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FRIDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11542 May 8, 2020 Ramadan 15, 1441 AH

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In brief Garangao night with a difference

Amir, Deputy Amir Mandatory greet Iraqi leaders His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- quarantine Thani yesterday sent cables of congratulations to Iraqi President Dr Barham Saleh and Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on the occasion of swearing in of new Iraqi government, wishing ‘likely’ when them and the government success and the brotherly Iraqi people further progress and prosperity. HE the Prime Minister It was a Garangao night with a diff erence yesterday as Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures were followed to ensure and Minister of Interior Sheikh fl ights restart a safe celebration. The Ministry of Culture and Sports used a convoy of buses to distribute sanitised and sealed Garangao bags Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz full of sweets and nuts among children at their doorstep in diff erent parts of the country. The buses were fitted with loudspeakers, al-Thani also sent a cable of through which joyful Garangao songs were played in order to highlight the local heritage and introduce children to the traditions congratulations to the Iraqi prime of their ancestors. Katara – the Cultural Village also organised a similar gifts distribution using a fleet of vehicles. Elsewhere, Qatar minister. zQatar will soon see end of peak of Foundation celebrated Garangao with an online cultural experience, while Qatar Museums and Hamad Medical Corporation had launched the ‘Stay Home, Stay Safe’ campaign to invite families in Qatar to virtually come together and celebrate Garangao. Amir, Erdogan hold Covid-19 cases, says Dr al-Kuwari Pictured are Garangao gifts distribution by the ministry and Katara. Page 16 phone conversation z93% cases mild, recovery rate high His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani By Shafeeq Alingal yesterday held a telephone Staff Reporter conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Don’t focus too much on during which they discussed the atar is likely to introduce man- strategic relations between the datory quarantining once two brotherly countries and ways Qfl ights resume and the coun- of enhancing and developing try will soon see the end of the peak them. They also exchanged views of Covid-19 cases, HE the Minister of daily fl uctuations: HMC on regional and international Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al- developments. Kuwari said yesterday. “We will have to keep some measures he fl uctuation seen over the past The majority of patients with Cov- New services available in place. Countries are now saying that week in the number of new con- id-19 in Qatar continue to experience as part of opening up of travel there Tfi rmed cases of Covid-19 each only mild illness or remain asympto- through Metrash-2 is going to be mandatory quarantine day is expected at this stage as “we matic. New e-services available through the and that will probably also be the case HE the Minister of Public Health enter the peak “ of the Covid-19 pan- “Despite an increasing number of Metrash2 application of the Ministry in Doha,” the Minister told Al Jazeera Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari demic, a senior health offi cial has said. positive cases of Covid-19, we have the of Interior (MoI) include replacing English. “People should not focus too much capacity to isolate and provide excel- vehicle number plates, writing off HE Dr al-Kuwari said the prolifera- high number of cases in Qatar is the on daily fl uctuations in the numbers. lent medical care at all levels for these vehicles, filing criminal complaints, tion rate of the virus has declined. “The result of intensive testing. “Infec- Instead, we need to look at the general patients, and there is additional capac- adding a newborn to the national general public is fantastic in complying tion rates are not high. As much as trend over a sustained period of time,” ity if needed in the future,” he said. address, and employees’ list for with the directions, following social 93% cases are mild while only 1% is said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the Dr al-Khal said 328 cases have been travel notifications (add, remove and distancing and wearing face masks. in ICU and 5% hospitalised. Qatar National Strategic Group on Covid-19 Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of the sent to intensive care units since the query), the MoI has tweeted. Various Best practices are followed and the has implemented a unique system to and head of the Infectious Diseases Di- National Strategic Group on Covid-19 beginning of the outbreak in Qatar, of other services off ered by the MoI are country will soon see the end of the fight Covid-19. Recovery rate is high vision at Hamad Medical Corporation and head of the Infectious Diseases whom 208 have recovered. also available on Metrash2 and the peak.” in Qatar and only 12 deaths have been (HMC). Division at Hamad Medical Corporation. He also noted that 53% of the pa- ministry’s website. Reiterating that Qatar is very vigi- reported. Qatar has the lowest fatality He made the observations while ad- tients in intensive care do not need lant, the Minister said priority will be rate like Singapore.” dressing a press conference yesterday to increase in the coming days before it ventilators. given to public safety and least risk for “We are active in tracing and fi nding along with Dr Ahmed al-Mohamed, stabilises and then begins to decline, he Starting some 59 days ago, the pan- Covid-19 recoveries the general population. the cases. Persons coming from other acting chairman, HMC’s Intensive Care said. Most of the confi rmed cases are demic entered its peak stage in the past reach 2,286 in Qatar “Innovative measures are in place countries and those who contacted them Units. among people aged 29-34 years, and week and the numbers are expected to Qatar yesterday recorded 918 in the health and education sectors are asked to be quarantined at a govern- Dr al-Khal stressed that it is now infection among the elderly is limited. rise before they stabilise and then de- new confirmed cases of the novel to control the pandemic. More online ment facility or home. Cases with high more important than ever to follow “The number of people making a full cline. coronavirus (Covid-19), as well as activities are being carried out. Tele- risk are quarantined at government fa- preventive measures to ensure that recovery from Covid-19 continues to Dr al-Khal further noted that “we 216 new recovered cases in the last medicine is in place and consultations cilities,” she said, adding Qatar has im- the virus does not reach “our at-risk grow. This week, we passed the mile- continue to see a low rate of Covid-19 24 hours. With this the total number are done virtually,” she said. plemented a legal decree to deal with group”. stone of more than 2,000 recovered mortality in Qatar compared to the rest of recoveries is 2,286, the Ministry The Minister explained that the quarantine violators. To Page 3 The number of infections is expected cases,” he stressed. of the world”. To Page 3 of Public Health (MoPH) said. Most of the new cases are expatriate workers who got infected as a result of contact with individuals who were previously infected, in addition to new cases among groups of workers MoPH conducts drive-thru from diff erent regions, diagnosed during investigative examinations by the MoPH’s research and investigation teams. Page 2 swabbing tests for Covid-19

France set to reopen, but will in turn inform policy decisions. toms. We have used drive-thru testing Paris to keep some curbs QNA Doha It was carried out in collaboration in the past successfully.” France is ready to start unwinding with the Primary Health Care Corpora- In line with national guidance, its coronavirus lockdown from tion (PHCC), HMC Ambulance, HMC swabbing tests were carried out on next Monday as planned, the he Ministry of Public Health Laboratories and Qatar University. 2,500 members of the public at three prime minister said yesterday, (MoPH) conducted drive-thru HE the Minister of Public Health Dr health centres: Al Thumama, Al Waab although some regions including Tswabbing tests at three health Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari said: “We and Leabaib staff ed by PHCC, HMC the Paris area where the disease is centres over two days. are constantly looking at new ways of and Qatar University volunteers. still circulating would keep some The aim of this exercise, which ended identifying any undetected cases in the This service was not a drop-in restrictions. The country has made yesterday, was to conduct a survey and community so that we help to reduce service and only those who meet the enough progress in slowing down gain more insight into community trans- the spread of Covid-19 and provide the nationally agreed criteria for research the spread of the virus and reducing A health worker collects a swab sample from a man at a drive-thru testing service mission of the novel coronavirus (Cov- appropriate care and support to those and have been asked to attend, were strain in hospitals to gradually return for Covid-19 in Doha yesterday. id-19) and asymptomatic cases, which infected but not showing any symp- tested. To Page 3 to normal, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said. Page 9

RAMADAN THOUGHT Over 3,200 tonnes of local vegetables sold in April And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Is- ver 3,200 tonnes of Qatari veg- The two marketing programmes, su- consumers without any intermediary Wakrah, Al Sheehaniya and Al Shamal. lam; and whomsoever He wills to and without costing the farmer any According to a recent report, send astray, He makes his breast etables were sold through two pervised by the MME in co-operation fees for that. around 1,000 tonnes of locally pro- closed and constricted, as if he is Olocal produce marketing pro- with the Ministry of Commerce and climbing up to the sky. Thus Allah grammes in April, the Ministry of Mu- Industry, are aimed at improving the Also, the marketing programmes duced vegetables were sold at the puts the wrath on those who be- nicipality and Environment (MME) said marketing of Qatari vegetables and in- aim to reduce production losses to the yards since the start of the holy lieve not. (Qur’an 6:125) yesterday. creasing their demand, the Qatar News minimum and enhance the income of month of Ramadan. These products are sold at major re- Agency adds. Qatari farms, which in turn contributes An offi cial had said the yards have Prayer times tail outlets in the country through the Through the two initiatives, locally to encouraging increased investment had “record sales” since a decision Qatar Farms and Premium Qatari Veg- produced vegetables are marketed in the agricultural fi eld and the avail- was taken to operate them on all days Fajr....3.30 Zuhr....11.32 Asr....2.58 etables marketing initiatives. and sold at various consumer com- ability of local vegetables in consumer of the week in mid-March. The yards Maghrib.....6.11 Isha.....7.41 Of the total 3,287.746 tonnes sold in plexes and retail outlets in the coun- complexes throughout the year. sell more than 850 tonnes of diff erent Fasting times April, 2,783.626 were sold through the try – such as LuLu Hypermarket, Besides these marketing programmes types of vegetables a week, with up to Qatar Farms programme and 504.12 Carrefour, Al Meera and Family Food involving major retail outlets, locally 4,000 tonnes a month, according to the Iftar today ...... 6.11pm tonnes through the Premium Qatari Centre – to give farmers the oppor- produced vegetables are also witness- report. Suhoor tomorrow ...... 3.29am Vegetables initiative, according to a tunity to sell their high-quality prod- ing good sales at fi ve yards set up in Al The yards will also remain open eve- statement by the MME. ucts at reasonable prices directly to Local vegetables at a retail outlet in Doha. Mazrouah, Al Khor-Al Thakhira, Al ry day throughout the holy month. Gulf Times 2 Friday, May 8, 2020 QATAR Qatar Museums off ers wide Vodafone off ers ‘free premium range of virtual programmes access’ to video on zInitiatives aimed at inspiring aspiring designers during stay-at-home period demand content By Joey Aguilar Gyamfuah, founder of Creatives Ampli- Qatar alumna with a major in Interior De- Staff Reporter fi ed, will discuss ways on how designers sign, shared her expertise in setting up a odafone Qatar is off er- can stay connected with their customers home offi ce to those who are “looking for ing all its customers “free using digital platforms under the theme something to boost their motivation.” Vpremium access” to the series of virtual initiatives by Qa- ‘Connect’. Other classes include ‘Art & Collective latest video on demand (VOD) tar Museums (QM) and its part- Another session, themed ‘Remote’, will Conversations in Crisis (Art Therapy)’on content on the ‘Shoof’ dig- Aners continue to provide residents tackle the impact of media placements May 13 and ‘Art in Support of our Heroes ital entertainment mobile app – of diff erent ages with workshops and and promotion of design on May 23 and (Art Therapy)’ on May 20. without being charged for data coaching sessions, as well as art and de- 23, with Bianca Brigitte Bonomi, editor- The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) also usage. languages. sign classes, while staying home amid the in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia; and continues to give virtual residents with The unique, one-of-a-kind The international mobile bal- novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Kai Margrander, fashion director of Harp- storytelling sessions, art workshops, tours off er is exclusive to Vodafone ance transfer feature on the M7, a creative startups hub dedicated er’s Bazaar Germany. and quizzes on its Instagram and Face- customers using the Shoof app, Shoof app lets Vodafone sub- to innovation and entrepreneurship es- According to QM, M7’s online coaching book accounts. throughout the holy month of scribers quickly and easily send tablished by QM for the nation’s growing sessions aim to support and inspire aspir- Other virtual visits include a 360 tour Ramadan. mobile credit to loved ones back fashion and design industry, started its bi- ing designers until activities normalises. of MIA, via Google Arts & Culture, Na- The VOD content off ering in- home from their credit balance weekly online forum yesterday (May 7) via A fi ve-storey, 29,000sq m facility lo- Participants of ‘2D Animation for Kids’ tional Museum of Qatar’s archaeological cludes the latest Turkish series in Qatar. its Instagram account, @M7.qatar. cated at Msheireb Downtown Doha, M7 (aged 10 to 13) will have the opportunity and heritage objects, and Mathaf: Arab dubbed in Arabic from Blu TV “We have curated this unique Themed ‘Accelerate, the session wit- also serves as a platform to train aspir- to learn shading techniques by using dot- Museum of Modern Art’s “enriching and other popular movies. Ramadan offer to give custom- nessed Aysha al-Mudahka, director of ing entrepreneurs in creative fi elds; spark ting, collage, and push and pull ink on comprehensive modern and contempo- Downloading the Shoof app ers the enjoyment of their fa- Strategic Initiatives and Partnership De- creativity in people of all ages and back- May 17 and 18 between 12noon and 1pm. rary Arab art.” unlocks access to more than vourite shows while they save velopment at Qatar Foundation (QF) and grounds through exhibitions, perform- Instructor is Ebtesam M al-Hothi, a Qa- The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports 100 live TV channels, more their data for work, studying or former CEO of Qatar Business Incuba- ances, fi lms, educational programmes, tari graphic designer. Museum’s “321 Activation”, series of than 70 radio and FM chan- socialising online with friends tion Centre; and Stefano Bellandi, CEO of and public discussions; and help connect Another VCUarts Qatar class allows workshops and fi tness challenges with nels from across the world, and family while practising Cipriani Couture, discussing how to build Qatar’s innovators with the world. participants to “explore art ideas, exercis- athletes, expert trainees and health pro- including Radio Olive and Ra- responsible social distancing. a business plan from concept to produc- Meanwhile, Virginia Commonwealth es, and the benefi ts of providing creative fessionals, continues to support and dio Suno, and premium VOD The Shoof app is proving very tion. Another session is set tomorrow University School of the Arts in Qatar and exploratory opportunities for chil- encourage families to stay fi t and active content. Subscribers gain ac- popular as an easy way to catch (May 9) at 9pm. (VCUarts Qatar), a QF partner university, dren of all ages in the home.” Schedule is while at home via its Instagram account cess to a huge library of Turk- up on new TV series, VOD con- On May 14 and 16, Khalifa al-Haroon, is off ering a range of free online art and on May 10 and 11. @321qosm from Sunday to Thursdays at ish and Arabic content from tent, local tracks, news and founder of ILoveQatar; and Harriet design classes until May 20. Last month, Asma Ul Hosna, a VCUarts 2pm. Blu TV, 3,000+ movies and discussions – anywhere and series from Eros Now; 1,000+ anytime,” said Diego Cam- movies from Hungama Play as beros, chief operating officer, well as premium Nepali mov- Vodafone Qatar. MoI participates in Mena police meeting ies. The Shoof app is available Over 12,000 Gazans Shoof content is available to download now from the in multiple languages includ- Google Play and the App store ing Arabic, Nepali, Hindi, for both Android and iOS us- benefi t from Qatari Bengali and other South Asian ers. employment initiative

total of 12,125 people have Of the total benefi ciaries, UN- benefi ted from the ‘Cash RWA accounts for 8,403 benefi - Covid-19 recoveries Afor Work’ programme for ciaries and UNDP 3,722 people. the employment of graduates Also, 71% – or 8,635 – of the and workers in the Gaza Strip, benefi ciaries are male while 29% the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs – or 3,490 – are female. reach 2,286 in Qatar (MoFA) has said. In terms of sectors, educa- This has been highlighted tion leads with 3,511 benefi ci- by an infographic issued by the aries, followed by health with QNA in the number of cases of infec- ministry on social media yester- 3,061, environmental health/ Doha tion due to several reasons, in- day. municipalities with 2,238, social cluding that the outbreak of the The initiative, involving Qa- development aff airs with 1,450, virus is in the peak stage before tar’s Gaza Reconstruction Com- economic/agriculture/private he Ministry of Pub- the number of infections begins mittee and the United Nations, sector with 1,301, housing with lic Health (MoPH) an- to descend gradually. has seen a grant of $20mn from 499 and press/media with 65. Tnounced yesterday the Also, the Ministry has recent- Qatar. It is implemented by the Region-wise, Gaza has 4,151 registration of 918 new con- ly stepped up eff orts to track the United Nations Development benefi ciaries (2,535 graduates fi rmed cases of the novel coro- transitional chains of the virus Programme (UNDP) and United and 1,616 workers), Middle Area navirus (Covid-19), as well as and expand the search for people Nations Relief and Works Agen- has 2,283 (1,306 workers and 216 new recovered cases in the infected by conducting exten- cy for Palestine Refugees in the 977 graduates), Khan Younis has last 24 hours, bringing the total sive and proactive investigations Near East (UNRWA). 2,141 (1,129 graduates and 1,012 number of recoveries in Qatar to of large numbers of contacts of In all, 6,360 graduates and workers), North Gaza has 1,990 2,286. people who have recently been 5,765 workers have benefi ted (999 graduates and 991 workers) The Ministry explained that infected with the virus. from the project between March and Rafah has 1,560 benefi ciar- most of the new cases are expa- According to a tweet from the 2019 and March 2020, according ies (840 workers and 720 gradu- triate workers who got infected MoPH, with a total of 3,532 peo- to the infographic. ates). as a result of contact with indi- ple tested for Covid-19 in the viduals who were previously in- last 24 hours, as many as 116,495 fected, in addition to new cases have been tested so far in Qatar. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has participated in a meeting of the heads of police agencies in the among groups of workers from There are 18,890 positive Strong winds forecast today Mena region, via video conferencing. The meeting was organised by Interpol and saw the diff erent regions, diagnosed cases to date in Qatar and 16,592 participation of several police chiefs, the MoI tweeted yesterday. Major-General Abdul Aziz during investigative examina- currently undergoing treatment. Abdullah al-Ansari, director of the Department of International Co-operation and chairman of the tions by the MoPH’s research The total number of Covid-19 trong winds are expected in tions. Mild conditions will pre- National Counter-Terrorism Committee, represented the ministry at the meeting. The meeting and investigation teams, which deaths so far in Qatar is 12, ac- some places today, the Qatar vail by night. Some clouds and discussed the challenges faced by law enforcement, the experiences of diff erent countries in contributed to the early detec- cording to the tweet. SMet department has said. slight dust at times have been combating the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), developing security plans and strategies to address tion. The MoPH called on all Windy conditions are also forecast in off shore areas. such a crisis and mechanisms of co-operation with the Interpol, the MoI added. The other infected cases are members of society to stay at likely in off shore areas today The maximum temperature citizens and residents who have home and not go out except in along with high seas, according today is expected to be 39C in contracted the virus from mem- cases of necessity and to im- to the weather report. Wakrah and Mesaieed, 37C in bers of their families, who in plement preventive measures The wind speed may go up to Doha, 36C in Al Khor, 34C in Shoppers urged to safely dispose of used gloves, masks turn had contracted the virus at and maintain physical distanc- 28 knots off shore and 25 knots in Abu Samra, 32C in Dukhan and their workplaces or other places. ing, including in the workplace some inshore areas today, with 30C in Ruwais. The minimum, The Ministry of Municipality and Environment your concern for your health and the community’s All the new infected cases and public places. the sea level rising to 9ft at times. on the other hand, will be 25C in (MME) has reminded people to “make sure to safely health,” it tweeted. The MME had earlier asked all have been quarantined where The Ministry reminded peo- The detailed forecast also says Wakrah, Mesaieed and Al Khor, dispose of used gloves and masks after finishing shopping outlets and complexes to place special they are receiving the necessary ple to use a face mask as recom- it will be hot during the day and followed by 26C in Doha, Abu shopping,” by throwing them in trash cans placed garbage containers outside such premises to enable medical care. mended and avoid social visits to some clouds are also expected Samra and Ruwais, and 27C in at the entrances of stores and malls. “Thank you for customers to dispose of gloves and masks safely. The MoPH noted that the cur- reduce their risk of contracting along with slightly dusty condi- Dukhan. rent period will see a fl uctuation the virus.

Inspection of food outlets in Shamal Temporary closure on G-Ring Road

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a daily temporary closure from today on G-Ring Road for those heading to Hamad International Airport between Al Hefain, Bu Silla, Aba Al Seleel and Al Bahyia interchanges from 9pm to 4am. The closure in co-ordination with the General The Health Control Section of the Municipal Control Department of Al Shamal Municipality carried out 27 inspections at the food Directorate of Traff ic is to complete installation of ITS Gantries. Ashghal will install road signs establishments within the municipal boundaries. The checks were initiated as part of the daily follow up of food units and shops in advising motorists of the closure and requested all to follow them and abide by the existing speed accordance with the work plan during Ramadan. limit to ensure safety. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 3 QATAR/ARAB WORLD Alfardan Premier Motors launches ‘Buy Online’ e-commerce platform Online off ering enables customers to adhere to Covid-19 health and safety protocols and purchase vehicles remotely

lfardan Premier Motors Co, the offi cial retailer of AJaguar Land Rover vehi- cles in Qatar, has extended its proud record of innovation with the evolution of its ‘Buy Online’ e-commerce platform. The online sales website al- lows customers to book a new car or a used vehicle remotely, in the comfort and safety of their home, it was announced yesterday. With showrooms being sub- ject to restricted operating hours Through the website, the customer can go on a journey to select a vehicle from a live inventory, receive a finance quotation and finally buy their desired vehicle. for the safety of visitors, custom- ers and staff during the Covid-19 the customer can go on a journey stay healthy while embarking on pandemic, this streamlined vir- to select a vehicle from a live in- your Jaguar Land Rover retail ad- tual sales experience safeguards ventory, receive a fi nance quota- venture.” the health and safety of all. tion and fi nally buy their desired Samer Bou Dargham, general This digital service is one of vehicle. manager for Alfardan Premier the hallmarks of Jaguar Land Alternatively, if they already Motors, commented: “In these Rover’s Customer First strategic have a vehicle in mind, the order- trying times the welfare of our vision. The concept aims to har- ing process is even simpler. customers and the communities ness the company’s history of Bruce Robertson, managing we serve is of the utmost impor- pioneering design and engineer- director of Jaguar Land Rover tant to us. We pride ourselves on ing expertise to evolve along with Middle East and North Africa, our service excellence and hope the ever-growing use of mobile said: “Our Buy Online digital to off er the best retail experi- and digital technology impacting platform off ers the very same ence that we can. We understand car owners. customer satisfaction that all that today the only way to do that Accordingly, Alfardan Premier Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles is to marry convenience with Motors is helping to transform are renowned for: being dy- health and safety, empowering the auto retail landscape with the namic, exciting and easy to use. our customers with the care and ‘Buy Online’ digital platform, fa- Jaguar and Land Rover custom- accessibility they need. We are cilitating the car-buying process ers are provided quick and sim- very pleased to be making great through the websites www.jag- ple access to dedicated retailer strides in the auto retail space, uar-qatar.com/en/b and www. websites that off er an unmatched with the Jaguar Land Rover Buy landrover-qatar.com/en/b digital experience through a Online platform transforming This dynamic and exciting pleasant, streamlined customer the customer journey for the bet- digital experience seamlessly journey. ter. Through this virtual market- guides Jaguar and Land Rover All in all, we provide the ulti- place, we hope to meet our cus- customers through the process mate showroom experience from tomers’ demands, match their of selecting a vehicle that is right the comfort of your own home, ever-changing habits, and keep for them. Through the website, meaning you can stay safe and them safe.” Ashghal hosts over 6,000 remote meetings QRCS observes World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day

QNA its past and present. While Qa- by the staff and volunteers with Management and the Govern- Doha tar has been supporting the op- dedication and self-denial, and ment Communication Offi ce, pressed and has been a beacon for the sole purpose of drawing a expressing their thanks to them of humanitarian action around smile on the faces, reviving hope for the eff ort and support they atar Red Crescent Socie- the world, the fi rst tributary of and helping the needy. provide to complete its work ty (QRCS), together with all of these are those young men While Qatar and the world and mission. Qthe International Red and women who have spared as a whole are fi ghting to con- The QRCS expressed its hap- Cross and Red Crescent Move- their eff ort and time in support front the novel coronavirus piness with the support it pro- ment, marks World Red Cross of the values and ideals that are (Covid-19), the role of medical vides to the health sector in the and Red Crescent Day. The In- inherent in the ancient Qatari and voluntary cadres emerges country, through holding train- ternational Red Cross and Red culture and the teachings of the as the fi rst line of defence for ing courses for volunteers in Crescent Movement commem- true Islamic religion. mankind. various languages, and the par- orates every year on May 8, the The QRCS, as the fi rst volun- On the occasion of the Inter- ticipation of doctors working birth date of the Movement’s tary humanitarian organisation national Day of the Internation- in the Workers’ Health Centers founder, Henry Dunant. established in Qatar in 1978, al Red Cross and Red Crescent run by QRCS as well as in the This year’s celebration is in embodies in its work and mis- Movement, the QRCS praised eff orts of the Ministry of Public recognition of the heroic ac- sion the seven basic principles staff and volunteers who con- Health to combat the epidemic, tions of 14mn volunteers in 192 of international humanitarian tribute to any aspect of humani- adding in this regard that it has national societies around the action, such as humanity, neu- tarian and charitable work. mobilised more than 18,000 world, and in recognition of the trality, impartiality, independ- The QRCS also valued the volunteers with training in all sacrifi ces they make in order to ence, and volunteer service, eff orts of partner and support logistical matters necessary to help humanity and help people unity and universality. institutions, led by the Minis- perform their tasks. The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) hosted a total of 6,719 remote meetings through Cisco Webex overcome suff ering and pain. All that the QRCS implements try of Public Health, the Min- This is in addition to support- from March 15 to May 6, according to a tweet yesterday. A total of 39,175 attendees took part in the In Qatar, volunteerism is an of humanitarian projects and istry of Interior, the Ministry ing those aff ected by the crisis meetings which accounted for a total duration of 7,600.72 hours, with 296 organisers. Cisco Webex integral part of the life of socie- programmes, and what it pro- of Municipality and Environ- inside and outside Qatar with is an innovative solution, delivering new levels of business collaboration across the country, the ty, as it is a well-established fea- vides of assistance and services, ment, the Primary Health Care health, food and social assist- Ashghal tweet added. ture of the patriarchal heritage, is voluntary, free of charge and Corp, Hamad Medical Corp, the ance and other humanitarian and an inextricable link between non-profi t giving, implemented Supreme Committee for Crisis needs.

Mandatory Don’t focus too quarantine much on daily ‘likely’ when Ex-intel chief becomes Iraq PM fluctuations: MoPH conducts flights restart HMC off icial AFP States. However, yesterday morning, del Mahdi, 77, resigned late last year drive-thru tests Baghdad Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Ja- following months of protests decrying From Page 1 From Page 1 vad Zarif tweeted a congratulatory mes- rampant corruption and unemployment sage to the new premier, saying: “Iran He became the fi rst prime minister to This is due to the fol- for Covid-19 “The Covid-19 crisis has raq’s former intelligence chief Mus- always stands with the Iraqi people and step down since the 2003 US-led inva- lowing reasons: Qatar’s resulted in an opportunity for tafa Kadhemi took offi ce as prime their choice of administration.” sion that toppled Saddam Hussein, but young population; ex- the local industry to produce Iminister yesterday facing a stagger- Kadhemi had already received a call stayed on as caretaker premier in the tensive testing and early From Page 1 masks and ventilators. Five ing economic crisis, a pandemic and the from US Secretary of State Mike Pom- absence of a successor. identification of cases; hospitals have been dedicated spectre of renewed protests after break- peo, who announced a 120-day waiver Ministers who were approved in- high-quality care, in- Those referred to the drive-thru swabbing hubs ar- to deal with Covid-19 cases ing months of political deadlock. Par- extension on US sanctions to let Iraq cluded those for the sensitive portfolios cluding intensive care rived in their own cars and did not enter the building. and they are fully equipped liament approved the new government buy gas from neighbouring Iran. The of fi nance, interior, defence, health and options; and protect- They were registered and asked a series of questions for and staff ed,” the Minister said. overnight after last-minute changes waiver is “a display of our desire to help electricity — securing the majority that ing the most vulnerable research purposes, then proceeded to be swabbed by “Proper care is being taken to the cabinet line-up, nearly a month provide the right conditions for suc- Kadhemi needed for his cabinet to be groups from catching the specially trained health workers. The process involved a in the Industrial Area where after the ex-head of the National Intel- cess,” the State Department said. considered viable. infection. cotton bud being inserted into the nose, the sample then all needs of the workers are ligence Service (INIS) was nominated by Iraqi lawmakers, observing social The new government is meant to hold He said most of those securely stored and transported to HMC Laboratory for met. The Ehteraz app will help President Barham Saleh. distancing and wearing masks and early elections seen as an opportunity admitted to intensive analysis. the public to know if they con- It was the third attempt to replace gloves to curb the spread of the coro- for a political reset for the country, but care units suffer from The participants will receive results from the Minis- tacted any infected person,” outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi. navirus, approved 15 ministers out of a it will also face urgent policy priorities. chronic diseases and try of Public Health as soon as possible by phone. she said. The nomination of 53-year-old Kad- prospective 22-seat cabinet. Iraq’s economy is set to shrink by 9.7% they have low immunity Members of the public called for the test were not HE Dr al-Kuwari also said hemi followed weeks of lobbying of Seven ministries — including the key this year and poverty rates may dou- in addition to age-relat- suspected Covid-19 patients. PHCC pointed out that Qatar is participating in the deeply divided political parties, includ- oil and foreign aff airs positions — re- ble, making it the country’s worst an- ed ailments. Also, 1% of it will continue to work closely with key stakehold- clinical trial of Covid-19 vac- ing those close to neighbouring Iran who main empty as political parties squab- nual performance since 2003, the World those infected are in in- ers across the sector to determine the requirements for cine. had been wary of his ties to the United ble over shares. Outgoing premier Ab- Bank has warned. tensive care units. these services to be provided in future. Gulf Times 4 Friday, May 8, 2020 AFRICA

WEATHER POLITICS JUSTICE PANDEMIC CONSERVATION 65 dead as torrential rains Abiy warns opposition Senegal court upholds ban Sierra Leone fishermen Deforestation in Africa lash Rwanda countryside against power grab on repatriating virus dead rampage against curbs accelerates: UN agency

At least 65 people were killed by torrential rains Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Senegal’s Supreme Court yesterday upheld a Fishermen in Sierra Leone have attacked a police Africa is the only continent in the world where in the East African nation of Rwanda, the Ministry yesterday that opposition politicians were trying ban on repatriating the bodies of citizens living station and a health clinic in an angry response to deforestation is accelerating, according to of Emergency Management said yesterday. to exploit uncertainty created by the coronavirus abroad who have died of coronavirus, rejecting drastic cuts in the number of boats allowed to go key findings of a five-year report released The deaths occurred in various locations across pandemic to seize power, risking instability. a plea from their distraught relatives. A group of to sea as part of measures to fight Covid-19, local yesterday by the United Nations Food and the country after heavy rains started to fall on “Those pushing for unconstitutional ways to grab families with dead relatives abroad had sought to off icials said. After three days of strict isolation, Agriculture Organization (FAO). Forest loss in Wednesday evening, with at least 91 homes power...will be punished by law,” Abiy, the 2019 overturn the ban on the grounds that it violated economic activity was authorised anew on Africa accelerated, from 3.4mn to 39mn hectares destroyed throughout the night, the ministry said Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said in a recorded their right to mourn and practise religion in the Wednesday morning, but fishermen in the port of annually between 2000 and 2010. “This is indeed in a statement. Rains continued yesterday, while speech posted on Facebook. Africa’s second Muslim-majority West African country. Senegal’s Tombo were informed that no more than 15 out very bad news” for the African continent, said Anne search operations were under way to rescue those most populous country was due to hold national government had ruled out bringing back the of hundreds of vessels could sail. The restriction, Branthomme, a global forestry expert at FAO. “One buried in their homes or by mud slides, according elections in August that Abiy hoped would give him bodies to stem the spread of the virus. Family which was not previously announced, was taken explanation is certainly population growth in the to the statement. “We expect the death toll to rise a mandate for wide-ranging political and economic members have said that around 80 Senegalese out of “fear that there would be too many people region. Much of the deforestation is due to small- because we are still searching for people,” said reforms. But the election board announced in have died from Covid-19 overseas. Their lawyers at the wharf” when boats returned to the port, scale subsistence agriculture.” Insuff icient poverty Deogratius Nzamwita, the mayor of Gakeke, a March that it would be impossible to organise the had argued that the health risk of bringing back said Kashor Holland Cole, chairman of the district reduction, combined with population growth, “is heavily hit district in the country’s north. polls on time because of the pandemic. bodies was “non-existent.” collective, about 50km south of Freetown. increasing the pressure on forests.” Africa CDC rejects Joint patrol Tanzania’s ‘faulty’ test kit allegation

Reuters with technicians left deliberately “We are very instrumental in Tanzania, where places of Addis Ababa unaware of their origins. training, providing training to worship remain open, has at The next day, the head of the nearly all countries and provid- least 480 confi rmed cases and 18 national health laboratory in ing them with test kits. We’ve deaths, the fourth highest case he head of the Africa Cen- charge of testing was suspended. also in the last couple of weeks load in Eastern Africa. tres for Disease Control The president did not say why and months distributed tests But the data is from Sunday, A South African Police off icer searches a woman’s bag in Sunnyside, Pretoria, during a joint patrol Tand Prevention (CDC) yes- the authorities had been initially from the Jack Ma Foundation the most recent day the govern- of the South African National Defence Force, the South African Police Service and the Tshwane terday rejected an assertion by suspicious of the tests. that have been validated and ment released fi gures. Metro Police Department to enforce level 4 lockdown regulations to help curb the spread of the Tanzania’s president that coro- “The tests that Tanzania is us- proven to be very, very reliable,” Almost all other African na- Covid-19 coronavirus. navirus tests it supplied are faulty. ing, we know they are working Nkengasong said. tions release daily reports on the Tanzania’s government very well,” John Nkengasong told Hassan Abbas, Tanzania’s latest tallies on infections, fatali- spokesman said a team was con- journalists. chief government spokesman, ties and recoveries. ducting investigations on the The Africa CDC, along with said the government had formed Tanzania’s lag has prompted laboratory that conducted the the Jack Ma Foundation, a char- a team of experts to examine the criticism from the country’s op- tests, and the outcome will be ity founded by the Chinese bil- lab that conducted the tests, and position that the government is made public once complete. lionaire, supplied the tests, Nk- it would give the outcome of the being secretive. Central Africa massacre prompts The World Health Organiza- engasong said. results once completed. Asked about Tanzania’s ques- tion expressed confi dence in the Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, “What the president said was tioning of the tests, WHO Africa tests. has donated thousands of tests based on initial tests run by using head Matshidiso Moeti said on a war crimes investigation On Sunday, Tanzanian Presi- kits, masks and protective gear animals...to test the veracity of teleconference with the media: dent John Magufuli had said the to African nations and the equip- the test results,” Abbas said. “We are convinced that the tests AFP people were killed, of whom at with 14 armed groups, who imported test kits were faulty ment is being used across the “Our worry was based on em- that have been provided...both Bangui least 21 were civilians, on April typically claim to defend the in- after they had returned positive continent. pirical fi ndings. Once the team through procurement through 29. terests of specifi c communities results on a goat and a pawpaw No other countries have made fi nalises its work we will know WHO and those that came At least 13 people were killed or religions. — among several non-human public complaints about the the gravity of the lapses in the through Jack Ma donations, were rosecutors in the Central on March 11. Violence has since gener- samples submitted for testing, tests. machines.” not contaminated with the virus.” African Republic (CAR) The violence opposes two ally receded, but there are still Pyesterday announced groups from the Popular Front bloody fl areups and more than a probe into suspected war for the Rebirth of the CAR two-thirds of the country re- crimes and crimes against hu- (FPRC), one of the country’s mains under militia control. manity after more than two biggest militias. Tensions between the Gula Basic staple dozen people were massacred One group is drawn mainly and Runga fi rst spilled over last last month. from the Runga ethnic commu- September in the town of Birao The inquiry will focus on nity, while the other “comprises on the Sudanese border and events in the northeastern town only ethnic Gula” members, then again in Bria, a diamond of Ndele on April 29, chief pros- said Tambo. centre in the east of the country, ecutor Eric Didier Tambo told Once comrades in arms, the in January. AFP. two groups are fi ghting for con- MINUSCA on Wednesday “We have recorded around 30 trol of the region’s rich diamond defended itself against accusa- bodies, including a mother and deposits and lucrative income tions that it had been slow to her baby,” Tambo said. from road blocks. respond to the violence on April “We conclude that...war One of the world’s poorest 29. crimes and crimes against hu- and most unstable nations, the “MINUSCA members were manity occurred.” former French colony has suf- at (Ndele) market in less than He added: “As these are fered several crises since 2003 30 minutes and repelled the at- armed groups which attacked when former president Francois tackers,” spokesman Vladimir civilians, their leaders are the Bozize seized power in a coup. Monteiro said. chief suspects.” The country spiralled fur- “The situation was extremely He said that he visited Ndele ther into bloodshed after Bozize complex, with local people fl ee- to investigate the violence of was overthrown in 2013 by the ing and shots fi red by combat- April 29 and clashes that broke mainly Muslim rebel Seleka al- ants in civilian clothes who out there on March 11. liance. could not be identifi ed.” According to the UN peace- The government signed a Additional UN forces have keeping mission MINUSCA, 28 peace deal in February 2019 been sent to the town, he said.

Lesotho’s king assents bill limiting PM Thabane’s powers

The king of Lesotho, Letsie III, Thabane, 80, has been under that His Majesty has assented to it. has assented to legislation that pressure to resign over a murder It’s already eff ective, just awaiting prevents Prime Minister Thomas case in which he and his wife are printing,” Attorney General Haae Thabane from dissolving parlia- suspected of killing his previous Phoofolo told Reuters. Volunteers prepare a pot of the Zimbabwe staple food ‘sadza’ in Harare. With the help of volunteers, activist Samantha Murozoki serves ment and calling an election in the wife. The law means that in the event over a 100 hot meals per day from her home to underprivileged families whose household income has been cut off by closure of all event of a vote of no confidence They both deny the charges. of a vote of no confidence against informal markets during the lockdown. against him, the attorney general “The ninth amendment (to the Thabane passing, he would have said yesterday. constitution) is now a law given no choice but to leave off ice. Kenya fl oods uproot families, complicating coronavirus fi ght

By Wesley Langat, Reuters In the western part of the infection, such as wearing face tahi Kagwe had said in earlier this fl oods, with 10,000 families left “The ongoing rains will abso- major rivers bursting their banks, Nairobi country, following such guide- masks and sanitising hands, said week that people should observe homeless in the western part of lutely create impassable roads for there is a new phenomenon to lines is nearly impossible for Otieno. the virus containment protocols the country. the rescue team of medics and other contend with: a backfl ow of wa- those forced from their homes by “Well-wishers came and dis- recommended by the govern- The aid agency has been work- emergency assistance,” he added. ter from Lake Victoria due to ohn Otieno was caught una- the rains and fl ooding, residents tributed some masks but there ment, particularly keeping a dis- ing with the Kisumu County gov- Julius Otieno, a community heavy rains in its catchment area, wares late last month when and aid workers said. were not enough for all of us,” he tance of at least 2m from others. ernment to get those displaced liaison offi cer at the Nyando which is inundating its shores. Jfl ood waters hit his home and Otieno’s family of six was added, urging the Kisumu Coun- “If we don’t adhere to the by the fl oods relocated to more Constituency Development Fund That has rendered more than farm in Kogelo village, western among several evacuated from ty government to supply masks measures, the disease will spread schools, so that if possible, each who has been helping fl ood vic- 1,000 families homeless and Kenya, swamping his buildings his village and is now sheltering and send medical offi cers to very quickly within our commu- family has their own classroom, tims on the frontline, said thou- roads impassable in parts of and poultry, and destroying six in nearby Okanja primary school. check on the situation regularly. nities,” he added. to be able to maintain social dis- sands of acres of crops and rice western Kenya, complicating the acres of maize. There they are fi nding it hard Families at the Okanja school While the coronavirus out- tancing. plantations had been destroyed. humanitarian situation further. “We woke up to massive fl oods to stay away from others to pre- are fortunate, however, because break threatens all Kenyans, the May’s weather forecast, from Meeting the basic needs of The lake’s rising level is also in the morning from the Nyando vent the potential spread of Cov- it has plenty of rainwater col- heavy rains and fl oods have made the Kenya Meteorological Depart- displaced people was diffi cult aff ecting people in Uganda, River, and my entire farm and id-19. lected in tanks. thousands of families more vul- ment, predicted above-average during a pandemic, he added, where authorities say the prob- houses were swept away,” said “We have stayed here for two Church and other local leaders nerable to the virus, aid workers rainfall during the fi rst week of warning that other diseases like lem began last October. Otieno. “I only saved my two weeks, and it is very challenging have donated equipment, so they said. the month and near-average pre- cholera and malaria could easily The water’s depth has crept up goats.” to maintain social distancing,” can easily wash their hands and Nearly 200 people have been cipitation in the second half, with break out. from 12m to more than 13.3m, af- In Kenya’s Western and Nyan- Otieno told the Thomson Reuters keep good hygiene. killed by fl oods and landslides in rains likely to continue into June. “As much as the government fecting major towns in the three za regions, heavy rainfall since Foundation by phone. Kenya has so far recorded more Kenya this year — considerably Senior meteorologist Misiani discourages people coming to- countries that border the lake, March has displaced more than Women and children sleep to- than 580 cases of the virus, with more deaths than caused by the Zachary warned further fl ooding gether in large numbers, we have including Kisumu in Kenya, 100,000 people and devastated gether in the school compound, 26 confi rmed deaths. Covid-19 respiratory disease so was likely, especially in western no choice at the moment as this is Mwanza in Tanzania, and Enteb- homes and crops. while men spend the night in Most infections have occurred far, government fi gures show. areas that have already received an emergency,” he said. be in Uganda. At the same time, the govern- separate rooms. in cities like Nairobi and Momba- According to Peter Abwao, a lots of wet weather. “Food is provided (in the shel- The eff ects of the lake’s unu- ment is fi ghting to contain the The nearly 500 displaced sa, but community transmission spokesman for the Kenya Red Zachary also said persistent ters), so we are trying our best to sually high waters are hamper- coronavirus outbreak at national people staying in local schools is also happening in other parts Cross, about 17,000 house- rains could lead to huge cracks in ensure movements in and out of ing hydropower generation and and local levels, with measures are trying to follow government of the country. holds, each with an average of six roads and landslides, hampering the schools are restricted.” transport, and have also fl ooded like social distancing. guidelines to prevent Covid-19 Health cabinet secretary Mu- members, have been aff ected by relief for remote villages. On top of the fl ash fl oods and settlements on its shores. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 5 AMERICAS Canada’s British Columbia the latest province to unveil restart plan

Reuters industry associations to provide what will be the new normal.” shares a border with Washington Canada, provinces agree to boost wages of essential workers: Trudeau Ottawa guidelines on how retailers, hair Separately on Wednesday, state, where the fi rst major US salons, restaurants and other Ontario said that it would allow outbreak occurred. Canada and the 10 provinces have agreed to increase 75% percent of the total cost of the increased wages, non-essential services can safely some businesses to ramp up op- Non-essential businesses have pay for essential workers such as those working in the government said in a statement. he Canadian province of reopen in the coming weeks. erations. been largely shuttered since mid- seniors’ residences, where many coronavirus cases Trudeau earlier told reporters the amount was C$4bn. British Columbia will be- Premier John Horgan also out- Today garden centres can reo- March as offi cials urge people to have occurred, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said The provinces will be responsible for determining who Tgin reopening its economy lined a rough time line of when pen, followed by hardware stores stay at home to slow the spread of yesterday. is essential and how much they receive, he added. as early as mid-May, the premier provincial parks, hotels and the tomorrow, Premier Doug Ford the outbreak, but many of Cana- “Workers are risking their health to provide us with Canada’s military is increasing its support of long-term said on Wednesday, as new coro- province’s fi lm industry would said. da’s 10 provinces have begun in essential care and services, and we need to make sure care homes in Quebec, the province hardest hit by the navirus cases dwindle and other reopen by September. The province will allow more recent weeks to reopen gradually. that they are paid properly for the work they do every coronavirus, and aims to have more than 1,350 mem- parts of the country, including He cautioned that the plans construction, including some Farm and mining province day,” he told a daily briefing. bers in 25 diff erent homes in coming days, Defence Quebec and Manitoba, begin to announced on Wednesday were demolition work. Saskatchewan, which has had Ottawa will contribute C$3bn ($2.1bn), representing Minister Harjit Sajjan said yesterday. loosen their restrictions. conditional on monitoring case As of Monday, any retailer with relatively few cases, said it would The Pacifi c Coast province re- counts and hospitalisations. a street entrance can provide boost capital spending by C$2bn ported Canada’s fi rst death from “We’ve resisted announc- curbside pickup, Ford said. ($1.4bn) over two years to stimu- ince, began to restart on Monday, the epidemic continued to slow. on certain medical equipment Covid-19, the respiratory illness ing this plan because oftentimes “We will move forward, but late its economic recovery. but pushed back plans to reopen It is “extremely important” such as masks and gloves, reduc- caused by the novel coronavirus, that’s the trigger. People go, ‘Oh we will move cautiously. We will The money will be spent on the city of Montreal. that any reopening plan include ing costs for businesses. and its fi rst case of community good, Horgan just said it’s time move with cautious optimism, schools, highways and hospitals. As of Wednesday, there were social-distancing measures, Tam More than 7.5mn people have transmission, but reported only to get back to normal’,” he told a and together we will get through “This is a C$2bn economic 62,458 reported coronavirus told reporters. applied for emergency unem- 23 new cases on Wednesday. news conference. this,” said Ford. booster shot,” Premier Scott Moe cases in Canada and 4,111 deaths, Canadian Finance Minister Bill ployment assistance in Canada, The provincial government “I’m not saying that. I’m say- British Columbia has a popu- said. Chief Public Health Offi cer Morneau said that Canada would government data showed on will work with businesses and ing we have a plan to move to lation of about 5mn people and Quebec, the worst-hit prov- Theresa Tam said, adding that waive tariff s that range up to 18% Wednesday. ‘Bridgegate’ Trump vetoes bid to convictions limit his war powers overturned Reuters absolve those who should have US Senate fails to override US military killed 132 civilians globally in 2019 Washington truly been held accountable,” Trump veto of Iran war Kelly said in a statement. powers resolution One hundred thirty-two civilians were killed last year in US global military Kelly will serve none of her operations, the army said on Wednesday, a number far lower than those ides to former New 13-month prison sentence, Reuters/AFP published by NGOs. Jersey governor Chris which had been hold while she Washington The Department of Defence (DoD) “assesses that there were approxi- AChristie who were at appealed. mately 132 civilians killed and approximately 91 civilians injured during the centre of the “Bridgegate” Baroni started serving his 2019 as a result of US military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and scandal engaged in corruption 18-month sentence but was he US Senate failed yester- Somalia”, the Pentagon said in an annual report mandated by the US and abuse of power but not released when the Supreme day to override President Congress. criminal acts, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear the case TDonald Trump’s veto of a The report added that the DoD “did not identify any civilian casualties Court ruled yesterday as it last year. resolution that would have limit- resulting from US military operations in Yemen and Libya” last year. unanimously threw out their “Although the process of ed his ability to wage war against The most civilian victims were in Afghanistan, with 108 deaths and 75 convictions and placed new getting to this day has been an Iran by requiring him to obtain injured, the Pentagon said. limits on political corruption ordeal, Bill is heartened that congressional approval before In Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon took responsibility in the death of 22 civil- prosecutions. the system ultimately worked, undertaking military action. ians and the injury of another 13. The justices sided with even as he recognises how of- Voting continued, but there Only two civilians were killed and three injured in Somalia, according to Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill ten it fails others who are less were already more than 34 “no” the military. Baroni, both of whom were fortunate,” Baroni’s lawyer, votes. Multiple NGOs regularly publish far higher death tolls of American strikes convicted for their roles in a Michael Levy, said. At least a two-thirds majority, in war zones. scheme to engineer traffi c cha- Kagan wrote that the federal or 67 votes, is needed to override The NGO Airwars, which tracks civilian victims of aerial bombardments os in September 2013 on the fraud laws would be violated a veto in the 100-member Sen- around the world, estimated there were between 465 and 1,113 civilians world’s busiest bridge to pun- only if the aim of the two de- ate. killed in Syria alone by the US-backed coalition last year. ish a local mayor who refused fendants was “to obtain the The resolution, led by Demo- “The Department of Defence’s submission of this year’s report marks to endorse Christie’s guberna- Port Authority’s money or cratic Senator Tim Kaine, had some progress in terms of transparency of US military operations,” said torial re-election bid. property”. passed the Senate with support Trump: We live in a hostile world of evolving threats, and the Daphne Eviatar of the US chapter of Amnesty International. “The evidence the jury heard The scheme was an exercise from Democrats and Republi- Constitution recognises that the president must be able to anticipate “The content of the report, however, suggests that the Pentagon is still no doubt shows wrongdoing – of “regulatory power” that cans, despite Trump’s opposi- our adversaries’ next moves and take swift and decisive action in undercounting civilian casualties,” she said. deception, corruption, abuse does not constitute “property” tion. response. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also criticised the report. of power. But the federal fraud under the fraud laws, Kagan On Wednesday Trump vetoed ACLU director Hina Shamsi echoed that US President Donald Trump’s statutes at issue do not crimi- added. what he called a “very insulting” States and its forces against im- outlined in the US Constitution. administration is “undercounting” the number of civilians killed or injured nalise all such conduct,” liberal Prosecutors accused Kelly congressional resolution seeking minent attack”. Trump has preached the need overseas. Justice Elena Kagan wrote on and Baroni of creating days of to limit his war powers in Iran. “That is incorrect,” he said. for a drawdown of American mil- “Compared to credible independent media accounts and rights groups’ behalf of the court in the 9-0 lane closures on the George In a statement, Trump said “We live in a hostile world of itary entanglements abroad, but investigations, it is clear that the Pentagon’s investigations are still woe- ruling. Washington Bridge, which he had used his veto because the evolving threats, and the Consti- has ramped up a hostile relation- fully inadequate,” she said in a statement. Kelly, a former Christie dep- connects Fort Lee, New Jer- resolution – a rare bipartisan re- tution recognises that the presi- ship with Iran. uty chief of staff , and Baroni, sey, to New York City, the most buke to the president approved in dent must be able to anticipate His administration has im- a former deputy executive di- populous US city. March – was based on “misun- our adversaries’ next moves and posed crippling economic sanc- but Democrats and many experts But a recent verbal escalation rector of the Port Authority of The closures caused traffi c derstandings of facts and law”. take swift and decisive action in tions on Tehran. condemned the decision to kill following an incident between New York and New Jersey, were gridlock and were intended to The measure stemmed from response. That’s what I did!” In January, Trump ordered him as disproportionate and pro- US ships and Iranian speedboats convicted in 2016 of wire fraud punish the Democratic mayor fears among both Trump’s Re- The resolution said the US a drone strike that killed Iran’s vocative. in the Gulf showed that tensions and misusing Port Authority of Fort Lee, Mark Sokolich, publicans and Democrats that president cannot commit his powerful general, Qassem Solei- Tehran retaliated with a strike remain high. resources. after he declined to endorse the White House was stumbling military to hostilities against Iran mani, at the Baghdad airport. against bases used by the US mil- It is the second time Trump The Supreme Court ruled the Republican Christie for into war with the Islamic repub- or any part of its government or The assassination has in- itary in Iraq without causing any has vetoed an attempt by Con- that their actions did not fi t re-election, according to pros- lic. military without explicit author- fl amed tensions between the two fatalities, easing fears of a dra- gress to control his military ini- within the defi nition of fraud ecutors. In the statement, Trump says isation from Congress. countries. matic escalation. tiatives. under federal law. The traffi c was so bad that that Congress misinterpreted his Supporters said they wanted Soleimani was widely seen as The Trump administration In 2019, he blocked a resolu- “Having been maligned, local authorities at the time constitutional authority as being to ensure that Congress had the the architect of destabilising ac- claims it has put Iran back in its tion to end US support for Saudi I now stand with my family called it a threat to public safe- limited to “defence of the United unique power to declare war, as tivities by Iran around the world, box. Arabia’s off ensive in Yemen. and friends knowing that due ty because it delayed emergen- process worked. While this cy responders. may fi nally have made this Christie denied involvement White House case right for me, it does not and was not charged. military aide tests White House shelved CDC guidance positive for virus President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence have Outrage over killing on easing of coronavirus restrictions tested negative for the novel coronavirus after a member of the US military who worked at the of unarmed man Reuters White House was found to have Washington been infected, a White House spokesman said yesterday. AFP An altercation ensues as The military off icial was identified Washington Arbery and this man struggle, he White House shelved a by CNN as a personal valet to and the black man is shot once, step-by-step guide pre- Trump. then once more seconds later. Tpared by US health offi - “We were recently notified by oliticians, celebrities The two white men have cials to help states safely reopen the White House Medical Unit and people speaking out been identifi ed by police as mass transit, restaurants, day- that a member of the United Pon social media are an- Travis McMichael, 34, and his care centres and other public States military, who works on the grily demanding the arrest of father Gregory McMichael, 64, places closed by the coronavirus White House campus, has tested two white men in the shooting who both live in Brunswick. pandemic, an administration of- positive for coronavirus. death of an unarmed black jog- After the video footage went fi cial said yesterday. “The president and the vice- ger in Georgia. viral, a Georgia district at- The 17-page document pre- president have since tested Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was torney said on Tuesday that pared by the Centres for Disease negative for the virus and killed on February 23 as he ran a grand jury would be formed Control and Prevention (CDC) they remain in great health,” on a sunny day in his residen- to see if there are grounds to was put off to avoid giving “overly spokesman Hogan Gidley said. tial neighbourhood in the town charge the father and son. prescriptive” guidance, said the Trump has now been tested at Brunswick. Neither has been arrested. offi cial, a member of President least twice for the coronavirus But the case gained national Around the country, politi- Donald Trump’s White House and both times tested negative. notoriety this week with the cal fi gures and celebrities ex- task force, confi rming a news re- A test on April 2 came out release of a 28-second cell- pressed indignation and called port by the Associated Press that negative, the White House said. phone video that captured the for the two men to be pros- the guidance was shelved. On April 3, the White House said shooting. ecuted. The CDC did not immediately that anyone expected to be near In that footage, Arbery is “The video is clear: Ah- respond to a Reuters request for Trucks are seen on the National Mall in Washington, DC, during a protest by truckers against low wages Trump or Pence will be given seen running down the middle maud Arbery was killed in cold comment. caused by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. a rapid Covid-19 test out of an of a residential street and ap- blood. My heart goes out to his More than 74,000 Americans abundance of caution. proaching a white pickup truck family, who deserve justice and have died from Covid-19, the to meet White House recom- seek revisions to add greater nu- throughout the country,” the of- The coronavirus causes the that is stopped in the right deserve it now,” Democratic respiratory disease caused by the mendations to hold off until the ance to the guidance. fi cial told Reuters. Covid-19 respiratory disease. lane with the driver’s side door presidential hopeful Joe Biden virus, out of 1.2mn-plus known number of new Covid-19 cases “Issuing overly specifi c in- Trump has largely allowed The tests are said to provide open and a man standing in the tweeted Wednesday night. to be infected, according to a has declined for two weeks. structions – that CDC leadership states’ governors to determine results within about 15 minutes. back. “#ahmaudarbery was mur- Reuters tally. The administration offi cial never cleared – for how vari- their own response to the out- However, there are potential As Arbery tries to get around dered by two white men, ON Many states have begun eas- said the CDC document was only ous types of businesses open up break but has encouraged them gaps in the screening, including the truck and crosses in front CAMERA, and dudes have not ing restrictions on social and discussed by task force members would be overly prescriptive and to start reopening, deeply con- journalists who may come within of it from the right, he is con- been arrested. come on, peo- business life, including Florida, after news of its existence leaked broad for the various circum- cerned by the economic devasta- a short distance of the president fronted by a second man hold- ple,” actress Zoe Kravitz said in Georgia and Texas, but have yet last month, prompting them to stances states are experiencing tion from the national shutdown. but are not tested. ing a shotgun. an Instagram post. Gulf Times 6 Friday, May 8, 2020 ASIA

Sri Lanka asks govt workers Table dividers in Thailand to donate for virus recovery

AFP The government imposed a lockdown Colombo from March 20, closing all industries, transport and shops apart from some ri Lanka yesterday appealed to its 1.5mn government that deliver essential supplies such as Semployees to donate their food and medicine May salary to the government to boost the economy reeling from the police — to forego their salary Prime Minister Mahinda Ra- the coronavirus pandemic and a in the name of “social responsi- japaksa said earlier this week weeks-long lockdown. bility.” that Sri Lanka had not received The island nation was strug- “In the past month you could any international fi nancial aid to gling to recover from last year’s not travel, go shopping. A lot combat the virus. Easter Sunday bombings that of spending was curtailed,” Ja- He added that allegations that killed 279 people and devastated yasundara said in the letter, seen his government had previously the lucrative tourism industry by AFP. misused foreign aid were “base- when the virus hit earlier this “While seeking loans and aid less”. There have been 797 posi- year. from other countries, we must tive virus cases and nine deaths The government imposed also demonstrate our internal on the island, according to gov- a nationwide lockdown from strength... Consider it (the dona- ernment fi gures. March 20, closing all industries, tion) as your social responsibility The lockdown, which has been transport and shops apart from at this time of crisis.” extended twice, is due to be lifted some that deliver essential sup- Jayasundara said the dona- on Monday. Sri Lanka’s central plies such as food and medicine. tions would help the government bank on Wednesday cut interest In an appeal sent to government “drastically narrow the budget rates to 6.5% — the fourth cut this People eat lunch at a street food restaurant implementing social distancing measures with plastic dividers on the tables after the Thai departments, top civil servant P defi cit” and “manage our nation- year — to stimulate growth. Eco- government relaxed measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, in Bangkok, yesterday. Thailand began easing restrictions B Jayasundara called on all pub- al debt” by saving some 100bn nomic growth slowed to 2.3% last related to the novel coronavirus on May 3 by allowing various businesses to reopen, but warned that the stricter measures would be lic sector workers — including rupees ($525mn). He added that year compared to an expansion of re-imposed should cases increase again. members of the armed forces and he was donating his May pay. 3.3% in 2018. Rohingya stranded Indonesia team produces on boat taken to Bangladesh island compact $1,000 ventilator (island) where they will stay in AFP Dhaka home quarantine,” he added. Reuters behind only China in east Asia. The Rohingya will arrive at Bandung Indonesia has a mortality rate of Bhashan Char today and join 7.2% from the disease. round 280 starving Ro- 28 others from the persecuted A key feature of the Vent-I, hingya stranded on a Muslim minority who were tak- team of Indonesian en- Hidayat said as he displayed Acramped boat in the Bay en there on Saturday. gineers working around the machine in his lab 150km of Bengal for weeks have been The earlier arrivals – the fi rst Athe clock says it has pro- southeast of the capital Jakarta, spotted by the Bangladesh Navy group of Rohingya to be sent to duced in two months a compact is Continuous Positive Airway and are being taken to a contro- the island – were detained after ventilator to sell at a fraction of Pressure (CPAP), which is vital versial fl ood-prone island, offi - coming ashore from the other the usual cost, hoping to accel- for a steady supply of air to the cials said yesterday. boat stuck at sea. erate the fi ght against east Asia’s lungs of people with Covid-19. The boat, one of two trawl- The Rohingya are not being second-deadliest Covid-19 out- CPAP machines, common- ers trying to reach Malaysia, sent on to the mass camps in break. ly used to treat sleep apnoea, was discovered after the navy the southwest as authorities are Like many other countries, have been used in China and increased patrols following re- afraid they might be infected Indonesia faces a shortage of Italy to help coronavirus patients ports of hundreds of Rohingya with the coronavirus. Bangla- the vital mechanical breathing breathe without the need for a adrift at sea. desh earlier refused to let the devices to treat people with the more invasive ventilator. Authorities say they are two trawlers land despite UN pandemic disease. Innovations like the Vent-I likely to have come from Myan- calls. Using household materials may have long-term benefi ts for mar’s Rakhine state rather than Three UN agencies on such as plastic drinking tumblers hospitals in low-income coun- camps in southeastern Bang- Wednesday issued a renewed to make parts, the 40 engineers tries, but it may not greatly help ladesh where nearly 1mn refu- joint appeal for the Rohingya from the Bandung Institute of Covid-19 patients, whose care gees live, as they did not have to be rescued. Authorities said Technology (ITB) developed the depends more on manpower identity cards issued by the UN they did not know if there were Vent-I ventilator that is the size and technique than equipment, Mohamed Ridlo Akbar, Director of Production PT Dirgantara Indonesia, supervises an assembling- refugee agency UNHCR. other boats stranded at sea. So of a mini-oven, said team leader said Eyal Leshem, director of the simulation for “Vent-I”, a ventilator machine focused on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), “It is a very tiny boat com- far, no coronavirus cases have Syarif Hidayat. Center for Travel Medicine and commonly used in obstructive sleep apnoea treatment, for coronavirus patients, at the workshop in pared to its 280 passengers. been confi rmed in the sprawl- The institute aims to sell the Tropical Diseases at Sheba Med- Bandung. They are starving. The navy has ing camps that house the Ro- machines for less than 15mn ical Center in Israel. given them food, water and fi rst hingya, most of whom had fl ed rupiah ($1,000) each, one- “Simply having thousands aid,” a navy offi cial told AFP. a 2017 military crackdown in twentieth or less than the typi- of mechanical ventilation ma- The men, women and chil- Myanmar. cal $20,000 to $25,000, he said. chines will only mean that we’ll dren on the boat – found some Bangladesh last year con- “The structure of this ventilator be able to connect the patients 40km south of Saint Martin’s structed facilities for 100,000 is much simpler compared to the that are in respiratory failure Island – were seen squatting people on Bhashan Char, a ventilator that we see in the in- and then watch them deteriorate with their hands on their knees, muddy silt islet in the cyclone- tensive care unit,” said Hidayat, within a few days,” said Leshem, he said. prone coastal belt, saying they a 57-year-old lecturer at the uni- whose hospital has also done “It (the boat) is being towed needed to take pressure off the versity. projects similar to Indonesia’s by a navy ship to Bhashan Char crowded border camps. Indonesia, where infections $1,000 device. of the coronavirus now exceed “For Covid, this is a cheap so- 12,000, has 8,413 ventilators in lution that may not have a sub- Police seize 630kg of animal carcasses 2,867 hospitals across the archi- stantial impact, unfortunately.” pelago, Health Minister Terawan Hidayat and his team plan to Traff ic police in a central province of Vietnam seized 630kg of dog Agus Putranto said last month. work with state-owned aircraft and cat carcasses and entrails of other animals on a passenger bus, a That is far from enough for the manufacturer Dirgantara Indo- police report said yesterday. The case was discovered on Wednesday 180,000 ICUs that Indonesia nesia to make up to 500 ventila- as traff ic police of Nghe An province stopped a passenger bus will need in the best case, ac- tors a week. travelling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, the police-run newspaper cording to a recent ITB-led study They are awaiting fi nal clinical Cong An Nghe An reported. The carcasses and entrails were packed that forecasts infections rising to tests before getting a license to in styrofoam boxes and stank, the report said. The driver of the bus, 1.6mn in the country of 260mn start mass production. “The fi rst Dinh Minh Hieu, 42, failed to present any documentation relating people. batch of production, around 600 to the origins of the cargo, so police handed the boxes to a local As of Wednesday, 895 peo- to 700 units, are not for sale,” veterinary station. Transporting, killing, selling and eating cat and ple in Indonesia had died of Hidayat said. “Those will be do- dog meat are legal in Vietnam, so police can only fine the driver for Covid-19, the government said, nated.” Workers prepare covers for ‘Vent-I’. failing to show any documentation about the cargo. Cruise ship linked to Australian virus cluster reaches Philippines

Reuters travel bans due to the coronavi- it across Australia, including to far- Manila rus, as well as outbreaks on several fl ung places like Tasmania, where ships, have brought the cruise in- all but two of 12 deaths stem from dustry to a virtual standstill. Prin- the cruise ship. cruise ship at the heart of cess Cruises said on Wednesday its Carnival has said it would co-op- Australia’s biggest corona- voyages would remain suspended erate with the investigation by the Avirus cluster arrived off the through to the end of summer. New South Wales state homicide Philippines yesterday to repatriate According to the coastguard, squad. more than 200 crew, leaving behind there are 214 Filipinos aboard the At the weekend, Admiral Joey weeks of outrage and acrimony over Ruby Princess, one of at least three Garcia, commandant of the Phil- why symptomatic passengers were ships owned by Carnival’s cruise ippine coastguard, said he hoped allowed to disembark. company that became hotbeds of testing of the cruise ships in Manila Just under a quarter of Australia’s coronavirus infections. Bay could be completed within a 97 coronavirus deaths can be traced A special commission of inquiry week and quarantine “graduates” back to Carnival Corp’s Ruby Prin- in Australia has been hearing testi- could return home soon. cess, which has been a fl ashpoint mony this week about events lead- On Wednesday, 1,912 Filipino for anger in Australia and the focus ing up to the unloading of about crew members aboard seven ships of a criminal investigation after a 2,700 passengers without health were visited by task force personnel spike in cases followed its March 19 checks. carrying out the tests. arrival in Sydney. Included at the hearing were de- “The ship itself is the quarantine The 114,000-tonne, 19-deck ship tails of medical logs a few days ear- place for the seafarers,” Garcia said. reached Manila Bay yesterday, join- lier that showed dozens of people “The quarantine rule is to have all ing a cluster of about a dozen other aboard were showing acute respira- of them tested before they disem- cruise ships that will be subjected tory symptoms, with numbers ris- bark.” to on-board testing for Covid-19 ing each day. Nearly 700 guests who More than 500 crew of 15 nation- before any Filipino crew members disembarked later tested positive alities were repatriated from the The M/V Ruby Princess is pictured during a short aerial surveillance conducted at the Manila Bay Anchorage area, in Manila, can disembark. Reduced fl ights and for the coronavirus, some spreading Ruby Princess last month. Philippines, yesterday. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

Hong Kong customs busts smuggling racket, seizes 38,500 endangered shark fi ns

AFP ued demand for shark fi n, which the fi ns came from thresher and fi n from the shark and then and coming less fashionable among particularly at weddings, busi- nifi cantly on the Chinese main- Hong Kong is served at wedding banquets silky sharks, both endangered throw the fatally maimed ani- younger consumers in China, ness events and family gatherings land but there is growing appetite in many Chinese communities. species. mal back in the sea to maxim- Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan. like the upcoming Mother’s Day,” for the dish in Thailand, Vietnam The city’s customs department A 57-year-old man was ar- ise profi t. The dried fi ns sell for But it remains stubbornly popu- senior conservation offi cer Gloria and Indonesia. With its busy port ong Kong has seized 26 unveiled the haul on Wednes- rested but has been released on considerable sums and are usu- lar among older generations and Lai Pui-yin told AFP. Some res- and international connections, tonnes of smuggled shark day and said it smashed previous bail pending further enquiries. ally served in a glutinous soup many prominent hotels and res- taurants and hotels had signed Hong Kong has long been a major Hfi ns, sliced from some records. Some of the ocean’s most vital at banquets. The sale and con- taurants still off er it. WWF’s “no shark fi n” pledge but traffi cking route for wildlife and 38,500 endangered animals, in “Each consignment consist- apex predators, shark popula- sumption of shark fi n is not il- A 2018 survey by the World many continued to off er the dish, drug smugglers. the largest bust of its kind in the ing of 13 tonnes broke the previ- tions have been decimated over legal in Hong Kong, but must be Wildlife Fund (WWF) found sev- she added. Importing endangered spe- southern Chinese city. ous record seizure of 3.8 tonnes the last few decades with fi nning licensed. Years of campaigning en out of 10 Hong Kongers had Wild Aid estimates some 73mn cies without a licence is illegal The record haul was discov- of controlled shark fi ns made in and industrial long line fi shing by environmentalists and celeb- eaten shark fi n that year. “There sharks are killed every year for and carries a maximum penalty ered in two containers from Ec- 2019,” customs offi cial Danny the main culprits. rities like Chinese basketball star is still strong cultural value the trade. Their research says of 10 years in jail and a HK$10mn uador, and highlights the contin- Cheung told reporters. Most of Fishing fl eets often cut the Yao Ming have led to the dish be- placed on consuming shark fi n, consumption has dropped sig- ($1.3mn) fi ne. China supports WHO eff orts in tracing Covid-19

Reuters Beijing Students wearing face masks are seen in their classroom during a government organised media tour at hina said yesterday it sup- Shanghai High School after it reopened in Shanghai yesterday. ports the World Health COrganisation (WHO) in trying to pinpoint the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and ac- cused US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of telling one lie after Chinese students go back another in his attacks on Beijing. The virus has killed more than 255,000 people worldwide, in- cluding more than 70,000 in the to school with longing United States, the worst-aff ected country, since it was fi rst identi- fi ed in the central Chinese city of Reuters walls are papered with posters on quired to wear masks to guard Wuhan in December. Shanghai measures to tackle the coronavi- against the virus’ spread, except Pompeo accused China of rus and in the spotlessly-clean at meal times and that regular withholding virus samples he school canteen, glass walls divide disinfection took place. “These said were needed for global vac- emperature checks, com- the tables, so only two students places are at high risk for cross cine research, and he demanded pulsory face masks and can eat together. infection,” he said. transparency. Tscrupulous hygiene — it’s Zhang is undaunted. She said “When students are not in the Most experts believe Covid-19 more like going to a hospital she had grown used to such classroom, we do disinfection at originated in a market selling than a school, but the Shanghai measures, which have become fi xed times.” wildlife and jumped from ani- students returning to class after the norm in public spaces in In cafeterias and classrooms, mals to people, but Pompeo and three months of lockdown are Shanghai. students have to sit a metre apart US President Donald Trump have thrilled to be there. China’s gradual return to to avoid contact with respiratory said there is evidence it came Women wearing face masks look at a cellphone while waiting to be served during lunchtime at a “I feel so excited coming back school will be closely watched and saliva droplets. from a laboratory, without elab- restaurant, in Beijing. to school. Usually we look for- across the world as parents The school also has stockpiles orating. ward to the holidays but sudden- struggle with taking on the role of disinfectant, personal pro- Pompeo also accused the he contradicts himself is because ly our holidays became so long. of teacher for home schooling, tective equipment, gloves, hand WHO of being too slow to re- he is always making up a lie to This time, we longed to go back but are nervous about the risk of sanitiser and masks in its infi r- spond to the disease and said it cover up another lie. This is an to school, where we can see our a new wave of infection. China is mary, in line with the Shanghai “needs to still demand that there open secret.” friends and teachers,” 17-year- treading carefully. government’s requirement. be an investigation” in China. At a White House event on old Zhang Jiayi told Reuters. Each region has a diff erent Whatever the physical risks, Chinese Foreign Ministry Wednesday, Trump, who is seek- She was among the more timetable. Schools in some lower the big benefi t of a return to spokeswoman Hua Chunying, ing re-election in November, senior pupils who went back to risk provinces, such as Qinghai school is likely to be a sense of addressing reporters in Beijing called the virus the worst “at- school in Shanghai this week in and Guizhou, reopened in March, mental well-being. yesterday, said China supported tack” the United States had ever a staggered reopening follow- while students elsewhere took Feng said the school had a psy- WHO eff orts to investigate the experienced, and blamed China ing the closures to contain the online classes. chological guidance team to help origin of the pandemic. for not stopping it. spread of the novel coronavi- In the major cities Shanghai students during the isolation of “We are always open to co-op- “This is worse than Pearl Har- rus. It’s no longer school as they and Beijing, the reopening is only online classes, but that could erate with the WHO on matters, bor. This is worse than the World knew it. Students and staff alike just getting under way. Zhang never be a substitute for being including on the question of ori- Trade Center,” Trump said. are required to enter the school went back to the classroom on reunited in person with friends gin,” she said. But she repeated a “And it should have never building via a thermal scan- Wednesday. and teachers. “Teachers and stu- timeline of signals from France, happened. It could have been ner and must wear a mask, even School principal Feng Zhigang dents being together, this is the Sweden and the United States stopped at the source. It could when addressing the class. The told reporters students were re- most eff ective,” he said. itself that the virus may not have have been stopped in China. It emerged in China. should have been stopped right Day labourers negotiate with a potential employer at an informal “While scientists have not at the source, and it wasn’t.” labour market in Baoding, Hebei Province. come to a conclusion, why is He has accused the WHO of Secretary Pompeo drawing the being “China-centric” and act- the virus, China should be (a) US ic co-authored by 27 European hasty conclusion that the virus ing too slowly to fi ght the dis- comrade in arms, not enemy.” ambassadors and published in China reports 2 new coronavirus came from a Wuhan lab? Where ease, and threatened to withdraw Anthony Fauci, director of the the offi cial China Daily’ had been is his proof? Show us the proof. funds, while many scientists US National Institute of Allergy removed before publication. If he cannot show any evidence, have said now is the time to in- and Infectious Diseases and a A comparison between the cases, death toll remains at 4,633 then he may still be in the process crease funding and global coop- member of Trump’s Coronavirus original op-ed uploaded onto of making up this evidence.” eration to fi nd a vaccine. Task Force, said in an interview the EU embassy website and the The WHO has urged countries Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in published on Monday the best one published on Tuesday by the Reuters the national health authority The commission also re- to investigate any early suspi- Hawaii in 1941 and Al Qaeda mil- evidence showed the virus was China Daily showed that in a sen- Shanghai showed yesterday. ported 6 new asymptomatic cious cases and called earlier itants fl ew hijacked airliners into not made in a lab, but appeared to tence beginning, Both were so-called im- cases for May 6, versus 20 from comments about a possible labo- the World Trade Center in New have “evolved in nature and then “But the outbreak of the coro- ported cases involving travel- the previous day. China’s total ratory source by Pompeo “specu- York on Sept 11, 2001. Hua said jumped species”. navirus”, the words that followed hina reported two new lers from overseas, the National number of coronavirus cases lative”. the only enemy was the virus. The European Union ambas- – “in China, and its subsequent coronavirus cases for Health Commission said in a now stands at 82,885, while the Hua said Pompeo had con- “Because that is the common sador to China said yesterday it spread to the rest of the world CMay 6, unchanged from statement. The two cases from death toll remained unchanged tradicted himself in interviews enemy of all of humanity... Faced was “regrettable” that part of an over the past three months” – the same number of increas- the day before were also im- at 4,633, the national health about the virus. “The reason why with this mankind battle against opinion piece about the pandem- had been removed. es the day before, data from ported. authority said.

Australia fears suicide spike

Thousands of Australians are expected to take their own lives Australia’s biggest states retain lockdown measures because of the financial and psychological stress of the coronavirus crisis, far outstripping the death toll from the disease itself, experts warned yesterday. Reuters „ Most states won’t relax stay-home order for tions without a sense of confi - Modelling by the Brain and Mind Centre at Sydney University Sydney dence that we are truly on top predicted an additional 750 to 1,500 suicides per year for up to Mother’s Day celebration of this,” Victorian premier Dan- five years as a result of the impacts of the pandemic and economic „ Federal emergency cabinet to discuss easing orders iel Andrews said, adding that shutdowns imposed to curb its spread. ustralia’s two most popu- he would not visit his mother That would mark a spike of 25 to 50% over the 3,000 suicides lous states yesterday re- „ New infections remain low, most new cases linked to on Sunday. “Nobody is enjoy- usually recorded each year in the country. Youth, hit hard by the Afused to allow a one-day meatworks ing these settings, I understand closure of schools and hospitality businesses, were expected to reprieve from strict limits on that.” make up about 30% of the additional suicides, the centre said personal movement for Mother’s much that NSW will be in a po- kept restrictions broadly in place. sis, which includes state leaders. In Tasmania state, Premier in a joint report with the Australian Medical Association and Day this weekend, even as the sition to implement anything Australia has confi rmed just Prime Minister Scott Morrison Peter Gutwein said “the best mental health experts. “We know that young people are going country’s rate of new coronavirus before Mother’s Day,” NSW Pre- under 6,900 Covid-19 cases, in- has made increased testing and present that you can provide for to be disproportionately aff ected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and cases remains low. mier Gladys Berejiklian told re- cluding 97 deaths. Twenty new the downloading of a contact your mother is to keep her safe”. the measures that are needed to stop the spread of this deadly The premiers of New South porters yesterday. “We will be infections were reported across tracing smartphone app prereq- Queensland state broke away disease,” they said. Wales (NSW) and Victoria said able to visit them, two adults and four states yesterday, the bulk uisites for relaxing restrictions. to allow up to fi ve adults to visit “These people are vulnerable to experiencing psychological, the states’ roughly 14mn resi- children at any one time, and of linked to an outbreak at a meat About 700,000 of the coun- a private home on Sunday, but financial, and housing stress in the short and longer terms,” they dents, 56% of the country’s course that can happen multiple processing plant in Victoria. The try’s 25mn people have been Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. Australia has been one of the most successful countries in population, would have to stick times a day as long as everybody rate could rise as other states and tested for the virus. About 5.2mn said other restrictions remained containing Covid-19, with fewer than 7,000 confirmed cases and to existing restrictions on move- is careful.” territories report during the day. people have downloaded the fi rmly in place. 100 deaths out of a population of 25mn. But restrictions on travel, ment on Mother’s Day, which is NSW recently eased a stay-at- The federal government has tracking app, Health Minister “You can’t go shopping, you public gatherings and retail businesses have had a devastating celebrated nationally on Sunday. home order to allow social vis- said it will discuss the possible Greg Hunt said yesterday, just can’t go to the beach, you can’t impact on the economy, slashing some A$4bn ($2.5bn) per week “Whilst national cabinet is its in groups of up to two, while relaxation of nationwide “so- half the government’s 10mn tar- can’t go further in that commu- from economic activity and forcing millions of people out of considering easing some restric- some other states have also taken cial distancing” rules today at a get. nity, it’s all about one household work. Reacting to the report, Health Minister Greg Hunt said the tions from today in terms of the tentative steps to unwind lock- meeting of an emergency cabi- “The last thing we want to do meeting with another house- government was investing an extra A$500mn in mental health national guidelines, I doubt very down measures, but most have net formed to deal with the cri- is to ease off any of those restric- hold,” she said. funding as part of its suicide prevention eff orts. Gulf Times 8 Friday, May 8, 2020 BRITAIN

Contact-tracing app could fall foul of privacy law, govt told

Guardian News and Media be addressed before the trial was developed symptoms. “The government has given as- possible for parliament to do the and regular reviews of the scheme told the committee.“We expect to London expanded. Ministers have said it is an im- surances about protection of pri- same for legislation to protect by Matt Hancock, the health sec- get it very soon.” Its report was published fol- portant tool to study the spread of vacy so they should have no ob- privacy.” The committee said the retary. Giving evidence to the Three days after the hearing, lowing a legal letter from the Covid-19 and to help them ease jection to those assurances being app would fall foul of the law in its committee on Monday, Elizabeth however, and the ICO has still he NHS contact-tracing Open Rights Group warning of lockdown restrictions. enshrined in law. current form. Denham, the information com- not been given the impact assess- app must not be rolled out “heightened and urgent con- But privacy campaign groups “The contact-tracing app in- It has called for new legislation missioner, revealed that her offi ce ment, even as the app’s trial has Tacross the UK until the cerns” that the government had have opposed its introduction and volves unprecedented data gath- with guaranteed data and human had not received a data protection grown to encompass all residents government has increased privacy failed to follow laws requiring it to a group of UK academics working ering. There must be robust legal rights protections, as well as an impact assessment from the gov- of the Isle of Wight. and data protections, an infl uen- submit an assessment of the risks in cybersecurity, privacy and law protection for individuals about independent body to oversee the ernment, a legally required step “This means NHSX are pro- tial parliamentary committee has to the information commissioners recently signed a joint letter say- what that data will be used for, use, eff ectiveness and privacy for any organisation embarking ceeding unlawfully with their said, as rights groups warn that offi ce. ing it could open the door to gen- who will have access to it and how protections of the app and any on “high risk” data processing. trials,” said Jim Killock, chief ex- the current trial is unlawful under The app, which is being tri- eral surveillance. it will be safeguarded from hack- data associated with this contact- “We have not yet seen the data ecutive of the Open Rights Group, the data protection act. alled on the Isle of Wight, logs Harriet Harman, the chair of ing. tracing, a digital contact-tracing protection impact assessment, which has written to the head of The joint committee on hu- users’ movements and can the joint committee on human “Parliament was able quickly human rights commissioner to which is critical for us to be able to NHSX, Matthew Gould, demand- man rights said yesterday it had alert people if they have had rights, said government assuranc- to agree to give the government deal with complaints from the see what legal bases will be relied ing to know why the body has “signifi cant concerns” that must contact with someone who has es on privacy were “not enough”. sweeping powers. It is perfectly public and report to parliament, on for the application,” Denham failed its legal obligations. Immigration removal centre held pandemic exercise in Jan Operation prompts questions started to reduce dramatically.” about how much government The committee also heard knew about forecast scale of evidence from providers of asy- Covid-19 outbreak lum seeker accommodation at Clearsprings Ready Homes and Guardian News and Media Mears Group, saying testing was London not available for their service us- ers despite hundreds of them iso- lating and living in accommoda- he Home Offi ce took part tion with shared areas. in a pandemic contingency Taking questions from the Texercise at an immigration Conservative MP Laura Farris, removal centre as early as January, Burnett said: “At Yarl’s Wood we it has emerged, prompting ques- held a full pandemic contingency tions about how much the gov- planning exercise at the end of ernment knew about the forecast January, which ensured we were scale of the Covid-19 outbreak. as prepared as we could be.” Sarah Burnett, the business She added: “This was done operations director for justice and at our instigation but with the NHS staff applaud as Kathrine, Stuart and their daughter Ruby leave Blackpool Victoria Hospital, after recovering from the coronavirus disease, in Blackpool. immigration at Serco, told MPs Home Offi ce and our healthcare that the exercise took place at the partners Northampton health- Yarl’s Wood immigration cen- care trust. tre with the involvement of the “We worked on that as a tri- Home Offi ce and Northampton- partite plan which enabled us to shire healthcare trust. get to a position where we could Addressing the home aff airs se- ensure we had suffi cient stocks lect committee, Burnett said the of PPE for example but also to exercise allowed those involved to redesign the regime to ensure we PM urges ‘caution’ as ensure they had suffi cient stocks could continue to deliver essen- of personal protection equipment tial services while maintaining (PPE). the social distancing controls.” Colin Dobell, the managing di- The Home Offi ce has been ap- rector at Mitie Care & Custody, proached for comment. similarly told the committee that After the hearing, Doughty a pandemic contingency exercise said: “It was deeply concerning lockdown easing eyed took place with the Home Offi ce to hear that many residents and at the Heathrow immigration re- even staff across the asylum ac- AFP He added: “Any easement to break, although it would rebound all the countries of the United land but if one wanted to go “at a moval centre (IRC) in February, commodation system do not ap- London the guidelines next week will be by 15% next year. Kingdom. slightly diff erent pace we have to allowing it to start reducing the pear to have been able to access very limited, we are at a critical Johnson’s spokesman said the But Scotland’s First Minister respect that”. numbers in detention in early testing, despite large numbers moment in the fi ght against the “worst thing we could do” is relax Nicola Sturgeon said she would Possible changes to social dis- March. becoming symptomatic, which rime Minister Boris John- virus and will not do anything restrictions and thereby allow a not be pressured into ending the tancing measures could see pubs The Labour MP Stephen itself is unsurprising given the son told senior ministers that risks throwing away the ef- second spike in virus rates which measures too soon and risk a re- and cafes with gardens allowed Doughty asked the pair if they nature of shared accommoda- Pyesterday the government forts or sacrifi ces of the public.” would require fresh measures, surgence of the virus. to open but people would be re- were surprised that the formal tion. would adopt “maximum caution” The PM’s spokesman said that hitting the economy further. She told reporters there were quired to remain six feet apart. imposition of lockdown condi- “It was also revealing that pro- as it moves towards a relaxation of Johnson used the phrase “maxi- The latest health ministry fi g- suggestions infection rates in The government and its scien- tions did not happen until March viders appear to have been asked lockdown measures imposed to mum caution” when talking to ures show that 30,076 people Scotland were higher than else- tifi c advisers have warned not to 23. to carry out more extensive pan- combat the coronavirus outbreak. colleagues at a Cabinet meeting. with coronavirus have died in the where, and extended the restric- expect a return to normality for Dobell replied: “We were com- demic planning from January Johnson will address the nation The comments came after me- UK. tions for another three weeks un- months. municating with Home Offi ce all onwards. “This suggests that the on Sunday evening, his spokes- dia reports that unlimited exercise However, broader offi cial data til May 28. “The messaging will evolve the way through it. It was clear Home Offi ce internally knew that man said, but warned against re- and picnics will be allowed as part released this week put the total Sturgeon, who leads the de- from stay at home to be careful from late February into early the pandemic was likely to worsen ports of a major easing in social of the fi rst step of easing restric- number of deaths by late April volved government in Edinburgh when you’re out,” an unnamed March what the strategy would and spread in the UK and throws distancing rules announced in tions in the country, which has above 32,000 — including 107 which has powers over health minister told the Daily Telegraph. be, which was really to reduce the up yet more questions about who March. suff ered the most fatalities of any health care workers and 29 care policy in Scotland, has clashed Offi ces will have to stagger number of detainees in the IRC. knew what, when, and why these “We are not going to do any- European nation. staff . with Johnson during the crisis. arrivals and separate staff with “We saw that take eff ect from insights did not lead to changes thing that risks a second peak,” he The Bank of England warned London has indicated it wants a She said there was “merit” in a screens, while meetings will con- early March, so from March 8 on- in other policies in other areas of told reporters. “We will proceed yesterday the economy could united “four-nation approach” to single policy for England, Scot- tinue to take place remotely when wards the numbers in detention Home Offi ce work.” with maximum caution.” slump by 14% because of the out- lifting lockdown measures across land, Wales and Northern Ire- possible, according to the paper.

Banksy pays Ethnic minorities ‘more tribute to likely to die of Covid-19’ NHS heroes AFP AFP from white backgrounds. death certificates but there London London The ONS said its fi ndings sug- have been calls for it to be in- gested diff erences were in part a cluded to establish more accu- result of geographic and socio- rate figures. new artwork by Banksy in lack men and women are economic factors, such as depri- The ONS linked its data to the honour of Britain’s health more than four times more vation. last national census in 2011 in Aservice has gone on display in Blikely to die with coronavi- “However, these factors do not which people self-reported their a hospital, paying tribute to medics rus than white people in England explain all of the diff erence, sug- ethnicity. battling the coronavirus pandemic and Wales, the Offi ce for Nation- gesting that other causes are still The UCL study, published in the second hardest-hit country. al Statistics said yesterday. to be identifi ed,” it added. before the ONS fi ndings after a The street artist also posted an The data, compiled from anal- Taking into account other study of NHS data on hospital image of the work on Instagram, ysis conducted between March 2 factors, such as health and dis- deaths from March 1 to April 21, which shows a boy in dungarees and April 10, is the latest to indi- ability, the ONS said black men also found a greater risk for mi- playing with a fi gurine of a nurse in cate marked diff erences in how and women were 1.9 times more nority ethnic people. a superhero cape. the outbreak aff ects diff erent likely to die with Covid-19 than They found the average risk of The sole splash of colour in the ethnic groups. whites. death was “around two to three artwork — entitled ‘Game Chang- A University College London All minority ethnic groups had times higher” for black, Asian er’ — is the red cross on the nurse’s study also indicated a dispro- increased mortality risks, except and other ethnic minority groups uniform, while discarded Superman portionate eff ect on people from for Chinese women. when compared to the general and Batman fi gures lie in a basket black and minority ethnic back- Black people accounted for 6% population. next to the boy. grounds. of the overall deaths from Cov- “Rather than being an equalis- “Thanks for all you’re doing. I The ONS analysis suggest- id-19 during the analysis period. er, this work shows that mortal- hope this brightens the place up a ed black males in England and A total of 83.8% of deaths were ity with Covid-19 is dispropor- bit, even if it’s only black and white,” Wales were 4.2 times more likely of people of white ethnicity. tionately higher in black, Asian the enigmatic artist said in a note for to die after contracting Covid-19. The fi ndings are similar to and minority ethnic groups,” hospital workers. The fi gure rose to 4.3 for black data from the state-run National said UCL’s Delan Devakumar, the Hung on a corridor wall at a hos- women. Health Service in England, which study’s co-author. pital in Southampton in southern It also found people of Bang- said white people accounted for “It is essential to tackle the un- A handout picture received from @BANKSY Instagram feed yesterday shows a drawing created by England, the 10-square-foot tab- ladeshi, Pakistani, Indian and 82.7% of deaths, and black peo- derlying social and economic risk the artist Banksy called “Game Changer”, showing a boy playing with a nurse superhero toy with leau will be put on public display mixed heritage had an increased ple 5.7%. factors and barriers to healthcare figures of Batman and Spiderman discarded in a basket as a tribute to NHS staff who are continuing when lockdown measures are lifted, risk of death compared to those Ethnicity is not recorded on that lead to these unjust deaths.” to work during the Covid-19 pandemic. a spokeswoman for Banksy said. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 9 EUROPE

Italy impounds migrant Poland postpones vote, rescue vessels greenlights postal ballot Reuters Reuters/AFP tion allowing the election to be not now be held on Sunday. step back for the fi rst time in fi ve been requests to the Polish post- The PiS rejected opposition Rome Warsaw decided only by postal ballot, He said the legislation on a years”. al service for personal data to calls to declare a disaster or the timing of the vote remains postal vote still did not guaran- But there was relief among prepare the election”. emergency over the pandemic unclear. tee a free and fair election. voters. Reynders said that if the elec- that would automatically post- talian coastguards have im- oland’s lower house of Duda said he hoped the elec- Opposition critics and inter- “I wouldn’t have had a chance tion is delayed long enough, pone the election. pounded two charity rescue parliament gave the green tion would be held as soon as national monitors say only Duda to vote,” said Joanna Jasina, a “there is no reason the vote can- Declaring a state of disaster Iboats at the port of Palermo Plight yesterday for a presi- possible. has been able to campaign prop- 27-year-old waitress in War- not take place physically in poll- is the only “lawful way to post- citing “technical and opera- dential election to be held by Deputy Prime Minister Jacek erly, with rivals constrained by saw who was worried about the ing stations”. pone” a presidential election, tional” irregularities, which the postal vote following a dispute Sasin told private radio RMF FM travel and other restrictions im- health risks and organisational Poland’s centrist and leftist the Helsinki Foundation for Hu- owners denounced as an excuse over whether voting could take that the earliest possible date posed to curb the spread of the problems. opposition parties have rejected man Rights said in a statement to block life-saving missions at place during the coronavirus would be June. coronavirus. Civil rights ombudsman a postal ballot, insisting it could yesterday. sea. pandemic. “Yesterday we worked out a Duda has backed reforms of Adam Bodnar welcomed the open the door to election fraud. The election uncertainty has The seizure of the German- The election was scheduled solution which is good for Po- the judiciary which the Euro- moves away from holding the Warsaw-based political sci- underscored long-standing fl agged Alan Kurdi and Span- for Sunday but the opposition land, which guarantees safe, ful- pean Union’s executive, the Eu- election on Sunday. entist Stanislaw Mocek pointed EU concerns about democratic ish-fl agged Aita Mari followed said the ruling nationalist party, ly democratic and transparent ropean Commission, has said But he told Reuters such to “several violations of the con- standards in Poland. a sharp rise in the number of Law and Justice (PiS), would be elections,” Accord party leader violated democratic norms. moves refl ected a deterioration stitutional order” in the PiS’s Last week the European Com- migrants reaching Italy, which putting political gain ahead of Jaroslaw Gowin told reporters Having an ally as president is of the rule of law under Pis, say- handing of the election. mission launched its fourth in- has angered and embarrassed public health if it went ahead. yesterday before the parliamen- crucial for the government to be ing: “The disease predates what PiS party leader Jaroslaw fringement procedure against the government as it battles the Opinion polls had put Presi- tary vote. able to implement its conserva- we are experiencing now.” Kaczynski and his coalition ally PiS-authored judicial reforms, coronavirus epidemic. dent Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, on While opinion polls show tive agenda as the president has The EU’s top justice offi cial Gowin eff ectively postponed which it says test the rule of law Italy used to be a prime route course for a landslide victory. many Poles opposed holding an the power to veto laws. Didier Reynders warned yester- the May 10 election themselves, by undermining judicial inde- into Europe for hundreds of PiS and its junior coalition election during the coronavirus PiS had also wanted the elec- day in Brussels that the adop- announcing late on Wednesday pendence. thousands of asylum seekers and partner, Accord, reached a deal pandemic, government critics tion to go ahead now because tion of a postal ballot “raised that they expected the Supreme Commissioner Vera Jourova other migrants, but the num- on Wednesday on postponing said it was unclear what legal of concerns that the recession questions about the ability of all Court to declare it null and void also appeared to caution the PiS bers fell sharply in recent years the ballot in anticipation that basis PiS had to cancel Sunday’s likely to follow the coronavirus Poles, including those abroad, to due to the pandemic. government over its handling of because of a crackdown in Libya the Supreme Court will declare vote. pandemic will dent support for take part”. The PiS government “should the presidential election. against smugglers. the election invalid because of “Formally, the election has the government and Duda. “There has not been a true have declared a natural disaster “We cannot compromise or However, there has been a the inability to vote physically not been postponed,” said Borys Anna Materska-Sosnowska, open campaign,” he added. to lawfully postpone the elec- put in lockdown our fundamen- pick-up in 2020. under coronavirus restrictions. Budka, head of the centrist Civic a political scientist at Warsaw The postal ballot gave rise to tion”, Mocek told AFP, adding tal rights and values,” Jourova Charities that rescue migrants But although the Sejm, or Platform opposition party, while University, told private broad- doubts about data protection, that “now we’re in a fog of legal said. “The virus must not kill at sea have accused the Italian lower house, approved legisla- acknowledging an election could caster TVN24 that PiS “had to he said, “since clearly there have absurdity”. democracy.” authorities of interfering with their operations, increasing the risk to human life. Italy says NGO boats make the problem worse by tempting peo- ple to make the perilous voyage. Belgian EU defends letting The Alan Kurdi, which picked up 150 migrants off the Libyan coast last month and brought chefs lay them to Italy, was impounded on China censor Tuesday. The Aita Mari, which had down brought 34 people to Sicily, was sequestrated on Wednesday. article by envoys The coastguard said in a state- jackets in ment that work would be needed on both boats before they could AFP sorship and control of the me- return to sea, adding that the protest Brussels dia,” Borrell told reporters. respective fl ag-countries would The article, published to mark have to intervene because they the 45th anniversary of diplo- were responsible for compliance Reuters he EU has defended agree- matic relations between the EU with ship safety. Brussels ing to let Beijing censor an and Beijing, called for closer re- No further details were imme- Tarticle by European am- lations. diately available. bassadors published in Chinese The coronavirus, which has The German group Sea-Eye, undreds of chefs’ jack- media to remove a reference to now killed more than 260,000 which operates the Alan Kurdi, ets were laid down in the coronavirus originating in people around the world, origi- denounced the seizure as “gro- Hthe centre of Brussels China. nated in central China late last tesque”, saying that the boat had yesterday to highlight the plight The opinion piece written year. just returned from a fi ve-week of hotels, restaurants and cafes jointly with the 27 EU national But Beijing has sought to cur- refi t. that have been shuttered for ambassadors appeared in the tail mentions of the Chinese city “Detaining our ship is pure nearly two months during the China Daily, but a sentence of Wuhan as the origin of the vi- harassment (aimed at) grinding coronavirus outbreak. mentioning “the outbreak of the rus, according to EU anti-disin- civil sea rescue eff orts to a halt The whites, separated by a coronavirus in China” was de- formation experts. bit by bit,” said Sea-Eye spokes- stripe of black kitchen tops, leted. The decision to bow to Chi- man Julian Pahlke. were displayed in neat rows to A spokeswoman for EU dip- nese censorship caused outrage Both Italy and nearby Malta resemble a cemetery in the or- lomatic chief Josep Borrell con- among some European politi- have closed their ports to mi- nate central Grand Place square fi rmed the change was made at cians. grant boats, saying they cannot in Brussels. the request of the Chinese for- Norbert Roettgen, the chair- help them because of the coro- Coralie Michiels, one of the eign ministry but defended the man of the German parliament’s navirus crisis. organisers of the protest, said decision to go ahead with publi- foreign aff airs committee, said Almost 30,000 people have that the action is partly to show cation regardless. he was “shocked not once but died in Italy of the Covid-19 dis- the scale of the hotel, restaurant “We regret that this joint op- twice”. ease, while fi ve people have died and cafe sector – providing a ed was not published in full by “First the EU ambassadors in Malta. livelihood for 10% of Belgium’s the China Daily,” Virginie Bat- generously adopt Chinese nar- The Covid-19 respiratory dis- 11.5mn people and contributing tu-Henriksson told reporters in ratives & then the EU represen- ease is caused by the coronavi- €18bn ($19.4bn) a year to the Brussels. tation on top accepts Chinese rus. economy. She said EU offi cials raised censorship of the joint op-ed,” Despite the closures, migrants “There is an impression that “very serious concerns” about he wrote on Twitter. have continued to arrive, with we’re not really being heard,” the request to censor the article. The European Commission’s some 4,069 people reaching Ita- said Michiels, whose family “The EU delegation decided chief spokesman Eric Mamer ly so far this year, compared with owns Restauration Nouvelle, a nevertheless to proceed with the insisted that the decision to go 842 in the same period in 2019, company with restaurants and publication of the op-ed with ahead with publishing the doc- the interior ministry says. catering services. “We need to considerable reluctance as it tored article “did not mean we Malta announced yesterday know what measures there are considered it important to com- consider censorship to be ac- that it had chartered a second and be able to plan for the fu- municate on very key messages ceptable”. tourist boat to hold newly res- ture.” on EU policy priorities,” she add- The row comes just a fortnight cued migrants off shore after the Belgium has begun easing its ed, citing climate change, human after the EU was forced to deny armed forces saved 120 people lockdown, with all shops al- rights and the global response to caving to Chinese pressure to from a dinghy overnight. lowed to open from Monday. the coronavirus. water down a report on corona- An initial boat was chartered However, bars and restau- Around 600 vests of chefs are displayed on the Grand Place in Brussels during a protest by the hotel Borrell said that foreign diplo- virus disinformation. last month to hold 57 migrants rants will stay closed at least and catering industry. matic missions in China have to The New York Times said that outside Malta’s territorial waters until June, having shut their “work under the conditions and under pressure from Beijing, the until the European Union found doors in mid-March. Michelin-starred Comme Chez Others have decided to pro- bars and restaurants to reo- within the limits set by the Chi- EU had delayed publication of a way to rehouse them. Restaurants can still of- Soi, have chosen to instead feed vide meals for health sector pen on Monday, while German nese authorities”. a regular report on disinforma- A deal has not yet been fer takeaway or delivery serv- the homeless during the lock- workers. states will start doing so from “It is no secret that China is tion trends last week, and toned reached. ice dishes, but some, such as down. Switzerland is set to allow next week. now a state where there is cen- down the fi nal version.

Homeopath in court after snake venom used as cancer treatment Mosque shooter pleads not guilty, regrets not doing more harm Does a homeopath owe damages to a five-year- old boy whose mother died of cancer while under DPA/AFP Her body was found at Man- The prosecutor also showed the the following day at the mosque for tack, it was necessary to read the her treatment? The court of appeal in Munich Stockholm/Oslo shaus’ home in Baerum, west of Oslo court a 20-minute video that Man- the key Muslim holiday of Eid al- manifesto compiled by suspected began considering the case yesterday. on August 10, the same day as the shuas fi lmed with a helmet-mount- Adha. white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, The boy’s father is asking for €170,000 ($183,000) mosque attack. ed camera. Arriving at the mosque, he re- the Australian accused of killing 51 in damages and compensation for his son Norwegian man accused of Manshaus said he fi red the many Before leaving, he donned a bul- marked “(expletive), there’s no one people and wounding dozens of oth- from the homeopath, who he says advised his carrying out a shooting at a shots to minimise her “suff ering” let-proof vest. here.” ers in two Christchurch, New Zea- deceased partner against traditional medical Amosque near Oslo in August but was tight-lipped about his rela- During his drive from his home The video showed how he shot his land, mosques in March 2019. treatment for cervical cancer. and murdering his stepsister de- tionship with his stepsister. to the mosque, he was heard sing- way into the mosque where he was Manshaus said that the mosque The mother was already ill when the boy was born nied guilt on both counts as his trial No one was shot or seriously in- ing a song hailing the Vikings and overpowered. attack in Baerum, just west of Oslo, in April 2015. opened in Norway. jured at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre mentioning Vidkun Quisling, a Nor- Sounds of the struggle as well as was in self-defence, saying “all re- He was born by Caesarean section so that the Prosecutor Johan Overberg read mosque, where Manshaus was over- wegian politician who collaborated shots were heard. sistance is to be regarded as self- tumour on her cervix could be treated. out the charges separately yesterday. powered after a struggle with two with the occupying German forces Police have concluded that he act- defence”. Less than two months later, she discontinued When asked by the judge how he members of the mosque. during World War II. ed alone. He also criticised homosexuality, radiation therapy, and the homeopath instead pleaded on each count, Philip Man- Manshaus “apologised” to sup- His father owned the shotgun and In his statement, Manshaus said pornography and immigration. treated her with preparations made from snake shaus said he did not admit guilt. porters for failing to “cause more hunting rifl e that he was armed with, there was an “ongoing genocide of Questioned by the prosecutor, venom, so-called Horvi therapy. He later said he did not regret his harm” in the mosque attack. as well as the.22 calibre rifl e used to European people” and questioned Manshaus said he had an image of The homeopath “massively influenced the injured actions, and is aware he risked a long “I acted on impulse, was stressed shoot his stepsister. “the myth of the Holocaust”. Adolf Hitler as a screensaver on his party”, the plaintiff ’s attorney Marcel Vachek said. sentence. and afterwards I realise I should have Manshaus said he decided to go Judge Annika Lindstrom inter- mobile phone and described himself The defendant denies the accusation, saying that Overberg said that Manshaus shot used more time to plan the attack,” ahead with the attack on August 10 rupted him during his statement, as “a national socialist”. the patient stopped radiation therapy of her own his 17-year-old stepsister, who was Manshaus said in his opening state- since his father and stepmother were saying that the court is not a podium. The proceedings were broadcast free will and that her death probably could not adopted from China, four times, in- ment to the Asker and Baerum dis- away that day. He opened his statement saying via video link due to the coronavirus have been prevented even with further radiation. cluding three times in the head. trict court. More people had been expected that in order to understand the at- pandemic. Gulf Times 10 Friday, May 8, 2020 INDIA

FEUD CONTROVERSY LAW AND ORDER MYSTERY WILDLIFE Puducherry CM Railway union Former Punjab top cop Kerala student studying to Tiger sightings on the rise hits out at Bedi criticises Sonia booked in ‘abduction’ case become nun found dead after lockdown: off icial

Asserting that he does not enjoy a cordial The All India Railwaymen’s Federation yesterday Former Punjab director general of police Sumedh A 21-year-old woman, Divya P Johnny, With the humans of West Bengal under virus relation with Kiran Bedi, Puducherry Chief wrote to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, Singh Saini has been booked in connection with studying to become a nun, was found lockdown, tigers in the Sundarbans mangrove Minister V Naraynsamy said the lieutenant urging her to refrain from indulging in “petty the 29-year-old ‘abduction’ case of a youth. A dead in a well at her convent in Thiruvalla, forest in the state are coming out to play, with governor interferes in the functioning of politics” over the fare of Shramik Special trains case of kidnapping, wrongful confinement, according to the Kerala police yesterday. park rangers yesterday reporting a jump in his governing every day. “Even during the and said that the national transporter was criminal conspiracy and under other sections of On hearing a thud and splash around sightings of the big cats. “Sighting of tigers has coronavirus crisis she has not stopped her charging money to prevent overcrowding at the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against 12 noon, a few inmates looked into the gone up...after the lockdown,” said Sudhir Das, illegal and unconstitutional activities and her stations. In a letter to Gandhi, AIRF general Saini in Mohali town on the complaint of Balwant well in the compound of the Baselian director of the Sundarbans tiger reserve. In interference in the government functioning is secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra said travelling Singh Multani’s brother. The kidnapping case was Convent at Thiruvalla, around 120km normal times, forest off icials catch a glimpse of going on each day. I wrote a letter to the central during the pandemic is dangerous but railway related to a bomb attack on Saini by Khalistan from Thiruvananthapuram,. The convent the big cats no more than twice a week, Das said. government, but she is crossing her limits,” staff ers are making it possible through their hard Liberation Force militants in 1991. At that time, authorities immediately informed the fire But with the lockdown ending tourist traff ic and Narayansami said. The diff erences between work. His remarks came amid the row over the he was the senior superintendent of police and department and the police. In about 20 grounding the noisy motorboats and launches the two also reached the high court, the chief ticket fare. On Monday, emphasising the plight posted in Chandigarh. He survived with injuries minutes, Divya was taken out of the well and that usually ply the region’s waterways, they are minister said. The Madras High Court ruled of migrants and the money being charged from but his three security personnel were killed. A shifted to a private hospital by the police. She now sighting tigers “up to six times” a week, he that the elected government is responsible to them for ferrying them back to their home, probe into Multani’s disappearance began in was declared dead on arrival. The police are added. The number of the big cats at the Unesco run the administration but Bedi is ignoring the Gandhi said the party will bear the cost of their 2007 against Saini but he got the relief from the set to begin a probe into the unnatural death World Heritage site has also gone up to 96 in the judgment, he claimed. tickets. Supreme Court and the probe was stopped. after the autopsy. Indian part of the territory, up from 88 in 2018. Gas leak at Vizag factory kills 11

Reuters Seoul said the leak was discov- Chennai ered by a night shift maintenance worker and has been brought un- Modi reviews steps taken der control. t least 11 people were killed According to both the company in response to tragedy in a gas leak at a South Ko- spokesman and Gummalla, the Arean-owned factory mak- plant was being reopened after ing polystyrene products. The ac- the country relaxed a nationwide Prime Minister Narendra Modi Visakhapatnam immediately to cident also left hundreds of people lockdown that had been imposed yesterday chaired a high-level support the state government sick and sparked the evacuation on March 25 to contain the spread meeting to take stock of the in the management of the crisis of villagers living nearby, offi cials of the new coronavirus. steps being taken in response on the ground, and also to take said. Yesterday’s incident brought to the Visakhapatnam gas leak measures for resolving the The accident occurred some back bad memories of a gas leak at incident in which 11 people have short-term as also long-term 14km inland from Visakhapat- an factory of US chemical fi rm Un- been killed. medical impact of the leak. nam, in Andhra Pradesh, at a plant ion Carbide that killed thousands He discussed at length the The styrene gas leak occurred operated by LG Polymers, a unit of in Bhopal in 1984, but thankfully it measures being taken for the in a chemical plant in the early South Korea’s biggest petrochem- was on a far smaller scale. safety of the aff ected people hours in R R Venkatapuram ical maker, LG Chem Ltd. “I pray for everyone’s safety and as well as for securing the site village, Gopalapatnam Mandal Srijana Gummalla, commis- well-being in Visakhapatnam,” aff ected by the disaster. in Visakhpatnam district. sioner of the Greater Visakhapat- Prime Minister Narendra Modi The meeting was attended by It aff ected the surrounding nam Municipal Corporation, said said in a tweet. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, villages namely Narava, gas from styrene, a principal raw S N Pradhan, director general Home Minister Amit Shah, B C Colony, Bapuji Nagar, materials at the plant, leaked dur- of the National Disaster Response Ministers of State for Home Kampalapalem and Krishna ing the early hours of the morning, Force, said that at least 11 had died Aff airs Nityanand Rai and G Nagar. when families in the surrounding after around 1,000 people living Kishan Reddy, besides other Styrene gas, which is toxic in villages were asleep. near the plant were exposed to the Rescuers evacuate people following a gas leak incident at an LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam yesterday. senior off icers. nature, may cause irritation Yashwanth Saikumar Ambati, gas. On receiving the first to the skin, eyes and causes 23, who lives about 300 metres Rani, a revenue offi cial in the information about the incident respiratory problems and other away from the plant, said he woke district, said she received a call at in the morning, the prime medical conditions. up around 4.30am because of a around 4am from a police offi cer minister and the home minister The National Disaster Response strong smell. near the facility, who sounded spoke with Andhra Pradesh Force team with CBRN “I went back to sleep and I woke panicky.”He asked me to come to Did prolonged storage of Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan personnel at Visakhapatnam up around 6am because the smell the spot immediately,” Rani told Reddy and assured all required was deployed immediately to had gotten stronger. My eyes were Reuters. aid and assistance to tackle the support the state government itchy, and I was feeling drowsy, When Rani went there, she saw situation. They are monitoring and local administration. light-headed and slightly breath- that people had collapsed uncon- styrene lead to leakage? the situation closely and The NDRF team carried out less,” he said, adding that neigh- scious in the village adjoining the continuously. immediate evacuation of bours also complained of eye irri- 60-acre site of the plant. Immediately after this meeting, communities living in the tation and stomach aches. “I personally helped more than IANS result of the leakage which hap- time because we could not enter the Cabinet secretary took immediate vicinity of the site. In a statement issued from 15 people get to an ambulance. Visakhapatnam, pened around 3.45am. villages,” said the collector. a detailed review meeting The specialised CBRN unit of Seoul, LG Chem said that the gas The victims had tried to run away Offi cials said 340 people had to When measured at 9.30am, the along with the secretaries of NDRF from Pune and NEERI emitted in the leak can cause nau- from the village but dropped down be admitted to hospitals. The con- concentration of styrene in the air the ministries of home aff airs, expert team from Nagpur, have sea and dizziness when inhaled, within a few metres,” she said. he gas leakage that oc- dition of 15 of them is critical. was 1-2.5 parts per mn. environment, forest and left for Visakhapatnam. adding that it was seeking to en- At least one child was among curred early yesterday at According to Visakhapatnam Later, the concentration in- climate change, chemicals Besides, DGHS will provide sure casualties received treatment the dead, a policeman at the site Tthe LG Polymers plant here district collector V Vinay Chand, creased further. “We need to and petrochemicals, specialised medical advice to quickly. told ANI, whose video showed leading to death of 11 people may the company had stored styrene in monitor it on 48 hours basis be- pharmaceuticals, information the medical practitioners on Footage on television channels at least two other children being have been caused by initiation of liquid form in two tanks of 2,500 kl fore we come to a conclusion that and broadcasting, members the ground. Meanwhile, Andhra showed people, including women lifted into an ambulance. polymerisation of styrene in liq- and 3,500 kl capacity. it is safe for people to return to the of the National Disaster Pradesh Chief Minister Y S and children, slumped motionless Between 300-400 people were uid form due to prolonged storage The leakage happened from a villages,” he said. Management Authority and Jagan Mohan Reddy yesterday in the streets after locals raised the hospitalised, Swarupa Rani, an as- during the lockdown period, offi - 2,500 kl tank, which had 1,800 kl Styrene is an organic compound director general, National announced a Rs10mn ex-gratia alarm in the early hours. “There sistant commissioner of police in cials said. styrene in liquid form. and a volatile organic compound Disaster Response Force, each for the families of the nine was utter confusion and panic. Visakhapatnam disclosed. While a fi nal report is awaited “Styrene in liquid form is safe meter is required to measure its director general of Health persons killed in the tragedy. People were unable to breathe, Another 1,500 people had been on what actually caused the disas- when stored at below 20 degrees concentration in ambient air. Services and director AIIMS, The chief minister, who they were gasping for air. Those evacuated, mostly from a neigh- ter, the preliminary investigations but due some technical problem, The chief minister was in- and other medical experts, air-dashed to the city from who were trying to escape col- bouring village. indicate that polymerisation was the refrigeration was not eff ective formed that emissions were con- to chart out specific steps to Amaravati, also declared lapsed on the roads — kids, wom- Areas within approximately initiated in one of the two tanks leading to rise of temperature and tinuing from the tank. support the management of the compensation for those en and all,” local resident Kumar 3kms radius of the plant were due to prolonged storage. Styrene started gasifying and the The authorities were waiting for situation on the ground. admitted in hospitals. Reddy, 24, told reporters. evacuated, he said, with emer- The disaster happened as the leak happened,” he said The col- a chemical which acts as an anti- The principal secretary to prime He told reporters that those on Video from Reuters partner ANI gency services going from door- plant was re-starting its opera- lector explained what could have dote to cut the chain of polymeri- minister was also present in ventilators will be paid Rs1mn shot later yesterday showed emer- to-door to fi nd anyone left be- tions after more than 40 days due caused the leak to Chief Minister sation. the meeting. It was decided each while others undergoing gency workers in the area rushing hind. to the lockdown. Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who air- They will sprinkle water to that a team from the chemical, treatment in hospitals for to help victims, some of whom The state government will give Offi cials also believe that the dashed to the city to call on the bring down the temperature and biological, radiological and two-three days will be given Rs appeared to be listless and diso- Rs10mn compensation to the safety system failed to prevent aff ected people at King George simultaneously use the antidote. nuclear unit of NDRF from Pune, 100,000. People who were mildly riented. A number of victims lay families to those who died, and it gasifi cation of styrene, resulting Hospital. Offi cials expect that after emis- along with an expert team of aff ected will get Rs25,000 each unconscious on the streetside, as will also form a panel to investigate in its leakage and spread of the gas “At the time of the accident be- sions reach the zero mark, it may the National Environmental while the other residents of the volunteers fanned them and oth- the cause of the accident, said P V to the surrounding villages on the tween 3.45am and 5.45am concen- take 12-24 hours for them to de- Engineering Research Institute, aff ected villages will be paid ers carried them to ambulances. Ramesh, a senior aide to the chief outskirts of Visakhapatnam. tration of styrene was extremely clare the villages safe for people to Nagpur, would be rushed to Rs10,000 each. A spokesman for LG Chem in minister. Eleven people were killed as a high. We could not measure at that return.

Evacuation of citizens Mumbai, Delhi fuel stranded abroad begins

DPA is a conservative estimate and the New Delhi actual fi gure would end up many jump in virus cases times higher, Puri said in an in- terview with the Hindustan Times Reuters said the federal government Infectious diseases experts ndia began a massive evacua- newspaper. New Delhi stood ready to help. have also expressed concern that tion exercise yesterday to bring The government has said pri- “The (government) is ready to offi cial data in India is not cap- Iback tens of thousands of citi- ority would be given to migrant help in every way possible — be turing the full extent of the crisis. zens stranded in various countries workers who had lost jobs, which oronavirus cases in the it manpower increase, capac- The infection numbers in In- because of restrictions brought on is the case for hundreds in the Gulf country rose past 50,000, ity building, technical assistance dia fall far short of the US, which by Covid-19. region, and those whose visas had Cthe health ministry said etc. or any kind of handholding has 1.2mn cases and is nearing The fi rst of these fl ights with expired. yesterday, with the pace of new that is required to manage the 75,000 deaths despite a much 268 passengers reached cities in Others being helped include infections showing no signs of situation,” he said at a meeting smaller population. Kerala from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, students whose hostels had abating despite a strict weeks- with state health offi cials. While the federal lockdown is an Air India Express spokesman closed, people with family and long lockdown in the world’s The government this week al- due to end on May 17, authorities said. medical emergencies, those facing second-most populous country. lowed some economic activity to in Telangana decided to extend In the fi rst, week-long phase deportation, the elderly, pregnant India added 3,561 cases, tak- restart in less-aff ected parts of the lockdown till May 29 in a bid beginning yesterday, at least women and other vulnerable cat- ing its total 52,952 — behind over the hinterland to reduce the pain to fl atten the curve of infections 14,800 Indians were to be brought egories. 82,000 in China where the virus for hundreds of thousands of before opening up fully. back from 12 countries in 64 spe- All of those being evacuated originated — while the death toll people out of work for weeks and “The people themselves have cial commercial fl ights organised would have to pay for their pas- rose by 89 to 1,783, still low com- running short of food and cash. asked for an extension,” said by national carrier Air India and its sage with charges ranging from pared with the US, United King- But the spreading contagion Chief Minister K Chandrashek- low-cost subsidiary Air India Ex- Rs12,000 to Rs100,000. dom and Italy. will increase the pressure on har Rao. India, along with the press, Civil Aviation Minister Har- They would be placed in quar- Offi cials attributed the low Prime Minister Narendra Modi US, Russia and Brazil, was among deep Puri said at a briefi ng earlier antine for 14 days upon their ar- toll to the government’s move to to keep restrictions in place so it big countries that had not yet this week. rival. impose a stay-at-home order on does not spin out of control and been able to slow the pace of new The government announced it State governments have been the nation’s 1.3bn people early overwhelm the limited public infections, said Shamika Ravi, would be bringing back stranded asked to arrange testing, quaran- in the cycle, but noted a spurt in health system. a Brookings senior fellow and citizens in a massive mission using tine and onward transport for the cases from the densely packed India has reported an average a former member of the Prime commercial aircraft, naval ships returning Indians. economic centres of Mumbai, of around 2,800 cases each day Minister’s economic advisory and military transport planes. The home ministry has said Delhi and Ahmedabad. over the past week. council. Migrant workers walk along a road on the outskirts of Chennai The ministry of external aff airs only asymptomatic passengers Health Minister Harsh Var- By comparison, China has re- “Their current strategies (con- as they look to return to their home towns in Jharkhand after the has estimated that 190,000 Indi- would be allowed to travel and dhan said Maharashtra, was an ported new cases in the single tact tracing + testing + contain- government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive ans want to return. would have to undergo a medical area of particular concern and digits over the same period. ment) are ineff ective,” she said. measure against coronavirus. It is already apparent that this screening again on arrival in India. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 11 LATIN AMERICA

DRUG BUST POLITICS FEWER CHECKS DOMESTIC ABUSE PROVOCATIVE PICK 211kg of cocaine found on ‘Thousands would die’ if Costa Rica, El Salvador row Mexico denies curbs push Chile president names boat called Little Mermaid Argentina lockdown ends over testing numbers violence against women Pinochet kin as minister

Honduran authorities seized 211 kilograms President Alberto Fernandez on Wednesday A coronavirus war of words broke out between Mexico’s president on Wednesday said reports of Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera waded into of cocaine on Wednesday after searching a ruled out an immediate exit from Argentina’s Costa Rica and El Salvador after Salvadoran violence against women had not increased during controversy on Wednesday when he appointed speedboat called ‘The Little Mermaid’ in a joint coronavirus lockdown, saying to do so would “lead President Nayib Bukele accused the fellow Central a nationwide lockdown, appearing to contradict a relative of former dictator Augusto Pinochet as operation with the US and Colombia, off icials to the death of thousands.” Opposition parties, American country of massaging its statistics by off icial data signalling an uptick in physical abuse. minister for women and equality. Human rights said. The boat’s crew “escaped” after spotting economists and business leaders have stepped deliberately carrying out fewer tests. Bukele on Domestic violence is rising across Latin America, organisations slammed the appointment of authorities in the Caribbean Sea, the Honduran up demands for the government to relax strict Tuesday said Costa Rica had made a “political with strict limits on movement to curb the spread Macarena Santelices, a grand-niece of Pinochet Technical Criminal Investigation Agency said. quarantine measures to allow industries to reopen. decision” to do less testing. “All Costa Rica is doing of the new coronavirus leaving many women and a member of the right-wing UDI party that Agents found the drugs in “false compartments” Exiting the quarantine “in the terms they are is carrying out fewer tests. So instead of having isolated at home with abusive partners, rights forms part of Pinera’s coalition government. in The Little Mermaid’s seats, the agency added. demanding, will lead to the death for thousands 40 new cases we’re going to have four,” Bukele, groups say. Emergency calls reporting attacks Santelices also came under fire on social Honduras has long been an international corridor Argentines because we cannot control” the who has applied some of the strictest measures on women in Mexico jumped 20% in March media for being a defender of the 1973-90 between the major South American drug- virus, said Fernandez in a radio interview. “Those in the Americas to combat the virus, said in a compared to the previous month, government dictatorship. Chile’s feminist movement also producing countries and the US market. Authorities who chose to prioritise the economy ended up televised address. Costa Rica’s foreign ministry on data showed. But President Andres Manuel Lopez blasted the appointment as a “provocation,” there frequently conduct combined operations gathering the dead in refrigerated trucks and Wednesday issued a terse statement expressing Obrador said in a news conference that “there has saying Santelices had no experience or training with the US and Colombia to fight the cartels. burying them in mass graves.” “concern” about Bukele’s comments. been no increase in complaints.” in women’s rights issues. Rivals, US fi rm Safety first made plans for Maduro ‘overthrow’ Detained Americans nised Venezuelan President Juan tasked by Silvercorp with control- Guaido,” reads the agreement. ling Caracas’ airport to bring in a will be tried in a Reuters was unable to immedi- plane that would fl y Maduro to the Venezuelan court ately confi rm the authenticity of the United States. document. He and Airan Berry will both be The Washington Post said the tried in Venezuela’s civilian courts, Brazilian artist Alex Flemming puts face masks on top of the portrayed faces taking part in his work ‘Estacao Sumare’, at the Reuters general services agreement, signed Maduro said. Sumare subway station, in Sao Paulo to push the importance of using protective face masks to prevent the spread of the Caracas by Juan Guaido, had been provided President Donald Trump has de- new coronavirus. Flemming’s artistic installation, inaugurated in 1998, consists of 44 panels 1.75m high by 1.25m wide, and by Silvercorp CEO Jordan Goudreau, nied involvement. portrays all the racial diversity of the city of Sao Paulo with anonymous people who seem to observe the movement of the who has publicly described leading A senior Trump administration subway station. the operation. offi cial said Maduro’s accusations of embers of Venezuela’s op- It said the detailed attachment a US role “are not credible” and the position in October nego- had been provided by Venezuelan administration remained focused on Mtiated a $213mn deal with opposition offi cials. “achieving a peaceful, democratic a small Florida security company to Guaido’s press team did not re- transition in Venezuela.” invade the country and overthrow spond to a request for comment. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo President Nicolas Maduro, accord- Guaido adviser Juan Rendon, said on Wednesday that the US gov- Brazil hits record number for deaths, ing to a document published yester- whose signature also appears on ernment would use “every tool” to day by the Washington Post. the document, told CNN that he secure the Americans’ return, if they Venezuelan authorities have ar- signed an “exploratory agreement” were being held in Venezuela. raising chances of tighter lockdowns rested more than a dozen people, in- with Silvercorp but that it was never In the video, Denman, 34, an- cluding Americans who work for the completed. swered questions from a person off - company Silvercorp USA, as part of He said Silvercorp had led a camera speaking in English. Reuters Troops to deploy in Amazon rainforest battle a bungled incursion that has served “botched suicide” mission without Denman, who looked calm and Brasilia as a public relations victory for Ma- Guaido’s support. wore a gray T-shirt, said his mission Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro yes- June 10, but can be extended to 60 days duro’s struggling government. Reuters could not immediately was to secure the airport and estab- terday authorised deployment of armed in total, as Bolsonaro did last year. The document deals a blow to the reach Rendon for comment. lish outer security. He did not give razil, one of the world’s emerging forces into the Amazon region to fight Vice President Hamilton Maurao said credibility of opposition leader Juan The document was also signed by details on how his group planned to coronavirus hot spots, registered a fires and deforestation, three months ear- last week that the government planned Guaido, who has vehemently denied opposition legislator Sergio Vergara get Maduro on a plane. Brecord number of cases and deaths lier than in 2019, after a jump in destruc- to send in the military as part of a plan any links to Silvercorp or involve- and Goudreau. It was unclear when or where the on Wednesday, prompting the health tion in the world’s largest rainforest. to establish bases in the Amazon to fight ment in the attempt to remove Ma- Reuters was unable to obtain video was made, and where Denman minister to fl ag the possibility of strict Last year, Bolsonaro waited until deforestation. duro by force. comment from Goudreau, whose and Berry are being held. lockdowns in particularly hard-hit areas. August to send troops into the region, Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon in the Guaido, the president of the voice mail box was not accepting Venezuelan authorities said they The nation registered 10,503 new con- following international outcry over a wave first three months of 2020 rose 51% from opposition-held National Assem- messages yesterday. arrested the group by the isolated fi rmed cases of the novel coronavirus in of fires in the rainforest, which traps vast a year earlier. The first quarter coincides bly, argues that Maduro is usurping Vergara did not immediately re- coastal town of Chuao, about 60km the last 24 hours, well above the previous amounts of greenhouse gases that cause with the rainy season when destruction power after rigging a 2018 election spond to a request for comment. west of Caracas’ airport, after locals record of 7,288 cases on April 30, accord- climate change. usually eases as loggers are deterred by and is recognised by dozens of coun- Two main opposition parties, raised suspicions. ing to health ministry data. Brazil also The order is eff ective from May 11 to the weather. tries as Venezuela’s rightful leader. First Justice and Popular Will — Authorities published photos of registered 615 deaths, up from the previ- The plan described in the 42-page which Guaido is affi liated with — what they said was the group’s boat, ous record of 600 on Tuesday. document off ers minute tactical de- said in a statement yesterday that loaded with ammunition, weapons There are over 100,000 completed curve does not appear to be fl attening. in most states, Rio residents are still al- tails ranging from which land mines “the democratic forces do not pro- and communication equipment. coronavirus tests that still have not The state prosecutor’s offi ce in Rio de lowed to circulate. A lockdown, which to deploy and what riot gear to use, mote or fi nance guerrillas, outbreaks Eight people involved in the same been registered in the national database, Janeiro said it had received a report from so far has only been implemented in the but off ers no explanation of how a of violence or paramilitary groups,” operation were killed on Sunday in health ministry subsecretary Wanderson Brazil’s leading epidemiological insti- northeastern city of Sao Luis, prohibits small group of commandos could reiterating calls for a transition gov- La Guaira state, near Caracas, Ma- Oliveira warned, meaning case numbers tute, Fiocruz, recommending a lock- people from leaving their homes except overpower hundreds of thousands of ernment. duro’s government said. could rise steeply in the coming days. down in metropolitan Rio de Janeiro. for necessary activities. security forces who remain loyal to The logos of six other parties, During a televised virtual press Overall, Brazil has registered 125,218 The prosecutors, who have signifi - As part of Brazil’s bid to combat the the ruling Socialist Party. including Democratic Action and conference on Wednesday, Maduro cases and 8,536 deaths due to the virus. cant independent powers in Brazil, said coronavirus outbreak, offi cials said they “Service Provider Group will ad- A New Era, which have signifi cant originally said he would show videos New cases rose roughly 9.2% over the they had forwarded the report to the were attempting to dramatically ramp up vise and assist Partner Group in representation in the National As- of the two Americans, but did not last 24 hours, while deaths increased governor’s offi ce and the mayor of Rio, testing capacity from the current 2,700 Planning and executing and op- sembly, appear on the document. end up showing a video of Berry. roughly 7.8%. the state’s eponymous capital city, rais- tests per day. eration to capture/detain/remove Luke Denman, one of the two He said Venezuela would seek Health Minister Nelson Teich told a ing the chance of a lockdown in Brazil’s “At the most elevated level of (test) Nicolas Maduro (heretoafter “Pri- captured Americans, appeared on Goudreau’s extradition. press conference an increasing number third-largest state. production, which we think we’ll get to mary Objective”), remove the cur- Wednesday in a video on Venezuelan “Donald Trump is the direct chief of local authorities may have to institute While authorities have ordered non- in the middle of July, we’ll get to 70,000 rent Regime, and install the recog- state television saying he had been of this invasion,” Maduro added. “lockdowns,” as the coronavirus growth essential services and businesses closed per day,” Oliveira said.

Colombia coronavirus app troubles show rocky path without tech from Apple, Google

Reuters encounters with those who test surveillance, with the companies Apple and Google, the leading decided to align CoronApp with not be available for use until through shared objects such as Bogota positive could speed the process, banning government collection makers of smartphone operating the Apple-Google technology mid-May, restricts governments tables, and two people who sit experts say. of app users’ GPS location and systems, allow government con- instead, Munoz added. from amassing databases of peo- in the same spot an hour apart But some governments that other personal data. tact tracing apps to bypass their His team had met representa- ple’s movements. would not be picked up by the olombia has removed the planned to forge ahead with such Several governments includ- technology. tives of Apple and Google and Colombia is one of several gov- Apple-Google Bluetooth system, contact-tracing feature in apps without the help of the ing France, the United Kingdom But without it, iPhones do not was studying their technology, ernments that has been hoping to said Aarathi Prasad, a professor Cits offi cial app for inform- American technology giants have and some US states contend Ap- send a readable Bluetooth signal he said. gather such location data for use of computer science at Skidmore ing residents about the novel been forced to reverse course. ple and Google’s rules to protect while locked, a feature designed “It’s very important to us that detecting coronavirus hotspots College. coronavirus after experienc- The head of Australia’s con- privacy prevent the robust data to prevent tracking and save bat- we evaluate any alternative that where businesses may need to be Privacy activists have praised ing glitches, but aims to rebuild tact-tracing app told senators analysis needed to slow the virus’ tery life. can help the government make shut down or deep cleaned. the protections introduced by using potentially more reliable earlier this week his team is mov- spread. Contact tracing apps are use- better decisions,” Munoz said. Other developers are mov- Apple and Google, noting legiti- technology from Apple Inc and ing to the Apple-Google technol- But Colombia’s struggle to use less unless at least about half of a HypeLabs said it remains in ing ahead to build contact trac- mate concerns exist about how Alphabet Inc’s Google, a govern- ogy over a glitchy internal solu- alternative technology highlights population downloads them, and discussions with several other ing apps without Apple-Google data from contact tracing apps ment offi cial told Reuters. tion, and the government agency the challenges that await govern- iPhone usage is too substantial in countries. technology. could be misused by govern- The previously unreported behind the UK’s forthcoming app ments reluctant to accept Apple’s most countries to be ignored. Randall Brugeaud, chief ex- The Silicon Valley giants are ments. moves by the Colombian govern- disclosed in a contract signed on and Google’s terms. So CoronApp used alterna- ecutive of Australia’s Digital authorising their tools only for Whether consumers trust ment add to a growing number of Tuesday that it is asking engi- “There have certainly been tive technology from Portu- Transformation Agency, has said government contact-tracing elected offi cials or Apple and accounts of countries adopting neers to test the Apple-Google several lessons learned in this guese company HypeLabs, that the country’s CovidSafe apps. Google to better safeguard data the Apple-Google technology system amid privacy concerns process,” Colombia presidential which sells networking tech- app increasingly struggles to log But several developers told collected by contact tracing re- and dropping alternatives aimed about its previously planned al- adviser Victor Munoz told Reu- nology to gaming apps and encounters the longer an iPhone Reuters they are fi elding requests mains a major question, with an- at helping them curtail outbreaks ternative. ters. other businesses, that purports remains locked. from large businesses that want swers varying globally. faster. The decisions have wide rami- The Colombian government to overcome the iPhone Blue- “The big shift in performance apps for their workplaces. HypeLabs co-founder Car- Contact tracing involves fi cations for using smartphone had felt well on its way with tooth limitation. of Bluetooth connectivity will be “We’ve talked to a pro sports los Lei said he continues to fi eld identifying, testing and isolat- apps to log encounters between its CoronApp, which had been But Munoz said Colombia en- the point we’re able to leverage team, companies in the food inquiries from government offi - ing people exposed to the virus people to make it easier to fi nd downloaded by 4.3mn people as countered multiple challenges the new Apple-Google Bluetooth supply chain, a car dealership, cials, whom he declined to name, before they spread it to others, and alert those who crossed of May 2 and also includes fea- with the contact tracing feature management software,” he told nonprofi ts,” said Jamison Day, who have reservations about em- something that governments paths with a virus-carrier. tures to report symptoms and see that relied on HypeLabs, includ- senators. founder of Safe2, an app that uses bracing Apple and Google. globally have said is vital to keep Apple and Google have said where cases are located on a map. ing inaccuracies in logging con- Apple and Google last month HypeLabs’ technology to enable “When it’s an entire world their economies safely opened their Bluetooth-based technolo- But the CoronApp dropped tacts using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. began working on a joint solution exposure notifi cation. looking into a problem, it’s al- until a vaccine exists. gy will work more smoothly than its contact tracing feature last Colombia needed a better way to the connectivity problem be- Using only Bluetooth also ways better than having just one Apps that tap the Bluetooth alternatives and be trusted by month just days after launching to “minimise the risk of gener- tween devices. could fall short, experts said. or two private companies looking sensors in smartphones to detect consumers wary of government it. ating unnecessary alerts” and But their off ering, which will The coronavirus can spread into it,” Lei told Reuters. Gulf Times 12 Friday, May 8, 2020 PAKISTAN No new coronavirus code of conduct for last 10 days of Ramadan

Internews instead of inside mosques, he the coronavirus lockdown, those “As per the foundations of ticians on the same page, Alvi will not be laid in mosques” and made on the ground for the peo- Islamabad said, adding that if even one per- experiencing hunger and other Islamic society, we as a nation had also appealed to the masses that people should avoid congre- ple to stand when they pray.” son from a neighbourhood at- needs wanted it to be eased. should exhibit discipline, coher- to donate generously since ma- gating on the footpaths outside “Prospering nations do not tended the Eid al-Fitr prayers, it Last month, before the start ence, and national uniformity as drassas and mosques need funds the places of worship. follow rules and regulations nterior Minister Ijaz Shah has would be equivalent to the entire of the month of Ramadan, Presi- we continue our battle against to cover routine expenses. Alvi had also asked religious forcefully but with free will; said that no new coronavi- locality attending. dent Dr Arif Alvi announced a the coronavirus,” the president The president had said that leaders to ensure that there was therefore, the administration can Irus-related code of conduct It is requested that a minimum 20-point formula for taraw- had asserted, adding that the Minister Shah was in touch with a space between people during help us in enforcing the decided is being issued for the last 10 days number of people sit for Aitekaaf ih prayers after consultation coronavirus spread could curbed the provincial governments and prayers. standard operating procedures of Ramadan. in one mosque, Shah said. with the ulema, noting that the by staying away from crowds and that the strategy could only be “The fl oors of mosques across (SOPs), but it is the job of citizens The ulema agree that the Eid The federal home minister mosques across the country unnecessary gatherings. successful if every single indi- the country will be cleaned with to ensure that all precautionary al-Fitr congregational prayers further noted that while wealthy would remain open but people Noting that people wished to vidual heeded it. chlorine to disinfect them,” he measures are fully implemented,” should be off ered in open spaces people wished for an extension in should practice caution. see religious scholars and poli- According to the plan, “carpets had said. “Markers will also be the president had stated. Islamabad High Court chief justice to test for virus Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah will be screened for the coronavirus Pakistan to start easing after his secretary, Asad Khokar, tested positive, court off icials said yesterday. Court off icials said that the chief justice’s secretary had not been coming to the off ice due to fever, following which he was tested on May 4 and 6 for the coronavirus. lockdown tomorrow Khokar’s test results have come back positive. Reuters/AFP/DPA/Internews The IHC judge’s secretary has Islamabad been asked to go into isolation while his off ice has been sealed, said off icials. akistan will begin lifting Court off icials subsequently its coronavirus lockdown decided to test Justice Minallah Ptomorrow, Prime Minister and other judges for the Imran Khan has said, hours after coronavirus. the country announced its high- A team of doctors reached the est daily increase in new cases. IHC’s dispensary yesterday with Pakistan, where a shutdown 25 testing kits. has been in place since late The employees of the Islamabad March, has recorded 24,073 cases High Court are being tested in of Covid-19, with 564 deaths. batches. The Covid-19 respiratory dis- It is pertinent to mention that ease is caused by the coronavirus. the court was recently shut The authorities said yesterday down after news of an employee that there had been 1,523 new testing positive emerged. cases and 38 deaths in the pre- The court had also issued a ceding 24 hours. circular in which it stated that “We’re deciding that we are the court premises, rooms and ending this lockdown now,” Prime Minister Khan: Since we started this lockdown, we had this fear chambers had been disinfected. Prime Minister Khan said in a that these people who are daily wagers, who feed their kids on daily In mid of April, Chief Justice of televised address yesterday. “We earnings, what will happen to them? Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, along know that we’re doing it at a time with his family members, were when our curve is going up ... but Command and Operations Cen- instruct religious leaders to clean also tested for the virus. it is not edging up as we were ex- tre (NCOC) headed by Planning their facilities regularly. The tests came back negative. pecting.” Minister Umar meets daily and Thousands of shoppers have The tests were conducted after He was speaking after a meet- analyses the current situation, also thronged popular markets, an employee of the Supreme ing of National Co-ordination taking input from the provinces including many without wear- Court developed symptoms of Committee (NCC), the apex and consulting with doctors and ing protective gear, to buy food the coronavirus and was placed coronavirus decision-making experts before making the deci- for the evening Iftar meal that under quarantine. body comprising top civil and sion. celebrates the end of each day’s military leaders, including the Khan warned that the restric- fasting. China appreciates provincial chief executives. tions could be restored if the Fears for the economy are said Impoverished Pakistanis can- outbreak worsens, something his to be the main reason for relaxing Pakistan’s eff orts not survive under lockdown any critics expect to happen due to the lockdown. longer, the prime minister said. A railway worker uses a thermal scanner to check staff members at the Lahore railway station. what they describe as a confused The International Monetary China has appreciated Pakistan’s “Since we started this lock- policy response to the crisis. Fund (IMF) and the World Bank “singular” campaign to fight off down, we had this fear that these In an independent society this secretary of Pakistan’s Young city transport and railways will The prime minister allowed have forecast a bleak economic Covid-19 challenge. people who are daily wagers, who doesn’t happen.” Doctors’ Association (YDA), Sal- be taken later, while schools will communal prayers for the month outlook for Pakistan as it heads This was revealed by China’s feed their kids on daily earnings, The government’s handling of man Kazmi, told Reuters. “We are stay closed until July 15, Umar of Ramadan, but a survey by an toward a major recession. ambassador to Pakistan Yao what will happen to them?” Khan the virus has been strongly criti- concerned about pressure that said. NGO, Pattan, found that wor- The government is also facing Jing during his meeting with asked. cised by scientists and doctors will come on the hospitals.” Prime Minister Khan said: “I shippers were breaching meas- a new challenge as thousands of Information Minister Shibli Faraz He said that the shutdown who fear the outbreak will gather Planning Minister Asad Umar was in favour of allowing public ures on social distancing, masks overseas Pakistanis who tested in Islamabad. would be lifted in phases and pace among a population of more said that initially small markets transport but the provinces did and disinfection. positive after returning home. He also expressed Beijing’s warned people that the disease than 200mn and overwhelm the and shops would be allowed to not agree to it. So, it has been Last month, authorities buck- This has raised concerns of a determination to keep up its could get out of control if they do country’s struggling health sys- open until 5pm, although big decided that the provinces will led under pressure from religious further spread of the virus. support to Pakistan at this critical not take precautions. tem. malls and other spaces which at- make their own standard operat- groups ahead of Ramadan and On Monday, 105 people out of juncture. “We need to discipline our- “It will defi nitely lead to an tract large crowds would remain ing procedures (SOPs) and share allowed mosques to hold daily 209 who were fl own to Islamabad Faraz said the Chinese assistance selves,” Khan said. “We can’t increase in the number of cases, closed for now. with the Centre.” prayers and evening congrega- from the United Arab Emirates is another manifestation of the send the police to make raids. the number of critical cases,” the A decision to reopen inter- He said that the National tions after clerics promised to (UAE) were tested positive. Pakistan-China friendship.

Pakistan condemns ‘state terrorism’ in Indian-administered Kashmir Lifting of curbs helped virus spread in Baluchistan: offi cial Pakistan has urged India to refrain from any “ill-considered and irresponsible move” which could have serious implications for Internews Covid-19 respiratory disease. transmitted cases in Baluchistan, tests, of which, the spokesperson Hospital in Quetta and the Bolan peace and security in the region. Quetta The federal government an- Liaquat Shahwani, the spokes- said, a troubling 13% have been Medical Hospital. In her weekly press briefing in Islamabad yesterday, Foreign nounced the lifting of restric- person of the provincial govern- positive. Shahwani explains that while Off ice spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said that situation in Indian- tions, and opened up several ment told Geo.tv. In order to increase it testing the province has no shortage of administered Kashmir continues to deteriorate. he ease in lockdown has led industrial sectors, across the “Of the tests we carry out daily, from the current capacity of only test kits or personal protection She said Pakistan once again calls upon the international to a surge in the spread of country on April 15, after a three- between 15% and 21% test posi- 800 tests per day, the provincial equipment (PPEs), they do re- community to take notice of the situation and hold India TCovid-19 in Baluchistan, week lockdown due to the coro- tive on average,” Shahwani said. government will be installing a quire more ventilators. accountable for its actions, and urged a peaceful resolution of a spokesperson of the provincial navirus pandemic. To date, Baluchistan has re- polymerase chain reaction (PCR) At that moment there are only the Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council government has said. Since then, there has been corded 1,495 cases of the deadly machines to test for the novel 60 ventilators in the province resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. The coronavirus causes the an exponential spike in locally- virus and has conducted 11,500 coronavirus at the Fatima Jinnah with a population of 12mn. Nighat Dad on Facebook’s ‘supreme court’ for content

Internews countries and include jurists, global health crisis, social media Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a impossible to consider them all. Islamabad human rights activists, journal- has become a lifeline for help- former prime minister of Den- Instead, like the US Supreme ists, a Nobel peace laureate, and ing people and communities to mark. Court, the board will prioritise a former Danish prime minister. stay connected,” the board said “This board is not designed content removal cases that can igital rights activ- “This is a group that has a in a blog post. “At the same time, to be an echo chamber,” said co- set precedents for how Facebook ist Nighat Dad has been diverse set of insights, back- we know that social media can chair Catalina Botero-Marino should handle similar material, Dnamed as one of the mem- grounds, and beliefs but share a spread speech that is hateful, of the Universidad de los Andes according to McConnell. bers of Facebook’s independent deep commitment to advancing harmful and deceitful. Faculty of Law in Colombia. “Fa- “We are going to have to select “supreme court” empowered to human rights and freedom of “In recent years, the question cebook would have a very high maybe a few fl owers, or maybe make binding decisions about expression,” board director Tho- of what content should stay up reputational cost if it doesn’t they are weeds, from a fi eld of what content should be allowed mas Hughes said during a phone or come down, and who should carry out decisions by a body it possibilities,” he said. or removed at the social network briefi ng. decide this, has become increas- created to resolve its thorniest The board plans to fi rst focus and Instagram. The board is to be expanded to ingly urgent for society.” problems.” on cases aff ecting large numbers The decision was announced 40 members. Hughes said that he is open to Facebook cannot remove of users; second, on cases look by the social networking site. It remained unclear when the the board serving as an arbiter of members or staff of the board, to have major eff ect on public The oversight board is to make board would start hearing cases disputes for other social media which is supported by a $130mn discourse, and then those that fi nal decisions regarding the due to restrictions on gathering fi rms such as Twitter but that, irrevocable trust fund. eff ect policy at the platform, he kinds of posts known to embroil or travelling caused by the deadly for now, the focus is on fi lling its “For the fi rst time, an inde- explained. Facebook in controversy about coronavirus pandemic. roster and getting into action on pendent body will make fi nal and “We are not the Internet po- censorship, misinformation, or Board members have met vir- cases about Facebook or Insta- binding decisions on what stays lice,” McConnell said. “Don’t free speech. tually and training has started, gram posts. Nighat Dad: named as one of the members of the ‘supreme court’ up and what is removed,” Thorn- think of us as a fast action team Facebook public policy direc- according to Hughes. Facebook will implement the empowered to make binding decisions about what content should be ing-Schmidt said. “This is a big that is going to swoop in. Our job tor Brent Harris described crea- The board was fi rst proposed board’s decisions, unless they allowed or removed at Facebook and Instagram. deal; we are basically building a is to consider appeals, provide an tion of the board as the “begin- by Facebook co-founder and violate law, and “respond” to new model for platform govern- after-the-fact, deliberative sec- ning of a fundamental change in chief Mark Zuckerberg in 2018, guidance on policies, according as well as freedom of expression public and report on how well Fa- ance.” ond look.” the way some of the most diffi - and the California-based Inter- to Harris. within the framework of inter- cebook obeys rulings. Board co-chair Michael Mc- According to Facebook, the cult content decisions on Face- net giant has set up a foundation The board said that it will de- national norms of human rights Zuckerberg has personally as- Connell, a university law pro- Oversight Board members have book will be made”. to fund it operating as an inde- cide whether disputed posts regardless of the social network’s sured the board that the social fessor and former United States lived in more than 27 countries, The 20 announced members pendent entity, Harris said. comply with Facebook and In- corporate interests. network will abide by its deci- federal judge, said the expected and speak at least 29 languages of the panel come from various “As the world lives through a stagram policies and “values” The board will make decisions sions, according to co-chair volume of cases would make it among them. Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 13 THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH At the gates of Paradise very now and then, the believer looks This usually happens with the penalty crowd as if one has brought camels to water forward to something that raises his which is made contingent on something after fi ve days of thirst. Imagine how they enthusiasm, motivates him to do that takes place immediately after that will run. Similarly, this will be the state of Erighteous deeds, and strengthens condition. Hell is the abode of humiliation the people of Paradise in their longing for it. the steadfastness in his heart. The Mes- and disgrace, so permission is not sought After entering Paradise, its gate will not be senger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam for its denizens, nor are its keepers asked to shut behind you. Do you know why? Imaam (may Allah exalt his mention), said that Allah allow them to enter. Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon The Almighty Says: “I have prepared for My Paradise, however, is the abode prepared him, will tell you that. He said, righteous slaves what no eye has seen, no ear by Allah The Almighty; the abode of dignity Reflect on the Saying of Allah The has heard, and the mind of no man has con- where His favourites and allies dwell. As Almighty (which means): {Gardens of ceived.” (then Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu people reach Paradise, they will fi nd its gates perpetual residence, whose doors will be ‘alaihi wa sallam, said) If you wish, recite: closed, so they earnestly implore its Owner opened to them. Reclining within them, {And no soul knows what has been hidden for to open them. Also, they will intercede to they will call therein for abundant fruit them of comfort for eyes as reward for what Him by His most resolute messengers, but and drink.} [Qur’an 38:50-51] and see the they used to do. } [Qur’an 32:17] [Al-Bukhari all of them will withdraw until they are verses carrying an elegant meaning. That and Muslim] guided to go to the fi nal and master of them. is when they enter Paradise, its gates will Allah The Almighty informed us The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, not be closed behind them, but they will of Paradise to make us long for it. He will say: “I am entitled to that,” and thus, remain open. Also, keeping the gates open manifested some of its bliss and concealed will prostrate under the Throne to his Lord, implies that they go and return freely, some of it as a sort of encouragement and supplicating Him as much as He wills. and dwell in Paradise and that the angels stimulation. Therefore, the bliss of Paradise, Then, permission will be given for him enter upon them every time with gifts and no matter how it is described, cannot be to raise his head and express his request. graciousness from their Lord and what grasped by the human mind, because it He will ask Allah The Almighty to open the brings them happiness at all times. It is contains goodness that never comes to man’s gates of Paradise, and his request will be also an indication that Paradise is an abode mind or is known to anybody. accepted. Allah The Almighty will order that of security where its inhabitants do not But before we begin, we must stop and the gates of Paradise be opened to show its need to close the gates as they needed to do ask ourselves some questions: Do we greatness and the high status and honour so in this life. long to enter Paradise? Is the presence of of His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa Now, we will leave you to choose which Houris, food, and drink the only things we sallam, in His Sight. This is more eff ective gate you would like to enter Paradise know about Paradise? Or do we know more and greater in showing the perfection of through. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu details? the blessing and the occurrence of joy and ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: Dear reader, if you want to change and happiness than otherwise. This prevents the Whoever performs a couple of acts of make Paradise your premier goal, join us ignorant man from thinking that it is like an voluntary worship of the same type or on this blessed journey, but fi rst make inn for whoever wants to enter. The Paradise spends two things for the Sake of Allah, sure to fasten your concentration belt, of Allah is precious and there are obstacles, will be called from the gates of Paradise: dispose of your heedlessness, and take good wilderness and dangers that must be faced O slave of Allah, here is prosperity. He will companions along with you. These are the fi rst in order to attain it. enter Paradise from the Gate of Prayer if he conditions of the takeoff on our journey. Let See what excitement the believers will observed voluntary prayer as his favoured act us go! encounter on the Day of Resurrection! of worship; from the Gate of Jihaad if he was Dear reader, come and knock on the Imagine how they will feel – may Allah a Mujaahid and Jihaad was his favoured act gates of Paradise, to fl y with our mind in make you and us among the inhabitants of of worship; and from the Gate of Charity if the Kingdom of Allah The Almighty and Paradise. After the horrors and hardships he gave voluntary charity as his favoured act the secrets He deposited in it. Allah The the believers saw befalling the sinners on the of worship; from the Gate of Ar-Rayyaan if Almighty Says (what means): {When they Day of Judgment and, before that, the trials he observed voluntary fasting as his favoured reach it while its gates have been opened.} and desires they patiently resisted in this life, act of worship.” [Qur’an 39:73] their longing to see the bliss that Allah The Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, Dear reader, think why Allah The Almighty Almighty has prepared for them becomes said: “O Messenger of Allah! Those who are Says in this verse (what means): {and its gates enormously great. called from these gates will stand in need have been opened.} [Qur’an 39:73] and when The greater their longing, the greater the of nothing. Will anybody be called from all He talked about Hell He Says (what means): enjoyment of the meeting will be. Thus, of those gates?’’ The Messenger of Allah, {its gates are opened.} [Qur’an 39:70] Allah The Almighty wanted to increase the sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, replied: “Yes, Actually, it is a wonderful note taken by longing of the believers at the highest level and I hope that you will be one of them.” [Al- the great Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah by letting them stand in front of the gates of Bukhari and Muslim] have mercy upon him. Read, what this pious Paradise for a period of time while thoughts Now, choose the gate you wish to access scholar said: confl ict in their minds and they feel that Paradise from, and how excellent if you will Allah The Almighty Says (what means): they are at a distance of two bow lengths or be a companion of Abu Bakr, may Allah be {But those who feared their Lord will be nearer from seeing what Allah The Almighty pleased with him, on the Day of Judgment! driven to Paradise in groups until, when they promised them in this life. After the Prophet, Dear reader do you see the extent to reach it and its gates have been opened...} sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, intercedes with which Allah The Almighty prepared [Qur’an 39:73] and while speaking of Hell, his Lord, Allah The Almighty will give him Paradise for His righteous slaves and how Allah The Almighty Says (what means): permission to open the gates of Paradise. He made them long for it before they enter? {When they reach it, its gates are opened.} The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi Has your heart not been softened, dear [Qur’an 39:70] without using a conjunction. wa sallam, said: “The distance between two brother? Do you not long to enter Paradise This is linguistically more eloquent in both shutters in Paradise equals the distance of and experience this bliss? cases. a forty-year walk. People throng there like That is because the angels are driving its camels that throng to drink water after fi ve Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/ denizens to Hell while its gates are closed. days of thirst.” [As-Silsilah As-Saheehah by emainpage/ When they arrive at Hell, its gates will Al-Albaani] open up in their faces and punishment will Can you imagine the width of the gate? It suddenly surprise them. As they enter Hell, is like a distance of a forty-year walk, i.e. it is the gates will open without them noticing. impossible to see the end of it, where people

Advice for mid-Ramadan                ll praise is due to Allah, Lord Aameen”. He was asked “O Messenger Ramadan is a month of refl ection             of all the worlds. May peace of Allah! You ascended the pulpit and over the Glorious Qur’an. It is and blessings be upon the said, “Aameen, Aameen, Aameen?” He an opportunity for perfecting its   Anoble Messenger, his house- answered: “It was Jibreel who came to recitation and reviewing what has hold and companions. me and said, ‘Whoever lived to witness been memorised of it. The Messenger Fellow Muslims! You are now in Ramadan and yet was not forgiven his of Allah said: “Always review what        the midst of a matchless month. sins; and as a result entered Hell, may you have memorised of the Qur’an for It is a great and noble month with Allah keep him away (from His mercy). it escapes from people’s hearts faster         uncountable merits and virtues. It is Say, ‘Aameen!’ And I said “Aameen.” than the cattle when it escapes with its a season rich with gains for those who (Ibn Khuzaymah). tying rope.” He also said: “The example partake in good deeds as it destroys O you who are negligent in good of the one who memorises the Qur’an              .    those who transgress and commit sins deeds in this Ramadan, are you sure is like that of the tied camel. If it is in it. that you will live to witness the next constantly checked and retied it will                 It is a month that excels other Ramadan? Give this month therefore remain but if it is left, it will escape.” months by a night that is better than its due and fear Allah in public and (Al-Bukhari & Muslim).     (23)                       a thousand months. Blessed be the private. Remember that you have two Fellow Muslims! Allah has honoured one who sincerely fasts in that month, angels with you who record all your you with this noble Book. Refl ect over invokes Allah in the morning and deeds and do not disgrace yourselves in its verses, follow its injunctions and do    .    evening and wake up during the nights front of Allah from Whom nothing of not rush its reading. of the months praying and devoting his your secret is hidden. Further, the righteous predecessors               life to Allah. Fellow Muslims! Days of Ramadan used to recite the whole of the Qur’an The fi rst half of Ramadan is now ought to be honoured. Do you guard many times and when Ramadan came,                gone. Try then to make good use of yourselves from idle talks and immoral they would recite more. Angel Jibreel                 the remaining half before the month looks? Do you prevent your limbs from used to meet the Prophet every night ends. Hasten to use the remaining days pastime and wild deeds? Have you during Ramadan and study the Qur’an            in thanking Allah for His blessings prepared provisions that are suitable with him but during his fi nal year on and try harder to do righteous deeds for your journey to the Hereafter or are the earth, he reviewed the Qur’an with              and repent to Him for the hours of the you among those who engage in deeds him twice. month are hurriedly coming to an end. which displease Allah and wander in Fellow Muslims! Ramadan is the                Do good deeds during the remaining this world as if they are created for month of liberation from Hell and                   days, you will be forgiven of the evils nothing but the enjoyment of this misery. The Messenger of Allah said: you did before; but if you persist in life? Beware, lest the harmful things “The Almighty Allah - at every time              these evil deeds, you will be punished will be dearer to you. In this month, of breaking the fast - frees some of for the past sins and latter ones. guard your eyes, tongues and the rest His slaves from Hell.” Try therefore,        .  Whoever holds fast unto the Rope of of your limbs from sins. Though it as much as you can to free yourselves Allah and makes good use of his time is incumbent on you to do that at all from Hell, for this is the time for will be victorious and free from all times, it becomes more biding during repentance and sincere entreating to  .        evils; and the miser and unfortunate the month of Ramadan. The Messenger Allah. This is a month in which Allah is the one who sins during these of Allah said: “Whoever does not accepts the invocations of His slaves!                       remaining blessed days for his lot refrain from false sayings and deeds, Allah says, “O you who believe! Turn will certainly be ignominy, distress Allah has no need of his abstention to Allah with sincere repentance.” (At-                                and regret and woe accursed will he from food and drink.” (Al-Bukhari). Tahreem: 8).   be on a Day that the negligent people Jaabir bin Abdillaah al-Ansaaree Go to the door of forgiveness, you  will shed bitter tears; a day that Allah said: “When you fast, let your ears and will fi nd it opened. Pay the price of          will say, “O My slaves! These are only tongue also fast by keeping away from Paradise with your bodies and souls your deeds which I enumerate for you lying and forbidden things. Do not and turn back to Allah as long as you                                               and upon which I will reward you. So harm your neighbour. Let tranquility live. whoever fi nds good reward there from, and peace be your habit and let there Dear Muslims! I‘tikaaf is a Sunnah (a       (18)                        let him thank Allah and whoever fi nds be diff erence between your fasting and Prophetic practice) full of benefi ts and           otherwise, let him blame no one but non-fasting days.” great goals. The greatest of its goals is   himself.” Righteous people used to spend their to severe all ties from fellow creatures                    Ramadan days are the cream of Ramadan nights in sleeplessness for, and devoting one’s time to the Creator. worldly days. He who is blessed in the fear of Allah has separated between It has positive impact on the mind                     these days is indeed the fortunate them and their beds. They would weep and reforms and refi nes the heart. It is one and he who is deprived of their out of fear of Allah. Their hearts were more emphasised in the last 10 days of blessings is indeed the unfortunate tender and they would worship Allah Ramadan because of Lailatul Qadr (the            one. He who does not work for his in the middle of the night while other Night of Decree). ‘Aa’ishah, radhiAllah fi nal abode in these days has wronged people are fast asleep. ‘anha, narrated that “The Messenger of                   himself and will be blameworthy. Try to rectify your past mistakes and Allah used to do I‘tikaaf during the last The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu shun your pastime. Join the righteous 10 days of Ramadan until he died and             ‘alaihi wa sallam, one day ascended the people in their acts of worship and fi ll his wives did it after him.” (Bukhari & pulpit and said: “Aameen, Aameen, your life with obedience to your Lord. Muslim). Gulf Times 14 Friday, May 8, 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 What Congress must focus on in the next Covid-19 aid package

The US federal government’s chaotic national response to the coronavirus has delivered an economic challenge the likes of which the nation has not seen since the Great Depression. No longer is there a question of whether there will be another massive coronavirus-related federal rescue package. The question is how much. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell predicts that the US economy will contract by an “unprecedented rate in the second quarter” and warns of a double-digit unemployment rate in April. About 30mn Americans have fi led jobless claims over the Risk from known diseases spikes past six weeks, and unemployment numbers from April, due out later this week, will also be ugly. A $2.2tn package and subsequent legislation to help distressed workers and small businesses have fallen short of those goals. Too many dollars got caught in a logjam or ended as focus shifts to Covid-19 up in the hands of businesses that technically qualifi ed for relief under the legislation, but were not the small mom-and- pop stores that we hoped the programme would help. AFP Before Congress appropriates another dollar for small- Paris business relief it must correct those mistakes. Step one is to shutter the loopholes that allowed publicly traded companies s Covid-19 deaths climb to vacuum up large amounts of the relief funds, and then ever higher in Europe and more effi ciently target small neighbourhood business and the United States, millions of lives are at risk in proprietorships that have fallen through the cracks. One A developing nations where lockdowns possible solution is to funnel more money to community-based and overwhelmed medical systems are lenders and midsized banks. disrupting vital testing, vaccination and Credit unions, treatment for other killer diseases. midsized banks and The pandemic has seen The US must be other local lenders have unprecedented social distancing measures, with billions confi ned to their existing relationships more honest about homes in a bid to stem the viral spread. with small businesses Schools, businesses and public spaces the economic toll and are better attuned have been shuttered en masse. to the individual needs It has also fuelled unparalleled that fi ghting the of the neighbourhood economic stimuli from governments diner, corner barbershop and research funding to develop coronavirus will Covid-19 treatments and — the holy or local family-owned grail — a vaccine. have on future widget-maker. Getting But while the world is focused on meaningful dollars to the novel coronavirus, other infectious generations these fi rms also will help diseases continue to kill millions of alleviate pressure on humans, many of them children. overwhelmed unemployment systems. Health experts warn that the Covid-19 pandemic is already denying Step two is to make sure that states have the dollars and untold numbers of patients treatment facilities to conduct far more extensive coronavirus testing. for illnesses such as tuberculosis, Despite some bumps, state governments have more eff ectively pneumonia and malaria. devised, supported and implemented procedures to keep the The United Nation’s child care public safe while gradually reopening portions of the economy. programme Unicef said last month Youths wearing masks as a precaution due to Covid-19 coronavirus disease, sit in the back of a truck carrying out a fumigation in an area in Yemen’s southern coastal city of Aden on May 5, 2020, as part of a campaign to prevent the spread of insect-borne The success or failure of state eff orts to ease stay-at-home that 117mn children were now at risk of contracting measles as vaccination diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and Chikungunya virus amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic. restrictions depends on whether the states, including Texas, programmes are suspended. are able to test more people and analyse the results quickly. “In some places routine services A measles epidemic there has killed the Stop TB Partnership, said that it high blood pressure. Step three is to make sure that the nation’s food supply is have been suspended also because more than 6,000 people — again, would cost around $500mn to fi nish Last week the Non-Communicable secure. The country has seen farmers destroying crops that the health systems are so stretched, mostly children — since the start of developing a safe and universally Disease Alliance called on are no longer profi table, long lines at food banks and illness- all resources are being diverted to the 2019. eff ective TB vaccine. governments to ensure that people related shutdowns of meatpacking plants. New strategies are Covid response,” Robin Nandy, head of Malaria is a constant menace for “TB has been with us for thousands living with these illnesses can needed to address weaknesses in the nation’s food supply Unicef’s immunisation programme, told infants in DR Congo and kills around of years. For 100 years we’ve had an continue to receive vital treatment AFP. 13,000 people there annually. infant vaccine and we have two or three during the pandemic. chain. The president has used the Defense Production Act “Countries want to limit the contact And last month the World Health potential vaccines in the pipeline,” she While estimates vary, it is thought to keep meat plants open, but there are still disconnections of health people with potential patients, Organisation was forced to delay an said. that as many as 175mn people suff er between food and the most vulnerable. Along these lines, and this has an impact on vaccination announcement heralding the end of the “We look on in amazement at a from undiagnosed diabetes and up to the federal government also must continue to fund the coverage.” country’s Ebola crisis as new cases were disease that is 120 days old and it has 1bn from undiagnosed hypertension. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme and increase Measles killed more than 140,000 discovered. 100 vaccine candidates in the pipeline. Not only does this pose a hidden risk fl exibility for those in need to access food benefi ts. people in 2018, the vast majority aged “We already had signifi cant This is really ****** up.” of Covid-19 complications for hundreds under fi ve. morbidities such as malaria that was a Ditiu said that while governments of millions globally, it also makes Step four is for the federal government to have serious talks More than 2,500 children die every huge problem, as well as malnutrition are rightly focused on Covid-19, they managing diagnosed disease harder. about whether new laws are needed to mitigate coronavirus- day from pneumonia — a bacterial which really impacts children’s lives,” mustn’t take their eye off of other Vicki Atkinson, a health campaigner related lawsuits as businesses attempt to reopen. Hundreds infection treated with eff ective drugs Alex Mutanganyi, Save The Children’s communicable illnesses. with the South Africa NCD Alliance, of lawsuits are already in state and federal courts against that cost pennies. Covid-19 response coordinator in the “TB doesn’t effect too many visible said that the No 1 killer among women corporations, insurance companies and governments for their That’s more than 800,000 country, told AFP. people. It’s a disease for people with there was diabetes — a condition actions during the pandemic. preventable child deaths a year, studies “Covid-19 has just increased the other vulnerabilities, poor people, that can be well managed with daily have shown. threats that always existed.” ones living in poor parts of the city,” medication. Make no mistake, reckless behaviour should be punished. In Nigeria, where pneumonia is the Billions of dollars are currently being she said. Atkinson, who herself suff ers from However, the uniqueness of this situation warrants a discussion leading cause of under-fi ve mortality, funnelled to research for a Covid-19 “The fear we have is that developing a diabetes and psoriasis, set up an of the complex, legal liability issues, including whether certain fears are growing that Covid-19 is vaccine, without which scientists doubt vaccine for Covid-19 now may take the information helpline so patients know businesses should have special legal protections. already keeping infants from accessing economies can fully return to normal. focus off of other diseases.” how to access medical care during the Finally, the US must be more honest about the economic toll live-saving interventions. More than 100 candidate vaccines Not that fi nding a safe and eff ective lockdown. that fi ghting the coronavirus will have on future generations. – “We see a lot of children coming to exist, and around 70 of them are already Covid-19 vaccine will be enough to It was inundated with calls. clinics having respiratory problems being tested in clinical trials. guarantee an end to the pandemic. “One woman was told to take a taxi Tribune News Service and the issue is with diagnosis and On Wednesday, the Stop TB “We need to be mindful that even two hours to go to a regional hospital treatment,” said Sanjana Bhardwaj, Partnership warned that coronavirus with existing vaccines that we have had in Cape Town to pick up her medicine,” Unicef chief of health in Nigeria. lockdowns could lead to as many as for decades, we’re still not reaching the she told AFP. To Advertise “Another challenge is we do not have 1.4mn additional tuberculosis deaths, as populations that need them most,” said “She is pregnant, on insulin and oxygen available across the country for testing and treatment programmes are Nandy. asthmatic. She didn’t want to do it.” [email protected] children.” disrupted. Unicef said last month that around The NCD Alliance warned of “severe Display And that was before the onset of TB is the world’s biggest infectious 20mn children worldwide were missing disruptions” to global supply lines of Covid-19, a disease where treatment disease killer, with around 10mn new out on routine vaccinations, with 13mn medicine and biomedical equipment 44466621 44418811 often requires placing patients on infections and 1.5mn deaths annually. never receiving immunisation. due to Covid-19. ventilators of oxygen. Unlike Covid-19, eff ective, safe and “Developing a vaccine is not enough. Atkinson and other health experts Classified “I’ve been having sleepless nights cheap treatments for TB already exist. Vaccines don’t deliver themselves. They said the current pandemic had proven 44466609 44418811 for more than a decade (about a The only current vaccine is more than need a functioning health system,” what they have been warning of for pandemic),” Bhardwaj told AFP. 100 years old and only works on very Nandy added. decades: the world is unhealthy, and Subscription “When you’re at the frontline and young children. Covid-19 is not just exposing the gaps health should not be taken for granted. you go into communities and see the And despite being the deadliest in global responses for communicable “Without this people would have [email protected] healthcare there you just get scared.” infectious disease on Earth, TB research diseases. carried on as normal,” she said. The Democratic Republic of Congo funding is still dwarfed by that given Hundreds of millions of people need “Across the board, we cannot pretend was suff ering from multiple disease over to HIV and, now, Covid-19. daily medication to manage a host of anymore. Chronic illness should be © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved outbreaks even before Covid-19. Lucica Ditiu, executive director of chronic conditions, from diabetes to viewed as work. It’s work to stay alive.” Gulf Times Friday, May 8, 2020 15 COMMENT From lockdown to lock-in

Simon Johnson and Peter Boone clear, but the limited lockdown – arrivals. Their quarantine, self- Washington, DC and the failure of contact tracing in isolation, and testing rules will be just some contexts – suggests that herd as onerous as New Cookland’s. immunity will occur. Brazil’s president By contrast, countries seeking to t fi rst glance, Covid-19 calls this same approach “vertical establish herd immunity won’t fear seemed to be a shared global isolation.” foreign visitors. The Swedes will experience, in terms of both India, much of Africa, Asia, the be happy to invite us in, including Athe incidence of the disease Middle East, and Latin America seem for short stays. But if they invite and how countries responded. But to be on a similar path. themselves to other countries, that now it has become clear that countries If the basic reproduction rate (the won’t please the eradicators and are diverging signifi cantly in terms of now ubiquitous R0, which measures suppressors, who will fear “herd strategy and outcomes. This means infectiousness) is 2.5, then 60% of immunity” people. After all, herd that, as the world exits from lock- the population in these countries immunity does not eradicate the downs, it will enter another diffi cult likely need to get the disease before disease, it just means there will be phase: Lock-ins that severely limit herd immunity is established. If R0 is fewer cases of it, and little risk of international travel. higher, more people need to become an epidemic – but only in places Tourism, trade, and travel more infected and survive for herd immunity where suffi cient immunity has been broadly will never be the same again. to occur. In any case, billions of new established. The full pattern remains unclear, but infections presumably still await. Gone are the days of short lock-ins are likely to slow the global The third category comprises international travel, or long trips economic recovery – and to create countries that, while unable to visiting multiple countries. We another round of crisis, at least in eradicate the disease, are trying will all fear that a false positive test small island economies that depend on hard to suppress outbreaks for as result will land us in an unnecessary short-stay international visitors. long as possible. These countries, quarantine for 15 days. Sterilisation Today, national Covid-19 strategies which include the United States, of freight and other shipments will be can be broadly separated into most of Canada, and Europe (other similarly tough, especially for cargo three categories: eradication, herd than Sweden), are in a tough coming into eradicators like New immunity, and suppression of the spot. Although they have lowered Cookland. coronavirus until a vaccine or cure is the number of new cases with Tests establishing the presence of discovered. indiscriminate lockdowns, they have antibodies might ultimately lead to Eradication is the hardest to achieve. already shrunk economic activity by some relaxation of travel restrictions, New Zealand claims to have gotten 10-25%, and now they enter a long depending on the extent of immunity there; and Australia aspires to do the slog to suppress R0. that past infection is found to confer. same. This approach is most likely South Korea and China demonstrate But, in the absence of universal to succeed in pristine and relatively that, with social co-operation and vaccination, tighter constraints on remote areas, such as the northern authoritarian zeal, countries can human mobility will presumably Canadian territory of Nunavut, which rapidly identify the newly infected, remain in place – perhaps for a long currently has no reported cases. trace all their contacts, and quarantine time. – Project Syndicate By contrast, some countries will end the exposed until the danger of disease up – for various reasons – with what is well past. These methods are being State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell of the Public Health Agency of Sweden talks to reporters after a news conference on a O Peter Boone is Chairman of epidemiologists call “herd immunity.” attempted but are much less likely to daily update on the coronavirus Covid-19 situation, in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 6. Eff ective Intervention at the London In these places, enough people will succeed comprehensively in the US School of Economics’ Centre for become infected and survive – and, and other developed countries, owing healthcare costs. Pockets of disease as a potential Trojan Horse. Anyone to enter the country, and those who Economic Performance. it is hoped, acquire some degree of to varying access to healthcare, mixed will rise and fall. arriving by plane will likely be test positive will be quarantined for a O Simon Johnson is a professor at immunity – that the disease will no confi dence in the authorities, and wide How does this aff ect global mobility welcomed by agents in hazmat suits, further 15 days. Such restrictions and MIT Sloan and co-chair (with Retsef longer be able to spread like wildfi re. income disparities. and national economies? who will escort them to special uncertainties will make travel to and Levi) of the Covid-19 Policy Alliance, Sweden’s technocrats appear to Some residents will be reluctant Consider the mythical island of quarantine zones, where all newcomers from New Cookland quite unappealing. focused on actionable intelligence have chosen to pursue herd immunity to report symptoms for fear of losing New Cookland. Having eradicated will be required to wait out the virus’s In the real world, all countries and operational recommendations for their country. Japan’s offi cial income, being taken away from Covid-19, the island’s residents incubation period, and then be striving to suppress R0 will impose to limit the human damage from the communications have been less their children, or having to pay high now – correctly – see “outsiders” tested. A negative result is required similar restrictions on international pandemic. The 75th anniversary of victory in World War II Three-day forecast

We are grateful to the people of We consider unacceptable the TODAY By Nurmukhamad Kholov Great Britain and France, and the emergence of new dividing lines and Maximum Temperature : 370c Ambassador of Russia to Qatar United States of America for their closed borders, sources of enmity, Minimum Temperature : 260c contribution to the victory. tension and confrontation in the SATURDAY n May the 9th, Russia We are grateful to the anti-fascists world, its division into spheres of Maximum Temperature : 380c celebrates the most revered of diff erent countries who selfl essly infl uence and interference in the Minimum Temperature : 280c national holiday — Victory fought in guerilla groups and internal aff airs of sovereign States. SUNDAY Day. underground, including in Germany We are convinced that the Maximum Temperature : 390c O itself. peaceful resolution of confl icts, in Minimum Temperature : 290c This year it is an anniversary date, the 75th anniversary of Victory in the In our memory remains the historic compliance with international law Fisherman's forecast Great Patriotic War, it is a guarantee meeting of the Allies on the Elbe river. and in accordance with the goals and The principles of trust and unity principles of the United Nations, of continuity of our state and WARNING connection of generations. have become our common heritage, is the only way to save present and Inshore : Strong wind expected Victory Day is a tribute to the an example of the unifi cation of future generations from the scourges at some places Offshore : Expected strong wind memory of participants of the events peoples for peace and stability. and horrors of new wars. and high sea of those days. The current attempts to rewrite International security is indivisible The events of that period are no history, distort and revise the and proceeds from the premise that it WEATHER Inshore : Hot daytime with some less a lesson for the present and outcome of the Second World War can only be universal, equal security clouds and slight dust, future generations, a lesson of the are very regrettable and categorically for all. mild by night perils of intolerance, discrimination, unacceptable to us and to the peoples As we celebrate the 75th Ambassador of Russia Nurmukhamad WIND extremism and hatred on ethnic, Kholov of many States. anniversary of the Great Victory Inshore : Northwesterly-Norther- racial and religious grounds, as well Perplexity, resentment and anger during these difficult days for ly 10-20/25 KT are, in our view, the feelings that everyone, in these conditions Offshore : Northeasterly-South- as the fact that the struggle against fostering patriotism of the younger Northwesterly 12-22/28 can be experienced by looking at the affecting all countries, we count the ideology of hatred, whatever its generation. KT eff orts of some politicians to glorify on the support of all our friends name may be — the common cause of Russia does not divide the Victory Nazism, and attempts to rank as in preserving the memory of the Visibility : 4-8 KM all states and peoples. in the Second World War into “our Offshore : 4-7/9 FT national heroes those who fought victims of that war, as well as in The lessons of World War II urge victory” and “others”. The victory against members of the Anti-Hitler opposing attempts to reconsider its us not to forget that the world is still was achieved due to the military fragile. Coalition or co-operated with the outcome. co-operation of all countries of the Around the region For us the Great Victory besides Nazis during the war years, this policy It is our sacred duty to a generation anti-Hitler coalition. Weather general pride will remain the basis for looks blasphemous and cynical. of winners. Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Baghdad Sunny 35/22 Cloudy 40/21 Kuwait City Sunny 34/26 M Cloudy 34/28 Manama Sunny 32/27 M Sunny 34/28 Muscat Sunny 39/29 Sunny 35/28 Live issues Tehran Sunny 26/15 Sunny 28/19 Splendid isolation: islands prove safe ports in virus storm

AFP ordered shut and larger indoor “Contact tracing, early detection is slightly more densely populated Ayia Napa, Cyprus gatherings banned on March 11, ahead of cases, quarantine, isolation and than France (119), where the virus of a curfew imposed late that month. proper personal hygiene,” he said. death toll stands at over 390 people It seems to have worked: declared “These guidelines matter whether per million. njoying the loosening of a coronavirus fatalities stood at just 15 you are in Cyprus, whether you are in Malta, meanwhile, has a high six-week coronavirus lock- as the government eased its lockdown Iceland or whether you are in France.” population density of 1,375 per sq km. down in Cyprus, Michalis on Monday. But Njalsson also acknowledged Malta’s only airport was shut in late Eveledis charged across pris- This puts the country in the top that smaller countries have had an March and the only travel in and out E Around the world tine white sand and plunged headlong seven performing EU nations for advantage over their more populous of the island since then has been via into the cool Mediterranean under a coronavirus deaths as a proportion of peers. repatriation fl ights. Weather Weather glaring sun. the population, according to declared “It helps a lot when it comes to The country has not yet eased today Max/min tomorrow Max/min “I am very glad to visit my beach data collated by AFP. mobilising and getting people to work internal restrictions, but plans to, Athens Sunny 24/11 M Sunny 25/13 and swim for the fi rst time this year,” And Cyprus is in the top ten with you. We are just 360,000 people, albeit only very gradually. Beirut M Sunny 25/19 S T Storms 22/18 the 39-year-old resident of Ayia countries worldwide for coronavirus which gives us an opportunity to “Population density might Bangkok P Cloudy 36/29 P Cloudy 36/29 Napa — usually a magnet for foreign screening tests as a proportion of build a sense of community around be important to consider in this Berlin P Cloudy 21/08 P Cloudy 23/11 tourists but now deserted — said with its population, fi gures compiled these actions.” period” when authorities start Cairo M Sunny 36/18 Sunny 30/16 a big grin. by demographic data provider That point is echoed by to unlock restrictions, Professor Cape Town Sunny 24/13 Sunny 24/14 The government this week began Worldometer show. Konstantinos Makris, an associate Makris noted. Colombo T Storm 31/26 S T Storms 31/26 allowing people into the sea for the Iceland ranks best in the world professor of environmental Cyprus’ testing programme will Dhaka M Sunny 34/24 P Cloudy 34/24 fi rst time since March and permitted among nation states on that metric, health at the Cyprus University of now focus heavily on people returning Hong Kong S T Storms 31/27 P Cloudy 31/27 them to leave their homes up to three while Malta places fourth globally. Technology. to work, according to Health Minister Istanbul P Cloudy 18/09 M Sunny 19/10 times, instead of just once, per day. Malta also boasts the EU’s third “Island populations are more Constantinos Ioannou, who holds no Jakarta T Storm 33/26 T Storm 33/25 Cyprus is one of a clutch of lowest death-to-population ratio for homogeneous and easier to illusions about the enormity of the Karachi M Sunny 33/26 Sunny 33/27 normally highly open island nations the virus. communicate” with, he told AFP, challenge ahead. London M Cloudy 23/12 M Sunny 24/12 — including Iceland, Malta and Helped by an exceptionally low adding that technical factors related If Cyprus manages to continue its Manila P Cloudy 37/28 S T Stroms 36/28 New Zealand — that have lately population density, Iceland never to complexities of scale helped eff ective suppression of the virus Moscow S Showers 14/08 M Cloudy 15/08 started easing, or are poised to imposed a lockdown. smaller nations get ahead on testing. — by no means fully guaranteed, as New Delhi Sunny 39/26 Sunny 41/27 ease, measures restricting internal Instead, it issued non-binding Testing has also been signifi cant in social interactions increase from this New York Rain 13/03 Cloudy 09/04 movement. restrictions and guidance limiting the northern Cyprus. week — it will remain extremely hard Paris Cloudy 24/15 S Showers 24/15 All these nations have — so far, size of gatherings — initially to 20, More than 14,000 people have been to open up to much of the rest of the Sao Paulo P Cloudy 20/11 Sunny 23/11 at least — scored impressively in but increased to 50 as of Monday. tested for coronavirus in the north world. Seoul M Cloudy 26/14 Rain 19/13 containing the virus’ spread. Kjartan Hreinn Njalsson, — a territory of 300,000 — while This brings major implications Singapore T Storm 31/28 S T Storms 32/28 Cyprus imposed a ban on most assistant to the Director of Health, confi rmed virus deaths stand at four, for the crucial tourism sector, a Sydney Sunny 26/16 P Cloudy 24/11 incoming passenger fl ights from is unequivocal about how Iceland according to authorities there. key component also of Malta’s and Tokyo Clear 22/11 Clear 22/15 March 21, after schools had been arrested the spread of the virus. Cyprus, with 131 people per sq km, Iceland’s economies. Gulf Times 16 Friday, May 8, 2020 QATAR QF celebrates Garangao with an online cultural experience Virtual session with Embrace Doha brings people together digitally to mark the mid-point of Ramadan he spirit of Ramadan has been celebrated in virtual Tform by Qatar Foundation through an online insight into Garangao – the mid-point of the unable to be held due to Cov- clothes that children wear, the Heritage Programming, Qatar beautiful celebration encour- Holy Month. id-19. bags they carry, and the songs Foundation. ages social interaction between Members of the community The session explained how they sing at Garangao; the prep- “The impact of Covid-19 may children and provides them from Qatar and beyond were in- Garangao is an occasion to be arations that people make for the have led to our lives changing, with a sense of place within vited to join a session organised celebrated by people of all ages, occasion. but our traditions endure, and their community. by Qatar Foundation’s Com- with children being recognised “Ramadan is a time of sharing, through virtual events such as “It also strengthens the ties munity Engagement team and and rewarded for fasting during and through this online event, these during Ramadan, we are between children and adult cultural consultancy company the fi rst weeks of Ramadan, and we wanted to share knowledge looking to bring people together members of the neighbourhood Embrace Doha that captured the encouraged to continue doing about Garangao, and what it in a diff erent way to celebrate through the traditional songs essence of Garangao – from its so for the remainder of the Holy means to Qatar and the region, this special time.” which tie young ones to their meaning and purpose, to its tra- Month. with people of all nationalities Embrace Doha’s founder shared history. It celebrates the ditions – with the usual events The online audience also and cultures,” said Hend al- Amal al-Shammari, who led value of sharing throughout the and activities that surround it learned about the traditional Mousawi, head of Culture and the online session, said: “This Holy Month of Ramadan.” Garangao brings cheer and smiles in times of Covid-19 QNA Doha

n a distinct Qatari heritage atmosphere full of herit- Iage and fun, the Ministry of Culture and Sports organised a big celebration yesterday for the children of Qatar to celebrate Garangao night, during which all the precautionary measures were followed in light of the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Buses belonging to a number of

The Ministry of Culture and Sports distributes sanitised and sealed Children with gifts in front of a vehicle used by Katara for Garangao. Garangao bags full of sweets and nuts to children. Gift distribution by Katara.

sports clubs and a bus belonging facilitated by many factors and buses from the headquarters the bus of the Center for Theater phere full of happiness and joy to the Center for Theater Aff airs authorities. of the clubs participating in Aff airs. and with great participation of roamed many suburbs to dis- Young volunteers from Qatar the event, including Al Rayyan All buses moved through plans Qatari families and residents. tribute sterilised bags to children Voluntary Center also made ef- Sports Club, Al Sadd Sports that were prepared in a previ- The Ministry of Culture and while they are in their homes. forts to bring happiness to the Club, Qatar Sports Club, Al Khor ous stage to ensure access to the Sports strives to revive the folk The Ministry of Culture and hearts of children without leav- Sports Club, Al Shamal Sports largest number of areas, which heritage and the authentic Qatari Sports thanked the Ministry of ing their homes, following the Club, Al Arabi Sports Club, Al contributed to distributing gifts, heritage and introduce children to Interior for providing a number general safety guidelines to avoid Gharafa Sports Club, Umm Salal candy and nuts to a large group the customs and traditions of the One of the decked-up buses of patrols to accompany buses gatherings. Sports Club, Al Ahly and Al Wak- of children, what brought joy and Qatari society, while emphasising Goodies distributed by the used by the ministry. of sports clubs, as the tasks were The activities started with rah Sports Club, in addition to happiness in a traditional atmos- commitment to health procedures. ministry. QF partner university Tamuq graduates 105 engineers in online ceremony

exas A&M University at A&M at Qatar join me in wishing Qatar (Tamuq), a Qatar you the best in your next exciting TFoundation partner uni- chapter.” versity, awarded bachelor’s and Dr César Octavio Malavé, dean master’s degrees to 105 engineers of Tamuq, presided over the cer- yesterday in an online ceremony emony. He congratulated the recognising all graduates. graduates while acknowledging The Class of 2020 included 94 the unusual and less than ideal Aggies who received bachelor’s circumstances the ceremony degrees in chemical engineering, took place in. electrical engineering, mechani- “This is not how we wanted to cal engineering and petroleum celebrate this milestone,” Malavé engineering. said, “but I can send you into the Fifteen students were recog- world with the knowledge that nised as Undergraduate Research you have achieved something Scholars of Texas A&M’s main remarkable: Not only have you campus in College Station, Texas earned a degree from one of the (US), and 34 students graduated top engineering programmes in with Latin honours. the world, but you have done so Tamuq also awarded 11 mas- under diffi cult and unprecedent- ter’s degrees in chemical engi- ed circumstances. So much has neering. Of the total graduating changed in such a short time, and class, 43% are female and 42% yet learning — and life — goes on. are Qatari. Graduates repre- You adapted to your new normal, sented 23 nationalities. To date, and you kept yourselves on track. Tamuq has granted a total of 1,161 You persevered, and more than degrees. that, you succeeded. Abdulkarim Mohamed, a Class “Remember that you are of 2020 petroleum engineering now among more than 500,000 graduate, addressed his class- graduates of Texas A&M Univer- mates and fellow graduates on sity around the world. Show the behalf of the student body. world how Aggies live their core He came to Tamuq to start his values — not just in the work- freshman year after leaving his place, but also into your com- home in Yemen when war broke munities and your families. We out during his senior year of high could not be more proud of you.” school. The ceremony ended after Dr He credited the friends and Dhabia al-Mohannadi — a Class family he made at Tamuq for his of 2012 graduate of Tamuq and success. now an assistant professor in “Texas A&M at Qatar has been the Chemical Engineering Pro- my home for the past four years,” gramme — inducted the graduates he said. “These years have not A file photo of an informal get-together of the Class of 2020 before the current rules on social distancing came into force. into The Association of Former been easy, but we have learned Students, Texas A&M’s alumni and prospered so much. I made never letting me feel like an out- time. This is a moment we have K Young sent his video greetings congratulations to all of you,” your journey continues as you organisation that comprises the strong friendships that will last sider.” been patiently waiting for and to the graduates and honoured Young said. represent our core values of ex- more than 500,000 graduates forever, and these people weren’t “The A&M community has tonight, we can all fi nally say we their parents, families and men- “You’ve contributed to our cellence, respect, leadership, in- of the university and is known just classmates or colleagues — always made sure we can reach are done. I wish you all the best, tors who encouraged them dur- university through your studies, tegrity, loyalty and selfl ess serv- worldwide as the Aggie Network. they were a second family to me. our own goals while giving us a wherever the road takes you.” ing their studies. participation, research and your ice. I know that the leadership A recording of the event is avail- So thank you, Class of 2020, for chance to make the best of our Texas A&M President Michael “I want to off er my heartfelt extraordinary service, and now team, faculty and staff of Texas able at https://2020.tamu.qa