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Covid-19: Hong Kong’s controversial neighbourhood lockdown yields 13 positive cases after 7,000 tested
The Covid-19 cordon in Jordan has resulted in 13 positive cases being identified after around 7,000 residents were tested during a two-day lockdown. The city’s first neighbourhood lockdown was lifted on Monday in densely-populated Jordan, known for its old and subdivided dwellings with often ageing and poor residents. Since the early hours of Saturday, the authorities had banned entry and exit from the area the area whilst residents underwent mandatory testing. Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan said at a press briefing Sunday evening that the 13 individuals who tested positive, along w...
Hong Kong Free Press
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HKFP Lens: Inside Hong Kong’s first Covid-19 lockdown zone
The Hong Kong government has imposed its first Covid-19 lockdown in densely populated Jordan for 48 hours. The authorities have been struggling to curb the spread of the virus in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan – an area known for its old and subdivided dwellings, and home to many poor and elderly residents. Around 10,000 residents will be affected from Saturday whilst the authorities conduct compulsory tests. HKFP’s photographer Galileo Cheng was on the ground. Read the full story.
Hong Kong Free Press
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Jordan's king, crown prince vaccinated against Covid-19
Jordan's King Abdullah was vaccinated against Covid-19, the royal court said on Thursday, one day after the kingdom kicked off its vaccination campaign. Abdullah's son, Crown Prince al-Hussein, and his uncle al-Hassan bin Talal also received the vaccine. This week, Jordan received shipments of both the Pfizer/BioNTech and China’s Sinopharm vaccines. Citizens, residents and registered refugees can receive the vaccine for free. The kingdom also began vaccinating refugees registered with the United Nations on Thursday. Vaccinations of Syrians living at Zaatari Camp began with 43 refugees, the UN ...
DPA
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Egypt, Jordan, Germany, France push for resuming Mideast peace talks
Egypt, Jordan, Germany and France on Monday asserted their commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as their foreign ministers met in Cairo in an attempt to revive the Middle East peace process. The meeting comes as two Gulf Arab countries - the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain - as well as Sudan and Morocco have normalized relations with Israel. The Palestinians have been critical of the deals, mediated by the United States. In a joint statement following the meeting, the top diplomats affirmed that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on ...
DPA
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Germany's Maas warns of 'fatal consequences' of nuclear arms race
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued an urgent appeal to halt the development of further nuclear weapons across the globe at an international conference on the issue hosted by Jordan. "We live in a time that has once again developed into a spiral of armament. And if we continue to just sit there and watch, this will have fatal consequences," Maas said. However, the minister reaffirmed Germany's commitment as a NATO partner to the principle of nuclear deterrence, meaning that his country will not get rid of the US nuclear weapons based there. Experts estimate that Germany is storing around...
DPA
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Fire tragedy shows accountability is meaningless for the Hong Kong gov’t
As news emerged of the deadly fire at an unlicensed Nepalese restaurant in Jordan, Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui took to Facebook to tell the world how much he had enjoyed a bowl of sugar water.Tsui is allegedly responsible for matters such as this. But in the non-elected world of Hong Kong government where responsibility has no meaning, the valiant Secretary could not even bring himself to apologise for his callousness. Instead, he chose to comment that “multitasking is not conflicting”. Yes, he actually wrote that.This sordid combination of arrogance and rank irresponsibility is cha...
Hong Kong Free Press
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7 dead and around 13 hurt as blaze tears through flat in Jordan, Hong Kong
Seven people have died and around 13 were injured after a fire ripped through a tenement building in Jordan at around 8pm on Sunday.Among those who were killed were four men and three women.A child, and a man who fell whilst escaping, were among the 13 injured.The fire broke out on the junction of Canton Road and Saigon Street. Witnesses did not hear any fire alarms, according to RTHK.Medics rushed 17 people to four hospitals.Police are investigating the cause of the fire.
Hong Kong Free Press