David Petraeus, the commander of US forces who led the anti-insurgency push in Iraq, has called for millions of Americans to be tested for Covid-19 as the country moves to war footing against the pandemic.
Mr Petraeus said mass testing was the most effective response to the crisis sweeping the US.
"That's what we should be doing for any area where we suspect there are people who have contracted coronavirus," he said.
The former CIA director and general called for the establishment of a "national service" of Americans administering tests to their fellow citizens, and helping to oversee the quarantine of those testing positive.
Contact-tracing people and those sent to support those facing the challenges in isolation could be recruited by appealing to their sense of patriotism and generosity.
"It is appropriate to talk about some kind of national service that could be employed," Mr Petraeus said.
He told an online seminar at the London School of Economics that talk of wartime conditions and mobilisation was a fair comparison for the challenge posed by the pandemic.
"I don't think it is unreasonable to liken this to a war," Mr Petraeus said.
"In the US we have lost more in one month, in April, than we lost in the Vietnam war."
He spoke of his admiration for Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who has declared the country is "halfway down Everest" as new infections have been wiped out.
"She has been hugely impressive, getting the big ideas across, and relentless," he said.
America has the highest infection number with 1.33 million people contracting Covid-19. The death toll was 79,606 on Monday.
New Zealand, a much smaller nation, shut its borders on March 15 and kept the number infected below 1,500.
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
