t taking rigorous and strict measures to control it.

    “He was worried developing countries like Bangladesh will be the worst victim of this crisis because of economic issues and improvised healthcare issues,” said Pavel.

    Chowdhury’s death came amid mounting concerns that medical workers are not receiving adequate PPE.

    Some have claimed that they have had to share PPE, while reports in UK media suggest some nurses have resorted to using bin bags as aprons.

    Asif Munaf, an acute medical registrar at Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, told Al Jazeera: “We’ve learned from the countries such as Taiwan and South Korea that full PPE for front line staff is absolutely crucial in circumventing the patient-staff spread as well as more general surface contact spread.

    “This has resulted in fewer healthcare staff deaths than would otherwise have transpired.

    “Despite the stark warnings from Italian doctors as well as our own NHS front line, most notably Dr Chowdhury who has passed away this week after his posting a Facebook status about his concerns, the government seem to be deploying an ‘it will be ok’ attitude in the face of a growing crisis.

    “How many more front line deaths will we have to seen before adequate PPE is rolled out across the NHS?”

    Source: aljazeera.com

  • Coronavirus: WHO chief and Taiwan in row over ‘racist’ comments

    A row has erupted after the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) accused Taiwan’s leaders of spearheading personal attacks on him.

    WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had been subjected to racist comments and death threats for months.

    But President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan opposed any form of discrimination and invited Dr Tedros to visit the island.

    Taiwan said it had been denied access to vital information as the coronavirus spread. The WHO rejects this.

    Taiwan is excluded from the WHO, the United Nations health agency, because of China’s objections to its membership.

    The Chinese Communist Party regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and claims the right to take it by force if necessary.

    The WHO has also been criticised by US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to withdraw US funding to the agency.

    What is being said? Dr Tedros said he had been at the receiving end of racist comments for the past two to three months.

    “Giving me names, black or negro,” he said. “I’m proud of being black, or proud of being negro.”

    He then said he had received death threats, adding: “I don’t give a damn.”

    The WHO chief said the abuse had originated from Taiwan, “and the foreign ministry didn’t disassociate” itself from it.

    But Ms Tsai said Taiwan was opposed to discrimination.

    “For years, we have been excluded from international organisations, and we know better than anyone else what it feels like to be discriminated against and isolated,” Reuters news agency quoted her as saying.

    “If Director-General Tedros could withstand pressure from China and come to Taiwan to see Taiwan’s efforts to fight Covid-19 for himself, he would be able to see that the Taiwanese people are the true victims of unfair treatment.”

    Taiwan foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said the comments were “irresponsible” and the accusations “imaginary”. The ministry said it was seeking an apology for “slander”, AFP news agency reported.

    Correspondents say Taiwan has been proud of its measures to contain the virus, with just 380 cases and five deaths so far.

    Last month, the WHO said it was monitoring the progress of the virus in Taiwan and learning lessons from its efforts.

    What about the row with the US?

    The UN agency has come under continued fire from Mr Trump, who accuses the WHO of being “very China-centric” and has threatened to end funding.

    Speaking on Wednesday, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the WHO’s work and called for an end to the politicization of Covid-19.

    The disease first emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which has just ended an 11-week lockdown. An advisor to the WHO chief earlier said their close work with China had been “absolutely essential” in understanding the disease in its early stages.

    Mr Trump’s attacks on the WHO come in the context of criticism of his own administration’s handling of the pandemic, especially early problems with US testing.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: EU could fail over outbreak, warns Italy’s Giuseppe Conte

    Italy’s prime minister has told the BBC that the European Union risks failing as a project in the coronavirus crisis.

    Giuseppe Conte says the EU must act in an adequate and co-ordinated way to help countries worst hit by the virus.

    Mr Conte says the European Union needs to rise to the challenge of what he calls “the biggest test since the Second World War”.

    This was his first interview with the UK broadcast media since the pandemic exploded in Italy seven weeks ago.

    He was speaking as Italy and some other EU countries try to push more frugal members of the bloc to issue so-called “corona bonds” – sharing debt that all EU nations would help to pay off. The Netherlands in particular has opposed the idea, leading to a clash between finance ministers of the eurozone.

    The Italian prime minister told the BBC that Europe’s leaders were “facing an appointment with history” that they could not miss.

    “If we do not seize the opportunity to put new life into the European project, the risk of failure is real.”

    The infection rate in Italy is slowing – the latest figures show positive cases increasing from the previous day by a little over 1%. Two weeks ago, the rise was 7%.

    The death toll too shows signs of falling, from 919 a fortnight ago to 542 fatalities in the past 24 hours. But Giuseppe Conte warned Italy not to lower its guard and said that the national lockdown, imposed on 9 March, could only be eased gradually.

    “We need to pick sectors that can restart their activity. If scientists confirm it, we might begin to relax some measures already by the end of this month.”

    Mr Conte has won plaudits for his government’s handling of the crisis – a recent poll by Demos showed his approval rating surging from 46% to 71%. But critics contend that the restrictions announced in the first few days were slow and piecemeal.

    He initially resisted a push by some politicians in Lombardy, the northern region worst hit by the outbreak, to impose tighter measures more quickly. When a delegation from the Chinese Red Cross came to Milan in mid-March, they lambasted what they saw as Italy’s lax lockdown.

    But the prime minister defended his government’s action.

    “Going back, I would do the same”, he said. “We have a completely different system to China. For us to severely limit constitutional freedoms was a critical decision that we had to consider very carefully. If I had suggested a lockdown or limits on constitutional rights at the start, when there were the first clusters, people would have taken me for a madman.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: The porous borders where the virus cannot be controlled

    As nations shut borders, a surge of people pouring unmonitored over international boundaries in a volatile and vulnerable part of the world has sparked warnings about the unchecked spread of the virus there.

    In March, more than 150,000 Afghans spontaneously returned from Iran, one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus – thousands more arrive daily.

    Tens of thousands have also recently returned from Pakistan – among the worst affected countries in South Asia.

    Officials are struggling to control this unprecedented movement across what have always been porous and often lawless borders.

    So far, Afghanistan is not among countries severely hit by the virus, reporting 423 cases and 14 deaths, but this influx has raised fears of much higher transmission rates.

    “With the numbers of likely infected people who have crossed the border, I expect the numbers of cases and deaths [in Afghanistan] to go up significantly,” says Natasha Howard, associate professor of global health and conflict at the National University of Singapore.

    If there is an explosion of cases, like we’ve seen in the US, Spain and Italy, war-ravaged and impoverished Afghanistan’s health system would be completely overwhelmed.

    Iran crossing: Overwhelmed by numbers

    Abdul Maez Mohammadi and his family were in Iran for eight years. But after the boss at the construction company where he worked stopped paying his salary, he gathered his wife, brother and one-year-old son and headed home.

    This week they crossed from the Islam Qala border into Herat as undocumented migrants and will head back to their Taliban-controlled village where there are no health facilities.

    “The situation in Iran of Covid-19 is very dangerous and I heard there is nowhere to admit cases,” says Mr Mohammadi.

    At this border crossing there is no quarantine centre on either side. The provincial authorities are conducting basic health checks, but they are overwhelmed by the number of people.

    Herat has a shortage of Covid-19 testing kits and results take four or five days for those who do get tested – and by then it is likely they would have already left for their villages.

    Mr Mohammadi says he will have to earn money as soon as he is back in his village, but he knows they will have to take precautions.

    “We have to do hand-washing when we wake up from sleep, brush teeth three times a day, avoid mass gatherings, not travel to neighbouring areas and food should be well cooked,” he says.

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM), part of the UN, has set up centres to provide humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable of those crossing back into Afghanistan.

    Aziz Ahmad Rahimi, senior regional director for IOM in Herat province, says when they see anyone showing Covid-19 symptoms they transfer them to the local hospitals. Ten to 15 people so far have tested positive he says.

    Pakistan crossing: Forced to abandon controls A similar situation is playing out on the border with Pakistan.

    The Afghan government requested Pakistani authorities to open border crossings to allow Afghans who had become stranded after Pakistan shut its borders to return home.

    Authorities said they would allow 1,000 people a day but 20,000 are reported to have crossed at the Chaman border in the last two days prompting authorities to abandon the stipulation that only those with valid documents be allowed to cross.

    Afghan authorities had made arrangements to quarantine 4,000 Afghans for 14 days at Torkham but were quickly overwhelmed by the numbers, reports say.

    In total 60,000 crossed into Afghanistan in three days, according to IOM.

    An unverified video that has been widely shared by media outlets shows people rushing across the border without showing any documentation.

    And these are the people going through official checkpoints. For many years there has been illegal cross-border movement between Afghanistan and Pakistan – those numbers are much harder to track.

    All of this has led aid agencies and NGOs working in the region to give a dire warning about the spread of coronavirus across these borders.

    And if, as they fear, cases erupt in the next few weeks, how Afghanistan might deal with the numbers given developed countries with top-class health systems are struggling, is leading to some daunting estimates.

    How can Afghanistan cope? The Afghan ministry of public health forecasts that 16 million out of a population of more than 30 million could get the coronavirus, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).

    Waheed Ullah Mayar, the spokesperson for the ministry of public health, says in the worst-case scenario 700,000 people will require hospitalization, 220,000 of them may require ICU treatment. From that number 110,000 people may die due to COVID-19.

    Afghanistan has 10,400 hospital beds in the entire country. In Herat province, some estimates put the number of ventilators at as little as 12.

    “Afghanistan will not have such a number of beds even in 10 years,” he says, adding that health authorities are focused on preventative measures.

    Kabul is now under complete lockdown and public gatherings have been banned in Herat.

    But this is a population where many have pre-existing conditions like tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes and there are approximately 2.5 million malnourished children, according to the charity Save the Children.

    Source: bbc.com

     

  • Coronavirus fuels a surge in fake medicines

    Growing numbers of fake medicines linked to coronavirus are on sale in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

    A BBC News investigation found fake drugs for sale in Africa, with counterfeiters exploiting growing gaps in the market.

    The WHO said taking these drugs could have “serious side effects”.

    One expert warned of “a parallel pandemic, of substandard and falsified products”.

    Around the world, people are stockpiling basic medicines. However, with the world’s two largest producers of medical supplies – China and India – in lockdown, demand now outstrips the supply and the circulation of dangerous counterfeit drugs is soaring.

    In the same week the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a pandemic last month, Operation Pangea, Interpol’s global pharmaceutical crime fighting unit, made 121 arrests across 90 countries in just seven days, resulting in the seizure of dangerous pharmaceuticals worth over $14m (£11m).

    From Malaysia to Mozambique, police officers confiscated tens of thousands of counterfeit face masks and fake medicines, many of which claimed to be able to cure coronavirus.

    “The illicit trade in such counterfeit medical items during a public health crisis, shows a total disregard for people’s lives,” said Interpol’s Secretary General Jurgen Stock.

    According to the WHO, the broader falsified medicines trade, which includes medicines which may be contaminated, contain the wrong or no active ingredient, or may be out-of-date, is worth more than $30bn in low and middle-income countries.

    “Best case scenario they [fake medicines] probably won’t treat the disease for which they were intended”, said Pernette Bourdillion Esteve, from the WHO team dealing with falsified medical products.

    “But worst-case scenario they’ll actively cause harm, because they might be contaminated with something toxic.”

    The supply chain

    The global pharmaceutical industry is worth more than $1 trillion. Vast supply chains stretch all the way from key manufacturers in places such as China and India, to packaging warehouses in Europe, South America or Asia, to distributors sending medicines to every country in the world.

    There is “probably nothing more globalized than medicine,” said Esteve. However, as the world goes into lockdown, the supply chain has already begun to uncouple.

    Several pharmaceutical companies in India told the BBC they are now operating at 50-60% of their normal capacity. As Indian companies supply 20% of all basic medicines to Africa, nations there are being disproportionately affected.

    Ephraim Phiri, a pharmacist in Zambia’s capital Lusaka, said he was already feeling the strain.

    “Medicines are already running out and we are not replenishing them. There is nothing we can do. It’s been really hard to get supplies… especially essential medicines like antibiotics and antimalarials.”

    Producers and suppliers are also struggling as the raw ingredients to manufacture tablets are now so expensive, some companies can simply not afford to keep going.

    One producer in Pakistan said he used to buy the raw ingredients for an antimalarial drug called hydrochloroquine for about $100 a kilo. But today, the cost has increased to $1,150 a kilo.

    With an increasing number of countries going into lockdown, it’s not only the reduction in production that’s problematic, it’s also the increase in demand, as people around the world anxiously stockpile basic medicines.

    It’s this unstable combination of reduced supply and increased demand that has led the WHO to warn of a dangerous spike in the production and sales of fake drugs.

    “When the supply does not meet the demand,” said Esteve, from the WHO, “it creates an environment where poorer quality or fake medicines will try to meet that demand.”

    Fake medicine

    Speaking to pharmacists and drug companies around the world, the global supply of antimalarials is now under threat.

    Ever since US President Donald Trump began referring to the potential of chloroquine and a related derivative, hydroxychloroquine, in White House briefings, there has been a global surge in the demand for these drugs, which are normally used to tackle malaria.

    Coronavirus and chloroquine: Is there evidence it works?

    The WHO has repeatedly said there is no definitive evidence that chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine can be used against the virus that causes COVID-19. However, at a recent news conference, whilst referring to these antimalarials, President Trump said: “What do you have to lose? Take it.”

    As the demand has soared, the BBC has discovered large quantities of fake chloroquine in circulation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The WHO has also found fake medicines for sale in Niger.

    The antimalarial chloroquine is normally sold for about $40 for a pot of 1,000 tablets. But pharmacists in the DRC were found to be selling them for up to $250.

    The medicine being sold was allegedly manufactured in Belgium, by “Brown and Burk Pharmaceutical limited”. However, Brown and Burk, a pharmaceutical company registered in the UK, said they had “nothing to do with this medicine. We don’t manufacture this drug, it’s fake.”

    As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Professor Paul Newton, an expert in fake medicines at the University of Oxford, warned the circulation of fake and dangerous medicines would only increase unless governments around the world present a united front.

    “We risk a parallel pandemic, of substandard and falsified products unless we all ensure that there is a global co-ordinated plan for co-ordinated production, equitable distribution and the surveillance of the quality of the tests, medicines and vaccines. Otherwise the benefits of modern medicine… will be lost.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Singapore reports 287 new coronavirus cases in biggest daily jump

    Singapore confirmed 287 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, the biggest daily increase yet, taking the total in the city-state to 1,910, its health ministry said.

    More than 200 of the new cases were linked to outbreaks in foreign worker dormitories. Singapore has quarantined thousands of workers in dormitories after they were linked to several cases of the COVID-19 respiratory disease.

    Six people infected with the disease have died in Singapore and authorities are investigating the death of a seventh person who was also infected but had other complications.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Taliban protest as Kabul releases another 100 insurgents

    The Afghan government said it would release another 100 Taliban inmates Thursday, even though the insurgents have walked out of talks over a comprehensive prisoner swap and dismissed Kabul’s piecemeal freeing of captives as “unacceptable”.

    The administration of President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday released 100 low-risk Taliban prisoners who had vowed never to return to the battlefield, and officials said the same number of insurgents with similar profiles would be set free Thursday.

    The releases come as Ghani faces an ongoing political crisis, US fury over a floundering peace process and a growing coronavirus epidemic in Afghanistan, where officials fear the disease could run riot through the country’s prisons.

    Kabul “will release 100 Taliban prisoners today based on their health condition, age and length of remaining sentence as part of our efforts for peace and containment of COVID-19,” Javid Faisal, spokesman for the Office of the National Security Council (NSC), said on Twitter.

    Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP the step was inadequate.

    A small Taliban team came to Kabul last week to meet the government to discuss a comprehensive prisoner swap that was initially supposed to see 5,000 Taliban released in return for 1,000 Afghan security forces.

    But they abandoned the “fruitless” meetings on Tuesday and returned to the southern province of Kandahar.

    “Our stance has been very clear on prisoners swap,” Mujahid said.

    “Now, hundreds hundreds prisoners are released on a daily basis. This is not part of our process and it is unacceptable to us.”

    When asked why the government was still releasing Taliban inmates even though the prisoner swap appeared to have collapsed, Faisal said: “We need to push the peace process forward.”

    The United States signed a withdrawal deal with the Taliban in late February that required the Afghan government — which was not a signatory to the accord — to participate in the prisoner exchange. That step was supposed to have led to “intra-Afghan” peace talks starting on March 10.

    No one knows when, or if, they may now start.

    In the agreement, the US and other foreign forces will withdraw from Afghanistan in 13 months, and the Taliban must talk to Kabul and stick to several security guarantees.

    Source: AFP

  • Taiwan demands apology from WHO chief over coronavirus ‘slander’

    Taiwan demanded an apology from the World Health Organization chief on Thursday after he accused the island’s government of leading personal attacks against him and his agency’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for unity to fight the disease on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump criticised the global health body and threatened to cut its funding.

    During the press conference he spoke of the abuse — including racial slurs — he had been subjected to since the public health crisis began.

    Tedros largely avoided mentioning Trump by name but he did single out the government in Taipei, which has been frozen out of the WHO after political pressure from Beijing.

    “Three months ago, this attack came from Taiwan,” he told reporters in Geneva.

    “They didn’t disassociate themselves. They even started criticising me in the middle of all that insult and slur, but I didn’t care,” Tedros said.

    The comments sparked anger in Taiwan, which described Tedros’ comments as “baseless”.

    “Our country has never encouraged the public to launch personal attacks against him or made any racially discriminatory comments,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told reporters on Thursday.

    “Our government demands an immediate clarification and an apology from director-general Tedros over such extremely irresponsible act of slander,” she added.

    – Worsening relations –

    Relations between the WHO and Taiwan have worsened considerably since the pandemic began, even as health experts have lauded Taiwan for its response to the virus.

    It has just 379 confirmed COVID-19 patients and five deaths despite its close proximity and trade links with China, where the pandemic began.

    Taiwan used to be able to obtain observer status at the WHO’s annual assembly.

    But diplomatic pressure from Beijing in recent years has pushed Taiwan out of major international bodies including the WHO and ICAO — the UN’s aviation agency.

    China’s Communist Party regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to one day seize the island — by force if necessary.

    Beijing’s efforts to isolate the island have ramped up since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 because does not view the island as part of a “one China”.

    Critics of Tedros have accused the WHO under his leadership of being too close to Beijing and complimentary of China’s response to the coronavirus.

    In a tweet threatening to cut funding, Trump called the organisation “very China centric”.

    Tedros has denied being partisan or holding any geopolitical bias.

    “Please quarantine COVID politics. That’s what we want. We don’t care about personal attacks,” he said.

    Source:France24

  • UN Security Council to meet on coronavirus pandemic

    After weeks of disagreement — especially between the United States and China — the UN Security Council will meet Thursday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic for the first time.

    Led by Germany, nine of the council’s 10 non-permanent members requested the closed-door meeting — a video conference to maintain social distancing — last week, fed up with the body’s inaction over the unprecedented global crisis.

    Talks are moving in the right direction, diplomats said, and Washington is no longer insisting UN language refer to the virus as coming from China, which had infuriated Beijing.

    Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to focus on efforts to fight the pandemic, peacekeeping missions and fostering unity between the non-permanent members and the five permanent ones.

    There are two competing texts up for debate.

    One, spearheaded by Tunisia on behalf of the 10 non-permanent members and obtained by AFP, calls for “an urgent, coordinated and united international action to curb the impact of COVID-19” and urges an immediate global ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.

    That draft resolution has been in development since March 30, though a vote on it is not yet scheduled.

    The second text, proposed by France, focuses on Guterres’s call last month to cease all hostilities around the world as part of a “humanitarian pause” to fight the pandemic.

    That one has so far only had input from the permanent members, which diplomats from non-permanent countries told AFP has been “very frustrating.”

    Efforts to convene a meeting have been stymied by the hospitalization of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chinese reticence to participate without first setting a clear agenda.

    Richard Gowen, a specialist at the International Crisis Group, told AFP: “It is important to recognize that the main driving force behind the cooperation of the 10 non-permanent members is the bad behaviour of the five permanent members.”

    Several of these non-permanent workers “waged a fierce campaign to win their seat” on the Council and “are dumbfounded by the bickering between China and the United States” that prevent the body from “agreeing on the great crisis of our time.”

    A Western ambassador, speaking anonymously, said the two blocs needed each other.

    “The permanent cannot pass a text without the voices of the non-permanent, the non-permanent cannot impose a text on the permanent because they have a veto. We must necessarily agree and we will try to ‘hear’,” they said.

    In the Security Council, at least nine votes out of 15 are necessary to adopt a resolution, without a veto of one of the five permanent members.

    Source: France24

  • Global coronavirus deaths top 86,000

    The worldwide number of fatalities from the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 86,289 on Wednesday, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1900 GMT from official sources.

    More than 1,469,920 declared cases have been registered in 192 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 280,300 are now considered recovered.

    The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

    Many countries are only testing the most serious cases.

    Since 1900 GMT Tuesday, 6,221 new deaths and 72,738 new cases were recorded worldwide.

    The United States recorded the most new deaths over that period, with 1,808. It was followed by Britain with 938, Spain with 757, and Italy with 542.

    Italy, which recorded its first death in late February, has had the most fatalities with 17,669, as well as 139,422 infections.

    Spain has recorded 14,555 fatalities and 146,690 infections.

    The death toll in the United States is now the third highest, at 13,829 for 404,352 infections — the highest number of cases in the world.

    France has reported 10,869 deaths and 112,950 infections, followed by Britain with 7,097 deaths and 60,733 cases.

    China excluding Hong Kong and Macau has to date declared 3,333 deaths and 81,802 cases, with 77,279 recoveries.

    Since 1900 GMT Tuesday, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Malta and the US Virgin Isles have announced their first coronavirus-linked deaths.

    Europe has listed 772,592 cases and 61,118 deaths to date, the US and Canada together have 423,535 cases with 14,285 deaths, Asia 125,864 cases and 4,409 deaths, the Middle East 89,003 cases and 4,238 deaths, Latin America and the Caribbean 40,671 cases with 1,612 deaths, Africa 11,119 cases with 571 deaths and Oceania 7,138 cases with 56 deaths.

    Source: punchng.com

  • Coronavirus could drive half a billion people into poverty worldwide – Oxfam

    The fallout from the Coronavirus spread that has killed more than 83,000 people and wreaked havoc on economies around the world could push around half a billion people into poverty, Oxfam said on Thursday.

    The report released by the Nairobi-based charity ahead of next week’s International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank annual meeting calculated the impact of the crisis on global poverty due to shrinking household incomes or consumption.

    “The economic crisis that is rapidly unfolding is deeper than the 2008 global financial crisis,” the report found.

    “The estimates show that, regardless of the scenario, global poverty could increase for the first time since 1990,” it said, adding that this could throw some countries back to poverty levels last seen some three decades ago.

    The report authors played through a number of scenarios, taking into account the World Bank’s various poverty lines – from extreme poverty, defined as living on $1.90 a day or less, to higher poverty lines of living on less than $5.50 a day.

    Under the most serious scenario – a 20% contraction in income – the number of people living in extreme poverty would rise by 434 million people to 922 million worldwide. The same scenario would see the number of people living below the $5.50 a day threshold rise by 548 million people to nearly 4 billion.

    Women are at more risk than men, as they are more likely to work in the informal economy with little or no employment rights.

    “Living day to day, the poorest people do not have the ability to take time off work, or to stockpile provisions,” the report warned, adding that more than 2 billion informal sector workers worldwide had no access to sick pay.

    The World Bank last week said poverty in East Asia and the Pacific region alone could increase by 11 million people if conditions worsened.

    To help mitigate the impact, Oxfam proposed a six point action plan that would deliver cash grants and bailouts to people and businesses in need, and also called for debt cancellation, more IMF support, and increased aid. Taxing wealth, extraordinary profits, and speculative financial products would help raise the funds needed, Oxfam added.

    Calls for debt relief have increased in recent weeks as the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has roiled developing nations around the world.

    In total, governments around the world would need to mobilise at least $2.5 trillion to support developing nations.

    “Rich countries have shown that at this time of crisis they can mobilize trillions of dollars to support their own economies,” the report said.

    “Yet unless developing countries are also able to fight the health and economic impacts the crisis will continue and it will inflict even greater harm on all countries, rich and poor.”

    Source: reuters.com

  • Taiwan demands apology from WHO chief over virus ‘slander’

    Taiwan demanded an apology from the World Health Organization chief on Thursday after he accused the island’s government of leading personal attacks against him and his agency’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for unity to fight the disease on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump criticised the global health body and threatened to cut its funding.

    During the press conference he spoke of the abuse — including racial slurs — he had been subjected to since the public health crisis began.

    Tedros largely avoided mentioning Trump by name but he did single out the government in Taipei, which has been frozen out of the WHO after political pressure from Beijing.

    “Three months ago, this attack came from Taiwan,” he told reporters in Geneva.

    “They didn’t disassociate themselves. They even started criticising me in the middle of all that insult and slur, but I didn’t care,” Tedros said.

    The comments sparked anger in Taiwan, which described Tedros’ comments as “baseless”.

    “Our country has never encouraged the public to launch personal attacks against him or made any racially discriminatory comments,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told reporters on Thursday.

    “Our government demands an immediate clarification and an apology from director-general Tedros over such extremely irresponsible act of slander,” she added.

    – Worsening relations –

    Relations between the WHO and Taiwan have worsened considerably since the pandemic began, even as health experts have lauded Taiwan for its response to the virus.

    It has just 379 confirmed COVID-19 patients and five deaths despite its close proximity and trade links with China, where the pandemic began.

    Taiwan used to be able to obtain observer status at the WHO’s annual assembly.

    But diplomatic pressure from Beijing in recent years has pushed Taiwan out of major international bodies including the WHO and ICAO — the UN’s aviation agency.

    China’s Communist Party regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to one day seize the island — by force if necessary.

    Beijing’s efforts to isolate the island have ramped up since the election of President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 because does not view the island as part of a “one China”.

    Critics of Tedros have accused the WHO under his leadership of being too close to Beijing and complimentary of China’s response to the coronavirus.

    In a tweet threatening to cut funding, Trump called the organisation “very China centric”.

    Tedros has denied being partisan or holding any geopolitical bias.

    “Please quarantine COVID politics. That’s what we want. We don’t care about personal attacks,” he said.

    Source: AFP

  • Coronavirus: Australia police seize cruise ship’s black box

    Australian police are investigating why the Ruby Princess cruise ship allowed ill passengers to disembark in Sydney amid mounting Coronavirus fears, according to local media.

    Public broadcaster ABC News reported that Police Commissioner Mick Fuller confirmed the raid on Wednesday night.

    “Ships have a black box very similar to that of international planes and that and other evidence has been seized for further investigation,” report cited Fuller as saying.

    Fuller added that there were still more than 1,000 crew members on the ship, with three-quarters intending to remain there.

    The Ruby Princess, currently docked at Port Kembla, south of Sydney, is at the center of a criminal investigation into whether its operator downplayed the number of potential coronavirus cases on board before it was allowed to dock in Sydney on March 19, according to the broadcaster.

    So far, around 2,700 passengers have disembarked from the ship with over 600 coronavirus cases and 15 deaths linked to the vessel.

    Since last week, the Australian Border Force have denied requests by several cruise ship operators to remain in Australian waters, forcing many of them to undertake returning crew members to their home countries in Asia, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua on Wednesday.

    The agency also reported that the vessels “were able to refuel and resupply” and by Tuesday the majority had either left or were preparing to leave, “with four more expected to be gone by Thursday.”

    The coronavirus death toll in Australia rose to 51 after more fatalities were reported Thursday.

    The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country is now up to 6,052, while 2,813 people have recovered so far.

    Cruise ships account for a large portion of COVID-19 related deaths and confirmed cases in the country.

    Australia has taken several measures to stem the spread of the virus, including a ban on gatherings of more than two people in open or closed public areas.

    Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 10 people and no more than five are allowed at weddings.

    Pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, gyms and places of worship remain closed across the country, while new arrivals must remain in quarantine for 14 days.

    Since the virus emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, it has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.

    There are more than 1.48 million confirmed infections worldwide and more than 88,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins. Nearly 330,000 have recovered.

    Source: www.aa.com.tr

  • New York’s daily death toll hits record high

    New York is “undoubtedly flattening the curve”, Governor Andrew Cuomo says, despite reporting the largest single-day death toll – for the second day in a row – with 779 New Yorkers succumbing to the virus on 7 April.

    “We are flattening the curve because we are being rigorous about social distancing,” Cuomo says. “It’s not a time to get complacent.”

    What else did the governor say?

    Statewide hospitalisation rates have continued to decline, suggesting that the infection rate is beginning to plateau

    Cuomo notes that black and Hispanic people in New York are disproportionately likely to die of the virus. “The poorest people play the highest price,” he says. “Why? Let’s figure it out, let’s do the work.”

    All of New York’s flags will be flown at half-mast, in honour of those who have died of Covid-19. Cuomo notes that New York lost 2,753 lives on the 11 September attacks, while 6,268 New Yorkers have already died of the virus As the disease continues to pummel the eastern state, Cuomo has promised an additional $600 to those who have filed for unemployment.

    “I don’t think we return to normal,” Cuomo says. “If we’re smart, we achieve a new normal.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Denmark dishes out salaries to virus-hit companies

    Denmark has always prided itself on its “flexicurity” model that marries the free market with a welfare society, but in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has chosen another strategy.

    The northern European country had long been looked at for how it found a socially acceptable solution to the curse of free market economies: unemployment.

    Under Denmark’s flexicurity model, employers have been given free rein to hire and fire workers, letting businesses adapt to the ups, downs and shifts in markets.

    Those who found themselves out of work could rely on generous unemployment benefits combined with plentiful retraining programmes to get the skills needed to land a new job.

    Even during the global financial crisis in 2008, Denmark stuck with its flexicurity model.

    But the coronavirus crisis is not one of adapting to market changes. Denmark, like many other countries, ordered many businesses to shut down to stem the spread of COVID-19.

    With so much of the economy halted on its orders, the centre-left government has taken a different path.

    ‘Keep on your employees’

    Like several other European countries, it chose to effectively fork over money to companies to pay the wages of their staff.

    “It is important for me here today to send a signal to companies: Keep on your employees,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in one of her major public statements as the government sought to develop measures to deal with the health and economic impact of the pandemic.

    “The unions and government have agreed to strengthen the temporary system of wage compensation. Together, we will support Danish jobs.”

    To encourage firms to not let go their employees, the government is compensating firms for 75 percent of wages of up to 4,000 euros per month ($4,347).

    For those on temporary hourly contracts, the state will pay 90 percent.

    One business which has taken up the state’s offer is electrician Hornbaek El-forretning, in the city of Randers in western Denmark.

    “We want to make sure that we would keep all our employees, as they are all needed,” Lene Tind, who runs the company, told AFP.

    Hornbaek El-forretning, like many firms, is paying the rest so their employees don’t lose any income.

    The firm was quickly affected by the measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

    “The first signs of the shutdown was that we were not allowed in nursing homes with old and weak people,” Tind explained.

    “Also in some companies and at some private households, they wanted to wait with projects,” she added.

    Thanks to the programme, nine of 27 employees were furloughed, but Tind expects to call them back to work as Denmark gradually loosens its confinement restrictions from April 15.

    Unemployment still rising

    Around 20,000 companies have already applied for the programme, which will remain in place until June 9.

    This is the first time Denmark has introduced measures like this to make sure employees stay on the job.

    Thomas Bredgaard, a professor of economics at Aalborg University, said the magnitude of the coronavirus crisis required a different response.

    “This crisis is much worse than the financial crisis, and the government had to avoid mass dismissals,” he said.

    Before the crisis, the country was near to full employment with an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent, the lowest in over a decade.

    But even with the programme in place, Denmark, like many other countries, is still seeing a spike in unemployment.

    Since the introduction of the country’s containment measures in mid-March, twice the usual number of people are registering for unemployment every day, according to the Ministry of Employment.

    The Confederation of Danish Industry already estimates that there are about 10,000 more unemployed in the country than at the height of the financial crisis.

    For some like Liv Mikkelsen, a part-time chef at a popular restaurant in Copenhagen, the benefits wouldn’t be enough.

    “It means not working at all and, with what I would have received, I wouldn’t have had enough to live on,” she said.

    So instead Mikkelsen is collecting unemployment benefits, after having used up the little vacation time she had.

    Solid finances

    A member of the European Union, but not the euro, Denmark can afford the interventionist approach thanks to its deep coffers.

    “The Danish economy was very robust before the crisis. Unemployment was at a record low and there was a budget surplus,” Bredgaard noted.

    The government has put together several other lifelines for businesses, including covering fixed costs such as rent for small businesses.

    However if the crisis keeps going through May-June, the impact on the economy will be severe.

    Denmark’s central bank has said it expects GDP to contract between three and 10 percent.

    Source: France24

  • Airbus cuts jet production to cope with coronavirus crisis

    Airbus (AIR.PA) on Wednesday cut production across the board to absorb the hit to manufacturing from the coronavirus crisis.

    In its largest ever production adjustment, the European manufacturer said it was reducing output of its best-selling A320 narrow-body family by a third to 40 aircraft a month.

    It also cut production of larger wide-body jets with the A350 falling by about 40% to 6 aircraft a month, and the A330 family down by more than 40% to 2 aircraft a month, based on the most recently published Airbus production figures.

    The move, which Airbus said represented an average output reduction of a third, came as deliveries halved in March to 36 aircraft.

    Aerospace has been hit worldwide by the pandemic.

    Airbus has experienced particular disruption since France and Spain – two of its core manufacturing nations alongside Britain and Germany – placed their populations in lockdown in mid-March, restricting the movement of workers.

    Reuters reported last week that Airbus was considering sharp cuts in production of all models in the face of plunging demand, cash problems at airline customers and logistical difficulties in delivering aircraft.

    Airbus said it had delivered 122 aircraft between January and March, down 25% from a year earlier.

    It also said it had produced a further 60 aircraft in the first quarter but had been unable to deliver them because of the crisis, which has forced many airlines to defer deliveries and prevented others from sending teams to take delivery.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Tesla cuts staff pay as coronavirus halts production

    Electric car-maker Tesla will reduce staff pay and put non-essential workers on furlough while production of its vehicles is stopped due to coronavirus.

    Work at its factory in Fremont, California halted on 23 March.

    In a letter to staff, the company said it hoped to resume operations on 4 May, “barring any significant changes”.

    Most remaining workers will face a pay cut of 10%, while director pay will be cut by 20% and vice-presidents and above will lose 30% of their salary.

    The letter was shared with business news site CNBC.

    Furloughing is designed to support firms that have been badly hit by coronavirus, and to prevent mass unemployment. Taxpayers’ money will help temporarily pay the wages of people who can’t do their jobs, to help companies retain them.

    What does it mean if I’ve been furloughed? “As usual, for those who are on site, if you are sick or are uncomfortable coming to work, please contact your manager and stay at home. We respect your decision and you will not be penalised,” said Tesla’s Valerie Capers Workman in the letter.

    The pay cut is expected to last until the end of June.

    Production at Tesla’s solar panel facility in New York state has also halted.

    However, several of the company’s engineers have been working on developing a ventilator using car parts to help those who fall ill with Covid-19.

    On Monday, Tesla shared a video of a prototype on YouTube.

    Ford and General Motors have also offered to produce ventilators and other hospital supplies.

    Furloughed staff will remain contracted to Tesla but will not be paid until 4 May, should the factories reopen at that time.

    “For the vast majority of furloughed employees, unemployment benefits will be roughly equivalent to normal take-home pay,” Ms Capers Workman said in her letter.

    Last week, Tesla told staffing agencies that contract work would be suspended until further notice, and hundreds of temporary workers were dismissed.

    Tesla’s facility in California is the company’s only car-making facility in the US, and employs more than 10,000 people.

    When it closed in March, chief executive Elon Musk told staff: “I will personally be at work, but that’s just me. Totally OK if you want to stay home for any reason.”

    The company originally planned to “comfortably exceed” 500,000 vehicle deliveries in 2020 and has not changed its guidance for investors.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: ‘Drop in global trade to be worse than 2008 crisis’

    The World Trade Organization (WTO) is predicting a severe decline in international commerce this year.

    The wide range of possibilities reflects the uncertainties about the health crisis.

    It says the impact on trade is likely to exceed the slump caused by the financial crisis just over a decade ago.

    The WTO’s director general Roberto Azevedo described the figures as “ugly”.

    “There is no getting round that”, he said. He said the situation was first and foremost a health crisis and he acknowledged that governments had to take steps to protect people’s lives.

    “The unavoidable declines in trade and output will have painful consequences for households and businesses, on top of the human suffering caused by the disease itself,” he added.

    Relatively optimistic A decline of 13% in trade in goods is described in the report as a relatively optimistic scenario. It reflects a steep drop in trade followed by a recovery starting in the second half of 2020.

    That of course would need to be based on substantial progress over the next few months in getting on top of the health crisis.

    That is obviously not guaranteed, so the report includes a much more pessimistic case which reflects a steeper initial decline and a more prolonged and incomplete recovery.

    The report also warns that “the extent of uncertainty is very high, and it is well within the realm of possibilities that for both 2020 and 2021 the outcomes could be above or below these results”.

    The report says that the growth in global trade had already stalled towards the end of last year. By the final quarter of 2019 goods trade was 1% lower than a year earlier.

    The WTO says this was the result of “persistent trade tensions”, a reference that to a large extent reflects the confrontational approach to international commerce taken by the administration of President Donald Trump.

    Mr Azevedo said trade would be an important ingredient in the economic recovery after the crisis. He said keeping markets open and predictable would be critical.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Elephants, dogs reclaim India’s streets in virus lockdown

    Hundreds of monkeys have taken over the streets around India’s presidential palace, leading an animal offensive taking advantage of deserted streets as the country remains under a coronavirus lockdown.

    With India’s 1.3 billion population and tens of millions of cars conspicuous by their absence, stray domestic animals and wildlife has moved to fill the void, while also suffering from the pandemic fallout.

    In the financial capital Mumbai, peacocks have been seen perched on top of parked cars, displaying their spectacular trains.

    In Delhi, troops of monkeys now scamper over the walls of the Rashtrapati Bhawan presidential compound, past military guards and into the grounds of ministries and other official buildings.

    “They are stealing a lot more, but not yet threatening humans,” said one officer on duty at the palace entrance.

    The Rhesus macaque monkeys — who often snatch food from shoppers’ bags — have long been a problem in the capital, but there have been reports of some getting into office buildings during the lockdown.

    Other animals have also been emboldened by the coronavirus restrictions on humans, who are only allowed out for food and essential items.

    A Himalayan black bear last week wandered into Gangtok, capital of the northeastern state of Sikkim, entering a telecoms office and injuring an engineer, media reported.

    Source: France24

  • Ugandan police officers charged for ‘torturing’ women

    Ten police officers in Uganda have been charged for allegedly torturing a group pf women while enforcing a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Uganda Police Force said on Tuesday.

    The officers were accused of caning 38 women and forcing them to swim in mud in the northern town of Elegu.

    The 10 officers will be held in custody until 7 May, the police said.

    Photos of the women showing injuries they had sustained and their muddy clothes were shared online over the weekend.

    Ten police officers in Uganda have been charged for allegedly torturing a group pf women while enforcing a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Uganda Police Force said on Tuesday.

    The officers were accused of caning 38 women and forcing them to swim in mud in the northern town of Elegu.

    The 10 officers will be held in custody until 7 May, the police said.

    Photos of the women showing injuries they had sustained and their muddy clothes were shared online over the weekend.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Premier League ‘could lose £1bn’; while football’s ‘clubs and leagues in danger’

    The Premier League could lose £1bn if the 2019-2020 season cannot finish – and English football faces “the danger of losing clubs and leagues” amid economic challenges “beyond the wildest imagination”.

    The season has been halted indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    Premier League chief executive Richard Masters warned of “further losses” if the situation “deepens and extends” beyond this season.

    Meanwhile Football Association chairman Greg Clarke said: “Many communities could lose the clubs at their heart with little chance of resurrection.”

    Amid those projected losses, Masters also defended clubs considering the use of government furlough scheme. However the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee responded to tell the Premier League to “stop defending the indefensible”.

    Some clubs have placed non-playing staff on temporary leave, while talks continue over the salaries of players. On Monday, Liverpool reversed a decision to furlough staff and apologised after facing criticism.

    The Premier League proposed a 30% pay cut for players, but the Professional Footballers’ Association says it would harm the NHS.

    Top-flight players are now negotiating on a club-by-club basis over proposed wage cuts after collective talks broke down without resolution over the weekend.

    ‘Clubs showing restraint on furloughing’

    Masters’ warnings came in a letter to MP Julian Knight, the chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee – who has accused top-flight football of being in a “moral vacuum”.

    In the letter, Masters defended clubs’ rights to furlough staff, saying: “We do agree with you that restraint needs to be shown by all and we and our clubs are doing just that. Individual clubs will need to make these decisions based on their own forecasts as each club will have its own unique position.”

    “The furlough scheme announced by Government is meant for the whole economy, including many enterprises which might be regarded as providing entertainment or otherwise dependent on elite talent.

    “Not only is our industry facing losses now, but to be realistic, we must also base our plans on full recovery being some distance away.

    “Ultimately, the very heavy losses that we face will have to be dealt with or else clubs or other enterprises who depend on football for income will go out of business.”

    However, Knight continued his criticism on Tuesday, responding: “It is time for the Premier League to stop defending the indefensible.

    “It is frankly laughable to think that clubs are showing restraint on use of government money to pay non-playing staff and flies in the face of public opinion. Liverpool has listened to fans, done the right thing and changed its mind.”

    ‘Agree a common cause to save our game’
    Speaking at an FA Council meeting, Clarke said “in the face of this unprecedented adversity” there was a need to “share the pain to keep the game alive” among all stakeholders – players, fans, clubs owners and administrators”.

    “It is time for the stakeholders to agree common cause to save our game. Contribute. Football is a team game and now is the time for teamwork,” he added.

    With no games being played, Football League clubs are struggling with cashflow issues without ticket sales, as well as matchday and merchandise income.

    On Monday, England men’s manager Gareth Southgate and women’s boss Phil Neville said they would take a 30% pay cut.

    FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the financial impact of postponements, including England fixtures, FA Cup matches and Wembley events could be as high as £150m.

    Clarke said: “We are committed to finishing the professional football season as this resolves the issues of promotion and relegation together with title winners on merit.

    “However, we may not be able to finish the season as football is not our priority – human life is – and we will do as the government directs as the pandemic unfolds.

    “Further down the football pyramid, our leagues have requested that the season is curtailed and that decision rests with the FA Council.

    “The pandemic will be followed by its economic consequences and all business sectors will suffer.

    “We face the danger of losing clubs and leagues as finances collapse.”

    National League chairman and former FA chief executive Brian Barwick admits the game will change as a result of the pandemic, but insists the “starting point” will be to “protect our clubs”.

    “Certainly at National League level, we have to look at all the ways we can retain our clubs,” Barwick told BBC Radio 5 Live.

    “We have 68 clubs across our three divisions and we are concerned about making sure that when we come through this we have 68 left.

    “It is going to be tough and tight, so any opportunities that the government give us, or the wider sporting industry gives, or football gives us, we have to take heed of and do the right thing.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Tottenham boss Mourinho accepts he broke social-distancing rules after pictured with players

    Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says he “accepts my actions were not in line with government protocol” after being pictured flouting coronavirus social-distancing guidelines.

    Mourinho was pictured leading a training session with record signing Tanguy Ndombele on Hadley Common.

    Davinson Sanchez and Ryan Sessegnon were filmed running together through the same London park.

    Serge Aurier posted a video of himself on Instagram jogging alongside another.

    Spurs said they have spoken to the players to “remind them to respect” the coronavirus guidelines.

    “I accept that my actions were not in line with government protocol and we must only have contact with members of our own household,” said Mourinho.

    “It is vital we all play our part and follow government advice in order to support our heroes in the NHS and save lives.”

    Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the players and Mourinho should be leading by example.

    The Premier League has been suspended since March because of the pandemic.

    A spokesperson for Tottenham said: “All of our players have been reminded to respect social distancing when exercising outdoors.

    “We shall continue to reinforce this message.”

     

    Source: BBC 

  • Coronavirus in Nigeria: The engineers fixing ventilators for free

    Two Nigerian software engineers have been fixing ventilators for free at a hospital in northern Nigeria.

    William Gyang and Nura Jubril, who have experience doing electrical repairs, discovered that there were 40 faulty machines at the University of Jos teaching hospital.

    They’ve already fixed two and are now working on the others.

    https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-52216400/coronavirus-in-nigeria-the-engineers-fixing-ventilators-for-free

    Source: BBC News

  • How coronavirus inspired a gangland truce

    An unprecedented truce has broken out in the notorious, crime-infested townships around Cape Town, as rival gang leaders stop their turf wars to bring food to households.

    With South Africa in the middle of a lockdown, many people in poor communities are struggling to buy the goods that they need.

    A virus and a nationwide emergency may have achieved what the police and the army have failed to do here.

    Instead of selling drugs and robbing people, rival gangs are bagging up food supplies for hungry families. There is relief here for sure that a ceasefire has taken hold during the lockdown.

    But it is hard to tell what people here really think about the men who have terrorised their neighbourhoods for decades – and the authorities are sceptical.

    The temporary ceasefire offers the slither of a hope that the virus will bring lasting change to some of the most dangerous streets in the world.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Virus-hit Iran urges IMF to approve its loan request

    Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged the International Monetary Fund on Wednesday to give the sanctions-hit country a $5 billion emergency loan to combat its novel coronavirus outbreak.

    The Islamic republic is battling one of the world’s deadliest coronavirus outbreaks which it says has killed more than 3,800 people and infected more than 62,500.

    There has been speculation abroad that the real number of deaths and infections could be higher.

    Iran has said it needs the funds to continue fighting the virus.

    But its arch enemy the United States, which effectively holds a veto at the IMF, is reportedly set to block the loan, arguing Iran will use the funds for military purposes.

    “I urge all international organisations to fulfil their duties,” Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting.

    “We are a member of the IMF… if there’s going to be any discrimination between Iran and others in giving loans, neither we nor world opinion will tolerate it.”

    Iran announced on March 12 that it had requested the loan.

    The country has not received assistance from the IMF since a “standby credit” issued between 1960 and 1962, according to IMF figures.

    According to the IMF’s website, a Rapid Financial Instrument “is available to all member countries facing an urgent balance of payments need”.

    “If they do not act on their duties in this difficult situation, the world will judge them in a different way,” Rouhani said.

    ‘Maximum pressure’

    US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a recent interview that Iran would use any economic relief to pursue nuclear weapons and back Shiite militias in Iraq that the administration blames for a wave of attacks on bases used by US troops.

    “You see the way… the regime is treating their people in this time of enormous crisis. You see the way that they continue to spend money,” Pompeo told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt.

    US President Donald Trump’s administration has waged a campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran since it withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal in 2018.

    It has since imposed wave after wave of crippling sanctions that target key sectors of Iran’s economy such as oil sales and banking.

    Iran has repeatedly called on the Trump administration to reverse its sanctions policy, which has been opposed even by US allies, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

    Medicines and medical equipment are technically exempt from the US sanctions but purchases are frequently blocked by the unwillingness of banks to process purchases for fear of incurring large penalties in the United States.

    “It will go down in history that the White House, which was engaged in economic terrorism so far, is now a terrorist in health issues too,” Rouhani said.

    European nations have delivered medical goods to Iran in the first transaction under the Instex financing mechanism set up to get round US sanctions.

    But it is more than a year since Britain, France and Germany announced the creation of Instex and Iran has questioned European governments’ commitment to seeing it through in defiance of the Trump administration.

    Source: France24

  • Twitter users react to Pastor Chris’s ‘5G conspiracy theory’

    Since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in China last year December, there seems to be a new form of conspiracy theory coming up every week about the origin of the virus.

    In recent times one of the theories that has gained a lot of attention and support is the allegation of a relationship between the new 5G internet technology and the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Adding weight to this theory on the African continent is the founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhiloma.

    While other proponents of the theory have been quite questionable with their claims, the level of presentations made by the Christian leader has gained him a core group who also believe in the theory.

    And even though there has been a lot of criticisms directed at the man of God, an army of Tweeps are declaring support for the preacher with a hashtag #iStandWithPastorChris.

    With thousands of tweets made with the hashtag, majority of the tweeps are either Christian faithfuls who feel the current happenings fall in line with the bibles prediction events preceding the end time, while others also think it all plays into a bigger picture of a new world order about to take control of the world.

    Either ways the argument on the true origin of the novel coronavirus which is claiming several lives across the world is a question that is yet to receive a definite answer and will probably see more theories with more arguments being made for or against them.

    Check out some of the #iStandWithPastorChris tweets below

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

     

  • Four out of five peoples jobs hit by coronavirus

    A total of 81% of the global workforce of 3.3 billion people have had their workplace fully or partly closed.

    Restrictions on daily life have led to the closure of many companies and the laying off of staff either permanently or temporarily.

    The International Labour Organization (ILO), an agency of the United Nations, has been looking at the global impact with a series of charts.

    Their work shows the global scale of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

    “Workers and businesses are facing catastrophe, in both developed and developing economies,” said ILO director general Guy Ryder.

    “We have to move fast, decisively, and together. The right, urgent, measures, could make the difference between survival and collapse.”

    Nearly 200 million people could end up out of work

    The outbreak is expected to wipe out 6.7% of working hours across the world during the second quarter of 2020.

    That is the equivalent of 195 million full-time workers losing their jobs.

    The worst-hit region is predicted to be the Arab states, with an 8.1% decline in working hours (five million full-time workers).

    The ILO says it is “the most severe crisis” since World War Two.

    It adds that the eventual increase in global unemployment during the course of 2020 will depend largely on two factors:

    *How quickly the world economy recovers in the second half of the year.
    *How effectively policy measures will boost the demand for labour.

    There is a high risk that the end-of-year worldwide unemployment figure will be much higher than an initial ILO projection of 25 million people.

    Different sectors of the economy have been hit in different ways by the sudden downturn in work.

    Not surprisingly, with travel at a minimum and social lives put on hold, the accommodation and food services industries are among those suffering most, along with manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and real estate and business.

    Together, they account for nearly 38% of the global workforce, with 1.25 billion people employed in these industries around the world.

    Americas and Europe have most high-risk workers

    The percentage of people around the world in high-risk jobs varies considerably.

    A total of 43.2% of people in the Americas and 42.1% in Europe and Central Asia work in high-risk sectors.

    These regions have far fewer informal workers, who make up the majority of the workforce in Africa, the Arab states and Asia and the Pacific.

    While these workers play a crucial role in the economy, especially in countries like India, Nigeria and Brazil, they miss out on things like social protection, that other permanent workers have.

    Mr Ryder said: “This is the greatest test for international co-operation in more than 75 years. If one country fails, then we all fail, We must find solutions that help all segments of our global society, particularly those that are most vulnerable or least able to help themselves.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: US car insurers refund drivers stuck at home

    A major car insurer in the US is refunding millions of dollars to customers stuck at home during coronavirus lockdowns.

    Allstate, the country’s fourth biggest car insurer, said it would give back $600m (£490m) in total to customers.

    Another insurer, American Family Mutual, is also refunding customers, with cheques totalling $200m.

    Both have seen a dramatic drop in accident claims as residents stay at home and off the roads.

    The refunds come at a good time with millions of households suffering financially from lockdowns across the country.

    Allstate will be paying customers back in two ways. Drivers in quarantine will receive refunds, while most customers will be given a 15% discount on monthly premiums for April and May. The discounts will apply to 18 million customers.

    “This is fair because less driving means fewer accidents,” said Tom Wilson, chief executive at Allstate. Its data showed driving mileage was down between 35% and

    American Family Mutual said it would be making a one-time payment to all customers. “They are driving less and experiencing fewer claims. Because of these results, they deserve premium relief,” said chief operating officer Telisa Yancy.

    The insurer, which operates in 19 US states, estimates policyholders drove 40% fewer miles in the last three weeks of March.

    “There are very few silver linings out there, but auto insurance companies are definitely one of them,” said Paul Newsome, an analyst at investment bank Piper Sandler.

    The refunds could put pressure on other car insurers globally to make refunds due to a drop in driving, particularly due to commuters now working from home. Quieter roads are likely to lead to fewer accidents and subsequent claims.

    It’s not clear yet whether travel insurers might follow suit on annual policies, given less people are travelling overseas.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus like spark ‘devastating’ global condom shortage

    A global condom shortage is looming as the coronavirus pandemic shutters factories and disrupts supply chains, the world’s top maker of the contraceptives said, with the United Nations warning of “devastating” consequences.

    Over half of humanity has been confined to their homes as the highly contagious virus marches round the planet, while governments worldwide have ordered the closure of businesses deemed non-essential.

    Malaysia — one of the world’s top rubber producers and a major source of condoms — imposed a nationwide lockdown last month as infections surged to the highest level in Southeast Asia.

    But restrictions on the operations of Malaysian contraceptive giant Karex, which makes one in every five condoms globally, mean the firm expects to produce 200 million fewer condoms than usual from mid-March to mid-April.

    With other producers around the world likely facing disruption and difficulties in getting condoms to market due to transport problems, supplies of contraceptives will be hit hard, warned Karex chief executive Goh Miah Kiat.

    “The world will definitely see a condom shortage,” Goh told AFP.

    “It’s challenging, but we are trying our best right now to do whatever we can. It is definitely a major concern — condom is an essential medical device.

    “While we are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, there are also other serious issues that we need to look at,” he said, adding he was particularly worried about supplies of condoms to developing countries.

    UN sounds alarm

    Karex, which supplies condoms to many companies as well as governments and for distribution by aid programmes, had to close its three Malaysian factories for a period at the start of the country’s lockdown, which is due to last until April 14.

    The company has since been allowed to resume operations but with only 50 percent of its usual workforce, and Goh wants permission to ramp up production.

    The UN is also sounding the alarm, with its sexual and reproductive health agency warning it can currently only get about 50-60 percent of its usual condom supplies due to virus-related disruptions.

    “Border closings and other restrictive measures are affecting transportation and production in a number of countries and regions,” said a UN Population Fund spokesperson, adding they were taking steps such as adding extra suppliers to support urgent needs.

    The agency, which works with governments worldwide to support family planning, said a key concern was being able to ship condoms to where they were needed quickly enough — and warned the poorest and most vulnerable would be hit hardest if stocks run low.

    “A shortage of condoms, or any contraceptive, could lead to an increase in unintended pregnancies, with potentially devastating health and social consequences for adolescent girls, women and their partners and families,” said the spokesperson.

    There could also be an rise in unsafe abortions and an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and HIV, the agency said.

    Even as factory shutdowns and border closures throw the condom industry into chaos, demand appears to be increasing.

    Goh said Karex had seen growing demand as people worldwide are confined to their homes, while Indian media reported that condom sales had jumped 25-35 percent in the week after the country of 1.3 billion people announced a lockdown.

    China to the rescue?

    Despite the warnings about a potential shortage, there are positive signs from condom makers in China, where the virus first emerged last year but which has largely managed to bring its outbreak under control.

    Major producers there have resumed operations as authorities eased tough restrictions to halt the virus, which has claimed more than 80,000 victims worldwide.

    HBM Protections, which makes more than one billion condoms a year, said production is back to normal levels and it is pushing ahead with earlier plans to triple its number of manufacturing lines by the end of the year.

    And Shanghai Mingbang Rubber Products said it was ready to ramp up condom exports, which currently make up only about 10 percent of its output, if there is a global shortfall.

    “If the international market runs into such problems… we will be willing to export more,” chief executive Cai Qijie told AFP.

    Source: France24

  • Twitter founder pledges $1 billion for coronavirus relief efforts

    Twitter Inc Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey on Tuesday pledged $1 billion of his stake in Square Inc, the payments processor that he co-founded and heads, to help fund relief efforts related to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    In a series of tweets, Dorsey said the amount, representing about 28% of his wealth, will be donated to his charity fund, Start Small LLC, which would later focus its attention to universal basic income and girls’ health and education.

    Dorsey, who for years has kept details of his charitable efforts private, said all donations to and from the fund would now be visible to the public at all times through a public document.

    Dorsey, whose net worth is estimated at $3.3 billion by Forbes, also said that he was pledging his stake in Square instead of Twitter because he owns a bigger portion of the payments processor.

    He also said that he would pace the sale of the pledged shares over time.

    The United States has recorded more than 380,000 coronavirus cases, with the total death toll rising to about 12,300.

    Source: reuters.com

  • Coronavirus: Wuhan lockdown ends, markets drop

    Here are the latest developments from Asia related to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic:

    – Joy as exodus from Wuhan begins –

    Voicing joy and excitement from behind face masks, tens of thousands of people fled Wuhan after a 76-day travel ban was lifted on the Chinese city where the coronavirus first emerged.

    Previously quiet train and bus stations bustled as an exodus began from the city of 11 million, with some passengers wearing hazmat suits.

    Up to 55,000 people are expected to leave Wuhan on Wednesday just by train, according to government estimates.

    – Markets drop after two-day rally –

    Most Asian equities retreated after a two-day rally as investors closely track developments in the coronavirus crisis, while the oil market continued to fluctuate ahead of a crucial producers’ meeting.

    While the deadly disease continues to sweep across the planet, signs that the rate of infections is possibly levelling out and countries are preparing to ease some lockdown restrictions have instilled a semblance of optimism this week.

    – Chinese city locked down after influx of imported cases –

    A Chinese city on the Russian border has placed residents under lockdown after an influx of imported cases in nationals returning from Russia.

    Suifenhe city in northeastern Heilongjiang province has tightened controls on residential compounds starting Wednesday after a flurry of new cases.

    – Korean Air puts 70 percent of staff on leave –

    South Korea’s flag carrier Korean Air will put 70 percent of its 19,000 staff on furlough, it said, as it scrambles to cope with the pandemic that has almost grounded global aviation.

    The airline industry is among the sectors worst hit by the virus and the ensuing travel restrictions, with thousands of flights cancelled, routes cut, and companies facing financial turmoil.

    – Virus stops play at Trump-opened mega cricket stadium –

    There is no larger symbol of the global sports shutdown than cricket’s 110,000-seater Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, opened by US President Donald Trump, but yet to see a ball bowled.

    India’s newest and the world’s biggest cricket stadium lies empty because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    – Party pooper: Singapore bans soirees –

    Singapore is banning “private parties and social get-togethers”, according to the health ministry, the latest tough measure implemented in the city-state to halt the spread of the virus.

    The step was included in a bill passed through parliament Tuesday, the same day that new restrictions kicked in which include the closure of most workplaces for a month.

    Source: AFP

  • Coronavirus: Mental health hotline for NHS staff

    The NHS is launching a hotline to support and advise healthcare staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

    Volunteers from charities including Hospice UK, the Samaritans and Shout, will listen to concerns and offer psychological support.

    The phone line will be open between 07:00 and 23:00 every day, while the text service will be available around the clock.

    The phone number is 0300 131 7000 or staff can text FRONTLINE to 85258.

    It comes as staff face increasing pressure to care for rising numbers of patients who are seriously ill with the virus.

    Since the outbreak began, more than 6,000 people have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus and among them are front-line medical staff.

    As well as workload pressures and the emotional toll, some staff say they have had to work in situations where they feel unsafe because of a lack personal protective equipment (PPE).

    Prof Tom Dening from the Institute of Mental Health at the University of Nottingham said: “The mental health of NHS staff is going to be absolutely crucial in the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    “Staff are being exposed to high levels of personal risk, long hours in difficult environments clad in PPE, and also the possibility of something known as moral injury, which is the distressing awareness you may feel when you know you can’t meet all the needs of the people you are trying to care for.

    “This combination of factors would rattle even the most resilient of us.”

    While staff can still talk to each other and their managers, the NHS hotline will offer support outside the workplace.

    There will be 1,500 volunteers to support the 1.4 million nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers in the NHS.

    Anyone who requires further help will be signposted to services ranging from practical and financial assistance to specialist bereavement and psychological support, says the service.

    Danny Mortimer, from NHS Employers, said: “As the pandemic continues, our people will face new and growing challenges on a daily basis, and it’s therefore more important than ever that they are able to access resources to help them manage their wellbeing, in a way that suits their needs.”

    Prerana Issar, chief people officer for the NHS, said: “We need to do everything we can to support our incredible NHS people as they care for people through this global health emergency.”

    Meanwhile, a group of mental health experts, led by Dr Michael Bloomfield at University College London, have issued advice and a video for front-line healthcare workers on how to cope with stress during the Covid-19 crisis:

    *Give yourself permission to take regular breaks during your shifts

    *Eat, drink and sleep as well as you can

    *Try to use strategies that have helped you cope with stressful situations in the past

    *Take time out between shifts

    *Stay in touch with friends and family – video-call and phone them if you can’t see them in person

    *Engage in physical activity

    *Maintain a routine as much as possible

    *Plan regular activities that make you feel good, and tasks that take your mind off the crisis

    *Avoid unhelpful coping strategies such as smoking, alcohol or other drugs

    *Try to limit the time spent watching, reading or listening to the news

    *Reach out for help if you need support

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Boris Johnson spends second night in intensive care

    Boris Johnson has spent a second night in intensive care as he continues to receive treatment for coronavirus.

    The PM is being kept at St Thomas’ Hospital in London “for close monitoring”, Downing Street said.

    Mr Johnson’s condition is “stable” and he remains in “good spirits”, his spokesman added on Tuesday evening.

    Downing Street also confirmed that the planned review into whether the UK’s coronavirus restrictions could be eased would not go ahead on Monday next week.

    Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the PM, has said he was “confident” the PM would recover from this illness, describing him as a “fighter”.

    Speaking at Tuesday’s Downing Street coronavirus briefing, he said Mr Johnson was receiving standard oxygen treatment and was breathing without any assistance, such as mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.

    It is understood there will not be a further update on Mr Johnson’s condition until later on Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, the first patients have been admitted to the NHS Nightingale Hospital in east London – a temporary facility set up at the ExCel conference centre.

    The admissions come two weeks after the hospital with a planned capacity of 4,000 was formally announced – although an NHS spokesperson stressed limits had not been reached at other sites in London.

    The prime minister was originally admitted to St Thomas’ on Sunday, on the advice of his doctor, after continuing to display symptoms of cough and high temperature 10 days after testing positive for the virus.

    Mr Raab said the prime minister was being monitored closely in critical care, as was usual clinical practice.

    Describing Mr Johnson as not only a boss but “also a friend”, Mr Raab said: “All of our thoughts and prayers are with the prime minister at this time, with Carrie, and with his whole family.

    “And I’m confident he’ll pull through, because if there’s one thing I know about this prime minister, he’s a fighter. And he’ll be back at the helm, leading us through this crisis in short order.”

    Buckingham Palace said the Queen had sent a message to Mr Johnson’s family and his pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, saying she was thinking of them, and wished the PM a full and speedy recovery.

    Prince William also tweeted a personal message of sympathy to the PM’s family, signing it off with his initial “W”, while his father, the Prince of Wales, sent a message from himself and the Duchess of Cornwall wishing Mr Johnson a “speedy recovery”, Clarence House said.

    At the briefing, Mr Raab was also asked about whether his role deputising for Mr Johnson gave him full prime ministerial responsibility.

    The foreign secretary said he was standing in for the prime minister “whenever necessary” – including leading the daily meetings of the coronavirus “war cabinet”.

    He said decisions would be made by “collective cabinet responsibility – so that is the same as before”.

    “But we’ve got very clear directions, very clear instructions from the prime minister, and we’re focused with total unity and total resolve on implementing them so that when he’s back, I hope in very short order, we will have made the progress that he would expect and that the country would expect,” Mr Raab added.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: France death toll passes 10,000

    The number of people in France who have died from the coronavirus has now risen above 10,000.

    Latest figures show 10,238 people died from the virus since 1 March. In the past 24 hours, 607 deaths have been recorded in hospitals.

    A further 820 deaths were recorded in nursing homes. However, they may have taken place over several days and are only now being added to the toll.

    France has been under lockdown since 15 March, with fines for violations.

    On Tuesday, Paris said it would ban people from exercising outdoors between 10:00 and 19:00 local time.

    The new restriction came after a sunny weekend marked by large groups of people running and walking in the city’s parks, despite police controls.

    In the last 24 hours, 607 people died in French hospitals – almost exactly the same number as in the previous 24 hours – and 820 deaths were reported from care homes. However, this last figure is difficult to assess because it probably includes deaths that took place over the weekend or in care homes that have only now been able to provide their figures.

    The epidemic is still in its “upward phase,” Director of Health Jérôme Salomon said, with the number of daily deaths, hospitalisations and critical cases still going up. “The peak has not been reached,” he said.

    However, there are signs that the rate of growth is slowing. The number of critical cases was up only 59 on the previous day, because the rise in new cases (518) was largely compensated by people coming off the critical list.

    Doctors have expressed cautious hope that the worst scenario – of hospitals being overwhelmed – has been avoided.

    But Mr Salomon said that talk of ending confinement was premature. “Letting off the pressure now would be dangerous,” he said, echoing Prime Minister Édouard Philippe, who earlier said that national quarantine was “going to last”.

    There is widespread expectation that the government will extend confinement beyond the current end date of 15 April.

    Earlier on Tuesday, French President, Emmanuel Macron visited the Paris suburb of St Denis, one of the worst-affected areas in the country.

    It is the poorest administrative department in urban France, and the number of deaths rose by 63% in the last two weeks of March. The reasons are unclear.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: US records highest death toll in single day

    The US recorded the most coronavirus deaths in a single day with 1,736 fatalities reported on Tuesday.

    It brings the total number of deaths in the country to 12,722, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

    The US has more than 398,000 confirmed cases, the highest number in the world. Global cases have exceeded 1.4 million.

    However, during a press conference, President Donald Trump said the US might be getting to the top of the “curve”.

    Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan in China, where the infection first emerged, ended its 11-week lockdown.

    The new figures announced on Tuesday are up on the previous record of 1,344 which was recorded on 4 April.

    The number of deaths recorded on Tuesday is expected to rise with some states yet to share their totals.

    The family of American singer-songwriter John Prine has confirmed his death from complications related to coronavirus.

    Known for songs such as Angel from Montgomery and Sam Stone, Prine died in Nashville on Tuesday at the age of 73. His wife tested positive for coronavirus and recovered however Prine was hospitalised last month with symptoms and placed on a ventilator.

    A number of musicians including Bruce Springsteen and Margo Price have paid tribute to him.

    How hard has New York been hit?

    A large proportion of the deaths announced were from New York state. Widely considered the epicentre of the outbreak, it recorded 731 deaths on Tuesday.

    It is on the cusp of overtaking the entire country of Italy with its number of confirmed cases.

    Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state appeared to be nearing the peak of its pandemic. Hospital and intensive care admissions were down.

    The governor urged people to stay inside and continue with social distancing.

    “I know it’s hard but we have to keep doing it,” he said.

    New Yorkers have been told to avoid large gatherings as Passover and Easter approaches.

    Elsewhere, the state of Wisconsin pressed ahead with an election on Tuesday, despite a state-wide stay-at-home order amid the escalating outbreak.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: China reports no Coronavirus deaths for first time

    China reported no coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, the first time since it started publishing daily figures in January.

    The National Health Commission said it had 32 confirmed cases, down from 39 on Monday.

    It comes as the government is under scrutiny as to whether it is underreporting its figures.

    The government says more than 3,331 people have died and 81,740 have been confirmed as infected.

    All of the confirmed cases on Tuesday had arrived from overseas.

    China is concerned a second wave of infections could be brought in by foreign arrivals.

    It has already shut its border to foreigners including those with visas or residence permits.

    International flights have been reduced with both Chinese and foreign airlines only allowed to operate one international flight a week. Flights must not be more than 75% full.

    On Wednesday, Wuhan is set to allow people to leave the city for the first time since the lockdown began in January.

    Officials say anyone who has a “green” code on a widely used smartphone health app will be allowed to leave the city.

    Some people in “epidemic-free” residential compounds have already been allowed to leave their homes for two hours.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Coronavirus: Four out of five people’s jobs hit by pandemic

    Image copyright EPA A total of 81% of the global workforce of 3.3 billion people have had their workplace fully or partly closed.

    Restrictions on daily life have led to the closure of many companies and the laying off of staff – either permanently or temporarily.

    The International Labour Organization (ILO), an agency of the United Nations, has been looking at the global impact with a series of charts.

    Their work shows the global scale of the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

    “Workers and businesses are facing catastrophe, in both developed and developing economies,” said ILO director general Guy Ryder.

    “We have to move fast, decisively, and together. The right, urgent, measures, could make the difference between survival and collapse.”

    Source:bbc.com

  • Trump administration to keep critical medical supplies in U.S – Pompeo

    U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday announced an additional $225 million in U.S. aid for global efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic but said the Trump administration will keep critical medical supplies in the United States given the domestic need.

    “Right now, given the great need for PPE (personal protection equipment) in our own country, our focus will be on keeping critical medical items in the United States until demand is met here,” Pompeo told a State Department news conference.

    At the same time, he announced that the United States will disperse $225 million in new assistance to global efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic on top of $274 million already provided to 64 countries.

    The new funding “will be used to reduce transmission” of the highly contagious novel coronavirus “through virus diagnosis, prevention, and control, to bolster health systems, to prepare labs to train healthcare workers, to increase awareness and much, much more,” Pompeo said.

    “No country can match this level of generosity,” he said.

    Source: reuters.com

  • A year after blaze, Notre-Dame to hold Good Friday mass amid virus lockdown

    A small congregation of worshippers will celebrate Good Friday mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a year after it was devastated by fire, but attendance will be limited because of a lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak.

    Only seven people will attend the televised mass on Good Friday, when Christians commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

    “Only a few priests will attend the masses that we will celebrate during the Holy Week and people will be able to follow services on radio or on television,” Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit told a video news conference.

    The service will include a wreath rescued from the fire that threatened to obliterate Notre-Dame, one of the world’s most famous landmarks.

    There will be no Easter Saturday processions this year because of the nationwide lockdown, which limits the size of public gatherings.

    On Easter Sunday, when Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection, Aupetit will hold a mass in Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois church near the Louvre museum in the heart of Paris, with about 20 people attending.

    Last year, hundreds of Parisians gathered for Easter Sunday mass at Saint-Eustache church in central Paris and prayed for the swift restoration of Notre-Dame after the fire that ripped through it days earlier, on April 15.

    The fire destroyed the mediaeval cathedral’s roof, toppled the spire and almost brought down the main bell towers and outer walls before firefighters brought it under control.

    President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to restore Notre-Dame in five years, though experts have described the target as unfeasible.

    Source: France24

  • La Liga eyeing May return, says league boss Tebas

    La Liga could return to action as early as next month, its president Javier Tebas said on Tuesday, as the league awaits a chance to restart following the coronavirus shutdown.

    Tebas also warned Spanish clubs could lose as much as one billion euros ($1.1 billion) if the season is not completed, pushing football bosses in the country to search for a late finish to the current campaign.

    “The different scenarios we have been looking at with UEFA to go back to competing are most probably starting on the May 29 June 6-7 or June 28,” Tebas said.

    “We’re not just looking at what happens in Spain… the job is to get all our calendars (in Europe) in line so all the competitions are able to finish together.”

    However Tebas said no team training could take place until after the state of emergency ends in Spain — currently set until April 26. Should that end date be pushed back the chances of restarting in May would likely vanish.

    Tebas said “it is not an option” to cancel the season given the massive hit to revenue Spain’s top clubs would have to absorb, with 150 million euros gone even if La Liga finishes the season with fans at matches.

    “We are not considering at all that we will not get back to playing matches,” he said.

    “It is not just league revenues, it is league revenues plus all the other revenue from the Champions League that teams wouldn’t receive.

    “We are talking about one billion euros if we don’t get back to playing, 300 million euros if we play behind closed doors and 150 million euros if we do to get back to playing with fans.”

    The COVID-19 pandemic has killed nearly 14,000 people in Spain, the world’s second hardest-hit country after Italy in terms of deaths.

    On Tuesday, Spain said a further 743 people had died but the “downward trend” is continuing despite an increase in the latest figures.

    Source: France24

  • Coronavirus: Boris Johnson stable in hospital, not on ventilator

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “in good spirits” after spending the night in intensive care being treated for coronavirus, No 10 has said.

    A spokesman said Mr Johnson, 55, was stable overnight, is being given oxygen and is not on a ventilator.

    It comes as Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove became the latest politician to self-isolate after a family member showed symptoms.

    Mr Gove said he did not have symptoms and was continuing to working at home.

    Mr Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London with “persistent symptoms” of Covid-19 on Sunday and was moved to intensive care on Monday at 19:00 BST after his symptoms worsened.

    The Queen has sent a message to Mr Johnson’s family and his pregnant partner, Carrie Symonds, saying they were in her thoughts and that she wished the prime minister a full and speedy recovery, Buckingham Palace said.

    In a statement on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits. He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance.

    “He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.”

    A ventilator takes over the body’s breathing process when disease has caused the lungs to fail.

    Mr Johnson does not have pneumonia, Downing Street added.

    Dr Jon Bennett, president of the British Thoracic Society, said it was “heartening” the PM was receiving “standard oxygen treatment” – through his nose or via a face mask – because in more serious cases it would be delivered through mechanical support, such as continuous positive airway pressure, high flow nasal oxygen or more invasive ventilators.

    The spokesman said that the mood in government is “determined”, and ministers have a very clear plan set out by Mr Johnson for responding to the pandemic.

    The prime minister’s weekly audience with the Queen will not go ahead, although she will be kept regularly informed about his condition, the spokesman added.

    Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Gove pledged that if there is any change in his condition “No 10 will ensure the country is updated”.

    Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is deputising for the PM and chaired the government’s daily coronavirus meeting on Tuesday.

    As first secretary of state, Mr Raab is the minister designated to stand in for Mr Johnson if he is unwell and unable to work.

    Mr Raab said earlier there was an “incredibly strong team spirit” behind the prime minister and that he and his colleagues were making sure they implemented plans that Mr Johnson had instructed them to deliver “as soon as possible”.

    Some politicians have called for greater clarity on what Mr Raab’s role as deputy entails, including Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, who asked for details “as to where responsibility for UK national security decisions now lies”.

    Lord Heseltine, who served as deputy prime minister under John Major, said it will be a “very difficult personal position” for Mr Raab, who “will be tested by the loneliness of the job”.

    “He will be surrounded by lots of people who know what Boris Johnson said, believe Boris will be quickly back and have their own personal agendas anyway,” he said.

    Former cabinet member and Tory peer Baroness Morgan told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett Show that while Mr Raab was “incredibly capable”, there was “no way that he would have wanted to be in this situation”.

    She added: “I think the reason that people have been so stunned and taken aback and feel so involved with the prime minister’s health, is because Boris Johnson is prime minister, he gets a lot of coverage.

    “Obviously, he was very front and centre in an election campaign, which seems like a million years ago but was only a couple of months ago, and people invest an awful lot of hope in their leaders at this time of national crisis.”

    Mr Gove is the latest cabinet minister to self-isolate, after Mr Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Scottish Secretary Alister Jack.

    The government’s chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, and the PM’s adviser, Dominic Cummings, also spent time self-isolating after showing symptoms.

    Mr Johnson’s condition means his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant with their first child, is unable to visit him in hospital.

    She said at the weekend that she is “on the mend” after herself being forced to self-isolate after displaying symptoms of the disease.

    Meanwhile, world leaders and fellow politicians have sent messages to Mr Johnson wishing him well.

    Newly-elected Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described it as “terribly sad news”, adding: “All the country’s thoughts are with the prime minister and his family during this incredibly difficult time.”

    Russia’s Vladimir Putin wished Mr Johnson a speedy recovery, saying he was “convinced that your energy, optimism and sense of humour will help you overcome the disease”.

    And US President Donald Trump said Americans “are all praying for his recovery”, describing Mr Johnson as “a very good friend of mine and a friend to our nation” who is “strong” and “doesn’t give up”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Chaos rocks Trump White House on virus’ most tragic day

    The chaos and confusion rocking President Donald Trump’s administration on the most tragic day yet of the coronavirus pandemic was exceptional even by his own standards.

    Trump set out Tuesday to cement his image of a wartime leader facing down an “invisible enemy” at a dark moment as the country waits for the virus to peak and with the economy languishing in suspended animation.

    “What we have is a plague, and we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” the President said, on a day when a record number of Americans succumbed to the wicked respiratory disease.

    But instead of putting minds at rest, Trump’s wild performance instead put on a display many of the personal and political habits that have defined his tumultuous presidency. It was a troubling spectacle coming at such a wrenching chapter of national life, the kind of moment when Presidents are called to provide consistent, level leadership.

    To begin with, Trump sparked concern that he will prevent oversight of the disbursement of economic rescue funds by removing a watchdog official responsible for overseeing the $2 trillion package. The move, coming after Trump ousted an intelligence community inspector general last week, was yet another sign that an already impeached President is using the cover of the worst domestic crisis since World War II to further erode constraints on his power.
    Trump’s acting Navy secretary quit after an episode in which he called an aircraft carrier captain dismissed for raising the alarm about virus infections among his crew “stupid.”
    Then Trump insisted he hadn’t seen January memos by a top White House official warning about the pandemic at the same time the President was dismissing it as a threat.
    He also announced he was placing a “very powerful hold” on funding for the World Health Organization, even though it correctly identified the scale of the virus and he didn’t. Then moments later, he insisted he did no such thing.
    Adding to the sense of farce, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham was moved out, without ever having given a briefing, on yet another day of staff turmoil. CNN’s KFile reported Tuesday that her replacement, Kayleigh McEnany, recently said that thanks to the President, “we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here.”

    Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow admitted that a small business rescue program was off to “a bad start” after recipients struggled to register funds, only for the President to celebrate the program’s roaring success — and to credit his daughter Ivanka with personally creating 15 million jobs.

    To top off a disorientating day in the West Wing, the President presided over an unchained news conference in which among other topics, he lashed out at mail-in voting, making claims about fraud that don’t square with the facts, even though he recently cast such a ballot himself. The comment followed extraordinary scenes in Wisconsin, after Republicans blocked the Badger State’s Democratic governor from delaying the state’s primary over concern that voters could infect one another with the novel coronavirus.

    A dark day in the fight against Covid-19

    In many ways, it was just another inexplicable day of the Trump presidency.

    Trump did mention Americans grieving the loss of loved ones in his scripted remarks, but the intensity of Trump’s clashes with reporters and litany of outrageous claims seemed incongruous with a backdrop of such human tragedy with more than 1,800 deaths reported in a single day.

    There are, after all, more confirmed cases in the United States than anywhere else in the world — even if there are some hopeful and preliminary signs that the wave of infections may be beginning to slow in the New York epicenter.

    The chaos and contradictions coming from the administration do not just raise questions about the White House’s current management of the pandemic. They will cause concern because the second stage of the national effort — reopening the economy and keeping a second wave of infections at bay — will require focused and subtle leadership that can win the confidence of the nation.

    No White House has ever faced the task of ensuring such an expansive economic package is properly implemented and does not fall prey to corruption. There is little in the history of the Trump administration that suggests this will go smoothly.

    The President sparked fresh fears about his capacity to properly oversee previous rescue packages and those to come when it emerged he had removed Defense Department Inspector General Glenn Fine from a post monitoring the stimulus funds.

    The move prompted Democrats to warn that Trump is seeking to oversee the package himself. Trump had already warned he will ignore a provision in the bill requiring the special inspector general to report to Congress on the handling of the funds.

    His dismissal of Fine was the latest swipe against the structures of government meant to hold him accountable — that peaked with his defiance of the impeachment inquiry.

    On Monday, Trump personally attacked a Health and Human Services inspector general who uncovered massive shortages of vital protective equipment at hospitals battling Covid-19.
    On Friday night, the President fired the intelligence community inspector general who alerted lawmakers to a report about his pressure on Ukraine to dig up dirt on his Democratic foe Joe Biden.

    Trump dismisses Navarro memos

    With the pandemic taking a tighter grip on the United States, Trump has taken vigorous steps to cover up for his multiple statements earlier this year downplaying the virus.

    The question of his responsibility for a lack of preparation for the crisis intensified on Tuesday when The New York Times revealed that a top economic official, Peter Navarro, had written a memo to the President in January warning coronavirus could become a “full blown pandemic” causing trillions of dollars in economic damage and risking the health of millions of Americans.

    The revelation undercut the President’s repeated declarations that nobody could have foreseen the consequences of the virus. It also left him in a tricky spot. Either he had to admit that he had seen the warning, or if he said it didn’t reach him, he would paint a picture of dysfunction at the White House.

    He did neither, seeking to foster misinformation and confusion around the document designed to disguise his own culpability.

    The President maintained that he did not see the memo or memos until several days ago.

    “I didn’t see them. I didn’t look for them either,” the President said, then argued falsely he had reached the same conclusion as Navarro, citing his decision to stop flights from China. In fact, Trump was downplaying the impact of the virus as recently as early last month.

    When asked why he did not level with Americans about the potential impact of the crisis if his unexpressed thoughts aligned with Navarro, Trump said: “I’m not going to go out and start screaming, this could happen.”

    “I’m a cheerleader for this country. I don’t want to create havoc and shock.”

    Trump nominates a new foil — the WHO

    Unlike the President, the World Health Organization has warned for weeks about the gravity of coronavirus.

    The WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International concern on January 30 after sending a team to Wuhan and to meet Chinese leaders in Beijing.

    On the same day, at a rally in Michigan, the President said of the virus, “We think we have it very well under control.”

    But on Tuesday, the President lashed out at the global health body, claiming it had underplayed the threat of the virus and that he had got it right.

    “We’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it,” the President said in his briefing.

    “They called it wrong. They missed the call. They could have called it months earlier,” Trump said.

    “It’s a great thing if it works but when they call every shot wrong that’s no good,” he said, accusing the WHO of being biased towards China, which Republicans have accused of trying to cover up the virus.

    Given the President’s long timeline of false statements and predictions, that must go down as one of the most audacious comments of his presidency. It was also reflective of his own tendency to nominate an enemy and accuse it of the very transgression that he is accused of perpetrating.

    He added to the confusion by denying that he had said that he would halt funding to the WHO — a move that would be counterproductive in a pandemic and would undermine already compromised perceptions of US leadership on the crisis.

    “I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but we are going to look at it,” the President said.

    The President was also unable to provide much clarity on the chaos afflicting the Navy, following the resignation of Thomas Modly. The acting Navy secretary quit a day after leaked audio revealed he called the ousted commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt “stupid” in an address to the ship’s crew.

    This came a little more than a week after Capt. Brett Crozier sent a memo warning of coronavirus spreading among the sailors. The memo leaked and Modly subsequently removed Crozier from command.

    “I had no role in it. I don’t know him but I’ve heard he was a very good man,” the commander in chief said.

    But Trump also rebuked Crozier.

    “He didn’t have to be Ernest Hemmingway. He made a mistake but he had a bad day. And I hate seeing bad things happen.”

    Source: CNN

  • Paris bans daytime jogging in bid to slow spread of coronavirus

    Paris officials said on Tuesday they would ban lone daytime jogging as people continue to flout anti-Coronavirus lockdown rules, after France recorded its highest daily death toll.

    Under nationwide confinement rules that came into force on March 17, people can leave their homes only for essential purposes, which had included a solo walk or run within one kilometre of their homes.

    But as sunny days arrived over the weekend, large groups of Parisians were seen running, walking and congregating in groups, even as police issued fines for lockdown violations and hospitals struggled to cope with the influx of patients.

    On Tuesday, as France entered its fourth week of lockdown, Paris toughened the confinement rules, announcing a ban on individual outdoor sports between the hours of 10:00 am and 07:00 pm starting Wednesday.

    The move came just after Health Minister Olivier Veran announced Monday a record daily coronavirus death toll of 833 people in 24 hours.

    He said 478 people were admitted to intensive care in the period, a higher figure than in previous days.

    ‘Far from over’

    “It is not over. Far from that. The path is long. The figures that I have announced show this,” the minister said, urging people to “stay at home and continue this confinement effort”.

    Interior Minister Christophe Castaner had already urged regional officials to toughen restrictions locally.

    Announcing the new measures for Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the capital’s police chief Didier Lallement said in a statement that “every excursion avoided aids the fight against the epidemic”.

    On Monday, the mayor of Sceaux, a commune south of Paris, issued a decree obliging all residents over the age of 10 to cover their mouth and nose when leaving the home starting on Wednesday.

    Those who do not have surgical masks must wear a homemade alternative or tie a scarf or bandanna around their face, otherwise they could be fined 38 euros ($41).

    In a radio interview earlier on Tuesday, Hidalgo said she was not making masks obligatory although she did encourage everyone to cover their faces and noses.

    The French government requisitioned all medical masks earlier in the outbreak for doctors and nurses.

    Source: AFP

  • Coronavirus wreaks havoc in African American neighbourhoods

    Stark statistics from Chicago health officials have underscored the heavy toll of coronavirus on black Americans.

    Black Chicagoans account for half of all coronavirus cases in the city and more than 70% of deaths, despite making up 30% of the population.

    Other cities with large black populations, including Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans and New York, have become coronavirus hotspots.

    The US has recorded nearly 370,000 virus cases and almost 11,000 deaths.

    Globally there have been nearly 75,000 deaths and more than 1.3m cases total.

    What do Chicago’s statistics show? As of 5 April, 1,824 out of Chicago’s 4,680 confirmed Covid-19 cases were black residents, said city officials on Monday.

    That compared with 847 white, 478 Hispanic and 126 Asian Chicagoans.

    Chicago has seen a total of 98 deaths as of Sunday, with 72% of them black residents.

    The disparity is reflected across the state, where black people account for 41% of Covid-19 deaths, despite making up 14% of the population of Illinois.

    Chicago public health commissioner Dr Allison Arwady told reporters that black city residents already lived on average about 8.8 years less than their white counterparts.

    Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the coronavirus was “devastating black Chicago”.

    She said city inspectors would be sent into shops to ensure everyone was adhering to social distancing guidelines.

    Mayor Lightfoot also raised the possibility of curfews in areas where people gathered outside liquor stores, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

    What’s the picture nationally?

    Though the coronavirus has been called the “great equalizer”, data suggests that vulnerability to the infection may vary by neighbourhood.

    In Michigan, African Americans make up 14% of the population, but they account for 33% of the coronavirus cases and 41% of deaths, figures from the state health department showed on Monday.

    White residents account for about 23% of recorded cases in Michigan and 28% of deaths, according to the data.

    Detroit, Michigan, is about 80% black, and the city together with its surrounding suburbs accounts for around 80% of confirmed coronavirus cases.

    A similar disparity has emerged in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of the most segregated cities in the US.

    African Americans made up almost half of Milwaukee County’s nearly 1,000 cases as of last Friday and 81% of its 27 deaths, despite black people accounting for 26% of the population there, according to a study by ProPublica.

    Some 40% of Louisiana’s coronavirus deaths have occurred in the New Orleans area, where the majority of residents are black.

    Health officials have previously said the Big Easy’s residents suffer from rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension that are higher than the national average, making them more vulnerable to Covid-19.

    What’s behind the disparity in Chicago?

    Mayor Lightfoot said diabetes, heart disease and respiratory illness were “really prevalent” in black communities.

    Dr Arwady told reporters that even if everyone in the city did have access to a doctor, “we would still see significant health disparities because of food deserts and lack of walkable streets”.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Former Asante Kotoko star Baba Amando weeps over global coronavirus deaths

    Former Asante Kotoko star Baba  Amando has shed tears over the massive deaths recorded worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

    The former Ghana international wept profusely in trying understanding the current situation and called on God to intervene and heal the world.

    Amando, now based in the United Arab Emirates, posted a video on his Facebook page crying like a baby.

    “My problem is so much pain. Why are people suffering? Some people don’t have places to sleep. God, where are you? Why is the whole world suffering?” he said.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Ghana’s second transfer window to close on April 13

    The Ghana Football Association has announced that the second transfer window of the 2019/20 football season will be closed on Monday, April 13, 2020.

    A host of clubs in the Premier League as well as Division One League have been busy in the transfer window which was opened on March 16.

    Clubs are boosting their squads ahead of second round of the league season which has been suspended due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in the country.

    The statement from the GFA reads: “The Ghana Football Association wishes to announce that the second Transfer Window of the 2019/20 season that opened on the midnight of Monday, March 16, 2020 would be allowed to run till midnight Monday, April 13, 2020.”

    “However, the Executive Council has decided that following the guidelines advisory from FIFA when normalcy is restored the GFA will apply to FIFA to open the window for a period to allow clubs to strengthen their squads.

    “The Premier and Division One League, the Women’s Premier Leagues are currently on hold due to the Corona Virus pandemic.

    “It would also be recalled that the commencement of the lower leagues of the Regional Football Associations was also halted because of the pandemic.”

    Source: footballghana.com

  • Lumor among 20 players in Mallorca due for contract extension

    The Coronavirus pandemic has affected the football calendar immensely and thus players on loan at various clubs may see their contracts end without completing the season.

    Spanish club Mallorca will be hardly hit during this period as they are set to lose 20 players.

    Most of these players will see their contract end on June 30.

    Ghanaian International Lumor Agbenyenu is among the 20 players whose loan deal will end in May should the league not have bounced back by then.

    Lumor joined Mallorca on loan from Portuguese side Sporting CP and has made 20 appearances for the club this season in the La Liga.

    With football suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak in Spain, the La Liga season may be extended which could affect players whose contract runs out by June 30.

    Mallorca may consider offering these 20 players a contract extension in order to complete the season.

    According to reports FIFA is also considering a special dispensation in the area of transfers amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to ensure players are able to finish their contracts when the season resumes.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • I will not accept a pay cut, contracts must be respected – Karela Utd captain

    Captain and goalkeeper for Ghana Premier League club Karela United, Isaac Hagan has disclosed that he will not accept a pay cut if the club brings forth the proposition.

    In the absence of the football season due to the Coronavirus pandemic, clubs are going through a difficult period especially as their main source of income which flows from the gate proceeds is not coming anymore.

    In a bid to ensure that club owners are not overburden with player salaries, there have been calls by some administrators for players to be engaged on receiving a pay cut just as it has been done in other parts of the world.

    In an interview with West FM, Isaac Hagan of Karela United has strongly opposed the idea as he observes that contracts must be respected.

    “I’m not ready to accept, any pay cut from my management, it’s a contract let’s respect it because I received a small salary and I can’t compare my salary to that of European’s players who have personal sponsorship”, he said.

    Source: Footballghana.com

  • Besiktas grant K.P Boateng permission to return home

    Turkish giants Besiktas have granted Ghanaian forward Kevin Prince Boateng permission to return home.

    The German born Ghanaian has been in quarantine for the past two weeks following the suspension of the Turkish Super Lig due to the spread of coronavirus.

    The team had earlier rejected his request to leave the country due to inactivity.

    But the Turkish Football Federation have announced that all foreign players, who want to leave for their home countries be given the chance to go home.

    Besiktas have asked the on-loan Fiorentina star to make sure he is available when he is recalled to camp.

    Boateng and his family are expected to leave Turkey in the coming days for Germany, where the situation looks controllable.

    The 32-year old joined Besiktas in the January transfer window from Fiorentina and has already settled, after three goals in six games.

    Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

  • Premier League players prepared to step up – Taylor

    Premier League players are “mindful of their social responsibilities” and “prepared to step up to the mark” during the coronavirus pandemic, says Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor.

    Talks are ongoing about a collective pay deal in response to the crisis.

    The Premier League proposed a 30% pay cut, but the PFA said it would harm the NHS.

    “It is a question of asking players to be involved,” Taylor told BBC Sport.

    “The question needs to come from the clubs and then to open up on the table and say it is not a question of us using your money for purposes you don’t want.”

    Premier League players are set to start negotiations on a club-by-club basis over proposed wage cuts after talks broke down without resolution over the weekend.

    Four top-flight clubs – Newcastle, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Norwich – have placed some non-playing staff on furlough leave under the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme, increasing the pressure on players to take a pay cut.

    On Monday, Premier League leaders Liverpool reversed the decision to furlough some staff after criticism from fans and former players.

    “It is not for me to tell clubs how to run their businesses. It is for me to look at the players’ side of things,” said Taylor.

    “A football club is an entity involving non-playing staff – they need to look at the position of non-playing staff, the youngsters at clubs, the academies, the community programmes in their own areas and the bigger picture of the national health.

    “I can only repeat that the players are mindful of their social responsibilities and they are quite prepared to step up to the mark to deal with it.”

    Taylor said all parties involved in the talks “can agree” if there are “full and frank discussions” between clubs, owners and players.

    Players are understood to be wary of agreeing pay cuts that would help billionaire owners save money which may subsequently be spent on transfers.

    “The players want to do their bit into the charity that they would donate to. They didn’t want money being used for things that they didn’t agree with,” said Taylor.

    “We have to deal with this on a club-by-club basis. It is the hardest way but I believe it is the best way.”

    Health secretary Matt Hancock last week called for players to take a pay cut and “play their part”.

    Former England captain and current Derby striker Wayne Rooney said players have been left in a “no-win situation”, and Taylor agreed they were “very put out that they were being put in a corner”.

    “Many players have their own charity foundations and, within their contracts, players give six hours a week to community activities,” said Taylor.

    “It is unfair the Secretary of State singled out footballers because of their profile – they are not self-employed, they do pay tax and they do contribute.”

    Source: bbc.com