WHO lauds Kingdom's efforts to tackle MERS

RIYADH: The World Health Organization (WHO) has appreciated the efforts of Saudi Arabia in tackling the MERS coronavirus and urged all the countries to remain alert and ready. The organization confirmed that the warning issued by it regarding the spread of MERS in South Korea and the increased incidence of infection and deaths due to the disease should serve as a "wake up call." Peter ben Embarek, director of global programs at WHO, said public health authorities in the Kingdom are active, and have developed a strong and coherent program to combat and follow up on MERS and reduce the number of cases and deaths. 

In events involving gathering of large groups of people, such as Umrah and Haj, Embarek said the Saudi health authorities have been proactive in providing all necessary services to visitors and pilgrims. "Special standards have been set for countries sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to ensure that adequate awareness and safety measures are in full effect." The Kingdom has already proven capable of containing the virus during the Haj and Umrah season last year with not a single case being registered during that period, he said. According to a statement issued by WHO on Thursday, the MERS outbreak in South Korea is a reflection of how easy diseases can spread in an increasingly interconnected world. 

The organization, however, clarified that it was optimistic and no bans on travel or trade would be required at this stage. Health officials in South Korea have announced the discovery of eight new cases of MERS, bringing the death toll in the country to 20. A total of 162 people have been infected with the virus in South Korea, which has witnessed the largest outbreak outside Saudi Arabia. The first case involved a 68-year-old Korean businessman who had just returned from a trip to the Middle East in early May. WHO said it expects the emergence of new cases over the next few weeks, although the numbers might be decreasing overall. 

The Ministry of Health in South Korea said quarantine was imposed on at least 6,500 people, both in medical centers and in their homes. Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Health announced a new MERS-related death, bringing the total number of deaths to 457 so far. The Kingdom has reported 1,034 MERS cases since 2012. A patient fully recovered in Riyadh recently, bringing the total number of recovery cases to 570, while six other are currently being treated and one is in home quarantine. The mortality rate among MERS patients is 35 percent, and no vaccine or cure exists.

Citation : Zawya : https://goo.gl/a7HncE

Improve yourself

 You sit with someone who is twenty years old and notice that he has particular etiquette's, logic and thought.  You then sit with him when he is thirty to discover that he is exactly the way he was ten years ago and has not improved at all.  Yet, you sit with others and you feel that they are actually taking benefit from their lives.  You discover that they improve themselves on a daily basis.  In fact, not an hour passes except that they improve either religiously or otherwise.  If you wish to ponder upon the different types of people with respect to self improvement, then think about the following:

There are those who like to watch those satellite television channels that help their general knowledge and intelligence grow.  They benefit from other people's experiences by watching constructive discussions, from which they learn the characteristics of debating and improve their language, understanding, and expertise in debate and persuasion.

Then there are those who cannot miss out on a series about a failed love story, or an emotional play, or a horror film, or films about useless fantasies with no link to reality at all.

Notice the difference between the two after five or ten years.  Which of the two would have improved the most in his skills and ability to fathom information, gain general knowledge, have the power to convince others, or successfully be able to cope with diverse situations? No doubt the first person! You will find the mannerisms of the first person to be completely different.

When he argues, he does so on the basis of legal references, facts and figures, while the second can only quote the words of actors and singers, so much so that one such person once said during a discussion, "Allah says: 'Strive, my servant, and 1 shall

strive with you!"

We informed him that this is not a verse from the Qur'an.  His complexion changed and he fell silent.  I then thought about the phrase and it occurred to me that it is an Egyptian idiom which was imprinted on his mind after watching a drama series!

Let's look at it from another angle that of reading newspapers and magazines.  How many people take an interest in reading beneficial news and information that helps them in developing their personality, improves their skills and increases their general knowledge? Yet, how many are those who cannot read except sports and entertainment news? This is true to such an extent that many newspapers compete with each other by increasing the sports and entertainment pages at the cost of other sections.  The same can be said about our gatherings and the things in which we spend our time.

Hence, if you would like to be a head instead of a tail, then eagerly try to practice all skills, regardless of what they may be.  'Abdullah was an energetic person but lacking in certain skills.  One day, he left his home to pray Dhuhr in the mosque.  It was his zeal for the prayer and respect for his religion which brought him out to pray.  He was walking fast in order to reach the mosque before the lqamah was given.  On his way, he passed by a date palm tree on top of which there was a man in uniform, working on the tree.  'Abdullah became surprised and thought, "Who is this man that does not care about the prayer! It is as if he didn't even hear the Adhan, or doesn't care about the lqamah, which is about to go!"

He shouted in anger, "Get down and pray!" The man responded coldly, "OK, OK. . :'

He said, again, "Hurry up and pray, you donkey!"

The man screamed, “You called me a donkey?!" He then took a branch of the tree and descended in order to hit him over the head with it! 'Abdullah hid his face with his headscarf so the man wouldn't recognise him and went on to the mosque.  The man descended from the tree in anger, went to his house, prayed and rested for a while.  He then returned to the tree to finish his job.  Then 'Asr time came and 'Abdullah went to the mosque again.  On his way he passed by the same tree and noticed the same man working.  He decided to change his method altogether and said, 'Assalamu 'alaykum! How are you?"

The man replied, "Alhamdulillah, I am fine!"

He said, "Give me some good news.  How are the dates this year?"

The man said,"AlHamdulillah. "

'Abdullah said, "May Allah give you success and provision, make your life easy for you, and not deprive you of the reward for your work!"

The man was overjoyed at hearing this supplication and said ameen to the prayer.

'Abdullah then said, "It seems that you are so preoccupied with work that perhaps you didn't notice the Adhan for 'Asr prayer.  The Adhan has been called and the lqamah is about to be given.  Perhaps you should get down, relax a little and get ready for prayer. After the prayer you can get on with your work again.  May Allah keep you healthy. "

The man said, "InshaAllah . . .  lnshaAllah . . . " and began to descend gently.

He then turned to 'Abdullah, shook his hand warmly and said, "I would like to thank you for your excellent manners.  As for the one who passed by me at Dhuhr time, I wish I could see him and show him who the real donkey is!"

The result. . .

Your skills of dealing with others determine how they deal with you. 

 

Euro under pressure with Greece's debt talks stumble

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro fell on Monday to its lowest level in nearly two weeks against the Swiss franc, considered a safe haven after attempts to break the deadlock between Greece and its creditors failed over the weekend.

The talks, which took place on Sunday, one hour did not last, indicating significant differences between the two sides.

The euro slipped to 1.0422 Swiss francs, its lowest level since the third of June, then improved to 1.0465 thus stable compared with the previous close. The single currency fell 0.3 percent to $ 1.1230 to stray more from a peak last week of $ 1.1387.

And the euro helped the dollar index losses to rise 0.2 percent to 95.167 and away from its lowest level in nearly a month 94.322 hit last week. The US currency rose 0.2 percent to 123.58 yen.

CITATION FROM REUTERS EDITION :http://goo.gl/k6FPNN

India scraps import duties on AIDS drugs to battle shortage

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MUMBAI, June 11 (Reuters) - India has scrapped customs import duties for drugs and test kits used to treat AIDS in an effort to cut prices across the country, as it struggles to cope with an ongoing shortage in its national program to fight the disease.

More than a third of India's 2.1 million HIV/AIDS patients depend on getting their daily antiretrovirals for free from state-run distribution centres, but many of them have been facing shortages or stock outs for months.

The notice put out by the Central Board of Excise and Customs this week intends to make it cheaper to import raw materials that are used to make antiretrovirals under the national program, BB Rewari of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) told Reuters.

Currently, U.S. firm Mylan Inc and India's Aurobindo Pharma supply AIDS drugs to the government program.

The exemption applies to certain first-line and second-line antiretroviral drugs used to treat adults and children, as well as to certain diagnostic kits and equipment that are used by NACO, Rewari said.

He added the drugs under exemption make up roughly 95 percent of the antiretrovirals used by India's AIDS patients under the national program.

The exemption, which will remain in effect until March 2016, is the national AIDS control department's latest effort to deal with a chronic shortage of HIV/AIDS drugs at home, even though Indian companies are some of the world's major suppliers of AIDS drugs. Local firm Cipla Ltd made headlines in 2001 by making antiretrovirals for Africa for under $1 a day.

The AIDS control program has been in disarray for months after the government changed the way over $1.3 billion in federal funds were distributed, according to data and letters seen by Reuters.

Construction of clinics in rural areas has been delayed and many health workers have quit.

Government officials have previously told Reuters of a lack of participation by local drugmakers in the tenders floated by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to procure drugs.

Industry insiders, meanwhile, cite delayed tender approvals, supply bottlenecks and late payments, as well as poor coordination between the central and state governments.

AIDS drugs sold on the open market are expensive, so in an effort to make those more affordable, the government is likely to add more AIDS drugs under price control by including them in the national list of essential medicines, people involved in the process told Reuters in April.

citation from  zawya : https://goo.gl/72Jh21

Kuwait to table corporate tax bill in 2 years - finance minister

LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - Kuwait expects to table a bill to harmonise corporate tax rates between local and foreign firms in around two years' time, offering incentives to key sectors like telecoms and IT, the country's finance minister said on Monday.
Kuwait said in April it was studying proposals to introduce the same levy for domestic firms, which generally pay little or no tax on income, and foreign companies, whose commercial activities are taxed with a rate of 55 percent in the highest bracket. 

"We are looking at many, many scenarios ... but we are definitely looking at matching them," Finance Minister Anas al-Saleh told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in London. 

"We need to draft legislation ... in 24 months we should have a law that can go to parliament." 

Saleh expected the rate for international firms to fall and the levy on local companies to rise, though he declined to indicate a level. He added the government was also looking at introducing tax breaks for companies operating in key sectors like IT, telecommunications and petrochemicals. 

"There will also (be) incentives, incentives to encourage corporates to focus on certain sectors that are needed for our economy," he said. 

Introducing a new corporate tax will be politically sensitive in Kuwait, which has seen pressure on its state finances because of the plunge in oil prices. Officials say they want to diversify revenue sources beyond oil. 

Saleh reiterated there were no plans to introduce income tax for individuals. 

citation : taken from zawya - https://goo.gl/4jAxyZ