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world news Diasabra 9 Januari 2021

Berlin backtracks on plan to reopen schools after protests

(AP) — Authorities in menting its own pandemic ties relented, at least for
Berlin backtracked Fri- measures and often there are younger students.
day on plans to partially local differences. “We are reacting to the
resume in-school teach- Merkel’s spokesman called widely expressed concerns
ing in the German capital Friday for all regions to move at schools,” state education
next week despite a na- as one, especially in light of minister Sandra Scheeres
tional lockdown, follow- the new, more contagious said.
ing protests from parents, variants of the virus that have
teachers and the federal emerged in Britain and South Only final-year students will
government. Africa. return to school next week,
she said. All others will con-
An online petition launched “It’s clear to all involved how tinue with online learning
this week gathered almost important school is for chil- until at least Jan. 25
40,000 signatures against the dren’s lives,” Steffen Seibert Christoph Podewils, a father
regional government’s pro- told reporters in Berlin. who had launched the peti-
posal to start teaching some “But because of the high in- tion, welcomed the decision.
classes in school again from fection numbers there re- “We have a very serious pan-
Monday. corded 31,849 newly con- governors of Germany’s 16 mains no other solution (...) demic situation with lots
Petitioners argued that the firmed cases and 1,188 deaths states to extend the existing but to suspend in-person of cases each day and many
plan would undermine ef- from COVID-19, the biggest lockdown and even tighten teaching in schools for the deaths,” he said. “The deci-
forts to curb infections, single-day toll since the pan- some measures further, in- time being,” he said. “Any- sion to reopen schools was
which have remained persis- demic began. Figures tend to cluding restricting meetings thing else would have been irresponsible.”
tently high in recent weeks. skew higher toward the end to just one household plus difficult to justify in view of “My concern was that the
The country’s disease con- of the week. one other person. the health of students and situation could fuel the pan-
trol agency said overnight Chancellor Angela Merkel But under German law, each teachers.” demic by reopening schools,”
Friday that Germany re- had agreed Tuesday with the state is responsible for imple- Hours later, Berlin authori- said Podewils.

Greece extends lockdown past 2 months, expands vaccinations

(AP) — Greece has ex- at all cost, take steps to coun- around 11 million and has lic and private hospitals, fol- in a passenger locator form.
tended a two-month lock- ter the expected rise of infec- reported more than 143,000 lowed by care home residents Rapid tests on arrival are
down by at least one week, tions that occurred over the confirmed coronavirus cases, and workers, people over age compulsory for passengers
through Jan. 18, and an- Christmas holidays,” Vana including 5,195 deaths. 80, and those with serious arriving from the United
nounced plans Friday to Papaevangelou, a scientific After maintaining a low in- health conditions. Kingdom, who will only be
increase the number of advisor to the government fection rate earlier in the year, able to leave their quaran-
people getting COVID-19 and a professor of infectious the country saw a huge spike Separately, Greece’s Civ- tine if they test negative for
vaccines from 5,000 per diseases at Athens University, in cases in the fall. More than il Aviation Authority an- COVID-19 at the end of the
day to 8,000 per day. told reporters. 85% of Greece’s pandemic nounced a new compulsory seven-day period, the an-
Government officials have deaths took place after Nov. seven-day quarantine for nouncement said.
Restrictions the Greek gov- indicated a willingness to 1. any passenger flying into the The Civil Aviation Authority
ernment imposed in early maintain the lockdown mea- Prime Minister Kyriakos country from abroad, includ- also announced an extension
November shut non-essen- sures for a longer period. Mitsotakis, chairing a gov- ing from European Union to the flight ban from Turkey
tial retail stores, entertain- Greece launched its COV- ernment meeting on CO- member countries, up to and and Spain’s Catalonia region
ment venues, and restaurants ID-19 vaccination program VID-19, said Friday that including Jan. 21. until Jan. 21, as well as the
and allow people to leave their in late December. hospitals across the country, Passengers will also face spot ban on arrivals for non-EU
homes for a limited number So far, nearly 35,000 people including the Greek islands, rapid tests on arrival, while all citizens except those from the
of specific reasons. Primary have received a first dose of would receive vaccine sup- are still required to provide UK, Singapore, Australia, Ja-
schools and kindergartens in a two-shot vaccine, accord- plies by Monday. proof of a negative corona- pan, New Zealand, Rwanda,
Greece are scheduled to re- ing to government statistics. Priority is being given to virus test a maximum of 72 South Korea, Thailand, and
open on Monday. “We must, Greece has a population of health care workers at pub- hours before arrival, and fill the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistani PM asks Shiites to bury coal miners killed by IS

(AP) — Pakistan’s prime protection. kilometers (30 miles) east of mands of the mourners — ministers for attacks on the
minister on Friday ap- Under Islamic tradition, Quetta. and that he could travel to Hazara community and for
pealed on protesting mi- burials take place as quickly Quetta immediately after the not rushing to Quetta to of-
nority Shiites not to link as possible after death. But “No premier of any country miners’ bury their loved ones fer condolences.
the burial of 11 coal min- the Shiites have continued should be blackmailed like first. But the Shiites rejected IS militants abducted and
ers from their Hazara their sit-in to protest the kill- this,” Khan said in televised Khan’s offer, saying their then shot and killed the min-
community, killed by the ing of the miners in Baluch- remarks from Islamabad. protest would continue until ers on Sunday in Baluchistan.
Islamic State group last istan province, where Quetta The opposition and Khan’s he visits them. Police video of their bodies
week, to demands that he is the provincial capital. critics quickly chastised him revealed the miners had been
visit the mourners. on social media over the re- “We will not burry our peo- blindfolded, their hands tied
The protesters have vowed to marks, saying they lacked ple until Prime Minister Im- behind their backs before be-
Saying that the miners would keep up the sit-in for several compassion for the mourn- ran Khan comes to Quetta to ing shot.
not be buried until he visits months if Khan doesn’t ac- ers who have been protesting see our ordeal and suffering,”
the protesters amounts to cept their key demand. They for six straight days. Maryam said Arbab Liaquat Ali, a Shi- The Sunni IS affiliate
blackmail, said Prime Minis- were planning to also hold Nawaz, a leader of the op- ite leader. Around him at the promptly claimed respon-
ter Imran Khan. a sit-in in the capital, Islam- position Pakistan Muslim protest, some of the women sibility and since then, au-
abad, where dozens of Shi- League party, said Khan was had blindfolds on and hands thorities have been raiding
Since Sunday, hundreds of ites rallied on Friday night, insensitive and that his ego tied behind their backs in a militant hideouts to trace and
mourners have been rally- denouncing Khan for calling prevented him from doing sign of protest. arrest those who orchestrated
ing despite cold weather in the mourners blackmailers. the right thing. the killings, though Khan in-
Quetta, beside the coffins of The miners were killed on Before coming to power in sists Pakistan’s neighbor In-
the miners. They want Khan Sunday after being abducted Khan said his government 2018, Khan as opposition dia was behind the violence
to visit them to assure their near the Machh coal field, 48 had accepted all other de- leader would criticize prime in Baluchistan.