No Covid cases in Wuhan hospitals now

Wuhan  27.04.2020

The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province where the coronavirus pandemic originated last December, has dropped to zero, a health official said on Sunday.

The result was achieved with the hard efforts of medical workers in Wuhan and those who were dispatched to assist the city in the fight against the virus from across the country, said Mi Feng, a spokesperson for China’s National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

The last patient in serious condition in Wuhan was cured on Friday, reducing the number of such patients in the city to zero. In Hubei province, the number of existing cases dropped below 50 for the first time. No new confirmed cases of the disease had been reported for over 20 days in the province. Also on Sunday, the National Health Commission reported that there were 12 active Covid-19 cases in Wuhan.

Health authorities said, until Sunday midnight, 11 people had been discharged after overcoming the infection in Wuhan, making the total number of “active” infections both in the city and throughout Hubei 12. China reported 11 new cases in the last 24 hours, five of which were imported. Of the remaining six cases, “local” infections, five were diagnosed in the province of Heilongjiang, where an outbreak of travellers from Russia has been detected in recent days, forcing a border closure. IANS

Chinese firms stand by test kits

They say products approved by ICMR, NIV Pune and meet ISO norms

25/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Failing the test: The ICMR had halted surveillance testing for two days over complaints of faulty kits. M. Moorthy

Leading Chinese makers of rapid testing kits for COVID-19 have expressed shock and surprise at the reports of malfunctioning of the devices they had supplied to India, saying the products have been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology. The clarification came as more Chinese supplies seemed set to arrive in India during the rest of the month.

“Wondfo received import licence from India for Wondfo SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test [Lateral Flow Method] on March 20, 2020. And the product was validated and approved by the ICMR through National Institute of Virology [NIV], Pune,” said a statement from Wondfo, one of the major global suppliers of rapid testing kits required to deal with the COVID-19 viral infection.

A similar statement was issued by Livzon Diagnostics Inc, the other Chinese supplier that also supplied a bulk of the kits. They said the products met the ISO-9001 standards.

The statements from the Chinese medical device companies came a day after the ICMR advised stoppage of use of rapid test kits for two days, largely due to complaints of variation in the tests.

The controversy is, however, unlikely to dent the medical supplies from China. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India was likely to get more medical goods from China.

“In the past two weeks, around two dozen flights departed for India from five cities in China carrying nearly 400 tonnes of medical supplies, including RT-PCR test kits, Rapid Antibody Tests, PPE kits, thermometers etc. Around 20 more flights are expected to bring supplies from China in the coming days,” said Mr. Srivastava.

Trump’s order has students in a fix

22.04.2020

Yuvraj Akula  Hyderabad

Telengana Today

Several thousands of Indian students, a majority of them Telugus, who were waiting for the Covid-19 pandemic to end so that they could revive their dreams of pursuing higher education in the United States, have been thrown into uncertainty and confusion with the latest proclamation by US President Donald Trump.

The US government, which has already temporarily suspended immigration citing the pandemic, has now decided to review non-immigrant programmes within 30 days. Though the finer details of the fallout of this exercise are yet to emerge, experts feel this could have a major impact on Indians dreaming of not just pursuing higher education in the US, but also those looking at working there as well, i.e., once the pandemic ends and things get back to normal.

The confusion and uncertainty were triggered by Trump’s proclamation on Wednesday asking authorities to review non-immigrant programmes and recommend appropriate measures to stimulate the US economy, among other measures.

Review in 30 days

“Within 30 days of the effective date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall review non-immigrant programmes and shall recommend to me other measures appropriate to stimulate the United States economy and ensure the prioritization, hiring, and employment of United States workers,” read a proclamation dated April 22.

(See PAGE 2)

Trump’s order has students in a fix

Most Indians in the US have non-immigrant visas like H-1B visa (temporary work permit for foreigners), student or F1 visa. As per the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a total of 1,16,031 H-1B new or initial petitions were processed in fiscal year 2019. Of the total petitions, 27,707 of them were rejected by the USCIS.

Further, the Open Doors Survey 2019 has revealed that the number of Indian students moving to the US for higher education has increased from 1,96,271 in 2017-18 to 2,02,014 in 2018-19. Statistics show that the number of Indian students moving to US universities has nearly doubled in the last six years from 1,02,673 in 2013-14 to 2,02,014 in 2018-19. Any restrictions to these non-immigrant visas might be detrimental for Indian nationals planning to work or go for higher education in the US, say education and visa experts here.

“The move by Trump is more of an election strategy as the US Presidential election is slated to be held at the end of the year. He is trying to create a vote base by issuing this kind of order,” a city-based US education expert said.

Trump has also signed orders temporarily suspending immigration into the US. This means the US government will not issue permanent residence or green cards for 60 days. The move is purportedly aimed at keeping foreigners away from taking jobs in the US and giving priority to locals.

According to statistics available with the US Department of Homeland Security, as many as 53,707 Indians obtained lawful permanent resident status or green cards in 2019. “The order on suspension of immigration, though worrisome, might not be actually harming the cause of green card applicants. It will at best delay their cause by 60 days. But what is more worrisome is the possible extension of such a ban to other visa classes, viz., H-1B, H-2B or even F1 visa under which STEM students are allowed a three-year Optional Practical Training (OPT) period and non-STEM students a one-year OPT period,” IMFS Hyderabad director Ajaya Kumar Vemulapati said.

Students and education/visa consultancies, already hit hard by the Covid-19 triggered lockdown, are now scanning media reports from the US on the internet to know how the two orders could exactly impact their future and dreams

Local universities announce initiatives for financial aid, jobs for graduating students 

File photos of Nanyang Technology University and National University of Singapore. 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/covid-19-coronavirus-universities-aid-jobs-nus-ntu-graduates-12672154

By Ang Hwee Min

24 Apr 2020 05:00AM(Updated: 24 Apr 2020 12:49PM) 

SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) announced on Friday (Apr 24) an initiative to offer full-time salaried positions and paid traineeships for graduating students, in light of the weakened job market during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Students from the graduating class of 2020 can apply for 200 full-time positions within the university, spanning roles in central administration and across the 17 faculties and schools, 29 research institutes and the National University Health System, said the university in a press release. 

They may also apply for 800 traineeships in four tracks - education, research, entrepreneurship and executive and professional, said NUS. These positions are launched in partnership with the SG United Traineeships Programme also announced on Friday. 

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) announced later on Friday that it plans to create “several hundred” paid traineeships to support the programme, and they will be open to the undergraduate class of 2020 from all disciplines. 

These traineeships will be available across NTU’s colleges, schools, research centres and institutes, as well as corporate and joint laboratories with “strong industry engagement”, said NTU in a media release. 

The Government will set aside S$100 million to fund the traineeship scheme, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) on Friday. From Jun 1, recent graduates of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), polytechnics, universities and other institutions will be able to tap on the programme. 

Traineeships will last up to 12 months and trainees will get a monthly training allowance, based on the scope and skills required for the traineeship. 

The Government will fund 80 per cent of the allowance and the trainee’s host company will fund the remainder. 

According to WSG and MOM, this monthly training allowance is pegged to 50 to 70 per cent of median starting salaries. Host companies will not have to make CPF contributions for the trainees as “there is no employer-employee relationship” under the programme. 

To qualify for the programme, trainees must be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident. They must also have graduated – or be graduating – in the calendar year of 2019 or 2020, or have graduated earlier and completed National Service in 2019 or 2020. 

TRAINEESHIPS, COURSE SUBSIDIES 

More than 280 organisations across the private and public sectors and institutes of higher learning have offered more than 4,000 traineeships under the programme. The aim is to have up to 8,000 traineeships this year in fields such as life sciences, engineering and the arts. 

“Graduating students are concerned that they cannot land good jobs. The idea of the R&G Initiative is to provide them with opportunities that have strong development potential and which will give them an edge in a competitive market,“ said Professor Ho Teck Hua, NUS senior deputy president and provost. 

All trainees will have access to all of the university’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses and certificates for free, said Prof Ho. 

Singaporean graduates who receive financial aid will be given priority in receiving these paid traineeships, he added. 

All fresh graduates in NTU’s class of 2020 will receive an additional S$1,600 in alumni credits that can be used to offset fees at the university's CET courses. This is on top of the existing S$1,600 available to all alumni, said NTU. 

The Ministry of Education also announced on Friday that all 16,000 Singaporean and PR graduates from the class of 2020 across the six autonomous universities will enjoy four complimentary CET modules offered by their universities. 

The joint effort by the Education Ministry, SkillsFuture Singapore and the autonomous universities is “in recognition that with the uncertain economic outlook, some fresh graduates may want to continue their learning and pick up additional skills”. 

SkillsFuture Singapore will provide a subsidy of 70 per cent of course fees for Singaporean and PR graduates, with the universities subsidising the remainder. 

FINANCIAL AID 

NTU announced on Wednesday a relief package to provide financial support for students affected by the pandemic. Additional initiatives to help graduating undergraduates find employment will be unveiled next week, said the university in a press release. 

Under the relief package, NTU has established a S$2 million OneNTU Fund to support Singapore citizen and PR students “who need immediate assistance due to the COVID-19 outbreak”. 

Eligible students may get an interest-free advance of up to S$1,500, which they will reimburse to NTU within two years after graduation, said the university. 

NTU will also establish the NTU Priorities Fund, driven by private philanthropy. This fund will address “urgent needs” identified by the university and will be used to offer financial assistance to the neediest NTU students affected by COVID-19 “who have no other recourse for help". 

“Recipients of support from the fund will pledge to ‘pay it forward’ within two years after graduation and return the interest-free cash assistance to the university,” said the university in the press release. 

“COVID-19 has already caused profound social and economic disruptions across the globe, and these effects have hit close to home too. We have students grappling with sudden loss of family income or find that they no longer have part-time jobs and are worried about their daily lives should the situation continue,” said NTU president Subra Suresh. 

DEFERRED FEES FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS 

Graduating students who enrol in any Master’s degree programmes at NUS may also defer the payment of course fees for up to three years from the date of enrolment at no interest, said the university. 

For NTU final-year PhD and Master’s students who “face difficulties” completing research work within this semester “due to the disruptions caused by the closure of their labs due to COVID-19”, the university will extend their candidature with a full waiver of tuition fees for up to one semester. 

This includes PhD and Master’s students on their final year of NTU scholarship, and all other research students in their final year of candidature. 

“We will continue to monitor and evaluate these dynamic circumstances and take appropriate measures as the situation evolves,” said Professor Suresh. 

எங்கள் குடிமகனை போல இந்தியர்களை பார்த்துக்கொள்வோம்; சிங்கப்பூர் பிரதமர்

Updated : ஏப் 24, 2020 08:44 | Added : ஏப் 24, 2020 08:42

சிங்கப்பூர்: புலம்பெயர்ந்த இந்தியர்களை மற்ற சிங்கப்பூர் குடிமகன்களைப் போலவே கவனித்துக் கொள்வோம் என பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடிக்கு, சிங்கப்பூர் பிரதமர் லீ ஹ்சியன் லூங் உறுதியளித்துள்ளார்.

கொரோனா (கோவிட்-19) பாதிப்பால் உலகமே அள்ளாடி வரும் நிலையில், சிங்கப்பூரில் புலம்பெயர்ந்த இந்திய தொழிலாளர்கள் சிக்கியுள்ளனர். இந்நிலையில், இந்திய பிரதமர் மோடியுடன், சிங்கப்பூர் மற்றும் இந்தியாவில் நடந்து வரும் கொரோனா தெற்று நிலைமை குறித்து தொலைபேசியில் கலந்துரையாடியதாக சிங்கப்பூர் பிரதமர் லீ ஹ்சியன் பேஸ்புக்கில் பதிவிட்டுள்ளார்.

மேலும், அவர் பதிவிட்டதாவது: நாங்கள் சிங்கப்பூர் குடிமகனை கவனிப்பது போலவே, இங்குள்ள புலம்பெயர்ந்த இந்திய தொழிலாளர்களையும் கவனித்துக்கொள்வோம் என்று நான் அவருக்கு (மோடி) உறுதியளித்தேன். புலம்பெயர்ந்த தொழிலாளர்கள் இங்கு வேலைக்கு வர தனிப்பட்ட தியாகங்களை செய்தார்கள். அவர்கள் சிங்கப்பூருக்கு பல பங்களிப்புகளை செய்துள்ளனர். எனவே, அவர்கள் மீது எங்களுக்கு பொறுப்பு உள்ளது. இந்தியாவில் இருந்த எங்கள் நாட்டினரை அழைத்து வர உதவியதற்காக மோடிக்கு நன்றி. இவ்வாறு அவர் பதிவிட்டிருந்தார்.

இது குறித்து மோடி தனது டுவிட்டரில் பதிவிட்டுள்ளதாவது: கோவிட்-19 தொற்றுநோய் குறித்த கருத்துக்களை பிரதமர் லீ ஹ்சியன் உடன் பரிமாறப்பட்டன. சிங்கப்பூரில் உள்ள இந்திய குடிமக்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட ஆதரவு மற்றும் கவனிப்புக்கு நன்றி. இந்தியாவுக்கும் சிங்கப்பூருக்கும் இடையிலான மூலோபாய கூட்டு, கொரோனா தொற்றுக்கு பிந்தைய உலகில் ஸ்திரத்தன்மை மற்றும் செழிப்புக்கு பங்களிக்க முடியும், என பதிவிட்டுள்ளார்.

Foreigners paid dearly to fly out

U.S. nationals had to cough up nearly three times the normal one-way fare

24/04/2020, S. VIJAY KUMAR ,CHENNAI

Foreign nationals at the Kolkata airport to board a special flight recently. AFP

24.04.2020

Hundreds of foreign nationals stranded in India during the COVID-19 lockdown flew home in chartered flights organised by their home countries in coordination with airlines and the Government of India in recent weeks. However, the evacuation trips did not come for free and they were not affordable either.

While the U.S. nationals had to pay anywhere between $2,000 and $2,500 per person from New Delhi to San Francisco or Mumbai to Atlanta, British nationals had to spend between £500 and £600 despite the U.K. government allocating £75 million for chartered flights from countries where commercial flight operations were not available.

Loan option

However, the U.S. gave a loan option to its nationals and even took a promissory note allowing them to fly and pay later. The U.K. government offered conditional loans that many could not avail while flying out of India. U.S. nationals were informed that if they failed to repay the loan, they would not be eligible for issue of new passport. Only U.S. citizens with confirmation with U.S. Mission to India were allowed to board the flights.

“Please understand this flight is not free. All passengers will need to reimburse the U.S. government for the cost of the flight. Previous flights have cost between $2,000 and 2,500 per person. A legal document, called a promissory note, for the full cost of the flight must be signed by each adult passenger. However, payment is not required at the time of the flight,” the U.S. Embassy in India said in a travel advisory to its nationals.

Responding to an announcement put out on Twitter by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that U.K. travellers should return home and £75 million had been allocated to support special chartered flights where commercial options were no longer available, an aspiring flyer replied wondering why people were being charged £600 from India if so much money was earmarked. Another traveller said the tickets were “quite expensive” for one way and sought to know how he could take the loan. However, he was informed that he should attempt to use his own financial means to arrange return to the U.K..

No relief

“I had to pay £1,088 for travel from Delhi to London for myself and my three-year-old daughter. This is more than double the normal fare... we usually pay £862 for return ticket on the same sector. We are British nationals and the U.K. government should have considered some subsidy if not free repatriation,” said Neha Chauhan, a banking professional in London who took a British Airways flight from Delhi on April 21, 2020.

Early this month, the U.K. government said that over 3,000 British travellers, including tourists, short-term travellers and their direct dependents, currently stranded in India could get home on an additional 12 chartered flights for which bookings opened on April 10, 2020. Travellers who could not afford the cost and had exhausted all other options for getting funds were told to contact a commercial partner for seeking loan. “You may be eligible to apply for an emergency loan to cover the cost of the ticket. This is a last resort option and you would need to repay the loan when you are back in the U.K.,” the advisory said.

Srikanth, an IT director in a reputed firm in Washington DC and a native of Visakhapatnam, said the fare was almost thrice compared to the normal one-way trip from Delhi to San Francisco or Mumbai to Atlanta, the sectors in which the rescue flights were operated. “Travellers were told to report to the nearest U.S. Consulate for a health check-up. This fare is much more than what is sold during peak holiday season. Many stayed back hoping that flights will resume soon after the lockdown in India,” he said.

Many other countries including Australia, Japan and others operated special flights to move their nationals stranded in India. Their pricing details were not available for comparison though airport sources said that most of the rescue planes charged double since they would fly back empty.

Long wait for pregnant nurses in Saudi Arabia

40 Malayali nurses in Gulf country approach Ministry of External Affairs & state govt seeking help to return home

Published: 22nd April 2020 06:44 AM 

By Manoj Viswanathan

Express News Service

KOCHI: They are all in advanced stages of pregnancy and are unable to get medical care as most of the hospitals have shut down the outpatient departments. Many of them are first-time moms and they are unable to cope with the anxiety as there is no relative around to attend them. As many as 40 Malayali nurses, serving at various hospitals in Saudi Arabia, have approached the Ministry of External Affairs and Kerala government seeking help to return home.

“I was working under the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia as a nurse and had resigned last month preparing to return home for delivery. I am into the 35th week of pregnancy and I am staying alone at King Saud Hospital in Thaif. The hospital is a Covid care centre and a staff in the labour ward was recently tested positive. Though there are many Malayali nurses around, many of them are attending Covid patients which makes close contact risky,” Dona Sunny, a native of Bison Valley in Idukki district, told TNIE over the phone. Dona’s husband Sarath is stranded in Kuwait after the hotel where he worked was closed down due to the outbreak.

“Only women who have completed 37 weeks of pregnancy are provided medical care at hospitals. In case of an emergency, only the patient will be shifted to hospital in an ambulance and no bystander is allowed. As the chances of getting proper medical care during delivery are scarce, we have approached the MEA to evacuate us,” said Dona. Though the nurses contacted the Indian Embassy at Riyadh and Jiddah, they were told the request will be prioritised if the Indian government decides to evacuate people.

“We had contacted the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, but there is no positive reply on evacuation. There is no gynaecology department in the hospital where we work. We are depending on clinics for medical care and there is uncertainty on availing hospital admission for delivery,” said Amala Varghese, who works at a hospital in Riyadh. 

Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, who contacted Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar, said the minister did not give any assurance of evacuation. “The reply is disappointing. The ministry said no special flights are planned at this juncture and advised people to stay where they are. The government will keep reviewing the situation and is constantly working on all the options. As the case of the pregnant nurses is a unique one, the government should consider their appeal with compassion,” he said.

Dire straits

With most hospitals having shut down their outpatient departments, the nurses are unable to avail medical care

The current practice is such that only women who have completed at least 37 weeks of pregnancy receive proper treatment

Singapore extends curbs as cases surge

22/04/2020, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,SINGAPORE

Singapore on Tuesday extended restrictions to fight the COVID-19 until early June as cases surged past 9,000 due to a growing number of infections among migrant workers. The city-state managed to keep its outbreak in check in the early stages due to widespread testing and contact-tracing, but is facing a second wave of infections. It reported 1,111 cases on Tuesday taking the total to 9,125, with the majority of new infections in foreign workers’ dormitories, which have become the epicentre of the city’s outbreak.

Pak. PM to get tested for COVID-19

22/04/2020, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,ISLAMABAD

Imran Khan has agreed to get tested for COVID-19 after a well-known philanthropist was tested positive for the COVID-19, days after meeting the Pakistan prime minister, his doctor said on Tuesday. Faisal Edhi, the son of late philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi and chairman of the Edhi Foundation, met Mr. Khan last week. Mr. Khan’s personal physician , Faisal Sultan, said that Mr. Khan would undergo COVID-19 test. The protocols recommend self-isolation for people who meet those tested positive for the disease.

Humans to blame for pandemic

22/04/2020, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,PARIS

Whether it came from a bat or a pangolin is not certain, but one thing is: the coronavirus outbreak comes from the animal world. It is human activity that enabled the virus to jump to people, and specialists are warning that if nothing changes, many other pandemics of this nature will follow.

The name given to diseases transmitted from animals to humans is “zoonoses”, based on the Greek words for “animal” and “sickness”.

They are not new — tuberculosis, rabies, toxoplasmosis, malaria, to name just a few, are all zoonoses.

According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), 60% of human infectious diseases originate from animals. This figure climbs to 75% for “emerging” diseases such as Ebola, HIV, avian flu, Zika, or SARS, another type of coronavirus. The list goes on.

“The emergence of zoonotic diseases is often associated with environmental changes or ecological disturbances, such as agricultural intensification and human settlement, or encroachments into forests and other habitats,” says UNEP report.

“Changes in the environment are usually the result of human activities,” it adds.

Gwenael Vourc’h of INRAE, a French public research institute, also blames human activity for the crossover between species.“Given the growth of the human population and its ever more intense use of planetary resources, the destruction of more and more ecosystems multiplies contacts,” she says.

A key area of concern is deforestation to make way for agriculture and intensive livestock farming.

In terms of endangered wildlife, a study by American researchers published last week shows that those who share the most viruses with humans are precisely “populations declining due to exploitation and loss of habitat”.

Trump to suspend immigration to U.S.

He says the temporary move is to protect local jobs; new green cards, work visas are likely to face ban

22/04/2020, SRIRAM LAKSHMAN,CHENNAI
/WASHINGTON

New measures: Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. APAlex Brandon

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will temporarily suspend immigration in order to protect Americans’ jobs.

“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” he said on Monday evening (Washington time), in a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tightening visa policies

While Mr. Trump did not clarify the scope — in terms of visa categories or time — of this planned order, it will likely temporarily stop new green cards and work visas, as per several reports.

The order is in line with the tightening of visa policies that the administration has undertaken over the years, backed by immigration hawks such as Mr. Trump’s adviser Stephen Miller.

The State Department issued 4,62,422 immigrant visas in the 2019 fiscal year — down from just over 6,17,752 in 2015, while U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services granted permanent residence to nearly 5,77,000 individuals.

Monday night’s tweet on immigration could also be Mr. Trump’s way of trying to push States to open up, after weeks of lockdown, a Washington DC source who works in the economic policy area told The Hindu.

With more than 22 million Americans seeking unemployment benefits over the last month, and with a general election looming, Mr. Trump has been keen on opening up the U.S. economy — battling with some Governors to open up States. Last week, Mr. Trump issued an advisory telling States they could open by May 1 or before. Some States such as Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina — all headed by Republican Governors — are planning to ease restrictions.

Call for easing curbs

On Twitter last week, Mr. Trump called for Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia — States with Democrat Governors — to be “liberated”. Earlier, the President had claimed he had the power to “open up” States and conservative groups have backed protests against “stay at home” orders across States.

National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien on Tuesday cast the President’s announcement as a move to protect the American people’s health. Mr. O’Brien said the temporary halt to immigration would not be “dissimilar” to limits on travel to the U.S. from China that Mr. Trump put in place in January.

“We’re trying to do everything, the President’s trying to do everything he can to put the health of the American people first during this crisis,” Mr. O’Brien told Fox News.

“So this is one step. It’s not dissimilar to the restrictions on travel from China that he implemented back on January 29 at the very outset of this public health crisis.”

Asked about Mr. Trump’s reference to jobs, Mr. O’Brien referenced the virus’ economic toll. “There’s been an economic cost here, too, and the President’s looking out for Americans on both fronts at every turn,” he said.

Mr. Trump has issued a number of immigration-related executive orders before after the pandemic began — such as allowing the immediate deportation of migrants without valid papers and the potential sanctioning of countries that do not accept their citizens back from the U.S. Like those, his temporary immigration suspension order will likely be challenged in court.

(With Associated Press inputs)

40 ஆயிரத்தைத் தாண்டியது பலி எண்ணிக்கை: அச்சத்தில் அமெரிக்கர்கள்

By DIN | Published on : 20th April 2020 12:26 PM 

அமெரிக்காவில் கரோனா நோய்த் தொற்று வேகமாகப் பரவி வரும் நிலையில் இதுவரை பலி எண்ணிக்கை 40 ஆயிரத்தைத் தாண்டியுள்ளதாக அந்நாட்டு சுகாராத்துறை அமைச்சகம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. 

கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் மட்டும் அமெரிக்காவில் 1,500 பேர் உயிரிழந்துள்ளதாக அந்நாட்டு அரசு தகவல் தெரிவித்துள்ளது. நாளுக்கு நாள் அங்குப் பாதித்தோர் எண்ணிக்கையும், உயிரிழப்பு எண்ணிக்கையும் தொடர்ந்து அதிகரித்து வருவதால் அமெரிக்க மக்கள் பேரச்சத்தில் ஆழ்ந்துள்ளனர். 

திங்கள்கிழமை நிலவரப்படி கரோனாவின் கோரப்பிடியில் சிக்கியிருக்கும் அமெரிக்காவில் இதுவரை 7 லட்சத்து 64,265 பேர் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர், 40,565 பேரை இது பலி வாங்கியுள்ளது. அதேசமயம் 71,012 பேர் குணமடைந்து வீடு திரும்பியுள்ளனர். 

கரோனா நோய்த் தொற்றுக்குப் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள 2,073 பேர் தீவிர சிகிச்சைப் பிரிவில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். 

சீனாவில் கடந்த ஆண்டு டிசம்பர் மாதம் பரவத் தொடங்கிய கரோனா உலகம் முழுவதும் 210 நாடுகளுக்குப் பரவியுள்ளது. உலகளவில் இதுவரை 2,407,699 பேர் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். 1,65,093 பேரை இந்த நோய்த் தொற்று பலி வாங்கியுள்ளது. 

China should face consequences: Trump

‘Was it a mistake, or was it deliberate?’

20/04/2020, REUTERS,WASHINGTON

In movement we trust: A protest in Austin, Texas, against the partial lockdown imposed by the State government.REUTERSCALLAGHAN O'HARE

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that China should face consequences if it was ”knowingly responsible” for the COVID-19 pandemic. “If it was a mistake, a mistake is a mistake. But if they were knowingly responsible, yeah, I mean, then sure there should be consequences,” Mr. Trump told reporters at a daily briefing. He did not elaborate on what actions the United States might take.

Mr. Trump and senior aides have sharply criticised China for a lack of transparency after the coronavirus broke out in its Wuhan province. This week he suspended aid to the World Health Organization accusing it of being “China-centric.”

Public sparring

Washington and Beijing, the world’s two biggest economies, have publicly sparred over the virus repeatedly. Mr. Trump initially praised China’s response to the outbreak, but he and other senior officials have also referred to it as the “Chinese virus” and in recent days have ratcheted up their rhetoric.

Mr. Trump said the U.S.-China relationship was good “until they did this,” citing a recent first-phase agricultural deal aimed at quelling a trade war between the two countries.

He said the question now was whether what happened with the coronavirus was “a mistake that got out of control, or was it done deliberately?”

“There’s a big difference between those two,” he said.

Mr. Trump also raised questions about a Wuhan virology laboratory that Fox News this week reported had likely developed the coronavirus as part of China’s effort to demonstrate its capacity to identify and combat viruses. Mr. Trump has said his government is seeking to determine whether the virus emanated from a Chinese lab.

Mr. Trump also again cast doubt on China’s death toll, which was revised up on Friday. China said 1,300 people who died of the coronavirus in the central city of Wuhan — half the total — were not counted, but dismissed allegations of a cover-up.

Coronavirus did not come from us: Wuhan lab

Virology institute official dismisses conspiracy theories; 

Orthodox Christians mark Easter at home amidst COVID-19 fears

20/04/2020, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE,BEIJING

Chords and notes of solidarity: (Clockwise from top) Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts performing during the ‘One World: Together at Home’ event on Saturday.VIA REUTERSGLOBAL CITIZEN

A laboratory in the Chinese city at ground zero of the global COVID-19 outbreak has rejected U.S. theories that it spawned the pandemic.

The denial came as world governments were debating how and when to ease lockdowns that have kept more than half of humanity — 4.5 billion people — confined to their homes and crippled the global economy.

Many of the world’s 260 million Orthodox Christians were forced to mark Easter at home on Sunday, with church leaders telling worshippers to stay indoors and conducting services online or on television. But in Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko, who has cast doubt on the gravity of the pandemic and allowed events such as football matches to continue, defiantly visited a church without a face mask.

Virtual concert

Hoping to spread cheer to those under lockdown, the world’s top musicians — from the Rolling Stones to Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder and teen superstar Billie Eilish — joined forces for a virtual mega-concert on Saturday. The six-hour online event aimed to cultivate a sense of community during a pandemic that has killed at least 1,60,000 people worldwide, with more than 2.3 million confirmed infections.

The virus was probably first transmitted to humans at a Wuhan market where exotic animals were slaughtered, according to Chinese scientists. But conspiracy theories that the virus came from a maximum-security virology lab have been brought into the mainstream by U.S. government officials.

“There’s no way this virus came from us,” Yuan Zhiming, the head of the P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is equipped to handle dangerous viruses, said in an interview with state media. “I know it’s impossible.”

The U.S. has the highest caseload of any country, with more than 7,35,000 confirmed infections, and over 39,000 deaths.

But as Americans and others around the world chafe after weeks under stay-at-home orders, resentment is rising. Anti-lockdown protests on Saturday drew hundreds of people in states including Texas, Maryland, New Hampshire and Ohio.

The small but spreading movement drew encouragement from Mr. Trump, who tweeted that three States should be “liberated” from the stay-home orders.

Shops reopened

Elsewhere, a patchwork of countries including Switzerland, Denmark and Finland began reopening shops and schools. Germany is set to follow suit on Monday with some shops back open after declaring the virus “under control”, while Italy — at one time the European epicentre of the crisis — was tentatively mulling easing restrictions.

Iran allowed some businesses to reopen Saturday despite being home to West Asia’s deadliest outbreak.

Back in Wuhan, there was an emotional return to the city for the Chinese Super League football team after more than three months stranded on the roa. Wearing masks, the players had bouquets of flowers thrust into their hands as supporters held banners and sang to welcome them home.

Singapore reports record daily jump

19/04/2020

Singapore’s Health Ministry confirmed 942 more coronavirus infections on Saturday, a new daily record, the vast majority of which are among migrant workers living in dormitories.

Saturday's new cases takes the total in the city-state to 5,992. It has reported 11 deaths. Reuters

Trump endorses lockdown protests 

U.S. President calls for ‘liberating’ States that are shut down; global virus deaths pass 1,50,000

19/04/2020 , , Agence France-Presse, Washington 

 

Warning to all: A boy wearing a mask walking past a mural warning people about the risk of COVID-19 in a slum in Nairobi on Saturday.APBrian Inganga

Coronavirus deaths have surged past 1,50,000 worldwide with nearly a quarter of them in the U.S., where President Donald Trump lent his support to protesters rallying against lockdown orders. Evidence is mounting that social distancing successfully slowed the COVID-19 pandemic after more than half of humanity — 4.5 billion people — were confined to their homes.

Governments around the world are now grappling with when and how to ease lockdowns that have crippled the global economy, even as the COVID-19 death toll climbs further in hard-hit countries. Demonstrators in three U.S. States staged public rallies this week to demand an end to the restrictions, with the largest protest in Michigan attracting 3,000 people — some of whom were armed.

Mr. Trump has largely left decisions on easing lockdowns to State officials even as he laid out guidelines for a staged reopening of the national economy. But his call to “liberate” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia in a series of tweets on Friday were quickly rebuked by the Democratic leaders of all three States. “I do not have time to involve myself in Twitter wars,” said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam.

Most number of cases

The U.S. accounts for nearly a third of the 2.25 million coronavirus infections reported globally. It has also recorded over 37,000 deaths, more than any other nation, followed by Italy, Spain and France. Mr. Trump, who has angrily shot back at claims he reacted too slowly to the virus threat, has accused Beijing of downplaying the impact of the virus within its borders. “It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close!” he tweeted.

Mr. Trump did not offer evidence to back the claim, but pressure has mounted in recent days on Beijing to come clean over its handling of the initial outbreak. Leaders in France and Britain have also questioned China’s management of the crisis but Beijing hit back, saying it had not concealed information.

Signs that the outbreak could be easing in parts of Europe prompted Switzerland, Denmark and Finland to begin reopening shops and schools this week. Germany’s Health Minister said on Friday that the virus was “under control after 3,400 deaths. Germany is now beginning the delicate task of lifting some restrictions.

Studying in Australia in times of Covid-19

Universities Down Under have been quite supportive and responsive to the concerns and needs of international and Indian students have been coping well with the lockdown there

Australia is unique in the number of intakes with multiple intakes happening in October/ November and March too

Telegana today 18.04.2020

Australia has done a good job of controlling the virus and expects things to be normal by the end of July — Divya Tadi, University of Sydney

Australia has risen over the years as a favourite destination for Indian students wanting to pursue higher education. Starting in the early years of the new millennium, Australia rose up the ranks of international education destinations and last year over a hundred thousand students from India enrolled in various colleges and universities in Australia. Indian students are behind only Chinese students in the number of international students studying in Australia. And also a significant portion of 7 billion dollar revenues that the overseas education industry in Australia earns is from the Indian sub-continent.

The Australian education system is semester based and the main intakes are at the start of the two semesters viz., in July/August and January of every year. However, Australia is unique in the number of intakes with multiple intakes happening through the year mainly in October/ November and March too. Under the aegis of this article, we shall endeavour to examine how the Covid-19 virus has impacted the student intake for the future as also how the students currently enrolled in various universities are faring during the shutdown.

Uncertainty over exams

Students across India have not taken the final exams of the various courses they are enrolled in. Usually, April is when they would have been taking the exams. But with the lockdown extended till May 3 and likely to get extended till the first week of June 2020 for educational institutions, one is not able to say with any degree of certainty as when the exams will be held. Though the process for admissions for the July intake for Australian universities extends up to May end, the uncertainty over the exams, results, visa, travel restrictions etc., makes the starting of the July 2020 intake a highly doubtful one.

The Covid-19 situation seems to be under control in Australia compared to most other developed nations. They seem to have been quick in placing travel restrictions and avoided widespread community transmission of the virus. As part of the process to minimise community transmission, all the universities in Australia have asked students to stay indoors and attend online classes. Several universities have come out with statements saying that they will not award fail grades or hold examinations for this semester. Rather, the students will be assessed based on various criteria.

On economic front

While this is on the academic front, on the economic front, significant impacts have applied to the broader Australian economy. Commercial restrictions are in place for all residents in Australia with only essential services open for public consumption. International students, like most Australian residents, have been hit to a certain extent as they may be unable to work and earn their monthly expenses. There was some consternation amongst the Indian student community on the reported statement of the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison that “the international students who cannot support themselves may have to find a way to go to their countries”.

Coming at a time when the pandemic was raging both in India and Australia and all flights between the two countries had been suspended, besides being insensitive, it also led to a number of students and their parents in India worry about their future. However, to the credit of the Australian universities and the civic administration of several cities, they were quick to reach out to the international students and offer assistance to any student who was in financial distress.

In good spirits

The author personally spoke with a few Indian students and found them to be in good spirits. Divya Tadi, studying Masters in Telecommunications at the University of Sydney, said that Australia has done good job of controlling the virus and expects things to be normal by the end of July 2020.

Another student Mighty Sushanth Dodla who is doing Masters in Social Work from the James Cook University was all praise for the support the varsity has been giving to international students. The university was providing free food and essentials like toothpaste and soaps on a fortnightly basis to the students. Akhil Eaga who is studying Masters of Information Technology course in the University of Western Sydney has a slightly different story to tell. While the students are being given help in the form of food supply packages and financial hardship grants, some of his friends who have joined Masters programmes in Mechanical, Chemical, Biology and other degrees which require a lot of physical presence in the labs are unable to do so and are finding it difficult to adjust to online mode of learning. A few of them have cancelled their admissions and are planning to return to India at the first opportune time.

The overall feeling after talking to a number of students is that the universities have been quite supportive and responsive to the concerns and needs of the international students and Indian students have been coping well with the lockdown there.

Admission process

Resultantly, given the situation, many universities are going ahead with the admission process for July 2020 but with conditions attached. For example, University of Adelaide has expressed the hope that if travel restrictions are lifted and international travel becomes more acceptable, they hope to see students in the campus. However they have also stated that if international travel restrictions are in place students can avail of online classes for the first semester.

Online programme

What remains unclear is will the student be deemed to have gotten admission into a programme of study, if commencing through an online programme, even if a visa has not been granted? Yes, says Marcel Creed, vice-president of Global Study Partners, a digital student recruitment platform based out of Sydney in Australia. He quotes the example of Swinburne University which clearly states that students can commence studies online in their home countries and can come to Australia once the situation changes and students will be granted full credits for units successfully completed online. A valid visa at that time is of course necessary to enter Australia.

Sought-after students

Finally, students of Indian origin are going to be sought after worldwide post this pandemic period given the expected sharp drop in the number of students from China. While students do make their choice of destination based on various factors, one factor that is likely to play a significant role in the post Covid era is how students of Indian origin were treated during the times of this crisis. Politicians will do well to bear this in mind while making any statement regarding the status of international students. After all, international students are adding a lot to the financial well-being of the universities in Australia and to the economy of the country.

Prof. KP Singh

CEO, IMFS

info@imfs.co.in

Corona Effect

Trump proposes three-phased revival plan

US President’s plans to restart economic and social activities see opposition from health experts who think it is premature as it leads to flare-ups

Police officers and pedestrians cheer medical workers outside NYU Medical Center in New York. —Photo: AP

IANS

New York  18.04.2020

US President Donald Trump has proposed a three-phase, locally targeted plan for opening the coronavirus-battered nation, but will leave the decision on implementing it in the hands of the state Governors. “We are opening up our great country,” Trump declared on Thursday with his two highly regarded medical advisers, Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx at his side. “America wants to be open, and Americans want to be open,” he said.

Trump unveiled the guidelines after a teleconference with state Governors. Trump’s plans to restart economic and social activities in a nation facing serious economic and social setbacks have met with opposition from Democrats and some public health experts who think it is premature and could lead to coronavirus flare-ups.

To be gated in order to begin the phases, a State will have to have a downward trajectory of people with both influenza and Covid-19 symptoms as well those testing positive for the disease, in addition to having adequate testing for health care workers.

Easing curbs

In the first phase, some of the workers can return to work in phases, with special accommodation for vulnerable people and social distancing, but telecommuting will be the preferred method. Vulnerable people will be under Stay-at-Home rules and others will have to observe social distancing and groups of more than ten will not be allowed to socialised. Religious meetings and events like sports can take place under social distancing norms.

If there is no rebound and the states again meet the gating requirement like cases going down further over 14 days, they can move to the second phase, where restrictions are further loosened to allow socialise in groups of up to 50, permit non-essential travel, and reopen schools and gyms, allow elective surgery.