Current Trend News

American Made UV Portable Light Sanitizer

2020-10-24T01:18:00.004+05:00

UV Light Sanitizer Wand, Portable UVC Light Disinfector Lamp Chargeable Foldable for Home Hotel Travel Car Kills 99% of Germs.

Do UV sanitizers actually work?

There are numerous kinds of sanitizers individuals use to eliminate germs to assist them with remaining solid. While the most widely recognized are fluid hand sanitizers or cleaning based sanitizers for surfaces, another choice is accessible and getting more famous. UV light has antimicrobial properties and can eliminate germs and infections on surfaces. The advancement of UV light sanitizers for the home and working environment has gotten well known and profoundly searched after. They're anything but difficult to utilize, safe to utilize routinely, and very viable. These UV light sanitizers are ideal alternatives to consider for use in your home or in your work environment.

What is the best portable UV Sanitizer?

ILiveUV Sanitizer and Wireless Charger.
Vie Oli UVC Phone Sanitizer And Wireless Charging Hub.
Mophie UV Sanitizer and Wireless Phone Charger.
Sharper Image UV Sanitizing Bag.
Casetify UV Sanitizer.
Lexon Oblio Wireless Charger & UV Cleaner.

1. Top Pick: ANCROWN Portable Disinfection Sterilizer

2. Most Compact: SUNUV UV Light Sanitiser

3. Most Convenient: HAMSWAN LED UV Sanitizer Bag

4. Practical Design: HoMedics UV Sanitizer Bag

Do UV light phone sanitizers work?

5. Most Durable: KeyEntre UV Sanitizer

American Made UV Portable Light Sanitizer

Using American made UV sanitizer to kill coronavirus:

Bright (UV) light is a sort of radiation. It has more energy than radio waves or noticeable light however less energy than X-beams or gamma beams.

You can be presented to UV light by means of common daylight or through human-made sources like tanning beds.

UV light has been utilized as a way to eliminate germs like microscopic organisms and infections. You may have likewise known about its utilization for executing SARS-CoV-2, the new Covid that causes Coronavirus.

In this article, we'll investigate how UV light is utilized to eliminate germs, how successful it is at taking out the new Covid, and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Can UV light kill germs?

There are a few kinds of UV light. They're grouped by how much energy they have.

Kinds of UV light

UVA light has the most minimal measure of energy. At the point when you're out in the sun, you're primarily being presented to UVA light. Presentation to UVA light has been connected to skin maturing and harm.

UVB light sits in the UV light range. A little bit of daylight contains UVB light. It's the principle sort of UV light that adds to burns from the sun and causes most skin malignant growths.

UVC light has the most energy. UVC light from the sun is generally invested in the World's ozone, so you're not regularly presented to it consistently. Notwithstanding, there are different human-made wellsprings of UVC light.

How is UVC light currently used to kill the new coronavirus?

Because it can effectively inactivate the new coronavirus without using chemicals, UVC light is an attractive option for disinfection. Special lamps that emit UVC light are typically used for this purpose.

Currently, the use of UVC light for disinfection is mostly limited to healthcare settings to disinfect things like:

surfaces
equipment
operating rooms
personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 face masks

What to Look For In A Quality UV Sterilizer

When searching for the best UV sterilizer, it's critical to discover a sterilizer that is appropriate for your particular needs. As the items above illustrate, various sterilizers accompany various highlights. For example, some are planned fundamentally for sanitizing telephones at home, while others are intended to disinfect all way of things in a hurry.

Certain highlights like well-being and effectiveness ought to consistently be ensured. All things considered, a few models are more secure and more effective than others and this is worth continually investigating as well.

The following are a portion of the key highlights to consider when purchasing a UV sterilizer.

Cleaning productivity/time

UV light has been appeared to murder 99.9% of microbes, infections, and organisms. Actually, it's one of the best and speediest types of disinfection. Notwithstanding, the adequacy of this relies particularly upon the sort of sterilizer you use and how you use it.

How you position the thing you need to clean for example can have an effect. UV sterilizer boxes that have cuts that can assist with holding things set up so you can situate them accurately. These are probably going to be better at sanitizing distinctive formed things than boxes without cuts. Concerning handheld sanitizers, it's imperative to adhere to directions with regards to how to position the sanitizer wand itself.

A few sterilizers guarantee to clean more rapidly than others. The fastest can sanitize a thing in a moment, while others suggest going through at any rate five minutes disinfecting things. With regard to accommodation, this could merit consideration.

It's important that dirtier things are probably going to take more time to clean. UV light doesn't eliminate buildup, so make a point to wipe any buildup off before utilizing a UV sterilizer.

Security

UV light can enter human skin and cause genuine harm. It's imperative to in this way consider wellbeing highlights while picking a model of the sterilizer.

UV sterilizer boxes will in general confine UV light presentation substantially more than handheld UV sterilizers. Such boxes may accompany locks to guarantee that they can't be opened during activity. Handheld sterilizers actually will in general have their own wellbeing highlights, yet it's suggested continually wearing defensive goggles when utilizing these apparatuses.

Some UV sterilizers may likewise join synthetic compounds or mercury for cleaning. Such items might merit evading for those that need to limit wellbeing hazards. Most of the items available use UV-C light, however, there are a few items that utilization far UV light, which is believed to be more secure because of a lower frequency.

Similarity

you should also consider what items you’re looking to sterilize. Numerous compact encased sanitizers are intended to clean little things like cellphones, keys, and headphones. Not all might be sufficiently spacious to oblige bulkier things like glasses or wallets, so consider.

Handheld sanitizers can offer UV light for room cleansing. This makes them ideal for cleaning a wide range of things utilizing UV light from latrine seats to couches.

Some are planned carefully as telephone sanitizers – which might be all you require. In these cases, ensure that the sanitizer accommodates your model of telephone. The best telephone cleaner items will in general have the option to oblige all sizes of the telephone. Those with bigger telephones might need the investigation into similarity in the event of some unforeseen issues.

Rechargeability/Cycles per charge

In case you're searching for a compact UV sanitizer, you might need to consider settling on one with a battery-powered battery so you don't need to plug it into the divider each time you have to utilize it.

Numerous UV sanitizer boxes that utilization a battery-powered battery can offer different cycles on a solitary charge. It merits contrasting the cycles per charge on the off chance that you believe you will utilize your sterilizer routinely.

With regards to handheld sanitizers with battery-powered batteries, also investigate the battery length so you realize how long you can utilize the sanitizer.

Solidness/life

You don't need a sanitizer that will break after five employments. Therefore, it is additionally worth exploring the solidness and life of the item.

The best sterilizers ought to have enduring bulbs that can offer a ton of utilization. Lower quality UV sterilizers may wear out rapidly and getting these bulbs supplanted might be precarious.

In case you're taking a sterilizer with you voyaging, you don't need it to self-destruct at the smallest thump, so this merits investigating into as well. Most items from good brands ought to be genuinely powerful. Some accompany a year's guarantee so that on the off chance that they do break you're ensured a free substitution.

UV Light Sanitizer Reviews:

There are some good customer reviews you can see it.

coronavirus news: Gulf states urged to unblock internet calls in response to pandemic

2020-04-09T11:55:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

Human rights groups urged three Gulf Arab states on Wednesday to lift bans on free internet calls to help their large migrant workforces stay in touch during the coronavirus pandemic.

Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have long blocked many voice and video calling apps on the grounds of protecting the commercial interests of state-owned telecoms.

“This has caused serious problems for the people living in those countries, especially the majority of migrant workers and foreign national residents who need to connect and communicate with their families and communities overseas,” the rights groups said.

A majority of the estimated 17 million people living in the three Gulf states are expatriates, most of them low paid workers from Asia.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the UAE and Oman have relaxed restrictions on some calling apps but on a temporary basis.

They have unblocked apps that allow for distance learning such as Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Google Hangouts, and Zoom. Microsoft Teams and Zoom are also available in Qatar.

State owned telecom firms in the UAE have also introduced a new app, UAE Voice, that allows for free video and audio calls.

But popular apps such as WhatsApp, Skype and FaceTime remain blocked despite persistent calls for a change of policy to face the pandemic, Human Rights Watch and 28 other civil society groups said in a joint statement.

“Denying the Gulf population access to these platforms puts people at serious risk, as this cuts them off from their communities abroad and the resources they need in times of such crisis,” they said.

Despite its ambition to become a major technological power, the UAE has harsh cybercrime laws and maintains what civil society groups call a high level of online restrictions and surveillance.

In December, the New York Times accused the UAE intelligence services of using popular new app ToTok to spy on users.

Coronavirus News: US suffers deadliest day with nearly 2,000 deaths

2020-04-09T11:50:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

Coronavirus News WASHINGTON: The United States suffered its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic yet, with nearly 2,000 deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Statistics released by various monitoring agencies showed that by Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 14,210. The country also added more than 100,000 coronavirus cases in just three days as the total number of climbed to 410,843.

France too recorded the highest one-day total between Tuesday and Wednesday, 1,417, but monitors in the United States had already registered 197,0 deaths by late Tuesday afternoon while dozens more were added later.

New York, the epicenter of the viral outbreak in the United States, also suffered the single deadliest day of fatalities, with more than 800 deaths in the last 24 hours. Other states, such as New Jersey, Louisiana, and Florida, are also expected to peak soon.

The United States registered its first coronavirus (COVID-19) case on Jan. 20 and took more than two months to move to 100,000 cases on March 29. But then the infections began to multiply rapidly, taking less than a week to reach 200,000 cases on April 2. And on April 4, they crossed 300,000. By April 8 afternoon, 406,700 people had tested positive for the virus.

Unnerved by the rising deaths and infections, US President Donald Trump is now accusing the World Health Organisation (WHO) of failing to alert the world community about the severity of this pandemic.

At a White House news briefing on Tuesday evening, Mr. Trump accused the WHO of being “very China-centric” and threatened to stop US funding for this UN health agency. The United States provides about 20 percent of the agency’s total funds.

“We’re going to put a hold on money spent on the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it, and we’re going to see,” he said.

Coronavirus News: Mr. Trump also claimed that the WHO opposed travel bans and lockdowns, which allowed the virus to spread across the globe.

The WHO responded to his allegations on Wednesday, reminding him that this was not the time to indulge in such disputes.

“We are still in the acute phase of a pandemic so now is not the time to cut back on funding,” Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said at a virtual briefing.

President Trump, however, withdrew his threat minutes after the declaration, conceding that a global pandemic “maybe not” the best time to freeze funding for a health agency. “I mean, I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but we are going to look at it,” he said.

Coronavirus Pakistan: 'Was reusing N-95 mask given to me in China': President Alvi responds

2020-04-09T11:44:00.000+05:00

Coronavirus Pakistan: President Dr. Arif Alvi on Thursday issued a clarification after photos and videos of him wearing an N-95 mask at a meeting sparked criticism among medical professionals who claimed that personal protective equipment (PPE) was being "misused" by politicians.

On Wednesday, President Alvi — wearing an N-95 mask — had chaired a briefing session by the Punjab government regarding coronavirus at the Civil Secretariat in Lahore. He had also addressed the participants on the occasion.

According to some, this was particularly problematic as the government has been convincing people that only health professionals deputed in quarantine centers and isolation wards should wear N-95 masks.

Taking to Twitter today, the president issued a clarification on the issue.

"As a doctor, I am strongly aware of misuse and wastage. I was reusing the N-95 mask that was given to me in China."

"Finally its strap broke yesterday so, in next meeting at Wing Commander Nouman Akram Shaheed's house, you see me wearing a regular public mask," the president said. "I hope my clarification finds equal billing."

The president on Wednesday had paid a visit to the house of Wing Commander Nouman Akram, who was martyred in a crash last month.

Amid widespread criticism of President Alvi, the Pakistan Medical Association had issued a statement that politicians and bureaucrats should not wear N-95 masks.

“The PMA has observed that protective items required for healthcare providers working for coronavirus or non-coronavirus patients are being misused. Particularly the misuse of N-95 masks has been observed by a large number of PMA members and the general public," the statement had said.

“These days politicians and bureaucrats are often seen wearing N-95 masks during meetings and visits, whereas health professionals are facing a dire shortage of N-95 masks and PPEs.

“This is important to note that N-95 masks are not necessary for everybody. They are only needed in quarantine and isolation facilities for health providers treating coronavirus patients, who are at the highest risk of acquiring coronavirus. Doctors should be protected as they are frontline soldiers against coronavirus.”

PMA Secretary General Dr. Qaisar Sajjad had said there were different types of masks available for healthcare providers and the general public.

“The general public can use handmade washable masks, which should be washed every day. Surgical masks are for healthcare workers who are treating non-corona patients at primary care level and during surgeries. The media should play their due role for these types of awareness positively,” he added.

Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza had alleged that doctors were misusing personal protective equipment.

He had told the media that guidelines had been made according to which only health professionals working in isolation wards were advised to wear N-95 masks.

He had insisted that even patients in isolation wards and sanitary workers in hospitals should not wear N-95 masks.

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson spends second night in intensive care

2020-04-08T11:24:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

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."

Media captionThe foreign secretary says Boris Johnson is a "fighter" and "will pull through"

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.

A ban on public gatherings of more than two people and the closure of shops selling non-essential goods were among the series of restrictions announced by Mr Johnson on 23 March to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

He had said a relaxation of the rules would be considered in three weeks, which would be 13 April.

But Mr Raab said: "The critical thing is to take evidence-based decisions and so we've said that we will take any review once we've got the evidence that the measures are working.

"And having the kind of impact taking us past the peak which means that they can be responsibly done. We're not at that stage yet."

Downing Street later confirmed that the review would not go ahead on the scheduled date and would instead take place after the three-week mark.

It came as the number of coronavirus hospital deaths in the UK rose to 6,159 on Tuesday - a record increase of 786 in a day, the Department of Health and Social Care said, compared with 439 on Monday.

However, the government's chief scientific adviser told the Downing Street briefing the number of coronavirus cases in the UK "could be moving in the right direction".

Sir Patrick Vallance said it was "possible that we're beginning to see... the curve flattening".

As of 09:00 BST on Tuesday, 213,181 people have been tested, of which 55,242 tested positive, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

Overall, 266,694 tests have been concluded, with 14,006 tests carried out on Monday.

In other developments:

Most of the public support police measures like fines and roadblocks to tackle the coronavirus, a YouGov survey suggests, but a third of those questioned thought forces in Britain had gone too far in some cases
Vets have said cat owners should keep their pets indoors to help stop the spread of the virus
Supermarket Sainsbury's said it was removing restrictions on thousands of products as stock levels recover
A doctor who specialised in treating the elderly has died at a London hospital after testing positive for Covid-19
The months-long lockdown in the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei province - where the coronavirus pandemic started - has been lifted
The number of people in France who have died from the coronavirus has now r isen above 10,000.
The US recorded the most coronavirus deaths in a single day with 1,736 fatalities reported on Tuesday. Country music singer-songwriter John Prine was among those to have died

Facebook releases couples-only messaging app

2020-04-08T10:33:00.001+05:00

Facebook launches an app for couples to talk to each other ... From the iOS-only app, they can share their mood, exchange music, and create ... each other memos or voice notes with photos on any messaging app.

Facebook releases couples-only messaging app

Facebook has released a new app for couples to private message each other.

The new app called Tuned allows couples to send messages, exchange music, and create a digital scrapbook.

Tuned was created by Facebook's New Product Experimental Team which focuses on creating new social media from scratch.

The app claims to be a "private space" for couples to chat but it does not appear to have the end-to-end encryption of services like WhatsApp.

Top best Panasonic Digital Camera

Facebook releases couples-only messaging apps

Instead Tuned has the same data policy as Facebook, which allows the company to collect commutations and other behavior to target advertising at the user.

This data policy could mean users are less inclined to send personal information or private photos via the app.

Facebook did not respond to the BBC request for comment about the launch of Tuned.

The app is available only to iOS users in the US and Canada and does not require a Facebook account to use it.

Facebook announced it was entering the dating space in 2018. It has launched a dating service to rival Tinder and Bumble in 20 countries so far. But this new couples messaging app is separate from that service.

The new product does not appear to be much different from other messaging services.

Users add another person using their phone number and once they are connected can send pictures and voice memos and the app has new custom reactions that couples can send to one another.

Facebook formed the group that created Tuned - the New Product Experimental Team (NPE) - in the summer of 2019. Its goal is to create new social media services. It has built a meme creation tool and an app for saving and organizing photos similar to Pinterest.

When Facebook launched NPE it said the team apps were meant to change rapidly and that its services would be "shut down if we learn that they're not useful to people."

Coronavirus: Welsh employers told to keep staff two metres apart

2020-04-07T07:53:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

All employers in Wales will be told to keep workers two metres (6ft) apart from Tuesday.

Companies are being asked to take "reasonable measures" to ensure the health of staff.

But the new Welsh Government rules will not amount to a complete ban on workers being closer than the social distancing guidelines.

Ministers believe the move is necessary because of reports to trade unions and AMs of concerns from workers.

Rules for funerals have been relaxed to allow more mourners to attend.

Concerns have centred on a number of companies, including an outlet of pizza chain Domino's after it denied sacking employees who raised concerns.

Angharad Maddocks claimed she was dismissed in the Llanelli branch after complaining social distancing and hygiene guidance was not followed.

"Even on the make-line there's no masks given," she said, describing 20 people in the store "crammed together".

The new rules are not an "absolute ban", Mr Drakeford said at a news conference on Monday, but he urged employers to take "all reasonable measures" to ensure the health and safety of workers.

The rules will require all workplaces, businesses and organisation to take "all reasonable measures" to ensure a distance of two metres is maintained between people on their premises, and those waiting to enter.

That means companies will be expected to take "proportionate action" where it is possible to do so.

Police and councils will be able to enforce the moves, which came into force in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The rules build on the original stay-at-home rules that were introduced almost two weeks ago.

They stated people should only go out for things such as shopping for basic necessities, exercising once a day and getting medical attention.

Image copyrightImage caption

Rules have been brought in to cover all aspects of life, including people heading to seaside areas including Barry Island

The rules about who can attend a funeral are also being relaxed but the two-metre requirement will mean there will be a maximum limit on the number of people who can attend.

They clarify that you are able to attend if you organised it, if you have been invited or if you are the carer of somebody attending.

But there will be a limit, depending on the number of people the venue can accommodate taking into account the two-metre rule.

Image copyrightImage caption

Rules on funerals have been relaxed to allow more people to pay their respects

The guidance also clarifies that cemeteries can remain open but social distancing must be taken into account.

Local Government Minister Julie James said: "The death of a family member or friend is a very distressing event which is why we have amended these regulations to enable people to attend funerals in certain circumstances."

She also suggested live streaming as a way of wider family and friends being part of a funeral.

Coronavirus: NZ health minister breaks lockdown at beach

2020-04-07T07:45:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

New Zealand's health minister has called himself an "idiot" after breaking the country's lockdown by driving his family to the beach.

David Clark admitted the 12-mile (20km) drive was "a clear breach of the lockdown principles".

He offered his resignation to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, but kept his job because of the ongoing crisis.

But he has been been demoted in cabinet rankings and also lost a secondary position of associate finance minister.

On Sunday, Scotland's chief medical officer resigned for making two trips to her second home during the lockdown.

What did David Clark do?

New Zealand went into its highest state of lockdown, level four, late on Wednesday 25 March.

But on the first weekend, Mr Clark drove his family from their home in Dunedin to Doctor's Point beach.

Mr Clark admitted the trip to Ms Ardern after being criticised for another breach of the rules.

Last week, he drove a shorter distance to a mountain bike trail - and his van, featuring a picture of himself on the side, was photographed at the trail.

"People can go outside to get fresh air and drive short distances if needed, but we have asked people to avoid activities where there is a higher risk of injury," said Ms Ardern last week in response to the trail ride.

"The minister should have followed that guidance."

Image copyright

Image captionMr Clark and Ms Ardern on 12 March, before the lockdown

What was the reaction to the beach trip?

Mr Clark said he had offered to resign.

"As the health minister it's my responsibility to not only follow the rules but set an example to other New Zealanders," he said.

"At a time when we are asking New Zealanders to make historic sacrifices I've let the team down. I've been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me."

Ms Ardern said "under normal conditions", Mr Clark would be sacked.

"We cannot afford massive disruption in the health sector or to our response," she said.

"For that reason, and that reason alone, Dr Clark will maintain his role. But he does need to pay a price. He broke the rules.

"While he maintains his health portfolio, I am stripping him of his role as associate finance minister and demoting him to the bottom of our cabinet rankings.

"I expect better, and so does New Zealand."

What is the situation in New Zealand?

Media captionPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she is "not willing to put the lives of her citizens in danger"

The level four guidance says people should be quarantined or isolated at home except for "essential personal movement".

Outdoor exercise is allowed, but not that which "exposes participants to danger".

New Zealand has had over 1,100 confirmed cases, but only one death - a 70-year-old woman who died late last month.

Calls for debt relief for world's poorest nations

2020-04-07T07:38:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

More than 100 global organisations are calling for debt payments of developing countries to be dropped this year.

These countries include the world's poorest economies which are struggling with the impacts of coronavirus.

Major charities including Oxfam and ActionAid International are asking for the debt relief which would free up more than $25bn (£20bn) this year.

They have written to world leaders along with major central banks calling for a range of debt relief measures.

The call is being spearheaded by UK-based charity Jubilee Debt Campaign and comes a day before the G20 group of the world's largest and fastest-growing economies meets.

"Developing countries are being hit by an unprecedented economic shock, and at the same time face an urgent health emergency. The suspension on debt payments called for by the IMF and World Bank saves money now, but kicks the can down the road and avoids actually dealing with the problem of spiralling debts," said Sarah-Jayne Clifton, director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign.

The campaigners want debt payments to be cancelled with immediate effect, including payments to private creditors. "This is the fastest way to keep money in countries to use in responding to Covid-19, and to ensure public money is not wasted bailing out the profits of rich private speculators," added Ms Clifton.

Calculations show that 69 of the world's poorest countries are due to pay $19.5bn to other governments and multilateral institutions, and $6bn to external private lenders this year.

The IMF has made $50bn available in emergency financing while the World Bank has approved a $14bn response package to the most vulnerable economies.

Campaigners want the emergency cancellation to be followed by a process to reduce debts to a sustainable level following the virus crisis.

George Pell: Court quashes cardinal's sexual abuse convictions

2020-04-07T07:17:00.001+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

Cardinal George Pell will be freed from jail after Australia's highest court overturned his convictions for child sexual abuse.

The ex-Vatican treasurer, 78, had been the most senior Catholic figure ever jailed for such crimes.

In 2018, a jury found he abused two boys in Melbourne in the 1990s.

But the High Court of Australia quashed that verdict on Tuesday, meaning the cardinal will immediately stop serving a six-year jail sentence.

The Australian cleric had maintained his innocence since he was charged by police in June 2017.

His case has rocked the Catholic Church, where he had been one of the Pope's most senior advisers.

A full bench of seven judges ruled unanimously in Cardinal Pell's favour, finding that the jury had not properly considered all the evidence presented at trial.

It was the cardinal's final legal challenge, after his conviction was upheld by a lower court last year.

"I have consistently maintained my innocence while suffering from a serious injustice," Cardinal Pell said after the decision on Tuesday.

How was Pell jailed?

In December 2018, a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing two 13-year-old choir boys in private rooms of St Patrick's Cathedral in the mid-90s - when the cleric was archbishop of Melbourne.

The convictions included one count of sexual penetration and four counts of committing indecent acts.

The trial heard testimony from a man alleged to be the sole surviving victim. It also heard from dozens of other witnesses - none were alleged to have directly seen abuse.

Cardinal Pell appealed against the verdict in Victoria's Court of Appeal last year, but three judges upheld the decision by a 2-1 majority.

Why did his appeal succeed this time?

The cardinal argued that the jury relied too heavily one person's evidence The judges agreed, saying the jury did not properly assess other information.

"The jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant's guilt," said the court in its judgement.

Who is George Pell?

Cardinal Pell was among the highest-ranking figures in the Church's global hierarchy.

Made a cardinal in 2003, he was summoned to Rome in 2014 to help clean up the Vatican's finances.

Image copyrighIMAGES

Image captionPope John Paul II appointed Pell a cardinal in 2003

He forged a reputation as a disciplined Church leader who held strict conservative views against same-sex marriage, abortion and contraception.

Boris Johnson moved to ICU

2020-04-07T07:11:00.001+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to intensive care unit as his condition worsened on Monday afternoon a day after being hospitalised with coronavirus.

He was moved to the ICU at the hospital on the advice of his medical team in case he needed to use a ventilator, according to his Downing Street office press release.

“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab... to deputise for him where necessary,” it added.

Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday with a temperature and a cough after testing positive for coronavirus on March 27.

China wants to use the Coronavirus to dominate the world

2020-04-06T19:25:00.001+05:00

What began as a catastrophe for China is turning into a momentary strategic opportunity, a rare turning point in the flow of history. Suddenly, protests in Hong Kong, with a deadly threat to political stability in the continent, became a physical impossibility. More importantly, the epidemic triggered a global competition to control the virus, for which China and the Chinese Communist Party appear to be unique.

As the virus spread throughout the world, it became clear that Western societies, the real competitors of Beijing, do not have the ability to quickly organize every citizen around for a purpose. Unlike China, which is still largely a revolutionary society, its political systems were built in the usual times. Chinese society is a vibrant army, which can quickly abandon everything and move in one direction.

Mao once said, "Everything under heaven is in chaos, the situation is perfect." And so it seems today, as seen from Beijing. Chinese diplomats deployed around the world do just that to increase their risk. Following the instructions given above, they have reached out to the media to challenge the United States, point out its failure, and compare the chaos in US cities and hospitals in what they call a single success in preventing an outbreak in China.

Many observers have suggested that China could win the Coronavirus by advancing medical aid to affected countries, mainly in Europe, at a time when the United States is suffering. Do not miss it

The number of cases has increased several times where medical supplies provided by Chinese companies and even the Chinese state have proven to be poor, leading to their justification, for example, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Furthermore, medical care is a normal occurrence of a crisis. China has done nothing different, except in the clumsy way in which it normalizes these efforts.

Forget about "mask diplomacy". This is nothing more than a distraction. There are other ways for China to use the pandemic Coronavirus disease to maintain the current global order. I saw three main levers.

The first example is a direct comparison between the situation in China and elsewhere. The number of incidents and deaths provided by the Chinese authorities almost certainly misrepresents the actual data by more than an order of magnitude, but the fact is that the least sign was obtained in a short period of time. ۔ If the United States does not do so, its dignity will be severely shaken. People around the world will quickly change their minds about relative power and ability.

The second lever remains with industrial value chains. Last month, General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler closed all of their automotive production plants in the United States and Canada. Other fields have followed. Meanwhile, China has created the worst pandemic disease with a province, which can make economic activity start to move faster. The latest data shows that there is new activity in cargo flow to ports around the world, as well as countries doing business with China. If the freeze in Europe and the United States continues for a long time, Chinese companies will be able to drastically increase their market share and transform Western-led value chains. Yesterday, Chinese authorities announced that manufacturing activity is expanding in March, removing expectations of conflict. In February, the public purchasing managers index reached the highest level of 35.7 It returned to 52.0 in March. Prepare for the global acquisition of China at discount prices.

Finally, in a very severe situation, key countries may experience the kind of economic trauma that leads to widespread social and political collapse. At this stage, China will have a unique opportunity to step forward, provide aid, and shine again in its form. It will be seen as the beginning of the American global system after the repetition of the Marshall Plan and the destruction of World War II. Indonesia, South Asia, and even Russia may be of particular interest in such situations.

We knew that a common race or competition had begun between alternative geopolitical models, but it was never clear what the background of such competition would be. If this clash took place under the current global trading and financial system, which, of course, was conducted in accordance with Western laws and principles, the United States is confident that the war can be decisively won. But what if it happened on neutral ground? What if it were a kind of neutral landscape, a state of nature in which there were no rules, not in a chaotic and rapidly evolving context? The result will be much more uncertain.

To put it bluntly: There was always the argument that the current world order could not change because just a moment of thought made war impossible in the past and in world wars. But in pandemic diseases, and soon climate change, we can find two war comparisons.

Federal govt's emergency cash assistance process to begin on 8th

2020-04-06T16:38:00.000+05:00

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ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Sunday announced that the process for payment of Rs144 billion under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme would commence on April 8, to support millions of people affected by the countrywide lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shop Amazon Devices - Get $35 Toward a New Fire TV 4K DeviceOverall the federal government will provide Rs12,000 assistance to 12 million families each, while Punjab and Sindh have decided to contribute funding for the assistance of additional 700,000 and 250,000 persons, respectively.

The government also observed that a number of people were not taking precautionary measures against the deadly virus, warning the masses that they should not take the disease lightly as it was continuously spreading and only lockdown could reduce the pace of new cases.

Sharing details of the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar told a presser that district administrations had been allowed to compile a list of deserving people and send them to the federal government as many deserving people were still not on the list of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

“Deserving people from all the four provinces, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be entitled for the assistance. Quota has been allocated as per population without considering the National Finance Commission for it, because AJK and GB are not included in NFC. For this reason, 2017 census is being considered. Federal government will contribute Rs12 million assistance to the basket but the provinces can give funding if they want to include more people of their provinces in the basket. Punjab and Sindh have agreed to pay for additional 700,000 and 250,000 persons, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also inform [Centre] about it soon,” she said.

Dr Nishtar said wealth profiling would also be included in the lists such as if candidates had vehicles, travelled abroad and what were their utility bills.

She said: “People can send their CNIC numbers at Ehsaas Emergency number 8171. Candidates have already started sending SMS and a message is sent to them that they are eligible or they should contact their district administrations.

“Whenever a CNIC is sent, it hits at as many as seven data basis as it is checked that if the CNIC is correct, it also hits the database of government servants. Federal and provincial government employees are not eligible for the cash relief. Currently, we have data of federal and provincial government servants so if at the moment PIA, Sui Gas or other ancillary department employees send data, they will not get the message that they are government servants but later we will get that information. As many as 800,000 persons have been excluded from the BISP and others have been included in the Kifalat programme,” she explained.

The PM’s aide said that only one assistance package would be given to each family. She made it clear the payment would be given to the male head of a family though any family member, including children, could apply for the assistance.

She added that Kifalat beneficiaries who were given Rs2,000 a month would be provided an additional Rs1,000.

About the mode of payment, Dr Nishtar said that each deserving family would be given Rs12,000 after their biometric verification through 18,065 sale points or retail shops of Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Bank Al-Falah Ltd across the country.

Meanwhile, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar regretted that a number of people were not taking the precautionary measures with the result that the disease could spread quickly. He reiterated: “The pace of new cases can only be reduced by taking the precautionary measures. We have enhanced the capacity to test people and are aware that the poor have suffered the most due to lockdown.”

Mr Umar said Covid-19 could become a major challenge for the country’s healthcare system. The decision regarding lifting of the restrictions (lockdown) would be considered after April 14, he added.

According to latest reports, 3,118 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 45 deaths have been reported in Pakistan.

Of them, 1,380 cases were confirmed in Punjab, 881 in Sindh, 372 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 206 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 189 in Balochistan, 78 in Islamabad and 12 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Overall, 170 patients have fully recovered from the disease.

Fake call in circulation

According to a statement, there is fake audio call in circulation being attributed to Mr Umar, who is also focal person for national effort on Covid-19. The audio call, originally from a Lahore’s Bhatta Chowk resident, is fake.

In the call a mimic said the economic condition of people were becoming worst and a few dozen persons, who seemed to be labours, tried to attack on Hammad’s car. The person claimed that dozens of shops were being robbed and every person should carry weapon to avoid snatching.

Coronavirus: Defence firm Babcock to make 10,000 ventilators

2020-04-06T16:29:00.002+05:00

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Defence firm Babcock has said it will be manufacturing 10,000 ventilators to help deal with the coronavirus crisis.

The plan comes nearly two weeks after Dyson said it had received a government order for 10,000 ventilators.

Both devices still have to pass stringent medical tests before they can be accepted.

The move came as tech giant Apple, best-known for phones and computers, said it would start making face shields for medical workers.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook tweeted on Sunday that it has designed and is now making the protective gear.

The tech giant plans to make more than one million shields a week, which will be shipped first to US medical workers and then distributed globally.

It has also sourced 20 million face masks which it is donating worldwide to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, Babcock said in a statement that it had "responded quickly to the UK Prime Minister's UK Ventilator Challenge".

"We are proud to have been awarded a contract by the Cabinet Office to manufacture 10,000 Zephyr Plus ventilators, subject to regulatory approvals; a product being developed in collaboration with an established major international supplier of critical care ventilators," the firm added.

A ventilator is a machine that helps a person breathe by getting oxygen into the lungs and removing carbon dioxide.

A shortage of ventilators to treat coronavirus patients with acute symptoms is seen as one of the major problems facing the NHS as it battles the pandemic.

Babcock's statement did not say where the ventilators would be manufactured, but it has factories in Scotland and south-west England.

Image copyrightCompanies, from electronics firms to carmakers, have been shifting production to help make vital medical equipment and supplies for hospitals around the world.

In a video posted on Twitter, Apple's Mr Cook said: "This is a truly global effort, and we're working continuously and closely with governments at all levels to ensure these are donated to places of greatest need."

Apple has pulled in designers, engineers and suppliers to shape, produce and ship the face shields.

Mr Cook said the first shipment of the plastic face shields, which can be assembled in less than two minutes, was delivered last week to some hospitals in Silicon Valley. The materials are sourced from both the US and China.

"In both these efforts, out focus is on unique ways Apple can help, meeting essential needs of caregivers urgently and at a scale the circumstances require," Mr Cook added. "For Apple, this is a labour of love and gratitude, and we will share more of our efforts over time."

With a worldwide shortage of hospital equipment such as ventilators and protective gear for medical workers, organisations, educational institutions and individuals have been joining the effort to meet the demand.

In the UK, around 1,400 3D-printer owners have pledged to use their machines to help make face masks for the NHS.

Whale sharks: Atomic tests solve age puzzle of world's largest fish

2020-04-06T16:23:00.000+05:00

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Data from atomic bomb tests conducted during the Cold War have helped scientists accurately age the world's biggest fish.

Whale sharks are large, slow moving and docile creatures that mainly inhabit tropical waters.

They are long-lived but scientists have struggled to work out the exact ages of these endangered creatures.

But using the world's radioactive legacy they now have a workable method that can help the species survival.

Whale sharks are both the biggest fish and the biggest sharks in existence.

Growing up to 18m in length, and weighing on average of about 20 tonnes, their distinctive white spotted colouration makes them easily recognisable.

Image copyrightImage caption

A whale shark foraging for plankton

These filter feeders live on plankton and travel long distances to find food.

They are very popular with tourists in many locations, often allowing divers to swim alongside them.

However, the species is now classified as endangered because of over-fishing in places like Thailand and the Philippines.

Much about the species remains a mystery, especially how to age them correctly.

Researchers say this is fundamental to understanding their growth rates - information that's considered crucial to saving the species in the long term.

Image copyrightImage caption

Whale sharks are a big draw for tourists and generally pose little threat

To date, scientists have tried to count distinct lines in the vertebrae of dead whale sharks. These act like rings in a tree trunk, increasing as the animal gets older.

But scientists have been unsure about how often these rings can form and the reasons behind them.

Now researchers say they have come up with a much more accurate way of determining the whale sharks' true age.

From the late 1940s, several nations including the US, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, France and China conducted atomic bomb tests in different locations.

Image copyrightImage caption

A child plays with a dead whale shark, caught by fishermen off Indonesia

One side effect of all these explosions was the doubling of an atom type, or isotope, called Carbon-14 in the atmosphere.

Over time, every living thing on the planet has absorbed this extra Carbon-14 which still persists.

But as scientists know the rate at which this isotope decays, it is a very useful marker in determining age.

The older the creature, the less Carbon-14 you'd expect to find.

"So any animal that was alive then incorporated that spike in Carbon-14 into their hard parts," said author Dr Mark Meekan, from the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Perth.

"That means we've got a time marker within the vertebrae that means we can work out the periodicity at which those isotopes decay."

One of the difficulties with ageing these sharks has been in getting access to samples of vertebrae.

Image copyrightImage caption

A cross section of a whale shark vertebra showing the growth bands

This team managed to find two long-dead specimens stored in Pakistan and Taiwan.

The study indicated that these creatures do actually live an incredibly long time.

"The absolute longevity of these animals could be very, very old, possibly as much as 100-150 years old," said Dr Meekan.

"This has huge implications for the species. It suggests that these things are probably intensely vulnerable to over-harvesting."

The scientists say their results explain why whale shark numbers have collapsed in locations like Thailand and Taiwan where fishing has taken place.

"They are just not built for humans to exploit," said Dr Meekan.

While the species has recently been upgraded from threatened to endangered on the IUCN Red List, the scientists believe that their work will help efforts at conservation.

By being able to accurately estimate the age of whale sharks, the scientists will be able to provide more accurate guidance on how well a population is doing and whether any fishing can be allowed.

In many tropical regions, whale shark tourism is now a major attraction. The researchers say that encouraging co-operation between different countries along the vast routes that whale sharks follow is key to their survival.

"Whale sharks are a fantastic ambassador for marine life and one that has lifted so many people out of poverty," added Dr Meekan.

"This is a good news story - and it shows there is a silver lining to the mushroom cloud after all," he quipped.

Hydroxychloroquine: Can India help Trump with unproven 'corona drug'?

2020-04-06T16:17:00.002+05:00

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India is reportedly "considering" a request by Donald Trump to release stocks of a drug the US president has called a "game-changer" in the fight against Covid-19.

Mr Trump called India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, a day after the country banned the export of hydroxychloroquine, which it manufactures in large quantities.

The two leaders are on friendly terms, and Mr Trump recently made a high-profile trip to India.

But is India really in a position to help the US? And does Mr Trump even work against the coronavirus?

What is hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine is very similar to Chloroquine, one of the oldest and best-known anti-malarial drugs.

But the drug - which can also treat auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus - has also attracted attention over the past few decades as a potential antiviral agent.

President Trump said that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved it for treating coronavirus, something the organization has denied. Mr Trump later said that it had been approved for "compassionate use" - which means a doctor can give a drug that is yet to be cleared by the government to a patient in a life-threatening condition.

Doctors are able to prescribe chloroquine in these circumstances as it's a registered drug.

So, can India really help President Trump?

Hydroxychloroquine could be bought over the counter and is fairly inexpensive. However, its purchase and use has been severely restricted ever since it was named as a possible treatment for Covid-19.

On Saturday, India banned the export of the drug "without any exception". The order came even as the number of positive cases of Covid-19 spiked in the country. India has now recorded 3,666 active cases of the virus with more than 100 deaths, according to the latest data released by the ministry of health.

But now it seems the government could be reconsidering this stance, possibly following Mr Trump's call to Mr Modi. Local media quoted government sources as saying that a decision on this could be taken as early as Tuesday after considering what domestic requirements could look like in the near future.

Image copyrightImage caption

The two leaders have a warm personal relationship

But does India - one of the world's largest manufacturers of the drug - have the capacity to actually supply other countries as well?

Yes, according to Ashok Kumar Madan, of the Indian Drug Manufacturer's association.

"India definitely has capacity to cater to both global and local markets. Of course, domestic considerations must come first, but we have the capacity," he told the BBC.

Why is Trump so keen on malaria drug to treat coronavirus?
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Coronavirus outbreak could cripple India's economy

Mr Madan also denied reports that China had severely limited the export of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) that is used to manufacture hydroxychloroquine. He acknowledged that 70% of all the APIs needed by India to manufacture drugs come from China, but said that supplies from China had steadily continued "by both sea and air".

But does it work?

Many virologists and infectious disease experts have cautioned that the excitement over hydroxychloroquine is premature.

"Chloroquine seems to block the coronavirus in lab studies. There's some anecdotal evidence from doctors saying it has appeared to help," James Gallagher, BBC health correspondent, explained.

But crucially there have been no complete clinical trials which are important to show how the drug behaves in actual patients, although they are under way in China, the US, UK and Spain.

Even so, some are sceptical about how successful they will prove to be.

"If it truly has a dramatic effect on the clinical course of Covid-19 we would already have evidence for that. We don't, which tells us that hydroxychloroquine, if it even works at all, will likely be shown to have modest effects at best," Dr Joyeeta Basu, a senior consultant physician.

Image caption

American scientists have begun a trial to see if chloroquine will help treat coronavirus

Raman R Gangakhedkar, a senior scientist with the Indian Council of Medical Research, said the policy at the moment is that the drug is not to be used by everyone.

"It is being given to doctors and contacts of lab confirmed cases. When their data will be complied only then a call can be taken whether it should be recommended to everyone," he told reporters last week.

Despite the fact trials are yet to conclude, people have begun to self-medicate - with sometimes disastrous consequences.

There have been multiple reports in Nigeria of people being poisoned from overdoses after people were reportedly inspired by Mr Trump's enthusiastic endorsement of the drug.

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson 'still in charge' despite hospital admission

2020-04-06T16:08:00.001+05:00

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson is "still very much in charge of the government" despite spending the night in hospital with coronavirus, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.

The PM was taken to a London hospital on Sunday evening with "persistent symptoms" - including a temperature - for a series of routine tests.

It is said to be a "precautionary step" taken on the advice of his doctor.

Mr Johnson, 55, tested positive for coronavirus 10 days ago.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab chaired Monday morning's coronavirus meeting in his place.

Last month, the prime minister's spokesman said if Mr Johnson was unwell and unable to work, Mr Raab, as the first secretary of state, would stand-in.

"We hope that as a result of these tests [the prime minister] will be able to come back to Downing Street as soon as possible.

"He's been working extremely hard leading the government and being constantly updated. That's going to continue."

"I'm sure this is very frustrating for him, for somebody like Boris who wants to hand [on] running the government from the front, but nonetheless he's still very much in charge of the government," he added.

US President Donald Trump is among those who has sent his wishes to Mr Johnson.

"All Americans are praying for him. He's a great friend of mine, a great gentleman and a great leader," Mr Trump said, adding that he was sure the prime minister would be fine because he is "a strong person".

And Labour leader Keir Starmer said he hoped the prime minister had a "speedy recovery".

Health Minister Nadine Dorries, who herself tested positive for coronavirus last month, said many of those with the virus would be "felled" by fatigue and high temperature and use isolation to sleep and recover.

"Boris has risked his health and worked every day on our behalf to lead the battle against this vile virus," she said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake said it may be "sensible" for Mr Johnson to "step back" if he is not well enough to carry out his role for now.

"I think in the end if he's not well, he will have to reflect on this because the job's tough at the best of times and it's doubly tough now,".

Although Downing Street insists the PM is still in charge if the medics insist he needs to rest and recuperate then he may well have to take a step back for a period of time.

In the UK we no longer have a deputy prime minister - the last one was Nick Clegg under David Cameron.

Technically, Dominic Raab - as the first secretary of state - would be expected to step up.

His position as foreign secretary, however, does not put him at the centre of the fight against coronavirus.

It would seem likely therefore that the two figures who would be expected to take a key role would be Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Both men have been frequent representatives of the government at the daily news conferences.

Fortunately, however, many of the key decisions - namely how long the lockdown should continue and what the exit strategy should be - still appear some way off.

At the moment the focus is on "flattening the curve" and reducing the level of infections and admissions to hospital.

The day-to-day decisions are therefore likely to depend much more on the advice of the scientists and officials.

The really big decisions are some way off - when it is hoped the prime minister will have recovered.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP and broadcaster, Mr Johnson would be likely to have his chest X-rayed and his lungs scanned, particularly if he had been struggling for breath.

She said he is also likely to have an electrocardiogram to check his heart's function, as well as tests on his oxygen levels, white blood cell count, and liver and kidney function before he is released from the hospital.

Mr Johnson has worked from home since it was announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus on 27 March.

He was last seen in public applauding the NHS and other key workers from his flat in Downing Street on Thursday evening and chaired a coronavirus meeting remotely on Friday morning.

Also on Friday, the prime minister posted a Twitter video in which said he was still displaying minor symptoms.

Media caption Boris Johnson posted a message on Friday

"I still have a temperature. So in accordance with government advice, I must continue my self-isolation until that symptom itself goes," he said.

"But we're working clearly the whole time on our programme to beat the virus."

On Saturday, his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds tweeted that she had spent a week in bed with the main symptoms.

She said she had not been tested for the virus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock had also tested positive for the virus and returned from self-isolation on Thursday to host the daily Downing Street news conference.

The government's chief medical adviser, Prof Chris Whitty, also self-isolated after showing symptoms but has now recovered and is back at work.

The news of Mr Johnson's admission to hospital came shortly after the Queen delivered a rallying message to the nation, saying the UK "will succeed" in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

In a rare speech, the monarch thanked people for following government rules to stay at home and praised those "coming together to help others".

In other developments:

Scotland's chief medical officer has resigned after making two trips to her second home - despite government guidance urging people to avoid unnecessary travel
The National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown, the charity Refuge says
High street pharmacists are "needlessly being put at risk" due to a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says
Train drivers' union Aslef is also calling for London Underground drivers to be provided with masks and gloves to protect them from contracting COVID-19
Young workers and the worst paid are the most likely to be affected by the closure of businesses because of coronavirus, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies

On Sunday the Department of Health said 621 more people had died in hospital in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total death toll to 4,934.

As of 09:00 BST on Sunday, 47,806 people had tested positive for coronavirus, the department said.

IMF pushes Chinese currency "yuan" against US dollar,

2020-04-06T01:17:00.000+05:00

IMF pushes Chinese currency "yuan" against US dollar, The bad days of the dollar have come to an end

IMF pushes Chinese currency against the US dollar, dollar's bad days begin, according to rebel TV World Financial Organization IMF has opened Chinese currency yuan to the US dollar with the US dollar. Is,

According to Current Trend News, the global financial institution has given a green signal in this regard, the IMF says it is trying to make sure that if the world wants to convert its local currency from a small currency to a business. Change

The fear of Chinese economic superiority over the United States has increased since the decision, and on the other hand, the IMF's decision is expected by US authorities to respond quickly.

Remember that China has previously signed a "currency swap" agreement with forty-five countries. This means that these countries can trade in each other's currency. China and Pakistan also signed the agreement in 2012. When the C-Pack project began, the volume of trade between China and Pakistan saw a significant increase and it was decided that China-Pakistan trade should be replaced by dollars. It will be in the yuan.

China imports $ 1.8 billion worth of goods from Pakistan, while Pakistan imports about $ 11 billion worth of goods from China, the government was wondering how to bridge this gap. Now the trade settlement between the two countries will be in the yuan. ”Hasan says that if Pakistan borrowed from China, it might be possible to borrow in dollars instead of dollars and it is possible that in the future, Pakistan will receive euro bonds in Europe. Instead of introducing yuan bonds into Hong Kong and using that money for 'trade settlement'.

In the future, the demand for the dollar will decrease in Pakistan. He said, "China and Russia also trade in yuan. Forty to fifty percent of the trade is currently in yuan. Over time, trade is shifting to the yuan and therefore the demand for the dollar globally has decreased. "

The Chinese currency is now counted in the 'International Reserve Currency'. The IMF had previously counted the British Pound, Japanese Yen, US Dollar, and Euro in this category, but now the yuan has been included. According to sources, countries that were facing economic pressure due to the dollar can now trade in Chinese currency yuan.

Coronavirus: Australia launches criminal investigation into Ruby Princess

2020-04-05T15:27:00.000+05:00

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A criminal investigation has been launched in Australia into how cruise ship passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney despite some exhibiting flu-like symptoms.

More than 600 people on board the Ruby Princess later tested positive for coronavirus and 10 have since died.

The ship remains off the coast with nearly 200 sick crew members on board.

Police in New South Wales said they would look into whether national biosecurity laws had been broken.

Australia has so far reported 5,548 coronavirus cases and 30 deaths.

Those sickened on cruise ships account for nearly a tenth of all cases in Australia.

How did Ruby Princess cruise debacle happen?

The country has imposed strict social distancing measures and clubs, cafes, parks and gyms have been closed in a bid to contain the outbreak

At a news conference, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said there were "many unanswered questions" about the incident.

He said that, by law, vessels were only allowed to dock and disembark passengers if the captain could assure the local authorities that their ship was free from contagious disease.

Mr Fuller said there were "discrepancies" involving the information provided by the ship's owners, Carnival Australia, and the requirements of the law.

"The only way I can get to the bottom of whether our national biosecurity laws and our state laws were broken is through a criminal investigation," he told reporters.

Mr Fuller said that the day before passengers disembarked in Sydney a worker made an emergency call about two people who needed medical assistance. He said police were assured by the operating company that the coronavirus was not an issue on the ship.

"From that perspective, there are many unanswered questions," he added.

Image coPA

Image captionPolice Commissioner Mick Fuller said key questions needed to be answered

The New South Wales government has faced mounting criticism for allowing people off the ship but has insisted that the decision was based on expert advice.

Mr Fuller added that Carnival Australia had said it would fully co-operate with the inquiry. The company has not yet commented publicly.

The Ruby Princess with about 2,700 people on board arrived in Sydney last month after an 11-day cruise.

According to NSW Health, about a dozen passengers had reported feeling unwell and had swabs taken for Covid-19. One was taken by ambulance to hospital.

But other passengers on board weren't told of this. Instead, they streamed off the boat at Circular Quay - some of them coughing and spluttering, according to witnesses. The busy area leads directly into the city centre, with transit links to the airport and outer suburbs.

Image ETTY IMAGES

Image captionThousands of passengers left the ship unaware of a Covid-19 outbreak on board

Elisa McCafferty, an Australian woman who flew home to London with her husband immediately after disembarking, told the BBC: "Nothing was said at any time about anyone being sick onboard. It was a distinct lack of information coming through from Princess [Princess Cruises which is owned by Carnival] the entire time."

A day after the ship docked, officials revealed cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed in three people who had been on board, prompting a scramble to track down everyone who had been on the ship.

Ms McCafferty said she only learned of the danger when she checked her phone at Heathrow Airport.

"I was just absolutely petrified. We had just been on two full flights - what if we had infected someone?"

Coronavirus: Queen to urge 'self-discipline and resolve'

2020-04-05T15:19:00.004+05:00

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The Queen is to stress the value of self-discipline and resolve during the coronavirus pandemic in a special address to the nation on Sunday.

In a rare speech, she will acknowledge the grief, pain and financial difficulties Britons are facing during this "time of disruption".

She will also thank NHS staff and key workers, and emphasise the important role individuals can play.

Her address will be broadcast on TV, radio and social media at 20:00 BST.

The Queen is expected to say: "I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time.

"A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all."

She will add: "I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.

"And those who come after us will say that the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

"That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country."

Why the Queen's message will be about unity

The message was filmed by a single cameraman wearing protective equipment, with all the other technical staff in another room.

It will be intended to reassure and rally people,

The decision to deliver the address has been made "in close consultation with Downing Street", he added.

It comes as the number of deaths in the UK reached 4,313 on Saturday - up by 708 on Friday's figure.

Of those, 212 were in the Midlands, compared with 127 in London - until now the worst affected part of the UK.

A five-year-old child with underlying health conditions is among those whose deaths were most recently reported.

Image copINGTON PALACE

Image captionThe Queen conducted her weekly audience with the prime minister on the telephone last week

In other developments:

The new Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has accused the government of making "serious mistakes" in its response to coronavirus
The Foreign Office said it is now working with 14 commercial airlines to help thousands of Britons still stranded abroad amid the pandemic, with seven charter flights to bring travellers home from India in the coming week
Convenience stores on the outskirts of towns and in rural areas are experiencing a surge in sales - as people turn to them for essentials during the lockdown
A drive-through coronavirus testing centre for frontline NHS staff is due to open at Glasgow Airport's long-stay car park on Sunday afternoon

The Queen will also thank those who are following guidance to stay at home, following a weekend of sunny weather across much of the UK.

In the government's daily briefing on Saturday, NHS England medical director Stephen Powis said there was some evidence that social distancing measures were reducing transmission, and that the latest figures suggested new cases had begun to "stabilise".

However, he stressed that it was not the time to "take our foot off the pedal".

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in self-isolation in Downing Street after testing positive for coronavirus, while his pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds tweeted that she has spent a week in bed with symptoms, but was now "on the mend".

The Queen's address will come less than a week after the Prince of Wales came out of self-isolation, following his diagnosis of coronavirus.

Media captionPrince Charles opens the UK's first emergency field hospital to deal with coronavirus patients.

Prince Charles, 71, spent seven days self-isolating in Scotland after testing positive and displaying mild symptoms.

On Friday, he opened the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London via video link.

Buckingham Palace previously said the Queen last saw her son, the heir to the throne, on 12 March, and was "in good health".

Yemen's warring parties accuse each other of attacking pipeline

2020-04-05T15:08:00.002+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

Warring factions in Yemen accused each other on Sunday of attacking an oil pipeline pumping station in the central province of Marib, where clashes have raged for weeks and displaced tens of thousands of civilians.

The oil ministry of the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government in Yemen said on Sunday the Iran-aligned Houthi group had targeted the station, according to the Saudi state news agency (SPA).

Hussein al-Ezzi, an official in the Houthi-controlled government based in the capital Sanaa since 2014, said Saudi-led coalition forces had attacked the Kofel pumping station in what he described as a dangerous escalation.

Both sides gave no details of the reported attack.

The pipeline is operated by the Yemeni government-owned Safer oil company but no oil has been pumped through it for years.

Yemen’s oil output has collapsed since 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition intervened in the war to try to restore the government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power after it was ousted by Houthi forces in Sanaa.

The United Nations and Western powers hope the threat posed by the global coronavirus pandemic will push Yemen’s combatants into fresh talks to end a largely stalemated war that has left millions vulnerable to disease and starvation.

Coronavirus: Trump predicts ‘a lot of death’ as cases pass 300,000

2020-04-05T10:48:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

US President Donald Trump has warned Americans to prepare for the "toughest week" of the coronavirus pandemic yet, predicting a surge in deaths.

At his daily briefing, Mr Trump said "there will be death" in a grim assessment of the days ahead.

He sought to reassure the worst-hit states, promising medical supplies and military personnel to combat the virus.

But in contrast to his warning, Mr Trump suggested easing social-distancing guidelines for Easter.

"We have to open our country again," Mr Trump told a news conference at the White House on Saturday. "We don't want to be doing this for months and months and months."

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Mr Trump's calls to relax restrictions on life came on the day confirmed coronavirus infections in the US surpassed 300,000, the highest number in the world.

As of Saturday, there were almost 8,500 deaths from Covid-19 in the US, with most in New York state - the epicentre of the outbreak.

On Saturday, New York state recorded 630 more coronavirus deaths, another daily record that takes its toll to 3,565. The state now has almost as many cases - over 113,000 - as the whole of Italy.

Image copAGES

Image captionNew York City hospitals have reported equipment shortages

Elsewhere in the world, there has been cause for optimism as the number of new infections and deaths from coronavirus has started to gradually diminish.

In Italy, the number of coronavirus patients in intensive care units dropped for the first time since the outbreak began on Saturday.

Meanwhile in Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country was "close to passing the peak of infections" as the number of coronavirus deaths fell for the second day in a row.

Globally, more than 60,000 people have died and more than 1.1 million have been infected, Johns Hopkins University in the US says.

What did President Trump say in his briefing?

President Trump gave a candid assessment of what lies ahead for the US in the coming weeks.

"This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death than if this wasn't done but there will be death," Mr Trump said.

To support states in their fight against Covid-19, Mr Trump said his administration would be deploying a "tremendous amount of military, thousands of soldiers, medical workers, professionals".

The military personnel will "soon" be advised of their assignments, he said, adding that "1,000 military personnel" were being deployed to New York City.

Mr Trump also addressed his use of the Defence Production Act, a Korean-War-era law which gives him powers to control the production and supply of US-made medical products.

He said he was "very disappointed" with 3M, a US company that makes masks, saying it "should be taking care of our country" instead of selling to others.

But he rejected accusations that the US had committed an act of "modern piracy" by redirecting 200,000 Germany-bound masks for its own use.

US accused of 'piracy' over mask 'confiscation'

On the question of easing social-distancing restrictions, Mr Trump reiterated a familiar theme.

"The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself," Mr Trump said, expressing hope rules could be relaxed for Easter services.

Trump's lockdown frustration grows

By returning to the theme that "the cure cannot be worse than the problem", President Trump again revealed his frustration that America is still at a standstill.

Mr Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to get people out of their homes and back to work.

While opining that the virus had to be vanquished quickly, Mr Trump restated his view that more people could die because of measures being taken to mitigate the impact of Covid-19, than the disease itself.

He warned that some hard decisions had to be made. "We cannot let this continue," he added, referring to nation's stagnation. "We're not going to destroy our country

What about the rest of the world?

The UK saw a record number of deaths in a day on Saturday - 708 - but the number of confirmed new coronavirus cases fell. The total number of people who have died in hospitals is now 4,313.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pregnant fiancée Carrie Symonds said she had spent several days in bed with symptoms of the virus. She said she was "on the mend" after seven days of rest. Mr Johnson tested positive for the virus last week and has been conducting cabinet meetings via video link.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez extended lockdown measures in the country until 25 April, saying the restrictions were "saving lives". The toll of 809 deaths in one day is the lowest in Spain for a week.
Italy has seen its first drop in the number of patients in intensive care during the outbreak. The number of new deaths - 681 - has taken the country's death toll to 15,362 but is smaller than in previous days.
China observed a three-minute silence in remembrance of more than 3,000 people who died of coronavirus in the country. In Wuhan, where the virus was first detected, all traffic lights turned red temporarily.
Mainland China reported 30 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, up from 19 a day earlier. Most of the cases involved people who had entered from abroad
Kuwait has recorded its first death, and a 79-year-old woman has become the first person to die of coronavirus in Georgia.
What's the latest in New York?
The state has counted 113,074 confirmed cases, 63,036 of them in New York City.
New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo said infections could peak in between four and 14 days.
Mr Cuomo said the number of cases and deaths were now rising at a slower rate in New York City, but there was a worrying increase in cases in nearby Long Island.
Meanwhile a new overflow hospital - the 2,500-bed Javits Center in Manhattan - would be staffed and equipped by the federal government, he said.
Some 85,000 people, about a quarter of them from other states, have signed up to help tackle the outbreak in New York, the worst in the US.
Image copyriAGES
Image captionNew York state is the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis in the US
New York City's mayor has sent messages to its eight million inhabitants urging qualified healthcare workers to volunteer.
"Anyone who's not already in this fight, we need you," said Bill de Blasio, appealing for help from "any health care professional: Doctor, nurse, respiratory therapist, you name it".
What else is happening in the US?
- The US Navy says nearly half the crew of aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt - which has docked in Guam after virus cases were feared on board - have been tested and there have been 155 confirmed cases. No one has been transferred to hospital and 1,548 sailors have left the vessel and gone ashore. Earlier this week the ship's commander was removed after he accused the navy of not doing enough to halt the outbreak.
- President Donald Trump has said he will not wear a face mask despite new medical guidance advising Americans to do so. He could not see himself greeting "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens" in the Oval Office while wearing one, he said.
- Another virus hotspot, the southern state of Louisiana, said deaths had jumped by 20% to 370 on Friday, with 10,000 confirmed cases. Governor John Bel Edwards urged residents to respect his stay-at-home order, asking them to "do a better job". The outbreak in New Orleans has a per capita death rate twice as high as New York's. Doctors and public health officials have suggested that high rates of obesity and related conditions could be playing a role, Reuters reports.
- Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not retaliate after President Trump blocked exports of personal protective equipment for medical staff. He had earlier said it would be a "mistake" for the US to block trade when the US receives the help of Canadian nurses.
Media captionPM Justin Trudeau says it would be a 'mistake' for the US to block medical supplies from Canada

Global coronavirus death toll races past 60,000

2020-04-05T10:24:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

LONDON: The global death toll in the coronavirus crisis soared past 60,000 on Saturday, as US calls for the public to cover their faces reignited debate about whether masks could be effective in stemming the pandemic.

The dubious milestone came as Britain recorded a new daily high in fatalities, including a five-year-old child believed to be the nation’s youngest Covid-19 victim. But hard-hit Spain recorded fewer deaths for a second straight day, providing a glimmer of hope in hard-hit Europe.

China, where the virus first appeared late last year, came to a standstill to mourn the patients and medical staff killed in the outbreak. Across the country, cars, trains and ships sounded their horns, and air-raid sirens wailed.

More than 1.1 million people have now fallen ill across the world and over 60,000 people have died, according to a tally based on official data.

Billions of people are living under some form of lockdown, with roughly half the planet confined to their homes as schools and businesses have closed in a bid to slow down the spread of the virus.

Europe continued to bear the brunt of the pandemic, but official figures suggested the unprecedented measures to restrict people’s movement were having an effect.

Although the picture was grim in Britain where the overall death toll climbed to more than 4,300 out of nearly 42,000 cases, other countries saw reason for cautious optimism.

Spain, which is under a near-total lockdown, saw a second successive daily fall in coronavirus-related deaths with 809 fatalities.

The total number of deaths in the country now stands at 11,744, second only to Italy. The number of new Spanish cases also slowed.

And Italy reported on Friday that the daily rise of officially registered infections dropped to a new low of just four per cent, while the number of people who had fully recovered was rising.

“The numbers are improving,” said Giuli Gallera, chief medical officer of Italy’s worst-hit Lombardy region.

“Our hospitals are starting to breathe.”

But the situation is rapidly deteriorating in the United States, where worst affected New York state reported a record 630 deaths in a single day.

President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday suggested simple masks or scarves might help stem the rocketing infection rate.

Several Western countries, including Germany and France have in recent days changed tack and are now encouraging even the use of homemade masks despite earlier telling citizens only carers needed to cover their faces.

The U-turn has angered and confused some citizens, and spurred a flurry of online tutorials for DIY masks. But Trump himself said he wouldn’t be covering up.

“It’s going to be really a voluntary thing,” the president said. “You don’t have to do it and I’m choosing not to do it, but some people may want to do it and that’s okay.”

Anthony Fauci, head of infectious diseases at the National Institutes of Health, cited “recent information that the virus can actually be spread even when people just speak as opposed to coughing and sneezing.”

The World Health Organisation has been more cautious on the science, although it is reviewing its guidance. The US recommendation will likely worsen an already severe shortage of masks in the US and Europe, which both rely heavily on imports from China.

Officials in New York began advising people to wear masks some days ago.

“I am trying to protect me and my family. If everybody protects themselves, it’s better for all of us,” said Eddie Marrero, a 58-year-old handyman.

In Turkey, all those going to shops or markets must wear a face mask from Saturday.

Despite early indications that the lockdowns are starting to have an effect, European governments have warned citizens not to expect a loosening of the restrictions anytime soon.

Indian MP’s poison

2020-04-05T10:15:00.003+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

IN the India of today, members of the ruling Hindutva clique can get away with demonising Muslims and other minorities without batting an eyelid. They hardly face any reprimands from their leadership, while the international community also mostly maintains a stony silence where persecution of minorities in India is concerned.

The comments made in a recent media interview by Subramanian Swamy, a member of the Indian parliament belonging to the ruling BJP, regarding Muslims, can only be described as hate speech of the most vile kind, and in any civilised dispensation the lawmaker would be facing charges of inciting communal hatred.

While talking to VICE News, Swamy told the interviewer that wherever there is a large Muslim population “there is always trouble” while adding that he was being “kind” by not letting “them [Muslims] ... enter India”.

He added that Muslims in India were not considered equal citizens. Such comments, from the classic playbook of right-wing hate-mongers and demagogues, belong in the dustbin and have no place in a democratic society.

But in today’s India, where a hateful Hindu revivalist narrative prevails, they appear to be par for the course. When India’s home minister and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh — its most populous state — can make similar statements inciting and condoning violence against Muslims, perhaps such despicable words are no mere slip of the tongue; it appears to be part of the national narrative. After all, the BJP is and has been for decades the standard-bearer of communal politics in India. Prime Minister Imran Khan has rightly compared Mr Swamy’s comments to the Nazis’ demonisation of Jews.

The fact is that such irresponsible remarks from politicians in India — coupled with the hyper-nationalism of Indian media outlets — has had an impact on radicalising people in that country, and has contributed to the normalisation of anti-Muslim violence.

The mob lynchings of Muslims on suspicions of eating or transporting beef; the deplorable lockdown of India-held Kashmir; and the recent communal riots in Delhi all point to the fact that when the state condones and supports divisive policies, these have a trickle-down effect on citizens. If the police, bureaucracy and lawmakers stand by as minorities are cornered and pummelled, it does not bode well for national harmony.

Will the custodians of the ‘world’s largest democracy’ address these toxic trends, and will their international supporters raise their voices against blatant rights violations by a major trading partner?

Virus cases may top 50,000 by April end, SC told

2020-04-05T10:09:00.000+05:00

https://www.currenttrendnews.com

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) informed the Supreme Court on Saturday that the number of coronavirus cases in Pakistan might be over 50,000 by the end of April — 2,392 critical patients needing intensive care, 7,024 serious patients and 41,482 others who would have mild symptoms and just require isolation at their homes.

In a report submitted to the apex court, the ministry, however, explained that these figures were mere projections based on assumptions made from trends of the Covid-19 outbreak in other countries.

The ministry in the report on the national action plan for combating Covid-19 told the court that the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus after 35 days of its outbreak in Pakistan remained low as compared to reported cases in European countries and Iran.

Two other reports were also filed before the court on Saturday by the Ministry of Interior and the Punjab government as well as a written synopsis by senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed defending the March 20 order of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for releasing under-trial prisoners (UTPs) on bail.

The reports were furnished prior to a scheduled hearing on Monday of a challenge to the March 20 IHC order on a petition by Raja Mohammad Nadeem.

Ministry report says 2,392 critical patients may need intensive care

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, a five-judge larger bench will resume the hearing of the petition on April 6.

At the last hearing on April 1, the apex court had sought a comprehensive report from the government on measures taken to prevent the spread of deadly coronavirus in the country.

The NHSRC in its report explained that 13,000 health facilities across the country have been entrusted with collecting surveillance data besides developing public awareness messages for dissemination to all modes of media.

Moreover, the Public Health Emergency Operation Centre, activated at the National Institute of Health (NIH) has been assigned to conduct surveillance, prepare daily situation report, risk assessment, date analysis and to follow up suspected patients.

Apart from domestic emergency funding made available by the finance division, the report said, a comprehensive financing requirement for Pakistan to the tune of $366 million from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank has also been prepared in consultation with the provinces that has also been approved by the Planning Commission.

According to the NHSRC report, the NHSRC has also prepared and issued an advisory on Corona Mitigation Strategy for the health sector that include early case detection, contact tracing protocols, infection prevention SOPs, information education and communication material. It has set up 1166 helpline and adopted best practices to educate the masses on avoiding transmission.

In addition, social distancing measures and quarantine/isolation protocols have also been included in the advisory, the report says, adding SOPs for safe dignified burial have also been developed and shared providing clear guidelines to limit infection during the process.

The National Coordination Committee (Covid-19) has also been constituted and given specific terms of reference with respect to controlling the situation.

The NHSRC said that more than 1.4 million travelers were restricted for strict screening at major points of entry in the country — 1.1 million passengers at seven airports and more than 300,000 passengers at three land crossings, adding that 222 suspected patients were identified and quarantined.

Moreover, the NHSRC report says, the provision of five thermal scanners, more than 1,000 guns, essential equipment, human resource, training, standard guidelines and SOPs for point of entry have been developed.

Special counters have been established at all major international airports, all ground crossings at Taftan, Chaman and Torkham borders have further been strengthened, extra officials have been deployed and an emergency has been declared at bordering areas of Balochistan.

Similarly, the report says, 207 hospitals in all major cities and 154 districts of the country have been identified for isolation of suspected patients, adding that the isolation capacity has been increased.

Necessary measures

The interior ministry’s report has informed the apex court that a total of 991,337 persons have departed from Pakistan for different worldwide destinations since Jan 1, 2020 and a total of 13,493 persons have arrived in the country from different countries after screening.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, which is under the administrative control of the interior ministry, has taken appropriate necessary measures to control the spread of Covid-19.

The competent authority, the report says, in exercise of powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution and Section 131-A CrPC has authorised deployment of Pakistan Army’s troops in addition to the civil armed forces in the ICT and in all parts of the country in connection with the prevailing situation.

Moreover, the Pakistan Coast Guards has sealed all the Jetties to control the movements from the sea. In addition, the civil armed forces have been deployed at eight international airports on the recommendation of the National Security Committee to assist the airport authorities across Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Advocate Khawaja Haris Ahmed in his synopsis before the apex court argued that inmates in crowded jails of Pakistan were obliged by law to face trial on the basis of allegations made against them and not to become martyrs while waiting to be tried.

These inmates can be tried and convicted only if they are alive and well enough to face trial, he contended, adding unless the accused benefitting from the March 20 IHC order were desperate or dangerous criminals, their release did not affect the rights of the respective complainant.

Khawaja Haris said though he was not privy to what was discussed and what decisions were taken by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee, with respect to the national calamity and public emergency of international concern, he was quite convinced that the issue of the release of UTPs from jails in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak never discussed.

Besides no such bar was ever placed on high courts upon taking cognisance of the predicament of such prisoners, or passing of any orders to protect them from acquiring or being exposed to the risk of being infected by the deadly virus, he argued.

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