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Australian police arrest man for sending suspicious parcels to foreign consulates

Agencies
January 10, 2019

Melbourne, Jan 10: A 48-year-old man has been arrested by Australian Police for allegedly sending dozens of suspicious packages reportedly containing asbestos to diplomatic missions here, including the Indian consulate.

Savas Avan was arrested at his home in Shepparton on Wednesday night hours after at least 10 consulates in Melbourne were forced into lockdown due to suspicious packages.

Authorities are yet to confirm what was in the parcels, but early reports suggested they appeared to contain asbestos.

The Australian federal police and Victoria police said the man was charged with sending dangerous articles to be carried by a postal service, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years jail.

He was remanded in custody following a Melbourne Magistrates' Court hearing Thursday morning, media reports said.   

A prosecutor told court the deliveries contained asbestos, and Avan did not apply for bail, media reports said.

"Police have so far recovered 29 of these packages, with forensic testing to be undertaken on them to determine the exact composition of the material in them," the federal and state police said in a joint statement.

"Police have identified all intended recipients and have put processes in place to recover the outstanding packages. There is no ongoing threat to the general public."

The Indian and the US consulates on St Kilda Road were among a number across Melbourne and Canberra targeted with suspicious packages on Wednesday, sparking an emergency "hazardous material" response and some evacuations.

It came two days after Sydney's Argentinian consulate was partially evacuated following reports of a suspicious substance.

At least two consulates in Melbourne did not contact authorities about packages until they received an email from the Australian government.

Police said that Avan sent 38 parcels containing asbestos to consulates and embassies in the three cities on January 7.

Police said there was no ongoing threat to the general public.

Avan is expected back in court on March 4.

The first suspect packages were found at three consulates and embassies in Sydney and Canberra earlier in the week,

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had sent an email to all Canberra-based diplomatic missions on Wednesday, and then to other consulates across Australia.

"After learning of incidents at three offices in Sydney and Canberra, the DFAT sent a note to all diplomatic missions in Canberra on January 8 alerting them to the possibility of suspicious packages being delivered by mail," a spokesman said.

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News Network
March 6,2020

Beijing, Mar 6: World health officials have warned that countries are not taking the coronavirus crisis seriously enough, as outbreaks surged across Europe and in the United States where medical workers sounded warnings over a "disturbing" lack of hospital preparedness.

The World Health Organization warned Thursday that a "long list" of countries were not showing "the level of political commitment" needed to "match the level of the threat we all face".

"This is not a drill," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters.

"This epidemic is a threat for every country, rich and poor."

Tedros called on the heads of government in every country to take charge of the response and "coordinate all sectors", rather than leaving it to health ministries.

What is needed, he said, is "aggressive preparedness."

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Agencies
May 17,2020

Washington, May 17: The overall number of global coronavirus cases has increased to over 4.6 million, while the death toll has surpassed 311,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Sunday morning, the total number of cases stood at 4,634,068, while the death toll increased to 311,781, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US currently accounts for the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,467,796 and 88,754, respectively.

In terms of cases, Russia has the second highest number of infections at 272,043, followed by the UK (241,461), Brazil (233,142), Spain (230,698), Italy (224,760), France (179,630), Germany (175,752), Turkey (148,067) and Iran (118,392), the CSSE figures showed.

Meanwhile, the UK accounted for the second highest COVID-19 deaths worldwide at 34,546.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are Italy (31,763), Spain (27,563), France (27,532), and Brazil (15,662).

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News Network
March 25,2020

Wellington, Mar 25: New Zealand has declared a state of emergency as it prepares to go into an unprecedented lockdown late Wednesday for about a month.

The declaration temporarily gives police and the military extra powers. And Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says any New Zealanders returning home from overseas who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be put in isolation at an approved facility.

“I have one simple message for New Zealanders today as we head into the next four weeks: ‘stay at home,’” Ardern said. “It will break the chain of transmission and it will save lives.”

Ardern said exceptions include people working crucial jobs, those leaving to pick up essentials like groceries, and those engaging in solitary exercise.

The country has 205 reported cases of the virus, although Ardern said that number could rise into the thousands before it begins to recede even with the strict measures being taken.

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