Live updates: follow the latest news on Covid-19 variant Omicron
The head of the World Health Organisation has condemned a Spanish newspaper’s cartoon that appeared to liken the spread of the Omicron variant to migrants arriving on the shores of the EU.
The drawing by the La Tribuna de Albacete depicts a number of black figures aboard a boat with “Omicron” written on it and a South African flag heading for EU territory.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “It pains me that shows of racism like this still plague the challenges facing the world today.
“Caricaturing people crammed in a boat bringing a virus to Europe is disgusting.”
He added: “We can only advance” as a global community “by promoting solidarity, not stigma”.
The Omicron variant, which may be more resistant to the current offering of Covid-19 vaccines, was first detected in South Africa. Many nations around the world have since restricted or imposed tighter entry requirements on arrivals from southern Africa.
The Tribuna and cartoonist responsible have since apologised “to any readers who may have felt annoyed or offended by the aforementioned publication”.
Dr Tedros has repeatedly condemned vaccine inequity that has seen the developing world with low vaccination rates when large chunks of the populations of wealthy countries are fully inoculated.
He has also expressed his disappointment at the travel restrictions that have been levied against countries in southern Africa.
Elsewhere, there was an apparent mix up by the London-based Daily Telegraph newspaper between cabinet ministers Sajid Javid — the son of Pakistani immigrants — and Nadhim Zahawi, who was born in Baghdad to Iraqi Kurd parents.
In a tweet that linked to its live blog, the newspaper quoted Mr Javid, the Health Secretary, as saying the Omicron variant had spread through the community. But the image on the story was of Mr Zahawi, the Education Secretary.
“As far as I know, side effects of Omicron don’t include growing a goatee and glasses …” wrote Mr Zahawi on Twitter.
The new variant, first reported to the WHO by South Africa a week ago, has quickly spread across continents, darkening economic forecasts and deepening fears of another difficult winter.
“Globally, we have a toxic mix of low vaccine coverage, and very low testing — a recipe for breeding and amplifying variants,” Dr Tedros said on Wednesday, reminding the world that the Delta variant still “accounts for almost all cases".
“We need to use the tools we already have to prevent transmission and save lives from Delta. And if we do that, we will also prevent transmission and save lives from Omicron.”
The WHO says it could take several weeks to understand whether or not Omicron is more transmissible, and whether it results in more severe disease — as well as how effective current treatments and vaccines are against it.
Its detection and spread, however, have highlighted that the now nearly two-year global fight against Covid-19 is far from over.
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT)
Tuesday
Mairobr v Liverpool
Spartak Moscow v Sevilla
Feyenoord v Shakhtar Donetsk
Manchester City v Napoli
Monaco v Besiktas
RB Leipzig v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Borussia Dortmund
Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday
Benfica v Manchester United
CSKA Moscow v Basel
Bayern Munich v Celtic
Anderlecht v Paris Saint-Germain
Qarabag v Atletico Madrid
Chelsea v Roma
Barcelona v Olympiakos
Juventus v Sporting Lisbon
UK%20-%20UAE%20Trade
%3Cp%3ETotal%20trade%20in%20goods%20and%20services%20(exports%20plus%20imports)%20between%20the%20UK%20and%20the%20UAE%20in%202022%20was%20%C2%A321.6%20billion%20(Dh98%20billion).%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20an%20increase%20of%2063.0%20per%20cent%20or%20%C2%A38.3%20billion%20in%20current%20prices%20from%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%202021.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20was%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%2019th%20largest%20trading%20partner%20in%20the%20four%20quarters%20to%20the%20end%20of%20Q4%202022%20accounting%20for%201.3%20per%20cent%20of%20total%20UK%20trade.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:
Day 1
Toss: India, chose to bat
India (1st innings): 215-2 (89 ov)
Agarwal 76, Pujara 68 not out; Cummins 2-40
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Joy%20Ride%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adele%20Lim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAshley%20Park%2C%20Sherry%20Cola%2C%20Stephanie%20Hsu%2C%20Sabrina%20Wu%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
