Turkey Quarantines Pilgrims Returning from Saudi Arabia Ankara Closed Schools, Halted Flights, Banned Sports Spectators
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Established 1961 7 International Monday, March 16, 2020 Turkey quarantines pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia Ankara closed schools, halted flights, banned sports spectators ISTANBUL: Thousands of Muslims returning to become the sixth person to test positive. Turkey from a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia were taken He then announced yesterday that the state was ac- into quarantine yesterday due to concerns about the tively quarantining the returnees. “All passengers re- spread of the coronavirus, Turkish officials said. Tele- turning from the Umrah since last night are being put vision pictures showed buses transporting pilgrims into quarantine in separate rooms in student dormito- along the highway from Ankara’s airport to the city as ries,” he wrote on Twitter, adding that those suspected part of an operation to place those returning into stu- of being ill were being taken to hospital for tests. Ear- dent dormitories. Turkey, lier in March, Saudi Arabia ex- which has only diagnosed panded a rare freeze on six cases of coronavirus, pilgrimages to the Muslim has ramped up measures holy cities of Mecca and to halt its spread in recent Turkish Minister Medina by foreigners to also days, closing schools and include Saudi citizens and res- universities, holding announces sixth idents due to concerns about sports events without coronavirus. spectators and halting coronavirus case Umrah refers to pilgrimage flights to many countries. rites carried out in the holy cities On Wednesday it be- throughout the year, and is sep- came the last major arate from the annual week- economy to report an long haj, which typically draws 2 outbreak after taking what the World Health Organ- million Muslims from around the world. Haj starts this year ization (WHO) described as “vigilant” measures to in late July. The head of Turkey’s religious directorate, Ali delay it. The latest move came after Health Minister Erbas, said on Saturday that the last 5,300 Turkish pil- Fahrettin Koca called overnight for those returning grims were in the process of returning to Turkey, but at ISTANBUL: A woman wearing a protective face mask waits at the Esenler bus terminal in Istanbul dur- from the Umrah pilgrimage to quarantine themselves the time he said the pilgrims should self-isolate at home ing the outbreak of COVID-19, the new coronavirus. — AFP for a fortnight, saying a returnee in the last week had for two weeks. — Reuters prevent) the rapid spread that hap- France cafes Egypt shuts pened in other countries that delayed these kinds of decisions,” Prime Minis- ter Mostafa Madbouly told a news opened through schools and conference as he announced the tem- porary closure of schools and universi- the war, but not universities ties. Egypt has also taken measures aimed at reassuring tourists that it is safe to visit the country after passen- the coronavirus CAIRO: Egypt said it will close schools gers contracted the coronavirus on a and universities for two weeks to pre- Nile river cruise ship. vent the spread of the coronavirus as Hundreds of tourists and tourism PARIS: The Cafe de Flore, once the drink- the number of cases rises, reaching 110 workers have been tested for the virus, ing hole of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean- on Saturday with two deaths. The sus- and hotel facilities and cruise ships in Paul Sartre, and the Brasserie Lipp pension of classes from yesterday fol- Luxor and Aswan have been sanitized. continued serving customers during World lowed previously announced measures President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also called War Two. But yesterday they locked their including the cancellation of large pub- for a 100 billion Egyptian pound ($6.38 doors until further notice, as France upped lic gatherings, restrictions on the time billion) fund to finance a “comprehen- its fight against the coronavirus. “At least allocated for mass prayers and the halt- sive” state plan for tackling the outbreak, during World War Two we knew what we ing of local football league matches for a statement by the presidency said, with- were up against. Now we have no idea,” said PARIS: A employee sweeps the floor of a closed restaurant in Paris yesterday as cafes and restaurants are closed amid the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). — AFP two weeks. out giving details about the source of the the Brasserie Lipp’s head waiter, who used “Because we found that the numbers funding. Egypt’s health ministry said late to listen to tales of German occupation re- have started rising as of late, we de- on Saturday that the country had regis- counted by colleagues at the 140-year-old followed neighboring Italy and Spain and making last minute purchases.” cided to take such precautionary tered 17 new cases of the virus, bringing Left Bank eatery. other European nations in enforcing the se- Nearby, police pressed another stall measures from this point in time (to the total to 110. — Reuters Across the strangely quiet boutique-lined vere measures. In Paris’ central Marais area, owner to close within the hour. Queues Boulevard Saint-Germain, Sophie Chardon- home to the Jewish quarter, brands from US- formed outside butchers and bakers, with net watched an employee at the Cafe de based Michael Kors to France’s Sessun had scant heed paid to the government’s plea to Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. Flore swung off his motorbike to collect his mounted signs telling customers to shop on- people to stand one meter apart to minimize Nine years belongings before beginning a two-week line. Catherine Perochon, whose falafel the risk of contagion. But in the most visited Islamic State group period of temporary unemployment. Similar restaurant Chez Marianne serves a 1,000 city in the world, tourists were in small num- In June 2014, the jihadist Islamic scenes of shuttered cafes, quiet streets and dishes on a typical Sunday, was doing clear- bers. The coronavirus outbreak has forced of conflict State group (IS) proclaims a empty stores played out across the French ing up with staff, getting rid of perishables the closure of the Louvre museum, Eiffel “caliphate” over territory it has capital after Prime Minister Edouard and switching off the gas, anticipating she Tower and Moulin Rouge cabaret bar. in Syria seized in Syria and Iraq. In Septem- Philippe announced restrictions on French would be shut for at least a month. “It was On the Champs Elysees, usually thronged ber, a US-led coalition launches air public life unprecedented in living memory. so last minute,” she said of the prime minis- with tourists, there were fewer pedestrians strikes against IS in Syria. The strikes Restaurants, cafes, bars and cinemas ter’s notice. than usual, though a steady stream of visi- BEIRUT: Syria’s war, which began benefit Kurdish groups, which since would be closed indefinitely from yesterday, tors took selfies in front of the Arc de Tri- nine years ago, has involved many re- 2013 have run autonomous adminis- Philippe said. So too would libraries, shop- ‘Special times’ omphe at the top of the boulevard. On the gional and international players, creat- trations in Kurdish-majority areas. ping malls, and sports halls - any venue Others took a more defiant stand, at least Trocadero esplanade facing the Eiffel ing millions of refugees and displaced, Kurds join with Arabs to form the deemed non-essential. Food stores and gas while they could. In the upscale 16th ar- Tower, unlicensed souvenir vendors tried to while leaving more than 380,000 dead. US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces stations would remain open. “It’s sad to see rondissement, some food and flower stall flog their wares to the small number of for- Here is a summary of the main events (SDF). The alliance will go on to oust these cafe’s closed, let’s hope it won’t be for owners at a market in the Passy neighbor- eigners present. “What can you do? These in the conflict: IS from key areas, including the ji- too long,” Chardonnet said. “I won’t com- hood made a spirited last stand. “It’s just are special times,” said 26-year-old US hadists’ de facto capital Raqa in 2017, plain, however, it is for our own good.” hard to throw all the merchandise away,” tourist Laura. “I came from Belgium a week Revolt to repression and then in 2019, the group’s last Syr- The coronavirus has sickened some said florist Laurent Binder, 41. “Some people ago and was planning to go to Italy next. In March 2011, protests break out to ian holdout in the village of Baghuz 4,500 people and killed 91 in France, which are angry at us but others are coming in and Good bye to that.” — Reuters demand political change after four near the border with Iraq. decades of repressive rule by the Assad dynasty. President Bashar Al- Russia rescues Assad Assad’s regime cracks down on In September 2015, Syria’s main ally Idlib: ‘Forgotten demonstrations but rallies continue. In Russia launches air strikes in support July an army colonel who has defected of Assad’s beleaguered troops, a turn- from the military sets up the Turkey- ing point in the war. In a string of city’ targeted for based opposition Free Syrian Army deadly campaigns, the regime retakes (FSA). An armed rebellion erupts, with key rebel bastions, from Aleppo in revenge by Assad support from western and Arab coun- 2016 to Eastern Ghouta in 2018. tries. The rebels seize key territory, in- cluding large swathes of third city Chemical attacks IDLIB: At the heart of Syria’s latest human- Homs and a chunk of Aleppo, the sec- In April 2017, a sarin gas attack on itarian crisis, locals call Idlib “the forgotten ond city.