Tuesday, April 21st, 2020
South Africa intensifies lockdown in virus hotspot
CAPE TOWN, APR 21 – South Africa’s has intensified lockdown regulations in the coastal city of Durban and the wider Kwa-Zulu Natal province to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The province has recorded 21 of the 52 coronavirus-related deaths in South Africa, and more than 600 infections. It has been identified as a hotspot for locally transmitted cases. More than 50 health workers at private hospitals in the province tested positive for coronavirus and three Durban hospitals remain temporarily closed after staff members were infected. Authorities announced on Monday thatRead More
Nigeria apologises for ‘mistakes’ at president’s aide burial
NAIROBI , APR 21 – The Nigerian government has apologised for “mistakes” made during the burial of President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff, Abba Kyari, who died from coronavirus. This is after people were pictured in huddles around the grave site on 18 April, not observing strict rules on mass gatherings, social distancing or personal hygiene. Officials say it is not the message they have been giving to the nation.
Cricket Australia fears major financial losses if India series scrapped
CANBERRA, APR 21 – Cricket Australia could lose hundreds of millions of dollars if this year’s Test tour by India is scrapped because of the coronavirus, its chief executive warned on Tuesday. Kevin Roberts said Australia was considering extending the four-Test series to five games, which would mean sacrificing the one-off Test against Afghanistan in November. In October and November Australia are also hosting the T20 World Cup, for which the International Cricket Council has said it is “exploring all options”. Roberts said Cricket Australia had already lost Au$20 millionRead More
Coronavirus: Italy PM Conte says lockdown exit plan coming
ROME, APR 21 – Italy will announce its plan to gradually exit its lockdown by the end of this week, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said. In a Facebook post, Mr Conte said the country could not give up its policy of “maximum caution”, and said Italy would reopen in line with “serious scientific policy”. “A reasonable expectation is that we will apply it from May 4,” he said. Italy has reported 24,114 deaths, the highest recorded toll in Europe. Data released on Monday showed the number of people officially confirmedRead More
Development experts highlight significance of aligning int’l cooperation with healthcare needs
ISLAMABAD, APR 21 (DNA) – The multilateral and bilateral cooperation on infrastructure development in the post Covid-19 scenario must include healthcare as a cross cutting sector while implementing all the future-oriented projects. The world powers therefore need to join hands for a shared future instead of narrow nationalistic approaches. The development experts with diverse areas of expertise shared these views with the audience at online policy dialogue titled ‘Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a Health Silk Route’ organized by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) here on Tuesday. MrRead More
NAB starts investigating Pakistan’s flour, sugar crises
ISLAMABAD, APR 21 – Pakistan’s accountability bureau has decided to launch an investigation into the country’s flour and sugar crises. The approval for the investigation was granted during a meeting of the bureau’s executive board on Tuesday. All aspects of the flour and sugar crises will be investigated, the bureau said in a statement. “We are working towards making Pakistan free of corruption”. An FIA report named PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, Federal Minister Khusro Bakhtiar’s cousin and PML-Q’s Moonis Elahi among the top beneficiaries of the sugar crisis that hitRead More