The US on Thursday marked a once unimaginable milestone: one million deaths from Covid-19.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid tribute to those who had died since the US recorded its first death from the coronavirus in early 2020, saying each life represented an “irreplaceable loss".
“Each leaving behind a family, a community, and a nation forever changed because of this pandemic. Jill and I pray for each of them,” Mr Biden said in a statement on Thursday, in which he urged Americans not to “grow numb” to such sorrow.
“I know the pain of that black hole in your heart. It is unrelenting.”
As of Thursday morning, the Covid death toll stood at 999,053, according to a widely referenced Johns Hopkins University database. The nation's health agency on Thursday tallied 995,747 deaths.
It's so staggering. It's tragic for all of those families, but also for us as a society that we let this happen.
Hilary Krieger
The US is the only country to reach one million recorded deaths — though most tallies around the world are expected to be undercounts.
Mr Biden ordered flags to be flown at half mast, said the White House, which will on Thursday also host a second global Covid-19 Summit virtually.
“I can't think about it. It's so horrible. I just can't, I can't, I can't comprehend it,” Hilary Krieger of Brooklyn, New York, told The National.
Her father, Neil Krieger, died from Covid-19 after spending weeks in hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, in April 2020.
“I can't let myself think about it. It's so staggering. It's tragic for all of those families, but also for us as a society that we let this happen.”
Several hundred people continue to die each day and others who have overcome the disease are grappling with its long-term effects.
“It's a very cold, unnatural way to be ill or die,” Patricia Serafino of Massachusetts told The National.
Her husband, Michael, was admitted to hospital for two weeks before passing away in October 2021.
“It was the worst experience of my life,” she said of the day she learnt of his death.
“It breaks my heart to know that Michael was a 'victim' of the whole Covid thing.”
The one million Covid deaths outnumber those that occurred during the 1918 flu pandemic, both World Wars and the HIV/Aids epidemic in the US, making it the deadliest mass casualty event and health crisis in the country's history.
Throughout the pandemic, the US has had to contend with various issues in addition to the high number of deaths: uncontrolled spread, politicisation of the disease, a lack of access to care in an overwhelmed and privatised health system, misinformation and a refusal by many to get vaccinated.
“I feel history should judge us harshly [with] the one million known fatalities from Covid-19,” Dr Syra Madad, senior director of the special pathogens programme at New York City's Health + Hospitals system, told The National.
The hardest hit
Severe illness and death have greatly affected elderly Americans, with those over 65 years of age representing about three quarters of US Covid-19 deaths, data from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.
Communities of colour — particularly Hispanic and black populations — have reported disproportionately more Covid-19 deaths than white communities, the CDC reports.
For example, one study cited by the CDC showed that non-Hispanic black people made up 34 per cent of deaths in the US, though the group makes up only 12 per cent of the US population.
And people living in lower-income areas died at two times the rate of those in richer areas, a Poor People's Campaign report in April said, showing the impact of holding in-person jobs without access to affordable health care.
“[History] should judge us on how many of those deaths were preventable from better public health policies and guidance to vaccination campaigns that should have done more to reach people,” Dr Madad said.
The US has a higher death rate than countries of comparable size and wealth despite having an arsenal of widely available, free vaccines. Johns Hopkins data show there have been at least 300 Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 people in the US.
The CDC says that 66.3 per cent of the US population have been fully vaccinated with two doses. All people over the age of 5 in the US are eligible to receive vaccines.
The US population is one of the most vaccine hesitant in the world, a Morning Consult survey of 15 countries found.
Unvaccinated people are more likely to suffer severe illness or death with Covid-19.
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that at least 230,000 US deaths since June 2021 could have been prevented with full vaccination. Even if these lives had been spared, the US would still lead the world in number of deaths.
“We lost people we shouldn't; there were too many victims,” Ms Serafino said.
The US is now reporting a rise in cases driven by competing Omicron sub-variants, though it is not clear whether there will be a large surge in the weeks to come.
The country also leads the world in coronavirus infections, with Johns Hopkins data reporting more than 82 million.
And the US government estimates that up to 23 million Americans are suffering from long Covid, which causes chronic fatigue and cognitive impairment.
As more people leave their jobs due to disabilities linked to long Covid, the long-term effects on both the labour market and the economy are unknown.
“Everybody's running around now like it doesn't exist any more and I'm not so sure that's a good idea,” Ms Serafino said.
Though most in the US are desperate to move past the pandemic and return to normal, those mourning the loss of loved ones are finding the return to pre-Covid routines difficult.
“I still feel very much in the midst of his loss,” Ms Krieger said of her father.
“I don't know how much that's enhanced by the fact that … his death and the pandemic are intermingled and we're still not past it.”
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Upcoming games
SUNDAY
Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)
MONDAY
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Result
Qualifier: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Lahore: Eliminator 1 - Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators
Wednesday, Lahore: Eliminator 2 – Karachi Kings v Winner of Eliminator 1
Sunday, Karachi: Final – Islamabad United v Winner of Eliminator 2
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
SHADOWS%20AND%20LIGHT%3A%20THE%20EXTRAORDINARY%20LIFE%20OF%20JAMES%20MCBEY
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A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Supercharged%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20400hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20430Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh450%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
