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Qatar registers property Al Markhiya reach deals worth QR400mn semis with shock from March 1 to 5: Ezdan win over Al Rayyan published in QATAR since 1978

FRIDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11486 March 13, 2020 Rajab 18, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

In brief

Amir condoles death of First batch of Iran returnees Sheikh Isa al-Khalifah His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday condolences to the family of Sheikh Isa bin Rashid bin Abdullah al- Khalifah, praying to the Almighty discharged from quarantine Allah to have mercy on his soul and to rest it in paradise, and to grant patience and solace to his family and O No Metro, public bus this weekend; play areas in parks closed; QM, QF shut many the family of al-Khalifah. facilities; Ashghal, Kahramaa urge customers to use e-services Sheikh Isa al-Khalifah passes away he fi rst batch of people repatri- ated from Iran following the out- Cinemas, gyms Tbreak of coronavirus two weeks ago and put under quarantine in Qatar and wedding has been discharged, the Ministry of Public Health announced yesterday. The group consists of 121 individuals halls to be shut suspected to have been infected with the virus in Iran. from today Qatar News Agency quoted head of Public Health at the Ministry of Public atar yesterday announced new Health, Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad precautionary measures to al-Thani, as saying at a press conference Qprevent and contain the spread that the individuals, who received care of coronavirus. throughout the quarantine period, were These include closure of cine- released after three consecutive tests mas, theatres, children’s play areas, Renowned sports and literary figure showed they were free of Covid-19. gyms and wedding venues, includ- Sheikh Isa bin Rashid bin Abdullah However, nine other returnees from ing those in hotels and are effective al-Khalifah has passed away at the Iran who tested positive for the virus today. age of 82. Shaikh Isa was most known are currently receiving suitable care The Ministry of Public Health has for his role as the president of the and are in stable health and they are ex- urged people to avoid crowded places Bahrain Football Association, a role pected to be discharged soon, the Min- and postpone holding social gath- which he held from 1974 to 1988 istry said in a statement. erings for the time-being, for their which is the longest anyone has held Meanwhile, as part of measures to A photo released by the Ministry of Public Health after the first batch of Iran returnees was discharged from a quarantine own well-being and that of the com- the position and was later named an combat the virus outbreak, various facility yesterday. munity. honorary president. organisations and institutions in the The Ministry has also advised eld- country have announced changes to QC to distribute erly people, and people with chronic QATAR | Offi cial their operations. Ministry issues advisory for mosques health conditions, to avoid going out Amir holds phone talks These include restrictions for the masks, sanitisers unless absolutely necessary, as they public, postponements, temporary clo- The Ministry of Endowments and decrease the waiting time between the are more susceptible to infections. It with Kyrgyz president sures and suspensions as well as con- Islamic Aff airs yesterday announced call to prayer and actual prayer to five The Qatar Charity (QC), in said it continues to take all necessary His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim ducting work remotely and online. several precautionary and preventive minutes for all prayer times, in addition collaboration with the Ministry of measures to limit the spread of the bin Hamad al-Thani held a telephone Following are some of the key an- measures to be adopted in mosques to closing the mosques after each Administrative Development, Labour virus and called upon all members of conversation with President of nouncements: as part of eff orts to combat the prayer within 15 minutes and to open and Social Aff airs and the Ministry society to take care and apply simple, the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay O No Metro, public bus this coronavirus. In a statement, the with each prayer’s call. The statement of Public Health, will distribute preventive measures to protect against Jeenbekov. During the call, they weekend ministry said extra measures have urged worshippers who show preventative safety guidelines, face infection. discussed relations and ways of Doha Metro, public buses and the been taken to improve hygiene inside symptoms of cold or flu not to go to masks and sanitisers among workers This includes washing hands of- supporting and developing them. Metrolink feeder bus service have been mosques that include removing mosques during their illness period. to prevent the spread of the novel ten or using hand sanitisers and They agreed to enhance joint action suspended for the weekend, according all that could be contributing in The ministry advised worshippers to coronavirus. The initiative also aims keeping a distance of at least 1m between the two countries in all fields, to an offi cial notifi cation. transmitting the infection, such as ensure they do their Wudu at home to raise awareness of the need to (3ft) from people who have symp- as well as at the international level. The Ministry of Transport and Com- cups in refrigerators, soap bars and and not indulge in talks after the take precautionary measures with toms of illness. People should also The Kyrgyz president congratulated munications (MoTC) yesterday said in waste baskets. The statement said prayer in the mosque. The ministry regard to reducing gatherings, QC use their sleeve to cover nose and the Amir on the success of Qatar’s a statement that in view of the precau- that mosques will be ventilated daily also advised all citizens and residents tweeted yesterday. mouth when coughing and sneezing eff orts that culminated in the signing tionary measures taken in the country by opening windows before and after to comply with the health guidance or use tissue paper and dispose of it of a peace agreement between the to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the each prayer. The ministry said as part issued by the competent authorities O Play areas in parks closed appropriately. United States and the Afghan Taliban “Doha Metro preview service, public of the measures it has been decided to and co-operate with them. The Ministry of Municipality and En- The coronavirus (Covid-19) con- in Doha on February 29. transit bus service and Metrolink serv- vironment yesterday tweeted that it has tact centre at the Ministry of Public ice” have been temporarily suspended. Sunday, March 15. Lusail Tram page specifi ed that relat- decided to close play areas in all parks Health is accessible around the clock QATAR | Aid The suspension came into eff ect at Qatar Rail, too, reported the suspen- ed services such as the Metrolink and around the country “as a precautionary for any reports or inquiries regard- 10pm yesterday. sion of Metro services during the same Metroexpress feeder buses would also measure to ensure the health of our kids.” ing the virus at the toll-free phone Gaza fi re victims start The services will resume at 6am on period. A tweet on the Doha Metro & remain suspended during this period. To Page 3 number 16000. getting Amir’s grant The first tranche of the grant of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was distributed yesterday to assist those aff ected by a fire that broke out in Nusseirat camp market in central Gaza Strip last EU and US clash over week. The Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza has started the process of distributing the grant to its beneficiaries through post ‘unilateral’ travel ban off ices in Gaza under the supervision of the committee’s staff , and will Agencies countries, but anyone who has been physi- continue until all those aff ected Brussels/Washington cally present in them. receive the grant. Beneficiaries European Commission President Ursula includes 161 relatives of those who von der Leyen and European Council Presi- died, the wounded, the aff ected shops he European Union yesterday sharply dent Charles Michel said they disapproved of and vehicles owners. criticised the US decision to restrict the US decision, which they said was “taken Ttravel from most European countries to unilaterally and without consultation.” QATAR | Sport contain the coronavirus pandemic, and said In a joint statement, they insisted Brussels the crisis required global co-operation not was taking “strong” measures to limit the Al Arabi, Al Shamal in unilateral action. spread of the virus, despite Trump’s claims Arab handball fi nal The ban applies to any foreign passport in announcing a 30-day restriction on travel Qatar’s Al Shamal beat Saudi Arabia’s holder who has been in the 26 country Schen- from Europe, except Britain and a few other Al Khaleej 32-28 to qualify for the final gen open border area within 14 days of their countries. of Arab Handball Championship for seeking admission into the United States. US President Donald Trump, a frequent the Club Winners’ Cup yesterday. The “The free fl ow of people between the critic of the EU, defended his decision to im- event is being held in Tunisian city of Schengen Area countries makes the task of pose the travel restrictions without consult- Beni Khiar with the participation of managing the spread of the virus diffi cult,” ing Brussels. six clubs, including three from Qatar the White House proclamation said. Speaking to reporters in the White House – Al Arabi, Al Ahli and Al Shamal. The The ban applies to non-American citizens alongside Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, event will conclude tomorrow. Al who have been in any of the 26 Schengen he said the ban could be lengthened or short- Shamal will take on Qatar’s Al Arabi countries within 14 days of their planned en- ened, and added that he had been unable to Healthcare workers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment prepare to start testing people in the final after the latter defeated try into the Untied States. consult with the EU prior to announcing it on for Covid-19 at the state’s first drive-up testing centre yesterday in Denver, Colorado. The testing centre is free and Tunisia’s Club Africain 25-22. The ban is not focused on citizens of those Wednesday evening in a televised address. available to anyone who has a note from a doctor confirming they meet the criteria to be tested for the virus. Gulf Times 2 Friday, March 13, 2020 QATAR

Off icial Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club off ers Amir sends cable of congratulations members tier status extension to Mauritius leader His Highness the Amir Sheikh atar Airways’ loyalty to provide all customers with to Qatar Airways’ loyal passen- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and programme, Privi- maximum fl exibility to suit their gers, off ering them the opportu- His Highness the Deputy Amir Qlege Club, is off ering its travel plans.” nity to earn Qmiles when travel- Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad members the opportunity to ex- Qatar Airways recently ling on Qatar Airways, oneworld al-Thani have sent cables of tend or reclaim their tier status launched a new commercial airlines, or any of the airlines’ congratulations to President of for memberships due to end be- policy to allow all passengers partners. Mauritius Roopun Prithvirajsing fore January 31, 2021. that have booked or will book Qmiles has since served as on the occasion of his country’s Members will be able to retain fl ights to travel up to June 30 the another convenient means of National Day. HE the Prime their current tier benefi ts such fl exibility to change their travel payment at the award-winning Minister and Minister of Interior as upgrades, ‘Shop & Pay’ with plans free of charge by altering Qatar Duty Free outlets, located Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Qmiles, extra baggage, lounge the dates of their booking or ex- in both the departure and arrival Abdulaziz al-Thani has also sent access, and more, for up to six changing their ticket for a travel halls of Hamad International a cable of congratulations to months, with personalised of- voucher valid for one year, up to Airport, and at Oryx Galleria in the Prime Minister of Mauritius fers. three days prior to departure. Doha. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on the This is one of the many steps This policy includes award Privilege Club off ers four occasion. that Qatar Airways is taking to fl ights. For full details of all the membership tiers – Burgundy, ensure its customers can travel steps that Qatar Airways is tak- Silver, Gold and Platinum – each with confi dence. ing in response to coronavirus, with their own exclusive benefi ts FM congratulates Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club visit its dedicated new microsite: for members to enjoy. Qmiles are Malaysian has introduced the off ers in rec- qatarairways.com/travelwith- earned when members travel on ognition that some of its members confi dence Qatar Airways, oneworld air- counterpart will be impacted by travel restric- situation regarding coronavi- bers to lose their hard-earned most relevant to them. Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club lines, other airline partners or tions and fl ight reductions result- rus, which has led to travel re- membership tier status as a “While we understand that recently announced even more use the services of any of the air- HE the Deputy Prime Minister and ing from Covid-19 (coronavirus). strictions and fl ight reductions result. That is why we are hon- some members may need or benefi ts for Silver, Gold and line’s 60+ global partners. Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Members can view their personal- worldwide, many of our Privi- ouring the loyalty our members wish to change their travel plans, Platinum members, with pre- Qmiles are awarded based on Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al- ised off er at qmiles.com and must lege Club members have not have shown us by offering to we want to assure them that ferred seating guaranteed for the booking class purchased, Thani yesterday held a telephone login and register to claim it by travelled as frequently as they extend their tier membership when they do travel with Qatar free for Gold or Platinum mem- and can be redeemed for a range conversation with the Minister March 24. usually would. and retain their current bene- Airways, they can travel with bers or at a 25% discount for Sil- of exciting benefi ts and rewards of Foreign Aff airs of Malaysia Qatar Airways chief commer- “Such restrictions are out- fits. Offers will be personalised confi dence. Our fl eet is one of ver members. including award fl ights, up- Hishammuddin Hussein. cial offi cer Simon Talling-Smith side of our control as an airline, to each member to ensure that the cleanest in the skies, and we Privilege Club launched in grades or extra baggage on Qatar HE the Deputy Prime Minister said, “As a result of the current but we do not want our mem- they receive the benefit options have introduced new policies 2000 as a form of appreciation Airways. and Minister of Foreign Aff airs congratulated the Malaysian minister of foreign aff airs on his assumption of the new position, wishing him success. During the call, they also Qatar University making arrangements to hold virtual classes reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries, in addition to issues of common atar University (QU) is the electronic platforms in order Commenting on the launch of concern. making arrangements to to communicate to their col- virtual education, Dr Mohamed Qcontinue regular classes leagues. Diab, dean of College of Phar- through a virtual learning sys- Commenting on the new macy, said the initiative is part of Qatar condemns tem from March 15, as classes virtual educational system, Dr QU’s comprehensive plan. Baghdad attack in all educational institutions Khaled Kamal Naji, dean of Col- Dr Ibrahim al-Ansari, dean of across Qatar have been suspend- lege of Engineering, said, “We the College of Sharia, also held ed by the government to limit the are focusing on the new system a meeting on the same day an- Qatar yesterday voiced its strong spread of the novel coronavirus which can help students inter- nouncement was made by the condemnation of the attack (Covid-19). act with professors through this government and issued several that targeted a camp of the QU administration has de- portal.” preparatory measures to all the International Coalition Against livered many workshops by the Prof Ibrahim Alkaabi, dean of staff and students. ISIS, north of the Iraqi capital, Centre for Excellence in Teach- General Studies, said that The Commenting on QU’s devel- Baghdad, and resulted in the ing and Learning on the tech- College has started applying opment towards virtual edu- death of two American and one niques for distance education virtual education in founda- Dr Omar al-Ansari, vice cation, Dr Mona al-Marzouqi, British soldiers, as well as the and directed all professors to tion programmes and general president of Academic Aff airs, assistant dean for Research and injury of others. start using them from March 15, requirements according to the QU. Graduate Studies, confi rmed In a statement yesterday, the according to a statement. course. that professors of the Faculty of Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Omar al-Ansari, vice presi- As for the College of Arts ing from March 15. Law have begun giving their lec- expressed the condolences dent of Academic Aff airs, has is- A QU professor’s lecture is being recorded for the virtual learning and Sciences, the science de- Dr Adam Fadlallah, dean of tures remotely to students. of Qatar to the families of the sued relevant instructions for system. partment has already begun to College of Business and Eco- The virtual learning system victims and to the governments the success of the virtual learn- communicate with students nomics, observed that the new also allows students to ask ques- and people of the United States ing system. Students will be corded and uploaded. dents’ attendance as well as for through the virtual educational system has given the ability to tions through voice record- of America and Britain, and provided in advance with links The course professor is re- their academic performance. system, while other depart- continue working on a regular ing and writing, the statement wishing the injured a speedy to the lectures, which will be re- sponsible for following up stu- The faculty is also advised to use ments will start the function- basis. added. recovery.

Ashghal urges Temporary closure on G Ring Road Closure on E Ring Road clients to use e-services

ith the authorities concerned calling for Wa high alert to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Pub- lic Works Authority (Ashghal), through a tweet, has urged its clients to avoid direct visits to its Customer Service Offi ces and instead make use of the e-serv- ices. Clients can also contact Ashghal call centre at 188. Ashghal has joined the aware- ness activities to beat Covid-19. A session was held for compa- nies and contractors that are part of its projects. Ashghal has educated its em- ployees on ways to prevent Cov- id-19 by giving them instruc- The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the closure of traff ic from E Ring Road towards tions to pay extra attention to Wholesale Market street from today (Friday). During the closure, implemented in co-ordination with cleaning offi ces, halls, elevators The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a temporary closure on G Ring Road at Aba the General Directorate of Traff ic, motorists going to Wholesale Market Street can use the Industrial and all door handles in addition Al Seleel Interchange for those heading to Hamad International Airport from 10pm on March 15 to Area Road and then take a right turn onto Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor to reach their destinations. to providing gloves and masks 4am on March 16. The closure, implemented in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traff ic, Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the closure and requested road users to abide by for their own safety, the tweet is to complete the installation of ITS gantries. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety. said. Ashghal has also distrib- the closure and requested road users to abide by the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure uted awareness posters against safety. Covid-19. Traffic diversion Twin white tiger cubs born at Doha Zoo The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the closure of 500m of Mehairja Street towards Al Rayyan at the Roundabout leading to Twin cubs were born to Umm Suwaya Street today. a white tiger at the Doha The closure, implemented Zoo, which remains closed in co-ordination, with the to the public, the Public General Directorate of Parks Department at the Traff ic is to enable works of Ministry of Municipality and Al Khufoos Street Upgrade Environment, announced. Project. Drivers can use The cubs have been isolated Umm Suwaya Street and under the supervision of a local roads to reach their veterinary unit for proper destinations. Ashghal will care. install road signs advising motorists of the closure and requested road users to abide by the speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure safety. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 3 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD QM closes museums, cancels activities

By Joey Aguilar National Museum of Qatar, lenging times and look forward Staff Reporter Mathaf: Arab Museum of Mod- to welcoming visitors at our ern Art, Museum of Islamic Art, museums in the future,” the QM Fire Station. statement added. atar Museums (QM) “The following initiatives QM also cancelled the Pi- has closed all its muse- are also cancelled until further casso’s Studios media preview Qums and heritage sites notice: MIA Bazaar and NMoQ tomorrow (March 14), at the Ga- to visitors until further notice Baraha Bazaar, school visits, rage Gallery of Fire Station. The and cancelled a number of ini- workshops, lectures, tours and exhibition, which forms part of tiatives and activities to prevent educational programming, the Qatar-France 2020 Year of the spread of the novel coro- public events. Culture, is scheduled to showcase navirus (Covid-19), it was an- “Due to the evolving nature of dozens of works by Pablo Picas- nounced yesterday. the situation, we will continue so, on exceptional loan from the “At Qatar Museums, the to review and revise our plans Musée National Picasso in Paris. health and safety of our visitors and processes and follow guid- Marchitecture, a QM initiative and staff is of the utmost impor- ance from the Ministry of Public dedicated to architecture and ur- tance. Additionally, all museum Health (MoPH). We will keep ban design, was also cancelled. shops, cafés and restaurants and you updated on further devel- Various organisations have the National Museum of Qatar opments. postponed or cancelled their playground will be closed. “We thank the public for their upcoming events to help fi ght “The museums include: the understanding in these chal- the spread of Covid-19. QF announces temporary Iran virus toll rises to 429 AFP few days have lost their lives hotels and other tourist ac- Tehran and today a total of 429 infected commodation. But yesterday, people are no longer with us,” he health ministry’s spokesman closures of public spaces added. Jahanpour said: “Rumours of ran announced yesterday The outbreak of the novel quarantine of cities and closure that another 75 people had coronavirus in Iran is one of the of petrol stations are false.” „QNL, Oxygen Park and Al Shaqab among facilities closed; Education City Tram services suspended Idied of the new coronavi- deadliest outside China, where The offi ce of Iran’s supreme rus, bringing the overall number the disease originated. Iran an- leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei atar Foundation (QF) has said it would continue to operate of deaths to 429 out of more nounced its fi rst deaths, in the announced Monday that he has curtailed certain activi- its core business functions, with than 10,000 infections. It is the Shia holy city of Qom, on Feb- cancelled his annual Nowrouz Qties and closed many of many being performed remotely. highest single-day death toll in ruary 19. It is yet to offi cially speech because of virus and its public places and facilities at “The investments that we have the three weeks since the Is- impose quarantines but au- will not travel to Mashhad, his Education City until further no- made in innovative work prac- lamic republic announced its thorities have repeatedly called birthplace. On Wednesday, tice. tices and digital infrastructure fi rst deaths from the outbreak on people to refrain from travel- the World Health Organisation This has been done to “help have enabled us to be prepared last month. ling. said Iran was “doing its best” slow infection and transmission for a situation like this. “In the past 24 hours, 1,075 They have closed schools to combat the virus as it called of the novel coronavirus (Cov- The steps we are taking ensure people have been infected with and universities and resorted to for the country to be given more id-19) in Qatar and contribute that QF will continue to oper- Covid-19... bringing the to- shutting hotels and other tour- support. to safeguarding public health, ate while also refl ecting the fact tal number of infected people ist accommodation to discour- “We are trying to mobilise which is of paramount impor- Education City Tram that protecting the health of our to 10,075 cases,” health min- age travel. Ahead of Nowrouz, more support for Iran,” WHO tance to us,” QF said in a state- community and the wider public istry spokesman Kianoush the Iranian New Year holidays chief Tedros Adhanom Ghe- ment yesterday. The measures cluding the QF Recreation Centre “People are strongly encour- is our top priority,” it added. Jahanpour said at a televised that start this year on March breyesus told reporters in Ge- taken by QF include: and Education City Club House, aged to check for updates at Students will be continuing news conference. “Seventy-fi ve 20, authorities in several prov- neva, adding that the country „ Multaqa (Education City are closed. http://statements.qf.org.qa classes at QF schools using on- people hospitalised in the past inces have issued orders to close needed more supplies. Student Center) is closed to the „ Education City Golf Club is before travelling to Education line learning platforms. All QF public. This includes all shops not currently off ering group ses- City to participate in activities business travel arrangements, and food & beverage facilities sions. Individual sessions can be or visit its public facilities and as well as QF events, have been Kuwait gears up for coronavirus measures within the Center. scheduled as normal. spaces,” the statement noted. QF cancelled until further notice. „ The Minaretein building is Citizens and residents of Kuwait hours to get overflowing carts and I worry about my children fully closed to the public, includ- got ready for a virtual nation- through the cashier.” and family,” he said. ing the Education City Mosque. Borrowed items to be automatically renewed wide lockdown by rushing to Kuwait, whose land borders with Trade Minister Khalid al-Roudan „ Qatar National Library (QNL) supermarkets as authorities took Saudi Arabia and Iraq are also sought to reassure people over is closed to the public. “We en- until further notice when library is closed: QNL exceptional measures against closed to passenger movement, the supply of goods, and a tem- courage everyone to access the coronavirus, including banning has 80 coronavirus cases. As porary ban was imposed on food QNL Online Resources, which re- Qatar National Library (QNL) will be closed to the access to ebooks, journals, magazines and newspa- all commercial passenger flights in other Gulf Arab states, no exports. “There is no need for all main fully accessible,” QF said. public until further notice “in the interests of the pers, opportunities to stream video and music, and starting today. Streets in the Gulf deaths have been reported. It was this panic because shipping lanes „ All other library facilities safety and well-being” of its patrons and staff . books and online activities for children and young Arab state were largely empty not clear how long the ban on are still open and cargo flights across Education City are closed While the library is closed, all borrowed items will adults. The Qatar Digital Library and the Digital yesterday, the start of a two-week commercial flights in and out of continue. There are suff icient to the public. be automatically renewed until further notice and Repository are also accessible to all users. public holiday declared by the Kuwait would last. “I’ve seen and strategic food stockpiles for sev- „ Oxygen Park is closed to the no fines or penalties will apply during this time, the “If you have any research, study, or general questions, government, which also banned heard lots of people complaining eral months,” he said in remarks public. library has said. please use ‘Ask Our Librarians’ service,” the library people from visiting restaurants, about wanting to go out to public released by his ministry. „ Services on the Education “While you are not obligated to return items, you can told patrons. “The decision to close Qatar National cafes and gyms. places and wanting to travel ... but Businesses and organisations City Tram are suspended until still use the drive-through book drop on the road out- Library has been made with your safety and health as American resident Gayle St Clair frankly it’s better to be safe than providing essential goods and further notice. side the library 24/7 and the automatic return station in- our top priority, and we appreciate your understand- described pandemonium at a sorry,” said Kuwaiti national Laila services remain open. The central „ All sports and community side the library’s main entrance. Thin books, DVDs and ing during this challenging time,” it added. supermarket on Wednesday al-Qatami. bank said it was ready to support activities and programmes at CDs can be returned at an additional dedicated returns Those with any questions should ask the same by us- night when the measures were Lawmaker Badr al-Mulla told the financial sector. Education City, including those bin at the library’s main entrance. Our Online Resources ing the form available at https://www.qnl.qa/en/forms/ announced. Reuters the coronavirus outbreak “The government has done what run in co-operation with exter- remain accessible 24/7 wherever you are,” the library contact-form/3242 “Once I got in, they gave me was a “global catastrophe” that it can,” said Mohamed al-Ghanim, nal third parties such as F45, are explained on its website. The decision to close the “We are also working on providing online alternatives sanitizer and gloves, but it was required exceptional measures. whose firm Hamad Sulaiman suspended. library was taken in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. to our events and programmes via digital platforms, so crowded that I could hardly For Egyptian resident Abu al-Ghanim and Sons Group owns „ Al Shaqab is closed to the The library’s extensive Online Resources remain avail- so please continue to visit our website and follow us get to the aisles to get my items,” Ahmed, 45, the precautions seem construction companies. “What is public. able 24/7 for members everywhere. They off er free on social media for updates,” the library said. she said. “Luckily I found a self- necessary. “It feels we are near important now is that everyone „ QF recreation facilities, in- checkout booth but it took others Judgement Day with coronavirus comply.”

Sports events postponed Algerian eyed as next UN Libya envoy The 13th FIG Artistic Gymnastics Individual Appa- Former Algerian foreign minister Ramtane Lamamra is being considered Many activities curtailed, public places closed ratus World Cup, which was scheduled to be held as UN envoy to Libya, diplomatic sources said yesterday, after Ghassan in Doha from March 18 to 21, has been postponed Salame resigned from the post earlier this month. When asked Wednes- to June 3 to 6, according to the Qatar Gymnastics day if UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had put forward Lamamra, From Page 1 announced that all activities ghal), through a tweet, has z Virtual learning at Federation (QGF). a diplomatic source said, “You’re right”. have been postponed until urged its clients to avoid QU The QGF announced the postponement of the Two other diplomats – one African and one European – likewise said z QF curtails some ac- further notice. direct visits to its customer Qatar University (QU) championship, which was to have the participa- Lamamra’s name had been proposed. Both spoke on the condition of tivities, closes many pub- Also, Aspire Active pro- service offi ces and instead has said it is making ar- tion of more than 250 athletes from 59 countries, anonymity. Lamamra, 67, served as Algeria’s foreign minister from 2013 lic places and facilities grammes at the Ladies Club make of the e-services. Cli- rangements to continue yesterday. to 2017 and as African Union commissioner for peace and security Qatar Foundation yes- and all facilities in the Aspire ents can also contact Ash- regular classes through “The decision is in line with the recommenda- from 2008 to 2013. He has been a mediator in several African conflicts, terday said it has curtailed Dome have been suspended. ghal call centre at 188. a virtual learning system tions of the Ministry of Public Health to avoid notably in Liberia. certain activities and closed z Msheireb Tram out of z Apply online to avail from March 15, as classes in gatherings in public places and to implement Stephanie Turco Williams of the United States will be acting envoy “until many of its public places and service of services: Kahramaa all educational institutions the decisions issued by the national committee the appointment of a successor for Ghassan Salame,” Guterres said in facilities at Education City The Msheireb Tram will The Qatar General Elec- across Qatar have been concerned with the coronavirus,” a statement a statement Wednesday evening. Williams has been Deputy Special until further notice. be out of service until fur- tricity & Water Corpora- suspended by the govern- from QGF said. Representative for Political Aff airs at the UN Mission in Libya since 2018 z QM closes museums ther notice “for your pro- tion (Kahramaa) has urged ment to limit the spread of Meanwhile, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and has more than 24 years’ experience in government and international and heritage sites, can- tection and to reduce any clients to apply online to Covid-19. & Legacy (SC) has said the 2020 Workers’ Cup aff airs. Salame announced his resignation on March 2, citing health rea- cels various initiatives chance of transmission of avail of its services instead The QU administration has been postponed until further notice. sons. He had worked for months to bring about a ceasefire in Libya after Qatar Museums (QM) has the coronavirus”, Msheireb of visiting its service centres has delivered many work- “The health, safety and well-being of players and eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar launched an off ensive closed all its museums and Properties said yesterday. or its offi ces in Government shops by the Centre for off icials involved in the 2020 Workers’ Cup is our last April to seize the capital Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognised Govern- heritage sites to visitors un- “Please stay safe and see you Services Complexes. Cli- Excellence in Teaching and top priority,” the SC said in a statement yesterday. ment of National Accord (GNA). til further notice soon,” it tweeted. ents can apply online via the Learning on the techniques “With this in mind, due to the ongoing situation in A January ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia has repeatedly been z Activities at Aspire z Use e-services, Ash- Kahramaa website (http:// for distance education relation to Covid-19, the 2020 Workers’ Cup has violated. Salame, a Lebanese appointed in 2017, struggled to organise Zone postponed ghal tells clients km.qa) and the Kahramaaa and directed all professors been postponed until further notice.” elections and bring rival parties together for talks on ending the conflict. Aspire Zone Foundation With the authorities call- mobile application, accord- to start using them from Information about the resumption of this year’s Libya has been mired in turmoil since the 2011 overthrow and death (AZF), through a statement ing for a high alert, the Pub- ing to a tweet by the corpo- March 15, according to a tournament will be shared in due course, the SC of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi. It has since become divided on social media yesterday, lic Works Authority (Ash- ration. statement. added. between the GNA and rival authorities based in the country’s east. Gulf Times 4 Friday, March 13, 2020 AFRICA SA reports Free, for now fi rst case of local virus transmission

Reuters South Africa’s Health Ministry 4,600 have died, according to a Johannesburg said a 32-year-old man contract- Reuters tally. ed the virus after contact with a South Africa has stepped up Chinese businessman. screening at ports of entry to try outh Africa yesterday re- “All others have been by pa- to limit the risk of new infec- Members of parliament of Chadema party, Halima Mdee, Ester Matiko and Ester Bulaya celebrate with supporters after being ported the fi rst case of lo- tients who had travelled abroad,” tions but has not imposed bans released from the Segerea prison in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Chadema, the main opposition movement challenging Tanzania’s Scal transmission of the the ministry said, adding that the on travel to China or other badly powerful ruling CCM party, paid their fines of 100mn Tanzanian Shillings ($43,500) collected by online fund-raising. A court in coronavirus, fuelling concerns number of confi rmed cases had aff ected countries. Tanzania had earlier this week ordered a group of opposition lawmakers and other co-accused to pay a fine or serve five months that sub-Saharan African health risen to 17 from 13 on Wednesday. The government dispatched a prison on charges related to a banned demonstration. systems could be overwhelmed South Africa has not reported plane to repatriate more than 100 if local transmission accelerates. any deaths from coronavirus. South African citizens living un- Sub-Saharan Africa has report- Since the outbreak began der lockdown conditions in the ed far fewer cases of coronavirus in central China in December, Chinese city of Wuhan. than in Europe or China, but some more than 126,000 people have None of those being repatriat- analysts worry it could spread rap- been infected by the coronavirus ed have tested positive for coro- idly in poor or overcrowded areas. around the world and more than navirus. Wildlife breeders rattled by new SA guidelines

By Tim Cocks, Reuters The move answered a call from ani- “Our lions lead very happy lives,” he said, Johannesburg mal welfare activists who argue the trivial as one of his open-top trucks drove past a amusement of one species is infl icting un- pride resting under a thorn tree in their en- 13 dead in Central Africa clashes told cruelty on others. closure. cheetah strides up to third generation “It is unnatural for these animals to be in Yet young cubs are often removed from AFP battling over resources control intensifi ed their patrols in the area. animal trainer Shandor Larenty and close proximity to humans,” Keira Powers, their mothers, causing huge distress to both, Libreville most of the country. The United Nations said on Alets him stroke its fur while he throws chairperson of SATSA’s Animal Interaction and the space available in most enclosures is “Combat with heavy weap- Saturday two local Central Afri- chunks of meat to the rest of the coalition at Committee, told Reuters in Cape Town. far too small to meet their natural roaming onry and light arms has left 13 can MINUSCA employees were the Johannesburg Lion & Safari park. “It is extremely stressful to be touched instincts, Fiona Miles, country manager of t least 13 people were dead in Ndele town, including shot and killed in Ndele. Its po- At 25 years old, Larenty has been training by humans and (have them) walking with NGO Four Paws, said. killed in fi ghting in the some civilians,” an offi cial with lice unit was investigating the wild animals to be docile around tourists for them,” she said. “We do admit that if cubs are needed for ACentral African Republic the UN mission MINUSCA told murders. the past 13 years and said he would be dev- SATSA is calling on animal breeders to cub interaction, we sometimes remove the where rival armed factions are AFP by telephone from the capi- There have been clashes be- astated if he had to stop because of growing end all entertainment involving performing cubs from their mothers. This is obviously battling after a seven-year civil tal Bangui. tween Runga and Gula in Ndele, ethical concerns over tourist animal inter- animals, and wind up all up-close or tactile stressful for the mother and we regret that war, UN offi cials said yesterday. The FPRC last year split into two which is under FPRC control, actions. interactions with big game, including activ- it is necessary,” La Cock said. Fighting erupted a week ago in factions: the Runga ethnic group since the start of March. “These guys are our family, we have a very ities such as walking with predators and rid- In 2016 he briefl y stopped off ering visi- the northern province of Bamin- on one side, including FPRC’s mil- Around 50 people were killed strong emotional connection. You can see ing on elephants that have drawn hundreds tors the option to cuddle lion cubs and to gui-Bangoran between rival fac- itary chief Abdoulaye Hissene, and after fi ghting erupted between these guys want to be with me,” he said. of thousands of tourists over the years. walk with adult lions, but the number of tions of the Popular Front for rival fi ghters from the Gula and the two factions in the diamond- “For someone to say, ‘hey, you can’t do The guidelines are non-binding, and the tourists, who make up about a third of the the Rebirth of Central Africa or Kara ethnic communities. rich town of Bria in January. that anymore’, that’s like someone saying government’s tourism department, while park’s revenues, plummeted and La Cock FPRC, one of the country’s larg- “The combat (on Wednesday) More than two-thirds of CAR to you: ‘hey I’m taking your children away’. welcoming them, has no plans to outlaw reversed his decision. est militias. was a consequence of an attack remains in the hands of armed This is my life.” animal interactions, which remain a signifi - “Lions should not be used as props,” CAR struggles with violence on the town by the Gula faction groups, which typically claim Last year South Africa’s tourism association, cant pillar of South Africa’s tourism sector. Miles said. despite a peace deal signed be- of the FPRC,” the UN offi cial said. ethnic or religious affi liations SATSA, issued new guidelines condemning the Andre La Cock, who runs the lion park on “There’s no conservation value in breed- tween the government and 14 Fighting had subsided by yes- and often fi ght over mineral re- common practice of breeding big game in cap- the outskirts of Johannesburg, thinks the ing lions in captivity and there’s defi nitely armed groups, and rival militias terday and UN peacekeepers had sources. tivity for the entertainment of tourists. guidelines are wrongheaded. no educational value.” Sanusi fall shows limits for Nigerian traditional rulers

By Aminu Abubakar, AFP “It’s no secret that many of our The deposed ruler was de- “It is an established custom had been installed — and the Kano political leaders are inept and not tained by police at his palace be- that the emir should be seen, not former ruler released a video well educated,” the emir wrote fore being spirited out of Kano heard,” a Kano court insider told message pledging his allegiance. back in 2017. “Nigerians have to exile in a remote village in an- AFP on condition of anonymity. But the decision to detain and n outspoken ruler mired learnt from experience not to ex- other state where he is expected “But Sanusi violated that im- banish Sanusi to an undisclosed in conflicts is ousted pect much from them.” to remain incommunicado. portant tradition and would talk location proved controversial. Awithout warning from The ruler’s main nemesis — There are dozens of traditional like a parrot anywhere, anytime Amnesty International’s Nige- his palace and banished under and the man who ultimately un- rulers across Africa’s most popu- and on any topic — this eroded rian branch complained on Twit- armed guard into an uncertain seated him — was regional gover- lous country. the mystic and prestige around ter that “placing him incom- exile beyond the borders of his nor Abdullahi Ganduje. They have no offi cial constitu- his person in the eyes of the peo- municado violates his human realm. This is not the plot of a Ganduje suspected the emir of tional powers but are important ple.” rights”. Shakespearean tragedy, but the backing his political rival and had cultural custodians who often That could in part explain the The tactic dates back to the real-life drama that has played already divided up his territory wield great infl uence over their muted response to his removal days when the British domi- out in northern Nigeria’s influ- and launched a corruption probe followers. on the streets of his former king- nated Nigeria with its strategy of ential Islamic emirate of Kano to try to bring him to heel. Relics from a period when dom. divide-and-rule and would exile as traditional leader Muham- On Monday, their feud came monarchies dominated this re- While moves to depose previ- leaders viewed as troublesome. madu Sanusi II was unceremo- to a head when Sanusi was un- gion, they rely now on regional ous emirs provoked deadly vio- “The archaic practice of ban- niously deposed by the local expectedly removed for “total governments for their funding lence in decades past, this time ishment of deposed emirs, a governor. disrespect”. and their succession is regulated around there have been no major colonial practice, has no basis The sudden fall of one of the “The governor decided that by elected offi cials. protests. under Nigerian law or the consti- country’s most revered heredi- Muhammadu Sanusi ... ousted enough is enough and moved While they lack practical pow- If anything highlighted the tution,” Abubakar Balarabe Mah- tary rulers on Monday rattled the against him,” said Adewunmi er, their patronage can be key at uncomfortable divide between moud, a lawyer for Sanusi, said in 1,000-year-old kingdom — and in 2014 after the death of his tices like having multiple wives Falode, a history professor at La- elections when Nigeria’s notori- modernity and tradition that the a statement. has shown the diffi cult balanc- great-uncle. and children without being able gos state university. ously cutthroat politicians jostle monarchies straddle — it was the His legal team insisted they ing act facing the ancient monar- The 58-year-old former cen- to support them. “It’s a signal that the ultimate for votes. nature of Sanusi’s removal. would go to court to challenge the chies of modern-day Nigeria. tral bank governor was already He was also not afraid of tak- power rests with the government But their role remains ambiguous The lightning move to turf him legality of his treatment. Sanusi, also known by his birth known for his outspokenness ing on the powerful politicians while the emir is just a symbol of — and when Sanusi began to talk up out was down to a powerplay “We are totally perplexed name Lamido, had been a mould- when he claimed the title and running northern Nigeria — lam- spirituality, culture and tradition some complained that he was over- typical of the political tussles of at the resort to this practice in breaker since ascending to the carved out a reputation as a mod- basting them for leadership fail- without real power and infl u- stepping the boundaries and fl out- contemporary Nigeria. present day Nigeria by its politi- throne of the emirate of millions erniser willing to criticise prac- ures. ence.” ing the strict protocol of the palace. Within hours a replacement cal leaders.”

Gunmen kill 10 in central Mali nidentifi ed gunmen killed 10 people and Liberia scribes protest ‘police brutality’ burned down a village in central Mali, local Uoffi cials said late on Wednesday, the latest bloodshed in a region wracked by militancy and inter- AFP tained during the bodyguard incident. over the last three months, including ethnic violence. Monrovia Scores of journalists yesterday the one on Miller, the union demand- The attackers raided the village of Kourkanda near marched through Monrovia toting ed the government investigate abuse the West African country’s border with Burkina Faso placards bearing slogans such as “Stop claims. on Monday, local chief Youssouf Togo said. iberian journalists rallied yester- beating me while I am doing my work” Liberia’s Presidential Aff airs Minis- “Around dusk, they came in small groups on motor- day in the capital Monrovia and and “Journalists are not your drums”. ter Nathaniel McGill yesterday prom- cycles — they were all armed,” he told AFP. Lsome newspapers darkened their In a show of solidarity, some smaller ised reporters that the government “They then started to circle the small village on front pages, in protest at alleged har- newspapers darkened their front pages would do so. their motorbikes. It was not until around 8pm on assment they face from security forces. and some radio stations suspended “The government is nothing without March 9 that they started to attack.” The protest follows the death last normal programming to interview jour- the press,” he said. Yanah Dolo, an offi cial from the nearest town of month of Liberian broadcaster Zenu nalists about violence and intimidation. Weah, a former international foot- Bankass, said that 10 people were killed and the vil- Koboi Miller, in circumstances which “This constant aggression against baller, has faced criticism about treat- lage torched. “And nobody knows where the attack- sparked outrage in the impoverished journalists must stop. We are tired of ment of the media under his adminis- ers came from,” said Dolo, whose representatives had West African state. it and can no longer bear it,” journalist tration before. inspected the scene of the attack. Miller was allegedly manhandled by Cyrus Harmon told AFP. Liberia’s press union in December Kourkanda is in the same region as the village of President George Weah’s bodyguards Liberia’s Press Union also handed the 2018 complained of “reinforced hostili- Ogossagou, which has seen two massacres in the while covering a football tournament, government a statement in which it said ties” from his ruling circle, for example. space of a year. and was admitted to hospital not long “attacks, detention, intimidation and Earlier that year, Weah sought to al- Thirty-one Fulani civilians were butchered in Og- afterwards. brutality meted against media practi- lay concerns when he met the heads of ossagou on February 14 of this year, a tragedy made all He died of hypertension and stroke, tioners have become unprecedented”. the country’s media. the more brutal as it came after 160 members of the medical staff told Miller’s family, which It added that it saw such behaviour as “I want to promise you...200% free- same ethnic community were slaughtered in the vil- has accepted the explanation. “deliberate attempts to force journal- dom of expression and press freedom lage in March 2019. Central Mali has been riven by Some Liberian journalists though ists into self-censorship”. under my government,” he said at the inter-ethnic violence since a revolt broke out in the believe he succumbed to injuries sus- Pointing to ten attacks on journalists time. north of the West African country in 2012. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 5 AMERICAS Trudeau works from home as wife takes Covid-19 test

Canada wants US answers The statement does not men- tionary measure, and should regulator – were asked to start In a televised interview with on common border amid tion whether their three children Canadians fi nd themselves in a working from home yesterday the Canadian Broadcasting Cor- coronavirus, flight curbs are staying home as well. similar situation, that is the rec- after an employee was tested for poration, Deputy Prime Minis- Trudeau’s announcement ommendation”, Miller said. the coronavirus, said spokesman ter Chrystia Freeland was asked Reuters comes as the spread of the new Ontario, the country’s most Michael Toope. whether the fl ight restrictions Ottawa coronavirus appears to be gath- populous province, reported 17 Trudeau’s government com- would create a border problem ering steam and as authorities new cases overnight, a 40%. In mitted C$1bn ($723mn) on since Europeans could fl y to cancelled major events to try to Alberta, Suncor Energy spokes- Wednesday towards bolstering Canada and drive to the US. anadian Prime Minister limit contagion. woman Erin Rees said a pre- the healthcare system and limit- “It is very important for us to Justin Trudeau and his Canada had just over 100 con- school child in Calgary who at- ing the impact of the virus. have a good conversation about Cwife Sophie are in self- fi rmed cases of the new corona- tended a daycare in one of its The government of Ontario, what to do with our shared bor- isolation after she came down virus as of Wednesday, more than buildings had tested positive for the province that has reported der,” she responded. “Our sin- with fl u-like symptoms and was double the number from a week coronavirus. the highest number of cases, has gle-largest border is, of course, tested for the new coronavirus, ago. The daycare was closed and set aside C$100mn in “contin- our land border with the United according to an offi cial statement With Manitoba and New children and their families were gency funding”, Premier Doug States, and there are 400,000 yesterday. Brunswick reporting their fi rst advised to self-quarantine, Rees Ford told reporters yesterday. people who cross that border The 48-year-old Liberal leader presumptive cases in the past 24 said. Meanwhile, Canada will reach every day.” is exhibiting no symptoms and hours, six of Canada’s 10 prov- Alberta health offi cials have out to the United States to dis- Freeland said the fl ight curbs will continue to work from home inces have recorded Covid-19 not confi rmed the case. cuss the eff ect of President Don- were a “unilateral” decision by until the results of his wife’s test contagion. Also yesterday, Canadian au- ald Trump’s “unilateral” decision the Trump administration done comes in, the statement said. This picture taken on December 6 last year shows Trudeau and his Two other ministers with fl u- thorities cancelled the JUNO, an to restrict travel from Europe “without consultation”, and she However, face-to-face meet- wife Sophie during a vigil on top of Montreal’s Mount Royal, marking like symptoms have gone into annual music award show simi- and other issues tied to the new and other ministers would reach ings with provincial premiers the 30th anniversary of the mass shooting at Ecole Polytechnique, in self-isolation in recent days as lar to the Grammys in the United coronavirus outbreak, the deputy out to their US counterparts to scheduled for yesterday and to- which 14 women were killed and 14 were injured. they awaited test results for the States, citing virus concerns, and prime minister said. discuss eff orts to counter the day will instead be held by phone. virus. Toronto’s annual St Patrick’s Day Trump imposed sweeping re- spread of the virus. “Having recently returned like symptoms including a low medical advice, and is being test- Indigenous Services Minis- parade was suspended. strictions on travel from Europe Canada would make its own from a speaking engagement in fever late last night,” the state- ed for the Covid-19 virus. ter Marc Miller said that the rest All 360 people working at the on Wednesday after the World decisions about fl ights that London, UK, the Prime Minis- ment from the prime minister’s “She is self-isolating at home of the cabinet had not been in- Ottawa offi ce of the Superin- Health Organisation (WHO) de- would be based on “the best sci- ter’s wife Sophie Grégoire Tru- offi ce read. awaiting test results, and her structed to self-isolate. tendent of Financial Institutions scribed the contagion as a pan- entifi c advice” from health au- deau began exhibiting mild fl u- “She immediately sought symptoms have since subsided.” Trudeau’s move is “a precau- – Canada’s top fi nancial services demic. thorities, Freeland said. Biden slams Trump’s response to outbreak

Reuters glimpse of how he would handle In a harsh critique of the ad- Wilmington, Delaware an international crisis as presi- ministration’s response, Biden dent. simultaneously attacked Trump Trump announced a 30-day for the actions he has taken while emocratic presidential ban on travel to the United States blaming him for not doing more front-runner Joe Biden from continental Europe on to face the growing crisis. Dhas lambasted Republi- Wednesday night and promised Noting that Trump had called can President Donald Trump’s economic stimulus measures, it a “foreign virus” on Wednes- response to the coronavirus out- vowing to contain the pandemic. day, Biden warned against “xen- break, accusing him yesterday of But already battered global fi - ophobia” and said the coronavi- having an “adversarial relation- nancial markets plunged again. rus “does not discriminate based ship with the truth” and ignoring US stock indexes were down on national origin, race, gender scientifi c advice. more than 7% in afternoon trad- or ZIP code”. Nurses protest what they call the Centre for Disease Control and “Unfortunately, this virus laid ing, confi rming Wall Street is in a “Banning all travel from Eu- Prevention (CDC)’s weak response to the novel coronavirus bare the severe shortcomings of bear market. rope or any other part of the pandemic, outside the UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles. the current administration,” Bi- Biden has taken control of the world may slow it, but as we den said in a 20-minute speech two-way nominating battle be- have seen, it will not stop it,” Bi- delivered from his home state of tween him and US Senator Bernie den added. “We have to help the Delaware. Sanders of Vermont after win- world to drive co-ordinated glo- The former vice-president’s ning at least four of six states in bal strategy, not shut ourselves Trump: I think we’ll probably not do (the March 25 rally in Tampa) ‘Keep us safe!’ US afternoon address came a little primary contests on Tuesday. off from the world.” because people would say it’s better to not do. more than 16 hours after Trump Sanders was planning to make Biden also laid out his own made his own national address his own speech later in the after- plan for dealing with the out- the debate hall, citing contagion the candidate, staff and voters nurses hold protests from the White House, and was noon to address the coronavirus break, including emergency paid concerns. safe. intended to give Americans a outbreak. sick leave for workers and widely Biden, Sanders and Trump Sanders’ campaign has said it available free testing for the vi- have all cancelled campaign will address plans on a day-to- over virus failings rus, saying that the number of events in recent days after warn- day basis. tests should number in the “mil- ings from public health offi cials Covid-19, the disease caused lions, not the thousands”. about holding large-scale gath- by the coronavirus, is a highly AFP when the virus fi rst broke out The Trump administration erings. contagious respiratory illness. Los Angeles in Asia. has been criticised for failing to Trump, who called off planned The number of US coronavirus “We’ve known about this for produce enough tests to meet events in Nevada and Colorado cases has risen steadily to 1,311, quite a while, leading up to this demand. this week, told reporters yester- with 38 deaths, according to a S nurses staged a day – we should have been more In response, the Trump cam- day that he is also considering tally by Johns Hopkins University of action on Wednes- prepared,” he said, as nurses paign defended the president’s nixing plans for a March 25 rally in Baltimore. Uday, calling for better dressed in bright red and hold- actions and accused Biden in a in Tampa, Florida. Sanders, a democratic social- protection in the fi ght against ing balloons gathered outside statement of trying to “capital- “I think we’ll probably not do ist, said on Wednesday that he coronavirus, warning that a hospital chanting “Keep us ise politically and stoke citizens’ it because people would say it’s would stay in the race despite his medical chiefs had failed to safe!” fears”. better to not do,” he said at the primary losses to Biden. learn from previous deadly Advice on handling and The crisis continued to re- White House. Arizona, Florida, Illinois and global health crises. testing potentially infected pa- shape the contours of the presi- Biden’s campaign on Wednes- Ohio hold nominating contests “We need the proper pro- tients has varied from county dential campaign. day converted planned rallies in on Tuesday. tection ... if we aren’t safe, to county. Democratic offi cials an- Florida and Illinois into “virtual” Following this week’s victo- our patients and our com- Northern California’s Plac- nounced yesterday that Sunday’s campaign events as the corona- ries, as well as strong perform- munity aren’t safe,” warned er, Yolo and Sacramento are televised debate between Biden virus outbreak offi cially became ances in last week’s Super Tues- Marcia Santini, an emergency among those which no longer and Sanders would be moved to a global pandemic. day contests, Biden leads Sanders room nurse at the University of advise people exposed to the Washington from Arizona. The Biden campaign created a in the race for the 1,991 delegates California Los Angeles (UCLA) virus – including health care Biden: This virus laid bare the severe shortcomings of the current Offi cials had already decided committee composed mostly of needed to clinch the nomination medical centre. workers and fi rst responders – administration. not to allow a live audience inside doctors to advise on how to keep at July’s Democratic convention. “The virus is just the latest in to quarantine themselves for a long string of infectious dis- two weeks. ease crises that we have dealt For Andrea Peregrin, an with in recent years, includ- emergency nurse based in ing Sars, H1N1 (swine fl u), and southern California’s Santa Ebola,” she said. “Each time we Monica, that guidance is at Partisan battle erupts in US Congress over health crisis are faced with a new infectious odds with her own training. disease, our union is forced to “I think that anyone who has address staffi ng, protection been exposed to a potential pa- Reuters ships that the outbreak could said at the press conference. equipment and training.” tient needs to be quarantined, Washington wreak on Americans. “Save it for another day,” she Santini, who has three dec- and that’s why we need ad- McConnell kicked off yester- said of Republican objections. ades of experience, spoke to equate staffi ng to prepare for day’s Senate session, saying that “Right now, we have to fi nd our AFP at one of a dozen events in that,” she told AFP. he US Congress is strug- the House Democrats’ bill was common ground, work together California, Illinois and Georgia The UCLA must “create a gling to pass legislation nothing more than “an ideologi- to get this done as soon as pos- held by the country’s largest plan to not only prevent ex- Tto help Americans cope cal wish list” that would create sible.” nursing union. posure, but to ensure that we with the expanding coronavirus new, burdensome programmes Pelosi faced a couple of op- Last week the have adequate staffi ng in all of crisis, as Democrats planned to and regulations. tions: Passing her bill in the 150,000-strong National our facilities”, Peregrin said, push ahead with a wide-ranging He urged bipartisan eff orts Democratic-controlled House, Nurses United issued the re- pointing to another California bill that Republicans branded as at passing “smaller, non-con- but sparking a fi ght with McCo- sult of a survey denouncing hospital where more than 100 “unworkable”. troversial pieces of legislation nnell who could kill the measure the “disturbing” lack of prepa- medics are currently quaran- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today”, but it was not clear what in the Senate. ration at many hospitals and tined. told reporters that the Demo- those would be. That could lead to time-con- clinics in the face of the deadly Estela Villegas, at the crats’ 124-page “Families First House Minority Leader Kevin suming negotiations over a bill. outbreak. UCLA’s paediatric intensive Coronavirus Response Act” was McCarthy, a Republican, said Or, she could make changes Over a third of respondees care unit, agreed that mixed due to be debated on the House Pelosi’s bill was “not only com- over the next few hours in a bid to did not have access to protec- messages were a cause for ma- fl oor. pletely partisan. It is unwork- lure Republican votes. tive masks, and half had not jor concern. However, at a press confer- able”. In past legislative battles, Re- received any information on Days earlier an 18-month- ence, Pelosi also said she was ne- Pelosi wipes her nose with a tissue as she speaks to the media during He suggested a bipartisan plan publicans also have struggled the novel coronavirus from old infant who showed signs of gotiating with the Trump admin- her weekly briefing yesterday on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. could be worked out within 48 over whether the White House employers. coronavirus had arrived with- istration over provisions such as hours. would support a bill they negoti- Mary Beth Soscia told AFP out any notifi cation, and had paying for a free coronavirus back, as the US government Connell, as she negotiated this But Pelosi, saying that Con- ated with Democrats. that her ambulance in Los An- to be placed in isolation. testing programme. wrestled with responding to the week with Treasury Secretary gress needed to address an emer- The urgency to act was height- geles does not have any specifi c “We had not been trained Last week, Congress displayed biggest health crisis it has faced Steven Mnuchin. gency facing the country, sug- ened by Congress’ work sched- protective equipment against beforehand,” she said. “I think unusual bipartisanship when it in years. The Democrats’ bill would gested that some Republican ule. coronavirus. about the health of my pa- passed an $8.3bn coronavirus re- Pelosi said the legislation ad- expand paid sick leave, unem- concerns could be addressed in The House and Senate were Mike Hill, at a protest in tients, but I also want to be able sponse bill that attracted only a dresses “the realities of life” for ployment insurance, funding for subsequent legislation. aiming to start a recess at the end Oakland near San Francisco, to go home without telling my- few “no” votes. Americans, and told reporters child nutrition and other food “We don’t need 48 hours. We of the week, but it was not clear if said resources and training self that I’m putting my family But by this week, the poison- that she had consulted with Sen- programmes, and other sweeping need to just make a decision to that would be delayed by the in- should have been stepped up at risk.” ous partisan atmosphere was ate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- steps to address economic hard- help families right now,” Pelosi fi ghting over the coronavirus bill. Gulf Times 6 Friday, March 13, 2020 ASIA

Remains of suspected WWII US Dutch tourists quarantined in Vietnam as virus spreads airmen repatriated from Myanmar The remains of suspected US airmen killed in Myanmar during World War II were repatriated yesterday, as American off icials continue AFP no deaths reported so far. Yes- at the beginning, but later they able on the number of foreigners 201 passengers on a Vietnam searching for 500 unaccounted servicemen in the country. Myanmar Hanoi terday, authorities confi rmed complied with the situation,” currently under quarantine in Airlines fl ight from London to was a key battleground between the Allies and Japan during the war. 25 Dutch were among dozens Anh told AFP. Vietnam, although state media Hanoi. The remains are thought to be those of some of the seven servicemen of travellers quarantined in an State-run Voice of Vietnam has reported dozens were put Authorities are chasing down in a B-25G aircraft downed in February 1944 in northern Salingyi. group of 25 Dutch tour- education facility in the tour- radio earlier reported a total of under quarantine in state-man- anyone linked to the infected Although the wreckage was located two years later, it was not until ists are among dozens of ist town of Hoi An after taking a 38 foreigners in quarantine in aged facilities or hotels across patients, who include a rich Vi- 2019 that the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) found A foreigners quarantined domestic fl ight with a Covid-19 Hoi An, including people from the country. etnamese woman, a state offi - possible remains in the same region and returned this year to continue in communist Vietnam as the patient. Belgium, Ireland, Switzerland Vietnam has granted limited cial and several British tourists. the search. Southeast Asian nation tightens “The condition there is not as and Finland. access to visitors from China Several major tourism spots in Yesterday, a ceremony was held in honour of the lost servicemen at measures to prevent the spread good as in the hotels, but we will The country’s ministry of and South Korea — another ma- the country — such as Halong Mandalay airport as white-gloved US guards carried the coff ins draped of coronavirus. try to provide them with some health has said nearly 25,000 jor coronavirus hotspot — since bay and islands — have been in the American flag into a C-17 military plane. The remains will be taken Hanoi says a total of 39 peo- essential things especially suit- people have been put under the outbreak began at the start closed to visitors. for further analysis at a Hawaii laboratory. ple, the majority nationals and able food upon request,” said quarantine at government con- of 2020, imposing a 14-day It is not yet clear if Vietnam’s “Brave Americans gave their lives on a river bank in Sagaing, fighting British visitors, have tested Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, direc- trolled centres or at home, since quarantine at government-con- fi rst-ever Formula One Grand for peace, justice and freedom far from home,” said Deputy Chief of positive to the virus which has tor of Hoi An city’s prevention the country raised its alert on trolled centres. Prix, a street race to be held in Mission George Sibley in a statement. “Today we recommit to those spread panic across a country of healthcare centre. the deadly virus early February. Last weekend, a cluster of in- Hanoi, will proceed in on the noble values as we repatriate the possible remains.” There are still 505 96mn people. There have been “Several felt uncomfortable No complete fi gure is avail- fections was discovered among fi rst weekend in April. US service members unaccounted for in Myanmar from WWII. Manila takes steps to contain Covid-19 Duterte threatens jail for off icials who ignore orders; Says public disorder People wearing protective masks, following an outbreak of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), rush to get in a possible, urges bus in Manila. domestic transmission of the later tested positive for the coro- Its population is offi cially co-operation; virus, and a subsequent rise in navirus, and would know his nearly 13mn, but the real number Cabinet cases daily to 52, among those result on Saturday. Six cabinet is believed to be far greater due to fi ve deaths, resulting in the Ma- ministers, 16 lawmakers, six Ma- unchecked migration and mil- members nila lockdown. “We do not want nila mayors and the central bank lions of informal settlers. to use that (term). But it is a lock- governor were undergoing self- The resolution advises quar- undergoing down,” Duterte said in a televised quarantine as a precaution. antining urban communities announcement. Despite having relatively few where there are confi rmed cases quarantine “There is no struggle of power confi rmed infections, health in two separate households, and here. It is a matter of defending authorities are keen to halt the extending that to municipalities Reuters and protecting you from Cov- spread of the virus, having last and cities where there are out- Manila id-19.” year dealt with major outbreaks breaks in diff erent districts. Pedestrians wearing protective masks, following an outbreak of coronavirus disease, walk on an overpass The curbs on travel and scope of dengue and measles, and the Duterte said it was possible in Manila. for mass quarantining would be fi rst cases of polio in two dec- the measures “could create pub- hilippine President Rod- among the strictest domestic ades. lic disturbances or disorder”, but rigo Duterte yesterday an- rest the spread of coronavirus. threatened to jail local offi cials foreigners travelling from coun- coronavirus restrictions out- The biggest concern is Ma- hoped people would see sense. Pnounced strict immigra- Duterte approved a resolution who defi ed government orders. tries with domestic transmis- side China and Italy, which have nila, an urban sprawl of 16 cit- “It is a serious one, it is true,” tion curbs and a halt on domestic allowing a raft of measures in- The fi rebrand leader, who un- sions from entering the Philip- combined more than 90,000 ies fused together, known for its he said. “Do not kill yourself with land, sea and air travel to and cluding bans on mass gatherings, derwent a test himself yesterday pines. confi rmed cases. overcrowded slums, limited open worry because government is do- from Manila, in what he called a a month of school closures and due to possible exposure, said the It follows confi rmation on Duterte last week attended spaces and horrendous traffi c ing everything possible to make it “lockdown” of the capital to ar- community quarantining, and measures would include banning Saturday of the Philippines’ fi rst the same event as an offi cial who congestion. at least controllable.” Singapore to close mosques for cleaning Papua protest

AFP Lumpur. After discovering two port and the understanding of citizens who attended it. Ma- Singapore men who attended the event of the Muslim community for laysia has not ordered the clo- were infected, Singapore Is- such pre-emptive measures to sure of all mosques or banned lamic authorities immediately safeguard public health and the communal prayers on Fridays ingapore will temporar- closed four mosques which they well-being of all communities – although authorities have rec- ily close all the country’s had visited after returning. The in Singapore.” The majority of ommended some steps such as Smosques for deep cleaning remaining 66 mosques in the multi-ethnic Singapore’s citi- shortening sermons. from today after two men con- city-state will be shuttered from zens are ethnic Chinese and do A man from Brunei also be- tracted the coronavirus while Friday for at least fi ve days to be not follow Islam, but the coun- came infected after attending attending an Islamic gather- disinfected, the Islamic Reli- try is also home to a substantial the event, and then passed on ing in neighbouring Malaysia, gious Council of Singapore said. Muslim minority. the virus to several people when authorities said. About 10,000 “These are temporary meas- Authorities in Muslim-ma- he returned to the tiny sultanate people from several countries ures to proactively minimise the jority Malaysia have also report- neighbouring Malaysia. Malay- took part in the February 28 to possible spread of Covid-19 in ed a handful of virus infections sia has so far reported 158 cases March 1 event at a mosque near our mosques,” the council said. linked to the gathering, and are of Covid-19, while Singapore the Malaysian capital, Kuala “(The council) seeks the sup- trying to track down thousands has reported 187.

Thousands of monkeys in Thai city clash in China shuts down tribal warfare

Thousands of monkeys from three separate tribes Everest over virus commenced on an all-out war in the middle of a Thai city, Thai media reported. AFP The Nepal China’s decision. It is responsi- Footage of the monkey Kathmandu ble... Climbing a mountain is not hordes running around and side remains currently worth the transmission fighting each other in Lopburi risk in the Base Camps, nor upon city centre on Wednesday was hina has cancelled permits open for now returning home,” Adrian Ballinger widely shared on social media for Mount Everest because although some of Alpenglow Expeditions said in and published by Thai media. Cof the coronavirus, expe- a statement Wednesday. The battle was between dition organisers said yesterday, expedition Some companies in Nepal have monkeys from diff erent parts ahead of the spring climbing sea- also seen cancellations. “We had of the province: One tribe son on the world’s highest peak. operators bookings from 23 climbers, but that claims the territory of Last year’s traffi c-clogged two groups have already can- a historic temple, another spring window saw a record 885 have seen celled. We might have just 8 to 10 tribe that inhabits a nearby An activist displays a placard at a rally in front of the Netherlands embassy in Jakarta yesterday to people summit Everest, 644 of climbers this year,” said Pasang shrine, and another that draw awareness to Indonesia’s Papua region, as Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima them from Nepal and 241 from the cancellations Tenje Sherpa of Pioneer Adven- typically roams around a food visit the Southeast Asian nation. A low-level insurgency has simmered for decades in the former northern fl ank in Tibet. and climbers ture. A Nepali team, specialised market down the street, Thai Dutch colony where separatist insurgents have been fighting on behalf Papua’s mostly ethnic The Nepal side remains open in fi xing the climbing route, is newspaper Thairath reported Melanesian population since Jakarta annexed it in the 1960s following a vote to remain in the for now although some expedi- have been currently on its way to the base yesterday. archipelago that was widely viewed as a sham. tion operators have seen cancel- camp to begin fi xing ropes on Ev- The report said the monkey lations and climbers have been asked to erest. fights broke out due to asked to submit a 14-day travel Everest attracts hundreds of extremely hot weather history and medical reports. submit a mountaineers from all over the conditions, which surpassed 60 quarantined on Cambodia cruise over coronavirus cases The Chinese authorities “have 14-day travel world each spring, when a win- 40C, and a lack of food for informed us that the mountain dow of good weather opens up the apes because of a lack About 60 people on a river cruise hospitalised with the virus earlier was transferred to a hospital will close from the north side,” history and between late April and the end of tourists over the past year ship docked in Cambodia remain this week, government-aligned in the capital Phnom Penh on Lukas Furtenbach of Austria- of May, prompting a rush for the and the country’s ongoing quarantined after three British media portal Fresh News said. Wednesday, AKP reported. Her based Furtenbach Adventures medical summit. Nepal has so far seen drought conditions. Lopburi passengers tested positive for The couple, a 73-year-old man condition was reported as stable. told AFP. Furtenbach said that only one confi rmed case of the province, around 140km Covid-19, local media reported and 69-year-old woman, increase Torstein Hagen, chairman of he will be shifting his 11 clients to reports coronavirus. north of Bangkok, is home yesterday. The Cambodian Health Cambodia’s total confirmed Viking cruises, confirmed in a Nepal. Tourist areas in Tibet have for Everest, declined to comment It has suspended visas on ar- to thousands of monkeys Ministry said in a statement that a Covid-19 cases to five. The river statement Wednesday that a river been closed since January, ac- when contacted by AFP. Another rival for visitors from eight coun- that typically roam around British couple had tested positive boat is docked at a provincial cruise passenger in south-east cording to the local tourism offi ce. company, Alpenglow Expedi- tries badly hit, meaning they have the city and have become on Wednesday, after another town along the Mekong River Asia was exposed to Covid-19 on The China Tibet Mountaineering tions, has cancelled its Everest to apply beforehand and submit a the province’s main tourist 65-year-old British woman and left from Vietnam earlier this an international flight and has Association, which issues permits plans. “I am in agreement with health certifi cate. attraction. on the Viking cruise ship was month. The 65-year-old woman been quarantined. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

US lawmakers seek Xinjiang import ban over forced labour

AFP “These practices in Xinjiang tation of forced labour involving “vocational education centers” legedly benefi ted from forced can South two centuries ago – Nova said. “For apparel brands Washington are one of the world’s largest Uighurs and other Muslim mi- teaching Mandarin and job skills labour, including fashion brands supplies the world. and retailers, the risk of complic- human tragedies. It remains un- norities,” McGovern said. “Au- to steer “students” away from Calvin Klein and H&M, beverage Scott Nova, the executive di- ity in forced labour is enormous,” imaginable, frankly, that this dits of supply chains are simply religious extremism. A Chinese giant Coca-Cola and Campbell rector of the Worker Rights Con- he said. The Uighur Forced Labor awmakers in Washington is happening in 2020,” Senator not possible because forced la- foreign ministry spokesman said Soup. The Fair Labour Associa- sortium, which monitors facto- Prevention Act, if approved by have proposed a ban on Marco Rubio, a Republican spon- bour is so pervasive within the at a regular press briefi ng yes- tion, a collaborative that aims at ries, said that China had made a Congress, would also require the Lmost imports from China’s sor of the bipartisan measure, regional economy,” he said. The terday that the US should “stop protecting workers’ rights, said concerted eff ort to turn the re- secretary of state to produce a re- Xinjiang region, charging that told reporters on Wednesday. act would ban the import of any using the human rights issue to this week it was “deeply trou- gion into a global hub for cotton port on whether coerced labour is goods produced by Uighur forced Representative Jim McGov- goods from Xinjiang unless US interfere in China’s internal af- bled” by reports of forced labour and yarn. taking place and outline steps to labourers were easily making ern, a Democrat who leads the Customs and Border Protection fairs.” in Xinjiang and asked its affi liates Of the 10bn garments im- combat it. their way into the United States. Congressional-Executive Com- has “clear and convincing evi- The commission also re- to look at alternative sourcing ported each year into the United Secretary of State Mike Pom- The US already bans products mission on China – which looks dence” that no forced labour was leased an accompanying report options. States, around 20% are believed peo criticised China’s treatment made through slavery, but with at human rights – said that wit- involved. Wednesday said it had seen The association covers com- to contain at least some mate- of minorities Wednesday as he rights groups saying as many as nesses, surveillance photos and Uighur activists say that Chi- “credible reports” that goods in- panies that were also listed as rial from Xinjiang, Nova said at released the State Department’s 1mn Uighurs and other minori- leaked documents all showed the na is conducting a massive brain- volving forced labour have come touched by forced labour from a panel of the Congressional- annual report on human rights. ties are held in camps in Xinjiang, existence of forced labour. washing campaign in internment into the United States, including Xinjiang, including shoemak- Executive Commission on Chi- “The CCP’s record in Xinjiang is lawmakers said forced labour “We know that many US, in- camps aimed at eradicating their textiles, cell phones, computer ers Adidas and Nike. One major na. Xinjiang cotton “feeds not the stain of the century,” Pom- was interwoven into the region’s ternational and Chinese compa- culture. hardware, shoes and tea. It listed source of concern has been cot- just garment factories in China peo said, referring to the Chinese economy. nies are complicit in the exploi- Beijing says the camps are a number of companies that al- ton, as Xinjiang – like the Ameri- but factories around the world,” Communist Party. China epicentre sees single-digit Covid-19 cases for fi rst time

Reuters Beijing Patients who have been cured of the novel coronavirus disease and discharged from hospitals exercise at a quarantine centre in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, in Hubei province, China. hina had eight new coro- navirus infections in province accounted for three, the number of new virus cases in number of airline passengers threaten social stability.” CHubei province, the fi rst while Gansu province and Hen- China is falling, conditions were last month fell 84.5% year-on- The Hubei government on time the epicentre of the pan- an province were responsible for still diffi cult and there were risks year in comparison to the same Wednesday said Wuhan will demic recorded a daily tally in two and one, respectively. of further outbreaks. time last year, China’s aviation allow some key industries to single-digits, as more business- Overall, the 15 new confi rmed China is focusing on restart- regulator said yesterday. resume work. es reopened with local authori- cases in mainland China on ing factories and businesses hit Local governments must do Yesterday it said further eas- ties cautiously easing strict con- Wednesday was a drop from 24 by strict containment policies their utmost to ensure people ings of containment measures tainment measures. cases a day earlier. That brings which prevented millions of return to work as soon as possi- will apply to the cities of Qian- As the spread of the virus con- the total number of confi rmed people from travelling and re- ble, the offi cial China Daily said jian and Shishou, the counties of tinues to slow, Hubei province cases recorded in mainland Chi- turning to work after extended in an editorial. Gongan and Zhuxi, and vary ac- announced yesterday a further na to 80,793. China Lunar New Year holidays. Many businesses are still fac- cording to local conditions. loosening of travel restrictions As of Tuesday, 62,793 people Factory activity plunged to its ing labour shortages and sup- In Zhuxi county some indus- and will also allow some indus- have recovered and been dis- worst level on record in Febru- ply-chain disruptions, the Chi- tries are allowed to return to tries to resume production in A medical staff member disinfects equipment at a ward used to be an charged from hospital, or nearly ary, and while more businesses na Daily said. work, but service-related in- two of its cities and two coun- isolation ward for patients infected by the coronavirus at a hospital 80% of the overall infections. have reopened in recent weeks “The epidemic control meas- dustries like cinemas, bars and ties. in Wuhan. As of the end of Wednesday, the as containment measures are ures have put an enormous restaurants remain barred from Hubei’s economy, driven by death toll in mainland China had eased, analysts do not expect ac- strain on China’s enterprises, work resumption. manufacturing and trade, in- the past seven days, a result of cases on Wednesday, the Na- reached 3,169, up by 11 from the tivity to return to normal levels especially the small and medi- In Qianjiang, a city of 1mn, the cluding a sizeable auto sector in weeks of strict measures im- tional Health Commission said previous day. Hubei accounted till April. um-sized ones in the service government said that it will ar- the provincial capital Wuhan, posed to control the movement yesterday. Outside of Hubei, for 10 of the new deaths, includ- Airlines were hit particular- sector,” it said. range for special transports for had been virtually shuttered. of people and traffi c, including mainland China had seven new ing seven in Wuhan. ly hard during the last several “Any further delay in their people to return to their jobs, or While the virus is spreading the virtual lockdown of Wuhan, cases, including six cases im- The ruling Communist Party weeks, with Chinese airlines re- return to normal operations will if they’re from other provinces, quickly globally, its progress in a city of 11mn people. ported from abroad. Of the six newspaper, the People’s Daily, porting a total loss of 20.96bn entail widespread bankrupt- and will be allowed to travel China has slowed markedly in Wuhan reported all of the new imported cases, Guangdong warned in an editorial that while yuan in February. The total cies and job losses, which will within the province.

Australia injects $11.4bn coronavirus Tom Hanks in Australian hospital stimulus, extends travel restrictions isolation after getting coronavirus AFP with hospital-grade disin- early this morning, very early, Reuters Gold Coast fectant” a spokesperson said, and once everyone was in the Sydney adding that tours and per- news was delivered by Baz and formances would continue. then everyone went home.” ollywood megastar Production on Hank’s Elvis “All the people who were on ustralia’s government said Tom Hanks and his film — in which he was set to set have gone home and self- it would pump A$17.6bn Hsinger-songwriter play the legendary singer’s quarantined, which includes A($11.4bn) into the econ- wife tested positive for the longtime manager, Colonel my daughter so I gave her a omy to try to stop the coronavi- new coronavirus in Australia Tom Parker — has been sus- call... Being a dad that was rus outbreak triggering a reces- yesterday, forcing them into pended and actors and crew the first thing I got onto,” Tate sion, as it weighed an extension hospital isolation and leaving are also being tested. Hanks said. of travel restrictions following a authorities to trace hundreds had earlier posted on Insta- “If the test comes back formal pandemic declaration. of contacts at their concerts gram: “Hello folks, Rita and negative, they’ll be back to The country’s fi rst stimulus and film sets. I are down here in Australia. work that’s where they’re sit- package since the 2008 global Hanks and Rita Wilson, We felt a bit tired, like we had ting.” fi nancial crisis, which helped both 63, are being monitored colds, and some body aches.” Warner Bros said it had Australia avert a recession then, at the Gold Coast University “To play things right, as is “been made aware that a com- illustrates the lengths the gov- Hospital where they were “in needed in the world right now, pany member from our Elvis ernment will take to pare the a stable condition”, according we were tested for the coro- feature film... has tested posi- economic impact of the out- to Queensland state health of- navirus, and were found to be tive for Covid-19. break. ficials. positive,” the Saving Private “We are working closely Despite only aff ecting about Hanks revealed the shock Ryan star said. “We Hanks with the appropriate Austral- 140 people in Australia so far, diagnoses in a message that will be tested, observed, and ian health agencies to identify with three confi rmed deaths, informed fans they had felt isolated for as long as public and contact anyone who may economists expect the outbreak, People make their way through streets of the central business district of Sydney yesterday. slightly ill and wanted to get health and safety requires,” have come in direct contact classifi ed as a pandemic by the tested to “play things right.” he added. “We’ll keep the with the individual.” It is not World Health Organisation, to A$750 from March 31, he added. Donald Trump announced a ness, while an emergency health Hanks is the first major world posted and updated,” he known where the couple con- cause a recession in the second Speaking with the Prime Min- 30-day ban on incoming travel committee would review wheth- Hollywood star to publicly added, along with a photo of a tracted the disease — there quarter. The package will sub- ister, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg from continental Europe, send- er to place a travel ban on all of state that he has the virus surgical glove placed inside a have so far been more than 140 sidise the wages of 120,000 ap- said most of the package would ing Australian stocks, which were Europe. The actor Tom Hanks that has sickened more than biohazard trash bag. coronavirus cases confirmed prentices, off er one-off cash be spent immediately, potential- trading down about 3%, tumbling said in a social media post that 125,000 people worldwide and In a video message the in Australia and three people payments for welfare recipi- ly boosting the economy by 1.5 to close down 7.4%. The eff ects he and his wife Rita Wilson had killed more than 4,600. Hanks’ son, Chet, said, “I just have died. ents and give up to A$25,000 percentage points in the second of the stimulus package remain tested positive for the coronavi- The multi-Oscar-winner got off the phone with them, Wilson — who is promot- ($16,160) to small businesses, quarter. unclear while the pandemic wid- rus while in Australia where he was on the Gold Coast for pre- they both are fine, they’re not ing her new album Halfway to Prime Minister Scott Morrison Australia has not experienced ens. “Whether a recession can be was scheduled to shoot a movie. production of an Elvis Presley even that sick.” Home — gave performances at said at a news conference in Can- a recession, defi ned as two con- avoided is still an open question Hanks said they would be biopic by Australian director “They’re not worried about a Brisbane hotel on March 5 berra yesterday. secutive quarters of economic as the management of the Cov- “tested, observed and isolated” Baz Luhrmann and Wilson it, they’re not tripping but and the Sydney Opera House “I know many Australians are contraction, since the early id-19 health crisis dictates the as requested by the local health had played gigs at the Sydney they’re going through the on March 7. anxious about this and we do still 1990s. “The package won’t su- economic fallout,” said analysts authorities. Opera House and in Brisbane. necessary health precautions She also appeared on a have a long way to go, but be as- per-charge the economy. Neither from ANZ Bank in a note. Ratings agency S&P said on Opera House staff told AFP obviously,” he said. popular Australian TV show sured we are taking action and we does it guarantee that the econo- Further to halting to the dis- Wednesday it expected Aus- they were helping authori- “I don’t think it’s anything whose hosts and crew are now do have a clear plan,” Morrison my won’t slip into recession. But ease spread, the Australian gov- tralia to fall into recession in the ties track “approximately 207 to be too worried about but I in quarantine. During the said in a prime-time televised it is a good fi rst step,” said Craig ernment said it would extend by a fi rst half of 2020, but the gov- people” who “may have been appreciate everyone’s con- visit to Australia’s largest city, address. More than 6mn welfare James, chief economist, Com- week existing travel bans on Chi- ernment’s strong fi scal position in contact with the couple” at cerns and well wishes, but I the couple also visited Bondi recipients, notably pensioners monwealth Bank of Australia. na, Iran, South Korea and Italy, allowed for stimulus without the concert on Saturday. The think it’s going to be alright.” Beach. It is unknown whether and unemployed citizens, will News of the stimulus came which have reported the highest threatening its ‘AAA’ credit rat- famed building has received Gold Coast Mayor Tom they had contracted the virus get a one-off cash payment of minutes before US president numbers of people with the ill- ing. additional “on-site cleaning Tate said Hanks was “tested by that point. Gulf Times 8 Friday, March 13, 2020 BRITAIN/IRELAND

Budget spending plans not as generous as they appear: IFS

Guardian News and Media previously announced spending previously announced measures decade of cuts began. The think- The IFS said the government’s look consistent with George Os- George Osborne in 2015,” said the London plans. for the NHS, schools, defence and tank said the loss of EU funds plans for a spending spree on borne’s mantra that the govern- think-tank. Paul Johnson, director of the overseas aid. “There is relatively spent in Britain would mean transport projects and other ment should fi x the roof while the Households with incomes IFS, said Sunak delivered a timely little here for other departments,” spending per person of about public works was “genuinely very sun is shining.” just above the bottom 10th “will ishi Sunak’s fi rst budget and well-targeted government Johnson added. 19% lower. big”, although he cautioned that Analysis of the budget by the eventually be £2,900 a year worse is not as generous as it response to the coronavirus but In an indication that a decade Although broadly praising the the scale of the increase meant it Resolution Foundation thinktank off , on average, thanks to benefi t Rseems and will leave many warned voter “expectations may of austerity has had lasting ef- chancellor’s response to Covid-19, would be a signifi cant challenge said the economic hit from weak- and tax changes announced since Whitehall departments worse be disappointed” from the prom- fects, the IFS said spending per Johnson said many self-employed to ensure the money was well er growth over the next fi ve years, 2015. With £900 of that yet to off than they were before the ised increase in public spending. person will remain well below workers wouldn’t get the support spent. despite extra spending by the come as a result of welfare poli- spending squeeze began in 2010, In an assessment published a 2010 levels, despite Sunak’s ex- they might need and groups who The think-tank said Britain government, will be about £300 cies still being rolled out.” according to Britain’s foremost day after the co-ordinated re- pansionary budget. may not be entitled to benefi ts was more vulnerable to changes per household this year, rising to It added: “These cuts mean the economics think-tank. sponse to the coronavirus outbreak Outside of the department for could quickly face hardship. in interest rates, infl ation and £575 per year by the middle of the incomes of the poorest families have The Institute for Fiscal Stud- from the Treasury and the Bank of health and social care, which has “Sunak will certainly want to growth as the government pumps parliament. actually fallen over the past two ies said the chancellor made the England, the IFS said much of the had a protected budget, spending monitor the eff ectiveness of the up borrowing levels and adds to “The budget does almost years, and there is a risk that child budget sound more substan- longer-term spending rise de- per head will still be about 14% package and be ready to come back the national debt. nothing to off set the consider- poverty will reach record highs by tial than it was, while relying on signed to level up Britain was from lower than it was before the past with more if necessary,” he added. Johnson said: “This doesn’t able welfare cuts put in place by the time of the 2024 election.” Ireland shuts schools and universities

Reuters sure supply chains will not be Dublin interrupted. Airports will not be closed but those entering Ireland will be reland will shut schools, uni- told to self-isolate if they devel- versities and childcare facili- op symptoms. Ities from today until March Games, training and team 29 and restrict mass gathering gatherings for Ireland’s Gaelic to slow the spread of the corona- sports, played in towns and vil- virus, acting Prime Minister Leo lage around the country, were Varadkar said. suspended until March 29 across Ireland’s chief medical offi cer all age groups. said the government had turned On Monday, Ireland cancelled to measures to try to delay the all St Patrick’s Day parades which spread, rather than simply con- draw hundreds of thousands of tain it, following fresh case in- revellers, including tourists from formation late on Wednesday. around the world, each March. Ireland confi rmed its fi rst Outside one supermarket near death of a patient diagnosed with Dublin’s city centre, some shop- the virus on Wednesday as the pers wondered why the govern- number of confi rmed cases rose ment had not taken the steps to 43 from 34 a day earlier. sooner. Two more cases yesterday Ireland reported its fi rst coro- in Northern Ireland, the Brit- navirus case on February 29. A couple wear surgical masks while shopping in the Grafton shopping area of Dublin yesterday. ish region which shares an open “They should have done this border with the Irish republic, before now,” said Danielle Kin- brought the total there to 20. sella, a 36-year-old carer, who “From 6pm Thursday, the fol- was carrying fi ve shopping bags lowing measures have been put and a bag of potatoes with a in place and they will stay in friend. place until March 29: schools, “They are leaving everything colleges and childcare facilities to the last minute and people will close from today, where pos- now are panicking,” said Kinsel- Govt steps up virus battle, sible teaching will be done online la, who has been unable to fi nd or remotely,” Varadkar said in hand sanitiser on the shelves for statement. her brother, who has leukaemia Within an hour, long queues and is in self-isolation. formed at supermarkets in cen- Parliament will still sit next tral Dublin despite repeated calls Thursday to vote through emer- tells ill people to isolate by ministers not to resort to pan- gency laws to boost sick pay, part ic buying. of a 3bn euro package announced Reuters sible but to delay its spread.” rose 29% % to 590 over the past “In the last couple of weeks, European country hardest hit by “Our advice is that all indoor this week that the fi nance min- London He said those showing symp- 24 hours. we’ve seen the number of poli- the coronavirus. mass gatherings of more than ister said could push the state’s toms of having the virus should A total of 10 people with coro- cies sold double.” Food delivery service De- 100 people and outdoor mass fi nances back into defi cit. self-isolate for at least a week. navirus have died in the United LV= stressed that the suspen- liveroo said it will allow orders to gatherings of more than 500 Initial talks to form a new rime Minister Boris John- The British plan for dealing Kingdom since the outbreak. sion was a temporary move, add- be left outside people’s addresses people should be cancelled. You government between Varadkar’s son yesterday stepped up with the outbreak has three main Meanwhile British insurer LV= ing there would be no change for so that the courier does not have need to continue to go to work if Fine Gael party and rivals Fianna Pthe response to the coro- phases — containment, delay and yesterday said it had suspended existing customers. to come into contact with the you can, but where possible you Fail following an inconclusive navirus outbreak, moving to the mitigation. sales of travel policies owing to “We will continue to monitor customer, to minimise the risk of should work from home.” February 8 election will be post- so called “delay phase” which in- In the delay phase, so called turmoil linked to the coronavirus the situation closely and review spreading coronavirus. Varadkar encouraged people to poned for now, Deputy Prime cludes the option of more strin- social distancing measures such pandemic. the decision on an ongoing ba- As people in Britain increas- limit social interactions and for Minister Simon Coveney said. gent measures designed to slow as school closures, more home Many travellers do not ordi- sis,” the company said. ingly stay at home to avoid offi ces to stagger break times and Earlier yesterday Dublin’s down the spread of the virus. working and reducing large scale narily purchase travel insurance UK insurer Aviva has mean- catching or spreading the virus, hold meetings remotely to limit Mater Hospital, one of the capi- At a meeting of the emergency gathering will be considered, but the virus fallout has seen a while adjusted its travel cover to concerns have been raised that an contact. tal’s main hospitals, postponed committee, known as COBR, though will not necessarily be spike in demand. refl ect risks posed by Covid-19. increased demand for food deliv- While restaurants can stay all outpatient appointments and Johnson decided to move to the approved immediately. “In light of the signifi cant im- New customers can still buy in- ery services would cause it to be open, they should look at how elective surgeries until further so called “delay phase” from the Johnson said he was not clos- pact that coronavirus is having surance but would not be able to se- spread by delivery staff as they go to operate social distancing, he notice. “contain phase”. ing schools at the present time globally, LV=...has taken the dif- lect add-on cover for “travel disrup- from home to home. added. It said in a statement that staff “We are now getting onto the but that advice on schools could fi cult decision to pause the sale of tion” or “airspace closure”, it added. Under a new option available next Public transport will continue in every part of the hospital “are next phase,” Johnson said. “This change as the virus spreads. travel insurance to new custom- Aviva has paused also the sale week, Deliveroo customers will be to operate and shops will remain working around the clock” to is now not just an attempt to The number of confi rmed cas- ers,” the company said in a state- of single-trip insurance for cus- able to use the app to request a no- open with plans in place to en- deal with the virus. contain the disease as far as pos- es of coronavirus across the UK ment. tomers travelling to Italy — the contact drop-off service. Woman found guilty of Singer honoured Police face probe bid to kill ex-husband over man’s death Guardian News and Media to serious failings in its fi rearms London unit. Daily Mail said: “The defendant was in a re- rulings, Paxton said. “This drove The Independent Offi ce for London lationship with some of the men her, or drove her in part, to seek Police Conduct (IOPC) an- who she sought to help her with retribution with Parkes.” ix offi cers including the nounced three new investiga- this deadly plan. Others were just Breeden from Littleport, near former assistant chief con- tions into six GMP offi cers, in- woman tried to persuade friends. These were not empty Ely in Cambridgeshire, ap- Sstable of Greater Manches- cluding the former assistant three separate men to words – she spoke in a pique of proached her friend Hamish ter police will be investigated for chief constable Terry Sweeney. Amurder her former hus- temper. She had the fi nancial Martin in 2014 to “sort out her misconduct following an inquiry Sweeney, who was in eff ect band after he won sole custody of means to fund her plan. ex”. into the death of a man shot by third in command at the force, their child. “Each of the solicitations to Paxton told Chelmsford armed police. and two other senior offi cers – Victoria Breeden, 39, made murder had, or concerned, one Crown Court: “She said she Anthony Grainger, 36, was the former superintendent Mark ‘concerted and persistent’ eff orts target – and that was her ex- could get together £5,000 if he shot through the chest as he sat Granby and an unnamed former over fi ve years to have Rob Parkes husband.” knew someone who could do it in a car in the village of Cul- chief inspector – were under in- killed, off ering one man £5,000 Breeden, who sat in a wheel- for her.” cheth, Cheshire, in 2012 by an vestigation for gross misconduct for his death. chair during the trial and gave After repeated requests, armed police officer known as in relation to their command Breeden , who was record- no evidence, met her former Martin said he did not want to “Q9”. Detectives believed he and control of the operation, the ed trying to arrange one ‘hit’, husband at university in the discuss the matter. Four years and two others were planning IOPC said. All three offi cers are claimed she had never been se- 1990s. The couple, who lived in later Breeden asked Graham to hold up a supermarket and now retired. rious about wanting him dead. Milton Keynes, married in 2004 Wall to kill Parkes, whom she had access to firearms on the Another investigation is under But she was convicted by a jury but the relationship had failed claimed was “dangerous and evening of March 3, 2012. How- way into a now-retired chief in- of three counts of soliciting to by 2008. deceitful”. ever, no weapons were found in spector and former inspector for murder. In 2013 a family court granted She told him she would have the red Audi. gross misconduct over the use Parkes, who was in court Parkes temporary custody of the access to her daughter again with Several senior Greater Man- of a CS gas canister on the night throughout the trial, had tears couple’s daughter, who is now a her ex “gone”, adding: “If you chester police (GMP) offi cers Grainger died. The weapon, in his eyes as his former wife was teenager. The order was made fi - can’t do that then you are of no Singer and founding member of The Searchers, Michael were heavily criticised in a report which incapacitates its targets, found guilty. The court was told nal in February 2015. use to me.” Prendergast, poses with his medal after being awarded into the shooting by judge Tho- is not offi cially approved for use he escaped being murdered only Breeden, who has two more Paxton said: “Wall believed member of the civil division of the Most Excellent Order of mas Teague QC last year, which but had been used for at least fi ve by good fortune. children from other relation- that if he had said ‘yes’, the the British Empire (MBE) following an investiture service at concluded after a two-year pub- years by GMP at the time of the Setting out the prosecution’s ships, was consumed with “bit- defendant would have gone Buckingham Palace in London yesterday. lic inquiry that the force was en- police shooting, the inquiry into case, Christopher Paxton QC terness and anger” following the through with it. tirely to blame for his death due Grainger’s death heard. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 9 EUROPE

EU says will off er migrants Italians adjust to tighter money to go home coronavirus lockdown AFP DPA Norway king and queen in home isolation while Athens Rome Danish queen cancels 80th birthday events Norway has recorded its first coronavirus fatality, Prime Minister Erna U and Greek offi cials have taly’s coronavirus death toll Solberg told public broadcaster NRK’s evening news, saying that the said that 5,000 asylum- soared above 1,000 yester- deceased was “an elderly person”. Eseekers on Greek islands Iday, while its people adjusted Meanwhile, King Harald and Queen Sonja, who last week paid a three- would be given fi nancial in- to even stricter restrictions on day state visit to Jordan, were in home isolation as part of new govern- centives to return home to re- their daily lives. ment measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. lieve pressure on overwhelmed Coronavirus cases rose by 21% The palace said that the king and queen’s home isolation began yester- camps. to 15,113, while fatalities jumped day. The plan, available for a month by 23% to 1,016, the Civil Pro- Neither of them had any symptoms. only and based on a €2,000 tection Agency said in its daily Earlier, Norwegian Health Minister Bent Hoie announced that every ($2,260) stipend, is only open to bulletin. person who has travelled outside the Nordic region since February 27 those who arrived in Greece be- The number of patients in in- was ordered be in home isolation for 14 days. fore January 1. tensive care – a closely-watched Meanwhile, Danish Queen Margrethe has decided to cancel all events “We have now agreed on a fi gure given the shortage of hos- planned to mark her upcoming 80th birthday next month, against the special temporary assisted vol- pital beds in the worst-hit re- backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak, the Danish palace said. untary return scheme ... for a gions – rose by 12% to 1,153. The queen turns 80 on April 16. period of one month,” EU home Walter Ricciardi, Italy’s rep- Events were scheduled over several days. aff airs commissioner Ylva Jo- resentative in the World Health “Denmark and the global community are in a very diff icult situation right hansson said after talks in Ath- Organisation (WHO) and a gov- now,” the queen said, underlining the need “to look out for each other”. ens. ernment adviser on the crisis, She urged citizens to follow advice issued by the government and au- “We think it will be an open said that the country faces a thorities, and lauded health personnel and others engaged in combating opportunity for 5,000 migrants,” “long war” against the virus, at the coronavirus. she said. least until the summer. The queen returned yesterday from her winter holiday in Norway and The money is designed to help Speaking on RAI public tel- was to stay at Fredensborg Palace, about 40km north of Copenhagen. asylum-seekers start afresh in evision, he urged people to their countries of origin, she “categorically” stay home, and said. warned other nations that they dered the closure of all shops handshakes and kissing as forms “It’s clear that we are facing a would soon fi nd themselves in a until March 25, except those of greeting, and told people to national emergency and we need situation similar to Italy. judged essential for daily needs, stay in, save for work, health or to protect our borders,” said “This week [Italian numbers] such as food shops, pharmacies other key reasons. Greek migration minister Notis will probably continue to rise, and petrol stations. “We will be able to see the ef- An Uber Eats delivery man stands by the deserted Spanish Steps at Rome’s Piazza di Spagna as Italy Mitarachi. we hope that they will stabilise “Italy closes,” read the main fects of our great eff ort only in a shut all stores except for pharmacies and food shops in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Voluntary returns would be next week, but above all, they’ll front page headline of newspa- few weeks, in a couple of weeks,” carried out with help from the start increasing in other coun- per La Repubblica. Conte cautioned on Wednesday, and is one of Europe’s busiest daily increase to 200. Hospitals are also short of International Organisation for tries, you’ll see,” he said. Cafes and restaurants, previ- as he said “the entire world” was lorry routes, eased from a peak Lombardy President Attilio staff , with some of them getting Migration and EU border agency Civil Protection Agency chief ously allowed to open to cus- watching the country. of 80km on Wednesday. Fontana, who lobbied for the sick. Frontex. Angelo Borrelli said people tomers in the daytime, were re- With many airlines stopping The queues were caused by latest government crackdown, Quoting regional authorities, The off er does not apply to should stay far apart, even at stricted to delivery service only, connections to Italy, the opera- coronavirus-related checks by called on Conte to go even fur- Ansa said 691 of them have test- refugees who arrived during a home. except for those in transport tor of Rome’s two airports said Austrian border police. ther with draconian measures. ed positive for the coronavirus. two-week surge enabled by Tur- “The key rule is to maintain a hubs. one of them, Ciampino, would The Ansa news agency, quot- “We need to identify new lim- Fontana and other politicians key, which said on February 28 distance, even in the family,” he Banks and post offi ces were close to scheduled fl ights from ing diplomatic sources, said they itations and try to further raise from his region have called for that it would no longer prevent said. left open, as were factories and tomorrow. began moving faster after Ital- citizens’ awareness on the need widespread factory and offi ce people from trying to reach the Italy is battling with the offi ces, provided that they adopt In a statement, Aeroporti di ians started mirroring the prac- to do more than what has been closures, even if it would risk European Union. world’s worst coronavirus out- measures to keep workers apart Roma also said Fiumicino, the tice. done so far,” he said in a state- grounding the economy. As a result of the surge – break after China, and steps by and encourage as many em- Italian capital’s bigger airport, Italy’s outbreak is concentrat- ment. Milan’s stock exchange which has been accompanied authorities to contain it have no ployees as possible to work from would shut one of its two termi- ed in the north, with 8,725 cases In Lombardy, there have been plunged by almost 17% yester- by skirmishes at the border be- precedent in a modern liberal home. nals from March 17. in Lombardy, the region around reports about hospitals being so day, in the worst daily perform- tween migrants and Greek and democracy. The government has previ- Meanwhile, queues on the Milan. overwhelmed that they can no ance of its benchmark FTSE Turkish riot police – Greece has Late on Wednesday, Prime ously closed schools, cinemas, Italian side of the Brenner pass, But in Lazio, the region com- longer guarantee treatment for MIB index since it was created announced that it will not accept Minister Giuseppe Conte or- theatres and gyms, banned which connects Italy to Austria prising Rome, there was a 33% all critical patients. in 1998. new asylum applications until April. Hundreds of people have ar- rived by sea on Greek islands near Turkey, where there are al- ready more than 37,000 asylum- seekers in camps originally built Mission to fi nd life on Mars is postponed to house around 6,000. Lacking space, Greek authori- ties have put over 450 migrants AFP tember 2022 to carry out further hardware and the need to carry ties are European. on a navy ship docked at the Moscow tests. out more tests,” the agency said. The rover is to be controlled Lesbos port of Mytilene, where Following recommenda- The Mars mission has recently from an aerospace centre in Tu- conditions are already described tions by European and Russian been marred by a series of tech- rin in northern Italy, the region as poor. joint Russian-European inspectors, “ExoMars experts nical problems and delays. in Europe hardest-hit by the In May, Greece is to host a expedition to fi nd life on concluded that the tests neces- In August last year, the ESA coronavirus. conference on the hundreds of A Mars has been postponed sary to make all the components identifi ed problems with the The agencies said yesterday unaccompanied minors who for two years, the Russian and of the spacecraft fi t for the Mars mission’s parachute system, that launches were only possi- are most at risk among asylum- European space agencies said adventure need more time to raising questions over whether ble during a 10-day period every seekers, Johansson said. yesterday, citing the novel coro- complete”, the statement said. the launch would go ahead in two years, adding that when the Seven EU states have already navirus and multiple technical European Space Agency (ESA) 2020. mission went ahead it would be pledged to take at least 1,600 issues. director-general Jan Worner said Tests carried out in May and the fi rst to “search for signs of unaccompanied minors and The unmanned ExoMars, both sides wanted to be “100%” August last year on the sophis- life at depths up to 2m below the children, she added. whose mission is to land a robot sure of a successful mission. ticated parachute system vital to Martian surface”. “We are not well-prepared on the Red Planet to seek out “We cannot allow ourselves the landing phase of the mission Concerns over the coronavi- enough. We are still lacking a signs of life, was scheduled to any margin of error. More veri- failed. rus have led to the early quar- common policy for European launch later this year after expe- fi cation activities will ensure a The joint space programme antine of two Russian cosmo- migration and asylum,” Johans- riencing several delays. safe trip and the best scientifi c is seen as an important symbol nauts and a Nasa astronaut in a son said, adding that she would But even that has proved too results on Mars,” he said in a of co-operation between Russia Moscow training centre ahead present proposals next month. diffi cult. statement that did not mention A full-size model of the ExoMars entry, descent and landing module and Europe amid a strain in ties of their scheduled launch to the “We have made a diffi cult but the virus. is seen during a press conference at the European space Agency over Ukraine and Syria. International Space Station in well-weighed decision to post- Rogozin specifi cally pointed (ESA) headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, in this picture taken on Russia has provided the April. Extremist wing of pone the launch to 2022,” said to the impact of the outbreak of October 20, 2016. launcher, the descent module The crew have been banned Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia’s the coronavirus in Europe say- and the landing platform for Ex- from leaving the Star City centre Germany’s AfD put Roscosmos agency. ing the “exacerbation of the are hampering teams from col- that ultimately more tests need- oMars, while the robot, called and will miss a traditional pre- under surveillance Offi cials at the European and epidemiological” situation had laborating as before, he added. ed to be carried out. Rosalind Franklin after the Eng- launch visit to the grave of the Russian spaces agencies said hampered the scheduled launch. The ESA told AFP that con- “The main reason for this lish chemist whose work helped fi rst man in space Yuri Gagarin Germany’s domestic intelligence that they agreed to delay the Travel restrictions introduced cerns over the virus were an postponement is the uncer- lead to the understanding of who is buried beside the Kremlin agency has placed the far-right mission until August or Sep- due to the coronavirus pandemic “aggravating circumstance”, but tainty about some software and DNA, and its research capabili- wall. nationalist Fluegel (Wing) group, founded by members of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, under surveillance. Fluegel is the extremist wing of the AfD, led by Bjoern Hoecke, Michel Roux, who brought French cuisine to London, dies at 79 head of the party in the state of Thuringia. Hoecke and Andreas Kalbitz, who Tributes paid to ‘humble popular author and charismatic the quality of food in the UK. for the Rothschild family before leads the party in Brandenburg’s genius’ whose restaurant teacher, Michel leaves the world “He was a great man, he al- moving to London where he state parliament, are proven was first in UK to win three reeling in his wake,” a statement ways had an arty glint in his eye, opened the restaurants. “right-wing extremists”, agency Michelin stars said. he had a great chuckle and was a He went on to write books, ap- president Thomas Haldenwang “For many, he was a father fi g- great chef,” he told the Guard- pear on television programmes said in Berlin yesterday. By Mattha Busby ure inspiring all with his insatia- ian. “He and his brother Albert and found a prestigious compe- The domestic intelligence Guardian News & Media ble appetite for life and irresist- adopted this country very much tition for chefs. agency – known as the Federal ible enthusiasm. like their own. He was awarded an OBE in Off ice for the Protection of the “But above all, we will miss “They were the fi rst people in 2002, and received France’s Constitution – had already been ichel Roux Sr, the his mischievous sense of fun, his the country to win three Miche- highest honour, the Chevalier de monitoring Fluegel and the AfD’s French chef and res- huge, bottomless heart and gen- lin stars. We were considered a la Légion d’Honneur, in 2004. youth branch since January 2019 Mtaurateur whose work erosity and kindness that knew joke before them.” Brian Turner, a chef and the due to suspicions of right-wing profoundly reshaped British no bounds. Worrall Thompson, who was president of the Royal Academy extremism. cooking, has died aged 78. “Michel’s star will shine for- mentored by Roux and asked of Culinary Arts, said Roux had The agency has since confirmed Members of his family were ever, lighting the way for a gen- him and his wife, Robyn, to be enhanced Britain’s reputation these suspicions and elevated at his side at the family home in eration of chefs to follow.” his fi rst child’s godparents, cel- for high dining and that his lega- Fluegel’s status to a case for Bray, Berkshire, when he passed Roux brought Paris-style fi ne ebrated how he “put cooking on Roux: has trained some of the most distinguished chefs in London. cy would live on. surveillance, meaning informants away from a longstanding lung dining to London in the 1960s the map” in the UK. “Gastronomy and cooking could infiltrate the group. condition, idiopathic pulmonary and he leaves an enduring legacy. “No one can ever say the food the UK to win a Michelin star, Thames, emulated its Michelin in the UK have lost their great- Comments from AfD lawmakers fi brosis, on Wednesday evening. He trained some of the most in Britain is bad anymore,” he before going on to become the rating and has held the accolade est modern champion,” he told in the state and national They described him yesterday distinguished chefs in Lon- said. “They started that, they country’s fi rst three- Michelin- ever since; the only restaurant in the Caterer. “Only last week we parliaments are exempt from as a “humble genius” who had don, including Gordon Ramsay, lifted it out of the grey, Edward- starred restaurant. Britain to have retained its three spent a quiet 15 minutes, hold- surveillance. an “insatiable appetite” for life. Pierre Koff mann, and Marco ian era. There was no passion in Roux’s nephew, Michel Roux stars for more than 30 years. ing hands together, discussing The domestic intelligence agency “We are grateful to have Pierre White. it.” Jr, is also a renowned chef and Roux was born in Charolles, a how best to take the scholarship believes that Fluegel comprises shared our lives with this ex- Antony Worrall Thompson Michel and Albert Roux now runs the ground-breaking small town in Bourgogne, east- forwards whilst giggling and around 7,000 supporters in an traordinary man and we’re so said Roux changed the face of opened Le Gavroche on Sloane restaurant. ern France, in April 1941. laughing – a wonderful memory informal but well-organised proud of all he’s achieved. A British dining and that thanks to Square, in London, in 1967 and Roux’s other restaurant, He worked as a pastry cook in of a wonderful friend, I will miss group. humble genius, legendary chef, him nobody could ever dismiss it became the fi rst restaurant in the Waterside Inn in Bray-on- the British embassy in Paris and him so much.” Gulf Times 10 Friday, March 13, 2020 INDIA

COMMENT LEGAL CRIME INVESTIGATION DECISION Not in race for chief minister Court seeks jail report Two people killed in Son held for former Mumbai’s Shivaji Park post, says Rajinikanth on assault on convict boardroom shootout legislator’s murder gets new name

Asserting that he was not getting into politics A Delhi court sought the Action Taken Report A senior director of a company in Gautam The criminal investigation department has On Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s 390th birth for the sake of power, actor-turned-politician from Mandoli Jail authorities on an application Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, opened fire arrested Anas Alim for the murder of his father anniversary yesterday, the historic Shivaji Rajinikanth ruled himself out of the race for filed by Pawan Kumar Gupta, one of the death- at a board meeting yesterday, killing one and former Bahujan Samaj Party legislator Haji Park in central Mumbai has been renamed as the Tamil Nadu chief minister’s post and said row convicts in Nirbhaya rape case. Gupta and injuring another. He later shot himself Alim. The former legislator was found dead in ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park’, as per a there was an urgent need for a change in the had sought registration of charges against too and succumbed to his injuries. Pradeep mysterious circumstances at his Bulandshahr decision of Municipal Corporation of Greater system. The Tamil superstar categorically said two police personnel for allegedly physically Agrawal, a director in UP Telelinks Ltd, which residence on October 10, 2018. A pistol was Mumbai. A proposal to rename the sprawling that he was not interested in the chief minister’s assaulting him in jail last year. Metropolitan manufactures electric rickshaws, opened fire found next to his body, suggesting that he ground was approved by the MCHM general post. He said that his political party and the magistrate Prayank Nayak has sought the ATR on two of his senior off icials, Naresh, one of had committed suicide. The case had been body to coincide with the birth anniversary government, in case it came to power, would from the jail authorities by April 8. “The order will the directors of the company, and Rakesh. He entrusted to the CID which arrested Anas celebrations of the Maratha warrior king. The have diff erent leaders. He said that 60%-65% have no bearing on the other matter. Hanging later shot himself. Agrawal and Naresh died on yesterday. At the time his father was found 28-acre ground with shady trees lining its of his party’s candidate for the Tamil Nadu will not be stayed because of this,” the judge the spot while the injured person, Rakesh, was dead, Anas had also voiced the apprehension outer border and a tall statue of Chhatrapati Assembly polls will be in the age group of clarified. Pawan, who along with three others, is rushed to the hospital. The incident took place that someone had murdered his father. In 2013, Shivaji Maharaj, enjoys a fond, emotional 45-50. The remaining seats will go to “good scheduled to be hanged on March 20 at 5.30am, in Badalpur area in Chapraula. According to the Anas and his brother Danish had been arrested connect with Mumbaikars. It also houses a people” in other parties, professionals, judges, alleged that he was beaten by the duo on July 26 police, the three off icials indulged in a dispute for the murder of their stepmother Rehana in modest memorial of late Sena founder Bal and former IAS off icers. and 28 in jail last year. over business issues. Delhi, following a property dispute. Thackeray. Doctors stunned Warm welcome for Scindia as amputee’s new lower limbs adapt to body

AFP the hands of their loved ones to be New Delhi made available after their death. “Usually you have to wait for a long time,” said Subramania Iyer, a hen amputee Shreya member of a team of doctors who Siddanagowder was of- operated on Shreya. Wfered new hands, the As a result, those seeking a student didn’t hesitate — even transplant “are so desperate that though they were big, dark and they don’t mind if the hands are hairy, and once belonged to a man. from a diff erent gender”, Iyer, a Now though, not only have her specialist in reconstructive sur- new hands become more slender, gery, said. they have also changed colour to Eventually, the hospital ob- match her skin tone, mystifying tained a pair of hands from a man the doctors who carried out the in August 2017. rare 13-hour transplant. Shreya and her family accepted. “The donor was a tall man The donor hands were fi rst at- with big spindly fi ngers,” Shreya’s tached by the bones before the ten- mother Suma said from their dons, blood vessels and skin were home in Pune. painstakingly stitched together. “Now nobody can make out After the transplant, she had that they are a man’s hands...She to undergo more than a year Jyotiraditya Scindia who resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP on Wednesday, receives a warm welcome on his arrival at the Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal has even started wearing jewellery of physiotherapy for her body yesterday. and nail varnish.” and brain to get used to the new hands and obtain mobility and sensation. Iyer said that the colour of Shreya’s hands quickly began to show “a lot of change”, but that it is diffi cult to pinpoint why. “It could be because of MSH.... a brain-controlled hormone that stimulates melanin production. We are wondering if MSH levels No document required can really infl uence the skin col- our.” “Now nobody can make Melanin is a natural pigment out that they are a man’s that gives skin — as well as hair hands...Shreya has even and eyes — their colour. started wearing jewellery Dr Shehla Agarwal, a leading and nail varnish” dermatologist in New Delhi, said for NPR, claims Shah that the absence of testosterone Shreya’s life was turned upside explained why the hands became IANS wherein any citizenship of any ing misinformation that the CAA dolences towards the victims of have received video footage which down in 2016 when, aged 18, she less hairy, and agreed that other New Delhi Indian would be taken away,” he is against the minority. the unfortunate incident. I ex- is being investigated,” he said. was involved in a bus accident that hormonal changes might explain asked before the Upper House. About the NPR, Shah asserted: press my grief on the fl oor of this “We have now formed three crushed both her arms. the change in colour. Shah stressed that if every po- “No documents will be required House.” special investigation teams and A delay in getting fi rst aid meant But she also cited other pos- he National Population litical party would have clarifi ed in the NPR also. Secondly, if any Assuring action against the these cases would be dealt with by that both her hands had to be am- sible factors. “The donor male Register (NPR) will not that the CAA would not take any- information is not available with people behind the riots, Shah them under the supervision of an putated below the elbow. may have been exposed to more Thave a ‘Doubtful’ category, one’s citizenship, riots would not any citizen they would have an said, “Whosoever will be found inspector general level offi cer,” the Only 200 successful hand trans- sunlight and physical activity Union Home Minister Amit Shah have taken place. option to leave that blank and involved in the riots, will have to minister added. plants have taken place worldwide compared to the woman,” Agar- said in the Rajya Sabha yesterday During the debate, he asked thirdly, there would be no ‘Doubt- undergo a probe and face the law.” He lauded the social media — including nine in India — since wal said. and asked the opposition leaders Congress member Kapil Sibal ful’ category.” On action taken after the riots, wing of the Delhi Police special the fi rst in the US in 1999 on a man Shreya on her part is loving the to come to him and discuss if there whether there is any provision in The home minister said despite he said more than 700 charge- cell which found that thousands whose left lower limb had been transformation — she even wrote is any doubt in this regard. the CAA to take away citizenship. this if any member of the House sheets have been registered and of accounts on social media plat- blown off by a firework. her recent college exam with her He urged the opposition lead- Sibal replied to his query: has any doubt, “opposition lead- the police is taking action on every forms were opened just before the The fi rst in India was conducted new hands — and so are her doc- ers not to misinform people in this “There is no such provision. But er Ghulam Nabi Azad can bring complaint. Special public pros- riots and were deactivated after in 2015 at the Amrita Institute of tors. regard. under the NPR, poor people have them and we can have a discus- ecutors have been appointed at 12 February 25. Medical Science (AIMS) in Kerala, “We all feel very happy for “The members of the Muslim to provide documents and there sion. Standing committee chair- police stations in the riot aff ected “People who have been operat- where Shreya’s family took her. her,” said Iyer. “The best moment community were told that they are chances of putting them into man Anand Sharma can also come areas. ing such accounts would be traced The biggest problem was fi nd- was when she sent me a hand- would lose their citizenship. I re- the category of Doubtful.” along and we will discuss every- “A total 2,647 people have been even if they hide. They have left ing a donor. written note on my birthday. I quest every member of each po- Shah said he can quote several thing,” he said. detained/arrested. The arrests are digital footprints and they can- For cultural reasons, Indian could not have asked for a better litical party in the House to show leaders from Sibal’s party who On the riots he said, “As home being made on scientifi c exami- not run away. The Special Cell is families are often reluctant for birthday gift.” me a single clause or provision have been reiterating and spread- minister, I express my deep con- nation and based on evidence. We probing it,” he said. PM clueless on virus, Kerala registers two fresh cases

IANS “All should follow the guide- economy, says Rahul Thiruvananthapuram lines of health department and should be aware of the nature of this virus. If anyone feels sick, IANS dian economy, Rahul said and saving Yes Bank by using peo- erala Chief Minister Pi- rather than rushing to hospitals, New Delhi added, it was not just aff ecting ple’s hard-earned money,” Ra- narayi Vijayan yesterday they must get in touch with the the people but the economy hul said. Klaunched a new app to track health authorities, who will do the too. “We have got to start taking Earlier Congress spokes- the Covid-19 guidelines of the needful. We have also launched six ccusing the Narendra emergency measures now. It’s man Randeep Singh Surjewala Kerala health department and said helplines,” Vijayan said. Modi government of not already too late,” the Congress termed the government re- that two fresh cases of coronavirus Everyone should behave re- Ataking adequate measures leader said. sponse on coronavirus as “knee cases have been reported. sponsibly otherwise the situation to contain coronavirus, Congress On the Yes Bank crisis, Ra- jerk” and said it had no idea With this the total number of can go out of control, he added. leader Rahul Gandhi, said here hul said during the Manmohan about the spread and was not positive cases touched 16. The health authorities stepped yesterday, “Our prime minister is Singh regime when the country prepared for the pandemic. Two people who arrived from up screening at the fi ve airports clueless and sleeping. faced economic slowdown, the The government didn’t made the Middle East have tested posi- in the state. At the Kochi airport “There is no preparation. The informal economy protected early preparations as such a tive, said Vijayan. yesterday, 3,135 passengers who government is sleeping. They people. large country couldn’t be quar- “We have another highly sus- landed here from 30 international don’t realise that coronavirus “Manmohan Singh and the antined. The government was pect case in Thiruvananthapuram, fl ights were screened and out of is spreading in this country. It’s UPA government handled the only fi lling a form and checking who arrived from Italy, but the those 18 had symptoms. They have going to have devastating con- economy well for 10 years. But temperatures at the airport, he fi nal result is awaited,” added Vi- been asked to seek treatment from sequences. We are heading to you (PM) spoiled it completely. alleged. jayan. the hospitals. the highway for an accident as It’s just the beginning of de- He also pointed to shortage of He said 3,910 people are under Meanwhile, the Congress-led a nation,” Rahul said address- struction. He started the de- face-masks and rising prices of observation at their homes, while opposition that met here decided ing the media at the Parliament struction when he imposed de- hand sanitisers in Delhi. 270 at various hospitals in the to take up the pitfalls commit- House. monetisation and GST. People The Delhi government yes- state. ted by the Kerala government and “Only after when I tweeted on are going to face the full shock. terday announced closure of all The new mobile app can be pointed out that the state failed to the Covid-19, the prime minis- Youths must ask the prime min- cinema halls and education in- downloaded from the app store act on the advisory that came out ter also started tweeting about ister what has he done for their stitutions, where examinations and provides all details of Cov- on February 26, which directed it,” he said. employment in these six years,” were not continuing, till March A man and his child wear facemasks as a preventive measure id-19. The facility is also avail- state governments to screen all The coronavirus had wors- he said. 31 to check the spread of coro- against the spread of the Covid-19 as they travel on the Delhi Metro able on ordinary mobile phones those who come from countries ened the already sinking In- “The prime minister is busy navirus. in New Delhi yesterday. through SMS alerts. like Italy. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 11 LATIN AMERICA Latin America imposes virus restrictions AFP Brazil offi cial, who met Trump, tests positive Montevideo A Brazilian government off icial who Brazil’s presidency did not respond to attended an off icial meeting at Donald a request for comment. atin American countries are step- Trump’s resort in Florida on Saturday Asked by Reuters before Estado ping up measures to slow the and posted a photo of himself stand- reported the positive test, Brazil’s Health Ladvance of the coronavirus, an- ing next to the US president has tested minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, said Demonstrators take cover from a water cannon during a protest in Santiago against Chile’s government. nouncing a slew of restrictions on trav- positive for coronavirus, the Estado de S Bolsonaro would be monitored if Wajn- ellers from the worst-aff ected countries Paulo newspaper said yesterday. garten tested positively. and shutting down major sports events. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s In the photo posted on his Instagram Argentina, Colombia and Peru said communications secretary, Fabio account, Wajngarten is standing next travellers from China, Italy, Spain and Wajngarten, is awaiting the results of a to Trump wearing a “Make Brazil great France would be isolated on arrival. second confirmation test, according to again” cap. US Vice President Mike Pence Blinded student returns to El Salvador went further, with Presi- the report. was next to Trump. dent Nayib Bukele announcing late on Wednesday the Central American country would ban entry to all foreign- “If you don’t comply, you’ll be com- well until the end of the month. ers for a period of 21 days. mitting a crime, which is putting the Colombia has seen only three cases anti-govt protest in Chile The move would aff ect “any foreigner public health at risk,” warned President so far but also announced measures who is not a resident or diplomat” post- Alberto Fernandez on Argentine radio. against travellers arriving from aff ected ed in the country, Bukele said, adding He said Argentina was considering countries. Reuters and joined in chants of: “Pinera, Chile’s attorney general’s offi ce that Salvadorans arriving from coun- barring travellers from Italy, the worst- “Given the implications of the quar- Santiago guilty, your hands are stained with said in January it was investigating tries hit by the virus would face a 30- aff ected European country and one from antine by China, Italy, Spain and France, blood.” the security forces for allegedly vio- day quarantine. which many Argentines are descended. the national government is adopting the His appearance came after Pin- lating the human rights of 5,558 peo- El Salvador — which previously South America’s football federations preventive isolation of people coming Chilean student blinded in era led a ceremony on Wednesday to ple since protests broke out. banned entry on to those travelling from on Wednesday asked FIFA to delay their from those countries,” President Ivan both eyes by police rubber mark 30 years since Chile’s return to New charges of police brutality re- the worst-aff ected countries — is among qualifying matches for the 2022 World Duque tweeted. A bullets in a protest last year democracy, and amid a day of civil surfaced this month as protests start- a handful of states in the region yet to de- Cup due to the pandemic. Peru followed suit by declaring a appeared in public on Wednesday for disobedience by students calling for ed again with the end of the Southern clare a confi rmed coronavirus case. Many national side footballers play two-week “home isolation” for people the fi rst time to rejoin anti-govern- the president to leave offi ce. Hemisphere summer holiday. Argentina was the fi rst Latin Ameri- for clubs in Europe and are likely to be coming from those same four countries, ment protests. Pinera said in a speech at the presi- On Sunday, onlookers had cap- can country to register a coronavirus- hit by the travel restrictions. while also announcing the start of the Gustavo Gatica, 22, was taking dential palace that democracy was tured video footage of two heavily related death on Saturday, with Panama Some top Argentina stars play in Italy, new school year would be pushed back pictures of a demonstration when he squandered when General Augusto armed riot policeman beating with announcing another on Tuesday. Spain and France, such as Barcelona’s Li- two weeks to March 30. was shot in the face on November 8. Pinochet — who led Chile from 1973 batons, throttling and dragging a Cuba registered its fi rst three cases on onel Messi and forwards Paulo Dybala of Ju- On Tuesday, Chile was the fi rst Latin His case became a lightning rod in to 1990 — seized power through vio- 69-year-old man during the Interna- Wednesday. Three Italian tourists, who ventus and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez. American country to announce a quar- Chile for fury directed at police over lence. tional Women´s Day march in central had arrived Monday in Havana, all test- Argentine sports authorities have an- antine on arrivals from Spain and Italy. allegations of human rights abuses He urged against substituting “in- Santiago. ed positive for the virus and have been nounced the postponement of several With 23 cases, Chile’s total is sur- during months of demonstrations tolerance for dialogue.” On Wednesday, Chile’s police chief quarantined. The Cuban health minis- events, including the South American passed regionally only by Brazil’s 37. over social inequality that have left Opposition leaders boycotted the General Mario Rozas told lawmakers try said they were “progressing well and Swimming Championships, an Athlet- Bolivia has asked people arriving at least 31 people dead and 30,000 ceremony, calling it inappropriate that police had documented more none of them is in danger of death.” ics Grand Prix meeting, the World Cup from aff ected countries to place them- injured. given a heavy-handed police re- than 4,000 protests since October The continent still has only around of Fencing and an Olympic boxing qual- selves in isolation for two weeks. On Wednesday, Gatica joined high sponse to protests that began last last year. 150 registered cases and two deaths. ifi cation tournament. Costa Rica has called off large-scale school students protesting in San- October. He said that among 1,144 internal Though it pales with soaring global Separately, organisers of April’s Ar- events including football matches, con- tiago’s central Plaza Italia, close to #FueraPinera (Pinera Out) was abuse investigations, 83 offi cers had fi gures of 124,000 infections and more gentine Moto GP said it had been post- certs and popular festivals. where he was shot, to mark the two- the top-trending topic on Twitter received internal sanctions. than 4,500 deaths, the new measures poned until November. Guatemala has banned entry to peo- year anniversary of President Sebas- in Chile as teenagers in the capital He said the offi cers who shot Gati- refl ect the region’s growing disquiet — Argentina has registered 19 coronavi- ple from China and migrants from tian Pinera’s second term in offi ce. shut down at least 15 metro stations ca remained on the streets. particularly given its close links with rus cases and one death, a 64-year-old Honduras displaying signs of the virus, Wearing dark glasses and a T-shirt by dangling their feet over the lines, Chile’s Human Rights Institute former colonial power Spain, one of the man who had arrived in Buenos Aires while also imposing a week-long hos- with protest slogans, walking with a seized control of several schools and said on February 18 it had recorded countries worst hit by the crisis. from France. The Panamanian victim pital stay on those coming from Europe. stick and supported by his brother clashed with riot police who made 445 cases of eye injuries in the pro- Buenos Aires announced a two-week was also 64 and had diabetes. Paraguay has suspended school Enrique, he was greeted by applause use of tear gas. tests. isolation period for people arriving from Panama has suspended school classes classes and large public events for two China, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Ja- until April 7, while Bukele said El Salva- weeks, and the Dominican Republic has pan, South Korea and the United States. dor would suspend university classes as suspended fl ights arriving from Milan. ‘Break the silence’ tortillas urge women to denounce abuse in Mexico

By Daniel Becerril, Reuters Women’s Day on March 8, when could be encouraged to report it, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico women around the country took could also receive psychological aid to the streets to protest femicides to improve her family life or all her Cuba urges citizens to make own masks Customers at the Esperanza tortilla in Mexico, which have more than surroundings.” factory in the northern Mexican city doubled in the past five years, and He said shoppers have already Reuters On Wednesday, the hospital con- many hours we will be in public spaces of Nuevo Laredo found their tortillas other types of violence against remarked on the change of wrapping Havana fi rmed that three of the tourists had or areas with a lot of people.” wrapped diff erently this month — in women. for the corn tortillas, which are a staple tested positive for the coronavirus, the While residents of other countries white paper with “break the silence” “Silence is lethal in the mistreatment of the Mexican diet. broadcaster said. have queued up at pharmacies and written in red, urging women to report of women. Dare yourself, be brave and “When we explain that it’s about uba confi rmed its fi rst cases of Authorities were tracking down those stores to stock up on surgical and dust abuse and seek help. report it,” the text of the wrapping women’s issues, about abuse, they the new coronavirus on Wednes- who had come into contact with the masks as the epidemic spreads, these In a creative response to battling reads on the side of each tortilla pack- start to ask where’s the institute, what Cday, while its textile industry has three and was checking up on them. are not usually available for sale to the violence against women, the Nuevo age, which have been distributed to types of services does it off er,” said been drafted to fabricate masks and Over the past 10 days, Cuba has general population in Cuba. Laredo Women’s Institute printed various tortilla factories. Medellin. the government also urged citizens to ramped up its campaign on how to ward Government offi cials have said this 10,000 tortilla wrappers featuring help Filadelfo Medellin, head of a local Maria Isabel Maldonado, 56, who make their own, amid a cash crunch and off the infection, through talks at work- week they want to ensure the whole hotlines, support centre addresses and tortilla makers union, said he sup- bought 1kg of tortillas, said she would dwindling supplies worldwide. place and community meetings, and population can either buy industrial the message that women who suff er ported the idea when the Women’s recommend that women take inspira- Cuba’s state news broadcaster said through state media. masks or make their own. violence should speak up. Institute asked him to help. tion from the socially conscious tortilla four Italian tourists who were staying at “We can make (masks) at home us- Supporters of Cuba’s centralised Nuevo Laredo is a bustling border “Sometimes people stay quiet wrappers and reach out for help. a hostel in the southern town of Trini- ing material like cotton, cloth, linen,” economy say it allows the government city, opposite the US city of Laredo, because of shame, because of fear,” “We have to break the silence about dad after arriving at Havana airport according to 5 de Septiembre, the state to eff ectively divert resources toward Texas. he said. women...So that there’s no more killing on Monday had presented respiratory newspaper of Cienfuegos province. priorities in times of crisis, while its The new tortilla wrappers were “However, we think with this ad- of women. There have already been symptoms and were taken to a hospital “These are washable and we can car- focus on preventive healthcare helps it timed to coincide with International vertising, a woman who suff ers abuse so many.” on Tuesday. ry several with us, depending on how contain disease outbreaks. In indigenous Colombia, Venezuelan migration sparks confl ict

By Julia Symmes Cobb, Reuters Wayuu people — who generally which overlooks an aquamarine “They come with so many grandchildren will arrive soon Castilletes, Colombia speak both their own Wayuunaiki bay in the eastern reaches of Up- needs, with hunger, without from Venezuela, she said. tongue and Spanish — have citi- per Guajira — said there are about work,” said Sapuana, a father of A resolution to the goat disa- zenship rights in both countries. 10 active disputes in his area 50 children, from a nearby group- greement would take at least one n the sun-baked scrubland of Some migrated to Venezuela alone, the majority involving re- ing of houses where he lives with problem off the family’s long list, northern Colombia’s remote over the past two decades to take turning Wayuu. some of his family. “We want to Ipuana said. ILa Guajira province, a bitter advantage of free education and “There has been violence,” avoid blood-letting...war doesn’t “We need this problem to be quarrel rages between two neigh- other benefi ts. said Palmar. “Up to now it hasn’t bring anything good. mediated, to be resolved, to avoid bouring Wayuu indigenous fami- But hyperinfl ation and a six- come to deaths, but that could “We hope the government, confl ict with the other family,” lies, one of them seeking refuge year recession under President happen if confl icts are not re- President Duque, will give us a she said. from a humanitarian crisis across Nicolas Maduro have driven solved.” hand with the crisis.” The following day both families the border in Venezuela. thousands back, part of a wave of Palmar said he had heard of Maria Elena Ipuana is the ma- descended on the Sapuanas’ home- Their feud was sparked by some 1.7mn people who have fl ed killings related to returnee dis- triarch of the Ipuana Montiers. stead to shake on a deal: any further goats. Venezuela for Colombia in recent putes in the inland settlement of She has returned to settle on dispute between them would result Without fences to stop them, years. Jarara. this patch of family property with in the aggressor owing the other their herds mingle amid the low For already-struggling com- Reuters was not able to inde- her husband Angel Jose Montier family 50 goats or sheep. bushes between the two home- munities — which often scrape pendently confi rm this. and more than 40 of her children A reconciliation is the best- steads, whipped by a hot and Colombian Rafael Sapuana, mediator or pütchipü’ü in the by on subsistence ranching and Scant mobile phone service and grandchildren, after years of case scenario, but there is no dusty desert wind here in ances- Wayuunaiki language, speaks at a reconciliation ceremony between gasoline smuggling — the needs makes communication diffi cult sporadic travel back and forth to shortage of disputes. tral Wayuu territory. Colombian and Venezuela indigenous from the Wayuu tribe, in of returning Wayuu are hard to in the impoverished and isolated Maracaibo, a centre of the oil in- Uribia, where the popula- One family, the Ipuana Mon- Castilletes, Colombia. meet. region, where the Colombian dustry in Venezuela. tion of 205,000 is 95% Wayuu, tiers — who recently arrived from Malnourishment has long state is virtually non-existent. “Food used to be really cheap has had at least 38 cases of land Venezuela, fl eeing shortages of indigenous Wayuu who once left arch of the Ipuana clan — says he plagued Wayuu children and The hyper-localized system in Venezuela, now it’s so expen- confl icts to date involving people food and medicine — say they their Colombian homes for Ven- wants to avoid confl ict, but many many communities can ill aff ord of pütchipü’üs also makes data sive,” Ipuana said. “We have to returning from Venezuela, said have lost 50 goats to the herd be- ezuela return. of the returnees from Venezuela more mouths to feed. collection on the confl icts diffi - survive however we can.” Henriquez. longing to their more established The infl ux is testing the limits have forgotten the Wayuu way of With dozens of disputes now cult, said Alberto Henriquez, the The family is squeezed into fi ve Because local government has neighbours, the Ipuana, who of tribal unity, according to Way- life. raging, Wayuu leaders say they secretary of indigenous aff airs for small makeshift houses. limited power in Wayuu territory, count local leaders among their uu police and tribal mediators, “Families are returning to hope mediation will head off es- the Uribia municipality, which Two of the grandchildren, ages that may not be an accurate rep- ranks. known as pütchipü’üs. where their grandparents lived calations in violence, as brawls includes Upper Guajira. 1 and 4, have frail limbs, indica- resentation of the frequency of Such confl icts over land, wa- In a dark green house with and there’s been so much con- break out between neighbours Palmar’s father, Rafael Sapua- tive of malnutrition. disputes, he added. ter and animals are increasingly plastic siding at the end of a long, fl ict and theft because they don’t and within families. na, is the pütchipü’ü in charge of And the family is about to grow “There’s lots of cases where common as Venezuela spirals rutted dirt track, Rangel Ipuana know how to manage the land,” Yohedys Palmar, a Wayuu po- the Ipuana dispute involving the — Ipuana’s sister, brother-in- the family uses a pütchipü’ü and into disaster and thousands of — a pütchipü’ü who is the patri- said the 72-year-old. lice inspector in Castilletes — Venezuelan returnees. law and 22 of their children and it’s solved based on custom.” Gulf Times 12 Friday, March 13, 2020 PAKISTAN

Supreme Court Govt to table bill for the seeks record of creation of south Punjab military Internews ment would generate funds for creation of a single province to court cases Islamabad the new province amid a severe be called south Punjab. fi nancial crunch in the country. After the meeting, Foreign Af- However, it was told that 35% fairs minister Shah Mehmood Internews he government has de- of the budget of Punjab would be Qureshi held a press confer- Islamabad cided to make a serious transferred to the new province. ence outside Parliament House, Tattempt to create a much- The meeting was informed where he unveiled the decisions demanded south Punjab prov- that the government needed made in the meeting. he Supreme Court of Pa- ince, with a bill to be tabled in to get the bill on south Punjab He said that the prime min- kistan has sought from the National Assembly within a province passed with a two- ister had taken the decision to Tthe ministry of defence month for this purpose. thirds majority, and for that move forward with the proc- complete records pertaining to The decision was taken in a purpose it required support of ess of creation of south Punjab the allegations against people meeting chaired by Prime Min- two main opposition parties, the province. convicted by the military court, ister Imran Khan. Pakistan Muslim League – Na- “We have taken the decision and the details of the evidence However, the meeting could waz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peo- in line with the PTI manifesto,” Qureshi: Adequate measures supporting the convictions, lo- not reach consensus whether ples Party (PPP). he added. are being adopted to fulfil the cal media reported. Bahawalpur or Multan would be Prime Minister Khan asked He said that Punjab Chief promise of establishing South A three-member bench of the capital of the new province, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e- Minister Usman Buzdar, some Punjab. the apex court headed by Jus- and it was decided that whatever Insaf (PTI) leaders to hold meet- federal and provincial ministers tice Mushir Alam heard an ap- decision the prime minister took ings with the main opposition from south Punjab, and the chief party chairman Bilawal Bhutto peal fi led by the ministry of de- in this regard would be accept- parties to garner their support secretary and inspector-general Zardari has also spoken in favour fence against the verdict of the ed by all, a source privy to the for smooth sailing of the bill. of the province, were present in of creating the new province.” Peshawar High Court (PHC), meeting said. Interestingly, the PML-N had the meeting. Qureshi urged PML-N law- acquitting some 70 individuals, The prime minister is of the already introduced two bills in “Adequate measures are be- makers to convince their leader- Prime Minister Khan: will decide whether Bahawalpur or Multan who were convicted by military view that fi rst spadework should the National Assembly last year ing adopted to fulfi l the prom- ship to support the bill. would be the capital of South Punjab. courts. be done and a bill be introduced for the creation of not only south ise of establishing south Punjab The capital of south Punjab During the course of hearing, in parliament; then it would be Punjab province but also a sepa- province and once the province will be decided after consulta- 35% of funds would be allocated PPP had managed to get 24th counsels appearing for the ac- decided where the provincial rate Bahawalpur province. is created, it will be given its due tions with legislators on the both to south Punjab, and this share constitutional amendment cused persons submitted before secretariat would be established. However, the PTI had not share in the National Finance sides of the isle, he said. will not be re-appropriated to passed from the Senate about the court that the military court The meeting decided that backed those bills. Commission award,” Qureshi He said that Rs3.5bn would be other areas. south Punjab province. had awarded punishment to the initially an additional chief sec- Similarly, the PTI’s ally Paki- said. required to create the secretariat The minister said that in pre- Similarly, in 2012 the PPP accused after conducting one- retary and additional inspec- stan Muslim League – Quaid- Talking about the opposition’s of the new province and 1,350 vious years, funds were allocated had managed to get a resolution sided proceedings. tor-general of police would be e-Azam (PML-Q) had already support to get the bill passed, he people would be needed to run for south Punjab and then chan- about south Punjab province They submitted that the ac- appointed for south Punjab in demanded that two provinces said that the PTI would reach the secretariat. “The creation of nelled to other areas as the year unanimously passed from the cused were not given an oppor- April, and one of them would sit be carved out of Punjab, includ- out to other political parties for infrastructure for a proper sec- progressed. Punjab Assembly, twice. tunity of defence, and deprived in Multan and the other in Baha- ing Bahawalpur province, and its the creation of a new province retariat will take some time.” However, the PTI has decided PML-N leader Mian Javed La- of getting a fair trial in a trans- walpur, and that the secretariat leader and federal Housing Min- with mutual consensus. Qureshi quoted the Pun- to not repeat such this year. tif in a TV show asked how the parent manner. of the new province would start ister Tariq Bashir Cheema had “We hope that PPP would jab chief minister as saying in Meanwhile, PPP leader Haid- PTI government would create The counsels further sub- functioning by next month. categorically announced on the support the bill. Former prime the meeting that in the coming er Zaman Qureshi said that the the new province amid severe mitted that after convicting the The meeting was not in- fl oor of the National Assembly minister Benazir Bhutto had a budget, keeping the ratio of the PTI’s “incapable” government fi nancial crisis prevailing in the accused, their family members formed from where the govern- that his party would not accept clear stance on the issue, and provincial population in mind, did not know that in 2013, the country. were not informed, only com- ing to know of the convictions through media. The lawyers further submitted Holi day that the ministry of defence did not provide complete records of Pakistan passes the matter with its appeal, which showed malafi de on the part of the ministry. They contended that except child abuse law confessional statement of the accused, no evidence was pro- duced before the court. Reuters “Finally, we have emerged “Hence punishment like death Islamabad today successful, getting the sentence cannot be awarded on Zainab Alert Bill sailed through mere confessional statement the National Assembly with a of an accused,” the lawyer con- akistan’s parliament majority of votes,” she told the tended. passed a new law against Thomson Reuters Foundation The Supreme Court adjourned Pchild abuse on Wednes- by phone. the hearing and directed the de- day, two years after the rape An amended version of the fence ministry to submit com- and murder of a seven-year- bill cleared Pakistan’s legisla- plete records pertaining to the old girl that shocked the coun- tive assembly late on Wednes- allegations levelled against the try. day after being passed by the accused persons in military Pakistan’s fi rst national upper house earlier this year. courts. child abuse law will introduce It is expected to receive the It is pertinent to mention a penalty of life imprisonment formal assent of the president here that on November 2, 2018, for child abuse, said Pakistan’s in the coming days. the apex court had restrained Human Rights Minister Shi- Zainab’s case triggered de- the prison authorities to release reen Mazari. bate in Pakistan over whether 70 terror suspects, convicted It follows the death of Zainab to teach children how to guard by military courts for involve- Ansari, whose body was found against sex abuse, a taboo sub- ment in terrorist activities in the in a garbage dumpster in Kasur ject in the Muslim majority na- country. district near the eastern city of tion. A two-member bench of the Lahore in 2018, sparking large Nearly 10 cases of child apex court headed by Justice protests and accusations of abuse a day are reported in Sheikh Azmat Saeed had heard negligence by authorities. Pakistan, according to Sahil, appeals of the defence ministry There had been reports of a an organisation that works on against the verdict of Pesha- number of missing children in child protection, with girls dis- war High Court, acquitting all the district since 2015, when proportionately aff ected. Hindus celebrate the Holi festival in Karachi on Monday evening. Holi, the popular Hindu spring festival of colours, is observed at the the 68 terror suspects released authorities uncovered what The law requires police to end of the winter season, on the last full moon of the lunar month. by military courts due to lack of they said was a paedophile ring register a case within two hours evidence. linked to a prominent local of a child’s parents reporting family. them missing. Mazari tweeted that the It includes measures to Religious group to bill’s passage had been “a long speed up the process, including struggle” as she thanked col- the establishment of a dedicat- hold conference leagues for helping it clear nu- ed helpline and a new agency to despite virus risk Over 81,000 posts vacant in central govt merous hurdles. issue alerts for a missing child. A group of Islamic missionaries in Pakistan have decided to hold Internews mixed trend of increases and is a very large share in the total a 26% share while Sindh has a massive convention despite Karachi decreases in the number of civil number of federal government 14.01% (Sindh Rural 7.30% several warnings by authorities servants over the past 10 years. civil servants. and Urban 6.71%), tribal areas on the new coronavirus. The job opportunities in Among the divisions of the 5.47%, Baluchistan 4.54%, Azad Media tycoon arrested More than 100,000 members f the total 663,234 public sector almost remained federal government, the In- Jammu and Kashmir 1.26%, and of the Tableeghi Jumaat sanctioned posts in the fl uctuant between 2009-10 and terior Division is the larg- Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) has a share have gathered at the group’s Ofederal government of 2018-19. est administrative unit due to of 1.06%. on corruption charges headquarters – a complex of Pakistan, over 81,000 are cur- However, during the last fi ve the Civil Armed Forces (CAF), For autonomous bodies, Gilg- mosques and Islamic seminaries rently vacant, according to data years, from 2014-15 to 2018-19, which comes out to be 39.67% it-Baltistan witnessed the high- – near the eastern city of Lahore. released by the Establishment the size of the federal govern- (230,817) of the actual working est growth (10.65%) in terms of AFP property purchase had been ful- The annual conference began Division. ment in respect of its sanc- strength (581,755). employment. Islamabad fi lled. on Wednesday and is due to As per the annual bulletin tioned and actual strength of The second largest unit is the The share of employees hav- Geo said the NAB only arrested continue until Sunday, said about the employees for 2018- employees shows an upward Defence Division with 21.76%, ing domicile of Sindh increased Rehman because of investigative Abdul Waheed, a spokesman for 19, the total number of sanc- trend of 6.17% and 5.96% (on while Railways, Postal Serv- by 1.63% (Sindh urban by akistani authorities have pieces his channels had conduct- the Jumaat network of Islamic tioned federal government posts average basis), respectively. ices and Revenue Division with 7.04%), Baluchistan by 1.48%, arrested a media mogul on ed into the bureau. missionaries in Pakistan, India stood at 663,234 but 581,755 The trend for autonomous 12.52%, 5.05% and 3.60%, rank and Azad Jammu and Kashmir Pcorruption charges, in a Over the past 18 months the and Bangladesh. employees and offi cers were bodies and corporations too third, fourth and fi fth, respec- by 3.75%. decades-old case that his repre- NAB has “sent our reporters, Thousands of small groups of available for these positions, showed an increase of 4.59% in tively, as compared to other di- However, the share of em- sentatives said was motivated by producers and editors – directly Pakistani missionaries travel showing a vacancy of about the sanctioned and 0.45% in the visions having a collective share ployees of Punjab, including a desire to retaliate following the and indirectly – over a dozen across the world including 81,479 posts, or 12.29 per cent actual working strength. of 17.40%. Islamabad, increased by 0.19% broadcast of several investigative threatening notices”, the state- Europe, Africa and Americas of the total. In terms of breakdown, there The provincial analysis shows as compared to the last year programmes. ment read, adding that the bu- every year to “spread the Similarly, a total of 399,265 are 13,347 secretariat employees that employment growth wit- while decreasing tendency was The National Accountabil- reau had said it would shut down teachings of Islam”, Waheed said. employees were working in 206 but 2,811 positions are lying va- nessed an overall increase – observed in Sindh (rural) by ity Bureau (NAB) arrested Mir “our channels ... due to our re- Authorities asked the leaders of autonomous bodies and corpo- cant. Punjab (0.38%), Sindh (0.71%), 4.42%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by Shakeel-ur-Rehman – the ed- porting and our programmes Jumaat to postpone the event rations of the federal govern- The highest number of va- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP, 1.31%, and 1.94% for tribal areas itor-in-chief of the Jang Group about the NAB”. due to the coronavirus pandemic, ment against the sanctioned cancies was observed in the 7.66%), Baluchistan (7.97%), employees. that includes some of Pakistan’s “In its defence, the NAB has in but they did not heed the strength of 515,174, showing a attached/subordinate depart- Azad Jammu and Kashmir There are 16,612 non-Muslim biggest newspapers and the Geo writing said it is a constitution- request, said Mohamed Usman, shortfall of 115,909. ments with existing strength (AJK, 0.4%), and tribal areas employees in the federal gov- television network – over a land ally-protected institution that health chief for Lahore. In the previous year, there at 558,943 and 77,028 positions (123.08%). ernment. transaction dating back to 1986, can’t be criticised,” the state- The government has banned were 492,564 sanctioned posts, unassigned. Among the 581,755 employees A sizeable number of 14,989 accusing him of scoring illegal ment continued. gatherings and asked people of which 397,487 were occupied. The distribution of actual working in the federal govern- (90.23%) are Christians, where- concessions in the purchase of The National Accountabil- to take precautions since the This shows an increase of strength shows that a small ment, Punjab has a lion’s share as 297 (1.79%) are Ahmadis, plots in Lahore. ity Bureau was founded in 2000 virus started spreading in 4.59% in the sanctioned and share of 4.63% is occupied by of 263,567 employees, account- 1,073 (6.46%) are Hindus In a statement, Geo denied by then-military ruler Pervez neighbouring China and Iran. 0.45% in the actual working the offi cers working in basic ing for 47.66% of the total when (caste), 173 (1.04%) are Hin- the allegations against Rehman, Musharraf to go after corrupt The clerics’ decision to go ahead strength for government bodies. scales 17-22, whereas 95.37% is combined with 2.35% of Islam- dus (non-caste), 18 (0.11%) are saying that all taxes and legal politicians, bureaucrats and with the conference has triggered It follows that the public sec- occupied by employees work- abad. Sikhs, and 62 (0.37%) belong to requirements pertaining to the businesspeople. fierce criticism online. tor employment situation is a ing in basic scales 1-16, which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has other religions. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 13 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH Virtues of the Mothers of the Believers Muslim woman fi nds true of the Muslims, Khadijah (may Allah be convey to her the greeting of her Lord happiness when she follows pleased with her) was the fi rst person and mine as well.” [Al-Bukhari and the example of the best to embrace Islam. She was preceded by Muslim] Awomen who lived in the best neither a man nor a woman!” Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have of generations. These women lived The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi mercy upon him) said: “Khadijah, may in the noblest of homes, the home of wa sallam, was greatly distressed at Allah be pleased with her, was the the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa the beginning of his Da’wah (calling only woman known to have had this sallam. Allah The Almighty exalted people to Islam) and was exposed to virtue. Allah The Almighty loved her their status, honoured their rank and severe torture. At that time, Khadijah and so did His angels, as well as the the Qur’an praised them in the verse in provided him with comfort and Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. which Allah the Almighty Says (what wise opinion. Whenever he heard In a Hadith, the Prophet, sallallaahu means): {O wives of the Prophet, you something hateful from people and he ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Her love are not like anyone among women, if returned to her she always supported was nurtured in my heart by Allah.” you fear Allah.} [Qur’an 33:32] They and comforted him. Counting her [Muslim] were blessed wives and great women. virtues, the Prophet, sallallaahu Whenever the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “She believed ‘alaihi wa sallam, mentioned her, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid in me when people disbelieved, held he would exalt her and praise her (may Allah be pleased with her) me truthful when people belied me, companions. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be She was the fi rst wife of the Prophet, provided me with wealth when people pleased with her) said: “Whenever sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, - wise, prevented me and Allah granted me the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa intelligent, religious, and of noble children from her while He deprived sallam, mentioned Khadijah, he would lineage. She was brought up to observe me that from other women.” [Ahmad] never get tired of praising her and virtues, noble morals, and generosity. She was a great woman, a dutiful invoking Allah to forgive her, as a way She was the epitome of chastity and wife, and a kind mother. The Prophet, of showing gratitude for her love and honour, for she was known among the sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, had all faithfulness, and he used to honour her Makkan women as “The chaste”. The his children from her except Ibrahim. friends after her death.” Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, She had noble morals and sublime ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with married her and she was the best of qualities, as she never argued with the her) added, “He would often slaughter wives to him. She supported him with Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, a goat, cut it into parts and distribute herself, her money, and intelligence. in any discussion nor harmed him in it among Khadijah’s friends. Whenever At times of distress and sadness, any dispute. In a Hadith, the Prophet, I asked him: ‘(You act) as if there was the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: no other women in the world except sallam, used to resort to her and tell “Jibril came to me and said, ‘Give her Khadijah!’ He would say (praising her about his pains and worries. When (Khadijah) the glad tidings of a palace Khadijah): ‘She was this and that Interior view of a new mosque in Doha. he received the Revelation through made of hollowed pearls in Paradise, in (counting her virtues) and she bore my Jibril (may Allah exalt his mention), which there will be neither noise nor children.’” [Al-Bukhari] ’Imran), Asiyah the wife of Pharaoh, home righteous as well. She reaped while she was still with him until she for the fi rst time, he returned to her trouble.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] After her death, the Prophet, and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid.” [Ibn the fruit of her eff orts and she and her died. He was extremely distressed with a trembling heart and said to As-Suhayli (may Allah have mercy sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, heard her Mardawayh] daughter became the best women in upon her death. Ath-Thahabi may her: “I do not know what happened to upon him) said: “She was given the glad sister’s voice. He then became sad and She preceded the women of this Paradise. The Prophet, sallallaahu Allah have mercy upon him said, “She me! O Khadijah! I fear that something tidings of a house in Paradise because said: “She reminds me of Khadijah.” Ummah (nation) in righteousness, ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The best of was intelligent, gracious, religious, harmful may happen to me!” She she never raised her voice over that Khadijah (may Allah be pleased honour, and splendor. The Messenger the women of the dwellers of Paradise chaste, and noble. She is one of the received him with a steadfast heart, of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa with her) attained perfection in of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, are: Khadijah, Fatimah, Maryam, and dwellers of Paradise.” and said, “Never! By Allah. Allah will sallam, nor did she ever bother him.” religiousness, mind, and morals. In said: “Maryam bint ‘Imran was the Asiyah.” [Ahmad] never disgrace you!” She was pleased with her Lord and a Hadith, the Prophet, sallallaahu best of the women of her time, and She occupied a great position in Article source: http://www.islamweb. Islam fi rst saw light in her home Allah The Almighty is pleased with her. ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Many men the best woman of this Ummah is the heart of the Prophet, sallallaahu net/emainpage/ and she was the fi rst to embrace it. Ibn In a Hadith, the Prophet, sallallaahu attained perfection, but only three Khadijah.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] ‘alaihi wa sallam. He did not marry any Al-Kathir (may Allah have mercy upon ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Jibril told women attained perfection: Maryam Khadijah (may Allah be pleased woman before her neither did he marry him) said: “According to the consensus me, ‘When Khadijah comes to you, bint ‘Imran (Mary, the daughter of with her) was righteous and made her any woman nor have any bondmaids ‘A’ishah bint Abu Bakr As-Siddiq

A’ishah bint Abu Bakr As-Siddiq She surpassed all other women by her may Allah have mercy upon him said, the night appointed for her, in her house pleased with her) was a generous giver fi nally sympathised with me and returned (may Allah be pleased with them virtues and kind companionship. The “The Shari’ah is full of proofs which and while he was leaning between her and used to hasten in doing righteous and my child to me.” both) was born in the house of Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, oblige women to abide in their houses and chin and chest. good deeds. She remained the wife of the She had firm and strong faith in Allah ‘truthfulness and piety. She grew in said: “‘A’ishah ‘s excellence over other not to frequently go out unless there is a z The woman of the wholesome Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, for The Almighty. When her husband, Abu a home that was based on faith, for her women is like that of Thareed (a delicious necessity. When there is a necessity to go heart, Sawdah bint Zam‘ah (may Allah two months and then died. Salamah, may Allah be pleased with him, mother was a Companion, her sister was mixture of meat and bread) over other out, women are required to completely be pleased with her) was the fi rst wife z Umm Habibah, Ramlah bint Abu died, she followed the guidance of the Asmaa’(may Allah be pleased with her) types of food.” [Al-Bukhari] cover themselves.” of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, the lady of the two girdles, was also a The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Allah The Almighty puts to trial those sallam, after the death of Khadijah them) emigrated for the sake of Allah and supplicated Allah The Almighty Who Companion, and her brother was also a sallam, loved her very much and he loved whom He loves and one is given trials (may Allah be pleased with her). She The Almighty seeking His reward. compensated her with the Messenger of Companion of the Prophet, sallallaahu only what is good and beautiful. ‘Amr ibn according to his level of faith. ‘A’ishah, remained his only wife for three years. Unlike all the other wives of the Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. ‘alaihi wa sallam. Her father was the al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) may Allah be pleased with her, was She was revered and noble and endowed Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, It was narrated that she said: Siddiq of this Ummah (the steadfast asked the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu accused of unchastity when she was 12 with a clear and pure heart. Caring for she was the closest in kinship relation “I heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi affi rmer of truth of the Muslim Ummah). ‘alaihi wa sallam, once: “Who is most years old. She said, “I wept throughout the feelings of the Prophet, sallallaahu to him, received the highest dowry, wa sallam, saying: ‘When a Muslim is She grew in the home of knowledge, beloved to you from among people?” He the whole night until the morning. I did ‘alaihi wa sallam, she gave up the night and was the farthest in distance from afflicted with an affliction, then he says, for her father was the prominent scholar replied: “‘A’ishah.” Then ‘Amr asked: not get any sleep, nor did my tears cease that was appointed for her to ‘A’ishah him when he concluded the marriage ‘We belong to Allah and to Him shall we and genealogist of the Quraysh. She was “(Who is most beloved to you) from until my parents thought that weeping (may Allah be pleased with her) seeking with her. He concluded the marriage return; O Allah, Support me through my endowed with extraordinary intelligence among men?” He replied: “Her father.” would split my liver.” The trial grew more the Satisfaction of her Lord. with her when she was in Abyssinia affliction and Reward me for it and Give and a sharp memory. Ibn Kathir (may Allah [Al-Bukhari] and more severe until she said, “My tears z Hafsah, daughter of the Commander fl eeing to protect her religion. The King me something better in its stead,’ Allah Will have mercy upon him) said: “Among all She was the only virgin woman dried up, so that I could no longer feel a of the Believers, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab of Abyssinia paid her dowry on behalf Give him something better in its stead.’ the nations, there was none like ‘A’ishah in from among the wives of the Prophet, single tear.” (may Allah be pleased with them both) of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa When Abu Salamah died, I said, “Who her sharp memory, knowledge, eloquence, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the only Ibn Kathir said: “Allah The Almighty got was a devout worshipper who was sallam, and provided her with the is better than Abu Salamah from among and intelligence. She preceded all women wife in whose bed the Revelation (Jibril, jealous for her sake.” Therefore, He revealed steadfast in her prayers and fasting. She necessary marital needs. the Muslims whose family was the fi rst in knowledge and wisdom as she was may Allah exalt his mention) came to her innocence in 10 Qur’anic verses which grew up in a house whose members z Umm Salamah, Hind bint Abu to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah, blessed with understanding Fiqh (Islamic him. She was a chaste woman and sincere will continue to be recited until the end of supported Islam and worked hard to make Ummayyah (may Allah be pleased with sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.’ I then said jurisprudence), memorising poetry, worshipper. She used to go out only during time. This endowed her with a sublime the truth manifest. Seven people from her) was known as a patient and bashful those words and Allah blessed me with and all the sciences of Shari’ah (Islamic the night in order to screen herself from reputation and prestigious position and her family attended the Battle of Badr. believer, who was one of the early the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi jurisprudence).” men. She said: “We used to go out only proved her chastity while she was still Concerning her, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be emigrants to Madinah. When she wanted wa sallam.” [Muslim] Ath-Thahabi (may Allah have mercy during the night.” In doing so, she applied young. Allah The Almighty gave testimony pleased with her) said: “She was the only to migrate to Madinah with her husband, So, when you are affl icted with upon him) said: “She was the most the verse in which Allah The Exalted Says that she is a pure and good woman and one to vie with me (with regard to her Abu Salamah, may Allah be pleased with an affl iction, you have to use this knowledgeable among all women of this (what means): {And abide in your houses further promised her His Forgiveness and status from the Prophet) from among the him, her people separated her and her supplication and Allah The Almighty will Ummah. I do not know a woman more and do not display yourselves as [was] the abundant Provision. wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi husband and child. She said, “I used to compensate you with something better. knowledgeable than her in the Muslim display of the former times of ignorance.} She continued to serve the Prophet, wa sallam.” go out every morning and sit in the valley Ummah, or even from among all the [Qur’an 33:33] sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and nurse z The benevolent, Zaynab bint of Makkah and cry until the evening. I Article source: http://www.islamweb. women of the world.” Commenting on this verse, Al-Qurtubi him during his sickness until he died on Khuzaymah al-Hilaliyyah (may Allah be kept doing this for about a year until they net/emainpage/ Zaynab bint Jahsh

he mother of the needy, Zaynab was a chief of his people. She was blessed in with a sound heart and pure self and she using soft speech with men and avoiding have prepared for her a noble provision.} bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased herself and a source of blessing for her people was a devoted worshipper of Allah The voices which call to impermissible [Qur’an 33:31] with her) was the paternal as well. ‘A’ishah said: “I never saw a woman Almighty. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased exposure of women’s beauty and The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Tcousin of the Messenger of greater in blessing for her people than her.” with her) said: “She was the best among intermixing with men. A woman’s sallam, married fi ve of them when they Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, She was in the habit of worshipping us in fearing Allah and maintaining greatness and glory lies in adhering to her were 40 to 60 years old. In doing so, enjoyed a noble and prestigious lineage. her Lord and devoutly obedient to Him. kinship ties.” religiousness and abiding by her Hijab. he ensured taking care of widows and Allah The Almighty made her a wife of She used to sit in her place of prayer O Muslims! These are the biographies Allah The Exalted Says (what means): sponsoring their orphans. He married His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, remembering Allah The Almighty until of immortal women in Islam, the Mothers {O Prophet, tell your wives and your Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with through a Qur’anic text and with neither midday. It was narrated that she said, of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with daughters and the women of the believers her) when she was 40 years old and she a matrimonial guardian nor witnesses. “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu them. They were endowed with a shining to bring down over themselves [part] of previously had three children from another Allah The Almighty Says (what means): ‘alaihi wa sallam, passed by me in the position and combined beauties and their outer garments. That is more suitable husband, even though it was the fi rst time {So when Zayd had no longer any need early morning while I was remembering virtues. It is their due right that Muslim that they will be known and not be abused. for him to marry. He married Zaynab bint for her, We married her to you.} [Qur’an Allah and then he went out for his needs. women consider them a beacon of life, And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. } Khuzaymah, (may Allah be pleased with 33:37] Then he returned shortly before midday, benefit from their lives, and follow their [Qur’an 33:59] him) a widow who was approaching 60. Her marriage to the Prophet, and he said: ‘Are you still sitting here example in religiousness, good morals, The wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu He married Umm Salamah (may Allah be sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was a (remembering Allah)?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’” consciousness of Allah The Almighty and ‘alaihi wa sallam, lived with him in pleased with her) while she was a widow blessing for Muslim women until the [Muslim] complete submission to the command of humble houses, in chambers built of and had six children. He married Sawdah advent of the Hour. Having married z The notable, Safi yyah bint Huyayy Allah The Almighty and His Messenger, mud-bricks and palm reeds, nevertheless, (may Allah be pleased with her) a widow her, the Hijab (Islamic covering) was (may Allah be pleased with her) was from sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Muslim these chambers were full of faith and who was 55 years old. obligated upon Muslim women in order the off spring of Harun (Aaron) - may women should emulate their devotion to piety. They were patient with the He married from his relatives; the to maintain their honor, chastity, and Allah exalt his mention. She was noble, worship by doing more acts of obedience, Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, daughters of his paternal uncles and purity. wise, prestigious, religious, tolerant, and speaking the truth, controlling the tongue, and complained from neither poverty aunts, as well as those who were not his She used to give abundantly to the revered. It was narrated that the Prophet, giving generously to the poor, relieving the nor need. They used to spend one or two relatives. He was a merciful husband to poor and weak, benefi cently performed sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to her: distress of the weak, raising children well, months with no fi re kindled for cooking them, dutiful, generous, kind, cheerful, righteous deeds, and gave charity. Despite “You are a daughter of a prophet (i.e. adopting patience in reforming children, in their houses. They experienced days and gentle with them. A person who seeks her noble position and high rank, she Harun), your uncle is a prophet (i.e., Musa fortifying themselves with knowledge and when there was only one date in their happiness has to follow the role model used to work with her hands in tanning (Moses)), and your husband is a prophet when in doubt, asking those who are firm in house. They used to spend days while of the best of all humans, the Prophet, skin, and weaving and then she would (i.e., himself).” [At-Tirmithi] knowledge. they had only water and there was no food sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The Muslim give in charity from her earnings. ‘A’ishah The banquet of her marriage to the Muslim women must also be careful at all. They were satisfi ed with their lives women, meanwhile, are required to follow (may Allah be pleased with her) said Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, about observing correct Hijab (Islamic and looked for the promise of Allah The the example of his righteous wives. A about her: “I never saw a woman better included butter, goat cheese, and dates. covering), guarding their chastity, abiding Exalted Who Says (what means): {And the woman will not fi nd success unless she in religiousness than Zaynab, nor more Therefore, her marriage was easy and in their houses, keeping away from Hereafter is better for you than the fi rst follows their example in adhering to pious, truthful in speech, maintaining blessed. suspicious matters and desires, avoiding [life].} [Qur’an 93:4] the Hijab, righteousness, piety as well kinship ties, and greater in giving charity z The one who maintained her excessive ambitions in this worldly life, Their reward is twice. Allah The as kindness to both her husband and than her.” kinship ties, Maymunah bint al-Harith avoiding negligence in this worldly life, Exalted Says (what means): {And whoever children. z The sincere worshipper, Juwayriyyah Al-Hilaliyyah (may Allah be pleased and taking care of the apparent side while of you devoutly obeys Allah and His bint Al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with with her). She was one of the greatest neglecting the inner side, giving free hand Messenger and does righteousness -- Article source: http://www.islamweb. her) was from Banu Al-Mustaliq. Her father women. Allah The Almighty endowed her for one’s eyes to look at what is prohibited, We will give her reward twice; and We net/emainpage/ Gulf Times 14 Friday, March 13, 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 Will coronavirus put the brakes on handshake? The handshake as we know it might date back to the 14th century, when knights and soldiers would extend their unclenched right hands toward each other in greeting to show that they were carrying no weapons. These days, it would seem, the potential weapon isn’t a knife, but the hand itself. Or rather, its propensity for picking up and holding onto microbes from contaminated surfaces, or from our own eyes or noses when we have Republicans refl ect on aiding certain illnesses. Those germs can then be transferred into the hands of the people we greet, while we can pick up their germs. We then will probably touch our own eyes or noses or mouths, potentially sickening ourselves and restarting the cycle. Trump impeachment defence Now that a novel coronavirus is spreading faster than Russian election propaganda, our hands are being cast in By Lindsey McPherson depositions and hearings run by House prosecution would present, Zeldin said. lots of those hosts that Republicans a new, suspicious light. Washington Democrats, so they were intimately familiar They’d use the breaks to provide that sometimes see as hostile. I actually with the evidence the impeachment context to the media, while Trump’s enjoyed the banter because we had, I We’re being drilled in handwashing techniques as if we managers would use in their case. lawyers worked on the responses they’d think, thoughtful debate and discussion were all second-graders. With liquid hand sanitisers out ight House Republicans “We were the ones who carried the provide on the fl oor. about the issues.” of stock everywhere, we’re being counselled on how to working on President Donald institutional knowledge,” Collins said. “In the Army, we call it ‘force ‘While the impeachment team Trump’s impeachment defence “We knew the ins and outs of the details multiplier,’” said Zeldin, a former members recalled some details of their make our own out of alcohol and aloe vera gel. Egathered in the vice-president’s of the case.” military intelligence offi cer who still experience, others had already faded a And lately, the suite off the Senate fl oor to watch the While that institutional knowledge serves in the Army Reserve. few weeks after the trial ended. We’re not Internet has been trial, taking notes and feeding suggested would have been useful if the four Meadows, who has since been tapped “I should have journaled all this by Trump to replace Mulvaney as White through the whole thing,” Johnson brimming with arguments to the president’s counsel. lawmakers had participated in defence ready to send Four of them had expected to be among arguments on the fl oor, Trump found House chief of staff , said the team said. “My wife told me that. She’s like, suggestions for socially the team delivering those arguments on another way to make use of them. The worked in a unifi ed way to leverage each ‘You’re not going to remember all these physical greeting acceptable ways to greet the fl oor. White House announced on Jan. 20 that member’s knowledge and expertise. details.’” each other that don’t Judiciary ranking member Doug eight House Republicans would serve “We learned diff erent strengths The Republican defense team rituals like the Collins and members Jim Jordan, Mike on Trump’s “impeachment team” – a of our colleagues, and some of the members were not always together involve passing viruses Johnson and John Ratcliff e regularly separate but complementary group to reputations were left on the wayside,” in the same way the seven House handshake into along blithely from one met with White House Counsel Pat his team of defence lawyers. he said. “What impressed me the most Democrats serving as impeachment person to the next. Cipollone late last year to prepare In addition to Collins, Jordan, is there were a whole lot of people that managers were. The GOP members the dustbin of defense arguments. The gatherings Johnson and Ratcliff e, Trump also were willing to be very selfl ess in the would gather in the vice president’s Could this be the sometimes included Trump, White choose Intelligence member Elise mission.” suite to watch the trial when they could, history end of the handshake? House acting chief of staff Mick Stefanik and Foreign Aff airs member Some of the eight members had but there were usually only a handful of Come to think of it, if it Mulvaney and White House senior Lee Zeldin of New York, Oversight and worked in various capacities together members there at onetime. adviser Jared Kushner, according to Reform member Mark Meadows of previously, like the fi ve who serve “The fi rst half of it was during weren’t such a habit, would we really miss a ritual so often Johnson. North Carolina and Judiciary member together on the Judiciary Committee. a recess week and people were on fraught with judgment and calculation? (Too fi rm? Too “Once it became inevitable that the Debbie Lesko of Arizona to serve on the Stefanik and Zeldin are both in the diff erent schedules, so it really wasn’t limp? How about a hug? Or a nod? ) impeachment would go to trial in the second team, which was known by a New York delegation. And Meadows, until we were back in session, and Senate, we began working on framing variety of shorthand names. Jordan and Lesko are all in the Freedom even then it only happened two or Last Monday, Germany’s Interior Minister Horst up the defense and assisting Cipollone’s “I didn’t ask to participate at all. It was Caucus. three times where all eight of us were Seehofer waved off Chancellor Angela Merkel as she held team,” said Collins, R-La. “And then kind of a surprise to me,” Lesko said. “I But other new bonds formed. Collins, together,” Zeldin said. out her hand to him; she laughed and praised him for it, at one point before Christmas, we had got a text. I was at home in Arizona and I Johnson and Lesko said they worked Lesko would often work out of her and no one seemed worse off . Also that day, US Surgeon preliminary assignments for the oral got a text from the White House.” closer with Zeldin and Stefanik than offi ce and head over to the Senate arguments and each of us were going to Johnson initially pitched Trump on they had previously in their regular during breaks. “I got in a lot of steps General Jerome Adams demonstrated the elbow bump as do a part.” the idea late in December. House work since they don’t serve on in the tunnels,” she said, referring to a less viral way to pass along friendly greetings; US Vice- Johnson had been assigned to “I actually talked with the president any committees together. the basement corridors connecting the President Mike Pence employed that technique on his argue the constitutional defence, myself about the idea of having a kind Stefanik, too, said the experience congressional offi ce buildings to the but ultimately Harvard Law School of a designated group of members who allowed her to build new friendships Capitol. visit to Washington state on Thursday. professor Alan Dershowitz was asked to would be (able) to handle the media and relationships. “You learn to respect Those who were together in the The tradition of clasped hands isn’t the only greeting to present that argument after Republican outside the room, so to speak, outside the strengths of your colleagues,” she suite watched the trial on big-screen undergo new scrutiny. A Maori tribe in New Zealand put senators objected to House members the Senate chamber,” Johnson said. said. TVs – sound on the stream airing the serving on the legal team. The eight Republicans became what Johnson said he and Zeldin were the arguments and muted news channels to the brakes on hongi, the traditional nose-to-nose hello. “In their words they thought it would Collins called the “rapid response” two most willing to go on networks see how the networks were framing it – The French have been advised that the familiar cheek- turn into a circus – as if it could have team, tweeting real-time reaction to the like CNN and MSNBC that tend to be while working on their laptops. kissing greeting should be abandoned for now. Maybe been more of a circus than it was,” trial and doing media hits during breaks. more friendly to Democrats and would “At one point during the oral Johnson said. “We’re serious lawyers. They worked closely with White House sometimes team up for interviews. argument – I can’t remember whose people will stop making fun of the Hollywood air kiss, We’re experienced litigators. And we communications and legislative liaison Before Congress, Johnson served as presentation it was – but we all cheered. though it’s not a huge improvement health-wise. were going to treat it that way. But at staff ers. an attorney litigating religious liberty ... One of our guys made a great point One goodwill suggestion making the rounds is putting the end of the day they decided to go Having lived through the process on cases, so he was used to spirited debate. from the podium, and we are all like, our hands together namaste-style. Another one: jazz another route, and I’m fi ne with that.” the House side, the eight Republicans “I actually had great banter, dialogue, ‘Yeah,’” Johnson said, cheering the For Trump’s team, there was still knew when “there was a rest of the (during) lengthy interviews with guys word. “And the parliamentarian came hands, up and wiggling. Oh, we hope not. This is starting value in having the House Republicans story” to some of the witness testimony like Jake Tapper and Chris Cuomo (on in and said, ‘Keep it down in here.’” – to make the 1960s peace sign look good. involved. The members sat through witness that House Democrats managing the CNN) and Ari Melber on MSNBC and Tribune News Service Covid-19 is a real threat, and we don’t take lightly the admonitions from health authorities who are trying to control its spread. We may, indeed, need to keep our hands to ourselves for the time being. But we’re not ready to send physical greeting rituals like the handshake into the dustbin of history. Humans crave making a physical connection with friends and often with relative strangers. For now, perhaps, a rueful smile and nod might work as a common acknowledgement of our friendly intentions not to infect or be infected by others. – Tribune News Service

To Advertise [email protected] Display 44466621 44418811 Classified 44466609 44418811 Subscription [email protected] Chairman Adam Schiff (centre), Democrat of California, gives an opening statement during the first public hearings held by the House Permanent Select Committee on © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Intelligence as part of the impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump, with witnesses Ukrainian ambassador William Taylor and Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent testifying, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, November 13, 2019. Gulf Times Friday, March 13, 2020 15 COMMENT Who should lead the fi ght for global justice?

By Emtithal Mahmoud well-meaning and not-so-well- that they are doing far too little – and New Haven meaning individuals alike constantly avoiding accountability for their talked about the people most failures. affected, while those most affected This is where activists come in. t a recent private dinner at were nowhere to be found. Supporting the implementation of the World Economic Forum When the most vulnerable the SDGs requires not only drawing held to discuss climate people are constantly relegated to attention to the plight of those who Achange, the primatologist the periphery of the discussion, it are at the greatest risk, but also Jane Goodall opened the proceed- becomes far easier to downplay the highlighting the voices of the world’s ings with a rendition of the universal urgency of the problem. most vulnerable people. If we are to greeting call of Gombe chimpanzees, A similar mistake was made in Sudan achieve the SDGs, we must focus on the subject of her life’s work. With a last year, when courageous young the people who are most directly and few simple sounds, Goodall under- people led large-scale protests against immediately affected by the world’s scored the all-encompassing nature Omar al-Bashir’s regime. Their eff orts greatest challenges, and we must of the climate crisis. The threat posed were successful: Bashir, who had hold accountable those who are most by climate change affects every liv- ruled Sudan for 30 years, was toppled, capable of and responsible for solving ing being on the planet, even if not and may yet be handed over to the said challenges: our leaders. everyone is aware of it yet. International Criminal Court to face With a decade left to achieve the As Goodall noted in her speech, charges of war crimes and genocide in SDGs, this must be the year when people are at the heart of climate Darfur. But, with the most vulnerable world leaders finally take decisive change: people caused it, people are left to fend for themselves against the action. This means fulfilling the harmed by it, and it is people who most powerful in the protests, many objective, championed by Goodall, of can address it. The same is true for lives – including that of my 15-year- planting a trillion trees by 2030, and many other global challenges, from old cousin Mohamed – were needlessly heeding the calls of Alaa Murabit, a extreme poverty to the refugee crisis. lost. medical doctor and SDG advocate, The problem is that the people with His death, like the deaths for an inclusive approach to security. the most power to address global that followed, was completely It means supporting Jaha Dukureh, problems are often not only the same preventable. It broke me and our an advocate fighting female genital people who helped to cause them, but entire family to know that after mutilation who works tirelessly to also are among the last to be harmed decades of fighting for our lives, the protect girls and women from that by them. youngest among us were still dying. and other acts of violence. And it This was the case with the violence The same dynamic is apparent means ensuring that those who are in Sudan’s western Darfur region. in the global fight against forces most vulnerable are at the forefront When I was only one year old, my like poverty, gender inequality, and of the process, every step of the way. family was forced to flee, finding climate change. Consider the refugee If there is anything I have learned refuge first in Yemen, and then in crisis: there are currently 70.8mn in the years I have spent fighting for the United States via the visa lottery. displaced people worldwide – the justice – whether for the people of Within a decade, the conflict had highest number in recorded history Darfur or the world’s refugees – it turned into genocide. Hundreds of – and far too little is being done to is that the most vulnerable people thousands of people were killed, protect them. cannot afford to wait for change. The millions were displaced, and millions These are not short-term world must be made aware of the more were affected in myriad other disruptions. On the contrary, 78% stakes: every delay, every concession, ways. of refugees remain refugees for Jane Goodall at the recent World Economic Forum. and every failure costs lives. – Project Government forces and their upwards of five years – and some as Syndicate militia allies, known as the long as 20 years. Entire generations conditions, the quality education, The SDGs, agreed by 193 countries largely failing to engage those Janjaweed, were able to carry out are being born into conflict and economic opportunity, and healthy in 2015, could be a game-changer, who are suffering the most. With z Emtithal Mahmoud, named one these atrocities with impunity, instability, forced to make homes living conditions promised by dramatically reducing global those who are supposedly leading of BBC’s 100 Most Inspirational thanks largely to a tactic that sounds in new countries if they’re lucky, or the United Nations Sustainable inequality and improving standards the charge often isolated from the Women, is a UNHCR Goodwill all too familiar today: calling stories languishing in overcrowded refugee Development Goals have become of living by 2030. But efforts to real-world experiences of the most Ambassador and the author of of the atrocities “fake news.” And camps if they’re not. Under such virtually impossible to deliver. implement the SDG agenda are vulnerable, it should be no surprise Sisters’ Entrance.

Clean energy is also resilient energy Three-day forecast TODAY rid on Ragged Island, and are now Maximum Temperature : 260c By Jules Kortenhorst and Minimum Temperature : 170c Whitney Heastie focusing on designing and delivering Nassau sustainable and resilient microgrids SATURDAY for critical facilities on Abaco, fol- Maximum Temperature : 270c lowing the destruction wrought by Minimum Temperature : 210c he Caribbean and its sur- Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. SUNDAY roundings are on the front As the planet continues to warm, Maximum Temperature : 270c lines of climate change. The increased moisture in the air will Minimum Temperature : 200c Bahamas, the archipelago translate into even more severe and T Fisherman's forecast that stretches over the crystal-blue frequent tropical storms and hur- waters between Florida and Cuba, ricanes. What we saw with Dorian have been battered in recent years by and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico WARNING Inshore : Nil devastating hurricanes, which have in 2017 is likely to become common- Offshore : Nil increased in severity and frequency as place. Fortunately, as the partnership a result of global warming. As is the in the Bahamas shows, many of the WEATHER Inshore : Misty at some places at case worldwide, there is an element same measures needed to build resil- first becomes moder- of injustice to this. Given that the ience are also those needed to limit ate temperature day- Bahamas and Caribbean countries greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions and time with some clouds, relatively cold by night. emit relatively minuscule amounts of slow the pace of global warming. Far Offshore : Misty at some places carbon dioxide, their residents bear from requiring a tradeoff , resilient PV at first and some clouds very little of the blame for the climate systems check both boxes. WIND crisis. The Caribbean and Atlantic are Inshore : Southeasterly 05-15 KT But the people of the region are hardly the only regions that will need Offshore : Southeasterly-Easterly now fl ipping the script, transforming to build more resilient energy infra- 03-12/15 KT themselves from victims of climate An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in structure to prevent power disrup- Visibility : 4-8/3 KM tragedies into global leaders in clean, the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. tions. Communities around the world Offshore : 1-3/4 FT secure energy. The Caribbean countries are increasingly confronting the chal- have compelling economic reasons for grow more pronounced from here on ravage power lines and disconnect lenges posed by severe and extreme embracing the green-energy transi- out, as the cost advantages of newer, communities from centralised sources weather, including the devastating Around the region tion. For generations, they have relied cleaner energies make them increasingly of energy generation. Thus, in the case fi res in Australia, Indonesia, and the Weather on imported fossil fuels to power their attractive relative to fossil fuels. of solar, much depends on the meth- Western United States. Weather tomorrow economies, which means they have long For regions like the Caribbean, ods used to secure solar panels to the In all of these cases, clean, local- today Max/min Max/min S Showers had to deal with the uncertainties of solar and battery storage systems do ground and to rooftops. ised energy solutions off er unique Baghdad Cloudy 28/18 23/14 Showers world oil markets and thus signifi cant more than simply reduce the costs We already know that it is possible advantages in terms of reducing Kuwait City P Cloudy 26/21 24/17 Cloudy cost fl uctuations for electricity. of electricity; when deployed in the to construct photovoltaic (PV) sys- emissions and keeping the lights on Manama P Cloudy 26/19 27/20 P Cloudy Thanks to advances in renewable right way, they also improve cli- tems capable of surviving even the after a disaster. They point the way to Muscat P Cloudy 28/21 29/22 Cloudy energies, that economic challenge has mate resilience. As the Bahamas and most severe category of hurricane. a better future for our electricity sys- Tehran M Cloudy 21/13 18/10 created an opportunity. Unlike imported other countries across the region have Through a collaboration between tem. By embracing the clean-energy fossil fuels, which are subject to rising demonstrated over the past few years, the Rocky Mountain Institute, the transition, the Bahamas is setting an costs, the prices of solar power and solar- and battery-powered microg- government of the Bahamas, and example for the rest of the world – and other clean energy sources, along with rids can provide critical services for the country’s national utility, the particularly for those countries that the necessary battery storage systems, island communities during and after Bahamas Power and Light Company are responsible for the overwhelming continue to fall. As these technolo- severe weather events that other- (BPL), we have developed and in- share of global GHG emissions. – gies have become more aff ordable and wise would knock traditional energy stalled a solar parking canopy at the Project Syndicate competitive with older, dirtier fuels, sources offl ine. National Stadium in Nassau that can they have created a powerful incentive But in order for these new energy withstand the winds of a category- z Jules Kortenhorst is CEO of the for island countries to move away from solutions to provide real resilience, five hurricane. We have also built the Rocky Mountain Institute. Whitney conventional fossil fuel-fi red power they themselves need to be able to country’s first category-five resilient Heastie is CEO of Bahamas Power and plants. Moreover, this trend will only withstand the storms, which tend to solar and battery storage microg- Light.

Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens Sunny 23/11 M Sunny 22/11 Live issues Beirut Cloudy 23/18 Rain 21/15 Bangkok M Sunny 36/28 M Sunny 36/28 Berlin Showers 12/04 Showers 08/0 Cairo T Storm 21/14 Showers 18/16 Cape Town P Cloudy 22/14 M Sunny 21/15 Babies from bilingual homes switch attention faster Colombo P Cloudy 30/26 M Sunny 31/26 Dhaka M Sunny 33/22 M Sunny 36/23 Hong Kong S Showers 22/17 P Cloudy 23/17 abies born into bilingual being able to speak a second language, faster at redirecting their attention their more complex environment by Istanbul Sunny 18/07 Sunny 17/07 homes change the focus of often referred to as the “bilingual towards the new picture. seeking out additional information. Jakarta T Storm 31/24 S T Storms 32/25 their attention more quickly advantage.” Instead, the study focused Lead author Dr Dean D’Souza, “Scanning their surroundings Karachi Cloudy 26/16 Sunny 28/16 Band more frequently than ba- on the eff ects of growing up hearing Senior Lecturer in Psychology at faster and more frequently might help London S Showers 10/06 M Cloudy 12/06 bies in homes where only one language two or more languages. Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the infants in a number of ways. For Manila Sunny 33/26 M Sunny 35/24 is spoken, according to new research When shown two pictures side by said: “Bilingual environments may example, redirecting attention from Moscow S Showers 09/03 Cloudy 07/01 published in the journal Royal Society side, infants from bilingual homes be more variable and unpredictable a toy to a speaker’s mouth could help New Delhi Sunny 27/15 Sunny 25/14 Open Science. shifted attention from one picture to than monolingual environments — infants to match ambiguous speech New York M Cloudy 10/08 Rain 20/04 The study, led by Anglia Ruskin another more frequently than infants and therefore more challenging to sounds with mouth movements.” Paris S Showers 12/05 P Cloudy 12/05 University (ARU), used eye-tracking from monolingual homes, suggesting learn in. The researchers are currently Sao Paulo Sunny 29/16 P Cloudy 29/17 technology to record the gaze of 102 these babies were exploring more of “We know that babies can easily investigating whether faster and more Seoul P Cloudy 13/-1 M Cloudy 08/-3 infants carrying out a variety of tasks. their environment. acquire multiple languages, so we frequent switching in infancy has Singapore P Cloudy 33/26 S T Storms 32/27 The researchers chose to test babies The study also found that when a wanted to investigate how they cascading eff ects over developmental Sydney M Sunny 23/16 P Cloudy 24/16 aged between seven and nine months new picture appeared on the screen, manage it. Our research suggests that time, for example aff ecting behaviour Tokyo Clear 15/07 Clear 19/07 to rule out any benefi ts gained from babies from bilingual homes were 33% babies in bilingual homes adapt to in older children and adults. Gulf Times 16 Friday, March 13, 2020 QATAR Women leaders of expatriate communities come together

By Joey Aguilar the Women Committee of Bay- Laja encouraged participants to discrimination and violence,” Laja Staff Reporter anihan ng Manggagawa sa Kon- “continue the conversations on added. struksyon ng Qatar, the associa- Convention 190, and deepen un- An African participant intro- tion of Filipino migrant workers in derstanding of this international duced herself as an “activist for omen leaders of expatri- the construction sector of Qatar instrument as a tool to eliminate women and I try to be a voice for ate communities from (BMKQ); and global union federa- harassment and violence in the the voiceless” while a partici- Wseven countries came to- tion Building and Wood Workers’ workplace.” pant from the Philippines stated gether in Doha for an event marking International (BWI). “Let us continue co-operating “I am a solo parent to six chil- International Women’s Day. “Women members in our or- with the government of Qatar in dren and I am strong as a parent The participants represented ganisation continue to increase. order to get this convention trans- and a leader of our community mainly the construction, domestic This is a result of resolute action. lated into concrete policies and here in Qatar”. work and hospitality sectors. Women will never be a part of the programmes,” she said. Through a phone patch, BWI’s Hailing from African, South East table unless we organise ourselves,” “We are envisioning a train- Global Campaigns director Jin Sook Asian and South Asian countries, BMKQ’s Women Committee chair- ing programme that will result in Lee conveyed her message of soli- they shared experiences on the is- person Mags Laja said. more active participation of women darity to the women leaders in at- sue of women’s participation and “In most cases, as some would in migrant community organisa- tendance, sharing a few points on leadership in building communities tell, women must create our own tions, more women leaders getting the work of BWI in Qatar and the of expatriates. table. We are mainly on the side- elected into offi ce and the institu- initiative to galvanise the solidarity The ‘Women (Only) Night Out’, line, not having the power to be a tion of internal policies within our of women migrant workers in the International Women’s Day celebration in Doha brought together women leaders of seven was organised for the fi rst time by part of decision-making.” own organisations against gender construction and other sectors. expatriate communities.

Qatar Charity distributes aid to displaced Syrians in Lebanon

Qatar Charity has distributed urgent aid to the displaced Syrians in northern Lebanon, as part of its “Sham Deserves” campaign. About 30,000 refugees will benefit from the campaign which aims to alleviate their suff ering and help them in light of the diff icult economic and social conditions in which they live in the areas of displacement. The assistance aims to secure the basic winter needs which include (heating fuel, blankets, food and coats for children), as it benefited 3,262 families directly and 13,910 Syrian refugees indirectly. The focus was on refugees residing in camps and in areas that have been severely aff ected by the cold waves where children are frequent and vary living expenses. Qatar Charity, in partnership with the Qatar Media Corp (QMC), organised various activities as part of the “Sham Deserves” campaign, with the aim of contributing to easing the hardship of the displaced and refugees by meeting their needs, raising awareness about their issues, and marketing winter and relief products for them. The “Sham Deserves” campaign aims to deliver assistance to 250,000 Syrian refugees and displaced persons in the areas of shelter, food, water, sanitation, and health. — QNA