Iran plans 6-day lockdown

Iran plans 6-day lockdown

Tehran:15.08.2021 

Iran says it will impose a six-day-long “general lockdown'' in cities across the country after being hit by what it describes as its fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, state media reported Saturday.

The lockdown includes all bazars, markets and public offices, as well as movie theaters, gyms and restaurants in all Iranian cities. The lockdown will begin on Monday and will last through Saturday.

The national coronavirus taskforce, which issued the decision, also ordered a travel ban between all Iranian cities from Sunday to Friday. Also on Saturday, Iran reported 466 deaths and 29,700 new cases of coronavirus patients in a single day. That brought the total pandemic death toll to 97,208, and total confirmed cases to 4,389,085.

Last week, Iran hit a record in both its single-day death toll and confirmed new cases of COVID-19, with 42,541 new coronavirus cases and a daily death toll of 588. AP

Sydney lockdown extended statewide, fines hiked as Australia faces ‘worst’ Covid episode

Sydney lockdown extended statewide, fines hiked as Australia faces ‘worst’ Covid episode

SYDNEY, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Australian police hiked fines for people breaking lockdown rules in Sydney and the rest of its home state on Saturday and strict stay-at-home orders were extended statewide amid a record jump in daily new COVID-19 infections.

State police will fine up to A$5,000 ($3,700) anyone breaching stay-at-home orders or for lying to contract-tracing officials, said state Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Previously breaching quarantine orders had carried a A$1,000 fine.

"We have to accept that this is the worst situation New South Wales has been in since day one. And it's also regrettably, because of that, the worst situation Australia's been in," she told a news conference.

Locally transmitted infections surged by a record 466 over the previous 24 hours, eclipsing the previous daily high of 390 set on Friday. Four deaths were recorded on Saturday, taking the state's total in the latest outbreak to 42.

It is becoming increasingly unlikely Sydney will end its nine-week lockdown on Aug. 28 as planned. Authorities had been talking about easing some restrictions if enough people are vaccinated and case numbers fall.

"We will get through this, but September and October are going to be very difficult," Berejiklian said.

"This is literally a war, and we've known we've been in a war for some time, but never to this extent."

Hundreds more defence personnel will be deployed next week to Sydney to help enforce the lockdown, with authorities particularly concerned about the spread of the virus to several regional towns.

A new A$3,000 fine will apply to people entering rural areas without an official permit, while stay-at-home orders were introduced for seven days in regional areas not currently in lockdown.

Weddings and funerals will get a day "grace period" and will be allowed on Sunday, but schools across the state will close, officials said. The head of the Australian Retailers Association, Paul Zahra, said the state-wide lockdown would come as a shock to many regional towns and could cost the economy A$1.5 billion ($1.11 billion) per week.

The permit to enter rural areas will only be granted for certain reasons including authorised work, property inspections or urgent work repairs on a second home. AGENCIES

SLOW AND UNSTEADY: The Delta variant-spurred second wave has hit Australia hard and it is dealing with a delay in vaccine supply. As of August 8, Australia had just over 3 million vaccine doses available, with nearly 10 million people yet to receive even a first dose

Independence Day: When differences between Periyar, Annadurai came to fore

Independence Day: When differences between Periyar, Annadurai came to fore

Most people only remember August 15, 1947 as Independence Day. But it also marked an important shift in Tamil Nadu’s political history.

Published: 15th August 2021 05:11 AM 

File photo of CN Annadurai with Periyar | Express

By S Kumaresan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Most people only remember August 15, 1947 as Independence Day. But it also marked an important shift in Tamil Nadu’s political history. It was the first time differences between Dravida Kazhagam (DK) leader Periyar and his trusted lieutenant CN Annadurai were displayed publicly. Their differences culminated in the formation of the DMK, which now runs the State government.

Archives of various news reports say Periyar, the icon of the Dravidian movement, didn’t want to celebrate Independence Day in 1947 since he believed it would pave the way for permanent domination by the influential Brahmin-Baniya community. The British didn’t heed his demand to create a separate country in the south named ‘Dravida Nadu’, and he appealed to his followers to observe it as a day of mourning.

Annadurai, who was then the general secretary of the DK, openly aired his difference of opinion and appealed for the day to instead be celebrated as ‘Inba Naal, Iniya Naal’. In an article in his magazine Dravida Nadu, he said the aim of the Dravidian movement is to overthrow both the British and the dominance of Brahmins. Since Independence Day means attaining one of the two objectives, it must be celebrated.

He wrote that the Dravidian movement sought freedom from foreign rule, but the Congress was trying to overthrow the British and establish Brahmin rule, and hence, the Congress was to be opposed. He said opposition to the Congress wouldn’t mean support to the British, and reasoned that if the DK didn’t celebrate Independence Day, Congressmen would portray the DK as supporters of the British and hence against independence.

When a large section of DK cadre publicly celebrated the first Independence Day, it became clear that Anna held so much influence among them that they even went against party supremo Periyar’s dictum. The day also helped bring to the roads all Anna’s strong supporters within the DK, and served as a massive public display of his support base.

In the next few months, it appeared that the strain in Periyar and Anna’s relationship had ended, as Anna took part in an anti-Hindi-imposition conference of the DK in Erode in 1948. But Periyar’s decision to marry Maniyammai was the breaking point, and in 1949, Anna formed the DMK, and subsequently in 1956, the party entered electoral politics despite Periyar’s avowed stance against this.

It was widely believed that the large number of DK cadre celebrating the first Independence Day based on Anna’s call gave him the confidence to launch a new party. Suba Veerapandian, general secretary of the Dravida Iyakka Tamilar Peravai, said that both Periyar and Anna opposed the British rule, and while Periyar boycotted the Independence Day celebrations, it wasn’t just him, but even the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narayan.

Seventeen nurses of private hospital among four fresh COVID-19 clusters in Chennai

Seventeen nurses of private hospital among four fresh COVID-19 clusters in Chennai

As on Friday, the city had 2007 active cases and of the total 39,537 streets in the city, 1068 had active cases. Of these, 869 streets had less than three cases and 44 had five or more cases.

Published: 14th August 2021 06:08 PM |

A passenger who arrived from Kerala gets her samples collected for a Covid test, at the Central railway station in Chennai on Thursday | Martin Louis

By Nirupama Viswanathan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Chennai city corporation has in the last few days identified four COVID-19 clusters, each with at least 10 cases. One of the latest clusters identified comprises 17 nurses of a private hospital who were all residing at Royapuram. The corporation has initiated containment measures around the three buildings where the staff from various branches of the same private hospital are lodged.

"Since the staff were well acquainted with the protocol, they isolated roommates with symptoms and were also tested every 15 days. Despite their efforts, a group of 17 have tested positive," said a corporation official. The staff are suspected to have picked up the infection at work.

Another cluster identified more recently was an apartment complex in Yogambal Street in Kodambakkam zone.

ALSO READ: Aadi festival sparks Covid cluster of 24 in Chennai, 47-year-old unvaccinated woman dies

"A couple first tested positive earlier this month. One after the other, nine others in the same apartment who were all extended family members of this couple, tested positive," said another official. The apartment's security guard was also among those who tested positive. In addition, an elderly woman in the next building and the security guard there were also found to be COVID positive.

The couple who were the index cases in the cluster are suspected to have contracted the virus from a private hospital which they visited often for treatment.

Earlier, there were two clusters -- one due to a temple gathering at Varadhammal Garden Street in Pulianthope and another apartment complex cluster at Model School Road in Sholinganallur where 23 tested positive.

"Since we now have a well-oiled system to handle emerging clusters and prevent them from spreading, we are determined to prevent an outbreak. We are also at the same time creating awareness and mobilising people for vaccinations," said a corporation official.

As on Friday, the city had 2007 active cases and of the total 39,537 streets in the city, 1068 had active cases. Of these, 869 streets had less than three cases and 44 had five or more cases.

There are 24 streets in the city with over six COVID-19 cases in Madhavaram, Tondiarpet, Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Anna Nagar, Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Alandur, Adyar and Sholinganallur.

Uproar in PU after officials defer next phase of Senate polls

Uproar in PU after officials defer next phase of Senate polls

Poviet Kaur

Chandigarh:15.08.2021

Protests were held in Panjab University by various student organisations, former senators and candidates of registered graduates constituency in front of the VC office on Saturday, demanding elections for registered graduates. The varsity had postponed the elections on Friday.

The registered graduates constituency is the biggest in Panjab University with 3,61,869 eligible voters. It was to go to polls next. D P S Randhawa, one of the contestants from registered graduates constituency said, “This decision has been taken deliberately as they were doing in the past. The administration never wants democracy to prevail on campus and now they have found a way of not conducting polls, but we are not going to back off. We will make sure we get the date for polling.”

According to a notice issued, 272 polling booths had to be set up in seven states and UTs, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. Uttarakhand and Delhi failed to give permission for the elections, which were to be held on Friday, necessitating a postponement. As per the notice, even Haryana, which is supposed to have 29 booths, has lapsed on giving permission for at least seven booths, stating they are being used for Haryana Staff Selection Examinations at present. Punjab too, in a letter dated August 10, has reportedly communicated to the varsity that “the schools have opened only a few days ago and senate elections happen to be on a working day” while requesting the varsity to either choose alternative dates or reschedule the polls for a holiday.

“Therefore, due to circumstances stated above, which are beyond the control of the university, competent authority has ordered to postpone, for the time being, the election of registered graduate constituency,” the notice read. Mritunjay, the PUTA president said, “The administration must be knowing the issue from last15-20 days but they issued the notice last night, which clearly shows how irresponsible they are and how they want the democratic system to shut down in the university.”

Protest being held in PU against postponement of elections

If they don’t respond to us then we are left with the only choice that is taking them to the court. We want democracy which treats everyone equally but they put dictatorship rule and it will not work

ASHOK GOYAL

Former senator

Student sends threat mails to Mumbai University over results, let off with warning

Student sends threat mails to Mumbai University over results, let off with warning

A probe began after MU officials approached BKC police station informing about these mails that had been sent on July 9 and 10.

Published: 14th August 2021 08:26 PM |

By PTI

MUMBAI: A student was held and let off with a warning after he sent multiple e-mails threatening to blow up the Mumbai University campus in Kalina here if it did not declare the results of BA, B.COM and B.

Sc courses quickly, police said on Saturday.

A probe began after MU officials approached BKC police station informing about these mails that had been sent on July 9 and 10, an official said.

"We zeroed in on the IP address from which the mails were sent and nabbed the student behind it. Since the mails were part of a prank and nothing suspicious was found, and also looking at the affect it could have had on his academic career, we let him off with a warning," the official informed.

Air India to operate three flights a week from Kochi to London from August 22

Air India to operate three flights a week from Kochi to London from August 22

As the United Kingdom has included India in the Amber list, passengers have to undergo three Covid tests

Published: 14th August 2021 01:38 PM 

By Express News Service

KOCHI: Bringing cheers to the expat community, Air India has decided to operate three flights a week in the Kochi-London sector from August 22. Air India had on August 7 announced the launch of the London Heathrow-Kochi service from August 18. Considering the positive response from the expat community, the national carrier decided to increase the frequency of services to London.

As per the current schedule, Air India will launch the service to London Heathrow airport on August 18. Flight number AI 150/149 will arrive in Kochi at 03.45 am on Wednesday and depart at 05.50 am for Heathrow. Two more services will be launched from August 22 raising the total weekly operations to three.

The new schedule will stimulate the aviation as well as tourism sectors, said Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) managing director S Suhas. "This is the highest number of flight services that have been scheduled in this sector in the history of CIAL. It will provide a shot in the arm for the efforts taken by the state government and CIAL to establish frequent connectivity to Europe,” he said.

As per the new schedule, Air India will operate services to London on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The flight will take 10 hours to reach the destination. CIAL has waived parking and landing fees for airlines operating in the European sector as part of its persistent effort to improve global connectivity.

As the United Kingdom has included India in the Amber list, passengers have to undergo three Covid tests. The first should be taken three days prior to departure and the second on the day of arrival or before Day 2. The third test should be taken on or after Day 8. Home quarantine for 10 days is mandatory on arrival in the UK. For UK nationals who are fully vaccinated, neither quarantine nor the Day 8 test is required. People who have been fully vaccinated in the United States or European countries will not need to quarantine.