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world news Diabierna 25 September 2020

Stuck at sea: Nations urged to help virus-stranded mariners

(AP) — Another COVID-19 ers to keep extending their home to his family in Florida
problem that the U.N. is contracts. in late May. But more than
trying to solve: how to help 300,000 mariners are still
more than 300,000 merchant U.N. Secretary-General An- stranded, waiting for replace-
mariners who are trapped at tonio Guterres joined ship- ment crews; about as many
sea because of coronavirus ping companies, trade unions are waiting on shore, trying
restrictions.Describing the and maritime organizations to get back to work.
mounting desperation of sea- in urging governments to Maritime officials from Pan-
farers who have been afloat recognize merchant crews as ama, the Philippines, Canada,
for a year or more, Captain essential workers and allow France and Kenya defended
Hedi Marzougui pleaded them to travel more freely. steps they have taken indi-
their case Thursday at a meet- With more than 80% of global vidually to allow safe crew
ing with shipping executives trade by volume transported changes or otherwise ease the
and government officials on by sea, the world’s 2 million crisis.
the sidelines of this week's merchant seafarers play a vi- But officials lamented a lack
U.N. General Assembly. tal role. Merchant ship crews of international coordination
are used to long stretches among nations and shipping
As the pandemic washed over away from home, but as virus companies, calling for new to bring infections on our date crew changes. Kenya
the world and made shipping infections and restrictions rules to protect countries ships.” He blamed “red tape called for sharing costs glob-
crews unwelcome in many spread early this year, anxi- from the virus while respect- and bureaucracy" for crew ally for a rapid testing plan
ports, he said, “We received ety mounted along with the ing the rights of stranded change delays and said border for major ports.
very limited information, uncertainty, Marzougui said. crews. guards and local port officials Crews often work 12-hour
and it became increasingly “Not knowing when or if we in some countries are being shifts with no weekends,
difficult to get vital supplies would be returning home No figures were released for overzealous in blocking them and Marzougui warned that
and technical support. Na- put severe mental strain on how many merchant mari- from coming ashore. One extending stints without a
tions changed regulations on my crew and myself," he said. ners have contracted the vi- way goods are still able to get break risks physical and men-
a daily, if not hourly, basis.” "We felt like second-class citi- rus, but Guy Platten of the ashore despite restrictions tal strain — potentially put-
Several months later, many zens with no input or control International Chamber of is by dock workers fetching ting ships and oceans in dan-
borders remain closed and over our lives." Shipping said the virus risk is them from the ships. ger. The captain compared it
flights are rare, complicating “relatively low" because ship- to telling a marathon runner
efforts to bring in replace- The Tunisian-born captain ping companies have strict France proposed compiling a at the end of the race that
ment crews for those stuck at spent an extra three months protection measures and global U.N. list of ports that they had to “do it again, right
sea and forcing their employ- at sea and finally made it “have no wish whatsoever can be secured to accommo- away, with no rest.”

Israel tightens second lockdown as coronavirus cases soar

(AP) — Israel on Thursday moved to further the gradual easing of restrictions on essential but
tighten its second countrywide lockdown as coro- The limits on both prayers and protests could spark low-risk activities. Israel is currently reporting
navirus cases continued to soar, ordering all non- a backlash. nearly 7,000 new daily cases, making the outbreak
essential businesses to close and requiring people Israel's politically influential ultra-Orthodox com- in the country of 9 million people among the worst
to stay within 1,000 meters (yards) of their homes. munity has objected to limits on public prayer dur- in the world on a per capita basis.
Prayers during the ongoing Jewish High Holidays, ing the ongoing Jewish High Holidays, and Ne- Israel won praise this spring when it swiftly moved
as well as political demonstrations, would be lim- tanyahu opponents have accused him of using the to seal its borders and shut down most businesses.
ited to open spaces and no more than 20 people, lockdown as a cover to end weekly demonstrations By May, its daily rate of new cases had dropped into
and participants would have to remain within the against his handling of the crisis. the double-digits. But then it reopened the econo-
restricted distance from home. Netanyahu dismissed such allegations as “absurd," my too quickly, leading to a surge of new infections
saying all of the restrictions were for public safety. over the summer.
The measures are set to go into force on Friday af- In a separate address, Netanyahu's former rival and In recent months, a national unity government
ternoon, as the country shuts down for the weekly now governing partner, Benny Gantz, called for that was formed to address the pandemic has been
Sabbath ahead of the solemn holy day of Yom Kip- national unity. mired in infighting, with authorities issuing un-
pur on Sunday and Monday. Even during normal clear and sometimes contradictory guidelines,
times, Israel completely shuts down for Yom Kip- "We cannot allow anyone to exploit and deepen leading much of the public to disregard the risk.
pur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, with businesses polarization and make us lose this battle,” he said,
and airports closed, roads empty, and even radio vowing that protesters could take to the streets and Many businesses, meanwhile, have yet to recover
and television stations going silent. In a televised worshippers could fill synagogues once the situa- from the earlier lockdown, and the new restrictions
address Thursday night, Prime Minister Benjamin tion is brought under control. “Saving lives comes are expected to take a heavy toll on the economy
Netanyahu acknowledged the pain caused by the before anything else. Anything at all,” Gantz said in even though they are being imposed during the
closure, but said the holiday season, when many a speech outside his home. Hecklers could be heard holidays, when many businesses would ordinarily
businesses slow down in any case, was the best shouting at him in the distance. The government scale back hours.
time to take action. ordered synagogues to close for the lockdown, Israel has reported a total of more than 200,000
Comparing the situation to a war, he said the which is expected to last for at least two weeks, but cases since the pandemic began, including 1,335
measures would save lives. “Wake up. Enough is said they could open with limitations for prayers deaths. It has more than 50,000 active cases.
enough. We are in a new reality,” he said. on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calen-
dar. Hagai Levine, a professor of epidemiology and The Health Ministry says at least 667 people are
a member of an expert panel advising the govern- hospitalized in serious condition, and in recent
ment, warned that allowing Yom Kippur prayers in days health officials have warned that hospitals are
synagogues could lead to mass transmission. rapidly approaching full capacity.
The government last week imposed a nationwide
He went so far as to compare it to the 1973 war, lockdown that closed schools, shopping malls,
when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on hotels and restaurants, making Israel the first de-
Israel during Yom Kippur. “Now, it’s no surprise. veloped country to impose a second closure. But
We are going to have a massive problem and mas- the restrictions included numerous exceptions, in-
sive transmission on Yom Kippur in a few days,” cluding allowing people to leave their homes for
he said. work, exercise, prayers and public demonstrations.
He said the government should instead impose a
complete lockdown for a short period to under- The new lockdown is expected to eliminate most
score the seriousness of the situation, followed by of those loopholes.