World News

Pakistan is set to ease the country-wide lockdown this weekend – despite the fact that increased testing highlighted that new coronavirus cases rose.

Prime Minister Imran Khan cited the state of the country’s economy as being in “havoc” when he declared the intended measures.

Prime Minister Khan called on Pakistanis to continue to follow social distancing measures as businesses began phased re-opening.

He did, however, say that a lockdown would be re-deployed is another lockdown was to be declared.

In a televised address declaring the easing of the lockdown, PM Khan said: “We have to discipline ourselves. We can’t send the police to make raids. That just doesn’t happen in an independent society.

Schools in the country will remain closed until mid-July. There are no plans yet to restart public transport, or domestic flights.

Authorities recently had to relent under overwhelming pressure from religious groups ahead of the holy month of Ramadan and allowed mosques to hold daily prayers and evening gatherings, with clerics promising to instruct religious leaders to keep the facilities clean and tidy.

The level of infections had been rising as testing increased.

In a population of 220,223,844, the amount of fatalities due to coronavirus, according to government figures, was 564.

Some businesses in Nigeria have started to slowly re-open after the country started to ease a lockdown which was imposed in key urban areas in a bid to start Africa’s largest economy.

But the main doctor’s association described the move as “very premature”.

In the country’s leading commercial hub of Lagos, traffic jams were absent, which indicates that many people there were remaining indoors.

Last week, President Muhammad Buhari said that the measures had imposed “a very heavy economic cost.

“I have approved of a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures”, he said in a television broadcast.

He unveiled new measures including nationwide night-time curfews, the mandatory wearing of facemasks and a ban on “non-essential” travel between different regions.

He also announced an immediate lock-down in northern Nigeria’s largest city of Kano after officials said that they were probing a spate of “mysterious deaths”

The government is facing a difficult balancing act trying to curb the spread of the virus and contain the growing desperation of a vast number who are living hand-to-mouth in Africa’s most populated country.

More than 25 million residents in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states has been under federal lockdown since March 30, with other states introducing their own lockdown.

It has been confirmed that China Merchants Port Holdings have taken full control of Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL), the entity that manages the Port of Kingston under a 30-yearconcession agreement with the Jamaican government.

This was made possible by the international French-led shipping and port management company – CMA CGM selling its interest in KFTL to a subsidiary company, Terminal Link, which was up to that point a joint venture of CMA CGM (51%) and China Merchants (49%).

The effect of the change is that CMA CGM has sold its shares in the 30-year concession agreement for KFTL, meaning that China Merchants now has full control of the entity.

Kingston Freeport was the company used by the Terminal Link-CMG CGM consortium to operate, Kingston Container Terminal under the 30-year deal signed with The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ in April 2015 to finance, expand, operate and maintain the Port of Kingston.

The overall deal involved more than just the Kingston Freeport, as China Merchant Port Holdings announced recently that the company had completed the initial closing of the proposed acquisition with respect to eight target terminals, including Kingston Freeport, worth US$814.78 million.

On the move, Jamaica’s opposition PNP (People’s National Party) spokesperson on national security, Peter Bunting, said: “The move is a form of economic colonialism by Chinese businesses in Jamaica.

“The Jamaican people are well aware of the long history of fraternal between our two peoples. However, we believe that the concerns that arise from the existing situation could be problematic if they remain unaddressed”.

It follows his appearance in a video, called ‘Chinese Take Over?’, where he made several anti-China statements.

In response, the Chinese Embassy said that it was offended by the “unsubstantiated claim” by Bunting.

The company said that the eight terminals assets include 50 per cent of Odessa Terminal Holding Ltd (Ukraine), 49 per cent of CMA CGM-PSA Lion Terminal Pta Singapore), 100 per cent of Kingston Freeport Terminal Ltd. (Jamaica), 30 per cent of Rotterdam World Gateway (Netherlands), 24 per cent of Qingdao Qianwan United Advance Container Terminal (China), 47.25 per cent of First Logistics Development Company (Vietnam), 14.5 per cent of Laem Chabang International Terminal Co. Ltd. (Thailand) and 100 per cent of CMA CGM Terminal Iraq SAS.

Regarding the change of ownership, of KFTL, authorities there reported that “CMA CGM notified the Jamaican government about the intended transfer before action took place”.

According to the PAJ, the potential transaction was complete and approved, with several similar agreements highlighted as proven successes – with PAJ, KFTL investing over US$250m to dredge the access channel to the harbour, as well as upgrading facilities and equipment.

The investments is set to allow larger vessels carrying up to 14,000 20-foot container units (TEUs) which now transit the expanded Panama Canal, to enter Kingston Harbour and to be processed efficiently at the container terminal.

Previously vessels that were processed at the terminal averaged 3,500 TUEs.

The United States Department of Defence has released three declassified videos of “unexplained aerial phenomena”.

The Pentagon said that it was to “clear up any misconception by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulated was real”.

The video had already been leaked in 2007 and 2017.

Two were published by the New York Times, while the third was leaked by an organisation c0-founded by former Blink-182 singer, Tom DeLonge.

In a statement, the Pentagon said: “After thorough review, the department has determined that the authorised release of the unclassified video does not reveal sensitive capabilities or systems, and does not impinge on any subsequent investigation of military air space incursions by unidentified aerial phenomena.

“The Department of Defence is releasing videos in order to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real, or whether or not there is far more to the video.

“The aerial phenomena observed in the video remain characterised as ‘unidentified’.”

The Premier of Nevis, Mark Brantley, has announced that he will forgo his whole monthly salary, for the foreseeable future, as a personal stance of solidarity with people of the Caribbean island whose own loss of earnings caused by the severity of coronavirus has impacted on them dramatically, due to the economic fallout.

Premier Brantley recently informed Nevisians of his decision when he said: “I have foregone my monthly salary and benefits in full, and I will continue to do so until this major crisis is over”.

This follows the announcement of the leaders of other island states in the region – and international arena – who are said to have taken anywhere between 30 and 70 per cent pay cuts as the revenues of their individual governments decreases.

As leader of the Nevis administration, Premier Brantley informed that Ministers would also be making their own personal financial sacrifices to aid the financial recovery of the islanders.

“We fully recognise the pain and anxiety of the Nevisians”, he said, “who have lost their jobs - and some, their homes – and the general loss of income has made it difficult for some of us to even ensure that we have food to eat”.

As the coronavirus pandemic makes its mark in Africa, in Nigeria, The Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, fulfilled his position as Royal King of the ancient Yoruba city of Ife by leading by example when he set about the fumigation of Ile Ife, before providing the wider State of Osun, and 35 other State, with fumigators, as the country, and continent at large, stood strong as, together, they stood up to the crisis.

And in highlighting the advanced, forward-thinking nature of The Ooni – as well as the inventiveness and integrity of Nigeria-at-large - the whole operation took place with fumigators and drones that were locally invented and provided.

It was before the full operation was ready to take place, that The Ooni, in a press conference, described his actions as “a necessity to eventuate the State’s, and country’s creativity at its best - Especially that of our young people!

He continued: “Their innovation stemmed from ‘thinking outside the box’ – just like major inventive creators have done in the past, and still doing the world over today.

“The motorised fumigator”, he said, “is a creation out of necessity that can also serve purpose in the fields of agriculture and industry once we – and the whole world – finally successfully tackle the pandemic.

“We need an abundance of fumigators right now, and that’s why we have partnered with suppliers of drones to then be able to widen coverage”.

Of equal standard as those found in any western country, China or other leading Asian states, and unequalled in Nigeria each Ife-made fumigator’s range capacity covers some 20-30 feet in radius.

“With it being heavily tested and approved by royal accent, not only is it cost-effective, but, it is easy to assemble. And, we fully approve of its workability.

“We need to do now, is to make sure that we roll this out to the general public”.

As Co-Chair of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), The Ooni of Ife stressed that, by way of support, he will be donating two of the fumigators to every one of the States of the Federation of Nigeria.

This is in addition to what he is already doing – as he continues to assist the Nigerian government by sharing out food and sanitizing items to people most in need in the country.

The UN (United Nations) observers have warned that the world is at risk of widespread famines of “biblical proportions” which is caused by the coronavirus pandemic,.

David Bearsley, head of the World Food Programme (WFP), said that urgent action was needed in order to avoid a catastrophe.

A report estimates that the number of people who are suffering from starvation could easily rise from the figure of 135 million, with a steep increase to 250 million worldwide.

It is said, by WFP, that more the 30 countries in the developing world could experience widespread famine, before adding that most people at risk are more particularly situated in 10 countries that are affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change.

Addressing the UN Security Council during a video conference, Bearsley also said: “We could face multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months.

“The simple truth is that we have very little time on our side.

In a call to action, he added: “I do believe that with our collective expertise and our partnerships, we can bring together the teams and the programmes to make certain that the coronavirus pandemic does not become a human and food crisis catastrophe”.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise globally, 18º North findings look at the countries in the Caribbean recording the biggest weekly percentage increases in their coronavirus counts.

The percentage increases are not useful for comparing countries, but rather just to illustrate how each nation’s numbers have changed week-on-week.

The period covered for this analysis is as of 12:30PM EST on both days between March 26 and April 2, 2020. As a result, numbers updated later in the afternoon or evening of April 2 will not be reflected in the data.

Below are the findings….

Grenada, St. Maarten and Puerto Rico had the biggest weekly percentage increases in the number of reported positive COVID-19 cases, with jumps of 900% (from 1 to 10 cases), 500% (from 3 to 18), and 386% (from 65 to 316), respectively, during March 26 – April 2, 2020.

26 of the 43 countries or islands in our dataset have seen the number of cases this week double or more than double compared to last week.  

As the country emerged as the first Sub-Saharan African country to make such cuts in its battle to combat coronavirus, the president of Ghana has announced that his government will pay people’s water bills for the next three months as the country continues it ceaseless fight against the deadly global crisis that is showing no immediate signs of coming to any full stop.

As the pandemic continues to take its hold on lives on people throughout the world, in the West African country, President Nana Akufo-Addo made a televised address to the nation where he said that his government has urged the country’s utility companies to ensure a reconnect any disconnected supplies.

Water-supply tankers have now been made available to provide water to the most vulnerable communities. It (Ghana) was also the first country in the region to cut interest rates to reduce its benchmark of 16% to an eight-year low of 14.5% - the first cut since January..

Meanwhile, Ghana’s health workers who are treating patients with coronavirus will receive a boost to their basic pay and all health workers will also be granted with a three month tax holiday.

In a resent account, the national figure there showed a total of 214 cases of people contracting the Covid-19 virus – with five deaths.

The Majority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensa, has given the assurance that the country will bounce back strong once the coronavirus pandemic passes.

He has also explained the government’s decision to absorb water bills in the wake o the virus.

“Don’t forget that the country will have to bounce back after all these things”, he said, “so you will want to see which recourse will not will not inflict a mortal wound on the economy”, as he hinted that the government is also considering absorbing electricity bills for all Ghanaians as part of the way of fighting the Covid-19 virus.

Earlier the Suame lawmaker hinted that the government had intended to absorb electricity bills or reduce the tariff in the country which was announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa-Addo previously.

“This has been on the table and the cabinet was considering it over the past two weeks”,
Osei Kyei Mensa said. “But a determination will be made and, of course, you would have to look at the circumstances and standing of the country, the national purse now before you make any decision”.

The president earlier announced that the government will absorb water bills of Ghanaians for the next three months to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.

After inviting President Muhammadu Buhari to this year’s COP26 climate change summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was said to be hugely disappointed after it had to be cancelled due to the worldwide coronavirus epidemic.

He (Johnson) was very interested in investing Nigeria’s clean energy sector after the UK won the bid to host COP26 (the 26^th Conference of the Parties) having entered into a partnership with European counterparts Italy.

A United Nations environmental gathering, which was set to take place in Glasgow, in Scotland, later this year, it was designed to produce a worldwide response to the climate emergency

After winning the hosting bid, the UK was set to hold the main COP26 summit, with – as part of the agreement - Italy due to hold preparatory event; which includes a youth event.

Prime Minister Johnson’s invited President Buhari follows the recent UK-Africa Investment Summit, in London.

The UK’s nominated COP26 president, Claire Perry, said: “The world’s leaders were due to gather to discuss how we can tackle the climate change on a global scale.

“And, with it being one of the UK’s most sustainable cities, there was nowhere better than Glasgow – with its great track record for hosting highly successful, high-profile international events like this”.

Currently, Nigeria’s’ gross power supply is generating just over 7,000MW – way below the much-required 40,000MW required for the general, every day needs of the country.

The west-African country is, however, leading the way into movements to introduce cleaner energy, as they are encouraged to look into wind, solar and recycled waste although getting investment to pursuit those lines is said to be a big struggle.

With it being the largest in the world, the United Kingdom’s total off-shore wind power capacity stands at 8,183MW – a third of Europe’s total off-shore resource.

It equates to three-times the UK’s electricity needs.

On-shore, the UK’s total number for wind turbine power equals 13,532MW.

In excess of 30,000 delegates were expected at the Scottish Events Campus for the 26^th Conference of the Parties.

With CO26 now postponed, revised plans will be set out to reschedule COP26.

After inviting President Muhammed Buhara to the COP26 climate change summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be interested in investing Nigeria’s clean energy sector.

The UK won the bid to host COP26 (the 26^th Conference of the Parties) after entering into a partnership with Italy.

A United Nations environmental gathering, set to take place in Glasgow, in Scotland, later this year, is designed to produce a worldwide response to the climate emergency

After winning the hosting bid, the UK is set to hold the main COP26 summit, with – as part of the agreement - Italy due to hold preparatory event; which includes a youth event.

Prime Minister Johnson’s invite to President Buhara follows the recent UK-Africa Investment Summit, in London.

The UK’s nominated COP26 president, Claire Perry, said: “The world’s leaders are due to gather to discuss how we can tackle the climate change on a global scale.

“And, with it being one of the UK’s most sustainable cities, where better than Glasgow – with its great track record for hosting highly successful, high-profile international events like this”.

Currently, Nigeria’s’ gross power supply is generating just over 7,000MW – way below the much-required 40,000MW required for the general, every day needs of the country.

The west-African country is, however, leading the way into movements to introduce cleaner energy, as they are encouraged to look into wind, solar and recycled waste although getting investment to pursuit those lines is said to be a big struggle.

With it being the largest in the world, the United Kingdom’s total off-shore wind power capacity stands at 8,183MW – a third of Europe’s total off-shore resource.

It equates to three-times the UK’s electricity needs.

On-shore, the UK’s total number for wind turbine power equals 13,532MW.

In excess of 30,000 delegates are expected, all permitting, at the Scottish Events Campus for the 26^th Conference of the Parties.

Saudi Arabia has asked Muslims from around the world who are planning to take part in the Hajji pilgrimage to delay booking amid uncertainty over the covid-19 epidemic.

Hajj minister Mohammed Banten said the kingdom was concerned about the safety of pilgrims and urged people to “wait before concluding contracts”.

In excess of 2million people were expected to travel to Mecca and Medina this July and August for the annual gathering.

Muslims who are physically able must undertake the Hajji once in a lifetime.

The yellow, blue and green colours of St. Vincent & The Grenadines were hard to miss on Ariapita Avenue in Port-Of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago during the recent cultural promotion put on by the SVG Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) at T&T’s 2020 Carnival.

At the event, representatives of the CDC as well as Vincentian Soca artistes were present to interact with attendees and passers-by on the popular T&T nightlife strip and to a TV audience through a live regional broadcast via entertainment network Synergy TV.

This initiative gave the CDC contingent an opportunity to educate the masses about the various festivals and cultural activities due for 2020 on the destination of St. Vincent & The Grenadines which include ‘Vincymas’, ‘Union Island Easterval’, ‘Bequia Easter Regatta’ and ‘Bequia Music Festival’.

Additionally, attendees at the Ariapita Avenue extravaganza had a chance to view video presentations on the upcoming festivals and were treated to pulsating performances by top Vincy artistes.

Performing at the Synergy TV event were proud SVG ambassador and 2019 T&T Roach Champion Skinny Fabulous, Hance John, Casper G and 2019 Vincymas Road March Winner, Luta.

CDC board members as well as other executives who represented Pan, Calypso and other facets of Vincentian culture revelled in the opportunity to promote St. Vincent’s one of a kind festivals set to the backdrop of T&T’s exciting Carnival season.

The representatives collectively shared their pleasure at being in Trinidad & Tobago and invited its citizens as well as other tourists and festival lovers to come experience the splendour of SVG and all that it has to offer in this fun-filled year.

The 2020 Vincymas festivities was due to happen from June 26^th to July 7^th.

Four outstanding young people have won Commonwealth Youth Awards for innovative projects that are delivering sustainable development in their countries.

The awards recognise exceptional contributions by young people whose ventures are helping their countries achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The regional award winners are:

• Africa and Europe: Brian Galabuzi Kakembo, Uganda, turning plastics into eco-friendly briquettes (focus on SDG 8: decent work and economic growth)
• Asia: Hafiz Usama Tanveer, Pakistan, bringing clean water to poor communities (focus on SDG 6: clean water and sanitation)
• The Caribbean and Canada: Sowmyan Jegatheesan, Canada, providing one-stop information to prevent human-wildlife conflict (focus on SDG 15: life on land);
• The Pacific: Sagufta Salma, Fiji, transforming waste into sustainable furniture (focus on SDG 12: responsible consumption and production).

More than 500 award nominations were received from 40 countries. From these, a pan-Commonwealth judging panel selected sixteen finalists. The awards were presented during a gathering at Commonwealth headquarters in London. Recipients received a £3,000 grant for their projects.

2020 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year

As well as the Africa and Europe prize Galabuzi Brian Kakembo of Uganda scooped the overall prize of 2020 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year for his work on transforming biodegradable plastics and organic waste into eco-friendly charcoal briquettes.

Growing up in a poor community, he set up an enterprise to educate women and young people to turn waste into wealth. He has reached more than 800 women and young people, and 600 of them now make and sell briquettes in Uganda.

Brian said: “I want the world to see that unemployed youth is not a problem but an untapped resource that can be trained and supported to bring about a social change.”

Asia Winner

Hafiz, from Pakistan, has created water purification kits to improve access to clean water in poor communities and refugee camps to help prevent the spread of waterborne diseases. He has reached more than 11,000 people including victims of the Kerala flooding that occurred in the past two years.

He said: “This award is an encouragement to continue on this trajectory to reach more people and to make water non-exclusive.” 

The Caribbean and Canada Winner

Canada’s Sowmyan wants the world to make informed decisions when it comes to protecting wildlife from the effects of climate change.

He has developed one of the world’s largest online information hubs to help communities build resilience by better understanding climate activities, migration patterns and human-wildlife conflict.

He said: “The business-as-usual practice has led to the endangering of so many species. We must change our course, understand the evidence and make informed decisions to protect our wildlife from changing climate.”

The Pacific Winner

Sagufta from Fiji turns waste material into sustainable furniture and home accessories. She says a lack of access to proper waste disposal in Fiji drove her to establish her enterprise, which has now upcycled more than 1,000 tons of waste.

She mainly employs single mothers so they can support their families. She said: “This award will help me create more awareness around sustainable living and empower more women to work in a field that is largely dominated by men.”

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, who presented the awards, said: “For the awards this year, we received nominations from more than 40 Commonwealth countries. Considering them made us aware of a vast range of impressive innovations.

“There were projects for delivering tech-powered learning, to provide clean water and sanitation, and for waste management.

“The entries remind us that there is no lack of ingenuity or ideas. What we tend to lack are mechanisms to support and fund the young innovators who have the imagination and creativity we need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

“So the Commonwealth Youth Awards are a searchlight picking out some of the best examples of who we are and what we can do as a family of nations.”

During the awards ceremony, presentations on the work being done by finalists to deliver sustainable development were made to diplomats, officials and civil society representative from Commonwealth countries.

Celebrations and events were held around the world on Monday, 9 March to mark Commonwealth Day.

This year’s event was centred around the theme ‘Delivering a Common Future’, highlighting how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ to help achieve some of its biggest goals - such as protecting natural resources and boosting trade.

Events to mark the occasion took place across five continents with the Commonwealth’s 2.4 billion citizens enjoying flag parades, church services, poetry mornings, dance performances and much more.

Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, released a message to mark the occasion.

She touches on the theme of connectivity, mentioning how “advances in technology and modern media have now enabled many more people to witness and enjoy – with remarkable immediacy – the experience of Commonwealth connection, in areas such as education, medicine and conservation.”

She ended by saying: “On this Commonwealth Day I hope that the people and countries of the Commonwealth will be inspired by all that we share, and move forward with fresh resolve to enhance the Commonwealth’s influence for good in our world.”

The Queen joined Secretary-General Patricia Scotland at Westminster Abbey for a multi-faith service to celebrate the day.

Highlights included performances from West-End star, Alexandra Burke; and multi-platinum, multi-award winning singer-songwriter, Craig David.

World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua also spoke at the service.

In her message the Secretary-General said: “Our great strength as a family of nations, and of peoples growing together organically, is our ability to evolve and adjust to changing circumstances – whether in the field of human rights, democracy or trade.”

She added: “An impressive example of how our member countries come together to pool knowledge and resources which deliver transformational change through innovation is the Commonwealth Blue Charter.

“It provides a dynamic framework within which our member countries commit to working together on ocean health and to use marine resources in sustainable ways.”