Vulnerable economies call on rich nations to avert global climate-Covid economic threat

Vulnerable economies on Thursday called upon the rich nations to avert global climate-Covid economic threat.

The 48 most vulnerable economies demand “2020-2024 delivery plan” for the missing $100 billion annual Paris Agreement climate assistance.

Led by Bangladesh as chair of the V20, the world’s most climate vulnerable economies met virtually as heads of state and government, ministers of finance and economy, together with leaders of the United Nations, partner economies and the global financial system to address the compound, destabilizing effect of climate disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic on low- and middle-income economies.

The ‘Vulnerable Twenty’ (V20) Group of Finance Ministers released a Communique that called for leadership by industrialized nations and cooperation to urgently transform and align the global economic system with the goals of the Paris Climate treaty for a more robust, greener, and equitable recovery.

The first ‘Climate Vulnerables Finance Summit’ was opened by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

She said every country must pursue an ambitious target to curb Greenhouse gas emissions to keep global temperatures from rising to 1.5ºC.

“This target has been approved through a global consensus, but we have not observed any visible action”, said the Prime Minister adding that “I urge all, particularly the G20 nations to show their actions.”

She indicated that the tragedies faced by the most vulnerable will haunt the world economy if urgent action is not taken and the economic and financial support needs of the V20 are not met, stating that “Developed nations need to articulate a concrete delivery plan on how the shortfall of annual climate finance will be met between 2020 and 2024.

They should facilitate the green recovery of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)-V20 by providing monetary assistance, transferring technology, and building capacity.

Dedicated support in the form of guarantees required for reducing the cost of capital and encouraging private sector participation.

Affluent nations must help CVF-V20 countries by closing the existing financial gaps including in protection against climate-induced disasters. To this end, our countries need financial support to introduce smart insurance premium subsidies and capitalization of insurance products.”

The V20 Communique urged individual developed countries that have failed their contributions towards ensuring the collective $100 billion per year in climate finance support to take urgent steps to fulfil their part of the agreed funding well prior to COP26, for the sake of international climate action and cooperation.

Developed countries were specifically called upon to indicate how and when they will catch up with a concrete ‘Delivery Plan’ outlining the way in which the entirety of the agreed financing will be met during and over the years 2020-2024.

The V20 also urged developed countries to align their contributions under UN agreements by allocating public international climate finance to ensure at least 50% of resources for urgent adaptation needs as the climate crisis continued to disproportionately plague economies most exposed to its risks amid the COVID pandemic’s shocks.

The Communique indicated that annual levels of loss and damage caused by climate consequences in the V20 were already more costly than any amount of climate finance received or promised by the richest, most responsible nations.

The V20 also highlighted several joint initiatives with the G20, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and UN agencies it is spearheading to respond to actual climate financing needs of economies systemically vulnerable to climate change, including:

A new program of national ‘Climate Prosperity Plans’ to diffuse climate threats on economic progress and seize transition opportunities by prioritizing climate-resilient and low carbon development investments while maximizing socio-economic benefits for 1.2 billion people living in countries most vulnerable to climate change.

A ‘Climate Prosperity Recovery Agenda’ towards fit-for-purpose Bretton Woods system for climate frontline economies, which pointedly called upon the IMF to practice more systematic surveillance of climate risks of all kinds so as to hold accountable those that finance pollution rather than focus on further penalizing economies facing disproportionate climate risks, and to ensure better access to crisis assistance.

The Accelerated Financing Mechanism (AFM) to bring down the cost of capital by unlocking at least USD 30 billion of private sector investments through optimized financial de-risking for resilient infrastructure and renewable energy, working through MDBs and national banks.

The Sustainable Insurance Facility to provide climate-smart insurance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and part of the InsuResilience Global Partnership to provide financial protection for 500 million people in vulnerable developing countries by 2025.

The V20 encouraged economic partners and multilateral financial institutions to cooperate for the success of these programs while also launching its ‘Vision 2025.’

This V20 Vision sent a clear signal on vulnerable economies’ intentions to leverage trillions in new green investments, overcome capital cost challenges, close the financial protection gap, boost job growth in a just transition for workers, and, to rapidly deploy renewable energy to power economic activities.

Bangladesh also presented the first V20 ‘Mujib’ Climate Prosperity Plan – Decade 2030, named in honour of the birth centenary of the country’s ‘Father of the Nation’, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which aims to secure its economic future threatened by climate risks while supporting robust delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

A blueprint for future Climate Prosperity Plans to be implemented among V20 countries, the V20 jointly highlighted how implementation of prosperity plans would create important opportunities for green economic and resilient cooperation and investment partnerships.

Commenting on the Climate Prosperity Plan announcement at the V20 Summit, Prime Minister Hasina said the CVF initiated a new Climate prosperity program to move from climate vulnerability to climate resilience and then turn climate resilience into climate prosperity.

“The program aims to leverage green growth opportunities to the maximum. Through this summit, I would urge Honorable Finance Ministers, Development Partners, International Financial Institutions, and Multilateral Development Banks across the globe to find innovative financing solutions for climate prosperity.”

Presiding the V20 Ministerial Dialogue that put forward the Communique, Bangladesh Finance Minister and V20 Chair AHM Mustafa Kamal said they are setting a clear pathway through the dual crises of COVID-19 and climate towards a just and green recovery through the Climate Prosperity Agenda.

He said governments and multilateral organizations must seize every opportunity to save the planet and strengthen protection for the most vulnerable communities.

“This V20 Summit provides the opportunity to chart a pathway forward, with speed and scale for bold and concerted new economic and financial responses that truly deliver for vulnerable people and economies around the world.”

The V20 Summit was opened by the Heads of State/Government of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica and the Marshall Islands, together with some 30 finance and economy Ministers and senior representatives of the V20 and G20, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, World Bank President David Malpass, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the Board of the Global Center on Adaptation Ban Ki-moon, the heads of the Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Development Bank, European Investment Bank, Global Environment Facility, Green Climate Fund, as well as high level representatives of the International Monetary Fund and a range of UN and international partners of the V20.

It was also indicated by Bangladesh during the V20 Summit that the CVF-V20 member states are working through a series of regional and global member dialogues to prepare with a view to ultimately launch at UNFCCC COP26 the ‘Dhaka-Glasgow Declaration’ to further put forward the perspectives of the climate threatened nations for a successful outcome to the OctoberNovember 2021 Glasgow conference.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Best Budget Graphics/ Drawing Tablet 2021

What is a Graphics Tablet?

A graphics tablet, often known as a drawing or a pen tablet, is an input device that translates data from a digital handheld stylus. The Stylus is used as a pen, paintbrush, or pencil with the tip pressed against the tablet’s surface. Furthermore, it can be used as a substitute for a computer mouse.

What are the uses of a Graphics Tablet?

A user strokes on a Graphics Tablet with a stylus, much like an artist does with his pencil on paper. The strokes get converted to a digital form and are displayed on the screen of a computer. No doubt it’s a piece of wizardry that can revolutionize an artist’s effort. Creative professionals from many industries are using this device to get a creative edge.

Animators, illustrators, graphic designers, and photographers use these tablets to complete their works faster and more perfectly. From industrial design, architecture to the medical sector, almost every industry has adopted Graphics Tablets to speed up the process of delivery and with more precision.

Best Budget-friendly Graphics Tablet in 2021

Huion Inspiroy H640P

The H640P is a really impressive design tablet for the money it costs. It comes with six customizable shortcut buttons, a battery-less pen, and a pressure sensitivity of 8,192 levels. This tablet features a 6.3 by 3.9-inch workspace. The H640P is by far the best option for people looking for an excellent tablet at a low price who don’t mind having a little workspace.

The tablet may totally replace your computer mouse. Its paper-like surface let people an experience of writing on paper. You’ll think you’re writing with a real pen. Moreover, you can set custom keyboard shortcuts, such as Pan/Scroll, Undo.

It works with a vast range of software and platforms, like Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Team, and others. It’s a perfect drawing pad for beginners and pros, thanks to Huion’s high-quality pen technology.

The Huion Inspiroy H640P will costs BDT 4,500 (approximately).

Huion Inspiroy H950P

It is the second released version of Huion tablet and bigger than the previous Huion Inspiroy H640P. This drawing tablet comes with pressure sensitivity of 8192 levels, with a 233 PPS report rate. It also has 5080 LPI revolution making it ideal for creating perfect arts and designs.

The tablet is currently compatible only with Android. It doesn’t support iOS phones yet, so it is totally incompatible with the iPhone and iPad. But you can use it in Mac. It can also be used with different digital software, such as Bambu, SAI, Autodesk, Photoshop, etc.

There are eight Express keys that are fully customizable and can be assigned to different functions. Buttons on the digital Stylus can be used to switch between the brushes. Almost every essential is there for users. So, they won’t miss anything even if the price is low.

Users have to pay around BDT 6,999 (approximately) to buy Huion Inspiroy H950P

Wacom One CTL 472

A responsive, pressure-sensitive, and ergonomic pen allows users to draw, sketch, paint, or even edit photos naturally. The pen has no battery, so it is lightweight, comfortable to use, and perfectly balanced. Like a premium drawing pad, it gives a real pen-to-paper sketching experience.

Users will have options to choose the appropriate size for their personal needs. Small one takes up very little space on the desk while provides sufficient workspace. Medium one provides a bit larger area for larger pen strokes.

The Wacom One CTL 472 allows more precise sketching and painting. The cutting-edge electromagnetic technology installed in pen provides users with superior accuracy and control. The pad also ensures that users are getting the outcome as they want, matching every movement of the pen. While editing photos, users can perform everything from complex cut-outs to fine color adjustments.

The Wacom drawing tablet makes it simple to embark on the next project. All it takes is to plug the USB cable into any platform like Mac or Windows PC and install the necessary drives.

The Wacom One CTL 472 will cost only BDT 6,500 (approximately).

The XP-Pen Deco01 V2

The XP pen deco is specially designed to handle up to 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity. It has an active workspace of 10X6.25 inches, which is larger than other drawing tablets under similar price ranges. The device includes eight customizable expressing keys. Users can configure these keys for various functions they want to use while drawing.

Additionally, the Stylus includes two buttons: one for right-clicking and the other for switching between the eraser and the brush. Another interesting feature is that Stylus lightweight and does not require battery. It also can detect 60 degrees of pen tilt.

The device is compatible with any type of editing software, including SAI, Photoshop, and others. Glowing lights illuminate the active area aiding users to identify the parts that are adjustable. It is ideal for people who work late at night. This drawing tablet features a sleek outlook.

The XP-Pen Deco01 V2 is available in Bangladesh at a price of BDT 6,999 (approximately).

VEIKK A15

The VEIKK A15 Graphics Tablet size (10X6 inch) and width 9mm, is ideal for artists who want to create elegant digital info-graphic ad artworks. Its active drawing area (10-inch long and 6-inch high) is significantly larger compared to the other Graphics Tablets available on the market. This tablet is designed to be used by both right and left-handed people.

This VEIKK drawing tablet includes a battery-free stylus featuring a sensitivity level of 8192. The stylus aids in the creation of precise lines and fine curves. The complete package includes 20 pieces of replacement nibs for the Stylus.

This drawing tablet will give users a premium working experience as it covers most functionalities and features of expensive high-quality tablets. This multiplatform drawing tablet is available in Bangladesh.

VEIKK A15 will cost only BDT 12,500 (approximately).

Verdict

When it comes to choose the best budget drawing Tablets, you need to evaluate several features, including the size, compatibility, pressure sensitivity levels, workspace area, etc. The comfort in holding the pen is another important aspect to check. As long as a drawing tablet can depict your imagination efficiently, it is good to go. In this article, we have mentioned top 5 cheapest graphic tablets. However, the price may change depending upon circumstances.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Post Retirement Career Planning: How to pick your dream job?

People often think that retirement should be spent on leisure and doing nothing. For many job-holders, retirements are like an end of the road. On average, people retire at the age of 60 or 70. Should you think about building a fresh career after your retirement? Let’s find out why is it essential to do post retirement career planning. Here we will also discuss some tips about how to choose a suitable career after retirement.

Benefits of Working after Retirement

The age of retirement varies from 60 to 70 across the globe. People usually think that this is the age where the body needs rest and should stay away from workloads. However, this rule doesn’t apply for all. Even after reaching the retirement age, many people stay healthy and capable to work. Not to mention their years of experience are at play to hunt a new purpose for life.

The leisure and resting period of retired life will soon become boring. If you are working after retirement, you are helping both yourself and the society. However, it is not always necessary that you have to work for money. You can put your experience to good use in relevant fields after retirement.

Retirement gives people the opportunity to try new things in life and career. Some people try to do the things that they might not have got the chance to do before. Did you have any passion at young age which you had to give up due to job or family responsibilities? If yes, you still have the chance to plan your dream career after retirement.

Overall, there are countless opportunities of working after retirement. Now let’s look at the things you should consider before jumping right back in.

How to Pick a Career after Retirement?

Wanting to work and knowing how to work after retirement are different things. You might feel you still have what it takes. However, there’s always the problem of where to start and how to start. You should consider some of the below-mentioned aspects to get started.

Understand the Scenario

Whether it’s for a monetary reason or simply because you don’t want to stop working, you have to find works that you want to do. It’s easier said than done, however. You might be interested in a particular field but interest might not be enough.

Every field of job has its own set of requirements. There are skills associated with each field. The more you excel in those skills, the more your chance of getting the job increases. To start things off, you need to do your homework and understand what is expected in that specific field and how you stack up against it.

Work on the Skills

The next step is an obvious one. After you’ve done your research on the industry, you should have a pretty good idea regarding your eligibility. If you are already stacked on the qualifications, then there’s nothing to worry about. If not, now is the time to start working on acquiring those skills.

Depending on the industry, the skills will vary. For instance, most office jobs will require the proficiency of the Microsoft Office Suite. Other technical jobs might require relevant technical skills. There are tons of platforms where you can acquire skills with professional certification.

Rework your CV

Being a retired person gives you an upper hand among the rest and that is your experience. Since you are planning to start things afresh, we recommend that you revamp your CV. If you are going to stick to the field or industry you’ve worked in before, then you can highlight all the experiences that you gathered during your service year. There is a huge demand for experienced labor in addition to skilled labor.

However, what should you do if you are switching to a new industry? You need to replace the experience with skills. As long as you are skilled labor, age is just going to be a number on a paper.

Online Presence

There are two aspects of online presence – personal and professional. The personal aspect would focus on your personal development. You need to stay up to date with the changing times. For example, LinkedIn is a popular place to get hired. You can start by building your work profile which can be an easy reference for potential employers. Then there’s the professional aspect. Here you can join different seminars and job fairs online. These will help you not only to build a robust online presence but also to get hired easily.

Show your inner youth

In all honesty, employers tend to be skeptical about the potential output of a retired candidate. They might think that age might have slowed you down or you might not be able to perform at an optimum level. This is where you need to ward off ageism and show your inner youth. You need to show that you can bring positive energy and effort to the company. But more than anything let your work ethic and skills do the talking.

Start by Volunteering

This is something that applies to people who are looking to get back from a career break as well. Volunteering can be a great starting point within an industry. While your initial days will be spent on revamping the CV and working on acquiring new skills, you should also focus on doing some voluntary works.

This will not only have a positive impact on your CV but will also present you with the opportunity to demonstrate your skills. Some voluntary work might even generate additional skills for you so it’s always fruitful.

Find Low-stress Jobs

No matter how strong you are, you need to avoid stressful career at old age. Stress can lead towards lot of health issues like hypertension, stroke, etc. It would be an intelligent decision, if you can find a low-stress job after retirement. Look for fun jobs which are directly related to your passion and interest. It will serve the purpose of keeping you engaged, cheerful and simultaneously make you feel useful to the universe.

Networking is the Key

Whether you are a fresher or a retiree, one thing is common to get any job and that is networking. We cannot possibly emphasize enough the importance of networking. In the digital era, connecting with people has become easier than ever. You should make use of every opportunity at your hand to build a professional network relevant to your industry.

To get started, we suggest you to attend the job related online webinars. You can also use email and social media to connect with your industry peers and get insights. Overall, networking not only opens up a new door to explore but also acts as a crucial stepping ground within the industry.

Final Thoughts

Before anything else, you need to believe yourself and have the conviction to build a career post-retirement. The process is somewhat tough; but with the right approach and relevant skills, it becomes increasingly easy. We hope that this article would be of help to kick start your dream career after retirement.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Rupganj factory fire still raging; 3 killed

At least three people were killed and 25 others injured as a massive fire broke out at Shezan Juice Factory of Hashem Foods Ltd in Bhulta Karnagop area of Rupganj in Narayanganj on Thursday.

Immediately after the incident, two deceased were identified as factory workers Mina Akhter, 40, and Shapna Rani.

Later, another worker, Mursalin, 22, who jumped from the 3rd floor, succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) around 11pm.

The fire broke out at the 7-storey building around 5 pm Thursday, and 18 units of firefighters were still struggling to contain it, said duty officer of the fire service control room Kamrul Ahsan.

Ten of the injured were sent to the DMCH and 16 admitted to Rupganj US Bangla Medical College and Hospital, said the hospital authorities.

Md Shahadat Hossain, a duty doctor of the US Bangla Medical College, confirmed the deaths of two workers.

Some of the injured admitted to the DMCH was identified as Nahid, 23, Monjurul Islam, 25, Mohasin Hossain, 32, Abu Bakar Siddique, 40, Amena Begum, 32, Fatema Akhter, 23, Mohasin, 27 and Mazeda, 28.

Bachchu Mia, inspector in-charge of DMCH police camp, said three of the injured were shifted to DMCH’s Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute as they were having breathing problems caused by smoke.

Abu Bakar Siddique, one of the injured, said, “We sustained injuries as we jumped in a hurry to get out of the building.”

The number of injured and deceased may rise as seven to eight thousand workers were working inside the factory, he said.

Deputy Director of Narayanganj fire service Md Abdul Al Arefin said they heard that the fire broke out during a welding accident. “An investigation is needed to find out the reason to know actually what caused the fire”, he said.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Global Covid deaths top 4 million

The second wave of the pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on human lives around the world. In fact, the global fatality figure has now topped four million.

The total caseload and fatalities from the virus stand at 185,018,936 and 4,000,641, respectively, as of Thursday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

So far, 3,322,028,826 Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the globe, as per the university data.

The US has logged 33,769, 829 cases and 606,215 deaths to date, according to the university data. The death toll in the United States is the highest in the world.

Brazil registered 1,648 more deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 528,540, the health ministry said Wednesday.

A total of 54,022 new infections were detected during the period, raising the total caseload to 18,909,037, the ministry said.

India’s Covid-19 tally rose to 30,663,665 on Wednesday as 43,733 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, according to the federal health ministry.

Besides, 930 deaths due to the pandemic since Tuesday morning pushed up the total death toll to 404,211.

Covid-19 was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China, in late 2019, but the outbreak spread quickly across the globe in the first two-three months of 2020.

It was declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020.

Situation in Bangladesh

In a disastrous turn, Bangladesh on Wednesday morning recorded 201 deaths in 24 hours its highest-ever single-day fatalities.

Besides, the country logged 11,162 new cases, though the positivity rate declined slightly to 31.32 % from Tuesday’s 31.46%.

The new numbers took Bangladesh’s death toll to 15,593 and the caseload to 977,568.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said Bangladesh is hopeful of receiving more vaccine doses this month from Japan, the European Union (EU) and the US under the COVAX facility apart from a steady flow of jabs from China.

“We’re in a good position now. I should say we’ve made a line up. I think there’ll be no vaccine crisis, and the vaccination programme will continue uninterruptedly,” he told reporters at his residence.

Dr Momen said that Bangladesh is expected to get around 2.5 million doses of vaccine from Japan and one million from the EU under the COVAX facility. “These’re likely to be AstraZeneca vaccine doses.”

In another positive turn of events, people will now be able to register for Covid-19 jabs through imo, the popular messaging app said in a release.

The move aims to amplify the mass vaccination efforts of the Bangladesh government, said the release.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Khulna Division records 51 more single-day Covid deaths

Amid the worsening Covid-19 situation in Khulna region, health authorities recorded 51 more deaths in the division in 24 hours until Thursday morning.

During the period, 1,732 people were infected with the deadly virus.

Of the deceased, 21 people died in Khulna district, 10 in Kushtia, six in Jashore, four in Narail, three each in Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Narail and Magura and one each in Bagerhat and Meherpur districts, said Dr Rasheda Sultana, director (Health).

In the Khulna division, the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Chuadanga on March 19, 2020.

An analysis of the district-wise covid data of the divisional health department shows that Khulna recorded the highest number of 338 infection cases in the last 24 hours. So far, 17,898 people have been infected with covid-19 and 369 people died in the district. Besides, 12,172 recovered from the disease.

Overall, 67,531 people have been infected with the virus in 10 districts of the division and the death toll from the virus reached 1,416.

Some 44,184 people have recovered to date in the Khulna division.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

India’s Bharat Biotech says vaccine 93.4% effective against severe COVID-19

Indian company Bharat Biotech said on Saturday its late-stage testing of a COVID-19 vaccine has shown an overall efficacy of 77.8% and effectiveness against all variants.

The company in a statement said it is now in discussions with the World Health Organisation to obtain emergency use listing for its vaccine, marketed as Covaxin, reports Gulf News.

The results set to rest questions raised by health experts over Bharat Biotech’s vaccine when it was given emergency use authorisation by the Indian government in January.

They felt that the company didn’t have enough clinical trials, making it almost impossible for the firm to have analysed and submitted data showing that its shots are effective in preventing illness from the coronavirus.

The company says the vaccine has already received emergency use authorizations in 16 countries including India, the Philippines, Iran and Mexico. Millions of Indian also have been inoculated with the same vaccine.

It says the late-stage trial showed the vaccine was 93.4% effective against severe symptomatic COVID-19 and showed effectiveness of 77.8% against symptomatic COVID-19. The data also demonstrated 65.2% protection against the delta variant, first identified in India.

Last month, vaccine maker AstraZeneca Plc also said its vaccine was effective against the Delta and Kappa variants, citing a study.

India has been administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, made domestically by the Serum Institute of India, which said last month it planned to step up monthly production from July, to nearly 100 million doses.

Bharat Biotech now estimates it will make 23 million doses a month.

The Phase-III data came as Ocugen Inc, which is co-developing Covaxin with Bharat Biotech for the US market, prepares to file a request for full US approval.

India, with a tally of 30.45 million infections, is the second most affected nation after the United States, with 33 million. The south Asian nation’s death toll has now crossed 400,000.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Record-high 713 single-day Covid cases reported in Ctg

Chattogram district reported a record-high cases of 713 and nine more deaths in 24 hours till Thursday morning.

The new cases were detected after testing 2,109 samples, according to a report provided by the district’s Civil Surgeon office in the morning.

With the new numbers, the district’s death toll reached 744 on Thursday, while the caseload climbed to 62,913.

Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said, “This scenario indicates a worsening Covid-19 situation for Chattogram district if we don’t deem it as concerning now.”

Of the deceased, two were from the municipal area and seven from upazilas.

Among the fresh cases, 477 are from the municipal area and 236 from upazilas.

According to the Civil Surgeon office, the samples were sent for testing on Wednesday to 11 labs in Chattogram and one to Cox’s Bazar Medical College and Hospital’s lab.

Of the new ases in upazilas, seven came from Lohagara, 12 from Satkaniya, five from Banshkhali, six from Anwara, 13 from Chandanaish, 14 from Boalkhali, nine from Rangunia, 27 from Rauzan, 20 from Fatikchari, 58 from Hathazari, 33 from Sitakundu, 17 from Mirsarai and 15 from Sandwip.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

3 arrested for forging Covid certificates in Rajshahi

Police arrested three people for their alleged involvement in selling fake Covid-19 negative certificates in Rajshahi on Wednesday night.

The arrestees are Tarique Ahsan, 41, office assistant of Rajshahi Civil Surgeon, Rafiqul Islam, 42, an ambulance driver of Rajshahi Chest Disease Hospital and his wife Samsunnahar Shikha, 38.

Deputy Commissioner of Detective Branch (Rajshahi) Arefin Jewel confirmed the information to the media on Thursday.

“The group used to blackmail foreign bound passengers by informing them their samples came out to be positive and subsequently charged a huge amount in exchange for a Covid-19 negative certificate,” he said.

“They used to charge Tk 3000-15,000 depending on the situation, “ he added.

Tarique Hasan, office assistant of Rajshahi Civil Surgeon was the ringleader of the group and he used to collect the information of people conducting Covid-19 tests in the division using his official connections.

Later, Samsunnahar used to call people to inform them they have tested positive and demand a huge amount in exchange of Covid-19 negative certificate, the detective explained.

“It is learned that the expatriates who used to give samples for corona tests had only 48 to 72 hours to submit their papers. The gang exploited this situation,” Arefin added.

They were arrested from the Hetemkha Kalabagan area of the city and three of their associates are currently on the run, he added.

The officer also said that 100 fake certificates were seized during the raid.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

South Asia agriculture and food systems show resilience amid pandemic, says a global report

The severe health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted food systems and upended livelihoods in South Asia, but it has also led to policies aimed at building resilient food systems, according to the 2021 Global Food Policy Report.

“The pandemic responses have demonstrated the power of well-crafted policies to blunt the impact of major shocks while laying the groundwork for stronger, more resilient food systems,” said the report released on Thursday.

The highlights of the report were presented at a virtual event, co-organized by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) South Asia, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) n Thursday.

Policy makers and thought leaders shared their perspectives on COVID-19’s impacts on food systems and discussed the lessons the report draws from the current crisis, an IFPRI press release said.

“We have known for a while now that there are major problems with our food systems, that they are unequal and unsustainable,” said Johan Swinnen, director general of IFPRI. “This crisis has revealed these problems in a way that none of us can ignore, but it has also demonstrated that we have effective ways to address these problems”.

On the Covid-induced lockdown, the report said ,“Although the lockdowns helped in containing the infection rates, they created bigger shocks to national economies than the pandemic itself.”

It added that “To mitigate the impacts on the economy governments enacted a wide range of policies aimed at saving lives, protecting livelihoods and stimulating economies.”

The report highlighted that the countries in the South Asian region did much better than the expert predictions in terms of economic performance, food price stabilization, and protecting livelihoods.

“However, the report also cautioned that there’s no room for complacency, which unfortunately turned out to be true during the second wave that overwhelmed health systems and significantly disrupted livelihoods”, said Shahidur Rashid, Director- IFPRI, South Asia.

Rashid cautioned that the region is still reeling under the devastating impact of the second wave, “While vaccinations have been ramped up and the caseloads have slowly declined, there are uncertainties as to how things will play out in the region for agriculture and food systems”.

The report underscores that the pandemic has revealed both resilience and vulnerabilities in South Asian food systems. Across the region, the agriculture sector grew, food prices remained relatively stable, and no food security crisis was reported during the first wave.

This resilience can largely be attributed to the region’s decades of investments in infrastructure and institutions for social transfers and safety nets programs, as well as the expansion of many of these programs. Surveys conducted by IFPRI found that public transfer systems for food, security, health, and nutrition have largely performed well in the region.

Giving examples the report said Bangladesh government increased the social protection budget from 2.9 per cent of national GDP in 2019-20 to 3.01 per cent in response to the pandemic.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Tokyo Olympics to be held mostly without spectators due to pandemic

The Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators at venues in and around the Japanese capital due to a spike in coronavirus infections, organizers said Thursday after making the unprecedented decision just two weeks ahead of the opening of the global sporting event.

The announcement, abandoning their earlier plan to stage the Olympics in front of a limited number of fans, came after the Japanese government decided to put Tokyo under another state of emergency until Aug. 22, amid rising concern the games could trigger a further surge in infections.

In addition to Tokyo, the Olympics will be held behind closed doors at venues in Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama, three prefectures near Tokyo, Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said at a press conference. Some other venues of the Olympics are located outside the metropolitan area.

The new policy of barring spectators in the host city was agreed on at a meeting attended by International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and representatives of the four bodies, the games organizing committee, the International Paralympic Committee, as well as the Japanese and Tokyo metropolitan governments.

“It is extremely regrettable that the games will be staged in a very limited manner in the face of the spread of novel coronavirus infections,” Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organizing committee said. “I am very sorry for ticket holders and local residents who were looking forward to the games.”

At the outset of the virtual meeting, which was open to the press, Bach said he and IPC chief Andrew Parsons continue to be “committed” to delivering the games safely with the Japanese organizers.

“We have shown this responsibility since the day of the postponement,” Bach said. “And we will also show it today, and we will support any measure which is necessary to have a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Japanese people and all the participants.”

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said at a press conference that the organizers will decide on how many spectators will be allowed at Paralympic venues after the closing of the Olympics.

Even with the decision, it is still uncertain what the Olympics will look like when they take place between July 23 and Aug. 8 following a first-ever postponement last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, despite the organizers’ repeated pledges to stage a “safe and secure” games.

Having already barred Olympic spectators from overseas, the five organizers decided late last month to allow the venues’ capacity to be filled up to 50 percent, a maximum of 10,000 people per venue, on the assumption the COVID-19 situation in Tokyo would turn for the better supported by Japan’s belated vaccination rollout.

After Tokyo started to reel from a COVID-19 rebound, the Japanese government and the organizing committee once planned to lower the spectator cap to 5,000.

However, Tokyo on Wednesday reported 920 new infections, registering the highest daily count since mid-May, while medical experts continue to warn of the dangers of going ahead with the games when many countries are grappling with the rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus.

On Thursday, Tokyo reported 896 new cases of the virus, exceeding the number logged a week earlier for the 19th straight day.

Since pushing back the games in March last year, the government had been hoping that having as many spectators as possible and inbound visitors to the country would help revive its economy from a coronavirus-induced downturn.

Not allowing fans in Tokyo will also deal a heavy blow to the organizing committee, which initially projected the ticket revenue to be 90 billion yen ($820 million).

Bach attended the remote meeting from his hotel after arriving in Tokyo earlier in the day.

According to the organizing committee, Bach will quarantine at his hotel for three days. He is set to visit the athletes’ village in Tokyo’s Harumi waterfront district and hold meetings with the organizing body, both in person and remotely.

The IOC is also arranging for Bach to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by a U.S.-dropped atomic bomb in World War II, on July 16, the starting day of an Olympic truce adopted by the United Nations.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Covid: 18 more die at Rajshahi hospital

Eighteen more Covid-related deaths have been reported at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) in the past 24 hours.

Of the deceased, eight tested positive for Covid-19 while the remaining 10 showed symptoms of the virus, hospital authorities said on Thursday.

Hospital Director Brigadier General Shamim Yazdani said that nine of the deceased were from Rajshahi district, three from Naogaon, two each from Chapainawabganj and Natore and one each from Kushtia and Pabna districts.

Besides, 114 people have tested positive for corona in the past 24 hours. “A total of 429 samples were tested in two laboratories of the district during the period,” he said.

The positivity rate currently stands at 26.57%, which was 21.92% a day before.

Shamim Yazdani also said 70 people were admitted to the corona unit of the hospital in 24 hours till Thursday morning.

Forty-eight people were discharged from the hospital after recovery during the period.

Moreover, 485 people are currently undergoing treatment against 454 beds at the corona unit of the hospital. Among them, 20 patients are undergoing treatment in the ICU.

RMCH has been one of the most stretched hospitals in the country during the second wave of Covid-19, particularly since the latter part of May when the deadly Delta variant of the virus was identified in multiple samples in Rajshahi division.

Source: United News of Bangladesh