Media companies claim Telegram is allowing users to upload their content without permission. A Spanish court has now ordered for the platform to be suspended as a "precautionary measure." The use of the messaging application Telegram in Spain will be temporarily suspended as of Monday, following a request from media companies. The order was issued by judge Santiago Pedraz of the Audencia Nacional, a high court which handles sensitive cases. Media companies, including Atresmedia, EGEDA, Mediaset, and Telefonica, complained that Telegram was allowing users to upload their content without permission. While the claims are being investigated, Pedraz agreed to block Telegram's services in Spain. According to the court source, it will be the responsibility of mobile operators to block Telegram's services. Why was the order issued? The judge issued the order after officials in the Virgin Islands, where Telegram is registered, failed to respond to a court request from July 2023. The court wanted information that would allow it to identify who was behind the accounts in question that were uploading apparently pirated content. The lack of cooperation from the Virgin Islands led him to take this "precautionary measure," the judge said in Friday's order. Consumer group slams ruling Consumer advocacy group Facua criticized the ruling as disproportionate, warning that it would cause "enormous damage" to millions of the platform's users. "It is as if they shut down the internet because there are websites that illegally host content protected by copyright," Facua's general secretary Ruben Sanchez said. Telegram is the fourth most used messaging service in Spain, according to the competition watchdog CNMC. It was used by almost 19% of Spaniards surveyed by the CNMC. Telegram claims to have 700 million monthly active users all over the world. The company has had to deal with blocking in a number of countries, from Brazil to Somalia.

The interior minister claimed the violence was less intense than in the previous nights. Meanwhile, the family of the slain 17-year-old, whose shooting sparked the riots, is preparing for his burial. Over 1,350 cars set ablaze during night of rioting France's fourth consecutive night of riots over the police killing of a 17-year-old has seen over 1,350 cars torched, as part of 2,560 fires started on public roads, France's Interior Ministry said. Police deployed some 45,000 officers on Friday night, including special units, to contain the violence. Despite the heavy security presence, authorities said 31 police stations were attacked. Wave of arrests continues as police vie for control French police have made 1,311 arrests on Friday night, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday, reporting 2,500 fires. The number of those rounded up was the highest since the riots broke-out earlier in the week. Nevertheless, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin claimed the violence was of "much less intensity." The Interior Ministry reported a decrease in the number of fires started, cars burned and police stations attacked, compared to the night before. Authorities said 79 police and firefighters were injured overnight. No tally for injured protesters was made available. Darmanin ordered all public buses and trams nationwide to shut down during nighttime. The public transport vehicles have been targets of the rioters.  The interior minister also urged social media platforms not to allow themselves to be used as channels for calls to violence. He said the platforms were "very cooperative." Family of 17-year-old slain boy prepares for burial The 17-year-old kid whose death sparked the riots is to be buried on Saturday. The youth was shot at point blank range when he drove off at a traffic stop in Nanterre on Tuesday morning. Previously, Nahel's mother told France 5 TV that she was angry at the officer who killed her son but not at the police in general. "He saw a little Arab-looking kid, he wanted to take his life," the mother, who is of Algerian roots, said. Nanterre Mayor Jarry said France needed to "push for changes'' in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Strikes focused on public transport has brought the vast majority of buses, trains and planes in Germany to a halt. The 24-hour action, which began at midnight, is part of a long-running pay dispute. Almost all planes, trains and buses in Germany were at a standstill on Monday after a nationwide 24-hour strike began at midnight. Preparations for the strike had already caused major weekend travel disruptions.  Two major unions are deadlocked in negotiations with public sector employers in several transport sectors — including rail, local public transport, and airport ground staff — and organized the strike to coincide with the start of a third round of talks. Frank Werneke, head of the Verdi union that represents around 2.5 million public sector employees, spoke of the biggest strike in decades. Long-distance and regional trains and local public transport all affected The German rail network was similarly paralyzed. The EVG union said more than 30,000 railway workers have joined the strike. Cargo transport on both the rail network and at the country's ports has also been hit as dock workers join those on strike.  Last week, national rail operator Deutsche Bahn took the unusual step of calling off all long-distance rail services in the country scheduled for Monday.  Often Deutsche Bahn tries to prioritize these services, several of which also cross international borders. Comparable past strikes in Germany had had a more pronounced impact on local services. Regional rail services would also be massively curtailed, to the extent that it would not even be possible to operate on an emergency schedule akin to public holiday services, Deutsche Bahn said.  And in seven German states — Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, and Bavaria — the strikes would also bring a halt to local public transport like buses, trams or the underground service.  As a result of this, traffic was also expected to be problematic on the road network, given that most commuters would be left with the choice between a car and a bicycle. Almost all flights grounded or delayed by a day, Berlin's BER spared Every major German international airport was affected by the strike except for BER Berlin Brandenburg Airport. In total nationwide, around 400,000 passengers were thought to face delays or cancellations. At the largest hub, Frankfurt, all incoming and outbound flights were canceled throughout Monday, or alternatively labeled as delayed by a full day in the case of some long-haul flights.  Munich International Airport, meanwhile, had already halted flights on Sunday in anticipation of the strike and its effects. All passenger flights were off on Monday as well.  Berlin's BER Airport was the only one unaffected by the strike. Its online arrivals and departures boards looked comparatively normal early on Monday morning — except for all the regular domestic flights from elsewhere in Germany being struck through. The strikes will also halt commercial and passenger shipping at several major harbors and ports. Frustration on both sides "The willingness to strike is very high, and the anger among the workers over being stalled by the employers is huge," EVG negotiating committee member Kristian Loroch said on Monday. "We are striking today because in collective bargaining, despite the tight financial situation for many workers, we have not been presented with anything that is worthy of serious negotiations." But state-owned Deutsche Bahn has slammed the strike and its wide ranging impact. "Millions of passengers who rely on buses and trains are suffering from this excessive, overblown strike," Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Achim Strauss said. "Not everyone can work remotely."  "Thousands of companies that normally send or receive their goods by rail will also suffer," he added. "The environment and the climate will also suffer in the end. Today's winners are the oil companies." However, financial experts said the fallout from the strike on the German economy would be limited. "The mega-strike is a strain on citizens and damages Germany's reputation as a country for business," Commerz Bank's chief economist Jörg Krämer told Reuters. "But the economic impacts of a one-day strike are limited since almost all businesses, apart from those directly affected, will continue as normal." The blocked ports, canceled flights and empty train lines could bring costs of up to €181 million ($195 million), said Klaus Wohlrabe, an expert at the Ifo economic research institute. "It's a bit of a spanner in the works, but it won't lead to any substantial losses," he added. Third round of negotiations starting, both camps far apart Major umbrella German trade union Verdi, the second largest in the country by membership, and the EVG — a specialists rail and transport sector trade union — had called on members to coordinate nationwide.  Both unions have negotiations pending with public sector employers this week. They are seeking pay increases of at least 10.5% and have rejected offers of two staggered 5% increases as well as one-off payments. The demands come as soaring inflation has hit the cost of living. In Verdi's case, a new round of talks alongside the German Civil Service Federation (the DBB) union with representatives of the federal government and municipalities start in Potsdam on Monday.  "With the strike day in the transport sector it should be made unmistakably clear to employers once again that the employees stand fully behind our demands," Verdi's Frank Werneke said. Asked about allegations from some politicians that the scope and extent of the strikes were counterproductive and could prove a "burden" on negotiations, Werneke said, "What employees right up into the middle income groups find to be a burden, above all, are the enormous price increases for electricity, gas, and groceries."  Ulrich Silberbach of the DBB told reporters that "We have recorded drops in real wages and these need to be balanced out," adding that some union members now require state benefits to pay for rent in large cities. The EVG, meanwhile, is scheduled to pick up talks with various rail companies in the middle of the week. Union chairman Martin Burkert told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper on Monday further strikes could be called, including over the Easter holiday period, if no viable offers were put on the table. However, EVG spokesperson Loroch later told the German press agency DPA that there would not be strikes over Easter.

Protests erupted in several cities a day after President Emmanuel Macron doubled down on raising the pension age. Worker strikes shut down transport, while protesters blocked highways and other infrastructure. French unions staged a national day of protests on Thursday, a day after President Emmanuel Macron issued a defiant defense of having forced through an increase of the retirement age. In Paris, police fired teargas and baton-charged crowds after some protesters were seen throwing stones and directing fireworks at the security forces. The demonstrations were the ninth round of protests called by France's major unions since January and follow days of unplanned protests over the weekend. "The best response we can give the president is that there are millions of people on strike and in the streets," said Philippe Martinez, who leads the CGT union. Clashes between protesters and authorities Police also fired tear gas at protesters in several other cities, including Nantes and Bordeaux. In Rennes, they used water cannon. Unions fear that protests could turn more violent if there continues to be no political response from the government. In the northern city of Dunkirk protesters targeted oil depots and blocked a major LNG terminal. The strike also forced utility suppliers to cut the country's electricity output on Thursday. Around a fifth of schoolteachers did not turn up for work on Thursday, the Education Ministry said. Earlier in the day, protesters blocked railway lines and road access to the Charles de Gaulle airport. Protesters also blocked major highways and interchanges near Lille, Toulouse, Lyon and other cities. Half of all high-speed trains nationwide were canceled, national railway operator SNCF said. Paris municipal garbage collectors have pledged to uphold a rolling strike until Monday, as thousands of tonnes of rubbish rot on the streets. Macron's approval sinks Polling on Sunday showed that Macron's personal approval rating had fallen to 28% — the lowest level since the Yellow Vest anti-government protests in 2018 and 2019. On Wednesday, Macron made his first public remarks since the pension bill was forced through Parliament. He said he was prepared to accept unpopularity because the changes were "necessary" and "in the general interest of the country." Macron has come under heavy criticism for refusing to entertain tax increases on the wealthy as an alternative means of maintaining state revenue. Critics have also slammed the pension reform as placing an increased burden on manual laborers and parents who stop working for several years to raise children. Laurent Berger, the head of France's biggest union, the moderate CFDT, said Macron's comments "increased the anger." Meanwhile, Labor Minister Olivier Dussopt said the government was not in denial about public sentiment but would nevertheless move forward "gradually." "There is a disagreement that will persist on the retirement age," he said. "On the other hand, there are many subjects which make it possible to renew a dialogue.”

Journalist organizations across Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf and demanded his immediate release. The journalists’ bodies and press clubs termed the arrest of ARY News senior Vice President an act of victimization and said that journalists will call for a nationwide protest if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, ARY News reported. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in its statement said that the government should come to its senses. PFUJ leader, Lala Asad Pathan said, “The government’s action is very shameful. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should take immediate action into the matter.” PFUJ Dastoor Secretary General AH Khanzada said that if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, journalists will call for a nationwide protest. “Restrictions on freedom of expression will not be tolerated in any way, Lahore Press Club has also demanded the immediate release of the ARY News head,” said the Secretary of Karachi Press Club, Rizwan Bhatti. Yousuf’s arrest comes after the channel, which is the country’s biggest private broadcaster, was served a show cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday. Meanwhile, the founder and CEO of the network Salman Iqbal along with two other anchors have been booked for sedition. On the complaint of the Station House Officer (SHO), a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Karachi’s Memon Goth police station. According to the channel, the FIR was registered just an hour before the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf. Anchorpersons, Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman have been booked under the ‘sedition’ charges. The FIR has been registered under sections 120, 124A, 131, and 153A in which sedition and charges of plotting alleged conspiracy have been included. A day after the transmission of Pakistani television station ARY News was taken off air by the country’s regulatory authorities, the outlet’s senior Vice President Ammad Yousaf was arrested from Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday, the channel said. ARY News said that its journalist was arrested by Karachi Police and a raiding team broke into his house from the main gate in the middle of the night. It has termed Yousaf’s arrest as retaliation by the government against the channel and noted that police officers in plain clothes forcibly entered the journalist’s house. Regulatory watchdog PEMRA has alleged that the channel was airing “false, hateful and seditious” content based on “absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces”, Dawn reported. In its notice to the news outlet, the regulatory watchdog also termed the news anchor who delivered the news as “biased.” PEMRA has also directed the channel’s CEO to appear in person for a hearing today (August 10). The entire episode was perpetuated due to a news piece aired by the channel on how the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has reportedly activated its strategic media cell to malign Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and the country’s former prime minister Imran Khan. The PEMRA notice to ARY News alleged that PTI leader Shehbaz Gill had made “highly hateful and seditious” remarks tantamount to “incite armed forces towards revolt,” Dawn reported. Shortly after ARY News was taken off the air, PTI leader and close aide of Imran Khan, Shahbaz Gill was arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday. An Islamabad police spokesperson said that Gill has been taken into custody for inciting the public against the state institutions, Geo News reported. “After the ban on ARY yesterday, they’ve today arrested @SHABAZGIL. Pakistan is living under a fascist imported government, that doesn’t care about the human rights of the people of Pakistan. We strongly demand the immediate release of Dr Gill,” Imran Khan’s PTI tweeted yesterday. PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Gill was picked up from Banigala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars with missing number plates. Meanwhile, the former prime minister slammed the arrest, asking “can such shameful acts take place in any democracy?” “This is abduction, not an arrest. Can such shameful acts take place in any democracy? Political workers treated as enemies. And all to make us accept a foreign-backed government of crooks,” Imran Khan tweeted. After the arrest of Gill, the country’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the current government has not broken the law and that the arrest was legal. In another key development, Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi said that he is sending Punjab Police for the protection of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s residence Banigala. Former interior minister of Pakistan and Awami Muslim League chief, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan government saying that if anyone tries to arrest Imran Khan that would trigger instability and bloody politics in the country. Source: ANI

The government has started countrywide drive against illegal rice and paddy hoarders to curb brisk business by some unscrupulous traders aiming to maintain smooth food supply chain for consumers. The drive started a day after the cabinet's directives to the relevant authorities to take action against illegal rice hoarders and find out reasons of rice price hike during the ongoing full harvesting season.   The decision was taken at a meeting held at the food ministry at secretariat in the capital on Tuesday with Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder in the chair. Regarding the drive, M Majibur Rahman, additional secretary of the Ministry of Food, told BSS that "It is our routine work and none of the rice traders, rice millers who have valid licenses from the food department are allowed to hoard excess rice or paddy crossing certain ceiling limit during ongoing harvest season." Criticizing the attitude of the traders, the official said, "It is strictly prohibited that some of the traders stockpile huge amount of paddy during harvesting season and it is completely illegal, saying that "these who will try to hoard rice or paddy illegally during the harvesting season must be brought under punishment." Under the decision, a total of eight teams--three comprised of food ministry officials and other five from the department of food--have started drive against illegal food hoarders from today. As part of the decision, the food ministry's team on Tuesday evening conducted the drive in city's Babu Bazar wholesale rice market. Even most of the traders were managed to escape the drive after keeping their shops shut, according to a food official. The team has verified the food department licenses of the rice traders and the food stock of their godowns. The team found most of the trading licenses issued by the food department were expired.  Rahman said the drive will continue round-the-year, adding that "The government will take strict measures against the hoarders aiming to keep the rice and paddy supply smooth for the consumers."  Deputy Commissioners and the Upazila Nirbahi Officers along with the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection also will take part in the drive across the country, according to the decision of the meeting. In addition to this, a control room has been opened at the food ministry and the people have been requested to inform about illegal hoarders to the control room after dialing to 88022233802113, 01790499942 and 01713003506. The food minister has directed to arrange an integrated meeting with the officials from the ministries of agriculture, food and commerce soon. Acting food secretary Dr. Mst. Nazmanara Khanum, additional secretaries, director general of the Department of Food and other food department officials, among others, attended the meeting. Source: BSS AH

The nationwide COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign was held successfully yesterday with a target to inoculate 75 lakh people on the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 75th birthday.   "The mass vaccination campaign started from 9am and it continued till 7.30pm....all relevant organizations were monitoring round-the-clock and we have been able to conduct the vaccination drive smoothly," Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam told BSS.   "We will collect information on countrywide mass vaccination campaign from all designated vaccination booths. The day-long inoculation drive may be extended, if the vaccination target is not fulfilled," he added.   "Nearly 2.5crore people, who got them registered, for receiving COVID-19 vaccines... among the registered people, we targeted to vaccinate 75 lakh people," he added.   Registration was made mandatory to receive coronavirus vaccines during the day- long vaccination campaign, Alam said, adding, "Roughly five lakh people are being vaccinated daily... meaning nearly 80 lakh people may be immunized."   During the campaign, people received the first dose of coronavirus vaccine and they will be given the second dose of inoculation on October 28, he added.   The DGHS sources said people aged 25 and above were vaccinated.   As many as 80 thousand health workers were engaged with the drive to make it a success, they added.   Bangladesh has been lauded globally to control COVID-19 pandemic as the country has intensified its multiple efforts including vaccination and improving healthcare system to stop the spread of the deadly virus.   As of September 27, a total of 2,48,80,894 people received first shot and 1,64,99,866 exhausted the course getting the second dose of the inoculate.   The number of people who got them registered so far is 4,8195,003, the DGHS sources said.   According to the health ministry, the government has decided to purchase 16.5 crore more COVID-19 vaccines from China and other countries to expedite the countrywide vaccination campaign. Till to date, Bangladesh has collected 5,19,29,940 doses of vaccines, the DGHS sources said   Bangladesh set a target to vaccinate the country's 80 percent population by 2022 under an accelerated inoculation campaign, expecting receipt of required COVID-19 jabs within estimated timeline, it added.   Bangladesh has so far approved eight COVID-19 vaccines to control the deadly disease.   The approved COVID-19 vaccines are from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, CoronaVac, Pfizer, Covishield, Sputnik V, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm. Source: BSS AH

The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 has recommended "complete nationwide shutdown" for 14 days to contain the transmission of COVID-19.      The recommendation came at NTAC's 38th meeting held Wednesday night, said a press release issued Thursday afternoon. The committee also said that they had a discussion with top Indian experts to know their experience of the latest spike in transmission and lockdown in India. "As per their [Indian experts'] opinion, the transmission came under control where complete shutdown was imposed. The committee unanimously recommended complete shutdown for at least 14 days countrywide to stop the spread of the virus to protect lives of the people," the press release added. Source: BSS AH 

The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination campaign today (Sunday) began with spontaneous participation for receiving vaccines from designated hospitals. “The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign began this morning…. people are receiving vaccines from designated hospitals spontaneously,” Additional Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Professor Nasima Sultana told BSS. The vaccination drive is underway at 50 hospitals in Dhaka city and 1005 hospitals outside the capital, she said, adding the immunization began at 8am and it will continue till 2.30 pm. But some hospitals will continue the vaccination programme throughout the day, the health official said. The inoculation would be administered among people in government hospitals at upazila level while nearly four lakh people so far got them registered to be inoculated, she added. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque inaugurated the countrywide campaign through video conferencing. DGHS director general Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said the people will get the vaccine free of cost, meaning the government will bear all expenditures to vaccinate them.” Bangladesh by now received five million doses of expected 30 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured by India’s Serum Institute apart from two more million jabs received as gift from the neighbouring country. Bangladesh eventually is expected to get 68 million or 6.80 crore vaccines for 20 percent of its population or 3.40 crore people from the WHO, COVAX facility. Officials said after initial lab testing, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines were dispatched across the country to be preserved at Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) stores. DGHS additional director general Professor Nasima Sultana said the frontline workers are to get the vaccines on priority basis in line with a list with officials, saying they included 452,027 government health workers and approved 600,000 private health workers. They said 7,344 vaccine distribution teams each comprising six health workers were entrusted with the charge of vaccine distribution to be closely overseen by the Drug Administration. The DGHS chief said 42,000 health workers and volunteers were trained as part of the nationwide vaccination drive while his office would issue regular vaccine distribution bulletins containing inoculation related information to all. Five million or 50 lakh Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines reached Bangladesh on January 25 under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on November 5 and a subsequent tripartite agreement on December 13 among Bangladesh Government, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL) and the Serum Institute of India (SII). The agreement ensures availability of three crore COVID-19 vaccine doses in phases from the Serum Institute. India, however, sent as gift two million doses on January 21 ahead of dispatching consignments under the agreement. The other priority groups includes 210,000 freedom fighters, 546,620 frontline members of law enforcement agencies, 360,913 members of armed and civil defense forces, 50,000 officials and employees working in the offices which are indispensable for governing the state. The list included 50,000 frontline media personnel, 178,298 elected representatives, 150,000 frontline employees of the city corporations and municipalities, 541,000 religious figures, 75,000 people engaged in funeral works, 400,000 staff engaged in emergency water, gas, sewerage, power, fire service and transport services. The rests in the list are 150,000 land, river and air port workers, 120,000 expatriate unskilled workers, 400,000 district and upazila level government employees engaged in emergency public services, 197,621 bank employees, 625,000 low immunity people suffering from tuberculosis, AIDS and cancer, 11,639,631 elderly people, 21,863 players and 170,000 people from buffer, emergency and outbreak groups. Officials earlier said the vaccine recipients priority list was prepared in line with WHO’s Scientific Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) guidelines taking into consideration the Bangladesh context. They said each person needs two doses of vaccines while one would be administered the second dose four weeks after receiving the first jab. Sultana said DGHS planned to carry out the vaccination campaign among 50 lakh people in the initial phase while roughly 50 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses would arrive each month in Bangladesh. All front runners and mass people aged above 55 will get vaccine during the first phase of the nationwide drive, the health official said. EPI director Dr Md Shamsul Haque said the facilities under his office could preserve 14 to 15 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses while each district level hospital has a capacity to preserve 4.25 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses. Besides, he said, each government hospital has five to ten ice freezers which have capacity to store nearly 71,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses. Haque said the routine immunization programme would remain undisrupted during the nationwide campaign COVID-19 vaccination campaign. He said health workers under EPI programme would be engaged with COVID-19 inoculation drive when the government would set up vaccination facilities outside hospitals applying “their previous vaccination experiences”. Source: BSS AH

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said Bangladesh will be put in lockdown if necessary to prevent the further spread of coronavirus in the country. “If necessary, Bangladesh will be shut down. It'll be enforced where necessary. People must be saved first. We’ll do everything for that,” he said. Quader, also Awami League general secretary, was replying to a query from reporters whether Bangladesh is ready if it is to be locked down like other countries to handle the coronavirus situation. He also said the operation of inter-district buses will be halted, if necessary. “Bus passengers have already declined due to the prevailing situation. We’ll take steps (to stop the bus operation) even after that,” he said. As the chief of the World Health Organization put highest emphasis on test, the minister said they will go forward following this. About the screening of passengers at airports, he said there is chaos even in powerful country like the USA. “We've no prior experience in this regard. However, we’re taking lessons from mistakes. Everything will be done to tackle the situation,” he said. Quader also sought suggestions from media in this regard. He also urged all political parties to come forward to fight the common enemy of all instead of doing politics over the issue. The minister said the coronavirus issue is a new experience for the entire world. “However, we’re mentally well-equipped. This is a big strength. We’re trying to procure necessary equipment. There’s no lack of sincerity in this regard.” Describing coronavirus as a dangerous enemy, he said, “We’re even more powerful as a nation and we proved it yesterday (Tuesday). We hope we’ll be able to defeat it.” About rallies and meetings, Quader said these will remain halted. “Let’s face the coronavirus unitedly,” he said. Bangladesh has so far reported 10 coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, the death toll from the coronavirus or COVID-19 has climbed to 7,987 globally as of Wednesday. It has so far infected 198,426 people around the world, according to worldometer. Of them, 107,676 are currently being treated with 6,415 being in serious or critical condition. So far, 90,750 cases had outcomes and of them, 82,763 (91 percent) recovered and 9 percent died. COVID-19 is affecting 162 countries and territories around the world and one international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan). The World Health Organization on March 11 declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic. Source: UNB AH