TAKING SIDES: As the king lauded a defiant monarchist protester, his behavior indicates that he ‘acknowledges the challenge,’ but ‘will not back down,’ an expert said
Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s praise for a man who held up a royal portrait at a protest site in Bangkok has drawn controversy in Thailand, winning acclaim from monarchists and scorn from protesters. The king has not made any public comment on more than three months of protests, which have increasingly targeted the Thai monarchy as well as the government. However, in video recorded on Friday evening as the king greeted well-wishers outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, he is heard praising Thitiwat Tanagaroon, who is introduced by Thai Queen Suthida as the man who held up the royal portrait while others were protesting. “Very brave, very brave, very good, thank you,” the king said. The Royal Palace made no comment, as it has not since the start of anti-government protests in July that have increasingly targeted the monarchy. Thai government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri declined to comment. The video was posted on Facebook by Tanagaroon alongside several other videos of the event and pictures of him taken on Tuesday in which he is holding the portrait. “Their majesties recognized me. This is the highest point of my life,” Tanagaroon wrote. The authenticity of the video of the king’s praise could not be independently verified. Several other people at the event recorded the encounter and posted videos online, but the king’s words were not clear amid the chanting. However, the king’s comments drew a big response. “Just seeing this picture, we are very touched,” royalist leader Warong Dechgitvigrom posted. “This is the Thai way and Thai society of caring, supporting and protecting. Today, it is considered that his institution has adapted to be very close to the people. That made the greatest impression.” Among the top trending hashtags on Twitter in Thailand, tweeted more than 500,000 times, was #23OctEyesOpened — used by protesters and their supporters saying that the Palace had
When Bikamal Kaken’s husband vanished during a 2017 visit to China’s Xinjiang, she had good reason to believe that he would not be returning home to Kazakhstan any time soon. However, she did not anticipate how dire his fate was or that it would be revealed during a spat online between US and Chinese diplomats. Rights groups at the time of Adilgazy Muqai’s disappearance were sounding the alarm over a mushrooming network of facilities for the massive incarceration of mostly Muslim minority citizens in the Chinese autonomous region. Kaken heard that her husband had fallen victim to the system. Three agonizing years later, she learned that he had met an even worse judgement: a nine-year prison sentence for extremist crimes. “I am so worried. The Chinese [authorities] will destroy him in jail,” said Kaken, a China-born ethnic Kazakh who is now a Kazakh citizen, pressing her two young daughters tightly to her body. Beijing has robustly defended its policies in Xinjiang, where more than 1 million people — mostly Muslims from Turkic-speaking groups like Uighurs and Kazakhs — have been rounded up on vague extremism and separatism pretexts, rights groups say. China claims that the sprawling network of detention centers are vocational training facilities used to counter extremism where attendance is voluntary. Yet in neighboring Kazakhstan, 44-year-old Kaken is just one of a growing number of relatives to discover that their missing family members are not in the centers as previously thought, but serving hard jail time instead. Kaken and her husband, a retired oil worker, moved to Kazakhstan when she was pregnant with her youngest child, now three, after hearing reports that Xinjiang authorities were forcing women from minority groups to have abortions. But 47-year-old Muqai, who had right of residency in Kazakhstan, but was not a citizen, was lured back to his native region in May 2017
Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah would consult with other rulers to discuss proposals by Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the royal palace said yesterday, after sources said that the prime minister had asked the king to declare a state of emergency. Muhyiddin on Friday met with the king to present the emergency proposal that includes a suspension of the Malaysian legislature, sources said, a move that Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim denounced as an attempt by the prime minister to cling to his post amid a power struggle. The proposal comes as the country sees a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and as Muhyiddin faces a leadership challenge from Anwar, who last month said that he had majority support in the legislature to oust Muhyiddin. The palace did not identify the recommendations made by the prime minister and said that the king will soon hold the consultation with other Malaysian rulers. “Al-Sultan Abdullah greatly understands the need for the country’s administration to continue to tackle the threat of COVID-19,” the palace said in a statement. The Malaysian Council of Rulers, which groups the heads of the country’s nine royal houses, has the power to withhold consent from any law and deliberate on questions of national policy. A source familiar with the matter said that the rulers would meet today. Muhyiddin’s office has not commented on the emergency proposal. The Malaysian government is scheduled to propose its budget for next year on Nov. 6, and there have been questions over whether it can muster a majority in the legislature. Defeat on the budget would count as a vote of no-confidence in Muhyiddin and could trigger an election. Emergency rule might mean that the budget would not be put to a vote at that time.
India has ordered its 4,000 military shops to stop buying imported goods, a document reviewed by Reuters showed, a move that could send an unwelcome signal to foreign liquor firms such as Diageo and Pernod Ricard. India’s defense canteens sell liquor, electronics and other goods at discounted prices to soldiers, former service personnel and their families. With annual sales of more than US$2 billion, they make up one of the largest retail chains in India. An internal order from the Indian Ministry of Defence on Monday said that in the future, “procurement of direct imported items shall not be undertaken.” The order said that the issue had in May and July been discussed with the Indian army, air force and navy, and was aimed at supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to promote domestic goods. A ministry spokesman declined to comment. The order did not specify which products would be targeted. However, industry sources said that they believed imported liquor could be on the list. Imports make up around 6 to 7 percent of total sales value in the military shops, a research column of the Indian government-funded Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses showed. Chinese products such as diapers, vacuum cleaners, handbags and laptops, account for the bulk if it, it said. Pernod and Diageo in June briefly stopped receiving orders for their imported brands from such government stores. Diageo at the time did not respond to a request for comment, while a Pernod spokesman declined comment. While imported liquor sales at military stores generate only about US$17 million in annual sales, the order would send a negative signal, said an executive whose company sells products at defence stores. “The [foreign liquor] sales are small, but why would a government which is wanting to attract foreign investments do this? It’s a confusing, conflicting signal,” the executive
Algerian actresses angered by murders and violence targeting women have launched a campaign to fight the phenomenon — but not everyone has welcomed their initiative. After the gruesome rape, torture and murder of a 19-year-old woman sparked angry demonstrations earlier this month and calls for a return to capital punishment, 22 actresses published a photo of themselves dressed in black. “We, Algerian actresses, unite today to say enough to violence and killings of women. We are calling for more awareness and a general mobilization to stop this violence,” said a statement by the women, many of them household names in Algeria. The North African country, like its neighbors Tunisia and Morocco, does not publish official nationwide figures on murders of women. However, campaign group Femicides Algeria last year recorded 75 such killings, with a further 41 so far this year. The group said that the actual figure is much higher. While the Algerian government last year registered about 7,000 complaints of violence against women, activists say that it has done little in response — prompting the actresses to launch their initiative. “This campaign is aimed at everyone, men and women. It’s not to accuse Algerian men, but to make everyone responsible,” said Salima Abada, a popular actress in the North African country who is among those involved. She said that the initiative was already having an impact. ‘FED UP’ “There’s debate, anger, people are fed up — but it’s already a beginning,” Abada said. However, a video of one of the actresses has already triggered a bitter backlash on social media. Mounia Benfeghoul posted a video on Instagram early this month following the news of the grim killing of the 19-year-old, identified as Chaima. In an angry monologue, Benfeghoul slammed people who had made excuses for the killer: “There are no excuses for rapists! It was a rape! She didn’t consent!”
‘WE’RE OVERWHELMED’: Germany’s death toll passed 10,000 and France extended a curfew covering millions, while new restrictions in Italy met a violent backlash
The EU’s disease control agency has joined frantic health workers to sound the alarm over a COVID-19 surge across Europe, as the WHO warned of an “exponential” rise in infections. Even countries that avoided severe outbreaks during Europe’s first wave of contagion in the spring have watched their case numbers surge, with Germany’s death toll passing 10,000 yesterday. Governments have reintroduced containment measures to slow the renewed spread of the virus in nations that only weeks earlier believed they had triumphed over the crisis. However, populations weary of social isolation and economic hardship have pushed back against fresh restrictions, including overnight clashes in hard-hit Naples between Italian police and hundreds of protesters. The continent was facing a major threat to public health and a “highly concerning epidemiological situation,” European Center for Disease Prevention and Control Director Andrea Ammon said. The agency said all EU countries except Cyprus, Estonia, Finland and Greece fell into a “serious concern” category, as did the UK, up from just seven a month ago. After Spain became the first European country to officially record 1 million COVID-19 cases earlier in the week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday said that the real number of infections was likely more than triple that figure. France on Friday followed Spain past the million-case milestone, while Germany hit a fresh daily record of nearly 15,000 new cases, with health authorities urging the public to follow social distancing measures. Urgent new restrictions on daily life have come into effect in several nations, with France extending a curfew to cover 46 million people. Parts of Italy, including the capital, Rome, went under curfew late on Friday, prompting a call to protest on social media that saw hundreds of demonstrators in Naples throw objects at police and set garbage bins on fire. The country is reeling from its worst post-war recession
The Czech Republic’s prime minister called on his health minister to resign or be fired after he broke strict government restrictions to slow a record surge of COVID-19 infections and visited a Prague restaurant. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on Friday said he would meet with the country’s president later in the day to discuss a possible replacement of Czech Minister of Health Roman Prymula. “There’s no other solution than his resignation from the post,” Babis said. “It shouldn’t have happened.” “If we want the people to abide by the rules ... it is us who have to set an example,” Babis said. “We can’t preach water and drink wine.” The Blesk tabloid said that Prymula in a Prague restaurant on Wednesday night met with Jaroslav Faltynek, deputy head of the senior government Ano, or Yes, movement led by Babis. Photographs published in the paper showed that Prymula also did not wear a mandatory mask. Restaurants are closed in the Czech Republic because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was not immediately clear if the establishment was open or if the owner only allowed Prymula and Faltynek in to dine there. The revelation has shocked the country, which has been hard hit by the pandemic. At Prymula’s request, the government has approved tight restrictions to slow the surge that is threatening the entire health system. The junior government coalition party, the Social Democrats, joined the opposition to demand Prymula’s resignation, calling his behavior “absolutely unacceptable.” Prymula denied any wrongdoing and refused to step down, further escalating the crisis. He said he was invited to participate in a meeting with a hospital director and only went through the restaurant to a private space where it took place. “I haven’t broken anything,” he said. Faltynek apologized for the meeting and said he asked Prymula to meet to discuss a special parliamentary session
VIRUS WOES: Inaugurations, especially those of first-term US presidents, provide a boost for local businesses, but COVID-19 concerns might curb attendance in January
While much of Washington is twisted in knots over the upcoming US presidential election, there is another contingent already busy trying to figure out how to stage an inauguration for the to-be-determined next US president during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors to the US Capitol and the White House can already see preparations under way for the Jan. 20 ceremony, a date set by the 20th Amendment to the US constitution, for whoever emerges as the winner. Low-flying helicopters were swooping around town as part of beefed-up security precautions. Construction work is taking place with the mindset that it is easier to scale down, if the pandemic makes that necessary, than to scale up, said Paige Waltz, a spokesperson for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. The committee has voted to hold the inaugural ceremonies on the West Front of the Capitol, a tradition that began under former US president Ronald Reagan. The Architect of the Capitol is busy constructing the inaugural platform from scratch. The platform traditionally holds more than 1,600 people, including the president and vice president, members of the US Congress, US Supreme Court justices, and the outgoing president and vice president. Bleachers above the platform hold 1,000 additional people. The view from the West Front stretches the length of the National Mall, where Americans from around the country gather to catch a glimpse of history. However, in recognition that life has changed as a result of COVID-19, lawmakers are leaving all options on the table when it comes to safety precautions that could be taken. Will attendees be required to wear a mask? Or have their temperatures taken? Or social distance to the extent possible? Waltz said the six-member committee overseeing the inaugural ceremonies is “committed to traditional, inclusive and safe ceremonies, and will continue to monitor the situation and
The Vatican might have cut Pope Francis’ remarks on same-sex civil unions out of an interview with a Mexican journalist last year, according to reports, which on Friday raised the specter of papal censorship. Francis stunned many this week with his comment that gay couples should be allowed to have legally recognized civil unions — a radical shift from the Vatican’s official stance. “What we have to create is a law of civil union, they have the right to be legally protected,” the Argentine pontiff said in a documentary, which premiered at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday. Questions immediately arose over where and when Francis made the comments — and whether they had been censored by the Vatican or Mexico’s largest media conglomerate. “The pope made the comments in an interview with the Vatican correspondent for the Mexican broadcaster Televisa,” Teresa Villa, a Televisa spokeswoman, was quoted by the New York Times as saying late on Thursday. However, the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) said that the phrase in question “did not originally appear in the video of the interview” by seasoned journalist Valentina Alazraki, which aired in May last year. Both the Vatican and Alazraki declined to comment. Papal interviews are filmed by the Vatican’s in-house television unit, which then provides the full footage to the journalist to edit. Two people “close to” Televisa were cited anonymously by the New York Times as saying that the Vatican had requested it be given control over the footage. The Vatican cut out the pope’s remarks on same-sex unions in the edited version provided to Televisa, they reportedly said. The sources said the excerpt was “never seen” by the network. It appeared to have only emerged after filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky was allowed access to the Vatican archives for his documentary, which included the raw footage of the Televisa interview, the US daily added. When
After months of meticulous tracking, authorities in the US state of Washington on Friday said they had uncovered the first-ever nest of the deadly Asian giant hornet in the country. The nest was found on Thursday by Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) entomologists on a property in Blaine, near the border with Canada, the agency said in a statement. It added that an attempt to eradicate the nest of wasps — the world’s largest hornet species also known as the “murder hornet” — would take place yesterday. “The successful detection of a nest comes after a WSDA trapper collected two live Asian giant hornets on October 21 [Wednesday], caught in a new type of trap the agency had placed in the area,” the statement said. “Two more hornets, also living, were found in another trap the morning of October 22 when WSDA staff arrived in the area to tag the previously trapped hornets with radio trackers and follow one back to its nest,” it added. Scientists in the state have been searching for the Asian giant hornet since the first such insect was detected in December last year and after one of the wasps was trapped in July in Whatcom County, where Blaine is located. Several more of the invasive pest not native to the US were subsequently caught, all in the same region. The WSDA believes there was a good chance that there are more nests and “stopping this cold is very crucial,” WSDA entomologist Sven Spichiger told a news conference on Friday afternoon. “If it becomes established, this hornet will have negative impacts on the environment, economy and public health of Washington State,” the WSDA said. It is unclear how the wasps — which have orange and black markings and are nearly 5cm in length — arrived in the US. Scientists have said that unless the insect
UNITED STATES Man wins double jackpot In what most people would consider a lucrative mistake, a Detroit-area man who accidentally bought an extra lottery ticket has won two US$1 million jackpots. Samir Mazahem, 56, of Dearborn Heights, said he was saving numbers on a lottery app after buying a US$2 ticket for the June 9 Mega Millions game. He then realized that he had purchased a second ticket with the same numbers. “I was a little bummed, but didn’t think much about it,” Mazahem said. Until he recently logged onto the app and found that he had two US$1 million winners. “I couldn’t believe it was real,” Mazahem said. “It took several days for the reality to set in that my mistake had paid off to the tune of US$2 million.” He has claimed his prize, and plans to buy a new house and save the rest. ECUADOR Bird populations surge The population of Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, two species endemic to the islands, has seen a record increase, study results released on Friday showed. The Galapagos penguin is one of the smallest species of penguins in the world, measuring up to 35cm, and the cormorants on the islands are the only type to have lost their ability to fly — but they have developed diving skills. The population of Galapagos penguins, the only ones living on the equator, increased from 1,451 last year to 1,940 this year, the Galapagos National Park said. Flightless cormorant numbers increased from 1,914 to 2,220 over the period, it added. BULGARIA Sofia joins ‘clean networks’ The country and the US on Friday signed a declaration on security of next-generation 5G mobile networks, which should ensure protected and clean communications, officials said. Sofia has joined the US Department of State’s Clean Network initiative, which the department says seeks to eliminate “long-term
FEUD CONTINUES: The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned a Canadian parliamentary report that called Beijing’s actions against Uighurs genocide
China has warned Canadian lawmakers to halt their “blatant interference” in its internal affairs, in the latest episode of a rumbling diplomatic feud between the two nations. Earlier this week, a Canadian parliamentary committee concluded that China’s actions against ethnic Uighurs in the Xinjiang region constituted “a genocide” and called for sanctions against officials complicit in the government’s policy. “Witnesses were clear that the government of China’s actions are a clear attempt to eradicate Uighur culture and religion,” the committee wrote. Speaking to reporters late on Thursday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) condemned the committee’s findings, saying that the report was “full of lies and disinformation.” Zhao also used his news conference to level a warning, urging Canada to “exercise caution in its words and deeds ... to avoid further damage to China-Canada relations.” China’s response underscores the extent to which relations between the two nations continue to sour. Last week, only days after the two countries observed the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu (叢培武) accused Canada of encouraging “violent criminals,” as it considered granting refugee status to Hong Kong pro-democracy advocates. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said that Cong’s remarks were “not appropriate” for a diplomat. “Let me also reassure the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong that a Canadian is a Canadian and we will stand with them,” Freeland said. Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole called for an apology from Cong, or face expulsion. In recent years, Canada and China had both expressed the hope of building stronger ties, but the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou (孟晚舟) in December 2018 marked a fatal blow to relations between the two nations. China quickly retaliated, detaining Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, charging the pair under dubious “espionage” charges. Canada has repeatedly called for the men
More than 60 British lawmakers and peers have written to British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Dominic Raab, calling on him to demand the return of 12 Hong Kong advocates detained in China after attempting to flee to Taiwan by boat. In a letter delivered to the foreign secretary on Thursday night, the lawmakers warned of a profound chilling effect should Chinese authorities be allowed to “prosecute and imprison Hong Kong activists in the mainland with little outcry or response from the international community.” On Aug. 23, Chinese authorities intercepted a speedboat off the coast of Hong Kong, carrying 12 young people aged 16 to 30 allegedly attempting to seek asylum in Taiwan. Almost all of the passengers were facing charges in Hong Kong relating to last year’s protest movement. Among the group was Andy Li (李宇軒), a young activist who had previously been arrested under Beijing’s National Security Law on suspicion of foreign collusion. Late last month, Chinese authorities formally approved the arrest of the group for allegedly illegally crossing China’s borders. Families and lawyers for the detained have said that authorities have denied the group access to legal assistance, contact with the outside world and in some cases medication for medical conditions. The letter to Raab said: “In view of this, we ask that you call on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) and your counterpart in Beijing to immediately ensure the return of the 12 activists to Hong Kong, to guarantee that they have legal representation of their choosing, contact with their families and to ensure the young people access to necessary prescribed medication.” “This is a simple matter of natural justice,” it added. The letter said that allowing China to detain and hold Hong Kongers without international pushback would give Beijing a signal that it could use the national security
With an intelligence network so good that they have been compared with the CIA, Thai street vendors are often first on the scene at “guerrilla” democracy protests in Bangkok, where they hawk sour pork and fishballs to a democracy-hungry crowd. After a government crackdown last week, protest groups had begun keeping the venues for their demonstrations — which have demanded the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and reforms to the monarchy — secret until the last minute, in a bid to outsmart authorities. However, protesters quickly noticed that they are often second on the scene, behind food vendors setting up their carts and readying themselves for a busy night of brisk sales. Meatball seller Rattapol Sukpa said that he stays ahead of the curve by monitoring Facebook for hints of the latest locations, and is in constant contact with other vendors, who tip each other off. “My earnings were good before, but selling at the protest sites, you sell out faster than usual,” the 19-year-old said, as he set up near the Victory Monument. Business has been booming since the protest movement began in July, with the vendors becoming a regular feature on the sidelines. A post on Tuesday calling on people to come and rally at a new protest venue carried a picture of a food cart with a caption that read: “Let’s send the CIA there first.” Rattapol said that the bonanza has also given him a better work-life balance, enabling him to sell out his entire cart by 8pm, instead of the usual midnight closing time. Protesters are calling for serious changes to Thailand’s status quo — an overhaul of Prayuth’s administration, a rewrite to the military-scripted constitution and reforms to the kingdom’s unassailable monarchy. However, their gatherings also bring a food festival vibe. Sour pork and rice sausage balls, a delicacy of Thailand’s
20TH AMENDMENT: Lawmakers voted 156 to 65 to allow the president to appoint and fire ministers, and dissolve parliament two years and six months after its election
The Sri Lankan Parliament has by a large majority approved a constitutional amendment concentrating powers under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and reversing reforms a previous government had made to curb authoritarianism. After the August elections gave him the parliamentary votes to change the charter, Rajapaksa had said the amendment would be his government’s priority because the reduced presidential powers hindered his work. The 20th Amendment to the constitution was passed late on Thursday with a 91-vote majority, with 156 lawmakers in the 225-member parliament voting in favor and 65 against it. With the change, Rajapaksa will be able to hold ministries, as well as appoint and sack ministers. He will also be the appointing authority of the elections, public service, police, human rights, bribery or corruption investigation commissions. These commissions were perceived as independent with a constitutional council comprising of lawmakers from different political parties and civil personalities making the appointments. With the amendment, the constitutional council is abolished for a parliamentary council whose observations the president is not bound to implement. The president can also dissolve parliament after two years and six months of the legislature being elected instead of the previous law that prohibited the president from dissolving parliament until six months before its five-year term ends. Rajapaksa also overcame internal opposition to a clause that lifted a ban on dual citizens holding political office. This will pave the way for a sibling who is a US citizen to enter parliament, further strengthening Rajapaksa family’s hold on Sri Lanka’s political power. Rajapaksa’s older brother, former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is prime minister. Another older brother and three nephews are also lawmakers — three of them ministers. Gotabaya Rajapaksa renounced his US citizenship last year to run for president. The amendment was passed with several changes because the Supreme Court had earlier determined certain clauses in
South Korea’s forensic agency has found no links between a 17-year-old boy’s death and a flu shot he had taken, Yonhap news agency reported, amid rising concerns about the safety of the vaccines following the death of at least 25 people. The boy was among the first reported to have died as part of a government campaign to vaccinate about 30 million of a population of 52 million to prevent COVID-19 complications. The toll has grown to 25 over the past week, sparking calls from doctors and politicians for a halt to the program. Health authorities have refused to suspend the campaign, citing a lack of evidence to suggest direct links between the deaths and the vaccines. The National Forensic Service has been conducting autopsies on some of the deceased as part of a government investigation, and determined that the 17-year-boy’s death had no relations with the vaccine, Yonhap said, citing police. The forensic agency and police were not immediately reachable for comment. Of the 25 cases, 22 — including the boy — received a free flu shot the government has allotted for about 19 million teenagers and senior citizens, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). At least seven of the nine people investigated had underlying conditions. Vaccine providers include domestic firms such as GC Pharma, SK Bioscience, Korea Vaccine and Boryung Biopharma Co., a unit of Boryung Pharm Co, along with France’s Sanofi. They supply both the free program and paid services. Ten people received products from SK Bioscience, five each from Boryung and GC Pharma, four from Sanofi and one from Korea Vaccine. It was not immediately clear if any of the vaccines made in South Korea were exported, or if those supplied by Sanofi were also being used elsewhere. All four domestic firms declined to comment, while Sanofi did not respond to
Suicides are on the rise among Japanese teens and that worries 21-year-old Koki Ozora, who grew up depressed and lonely. His nonprofit Anata no Ibasho, or A Place for You, is run entirely by volunteers. It offers a 24-hour text-messaging service for those seeking a sympathetic ear, promising to answer every request — within five seconds for urgent ones. The online Japanese-language chat service has grown since March to 500 volunteers, many living abroad in different time zones to provide counseling during those hours when the need for suicide prevention runs highest, between 10pm and the break of dawn. What makes Ozora’s idea work during the pandemic is that it is all virtual, including training for volunteers. Online volunteer services are rare in Japan. “This really gives me hope,” Ozora said of the flood of volunteers. “They tell me they just had to do something.” A Keio University student, Ozora designed the site setup, which allows more experienced staff to supervise the counseling. Anonymity is protected. Anata no Ibasho has received more than 15,000 online messages asking for help, or about 130 a day. The most common ones are about suicide, at about 32 percent, while 12 percent deal with stress over raising children. The goal is to offer a solution within 40 minutes, including referrals to shelters and police. The messages speak of deep pain. They confess to fears about killing own children. Another talks about self-hate after being sexually abused by a parent. Contrary to the stereotype of Japan as harmonious, families are increasingly splintered. A recent study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development found that Japan ranks among the highest in the world in suffering isolation, when measuring the contact individuals have with other people. Japan has about 50 suicides a day, a woman is killed once every
CURBED ENTHUSIASM: A leading public health expert warned that none of the vaccine trials would prove whether a product could prevent contracting COVID-19
France on Thursday extended its anti-COVID-19 curfew to cover two-thirds of the population and Ireland locked down again, as governments warned of a dire situation in Europe where countries are registering record cases. Most European governments have been reluctant to reimpose national stay-at-home orders after previous restrictions led to deep recessions and widespread bitterness. Ireland became the first country on the continent to reimpose a full-on lockdown, with its 5 million strong weary population ordered to stay home for six weeks, and nonessential businesses told to shut up shop. “The infection rates, hospital occupancy rates, but also death rates, are rising all over Europe,” European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Director Andrea Ammon said in an interview with the BBC. In Dublin, resident Jo Finn said that a lot of friends were struggling with mental health issues. “Because of this second lockdown we can’t socialize, we can’t meet up,” Finn said during a muted morning rush hour. In France, a nighttime curfew that had already been in place in Paris and eight other cities was extended to wide swathes of the country, more than doubling the number of people affected to 46 million. “The health situation of our country continues to deteriorate,” French Prime Minister Jean Castex said as France registered a record 41,622 new cases over 24 hours on Thursday, and 165 deaths. Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Italy all registered their highest one-day tallies since the pandemic began, and a slew of other European countries are voicing alarm at rapidly rising infections. Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute’s disease control center, said that “the overall situation has become very serious.” German health experts said that it was still possible to combat the outbreak by observing toughened rules on distancing and gatherings. For its part, Italy ordered curfews in regions that cover the capital Rome and business hub
The Seychelles, with its idyllic white beaches and luxury resorts, has had only 149 cases of COVID-19, but the global crisis caused by the pandemic has ravaged its vital tourism industry. The Indian Ocean island nation, famed as a honeymoon destination, took swift action against the virus in March, banning cruise ships and international flights and implementing a lockdown. Even though the archipelago reopened to tourists on Aug. 1, the global downswing in travel and devastation wrought by the virus in major tourist-providing countries in Europe and elsewhere, has led to little improvement. “Since the reopening of the airport we have tried to reopen our establishment, but it is a catastrophe, we are running at a loss because there is no one,” said Sybil Cardon, who had to let go of 10 percent of her staff at her hotel on Praslin, the second-largest island. In Beau Vallon, the most touristy part of the main island Mahe, the Equinox scuba diving center once did three or four excursions a day, taking tourists to see bountiful fish and marine life around the granite cliffs and coral reefs. Now, in what is usually peak season to see the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, there are “only a few tourists a day,” said Manuela Alcaniz, who runs the center. She has kept her six staff on board using state assistance, and some of her own money. Tourism contributes about 25 percent to the Seychelles’ GDP, and along with the tuna fishing industry is the main earner of foreign currency. Last year, the archipelago welcomed more than 330,000 tourists, two-thirds of them from Europe. This represents more than three times the population of the islands. In the first three-quarters of the year, the country has recorded the arrival of only 75,000 tourists. The second and third quarter saw an 83 percent drop in numbers
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