Tag: lockdown

  • Girl climbs rooftop to get better signals to attend online classes

    Girl climbs rooftop to get better signals to attend online classes

    A girl in Kerala, India broke the internet for her tireless dedication to studies against all odds. Namitha who is taking online classes during lockdown could only found find manageable signal strength for mobile data on the rooftop. She climbed the rooftop to get better signals to attend her online classes.

    As per reports, Namitha is a student of fifth semester BA English. Namitha Narayana was seeking better connectivity at her home near Kottakkal, Kerala, to attend online classes. Due to poor signal in her room, she climbed up and sat on the tiled rooftop of her house to study without a disturbance.

    Explaining why she chose the rooftop space for study, Namitha said, “We tried all places in my house, including verandas and roofs. And finally, I got fairly good signal strength on the top of our two-storey house.”

    After the pictures did rounds on social media the technical staff of the company came to her home and installed a better internet connection.

    “I am happy I can now learn from the comforts of my house,” said Namitha.

    Her elder sister Nayana too praised the positive response from the network operators and how quickly they worked it out.

    Syed Abid Husain Thangal, MLA of Kottakkal reached out to the family and said, “Namitha’s photo studying from the rooftop has become a symbol of the state’s connectivity. She is also a symbol of the perseverance displayed by the state’s student community. By setting herself an example, Namitha has become an inspiration for others.”

  • Public parks in Lahore reopen after 75-day closure

    A large number of people in Lahore have visited various public parks of the city after they were opened for the general public today.

    As per reports, the public parks of the city have been opened after 75-day closure amid coronavirus outbreak in the city.

    The people adopted the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the provincial government to curb the virus spread.

    On Thursday, the Punjab government had decided to reopen public parks in the provincial capital Lahore from May 5 (today).

    The Director-General of Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Muzaffar Khan Sial, had announced that the provincial government decided to reopen public parks in Lahore. The parks will be open from 6 am to 9 pm.

    Sial had added that the parks will be reopened under the standard operating procedures (SOPs) finalised by the provincial health department. The citizens will only be allowed to enter into the parks after wearing face masks and gloves.

    DG PHA urged the citizens to strictly follow precautionary measures and social distancing while visiting the public parks.

  • Queen Elizabeth enjoys horse ride as Britain eases coronavirus lockdown

    Queen Elizabeth enjoys horse ride as Britain eases coronavirus lockdown

    Britain’s Queen Elizabeth was photographed riding a 14-year-old Fell pony in Windsor Home Park as the country eases lockdown to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.

    The Queen has been living at Windsor Castle, west of London, during the lockdown with her 98-year-old husband Prince Philip.

    As per reports, Windsor is said to be the Queen’s favourite royal residence and the 94-year-old regularly rides in the grounds of Windsor.

    She has issued several rallying messages to the nation from there, including televised addresses that have been a rarity during her 68-year reign.

    The last public picture of the Queen was taken as she was driven away from Buckingham Palace to her Windsor Castle home.

    The Queen leaving Buckingham Palace for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic 

    274,762 cases have been reported in the UK so far and a lockdown has been imposed to curb the virus spread.

  • Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    Government mulls allowing restaurants to reopen

    As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country, the Punjab government has decided to allow restaurants to reopen.

    The decision was taken during a cabinet committee meeting on coronavirus which was convened on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar.

    Reportedly, recommendations in this regard have been sent to the federal government and would be presented before the National Coordination Committee (NCC) for final approval.

    The committee also decided that markets and shopping malls would be allowed to open from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while on the remain three days, they would remain closed.

    The provincial government also recommended opening recreational sites and tourist destinations such as Murree.

    The meeting was attended by Law Minister Raja Basharat, Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Commerce Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal.

    Officials of the health department also briefed the meeting about the coronavirus situation while administrative agencies presented a report on the implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

    Earlier, Lahore Restaurants Unity (LRU) and Lahore Super Markets Association (LSMA) sought help from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for reopening their businesses with implementation of SOPs.

    LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, along with Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad, met the delegations of the LRU and LSMA and listened to their grievances.

    LRU Chairman Amir Rafiq Qureshi and LSMA President Ahmad Nawaz and Marriage Halls Association Chairman Mian Muhammad Ilyas said that the lockdown had destroyed their businesses to such an extent that they were no heading towards a point of no return.

    They said that restaurants and marriage hall owners were ready to follow the SOPs set by the government to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

    Sheikh said that the LCCI was well aware of the miseries of traders and had already taken up the issues at the highest level. He said that a number of countries, including Turkey, had allowed hotels to open up. “We have to live with coronavirus like various other diseases, therefore, the government should manage and allow businesses to reopen,” he said.

    The LRU representatives demanded relief in rents of restaurants located in buildings of government and semi-government departments. They demanded a 100 per cent waiver in utility bills of small restaurants and 50 per cent waiver in utility bills of large restaurants for the next three months.

  • Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Murad Saeed trolled as Donald Trump ‘follows footsteps of PM Imran’

    Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who had falsely claimed that New York was to follow Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s coronavirus lockdown model, has been trolled by lawyer Reema Omer among others as United States (US) President Donald Trump expressed the desire for his country, worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, to reopen.

    The tweet by the lawyer came as Trump, who has been voicing his concerns over the adverse effects of the lockdown on the economy, tweeted, “REOPEN OUR COUNTRY!”

    The tweet by the US president coincided with PM Imran allowing to ease restrictions across Pakistan ahead of Eid to “wisely” provide relief to the labour class, daily wagers and lower-middle strata of the society.

    “Epic trolling,” tweeted senior journalist Abbas Nasir in response to Reema’s dig at the federal minister.

    ‘NEW YORK TO FOLLOW PAKISTAN’S LOCKDOWN MODEL’:

    In a May 11 viral video, Saeed had claimed that the US state of New York was going to follow the “smart lockdown” concept after being inspired by Imran Khan and Pakistan, however, fact checks revealed otherwise. Meanwhile, netizens shared videos and pictures of how the partial lockdown measures were failing even in Pakistan.

    The clip instantly gained popularity on social media and was reported by several Pakistani and international news outlets.

    “If you look at the smart lockdown concept implemented by PM Imran Khan even the governor of New York has quoted Pakistan’s contact tracing and tracking concept and are following it now,” the federal minister is heard saying while speaking at the National Assembly.

    Saeed also reportedly said that the cluster lockdown concept discussed by Khan is being taken forward by his counterpart Boris Johnson in the United Kingdom (UK).

  • Sindh’s Marsh Crocodiles witness an increase in population

    Sindh’s Marsh Crocodiles witness an increase in population

    With humans under lockdown, wildlife all over the world is getting a chance to flourish. And according to latest reports, the population of marsh crocodiles living in the wilderness of Sindh is believed to have increased in at least four locations across the province. The locations include Haleji Lake, Nara Wetland Complex, Chotiari Wetland Complex and Wagni village near the Ghotki and Hub Dam.

    While an exact number is not known, a representative of the Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) said that over 200 crocodiles have been sighted in Haleji Lake and its surroundings and as many in the Nara Wetland Complex.

    He added that these were just rough estimates and that there is no exact tally of the crocodile population in the province.

    Sharing his excitement, SWD Conservator Javed Mahar said: “Crocodiles coming out of the water to bask at Haleji Lake is a sight to see. Crocodiles opening their mouths and sunbathing is called basking, which is a natural process. It re-energises them.”

    Mahar further shared that these carnivores were once found in abundance in the region but their population shrunk after a canal irrigation system was constructed in the region.

    “The fragmentation of their habitat, illegal hunting and illegal trade also contributed to their declining numbers,” said Mahar, adding that records show that they also used to reside in creeks near Karachi.

    Read more – Leopard spotted near Islamabad’s hiking trails

    He said that though illegal hunting of these animals has now been banned, hunters continue to target these animals to polish their shooting skills. Meanwhile, others kill these animals in fear that they would attack and hurt them.

    “But they [marsh crocodiles] are not aggressive and do not attack people. I have not heard of any incident of them attacking people,” he said.

  • President Alvi, New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern set an example by following social distancing guidelines

    President Alvi, New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern set an example by following social distancing guidelines

    The story of New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her fiancé, Clarke Gayford being turned away from a popular café in Wellington, which was full due to coronavirus social distancing rules, has gone viral on social media. People cannot stop appreciating Ardern for being modest and down-to-earth.

    According to reports, Ardern and Gayford had gone to get brunch on Saturday at Olive, a popular restaurant in the capital, two days after the country eased many of its lockdown rules, but were turned down due to limited seating. Restaurants in the country are required to seat guests at least 1 meter (3 feet) apart from each other because of which many have limited their seating to comply with the rules.

    Though the PM and her partner walked away, they were chased down by the restaurant’s management when a spot freed up.

    Gayford even addressed the matter on social media and shared his side of the story.

    Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Ardern’s office, in an email, reportedly stated, that waiting at a cafe is something that anyone can experience during New Zealand’s virus restrictions.

    “The PM says she just waits like everyone else,” read the email.

    After Ardern’s story went viral on social media, President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi’s son Awab Alvi came forward and recounted a similar story. Awab shared that a few days back, President Alvi had gone to buy Ras Malai from a local sweet shop, clad in a cap and mask. He said that President Alvi waited for half an hour in the line and followed all the necessary protocols.

    Awab further said that if anyone has any doubts, they can check the CCTV footage.

  • Supreme Court orders reopening of shopping malls across Pakistan

    Supreme Court orders reopening of shopping malls across Pakistan

    Despite coronavirus continuing to spread across the country, the Supreme Court (SC), which seems to be at odds with the government over the latter’s handling of the pandemic, has ordered the reopening of shopping malls across the country.

    According to the details, a five-member larger bench of the apex court was hearing a suo motu case regarding measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    The bench was headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed while Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed were also on the bench.

    During the hearing today, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed remarked that if the shops are shut down then shopkeepers will ‘die of hunger rather than the coronavirus’.

    CJP Ahmed said that in Karachi, except for five big malls every market has resumed operations.

    Upon which, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani said that a few markets were sealed for not following the Standard Operating Procedures laid out by the government.

    “The sealed markets should be opened and instead of intimidating them (shop owners) make them understand (the situation and SOPs),” remarked the top judge.

    The CJP noted that the SOPs will be ‘better implemented’ at the big shopping malls.

    The apex court also ordered that on the weekends, all the small markets should remain open to public.

  • Living with corona

    Last week when we wrote our editorial, there were a little more than 30,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. At the time of writing this today, Pakistan’s confirmed coronavirus cases are more than 41,000. Deaths, too, have increased — last Sunday, they were more than 600… this Sunday, they are almost 900.

    A spike of around 11,000 new cases and almost 300 deaths in just one week. This is the reality of coronavirus even though we will have to live with it. At least for a year or more.

    And since we have to live with corona now, we should at least have some rules: face masks should be mandatory and for those who can’t afford them, the government should provide them. Qatar has made the wearing of face masks compulsory and anyone defying the order can face a jail term of up to three years. A fine of up to $55,000 has also bee announced for those who repeatedly fail to cover up.

    We need to make and implement rules like these. If malls and shopping centres are open, proper protocols like social distancing must be followed and implemented by the local administration. Businesses and factories that have opened up or will be opening up soon should also follow strict SOPs. Anyone who fails to follow these rules should face imprisonment or heavy fines for endangering people’s lives. If there are no strict penalties, there will be no deterrent. And if there is no deterrent, then it is open season for coronavirus.

    Just look at what happened at retail shops earlier this week. People thronged clothes shops and other markets. It was sheer madness. Some say it is because of the timings (shops are not allowed to open past 5 pm or over the weekend). But there is another view that says how many people still think of COVID-19 as flu and are not really bothered unless and until they or their loved ones get it. This is downright dangerous. Coronavirus is not flu. It has already taken more lives in just a few months than flu takes in an entire year. The damage coronavirus causes to vital organs of even those who survive it is way more dangerous than anything else.

    Pakistan will see a peak at the end of this month and we can only hope that our health sector is able to deal with it.

    We understand the economic implications of stricter measures but we should also realise that the global pandemic is leading the world to recession in the first place. Pakistan will be no different. The post-corona world is one that we may not even recognise. It will cause a lot of misery around the world, both in terms of being deadly and when it comes to financial hardships. 

  • Dubai set to open drive-in cinema

    Dubai set to open drive-in cinema

    After the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that coronavirus may never go away and we will have to learn to live with it, Dubai came up with a solution to entertain people amid the pandemic crisis. People in Dubai will soon be able to watch films on the big screen but only from their own cars at a new drive-in cinema created on the roof of one of the world’s largest shopping malls.

    With social distancing essential in the United Arab Emirates to control the spread of the virus, VOX Cinemas says that only two viewers per car will be allowed at the open-air venue, which opens on Sunday and can accommodate up to 75 cars at a time. Tickets cost 180 dirhams ($50) per vehicle inclusive of popcorn, snacks and drinks.

    Dubai, the UAE’s business and tourism hub, has been easing coronavirus restrictions since the Ramzan began three weeks ago, allowing malls and dine-in restaurants to reopen at limited capacity.

    However, children aged 3-12 and people over 60 are still barred from such venues, including the outdoor cinema, which sits on the roof of Majid Al Futtaim’s Mall of the Emirates. The screen stands under the peak of the mall’s indoor ski slope.

    Dubai, a major shopping and entertainment destination, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic due to travel troubles and closures to curb the spread of the disease.

    The UAE has so far recorded 20,386 coronavirus infections and 206 deaths.