MOBS STOP INDIAN SRI LANKA FACES CASH ‘LIFE HAS TO GO ON’ THURSDAY DOCTORS' BURIALS CRUNCH WITHOUT APRIL 30, 2020 PARLIAMENT AMID VOL: 4 - ISSUE 353 VIRUS LOCKDOWN PAGE 02 HOT TOPICS GLOCAL PAGE 04 REALITY CHECK 30. PAGE 03

Registered in the Department of Posts of Sri Lanka under No: QD/146/News/2020 COVID-19 and curfew in Sri Lanka • Eleven people were confirmed as COVID-19 positive yes- terday (29), taking Sri Lanka’s tally of the novel coronavirus infection to 630. 487 individuals are receiving treatment, 136 have been deemed completely recovered and seven have succumbed to the virus. • Health authorities have said the IDH Colombo, the main hospital treating COVID-19 patients, is functioning beyond capacity and seeking to send some patients to another hos- pital. • An all island curfew to be imposed from the 8:00 p.m. to- day (30) till 5:00 Monday (May 4). • The validity period granted for the use of service identity cards as a curfew pass for those engaged in essential services has been extended till May 31. The order was set to expire today (30). • Facebook announced some key updates to its content poli- cies as well as its family of apps yesterday, with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on Sri Lanka. The initiative also includes measures to curb misinforma- tion and fake news. • Despite police curfew being relaxed in 21 districts shops remained closed in Nawalapitiya, Polgahawela and Kuli- yapitiya following the detection of COVID-19 positive cases from the areas. Trade associations and Municipal Councils have decided to keep the shops closed until Monday (May 4). • Postmaster General RanjithAriyaratne has announced that all post offices will be opened from Mondayfor regular services. He has requested public to follow health advices when visiting post offices and obtaining services. • Those with suspected COVID-19 symptoms are urged to call 1390 - emergency hotline- set up for free medical advice and assistance, and to facilitate hospital admissions. Coronavirus toll - Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images 217,439 deaths at Students eat lunch at their desks equipped with cally ruled island that it claims as its territory, Tai- tial outbreak and subsequent diplomatic pressure plastic partitions as a preventive measure to curb wan has led the world in its fight against the virus, from Beijing, generating goodwill that could pay the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus at Dajia El- with only about 400 infections and six deaths for a dividends in the future. Taiwan won plaudits for 1100 GMT yesterday ementary School in Taipei yesterday (29). Taiwan is population of 23 million. Taiwan’s success against not only stemming infections, but also pledges to PARIS - The new coronavirus has killed at least 217,439 one of the few governments around the world that is COVID-19 has shown that democracies could fight ship millions of surgical masks to Europe, the US people since the outbreak first emerged in China in Decem- emerging from the pandemic with a stronger stand- the virus without resorting to authoritarian meas- and its few remaining diplomatic allies around the ber, according to a tally from official sources compiled by ing than before. Forced to contain the outbreak ures, serving as a key rebuttal against Chinese world that China hasn’t picked off. One of its law- AFP at 1100 GMT yesterday (29). without official help from the World Health Organ- propaganda showcasing the strength of its system makers said the country had not only shown its ca- More than 3,104,330 cases were registered in 193 coun- ization and other international bodies, thanks to against the West. Taipei’s openness also contrasted pability to stop the virus from spreading, it has also tries and territories. Of these cases, at least 859,100 are now China’s longstanding push to isolate the democrati- sharply with the lack of transparency about the ini- used democracy to stop it from spreading considered recovered. The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national au- thorities and information from the World Health Organiza- tion (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Half of world’s workers ‘at immediate risk of losing Many countries are testing only the most serious cases. Since 1100 GMT Tuesday (28), 6,254 new deaths and 74,090 new cases were recorded worldwide. The United livelihood due to coronavirus’ States had the most deaths over the 24 hours with 2,102, WASHINGTON- Almost half the sequences is deepening by com- employed and contract workers in said this development meant the followed by Britain with 586. The US also has the highest global workforce – 1.6 billion people parison with our estimates of three Europe were also in imminent dan- incomes of employed workers had number of total deaths with 58,355 out of 1,012,583 cases. – are in “immediate danger of hav- weeks ago,” the UN agency’s direc- ger of seeing their livelihoods disap- increased on a global level. At least 115,936 have been declared recovered there. ing their livelihoods destroyed” by tor general, Guy Ryder, told a brief- pear. Nevertheless, the deepening crisis Italy has the second highest toll with 27,359 deaths out the economic impact of COVID-19, ing, foreseeing a “massive” poverty In the Americas, the loss of work- in many other parts of the world left of 201,505 cases, followed by Spain with 24,275 deaths and the International Labour Organiza- impact. ing hours in the second quarter is more than 436 million businesses 212,917 cases, France 23,660 deaths and 168,935 cases and tion (ILO) has warned. “For millions of workers, no expected to reach 12.4% compared facing high risks of serious disrup- the United Kingdom 21,678 fatalities and 161,145 cases. Of the total global working popu- income means no food, no secu- with the pre-crisis level. In Europe tion, the ILO said. China - excluding Hong Kong and Macau - has to date de- lation of 3.3 billion, about 2 billion rity and no future. Millions of busi- and central Asia, the decline is esti- The ILO said the dire situation clared 4,633 deaths and 82,858 cases. It has 77,578 recov- work in the “informal economy,” of- nesses around the world are barely mated at 11.8%. facing the world’s most vulnerable ered cases. Since 1900 GMT Tuesday, Chad announced its ten on short-term contracts or self- breathing,” said Ryder. “They have This translates into a drop in the workers should lead governments first deaths from the virus. employment, and suffered a 60% no savings or access to credit. These incomes of informal workers of 81% to urgently extend their bailout pro- Europe has a total of 129,723 deaths from 1,431,470 cas- collapse in their wages in the first are the real faces of the world of in Africa and the Americas, 21.6% in grams to include “targeted and flex- es, the United States and Canada have 61,284 deaths and month of the crisis. Of these, 1.6 bil- work. If we don’t help them now, Asia and the Pacific, and 70% in Eu- ible measures to support workers 1,062,398 cases, Latin America and the Caribbean have lion face losing their livelihoods, the they will simply perish.” rope and central Asia. and businesses, particularly smaller 9,827 deaths and 189,199 cases, Asia has 8,376 deaths ILO warned yesterday (29). North and South America were An easing of the lockdown in enterprises, those in the informal and 213,792 cases, the Middle East has 6,587 deaths and “It shows I think in the starkest the worst affected regions follow- China meant thousands of busi- economy and others who are vul- 164,629 cases, Africa has 1,526 deaths from 34,786 cases, possible terms that the jobs em- ing the rapid spread of the virus nesses had reopened and increased nerable.” and Oceania 116 deaths from 8,057 cases. -AFP ployment crisis and all of its con- through the US and Brazil, but self- the hours of their workers. The ILO -The Guardian US GDP drops 4.8% as India records Banks targeted in Lebanon's ‘night of coronavirus impact hits hard highest daily jump in the Molotov' WASHINGTON - The corona- down’s impact more fully, to show COVID-19 deaths BEIRUT - At least a dozen Lebanese military expressed its "regret" over the virus pandemic officially snapped that GDP contracted at an annual banks across the country were torched killing without directly claiming respon- the United States’ economic growth rate of 30% or more, a scale not seen NEW DELHI- India saw its highest jump in deaths and vandalized during the second con- sibility and said it launched an investi- streak in the first three months of since the Great Depression. related to COVID-19 in a 24-hour period between secutive night of angry protests fuelled gation. the year. The Congressional Budget Office Tuesday (28) and yesterday (29) even as regional by frustration over the national curren- Human Rights Watch said on Tues- The question now is how deep the last week released projections indi- governments prepared to ease lockdown restric- cy's unfettered depreciation. day the army's heavy-handed response damage will get — and how long the cating that the economy will begin tions. Hundreds of demonstrators took to the protests had inflamed tensions. country will take to recover. growing again in the second half of A total of 73 people affected by the virus had died to the streets from Beirut to southern It called for a transparent investigation US gross domestic product, the the year but that the GDP won’t re- since Tuesday morning, taking the India-wide toll to Sidon along with Nabatieh, the Bekaa into al-Semaan's death, the results of broadest measure of goods and ser- turn to its pre-pandemic level until 1,007, the federal Health Ministry said. The number Valley, and Tripoli and Akkar in the which it said should be made public. vices produced in the economy, fell 2022 at the earliest. The estimates of positive cases crossed 30,000. north. Protesters in Tripoli began setting at a 4.8% annual rate in the first issued yesterday are based on in- The highest number of COVID-19 cases has been While it was unclear how many civil- banks on fire on Tuesday afternoon af- quarter of the year, the Commerce complete data but hinted at the reported from Maharashtra, largely in its two big- ians were hurt, 81 security personnel ter the al-Semaan was laid to rest, and Department said yesterday (29). breadth of the damage. Consumer gest cities Mumbai and Pune, and national capital were injured across the country during clashes continued into the early hours That is the first decline since 2014 spending, the bedrock of the dec- Delhi. These areas were among those where the attempts to contain the riots, including of yesterday (29) as they were chased and the worst quarterly contraction ade-long economic expansion, fell lockdown, now in its fifth week, is set to continue. 50 in Tripoli, the military said. through the streets by soldiers. since 2008, when the country was in at a 7.6% rate. Business investment, It is expected to be eased gradually after May 3 The largest and most violent protests In southern Sidon, a branch of the a deep recession. which had already been struggling in in regions which have not been affected by the virus took place in the northern city of Tripoli central bank was pelted with at least half There is much worse to come. part because of the trade war, fell for or have shown no increase in cases in recent weeks. - Lebanon's second-largest, and poorest, a dozen petrol bombs, with cheers going Widespread layoffs and business the fourth straight quarter. Imports The federal government had identified 170 hotspots city, after protester Fouaz al-Semaan up from the crowd of demonstrators closings didn’t hit until late March and exports both declined sharply as or red zones across the country where the virus is died on Tuesday (28) from wounds sus- each time a Molotov hit its mark. in most of the country. Economists the pandemic brought global trade still spreading. More could be added over the next tained while protesting the night before. Banks were also set on fire in Beirut expect figures from the current to a near standstill. few days, a Health Ministry spokesman said. The 26-year-old man's sister, Fatima, and the southern city of Nabatieh. quarter, which will capture the shut- -NYT -dpa said the Lebanese army shot him. The -Al Jazeera

Trending News Quote for Today USA: The breath-taking slow- accusations the far-right leader remdesivir showed no "significant UK: Britain's official death toll of You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a down in global aviation is tak- made the appointment to stave off clinical benefits." people who tested positive for cor- club. -Jack London ing a huge toll on Boeing, which investigations targeting him and France: The health minister says onavirus jumps to 26,097, as the say it would slash about 16,000 his family. the country has more than a dozen country begins including out-of- Word for Today jobs after reporting that revenue hospital deaths for the first time. WHO: The World Health Organi- cases of children with inflamma- Ylem [ahyluhm] –noun –the hypothetical initial substance of tumbled by 26% in the first three tion around the heart, after Brit- the universe from which all matter is derived months of the year. zation says its emergency com- South Korea: A fire at a four- sto- mittee will meet today (30) to ain sounded an alarm about a new rey warehouse in Icheon kills 38 peo- - New York's mayor sparks con- disease with possible links to nov- Today in History troversy after he broke up crowds assess the coronavirus pandemic, ple and leaves another 10 injured. three months after the UN body el coronavirus. 1945 - Adolf Hitler commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide gathering for a rabbi's funeral and Olympics: International Olym- threatened arrests, with religious declared it an international emer- Iran: US Secretary of State Mike capsule and shooting himself in the head gency. Pompeo vows to use all means pic Committee president Thomas leaders accusing him of unfairly Bach says postponing the Tokyo targeting the Jewish community. available to extend a UN arms em- Today is... China: A study among more than bargo on the country, including Games to 2021 because of the cor- Brazil: A Supreme Court judge 200 COVID-19 patients in Wu- working through a nuclear accord onavirus pandemic will cost the Honesty Day blocks President Jair Bolsonaro's han, shows treating coronavirus that President Donald Trump has Committee "several hundred mil- A day to lift burdens of lies from your shoulders, and let the pick for federal police chief, amid patients with the antiviral drug trashed. lion dollars.” chips fall where they may as you share your truth 2 THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 DAILY EXPRESS HOT TOPICS

‘Slumdog Millionaire' What do Israel's actor Irrfan Khan annexation plans dies at 53 mean for West Bank NEW DELHI - Acclaimed Indian actor Irrfan JERUSALEM - Arab foreign ministers are Khan, whose international movie career included to hold talks today (30) on Israel's US-backed hits such as ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Life of Pi’ and plans to annex key parts of the occupied West ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’, has died aged 53, his Bank. publicist said. Concern has mounted since Israel's right- Khan, who was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - an tumour in 2018, died yesterday (29) after he was outspoken advocate of annexing large parts of admitted in a Mumbai hospital for colon infection. the Palestinian territory - agreed to form a coali- "Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought tion with his centrist rival Benny Gantz. till the very end and always inspired everyone who The Netanyahu-Gantz agreement includes a came close to him," his publicist said in a statement. framework for implementing annexations out- He spent his final hours "surrounded by his love, lined in US President Donald Trump's contro- his family for whom he most cared about," a state- versial plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian ment released by his family said. conflict, unveiled at the White House in Janu- The actor had spent several months last year in ary. the United Kingdom undergoing cancer treatment. Here are some key questions surrounding Is- His mother, Saeeda Begum, died four days ago on rael's potential annexation moves, likely to in- April 25. flame tensions in the volatile region. He is survived by his wife, TV producer Suta- paSikdar, and sons Babil and Ayan. - Rupak de Chowdhuri/Reuters/The Guardian What did Trump propose? Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan in the Indian de- Healthcare workers at a Kolkata hospital carry candles and oil lamps to show solidarity with people affected by Trump, a staunch supporter of Israel, tapped sert state of Rajasthan on January 7, 1967, Khan coronavirus his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner discovered an early passion for acting and studied By Hannah Ellis-Petersen to forge a Middle East peace plan. at the elite National School of Drama. Kushner consulted widely with the Israelis But his training in Shakespeare and Chekhov did on the initiative, but there was no input from little to ease his entry into the Hindi film industry, the Palestinians after they cut all ties with the which was largely focused at the time on churning Mobs stop Indian doctors' burials Trump administration accusing it of bias. out formulaic song-and-dance blockbusters. The Oslo peace accords of the 1990s gave the Even as he landed a role in 1988's ‘Salaam Bom- ‘COVID-19 took his life, why take his dignity?' Palestinians self-rule in parts of the West Bank. bay’ - directed by first-timer Mira Nair - his part But some 60% of the territory - dubbed Area was slashed to a cameo. CHENNAI - Digging the grave refuse to bury the doctor there, fear- Coronavirus has reached even the C - remains under full Israeli civil and military He sobbed for hours when he found out about the was slow, harrowing work. As Dr ing the virus would spread into the most remote corners of India and control. cuts, he told India's Open magazine. "It changed Pradeep Kumar and his two assis- soil. there are now upwards of 25,000 That includes all Israeli settlements and something within me. I was prepared for anything tants shared only a single shovel be- Emergency arrangements were cases, with misinformation and at- Trump's plan gives US support for their annexa- after that," he said. tween them, they took to using their made to bury the doctor at another tacks on both the living who have tion. Television roles followed, along with a handful of hands, desperately and hurriedly Christian cemetery. But, as his wife, caught the virus, and the dead, be- It also offers US recognition for Israeli annex- bit parts in Bollywood, where producers routinely grabbing fistfuls of mud, looking Anandhi, and 18-year-old son, An- coming widespread. ation of the Jordan Valley, a strategic strip along dismissed him as looking too unconventional to fearfully around every few minutes. ton, and several colleagues, includ- On April 15, Dr John L SailoRyn- the Jordanian border that makes up around a play the lead. At about six feet deep they ing Kumar, an orthopaedic surgeon tathiang, 69, the founder and direc- third of the West Bank. By the time British director Asif Kapadia cast stopped. Kumar, convulsing with at New Hope hospital, stood by the tor of Bethany Hospital in Shillong, Trump's plan provides for the creation of a him as a mercenary in ‘The Warrior,’ he was ready sorrow, rolled the wrapped body of graveside, a violent mob descended. become the first doctor in the north- Palestinian state in the remainder of the West to quit acting, frustrated over the direction of his his colleague, Dr Simon Hercules, “They were screaming at us to eastern Indian state of Meghalaya to Bank, including the city of Ramallah where career. into the grave, then quickly covered leave and take the body before it die of COVID-19. The news was met President Mahmud Abbas is based, and in the But, in a sign of the global success that lay in it over with earth. Under the cover spread the virus to everyone,” said with panic, and the family’s plans Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Abbas rivals wait, the 2001 film racked up awards and won Khan of midnight darkness, the three men Kumar. “It was a crowd of about 60 to cremate his body and place his Hamas. praise - including in India, where a new generation ran for their lives out of the cem- people, pelting us with sticks and ashes in a coffin to be buried at his Israel seized control of the West Bank, includ- of directors was eager to experiment with fresh sto- etery. stones. We all had to run for our farmhouse were halted when hun- ing east Jerusalem, in the Six-Day War of 1967 rylines. “What happened to Dr Simon lives. The ambulance drivers got dreds of protesters descended on and has occupied it ever since. His drama school training came in handy when made me lose my faith in human- very badly injured as they desper- the crematorium. The crematorium More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements he was cast in ‘Maqbool and Haider’ - contempo- ity,” said Kumar. “It should never ately put Dr Simon’s body back in then refused to deal with the body, constructed in the territory, which Palestinians rary Hindi adaptations of ‘Macbeth and Hamlet.’ happen to anyone ever, ever again.” the ambulance, and all the windows while on social media the dead doc- regard as the mainstay of their future state. But he also charmed audiences in lighter fare The events surrounding the death got smashed as they were driving tor and his family were subjected to The settlements are considered illegal under such as ‘Piku,’ featuring Bollywood superstars Am- of Hercules, one of several doctors away. It was terrifying, and so trau- abuse. international law because they were built under itabh Bachchan and DeepikaPadukone, and ‘The to die from COVID-19 in the state of matic for his wife and son.” For 36 hours, no place could be military occupation. Lunchbox,’ in which he played a lonely accountant Tamil Nadu in the past few weeks, Back at the medical centre, Kumar found to lay Ryntathiang to rest in love with a housewife. are symptomatic of a plague of mis- gathered two assistants, put on per- and, in desperation, his son-in-law How the US position evolved? The tall and lanky actor won India's national information about the virus that is sonal protective equipment and got Arthur Wungthingthing published Kushner has said Washington wants an Israeli award for his performance in ‘Paan Singh Tomar.’ having devastating consequences back into the damaged ambulance, an open letter. “We do not know government in place that could work with the He was also awarded with Padma Shri, one of the across India. In particular, the fear where Hercules still lay, his body whether his cremation is over. We US on implementation of Trump's plan. country's highest civilian honours. that coronavirus can spread from a bag now covered in glass and bro- were not there to weep beside his The Jewish state had been without a stable Khan was among the first Indian actors to make a dead body has led to several doctors ken medical equipment. They drove body,” he wrote, adding: “My father- government since December 2018. consistent mark in Western cinema, following ear- and patients being denied dignified back to the cemetery and there, at in-law literally spent his life in the The Netanyahu-Gantz deal, sealed on April 20 lier crossover pioneers like Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan burials, with their funerals the tar- midnight, dug Hercules’s grave, ter- treatment of his patients. This is after three inconclusive elections, looks set to Seth and Om Puri. get of mob ire. rified the mob would return. not an acceptable way to honour his end the stalemate. He featured in several award-winning interna- Hercules had been a familiar face “It was terrible, his family wasn’t memory.” The United States said Monday (27) it was tional films such as ‘The Warrior,’ ‘Slumdog Mil- around Chennai’s New Hope hospi- even there,” said Kumar, his voice Both Kumar and Ryntathiang’s ready to recognize Israel's annexation of much lionaire’ and ‘Life of Pi.’ In Hollywood, he worked tal. The 55-year-old neurosurgeon shaking. “Coronavirus already took son, David Sailo, said they did not of the West Bank but asked the new unity gov- in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man,’ ‘Inferno’ and ‘Juras- and hospital managing director was his life, why should it also take his blame people, who were fearful and ernment also to negotiate with the Palestinians. sic World.’ known as a gentle, hardworking man dignity in death?” Hercules’ fam- deprived of information on corona- "We are prepared to recognize Israeli actions," He consciously sidestepped traditional Bolly- of few words; nothing would get ily told the Guardian they were too virus, and said it was the govern- a State Department spokesperson said. wood troupes, focusing on the subtleties of his craft. between him and his patients, not traumatized to speak. ment’s responsibility to educate the The step would be "in the context of the Gov- This allowed him to carve out a stellar career in even a global pandemic. But three Dr. K. Senthil, president of the Ta- community about the virus, and of- ernment of Israel agreeing to negotiate with the Hollywood as well, where he collaborated with Os- weeks ago he developed a cough and mil Nadu Doctor’s Association, said fer adequate protection for medical Palestinians along the lines set forth in Presi- car-winning directors such as Danny Boyle and Ang fever, then was put on a ventilator Hercules’ case had been a wake-up staff, both in life and in death. dent Trump's Vision", she said. Lee and appeared in the HBO show In Treatment. for respiratory distress. Already vul- call for state authorities. “When we “It was a terrible ordeal for the The actor was last seen in Bollywood comedy, nerable as a diabetic with high blood heard what had happened we were family but we do not hold anyone re- What have Gantz, Netanyahu agreed? ‘Angrezi Medium,’ which was released in March. pressure, he died last Sunday (26). all shocked and saddened and were sponsible,” Sailo said. “The fault lies Netanyahu has lauded the Trump plan as a "An incredible talent," said Amitabh Bachchan in Yet as news of his death from extremely angry at the government with the government that proper ad- "historic" opportunity for Israel. one of many Twitter tributes. COVID-19 flashed up on local TV as well,” he said. “The Tamil Nadu vocacy on this issue was not given to Gantz, a former armed forces chief, has also "A gracious colleague. A prolific contributor to channels, the community’s response chief minister has promised that the public. We take it as a blessing praised the initiative but raised concern about the world of cinema... left us too soon creating a was not sorrow, but anger. Hercules from now on any healthcare official that our family has been chosen as Israel acting unilaterally. huge vacuum," said the actor. was a Christian so his body would who dies from COVID will be given the COVID-19 family and so many Apart from the US, no country has publicly Filmmaker Karan Johar said, "Thank you for be buried, not cremated as is the a formal government funeral and shortcomings have been exposed. backed the annexation plans. raising the bar as an artiste ... Thank you for enrich- Hindu custom. That night a crowd [he will] ensure that army and po- The government still seems to be Under the three-year coalition agreement, ing our cinema... We will miss you terribly, Irrfan." of around 200 gathered at the Chris- lice personnel will be present.” Yet asleep.” which is due to be approved by parliament in -Al Jazeera tian cemetery to demand officials Hercules’s case is far from a one-off. -The Guardian the coming days, Netanyahu will serve as pre- mier for 18 months, with Gantz as his alternate. They will swap at the mid-way point. On the Trump plan, the coalition deal states: By Ana Swanson and David YaffeBellany By Joseph Campbell By Guy Faulconbridge, Elizabeth Piper "The prime minister and alternate prime minis- ter will act together and in a coordinated man- Aiming to reopen plants Weeks after virus scare ner in full agreement with the United States." Lockdown They will also conduct "international dialogue on the issue, while pursuing the security and Trump declares meat altruism British PM becomes strategic interests of the State of Israel, includ- ing the need for maintaining regional stability, Singapore's ‘hooligan father again maintaining peace agreements and striving for supply ‘critical’ future peace agreements". cook' offers free meals LONDON - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s fiancée, It says the premier can bring the Trump an- WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday (28) Carrie Symonds, gave birth to a healthy baby boy at a Lon- declared meat processing plants “critical infrastructure,” in an ef- for needy nexation plan to the cabinet and parliament for don hospital yesterday (29), slightly earlier than had been "debate and approval" from July 1. fort to ensure that facilities around the country remained open expected. as the government tried to prevent looming shortages of pork, SINGAPORE - As food stalls Israeli media have suggested the initial an- around him have closed during the Symonds, 32, had said previously that their baby was due nexation may be only partial -- possibly starting chicken and other products as a result of the coronavirus. to “hatch” in the early summer. It was not clear if Johnson, The action comes as meat plants around the country have coronavirus outbreak in Singapore, with MaaleAdumim, a large settlement on the 28-year-old cook Jason Chua has 55, would take paternity leave given the government is facing eastern outskirts of Jerusalem. turned into coronavirus hot spots, sickening thousands of work- the worst health crisis since the 1918 influenza outbreak. ers, and after the head of Tyson Foods, one of the country’s larg- vowed to stay open for the many that now depend on him. “The Prime Minister and Ms Symonds are thrilled to an- What will it entail? est processors, warned that millions of pounds of meat would nounce the birth of a healthy baby boy at a London hospital simply disappear from the supply chain. The tattoo-covered, former boxer Around 65,000 Palestinians live in the Jordan has been serving up dozens of free earlier this morning,” a spokeswoman said. “Both mother Valley, along with fewer than 10,000 Israelis. In an executive order issued late Tuesday, Trump said recent and baby are doing very well. closures of meat processing facilities “threaten the continued meals for those in need since early It is not clear whether those Palestinians will April, when the city-state imposed “The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic be given Israeli documents. functioning of the national meat and poultry supply chain, un- NHS maternity team.” dermining critical infrastructure during the national emergency.” a lockdown aimed at curbing virus That number excludes the ancient city of Jeri- cases now among the highest in Asia. There was no announcement of a name. cho, the largest Palestinian town in the area, The president said his administration would “take all appropri- The new arrival tops a tumultuous month for Johnson; he ate action” to ensure that meat and poultry processors “continue Known as ‘Beng Who Cooks’, Beng which is already under Palestinian self-rule as being Singaporean slang for hooli- returned to work on Monday (27) after recuperating from stipulated in the Oslo accords. operations” consistent with federal health and workplace safety COVID-19, which had left him gravely ill in intensive care at guidance. gan, Chua said that the pandemic has It will potentially be left as an enclave, entirely not been great for business although the peak of the coronavirus outbreak. surrounded by Israeli-annexed territory. While Trump said the step would ensure an ample supply of Symonds, a former public relations executive, also had “protein for Americans,” the announcement provoked swift back- he is getting by. How have Palestinians responded? “Yes, we are losing, we are not ex- symptoms of the virus but recovered more swiftly. lash from unions and labour advocates, who said the adminis- Few British leaders have had babies while in office, al- The Palestinians condemned Israel's new "an- tration needed to do more to protect workers who often stand actly taking salary for a few months already, but we still do maybe 10 though it has become more common among recent occupants nexation government." shoulder to shoulder in refrigerated assembly lines. At least 20 of Downing Street. "(Annexation) means ending the two-state so- workers have already died of the coronavirus, the United Food to 25 orders per day for our busi- ness side, so that we can still sustain David Cameron’s wife, Samantha, gave birth to their lution and the dismantling of the rights of the and Commercial Workers International Union said. daughter, Florence, in 2010 and Tony Blair’s wife Cherie gave people of Palestine," Palestinian Prime Minister On Sunday, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and ourselves throughout this period of time,” said Chua. birth to their son, Leo, in 2006. Mohammed Shtayyeh tweeted. the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued guide- Before that, Frances, the wife of John Russell, a 19th-Cen- President Mahmud Abbas threatened to rip lines calling for physical distancing and other measures to keep He was inspired to start giving out free meals after a close friend de- tury Whig and Liberal politician, gave birth to two children in up all agreements with Israel. workers safe. But the guidelines are voluntary, and food safety 1848 and 1849 while he was in office. The UN special envoy said that annexation and labour advocates said they feared that meat companies would scribed his experience of buying food for a homeless man. Now he’s making Symonds and Johnson have been living together in Down- would "constitute a serious violation of interna- not follow them. ing Street since he became prime minister in July. They an- tional law (and) deal a devastating blow to the “Using executive power to force people back on the job without about 50-60 free meals a day through a foundation, ‘Beng Who Care, co- nounced in February that they were expecting their first child two-state solution." proper protections is wrong and dangerous,” Richard Trumka, and that they were engaged to be married. There have been suggestions the Palestinians the president of the AFL-CIO, wrote on Twitter, saying he echoed run by his friend Sean Hung. Singapore is facing the deepest re- Johnson, once dubbed ‘Bonking Boris’ by Britain’s riotous could call on Russia to intervene. calls by the food workers union “to put worker safety first.” tabloid media, has a complicated private life. The 22-member Arab League -- just two of Processing plants around the country have shut down amid cession in its 55-year history, com- pounded by a lockdown due to last He was once sacked from the Conservative Party’s policy whose members, Egypt and Jordan, have peace outbreaks, putting a strain on the nation’s slaughtering capacity team while in opposition for lying about an extra-marital af- treaties with Israel -- has called Thursday's vir- and prompting food companies to warn of coming shortages at until June 1 that has forced many businesses to close. fair. He has been divorced twice and refuses to say how many tual meeting to discuss how to galvanize inter- supermarkets. children he has fathered. national opposition. -New York Times -Agencies -Agencies -Agence France-Presse DAILY EXPRESS THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 3 GLOCAL

Epress ewspapers Cey Pvt td, 185, Grandpass Road, Colombo 14, Sri Lanka Private hospitals to give Telephone: 0117 322 705 (Editorial) 0117 322 731 (Advertising) 0117 322 789 (Circulation) coronavirus testing Email – [email protected]/[email protected] Epaper - http://epaper.newsexpress.lk capacity to government Facebook –News Express Sri Lanka COLOMBO– Sri Lanka’s private hospitals have agreed to give their laboratory test capacity to the government to conduct coronavirus tests, an indus- try association said. Sri Lanka faces cash crunch without Parliament amid Under a Public Private Partnership sample from quarantined centres and identified clusters, suspected coronavirus patients will be sent to pri- vate labs. Labs of Lanka Hospitals, Asiri Surgical, virus lockdown Nawaloka Hospital and Durdans, have capacity COLOMBO - Sri Lanka's opposition yes- Samaraweera called for the immediate to table a budget for 2020, choosing to Rajapaksa was the island nation's for- to conduct 100 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) terday (29) called on the government to return of the 225-member assembly to push for early parliamentary elections to mer wartime defence secretary and effec- tests for the government. LakithPeiris, President of urgently recall Parliament which was dis- avoid a financial crisis. secure a bigger majority. tively ran the security forces, even alleg- the Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing solved in March ahead of elections now "Failure to do so, especially at a time The opposition said the president was edly overseeing "death squads" that killed Homes (APHNH) said their members will support postponed to June due to a coronavirus of a pandemic is bound to have serious avoiding constitutional requirements that political rivals, journalists and others. the efforts of the Ministry of Health and the Na- curfew. repercussions... in light of international a new legislature be in place within three He has rejected the accusations as a po- tional Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Out- State spending will become illegal from obligations," Samaraweera said in a letter months of its dissolution and the Elec- litical vendetta. Dubbed the ‘Terminator’ break. All PCR testing at any of these private hos- Friday (May 1) if the legislature remains to Rajapaksa. tion Commission has warned of a consti- by his own family, the strongman leader pital’s diagnostic labs, will be confined to samples in recess, they said, accusing strongman Parliament, before it was dissolved, tutional crisis. "The question is whether is the younger brother of charismatic but sent by government only and will help ramp up the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of using voted to allow spending by the state until they want a parliament at all. To me it controversial Mahinda Rajapaksa, presi- pace of testing. “We, the private sector are happy the virus lockdown to sidestep consti- April 30. looks like they want to continue without a dent from 2005-15 and the current prime to play a key role in easing the national burden of tutional requirements. Opposition MP Since coming to power in November, parliament," former legislator Harsha de minister. healthcare in this current pandemic,” Peiris said in and former finance minister Mangala- Rajapaksa's minority government has yet Silva told AFP. -AFP a statement. Sri Lanka has banned voluntary tests by asymp- tomatic private citizens in high risk areas including those that may want to test before visiting an aged Curfew passes extended till May end relative. Observers have pointed out that tests were at first denied to close contacts of infected persons, Indication no relaxation as planned next week also those in quarantine, and they were only car- ried out on patients inside apparently because there COLOMBO - The government has However, a huge surge in the num- was a belief that PCR tests should be used only for extended the validity of curfew passes ber of COVID-19 patients over the past diagnosis and not for screening. However, there is issued for the month of April until the few days, taking the tally to 622 yes- no other screening test available for coronavirus to end of May in an indication that the re- terday (29) has prompted officials to detect infected persons quickly. Any symptomatic strictions on movements will not be re- review earlier laid plans to gradually person however could go to a designated hospital laxed as earlier planned for next week. open up the economy. and get not only tests but full treatment at no cost. Police spokesman Deputy Inspec- Director-General of Health Services, There were also no random tests carried out tor General of Police AjithRohana said Dr Anil Jasinghe, said there were 478 among high risk groups including those involved in there will be no requirement for the patients diagnosed with COVID 19 re- contact tracing as far as is publicly known, leading institutions and individuals to renew ceiving treatment in hospitals and that to a large number of navy personnel becoming in- their curfew passes obtained to carry many were asymptomatic. fected undetected. The navy cluster was discovered out essential services including manu- He also announced that the Homaga- only when one asymptomatic person turned up in facturing. ma hospital has been converted into a hospital. There have been calls to widen testing of – J Sujeewakumar/ENCL The government had earlier an- COVID-19 treatment centre. It was high risk persons including those in healthcare, A deserted but unusually wide sandy stretch of the Mount Lavinia beach, as construction nounced the curfews will be relaxed earlier a hospital that took in suspect- contact tracing/quarantine, cleaning staff, driv- work is expedited during the curfew hours to expand the beach area between Kalutara and and all government and private sector ed cases for observation. ers, security staff and front office staff who meet Mount Lavinia. The stretch has been cleaned of structures, evened out and is being filled to offices should open from May 4 even Army Commander Lt Gen Shaven- many people. Limiting tests to only symptomatic create an artificial beach in the so-called high-risk districts of dra Silva said 69 people designated as persons is a serious flaw, AdvocataInstitute a Co- Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha and at-risk for COVID-19 from the Dabare- lombo-based think tank said last week. “The cur- Puttalam. It had given guidelines for Mawatha area in Colombo have been rent contact tracing strategy has a serious flaw in people to use public transport and des- sent for quarantine to the Damminna that it is too dependent on symptomatic cases and ignated National Identity cardholders quarantine centre. there is no way to detect an infected index case that Dr. Jasinghe says all COVID-19 at risk who could leave their homes to shop is asymptomatic,” Advocata Institute said in a state- for essentials. -economynext.com ment. In most countries, where progress is being made identified against the disease voluntary tests are encouraged at state expenses and high risk persons are tested Admits cannot predict whether there will be new clusters UNP slams health minister over randomly from time-to-time, observers had pointed COLOMBO– The government cannot and went out of the high-risk zone of the out. -economynext.com predict whether there will be new clusters Colombo District against all advise and in- fight against virus of COVID-19 positive patients emerging structions from the government. Moody’s warns although the Health Services are taking all Jasinghewas however optimistic there COLOMBO - The United National the reality of the situation. The UNP precautions. would “not be a major increase in clusters Party (UNP) has accused the Minister has been stressing the need of increased Sri Lanka facing currency Director-General of Health Services Dr. or patients,” and said all the, at-risk indi- of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous PCR testing and increased Personal Anil Jasinghe said the emergence of fresh viduals have been identified and quaran- Affairs, PavithraWanniarachchi of fail- Protective Equipment (PPE) for mem- pressure, low reserves, deficits, community clusters depends on whether tined. ing in her duties in the fight against the bers of our essential services, e.g. the the public adheres to the instructions that The statement comes as the last few days coronavirus. doctors, nurses, members of the armed debt as coronavirus hits have been given by the health authorities. has seen a doubling of the number of COV- The UNP said it was greatly con- forces and delivery services. He went on to say the contact tracing of the ID-19 patients with the largest number cerned by recent reports of the in- At the Party Leader’s meeting on COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s government finances navy personnel who defied government in- coming from the so-called Welisara navy creased number of COVID-19 positive April 5, Leader of the United National which had started to deteriorate before a coronavi- structions not to leave the high-risk zones cluster. cases reported in the country, especially Party, RanilWickremesinghe, urged the rus pandemic, had been compounded with currency and infected people in areas hitherto un- The latest map released by the Epide- among members of the security forces. government to focus on increasing the pressure and low forex reserves, Moody’s a rating touched is “reaching its last stages.” miological Unit shows the wide distribu- On April 18, the health minister had number of PCR tests carried out per day agency said yesterday (29). Neither Dr.Jasinghe nor the security tion of COVID-19 patients throughout the said the COVID-19 outbreak in the as well as increasing the stock of PPEs “Sri Lanka’s fiscal position was already deterio- forces high command have admitted that country. country was contained and the nation- and other necessary medical equip- rating before the ongoing domestic and external shocks,” Moody’s Investors Service, which had put the off-duty servicemen broke the rules -economynext.com wide curfew could be lifted. ment. A request had also been made In the 10 days since the minister continually by members of the medical the island’s ‘B2’ rating on watch for downgrade made the announcement, the number fraternity including the GMOA. said. “We expect the shocks to further weigh on Sri of confirmed cases has risen by 334, the “The Minister of Health has continu- Lanka’s fragile fiscal position, as indicated by wid- UNP said in a statement yesterday (29). ally disregarded these pleas from both ening budget deficits, a growing debt burden and In Brief Over 180 members of the armed ser- the public and the medical profession- weakening debt affordability.” Rating agencies had vices have been reported as having con- als. Only on April 25 did the Health already sounded warning when value added taxes 226 navy personnel have tested the neck after he “exploded” during lock- were slashed in January 2020 in a ‘stimulus’ to get down, when he is believed to have killed tracted the COVID-19 virus, of which Ministry enable Private Hospitals to COVID-19 positive. 68 of them had returned home. assist in carrying out the necessary test- higher economic activity instead of waiting for the A total of 226 Navy personnel have tested PavinyaNithiyakumar, aged 19 months, The UNP said the failure to protect ing,” the UNP said, calling on the min- economy to recover on its own from a currency cri- positive for COVID-19 as of yesterday (29), and three-year-old NigishNithiyakumar. members of the country’s essential ister to increase the country’s current sis in 2018. Army Commander Shavendra Silva said, MRP on white sugar removed services, who are battling the virus on capability of testing to 3,000 PCR tests Sri Lanka cut rates on January 30, and then start- ed to inject cash from February to undermine a soft- explaining that 147 were from the Welisara The Gazette notification on the Maxi- the frontlines, is a measurement of the per day. Navy Camp while the others were navy per- health minister’s failure to understand -CG peg with the US dollar and make it more difficult to mum Retail Price (MRP) for a kilogram of repay foreign debt by creating a ‘foreign currency sonnel who were on leave. He also noted white sugar has been cancelled. The MRP that 69 people from Narahenpita and 184 shortage’ with excess rupees, analysts had pointed for kilogram of white sugar was priced at out. In the past rating agencies had downgraded who had connections with naval personnel Rs 100 for bulk and Rs 105 for pre-packed. when money was printed to generate foreign short- have been sent to quarantine centres. Standard Chartered waives credit Disabled soldiers exempted age and reserve falls, rather than simple expansion Murder most foul in the deficit. In 2018, though the deficit did not The Ministry of Defence has exempted A Sri Lankan man has reportedly stabbed card fees, gives loan relief increase, the currency and forex reserves were hit fully or partially disabled soldiers from on liquidity injections. “Sri Lanka (B2 review for himself in the neck after allegedly knifing the order cancelling leave and short passes COLOMBO– Standard Chartered Sri financial charges and instalment pay- his two kids to death at their East London downgrade) is facing simultaneous domestic and granted to all officers and other ranks of Lanka said it is giving credit relief to ments (if any), have been halved. external shocks amid the global coronavirus out- flat, The Sun reported yesterday. Nitin Ku- the tri-services, requesting they report to its customers under a regulatory direc- Late payment fees have been waived break,” Moody’s said. “Capital outflows, marked mar, 40, remains in a critical condition in duty with immediate effect. Army person- tive and also waiving fees along with a for both credit cards and loans until local currency depreciation, wider risk premia and hospital after allegedly killing his two chil- nel who are part of National Sports teams number of concessions to credit card September 30, 2020. a further decline in real GDP growth will raise Sri dren, aged one and three, in Ilford on Sun- have also been exempted from returning to holders. Clients who are eligible may also re- Lanka’s debt burden, liquidity constraints and the day (26). According to hospital sources, service. “While the Central Bank has brought quest for a payment extension up to cost of external debt servicing. “This comes at a the dad-of-two sustained a severe cut to in new regulations for the entire indus- September 30, for permanent overdraft time when Sri Lanka’s credit profile is highly vul- try in this time of need, we decided to go facilities. nerable given low reserve coverage of large forth- the extra mile and make sure our cus- Senior citizens have been granted an coming external debt service payments and very tomers were well taken care of, as part ATM withdrawal fee waiver until May weak debt affordability.” Health ministry issues coronavirus of our brand promise of being here for 31, 2020, and priority customers given A currency fall would also worsen the debt while good,” SheahanArasaratnam, Country doorstep cash delivery until April 30. slowing growth. Moody’s said they expected deficits Head, Retail Banking, Standard Char- PickMe orders will be given 10% dis- to range around 8% of gross domestic product in guidelines for supermarkets tered Sri Lanka said. count till April 30 and 10% on online the near as revenues fell and spending rose. “Given The bank said interest on credit card entertainment purchases until May 15. wider fiscal deficits, we expect Sri Lanka’s debt bur- COLOMBO–The Ministry of Health has • Instruct cashier to sanitize hands after transactions of up to a total value of Rs The daily CEFT transfer limit has issued guidelines for supermarkets to ad- each encounter with customers den to rise to nearly 100 percent of GDP, weakening 50,000 from March 15 had been capped been raised to Rs 5 million with no fees Sri Lanka’s already fragile fiscal position,” Moody’s hered to when coronavirus curfews are re- • Give customers the option of receiving at 15% with dues settlement extended and a cash back of Rs1,500 on utility laxed. paper invoice or e-invoice sent to their mo- said. In 2020 and 2021, Sri Lanka has to settle a up to the May 15. bills paid by Standard Chartered app. foreign debt of around US $ 4.5 billion. The guidelines include: bile phones The minimum amount due on credit -economynext.com -economynext.com • Provide hand washing facilities at the • Maintain express counters (less than 5 card payments, made up of interest, entrance preferably with a foot or elbow items) operated tap and ensure each customer • Suspend utility bill payments for the washes hands before entering period of disease transmission • Clean and disinfect the floor, counter • Remove all customer operated devices tops and all common contact surfaces (e.g. touch screens at the cashier) UNDP staff donate 600 PPE kits to • Keep the entrance and exit doors open • Make customers aware of the measures or keep dedicated persons to open and and health messages through print, digital frontline healthcare workers close the doors and audio media • Take only a designated number of cus- • Arrange separate small stalls outside COLOMBO - The staff of the tomers inside in order to maintain one me- the main market for commonly sold items United Nations Development tre distance between two persons includ- such as rice, coconut, potatoes and onions Program (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, ing in the queue to reduce overcrowding inside the main extending their support to the • Refuse entry to customers without hall. government’s efforts to curb The guidelines are in addition to the gen- the spread of COVID-19 pan- masks demic donated 600 Personnel • Advice the staff not to wear nonessen- eral rules that ban several activities and Protective Equipment (PPE) tial accessories/ornaments (such as wrist require people maintain social distance of kits for healthcare professionals watch, bracelets, jewelleries,) during work- at least one metre, until the COVID-19 out- working on the frontlines. Five ing hours break is brought under control. hundred PPE kits were donated • Disinfect the handles of the carts and These include large gatherings in en- to the Office of the Provincial baskets after each use closed spaces Eg: cinema, private tuition Director of the Health Services, • Only dedicated staff to operate weigh- classes and conventions; adventure parks Western Province and 100 kits ing machines for children; night clubs, casinos and bet- were donated to the Kalutara • Avoid selling unpacked common retail ting centres and gatherings in religious Hospital (100), through vol- items such as rice, dhal, sugar and flour. places. untary contributions made by Have the items pre-packed and ready for -ENCL/economynext.com staff. sale -ENCL 4 THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 DAILY EXPRESS REALITY CHECK

By ai rishna

Students celebrating Sri Lanka let off the their graduation in the hook by Commission Soderlmalm district of Stockholm, on Religious Freedom Sweden, on NEW DELHI - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Friday (24). the Maldives are three South Asian countries which Sweden have been let off the hook by the US Commission on declined International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in its 2020 to order a report on the state of religious freedom in various wholesale countries. lockdown The report released on Tuesday (28) has come down during the heavily on many countries including India and Paki- coronavirus stan, recommending targeted sanctions against them. pandemic, India and Pakistan have been categorized as ‘Countries instead trusting of Particular Concern.’ But the report has made only its citizens to brief observations on Sri Lanka and Nepal without follow social categorizing them or seeking sanctions against them. distancing Bangladesh and the Maldives do not even figure in the protocols. Many report. did not, but the Sri Lanka country has On Sri Lanka it said: “During Easter services in 2019, fared about suicide bombers violently attacked three churches in the same as Colombo, Sri Lanka, as well as three luxury hotels, kill- other European ing 259 people. The bombing was conducted by the lo- nations cal extremist group National ThowheethJama’ath and later claimed by the Islamic State. “Several major political parties, as well as newly

-Andres Kudacki/The New York Times elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, actively pro- moted Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism, breeding mis- By homas Erdbrin and Christina Anderson trust and antagonism against religious minorities. After suicide bombings killed approximately 250 Christians on Easter Sunday (April 21, 2019), hardline Buddhist ‘Life has to go on’ mobs launched attacks and economic boycotts against Sri Lanka’s Muslim community.” India How Sweden has faced the virus without a lockdown On India, it said: “Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) re-election in May, the national govern- STOCKHOLM — She stood leaning and mass restrictions upended social with COVID-19 patients, the minister Scientists like Tegnell, who has be- ment used its strengthened parliamentary majority to on her cane, briefly resting among norms. As other nations in Europe be- of health and social affairs, Lena Hal- come something of a celebrity in Swe- institute national level policies violating religious free- dozens of bubbly young Swedes out gin to consider reopening their econ- lengren, said in an interview, referring den, and not politicians have driven dom across India, especially for Muslims. The national enjoying one of the first sunny spring omies, Sweden’s experience would to the disease caused by the virus. “We the debate over the coronavirus re- government allowed violence against minorities and days of the year. seem to argue for less caution, not have 250 empty beds right now.” sponse. their houses of worship to continue with impunity, and “I’m trying not to get too close to more. A compilation of mortality figures “Basically we are trying to do the also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incite- people,” said Birgit Lilja, 82, explain- “My respect for those who died, but by The New York Times found that same thing that most countries are do- ment to violence. ing that she had left her house to pick we are doing something right here in many countries were undercounting ing — slow down the spread as much “Significantly, the BJP-led government enacted the up a new identity card in person. “But Sweden,” said Johan Mattsson, 44, COVID-19 deaths by the thousands, as possible,” he said. “It’s just that we Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA)—a fast track to I trust them to be careful with me.” as he was having a drink at a cafe on while Sweden reported just 400 more use slightly different tools than many citizenship for non-Muslim migrants from Afghani- Trust is high in Sweden — in govern- Skanegatan Street. deaths than expected between March other countries.” stan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan already residing in ment, institutions and fellow Swedes. The restaurant consultant praised 9 and April 19. When responses are assessed after India—and approved a National Population Register When the government defied conven- the freedoms he had in Sweden com- This is not to say that Sweden has the crisis, Tegnell acknowledges, Swe- (NPR) as a first step toward a nation-wide National tional wisdom and refused to order pared to other countries. “I’m not see- escaped COVID-19’s deadly conse- den will have to face its broad failing Register of Citizens (NRC). The border state of Assam, a wholesale lockdown to “flatten the ing very different statistics in many quences entirely. with people over the age of 70, who under mandate of the Supreme Court, implemented a curve” of the coronavirus epidemic, other countries,” he said. “I’m happy The Swedish Public Health Author- have accounted for a staggering 86% statewide NRC to identify illegal migrants within As- public health officials pointed to trust we didn’t go into lockdown. Life has to ity has admitted that the country’s of the country’s 2,194 fatalities to date. sam. When the statewide NRC was released in August, as a central justification. go on.” seniors have been hit hard, with the vi- In the absence of recommendations 1.9 million residents—both Muslims and Hindus—were Swedes, they said, could be trusted While other countries were slam- rus spreading through 75% of the 101 from the Public Health Authority, a excluded. to stay home, follow social distanc- ming on the brakes, Sweden kept its care homes in Stockholm. Employees Jewish care home near Stockholm “Those excluded live in fear of the consequenc- ing protocols and wash their hands to borders open, allowed restaurants and of the homes complain of shortages of unilaterally decided to ban visitors, es: three United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteurs slow the spread of the virus — without bars to keep serving, left preschools personal protective equipment. said Aviva Kraitsik, the head of op- warned that exclusion from the NRC could result in any mandatory orders. And, to a large and grade schools in session, and The authority announced last week erations, who asked that the facility’s ‘statelessness, deportation, or prolonged detention.’ extent, Sweden does seem to have placed no limits on public transport or that more than 26% of the two million name be withheld because of previous Indeed, Home Minister Amit Shah referred to migrants been as successful in controlling the outings in local parks. Hairdressers, inhabitants of Stockholm will have threats it has received. as ‘termites’ to be eradicated. Troubled that Hindus virus as most other nations. yoga studios, gyms and even some cin- been infected by May 1. But even that The health authority even went so were excluded from Assam’s NRC, he and other BJP of- Sweden’s death rate of 22 per emas have remained open. figure was presented as something of a far as to order the “no visitors” signs ficials advocated for the CAA as a corrective measure to 100,000 people is the same as that of Gatherings of more than 50 people win: a number of infections that might removed. Kraitsik refused. “I said they protect Hindus. The CAA provides listed non-Muslim Ireland, which has earned accolades are banned. Museums have closed, limit future outbreaks, reached with- could put me behind bars,” she said. “I religious communities a path to restore their citizen- for its handling of the pandemic, and and sporting events have been can- out suffering an inordinate number of was prepared to take my punishment ship and avoid detention or deportation. far better than in Britain or France. celled. At the end of March, authori- deaths. to protect our residents.” “In its wake, BJP leaders have continued to advo- Yet, on this warm spring day, at ties banned visits to nursing homes. The freer approach has not fully But it was too late. The virus had cate for a nation-wide NRC; the citizenship of millions least, there was little evidence that That’s roughly it. There are almost insulated Sweden’s economy, mainly already crept inside and eventually would be placed under question, but, with the CAA in people were observing the protocols no fines and police officers can only because the country is dependent on killed 11 of the 76 inhabitants. place, Muslims alone would bear the indignities and — adding further mystery to Swe- ask people to oblige. Pedestrians exports, the minister of finance, Mag- It was only after the home required consequences of potential statelessness. The CAA’s den’s apparent success in handling the wearing masks are generally stared at dalena Andersson, said. She said the employees to wear face shields and passage in December sparked nationwide protests scourge without an economically dev- as if they have just landed from Mars. economy was likely to shrink by 7% masks when working with all the that police and government-aligned groups met with astating lockdown. On Sunday (26), five restaurants this year, “but of course hairdressers, residents, even those displaying no violence. In December, close to 25 people died in at- All around Lilja along Skanegatan were closed down for failing to ob- restaurants and hotels are less affect- symptoms, that it managed to halt the tacks against protestors and universities in UP alone. Street in the Sodermalm neighbour- serve social distancing requirements. ed compared to other countries.” spread of the infection, Kraitsik said. According to reports, police action specifically targeted hood of Stockholm, younger Swedes They were not fined, however, and will From the first signs of the pandem- The minister of health and social af- Muslims. thronged bars, restaurants and a be permitted to reopen after passing ic, the Swedish Public Health Author- fairs, Hallengren, acknowledged that “Throughout 2019, government action—includ- crowded park last week, drinking in an inspection, said Per Follin, regional ity decided that a lockdown would be there had been a shortage of protec- ing the CAA, continued enforcement of cow slaughter the sun. medical officer with the Department pointless. “Once you get into a lock- tive gear, though she also noted that and anti-conversion laws, and the November Supreme They laughed and basked in free- of Communicable Disease Control and down, it’s difficult to get out of it,” the “many people in the health care sector Court ruling on the Babri Masjid site—created a culture doms considered normal in most Prevention. country’s state epidemiologist, Anders for the elderly aren’t used to working of impunity for nationwide campaigns of harassment parts of the world not long ago, before Throughout the crisis Sweden has Tegnell, said. “How do you reopen? with PPE.” and violence against religious minorities. In August, coronavirus lockdowns, quarantines had enough intensive care units to deal When?” -New York Times the government also revoked the autonomy of Muslim- majority state Jammu and Kashmir and imposed re- By eith Bradsher strictions that negatively impacted religious freedom. “Mob lynching of persons suspected of cow slaughter or consuming beef continued, with most attacks occur- ring within BJP-ruled states. “Violence against Chris- China’s factories are back, its consumers aren’t tians also increased, with at least 328 violent incidents, BEIJING — An unemployed young United States and Europe, which are Overall sales of furniture, clothing, gym and cut back on going drinking often under accusations of forced conversions. These college graduate has stopped buying only beginning to plan their recover- household appliances and jewellery with friends. He has shelved plans to attacks frequently targeted prayer services and led to new sneakers. A clothing store clerk ies. Even if companies reopen, the real each plunged by a quarter to a third in move out of his parents’ home. the widespread shuttering or destruction of churches. gave up his gym membership. An challenge may lie in enabling or per- March compared a year earlier. On the “Before, I’d spend as much as I had,” “During 2019, discriminatory policies, inflammatory events planner, his pay cut by four- suading stricken and traumatized con- street and in malls, many stores have he said. rhetoric, and tolerance for violence against minorities fifths, now moonlights as a takeout sumers to start spending money again. plenty of clerks and some window To qualify for extra loans from banks at the national, state, and local level increased the cli- delivery driver — and can no longer By some measures, China’s econ- shoppers but few actual buyers. or rent waivers from landlords, busi- mate of fear among non-Hindu communities. After afford to eat out. omy is getting back on track. By the Liang Tonghui, a 40-year-old from nesses have typically been required the reporting period, India continued on this negative China, the world’s second-largest end of February, most of its factories central China’s Henan province, stood to avoid layoffs. Many companies re- trajectory. In February 2020, three days of violence economy and a key driver of the global and mines had reopened, according recently at a nearly deserted fruit duced hours and pay instead. erupted in Delhi with mobs attacking Muslim neigh- growth engine, has a big problem with to a variety of data, cranking out eve- stand in Beijing, trying to sell peaches Chen Ke works for a Shanghai sports borhoods. There were reports of Delhi police, operating its spenders. Until it can be solved, the rything from steel to cell phones at a and apples. Almost all the other mi- events planner and saw his pay drop under the Home Ministry’s authority, failing to halt at- country’s growth — and, by extension, blistering pace through March. In- grants he knows are struggling to find by four-fifths last month as events tacks and even directly participating in the violence. At the world’s — will be difficult to rekin- dustrial output rebounded to a near- work. He sells apples for 40% off at the were cancelled. He has started work- least 50 people were killed.” dle. record level. end of each day because he cannot find ing part time as a food delivery driver The report has asked the US government to impose As the coronavirus outbreak ebbs Other measures suggest the Chinese full-price buyers. and has given up restaurant meals in targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and in China, the country’s companies economy is still limping. Retail sales, “If half the people are not coming to favour of instant noodles and pasta at officials responsible for severe violations of religious and officials have made big strides which stayed strong during past cri- work,” Liang said, “what do you think home. He now makes coffee from in- freedom by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or in restarting its economy. Its facto- ses, plummeted almost one-sixth in is the number of people coming here?” stant powder instead of buying freshly barring their entry into the United States under hu- ries, brought to a standstill when the March from a year earlier. China needs to kick-start consump- brewed cups at his local convenience man rights-related financial and visa authorities, citing coronavirus outbreak swept through Satellite imagery shows that Chinese tion because the old ways to juice its store. specific religious freedom violations. It also urged the the country in January, are humming industrial areas emitted considerably economy don’t work like they once did. “The salary used to be put into your US Congress to continue to hold hearings highlighting again, and even the air pollution is less light this spring than they did a After running up huge debts to pay for bank account every day; it was just a religious freedom conditions in India and US policy to- coming back. year ago, in a sign that fewer building new high-speed rail lines, highways number,” Chen said. But delivering ward India. Angrily reacting to the report, India reject- Empowering consumers could be sites may be floodlit for 24-hour con- and other infrastructure following the food for less than a dollar per trip, “I ed the observations as biased and nothing new, with the tougher task. Many lost their jobs struction and that fewer factories may global financial crisis, China tried to really understand how hard it is to the spokesman of the Indian External Affairs Ministry, or had their pay slashed. Still others be operating around the clock. depend more on its consumers. In an make money.” Anurag Srivastava, saying the misrepresentation has were shaken by weeks of idleness and Even the factory work that has re- economy that registered nearly a half- The risk for China is that its con- reached new levels. home confinement, a time when many sumed may not be dependable for century of continuous growth without sumers grow too cautious in their Pakistan had to depend on their savings to eat. long. Customers in the United States recording a single recession, young spending. The country has spent years On Pakistan the report reiterated what it said in its For a generation of young Chinese and Europe also are not buying Chi- people in particular became willing to enlarging its social safety net to ex- 2019 edition. The Blasphemy law, the persecution of people known for their American-style nese-made goods like they once did. borrow and spend almost like Ameri- tend health care and other services to Ahmadis and forcible conversion to Islam were point- shopping sprees, saving and thrift US department stores, for example, cans. more people so that they will spend ed out. “Religious freedom conditions across Pakistan hold a sudden new appeal. have been cancelling and postponing A number of economists have called their money instead of saving it for an continued to trend negatively. The systematic enforce- Chloe Cao, a Beijing translator of orders. on China to do more to help con- emergency. ment of blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws, and au- French stage dramas, once spent more China’s unemployment statistics sumers. While the United States and It is still not clear whether the new thorities’ failure to address forced conversions of reli- than $200 a month in restaurants, — which showed a 5.9% urban un- other countries have unleashed ma- consumer frugality in China will last gious minorities—including Hindus, Christians, and $70 a month in coffee shops and as employment rate in March — are jor spending programs that include beyond the broad availability of a vac- Sikhs—to Islam, severely restricted freedom of religion much as $170 for a tube of imported notoriously unreliable. Larry Hu, an direct payments to households, China cine and the resumption of normal or belief. While there were high-profile acquittals, the face cream. Now unemployed, she economist at Macquarie Securities, has largely refrained so far, in part be- life. But for now, many are saying that blasphemy law remained in effect,” the report said. cooks for herself, brews her own cof- an Australian investment bank, esti- cause of debt concerns. their attitudes have changed for good. It called for the imposition of targeted sanctions on fee and buys $28 Chinese face cream. mates that China’s urban unemploy- Without shoppers, the retail indus- “What if I get a serious illness in Pakistani government agencies and officials responsi- “My spending power has suffered a ment rate will nearly double this year. try — one of the largest employers in the future; what if I lost my job again ble for severe violations of religious freedom by freez- cliff like drop,” Cao said. “When I find True unemployment may be as high China — will continue to suffer. in the future?” Cao said. “I think that ing those individuals’ assets and/or barring their en- a job, I will start saving money, and I as 20% if migrant workers from rural Peng Fei lost his part-time job at a in the future, I must have a certain try into the United States under human rights-related can’t live a wasteful life like before.” areas are included, according to one clothing store in south-central China amount of money in my bank account financial and visa authorities, citing specific religious China’s consumer confidence prob- estimate from Zhongtai Securities, a that closed during the pandemic. He to make me feel secure.” freedom violations. lem offers potential lessons for the Chinese brokerage. has responded by halting trips to the -New York Times -ENCL PULISHED Y EXPRESS ESPAPERS EY PT, LTD 2, RAA AATHA, EALA A ELA