MOGADISHU, 29 March 2020, TON: Somali government has sent 20 doctors to Italy to help contain the spread of COVID-19 amid a increase in deaths.

Somali government spokesman Ismail Mukhtar Omar said the doctors are volunteers from Somali National University, who have been in some European countries.

"The 20 doctors have already been registered in Italy and are expected to team up with some doctors from across the world to help Italy to contain the novel coronavirus," Omar said.

He said the doctors have been sent as part of emergency response team following appeal from the Italian government for international help to contain the virus.

Somalia has so far confirmed three cases of COVID-19, who were all returness from foreign countries. Accordingly, Somali Government has banned all international flights as well as domestic ones as part of the measures to contain the spread of the deadly virus in the country.  

RIYADH, 29 March 2020, TON: Saudi Arabia has successfully intercepted missiles fired from across the border at Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Saturday, 28 March.

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Defense Forces intercepted and destroyed the ballistic missiles at midnight, state media said. Saudi state TV reported that its missile defense systems were used in the interception.

Meanwhile, US is praising its Patriot missile defence systems while Russian head of the Defence Committee, Vladimir Shamanov negotiated and advised Saudi Arabia to replace old Air Defence systems with Russian S-400 or S-300 systems.

Another report by the Israeli news agency said that Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles on Saturday night launched by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group towards Riyadh and the city of Jizan as reaction to Saudi-led coalition fighting against Houthi militia.

In the recent past, a third country was trying to establish communication between Saudi Arabia and Yemen as well as the rebel groups. The talks were in mid way and the missiles attack seems deliberate attempt, intended to create suspicion in the path of peace between various stakeholders.

MALI, 29 March 2020, TON: Despite Coronavirus, Malian government decided to maintain the legislative elections set for Sunday 29 March, by inviting "all voters to strict compliance with the measures to prevent and combat the coronavirus. Washing kits or hand sanitizers are available at the entrance of each polling station. The government cautioned voters to avoid regrouping inside and outside polling stations. The second round will be held on 19 April 2020.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita declared a state of health emergency in the country due to Coronavirus spread in foreign countries. In his message to the nation, President Keita said "Mali's land borders will be closed, except for freight and the transport of goods, in particular basic necessities."

The elections were initially scheduled in 2018 but postponed several times due to security reasons. The current parliament was elected in the 2013 elections, which gave substantial majority to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The assembly was to be renewed in October and November 2018, after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita re-election as president but were postponed several times.

Strange but true, the US President Donald Trump in his latest tweet on Saturday, 28 March, said quarantine for New York area will not be necessary. Despite official figures of 2000 deaths in US, over 1000 in United Kingdom and 7503 in Italy, the leaders of these countries and many other do not believe in quarantine. In his latest tweet, President Trump said on Saturday night that he has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to issue a strong Travel Advisory but quarantine on the New York region will not be necessary. It is interesting to note that President Trump took this decision knowing well that New York City alone has seen 200 plus deaths in a single day on 28 March.

US Health Department confirmed that Coronavirus related deaths in US have doubled in two days, hitting 2000 on Saturday. The department also confirmed 20,000 officially announced new cases in one single day on Saturday for the first time. It would be interesting to note that an official of Department of Health and Human Services’ Civil Rights office disclosed that COVID-19 are usually contracted by very old people who rarely survive due to chronic history of many diseases including bronchitis and asthma. Accordingly, as per WP, the Civil Rights office of Department of Health and Human Services urged health care providers “to not ration care for covid-19 patients based on disability or age”.

It is interesting to note that the Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Boris Johnson in his address to the nation on 23 March, rather than asking masses to quarantine said, “From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.” In his address, he said that people will only be allowed to leave their home for very limited purposes including shopping, one form of exercise a day e.g. a run, walk, or cycle alone or with members of your household, medical need and travelling to and from work.  It would be interesting to note that with the exception of few odd, all Churches in United Kingdom remained open on Sunday 29 March.

Italy, which has officially reported 7503 deaths and 74386 infections due to Coronaviris also announced restricted suspension of some activities. The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on 11 March 2020, executed a decree imposing the temporary lockdown of any retailing activities, with the exceptions of those relating to the sale of essential goods. On 22 March 2020, another decree was issued which is to remain in force from 25 March to 3 April 2020. The government imposed the shutdown and restriction on non-strategic activities including non-strategic production activities and additional restrictions on the individuals’ movement from one municipality to another with the exception of well-grounded work, absolute urgency or health-related reasons. The shutdown was also not to apply on professional activities, strategic activities and other essential public services including defense and aerospace industries.

It is a media war, who knows how many died or infected but Pakistan and some other countries have done a great blunder by taking anti-human rights and anti-individual’s freedom measures including closing all the Mosques for congregational prayers. This could have been enforced on voluntarily basis, in case some specific area is epicenter of epidemic. It is the time to reopen the country and rethink about the cause of Coronavirus, which includes spread of virus from pigs or swine? As proved from the case studies of US, UK and Italy, civil protection is important but closing and imposing restrictions on strategic production houses and services has no precedent anywhere. It is strange that even the hospitals are closed for prescriptions and medicines for the sick as only COVID-19 cases are dealt, which in Pakistan has so far rarely reported, other that precautionary quarantine of those returning from abroad.  Where there is imposed restriction on movement for even essential work, some countries have been forced to come to a standstill that would be counterproductive. One sees people begging for food in the middle-class and poor-class communities. Where we must ensure restrict our activities it is the responsibility of Government and masses to ensure the survival of all.

ISLAMABAD, 28 March 2020, TON: Pakistan’s National Coordination Committee (NCC) had decided to close Eastern and Western borders both for trade and passenger traffic for another two weeks. In statement issued by NCC at Islamabad said, “The closure duration of two weeks of the borders has come to an end today and therefore NCC has decided to further extend the restriction for another two weeks. Both passenger traffic and trade has been stopped at the borders with Afghanistan, Iran and India which includes Kartarpur Corridor as well.”

The NCC on 14 March had earlier decided to halt border traffic on borders of the country for two weeks. International flights to the country were banned till 4th  April. In addition there will also be prohibition for flights leaving the country for abroad from tomorrow. It is interesting to note that the domestic flights were also suspended except the form Gilgit and Skardu.

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2020, TON: In an alarming disclosure, the Indian Government has said that over 15 lakh passengers who returned from abroad during the last two months may have skipped the monitoring system put in place for coronavirus (COVID-19) surveillance.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has revealed that in the last two month, more than 15 lakh international travelers came to India but there appears to be a gap in their actual monitoring.

In his letter to Chief Secretaries of States and Union Territories, Rajiv Gauba said such a gap in monitoring of international passengers for coronavirus may seriously jeopardise the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, given that many amongst the persons who have tested positive so far in India have history of international travel.

The Indian Government had started monitoring of all international passengers who have arrived in India in last two months in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and put under close surveillance to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

WASHINGTON, 28 March 2020, IANS: Overwhelmed by the rapid rise in the number of coronavirus infected people, the US government has decided to use its navy ships as hospitals and move non-Covid-19 patients from most-affected cities to the sea. The US on Thursday surpassed China, where the novel coronavirus had originated four months ago, with the highest number of coronavirus infected people. Over 85,000 people have tested positive for the deadly virus and more than 1,300 have died of the disease in the US so far. New York has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the US with over 38,000 cases diagnosed as on Friday. On the West Coast, California has got the largest number of cases with over 4,000 infected people.

Sources said that since New York hospitals are unable to cope with the growing number of coronavirus positive cases, even as hotels are being used for non-corona patients, the government has decided to move some of the non-Covid-19 patients to navy ships. As the outbreak is spreading fast in New York, many people have been fleeing the city, sources said. 

WASHINGTON, 28 March 2020, IANS: The World Bank Group President David Malpass said hat the multilateral lender was finalizing a package that could provide as much as $160 billion in financial support for the worst-hit countries by the coronavirus pandemic.

“The goals are to shorten the time to recovery; create conditions for growth; support small and medium enterprises; and help protect the poor and vulnerable,” Malpass told a conference call of the Extraordinary Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders’ Summit on Thursday.

Noting that the World Bank has approved a $14 billion package focused on the immediate health and social consequences of the outbreak, Malpass said “we’re now finalizing an additional package that will focus on the broader economic consequences”, reports Xinhua news agency.

The World Bank President further said that on Wednesday, he presented a program to the Board that could provide as much as $160 billion in financial support over the next 15 months.

“I’m particularly concerned about poor, densely populated countries such as India, where weak health systems need massively scalable investments in human capital, supplies and infrastructure,” Malpass said. “We are working hard to provide support through our public and private sector tools,” he said.

Malpass noted the World Bank has new COVID-related projects underway in 56 countries, encouraging other multilateral development banks to co-finance follow-up tranches. The World Bank is restructuring existing projects in 24 countries in order to direct funds to the health emergency.

NEW DELHI, 28 March 2020, TON:  In a bid to fight against coronavirus, the Indian Railways has decided to convert non-AC coaches into isolation ward to treat coronavirus COVID-19 patients. The Railways authorities has approved the plan and decided to allow producing more such coaches for the patients.
The Northern Railways has converted one such coach into an isolation ward. Once the prototype is approved by the Railway Ministry, the decision producing more such coaches can be planned, said a railway official.

YUMGAN, 28 March 2020; TON:  Taliban have retaken the control of a district headquarters in Yumgan, Afghanistan's northeastern province of Badakhshan. In another Taliban refused to withdraw or negotiate handing over the headquarters to Afghan government.

Heavy fighting between Taliban and the Afghan troops, resulted in number of casualties and finally takeover.

Yumgan and Jurm districts of Badakhshan Province which are presently with Taliban were controlled by Taliban since decades but last year taken over by the Afghan Government forces. In case Taliban retains Yumgan, there are high chances that the areas in between Yumgan and Taliban controlled Kuran wan Munjan will also be taken over by the Taliban.