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Dialuna 19 OctOber 2020 world news
A30

Iran announces its virus death toll passes 30,000

therefore not counted in the American sanctions.
official case numbers. As Iran approaches winter,
Like in many other coun- the seasonal influenza could
tries, the spiraling outbreak be an added and serious issue
in Iran reflects the govern- for the country, as it has had
ment’s contradictory virus purchasing the flu vaccine
response. This week, as the amid new American sanc-
daily recorded death toll hit tions on Iranian banks.
the record for three times, Iran’s Red Crescent Society
authorities announced tight- said in a tweet on Tuesday
er restrictions for the hard- that they were in charge of
hit capital of Tehran. importing two million flu
Recently reopened univer- vaccine doses into the coun-
sities and schools, as well as try, but that new U.S. sanc-
libraries, mosques, cinemas, tions prevented the import.
museums and beauty salons, Meanwhile on Saturday, the
shut down. In the past week, United Arab Emirates has
the government mandated announced its highest single-
that all Tehran residents wear day total of new cases of the
face masks outdoors and in coronavirus amid a spike in
public places, warning viola- the Gulf nation that is home
tors would be fined. Officials to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
promised those who tested The country’s Health Minis-
positive would be closely try said tests found 1,538 new
tracked. cases of the virus, pushing
(AP) — Iran announced sparking increasing concern After downplaying the out- Movement restrictions this the overall number of cases
Saturday that its death even as government officials break in its first weeks, Ira- spring somewhat checked the to 114,387.
toll from the coronavirus continue to resist a total lock- nian officials have more re- spread of the disease. Then The ministry said another
has passed the milestone down for fear of cratering the cently begun to admit the the government swiftly re- four people died from the vi-
of 30,000, in what has been economy, which has been scope of the epidemic within opened the country, desper- rus, pushing the overall death
the Mideast region's worst hard-hit by U.S. sanctions. the country. ate to boost its stricken econ- toll to 459. Overall recoveries
outbreak. On Wednesday, Iranian of- Deputy Health Minister omy. Since June, the case are at 106,354.
ficials announced a travel Iraj Harirchi, who had test- count has steadily increased Recorded infections have
Health Ministry spokes- ban to and from five major ed positive for the virus in — and spiked to new heights soared again in recent weeks,
woman Sima Sadat Lari an- cities, including the capital March after playing down its in recent weeks. as authorities have relaxed
nounced that the total death of Tehran and the holy city threat and refuting reports of Long before the virus hit, restrictions and resumed
toll from the outbreak had of Mashhad, that they said mass deaths, told state TV on Iran’s economy was ailing, schools for in-person instruc-
reached at least 30,123. aimed to contain the virus' Wednesday that the country’s pummeled by U.S. sanctions tion. Dubai has reopened its
She said that 4,721 virus pa- spread. true death toll is about dou- after the Trump administra- airport for international trav-
tients are in critical condi- The coronavirus has also ble the reported figures. tion’s unilateral withdrawal elers and embarked on an
tion. spread to some of the highest According to officials, there in 2018 from Tehran’s nucle- active campaign promoting
Iran has been struggling with levels of Iran’s government, are also large numbers of pa- ar accord with world powers. itself as a tourism destination
the coronavirus since an- which includes many older tients in hospitals being treat- As the death toll soared this amid the pandemic.
nouncing its first cases in men. Among those recently ed as COVID-19 cases but week, the nation’s currency The UAE is engaged in an
February, with more than infected is the head of the who have not been tested, plunged to its lowest level aggressive testing campaign,
526,000 confirmed cases to country’s atomic energy or- whose tests came out as false ever, following the U.S. ad- with over 11 million tests
date. ganization, while Iran’s vice negatives or whose symp- ministration’s decision last conducted in a country home
In recent weeks, Iran has president in charge of budget toms are not the same as those week to blacklist Iranian to over 9 million people.
seen daily death tolls spike and planning tested positive listed by the World Health banks that had so far es-
to their highest-ever levels, on Sunday. Organization and who are caped the bulk of re-imposed

China passes new law restricting sensitive exports

(AP) — China has passed and nuclear products, as well export control law, includ- or face a block in the country. ulatory toolkit that allows it
a new law restricting sen- as goods, technologies and ing those outside of China, The new export control laws to take action against coun-
sitive exports to protect services related to national could face criminal charges. adds to China’s growing reg- tries such as the U.S.
national security, allow- security. A list of controlled Violations of the law, such
ing Beijing to reciprocate items will be published “in a as exporting items without a
against the U.S. as ten- timely manner” in conjunc- permit, could result in fines
sions mount between the tion with relevant depart- of 5 million yuan ($746,500),
sides over trade and tech- ments, according to the law. or up to 20 times the business
nology. The new law allows Beijing value of the illegal transac-
to retaliate against the U.S., tion.
The law, which will apply which in recent months has The new law adds to the
to all companies in China, attempted to block Chinese growing uncertainty of Byte-
was passed Saturday by the technology firms such as tele- dance’s deal to sell its video
National People’s Congress communications gear sup- app TikTok to U.S. firm Or-
Standing Committee and plier Huawei, Bytedance’s acle Corp. In August, China
will take effect on Dec. 1. TikTok app and Tencent’s added technologies including
Under the law, China can messaging app WeChat on voice recognition, text analy-
take “reciprocal measures” grounds of posing a national sis and content recommen-
toward countries or regions security threat, including the dation to its list of regulated
that abuse export controls data they may possess from exports.
and threaten its national se- operating in the country. President Donald Trump had
curity and interests. Companies and individuals earlier ordered Bytedance
Export controls under the law who endanger national se- to sell its U.S. operations of
will apply to civilian, military curity by breaching the new TikTok to an American firm