ZIMBABWE, 15 March 2020, TON: Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister says the coronavirus pandemic is God’s way of exacting revenge for countries that have imposed economic sanctions on the country.

Minister Oppah Muchinguri singled out the United States going as far as saying President Trump should know that “he is not God.” Trump renewed sanctions on the country recently.

She was speaking on Saturday at an event in Chinoyi, capital of the West Mashonaland Province. Her address was in a local language, a translation of which was as follows.

They are now stuck in their homes. There is nothing else for them to do. Their economies are now screaming. Isn't it they are making ours scream too? Trump must know that he is not God. They are suffocating us, where do they want us to go? Now it is your turn to be suffocated by coronavirus. So that you will feel how p

“This coronavirus that has come, these are sanctions, isn’t it? These are sanctions that have been imposed on countries that imposed sanctions on us. God has punished them.

“They are now stuck in their homes. There is nothing else for them to do. Their economies are now screaming. Isn’t it they are making ours scream too? Trump must know that he is not God.

“They are suffocating us, where do they want us to go? Now it is your turn to be suffocated by coronavirus. So that you will feel how painful it is.”

Zimbabweans on social media have been reacting to the pronouncements. A section calling for her to be fired, others making jest of the comment whiles for others the fact that China, an ally of the country, was the epicenter of the outbreak, has caused them to brand the Minister as ignorant.

“On behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, I would like to apologise to those countries that have been affected by the coronavirus; the provocative and ignorant comments by the Defence Minister do not reflect the thinking of the generality of Zimbabweans who wish you a speedy recovery,” a former deputy ministerGodfrey Gandawa  tweeted on Sunday.

The Zimbabwe government continues to insist that economic sanctions was all but worsening the struggling economy of the southern African nation. 

In March 2020, US President Trump tweeted that the Corona-virus was not as perilous as the flu. He calculated the confirmed cases and deaths from Corona-virus. He said, “Last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year and asked people to think about that. Animal rights groups fear that that if the actual causes of Corona-virus disease made public, the people around the world might kill whole of the pig population in the world. On 15^th March, President Trump extended travel ban on UK and Ireland as World Health Organization declared Europe the center of the pandemic beside China. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, eating of pig’s flesh has been forbidden. Deuteronomy 14:8 says about pig, “It is unclean for you. You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses”.

From August 2018, China increased meat imports from the United States, Europe and Brazil as half of its pigs died of swine flu. China also eased restrictions on US beef imports and in November 2018 lifted a ban on US poultry and other meat shipments. China stared receiving meat shipments in refrigerated containers from US and other above countries. Officials of USA Poultry and Egg Export Council disclosed on the condition of anonymity that US had fair idea of Swine fever in most of the pig population in American farms but these pigs were culled and exported to China in refrigerated containers.

On 26 September 2018, the European Parliament (PE624.115v01-00 B8-0398/2018) passed resolution that African swine fever only affects pigs and wild boar and it not possible to treat or vaccinate against this disease. The parliament recognized that European Union is the world’s second largest exporter of pork, after China and number of cases of African swine fever came to light in Europe in mid-September 2018. The European Parliament thus calls on the Member States to apply the precautionary principle.

The World Health Organization (WHO) report regarding assessment of risk associated with influenza A(H5N8) virus dated 17 November 2016 revealed that human infection with the A(H5N8) virus cannot be excluded, although the likelihood is low, based on the limited information obtained to date. It should be noted that human infection with A(H5N6) of related clad 2.3.4.4 has already occurred. In its report dated 13 November 2018, WHO reveled that humans can be infected with avian, swine and other Zoonotic influenza viruses, such as avian influenza virus subtypes A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and A(H9N2) and swine influenza virus subtypes A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and A(H3N2).

It is important to recall that a decade back, extensive Media coverage of H1N1 contributed to creating deep public fears in Egypt and other countries. Egyptian parliament discussed a law to prohibit raising pigs and argued rising of pigs in Islamic country. Egypt's lower house of parliament on 28 April 2009 called for the pigs to be slaughtered to resolve the issue of viruses once for all. Accordingly, after the approval from parliament, President Hosni Mubarak ordered the immediate culling of the country's 250,000 to 300,000 pigs while each farmer was to be given compensation of about 600 pounds (105 dollars) per animal. Mass protests by Christians and international NGOs in Egypt put a lot of international pressure that later led to toppling of President Hosni Mubarak’s government. Hosni Mubarak resigned and formally handed over power to the Army's supreme command.

In 2018:  259 million pigs were slaughtered in the European Union. Pork exports represented 59% European Union’s total meat exports, and were valued at EUR 7.2 billion EUR. African Swine Fever (ASF) was declared in China in August 2018. The European Commission implemented  Decision (EU) 2020/281 of 27 February 2020 amending the Annex to Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/47 on took protective measures in relation to highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5N8 in certain Member States (notified under document C(2020) 1248). In January 2020, Italian Police in Padua destroyed some 10 tons of pork infected with Swine fever. Italy has banned the import of Chinese pork in hopes of stopping the spread of the disease. In February 2020, Taiwan imposed a ban on alive pigs and pork product imports from Italy in response to the corona-virus outbreak and Taiwan's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine deleted Italy from the list of Swine Fever free country. 

Despite the fact that Judaism, Christianity and Islam orders followers that pigs and its flesh are unclean and forbidden to eat or touch but people are still hiding that the “pigs” are root cause of corona-virus as also proved above. The announcement, “Europe the center of the pandemic” by World Health Organization, which is authority on health matters, is being overlooked and despite large number of Corona-virus positive cases in US, Europe and China, media is only focusing of cases surfaced in Muslim countries in Asia and Africa, especially Middle East. One wonders the world organization and world powers eliminated millions of humans around the world in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, Somalia, Palestine, Lebanon, Kashmir and elsewhere only because they held fundamentalist views but the epicenter and root case of Corona-virus disease is being patronized.  

General Kenneth McKenzie ex US Central Command, in a recent statement said, “There are indicators that the deal with Taliban ultimately may be doomed”. A day earlier on 12 March, in a statement General Kenneth McKenzie said that despite a pledge to reduce violence, the frequency of Taliban attacks across Afghanistan remained troubling. The ground facts cannot be denied that attacks continued against Afghan security forces at the border outposts, security checkpoints and, military and Police units. A local Afghan resistance commander was doubtful about US Defense Secretary Mark Esper

President Ashraf Ghani, at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, was sworn in as president for a second term. Those present on the occasion were US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson, Commander of NATO and US forces General  Scott Miller, as well as ambassadors from different countries including Pakistan, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway and EU.

In a 9^th March statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “US strongly supports a unified and sovereign Afghanistan, opposes any effort to establish a parallel government or any use of force to resolve political differences.” Meanwhile, US influencers including Peace Envoy for Afghanistan Khalilzad carried out extensive negotiations with President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah to reach to an agreement on broad based Government.

In another development, Abdullah Abdullah has refused to accept Ashraf Ghani as President of Afghanistan claiming that the National Unity Government ended and it is time for new Chief Executive to be announced. On the other hand President Ashraf Ghani had issued a decree abolishing office of the Chief Executive. If we recall, Chief Executive Office was established through a power-sharing agreement in 2014 in which despite Asharaf Ghani winning the election, power was divided Ashraf Ghani as President and Abdullah Chief Executive.

It is interesting to note that Afghan Independent Election Commission has declared President Ashraf Ghani as winner on 18 February but the US and allies are adamant that President Ashraf Ghani should forgo the decision of Independent Election Commission and should not announce his victory as it may hamper US-Taliban Peace Agreement. Where President Ashraf Ghani has expressed his desire that political power should not be someone’s inheritance and the next government should demonstrate the will of the entire people of Afghanistan, Western intruders are going for another political experiment to resolve the deadlock.

Reportedly, President Ashraf Ghani is being persuaded to offer 40 percent share in the Government to Abdullah Abdullah but Abdullah Abdullah is projected if he is not ready to agree and wants a bigger share. Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is holding meetings with Abdullah Abdullah despite 18 February’s Independent Election Commission declaration that Ashraf Ghani has won the elections. 

The statement issued by US State Department said, “US is engaged in intensive efforts for peace in Afghanistan” and “We welcome President Ghani’s statement at his inauguration 9 March that discussions and negotiations will continue for the next two weeks to come to an agreement on an inclusive government which unifies the country and prioritizes peace”.

Ground realities cannot be denied that US and UN are derailing democratic process and are not ready to honour the decision of Independent Election Commission, which declared Ashraf Ghani as winner. In fact, negotiation by the representatives of US and UN with Abdullah Abdullah, Dostum and other parties to reach a power sharing agreement is violation of democratic system. One wonders if countries and organizations do not believe in the democratic process why some much money has been spent on elections.  

General Kenneth McKenzie ex US Central Command, in a recent statement said, “There are indicators that the deal with Taliban ultimately may be doomed”. A day earlier on 12 March, in a statement General Kenneth McKenzie said that despite a pledge to reduce violence, the frequency of Taliban attacks across Afghanistan remained troubling. The ground facts cannot be denied that attacks continued against Afghan security forces at the border outposts, security checkpoints and, military and Police units. A local Afghan resistance commander was doubtful about US Defense Secretary Mark Esper

President Ashraf Ghani, at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, was sworn in as president for a second term. Those present on the occasion were US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson, Commander of NATO and US forces General  Scott Miller, as well as ambassadors from different countries including Pakistan, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway and EU.

In a 9^th March statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “US strongly supports a unified and sovereign Afghanistan, opposes any effort to establish a parallel government or any use of force to resolve political differences.” Meanwhile, US influencers including Peace Envoy for Afghanistan Khalilzad carried out extensive negotiations with President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah to reach to an agreement on broad based Government.

In another development, Abdullah Abdullah has refused to accept Ashraf Ghani as President of Afghanistan claiming that the National Unity Government ended and it is time for new Chief Executive to be announced. On the other hand President Ashraf Ghani had issued a decree abolishing office of the Chief Executive. If we recall, Chief Executive Office was established through a power-sharing agreement in 2014 in which despite Asharaf Ghani winning the election, power was divided Ashraf Ghani as President and Abdullah Chief Executive.

It is interesting to note that Afghan Independent Election Commission has declared President Ashraf Ghani as winner on 18 February but the US and allies are adamant that President Ashraf Ghani should forgo the decision of Independent Election Commission and should not announce his victory as it may hamper US-Taliban Peace Agreement. Where President Ashraf Ghani has expressed his desire that political power should not be someone’s inheritance and the next government should demonstrate the will of the entire people of Afghanistan, Western intruders are going for another political experiment to resolve the deadlock.

Reportedly, President Ashraf Ghani is being persuaded to offer 40 percent share in the Government to Abdullah Abdullah but Abdullah Abdullah is projected if he is not ready to agree and wants a bigger share. Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is holding meetings with Abdullah Abdullah despite 18 February’s Independent Election Commission declaration that Ashraf Ghani has won the elections. 

The statement issued by US State Department said, “US is engaged in intensive efforts for peace in Afghanistan” and “We welcome President Ghani’s statement at his inauguration 9 March that discussions and negotiations will continue for the next two weeks to come to an agreement on an inclusive government which unifies the country and prioritizes peace”.

Ground realities cannot be denied that US and UN are derailing democratic process and are not ready to honour the decision of Independent Election Commission, which declared Ashraf Ghani as winner. In fact, negotiation by the representatives of US and UN with Abdullah Abdullah, Dostum and other parties to reach a power sharing agreement is violation of democratic system. One wonders if countries and organizations do not believe in the democratic process why some much money has been spent on elections.  

ISLAMABAD, 13 March 2020, TON: Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mustafa Yurdakul said that Turkey wants to strengthen the bilateral trade between the two countries. Turkey seeks to maintain long-lasting free trade agreement with Pakistan.  It would be in the interest of both the brother countries.

“The existing two-way trade between Pakistan and Turkey amounts to around $800 million, which is far from the true potential keeping in view that both countries have a common market worth billions of dollars,” he said.

He was addressing to Islamabad chamber of commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Thursday. He said through this trade pact annual bilateral trade would rise to $5 billion between the two countries.

He said “Pakistan has a great potential for foreign direct investment (FDI) and Turkish companies want to take the first-mover advantage in this regard, however, Pakistan needs to improve ease of doing business further,”.

He said Turkish investors should require the complete information about the mega project of CPEC in regard to investment prospect in relation to Special Economic Zones(SEZs) so that they would join it. ICCI President Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said Pakistan and Turkey soon sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This agreement would pave the way to increase mutual trade between the true countries and would strengthen the relation between Turkey and Pakistan. Muhammad Waheed ICCI President said Turkey should cooperate with Pakistan in developing tourism Industry in Pakistan.

NEW DELHI, 13 March 2020, TON: On Thursday a 74 year old patient affected by novel coronavirus died in India, authorities confirmed.  They told that man had travelled back from Saudi Arabia was being tested positive for the virus.

Indian government had decided to close all the schools, cinemas, theaters in New Delhi for the month in order to take measures to prevent the pandemic to spread.

Indian government had closed all the tourist visas keeping in view the safety of the people. The authorities said all the travelers coming from coronavirus affected countries would be keep in isolation for fourteen days in order to control the spread of pandemic. These countries include China, Iran, Italy, Korea, America, Germany, Spain, UK and Germany.

OTTAWA, 13 March 2019, TON: In another upset Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau wife of Canadian PM has tested positive for Coronavirus. However, she was fine and in good health.

PM office said in a statement, “Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau was tested for COVID-19 today, she would remain in isolation, however, she is in good health and had there are no symptoms of coronavirus.” Canadian PM would also be in isolation for two weeks on the advice of his doctors.

Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu said that, “reconsider going to areas where there are a large number of people, which might include places like churches, community centers, concerts and various sporting events.”

ISLAMABAD, 12 March 2020, TON: Chairperson Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Qibla Ayaz on Thursday, welcomed the bill but expressed reservations on name of Zainab Alert Bill, saying the constitutional body has objections over the name of the bill and the definition of child in it. It also objected over not including capital punishment of death penalty in the law.

The Zainab Alert Recovery and Response Bill 2020 recommends life imprisonment and a penalty of Rs1 million as maximum and a minimum sentence of 10 years punishments to child sexual offenders.

The Council of Islamic Ideology is a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, namely to the Qur'an and Sunnah.

MALI, 12 March 2020, TON: As the Australian government has intensified issuance of additional permits to export arms to Mali, the independent United Nations human rights expert in Mali has called on Australia to cease selling arms to the war-torn country and urged the international community to do more to stop nations “actively producing and selling weapons” in conflict zones.

He said, “The international community, notably the security council of the United Nations and the African Union, must hold countries which are actively producing and selling weapons accountable, and pressure them to cease these practices in all conflict zones, including the Sahel.”

Last year Australia had issued 16 permits to arms manufacturers to export weapons or military technology to Mali in 2019. In response to United Nations human rights expert concerns, the Australian government said its export licenses are only issued after thorough assessments on whether arms will be used to breach human rights or any of Australia’s international obligations. In case of risk that the weapons could be used to commit violation of humanitarian law, it will not issue an export permit.

WASHINGTON, 12 March 2020, TON: US Defence Secretary Mark Esper who was scheduled to visit India on 15 - 16 March 2020 has been cancelled. The Indian Ministry of Defence in a statement clarified that the trip has been called off due to the coronavirus threat. US Defence Department through its Laison Officer at New Delhi informed Indian authorities about cancellation of India visit by US Defence Secretary, however, no reason was communicated. Reportedly, Washington is aggrieved over increasing India - Russia relations and double cross. 

A two-day conference, 21st Asian Security Conference (ASC), organised by the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA), which was to start from 12 March to make it headlines prior to US Defence Secretary’s visit has also been postponed. Earlier it was reported that Indian Defence Minister and Home Minister were also scheduled to attend the conference on Security Issues in Asia. Participants included from countries; US, UK, Russia, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Sweden and Belgium.