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Europe’s Biggest Hindu Temple Becomes COVID-19 Vaccination Hub

Teresa Marvulli
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1
Europe’s Biggest Hindu Temple Becomes COVID-19 Vaccination Hub

UNITED KINGDOM. London: Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, also known as Neasden Temple in London’s borough of Brent, is Europe’s biggest Hindu temple. The place of worship has now turned into a COVID-19 vaccination hub.

The COVID-19 vaccination clinic has been set up inside a school on the grounds of the temple, with around 12 vaccination units organized inside the drama room.

The hub is run by Harness Care, a network of 20 GP practices, and they aim to give over 1,300 jabs a day.

The Mayor of London wrote on Twitter at the end of January and said, “Fantastic to see the opening of the UK’s first vaccination center at a Hindu temple. Thank you to everyone involved in getting this up and running at #KingsburyMandir. You will help protect your family and community by getting vaccinated.”

“An unequivocal message to the Hindu and wider South Asian community”

Dr. Sachin Patel, GP and Chair of Harness Care said: “This centre will send an unequivocal message to the Hindu and wider South Asian community that the vaccine is safe and permitted. We’re thankful to Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury for the leading role they are playing,” MyLondon reported.

The center is also working to raise awareness and educate people about COVID-19 vaccines.

Recent data suggested that ethnic minority communities in the U.K. are less likely to trust the COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, the role of the temple is crucial to vaccinate more people from these communities.

Earlier this month, Shree Swaminarayan Mandir took to Twitter and said, “Fantastic to welcome @SadiqKhan & @RajeshAgrawal to #KingsburyMandir again where they were greeted by Temple Trustee Dr @mahesh_varsani who is an immunologist himself. Using the power of faith & community to encourage all to take the #Covid19 #vaccine & tackle vaccine hesitancy.”

This comes after the Asian celebrities united to dismiss vaccination rumors and urged more Asian Britons to get vaccinated.

The 10k Milestone

On Feb. 21, the Mandir hub reached an important milestone — they vaccinated 2080 people, reaching 10k inoculations since opening.

Darshna Patel, Vaccine Programme Director at the center, wrote on Twitter: “Wonderful end to the week! 2080 people vaccinated at #KingsburyMandir today & 10k milestone passed! Huge thanks to the fab team who’ve given so many a glimmer of hope.”

As of Sunday, almost 17.6m people have received a vaccine dose in the U.K. The COVID-19 cases in the world have now reached 4.12m and 121k people have died since the beginning of the pandemic.

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a press conference tonight is set to reveal the roadmap to end the lockdown in England.

Military Jets Cut Off Power To French Village During Low-Flying Exercise

Teresa Marvulli
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0
Military Jets Cut Off Power To French Village During Low-Flying Exercise

UNITED KINGDOM. London: French military jets stuck electrical lines and accidentally cut off the power supply of Le Castellet, a village of under 4,000 residents in the south-east of France, on Wednesday afternoon

Reports say that two fighter jets, part of the 4th squadron of the Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base, where carrying out a low-flying exercise. One of them hit a power line by the village and cut it.

A fire was triggered by the fall of the electrical cables, but La Provence newspaper reported that the blaze was quickly contained.

“It made a hell of a din”

The mayor of the village, Benoît Gouin, said that the jet was flying so low that “it made a hell of a din”, the Daily Mail reports. “I then looked up and saw the second aircraft.”

An investigation has been opened; however, the French authorities described the incident as “rare”.

A French air force spokesperson told La Provance newspaper: “There were no causalities. This in-flight incident forced the pilot of the aircraft to land safely at 14:11.” The village remained without power for a few hours and no access to the road was allowed due to security reasons.

Previous accidents Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base

The Saint-Dizier air base was at the centre of another accident in April 2019, when a 64-year-old French man accidentally ejected himself from a Dassault Rafale B.

The man had been surprised by employees at his firm, who organised the flight as a treat.

However, the situation caused the man so much stress that, when the jet reached 2,500 feet above the ground, the 64-year-old panicked and reached for something to hold on to, the CNN reported.

Unfortunately, the man had grabbed the ejection seat button and he accidentally flew from the Rafale jet.

He parachuted to earth in a field near the German border and avoided serious injuries.

What Does Mario Draghi’s Appointment As Italian PM Mean For The Country And The EU?

Teresa Marvulli
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0
What Does Mario Draghi’s Appointment As Italian PM Mean For The Country And The EU?

ITALY. Rome:  Former European Central Bank’s chief, Mario Draghi, has officially become Italy’s prime minister.

He swore-in on Saturday and, over the weekend, presented his cabinet ; a mix of politicians from different parties and some technocrats- this ensured him a wide political backing.

The new PM now has to face several challenges: from the current economic crisis to the COVID-19 vaccine’s rollout and the plan to spend the €200bn of the EU recovery funds.

CNN stressed how “Draghi enters the role in a position of strength. But transforming Italy’s economic prospects after years of malaise will be no easy task.”

Italian democracy deficiencies

Draghi is not the first technocratic called to solve an Italian government crisis and “keep the ship afloat”. In 2011 Mario Monti, an economist and former European Commissioner, was called to lead the country out of the financial crisis.

“Then, as now, the perception was that politics was incapable of dealing with the situation”,  said Lisa Zanotti, an Associate Researcher at Diego Portales University, in an article published on the London School of Economics’ blog.

She wrote on Twitter: “My post for @LSEEuroppblog on Mario Draghi and the Italian democracy. What Mario Draghi’s invitation to form a government tells us about Italian democracy | EUROPP”.

In her article, Zanotti also analysed how Italy has always shifted between populist politics and technocratic moments, which are at odds with each other: “Italy’s history of cycling between technocracy and populism is particularly problematic because it leaves political processes with little space to manoeuvre.

“Any approach to governing that disregards the contentious nature of politics is potentially perilous for democracy, especially when it signals that a country’s democratic system struggles to cope with hard times.”

Draghi’s ambitious plan

Mario Draghi is inheriting a country in the middle of a pandemic that led to the worst economic crisis since the Second World War.

On top of that, some EU countries are concerned about Italy’s colossal public debt, estimated at 160% of gross domestic product.

In his first speech, Draghi said that he would accelerate Italy’s vaccine rollout and he unveiled his plans to reform the country’s public administration, judiciary and educational system.

He also stressed the need to work closely with the EU and “strengthen the strategic and essential relationship with France and Germany.”

Draghi biggest challenge will also be to come up with a plan on how to spend the €200bn of the EU recovery funds. To access the money, EU governments must submit their plans by the end of April, and they have to align with the guidelines set by Brussels.

Draghi’s role within the EU

Italy’s is EU’s third-largest economy, behind Germany and France, and it’s political and economic instability have always been a source of concern for Brussels.

The current pandemic and its consequences have just exacerbated the already difficult situation.

Barclays, the British multinational investment bank and financial services company, said in a statement: “The return of Mario Draghi, now Italy’s Prime Minister, had changed the political landscape dramatically.”

Italy’s main share index has raised more than 7% since last month.

CNBC reports that “Barclays analysts believe economic growth will pick up in the second half of the year too.”

According to the Financial Times’ Editorial Board, there is no person better equipped to overcome the country’s severe crisis than Mario Draghi.

He has the experience and knowledge “of the obstacles that have hindered Italian reform for decades.”

They shared on Twitter: “Europe needs Draghi’s reforms to succeed.”

The FT also stressed that Draghi is held in high regard on the “European stage” and “he may improve the EU’s handling of the pandemic and its economic fallout.”

Thus, Italy’s political and economic fate is tied to the EU’s. The FT concluded that if the country politicians don’t support the new premier and don’t follow his leadership, “Italy and the EU risk paying a heavy price.”

EU Calls On China To Reverse Ban On BBC World Service News

Teresa Marvulli
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0
EU Calls On China To Reverse Ban On BBC World Service News

UNITED KINGDOM. London: The Associated Press has reported on Saturday that the EU called on China to reverse its ban on the BBC World News television channels.

China announced the BBC World News’s ban from its television networks on Friday. It is speculated to be a move in “apparent retaliation for Britain’s pulling of the licence of state-owned Chinese broadcaster CGTN.”

In its statement, the EU said that China’s decision further restricted “freedom of expression and access to information inside its border” the AP reports.

According to the EU, the decision violated both the Chinese constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The statement also highlighted how the decision of Hong Kong and its public broadcaster to stop carrying BBC broadcast, added to the “erosion of the rights and freedoms that is ongoing.”

“The EU remains strongly committed to safeguarding media freedom and pluralism, as well as protecting the right to freedom of expression online and offline, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information without interference of any kind,” the statement said.

Although Britain is out of the EU, it remains a member of the Council of Europe. The organisation oversees an agreement signed in 1989 which links and regulates broadcasting licences.

China’s move was symbolic

The ban of BBC World Service News television channels was mostly symbolic. In fact, the channel was shown on cable TV systems in hotels, apartments compounds for foreigners and some other businesses.

China’s National Radio and Television Administration accused BBC World News of not being true and impartial in its coverage of the country.

Beijing also complained over BBC reports about the government’s initial response to the virus outbreak in the country.

According to AP, other complains were over allegations of forced labour and sexual abuse in the north-western Chinese region of Xinjiang, home to Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups.

The move doesn’t come as a surprise. Last year Beijing expelled some foreign reporters due to disputes with the Trump administration and complains over criticism of the Communist Party in the media.

Why Ofcom revoked CGTN’s licence?

Earlier this month, Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, withdrew the UK broadcasting licence for the Chinese state-owned CGTN.

On Twitter, Ofcom wrote: “We have revoked China Global Television Network’s (CGTN) licence to broadcast in the UK, after our investigation concluded that the licence was wrongfully held by Star China Media Ltd. (SCML).”

Furthermore, there were attempts to rectify this by transferring control of the network to another organisation, CGTNC.

However, Ofcom doesn’t allow networks controlled by governments to hold licences and the regulator concluded that CGTNC was “ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.”  

In the statement, Ofcom said: “We’ve provided CGTN with numerous opportunities to come into compliance, but it has not done so. We now consider it appropriate to withdraw the licence for CGTN to broadcast in the UK.”

London Lost Its Status As Top Share Trading Hub To Amsterdam Due To Brexit

Teresa Marvulli
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2
London Lost Its Status As Top Share Trading Hub To Amsterdam Due To Brexit

UNITED KINGDOM. London: London has lost the crown of largest financial trading centre in Europe. Last month, so since Brexit rules came into force, an average of €9.2bn shares a day were traded on Amsterdam, against the €8.6bn in London.

Due to the new post-Brexit regulations, EU-based financial institutions can’t trade in London because the EU “has not recognised UK exchanges and trading venues as having the same supervisory status as its own,” The Financial Times reports.

The EU and the UK are working towards a March deadline to find an agreement under which both sides would recognise the other’s regulations.

According to the FT, as soon as the Brexit transition period ended last year, there was a shift of €6.5bn of deals to the EU.

Amsterdam’s rising star

Amsterdam, home of the world’s oldest stock exchange, was previously the sixth largest exchange centre in Europe, and it saw a trading increasing from €2.6bn (£2.3bn) to €9.2bn in January.

London holds now the second place; according to data released by CBOE exchange.

According to FT, Intercontinental Exchange is also looking “to move the €1bn-a-day carbon emissions trading market to the Netherlands, although clearing will remain in London.”

The loss for London is low at this stage

London has responded by allowing the treading of Swiss stocks, such as Nestlé and Roche which are banned on EU exchanges.  

So far, only a few jobs at the exchange had to leave the City; since the 2016 referendum, around 7,000 financial sector jobs have been moved from the UK to other EU hubs. However, these numbers are less than they initially expected 50,000 losses.

The Guardian reports that only around 20% of Britain’s financial services industry involves EU clients and euro operations.

Thus, even if 50% of EU- related business moves from the City, that would cut just 1% of the “£76bn contributed by the industry to the UK Treasury last year.”

Future perspectives for the City

EU share trading could return to London if the UK and the bloc find an agreement on financial services.

The Bank of England shared on Twitter: “Andrew Bailey looks at the benefits of a global financial system, and talks about the UK’s current and future role in it.”

In his speech, Mr Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England said: “The EU has argued it must better understand how the UK intends to amend or alter the rules going forwards.

“This is a standard that the EU holds no other country to and would, I suspect, not agree to be held to itself. It is hard to see beyond one of two ways of interpreting this statement, neither of which stands up to much scrutiny.”

He also added: “This co-operation [between UK and EU] will be supported by a Memorandum of Understanding to be agreed by March, and this will enable discussions on how to move forwards on equivalence determinations ‘without prejudice to the unilateral and autonomous decision-making process of each side’.”

World Radio Day 2021: Theme, History And More About The Powerful Medium

Teresa Marvulli
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0
World Radio Day 2021: Theme, History And More About The Powerful Medium

UNITED KINGDOM. London: The day Feb. 13 is celebrated as World Radio Day, which is an initiative to celebrate the power of radio and encourage people to listen to it more.

According to UNESCO, radio is the most widely consumed medium; therefore, it can shape a society, and provide an opportunity for all to speak up and be heard.

The Member States of UNESCO proclaimed World Radio Day in 2011; then, the United Nations General Assembly adopted it as International Day in 2012.

UNESCO World Radio Day tweeted earlier this month: “The world is changing, Radio is Innovating! Here is our video about our subtheme #Innovation of this year’s World Radio Day!”

World Radio Day 2021 theme

Every year the day is commemorated with a different theme. So, this year UNESCO has invited all radio stations to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the event and more than 110 years of radio.

This edition of WRD is divided into three main sub-themes.

Evolution: The world changes, radio evolves. 
This sub-theme refers to the resilience of the radio, to its sustainability.

Innovation: The world changes, radio adapts and innovates. 
Radio had to adapt to new technologies to remain the go-to medium in sense of mobility, easy accessibility everywhere and to everyone.

Connection: The world changes, radio connects.
This sub-theme highlights radio’s services to our society, especially at the time of natural disasters, socio-economic crises, epidemics, etc.

How to celebrate

To celebrate World Radio Day 2021, UNESCO and other organizations will hold various online events, workshops, and discussions to make people aware of the medium, its story, and to share experiences.

The Radiocentre, the industry body for U.K. commercial radio, shared on Twitter: “All this week we will be celebrating #WorldRadioDay by looking back at how radio been a force for good in the darkest of times. We also want to hear your stories and how radio has been your lifeline during the pandemic, so tag us and let us know using #ForceForGood.”

Partygoers Hide In Cupboards To Evade Police Raid

Teresa Marvulli
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0
Partygoers Hide In Cupboards To Evade Police Raid

UNITED KINGDOM. London: Partygoers were found hiding in cupboards by Cheshire Police after they raided an illegal party at an address in Alderley Edge around 8.30 last Saturday.

The officers found banners, balloons and alcohol at the scene and the partygoers tried to claim they were all from the same household, as reported by Cheshire Live.

However, Cheshire Police said that the party was a clear breach of the lockdown rules and issued fifteen fines.

According to the UK lockdown rules, the police can break up illegal gatherings and issue fines that can go from £200 for the first offence to £10,000 if you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over thirty people.  

A Cheshire Police’s spokesman said that they handed out 116 on-the-spot fines in one weekend for similar offences.

On their Twitter account they wrote: “Since 4 January, we have issued 685 fines for blatant breaches of coronavirus restrictions. We all have a part to play in reducing the spread of the virus and need to stick to the rules to protect the NHS and save lives.”

Lockdown rules in the UK

The UK has entered the third lockdown on the 5th January, after a concerning increase of Covid-19 cases across the country.

The drastic jump had been attributed to the new more contagious variant of the virus detected in the UK at the end of 2020.

People are allowed to leave their homes only for essential reasons such as work, support vulnerable people, exercise, seek medical assistance or attend education or childcare.

Schools are currently closed, and classes are taking place online. All non-essential retail, hospitality, sports facilities and personal care services were also forced to shout.

When will the lockdown end?

The government hasn’t yet set a date for the end of the lockdown. The Prime Minister, in a personal appeal for caution last week, said that is “still too early” to talk about lifting the lockdown restriction as infection rates in the country are still “very, very high”.

He said on Twitter: “A quick update from me on where we are. Some encouraging progress this week, but we’re not there yet. This weekend please stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

A first indication of how and when the government plans to ease the restriction is expected later this month.

However, the spread of new concerning variants, and a still high infection rate, could cause further delays in the reopening process.

Furthermore, the health secretary Matt Hancock, said today that it is  ”too early” to know whether summer holiday will be possible this year, but he assured that the government is doing everything possible.

Yesterday the UK has reported a further 12,013 new cases and 1,001 death.

Europe’s Oldest Person Survives COVID-19: 117-year-old French Nun Showed No Symptoms

Teresa Marvulli
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0
Europe’s Oldest Person Survives COVID-19: 117-year-old French Nun Showed No Symptoms

UNITED KINGDOM. London: Sister André, born Lucile Randon, is Europe’s oldest known person. The French nun tested positive to Covid-19 just a few weeks before her 117th birthday as the virus hit the Sainte- Catherine Labouré home, near Toulon, where she lives. In the nursing home, 81 of the 88 residents contracted the virus, and sadly 10 died, as reported by The Guardian.

David Tavella, communications director at Sainte- Catherine Labouré nursing home, told the CNN that Sister André showed no symptoms.

The nun, who is blind and needs a wheelchair, has fully recovered after three weeks and will celebrate her birthday on Thursday.

“I didn’t even realise I had it”

In an interview with French local newspaper Var-Matin, Sister André said: “I didn’t even realise I had it.”

David Tavella also told the newspaper that the nun had shown no fear of the virus and was more worried about her routine; for instance, if the meals and bedtime were going to change. Mr Tavella also said that she was more worried about the other residents.

Interviewed by France’s BFM television she said: “No, I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die … I’m happy to be with you, but I would wish to be somewhere else – join my big brother and my grandfather and my grandmother.” The Guardian reports.

Birthday Celebrations

Lucile Randon was born on 11 February 1904, and this makes her Europe’s oldest person and the world’s second-oldest living person, after Japanese Kane Tanaka, who turned 118 earlier this year.

Thus, André will celebrate her 117th birthday on Thursday. According to the CNN, she will celebrate with foie gras, baked Alaska and a glass of red wine, and she will take part in a video Mass.

Climate Change Might Have Played A Role In The COVID-19 Pandemic, New Study Says

Teresa Marvulli
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1
Climate Change Might Have Played A Role In The COVID-19 Pandemic, New Study Says

UNITED KINGDOM. London: Evidence from a new study, published on “Science of the Total Environment” indicates that shifts in global bat diversity, caused by climate change, might have played an important role in the COVID-19 outbreak in China.

Bats are the origin of several coronaviruses that can infect humans. For instance, they were the likely origin of the SARS-CoV-1, that caused the outbreak of SARS in Asia in 2003, and SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that caused the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The world’s bat population carries around 3,000 different coronaviruses, as reported by Forbes.

Thus, the number of coronaviruses present in an area is correlated with the richness of local bats species; an increase in the number of bat species in a specific area, due to climate change, could increase the likelihood of harmful coronaviruses to be transmitted to humans.

Most coronaviruses carried by bats cannot jump into humans, however, the transmission can happen in certain circumstances.

For instance, the area identified by the study as a hotspot for the increase in bat species caused by climate change, is also home to pangolins.

Data suggested that these animals might have acted as intermediate hosts to SARS-CoV-2. The virus is likely to have jumped from bats to pangolins which were then sold at a wildlife market in Wuhan.

40 more bat species have moved into the southern Chinese Yunnan province

According to the study, over the last century, the type of vegetation in the southern Chinese Yunnan province and the neighbours Myanmar and Laos- the region where genetic data suggests SARS-CoV-2 may have arisen- has changed significantly.

So, the increasing temperature, sunlight, and atmospheric carbon dioxide have changed natural habitats and created in the region a suitable environment for many bats species that usually live in the forests.

The study has found that an additional 40 bat species have moved in the past 100 years in those southern Chinese provinces, bringing with them more than 100 types of bat-borne coronavirus.

The research processes

The researchers created a map of the world’s vegetation of a century ago, using records of temperature, precipitation and cloud cover.

The following step was to use the information on the vegetation requirements of the world’s bat species and then work out the global distribution of each species in the early 1900s.

Compering this old map to the current distribution allowed the experts to see how the number of different species has changed across the planet over the last century due to climate change.

Other areas of concern

According to the study, areas estimated to have experienced a significant increase in bat species richness as a result of climate change, include Central Africa, several scattered patches in Central and South America, and notably an area located in the southern Chinese Yunnan province and neighbouring regions in Myanmar and Laos.

“The fact that climate change can accelerate the transmission of wildlife pathogens to humans should be an urgent wake-up call to reduce global emissions,” said in a statement Professor Camilo Mora, an associate professor at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and one of the authors of the study.

Safer Internet Day: How Challenging Is It To Protect Youth From Misleading Content

Teresa Marvulli
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2
Safer Internet Day: How Challenging Is It To Protect Youth From Misleading Content

UNITED KINGDOM. London: This year, Safer Internet Day 2019 is being celebrated on Feb. 9. It is an initiative launched in the U.K. to raise awareness about correct internet practices and to help promote a safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology.

The UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC) on Tuesday released new research revealing that almost half (48%) of young people in the U.K. are seeing misleading content every day, with more than one in 10 seeing it more than six times a day.

A really worrying signal, especially as 51% of the children aged between 8 to 17 interviewed said, they are seeing more misleading content now than before 2020

The official Twitter account of Safer Internet Day said, “Happy #SaferInternetDay! Together, we have the power to promote the positive changes we want to see in the digital environment and ultimately create a better internet for everyone.”

Young people are spending more time online

Will Gardner OBE, Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre said in a statement: “This is the most important Safer internet Day ever. We are in lockdown and being online continues to be a lifeline for most children during the pandemic, in terms of their education and social lives, and also as a form of support.”

According to the research, 77% of the youth said that being online is a more important part of their life than ever before. Due to the closure of schools and not being able to meet family and friends, 83% of parents and caretakers agreed that their children had spent more time online in 2020 than any other year.

Thus, today is more important than ever to protect the future of the world, the kids, from the dangers hidden behind the screens. The research highlighted that 63% of the children interviewed said they would likely fall for things like gaming scams, sneaky/hidden sponsored ads, filtered/edited imagery on social media, and stories from unofficial sources.

Furthermore, over 1 in 6 of the kids interviewed said they had received friend requests from people they don’t know.

Misleading content and emotional well-being

UKSIC has highlighted that misleading content presents challenges for young people’s emotional well-being. It often leaves them feeling annoyed, upset, sad, angry, attacked, or scared.

However, 73% of the children interviewed admitted that being online had helped them through the pandemic and lockdowns, supporting them emotionally.

According to the research, 61% of young people are keen to learn more about how to spot misleading content online.

In a statement Vicky Ford, U.K. Minister of Children and Families said, “As children are living in an increasingly digital world, it is vitally important that they are able to separate fact from fiction and challenge or question any misinformation they may come across.”

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