huffingtonpost--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: BAME People 'Thrown To The Wolves' With New Back-To-Work Guidelines

However , campaigners say the new measures will hit BAME communities hardest as they are less likely to be in @ @ @ @ @ from home and will be forced to use public transport if they are pressured to @ @ @ @ @ People ’ s roles need to be assessed and it needs to be made sure @ @ @ @ @ at risk .
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New government guidelines urging those who can’t work from home to return to work will disproportionately impact Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people who are already at greater risk of dying from coronavirus, campaigners are warning.
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Boris Johnson, in his speech on Sunday night, actively encouraged those who cannot work from home to return to their jobs this week, while avoiding public transport where they can.
However, campaigners say the new measures will hit BAME communities hardest as they are less likely to be in jobs where they can work from home and will be forced to use public transport if they are pressured to return to work.
People from minority ethnic groups are also more likely to be in occupations where they are at higher risk of being exposed to Covid-19 – jobs such as care workers, security guards, bus drivers and taxi drivers.
Ethnic minority groups are at greater risk of dying from coronavirus than the white population according to the latest analysis by the Office for National Statistics.
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Anti-racist campaigners say the government’s new policy encouraging people to return to work is particularly dangerous for BAME people and have described the easing of lockdown measures as “premature”, “reckless” and “irresponsible”.
Sabby Dhalu, co-convener for Stand Up To Racism, told HuffPost UK she believes the new guidelines are “herd immunity by stealth” and she fears it will lead to a spike in coronavirus cases which will disproportionately affect people from BAME communities.
Sabby Dhalu, co-convener for Stand Up To Racism Sabby Dhalu
“These new guidelines are throwing people from BAME communities under the bus and the government is failing them by putting their lives at risk,” said Dhalu.
“The government’s easing of the lockdown is reverting back to the policy before lockdown which was creeping herd immunity and letting this virus rip through communities.
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“People have been put in the very difficult position of choosing to make an income by risking their life going back to work and no one should be put in that position.
“Any further increase in the death and infection rate will carry on disproportionately impacting BAME communities.”
Graph below shows if lockdown continued daily deaths would have fallen to zero by 7 June. Instead govt chooses to risk more deaths which will disproportionately impact on BAME communities. Criminal #coronavirusqa https://t.co/bUY2BucK26 — Sabby Dhalu (@SabbyDhalu) May 11, 2020
She said she felt the lockdown measures should have been stronger and easing them now is “way too premature”.
“It is herd immunity by stealth by urging sections of the workforce to return to work without enforcing any health and safety measures,” she added.
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“Many workers not working from home will be forced to use public transport and this will impact on BAME communities harder.”
Stand Up To Racism is calling for a public inquiry to expose the neglect of BAME communities amid the coronavirus pandemic by looking into issues such as institutional racism, and socio-economic factors such as poverty.
Charity So White, a campaign group led by people of colour tackling institutional racism within the charity sector, has been documenting the various ways BAME communities have been disproportionately impacted throughout the coronavirus crisis – including in health, housing and employment.
Yasmin Mahmoudi, an organiser at Charity So White Yasmin Mahmoudi
Organiser Yasmin Mahmoudi told HuffPost UK the group is alarmed by what the easing of lockdown could mean for BAME workers.
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She said the government’s revised “Stay Alert” slogan shunts responsibility onto individuals for protecting themselves against the virus and that more people will now be faced with the stark choice between keeping themselves safe and economic survival.
“I feel people from BAME backgrounds are being thrown to the wolves.” - Yasmin Mahmoudi, Charity So White
“I feel people from BAME backgrounds are being thrown to the wolves,” said Mahmoudi.
“These are people in society who already have the least and face so many disadvantages and now they are facing pressure to return to work.
“A lot of the jobs done by BAME people are public-facing roles with interaction which can’t be done from home.
“It is a class issue as well, as people from BAME communities tend to disproportionately be in lower paid jobs.
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“We condemn any plans to ease lockdown while it is still unsafe to do so and whilst protections for workers and the most marginalised members of society remain woefully inadequate.
“It is as if the government is prioritising returning the economy to business as usual at the risk of these BAME workers’ lives.”
Professor Azeem Majeed, head of primary care and public health at Imperial College, London, told HuffPost UK that people who are least able to work at home have the highest Covid-19 death rates among people of working age and that these are the people being encouraged to return to work.
They are roles in which BAME people are over-represented.
He believes a rigorous occupational health risk assessment is essential for everyone before they return to work to reduce their risk of infection.
Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care and head of the department of primary care and public health at Imperial College, London, Azeem Majeed
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“I think for any job, we need thorough risk assessments before people return to work,” he said. “This is a duty of care.
“People’s roles need to be assessed and it needs to be made sure they will not be put at risk. Perhaps those at high risk can be put in roles which are not public-facing.”
“The first thing we need to do is get the infection rate down in the community and then there needs to be testing and contact tracing.” - Professor Azeem Majeed, Imperial College, London,
Majeed believes the weeks in lockdown have been “wasted” as he feels a proper contact tracing system should have been put in place long ago.
“The first thing we need to do is get the infection rate down in the community and then there needs to be testing and contact tracing.”
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Marsha de Cordova, shadow women and equalities secretary and MP for Battersea, said there was “appallingly little mention of them” or the equalities impact in the government’s Covid-19 plans and recovery strategy.
She told HuffPost UK: “Any gaps in the government’s safety at work guidelines will mean low-paid workers with the poorest employment rights are most at risk.
“This includes many BAME workers who are disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
“We have already seen how Covid-19 has exposed and amplified social and economic inequalities in our society.
“The government must ensure that employers work with trade unions to maintain safe workplaces that are adequately risk assessed so that all communities are protected.”
Marsha de Cordova, shadow women and equalities secretary and MP for Battersea. Marsha de Cordova
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More than 70 BAME British figures have united to call for an independent public inquiry into the disproportionate deaths from Covid-19 among Britons from minority backgrounds.
Signatories include industry experts and people in public life such as Phil Wang, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Saloum N’jie, Bonnie Greer, Farooq Chaudhry, Matt Henry, Shaun Escoffery and Jermaine Jackman.
They have written to the prime minister calling for more transparency and for an inquiry to be broadened to include a focus on the levels of exposure BAME staff are facing and whether employers are fulfilling their duty of care.
The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is preparing to mount a legal challenge on behalf of its members and says it is crucial that workers such as couriers, cleaners and delivery drivers are protected from the virus.
Jason Moyer-Lee, IWGB general secretary, said to HuffPost UK on the issue of BAME workers: “The prime minister has acknowledged the danger of taking public transport and going into work, but has nevertheless encouraged those who have no alternative to do so.
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“The impact of this will not be spread evenly through society – it will disproportionately hit low-paid and BAME workers.
“That’s why the IWGB has been campaigning and taken urgent legal action against the government to protect incomes and health and safety as much as possible.”
Public Health England told HuffPost UK it is currently working on a rapid research review into factors impacting health outcomes for Covid-19. This work includes reviewing disparities in health outcomes of coronavirus between different ethnic groups.
A Public Health England spokesperson said: “The data on Covid-19′s impacts on different communities is rapidly evolving.
“Actions to address these inequalities do not rest with one agency but require collaborative actions at multiple levels of society.
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huffingtonpost--2020-05-15--EXCLUSIVE: Coronavirus Could Reduce 260 Million Indians To Poverty, Say Oxford University Researcher

EXCLUSIVE: Coronavirus Could Reduce 260 Million Indians To Poverty, Say Oxford University Researchers

ASSOCIATED PRESS A group of daily wage labourers walk along an expressway on the outskirts of New Delhi on March 26 , 2020 .
But as coronavirus batters India ’ s economy and hundreds of millions of Indians struggle to eke out a living under a punitive national lockdown , more than 260 million Indians—who are presently classified as vulnerable to poverty—are at risk of becoming the new poor , according to researchers such as the OPHI ’ s Sabina Alkire who worked on the 2019 numbers .
Unlike income poverty , multidimensional poverty does not rely on any single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes into account multiple deprivations experienced by people in health , education and standard of living across 10 indicators — nutrition , child mortality , years of schooling , school attendance , sanitation , cooking fuel , drinking water , electricity , housing and assets .
People deprived in at least a third of the indicators , or 33 % of the indicators , are classified as poor .
According to Alkire , 994 million Indians — nearly one billion — experienced deprivations in at least one of the above three indicators in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 994 million , and observe that unemployment will short-circuit the financial flows of many , there is indeed cause for concern that poverty will rise.
” “ The virus creates two challenges : threats to life among the poor , and increases in poverty .
The biggest cause for concern is the predictable short-term surge in malnutrition .
[ Any increase ] would have a big impact on MPI because it weighs three times more than assets or drinking water , ” Alkire said .
“ Plus , it is very important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affects their brain development.
” A 10 % increase in malnutrition among people in poor or vulnerable households in India—who were not previously deprived in nutrition—would result in 42 million people falling into poverty , according to a simulation developed by researchers at OPHI .
But if malnutrition increased by 50 % , and half of the school-going children were out of school , poverty would rise by 187 million .
“ The relief measures will do nothing to ease the blow of the lockdown on the most vulnerable , ” Reetika Khera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute of Management in Ahmedabad , told HuffPost India .
“ My main worry is that by the time the government has satisfied all the industry demands , there will be nothing left for those who need it most.
” Himanshu , an economist at New Delhi ’ s Jawaharlal Nehru University , says that the people who are left out could number even more than 100 million .
“ It is true that malnutrition and hunger is likely to increase [ but ] we don ’ t know how [ by ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to persist .
Most likely malnutrition will increase in the long run.
” This warning was also echoed by economists Amartya Sen , Raghuram Rajan and Abhijit Banerjee in an article published in the Indian Express , in which they collectively warned that “ huge number of people will be pushed into dire poverty or even starvation by the combination of the loss of livelihoods and interruptions in the standard delivery mechanisms.
” “ I don ’ t think we have any data whatsoever to make a prediction on number of persons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fall into poverty , ” Himanshu told HuffPost India , but pointed out that malnutrition is bound to increase , for it was even evident in the leaked findings of the National Statistical Office ( NSO ) ’ s consumption survey of 2017-2018 .

ASSOCIATED PRESS A group of daily wage labourers walk along an expressway on the outskirts of New Delhi on March 26, 2020.
Sambalpur, ODISHA — At least 260 million people in India could be pushed into poverty due to the economic fallout from coronavirus, putting at risk historic gains made in poverty alleviation, according to estimates from United Nations and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
The 2019 UN Development Programme’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), developed in collaboration with OPHI at the University of Oxford, had reported in a study last year that India lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016. This was the fastest absolute reduction in poverty among ten countries encompassing close to 2 billion people, the researchers noted, even as 369 million Indians remained poor, the highest globally.
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But as coronavirus batters India’s economy and hundreds of millions of Indians struggle to eke out a living under a punitive national lockdown, more than 260 million Indians—who are presently classified as vulnerable to poverty—are at risk of becoming the new poor, according to researchers such as the OPHI’s Sabina Alkire who worked on the 2019 numbers.
Unlike income poverty, multidimensional poverty does not rely on any single indicator. To track poverty, it takes into account multiple deprivations experienced by people in health, education and standard of living across 10 indicators — nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, sanitation, cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, housing and assets. People deprived in at least a third of the indicators, or 33% of the indicators, are classified as poor.
Under global MPI, people who experience deprivations in at least 20-33% of the indicators are classified as vulnerable. In other words, these are people who remain close to the poverty line.
In 2015-2016, according to global MPI, 27.9% of people in India were poor while a staggering 19.3% were classified as vulnerable to poverty.
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Sabina Alkire, director at OPHI and the lead author of the 2019 study, told HuffPost India that people who are vulnerable are at risk from a variety of factors as Covid-19 spreads in India.
“Three MPI indicators are also covid-19 risk factors,” Alkire said. “These are sharing a household with a person who is malnourished, lack of safe drinking water and clean cooking fuel.”
According to Alkire, 994 million Indians — nearly one billion — experienced deprivations in at least one of the above three indicators in 2019. “If we focus on the 994 million, and observe that unemployment will short-circuit the financial flows of many, there is indeed cause for concern that poverty will rise.”
But a much bigger cause for concern would be rising malnutrition.
“The virus creates two challenges: threats to life among the poor, and increases in poverty. The biggest cause for concern is the predictable short-term surge in malnutrition. [Any increase] would have a big impact on MPI because it weighs three times more than assets or drinking water,” Alkire said. “Plus, it is very important to prevent malnutrition—particularly in children because it affects their brain development.”
Bishwa Nath Tiwari, a senior official with UNDP’s Human Development Reports at the Bangkok Regional Office, said that malnutrition would increase among vulnerable Indians— including the poor and informal workers — owing to immediate income losses due to a nationwide shutdown and disruptions in food supply chains.
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A 10% increase in malnutrition among people in poor or vulnerable households in India—who were not previously deprived in nutrition—would result in 42 million people falling into poverty, according to a simulation developed by researchers at OPHI. But if malnutrition increased by 50%, and half of the school-going children were out of school, poverty would rise by 187 million.
On March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered a nationwide lockdown—which has since been extended twice as Covid-19 cases continue to increase in India—putting an immediate freeze on economic activity and disrupting India’s huge informal sector workforce.
On May 14, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced monetary and fiscal support worth Rs 20 lakh crore estimated at 10% of the GDP. But the big ticket stimulus measures appear intended to placate taxpayers, micro, small and medium-sized companies, and power companies. The support package includes a slew of measures in agricultural and business reforms.
These measures were announced 45 days after India’s government unveiled an initial relief package worth 1.7 lakh crore rupees, featuring a variety of cash transfers and grain distribution measures. But many economists criticised it then, calling for the government to spend more to help hundreds of millions of Indians who were adversely affected by the lockdown.
Economists, who have been consistently calling for increased monetary measures for hundreds of millions of India’s informal sector workers, are disappointed after Wednesday’s stimulus measure failed to shield India’s poor and vulnerable population.
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“The relief measures will do nothing to ease the blow of the lockdown on the most vulnerable,” Reetika Khera, a professor of economics at Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, told HuffPost India. “My main worry is that by the time the government has satisfied all the industry demands, there will be nothing left for those who need it most.”
Reports and analysis suggest that even before the pandemic set in, millions of Indians were not getting enough food to eat. For instance, the UN’s World Food Program estimates that about 250 million Indians were already undernourished.
After the pandemic set in, pushing up prevalence of hunger across the country, the government called for increased grain distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
But the government’s reliance on 2011 census data to target beneficiaries has left out close to 100 million people from receiving the benefits, analysis by economists Jean Drèze, Reetika Khera, and Meghana Mungikar suggests.
Himanshu, an economist at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, says that the people who are left out could number even more than 100 million. “It is true that malnutrition and hunger is likely to increase [but] we don’t know how [by] much or whether this is temporary or likely to persist. Most likely malnutrition will increase in the long run.”
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Khera of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, said that even though the numbers are alarming, she is not surprised to find out that more than 260 million Indians could fall into poverty.
“Multidimensional poverty includes health and education indicators that have longer term effects. If children fall out of school their life chances for the rest of their lives are going to be affected. Similarly, malnutrition is an intergenerational issue - poorly nourished mothers will have poorly nourished children,” Khera told HuffPost India.
“In essence, these numbers suggest that the modest gains that we had made on improving people’s wellbeing over the past decade or so are at risk.”
The share of India’s population living in multidimensional poverty in 2006 stood at 55.1%, or about 640 million people.
Khera said that India’s initial relief package, which accounted for less than 1% of GDP, was “grossly inadequate in a country where nearly half of the population lives so close to the edge,” and called for an urgent universalisation of the PDS.
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This warning was also echoed by economists Amartya Sen, Raghuram Rajan and Abhijit Banerjee in an article published in the Indian Express, in which they collectively warned that “huge number of people will be pushed into dire poverty or even starvation by the combination of the loss of livelihoods and interruptions in the standard delivery mechanisms.”
“I don’t think we have any data whatsoever to make a prediction on number of persons or households which are affected or likely to fall into poverty,” Himanshu told HuffPost India, but pointed out that malnutrition is bound to increase, for it was even evident in the leaked findings of the National Statistical Office (NSO)’s consumption survey of 2017-2018.
In February this year, NITI Aayog and Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) indicated that they would use MPI to assess the incidence of poverty in India, years after the Modi government dropped the report of the C. Rangarajan Committee after it showed poverty was increasing in India.
“Even without the pandemic, the number of poor by income/consumption poverty was already showing increase along with decline in real food consumption. There is every likelihood of these trends persisting and getting worse after the economic slowdown and particularly after the pandemic,” Himashu said.
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But Alkire says that even in the midst of a pandemic that threatens to reverse almost all the gains made in poverty alleviation over years, there is hope for recovery. “I think with some emphatic policy action in terms of multidimensional poverty, it would be possible to recover if rising malnutrition is covered very powerfully by the government.”
According to Alkire—who also calls upon the government to treat the pandemic as an opportunity to end poverty—if malnutrition is tackled with strong policy measures now, then within a time period of six months, we could drastically reduce multidimensional poverty, possibly leading to a historic change.
In the intervening decade of 2006-2016, when India was also clocking high economic growth rates, 271 million Indians moved out of poverty. Yet, according to Alkire, there is little or no association between economic growth and reduction in multidimensional poverty, and what matters is the scale of public expenditure. “But without growth, a government cannot have the capacity to spend more.”
Hence, Alkire says that public expenditure to mitigate hunger and invest in public services are vital to minimize increases in, or better, reduce, levels of poverty in India.


huffingtonpost--2020-03-20--Top Tips For Surviving A Lockdown – From The People Living It Right Now

NICOLAS TUCAT via Getty Images A woman and her son run in the deserted Sainte-Catherine street in Bordeaux , southwestern @ @ @ @ @ ?
Have they followed government advice ?
Have there been any food shortages , or @ @ @ @ @ Have people found hope and positivity in surprising places ?
What might be useful things @ @ @ @ @ they still can ?
What ’ s the best piece of advice you could give @ @ @ @ @ a lockdown ?

Britain is in lockdown. On Monday 23 March Boris Johnson ordered people not to leave the house unless absolutely necessary, and gave police powers to break up gatherings and fine people flouting the rules.
People may only go out to shop for essentials; for medical reasons or to care for the vulnerable; to travel to work that is “absolutely necessary” and cannot be done at home; and to exercise – once a day, alone or with a member of their own household. Libraries and places of worship are shut and weddings are banned, though funerals are not.
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As the UK gets used to this dystopian situation, we asked HuffPost colleagues in Italy, Spain and France – all of whom are in nationwide quarantine and weeks ahead of us – for their experience, and tips on getting through it.
(And yes, toilet paper is an issue everywhere.)
A woman and her son run in the deserted Sainte-Catherine street in Bordeaux, southwestern France NICOLAS TUCAT via Getty Images
How have people behaved? Have they followed government advice?
In the UK, prior to the announcement on Monday 23 March, concerns had been raised about people flouting ministers’ advice, continuing to gather in groups, use public transport and visit pubs – including the PM’s own father. Businesses had come under fire for forcing people to carry on working.
The picture was initially similar in Spain, HuffPost Spain editor Marina Velasco said.
“At the beginning, people just didn’t understand that we couldn’t go out,” she added.
“Now, there are people who still try to ‘cheat’ and pretend they’re going to work, or to the supermarket.”
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Spanish media has reported that police, who are enforcing quarantine measures, have issued about 100 fines in each large city.
A supermarket worker in Seville, Spain. Europa Press News via Getty Images
In Italy, latest government rules mean people cannot leave the house without good reason, with police filing reports on those who flout them.
Federica Olivo, from HuffPost Italy, said 46,000 reports were made in a single week.
″[That is] not so many, I think, as there are 60 million inhabitants in Italy,” she added.
“Government could introduce other restrictions to get people to stay more at home. For example, running isn’t officially forbidden, but [our] sports minister yesterday said that government could consider placing a complete ban on outdoor sport activities.”
A poll carried out by HuffPost France revealed 93% of respondents approved of quarantine measures, said editor Lauren Provost.
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“There is clearly a difference between now and before the lockdown was declared,” she added.
“One minute out in Paris is enough to see that the streets emptied, that all the cafes and restaurants are closed. On the roads, you only see a few cars, taxis, buses and a few Deliveroo bikers.
“But there is still activity in the streets of the capital. People are going out to buy their bread or a few things on the local markets, to purchase cigarettes or to the drugstore. You also notice people doing a quick run. Exercise, alone and around your home, is still allowed. It may give us a sense of normality.”
Have there been any food shortages, or problems getting the essentials?
“Sometimes. It’s especially difficult to get toilet paper (we still don’t know why) if you go to the supermarket in the afternoon or evening,” said Velasco.
“It’s almost the same with other essentials, like milk or meat, but it also depends on the area.”
Spanish supermarkets have introduced measures similar to some UK chains, opening their doors for an hour early in the morning to allow at-risk groups to shop for essentials and avoid crowds.
In Italy, Olivo said, shops are not short of stock, but customers were initially worried about having access to what they needed.
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“People were afraid, especially in recent days, of not being able to stock up on food and other essentials,” she added.
“There have been long lines to enter in supermarkets, especially in the cities, especially a few hours before the prime minister [Giuseppe Conte] announced more restrictive measures against coronavirus.”
In France, shelves were cleared of rice and pasta during an initial period of panic.
“People were anxious and making unnecessary stocks of food,” said Provost.
“But the government have already announced that there will be not food shortages and that is true, if people stop buying provisions for months.
“The only things that are out of stock are the ones medical staff need more – masks and hydroalcoholic gel.
“This is a shortage we are following closely and that is already problematic in hospitals, and for the workers still in contact with people like cashiers, professors and staff looking after the children of the medical workers.”
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What’s been the hardest part?
“The feeling of uncertainty. Nobody knows when this will end, or how,” Velasco said.
While the Spanish government has approved economic relief measures, including a 200bn Euro “coronavirus package” worth 20% of the country’s output, many are still losing jobs.
Velasco added: “I think the hardest part is the emotional one. To understand that you can’t go out, see your relatives or friends in person; to assume that if you need bread, you’ll need to spend time and wait in a queue to get it; to accept that the weekend comes and the sun is shining, but you’ll remain at home.
“There are good and bad moments during this confinement. The good thing is that people know that we are united to fight the virus.”
A homeless person sleeping under porches in Bologna during Italy's quarantine. Massimo Cavallari via Getty Images
Olivo said she found the first days in Italy’s quarantine the most difficult, when she realised normal life would have to be put on hold.
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“I knew it was the only right thing to do, for the community, and I am following all the new rules, carefully and responsibly,” she added.
“But it is complicated to change your life in a few days, not knowing how long this situation will last. For people who live alone, I think it’s even more complicated.
“Fortunately, thanks to social media, we are able to stay in touch with friends and relatives. But staying away from each other, even if necessary, is difficult. We can’t hide it.”
Have people found hope and positivity in surprising places?
“Balconies, without doubt,” said Velasco.
“People are applauding every evening at 8pm in solidarity with health workers and other professionals, or simply playing songs, talking to their neighbours, singing them happy birthday.
“There has also been many young people who [have] offered to do the groceries for older people in their neighbourhood.”
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French people have joined the 8pm applause for medical staff, and have found solace in phone calls, group chats and playing games together online, Provost said.
Balconies have also been a lifeline in Italy – after footage of residents in Siena singing together went viral – but not everyone is supportive of the move.
“The first time was last week, when, through social media, it was proposed to sing the national anthem from the balconies,” Olivo said.
“Next day, at midday, there was a big round of applause dedicated to doctors and nurses. Since then, every day at 6pm, from the windows and balconies of Italy there are people who sing.
“For some it is a way of gaining strength and feeling close staying at home, but there are those who criticise this habit. They consider it not respectful of the people who suffer and the many who, unfortunately, are dying of the coronavirus.”
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Residents on balconies in Rome. NurPhoto via Getty Images
What might be useful things for people to do while they still can?
Forget hair and beauty appointments, Olivo said, as many people won’t be leaving the house much.
“It could be useful go to dentist or optician while you still can,” she added, and said that while some services may still be able to operate, it could take longer than usual to get an appointment.
“Until this morning, I thought this wouldn’t be a problem, but I woke up and I found out that my glasses were broken.”
Velasco said she is glad of the things she did in the weeks leading up to the lockdown, which people might usually take for granted.
“I feel lucky I could do a trip to Portugal just before the quarantine, I feel lucky to have a balcony of my own, to have seen my parents a couple of weeks ago, to have been able to go for a last run before this happened.”
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Provost said in France, a home printer is useful if you need to print certificates to leave the house.
“It is also very helpful for parents printing homework for their children and colouring activities,” she added.
“Also a video game console, board games for two and more, books, because book stores are closed, a computer keyboard and second screen to have a good set-up for an extending working from home period.”
What’s the best piece of advice you could give to help people get through a lockdown?
“Thinking that this is for a good reason, and that it’s temporary,” said Velasco.
“Try not to get obsessed with the news, to relax a bit, do some exercise at home and speak to family and friends.
“Try something new you’ve always wanted to, but never found the time.”
Velasco added that she is passing the time listening to Deforme Semanal, a Spanish podcast led by two feminist women “who ‘analyse’ the cultural and political situation with a lot of humour”.
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Olivo said: “Practical advice: make sure you always have at home everything you need during the day. It’s not difficult and you can do this by going out to shop once a week.
“Emotional advice: in moments of despair, think about the future. When everything is over, it will be beautiful to do again what we took for granted just a few weeks ago – having coffee with friends, walking in a park, going to work.


huffingtonpost--2020-04-01--Meet The Nurses Risking Their Lives At The Coronavirus Frontline In India

As countries around the world deal with the pandemic , there have been many tragic stories of healthcare workers dying @ @ @ @ @ the lives of their fellow citizens .
Italy , which has suffered the highest death @ @ @ @ @ than 50 doctors .
Two doctors in the United Kingdom have died .
In China @ @ @ @ @ , over 3,300 healthcare workers had been infected by early March and 22 had died @ @ @ @ @ .
The death of a nurse at a New York City hospital , where nurses @ @ @ @ @ , is being blamed on the lack of protective gear .
Getting the job done @ @ @ @ @ tell

Courtesy Frankline Juel Nurses are working 12-hour shifts as coronavirus cases rise in India.
NEW DELHI — Franklina Juel laughed as she spoke in a light-hearted manner about feeling “left out” the day 11 COVID-19 patients that she had cared for were discharged from the hospital she works in in Haryana.
The 25-year-old nurse from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, said, “The patients were there, the doctors were there, the media was there, but no one asked about the nurses. I thought the media would come and speak with us or at least take a pic of us. But no one did.”
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“Even one pic would have been nice. I think people forget that it is the nurses that spend the most time with the patients,” she mused.
Juel is part of a team of 14 nurses who are looking after COVID-19 patients at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, where 14 infected Italians were being treated since 4 March and at least six Indians have been recently admitted.
In interviews with HuffPost India, five nurses from the private hospital — Juel from Chattisgarh, Shivani Tyagi from Uttar Pradesh, Shalu Tiwari and Shweta Kalia from New Delhi and their team leader Mariamma George from Kerala — described what’s its like to be at the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus infection, which has killed thousands of people across the world, and plunged India into an unprecedented lockdown.
The nurses spoke of the extraordinary circumstances in which they find themselves, working 12-14 hours in bulky Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), rationing masks, pleading with roommates who no longer want to live with them, and giving versions of the truth about their work to their families back home.
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Not only have roommates in their PGs (Paying Guest accommodations) asked them to either leave or stop working with COVID-19 patients, the nurses say that even other hospital staff are wary of having them around.
As countries around the world deal with the pandemic, there have been many tragic stories of healthcare workers dying as they try to save the lives of their fellow citizens. Italy, which has suffered the highest death toll, has lost more than 50 doctors. Two doctors in the United Kingdom have died. In China, where the pandemic originated, over 3,300 healthcare workers had been infected by early March and 22 had died by the end of February. The death of a nurse at a New York City hospital, where nurses wear trash bags as protection, is being blamed on the lack of protective gear.
In India, the number of COVID-19 cases has crossed 1,000 and 27 people have died.
Like many other nations, some far more developed, India is facing an acute shortage of gear and equipment to protect its healthcare workers from contracting the virus. Doctors in government hospitals told HuffPost India that they were afraid of being “overwhelmed” by a rush of COVID-19 patients soon, even as they struggled to manage with the bare minimum in terms of equipment.
India’s health ministry tweeted on Monday that currently, only 3.34 lakh PPE coveralls are available in hospitals across the country. While the government has identified 11 domestic manufacturers and is expecting donations from abroad by next month, there are concerns that even this will not be enough to meet the demand across the country.
The Times of India reported on Monday that government hospitals that have requested more gear have been asked to wait about a month for delivery.
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The situation in Medanta, a private hospital, was a little better in early March, said the nurses interviewed by HuffPost India, but now the N-95 masks they need for their protection are being rationed.
Sushila Kataria, the doctor at Medanta Hospital who is in charge of the coronavirus-infected patients—HuffPost India profiled her last week—said the health workers handling coronavirus patients are tested periodically, but the private facility was running out of the PPE, especially the N-95 masks. As a result, the hospital is planning to sterilise the masks and goggles and reuse them.
“Initially, we were very liberal, but now I have started rationing,” said Kataria. “PPE is a big, big challenge and we have to really ration it. Sending someone into the coronavirus ward without PPE is a suicidal mission.”
“Sending someone into the coronavirus ward without PPE is a suicidal mission.”
The nurses say they have no regrets about working with coronavirus patients and would continue doing so, but they expected the hospital authorities would provide them with the proper safety equipment.
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Even a cough, headache or a slight fever can cause them to panic, the nurses said, but they have learnt to manage their fears and soldier on.
George, the 41-year-old team leader from Kerala, said she is happy to be working with the COVID-19 patients, and that her husband supports her work, but they can never stop worrying about her four children—the youngest is only three years old.
While the hospital has designated an area for the nurses to bathe and change before leaving work, George said that she phones her husband before heading back home so that he gets water ready for a second bath.
“He is always ready with the water. I end up having two baths,” she laughed. “We are being very very careful because of the children.”
“We are being very very careful because of the children.”
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Getting the job done
The nurses that HuffPost India interviewed have helped treat 18 patients since 4 March, working 12-hour-long shifts. The nurses say their duties include giving injections and medicines to the patients, checking their vital signs, and helping them at all hours.
While wearing protective gear can mean the difference between staying healthy or getting sick, the nurses say it is extremely challenging to work long hours in goggles, gloves, shoe covers, a mask, a cap and a gown.
“You feel like your whole body is one fire,” said Kalia, the 21-year-old nurse from Delhi, who was deployed from the endocrinology department.
“It gets really hot and it is hard to breathe. You start to feel suffocated,”said Juel, the nurse from Chattisgarh, who was deployed from the bone marrow department.
“You feel like your whole body is one fire.”
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However, there are some silver linings. Juel said that working through this crisis has convinced her that this is what she was born to do.
The problems she faces at her PG and the barbs from her roommate, she says, recede into the background when she thinks of the task at hand and how the coronavirus has brought the world to a standstill.
The gravity of these difficult times is not lost on her.
“I had always wanted to become a doctor, but I did not get the rank and I did not want to skip a year. I was unhappy for a while but now I’m feeling so proud to be a nurse and work in this life-threatening situation,” said Juel.
“The biggest thing for me right now is that I’m working with patients who other nurses and even doctors are afraid to work with,” she said. “I will remember these days all my life.”
“I feel very proud that I’m representing Chhattisgarh in combating COVID-19,” she added.
“I feel very proud that I’m representing Chhattisgarh in combating COVID-19.”
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Shivani Tyagi, the 23-year-old nurse from Muzaffarnagar in UP, who was deployed from the cardiology department, said that she did not hesitate when her supervisor asked her to join the team being put together to treat the patients.
“No staff was ready to do it. My supervisor said, ‘Will you see them?’ I said, ‘Yes, ma’am. I will see them.’ Until corona goes away, I want to keep working in this field.”
“Until corona goes away, I want to keep working in this field.”
Shalu Tiwari, another 21-year-old nurse from Delhi, had only this to say when asked about her decision to work with the COVID-19 patients, and she put it matter-of-factly.
“I became a nurse to save lives. I did not think which patients I should treat and which ones not to,” said Tiwari. “Patients are all the same to me.”
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“I became a nurse to save lives. I did not think which patients I should treat and which ones not to.”
‘Shameful’
When the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) asked Medanta earlier this month to admit the 14 Italian patients, the hospital had scrambled to set up a facility to treat them. At the time, Kataria said, the government had given them 100 pieces of PPE, which lasted for just four days.
Most private hospitals are reluctant to admit coronavirus cases for two reasons. First, hospitals do not want to expose their facilities and staff to the contagious virus. Second, the presence of COVID-19 patients may scare away other patients.
Kataria said while the PMO had directed Medanta to treat the tourists, there was little or no hope of getting any more PPE from them.
On the news report that it would take 25 days for the government to provide the necessary gear to government hospitals, Kataria said “there can be nothing more shameful than this”.
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“We consider at this time there is no difference the private and public hospitals. Everyone has to pitch in,” she said. “The government has to make it easier for us as well. Our hospital administration is doing everything possible to procure PPE at any cost. To get it made at any cost.”
Enough masks?
The nurses that HuffPost India spoke with said they spend more time with patients than even the doctors and they are aware that their own lives depend on taking all the safety precautions including wearing the PPE.
That the N-95 masks have to be rationed or reused worries them.
The nurses expressed concern not only about their own safety, but that of the house-cleaning staff whose duties such as cleaning the beds of the infected patients and emptying the trash, making them even more vulnerable to the deadly virus.
Tyagi, the nurse from UP—she has a B.Com degree but her mother encouraged her to become a nurse—said that she was counting on the hospital to ensure her safety was not compromised.
“I’m not afraid because I’m taking precautions,” she said. “My mother also said that there is no problem taking care of the coronavirus patients, but you have to take care of yourself as well.”
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The one thing that Juel says she was most touched by was how the Italian patients would always put on their masks when the nurses approached them.
“Even if it was two in the morning, they would say, ‘Please wait sister, let me put on my mask.’ To me, that showed they cared for our well-being as well,” she said.
“My mother also said that there is no problem taking care of the coronavirus patients, but you have to take care of yourself as well.”
Google translate
The protocol when a patient who speaks a foreign language is admitted to Medanta is for the hospital to provide an interpreter, the nurses said. But in light of the contagious nature of the coronavirus infection as well as the limited protective gear, the doctors and nurses had to figure their way around the language barrier while interacting with the Italian patients.
The nurses said it was awkward for the first few days but it did not take them long to understand each other.
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Laughing, Juel explained how the Italian patients and the Indian nurses would often use “Google Translate” to interact with each other.
“The Italian patients told us that they had never seen the medical staff interact with them as much as we did,” said Juel. “We knew they were sick and far away from home. We did not want them to feel lonely or depressed because that would hamper their recovery. We did our best to make them feel better.”
Juel said that she has learnt one Italian word — “Ciao,” which means “goodbye.”
To tell or not to tell
While the head nurse George has been able to speak freely with her family about her decision to work with the coronavirus patients, not all the younger nurses have found the words to tell their parents what they are doing or the problems they face with their roommates.
Juel said that she had told her brother and sister about her work, but concealed the details from her parents.
“My father is saying that I should come back because of the coronavirus. What he doesn’t know is that his daughter is working with the coronavirus patients,” she said. “As a responsible nurse, I have to do my work even if there is a risk to my life.”
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“As a responsible nurse, I have to do my work even if there is a risk to my life.”
Most of their roommates — some of whom are young nurses like themselves — are also under pressure from their parents to not live with them.
“The situation is such that there will be some people who come forward to do the work while others will run away. I can’t run from my responsibility,” said Juel. “I do feel scared. But I’m doing this out of my own choice. We will see what happens.”
Kalia, the 21-year-old nurse from Delhi, said that she had not told her parents about her work with the COVID-19 patients.
“They will just get too worried and tell me to come home, but that is not the right way forward. If the doctors and nurses do not come forward then how will we fight coronavirus?” she said. “The sooner we fight, fewer people will be infected, fewer people will die, and we can try to end this crisis sooner rather than later.”
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“If the doctors and nurses do not come forward then how will we fight coronavirus?”


huffingtonpost--2020-05-11--This Is What Your Weekend Might Look Like In Post-Lockdown Britain

But let ’ s be honest , what we really want to know is how the lifting of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ the things we actually want to do .
In normal times we ’ d have @ @ @ @ @ to spend the weekend but these , as you well know , are not normal @ @ @ @ @ s not just the play itself that will be affected .
“ Live is quite @ @ @ @ @ of the reasons our audiences enjoy coming so much is because you can go there @ @ @ @ @ the bar after and see the actors or approach them and ask them question , @ @ @ @

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Everyday life in the UK is still a million miles from what it was just two months ago, but on Wednesday Brits got their first taste of the easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
Unlimited exercise, a limited return to work and permission to meet up with one person from outside your own household outdoors were some of the baby steps to normalcy announced by Boris Johnson.
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But let’s be honest, what we really want to know is how the lifting of the coronavirus lockdown – when it eventually happens – is going to affect the things we actually want to do.
In normal times we’d have hundreds of different options for how to spend the weekend but these, as you well know, are not normal times.
Earlier this month, Michael Gove warned that people would have to live with “some degree of constraint” until they could be immunised against coronavirus, adding Brits would have to accept a “new normal” until then.
HuffPost UK asked six people in various industries what this new normal might look like.
kruwt via Getty Images
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The club night
It’s Saturday morning, breakfast has been served (at home) and it’s a gorgeous sunny day outside.
You’re actually a little bit hungover because last night you had a few drinks and danced like a loon to a live DJ – in your living room.
Even if the government allows nightclubs to operate at a reduced capacity, it’s unlikely this will be viable for many.
Sacha Lord, who co-founded The Warehouse Project and Parklife festival, told HuffPost UK he doesn’t think big night clubs will be open again until at least the end of September: “I think it has to be all or nothing for the clubs,” he said.
“There’s nothing worse than walking into a venue that’s one quarter full – it kills the atmosphere, it just doesn’t work.”
Fans of Enter Shikari at Victoria Warehouse in 2016 in Manchester. Shirlaine Forrest via Getty Images
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But there is an alternative, of sorts. Since lockdown measures were imposed, Lord, who is also the night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, has been overseeing United We Stream, a free-to-view live music service that as well as providing people with a music fix has been raising money to support workers in the entertainment industry.
I can now confirm that the first 4 weekends of https://t.co/0YgDfFNWNf have raised over £260,000. Thanks to everyone who has donated, the artists and everyone behind the cameras. This will help so many people across Greater Manchester @StreamGm @AndyBurnhamGM #UnitedWeStreamGM — Sacha Lord (@Sacha_Lord) May 4, 2020
And it’s been a success – a 12-hour party on the platform saw 1.5m people tune in.
“It’s going to take us time to get our heads around coming back into hospitality and the night time economy. But we will quickly adapt,” says Lord.
So that’s your fun for the weekend sorted. But what about the kids?
The soft play area
Jason Jenkins runs Little Dinosaurs – a soft play area in Alexandra Park, London, he set it up in 2009 because he was “fed up of going to places that stank of wee and were all indoors”.
Reopening a facility that primarily hosts children while maintaining social distancing raises its own unique challenge. “How can you manage 30 coughing, sneezing and sweating children who just want to bundle on top of each other and have fun?” says Jenkins.
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Until for government guidance on soft play areas is issued, Jenkins can only speculate how it might reopen after lockdown.
“We would have to revert from a free for all to a set number session. We can hold about 100 people indoors, 200 with garden as well. I imagine we’d be looking at 20-40 children and 30-40 adults at a maximum.
“Although you can’t control the children, but there’ll be much stringer hygiene measures. It’ll be stuff like masks, spray guns and washing all the equipment down and extra stuff like that.
“That’s all we can think of until we know more.”
So with the kids in tow, you decide to visit that bastion of British commerce...
The garden centre
Unlike DIY stores such as B&Q, garden centres weren’t classed as essential shops by the government and so closed in March, right at the beginning of their peak season.
But Wednesday marked their return after the government announced they could reopen – and it couldn’t have come soon enough for their owners.
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Denise Matthew runs The Boma, a gardening centre in north London. Before the announcement, she told HuffPost UK: “If you don’t make enough in April and May then you will struggle for the rest of the year.
“The fact we are closed for these two months is a real challenge for the whole horticultural industry.”
The Boma in Kentish Town. The Boma
For those visiting this week and the weeks after, the experience will be different – queues to enter are almost certain and most notably, it could be the end of leisurely browsing and the introduction of a much more streamlined shopping experience.
“We’re going to put trained horticultural staff at the gate to try and help people with answering questions at the gate while they’re waiting,” says Matthew.
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“They can give advice right there while they’re queuing.”
So armed with a few perennials and some newly-acquired expert knowledge, it’s time for lunch. And maybe a pint.
The pub
The great British pub faces one of the most difficult logistical challenges when it comes to enforcing social distancing, particularly smaller venues.
Sam McMeekin, co-founder of The Gipsy Hill Brewing Company, told HuffPost UK: “They survive by packing people in, and people are happy to be packed in because there’s a great atmosphere and great quality food and drink being served.”
The government has already confirmed that pubs and restaurants will be the last to reopen so it’s highly unlikely you’ll be popping down the local next week.
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Whether or not pubs survive closure and the subsequent social distancing may well rely on what they do as a business in the meantime.
McMeekin has seen a huge surge in online sales and while it “doesn’t make up for lost sales”, he’s hoping if they continue after lockdown they could he make up for the near-inevitable limit in customer numbers.
But it will still be a struggle and special events might still be nothing more than a fond memory for some time to come.
“We really make hay when we’re showing England rugby games during the Six Nations, any kind of big party or a beer launch,” he says.
“Those days make everything else work.”
That’s not to say the party planning has stopped entirely – McMeekin is currently running a “buy the NHS a pint” campaign. “The idea is when we can reopen, we’ll have a series of parties to make sure all the money gets into the hands of NHS workers.”
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So if you’re not prepared to queue for the pub or perhaps you’re worried the atmosphere just won’t be the same, how about some food?
The restaurant
Restaurants are essentially in the same boat as pubs.
Simon Wood, 2015 Masterchef winner and owner of three fine dining restaurants in the north of England, told HuffPost UK: “We have absolutely zero idea when the restaurants might open again.
“They were the first to close so it sort of ridicules the government’s approach if they’re not the last thing to open.”
Like pubs, it’s more than likely social distancing measures will mean a limit to how many people can eat at any one time. Wood is already planning how he can comply with regulations and stay viable as a business.
“We formulated a plan and we’re now doing fine dining takeaway,” he says.
“The concept is 90% of the dish is made and prepped, the only thing you have to do is warm the sauce or cook your steak or cod.
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“From a financial perspective, it covers my fixed costs within the restaurant which I have to pay whether we’re open or not. It gives people that high end dining experience but they also get a bit of a distraction and it fills a couple of hours of their day so it’s nice.”
Wood has essentially set up a new business in three weeks and hopes it could continue once his restaurants open and plug the gap produced by limiting dine-in capacity.
“You can’t charge people more, I just don’t think it’s fair,” he says.
“We have to adapt. If we have to open at 60% capacity, I’ll see if I can do 40% home delivery.”
OK, so you’ve ordered some drinks online and you have all the pre-prepped ingredients you need to make a fine-dining meal for the family at home. What about entertainment?
You’ve spent weeks watching everything on Netflix, so maybe it’s time for a bit of culture.
The theatre
Graeme Thompson, creative producer at Live Theatre in Newcastle, told HuffPost UK the traditional theatre experience isn’t likely to resume while social distancing remains in place.
And it’s not just the play itself that will be affected. “Live is quite a small theatre and one of the reasons our audiences enjoy coming so much is because you can go there and have a drink in the bar after and see the actors or approach them and ask them question,” he says.
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“If you have to go through quite a rigorous process to even enter the space and then again to exit, it kind of removes you from that communal atmosphere that makes theatre what it is.”
Just like nightclubs and restaurant cooking, for the next few months at least, the theatre experience will be an at-home one.
“Best case scenario at the moment is we’re open by Christmas time and until then, the theatre experience is going to have to exist in a digital format,” Thompson says.
But there could be a positive effect of having the theatre experience move solely online.
“You can have huge numbers of people watching online and that is a way of getting the experience of the theatre out there and maybe in the longer term, this will have a beneficial effect.”


huffingtonpost--2020-05-11--Inside The Online Caribbean Nine Night Celebrations Paying Tribute To Black Lives Lost

“ When we could not gather together in a venue to host a nine night in honour of my dad , we all felt a huge sense of disconnect and helplessness .
Being so far apart and not being able to take comfort in each other due to social distancing and isolation would make mourning even harder than it already is.
” “ Jason attended many nine nights and contributed to each of them in terms of helping to make the event happen , ” he says .
” The nine night is a way of everyone coming together for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , comforting , being there for each other , praying , exchanging stories , playing music .
It ’ s something we do culturally and there ’ s a history around that culture.
” Broadcasting the nine night was something he ’ ll never forget , says Skinner , who goes by the DJ name of Mista Stylee .
“ This was the first time I have ever hosted a nine night live on air and so many people tuned in.
” It inspired Sparks ’ friends to stage another celebration of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what would have been his 59th birthday .
“ What a lovely night it was , ” he says .
“ I asked them to participate by sending any photos they had of him , and by raising a glass and , if they felt like it , to send me a picture of themselves with their chosen beverage , ” she explains .
“ The response was immediate .
I couldn ’ t have imagined the buoyancy I ’ d feel as picture , after message , after picture began to arrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the centre of my chest started to lift .
”

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The UK was only three days into national lockdown when Jason Weatherman – a well-known DJ, promoter and media entrepreneur from London, popularly known as Mr Fox – died following a period of non-Covid-19 related illness.
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He was 49 years old, of Jamaican heritage and, thanks to his work on local radio and sound systems, hugely popular among inner city Black communities across the UK. Unable to gather to mourn him in person, Weatherman’s loved ones decided to hold a traditional ‘nine night’ in his honour – but online.
DJs played music across many genres from reggae to gospel through a live stream across local radio and social media. Musician Roger Samuels, a former contestant on The Voice UK, said prayers and spoke of how Weatherman helped the local community and churches. His favourite Psalm 91 was also read, and some of his favourite songs were played.
Family, friends and listeners called in to pay tribute, but they weren’t alone. Some 25,000 mourners watched on Facebook live, while a further 10,000 people followed live streams across YouTube and Instagram.
In the event, Weatherman’s nine night was a communal celebration – as it always should have been.
Supplied Jason Weatherman, aka Dr Fox.
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The nine night – alternatively called a ‘dead yard’ or ‘set up’ – is an extended wake that is practised across the Caribbean diaspora. For nine nights following a person’s death, friends and family typically gather at the home of the deceased, sharing their condolences and memories, playing music and sometimes singing hymns, while consuming lots of food and drink.
Traditional Jamaican legend has it that the journey from this world to the next is not complete until the nine nights after the death of the body, which is cause for a party or send-off. That night is when the biggest gathering takes place, a grand celebration of that person’s life – before their funeral and burial.
Weatherman’s nine night, which took place on April 4, was a joint effort between his friends Brandy Lee and DJ Touch T, and his family – brother DJs Zekie, sister Samantha and eldest daughter, Jay, 21, who describes it as “incredible”.
“It was significant because nine nights are so powerful in our community, bringing everyone together and showing an undeniable love for my dad and support for the family,” she tells HuffPost UK.
“When we could not gather together in a venue to host a nine night in honour of my dad, we all felt a huge sense of disconnect and helplessness. Being so far apart and not being able to take comfort in each other due to social distancing and isolation would make mourning even harder than it already is.”
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“The feedback we received after from both family members and friends was overwhelming positive, having thousands of people watching and listening over all media platforms,” DJ Zekie tells HuffPost UK. “This made me extremely happy and also meant that, through this, Mr Fox’s daughters could be helped to be given some comfort and hear the wonderful tributes about their dad.”
Jay McGregor Jay McGregor with her father at her graduation.
The following day, tributes continued from DJs in the community. DJ Brandy Lee, founder of the iconic After Dark sound system, said the concept came from a need to honour his late friend’s memory and all he had accomplished as a DJ. “The virtual nine night enabled us to acknowledge and honour Mr. Fox – he deserved the accolade. He was popular and loved beyond measure,” says Lee.
There was a wider “sense of duty and purpose” to Weatherman’s nine night, adds Lee – the cultural celebration had to go on despite Covid-19.
“Jason attended many nine nights and contributed to each of them in terms of helping to make the event happen,” he says. ”The nine night is a way of everyone coming together for the first time in terms of mourning, comforting, being there for each other, praying, exchanging stories, playing music. It’s something we do culturally and there’s a history around that culture.”
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Being virtual allowed the event to reach people who wouldn’t have normally been able to attend: the elderly and vulnerable, people living out of London or not in the UK. It was also an opportunity for those who didn’t know Mr Fox closely to connect with others at a time when many people are feeling isolated.
“Everyone is on lockdown, we’re all being affected by the Covid pandemic,” reflects Lee. “I think there were people who may not have known Mr Fox’s personally but still tuned in to the show because they liked the music played on the radio station; it was also a distraction in these difficult times.
“They too may have lost loved ones and been in a similar situation or, being cooped up in the house, just needed to connect mentally.”
Though the nine night practice is less centred around folklore these days, it remains an important Caribbean funerary custom. Amid the ongoing pandemic and national lockdowns in different countries, mourning families across the world have taken to hosting virtual nine nights during quarantine.
Using online radio, social media, mobile phones and video conferencing, well wishers have found solace in paying tribute to departed loved ones in this way. This has become all the more important, given the statistics around Covid-19 – with Black people four times more likely to die from the virus in the UK than white people.
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After contracting coronavirus early on in the pandemic, Douglas Sparks died in London from related complications on March 27. The 58-year-old was a much-loved reggae artist, known for his work with UK Pressure Records, a London-based musical imprint. He often toured Europe and had a loyal fanbase in the UK.
On April 6, Darren Skinner, one of the label’s CEOs, hosted a nine night for his friend and colleague on UK Pressure Radio.co.uk. The broadcast included live telephone tributes from friends and family, including Sparks’ mum, brother, children and grandchildren, and further tributes in the form of poetry readings and song. An online flyer spread the word to a wider audience.
UK Pressure Records The flyer for Douglas Sparks' nine night
“Douglas was a great man who meant a lot to me and also the record label team; we felt it was only right we should give him a tribute night,” Skinner tells HuffPost UK. “His death was a huge loss to us all. Not only did we lose a member of our team but a friend, a brother, plus a leader in so many ways.
Sparks always made a point of supporting other artists on the label, he says.. “Due to circumstances beyond our control we would have loved to have celebrated his life in the conventional way – with people attending a venue, artists singing – but we had to find another solution and we did.”
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Broadcasting the nine night was something he’ll never forget, says Skinner, who goes by the DJ name of Mista Stylee. “This was the first time I have ever hosted a nine night live on air and so many people tuned in.” It inspired Sparks’ friends to stage another celebration of his life a few days later, on what would have been his 59th birthday. “What a lovely night it was,” he says.
Another virtual nine night was held for Beverley Muir – fondly known as Lady Bev – following her death from Covid-19 complications on April 1. The Londoner was the sister of late Jamaican community leader Willie “Haggart” Moore and grew up on the island before migrating to Britain.
Along with her brother, Beverley was an original member of the dancehall entertainment collective known as the ‘Black Roses’ crew – led by Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy – which counted Grammy award-winning rapper Beenie Man and singer Barrington Levy among its supporters in the late 90s and early 2000s.
Supplied Bev Muir's nine night flyer.
“It’s testament to the importance of the nine night tradition that during these challenging times people are still finding a way to mark the ritual,” says playwright Natasha Gordon who made history in 2018 when she became the first Black British woman to have a play in the West End. The critically-acclaimed Nine Night, which began life at the National Theatre, followed a Jamaican-British family’s observation of the funerary tradition.
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Gordon, herself of Jamaican descent, has experienced her own bereavements during the crisis. Shortly after the lockdown was announced in the UK, Gordon’s maternal grandfather and father died within weeks of one another – with a virtual nine night held for her father who lived in the US.
“For my grandfather, my family set up a Zoom call and were able to enjoy the virtual experience with many friends and family, playing music and toasting him,” she says. “A lover of music and Dragon stout, my grandfather would definitely have approved.”
Karwai Tang via Getty Images
“I chose a smaller affair, celebrating with my immediate family in the house, though my sound system played just as loud,” she adds. “I don’t mind sharing that when my father’s nine night came around I was emotionally exhausted and felt like anything but celebrating.”
That afternoon, Gordon says, she fell asleep with a heavy feeling in her chest “like a tight knot.” When she woke a couple of hours later, she “couldn’t face” greeting a community of faces online but her partner and children assisted her in capturing the event by creating a digital flyer to send to family and friends.
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“I asked them to participate by sending any photos they had of him, and by raising a glass and, if they felt like it, to send me a picture of themselves with their chosen beverage,” she explains. “The response was immediate. I couldn’t have imagined the buoyancy I’d feel as picture, after message, after picture began to arrive. Slowly, slowly, the pain in the centre of my chest started to lift.”
With New York City suffering from a higher coronavirus death rate than some countries, it has been the locus of more than one virtual nine night. Howard Beckford, 33, a Jamaican man living in New Jersey, recently helped to arrange a virtual nine night for his late father-in-law who hailed from Guyana.
Archbishop Hodge died in New York on April 10, aged 68, from coronavirus complications. He was the head of Lotus Unity Sabbath Church of Higher Consciousness INC church in New York.
“My wife and I came up with this idea because it was impossible to physically meet with the other family members, so we did it online where the family members and friends could participate,” Beckford told HuffPost UK.
“People were initially surprised about the concept because this was the first time that many of us were seeing and doing a virtual nine night,” he adds. “But they were excited and supportive, as they were able to be apart of something we would normally gather to do in person. It was well received”.
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Howard feels that virtual nine nights will now become the new normal. “For now, online nine nights will be the norm. And, in the future, I believe those who are distant will be using this as a way to observe this tradition.”
Natasha Gordon cannot disagree. A week and a half after her father’s nine night, the playwright is still feeling comforted by its sense of community and compassion. “I’m under no illusions about the capricious nature of grief; past experience has taught me how it creeps up on you,” she says.
“But if there were any teachings left unlearnt about the importance of this tradition, then I have discovered even more over these past few weeks than I knew when I wrote my play.”


huffingtonpost--2020-05-13--First Brexit, Now This: How UK’s COVID-19 Response Has Hit Eastern European Workers

WOJTEK RADWANSKI via Getty Images A man holds a Polish and an European flag during a demonstration outside parliament , on May 7 , 2020 in Warsaw .
The UK ’ s approach to the coronavirus pandemic was “ too little , too late ” , experts from the eastern European community have warned , and could make the country a less attractive prospect for skilled workers .
The twin economic impacts of lockdown and Brexit have plunged future plans into uncertainty across the whole of society , but particularly among those from eastern Europe who want to build their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions were introduced too late , they were too light-touch .
In Poland people were under quarantine much earlier – from the week commencing March 16 – and I think if you had the option to return , many people would have done so .
“ Police [ in eastern Europe ] were more concerned about fining people , getting them off the streets when they were not supposed to be out .
“ But it is complicated , and it depends on how different people experienced the lockdown .
I know some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active returned to their homeland to weather the pandemic , but not necessarily because they had extra trust in the state to provide better support .
She added : “ We have already heard about cases where people who are not key workers have been forced to work – things like cleaning , non-essential construction projects and house renovations.
” Drozdowicz said while economic support measures offered by the UK government are largely better than those in Poland , many Polish people “ felt better about the prospect of surviving knowing the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lax approach applied by the UK ” .
But she added that those who had decided to return to their home countries were worried about the prospect of returning to Britain .
“ One of the main fears now is what they will be coming back to , what state things will be in .
There ’ s an impact on continuation of residency for immigration purposes for a lot of people , who may end up being out of the UK for more than six months purely because of government lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future , it ’ s difficult to say if the UK will still be an attractive prospect to people .
Obviously you have the double whammy of Brexit , but the economic impact of Covid is going to be a Europe-wide issue , not a national one .
“ A lot of our members take goods from Poland , and the capacity of producers in Poland is getting squeezed because of the current situation , ” he told HuffPost .
“ We ’ re in a good position here , as the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to small businesses and self-employed people , the Polish government help is not that generous .
“ But the question is how the markets will be affected .
If unemployment is as high as 10 % , once things are open again , will new people want to come to the UK ?
Before this pandemic hit , the Polish economy was booming , compared with previous years .
“ So the advice we are giving to our members at the moment is everyone ’ s advice – businesses need to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , focusing on transformation and logistics , as the way we work will have changed .
”

The UK’s approach to the coronavirus pandemic was “too little, too late”, experts from the eastern European community have warned, and could make the country a less attractive prospect for skilled workers.
The twin economic impacts of lockdown and Brexit have plunged future plans into uncertainty across the whole of society, but particularly among those from eastern Europe who want to build their lives in the UK.
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“There was an element of disappointment in the British response,” Barbara Drozdowicz, chief executive of the East European Resource Centre, told HuffPost UK.
“The restrictions were introduced too late, they were too light-touch. In Poland people were under quarantine much earlier – from the week commencing March 16 – and I think if you had the option to return, many people would have done so.
“Police [in eastern Europe] were more concerned about fining people, getting them off the streets when they were not supposed to be out.
“But it is complicated, and it depends on how different people experienced the lockdown. I know some people who are older and not economically active returned to their homeland to weather the pandemic, but not necessarily because they had extra trust in the state to provide better support.
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“Where families are strewn across Europe, people wanted to be with their nearest and dearest.”
Arrivals at London Stansted Airport. Phil Clarke Hill via Getty Images
Drozdowicz’s organisation, based in Hammersmith, west London, offers advice and support to migrants from central and eastern Europe.
When restrictions are lifted and life begins to return to normal, she said she expects to deal with casework relating to discrimination against lower-paid migrant workers.
She added: “We have already heard about cases where people who are not key workers have been forced to work – things like cleaning, non-essential construction projects and house renovations.”
Drozdowicz said while economic support measures offered by the UK government are largely better than those in Poland, many Polish people “felt better about the prospect of surviving knowing the government is really strict, when compared to the lax approach applied by the UK”.
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But she added that those who had decided to return to their home countries were worried about the prospect of returning to Britain.
“One of the main fears now is what they will be coming back to, what state things will be in. There’s an impact on continuation of residency for immigration purposes for a lot of people, who may end up being out of the UK for more than six months purely because of government lockdown guidance.
“In terms of the future, it’s difficult to say if the UK will still be an attractive prospect to people. Obviously you have the double whammy of Brexit, but the economic impact of Covid is going to be a Europe-wide issue, not a national one.
“Its impact will be even bigger in Europe, because the government there has fewer assets to draw on.”
Bartlomiej Kowalczyk, director of Polish Business Link, which helps entrepreneurs set up in the UK, said there is “massive fear” among his membership base.
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“A lot of our members take goods from Poland, and the capacity of producers in Poland is getting squeezed because of the current situation,” he told HuffPost.
“We’re in a good position here, as the UK government is helping business. When it comes to small businesses and self-employed people, the Polish government help is not that generous.
“But the question is how the markets will be affected. If unemployment is as high as 10%, once things are open again, will new people want to come to the UK? Before this pandemic hit, the Polish economy was booming, compared with previous years.
“So the advice we are giving to our members at the moment is everyone’s advice – businesses need to look now at how they can create opportunities, focusing on transformation and logistics, as the way we work will have changed.”
A Home Office spokesperson said the government had extended its visa scheme for those unable to return to the UK due to Covid-19.
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“The extension...will apply to anyone whose leave expired after the 24 January and who cannot leave the country because of travel restrictions or self-isolation,” guidance states.


huffingtonpost--2020-05-24--Boris Johnson Refuses To Fire Top Aide Despite Allegations He Defied Lockdown Restrictions

ASSOCIATED PRESS Britain 's Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's senior aid Dominic Cummings leaves his home , in London , Sunday , May 24 , 2020 .
( Victoria Jones/PA via AP ) The PM says he had “ extensive face to face ” discussions with the former Vote Leave boss and that Cummings acted “ responsibly , legally and with integrity ” .
The PM is likely to face anger from the public , Labour and his own Tory backbenchers , who broke ranks on Sunday to demand Cummings go .
He added “ I have concluded that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childcare , at the moment when both he and his wife were about to be incapacitated by coronavirus – and when he had no alternative – I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent ” .
Number 10 had initially defended him , saying the trip was justified as Cummings , who later tested positive for Covid-19 , needed help with childcare for his four-year-old son .
Reports in the Sunday Mirror and Observer today , however , claimed that Cummings returned to County Durham on April 19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barnard Castle .
He said : “ Though there have been many other allegations about what happened when he was in self-isolation and thereafter , some of them palpably false , I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally and with integrity and with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives.
” He went on : “ I can totally get why people might feel so confused and so offended by the idea that it is one thing for people here and another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having looked at what happened , having looked at his intentions and what he was trying to do for the good of his family , I really think most people will understand what he was doing and , above all , what he did – if you look at the measures that he took – they were designed to stop the spread of the virus .
He said the “ big question ” that was being asked was “ is this government asking you – the people , the public – to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Government do something else ?
” “ Have we been asking you to make sacrifices , to obey social distancing – stay at home – while some people have been basically flouting those rules and endangering lives .
”

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Dominic Cummings will keep his job as Boris Johnson’s top aide, the prime minister has confirmed.
The PM says he had “extensive face to face” discussions with the former Vote Leave boss and that Cummings acted “responsibly, legally and with integrity”.
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The decision to keep Cummings in Downing Street comes despite claims he twice defied the PM’s Covid-19 “stay at home” restrictions.
The PM is likely to face anger from the public, Labour and his own Tory backbenchers, who broke ranks on Sunday to demand Cummings go.
But Johnson gave a full-throated public show of support to his embattled aide, telling the Downing Street press conference on Sunday he “had extensive face-to-face conversations” with Cummings.
He added “I have concluded that in travelling to find the right kind of childcare, at the moment when both he and his wife were about to be incapacitated by coronavirus – and when he had no alternative – I think he followed the instincts of every father and every parent”.
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“And I do not mark him down for that.”
It emerged on Friday that Cummings travelled 260 miles to Durham to self-isolate at his parents’ home in March.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior aide Dominic Cummings leaves his home, in London ASSOCIATED PRESS
Number 10 had initially defended him, saying the trip was justified as Cummings, who later tested positive for Covid-19, needed help with childcare for his four-year-old son.
Reports in the Sunday Mirror and Observer today, however, claimed that Cummings returned to County Durham on April 19 and witnesses saw him in a town called Barnard Castle.
Johnson also sought to defend his adviser, by saying “some” of the allegations about Cummings’ behaviour during self-isolation were “palpably false”.
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He said: “Though there have been many other allegations about what happened when he was in self-isolation and thereafter, some of them palpably false, I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally and with integrity and with the overwhelming aim of stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives.”
He went on: “I can totally get why people might feel so confused and so offended by the idea that it is one thing for people here and another thing for others.
“But really having looked at what happened, having looked at his intentions and what he was trying to do for the good of his family, I really think most people will understand what he was doing and, above all, what he did – if you look at the measures that he took – they were designed to stop the spread of the virus.
“I think that he, at all times, behaved responsibly and legally.”
This was a test of the Prime Minister and he has failed it.
It is an insult to sacrifices made by the British people that Boris Johnson has chosen to take no action against Dominic Cummings. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) May 24, 2020
He did acknowledge, however, the damage the incident may have done to the government.
He said the “big question” that was being asked was “is this government asking you – the people, the public – to do one thing, while senior people here in Government do something else?”
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“Have we been asking you to make sacrifices, to obey social distancing – stay at home – while some people have been basically flouting those rules and endangering lives.”
He said his conversations with Cummings today were “because I take this matter so seriously”.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said the cabinet secretary should launch an inquiry into the matter.
He said: “This was a test of the Prime Minister and he has failed it.
“It is an insult to sacrifices made by the British people that Boris Johnson has chosen to take no action against Dominic Cummings. The public will be forgiven for thinking there is one rule for the Prime Minister’s closest adviser and another for the British people.
“The prime minister’s actions have undermined confidence in his own public health message at this crucial time.
“Millions were watching for answers and they got nothing. That’s why the cabinet secretary must now launch an urgent inquiry.”


huffingtonpost--2020-04-15--Here's How Far The UK Is From Its '100,000 Tests A Day' Goal

But with just over two weeks to go until the deadline , the country is less than a fifth of the way to completing this mission .
Since the pledge on April 2 , the government has added just a few thousand to its capacity : on Monday , a little over 15,000 people were tested .
What did the government actually promise ?
While it is not exactly clear how testing in each of these pillars will grow in order to reach the 100,000 mark , we do know that the government wants to scale up NHS swab testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day to 25,000 by the end of April .
How many tests is the UK carrying out at the moment ?
In fact , with just two weeks left , the country has yet to hit even 20 % of this capacity – and since the start of April , when capacity for 10,000 tests a day was reached , it has only added a few thousand to that total .
Across England , Scotland and Wales , 14,982 tests were carried out on Monday April 13 .
Northern Ireland ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out tests on 462 people the same day – though if the UK ’ s figures are anything to go by , the actual number of tests could be a couple of hundred higher , as some people need testing more than once .
So , how does the government plan to make up the difference ?
There are about 1.5m NHS workers , including nearly 500,000 doctors , nurses and midwives .
Many other staff groups , such as healthcare assistants and porters , also come into contact with patients , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests rather than just one – at least , until they know they are immune to the virus .

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At the start of April the government made it clear that testing would be a key weapon in the country’s arsenal against coronavirus.
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Testing would help restore some of the uncertainty stolen by the virus, health secretary Matt Hancock reassured Britons in a statement. “It’s a big part of how we’re going to defeat this disease,” he wrote.
But with just three days to go until the end of the month, the country is less than halfway to completing this mission.
On Sunday, just over 37,000 coronavirus tests were carried out, health secretary Matt Hancock said at Monday’s press conference.
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Nonetheless, the government has insisted it’s “on track” to meet its target, with health minister Edward Argar telling the public to expect “very dramatic increases” in daily tests.
So what do ministers expect to change before the deadline? Here’s what you need to know.
What did the government actually promise?
Health secretary Matt Hancock at Downing Street's daily coronavirus conference ASSOCIATED PRESS
When it comes to the government’s aims on coronavirus testing, it’s fair to say it has put out some mixed messages in recent weeks.
At different moments, ministers have variously said that the UK target was for 25,000, 100,000 and 250,000 Covid-19 tests a day.
But the main target the government has set for itself is for the UK to carry out 100,000 daily tests by the end of April.
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In a statement on April 2, Hancock said this would be achieved by increasing testing across five key pillars:
NHS swab testing for patients and critical key workers
Commercial swab testing for critical key workers at testing sites across the UK
Antibody tests to determine if people are immune to the virus
Population surveillance testing – this involves Public Health England testing people’s blood to work out what percentage of the population has already had the virus
British life sciences companies turning their resources to mass testing
“These five pillars represent a comprehensive strategy to put in place the testing that is mission-critical as we fight this battle against Covid-19,” Hancock said.
While it is not exactly clear how testing in each of these pillars will grow in order to reach the 100,000 mark, we do know that the government wants to scale up NHS swab testing (pillar one) from 10,000 tests a day to 25,000 by the end of April.
We also know that the government has had a serious issue finding reliable anti-body tests (pillar three). These tests determine whether someone has already had the virus by looking for signs of immunity.
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Public Health England’s Professor John Newton told MPs on April 8 that the government did not expect to be doing antibody tests at all by the end of the month.
“We’re not relying on antibody tests to make up that target,” he said, according to the Guardian.
“We were optimistic that a number of companies have been offering us these quick antibody tests and we were hoping they would be fit for purpose. They all work to some extent, but are not good enough to rely on.”
How many tests is the UK carrying out at the moment?
On Sunday, the UK carried out 37,024 coronavirus tests, Hancock confirmed during the daily Downing Street press conference on Monday.
The figure represents a significant day-on-day jump in tests, increasing by around 8,000 from Saturday.
But it also means that, with just three days to go until the deadline – and four days to go until the result of the testing campaign is revealed – the government is well under halfway to reaching its 100k target.
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To meet its aim, the UK needs to be carrying out an extra 63,000 tests a day by Thursday.
The rise in daily tests seen on Sunday comes after the government announced last week essential workers and their households would be able to book Covid-19 tests online.
The move was made to ensure symptomatic key workers – or those with symptomatic family members – were not stuck at home in self-isolation and away from work when they didn’t have Covid-19.
On Monday, there were no more coronavirus home testing kits available to order just 70 minutes after they first went online.
So, how does the government plan to make up the difference?
Samples are tested for respiratory viruses at a pathology lab WPA Pool via Getty Images
Despite the numbers, the government has insisted it is on track to meet its target – and has placed a lot of emphasis on the ability of its three “Lighthouse Labs” to increase the number of tests it’s able to carry out.
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Ministers hope that each of these newly-created coronavirus “mega-labs” – located in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Cheshire – will be able to test thousands of patient samples a day as they each scale up capacity.
The labs have been set up to test samples from drive-through testing sites, with plans to build 50 of these across the UK. As of Monday, 30 of the drive-through sites were in operation.
Meanwhile, the government announced on Sunday that the Armed Forces would operate mobile Covid-19 testing sites, travelling to frontline workers in places such as care homes, fire stations and prisons. There are currently 90.
On Monday, health minister Edward Argar told LBC radio that the target to complete 100,000 tests a day “is still very much there”.
“It is a government target and we are massively ramping up the efforts to do this,” he said.
“There is a few days to go but we are confident that we are on target for that, not least with the expansion last week with who is eligible to actually access those tests now.
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“It is huge numbers of people and we have seen how many have tried to access those tests in the past few days. I expect we will see exponential increases every day up to that target being met.”
However, Downing Street said it will be “difficult to know” if the government has hit its target on Friday.
Under the current system, the government reveals the number of coronavirus tests carried out the day before, suggesting the number of tests carried out on April 30 should be confirmed on Friday.
But the prime minister’s official spokesperson cautioned on Monday that the testing numbers often have a “significant time lag”.
He said it will be “difficult” to know on Friday, adding: “For example, home testing kits can take up to 72 hours to get the results for and therefore show up in the numbers.”
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“It’s going to take a little while longer for that to be clear.”


huffingtonpost--2020-06-16--3 Indian Soldiers Killed In ‘Violent Face-Off’ With Chinese Troops At Border

An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed along the disputed India-China border on Monday night when a violent face-off took place with Chinese troops , the Indian Army said in a statement .
The first deaths at the India-China border since 1975 come amid growing tensions between the world ’ s two most populous countries , with Beijing under pressure on multiple fronts , analysts told HuffPost India .
“ During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley , a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties .
The loss of lives on the Indian side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation , ” the Indian Army ’ s statement read .
China ’ s foreign ministry , when asked about Indian army reporting casualties , said it calls on India to not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble , according to Reuters .
State-run Global Times quoted the foreign ministry spokesperson as saying : “ Indian troops on Monday seriously violated the consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice and carrying out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in serious physical clashes.
” “ China has lodged solemn representations with the Indian side and urged it to strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation , ” China ’ s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying .
Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said Saturday that disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops is taking place in a “ phased manner ” along the Line of Actual Control ( LAC ) , which is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Happymon Jacob , Associate Professor at JNU ’ s Centre for International Politics , Organization and Disarmament at the School of International Studies , told HuffPost India that the killing of the Indian army personnel in the Galwan Valley is a clear enough indication that China doesn ’ t seek a de-escalation with India without meeting its territorial objectives in the area .
“ The BJP government can no longer hide behind the platitude that ‘ no bullet has been fired ’ between the two sides .
It would have to come clean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the LAC and be ready to take resolute action to safeguard the country ’ s sovereignty .
The time for denials is over , ” he added .
Sushant Singh wrote for The Indian Express that the last deaths on the India-China border were in 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by the Chinese soldiers on the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh .
The standoff , The Hindu reported , began with a scuffle in the Pangong Tso area and there was another scuffle on May 9 at Naku La in Sikkim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when India is battling multiple crises—while it is trying to handle the coronavirus pandemic ( the country is currently fourth in the world with 343,091 reported cases ) , it is also embroiled in a territory dispute with hitherto peaceful neighbor Nepal .

ASSOCIATED PRESS File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night when a violent face-off took place with Chinese troops, the Indian Army said in a statement.
“During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation,” the official statement read.
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China’s foreign ministry, when asked about Indian army reporting casualties, said it calls on India to not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble, according to Reuters.
State-run Global Times quoted the foreign ministry spokesperson as saying “Indian troops on Monday seriously violated the consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice and carrying out provocative attacks on Chinese soldiers, resulting in serious physical clashes.”
“China has lodged solemn representations with the Indian side and urged it to strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian was quoted as saying.
According to AFP, India has claimed that there were casualties on both sides.
Happymon Jacob, Associate Professor at JNU’s Centre for International Politics, Organisation and Disarmament at the School of International Studies, told HuffPost India that the killing of the Indian army personnel in the Galwan Valley is a clear enough indication that China doesn’t seek a deescalation with India without meeting its territorial objectives in the area.”
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“The BJP government can no longer hide behind the platitude that ‘no bullet has been fired’ between the two sides. It would have to come clean on the state of affairs with China on the LAC and be ready to take resolute action to safeguard the country’s sovereignty. The time for denials is over,” he added.
Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said just a few days ago that disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops is taking place in a “phased manner” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Sushant Singh wrote for The Indian Express that the last deaths on the India-China border were in 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by the Chinese soldiers on the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.
The standoff, The Hindu reported, began with a scuffle in the Pangong Tso area and there was another scuffle on May 9 at Naku La in Sikkim.
The news comes at a time when India is battling multiple crises—while it is trying to handle the coronavirus pandemic (the country is currently fourth in the world with 3,43,091 reported cases), it is also embroiled in a territory dispute with hitherto peaceful neighbour Nepal.