'Loneliest' elephant Kaavan set to leave for Cambodian sanctuary

After years of campaigning by animal rights advocates and pop star Cher to rescue him from grim conditions with no companion, Kaavan was finally set to be airlifted to an elephant sanctuary on Sunday.

Experts spent hours coaxing a slightly sedated Kaavan into a specially constructed metal crate — at one point using ropes to help pull him in — that was to be hoisted onto a lorry and taken to Islamabad airport.

From there, Kaavan will be sent via a Russian transport jumbo jet for the lengthy flight to Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia. The plane will stop for refuelling in New Delhi. A 10-member medical team is also accompanying the 36-year-old elephant.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change (SAPM) Malik Amin Aslam, in a brief address on the occasion, said that a reception committee would receive Kaavan at the Cambodian airport.

Initially, Kaavan will be kept in a 10-acre area prepared for him, from where he will be able to see others of his species, Aslam said.

“Sending him to a place where he can be with other elephants of his kind [...] is really the right choice,” SAPM Aslam told AFP.

“We will be happy to see him happy in Cambodia and we hope he finds a partner very soon.”

Cher, the famed singer and Oscar-winning actress, spent recent days at the Islamabad zoo to provide moral support to Kaavan — an overweight, 36-year-old bull elephant — whose pitiful treatment at the dilapidated facility sparked an uproar from animal rights groups and a spirited social media campaign by the artist.

She spent several days in the Pakistani capital to visit Kaavan before the trip to a 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre) Cambodian wildlife sanctuary, with Prime Minister Imran Khan personally thanking the 74-year-old star.

“My wishes have finally come true,” Cher said in a statement thanking her charity Free The Wild.

“We have been counting down to this moment and dreaming of it for so long and to finally see Kaavan transported out of [the Islamabad] zoo will remain with us forever.” Cher was due to fly to Cambodia on Sunday to be in the Southeast Asian nation when the elephant arrives.

Kaavan's case and the woeful conditions at the zoo resulted in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) top judge this year ordering all the animals to be moved.

“Thanks to Cher and also to local Pakistani activists, Kaavan's fate made headlines around the globe and this contributed to the facilitation of his transfer,” said Martin Bauer, a spokesman for Four Paws International — an animal welfare group that has spearheaded the relocation effort.

On Friday, the IHC expressed best wishes for Kavaan and hoped that the animal would live a happy life in its natural habitat.

“This court wishes Kaavan bon voyage and expects that other animal species would be safeguarded from harm by seeking guidance from its example,” the court remarked after a hearing.

On Monday, officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo to bid farewell to Kaavan. He also received a farewell from President Arif Alvi and First Lady Samina Alvi at Islamabad's Marghzar Zoo on Tuesday.

'Loneliest' elephant

Dubbed by the press as the world's loneliest elephant, Kaavan is the only Asian elephant in Pakistan — the tiny number of other pachyderms at other zoos are African.

A team of vets and experts from Four Paws have spent months working with Kaavan to get him ready for the trip to Cambodia, which has included training the elephant to enter the massive metal transport crate that will be placed in a cargo plane for the seven-hour flight.

Zoo officials have in the past denied Kaavan was kept in substandard conditions or chained, claiming instead the creature was pining for a new mate after his partner died in 2012.

But Kaavan's behaviour — including signs of distress such as continual head-bobbing — raised concerns of mental illness.

Activists also said Kaavan was not properly sheltered from Islamabad's searing summer temperatures. Kaavan's mate Saheli, who also arrived from Sri Lanka, died in 2012.

Rights groups and conservationists have said that the abysmal conditions at the Islamabad zoo resulted in part from the lack of legislation in Pakistan aimed at protecting animal welfare.

“There's a lot of improvement to be made,” said Rab Nawaz with the World Wildlife Federation in Pakistan.

“Kaavan is just one animal. There's (sic) lots of animals in Pakistan [...] which are in miserable conditions."

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NAB is blackmailing people: Deputy Chairman Senate

Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla on Sunday said that it is the first time in history that the "Senate of Pakistan" is facing a tough time because of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The NAB has recently frozen Mandviwalla's assets in connection with a fake accounts case. According to a report submitted by the anti-corruption watchdog on Tuesday, Mandviwalla had allegedly bought Benami shares in the name of a person accused in the fake accounts case. Later that day, the Senate chairman had categorically denied the allegations, calling the case "unfair and prejudicial."

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the senator said that NAB is involved in "blackmailing people," adding that the National Commission on Human Rights, as well as the Supreme Court, have criticised the bureau for violations.

"When institutions like NAB violate human rights in this country, why is it that no one raises their voice against them?" Saleem Mandviwalla questioned. "When I raise my voice against the bureau's wrongdoings, I am served a notice."

He said that several members of the national assembly (MNAs) and senators have landed in trouble because of the NAB and people are blackmailed and humiliated in closed rooms during investigations.

"I will now take up the issue on the Senate floor and discuss it," Saleem Mandviwala maintained. "The NAB has accused me of making an anonymous transaction but I will show to the world that I have not done any such thing."

Defending himself, Mandviwalla added that NAB's Director-General Irfan Mangi has been accusing him of not doing any business despite him being related to the business industry for the last four generations.

"We must ask Engineer Irfan Mangi the basis of his promotion within the NAB. Earlier, I used to write letters to the prime minister but now I will reveal every information I have to the media. All members of the NAB should disclose their assets too and I will raise this matter in the Senate."

NAB halts further proceedings against Mandviwalla

On the other hand, NAB Chairman Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal has taken notice of the allegations levelled by Saleem Mandviwalla and has ordered to stop further proceedings on the graft case against him until further orders.

"We have summoned the record of the case and will investigate it thoroughly," the chairman said.

"The NAB respects all parliamentarians in accordance with the law," he said, adding that the decision to continue or stop the proceedings of the case against Mandviwalla would be taken in light of the detailed scrutiny of the record.

"We will also give a chance to Saleem Mandviwalla to explain his position in accordance with NAB's rules."

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PM Imran Khan lambastes Opposition, says PDM leaders 'lack empathy'

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday lambasted the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), for holding rallies and jalsas amid a worsening coronavirus situation in the country and the Opposition parties' bid to save what he termed was "looted wealth and corruption".

In a series of tweets Sunday afternoon, PM Imran Khan said Pakistan is facing not only the COVID-19 pandemic but a "a political leadership that has never gone through any democratic struggle" and is not well-versed with the challenges ordinary citizens experience.

The premier criticised the Opposition leaders for lacking empathy and their families that "looted national wealth to further impoverish our masses".

Problem confronting us in Pak during COVID 19 is of a political leadership that has never gone through any democratic struggle, nor worked with ordinary citizens to understand the problems they confront, nor contributed in any substantive way for betterment of ordinary citizens.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 29, 2020

"These entitled 'leaders' living like royalty in their secluded mansions, have simply inherited their positions because of their families," he said. "Now their sole and desperate goal is to save their families' looted wealth and corruption of which they are an integral part."

PM Imran Khan reiterated his earlier stance that the Opposition parties and their leaders were only focused on a concession under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which "is all that guides their politics, not any concern for the lives of ordinary citizens".

"Their desperation to get NRO any which way they can motivates them," he said.

The prime minister further slammed the Opposition for earlier opposing the smart lockdown strategy to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus — Pakistan recorded over 2,800 new infections and has so far lost close to 8,000 people to COVID-19 — and "now, with [a] new spike, when we again need smart lockdown" in the country.

"They want jalsas, not caring for the lives and safety of people. They think this is their last means of pressuring us for NRO — which will never happen," he stressed.

The premier also took a jibe at the lifestyle of the Opposition leaders, which he said was no less than that of royals, and said they had "never worked a day in their lives".

"Having never worked a day in their lives, their 'shahi' lifestyles are directly dependent on saving their families ill-gotten, illegally acquired wealth through robbing and impoverish the nation," PM Imran Khan wrote.

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Four killed in Karabakh blast, Azerbaijan blames Armenia

Four Azeri civilians died Saturday after their car hit a landmine planted by retreating Armenian soldiers in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general said.

The incident occurred in a village in Fizuli district, a statement said.

“The mine was planted by the Armenian armed forces during their retreat,” the statement said, adding that it was an anti-tank mine.

The statement called the incident a “new type of provocation” from Armenia.

Running along the border with Iran, Fizuli was among the districts claimed by Armenian fighters in a 1990s war that saw separatists declare independence over the Nagorno-Karabakh region and several surrounding territories.

Azerbaijan recaptured Fizuli in renewed clashes over Karbakh that started in late September and continued for six weeks, claiming more than 4,000 lives.

The ex-Soviet rivals signed a Moscow-brokered peace deal on November 9, ending weeks of heavy fighting and documenting that Armenia will surrender to Baku several territories that were under separatists’ control for more than three decades.

 

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Coronavirus surge leads to curfew in San Francisco

A surge in coronavirus cases will put San Francisco under a curfew beginning on Monday and trigger other restrictions related to the virus, the city announced.

The curfew requires non-essential businesses to close and prohibits members of different households from gathering between 10 pm and 5 am until December 21, Mayor London Breed said Saturday.

San Mateo county outside San Francisco will also be subject to the same rules after the state of California classified both under its most restrictive tier of locations based on the spread of the virus.

In addition to the curfew, certain indoor businesses will be required to either close or reduce capacity beginning on Sunday at noon, Breed said.

“I don’t know how to be more clear — this is the most dangerous time we’ve faced during this pandemic,” Breed said on Twitter.

“Do not travel or gather with others. We have to get this under control now and we can’t afford to let things continue at this rate.”

On Friday, a temporary ban on gatherings of people from different households, with religious services and protests exempt, was announced for California’s largest city, Los Angeles.

That order affecting the United States’ second-largest city will take effect Monday and last at least three weeks, until December 20, Los Angeles county’s public health department said.

California imposed a night-time curfew across much of the state a week ago, but San Francisco was not affected because it was not at the time classified among the state’s most restrictive tier of locations.

The United States on Friday topped 13 million Covid-19 cases — the world’s highest — and President-elect Joe Biden has warned of difficult weeks ahead before vaccines become widely available.

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Canada blocks bulk exports of some prescription drugs in response to Trump import plan

Canada on Saturday blocked bulk exports of prescription drugs if they would create a shortage at home, in response to outgoing US President Donald Trump’s efforts to allow imports from Canada to lower some drug prices for Americans.

“Certain drugs intended for the Canadian market are prohibited from being distributed for consumption outside of Canada if that sale would cause or worsen a drug shortage,” Health Minister Patty Hajdu said in a statement.

“Companies will now also be required to provide information to assess existing or potential shortages, when requested, and within 24 hours if there is a serious or imminent health risk,” the statement said.

The Canadian measure went into effect on Friday, just days before a U.S. “Importation Prescription Drugs” rule that would eventually allow licensed U.S. pharmacists or wholesalers to import in bulk certain prescription drugs intended for the Canadian market.

Neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services had an immediate response to a request for comment.

Trump touted the plan in his first debate with President-elect Joe Biden, who has also said during his campaign that he would set up a similar import plan to try to reduce prescription drug costs for Americans.

“Canada is a small market, representing 2% of global drug sales, that sources 68% of its drugs internationally. The need for vigilance in maintaining the national drug supply continues,” the statement said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September he was willing to help other nations with pharmaceutical supplies if possible, adding that his priority was protecting the needs of Canadians.

Many of Canada’s drug suppliers opposed Trump’s plan, saying it could lead to shortages.

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Will COVID-19 vaccines protect us? Does efficacy equal effectiveness?

The frontrunners in the COVID-19 vaccine race have emerged with different success rates for their shots in clinical trials, but what does that mean for the global fight against the pandemic?

U.S. drugmakers Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna have each said their coronavirus vaccines have an efficacy rate of around 95% and a Russian project touted 92% efficacy for its Sputnik V vaccine.

Britain’s AstraZeneca announced an average efficacy rate of 70%, still well above the 50% rate that U.S. regulators have said they want to see before approving a COVID-19 vaccine for use.

WHAT ARE EFFICACY NUMBERS?

If a vaccine has an efficacy of, say, 80%, it means that if 100 people who have not previously been infected by the coronavirus are given the vaccine, on average 80 of them will not get the disease that the virus causes: COVID-19. These rates relate to vaccines administered and monitored in controlled circumstances, such as clinical trials.

DOES THAT MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL’S PROTECTION LEVEL IS THE SAME?

No. A person immunised with a vaccine that has, say, 80% efficacy is very likely to be protected from getting the disease with symptoms, especially severe ones.

They are also very likely to be protected from asymptomatic disease – but this, depending on the vaccine, may be less certain.

Even with 95% efficacy, there is no absolute guarantee of protection for any particular individual.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN THE REAL WORLD?

There is a difference between efficacy rates obtained in clinical trials and effectiveness – the real-world protection rate of a vaccine when it is rolled out.

“Efficacy says: ‘Does it work?’. Effectiveness says: ‘Can it be applied? Can you carry the efficacy to the people?’,” said Marcel Tanner, an epidemiologist and president of Switzerland’s Academies of Arts and Sciences.

In the real world, a vaccine’s effectiveness can be influenced by multiple, unpredictable factors including, for example: the rate of spread of a virus; how many, or few, people adhere to the optimum dosing schedule and timetable; how individuals’ immune systems respond; whether the vaccine was stored at the correct temperature; whether people know, or don’t know, if they’ve been exposed before.

Generally, a vaccine’s real-world effectiveness tends to be slightly lower than its efficacy.

WILL THESE VACCINES STOP THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?

Experts say this is unlikely. More realistic, they say, is that we will have to live alongside the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Evidence so far suggests that COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna and AstraZeneca will help stop people developing the disease. Only AstraZeneca’s data, so far, shows signs that its shot may also help prevent transmission of the virus.

“Protection against illness has a value for an individual,” said Penny Ward,” a visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London. She added, however, that vaccines that do not prevent transmission will not halt the pandemic.

“Until the vaccination and other measures result in the virus being close to elimination in any particular country, and worldwide, there will still be a need for distancing, masks and hand washing to reduce transmission further than will be achieved by the vaccine alone,” said Stephen Evans, a professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

“(A) vaccine is no good until people are vaccinated, and even then, it will not result in a situation where all other protective measures can be immediately abandoned.”

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