BUSINESS | Page 1 QATAR | Page 3 Qatar Academy Doha equipped Nakilat 1st quarter profi t for jumps 18% to QR279.5mn e-learning published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11525 April 21, 2020 Sha’ban 28, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Criminal complaints can be filed through Amir chairs SC meeting Metrash2: MoI

The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has launched a service for filing Opening of criminal complaints at security departments through Matrash 2, as part of its keenness to provide distinguished services, reducing the time to receive the complaint and facilitating procedures in light Industrial of the precautionary measures taken to confront the coronavirus (Covid-19). The process starts by entering Matrash2 application and selecting the Criminal Complaint security department, the Security Area begins Departments, the complaint type, and writing a brief summary, in addition to attaching a signed written copy of the complaint. After submitting the complaint, the relevant security department will tomorrow contact the person and complete the remaining procedural steps. Page 4 zStreet numbers 1& 2 and Al Wakalat Police seek motive for street to be opened on Wednesday Canada gun rampage zRemaining parts to be opened as per Investigators yesterday scoured crime scenes from the worst mass medical advice: Lolwah AlKhater shooting in Canadian history to try to understand why a dental worker z6,500 workers shift ed to precautionary His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani chaired the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Supreme with no criminal past killed at least Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) of 2020 that was held via video conference yesterday. His Highness the Deputy Amir 18 people. The gunman, identified by quarantine to facilitate opening Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, Personal Representative of the police as 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, Amir and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, participated in the meeting. HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al- began his rampage late Saturday in Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and board member, and the other board members, also attended the meeting. the seaside village of Portapique, Nova he gradual opening of the tar has the lowest death rate in the The meeting reviewed the operational plans for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as well as the latest updates related to the Scotia, dying 14 hours later in a hail of closed part of Industrial Area Arab world and one of the lowest in stadiums and projects in the country. police gunfire outside Halifax, 100km Twill begin tomorrow, starting the world compared to the number of away. “Just how could this happen, from Streets 1 and 2 and Al Wakalat people infected. we may never know why,” Prime Street, HE the Spokesperson of the The fi rst spike in Covid-19 cases Minister Justin Trudeau told a news Supreme Committee for Crisis Man- occurred in March and was linked conference. Among the victims so far agement Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mo- to the return of Qataris from abroad. identified were a veteran constable hamed AlKhater has said. Then, there was relative stability fol- Visitors can stay in Qatar until fl ights resume with the Royal Canadian Mounted Work will continue to open the re- lowed by another rise related to the Police, a nurse, an elementary school maining part of the area based on the discovery of a group of cases from he Ministry of Interior has decided to allow visitors Worker can deny changes to contract: MADLSA teacher, prison guards and a retired medical situation in the interests of the Industrial Area and this led to in the country on tourist visas (visas issued on ar- firefighter. Page 8 the people, she told a press confer- closure of the area, she observed. Trival and in advance) to stay as they cannot return to The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and ence yesterday evening. Family visits were among the most their countries under the current conditions. Social Affairs (MADLSA) has explained what needs to be done US Covid-19 death Around 6,500 workers were shift- important reasons for the spread of The ministry said on its Twitter account yesterday that if workers are outside the country and unable to return, and toll rises to 40,931 ed to precautionary quarantine fa- Covid-19 among Qataris, in particu- in accordance with Law No. 21 of 2010 regarding the regu- if this will affect their employment status. “The employer cilities in preparation for partially lar, the press conference was told. lation of entry and exit of expatriates and their residence, and the worker should discuss working conditions and The worldwide death toll from the opening the closed part. They will be She urged everyone to stay safe it was decided to allow visitors to stay in Qatar, as airports benefits. The worker is entitled to refuse any adjustment novel coronavirus pandemic rose screened for early detection despite and stay at home. are closed in most of the countries. They will be allowed to to the contract,” the MADLSA tweeted yesterday. In case to 167,594 yesterday, according to no symptoms of the infection, in or- “It is necessary to continue apply- stay without extending their visas or paying any fee. of termination of employment, this must be carried out in a tally from off icial sources. More der to ensure their safety and that of ing preventive measures, the most Once the conditions return to normal and fl ights start full compliance with the terms of the Labour Law and the than 2,437,170 declared cases have others in the area. important of which is not leaving the operation to their countries, they will be granted a grace contract, including the notice period and the payment of all been registered in 193 countries and Meanwhile, HE the Spokesperson house except for necessities, wearing period to leave, the ministry said. (QNA) pending entitlements,” it added. territories since the epidemic first said 90% of coronavirus infections masks, washing and sanitising hands emerged in China in December. Of in Qatar are mild cases and only 1% and practising adequate social dis- these cases, at least 545,400 are now is serious. tancing, especially as we are entering considered recovered. In the United HE AlKhater also noted that Qa- the blessed month of Ramadan,” she States, now the worst-hit country, the said. 567 new Covid-19 cases in Qatar: MoPH death toll stood at 40,931 with 766,212 HE AlKhater stressed that “this infections. At least 71,581 patients pandemic may remind us that God’s he Ministry of Public Health in contact with confi rmed cases, while a result of complications due to being have recovered. Italy is the next most ability is above all ability and that we (MoPH) yesterday announced some new cases of infection are among infected with Covid-19. The ministry aff ected country with 24,114 deaths must from now on pay attention to Tthe registration of 567 con- citizens and residents who had had extended condolences and sympathy and 181,228 confirmed infections. what adds to our selves, our socie- fi rmed new cases of coronavirus (Cov- contact with positive Covid-19 cases to the family of the deceased. ties and our countries”. She said peo- id-19) in Qatar, and the recovery of 37 within their families. It said the noticeable increase in US oil prices trade ple should “seize the coincidence” cases, and one more death. The total The newly infected cases have been the number of confi rmed new cases in the negative of having the month of Ramadan at number of those recovered has reached placed under complete isolation and of infection is due to several reasons, the same time as this pandemic “to 555 in the country. they are receiving necessary medical including the fact that the spread of Oil prices ended New York trading in rearrange our priorities and focus on According to a MoPH statement on care. the virus has started to enter the peak the negative yesterday for the first what is benefi cial and constructive”. offi cial Qatar News Agency (QNA), The MoPH stated that the one death stage, which is the highest wave that time ever, as a supply glut forced “We call upon all and urge to avoid most of the new cases are among expa- registered yesterday was that of a aff ects the country, and may continue traders to pay others to take the HE Lolwah bint Rashid bin family gatherings during Ramadan,” triate workers who have been quaran- 56-year-old resident who was suff er- to increase for a period before it starts commodity. With space to store oil Mohamed AlKhater HE the spokesperson said. Page 6 tined after it was found that they were ing from a chronic disease, and died as to decline. To Page 4 scarce, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery ended trading at -$37.63 a barrel ahead of Tuesday’s close for futures contracts -- when traders who buy and sell the commodity for profit would have had to take physical HMC launches drive-thru anticoagulation service possession of it. “It’s a contract for something that nobody wants to buy,” said Matt Smith of ClipperData. s part of the ongoing eff orts Dr Osama Abdelsamad, clinical The unprecedented price drop is to stop the spread of the novel pharmacy specialist and supervisor a consequence of the coronavirus Acoronavirus (Covid-19) and of the Anticoagulation Service for the pandemic and an ongoing price war better serve the community, Ha- Pharmacy Department at Al Wakra between top producers Saudi Arabia mad Medical Corporation (HMC) has Hospital says in most cases follow-up and Russia. launched what is thought to be the re- care is completed over the telephone. gion’s fi rst drive-thru anticoagulation “Once the test results are returned, Rivals agree on unity service at Al Wakra Hospital. the pharmacist calls the patient to government in Israel The service, which started earlier gather all necessary information and this month, is designed to protect the to confi rm there are no changes to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin country’s most vulnerable residents patient’s condition and medications. Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny from exposure to the coronavirus. This ensures the patient isn’t taking Gantz, have agreed to form a national Dr Sabah Adnan al-Qadhi, medical any other medications or experiencing emergency government after three director of Al Wakra Hospital, said the Dr Sabah Adnan al-Qadhi Dr Ezzideen Hamza Sawali any health issues which could impact inconclusive elections in less than a elderly and people with pre-existing how they respond to warfarin. Once year. An agreement to that eff ect was medical conditions, such as heart dis- Dr Ezzideen Hamza Sawali, chair of and have co-morbid conditions and the correct dosage is determined, a signed by the two men yesterday ease, are most at risk for severe Cov- cardiology and medical supervisor for are at a higher risk of severe illness if prescription is written and the patient evening, according to a joint id-19 illness. the Anticoagulation Clinic at Al Wakra they do contract Covid-19, so limiting receives their medication through our statement from both parties. The He noted that most patients with Hospital said patients taking blood clot their potential exposure to this virus home delivery service,” said Dr Abdel- controversial move ends a political blood-clotting disorders who require prevention medications such as war- is extremely important. Patients who samad. stalemate that has led to three anticoagulation services fall under farin require ongoing monitoring and require routine lab monitoring and The Anticoagulation Service at Al elections within the span of one year both those categories. management. He says these patients medication dose adjustments can now A nurse wearing personal protective Wakra Hospital is run by clinical phar- and has left Israel with a transitional “People using blood clot prevention must have blood samples taken regu- get those services from their vehicle, equipment attends to a patient at the macists working under the supervision government for more than a year. medications require ongoing medical larly to determine their international rather than going into the hospital,” drive-thru anticoagulation service at of specialised physicians. The clinic “We have prevented a fourth care. Implementing a drive-up test- normalised ratio. said Dr Sawali. Al Wakra Hospital. receives around 200 patients each election. We will protect democracy,” ing service, which allows patients to “Many of our patients expressed Patients are contacted a day in ad- month, 70% of them are elderly, have Gantz wrote on Twitter after the have their blood drawn without leav- concern about exposure to Covid-19, vance to confi rm their appointment identifi cation and medical screening other chronic diseases, or have a his- announcement yesterday evening. ing their vehicle, is part of our ongoing particularly when they were required time. On the day of their appointment, processes before taking a sample of the tory of surgery, which requires special “We will fight the coronavirus and eff orts to keep vulnerable populations to go into the hospital for their blood a nurse wearing personal protective patient’s blood, all from the window of measures to be taken to protect them care for every Israeli citizen.” safe,” said Dr al-Qadhi. tests. Most of our patients are elderly equipment will complete the necessary their vehicle. from infection. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 QATAR

Ministry of labour and QRCS to provide QR34mn Qatar Charity launch medical aid for 10 countries ‘Ramadan Gift’ initiative QNA of the precautionary eff orts taken he Qatar Red Cres- Doha by the country to curb the spread cent Society (QRCS) has of the coronavirus (Covid-19) epi- Tlaunched a QR34mn fun- demic, the MADLSA, represented draising campaign to support the he Ministry of Admin- by the social aff airs sector, is work- global coronavirus (Covid-19) istrative Development, ing on taking several measures that control eff orts. It will target over TLabour and Social Aff airs would help the citizens benefi ting 5mn benefi ciaries in Ethiopia, (MADLSA), in co-operation with from social security, as the validity Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, Qatar Charity, has launched the of the social security cards has been Mali, Iraq, Yemen, Bangladesh, ‘Ramadan Gift’ initiative, tar- renewed and extended including Syria and Palestine. geting 5,000 elderly people and more than 5,000 cards that were The new drive comes in re- families who benefi t from social automatically renewed and extend- sponse to the appeal issued by security in accordance with Law ed until further notice without the the International Federation of No 38 of 1995. need to consult the ministry and its the Red Cross and Red Crescent Under the initiative, Qa- affi liated branches. Societies (IFRC) to raise funds to tar Charity has contributed The Assistant Undersecretary combat the Covid-19 pandemic, QRCS secretary-general Ali bin QR10mn (QR2,000 for each for Social Aff airs added that the especially in countries which lack Hassan al-Hammadi. benefi ciary). Assistant Under- procedures for renewing rent al- resources to withstand its conse- secretary for Social Aff airs at lowance for citizens in the hous- quences. Qatar is a major humani- protection kits, each contain- the MADLSA Ghanem Mubarak ing department were extended tarian donor for all friendly coun- ing a full garment (gloves, head al-Kuwari said that the initia- until further notice without the tries around the world. covers, goggles, face shields, and tive is implemented annually in need to visit the department, Ali bin Hassan al-Hammadi, rubber boots) for the benefi t of co-operation with Qatar Char- adding that the MADLSA has secretary-general of QRCS, said, 42,000 persons in Addis Ababa ity for the benefi t of the elderly intensifi ed its media awareness “Humanitarian action is par- and Oromia. people and families receiving campaigns on the importance ticularly important in disaster 2.Afghanistan: Provision social security on the occasion of of using electronic applications, zones. In the face of an emer- of PPE (masks, gloves, cover- Infection prevention in northern Syria. the blessed month of Ramadan, including ‘Amerni’ app to take gency that aff ects almost every alls, sanitisers and disinfect- adding that it comes within the advantage of its available serv- country in the world, QRCS is ants, and digital thermometers) for quarantine facilities, includ- training for medical profession- responders, and nurses for the framework of permanent co- ices, while stressing that the one of the fi rst responders. With to serve 140 health facilities and ing medical equipment, clean- als; and payment for operational benefi t of 288,000 persons in the operation between the ministry MADLSA’s social aff airs sector its preparedness strategy, it is 1,000 families of Covid-19 pa- ing tools, disinfectants, food aid, costs and medical staff wages for northern governorates of Aleppo and Qatar Charity to contribute receives all communications via well in place to deal with any cri- tients, training and education and drinking water for the ben- the benefi t of 25,000 in San’aa, and Idlib. to providing the necessary needs the hotline to respond to all in- sis immediately”. for 280 health professionals efi t of 100,000 persons. Sa’dah, Taiz, and Dhale Gover- 10.Palestine: Support for for these families. quiries and requests and address He emphasised that this ini- and 500 volunteers, education 6.Iraq: Support for quaran- norates. quarantine facilities with the Al-Kuwari stressed that, in light them quickly. tiative to stand by humanity is for 100,000 society members, tine facilities with the needed 8.Bangladesh: Support for needed medical equipment, not something new; it is a deep- and enhancement of quarantine medical equipment, consuma- quarantine facilities with the consumables, lab testing tools, MADLSA records violations by 11 firms rooted tradition of QRCS since services for positive and suspi- bles, sanitisers, and disinfect- needed medical equipment, and food provisions for the ben- its establishment in 1978, in- cious cases in several provinces. ants, as well as food provisions to consumables, PPE, testing tools, efi t of 5,000 persons from the The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs spired by the Qatari culture and 3.Sudan: Provision of PPE, serve a population of 4,348,827 sanitisers and disinfectants; and families aff ected by the Covid-19 (MADLSA) has recorded violations by 11 companies operating in various values. including 5,000 masks and in Erbil and Nineveh Governo- food provisions for the benefi t of outbreak in the West Bank. sectors, such as trade, contracting, agricultural, irrigation, electrical and “Our representation missions 5,000 sanitisers, rental of am- rates. 100,000 persons in several divi- People can donate via QRCS mechanical services, technical services, transportation, supplies and in 22 countries are co-ordinating bulance vehicles, and distribu- 7.Yemen: Support for six sions of the country. website (www.qrcs.org.qa); do- facilities management, at a residential location in the Al Kharra area. with the host National Socie- tion of health education posters hospitals allocated for treatment 9.Syria: Provision of 10 in- nor service number (66666364); In a statement, the ministry said the companies were not adhering to ties on capacity-building and on Covid-19 prevention for the of Covid-19 patients through tensive care units (ICUs), sup- home donation collection the precautionary measures, which is to reduce the population density preventive measures,” he said. benefi t of 5,000 persons in sev- rehabilitation, maintenance, ply of 50,000 Covid-19 tests for number (66644822); bank trans- in workers’ housing facilities and provide a safe distance between Under the campaign, a slew of eral states. provision of medications and the central medical laboratory; fer with QIIB (IBAN: QA66QI- workers when boarding or getting off buses, the off icial QNA reported projects will be implemented. 4.Somalia: Launch of inte- medical consumables; provi- enhancement of Covid-19 re- IB000000001111126666003); yesterday. Accordingly, the companies were referred to the security 1.Ethiopia: Launch of inte- grated video health education sion of PPE for staff ; provision sponse and control capacity at QRCS headquarters at Cor- authorities for necessary action, QNA added. grated health education pro- programmes and provision of of medical consumables such as the QRCS-managed health fa- niche; Training and Develop- This came in the context of the inspection campaigns carried out by grammes to promote knowledge PPE (masks and sanitisers) for solutions and Covid-19 lab test- cilities including healthcare ment Centre in Umm Al Seneem; labour inspectors of the MADLSA to ensure that companies adhere to of the nature and prevention of the benefi t of 50,000 persons in ing tools; provision of sanitisers centres and maternity hospi- or QRCS’s donation collection the necessary precautionary measures. Covid-19, training for volun- Mogadishu, Garowe, and Bosaso. and cleaning supplies for staff tal in Al-Bab; and provision of agents at Al Meera, LuLu, and The ministry has allocated the hotline, 4028-0660, to report violations teers, and distribution of health 5. Mali: Provision of supplies and patients; Covid-19 control PPE for medical professionals, Carrefour. Page 20 of workers’ housing requirements. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 3 QATAR

Ooredoo announces Education cannot just promotion for new Shahry 5G, Qatarna 5G subscriptions go back to ‘business as oredoo has announced The new plans come loaded an exciting promotion with fantastic entertainment, Ofor new Shahry 5G and including historical matches Qatarna 5G customers sub- and sports documentaries with scribing via the Ooredoo eS- the beIN CONNECT App, Hol- hop, helping them to still ac- lywood and Bollywood movies cess great deals while staying with Starz Play and ErosNow, usual’ after Covid-19 safe at home. and thousands of buy-one-get- This is in line with its #Stay- one free off ers at a wide range of lobal education will ideas, a participatory approach – is helping all of us to recognise HomeWithOoredoo campaign dining options off ering home de- not be able to return especially with teachers and par- is that, in a way, we have been to promote public safety amid livery with the Urban Point app. Gto “business as usual” ents – and more informed deci- missing the point. the ongoing Covid-19 situation, Ooredoo PR director Sabah in a post-coronavirus world, sion-making based on evidence. Speakers also included Al Ooredoo stated in a statement. Rabia al-Kuwari said, “We’re and must take the opportunity We cannot miss this opportunity Jawhara al-Thani, QF’s head of New Shahry 5G and Qatarna pleased to off er new customers that the crisis has off ered to re- for the disruption of education educational and community 5G customers subscribing via this exciting promotion while think and reshape itself, a Qatar systems, in order to more ade- programmes, who told the online the eShop will get twice the we all #StayHomeWithOore- Foundation educator has told an quately prepare the next genera- audience, “This is a global reset data and twice the interna- doo. We’re proud to be helping international online conference. tion of professionals and the next button for everyone – it is not a tional minutes for six months, our customers in this challeng- ‘Education Disrupted, Edu- leaders of our societies.” chance for education systems to so they can access all the ben- ing time, and this off er means cation Reimagined’, a two-day Marmolejo, a former global be passive. efi ts of the new plans without they will get excellent value online gathering organised by co-ordinator of higher educa- “The whole world has to hold having to leave home. for money and still access our the World Innovation Summit tion at the World Bank, said the up to the responsibility of inno- New customers will get up to products and services without for Education (WISE) – a global current crisis is one that “a lot vating, and thinking about what 900Gb free data and up to 600 having to leave the house.” initiative of Qatar Foundation of people in education were not we can do better and do diff er- international minutes absolutely The promotion is only valid (QF) – and the Salzburg Global prepared for”, although in the ently, because we cannot wait for free, depending on the plan they for new customers subscribing Seminar, brought together ex- case of Qatar: “Possibly because someone else to do it for us. We choose, when they sign up for a to a new Shahry 5G or Qatarna perts from around the world to of the blockade experienced by have to serve our communities new subscription via the eShop. 5G pack via the Ooredoo eShop. analyse the consequences of the the country, the system was pre- and think about their needs right novel coronavirus (Covid-19) Francisco Marmolejo, education adviser, Qatar Foundation. pared to quickly react and imme- now, and I believe this has put a for educational ecosystems, and diately put in place systems for lot of education systems in the how the pandemic could mark facing many challenges in terms there is also very limited articu- the remote delivery of teaching hotseat, forcing them to think the start of a road to change. of equality of access, especially lation with the previous levels and learning. It was a remark- about how they interact with Among the speakers was from people from disadvantaged of the education systems and able achievement in such a short their community.” Francisco Marmolejo, QF’s ed- sectors of society.” also a signifi cant emphasis on period of time.” She said that when the time ucation adviser, who told the Other challenges, he said, disconnected knowledge. He also shared his view that, comes for schools to reopen, conference: “If we talk about include the acute inadequacy “Consciously designing for a in the past, education systems educators should consider “how this crisis as being a catalyst for of education off erings. “In the ‘new normal’ will require signifi - have based too many decisions to can make it a space for a richer change, it may be an opportuni- case of higher education, it’s cant political willingness, an ea- “on anecdotes and emotions, not human exchange” and “how to ty to recognise that, globally, to- very evident there is an exces- gerness to disrupt, eagerness to on rationalistic evidence”, add- build intentionality into what day’s education systems are still sive academic workload, while consider innovative and feasible ing: “Something that this crisis we’ve been doing accidentally.” QAD fully equipped for e-learning

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

quipped with a digital platform for distance Elearning, Qatar Academy Doha (QAD) is all set to hold on- line classes for its students amid the novel coronavirus (Cov- id-19) pandemic, the school’s director, Stephen Meek has said. “Our faculty prepared very thoroughly in their depart- HE Sheikh Bandar bin Mohamed bin Saoud al-Thani ments in advance of the school being closed so that they were Stephen Meek, director, QAD. ready for any eventuality for a move to online learning,” he told with slightly shortened lesson Gulf Times. periods for faculty and students Qatar presides Meek said they use Google to meet for the usual classes. Classroom daily with nor- Students sign in when they mal classroom teaching and join a class and have to complete communication between stu- a particular question or task at over extraordinary dents and faculty who are now the end of the class as an “exit familiar with such platform. ticket”, Meek added. The Ministry of Education He noted that attendance and Higher Education earlier rates have been good and the meeting of Arabosai announced that public schools school immediately informs QAD uses Google Classroom with normal classroom teaching and communication between students are required to adopt a distance parents, either through email or and faculty. learning system while private phone call, if their children fail schools in the country have to join the class. “Parents have each department in the Sen- among others, Meek said. take to keep ourselves and our Executive Council been urged to apply a similar been very pleased that we are ior School are members of each While the school has hand community safe. Many videos programme as a precautionary contacting them in this way.” class in their grade or depart- sanitiser dispensers in every /images /messages/materials measure against Covid-19. “Assignments are completed ment, so that they can join any classroom, he said they also in- sent by students and posted on he extraordinary meeting for the organisation’s executive “Once we knew the school through Google Classroom and of these classes at any time, to stalled more at relevant areas our offi cial channels encourage of the Executive Council board to convene in an extraor- was closing, High School and the faculty member marks them support the learning which is and in the corridors. the community to stay at home Tof the Arab Organisation dinary session comes within the Middle School principals spoke and returns them through the taking place. Administrative Besides posters (both in Ara- and to use hand sanitiser,” Meek of Supreme Audit Institutions framework of seeking to sur- to all the students in their re- same platform. We have done a staff can also join classes,” he bic and English), QAD also con- said. (Arabosai) was held yesterday via round the eff ects of the crisis on spective schools before the number of formative pieces of added. tinued sending reminders to its “It has also been good to see video conference, chaired by HE the organisation’s activity and to school closed to explain QAD’s work and are now working to- QAD is also educating stu- community about the personal images of the students study- President of the State Audit Bu- develop perceptions that would expectations and exactly how we wards summative assignments,” dents on Covid-19 precaution- measures which people can do ing from home. As these images reau and Chairman of the Execu- ensure the organisation’s con- were going to continue to learn, Meek said. “We are looking at ary measures by conducting to avoid contagion. are taken by the parents, it is a tive Council of the Organisation tinuation of its activities in order while not sharing a physical ways to ensure that the integrity information sessions in class “I have been impressed by the reminder of the fact that par- Sheikh Bandar bin Mohamed bin to enhance the capabilities of the classroom,” Meek said. of the work is maintained.” and assemblies to explain the way the students took part in ents are doing a wonderful job Saoud al-Thani, to discuss the Arab institutions and improve He said QAD followed the “Lead Teachers of each Grade importance of hygiene, hand raising social awareness about in supporting their children’s repercussions of the spread of their performance. normal school schedule but in the Primary School and of washing, and social distancing, the measures which we need to learning,” he added. the coronavirus on the work of The council also discussed a the organisation and ways to en- number of proposals related to sure the continuity of its activity enhancing the contribution of and to propose an action plan to the Supreme Audit agencies in enhance the capabilities of the dealing with the repercussions member institutions in dealing of the current crisis and the role with the crisis. of the Arab organisation in sup- Crisis Management Sheikh Bandar stressed in the porting it through adopted plans meeting, which was attended by and programmes. heads of the audit institutions The meeting concluded with that are members of the Execu- an invitation to the organisation’s tive Council, that the crisis of structures from committees and Committee receives the coronavirus outbreak is un- the general secretariat to study precedented in the history of the implications of the current mankind in terms of its extent situation on the organisation’s and impact, and that Arabosai performance and prepare an ex- and other organisations are not ceptional plan in the activities more than QR74mn immune to the crisis repercus- that are proposed to support the sions. member institutions in their re- QNA He pointed out that the call sponse to this epidemic. ( ) By Shafeeq Alingal ment, Aspire Zone and Urbacon of all sizes have actively sup- Staff Reporter Trading and Contracting are ported the eff orts of Qatar to the major three real estate con- fi ght the novel ocronavirus tributors. Qatar Foundation and (Covid-19) through fi nancial, he Supreme Commit- Al Rayyan Restaurant Manage- service and real estate sector tee for Crisis Manage- ment are on the top of the list of contributions,” the website of Tment has received con- service sector contributors. Government Communication tributions from 201 businesses The committee has received Offi ce (GCO) said. the website of the National Crisis Management decided to and 157 individuals, totalling several contributions that stood Moza Khaled al-Mohannadi, Committee for Combating Cov- create this platform to receive QR74.2mn. below QR10,000 while real es- head of the Support and Con- id-19 by using the link https:// registration of contributions of Apart from Qatar National tate contributions were made tribution Initiative Committee sci.adlsa.gov.qa/. individuals and companies after Bank, the list of major fi nancial by hotels, resorts and residen- had explained that 155 compa- Out of the total contribu- many individuals and institu- contributors included names tial complexes. The committee nies have expressed their readi- tions, 45% are service sector tions made contributions before of Muhammad Abdul Rahman has received contributions of ness to contribute in support of contributors, 36% are fi nan- launching the platform. The Al Bahr & Sons and Al Adekhar workers housing and residential the eff orts to combat Covid-19. cial contributors and real estate platform receives all fi nancial, Heads of audit institutions attend the extraordinary meeting of Real Estate. complexes. Individuals and companies contributors constitute 19%. real estate and service contribu- Arabosai Executive Council via video conference. Katara Hospitality Manage- “Individuals and businesses can make contributions through The Supreme Committee for tions through a special account. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 QATAR Katara to launch Criminal complaints can be filed through Metrash2: MoI online contests, virtual art shows during Ramadan

atara – the Cultural Vil- Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith. Qatar TV will broadcast during lage is preparing to launch Katara will also launch com- Ramadan the second part of the Konline competitions cov- petitions in culture, heritage, animated series Tamor & Tamora ering religious, cultural and her- and media such as the Katara produced by Katara, and which itage aspects through social me- Fluent Media Anchor on TV and won the award of the 20th session dia platforms, as well as virtual radio for girls and boys from 12- of the Arab Radio and Television The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has announced that people can now file criminal complaints at security departments through the exhibitions of a group of artists. 22 years’ old. Festival held in Tunis from June 27 Metrash2 application. “This new service launched by the MoI reduces the time of communication and simplify procedures for the The events come within the Participants are required to to 30, 2019 within the category of public in the light of the precautionary measures against Covid-19,” the ministry said in a tweet yesterday. activities of Katara during the read a text provided by Katara, children’s programmes. holy month of Ramadan and in and send the audio or video re- This animation series aims to the framework of the precau- cording on WhatsApp, with the spread awareness among chil- tionary measures to control and information of the participant dren, and in addition, to con- prevent the spread of the novel and a copy of his ID. nect the current generation with coronavirus (Covid-19). Katara announced three prizes the inherited Qatari heritage and The competitions are directed for the winners in both compe- cultural product. It is also the at various social and age groups, tition - the fi rst winner will get fi rst artwork of Katara Publish- GU-Q professor’s article wins which include memorising the QR13,000, second QR10,000, ing House, supervised by Khalid Holy Qur’an and prophetic say- and third QR8,000. Abdul Rahim Sayed. ings, in addition to competitions The Qatari Heritage competi- Katara is also preparing to related to culture, heritage, short tion will see a daily question on launch virtual exhibitions of art- prestigious European award story and media. Katara’s social media platforms ists such as ‘Al Tayebeen’ by Qa- Katara competitions during related to the old Qatari word- tari artist Ali Dasmal al-Kuwari, Ramadan are characterised by ings, in addition to the short sto- ‘Patches’ by Syrian artist Hadi ose Asturias, Assistant Pro- road project as a case study, the and policymakers have devoted the diversity of the subject and ry competition inspired from the Qasous, ‘A Mirage You Cannot fessor of Economics at Geor- research paper provides major signifi cant resources to reduc- the richness of the content. life of the Prophet Muhammad Reach’ by Qatari artist Masoud Jgetown University in Qatar new insights into measuring ing their transportation costs. The Qur’an competition of (peace be upon him). The story al-Balushi, and ‘The Result’ by (GU-Q), along with co-authors the economic impact of invest- That is what motivated us to “Juz’u Amma” for children from should be for children, and the Qatari artist Fatima al-Naimi. Manuel García-Santana, a pro- ments in major infrastructure study the Golden Quadrilateral, 6 to 13 years old includes memo- number of the words of the story Registration for the competi- fessor at Barcelona Graduate projects. a 5,800km highway connecting rising and reciting, in addition to must be between 100 and 120. tions will be from the fi rst to 10th School of Economics, and Rob- Specifi cally, the research team the urban centres of the country the “Katara Prophetic Hadiths” The Katara Galleries compe- of Ramadan one to 10, and the erto Ramos, an economist with found that the investment in the (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and competition for girls and boys tition includes a daily question communication with the partici- the Bank of Spain, have won the highway project has paid off at Kolkata) via modern highways.” from 10 to 18. The participants are about one of the previous Katara pants will be by phone or Zoom European Economic Associa- even higher rates than previ- The winning paper was pub- required to memorise the book of exhibitions. digital programme. tion’s (EEA) 2020 Hicks-Tin- ously known. They determined lished in the December 2019 bergen Medal for their journal this by studying the economic issue of the Journal of the Eu- article, “Competition and the Jose Asturias impact road improvements had ropean Economic Association Welfare Gains from Transpor- on market competition between (JEEA). Widam partners with Q-Post for delivery of red meat tation Infrastructure: Evidence the EEA award committee said: fi rms. Dr Asturias is currently work- from the Golden Quadrilateral “The paper elegantly combines A country’s transportation ing on several new projects, one of India.” theory with data to a highly pol- infrastructure plays an impor- of which studies the evolution of The EEA awards the medal icy relevant question,” setting tant role in its economic per- internal trade within Spain fol- once every two years to the au- their research fi ndings apart formance, explained Dr Astu- lowing the 2008 global fi nancial thors of an outstanding article through a novel approach to an rias. crisis.He conducts research and published in their journal in the issue with global relevance. “A fi fth of World Bank lending teaches courses on international preceding two years. Using India’s multi-billion goes to upgrading transport in- trade and macroeconomics at Congratulating the winners, dollar Golden Quadrilateral frastructure. It’s very important GU-Q, a QF partner university. Woqod opens new petrol station at Umm Al Juwashen

Qatar Fuel (Woqod) yesterday providing customers with access opened the Umm Al Juwashen to best-in-class products and petrol station along Al Majd services at their convenience Road, raising its network of and comfort.” petrol stations to 104. The move “The Woqod team would like to is part of Woqod’s ongoing ex- extend their gratitude to all gov- pansion plans to be able to serve ernmental and private entities every area in Qatar. concerned that contributed to Woqod managing director and the completion of this project,” CEO Saad Rashid al-Muhannadi al-Muhannadi added. A view of the Umm Al Juwashen petrol station. said, “We are pleased to open a The new petrol station is spread new petrol station in Umm Al Ju- over a 40,000sq m area and Al Majd Road, and its neigh- manual car wash, oil change and Widam Food has partnered with Qatar Post to use refrigerated vehicles for secure and fast delivery washen, Al Majd Road. Woqod as- has four lanes with eight dis- bourhood. tyre repair for light and heavy ve- of red meat during Ramadan, it has been announced. This is in line with the initiative of the Ministry pires to expand its petrol station pensers for light vehicles, and The Umm Al Juwashen petrol hicles, and sale of LPG cylinders of Commerce and Industry, along with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Widam, to network in the country to meet three lanes with six dispensers station off ers round-the-clock ‘Shafaf’, in addition to sale of support the prices of red meat during Ramadan, Widam Food has said in a tweet. the rising demand for petroleum for heavy vehicles, which will services to residents, and in- gasoline and diesel products for products and achieve the goal of serve Umm Al Juwashen area, cludes Sidra convenience store, light vehicles and heavy vehicles.

64,620 tested for virus in Qatar so far: MoPH From Page 1 There are 6,015 positive It is also due to the steady cases to date in Qatar and increase in the eff orts of the 5,451 active cases currently MoPH and its medical teams undergoing treatment. The to track the transmission total number of Covid-19 chains of the coronavirus and deaths so far in Qatar is nine, boost the testing rates as well according to the tweet. as inclusion of groups of con- The MoPH requested all tacts with people who were members of the society to previously diagnosed with the stay at home and co-operate disease. fully with all health guidelines “All of this has contributed and preventive measures to to the early detection of many reduce the risk of infection, cases of infection and reduced including complying with the the spread of the virus,” it social and physical distancing added. guidelines. According to a tweet from The MoPH also urged the the MoPH, 2,082 people were public to regularly visit its web- tested for Covid-19 in the site for the most up-to-date last 24 hours, and the total guidance on how to stay safe, number tested so far in Qatar including those related to the is 64,620. use of facemasks, QNA added.

Mercedes AMG GT model of 2018 recalled he Ministry of Com- the recall campaign comes merce and Industry, within the framework of its Tin co-operation with ongoing eff orts to protect Nasser Bin Khaled Automo- consumers and ensure that biles, announced the recall vehicle dealers follow up on of Mercedes-Benz AMG GT defects and repairs. model of 2018 as the clip on The ministry has said that it the wiring harness for the will co-ordinate with the deal- automatic transmission may er to follow up on the main- not be attached in accord- tenance and repair works and ance with the manufacturer will communicate with cus- specifi cation. tomers to ensure that the nec- The ministry confi rmed essary repairs are carried out. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 5 QATAR COVID-19: Qatar Charity distributes food baskets, cultural bags atar Charity (QC) continues preventive efforts to reduce the at Qatar Charity, thanking both its efforts to provide food and spread of coronavirus. ministries for their cooperation in Qpreventive supplies, aiming With this initiative, Qatar Charity this regard. at contributing to reducing the spread aims to help quarantined people to For her part, the volunteer of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). invest their free time in beneficial Sheikha Bint Muhammad Al Thani, In cooperation with a number of and enjoyable activities, and promote Executive Director of the Supreme embassies, it has distributed food positive values through reading. Committee for Delivery and Legacy, parcels to several communities “This step comes as a emphasized the importance of residing in Qatar, in addition to continuation of the efforts made by voluntary work, calling on everyone distributing cultural bags to adults Qatar Charity to support the efforts to contribute to the country’s efforts and gifts to children in quarantine, of the State of Qatar and its plans to to limit the spread of coronavirus and in cooperation with the concerned combat the coronavirus, and promote reduce its infections. She also urged government agencies. its prevention and psychological people to stay home and abide by the Qatar Charity has distributed support programs,” said Jassim instructions issued by the concerned 7,000 food baskets, benefiting nearly Mohamed al-Emadi, Director of the authorities of the country. 28,000 people from various Asian, Local Development Department Arab and African communities, in cooperation with 20 embassies, including the embassies of Kenya, Nepal, Philippine, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, India, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Sri Lanka . The embassies thanked Qatar Charity for providing the support to their communities residing in Qatar, which confirms the depth and strength of the ties that link their countries with Qatar and its organizations that stand with their countries in the fight against Besides, Qatar Charity, in co- adults and 53 bags to children in Many officials and volunteers COVID-19, and provide assistance to operation with the Ministry of quarantine in several hotels of Qatar of Qatar Charity took part in the them, especially in times of crisis. Health and the Ministry of Interior, on the first day of the initiative. initiative to support awareness and distributed 493 cultural bags to

Qatar Charity, Waseef implement awareness campaigns for workers to fight coronavirus atar Charity, in cooperation residing in the Barwa Al Baraha within its awareness efforts for Waseef, a property project, Mukaynis, and the workers, based on its commitment Qmanagement company, workers’ housing in Al Khor. to its national duty and societal has organized awareness and The number of beneficiaries of responsibility in the private sector, preventive campaigns to combat the campaign was approximately aiming to contribute to the efforts coronavirus (COVID-19), targeting 12,000 workers, who received of the State of Qatar in the fight workers residing in the projects from Qatar Charity 12,000 health against COVID-19. run by Waseef. and awareness bags containing For its part, Qatar Charity The campaign, which falls personal hygiene kits, sanitizers affirms the continuation of its within Qatar Charity’s continued and masks, in addition to voluntary effort to limit the spread efforts aimed at curbing the spread multilingual awareness leaflets for of the virus in line with the State of COVID-19, aims to provide all workers. of Qatar’s plan encouraging all information about coronavirus to The Waseef Company thanked institutions and organizations raise awareness among workers Qatar for all its efforts to educate to participate in such efforts, to protect them, in addition to the workers (living in the projects especially those made for workers providing health education in run by the company) on the by distributing personal hygiene different languages to facilitate a importance of taking preventive and preventive items, food supplies better understanding and ensure and precautionary measures to and awareness leaflets. their safety. Besides, sanitizing limit the spread of the virus, in Qatar Charity also thanked materials and personal hygiene addition to the great role played by the company for its cooperation items were provided to workers to Qatar Charity, in cooperation with and support in implementing this reduce the possibility of infection. many bodies to fight the virus. campaign, which comes within the The beneficiaries of the The Waseef Company notes framework of its care for the health campaign included workers that these campaigns come and safety of workers. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 QATAR AlKhater: ‘Qatar is successfully managing the Covid-19 crisis’

atar is successfully managing the novel Virus cases among Qataris ‘stable’ Qcoronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, HE the Spokesperson of the Supreme Committee The number of Covid-19 patients have left intensive for Crisis Management Lol- cases among Qataris is care. As many as 89% of the wah bint Rashid bin Mohamed relatively stable after the total Covid-19 cases in Qatar AlKhater has said. spike on two consecutive are among males. Among At a press conference yes- days during late March, HE Qataris, 66.47% of those terday evening she gave a pres- the Spokesperson of the infected are males while entation on Covid-19 man- Supreme Committee for among expatriates, as many agement in the country and Crisis Management Lolwah as 89.9% of the patients are reassured all about the safety bint Rashid bin Mohamed males. and effi cacy of the approach AlKhater said. The figures presented by HE adopted. “Many of the cases (among AlKhater indicated that 36% of “The recent increase in the Qataris) were mainly related cases were in the age group of number of virus infections to contacts within the same 25 to 34 years, 29% in the 35 to is linked to an increase in the family and because of family 44 age group, 14% in the 45 to number of tests, and the adop- visits. 54 years category, 11% in the tion of a proactive screening “As many as 74% of the cases 15 to 24 years age group, 5% approach with a view to dis- are among those in quarantine in 55 to 64 years category, 2% covering transitional strings with only the rest found in the percent each in the category and this is a healthy indica- community, indicating that the over 64 years and between An inspector checks a truck during a campaign in Doha. tor in the first place,” she as- health system has succeeded five and 14 years, and just 1% serted. in containing the virus and between the ages of zero and “The increase in the number limiting its spread thanks to four years. of cases is a natural indicator of Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohamed AlKhater: “Qatar is among the the pre-emptive plans of the Regarding recovered cases, the ability of the health system top countries in terms of the number of tests in relation to the Ministry of Public Health,” she the top off icial said as many as Five food outlets shut to manage the crisis and contain population.” said. 80% are males, in line with the cases as quickly as possible. There are 72 cases in intensive fact that most of the patients “One of the important in- cency may prolong the crisis. “Some countries do not con- care currently whereas 52 are males as well. in Doha for violations dicators is the ability of the HE AlKhater reiterated that duct proactive checks, but rath- health system in Qatar to deal the increase in the number of er discover cases when patients nspection tours by Doha with cases, while many devel- cases in recent times is an in- go to hospitals after symptoms countries in terms of the pace of the tests are continu- Municipality’s Health Con- oped countries could not cope dication of the effi ciency of the appear. This means that there number of tests in relation to ing and called for avoidance of Itrol Section have led to the with the cases and contain the surveillance mechanism in Qa- are cases that have not been the population reaching about inaccurate calculations and closure of fi ve food establish- virus.” tar. discovered yet. 20,200 per million people, misreading the indicators and ments in the city for violations, She stressed that the most “The Ministry of Public “Conducting accurate proac- whereas in leading countries numbers of the tests. the Ministry of Municipality and important aspect in combating Health does not conduct tests tive checks is important to dis- such as Singapore it is 16,000 “There is a scientifi c ap- Environment (MME) has said. Covid-9 is the commitment of randomly, but through a dedi- cover cases early and not wait per million and in Hong Kong proach for conducting tests in A total of 105 inspection tours the people to follow the preven- cated team for search, which is until symptoms appear in pa- 17,500 per million of the popu- Qatar, which is similar to what were conducted at food outlets tive and precautionary meas- the eff ective factor in curbing tients. lation.” is going on in the leading coun- across Doha on Sunday as part of ures and warned that compla- the virus spread. “Qatar is among the top HE AlKhater assured that the tries in this regard.” the campaign to ensure the prop- er application of relevant food health and safety regulations. These resulted in the issuance of 11 violation reports in accord- New restrictions for walk-in patients ance with Law No 8 of 1990 re- garding the regulation of human Zakat Fund continues at NCCCR’s Urgent Care Unit food control, the MME said in a market and also checked 3,848 statement. slaughtered carcasses of live- Besides, a restaurant and su- stock at the automated central amad Medical Corpo- cancer-related urgent conditions permarket in the Najma area abattoir. Two of these carcasses ration (HMC) has an- should visit a Primary Health were immediately shut down were destroyed for being unfi t for to work remotely Hnounced new restric- Care Corp Urgent Care Clinic or for 30 days for keeping workers human consumption. tions for walk-in patients at the one of Hamad Medical Corpora- without valid health certifi cates. The inspectors also continued QNA due to the circumstances of the pandemic that Urgent Care Unit of the National tion’s Emergency Departments, In the Airport area, a restau- their inspection eff orts of the Doha currently aff ects the world and that contributed Center for Cancer Care and Re- HMC tweeted. rant, a sweet shop and a bakery vehicles that transport foodstuff to ending the work or deduction of salaries of a search (NCCCR). Patients within the NCCCR were also immediately closed for and items at the Industrial Area. large group of people whose work were disrupt- “As a result of the evolving Urgent Care Unit are vulnerable fi ve days for failing to abide by The inspectors also continued he Zakat Fund Department at the Minis- ed due to the domestic isolation imposed by the Covid-19 situation, a number and have suppressed immune health regulations with regard to to check food transport vehicles try of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic current conditions. of changes have been made to systems – these service changes the handling and preparation of in the Industrial Area, where one TAff airs has confi rmed the continuation of The Zakat Fund management at the begin- the delivery of healthcare serv- have been made to ensure their food stuff and meals, the state- violation was issued against a the remote work policy regarding collection and ning of April had called on zakat payers to sub- ices across HMC to protect our risk of infection is kept to a mini- ment noted. company that transported frozen spending during the holy month of Ramadan, mit their zakat to the Fund by depositing it in patients, visitors and the wider mum, it stressed. Meanwhile, veterinarians from foodstuff in unhealthy conditions. in line with the precautionary measures taken the ATMs of the Qatar Islamic Bank or Al Rayan public,” HMC said in a post on Cancer patients with urgent the section inspected 1,680kg The entire cargo in the vehicle was by the State to curb the spread of the corona- Bank, where the zakat payer can deal with the Twitter yesterday. needs can discuss their care with of fi sh at the Al Corniche fi sh destroyed, the MME added. virus (Covid-19), and to preserve Zakat payers option of paying zakat in favour of the Zakat One of these changes means a physician, enquire about medi- and employees, until the current crisis resulting Fund, where the zakat amount will be trans- the Urgent Care Unit at NCCCR cation dispensing, and enquire from the spread of this pandemic is over. ferred to the Fund account in the bank directly. is no longer accepting walk-in about specifi c oncology and hae- “The zakat should to be paid at the time Zakat can also be deposited through personal patients for anything other than matology care by calling HMC’s without stipulating that it be paid during Ram- account of the zakat payer via the mobile bank- cancer-related conditions. Urgent Consultation Service on Inspections continue adan or in other months,” said Jassim bin Mo- ing application or the Internet banking, where Cancer patients with non- 16000. hamed al-Kubaisi, director of the Zakat Fund the transfer will be made directly to the Zakat Department. Fund account, in addition to the possibility of in Shamal, Sheehaniya He pointed out that it is permissible to ex- depositing zakat through a government web- pedite its payment before its date, noting that site. the Fatwa Committee of the Ministry of En- The Zakat Fund also announced that zakat l Shamal Municipality’s dowments and Islamic Aff airs issued a fatwa payers could provide their zakat through the Health Control Section permitting accelerating the payment of zakat fast collector that works around the clock. Aconducted 28 inspection tours at all food establishments and eateries there on Sunday. During the initiative, the in- spectors ensured that these es- tablishments were complying Lyrid meteor shower set to with relevant food health and safety conditions, the Ministry of Municipality and Environ- illuminate the sky tonight ment (MME) has said in a state- ment. In addition, 92 slaughtered eople in Qatar have a good chance of seeing the Northern Hemisphere can view the spec- carcasses of livestock were in- the Lyrid meteor shower today, as the spec- tacle with their naked eye from places without spected along with 3,670kg of Ptacle will illuminate the northern hemi- light and environmental pollution. fi sh. sphere skies from this evening until dawn tomor- Moreover, they need to look towards the Similarly, Al Sheehaniya Mu- row, Qatar Calendar House (QCH) has said. eastern horizon from midnight until dawn on nicipality’s Health Control Sec- In a statement, QCH astronomy expert Dr Wednesday to observe the Lyrid meteor shower. tion has intensifi ed its inspection and workers in those establish- Beshir Marzouk said the Lyrid meteor shower is He added that people they can take photo- and control eff orts at food out- ments are fully complying with usually active every year between April 16 and 25, graphs of the meteor shower by using recent lets there to ensure that the staff the health regulations in place. with its peak occurring around April 22. Accord- digital cameras, and they need to increase the ing to experts on meteors showers, Lyrid is one of exposure time get the best results. the important meteors showers seen from Earth. Observing the Lyrid meteor shower this year Dr Marzouk says observing the meteor show- is particularly special because the sky will be er does not require any astronomical instru- darker, with the moon rising in the Qatar sky at ments, and people in Qatar and other places in 4.50am local time tomorrow, according to QCH. Harbours cleaned up Sale of local agricultural products he Ministry of Munici- pality and Environment’s to continue in Ramadan: MME T(MME) islands and beach- es section has cleaned harbours across the country, such as Doha, he Ministry of Municipality and Environ- Al Khor, and Al Wakra harbours, ment (MME) yesterday announced that in addition to Doha Corniche, as Twork will continue in yards selling local part of a regular schedule. agricultural products in Al Mazrouah, Al Khor-Al Similarly, Doha Municipality’s Dhakhira, Al Wakra, Al Shamal and Al Sheehani- general control section conduct- ya every day during the holy month of Ramadan. ed 140 regular inspection tours “Get fresh local vegetables at reasonable pric- at the various areas within its es,” the MME tweeted. In this context, the MME jurisdiction during April 12-16, also announced that work will continue for sell- in addition to receiving 13 related ing fi sh in the sub-ports markets in Al Wakra, Al complaints and addressing them Ruwais and Al Khor-Al Dhakhira for wholesalers all. and individuals daily during the holy month. The section also issued nine The ministry said work will take place from violation reports on various re- Separately, 74 abandoned ve- 7.30pm until midnight at the yards as well as fi sh lated issues, which were all re- hicles were identifi ed and 59 of markets. The MME stressed that all precautions in terms of sterilisation, spraying, general hy- solved in reconciliation after these were removed in co-oper- have been taken in view of the precautionary giene and wearing of masks, whether for farm paying the set fi nes and remov- ation with the entities concerned measures taken against the spread of Covid-19 owners or workers. ing the cause of the violations. in the country. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 7 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

UN seeks $90mn for Mideast children as Covid-19 deepens poverty

AFP rica to help combat the eff ects of East and North Africa, in a state- simply unbearable,” he added. Libya, the Palestinian territories, regionally, an estimated half of tant learning programmes and... Amman coronavirus on already poverty- ment. Nearly 25mn children across Sudan, Syria and Yemen, it said. them children, Unicef added. making material available on stricken areas. The combination of a lack of the region are in need, includ- The devastating eff ects of Around 110mn children are radio, TV and online platforms” “The region has the biggest “or inadequate basic services, ing many who are refugees and population lockdowns — intro- now stuck at home rather than in for continuity of learning. he UN children’s agency number of children in need in the years of confl ict, poverty, dep- internally displaced, the state- duced to forestall the spread of school, it said. It also said it was focusing on yesterday appealed for world due to ongoing confl icts rivation and now Covid-19 are ment said. coronavirus — on employment The agency was therefore distributing printed copies of T$92.4mn in new funds for and wars,” said Ted Chaiban, hitting vulnerable children the The majority were uprooted and business will drag around working with education minis- learning materials for “vulner- the Middle East and North Af- Unicef director for the Middle most, making their hard lives due to armed confl icts in Iraq, 8mn more people into poverty tries across the region on “dis- able communities”. Kuwait expands curfew, extends Iran lets more businesses public sector reopen as virus toll rises

AFP US pressure on work suspension Tehran Tehran during virus is ‘inhumane’: Rouhani Reuters/QNA Health Ministry spokesperson ran yesterday reported 91 Kuwait Dr Abdullah al-Sanad said 39 new deaths from the novel Iranian President Hassan Rouhani patients were in intensive care, Icoronavirus, as the govern- said yesterday that American pres- with 26 in critical condition. ment allowed more economic sure on Iran in the middle of the uwait will extend the Those currently receiv- activity to resume after a gradual coronavirus pandemic was “inhu- suspension of work in ing treatment at hospitals reopening in the past 10 days. mane”, according to a statement Kthe public sector in- reached 1,619 patients, said After nearly a week of declin- on the off icial presidency website. cluding at government minis- the spokesperson. ing fatalities, there has been a Iran is the Middle Eastern country tries until May 31 and expand a Earlier yesterday, Health slight uptick in the past few days hardest hit by the virus and Iranian nationwide curfew to 16 hours Minister Sheikh Dr Basel al- for the Islamic republic, one of off icials say US sanctions have as part of eff orts to combat the Sabah announced the recovery the world’s hardest hit. hampered its response. novel coronavirus, a govern- of 62 patients, bringing the to- Sanctions-hit Iran had shut US President Donald Trump ment spokesman said yester- tal to 367 recoveries. down all non-essential econom- reimposed economic sanctions on day. OMAN REPORTS ic activity in mid-March, weeks Iran in 2018 after withdrawing from a He told a televised news 144 NEW CASES after its coronavirus outbreak multilateral nuclear deal struck three conference that the 4pm to Oman’s Ministry of Health fi rst came to light. But top of- years earlier. “In these diff icult condi- 8am curfew would go into ef- announced yesterday the fi cials argued the country’s bat- tions, American pressure on the fect at the start of the holy registration of 144 new posi- tered economy could not remain people of Iran is more inhumane fasting month of Ramadan, tive cases with Covid-19 in shuttered, and President Hassan than at any other time and the depending on the sighting of the Sultanate, adding that 58 Rouhani has allowed low-risk continuation of it is a barbaric the new crescent moon. of the new cases are Omanis businesses to reopen since April crime against a great people and 80 NEW CASES and 86 cases for non-Omanis, 11. against all human principles and The Kuwaiti Ministry of QNA reported. Shops in passages and bazaars international regulations,” Rouhani Health yesterday reported 80 This brings the total number were the latest businesses per- said during a phone call with Italian new coronavirus (Covid-19) of positive Covid-19 cases in mitted to resume trading as part Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. infections in the last 24 hours, the Sultanate to 1410, in addi- of the reopening. Separately, in a phone call with bringing the total of infections tion to seven deaths. A clothier at Tehran’s Grand Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah al- to 1,995, while two deaths were The ministry also pointed Bazaar said his customers would Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, he said reported as well, bringing the out that 238 cases have recov- expose themselves to the virus that, to achieve security in the total number of deaths to nine, ered. The Ministry called upon regardless as they had to go out Iranians shop at the Grand Bazaar market in the capital Tehran yesterday, as the threat of the Covid-19 region, “there is no other way other QNA reported. all to adhere to the health iso- to buy necessities anyway. pandemic lingers ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. than co-operation and friendship During its daily briefi ng, lation procedures. “Even if we stay closed, what’s between the countries of the the use?” said Mahmoud Fakhr- Another shopkeeper put it in But health ministry spokes- he said. “It does not mean we region itself”. zadegan, who has worked at the darker terms. “What should we man Kianoush Jahanpour ap- should be less careful, but the bazaar for 60 years. be afraid of? We were born once, pealed for people to remain vigi- exact opposite,” he told a tel- For 27-year-old Reza, stand- and we’re going to die some- lant as he announced the latest evised news conference. An additional 1,294 infections ing masked in front of his small time,” said Ahmad, 67. tolls from the deadly virus. Iran reported its fi rst corona- took the country’s total number of Erdogan accuses Syria stall, the reopening was not a Nearly all retailers were open “With some businesses reo- virus cases on February 19 — two Covid-19 cases to 83,505. Of those “100 % correct” decision but at north Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar, pening and movement increas- deaths in the holy city of Qom. Ja- admitted to hospital, 59,273 had shopkeepers had to make a liv- said an AFP correspondent who ing, observing health protocols hanpour said the latest Covid-19 recovered and were discharged, of violating ceasefi re ing, as “no one else is going to visited the sprawling complex and social distancing become fatalities brought the country’s while 3,389 remained in critical help them”. yesterday. more and more necessary,” offi cial number of dead to 5,209. condition.

Reuters hostilities in northwestern Istanbul Syria after an escalation of clashes there displaced nearly a million people and brought urkish President Tayyip the two sides close to confron- Palestinians condemn new ‘annexation government’ Erdogan said yesterday tation. Speaking in Istanbul Tthat the Syrian govern- after a cabinet meeting, Er- ment was violating a ceasefi re dogan said the Syrian govern- AFP saying the agreement would Shtayyeh tweeted. Earlier, Israeli The three-year agreement al- after 12 years in offi ce — the long- in the northwestern Idlib re- ment was using the coronavi- Ramallah wreck hopes of peace. Prime Minister Benjamin Netan- lows Netanyahu, 70, to stay in of- est premiership in Israeli history. gion, warning that Damascus rus outbreak as an opportunity “The formation of an Israeli yahu reached a historic deal yes- fi ce for 18 months, during which Netanyahu, head of the right- would suff er “heavy losses” if to ramp up violence in Idlib. annexation government means terday with one-time rival par- he is due to stand trial on corrup- wing Likud party, had squared off it persisted. He added that Turkey would he Palestinians con- ending the two-state solution liament speaker Benny Gantz to tion charges he has long denied. against Gantz in three inconclu- Turkey and Russia, which not allow any “dark groups” in demned the formation and the dismantling of the rights form a unity government, ending Gantz, 60, will then take over sive elections over the past year, back opposing sides in Syria’s the region to violate the cease- Tof a new Israeli “annexa- of the people of Palestine,” Pales- the country’s worst-ever political as premier for the remaining 18 but neither had secured enough war, agreed on March 5 to halt fi re either. tion” government yesterday, tinian prime minister Mohamed crisis. months as Netanyahu bows out support to form a coalition.

DISTRESS Cash cows: Chad Aid worker with virus dies in Nigeria repays $100mn Angola debt with cattle An aid worker has died in Nigeria’s northeast after catching the new coro- South Africa ‘to increase welfare navirus, his employer Medecins Sans Frontieres said, raising fears that the Angola has received a herd of infection has found a foothold in the troubled region. The government more than 1,000 cattle from and aid groups were trying to trace anyone who had come into contact Chad, a government official said with the man before he died, the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Ni- yesterday, the latest shipment provision over coronavirus’ geria, Edward Kallon, said yesterday. The case was the first confirmed in of an unusual debt repayment Borno, a state at the epicentre of a decade-long insurgency that has killed deal. The landlocked central thousands and forced an estimated 1.7mn to flee, many into crowded dis- African country, impoverished Reuters placement camps. Borno borders Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Nigeria’s despite its oil revenues, con- Johannesburg Centre for Disease Control said late on Sunday it had recorded 627 cases tracted a $100mn (92mn-euro) of the novel coronavirus across the country. Up to now, the bulk of cases debt with Angola in 2017. As have been reported in the commercial capital Lagos, on the coast more repayment, Angola agreed to outh Africa will increase than 1,500km away from Borno’s main city Maiduguri. The United Na- take 75,000 cattle, for delivery welfare provision to help tions said the aid worker was a nurse who had not travelled outside the over five years from 2020, to Spoor households suff er- state. “Our dear colleague died on April 18 in Maiduguri, and post mortem help it develop its beef industry. ing because of a nationwide test results indicated that they were positive for Covid-19,” MSF said in a “This consignment comprises lockdown aimed at contain- statement, referring to the disease caused by the coronavirus. Kallon said 1,176 head of cattle. They have ing the coronavirus outbreak, aid groups were setting up quarantine facilities, installing hand-washing been placed in quarantine in President Cyril Ramaphosa stations and distributing soap and chlorinated solution. the town of Quiminha, from said yesterday. where they will be transported In a weekly newsletter to to their final destination after the nation, Ramaphosa said POLITICS inspection,” said Ditutala Lucas the lockdown had revealed “a SA bids to end Lesotho crisis with PM’s exit Simao, veterinary services chief very sad fault line in our soci- in the agriculture ministry. Since ety that reveals how grinding Lesotho’s government has agreed with South African mediators and the first batch arrived a month poverty, inequality and unem- political parties to implement a “dignified retirement” for prime minister ago, Angola has taken delivery ployment is tearing the fabric Thomas Thabane, a joint statement said yesterday, signalling stepped of 4,500 cattle, said Simao. of our communities apart”. He up eff orts to end a political crisis. Thabane, 80, has been under pressure After oil, livestock is Chad’s cited images of desperate peo- People queue as they wait for a food distribution by the Cleveland Civic Committee in Cleveland, to resign owing to a murder case in which he and his current wife are second largest source of export ple clamouring for food parcels near Johannesburg, yesterday. suspected of being assassinating his previous wife, charges which both earnings. The deal works well at distribution centres as the of them deny. “The coalition government of the Kingdom of Lesotho for Angola, which is keen to re- lockdown leaves millions who stimulus package to beef up coronavirus cases in sub-Sa- He said in the newsletter commits to eff ecting the implementation process or modalities for the vive its livestock farming sector are unemployed, working in the country’s response to the haran Africa, at 3,158, with 54 that the government would dignified, graceful and secure retirement of the right honourable prime as part of efforts to diversify the the informal sector or in low- crisis. deaths from Covid-19. Ram- this week announce interven- minister,” a joint statement said. Thabane had pledged to step down oil-dependent economy. paid jobs struggling to support The government should aphosa said the government tions to shield people from at the end of July, but South African mediator Jeff Radebe, who signed The second largest crude themselves. consider an “income support was preparing for a probable starvation. “Even when the the statement alongside Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki, told producer in sub-Saharan Africa Ramaphosa did not specify grant” for those who don’t surge in infections in the com- nationwide lockdown is lifted, journalists in Lesotho’s capital Maseru that “the timeline is immediate,” for spends $350mn each year to how the government would lift receive other types of social ing weeks and months. its eff ects will continue to be his leaving off ice. import meat for its 30mn peo- welfare provision. grants, the ANC said in a state- His cabinet was meet- felt for some time,” Ramapho- ple. “The Angolan government Some economists and la- ment. ing yesterday to discuss new sa said. TRAGEDY has launched a programme to bour unions have called for Africa’s most industrialised measures to cushion the “Food support is a short- turn the Camabatela plateau social grant payments to be country is one of the world’s economic and social impact term emergency measure. It Mother, four children die in Jordan blast (straddling three provinces in topped up. most unequal, with starkly of Covid-19, among them will need to be matched by the north of the country) into a After a virtual meeting diff erent living conditions for whether to close down ailing sustainable solutions that help An old bomb exploded in Jordan’s Mafraq city yesterday, killing a mother cattle-breeding and meat-pro- of senior party offi cials, the those at the top and bottom of South African Airways, a ma- our most vulnerable citizens and her four children, Jordan News Agency reported, QNA reported. duction belt,” said Simao. governing African National the income scale. jor drain on state resources in weather the diffi cult times that The group of children reportedly found the bomb and brought it to their Congress (ANC) called for a It has the most confi rmed recent years. are still to come.” neighbourhood, according to the news agency. Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 AMERICAS

Supreme Court requires unanimous jury verdicts for serious crimes

By Will Dunham, Reuters ted non-unanimous verdicts. 2014 New Orleans murder of a prohibit non-unanimous verdicts that when the Sixth Amendment have to be unanimous drove the John Roberts also were in dissent. Washington Writing for the court in the woman named Trinece Fedison starting last year but that change was enacted, it was assumed there divisions among the justices in How the court addresses over- 6-3 ruling, conservative Justice whose body was found in a trash did not apply retroactively. must be a unanimous verdict. the case. turning its own precedents is a Neil Gorsuch noted that the non- can, was sentenced to life in The ruling could benefi t hun- “This court has repeatedly and The majority voted to overrule topic of contention, with high he US Supreme Court yes- unanimous verdict requirement prison without the possibility of dreds of inmates convicted with over many years recognized that that precedent, but the three dis- stakes for abortion rights. terday ruled that the con- in both states traced back to past parole. non-unanimous verdicts in Lou- the Sixth Amendment requires senting justices said there was Abortion rights activists fear Tstitutional guarantee of racist policies intended to reduce The justices concluded that the isiana and Oregon by leading to unanimity,” Gorsuch wrote. not a compelling reason to over- that the court’s 5-4 conservative trial by jury requires a unanimous the power of non-white jurors to US Constitution’s Sixth Amend- new trials. Two other conservative jus- turn it. majority may seek to undermine verdict in serious crimes, siding infl uence the outcome of trials. ment, which guarantees the right “We are heartened that the tices, Clarence Thomas and Brett Writing in dissent, conserva- or overturn its landmark 1973 with a Louisiana man convicted The ruling, overturning a to an impartial trial, requires that court has held, once and for all, Kavanaugh, joined Gorsuch and tive Justice Samuel Alito wrote ruling that legalized the proce- of murder and paving the way for 1972 Supreme Court precedent, jurors be unanimous to convict in that the promise of the Sixth three liberal justices — Ruth that the ruling “imposes a po- dure nationwide. potentially hundreds of defend- means that Evangelisto Ramos, serious criminal cases. Amendment fully applies in Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer tentially crushing burden on the The court is currently weighing ants found guilty by divided ju- who was convicted by a 12-mem- Gorsuch noted that histori- Louisiana, rejecting any concept and Sonia Sotomayor — in the courts and criminal justice sys- a challenge to Louisiana abortion ries to receive new trials. ber jury on a 10-2 vote, is likely to cally some minor crimes do not of second-class justice,” said Ben majority. tems” in Louisiana and Oregon. restrictions that could indicate Only two of the 50 states, Lou- get a new trial. require a jury trial. Cohen, a lawyer for Ramos. A 1972 Supreme Court ruling Liberal Justice Elena Kagan which way it is heading, with a isiana and Oregon, have permit- Ramos, found guilty in the Louisiana updated its law to Gorsuch said there is evidence that state court juries did not and conservative Chief Justice ruling due by the end of June.

Lawmakers feud as deal remains Debate over lifting of elusive on aid for small businesses

Reuters lockdowns ramps up Washington Reuters November, has said state gover- fi rmed coronavirus cases, with New York nors should have the fi nal say but more than 753,000 infections and S Democrats and Republicans feuded yesterday has favored an early end to the over 41,100 deaths, nearly half of over who was responsible for delay even as they lockdowns, and many protesters them in the state of New York, ac- Uworked on details of a possible $450bn-plus deal to he US debate over when in the past week have sported pro- cording to a Reuters tally. provide more aid to small businesses and hospitals hurt by to lift restrictions to con- Trump signs and campaign gear. New York Governor Andrew the coronavirus pandemic. Ttrol the coronavirus out- Republican lawmakers in several Cuomo said testing capacity had “We could have been done yesterday, but the Democrats break intensifi ed yesterday, with states have also backed the pro- to be ramped up and that reopen- continue to hold up, even though we had agreed to all the protesters describing mandatory testers, some of whom have failed ing the economy in New York and numbers,” Representative Kevin McCarthy, House of Rep- lockdowns as “tyranny” and New to wear face masks and practice other parts of the country would resentatives minority leader, told Fox News. York’s governor and other offi cials the social distancing that health need to be calibrated carefully to President Donald Trump had said on Sunday that Re- urging caution until more testing offi cials say are key to getting the prevent another surge in cases. publicans were “close” to an agreement with Democrats, becomes available. virus under control. “You don’t need protests to who have the majority in the House, and suggested there Stay-at-home measures, which Joe Buchert, 48, a retired po- convince anyone in this country could be a resolution by yesterday. experts say are essential to slow the lice offi cer who lives in Pottstown, that we have to get back to work But there was no immediate deal yesterday morning, and spread of the virus, have ground Pennsylvania, attended the Har- and we have to get the economy the two parties took shots at one another over the holdup. the economy to a virtual standstill risburg protest because he thinks going and we have to get out of “How many more millions of (House Speaker Nancy) Pelo- and forced more than 22mn people the governor had overreached. our homes. Nobody,” Cuomo told si’s layoff s will we have to endure before she will put people to apply for unemployment ben- “The Democratic governors are a briefi ng. before politics?” McCarthy wrote on Twitter yesterday. efi ts in the past month. just trying to kill the economy to “The question is going to be- A woman pulls a cart loaded with bags of recyclables through the Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill shot back that Demo- In Pennsylvania, where Demo- hurt Trump,” said Buchert, who come: how, when, how fast and streets of lower Manhattan in New York City. crats, who have the majority in the House, have given no- cratic Governor Tom Wolf has was wearing a red Trump 2020 what do we mean in terms of reo- tice that there could be fl oor action on a bill as soon as to- promised to veto a Republican- hat. pening.” piratory illness caused by the novel Trump’s guidelines to reopen morrow. backed bill that would force him In Washington, lawmakers in Earlier, New York City Mayor coronavirus. the economy recommend a state The legislation “could pass by unanimous consent in to reopen some businesses, a few Congress were near an agreement Bill de Blasio said it could take In a series of tweets yesterday, record 14 days of declining case the House tomorrow, but you cannot control your mem- hundred protesters, most of them for extra money to help small busi- weeks if not months before the Trump said governors had shifted numbers before gradually lifting bers who want a recorded vote,” Hammill said in comments in cars, held a demonstration in nesses hurt by the pandemic, a top country’s most populous city reo- from complaining about a scarcity restrictions. aimed at McCarthy. the capital Harrisburg. Republican lawmaker said. pens due to a lack of widespread of ventilators to griping about not Residents in Florida were allowed “The delay will be on your end @GOPLeader.” Many of the protesters ex- The Trump administration testing, even as offi cials elsewhere having what they needed to ramp to return to some beaches after Gov- Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, sought a pressed cynicism towards health sought to add $250bn to a small- began rolling back restrictions on up testing capacity. ernor Ron DeSantis approved the recorded vote the last time the House passed a $2.3tn coro- experts and skepticism about the business loan program established daily life. “Now they scream ‘Testing, relaxing of some restrictions. navirus relief package, and has warned he may seek to block actual scale of the pandemic in the last month as part of a $2.3tn coro- “The federal government is not Testing, Testing,’ again playing Charlie Latham, mayor of Jack- future bills from passing without a roll call vote. country, accusing offi cials of over- navirus economic relief plan. stepping up,” de Blasio told a news a very dangerous political game. sonville Beach, said the beach Pelosi on Twitter lamented the “staggering” coronavi- reaching and taking actions that That fund already has been ex- conference. States, not the Federal Govern- there was reopened with limited rus death toll numbers, which have crossed 40,000 in the had caused more harm than the hausted. He said the city needed to be ment, should be doing the Testing hours, and it went well with no United States. virus itself. Health experts and lawmakers conducting hundreds of thou- — But we will work with the Gov- arrests for people violating so- Representative Lee Zeldin, a Republican member of the “All the projections were wrong, on the front lines of the battle to sands of tests a day and to see hos- ernors and get it done.” cial distancing rules which barred House, said on Fox News that a bipartisan deal was look- but we are still telling people curb the pandemic have warned pitalisations decline further be- White House adviser Kellyanne chairs and blankets. ing good that would include $310bn for a small business aid to stay home and businesses to that the country could face a sec- fore reopening the economy. Conway said the administration “We thought that the public was program established last month as part of the $2.3tn coro- close. This is not quarantine, this ond and even deadlier wave of in- Trump, who has sparred with was focused on the testing is- ready to maintain the social dis- navirus economic relief plan. is tyranny,” said Mark Cooper, a fections if the lockdowns end pre- a number of Democratic gover- sue and that Vice President Mike tancing standards and to exercise That fund, aimed at helping small businesses keep 61-year-old retired truck driver. maturely. nors critical of his response to the Pence, who is leading the White good judgment. And it’s paid off , workers on their payrolls during the economic slowdown President Donald Trump, a Re- The United States has by far the health crisis, has said there were House response to the crisis, was it’s paid off really well,” Latham brought on by the pandemic, has already been exhausted. publican seeking re-election in world’s largest number of con- enough tests for Covid-19, the res- discussing it with governors. told Fox News. Zeldin said there would be at least $50bn more for a sep- arate small business loan program under the deal still under negotiation. Interstellar gatecrasher 2I/Borisov is no ordinary comet: astronomers A Democratic source familiar with the talks has said this fi gure was more likely to be $60bn. By Will Dunham, Reuters Carbon monoxide, poisonous to Alabama, lead author of one of two It was born long ago in a rotating abundance of hydrogen cyanide at “I believe that there is a deal coming,” Zeldin said. Washington humans, is common as a gas in space 2I/Borisov studies published in the disc of gas and dust surrounding levels similar to comets from our The Democratic source, speaking on condition that he and forms as ice only in the most journal Nature Astronomy. a newly formed star in a place that solar system. not be named, said some $60bn of the $310bn was likely to Scientists have discovered that frigid locations. The presence of so “Comets are left-over building must have been rich in carbon “This shows that 2I/Borisov is be set aside for minority and rural businesses. a comet called 2I/Borisov — only much carbon monoxide, the research- blocks from the time of planet for- monoxide, Bodewits said. not a completely alien object, and The Democrats also sought more funds for state and local the second interstellar object ever ers said, suggests 2I/Borisov formed mation. For the first time, we have That star may have been what is confirms some similarity with our governments and hospitals, as well as food aid for the poor. detected passing through the solar in a diff erent manner than comets been able to measure the chemical called an M-dwarf, far smaller and ‘normal’ comets, so the processes Republicans have strongly resisted these proposals, al- system — is surprisingly diff erent in in our solar system — in a very cold composition of such a building cooler than the sun and the smallest that shaped it are comparable to the though Trump said Sunday he favored more aid for state its composition from comets hailing outer region of its home star system block from another planetary sys- type of star that is known, Bodewits way our own comets formed,” said and local governments and said that could be done at a later from our celestial neighbourhood. or around a star cooler than the sun. tem while it flew through our own said. Martin Cordiner, an astrobiologist date. Gas coming off 2I/Borisov Comets essentially are dirty solar system,” Bodewits added. Scientists initially concluded last working at Nasa’s Goddard Space Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said aid for states and contained high amounts of carbon snowballs composed of frozen The comet, detected in August year that 2I/Borisov was similar to Flight Center in Maryland and lead municipalities will not be included in the package now be- monoxide — far more than comets gases, rock and dust that orbit stars. 2019 by amateur astronomer comets from our solar system, but author of the other study. ing negotiated. formed in our solar system — “We like to refer to 2I/Borisov as Gennady Borisov and estimated data from the Hubble Space Tel- The only other interstellar visitor Cassidy, whose home state of Louisiana has been among indicating the object had large a snowman from a dark and cold to be about 1km wide, has zoomed escope and an observatory in Chile discovered in our solar system was those hit hardest by the pandemic, told reporters on a con- concentrations of carbon monoxide place,” said planetary scientist Den- through interstellar space after being revealed its diff erences. a cigar-shaped rocky object called ference call that he thought it made sense because it will too ice, researchers said yesterday. nis Bodewits of Auburn University in ejected from its original star system. The researchers also found an ‘Oumuamua’ spotted in 2017. early to assess the extent of the damage in various states. “It’s not in this package,” he said. Families mourn as police seek motive for Canada gun rampage

By Eric Thomas, AFP He evoked communities in Mail newspaper that Wortman Constable Heidi Stevenson, a “were involved in terminating Montreal mourning and said the whole set fi re to homes and shot resi- 23-year veteran of the force and a the threat.” of Canada was “mourning with dents as they ran out. married mother-of-two, died at He said police would be inves- them.” At least some of the victims the scene. tigating if there was any connec- nvestigators yesterday Nova Scotia Premier Stephen did not appear to be known to the A male offi cer was taken to tion to the coronavirus, which scoured crime scenes from McNeil told public broadcaster shooter. hospital with non-life-threaten- forced the closure of all non-es- Ithe worst mass shooting in CBC the investigation and the “It’s too early to tell what the ing wounds. sential businesses. Canadian history to determine grieving process would be “com- motivation was,” said RCMP Su- “A monster murdered my “That certainly is an aspect why a dental worker with no plicated” by the coronavirus perintendent Chris Leather. “It mother today,” Darcy Dobson that we will look at, we’ll exam- criminal past killed at least 18 pandemic. appears to be, at least in part, wrote in a Facebook post about ine, but we have not yet deter- people. A “virtual vigil” has been very random in nature.” victim Heather O’Brien, a nurse mined if there is any link to the The gunman, identifi ed by planned for Friday. An acquaintance said Wort- in Truro. Covid-19 crisis,” he said. police as 51-year-old Gabriel Forensic investigators fanned man drove to his house in a mock “At 9.59am (on Sunday) she Media reports said the shooter Wortman, began his rampage on out to multiple “chaotic” crime squad car, wearing police uni- sent her last text message to our was a denturist with clinics in Saturday night in the seaside vil- scenes across the province that is form, and banged on the door family group chat. By 10.15 she Halifax and Dartmouth that were lage of Portapique, Nova Scotia, home to Canada’s Atlantic navy clutching a rifl e and a pistol. was gone. She drove down the closed as part of the pandemic dying 14 hours later in a hail of Volunteer firefighters douse hotspots as an excavator digs through fl eet. “He came here to kill me,” said same street in the same town she lockdown. police gunfi re 100km away out- the rubble of a destroyed home linked to Sunday’s deadly shooting “It’s going to be a while before the man, who hid with his wife drives through every single day. Wortman was also reportedly side Halifax. rampage in Wentworth Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada. all these scenes are processed and called the police. She was kind. She was beautiful. obsessed with policing, having “Just how could this happen, properly,” said RCMP Commis- “He wasn’t killing enemies, he She didn’t deserve any of this.” refurbished several old squad cars, we may never know why,” Prime The death toll, initially put at teacher and a retired fi refi ghter. sioner Brenda Lucki. was killing his friends,” he said. An RCMP tactical team, a dog and struggled with alcoholism. Minister Justin Trudeau told a 16, rose to 18 yesterday, Trudeau “This happened in small towns After the fi rst gunshots rang “He was trying to beat down unit and offi cers from other po- “He was one of those freaky news conference yesterday. said, with police warning that — in Portapique, Truro, Milford out in Portapique, where the our door. It was beyond terrify- lice agencies eventually caught guys, he was really into police “But we do know this: no one more bodies could be found. and Enfi eld — places where peo- gunman owned two properties, ing.” up with Wortman — who had memorabilia,” Nathan Staples, man’s action can build a wall Among the victims were a ple have deep roots, places where police found casualties inside Police said Wortman, still pos- swapped cars — at a gas station in who once sought to buy one of between us and a better day, no veteran constable with the Roy- people know their neighbors and and outside a home and also re- ing as a policeman, later stopped Enfi eld, near Halifax airport. the vehicles, told the Globe and matter how evil, how thought- al Canadian Mounted Police, look out for one another,” Tru- sponded to a series of fi res. a vehicle near Debert and shot Leather said the gunman ex- Mail, describing Wortman’s less, or how destructive.” a nurse, an elementary school deau said. Neighbors told The Globe and the occupants. changed fi re with police, who home as a “shrine” to the RCMP. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 9 ASIA

Vietnam Bangladesh shuts down villages virus cluster crowd tests negative after cleric’s funeral gathering ore than 13,400 people linked to a Covid-19 Reuters/AFP for the funeral, defying a weeks- nationwide lockdown on March Moutbreak in a village on Dhaka long lockdown that forbids go- 26 as coronavirus spread across the outskirts of the Vietnam- ing out except for groceries and the country. ese capital Hanoi have tested medicine. Local media said few Bangladesh has 2,456 con- negative for the coronavirus, the angladesh has tightened a of the mourners wore masks. fi rmed coronavirus cases and 91 government said yesterday. clampdown on seven vil- The government has ordered deaths. The government-im- Supported by the mass quaran- Blages after tens of thou- the two most senior policemen posed lockdown is in place until tine of tens of thousands and an sands attended the funeral of a in the district to be removed at least April 25 but many are aggressive contact-tracing pro- popular local cleric in spite of a from duty for failing to prevent starting to fl out the rules includ- gramme, Vietnam has recorded nationwide lockdown to control crowds gathering for the fu- ing garment workers who took just 268 cases of the novel coro- the spread of the coronavirus, neral prayers of Maulana Jubayer to the streets over the weekend navirus so far, and no deaths. The offi cials said yesterday. Ahmed Ansari who died of cancer demanding back pay. country has stayed clear of the vi- The massive gathering in on Friday, the police said. New rules ban more than fi ve rus for four consecutive days so far. Brahmanbaria district, about According to sources, police people taking part in prayers in “Of the total samples, 97.7% 60km east of the capital Dhaka, had agreed with the family of the country’s 300,000 mosques. tested negative for the virus. Re- has raised concerns about the Maulana, that only 50 people Powerful religious leaders are sults of the rest will be released potential for a spike in infec- would attend the funeral in the also continuing to allow small in coming days,” the government tions in a country of 160mn eastern town of Sarail because of congregations at mosques de- said in a statement. people with poor medical the risk of spreading the disease. spite the risk of contagion and The village, 32km (20 miles) from infrastructure. But the local police were help- warnings from Prime Minister the capital city, was considered an “We’ve strictly ordered all res- less to stop the crowds who came Sheikh Hasina. epicentre and was placed under idents of the seven villages to stay to honour the 55-year-old popu- Many people are still attend- lockdown since April 7, after 13 peo- at home at all times at least for lar preacher and seminary head. ing Friday prayers and the start ple living there, including a Sam- the next 14 days so we can identi- Organisers said some 100,000 of the holy fasting month of sung Display worker, were infected. fy if anyone contracted the virus attended the funeral. Aide to Ramadan later this week, when Vietnam’s Health Ministry following Saturday’s gathering,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, typically more worshippers will yesterday said over 200 samples a local police offi cer said. Shah Ali Farhad, also said more gather at mosques, will put ad- Followers attend a funeral prayer for a cleric during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a linked to the Samsung Display Police had not expected such a than 100,000 were present. ditional pressure on authorities, preventive measure against the coronavirus Covid-19, in Brahmanbaria also known as Sarail, about 60km worker also tested negative for large number of people to gather The government imposed a offi cials said. east of the capital Dhaka. the virus. (Reuters) Thailand reports 27 new virus cases Myanmar ships

Reuters The government has also Bangkok/Nakhon Ratchasima banned the import and export of horses, zebras and related hundreds of animals. hailand yesterday re- Veterinarians say if the dis- ported 27 new corona- ease cannot be contained by Tvirus cases, bringing the the mass vaccination, it could nation’s total to 2,792 cases, a wipe out all 11,800 horses in freed Rohingya senior health offi cial said. Thailand, where they are kept Of the new cases, 16 had come mostly for racing and leisure into contact with a previously riding for tourists and private confi rmed case, said Taweesin owners. Wisanuyothin, a spokesman “Without any prevention, 10 prisoners back for the government’s Cen- out of 10 horses will contract the tre for Covid-19 Situation virus... nine out of 10 sick hors- Administration. es will die from it,” Aree Laikul No new deaths were reported a veterinarian from Kasetsart for the third consecutive day. University’s faculty of Veteri- to Rakhine Thailand has had a total of nary Medicine who is helping the 47 fatalities, and 1,999 patients vaccination drive. have recovered. There have been no reported AFP A Navy vessel transported In northeastern Nakhon cases of AHS in humans, and it Sittwe the group from Yangon Ratchasima province yester- is not related to the coronavirus to western Rakhine state, day, authorities began vacci- pandemic. where most Rohingya live nating some 4,000 horses in a AHS is endemic in the central yanmar shipped under tight movement bid to contain the spread of the Health off icials check the temperature of a resident in a locked down village in Nibong Baru sub-district in Thailand’s tropical regions of Africa, from hundreds of recently restrictions deadly African Horse Sickness southern Yala Province yesterday, as authorities quarantined the area covering 3,000 people until April 30. where it spreads regularly to Mreleased Rohingya (AHS), a disease that only af- Southern Africa and occasion- inmates back to the country’s crowded and unsanitary” jails. fects horses and other equine since the outbreak was fi rst sects, has appeared in South quito nets on stables and conduct ally to North Africa, accord- restive western borderlands The World Health Organisa- animals. reported earlier this year, the East Asia. regular temperature and health ing to information from the yesterday, after fears that its tion (WHO) has also warned More than 200 horses in fi rst time the highly infectious Horse owners in the Nakhon checks, while putting sick horses World Organisation for Animal overcrowded prisons could that prison populations are seven provinces have died AHS virus, transmitted by in- Ratchasima have installed mos- under quarantine. Health. become hotbeds for runaway particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus outbreaks. spread of the disease. Men, women and children Myanmar has only 111 con- belonging to the stateless and fi rmed Covid-19 cases but ex- long-persecuted Muslim mi- perts fear the real number is nority were among nearly many times higher because of Indonesia 25,000 prisoners freed last the low numbers tested and the Lanka tourism readies for week by a presidential pardon country’s chronically under- to mark the country’s April funded healthcare system. reports 185 New Year celebrations. Pressure is also on Myan- A Navy vessel transported mar to improve its treatment the group from Yangon to of the Rohingya, after a bloody new cases post-coronavirus revival western Rakhine state, where military crackdown in 2017 most Rohingya live under tight sent around 750,000 civilians IANS when the time is right,” Sri with the UN Development Pro- and the local community. movement restrictions and fl eeing into Bangladesh and of Covid-19 Colombo Lanka Tourism chairperson Ki- gramme (UNDP) in a three-stage The government yesterday re- in conditions Amnesty Inter- prompted genocide charges at marli Fernando told the Daily strategy of situation assessment, laxed the ongoing island-wide national has condemned as the UN’s top court. ndonesia reported yesterday Financial Times. impact assessment and road curfew which was imposed last “apartheid”. The country must report 185 new coronavirus cases, ri Lanka tourism was She said a traveller-focused, mapping, to “help get tourism month to curb the spread of the More than 600 disembarked back to the International Court Itaking the total number of in- readying for an early re- evidence-based promotion industry back on its feet”. novel coronavirus. near state capital Sittwe, while of Justice next month, to out- fections in the South East Asian Svival post Covid-19, as strategy will be developed. According to Fernando, the Sri According to the government another 200 were taken fur- line the eff orts it was taking to country to 6,760, health ministry the country started opening up “The approach focuses on Lanka Tourism’s post Covid-19 directives, the curfew currently ther north to townships on the protect the minority. offi cial Achmad Yurianto said. gradually from yesterday amid consumer types and will allow approach will take place in two in force in all other districts border with Bangladesh, state Hundreds of Rohingya have Yurianto said there had been the coronavirus pandemic, a for a research supported glo- stages – the Stage 1 (December except Colombo, Gampaha, immigration department chief been arrested and charged with eight new deaths attributed media report said. bal promotional campaign for season 2020) and Stage 2 (Post- Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy, Ke- Soe Lwin said. immigration off ences in recent to the disease, taking the total A major step was the cabinet Sri Lanka,” she added. December 2020). galle and Ampara will be lifted “They will be quarantined,” years after trying to fl ee Ra- number to 590, while 747 people last week approving the criti- With shutting down of bor- She said Stage 1 focuses on the at 5am, and will be re-imposed he added, without giving fur- khine state and seek refuge in had recovered. More than 49,700 cal fi ve-year global promotion ders and widespread social dis- immediate recovery of the in- at 8pm on the same day dai- ther details. other countries. tests had been performed, he initiative. tancing, tourism was the worst dustry, which involves changes ly, reports the Daily Mirror Myanmar’s biggest prisoner But the Rohingya garner said. “We are now fi nalising the aff ected sector following Cov- to the visa process to include newspaper. release in years came as corona- little sympathy within My- Days before the holy fast- terms of reference and ap- id-19 pandemic which has killed mandatory testing, adjustments In the districts of Colombo, virus fears gripped the country, anmar, where they are widely ing month of Ramadan begins, pointment of the procurement, seven people and infected 259 to immigration process, airport Gampaha, Kalutara and Putta- with calls for low-risk inmates viewed as illegal immigrants Muslim-majority Indonesia is project and technical evalua- others in the island-nation. entry, hotel transfer and certifi - lam, the curfew will be lifted at to be released from what Hu- even though many trace their grappling with an untimely para- tion committees; and will start Fernando said Sri Lanka Tour- cation of hotels to ensure health 5am on Wednesday and will be man Rights Watch describes roots in the country back dox of the new coronavirus pan- the process, to be in readiness ism was also currently working and safety of tourists, employees re-imposed at 8pm daily. as Myanmar’s “horribly over- generations. demic: enforced separation at a time when socialising is almost sacred. The holiest month in the Is- lamic calendar is one of family and togetherness - community, refl ection, charity and prayer. Deserted Thai beaches lure rare turtles to build nests But with shuttered mosques, coronavirus curfews and bans on mass prayers Muslims are facing Reuters abandoned streets of many cities. “This is a very good sign as a vulnerable species global- a Ramadan like never before. Bangkok In Thailand, with 2,765 in- for us because many areas for ly by the International Union The pandemic has generated fections and 47 deaths, travel spawning have been destroyed for Conservation of Nature. new levels of anxiety ahead of curbs ranging from a ban on by humans,” he told Reuters. They lay their eggs in dark the holy fasting month, which hailand has found the international fl ights to an ap- No such nests had been found and quiet areas, scarce when begins on around Thursday. largest number of nests peal to citizens to stay home for the previous fi ve years. tourists thronged the beaches. In Indonesia, the world’s larg- Tof rare leatherback have brought a collapse in “If we compare to the year People have also been known est Muslim-majority country, sea turtles in two decades on tourist numbers, but freed up before, we didn’t have this to dig into their nests and steal some people will be meeting beaches bereft of tourists be- the beaches for wildlife. many spawn, because tur- eggs. loved ones remotely this year. cause of the coronavirus pan- The 11 turtle nests authori- tles have a high risk of get- Late in March, staff at a Prabowo, who goes by one demic, environmentalists say. ties have found since last ting killed by fi shing gear and national park in the south- name, said he will host Eid al- From wild boars patrol- November were the high- humans disturbing the beach.” ern province of Phanga Nga Fitr, the celebration at the end of ling the Israeli city of Haifa est number in 20 years, said Leatherbacks are the bordering the Andaman the fasting month, via the online to deer venturing into Lon- Kongkiat Kittiwatanawong, world’s largest sea turtles. Sea found 84 hatchlings af- meeting site Zoom instead of fl y- don suburbs, virus closures director, Phuket Marine Bio- They are considered endan- ter monitoring eggs for two A newly-hatched baby leatherback sea turtle makes its way into a sea for the ing home. (Reuters) are drawing wildlife into the logical Center. gered in Thailand, and listed months. first time at a beach in Phanga Nga district, Thailand. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

S Koreans return to work, crowd parks, malls as social distancing rules ease

Reuters to apply fl exible working hours ty football club and we went out largest economy as daily infec- Health authorities urged vigi- rea’s largest web portal, said it is while running symptoms. More Seoul and limit travel and face-to-face to play on Saturday for the fi rst tions continue to hover around lance, warning new clusters allowing less than half its em- than 1,000 people are now quar- meetings. time in two months,” said Kim or less than 20, most arriving could still emerge at any time, ployees to come into the offi ce, antined or being checked after Parks, mountains and golf Tae-hyung, a 31-year-old power from overseas. especially after South Korea held while employees at Netmarble , coming in contact with that man outh Koreans are return- courses brimmed with visitors plant engineer living in Seoul. Seoul’s defence ministry also the fi rst national election last a mobile gaming fi rm, come into and his daughter, who is a nurse ing to work and crowding over the weekend, while shop- “We were wearing a mask while said that the military is resum- week since the epidemic began, the offi ce three days a week. and has also tested positive, city Sshopping malls, parks, golf ping malls and restaurants were we played, still worried about ing medical screening for can- and ahead of long holidays start- “We have installed thermal offi cials said. courses and some restaurants as slowly returning to normal. the coronavirus, but the weather didates while considering eas- ing next week. cameras, full-body sterilisers, “We’re looking at the trend South Korea relaxes social dis- South Korea’s ongoing recovery was nice and I felt so refreshed.” ing restrictions on travel and Schools have yet to open and and table partitions at cafete- of group infections though it tancing rules amid a continued from the fi rst major coronavirus South Korea extended its so- guest visits. The Korea Centers are holding online classes. An rias,” Naver said in a statement. has mostly been small clusters downward trend in coronavirus outbreak outside China paints cial distancing policy for an- for Disease Control and Preven- offi cial at SK Innovation, a bat- Authorities were on alert af- over the past two weeks,” Vice cases. a stark contrast to many other other 16 days on Sunday but tion (KCDC) reported 13 new tery maker, said about 80% of its ter a 58-year-old man living in Health Minister Kim Gang-lip A growing list of companies, countries where metropolises off ered some relief for religious cases on Monday, a day after employees will be back this week the second largest city of Busan told a briefi ng. “If we let our including SK Innovation and remain sealed off and sweep- and sports facilities previously posting just eight - the first and they will get a temperature was confi rmed with the virus on guard down in social distancing, Naver, has ended or eased their ing stay-at-home orders are in subjected to strict restrictions. single digit daily rise since the check at the entrance and main- Saturday and had voted in the (the virus) could come back and work from home policy in recent place. The decision is aimed at cau- Feb 28 peak of 909. tain distance in the offi ce. Naver election, attended Easter church greatly hurt and endanger our weeks, though many continue “I’m a member of a communi- tiously reopening Asia’s fourth- The death toll stands at 236. Corp, which operates South Ko- service and visited restaurants society.” China calls for Australians told virus stronger testing regime to detect restrictions must stay coronavirus Reuters With growing Sydney calls to ease the Reuters have been slashed. In particu- restrictions, Beijing lar, fl ights to the Chinese capi- ore than 150 Australian tal have been diverted to other economists yesterday leading Australian cities, some hundreds of kilo- Mwarned the government economists hina’s health authority metres away. against easing social distancing called for a stronger and Between March 20 and April rules aimed at halting the spread issued an open Cmore rigorous testing 19, 135 fl ights originally bound of the new coronavirus even as letter to call on regime to ensure that the new for Beijing landed in other cit- the rate of infections slowed to a coronavirus does not escape ies, with 87% of the 29,999 multi-week low. the government detection, whether in travellers passengers quarantined in the Australia has so far avoided to prioritise arriving from abroad or from cities where they disembarked, the high numbers of coronavirus other parts of the country. Sun Shaohua, an offi cial at the casualties reported around the containing All localities must improve civil aviation regulator, told re- world after closing its borders their testing capabilities, in- porters yesterday. and imposing restrictions on the spread of cluding those at border cross- New local cases have also public movement. coronavirus ings, and report any epidemic been due to people arriving While the measures have information in a timely man- from central Hubei province, slowed the growth in new infec- cur until Australia had increased ner, the National Health Com- ground zero of the coronavirus tions to fewer than 40 new cases testing capacity, strengthened mission cited its director Ma outbreak in China, as well as in- a day, the restrictions are ex- contact tracing and readied local Xiaowei as saying. Ma made fected people who until recent- pected to push unemployment to responses for further outbreaks, the comments on Saturday, but ly had shown no symptoms, a 16-year high of about 10%. Andrews said. they were released by the min- such as a fever or a cough. No With growing calls to ease the Central to the government’s Marine mammals unit supervisor Danielle Fox takes advantage of empty zoo grounds, closed to curb istry yesterday. vaccine has been proved safe restrictions, leading Australian strategy is a controversial new the spread of the coronavirus disease, to lead a sea lion named Malie on a walk at Taronga Zoo Sydney China, where the new virus or eff ective to protect healthy economists issued an open let- mobile phone app that will track in Sydney, Australia. emerged late last year, reported people from the coronavirus. ter to call on the government to users’ movements to allow con- 12 new confi rmed cases on April But China might use experi- prioritise containing the spread tact tracing in the event of an 19, the lowest since March 13. mental vaccines on some class- of coronavirus. outbreak of coronavirus. Despite the downtrend, es of people, such as medical “We cannot have a functioning The government said it will offi cials remain concerned workers, as early as by the end economy unless we fi rst com- need at least 40% of the coun- about the re-emergence of lo- of this year, the state-control- prehensively address the public try’s population to be signed up cal transmissions in parts of led Beijing Daily newspaper cit- health crisis,” the group of 157 to make it eff ective. But with the country, including Beijing, ed Gao Fu, director at the Chi- economists from Australian uni- new infections in hardest-hit where a central district has nese Center for Disease Control versities wrote. New South Wales state falling to been re-classifi ed as high-risk and Prevention, as saying at a Australia’s government and a fi ve-week low, the government following three recent local in- news conference. central bank have said they will may ease some minor restric- fections. China has approved at least inject A$320bn ($203bn) into tions when the national Cabinet Ma singled out the provinces three experimental coronavirus the country’s economy to try and meets on Tuesday. of Heilongjiang and Guang- vaccines to be tested in human cushion the economic blow. Morrison last week said the dong, saying they should iden- trials since the virus outbreak. Prime Minister Scott Morri- Cabinet would be considering tify the “weak links” in their The southwestern Guangxi son last week said there would no ending a ban on elective sur- ability to prevent and control region yesterday further tight- easing of Australia’s restrictions geries, and the Australia’s main the epidemic. ened already tough quarantine for at least four weeks, and sev- medical association said recent Of the 82 new local infections rules to isolate potential virus eral state premiers on Monday deliveries of protection equip- in China in the past 14 days, carriers. urged the public to keep to the ment would mean some proce- northeastern Heilongjiang All people entering Guangxi social distancing rules. “We’ve dures could restart. province accounted for 42 and from overseas will be subject all made massive sacrifi ces, given “We’ve been so successful so southern Guangdong province to 14 days of quarantine at a a lot. We can’t give back all the far that that’s given us the op- for 30. The new local cases have centralised location and a sub- gains made because of sense of portunity now to plan a sensible, been driven by an infl ux of Chi- sequent 14 days of self-quaran- frustration gets the better of us,” safe, graduated return into the nese nationals coming home tine at home. They also need to Victoria state Premier Daniel low-risk procedures which pro- from abroad, particularly in take two nucleic acid tests and Andrews told reporters in Mel- vide clinical benefi t to patients,” Heilongjiang, which has seen a one antibody test, according bourne. Tony Bartone, the head of Aus- A man walks past a mask and eyes stapled to a tree in Melbourne as the southern Australian state of surge in citizens returning from to a statement posted on the Any signifi cant easing of the tralian Medical Association told Victoria recorded just one new case of coronavirus overnight. Vicotria has recorded 1,329 confirmed Russia. Guangxi health commission’s current limitations would not oc- Channel 7. cases with 15 deaths. International fl ights to China social media account. Japan virus cases surge over 10,000 New Zealand to ease virus

AFP tinue to be almost full,” Haruo Tokyo Ozaki, president of the Tokyo lockdown in coming week Medical Association, warned last week. apanese medics are warning The association has been in- AFP more must be done to prevent creasing beds but with a large Wellington Jthe coronavirus from over- number of new cases coming in whelming the country’s health- every day, “beds are being oc- care system as confi rmed cases cupied instantly,” he said. The ew Zealand will ease passed 10,000, despite a nation- health minister has acknowl- a nationwide corona- wide state of emergency. edged that hospitals have in some Nvirus lockdown next Experts have been alarmed by cases turned away suspected week after claiming success in a recent spike in Covid-19 infec- coronavirus patients in ambu- stopping “an uncontrolled ex- tions, with hundreds detected lances. plosion” of the disease, Prime daily. Japan’s outbreak remains “Japan hasn’t built a system Minister Jacinda Ardern said less severe than in hard-hit Euro- in which ordinary hospitals can yesterday. pean countries, but its caseload is take infectious disease patients “We have done what very one of Asia’s highest after China Medical workers carry out a mock drive-through testing for the in an emergency, when designat- few countries have been able and India, and is roughly on par coronavirus disease in Nara, Japan. ed hospitals can’t cope,” Ozaki to do,” Ardern said. “We have New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern speaks at a post-cabinet media with South Korea. said on Friday. “We are doing our stopped a wave of devastation.” conference at Parliament House in Wellington yesterday. There have been 171 deaths re- “The system is on the verge of diately,” he said. “But tradition- best... but infections are spread- She said New Zealand would corded so far in Japan and 10,751 collapse in many places in Japan,” ally speaking, and historically ing faster than expected,” he move its maximum Level Four start we have made together deaths and 974 recovered pa- cases, with the country under a said Kentaro Iwata, an infectious speaking, Japan is not very good added. Covid-19 alert to Level Three but I also feel a huge responsi- tients. It had seven confi rmed month-long state of emergency, diseases specialist from Kobe at changing strategy,” he added. And hospitals are also strug- from late evening on Monday, bility to ensure that we do not new infections yesterday. initially covering seven regions University who has repeatedly “We are very poor at even think- gling with equipment short- April 27, and remain there for lose any of the gains we have Ardern said easing the lock- but now in place nationwide. criticised the government’s re- ing of plan B because thinking of ages, with the mayor of Osaka two weeks to assess the situa- made either,” she said. down would help the economy, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sponse to the crisis. Speaking at plan B is a sign of admitting fail- calling for donations of unused tion. New Zealand entered a four- which has been paralysed by urged residents to reduce contact a press briefi ng, Iwata said Ja- ure of plan A.” raincoats for health workers cur- The announcement means week lockdown in late March, the virus response as com- with other people by 70-80%, pan’s strategy of limited testing Japan’s government argues it rently forced to use garbage bags businesses deemed safe can re- which included closing the panies close and job losses and the number of people on To- and intensive contact-tracing has adjusted its strategy, boost- for protective equipment. Both open, along with some schools, island nation’s borders, coun- mount, with forecasts that un- kyo’s normally packed transport worked well in the initial phase ing testing capacity, changing Iwata and Ozaki warned that the while limits on local travel are trywide stay-at-home orders employment could skyrocket system has dropped signifi cantly. of the local outbreak, when num- rules that required all posi- state of emergency now in place also relaxed and gatherings and shuttering all non-essen- to almost 26%. But the measures do not pre- bers were small. But he charged tive cases to remain in hospitals until at least May 6 was not suf- of up to 10 people allowed for tial businesses and services. The initial lockdown period vent people from going out, and that Japan failed to adapt as the where wards quickly became full, fi cient. events such as weddings or fu- The draconian measures was due to end on Wednesday many shops and even restaurants outbreak grew. “We needed to and imposing the state of emer- “While they talk about border nerals. made the country one of the night but Ardern said it was remain open, even as medical prepare for once the situation gency to reduce the spread. But controls and decreasing person- While restrictions will be most successful in contain- extended slightly to help en- associations warn the country’s changes, once the cluster-chas- medical experts have called the to-person contacts, they let loosened slightly, social dis- ing the virus, with around sure New Zealand would not healthcare system is struggling ing became not eff ective and we measures insuffi cient. “Beds for stores stay open,” Ozaki com- tancing rules will remain. “I 1,100 known cases among the need to return to Level Four to cope. needed to change strategy imme- novel coronavirus patients con- plained. couldn’t feel prouder of the 5mn population, including 12 again. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 11

BRITAIN Brexit talks resume under coronavirus cloud

AFP A spokesman for the British fected offi cials directly, hitting end of December. Fears are grow- budget watchdog warning that said. “But so far, Brexit has never diffi culty to an already complex Brussels government said it expected “fur- both Barnier and his British coun- ing that no deal will be reached, the coronavirus lockdown could been about the best economic negotiation, where, at the end of ther constructive talks with the terpart David Frost, both since re- meaning that WTO rules with high shrink the country’s economy by a option. It very much depends on the fi rst round in March, the two aim of making progress ahead of covered. tariff s and customs barriers would massive 13% in 2020. what price Boris Johnson is will- sides could only note their disa- ritish and EU offi cials re- June”, but repeated again that it It also, dramatically, put Prime come into force between the UK Fabian Zuleeg of the European ing to pay for what is portrayed in greements rather than make con- sumed Brexit trade talks had no intention of asking for an Minister Boris Johnson in inten- and EU. Policy Centre warned there could the UK as ‘sovereignty’ and ‘inde- crete progress. Byesterday after a break be- extension for the talks. sive care for three days and left him That prospect so alarmed the be “no meaningful negotiations” pendence’,” Zuleeg said. London is trying to negotiate a cause of the coronavirus, which is In a tweet, EU chief negotia- convalescing this week. head of the International Mon- at this point — because of the A European source close to the series of packages in diff erent do- making an end-of-year deal look tor Michel Barnier thanked both Despite the ticking clock and etary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, technical limitations of video talks talks said a “Johnson Brexit” — mains including fi shing, goods, even more unlikely. negotiating teams for their fl ex- the extra pressure brought by the that last week she urged Brussels and because politicians’ focus is on sacrifi cing close links to the EU in aviation, justice and energy. After a fi rst round in early March ibility while stressing they “must worst global pandemic in living and London to extend their dead- fi ghting the pandemic. order to be free of its rules — was But EU leaders want a single negotiations were suspended for advance across all areas” to make memory, Johnson’s government line, saying it was in everyone’s in- In these circumstances, it will already going to rattle the econo- overarching accord. six weeks as offi cials focused on progress by June. rules out extending Britain’s tran- terests to reduce uncertainty amid probably be necessary to extend my. The thorny problem of fi shing the deadly virus sweeping Europe. The latest round of talks took sition period to negotiate a future the economic turmoil wrought by the deadline to avoid Britain crash- “With corona, it’s going to be a rights — deeply important to sev- A June deadline set by London place yesterday by videolink be- relationship with the EU. the pandemic. ing out with no deal and facing a double shock for businesses,” the eral key EU states, notably France to assess the chances of an agree- cause of virus restrictions. Britain left the EU on January But Johnson has remained deaf further economic shock on top of source added. — could derail the whole process, ment is now fast approaching. The novel coronavirus has af- 31 but remains tied to it until the to the appeal, despite Britain’s the coronavirus recession, Zuleeg The virus adds another layer of according to some in Brussels. Govt’s furlough scheme opens to fl ood of claims

Guardian News and Media enced technical difficulties. London Harra expressed confi dence that the system would be able to cope with demand.“We have he government’s corona- scaled our IT system to cope with virus job retention scheme the maximum number of claims T(CJRS) opened for appli- that we could receive – there are cations at 8am yesterday, with well over 2mn pay-as-you-earn employers expected to claim for (PAYE) schemes and our system millions of workers put on tem- is big enough to handle a claim porary leave because of the crisis. from every one of those.” HM Revenue & Customs said The CJRS has been extended claims for 67,000 employees had until the end of June after the been made in the fi rst 30 minutes government decided to keep of the scheme opening. lockdown measures in place for Under CJRS, the government at least a further three weeks. will cover 80% of a worker’s Employers can only claim for wages, up to £2,500 a month, if furloughed employees who were they are not working but kept on on their payroll on or before March the payroll. 19, and there are fears that many Millions of workers across the people will fall through the cracks. economy have been furloughed The scheme does not cover because of the Covid-19 lock- everyone who recently switched down. fi rms, or seasonal workers who Ben from Sandymental art team looks at his sand drawing in tribute to the NHS and key workers on a beach in Lytham St Anne’s, as the spread of the coronavirus disease The chief executive of HRMC, were about to start jobs at holi- continues, yesterday. Jim Harra, told the BBC Radio day parks, airports and youth 4’s Today programme: “The big hostels. payroll date this month is on the The Resolution Foundation 30th, so employers can claim thinktank estimates that 8mn anytime today or tomorrow and workers could be furloughed, there’s time to get that money and said this mostly aff ects the into their account for April 30.” low-paying hospitality and retail The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, sectors, where almost half the Govt fears ‘second peak’ as said: “Exactly one month ago I workforce, or 3.1mn people, are announced the unprecedented expected to be put on temporary decision to step in and help pay leave. people’s wages. We promised This compares with just 4% support would be available by of workers in fi nance and insur- the end of April – today, we de- ance, the highest paid sector. lockdown exit calls grow liver our promise.” The Offi ce for Budget Re- The CJRS system can process sponsibility put the cost of the DPA/Reuters He added that the government to battle against coronavirus, de- ing delays over the weekend. and Evidence Communication, up to 450,000 applications an scheme at £42bn, before the ex- London aimed to meet the public expecta- livering a strategy designed at But David Spiegelhalter, chair- said separate new data just for Eng- hour. tension was announced. tion that it should “do everything all times to protect (the National man of the Winton Centre for Risk land showed a clear improvement. Employers should receive the The Resolution Foundation (it) can to stop the spread of the Health Service) and save lives.” money within six working days estimates that the extension he government fears a virus and protect lives.” The government has ordered Prince Philip thanks those fi ghting Covid-19 of making an application, the could cost up to £12bn, although “second peak” of Covid-19 Britain has reported the world’s everyone to stay at home except for Treasury said. it noted that some fi rms were un- Tinfections if it relaxes its fi fth-highest total of deaths per trips for food shopping, medical HMRC has deployed 9,500 likely to use it for an entire extra near-lockdown too soon, Down- capita linked to Covid-19 infec- needs, or one form of exercise per Prince Philip, the 98-year-old tackle the pandemic; by those staff to deal with queries, includ- month, assuming some physical ing Street said yesterday, amid tions, behind Belgium, Spain, Italy day. Schools, pubs and restaurants husband of Queen Elizabeth, in the medical and scientific ing 5,000 on webchat. distancing measures are eased. growing calls for it to publish a and France. are closed, and people are encour- made a rare statement yesterday professions, at universities and to thank those involved in the fight research institutions, all united Fears that the website could Daniel Tomlinson, an econo- lockdown “exit strategy.” Many health experts, opposition aged to work at home and avoid against the Covid-19 pandemic. in working to protect us from crash and that phone lines would mist at the thinktank, said: “The big concern is a second politicians and media commenta- public transport. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has Covid-19,” he said. “On behalf be overwhelmed proved to be “It’s encouraging to see reports peak. That is what ultimately will tors have accused the government A total of 16,509 people hospi- made few public appearances of those of us who remain safe unfounded as the scheme got off of many businesses success- do the most damage to health and of a slow response to the crisis, and talised with coronavirus in Britain since he stepped down from and at home, I also wanted to to a smooth start. fully applying for the CJRS. This the most damage to the econ- criticised the government’s low have now died, health ministry off icial engagements in August thank all key workers who ensure Many firms said on Twit- scheme is central to the govern- omy,” a spokesman for Prime level of testing and the poor provi- fi gures showed yesterday, up by 2017 and is currently staying with the infrastructure of our life ment’s response to this economic his wife at her Windsor Castle continues; the staff and volunteers ter that they were able to file Minister Boris Johnson’s offi ce sion of intensive care beds, venti- 449 — the lowest daily toll for a home during the outbreak of the working in food production and a claim, but Ed Lindsay, who crisis and so understanding how told reporters. lators and protective equipment. fortnight. virus. “As we approach World distribution, those keeping postal runs an events business from well it is operating and the scale “If you move too quickly, then Responding to a highly critical The fi gures — which do not in- Immunisation Week, I wanted to and delivery services going, his farm in Co Down in North- of take-up is crucial to helping us the virus could begin to spread ex- Sunday Times article, Downing clude deaths in the community, recognise the vital and urgent and those ensuring the rubbish ern Ireland and has furloughed all make sense of how the crisis is ponentially again,” the spokesman Street insisted the government including care homes — are always work being done by so many to continues to be collected.” six staff, said he had experi- unfolding.” said. had been “working day and night lower on a Monday due to report- Meghan faults tabloid Legal action over Patel bullying claims begins for rift with father Guardian News and Media former permanent secretary. London Another consequence of a Reuters/AFP major tabloid newspapers, saying tack on a large part of the media”. whistleblowing claim means that London they were guilty of false and inva- Harry and Meghan made a instead of a ceiling of £85,000 sive coverage. bombshell announcement in riti Patel is facing legal ac- on Rutnam’s claim, there will be In a scathing letter to the edi- January that they wished to with- tion under whistleblowing no upper limit to any damages he ritain’s tabloid media har- tors of the Sun, Daily Mail, Mir- draw from frontline royal duties Plaws after her former per- might receive. assed and manipulated the ror and Express, the couple, said and become fi nancially inde- manent secretary Sir Philip Rut- Announcing the start of the le- Bfather of Meghan, Duchess there would be “no corroboration pendent. nam lodged an employment tribu- gal action, the general secretary of Sussex, leading to a rift be- and zero engagement” with the Their departure — dubbed nal claim yesterday saying he was of the civil service union the FDA, tween them, documents fi led by newspapers, the Guardian said. “Megxit” by the British press — forced from his job for exposing Dave Penman, told the Guardian: the British royal’s lawyers to Lon- “This policy is not about avoid- followed reports Meghan was her bullying behaviour. “Sir Philip, with the support of his don’s High Court yesterday said. ing criticism. It’s not about shut- unhappy with royal life and both Rutnam claims he was con- legal team and the FDA, submitted Meghan is suing Associated ting down public conversation or of them had complained about structively dismissed from his role a claim to the employment tribu- Newspapers, the publisher of censoring accurate reporting,” media intrusion. as Home Offi ce permanent secre- nal for constructive dismissal and the Mail on Sunday tabloid, for according to a purported copy The couple’s hostility towards tary after informing the Cabinet whistleblowing against the home breaching her privacy by print- of the letter shared by Financial some media outlets spilled over Offi ce that Patel had belittled offi - secretary yesterday. Sir Philip will ing a letter she sent to her father, Times media reporter Mark Di into legal action last year, with cials in meetings and made unrea- not be making any further com- Thomas Markle. Stefano on Twitter. Harry suing over alleged voicemail sonable demands on staff . ment at this time.” In the document to the high But they did not want to be interception and Meghan fi ling a The development will increase Rutnam’s claim is expected to court ahead of a hearing on Fri- used as “currency for an economy claim over a private letter to her pressure on Patel, who has denied focus on Patel’s treatment of sen- day, Meghan’s lawyers said tab- of clickbait and distortion”. father appearing in The Mail on claims that she bullied civil serv- ior civil servants in the Home Of- loid newspapers, particularly the “The Duke and Duchess of Sunday after he shared it with the ants in three government depart- fi ce. According to reports, a senior Mail, had harassed and humili- Sussex have watched people tabloid. In their message to the ed- ments, and on Boris Johnson, who Home Offi ce offi cial collapsed af- ated her father, contributed to- they know — as well as complete itors, the pair said their new policy has publicly backed his home sec- ter a fractious meeting with Patel. wards a fallout between them, strangers — have their lives com- did not apply to all media and that retary. Patel is understood to have suc- and misquoted from the letter she pletely pulled apart for no good they would continue to work with She is also the subject of a Cabi- cessfully asked for another senior sent him. reason, other than the fact that journalists around the world. net Offi ce inquiry into her behav- offi cial in the department to be The legal action comes after salacious gossip boosts advertis- The couple relocated to Califor- iour. It is the fi rst time that Rutnam moved from their job. Meghan and her husband Prince ing revenue,” according to an ex- nia last month and have kept a low has said he will make a “protected Rutnam subsequently wrote to Harry, Queen Elizabeth’s grand- cerpt published by the Guardian. profi le, with even their location un- disclosure” under whistleblowing all senior civil servants in the de- son, announced they would no The newspaper described the known amid unconfi rmed reports laws and the fi rst time that a sec- partment highlighting the dangers longer work with four of Britain’s letter as an “unprecedented at- that the pair are living in Malibu. Harry and Meghan: attack media retary of state has been sued by a of workplace stress. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 EUROPE

CIVIL STRIFE PROTEST RADIATION RISK LIMITED ATTENDANCE LOCKED DOWN Police, residents clash in Quarantined Bosnians go More firefighters to curb Czech Republic allows Russia quarantines many locked-down Paris suburbs on hunger strike forest fires at Chernobyl small weddings soldiers after rehearsal

Police fought running battles in at least five A group of Bosnians, quarantined for more than Ukraine has increased the number of firefighters in The Czech Republic yesterday said that small Russia’s ministry of defence said yesterday it had suburbs of Paris overnight with residents who two weeks in a student dormitory in Sarajevo to the radiation-contaminated Chernobyl exclusion weddings could go ahead as long as there are ordered thousands of troops into a two-week accused off icers of using heavy-handed tactics stop the spread of the coronavirus, yesterday zone to more than 1,400, the state said yesterday, no more than 10 people present, including the quarantine after a vast Red Square military to enforce France’s strict coronavirus lockdown. went on hunger strike in protest over their amid persistent forest fires in the area. Forest couple, the celebrant and the registrar, as it parade in Moscow they had been rehearsing for Residents burnt cars and shot fireworks at police, treatment, off icials said. The Sarajevo police and fires have been springing up in the area for more began to ease restrictions imposed to stem the was called off because of the novel coronavirus who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas firefighters said they had to intervene after one than two weeks, raising concerns that radioactive spread of the new coronavirus. The couple do pandemic. Up to 15,000 troops were due to in the northern suburbs of Villeneuve-la-Garenne woman threatened to set herself on fire and jump ash could reach Kiev, about 100km south of the not have to wear masks though the guests on the parade alongside military hardware on May 9 to and Aulnay-sous-Bois, witnesses and police through the dorm’s window. About 50 protesters, devastated Chernobyl power plant. Firefighters other hand do, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s said yesterday. By yesterday morning, calm had out of a group of 80 people held in the dorm, said were concentrating yesterday on extinguishing said in Prague. Interior Minister Jan Hamacek World War II victory. TV footage of rehearsals returned to Villeneuve-la-Garenne after a second that many of them had not been tested for the smouldering brush at six locations in the Chernobyl said a gradual return to normal life is needed, showed thousands of troops marching in night of standoff s with police, according to an AFP virus while others had not been given their test zone. Another authority tasked with extinguishing even though there could be no slacking in lockstep next to one another at a training ground journalist. There were also standoff s in nearby results. Under emergency measures authorities the fires and preventing new ones amid abnormally the fight against the coronavirus. Separately, outside Moscow earlier this month. There was no Aulnay-sous-Bois, where police claimed they were are ordering people entering Bosnia from abroad dry and windy conditions assured yesterday that tradesmen’s workshops, car dealerships and evidence of social distancing and none of them “ambushed” by residents. into quarantine for 28 days. radiation levels in Kiev were normal. weekly markets were allowed to open yesterday. were shown wearing masks. Babies’ day out! Spaniards fl ay offi cial virus death count

Reuters Italy new infection tally falls to 2,256 Barcelona Italy yesterday reported 2,256 new In another positive development, the cases of the novel coronavirus, the number of active cases of the novel pain already has one of the lowest daily infection figure in more coronavirus — excluding deaths and world’s highest death tolls than five weeks. recoveries — fell for the first time, by Sfrom the coronavirus pan- The total infection count rose by a 20, to 108,237. demic. But data indicating the true record-low 1.3% to 181,288, according Italy has suff ered the world’s highest number of fatalities could be much to the daily bulletin from the Civil death toll from the epidemic, but a higher is fuelling public anger and Protection Agency. significant recent drop in new cases could cause problems for Prime The agency also announced 454 has fuelled hopes for a breakthrough Minister Pedro Sanchez’s fragile more deaths linked to Covid-19, the in the country’s battle against the government. respiratory disease caused by the virus. Five newborn bear cubs gambol around their mother at the outdoor museum Skansen in Stockholm. The cubs were born in Spain’s total deaths rose yester- novel coronavirus, bringing the total The number of recoveries yesterday January to mother bear named Lill Babs. day to 20,852. number of fatalities to 24,114. rose by 1,822, to 48,877, and the But the fi gure fails to account for It was the second-lowest daily death number of patients in intensive care those who were more than likely toll from since March 19. fell to 2,573, the lowest in a month. killed by the virus but never tested. Fernando Simon, the national coronavirus emergency response 10 indicates the coronavirus death Adding to the confusion, Cata- chief, has acknowledged that the toll could be several thousand lonia last week started disclosing Merkel wary as Germany starts to open up “real number of deaths is hard to higher, or as much as 49% above regional numbers of coronavirus- know”. the government’s tally. suspected deaths, nearly doubling The country has been in strict Between those dates, Spain re- its previous toll with the addition AFP Danish hairdressers signal end to Europe’s bad hair days lockdown since March 14, although ported 16,353 coronavirus deaths. of more than 3,000 fatalities. Berlin restrictions have been eased slight- But according to the National It has called for the rest of Spain Denmark’s hairdressers yesterday flung only have to wait one more week. ly since last week. Epidemiology Centre’s database to do the same, but the government open their doors after a month-long Germany, Austria and perhaps Portugal But most people remain cooped MoMo, as yesterday, there were maintains only the deaths of those hancellor Angela Merkel yesterday coronavirus lockdown, fixing a horror show follow. up in their homes. 22,487 more deaths than normal tested can be included. urged discipline in the fi ght against of home haircuts and giving hope to other Denmark, which locked down early in And sometimes families bury- for the time of year over the exact The crisis has leapt up at Prime Cthe coronavirus pandemic, warn- Europeans that their bad hair days will soon Europe, has relatively few coronavirus ing their dead are not even certain same period. Minister Sanchez barely three ing that Germany is not “out of the woods” end as well. infections and deaths, and masks are not what their loved ones died of. A large part of the 6,134 diff er- months since his leftist coalition even as the country took small steps in eas- “Basically for the next two weeks we are mandatory. In a nursing home near Barce- ence is likely related to Covid-19, took offi ce after an inconclusive ing curbs imposed to slow contagion. super packed,” hairdresser Erik Bjornsson But in harder-hit countries, they may be lona, an 85-year-old woman died said Pedro Gullon, a Spanish Epi- election, Spain’s fourth in four With small shops opening yesterday for said as he worked in the spacious Street Cut required. “We need a strict hygiene plan. on April 8 of “possible” Covid-19, demiology Society board member. years. the fi rst time in a month, Merkel said the salon in downtown Copenhagen, shaking If safety is not good enough, they should said her daughter Amparo, citing a But it had to be carefully inter- Other world leaders, including authorities can only allow such small cau- his head at the early procession of amateur not open,” said Melanie Chatfield, 26, a doctor’s death certifi cate. preted because it could also include US President Donald Trump and tious steps each time to avoid a devastat- attempts at a chop. hairdresser in Berlin where salons are set to Amparo, 56, who declined to give non-coronavirus deaths of people British Prime Minister Boris John- ing relapse. “I want to take this opportunity to say to reopen on May 4. “I don’t think anyone’s life her last name, said her mother was who did not attend hospitals, he son, have also faced criticism over “We must not lose sight of the fact that people who actually didn’t cut their hair at depends on getting their hair cut or dyed.” not tested. said. their handling of the crisis in their we stand at the beginning of the pandemic home — thank you very much.” For tech executive Martin Boston, a regu- She accused political leaders of A justice ministry spokesman countries. and are still a long way from being out Across Europe, people under lockdown lar at the Street Cut salon, it was a relief to not protecting citizens and dis- said it was “ridiculous” to say that But Sanchez is in a more precari- of the woods,” she told journalists after are nursing a burning desire to visit a hair have his hair professionally cut again. missed the offi cial tally as useless. the real number of coronavirus ous position than them. chairing a cabinet session on the corona- salon or barber shop. He can’t wait for his colleagues to do the “Additional people have died be- deaths could be concealed. Lluis Orriols, a political science virus battle. In Greece, a third of people surveyed by same. cause (politicians) have not made All deaths in Spain are registered professor at Madrid’s Carlos III It would be a “crying shame if we were MRB pollsters put this at the top of the list “To be honest I have a lot of video confer- suffi cient testing possible so that in annual statistics but there was University, said the coronavirus to stumble into a relapse with our eyes of things they want to do when the health ences and to look at people who have cut we can know the reality,” she said. a backlog at civil registries, which has not changed what he called wide open,” she added. crisis ends. Greeks still don’t know when themselves — it looks like they’ve been “We have left them to die alone.” meant MoMo’s data was likely to be Spain’s “endemic crisis” — a gov- Merkel and regional state premiers an- their hairdressers will reopen, but the Swiss through a wood chipper,” he said. The government has defended its incomplete, he said. ernment with a weak parliamenta- nounced the decision to reopen last week count — which only includes those As a result, the gap of over 6,000 ry majority struggling to work with — but were careful to cast it as a cautious tested — and said that tracking deaths may be larger. fi ercely-critical opposition groups. fi rst step. “We must remain vigilant and disci- outings and closing most shops except for confi rmed deaths allows it to better If other sources of data from The issue is adding to friction From fl orists to fashion stores, the ma- plined,” she stressed. supermarkets and pharmacies. study the outbreak’s evolution, in just the two regions most-hit by between the government in Madrid jority of shops smaller than 800sq m were Germany has been largely spared the As its closely watched person-to-per- line with WHO practice which only Covid-19 — Madrid and Catalo- and regions with a high degree of allowed to welcome customers again in worst of the coronavirus pandemic that son infection rate fell below one last week counts confi rmed cases. nia — are taken into account, there autonomy, including Catalonia, much of Germany, in a fi rst wave of scal- has devastated some of its European — meaning each infected person was con- Suspected deaths should be ana- may be up to 1,987 further deaths whose regional leadership has been ing back lockdown measures introduced neighbours, with deaths well below hard- taminating less than one person, down lysed at a later stage, the govern- above average not included in the waging a long campaign for inde- last month. hit Italy, Spain and France. from fi ve previously — Merkel and state ment says. coronavirus tally for March alone, a pendence. But the government is facing increas- It currently has 141,672 confi rmed leaders decided to ease the lockdown. In other countries, such as It- Reuters count shows. The leader of the main opposi- ing pressure from other sectors still fac- coronavirus cases and 4,404 deaths, But each of Germany’s 16 states is tak- aly and the Netherlands, a large If all those 8,121 deaths were tion People’s Party, Pablo Casado, ing curbs to move faster and let them get among the lowest fatality rate in Europe ing action at a slightly diff erent pace. number of coronavirus deaths coronavirus-related, the govern- has demanded that “all the truth business back on track. due in part to widespread testing and in- In eastern Saxony state, pupils taking might not have been reported be- ment’s tally would be 49% higher. be told” about the number of dead, Merkel said loosening restrictions too tensive care capacity. fi nal examinations began streaming back cause of under-testing in nursing Gullon validated Reuters in- while a lawmaker from the far- hastily could be counterproductive as the Widespread lockdown measures were to classrooms, two weeks ahead of their homes. terpretation but he cautioned: right Vox tweeted: “No smoke- eff ects of the fi rst steps would only be seen rolled out last month in line with many of peers in other states, where school gates A Reuters calculation based on “There’s no way to clearly know the screen will cover the deaths you try in two weeks. its neighbours, restricting non-essential will reopen only from May 4. offi cial data from March 1 to April exact death fi gures”. to hide”. Laughter fi lls Norway’s nurseries as pre-schoolers return

By Pierre-Henry Deshayes, AFP “He was so excited we had to deaths, and has reported a sig- called “My child should not be health grounds, but it also comes Oslo leave the house early to come nifi cant drop in new hospital ad- a guinea pig for Covid-19” has as a relief for parents who’ve had here and see the other kids,” Silje missions. been created and an online peti- to juggle parenting with working Skifj ell said of her eldest child Norway has yet to declare tion objecting to the reopening from home. ost were itching to meet Isaak, after she dropped off him victory over the virus, but said has nearly 30,000 signatures. “It has been a challenge,” said their friends, others a and his younger brother Kasper. in early April it was considered According to a poll published Olav Kneppen after leaving his Mlittle wary about leav- “I almost was crying, he was “under control,” and the coun- by broadcaster NRK over the four-year-old son Oliver at the ing their parents: the youngest so happy to see his friends,” she try has embarked on a slow and weekend, 24% of parents did not Espira Grefsen Stasjon. Norwegians started returning to said. gradual return to normal. want to send their children back “It was fun to spend more time pre-schools yesterday, a month Staff wearing refl ective vests After the pre-schools this to pre-school and 13% said they with him than usual but it was a after being sent home over the were on site to receive the chil- week, primary schools will reo- were unsure. bit frustrating with work because new coronavirus. dren at the gate, as entry to the pen their doors to the youngest On social media, accusations I couldn’t do everything I was Breaking the silence of the past building is banned to the public pupils next Monday. of “gambling with the lives of supposed to do,” he told AFP. fi ve weeks, laughter once again to limit the risk of contamina- Authorities said they ordered children” and playing “Russian Asked about any apprehen- fi lled the playground of Espira tion. the reopening because children roulette” have appeared. sions he might have about the Grefsen Stasjon, a nursery school But neither parents nor em- have been less aff ected by Cov- “I won’t send my daughter children returning, he said he in the north of Norway’s capital ployees were wearing masks. id-19. to daycare until I’m 110% reas- Children play in small groups in the sandbox on reopening day of the trusted in the authorities’ judge- Oslo. Along with Austria, Denmark “Going to pre-school is safe,” sured,” said one concerned par- Espira Grefsen Station Kindergarten in Oslo yesterday. ment. Bundled up in jackets and and Germany, Norway is among Education Minister Guri Melby ent in a Facebook post. “At home, we choose to follow warm caps, the toddlers arrived the fi rst countries to start eas- has repeated leading up to the Pre-schools have to ensure years old can stay in groups of six. clean”,” said director Tone Mila, the recommendations from the under a deceptive spring sun yes- ing restrictions, which were an- reopening. certain health protocols. At Espira Grefsen Stasjon, an who was also there to answer health authorities. So when they terday morning. nounced on March 12. However, some parents have In particular, children un- employee wearing blue plastic parents’ questions. “Of course, recommend this, we trust that it Some were reluctant to let go The Nordic country, with a objected to the decision. der the age of three have to be in gloves was wiping down the jun- now the biggest job to do is the will be relatively safe,” he said. of their parents’ hands, but most population of around 5.4mn, has As in neighbouring Denmark, groups of three under one adult’s gle gym as the children played. hygiene,” she told AFP. “Of course, we are not 100% were impatient to run and join registered 7,068 confi rmed cases which started opening schools supervision. “We’ve sanitised the kinder- Offi cially the argument for safe, but I agree that it’s time to their friends in the sandpit. of the new coronavirus and 154 last week, a Facebook group Those between three and six garten, so everything is very the reopening has been made on do it now.” Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 13 INDIA

‘80% Covid-19 cases asymptomatic or with mild symptoms’

IANS and might require oxygen sup- social distancing. “That’s why lockdown is even develop infections beyond the “Given India’s economic However, people will have to New Delhi port, while 5% of the cases turn “In this way, people will not more essential to prevent trans- 14-day incubation period,” she condition and heavy depend- follow guidelines such as wear- critical.” come in close contact,” he said. mission from these likely to be said. ence on unorganised sectors, ing masks, gloves, use of sani- Raman Gangakhedkar, head Health experts said lockdown missed out asymptomatic cases India is currently under an it is a fact that we need to exit tisers, maintain good hygiene ighty percent of the Cov- of infectious disease and and social distancing are the when the population is large extended lockdown till May 3. from Lockdown in a phased by washing hands frequently id-19 cases are either epidemiology at the Indian only way to prevent transmis- and testing capacity is limited,” Telangana has even extended manner. With a large number and thoroughly. Easymptomatic or with Council of Medical Research sion from asymptomatic cases Dr Gupta told IANS. it further, to May 7. of asymptomatic cases, there “Social distancing will re- mild symptoms, a senior official (ICMR) said 80 out of 100 in a populous country like Indi- “Lockdown restrictions can Dr Yugal Kishore Mishra of would certainly be a threat of its main the main safeguard against said yesterday. people do not show symptoms an with limited testing capacity. be eased in areas where no Cov- Manipal Hospitals in Dwarka further spread, however, with Covid-19. Hence, if lockdown is But, Lav Agarwal, joint sec- and therefore chances are that According to Dr Neha Gupta id- 19 is documented in the last said the surge of Covid-19 pa- adequate testing, quarantine lifted in a staggered way, we can retary at the Health Ministry, they might test positive. of Fortis Memorial Research 14 days as most cases take this tients with asymptomatic or and treatment facilities, India contain even a second wave ef- said: “They can be tracked.” He said this is the reason Institute in Gurugram, 25-50% to recover. But the incubation mild symptoms poses yet an- can handle the situation well ficiently and effectively with He added: “Over 15% of the why people should follow the patients do not have any symp- period can be as long as 27 days other challenge in combating compared to other countries,” preventive and curative meas- cases convert into severe cases lockdown rules and maintain toms and are contagious. and 2.5% of the Covid-19 can the pandemic. Mishra said. ures,” he added. Plasma therapy shows positive result on critical patient: hospital

IANS administered fresh plasma as a catalyst in speeding up his recov- New Delhi treatment modality as a sideline ery,” Budhiraja said. to the standard treatment pro- He also said the recovery can- tocols on the night of April 14, it not be attributed 100% to the critically ill coronavirus said. therapy. patient is showing posi- “After receiving the treatment, “We cannot attribute 100% Ative results after being the patient showed progressive recovery to plasma therapy only, treated with plasma therapy, a improvement and by the fourth as there are multiple factors Trailers are seen parked at an inland container depot, after India extended a nationwide lockdown, in New Delhi yesterday. New Delhi hospital said yester- day, he was weaned off ventilator which carved his path to recov- day. support on the morning of April ery,” he said. The 49-year-old man became 18 and continued on supplemen- He added that in a country like the fi rst patient to be administered tary oxygen thereafter,” it added. India, a therapy of such kind has plasma therapy at the Max Hospi- The hospital said the man a good potential to help Covid-19 tal, doctors said in a statement. has been shifted to a room with patients who have disease sever- The patient has been taken off round-the-clock monitoring fa- ity, which fi ts into moderate to Some curbs eased in rural cility. severe categories. ventilator support, the statement added. “He has started taking oral “Government regulations In convalescent plasma ther- feed since Sunday and is faring should work towards making apy, the antibodies of a person well,” it said. it more accessible for hospitals who has recovered from the virus Speaking on the success of the across the country to be able to use areas, but the eff ort falters fi rst case administered under it. One donor can donate 400ml of are taken and transfused into a sick person to help boost his or plasma therapy at the hospital, plasma which can save two lives, Agencies sector, which employs more than gent workplace requirements for All businesses and services that her immune system. Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medi- as 200ml is suffi cient to treat one New Delhi half the country’s workforce. returning workers and feared be- reopen are expected to follow so- The patient from Delhi had cal Director of Max Healthcare, patient,” Budhiraja said. The government tweeted pho- ing blamed if staff fell ill. cial distancing measures and any tested positive for Covid-19 on and Senior Director, Institute of zThe total number of con- tos that showed that the harvest Others said the lack of demand violation will be penalised, the April 4 and was admitted on the Internal Medicine, said the case fi rmed cases of novel coronavirus bsent staff and broken of winter crops had begun in sev- for their goods made it pointless federal home ministry said. same day to the coronavirus fa- opened a new treatment oppor- in India is 17,656, with 559 deaths supply chains scuppered eral areas, allaying fears of food to restart operations. None of the restrictions will be cility at the Max Hospital with tunity. so far, according to data pub- Aeff orts by some industries shortages. Many out of work, meanwhile, lifted in hotspots, which include moderate symptoms and a histo- “We are delighted that the lished by the Ministry of Health to restart yesterday, weeks after Domestic media reported that said they were struggling to feed all major cities. ry of fever and respiratory issues. therapy worked well in his case, and Family Welfare yesterday. the government ordered a na- agricultural markets had opened themselves and their families. Domestic and international “His condition deteriorated opening a new treatment oppor- Of these 14,255 are active cases tionwide shutdown to stop the in some rural areas. “We were told that some sec- fl ights and inter-state transport during the next few days and he tunity during these challenging of Covid-19; 2,841 individuals spread of coronavirus. Food processing plants were tors will open up, but the reality also remain suspended. soon required external oxygen to times. But it is important that have recovered and discharged Although the national lock- being allowed to operate and the is diff erent,” said cable TV re- Banks, hospitals, clinics, drug- maintain saturation. we also understand that plasma from hospital and one person mi- down has been extended until construction of roads, buildings pairman Rohit Sharma in Noida stores and government offi ces He also developed pneumonia therapy is no magic bullet. Dur- grated to another country. May 3, offi cials said certain key and industrial projects was being city, near Delhi. will remain open. Workers like with Type I respiratory failure ing the patient’s treatment at the Maharashtra remained the sectors could resume operations permitted in select areas. “Now, what can we do? We plumbers, electricians and car- and had to be put on ventilator Max Hospital, other standard worst-hit state with the total under strict conditions in a bid to But a senior railway offi cial in can earn money only if we are al- penters will also be allowed to support on April 8,” the state- treatment protocols were fol- number of positive cases rising to stop the economy from haemor- Kolkata said that although a third lowed to work.” work. ment said. lowed and we can say that plasma 4,203, followed by Delhi (2,003) rhaging further. of staff were told to return yes- State borders remain closed The supply of non-essential When the patient showed no therapy could have worked as a and Gujarat (1,851). They include agriculture, some terday, attendance was poor as across the country, preventing mi- goods such as mobile phones improvement, his family members manufacturing and construc- most employees simply couldn’t grant labourers from travelling. or refrigerators by e-commerce requested the hospital to admin- Mumbai, Pune earliest and worst-hit tion - industries where shifts get to work. Hundreds of thousands of la- companies will remain banned ister plasma therapy on compas- can be run and workers isolated, Several factory operators, bourers headed to their home during this time, the government sionate grounds, a fi rst of its kind Mumbai and Pune, which figure significantly added to the Covid-19 and which employed millions of meanwhile, said they had dif- villages when the lockdown was said, taking back an earlier order. treatment modality that is being among the red list of 11 cities in figures. With a population of hard-hit poorer people. fi culty resuming operations be- ordered, some walking hundreds But authorities in Kerala, used for the disease in India. the country, also rank among around 800,000 crammed in The relaxation came as India cause so few staff showed up, of miles and with little money or praised for its success in tackling “The family came forward to the earliest and worst-hit by the barely 2.25 sq km area in central reported its highest daily in- and supply chains had also been food. the spread of the virus, yester- arrange a donor for extracting Covid-19 pandemic, off icials said. Mumbai, Dharavi compares crease of infections - 1,553 new disrupted. Those that did not make it have day rescinded several measures plasma. The donor had recovered Though the government’s assess- unfavourably in terms of popula- cases for a total of 17,656, and 559 “With no raw material, a ban been housed in crowded shelters to ease restrictions - including from the infection - confi rmed ment came after analysing the tion density, with the total city deaths. on transportation, and the non- in cities, but many want to be al- opening up restaurants - after by two consecutive negative re- alleged lockdown violations in the population of around 1.70 crore The government had said the availability of manpower, I have lowed to return to their villages. criticism from the central gov- ports - three weeks ago and again 11 cities, the problem of Mumbai scattered over roughly 350 sq restrictions would be eased only not been able to operate,” said Many of the workers living in ernment. tested Covid-19 negative at the and Pune is compounded further km. Moreover, Dharavi is largely a in rural areas without coro- Ritesh Srivastava, who makes government shelters will be reg- Some states and union territo- time of donation along with by their sheer population figures. slum pocket compared with the navirus containment zones or homoeopathic medicines in Luc- istered with local authorities for ries, including the national capi- other standard tests to rule out Also, in Mumbai, Dharavi - Asia’s rest of Mumbai which has glitter- hotspots. know. employment as the opening up tal New Delhi, chose not to relax infections like Hep B, Hep C and biggest slum and the world’s ing districts standing cheek by The new reduced measures Some smaller factories said of activities will create create job their lockdowns, fearing further HIV,” the hospital said. most congested area - has jowl with shabby slums. also ease pressure on the farming they couldn’t comply with strin- opportunities, offi cials said. infections. The critically ill patient was Stick to lockdown norms, 53 Mumbai journalists central govt tells states test positive for Covid-19 IANS that from the test reports re- Mumbai ceived by afternoon, 30 had test- IANS “I would again urge you to en- “There will be no restriction ed positive. The fi gure might go New Delhi sure compliance of the revised on agriculture, including farm- up, he added. consolidated guidelines, and di- ing, harvesting, transportation of t least 53 journalists have Federal Ministry of Health rect all concerned authorities for fruits and vegetable to markets,” tested positive for Cov- Family Welfare Joint Secretary he federal Home Minis- their strict implementation in Madhuswamy said. Aid-19 in Mumbai, offi cials Luv Aggarwal expressed concern try has asked all states to letter and spirit without any di- The Tamil Nadu government said yesterday. over journalists getting aff ected. Tensure compliance of the lution and to ensure strict com- also decided to continue with the Most of them are from the Requesting journalists to exer- revised consolidated lockdown pliance of lockdown measures,” existing nationwide lockdown electronic media, Vishnu Sona- cise all precautions in the line of guidelines “without any dilu- the letter said. till May 3. wane, the president of the BMC duty, Aggarwal assured report- tion”. Meanwhile, in another U- A government statement said Reporters Association said. ers in New Delhi that all those In a letter to all the state gov- turn, the Karnataka government the relaxations given for essen- They were tested at a special requiring testing based on sam- ernments, Home Secretary Ajay extended the lockdown across tial services earlier will however camp last week. pling criteria would be tested. Bhalla said they must follow the the state until May 3 and with- continue. Sonawane said the aff ected Maharashtra Navnirman Sena lockdown guidelines in “letter drew the partial relaxation plan The government said Delhi, journalists had been isolated at leader Bala Nandgaonkar and and spirit”. for non-Covid aff ected areas. Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana, the Fern Hotel in Goregaon in Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kirit So- Bhalla issued the letter on “The lockdown will continue Maharashtra, Gujarat and other north-west Mumbai. maiya have separately urged the Sunday following reports that till May 3. No partial relaxation states too had decided to con- “Tourism Minister Aditya government and the electronic some of the states and union from Tuesday in non-confi ne- tinue with the lockdown till Thackeray, Mayor Kishori Ped- media to ensure proper treat- territories were allowing activi- ment areas as announced earlier May 3. nekar and the BMC Health Com- ment for the aff ected journalists. ties which were not under the (April 18),” Law and Parliamen- In Chandigarh, Punjab Chief mittee chief Amey Ghole ar- Somaiya and Nandgaonkar exemptions category in the con- tary Aff airs Minister J C Mad- Minister Amarinder Singh ranged for this isolation centre. also called upon the state gov- solidated guidelines of the Home huswamy said. clarifi ed industrial units being The BMC is taking full care and ernment to provide journalists Ministry issued on April 15. The government, however, de- permitted to function in non- have requested all not to go to the Rs50 lakh insurance cover “on The Kerala government issued cided to allow agriculture, hor- containment zones would be re- hotel’s vicinity,” Sonawane said. the lines of health personnel as a revised guideline on April 17 al- ticulture and fl oriculture sectors quired to align to the state orders Earlier during the day, TV even media is an essential service lowing activities which are pro- to function along with essential and also the federal Home Minis- Residents throw petals from a balcony to police off icers for their Journalists Association presi- fraught with risks during the on- hibited by the central government. goods and supplies units. try guidelines. services in Secunderabad yesterday. dent Vinod Jagdale confi rmed going Covid-19 pandemic”. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 INDIA 110 held after three men lynched by mob in Maharashtra

Agencies The videos of the brutal at- Two police offi cers were sus- The Congress party criticised persons and groups, including in Gadchinchli village on the fron groups of communalising Mumbai tack went viral on the weekend pended for negligence. the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) political parties and a section border of Dadar Nagar Haveli on the incident. forcing state authorities to order In the footage, mob armed for attempting to politicise and of media, to desist from doing April 16 night as extremely un- BJP spokesman Sambit Patra a high-level probe. The arrests with sticks and stones are seen communalise the attack and so,” said Congress spokesman fortunate. in a tweet had earlier said: “It t least 110 people have were announced yesterday. assaulting the men including a asked Maharashtra Chief Minis- Randeep Surjewala. “Tragical- “There is no place for such was in the Dahanu assembly been arrested for alleg- Media reports said the men, 70-year-old, who can be seen ter Uddhav Thackeray to ensure ly, the BJP and its echo system violence in our civilised society constituency in Maharashtra’s Aedly beating three men including two religious leaders begging for his life. a speedy probe, trial and punish- as also a section of the media and the strictest possible action Palghar district where the kill- to death in Maharashtra, police and their driver, were going to a The villagers also beat police ment of the guilty. are attempting to project the must be taken against the ac- ings took place. This region is said yesterday. funeral when the mob dragged who tried to rescue the men. “There is no communal or incident with communal over- cused,” the Congress said. the stronghold of the CPM .The The mob attack took place in them out of their car. Maharashtra Home Minister Hindu-Muslim angle to the tones. These attempts to po- However, the BJP and the MLA here is also from the Com- Palghar district, some 140km “Till now, 110 accused (of lo- Anil Deshmukh rejected allega- attack as is being sought to be liticise are deeply shameful and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) munist party. The NCP also has from Mumbai on Thursday night cal tribal community) have been tions that it was a sectarian at- projected by those, who see must be rejected with the con- blamed Communist parties for an alliance with CPM in the re- after rumours that the men were arrested out of which nine are tack saying the victims and the an opportunity in every such tempt they deserve,” Surjewala the mob lynching. gion. This is the work of Marxist kidnapping children to harvest juvenile,” the district police said attackers belonged to the same incident to inflame commu- said. But the Communist Party of goons and hence the entire Left organs, including kidneys. on Twitter. religion. nal passion. We urge all such The party termed the killing India (Marxist) accused the saf- brigade is silent.” All ‘high risk’ Visual treat contacts of pizza boy test negative

IANS These teachers claim that they New Delhi have not received salaries since February leaving them out of cash and the lockdown period fter a 19-year-old pizza has only worsened the eff ects delivery boy in New Delhi with shopkeepers denying them Atested positive for coro- credit facilities. navirus, all his 16 ‘high risk con- “They have deployed us on tacts have tested negative for the food distribution duties and told virus, offi cials said yesterday. us to visit every door to screen According to B M Mishra, Dis- people for Covid-19, but what Flamingos are seen in a pond in Navi Mumbai yesterday. The number of flamingos spotted in Navi Mumbai this season was 25% more than last year, possibly due trict Magistrate of South Delhi, about the salary? The last sal- to minimal human activity across the country amid a coronavirus lockdown. During this period, several animals and birds have been spotted in cities across states. no person in the 72 houses with- ary we received was for January, Pictures of peacocks dancing on the streets in Mumbai went viral recently while deer were spotted in Uttarakhand. in a 5km radius of Malviya Nagar, since then not a single penny has where the boy delivered food, been credited to our accounts,” has developed any symptom of Ramnivas Solanki, president of the dreaded disease. MCD Teachers’ association said. “All high risk contacts (16 Ramnivas said the association people) of the pizza delivery boy, has written to the chief minister, including the owner of the eat- deputy chief minister and the ery where he worked and other mayor but all eff orts have gone workers, have tested negative,” in vain. the DM said. “The chief minister’s offi ce However, Mishra said the 72 said that our plea was forwarded Mallya loses appeal in families in the low risk group will to the concerned offi ce for ap- have to “complete the quarantine”. propriate action. But we are yet “While none from the 72 fam- to get fruits for our eff orts,” he ilies had shown any symptoms said. of the infection so far, they will The mayor however claimed have to complete their quaran- they have asked for about tine period,” he said. Rs1,000 crore from the state UK extradition case After the delivery boy associ- government which has not been ated with a pizza chain tested given. Agencies due to the current coronavirus Mallya’s lawyer, Clare Mont- there is a matter of law that positive last Tuesday, the au- Meanwhile, two days after London lockdown. gomery, had argued that the needs to be clarifi ed. thorities immediately decided to an engineer working with the “The SDJ (senior district 2018 extradition ruling by Judge In New Delhi, the Central Bu- quarantine his 16 colleagues at New Delhi Municipal Council judge) was entitled to fi nd that Emma Arbuthnot had “multiple reau of Investigation (CBI) said the outlet. (NDMC) tested positive for Cov- usinessman Vijay Mallya there was a prima facie case of errors” because she did not take the judgment was a “signifi cant Apart from the high risk con- id-19, the civic body has decided lost an appeal in Britain’s fraud by false representation,” into account all the evidence achievement” in the war against tacts, the administration has to hold back an order making at- BHigh Court yesterday the judges said in their more about the fi nancial status of economic fugitives who have also listed people living in 72 tendance in offi ces compulsory. against a 2018 decision to ex- than 23,000-word ruling. Kingfi sher Airlines. managed to stay away from the houses where food was delivered According to several offi cials tradite him to India to face fraud The case will now go to Brit- In 2018, Arbuthnot rejected Indian judicial process. under the row risk contacts. in NDMC, a message instructing charges resulting from the col- ish Home Secretary Priti Patel Mallya’s argument that the case “Mallya’s extradition is con- The families in the 72 houses 100% attendance in offi ces from lapse of his defunct company for a fi nal decision. was motivated by political con- fi rmed and sealed,” an offi cial were told to self-quarantine as yesterday was issued before the Kingfi sher Airlines. The dismissal eff ectively Mallya: faces extradition to India siderations, that he would not said. the delivery boy, and his col- engineer tested positive. India wants to bring back clears the way for Mallya’s ex- receive a fair trial in India and Mallya has repeatedly said leagues, had visited the houses. Some offi cials, however, Mallya, 64, whose business in- tradition, and he has 14 days to Force India which went into that extradition would infringe that Indian banks can take back Also in New Delhi, over 8,000 reached the offi ce yesterday terests have ranged from avia- apply for permission to appeal administration in 2018, was his human rights. 100% of the principal amount teachers of 714 schools run by morning, only to return home. tion to liquor, over $1.4bn in to the UK Supreme Court. nicknamed “the King of Good In her judgement, Arbuthnot owed to them. North Delhi Municipal Corpo- In other developments, the loans Kingfi sher took out from If he does apply, the UK Times” after the slogan of one said that Indian banking of- “I am saying, please banks ration (North MCD), who have Odisha government has asked Indian banks which the author- Home Offi ce would wait for the of his premium beers and his fi cials might have been in “the take your money. The ED (En- been working day and night in all people with travel history to ities argue he had no intention outcome of that appeal. hard-partying lifestyle. thrall of this glamorous, fl ashy, forcement Directorate) is saying food distribution and door- West Bengal in the past 28 days to of repaying. But if he does not, under the His extradition would be a famous, bejewelled, body- no, we have a claim over these to-door awareness campaign inform the local authorities and Lord Justice Stephen Irwin India-UK extradition treaty, it huge win for Prime Minister guarded, ostensibly billionaire assets. So, the ED on the one against Covid-19, have found quarantine themselves at home. and Justice Elisabeth Laing, would then be expected to for- Narendra Modi, who has faced playboy who charmed and ca- side and the banks on the other themselves entangled in a politi- The decision comes after 10 the two-member bench at the mally certify the court order for pressure from political oppo- joled” them into ignoring their are fi ghting over the same as- cal tussle between the Bharatiya people of the Bhadrak and Jajpur Royal Courts of Justice in Lon- Mallya to be extradited to India nents to bring to justice several own rules and regulations. sets...What all they are doing to Janata Party-led North MCD districts with recent travel his- don presiding over the appeal, within 28 days. people who have fl ed India in Mallya may now be able to me for the last four years is to- and the Aam Aadmi Party state tory to West Bengal tested Cov- dismissed the appeal in a judg- Mallya, the co-owner of the recent years to escape prosecu- appeal to Britain’s Supreme tally unreasonable,” he had said government. id-19 positive. ment handed down remotely Formula One motor racing team tion, many for loan defaults. Court if his legal team argue in February.

Families travel from Chennai 20 held in Chennai for to Tripura in an ambulance opposing doctor’s burial

IANS He said: “As my only daugh- nai to Tripura, they underwent IANS the locals to the fi nal rites of Agartala ter’s marriage is scheduled on medical screening at more than Chennai Covid-19 victims has shocked May 8 and after fi nding no al- 10 inter-state borders and se- the medical community. ternatives, we, the two families, curity checks at more than 50 Condemning the protest ive people, including two hired an ambulance at a charge places. olice arrested 20 people, against the burial of the doc- ailing women, from two of over Rs1 lakh. After spending “Police, medical and civil including a woman, for at- tor, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ffamilies reached Tripura over Rs1.40 lakh, we left Chen- offi cials and common people Ptacking an ambulance and C Vijayabaskar said an offi cial from Chennai by road in an am- nai on April 15 and reached Agar- co-operated with us a lot and protesting against the burial of a group had been formed with bulance, travelling over 3,700km tala after Sunday midnight.” provided various aids when we doctor who had died of Covid-19. representatives from the police amid a nationwide lockdown to passed through the roads of The 55-year-old doctor died and other departments to pre- check the spread of coronavirus. “Two days before the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday night at a private hos- vent such incidents. Former deputy director of lockdown started on Telangana, Odisha, Chattisgarh, pital near Chennai and his body He ruled out the possibility Tripura government, Chanchal March 25, we completed Jharkhand, West Bengal (twice), was taken to a burial ground. of Covid-19 infection from the Majumder, his wife Asima Biswas, the treatment. But we were Assam (twice) and Meghalaya They also attacked the am- last rites. Earlier, DMDK leader Sukumar Bhowmik, a police offi c- stranded in Chennai aft er before fi nally reaching Tripura,” bulance and healthcare offi cials Vijayakant said the government er, and his wife Nandini Bhowmik the Kolkata-bound fl ight he said. with stones and blocked the road. could use a part of his engineer- and a relative went to Chennai on got cancelled” The former Tripura govern- The body could be buried only ing college land for burying the March 20 for the women’s treat- ment offi cial said that during after the police intervention. Covid-19 dead. ment at a private hospital in the As per the health protocols in their journey through several This is the second such inci- z With Delhi emerging as one Tamil Nadu capital. place for the coronavirus pan- states, they saw thousands of dent in Chennai. of the major hotspots for the “Two days before the lock- demic, Majumder and his wife people from Tripura and other Some days back a doctor from coronavirus pandemic, the Jamia down started on March 25, we are now under institutional northeastern states, who had Nellore died of Covid-19 at a pri- Millia Islamia has decided re- completed the treatment. But quarantine in Udaipur in south- gone to other places for various vate hospital and when the body strict entry of outsiders includ- we were stranded in Chennai af- ern Tripura, while the Bhowmik reasons, stranded in diff erent was taken to a crematorium the ing guests inside the campus, ter the Kolkata-bound fl ight got family has been kept in home states. locals protested. and the university administra- cancelled,” Majumder told IANS quarantine at Mohanpur in “Many of the stranded people The police then took the body tion has also asked all mosques yesterday by phone from a quar- western Tripura. are in distress as they don’t have back to the hospital mortuary. in residential colonies near the antine centre in Udaipur in Go- Majumder said that during suffi cient money, proper accom- Police check motorists during a government-imposed nationwide It was cremated during the campus to allow only imams, mati district headquarters. their fi ve-day trip from Chen- modation and food,” he said. lockdown in Siliguri, West Bengal yesterday. early hours. The opposition from muezzins and caretakers. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 15

LATIN AMERICA Argentina creditor group rejects $41.5bn debt revamp plan

Reuters mainly in the form of reduced resolution needs good faith said in a statement. $37.9bn, or 62% of the current In its statement, the ACC alignment in the market with its London interest payments, as Argentina negotiations that require the “A sustainable solution to total. said it considered a broad set of statement. seeks to recover from the twin exchange of forward-looking Argentina’s debt crisis remains The average proposed new bondholders would be prepared In a reply to an e-mailed re- blow of recession and the coro- economic and financial infor- within reach, provided Argen- rate would be 2.33%. to make an equitable contribu- quest from Reuters, ACC de- group of Argentina’s in- navirus pandemic. mation anchored in concrete tina is prepared to join bond- “This is the offer that Ar- tion via signifi cant cash fl ow clined to give the value of the ternational creditors The Argentina Creditor Com- and feasible economic policies, holders in their commitment to gentina can sustain. In the case relief during the period that is bonds the group represent. Ahas rejected the govern- mittee (ACC), which comprises it said. a good faith negotiated process.” that it is accepted, a problem needed for economic policies, Speaking in a televised news ment’s debt restructuring pro- holders of Argentina’s interna- “Such information and poli- Argentina is looking to re- will have been solved. In case including structural measures, conference on Thursday, Guz- posal, calling for it to engage in tional bonds, including emerg- cies have not been forthcom- vamp its heavy debt load after it is not accepted, we have al- to take hold. man said the government had meaningful negotiations with ing market specialist Greylock ing and the process followed political upheaval and a market ready considered that we are Its group includes mutual still not reached an “under- bondholders to reach a deal. Capital, and says it represents by Argentina prior to its uni- crash last year drove its bonds in virtual default,” Economy funds, family offi ces, insurance standing” about what would be Economy Minister Martin a diverse group of international lateral bond restructuring offer into distressed territory. Minister Martin Guzman said fi rms and asset managers, the sustainable with bondholders, Guzman last week laid out the investors, said it cannot support has fallen well short of bond- The proposal includes a size- in an interview with news web- ACC said, adding it was co-or- who would have around 20 days framework of the proposal in- the proposal. holders’ expectations without able cut to interest payments, site El Cohete a la Luna pub- dinating with other bondhold- from the formal launch before volving around $41.5bn of relief, Achieving a sustainable debt meaningful discussions,” it amounting to a saving of around lished on Sunday. ers and that there was broad the off er closed. Coronavirus cuts through Mexico factories

AFP Herrera said that she com- Mexico City plained to the federal govern- ment about factories ignoring the shutdown order. But inspec- hen Ana Lilia Gonzalez tors to enforce the shutdown are fell ill with fl u-like scarce on the ground. Wsymptoms, she went Only 18 have been assigned to to the infi rmary at her factory in the task of monitoring industrial a Mexican city on the US bor- activity across the state. der, where the doctor told her According to offi cial fi gures, she could carry on working. Two Mexico had more than 8,200 weeks later, she was dead. Covid-19 cases late Sunday, and Her name has been added to more than 680 people had died. the growing list of Covid-19 “The northern Mexican states deaths among factory workers are going to be the most aff ected in Ciudad Juarez, located in the by the pandemic,” warned senior poor, densely populated north- government health offi cial Hugo ern region of Chihuahua. Lopez-Gatell, adding that “some “A fortnight ago, she was fi ne. companies are continuing to op- At the infi rmary, they didn’t erate” despite the restrictions. want to send her home until her Lear Corporation, a company condition got worse,” one of her that produces auto seats in Ciu- colleagues, who has since quar- dad Juarez, said in a statement antined herself because of the last week: “We learned of the illness, said. hospitalisation of some of our The 24-year-old, who de- employees at our operation in clined to reveal her name because Ciudad Juarez and the regretta- she feared being stigmatised, has ble death of several of them.” developed a cough and has lost But Susana Prieto, a labour her sense of taste — two of the rights lawyer in Ciudad Juarez, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro gestures as he leaves Alvorada Palace, amid the coronavirus outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil, yesterday. symptoms of the coronavirus. said that in general, factory own- She said that she had re- ers cared little for their workers. cently attended a wedding with She accused them of lying Gonzalez, who was 45. to their employees by claiming Syncreon, where both women they were on a list of companies worked repairing ATM machines authorised to continue working for US banks, was deemed a non- during the shutdown. essential company and ordered “The owners of capital do not by the government to suspend care about the lives of their em- Bolsonaro hopes for end to work at the end of March. ployees. They know they have a However, thousands of Mexi- ready supply of cheap labour at cans continued last week to work their disposal,” said Prieto. there and in similar “maquilado- During the past week, workers ras” — factories set up mainly by increasingly worried about the US companies to avail of cheap spread of Covid-19 held protests virus quarantine this week labour — all along the 3,100km at several factories to demand border with the US. greater protection in the work- Reuters a democratic country and the top ing his health minister last week with Covid-19, the potentially le- cades around the country. Other countries have forced place. Sao Paulo court would remain open. after they clashed over social dis- thal respiratory disease caused by Brazil has more cases of the non-essential industries to shut One such protest forced a halt Bolsonaro is one of the few tancing measures. the coronavirus, said the curve in new coronavirus than any other down to help slow the spread of at Syncreon, which has ordered global leaders who has openly With Brazil’s coronavirus Rio was not yet fl attening, despite country in Latin America. the coronavirus. workers to turn up at the factory razilian President Jair Bol- railed against lockdown meas- outbreak appearing to be a few measures imposed by governor On Sunday, confi rmed cases In Juarez alone, among the 160 again. sonaro yesterday said he ures to combat the coronavirus. weeks behind those in Europe Wilson Witzel, who is also ill with rose to 38,654 with 2,462 deaths. largest maquiladoras — which Employers have defended the Bhoped this would be the He has doggedly asserted that and the US, it is unlikely Brazil’s the disease. Bolsonaro, who was not wear- together employ 300,000 work- need to keep industry running. last week of stay-at-home meas- the economic risks of shutting governors will end stay-at-home “At the beginning of May the ing a face mask, addressed a ers — nearly 30 factories deemed “All the factories — even the es- ures to try to slow the spread of down Brazil’s economy outweigh measures this week as the presi- red light will come on for the crowd of a few hundred in Bra- non-essential by the government sential ones — are going to have the coronavirus, wishing for an the dangers posed by the disease. dent wants. health system,” he said. silia. were still operating last Friday, to close soon because of the gen- end to a policy he has branded an Despite Bolsonaro’s protests, In an interview with Reuters On Sunday, Bolsonaro irked During his brief address, which according to Chihuahua labour eral psychosis and the nervous- ill-founded jobs killer. many of Brazil’s governors have last week, Rio de Janeiro’s state many in Brazil when he once was punctuated by the president secretary Ana Luisa Herrera. ness of the staff . The employees Speaking with supporters in more or less shut down their health secretary Edmar Santos again attended a public rally and coughing, he called those in at- So far, at least 13 workers in the simply don’t want to work any- Brasilia, he also opposed the view states, leading to an angry re- said the peak of the outbreak will attacked lockdown measures tendance “patriots” and said city’s factories have died from more,” local National Maqui- of one who called for the coun- sponse from the president. hit Rio in May, which would be a meant to fi ght the coronavirus, they were helping defend indi- Covid-19, local health offi cials ladora Industry Council offi cial try’s Supreme Court to be shut, Bolsonaro has also clashed “very, very complicated” time. as supporters of the right-wing vidual freedoms that he said are reported. Pedro Chavira said. with Bolsonaro saying Brazil was with his own health offi cials, fi r- Santos, who has been diagnosed leader joined political motor- under threat by lockdowns. Three US deportees Chile, China mix-up on ventilator issue have coronavirus: Haiti going to say a word about ventila- Reuters Santiago tors, the ventilators are coming,” Reuters was already collapsing. with the arrival of rapid tests. Manalich told Tele13 Radio. Havana/Port-au-Prince Haiti’s water and sanitation The government this weekend Chile, which has the third- system are also in a shambles. extended the state of emergency hile is expecting China to highest number of cases in the While the government has closed for another month under which donate ventilators to help region, has 590 ventilators cur- hree migrants the US de- borders and declared a state of borders are closed, as are schools, Ccope with the coronavirus rently available, Manalich said. ported two weeks ago to emergency, many Haitians have universities and places of worship. outbreak, a government offi cial The South American country’s THaiti, on a fl ight that raised continued to go about their daily However, it allowed textile in- said, contradicting earlier state- confi rmed coronavirus cases sur- objections from human rights lives as usual given they live hand dustrial parks, which are one of ments by China’s ambassador to passed 10,000 on Sunday with advocates, have tested positive to mouth and cannot aff ord to its top sources of foreign currency the South American country that 133 total deaths. for the novel coronavirus while stay home. revenue, to restart yesterday albeit he was unaware of such a ship- Manalich said the global rush in quarantine in the Caribbean Around two thirds live under the only at 30% capacity. ment. to secure ventilators, which are in country, a Haitian health ministry poverty line. “These people who Meanwhile Guatemalan Presi- Chilean Health Minister Jaime scare supply, was a “war of great source said. were in quarantine were tested and dent Alejandro Giammattei said Mañalich, speaking to local ra- powers” and that secrecy was Several US lawmakers had also three.... came back positive,” the a total of 50 migrants deported by dio and TV media, reaffi rmed necessary in order for countries opposed the deportation fl ight to source said. the US to Guatemala have tested that the South American coun- to obtain them. Haiti given the risk of spreading Reuters was unable to inde- positive for coronavirus, including try would receive the machines Some countries have accused the virus further in the poorest pendently verify the information. 14 sent to the Central American from China, in line with earlier the US of outbidding or blocking country in the Americas, which The Trump administration has nation on a Tuesday fl ight. announcements by government shipments of medical supplies to is especially vulnerable to an out- pressured impoverished countries In total, Guatemala registered 32 offi cials that they were waiting buyers who have already signed break. like Haiti and Guatemala to keep new confi rmed cases of coronavi- for between 500 and 1,000 do- deals. At the point of the fl ight, the receiving deported migrants de- rus in the last 24 hours, Giammat- nated ventilators, critical medical Manalich did not say, however, Caribbean nation had just 25 con- spite growing concerns returnees tei said, bring the total to 289 cases equipment for treating Covid-19. the US had interfered in Chile’s fi rmed cases compared to more are bringing the virus with them. and seven deaths. Mañalich’s comments came af- eff orts to secure ventilators. than 380,000 in its northern With limited resources, Haiti “I want to emphasise that 14 of ter China’s ambassador to Chile, Xu acknowledged the machines neighbour. It now has 47 but that faces a recession this year and has these 32 cases are people that were Xu Bu, said he had “no informa- were in high global demand in his number could rise swiftly. also been grappling with political deported on a fl ight on April 14 tion” about the donated ventila- comments, saying, “China has a A major outbreak of the novel instability and gang violence. and who now tested positive,” said tors in an interview published by limited capacity in the production coronavirus could be devastating Authorities have so far carried Giammattei. “They were taken to Chilean paper La Tercera on Sun- of invasive ventilators.” for Haiti, which has around 100 out only 508 tests, according to the hospital on Sunday morning from day. “In any case, China will make ventilators for 11mn residents health ministry, although it hopes where they were being held in A drone delivers medicine to the elderly who are socially isolated “What (Xu) says verbatim is the greatest eff ort to help Chile,” and where the healthcare system to ramp up testing next month quarantine.” to prevent contracting the coronavirus disease, in Zapallar, Chile. that he is not informed. I am not he said. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 PAKISTAN Supreme Court Clerics agree to Covid-19 laments lack of transparency in curbs ahead of Ramadan combating virus DPA/Internews sunset – which must take place Islamabad at home this year. The rules make face masks Internews quired about quarantine facil- obligatory in mosques, while Islamabad ities provided by the govern- he Pakistan government people aged over 50 and children ment and said that people who brought the country’s will no longer be allowed in. were isolated in these centres TMuslim clerics on board Pakistan has confi rmed 8,000 hief Justice of Pakistan were being charged. for its coronavirus battle plan coronavirus cases, 176 of which Gulzar Ahmed yester- “Those who cannot pay yesterday, with religious lead- have been fatal so far. Cday lamented the lack should be kept in quarantine ers agreeing to restrictions According to offi cial projec- of “transparency” in the steps centres free of charge.” on mosques if the epidemic tions, the country’s caseload is the government has taken “On what basis were hotels worsens or rules aren’t followed. to surpass 15,000 next month. to combat the coronavirus chosen to quarantine people? Muslims across the world are Around a third of those in- pandemic so far. Why weren’t all hotels given a set to begin fasting for Ramadan fected in Pakistan are members The observation was made chance to become quarantine this week. of a religious group who attend- during a hearing of a suo motu centres?” he asked, adding During the holy month, ed a huge Islamic gathering last case pertaining to the federal that conditions in Islamabad’s mosques in Pakistan are usually month. and provincial governments’ Haji Camp quarantine centre at capacity with thousands of Earlier on Saturday, Presi- response to the Covid-19 cri- were “inhumane”. worshippers. dent Arif Alvi, while announc- sis. The case is being heard by In response to a question, “We have allowed the govern- ing that mosques will remain a fi ve-member bench headed Health Secretary Tanveer ment to restrict/ban congre- open for taraweeh prayers in by the chief justice. Ahmed Qureshi – who ap- gational prayers at a mosque if Ramadan, urged citizens and In yesterday’s hearing, the peared before the court – said there is violation of the agree- religious leaders alike to exer- top court examined a report that there were 16 quarantine ment,” Allama Tahir Ashrafi cise discipline and take pre- submitted by the federal gov- centres in Islamabad, which said, after a meeting with Prime cautions against the coronavi- ernment on measures taken to included hotels, Haji Camp, Minister Imran Khan. rus pandemic when coming to tackle the crisis. an OGDCL building and the Khan had convened the meet- mosques. “All governments (federal Pakistan-China Centre. ing to ensure the implementa- While presiding over a meet- Worshippers wash the floor of the Jamia Mosque ahead of the Ramadan during a government-imposed and provincial) are spending Last week, the fi ve-member tion of measures aimed at pre- ing with ulema, the president nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Rawalpindi yesterday. money for relief [but] there bench had assailed the federal venting the spread of the novel also appealed to the masses to is no transparency to be seen. and provincial governments coronavirus, a statement issued donate generously during the There is no transparency in for not demonstrating a clear by the prime minister’s offi ce coming month of Ramadan PM urges people to stay home during pandemic any of the steps [taken],” the vision to deal with the corona- said. since many madrasas, mosques chief justice said. virus crisis. The clerics’ assurance is seen and welfare organisations looked Pakistani Prime Minister stay home as much as possible full preparation to meet the Justice Umar Ata Bandial, The chief justice had de- as a win for the government, forward to these funds for cov- (PM) Imran Khan has called during this pandemic. The more challenge. Our hospitals will who is also part of the bench, plored that the government which had initially given in to ering their routine expenses. upon people to stay home people show self-discipline, the control the situation,” he noted that the Centre had was doing nothing except for pressure and withdrawn a ban “As per the foundations of as much as possible during easier it will be for us to manage added. doled out more than Rs9bn to holding meetings and issuing on congregational prayers. Islamic society, we as a nation coronavirus (Covid-19) the Covid19 plus ease the Expressing anger at people provinces, adding: “Monitor- statements and closing down Under the 20-point plan for should exhibit discipline, co- pandemic. lockdown gradually,” PM Khan doing politics on coronavirus, ing should be done of what the all premises without realising night-time prayers during Ra- herence and national uniform- The prime minister took to his tweeted. Khan said that coronavirus provinces are doing with the its impact. madan, carpets and prayer mats ity as we continue our battle micro-blogging website twitter Expressing his views on the would not eliminate if the money.” “How many people are dy- will be banned and mosques against the coronavirus,” the yesterday and said more people coronavirus situation on government would conceal “Monitoring does not aff ect ing of Covid-19 than other must be disinfected regularly. president said, adding that “we show self-discipline, the easier Saturday, he said that 50,000 the cases. “If someone has provincial autonomy. Moni- diseases,” the chief justice The prayers will not be al- [as a nation] can curb the spread it will be for us to manage the cases were expected until doubt, he should check the tally toring is also a form of an au- had asked, observing that lowed in spaces other than of the virus in the holy month Covid-19 and ease the lockdown April 25. “Now we can face from National Command and dit,” Justice Bandial said. people were starving but a mosques. of Ramadan by staying away gradually. diff iculty from May 15 to 25. Operation Centre (NCOC),” he The chief justice remarked huge amount of money was Those fasting break their fast from crowds and unnecessary “My message for people is to However, we are making said. (Internews) that the Zakat and charity being spent on advisers and each day with the Iftar meal at gatherings.” money given to the govern- assistants. ment by the people “is not for He had also regretted that travel allowance and DA or there was a lot of overlapping foreign tours”. as the ministers, special as- “Zakat money cannot be sistants and advisers were do- used for offi ce expenses. How ing the same thing. New health policy for air travelling can charity money be used to The top judge had also Karachi areas give salaries of offi cials?” Jus- taken note of Sindh govern- Internews health forms, which include in- Last week, Special Assistant to tice Ahmed said. The govern- ment’s decision to seal 11 Un- Islamabad formation on fl u, cold, cough, and the Prime Minister on National Se- ment should give salaries to ion Committees in Karachi as sore throat. The form also states curity Moeed Yusuf said that begin- offi cials, the chief justice said, part of measures taken to curb that passengers should enter ning April 20, the government will adding that the director gen- the spread of the disease and emerge as new he Pakistan Civil Avia- quarantine if the relevant health be able to bring back 6,000-7,000 eral of the Baitul Mal was also questioned its eligibility to tion Authority (PCAA) offi cer deemed it necessary. passengers every week with opera- receiving his salary from the deal with the situation. Tannounced a new health Passengers are also bound to tions running across six airports. Zakat fund. A detailed report in this policy for passengers travelling oblige if the quarantine period “And this will gradually be ex- Justice Bandial said that regard was submitted in the April 18-30, amid the worsening is extended and pay for food that panded to accommodate more according to the report sub- top court by the Sindh gov- virus hotspots; coronavirus crisis in the country. offi cials advised. They are liable passengers,” said Yusuf. mitted, the government had ernment on Saturday, which According to the PCAA, all stand- to penalties for providing wrong He said that according to in- collected more than Rs9bn highlighted that after a 14- ard operating procedures (SOPs) or false information. formation received by the gov- in Zakat but “nothing has day period during which mentioned in the health forms are to The government, on the other ernment, there are around 35,000 been mentioned about how these UCs remain sealed off , be strictly implemented. hand, is required to provide ac- Pakistanis looking to return to the money is passed on to the a fresh round of screening 67 test positive All passengers travelling by commodation according to the the country. “We will bring them deserving people”. would be undertaken in these air are obligated to submit their passengers’ preferences. back as soon as we can.” The chief justice also in- areas.

Internews Lines and areas of Cantonment Karachi Board in district South. The Soldier, 6 militants fresh trend doesn’t sound good.” A political party activist in killed in attack on Dates market he Sindh government as Lyari termed the situation “crit- well as the political lead- ical” and said that the standard checkpoint Tership of the province of living, general lifestyle of the are caught in a challenge after people and history of the area Pakistani forces repelled an attack fi nding Lyari and its neighbour- did not allow many lockdown on a military checkpoint in a ing areas as a new hotspot for restrictions, ultimately leading northwestern region, killing six the Covid-19 pandemic, where to violation of the defi ned guide- gunmen, off icials said yesterday. in just two days more than lines, or standard operating pro- One soldier also died in the gun 60 people tested positive for cedures, announced by the gov- battle, which the military said coronavirus. ernment and health experts to lasted several hours. The situation demands im- maintain social distancing. Gunmen attacked the checkpoint mediate and strong measures “In only one union council, overnight in North Waziristan, a from the authorities for the which is called Bihar Colony, region near Afghan border that densely populated neighbour- some 17 people tested positive served as a base for Islamist hood, offi cials and sources said. by Saturday afternoon,” he said. militants until a few years ago. The situation has also caused “The fact is the lockdown like Terrorists linked to Al Qaeda, the a stir at the Chief Minister House other parts of the city is not that Haqqani Network of the Afghan where CM Syed Murad Ali Shah eff ective in Lyari or areas like Taliban and homegrown militants directed the district adminis- these in district South. People were active in the region. tration, health offi cials of the don’t follow rules and the ad- The Pakistani military has area and security high-ups to ministration doesn’t look very managed to push militants out of move fast for all possible meas- much interested to enforce them the border regions in a series of ures to prevent the outbreak in for multiple reasons. The situa- off ensives since 2014, but surprise the neighbourhoods, where any tion demands immediate inter- attacks continue. negligence and relaxation could vention from the top.” The latest attack was the fourth cause a “huge disaster”. The provincial administration shootout this month in border The CM assigned senior Paki- with the assistance of district regions, reinforcing fears that stan People’s Party leader Waqar authorities has decided to opt the militants might be trying Residents buy dates at a market ahead of the Ramadan during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure Mehdi, who is his special assist- for a modern testing in the areas to regroup in their former against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Karachi yesterday. ant on inspection and inquires, to identify infected people and strongholds. (DPA) to look into the situation and at least restrict their movement devise an urgent plan to contain to other parts of the city even if the spread of the virus. they did not follow the lockdown Mehdi agreed to the CM’s in their own neighbourhoods. concerns, but reiterated that the “We are going to launch a district administration and gov- rapid testing system in the area Students stuck in Kyrgyzstan urge govt to bring them home ernment machinery was fully and it will help identify and activated to keep things under isolate positive cases,” said Me- Internews 554 cases and fi ve deaths from stayed in his apartment, crippled Waqar, a student from Swat’s ment to arrange special fl ights so control. hdi. “Through this system, we Swat the novel coronavirus, according by pain, for two days. After two Matta, said. they can return home. “The situation is critical in will be able to get reports of the to John Hopkins University. days, when we went to a medi- Another student lamented Foreign Offi ce spokesperson the sense that in only two days suspected cases within 10 min- Mohamed Ammar, one of the cal store to get his medicines, we that even if they do turn to Aisha Farooqui, when reached we have registered 67 patients utes. It would do our job fast and round 400 students from students stranded in Kyrgyzstan, were slapped with a fi ne of 6,000 their parents for money, there for a comment on the situa- in the Lyari and Garden areas,” help setting the course of our Swat, who are stranded in said that they have been not been Kyrgyzstani Som (Rs12,154.85),” is no way they can receive it tion, said: “We are aware of the he said. strategy.” AKyrgyzstan, are facing a able to leave their apartments for Salman said. because they are caught by the situation of our students in Kyr- “It’s not like that we had no He said that among the 67 shortage of food and necessary the past one month, even to buy Another student said that police whenever they leave the gyzstan. The embassy in Bishkek case of Covid-19 in district positive cases, more than 30 supplies due to strict restric- necessary supplies. Despite hav- they have written letters to fed- apartment. is in touch with them [and is] South or Lyari neighbourhoods patients were moved to isola- tions on movement, it was learnt ing all valid documents, police eral minister Murad Saeed, Na- Another student, Arbaz Khan, providing food and essential before, but the worrying thing tion centres and others were yesterday. do not let students go out. tional Assembly Speaker Asad said that they were “not safe” as supplies to them directly.” is that the fresh cases have been quarantined at their homes. Like most countries around Dr Salman, who hails from Qaiser and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa their food supplies have run out. Moreover, the government has reported from “katchi abadis”, “We all need to fi ght this the world, Kyrgyzstan has im- Mingora, shared an incident of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan The students said that they said that it is making eff orts to which are so densely populated. challenge together and we hope posed a lockdown to slow the his friend, who was suff ering but in vain. were concerned about how they bring back Pakistanis stranded Before the fresh 67 cases, we to meet the desired results with spread of the novel coronavirus. from abdominal pain while the “Whenever we try to con- would observe the holy month of in other countries but currently had coronavirus patients in Civil collective eff orts.” So far, Kyrgyzstan has recorded country was in lockdown. “He tact them, we receive an ‘Ok’,” Ramadan and urged the govern- has limited capacity to do so. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 17 PHILIPPINES Covid-19 affl icts 43 workers at nation’s main testing centre

DPA erations shall remain in full he acquired the infection from get of up to 10,000 tests daily. Manila swing,” she said in a statement. the community and infected The Department of Health Carlos said the scaling down the other staff.” reported 200 new confirmed of operations was expected to The facility’s capacity has cases of Covid-19 in the Phil- orty-three employees last until Friday, allowing the already been “impaired” amid ippines yesterday, bringing the of the Philippines’ main facility to decontaminate all the infections among the staff, country’s total to 6,459. Ftesting centre for the buildings and check up on and which “has caused an uproar It also recorded 19 more fa- coronavirus have tested posi- test its 1,000 personnel. that severely disrupted (the) talities, making the death toll tive for the virus that has killed “We will only be able to pro- established workflows,” Carlos 428, and 613 recoveries. more than 400 people in the vide the best possible care and said. Philippine President Rodrigo country, the head of the facility service if the safety of our peo- Due to the reduced manpow- Duterte yesterday met health said yesterday. ple is assured,” she said. “We er, an estimated 5,000 speci- experts to discuss the next Due to the infections, the have been at the front lines mens are still pending confir- steps in the government’s ef- Research Institute for Tropical since January: It’s high time we mation in RITM laboratories, forts to contain the spread of Medicine (RITM) was scaling look out for our own.” she added. the virus in the country. back its laboratory operations Carlos said the infected The RITM has been process- The most populous island this week, said Celia Carlos, staff, most of whom were not ing up to 2,000 samples every of Luzon, where the capital of People crowd a market in Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City, despite repeated calls by government head of the facility that has showing symptoms, have been day since last month. Manila is located, has been on to observe physical distancing to arrest the Covid-19 infection. been processing tests 24 hours isolated and under round-the- Sixteen other accredited lockdown since mid-March a day amid the outbreak of clock monitoring to prevent testing centres across the and Duterte was expected to Covid-19. further transmission. country are able to conduct up make a decision on whether to “Only RITM laboratories “The first case is not in- to 300 tests a day, Carlos said. extend or lift the restrictions, are affected by this temporary volved in patient care,” she The number of tests is still which are effective until April slowdown; our hospital op- said. “When we investigated, far from the government’s tar- 30. Police reveal plan for

Three soldiers contact-tracing app killed in clash with communist rebels China commends govt’s And through the bluetooth who do not have the tracing By Darwin Pesco Three soldiers were killed and Manila Times feature, the app would alert app on their phones. four wounded in a firefight with other people they come in The contact-tracing app in suspected communist rebels in contact with. development for the Philip- the central Philippines, an army response to contagion mid calls to enhance Every five minutes for 28 pines follows similar appli- commander said yesterday. contact tracing, the days, the GPS location of the cations used successfully in The clash erupted on Sunday on APhilippine National Po- people with the app will be other countries, first in Sin- the outskirts of Himamaylan City By Bernadette Tamayo and control measures against he added. Huang said the team lice (PNP) announced plans to logged on their smartphones. gapore and then in China and in Negros Occidental province, as Manila Times the epidemic, which have been was among the fi rst three teams roll out a mobile phone appli- The health status of the South Korea. forces chased guerrillas who had widely supported by the gen- sent by the Chinese govern- cation that uses global posi- phone user will be colour- In Singapore, authorities allegedly extorted cash and rice eral public and are producing ment to the Association of tioning system (GPS) and blue- coded, Eleazar said, explain- there deployed the Trace To- from residents in a nearby village. he 10 Chinese medical eff ective results.” Southeast Asian Nations mem- tooth to keep tabs on people ing that those who have no gether app, which also works As the soldiers closed in, the experts who assessed the The team also off ered sug- ber-countries.“Most of the with the novel coronavirus. close contact will have a green using bluetooth to alert close rebels detonated an explosive TPhilippines’ response gestions on improving diagno- team members have had front- The PNP hopes to roll out the circle displayed on their app. contact with infected cases. device and grenades, trigger- to the pandemic believe that sis and treatment capabilities, line experience to fi ght against Safe Paths app soon but did not The app will display a yellow South Korea used cellphone ing the gun battle, said Colonel the country took “prompt and building more medical and the epidemic,” he said. mention the date when people circle for those who had close location data for its govern- Inocencio Pasaporte, an army strong measures” to control the quarantine sites, and tracing The team met with offi cials could start downloading it. contact. ment’s contact tracing, while brigade commander. Two soldiers spread of the coronavirus dis- the source of all suspected cas- of the Department of Health Lt Gen Guillermo Eleazar, Those who had close con- China launched tracking apps were killed in the encounter. A third ease 2019 (Covid-19). es, he said. (DoH), staff of the Incident PNP deputy chief for opera- tact will need to go on self- with QR codes developed by trooper died while being evacu- The Chinese embassy in Ma- “China fi rmly believes that Command System and offi cers tions, told Manila Times that quarantine or be tested if they companies like Alibaba and ated, Pasaporte said. The fighting nila said the team left Manila under the leadership of Presi- of the WHO Regional Offi ce for the PNP and the military develop symptoms, he added. Tencent. occurred despite a unilateral cease- after releasing its fi ndings and dent (Rodrigo) Duterte, the the Western Pacifi c to exchange would use the app to help ar- “We are connecting the app Meanwhile, Vice President fire declared by communist rebels, recommendations “on how the Philippine government and experience and practice, to fur- rest the spread of the corona- provider with CIDG, which Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo which is to stay in place until April Philippines can better deal with people will overcome the epi- ther improve the Philippines’ virus disease 2019 (Covid-19). is the PNP unit in charge on stressed the need for mass 30 to ensure that emergency the Covid-19.” demic at the earliest,” the am- prevention and control policies, For about five weeks now, Lu- contact tracing,” said Eleazar, testing for Covid-19 before operations aimed at containing Chinese ambassador to the bassador said. and to enhance the diagnosis, zon has been under enhanced who is also the commander of normal operations resume to the spread of coronavirus are un- Philippines Huang Xilian said “China will continue to treatment and executive ability. community quarantine and Joint Task Force Corona Virus identify who can go back to impeded. Pasaporte said the slain the experts worked round the provide support and assist- It visited more than 10 front- other areas of the country Shield. The CIDG is the Crim- work and who may not. soldiers had been securing the dis- clock to support the Philippines’ ance to the best of our ability line medical agencies, such have also been in lockdown. inal Investigation and Detec- In her weekly radio pro- tribution of cash and relief supplies eff orts to fi ght the contagion. to the Philippines, and stand as the Research Institute for The tracing tool, known as tion Group. gramme, she said the peculiar when they received reports about Huang said on Facebook together with the Philippine Tropical Medicine and Lung Safe Path app, was developed Earlier in statement, Elea- problem with the disease was suspected rebels forcing people to the team believes “the Philip- government and people to Center of the Philippines, and by a team from the Massachu- zar explained that the health that many people showed no give money and rice to them. pine government has taken jointly tackle the challenges met with public health offi cials setts Institute of Technology department would collect the symptoms. prompt and strong prevention and tide over the diffi culties,” and professionals. in the United States, in co-or- data on location tracks gener- She added that it was dan- dination with Harvard, Stan- ated by the smartphone app. gerous not knowing who is ford, Mayo Clinic and other Eleazar pointed out that infected. notable institutions. the app would respect privacy Also on her programme, The app was introduced to rights, adding that the per- Robredo reacted to calls for the local authorities by Safer sonal information would be Health Secretary Francisco Foreign dept repatriates 233 overseas workers PH Innovations, which has redacted from the data that Duque 3rd to resign, asking been working with Smart the DoH would monitor. everyone to avoid political Communications, PLDT, SMS Once the app was ready, he bickering and remain united By Bernadette Tamayo pino workers (OFWs) arrived at Manila,” the DFA said. ministration (OWWA), the De- Global Technologies, Aexpo- said the PNP would encour- amid the fight against Cov- Manila Times the Ninoy Aquino International Upon arrival, the Bureau of partment of Transportation nent Systems, East Group and age the public to download id-19. Airport (NAIA) on two separate Quarantine (BoQ) of the Depart- (DOTr) and the Philippine Coast Visible in identifying techno- it, adding that people would Robredo said it was the fl ights, the DFA said. Their ar- ment of Health (DoH) conducted Guard (PCG) has also attended to logical solutions that can be be asked show their mo- right of the senators to ex- he Department of Foreign rival brought the total number a mandatory health inspection the needs of the repatriates. used against the pandemic. bile phones when they pass press their opinion, but Presi- Aff airs (DFA) has repatri- of repatriated overseas Filipinos of the repatriated OFWs and Their repatriation was facili- In order for Safe Path app through checkpoints. dent Rodrigo Duterte will ul- Tated 233 Filipino workers to 16,911. were later transported to desig- tated by the Philippine embas- to work, those with confirmed Eleazar added that authori- timately decide. She added it from Indonesia, Kenya and Sin- “The repatriates are land- nated facilities where they will sies in Jakarta, Singapore, and cases will required to inform ties could also do random was better to help out the DoH gapore whose jobs were aff ected based workers whose jobs were undergo mandatory quarantine Nairobi and the Philippine Con- the Department of Health checks of pedestrians. if there had been lapses, as the by the coronavirus disease 2019 aff ected by the Covid-19 pan- for 14 days. sulate in Manado, Indonesia, in (DoH) and give their location. He said no decision had country could not afford to be (Covid-19) pandemic. demic. Their respective employ- Aside from the DoH, the co-ordination with DFA and the That status will show on the been made whether or not to divided while it combats the The distressed overseas Fili- ers paid for their plane fare to Overseas Workers Welfare Ad- employers of the OFWs. app in their mobile phones. impose penalties on people pandemic.

Varsity study reveals lockdown eff ective in checking pandemic

By Divina NJD Cruz ing until April 10. The UP report up again and normalising our economic implications as well ability, and extreme quarantine Manila Times said, “Based on these trends, operations or our day-to-day as the number of health facilities for those with higher probability. one can estimate about 9,000 to lives, in terms of getting outside that are needed in order for us to The team identifi ed the fol- 44,000 possible cases reported the non-quarantine scenario, prioritise our resources if we are lowing provinces with 90% and report by the University by the end of April 2020. In gen- the spread might spike up again. able to target the places where higher outbreak probability: of the Philippines (UP) eral, this indicates the relative So, these are the things that we there is a big potential outbreak Metro Manila, Aklan, Bataan, Areveals that the lockdown success of the ECQ — along with need to consider. We need the risk as against to those that don’t Batangas, Benguet, Bulacan, has been eff ective in curbing the other interventions — in con- science-based models, the pro- have potential, then we may be Cavite, Cebu, Davao del Sur, La- spread of the coronavirus dis- taining the spread of the virus. jections, the maps that will tell able to predict or do certain ac- guna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, ease 2019 (Covid-19), but Metro However, we must not simply us where to continue the ECQ tions that could start our econo- Pangasinan, Quezon, Rizal and Manila remains prone to the rely on the number of cases as a and with all of these science and my,” Lagmay said. Tarlac. outbreak. means to project courses of ac- statistical analysis and mod- The team recommended no “You’d see that many of the “We’re seeing a good trend tions.” els, we may be able to arrive at community quarantine was places in NCR and Greater Met- that because of the enhanced Fatality rate was recorded very, very good decisions for our needed for areas with less than ro Manila, are at a threshold, community quarantine (ECQ), at 5.38% and a “reproduction country.” 80% outbreak probability, but the case, confi rmed case over many of the cities and provinces number” of 0.6398 with values The team also mapped out authorities there should main- threshold value over one. That of the Philippines have already lower than one being ideal and the “outbreak spread potential” tain interventions, such as in- means that the potential value reduced the risk of the spread of indicating that hospitals can ac- across the country, based on formation campaigns, strength- for an outbreak is still large,” Covid-19,” Mahar Lagmay of the commodate critical Covid-19 the ratio of the number of cases ening the healthcare system, Lagmay explained. UP Pandemic Response Team patients. against the estimated outbreak general physical distancing, “So, there are many other and executive director of the UP But some areas in the country With policemen manning the entrance and exit points of the threshold, to determine a certain testing and contact tracing, places that are below that value Resiliency Institute said in an in- have yet to reach the target, in- Blumentritt market in Manila, shoppers observe physical distancing. level of community quarantine home quarantine for prob- those are the places that may be terview on ANC. cluding the National Capital Re- to be implemented. able cases, and hospitalization operational already in terms of The team based the eff ective- gion (NCR or Metro Manila) with tain areas. The report added that ics actually made a submission “These maps, which are very for patients in need of care and normal business but with great ness of the quarantine on the a 1.3 reproduction number. prolonged restriction on the yesterday, and in NCR, they are visual, can be used for science- treatment. care against Covid spread but longer rate of increase of con- With a potential for Covid-19 movement of goods and services saying that it seems we are al- based decisions by govern- Meanwhile, general commu- those places that are tagged as fi rmed cases from a rate of dou- cases to spike anew, the team over a large area could unneces- ready at the peak. So that means ment in terms of the modifi ed nity quarantine was proposed for still with potential outbreak or bling in three to six days, based recommended a “graduated ac- sarily paralyse local economies. that our eff orts in the ECQ have ECQ, that can be the take off areas with 80% outbreak prob- already at outbreak must con- on available data gathered from tivation” of the ECQ after April Lagmay said, “In Metro Ma- really been very, very eff ective. point for making logical deci- ability, enhanced quarantine in tinue probably with a modifi ed the beginning of the monitor- 30, based on level of risk in cer- nila, the Institute of Mathemat- However, once we start opening sions with respect to the socio- areas with 90% to 99% prob- ECQ,” he added. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, April 21, 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 25 years past the OKBOMB: How US responds to crisis Twenty-fi ve years ago, on April 19, 1995, a vengeful 26-year-old American citizen named Timothy McVeigh used his cigarette lighter to ignite a fuse. Then he walked away from the scene of his imminent crime. He had scouted potential targets in fi ve American states before deciding that this site’s open surroundings would give news cameras clean angles to photograph his handiwork. McVeigh’s detonation disrupted America’s holiday from history after the collapse of the long-threatening Soviet Union. With his assault on the United States government – an Oklahoma bomb blast that registered Will Covid-19 fuel 3.0 on seismologists’ Richter scale – McVeigh taught a generation of Americans to fear again: Was this breathtaking massacre the fi rst salvo of a widespread rebellion? As they worked through the terrible shock, though, Americans by the millions taught themselves something the far-right in Italy? else: that when a crisis arises, resolve and resilience usually defeat it. AFP special commission for woeful crisis Rome is reluctant to use the rescue resources on off er from the EU, such as Rome management. plan, which includes loans from the unemployment support. That’s as useful a lesson during, say, a lethal pandemic, as The economic fallout forecast is fi nancial-crisis-era European Stability But it was not clear his assurance it has been often in the past, and surely will be in the future. mind-boggling. Mechanism (ESM), despite an easing of would soften the rumblings of The horrors of September 11, 2001, eventually would taly is staring down the barrel of The International Monetary Fund the tough economic and fi scal reform discontent inside and outside the the worst recession since World expects Italy’s economy to shrink by usually tied to it as requirements. government. dwarf the Oklahoma City casualty count: The crime that War II, which could bolster the 9.1% in 2020 – the worst peacetime The ESM evokes bad memories of According to political analyst Stefano FBI agents would code-name OKBOMB killed 168 men, Ifar-right and damage the country’s decline in nearly a century. Brussels dictating policy to bailed-out Folli, a fracture like the one currently women and children, injured 680 others and destroyed or love aff air with the European Union, The Confi ndustria big business lobby Greece, and Salvini and Meloni have dividing the ruling majority “would analysts say. has said every week of the shutdown both said Conte would be stripping Italy usually have already toppled the damaged 324 structures – some of them 16 blocks away. Much will depend on how Rome chops another 0.75% off GDP. of its sovereignty if he uses it. government”. McVeigh is no longer alive. handles the easing of the national Yet Conte has hesitated over entering They also complain Italy is being Conte has appeared “increasingly He was tried and convicted lockdown, how quickly it manages to the so-called “Phase Two”, the easing off ered a fraction of the money it muddled” over the past couple of weeks, Oklahoma City in Denver, then executed in get liquidity to suffering businesses, of the lockdown, amid advice from top pours into the EU, and will have to pay and his opponents were being given and how much solidarity it is seen to scientists that the epidemic could fl are interest. ammunition by his “mediocre handling helped teach 2001 at a federal prison in get from the EU at a key meeting next up again, forcing him to shut down the “It’s stealing,” Salvini said, sneering of the emergency,” he wrote in the Indiana. A small number of week. country a second time. at the suggestion Italy had got a good Repubblica daily on Tuesday. a generation victims’ relatives, selected The coronavirus emergency in Italy He is banking on help from the EU to deal in terms of the reduced conditions. The PM has been accused of avoiding has fuelled not only national pride but weather the storm. Meloni said using the mechanism was diffi cult decisions on lifting the of Americans from a large group who also eurosceptic and populist narratives. Eurogroup fi nance ministers have “worthy of a totalitarian regime” and “a lockdown by simply extending it. had submitted written That brew could play right into the approved a 500bn-euro rescue package democratic point of no return”. He has called on Italians to be patient, the danger of applications, watched hands of Matteo Salvini, whose League to help European countries hit hard by The government hopes it will score an saying fi nancial aid was coming. his peaceful death by party governed Italy in a coalition for the pandemic – but some Italians fear important win on the question of joint But there are real fears that complacency a year until summer 2019 and who is that the cross-border solidarity will bonds to fi nance reconstruction at a widespread job losses, poverty, lethal injection. Back determined to return quickly to power, come with strings attached. videoconference meeting of EU leaders homelessness and hunger could spark in Oklahoma, hundreds of the victims’ relatives and to rule alone. The ministers have so far refused to next Thursday -- perhaps allowing it to social unrest – and a revolt against the survivors gathered to watch a closed-circuit telecast. “The (economic) blow is going to be counter a proposal from Italy, Spain, avoid using the ESM. government. extremely hard, that’s clear. But it can and France for a joint borrowing Former Italian prime minister Enrico Media reports have fl agged a rise News accounts noted that as McVeigh squinted without be merely extremely hard, or it can be instrument, dubbed a “coronabond”, Letta implored Brussels, Berlin and in domestic abuse and suicides as visible emotion toward the execution chamber’s exceptionally hard,” Giovanni Orsina, that would have raised money towards a Paris “not to underestimate...growing quarantined families snap under the observation room, one woman pressed against the glass a professor of politics at Rome’s LUISS recovery after the outbreak. euro-frustration” among Italians. strain. University, said. The bonds could reduce Italy’s It would be “a big mistake”, he Italy’s interior minister has put the photo of her son, killed by McVeigh’s blast. “If people begin to suff er seriously, borrowing costs, but northern nations tweeted. police on alert. Oklahoma City helped teach a generation of Americans rage could spread throughout the say they unfairly help countries that had Conte’s problems are not limited to Particular attention will be paid the danger of complacency – the peril of ignoring a broad country...at which point far-right been spending beyond their means for the far-right. to the poorer regions south of Rome, propaganda becomes very eff ective”, he years. While the PD is in favour of using the where the lockdown is costing range of threats to this country. It’s a lesson that global said. That has incensed many Italians. ESM, part of the Five Stars Movement some 10bn euros a month in lost terror groups have delivered to cities on other continents: At the height of the health crisis, Italy also felt abandoned at the is stridently opposed, with party leader productivity, according to the SVIMEZ Evildoers quietly beaver away, contemplating soft targets. which has killed over 22,000 people start of the crisis, with European Vito Crimi saying in an interview on association. and infected around 169,000, largely countries reluctant to share much- Wednesday that Conte’s premiership Anger is rising there that an ‘Twill ever be thus. in the country’s wealthy northern needed medical supplies, for which the was at risk over it. area already dogged with high But the human terrorist’s reach is limited. A more powerhouse, Italy’s warring political EU Commission president off ered a Analysts say the PM is gambling on unemployment has not been allowed to vigilant America – schooled that if you see something, parties called a temporary truce of sorts. “heartfelt apology” this week. getting more attractive aid from the EU leave the lockdown early, despite having say something – had to relearn the lesson after 9/11: Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s A Tecne poll from April 9 and 10 if he drags his feet over the ESM. relatively few virus cases. popularity shot up to a record high of found the share of Italians that would Conte said on Wednesday no decision “If you have a very, very troubled America has to keep reminding itself that while it cannot around 63%, polls showed. vote to leave the EU in a referendum would be taken before the exact country, you cannot have Salvini and prevent every crisis, for two-and-a-half centuries it But as preparations for relaunching was up by 20 percentage points to 49%, conditions are drawn up and can be Meloni fanning the fl ames,” LUISS eventually has found its bearing and recovered. parts of the economy begin, cracks compared to a previous poll from the studied by parliament. University’s Orsina said. have emerged in the already fragile end of 2018. Italy has said it will use other “You risk serious trouble: very bad The emergencies of the last quarter-century built ruling coalition, made up of the polling numbers for the government, resolve and resilience that, if Americans again deploy centre-left Democratic Party and anti- people protesting in the streets, people them, should help overcome the current pandemic. establishment Five Stars Movement. stealing in supermarkets, a furious And opposition leader Salvini has country,” he said. Not that America is a better country because its cities resumed his virulent attacks on the Orsina said Conte’s only option at endured OKBOMB or 9/11 or – more broadly but less violently government, along with Giorgia Meloni, that point would be to bring Salvini’s – the jobs-destroying Great Recession that ended in 2009. head of the small far-right Brothers of League and Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, which has been enjoying a Italy party into a new, national unity More and diff erent crises surely will test Americans, as sharp rise in popularity. government – though it would be “an the Covid-19 outbreak now demonstrates. With each one Bitter spats have broken out over the extremely complex operation”. we mourn our losses, harden our protections and reassure length of the economically-crippling “I don’t think Conte is likely to be able ourselves that we will fi nd smart ways to cope. - Tribune lockdown, which has been extended to carry on” as things are, Orsina said. by Conte and is currently due to be Not all are as pessimistic. News Service lifted on May 4, after a near two-month The Stampa daily’s commentator stoppage. Ugo Magri said Salvini or Meloni were Millions of Italians are either unlikely to go for Conte’s jugular now, To Advertise furloughed or have lost their jobs, largely because they would be blamed if and the northern regions — League the manoeuvre slowed or hampered the [email protected] strongholds — are champing at the bit easing of the lockdown. Display to re-open. “Conte will be politically untouchable A delay in shutting several virus throughout ‘Phase 2’, so until the 44466621 44418811 hotspots in the Lombardy region, home autumn,” he wrote. to the fi nancial capital Milan, allowed And while fellow analyst Massimo Classified the virus to spread and has sparked Franco thought Italy’s anti-European 44466609 44418811 a row between the government and forces could prevail in the short term, he League — with each blaming the other told AFP he believed Italians would soon Subscription for failing to act. realise their connection with Europe “is The anti-populist, youth-driven increasingly necessary and important”. [email protected] Sardines movement — founded last “Problems like pandemics need a year to try and stop Salvini’s rise – is supranational eff ort. And Europe, in one of many left-wing voices calling Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s popularity shot up to a record high of around 63%, spite of everything, is doing what it can © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved on Conte to put the region under polls showed. for Italy”, he said. Gulf Times Tuesday, April 21, 2020 19 COMMENT From physical retail to online business z Marketing and logistics principles for supermarkets

changes required from them are fashion. This is particularly relevant While it is clear that supermarkets profound. Their typical infrastructure, for food retailers that do not rely on are at the heart of consumer goods such as buildings and storage centres, third-party logistics providers for supply during the current pandemic, was strategically designed to walk reasons of quality and food safety it would not be reasonable to compare customers through a supermarket, assurance. them with established online giants positioning products in shelves as per Sixth, physical delivery of the such as Amazon and others. Their marketing and product placement commissioned orders should be business model and logistical setups logic, factors which become obsolete prioritised and planned in a calculated are diff erent, from the outset. This in an online retail world. What matters way. Typical linear concepts such as naturally calls for customers to now is safe, reliable, and fast supply of “fi rst order in, fi rst delivery out,” will exercise patience and good-will customers’ online orders via dedicated not be effi cient under the current with their supermarkets for a while. distribution services. Logistics is at circumstances. Seventh, because of Supermarkets are logistical hubs, run the core of addressing these challenges the reduced product portfolio, the by people, for people, through people, and the interface between marketing products off ered should not be static, even if for the time being, they may and logistics indeed becomes vital for but optimised on a regular basis. appear as an anonymous online screen fast implementation in the current In other words, the now required only. scenario. short-term shift should not limit z Dr Frank Himpel is a faculty By Dr Frank Himpel For a swift short-term switch, the the industry to short-term thinking. member of the Engineering Doha prerequisites are two-fold: On the one Requiring customers to order in excess Management and Decision Sciences hand, the supply of selected products of minimum order amounts, imposing Division at the College of Science and needs to be covered either through high delivery charges, expecting Engineering, part of Hamad Bin Khalifa upermarkets and retailers local production, or through available customers to accept long delivery University. around the world began imports. On the other, a functioning times, accepting the jamming of zThis article is submitted on distributing goods via online online ordering front-end needs to FILE PHOTO: Shoppers wearing protective face masks, following an outbreak of orders, amongst others pitfalls – all behalf of the author by the HBKU order channels over a decade be made available to customers. Yet, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), are seen at a supermarket in Tokyo, Japan of which we are currently witnessing Communications Directorate. The S March 27, 2020. ago, often as a future-oriented especially for supermarkets, it is the internationally, can be avoided by views expressed are the author’s own addition to a minor business segment, seamless and effi cient operation of the emphasising the outlined marketing and do not necessarily refl ect the complementing standard services. As “pick and packing” functionality that will help signifi cantly in maintaining a recalibrated setup, identifi ed high and logistics principles. University’s offi cial stance. such, ordering online and receiving has now become the bottleneck. capacity for faster, more reliable runners need to be stored centrally in groceries via delivery is nothing new. This has several consequences physical delivery. a dedicated area of the market where Caught off -guard by the Covid-19 that can be addressed: First, online Second, shortened product employees have unhindered access for About Hamad Bin Khalifa University outbreak, however, supermarkets and supermarkets cannot provide the full portfolios can be divided into two fast “pick and packing”. food-retailers today are facing the portfolio of goods to their customers, categories: High runners and low Fourth, the commissioning time Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow challenge of switching their business at least for the time being. Sales runners. High runners are regularly needed for workers to assemble an model from physical retail to online analysis is required to meaningfully purchased in high volumes, and their incoming order, needs to be kept as Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), pacity through an enriching academic order and delivery with unprecedented reduce the portfolio of products turnaround is quick. Low runners low as possible by minimising physical a member of Qatar Foundation for experience, innovative ecosystem, and urgency. With physical distancing available online, and hence decrease might be appealing in the physical distances required to walk. Education, Science, and Community unique partnerships. HBKU delivers measures in place across entire the complexity of assembling retail world, but have less meaning in Fifth, in packing the online orders Development (QF), was founded in multidisciplinary undergraduate and countries, people increasingly prefer orders later on. Amid the current the current landscape. received and getting them ready for 2010 as a research-intensive university graduate programmes through its to avoid purchasing their groceries as circumstances, food and canned Third, high-running products dispatch, standardised package box that acts as a catalyst for transforma- colleges, and provides opportunities walk-in customers to safeguard their products will have higher importance within a simplifi ed off ering need to sizes can be used to further reduce tive change in Qatar and the region for research and scholarship through health and well-being. than non-food items, and any of the be stored diff erently for now. Usually, complexity. Just like in a game of while having a global impact. Located its institutes and centres. For more In this situation, the supermarket latter to be upheld would need to be they would be placed decentralised “Tetris”, utilising uniform cubic sizes in Education City, HBKU is committed information about HBKU, visit www. industry fi nds itself in a fundamentally chosen sensibly. While customers may along strategic points throughout the will allow for packages to be stored in to building and cultivating human ca- hbku.edu.qa altered market environment. The have less choice, portfolio reduction supermarket to attract attention. In delivery vehicles in the most eff ective

Blaming China is a dangerous distraction Three-day forecast

TODAY coronavirus, this blame game is not to include national public-health massively destructive housing Maximum Temperature : 290c By Jim O’Neill Minimum Temperature : 240c London just unhelpful but dangerous. systems, given that these are critical bubble, even though the scars from Globally and at the country determinants in a country’s ability that previous crisis are still visible. WEDNESDAY level, we desperately need to do to prevent or at least manage a crisis On the contrary, many welcomed the Maximum Temperature : 290c s the Covid-19 crisis roars everything possible to accelerate like the one we are now experiencing. US economy’s return to sustained Minimum Temperature : 230c on, so have debates about the development of a safe and I have even raised this idea with IMF growth in recent years, because a THURSDAY China’s role in it. Based on effective vaccine, while in the officials themselves, only to be told strong US economy benefits the rest Maximum Temperature : 300c Awhat is known, it is clear meantime stepping up collective that such reporting falls outside of the world. Minimum Temperature : 240c that some Chinese officials made efforts to deploy the diagnostic and their remit because they lack the So, rather than applying a double Fisherman's forecast a major error in late December and therapeutic tools necessary to keep relevant expertise. standard and fixating on China’s early January, when they tried to the health crisis under control. Given That answer was not good enough undoubtedly large errors, we WARNING prevent disclosures of the coronavi- that there is no other global health then, and it definitely isn’t good would do better to consider what Inshore : Thundery rain ex- pected at some places rus outbreak in Wuhan, even silenc- organisation with the capacity to enough now. If the IMF lacks the China can teach us. Specifically, associated strong wind ing healthcare workers who tried to confront the pandemic, the WHO expertise to assess public-health we should be focused on better Offshore : Expected thundery rain sound the alarm. China’s leaders will will remain at the centre of the systems, it should acquire it. As the understanding the technologies associated with stong wind and high sea at have to live with these mistakes, even response, whether certain political Covid-19 crisis makes abundantly and diagnostic techniques that some places. if they succeed in resolving the crisis leaders like it or not. clear, there is no useful distinction to China used to keep its (apparent) WEATHER and adopting adequate measures to Having dealt with the WHO to a be made between health and finance. death toll so low compared to other Inshore : Partly cloudy to cloudy with a chance of prevent a future outbreak. modest degree during my time as The two policy domains are deeply countries, and to restart parts of scattered rain may be What is less clear is why other chairman of the UK’s independent interconnected, and should be its economy within weeks of the thundery at places and countries think it is in their interest Review on Antimicrobial Resistance treated as such. height of the outbreak. slight dust at times WIND to keep referring to China’s initial (AMR), I can say that it is similar In thinking about an international And, for our own sakes, we also Inshore : Northwesterly-North- errors, rather than working toward to most large, bureaucratic response to today’s health and should be considering what policies easterly 07-17/27 KT solutions. For many governments, international organisations. Like economic emergency, the obvious China could adopt to put itself back on a path toward 6% annual growth, Offshore : Northwesterly-North- naming and shaming China appears the International Monetary Fund, analogy is to the 2008 global easterly 05-15/25 KT to be a ploy to divert attention from the World Bank, and the United financial crisis. Everyone knows that because the Chinese economy Visibility : 4-8/3 KM their own lack of preparedness. Nations, it is not especially dynamic crisis started with an unsustainable inevitably will play a significant role Equally concerning is the growing or inclined to think outside the box. US housing bubble, which had been in the global recovery. If China’s Offshore : 2-4/8 FT criticism of the World Health But rather than sniping at these fed by foreign savings, owing to post-pandemic growth model Around the region Organisation (WHO), not least organisations from the sidelines, we the lack of domestic savings in the makes good on its leaders’ efforts Weather by US President Donald Trump, should be working to improve them. United States. When the bubble in recent years to boost domestic Weather tomorrow who has attacked the organisation In the current crisis, we should be finally burst, many other countries consumption and imports from the today Max/min Max/min M Sunny for supposedly failing to hold the doing everything we can to help both sustained more harm than the US rest of the world, we will all be better Baghdad M Sunny 36/21 37/23 P Cloudy Chinese government to account. the WHO and the IMF to play an did, just as the Covid-19 pandemic off. – Project Syndicate Kuwait City Cloudy 31/22 29/23 Sunny At a time when the top global effective, leading role in the global has hit some countries much harder Manama S T Storms 27/23 28/23 P Cloudy priority should be to organise response. than it hit China. z Jim O’Neill, a former chairman Muscat P Cloudy 34/27 34/27 M Sunny a comprehensive co-ordinated As I have argued before, the And yet, not many countries of Goldman Sachs Asset Management Tehran P Cloudy 24/13 26/16 response to the dual health and IMF should expand the scope of around the world sought to single and a former UK Treasury Minister, is economic crises unleashed by the its annual Article IV assessments out the US for presiding over a Chair of Chatham House.

Live issues Is it safe to use ACs during Covid-19 Around the world Weather Weather IANS central air-conditioning. Air Conditioning and Ventilation”. The engineers suggested how today Max/min tomorrow Max/min New Delhi Let’s listen to this segment from @ This is required to control the spread air conditioners should be used in Athens P Cloudy 22/11 P Cloudy 18/10 DDNewslive,” said the tweet. of infections and also to protect the diff erent settings such as homes, Beirut M Cloudy 23/19 P Cloudy 26/18 In the video clip accompanying the healthcare workers, it added. commercial establishments, and in Bangkok M Sunny 36/29 P Cloudy 37/29 umours spread on the tweet, doctors are heard saying that “As is the normal practice, most of healthcare facilities. Berlin Sunny 18/06 Sunny 19/06 Internet suggest that use of in healthcare establishments where these patient rooms would be served The document suggests that Cairo P Cloudy 34/23 Sunny 34/17 air conditioners during this there could be coronavirus positive by a HVAC (heating, ventilation, and recirculation of cool air by room air Cape Town P Cloudy 19/13 Sunny 22/15 Rsummer may not be safe as it patients, central ACs may pose some air-conditioning) system that would conditioners must be accompanied Colombo S T Storms 31/26 S T Storms 31/27 can help spread the novel coronavirus risk. be of a recirculatory type, wherein the by outdoor air intake through slightly Dhaka T Storms 31/23 T Storms 29/23 that causes Covid-19. A guidance document by the Indian air from the room is taken back to the open windows and exhaust by natural Hong Kong P Cloudy 24/21 Showers 22/18 The truth, as per the fact check done Society of Heating, Refrigerating & AHU (air handling unit) for thermal exfi ltration. Istanbul Showers 13/08 Cloudy 14/07 by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) conditioning and brought back,” “Set room temperature between 24 Jakarta T Storms 33/25 T Storms 33/25 is not that straightforward. also suggested that people should use ISHRAE said. degrees Celsius and 30 degrees C. Karachi M Sunny 35/27 P Cloudy 34/27 Based on inputs from doctors, the air conditioners with caution during “The same HVAC system could also Maintain relative humidity between London Sunny 17/09 Sunny 18/08 official handle of PIB Fact Check the pandemic, especially in healthcare be connected to a few other areas of 40% and 70%,” ISHRAE said, adding Manila M Sunny 37/27 P Cloudy 36/27 tweeted that running windows AC in establishments. the hospital. that in humid climates, one should set Moscow M Sunny 11/02 Cloudy 07/-1 a room where there is no coronavirus “The most important factor in In some cases, there might be no temperature closer to 24 degrees for New Delhi M Sunny 33/22 M Sunny 36/24 patient poses no risk to people. this scenario is to ensure that the dedicated return air duct and it could de-humidifi cation and in dry climates New York T Storms 16/02 Sunny 12/04 “As the mercury soars, here’s one virus-laden airborne particles do not be a ceiling return system. closer to or at 30 degrees and use fans Paris P Cloudy 23/11 Sunny 23/10 more #PIBFactcheck. leak out of the rooms occupied by “If a Covid-19 patient had to be to increase air movement. Sao Paulo M Sunny 26/14 M Sunny 26/15 “Claim: ACs should not be used Covid-19 patients and also to maintain admitted to such a room, it would “In dry climates, do not allow Seoul Cloudy 11/04 M Cloudy 10/03 to cool off in the heat, as they spread the concentration of virus-laden present a signifi cant risk of the virus- relative humidity to fall below 40%. Singapore S T Storms 33/27 S T Storms 33/27 #Covid_19. particles inside the patient room at a laden particles spreading out from the Water evaporating from a pan kept Sydney M Sunny 24/14 Sunny 24/12 “Fact: It’s a little complicated. minimum,” said the document titled, designated Covid-19 patient rooms,” in the room will increase humidity if it Tokyo Cloudy 20/09 Cloudy 19/09 Window ACs are ok, but not “CovidD-19 Guidance Document for the document added. falls below 40%,” it added. Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, April 21, 2020 QATAR

Sterilisation campaign in Sheehaniya

A sterilisation campaign was carried out by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment in Sheehaniya yesterday with the participation of a number of volunteers. PICTURES: Jayaram

Insania, QRCS back Qatar’s eff orts against coronavirus he Organisation of Islamic cial support amid this global crisis. Co-operation (OIC) Hu- OICHF and QRCS, he explained, Tmanitarian Funds (Insania), would distribute food baskets and OICHF and QRCS volunteers distributed food baskets and vouchers together with Qatar Red Cres- vouchers to a large number of poor to a large number of poor families and expatriate workers, as cent Society (QRCS), is support- families and expatriate workers, as many of them had stopped their work and were subject to home ing Qatar in combating the novel many of them had stopped their quarantine. coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, work and were subject to home by funding the provision of food quarantine. Sheikh Dr Abdulaziz Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim to pursue their joint long-term hu- aid by QRCS for poor families and al-Thani valued the great eff orts bin Hamad al-Thani that OICHF manitarian goals. workers. made by Qatar to curb the spread could have its headquarters here in Under their bilateral strategic Building upon the partnership of the virus and ensure the safety Qatar to do its work,” said Sheikh co-operation, they seek to enhance with QRCS, this is in response to of every national or resident in the Dr Abdulaziz al-Thani. their regional and international the appeal by the Supreme Com- country. He described Qatar, under its presence, build their respective mittee for Crisis Management to He reiterated his thanks and wise leadership, as a leading coun- capacity in the common areas, mobilise support for the govern- appreciation to His Highness the try in the regional and global hu- better mobilise and diversify re- ment’s Covid-19 control eff orts. Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad manitarian arenas. “Here, it enjoys sources, work together on specifi c Chairman of the OICHF Board of al-Thani, His Highness the Father an outstanding status, thanks to its programmes and projects towards Trustees, Sheikh Dr Abdulaziz bin Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa active humanitarian and charita- their joint goals, create more op- Abdulrahman al-Thani, said the al-Thani (the founding sponsor of ble organisations, mainly QRCS,” portunities to have stronger in- initiative was a contribution to OICHF), and Qatar’s Ministry of Sheikh Dr Abdulaziz al-Thani em- fl uence on development and hu- the eff orts made by Qatar, which Foreign Aff airs for their infi nite phasised. “This encouraged us at manitarian issues related to their had many humanitarian initiatives support for the humanitarian pro- OICHF to take this positive step to areas of regional and international around the world. He added that grammes conducted in the coun- join hands to help the vulnerable.” work, and develop and apply the OICHF had a responsibility for tries covered by OICHF. OICHF and QRCS have a mem- best practices in areas of common Insania and QRCS have joined hands in the fight against Covid-19. providing fi nancial and non-fi nan- “Only with the support from His orandum of understanding (MoU) interest. VCUarts Qatar to off er free ‘Virtual Studios’

irginia Commonwealth University School of the VArts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a Qatar Foundation partner university, will begin off ering a range of free art and design classes from tomorrow to May 20. Titled, ‘Virtual Studios’, the programme has been launched to support the VCUarts Qa- tar community, and one of the courses, “Art in Support of our Heroes”, will cater to all those who are bravely and selfl essly 2D Animation for Kids working for the safety of all of Qatar’s citizens, such as medical and hospital staff . Encouraging your Child’s Creativity at Home. Set up your Creative Home Off ice. The “Heroes” class, which will last one hour, will be taught will be invited to join a creative Other classes being off ered tionery, and everyday house- preneurship. In the class titled, by Sara Powell, a VCUarts Qatar space where they will engage in by the “Virtual Studios” pro- hold resources. In “Set up your “Encouraging your Child’s Cre- alumna and Art Psychothera- artmaking, consider their emo- gramme will include “2D Ani- Creative Home Offi ce”, VCUarts ativity at Home” participants pist who has vast experience of tional well-being, and how they mation for Kids”, which will Qatar Interior Design alumna will explore art ideas, exercises, supporting trauma. Though the are managing and mitigating the be taught by VCUarts Qatar Asma Ul Hosna’s class will focus and the benefi ts of providing class is designed for frontline impact of the pandemic while Graphic Design alumna Ebtesam on realistic, fun and quick ideas creative and exploratory oppor- responders, it is open to anyone refl ecting on transitioning with M al-Hothi. to set up a home offi ce, while tunities for children of all ages who would benefi t from it. a lack of connectivity and un- Children will learn creative “Design Thinking in Design and at home. No previous art-making ex- certainty, and while addressing techniques of shading using Entrepreneurship” by interdis- Using only basic stationery, perience is needed, and only issues such as fear and anxiety. dotting, collage, and push and ciplinary designer, entrepre- kitchen resources and things simple materials, such as a pen- “Art & Collective Conver- pull ink. neur and VCUarts Qatar Fashion from around the home, the in- cil or paper, or other basic art sations in Crisis” will provide The art pieces created by the Design Professor Yang Soon Ju structor, Bridget Dunn will materials are required. an avenue and opportunity for students will be combined and will show how design thinking guide the students in how to Powell will also be teaching the participants to interact, ask used to produce 2D stop motion can support self-expression and make an exciting drawing, col- “Art & Collective Conversa- questions, and collectively sup- animation clips. These artworks creativity more innovatively in lage, sculpture, and painting tions in Crisis.” Participants port each other. will be created using basic sta- the area of design and entre- and printing. Art & Collective Conversations in Crisis