باخبر بلوچستان: December 2021

French ban on plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables begins

Effective from New Year's day, officials hope the law will prevent a billion items of single use plastics every year.

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Betty White: Biden leads tributes for Golden Girls actress

The long-time Hollywood star died on Friday at the age of 99 after an eight-decade film and TV career.

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Desmond Tutu: Body of South African hero to be aquamated

In line with his eco-friendly beliefs, the water-based process uses a tenth of the energy of cremation.

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Pakistan faces 5th Covid-19 wave as new Omicron cases reported

Pakistan is now facing the fifth wave of coronavirus and cases may peak in late January or early February, health experts have said, as Islamabad on Friday reported 34 new cases of Omicron variant.

The new Omicron cases, the highest reported from a city in a single day, have pushed the total number of Omicron cases beyond 100.

At least 66 of the total cases have been reported from Islamabad so far.

On Thursday, eleven members of a family tested positive in Karachi after they arrived in the city from Lahore.

Karachi authorities on Friday imposed micro-smart lockdown in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area where the family live. They were also carrying out tests to determine if the people who came in contact with the patients had also been infected.

Omicron spreads four times faster than the Delta variant which overwhelmed the health system of India and other countries in 2021.

The number of coronavirus cases and deaths in Pakistan doubled in the year 2021 as compared to the previous year.

Fifth wave

The National Command and Control Center (NCOC) has reported 482 and 515 cases on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. The number is higher than around 350 per day reported over the past several weeks.

Health experts have told SAMAA Digital that Pakistan is currently in the grip of a fifth wave and people need to strictly follow Covid-19 related SOPs that were introduced in 2020.

Epidemiologist Dr Rana Jawad Asghar told Sama Digital that the fifth wave of coronavirus has started in Pakistan, and it is feared that the new wave will peak in late January or early February.

He said that the Omicron variant spreads four times faster than the Delta variant of Covid-19. Cold weather enables the Covid-19 to spread because people spend most of the time in closed spaces, said Dr Asghar.

People should ensure ventilation at homes and offices, wear masks and avoid crowds, he said.

He said that although Omicron spreads faster than other variants, it is less deadly and citizens should not panic.

However, the World Health Organization has warned that with increased growth rate Omicron can overwhelm health systems.

Dr Asghar is not the only expert to warn about a new Covid-19 wave. Health experts in the past few days have cautioned that cases could peak in January if people failed to follow the SOPs.

Lockdown in Karachi

Karachi East Deputy Commission on Friday issued a notification to impose smart and micro-smart lockdown in certain areas of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block-7 for two weeks.

The Sindh Health Department had told the local administration to enforce lockdown after at least eleven members of a family tested positive for Omicron on Thursday. The virus was detected through next-generation sequencing at the public health laboratory of DUHS.

The notification from the deputy commissioner lists 12 members of the family. Health authorities were conducting more tests.

Under the lockdown order, authorities have restricted the free movement of people living in the area, all businesses except shops selling food and medicine have been closed, public transport has been banned, and pillion riding is no longer allowed.

The first Omicron case in Karachi was confirmed on December 13. It was also the first confirmed case in Pakistan.

The number then began to increase and after the 12 new cases, the total number has increased to 45 in Karachi.

Islamabad reported its first case on December 25 and Lahore on December 27.

Covid cases, deaths increase in 2021

Pakistan’s first case of coronavirus was reported in Karachi on February 26, 2020. The person who tested positive was a student of Karachi University who had returned from Iran. He eventually recovered.

According to the data released by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the year 2021 has seen an increase in cases and deaths from coronavirus compared to the previous year.

In 2021, a total of 815,661 cases were reported whereas the number of cases reported last year was 479,715. Similarly, at least 18,822 people died after contracting the virus in 2021 compared to 10,105 who died in 2020.

At least 154 doctors and 32 paramedics lost their lives to Covid-19, says PMA Secretary General Dr Qaiser Sajjad.

The government declared them martyrs and announced aid for their families, but the promise has not materialized yet, he said.

Vaccination

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar, who heads the NCOC, on Friday tweeted that Pakistan has achieved its vaccination target for the year 2021 and has completed the vaccination of 70 million people.

The vaccination process kick-started in Pakistan on February 3, 2021, two days after China donated 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine on February 1, 2021.

The government of Pakistan first started vaccination of front health workers. Senior citizens were the next and then the age limit was gradually lowered for free vaccination.

According to Asad Umar, 77% of the population of Islamabad has been vaccinated. Punjab has immunized 51%, Gilgit-Baltistan 46%, Azad Kashmir 45%, Balochistan 42%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 41, and Sindh 37% of the population.

At least 46% of people in the country have received both jabs and 63% have received a single dose.

What they said

The extremist leaders not only called for the ethnic cleansing of Muslims but also expressed a desire to shoot former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The most controversial remarks came from Annapurna Maa who heads one of seven akharas where Indian extremists train in martial arts.

She called for the murder of two million Muslims claiming India was threatened by Muslim domination.

“It’s an alarming situation. If we rise to the occasion and realise their intention even today, India will not become Islamic but a Sanatan Vedic Hindu nation. … I am willing to sacrifice myself to ensure a Muslim prime minister does not take over in 2029. We need to increase our population over them. If needed, we can kill them. We will be considered winners even if 20 lakh of their population is killed.”

“If you want to finish them off, then kill them… We need 100 soldiers who can kill 20 lakh of them to win this,” she said.

Speaking to NDTV, she doubled down on what she had said and went a step further to call the Indian constitution wrong. “The Constitution of India is wrong. Indians should pray to Nathuram Godse (Gandhi’s assassin). I am not afraid of the police.”

Another leader Prabodhanand Giri told the gathering that “like Myanmar, our police, our politicians, our Army and every Hindu must pick up weapons and conduct a Safayi Abhiyan (ethnic cleansing). There is no other option left.”

Later, he told NDTV that “I am not ashamed of what I have said. I am not afraid of police. I stand by my statement.”

A third leader Swami Amrita Nand urged Hindus to arm themselves. “You may have a Rs 5,000 mobile phone but must possess arms worth not less than Rs1 lakh. Only retribution can keep one alive. Keep swords in the house and if anyone questions say it’s for puja,” he added.

Extremists flaunt weapons at Haridwar assembly.

Yati Narasinghanand promised to pay INRs10 million to any Hindu Sanyasi was ready to become another Prabhakaran, the Sri Lankan Tamil rebel leader.

The remarks were reported by The Print, Indian Express, NDTV, and other Indian media outlets.

Police fail to register FIR

Leaders from the Trinamool Congress and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen submitted application with the authorities to register FIRs against the extremists over hate speech.

However, police have failed to act. The Indian Express and The Print quoted senior police officials as saying that they were examining the videos from the gathering and will take “suitable action after that.”

The hate speech and police inaction have shocked international correspondents. Delhi correspondent for the BBC News Yogita Limaye tweeted that “if these speeches had been made by leaders of a minority community in India, would the police have been waiting for a complaint to be filed?”

She also underscored double standard in another tweet saying that India jailed a Muslim comedian Munawar Farugui for a joke he didn’t crack, “but a Hindu leader goes on to tell NDTV ‘the constitution is wrong’ and she’s not arrested.”

Reaction

International tennis star Martina Navratilova is among the people who have condemned the anti-Muslim hate speech in India. She tweeted one of the videos and said “What is going on?!?”

India’s former Navy Chief Arun Prakash and former Army Chief General VP Mallik said that if the extremist tendencies were not stopped there would be “a communal blood-bath, domestic turmoil and international disgrace” and Indian forces be faced with internal conflict.

Many other Indian shared a Twitter thread by AltNews founder Muhamad Zubair. AltNews is a leading fact check website in the country.

A Thread with **TRIGGER WARNING***
A three day hate speech conclave was organized by hate monger Yati Narsinghanand. At the event, multiple calls to k!ll minorities and attack their religious spaces were made.#HaridwarHateAssembly Thread

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 22, 2021

Zubair shared several videos showing extremist leaders making various threats. He provided the translation as well but put out his threat with a “trigger warning”. One of the videos he shared shows Indian extremists flaunting weapons.

However, Indian National Congress, the largest secular party, has failed to issue a statement on the issue.

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Boston College student's girlfriend pleads guilty over his suicide

Inyoung You was accused of being abusive towards Alexander Urtula, who died in May 2019.

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Daunte Wright shooting: Key moments in the trial of Kimberly Potter

The trial saw emotional testimonies and dramatic bodycam footage of the fatal shooting.

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Covid: Ecuador makes vaccination mandatory for most citizens

All those from the age of five must be jabbed, although people with medical reasons are exempt.

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Daunte Wright death: US 'Taser mixup' ex-officer guilty of manslaughter

The April shooting led to days of demonstrations against police killings of black men.

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SAMAA TV News Headlines 12am – 24 December 2021

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James Franco: I'll admit, I did sleep with students... and that was wrong

Watch the actor speak about his past "consensual" relationships with students at his acting school.

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How this iconic Manhattan newsstand survived the Covid pandemic

Since 1994, Casa Magazines in New York City has carried almost 3,000 unique magazine titles.

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Pillar of Shame: Hong Kong's Tiananmen Square statue removed

Workers at the University of Hong Kong dismantle the sculpture commemorating the 1989 massacre.

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Can Abid Ali return to cricket after Acute Coronary Syndrome?

Pakistan’s Test batsman Abid Ali was batting during a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match Tuesday when he was rushed to the hospital due to chest pain. He was later diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Subsequently, he underwent angioplasty at a private hospital in Karachi.

Although cardiovascular diseases among the people of Pakistan are not uncommon due to unhealthy lifestyles, among other factors.

But, when an athlete suffered ACS, it raised questions about whether people who are fitter and have a healthy lifestyle can suffer from cardiovascular disease.

People were also wondering if Ali can return to professional cricket after developing a heart condition.

SAMAA Digital talked to cardiologists to learn about ACS, what causes it, and can an athlete return to professional sports after being diagnosed with it.

What is ACS and what causes it?

Cardiovascular diseases expert Dr Zahid Jamal said that ACS is caused due to the blockage or rupture of arteries.

He said that doctors look into three factors when treating patients with ACS:

1) What is the person’s lifestyle?

2) Do they suffer from sugar, cholesterol and obesity?

3) Is there a history of this disease in the family?

Executive Director of Karachi’s National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Dr Nadeem Qamar told SAMAA Digital that ACS can result in a heart attack at any moment.

He said that there is a possibility that Abid Ali has a family history of cardiovascular diseases.

What causes cardiovascular issues in youth?

Dr Qamar blamed “lifestyles” for heart diseases among young people.

“The disease which should occur late in life are affecting youth under 30 years in our country.”

He said that if a youth suffers from ACS, it could be due to three reasons: unhealthy lifestyle, smoking habit and family history.

According to Dr Jamal, a family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cholesterol increases the chances of ACS in a person.

Cardiologist Dr Fawad Farooq said that a large number of people between 25 years and 40 years of age are suffering from heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity due to unhealthy lifestyles.

He said that smokers are more at risk of developing ACS and other heart-related diseases.

Can athletes continue playing?

Experts said that athletes can continue playing sports after recovering from ACS but only if their doctors advise them to do so.

There have been examples in the past where athletes have returned to professional sports after receiving treatment for cardiovascular diseases, they say.

According to Dr Jamal, the doctor’s advice is based on the condition of the patient’s heart. The doctor has to see whether heart muscles have suffered major damage, he said.

Dr Farooq said that doctors advise athletes, who suffer a heart attack or undergo bypass, to return to professional sports after a rest of one to three months.

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Preserved dinosaur embryo was preparing to hatch like a bird

Scientists on Tuesday announced the discovery of an exquisitely preserved dinosaur embryo from at least 66 million years ago that was preparing to hatch from its egg just like a chicken.

The fossil was discovered in Ganzhou, southern China and belonged to a toothless theropod dinosaur, or oviraptorosaur, which the researchers dubbed “Baby Yingliang.”

“It is one of the best dinosaur embryos ever found in history,” University of Birmingham researcher Fion Waisum Ma, who co-authored a paper in the journal iScience, told AFP.

Ma and colleagues found Baby Yingliang’s head lay below its body, with the feet on either side and back curled — a posture that was previously unseen in dinosaurs, but similar to modern birds.

In birds, the behavior is controlled by the central nervous system and called “tucking.” Chicks preparing to hatch tuck their head under their right wing in order to stabilize the head while they crack the shell with their beak.

Embryos that fail to tuck have a higher chance of death from an unsuccessful hatching.

“This indicates that such behavior in modern birds first evolved and originated among their dinosaur ancestors,” said Ma.

An alternative to tucking might have been something closer to what is seen in modern crocodiles, which instead assume a sitting posture with the head bending upon the chest up to hatching.

Forgotten in storage

Oviraptorosaurs, which means “egg thief lizards,” were feathered dinosaurs that lived in what is now Asia and North America during the Late Cretaceous period.

They had variable beak shapes and diets, and ranged in size from modern turkeys at the lower end to massive Gigantoraptors, that were eight meters (26 feet) long.

Baby Yingliang measures around 27 centimeters (10.6 inches) long from head to tail, and lies inside a 17 centimeter-long egg at the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum.

Researchers believe the creature is between 72 and 66 million years old, and was probably preserved by a sudden mudslide that buried the egg, protecting it from scavengers for eons.

It would have grown two to three meters long if it had lived to be an adult, and would have likely fed on plants.

The specimen was one of several egg fossils that were forgotten in storage for decades.

The research team suspected they might contain unborn dinosaurs, and scraped off part of Baby Yingliang’s egg shell to uncover the embryo hidden within.

“This dinosaur embryo inside its egg is one of the most beautiful fossils I have ever seen,” said Professor Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, part of the research team, in a statement.

“This little prenatal dinosaur looks just like a baby bird curled in its egg, which is yet more evidence that many features characteristic of today’s birds first evolved in their dinosaur ancestors.”

Fifth wave

Lockdown in Karachi

Covid cases, deaths increase in 2021

Vaccination

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What they said

Police fail to register FIR

Reaction

What is ACS and what causes it?

What causes cardiovascular issues in youth?

Can athletes continue playing?

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