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India presents 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to Myanmar as mark of commitment to assist Nay Pyi Taw in fight against COVID-19

By
Shyamal Sinha
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India presents 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to Myanmar as mark of commitment to assist Nay Pyi Taw in fight against COVID-19

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Army chief General MM Naravane meet Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi [Photo: Twitter/India in Myanmar]By  —  Shyamal Sinha

Army Chief General MM Naravane and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during their visit to Myanmar presented 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as a symbol of “India’s commitment to assist Myanmar in its fight against the pandemic”.

The Indian dignitaries also indicated India’s willingness to prioritise Myanmar in sharing vaccines as and when these become available.

During their two-day visit, Naravane and Shringla called on State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Commander in Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Naravane also met Vice Senior General Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Myanmar Armed Services. Shringla met U Soe Han, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar.

According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), “Shringla and Naravane presented 3,000 vials of Remdesivir to the State Counsellor, symbolic of India’s commitment to assist Myanmar in its fight against the pandemic. FS indicated India’s willingness to prioritise Myanmar in sharing vaccines as and when these become available.”

Meanwhile, Myanmar appreciated India’s decision to provide debt service relief under the G-20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative, for the period up to December 31, 2020, the statement read.

India and Myanmar also agreed to further strengthen their partnership in connectivity projects, capacity building, power and energy, deepen economic and trade ties, further facilitate people to people and cultural exchanges, and broad-base their defense exchanges across all the three services.

India and Myanmar have also agreed to deepen cooperation to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MEA further said, “Both sides also discussed progress in the ongoing Indian-assisted infrastructure projects such as the Trilateral Highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. They exchanged views on an early initiation of work on fresh initiatives such as the upgradation of Yamethin Women’s Police Academy, Basic Technical Training School and measures to provide long term sustainability to projects such as the Myanmar Institute of Information Technology. They agreed to work towards operationalisation of Sittwe Port in the Rakhine State in the first quarter of 2021.”

During the visit of Naravane and Shringla, the project agreement on the upgrading of agricultural mechanisation under the Rakhine State Development Programme (RSDP) was also signed.

“Both sides noted the considerable progress made under the Rakhine State Development Programme (RSDP) and proposed finalising projects under Phase-III of the programme, including setting up of a skills training centre. FS conveyed India’s support for ensuring safe, sustainable and speedy return of displaced persons to the Rakhine State,” the statement said.

The two sides also discussed maintenance of security and stability in their border areas and reiterated their mutual commitment not to allow their respective territories to be used for activities inimical to each other. India expressed appreciation to Myanmar for handing over of 22 cadres of Indian insurgent groups to India, the statement read.

Besides, India also announced a grant of USD 2 million for the construction of the border haat bridge at Byanyu/Sarsichauk in Chin State that will provide increased economic connectivity between Mizoram and Myanmar. “A quota of 1.5 lakh tonnes of Urad (Vigna mungo) for import from Myanmar till March 31 in 2021 was also announced. The Centre of Excellence in Software Development and Training in Myitkyina, was virtually inaugurated. FS also inaugurated the Embassy Liaison Office in Nay Pyi Taw along with U Soe Han, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar,” the MEA stated.

Myanmar expressed appreciation for Indian assistance in the preservation of cultural heritage, including the repair and conservation of Bagan pagodas that had been damaged in the 2016 earthquake.

The two sides discussed plans to install a bust of Lokmanya Tilak in Mandalay to commemorate his 100th death anniversary as it was during his incarceration in Mandalay jail that Lokmanya Tilak wrote Gita Rahasya, an exposition of the Bhagvadgita.

Shrimadh Bhagvad Gita Rahasya, popularly also known as Gita Rahasya or Karmayog Shashtra, is a 1915 Marathi language book authored by Indian social reformer and independence activist Bal Gangadhar Tilak while he was in prison at Mandalay, Burma. It is the analysis of Karma yoga which finds its source in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred book for Hindus. According to him, the real message behind the Bhagavad Gita is Nishkam Karmayoga (selfless action), rather than Karma Sanyasa (renouncing of actions), which had become the popular message of Gita after Adi Shankara.

Other areas of cooperation in culture that were discussed included translation of Indian epics into the Burmese language, the MEA said.
Shringla congratulated Myanmar for successfully holding the fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference and assured India’s continued support in sharing experiences in constitutionalism and federalism to assist Myanmar in its democratic transition.
The visit of COAS and FS to Myanmar reflects the high priority both countries attach to sustaining the momentum in their expanding bilateral ties, the MEA said.

source — (ANI)

Macron Faces Islamophobia Claims Over Homeschooling Ban ‘to Protect Children From Religion’

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Newsdesk
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Macron Faces Islamophobia Claims Over Homeschooling Ban 'to Protect Children From Religion'

Emmanuel Macron has been attacked for “Islamophobia” by the Turkish government in the wake of his announcement that France will ban homeschooling to ‘protect children from religion’, as part of plans to combat so-called “separatism” in the country.

In a speech highlighting some of the problems France has had with “radical Islamists” in recent years, the French president cited the example of an unregistered religious school where Muslim children were taught mostly just prayers and the Koran, by women wearing niqabs.

Speaking to an audience in Les Mureaux on Friday, a suburb near Paris where people of Arab and African ancestry reportedly make up the majority of the population, he disclosed that illegal schools, run by religious extremists, were being closed down every week by authorities in France.

“Confronted by these abuses which exclude thousands of children from education and citizenship, access to culture, our history, our values… I have taken a decision: from September 2021, instruction at school will be made obligatory for everyone from age three years,” declared Macron, adding that “instruction at home will be strictly limited to health reasons”.

While much of his speech was focused on ‘separatism’ promoted by some adherents of Islam, which he described as “a religion in crisis all over the world today that is corrupted by radical forms”, the globalist premier made clear that Christians would also be targeted by the radical education plans.

Proclaiming it to be “the republican melting pot”, Macron said French schooling is what “makes it possible for us to protect our children in a complete way from any religious sign, from religion”.

Calling schools in France “truly the heart of the space of secularism”, and where teachers “train citizens, not believers”, he alleged that they are the “place where we form consciences so that children become free, rational citizens, able to choose their own lives”.

Responding to the president’s speech, parents who homeschool their children vowed to fight plans to ban the practice, pointing out that Islamic terrorists who have attacked France over the years were not the products of homeschooling.

“I don’t understand: I hear about Islamism, about Koranic school. These must exist, but they really are not the majority. We are atheists for the most part and we have nothing against school,” said one mother, reporting that she and her husband were “in shock” at Macron’s announcement.

Gwenaëlle Spenlé, from the homeschooling association Children First, reported that government regulation of the practice has been repeatedly stepped up over the past two decades, “first under the guise of fighting against sects and today against religious radicalism”.

“We will not let this law pass through Parliament. We will fight to keep our children at home,” the mother-of-five said, vowing to mobilise other parents against the government’s plans.

Some left-wingers and Muslims hit out at the proposed law as “racist”, and some criticism was international. The Cairo-based Al-Azhar Islamic Research Center blasted Macron’s speech for containing “false accusations against Islam”.

Demanding an end to “attacks” on the Islamic faith in order to prevent “hate speech”, the centre stated that “such racist statements are likely to inflame the feelings of two billion Muslims around the world”.

The Turkish government itself spoke out against Macron’s plan on Monday, with government spokesman Ibrahim Kalin accusing the French President of “encouraging Islamophobia”.

Mr Kalin said: “The claim by President Macron that “Islam is in crisis” is a dangerous and provocative statement, encouraging Islamophobia and anti-Muslim populism. Blaming Islam and Muslims as a scapegoat for the failures of the the French Republic is a far cry from rational politics.”

In addition to mandatory schooling and the ban on homeschooling, Macron announced a host of other measures aimed at tackling religious “separatism” including tighter controls over the funding of mosques and of associations with an Islamist ideology, and restrictions on foreign-trained imams.

“The country has been hit by Islamic terrorism since 2012 and we have progressively rearmed against this threat,” the president said in his speech, though he made sure also to blame ‘colonialism’ and housing policy for the problems of non-European migrant groups living in France.

The supposedly ‘centrist’ leader has made similar comments in the past, having previously insisted that violent crime, terror attacks, and soaring sexual assault rates in Europe were “not linked” to mass migration, and instead were the product of “discrimination” and inequality.

Discrimination of Serb minority in Croatia: A case raised at the U.N. in Geneva

By
Willy Fautre
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Mr Mocevic at OSCE fighting for his rights as a Serb in Croatia
Mr Mocevic at OSCE fighting for his rights as a Serb in Croatia

At the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, a case of discrimination based on ethnicity in Croatia was submitted to their delegation.

25 years after the end of Croatia’s war for independence from Serbia, many Serbs living in Croatia report ongoing discriminatory treatment in court by the judiciary.

One such example is the case of Mr. Dalibor Močević, a Croatian citizen of Serbian descent, who has been fighting for decades in Croatian courts regarding property rights issues and, recently, a child custody case.

Mr. Močević was married to Ms. Ž. Šimunović from Našice from 1 January 2003 to 26 August 2006. One of the reasons for their divorce was that his ex-wife struggled with alcoholism and mental health issues. They have a son, I.M., who was born in February 2007.

On 17 June 2008, the Municipal Court in Našice ruled that I.M. was to be entrusted to the care of his mother. Mr. Močević was unable to get shared custody or even visiting rights from the court. He strongly believes that this decision was motivated by prejudices related to his Serb background.

In January 2010, the Našice Municipal Court granted custody of I.M. to his maternal grandparents, who lived at the same address. This was upon the request of the Center for Social Welfare of Našice due to concerns about his mother’s struggles with alcoholism and psychiatric issues. Mr. Močević was not informed that such legal proceedings were taking place despite his address being known by the court. Again, he asserts that the court’s negligence to notify him is because of his Serb origin. He has experienced this prejudice before during a case in property rights after the independence of Croatia from Serbia in 1991.

In January 2011, the Municipal Court of Našice restored the custody of I.M. to his mother and allowed his father visitation once a month for 10-12 hours a time in Našice. Mr. Močević appealed the decision, referring to his broader rights as a father under the national Family Law.

On 10 March 2011, the Osijek County Court overturned the first instance ruling and remanded the case for retrial. The County Court ruled that the disputed decision was taken in violation of the right to a fair trial because the child’s father was not allowed to participate. Mr. Dalibor Močević requested that his ex-wife undergo a psychiatric examination because he claimed that their son was experiencing chronic stress with her. Instead, the court ordered a psychiatric examination of Mr. Močević, who had no history of mental illness or any dependencies. Mr. Močević attributes this to anti-Serb sentiments.

In 2017, Mr. Močević’s ex-wife abandoned their son and left Croatia for an unknown destination. A year later she was extradited from Austria where she had been homeless, mentally unstable and alcoholic. In early 2019, the Municipal court in Đakovo initiated new proceedings concerning the custody rights of I.M. Although his mother had abandoned him, the family court judge Ankica Wolf denied Mr. Močević’s request for custody.

All challenges Mr. Močević brought to the Supreme Court of Croatia for his exclusion from these proceedings by both the judge and the president of the court in Đakovo, as well as the transfer of their case to another court were either rejected or left undecided.

Their child has been living for over 10 years now in a state of mental anguish. Mr. Močević is convinced that judges are refusing to grant him custody of his son because he is of Serb descent.

In 2018, the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe (CoE), expressed alarm over the rise of right-wing extremism and anti-Serb hostility in its fifth report about Croatia, the first of the seven Western Balkans countries to join the EU.

In line with the ECRI’s findings, Mr. Močević insists that he has been repeatedly denied justice because of his Serb origin. His lawyer has shared that this is not unique to Mr. Močević’s case, as other Serbs in Croatia have been discriminated against due to various personal or institutional collusions between a handful of judges, political figures, and extreme nationalists.

UN chief condemns continuing escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh

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officialinstitutions
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UN chief condemns continuing escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh

Secretary-General António Guterres “is gravely concerned by reports of the extension of hostilities, including the targeting of populated areas,” read a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, on Monday. 

“He reminds all sides of their obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law,” the statement added. 

The Secretary-General also underlined that there is no military solution to the conflict and urged the sides to immediately cease all hostilities.  

He appealed to all relevant regional and international actors to actively exercise their influence to achieve an urgent end to the fighting and return to negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. 

Humanitarian update 

Also on Monday, at a regular press briefing, Mr. Dujarric provided a humanitarian update on Nagorno-Karabakh, noting that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remains deeply concerned about the ongoing hostilities along the line of contact in the conflict zone. 

“Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the hostilities reportedly continue to cause the loss of civilian lives and injuries, as well as damage to civilian properties and infrastructure,” he said. 

“From the beginning of the latest round of hostilities to today, more than 40 civilians have reportedly been killed and more than 200 others have been wounded on both sides.  Hundreds of houses have been seriously damaged,” added the spokesperson. 

Mr. Dujarric called on all sides to respect international human rights law and international humanitarian law, in particular by ensuring the protection of the civilian population and by preventing damage to essential civilian infrastructure.   

“The UN country teams in both Yerevan and Baku stand ready to respond to humanitarian needs as they emerge. Neither government has requested international assistance from us,” he added. 

Reports of child deaths: UNICEF

In a statement released by UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, the agency noted that it was now 10 days since violence “escalated dramatically” in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.  

There are already reports of four children killed and seven injured, said the agency,  noting that “without an end to the fighting, these figures will tragically increase.

“The fighting is destroying homes, and damaging schools and other essential infrastructure.  We urge all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, from further harm, in line with international and humanitarian law.”

UNICEF said that an immediate cessation of hostilities, was “in the best interest of every child.”

S&S UK Restructures Nonfiction Program, Adds Gallery Imprint

By
Juan Sanchez Gil
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0
S&S UK Restructures Nonfiction Program, Adds Gallery Imprint

Simon & Schuster UK is restructuring its adult nonfiction program, and adding a new imprint based on Gallery Books in the United States.

In an announcement from the U.K., the publisher said it would be splitting its nonfiction program which had, up until now, been housed entirely under the Simon & Schuster umbrella. Moving forward, S&S UK said its list “will now be split, with Simon & Schuster publishing serious non-fiction, including history, current affairs, business and sport, and a new imprint, Gallery Books, becoming the home for quality commercial non-fiction, including popular culture, wellness and memoir.” Additionally, Scribner UK will publish a small number of “curated literary non-fiction titles” annually.

The move will take effect in January 2021 and will allow, said Holly Harris, publishing director of nonfiction, “our growing list even greater clarity and focus.”

Harris added that the creation of a Gallery Books in the U.K. derived, in part, for her admiration for the U.S. imprint. “I have long admired Gallery Books in the U.S., steered by senior v-p and publisher Jennifer Bergstrom, and I am thrilled that we are able to use their name to give sharper definition to our list.”

CEO and publisher of S&S UK, Ian Chapman, added: “The two imprints will complement each other beautifully. By offering a third destination imprint for our local U.K. publishing we intend to broaden our non-fiction publishing and we have a highly talented and experienced team in place to achieve great things.”

Organic sector faces effective ban on exports

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Newsdesk
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Organic sector faces effective ban on exports
Organic food and drink businesses could face a ban on exports to the EU if there is no deal on equivalency with the EU.

Alex Black

Alex is business reporter at Farmers Guardian covering areas including commodity prices, imports and exports, property and land across all …Load More
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Organic sector faces effective ban on exports

More than 30 organisations have written to chief UK negotiator Lord Frost and the Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove warning of the impact on the organic market.

Unless organic standards ‘equivalence’ is secured as part of the negotiations, the UK will lose access to EU markets automatically at 11pm on December 31, 2020.

That would lead to a loss of value back at the farmgate according to OMSCo managing director Richard Hampton, who signed the letter.

He said: “It would be very disappointing after building premium markets in the EU to lose these due to non-business reasons.”

The letter received a response from Lord Frost which Mr Hampton said was ‘understanding of the issues’, but they were waiting for the EU to state its position.

Standards

Currently the EU would not recognise UK organic standards but the UK would almost certainly recognise EU standards, said Mr Hampton.

With imports ‘largely complementary’ Mr Hampton said there was little opportunity for import substitution.

But exports gave them a market for quality British organic products and a market for byproducts.

“Organic whey goes to Europe where the specialist production exists,” he said, adding they also had manufacturing agreements so without equivalence could not produce some of their portfolio.

There were also implications for businesses in Northern Ireland which would follow EU regulations.

European Parliament to award Caruana Galizia prize for journalism

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Newsdesk
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European Parliament to award Caruana Galizia prize for journalism

The European Parliament will be awarding The Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism on a yearly basis from October next year.

This prize was approved by the European Parliament’s Bureau on Monday after having been proposed by Nationalist MEP David Casa.

“This is a special day for the European Parliament, for all journalists, and for all the Maltese and Gozitan people. Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s legacy will remain alive, as she will now be remembered every year during the ceremony of the Prize for Journalism,” Casa said.

The prize will recognise outstanding journalism based on the principles and values of the European Union.  The  award ceremony will be held around October 16, as a reminder of the date when Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated.

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European Council President Charles Michel To Discuss Recent And Next EU Summit With MEPs

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Newsdesk
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European Council President Charles Michel To Discuss Recent And Next EU Summit With MEPs

From 9.15, MEPs are to assess the results of the special European Council meeting, in particular on escalating tensions between Turkey and its EU neighbours.

On Tuesday morning, European Council President Charles Michel will present the outcome of the summit, including on other Foreign Affairs topics such as relations with China, the situation in Belarus and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny.

EU-UK relations

MEPs will also look ahead to the next regular European Council meeting, to be held 15-16 October, with a focus on the EU’s Climate Law and the state of the negotiations on the future EU-UK partnership including preparing for all scenarios after 1 January 2021.

You can follow the debate live on Parliament’s webstreaming and on EbS+ .

Only four countries in Europe are below a critical coronavirus threshold

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Newsdesk
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Only four countries in Europe are below a critical coronavirus threshold
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s (ECDC) coronavirus alarm threshold is 20 cases per 100,000 people on a seven-day average. Beyond that, the agency says, the risk of Covid-19 is high, with a very high probability of infection, while vulnerable individuals face a “very high impact” from the disease.
And the situation is looking precarious. Only Germany (18.4 cases per 100,000), Finland (15.5), Cyprus (14.6) and Norway (13.9) fall below this case threshold, ECDC data showed on Monday. At the other end of the scale are the Czech Republic (167.6), the Netherlands (140.3) and France (120.3).
The death rate has also been rising in Europe and sustained increases in case levels have been recorded in 27 countries, the agency said Thursday in its weekly report.
Countries are also introducing new restrictions in order to curb the spread:
  • In Ireland, the National Public Health Emergency Team has reportedly recommended placing the whole country on the highest level of restrictions
  • Iceland has brought in a range of new rules, including restrictions on gatherings and the closure of some leisure facilities.
  • France’s capital is on the verge of a fresh lockdown, with the greater Paris area classified as a “maximum alert” zone.
  • The Czech Republic has entered a state of emergency.
  • Central districts in Berlin have been classified as risk areas by Germany’s health body.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is self-isolating after participating in a meeting that was attended by a person who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. She tested negative for the virus for the second time on Monday.
And the health authority in England admitted that thousands of infections had not been included in the UK’s coronavirus case tally due to a “technical issue.”

Paris faces new lockdown

Paris is on the verge of a fresh lockdown as coronavirus cases surge in France.
Prime Minister Jean Castex confirmed that the greater Paris area will be classified as a “maximum alert” zone, forcing bars to close, with measures in effect from Tuesday.
A press release from Castex’s office said the region has crossed the three thresholds that would put it in such an alert category: disease incidence rate, incidence rate for the elderly and occupancy rate of resuscitation beds by Covid-19 patients.
As part of measures expected to stay in place until October 16, restaurants will remain open providing they respect new health measures, but gyms will stay closed and the sale and consumption of alcohol in public spaces after 10 p.m. will be forbidden, Paris police chief Didier Lallement said. Organized public gatherings of more than 1,000 and gatherings of more than 10 will be banned, although demonstrations will be allowed, Lallement said.
On Saturday, the country recorded 16,972 new Covid-19 cases over 24 hours, surpassing last week’s previous daily record. According to Aurélien Rousseau, the head of Paris’ health authority, more than 36% of ICU beds in the region are currently occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Ireland mulls highest restrictions

Ireland’s chief medical officer Dr. Tony Holohan will on Monday meet the Covid-19 Oversight Group of top civil servants to discuss the latest National Public Health Emergency Team recommendations, which suggest placing the placing country under Level 5 restrictions — the highest level of measures, RTÉ reports.
If introduced, Level 5 restrictions would see all retailers except those deemed essential closed, while social gatherings would be restricted and people restricted to exercising within 5 kilometers of their homes.

EU leader enters self-isolation

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is self-isolating after participating in a meeting that was attended by a person who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, she announced on Twitter.
Von der Leyen said on Monday that she tested negative for the virus, and would continue to self isolate until Tuesday evening, having previously announced that she tested negative for the virus last Thursday.
Under Belgian government rules, von der Leyen is required to quarantine for seven days after coming into contact with a Covid-19 positive person.
Eric Mamer, the EU Commission’s chief spokesman, said von der Leyen would not be able to attend Tuesday’s European Parliament plenary session or the EU/Ukraine summit.

Czech Republic in state of emergency

A state of emergency has been introduced in the Czech Republic — which saw some initial success in curbing the spread of the virus — to help to curb the country’s accelerating growth of new Covid-19 cases, and to to relieve pressure on the health care system as a total of 1,841 new cases were recorded on Sunday.
The 30 days of measures — the second state of emergency implemented this year — will enable the authorities to legally declare and enforce various anti-coronavirus measures without government approval, according to the health ministry.
According to the restrictions, which are not as as draconian as they were during the first state of emergency from March to May, primary schools will remain open but secondary schools will close in the most affected areas for two weeks. Singing is banned in all schools, while no more than six people are allowed at tables in bars and restaurants, which can remain open until 10 p.m.
Indoor events are limited to 10 people and outdoor events to 20 people, while operas, musicals and other singing performances are banned for two weeks. Religious services are limited to 100 people and singing is banned during religious services.

Thousands of cases were missed off UK figures

The number of reported coronavirus infections in the UK jumped on Sunday to a new daily record of 22,961 on Sunday, nearly double the previous record for a single day, as it emerged that thousands of infections were not included in previously published daily figures, according to Public Health England (PHE).
The agency admitted that they failed to report a further 15,841 positive cases between September 25 and October 2 because of a “technical issue,” it said in a statement. The majority of these cases occurred in recent days, PHE said.
The UK’s opposition Labour Party criticized the government’s failure to report the infections at a time when a second wave of positive cases are being seen across the country, calling the mistake “shambolic.”
Sunday’s significant increase in reported cases means the UK’s total has now surpassed more than half a million infections since the start of the pandemic.

Sections of central Berlin at risk

Large parts of central Berlin have been classified as risk areas after the areas surpassed the country’s crucial incidence rate of 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
The districts — Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mitte, Tempelhof-Schoeneberg and Neukoelln — have been labeled red on the website of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the German agency for disease control and prevention. As of Monday morning, Germany has more than 300,000 coronavirus cases, according to the RKI. The death toll has climbed to 9,534.
On Friday, Germany reported 2,673 new coronavirus infections — its highest number of daily infections since April 18.

New rules in Iceland

New restrictions came into effect in Iceland on midnight on October 5, as virus cases have continued to rise since mid-September. According to the restrictions, in force until October 19, gyms, pubs, clubs and casinos are to be closed, and no more than 20 people can gather, with some exceptions including for parliament and funerals.
Primary and secondary schools will remain open as usual, but colleges and universities will not permit more than 25 people in the same space.

CNN’s James Frater reported from Brussels. Amy Woodyatt wrote from London. Inga Thordar, Sharon Braithwaite, Frederik Pleitgen, Stephanie Halasz ,Tomas Etzler, Pierre Bairin, Jonny Hallam and Livia Borghese contributed reporting.

Kurdish authorities to remove Syrians from overcrowded al-Hol camp, leaving foreigners

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Newsdesk
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Kurdish authorities to remove Syrians from overcrowded al-Hol camp, leaving foreigners

Authorities in northeastern Syria have said they will remove Syrians from the al-Hol displacement camp, and relinquish any responsibility for foreign nationals being held there.

The Kurdish Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, also known as Rojava, said that the overcrowded camp, which currently houses about 68,000 people, including nearly 43,000 children, was proving to be a “heavy burden” that they could no longer manage.

‘The self-administration does not have to pay exorbitant sums in order to provide these people with food and other things’

– Ilham Ahmed, Syrian Democratic Council

“A decision will be issued to empty the Syrians from the camp completely. Those who remain in the camp will not be the responsibility of the self-administration,” said Ilham Ahmed, president of the executive committee of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), on Sunday.

“The self-administration does not have to pay exorbitant sums in order to provide these people with food and other things,” said Ahmed.

“Besides the problems that arise daily including assassinations, rape and so on.”

Al-Hol has been used to hold thousands of people who fled from or were swept up in fighting between Kurdish-led forces and Islamic State fighters as the militant group lost control of territory it had previously held in northeastern Syria in 2019.

Many residents, among them several thousand foreign nationals, are suspected of links to IS.

Local officials have reported several incidents of IS followers attacking guards or aid workers in al-Hol in recent months, or attempting to escape.

Human Rights Watch has described the camp as having “filthy and often inhuman and life-threatening conditions”.

‘Least radical’ transferred

Last month, the administration said it was transferring the “least radical” foreign women and children out of al-Hol to begin rehabilitation.

Western countries have been urged by Kurdish authorities and by the United States, which spearheaded the international coalition against IS, to take responsibility for their own citizens being held in the region.

The US last week said it had repatriated the last of 27 Americans known to be in Syrian custody, charging four men with supporting IS.

“The United States continues to lead by example by working with the Syrian Democratic Forces to repatriate American citizens accused of supporting ISIS and, where appropriate, prosecuting their alleged crimes in American courts,” said Ambassador Nathan Sales, State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism.

“We call on other nations, particularly in western Europe, to take responsibility for their citizens.”

Italy also last week charged a woman repatriated from Syria with her three children, but many western countries have been largely reluctant to repatriate their own citizens.

Beatrice Eriksson, a spokesperson for Repatriate the Children Sweden, told Middle East Eye: “The decision made by the Autonomous Administration shows that the situation is unsustainable and urgent action must be taken by each government that has citizens stranded in the area.”

Repatriate the Children Sweden is part of an international network of campaign groups calling on governments to bring home children and other nationals being held in the camp.

Eriksson said there was estimated to be about 25 women, 10 men and 50-70 Swedish children still in Kurdish custody in Syria.

She also cited comments by General Kenneth McKenzie, the US’s military commander in the Middle East, who warned of the danger of an IS resurgence if the issue of the detainees was not resolved.

“The fact that Italy repatriated citizens last week shows that the window for repatriation still is open. However, it can soon be too late. In this issue humanitarian principles, rule of law and perspective of global security must be united,” said Eriksson.

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