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published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11497 March 24, 2020 Rajab 29, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief Support for health workers

Amir, Erdogan discuss ways to combat virus Customs duties on His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone conversation yesterday evening with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during which 905 food, medical they discussed ways to boost and develop the strategic relations between the two countries. The two countries’ eff orts to combat the new coronavirus (Covid -19) and ways to co-operate to reduce its spread items dropped and prevent it, were also reviewed during the phone call.

Amir holds phone talk he General Authority of Cus- medical equipment, they include coronavirus (Covid-19), His High- with Armenia president toms (GAC) has exempted facemasks, sanitisers, soap products, ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Tmedical and food items from cleaners, sanitary wipes, and person- mad al-Thani had ordered to initiate a His Highness the Amir Sheikh duties following the instruction of al and house hygiene products. set of decisions and measures to help Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim Meanwhile, coordination has been people lead a normal life. yesterday a telephone conversation Medical staff from the Fundacion Jimenez Diaz hospital applaud as neighbours bin Hamad al-Thani to spare these maintained between the GAC and the Announcing the initiative, HE Lol- with Armenian President Dr applaud from their balconies yesterday in support for healthcare workers, during from levies for six months, as part Ministry of Commerce and Industry wah Rashid AlKhater, Assistant For- Armen Sarkissian. During the call, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Madrid. of the economic measures taken by (MoCI) to list the food and medical eign Minister and Spokesperson for they discussed bilateral relations the country to fi ght the spread of the items that should be exempted from the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, said and prospects for strengthening novel coronavirus (Covid-19). customs duties to enforce the deci- food and medical goods will be ex- and developing them. They also The GAC has started implementing sion. The MoCI has approved a full empt from customs duties for a pe- discussed the eff orts of the two this directive after it was announced list of these with their names, which riod of six months, provided that this countries regarding combating the by the Supreme Committee for Crisis can be reviewed at the GAC website at is refl ected in the selling price to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and MoPH is in urgent need of Management. Accordingly, customs www.customs.gov.qa consumer. ways of co-operation to combat the duties for 905 diff erent listed items at Intensifying its fi ght against the “A number of sectors will be ex- epidemic. Al Nadeeb e-customs clearance system novel coronavirus (Covid-19), Qatar empt from electricity and water volunteers to fi ght Covid-19 have been dropped. These included ba- last week had announced a slew of charges for a period of six months. 7 new cases reported; 4 sic food items, and a number of medical measures including a mega fi nancial They include, hospitality and tour- more cured of Covid-19 equipment and tools for protection and package of QR75bn to support the ism sector; retail sector; small and ith the Ministry of Public over the next three months, according personal and home hygiene. private sector. medium industries sector; com- The Ministry of Public Health Health (MoPH) seeking vol- to the MoPH. The basic food items excepted in- Presiding over the Supreme Com- mercial complexes, in exchange for (MoPH) announced yesterday 7 new Wunteers to support Qatar’s The volunteers’ responsibilities will clude meat, fi sh, milk, cheese, leg- mittee for Crisis Management meet- providing services and exemptions confirmed cases of the coronavirus response to the Covid-19 outbreak, include supporting medical practice, umes, oils, bakery and pastry prod- ing that reviewed Qatar’s prepared- to tenants, as well as logistics areas,” disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Qatar and those interested have been encouraged raising public health awareness, lo- ucts, juices and others. As for the ness to combat the spread of the new she pointed out. said 4 more people who have been to apply as quickly as possible by click- gistics and more. They will be based at undergoing treatment have now ing on the link: https://www.covid- medical facilities across the country. recovered. According to information 19vol.qa/ Spokesperson for the Supreme available on the ministry’s website, In a statement on its website yester- Committee for Crisis Management, 20 food stores shut for violations the new cases of infection are day, the MoPH said the ‘National Vol- HE Lolwah Rashid AlKhater, said: “We related to expatriate workers and unteering Campaign: For Qatar’ has are looking for volunteers to help Qa- Doha Municipality has issued administrative decisions travellers who recently entered been launched to “ease the strain on tar’s healthcare sector as the number to close some 20 food establishments across Doha the country, including two Qatari Qatar’s resources during the pandemic”. of Covid-19 cases increases and cre- and the Industrial Area for periods ranging from 5 to citizens. The new infected cases Volunteers will initially be required ates a strain on resources. We need to 30 days, it has been announced. Informing this yes- are in complete sanitary isolation, stand together as a community and terday, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and they are receiving necessary work to support Qatar’s public and pri- (MME) said in a statement that the closure orders medical care. The Ministry of Public 2 more arrested for vate sectors during these trying times.” came following inspection campaigns carried out by Health continues to conduct the violating quarantine Volunteers must meet the Doha Municipality’s Health Control Section at 762 food necessary checks for all citizens following criteria: establishments. More than 20 food health inspectors who are returning to Qatar, in The Ministry of Public Health an- zBe a Qatar resident took part in the campaigns over the past two weeks addition to all those involved in nounced that the competent authori- zHave a Qatar ID to ensure that food establishments were complying the aff ected cases. With four more ties arrested two people who violated zAged 20-45 years with health and safety regulations and taking the people cured, the total number of the requirements of home quarantine zBe medically fi t enough to contribute necessary preventive and precautionary measures. people who have been healed has yesterday. The ministry said the zHave no history of chronic illness/ Inspectors have intensified the checking of vehicles gone up to 37 in Qatar. arrests are to prevent the spread of disease. transporting foodstuff to and from the Industrial Area Covid-19 and they have been referred Suitable volunteers will attend a two- through some central checkpoints. Six inspectors Help frontline workers to prosecution. The persons arrested hour induction session plus a two-hour work there from 5am until 10pm throughout the week, by staying at home: PM are: Saeedd Nasser Rabiaa Rashid job-specifi c training session before except on Friday and Saturday, to ensure that the food al-Kuwari and Saad Abdul-Razzaq proceeding with their duties. Volun- transported food is safe and that the vehicles, drivers HE the Prime Minister and Minister Saif Mubarak al-Mannai, both Qatari teers will be needed for at least 14 eight- and porters strictly follow the relevant health stand- of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa citizens. The authorities reminded citi- hour shifts over a 12-week period. ards and conditions. These include wearing protective bin Abdulaziz al-Thani has called zens and residents in home quarantine All volunteers will be provided with face masks and gloves, maintaining personal hygiene, on people in Qatar to help those of the necessity of strict adherence to suitable personal protective equipment. ensuring that the vehicles comply with health and Doha Municipality has issued administrative decisions to involved in the fight against the the conditions set by the ministry for People already working in the safety requirements, and maintaining the necessary close some 20 food establishments across Doha and the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) their own safety and others. healthcare sector are welcome to take temperature for freezers, chillers, etc. Page 3 Industrial Area for periods ranging from 5 to 30 days. by staying at home. He made part, the statement adds. the observation through a tweet yesterday. Following is a translation of the Arabic tweet: “Qatar has been facing the new coronavirus US death toll from epidemic strongly and resolutely US states, cities desperate for coronavirus help coronavirus hits 573 while mobilising the eff orts of all to protect our society and country. The death toll from the new Our health system is standing at coronavirus in the United States the frontline of such eff orts and Reuters As health authorities struggled to has hit 573, according to a tally from our medical personnel are doing New York/Washington cope with the rising number of sick Johns Hopkins University, which is their noble duty with courage and people and the US Senate failed to ad- collating data. New York is the hardest achieving success, which will not vance an economic stimulus package, hit state, with about 25% of the total be complete without you. Let us S governors and mayors yes- Defence Secretary Mark Esper said the deaths, followed by Washington state, support them through abiding by terday became more desperate US military is preparing to deploy fi eld an early epicentre in the country. the preventive and precautionary Uin their pleas for help from the hospitals to New York and Seattle. New Jersey, neighbouring New York measures, especially by staying at federal government to fi ght coronavi- The planned hospitals, essentially on the east coast, was suddenly home during these times.” rus as the military prepared to set up tent facilities that can be rapidly set up, reporting a slew of deaths. There fi eld hospitals in New York and Seat- can only handle a limited number of are at least 41,708 confirmed cases New visitor restrictions tle to ease the strain on creaking health patients and are less suited to treating in the US, putting the country third at HMC announced services. highly infectious people who need to in the world, behind China, which New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio be isolated. has the top spot and was where the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) urged US lawmakers to approve an eco- But they can relieve pressure on virus originated, and Italy. The actual has announced new restrictions nomic relief package and appealed for hospitals by treating patients with ill- number of cases is likely to be higher for visitors at all HMC Emergency ventilators and medical equipment, even Members of the media practise social distancing as they listen to US Senator Joe nesses other than Covid-19. due to testing issues. (DPA) departments. The move is aimed asking for help from private citizens. Manchin (D-WV) at the US Capitol yesterday in Washington, DC. The Army Corps of Engineers is pre- at limiting the spread of the novel “Anyone out there who can help us paring to convert hotels and dormito- coronavirus disease (Covid-19), HMC get these supplies, we have only days to Karine Raymond, a nurse at Jack D Nurses are being told to wear them ries into treatment facilities for sick out of 50 US states have now imposed said in a tweet yesterday. The new get them in place. Weiler Hospital in New York’s Bronx for as long as possible, she said. patients as the number of US corona- restrictions on people’s movements to restrictions are as follows: Only one That is the reality,” De Blasio told CNN. borough, said most nurses were unable “We are the be all and end all and virus cases nationwide topped 40,000, curtail the virus, putting the country visitor at a time for a maximum of 15 New York, the most populous US to get specialised N95 masks and even lifeline to these patients, and yet we more than 500 of whom have died. on a track similar to those of the most minutes. Visitors are strictly prohibited city, is now at the epicentre of the out- simpler surgical masks were in short are being contaminated and cross con- With the addition of Maryland, In- devastated European countries such as in the Covid-19 treatment area. break in the United States. supply. taminating,” Raymond said. diana, Michigan and Massachusetts, 15 Italy and Spain. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 QATAR

Indian embassy Amir greets QU holds webinar restricts entry president of to premises Pakistan is Highness the Amir with Peking varsity Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Hmad al-Thani and His due to Covid-19 Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- Thani sent yesterday cables of congratulations to Pakistan’s ndian embassy has urged President, Dr Arif Alvi, on his on Covid-19 crisis the community members to Open House country’s National Day. HE the Iavoid visiting its premises Prime Minister and Minister of unless it is absolutely essential cancelled Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Kha- and unavoidable, according to lifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani also QNA an advisory issued through the Indian embassy has cancelled its sent a similar cable to Prime Doha offi cial Twitter handle. Open House session scheduled Minister Imran Khan. The restriction is as per the for March 26, it was announced atar University (QU) and guidelines issued by the Qatar yesterday in a statement. Peking University (PKU) government to limit the spread Qmedical experts and fac- of Covid-19. ulty members have held a video The embassy has taken sev- conference to share their exper- eral measures in this regard very important and urgent cases. ‘Giving zakat tise and experience on the fi ght and has asked the applicants Applicants can come to the em- against Covid-19. Both insti- to visit the embassy only bassy only with an appointment tutes updated each other on the with an appointment by call- at the above given numbers or e- in advance is latest situation of the pandemic ing at 44255747 or 44255711 mail address. in Qatar and China. or through an e-mail to cons. In case of newborn babies, This video conference was fa- [email protected]. the child need not be taken to permissible’ cilitated by the International Af- Only passports which have the embassy for the time being. fairs Offi ce at Qatar University as expired or are expiring before Father or mother can bring the QU holds “State of Qatar Chair September 30, 2020 will be ac- relevant documents with sig- QNA in Middle Eastern Studies” chair, cepted for reissue, unless there natures of both for registration Doha that the country funds, at Peking are other compelling reasons. of birth and application for the University since 2016. Similarly, passport cases with child’s passport. For death regis- change in particulars will be en- tration not more than two people he Shariah Committee of “QU is committed to tertained only if the expiry date will be allowed. the Ministry of Awqaf and continue working with Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham, President of Qatar University, during the video conference held with Peking of the passport is before Sep- All the community welfare TIslamic Aff airs headed by international experts and University. tember 30, 2020. cases will be taken up through Dr Thaqil Sayer al-Shammari is- provide their students with Miscellaneous services on e-mail at [email protected]. sued a fatwa permitting the pro- best quality of education” cure our committee,” he added. dent of Peking University Health passport will not be provided in or [email protected] vision of zakat money in advance During the opening knowl- Science Centre, presided over the unless and until they are abso- and the helplines of the embassy before it is due, especially in Commenting on this session, edge-sharing session, Dr Hao webinar. Zhan began by elabo- lutely essential. Only the ap- to the extent possible. In case of these days when the coronavirus President of Qatar University Dr Ping, President at PKU, said that rating on the signifi cant role of plicant – if required – will be any emergency, only those per- epidemic is spreading across the Hassan Rashid al-Derham said the video conference is within Peking University in the national allowed to enter the embassy sons having grievances related to world, where many poor people that the video conference aimed at the interest of both universities anti-epidemic battle, including premises for passport services, a labour case or consular matter have been aff ected. constant joint eff orts to fight the in sharing experience and prac- dispatching medical teams to aid ‘Fully prepared’ except in case of minors. will be allowed entry to the em- The committee said that pay- ongoing spread of Covid-19. “We tices of fi ghting Covid-19. “We Wuhan combat the coronavirus, Normal visa services are bassy premises. ing the zakat money before it look forward towards valuable ex- hope that the session held will be carrying out research on diff erent Qatar University (QU) has restricted only to emergency The embassy has also ap- is due is in the interest of those pertise from PKU to help us pre- benefi cial for our universities to facets of Covid-19, and making stressed that its Environmental cases. Those who wish to ap- pealed to Indian nationals to who deserve it. vent and control coronavirus,” Dr overcome the common challenges suggestions to the Chinese gov- Sciences Centre is “fully prepared ply for visa due to unavoid- strictly follow the guidelines It added that it is permissible Hassan Rashid al-Derham said. brought by the novel coronavirus.” ernment for policymaking. and continues to function ef- able circumstances can call provided by the government to provide zakat money, espe- “QU is committed to continue Hao also mentioned the as- While many questions con- fectively in the current situation’. embassy Covid-19 helpline of Qatar to avoid the spread of cially when the Covid-19 epi- working with international ex- sistance from Qatar to China cerning the novel coronavirus “Most of the centre’s laboratories 44255747 or e-mail cons. Covid-19 in the country. demic is aff ecting the world, as perts and provide their students during these diffi cult times and remain unresolved, both sides are internationally accredited [email protected]. The embassy helpline num- many poor people are in need, with best quality of education. reiterated that both sides would expressed the willingness to and apply the highest health and OCI registrations have been bers - other than given above particularly Muslims, and as the Our main concern is to provide stand by and support each other. strengthen bilateral exchanges safety standards,” QU tweeted temporarily cancelled and at- - for calls and WhatsApp blessed month of Ramadan ap- students and staff safety and take Dr Zhan Qimin, Executive and share research fi ndings in yesterday. testation and other consular are, 55667569,55647502 and proaches. all precautionary measures to se- Vice-President of PKU and Presi- the future. services will be provided only in 33484669.

Qatar Airways explains travel voucher procedures Qatar Chamber launches ‘Takatuf’

atar Airways custom- date of issuance. rebooking or refund. ers who want to avail To request for the voucher, The advisory continued, “All Qof a travel voucher can one has to enter the keyword customers with an existing book- initiative to prevent virus spread submit their request at https:// COVID1052 in the comments. ing should update their passenger www.qatarairways.com/en-qa/ “If you have booked your contact details through ‘Manage refund-request.html. ticket on qatarairways.com or Booking’ on qatarairways.com. “You can alter your booking through any of our offi ces, you This will ensure contact numbers atar Chamber has also reviewed mechanisms to other repercussions, in co-op- the Chamber is “a mediator date free of charge or receive a can re-book your tickets by tel- and email addressed are accurate launched ‘Takatuf’, an implement the Takatuf initia- eration with the relevant gov- and link” between the sup- travel voucher in case your plans ephoning any of our offi ces or and will enable us to contact you Qinitiative that urges its tive. ernment bodies. porting companies and ben- have changed. This applies if you contact centres or messaging us more eff ectively regarding ightfl members, as well as public and “The initiative aims to miti- This step comes in view of eficiaries. The initiative also have booked or will book fl ights on Facebook or Twitter,” the air- updates and to forward your travel private joint-stock companies gate the economic impacts of the the Chamber’s national duty, aims to enhance inter-pri- for travel up to September 30, line explains. voucher in case of fl ight cancella- and businessmen to support the precautionary measures taken its social responsibility, and vate sector support, whereas 2020,” the airline says on the ‘Sub- In a post on Twitter yesterday, tion.” country’s eff orts to prevent the by the country by providing in- its role in serving the Qatari large companies and entre- mit a request’ page on its website. Qatar Airways said all customers “If your fl ight departure is spread of the novel coronavirus kind support as a contribution private sector,” the statement preneurs are encouraged to Travel vouchers can be is- aff ected by the current situation scheduled for more than four (Covid-19). to provide governmental needs said, adding that companies provide support to small sued for the full unutilised val- and who have booked their ticket days in the future, please con- In a statement, the Chamber required for these measures. willing to participate in the ini- businesses and companies, ue of the ticket. Validity of the via a travel agency are advised to sider calling us at a later time,” said the move was decided yes- “The initiative aims to help tiative could fill out an online whose owners are facing is- travel voucher is one year from contact the agency directly for it added. terday during a meeting of its and support small companies form at the Chamber’s website. sues, such as rental costs and Emergency Committee, which affected by such measures and Through this initiative, other challenges. Commerce ministry clarification Sanitising and disinfection campaign

Al Khor and Al Thakhira Municipality’s General Service Aff airs Department, in co-operation with the General Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), has conducted a comprehensive sanitising and disinfection campaign there. The initiative covered the fish market and yard for selling local agriculture produce as part of the ongoing eff orts to protect public health, the MME said in a statement.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued an infographic clarifying its circular on closing retail outlets and bank branches across malls and shopping centres. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 3 QATAR

MoI advises 20 food establishments Metrash 2 route for road crash shut for violating norms registration

oha Municipality has he Ministry of Interior issued administrative (MoI) has reiterated that Ddecisions to close some Tmotorists do not have to 20 food establishments across visit traffi c investigation sec- Doha and the Industrial Area tions in case of minor road for periods ranging from 5 to 30 accidents. days, it has been announced. Instead, they can complete The Ministry of Municipality the accident registration proc- and Environment (MME) said ess through the Metrash 2 appli- in a yesterday statement that cation with some simple steps, the closure orders came follow- according to the MoI. ing inspection campaigns car- The steps, explained by the ried out by Doha Municipality’s ministry on its Twitter page yes- health control section at 762 terday, are as follows: food establishments. z Take four photographs of A total of 33 violation reports each vehicle with one of them were also issued during the cam- showing the numberplates. paigns for non-compliance with z Move the vehicles from the rules, according to the MME. accident scene and park them More than 20 food health in- away from the road. spectors took part in the cam- z Ensure that the location paigns over the past two weeks to service is enabled on the mobile ensure that food establishments phone. were complying with health and z Sign in to Metrash 2 and se- safety regulations and taking the lect Traffi c - Traffi c Accident - necessary preventive and pre- Closure of a food establishment by Doha Municipality. Accident Registration. cautionary measures. z Enter the details of both ve- Inspectors have intensifi ed Inspection by Al Daayen Municipality. by inspectors of Al Daayen Munici- ity’s health control section con- hicles and parties concerned (ve- the checking of vehicles trans- pality, while also stressing that the ducted an inspection campaign hicle number, QID number and porting foodstuff to and from maintaining the necessary tem- The inspection tours covered chased by customers outside the disinfectants used there by food in the Al Messila area and LuLu mobile number). the Industrial Area through perature for freezers, chillers. slaughterhouses and Al Mazr- shop. They have also asked the workers are classifi ed as ‘food grade’. Hypermarket located there. z Attach photographs of both some central checkpoints. Six Besides, the inspectors make ouah Yard for local agriculture outlets to reduce the number of The inspectors also highlighted the All fresh food sections were vehicles. inspectors work there from 5am sure that all workers have valid produce. In general, food safety visiting customers by expanding need for these shops to constantly checked, including meat, fi sh, z Submit the report for traffi c until 10pm throughout the week, health certifi cates. awareness and inspection cam- their home delivery operations. monitor the body temperature of cheese and milk, vegetables and investigation. except on Friday and Saturday, In a related development, food paigns have been intensifi ed in Besides, workers have been their workers to avoid any potential fruits, ready-meal kitchen, dry z A notifi cation SMS will be to ensure that the transported health inspection tours in Umm the municipality. instructed to wear protective Covid-19 infection among them. food display areas, storehouses sent to you, asking to wait for food is safe and that the vehi- Salal Municipality over the past Meanwhile, Al Shamal Mu- facemasks and gloves at all times Other daily precautionary and the reception, the MME another message to complete the cles, drivers and porters strictly two weeks resulted in the issu- nicipality’s health control in- during work, with the inspec- measures highlighted by them said. In addition, the inspectors procedures. follow the relevant health stand- ance of seven violations reports spectors continue to carry out tors also checking their health include sterilising surfaces, checked the validity of workers’ z After the accident photo- ards and conditions. These in- and administrative decisions to intensive checks at food outlets certifi cates. Besides, inspectors equipment and tools, and en- health certifi cates and ensured graphs are reviewed by traffi c clude wearing protective face shut down two food establish- and facilities there. They have and veterinarians maintain a suring that the hand sanitiser that the staff complied with the investigators, text messages will masks and gloves, maintaining ments for seven days each for stressed the need to strictly abide constant presence to receive any dispensers work at the entrances new preventive measures, while be sent to both parties with an personal hygiene, ensuring that failing to abide by the necessary by all relevant precautionary and related complaints and handle and diff erent food departments, providing customers with gloves instruction to go to the insurance the vehicles comply with health health, safety and preventive preventive measures and advised them accordingly. the statement points out. and hand sanitisers in the fruits company or approval for vehicle and safety requirements, and measures. outlets to hand over goods pur- Similar eff orts have been made Yesterday, Doha Municipal- and vegetables area. repair. Doha Festival City announces 3-month rent relief for tenants

oha Festival City is off er- ing rent relief to eligible Dtenants for the months of April, May and June, to ease the fi nancial burden of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, it was announced yesterday. The mall, located just off the Transparent protective screens are being made available across LuLu Hypermarkets to combat Covid-19. Al Shamal Road, has been inves- tigating how it can support its retail tenants as Covid-19 en- couraged most residents of Qa- tar to spend more time at home. LuLu Hypermarkets install shields “In these unprecedented times, we understand the diffi - culties faced by the businesses to protect cashiers and customers and the impact this current situation is having on our econ- ransparent protective tion,” said Mohamed Althaf, they will be raising the limits of omy,” Doha Festival City general screens are being made director, LuLu Hypermarkets. contactless payment and pay manager Robert Hall said in a Tavailable across LuLu Other measures to improve wherever possible. statement. Hypermarkets as an added pro- health and safety include having Earlier this week LuLu Hyper- “We have been following all tective measure for cashiers and staff wash their hands frequent- markets announced measures precautionary measures put in customers against the novel ly. This follows the other social to further enhance sanitisation place by Qatar and World Health An outer view of Doha Festival City. coronavirus (Covid-19). distancing and preventative and cleaning protocols that are Organisation (WHO) to keep “It is very important for us to measures that have already been in place, with stores sanitising our tenants, staff and customers as we face this challenging time QSTP exempts tenants from rent, charges give a sense of safety and peace introduced such as hand sanitis- trolley and basket handles and safe and we hope this contribu- together. We believe it is our re- of mind to our people, especially ers and tape on the fl oor to show all other common touch areas as tion will help pave way for busi- sponsibility to support them as Qatar Science & Technology “as we overcome the impact of our cashiers who are the front- customers how far to stay apart preventative measures. ness continuity in this diffi cult much as we can as we face a fu- Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar the global challenge of Covid-19 line soldiers of LuLu Hyper- in queues, along with exclusive LuLu Hypermarkets have environment. ture of uncertainty. All tenants Foundation, has announced that it (coronavirus) as one community, markets, and customers. We’ve checkouts for health workers, also requested its customers to “At Doha Festival City, we will be contacted in the coming is exempting all retail, startup and and in support of these eff orts”, looked across the world at best elderly and vulnerable people. stop using the reusable bags for truly consider our tenants to be days by dedicated mall teams to SME tenants from rent and service QSTP said in a tweet yesterday. practices and these shields stand Althaf welcomed the an- the time being as a measure to our partners, and this has never discuss and outline process for charges for the next six months, “During tough times, we come out as a strong safety precau- nouncement by the banks that maintain high level of hygiene. been more relevant than now relief,” he added. until September. The move comes together as one!)

MME to Hygiene drive by Umm Salal Municipality ince the start of this month launch Umm Salal Municipal- Sity has conducted intensive campaigns to spray, disinfect cleaning and sanitise all the main roads, residential areas, and public fa- cilities to enhance the hygiene campaign standards for the inhabitants. In the meantime, Al Shamal Municipality continues its cam- today paigns to fi ght rodents and in- sects through the cloud spraying method. he Ministry of Munici- This is in addition to the In- pality and Environment dustrial Area, commercial streets T(MME) is set to launch and internal roads being sprayed today a campaign to clean and The MME meeting in session yesterday. with sanitisers and disinfect- sanitise all the key areas across ants to enhance public health the country in addition to fur- Accordingly, MME organised eas and buildings across the measures and standards at all protection. ther intensifying inspections yesterday an introductory meet- country. A number of senior time, especially in fi eld and The gardens section has en- on food facilities and outlets as ing with the participation of 30 MME offi cials and employees group work. forced the decision to shut all part of the eff orts to fight the volunteers representing diff erent stressed the importance of The teams will take part in parks and public gardens, and Al spread of the novel coronavirus age groups. voluntary work and spread- the control and awareness ef- Shamal Corniche as part of the (Covid-19). They will be distributed ing awareness in the country forts targeting food facilities and precautionary measures taken by A good number of volunteers on a number of work teams while abiding by the health outlets, among other places of the country against the spread of will take part in these eff orts. to cover the various key ar- and protective precautionary importance for the public. Covid-19. A worker sanitises a street in the Umm Salal area.

Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 5 QATAR Coronavirus: Qatar Charity takes precautionary measures within and outside Qatar atar Charity continues to implement its urgent plans to contribute to the efforts exerted by the State of Qatar and Qconcerned international bodies to curb the outbreak of the Coronavirus (Covid-2019), taking several additional precautionary and preventive measures at its headquarters and branches within the country and at its field offices around the world. Qatar Charity has educated employees and workers on practicing personal hygiene and following instructions issued by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), and facilitated online donation by credit and debit cards through the website and app (www.qch.qa/app). Receiving in-kind donations such as clothes, toys, and furniture for the Tayf project has been suspended, and all activities and events held by the various Qatar Charity Centers for Community Development have been cancelled. Qatar Charity has also translated awareness leaflets in seven Asian languages and distributed them to workers, especially drivers and domestic workers. Qatar Charity has previously called on citizens and residents for volunteering to support civil society, respond quickly to any emergency at any time and benefit from volunteers’ capabilities for community service. With regard to its field offices around the world, Qatar Charity has developed a contingency plan in support of the local and

global health efforts to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Qatar Charity also urged staff working at its field offices to follow the contingency plan and the security measures taken by the local authorities and implement preventive measures to limit the outbreak of COVID-19 Qatar Charity, through its office in Pakistan, launched an awareness campaign to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), targeting all beneficiaries of its projects, programs, and activities implemented in the country, especially orphans. Besides, the office has prepared a contingency plan for its staff. The launch of the campaign came to urge the targeted people to take preventive and precautionary measures against Covid-19 to protect themselves and others. In Bangladesh, Qatar Charity’s office has taken many The office has also prepared awareness brochures and posters precautionary measures for its employees and supporters at in local languages to be displayed at all field offices and project the field level, urging them to take preventive measures against sites, in addition to conducting awareness sessions for its staff on coronavirus. The office also advised to take all adequate measures a regular basis. to maintain the safety of the orphans within the framework of their It has also developed information, education and comprehensive care. The employees use masks inside and outside communication (IEC) materials to make society, especially the office, and are urged to wash their hands with soap and water, orphans, aware of taking preventive and precautionary measures, and cover their nose and mouth with a clean tissue when coughing by following the comprehensive guidelines issued by the National and sneezing, in addition to taking other preventive measures. Institute of Health (NIH) of Pakistan. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 REGION/ARAB WORLD EU urges global aid for Iran in virus fi ght A Kuwaiti police car patrols deserted streets in Kuwait city, yesterday, a day after authorities declared a nationwide curfew amid the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. AFP Brussels US ‘should lift sanctions if it wants to help’ The United States should lift to call on their government to he EU yesterday urged the sanctions if it wants to help Iran to lift sanctions as Iran fights the Kuwait health ministry international community contain the coronavirus outbreak, coronavirus. “US is not listening, Tto send humanitarian aid Iranian President Hassan Rouhani impeding global fight against to Iran to help its coronavirus said yesterday, adding that Iran #Covid19. The only remedy: defy fi ght, arguing that such steps had no intention of accepting US mass punishment. Moral & would not breach US sanctions. Washington’s off er of humanitar- Pragmatic imperative,” Iranian reports one new virus case The bloc is preparing to send ian assistance. Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad 20mn euros’ ($21.5mn) worth of One person is dying from the Zarif tweeted yesterday. humanitarian aid to Iran, where virus every 10 minutes, according “You have blocked Iran’s oil new coronavirus has killed more to the health ministry. exports, you have stopped Iran’s QNA/Reuters cases have recovered, while hours. The country reported 45 would temporarily cut salaries than 1,800 people, making it one “American leaders are lying...If they banking transactions...Your help Kuwait calling on everyone to adhere to new cases among Western, Arab by up to 50% for a month due of the countries hit hardest by want to help Iran, all they need off er is the biggest lie in the his- the quarantine procedures and and Asian nationalities, taking to the impact on its business the pandemic. to do is to lift sanctions....Then we tory,” Rouhani said. Iran’s Army to continue to implement the its total to 198. from the coronavirus out- Josep Borrell, the EU’s chief can deal with the coronavirus out- has been ordered to set up a hos- uwait yesterday con- health guidelines. State-owned Emirates, one break, according to an internal diplomat, said Brussels would break,” Rouhani said in a televised pital with 2,000 beds in Tehran fi rmed one new coro- Saudi Arabia imposed a na- of the world’s biggest long-haul e-mail seen by Reuters. support requests for help made speech. Washington has off ered “within two days for the treatment Knavirus case during the tionwide curfew yesterday af- airlines, earlier said it would The state-owned carrier, by Iran and Venezuela — also humanitarian assistance. But the of the coronavirus patients”, the past 24 hours, Kuwait’s Health ter reporting a jump of almost stop passenger operations this which will suspend its entire heavily sanctioned — to the In- country’s top authority Supreme semi-off icial Tasnim news agency Ministry said. a quarter in coronavirus cases, week, except for some repatria- passenger network for two ternational Monetary Fund. Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on reported yesterday. The outbreak During a press conference, while the United Arab Emir- tion fl ights. weeks from tomorrow, did not “We are going to support this Sunday rejected the off er. has infected a number of senior the Health Ministry’s spokes- ates will suspend all passenger The UAE will close malls from immediately respond to a re- request because these countries Iranian authorities have blamed off icials, politicians, clerics, mem- person Dr Abdullah al-Sanad fl ights starting tomorrow, state tomorrow, exempting pharma- quest for comment. are in a very diffi cult situation US sanctions for hampering its bers of the elite Revolutionary said that the one case is for a media reported. cies, supermarkets, wholesale Executives, pilots and en- mainly due to the US sanctions eff orts to curb the outbreak and Guards and dozens of lawmakers Kuwaiti woman who recently Saudi King Salman ordered produce providers and delivery gineers will be paid half their that prevent them from having Rouhani has urged Americans in Iran. returned from the UAE, bring- a curfew from 7pm-6am for 21 services, WAM reported. basic salaries and cabin crew income by selling their oil,” Bor- ing the number of infections in days to slow the virus’ spread, Dubai said it would shut food would be paid 25% less in rell said after talks with EU for- the country to 189 cases. state media said. establishments from yesterday. April, the e-mail said. eign ministers. that Washington was unrecep- of Iran’s 31 provinces have been The spokesman revealed that Anyone breaking it will be The UAE urged the public Other employees would also Tehran and Caracas are both tive to the Islamic republic’s hit by the novel coronavirus out of the 189 in total, 30 cases fi ned 10,000 riyals ($2,665) and to stay home and Dubai police have their salaries cut and under swingeing US sanctions fi rst-ever request for a loan from outbreak. recovered and 159 are still re- repeat off enders could be jailed instructed people on the street staff would not be paid their aimed at starving their regimes the IMF, where America eff ec- Tolls provided by the health ceiving treatment, according up to 20 days. through loudspeakers to go usual transport and other job- of income, but Borrell said that tively holds a veto. ministry in recent days indi- to Kuwait News Agency (Kuna). Interior Ministry spokes- home, but Reuters journalists related allowances, it said. shipments of food, medicine and GOVT REPORTS 127 cated that the spread of the He indicated that there are fi ve man Colonel Talal Mashhoud saw joggers outside and shop- “We will need to take some medical equipment should not NEW VIRUS DEATHS virus has worsened especially cases still in the ICU. told a news conference, where pers scooping up goods at su- drastic measures to weather be aff ected. Iran yesterday announced 127 in northern and central regions Some 702 individuals had 51 new infections were an- permarkets. The country, the the storm over the next few “This has to be reaffi rmed new deaths from the novel coro- of Iran. Jahanpour renewed a fi nished the quarantine period, nounced, that security forces region’s business hub, has yet to weeks and avoid job losses because many believe that if navirus, raising the offi cial toll call by authorities for people to he affi rmed. would enforce the curfew and suspend work. as much as possible,” Etihad they participate in this kind of to 1,812 in one of the worst hit stay at home until “the virus is The Ministry of Health urged if needed “military authorities Government ministries and Chief Executive Tony Douglas humanitarian trade they can be countries along with Italy, Spain conquered”. That call has come the citizens and residents to may be called upon”. Police ve- departments, including the said in another staff e-mail. sanctioned,” he said. and China. as the Islamic republic is cel- abide by all the decisions and hicles blaring sirens and fl ash- central bank, said staff were The United Arab Emir- “This is not the case but it has Health ministry spokesman ebrating the Iranian New Year, recommendations issued by the ing emergency lights lined up asked to work remotely. ates announced earlier that it to be reaffi rmed in order for eve- Kianouche Jahanpour said 1,411 a time when people usually offi cial authorities. in one Riyadh neighbourhood, a Saudi Commerce Ministry was suspending all passenger rybody to understand that they new cases had been recorded travel far and wide across the OMAN CONFIRMS Reuters witness said, and more spokesman Abdulrahman al- flights for two weeks to con- can participate in this kind of in Iran over the past 24 hours, country for holidays and family 11 NEW CASES deployed on a highway. The Hussein told the news confer- tain the spread of the virus humanitarian help.” bringing the total of those in- reunions. Oman’s Ministry of Health six-nation Gulf Co-operation ence that pharmacies, super- that has been linked to two The EU and US have been at fected to 23,049. Authorities, however, have announced yesterday 11 new Council has recorded more markets and restaurants would deaths and infected 153 in the loggerheads over Iran since Pres- Jahanpour, who was speak- not imposed any travel ban or confi rmed cases of coronavirus than 1,800 infections and four off er delivery services during Gulf state. ident Donald Trump abruptly ing during his daily news con- lockdown on Iran where the (Covid-19), bringing the total deaths from the virus. the curfew. Etihad, which has so far withdrew from the Iranian nu- ference devoted to the pan- Nowruz holiday continues until infections to 66 cases. Saudi Arabia has the most Kuwait said it would issue suspended flights to dozens clear deal in 2018 and reimposed demic, said he would no longer April 3. On Sunday the supreme In a statement, the ministry confi rmed cases with 562. expatriate teachers exit per- of destinations because of the sanctions. give a breakdown of cases by leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that nine of the new cases The UAE, an air hub, said it mits. State news agency Kuna virus, would survive the epi- European countries have bat- province. This was necessary, urged Iranians to follow state are linked to travel abroad and would halt all passenger and later said EgyptAir would op- demic, Douglas said last week. tled to save the accord, arguing it he said, to avoid sparking un- instructions “so that Almighty contact, while the other two transit fl ights for two weeks, erate a daily flight to Cairo for The airline this month re- is the best way to prevent Tehran due concern among residents God will put an end to this ca- cases are under investigation in state news agency WAM said. a week starting tomorrow for ported an $870mn loss for acquiring the bomb. of the most stricken areas and lamity for the Iranian people, order to fi nd out their circum- Cargo operations continue. Egyptian residents who wish 2019, its fourth consecutive US Secretary of State Mike ensure that those in less affect- for all Muslim nations and for stances. It called on nationals study- to leave. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad annual loss. It has lost $5.6bn Pompeo signalled on Twitter ed zones remained cautious. All all mankind”. The ministry added that 17 ing abroad to return within 48 Airways told staff yesterday it since 2016.

Fighting Gaza virus cases attended First Covid-19 case resumes among peacekeepers in Libya conference overseas in south Lebanon

Reuters AFP DPA/Reuters rein in the coronavirus. Tunis Gaza City Beirut Confi rmed cases in the coun- try of 10mn have steadily risen within a week to 112 cases from enewed bombardments aza’s fi rst two confi rmed he United Nations In- six. There have been no deaths. were reported by both coronavirus patients terim Forces in south- Minister of State for Media Rsides in Libya yesterday Gattended a conference Tern Lebanon (UNIFIL) Amjad Adailah said the govern- after a pause in fighting that with 250,000 Muslims in Paki- said yesterday that one of its ment had made arrangements followed the main combatants stan last month that went ahead peacekeepers had tested posi- with municipal councils to de- agreeing to a ceasefire because contrary to government advice, tive for the coronavirus. liver enough bread, water, gas of the coronavirus epidemic. an offi cial and family members “The peacekeeper is in cylinders and basic medicines said yesterday. complete isolation at the UNI- across the country for the rest Libya has not yet Pakistani authorities had FIL Naqoura hospital and all of the week. confi rmed any virus cases urged the cancellation of the the precautionary measures “We have to prepare our- fi ve-day Tablighi Ijtema con- have been followed to prevent selves for a diffi cult period,” The United Nations last week gregation, or Tablighi Jamaat the further spread of the vi- Adailah told state media. backed a call for the eastern- in Arabic, hosted annually near rus,” UNIFIL spokesperson SUDAN TO IMPOSE based Libyan National Army Lahore. Andrea Tenenti said. NATIONWIDE CURBS and the internationally recog- But organisers from the A picture shows the construction site of a field hospital to house coronavirus patients in Rafah in the Declining to give the nation- Sudan will impose a nation- nised government in the capi- conservative movement ig- southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. ality of the peacekeeper, Ten- wide curfew starting today be- tal Tripoli to accept a truce and nored government advice to enti said the peacekeeper had ginning at 8pm (1800 GMT) and both sides agreed. postpone. mosh had attended the Lahore caught corona in Egypt and It described them as being in returned from a leave abroad lasting until 6am to help curb Yesterday, the LNA and It was unclear where the event. Previous statements not Pakistan, no one knows,” stable condition. Omar said his on March 15. He added that the spread of the coronavirus, residents of Tarhuna, south of two Palestinians — who re- from health officials had misi- he added. grandfather has pre-existing four other peacekeepers who a member of the ruling transi- Tripoli, said Grad rockets fi red turned to Gaza from Pakistan dentified the men as being be- He said the family had al- conditions of high blood pres- had been in direct contact with tional council said. by pro-Tripoli forces had landed via Egypt earlier this month — tween 30 and 40. ready been subjected to abuse sure and diabetes. the patient have been put un- Sudan will also halt all long- in the town. In Tripoli, offi - contracted Covid-19. “My grandfather learnt on social media and in person “I spoke to him last night on der quarantine.“Three of them haul bus trips between cities cials said an LNA missile land- But a statement from the about the conference by since the news broke. the phone and he told me he have tested negative for Cov- and states beginning on Thurs- ing near the only functioning Palestinian embassy in Is- chance from a friend while he “My little brother went to a was OK and is recovering,” he id-19, while the results of the day from 6pm local time, the airport, Mitiga, killed two and lamabad said the two attended was in Pakistan so he wanted games shop today and the own- said. fourth is pending,” he said. council member, Sadig Tawir, wounded another. Libya has not the event which took place to attend,” Tabatibi said. er told him to go home as his The United Nations has JORDAN EXTENDS said on state television. yet confi rmed any cases of the “despite the warning of the After returning from Pa- grandfather has corona.” warned that a Covid-19 out- CURFEW “All the state’s capabilities coronavirus, but international Pakistani authorities against kistan his grandfather stayed Gaza’s health ministry said break in Gaza could be disas- Jordan said yesterday it will be at the disposal of the aid agencies and local health conferences”. several days in Egypt before the two men were placed in trous, given the high poverty would extend a curfew indefi - committee to fi ght coronavi- offi cials have warned that its Omar al-Tabatibi said his taking the long journey over- quarantine immediately after rates and weak health system nitely, with supermarkets and rus,” Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, confl ict will make combating an 79-year-old grandfather Mo- land to Gaza, Tabatibi said. crossing into Gaza and did not in the coastal strip under Israeli other stores closed, and deliver the head of Sudan’s sovereign outbreak very difficult. hamed and friend Amer Dogh- “Maybe my grandfather mix with the population. blockade since 2007. food across the country to try to council, told a press conference. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 7 AFRICA DR Congo city locks down as more nations report deaths

AFP Lubumbashi

emocratic Republic of Congo’s second larg- Dest city began a 48-hour lockdown and three more Afri- can countries led by Nigeria an- International Red Cross members provide prevention advice to try to contain the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, in the Protea informal nounced coronavirus fatalities settlement in Soweto, yesterday. yesterday as the disease extend- ed its reach south of the Sahara. Security forces were deployed in the city of Lubumbashi, in southeastern DRC, where the SA virus cases jump to 402, streets were deserted and stores were closed, an AFP journalist said. The move came after two peo- ple with suspected coronavirus army prepares to deploy arrived on Sunday on a sched- uled fl ight from the capital Kin- shasa, the authorities of Haut- A peacekeeper serving in the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Katanga province said. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monusco) from India, Reuters Fast-track tests were carried washing his hands amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in Johannesburg out on them and the results were Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. positive. Samples have been sent to the outh Africa reported a National Institute for Biomedi- sharp jump in confirmed cal Research (IRNB) in Kinshasa Scoronavirus cases yes- for confi rmation, Health Minis- terday to 402, from less than ter Eteni Longondo said. 50 just over a week ago, as “A 48-hour-long total con- the army prepared to deploy fi nement has been declared over in each of the country’s nine all Haut-Katanga province as of provinces, according to an of- Monday,” Governor Jacques Ky- ficial document seen by Reu- abula said in a statement. ters. The measure “will enable the South Africa’s Health Min- authorities to identify the other ister Zweli Mkhize announced passengers aboard this plane for the steep rise in cases in a state- quarantining,” he said. ment yesterday. The plane was carrying 77 President Cyril Ramaphosa passengers, the authorities said. has declared a national state of Members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) are seen outside the Rand Light Haut-Katanga, rich in copper disaster and imposed measures Infantry Regiment Base in Craighall Park, Johannesburg, yesterday. and cobalt, is one of 26 provinces A security guard controls a crowd queuing outside a bank yesterday, such as travel bans to curb the in the DRC, the largest country in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. spread of coronavirus. provinces and two in Gauteng, three months, the memoran- army staff may arrest someone in sub-Saharan Africa. He is expected to address the which includes the capital Pre- dum said. they see committing a crime. The DRC has recorded 30 cas- which 49 have been fatal. in from neighbouring Senegal. nation later on new measures to toria and commercial hub of Siphiwe Dlamini, spokesman South Africa confi rmed its es of coronavirus since March The fi rst detected case south “He was said to have travelled mitigate its impact. Johannesburg, where roughly for the South African National fi rst coronavirus case on March 10, two of them fatalities. of the Sahara was announced in from six other countries where he A South African Army mem- half of the infections have been Defence Force, said he would 5, and analysts expect Ram- Four legislators in Kinshasa Lagos on February 28, and the was carrying out similar preach- orandum seen by Reuters yes- reported. not comment on any plans to aphosa to announce stricter yesterday urged President Felix fi rst death was reported in the ing,” the Gambian health ministry terday detailed plans to deploy The deployment will last deploy the army until Ram- measures to slow its spread in Tshisekedi to place the sprawl- Sahel state of Burkina Faso last said in a statement. at least an infantry “sub-unit” from March 23 for 21 days, but aphosa’s address. the country of around 58mn ing capital “in quarantine and Wednesday. In Zimbabwe, the ministry of to each of the country’s nine could be extended for a further The memorandum states that people. isolate it from the rest of the It was then followed by fa- health reported the death of a country.” talities in Gabon, the DRC and 30-year-old man who had trav- “We are extremely concerned Mauritius. elled to New York last month about the risk of the virus FATALITIES IN NIGERIA, and returned home on March 9, spreading as a result of travel GAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE transiting through Johannesburg from Kinshasa and the rest of the Yesterday, three more coun- in neighbouring South Africa. Ethiopia shuts land borders country,” they said. tries added to this list: Nigeria Health experts have sounded Africa has been slow to follow — the most populous country in loud and repeated warnings the terrifying rise in virus cases Africa — as well as The Gambia about Africa’s vulnerability to seen in the Middle East and Eu- in western Africa, and Zimbabwe coronavirus. AFP countries, according to its website. rope. in the south. Crowded shantytowns, poor Addis Ababa Masisi in self-quarantine Yesterday marked the fi rst day of a new The reason for this is unclear, All three deaths were of in- sanitation and decrepit health in- rule requiring all passengers arriving in but many African countries have dividuals who had arrived after frastructure off er ideal opportu- Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi has Ethiopia to be quarantined in hotels for two used the precious time to impose making extensive trips abroad. nities for the lethal microbe. thiopia yesterday shut its land bor- gone into self-quarantine after a visit to neigh- weeks at their own expense. travel restrictions, close schools The Nigerian fatality was a “The system itself is over- ders to nearly all human traffi c as part bouring Namibia, which has three coronavirus Ethiopia shares land borders with coun- and appeal for social distancing. 67-year-old man who had re- stretched and inadequate to deal Eof eff orts to curb the spread of the cases, to attend the inauguration of the new tries including Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Dji- Now, though the numbers are turned from medical treatment with a coronavirus epidemic,” coronavirus. president there, government announced. bouti and Somalia - all of which have con- now rising signifi cantly. in Britain and had cancer and Zimbabwean doctor Norman Ma- Africa’s second-most populous country Namibian President Hage Geingob was sworn fi rmed coronavirus cases. According to a toll compiled diabetes, the Nigeria Centre for tara said last week. has so far recorded just 11 infections and no in at Windhoek on Saturday. Botswana’s direc- Djibouti announced its second case yes- by AFP, the number of known Disease Control said. He said there were only eight deaths, but offi cials have struggled in re- tor of health services had placed Masisi “on terday. cases across the continent — in- The death in The Gambia was of functioning intensive care and cent days to enforce prevention measures self-isolation for a period of 14 days starting Eritrea, with one case, yesterday an- cluding North Africa — stood at an itinerant 70-year-old teacher two isolation units in the whole of including bans on large gatherings, raising March 21 following his trip to” Namibia, Bot- nounced new measures of its own including just under 1,500 yesterday, of from Bangladesh who had arrived his country. fears the tally could climb. swana government said in a statement posted a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people. The land border closure was part of a set on its Facebook page. Namibia has registered The country’s health ministry also urged of new measures announced yesterday by just three “imported cases, and is considered residents to avoid public transportation Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s offi ce. low risk for (Covid-19) transmission”, said a and said Eritreans currently living abroad Mozambique army, insurgents battle in town close to gas projects: police Soldiers will be empowered “to halt the government statement. should refrain from returning. movement of people along all borders, with Ethiopia’s refugee population of more Mozambique’s army is battling insurgents in a town in located. The town was until recently the main airport the exception of incoming essential goods than 735,000 includes large numbers from the country’s north, close to billion-dollar gas projects for workers travelling to the site, until a landing strip to the country,” a statement said. media for holding large meetings in various neighbouring South Sudan, Somalia, Erit- being developed by Exxon Mobil and Total, police was built at Afungi itself, and its port is also used for Security forces will also play a role in en- parts of the country where attendees have rea and Sudan. said. some cargo deliveries for the projects. forcing existing measures prohibiting large sat close together. The UN refugee agency UNHCR has The General Commander of Mozambique’s police, “Mocimboa da Praia is currently an active combat gatherings and meetings, it added. Yesterday’s statement said political par- voiced concern about how border restric- Bernardino Rafael, said that the insurgents attacked zone,” Rafael told reporters at the police headquarters Ethiopia has so far refrained from impos- ties would “adhere to social distancing and tions implemented to fi ght the coronavirus Mocimboa da Praia and its army barracks before in Maputo. The army was doing all it could to restore ing the kind of shutdown seen in other East preventative measures when convening could aff ect the rights of asylum seekers. dawn yesterday, wounding dozens of people. security and warning people to stay away, he said. The African countries like Rwanda and Mauri- meetings.” The UN “requests that measures be put Mocimboa da Praia is about 350km by road from insurgents started staging attacks in Cabo Delgado in tius. Ethiopia has kept its main airport open in place to take into account access to ter- the city of Pemba in Mozambique’s northernmost 2017, threatening security in a nation set to become a But even its more limited measures have for international flights, although Ethio- ritory of asylum seekers for those fl eeing province of Cabo Delgado and is just south of the global gas exporter following one of the biggest gas not been fully enforced, and Abiy’s Pros- pian Airlines has been forced to suspend persecution,” said Ann Encontre, UNHCR’s Afungi peninsula, where gas projects worth $60bn are finds in a decade off shore of the province. perity Party has been criticised on social services to destinations in nearly 40 Ethiopia representative, yesterday. Malawi to hold vote re-run on July 2: electoral commission

AFP 3 that nullifi ed the presiden- The court said the poll results to secure a second term. tion. But the law that we are us- supporters in the capital Lilong- tation of the election calendar Blantyre tial elections and ordered that were fraught with widespread The proposed victory thresh- ing is as it was in 2019. That is we. On his side, Mutharika’s will be subject to mitigation of there should be fresh elections, irregularities - in particular the old is a major sticking point for the law that we are following,” Democratic Progressive Party the impact of the coronavirus the commission...therefore an- “massive” use of correction fl uid Mutharika, who was declared she said. To boost their chances earlier this month partnered including travel embargoes and alawians will return to nounces that the elections will on tally sheets. It ordered the winner with just 35.8% of the in the next vote, the country’s with the small opposition United shutdown of election materi- the polls on July 2 for be held on July 2,” electoral com- holding of fresh polls within 150 vote. Ansah said if the president two main opposition parties last Democratic Front, which placed als production companies,” said Ma presidential election mission chief Jane Ansah told a days, but Mutharika is appeal- does not approve the new laws week inked an electoral pact. fourth last year. Ansah. re-run ordered by the country’s news conference. ing the ruling. His petition will before polling date, the electoral The Malawi Congress Party The impoverished southern It is the fi rst time a presidential top court, which annulled last In a landmark ruling last be heard by the Supreme Court commission would press ahead (MCP) and United Transforma- African country has not yet re- election has been challenged on year’s vote results because of ir- month, the Constitutional Court starting April 15. and organise the election on the tion Movement (UTM) - which corded any Covid-19 case, but legal grounds in Malawi since in- regularities, the electoral com- overturned the outcome of the The president has so far re- basis of existing laws. came second and third respec- there are fears the spreading vi- dependence from Britain in 1964 mission announced yesterday. May 21 election, which handed fused to sign off proposed elec- “If the law has been assented tively in last year’s polls - signed rus could threaten the staging of and only the second vote result “Following the Constitu- President Peter Mutharika a sec- toral law amendments that re- by the president, then we would an electoral alliance at a cer- the fresh elections. to be cancelled in Africa after the tional Court ruling on February ond term in offi ce. quire a more than 50% majority have been in a diff erent situa- emony attended by thousands of “The successful implemen- 2017 Kenya presidential vote. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 AMERICAS

Top court lets states Senate looks to strike deal bar insanity defence Reuters Washington

he US Supreme Court yesterday limited the on massive relief package rights of criminal defendants, declaring that Tstates can bar them from using the so-called insanity defence in a ruling involving a Kansas man sentenced to death for killing four members of his Reuters Parliament recalled to family. The justices ruled 6-3 that a 1995 Kansas Washington Ottawa in health crisis law eliminating the insanity defence — which bars Sign of the times holding criminally responsible mentally impaired Ottawa will recall parliament, defendants who do not know right from wrong — epublicans and Democrats suspended due to the coronavirus did not violate the US Constitution. in the US Senate yesterday pandemic, to vote on emergency The justices affi rmed a 2018 decision by the Kan- Rstruggled to reach agreement economic aid measures, Canadian sas Supreme Court upholding the conviction of the on a far-reaching coronavirus stim- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said man at the centre of the case, James Kraig Kahler. ulus package after failing to reach a on Sunday. Under the Kansas law, defendants cannot argue deal in talks that stretched through Trudeau last week announced they were insane and unable to make a moral judg- the weekend. a C$82bn (US$57bn) aid package, ment as an excuse to criminal liability. But the law Republicans accused Democrats which included C$27bn in direct allowed defendants to argue that, due to mental of obstructing government assist- aid to help workers and businesses defect, they did not intend to commit the crime. ance in the middle of a national cope with the economic impact of In a ruling authored by liberal Justice Elena Ka- emergency after the bill stalled on the new coronavirus. gan, the court rejected the argument that the Con- Sunday. Additionally, he said tax pay- stitution’s guarantee of due process requires the Democrats said the package was ments worth an estimated C$55bn acquittal of any defendant who is unable to tell overly weighted toward corporate would be deferred until August. right from wrong. “Contrary to Kahler’s view, Kan- interests at the expense of health- The spread of the virus has sas takes account of mental health at both trial and care workers, hospitals and state slowly accelerated over the past sentencing. It has just not adopted the particular and local governments. few days in Canada, which had insanity defence Kahler would like. That choice is But Trump administration of- recorded nearly 1,400 cases and 19 for Kansas to make,” Kagan wrote. fi cials said they were close to an deaths as of Sunday. Kahler used a high-powered rifl e in 2009 to shoot agreement on the package, which During a press briefing, Trudeau his wife and two teenage daughters at the home they said carried a $2tn price tag. announced that the federal parlia- of his wife’s grandmother, who he also killed. He “We knocked off a bunch of things ment would be recalled today spared his son, who was 9-year-old at the time. on the list already and we’re closing around midday to vote on the Kahler carried out the killings the weekend after the in on issues,” Treasury Secretary Ste- emergency measures. Thanksgiving Day holiday and months after his wife ven Mnuchin told reporters yester- “These are only a very first step,” fi led for divorce and he had been fi red from his job. day morning after exiting the offi ce Trudeau told reporters outside his Kahler was diagnosed with major depression and of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck house, where he and his family are obsessive personality disorder. A psychiatric expert Schumer. He did not give specifi cs. self-isolating after his wife Sophie hired by the defence said Kahler’s illness was so se- Both sides remained confi dent a was diagnosed with the Covid-19 vere he “lost control” of his actions. He was con- deal could still be reached swiftly, illness. victed of murder and sentenced to death in 2011. and Republican President Donald “We’re looking now at what Kagan sided with the court’s fi ve conservatives in Trump warned that a rattled Ameri- those next steps are to ensure that the majority, with her three liberal colleagues dissent- can public would take a dim view of our economy is able to pick up ing. Writing in dissent, liberal Justice Stephen Breyer an impasse. again once we’re through this. It is said he agreed with the majority that states have broad “The only reason a deal couldn’t likely to take months before we’re leeway in implementing the insanity defence. “But get done is pure politics,” Trump fully through this,” he added. here, Kansas has not simply redefi ned the insanity de- had said on Sunday. When asked if the government fence. Rather, it has eliminated the core of a defence The bill is Congress’ third eff ort to intended to impose mandatory that has existed for centuries,” Breyer wrote. blunt the economic toll of a disease quarantine measures, Trudeau said Idaho, Montana and Utah have like Kansas dis- that has killed at least 428 people in the move had not been ruled out. carded the traditional insanity defence, while 45 the United States and sickened more Such a decision under the other states, the federal criminal justice system and than 34,000, leading state governors rarely used Emergency Measures the District of Columbia have retained it. Alaska to order nearly a third of the nation’s Act, which restricts civil liberties, includes elements of both approaches. population to stay at home and putting should be made only “when we’ve A staff member of the Mar Vista Farmer’s Market makes sure people stay 6ft apart from each other using a Kahler’s lawyers argued that the Kansas law too much business activity on hold. exhausted all other steps,” he said. bullhorn and a 6ft pole in Mar Vista, California. easily punished people who are insane because The measure includes fi nancial even mentally ill individuals can intend to commit aid for regular Americans, small a crime even if they do not understand it is wrong. businesses and critically aff ected The speaker of the House of Repre- In a tweet late on Sunday, Trump after the president spent several ity,” Schlapp said in a tweet. Kansas argued that states should have the freedom industries, including airlines. sentatives, Nancy Pelosi, said Demo- tweeted: “We cannot let the cure weeks playing down the risks. Former Republican Senator Bob to determine the extent to which mental illness Before a Senate procedural vote crats in that chamber would begin be worse than the problem itself,” One source said Trump began Corker of Tennessee, who was fre- should excuse criminal behaviour. on Sunday, Senate Democratic crafting an alternative bill should the adding that at the end of the 15-day talking privately late last week about quently at odds with Trump, backed As part of the court’s adjusted operations in response Leader Schumer said more money Senate not reach an agreement. shutdown period, “we will make a reopening the country after the 15- Trump. “I agree 100%, @realDon- to the coronavirus pandemic, the ruling was issued on- was needed for community health In a sign of the disease’s spread, decision as to which way we want day shutdown because he is worried aldTrump,” Corker tweeted. line only along with three others in a departure from the centres, nursing homes, masks, Republican Senator Rand Paul said to go.” about the economic damage from Nearly one in three Americans normal practice of having the justices sit in their court- ventilators, personal protective on Sunday he had tested positive. Re- Trump issued guidelines a week shuttering the economy. was under orders on Sunday to stay room to announce their opinions from the bench. equipment and aid to state and local publican Senators Mike Lee and Mitt ago he said aimed to slow the spread Trump believes “we are strong and home to slow the spread of the virus governments. Romney said they would self-quaran- of the disease over 15 days, prompt- need a strong economy as we deal as Ohio, Louisiana and Delaware be- Republicans said Democrats were tine as a result, which will likely keep ing much economic activity to stop. with this crisis,” the source said. came the latest states to enact broad seeking to add unrelated provisions, them off the fl oor for further votes. Trump, who had hoped to build Matt Schlapp, a Trump ally and restrictions, along with the city such as expanded tax credits for Meanwhile, two sources familiar his campaign of the November 3 chairman of the American Conserv- of Philadelphia. They joined New Biden ponders running wind and solar power and increased with the situation said yesterday election on a booming US economy, ative Union, backed Trump. York, California, Illinois, Connecti- leverage for labour unions. Trump is privately expressing con- now is looking at the potential of “I think it is soon becoming time cut and New Jersey, home to 101mn Negotiations between the two cern at the damage the coronavirus millions of jobs lost. to have old and/or sick people take Americans combined. mates, consults Obama sides, along with Treasury Secretary shutdown is doing to the US econo- His administration has been every precaution and healthy peo- Cases of the coronavirus in the Mnuchin, went deep into night on my and is debating whether it can be pushing for aggressive steps to stem ple go back to work forever changed United States have topped 32,000, Reuters Sunday. safely reopened. the economic hit of the epidemic, w(ith) new habits in a grimmer real- with more than 415 dead. New York

emocratic presidential front-runner Joe Bi- den said on Sunday he needed to start vet- Dting possible running mates “in a matter of US axed CDC expert’s job in China months before outbreak weeks” and that he discussed the pick with former president Barack Obama. By Marisa Taylor, Reuters after Quick left in July, according to have a resident adviser “started well After the epidemic exploded and already withdrawn many technical Biden’s vice presidential options will include at Washington the sources. before last summer and was due to China had imposed strict quarantines, public health experts,” the same least six or seven women who will be subjected to Zhu said an embedded expert can China’s excellent technical capability Trump administration off icials com- expert said. background checks to ensure there will not “be any often get word of outbreaks early, and maturity of the program.” plained that the Chinese had censored The CDC, however, disputed that snafu,” he told donors at a fundraising event held Several months before the corona- after forming close relationships with The CDC said it has assigned two of information about the outbreak and staff ing was a problem or that its infor- by telephone. virus pandemic began, the Trump Chinese counterparts. its Chinese employees as “mentors” to that the United States had been un- mation had been limited by the move. “I have to start that vetting process relatively administration eliminated a key Zhu and the other sources said help with the training program. able to get American disease experts “It was not the staff ing shortage that soon, meaning in a matter of weeks,” he said. “I American public health position Quick could have provided real-time The agency did not respond to into the country to help contain the limited our ability” it said. think there will be a group that is in excess of six or in Beijing intended to help detect information to US and other off icials questions about the mentors’ specific spread. The US CDC team in Beijing now seven people who I’ll look at.” disease outbreaks in China, Reuters around the world during the first role or expertise. Azar told CNN on February 14 that includes three American citizens in Biden said at a Democratic debate last week that has learned. weeks of the outbreak, when they The CDC would not make Quick, he and Redfield off icially off ered to permanent roles, an additional Ameri- he would pick a woman for the job, a qualifi cation The American disease expert, a said the Chinese government tamped who still works for the agency, avail- send a CDC team into China on Janu- can who is temporary and around 10 he reiterated on Sunday. medical epidemiologist embedded down on the release of information able for comment. ary 6 but still had not received permis- Chinese nationals, the agency said. Biden also emphasized that the woman would in China’s disease control agency, and provided erroneous assess- Asked for comment on Chinese sion for them to enter the country. Of the Americans, one is an influ- have to agree with his fundamental view on poli- left her post in July, according to ments. transparency and responsiveness HHS oversees the CDC. enza expert with expertise in respira- cies, including healthcare, education and the need four sources with knowledge of the Quick left amid a bitter US trade to the outbreak, China’s Ministry of “Dr Redfield and I made the off er on tory disease. Covid-19 is not influenza, for expansive US infl uence in the world. issue. dispute with China when she learned Foreign Aff airs referred Reuters to January 6 — 60,000 cases and 1,300 though it can cause severe respiratory He said he shared that kind of common ground The first cases of the new corona- her federally funded post, off icially remarks by spokesman Geng Shuang deaths ago,” Azar said. illness. with Obama — whom he served as vice president — virus may have emerged as early as known as resident adviser to the US on Friday. “We made the off er to send the The CDC team, aside from Quick, although they sometimes diff ered on tactics. November, and as cases exploded, Field Epidemiology Training Program Geng said the country “has CDC experts in to assist their Chinese was housed at US Embassy facilities. Above all, the person would need to be qualifi ed the Trump administration in Febru- in China, would be discontinued as of adopted the strictest, most compre- colleagues to get to the bottom of No American CDC staff er besides to serve as president immediately. ary chastised China for censoring September, the sources said. hensive, and most thorough preven- key scientific questions like, how Quick was embedded with China’s dis- “I’ve actually talked to Barack about this — the information about the outbreak and The US CDC said it first learned of a tion and control measures in an open, transmissible is this disease? What is ease control agency, the sources said. most important thing is that it has to be someone keeping US experts from entering the “cluster of 27 cases of pneumonia” of transparent, and responsible manner, the severity? What is the incubation In 2007, Dr Robert Fontaine, a CDC who, the day after they’re picked, is prepared to be country to help. unexplained origin in Wuhan, China, and informed the (World Health period and can there be asympto- epidemiologist and one of the longest president of the United States of America if some- “It was heartbreaking to watch,” on December 31. Organization) and relevant countries matic transmission?” serving US off icials in the adviser’s thing happened,” said Biden, 77. said Bao-Ping Zhu, a Chinese Ameri- Since then, the outbreak of the and regions of the latest situation in a Days later, the World Health Organi- position, received China’s highest Biden holds a strong lead over Senator Bernie can who served in that role, which was disease, now known as Covid-19 has timely manner.” zation secured permission to send a honor for outstanding contributions Sanders, his lone remaining rival for the party’s funded by the US Centers for Disease spread rapidly worldwide, killing more Alex Azar, secretary of Health team that included two US experts. to public health due to his contribu- nomination to face Republican President Donald Control and Prevention, between than 13,600 people, infecting more and Human Services (HHS) said last The team visited between February tion as a foreigner in helping to detect Trump in November’s election. 2007 and 2011. than 317,000. week that his agency learned of the 16 and 24. and investigate clusters of pneumonia Sidelined from campaigning in public because “If someone had been there, public During a press briefing on Sunday coronavirus in early January, based on By then, China had reported more of unknown cause. of the coronavirus crisis that has put nearly one health off icials and governments shortly after this story was first Redfield’s conversations with “Chinese than 75,000 cases. But since last year, Frieden and oth- in three Americans under orders to stay at home, across the world could have moved published, President Donald Trump colleagues.” On February 25, the first day the ers said, growing tensions between Biden said he would start broadcasting from his much faster.” dismissed the Reuters report as simi- Redfield learned that “this looks to CDC told the American public to the Trump administration and China’s home in Delaware. Zhu and the other sources said the lar to other stories regarding the CDC be a novel coronavirus” from Dr Gao prepare for an outbreak at home, leadership have apparently damaged Those briefi ngs will give Biden a way to off er an American expert, Dr Linda Quick, was that he described as “100% wrong,” Fu, the head of the China CDC, accord- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the collaboration. alternative to the daily news conferences on the a trainer of Chinese field epidemi- without addressing whether the role ing to an HHS administration off icial, accused China of mishandling the “The message from the adminis- coronavirus held by Trump, whose disaster re- ologists who were deployed to the had been eliminated. who spoke on condition of anonymity. epidemic through its “censorship” of tration was, ‘Don’t work with China, sponse Biden has criticized. epicenter of outbreaks to help track, US CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield “Dr Redfield always talked to Dr medical professionals and media. they’re our rival,’” Frieden said. Biden added that the election should move for- investigate and contain diseases. maintained the agency’s presence in Gao,” the off icial said. Relations between the two coun- Trump’s re-election campaign sent ward as scheduled amid concerns the coronavirus As an American CDC employee, China “is actually being augmented as Zhu and other sources said US tries have deteriorated since then, as out a statement on Sunday evening may not be fully contained by November. they said, Quick was in an ideal we speak,” without elaborating. leaders should not have been relying Trump has labeled the coronavirus dismissing controversy about the A number of states have already pushed back position to be the eyes and ears on In a statement to Reuters before on the China CDC director for alerts the “Chinese virus” — a description CDC’S cut as a matter of politics. presidential nominating contests because of the the ground for the United States and the report was published, the CDC and updates. the Chinese have condemned as “Democrats are eager to politicize outbreak. “I know there’s a lot of rumours and other countries on the coronavirus said the elimination of the adviser In general, they said, off icials in stigmatizing. the coronavirus crisis and weaponize speculation as to, is the other guy going to try to outbreak, and might have alerted position did not hinder Washington’s China downplayed the severity of The decision to eliminate Quick’s it against President Trump, the state- postpone the election in November and all that. them to the growing threat weeks ability to get information and “had the outbreak in the early weeks and job came as the CDC has scaled ment said. There’s no need to do that,” Biden said. earlier. absolutely nothing to do with CDC not did not acknowledge evidence of back the number of US staffers “In so doing, they’re siding with “You know, we voted in the middle of the Civil No other foreign disease experts learning of cases in China earlier.” person-to-person transmission until in China over the last two years, the Chinese and providing cover for War, we voted in the middle of World War I and II. were embedded to lead the program The agency said its decision not to January 20. the sources told Reuters. “We had Beijing’s cover-up.” “The idea of postponing the electoral process seems to me out of the question.” Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 9 ASIA

Lanka briefl y Indonesia invokes emergency eases curfew measures to check virus spread

IANS Colombo Reuters mainly concentrated in Jakarta, Jakarta whose governor on Friday ad- mitted medical staff were al- arring eight districts, the ready getting over-stretched. Sri Lankan government ndonesia’s capital Jakarta Widodo said doctors and Byesterday temporarily lift- shut cinemas and other pub- other medical staff would re- ed the nationwide curfew it had Ilic entertainment yester- ceive bonuses ranging from 5mn imposed as a preventive measure day at the start of a two-week rupiah to 15mn rupiah ($300- against the spread of the novel emergency period to try to slow $900) per month in regions that coronavirus in the island nation. the accelerating spread of the have declared an emergency. On March 20, the government coronavirus in southeast Asia’s Aside from Jakarta, the East imposed the police curfew until biggest city. Java region has also declared an 6am yesterday, reports the Daily The new measures, which emergency. Mirror newspaper. include urging people to work The president has so far re- Later the government de- from home, still fall short of sisted calls for tougher lock- cided to extended the curfew in the tougher lockdowns imposed downs due to concerns about the the eight districts - Colombo, by neighbours amid concerns impact on businesses and the Gampha, Puttalam, Mannar, among some experts that the poor, many of whom are vendors Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilino- archipelago of 260mn people is plying their trade on the streets. chchi and Jaff na - until 6am not doing enough to contain the The normally traffi c-clogged today. virus. streets of the city of 10mn were During the weekend, a total of National police spokesman far quieter than usual yester- 1,589 persons were arrested or Mohamed Iqbal said 465,000 day and student volunteers at violating the curfew, police said. police across Indonesia would a crossing on a major road held As of yesterday, Sri Lanka disperse any public gatherings up signs urging people to avoid has reported a total of 82 con- “for the sake of public safety” crowds and stay home. fi rmed coronavirus cases with no though a photograph posted on But Rocky Margiano Siman- fatalities. social media of a packed com- juntak, 23, posted a photograph Rise in domestic violences muter train in Jakarta quickly on social media from inside a cases: The emergency unit of went viral. packed early morning train on his Colombo’s National Hospital has President Joko Widodo yes- way to work in the city at a bank. witnessed a rise in the number terday off ered his condolences “Government policies seem of domestic violence cases amid after a medical association said to be only half measures, just the nationwide curfew, a media six doctors and nurses had died an appeal,” Simanjuntak told report said. after contracting the virus. Reuters via a message on his In- Head nurse Pushpa De Soysa “I would like to thank them stagram account, adding that told the Daily Financial Times on for their hard work, for their public transport should not be Sunday that the rise in numbers dedication in dealing with Cov- limited unless authorities en- was seen since the curfew was id-19,” said Widodo, speaking forced rules to make people stay imposed on March 20. at the opening of an emergency at home. “I have spoken to several of hospital on the site of the “Ath- The commuter train company these women who come for lete’s Village” built for the 2018 in a statement promised to re- treatment. They have been man- Asian Games in Jakarta. turn to normal operations to al- handled or beaten up by their Indonesia has confi rmed 514 leviate such crushes, but urged Indonesian soldiers and health off icers prepare to move boxes of medical supplies from China’s government into a truck at the Halim Perdanakusuma spouses,” she added. cases of the virus and 48 deaths, passengers to stay home. airport in Jakarta yesterday.

Workers leave as Thailand intensifi es Nepal’s remittance economy under threat measures against coronavirus due to coronavirus

DPA named, told DPA over the phone. Reuters Kathmandu Migrant workers are the pil- Bangkok lars of Nepal’s economy, with remittance contributing nearly t least 40,000 Nepali mi- 30% of the country’s GDP. ens of thousands of mi- grant workers who were Yesterday, Nepal closed its grant workers left Thai- Amaking fi nal prepara- border with neighbouring In- Tland for neighbouring tions to leave Nepal to work in dia and China for a week, hours countries after new restrictions various countries have been left after the Himalayan nation also were announced at the week- languishing, many with visas suspended all international pas- end and the country prepared to and plane tickets in their hands, senger fl ights in a bid to prevent close many land border cross- due to widespread international a possible coronavirus outbreak. ings late yesterday to curb the travel restrictions brought in All cross-border movements coronavirus outbreak. because of the coronavirus. will be restricted for a week from At the same time, Thai work- Bishnu Gaire, president of 10am (0415 GMT) until midnight ers from the countryside were Nepal’s Association of Foreign March 29, Finance Minister Yu- also fl eeing Bangkok after de- Employment Agencies, the um- baraj Khatiwada said. partment stores, malls, dine-in brella organisation of overseas “The supply of essential goods restaurants, salons and other job placement agencies, said will continue as usual. The lock- public places were ordered that the stranded include mi- down of the borders could be closed over the weekend. grants who had come home on extended further following dia- Thai authorities have urged leave and people who were set to logue [with India and China],” workers not to rush out of the go abroad for the fi rst time. Khatiwada told reporters after a cities in large numbers and to “Most of them were planning to cabinet meeting on Sunday. stay put in order to curb the go to Malaysia and the countries in Nepal shares borders with Chi- spread of the disease. the Gulf. A few others were await- na on its northern side and with “The mass travelling will in- ing their fl ights for Japan and Eu- India on the other three sides. crease the spread of the virus,” ropean countries,” Gaire said. The border lockdown with said Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, Before the coronavirus out- its neighbours comes into eff ect a senior adviser to the Thai break, around 1,100 Nepali work- just hours after Nepal suspended Health Ministry. ers were leaving the country each all international fl ights, except Many land border crossings day in search of employment, ac- cargo and emergency ones and between Thailand and neigh- cording to Bholanath Guragain, a passenger fl ights to evacuate for- bouring countries will be open spokesman for Nepal’s Depart- eigners stranded in the country. until late on Monday, allowing ment of Foreign Employment. Nepal had only one confi rmed migrant workers to leave the “The Covid-19 [the respiratory patient with the new coronavi- country, a Thai interior ministry illness caused by the new coro- rus, who has since recovered. offi cial said. navirus] is having a huge impact However, the government has “Because many migrant Passengers wait to board buses with their belongings as thousands of migrant workers try to leave the Thai capital for their home provinces on migrants,” he said. taken several measures includ- workers are wanting to leave we amid concerns over the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, at Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok yesterday. Following the outbreak nearly ing the cancellation of all climb- will allow them to do so for just all labour-receiving countries have ing and trekking permits, the one day,” an interior offi cial who Thai authorities started to Bangkok and major Thai cities Some 7,000 workers from My- their own country,” he said. stopped admitting foreign workers, closure of educational institu- does not wish to be named said. shut some border crossings which started on Sunday, have anmar left Thailand on Sunday Authorities in Myanmar, Laos while migrants are facing uncer- tions and all frontline services “Tomorrow all crossings will last week, aiming to close all 91 led hundreds of migrant workers alone, joining thousands who and Cambodia have told return- tainty due to the gradual lockdown of excluding emergency services to be closed,” he said. crossing points with Laos, My- to head for the border. have left since last Wednesday, ing workers to self-isolate for 14 industrial corridors by several coun- prevent an outbreak. Thailand is estimated to have anmar, Cambodia and Malaysia “They cannot survive here said Ye Min from the Aid Alli- days. tries in the Gulf and Malaysia, the top Hundreds of thousands of inter- 4-5mn migrant workers, main- on Monday, allowing only trucks without income so many decided ance committee, a non-profi t Thailand now has 721 coro- recipients of Nepali labourers. nal migrants have fl ed Kathmandu ly from Laos, Myanmar and carrying goods to go through. to leave immediately,” said Suth- that helps migrant workers in navirus cases after recording “My company has stopped in the last few days due to panic Cambodia. Stern measures, including a asinee Kaewleklai, coorindator Thailand. 122 new cases yesterday. One work and told us to remain in- over the novel virus, according to Laos and Myanmar have yet to 22-day closure of department of the Migrant Workers Rights “People worried that they will has died since the start of the doors,” a Gulf-based Nepali Kathmandu’s Traffi c Police Super- report cases of coronavirus. stores and many businesses in Network. get stuck. So, they came back to outbreak. worker, who refused to be intendent Raj Kumar Baidawar.

Bangladesh to mobilise troops to counter Covid-19 Bangladeshi dies from virus in Gambia

DPA in taking precautionary meas- ing to decide on anti-Covid-19 Earlier in the day, the state- An itinerant imam from Bangladesh received yesterday. by ambulance to a hospital. Dhaka ures and ensuring social dis- measures. run Institute of Epidemiology, has died in The Gambia after The Bangladeshi visitor was given Authorities are searching for tancing,” government spokes- All public and private offi ces Disease Control and Research preaching in several other lodging in the residence of the people with whom he had man Khandaker Anwarul Islam will be closed from Thursday (IEDCR) announced the third countries, becoming the tiny West Bundung mosque in a suburb of the contact and notifying the other angladesh will deploy said. until April 4, he said, urging all death from the novel coronavi- African nation’s first coronavirus capital Banjul, the statement said. countries he visited. army soldiers nationwide They will also help arrange people to stay in their homes rus and six more new infections, fatality, the health ministry said. “He was said to have travelled Gambian authorities are also Bduring a 10-day holiday the treatment of patients and except for collecting emergency raising the number of patients The preacher, aged 70, was The from six other countries where looking for some 15 people to ensure social distancing after put suspects into isolation, he supplies. to 33. Gambia’s second recorded case he was carrying out similar who fled from a hotel where the densely-populated South added. Emergency utility services, On Sunday, the government of Covid-19. preaching,” it said. they had been quarantined as Asian country reported its third The troops will be mobilised markets and pharmacies will be postponed national exams. He arrived from neighbouring Suff ering from diabetes, he went a precautionary measure after Covid-19 death. to the fi eld today for an indefi - excluded from the ban, while More than 1mn higher sec- Senegal on March 13, it said in to a Banjul health centre and died flying in from Britain, the health “The troops will be deployed nite period, Islam told a news public transport will be operated ondary-level students had been a statement dated Sunday and on Friday while being transferred ministry said. (AFP) to assist the local administration conference after a cabinet meet- only on a limited scale. registered for the exams. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA New Zealand at highest alert level, prepares to enter lockdown

Reuters needed to save lives and slow the for the next four weeks. country of 5mn people would ry alert level. The move comes biggest intraday percentage drop ing the cap on the wage subsidy Wellington virus. Police Chief Mike Bush said move into alert level 3 nation- after neighbouring Australia, ever. scheme, which will inject a fur- “We are all now preparing to more offi cers will be seen across wide, and after 48 hours it will which has thousands of Cov- The Reserve Bank of New Zea- ther NZ$4 billion into the econ- go into self isolation as a nation,” the country to make sure in- be at the highest level 4. New id-19 cases, started lockdown land (RBNZ) announced quanti- omy over the next eleven weeks. ew Zealand said yester- Ardern said in a news conference, structions are followed and order Zealand has already closed its measures on Monday, but has tative easing earlier on Monday He announced temporary day it will move to its adding that tens of thousands of is maintained. borders to foreigners. stopped short of self-isolation. as it decided to buy up NZ$30bn support for mortgage holders, Nhighest alert level im- New Zealanders could die with- “We don’t want to get to a Ardern said all bars, restau- Schools will be closed from ($17bn) worth of government a business fi nance guarantee posing self-isolation, with all- out these measures. People lined place where we need to enforce rants, cafes, gyms, cinemas, Tuesday, except for children of bonds to off set the impact of the scheme and a freeze on all rent non-essential services, schools up outside supermarkets shortly these instructions, but we will if pools, museums, libraries, play- essential workers such as our coronavirus. increases. “We cannot guaran- and offi ces to be shut over the after the announcement to stack required,” Bush told reporters. grounds and any other place doctors, nurses, ambulance driv- Last week, the RBNZ slashed tee to stop all job losses, but we next 48 hours as the number of up essentials, despite assurances The number of coronavirus where the public congregate ers and police. Schools will close rates by 75 basis points and are doing our best to cushion the coronavirus cases more than from the government that there cases in New Zealand shot up to must close their face-to-face entirely from midnight Wednes- the government rolled out a blow,” Robertson said. double. were suffi cient supplies and 102, more than double since Fri- function. day. Workplaces were asked to NZ$12.1bn fi scal stimulus pack- New Zealand’s opposition Na- Prime Minister Jacinda Ard- stores will remain open. day, as the country reported 36 She said supermarkets, doc- implement alternative ways of age to support businesses and tional Party said it had put on ern said the decisions will place Crowds were also expected new infections. New Zealand has tors, pharmacies, service sta- working. citizens. hold its campaign for a general the most signifi cant restriction at domestic airports as New had no deaths. tions, access to essential bank- New Zealand’s stock market Finance Minister Grant Rob- election on Sept 19 Ardern said on New Zealanders’ movements Zealanders return home before Ardern said the cabinet agreed ing services will all be available reacted immediately to the an- ertson said further support will there was no impact on the elec- in modern history, but it was complete lockdown takes eff ect that eff ective immediately, the throughout New Zealand at eve- nouncement plunging 10% to come soon, including remov- tion for now.

Back to Australian virus cases spike work in

Reuters rison told parliament. Mor- China Sydney rison said the immense health and economic challenges of the global pandemic would be the Covid-19 ustralians began living “toughest year of our lives” and under strict new lock- warned Australians to prepare Adown rules yesterday as for shutdowns that could last six epicentre coronavirus cases topped 1,600 months. and authorities denied entry to a Despite warnings to practice cruise ship carrying hundreds on social distancing, thousands AFP board complaining of respiratory fl ocked to Sydney’s Bondi Beach Beijing illnesses. As new restrictions and frequented bars and restau- closing non-essential services rants over the weekend. Morri- came into eff ect, there were clear son said the new measures were eople in central China signs of economic and social needed to enforce social distanc- where the coronavirus was stress with long queues forming ing, and more draconian meas- Pfi rst detected are allowed outside offi ces of the main wel- ures could be enacted down the to go back to work and public fare agency across the country. line. Supermarkets, pharmacies, transport is restarting, as some After reporting only a gradual freight and retail will continue normality slowly returns after a spread in January, the number of to trade, while cafes and restau- two-month lockdown. Covid-19 cases in Australia now rants will only be able to off er The easing of restrictions in appears to be tracking the much takeaway and delivery services. Wuhan city comes as Chinese sharper increases seen elsewhere The economic fallout of the health offi cials reported yes- with the most populous states of crisis was visible on the streets terday no new local cases of the New South Wales and Victoria yesterday with hundreds of Aus- deadly virus, but confi rmed an- recording the fastest rises. tralians lining up outside gov- other 39 infections brought from Most states have now closed ernment offi ces in Sydney and overseas. their borders to travellers from Melbourne to register for social Wuhan residents considered other parts of the country and security payments. Many tried to healthy can move around the city eff ected their own lockdown practice social distancing as lines and take the bus or metro so long laws, in addition to the national stretched around the block. The as they show ID, offi cials said. curbs announced on Sunday. website for government welfare They can also go back to work Western Australia yesterday services crashed, overwhelmed if they have a permit from their banned passengers on board the by an “unprecedented” number employer, and leave the city for Swiss-owned MSC Magnifi ca of online queries. A health worker talks to visitors at a Covid-19 testing centre in Sydney yesterday. other parts of the surrounding cruise ship from disembarking. The benchmark index plunged Hubei province after being test- Of 1,700 passengers on board the more than 8% at the open, a day ed for the virus and receiving a ship, more than 250 have com- after the government pledged an health certifi cate. plained of respiratory illnesses. It extra A$66.4bn to combat the The virus, which emerged in was due to dock at Western Aus- impact of the disease. a market that sold wild animals tralia’s Fremantle port as early as Several states have imple- in December, sparked a dramatic Monday evening. mented strict measures to com- lockdown of the city on Janu- That decision comes days after bat the outbreak, with Queens- ary 23 that was then widened to 2,700 passengers disembarked land, Tasmania, South Australia the rest of the province of nearly from the Ruby Princess cruise and Western Australia tightening 60mn people. ship in Sydney harbour, with 48 domestic border controls, while Since then infections have on board subsequently testing the school term was cut short slowed dramatically and for fi ve positive for the virus. “I will not in Victoria. In New Zealand, straight days there have been no allow what happened in Sydney Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern new cases in Hubei. to happen here,” West Australian said measures to contain the vi- Another nine people died in Premier Mark McGowan said. rus would be intensifi ed, with Wuhan, the National Health “We will not allow passengers all schools closed from today Commission said Monday in its or crew to wander the streets.” A and non-essential services shut latest update. spokesman for MSC Cruises did in the next 48 hours. Ardern The easing of restrictions fol- not immediately respond to re- said the country had a “unique lows Chinese President Xi Jin- quests for comment. window” to “break the chain of ping’s visit to the city earlier this New measures designed to community transmission”. month — his fi rst since the crisis minimise the spread of the vi- In the neighbouring Pacifi c is- erupted. As the rate of infection rus mean many non-essential lands, where experts fear under- slows in China, the rest of the services, including pubs, clubs, developed healthcare facilities world has stepped up measures cinemas, gyms and houses of could easily be overwhelmed, a to try and battle the raging pan- worship, were closed yesterday. state of emergency was declared demic. “There will be no more going in Papua New Guinea after the China is anxious about an to the pub after work, no more country recorded its fi rst case infl ux of infections brought going to the gym in the morn- of the virus. Yesterday, the tiny in from other countries, with ing, and no more sitting down island of Guam, a US territory the number of imported cases for brunch at a cafe,” Austral- in Micronesia, recorded the re- climbing steadily in recent weeks ian Prime Minister Scott Mor- gion’s fi rst coronavirus fatality. People queue outside a benefits payment centre in Sydney yesterday. to pass 350.

‘Joy of spring’: Japan fetes cherry blossoms despite outbreak South Korea reports

AFP of small groups and couples sit- fewest new coronavirus Tokyo ting close to each other on mats drinking and eating under the cherry trees. Yuichiro Tanaka, a cases since Feb 29 peak he crowds might be thin- vegetable wholesaler, was pic- ner and parties smaller, nicking with friends despite the Tbut warnings from offi cials warnings. “We are told to exer- Reuters churches and crowded workplac- over the coronavirus have done cise self-restraint but I wanted to Seoul es. “We don’t give much meaning little to stop Japanese celebrat- have one party at least,” Tanaka to numbers yet, but as there are ing as the country’s famed cherry said, describing hanami – fl ow- some fl uctuations despite a de- trees explode into bloom. er viewing – as “the real joy of outh Korea reported yes- clining trend, our top priority is Over a warm long weekend in spring”. But he said he had taken terday its lowest number of to prevent sporadic group infec- Tokyo, people packed into tradi- some heed of the offi cial advice. Snew coronavirus cases and tions and repatriated cases”, said tional blossom hotspots, many “Usually we have hanami par- the extended downward trend Yoon Tae-ho, director-general for not even wearing face masks, to ties every weekend during the in daily infections since the peak public health policy at the health admire the fl uff y white and pink fl ower season, but this year we do on Feb 29 has boosted hopes that ministry. fl owers hanging from delicate this only once, only today.” Asia’s largest outbreak outside Of the new cases, 13 were from stems. The cherry blossom season is China may be abating. overseas travellers who tested Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike one of Japan’s most important The Korea Centers for Disease positive after the government admitted that taking cherry blos- national events, with weather Control and Prevention (KCDC) toughened border checks and som parties away from Japanese forecasters competing every year said there were 64 new cases imposed a two-week mandatory was like “taking hugs away from to off er the most accurate pre- yesterday, taking the national quarantine for all long-term ar- Italians”, but urged people to dictions on the fi rst blossoms in tally to 8,961. The death toll rose rivals from Europe. avoid gathering in large groups to major cities. It is also usually big to 118, from 110. South Korea began taking a drink and snack under the trees. Visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease look at blooming business, with tourists planning The new numbers marked the 15-day intensive social distanc- “I come here every year. I feel cherry blossoms outside ropes cordoning off viewing parties at the area and a sign board reading ‘No holidays to catch the fl eeting sea- 12th day in a row the country has ing policy on Sunday, including bad if I miss it,” Etsuo Fujisawa, parties’ at Ueno park in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. son and restaurants off ering deli- posted new infections of around restrictions on high-risk events a 57-year-old dental technician cacies inspired by the fl owers. 100 or less, compared with the such as religious, sports and en- told AFP as he walked through discourage picnickers. “There are blossoms will cause thousands ing masks. Loudspeakers in Ueno But the virus has changed that, peak of 909 cases recorded on Feb tertainment gatherings. the city’s Ueno Park where 800 more people than I thought,” Fu- of people to gather here... please Park blared messages warning with more than 1,000 known 29. Yoon said most religious ven- cherry trees are in full bloom. jisawa added. At another popular refrain from enjoying eating and against gatherings, and there was infections and 41 deaths so far. But offi cials urged even greater ues turned to online services and The sides of the main street spot, the Chidorigafuchi park drinking.” little sign of the massive compa- Many schools are closed and of- vigilance as imported cases and most others complied with new were roped off , with signs say- and walking path, a sign warned Nearby, a group of women sat ny parties that are popular during fi ces have asked staff to work new, small outbreaks continued to rules on distance between people ing “no party zones” posted to that while “awesome cherry picnicking, none of them wear- the season. But there were plenty from home. emerge, such as in nursing homes, at gatherings. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 11

INDIA BRITAIN London volunteers feed nurses for free as virus deaths surge

Reuters London. by husband and wife Niall Barrett Other local people have off ered ambulance crew, porters and oth- incredible,” wrote Anthea Allen, Last week a video on social London Many British people revere the and Janneke Diemel, who were re- to drive, donate and run the Twit- er staff . the senior nurse at St George’s media showed an exhausted National Health Service and the sponding to an appeal from a sen- ter account. By sourcing the food locally, he who made the original appeal, in nurse driven to tears after fi nd- free care it provides. ior nurse at St George’s to “drop A crowdfunding account set up said the group hopes to help hard- an e-mail thanking the commu- ing shelves bare after her shift at a s coronavirus deaths surge Prime Minister Boris Johnson off a box of biscuits or something on PayPal raised £22,000 in just hit small businesses stay afl oat. nity. critical care unit in York. in Britain, a group of Lon- warned on Sunday that the NHS the staff can snack on.” four days. “Part of the ethos is to buy from She said the staff “have been Critical NHS is also earmarking Adon volunteers has set up could be “overwhelmed” by the “Our fi rst run was 20 pizzas,” Barrett said many nurses were local businesses,” said Barrett. kept afl oat by this support. They money to pay for hotels for nurs- a catering service to provide free coronavirus in just two weeks. said Barrett. “The nurses loved too busy to buy food, or found “Then we can support them and no longer have to bring their meals es who can’t get home between meals for hard-pressed nurses at As of Sunday, 281 people with that, they were so appreciative. their usual eating places had support the nurses at the same to work. We have shared food with shifts, and said it had received a major public hospital fi ghting Covid-19 had died in the United And then it kept growing and closed. time.” the wards who are also caring for requests to extend its services to the pandemic. Kingdom. growing.” Local pubs and restaurants do- A Chinese restaurant and a piz- Covid patients.” another London hospital. The group, called Critical NHS, The government said there are Barrett and Diemel, who run a nate meals or sell them cheaply. zeria sold the group food at half Flush with donations, the vol- With over 9,000 staff , St gets food from local businesses 5,683 confi rmed cases, with Lon- golf travel company, were quickly Then the volunteers at Critical price, while a pub gave it 40 Sun- unteers plan to set up a food bank George’s University Hospitals, the and delivers it three times a day don hardest hit. joined by two part-time coaches NHS deliver the meals to the hos- day roasts — a British tradition — at St George’s where nurses can NHS trust that runs the hospital, to nurses and other frontline staff Critical NHS, the volunteer from Battersea Ironsides, a local pital’s general intensive care unit, at cost. get pasta, eggs, milk and other ba- says it is the largest healthcare at St George’s Hospital in south group, was set up on Thursday rugby club. where it is distributed to nurses, “The support has been beyond sic supplies. provider in southwest London. NHS doctors prepare to make grim decisions

Guardian News and Media NHS staff have expressed con- London cern about a shortfall of ven- tilators and correct protective personal equipment (PPE), with HS hospitals are in ur- photographs circulating of staff gent need of ventilators creating their own makeshift Nand are approaching full items, including with clinical capacity because of the Covid-19 waste bags. outbreak, which will increasingly Dolphin said their concerns force doctors to make tough de- were real. He said his own hospi- cisions about which patients to tal was “struggling” with supplies treat, the British Medical Asso- of PPE. “It’s happening every- ciation has warned. where,” he said. “The government The comments by BMA says it’s coming but it’s not all out spokesman and consultant there. It’s in very short supply.” anaesthetist Tom Dolphin come Dolphin said the government as senior staff at a London hospi- promise of more ventilators tal told the Guardian they expect needed to happen immediately. A McDonald’s employee holds a banner in protest of the Statutory Sick Pay off ered by the government as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in London. beds in its intensive care unit to be “The surge is beginning, we are full by March 30, with one source pretty much out of time for that describing its A&E unit as “like a capacity to come online,” he said. war zone”. Staff at the Royal London Dolphin, who works at Imperial hospital in east London told the College London, said some hospi- Guardian that the number of pa- tals in London, such as Northwick tients there is doubling every fi ve Govt strategy ‘risks Park, which was forced to declare days and will exhaust the current a “critical incident” last week capacity in nine days’ time. after running out of critical care Managers at the hospital’s trust beds, are already struggling with are considering developing the the number of patients. hospital’s 14th and 15th fl oors into “Like any epidemic, there are intensive care wards, a spokes- hotspots. Some hospitals have person confi rmed, and are being had to transfer patients out to pushed by staff to hold talks with 70,000 more deaths’ other intensive care units,” he told private developers. PA Media, adding: “We’re going A source at the Royal London to get to the point where we are said: “It already feels like a war really running out of capacity and zone. You cannot go into A&E be- AFP from just two weeks ago in Italy, higher risk of dying from Cov- ground risk in terms of co-mor- we are not doing more in the UK that transfer ability is going to be cause it is full of suspected Cov- London where hundreds of people are id-19 and modelled the probabil- bidities, and there’s a gap of not and why are we waiting for our diffi cult to do anyway because id-19 patients. Doctors are having dying from Covid-19 every day. ity of their contracting deadly knowing the excess deaths,” said all-systems blazing response?” nowhere else will have anywhere to take decisions about who to Although the government has infections in various scenarios. lead researcher Amitava Baner- he said. either.” treat and who to abandon already. ritain’s strategy to slow the announced a string of measures They found that 20% of peo- jee, UCL associate professor in “If we’d moved a week ago, we Dolphin said that as the Operations are being cancelled, spread of the novel coro- aimed at fi ghting the spread – ple in Britain were at risk because clinical data science. could have kept the number of number of Covid-19 patients es- and we are nowhere near the Bnavirus could lead to up including closing bars, pubs and they were aged over 70 or had “We’ve tried to do that. The cases and deaths lower.” calated, doctors would be forced height of the crisis.” to 70,000 additional deaths this restaurants – doctors are warn- underlying health conditions, 70,000 are scenarios of excess Downing Street was forced to to make decisions over who would The 14th and 15th fl oors, which year, new research showed yes- ing of an Italy-like situation un- from diabetes to heart disease. deaths associated with coronavi- deny a “highly defamatory” Sun- benefi t the most from ventilation look like “a neat building site” ac- terday. Fears are growing that the less stringent social distancing is That is more than 13mn peo- rus over a year,” he said. day Times newspaper story that and intensive care. cording to one source, were never crisis in Britain is following the implemented. ple, nearly 600,000 of whom While Italy, France and Spain Johnson’s chief adviser, Dominic “We’re going to fi nd ourselves completed because the trust same path as the one currently A team of researchers from would die this year on average – have all enforced near total lock- Cummings, had initially argued at the point where decisions are wanted to save cash payments on devastating Italy. University College London, the even without a deadly pandemic. downs, Britain has taken a more against strict measures to con- going to get harder and harder,” he the hospital’s PFI (private fi nance Prime Minister Boris Johnson University of Cambridge and A failure to enforce a temporary piecemeal approach, not shut- tain the virus, in an argument said. “We’re going to have limited initiative) deal. warned on Sunday that the health Health Data Research UK showed lockdown has wasted valuable tering shops and bars until late summed up as “if that means resource, and rather than being Barts health NHS trust, which service would be “overwhelmed”. that the current approach could time and is likely to place unnec- last week. some pensioners die, too bad”. able to off er it to everybody who runs the hospital, is training more More than 5,000 cases have been result in an additional 70,000 essary strain on health workers, Banerjee said that Britain’s Banerjee pointed to how China needs it, we are probably going staff to help use equipment in the confi rmed so far and 281 people deaths. resulting in additional Covid-19 current tactics amounted to successfully managed to contain to have to prioritise between the intensive care unit and redeploy- have died from Covid-19 in Brit- They examined NHS patient deaths, the authors said. “partial suppression” and need- the virus via extreme social dis- people who are going to benefi t ing staff into critical care from ain, according to offi cial fi gures. data to determine the propor- “All the models we’ve seen so ed a rapid scaling up. tancing after an initial explosion from it as well.” other areas. The toll mirrors the fi gures tion of the population who are at far are not clear about the back- “We’re all trying to think why in cases.

Salmond acquitted of Woman held as girl stabbed to death all assault charges Guardian News and Media ily liaison offi cers in the coming London months. “It is hard to describe how terrible this incident was. The Reuters During the trial he said some January last year over how that woman suspected of mur- attack happened in front of the London of his behaviour had been inap- case was handled by the Scottish dering a seven-year-old parents of this little girl who had propriate but he had not broken government when it conceded it Agirl in a park in Greater taken her out to enjoy the spring the law. had acted unlawfully in probing Manchester has been detained sun and play in the park. ormer Scottish First Min- “Obviously above all I would the harassment claims. under the Mental Health Act. “Having seen this horrendous ister Alex Salmond, a fi g- like to thank my friends and The case has pitted the two The 30-year-old woman, who attack, a member of the public Furehead of Scotland’s family for standing by me over most popular fi gures in the Scot- has not been named, has been bravely chased after the woman independence movement, was the last two years,” an emotional tish independence movement sectioned, Greater Manchester and detained her until police ar- yesterday cleared of committing Salmond, widely credited with against one another and a dis- police (GMP) said yesterday. rived and arrested her. multiple sex off ences against helping push support for seces- pute has continued to simmer The force said the investigation “I would like to thank him for nine women after a case that led sion to record levels, said outside between two factions in the na- would continue and the woman his actions, which enabled us to to divisions in the nationalist court. tionalist party. could still face criminal charges. quickly arrest her and prevent movement. “Whatever nightmare I’ve SNP lawmaker Joanna Cherry She was arrested on Sunday anything else from happening. Salmond, 65, was found not been in over these last two years said there needed to be an inde- afternoon shortly after a girl was “Several offi cers who attended guilty by a jury at the high court is as of nothing compared to the pendent inquiry into how the al- stabbed to death in front of her the park were very young in serv- in Edinburgh of 12 charges in- nightmare that every single one legations against Salmond were parents in Queen’s Park, Bolton. ice in the police, some with only cluding attempted rape, sexual of us is currently living through,” handled by her party. The woman did not know the weeks on independent police pa- assault and indecent assault. he said in reference to the coro- “Those of us who know him, young victim, GMP said. trol. They and all the offi cers who A charge of sexual assault with navirus crisis. and indeed many of the thou- A member of the public chased went to the scene are incredibly intent to rape was found not “People are dying, many more sands of people who have met after the suspect and pulled her upset over what has happened proven. are going to die.” him over the years, did not rec- off the girl, and detained her un- and all of us have this little girl Salmond, who led the de- In 2018, Salmond took legal ognise the man described in the til police and paramedics arrived. and her family in our thoughts. volved Scottish government action against the Scottish de- evidence,” Cherry said in a state- Russ Jackson, an assist- “I want to stress that this is for seven years until 2014 and volved government, now led by ment. ant chief constable, said: “We not an end to the criminal in- helped drive growing support his successor Nicola Sturgeon, “This verdict of acquittal is the have informed the family of the vestigation, we will consider the for Scottish independence as over how it handled a complaints culmination of two very lengthy woman’s detention. They are evidence and consult with the leader of the Scottish National process against him in a sexual investigations by the Scottish understandably distraught over Crown Prosecution Service and Party (SNP), had denied any harassment case. Government and Police Scotland Alex Salmond leaves the high court in Edinburgh yesterday after what happened and we will con- if appropriate we will be seeking wrongdoing. He won a judicial review in and two court cases.” being acquitted of all assault charges. tinue to support them with fam- criminal charges.” Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 EUROPE Merkel goes into quarantine after contact with infected doctor

Reuters Merkel had on Friday after- that decided on a major rescue say whether Merkel’s chemis- ity of my offi ce,” she told report- Frankfurt noon received a vaccine shot package for virus-stricken com- try professor husband Joachim ers last July after the tremor epi- against pneumococcus, a pneu- panies and employees in Europe’s Sauer was quarantining with her, sodes. “I behave appropriately as monia-causing bacteria, from a top economy. saying that he would not share far as my health is concerned ... I erman Chancellor Angela doctor who later tested positive “She was tested today and now information about family mem- look after my health.” Merkel went into quaran- for the coronavirus, which causes we are waiting for the results, and bers. Merkel has said she will not Gtine on Sunday after com- the Covid-19 disease, according we’ll see what comes out of that,” Asked if he himself, as a close seek a fi fth term as chancellor in ing into contact with a coronavi- to the statement. Seibert said, adding that any next Merkel staff er, should self-iso- federal elections due by October rus-infected doctor shortly after Her spokesman said yester- steps would be guided by advice late, Seibert said that he last met 2021. announcing more curbs on social day that Merkel is “doing well” from doctors and Germany’s with the chancellor on Sunday The chancellor has loomed interaction to slow the spread of in self-imposed quarantine and Robert Koch Institute (RKI) dis- afternoon, but had stuck to the large on the European stage since the disease. awaiting the results of her coro- ease control agency. advice of keeping a safe physical 2005, helping guide the Europe- Merkel, 65, will continue her navirus test. Seibert thanked everyone on distance from people. an Union through the eurozone work from home and will submit “The chancellor is doing well,” Merkel’s behalf for “the many, Last year, Merkel suff ered crisis and opening Germany’s to repeated tests over the next her spokesman Steff en Seibert many well wishes and mes- several bouts of shaking at pub- doors to migrants fl eeing war in German Finance Minister and Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz sits next to few days, her spokesman said in a told reporters. sages for the chancellor to stay lic events, sparking speculation the Middle East in 2015, a move Merkel’s empty chair as she participates in the weekly cabinet statement, adding it was too soon Dialling in from her Berlin fl at, healthy”. about her health. that still divides the bloc and her meeting by video conference at the Chancellery in Berlin. for a conclusive test yet. Merkel, 65, led a cabinet meeting The spokesman declined to “I am aware of the responsibil- country. Brussels police fi ne Italy bans domestic travel hundreds

AFP Brussels in bid to slow virus deaths olice in Belgium’s capital have handed out hundreds Pof fi nes to residents ignor- Healthcare workers hard hit to stay open but steel mills were ed that there are nearly 4,000 respecting rules that ban anyone ing lockdown rules in city parks, as Spain’s cases rise shut. healthcare workers infected with from leaving their home except to as restrictions intensify to slow Newsstands were allowed to the coronavirus, more than one go to work, buy food or go to the the spread of the coronavirus AFP/Reuters stay open but book stores were in ten of total confi rmed cases, pharmacy. outbreak. Rome/Madrid not. as the virus toll rose in Europe’s “On several occasions it has Offi cers handed out nearly Italians frustrated with the ev- second-worst aff ected country. been said that the peak (of the 300 fi nes on Sunday in green er-changing regulations began to Like in other countries hit hard epidemic) could be reached this spaces, and around 100 per day taly banned domestic travel parody offi cials on social media by the virus, nurses, doctors and week. Reaching the peak does for each of the preceding three and shut down a range of in- who had released video messages other healthcare workers have not involve having controlled the days, Brussels police spokes- Idustries yesterday in a last- threatening to jail joggers and said they are not getting enough problem, it means that you have woman Ilse Van De Keere told ditch push against the spread of fi ne people walking their dogs too protective kits. to redouble your eff orts not to news channel LN24. a coronavirus, which causes the far from their house. Authorities and companies are take a step backwards,” Simon Penalties ranged from €26 to Covid-19 disease that has killed The decrees published yester- scrambling to manufacture, buy said. €500 ($28 to $539) for breaking nearly 5,500 people in a month. day added to an air of confusion and distribute more of them. Supermarket group Corte In- the rules against standing too The wave of restrictions is in the face of a disease that Conte “We have some data we do not gles said it had set up a phone close to someone else, sitting designed to ensure that Italy has called Italy’s biggest threat like, because we should try to number and e-mail for health- in the spring sun, picnicking or gets through a 10-day stretch since World War II. control it, such as having 3,910 care workers to do their shop- Conte: We have not reached the most acute phase of the infection walking too far from one’s home in which the rate of deaths and They include a separate in- health workers aff ected,” health ping, with free delivery to their and the numbers will continue to grow. Much depends on the respon- address. infections is supposed to fi nally struction forbidding Italians emergency chief Fernando Simon homes. sible behaviour of each one of us. The punishments under- drop. “from moving by public or pri- told a news conference. line the increased seriousness “Everyone’s eff ort is needed,” vate means of transport outside The number of cases registered with which Belgium and other Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte the municipality in which they in Spain rose to 33,089 up from EU countries are implement- told reporters. “The country’s are currently located”. 28,572 cases on Sunday. ing “social distancing” rules as social and economic strength is There is an exception for peo- This means healthcare work- health systems buckle under at stake.” ple who can prove they must ers account for nearly 12% of the the number of patients needing Italian health offi cials reported travel “for work needs of absolute total. medical care. that the rate of increase in both urgency or for health reasons”. They and nursing home staff They stand in contrast, how- deaths and declared infections The reality is that Conte’s team will have priority as Spain rolls ever, with other countries such slowed on Sunday – albeit from is running out of things to close out a testing programme. as Britain, where authorities a high base. or ban. The coronavirus death toll has are advising but not compelling There were 651 fatalities on Ministers and health experts reached 2,182, adding 462 fatali- residents to stay apart from each Sunday compared with Satur- are all looking at the daily death ties overnight, the health minis- other and to strictly minimise day’s record 793 deaths, while toll and infection rates to see if try said. movement outside homes. the number of new reported in- their approach has worked. Simon said that 87% of those Belgium started its lockdown fections fell to 5,560 from 6,557. They pleaded with Italians to who had died were aged 70 or on March 18. However, Conte told Italians sacrifi ce individual liberties for older. Residents are largely working that it is too early to let down the common good for two weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Car- from home, with others limited their guard. The initial restrictions placed men Calvo was hospitalised on to essential travel only. “We have not reached the most on Lombardy – the northern re- Sunday with respiratory infec- While lounging around out- acute phase of the infection and gion at the centre of the Italian tion and is awaiting coronavirus side is not permitted, authorities the numbers will continue to epidemic that includes the fi nan- test results, the government said are allowing walks in the fresh grow,” he said. “Much depends cial capital Milan – expired on yesterday. air by individuals or with a friend on the responsible behaviour of Sunday and the national meas- Results for Calvo, born in 1957, or relative living under the same each one of us.” ures are set to end tomorrow. will be released as soon as they roof. Conte’s latest order comes Conte indicated last week that are known, the statement said. “There are some young people after he caused confusion on he might need to extend the re- Two other ministers and the who still want to play football, Saturday by ordering all “non- strictions indefi nitely. wife of Prime Minister Pedro do skateboarding or other group essential” factories and trades to His decision is expected this Sanchez have also tested positive activities. That is not possible,” shut until April 3. week. for the coronavirus over the past Van De Keere said. The government released a “If everyone – and I stress eve- weeks. She added that the sort of ac- long list of industries and profes- ryone – respects our bans, we With an extension to April 11 of tivity drawing people into green sions that would still be allowed will emerge from this very dif- a nationwide lockdown set to be areas over the weekend “is not – including translation services fi cult test fi rst,” Conte said yes- approved by parliament tomor- Coff ins of those who have died from the Covid-19 disease are seen in a crematorium in the town of tenable” and that some of Brus- and computer repair shops. terday. row, Simon said that now is not Serravalle Scrivia, which like many places in northern Italy, is struggling to cope with the number of sels’s parks could end up be- Auto part makers were allowed Meanwhile, Spain has report- the time for people to relax on deaths from the virus that is growing every day. ing shut, like others across the country, if this continues. German toilet paper calculator takes aim at panic-buying Czechs send facemasks to Italy after mix-up over Chinese gift Belgium, with a population 11.4mn, has an offi cial count of The coronavirus pandemic has sent panicked tell you for how many days you’ll be covered. The Czech Republic sent 110,000 facemasks to Italy facemasks – was a gift by the Red Cross in the 3,743 cases of people infected shoppers across Europe into a toilet-paper buying For true aficionados, there is an expert mode where yesterday after confusion around a larger shipment eastern Chinese city of Qingtian to the Chinese with the new coronavirus and 88 frenzy. you can add the length of your quarantine and your of gear to protect against the new coronavirus was community in Italy, Czech government off icials said. deaths. But how much do you really need? And what to do if average number of sheets per wipe. impounded by Czech authorities last week. The Czechs expressed regret and promised to send a Authorities acknowledge that the unthinkable happens and you run out? Generally speaking, people tend to wildly The Czech customs impounded 700,000 facemasks replacement for the confiscated material from China, the true tally of infections is A German online calculator is here to help. overestimate their toilet paper needs, the website and respirators last Tuesday, saying that the adding a few thousand more, to be shipped by an much higher but testing is cur- At www.blitzrechner.de/toilettenpapier, curious users says. shipment had been ordered by Czech medical evacuation bus for 43 Italians heading home. rently limited to hospitalised pa- can work out how long their stockpile will last. “Many people use more toilet paper than needed. For authorities but an unnamed intermediary had It was not immediately clear why a gift bound for tients with severe symptoms and Just type in how many rolls you have and your a ‘number one’, one or two sheets should suff ice,” it demanded to hike the price. Italy, separated from the Czech Republic by Austria, health workers with fever. individual “usage behaviour” and the calculator will adds. Later it emerged that part of the shipment – 101,600 went astray.

Dutch MH17 trial suspended until June 8 to give defence more time to prepare EU to start membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia The trial of four men accused of murder over the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine in 2014 will be adjourned until June 8 to give defence lawyers more time to prepare, judges at the hearing in the Reuters ful of allowing new members in Following a video conference The decision, however, does French President Emmanuel Netherlands ruled yesterday. Brussels at a time when the EU’s cohesion of EU foreign ministers yester- not include dates for the actual Macron, who blocked the open- MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot was already damaged by Brit- day, German Foreign Minister start of talks. ing of talks with Skopje and Ti- down by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Moscow rebels amid ain’s departure from the bloc. Heiko Maas urged European Diplomats expect it later this rana in October, said in Febru- fighting in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 aboard. he European Union can However, Paris and the Hague governments to show support year for North Macedonia, but ary that he was willing to allow Russia has denied any involvement. start membership nego- eased their objections last for the Balkans. not for Albania, widely seen as a them to begin membership talks The defendants – Russians Sergey Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Igor Ttiations with Albania and month and the plans to allow “We need also to look at more problematic candidacy. if the European Commission Girkin and Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko – held senior posts in pro- North Macedonia, according to talks to start have gained mo- our neighbours, such as in the For both, the process would gave them a positive review and Russian militias in eastern Ukraine in 2014, according to prosecutors. a draft decision by the bloc’s 27 mentum despite the coronavi- Western Balkans, countries that take years. changed the way it admits new They face preliminary charges of murder and of causing an aircraft to member states seen by Reuters rus crisis, with Brussels eager to are on the verge of starting ac- If no country objects, the de- countries. crash. yesterday and due to be fi nalised show its determination to bring cession talks. There we must cision is expected to be formally Brussels duly did, with a re- Prosecutors say the four men helped to arrange the Russian missile this week. the Balkans into the EU fold. strengthen weaker health sys- adopted by the 27 EU members’ form of the enlargement proc- system used to shoot down MH17, a civilian aircraft, killing all onboard. If approved as expected, the “I don’t think what is happen- tems... transmission of the virus Europe ministers at mid-week ess presented in February, which Most of those killed were Dutch. agreement would end two years ing (with coronavirus) is going to does not stop at the borders,” he – in writing this time as face- France welcomed. Pulatov did not appear in person but sent lawyers to represent him and of delays and signal new mo- alter the decision of the member told reporters by video confer- to-face meetings have been sus- EU governments, not just they have told the court their client was not in any way involved in the mentum for all six Western Bal- states,” EU foreign policy chief ence. pended due to coronavirus risks the EU Commission, now have crash. kan countries – Serbia, Kosovo, Josep Borrell told reporters on Greece was still not on board – the sources added. more say over the process, en- The other defendants are being tried in absentia. Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia Friday. before the weekend with the de- “It’s a testing time for Eu- suring hopefuls meet targets in Pulatov’s lawyers argued at the opening of the case on March 9 that and North Macedonia – seeking Borrell said that he also tel- cision, which requires unanim- rope. The EU needs to show that economic, judicial and other they needed more time to read through all the court documents. to join the EU. ephoned Serbian President Ale- ity of all EU members. it maintains its capacity to act reforms, and can reset the proc- Yesterday, the Dutch judges agreed with them. North Macedonia and Albania ksandar Vucic to reassure him But diplomatic sources said amidst the coronavirus crisis. ess if Balkan governments do not “The court suspends the examination of the Pulatov case until June had seen their hopes dashed last of the EU’s support after Vucic that Athens has given its ap- That’s also why we were able to step up. 8th, 10am, and the defence will be able to speak at that time,” presiding year as France and the Nether- praised China for its help in proval after the latest draft in- fi nd an agreement on enlarge- EU and Balkan leaders are due judge Hendrik Steenhuis said. lands sounded scepticism over fi ghting coronavirus in Serbia cluded stronger language on ment now. It proves that the EU to hold a summit in Zagreb in He said that meant the cases against the other defendants, which are their track records on democra- and questioned European soli- protecting Greek and other na- is still working and delivering,” a late May in a show of support for being tried simultaneously, would therefore also be suspended. cy and fi ghting corruption, fear- darity. tional minorities in Albania. senior EU diplomat told Reuters. the six countries of the region. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 13 INDIA Set up panels for release of jail inmates, says SC

IANS Surya Kant asked the state gov- of coronavirus to prison inmates. ons in the country with approxi- “If prisoners test positive for in view of the coronavirus scare. ready overcrowded and a single New Delhi ernments and UT authorities to The Supreme Court had ear- mately 4,66,084 inmates. the virus, immediate measures The court was hearing a plea case of coronavirus can aff ect release on parole or bail those lier said that Indian prisons According to the National Crime have to be taken for their quar- moved by two lawyers who the entire prison inmates and jailed for up to seven years. are overcrowded, which strikes Records Bureau, the occupancy antine and medical treatment,” sought decongesting of the pris- jail staff . The government and he Supreme Court yes- The court said that the high- against the central government’s rate of Indian prisons is 117.6%. said the court. ons in view of the coronavirus courts, both within and outside terday asked all states and level committee could hold con- advice to maintain “social dis- “Like most other viral diseas- Meanwhile, the Delhi govern- scare. the country, have taken meas- Tunion territories to set up sultations with the State Legal tancing.” es, the susceptibility to Covid-19 ment yesterday informed the The petitioners sought the re- ures to prevent crowding to high-level panels to determine Service Authority to implement “While the government of In- is greater in overcrowded places, High Court that it would amend lease of all inmates above the age avoid the spread of coronavirus,” prisoners who could be released the process of releasing the pris- dia advises that social distancing mass gatherings, etc. its prison rules immediately to of 50, those not medically fi t, or the plea read. on parole for four to six weeks to oners. must be maintained to prevent Studies indicate that conta- provide for special parole and undergoing imprisonment for The petitioners said they were prevent overcrowding in jails to On March 16, the top court the spread of the virus, the bit- gious viruses such as coronavi- furlough to eligible prisoners to minor off ences. not seeking unconditional re- help prevent the spread of coro- had observed that staff enter ter truth is that our prisons are rus proliferate in closed spaces help decongest jails in the na- “...coronavirus is spreading at lease of inmates but with condi- navirus. the prisons regularly, and so do overcrowded, making it diffi cult such as prisons. Studies also tional capital. a very fast rate and if proper pre- tions, i.e., upon furnishing bail A bench headed by Chief Jus- visitors and lawyers. Therefore, for the prisoners to maintain so- establish that prison inmates are The court subsequently asked caution is not taken, many more bonds and other undertakings tice S A Bobde and comprising such movement of people will cial distancing,” the court had highly prone to contagious vi- the Aam Aadmi Party govern- fatalities may occur. and sureties as may be imposed Justices L Nageswara Rao and lead to high risk of transmission said, adding there are 1,339 pris- ruses,” the court said. ment to implement its proposal The prisons in Delhi are al- by court. Govt warns of action against violators of lockdown

IANS sued by the Ministry of Health New Delhi and Family Welfare. “Persons who do not observe the Home Quarantine Guide- he central government lines shall be quarantined in the yesterday asked all states quarantine facilities set up by Tto strictly enforce the the government.” lockdown in a bid to contain the On the other hand, a sympto- spread of coronavirus and take matic person with a travel his- legal actions against violators. tory and symptoms would be “States asked to strictly en- isolated in a hospital and will be People lineup at an IndiGo Airlines ticket counter at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad yesterday. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said all domestic flights would be force lockdown. Legal action tested for the disease. shut down from midnight today. against violators,” the Ministry “These stipulations of dura- of Information and Broadcasting tion and symptoms may undergo said in a tweet. changes based on advisories is- The advisory came in the sued by government of India,” a backdrop of a complete lock- statement said. down of 75 districts in the coun- The government has also try. warned that no person, insti- Domestic fl ights to The government has sus- tution or organisation, will use pended fl ights, passenger trains, print, electronic or social media, inter-state buses and metro for dissemination of any infor- services across the country till mation without ascertaining the March 31. facts. In Bengaluru, Police Commis- Prior clearance by the Director sioner Bhaskar Rao said home of Health Services, the Director be halted from tonight quarantine violators will be of Medical Education and Re- picked up, arrested and sent to search, or the Collector will be government quarantine. required. “Please call 100, these people Police yesterday arrested at Agencies down to run till the end of the booming aviation sector for tions seriously,” he said on Twit- were seen panic-buying at gro- (violators) will be picked up, ar- least 30 people in Rajasthan for New Delhi month. years to come,” Devesh Agarwal, ter. cery shops while others were rested and sent to government spreading rumours on social The government ordered the editor of the Bangalore Avia- “I request state governments roaming around. quarantine,” Rao said. media and for violating section commercial airlines to shut tion website, said. to ensure that the rules and laws Elsewhere, there have been He said he has received re- 144 which bans the assembly of ndia said yesterday it will down domestic operations from “This is not a short-term pan- are followed,” Modi tweeted in complaints that bans on trans- ports of people with home quar- more than fi ve people. shut down domestic fl ights midnight today on top of a ban demic and the outlook for Indian Hindi. port was impacting supplies of antine stamped on their hands Earlier, Chief Minister Ito halt the spread of corona- on international fl ights to try aviation looks tragic. The avia- Across India, more than 80 essential items, vegetables and travelling by buses and loitering Ashok Gehlot said that any virus as the number of people and contain the coronavirus. tion sector in India is decimated cities including Delhi, Mumbai, medicines. in restaurants. kind of rumours and violation dying of the disease ticked up Only cargo fl ights will be al- right now. This is similar world- Chennai, Kolkata and Bengalu- Maharashtra, which has had According to Rao, 5,000 home of guidelines would not be tol- across densely populated coun- lowed. wide.” ru yesterday began a complete the highest number of cases in quarantine stampings were erated during the lockdown. try. “Airlines have to plan opera- “International traffi c to Mum- lockdown, which means that India, ordered a curfew from to- marked on coronavirus suspects He said strict action would India has reported 415 cases tions so as to land at their des- bai had also fallen more than 55% only essential services would be day to force people indoors. to ensure they remain at home in be taken against those giving of the coronavirus but health tination before 2359 hours on in the month of March amid the allowed. “Despite multiple requests, public interest. misleading information on so- experts have warned that a big March 24, 2020,” the Ministry increasing fl ight restrictions,” a Government utility offi ces and people are not following rules. Meanwhile, the central gov- cial media and violating sec- jump could be imminent, which of Civil Aviation said in a state- Mumbai Airport spokeswoman essential services – including This compelled the government ernment yesterday issued a slew tion 144. would overwhelm the under- ment. said. shops selling groceries, banks, to impose the curfew,” Chief of directions on quarantining for Gehlot said that all prepara- funded and crumbling public “The restrictions shall not ap- Rail travel, the lifeline of hospitals and pharmacies – will Minister Uddhav Thackeray said. asymptomatic and symptomatic tions should be done looking health infrastructure. ply to cargo fl ights.” India, has already been sus- remain open. The country’s main stock ex- people. at all aspects and assessing the Yesterday, India confi rmed its Meanwhile, due to the lock- pended after thousands of peo- Police have imposed prohibi- change located in Mumbai, will The government has said that possible situation. He said the eighth death – of a 54-year-old down in Delhi, passengers were ple, mostly migrant workers, tory orders across diff erent cities however remain open, an offi cial an asymptomatic person with a government was considering man in West Bengal with no his- left stranded outside terminal swarmed train stations to go banning gatherings of more than said. travel history to the aff ected ar- turning colleges, hostels and ho- tory of foreign travel, suggesting building due to unavailability of home as businesses shut down four people. Newspapers cancelled print eas will remain in home quaran- tels as isolation wards. the start of community trans- public transport. and jobs dried up. But in Delhi, scores of migrant runs in Mumbai after vendors tine for 14 days from the day of “There is nothing bigger than mission of the virus, offi cials About 144mn people travelled Prime Minister Narendra workers crowded the Anand Vi- refused to distribute them due to exposure. saving lives and for this, the gov- said. on domestic fl ights last year. Modi said many people were not har bus station to board buses to worries about the coronavirus, Such people have been asked ernment will ensure all possible Streets were deserted in the “Covid-19 pandemic is crip- taking the lockdown seriously. go home. which emerged in China late last to meticulously abide by the measures by taking all into con- national capital Delhi and of- pling the global economy and “Please save yourself, save Also, at several places in the year and has spread around the Home Quarantine Guidelines is- fi dence,” he added. fi ces shut at the start of a lock- aviation including India’s once- your family, follow the instruc- eastern state of Bihar, crowds world. Govt denies shortage of Chloroquine disappears protective equipment from Indore drug stores IANS Ipca Laboratories manufac- Bhopal tures chloroquine. IANS professionals, it had stringent ment agency for hospitals and The company has also in- New Delhi technical requirements as pre- healthcare organisations under formed the Bombay Stock Ex- scribed by the Ministry of Health the Ministry of Health and Fam- hloroquine, an anti-ma- change and the National Stock and Family Welfare, it said. ily Welfare. larial drug, has now be- Exchange about the demand for he government yesterday Over the last 45 days, it Five local manufacturers of- Ccome the most sought- the drug in the US. denied there was short- claimed both ministries had been fered fabric prototypes for test- after medicine after reports It has said in the fi ling to the Tage of personal protective attempting to locate adequate ing at the accredited laboratory emerged that it is proving eff ective exchanges that due to the short- equipment (PPEs) in the country number of sources which could of the South India Textiles Re- in the fi ght against coronavirus. age implications or medical and also that they were being ex- produce and supply the body search Association (SITRA) in It is being claimed that chlo- necessity of certain drugs and ported. coveralls to the government. Coimbatore. roquine has disappeared from fi nished products, the FDA has In a joint statement, the Min- In the last week of January, the After testing between Febru- drug stores in Indore in Madhya made an exception to the import istry of Health and Family wel- technical standard for the cover- ary 2 and 25, the reports were Pradesh and some even claim of the company’s Active Phar- fare and the Ministry of Tex- alls was prescribed as per World referred to the technical experts that the drug is being supplied to maceutical Ingredients (APIs) tile said: “It’s unfortunate that Health Organisation class-3 ex- to decide technical requirements the United States. and fi nished products including certain sections of the media posure pressure in accordance for Covid-19. As per the initial study, chlo- Hydroxychloroquine Sulphate are spreading misinformation with ISO 16003 or its equivalent. The Health Ministry fi nalised roquine treatment of Covid-19 and Chloroquine Phosphate on the eff orts of the govern- Such materials were manufac- the technical requirement on patients had clinical and viro- produced at the company’s ment in augmenting supplies tured by a few international com- March 2. logic benefi t versus a compari- manufacturing units. of body coveralls, N-95 masks, panies, which expressed inability Prototype garments of six In- son group. The president of Indore Drug and 2-ply/3-ply surgical masks to supply due to a ban on their ex- dian manufacturers have passed Chloroquine was added as Association told IANS: “It is required for healthcare profes- ports by the source countries, the the prescribed tests at SITRA, a recommended antiviral for true that this drug is not avail- sionals dealing with Covid-19 joint statement said. and two more manufacturers are treatment of Covid-19, though able over the counter in Indore.” cases.” Due to that, only a limited likely to submit their products clinical trials are still going on. However, Ipca refused to an- The statement said “the ex- quantity was off ered and procured for testing. Sources said the share price of swer queries on the US demand port ban on body coveralls and by the Ministry of Health and The clarifi cation came after Ipca Laboratories, a pharmaceu- for the drug saying it was a cor- N-95 masks has been in force Family Welfare, it said and added, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tical company, surged over 12% porate matter. since January 31.” the government had been striving accused the government of not yesterday after the United States zA girl born in Gorakhpur, Ut- Since the coveralls was a spe- to ensure adequate supply. stockpiling protective equip- Food and Drug Administration tar Pradesh on Sunday – the day cialised protective suit meant for HLL Lifecare is the desig- ment for health workers despite A pedestrian wearing a facemask walks past an awareness graff iti in (US FDA) partially lifted the im- of ‘Janata Curfew’ – has been high-level protection to the health nated single-window procure- WHO warning. Mumbai yesterday. port ban on chloroquine imports. named Corona by her uncle. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 INDIA Bollywood casual workers face uncertain future

Reuters uncertain future after the coun- “A production house gave us with 75 districts placed under Actors and technicians hired eight days of work. The industry systems are put in place and there Mumbai try’s prolifi c fi lm and television 4,000 packets of food provisions lockdown. and paid by the day in India’s works on looks,” Lekhraj said. is some recourse (for daily earn- industry shuttered from March to distribute among workers,” Daily workers are at the sharp $24bn media and entertainment But misery and poverty are ers),” she said. 19 to 31. Dubey told the Thomson Reuters end of the health crises with industry – that comprises fi lms, rarely associated with Bollywood, Long-term solutions for the housands of casual work- The closure led to the Produc- Foundation. some states announcing relief television and streaming serv- as the industry is usually viewed timely payment of wages or for ers who build sets for Bol- ers Guild of India announcing The Federation, whose mem- packages for them. ices such as Netfl ix and Amazon through the luxurious lives of its providing benefi ts such as medi- Tlywood fi lm industry or a relief fund for those on daily bers include 30 film trade un- “We rarely even ever get Prime – earn about Rs1,000 for rich and famous actors. cal insurance, are not on the fi ght and dance behind estab- wages – which includes extras – ions, has long demanded timely counted among daily wagers an eight-hour shift. “We are so focused on ac- agenda for now, fi lm industry lished stars, have been left jobless shining a rare spotlight on Bolly- payment of wages and better when the government announces But wages are linked to the tors and stars that we don’t look chiefs said. after all shoots were suspended wood’s invisible or under-appre- working conditions for those help for them,” said Hema Dave, number of days worked and ac- beyond them,” said Anupama “We are looking at addressing in a bid to tackle the coronavirus ciated workforce. hired on a day-to-day basis, he 59, a junior artist who has been an tors who “look good” receive more Chopra, founder-editor of Film the problem on hand and that is outbreak. “This is the fi rst time produc- added. extra in several Bollywood fi lms. work and money, said Pappu Le- Companion, a fi lm news website a big problem,” Kulmeet Makkar, There are more than 500,000 ers have shown interest,” said Nine people have died and “This is not a fi xed job. There khraj, who supplies junior artists. that began a series of reports on head of the Producers Guild of Bollywood workers on daily Ashok Dubey, general secretary more than 400 have tested posi- should be some help that pro- “Good looking actors get 20 workers on daily wages last week. India, said about the pause in wages, according to employee of the Federation of Western In- tive for Covid-19 in India, ac- vides at least some pocket mon- days of work in a month, but the “If there is a silver lining (to the production and its impact on unions, and most now face an dia Cine Employees. cording to the health ministry, ey,” Dave said on Sunday. normal-looking ones get about pandemic), it could be this – that casual workers.

Air quality improves as WHO praises lockdown takes eff ect India’s ‘robust’

Reuters Mumbai

eople breathed easier yes- measures to terday as lockdowns or- Pdered to combat the spread of the coronavirus in India’s megacities kept cars off the road and closed factories, improving air quality and letting people see contain virus blue skies instead of heavy grey smog. Last year, India accounted for around half of the world’s 50 IANS Kerala announced a complete ed to even private vehicles, and most polluted cities, according New Delhi lockdown. Thackeray said the bare mini- to Swiss fi rm IQAir, with emis- The total number of corona- mum movement would be per- sions caused partly by industry, virus positive cases reached 466 mitted for only emergencies or vehicle exhaust and coal-fi red he World Health Organi- yesterday, the Ministry of Health essential services. plants. sation yesterday lauded and Family Welfare said. “For instance, in private Now, however, New Delhi Tthe measures taken by the In Mumbai, Maharashtra vehicles only the driver and and at least 75 districts are un- Indian government to contain Chief Minister Uddhav Thack- one-two persons will be al- der lockdown to stop the virus, the spread of coronavirus as the erayon said the government was lowed and in auto-rickshaw, which has infected at least 430 number of cases in the country compelled to impose a ‘total the driver plus one, but that people in India and killed nine. rose to 466. lockdown’ as all appeals to the too only for emergencies. No Many people also heeded Dr Roderico Ofrin, Regional masses to remain indoors fell on entry to any temple, mosque, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Emergencies Director of WHO deaf ears. church or any religious place call to observe voluntary con- said: “India has been rolling out “We are enforcing ‘sanchar- will be permitted except for fi nement on Sunday, leaving a comprehensive and robust re- bandi’ (curfew) for the entire the pujari, maulvi or priest,” roads that are usually crammed sponse to prevent and contain state from midnight tonight.W Thackeray said. with cars, rickshaws, motor- the spread of Covid-19. e have reached a critical stage in He reiterated his daily plea to bikes and buses eerily empty. “Its latest announcements the ‘war against virus’, but the the people not to take the issue In New Delhi, the world’s related to quarantine and so- next few days are extremely cru- lightly. most polluted capital city, the cial distancing measures, in- cial,” Thackeray said. “Please do not play with your Air Quality Index sank to roughly cluding recent lockdown of 75 According to legal experts, health, others’ health, do not 93, a level considered moderate, affected districts, suspension the move is tantamount to a step out unless it’s absolutely yesterday afternoon. of rail, inter-state bus services more stringent ‘lockdown’, necessary”. New Delhi’s air is regularly and metro services are initia- but since certain concessions Meanwhile, Kerala recorded 28 considered unhealthy, and AQI tives of unprecedented scale were allowed it is a watered- new cases – the largest number averaged around 161 in March and reflect the country’s re- down version of ‘sancharbandi’ in a day so far – taking its total 2019, according to IQAir. solve to prevent the spread of which only the district magis- number of positive cases to 91, In fi nancial capital Mumbai, the pandemic.” trates can impose. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan levels were at 90, versus an aver- These measures can help slow “If we don’t take tough steps said yesterday, and warned of age of around 153 in March 2019. down the virus transmission now, we may face a situation punitive action for violation of Air quality is deemed to be along with the continued eff ec- similar to other countries. Our isolation norms. good when the number drops tive measures being taken to iso- repeated appeals seem to have “No public transport will below 50. late, test, treat and trace, Ofrin had no impact. So we are forced operate, state borders will be “(The drop) is mainly because said in a statement. to implement a ‘sancharbandi’,” closed, but private vehicles will of a huge reduction in vehicu- Seventy-fi ve cities including Thackeray said. be allowed. Petrol pumps will be lar traffi c,” said Dr Gufran Beig, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chen- Interestingly, the government’s open. State government offi ces project director at the govern- nai and Bengaluru went into move came hours after the Micro- will be opened with full protec- ment environment monitoring complete lockdown till March 31 biologists Society India (MSI) head tion. All religious functions have agency SAFAR. as India fi ghts the most dreaded A M Deshmukh warned of India to be cancelled. Shops selling es- As a result, skyscrapers usu- novel coronavirus. possibly hurtling towards a catas- sential things will be allowed, no ally shrouded in smog were vis- Besides, Andhra trophe similar that facing Italy and serving in restaurants, but home ible and some residents reported Pradesh,Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Iran if crowds were not controlled delivery will take place. People spotting more stars than usual. Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bi- by imposing total ‘janata curfew’ should not loiter in the streets, “We went for a walk and my wife har, Karnataka, Telangana, Ra- for 14 days. and if found, will face arrests and found that breathing was easier,” jasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Thackeray said to insulate a fi nes,” Vijayan said. said retired sea captain Francis Bra- Ladakh, West Bengal, Chandi- few districts, which had escaped Shops selling essential items ganza, 74, whose wife suff ers from garh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal the coronavirus wrath, there will be open from 7am to 5pm, chronic breathing problems he at- Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odi- would be complete ban on inter- while in Kasargode, which is tributed to pollution. sha, Puducherry and Uttara- district travel. badly-hit, the time will be from India’s toxic air claimed khand are in lockdown till the The Mumbai suburban trains 11pm to 5pm. 1.24mn lives in 2017, according end of March. and all public transport were “All those coming from other to a study published in Lancet A replica of an elephant with a facemask on is being moved through a street to create awareness against Maharashtra and Punjab im- shut down on Sunday night. states will have to be in isolation Planetary Health. coronavirus disease, in Chennai yesterday. posed curfews yesterday while The ban has now been extend- for 14 days,” Vijayan added.

Railways comes to rescue Chouhan back of stranded passengers as CM of MP IANS Bhopal

IANS Katni “due to the sudden de- shifted to the state government- New Delhi cision to suspend express and run shelter camps. hivraj Singh Chouhan mail train services,” adding the He said: “The Chennai Cor- was sworn in as the 32nd situation in Chennai was a bit poration provided food to over Schief minister of Madhya ndian Railways has arranged different. 4,500 passengers stranded at the Pradesh at 9pm yesterday. Gov- for food and travel of hun- He said that about 4,500 pas- Chennai Central station and a ernor Lalji Tandon administered Idreds of passengers left sengers were stranded at the total of 1,629 stranded passen- the oath of offi ce and secrecy to stranded at several stations fol- Chennai Central station, most of gers were evacuated from there him at an austere ceremony. lowing the suspension of train whom were factory workers, who and taken to 18 diff erent relief Chouhan was re-elected the services across the country amid wanted to return home as the camps. Bharatiya Janata Party legislature the growing coronavirus scare, factory units have been closed in “This was done by the state party chief at a meeting at the offi cials said yesterday. Kerala and Tamil Nadu. government, fully facilitated party’s state headquarters earlier The Southern Railway alone “There were several passen- by the RPF (Railway Protec- in the day. This facilitated his re- dealt with over 4,500 passengers gers from Kerala who wanted to tion Force), commercial staff appointment as chief minister for at the Chennai Central station travel back to West Bengal and and Government Railway Police a record fourth time. Only Arjun and arranged for the accommo- other states, but as all the train (GRP).” Singh and Shyama Charan Shukla dation of over 1,100 passengers services were suspended from The spokesman further said have held the post three times. at state government-run shelter Sunday midnight, the passengers that passengers from Chennai Chouhan who was fi rst elect- camps. were left stranded in Chennai,” went home, while those who ar- ed MLA in 1990 became a mem- A senior Railway Ministry of- he said. rived from Kerala were shifted to ber of the Lok Sabha in 1996 and fi cial in Delhi said that railways “So we arranged food and wa- the shelter camps. returned to the state in 2005. remained vigil and helpful for all ter for them in the night,” he said. The Railway Ministry offi cial Gopal Bhargava, who was the passengers who were stranded “Later they were shifted to said in Katni and Jhansi stations, leader of the legislature party at diff erent stations across the state government-run camps for the railways arranged for their made way for Chouhan. country. further stay.” food and onward travel. Chouhan who has been the na- The ministry official said A Southern Railway spokes- He said the stranded passen- tional vice-president of party and the national transporter faced man also confi rmed that about gers were sent by buses to their People sit atop a North Bengal State transport corporation (NBSTC) bus as they return home following MLA was unanimously asked to issues at Jhansi, Chennai and 1,100 stranded passengers were destinations. West Bengal’s government order for a complete lockdown till March 31, in Siliguri yesterday. lead the state again, said Bhargava. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 15

INDIA LATIN AMERICA Latin American govts redirect funds towards coronavirus crisis

DPA/AFP bating the crisis, which has af- ties of the health emergency.” “Brazil has just issued a de- allows for the free movement of immediate eff ect, prohibits en- day, bringing the total number of Mexico City fected 235 people in the country, The country, which is due to cree, which is the one we agreed those who reside in border cities. try to foreigners from Argen- infected persons in the Central of whom two have died. hold its next election in 2021, upon, and we will issue a mirror The Uruguayan decree will fol- tina, Bolivia, Colombia, French American country to 313. A nationwide 19-day lock- currently has 789 confi rmed decree” in the next few hours, low the same lines. Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru Lourdes Moreno, national di- olombia and Ecuador down was set to go into eff ect cases of the virus, with 14 people Ernesto Talvi said in a statement Brazil on Thursday announced and Suriname. rector of epidemiology, told re- were among the Latin today. having died. earlier. it was closing its land borders for The restrictions do not apply porters that while three deaths CAmerican countries to The country has closed its bor- The governments of Chile and According to the Brazilian 15 days to nearly all its neigh- to Brazilian nationals or to for- have been registered a fourth announce extraordinary fi nancial ders and suspended international Puerto Rico, which have 632 and ministerial decree, only Brazilian bours to prevent the spread of the eigners residing in the country. suspected fatality as a result of measures yesterday to combat fl ights. 13 cases, respectively, said that citizens or residents, as well as coronavirus. Trucks carrying goods and coronavirus is being investigat- the spread of the fast-moving Ecuadoran President Lenin they would announce fi nancial Uruguayans who have Brazilian A ministerial decree said it was people on humanitarian missions ed. coronavirus on their territory. Moreno said he had ordered Fi- measures to combat the crisis. spouses or children, may enter blocking entry “by road or land” are allowed to continue to enter Moreno added that more than Colombian President Ivan Du- nance Minister Richard Martinez Meanwhile Brazil and Uruguay from the neighbouring country. from all neighbouring countries, Brazil. eight in 10 of the individuals to que said that 6bn pesos ($1.5bn) to redirect “expenses from the agreed to close their land border Freight transport may con- with the exception of Uruguay to Earlier Panama health offi cials test positive for the highly-con- would be redirected from gov- next electoral process and reas- for the next 30 days, the Uru- tinue to cross the border in both the south. reported 68 new coronavirus tagious respiratory illness are ernment coff ers towards com- sign them to address the priori- guayan foreign minister said. directions, and the measure also The decree, which went into cases, up 28% from the previous now home under isolation. Brazilians protest over Bolsonaro’s virus response

Guardian News and Media Donald Trump in the US. Brasilia Since then, Bolsonaro has come under heavy fi re from Bra- zilian media and political oppo- razil’s President, Jair Bol- nents for what they call his reck- sonaro, is facing an inten- less and inept behaviour. Bsifying public backlash On Friday, the conservative after his muddled reaction to Estado de Sao Paulo newspa- the coronavirus crisis sparked per said: “Scientists around the fi ve successive nights of protests world are fi ghting to fi nd a treat- and predictions that his political ment for Covid-19. In Brazil, authority had sustained a poten- meanwhile, the current govern- tially fatal blow. ment’s incompetence is found to Brazil has recorded 1,128 coro- be incurable.” navirus cases and 18 deaths, with Even former allies have turned the country’s health minister last on Brazil’s president, with Ja- week saying the public health naina Paschoal, a right-wing system was likely to collapse by congresswoman once touted as the end of April. Bolsonaro’s vice-presidential Inmates extend their hands through windows at the Modelo prison in Bogota after a riot. But Bolsonaro has continued running mate, calling for an end to downplay the pandemic, de- to his presidency.“We are being spite more than 20 members of invaded by an invisible enemy. a delegation he recently led to We need people who are capable the US becoming infected with of leading the nation,” she said. Covid-19. Bolsonaro swept to power In an interview on Saturday, in 2018, casting himself as a Prison riot kills 23 he criticised eff orts to contain Trump-style outsider who could the virus through large-scale rescue Brazil from what he called quarantines or shutdowns and “years of leftist villainy”. Opinion described the governors of states polls showed Bolsonaro’s sup- including Rio de Janeiro and Sao port slumping throughout 2019, Paulo as “irresponsible”, saying his fi rst year in offi ce, thanks to they were creating a “climate of a lifeless economy and a series terror” by doing so. of bizarre and off ensive gaff es inmates in Colombia “It’s an excessive dose of including mocking Brigitte Ma- medicine – and too much medi- cron, France’s fi rst lady. cine becomes poison,” Bolsonaro But many observers believe his AFP conditions inside a prison system national security zone”.A nation- Unlike other regional lead- to increase the supply of credit for said, rejecting criticism of his recent moves – which include Montevideo that was woefully unprepared to wide curfew has been in place ers, Brazil’s President Jair Bol- small and medium businesses. administration’s response. “I’m dismissing coronavirus as media face the pandemic. since Tuesday. sonaro has played down the crisis, Brazil agreed on Sunday with the manager of the team and the “hysteria” and failing to prevent A curfew in Chile “will take ef- Governments in the region have though the pandemic has left 25 Uruguay to close their land bor- team is playing very well.” his politician son from picking anic over the spread of the fect throughout the national ter- been stepping up eff orts to try to dead in his country, with 1,546 der for the next 30 days, to pre- A growing number of Brazil’s a diplomatic fi ght with China – coronavirus sparked a prison ritory from 10pm to 0500am,” slow the spread of the pandemic, confi rmed cases. vent the spread of the virus. Only 209mn citizens appear to disa- will infl ict profound damage. Priot in Colombia that killed 23 Health Minister Jaime Manalich which has claimed 13,500 lives State governors have taken Brazilian citizens or residents, as gree. “I fi nd it very hard to imag- inmates, as Chile became the lat- announced. worldwide Argentina, Bolivia, El matters into their own hands, well as Uruguayans with Brazil- Since last Tuesday, cities ine how Bolsonaro could recover est Latin American country to an- The country, which has 632 in- Salvador and Paraguay are among with Sao Paulo’s Joao Doria or- ian spouses or children, may enter across the country have wit- from this,” said Oliver Stuenkel, nounce restrictions on movement. fections, registered its fi rst death a growing number of countries to dering a 15-day quarantine that from the neighbouring country. nessed nightly panelaco (pan- an international relations pro- Rioting swept through the from the pandemic at the week- impose a total lockdown of their requires a “total closure of non- Freight transport may continue banging) protests where dissent- fessor at the Fundacao Getúlio crowded jail overnight in the Co- end. Ecuador, which has seen the populations. essential businesses and services” to cross the border. ers express their dissatisfaction Vargas in Sao Paulo. lombian capital Bogota amid ris- region’s second-greatest number Colombia will join the group and Rio’s governor closing the Brazil’s top football clubs are with Bolsonaro by pummelling “Bolsonaro is very fragile al- ing tensions over the virus in the of deaths after Brazil, marked its from midnight today with a 19- city’s iconic beaches. handing over their stadiums to saucepans from windows and ready and I feel like the pandemic penitentiary system. highest daily increase on Sunday, day mandatory lockdown of its On Sunday, Brazil’s develop- allow health authorities to turn balconies. has just made it clear to many Justice Minister Margarita Ca- doubling to 14 dead and 789 posi- 48mn population. ment bank (BNDES) announced them into fi eld hospitals and clin- Much of the fury has focused people that he will not be able bello described the violence as an tive cases. Bolivia’s government criti- it would inject 55bn reals ($11bn) ics to fi ght the pandemic. on Bolsonaro’s decision to pose to lead Brazil through this in any attempted mass breakout, part of Quito on Sunday ordered the cised sections of the popula- into the economy to counteract With football in the country for triumphant photographs and satisfactory way. Even if he sud- what she said was a co-ordinated military to take control of the tion for ignoring its lockdown the impact of the coronavirus. suspended until further notice, mingle with supporters outside denly says: ‘OK guys – I get it,’ it plan with inmates who caused worst-hit province of Guayas in on Sunday.”We are not going to The funds will be used to pro- more than half the clubs in Brazil’s the presidential palace last Sun- will be very hard for people not disturbances in 13 jails across the the south-west of the country. do this with a 98% lockdown. tect more than 2mn jobs and to Serie A have given up their stadi- day despite receiving medical to blame him directly for what country. Government Minister Maria We are only going to defeat the fi nance the suspension of interest ums, as authorities in densely advice to self-quarantine be- will happen – and I think it’s very The minister rejected accusa- Paula Romo said the armed forces coronavirus with 100% com- payments and direct and indirect populated Sao Paulo and Rio de cause of his possible exposure hard to imagine that this will not tions by rights groups that the had been authorised “to man- mitment,” Defence Minister loans of Brazilian companies with Janeiro seek to expand hospital to the virus during a trip to meet be terrible for Brazil.” riots were sparked by unsanitary age the province of Guayas as a Luis Fernando Lopez said. BNDES for six months, as well as capacity to deal with the crisis. Mexico City streets Venezuela prohibits company layoff s grow noticeably quiet ices would not be cut off , and rent Reuters Caracas payments for homes and busi- nesses would be suspended, ac- Reuters virus really is so I guess it’s a re- leaders urge people to reduce companied by compensation for Mexico City sponsible thing to do,” said Mau- social interaction, as many con- enezuelan President Nico- property owners, but without ricio Ortega, 73, who was never- tainment measures have been las Maduro has announced specifying details. theless still riding his bike, but pushed by local leaders, busi- Va series of economic He added that the government he streets in the heart wearing a mask and gloves. nesses and ordinary people, not measures to address the fi nan- would off er a plan to help cover of Mexico City usually Last week, Sheinbaum recom- President Andres Manuel Lopez cial fallout from the spread of the the payroll of small and medium Tclogged with bikers have mended that employees in the Obrador. coronavirus in the country, in- sized businesses, in the local Bo- grown noticeably quiet after the capital work from home if pos- Mexico City’s famed Garibaldi cluding prohibiting layoff s while livares currency, for six months. mayor ordered a popular out- sible, while the federal govern- Plaza, the unoffi cial capital of also suspending rent payments He also banned compa- doors event suspended along ment ordered schools tempo- traditional mariachi music, was and credit payments. nies from laying off employees with other measures, even as the rarily closed and pushed social fi lled with swarms of idled musi- “We have the conscience and through December 2020, a meas- president has so far avoided such distancing policies, even as crit- cians desperate for customers on the absolute decision to protect ure that was decreed in 2015 and action. ics argued that more sweeping Saturday night. all jobs in the country, to protect has been extended every year The Mexican capital’s Sunday measures are needed. At nearby La Tenampa restau- the entire operation of all compa- since. bike circuit usually draws some The city government-run car- rant, just a few tables inside the nies and businesses in the coun- Maduro did not suspend tax 50,000 participants, mostly bik- free bike circuit usually passes usually bustling multi-storey ea- try,” Maduro said during a live ap- collection, nor did he off er tax in- ers as well as runners and skaters, the capital’s sprawling Bosque de tery were occupied. pearance on state television. centives to companies, contrary but only a tiny fraction showed Chapultepec park, tall skyscrap- Nearly all the bars and restau- There are 77 confi rmed cases to what some other governments up on Sunday after mayor Clau- ers and iconic landmarks. rants in the city’s trendy Roma of the novel coronavirus and no in the region have done. dia Sheinbaum ordered it closed Sheinbaum wrote on her Twit- Norte neighbourhood were also deaths to date, according to offi - In recent weeks, the govern- due to the risk of spreading coro- ter page that the circuit, usually barely open or closed entirely on cial statistics. ment has allowed sharp increases navirus. staff ed with safety personal at Saturday evening. The government has declared in rates for basic services such as Yesterday she ordered the clo- intersections, was suspended to Unlike some of his more ag- a state of alarm, imposing a full cleaning and telecommunication, sure of the city’s many museums, prevent the spread of corona- gressive peers across the region, month-long quarantine in the and raised the unit to calculate nightclubs and gyms while also virus and promote “a safe dis- Lopez Obrador has stopped short country. taxes, seeking more income at a issuing a ban on events where 50 tance” between people. of ordering a broad lockdown due Maduro announced that for time when the deterioration of or more people might congre- Streets and offices across to concerns that the country’s al- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a televised six months banks must put the the economy is deepening due to gate. Mexico have become increas- ready slumping economy would announcement regarding Covid-19 at Miraflores Presidential Palace collection of credit payments on the spread of coronavirus and a “We don’t know how bad this ingly empty as bosses and local take an even bigger hit. in Caracas. hold, telecommunications serv- drop in oil prices. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 PAKISTAN

MQM-P Call for unity as nation rejoins cabinet after deal celebrates Pakistan Day with PTI

Pakistan reports sixth death precautions without panicking, On Friday, Pakistan had re- Internews from Covid-19 as confirmed as he was personally monitor- corded its third death from the Karachi cases rise to 803 ing the government’s measures virus. against the pandemic. Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Internews “God willing, we will stand Fazal Pechuho had confi rmed he Muttahida Qaumi Islamabad victorious in this test,” Khan re- the death of a 77-year-old Cov- Movement – Pakistan marked. id-19 patient in the province. T(MQM-P) has announced The prime minister said the Last week, two patients from that it would rejoin the federal he nation celebrated Pa- Kashmir dispute is an incom- KP who tested positive for the cabinet after showing satisfac- kistan Day yesterday plete agenda of the division of disease had died, offi cials said. tion with the eff orts of the ruling Twith simplicity amidst an the subcontinent, and reiter- However, both had a travel Pakistan Tekreek-e-Insaf (PTI) outbreak of the novel coronavi- ated Pakistan’s resolve to con- history in countries that have to fulfi l key demands that were rus and with the pledge to fi ght tinue extending moral, political been hit by the outbreak. made by the former earlier this the Covid-19 disease caused and diplomatic support for their The patient from Sindh who year. by the virus as it sweeps across right to self-determination. passed away on Friday was the As part of the deal under the country, Radio Pakistan re- Prime Minister Khan: I am proud to say that the Pakistani nation has On Sunday the death toll from fi rst death from the local trans- which MQM-P will rejoin the ported. the capability to face any ordeal. the Covid-19 disease in Pakistan mission of the virus. government, two senior leaders All kinds of public gather- rose to six, after the country re- The number of confi rmed of the party, Syed Aminul Haque ings, including the showpiece continent, through their collec- united to fi ght this pandemic. ported its fi rst death from Balu- coronavirus cases in Pakistan and Faisal Sabzwari, will report- military parade, have been post- tive will, expressed unwavering “It is the responsibility of all chistan. rose to 803 yesterday, after new edly be given ministerial portfo- poned as part of precautionary resolve to carve out a sepa- segments of society, including Baluchistan government cases were reported throughout lios. measures. rate homeland for themselves the ulema, the media, and polit- spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani the country. However, the party insists that However, Radio Pakistan and wherein they could lead their ical leaders, to play their due role confi rmed the province’s fi rst Sindh remains the worst-af- it rejoined the federal cabinet to Pakistan Television aired special lives in accordance with their in educating the masses about death from the disease in a fected, with a total of 352 cases. support eff orts to combat the programmes, while newspapers President Alvi: Let us express own religion, traditions, values the preventive measures against tweet. In Karachi alone, the numbers coronavirus. published special issues on the our firm resolve to continue the and culture,” he said. the virus,” he added. The deceased was a 65-year- of cases are 130, with the ma- On Sunday, Sindh Governor occasion. legacy and heritage bequeathed Alvi also paid homage to Meanwhile, Prime Minister old man under treatment at the jority said to be cases of “local Imran Ismail met MQM-P lead- Pakistan Day is observed to to us by our founding fathers. Quaid-e-Azam Mohamed Ali Khan, while lauding the resil- Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital, transmission”. ers at the party’s temporary sec- commemorate the passage of Jinnah, Dr Allama Mohamed ience of the Pakistani nation according to Shahwani. In Punjab, according to Pun- retariat in Bahadurabad, where the Lahore Resolution on March the people of Kashmir. Iqbal, and all the other great against ordeals in the past, urged Earlier, a doctor from Gilgit- jab Chief Minister Usman the party decided to rejoin the 23, 1940, under which Muslims “I assure the people of Jammu leaders of the freedom move- the citizenry to show utmost Baltistan (GB) was reported as Buzdar, there are 225 Covid-19 federal cabinet. of the sub-continent set the and Kashmir that Pakistan will ment who paved the way for the unity, discipline and passion in the country’s fi fth death (see re- cases so far. The PTI’s Firdous Shamin agenda of achieving a separate stand shoulder-to-shoulder creation of Pakistan. fi ghting the coronavirus pan- port on this page). According to the Khyber Pa- Naqvi, Khurram Sherzaman and homeland. with them, and will continue its “Let us express our fi rm re- demic that had engulfed the On Sunday morning, Adviser khtunkhwa health department, Haleem Adil Shaikh accompa- President Dr Arif Alvi and moral, political and diplomatic solve to continue the legacy and world. to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief the number of cases in the prov- nied Ismail to the meeting. Prime Minister Imran Khan have support for their legitimate right heritage bequeathed to us by our “I am proud to say that the Minister on Information Ajmal ince stands at 31 after four new According to local media, the said in their Pakistan Day mes- of self-determination,” Alvi said founding fathers and by follow- Pakistani nation has the capa- Wazir announced the country’s patients were reported, while MQM-P leadership also met sages that the nation should in his message. ing in their footsteps to make bility to face any ordeal. While fourth death from the virus, the number of reported cases in Federal Minister for Planning, demonstrate unity, discipline The president said that March our country a cradle of peace, celebrating the Pakistan Day this while speaking to the media. Gilgit-Baltistan is 71. Development, and Reforms Asad and passion in fi ghting the coro- 23 was an important landmark progress and stability,” a press year, we need unity, discipline Wazir said that the test results In Baluchistan, the number of Umar, who has been tasked by navirus pandemic that has en- in the history of the nation, as release quoted the president as and passion to face the catastro- of a woman who had arrived cases are 108, while one case has Prime Minister Imran Khan to gulfed the whole world. on this day in 1940, the historic saying. phe that has engulfed the whole from Taftan and shifted to Dera been reported from Azad Jammu convince the MQM-P to return The president and premier Lahore Resolution was passed, He further observed that the world,” the prime minister said Ismail Khan had come as posi- and Kashmir. to the federal cabinet. also paid homage to the found- uniting Muslims of the sub- world was facing a severe out- in message to nation on Pakistan tive today, making it the prov- In Islamabad, 15 patients have The PTI-led federal govern- ing leaders of Pakistan, and ex- continent for a greater objective. break of the coronavirus, and Day. ince’s third coronavirus-related been confi rmed to have con- ment has also agreed to a key pressed unshakable support for “The Muslims of the sub- that Pakistanis needed to stand He asked the people to take death. tracted the disease. MQM-P demand to give the par- ty another ministry, because the latter believes Farogh Naseem, the Minister for Law and Justice, Social distancing has been working solely on be- Military deployment approved half of the federal government. However, after the acceptance of the demand, the party has de- AFP/DPA/Reuters navirus, following a request from not aff ord the type of wide-scale cided to bring in new faces in the Islamabad the government. lockdowns being implemented in federal cabinet. “The army chief of staff has the West, saying that people liv- A MQM-P leader said that the ordered the deployment of all ing below the poverty line would party’s convener, Khalid Maq- akistan has authorised the available troops and medical be unable to support themselves bool Siddiqi, who resigned from army to deploy across the resources according to require- without working. the federal cabinet earlier, will Pcountry and in the capital ments,” military spokesman Ma- However, Pakistan’s two most solely focus on the party’s af- Islamabad in a bid to slow the jor-General Babar Iftikhar said in populous provinces of Pun- fairs. spread of the novel coronavirus. an announcement broadcast live jab and Sindh – home to some Haque, an member of the Na- The interior ministry an- on television news channels. 160mn people – have issued their tional Assembly (MNA) from nouncement, which came as the Since Pakistan’s birth in 1947, own lockdown decrees for an ini- Orangi Town, and Sabzwari, a death toll from coronavirus rose the military has exercised direct tial period of two weeks. former member of the Provincial to six, means troops will be able rule for about half of the coun- Pakistan’s constitution allows Assembly (MPA), will represent to assist the civilian government try’s history, most recently under the civilian government to call the party in the federal cabinet. with logistics and in providing General Pervez Musharraf, who for military aid in case of disas- After the fi nal decision to re- supplies, if needed. seized power in 1999 for a period ters and natural calamities, such join the cabinet had been made, It also means troops could, if of nearly a decade. as in the aftermath of a 2005 MQM-P convener Siddiqui told called on, help enforce any even- In a statement, the interior earthquake that killed more than the media that both parties still tual curfews as the crisis wors- ministry said it was “pleased to 73,000 people. have to take decisions on many ens – as observers fear it will in authorise” deployment of “suf- Offi cials have warned that in- issues. a country with large illiterate fi cient” troops, depending on fection numbers would rise in the “We are rejoining the federal populations in crowded urban needs. coming days because of the poor government at a critical time centres where many people are The orders came as health au- conditions at government-run when the government, along ignoring guidelines on “social thorities confi rmed 805 cases of quarantine camps, where rooms with its citizens, has been fi ght- distancing”. coronavirus so far, including the contain several patients in close ing against the spread of the The Pakistani army said yes- six fatalities. proximity. coronavirus,” he said. “Prime terday that it would help to im- Prime Minister Imran Khan Pakistan has the world’s fi fth- Minister Imran Khan wants that pose nationwide restrictions to has previously explained that largest population with more every political party should be- contain the spread of the coro- the impoverished nation can- than 220mn people. come his arm in the fi ght against the pandemic.” Pakistanis stranded at airports will be brought home: PM aide He also said that the partner- ship between the MQM-P and With international flight operations suspended until countries would be brought home. the PTI will be remembered as a April 4, the federal government has decided to make “However, I suggest that other Pakistanis, who have memorable time for Sindh’s ur- special arrangements to bring home Pakistanis yet to start their journey, should continue to stay in ban areas. stranded at airports in four countries: Thailand, the countries where they are at the moment. Within Governor Ismail, while speak- Turkey, and two Gulf states. a fortnight we will devise a strategy to ensure that ing with reporters alongside Sid- Speaking at a news conference, Special Assistant to the virus does not travel to Pakistan along with the A man drinks tea at the window of his house in Karachi during a partial lockdown, after Pakistan diqui, said that the federal gov- the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed passengers,” he said. shut all markets and public places, and discouraged large gatherings amid the outbreak of the ernment had allocated a Rs7bn Yusuf said that a decision had been made in principle A source said special arrangements for bringing coronavirus. development budget for the city. that Pakistanis stranded at airports of the four back the Pakistanis would be made just once. Active Saarc platform can tackle Shehbaz Sharif off ers National award for ‘hero’ doctor common challenges, says Qureshi Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said yesterday that the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) provided family-run hospitals Internews/DPA/Reuters ernment, said by telephone that it was a sensitive issue and could an important platform for regional co-operation. Peshawar/Islamabad he had personally met Riaz on have serious repercussions, they In a telephone conversation with his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Thursday. wanted to utilise all their re- Gunawardena, he said that there is a need to revitalise this key Internews Shehbaz Sharif said that his “After I met him at the screen- sources to save his life. organisation to tackle common challenges. Lahore family is ready to off er all health r Osama Riaz became ing centre, he later fi nished duty According to the doctors in the The two foreign ministers had a detailed exchange of views on facilities of the Sharif Group to the fi rst Pakistani doctor and went home. He was perfectly PHQ, they even sent tests to the the situation arising from Covid-19 outbreak and ways to enhance serve as quarantine centres. Dto die of Covid-19 after fi ne at that time and didn’t make National Institute of Health in co-operation to combat the threat posed by the rapid spread of the pposition Leader in the The PML-N caucus took stock contracting the coronavirus that any complaints. Islamabad. pandemic. National Assembly and of the country’s overall situa- causes the disease. “However, when his wife tried They removed him from the Challenges faced by regional states and the need for joint eff orts OPakistan Muslim League tion, formed a health task force He was part of a 10-mem- to wake him the next day, he ventilator on Sunday night and came under review. – Nawaz (PML-N) president to monitor the pandemic and ber team of doctors tasked with did not respond, and when they announced him dead. Reaff irming the countries’ abiding commitment to the Saarc Shehbaz Sharif has off ered the frame recommendations, and screening pilgrims returning checked, he was unconscious,” Zaman said they had consti- process, Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to host the Saarc services of hospitals being run by also constituted a parliamentary from Iran via Taftan. Zaman said. tuted a board to investigate other Health Ministers’ Conference to enhance co-operation among the Sharif Group to the Pakistan advisory group to take further Riaz later started providing Riaz was then shifted to the aspects of his complications. member countries and development partners in the health sector, Tehreek-e-Insaf government, to decisions to stem spread of the medical services to suspected Provincial Headquarters Hospi- The information department with particular focus on Covid-19. establish quarantine facilities for coronavirus, which causes the patients in isolation centres for tal (PHQ) in Gilgit city, where he of the region declared the doctor He also proposed that a video conference could be organised first coronavirus patients. Covid-19 disease. them in Gilgit. was put on a ventilator and given a martyr and said he will offi cial- in view of the prevailing global health emergency. He made the off er during a Talking to the media, the The doctor’s colleagues said a swab test, which confi rmed him ly be remembered as a national In the context of eff ective eff orts to combat the global pandemic, video conference with senior PML-N president said that he that Riaz worked tirelessly, serv- as a positive case. hero. Qureshi noted that Pakistan has proposed that sanctions on Iran party leaders at the Model Town had come to join hands with the ing the patients till late night as According to offi cials in Gilgit, Riaz would be conferred the be lifted so that humanitarian relief can be provided at this time of offi ce of the party, hours after nation to counter the challenge the patients had never been pro- they conducted a second swab to “national hero” award for his crisis to save precious human lives. returning from London, where of the coronavirus. vided any services before. confi rm, which also came back as sacrifi ce, a spokesman for the GB He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has proposed that he had been staying for the past He said that former premier Dr Shah Zaman, a senior mem- positive for the virus. government has said. developed countries facilitate developing countries to meet the three months to look after his Nawaz had also urged the nation ber of the health department and Offi cials said they had learnt “Osama Raiz will be awarded challenge through debt restructuring, so that they can use their ailing brother and former prime to remain united during these focal person for coronavirus of two days ago that his brain a national hero award,” said Fai- limited resources to mitigate the eff ects of the pandemic on their minister Nawaz Sharif. testing times. the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) gov- stopped functioning, but since zullah Faraq yesterday. economies, and provide eff ective relief to the people. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 17 PHILIPPINES

Nearly At least three doctors 3,000 left homeless after fi re die in coronavirus fi ght in Bacoor

DPA DPA Manila Manila

t least three doctors have early 3,000 people lost died in the fi ght against their homes in a fire Athe new coronavirus in Nthat broke out before the Philippines, where thou- dawn yesterday in a city outside sands of medical workers are the Philippine capital, officials treating Covid-19 patients de- said. spite a lack of protective gear, The fire broke out in a resi- offi cials said yesterday. dential area in Bacoor City in Several other doctors were Cavite province, just outside reportedly in critical condition, Manila.Investigators were while hundreds of healthcare looking into the possibility that workers were in quarantine af- the fire was caused by a faulty ter being exposed to the virus electrical wiring or an unat- in various hospitals in Manila, tended lit candle, fire superin- according to hospitals and col- tendent Rene Bullos said. leagues. Bacoor City Mayor Lani “Three of our doctors have Mercado-Revilla said the local died and a number of them government was looking into a are in critical condition due to relocation site for the victims of the coronavirus,” presidential the fire, which happened amid spokesman Salvador Panelo a month-long lockdown on the said in a statement.”An increas- island of Luzon due to the new ing number of Filipinos are suc- coronavirus. cumbing to the deadly disease.” The victims are currently VIRUS CASES staying at a nearby school, she RISE TO 462 added. The number of confi rmed At least three cases of Cov- cases of Covid-19 — the respi- id-19 have been confirmed in ratory illness caused by corona- Bacoor City, Revilla said. virus — in the Philippines rose to 462 yesterday, after the De- partment of Health reported 82 OUTBREAK new cases, including 33 deaths, A makeshift barricade blocks a street from outsiders to protect a neighbourhood from the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Manila, yesterday. Health department Health Undersecretary Maira Rosario Vergeire said. It is not end of the month, we will have healthcare workers, they can’t denies priority clear if the three doctors were nothing,” he told Manila radio adequately take care of pa- for politicians included in the death toll. station DZMM. “We are im- tients,” he said in an interview. The three doctors — a car- provising but that’s a breach in Henson added that the gov- The Department of Health (DoH) diologist, an anaesthesiologist protocols and that’s why doc- ernment should work on getting yesterday denied allegations that and an oncologist — were in- tors are getting sick.” more testing kits so that more politicians and government off icials fected while treating patients In one hospital in Laguna people can know if they have were given priority over persons in three diff erent hospitals in province, south of Manila, doc- been infected. under investigation (PUIs) in testing Manila, according to the Phil- tors and nurses used garbage “What we are doing now in for the coronavirus disease 2019 ippine Medical Association and bags and plastic bags as protec- the Philippines is sending home (Covid-19), Manila Times reported. the hospitals. tive gear to cover their heads, patients under investigation “Those tested were high-level off i- “Everyone’s tired but we have hands, feet and bodies. with mild symptoms, not test- cials, most of whom qualified for our no choice, we chose this work,” Other doctors have suggested ing them,” he said. criteria,” said Health Undersecretary said Antonio Ramos, a doc- using shower caps, ponchos and “We are only testing moder- Maria Rosario Vergeire in a radio tor and administrative service disposable plastic gloves as al- ate-to-severe cases.” interview. She stressed that the poli- manager at the Lung Center of ternative protective gear. “We really should be testing ticians who were tested for Covid-19 the Philippines. “We cannot “It’s very diffi cult for hos- anyone who’s symptomatic so were “qualified” for the criteria of even spare time to mourn our pitals to buy PPEs (personal that we can...make sure that, testing, as they either had travel friends.” protective equipment). We are if you are positive, we need to history abroad, known exposure to Ramos called for donations dependent on donors,” said Karl check your contacts, and if they a virus carrier or both. for personal protective gear for Henson, an infectious disease are symptomatic, we can test She said testing some politicians all hospitals dealing with Cov- specialist and head of the infec- and isolate them,” he added. was a “matter of national security.” id-19, noting that supply has tion control and epidemiology “It’s really the only way for “There are also those who we run out in other facilities. centre of The Medical City. us to break the transmission A Filipino family eats instant noodles, at a tent set up as a makeshift evacuation centre, amid the test because of national security “We are seeing that at the “If you can’t protect your chain.” coronavirus outbreak, in Manila, yesterday. reasons,” Vergeire added.

Hospital running out of test kits Duterte seeks powers over fi rms, funds to avert crisis The Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) disclosed that it is now running out Reuters necessary — control supplies cials acknowledge limited test- more are following suit as cases and force hotels, venues and opposition is concerned about of coronavirus (Covid-19) test kits Manila and public utilities, order busi- ing for the coronavirus means soar, with Vietnam and Malay- rental properties to accommo- the scope of the powers and po- for the initial screening of persons nesses to help government, and its already overstretched health sia deploying soldiers to help date medical workers or quar- tential for abuse. under investigation (PUIs) from the pull funds from state enterpris- system could be facing far more with quarantines or to enforce antine facilities. The government is playing diff erent parts of Northern Luzon, he Philippine Congress es and departmental budgets to infections than the numbers in- curbs on travel and gatherings. It could also control roads, down the extent of the powers Manila Times reported. BGHMC held a special session redirect into emergency health dicate. Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, prices, supplies and distribu- that Duterte would have, wary chief Dr Ricardo Ruñez said that Tover the Internet yes- needs. “It is a step we were reluctant has joined Thailand and Cam- tion of power, fuel and goods of public unease over emergen- only 18 test kits remain from the terday to debate a push by the If approved, the granting of to take, but the circumstances bodia in shutting bars, cinemas like food, water, cleaning prod- cy decrees and draconian meas- 100 units received by the hospital country’s strongman leader the powers would be one of the and the experience of nations and public entertainment ven- ucts, clothing and medical sup- ures dating back to the 1970s, from the Health department and to adopt sweeping emergency most aggressive steps to tackle worldwide convinced us that we ues. plies, imported or made domes- under the late dictator Ferdi- the Research Institute for Tropical powers, in a bid to avert chaos coronavirus as governments have no other choice,” Duterte’s A draft of Duterte’s bill seen tically. nand Marcos. Medicine (RITM). He added that from a rapid spread of corona- worldwide roll out stricter Executive Secretary Salvador by Reuters seeks a “unifi ed na- It would also grant the treas- Medialdea said the measures since BGHMC started conducting virus. measures, including across Medialdea told a near-empty tional policy” that would, if ury the ability to take back de- would be rescinded when the the initial screening of PUIs, there With borders closed to for- Southeast Asia, which saw a Congress, with most lawmakers required, allow the government partmental funds to spend on virus was managed and many were 20 tests per day conducted eigners and tens of millions of more than doubling of cases in streaming the session at home. to temporarily take control of critical or essential services. would be “standby powers” for resulting to the immediate deple- people on home quarantine, the past week to nearly 3,700, The Philippines was the fi rst private utilities, telecoms and Duterte has a supermajority if a crisis erupted and “our most tion of the supply. President Rodrigo Duterte from 166 a month ago. Southeast Asian country to transport operators or busi- in both chambers, so the bill is critical institutions are nearing wants the power to — where The Philippines’ health offi - adopt lockdown measures, but nesses in the public interest, expected to pass, although the a total shutdown”. Online tutors boost incomes as demand surges due to lockdowns

Reuters ternet language classes. Online line,” said Jennifer Que, country saw its users nearly double to more than 300 home-based on- Manila platforms like 51Talk of China head of 51Talk, which has 20,000 800,000 since February, CEO line tutors. Online Education Group and partner-teachers in the Philip- Gaku Nakamura told Reuters. “We could not meet the de- RareJob Philippines, and a host pines. Japan shut down its schools mand,” said Samuel Matunog, ilipino teacher Raven Kate of smaller local Philippine out- Many online teachers in the last month to halt the coronavi- president of the industry group, De Leon is in demand, fi ts, have seen demand and usage Philippines typically work from rus spread. ICT Davao. “Every day, we are Fspending up to 10 hours a soar since February, bucking the home, which has insulated “In these kinds of situation, asked if we still have a supply of day at her home computer sur- devastating eff ect on the world’s them from the home quarantine parents do not want their kids teachers.” rounded by mini cars and stuff ed economies from coronavirus, measures that have devastated to go out,” Nakamura said, add- Regardless of whether school toys that she uses as props to in- which has infected more than businesses and restricted tens ing that RareJob’s monthly fee and work shutdowns will con- ject fun into her English classes 337,500 people and killed more of millions in the Philippines, of $60 for Japanese students and tinue for much longer, online for students far away in China. than 14,500. “I usually have 20 which has nearly 400 confi rmed $100 for business-level English learning fi rms are hoping to Since the coronavirus took a classes every day, so I could meet cases. is cheaper by up to 40 times ver- leave a lasting impression on an hold in China at the start of this the demand of the great number Shares in the $419mn China sus learning centres in Japan. underserved market. year and forced schools and of- of students nowadays,” said De Online Education has surged Japanese teenagers form the 51Talk wants to engage fi ces to shut down, thousands Leon, 22, who works for 51Talk. 154% year-to-date, compared bulk of Kristine Concepcion’s 26 100,000 Filipino tutors by 2025 of Filipino teachers are cashing “I take that opportunity to to the NYSE composite index’s daily students. or earlier and hopes its teachers on overtime as grade schoolers give them a fun and fruitful dis- 34% slump in the same period. “I’m happy to be of service in will get good ratings and refer- and professionals in China, Ja- traction because I know they’re Other e-learning fi rms like this situation and I admire them rals after the surge in customers pan and beyond turn lockdowns stressed, worried.” TAL Education Group, New Ori- for still choosing to learn,” said to ensure demand after corona- into opportunities to better their De Leon is currently now ental Education & Technology Concepcion, a RareJob tutor of virus containment measures are English. working from 8am to 11pm, A Filipino online tutor wears a wig as he talks to students from Group Inc and GSX Techedu Inc fi ve years, who uses candy, As- over. One of only a few countries in without a day off . a computer in the head off ice of 51Talk, as the spread of the have seen their shares rally up to troboy and stuff ed toys to keep “Of course we don’t want Asia that can combine aff ord- 51Talk charges around 45 yuan coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continues, in Pasig City, Metro Manila. 24%, 17% and 112%, respective- her child students engaged. this outbreak to last a long time able e-learning with an ample ($6.36) per 25-minute session, ly, notably at the height of the But not everywhere can cope, but this is the best moment. If supply of teachers and strong with teachers earning around More than two dozen coun- the United Nation’s cultural school closures in mid-February. including the southern city of teachers do their best, even af- English profi ciency, the Phil- 130 pesos ($2.53) per hour. tries followed suit, sending more agency, showed. RareJob, which has around Davao, which has a backoffi ce ter things normalise, students ippines is uniquely placed to China shut down its schools in than 290mn children and youths “More and more, the safe way 6,000 Filipino tutors and spe- industry comprising 50,000 will look for them,” said country absorb demand in Asia for In- February to contain infections. out of school, data from Unesco, to continue learning is to go on- cialises in the Japan market, mostly call centre agents, but no head Que. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES No way Olympics can be held unless virus is defeated

It’s inevitable that the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed to a later date if not scrapped totally following opposition from athletes and several international sports bodies as the deadly coronavirus wreaks havoc across the world. The world is facing a calamity of grave proportions as the bug continues to spread unabated, infecting people across all classes. It has spared nobody: super-fi t and super-rich sportsmen have fallen ill because of it and high-fl ying politicians, movie stars and royalty have Why Joe Biden? been laid low, not to mention people from ordinary walks of life. About 15,000 have died so far, the most in Italy By Elizabeth Drew as Barack Obama’s vice-president, was if people can’t feel you in the debate.” Democratic women as a devastating Washington, DC charged with dealing with Ukraine’s Biden put together an eff ective blow to women’s chances to win the which has even surpassed the deaths in China, where it all widespread corruption. This made coalition of African-American and presidency – a view that Warren started late last year. Biden defensive; then, as Clyburn put suburban voters, mainly women. As in encouraged. Although Warren had Besides its human toll it has caused fi nancial losses to he most signifi cant and it, “accusations from women about his 2016, Sanders won younger voters, but been quite popular last fall, her failure the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars as businesses unusual contest – possibly being a touch-feely guy” intensifi ed he came up short in meeting his pledge to dominate the race should have come ever – to nominate the Biden’s unease. As Biden was trying to to signifi cantly expand his base in 2020. as no surprise. Even liberal Senate suff er with no respite in sight. Governments are Tchallenger to a sitting United adjust to all this, Clyburn said, “he got In the three days between the South colleagues were put off by the intensity scrambling to put in eff ective measures to curb its impact, States president is eff ectively over. hit upside the head over busing” by rival Carolina primary and Super Tuesday of her advocacy for broad reform but it will be several months before any clear picture Former vice-President Joe Biden – candidate Kamala Harris, a US senator (when 14 states were to vote – two other of domestic policies and large new written off by most observers until his from California. Biden was a longtime candidates, Pete Buttigieg and Amy government programs and what they emerges whether such measures have produced the triumph in South Carolina last month civil-rights supporter, but mandatory Klobuchar, seeing no path to victory, perceived as her “holier-than-thou” desired outcome. and victories in other southern states bussing of black students, often over long withdrew and endorsed Biden. Former attitude. In any case, the view that Sport has been particularly hard-hit with prestigious turned the race around – now has such distances, to integrate white schools was candidates Harris and US Senator Cory Warren’s failure to win the nomination a commanding lead in delegates over deeply unpopular with his working-class Booker of New Jersey, both African- amounts to a calamity for women competitions put on hold or scrapped. Followed by his rival, US Senator Bernie Sanders, constituents. (As it happens, Clyburn, American, endorsed Biden after Super seeking the presidency is puzzling, hundreds of millions of people, the money-spinning that it’s virtually impossible for Sanders too, had opposed bussing, which many Tuesday. given that the Democrats nominated a football leagues of Europe have gone into lockdown, while to overtake him. Biden’s double-digit African-American families also didn’t Sanders faced another disadvantage: woman four years ago. wins in the three states that voted on like.) multiple polls indicated that voters Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, other high-profi le sports like Formula One, rugby, cricket March 17 – Florida, Illinois, and Arizona Clyburn wanted to endorse Biden, and cared a lot less about ideological once considered a formidable candidate are staring at an uncertain future. – doubled his lead to more than 300 not only because they and their families agreement with the candidate than for re-election thanks to an apparently But without a doubt it’s the Olympics which have been delegates. (Ohio postponed its primary were longtime friends. Black Democratic about who they thought was most likely strong economy and high stock market, in focus over past few weeks. Because the Games are some because of the Covid-19 pandemic.) candidates further down the ballot, to defeat Trump. This was refl ected in is now facing an economic collapse, Sanders, having signalled that he’d quit like down-ballot white Democrats – Biden’s decisive victories on March 10 in owing to the Covid-19 pandemic (which four months away, top offi cials like International Olympic the race (after last Sunday night’s two- especially those who in 2018 had fl ipped Michigan, Missouri, and Mississippi. At Trump reluctantly admitted). But, as Committee President Dr Thomas Bach had adopted a man debate), has now done so again. the House from Republican control – tend this point, Biden was widely believed to of mid-March, his disastrous fumbling wait-and-watch approach, hoping everything would fall After a dismal start in Iowa and to be moderates. Both groups were uneasy be the next Democratic nominee. of the US response to the deadly new New Hampshire (where he fi nished about their prospects with Sanders, a Multibillionaire businessman coronavirus had yet to change attitudes in place as there was enough time for the virus to run its fourth and fi fth, respectively) and self-described democratic socialist, at the and former New York City mayor toward him signifi cantly. Even after course. an unimpressive fi nish in Nevada (a top of the ticket. Their assumption, valid Mike Bloomberg also quit after Trump downplayed and ridiculed fears But even that hope seems to distant second to Sanders), many had or not, was that Trump would clobber Super Tuesday and endorsed Biden. of Covid-19 for several weeks, and then have disappeared now, with latest written Biden off . And yet he quickly Sanders. Bloomberg’s strategy of entering the declared a national emergency, his Entire fl ipped the narrative, owing to a few key But Clyburn felt that Biden was race late, after fl ooding the country with devoted followers were still accepting reports suggesting that the IOC factors: the unrepresentative nature of making it diffi cult to endorse him. slick and expensive ads, didn’t work whatever he said, and attitudes toward humanity is indeed going to announce heavily white Iowa and New Hampshire, “Joe wasn’t being Joe,” he told me. In once he appeared in the fl esh. And his the degree of danger largely followed the event’s postponement. IOC the strength of the black vote in the a meeting on the Sunday before the rationale for running had disappeared: party lines. is facing a South, and the moving endorsement of South Carolina primary the following he had assumed that Biden would And now, as in 2016, who wins officials, it seems have started Biden by Rep. Jim Clyburn, the House Saturday, Clyburn urged Biden to remain a weak candidate, and that he the presidency might be very much war-like working on a strategy to hold the Majority Whip and the most powerful “loosen up,” and “talk to people more himself was the strongest challenger to aff ected by the conduct of Sanders Games at a later date without African-American political fi gure in personally, talk to them about their Trump. But Bloomberg fell fl at when he and his followers. That introduces situation South Carolina (and possibly the entire families, and about their communities.” appeared in his fi rst debate on February a new element of uncertainty to causing much disruption to the South). But, most important, there was Clyburn also advised Biden, “Don’t talk 19. The most brutal attacks came from what is already shaping up to be an world sporting calendar. a change within Biden himself. about what you and Obama did; talk US Senator Elizabeth Warren, who exceptionally volatile and unpredictable In a way the IOC was pushed into a corner. Its apparent As Clyburn recently explained the about the voters’ futures.” Clyburn went pounced on complaints from women election. - Project Syndicate candidate’s transformation to me, no backstage during the debate’s fi rst break about misogyny in Bloomberg’s lack of clarity on the issue had alarmed National Olympic sooner had an uncertain (and rusty) Biden and told Biden, “You’re saying all the company (Bloomberg himself wasn’t z Elizabeth Drew is a Washington- Committees and the last straw would have come entered the race than he was hit by attacks right things, but people aren’t feeling accused of physical assaults but of based journalist and the author, most yesterday when Canada and Australia announced they are over his sole surviving son, Hunter, who you; look straight into the camera and insensitive wisecracking about women). recently, of Washington Journal: joined the board of a large Ukrainian gas talk personally.” As he told me later, Warren’s withdrawal two days after Reporting Watergate and Richard offi cially pulling out of the Games. company, Burisma, at a time when Biden, “You’re not going to raise much money Super Tuesday was seen by many Nixon’s Downfall. Undoubtedly, it would be a big blow for Japan which has staked a lot on the Games, with investment topping the $12bn mark. As sport comes to a standstill because of the closure of gyms, stadiums and swimming pools, athletes are left with no place to train. The Olympics have never before been delayed, though they were cancelled altogether in 1916, 1940 and 1944 during the World Wars and major Cold War boycotts disrupted the Moscow and Los Angeles Games in 1980 and 1984 respectively. But these too are exceptional circumstances. Entire humanity is facing a war-like situation and such situations call for desperate measures. The postponement of the Games, or even their cancellation, therefore, is a small price to pay.

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© 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Biden: This virus laid bare the severe shortcomings of the current administration. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 24, 2020 19 COMMENT Islam, Covid-19 and the global moral panic

By M Evren Tok and Bayan Khaled Doha ing through is making us forget that rom media reports to private “modesty is part of faith” (Sahih al- conversations, Covid-19 is Bukhari, 8:73:139). Fighting over the all anyone is talking about at last stack of toilet paper and hoarding Fhome and abroad. The spread hand sanitisers and masks means that of the virus has created panic around supplies dwindle and prices rise for the world, prompting the cancellation other people. A drop in blood dona- A shopper walks past empty food shelves amidst the novel coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, in Manchester, northern England. If we continue to strip supermarket of fl ights and events, closures of gyms, tions risks the cancellation of lifesav- shelves bare others are deprived of essential products. restaurants, theatres, and mosques, as ing operations. Rumours concerning well as the postponement of weddings the spread of Covid-19 from its place lightly or carelessly. Ghebreyesus also inclusive society in the process. This (intellect or reason) and human dig- Qatar’s youths to take advantage of and parties. of origin in Wuhan to the wider world warns that, if misused, ‘pandemic’ is particularly reminiscent of events nity (Karamah) to make our choices. the time they are spending at home More strict measures include the have sparked incidents of racism can also cause unreasonable fear or three years ago when the blockade of Prophet Muhammad indicated that to think about how to tackle the is- lockdown of entire cities and the isola- against Chinese communities. unjustifi ed acceptance that the fi ght is Qatar prompted inhabitants to rush to “Nothing worships (adores) Allah sues that arise with the increase of tion of vulnerable members of society. With this in mind, the global over, leading to unnecessary suff ering supermarkets to get as much food as as does al-‘Aql”. Accordingly, it is moral panic. This challenge is entitled We need to remember that these limi- mayhem and moral panic caused by and death. they can before resources run out. This time to take a step back and actively “Covid-19 and the Global Moral Panic: tations serve a purpose “And it may be Covid-19 provides the ideal opportu- While Covid-19 has limited and simply didn’t happen. think about how we can avoid such Youth Challenge” and it invites youths that you dislike a thing which is good nity to rethink global values and hu- fi xed symptoms, the moral panic it Similarly, if we continue to strip conflicts and reduce the moral panic to join in by shedding light on the for you” (Qur’an 2:216). Moreover, man development in general. Covid-19 has caused has many manifestations. supermarket shelves bare others are gripping our communities. global moral panic. it’s not only global aff airs and related is a highly contagious disease, with Health ramifi cations aside, we are deprived of essential products, which The Secretary-General of the United For more details please visit on CIS’ systems that are being tested by the symptoms ranging from mild illnesses grappling with a wide array of irration- in turn creates a problematic sense Nations, Antonio Guterres, indicated work, please visit cis.hbku.edu.qa pandemic but also our moral values. like the common cold to more serious alities, disproportionate reactions, and of individualism. Behaving in such a that the declaration of Covid-19 as a Whether it is food hoarding, sanitiser conditions such as pneumonia. The episodes of anxiety. What we’re seeing way shows us that it is time to ask the pandemic was a call for responsibil- z This article has been co-authored stocking or corona racism, we are wit- virus was recently reclassifi ed by the in the media – not to mention the be- question where do we stand in terms ity and solidarity. In this respect, our by M Evren Tok, an assistant dean nessing various forms of moral anxiety World Health Organisation (WHO) haviour of the general public – should of raising youths that care about mo- youth has a prominent role to play. at the College of Islamic Studies and that jeopardise our conception of fair, as a pandemic, which, according to make us all question how we tackle this rality at a global level? Allah (SWT) That is why the College of Islamic Bayan Khaled, a research fellow at the just and inclusive societies. Director-General Tedros Adhanom moral panic in order to put everyone blessed humans with the gift of free Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin The global moral panic we are liv- Ghebreyesus, is not a word to be used at ease and become a fairer, just, and choice. We are equipped with al-‘Aql University (HBKU) is challenging Khalifa University.

North Korea signals confi dence in face of coronavirus Three-day forecast “I’m a bit surprised that North Ko- spite a national crisis over a virus they have been successful in slowing the TODAY By Josh Smith Maximum Temperature : 270c Seoul rea decided to go ahead with its spring have no control over,” she said. spread of infections in other countries, SPA session,” said Rachel Minyoung “He needs to keep his constituents and that it has a high number of doc- Minimum Temperature : 200c Lee, a Seoul-based analyst for NK in Pyongyang happy and trying to tors per capita. WEDNESDAY ith international focus News, a website that monitors North show North Korea is invincible.” But aid organisations have warned Maximum Temperature : 260c on the coronavirus, Korea. State media has broadcast a stream that North Korea’s health system Minimum Temperature : 200c North Korea has doubled “That said, this is in line with an of reports on how seriously the gov- is chronically under-resourced, THURSDAY Wdown on its missile apparent shift in North Korean media ernment is taking its virus-prevention often fails to meet the daily needs of Maximum Temperature : 260c development and military exercises handling of the coronavirus in the past eff orts. citizens, and would be hard-pressed Minimum Temperature : 220c in recent weeks while signalling new two weeks which suggested the North One report in the ruling party news- to handle any major outbreak of the Fisherman's forecast confi dence that it has dodged an out- Korean regime’s increased confi dence paper Rodong Sinmun on Monday, coronavirus, which has infected more break of its own. in managing the coronavirus situa- for example, said a local party offi cial than 337,000 people and killed more Some international experts are tion.” had been punished for undermining than 14,650 around the world. WARNING sceptical of North Korea’s assertion Besides the SPA announcement, nationwide coronavirus prevention “Hearing from my relatives there, Inshore : Nil that it has not had a single case of leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim measures by organising drinking par- one thing for sure is the situation is the new coronavirus, which was fi rst Yo-jong, released a statement through ties. very serious,” said a North Korean Offshore : Strong wind with high sea at first detected in neighbouring China. state media on Sunday commenting “Under the present situation that defector living in South Korea. WEATHER But for the fi rst time since late on US President Donald Trump’s latest witnesses intensifi ed campaign “Otherwise they wouldn’t be so loud Inshore : Moderate temperature February, North Korean soldiers con- letter to North Korea, off ering corona- against Covid-19, it comes to be an on the news about this. There is no way daytime with some clouds, relatively cold ducting military drills and test fi ring virus assistance. important political matter that all the for the residents to know who died.” by night short-range ballistic missiles over the But much of the messaging from people should observe the stand- The insistence on no coronavirus WIND weekend were shown not wearing face Kim Jong-un appears “laser focused” ards and orders set under the state cases, the SPA presidium and the mis- Inshore : Southwesterly-North- masks in state media photographs. at the domestic audience, said Duyeon emergency anti-epidemic system,” sile tests were intended to show it was westerly 05-15 KT North Korea has said it has released Kim, a senior adviser to the Interna- the paper said in an editorial, refer- business as usual in North Korea, said Offshore : Northwesterly 18-25 KT almost all the foreigners it quarantined tional Crisis Group think-tank. ring to the disease caused by the new Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea expert as a precaution, and in a decision that “He’s apparently trying to show coronavirus. at King’s College London. Visibility : 4-8 KM surprised some experts, announced his confi dence and strength to his Some foreign observers have noted “Kim Jong-un is trying really hard Offshore : 5-8 FT it would hold a big gathering of its people, that he is in control, and that that North Korea’s authoritarian to project the image that all is good,” Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) in the regime is functioning normally by government is actually well placed to Pardo said in a post on Twitter. – early April. pursuing its strategic objectives de- impose the kind of restrictions that Reuters Around the region Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Baghdad P Cloudy 24/14 M Cloudy 26/14 Kuwait City M Sunny 26/16 M Sunny 25/17 Manama M Sunny 24/19 M Sunny 26/20 Ready to exercise at home? Here’s a workout for you Muscat M Sunny 24/19 M Sunny 24/20 Tehran P Cloudy 16/08 P Cloudy 16/09

By Amy Bertrand WALK: 5 minutes around your St. Louis Post-Dispatch house. SUPERSET 2: Do 8 to 12 squats, then lie on your back with your feet on the hen Lori Patterson fl oor and press your hips to the sky for a launched Boot Camp pelvic tilt, 8 to 12 times. If you are a new Challenge fi tness classes exerciser, stop here. If not, repeat this Win St Peters, Mo., 19 superset for a total of three sets. years ago, one of her main goals was WALK: 5 minutes camaraderie. SUPER SET 3: Do a triceps dip: Sit “I wanted to combine the science of on a chair or bench. Keeping your hand fi tness and wellness with the cama- on the edge of the seat, lower your rear raderie, the esprit de corps of the US end off the bench so you are supporting Army, of being part of a team,” says yourself with your arms (your knees are Patterson, an army veteran who now bent in front of you). Slowly bend your Around the world has Boot Camp Challenge trainers in elbows till you feel a tug at your triceps, Weather Weather seven states. then straighten your arms back up ( but today Max/min tomorrow Max/min But, with the recent coronavirus don’t lock out your elbows). 8 to 12 reps. Athens M Sunny 19/09 Showers 17/11 fears, she like many, has had to look Then grab canned goods, milk jugs, Beirut Sunny 21/14 M Sunny 18/14 for a diff erent way to get her product exercise bands or weights to do biceps Bangkok Sunny 34/27 M Sunny 34/27 to her people. All of her trainers have Exercises for seniors in the time of Covid-19. curls for 8 to 12 reps. Again, if it’s your Berlin Sunny 07/-3 Sunny 08/-2 moved their classes online. They meet fi rst time, stop here. Otherwise, repeat Cairo Sunny 27/14 M Cloudy 26/17 live, in the same groups they met in brings a sense of normalcy to those for 8 minutes to increase your blood two more times. Cape Town Cloudy 23/14 S Showers 21/14 before and at the same time. who already do exercise but can’t go fl ow and prepare your body for the WALK: 5 minutes Colombo P Cloudy 31/26 P Cloudy 31/26 “So that means if you don’t show to the gym, and for those who don’t workout. SUPERSET 4: Do 8 to 12 crunches, Dhaka M Sunny 32/21 M Sunny 34/22 up at 5:30am, I know it,” she says. “It usually exercise, now is a great time SUPERSET 1: Supersets are with your feet on the fl oor. Then fl ip Hong Kong P Cloudy 23/20 P Cloudy 23/21 keeps the accountability, and you can to get started. ... Time is no longer an multi-muscle and multi-joint moves over and do back extensions. To do Istanbul S Showers 11/07 Cloudy 11/08 still feel like you are a part of some- obstacle, and that’s usually listed as that cut down on rest time in between these, lie face down on the fl oor with Jakarta T Storms 31/24 T Storms 32/24 thing. I feel that’s really important in the biggest obstacle.” exercises. Begin here with a push-up. your hands either in the small of your Karachi M Sunny 29/20 P Cloudy 29/19 these times.” Each week, Patterson will help us Either the basic kind or modify by back or at your sides. Slightly lift your London M Sunny 14/02 M Sunny 13/0 To that end, she’s also creating free, bring a new workout to you, which getting on your knees or even standing legs and shoulders off the oor.fl Return Manila M Sunny 34/26 Sunny 34/26 10-minute workouts live at 9am Monday you can do at home. Or, if the weather and pushing up on a countertop. Do 8 to starting position, 8 to 12 reps. Do Moscow Sunny 04/-5 M Sunny 08/-2 through Friday on her Facebook page, is nice, do it outside and get some to 12 repetitions. Then, using canned this superset once for newbies, three New Delhi M Cloudy 32/21 P Cloudy 32/21 facebook.com/bootcampchallenge fresh air. For a beginner, this workout goods, milk jugs or weights if you times total for experienced exercisers. New York M Sunny 14/06 Rain 08/04 “It’s really important right now to will take about 35 to 40 minutes. For have them, stand up, pull your belly in STRETCH: 5 minutes of stretching: Paris Sunny 13/0 Sunny 12/01 keep your heart and lungs strong to more advanced folks, it will take 45 to and bend at the waist. Pull your arms give yourself a hug, reach your arms Sao Paulo M Sunny 26/15 Sunny 26/14 keep your immune system strong. 50 minutes. As always, check with a straight back, bending at the elbows to out high, then to your sides, then up Seoul Sunny 17/03 P Cloudy 18/06 Exercise has proven to be a great way doctor before beginning any exercise do an exercise called a lateral row, 8 to and over your head. Grab a foot behind Singapore T Storms 32/26 S T Storms 32/27 to help through any kind of anxiety, programme. 12 reps. If you are a new exerciser, stop you and hold it to your rear end. Lie on Sydney S Showers 22/17 Showers 22/17 depression, worry. It’s a great tool WARMUP: Walk around your here. If not, then repeat this superset your back and pull your knees to your Tokyo Clear 14/07 Clear 15/04 to combat that,” she says. “And it house or up and down your stairs for a total of three sets. chest. – Tribune News Service Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, March 24, 2020 QATAR MoCI sets price limits for Civil Defence plans to food items until March 31 set up three new centres

he Ministry of Commerce he General Directorate of the new Civil Defence Centre at and Industry (MoCI) has Civil Defence at the Min- Al Wakra will start functioning Tset the maximum sell- Tistry of Interior (MoI) has soon. ing prices for fi sh and seafood, chalked out a plan to set up three It is to serve Al Wakra and as well as fruits and vegetables, new centres in the country. nearby areas. With 31,000sq m, until March 31. These prices are The centres will come up at the centre consists of a main meant for retail outlets and are Muaither, Lusail and Al Kheesa, building with a ground fl oor and subject to extension, according local Arabic newspaper Arrayah two upper fl oors. The centre has to notifi cations issued by the has reported. They are part of also parking facilities. ministry on social media yes- the Civil Defence’s eff orts to Al-Duhaimi said Al Wakra terday. extend its services to more ar- centre is among several projects The MoCI stressed that the eas and help the residents con- to improve the effi ciency of Civil notifi cation compels all retail cerned to avail the services eas- Defence services in the country. outlets to commit to selling the ily. Brig Hamad Othman al-Duhaimi, He pointed out that several above-mentioned items at the Brig Hamad Othman al- Director General of Civil new centres were built while the prices mentioned on the lists Duhaimi, Director General of Defence. headquarters was set up at Wadi provided by the ministry. Civil Defence, said that the new speedy and timely intervention Sail in recent years as part of the Violators will be subject to centres will serve the areas and during emergencies and acci- Directorate’s eff orts to improve penalties stipulated in the ap- nearby localities by ensuring dents. The MoI offi cial said that effi ciency. plicable laws, decisions and regulations. “In case of non- compliance, violators will be penalised and legal measures will be taken against them,” the MoCI noted. According to the list for fi sh and seafood, the maximum selling price, per kilogram, is QR20 for Sultan Ibrahim (small), QR26-37 for Hamour (depending on the size), QR8- 14 for Sheri (based on the size), QR20-26 for Zubaidi (depend- ing on the size), QR68 for lob- ster, QR18-22 for Jash (based on the size), QR29-37 for Kanad KPHT (depending on the size), and QR8-17 for Tuna (based on the size). The list includes a to- tal of 35 items. As for fruits and vegetables, An infographic explaining the MoCI decision on exchanges and refunds. the MoCI has specifi ed the maximum prices for both lo- prohibited from exceeding the ministry has compelled all retail which requires suppliers to cal and imported items. The maximum announced prices. outlets to apply the safe dis- comply with health and safety products may be sold in pack- In case of non-compliance, tancing rule (1.5m) among cus- regulations. The order came A Civil Defence vehicle age form or by the kilogram. In violations will be recorded and tomers, including those waiting into eff ect yesterday, with the addition, the ministry has set legal measures taken, it added. in queues at the cashier and re- ministry highlighting the need the maximum selling prices for In case of any complaints per- ception desk, by placing guid- for outlets to comply with the medical facemasks in the local taining to the above-mentioned ing signs on the ground.” circular. markets. The maximum prices items, consumers can call the This comes in the context of The MoCI stressed that it How to protect migrant workers are determined in accordance ministry’s hotline at 16001. the precautionary and preven- would intensify inspection with the announced price chart, Meanwhile, the MoCI has reit- tive measures taken to limit the campaigns, and violators would the MoCI said in a notifi ca- erated that “as part of its pre- spread of Covid-19 and pursu- be subject to the penalties stip- tion. Pharmacies and agencies ventive measures to limit the ant to Article 13 of Consumer ulated in the relevant regula- that sell medical facemasks are spread of the coronavirus, the Protection Law No 8 of 2008, tions.

Civic ministry steps to fight virus

The Ministry of Municipality and Environment has issued an infographic about the measures it has taken Employers can support Qatar’s eff orts to reduce the spread of Covid-19 by providing a safe working in response to the novel environment and educating employees on the risks associated with the virus and ways to prevent its coronavirus (Covid-19) transmission, the Government Communications Off ice (GCO) tweeted yesterday. The GCO explained outbreak. how this could be done through an infographic (above).

QF TV series Siraj returns with new learning adventure

new adventure for Rashid The latest season of Siraj — a 3D knowledgeable friend Siraj, they and Noura, the animat- edutainment programme designed to can fi nd those answers with the Aed sibling stars of Qatar help of the colourful friends they Foundation’s Arabic language- help children aged from two to eight made in previous seasons, and by focused TV series, Siraj will go on engaging in diff erent activities. air from tomorrow with 15 epi- explore Arabic language, and build The new series of Siraj also intro- sodes covering themes from sci- their literacy and numeracy skills and duces a new cast of voice actors, ence and history to morality and the majority of whom are from religion in a way that appeals to children in Qatar and across the Arab Qatar. All its episodes have been young minds. world are being invited to join their created to align with the Interna- The latest season of Siraj – tional Baccalaureate Programme an 3D edutainment programme journey of fun and discovery of Inquiry. designed to help children aged Speaking about the value of from two to eight explore Ara- tive, and agile mindset, learning Designed to be enjoyed by both Siraj to educators, Haya al-Dosa- bic language, and build their lit- never stops. children and their families, and ri, a teacher at Qatar Academy eracy and numeracy skills and “We are delighted to unveil the to support educators in improv- Doha – which comes under the children in Qatar and across the next chapter in the Siraj story ing the literary and numeracy umbrella of QF’s Pre-University Arab world are being invited to through the launch of the new skills of their students, Siraj pro- Education – said: “Siraj helps join their journey of fun and dis- season of a QF initiative that re- vides such an opportunity.’’ students to learn the Arabic lan- covery. fl ects our eff orts to support re- Since its launch in 2016, Siraj guage and makes learning a fun At the centre of the series mote learning, as we adapt our episodes have been viewed 28mn experience – it is a motivational once again are Rashid and his lives to the challenges that the times, with viewers spending a tool in the educational process, older sister Noura, whose quest world has presented us with,” total of 2.8mn hours watching and stimulates visual and audi- for knowledge and the answers said Khalifa Essa al-Kubaisi, the series. It now has more than tory learning.’’ to questions about Ramadan, Press Offi ce and Media Relations 115,000 subscribers. The fi rst episode of the new colours, healthy eating, sustain- manager, Qatar Foundation (QF). The series’ new season will see season can be viewed on the ability, and other topics begins in “Opportunities to learn are Rashid and Noura being prompt- Siraj YouTube channel on March their own playroom, and is root- all around us, in many diff erent ed to answer a range of questions 25, with further episodes being ed in their imagination – show- forms, and this resonates to an from their playroom, and real- available on this channel every ing how, with a creative, inquisi- even greater degree at present. ising that by summoning their Wednesday. Since its launch in 2016, Siraj episodes have been viewed 28mn times.