BUSINESS | Page 1 | Page 3 Qatar shares bounce back on cues amid US $2tn stimulus plan Bank donates QR2mn for quarantined workers

published in QATAR since 1978

THURSDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11499 March 26, 2020 Sha’ban 2, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Ministers inspect Umm Slal quarantine centre

zThe compound consists of 32 buildings with a total capacity of 18,000 beds

QNA the compound provides such as a clinic and for their eff orts to confront Covid-19 and Doha other facilities. to protect the society, and praised the col- The ministers were also briefed on the laboration within the community at large to response plans to receive quarantine cases follow precautionary measures to protect E the Minister of Dr according to the highest safety and security themselves, their families and the wider Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and HE measure and global health standards. community. Hthe Minister of Municipality and En- HE the Minister of Public Health Dr al- The visit comes as part of a number of vironment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Kuwari praised the eff orts exerted by vari- fi eld visits by health leaders at the Minis- al-Subaie inspected the newly established ous authorities in the country to confront try of Public Health and Hamad Medical Umm Slal quarantine compound which was the spread of the coronavirus disease, not- Corporation to ensure the implementation prepared as part of the precautionary and ing the high readiness of health teams to of preparedness and readiness plans to pre- preventive measures taken by Qatar against deal with this pandemic. vent coronavirus in addition to other pre- the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). She thanked the frontline medical teams cautionary measures taken in this regard. The ministers examined the health ca- pabilities and equipment at the expansive HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari and HE the Minister of Municipality and compound which has been prepared to re- Environment Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie inspecting the newly established Umm Slal ceive any case requiring quarantine. quarantine compound yesterday. Umm Slal quarantine compound is com- posed of 32 buildings with a total capacity for 18,000 beds and will be available once 11 new coronavirus cases reported in Qatar the compound is fully equipped in the next few weeks. The compound currently con- The Ministry of Public Health yesterday an- added. The ministry continues to conduct checks tains 4,000 beds and will reach 8,000 beds nounced 11 new confirmed cases of coronavirus for all citizens travelling from abroad, as well as all in the next week. It has been fully equipped (Covid-19) in Qatar. contacts of the infected cases. to ensure the comfort, safety and enter- The ministry said in a statement that some of the The total number of people tested for Covid-19 in tainment needs in addition to the necessary new cases are related to the travellers who came the country has now reached more than 12,000. health services for quarantined people. recently to Qatar and others belong to people who The health ministry urges all agencies and indi- During the visit, the ministers toured the came in contact with infected cases, including five viduals to follow preventive measures and adhere compound and inspected the prepared- Qatari citizens. to the requirements of home isolation to ensure ness of the centre and were briefed by the The new cases are in complete health isolation, their safety and that of their community, and not medical team on the compound’s readi- and are receiving the necessary medical care, it to go out unless absolutely necessary. (QNA) ness to receive cases that are qualifi ed for quarantine, in addition to the services that A view of the quarantine centre. Govt, Taliban to release Ashghal opens new interchange prisoners from March 31 The Afghan government and Technical inspection suspended; Taliban movement held yesterday their second technical meeting with the participation of Qatar, the MoI calls for online renewal United States and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The Ministry of Foreign Aff airs said in QNA istration using the Metrash2 application a statement that the two sides have Doha from March 19-23 was 8,361. agreed to start releasing prisoners as The directorate said all applicants can of March 31. The ministry added that benefi t from the electronic services pro- this progress is an important and he Ministry of Interior (MoI), repre- vided by the MoI to individuals, institu- positive step in the right direction. sented by the General Directorate of tions and corporates through Metrash2 and TTraffi c, yesterday called on the pub- its website directly without the need to go Money exchanges lic to benefi t from its electronic services to to the traffi c departments. closed from today complete the vehicle registration renewal Further, it said the General Directorate of process as the requirement of technical in- Traffi c has more than 40 services on Me- Qatar yesterday announced the spection has been temporarily exempted. trash2, which pertain to driving licences, temporary closure of all in-person This comes in the framework of the health vehicle plates, violations, traffi c accidents, money exchange and transfer and precautionary measures taken to contain traffi c certifi cates and other services. service off ices in the country the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), The registration for vehicle inspection eff ective today. This decision is part emphasising that patrols will continue with as well as payments can be done using the of the precautionary measures their usual work of seizing vehicles violating Woqod mobile app without going to the to limit the spread of coronavirus technical specifi cations and conditions. Fahes inspection centres. (Covid-19), the Government In a statement, the directorate clarifi ed Also, the General Directorate of Traf- Communications Off ice said. Page 4 that 11,575 people have benefi ted from the fi c recommended insuring vehicles online initiative until Sunday, while the number through the applications and websites of The new interchange connecting Road and Al Ramth Road, linking North and Central , is the last one New working hours for of people who renewed their vehicle reg- insurance companies. on Al Khor Road project in which 97% works have been completed. Page 20 Medical Commission The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced new working hours for the Medical 3bn under lockdown; virus threatens humanity Commission from March 29. The new timings will be 7am-2pm. The ministry said the new shift is in view of the precautionary procedures AFP crucial. Individual country responses In Britain, heir to the throne Prince and preventive measures for the New York are not going to be enough.” Charles became the latest high-profi le coronavirus (Covid-19). It called Markets rebounded after Washington fi gure to become infected while Prime upon the public to adhere to the vowed to spend $2 trillion to fend off a US Minister Boris Johnson praised the new timings for speedy access to ore than three billion people economic collapse, while governments country’s response to tackle the out- the service. are living under lockdown elsewhere are still taking ever more dra- break despite accusations it was slow Mmeasures to stem the spread matic steps to contain the disease. to act. Turkey charges 20 Saudis of the killer coronavirus that the Unit- India’s stay-at-home order for its The G20 major economies will hold over Khashoggi murder ed Nations warned yesterday is threat- 1.3bn people is now the biggest, tak- an emergency videoconference sum- ening all of humanity. ing the total number of people facing mit today to discuss a global response Turkish prosecutors yesterday As the global death toll soared past restrictions on their daily lives to more to the crisis, as will the 27 leaders of the charged 20 suspects including two 20,000 Spain joined Italy in seeing its than three billion. European Union, the outbreak’s new former top aides to Saudi Crown number of fatalities overtake China, Russia, which announced the death epicentre. Prince Mohamed bin Salman over where the virus fi rst emerged just three of two patients who tested positive for China has begun to relax its own the brutal 2018 murder of Riyadh months ago. coronavirus yesterday, is expected to draconian restrictions on free move- critic Jamal Khashoggi. Prosecutors “Covid-19 is threatening the whole follow suit. ment in the province of Hubei - the accuse ’s deputy of humanity — and the whole of hu- President Vladimir Putin declared original epicentre of the outbreak - af- intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri manity must fi ght back,” UN Secre- next week a public holiday and post- ter the country reported no new cases. and the royal court’s media tsar Saud tary-General Antonio Guterres said, poned a public vote on controversial Huge crowds jammed trains and al-Qahtani of leading the operation launching an appeal for $2bn to help constitutional reforms, urging people to buses as people in the province of against Khashoggi and giving orders the world’s poor. A local police off icer checks on people at the Highway exit for Molfetta, southern help each other and follow instructions 50mn took their fi rst opportunity to to a Saudi hit team. Page 6 “Global action and solidarity are Italy, yesterday. given by medics and the authorities. travel. Pages 8, 12 Gulf Times 2 Thursday, March 26, 2020 QATAR

In Brief Education minister briefs Cabinet Amir sends cable of congratulations to leader of Greece on distance learning programme

QNA Doha zCabinet also briefed on Shura Council recommendations on steps taken to contain Covid-19

is Highness the Amir QNA The minister’s presentation The Cabinet considered the between GCC member-coun- eral Secretariat of the Council of Sheikh Tamim bin Ha- Doha focussed on the observation topics on the agenda as follows: tries in the fi eld of Waqf. Ministers on the recommenda- Hmad al-Thani and His made by parents and students. zThe Cabinet was briefed zThe Cabinet also took the tion of the Shura Council that the Highness the Deputy Amir HE al-Hammadi said that the on the recommendations of the necessary measures needed to punishment imposed for violation Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- he Cabinet’s regular education ministry followed up Shura Council on the measures ratify a memorandum of under- should be included with the grav- Thani yesterday sent cables of meeting, chaired by HE on the remarks took the nec- taken to contain the coronavirus standing between the govern- ity of the wrongful act. congratulations to the President Tthe Prime Minister and essary measures to resolve the (Covid-19). ment of Qatar, represented by 2- The views of the Ministry of of Greece Katerina Sakellaro- Minister of Interior Sheikh problems, including updating zThe Cabinet then approved the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs, Municipality and Environmental poulou on the anniversary of her Khalid bin Khalifa bin Ab- the system’s programme. the hosting of a seminar or- and the United Nations Offi ce of on the Shura Council’s recom- country’s Independence Day. HE dulaziz al-Thani, was given a Following the Cabinet meet- ganised by International Civil the Secretary-General’s Envoy mendation regarding judicial the Prime Minister and Minis- presentation by HE the Min- ing, which was held at its head- Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Youth (OSGEY). seizure. ter of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin ister of Education and Higher quarters in the Amiri Diwan, HE on emerging technologies in the The Cabinet then discussed 3- A draft decision from the Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani Education Dr Mohamed Abdul the Minister of Justice and Act- fi eld of air traffi c control, set to the following topics and took the Minister of Interior to amend sent a similar cable of congrat- Wahed Ali al-Hammadi on the ing Minister of State for Cabi- take place in the fi nal quarter of appropriate measures regarding some provisions of the executive ulations to Prime Minister of distance learning programme net Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali 2020. them: regulations of the Traffi c Law is- Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis on which began in Qatar on Sun- al-Nuaimi issued the following HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin zThe Cabinet also approved a 1- A study prepared by the Leg- sued in decision No 6 for the year the occasion. day March 22. statement: Abdulaziz al-Thani memorandum of understanding islative Department of the Gen- 2010. Ministry vows quality education Qatar will make available despite Covid-19 disruption any drug that is benefi cial

atar will be one of the have not been published yet, and zMinistry will support all private schools in the event of any diff iculties fi rst countries to get any there is no scientifi c evidence so Qmedicine that proves far that there are eff ective drugs. zPrivate schools urged to be flexible, balanced in applying distance learning eff ective in treating the novel There is some anecdotal news coronavirus disease (Covid-19), that there are eff ective drugs HE the Spokesperson of the but no scientifi c evidence. Also, QNA and Higher Education indicated The ministry called on parents including the creation of a vir- Supreme Committee for Cri- some results have started to ap- Doha that private schools that ap- to constantly communicate with tual classroom for each subject sis Management Lolwah bint HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mo- pear using old medicines, he ply national standards can take their children’s schools to con- that includes the class students Rashid bin Mohamed AlKhater hamed AlKhater addressing the added. what is applied in public schools vey their observations and the and their teachers, and setting has said. press conference. Further, he pointed out that he Ministry of Education with regard to distance learning, diffi culties their children face in up the feature to browse elec- Addressing a press confer- some limited and small experi- and Higher Education has while adjusting for the diff er- using the system to fi nd appro- tronic lessons and the supportive ence on Tuesday, she assured HE AlKhater stressed that ments that are diffi cult to build Tconfi rmed that Qatar’s ence between curricula. priate solutions. It is noteworthy sources that the teachers raise in everyone that Qatar will spare healthcare in Qatar is acces- upon a strong scientifi c conclu- private schools have their own The ministry noted that it that 90% of private schools in an orderly manner and refer to it no eff ort in providing any treat- sible to everyone for free. As an sion indicate the possibility that distance learning programmes in seeks to provide appropriate Qatar, according to the minis- when needed, in addition to as- ment that proves its medical and example, she said there is a rare they are useful. line with each school’s capabili- support to all private schools try, have distance learning pro- signing electronic assessments health effi cacy, the offi cial Qatar medicine provided by the State Dr al-Khal added that until ties. in the event of any diffi culties gramme. that are automatically corrected News Agency (QNA) reported. for muscular dystrophy, whose the results of most of these ex- The ministry also affi rmed its encountered, and said that it is and providing free space for She said there are currently single dose costs more than periments appear, in Qatar, all commitment to ensure that all currently working to support a The ministry stressed questions for the teachers dur- a lot of reports on companies $2mn but is available for free in medicines are provided for the students in Qatar receive qual- number of these schools to raise that the distance learning ing the virtual classroom. around the world coming up the country. treatment of patients except for ity education, and in accordance their performance in distance process applied in each The ministry indicated that it with some drug or vaccine, not- Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, Co- new, novel or not yet commer- with appropriate alternatives learning, explaining that some school requires the co- has implemented a set of pro- ing that these reports are always Chair of the National Commit- cially produced medicines. under the current circumstances community schools use TV sta- operation of all parties cedures that will ensure the taken into account whenever tee for Epidemiological Prepar- He said there is a new drug due to the coronavirus (Cov- tions. involved whether the achievement of distance learn- they come from offi cial sources. edness at the Ministry of Public under trial in the US, which has id-19) pandemic. The ministry The ministry recommended student, the parents, or the ing for students smoothly and On increasing the number Health and head of the Depart- been around for a while and is pointed to the emergence of sev- that private schools be fl exible school easily, with the involvement of of beds and whether it is an in- ment of Infectious Diseases at available in Qatar, the QNA re- eral reasons behind the diff er- and balanced in applying dis- the departments of education, dication of the outbreak of the Hamad Medical Corporation, port states. This drug reduces ent plans for each private school tance learning, with a reduction Meanwhile, the Ministry of each in their fi eld, noting that disease, HE AlKhater explained said the world is focusing on de- violent immune reaction and when it came to distance learn- in curricula that does not con- Education and Higher Education many measures that have been that raising the capacity was veloping a cure for the coronavi- there are experiments in the US ing, with the biggest reason be- fl ict with the amount of knowl- has published 336 educational taken in this regard. not related to any outbreak but rus. He pointed out that there are on the use of the drug. A com- ing diff erent curricula. edge required, and in accordance videos, after implementing the The ministry stated that it had is about taking all precaution- about 90 studies currently on a parison is made between pa- The ministry said that Qa- with the approved educational system of distance learning in prepared a set of guidelines for ary measures and planning for group of drugs, about 20 stud- tients who have taken this drug tar enjoys, through its private system and curriculum, to en- the fi rst week of government the distance learning mecha- the future. She added that Qatar ies on diff erent in and those who haven’t. schools, close to 24 diff erent sure that a student’s knowledge school students returning to nism for both the students, their is planning for the virus in ac- many countries and experiments In Qatar, this drug is being curricula, including, but not gap does not occur in the event their studies remotely, as part parents and teachers that come cordance with the patterns of its on new medicines that have not used for some severe cases, Dr limited to, the British, French, of moving to higher classes later. of the state’s precautionary de- in the form of videos and pam- spread that have been observed been produced commercially al-Khal explained. Finnish, Canadian, Ameri- The ministry stressed that the cisions to maintain community phlets. in other areas, but that does not yet. On the eff ect of the virus on can, Indian, German, Spanish, distance learning process ap- safety from the spread of the In this context, the Depart- indicate an expectation that the He added that there are also smokers or those who have under- Turkish, and Swiss, as well as plied in each school requires the Covid-19, and to facilitate all ment of Early Education at country will necessarily go down studies on drugs that are used gone gastric sleeve surgery, he said the presence of schools off ering co-operation of all parties in- procedures to complete the edu- the Ministry of Education and the same path. in the treatment of some other that smoking in general weakens the International Baccalaureate volved whether the student, the cational process. Higher Education confi rmed She said the number of tests diseases and experiments on the the immunity in the lungs, add- curriculum, and other national parents, or the school. The min- The ministry also stated that it the completion of fi lming 120 done were quite large as com- vaccine against the virus, stress- ing that smokers are more af- standards, in addition to the rest istry added that there is also a is currently working to produce educational videos, where 274 pared to the confi rmed cases, ing that all this is in the stage of fected by the virus compared to of the curricula belonging to the need for continuous monitoring the lessons for the second week, of them are supposed to be pro- which is a good indicator. She, experimentation. non-smokers who are in the same communities, where each cur- and evaluation of the systems for and on setting the mechanism duced during the current period, however, maintained that there Dr al-Khal explained that age group. He added that for peo- riculum has specifi c hours of improvement, calling on schools of work through distance learn- while the number of videos pub- is a need to take all necessary the results of some of these ex- ple who have had gastrectomies, study according to each subject and parents to work closely and ing, activating the platforms for lished on the YouTube channel precautions, the most important periments have begun to be there are no studies or indications and its educational system. open the channels of communi- that, and taking advantage of the so far has reached 19 for the early of which is social distancing and announced, but most of these that they are aff ected more by the The Ministry of Education cation to benefi t of students. services provided to students, education stage. other preventative measures. experiments and their results coronavirus.

Qatar-Jordan MME launches public hygiene campaign military ties Grade 12 exams to take reviewed Commander of the Amiri Guard Major General Hazza bin Khalil al-Shahwani met the Military place as per schedule Attache of the embassy of Jordan to Qatar Brigadier General Adnan Hussein al-Qudah in Doha yesterday. During the meeting, rade 12 examinations will traffic on the distance learn- evision channels broadcast- they reviewed aspects of co- take place as scheduled in ing website, al-Khater said the ing video lessons to benefit operation in the military field GJune, Assistant Under- Teams platform will be used as students through scheduled and means of developing and secretary for Educational Aff airs another outlet and will allow times in addition to the avail- enhancing them. at the Ministry of Education and 300,000 students to pursue ability of lessons on YouTube, Higher Education Fawzia al- their education. QNA added. Qatar condemns Khater has said. She pointed out that the Al-Khater stressed that the She noted that there are a lot hotline is experiencing intense distance learning option is the attack on of studies on the negative impact pressure but a large number of only option available in this cri- Chadian army of stopping school and academ- calls are being answered. Sta- sis. ics for long periods, and stu- tistics indicate that 1,540 calls Meanwhile, speaking on the Qatar has expressed its strong dents lose a number of key skills. were received, of which 1,500 contracts that the Ministry of condemnation and denunciation She added that distance learn- were answered. While this is a Commerce and Industry will of the attack that targeted the ing allows students to continue large number, efforts are on to sign and the type of products Chadian army on Boma island in the educational process and en- develop a mechanism to answer that will be provided in this Lake Chad region, and resulted in hance their skills. all enquiries, she added. framework, Assistant Under- death and injury of dozens of sol- She made the observation With regard to taking into secretary for Trade Aff airs at the The Ministry of Municipality and diers. In a statement yesterday, the during a press conference held account the inability of some Ministry of Commerce and In- Environment launched on Tuesday a Ministry of Foreign Aff airs reiter- by the Supreme Committee for families to provide tablets dustry Saleh Majid al-Khulaifi number of public hygiene and health ated Qatar’s firm stance rejecting Crisis Management on Tuesday. for all of their children, she said the products include major campaigns on the food outlets and key violence and terrorism regardless In her reply to a question, explained that the distance goods such as wheat, powdered areas across the various municipali- of their motives and reasons. al-Khater indicated that all learning system requires that milk, rice, frozen meat, sugar ties of the country. The campaigns are decisions issued by the Min- the family possesses only and oil. being organised in co-operation with Attack on Kabul istry of Education and Higher one device, and each student Al-Khulaifi noted that this Qatar Red Crescent under the initiative Education are concerned with needs one hour only. Schools step aims to raise the current to support voluntary work to enhance temple condemned both private and government were directed to identify stock, as these materials in the the protective and precautionary schools alike, with a “dif- families who need tablets and current stock are available under measures to combat the spread of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Aff airs ference in the curricula that such institutes have already the supervision of “food secu- the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). The expressed yesterday its strong some of them have in private started distributing devices to rity”. The current stage aims to campaign includes inspection, cleaning condemnation on the attack that schools for students to take families, not to every student, raise the storage capacity of the and sanitising eff orts, besides raising targeted a temple in the Afghan exams”, the official Qatar she informed. State and ensure the presence of awareness of the targeted audience on capital Kabul, causing the death News Agency (QNA) said in a She explained that in co- reserves of these main products related issues. The campaign will cover and injury of a number of people. report. operation with Qatar Media in the event of any supply dis- more areas. The ministry expressed the condo- On the strain and increased Corporation, there are tel- ruption. lences of Qatar to the victims’ families. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 3 QATAR

Qatar Airways Doha Bank donates QR2mn fl ies over 100,000 passengers in last for quarantined workers seven days oha Bank has contributed QR2mn in donations to DQatar Charity’s project that provides quarantined mi- atar Airways has fl own grant workers in the Industrial more than 100,000 Area with food and medical Qpassengers in the last supplies. seven days and seen load fac- The step comes in light of the tors exceeding 80% for fl ights Supreme Committee for Crisis to the UK, France and Ger- Management’s recent decision many, the national airline said to conduct necessary medical yesterday. examinations for the coronavi- In an update the Qatar Air- rus. In keeping with its corporate ways said, “72% of passengers social responsibility (CSR), Doha carried on March 24 were na- Bank’s initiative is dedicated to tionals fl ying to their country of Qatar Airways upgrades bolstering the Qatari govern- Doha Bank and Qatar Charity off icials during the ceremonial handing over of the QR2mn cheque. origin.” services to Frankfurt, London ment’s eff orts and precaution- “Qatar Airways is continu- Heathrow and Perth with the ary measures as to restrict the Speaking about Doha Bank’s medical tests on the workers. sector in particular, for all of its online banking, WhatsApp, ing to keep the skies open and addition of Airbus A380. spread of the contagious virus. step, Ahmad al-Henzab, head of “At Doha Bank, we reiterate extraordinary eff orts to contain Doha Sooq, DBank Dial, and get as many people home as we Recently, the bank also do- administration and properties, our keenness to be one of the ef- the situation.” ATM machines. Additionally, possibly can in these challenging services from those coun- nated 1,000 tablets in support said: “In continuation to the ef- fective institutions in promot- Doha Bank says it has taken all the bank’s management encour- times. tries, illustrating the demand of Qatar Charity’s E-learning forts exerted to uphold the gov- ing our government’s preventive the essential protective meas- aged its clients to avoid using “Our state-of-the-art aircraft for homeward travel. initiative with the aim of helping ernment’s decisions with the aim actions, which are imperative ures, in a bid to ensure the safety banknotes and replace them with with their advanced air fi lter “Qatar Airways has fl own the needy students to resume the of eliminating the coronavirus to the safety and well-being of of its clients and staff members. Doha Bank contactless debit and systems, combined with strict more than 100,000 passengers learning process online. (Covid-19) outbreak, Doha Bank all citizens and residents. We at The bank enhanced all its digital credit cards. bio-security screening of our home in the last seven days The initiative, which is part has donated QR2mn in order to Doha Bank stress our commit- channels and encouraged its cli- Customers can have access to staff mean that we can continue while 72% of passengers car- of Qatar Charity’s ‘Our Good for facilitate the fl ow of necessary ment to support our leadership’s ents to utilise them, in addition a wide variety of services such operating a signifi cant number ried on March 24 were nation- Our People’ campaign, comple- supplies of food and medicine decisions and precautionary to urging them to visit the branch as local and international mon- of fl ights to reunite stranded als fl ying to their country of ments the Qatari government’s to help the quarantined migrant measures to protect the safety only in case the required banking ey transfer, utility bill and card passengers with their loved origin. eff orts to combat the virus, fol- workers in the Industrial Area, of our nation. We would also like service is not available via these payment, viewing balance and ones.” “Working with embassies lowing its decision to suspend following the Supreme Com- to extend our gratitude and ap- channels. transactions, cash and cheque Qatar Airways said its “com- around the world, the airline public and private schools and mittee for Crisis Management’s preciation for the Qatari govern- Doha Bank’s electronic chan- deposits, cards activation, and mitment to getting people home has operated one-off serv- universities until further notice. decision to perform crucial ment and its bodies, the health nels include mobile banking, requesting cheque books. stepped up” on March 24 with: ices from destinations such as z 10,000 extra seats added to Phnom Penh, Denpasar, Ma- its network. nila and Kuala Lumpur to Eu- z The provision of charter rope. More than 5,000 passen- services to Europe and the US gers were fl own home by these MoI receives 574 complaints regarding quarantine from Asia. services over the last week, z The addition of extra fl ights a number that is expected to to Paris, Perth and Dublin from more than triple over the next The Ministry of Interior (MoI) compliance with health and safety posted on Twitter yesterday. to prevent the spread of parks and on beaches will provide Doha. week. has received 574 complaints guidelines”, to prevent the spread “We welcome your queries and coronavirus in Qatar. a safe and healthy environment. z Upgrading services to “Qatar Airways is currently regarding quarantine from March of the novel coronavirus disease comments.” “Community security in general, “It is important to stick to it to Frankfurt, London Heathrow operating fl ights to 75 destina- 20 until yesterday, it has been (Covid-19). Earlier in the day, the MoI issued and health security in particular, ensure safety for all,” it added. and Perth with the addition of tions, though this number may announced. “Your commitment to stay in a series of posts on social media are a shared responsibility. It Compliance with the precautionary the Airbus A380 on those routes. reduce as nations introduce The ministry had recently urged quarantine means that you reminding people that “staying requires your strict compliance measures taken by the State to Qatar Airways said, “Fig- tighter restrictions.” people to contact 44579999 to fulfil your national and moral away from all forms of gathering, with decisions and precautionary prevent the spread of coronavirus ures for the last seven days A full list of operational “report complaints regarding obligation towards yourself and including social events, in these measures to protect society,” the in the country is a national and show load factors of over routes can be seen at https:// quarantine in hotels and others. Your safety is important circumstances supports the ministry stressed. moral obligation towards yourself 80% for fl ights to the UK, www.qatarairways.com/en/ homes, as well as cases of non- to us,” the MoI said in a statement eff orts of the relevant authorities” The decision to ban gatherings in and others, the MoI added. France and Germany, with travel-alerts/COVID-19-up- a fall to 36% for outbound date.html ‘Economy can weather impact of recession’

atar’s QR75bn relief pack- employed so that businesses can age for the private sector, an- quickly resume operations, as well as a Qnounced as part of the fi ght broader economic stimulus package to against the novel coronavirus (Cov- ensure that consumer confi dence and id-19) outbreak, shows that the gov- spending return to their previously ernment is responding quickly to the high levels, the professor noted. most immediate economic concerns, Recently, the International Labour an academic with Georgetown Uni- Organisation (ILO) estimated that up versity in Qatar (GU-Q) has said. to 24.7mn people around the world “It is now a certainty that a global could be unemployed because of the recession is underway and that there recession, and it is up to countries to is nothing governments can do to create policy responses that include prevent it. Governments can, how- worker protection measures. ever, take steps to limit the humani- “The US government is still form- tarian impact of the recession and to ing its fi scal response to the pandemic. ensure that economies can recover Recent reports suggest a $2trn stimu- quickly once the pandemic subsides,” Prof Jack Rossbach lus package composed of a mix of in- said Prof Jack Rossbach, assistant dustry loans and bailouts, an expan- professor of economics, GU-Q. mediate economic concerns,” said the sion of unemployment benefi ts, direct “Countries must ensure that indi- professor. payments to individuals, and aid to viduals at risk of losing their income With the growing outbreak of coro- state and local governments. Whereas streams are able to remain in their navirus, and businesses taking a hit, the fi nalised details of the stimulus homes and do not lose access to utili- Qatar’s government has implement- package will determine its eff ective- ties and other essentials. This protects ed a series of measures to protect its ness, the package appears much im- vulnerable individuals while also en- economy. Banks have been encour- proved compared to earlier iterations couraging compliance with emergen- aged to postpone loan instalments that were too small and overly focused cy measures put in place to limit the from the private sector by extending on stimulus measures that would spread of the virus. grace periods to six months. And food have been ineff ective while social “On the spillover front, a country and medical goods, small and medi- distancing remains in place. must provide short-term debt relief um-sized businesses, and the tourism “This pandemic has brought with to prevent a cascade of defaults, as this and logistics industries are exempted it an unprecedented economic crisis. would eliminate any hope of a quick from custom duties for a period of six Qatar’s initial steps, however, should recovery. Qatar’s QR75bn relief pack- months. instil confi dence that the country will age is targeted towards exactly these And in the longer term, the gov- ultimately emerge from the pandemic goals and shows that the government ernment will likely want to consider relatively unscathed,” Prof Rossbach is responding quickly to the most im- measures to ensure individuals stay added. 11,686,877 SMSes sent to public

ome 11,686,877 SMSes pertaining to the education sector have been sent Sto the public from December 2019 until March via the unifi ed contact number, 109, of the Government Contact Centre, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC), said in a post on Twitter yesterday. These included awareness messages as well as communication messages for students and parents, according to an infographic. The MoTC also informed that a total of 6,816,816 SMSes pertaining to the health sector have been sent to the public in the Qatar Fuel (Woqod) has introduced a five-minute vehicle wash service called same period via 109. These included ap- ‘Wash & Go’. No human touch is involved in this automatic facility, which is pointment and awareness messages, being off ered until April 25. another infographic showed. Gulf Times 4 Thursday, March 26, 2020 QATAR

Qatar welcomes ‘Healthy, happy home’ important grant of debt during self-isolation, says expert relief to Somalia

s Qatar continues to encour- Youssef. Indoor pollution can come homes with insuffi cient light can to noise can increase stress and QNA age the community to stay from cooking, heating, toxic chemi- cause headaches, insomnia, and blood pressure.” Doha Ahome and self-isolate to cals, cleaning, furnishings, and paint. increase depression. Daylight can Suggested actions include set- fl atten the coronavirus curve, the “Ventilate your home as much as also help to fi ght mold and bacteria ting room temperatures to between importance of creating a happy, you can,” said Youssef, explaining growth, helping to lower the risk 22-24C, while ensuring humidity atar yesterday welcomed the decision by the healthy home is becoming increas- that there are a number of easy ways of respiratory diseases. And if you levels are around 40%. International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the ingly more important. to improve your air quality, includ- have daylight, you don’t need arti- Youssef also explained how QWorld Bank’s International Development As- “Our homes are now where we ing opening windows if the weather fi cial light – so a direct energy sav- plants can be a natural source of sociation to grant debt relief to Somalia under the live, work, learn, play, relax – they is good; installing air quality moni- ing,” the expert pointed out. purifi cation. enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) are where we do everything – so it tors and sensors; relying on natural The QGBC expert also spoke “Having access to plants, and initiative. is important to keep them healthy,” air purifi ers, such as plants; and us- about thermal comfort, which in- seeing them, will impact your mood Qatar said that the decision is an important step on Hamoda Youssef, head of Techni- ing non-toxic materials. cludes four environmental factors and mental well-being. The eff ects Somalia’s path towards stability and prosperity and cal Aff airs at Qatar Green Building He also suggests reducing the use – air temperature, humidity, air- are not just physical but mental, congratulated the government and people of Somalia Council (QGBC), told a recent in- of incense and candles, not smoking speed, and radiant temperature – too.” on this achievement and their intense eff orts. teractive webinar. indoors, sealing gaps and openings, and two personal factors – clothing Youssef explained which plants A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs The fi rst instalment of QGBC’s and using green cleaning products. and metabolic rates. should be kept in the living room, pointed out that Qatar has been a proud partner in Healthy Homes series, set to air “The importance of daylight in “Thermal discomfort can be as- bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Somalia’s development eff orts in recent years. weekly on its Facebook channel, your health goes beyond the basics sociated with respiratory illnesses For example, some plants omit Through development initiatives and infrastruc- centred on three main topics: air of vitamin D,” said Youssef. like asthma and poor mental health. oxygen during the day, while some ture investments, Qatar have worked with the gov- quality, light, and thermal comfort. Natural daylight regulates your Mental health, productivity, and at- omit oxygen at night – such as ger- ernment and people of Somalia to generate oppor- “Indoor air pollution is as harm- circadian rhythm, improves sleep tention – these are related to feeling bera daisies and snake plants, which tunities and employment and create the foundations ful as outdoor air pollution,” said quality, and productivity, while discomfort in the space. Exposure are ideal for the bedroom. Hamoda Youssef for future growth and stability, the statement said. “This momentous decision marks the start of a new era for Somalia. We will continue to stand hand- in-hand with the people of Somalia as they work to- Qatar University will continue to ‘work remotely’ wards a brighter future,” the statement added.

n the light of the prevailing measures, QU is holding meetings provided to students to answer all functioning and regularity of public novel coronavirus (Covid-19) remotely. questions of students and academic facilities. This happens while 80% HEC Paris in Qatar Iscenario, Qatar University (QU) “Diff erent health departments at staff . of employees works remotely from is handling the situation seriously university are working on the ways Dr al-Khater talked about the their homes or upon request, which and remote workfl ow is progressing to prevent this spread,” the offi cial steps that QU has taken in this re- is eff ective for two weeks.” to conduct online in accordance with the plans, Ad- explained. gard, starting with the university’s Dr al-Khater praised QU’s col- ministration and Financial Aff airs QU is making endless eff orts to work enforcement according to the leges and various departments for Offi ce vice president Dr Khaled al- provide resources and work with cabinet’s decision that states. working under the current circum- information session Khater said yesterday. technology by using various pro- “Reducing number of employ- stances. QU is taking decisions that en- grammes such as Blackboard, Mi- ees who are present in the work- “I urge all members of university sures the health protection of male crosoft Teams and WebEx. places of government entities into to abide the rules and regulations EC Paris is running an online information and female students and adminis- Workshops and trainings were 20% out of the total workforce for and continue to work with same en- session about its degree programmes on April trative and academic staff . undertaken to make these systems each government entity in order to thusiasm during the time of crisis,” H5 from 3pm until 4pm. In line with the precautionary Dr Khaled al-Khater friendly enough and hotline is complete necessary works for the he added. Prospective participants can learn more about ac- celerating their career path by studying in one of the world’s most prestigious business schools. Apart from providing useful career tips, the ses- sion is also intended to give professionals and entre- Money Doha Municipality cracks down on violators preneurs from the private and public sector in-depth insights into how they can enhance their leadership exchange skills through HEC Paris’ renowned International Executive MBA (EMBA) and Specialised Master’s De- houses gree in Strategic Business Unit Management (SBUM) degree programmes. closed Prospective participants can confi rm their attend- ance by registering for the hour-long session through https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tZQrdO2vqjsi9P Qatar announced the 2wu1AELAutGK_29cH92A. temporary closure of in- EMBA is a practical and intense 16-month pro- person money exchange gramme developed to provide participants with an and transfer service off ices understanding of the social, economic and environ- in Qatar with eff ect from mental aspects of international business, as well as today. the skills to implement their vision. This is part of measures The curriculum is built around three components: introduced by the 11 core courses covering key business areas, a special- government to close isation (major), and a fi nal strategic business project. non-essential shops and The comprehensive core courses include modules public spaces to tackle the on strategy, analysis and implementation, as well as Covid-19 virus. leadership and human resources management. Throughout the period Participants will choose one of the eight speciali- of closure, money can be sations, delivered in diff erent locations. transferred through online These specialisations are Energy; Innovation & So- exchange services, mobile cial Business; Entrepreneurship & Innovation; Dif- applications and Ooredoo ferentiation & Innovation through Services; Leading Money. Digital Transformation; Luxury; Finance; and Entre- All services allow users preneurship — Project Accelerator. to transfer money abroad The next intake of the EMBA is February 2021. instantly either online or The HEC Paris SBUM comprises three stages, via phone, the statement starting with the core curriculum focused on strat- added. egy, fi nance, leadership and change. Full guidance on how Participants can also personalise their learning to access and use these journey further by choosing one of the three tracks: alternative services will be General Management, Digital Innovation & Trans- made available in multiple formation, and Entrepreneurship & Business Devel- languages across multiple Doha Municipality’s health inspectors yesterday issued nine violation reports to food outlets and facilities in the Al Nasr area and closed on the spot two opment. sites and channels in restaurants and a café for having workers without valid health certificates. This came as part of the daily sudden inspection campaigns on food facilities Furthermore, the professional thesis enables par- Qatar. (QNA) within Doha. Separately, health inspectors checked as many as 230 vehicles loaded with food products and items at the entry and exit points of the ticipants to focus on a specifi c challenge related to Industrial Area to ensure they are compliant with the health regulations in place, with a focus on maintaining proper temperature for the cargo of foods. their industry and provide detailed and well-re- searched solutions. Inspections in Sanitising streets and buildings

Doha Municipality’s Services Aff airs Department has conducted a comprehensive campaign to sanitise and disinfect some service and health facilities within Doha. These included Hamad General Al Shamal Municipality’s Agriculture Aff airs Department has Al Shamal Municipality’s Health Control Section on Tuesday Hospital, Mesaimeer Health Centre, Al Thumama Health Centre, Al Matar Health Centre, Souq conducted comprehensive sanitising and disinfection at the conducted 34 inspection tours at food outlets and facilities in its Al Haraj, Mesaimeer Cemetery, and Doha Municipality building. The campaign also covered the yard for selling local agriculture products. Similarly, Al Daayan jurisdiction. Seven slaughtered carcasses and 643kg fish were buildings that pertain to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and its diff erent sectors and Municipality’s Cleanness Department has disinfected and sanitised checked. A total of 20kg fish was destroyed for being unfit for departments. The sanitisation and disinfection campaign will go on throughout the key areas and and Leabaib areas, in particular the main roads, Al Furjan human consumption. facilities within Doha. markets and Al Meera. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 5 HOL STIC

This is an Wellbeing Ecological Reset Your health should always come fi rst role model for your children and to cleaner air with only a small show them how to eat immunity- reduction in economic growth, boosting foods and how to incor- according to a study by Carbon porate them into your daily diet. Brief. Nasa’s satellites have So when we talk about keeping captured a dramatic drop-off in your physical health on point, let pollution over the major Chinese me share with you some easy ways cities where factories have been to take advantage of your time at powered down and vehicle traf- home and to work on your physi- fic ground to a halt. cal strength and improving your Italy’s lockdown due to the overall immunity with only body- coronavirus pandemic is not weight: only keeping people safe, but it’s giving the outdoors — which is By Reem Abdulrahman Jassim 1. While working from home, By Ghanim al-Sulaiti typically flooded with tourists — al-Muftah get up every 30 minutes and take a a chance to recharge. 5 minute walk around your home. In photos posted online, ‘Venezia 2. When you are watching TV, Pulita’ which translates to ‘Clean mmunity, immunity, immu- crank out some sit ups or push ups Every week, Earth is facing new Venice,’ showed the city’s water nity. Immunity is your great- during commercials or breaks. challenges amidst fast-changing looking the cleanest it has for Iest form of defence when it 3. As you do your house chores and widespread pandemic that years — and it’s already encour- comes to fi ghting illnesses and like doing the dishes, add in some has put the majority of the world aging marine life to return. viruses, and in our case today, the pure foods and less man made critical as your physical. You have As mentioned above, when squats and lunges. on a lockdown. This is all very In Hong Kong, air quality has infectious disease of Covid-19. products that cause infl ammation to try to keep positive and remain it comes to your physical health 4. While cooking, get into the new to us — the concept of being also improved since the city en- Overall health and well-being is and lower your immunity. calm although we all know that it and immunity, your diet and daily mood even more by playing some sent back into our respective tered partial shutdown mode to so important and humans take it 4. Take your vitamins – if you is easier said than done. Our minds activity are two of the most im- music and dance to burn off some homes, and being told not to combat the spread of the corona- for granted. If you didn’t already are not eating enough high nutri- play a critical role when it comes to portant factors involved. While extra calories; get the good vibes leave, to pause our daily life, to virus. Key air pollutants dropped get your lifestyle under control ent foods, you will probably need our body’s health and we cannot at home, it is very tempting and going. pause what we would typically by nearly a third from January to and implemented a healthy and to take supplements to ensure you ignore that; good mental health easy to order-in all the time and to 5. If you have stairs at home, do, whether it’s gym or a group February. Locals described it as a balanced lifestyle before the cur- are getting enough of your body’s promotes good physical health eat all the time as well. Make sure do not forget to use them to your activity, school or dining out. We chance for the natural elements rent world outbreak, then I hope daily requirements. and good physical health promotes to be aware of your eating habits advantage and get your heart and all have, essentially, more time of Earth to ‘take a breath’. this is a wakeup call for all those of 5. Exercise daily – boost your good mental health. Along with and to not indulge too much. Try blood moving. than ever before — and that’s not If this trend continues, analysts you who haven’t transformed your immunity by keeping active and keeping a healthy mind, work on to get fresh fruit, vegetables, good 6. Stretch, stretch and stretch; because we are stopping work say it is possible this will lead to lifestyle for the better. getting your body to move (simul- your breathing. Breathing can sig- carbs and lean protein everyday relax and oxygenate your muscles completely, but rather – all other the first fall in global emissions Here are some ways to boost taneously reducing stress). nifi cantly reduce your stress and and take advantage of this time by stretching in the morning, dur- areas of our daily life have been since the 2008-09 financial your immunity in general: 6. Stay away from toxins – do can help with mental distress. Sit and situation to restart your life- ing the day and before your sleep. suspended ‘until further notice.’ crises — which would be a 1. Reduce your stress – stress not be around environmental pol- or lie down, relax and focus on style in a healthy manner. Be posi- In conclusion, I urge you all to This unique nature of our global hugely positive environmental greatly eff ects and weakens your lution and do not pollute your your chest and diaphragm and tive and look at the bright side, you stay on top of your physical and pause has resulted in an eco- impact amid an array of negative immune system. body with unnecessary food tox- breathe in through your nose and can even start cooking your own mental health during these hard logical reset — or to put it simply, developments. 2. Sleep well – sleeps decreases ins, additives and preservatives out with your mouth. While you food at home and learn to cater to times and I wish you all good the Earth itself is kind of in a Even a slowdown in CO2 could stress and improves your immu- either. are focusing on your breathing, try your needs but with full control health. ‘recovery mode’ — ‘nature has buy time for climate action nity. to start focusing on positive and of what you are putting into your set the reset button’ is another and, more importantly, inspire 3. Eat clean and natural food – During these times, remem- good vibes to increase the eff ect of system (clean and natural foods). „ The author is a wellness advocate sentiment being shared. This long-term behavioural changes — adopt a well balanced diet with ber that your mental health is as this mental detoxing. It is also a perfect time to be a good and infl uencer @keys2balance. unprecedented global lockdown, particularly in travel. scenes worthy of a Disney film What this pandemic shows us have emerged; from swans glid- shouldn’t be the environmental ing through the now-clear canals harm we humans cause. Instead, Illustration by Gul Thakur of Venice to blue skies over it shows just how quickly, if we Afraid of Corona? China where the air is usually were to change and adapt sus- choked with smog. tainable practices, we would see In China – the world’s biggest the positive eff ects on our planet. polluter – the actions taken by authorities have demonstrated „ The author is an expert in vegan that huge 25% carbon dioxide wellbeing and health. Instagram cuts can bring less traffic and handle: @Ghanim92 

Wellness Meal Plan Find the adventure By Hala Bader al-Humaidhi It is in the human nature that we updated. If you come to know about overstress alarming and fearful any precaution or safety tool, share in your room things. As a matter of fact, the United it with your people. You can become The outbreak of an infectious States of America has witnessed a great support for someone who disease like coronavirus is making 8,200 deaths due to ordinary flu just is more vulnerable physically or merged in confusion, for this wasn’t people anxious about their lives, this season whereas coronavirus has mentally. a habit. This wasn’t normal, routine, their relatives and society. It is pretty caused approximately 290 deaths comfortable. This was an adventure obvious to be afraid from such an since January, according to Situation 3. Take healthy precautions: Pre- and nobody was prepared for it. At epidemic when the all countries are Report – 47 of WHO. Flu is also as caution is better than remedy. There 5’o clock in the morning, my body being quarantined, many borders potential as coronavirus is,but we are many things which you cannot and mind had no clue I was actually have been closed and the death exaggerate the fear of a deadly control about coronavirus, but what going to go through with jumping toll is still rising. Broadcast of the epidemic. So, we need to understand you can do is stay healthy and safe. into my pool. coronavirus via unreliable resources the scope of threat we are facing and a) Avoid contact with sick people What I realised on this day was for several consecutive weeks has the range of stress we are enduring. and maintain distance – Atleast a something extremely crucial and widened the scope of its psychologi- metre away. simple. While we might think our cal aff ects worldwide. World Health 2. Access and share reliable b) If you are sick, head to the nearest idea of an adventure needs to be Organization’s warning of declaring information: hospital. extremely outrageous, daring and it a ‘Potential Global Pandemic’ Centres for Disease Control and c) Wash your hands regularly, at By Sanah Thakur packed in remote locations, falling worked as a spark among public. Prevention (CDC) and World Health least for 20 seconds and avoid from high buildings, trekking on To deal with the fear and anxiety of Organization (WHO) are two reliable touching your mouth, nose or eyes. steep slopes or camping in dense coronavirus, we need to understand resources to keep yourself updated. d) Get proper sleep and have a The digital tune buzzed distinc- forests, the real idea of adventure some basic facts. The reality of the Relying on social media, panicked balanced diet, in order to maintain a tively in the stillness of the quiet can be found even in your own disease diff ers from what we see phone calls and TV reports are un- healthy immune system. air. My automatic subconscious bedroom. What’s an adventure on social media and local news fortunately increasing mental health It is important to understand that the arose to the alarm, even before my anyway? It’s getting out of your channels. Though it can be a deadly issues and stress among public. To world goes through a lot of epidem- conscious self had turned away comfort zone. That doesn’t mean disease and hazardous for people tackle the situation, we should avoid ics and disasters and they can be from the dreams. Fingers drummed you need to physically get to a with a weak immune system. There overconsumption of media. Choose very scary. But the actual chances of around my bed time novels, eye location. The comfort zone is in our is a distinction between a really credible sources and step away from you getting that disease is very little. drops and landed on the phone. minds. Any action, thought or feel- bad flu or diff iculty in breathing’ media reports. In addition, if you feel So take some fundamental safety Every muscle of my body was ing that throws us into discomfort is and coronavirus.Below are a few uncomfortable and perturbed, take precautions and chill! completely aware – today was the outside this selected area. Getting methods to deal with the impacts of a break from news and relax. This re- day. Yet, ignoring this realisation, out of your comfort zone can be as coronavirus: sponsibility is not only limited to get „ The author is a consultant in my muscles pressed hard on the simple as thinking about things you Mini Breakfast Tacos reliable information, but to take care Public Relations and Personality snooze button. I couldn’t let this never like thinking about, such as (Make 6 mini tacos) 1. Don’t exaggerate the fear: of your loved ones and keep them Types. Instagram: @Tipsbyhalahill happen, not again. Fighting hard your future plans, your investment against the will of my body, I put options or the job you don’t want to Ingredients: on my gear. The tension was lose. How about just putting your 2 boiled eggs thickening with every yes I said body in a state of physical discom- 1/4 of a large avocado (sliced) to my body’s no. I raced down the fort that required 100 push-ups in 2 medium sized tortillas of your choice (you can use flat bread if you flight of stairs, as my subconscious your room as opposed to running prefer) A change is going to come yelled at me, crying in pain for the a marathon in Greece in the harsh Round shaped cookie cutter (if you don’t have one, you can use a cup or lies I had told it. It was too dark to summer. To really test yourself, to cut the tortillas) be walking. My eyes were bruised you don’t need your excuses of Beetroot hummus (recipe posted on our Instagram) it is pulled back from us, we have nity for our children, not an opposi- from the bulbs it had to open to. not finding the right adventure, Skewers a deeper appreciation. The virus is tion. If we don’t teach them these I braved a step outside and the to stop you. An adventure doesn’t waking people up to the fact they valuable lessons, when they get gear felt completely futile. The cold need to be exciting; it just needs to Toppings: can bring a mosque experience to out into the real world, they won’t winds blew across my face, freezing be uncomfortable. Since you’ll be Sriracha sauce their homes, it’s an opportunity to know how to handle them. my nose and shaking up my teeth. spending days in your room, why Feta cheese pray with your children at home. This virus has shown the children I faced the deep, dark, volume of not challenge yourself to really find Black sesame I have been thinking about my neph- we have to obey laws, we have liquid. I had to jump in, despite a true adventure within your four Chili flakes ews a lot and wondering what their to operate within boundaries, the weight of the warm blanket of bedroom walls? Hey, it could even minds make of the self-isolation and we have to respect leadership, comfort draped across my back, be as simple as getting up at 5 am. Method: studying from home. I know they so many more life lessons. One soothing me in this cold weather. Trust me, that’s a scarier journey Cut tortillas to make mini sized tacos. Half the eggs and slice them. Half miss their friends a lot. I think it’s a of the most important lessons After 15 minutes of standing tall, I for my mind than playing with a the 1/4 avocado and slice as well. Now, spread a generous amount of By Shefa Ali great opportunity to prepare chil- they are learning is to be happy in finally took the lunge. The thrill of cobra was. beetroot hummus onto each mini taco shell. Add the eggs and avocado dren for the real world, the corona confinement, that they don’t need going against my body was real, I slices. Secure the shells with the skewers. Line them in your serving plate. virus is a great teaching opportunity people and things to make them could feel the shock sink deep into „ The author can be contacted on Drizzle some sriracha, top with feta cheese, chili flakes and sesame seeds. One of the benefits of the burden of for our children to learn obedience, happy, they can create their own every muscle. My mind was sub- Instagram @sincerelysanah And as simple as that you have a beautiful and delicious breakfast. You the coronavirus is that it is waking structure, boundaries and order. It’s happiness. can make these as a snack or serve them at gatherings and parties. us up. Some of the things that we a chance for our children to learn Change is a basic law of nature, Follow us on Instagram for more delicious recipes.. used to worry and fret about now about life, how sometimes things there is nothing we can do to stop seem foolish in the face of a real come out of nowhere, they can it. Change aff ects individuals in dif- Enjoy the taste of eating right! attack. It’s making us appreciate change all our plans, rearrange all ferent ways, but it’s how we react life in a way we didn’t before. It’s our lives, but our adaptability skills to it that determines the outcome. making us appreciate faith in a way have to be so strong that we can It reminds me of the Charles Dar- we didn’t before. Some people are handle that change. Kids, I know you win quote: “It is not the strongest upset that they can’t go to a mosque, thought you were going on vacation of the species that survives, nor but before when they could go, they this summer, but now we are staying the most intelligent that survives. didn’t bother. Some of the people home for a staycation. So let’s take It is the one that is most adaptable that are complaining about mosques the sheets off the bed and make a to change.” being closed were never regular tent, lets learn how to make use of mosque goers anyway. Sometimes what we have. This change is giving „ The author is a consultant and we don’t appreciate something us an opportunity to get creative. We coach. Instagram handle: @miss_ until it is pulled back from us, when need to look at this as an opportu- shefa, Website: missshefa.com Gulf Times 6 Thursday, March 26, 2020 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA Militants kill nearly 100 Chadian soldiers in attack

Reuters Deby described as the deadli- of Chad, Nigeria and Niger have Deby gave an initial death toll bellions and coup attempts, people and forced about 2mn to war and rebellions, and honed N’Djamena est attack ever on the country’s been fi ghting the militants for of 92 and 47 wounded. Three wearing a protective mask and flee their homes. Deby has de- in a 2013 campaign against Al military. years. military sources told Reuters walking with troops among the ployed troops to counter these Qaeda-linked militants in the The soldiers were ambushed “I have taken part in many op- yesterday that the number of charred remains of burned-out groups in the Sahel and Lake deserts of northern Mali. oko Haram militants killed on Monday in the island vil- erations...but never in our his- dead had risen to 98. pick-up trucks. The Boko Har- Chad region. Chad’s armed Chad is one of France’s nearly 100 Chadian sol- lage of Boma in the swampy tory have we lost so many men Footage on state TV showed am insurgency, which erupted forces are among the most re- closest allies in its Operation Bdiers and wounded dozens Lake Chad zone in the west of at one time,” Deby said during a Deby, who has ruled Chad since in northeast Nigeria in 2009, spected in the region — a repu- Barkhane regional counter- more in what President Idriss the country, where the armies visit to the site on Tuesday. 1990 and survived several re- has killed more than 30,000 tation forged during decades of terrorism push. Iran fears second wave of virus as death toll rises to 2,077

Reuters This picture shows students attending an online class at home in Kuwait City, after schools were closed as a preventive measure against Dubai the spread of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus.

ran may face a second out- break of the coronavirus Ipandemic, a government Kuwait registers four new spokesman said yesterday, as the Islamic Republic banned inter- nal travel and traditional gather- ings in parks during the Persian New Year holiday period. coronavirus “Unfortunately some Iranians have ignored advice from health ministry offi cials and travelled during the New Year holidays... QNA/Reuters tensive care units, while a total cargo operations and fl ights to to 900. This could cause a second wave of Kuwait of 717 cases have completed the Musandam, due to the increas- Across the six-nation Gulf the coronavirus,” spokesman Ali quarantine period, he added. ing number of infections in sev- Co-operation Council, the tally Rabiei said, according to state TV. A handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency yesterday, OMAN REGISTERS eral areas in the sultanate. rose to 2,472 with seven deaths, President Hassan Rouhani has shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaking during a cabinet he Kuwaiti Ministry of 15 NEW CASES Saudi Arabia reported its as the United Arab Emirates banned any new trips between session in the capital Tehran. Health announced yes- The Omani Ministry of second coronavirus death and registered 85 new infections. cities, Rabiei said, and “violators Tterday four additional Health has registered 15 new tightened a nationwide curfew Saudi Arabia has also halted will be confronted legally”. The Rouhani said more restrictions ties have called on Iranians to infections with the novel coro- coronavirus cases in the coun- yesterday, barring entry to and international fl ights as well as escalating outbreak in Iran has would be introduced to contain avoid public places and stay at navirus (Covid-19) in the last try yesterday, bringing the tally exit from the capital Riyadh and suspending visas for the year- killed 2,077 people so far, health the coronavirus that has infected home, while schools, universi- 24 hours, bringing the total up to 99 cases. the holy cities of Makkah and round Umrah pilgrimage and ministry offi cial Kianush Ja- 27,017 people nationwide. ties, cultural and sports centres number of confi rmed infec- “All 15 are citizens of Oman Madinah as well as movement closing mosques, schools, malls hanpur said yesterday, with 143 The government has so far have been temporarily closed tions in the country up to 195. and seven cases are linked to between all provinces, Reuters and restaurants. deaths recorded in the past 24 stopped short of imposing a across the country. The fresh cases are of a Ku- contact with infected patients reported. The restrictions have altered hours. Offi cials have complained lockdown on Iranian cities. Rouhani said the new meas- waiti woman who recently re- and seven of the cases are relat- The orders, approved by King the rhythm of daily life in the that many Iranians ignored ap- The president said gatherings ures would be implemented for turned from the UK, a Kuwaiti ed to travel to the United King- Salman and published by state country of some 30mn, where peals to stay at home and can- would also be restricted during 15 days until April 4, when under man who recently arrived back dom, Spain and America. media, also brought forward late-night gatherings at cof- cel travel plans for the Persian Sizdah Bedar on April 1, a nature normal circumstances schools from Saudi Arabia, in addition While one case is under epi- the start of curfew in the three fee shops or private homes are New Year holidays that began on festival during which Iranians tra- open in Iran after the New Year to two expats from the Philip- demiological investigation,” cities to 3pm from 7pm starting common. March 20. ditionally have picnics outdoors. holidays. pines and Somalia, the minis- the Ministry of Health said in a today. Saudi Arabia introduced But in the UAE, the region’s “This (new) plan is strict and “These are tough decisions Trucks fi lled with disinfectant try’s spokesman Dr Abdullah statement. the curfew on Monday, initially tourism, business and transit it will create diffi culties and re- that are necessary to protect and teams of municipal work- al-Sanad said in a daily brief- A total of 17 patients with for 21 days, after registering a hub, 64 people were facing legal strictions for travel, and prompt lives. All parks may be closed, ers on foot continue to spray ing. Covid-19 have recovered so far, jump in infections. action for not obeying a 14-day people who have already trav- and Sizdah Bedar will not be down streets, shrines, public He added that 152 virus pa- the ministry added. Oman de- Its second fatality was a home quarantine order after elled to return home faster,” like previous years, but we have parks, trash bins, public toilets tients are still receiving medi- cided on Tuesday to suspend 46-year-old foreign resident of coming into contact with peo- Rouhani said in a remarks car- no choice but to do so,” Rouhani and markets in Qom, Tehran and cal treatment. Furthermore, six all internal and international Makkah, among 133 new cases ple confi rmed to be infected, ried by state television. said, adding that details of the other cities and towns with cases patients are being treated in in- fl ights as of next Sunday, except that took Saudi Arabia’s total the government tweeted. At a meeting telecast live, plan will come shortly. Authori- of , state TV showed. African nations announce tough steps against Covid-19 Palestinians report fi rst contagion death DPA/Reuters highest number of infections in from France in mid-March, Johannesburg/Nairobi Africa, with 709 cases of Cov- government spokesman Yaya id-19, Health Minister Zweli Sangare said in a statement. Mkhize said. In Zimbabwe, which neigh- Reuters/Agencies allah, Melhem added. There are frican nations yesterday “Two more patients have bours South Africa, doctors and Ramallah 62 confi rmed coronavirus cases announced stringent died in Ghana, the Health Min- nurses went on strike yester- among Palestinians in the West Ameasures to curb the istry said yesterday, with the day, citing the lack of protective Bank, and two in the Gaza Strip. coronavirus outbreak, as infec- West African country report- clothing in dealing with sus- he Palestinians reported The World Health Organisa- tion numbers increased across ing an increase of 15 coronavirus pected cases as the main reason their fi rst death from the tion (WHO) said yesterday that the continent. cases, to reach a total of 68. for their action. Tcoronavirus yesterday, a systematic testing for Covid-19 The small southern country Libya’s UN-backed govern- ETHIOPIA TO FREE woman in her 60s who lived in had started in Syria’s last rebel of Lesotho announced it will Limpopo Provincial health officials conduct screening tests on ment late on Tuesday reported 4,000 PRISONERS the occupied West Bank. stronghold, the north-western lock down the nation for 21 travellers making their way from Gauteng to Limpopo ahead the fi rst infection in the war- Ethiopia, which has 12 con- “The woman had experienced province of Idlib. days starting on Saturday, while of the nationwide lockdown at Mantsole Weighbridge near torn North African country, in- fi rmed cases, will release more symptoms and was later hospi- Testing began “after a ship- neighbouring South Africa was Hammanskraal, South Africa, yesterday. volving a 73-year-old man who than 4,000 prisoners, the talised” before succumbing to ment of 300 tests reached a preparing for a three-week crossed into Libya from neigh- state broadcaster EBC yester- the illness, said Ibrahim Mel- member of the World Health Or- lockdown from midnight (2200 Thomas Thabane told jour- nounced a daily curfew be- bouring Tunisia after making a day quoted Attorney-General hem, a spokesman for the Pales- ganisation’s Health cluster, DPA GMT) today. nalists, even though Lesotho, tween 7pm (1600 GMT) and 5 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Adanech Abebe as saying. tinian Authority, which has lim- reported. Only essential services, in- which is completely surrounded am (0200 GMT), eff ective from The West African country of Reducing the number of in- ited self-rule in the West Bank. Thirty-eight new cases of Cov- cluding health, security, su- by South Africa, has not yet tomorrow. Mali also reported its fi rst two mates should stop the disease The woman was from Bidu, a id-19 were recorded yesterday in permarkets and banks would confi rmed a Covid-19 infection. South Africa yesterday re- Covid-19 cases yesterday — two from spreading within cramped Palestinian village north of Je- Algeria, bringing the number of remain open, Prime Minister Kenya, meanwhile, an- mained the country with the Malian nationals who returned prison quarters. rusalem and southwest of Ram- confi rmed cases to 302. Istanbul prosecutor indicts Saudi suspects for Khashoggi killing

Reuters 2018, where he had gone to ob- Khashoggi, who had grown in- balance to the travesty of justice and Asiri were dismissed from killing in a trial which Callamard phone records, their entry and Istanbul tain documents for his impend- creasingly critical of Prince Mo- at the hands of Saudi Arabia”. their positions after Khashoggi’s described as a mockery of justice exit into Turkey and presence ing wedding. hamed’s actions, after agreeing In a statement to Reuters, she killing. because it did not target those at the consulate, witness state- Turkish offi cials said his body in advance that he should be urged US authorities to release she described as the master- ments and analysis of Khashog- stanbul prosecutors said yes- was dismembered and removed killed if he did not return to Sau- their fi ndings on responsibility Agnes Callamard, the minds of the operation. gi’s phone and computers, the terday they had prepared an from the building. His remains di Arabia with them. for the death of the Washington UN investigator who The court did not identify prosecutor’s offi ce said. Iindictment against a close have not been found. Saudi Arabia’s media ministry Post columnist, “including the led an international those sentenced to death. Khashoggi’s killing, Turkey’s aide to Saudi Arabia’s Crown The list of 18 suspected killers did not immediately respond to a responsibility of Saudi Arabia probe into the crime, Khashoggi’s fi ancee Hatice President Tayyip Erdogan has Prince Mohamed bin Salman and includes a 15-strong team which request for comment. Crown Prince Mohamed bin Sal- welcomed the indictment Cengiz, who was waiting for him said was ordered at the “highest a former deputy head of general fl ew to Turkey to carry out the Some Western governments, man”. outside the consulate when he levels” of the Saudi government. intelligence over the killing of operation, and three intelligence as well as the CIA, have said they Callamard said in a report last Asiri was subsequently tried was killed, also called on Wash- Turkey accused Saudi offi cials journalist Jamal Khashoggi. offi cials. believed Prince Mohamed, Saudi June that evidence suggested the in Saudi Arabia but released due ington to publish a defence in- of obstructing investigations. The prosecutor’s offi ce ac- The indictment accuses Arabia’s de facto leader and heir crown prince and other senior to insuffi cient evidence, a Saudi telligence report into the killing. Prince Mohamed has denied cused the two men of instigat- former deputy head of Saudi to the throne, ordered the killing Saudi offi cials were liable. prosecutor said. Every independent investiga- ordering the killing but said he ing Khashoggi’s murder at the Arabia’s general intelligence — an accusation Saudi offi cials Yesterday, she said that the Qahtani was investigated but tion had concluded that “this bore ultimate responsibility as Saudi consulate in Istanbul and Ahmed al-Asiri and former royal have denied. indictment would shed further was not charged. barbaric murder...was premedi- the kingdom’s de facto leader. named 18 suspects it said actu- court adviser Saud al-Qahtani of Agnes Callamard, the UN light on the murder, “its pre- Sources have said he remained tated, carried out by government Saudi Arabia initially denied ally carried out the killing, which having “instigated premeditated investigator who led an inter- meditation and instigation by active in state matters. offi cials and involved the royal any involvement in or knowl- caused a global uproar. murder with monstrous intent”, national probe into the crime, high-level offi cials”. The senior In December, a Saudi court court”, she said. edge of Khashoggi’s death but Khashoggi was last seen en- the prosecutor’s offi ce said. welcomed the indictment, say- suspects accused by Turkey are sentenced fi ve people to death Yesterday’s indictment was later changed its position multi- tering the consulate on Oct 2, It says the others suff ocated ing it was needed as a “counter still free, although both Qahtani and three to jail for Khashoggi’s based on analysis of suspects’ ple times. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 7 AMERICAS

Ottawa vows cash, student US lawmakers agree on loan delays

Reuters Ottawa

$2tn virus aid package anada’s C$27bn (US$18.8bn) aid package will give people aff ect- Reuters 737 deaths, 54,453 cases: Ced by the coronavirus outbreak Washington C$2,000 a month and delay student loan The US Centers for Disease Control repayments, among other measures to and Prevention (CDC) yesterday boost the economy, Prime Minister Justin S senators were to vote yester- reported 54,453 coronavirus cases, Trudeau said yesterday. day on a $2tn bipartisan pack- an increase of 10,270 cases from its After almost a day of wrangling, the Uage of legislation to alleviate previous count, and said the death House of Commons agreed earlier yester- the devastating economic impact of toll had risen by 193 to 737. day to approve the stimulus. the coronavirus pandemic, hoping it The CDC reported its tally of cases The Emergency Response Ben- will become law quickly. of the respiratory illness, Covid-19, efi t bill passed the Senate, and was ex- Top aides to Republican President caused by a new coronavirus, as of pected to get royal assent, a formality, Donald Trump and senior Senate Re- 4pm ET on March 24, compared to its later yesterday. publicans and Democrats said they tally a day earlier. A new portal will be set up by April 6 for had agreed on the unprecedented The total count does not include people who have lost jobs or are unable to stimulus bill before dawn yesterday cases among repatriated citizens work, to apply for the monthly payments after fi ve days of marathon talks. from Wuhan, China and Japan. which will run for four months. “The Senate is going to stand to- The CDC figures do not necessari- More than half a million applied for un- gether, act together, and pass this ly reflect cases reported by individual employment insurance last week alone. historic relief package today,” Senate states. “We are hopeful that the system will be Republican Leader Mitch McConnell up and running by April 6 and the checks said as the chamber convened at noon and direct deposits will be fl owing days EDT (1600 GMT). “We’ll see the bill and see how the after that,” Trudeau told reporters outside It was unclear how quickly Con- Senate votes. So there’s no decision his house. gress could get the package to Trump about timing until we see the bill,” she The plan also delays student loan pay- to sign into law. told reporters. ments for three months. McConnell did not say what time House members left Washington 10 A total of 2,792 have been the Senate would hold its vote, and days ago, but the lower chamber could diagnosed with the coronavirus and 27 the Democratic-controlled House of quickly pass the bill without requiring have died, while more than a million have Representatives is not expected to act A sign hangs in the window of a restaurant in Detroit, reading ‘Beating this virus one heart at a time’. them to return if all members agree to applied for unemployment benefi ts in less before today. do so. than two weeks. Trump supports the measure, the It would be the largest rescue pack- killed more than 730 people in the vestors still concerned about the last- If just one of the chamber’s 430 Trudeau said Canada was testing White House said. age ever approved by Congress and United States and infected more than ing economic hit from the pandemic. current members objects, that could 10,000 people a day for Covid-19, a respi- “We’re really looking forward to the third such eff ort to be passed this 53,650. The bill is expected to pass the require them to return to Washington ratory illness caused by the new coronavi- this vote today so that he can sign it month. The money at stake amounts The governors of at least 18 states, Republican-led Senate easily, more to vote in person at a time when sev- rus, and Canada was ramping up produc- into law,” White House spokeswoman to nearly half of the $4.7tn the US including New York, have issued stay- so because Republican Senator Rand eral members are self-quarantining. tion of emergency medical equipment and Stephanie Grisham said on Fox News. government spends annually. at-home directives aff ecting about Paul, the only senator to vote against Any changes made by the House medication. The massive bill includes a $500bn New York Governor Andrew Cuo- half the US population. an earlier round of emergency virus would also require Senate approval — A few dozen legislators — maintaining fund to help hard-hit industries and mo said the $3.8bn allocated to his The sweeping orders are aimed at funding, may be unable to vote after leading to further delays. social distancing in the face of the highly a comparable amount for direct pay- state was not nearly enough. slowing the pathogen’s spread, but testing positive for Covid-19, the dis- Trump had said on Tuesday he contagious disease — backed the meas- ments of up to $3,000 apiece to mil- His state accounts for roughly half have upended daily life as schools and ease caused by the coronavirus. wanted Americans to end “social dis- ures after the Liberal government agreed lions of US families. of all US cases. businesses shutter indefi nitely. It also must pass the Democratic- tancing” restrictions intended to slow to remove proposals that would have It will also include $350bn for “This doesn’t do it,” he said at a US stocks were mixed in choppy led House of Representatives. the spread of the virus and return to given Ottawa emergency spending powers small-business loans, $250bn for news conference. trading after a strong rebound on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who work by Easter, April 12. That con- without Parliamentary approval until the expanded unemployment aid and at The package aims to fl ood the US Tuesday and a rise in early trading proposed a more far-reaching res- cerned health offi cials, who fear end- end of 2021. least $100bn for hospitals and related economy with cash in a bid to stem yesterday, as optimism about the cue package, did not say whether she ing the lockdown too soon could bring The bill includes C$55bn in the form of health systems. the impact of a pandemic that has coronavirus package waned, with in- would support the Senate version. more virus-related deaths. tax deferrals. Trudeau, who unveiled the stimulus package last week, said on Tuesday the crisis meant the government needed fl ex- ibility to react quickly. But, faced with opposition threats to US farmers expand food deliveries in face of pandemic isolation drag out approval of the aid, Trudeau of- fi cials agreed to dilute some of their de- mands. Reuters Many want to steer clear of super- set up e-commerce platforms. More farmers are focusing on di- ice estimated local US food sales, in- “Because we fought back, the Trudeau Oklahoma City markets that have been picked over In Alex, Oklahoma, farmers Carrie rect-to-consumer sales amid declin- cluding farm sales directly to retail government has backed down from its by shoppers, unnerved by the highly and Joe Chlebanowski began making ing demand from local restaurants. stores, at $11.8bn in 2017. power grab,” said Pierre Poilievre, fi nance contagious respiratory virus. “porch deliveries” on Sunday, after The nation’s biggest meat proces- Chad Ward, who raises chickens spokesman for the offi cial opposition armers in rural America are Farmers said they had supplies and suspending sales at a weekly farmers sors like Tyson Foods Inc have also and crops near Pawnee, Oklahoma, Conservatives. expanding food delivery serv- were seeing an uptick in demand for market in Oklahoma City over health scrambled to shift their supplies to said he had seen an explosion in de- The modifi ed bill caps Ottawa’s emer- Fices to meet rising demand home deliveries in areas where gro- concerns. They delivered lettuce and grocery stores. mand for deliveries of frozen meat. gency spending power at six months. from consumers seeking to isolate cery delivery services like Instacart other greens to about 16 customers The pandemic could cost local He is still making trips to the Okla- It also says the House of Commons themselves during the coronavirus and Amazon.com’s AmazonFresh are and also opened a stand to make sales and regional food systems, including homa City farmers market, although fi nance committee — which is control- pandemic and frustrated by empty not widely available. at their farm. farmers markets, $688.7mn in lost home deliveries allow consumers led by opposition legislators — can probe grocery-store shelves. “We’re finding that these farms “People are recognising that local sales from March to May, according to to practice social distancing to help government spending and force Parlia- Food suppliers are being forced to have a lot of opportunity to step in farms like ours have access to food researchers from Colorado State Uni- counter the spread of the coronavirus. ment back in 48 hours if it thinks abuses adapt as the outbreak has shut restau- and prove their value now,” said Dan and have the ability to provide them versity and the University of Missouri. “People have turned to us in the are occurring. rants, bars and schools and is sending Miller, chief executive of Steward, things that they don’t have to go into That could lead to a total economic same way that we have always de- Trudeau’s Liberals only have a minor- shoppers looking for reliable sources a company that provides capital to the grocery store to get,” Carrie Chle- loss of up to $1.3bn, they said. pended on them,” Ward said. “It’s ity in the House of Commons and rely on for goods from meat to vegetables. sustainable farms and helps them banowski said. The Congressional Research Serv- caused us all to lean in on each other.” other parties to govern. Cybersecurity experts see spike in Chinese digital espionage

Reuters APT41 abused recently disclosed Los Angeles fl aws in software developed by Cisco, Citrix and others to try to break into scores of companies’ networks in US cybersecurity fi rm said the United States, Canada, Britain, yesterday it has detected a Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Asurge in new cyberspying by more than a dozen other countries. a suspected Chinese group dating Cisco said in an email it had back to late January, when corona- fixed the vulnerability and it was virus was starting to spread outside aware of attempts to exploit it, China. a sentiment echoed by Citrix, FireEye Inc said in a report it had which said it had worked with Fi- spotted a spike in activity from a reEye to help identify “potential hacking group it dubs “APT41” that compromises.” began on January 20 and targeted Others have also spotted a recent more than 75 of its customers, from uptick in cyber-espionage activity manufacturers and media compa- linked to Beijing. nies to healthcare organizations Matt Webster, a researcher with and nonprofi ts. Secureworks — Dell Technologies’ There were “multiple possible cybersecurity arm — said in an e- A jogger keeps his distance from a woman walking her dog in downtown . explanations” for the spike in ac- mail that his team had also seen tivity, said FireEye Security Archi- evidence of increased activity from tect Christopher Glyer, pointing to Chinese hacking groups “over the long-simmering tensions between last few weeks.” Ballads and fan clubs: Canada’s medical health offi cers become unlikely celebs Washington and Beijing over trade In particular, he said his team had and more recent clashes over the recently spotted new digital infra- By Denise Paglinawan, Reuters Henry, briefl y broke down during a March launching last week on the social media pealing for the province’s public health coronavirus outbreak, which has structure associated with APT41 Toronto 7 briefi ng, the outpouring of reaction site to track de Villa’s daily neckwear. director, , to share his killed more than 17,000 people — which Secureworks dubs ‘Bronze made her a trending topic on Twitter. One fl oral scarf, the account noted, recipe for Portuguese tarts has collected since late last year. Atlas’. It also inspired two Vancouver women was “serving watercolour realness.” over 1,500 signatures. The report said it was “one of the Tying hacking campaigns to any cclaimed in song and on Twit- to pen ‘Dear Dr Bonnie’, a song that has Asked by reporters how many scarves In , T-shirts with the face of broadest campaigns by a Chinese specifi c country or entity is often ter fan accounts, including a feed amassed 13,000 views on YouTube. she owned, de Villa said: “I’m not sure. Chief Medical Offi cer cyber espionage actor we have ob- fraught with uncertainty, but Fire- Adevoted to one offi cial’s choice of “You will lead us through self-iso- Many? But I’m happy to take sugges- and the words “We are in this together, served in recent years.” Eye said it had assessed “with mod- scarves, Canada’s medical health offi c- lation, we’ll work from home for you, tions if you have particular patterns that even if we are far apart” are being sold FireEye declined to identify the erate confi dence” that APT41 was ers have become a popular, comforting order in groceries too. We will cancel all you’d like to recommend.” online. All proceeds will be donated to aff ected customers. composed of Chinese government sight in daily coronavirus briefi ngs and our fun vacations, we’ll stay inside for , Canada’s chief pub- local food banks, said the website’s or- The Chinese Foreign Ministry did contractors. gained a celebrity-like following. you, maybe a month or two,” sing the lic health offi cer, has made the phrase ganisers. not directly address FireEye’s alle- FireEye’s head of analysis, John Millions of Canadians, many working pair to the tune of Dear Theodosia from “plank the curve” a common house- “These guys are on the frontline, gations but said in a statement that Hultquist, said the surge was sur- from home amid a widening lockdown, the hit Broadway musical Hamilton. hold phrase for Canadians and a popular making the biggest impact,” said Steve China was “a victim of cybercrime prising because hacking activity tune in every day to televised updates by Toronto’s medical offi cer of health, hashtag on social media. Joordens, a psychology professor at the and cyberattack.” The US Offi ce attributed to China has generally public health offi cials across the coun- , has a Twitter fan ac- Tam is at the centre of Canadian gov- . of the Director of National Intelli- become more focused. try. count — for her scarves. ernment ads that began airing this week “If they did a good job, if we felt like gence declined comment. “This broad action is a departure When ’s normally un- The parody account @de_scarf has urging citizens to stay home. they’re helping us win, we start to idol- FireEye said in its report that from that norm,” he said. fl appable provincial health offi cer, Bonnie gained thousands of followers since In , an online petition ap- ise them a little.” Gulf Times 8 Thursday, March 26, 2020 ASIA

Dutch state must pay Indonesia’s health system on damages for Indonesia the brink as virus surge looms colonial Reuters our own suits that may not be Jakarta of standard quality,” the doctor said, asking not to be identifi ed killings because of the sensitivity of the ndonesia has a signifi cant matter. AFP defi cit in hospital beds, “My friends, one by one, catch The Hague Imedical staff and intensive the virus,” he said, holding back care facilities as health experts tears. warn that it is primed to become The government said this he Dutch state must pay a new epicentre of the coronavi- week it had sourced 175,000 new compensation to relatives rus pandemic, according to data sets of protective equipment for Tof 11 men executed by co- reviewed by Reuters. medical staff that would be dis- lonial troops during Indonesia’s Health experts say Indone- tributed across the country. independence war in the late sia faces a surge in coronavirus A new emergency hospital 1940s, judges ruled yesterday. cases after a slow government has been opened in Jakarta with The Hague District Court response masked the scale of the an eventual capacity to treat up ordered the state to pay dam- outbreak in the world’s fourth to 24,000 patients. Doctors and ages ranging from 10,000 euros most populous country. medical staff have been prom- ($10,800) to 123 euros to eight Indonesia has recorded 686 ised bonuses and 500,000 rapid widows and four children of the cases but the data is seen as un- testing kits have arrived from men, who were killed in southern derstating the scale of infections China. Sulawesi between 1946 and 1947. because of a low rate of testing Indonesia’s health system is It is the fi rst time specifi c and a high mortality rate. Indo- highly decentralised, making amounts have been awarded de- nesia has reported 55 deaths, the it hard for the central govern- spite Dutch courts hearing a slew highest in Southeast Asia. ment to coordinate its response of similar cases, the claimants’ A study by the London- across a sprawling archipelago lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld said. based Centre for Mathemati- of some 19,000 islands spanning “The court considers it proven cal Modelling of Infectious 5,100km. that eleven men have been killed Diseases released on Monday A lack of intensive care unit as a result of misbehaviour of estimates that as few as 2% of (ICU) beds also worries experts, Dutch soldiers. Most cases in- Indonesia’s coronavirus infec- especially as the country enters volved summary executions,” the tions have been reported. That peak dengue fever season, which judges said. would bring the true number adds to demand for the facilities. The highest amount was paid to as many as 34,300, which is “If you are critically ill and you to a man who as a 10-year-old more than Iran. can get into ICU and get put on saw his father being killed, the Other modellers are projecting a ventilator, most people should court’s spokeswoman Judge that cases could rise to as many Indonesian medical staff take part in a mass test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at Patriot Stadium in Bekasi, West Java, yesterday. survive,” said Archie Clements, Jeanette Honee said. as 5mn in the capital, Jakarta, by a public health specialist from Widows of the men also re- the end of April under a worst- to comparisons with outbreaks in Korea has 115 per 10,000 people, However, Budi Waryanto, an were no coveralls available. Perth’s Curtin University, refer- ceived damages of up to 3,600 case scenario. Italy and China. according to the World Health epidemiologist from the Univer- In a sign of poor infection ring to people infected with the euros but claimants who were “We have lost control, it has “What’s important is that we Organisation (WHO). sity of Indonesia, said: “The hos- controls in hospitals and clinics, coronavirus. children received less, depending already spread everywhere,” rally the people... they have to In 2017, the WHO found In- pitals are not ready to support eight doctors and one nurse have “If you don’t get them into on their ages at the time of the Ascobat Gani, a public health keep their distance.” donesia had four doctors per the potential cases. Treatment died from the coronavirus, ac- ICU and get them on a ventilator, killings. economist said. “Maybe we will Indonesia’s health system 10,000 people. Italy had 10 times will be limited.” cording to the Indonesian Doc- then they will die.” The Dutch judges based the follow Wuhan or Italy. I think we compares poorly with those in more, on a per capita basis. South Although only hundreds of tors Association. A study in the Critical Care relatively low amounts on the in- are in the range of that”. other countries hit hard by the Korea has six times more doctors. people have been hospitalised Staff at one hospital on the Medicine journal in January, come earned by the men, which The government says the im- virus. Yurianto said with proper so- for coronavirus, doctors said outskirts of Jakarta had threat- which compared intensive care it said were around 100 euros per pact of the virus will not be that The country of more than cial distancing measures there the health system was already ened not to come to work on beds for adults in Asian coun- year at the time. severe. 260mn people has 321,544 hos- should not be a need for a large under strain. Many health staff Tuesday because of a lack of pro- tries using 2017 data, found In- “The court recognises that “We won’t be like that,” said pital beds, according to health number of additional beds and lack protective equipment, with tective equipment, another doc- donesia had 2.7 critical care beds these low amounts are dispro- Achmad Yurianto, a senior ministry data. That is about 12 that medical staffi ng was suffi - one doctor saying how she had tor said. per 100,000 people, among the portionate to the pain and sorrow health ministry offi cial, referring beds per 10,000 people. South cient to tackle the virus. to wear a raincoat because there “We bring our own masks, lowest in the region. that the executions of husbands and fathers have undeniably caused to widows and children,” the court said in a statement. “The amounts awarded do not Dry rations in lockdown Lanka intend to provide for this, only Thailand bans entry to foreigners, material damage in the form of lost livelihood.” Dutch courts are hearing sev- prepares steps against Covid-19 eral other cases of relatives ask- ing for compensation for atroci- Reuters gan, 860 are hospitalised while ellers and an “all day curfew” ties committed by Dutch colonial Bangkok 70 patients have recovered and could still be introduced in cer- troops during so-called cleans- gone home. tain areas if coronavirus conta- ing actions to root out Indone- New restrictions taking eff ect gion worsened. sian freedom fi ghters. he Thai government at midnight include the closing The government on Sunday At least 860 men were killed banned entry for all non- of all border crossings except for closed down department stores, by fi ring squads, mostly between Tresident foreigners yes- Thai nationals, diplomats and their malls, dine-in restaurants, en- December 1946 and April 1947 in terday but held off on restrict- families, and foreigners with work tertainment venues and other Sulawesi then called Celebes. ing people’s movement inside permits or other offi cial documents public places for several weeks in The Dutch government apolo- the country as the government allowing them to work in Thailand. major cities across the country. gised in 2013 for the killings car- prepared to roll out emergency “We are not closing the coun- It is still allowing banks, gov- ried out by its colonial army and measures to contain the spread try, we are still allowing Thai ernment offi ces, pharmacies and announced compensation to the of the coronavirus. people to return but for foreign- grocery stores to operate as normal widows of those who died. A state of emergency will take ers the country is closed,” Deputy but urged people over the age of Two weeks ago, Dutch King eff ect from midnight local time Prime Minister Wissanu Krea- 70, children under fi ve and people Willem-Alexander also apolo- (1700 GMT) until April 30, giving ngam told a news conference. He with respiratory and other health gised - the fi rst by a Dutch mon- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o- added that airports will remain complications to stay home. arch - for “excessive violence” cha sweeping powers to combat open to fl ights from abroad. About 60,000 migrant work- during the former colony’s fi ght the surge of coronavirus infection. Wissanu said the government ers living in Thailand have fl ed for independence. The southeast Asian country had no immediate plans to im- the country since authorities Indonesia declared independ- A Sri Lanka’s Civil Defence Force member walks among packages of dry rations of food and commodities recorded 107 new coronavirus pose curfews or travel restric- shut malls and many businesses ence on August 17, 1945 following to be distributed, during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against cases yesterday, bringing the tions within the country. But he at the weekend to curb the spread a brief wartime occupation by the Covid-19 coronavirus, at a warehouse near Colombo yesterday. known total to 934. Four people said checkpoints would be set up of the coronavirus, an interior the Japanese and several hundred have died since the outbreak be- to screen inter-provincial trav- ministry offi cial said yesterday. years as a Dutch colony. Outcry as Bangladeshis defy Covid-19 orders Bangladesh ex-PM freed from jail

DPA Army troops fanned out across to limit citizens’ movements. respiratory disease caused by the DPA Dhaka Bangladesh on Tuesday to help “We have decided to lock down coronavirus, and six new infec- Dhaka enforce measures to slow the the public transport services for tions, raising the total number of spread of the virus, as the South 10 days from Thursday in con- cases to 39. mages of people crowding Asian nation reported 39 cases sideration of public safety,” Road Forty other suspected cases ailed former Bangladeshi onto buses, trains and fer- and four virus-related deaths. Transport and Bridges Minister were in isolation units at hospitals prime minister Khaleda Iries in defi ance of orders to Long-distance bus, train Obaidul Quader said in a video across the country, said Meerjady JZia has been conditionally stay home have caused fury in and ferry services will also message. Sabrina Flora, spokesperson for the freed from jail, after the gov- Bangladesh. be restricted and all domes- Bangladesh has reported its country’s Institute of Epidemiol- ernment suspended her prison The exodus out of the capital tic fl ights suspended in a bid fourth death from Covid-19, the ogy, Disease Control and Research. term for six months, offi cials Dhaka on Tuesday came after the said yesterday. government announced a 10-day Zia, also the chief of the op- nationwide holiday and asked position Bangladesh Nation- people to stay indoors to contain alist Party (BNP), came out of the spread of the coronavirus. the prison cell in a state-run in Photographs of overloaded hospital in central Dhaka in the ferries and buses went viral on afternoon, using a wheelchair. social media with critical com- It has been more than two Khaleda Zia (right) sits in a car after being released from prison ments pouring in. years since she was imprisoned where she spent more than two years, in Dhaka yesterday. “Quarantine and isolation, for graft charges. Bangladesh-style,” ridiculed Home Minister Asaduzza- Several thousand opposition A higher court later doubled Sirajul Hossain, a Facebook man Khan said she was allowed activists gathered at the hospital the term. user, below the photograph that to get out of prison as her jail gate shouting slogans as a motor- She was also sentenced to shows a packed ferry leaving a term was suspended for six cade transported the 74-year-old seven years in jail in October station near Dhaka. months, under the conditions politician to her home in Dhaka’s 2018 for raising money for a Irritated by the mad rush, a she would receive medical care Gulshan neighbourhood. charity from unknown sources senior offi cial said the holiday at her home and will not travel Zia - a diabetic who suff ers during her 2001-2006 tenure was not given for enjoyment. outside the country. chronic arthritis - was shifted as prime minister. “The world’s main principal is “As a sentenced prisoner she to a state-run hospital in Dhaka Her party fought in the court staying at home to stop the spread can’t be engaged in any politi- in April as her health condition to secure her bail, arguing that of coronavirus. If you do other- cal activities during this peri- deteriorated. Zia was seriously ill and that wise, you will put yourself at risk od,” the minister said, adding She had been in prison since she requires improved medical as well as create threat for thou- the decision for jail term sus- February 2018 after a court treatment abroad. sands of others,” Ahmad Kaikaus, pension came after her family sentenced her to fi ve years in The court rejected petitions secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh People queue to buy train tickets at the Kamalapur Railway Station, before the shutdown of all the public appealed for her release on hu- jail for misappropriating funds at least for four occasions in the Hasina, said in a video message. transports amid coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Dhaka yesterday. manitarian grounds. meant for orphans. last two years. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 9 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Australian cruise becomes nation’s worst virus cluster

Reuters ple journeyed home — includ- the world’s largest cruise opera- speed they were rushed off the sioner said the New South Wales informed their arrival would be its cruise on March 8 in Sydney, Sydney ing on public transport — to the tor. ship, with “no checks” of bags or (NSW) health department bore moved forward to 2am. When her the incidence of Covid-19 in the town of Tamworth, some 400km The incident has sparked out- passports by offi cials. Princess responsibility, and that it had family arrived at the gangway at general community was higher north. Butler developed a “funny rage among Australians who Cruises parent company Carni- been notifi ed by the ship’s doc- 9.10am, she said they were hur- than might have been apparent at reg Butler was rushed to cough” the next day and soon have questioned why those on val Australia said in a statement tor of 13 passengers with fl u-like ried off with no checks. the time. hospital with Covid-19 tested positive, said Russ. Days board were permitted to disem- it complied with protocols and it symptoms who had been isolat- “We were running to keep up “Based on our own experi- Gwithin days of getting later he fainted and was taken to bark, and federal and state offi - was most likely “the illness was ed. The state health department with the guy who had Mum in a ence and on knowledge of the home to self-isolate after be- hospital by ambulance. cials have clashed over who is to introduced unwittingly to the said the passengers were allowed wheelchair. Out the door and on behaviour of the virus, the most ing allowed off the Ruby Prin- Health authorities had classed blame. ship following embarkation in off because it had been assessed the street waiting for a cab was likely explanation is that, in such cess cruise liner in Sydney, one the Ruby Princess as low risk, “If we had known we would Sydney”, on March 8. After step- as “low risk” and tests conducted six to eight minutes. They got us a dynamic and rapidly evolving of more than 130 passengers given it had sailed from Sydney not have gotten off the boat,” said ping off the Ruby Princess, But- in New Zealand returned nega- off that ship so fast,” she said. environment, the illness was in- who tested positive in Austral- to New Zealand, and the Border Russ. “Why would they let you ler and Russ travelled on public tive for Covid-19. Now in isolation, Dixon- troduced unwittingly to the ship ia’s worst coronavirus outbreak. Force issued a notice instructing off and put so many lives in jeop- transport to Sydney’s Central Sitting in her cabin, Janet Dix- Hughes is angry that passengers following embarkation in Syd- One of them, a woman, died ear- the 2,700 passengers that they ardy? People have gone all over station where they took a train to on-Hughes, travelling with her were not told about the suspect- ney. This would help to explain lier this week. The 56-year-old could travel home in the normal the world.” “People are saying the coastal town of Tuggerah and 95-year-old mother and daugh- ed cases, and also at the lack of the subsequent identifi cation of Butler had been holidaying with manner, but should self-isolate ‘we hope you die’,” she said. then completed their journey by ter, was apprehensive about re- screening on arrival. “The com- positive cases.” Carnival Aus- his partner, Robin Russ, who re- for 14 days. According to Russ, passengers car. turning to Sydney where shop- pany had a terrible experience tralia, along with other cruise mains in isolation. Like the Diamond Princess, the saw a woman being carried out Another couple who fl ew from pers were panic buying food and with the Diamond Princess,” she operators, has suspended cruise “I tested negative and he test- liner held in quarantine off Japan by stretcher from the Ruby Prin- Sydney to Darwin have since toilet paper. “We felt safe on the said. “They should never have operations and has supported ed positive,” Russ said over the last month, and the Grand Prin- cess before dawn on March 19. tested positive for coronavirus, ship. We thought there was no sailed. They knew the risks. The government arrangements “to telephone from the apartment cess which was denied entry to “That’s when we all started while an American woman and sickness,” she said. average age on the cruise was immediately bring Australian- they moved to for quarantine. its home port of California earlier panicking,” she said. Passen- her husband caught a fl ight to Dixon-Hughes said passengers 70.” Carnival Australia said in its based cruise ships back to Aus- After disembarking at Sydney this month, the Ruby Princess is gers who spoke to Reuters said San Francisco. Yesterday, Aus- weren’t told of any illness, but statement: “It now appears clear tralian ports for the disembarka- Harbour on March 19, the cou- owned by a unit of Carnival Corp, they were suspicious about the tralia’s Border Force Commis- the night before docking were that when Ruby Princess began tion of passengers.” Taiwan anger over Australia widens virus testing Chinese Reuters Sydney military ustralia will expand coro- navirus testing, Prime drills AMinister Scott Morri- son said yesterday, as Canberra struggles to contain an outbreak that it said has killed nine people AFP in the country. Taipei After a gradual spread in January, the number of cases in Australia appears to be tracking nger is rising in Taiwan sharper spikes seen elsewhere, over China continuing prompting warnings that hospi- Ato buzz the island with tals could be overwhelmed. fi ghter jets and warships even as As the number of cases topped they both fi ght the global coro- 2,500, Morrison said Australia navirus pandemic. will expand testing to include The self-ruled democratic is- people if they present with fever land has had to scramble its own or an acute respiratory infec- fi ghter jets in response to recent tion, as part of a move to help Chinese manoeuvres, designed hospitals ready for an expected to show that Beijing’s military infl ux of new patients. might remains unbowed by the Australia had previously lim- health crisis. ited testing to people displaying But the tactic is winning few symptoms who had recently re- friends among the Taiwanese. turned from overseas. This has “As the world grapples with the been widely criticised and the severity of the Covid-19 pan- expansion of testing came as A man walks alone on a train platform at Central Station, as New South Wales begins shutting down non- demic, China’s military ma- authorities signalled a more ag- essential businesses and moving toward harsh penalties to enforce self-isolation in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. noeuvres around Taiwan have gressive approach. continued unabated,” President Morrison said high-risk Australia confirms ninth coronavirus death; Leaders Tsai Ing-wen said in a tweet ac- groups to be tested include companied by pictures of her health workers, employees in frustrated by social distancing breaches; Cruise visiting troops. “Whether it’s care facilities for the elderly, national defence or prevent- prisoners, boarding school pu- represents single biggest source of infection ing the spread of disease, our pils and military base personnel. armed forces remain as vigilant Doctors will also be allowed to die from coronavirus. The MV quarantine station was being set some have disregarded warnings as ever,” she added. test hospital patients who dis- Artania, owned by Germany’s up. Foreigners would be fl own to increase social distancing and Beijing has ramped up drills play coronavirus symptoms. Phoenix Reisen, was scheduled home, while Australians would to self-isolate if returning from around the island since Tsai was “Every extra bit of time al- to dock in Perth and called ahead be let back into the country after overseas. Victoria state premier fi rst elected in 2016 because she lows us to better prepare our for medical assistance after 25 14 days of quarantine. Daniel Andrews said 500 police refuses to acknowledge its con- health system and put measures of its 800 passengers reported Phoenix Reisen, the MV Arta- offi cers will be checking to en- cept that Taiwan is part of “one in place to protect Australian respiratory problems, the West nia owner, was not immediately sure people are complying. China.” lives,” Morrison said in an e- Australian state government available for comment. About In neighbouring New South There has been little let up mailed statement. said. 2,700 cruise passengers entered Wales (NSW), police will fi ne during the devastating coro- Australia also said it would The authorities refused to let Sydney this week without health people A$1,000 ($604) for navirus outbreak that began in force passengers on a ship into it dock and sent local health pro- checks, and more than 130 have breaching rules that include China. quarantine and refused entry fessionals onto the ship, which been confi rmed as having coro- limits of 10 people in outside Taipei’s defence ministry said to another vessel amid concern had no Australians onboard. navirus. Australia has extended gatherings, spaced 1.5 metres four “targeted” drills have been that cruise ships have been a Another cruise ship, the Vasco restrictions across the country, apart. conducted by China near its breeding ground for many of da Gama, was due in Perth on including limiting the size of Western Australia will im- borders this year, which it said the new coronavirus cases in Friday with 800 Australians and weddings and funerals and clos- pose a limit on alcohol home was “concrete evidence of prov- Australia, including it ninth fa- 109 New Zealanders on board. ing non-essential businesses purchases to lighten the law ocations and threats”. tality. Queensland state said a It will now be forced to dock at such as bars, restaurants and enforcement load for alcohol- A man reads a newspaper along a quiet area of Circular Quay in Taiwan ran an exercise with 68-year-old man had become Rottnest Island, a former prison cinemas. But Australian law- related off ences and minimise Sydney as people stay away due to restrictions to stop the spread its own F16 fi ghter jets on Tues- Australia’s youngest person to outpost, where a makeshift makers have been frustrated that any health impact. of the Covid-19 outbreak. day in response.

Japan’s capital In the dock becomes centre of epidemic Singapore less social as virus Japan’s capital of Tokyo is at the centre of its coronavirus epidemic restrictions fi nally put in place with more cases than any other region after a record number in a single day, data from public broadcaster NHK showed. Tokyo Reuters The World Health was not necessary if other con- registered a record 17 new cases Singapore Organisation’s top tainment measures are imposed. on Tuesday, taking its tally to emergency expert “It never closed its schools, it 171, and overtaking the hard-hit yesterday held up didn’t shut down its public health northern island of Hokkaido aily life in Singapore has Singapore as an example system, it didn’t do lockdowns,” island as the prefecture with the been broadly unhindered why social distancing Mike Ryan said. most infections, NHK reported. Dwhile authorities on the was not necessary if other Offi ces and schools, with the The outbreak has infected wealthy southeast Asian island containment measures are exception of a few international 1,214 people in Japan as of late waged their widely praised cam- imposed schools, remain open in Singa- yesterday morning, with 43 paign to stop the spread of the pore, but public gatherings of deaths linked to the virus, NHK coronavirus. are still surviving ... and try to more than 10 people are prohib- said. That excludes 712 cases But the buzz and bustle of the sustain for another few months.” ited under new rules imposed this from a cruise ship moored city state, as portrayed in recent Singapore was one of the hard- week. near Tokyo last month. The Netfl ix series ‘Singapore Social’, est hit countries when the virus At chic French restaurant Mer- International Olympic Committee is fi nally quieting. From today, all fi rst spread from China earlier in ci Marcel in the Orchard Road and Japanese government bars and entertainment venues the year, but strict contact trac- shopping district, customers had agreed to put back the Tokyo will close in an eff ort to contain a ing and quarantine measures their temperature taken and fi lled 2020 Olympics to 2021 over the sharp rise to over 500 cases in re- appeared to have stemmed the in travel declaration forms before outbreak. Tokyo’s new infections cent days, while restaurants will contagion until outbreaks in Eu- dining at those tables not marked came after Governor Yuriko Koike stay open but with strict social rope and the United States led to off with bright yellow tape. warned that a lockdown of the distancing rules to keep custom- a second wave of imported cases Operations manager Nicolas capital was possible if it saw an ers apart. and more domestic transmission. Guidi said he has lost about 40% explosive rise in cases. Koike “This is a challenge for eve- Some countries like Italy and of covers due to regulations im- called on residents to exercise rybody,” Azrol Ishak, a manager Britain have gone into complete posed in recent days preventing restraint to avoid a lockdown. She at bar-restaurant Brewerkz said lockdown, forcing people to stay guests from sitting too close to said the next three weeks were as some customers separated by home to slow the spread of a virus each other. South Korean suspect Cho Ju-bin (centre) is surrounded by reporters as he is transferred to a critical for whether Tokyo would cordoned off tables sipped drinks that has killed over 18,000 people “It’s kind of a bit scary when prosecutor’s off ice, at a police station in Seoul, yesterday. Cho, suspected of blackmailing dozens see an “overshoot” — an explosive on a veranda overlooking the Sin- globally. you come into the restaurant. of victims, including minors, into performing sex acts and selling the videos in chat rooms rise — in virus cases. Hokkaido gapore River. The World Health Organisa- You come for the experience and was handed over to the prosecution yesterday for further investigation, Yonhap news agency ended a state of emergency over “Some of the restaurants are tion’s top emergency expert yes- you see all this yellow tape every- reported. its outbreak of the coronavirus, already (having) a very poor turn- terday held up Singapore as an where..but they (customers) are which saw 163 cases. out and already closed down. We example why social distancing happy to comply,” said Guidi. Gulf Times 10 Thursday, March 26, 2020 BRITAIN/IRELAND Court denies bail to WikiLeaks founder Assange

Reuters wanted by the US on 18 crimi- had heart problems which put “As matters stand today, this in 2012 to avoid extradition to He added that the couple had dissidents and rights activists. London nal counts of conspiring to hack him at increased risk. global pandemic does not as of Sweden, where he was wanted at children, though he did not give Fitzgerald said that with Bel- government computers and vio- “The emphasis is not on fl ight itself provide grounds for As- the time to answer questions on their ages. WikiLeaks enraged marsh on lockdown, it was im- lating an espionage law. but survival,” Fitzgerald said, sange’s release,” she said. alleged sex crimes. The allega- the US government a decade ago possible for lawyers to speak to ikiLeaks founder Ju- He says he could spend dec- adding that there was no serious Assange’s past conduct tions have since been dropped. by publishing thousands of se- Assange to prepare his case for lian Assange, who is ades in prison if convicted. risk of Assange absconding. showed how far he was prepared Assange remained holed up in cret US documents. the second part of the extradi- Wfi ghting extradition His lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, He said that if Assange fell ill to go to avoid extradition pro- the embassy for seven years. Assange’s supporters see him tion hearing, due to resume on from Britain to the US, was yes- told Westminster Magistrates with the virus in prison, “the risk ceedings, she added, and there He was eventually dragged out as a champion of free speech ex- May 18. terday denied bail after his law- Court that Assange had suf- could be fatal”. But Judge Vanessa were substantial grounds to be- after Ecuador revoked his asylum. posing abuses of power and hy- But Clair Dobbin, a lawyer yers said he should be released fered from four respiratory tract Baraitser rejected the arguments, lieve that if released he would Fitzgerald told the court that pocrisy by Washington. representing the US authorities, because he was highly vulner- infections during the years he noting that Assange himself was abscond again. Assange had a partner who had The US authorities counter argued that the risk that As- able to the coronavirus. spent living in the Ecuadorean on record saying that he would She was referring to the fact lived in Britain for more than 20 that he is not wanted because he sange would once again abscond The 48-year-old, who is at embassy in London. rather commit suicide than face that Assange skipped bail and years and that if he were granted embarrassed them but rather be- to avoid extradition was so high Belmarsh Prison in London, is Fitzgerald also said Assange extradition to the US. fl ed to the Ecuadorean embassy bail he would live with her. cause he endangered informants, that it was insurmountable. Govt can be formed in two Salmond weeks: Irish PM planning to

Reuters Dublin sue Scottish cting Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar yesterday Asaid it would be possible to form a new government in the next two weeks, returning the focus to negotiations that have been sidelined by the outbreak of govt: allies coronavirus. Varadkar’s Fine Gael agreed Guardian News and Media His allies also believe promi- sessions have been signifi cantly two weeks ago to step up talks Edinburgh nent offi cials in Sturgeon’s offi ce curtailed by the crisis. with rivals Fianna Fail follow- and the Scottish National Party In the interim, the commit- ing the February 8 election, but should be fi red after text mes- tee has asked to be given copies emergency measures to fi ght the lex Salmond is expected sages and e-mails came to light of non-confi dential evidence health and economic crisis have to sue the Scottish gov- that Salmond argues raises seri- used during the trial so MSPs taken precedence as confi rmed Aernment over the alleged ous questions about their role in can study the background papers coronavirus cases rose to 1,329. role of its senior offi cials in his the case, and their handling of during the lockdown period and Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have prosecution for sexual assaults, allegations against him. spring recess next month. 37 and 35 seats respectively in his allies have disclosed. One close friend of Salmond’s Before the trial, Salmond’s the 160-seat parliament, which Sources close to the former said the former SNP leader is lawyer, Gordon Jackson QC, is sitting only intermittently, fi rst minister said he believed also very keen to give evidence presented in closed court details meaning they need the support senior fi gures inside the gov- to a Holyrood investigation into of text messages between senior of at least one smaller party or ernment and Nicola Sturgeon’s a botched Scottish government fi gures in the Scottish govern- group of independent lawmak- offi ce helped orchestrate sig- internal inquiry into complaints ment and SNP, which Salmond ers to reach a majority. nifi cant parts of the case against of misconduct brought against argues proves there was orches- “I do think it is possible to him, and that he intends to sue him by two civil servants in 2018. tration. form a government in the next for extensive damages. The special committee of in- Joanna Cherry QC, an SNP couple of weeks,” Varadkar told a Salmond is said to be particu- quiry at Holyrood was set up MP who is one of Salmond’s news conference yesterday. larly furious that details of an in- after Leslie Evans, the Scottish closest allies, said: “Some of “We’re not there yet. We con- ternal Scottish government inquiry government’s permanent secre- the evidence which has come to tinue to negotiate with Fianna into sexual assault allegations were tary, admitted in January 2019, light raises very serious ques- Fail. There are discussions hap- leaked to the Daily Record in Au- the internal investigation had the tions over the process that was pening today. We’d hope to get gust 2018, and to believe a govern- appearance of bias because the employed within the Scottish to the point where we can then ment offi cial is to blame. offi cial in charge of it had prior government to investigate the approach other parties to see Salmond’s trial has deepened contact with the complainants. alleged complaints.” whether they are willing to form the faultlines in Scottish poli- The alleged assaults against Sturgeon told reporters on part of that new government.” tics. the two civil servants were in- Monday she was ready to give Ireland’s fractured parliament Salmond was acquitted on vestigated by Police Scotland evidence after the coronavirus passed a series of emergency Monday of all 14 assault charges, detectives and included in the crisis was over.“The court has measures last week and will do including one of attempted rape charges levelled against Sal- given a verdict, a decision, and so again today. But Varadkar and another of intent to rape, by mond during his trial. that must be respected,” she said. said there was concern about majority verdicts, following an He was acquitted by the jury “I have no doubt there will be the ability to pass laws after next 11-day trial at the high court in of both those sexual assaults on further discussion around this week once elections to the upper Edinburgh. Monday. issue in due course, and I will house are completed. He was formally acquitted of Salmond won his judicial re- welcome that, but that time Ireland’s upper house of par- one sexual assault charge mid- view in January 2019 and in Au- is not now. This country faces liament cannot be fully consti- way through the trial after it was gust 2019, the Scottish govern- a crisis right now, bigger than tuted until an additional selec- withdrawn by the prosecution. ment paid out £512,000 to cover we’ve ever faced before.” tion of members are picked by a The jury later found him not the legal fees he had incurred. A close ally of Sturgeon’s dis- new prime minister. guilty of 12 of the charges and said The specially convened Holy- missed claims by Salmond’s For a new government to last a one was not proven, a verdict that rood committee, with includes supporters that the fi rst minister full term, Varadkar said, it would also acquits the accused. three former SNP ministers, is would be forced to resign due to need a stable working majority “It’s pretty clear he intends to due to start hearing witnesses the controversy. of 82 to 85, which means having sue the Scottish government for later this year after the corona- He said there were few MPs at least 10 more lawmakers will- Ireland’s Prime Minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attend a news conference at the Government damages,” said one ally.“He be- virus outbreak has subsided. or MSPs who believed that was ing to come on board. Buildings in Dublin, Ireland. lieves this came from the top.” The Scottish parliament’s justifi ed. Parents pay tribute to Deserted London Avoid microwave to girl stabbed to death boost Wi-Fi: Ofcom Reuters the most from their broadband, London home phones and mobiles — and Guardian News and Media than when she was spend- Russ Jackson said earlier this to share it with friends, families London ing time with her family and week: “I want to stress that and colleagues, to help them stay friends, she was our own little this is not an end to the crimi- eople should avoid using the connected too,” she said. social butterfl y. nal investigation; we will con- microwave at the same time Ofcom said landline or In- he family of a seven- “Emily had a passion for sider the evidence and consult Pas they are making video ternet calls could off er a more year-old girl who was the outdoors and loved to with the Crown Prosecution calls, watching HD videos or do- reliable connection than mobile Tmurdered in a “random play any sport, even when she Service and if appropriate we ing something important online calls during the day because of act of violence” in a park in was wearing her pink sparkly will be seeking criminal charg- because the ovens can slow Wi-Fi the increased traffi c on wireless Greater Manchester have paid dresses!! es.” signals, Britain’s media regulator networks. In many homes, long- tribute to her. “We are beyond devastated He commended the per- Ofcom said yesterday. forgotten landlines have been Emily Jones died after be- that this random act of violence son who ran to help after wit- The tip was included in ad- restored as people rediscover the ing stabbed in Queen’s Park in means that we will never get to nessing the stabbing.“Having vice on improving broadband value of a voice call to family and Bolton on Sunday afternoon see our beautiful little girl grow seen this horrendous attack, a performance during the corona- friends during the pandemic. in front of her parents and up into the wonderful young member of the public bravely virus pandemic, as demand on Virgin Media, Britain’s big- people out celebrating Moth- lady she was showing such chased after the woman and networks has increased as mil- gest cable TV operator, said its er’s Day. promise of becoming. detained her until police ar- lions of people work and learn customers were spending nearly A woman arrested at the “It is truly heartbreaking rived and arrested her. I would from home. twice as much time on their scene has since been detained to wake up to a world with- like to thank him for his ac- Ofcom said cordless phones, landline phones in the early under the Mental Health Act out Emily in it and we cannot tions which enabled us to baby monitors, halogen lamps, evening as they did a week ago, and remains in a secure facility. comprehend why this has hap- quickly arrest her and prevent dimmer switches, stereos and with phone call minutes up by as She did not know Emily, po- pened.” anything else from happen- computer speakers, and TVs and much as 94%. lice said. They thanked the members ing,” he said. monitors could also aff ect Wi- It said its landline network Paying tribute, her parents of the public who helped to “Several offi cers who attend- Fi signals if they are too close to also saw large growth in demand said: “Emily was seven years detain the woman following ed the park were very young in routers. in the morning as people started old, our only child and the light the attack, as well as the emer- service in the police, some with Ofcom chief executive Mela- working from home, peaking at of our lives. She was always full gency services, and asked for only weeks on independent po- nie Dawes said families across 1000GMT with around 2.5mn of joy, love and laughter. Emily privacy to grieve. lice patrol. They and all the of- the country were going online calls an hour. had such a cheeky smile and Greater Manchester police fi cers who went to the scene are together this week, often jug- Virgin Media, which is owned was beautiful inside and out. said that although the suspect incredibly upset over what has gling work and keeping children by Liberty Global, said down- She had a heart as big as her was in secure detention she happened and all of us have this Visitors carry backpacks as they walk on Westminster Pier in busy at the same time. stream data traffi c had increased smile. may yet face criminal charges. little girl and her family in our a near deserted central London yesterday. “So we’re encouraging peo- by 50% during the day, but it was “Emily was never happier Assistant chief constable thoughts.” ple to read our advice on getting still below its evening peak. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 11 INDIA BRITAIN Woman told she is ‘not priority’ dies of suspected Covid-19

Guardian News and Media and had severe chest and stom- hospital won’t take her, she is not a cause that is what they had told me when I thought; ‘What’s going on? being tested or anything.” don Ambulance Service said: “We London ach pains when he called 999 on priority. She did not stay very long to do before – and I rang 999 again This is not right,’” he said. Documents seen by the Guard- were called at 8.32am on March Friday. Documents seen by the and she went outside to write her and they told me to put my hand on Williams said the undertaker ian completed by the London Am- 20 to reports of a person unwell at Guardian confi rm paramedics report and posted it through the her chest and pump her chest.” wrapped sheeting around his bulance Service after their fi rst an address in Peckham. Our clini- 36-year-old woman died at were treating her as a suspected door.” The crews tried to revive his wife’s face, before wrapping her visit show Kayla Williams was suf- cians treated a patient and advised her fl at in south London of Covid-19 case. Williams said his wife’s condi- wife, but were not successful. body tightly and placing her in fering from “Cov 19”. them to call back if their condition Asuspected Covid-19 a day Williams said: “I called 999 be- tion deteriorated the next day. Williams, 49, said the police a body bag – all procedures re- Symptoms were listed as: “non- changed. after calling 999 and being told to cause my wife was breathless, she He ran her a bath in the morning later visited his home, but would quired in an infectious disease productive cough … headache … “We were called the following look after herself at home. was vomiting and she had pains and helped her to get dressed, be- not enter his fl at. “They stood on death. chest pains all over”. The advice day at 3.24pm and sent a number Kayla Williams, a mother-of- in her stomach. As I was talking fore feeding her some soup. the doorstep and would not come “I have heard nothing since,” given was “self-care, use anti-py- of resources with our fi rst medics three, died on March 21, a day af- to them she was getting worse and After taking a short rest him- in when I asked them to,” he said. he said. “They have left me here retics, increase food/fl uid.”. arriving in under seven minutes. ter paramedics were called to her they told me to put her on the fl oor self, he went into the front room They were followed an hour lat- and said I must isolate. They Fabian Williams was advised to Sadly, the patient had died. Our home in Peckham. and to make her body fl at.” where she had been resting to fi nd er by a funeral director. “They put haven’t told me anything else. I use “999 for emergency, use 111 sympathy is with the family at this Her husband, Fabian Williams, When the paramedic arrived at his wife slumped head down. “She on full forensic suits outside, with am a diabetic. I take insulin. All I online for advice. Family also ad- time. We are working incredibly a refuse collector, said his wife was 8.32am she carried out some tests, was already dead,” he said. full masks, visors and gloves. They know is I am supposed to isolate. vised to isolate”. hard in these unprecedented times suff ering from a cough, high fever Williams said. “She told me the “I put her on the ground – be- covered their feet as well. This is No one has mentioned her body A spokesperson for the Lon- to look after Londoners.” Shortage of protective kit heightens risk for doctors

Guardian News and Media A spokesperson said: “Our pri- London ority is to make sure nursing staff in frontline care have the masks and equipment they need but the massive NHS recruitment government and NHS must be drive to help contain the able to off er reasonable protection Acoronavirus pandemic risks and assurances to those who lend a being undermined by the prospect hand in these times. of doctors quitting over fears of “Nursing staff should never be inadequate protective equipment, forced to choose between their groups representing frontline staff safety and their livelihood — this say. equipment must desperately reach The Health Secretary, Matt the frontline.” Hancock, said on Tuesday that One doctor messaged Parmar 11,788 retired NHS staff had agreed on Tuesday to say: “I’ve got an to come back to work to help tackle immuno-compromised husband. the crisis – and announced the Without PPE I put him at risk eve- creation of a new 250,000-strong ry single day. If this is not sorted corps of “NHS Volunteer Re- soon then I’m off .” sponders”, who would be asked to Amid growing reports of NHS take essential supplies to the most staff ending up in intensive care Nurses line up for donated lunches in London, Britain, yesterday. vulnerable people being “shield- after falling ill with Covid-19, ed” at home. Parmar disclosed testimonies he But as the crisis reaches what is had received in the last 24 hours expected to be its most dangerous from other doctors anxious about period, doctors’ and nurses’ groups the shortages of protective equip- say their members are being ex- ment. pected to take unacceptable risks. One said: “Without adequate Dr Rinesh Parmar, chair of the PPE our workforce will be deci- Doctors’ Association UK, which mated. Who will then be left to Prince Charles tests represents grassroots medics, told look after patients?” Another said: the Guardian: “The longer this “I feel totally abandoned. We don’t epidemic goes on for, if doctors have the protective equipment feel that there is a widespread lack that we desperately need and our of personal protective equipment children are being treated like or- (PPE), then some doctors may feel phans and sent off to care camps.” they have no choice but to give up NHS England and the govern- positive for coronavirus the profession they love, because ment have made a major eff ort they feel so abandoned by not be- since the weekend to address con- AFP 72, tested negative, Clarence to self-isolate for seven days. after the investiture on the morn- Charles and Camilla, who ing given the PPE that the World cerns about protective gear. London House said in a statement. Clarence House said doctors ing of March 12, and is following married in 2005, were tested de- Health Organisation recommends. The army has been called in to The disclosure about the fu- believe Charles became conta- all the appropriate advice with re- spite concern that tests were not “That’s the travesty of this situ- help deliver millions of pieces of ture king, whose age puts him gious on March 13 — a day after gards to her welfare.” routinely available for members ation, that the government needs PPE since the weekend and 200 rince Charles, the eldest in the most-risk category for last meeting his mother. She would not say whether the of the public with symptoms, and to protect frontline health workers diff erent hospitals are received ex- son and heir to Queen Eliz- the disease, came as Britain said The 93-year-old Queen has Queen had been tested for coro- health and social care workers. and in return they will give 100%. tra kit overnight on Tuesday. Pabeth II, is showing mild there were more than 8,000 cas- been staying with her 98-year- navirus “It is not possible to ascertain But the government hasn’t kept its Hancock promised to “strain symptoms of the new coronavi- es of Covid-19 and 422 deaths. old husband Prince Philip at The duke was not with the from whom the prince caught the side of the bargain with NHS staff every sinew” to ensure NHS staff rus and is self-isolating in Scot- The government on Monday Windsor Castle, 820kms south Queen at Buckingham Palace virus owing to the high number by not having enough PPE availa- had the equipment they needed. land, his offi ce said yesterday, ordered a three-week lockdown of Balmoral, since March 19. when she last met Charles, the of engagements he carried out ble to safeguard the health of doc- He acknowledged the problem, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the country to cut close-con- Given their age — and Prince domestic Press Association news in his public role during recent tors and nurses,” he said. saying many staff were asking praised the country’s response to tact transmission, to slow the Philip’s stay in hospital at Christ- agency added. weeks,” his offi ce said. The Royal College of Nurs- about it – and said more than 7mn tackling the outbreak. rate of infection and reduce the mas — the prince’s diagnosis Charles has been in touch with Since the outbreak, he has ing, which represents Britain’s pieces of PPE had been shipped The 71-year-old Prince of burden on healthcare services. prompted questions about their his eldest son, second-in-line to made a point of not shaking 400,000 nurses, also signalled in the past 24 hours, and that a Wales is staying on his mother’s Government advice is for the potential exposure to the virus. the throne Prince William, who is hands and has adopted the “na- its deep unease with the serious helpline had been set up, which sprawling Balmoral estate in elderly and most vulnerable, in- But a Buckingham Palace in Norfolk, eastern England, with maste” greeting. All those he shortages of PPE and said the is- healthcare workers could contact Scotland, but “otherwise re- cluding those with underlying spokeswoman said: “the Queen his wife and their children, and came into recent contact with sue could compel nurses to choose if they were missing masks or oth- mains in good health”. His wife, health issues, to stay at home, remains in good health. The Queen youngest son Prince Harry, who have been informed, royal sourc- between their jobs and their safety. er necessary equipment. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and anyone displaying symptoms last saw the Prince of Wales briefl y is in Canada. es said.

Half of Brits may already be infected: study

As much as half the British acceptance of the Imperial Aid for self-employed population might already have model,” professor Gupta told been infected with a mild dose the Financial Times. of coronavirus, according to a The Imperial study has led to controversial study. the government imposing the If true, many more people are extraordinary shutdown on the to be detailed today resistant to the disease than the basis that, without such rules, government’s experts believe the disease could claim up to – and the impact may be less 250,000 lives. Reuters compared with roughly 28mn ask the self-employed to declare than feared. Before taking this decision London employees — and some have said their average income over the past The new model from Oxford ministers had hoped that a they have had no choice to keep three years, and how much their University suggests the virus build-up of ‘herd immunity’ working, despite government ad- earnings had fallen. was circulating in the UK by – where swathes of people inance Minister Rishi Sunak vice to stay at home. Tax authorities could later mid-January, around two weeks become resistant to the virus will say today how he will Sunak said on Tuesday the gov- check for fraud. before the first reported case – could play a bigger role in Fhelp self-employed workers ernment was working on meas- The Resolution Foundation and a month before the first defeating it. who risk losing income during a ures to help self-employed peo- said a lower cap might be more reported death. Professor Gupta’s research near shutdown of the economy by ple, many of whom have lost their appropriate for the self-employed The means it could have had suggests that there is the government as it tries to slow income due to the outbreak, but who on average earn less. enough time to have spread more herd immunity in the the spread of the coronavirus. that there were issues with the “This would also reduce the in- widely, with many Britons population than had been Sunak last week took the his- practicality and fairness of doing centive for self-employed people acquiring immunity. suspected. toric step of announcing the gov- so. to discontinue economic activity Sunetra Gupta, a professor of Both models suggest that the ernment would pay 80% of the But he said providing extra that could be continued with,” the theoretical epidemiology who outbreak will run for around salaries of employed people — support for the self-employed is think tank said. led the study, said testing was two to three months but the capped at £2,500 a month — for proving ‘problematic’ and time- Based on the average earnings needed to assess the theory. professor’s model is suggesting at least three months in a bid to consuming. of self-employed workers in Brit- “We need immediately to begin the impact will be less grave reduce an expected jump in un- He said the self-employed sec- ain, this would cost £3.6bn for large-scale serological surveys than expected. employment. tor “contains such a variety of three months if a million people – antibody testing – to assess She said she still thought it A spokesman for Johnson said diff erent people that we don’t claimed it, it estimated. what stage of the epidemic we was important to carry out Sunak would set out details of a have the ability to target support”. Employees whose hours are cut are in now,” she said. measures such as physical support package for the self-em- “That’s the challenge we have should also be covered, as should The Oxford university research distancing and quarantining ployed today. in designing something that gets staff who are sacked after their off ers a contrasting view on to reduce the impact of the Prime Minister Johnson also to the people that we wanted to employers refuse to participate in the disease to the study that is disease on the NHS. said the government would lift help whilst at the same time being the government scheme. informing government policy. The idea that a large proportion nationwide lockdown measures aff ordable, not having to benefi t Sunak said it was “almost cer- It was carried out by experts at of the population has been at the earliest opportunity, when absolutely everybody,” he said in tainly the case” that the govern- Imperial College London. exposed to coronavirus is it knew it was safe to do so. the House of Commons. ment would “have to build anoth- “I am surprised that there contradicted by evidence from There are around 5mn self- The Resolution Foundation er brand new system to provide has been such unqualified other countries. employed people in Britain — said the best approach would be to support” for the self-employed. Rishi Sunak: support package Gulf Times 12 Thursday, March 26, 2020 EUROPE

Summer heat unlikely Spain’s coronavirus death to halt virus, EU health toll overtakes China’s body says Reuters 683 die in Italy, pushing Madrid death toll to 7,503 By Francesco Guarascio, Reuters The death toll from an outbreak of Brussels pain’s coronavirus death toll coronavirus in Italy has grown by 683 jumped by 738 overnight to ex- to 7,503, the Civil Protection Agency Sceed that of China, where the said yesterday, a decline in the daily ummer heat is unlikely to stop the disease originated, as the country tally of fatalities following a spike the spread of the coronavirus, and struggled to cope with an accelerating day before. Severy country in Europe is fore- health crisis and another senior gov- On Tuesday, 743 people had died. cast to run out of intensive care beds by ernment minister was diagnosed with That followed 602 deaths on Mon- mid-April unless it acts fast, the Euro- the virus. day, 650 on Sunday and a record of pean Union’s disease control agency said With 3,434 fatalities, Spain now has 793 on Saturday — the highest daily yesterday. the second highest number of deaths figure since the contagion came to The European Centre for Disease globally after Italy’s 7,503. light on February 21. Control (ECDC) cited research which Nursing homes across the coun- The total number of confirmed it said suggests that the virus does not try have been overwhelmed by cases cases in Italy rose to 74,386 from a become less dangerous in hot and hu- and a skating rink in Madrid has been previous 69,176, the Civil Protection mid conditions, reducing hope that the turned into a makeshift morgue. Agency said. northern hemisphere could get a respite Police stood guard yesterday out- The head of the agency, Angelo side the rink, normally a popular ven- Borrelli, was not present at the cus- when the summer arrives. ue for children’s birthday parties, as tomary news conference to illustrate “There is no evidence to date that hearses arrived at the building. the data because he came down with SARS-CoV-2 will display a marked win- The government said Deputy Prime a fever yesterday and was himself ter seasonality, such as other human Minister Carmen Calvo had tested being tested for coronavirus. coronaviruses in the northern hemi- positive for coronavirus — the third Of those originally infected sphere,” the ECDC said in a report, using cabinet member to be infected — but nationwide, 9,362 had fully recovered the name for the novel virus that causes was doing well. yesterday compared to 8,326 the day the Covid-19 disease. Broad avenues in Madrid and Bar- before. The document cited preliminary anal- celona were virtually deserted, as were There were 3,489 people in inten- yses from the outbreak in China which towns and villages across Spain, while sive care against a previous 3,396. found the virus was able to maintain high fi re engines and tractors sprayed dis- A Spanish soldier stands next to beds set up at a temporary hospital for vulnerable people at the Fira Barcelona Montjuic The hardest-hit northern region of levels of reproduction in tropical places infectant to clean streets. centre in Barcelona. Lombardy reported a sharp fall in the with high humidity, such as Guangxi and Authorities began to carry out mass number of deaths compared with the Singapore. testing for public workers in a requi- tilators to be delivered over the next tionwide lockdown which is likely to the virus, encompassing workers who day before, but remained in a critical That “emphasises the importance of sitioned fairground in Madrid, one of eight weeks, with the fi rst large batch be extended to 30 days. Schools, bars, are either infected or in preventive situation, with a total of 4,474 deaths implementing intervention measures the worst-hit regions. expected this week, Health Minister restaurants and most shops are shut- isolation. The number does not in- and 32,346 cases. such as isolation of infected individuals, Spanish medical staff , who them- Salvador Illa said. tered. Social gatherings are banned. clude retirees. That compared with 4,178 deaths workplace distancing, and school clo- selves account for thousands of in- In an example of how companies are People are confi ned to their homes. Aside from the devastating health im- and 30,703 cases reported up to sures,” the agency said. fected cases, have taken out lawsuits changing assembly lines to produce “We have achieved a near total re- pact, the lockdown has dealt a punishing Tuesday. Healthcare systems in Europe face a against the government, complaining medical products, a shoe factory in duction in social contact,” health blow to the Spanish economy, with tens high risk of being saturated, the report of the lack of basic protective equip- northern Spain has switched to making emergency chief Fernando Simon told of thousands of workers temporarily said. ment like masks, scrubs and gloves. simple protective masks — fi rst for its a news conference, adding that Spain laid off as sectors like retail, tourism and tourist region, thousands of travellers Its model forecast that existing ca- The Spanish army has asked Nato own personnel and then for distribution. was nearing the peak of the epidemic. manufacturing grind to a halt. waited for fl ights home, many sleep- pacity for intensive care beds would be for ventilators, protective gear and “Now we are working hard to... The number of coronavirus cases One of Spain’s biggest employers, El ing on seats or on the fl oor. testing kits, Armed Forces Chief make something a little more sophis- increased yesterday by a fi fth over- Corte Ingles, said it would temporarily The Bank of Spain said yesterday exceeded in all European countries by Miguel Villarroya said yesterday. ticated for it to reach medical use,” night to 47,610. lay off 22,000 workers at its depart- that there had been severe disruption mid April, unless steps were taken such The government had ordered Basilio Garcia, chief executive of the The total number could be much ment stores. on the economy since early March as boosting capacity and reducing the 432mn euros ($467mn) worth of Callaghan shoe factory, told Reuters. higher as the government reported At Malaga airport in southern and a sharp contraction in consumer spread of the disease. masks, gloves, testing kits and ven- Spain is on Day 11 of a 15-day na- 130,000 sick leaves associated with Spain, a gateway to the Costa del Sol spending. The ECDC revised up its assessment of the risk posed by the virus to the eld- erly and those with chronic diseases in Europe to “very high” from “high”. German lawmakers okay $1.2tn rescue package It maintained its assessment that the Germany’s parliament yester- parliament president Wolfgang Putin postpones vote on charter changes rest of the public faces a “moderate” day voted through a package Schaeuble urged MPs between danger from the virus. of measures worth almost 1.1tn votes as they moved around the Overall risks for countries are “mod- euros ($1.2tn) to shield Europe’s historic Berlin chamber. erate” if they take mitigation measures, largest economy from the impact The new borrowing blasts Reuters economy is under threat,” Putin said in a He declared next week would be a such school closures, but “very high” in of the coronavirus pandemic. through a financial-crisis-era con- Moscow televised address to the nation. non-working week for many Russians absence of such measures, said the re- Scattered sparsely throughout stitutional rule drastically limiting “The absolute priority for us is the and urged people to stay at home. port, which covers the 27 EU countries, the chamber to limit the possibility budget deficits. health, life and safety of people. There- He also spoke of the need to give tax plus Britain, Norway, Iceland and Liech- of infection, MPs agreed 156bn eu- Berlin will create an “economic ussian President Vladimir Pu- fore I believe that the vote should be breaks to small and medium-sized busi- tenstein. ros of new borrowing, backing up stabilisation fund” off ering 400bn tin yesterday postponed a na- postponed until a later date.” nesses and to allow consumers to delay Authorities should provide protec- a broadside of support to business euros in guarantees for com- Rtionwide vote on constitutional Putin, who has dominated the Rus- paying back loans. tive gear and set up proper procedures and the health system as well as panies’ debts, 100bn euros for changes that would allow him to extend sian political landscape as president or Billboards urging Russians to take to protect healthcare workers, who are hundreds of billions in guarantees lending to or taking stakes in firms his rule, saying the health and safety of prime minister for two decades, spoke part in the nationwide vote on consti- increasingly exposed to the virus, and for bank loans to firms. and 100bn euros in support for citizens was his top priority as the global on the day that Russia recorded its big- tutional changes have already gone up in could further spread the disease to other Germany’s unprecedented state-owned investment bank KfW. coronavirus pandemic worsens. gest one day rise in cases, though at 658, many Russian towns and cities. patients. If Putin, as critics expect, opts to support package began racing With its firepower tanked up The changes, already approved by the offi cial tally remains much lower The ECDC said that in China up to parliament and Russia’s Constitutional than in many European countries. run again for president in 2024, the through the legislative process by 357bn euros, KfW will in future 10% of total reported infections were Court, would reset Putin’s presidential The mayor of Moscow told Putin on new rules would allow the 67-year-old the same day Republican and be able to guarantee some 822bn among medics and nurses, far above the Democratic leaders in the United euros in lending. term tally to zero, allowing him to serve Tuesday however that the real scale of former KGB offi cer to stay in power un- nearly 4% rate that has been reported so States Senate announced a deal The federal government will of- two more back-to-back six year terms the problem in the Russian capital far til 2036, though the Kremlin points out far in other studies. on a never-before-seen $2tn relief fer smaller firms up to 50bn euros until 2036. exceeded offi cial fi gures, and Reuters re- that he has not spoken of his own plans programme for the world’s top of handouts. His postponement followed calls ported earlier this month that a reported after 2024. In Italy and Spain, the two EU coun- economy. Yesterday’s package also in- from critics to delay the vote, which had sharp increase in pneumonia cases in Putin did not propose a new date for tries most aff ected so far by the epi- The package will now go to cluded 3.5bn euros of immediate been planned for April 22. Moscow was fuelling fears about the ac- the vote, saying only that he and oth- demic, the rate is respectively at 9% and Germany’s second house repre- support for supplying the health One opposition activist, Andrei Pivo- curacy of offi cial data. ers would listen to medical advice and around 13%. senting the federal states, with system with needed protective varov, likened the idea to proceed amid Putin, in the same address, un- evaluate the situation to decide when The ECDC also cited scientifi c re- passage almost certain as state equipment and for developing coronavirus to “holding a party during veiled new measures designed to slow the time for a new vote was right. search saying the virus can survive up leaders have unanimously voiced a vaccine and other treatments, the plague”. the spread of the virus and to help the Putin’s critics have likened the pro- to three hours in the air, up to four hours their support. as well as 55bn euros that can be “We see how severely the coronavi- economy, which has already been hit by posed changes to a constitutional coup on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, “Please keep in mind the freely deployed as needed to fight rus epidemic is developing in the world. prolonged uncertainty over coronavi- that they say is illegal and would allow and up to 2-3 days on plastic and stain- rules on keeping your distance!” the pandemic. In many countries the number of cases rus and tumbling oil prices, sending the him to remain in power long after he less steel, although with signifi cantly is continuing to grow, the whole world rouble to four-year lows. should have stepped down. decreased power. As virus leaves borders shut, farmers sound alarm

By Tobias Schwarz and During a normal season, Syring’s hands. Some had been fl ying workers Marion Payet, AFP farm employs about 60 workers from EU urged to keep open market to ensure food supplies in on chartered fl ights to dodge closed Beelitz (Mark) OT Klaistow, Germany Romania, Poland and Bulgaria. land borders, while others tried off ering This year, only 10 have arrived. By Philip Blenkinsop, Reuters They often come in teams,” said Pesonen, fertilisers and seeds, for instance pota- better deals to entice workers. “At the moment, it is cold again, it Brussels after addressing EU agriculture ministers toes? We are supposed to be planting Emese Molnar, who runs a Romanian hether it’s served with butter, will slow down the growth of the as- in a video conference yesterday. for the next year’s crop. This process has company that sends seasonal workers drowned in hollandaise sauce paragus. But in a week, at the latest, the Pesonen said the farming community to start in the coming weeks,” he said, to countries including Germany and Wor topped with a fried egg, asparagus will come out of the ground The European Union needs to keep its understood public health concerns, but insisting farmers also needed access to the Netherlands, said some farms were nothing says spring in Germany like and continue to grow,” he warns at his single market open despite the corona- encouraged EU governments to agree a fertilisers or machinery parts. off ering “double salaries, as well as very asparagus. But this year, the cherished farm, where rows upon rows of aspara- virus epidemic if it wants to guarantee coordinated approach towards tempo- Copa Cogeca has made an assessment good conditions on accommodation vegetable may be a rare sight on dining gus are waiting beneath sheets of white food supplies for its consumers, Europe’s rary workers. of various farming sectors and conclud- and catering”. tables as many of the foreign seasonal plastic to keep the soil warm. leading farm association told EU coun- “If we can demonstrate that we can ed the closure of cafes and restaurants But beyond border barriers, some workers who would usually harvest the Juergen Jakob of Beelitzer Spargel, tries yesterday. minimise the risk, we hope we would be had change food consumption. were simply worried about travelling. crop are unable to enter the country an association for asparagus farmers Measures to restrict the virus have given an opportunity to maintain the Consumer demand had increased for Responding to the yesterday’s entry because of travel restrictions imposed in Beelitz, says only half of the 5,000 blocked borders between EU member function of the food chain. At the end of wheat products such as flour, bread and ban, Joachim Rukwied, president of over the coronavirus. seasonal workers required in the region states and risk preventing the arrival of the day, we need to eat,” he told Reuters. pasta — as witnessed by empty shelves in the German Farmers’ Association, said: “The situation is very tense for us have made it to Germany. seasonal workers. France has appealed The industry’s insistence on the single some supermarkets — leading to diff icul- “This entry ban must be kept as short farmers,” says Thomas Syring, who According to German agriculture to people laid off by the crisis to form a market also extends to goods. ties in supplying mills, such as in France. as possible. Our farms are prepared to runs a farm in Beelitz, a town in the minister Julia Kloeckner, Europe’s big- “shadow army” of fruit pickers, an idea The European Commission urged EU Conversely, demand for higher value implement and enforce all measures to state of Brandenburg known for its gest economy requires “30,000 sea- also being assessed in Germany. countries this week to ensure freight cuts of meat or seasonal products such prevent infection.” white asparagus. sonal workers in March alone, with the Pekka Pesonen, secretary-general of vehicles can cross from one country to as lamb had fallen, with increased home For Jakob in Beelitz, time might al- Syring is just one of hundreds of number rising to 85,000 in May”. European farmers and agri-cooperatives another within 15 minutes. consumption of lower value minced ready be running out. farmers faced with the threat that his The government has announced group Copa Cogeca, expressed doubt Pesonen said that for some farming meat or forequarters. “If we lose the “We are now very close to the as- crops may be left rotting in the fi elds measures to ease red tape around the such people would want or be able to produce there were stocks for the next restaurants, most probably we will lose paragus harvest, but if we do not have because of a serious shortage of workers. hiring of new workers in the sector, and replace hundreds of thousands of largely two or more weeks, such as potatoes a huge value from the market, Pesonen enough harvest workers, we will not Yesterday, his problem grew bigger as to allow workers that are available to central and eastern European workers. picked last year. said, adding he had proposed revising EU be able to harvest the whole crop,” he Germany announced a complete ban on work for longer. “Some of these people are specialised... “But what if we don’t have access to imports of beef. warns. seasonal workers entering until further In an interview with Bayerischer Bringing in workers from other sec- notice as part of measures to slow the Rundfunk, Kloeckner also said she tors won’t solve the problem because of spread of Covid-19. would like to see asylum seekers em- tor had attracted 16,000 applications by etable farms. Likewise in Switzerland, for people laid off during the lockdown the time it takes to train them, he says. Around 300,000 seasonal workers ployed as seasonal workers, though this Tuesday evening, Kloeckner said. fears are growing that only a fraction of to head to the fi elds and help with the “Perhaps they will have learned how come to Germany each year, mainly would require a change in the law. A similar portal has been launched the 33,000 seasonal workers required an- harvest. to do it by the end of the asparagus from Poland and Romania, to help with A jobs portal launched on Monday for in Austria, which is facing a manpower nually will be available this year. But the farmers say new workers are season, but that doesn’t help us very fruit and vegetable harvests. those seeking work in the farming sec- shortage of 5,000 to help in fruit and veg- France has meanwhile issued a call no substitute for experienced farm- much.” Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 13 INDIA Pandemic puts a damper on wedding celebrations

Reuters Weddings take on outsize im- has put a damper on the cel- Development worker Kumar his parents to cut back on the Karnataka state government On the same day in Chen- New Delhi portance in India, where families ebrations. and his fi ancée, 25-year-old number of guests. on March 13. nai, over 2,000 guests were ex- spend huge sums on elaborate As authorities have tight- policewoman Soni Kumari, are With postal services across “We had a lot of relatives who pected, but only a little over 400 multi-day ceremonies, often in- ened restrictions across the both children of farmers in Bihar India severely disrupted, he is were already on their way, by turned up. arlier this month, 27-year- volving thousands of guests. country in an attempt to con- who have so far spent a com- yet to receive a reply. trains from other states,” he said. Workers off ered hand sanitis- old Rohit Kumar took an A 2017 report by consult- trol the spread, couples plan- bined Rs200,000 on the cer- Weddings across India in re- “We told some of them to er to guests at the entrance, and Ealmost-unthinkable step ant KPMG estimated the Indian ning to wed have been faced emonies, he said. cent weeks have been an unusu- turn back without giving them a caterers and those serving food for many Indians – he asked his wedding market at more than with three options – postpone, “This money means a lot to ally muted aff air, with swathes of chance.” all wore masks. parents to scale back his May 1 $50bn per year, second only downsize or attempt to carry us...(but) I think they should un- empty seats and leftover food. At a wedding in New Delhi “Ultimately, we were happy wedding. behind the United States and on as normal. derstand the seriousness of this,” Mahesh Pakala, a 28-year- on Sunday, the groom’s brother that most of our closest friends Despite the growing spread of growing rapidly. After Tuesday’s move by he said. old financial analyst, said his Mohamed Ahmed said only a and family made it,” said S Var- coronavirus across the country But in recent weeks, the Modi, ordering people not to “A thousand people will come wedding in the software hub quarter of the thousand ex- sha, the bride’s sister who had – and a nationwide three-week rapid spread of the coronavi- leave their homes, there may be if it happens the traditional way.” of Bengaluru was impacted pected guests turned up due to a to repeatedly ask guests not to lockdown imposed by Prime Min- rus that has already infected only one option for those set to In desperation, Kumar even by the sudden restrictions travel restrictions. shake hands with the couple. ister Narendra Modi late on Tues- more than 550 in the densely wed within the next three weeks wrote a letter to Modi, asking on public gatherings of more “A lot of food got wasted,” “A few empty chairs did not day – they have so far refused. populated country of 1.3bn, – postpone. the prime minister to persuade than 100 put in place by the Ahmed said. bring down our spirits.” Scramble for supplies as coronavirus curbs bite

Agencies tions, police are telling us to who stay in other bordering People stand on designated areas to maintain social distancing as they queue outside a grocery store during the first day of a 21-day New Delhi close down the shop,” said states are not able to come here. government-imposed nationwide lockdown in Faridabad in Haryana yesterday. Ram Agarwal, a grocer in Delhi Transport is limited,” he said. swamped by people looking to Brandishing a mask he had nxious Indians raced for buy dry food supplies and milk. bought with his own money, he essentials yesterday as Some said they had been har- said he now feared that he could Aan unprecedented 21- assed by police when they went get ill. Retail stores enforce social day lockdown across the nation to buy medicine. “There are many like me. of 1.3bn people all but emptied Under the order, announced Won’t we get the virus? We don’t normally traffi c-choked roads. by Prime Minister Narendra have protective gear,” he said. Many shelves in the megaci- Modi on Tuesday, people could From the normally bustling ties of New Delhi and Mumbai face up to two years in jail and an restaurant area of Mumbai to distancing for customers were stripped bare of staples like unspecifi ed fi nancial penalty if the western city of Ahmedabad, lentils and rice as the world’s they fl out the rules. streets normally thronged with second most populous country India’s tally of 536 cases and 10 smoke-belching traffi c were al- lurched into a shutdown aimed deaths is dwarfed by China, Italy most silent. IANS outside the stores have been modities required for the deliv- continuity of supply chain for at slowing the spread of the new and Spain, but Modi and health Birdsong could be heard in New Delhi asked to maintain a minimum ery of essential services, which essential commodities, several coronavirus. experts have warned the nation many neighbourhoods, replac- distance of 1m. have been exempted under the of which may be of a perishable “It’s getting increasingly diffi - faces a tidal a wave of infections ing the klaxons of buses and the They are given token numbers various prohibitory orders,” the nature.” cult to source produce,” Mumbai if harsh steps are not taken. endless beeping of auto-rick- etail stores across India and have to wait for their turn ministry said in a statement. The ministry said a Standard vegetable seller Rafi q Ansari, 35, As panic buying began to grip shaws that usually crowd some implemented strict social and are not allowed in if they do In order to ensure that these Operating Protocol (SOP) be put said. the country in the hours after of the most densely packed plac- Rdistancing yesterday, the not wear facemasks. provisions are seamlessly availa- in place for unhindered opera- “We are going to face major his televised speech, Modi took es on Earth. fi rst day of the 21-day lockdown. Security guards at a Reliance ble, the states have been asked to tion of essential services and es- shortages in the days ahead. And to Twitter to try to calm fears of Even outside the cities the However, the biggest relief Store in Nangloi refused to let a set up a round-the-clock control tablishments and commodities, at the same time prices are also shortages. lockdown was biting, with vil- was for those who went panic man enter as he was not wearing room or offi ce with helplines to including appointment of nodal going up - tomatoes have more “Essential commodities, med- lagers in some rural areas erect- buying after the lockdown was a mask. address any grievance or undue offi cers at inter-state borders, than doubled in price,” he said. icines etc would be available. ing bamaboo barricades to pre- announced – big retail stores like The man called the police but problems faced by the providers issue of vehicle passes and e- In the polluted capital New Centre and various state govern- vent anyone coming or going. Reliance Store, Big Bazaar and they also didn’t allow him to en- of goods and services including passes. Delhi, some buses still operated ments will work in close co-ordi- “The need of the hour is an More have enough quantities of ter the store. during inter-state movement. It said the state helpline fa- – with drivers only allowing the nation to ensure this,” he said. economic package,” said Mad- essential goods. Big Bazaar has even started A nodal offi cer in a state may cility must ensure adequate holders of government passes But yesterday, shopkeepers hura Swaminathan, head of the But there was shortage of home delivery of goods. be appointed to co-ordinate protection to essential service to board – but police and para- were fretting about keeping their economic analysis unit of the goods in local shops. However, the store is facing with the district administration providers, government or public militaries were stopping private stores open, complaining that Indian Statistical Institute in The Delhi government yester- some problems as the delivery and police in this matter, said the sector employees and healthcare vehicles. suppliers were being barred from Bengaluru. day asserted there will no short- staff is being stopped by the po- statement. workers engaged in providing At one checkpoint near the entering the cities. “Asking people to stay at home age of goods in any shop in the lice. “This is necessary to ensure essential services. India Gate monument, masked “I am getting milk, eggs and is necessary, but that won’t be national capital. Meanwhile, the federal Home offi cers turned away some gov- bread. But let’s say on average, I enough for the majority of the Besides, the big retail stores Ministry has asked all states not Census 2021, NPR exercise postponed ernment offi cials in chauff eur- get 100 packets of bread, today population who cannot aff ord have also not increased prices to stop transportation of essen- driven cars. I’ve only got 20,” one Delhi shop- to sit at home without work and unlike the local shopkeepers. tial goods and services. The government yesterday in two phases. Phase I related “Outrageous,” one offi cial was keeper who identifi ed himself as pay.” Reliance Fresh was off ering The ministry also asked offi - postponed the first phase of to house listing and was to heard to shout through his car Pradeep said. But there was support for discounts yesterday as it has cials to enforce social distancing. Census 2021 and the National be taken up during April- window. “I’m giving it to people as and Modi’s move, which brings India been doing in the past. “While it is imperative to suc- Population Register (NPR). The September this year while In Ghaziabad, outside Delhi, when they come. I’m not sure into line with much of Europe, However, the entry to these cessfully implement the lock- exercise set to begin on April 1 Phase II was for population many people said they were how long the existing stock is and large parts of the United stores now is not as easy as it was down, it is also necessary to en- this year has been “postponed enumeration from February 9 scared by the new measures, going to last,” he said. States. earlier. sure the unhindered operation until further orders”, the off ice to 28 next year. The updating and complained the rules of the Street cleaner Ajay said he and A lockdown is “the only Only fi ve customers are al- of manufacturing, processing, of the Registrar General and of NPR was also proposed to lockdown were not clear – a his colleagues had been told to way the disease spread can be lowed in at a time as they have transportation, distribution, Census Commissioner said in be done along with the Phase situation not helped by newspa- come to work every day. checked,” Dhirendra Kumar, a been asked to follow social dis- storage, trade and commerce and a statement. The census was I of the census in all states and pers not being delivered in many “But there is a shortage of retired lawyer in Lucknow said. tancing strictly. logistics related to all services scheduled to be conducted union territories, except Assam. places. staff . We live close by and we “We had better support this Customers standing in queues and establishments and com- “There are no clear instruc- have our own vehicles. But those lockdown.” Covid-19 cases reach 606, Well-known chef Cardoz death toll goes up to 10 dies in US due to Covid-19 IANS Masters and the author of two New York books, One Spice, Two Spice IANS vate labs will have to follow ICMR home soon, offi cials said. and Flavorwalla. New Delhi norms while testing for Covid-19. Madhya Pradesh also reported Cardoz, who collaborated Besides private labs, there are fi ve new cases taking the total ndia-born in- with restaurateur Danny Mey- 119 government laboratories ap- number up to 14. ternational er, won recognition in New proved by the ICMR, of which Deaths have been reported from Ichef Floyd York as the executive chef and here are at least 606 con- 104 are operational for testing Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Cardoz (pictured) later co-owner of the restau- fi rmed coronavirus cases Covid-19 and 15 are in the proc- Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, died in the US due rant, Tabla, which received Tin India as of yesterday, ess of being functional. Punjab and West Bengal. to Covid-19, ac- rave reviews from several pub- the Ministry of Health and Fam- Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Min- Meanwhile, all primary and cording to AVS TV. lications. ily Welfare Ministry said. ister Arvind Kejriwal said fi ve secondary contacts of home quar- His family confi rmed that After the restaurant closed Of this, 553 are active cases, 42 new cases of coronavirus infec- antined people in Karnataka will Cardoz died in a New York hos- in 2010, he was involved in patients have recovered and been tion had been reported in the na- be stamped to avert community pital yesterday, the New Jersey- three New York start-ups, discharged from hospital and 10 tional capital in the last 24 hours, transmission, a top offi cial said. based TV network reported. North End Grill, White Street have died. The active cases in- taking the total to 35. “To check the coronavirus Cardoz is the co-owner of and Paowalla. According to clude 563 Indian nationals and 43 Tamil Nadu also reported fi ve pandemic from reaching the Hunger Inc, which runs three Harper Collins, which pub- foreigners, the ministry said. new positive cases yesterday, tak- community transmission stage, restaurants in Mumbai – lished One Spice, Two Spice, Addressing a press confer- ing the total number of such pa- the government has decided to Mumbai Canteen, O’Pedro and Cardoz was born in Mumbai ence, Health Secreatry Lav tients in the southern state to 23. stamp all primary and second- Mumbai Sweet Shop. and raised there and in Goa. Agarwal said: “There are 29 With three new positive cases ary contacts of those already AVS TV said that Hunger He studied biochemistry private laboratory chains, ac- in Gujarat, the total count of stamped and under isolation,” Inc had issued a statement that but switched to culinary arts, credited by the Indian Council of Covid-19 patients in the state Bengaluru Municipal Commis- Cardoz had tested positive for attending culinary schools in Medical Research for conduct- has surged to 38. sioner B H Anil Kumar tweeted. Covid-19 in New York and asked India and Switzerland before ing tests for novel coronavirus. In Maharashtra, fi ve more Kumar said all the primary those who had come into contact moving to New York City. These labs have 16,000 collec- positive cases were detected and secondary contacts will also with him to take precautions. He worked in Gray tion centres across the country, overnight taking the total to 116. be home quarantined. He shared He was the moving force Kunz’s legendary kitchen at where at least 12,000 tests can On the brighter side, 14 coro- a link listing all the home quar- behind several restaurants in Lespinasse, becoming chef de be conducted per day.” navirus positive patients had antined people across the state, A man carrying vegetables is stopped by police at a barricade on a road New York and Mumbai, the cuisine there before teaming Agarwal also said that the pri- been cured and would be sent without giving their names. in Chennai yesterday. star of the TV show Top Chef up with Meyers to start Tabla. Gulf Times 14 Thursday, March 26, 2020 INDIA Lockdown hits online food delivery companies

IANS delivery boys were stopped by the of many high-volume restaurants dominate the online food deliv- ‘Feed the Daily Wager’ campaign rant partners that have been se- restaurant businesses need our New Delhi local authorities. located in malls and disruptions on ery market in India. to support the community during verely hit because of their immo- support more than ever as they “Our delivery partners are fac- ground across certain states. Zomato has also acquired these times,” he added. bilised workforce in lockdown. face severe losses,” Ankit Me- ing several hurdles across cities “However, Swiggy is working Uber’s Food Delivery Business in Goyal also announced several He said the Zomato is starting hrotra, CEO of Dineout said in a igital India saw its biggest while trying to deliver food which with local governments to remain India in an all-stock deal of near- measures to calm the situation. a fund to cover up the lost earn- statement. challenge yesterday when has been classifi ed as an essential operational and extend our sup- ly $350mn. “All paid Zomato Gold mem- ings for thousands of its delivery The vouchers can be purchased Dapp-based leading food de- service. We are communicating port during these testing times, Meanwhile, the Zomato CEO berships across India, the UAE, partners. via Dineout on supportrestau- livery platforms Zomato and Swiggy with the authorities and hoping especially to the customers in said that several employees have Australia, Indonesia, the Phil- “We also hope that we get gov- rants.in, available in Rs1,000 found themselves in no man’s land these issues are sorted soon,” a need,” said a company spokesman. taken deep voluntary salary cuts. ippines, Lebanon, Turkey, New ernment support to help us with denominations that can be re- as restaurants, including cloud Zomato spokesman told IANS. Zomato also said it will contin- In a series of tweets, Goyal said Zealand, and Qatar will this,” Goyal said. deemed in the next six months. kitchens, went out of service and In a tweet, Zomato CEO Deep- ue to operate with curtailed part- dining out in many countries has get a two-month membership \>\>Restaurant tech platform Dineout will transfer the funds delivery boys were turned back by inder Goyal said the company ner networks for those in need of been badly hit. extension at zero cost,” he said. Dineout yesterday introduced to the restaurants at no addi- local authorities as a 21-day lock- was actively working with the food delivery. “To conserve our own cash For its Gold partners (dining “Restaurant Vouchers” that cus- tional charges to ensure that res- down came into force. authorities to clear the confusion Both companies have intro- fl ows, hundreds of Zomato em- out), the company said it will fa- tomers can purchase and redeem taurants continue to receive the There was nothing for millions so that essential services can op- duced “’contactless’” delivery ployees have taken deep volun- cilitate working capital loans to later when the pandemic subsides. crucial cash fl ow to survive these of food lovers to order as restau- erate without trouble. option where the delivery boys tary salary cuts,” he said. get through this tough time. “While we are encouraging our trying times, and food-lovers get rants went ‘unserviceable’. Some Swiggy said there were prob- ensure social distancing. “We are also donating for our Zomato is also going to facilitate diners to stay home despite fi - discounted coupons from their food outlets were open, but the lems due to the temporary closure The two companies currently delivery partner fund, as well as loans for its food delivery restau- nancial implications on us, local favourite eateries in town. Migrant workers forced to walk home, face the wrath of police

IANS station to the Faizabad road be- Lucknow cause we wanted to avoid con- frontation with the police,” said Anuj. igrant labourers re- His friend Sudhir said: “I turning to their villages feel that the police should un- Min Uttar Pradesh and derstand our predicament and caught in the lockdown are now maybe off er us a lift for some dis- forced to walk long distances to tance. But that is, perhaps, hop- get home. ing for too much.” These labourers, who are now z Curfew passes, which em- reaching the state capital Luc- power the holder to step out of know on freight trains, are fi nd- home during the lockdown, have ing themselves stranded because emerged as the new status sym- all forms of public transport are bol in Goa. suspended. Apart from monitoring their Anuj Kumar, a worker in a gar- respective departments, largely ment factory in Ludhiana, trav- through phone or e-mail, min- elled atop a freight train with his isters in Goa are busy fending off co-workers and reached Luc- questions from home-trapped know on Tuesday night. elites about how to obtain curfew “When our unit shut down passes which could help them and the owner asked us to go circumvent the ongoing curfew back, we found that all trains and step out onto Goa’s open and Migrant workers wait in a queue to receive free food outside Howrah railway station in Kolkata yesterday. had stopped. We sat atop a empty streets. goods train and found that the “The curfew pass has become country had been put under a VIP fashion. People would lockdown. I live in Barabanki normally request us for special while some of my friends live passes to the ISL (Indian Super in Bahraich. I guess we will now League) or VIP passes to impor- have to walk to our homes,” he tant musical or political events. said. But, ever since the curfew pass This group – like many others system was announced, every- Doctors evicted over is braving the police wrath on the one seems obsessed with get- way, but there is no alternative ting that pass,” a cabinet min- for them. ister told IANS on condition of The labourers are aware of the anonymity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s On Tuesday, Chief Minis- order to stay wherever they are ter Pramod Sawant announced during the lockdown period, but that curfew passes would be is- fears of virus spread say that they have no option. sued only to those involved in “Where can we stay? We have providing essential services like Agencies frastructure is poor and it suf- the government to intervene. Minister Arvind Kejriwal warned three doctors in New Delhi and limited money and cannot sur- nominated employees of the New Delhi fers from an acute shortage of Late on Tuesday Health Min- that such landlords could face le- around 15 in the southern city of vive on the roads. We need to state Public Works Department, medical staff , who will generally ister Harsh Vardhan, himself a gal action if they persisted. Hyderabad had already faced is- reach home at the earliest,” they Electricity Department, sanita- see many patients over a short doctor, said on Twitter he was “If tomorrow, God forbid, your sues with their accommodation. said. tion workers, etc., to ensure that ome doctors combating In- period. “deeply anguished” to see re- child is aff ected by the coronavi- He did not have estimates of Most of the labourers have not repair and maintenance work dia’s coronavirus outbreak Some doctors in temporary ports of doctors being ostra- rus, these are the people who will how many have been impacted eaten for the past several hours. related to these services was not Shave been evicted from residences had been forcefully cised in residential complexes, help you,” Kejriwal said. overall. They belong to the unorgan- hampered. their homes by force, a medical evicted by their landlords over adding that precautions were “If they are infected, we will “People are not accepting ised sector and are not benefi ci- The passes were also to be association said yesterday, due infection fears, the Resident being taken to ensure health- take care of them.” them. The morale of doctors is aries of free food and Rs1,000 per handed out to key government to fears that they may be infected Doctor’s Association of the All care workers were not carriers India, a country of 1.3bn, has down because of this, a stigma month being off ered by the Uttar offi cials as well as select journal- and spread the disease to neigh- India Institute of Medical Sci- of the infection. recorded 606 confi rmed cases of is being created due to lack of Pradesh government. ists. bours. ences (AIIMS) in New Delhi said. A home ministry spokes- Covid-19 and 10 deaths. awareness of coronavirus,” he As temperatures rise by the Apart from fending off eager The country went into a 21- “(They) are now stranded on woman said the Delhi state gov- It has just one doctor for every said yesterday. hour, they often move through queries about the passes, minis- day lockdown yesterday, and the roads with all their luggage, ernment had issued orders say- 1,404 people, the government Airline staff have faced similar the lanes and fi elds to avoid ters like Nilesh Cabral are adapt- experts have said it faces a tidal nowhere to go, across the coun- ing penal action would be taken said in February, signifi cantly problems, with state-run car- highways where the police pres- ing to the use of phones and wave of infections if rigorous try,” the association – which rep- against those evicting doctors. below the World Health Organi- rier Air India and private airline ence is strong. e-mail to tackle department exi- steps are not taken to keep the vi- resents 2,500 doctors – said in a She did not comment on the sation’s norm of one per 1,000. IndiGo saying there had been “It took us more than fi ve gencies and passing on instruc- rus in check. letter to Federal Home Minister situation in other states. The AIIMS association’s pres- instances of employees being os- hours to travel from the railway tions to the staff . India’s public healthcare in- Amit Shah on Tuesday, urging In a press briefi ng, Delhi Chief ident, Adarsh Pratap Singh, said tracised from their communities. Govt plans $20bn stimulus India bans export package to fi ght downturn of malaria drug Reuters was a shortage of hydroxychloro- New Delhi quine. Reuters announced by the end of the week, ernment securities being issued, “Chloroquine has demonstrat- New Delhi will be used to put money directly a move not undertaken by the ed toxicity in certain patients,” Di- into the accounts of more than RBI in decades, due to fears of in- ndia said yesterday it had nesh Dua, chairman of the Phar- 100mn poor and to support busi- fl ation spiking. banned the export of hydroxy- maceuticals Export Promotion ndia is likely to agree an eco- nesses hit the hardest by the lock- “The RBI will have to buy Ichloroquine and formulations Council of India, told Reuters. nomic stimulus package of down, the sources said. bonds like other central banks in of the malaria drug while experts “You have to tread with caution Imore than Rs1.5tn ($19.6bn) India woke up yesterday to a the world,” the fi rst offi cial said. test its effi cacy in helping treat pa- because there is no comprehensive to fi ght a downturn in the coun- sweeping lockdown of its 1.3bn The second offi cial added the tients infected with coronavirus. data to prove it works.” try that is currently locked down people, one of the world’s most government could also use the There are currently no approved The group said India, the to stem the spread of coronavi- ambitious eff orts to fi ght the central bank’s ways-and-means treatments, or preventive vaccines world’s largest supplier of generic rus, two sources familiar with the coronavirus. facility – an overdraft facility the for Covid-19, the highly conta- drugs, was not short of the drug matter told Reuters. India has identifi ed 606 con- RBI off ers to the state – if it faces gious, sometimes deadly respira- but that companies were acutely The federal government has fi rmed cases of the disease, a cash crunch. tory illness caused by coronavirus. short of staff to run operations. not yet fi nalised the package and which has so far killed 10 people The Finance Ministry declined Researchers are studying exist- Cadila Healthcare Ltd, part of discussions are ongoing between in the country. to comment on the plan and the ing treatments and working on ex- the Zydus group and one of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Modi announced the three- RBI did not immediately respond perimental ones, but most current top makers of the drug, said it was offi ce, the fi nance ministry, and week shutdown in a late evening to an e-mail requesting com- patients receive only supportive ramping up production to about Reserve Bank of India (RBI), said speech on Tuesday. ment. care such as breathing assistance. 200mn pills a month. both the sources, who asked not The government will also in- On Tuesday, Finance Minis- Hydroxychloroquine, a malaria “The priority is to work with to be named as the matter was crease its borrowing plan for ter Nirmala Sitharaman said the drug, is among the medications the government in these challeng- still under discussion. the fi scal year 2020/21, which government will soon announce undergoing testing as a potential ing times and do all that we can One of the sources, a senior starts from April 1, from the cur- a package to address the coro- treatment for patients with the in combating the coronavirus,” a government offi cial, said the rent planned gross borrowing of navirus impact on the economy, disease. spokesman said. stimulus plan could be as large as Rs7.8tn, both sources said. while relaxing timelines for fi ling Birds gather on the Chowpatty beach in Mumbai during the first day of Earlier this week, the American Earlier yesterday, Cadila Rs2.3tn, but fi nal numbers were The sources added that the taxes and raising default thresh- a 21-day lockdown yesterday. One of Mumbai’s star attractions, Chow- Society of Health-System Phar- Healthcare’s stock fell more than still in discussion. government had asked the cen- olds for invoking bankruptcy patty beach is a favourite picnic spot. But it was deserted yesterday due macists (ASHP), which maintains 5% after the export ban was an- The package, which could be tral bank to buy some of the gov- proceedings. to the restrictions. a list of drug shortages, said there nounced. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 15 LATIN AMERICA Cruise ship passengers hold hopes of reaching land

AFP land America left Buenos Aires, days before Chilean President Se- tions that guests could disembark Facebook. The ship sailed to Val- land.” There are more than 100 authorities said the liner would not Santiago Argentina, on March 7 and was bastian Pinera closed the country’s in Punta Arenas, Chile, for fl ights, paraiso in Chile where it remained French passengers aboard. be allowed to dock in the port of supposed to arrive last Saturday borders on March 18. we were not permitted to do so,” at anchor last Friday to Saturday The ship has asked all passen- Salaverry. at San Antonio, near Santiago in Soon after, the company sus- Holland America said in a state- while taking on fuel, provisions gers to remain in their rooms “out Peru closed its borders last week ore than 1,800 people Chile. pended all its cruises due to meas- ment on its website. and medication before continuing of an abundance of caution” where and “already prohibited the entry stuck onboard a cruise Its plight is the latest aff ecting ures including the closure of land, “No one has been off the ship to San Antonio. they are provided their meals by of two other cruise ships,” offi cial Mship off the Pacifi c coast the global cruise industry, which air and sea borders imposed by since March 14 in Punta Arenas.” Rear Admiral Yerko Marcic, the room service. Peruvian sources said under con- of South America, with 42 com- has seen vessels refused entry to governments all over the world to The 42 showing fl u-like symp- head of Chile’s national defence “Since it is fl u season, and Cov- dition of anonymity. plaining of fl u-like symptoms, are ports and others locked down after prevent the pandemic’s spread. toms are quarantined. at Valparaiso port, said eight Chil- id-19 testing is not available on Holland America said “all ports desperately hoping to be allowed to new-coronavirus cases were con- It headed back to Punta Arenas “We heard that one ship that eans were allowed to disembark, board, it is diffi cult to determine along Zaandam’s route are closed dock — somewhere. fi rmed onboard during the pan- in a bid to arrange for its more than managed to dock at Punta Are- along with two French people for the cause of these elevated cases at to cruise ships” and so it had sent “Testing times,” Australian cou- demic. 1,200 passengers and almost 600 nas was greeted by locals throw- humanitarian reasons because this time,” said Holland America. another liner, the Rotterdam, from ple Dimiti and Neal Bates wrote on Along the way, the Zaandam crew to take fl ights back to their ing rocks!” Bates, who boarded “they had a high risk chronic ill- Since then, the ship has contin- Puerto Vallarta in Mexico to meet Facebook. “Please don’t forget us.” docked in Punta Arenas, in Chile’s home countries. the Zaandam in Buenos Aires in ness and their medication was not ued northwards and yesterday was the Zaandam today off the coast of The Zaandam liner run by Hol- far south, before leaving there just “Despite previous confi rma- a group of 20 Australians, said on going to last until the ship reached off the coast of Peru, where local Panama. Panama orders lockdown Bolsonaro

AFP Montevideo wants jobs anama became the latest Latin American country Pto declare a lockdown due to the novel coronavirus, while Paraguay closed its borders until the end of the week. The Galapagos Islands also re- prioritised in corded their fi rst cases and Mex- ico upped its outbreak response as Latin American countries continued to roll out measures to contain the Covid-19 disease. Panama President Laurentino Cortizo declared a total quaran- virus fi ght tine to contain the rapid spread of the deadly novel coronavirus AFP/Reuters Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to navirus and urged that life must in the country, which has seen Rio de Janeiro near standstills. continue and jobs be preserved. 443 confi rmed cases and eight Many believed the speech He said the terrible situation deaths — the most in the region. backfi red. in Italy would not be repeated in The measure began at 5.01am razil’s President Jair Bol- “In this serious moment, the Brazil because of the Latin Ameri- (1000 GMT) yesterday morning sonaro yesterday said some country needs a leadership that can country’s younger population until further notice, Cortizo said Bgovernors and mayors were is serious, responsible and com- and warmer climate. on Twitter. guilty of crimes for organis- mitted to the life and health of its Italy has had more people die Citizens are still allowed out of ing coronavirus shutdowns that population,” senate leader Davi of the coronavirus than any other their homes for short periods for threaten to “destroy” Brazil’s Alcolumbre said in a subsequent country, with the death toll rising necessities, such as purchasing economy, and urged businesses to statement. “We consider the po- to 6,820 on Tuesday. food and going to the bank. re-open to survive the crisis. sition expressed by the president Wanderson de Oliveira, a health Paraguay President Mario As the coronavirus spreads to be grave...Now more than ever, ministry offi cial, told reporters Abdo Benitez closed the coun- deeper into Brazil, Bolsonaro the nation expects from the ex- Brazil would vastly expand testing try’s borders until Sunday fol- has increasingly taken the view, ecutive leader transparency, seri- in the coming days. lowing a second death from shared by US President Donald ousness and responsibility.” Economic prospects for Brazil, Covid-19. Trump, that jobs must be pri- Even former political allies Latin America’s largest economy, “People can only leave, not oritised over the economically have reacted with horror to his are worsening amid the pan- enter,” said Interior Minister Eu- damaging shutdowns favoured by pro-business stance. demic. clides Acevedo, adding that Par- public health experts. Speaking yesterday in Bra- Data showed consumer confi - aguayans and residents were ex- Both Trump and Bolsonaro have silia, Bolsonaro again criticised dence fell to a three-year low in empt but would face quarantine staked their presidencies on the governors for putting in place March, and retail sales in Janu- in military barracks upon return. economy, and both know any ma- lockdown measures. “What ary declined at the fastest rate in Commercial airlines will not jor downturn could be catastroph- some governors and some may- over a year, indicating consumer be allowed to land at Paraguayan ic for their chances of re-election. ors in Brazil are doing is a crime. spending was off to a weak start in airports during the timeframe. “If companies don’t produce, They are destroying Brazil,” Bol- 2020, even before the coronavirus Colombia Avianca, the sec- they won’t pay salaries. If the sonaro said. outbreak. ond-largest airline in Latin economy collapses, public work- “What do we need to do? Put Two of Brazil’s top airlines said America, said it was suspending ers also won’t receive anything. these people to work, preserve the they would cut more than 90% all passenger operations. We need to open businesses and elderly, preserve those who have of their domestic fl ights until at The measure came after Co- do everything to preserve the health problems, nothing more least May. lombia President Ivan Duque health of the old,” Bolsonaro than that,” he said. The slowdown is set to worsen closed the country’s airspace as tweeted early yesterday. Coronavirus deaths in Brazil on as Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, the number of confi rmed cases Bolsonaro, a far-right former Tuesday rose to 46 from 34, and began a two-week lockdown on there rose to more than 300, with army captain, is under growing the number of cases rose to 2,201 Tuesday. three dead. pressure for his handling of the from 1,891, according to govern- The state government ordered Avianca’s 10 freight planes outbreak, with protesters banging ment fi gures. all non-essential services and will continue to operate. pots and pans across Brazil more But despite the rising toll, Bol- businesses to close. Mexico Hugo Lopez-Gatell or less nightly. sonaro said most people, includ- The city’s usually gridlocked Ramirez, undersecretary of Opinion polls show his popu- ing himself, had nothing to fear streets were quiet. health prevention and promo- larity is dropping. from Covid-19. Buses still ran and construction tion, said the country was en- Bolsonaro’s new pro-business “In my particular case, with my was allowed to continue in a bid tering “phase two” of its coro- position solidifi ed in a widely history as an athlete, if I were in- to avoid complete economic col- navirus approach, moving from criticised address to the nation on fected with the virus, I would have lapse in the country’s economic containment to “mitigation.” Tuesday in which he minimised no reason to worry, I would feel powerhouse. President Andres Manuel the likely impact of the “little fl u” nothing, or it would be at most Restaurants were open for Lopez Obrador’s government has in Brazil, and urged mayors and just a little fl u,” he said. takeout and delivery workers faced criticism in the press for its Passengers at the Central do Brasil train station during the coronavirus disease outbreak in state governors to roll back lock- Bolsonaro on Tuesday took aim whizzed through the thinning lax response to the outbreak. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. down measures that have brought at the “hysteria” over the coro- traffi c on bikes and scooters. Ministers stand huddled Mexico suspends refugee requests for distancing message the US said it would postpone all Reuters Mexico City court hearings for asylum-seek- ing migrants in Mexico. Reuters tions in the coming weeks. demic a month later,” he said add- US President Donald Trump’s Mexico City At the event, Deputy Health ing it is best practice to “not take exico has temporarily administration instituted a Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said the measures too early but reserve halted the processing policy last year that has sent Mexico had seen an increase in them for the exact moment of Mof asylum requests, its back some 60,000 migrants re- exico’s deputy health non-imported coronavirus cases the infl ection point, which is the refugee agency said, the latest questing asylum to wait on the minister unveiled so- and was stepping up mitigation change in the curve in the number measure aimed at stopping the Mexican side of the border for Mcial distancing on measures, starting with suspen- of daily cases.” spread of coronavirus that have US Tuesday, but several cabinet sion of large events. Lopez Obrador is due to sign also limited access to asylum. immigration court hearings. members on a cramped stage at “We have decided to temporar- a decree that companies must Migration authorities will Meanwhile the death toll from the event appeared not to heed ily suspend events with 100 peo- permit vulnerable populations resume processing applications coronavirus in Peru hit seven on his appeal that people fi ght ex- ple or more,” Lopez-Gatell said at such as senior citizens, pregnant on April 20, Mexico’s refugee Tuesday after a 38-year-old man posure to the coronavirus by the president’s regular news con- women and people with chronic agency COMAR said, in line with died after he contracted the dis- keeping fi ve feet apart. ference. “All gatherings - public, diseases to stay home from work, a government order for vari- ease while on a trip to Canada, The defence minister and fi - private, governmental, social - with pay. ous public offi ces to halt certain the country’s ministry of health nance minister were among about must be avoided throughout the Lopez Obrador suggested ti- functions. said. a dozen senior offi cials with little month.” tans of Mexican industry are also The foreign ministry will put The ministry said the man, space evident between them as a The government also an- stepping up, noting that billion- the issuance of passports on who recently returned to Peru, slide was displayed of a cartoon nounced some work restrictions, aire Carlos Slim told him that he hold from tomorrow to April 19, died after being admitted to a fi gure with outstretched arms to low or zero interest loans for small will not lay off any workers during it said. Lima hospital on Monday for show safe distance. businesses, protections for the the coronavirus crisis. Mexico reported 405 corona- respiratory failure. President Andres Manuel elderly and vulnerable, and said A spokesman for Slim’s com- virus cases on Tuesday, up from He was found to be suff er- Lopez Obrador has been criticised some military medical facilities panies did not respond to a re- 367 a day earlier, and fi ve deaths ing from atypical pneumonia, it for an allegedly cavalier approach would be opened to the public. quest for comment. overall. added. to the virus, encouraging people Lopez-Gatell defended Mex- Lopez Obrador said the gov- The US and Canadian govern- The ministry also reported the to go out to restaurants, for ex- ico’s handling of the epidemic, ernment has enough resources ments have also taken steps in death of a 66-year-old woman ample, despite more stringent saying it was adopting measures to maintain social programmes, recent days in response to coro- from coronavirus, who had re- measures recommended by his at an earlier stage than countries weather falling oil prices and pro- navirus that have curbed asylum turned from Spain on March 14 government. that have been hit hard by the vi- ceed with signature projects such processes. and died of acute respiratory fail- Mexico so far has just 367 rus, such as Spain, Italy and the as the Mayan train and a refi nery Migrants are evicted from their hotel, which local authorities said Canada said it would turn back ure and pneumonia. cases and four deaths but is US. near the southern port of Dos Bo- was crowded, as part of the measures to prevent the spread of asylum seekers who walk over Peru had confi rmed 416 cases bracing for a fast rise in infec- “Mexico is entering the epi- cas. Covid-19 in Monterrey, Mexico. the US-Canada border, while of the virus. Gulf Times 16 Thursday, March 26, 2020 PAKISTAN

First coronavirus death leaves a trail of infections behind A Pakistani village where the country’s first death from the Domestic fl ights suspended coronavirus was reported last week has seen an alarming rise in cases, off icials said yesterday, indicating how quickly the community spread of the disease is taking place in the country. Health off icials said at least 39 as Covid-19 cases hit 1,000 of 46 tests conducted in the village of Manga in northwestern DPA/Internews on the second consecutive day province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad/Karachi due to a province-wide lock- have come back positive. down, as military and paramili- Reuters on Monday reported tary soldiers as well as police about the case of Sadaat Khan, he number of coronavi- patrolled the roads and streets who upon returning from a rus cases in Pakistan has of the city to ensure that citizens pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia had Treached 1,000, the coun- stayed indoors. hosted a large banquet attended try’s health ministry said yes- The police continued their by 2,000 people. He had not terday. action against violators, reg- disclosed being ill upon his return, Around 100 new cases were istered 132 more cases, and and also refused quarantine when identifi ed in the last 12 hours, arrested 748 more people for his symptoms intensified. Khan, a spokesperson for the health violating Section 144 and who died on March 18, was the ministry said. hoarding masks, sanitisers and first fatality in Pakistan from the The fi rst virus infection was gloves. Section 144 has been fast-spreading virus. reported on February 26 and at imposed against gatherings of His case alarmed authorities, who least seven deaths have been four or more people across the declared the entire village of 7,000 confi rmed in the country so far. province, including Karachi, people a mass quarantine zone. The health minister said there where a total of 36 cases have “We tested close relatives as well were over 7,000 suspected cases been registered and 246 people as some random tests,” province’s in the country and the govern- arrested. Health Minister Taimur Khan ment was taking all the steps After the province-wide lock- Jhagra, said in a video, adding needed to control the spread of down to combat the novel coro- these were just the first batch of coronavirus (Covid-19). navirus was imposed at midnight results from the village. “It has been decided to sus- between Sunday and Monday, “There are significant lessons for pend all domestic fl ight opera- police offi cials started patrolling all from this case,” said Jhagra. tions from March 26 to April 2,” roads and streets of the city to Meanwhile, residents of Manga, a spokesperson for the aviation ensure that no one stepped out which has now been cordoned off ministry said. of their homes without a good for a week, said the situation was Pakistan had already sus- reason. critical. pended international fl ights till On the other hand, because of “The army has been deployed April 4. no clear guidelines to the police in and outside Manga. We aren’t Thousands of troops and po- offi cers patrolling the streets, a allowed to go out of our homes,” lice were enforcing the lockdown number of incidents have been said, Imtiaz Ali, a resident of the in the country. reported in which police humili- Security personnel check commuters alongside a street during the first day of a 21-day government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive village. Pakistan has the world’s fi fth- ated violators by beating them, measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Karachi yesterday. “The government has taken 98 largest population with over making them do push-up, and people to quarantine centres,” he 220mn people - and a broken cramming them into overcrowd- to take action against such police eos of law enforcers humiliating senior police offi cer. In his video “The government of Sindh said, adding food supplies were healthcare system. ed spaces in police stations. offi cers who take law into their citizens have surfaced since the message, he said the police’s job has given a task to police to im- running low. There are some 2,000 ventila- Karachi Additional IGP Ghu- hands,” he said. lockdown was imposed. was to protect the life and prop- plement the lockdown,” he said. Another local, Liaqat Ali Shah, tors in the country and a short- lam Nabi Memon vowed to take Although the police force has Memon also issued a video erty of citizens, appealing to the “We are trying to our level best said people of the village feared age of protective gear for medical stern action against police offi c- been issued with directives to statement appealing to the citi- citizens of Karachi to help the that the citizens should volun- starvation as they had not been staff . ers who took the law into their treat the people with respect in zens to co-ordinate with the police in enforcing the lockdown tarily confi ne themselves to their able to work for a week, and most Karachi wore a deserted look hands. “We are making eff orts this time of crisis, multiple vid- police. He was accompanied by eff ectively. homes.” were daily wage earners. (Reuters) More than 100 Opposition calls for national action plan Pakistanis stranded Internews ference through video link. countrywide lockdown coupled ed implementation of a fi nancial He called upon the govern- Lahore The MPC primarily demanded with expanded capacity for test- emergency, reducing the policy ment to include additional 3mn in Uzbekistan the constitution of a National ing, beds, ventilators, ICU facili- rate by at least 4% and interest women in the BISP and the pov- Task Force having due represen- ties, PPEs, and isolation centres. payments to create a fi scal space erty score should be raised to Internews was arranged by a pesticide he Multiple Parties Con- tation of the opposition parties It called for immediate steps to provide fi nancial relief to vul- bring down the poverty line. Karachi company called Sun Craft ference (MCP) called by to oversee the process of corona- to give daily-wagers, small nerable segments of the country. Also, he proposed that those because they had been selling Tthe opposition parties has virus response. It also suggested businesses and all vulnerable “We are all together, irrespec- involved in the programme its products really well. “The demanded formulation of a Na- convening meetings of Council groups’ real relief, not just to- tive of political affi liations, in should be paid with Easypaisa so More than a hundred Pakistani company is refusing to cover tional Action Plan after due con- of Common Interest (CCI) on a ken announcements made the fi ght against the pandemic of that the banks are not crowded nationals are currently stuck any expenses now and we sultation with the opposition to daily basis. too little, too late. This, they coronavirus, and it will be a sin and immediate distribution is in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in the don’t know how else to arrange cope with the coronavirus chal- It asked the government to agreed will only be made pos- to bring politics into a national initiated. He proposed to double wake of international travel money to stay here,” one lenges. form Crisis Management Com- sible by making timely, coor- cause to protect our people from the salaries of all doctors, nurses restrictions imposed by the member said. The MPC was co-hosted mittees at all levels, from the dinated policy in consultation the scourge of Covid-19,” Sheh- and health workers in provincial government to prevent the “My family is left without me in by Pakistan Muslim League provinces to the Local Bodies with all provinces. baz Sharif said while addressing and federal employment imme- spread of Covid-19. Pakistan to face this coronavirus - Nawaz (PML-N) president tier, to manage the ravages of The meeting also urged to pay a press conference. diately. As the provinces scramble to crisis. They are worried about Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan this unprecedented risk to Pa- all the dues of media on urgent He urged the government In households whose electric- contain the potentially deadly my health and I am worried Peoples’ Party (PPP) chair- kistan and all humanity. Local basis so that they can eff ectively that the welfare funds of federal ity bill is less than Rs5,000 per contagion by imposing further about their health. I have no man Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. bodies should be used for out- play their role as fourth pillar of agencies like Employees Old- month, he said that the govern- measures to limit freedom clean clothes, no money and The leadership of mainstream reach besides streamlining phil- the state. age Benefi t Institution (EOBI) ment should take the responsi- of movement, the stranded they are telling me the virus opposition political parties anthropic and volunteer eff orts. Earlier, Opposition Leader in should be used to solve the fi - bility to pay the children’s school Pakistanis are worried that they has spread here as well,” said also participated in the con- The MPC further demanded a the National Assembly demand- nancial problems of Pakistanis. fees. may be completely forgotten Nadeem Javed, who hails from by the authorities. Pakpattan. “We appeal to the Among those stuck in the prime minister and the foreign Central Asian nation is a group ministry to help us return home. of 48 businessmen who had It is not just our delegation that’s SC refuses arrived for just a five-day visit. stuck here. There are other Punjab to recruit 10,000 doctors to fi ght Covid-19 “All of us are associated with Pakistani tourists too. In total, the pesticide business. We we are 104.” Internews also endorsed the release of to upgrade three testing labora- ment and the PDMA, he pointed to close came here on March 14 and A Sun Craft associate in Lahore Rs1bn for the government of Ba- tories of Lahore to level 3, while out, the provincial cabinet has were supposed to fly back on Pakistan Waqar Shamsi said his lochistan, as announced by the the establishment of fi ve new accorded approval of Rs600mn March 20. But when we reached company would be willing to Punjab government, to deal with level 3 laboratories in Rawalpin- for all district administrations. he Supreme Court (SC) the airport, we learnt all flights bear the stranded delegation’s o rein in further spread the coronavirus. di, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, Understanding diffi culties of of Pakistan has refused to to Pakistan had been cancelled expenses but it is not clear how of the novel coronavirus Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Faisalabad and Bahawalpur has daily wagers and the poor, pro- Tclose down courts amid due to a travel ban,” Lal Chand, long they will have to stay in T(Covid-19), the Punjab U Buzdar made these announce- been approved, for which a sum vincial cabinet has also decided the rising number of cases of the who hails from Jamshoro, said Uzbekistan. cabinet has approved the Punjab ments while briefi ng media via of Rs620mn has been allocated. to make Zakat deductions and novel coronavirus in the country. in a video message that has “Delegations from other Infectious Diseases Prevention video link after presiding over 28th Buzdar paid rich tribute to the distribution a month earlier. Supreme Court Bar Asso- gone viral online. countries like India, Thailand and Control Ordinance, 2020, session of the Punjab cabinet. doctors and paramedics who are The Punjab government has al- ciation (SCBA) President Syed “Now, we are stuck here and Malaysia have been giving the go-ahead for immedi- The chief minister said the providing medical care services ready sent this proposal to the fed- Qalb-e-Hassan Hassan appeared without support. We have spent repatriated. Only the Pakistanis ate hiring of 10,000 doctors, par- province has a total of 265 con- to coronavirus patients in hospi- eral government. Zakat distribution before the two-judge bench led all the money we brought and are stranded,” he said, adding amedics and health profession- fi rmed cases of coronavirus, in- tals across Pakistan. from Baitul Maal will also start soon, by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) have run pillar to post to try to that his company is in touch als, including retired doctors. cluding 176 patients in Dera Ghazi The chief minister announced the chief minister maintained. Gulzar Ahmed and prayed upon return home, but no one in the with the foreign ministry The provincial cabinet has also Khan quarantine centre, 59 in that all members of the provincial Buzdar also revealed that the the court to suspend its proceed- Pakistani embassy is listening to work out how to bring given approval for Rs11bn fi nancial public hospitals of Lahore, 12 in cabinet and he will donate one- provincial government has decided ings for a couple of weeks. to us,” he complained. them back and the stranded resources for Punjab Health Depart- Gujrat, seven in Gujranwala, three month salary to the Chief Minis- to postpone local government elec- However, the bench made it clear According to other members delegation was being housed in ment and Rs2bn for the Provincial in Jhelum, two in Rawalpindi and ter’s Fund for coronavirus control. tions for nine months, for which an that closing down courts was im- of the delegation their trip Uzbekistan Hotel. Management Authority (PDMA). one in Mandi Bahauddin. Besides issuance of funds to ordinance is being introduced in possible. “It hasn’t even happened The Punjab government has The government has decided the provincial health depart- the wake of the current emergency. in Europe,” the court remarked. However, CJP reiterated that no case will be dismissed on non-prosecution. The remains of the day CJP Gulzar asked SCBA presi- Clarity about Saarc fund sought dent to convey it to the lawyers that their cases will not be dismissed on the basis of non-appearance. Internews modalities for its utilisation. of the fund are not fi nalised. Only 18 cases have been fi xed Islamabad All countries in the regional The fund was discussed dur- before three benches in the apex bloc, except Pakistan, have an- ing Foreign Minister Shah Meh- court for yesterday. nounced their pledges for the mood Qureshi’s telephonic con- In another division bench akistan wants the South fund, which now cumulatively versation with his Bangladeshi hearing, SC judge Qazi Muham- Asian Association for Re- stands at $18.8mn. counterpart A K Abdul Momen. mad Amin Ahmed recused him- Pgional Co-operation’s Besides India, other pledged “Discussing the need to share self to hear a pre-arrest bail stat- (Saarc) Covid-19 Emergency Fund contributions include Sri Lan- resources, it was underlined that ing that he had been counsel in to be administered by the bloc’s ka’s $5mn, Bangladesh’s $1.5mn, Saarc Covid-19 fund should be that matter in the past. secretary general and is seeking Nepal and Afghanistan’s $1mn placed under the Secretary Gen- Despite his recusal, the bench clarity about its utilisation. each, the Maldives’ $0.2mn and eral of Saarc and modalities for granted four weeks pre-arrest The fund was announced by Bhutan’s $0.1mn. its utilisation should be fi nalised bail to the accused in fear of con- Indian Prime Minister Naren- Pakistan, which had partici- through consultations at the tracting coronavirus. dra Modi during the Saarc lead- pated in the conference, was also earliest,” the Foreign Offi ce said SCBA and Pakistan Bar Council ers’ March 15 video conference expected to make a pledge, but in a statement. have sent more than half their staff on coronavirus pandemic and after clarity about the fund was Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s on leaves owing to the outbreak. pledged $10mn for it. achieved, a diplomat said. readiness to host Saarc health The Peshawar High Court The emergency fund is meant It is, moreover, feared that ministers’ conference to enhance (PHC) has ordered to adjourn all to assist countries in the region despite the announcement of co-operation among member hearings till March 28 to limit the to deal with the pandemic. How- commitments by most member countries and development part- Rescue workers search among burnt-out vehicles following the explosion of a tanker carrying spread of the deadly pandemic that ever, nothing was said about the countries, the pledges are unlike- ners in the health sector with par- liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Lahore yesterday. has aff ected more than 850 people administration of the fund and ly to materialise as long as details ticular focus on Covid-19. in the country. (Internews) Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 17

Call for mass Infected senator under fi re testing of for bringing wife to hospital prisoners By Jan Arcilla DPA he said in a statement. “I feel I announced it could no longer said yes- Manila Times Manila am, with God’s help, on the way take in Covid-19 patients. terday. to recovery.” Pimentel, the second top gov- The Philippines’ main island Many expressed an- ernment offi cial to test positive of Luzon, home to more than amilies of detained politi- second Philippine sena- ger over his decision to bring his for Covid-19 in the Philippines, half of the country’s popula- cal prisoners has called on tor yesterday confi rmed wife to hospital when he should apologised for the breach, but tion, was in the second week of Fthe Bureau of Corrections Ahe had tested positive for have been in isolation. told reporters he felt the trip a month-long lockdown aimed (BuCor) and Bureau of Jail Man- the coronavirus. “Stupid and selfi sh,” one to the hospital with his preg- at halting the spread of the dis- agement and Penology (BJMP) The senator had brought his tweet said. “Shame on you, nant wife fell under “essential” ease. to allow mass testing of prison- pregnant wife to hospital be- ! You put doc- movement. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nog- ers because of the alarming rise fore he found out his diagnosis, tors and the sick in danger,” said Last week, Senator Miguel rales said the government was of the coronavirus disease 2019 however, with the result that Kip Oebanda, a fi lm director. Zubiri announced he was Cov- stepping up eff orts to bring ba- (Covid-19) cases in the country. some medical staff were sent “How can our senators be so id-19 positive, but did not have sic supplies and services to all In a statement, Kapatid into quarantine. callous, irresponsible and self- symptoms. those under lockdown, after spokesman Fides Lim said that Senator Aquilino Pimentel centred?” The Department of Health Congress granted special pow- the mass testing will assure III, who admitted suff ering fl u- de- reported 84 new Covid-19 cases ers to President them that jails under BJMP’s ju- like symptoms since March 14, nounced Pimentel’s “irrespon- in the Philippines, bringing the to mobilise funds and resources. risdiction are indeed 100% safe said he found out he was posi- sible and reckless action,” but total to 636. “This is a war that will be as claimed by Interior Secretary tive for Covid-19 on Tuesday assured the public that its deliv- There were also three deaths, fought in many fronts and your Eduardo Ano. evening when he was at the ery room complex has been dis- bringing the toll to 38, while co-operation and support are “It stretches the imagina- Makati Medical Center with his infected and ready to use again, Aquilino Pimentel: facing criticism 26 patients have recovered, it crucial in our eff orts to beat tion how the world’s most con- wife ahead of a scheduled cae- while all workers that had been added. Covid-19 and safe lives,” Nog- gested prison system can be kept sarian section delivery. on duty will be quarantined. manner to cope with the daunt- in a statement. Nearly 9,000 people under rales said. “100% safe” from the virulent “I have quarantined myself “He added to the burden of a ing challenges of this Covid-19 On Tuesday, Makati Medical investigation or monitoring for “We have a greater chance of Covid-19 when it cannot even upon the doctor’s advice and hospital trying to respond in its outbreak,” Saturnino Javier, the Center was one of three hospi- possible infection of corona- defeating the enemy if we work provide hygiene essentials like consistent with the protocol,” most competent and aggressive hospital’s medical director, said tals in metropolitan Manila that virus, Health Undersecretary together.” soap and water nor ensure nu- tritious food and space for social distancing, but that is the stuff of confabulation,” Lim said. “Amusing but dangerous when human life is at stake,” she Duterte signs measure on added. In an earlier statement, Ano assured the public stringent measures against the virus are in special powers into law place in jails under the supervi- sion of the BJMP. He also rejected calls for the release of low-level off enders, By Catherine S Valente among other persons deprived of Manila Times liberty (PDLs) and claimed PDLs were much “safer inside.” Meanwhile, BuCor Chief Ger- he government can now ald Bantag said they have dis- “move, decide, and act infected the New Bilibid Prison Tfreely,” President Rodrigo (NBP) in Muntinlupa City and Duterte has declared, following have procured N95 masks, the signing of a bill that grants gloves, disposable ponchos, and him additional powers to ad- alcohol. dress the coronavirus disease Lim reiterated their appeal 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. and added that the only way to Duterte signed into the law the protect prisoners is to carry out “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act” humanitarian releases of sick, after his meeting with the Inter- elderly, and low-level off enders. Agency Task Force on Emerg- “The release of prisoners dur- ing and Infectious Diseases to ing this extreme public health discuss the government eff orts emergency is now the worldwide against the coronavirus spread. trend, with the DILG’s counter- Senator Christopher Law- parts in other countries like Iran, rence “Bong” Go, in a text mes- the US, Ireland, and Spain rap- sage to reporters, confi rmed the idly working with the courts to signing of the new law midnight release many prisoners, includ- yesterday, a day after Congress ing political prisoners as in the passed the measure. case of Iran,” Lim said. “I especially thank Congress President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his gratitude to members of Residents wearing facemasks walk past a roadblock with awarenesses signs after the government BuCor and BJMP has sus- for granting the executive de- both houses of Congress who sponsored and voted for the measure, to imposed an enhanced quarantine as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 novel coronavirus in pended visitation privileges to partment with special powers — grant him additional powers to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Manila, yesterday. jail facilities as a measure to curb through the Bayanihan to Head the spread of Covid-19. as One Act — to the Bayanihan to Sotto 3rd and Speaker Alan Peter The Bayanihan to Heal as The law authorises him to terms,” to deliver necessary The president was granted However, Lim cited that in Heal as One Act — to eff ectively Cayetano for their “strong and One law gives Duterte author- take over the operations of materials and services and to additional powers a week af- Wuhan, China, infected prison respond to the challenges caused decisive leadership” in pushing ity to realign the government’s these private enterprises if they expedite the procurement of ter he placed Luzon under an offi cers brought the Covid-19 by the Covid-19 global pandem- for the proposed measure’s pas- national budget as the country “unjustifi ably refuse or signify essential medical equipment enhanced community quar- into their workplaces, which led ic,” Duterte said in a televised sage. faces a health crisis. that they are no longer capable and protective gear. antine to curb the spread of to outbreaks. public address on Tuesday night. He also expressed his sincer- It also gives the president of operating their enterprises” Duterte earlier placed the Covid-19 which has infected “Free and compulsory mass “Finally, the Executive De- est gratitude to members of both authority to temporarily direct for Covid-19 response, subject entire Philippines under a 552 people in the country as of testing for Covid-19 must like- partment can move, decide, and houses of Congress who spon- the operations of “privately- to the limits and safeguards of state of public health emer- Tuesday afternoon. wise be extended to prison per- act freely for the best interest of sored and voted for the measure. owned hospitals, medical and the Constitution. gency and later a state of ca- “From the approval, im- sonnel who come and go inside the Filipino people during this “I express my sincerest grati- health facilities including pas- It also authorises Duterte lamity to provide the govern- portation and to the delivery, the compounds yet who com- health crisis,” he added. tude to all of you for granting our senger vessels and other estab- to require businesses to “pri- ment with enough leeway to everything must go smoothly plain to us they are not provided Duterte made special men- most urgent requests,” the presi- lishments,” when public inter- oritise and accept contracts, tap into emergency funds for to make sure that we do not protective gear like face masks,” tion of Senate President Vicente dent said. est requires it. subject to fair and reasonable response to the pandemic. waste time,” he said. she said. Hospital chief seeks end to Police creates task force stigmatising of health workers to check fake news By Dexter A See tion against them and members expose them to such life-threat- Manila Times/Baguio City of their families for being part ening illness. of the thousands of others di- “We appeal to the public By Darwin Pesco rectly facing the coronavirus not to discriminate against our Manila Times he Baguio General Hos- pandemic. Runez pointed out health workers (if only for) the pital and Medical Center that the health workers handling sacrifi ces that they are making T(BGHMC) has urged high-risk cases such as PUIs and just to save the lives of individu- he Philippine National the public not to discriminate presumptive virus cases are fully als who contract the deadly vi- Police (PNP) has created against health workers, espe- protected when dealing with rus. Our health workers do not Ta task force against fake cially those who are handling their patients and would not deserve such kind of stigma be- news circulating online related persons under investigation contaminate their family mem- cause they are risking their lives to the coronavirus disease 2019 (PUIs) and presumptive coro- bers and relatives when they go for the benefi t of the welfare of (Covid-19), PNP spokesman navirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) home from work. others,” Runez said. Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said cases because they do not de- He explained the problem He noted that aside from be- yesterday. serve such stigma, considering would only occur when there is a ing provided with the required According to Brig. Gen. Ba- the risks they are taking to save break in the personal personal protective equipment, nac, the aim of the PNP Task lives. protective equipment of the the health workers also under- Force “Kontra Peke” was not BGHMC chief Dr Ricardo health workers but such instanc- went the necessary training that only to catch people spreading Runez on Tuesday said the hos- es were remote possibilities as allows them to be able to eff ec- fake news online, but as well as pital had received reports from the hospitals are trying to ensure tively and effi ciently handle such hoarders and businesses that the concerned health work- that the protective equipment cases without being contami- sell overpriced goods in light ers on the alleged discrimina- are free from defects that will nated with the deadly virus. of the Covid-19 pandemic that has forced millions of Filipinos to stay at home. “We formed a task force to fi ght the spreading of fake Rebels release abducted doctor in news,” Banac said in a press briefi ng. A doctor who was abducted last month in Jolo, Sayyaf were spotted at Barangay Bangalan in In- “We will fi nd peddlers of fake Sulu was released by his Abu Sayyaf captors, the danan. As Moreno and his captors started to move, news and conduct operations Policemen wearing facemasks check motorists at a checkpoint after the government imposed an military’s Western Command (WestMin- security forces under the 1102nd Infantry Brigade against hoarding and overpric- enhanced quarantine as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 novel coronavirus in Manila, yesterday. Com) announced yesterday, Manila Times reported. detected and trailed them. Sobejana said the Abu ing,” Lt Gen , Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the WestMinCom com- Sayyaf may have noticed the soldiers following deputy chief for operations in co-ordination with the De- chie Gamboa last week said he online after fake reports of mander, confirmed the release of Daniel Moreno them, prompting them to release Moreno alone in of the PNP said in a televised partment of Information and tasked the police force’s anti- massive looting in Manila went at 7.30 pm on Tuesday after members of the Abu the area. briefi ng. Communications Technology, cybercrime group to trace those viral at the start of the month- The task force was formed he said. PNP chief Gen. Ar- spreading wrong information long Luzon lockdown. Gulf Times 18 Thrusday, March 26, 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 Dr Anthony Fauci Covid-19 truth teller on Trump task force

One of President Donald Trump’s smartest moves in response to the Covid-19 pandemic was naming Dr Anthony Fauci to the White House’s coronavirus task force. The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci is a public health hero who has led the agency through six presidents and won’t bend the facts or deny science to appease egos. He didn’t do it when he warned President Ronald Reagan that HIV was a serious public health threat that Qatar’s supply chains and logistic required fast federal action. And he’s not doing it now as he stands with Trump at regular task-force briefi ngs, sometimes contradicting or correcting the misleading systems: Confi dence amid Covid-19 information coming from his commander-in-chief. In a meeting with pharmaceutical offi cials earlier this month, Trump repeatedly insisted he was hearing that a impossible to live in one country Qatar’s food imports, as measured in the experiencing steep inclines in the volumes coronavirus vaccine would be ready in just a few months. without risking exposure to others. percentage of its overall merchandise that need to be processed. This can lead The problem the globe is facing with imports, have been relatively lower than to congestion and the unavailability Finally, Fauci stepped in. “Would you make sure you get Covid-19 is the exponential growth that of other countries in the region. of equipment, thereby hindering the president the information that a vaccine that you of people being infected, just like in The country has its own production the transportation from originating make and start testing in a year is not a vaccine that’s the so-called “wheat and chessboard” capacity for needed supplies while countries, which might be severed problem. While numbers are rapidly policies, procedures, and technologies if workers there need to be put into deployable,” he said to the pharmaceutical executives. growing, it takes time to learn about are in place to guarantee the integrity of quarantine. Taken altogether, Covid-19, “And that is going to be, at the earliest, a year to a year a problem, gather information, its supply chains. Qatar’s agricultural therefore, poses more of a logistical and a half, no matter how fast you go.” validate it, and then re-validate it sector has provided commodities and challenge. In this regard, Qatar is likewise before we can act. This is standard, services to the local market. Today, in an advantaged position. The country More recently, Fauci has poured cold water on Trump’s yet slows down decision-making, Qatar is beyond self-suffi cient in milk possesses superior air cargo capabilities, enthusiasm for the potential of an anti-malaria drug, with exponentially rising opportunity and dairy products, and even more with Qatar Airways Cargo being a global chloroquine, to treat Covid-19 patients. As Fauci has costs for making that decision. With exceeding self-suffi ciency in poultry. leader. There is always the option and Covid-19, we could see thousands All of this makes for a functioning capacity to shift sea-bound traffi c onto air pointed out, the evidence of the medicine’s ability to more infections with every additional microclimate that lifts the country. cargo capacity, and vice versa, should the safely and eff ectively treat Covid-19 patients is still just day decision-making takes. In In addition to an internationally need arise. anecdotal. consequence, necessary measures impressive storage capability, Qatar has Q: In light of this Covid-19 Fauci also has been a would have to be different every time. established diversifi ed sea routes and pandemic, what lessons can be In all of this, Qatar is in a air cargo capacities to continue linking learned to make supply chains even leading advocate of the So far, to his Attributed to Dr Frank Himpel, tremendously advantaged position, the country to worldwide markets. more secure ahead of the next global restrictions on movement College of Science and Engineering having addressed the pandemic early on Indeed, Covid-19 does not seem to have health challenge? credit, Trump and commerce that have in a highly responsible manner. Qatar forced any adjustments to the country’s A:Critical will be the further took bold steps, not only to contain the strategies so far. advancement of strategic foresight – whose cratered the economy, to uestion: Doha diversifi ed spread of Covid-19, but also to fully Q: What are logistical problems capability with regard to early warning Trump’s growing frustration. its global supply chains uphold the integrity of its supply chains that can occur due to a pandemic systems. Sophisticated forecasting disrespect for It really is quite remarkable, since the blockade in 2017. and the security of its logistical systems, situation like the one we are seeing and modelling toward ensuring QHas this enabled Qatar to ensuring an uninterrupted day-to-day now? And what capacities does uninterrupted supply and “smart” given the president’s limited both science also weather the ongoing Covid-19 supply of all needed goods. Qatar have to respond to such storage of items is necessary for all tolerance for aides who upstage situation better? In 2017, Qatar launched the Strategic challenges? countries. Focusing on Qatar, the and facts in or contradict him, that he has Answer: Qatar’s eff orts in response Food Security Facilities (SFSF) in A: Supply chain fl ows in Qatar are country has shown great strengths in put up with what may seem to to the 2017 rift prepared the country Umm Al Houl. Partnering with stable. However, it is not only Qatar dealing with the current pandemic. the past has particularly well, although we need to industry leaders from Germany, Italy, being impacted by Covid-19. Major In fact, citizens and residents can be him like brazen insolence. The see that this diplomatic crisis, and the and Switzerland, this Hamad Port logistical infrastructures such as seaports confi dent, being able to live in Qatar been well evident confl icts, along with current coronavirus situation, have project consists of storage facilities, and airports around the world are during this extraordinary time. rumours among White House very diff erent contexts. The blockade silos, reservoirs, and facilities for the documented intended to isolate Qatar “outside- processing, manufacturing, and refi ning aides, have led to speculation in”, and forcefully cut the country off of rice, sugar, and edible oils. Qatar has About Hamad Bin Khalifa University – has stood by that Fauci may be on the way from its neighbours. Today’s situation also established storage facilities for out, although both Trump and is seeing states choosing to isolate 22 identifi ed food and non-food items Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow Fauci themselves “inside-out”, to decelerate to last for at least six months up to a Fauci have downplayed any the spread of Covid-19 and safeguard number of years. Taken together, food, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), ity through an enriching academic perceived tension between them. the well-being of populations globally. medical and other supplies are safe for a member of Qatar Foundation for experience, innovative ecosystem, and One certainly hopes that the president is not thinking The eff ects of both events are, the foreseeable future. The country also Education, Science, and Community unique partnerships. HBKU delivers of sidelining Fauci. In a massive public health crisis like however, alike, especially from a monitors quality and prices for those Development (QF), was founded in multidisciplinary undergraduate and logistics and supply chain perspective. products, guarding against infl ation or 2010 as a research-intensive university graduate programmes through its this one, the best experts and the most credible scientists Qatar handled the circumstances of monopolistic practices. that acts as a catalyst for transforma- colleges, and provides opportunities need to be on the dais with the president, telling the the blockade extremely well, which has Q: What, if any, adjustments tive change in Qatar and the region for research and scholarship through people all bluntly what they need to know. So far, to his shaped the country as it stands today. did Covid-19 force upon Qatar’s while having global impact. Located in its institutes and centres. For more First, Qatar now has a supply base that strategies for mitigating supply Education City, HBKU is committed to information about HBKU, visit www. credit, Trump – whose disrespect for both science and is more diversifi ed than it used to be chain risks? building and cultivating human capac- hbku.edu.qa facts in the past has been well documented – has stood by three years ago, while for instance, only A: According to the World Bank, Fauci, even when the doctor has disagreed with him. four countries accounted for more than 90 percent of its milk and dairy product The simple reality is that when it comes to the science imports before June 2017. The next behind outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, there period saw the number increase to more are few experts equal to Fauci. The 79-year-old has been than 24 countries making up the supply base. In the milk and dairy sector, Qatar at the forefront of the federal responses to a series of meanwhile is overly self-suffi cient, with viruses that have threatened the nation, including Ebola the capacity to even export to customers and two recent coronavirus outbreaks, Sars and Mers. abroad. Surely the president knows he has more to lose than Qatar is less dependent now on any single country to secure its supply. to gain if Fauci’s fact-based, cautious and authoritative While in the pre-blockade years, one analyses were absent from the table as we continue to country could be the origin of much fi ght this pandemic. – Tribune News Service more than 30% of the imports of a needed product, the volumes today are strategically managed, ensuring To Advertise that dependency on one supplying country always remains below 30%. [email protected] Single sourcing is no longer an option, Display which actively mitigates supply chain risks and reduces reliance. Third, there 44466621 44418811 is a higher redundancy in supply for certain products. For example, if there Classified is a shortfall in Australian beef, supply 44466609 44418811 is secured from European sources and vice versa. These multiple-sourcing Subscription strategies have drastically reduced overall supply chain risks for Qatar. [email protected] Q: Could we still experience shortages in food, medical or other supplies with Covid-19? In 2017, Qatar launched the Strategic Food Security Facilities (SFSF) in Umm Al Houl. This Hamad Port project consists of © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved A: In a globalisaed world, it is near storage facilities, silos, reservoirs, and facilities for the processing, manufacturing, and refining of rice, sugar, and edible oils. Gulf Times Thursday, March 26, 2020 19 COMMENT Qatar at the forefront against the coronavirus pandemic

pandemic crisis unfold. The disease, we collectively spend at home is like zTransparency, decisive gesture like a call or a message from caused by a novel strain of coronavirus, a hammer blow to the virus, saving action and public support a loved-one goes a long way at the is rapidly spreading worldwide countless lives and preventing untold helping Qatar beat Covid-19 moment. and aff ecting large percentages of human tragedy and misery. And Because of these measures, we have populations in most countries. The washing hands with soap and water, The mission of the Ministry of not seen a big surge in the number disease presents a serious risk to lifts and removes viruses and also Public Health is to protect the health of cases in Qatar and for that we the elderly and those with chronic breaks them apart. For these reasons, of every person in the State of Qatar, are thankful but not complacent. conditions such as heart disease, most health professionals are huge whether they are Qatari or non-Qatari, Our rigorous testing regime and our diabetes, lung disease, and others with advocates of these measures. It is our young or old, residents or visitors, so commitment to be as transparent as weakened immune system. hope that one day soon, there will be a we are remaining extremely vigilant possible, provides us with reliable It is true that around 80% of people vaccine against Covid-19, but for now in our measures to control and limit data which can help us in our battle will experience only mild symptoms there simply is no other alternative to the spread of the coronavirus. We against the virus. Through our decisive and will make a full and speedy the current approach if we want to stop have been encouraged by the success strategy and collective action, we give recovery. That is a blessing. But if we this virus in its tracks. we have had so far in controlling the ourselves the best chance of protecting carry on with our normal lives because While there is merit to the spread of the disease but we are ever the health of everyone in Qatar. of this, we make that blessing a curse, evaluation of the seriousness of watchful and are prepared to introduce We should not panic nor be spreading the disease widely to others this disease, we need to present and further measures if needed. overwhelmed by fear. Decisions taken who are vulnerable. discuss the data to the public with The pandemic strategy is being out of fear are seldom good ones. While the disease is spreading caution to avoid any misinterpretation implemented by three broad sectors that It simply means that we must stay worldwide, the science and and sensationalism associated with are working together to combat the virus. alert to the threat and take swift and governmental commitment are on our this outbreak. A couple of examples Firstly, we have the government, which decisive actions such as quarantine side. Please allow us to explain. illustrate this viewpoint. One, acted swiftly to limit the movement of and isolations when required, By Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thhani and Dr Ravinder Mamtani We have available to us eff ective projected incidence rates as high as people into Qatar and to reduce the level implement physical distancing when public health measures that will 70% and 80% (in Germany and New of physical interaction among people needed, observation of high standards result in favourable outcomes in York) are open to interpretation. within the country. These measures have of hygiene and cleanliness at all times, zEarlier pandemics have been controlled in most parts of terms of reducing the disease rates Two, the reported fatality rates may been implemented in an orderly fashion and to reduce social interactions warn us against the folly of the world by way of simple measures and slowing the virus transmission, be biased skewed by the fact that the and have been extremely eff ective. when appropriate. All of us are in this complacency such as , personal hygiene, thus reducing mortality and human testing in some countries tends to be Secondly, we have the healthcare together. We will, more than likely, quarantine and personal care. The suff ering. Examples of these measures limited to the people showing the most sector, which has provided testing witness the slowing and gradual he devastating eff ects of scourge of smallpox was wiped out in include social distancing, quarantine, severe symptoms. The numbers cited opportunities, high-quality patient control of the pandemic soon. Spanish fl u of 1918, the Asian 1980. But then we had the horror of isolation, staying home (especially if in the press may therefore exaggerate care and research advice. We extend fl u of 1957, and the Honk Kong the HIV/Aids outbreak that still causes you are sick), avoiding large gatherings, the overall fatality rate of the disease. our deepest gratitude to all of our zSheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al- Tfl u of 1968 are well known. much misery and pain. More recently, and simple hygiene measures such Misinformation and rumors healthcare providers. Thani is the Director of Public Health, From these outbreaks we have learnt we have had concerning outbreaks as hand-washing and covering one’s concerning the coronavirus pandemic And thirdly, we have the people Ministry of Public Health, Qatar and that pandemic mortality rates can be of Ebola, Zika, H1N1, Sars and Mers. mouth while coughing and sneezing – are common and worrisome. Even of the community, who are playing Associate Professor, Healthcare Policy high, infection spread is rapid and These instances warn us against all of which are very helpful. Providing worse, the sensationalising of any a crucially important role by self- and Research, Weill Cornell Medicine- health systems can get overloaded – all complacency where infectious diseases emotional and mental health support is data and or information has the isolating, maintaining high levels of Qatar. of which cause confusion and fear and are concerned. also essential. potential to obscure the scientifi c personal hygiene and supporting one zDr Ravinder Mamtani, Professor a lot of social and economic disrup- zCovid-19 pandemic The simplicity of these methods truth, and consequently compromises another. Remember, just because we of Healthcare Policy and Research, tion. threat should not obscure their eff ectiveness the public’s true understanding of are distancing ourselves physically Professor of Medicine and Vice Dean By the 1980s, those of us who work – every day you spend at home the disease. Further, it can create does not mean that we cannot remain for Student Aff airs, Population Health, in public health were very happy that We are now watching the deprives the virus of its means of fear and adversely aff ect healthcare socially connected via telephone and and Lifestyle Medicine, Weill Cornell most infectious diseases appeared to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) transmission, and every week that utilisation. using other digital platforms. A small Medicine-Qatar.

Three-day forecast

Will coronavirus slow the world’s TODAY Maximum Temperature : 260c Minimum Temperature : 190c

FRIDAY Maximum Temperature : 270c confl icts — or intensify them? Minimum Temperature : 230c

SATURDAY AFP political affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, ability to fight in coming months, At the UN, which has been Maximum Temperature : 280c United Nations called on Twitter for all parties to some experts said. struggling to respond as best it Minimum Temperature : 230c show restraint. “Throwing their troops into battle can, diplomats insist that their Fisherman's forecast “If anyone — incredibly — still will expose both states and violent efforts to monitor regional crises yria, Libya, Yemen, needed a reason to stop the fighting non-state groups to contamination, and conflicts will continue, even WARNING Afghanistan, the Sahel... there,” she added, “this is it.” and thus to potentially catastrophic if the international organisation Inshore : Nil with the great powers Martin Griffiths, the UN special losses of human life,” said has sharply curbed its schedule of focused intently on the envoy for Yemen, issued a similar Robert Malley, president of the meetings. Offshore : Expected strong wind S and high sea by after- Covid-19 virus, will armed conflicts plea: “At a time when the world Washington-based International “We intend to ensure that #UNSC noon across the world decrease in severity is struggling to fight a pandemic, Crisis Group. plays its vital role in maintaining WEATHER or intensify? Experts as well as the focus of the parties must shift He believes that the virus global peace and security,” Britain’s Inshore : Moderate temperature daytime with scattered diplomats at the United Nations say away from fighting one another to “will very certainly diminish the interim ambassador to the UN, clouds to partly cloudy there is a serious risk of the latter. ensuring that the population will not capacity and will of states and of Jonathan Allen, wrote on Twitter. and a chance of rain at For guerrilla fighters and extremist face even graver risks.” the international system — the UN, “Covid-19 is the major global focus, places . WIND groups, “it’s a clear godsend,” said Up to now, these countries have regional organisations, refugees, but we have not forgotten about Inshore : Southeasterly-Easterly Bertrand Badie, a specialist in not been afflicted by Covid-19 on peace-keeping forces — to dedicate Syria, Libya, Yemen.” 08-18 KT international relations at France’s the scale seen in China, South Korea themselves to the resolution or But Richard Gowan, a New York- Institute of Political Studies or Europe. But the virus carries the prevention of conflicts.” based specialist in UN matters, Offshore : Southeasterly-Easterly 08-18 /23KT (Sciences Po). potential, once it reaches into poor It will also throw up a whole expressed some doubt. When the “powerful become and conflict-ridden countries, of set of new obstacles, he told AFP, “Security Council diplomats say Visibility : 4-8 KM powerless,” he said, one can see “the having a devastating impact. complicating access to conflict that it is hard to get their capitals to Offshore : 3-5/7 FT revenge of the weak over the strong.” In the absence of concerted zones and diverting financial focus on UN issues,” he said. In recent days, some 30 Malian assistance from abroad, the UN fears investments to the fight against the Among non-governmental Around the region soldiers were killed in an attack in “millions” could die. coronavirus. organisations (NGOs) dealing with Weather Weather northern Mali blamed on jihadists, The pandemic will not necessarily “What government would want human rights issues, like Human today Max/min tomorrow Max/min without drawing any sharp reaction favour any particular group of to invest in the pursuit of peace in Rights Watch, concern is growing P Cloudy 27/17 S Showers 26/16 from the Security Council. belligerents, one diplomat noted, Yemen, Syria, the Sahel when it that whole areas of action are falling Baghdad Kuwait City P Cloudy 24/19 Cloudy 25/20 In Libya, and Syria’s Idlib region because the ravaging disease has is facing an economic, social and by the wayside. P Cloudy 26/21 Cloudy 28/22 — the object of intense diplomatic been “uncontrollable.” political crisis almost without One example: diplomats say Manama Muscat Sunny 25/20 M Sunny 27/22 attention before the coronavirus “The pandemic could lead to a precedent?” he asked. the much-awaited and repeatedly S Showers 14/08 M Cloudy 15/09 stole the spotlight — fighting worsening of conflicts, with the risk With the news media obsessively delayed publication of a UN Tehran continues. of exacerbating the humanitarian focused on Covid-19, Malley said, summary report on the bombing of Evoking the “potentially situation and population “these conflicts, however brutal hospitals in Syria — originally due at devastating impact of #Covid-19 movements,” he said. and violent they may be, will for the beginning of the year — is now in #Idlib and elsewhere in Syria,” But the pandemic might also sap many people become unseen and not expected before April, at the the UN undersecretary-general for the will of the belligerents and their unheard.” earliest.

Live issues

Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min One way to beat the coronavirus blues: Pet adoption Athens Rain 14/11 Rain 14/08 Beirut P Cloudy 20/16 M Sunny 20/14 Bangkok Sunny 36/28 P Cloudy 37/28 uring the current period Granted, a lot of the spectacle permanent placement. At best, you’ll being handed over by owners or simply Berlin Sunny 11/02 P Cloudy 14/02 of enforced isolation and will involve sleeping. But as TV fall hopelessly in love. dumped by the side of the road. Cairo P Cloudy 27/16 Sunny 27/14 social distancing, you may personality Jane Pauley once noted, PAWS Chicago founder Paula “It happens when people lose Cape Town Cloudy 17/13 P Cloudy 22/13 be craving warmth, com- “You can’t look at a sleeping cat Fasseas says that organisation their jobs, or they can’t afford Colombo P Cloudy 31/26 M Sunny 31/26 D Sunny 36/22 Sunny 38/24 panionship and plain old physical and be tense.” An important note: has established a virtual adoption to keep their pet, or they have to Dhaka closeness. You may yearn to snuggle The Centres for Disease Control process, which allows interested move and can’t take their pet with Hong Kong P Cloudy 23/21 P Cloudy 24/19 on the couch, feel valued and talk and Prevention says, “We do not adopters to browse animals online them,” he says. Owners who are Istanbul Cloudy 13/08 Cloudy 12/08 honestly about your practical prob- have evidence that companion and talk to an adoption counsellor quarantined or hospitalised by Jakarta T Storms 31/24 S T Storms 31/25 lems and deep anxieties. animals, including pets, can spread without leaving their homes. Covid-19 may be unable to care for Karachi Cloudy 26/19 Sunny 28/20 Animal shelters are among Covid-19.” Other rescue facilities have their pets or to find someone else London M Sunny 12/02 M Sunny 14/04 the many industries adapting If you aren’t ready for a permanent shifted from regular visiting hours to do it. His agency and its rescue Manila M Sunny 35/26 M Sunny 36/26 to coronavirus regulations arrangement, you can take a pet to meet-and-greet appointments. shelter partners can use help in Moscow Sunny 13/-2 P Cloudy 12/02 and stay-at-home orders. If on a temporary basis, known as Not only might this be a perfect accommodating these animals. New Delhi M Cloudy 31/20 S T Storms 26/17 you’re considering adopting or fostering. That frees shelter space time for people to adopt or foster, If you decide to take on this New York M Sunny 13/08 Showers 14/06 fostering a pet, you can do most and allows the animal to get used to it may be a time when saviours are humane task, you’ll have the Paris Sunny 11/02 M Sunny 14/07 of the groundwork online. Has the life in a real home. If you’re new to especially needed. Brian Krajewski, satisfaction of knowing you made Sao Paulo Sunny 27/15 P Cloudy 27/16 prospect occurred to you? Why not pet ownership, or not quite sure, you chairman of the Animal Services a worthwhile contribution during Seoul Rain 18/08 P Cloudy 15/02 get a pet? can think of this arrangement as a Committee for DuPage County, Ill., a time of national crisis. And, from Singapore S T Storms 32/27 T Storms 32/27 If you think YouTube cat trial run to learn whether it’s right says that in periods of economic the animal you take in, you’ll get Sydney Rain 21/17 P Cloudy 21/17 videos are a treat, imagine a live for you. At worst, you’ll serve as a trouble, it’s not unusual to see an an endless supply of gratitude. – Tokyo Clear 19/06 Cloudy 21/08 performance all day, every day. bridge between the dog or cat and its increase in the number of animals Tribune News Service Gulf Times 20 Thursday, March 26, 2020 QATAR AlKhater briefs EU envoys on eff orts to curb coronavirus

QNA regions where the epidemic has spread. Doha Regarding the precautionary measures taken by Qatar in the closed part of the Industrial Area, HE AlKhater said that E Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mo- three test posts and six ambulances are hamed AlKhater, Assistant For- available in the area to ensure the safety Heign Minister and Spokesperson of all and transfer the suspected cases of the Supreme Committee for Crisis to quarantine for necessary care, in ad- Management, held a remote meeting dition to allowing 1,000 vehicles on with the European Union ambassadors daily basis to transport food and basic in Doha to brief them on Qatar’s eff orts supplies in co-ordination with the con- to curb the outbreak of the novel coro- cerned authorities. navirus (Covid-19). The ambassadors praised the steps The meeting reviewed the preven- taken by Qatar and appreciated the ef- tive measures to ensure the health forts of the relevant authorities in the and safety of all citizens and resi- country that oversee the implementa- dents. tion of these measures. It also reviewed Qatar’s eff orts at French ambassador Franck Gellet and the international level, which included Denmark ambassador (non-resident) sending medical shipments to China, Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin reiterated Korea and Iran, and co-ordinating with their thanks to Qatar for the evacuation a number of embassies of friendly coun- of their countries’ citizens and facilitat- HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohamed AlKhater, Assistant Foreign Minister and Spokesperson of the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management, in a remote conference tries to evacuate their citizens from the ing their safe return to their homeland. with the European Union ambassadors in Doha to brief them on Qatar’s eff orts to curb the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Ashghal opens new interchange he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Qatari TDiar Company yesterday opened, through remote com- munication technology, the new interchange connecting Al Khor Road and Al Ramth Road, linking North and Central Lusail. Ashghal Projects Aff airs di- rector engineer Yousef al-Emadi, Project Delivery Sector – Qatar head engineer Fahad al-Jahrami, Highway Projects Department head engineer Bader al-Darwish, General Directorate of Traffi c’s Traffi c Engineering and Safety Department director Brig Mo- hamed Marafi , Central Municipal Council (CMC) members Mishaal al-Nuaimi and Ali bin Fahad al-Shahwani were among those present. The new junction is the last one on Al Khor Road project in which 97% works have been completed. The road works will be completed Off icials conducting the road opening through a video conference yesterday. by mid-2020. Work on the shared cycling and walking tracks and Al Khor Expressway is expected to said that Lusail city will be ready other service roads is progressing. for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He The new Al Khor Road Inter- become the centre of development and added that new projects will be 2016, the project features 11.5mn over 33km, the 7m wide Olympic 65% especially as the new road change is a major link that inte- encourage the population of Doha to announced soon. cu m of fi lling and compacting cycling track will host interna- accommodates about 20,000 ve- grates with the new 2.4km-long Brig Marafi said the interchange works, 2.3mn tonnes of asphalting tional sports competitions. With hicles per hour in both directions. Jo Al Ramth Road, established by move outside the city and reconstruct will facilitate traffi c to Rawdat Al and 580,000 cu m concrete. In ad- 29 tunnels and fi ve bridges, the It consists of fi ve lanes in each di- Qatari Diar, for those coming from the eastern areas of Qatar Hamama, , Wadi Al Ba- dition to implementing excavation track has fi ve car parking areas rection instead of two lanes. Old Al the heart of Lusail to Al Khor Road nat, and Lusail via the new road. works comprising 10.87mn cu m, near Qatar University, Lusail Sta- Khor Road used to accommodate via the new interchange. and facilitates access through Lu- of Covid-19 and has taken the the project includes 167km of rain- tion, Losail International Circuit, 8,000 vehicles per hour. The new interchange is a key sail City districts including Fox necessary precautions to com- Major link water and sewage water drainage Semaisma Interchange and Al It will create a new demo- feeder connecting Lusail Stadium Hills, Lusail Plaza, Al Kharaej, bat the virus, especially in the Al Khor Expressway is expected lines and 110km pipeline for irriga- Bayt Stadium while 1,450 lighting graphic and urban areas extend- on one side and Lusail Station on Golf District and Qetaifan Islands. workplace. Engineer al-Jahrami to become the centre of develop- tion and treated water treatment poles have been installed along- ing along the east coast of Doha to the other side and serving Lusail The road corridor includes tun- described the opening as a con- ment and encourage the popula- network along with 160km of elec- side the track. Al Khor and Ras Laff an. The road North via the new road in the east nels and underpass with a length tinuation of Qatari Diar’s strat- tion of Doha to move outside the tricity and 290km of the telecom- These are in addition to 80 bike will become the centre of the de- and , Al Khee- of 260m along with walkways and egy to increase the effi ciency of city and reconstruct the eastern munications network. racks, 100 benches and 20 rest ar- velopment and will encourage the sa and in the west. cycle lanes of 4.2km. The road in- project works, especially in Lusail areas of Qatar. The road also ensures enhanced eas. On the other side of Al Khor population of Doha to move out- The interchange, which consists cludes 160 trees, shrubs and palm City where a number of national The project will help draw new traffi c fl ow to a number of recrea- Road, shared pedestrian and cycle side the historic city and to recon- of four bridges, two exit loops and trees and 36,280sq m of ground projects including Lusail Stadium investments to the area in fi elds tional and tourist destinations paths are being completed. The struct the eastern areas of Qatar four exits along with four under- covers, green spaces and open have been implemented. He add- such as business and agriculture. such as Katara, Beach, paths are 34km long, 6m wide to Al Khor, developing Lusail as an passes, will improve traffi c in the spaces of 50,000sq m as well as ed 95% of the city’s infrastructure It’s a major link to Lusail and Al Al Farkiya Beach and and 18 pedestrian and cycle un- ideal city to live in. area as it provides free traffi c fl ow 5km long storm water drains. The has been completed despite the Bayt stadiums and ensures direct Celebration Hall Complex as well derpass. The project will open the door to 28,000 vehicles per hour. road also features artwork for a current challenges of Covid-19. access to Al Rayyan and Educa- as some of the prestigious educa- Al Khor Road main carriageway for more investment in business distance of 850m and it will be Engineer al-Darwish said Ash- tion City stadiums. Also, it facili- tional institutions such as Qatar serves as an alternative route to Al and real estate sectors and in- Benefi ts of the new completed by the end of 2020. ghal projects integrate with all tates easy access to Simaisma and University, Community College Shamal Road and a major link be- crease the agricultural activities. Jo Al Ramth Road Engineer al-Emadi said that the infrastructure projects im- Al Khor Youth Centres, Al Khor of Qatar, Qatar Leadership Acad- tween the northeast of the country Future infrastructure projects The new road extends from the Ashghal provides alternate and plemented by various entities Sports Club, Lusail Sports Com- emy, Doha Institute for Gradu- and Doha, where the new road will in telecommunications, water new interchange on Al Khor Road non-conventional solutions for including Qatari Diar. Project plex and Doha Golf Club. ate Studies and College of the shorten travel time taken by road drainage and sewage treatment to the central part of Lusail City project management in the wake manager engineer Walid al-Saadi Started in the last quarter of North Atlantic - Qatar. Extended users coming from Al Khor up to sectors will be also implemented. Visiting museums without leaving home

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

atar residents can now explore more than 1,200 Qleading museums and art centres across the globe, including three renowned institutions in the country, while staying home amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. “Visit your favourite museum without leaving home,” said Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Mobile app showcases Mathaf collections. bin Khalifa al-Thani in her recent (March 23) tweet. Phifer and Partners (2015); the (creator unknown, India) in the As many cultural institutions Frank Lloyd Wright–designed early 18th century. have shut their doors to help stop Guggenheim Museum in New York NMoQ displays its exhibits the spread of the pandemic, QM City, which temporarily closed on about ‘The History of Trade in Qa- noted that Google Arts & Culture March 13, among other museums tar’, featuring ceramics discovered found a way to virtually visit mu- and centres. from the Cirebon wreck linking seums such as the Museum of Is- Virtual visitors can view a large the trade routes between the Mid- lamic Art (MIA), National Museum number of works from the three dle East and Southeast Asia in the of Qatar (NMoQ), and Mathaf: museums in Qatar such as textiles, 10th Century CE; and the ‘11 Ob- Images of MIA collection on Google Arts & Culture. Arab Museum of Modern Art. woodwork, metalwork, jewellery, jects that Changed the World’. Google Arts & Culture, in part- and coins and glass, “drawn from Another highlight at NMoQ’s Dia Azzawi (Iraq), Nja Mahdaoui ture, can step inside and see the nership with diff erent museums the treasure-houses of princes to collections is the ‘Pearl Carpet (Tunisia), Kamal Boullata (Pales- diff erent areas and sections of worldwide, serves as a digital plat- the personal homes of ordinary of Baroda’ (19th century), which tinian), Ibrahim El-Salahi (Sudan), partner museums from every an- form that provides people with people.” was embroidered with more than and Abdul Qadir al-Rassam (Iraq), gle as if they are literally roaming easy access to view high-defi nition Some of these pieces on dis- “1.5mn of the highest quality Gulf among others. around these buildings. pictures of numerous artworks and play online include MIA’s ‘The pearls, and adorned with precious Either visiting the Google Arts The Google platform also al- to showcase a wide range of online Schwarzenberg Carpet’ (Iran) dat- stones such as emeralds, diamonds & Culture’s website or using its lows a virtual tour of renowned exhibits and collections from vari- ing back to the 16th century; ‘Brass and sapphires.” mobile app, viewers can also have museums, art centres and cultural ous artists. Planispheric Astrolabe created by Meanwhile, Mathaf is showcas- a collection of their preferred art- sites such as the Taj Mahal in India, The list also includes the Corn- Hamid ibn al-Khidr al-Khujandi ing several paintings of various works virtually with their Google Colosseum in Rome, and Queens- ing Museum of Glass’s Contempo- (Iran or Iraq) which dates back to collectors and artists from Qatar accounts. land museum in Australia, as well rary Art + Design Wing in western the 10th century; and manuscripts and the region such as Yousef Ah- Visitors, using the platform’s as several historic destinations Artworks and online exhibits at NMoQ. New York, designed by Thomas like the ‘Single Volume of Qur’an’ mad (Qatar), 360-degree Street View fea- around the world.