Half of World's Workers
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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.