The Jordanian government announced on Sunday it was placing the country on a multi-day national lockdown this month after a rise in Covid-19 cases claimed the lives of nine doctors and pushed the country’s healthcare system to the point of ‘collapse.’
Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh announced in a press conference on Sunday evening that the government would impose a full, nationwide lockdown for a four-day period starting from November 11, one day after the country’s parliamentary elections until November 15.
According to the government, the four-day period will allow authorities to expand field hospitals, increase intensive care units, strengthen infection prevention, and increase health cadre.
Starting from Monday, the government said it would extend evening curfew to 10pm to 6am, with all commercial outlets closing by 9:00pm. The government also closed all gyms and indoor sports facilities until further notice.
Wael Hajayneh, head of Jordan’s Covid-19 task force, stressed that the measures aimed to protect the lives of health cadre and strengthen hospitals which, due to the influx of COVID19 cases are around “half-capacity.”
Long hours and the heavy workload created by the pandemic are also taking a toll on doctors and nurses in understaffed hospitals, the Jordan Medical Association said.
"Even before coronavirus, we had a chronic shortage of doctors in Jordan. Coronavirus put another burden on the shoulders of doctors," association president Mohammed Tarawneh told The National, noting that kingdom's ratio of 24 doctors per 10,000 residents was among the lowest in the region.
The deceased doctors were in their 50s and 60s, and according to the JMA, each had 20-30 years of experience as specialists in fields such as pulmonology and anaesthesiology.
“The amount of interaction between doctors and Covid patients is high; exposure to the virus is concentrated at a time the long hours are affecting their emotional and physical health, weakening their immune system," Dr Tarawneh said. "We are losing physicians with decades of experience.”
The JMA called for the immediate hiring of medical school graduates and drafting doctors from the private sector into overwhelmed public hospitals. According to the association, an additional 400-600 doctors are needed including general practitioners, emergency room doctors, pulmonologists and anaesthesiologists.
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Coronavirus around the world
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Medical staff have personal protective equipment, but their risk of infection rises as hospitals become overcrowded because people are not following health guidelines, said Wael Hajayneh, head of Jordan’s Covid-19 task force.
“We may have the best hospitals, but the continuous large influx of cases will exhaust the health sector and we will continue to have fatalities like the medical staff we have recently lost,” Dr Hajayneh warned on Jordan Television on Sunday.
Jordan reported a record 57 deaths and 3,300 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, and another 3,259 cases and 37 deaths on Sunday.
Jordan has witnessed a 600 per cent jump in Covid-19 fatalities in October, and a tenfold increase in cases, which health experts attribute to the virus becoming widespread outside the capital and increased social gatherings.
There are currently 1,540 Covid-19 patients in the country’s hospitals, taking up more than 10 per cent of hospital beds, with 274 in intensive care, according to the government. People who test positive for the coronavirus report that they are being turned away as hospitals prioritise cases needing emergency care.
Jordan opened a 570-bed field hospital in Amman last week, the first in the country, with plans to construct four more in other areas.
The government has been resistant to placing the kingdom under lockdown, with unemployment above 23 per cent and businesses and citizens still reeling from a strict lockdown earlier this year. There has also been a strong push from the government and palace to proceed with parliamentary elections on November 10, under strict health precautions; yet the wave of Covid-19 overwhelming hospitals is forcing urgent action from authorities.
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
England Test squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts
Punchy appearance
Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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