Steve McGookinIndia grieves as Covid overwhelms hospitals
With the tragic situation in India apparently out of control, yet another infection record was set for a fourth straight day amid a shortage of oxygen and medical institutions on the brink of collapse.
Governments across the world appear to have realized that any return to normality can only progress at the speed of the slowest country. Britain, France and Germany all pledged over the weekend to send medical aid and on Sunday night, US President Joe Biden said the US would deploy resources and supplies to help India increase its vaccination programme, as well as sending ventilators and other medical equipment.
In the US, everyone over the age of 16 is now eligible to receive a vaccination, although there are still issues with “vaccine hesitancy” which may have been exacerbated by the recent “pause” in the rollout of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The pause was lifted on Friday and the J&J rollout was resumed, albeit with some caution.
Meanwhile, in Japan, the government declared a Covid emergency with internal restrictions to last until May 11, while insisting that the Olympics will go ahead as planned in July.
In the UK, India was finally added to the “red list” of travel-restricted countries on Friday after the Prime Minister’s trip there had been cancelled. Data showed Covid cases continuing to rise in more than 100 areas of England even as lockdown measures are slowly being eased.
Here in Northern Ireland, some close contact services and outdoor attractions re-opened on Friday.
See Also:
Catching Your Breath: Lobbying For Lung Health In The Time Of Covid-19
Leaders Need To Lead: The Executive and Covid-19
Life Is Harder Right Now. We Should Be Kinder To Ourselves
The Covid-19 Vaccine Explained
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On Earth Day, Biden sets ambitious target; Johnson decries “Bunny Hugging”
President Joe Biden told his virtual climate summit that the US would commit to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, saying the world was in a “decisive decade” for tackling climate change. Even the things he didn’t actually say were somehow impressive in their ambition.
Britain’s Prime Minister also weighed in.
Among the World leaders who pledged to collaborate on targets for worldwide decarbonization was Russian President Vladimir Putin, who this week gave his annual address to his country’s legislature. Meanwhile, protests grew over the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who ended his hunger strike after a warning from his doctors.
Meanwhile, Putin appeared to be de-escalating the threat posed by a Russian military build-up against Ukraine.
See Also:
Sustainability And The Centenary: Reframing The Next 100 Years
The Need For An Eco-Thinking Centenary
Build Back Differently: How NI Can Tackle Climate Change
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Chauvin guilty of George Floyd’s murder
In what could prove to be a pivotal moment for accountability in policing across the United States, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd last May, an event which inspired the Black Lives Matter protests on the streets and around the world.
Next week marks the end of President Biden’s first 100 days and he will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, former president Donald Trump went on Sean Hannity’s show and said he was “beyond serious” about running again.
Finally, former vice president Walter Mondale passed away.
See Also:
‘We Are Able To Breathe Again’
After Trump, What Lies Ahead For The GOP?
Going To Church With The Carters
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‘Sleaze’ row threatens to swamp Downing Street
Boris Johnson’s premiership appears to be flailing amid allegations of cronyism and sleaze, and rumbling accusations about his “failure to be honest” – or as former Attorney General Dominic Grieve put it, the prime minister has become a “vacuum of integrity.”
Now, his former adviser Dominic Cummings has ramped up the rhetoric of their increasingly personal row, with No 10 apparently fearing he could reveal messages about the prime minister’s actions during the Covid crisis.
And yet, the Conservatives still hold an 11-point poll lead over Labour.
Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, the prime minister this week tried to “reassure” unionists as yet another row, this time over his Brexit Protocol, rumbles on.
But it seems the Protocol appears to be going nowhere.
See Also:
A New Ireland Would Need A New Flag
Northern Ireland – What’s The Problem?
Reinforcing Northern Ireland’s in-betweenness
If unionism won’t provide for soft unionists, it’s going to lose them
Don’t let border poll become the Irish Brexit
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Own Goal For Not-So Super League
In barely the time it took for the ink to dry on whatever contract they had or hadn’t agreed, the six English clubs who had declared they would join the proposed tournament reversed themselves in the face of outrage among fans and pundits.
Local daily papers turned on the clubs they cover and even in the US, happy Hammer James Corden nailed his colours to the mast.
The influence of money in the game isn’t going away, though, whether we like it or not, so it might only be a matter of time before the idea comes back in a different form.
And another pundit put things in some perspective…
But this week was a time to savor victory – for now – over the “money men” and to celebrate football old-school style.
See Also:
Tackling Sectarianism In Football Head-On
Football Wins (May 2019)
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Finally, in a week where it was announced that Northern Ireland’s newest forest is to be planted near Belfast’s Cavehill this autumn, a sincere word of thanks to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service for battling the serious gorse fire at Slieve Donard over the weekend.
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