BUSINESS | Page 1 QATAR | Page 16 Support for Italian fi rms eyeing Qatari market on track, says Local yards fl ush with envoy fresh farm products published in QATAR since 1978
SATURDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11529 April 25, 2020 Ramadan 2, 1441 AH
GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals
Amir exchanges Ramadan greetings with Turkish leader, Omani deputy PM QNRF aims
His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani exchanged greetings with Turkish to boost food President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, in a telephone conversation yesterday evening. During the call, they reviewed the security, fi ght strategic relations between the two countries and the prospects for strengthening them, in addition to discussing the most prominent regional and international epidemics developments. His Highness the Amir also exchanged Ramadan greetings with Oman’s Deputy zQNRF to launch second cycle food security Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, Fahad bin Mahmood to address production challenges al-Said, in a telephone conversation yesterday evening. The first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan taking place yesterday at Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab Mosque under the stringent safety guidelines against Covid-19. By Joseph Varghese PM holds phone talk Staff Reporter with Kuwait premier HE the Prime Minister and Minister n a major bid to ensure food secu- of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa Friday prayers held exclusively rity and combat epidemics, Qatar bin Abdulaziz al-Thani held yesterday INational Research Fund (QNRF), a a telephone conversation with member of Qatar Foundation, in col- Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh at Imam Muhammad mosque laboration with the Ministry of Mu- Sabah al-Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah. nicipality and Environment (MME) Besides exchanging Ramadan will soon announce the second cycle greetings, they reviewed the solid of “Food Security Call” in four priority QNRF executive director Dr Abdul bilateral relations and the prospects he fi rst Friday prayers of the nounced that mosques will remain that it is not permissible to perform areas for the country. Sattar al-Taie. for strengthening them. holy month of Ramadan was closed for congregational prayers prayer by listening to radio, television “The new cycle aims to boost local Theld exclusively at Imam Mu- throughout the crisis until the health and other means of communication. food production in the priority areas, main focus areas of QNFS namely; local FM gets phone call hammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab Mosque and safety of the worshippers and Such prayers will be performed exclu- such as local supply chain; technol- food production with special empha- from India’s minister yesterday in the presence of only 40 public is guaranteed in co-operation sively at Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul- ogy to accelerate the development of sis on strengthening resilience among worshippers, including the imam and with the competent departments. Wahhab Mosque in the presence of the highly productive and healthy animals, people and agrifood systems, supply HE the Deputy Prime Minister and the mosque’s employees. However, the call of prayers will go imam and four of the mosque’s em- including combating epidemic dis- chain, policy and legislation, and com- Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh While the sermon was given the on as people are encouraged to pray ployees, taking into account the health eases; technology to accelerate local munity initiative,” the offi cial said. Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani participating worshippers kept the at home their daily fi ve ritual prayers precautions directed by the Ministry production of high-quality vegetables; He said that in the fi rst cycle of the received yesterday a phone call designated physical distance from and gatherings are strictly forbidden of Public Health. and sustainable aquaculture,” Dr Ab- food security call, QNRF received 48 from Indian Minister of External one another. They wore face masks for the people’s safety and well-being Such unprecedented procedures, dul Sattar al-Taie, executive director, proposals. “A total of 46 of them were Aff airs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. and gloves as well as part of the pre- until the situation is safe for this. In which have never been seen by many QNRF, told Gulf Times. proceeded through our stringent two- The call focused on discussing ventive and precautionary measures the meantime, the ministry added generations living now, are meant for QNRF had launched the fi rst cycle tier evaluation process. Out of these, bilateral relations and ways to co- in the wake of the novel coronavirus that taraweeh prayers (night prayers the protection of the people and to of this joint call in collaboration with nine proposals were awarded after a operate in containing the spread (Covid-19) spread across the world. performed during Ramadan) will be safeguard the public health, avoiding the MME in 2019 to address the grand competitive review process. Five of of coronavirus (Covid-19), besides The Ministry of Awqaf (Endow- broadcast to the public on television the potential risk factors imposed by challenge of food security in Qatar. the awards went to researchers at Qatar topics of mutual interest. ments) and Islamic Aff airs had an- and radio channels, with the assurance Covid-19. “We discussed the topics of research University, three to Hamad Bin Kha- at length with Dr Faleh al-Thani, As- lifa University and one to Texas A&M sistant Undersecretary of Agriculture University in Qatar. These winning 761 new Covid-19 and Fisheries Aff airs, and other experts proposals focused on a multitude of at the MME and agreed that the second themes including aquaculture, vegeta- cases; recovery cycle of our joint call should be more ble production, protected agriculture reaches 809 90% of Covid-19 patients recover quickly: offi cial focused on specifi c themes that address (greenhouse and hydroponics), and the the pillars of local food production of use of advanced technology to enhance The Ministry of Public Health round 90% of those infected of smokers and elderly people need the symptoms to immediately contact Qatar National Food Security Strategy local food production,” he revealed. (MoPH) yesterday announced the with the novel coronavirus longer times to recover from Cov- the medical team concerned while (QNFS),” explained Dr al-Taie. According to Dr al-Taie, each pro- registration of 761 confirmed new A(Covid-19) do not display any id-19,” he explained. strictly abiding by the precautionary “QNRF runs a diverse and rich port- posal tackles important aspects of food cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) in symptoms and often recover very “There is a very small percent- and preventive measures, most im- folio of funding programmes which sustainability in Qatar from several Qatar, the recovery of 59 cases. The quickly with little medical care, and age of people with weak immunity or portantly self-quarantine until taken falls under three main suites: com- angles. total number of those recovered rarely have any impacts of the disease chronic lung disease who need to have to the designated place for treatment. petitive funding research programmes, “In fact, topics such as aquaculture, has reached 809 in the country. after being fully recovered, a senior some time at the intensive care to re- The offi cial also stressed that those capacity building programmes, and re- local food production and the use of According to a MoPH statement, on offi cial said. cover, and it takes longer time with a newly diagnosed with Covid-19 search connection programmes, all of advanced technology are perfectly in off icial Qatar News Agency (QNA), Dr Al-Mubashir Abu Bakr Abdo, small percentage of them continuing should take care not to worry or panic which are run strictly on competitive line with the food security strategy most of the new cases are among head of the programme to combat to suff er from negative eff ects from because this would eventually impact basis to ensure quality and equal op- adopted by Qatar in 2018. The idea is to expatriate workers, most of whom communicable diseases at the Min- the disease. their immune system negatively and portunity,” Dr al-Taie noted. reduce reliance on import and increase in quarantine, after it was found that istry of Public Health, was talking to “The period of shedding of the vi- may cause the treatment process to “In order to address the grand chal- dependence on locally produced qual- they were in contact with confirmed Qatar TV yesterday about his per- rus outside the body after full recov- be longer. lenge of food security, QNRF launched ity food, making use of state-of-the- cases. All new infected cases have sonal experience of recovering from ery accordingly takes longer times He urged the families of Covid-19 a special call under TGRP (Thematic art facilities available in Qatar. This been put into isolation and are re- Covid-19. with severe cases and those with weak patients, the media and the clergy to and Grand Challenges Research Pro- ensures sustainability in the long run ceiving the necessary medical care. “Some with chronic disease such immunity system,” he pointed out. give all the due psychological support gramme) in collaboration with MME and eliminates risks related to avail- The MoPH stated that the notice- as respiratory diseases like shortness Dr Abdo advised the people who test to them during this time to boost their in 2019. This call invited researchers in ability, price fl uctuation, supply chain, able increase in the number of of breath, alongside diff erent types positive for Covid-19 or display any of morale and subsequently immunity. Qatar and abroad to address one of the and geopolitics,” he said. confirmed new cases of infection is due to several reasons, including that the spread of the virus has started to enter into the peak stage Iftar snacks ready to go (i.e. the highest wave that aff ects the country), which may continue US thanks Qatar Airways to increase for a period of time before it begins to decline. It is also due to the increase in the for transporting its citizens eff orts of the ministry and its medi- cal teams to track the transmission chains of Covid-19 and expand the home from around the world surveillance process, including of groups of contacts with people who were previously diagnosed he US has appreciated “Qatar nearly 1mn people worldwide includ- with the disease. Airways’ continued assistance ing tens of thousands of Americans. Tin transporting US citizens This should be seen as a point of na- home from Qatar and other destina- tional pride for all Qataris.” tions around the world”. “Again, please accept my gratitude RAMADAN THOUGHT US Secretary of State Michael Pom- on behalf of all Americans,” Pompeo Special Iftar snacks are sold by a number of outlets in Doha every peo has stated this in a letter to Qatar’s concluded. afternoon during the holy month of Ramadan. A scene from a Doha Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of In a tweet yesterday, Qatar Airways shop yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma O mankind! Verily, there has Foreign Aff airs HE Sheikh Mohamed said: “Many thanks to the US Govern- come to you a convincing proof bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. ment and to Secretary of State Michael (Prophet Muhammad) from Qatar Airways yesterday tweeted Pompeo for their kind words of appre- Qatar sends more medical aid to Iran your Lord; and We sent down a copy of the letter in which Pompeo ciation to Qatar and Qatar Airways. We to you a manifest light (this says: “On behalf of the United States have made it our mission for everyone Upon the directives of His Highness continuous eff orts to operate air Qur’an). (Qur’an 4: 174) government and the American people, to ensure we are #TakingYouHome @ the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- bridges of urgent medical aid to I want to express our appreciation for SecPompeo” Thani on sending additional medical countries where Covid-19 has spread. Prayer times Qatar Airways’ continued assistance The airline had the other day an- aid to Iran to combat the novel Director General of QFFD Khalifa in transporting US citizens home from nounced that “In recent weeks Qatar coronavirus (Covid-19), Qatar Fund bin Jassim al-Kuwari said that this Fajr....3.42 Zuhr....11.32 Asr....3.01 Qatar and other destinations around Airways has carried over 1mn people for Development (QFFD) yesterday continued assistance to Iran reflects Maghrib.....6.04 Isha.....7.34 the world. home plus transported over 70,000 sent a new shipment of 15 tonnes. the active role of Qatar in supporting Fasting times “We have heard from numerous US tonnes of medical equipment and aid The shipment, delivered by Qatar brotherly and friendly countries, citizens abroad about the tremendous relief, ensuring it is a reliable partner Airways, contains basic medical and helping them to overcome Iftar today ...... 6.04pm eff orts extended by Qatar Airways staff for passengers, governments, travel equipment and supplies, QFFD said and contain this crisis and fight the Imsak tomorrow...... 3.31am to get them home. trade and freight companies in ex- in a statement adding that it comes pandemic, which poses a threat to “Qatar Airways helped repatriate tremely challenging circumstances”. within the framework of Qatar’s the whole world. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, April 25, 2020 QATAR
Chinese envoy Remote medical services extends greetings On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, Chinese ambassador providing top care: expert Zhou Jian has extended his sincere greetings to His Highness the Amir ead of Hamad Medical consultations via a remote sys- The urgent consulting reduce the pressure on the pointment is arranged for him Qatar has a distinguished health Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Corporation’s (HMC) tem as part of the preventive service received about emergency department where and the required checks are system and advanced medi- and all dear Qatari brothers. HUrology Department measures to limit the spread of 2,400 calls in the fi rst urgent medical services can be provided or transferred to the cal facilities and focuses on Ramadan Mubarak! has emphasised that off er- Covid-19. week of its launch, provided from a distance. emergency department. medical care provided to the In a statement, the envoy said: ing urgent medical and coun- The services provided re- and 4,000 calls in the Dr al-Rumaihi explained that He explained that entering community. “I have watched the speech of selling services remotely has motely are divided into two second week services are provided remotely the hospital or outpatient clinic Qatar is one of the few coun- His Highness the Amir last night. succeeded in providing high- parts. through a centre affi liated with is by registering the patient’s tries that owns a specialised I would like to express my deep quality healthcare to all patients The fi rst relates to services in their safety and health from HMC, which consists of two name at the reception, with hospital for communicable dis- appreciation and admiration of His amid the coronavirus disease outpatient clinics, where con- the possibility of infection teams, the fi rst includes general conditions for adhering to the eases, which had a pivotal role Highness the Amir’s firm gesture (Covid-19) crisis. sultant doctors communicate transmission to them. medicine doctors who receive health instructions, including in dealing with the coronavirus to put people’s health and safety Speaking to Qatar News with patients who have prior He explained that medical phone calls from the patients wearing a face mask and other pandemic. as the top priority, and especially Agency (QNA), Dr Khaled al- appointments at HMC hospitals consultations and services re- and learn about the patient’s protective matters against the Regarding the medical serv- his remarks on the importance Rumaihi said that 95% of HMC and provide services to them by motely take place during the condition, then they transfer risk of infection. ices that currently require of international co-operation to clinics provide services re- phone. conversation between the doc- it to the second team, which The remote urgent con- patients to visit hospitals, he counter the pandemic. motely, adding that the remote The second is for urgent tor and the patient by phone, consists of specialists. sultation service was initially explained that they include “Virus respects no border. Facing urgent consulting services wit- consultations, where patients and in some cases, visual com- The urgent consulting serv- launched in urology, orthopae- emergency situations in the Covid-19, solidarity and co- nessed a large turnout since its call 16000 and choose number munication technology can be ice received about 2,400 calls in dics, general surgery, internal emergency departments in ad- operation are the most powerful launch three weeks ago, as it three for urgent medical advice. used to provide the medical the fi rst week of its launch, and medicine, ENT, dermatology, dition to services related to can- weapons, while blaming and received more than 4,000 calls Dr al-Rumaihi said that HMC service. 4,000 calls in the second week, neurology, dentistry, hematol- cerous tumours such as chemo- scapegoating will do no help. Only in the second week, with the launched the remote medical He said that the aim of indicating that 40-48 % of the ogy and oncology, paediatrics, therapy and some tests related by joining hands together in face expectation that the number consultations due to the spread launching the service is to calls were to Qatari citizens. gynaecology, cardiology, men- to patients with cancer and tu- of diff iculties, can we win against will rise due to community of the Covid-19 pandemic, as avoid the problem that the Dr al-Rumaihi pointed out tal health, and elderly diseases, mours, which require the pa- the pandemic together. China will awareness about the service. the goal is to reduce the hos- patient does not have an ap- that if the doctor thinks that and these specialisations will be tient’s presence, while there are continue to work closely with Qatar HMC has launched many pital attendance of patients as pointment in the HMC out- the patient needs a direct medi- increased regularly. some services in this fi eld that and the international community medical services and urgent much as possible to preserve patient clinics, as well as cal examination, an urgent ap- Dr al-Rumaihi noted that are provided remotely. (QNA) toward this common direction”. QAD off ers uninterrupted learning 3 HMC dentists through distance education complete RCSI Fellowship exam By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter hree Qatari dentists have for the fi rst time in the Tcountry, completed via istance learning amid a video conference the Royal pandemic such as the College of Surgeons in Ireland Dcoronavirus disease (RCSI) Fellowship Examination, (Covid-19) provides not only Hamad Medical Corporation a safe environment for both (HMC) announced yesterday. teachers and students but also The specialist paediatric an opportunity to take advantage Dentistry Fellowship (FFD) is of technology to make education off ered through the RCSI. The more interesting and eff ective. fi nal exam was held through “While being implemented video conference, due to Dr Ghanem al-Mannai for the fi rst time on a local and Covid-19 pandemic. global scale, my experience with Dr Ghanem al-Mannai, distance learning has proven Sama Ayoub Yasser al-Nuaimi Rashed al-Nuaimi Sana Alavi chairman of Dental Service at its eff ectiveness and the results HMC, said HMC and RCSI have have paid off ,” said Sama Ayoub, before the Covid-19 outbreak. available even after designated united nations, robotics etc.” children about lessons and meth- collaborated for several years on a grade 11 student of Qatar Acad- Ayoub said that the need for school hours to communicate Rashed al-Nuaimi, also a grade ods of education used remotely. the specialised fellowship pro- emy Doha (QAD), about her ex- distance learning at a time like where students can seek further 11 student, said distance learning My evaluation of e-learning ex- gramme, which is the fi rst of its perience of the digital platform. this became a fundamental is- guidance, which “I believe has allows students like him to interact perience at QAD is excellent since kind in the Middle East. She noted that as students sue for 11th grade students like increased the benefi t received with teachers through video and e-learning is not a new in this The programme allows Qa- at QAD, which adopts the In- her taking part in the IB Diploma from remote learning.” voice calls using the GoToMeeting educational institution.” tari dentists to further their ternational Baccalaureate (IB) Programme. Asked about what she missed platform, apart from emails and Another parent, Zahara, ech- education and advance their system, they are equipped “This is due to the fact that the most about school, Ayoub said Google classroom. oed the same statement saying paediatric dental qualifi cations. and prepared to adapt to such IB relies on external examination fi rst is the lively classroom en- Mohamed Anan, another grade that distance learning or remote Dr al-Mannai congratu- circumstances. that assumes the learning across vironment and atmosphere that G11 student, said QAD’s online work is the future. lated the doctors on receiving Dr Khalifa Ali al-Ansari Due to the nature of the course the two years of the diploma to gave them an opportunity to learning kept him protected and “Our role as parents is to pro- the fellowship and thanked and despite the Covid-19 pan- be consistent while meeting the engage in class discussions and safe from Covid-19. vide an appropriate and healthy Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, dep- demic, Ayoub said they already syllabus requirements of each in- group work, which both are ef- “In terms of preventing the environment for studying in uty chief medical offi cer and completed almost all of their dividual subject,” she said. fective learning aspects, “fol- spread of Covid-19 and protect- these exceptional circumstances, director of the Department learning online: from research, “However, after continuing lowed by the IB programme and ing myself and my family, as well and encourage them to organise of Medical Education for projects and presentations the school year through dis- ones that we rely on a daily basis as society as a whole, I have not and manage their time,” she said. the ongoing support of his to quizzes, among others. tance learning, I am grateful for prior to remote learning.” gone out of the house since the Primary Years Programme co- Department. “Where essentially, the use the support of the school and “I also miss the diversity in the beginning of the closure of all ordinator Sana Alavi said that Dr Khalifa Ali al-Ansari, of technology and online plat- staff that have done their best methods and sources of learning, schools to comply with the di- programmes such as Seesaw and senior consultant and vice forms is submerged with our to ensure our remote learning such as physically going to the rections of the Qatar national Google Classroom serve as QAD’s chairman of Education, Ha- education. Thus, these expe- experience will not put us at a library and after-school sessions leadership,” he added. main platform for e-learning, mad Dental Center, said the riences and gained skills have disadvantage upon writing the for certain subjects,” she said. Sharing his view, experience providing students to have a MFD Postgraduate Dental become very useful during this May 2021 exams, that are an ac- “Personally, the most important and assessment on distance edu- voice, choice and ownership. Education Programme al- time,” she added. cumulation of two years’ worth aspect I miss of school is the cation as a parent, Yaser al-Nuai- She said students work sub- lows Qatar-based dentists to QAD has been well-equipped of learning,” Ayoub stressed. extracurricular activities I in- mi said: “Direct follow-up is done missions on Seesaw and Google receive specialised training with an e-learning platform and She added that teachers and dulged in on a daily/weekly basis, on a daily basis through daily ob- Classroom are evaluated by the in Qatar, permitting them to Dr Jamal al-Abdullah readied its faculty in advance even staff members at QAD are also such as student council, model servation and discussion with my teacher. obtain accreditation from a well-known international in- Paediatric Dentistry Residen- stitution without the need to cy Programme at HMC, said travel abroad. to date 11 Qatari dentists have “The Hamad Dental Center, completed the Irish Fellow- in partnership with RCSI, is ship Diploma examination. QRCS to distribute diverse food, proud to provide this oppor- He said each year a number of tunity to Qatar-based den- Qatari dentists are accepted tists. Each year we organise into the programme and in the social welfare aid in Ramadan an intensive training course coming years there are plans to to help prepare dentists from extend enrolment to children atar Red Crescent Society food baskets will be distributed tributed to families and workers, the public and private sectors of long-term residents and (QRCS) has initiated a se- to meet the needs of poor fami- respectively. to pass the admittance tests international students. Qries of charitable projects lies over the holy month of Ra- Regarding how this food as- for membership into the Royal “We have agreed to partner for the benefi t of tens of thou- madan. It is meant to make them sistance will be delivered, Muna College of Surgeons in Ireland with Weill Cornell Medicine sands of vulnerable families and happy and satisfi ed in these Fadhel al-Sulaiti, executive QRCS all set for its Ramadan campaign. (MFD and FFD examinations). – Qatar and Sidra Medicine groups in Qatar under its Ram- blessed days, as part of QRCS’ director of QRCS’ Volunteer- These intensive programmes to encourage post-graduate adan Campaign 1441 AH titled ‘It mission of reaching out to the ing and Local Development tive food baskets at nine branches bank transfer via QIIB (IBAN: QA- spans three years and the dentistry students to con- Is Better and Greater in Reward’. vulnerable everywhere. Division, said: “Using modern across the country upon present- 66QIIB000000001111126666003); dentists who have enrolled in tinue their studies as part of This year, the Ramadan Iftar Another project is to help poor technology, a fi rst-of-its-kind ing their personal IDs”. or visit – QRCS’ headquarters at the preparatory workshops ongoing eff orts to strengthen project will be limited to food families and expatriate workers computerised database of the People can donate to QRCS’ Ra- Corniche, QRCS’s Training and we provide have achieved a our resources in this fi eld baskets as all Ramadan Iftar who were aff ected negatively by benefi ciaries was created and madan campaign through online Development Center in Umm Al- high level of success,” said and to support these pro- tents were cancelled to prevent the Covid-19 outbreak and sub- shared with our partner, LuLu (www.qrcs.org.qa); send an SMS Seneem, or QRCS’s donation col- Dr al-Ansari. fessionals in passing the the spread of the novel coronavi- sequent lockdown. Some 6,000 Hypermarket, where the benefi - (app.qrcs.org.qa/cov); call hotlines lection agents (Al-Meera, LuLu, and Dr Jamal al-Abdullah, chief RCSI examinations,” said rus (Covid-19). A total of 20,000 and 1,500 baskets will be dis- ciaries can collect their respec- (66666364 – 33998898); make a Carrefour). of Pedodontics and head of the Dr al-Abdullah.
QRCS provides equipment to detect Covid-19 cases in Gaza 19 held for repackaging expired foodstuffs The representative mission of trauma in public hospitals. Qatar Red Crescent Society At the same time, QRCS’s The North Security Department has (QRCS) in Gaza has initiated a mission is working together arrested 19 people from Arab and project to enhance emergency with MOH to apply the Asian countries after they repackaged and trauma services at hospitals of protective measures against and wrapped expired foodstuff s inside the Palestinian Ministry of Health Covid-19 at hospitals and health a warehouse in Umm Abiriya, the Min- (MOH), amid the coronavirus centres. The World Health istry of Interior (MoI) said. A device disease (Covid-19) risks. Organisation (WHO) called used to modify the validity dates of Medical solutions and laboratory for maintaining maximum foodstuff s was seized from them, the equipment will be secured precautions to prevent the MoI tweeted yesterday. The defend- to detect Covid-19 cases. At a spread of the virus among the ants were referred to the prosecution total cost of $50,000, the new community of Gaza, where to complete the legal procedures medical supplies will serve up to the health sector is already followed in this regard, it added. 28,800 patients per day at the struggling due to years of departments of emergency and blockade and lack of funding. Off icials during a preliminary meeting. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD
Tehran Rouhani urges Iran military says no longer at ‘red’ status to seek regional stability in pandemic Reuters fence Minister Brigadier General Amir US interests in the country, over the Dubai Hatami by telephone. In a phone call recent tensions between Tehran and to Revolutionary Guards commander Washington. battle Major General Hossein Salami, Rou- Antagonism between Iran and the resident Hassan Rouhani called hani “referred to provocative actions United States has sharpened since on Iran’s armed forces yesterday by foreigners in the region and the need 2018, when Trump withdrew from Te- AFP Pto seek regional stability while to maintain vigilance against these hran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world Tehran maintaining vigilance against “provo- moves”, state television reported. powers and reimposed crippling sanc- cations”, state TV reported, as a war of Trump said on Wednesday he had tions. Animosities spiked in early Janu- words with the United States escalated. instructed the US Navy to fi re on any ary when top Iranian military com- ran’s health ministry said The head of Iran’s elite Revolution- Iranian ships that harass it at sea, mander Qassem Soleimani was killed yesterday that the virus- ary Guards said on Thursday Tehran though said later he was not changing in a US drone strike in Baghdad. Iran Ihit country was no longer would destroy US warships if its secu- the military’s rules of engagement. retaliated on Jan 9 by fi ring missiles at at “red” status as it announced rity is threatened in the Gulf, a day after Earlier this month, the US military bases in Iraq where US troops were sta- another 93 deaths from its Cov- US President Donald Trump warned said 11 Revolutionary Guards naval ves- tioned. id-19 outbreak. Tehran over “harassment” of US ves- sels came close to US Navy and Coast Stoking tension over Tehran’s nu- Ministry spokesman Kian- sels. Guard ships in the Gulf, calling the clear and missile programmes, Iran’s oush Jahanpour said the novel “We must carefully follow strategies moves “dangerous and provocative”. Guards said on Wednesday they had coronavirus fatalities recorded ensuring the sustainable stability of Tehran blamed its longtime adversary successfully launched the country’s in the past 24 hours took Iran’s the region while maintaining vigilance for the incident. On Thursday, Iran’s fi rst military satellite into orbit. The overall death toll to 5,574. and authoritative presence in the area,” Foreign Ministry summoned the Swiss announcement drew protests from Jahanpour also announced Rouhani: call for vigilance state TV quoted Rouhani as telling De- ambassador in Tehran, who represents Washington, London and Paris. 1,168 new cases of coronavirus infection, taking the country’s total to 88,194. But he said that 66,596 pa- tients had been released from hospital after recovering from Kuwait Five test positive in Lebanon refugee camp the illness. “None of our provinces are in the red, but warnings re- reveals 215 main, and the situation will not DPA be considered normal at all,” he Beirut tweeted. new virus Iran has been struggling to contain the virus that causes the t least fi ve residents of Covid-19 disease since reveal- cases a Palestinian refugee ing its fi rst cases more than two Acamp in eastern Leba- months ago. non have tested positive for the The fi rst cases it announced QNA novel coronavirus, on February 19 were deaths in Kuwait the fi rst such cases among the holy city of Qom, south of refugees in the country, a the capital. United Nations agency and a The outbreak was quick to uwait’s Health Minister Lebanese health source said spread to all of the country’s 31 Sheikh Dr Basel al-Sabah yesterday. provinces. Kannounced yesterday, the The UN Relief and Works Despite still battling the virus, recovery of 115 people from the Agency for Palestine Refugees the Iranian government has al- coronavirus (Covid-19), bring- in the Near East (UNRWA) lowed many businesses to reo- ing the tally to 613. added in a statement that the pen since April 11 after shutting Kuwait news agency (Kuna) fi rst patient was diagnosed on most down in mid-March to pre- quoted the minister as saying Wednesday in the Wavel refu- vent the spread of the disease. that analyses and medical ex- gee camp in the area of Baal- aminations and tests proved beck. UNRWA said the patient their recovery, adding that the was a Palestinian refugee from recovered will be shifted to the Syria who was residing in the Leading Saudi hospital recuperation ward, camp, home to more than activist dies in pending their discharge dur- 2,000 people. detention: groups ing the next two days. On the Further testing conducted in other hand, the Kuwaiti Minis- the Wavel camp revealed four A leading Saudi activist serving try of Health reported 215 new more positive cases, all are close an 11-year jail sentence has Covid-19 infections in the last family members of the fi rst pa- died in detention, campaigners 24 hours, bringing the tally to tient, according to the agency. said yesterday, highlighting the 2,614. It added that the fi rst patient kingdom’s human rights record, The ministry’s spokesperson had been transferred to the Rafi k AFP reported from Dubai. Dr Abdullah al-Sanad also an- Hariri Hospital in Beirut, the Abdullah al-Hamid, 69, died nounced the death of one pa- main facility treating coronavi- after suffering a stroke in his tient, bringing the total number rus patients in Lebanon. prison cell earlier this month, of deaths to 15. “The four other individuals according to multiple rights OMAN REPORTS are observing home isolation, groups including Amnesty 74 NEW CASES and their health condition does International. Oman yesterday announced not require hospitalisation,” “Dr al-Hamid was a fearless 74 new coronavirus cases, bring- UNRWA said. champion for human rights in ing the country’s overall infec- A source at the Lebanese Saudi Arabia,” Lynn Maalouf, tions including nine deaths to Health Ministry meanwhile Amnesty’s Middle East research 1,790, QNA reported. said a medical team had con- Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan (centre) speaks to journalists during his visit to the Wavel refugee camp in the eastern Bekaa director, said in a statement. The newly diagnosed cases are ducted coronavirus testing on Valley, yesterday, after cases of infection by the novel coronavirus were detected there. “Our thoughts are with his fam- 35 Omanis and 39 foreigners, the all people who were in contact ily and friends, who for the past country’s Health Ministry said, with the fi rst patient. site, witnesses said. UNRWA estimated 400,000 Palestin- LEBANON EXTENDS the third extension since it eight years had been deprived according to Oman’s news agen- Palestinian committees run- said it was preparing to use a ian refugees living in 12 camps CURBS UNTIL MAY 10 was imposed on March 15 to of his presence as a result of cy (ONA). ning the camp have closed all centre in southern Lebanon scattered across eastern, Meanwhile, the Lebanese stop the spread of the virus, the state’s inhumane repres- The overall number of recov- its entrances and stopped peo- as a medical isolation facility southern and northern Leba- government extended its which has so far infected 696 sion,” she added. eries has reached 325, ONA said. ple from entering or exiting the for future cases. There are an non as well as around Beirut. lockdown until May 10. It is people, of whom 22 have died.
Al-Aqsa preacher’s voice echoes across Unprecedented virus lockdown as Ramadan begins Jerusalem amid missing crowds An imam standing atop an AFP daytime fasting month will be fi nement to be respected during rush. This year many Mus- 18-foot pulpit in a near-empty Al- Riyadh a sombre aff air across Muslim- Ramadan, saying religious law lims are saving their money for Aqsa Mosque delivered the first majority nations. put saving lives above all else. masks, gloves and other Cov- prayers of Ramadan in Jerusalem Ramadan is typically a period The Covid-19 death tolls id-19 protective gear. yesterday, his voice echoing osques stood empty of both worship and socialising, across the Middle East and Asia In Lebanon, the threat of the across an empty and windswept and fast-breaking but this year strict lockdowns have been lower than in Europe virus and a severe economic cri- plateau almost devoid of wor- Mfeasts were cancelled limit gatherings for iftar meals and the United States but are sis have put a damper on Ram- shippers, Reuters reported.. as Muslims around the world at dusk when the fast is broken rising steadily, sparking fears adan festivities, with the streets In historic scenes rarely, if ever, began marking Ramadan under — a centrepiece of Ramadan. the virus may overwhelm of- in the capital Beirut largely witnessed at the third holiest site coronavirus lockdown yester- The measures have put a ten underfunded healthcare empty. in Islam, below him kneeled only day, while a pushback in some damper on spirits. systems. To limit exposure, the “Sales will drop by more a handful of clerics in facemasks, countries sparked fears of a Countries such as the United World Health Organisation has than 75% compared to previ- staying several feet apart be- surge in infections. Arab Emirates, Iraq, Libya, Tu- urged countries to “stop large ous years,” predicted Samer cause of coronavirus restrictions. Makkah’s Grand Mosque, was nisia and Algeria have partially numbers of people gathering” Hallab, a sweets shop owner in “We ask God to have mercy among those devoid of wor- eased the lockdown, but Mo- in places associated with Ram- the northern Lebanese city of on us and all of humanity and shippers as the holy month got rocco has announced a night- adan activities, such as enter- Tripoli, famous for its Ramadan to save us from this lethal pan- under way amid unprecedented time curfew for Ramadan as it tainment venues, markets and desserts. demic,” the imam said. bans on family gatherings and steps up emergency measures to shops. Hallab said his business has In normal years during Ramadan mass prayers. combat the virus. The restrictions have hit taken a hit as the crisis has made Friday prayers worshippers A stunning emptiness envel- The North African nation’s businesses hard, including re- sweets a luxury and the lock- Tunisian, wearing protective masks, walk past stalls in a central market gather by the tens of thousands oped the sacred Kaaba in the Council of Oulemas, the offi cial tailers who would normally down prevents large nighttime in the capital Tunis yesterday, during the first day of the holy month of on the tree-lined hilltop plateau most potent sign of how the religious body, called for con- be preparing for the Ramadan gatherings. Ramadan, after authorities partially eased the lockdown measures. that lies at the heart of Jerusa- lem’s Old City and is known to Muslims as Al-Haram Al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). But this year the 35-acre com- pound around Al-Aqsa Mosque Coalition extends Yemen ceasefi re by a month and the golden Dome of the Rock was almost deserted, just a tiny handful of faithful standing in a short line, rising and kneeling AFP fi ghting persists in the war-torn coun- day”, its spokesman Turki al-Maliki tles persisted between the Houthis the country in the grip of what the UN in unison. Few also turned up Riyadh try. said in a statement released by the offi - and Yemen’s government while coali- calls the world’s worst humanitarian outside the walls of the Old City, The extension comes after Yemen’s cial Saudi Press Agency. “The coalition tion jets mounted dozens of air raids on crisis. just 10 people — the maximum Houthi rebels rejected a two-week reaffi rms that there is still an opportu- rebel targets. Earlier this month, Yemen re- allowed by Israeli authorities he coalition said yesterday it was ceasefi re declared by the military coali- nity to focus all eff orts in order to reach Tens of thousands of civilians have ported its first case of coronavirus in — praying outside Lion’s Gate extending a unilateral ceasefi re tion that ended on Thursday. a comprehensive and lasting ceasefi re been killed over the past five years in Hadramawt, a southern government- facing the Mount of Olives. Tin Yemen by one month to com- The coalition has decided to “extend in Yemen,” he added. the war between the coalition-backed controlled province, raising fears of bat the coronavirus pandemic, even as the ceasefi re for a month from Thurs- During the two-week truce, bat- government and the rebels, leaving an outbreak in the war-torn country. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, April 25, 2020 RAMADAN/AFRICA Spiritual and physical SA to gradually ‘ease’ well-being via fasting lockdown from May 1 l-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, has re- ported that the Messenger AFP Aof Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi Pretoria wa sallam) said: “Paradise has eight gates and one of them is Ar-Rayyaan through which none will enter but outh Africa’s fi ve-week coro- those who observe fating.” As- navirus lockdown will be slowly Suyooti, may Allah have mercy upon Seased from next month, Presi- him, has reported that Al-Haarith Ibn dent Cyril Ramaphosa said as he Kalda, may Allah have mercy upon sought a balance between protecting him, stated that: “Imposing absti- people and letting them “earn a liv- nence from food” was the essence of ing.” medicine. Fasting, in medical terms, Ramaphosa rolled out strict con- may mean a variety of things. fi nement measures on March 27, un- Some health care practitioners der which people were only allowed to might recommend juice fasting. This leave their homes for groceries, phar- type of fast eliminates all solid foods maceuticals and medical appoint- and the person consumes only fruit ments. and vegetable juices. Others might The spread has slowed during an in- recommend elimination of all foods itial three-week lockdown period that except fruits and water for a specifi ed was later extended until April 30. time. Some might even recommend But authorities have struggled to eliminating all foods and drinks for keep people indoors — particularly in specifi c periods. The reported purpose overcrowded townships — and many for these forms of fasting is to cleanse businesses feared they would not be toxins and poisons form the body able to recover from a prolonged shut- and the digestive tract. Islamically constipation. Another study suggests husbands have a right over their wives. down. speaking, fasting both voluntary that fasting may improve cholesterol Breaking the fast with dates or sips “We have accordingly decided that and obligatory is an act of worship. levels. of water is better. Again, this is based beyond Thursday the 30th of April, we Although there may be health Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on the Prophet’s Sunnah, sallallaahu should begin a gradual and phased re- benefi ts, its primary purpose must upon him, has reported that the ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the narration covery,” Ramaphosa said in a televised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visits the Covid-19 coronavirus always be to please Allah. Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi reported by Abu Daawood, may Allah address. treatment facilities at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, yesterday. Alternative medicine views wa sallam, said that Allah said: “All have mercy upon him: “When one of “We will implement what we call a fasting as a detoxifi cation method. the deeds of the children of Aadam are you is fasting, he should break his fast risk-adjusted strategy through which demic. “While a nationwide lockdown to earn a living. Companies need to This simply means that it is used for them, except fasting, which is for with dates, but if he cannot get any, we take a deliberate and cautious ap- is probably the most eff ective means produce and trade.” to purify the body by eliminating Me and I will give the reward for it.” then (he should break his fast) with proach to the easing of current lock- to contain the spread of the virus, While South Africans are still en- “toxins.” This process enhances Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy water, for water is purifying.” down restrictions.” it cannot be sustained indefi nitely,” couraged to remain home, some the healing processes of the body. upon him, has also reported that the Muslim, may Allah have mercy A $26bn relief package was an- Ramaphosa said, adding that “clear businesses will be able to resume op- Fasting generally is perceived to Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, upon him, has reported that the nounced earlier this week to stimulate evidence” showed the restrictions had erations “under specifi c conditions” spare any harm to vital organs but narrated that Allah said: “The fast is Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, the economy and cushion vulnerable been working. and in a “phased manner” as of next uses fatty tissue, etc. For energy for Me and I will give the reward for it, said: “The Ajwah date is an excellent people during the coronavirus pan- “Our people need to eat, they need month. Borders are to stay shut and production. Naturopathic health as he (who observes the fast) leaves his remedy.” The best days for fasting travel between provinces remains for- care practitioners generally proscribe (sexual) desire, food and drink for My are Mondays and Thursdays. At- bidden. short fasts. Because body temperature Sake. Fasting is a shield (from Hell) and Tirmithi, may Allah have mercy upon Ramaphosa pokes fun at himself aft er mask fumble There was no mention of a contro- may drop during a fast, as does blood there are two pleasures for a fasting him, also reported that the Prophet, versial ban on alcohol sales. But people pressure, pulse, and respiration, it is person, one at the time of breaking his sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday poked fun at himself for will be allowed to purchase cigarettes considered important to stay warm. fast and the other at the time when he “The deeds of men are presented to clumsily fumbling with his face mask during televised speech, a move that at- and exercise outdoors in “strict public Fasting is seen as possible treatment will meet his Lord. The smell of the Allah on Mondays and Thursdays, tracted widespread laughter on social media. health conditions”. The gradual lift- for a variety of disorders and mouth of a fasting person is better in and I like mine to be presented when The president awkwardly pulled a colourful fabric mask over his eyes after ing of confi nement measures will be diseases including: obesity, chemical Allah’s Sight than the smell of musk.” I am fasting.” The 13th, 14th, and announcing an easing of lockdown restrictions on Thursday night, prompting in- compensated by investment in public poisoning, arthritis, allergies, There are specifi c requirements for 15th of each lunar month are also stant reactions on Twitter by amused viewers. The hashtags #facemaskchallenge health. Ramaphosa called on all citi- psoriasis, eczema, leg ulcers, irritable the Muslim to consider when fasting. recommended for fasting. and #CyrilMaskChallenge were trending yesterday as South Africans humoured zens to start wearing face masks out- bowel syndrome, bronchial asthma First is the intention to worship While both the obligatory fasting their president by posting captioned images of Ramaphosa and pictures of doors and pledged 20mn rand (around and even depression. Allah and obey His commandments. during Ramadan and the voluntary themselves in impromptu face coverings. “For those who were laughing at me $1mn) for hospital beds, medicine and Fasting is a protection for the body Second, is that the fasting must take fast ing during the remainder of the yesterday, let me tell you something,” Ramaphosa told reporters during a hos- equipment to tackle an expected “peak and the mind. At-Tirmithi, may Allah place between dawn to dusk. Muslims year are acts of worship, they may pital tour yesterday. “I am going to open a TV channel where I will teach people of infections”. have mercy upon him, has reported are prohibited from fasting for more provide healing to the body. Whatever how to put on a mask,” he chuckled.”You can enrol.” Health Minister Zweli Mkhize that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa than two continuous days without healing may occur because of fasting Ramaphosa’s mask incident lightened the mood in a country entering the fifth warned South Africa still had a “tough sallam, said: “Fasting and the Qur’an breaking the fast. This is based on the is a blessing from Allah, however this week of a strict nationwide lockdown and where the number of coronavirus battle to fi ght”. Meanwhile, the main intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my narration reported in Al-Muwatta, should not be the intention or the goal cases — 3,953 to date — is the highest in Africa. “Kudos to our president,” said one opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) Lord I have kept him away from his food which states that the Prophet, of fasting. Fasting gives us a greater Twitter post.”At least he’s got a sense of humour.” Another Twitter user noted the party hailed Ramaphosa’s announce- and his passions by day, so accept my sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, forbade ability to control our desires and “sign language lady” looked bewildered and ran out of signs during the mask ment as a “smart lockdown model”. intercession for him.’ The Qur’an says, ‘I fasting for two days or more without emotions. It should not be con sidered struggle. “I don’t think Mr President will mind,” she tweeted.”We have more than “What is crucial is that any such a have kept him away from sleep by night breaking the fast in between. Likewise, a “cure-all” or a diet programme. enough sulk moments. Let’s laugh a little.” phased lifting of lockdown restrictions so accept my intercession for him.’ Then fasting is prohibited on cer tain days: Those who fast will receive their Ramaphosa has called on all South Africans to wear face masks as the lockdown is accompanied by both a massive in- their intercession is accepted.” ‘Eid al-Fitr, ‘Eid al-Adha, and on reward from Allah as long as their is set to be gradually phased out from May 1. crease in testing...and reliable data,” Research has shown that fasting Jumu’ah (Fridays unless the person intentions are pure and their fasting the DA said in a statement. can improve the control of diabetes. has fasted the day before or will fast is not harmed or nullifi ed by lying, Another study has shown that fasting the day after). Married women are backbiting, or evil deeds. improved the health of persons admonished not to fast without the Article source: http://www. UNREST with irritable bowel syndrome and permission of their hus bands, as the islamweb.net/emainpage/ Eastern Congo Malaria cases surge in militia ambush kills 16, including Zimbabwe amid battle 12 park rangers Suspected Hutu militiamen killed 16 against coronavirus people, including 12 rangers, yester- day in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park, a government off icial said, in the deadliest such attack in Virunga’s AFP “We are beginning to see the cases Harare rising,” Norman Matara, secretary gen- recent history. Around 60 fighters eral of the Zimbabwe Association of from the Democratic Forces for Doctors for Human Rights said yester- the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) lready battling to contain the day. “Unfortunately this is happening ambushed a convoy of civilians that novel coronavirus, Zimbabwe at a time we are battling with another was being protected by 15 rangers, Ahealth authorities are also fac- health crisis — the Covid-19 pandemic. said Cosma Wilungula, director ) ing a surge in malaria cases which has “One of the conditions can be mis- of the Congo Institute for Nature claimed 152 lives this year, a doctor said taken for the other because some of Conservation (ICCN). Many others (70) yesterday. the symptoms tend to be similar,” said were seriously injured, he said. The increase in malaria cases has Matara. Virunga sits on the forest-covered raised concerns that some coronavirus SENEGAL SEES volcanoes of central Africa and is cases may go unrecognised since some SEVENTH DEATH home to over half the global popu- symptoms of the two diseases are simi- Coronavirus claimed its seventh fa- lation of mountain gorillas. lar. tality in Senegal yesterday, as health of- It is Africa’s oldest national park and As the country entered its fourth fi cials recorded the West African state’s largest tropical rainforest reserve, week of a fi ve-week lockdown imposed largest single increase in infections and covering 7,800sq km. to control the spread of the virus, the warned that traders are particularly at “The guards were not the target government announced a 45% rise in risk, AFP reported. and died while assisting the civilian . malaria cases compared to 2019 as the In a statement, the health ministry vehicle that had been caught under number of deaths increased more than announced that a 65-year-old man had fire from the attackers,” the Virunga 20 percent. succumbed to Covid-19 in the seaside National Park said in a statement. “This year the cumulative malaria capital Dakar. (3) (2) cases in the country stand at 170,303 Senegalese authorities said the same and the deaths are 152 compared to day that they had recorded 66 new HEALTH 117,715 and 127 in 2019 over the same coronavirus cases — out of a total of 545 Djibouti expels period,” the health ministry announced — in the largest single increase since on twitter. the pandemic began in the country. thousands of The fi gures were released early this Coronavirus had appeared relatively Ethiopian migrants week. contained in Senegal until recently. Djibouti has sent thousands of Ethiopian migrants back to their country in recent weeks, and some returnees have tested positive for the coronavirus, of- ficials said yesterday. The UN’s International Organisation for . Migration (IOM) estimates that so far in April “over 2,400 migrants” have been returned from Djibouti to Ethiopia, said Yvonne Ndege, an IOM spokeswoman. “But with the pandemic still unfolding this is a developing situation and the num- . bers are changing,” Ndege said. After being deposited at the bor- der, the returnees are transported to quarantine facilities in the Ethio- pian city of Dire Dawa or in the Residents watch as municipal police demolish illegal structures during a northern Afar region, said Zewdu nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) Assefa from the Ethiopian Public in Harare, yesterday. Health Institute. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 5 AMERICAS
Canada boosts vaccine research, Saskatchewan plans gradual reopening
Reuters closed non-essential businesses told reporters that Ottawa would ing ... is to establish the capac- Some provinces like Saskatch- Broader restrictions, such as restaurants, theatres, pools and Ottawa/Winnipeg and urged people to stay at home spend C$1.1bn ($782mn) to bol- ity of developing vaccines and ewan have seen daily case num- at seniors’ homes, and limits on casinos, and timing will depend since mid-March to slow the ster vaccine research, clinical tri- mass-producing vaccines here in bers dwindle. gatherings to 10 people, remain on how the fi rst phases play out, spread of Covid-19, the respira- als and national testing. Canada.” The western province plans a in place. Moe said. anada has pledged new tory illness caused by the novel “Once we’ve developed a vac- A supplier of chemicals needed phased approach to reopening, Testing and contact tracing Ontario – the most-populous money to develop and coronavirus. cine, whether it be in Canada to test for coronavirus, France’s starting on May 4 with medical will increase. province – extended its shut- Ceventually mass-produce The Calgary Stampede, a rodeo or elsewhere around the world, Biomérieux, has given its pro- services such as dentists and chi- “We have to fi nd middle down until at least May 6. vaccines in its fi ght against the and party that draws tourists and we’re going to need to produce prietary formula to Ottawa for ropractors. ground that continues to keep Quebec has prolonged its clo- coronavirus, while the province oil-industry fi gures from around it,” Trudeau said. free so its national lab can try to Golf courses are to reopen on our case numbers low ... while sures until early May. of Saskatchewan unveiled a plan the world every July to the Al- Noting a competitive scramble manufacture test kits. May 15. allowing Saskatchewan people to Asked about Saskatchewan’s to restart its economy and the re- berta city, said on Thursday that internationally to obtain person- Canada’s total coronavirus The second phase, starting on get back to work,” Premier Scott plan, Trudeau said Ottawa is co- nowned Calgary Stampede was it was cancelling the event due to al protective equipment (PPE), deaths rose to 2,028 on Thursday, May 19, allows retail stores and Moe said. ordinating with provinces so that cancelled. the pandemic. the prime minister stated: “Part up 8% from a day earlier, offi cial services such as hairdressers and The province has not set dates decisions are made using similar Canada’s 10 provinces have Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the investment we’re mak- data showed. massage therapy to open. for subsequent phases to reopen guidelines.
Biden predicts Trump US Congress bracing for will try to postpone new partisan fi ght on aid election Reuters House of Representatives Leaders of the National Gov- happen to be Democrat.” tion would be brought up in the estimates swirled around Wash- Washington Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned ernors Association earlier this Not all prominent Republicans Senate anytime soon. ington that this money could be yesterday: “There will not be a month asked Congress for backed McConnell’s bankruptcy No. 2 Senate Republican John gobbled up within a week. Biden ready to debate Trump, bill without state and local” aid. $500bn in new aid for states and statement. Thune said yesterday that in- If yet another small-business on Zoom if necessary fter passing $3tn of coro- Pelosi, the top US Democrat, US territories. Republican Senator Bill Cas- stead of an aid package to state bailout was urgently needed, navirus relief in a rare run added in a news conference that Pelosi said she is checking sidy of Louisiana wants Wash- and local governments, the US Pelosi could then be able to get AFP Aof bipartisanship, Repub- the legislation she is having pre- on whether that request has ington to open a $500bn stabi- Treasury Department might be Republicans back into deal-mak- Washington licans and Democrats in the US pared will be ready soon and that changed. lisation fund for state and local able to allow greater fl exibility in ing mode and push for the state Congress girded for a new battle it will be “expensive”. The Democrats’ agenda has governments. the way those governments could aid. over federal assistance to states She said that she is not yet cer- some Republicans seething, with Republican Senator Rob Port- use $150bn in aid enacted at the The environment could be ripe resumptive Democratic and local governments grappling tain how much money the House Senate Majority Leader Mitch man also has urged robust aid to end of March. for Trump and Pelosi, following presidential nominee Joe with the deadly outbreak. Democrats’ bill would off er to McConnell telling a conserva- states and local governments. But a second senior Senate Re- three years of sputtering nego- PBiden has predicted that Spurred on by governors and state and local governments, but tive talk-radio host on Wednes- With US coronavirus cases ap- publican aide, who also asked not tiations, to agree on a massive in- US President Donald Trump will local offi cials, Democrats have said, “probably a number equiva- day that he “would certainly be proaching 900,000 and deaths to be identifi ed, sketched out a frastructure investment plan for try to postpone the country’s put out the word they want to lent to what we’ve done for small in favour” of letting states en- passing the 50,000 mark, some scenario in which lawmakers and roads, bridges, rural broadband November election in an attempt provide a sizeable rescue package businesses”. ter bankruptcy rather than send governors say that allowing the White House could be forced access and other public works to win. as part of a broader bill – one that So far, about $730bn in aid them cash. states such as Michigan and Illi- into a fast-track negotiation. projects. “Mark my words, I think he is could total at least $2tn in com- has been made available to Trump, a Republican who is nois to declare bankruptcy would On Thursday, Congress com- “If you’re spending another gonna try to kick back the elec- ing weeks. small businesses, including ap- seeking re-election in November, be a recipe for collapsing the US pleted work on a $484bn emer- trillion dollars, unpaid for, Re- tion somehow, come up with Some Republicans have proximately $380bn as part of followed up on Thursday, not- economy. gency bill allowing more federally publicans would rather spend it some rationale why it can’t be pushed back hard against the a broader coronavirus measure ing during his daily coronavirus With so much dissension, one backed loans to small businesses. on infrastructure than on direct held,” Biden said during an on- idea as unreasonably expensive President Donald Trump signed briefi ng: “It is interesting that senior Senate Republican aide The second aide said that even aid to prop up states,” the staff er line fundraiser on Thursday. and unwarranted. into law earlier yesterday. the states that are in trouble ... wondered whether any legisla- before Trump signed it into law, said. The 77-year-old former vice- president said it is “the only way he thinks he can possibly win”. Six months before US voters head to the polls, Trump’s mind US warship heads to port after outbreak is already in election mode. But with a pandemic rag- ing and job losses climbing to 26.4mn on Thursday, Trump’s Reuters The Kidd is believed to be the by a number of news outlets, set path to victory may be harder Washington only Navy ship currently at sea in motion a series of events that than he anticipated. with coronavirus cases. led to Captain Brett Crozier’s fi r- Biden, highlighting Trump’s Questions are likely to be ing and the resignation of acting recent threat to veto emergency t least 18 sailors aboard a raised about how the virus came Navy Secretary Thomas Modly. funding for the US Post Offi ce, US Navy destroyer have onboard and why procedures be- US Defence Secretary Mark claimed it was an example of the Atested positive for the fore the ship’s deployment did Esper will be meeting the chief president’s intention to “do all new coronavirus, United States not detect or stop its spread. of naval operations to discuss an he can to make it very hard for offi cials said yesterday, dealing The aircraft carrier Theodore inquiry into Crozier’s fi ring. people to vote”. another blow to the military as it Roosevelt was in the Asia-Pacifi c The Kidd is part of the Trump While mail-in voting and ab- faces fallout over its handling of region earlier this month when administration’s deployment of sentee ballots remain methods an outbreak on an aircraft carrier it was hit by a coronavirus out- more warships and aircraft to the many say could help limit voters last month. break, forcing it to eventually Caribbean and Eastern Pacifi c to spreading coronavirus, Trump The Navy confi rmed a Reuters dock in Guam. fi ght drug cartels. maintains they create the poten- report on the outbreak aboard One sailor who was infected Announcing the deployment tial for fraud. the Kidd, a destroyer that was on died, and nearly 850 out of the earlier this month, the Trump The coronavirus causes the a counter-narcotics mission, and roughly 4,800 personnel on the administration said the deploy- Covid-19 respiratory disease. said the number of those infected ship have tested positive for the ments were also aimed at pre- Meanwhile, dozens of US with the virus on the vessel was virus. venting “corrupt actors” like states have postponed their pri- expected to rise. The Roosevelt’s commander Venezuelan President Nicolas mary races, which will offi cially In a statement, the Navy said a had called on Navy leadership to Maduro from exploiting the pan- determine who will be the presi- sailor who had become sick was This picture take on May 16 last year shows the USS Kidd alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore evacuate the vast majority of his demic to smuggle more narcot- dential nominee. medically evacuated off the ship Roosevelt while participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2019, in the Gulf of Alaska. crew and to disinfect the ship in ics. The 73-year-old Trump has and later tested positive for the a letter that leaked to the public, Maduro’s government has de- been criticised for turning his virus, prompting further testing been sent to the ship to carry out Kidd was currently operating in spokesman Jonathan Hoff man raising further questions about nied the allegation and accused daily White House coronavirus of the crew that led to the discov- contact tracing and more onsite the Pacifi c. said that the ship was preparing the Trump administration’s han- the US government of trying to briefi ngs into campaign events ery of additional positive cases. testing, it added. Asked about the Reuters re- to return to port where it would dling of the outbreak. distract the public from its han- – rallying his base and taking A specialised medical team has A Navy spokesman said the port during a briefi ng, Pentagon be cleaned. The letter, which was obtained dling of the outbreak. swipes at his detractors such as Biden, who is sheltering at home. “We have a sleepy guy in a basement of a house that the press is giving a free pass to, who Trump’s disinfectant idea shocking and dangerous, doctors say doesn’t want to do debates be- cause of (Covid-19),” the presi- dent said during the Thursday Reuters try it out for themselves,” Hunter CDC blames raspberry smoothie for norovirus outbreaks on 2019 cruises Reckitt Benckiser, a British briefi ng. London told Reuters. company that manufactures the Biden has said that he is ready Trump said at his daily news Back in the summer of 2019, hundreds of passengers cessfully to figure out the culprit, but after one of the household disinfectants Det- to debate Trump – be it in person briefi ng on Thursday that sci- on 10 diff erent European cruises all came down with sickened ships sailed into US jurisdiction in September, tol and Lysol, issued a statement or on Zoom or another online nited States President entists should explore whether an illness that rapidly caused vomiting and diarrhoea. the CDC joined in on the detective work. warning people not to ingest or platform. Donald Trump’s musings inserting ultraviolet light or dis- On Thursday, the US Centres for Disease Control and Through a food questionnaire given to the sick passen- inject its products. “I can hardly wait to debate Uon whether injecting dis- infectant into the bodies of peo- Prevention (CDC) announced the source of the out- gers on a couple of ships, a common factor was identi- Parastou Donyai, director of Donald Trump,” Biden told sup- infectants might treat Covid-19 ple infected with the coronavirus breaks: a smoothie made with frozen raspberries. fied: a smoothie made from frozen fruits and berries. pharmacy practice and a profes- porters, according to a pool re- has horrifi ed medical profession- might help them clear the dis- All of the sick passengers – who came down with noro- Further testing specifically implicated frozen raspber- sor of social and cognitive phar- port from an online fundraiser. als and raised fresh concerns that ease. virus, not coronavirus – were sickened on cruise ships ries, 22,000 pounds of which the cruise ship had macy at the University of Read- “I’m ready to debate him. Zoom his stream-of-consciousness “Is there a way we can do from the same company, which went unidentified in purchased from a supplier from China. ing, said that the US president’s or Skype or Slack or Hangouts or briefi ngs could push anxious something like that by injection, the CDC report. The World Health Organisation (WHO) went on to issue comments were shocking and in person, anytime, anywhere he people to poison themselves with inside, or almost a cleaning?” Throughout the summer, the cruise line tried unsuc- a recall for those raspberries in November. unscientifi c. wants.” untested treatments. Trump asked. “It would be inter- She said that people worried Biden’s fi nal debate with Ver- An international chorus of esting to check that.” about the new coronavirus and mont Senator Bernie Sanders doctors and health experts urged Trump said yesterday that tion” that was being sold online who appeared to look down, ultraviolet (UV) light as corona- the disease it causes should seek during the race for the Demo- people yesterday not to drink or he was being sarcastic when he with instructions to mix it with hunch her shoulders, and blink virus treatments, but its subject help from a qualifi ed doctor or cratic nomination was held on inject disinfectant after Trump made the comments. lemon or lime juice before drink- rapidly as the president told the was “White House on disinfect- pharmacist, and “not take un- March 15 without a live audience suggested that scientists should The president also has pro- ing. briefi ng that disinfectant “does ant”. founded and off -the-cuff com- because of the coronavirus epi- investigate inserting the clean- moted an anti-malaria drug The combination forms a pow- a tremendous number on the While UV light is known to kill ments as actual advice”. demic. ing agent into the body as a way called hydroxychloroquine to erful, dangerous bleaching agent, lungs”. viruses contained in droplets in Donyai said previous com- During the fundraiser, Biden to cure Covid-19. treat people with Covid-19, even the FDA said. The White House said yester- the air, doctors have said there ments by Trump had already also criticised Trump’s response Covid-19 is the respiratory ill- though its eff ectiveness is un- The US Justice Department day that Trump’s comments had is no way it could be introduced been linked to people self-ad- to the coronavirus outbreak that ness caused by the new corona- proven and there are concerns last week ordered a halt to the been taken out of context and into the human body to target ministering medicines or other has claimed nearly 50,000 lives virus. about heart issues. sale of industrial bleach products that the president had urged peo- cells infected with the coronavi- products in ways that make them in the US. “This is one of the most dan- The US Food and Drug Ad- by an organisation called Genesis ple to seek coronavirus treatment rus. poisonous. “This president can’t stop gerous and idiotic suggestions ministration (FDA) cautioned II Church of Health and Healing, only after conferring with their “Neither sitting in the sun, nor “We have already seen people talking about himself, asking made so far in how one might ac- yesterday against using hydroxy- which was allegedly marketing it doctors. heating will kill a virus replicat- mistakenly poisoning themselves governors to thank him for what tually treat Covid-19,” said Paul chloroquine in Covid-19 patients as a cure for autism and Aids. White House Press Secre- ing in an individual patient’s in- by taking chloroquine when their he’s doing for them,” Biden said. Hunter, a professor of medicine outside of hospitals and clinical Trump’s suggestion unleashed tary Kayleigh McEnany said in ternal organs,” said Penny Ward, hopes were raised by unscientifi c “Thank him? Come on! It’s al- at Britain’s University of East trials, citing risks of serious heart a torrent of ridicule online, with a statement: “President Trump a professor in pharmaceutical comments,” she said. ways about how this crisis af- Anglia. rhythm problems. one comedian on social media has repeatedly said that Ameri- medicine at Kings College Lon- Robert Reich, a professor of fects him, about how it’s not his Hunter said injecting disin- The suggestion that bleach and app TikTok miming the action cans should consult with medical don and chair of the Education public policy at the University job to fi x it. fectants likely would kill anyone related compounds are a “miracle of injecting bleach into her veins doctors regarding coronavirus and Standards Committee of the of California at Berkeley and a “He’s President of the United who tried it. cure” has a history in America’s like a drug. treatment, a point that he em- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medi- former US labour secretary, add- States of America, it’s his re- “It is hugely irresponsible conspiracist fringes. On Twitter, journalists shared phasised again during yester- cine. ed on Twitter: “Trump’s brief- sponsibility to lead our nation because, sadly, there are peo- Last August, the US FDA is- a video of Dr Deborah Birx, the day’s briefi ng.” “Drinking bleach kills. Inject- ings are actively endangering through this,” Biden said. “This ple around the world who might sued a health warning about co-ordinator of the White House The e-mailed statement did ing bleach kills faster. Don’t do the public’s health. Please don’t isn’t about politics.” believe this sort of nonsense and MMS, or “miracle mineral solu- task force on the coronavirus, not directly mention cleaners or either!” she added. drink disinfectant.” Gulf Times 6 Saturday, April 25, 2020 ASIA Govt puts Indonesia suspends air, sea capital travel to curb coronavirus relocation
DPA/AFP Jakarta project ndonesia has suspended do- mestic air and sea travel for Imore than a month in yet another bid to curb the spread on hold of the novel coronavirus, the Transportation Ministry said yesterday. The ban came into force Reuters lan of the new city, which is yet yesterday and runs until May Jakarta to be named and will be built in 31, ministry spokeswoman a remote area in East Kaliman- Adita Irawati said. tan province, close to the port “Domestic passenger fl ights ndonesia’s investment on city of Balikpapan. will be allowed to operate until a mega project to relocate “I’ve asked the president today to serve those who have Iits capital city has been whether we want to allocate made reservations,” she said. put on hold, as the country some funds in the 2021 budget International fl ights will still be shifts focus to spend on con- and he said judging from the allowed but are limited to serving taining the coronavirus out- current situation, we must foreigners who are returning to break, but may resume next remain careful,” the minister their countries, she added. year, Finance Minister Sri said. Travel in the greater Jakarta Mulyani Indrawati said late “But if the project is going area, a metropolis of 30mn peo- Thursday. to be supportive for economic ple, is still allowed, but is subject President Joko Widodo’s recovery and it sparks con- to social distancing measures. $33bn project to relocate the fi dence, then why not,” she The Indonesian government capital of South East Asia’s added. has banned the annual mass largest economy out of the Jakarta, the current capital, homecoming for the Muslim main Java island to the is- is now home to 10mn people holiday of Eid al-Fitr to limit the land of Borneo has yet to be and is prone to fl oods, traffi c virus spread. approved by the parliament. gridlock and faces the risk of Eid al-Fitr, the festival mark- A police off icer wearing a protective face mask gestures towards a colleague as they guard a highway checkpoint following the government However, the government earthquakes. ing the end of the fasting month ban of the Indonesian Muslim traditional homecoming mass exodus to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, in had already allotted some Among other reasons, the of Ramadan, is expected to start Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta yesterday. funds for land acquisition East Kalimantan site was on May 23 or 24. this year. selected since it is a well- The Indonesian Council of Forty-two more people who had However, some religious lead- ing my distance,” said Cut Fitrah forced Indonesia - a country of The public-works minis- known part of the archipelago Ulema, the country’s semi- tested positive for the virus died, ers in Asia - home to nearly a Riskiah, one of those taking part. some 260mn - to issue a ban on try, which is responsible for that is least prone to natural authority on Islamic aff airs, has taking the total number of deaths to billion of the world’s Muslims Amalia Nur Istigfarin con- the annual exodus. the project, has reallocated disasters. urged Muslims not to travel to 689, according to the data. - have waved off fears about the sidered skipping Ramadan’s The government has also an- most of its spending, includ- The original timeline for the their hometowns for Eid. The coronavirus restrictions spread of Covid-19. daytime fast over fears it could nounced a clampdown on all ing the portion allocated for project is for the government Last year, about 15mn Eid rev- have put a damper on Ramadan The top Islamic organisation weaken her immune system. air and sea travel across the infrastructure projects, for the to seek parliamentary approval ellers travelled from the greater spirits in Indonesia, the world’s in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh “But it would be sinful to miss 17,000-island archipelago. Covid-19 outbreak response, this year and begin basic con- Jakarta region to their home- biggest Muslim majority nation, province publicly bucked a na- it because fasting is mandatory,” Jakarta resident Erik Febrian Indrawati said. struction. Civil servants are towns in the world’s largest where national religious organi- tional order to stay at home. the bank employee said. said he was relying on a compu- “They have shifted their expected to pack up and start Muslim-majority country. sations have called on the faithful Several thousand worship- “So I’ll try other things to ter to allow him to keep in touch budget to upgrade hospitals, moving by 2024. Indonesia reported its biggest to stay at home. pers attended evening prayers boost my immune system like with his out-of-town parents including expenditure re- Widodo has shifted state daily jump in coronavirus infec- “This Ramadan is very diff erent on Thursday at the biggest exercise and taking vitamin C,” until he can see them in person at lated to the new capital city,” spending to make room for a tions after identifying 436 new - it’s just not festive,” said Indone- mosque in the region’s capital she added. the end of Ramadan. she told media in a video greater allocation on health- cases, taking the total to 8,211, sian housewife Fitria Famela. Banda Aceh, though crowds were Fears of a spike in coronavi- “Thanks to technology I can conference. care and welfare amid an out- data provided by health min- “I’m disappointed that I can’t smaller than usual. rus cases when millions travel video-call my parents every day However, Indonesia’s plan- break, which has so far infect- istry offi cial Achmad Yurianto go to the mosque, but what can we “I’m not worried because I’m to hometowns and ancestral vil- during Ramadan,” he said. “And ning ministry is going ahead ed 7,775 people and caused 647 showed yesterday. do? The world is diff erent now.” wearing a face mask and keep- lages at the end of Ramadan has keep an eye on their health.” with a tender for the masterp- deaths in Indonesia.
6 Papuans 29 Lanka Navy personnel jailed on test positive for coronavirus treason IANS He requested all sailors who the foreign tourists, providing Colombo went on leave after quarantine them with dry ration gift pack- duty, to report back immedi- ages, familiarising the current charges ately to undergo PCR tests. situation and identifying the wenty-nine Sri Lankan As of yesterday, Sri Lanka has diffi culties they are facing and AFP Navy personnel have also reported seven Covid-19 providing assistance, reports Jakarta Ttested positive for Cov- deaths. Xinhua news agency. id-19 taking the overall number Meanwhile, the National As- The offi cials will travel across of infections in the island-na- sociation for Professionals in the country for the next four ix Papuans were jailed by an tion to 368 in the country, an Tourism (NAFPT) said it had days covering the capital Co- Indonesian court yester- army offi cial said yesterday. launched a four-day campaign lombo, Katunayake, Negombo, Sday after their treason trial Army Commander Shavendra in several areas of the island- Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, earlier descended into a stand- Silva said that the 29 Navy per- nation to assist foreign tourists Pasikuda, Arugambay, Uda- off when the activists refused sonnel have contracted the virus who are currently stranded due walawe, Mirissa, Unawatuna, orders to remove traditional during the recent search opera- to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hikkaduwa, and Bentota, which gourds. tion carried out in Suduwella, In a statement, the Sri Lanka are tourists hotspots in the is- The group - mostly univer- Ja-Ela to fi nd out suspected Tourism Development Au- land country. sity students – was slapped with Covid-19 patients, reports the thority said the NAFPT had Sri Lanka shut its interna- sentences ranging from eight to Daily Mirror newspaper. launched the campaign titled tional airports last month for all nine months for raising the fl ag Accordingly, the Army Com- “Tourism Disaster Monitoring passenger arrivals to prevent a of the restive Papua region at a mander said the Navy Camp at and Hosting Programme” along further spread of the Covid-19 A security off icial (right) checks the body temperature of a pedestrian during a Jakarta rally last year. Welisara has been declared as an with the Tourist Police Division but said passenger departures government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the The Morning Star fl ag is ille- isolated area. where tourism offi cials will visit would continue. coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Colombo yesterday. gal in Indonesia, which is deeply sensitive about its easternmost province where a low-level in- surgency has simmered for decades. Yesterday, the Jakarta District Nepal quake survivors struggle in crammed homes Court ruled that raising the fl ag was “an act of treason intended to overthrow the legitimate gov- ernment”. AFP ble for me to make anything bigger, An immediate priority of the gov- The group’s lawyer Michael Bhaktapur I had to take a loan to even make this ernment had been to ensure aff ected Hilman decried the ruling. small house.” families had a home, said Faris Ha- “Today’s verdict shows Pa- Rural Nepalis have traditionally lived dad-Zervos, Nepal country manager puans’ freedom of expression t has been fi ve years since an in mud-and-stone houses two or three for the World Bank, which off ered will be even more repressed in earthquake devastated Nepal, but storeys high, with space for a large ex- up to half a billion dollars to fi nance the future,” he said. IKrishna Maya Khadka is still strug- tended family, farm animals and reconstruction. “The judges cannot even ex- gling to come to terms with losing her grain stores. Nepal’s rebuilding chief Sushil Gye- plain how raising a fl ag could husband and the home she lived in for But a survey last year showed the wali, who helms the estimated $9bn overthrow the government,” he generations. number of homes measuring 26 to 50sq recovery fund, said the grants for fami- added. Like hundreds of thousands of Nepa- m (280-538sq ft), typically with only lies were sizeable for the impoverished The trial was delayed at least li quake victims, the 68-year-old now two rooms, doubled after the quake. country. twice earlier this year when two lives in a small one-bedroom hut with In Bhaktapur city near the capital The national reconstruction body of the activists - wearing Papuan a blue corrugated iron-sheet roof - one Kathmandu, Anjana Tajale is about to was working with local governments headgear with their faces painted of many that scar the picturesque vil- fi nish building a two-room hut funded “so that if anyone wants to expand and the word “monkey” scrawled lages turned to rubble by the disaster. with the sale of her family’s they can do so while keeping the house on their bodies - refused to re- Since the 7.8-magnitude quake ancestral land. resilient”, Gyewali added. move their genital coverings. struck on April 25, 2015, killing nearly Tajale and her family of seven spent But with houses just a fraction of Papua has seen several spasms 9,000 people and leaving millions the fi rst year after the disaster - the the size they used to be, some people of violence, including deadly homeless in the Himalayan nation, the worst quake to hit Nepal in 80 years - have resorted to returning to their old, unrest last year partly linked to government has faced criticism over in a temporary shelter in the shadow of damaged houses, or to building fl imsy a fresh push for independence the slow pace of reconstruction. their damaged home. extensions that are not quake-resilient. and racism against Papuans, who The rebuilding eff orts have been hit They had to resort to selling their “We are already seeing the trend have been called monkeys and by political infi ghting, bureaucracy and Husband and wife Rabindra (centre) and Anjana Tajale (left) work on the construc- land to move out of the unsafe building. of people expanding their small other slurs. confusion. tion of their new two-room hut during a interview with AFP in Bhaktapur on the But the new, modest structure will homes vertically or horizontally to More than 50 Papuans have About a quarter of victims’ homes outskirts of Kathmandu. be a tight squeeze for her in-laws and meet their needs,” said Minar Thapa been charged with treason since have yet to be rebuilt, although au- two children. Magar, national co-ordinator at the the demonstrations, according to thorities say the remaining houses are insuffi cient and left families having to and several goats and chickens in one “I hope the government pays atten- Housing Recovery and Reconstruc- Amnesty International. expected to be completed within a year. cram into tiny, suff ocating spaces. of the worst-hit districts, Sindhupal- tion to how the people are rebuilding... tion Platform, which commissioned Ethnically Melanesian, most Those who have new homes, like “Those who have money have no chowk, said. their economic conditions,” Tajale said. the survey. Papuans are Christians who have Khadka, say a Rs300,000 ($2,450) problems, they are already building, “This is nothing like our old home, “It would be better if the government “That makes them even more vul- few cultural links to Muslim- government grant to build the quake- it is poor people like us who suff er,” now we eat and sleep in the same room. understood that and gave more aid to nerable (to earthquakes) in the future,” majority Indonesia. resilient structures has been woefully Khadka, who lives with her daughter It is very diffi cult... It was impossi- those who need it.” he said. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA
China human rights lawyer vows fi ght to reunite with family
AFP freedom, meeting German Chan- to be released, was also deprived much?” The United States urged turned to him by authorities on although he is not sure whether it Beijing cellor Angela Merkel in 2018, of political rights – including China on Monday to give Wang Monday. His communications aff ected the outcome. and famously shaved her head freedom of assembly and publi- “freedom of movement, includ- are under constant surveillance. “It gave my wife and family to bring attention to his plight. cation – for fi ve years. “Being de- ing the ability to join his family in “I feel a bit disjointed from lots of comfort and encourage- hinese human rights law- Following his release, Wang said prived of political rights doesn’t Beijing”. Beijing responded that outside life, I cannot walk a short ment throughout these long and yer Wang Quanzhang says he was taken to his hometown mean having your human rights other countries should not inter- distance without panting,” Wang diffi cult years,” he said. “Without Che is drained after years in of Jinan in Shandong province and freedoms limited as well,” he fere in its internal aff airs. Police said. “I thought that my body their support, I think it would jail but ready to fi ght to reunite to undergo a 14-day coronavirus said. “This time, they used the in Jinan and Shandong could not could recover well after prison, have been very hard to cope. This with his family in Beijing as au- quarantine, despite having tested epidemic as a convenient excuse be reached for comment. but now I realise I can’t, I don’t support probably allowed me to thorities keep him confi ned in a negative fi ve times. to limit my freedom.” A prominent lawyer who has have very much energy.” be more safe and healthy.” distant province. The quarantine ended six days Wang said authorities also cit- defended political activists and Wang said he suff ers from high Wang was allowed his fi rst vis- Detained in 2015 as part of a ago, but Wang says he has not ed the annual session of the Na- victims of land seizures, Wang blood pressure. He refused to itor on Monday, when the human sweeping crackdown on hun- been allowed to leave Jinan to tional People’s Congress, which was convicted for “subverting elaborate on reports of torture rights lawyer Xie Yang travelled dreds of lawyers and rights activ- reunite with his wife and seven- usually takes place in March but state power” in a closed-door in prison and during the three to see him, and his sister visited Chinese human rights lawyer ists, Wang was freed earlier this year-old son in Beijing. was postponed due to the pan- trial that only took place in Janu- years of incommunicado deten- him on Tuesday, his wife Li said. Wang Quanzhang. month after four-and-a-half “I will defi nitely fi ght this, I demic, as an “excuse”. Offi cials ary 2019. tion prior to his trial, saying that Li fears that she would also end years behind bars in a case that cannot accept it. Reuniting with usually make activists leave Bei- Now stranded in Jinan, Wang “some people may not be very up confi ned in Jinan if she trav- AFP. “Regardless of their motives drew international attention. my family is a matter of course,” jing on a forced “holiday” dur- is still slowly adjusting to life in happy and will dislike it”. Wang els to visit him. “I think they are or plans, their restrictions on During his imprisonment, Wang, 44, told AFP in a video ing major political events. “I just confi nement, and the only In- feels “very grateful” and “ex- scared that their mistreatment of Wang’s human rights and liberty Wang’s wife, Li Wenzu, became call. Wang, the last of the law- wanted to reunite with my fam- ternet access he has is through tremely moved” for the interna- Wang during his prison sentence are against the law. This should a high-profi le advocate for his yers caught up in the crackdown ily,” Wang said. “Why worry so his mobile phone, which was re- tional support his case received, may be fully revealed,” Li told be condemned by all.” Coronavirus tally rises to 91 on Italian cruise ship in Japan
Reuters Tokyo
s many as 91 crew of an Italian cruise ship docked A staff member wearing a face shield talks to a bank teller at a counter where a plastic curtain is installed Ain Japan’s southwestern in order to prevent infections following the coronavirus disease outbreak, at the Higashinakano branch of port of Nagasaki are infected MUFG Bank in Tokyo, Japan. with coronavirus, offi cials said yesterday, as questions persist over how and when they will re- turn to their home countries. Authorities have tested about half the vessel’s crew of 623 and Coronavirus prods Japan are racing to screen the rest after fi nding one of them infected this week, fanning worries that the agencies to accept change illness could spread wider and eventually put a strain on medi- cal services. Reuters to obtain them from shops,” he corded 12,472 cases of Covid-19 Those who test negative will Tokyo said. “To avoid human contact and 328 deaths as of yesterday, be repatriated, the government as much as possible, we’re in- according to public broadcaster said, a decision hailed by offi cials troducing phone surveys in some NHK. However, the country’s in Nagasaki prefecture. he coronavirus pandemic cases and trying to be as fl exible social distancing measures still “We’re eager to get this done as is forcing changes in Japan as we can in getting data.” rely on voluntary co-operation soon as possible,” one of the of- Tto the way economic data The changes will not aff ect of citizens and businesses, leav- fi cials told a livestreamed news An aerial view shows Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, which has crew members confirmed with cases of is collected and some govern- the type and number of samples ing them far short of the strict conference yesterday, adding the coronavirus disease infection, in Nagasaki, southern Japan. ment agencies meet, rare moves consisting the CPI or the accu- lockdowns in place in other that the procedure and timing in a country where tradition plays racy of the data, Yamagata said. countries. have yet to be worked out. The Two other cruise liners operated by monitored by a doctor and four a strong part in everyday life. They would instead bring Japan Still, several Japanese gov- vessel, the Costa Atlantica, was nurses, the Nagasaki offi cial said. The internal aff airs ministry closer into line with many other ernment agencies, which have taken into a shipyard in Naga- Costa Cruises, the Costa Serena and Hospitals are running out that compiles infl ation data usu- economies, including the United generally been reluctant to make saki in late February by a unit of Costa Neoromantica, are also moored of beds in some parts of Japan, ally sends out about 700 staff to States, which already relies on changes to their traditional ways, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for which has suff ered about 12,500 supermarkets and other retailers a combination of phone calls, have embraced technology amid repairs and maintenance after in Nagasaki, though no virus testing is virus infections and more than across the nation each month to online research and store visits. the outbreak. the pandemic scuttled plans for planned in the absence of known cases 300 deaths. check price tags for goods and Japan is faring better than some The Bank of Japan held its scheduled repairs in China. Two other cruise liners oper- conduct face-to-face interviews countries, where stricter lock- quarterly regional branch man- News of this week’s infections crew not to venture beyond the ters it was seeking information ated by Costa Cruises, the Costa with shop clerks. downs have forced many retail- agers’ meeting in April via tel- has spurred comparisons with quay unless they required hospi- from the vessel’s operator, Costa Serena and Costa Neoroman- That team of data gatherers ers to close. econference for the fi rst time, the Diamond Princess cruise tal visits. Cruises, and hoped to share its tica, are also moored in Naga- will now rely more on phone Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responding to the government’s liner docked in Yokohama two But prefecture offi cials said fi ndings this week. The risk of saki, though no virus testing is calls to ensure their safety, said last week expanded a state of social distancing policy. months ago, as more than 700 this week they had learned some straining medical services re- planned in the absence of known Naruhiko Yamagata, head of the emergency to make it nation- Some government ministries of its passengers and crew ul- of the crew had departed without mains, although just one of the cases. ministry’s division compiling wide, giving authorities more are conducting media briefi ngs timately tested positive for the their knowledge, and sought de- 91 infected sailors has been hos- The vessels, with total crew the consumer price index (CPI) power to push people to stay via tele-conferences, while oth- virus. Nagasaki authorities quar- tailed information of their move- pitalised. numbering about 1,000, are data. home and businesses to close as ers are issuing press releases via antined the Costa Atlantica on ments. The rest, with slight symp- scheduled to leave Nagasaki by “We pick up data online if we the coronavirus outbreak in the e-mail instead of direct hand- arrival in Japan, and ordered its A Mitsubishi offi cial told Reu- toms, or none, remain aboard, the end of April, offi cials said. can, but for some items we need country spread. Japan had re- outs at press clubs.
Work smart, travel alone, eat out fast: Australia will make it a crime to use S Korea’s strategy for virus recovery tracing data for non-health purposes Reuters used by unrelated bodies like slow the spread by widespread Reuters distance and regular temperature Sydney law enforcement agencies. testing – even of people with- Seoul checks and disinfection. Anyone Morrison said the govern- out symptoms – and contact who travelled overseas within the ment would make any use by tracing. past two weeks should not go to ustralia will make it il- non-health offi cials illegal. “It The country’s state govern- outh Korea outlined work for some time, and work- legal for non-health of- will be illegal for information to ments began urging people to guidelines yesterday for a places are strongly recommend- Afi cials to access data col- go out of that data store to any come forward for testing, say- Stwo-year return to a post- ed to use video conferences, on- lected on smartphone software other person other than that for ing they no longer needed to coronavirus normality including line training, remote work and to trace the spread of the coro- whom the whole thing is de- meet previous criteria of hav- fl exible working, bookings on fl exible hours. navirus, Prime Minister Scott signed, and that is to support ing been in contact with an public transport and quick res- Passengers on public trans- Morrison said yesterday, amid the health worker in the state infected person, having been taurant meals in a country that port need to wear a mask and try privacy concerns raised by the to be able to undertake the con- abroad, or experiencing fl u-like has been a role model in contain- booking a seat in empty rows, measure. tact tracing,” he told reporters symptoms. ing Covid-19. while mobile payments should Australia has so far avoided in Canberra. A cruise ship linked to a third The Korea Centers for Disease be used for taxis. The guidelines the high death toll of other Morrison also confi rmed a of the country’s coronavi- Control and Prevention (KCDC) urged people to spend mini- countries, with only 78 deaths, local media report which said rus deaths left the country on reported just six new cases, the mal time at restaurants and ca- largely as a result of tough re- the data would be stored on Thursday after a month docked lowest number since the Feb fes and use individual plates to strictions on movement that servers managed by AWS, a unit in local waters. 28 peak of 909 in South Korea, share food. The owners of the have brought public life to a of US Internet giant Amazon. The Ruby Princess, owned which suff ered the first major People wearing masks walk at a park in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. businesses should place seat- standstill. com Inc, but added that “it’s by Carnival Corp, has become a coronavirus epidemic outside ing apart, divided by partitions The federal government has a nationally encrypted data fl ashpoint of public anger after China. distancing rather than lengthy Gang-lip told a briefi ng. “The if possible, and actively promote said existing “social distanc- store”. being allowed to unload thou- With no new deaths, the toll lockdowns. Seoul has extended government is preparing a tran- takeout and delivery services ing” measures will remain un- The promise of laws to limit sands of passengers in Syd- remained at 240 and authorities its social distancing policy until sition to a sustainable routine alongside online payment. til at least mid-May, and that use of the app came as the Aus- ney without health checks on hope daily new cases will drop to May 5, while off ering some relief distancing scheme with the goal Private academies and reli- its willingness to relax them tralian authorities reported March 19. zero in the coming days after dip- for churches and sport facilities, of carrying out regular social and gious facilities are strongly ad- will depend on whether peo- another day of low single-digit Hundreds of its passengers ping below 10 on Sunday follow- but urged vigilance as imported economic activity and prevent- vised to provide hand sanitisers ple download the smartphone percentage increases of the ill- later tested positive to Cov- ing several days above that level. cases and smaller clusters con- ing Covid-19 infections at the but no food. In shopping malls, “app” to identify who a person ness, which has infected about id-19, about 10% of the coun- Total recorded infections are at tinued to emerge. same time,” he said. customers should not test sam- with the illness has had contact 6,700 people and resulted in try’s overall cases. Separate 10,708 in the country of almost “Some experts predict Cov- The guidelines detail a code of ples and should wait at least with. 78 deaths in the country. With criminal, coronial and govern- 52mn people. id-19 will stay for as long as two conduct in areas including work- 1m behind others at checkouts, The tracing app, which is yet the country’s borders closed ment investigations have been Widespread testing, intensive years, and we have to accept the places, transport, restaurants, while shop owners should refrain to be released, has raised con- for weeks, Morrison said the launched to fi nd out how the contact tracing and tracking apps reality that we can’t go back to shopping and sporting fi xtures, from soliciting for business and cerns from legal and privacy illness was now in its “com- ship’s operators were allowed have enabled South Korea to limit pre-Covid-19 life during that starting with general rules such holding fi rst-come-fi rst-served advocates who have said the munity phase”, which meant to let coronavirus patients dis- the spread of the virus with social time,” Vice Health Minister Kim as washing hands, maintaining events. location data it collects may be the health authorities hoped to embark. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, April 25, 2020 BRITAIN Doctor couple sues government over PPE guidance
Guardian News and Media health and safety at work. named as having died from the vi- The challenge is against offi cial refuse to work without adequate leagues. To sedate and ventilate all of us have a friend or loved one London Last week, the NHS asked doc- rus were all BAME. guidance introduced on April 17 PPE. your own colleague takes a mental who is putting their life at risk to tors and nurses to work without Viz and Joshi said as part of the which permitted medical staff to Joshi and Viz added: “We are toll on the entire workforce. The care for Covid-19 patients. The protective full-length gowns when challenge: “We are doctors, we wear fl imsy plastic aprons with incredibly concerned at the ever- government owes an apology to least they deserve is honesty, clear wo doctors are launching a treating Covid-19 patients, as hos- are nurses and we are healthcare coveralls when full length gowns growing numbers of healthcare these bereaved families, many of guidance and proper support from legal challenge over govern- pitals came within hours of run- workers – we will be there for you run out. The challenge says that workers who are becoming seri- whom were unable to be with their the secretary of state to feel safe Tment guidance on personal ning out of supplies. in your time of need. We will be healthcare workers are being ex- ously unwell and dying due to loved ones in their dying moments. and protected at work. protective equipment which they Dr Viz is a clinical fellow in there for your family. The govern- posed to a greater risk of contract- Covid-19. It is the government’s “Their trauma and grief is un- “No healthcare worker should say exposes them to coronavirus medicine and Dr Joshi a GP trainee. ment needs to protect us, so that ing Covid-19 and maintains that duty to protect its healthcare imaginable — we want to ensure face disciplinary action just for re- infections. Both are employed by the NHS we can protect you.” the guidance fails to address the workers, and there is great anxiety that no other family has to endure questing proper protective equip- Dr Meenal Viz and Dr Nishant and have been working with pa- Basmah Sahib, a solicitor at the heightened risks faced by BAME amongst staff with regards to safe- this suff ering. All we ask for is ac- ment. We hope the guidance will Joshi, who are married and ex- tients suff ering from Covid-19. London law fi rm Bindmans, who healthcare workers. ty protocols that seem to change countability from decision mak- be brought up to the standards of pecting a child, argue that the NHS There is mounting concern over is acting for the couple, has sent The letter also argues that the without rhyme or reason. ers, and that all evidence leading the WHO and that hospitals will recommendations breach interna- the heightened vulnerability of Public Health England and the de- guidance is unclear, has resulted in “Every time a healthcare worker to these decisions should be pub- update their practices accord- tional standards set by the World black, Asian and minority ethnic partment of health and social care inconsistent practices across NHS becomes hospitalised with Cov- lished and transparent. ingly.” Health Organisation (WHO) as people to Covid-19. a formal letter before action seek- trusts and fails to make clear that id-19, it exacts an extraordinary Sahib said: “The NHS is the The department for health has well as domestic legislation on The fi rst 10 doctors in the UK ing a response by next Monday. healthcare workers have a right to toll on our friends, family and col- UK’s biggest employer. Almost been asked for comment. Ministers ‘were warned last year of risks of virus pandemic’
Guardian News and Media planners have long called for, London amid growing fears ministers were “caught out” by the crisis and have been playing catchup ever since. inisters were warned last The Cabinet Offi ce document, year the UK must have a which runs to more than 600 pag- Mrobust plan to deal with a es, not only analysed the risk of a pandemic virus and its potentially viral fl u pandemic but also specifi - catastrophic social and economic cally addressed the potential for a consequences in a confi dential coronavirus outbreak (the earlier Cabinet Offi ce briefi ng leaked to Sars and Mers were both corona- the Guardian. viruses), though it regarded this as The detailed document warned potentially much less damaging. that even a mild pandemic could In reality, the UK is dealing with cost tens of thousands of lives, and a hybrid of the two, raising further set out the must-have “capabil- questions about whether min- ity requirements” to mitigate the isters were quick enough to rec- Transport Secretary Grant Shapps (right) and Britain’s deputy chief medical off icer Jenny Harries attend a remote press conference to update the nation on the Covid-19 risks to the country, as well as the ognise the dangers and were able pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street in central London yesterday. potential damage of not doing so. to rely on whatever preparations It comes as the UK’s hospi- were already in place. tal death toll from coronavirus Drawing on previous security heads towards 20,000. Less than assessments and health risk reg- a month ago, the medical direc- isters, the document implicitly tor at NHS England, Prof Stephen warned ministers they could not Powis, said the country would aff ord to be complacent.“A novel “have done very well” to stay be- pandemic virus could be both low this grim milestone. highly transmissible and highly Coronavirus death toll Marked “offi cial, sensitive”, the virulent,” it said.“Therefore, pan- 2019 National Security Risk As- demics signifi cantly more serious sessment (NSRA) was signed off than the reasonable worst case … by Sir Patrick Vallance, the gov- are possible.” ernment’s chief scientifi c adviser, The government declined to as well as a senior national secu- provide specifi c details of the rity adviser to the prime minis- preparations that had been made in hospitals near 20,000 ter whom the Guardian has been prior to the pandemic, but said it asked not to name. would be unfair to say they were Reuters “In general, we’ll have to take ers, the economy could be head- the government, whose chief sci- front-line health workers. The recommendations within it “starting from scratch”, pointing London decisions based on the best avail- ing into its deepest recession in entifi c adviser Patrick Vallance In the latest setback, a website included the need to stockpile PPE to planning exercises carried out in able scientifi c and health advice more than 300 years even after said on March 17 that keeping for essential workers to apply for (personal protective equipment), recent years. and it’s not going to be a case of the fi nance ministry and the Bank the toll under that number would a coronavirus test was shut down organise advanced purchase “This is an unprecedented glo- early 20,000 people have choosing between the economy of England rushed out a string of be “a good outcome in terms of yesterday, just hours after the agreements for other essential kit, bal pandemic and we have taken died in hospital in Britain and public health,” Johnson’s emergency stimulus measures. where we would hope to get”.In government announced that a establish procedures for disease the right steps at the right time to Nafter testing positive for spokesman said during a daily The latest statistics on infec- reality, the total death toll is likely greater range of people would now surveillance and contact tracing, combat it, guided at all times by the new coronavirus, the latest briefi ng. tions and deaths made even dark- to be thousands higher than that be eligible for testing. and draw up plans to manage a the best scientifi c advice,” a gov- data showed yesterday. The government has so far re- er reading. already reported. The government says it is on surge in excess deaths. ernment spokesman said. Speculation mounted that fused to discuss how it plans to The number of people who More comprehensive but lag- track to hit a target of 100,000 Having plans for helping British “The government has been Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ease the lockdown, but is coming have died in hospitals across the ging fi gures that include deaths in tests per day by the end of this nationals abroad and repatriating proactive in implementing les- who spent three nights in inten- under increased pressure to do so United Kingdom after testing the community, such as in nursing month, which would represent them to the UK was also fl agged as sons learned around pandemic sive care battling Covid-19 earlier as evidence of economic disaster positive for the coronavirus has homes, show the daily hospital a massive increase on current a priority. preparedness. This includes being this month, would soon get back accumulates. risen to 19,506, up by 684 in a day. toll underestimated the number levels, but the problem with the All of these areas have come un- ready with legislative proposals to work after US President Donald In the latest of a series of Britain has the fi fth worst of- of Covid-19 fatalities by around website cast further doubt on its der relentless scrutiny since the that could rapidly be tailored to Trump said he “sounded incred- alarming signs, retail sales fell by fi cial death toll in the world, after 40% as of April 10. ability to deliver. start of the coronavirus pandemic, what became the Coronavirus Act, ible” on the phone. the most on record in March. the US, Italy, Spain and France, Johnson’s government, “There was signifi cant demand with the government accused of plans to strengthen excess death Whenever Johnson does re- Even a surge in panic buying and government scientists have which was slower than Euro- for booking tests yesterday. We being too slow to react to the crisis. planning, planning for recruit- turn, he will face the conundrum ahead of the lockdown was not said that the death rate will only pean peers to impose a lock- apologise for any inconvenience. It is now under sustained pres- ment and deployment of retired of how to come out of a lockdown enough to outweigh a plunge in start to decline quickly in another down, has come under fire over We are continuing to rapidly in- sure to provide answers about staff and volunteers, and guidance that is destroying swathes of the sales of clothing and most other couple of weeks. limited testing capacity and for crease availability. More tests will what was done nationally and lo- for stakeholders and sectors across economy, while avoiding a deadly goods. Passing the 20,000 mark will failing to deliver enough per- be available today,” the health cally to provide the support that government.” second wave of infections. According to budget forecast- be an uncomfortable moment for sonal protective equipment to ministry said.
EU’s Barnier slams lack Meghan’s privacy case of progress in Brexit talks against tabloid begins Reuters of harassing, humiliating and ma- London nipulating Thomas Markle, and AFP Barnier confi rmed London still That prospect is especially contributing towards a fallout be- Brussels refuses. alarming given the cataclysmic tween father and daughter. “We need real progress by the recession already facing the con- egal action by Meghan, the They argue the Mail had delib- month of June if we want to fi nd tinent which cross-Channel cha- Duchess of Sussex, against erately omitted parts of the letter, U Brexit negotiator Michel a deal by the end of the year that os would only make worse. La tabloid for breaching her which was never intended to be Barnier yesterday de- meets the level of our interde- But Prime Minister Boris John- privacy had its fi rst court hearing made public, to paint the royals in Eplored a lack of progress in pendence and our geographic son, who has been hospitalised yesterday, with the newspaper’s a poor light. the latest round of post-Brexit proximity,” Barnier said. because of the virus, refuses to be lawyer attempting to have claims Antony White, the lawyer rep- trade talks, accusing Britain of Britain “cannot refuse to ex- swayed, with his government in- that it had acted dishonestly resenting the Mail, sought at a stalling negotiations. tend transition and at the same sisting that the old deadline must struck out. pre-trial hearing yesterday to have Barnier reported his concern time slow down discussions on stand. Meghan, wife of Prince Harry, is allegations the paper had acted at the end of a week of talks, important areas,” he added tes- Unacceptable for Johnson is suing Associated Newspapers over dishonestly and had stoked the rift which came amid the added ur- tily. The trade talks entered high that an extension would also ex- articles its Mail on Sunday news- removed from the case, along with gency of the coronavirus pan- gear with a fi rst round in March, tend the so-called transition pe- paper printed in February last year references to other articles about demic that has shattered the but quickly fell victim to the riod, in which Britain must obey which included parts of a letter the royal which she says were false. economy in Europe. Covid-19 crisis when Barnier EU rules and regulations during she had sent to her father, Thomas He said it was “remarkable” “To tell you the truth.. our ob- and his UK counterpart David the course of negotiations. Markle. The case is the latest step the claim about the treatment of jective that we had for tangible Frost both tested positive with London is trying to negotiate in growing hostility between the Markle had been made without progress, this objective has only the virus. a series of packages in diff erent media and the couple, now based the duchess having contacted her been partially achieved,” Barnier Talks were suspended for six domains including fi shing, goods, in North America, who announced father to see if he agreed. told a news conference after the weeks as each side focused on aviation, justice and energy. this week they would have “zero Given Britain’s coronavirus talks. the deadly virus and explored But EU leaders want a sin- engagement” with four of Britain’s lockdown, yesterday’s hearing — “The United Kingdom did not ways to hold the talks by dis- gle overarching accord. The top tabloids. one of the fi rst stages in the legal want to engage seriously on a tance that involve more than 100 thorny problem of fi shing rights Lawyers for the duchess say the action — was held by video, with certain number of fundamental negotiators on each side. — deeply important to several letter’s publication was a misuse of lawyers and journalists joining re- issues,” he added. The lack of progress will feed key EU states, notably France private information and breached motely. Britain left the European Un- fears that no deal will be reached — could alone derail the whole her copyright. Meghan and Harry, who are liv- ion on January 31 and both sides by December 31, meaning that process. They are seeking aggravated ing in the Los Angeles area having have until the end of the year WTO rules with high tariff s and “There will be no agreement damages from the paper. stepped down from their royal roles to forge a new basis for rela- customs barriers would come into on a trade deal, without a deal As part of the claim, the lawyers at the end of last month, were also tions, barring an extension that force between the UK and EU. on fi shing,” Barnier said. Meghan Markle: legal fight accuse the Mail and other tabloids expected to listen in, a source said. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 9 EUROPE
Macron vows help to keep UN in global push to rush eateries, hotels virus vaccine production afl oat AFP South African President Cyril 190,000 people have died in the ous situation of that continent, Geneva Ramaphosa. pandemic and more than 2.7mn which is home to many poor na- Conspicuously absent were have been infected, according tions, with weak health systems. AFP leaders from China, where the to an AFP tally based on offi cial “Africa is extremely vulnerable Paris he UN has joined forces novel coronavirus fi rst surfaced sources. to the ravages of this virus and is with world leaders and the late last year, and from the Unit- “We face a global public enemy in need of every possible support Tprivate sector on an ini- ed States – the country currently like no other,” Guterres told the and assistance,” he said. resident Emmanuel Ma- tiative to speed up development hardest-hit by the pandemic, briefi ng. “A world free of Cov- Seth Berkley, head of Gavi, the cron has vowed measures of Covid-19 vaccines and treat- with nearly 50,000 dead and id-19 requires the most massive Vaccine Alliance, acknowledged Pto keep afl oat France’s ho- ments, and ensure equal access close to 900,000 infected. public health eff ort in history.” that it is likely that “without a tel and restaurant sector, one of for all. US President Donald Trump He stressed the need to ensure vaccine we will never defeat this the mainstays of the economy “This is a landmark collabora- earlier this month suspended that any diagnostic tests devel- pandemic”. but also the French way-of-life tion to accelerate the develop- funding to the organisation, ac- oped to detect the new virus, any “What this means is that we that is being battered by the ment, production and equitable cusing it of kowtowing to China drugs produced to treat it, and will need to devise and deliver a coronavirus pandemic. distribution of vaccines, diag- over the coronavirus outbreak. any vaccine made to prevent it Macron speaking with WHO chief Ghebreyesus, UN chief Guterres vaccine programme to get bil- Macron hosted a video con- nostics, and therapeutics for While no US representatives should be provided to all of those and other leaders during a video conference at the Elysee Palace. lions of doses out at a speed and ference meeting from the Elysee Covid-19,” World Health Organi- took part, a spokesman from the in need. scale never before contemplated, palace of hospitality sector rep- sation (WHO) chief Tedros Adh- US mission in Geneva stressed “The world needs the devel- There were few concrete de- the world,” she said, also stress- let alone achieved – the most resentatives and cabinet minis- anom Ghebreyesus told a virtual in an e-mail to AFP that “Amer- opment, production and equita- tails divulged during the event on ing the need to “ramp up work rapid vaccine deployment in his- ters, with the industry in a crisis briefi ng. “United we can fi ght ica’s world-leading scientists are ble delivery of safe and eff ective how the wide range of partners on prevention, diagnostics and tory,” he said. which will not end even when this virus.” working hard on a Covid-19 vac- Covid-19 vaccines, therapeutics would roll out the initiative. treatment”. Peter Sands, head of the Global France begins to emerge from its The coronavirus causes the cine”. and diagnostics,” Guterres said. Von der Leyen, however, an- “The response to this pan- Fund, meanwhile stressed that lockdown from May 11. Covid-19 respiratory disease. “We welcome serious eff orts to “Not a vaccine or treatments nounced that the EU and its part- demic can only be global.” developing new tools against Economy and Finance Min- The event was co-hosted by assist in that endeavour, and look for one country or one region ners were preparing to organise a Macron also called for making Covid-19 like vaccines “is es- ister Bruno Le Maire said a de- French President Emmanuel forward to learning more about or one-half of the world, but “worldwide pledging marathon” any vaccine developed “accessi- sential but not enough. We must cision will be taken at the end Macron, European Commission the World Health Organisation’s a vaccine and treatment that with an event on May 4 aimed at ble everywhere, including in the make sure that the people who of May over when French cafes, chief Ursula von der Leyen, and proposal,” the spokesman said, are aff ordable, safe, eff ective, raising €7.5bn ($8.1bn) for initial most vulnerable countries”, in- need them get them”. bars and restaurants can reo- Melinda Gates of the Bill and stressing though that “we re- easily-administered and uni- funding for developing diagnos- sisting “that is what will allow us “The lessons from Aids must pen, after some reports said this Melinda Gates Foundation. main deeply concerned about the versally available, for everyone, tics, treatments and vaccines to return to normal life as quickly be learned,” he said, pointing to could be allowed from June 15. It included UN chief Antonio WHO’s eff ectiveness, given that everywhere,” he said. “None of against Covid-19. as possible”. the many millions who had died The hospitality sector – which Guterres as a speaker, as well its gross failures helped fuel the us is safe until all of us are safe ... “We need to develop as soon as Ramaphosa, who serves as before anti-retroviral drugs were employs 1mn people in France – as global leaders like German current pandemic”. Covid-19 anywhere is a threat to possible a vaccine, produce it and chair of the African Union, made widely accessible. “We wants to see a tax exemption for Chancellor Angela Merkel and Worldwide, more than people everywhere.” deploy it to every single corner of meanwhile stressed the precari- must leave no one behind.” 2020, cancellation of rents for six months and at least a partial covering by the state of operat- ing losses. “The virus does not like the Ballet stars perform in empty Amsterdam Spain sees lowest French way-of-life because it is spread mainly by human con- tact,” said Macron, referring to Reuters the French love for gathering in Amsterdam daily coronavirus bustling cafes and restaurants at all moments of the day. He said the sector already had ix dancers from the Dutch to work with the government on National Ballet headed out deaths in a month how the reopening phase would Sinto the empty streets of take place. Amsterdam this week to perform Those taking part in the meet- their parts in a piece of choreog- Reuters daily cases per 100,000 people ing included industry represent- raphy inspired by the coronavi- Madrid in an area, or Covid-19 patients atives, commercial bosses like rus lockdown. must occupy no more than half hotels giant Accor chief execu- Each put on a solo perform- of ICU beds. tive Sebastien Bazin as well as ance out in the open, some in pain’s daily coronavirus The government has already celebrity French chefs includ- front of landmarks including the deaths fell to the lowest in taken some steps to relax the ing Philippe Etchebest, Alain Amstel Hotel and the Eye fi lm Smore than a month yester- lockdown, such as allowing con- Ducasse, Guy Savoy, Helene museum. day, prompting the government struction workers back and let- Darroze and Michel Sarran. Footage of each piece will be to declare the most acute phase ting children take walks outside “What is at stake is ensuring edited together into a fi lm ti- of the epidemic was over as it from this weekend, but broader the survival of all the establish- tled Gently Quiet that will be prepared criteria to ease one of restrictions will not be eased un- ments, from the creperie to the streamed online by early May, the Europe’s strictest lockdowns. til late May. three (Michelin) stars (restau- National Ballet said. The 367 registered deaths in Anticipating more people rants),” Etchebest, a TV per- “I like this project as we can the previous 24 hours represent- outside, the government start- sonality who presides over the show what we want to do and ed just a 1.7% increase overall, ed capping prices of protective Hostellerie de Plaisance outside what we are waiting for to do down from 440 the previous day, surgical masks at €0.96 ($1.04) Bordeaux, told AFP. again,” said 25-year old dancer and the lowest since March 21. a piece, and of disinfecting gels Le Maire vowed after the Yvonne Slingerland, who per- However, with 22,524 deaths and solutions at €0.015-0.021 meeting that the sector would formed her piece beside the Am- in total, Spain still has the per millilitre depending on pack- get increased support but would stel river yesterday. world’s third-highest tally after aging volume. only know at the end of next “Even if we are in this weird the United States and Italy. Though fewer, the daily deaths month when reopenings could situation we are still moving and Cases rose over 6,700 to and infections still strain serv- start. we are still trying to get to the au- 219,764 from the day before, but ices such as hospitals and funeral He promised a doubling of aid dience. Slingerland of the Dutch National Ballet performs on a street of Amsterdam for the Gently Quiet project. the rise in new infections based parlours. for establishments in diffi culty “I think art right now is really on more specifi c testing was In Segovia, north of Madrid, and also the expanding of access important for everyone.” to limit the spread of the novel from rehearsing together. being able to work together in much lower, at 2,796, meaning dozens of bags with ashes were to a solidarity fund. All bars, restaurants, muse- coronavirus. Many have resorted to practis- our studio or to perform in front those cured, at 3,105, surpassed lined up on the pews of the local “It is very hard fi nancially” for ums and other public places have The National Ballet has can- ing at home. of an audience,” National Ballet new infections for the fi rst time. crematorium’s chapel. those aff ected, said Le Maire. “It been shut in the Netherlands celled all its performances until “This is our way of bringing a spokesman Richard Heideman “We have indeed overcome “Here in Segovia, we usually is a psychological shock that you since March 15 in an attempt June 1 and stopped its dancers poetic production, despite not said. the toughest phase, the most have an average of three to fi ve cannot underestimate for the critical phase of the disease, deaths a day. We have gone to an 246,000 restaurant establish- Italy’s coronavirus epidemic began in January, scientific study shows thanks mainly to the eff ort of the average of 30 to 40. How are we ments in France.” whole Spanish society,” govern- managing it? By burying them or “We will be there at the mo- The first Covid-19 infections in Italy date back Stefano Merler, of the Bruno Kessler We’ll never know,” he said, adding that he ment spokeswoman Maria Jesus cremating them as soon as pos- ment they open and in the to January, according to a scientific study Foundation, told a news conference with Italy’s believed the immediate surge in cases Montero told a news briefi ng. sible in order not to collapse,” months to come,” he added. presented yesterday, shedding new light top health authorities that his institute had suggested the virus was probably brought to Although calling for prudence funeral home director Oscar de la France is buzzing with specu- on the origins of the outbreak in one of the looked at the first known cases and drawn Italy by a group of people rather than a single due to many yet unknown as- Fuente told Reuters. lation over how lockdown meas- world’s worst-aff ected countries. clear conclusions from the subsequent pace of individual. pects of the virus, Health Minis- In Catalonia, Spain’s second ures can be eased from May 11, Italy began testing people after diagnosing its contagion. Italy was the first major western country to ter Salvador Illa said the epidem- hardest-hit region, the regional as indications grow that the epi- first local patient on February 21 in Codogno, a “We realised that there were many infected face the viral disease, which originated in ic’s curve had reversed, allowing administration’s separatist lead- demic is fi nally slowing. small town in the wealthy Lombardy region. people in Lombardy well before February 20, China late last year and has spread around the the government to plan a gradual er Quim Torra criticised the cen- But the details over how this Cases and deaths immediately surged, with which means the epidemic had started much world. exit from a national shutdown tral government’s handling of the may take shape have far been scientists soon suspecting that the virus had earlier,” he said. Italian authorities have recorded some since mid-March. epidemic, saying that it would sketchy. been around, unnoticed, for weeks. “In January for sure, but maybe even before. 190,000 confirmed cases and 25,500 deaths. “The direction of the transi- have worked out better “without tion will be overseen by the gov- impositions”. ernment based on criteria that He also called for more fi nan- we will start discussing with the cial aid. regions this afternoon,” he said, Torra urged all Catalan politi- without elaborating. cal forces to meet and unite pol- Shoes replace protesters as climate activists obey curbs According to Cadena SER ra- icy over the epidemic, accepting dio, the government started to a proposal from the opposition outline thresholds for further Socialists and centre-right Ciu- Reuters before being dispersed by police easing next month of the eco- dadanos. Zurich without incident. nomically-crippling lockdown He was speaking to just a Greta Thunberg – the school- for regions with the lowest con- handful of lawmakers physically girl activist who founded the tagion rates and least burdened present in the Catalan parlia- reen activists placed global Fridays for Future protest intensive units (ICU). ment, which was set to approve rows of boots and shoes movement – acknowledged yes- For restrictions to be lifted, later a regional budget for the Gin a Zurich square to terday that demonstrators were there must be no more than two fi rst time in three years. take the place of protesters who having to change tactics. normally come out in person on “Today we had planned a glo- Fridays to demand action on cli- bal climate strike with millions mate change. taking part. But in an emergency German court tries IS militant over Organisers said they wanted you have to adapt and change murder of Yazidi child held as a slave to make their point while re- your behaviour,” she tweeted specting curbs on public gath- alongside a photo of a pair of An Iraqi man believed to have belonged to the Islamic State (IS) group erings imposed to contain the shoes and a coat hanging on a went on trial in Germany yesterday accused of genocide and murdering novel coronavirus, which has railing next to a banner. a child belonging to the Yazidi minority who he held as a slave. killed more than 1,300 people in The teenager told an Earth Taha al-Jumailly, 27, also stands accused of crimes against humanity, Switzerland. Day event on Wednesday that war crimes, and human traff icking in the case which is being heard “Let us show solidarity in countries have a chance to before judges in Frankfurt. every crisis, also towards those choose a new path as they begin Jumailly’s wife, a German woman named Jennifer Wenisch, has been on people who are already suff er- Shoes placed by environmental activists of the Swiss Klimastreik Schweiz movement, in place of live to return to normal after coro- trial for a year at a Munich court. ing from the consequences of participants to demonstrate against climate change, are seen on Zurich’s Sechselaeutenplatz square. navirus lockdowns. She too is charged with murdering the Yazidi girl who the pair are the climate crisis,” said Fiona Last year was the hottest on believed to have allowed to die of thirst in the Iraqi city of Fallujah in Chiappori from Climate Strike “We demand that every crisis multi-coloured fl ip fl ops and A handful of people stood in record in Europe, according to 2015. Switzerland, which is part of is seen as such and treated ap- lace-up boots formed a large the background holding banners a study released on Wednesday The start of Wenisch’s trial in April last year appeared to be the first the global “Fridays for Future” propriately.” block in the city’s Sechselaeu- reading “Wake Up: Climate Ac- by the EU’s Copernicus Climate formal proceeding anywhere in the world related to the Islamic State movement. The desert boots, trainers, tenplatz. tion Now” and “Crisis is Crisis” Change Service. group’s persecution of the Yazidi community. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, April 25, 2020 INDIA
PEOPLE CONTROVERSY CRITICISM LEGAL TRAGEDY Arnab Goswami West Bengal governor Govt decision to freeze Former minister’s son Doctors fight to save sight gets court reprieve hits out at Mamata dearness allowance flayed to remain behind bars of raped seven-year-old
The Supreme Court yesterday granted three In a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has termed the The Jammu and Kashmir High Court yesterday Doctors were yesterday battling to save the weeks protection from arrest to Republic TV Banerjee, West Bengal governor Jagdeep government decision to freeze dearness allowance rejected the bail application of Hilal Ahmad Rather, sight of a seven-year-old girl who was raped editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami in connection with Dhankhar yesterday accused her of trying (DA)of central government employees for a year as son of former finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, and then had her eyes damaged so she could multiple charges against him in various states to “deliberately divert” people’s attention “insensitive and inhuman.” The former Congress in a multi-crore bank fraud. Justice Puneet Gupta not identify her attacker, police said. Police for alleged hate speeches and for defamation from her “abject failure” in combating and president in a tweet said: “Lakhs and crores are heard the arguments of Rather’s lawyer whose have arrested a 21-year-old man over the of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. A bench containing the coronavirus outbreak and being spent on the Bullet Train and New Delhi’s main contention was that since the Supreme Court assault in Madhya Pradesh. The child was headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud and acting in “utter disregard” of the constitution. Central Vista which should have been suspended, had directed for the decongestion of various jails lured into an abandoned house while playing comprising Justice M R Shah observed there Penning a harsh letter - the strong language but the government has deducted DA of central in the country, this directive should be applicable with friends, a police official said. She was should be no restraint on the media. “I am averse used being somewhat unusual in official government employees and pensioners. The tragic to his client who is suff ering from several ailments. found there with her hands tied and severe to imposing restrictions on media,” said justice communication, that too from a governor part is that by deducting this amount from January The CBI lawyer, Monika Kohli argued that there was injuries to her eyes. The suspect, who lived Chandrachud making an oral observation. The to a chief minister - Dhankhar alleged that 1, 2020, up to June 30, 2021, the government no report from the jail authorities to substantiate nearby was arrested and has admitted to the apex court ordered transfer of case registered Banerjee’s “cover up mechanism” with relation proceeds to deduct almost Rs38,000cr from the arguments of the petitioner whose application crime. “The accused pressed his fingers very at Nagpur to Mumbai where investigations will to the Covid-19 pandemic “would lead to the income of these middle-class government for interim bail needed to be rejected. After hearing hard into the girl’s eyes. Doctors are trying continue in the case against Goswami, and probe very painful results” and called her overall employees and pensioners, who rely completely the arguments of the two sides, the court rejected their best to save the eyes. We are hopeful,” a in all other cases and complaints has been stayed. approach “anti-people”. on the pay and pensions that they receive.” application for interim bail. police officer said. Lower death rate in India seems to defy virus trend
Reuters business, especially in April. Mumbai/Ahmedabad “If we’re not seeing an in- crease in deaths, the suspicion that there may be more Covid-19 arts of the country have fatalities out there is not true,” recorded dramatic falls in said Giridhar Babu, professor Pmortality rates after a na- of epidemiology at the Public tionwide lockdown was imposed Health Foundation of India. to fi ght the new coronavirus, Modi imposed a lockdown of In- suggesting there has not been an dia’s 1.3bn people on March 25 in a undetected surge in virus-relat- bid to stop the spread of the coro- ed deaths. navirus, which has infected some All over the world, mortal- 23,077 people, killing 718 of them, ity rates are being scrutinised according to the latest fi gures. to determine the true impact of The government has tested the coronavirus, which emerged about 525,000 people, meaning in China late last year and is some 4% were positive. known to have infected more In the US, about 18% of tests than 2.7mn people globally, with are positive, according to the nearly 190,000 deaths. Covid Tracking project. Health workers wearing protective gear walk along a railway line to a slum for a door-to-door verification of people to find out if they have developed any of the coronavirus While death rates in some India’s apparently lower death disease symptoms, in Kolkata yesterday. countries have risen sharply in rates stands in contrast to what recent weeks, in India the op- has been seen elsewhere. posite seems to be happening, The Netherlands recorded at least in some places, leaving about 2,000 more deaths than hospitals, funeral parlours and normal in the fi rst week of April, cremation sites wondering what for example, while in Indonesia’s is going on. capital of Jakarta the number of “It’s very surprising for us,” funerals rose sharply in March. said Shruthi Reddy, chief ex- Some towns in Italy also saw a Spread of coronavirus ecutive offi cer of Anthyesti Fu- jump in recorded deaths. neral Services, which operates in Doctors, offi cials and crema- Kolkata and Bengaluru. torium employees suspect the The company handled about lower death rate is in large part fi ve jobs a day in January but has attributable to fewer road and only had about three a day this rail accidents. month. “Road accident cases and even under control: govt “We’ve declared employee patients with alcohol or drug pay cuts if revenue falls below abuse, stroke and heart attacks IANS cold has increased. It has not,” confi rmed cases in the country coronavirus topic that dominat- rus outbreak,” said Prime Minis- a threshold,” Reddy said. Other have been coming in fewer num- New Delhi said Niti Aayog member V K have crossed 23,000 mark, with ed the discourse. ter Modi while addressing village numbers tell a similar story. bers,” said Assam Health Minis- Paul. 718 deaths. Globally, the number Hailing the role of villagers in chiefs from across the country. Central Mumbai, home to some ter Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. Paul, who is also the chairman of cases have crossed 2.7mn maintaining social distancing, He added that in normal situ- 12mn people, saw deaths fall by Accidents on the country’s he government yesterday of the government’s empow- while the death toll mounted to he claimed Indians have faced ations, meetings would take about 21% in March compared chaotic roads killed more than asserted that the spread of ered committee-1, emphasised 1.9 lakh. diffi culties but remained reso- place in person. But changed with the same month of 2019, ac- 151,400 people in 2018, accord- Tcoronavirus is limited and that there is no undercurrent or Earlier Prime Minister Naren- lute in observing the lockdown. circumstances forced the gov- cording to municipal data. ing to offi cial data, the world’s under control, while also quot- under-reporting of the disease dra Modi hailed rural India for Modi said that it’s the villages ernment to take help of video Overall deaths plummeted highest absolute number. ing a study which stated that in the country.”Disease is under playing an active role in the fi ght that have “shown the way” to the conferences in order to maintain 67% in Ahmedabad, the biggest The coronavirus lockdown, there is no spike in utilisation of control and is limited. This is against Covid-19 and in supply- urban centres, who he claimed social distancing. city in Prime Minister Narendra which is due to end on May 3, fever and cold medicines in the the only picture by and large,” he ing food grains to the poor and are fi nding it tough to deal with Stressing on the importance Modi’s home state of Gujarat, will cut road deaths by at least country. added. migrant workers. the lockdown. “We have to be- of the newly launched e-Gram- over the same period. 15% this year compared with “Our routine surveillance of He added that even after the He launched e-GramSwaraj come self-suffi cient. Without Swaraj portal, Modi said all in- Data from at least two other 2018, Paresh Kumar Goel, a di- pneumonia and fever shows that testing was increased in the portal and Swamitva Scheme on that, we can’t face a threat like formation, including the funds cities, along with accounts from rector at the ministry of road there is no spike. There is no country, no proportional in- the occasion of the Panchayati that of coronavirus. From villag- allowed and progress of work state health offi cials, show a transport and highways, said. crowding of ICUs or lines out- crease in cases was seen. “No Raj Day. He also interacted with es to the country - we should be can be accessed through it in the similar pattern. Half a dozen With passenger trains halted, side the hospitals. A study was need to fear hidden spikes in village-heads from across the self suffi cient. We should not be coming days. funeral businesses and crema- fatalities from all-too-common done on whether the utilisation cases,” he insisted. country through video con- looking out for help. That is the “This will bring transparency toriums also reported slumps in rail accidents have also plunged. of medicine used for fever and Meanwhile, the number of ferencing. However, it was the big take away from this coronavi- in the system,” said Modi. Offi cials helpless as people Kerala court passes fl ee dirty quarantine centres orders in Sprinklr row
IANS government get in touch with the Kochi Centre after the present six-month Reuters demands — people need better tres since April 16. “Mounting contract with Sprinklr ends, as the Mumbai/Lucknow beds, clean toilets...all I can tell frustration and anxiety were former is the competent authority them is ‘please adjust, please the main causes,” the offi cial fter hearing various peti- to deal with the matter. calm down’,” said Hemangi Wor- said.”People are getting angry.” tioners in the now contro- Meanwhile, opposition leader housands of people in likar, deputy mayor of Mumbai’s Frontline medical staff have Aversial transfer of Covid-19 and one of the many petitioners overcrowded coronavi- municipal corporation, which also complained. patients’ data by the Kerala gov- in the case, Ramesh Chennith- Trus quarantine centres in has one of the country’s highest Doctors released videos ernment to US-based fi rm Sprin- ala, claimed that the demands government buildings across the coronavirus caseloads. showing stale food, dirty toilets klr, the Kerala High Court yester- they had put before the court country are complaining of poor and shortage of bed linen in Rae day refused to stay the agreement. have been accepted. food and sanitation and lack of “I have been fl ooded with Bareli, a quarantine centre in Ut- The court, however, gave a “We said there was no data social distancing, inmates and demands — people need tar Pradesh. number of directions to the state privacy in this agreement, nor offi cials say. better beds, clean toilets... “The complaints made by doc- government to see that all safe- was consent taken from those Some are trying to escape. all I can tell them is ‘please tors were legitimate and we have guards regarding data privacy are whose data was collected. We People who have tested posi- adjust, please calm down’” now relocated doctors to a guest maintained and posted the case also pointed out that the Kerala tive but show no symptoms of house,” said S K Sharma, a chief for hearing after three weeks. government logo should not be Covid-19 or those who came into At a school in Sultanpur in Ut- medical offi cer in Rae Bareli. A divisional bench of the high used. All these have been ac- close contact with them or had tar Pradesh, 25 youths clashed Ishita Debnath, a tailor, said court pointed out that had this cepted by the court. travelled abroad were sent to the with staff over poor conditions she was quarantined in a com- been a normal situation, it would “We demand the Kerala gov- centres initially for 14 days. and then escaped through a win- munity hall in Kolkata, one of have viewed the case in a diff er- ernment immediately end the But many have since been dow, police said. 80 women with just two toilets ent manner. contract with Sprinklr,” Chen- fl ooded with tens of thousands They were tracked down in available to them. The court pointed out that it nithala said. of migrant workers who tried nearby villages and brought back. “We have been huddled like wants to ensure that there is no State Law Minister A K Balan to fl ee the big cities of Delhi, The country has reported cattle here,” she said by telephone. breach of data confi dentiality said the court has appreciated the Mumbai and Ahmedabad after a 23,076 cases of coronavirus, The government has said it is with regard to the data collected work of the state government in lockdown announced last month according to government data doing everything possible and and processed by Sprinklr. fi ghting the Covid-19 pandemic. sapped their earnings and they yesterday, and the worry is that that people must be patient. The court directed that every “I spoke to the advocate gen- were stopped by police on their there could be a surge as testing “There are people here who are individual from whom data was eral and other legal experts and way to their home villages. is ramped up, putting further trying to steal items and they collected should be informed. It was told by them that in the in- Weeks on, offi cials overseeing pressure on quarantine centres. abuse the staff ,” said a senior of- also directed Sprinklr not to use terim order, there is no stricture these centres say they are unable A home ministry offi cial fi cial in Sultanpur, who is man- A civic authority worker sweeps a deserted street early morning the emblem of the Kerala govern- against the government. The op- to cope. said there had been reports of aging a quarantine centre of 140 during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive ment for its marketing purposes. position is simply creating issues “I have been fl ooded with 27 clashes in quarantine cen- people. measure against coronavirus in Mumbai yesterday. The court added that the state for political gains,” Balan added. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 11 LATIN AMERICA
Argentina ‘plans higher local oil price to protect sector amid rout’
Reuters mand has collapsed around the “criollo” barrel would likely be oil per day, and with a fast ramp- second source, an oil industry ture billions of dollars in debt. His union, which has 25,000 Buenos Aires world and domestically in Ar- released next week, to help “put up at Vaca Muerta has reduced executive in Argentina. “Companies around the world workers, reached an agreement gentina due to a nationwide lock- a fl oor under the steep fall.” He reliance on imports. Argentina’s production min- are slashing budgets. Vaca Muer- with oil companies on Thurs- down imposed in mid-March. added the offi cial decree was not The country had been target- istry, which oversees the energy ta wasn’t cost competitive with day to guarantee that the 20,500 rgentina plans to issue a In Argentina as in other coun- yet completed. ing an energy surplus in 2020. secretariat, did not respond to the Permian Basin or anywhere workers at home would receive at decree setting a higher lo- tries during the pandemic, a Both sources declined to be Global oil prices have crashed requests for comment. else in the US before the market least 60% of their wages in April Acal oil barrel price to pro- slower economy has slashed fuel named because the plans were to two-decade lows. On Mon- The South American country fell apart,” said an executive at a and May, he said. tect the domestic industry from demand. still private and under discus- day, US crude oil futures actually fi xed oil prices previously until US energy fi rm in Argentina. “The pandemic led us to para- being further decimated by a col- Refi ners are not purchasing all sion. plunged into negative territory. around 2016 to shield local fi rms “So why would anyone spend a lyse the economy, planes and ve- lapse in global prices and slump- the crude that is being produced, Argentina is home to the huge Low prices are squeezing pro- from fl uctuating prices. dime in Vaca Muerta now?” hicles stopped working, factories ing fuel demand due to the coro- and storage space is growing Vaca Muerta shale deposit, the ducers, especially those develop- The pandemic has hammered Guillermo Pereyra, secretary closed and demand fell,” he said. navirus pandemic, two industry scarce pressuring prices even size of Belgium. ing costlier shale reserves. producers in Vaca Muerta — general of the Rio Negro, Neu- “Refi neries began to stock their sources said. more. It is thought to hold one of the “A criollo barrel is vital and to Spanish for “dead cow” — which quen and La Pampa Oil and Gas products. Pipelines cannot pump The locally-set oil price, One of the people, a senior world’s largest reserves of un- maintain the price at the pump. Argentina had hoped would pro- Union around Vaca Muerta, told more because there is nowhere to known as the “criollo barrel” and industry offi cial with knowl- conventional hydrocarbons. Otherwise (refi ners) buy crude at duce major export income to help Reuters most workers have been put oil.” used before to off set global price edge of government plans, said Argentina has typically pro- $20 and sell it at a pump at $50, the country claw its way out of sent home and production has “Vaca Muerta is more dead swings, would come as oil de- an announcement around the duced around 500,000 barrels of which is what it is today,” said the recession as it looks to restruc- fallen steeply in April. than ever,” he said. Famous Andes crash survivor building virus ventilators
AFP start walking, I didn’t know how Montevideo far I had to go, but with every step I would be closer” to a pos- sible rescue, he said. oberto Canessa survived Now, “I wanted to get closer to a plane crash in the Andes a ventilator.” Rand 72 days battling ex- His fame as a miracle survivor treme weather, hunger and the of the Andean tragedy helped at- fear of dying while stranded in a tract support for his cause. frozen mountain range. It took only a few days to pro- Now, the 67-year-old cardi- duce a fi rst model, which he ologist has vowed to take on the named “Charrua” - naming it coronavirus pandemic in his na- after an indigenous group from tive Uruguay by building ventila- Uruguay and parts of neighbours tors. Argentina and Brazil. In 1972, Canessa was one of 45 The WhatsApp group Canessa people on a plane travelling from created — called “Respiradores” Uruguay to Chile with a rugby or Ventilators — has 80 vol- team onboard when it crashed in unteers including pneumatic, the Argentine Andes. electric and robotics engineers Some died on impact, others working on four models that they from their injuries and yet more have designed and built. from hunger. The aim is to make as many as Justice Minister Sergio Moro speaks during a news conference, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in Brasilia, Brazil, yesterday. But 72 days later, 16 survivors possible. were rescued. But fi rst they need to be tested Alongside fellow rugby play- and calibrated, something that er Fernando Parrado, Canessa began on Wednesday in a Monte- braved freezing conditions, ter- video hospital. rifying wilderness, inhospita- Compared to ventilators made ble terrain and a lack of suitable by specialist companies, which clothing, setting out on a journey cost around $20,000 each, these can be made for as little as Brazil justice minister quits to fi nd help even though they had no idea which way the nearest $1,200. town might be. And so far, Uruguay has time The tragedy and their epic on its side. journey were made into a Holly- In a country of 3.5mn people, wood feature fi lm, Alive, starring there have been just 550 cases Ethan Hawke. and 12 deaths. over ‘political interference’ Now, Canessa wants to save It’s aff orded the country time more lives. to build a “more sophisticated” Reuters His exit is likely to erode support Bolsonaro’s government as long as Moro said was unfounded, proved But the relationship between “When I saw that around the ventilator, said Canessa. Brasilia for Bolsonaro. he had free rein to appoint his sub- to be the fi nal straw. the two had grown tense, especial- world people were dying from a Fernanda Blasina, director of “The exit of minister Sergio ordinates without political pres- Moro said he was caught by sur- ly as Bolsonaro showed interest in lack of air, it reminded me of the the neonatology department at Moro from the government shows sure. prise and took it to mean that the changing the leadership of the fed- mountain, when I saw my friends the University of the Republic razil’s Justice Minister Ser- the Bolsonaro government dis- However, he said Bolsonaro had president wanted him out of the eral police force in Rio de Janeiro, who couldn’t breathe anymore, hospital in Montevideo, says in- gio Moro resigned yester- tancing itself from the popular been seeking to change the top job. where he built his political base in and I said: No, this can’t hap- tensive care tests are being car- Bday, accusing President Jair desire to fi ght corruption. It is the federal police offi cer since the sec- Moro’s role in the government three decades as a lawmaker. pen to me again,” Canessa said ried out to “evaluate treatments Bolsonaro of political meddling defeat of ethics,” the centrist Po- ond half of 2019 without giving an had served as a symbol of the fi ght The political row comes as the moments after testing the latest and diff erent equipment.” in law enforcement and creating demos party said in a statement. adequate reason. against corruption, which was coronavirus epidemic gathers prototype of his ventilator. And while Canessa acknowl- a political crisis in the midst of an The benchmark stock index Moro said Bolsonaro told him central to Bolsonaro’s 2018 cam- steam in Brazil. As the virus spread, he realised edges the government may be economic downturn and the coro- plunged 8.3% and Brazil’s currency he wanted a federal police chief paign. Bolsonaro has faced widespread that although superpowers like sceptical about ventilators made navirus epidemic. fell as much as 3% to a record low who would provide him with in- He oversaw Brazil’s largest-ever criticism for his handling of the the US and China were going to “in a garage” — “when the people A corruption-busting former of 5.71 per dollar. telligence reports, which Moro corruption probe, which uncov- crisis. be able to buy or make ventila- are desperate, the public health judge and high-profi le minister, The presidential press offi ce did found “inappropriate”.Moro also ered billions of dollars in bribes A record daily total of 407 peo- tors, “Uruguay wasn’t.” ministry will have to use it.” Moro said he quit because Bol- not respond to a request for com- said that Bolsonaro was concerned and jailed scores of powerful busi- ple died from the virus in Brazil “That’s something I also “My obligation as a citizen is sonaro fi red federal police chief ment. about Supreme Court inquiries, nessmen and politicians, includ- within 24 hours, the health min- learned on the mountain: I was to say: I have this, if it’s useful; if Mauricio Valeixo for personal At a news conference in Brasilia, without giving details. ing leftist former President Luiz istry said on Thursday, with 3,735 here, I needed to get out, I had to you need it, use it.” and political reasons. Moro said he had agreed to serve in The fi ring of Valeixo, which Inacio Lula da Silva. new confi rmed cases. Costa Rica sees fall Virus threatens Avianca survival in coronavirus cases tively looking for government Reuters Sao Paulo help, while deferring payments on aircraft leases and loan prin- Reuters slight reduction (in active cases) reational premises have dropped cipals. San Jose but we’ll have to proceed very 84% and to parks and beaches here is “substantial doubt” “As a result, we are currently in carefully because most people by 82% — fi gures similar to about Avianca Holdings’ default under certain of our out- haven’t been infected.” Peru, which has imposed a strict Tability to stay in business standing indebtedness,” the airline hile parts of Latin Over the past week, 45 new cas- nighttime curfew but is suff er- due to the coronavirus crisis, the said in the securities fi ling.”If our America enter the es were reported, while 122 people ing a rapidly increasing number Colombian airline reported, cit- operations remain suspended for Wtoughest phase of the recovered, reducing the number of of cases. ing the conclusion of its fi nancial an extended period, we may have coronavirus pandemic, Costa active cases to 485 from 564, the As of Thursday, Costa Rica, auditors. to take further measures to pre- Rica has for the past week re- health ministry said. a country of some 5 mn people, Avianca, Latin America’s sec- serve our business.” ported a steady fall in the number Costa Rica has not resorted to had reported 687 coronavirus ond-largest airline, made the dis- The airline had been in weak of people currently infected, in the outright curfews adopted by cases in total and six deaths, 49 closure in a securities fi ling with shape even before the crisis hit. a sign the country’s approach to some countries in Central Amer- days after authorities registered the US Securities and Exchange Roberto Kriete, president of the crisis may be paying off . ica, but it has closed the country the fi rst patient, a US tourist. Commission explaining why it Avianca’s board, said last year in a The fi rst country in Central to foreigners through May 15, By contrast, neighbouring was unable to fi le its 2019 annual meeting with employees that the America to register a coronavirus stepped up border surveillance, Panama to the south, an impor- report on time. airline was “broke.” infection on March 6, Costa Rica suspended mass events, and lim- tant transport hub with a slightly Avianca said it will fi le the re- In order to keep operating last has gone three days without re- ited road traffi c. smaller population, has regis- port in June and expects to dis- year, Avianca required an emer- porting a related fatality. It was too early to say for sure, tered 4,992 cases and 144 deaths. close the conclusion made by ac- gency $250mn loan that was fund- Thursday was the seventh but Costa Rica also appeared to Costa Rica’s reported fatality counting fi rm KPMG that there ed in large part by United Airlines day in succession in which the have had some success in track- rate of 0.12 per 100,000 popu- were serious questions about the Holdings. Kriete was appointed number of active cases fell. ing lines of transmission, said lation is one of the lowest in the airline’s “ability to continue as a in May of last year when United The country has likely benefi t- Maria Luisa Avila, a former Americas, just slightly higher going concern.” Airlines ousted Avianca’s former ed from the population’s observ- health minister. than Guatemala and El Salvador, Avianca has grounded all its president and controlling share- ance of government measures The country is one of the most which quickly imposed tough passenger fl ights since March due holder, German Efromovich, when to fi ght the virus, health experts affl uent and stable in the region lockdowns. to the coronavirus crisis, after its he himself defaulted on a $450mn said. and has a free public health sys- Mexico this week entered main hubs in Colombia, El Sal- loan extended by United. “(The people) have under- tem. the highest phase of alert in the Inmates from Villa Devoto prison in Buenos Aires take part in a vador, Ecuador and Peru all shut United disclosed earlier this stood the historic moment that According to a report by coronavirus crisis, as daily death riot yesterday demanding measures to prevent the spread of the down air traffi c. week that it expected to lose we’re in,” Health Minister Daniel Google based on mobile phone tolls hit new highs and confi rmed coronavirus, after Covid-19 cases were allegedly confirmed inside It has put about half its work- $697mn tied to the two loans it Salas said this week.”We’ve had a statistics, visits to shops and rec- cases topped 10,000. the prison. force on unpaid leave and is ac- gave to Efromovich and Avianca. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, April 25, 2020 PAKISTAN Doctors body stresses need for complete lockdown
Doctors, nurses ask for Govt policy on Ramadan measures in line with WHO recommendations: Muft i He said the other Islamic ti, a representative of the PMA issued for their employees to stay two more basic salaries in states, particularly Saudi Arabia, Quetta, Ameela William of the at home, but then the govern- southwest Pakistan Prominent religious leader and vice-president of the prayers under certain restrictions. had followed strictly the World Pakistan Nursing Association, ment cancelled the leave of all Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi, Mufti Taqi Usman, has “Allowing congregational prayers in larger numbers Health Organisation (WHO) Mahmood Raisani of the All Pa- employees of the health depart- Internews insisted that the agreement signed with the federal will have fatal outcomes amid a rising number of guidelines by imposing restric- kistan Clerks Association, and ment and hospitals, making it Lahore/Islamabad government by religious leaders is in line with the Covid-19 patients in the country,” the doctors warned tions in mosques, and that it Haji Shafa Mengal of the Pakistan mandatory for all of them to be coronavirus recommendations of the World Health in a letter earlier this week. would be a wise decision for Pa- Paramedical Staff Association present at their duty at any cost,” Organisation (WHO). The coronavirus causes the Covid-19 respiratory kistan to follow them. have called upon the government they said. hile recommending a “We are proud of our doctors and there’s no doubt on disease. “We will like to recommend to give (allowances equivalent They further said that because complete, country- their hard work, abilities and intentions but on corona- They requested the authorities and the business com- lockdown and suggest to the to) two additional basic salaries of having to perform continuous Wwide lockdown and virus, the WHO’s advisory is similar to those healthcare munity practice patience and keep the markets and government to ensure writ of the without discrimination to all duty and having been exposed ban on all kinds of religious ac- professionals who have endorsed our Ijmah agreed non-essential shops closed, allowing home deliveries state to curb this deadly virus,” employees of the health depart- to Covid-19 patients, dozens tivities, the Punjab chapter of with the president,” he said in a statement on Twitter. only. Nizami said. ment and government hospitals, of doctors, nurses, paramedical the Pakistan Medical Associa- The statement from the cleric comes after top Paki- President Dr Arif Alvi said the agreement with the In particular, he said, the gov- similar to what is being done in staff , clerical staff and Class IV tion (PMA) has warned that the stani doctors appealed to the federal government religious scholars was Ijma-e-Ummat [consensus of the ernment should come up with a other provinces of the country. employees of hospitals had con- number of Covid-19 cases are and religious leaders to review the declaration, under Muslim community] and that its violation would “be new strategy of social distanc- Speaking at a joint press con- tracted the disease and fallen sick many times more than what are which mosques have been allowed to hold tarawih categorised as a sin”. ing during Ramadan to avoid the ference at the Quetta Civil Hos- and, therefore, badly needed rest being presented, due to low ca- worst situation like that in Italy, pital, they also demanded that and medical leave. pacity of testing for the corona- Spain, the UK and the US. the Quetta Civil Hospital, the Bugti appealed to Baluchistan virus. PMA Lahore president Prof Dr While rejecting the recent de- ble of bearing the burden of the “Despite the fact that we could Bolan Medical Hospital, and the Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan The coronavirus causes the Ashraf Nizami. cision of exemption to various coronavirus. not improve our testing capacity, Helper Hospital be declared non- Alyani and the provincial health Covid-19 respiratory disease. He told media that he had ap- categories of business and peo- “No one can follow the social the number of confi rmed cases coronavirus hospitals. minister to announce two ad- “The cases are in the millions, pealed to the chief justice of Pa- ple, he said that such activities distancing of six feet in the reli- across the country has reached “Ever since the lockdown be- ditional basic salaries for all while the test capacity could not kistan and the federal govern- would further spread the virus. gious congregations and prayers, 10,000, which is an alarming fi g- gan in the province, all other employees of the health depart- reach 20,000 daily in Pakistan ment to review its decision of Nizami said that the country’s besides other worship places,” ure,” said Nizami. government departments have ment and hospitals, an incentive to combat the coronavirus,” said allowing the prayers in mosques. health infrastructure is not capa- said the PMA leader. Meanwhile, Dr Raheem Bug- been closed and orders have been already given in other provinces. Saarc health Sindh heeds doctors to ministers discuss ban prayer gatherings pandemic DPA/Reuters/Internews trollable coronavirus spread. Internews Islamabad/Karachi “Next three to four weeks are Islamabad crucial. We can become another US or Italy if people gather at akistan is divided on al- mosques,” warned Ashraf Niza- meeting of health min- lowing prayer gatherings mi, a leading physician. isters of the South Asian Pin mosques during the holy Pakistan, the world’s second AAssociation for Regional month of Ramadan amid the most populous Muslim coun- Co-operation (Saarc) countries coronavirus lockdown, with a try after Indonesia, has reported has discussed the issue of the fi ght brewing between the faith- more than 11,000 cases of Cov- coronavirus pandemic and ways ful and health offi cials. id-19, including 237 deaths. to promote deeper co-operation While the federal government Both the federal government among member states to combat has given in to pressure from Is- and experts say that the peak for the deadly disease. lamic clerics to allow them to infections is expected to hit in The meeting, held through lead prayers, yesterday a provin- May. video link, was chaired by health cial government announced that The coronavirus causes the minister Dr Zafar Mirza, the no religious gatherings would be Covid-19 respiratory disease. Special Assistant to the Prime allowed, following a grim warn- Medics have warned that Pa- Minister on Health. ing by medics. kistan is still at least six weeks It is part of Pakistan’s eff orts “The Sindh government has away from a peak of coronavirus to foster greater co-operation decided people should off er spread. at the regional level to fi ght the Ramadan’s tarawih (evening) However, Prime Minister Im- major public health crisis and to prayers at home,” Sindh Chief ran Khan said he would not ban mitigate its socioeconomic im- Minister Murad Ali Shah said in a mosque congregations dur- pacts on the people. video message broadcast on local ing Ramadan unless a 20-point The virtual meeting took for- television stations yesterday. guideline he had agreed with the ward Pakistan’s earlier initiative He said he was acting on the clerics to maintain social dis- to host the Saarc health minis- advice of doctors. tancing was violated. ters’ meeting, which assumed “Our hospitals are over- “This seems a reactive ap- urgency because of the grave whelmed with patient infl ows; proach ... a proactive action is threat posed to the peoples’ lives we don’t want our health system needed here,” said Chief Minister by Covid-19. to collapse,” Shah added. Shah. The coronavirus causes the “No way we can risk lives by Thousands of Muslims usu- Covid-19 respiratory disease. allowing gatherings,” he said as ally gather at mosques during the In addition to exchanging up- he ordered a weekly three-hour Worshippers are seen in a Karachi mosque after the provincial government limited congregational prayers. month of Ramadan, set to begin dates on the status of national curfew during the normal time of from today in Pakistan, but this containment eff orts, the Saarc worship. He said that shopping cen- traders are extending co-opera- the virus could spread rapidly if doctors urged the government year congregations are banned conference discussed ways to Shah sought co-operation tres violating standard operating tion to the government by carry- precautionary measures are not to review the decision to allow across the world, including at promote deeper co-operation to from the ulema and asked people procedures (SOPs) will imme- ing out home delivery. followed in true sense. prayer gatherings, which they the two holiest mosques in Saudi combat the pandemic, includ- to off er tarawih at home. diately be closed, whereas small The chief minister warned that The restriction came after warned could trigger an uncon- Arabia. ing through strengthening dis- ease surveillance, sharing best practices, building national ca- pacities, co-ordinating research eff orts, and promoting regional PM’s Ehsaas Telethon collects Rs550mn and international linkages. High population density and fragile health systems render Internews while building the hospital. adding that the Prime Minister’s themselves the living conditions South Asia, the home of one- Islamabad “I always tell this to my chil- Coronavirus Relief Fund will be of people. fi fth of humanity, vulnerable to dren and to others as well. used to help people who were “If this [coronavirus] spreads Covid-19 and that necessitates Whenever you spend in the way suff ering till their businesses in slums, it will not stay there. It close co-ordination among re- rime Minister Imran Khan of Allah, it brings you a lot of were shut. will spread to Defence [and other gional countries through utilisa- has appeared on the Ehsaas other rewards, such as the feeling “I spoke to (US President Don- posh areas],” he said. tion of all available institutional PTelethon to help collect of contentment,” he said, adding ald) Trump. Even he is concerned The prime minister also com- mechanisms, including the funds for those aff ected by the that one’s bank balance should with the economy collapsing, mented on this week’s press con- Saarc platform, to combat the coronavirus pandemic. not be the measure of his wealth. despite their resources. Every- ference by doctors’ bodies, say- disease. After the end of the marathon “True wealth is what you feel one agrees it is unsustainable,” ing that their concerns are valid, According to a statement, session, it was revealed that the inside,” Khan added. he said. but a lockdown could not be sus- Prime Minister Khan: I’m afraid if I include (the opposition) in this health ministers of all mem- government had been able to col- He praised the Ehsaas Cash Speaking about the criticism tained in the long-term. (coronavirus fund drive), the donations will drop. ber countries of the Saarc par- lect Rs550mn. Emergency Programme, say- he had faced due to his decision “We are a responsible nation. ticipated in the conference and The telethon was held at the ing that the initiative is based on to refrain from ordering a com- Shouldn’t the public behave re- whether he planned to join hands political rivals if they brought reached a consensus that they Prime Minister’s House with merit and computerised. plete lockdown, the prime min- sponsibly? When I am asking with the opposition to collect back billions of rupees from would do joint eff orts to combat journalists Mohamed Malick, Khan said that he is proud of ister said that previous decisions people to pray at home, I am not funds, Khan responded cheekily abroad to Pakistan. Covid-19. Hamid Mir Nadeem Malik, Kash- the programme and praised Dr were made keeping in mind the asking it for myself,” he said. “It by saying: “I’m afraid if I include In response to another ques- Mirza informed representa- if Abbasi, and Mansoor Ali Khan Sania Nishtar for playing a pivot- country’s elite. is understood that if you go to them in this [coronavirus fund tion, he said that followers of tives of member countries about participating. al role in ensuring that it became He urged critics to go to im- mosques to pray, there is a risk drive] the donations will drop.” all political parties should join eff orts taken by the Pakistan Muniba Mazari and Shiff a a success. poverished areas of the country [of getting the infection].” The prime minister said that it hands with the government dur- government to combat the dis- Yousafzai hosted the transmis- “The most amount of cash dis- and in katchi abadis to see for In response to a question about is only possible to work with his ing the crisis. ease. sion. tributed has been in Sindh, where Speaking about the coronavi- our party is not in power,” he said, rus, the prime minister said that adding that this is refl ective of the entire nation will have to take the programme’s transparency. part in the battle against the in- The balance in the Prime fection. Minister’s Relief Fund for Pakistan fi rst in South Asia to attain G4 rank at the ITU “No single government can Covid-19 has amounted to battle the pandemic. The entire Rs2,765,980,593. nation needs to join hands to Speaking about the lockdown, Internews (GIRO), Pakistan scored 88 out that helps decision-makers and national benchmarks by show- Identifi cation Registration and fi ght this virus, keeping in mind the prime minister said that the Islamabad of 100. regulators monitor the rapid ev- ing its commitment to protect Blocking System (DIRBS) has the times that are ahead,” he said. country will have to move to- This means that Pakistan’s olution of ICT regulation. consumer interests and enhance been taken to give relief and fa- Khan urged people to adopt wards a “smart lockdown”, as a ICT (information and commu- The report further said Paki- public-private collaborations cilitate the public and ensure so- safety precautions against the balance had to be struck between akistan has been ranked nications technology) regula- stan scored full marks (20/20) for the digital transformation cial distancing during this time. coronavirus. keeping people safe and ensuring as a 4th Generation Regu- tions are led by economic and for regulatory authority, 19/22 and socio-economic benefi t of All mobile devices being con- “The virus spreads at a very the coronavirus does not spread Plator (G4) by the Inter- social policy goals. for regulatory mandate, 22/30 Pakistan. nected to local networks using fast rate,” he said. “There have too much. national Telecommunication Pakistan is also among the for regulatory regime, and 27/28 In another development, the local SIM are subject to regis- been viruses and people have He cited the example of the Union (ITU), becoming the only top fi ve regulators in the entire for competition framework. PTA has extended the deadline tration within 60 days from the been infected with the fl u before. United States where more than country in South Asia to have Asia-Pacifi c region, with a glo- Pakistan’s journey towards for blocking of IMEI to addi- fi rst use of devices on local mo- But this is unprecedented.” 40,000 people have died, yet the achieved the status. bal rank of 48. collaborative regulation has also tional 30 days for all GSMA valid bile networks. Speaking about his experience government is considering mov- Out of the 38 economies in The GIRO is built on data pro- been highlighted as a special devices and IMEIs seen on mo- However, due to extraordi- of collecting donations for the ing towards reopening shops and Asia-Pacifi c, only 8% of states vided by 193 countries, which feature in the report. bile networks but currently not nary circumstances, blocking Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hos- businesses. have managed to achieve G4 forms the basis of the “ICT Reg- Meanwhile, the Pakistan registered with the PTA. of non-registered device IMEIs, pital, the prime minister said “No one knows for how long status. ulatory Tracker”. Telecommunication Author- The decision to extend the which were to be blocked be- that he had encountered various this [coronavirus situation] will In the ITU report titled Glo- The tracker, developed by the ity (PTA) has said that it would deadline for blocking of unreg- tween March 18 and May 18, will people from around the country last,” the prime minister said, bal ICT Regulatory Outlook 2020 ITU, is an evidence-based tool continue to achieve new inter- istered mobile sets under Device now start from May 19. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 13 PHILIPPINES Duterte extends lockdown in capital and high-risk areas
DPA Manila
hilippine President Rod- rigo Duterte yesterday ex- Ptended a lockdown in the capital and other provinces con- sidered to be high-risk areas for catching the novel coronavirus until May 15. Duterte also threatened to im- pose martial law if communist rebels did not stop their attacks amid the outbreak of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus. “We are all at risk,” he said in a televised address announcing the extension of the lockdown in metropolitan Manila and several provinces on the most populous island of Luzon. A soldier wearing a face mask guards an empty street following the lockdown imposed to contain A policeman wearing personal protective equipment checks the temperature of a motorist passing “Don’t increase the odds or Covid-19 in Manila, yesterday. through a quarantine checkpoint in Cainta town, Rizal province, east of Manila, yesterday. chances of getting it,” Duterte added. government offi ces are suspend- fi ces to resume but on a limited sanitisers. “No one can hang out nist rebels for their continued at- nist rebels and providing them contain the spread of the corona- Eight provinces in the central ed in areas under the enhanced basis only, Roque said. in the mall.” tacks on government troops amid fi nancial support. virus. and southern Philippines, where community quarantine. Malls will also be allowed to Malls will be required to set the outbreak and warned them to The Department of Health “When will this end? Covid cases of Covid-19 were increas- Only one person per house- open but only with shops that the temperature of their aircon- stop the lawlessness. yesterday reported 211 new con- will never end. It will be here and ing, were also put under stricter hold is allowed to go out to buy off er essential products, he add- ditioning units to 26 degrees “I am now warning everybody, fi rmed cases of Covid-19, bring- it will stay until kingdom come,” “enhanced community quar- groceries, medicines and other ed. Celcius and to disable their Wi- I might declare martial law and ing the national tally to 7,192. he said, adding that only a vac- antine” measures, presidential essential supplies. “The number of people in- Fi Internet to discourage people there will be no turning back,” he It also reported 15 additional cine would totally protect people spokesman Harry Roque said. In other areas not considered side the mall will be limited,” he from lingering inside, Roque warned. deaths pushing the death toll to from the disease. Under the lockdown guide- high risk, government will soon said, adding that everyone will added. Duterte said the government 477. “Let us endure fi rst. If this lines, schools, public transport, allow public transport and work be required to get temperature During his televised address, will also go after organisations Duterte urged the public to spreads further, I will have more and work in private and most in private and government of- checks, wear face masks and use Duterte also lambasted commu- acting as legal fronts of commu- bear with the restrictions to help problems.”
Flights to Shortened work hours for healthcare staff planned remain By Jan Arcilla ganisation called attention to cians. According to President Ro- Manila Times the “worrisome” trend of more drigo Duterte’s report to Congress suspended healthcare workers being infected on Monday, the Health depart- with Covid-19 in the Philippines ment would hire 857 more health- he Department of Health compared to the rest of the West- care workers to ease the load on its Reuters (DoH) has said it was con- ern Pacifi c region. overwhelmed workforce. Manila Tsidering shortening the Dr Abdi Mahamud, Covid-19 The workers, hired on a con- work hours for frontline health- incident manager for Western tractual setup, will be deployed care workers to reduce the risk of Pacifi c, said the Philippines could to Covid-19 referral hospitals, he Philippines’ major air- getting infected with the corona- be considered an “outlier,” with namely the Lung Center of the lines said yesterday their virus disease 2019 (Covid-19). healthcare workers accounting Philippines, Philippine General Tdomestic and interna- Health Undersecretary Maria for 13% of total infections. The re- Hospital and the Dr Jose N Rod- tional fl ights will remain sus- Rosario Vergeire said shortening gional average is 2-3%. riguez Memorial Hospital. pended until mid-May follow- the shifts of healthcare profes- Based on DoH data, there were Vergeire contested claims that ing the extension of coronavirus sionals would allow them to rest, 1,062 healthcare workers who the high infection rate of health- lockdown measures in the capital build up their resistance and re- contracted the disease. care workers stemmed from the and aff ected cities and provinces. duce their exposure to the virus. Broken down, 422 were doc- lack of personal protective equip- Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pa- She told a virtual press confer- tors, 386 nurses, 30 medical tech- ment. She said some of the work- cifi c and the Philippine unit of ence that shorter work shifts was nologists, 21 radiology technolo- ers contracted the disease outside Malaysia’s Airasia Group Bhd one of the recommendations of gists, 51 nursing assistants and 152 of their workplaces. She doubts said passenger fl ights, which the Chinese medical experts who health administrative workers and that any doctor would treat a were halted in March, will remain visited the Philippines to provide village health workers. Covid-19 patient without wearing suspended. Cargo and special re- technical assistance in addressing Twenty-six healthcare workers any kind of protection, not unless covery fl ights will continue, the the pandemic. have died from Covid-19, with 19 a patient lied about his or her ex- airlines told Reuters. Healthcare workers at a Covid-19 testing booth in Quezon City. Earlier, the World Health Or- of them being doctors and physi- posure history. Senator’s appeal to provide Pandemic ‘to aff ect incentives to decongest cities economy until 2021’
Manila Times Go said that once the en- By Anna LE Gonzales Manila hanced community quarantine Manila Times has been lifted, the government should prepare to move Filipino enator Christopher Law- families out of Metro Manila. he eff ects of the corona- rence “Bong” Go has called But he clarified that this virus disease (Covid-19) Son the national govern- should be done only when the Tcrisis on the Philippine ment to initiate ‘balik prob- pandemic has been controlled. economy would likely contin- insiya’ (back to the province) Go said that this move would ue to be felt until next year, an programmes by providing in- make it easier for national economist from the Ateneo de centives and livelihood oppor- agencies and local government Manila University said. tunities to those who wish to units to provide assistance to “This Covid-19 is unprec- relocate to the province after the families when necessary. edented. What we are facing public health emergency and the He admitted that reducing today is a combination of so enhanced community quaran- the population in Metro Manila many factors. Today we are Market-goers in Imus Cavite public market are assisted by a tine (ECQ) measures are lifted. will not be easy but it has to be seeing a severe recession com- member of the Philippine Air Force assigned to maintain order “Let’s prepare for the ‘new done immediately to end re- ing to our face,” Alvin Ang said and to help the local government implement social distancing, normal’ and one important step curring problems such as wors- in an online seminar organised to halt the spread of Covid-19. is to move people from cities to ening traffic, uneven develop- by the Registered Financial the provinces,” he said. ment, poor sanitation, poor Planners Philippines. recovery will be) U-shaped, ters of the year: “January and Decongesting Metro Ma- healthcare and overpopulation. He stressed the need to pro- meaning by 2021 we will still February we still have econom- nila is more relevant now as the Informal settlers in Metro Manila. The senator also encour- duce a vaccine before the lock- have part of that problem prob- ic activity although it’s slowing country struggles to contain the aged investors to bring their down is lifted entirely. ably, earliest recovery will be by down. In the second quarter spread of the coronavirus dis- to aff ected constituents. Aside if this happens, we would not be businesses to the province to “The reality is without a vac- the third quarter of 2021,” he we have the lockdown and just ease, he added. from responding to the immedi- able to cope,” Go said. encourage development in the cine, there cannot be a full lift- said. The steady decline in oil one month will be very severe “We now understand the ate needs of the people, such as “We have learned so many countryside. ing of the lockdown. If there is prices would also take a toll on because 70% of the economy president’s take about improv- healthcare and social assistance lessons from this crisis, such “Let us find ways of giving no vaccine, even if we gradu- the economy and that a further is in Luzon. A lockdown means ing provinces to reduce the high at this time of crisis, the gov- as the problems that resulted incentives for businesses to ally remove the quarantine, drop could aff ect overseas Fili- very little production and con- number of people in Metro Ma- ernment must also put impor- from the congestion of people invest and expand in the prov- we cannot go back to where it pino workers, especially those sumption and since you have nila. It is densely populated, the tance on long-term solutions in the cities. Let us prepare and inces so that they could give was weeks ago. It’s impossible in the Middle East, he added. travel and logistical restric- spread of disease is fast. We have to current problems that have act on this issue and not wait employment, and prevent peo- because there can be a second The economic slowdown in tions that contributes to nega- diffi culty in taking care of those adversely aff ected the country’s for the problem to worsen,” he ple from going to Metro Manila wave. If you keep your guard China, Ang said, would also af- tive (growth).” aff ected,” Go said. ability to respond to the health added. and allow them to be with their down, there could be a second fect the local economy as “Chi- In the fourth quarter, “If we The senator pointed out that crisis, he said. The senator pointed out that families,” he said. wave,” he said. na’s factor in our economy is so fl atten the curve already, we the high density of communi- “Government assistance is the lack of urban planning and “I and President Duterte are The country would witness large.” just have to be careful not to ties in Metro Manila amplifi es being poured in the cities where rural development has in some from the provinces too. We are a very severe economic down- “About 25% of anything in- have a second wave and sectors the spread of infectious diseases most of the sick and the poor re- way contributed to the spread from Davao where we intend to turn, Ang warned. ternational in this country is are open already, then there such as Covid-19 and also slows side. We are doing this to prevent of the virus in congested areas go back to after we have com- “The crisis is not a one-time directly from China,” he added. could be a possible growth if down the effi ciency of the gov- the disease from spreading in the and has also affected the distri- pleted our work, that is serving shock. It is shocking every sec- He predicted negative or fl at 50% of industries are already ernment to provide assistance provinces because we know that bution of resources. the people,” he added. tor of the economy. (Economic growth in the fi rst three quar- open,” Ang said. Gulf Times 14 Saturday, April 25, 2020 COMMENT
CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Lifelong learning Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor Amjad Khan is an attitude
P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar are essential. First, we have the often- forgotten incentives. Most economic [email protected] behaviour is motivated by immediate 44350478 (News), incentives, and often the incentives are misaligned with the outcomes we 44466404 (Sport), would like to obtain. Experience shows 44466636 (Home delivery) that it is not a good idea to “plow the future with old oxen,” as a poet once 44350474 wrote: New technologies require new facebook.com/gulftimes behaviours, and new behaviors appear when the rewards we give are aligned twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar with the new objectives, instead of the old ones. It took Covid-19 for some fi rms to start teleworking by necessity, even though the technology that enables GULF TIMES this has been around for at least 10 years. Similarly, many organisations Dr Pablo Martin de Holan, Dean of want to empower employees through HEC Paris in Qatar, a Qatar Founda- a high level of customer intimacy and tion partner university, on why enabling the agility to act, yet they do Tea, garlic, fl our: not reward them even though we have humility and curiosity are the key to accepting change and reaping the the tools to measure and reward those benefits of innovation. who go beyond the call of duty, instead of rewarding nobody, or rewarding how world copes ince the beginning of time, everybody, or off ering such rewards in people have wondered about an impressionistic manner. Incentives the future, but technological create behaviors, yet it is common to try Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential Sprogress was traditionally slow: to incentivise new behaviours with old with lockdown for example, there were innovations tools, and that tends not to work very Qatar Foundation for Education, Science young as six months through to doctoral invented in 1600 that did not take off well. and Community Development (QF) is a level, enabling graduates to thrive in a until around 1850, and it took about Incentives are powerful, but they non-profit organisation that supports Qa- global environment and contribute to the In the US it was toilet paper and in France, predictably, fl our. 90 years - from 1900 to 1990 - for the only partially explain the problem. tar on its journey to becoming a diversi- nation’s development. The goods missing from stores reveal how the world is coping with majority of households to use them. In addition to them, we have two fied and sustainable economy. QF strives QF is also creating a multidisciplinary coronavirus lockdowns. The Industrial Revolution, and more internal factors that are essential for to serve the people of Qatar and beyond innovation hub in Qatar, where homeg- The winner for most bizarre shortage of 2020 is Afghanistan, recently the digital era, unleashed the implementation of innovation. The by providing specialized programs across rown researchers are working to address where a rumour about a moustachioed newborn advising the a wave of ‘creative disruption’ and fi rst is humility, which is understood as its innovation-focused ecosystem of local and global challenges. By promot- purchase of black tea sent people fl ocking to the shops. developed technological innovations the capacity to accept our irreducible education, research and development, ing a culture of lifelong learning and “I will live for two hours and have come to tell you that black tea is that fundamentally changed the way imperfection and leads us to accept and community development. fostering social engagement through the cure to this virus,” reads the quote accompanying a picture of the we live and work. Yet, to profi t from the that technologies have a life cycle, QF was founded in 1995 by His programs that embody Qatari culture, baby, purportedly from the eastern province of Nangarhar, widely potential of these innovations, we need and that what was good at one given Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa QF is committed to empowering the local to implement them eff ectively. And that moment may not be as good at the next. al-Thani, the Father Amir, and Her High- community and contributing to a better shared on Facebook. is a problem, as there is ample evidence Humility is accepting that, often, we ness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who world for all. The run on the ubiquitous black tea briefl y tripled prices before that adopting new technologies – must start anew and learn things that shared the vision to provide Qatar with For a complete list of QF’s initiatives the rush calmed. especially those that are very innovative will replace what we knew before. It is quality education. Today, QF’s world-class and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa In Iraq, staying at home means long afternoons watching – is extremely tough. not a burden: it is the cycle of life. education system off ers lifelong learning For any media inquiries, please con- television or chatting with relatives — and that requires salted This is because new technologies We should not underestimate the opportunities to community members as tact: pressoff [email protected] sunfl ower seeds. require that we change at least some of diffi culty that most of us have in Supermarkets are running out of the popular snack faster than our old ways, and adjusting to change relinquishing the past, and how dearly ever as parents and students wile away hours they would have is very diffi cult for most of us: as many we hang on to things simply because things we do not know and things Many years from now, when normally spent at work or school. have noted, the past has strong ’inertial’ they worked before and because it is that could be, in the belief that we can historians look at our time, they For Libyans in the war-ravaged capital Tripoli, homeschooling has forces. That creates a dilemma: to laborious to relearn them again. Good always do things diff erently and that will probably agree that our era been particularly tough. realise the potential of the new, we leaders help people around them perhaps we can fi nd something better. saw lifelong learning appear as a defining feature of work and life: a “We’ve run out of printer paper, so I’ve fi shed out all of my must get rid of the old, but doing so understand that sticking to something Curiosity can lead to the desire to requires so much eff ort and generates so simply because we have spent a lot improve things through a combination never-ending process of learning, husband’s unused old offi ce agendas for them to write down lessons much discomfort that many people and of time learning it is not necessarily of caring, hard work, and the tools unlearning, and relearning how to do and solve maths exercises,” said Nadia al-Abed, a stay-at-home organisations choose to avoid it, even if a good idea; and that accepting that and technologies at our disposal. Even what we do. We can say with great mother with three young children whose school has been shuttered. they know the old no longer fi ts. what we know, and the tools we use, though diff erent people have diff erent confidence that to succeed in our “I’ve been begging them to write as small as they possibly can, Given that a leader’s job is to help are temporary and may be replaced is degrees of humility and curiosity, both times, all of us need to see the world bribing them with candy,” she added. others implement the transition a healthy way to deal with life and its vary according to circumstances and with a state of mind that embraces Schools, airports and non- between old and new – and, before uncertainties. Nothing lasts forever, can be developed if we choose to do so, change, because it is rooted in the essential businesses around the that, to understand when one needs including our knowledge. very much like Emotional Intelligence. humility and curiosity required to Some are world have been shut down for to replace the other or when the old is Humility works best when it goes It is the job of the leader to help people accept that, in the end, the only thing weeks as countries try to curb the just fi ne –understanding the blockages hand in hand with curiosity, which develop these and other valuable skills humans can know is how little they looking novel coronavirus’ lightning-fast helps to reduce the chances of failure. can be described as the interest in that make us not just better at work, but do know. That is one thing that will spread. Research tells us that three factors unexplored possibilities, in all the also better human beings. never change. to protect Some are looking to protect themselves by naturally boosting themselves their immunity. by naturally The former Soviet countries of Central Asia have seen a boom How ageing societies should respond boosting their in demand — and in prices — for wild rue. The herb, also known as immunity harmala, is traditionally burned in households to ward off illness and to pandemics of the future protect prosperity. In Bulgaria, people scrambled to buy ginger and lemons as in-50-years pandemic. immunity strengtheners, while in Tunisia, citizens hunted down By Andrew Scott London That doesn’t mean policymakers garlic — despite World Health Organisation warnings that these should ignore intergenerational issues. home remedies do nothing against the novel coronavirus. Ensuring targeted support for the Far and away the most popular coping mechanism, however, has he global fi ght against young both now and after the pandemic been baking. Covid-19 has triggered a surge is essential, especially in the case of Supermarkets across France, Spain, Greece and other parts of of interest in the 1918-20 college graduates entering the labour Europe have reported shortages in fl our, chocolate and yeast as Tinfl uenza pandemic that killed market. One way to do this is by giving cooped-up citizens try their hand at elaborate cakes. more than 50mn people around the priority to younger workers as social- France’s entrepreneurial home bakers skip the overwhelmed world. But while we can learn lessons distancing measures are gradually grocery stores and buy the raw ingredients directly from their local from the past, we must recognise what eased. Given that more than 10mn US bakeshop to use at home. is diff erent this time and tailor our workers are aged over 65, such a phased Romanians joke about “yeast dealers” making a fortune selling the response accordingly. approach would minimise both the Above all, society is ageing. In 2018, economic and public-health costs of now-rare leavening agent on the black market. for the fi rst time in history, the world such a policy. Fake real estate ads even off er to “swap a downtown fl at for one had more people aged over 65 than As societies continue to age in the pound of yeast”. under fi ve. Whereas just over 2.5% of coming decades, we also need to invest And with the holy month of Ramadan starting, households the US population was over 70 in 1920, in the future diff erently. First, we must are stocking up on ingredients for the Iftar meals. That has made that share is now more than 10%. This of US society. Using the 1920 age to $9.5tn, or 44% of today’s US GDP. strengthen our medical capacity to fi ght semolina, a golden wheat fl our used for bread and pastries, a shift has major implications for how the distribution, the gains from social Population ageing also has important pandemics by increasing the supply of precious commodity in Algeria. coronavirus spreads, how many people distancing would be less than half as implications for who reaps the benefi ts intensive-care beds, ventilators, and In Argentina, it’s eggs: 30 of them once cost just 160 pesos, or will die, and how we should respond to large; so, any lockdown would be less of social distancing. Based on the 1920 other essential goods and equipment. As $2.35, but now run at 240 pesos or $3.52. this and future pandemics. than half as long. Even using the US US age structure, only 22% of the gains the costs of pandemics increase, so, too, If many countries emerge from their lockdowns with a new class Consider the number of expected population’s age structure from 1970 would fl ow to those over 70 years old. should investment in medical mitigation. of professional chefs, Australia will see home gardens blooming all Covid-19 fatalities in the United would yield gains of only $5.7tn. From Today, however, that share is just over Second, policymakers must focus one-third, and will rise to nearly one- more on improving how their countries’ over the country. States. One recent high-profi le study an economic perspective, therefore, the concluded that, absent policy changes ageing of society over the last 50 years half by 2050. And with labour-market populations grow older. While the “We’ve seen an increase in popularity across all plant types over in the US, the coronavirus would warrants a 40% longer period of social layoff s disproportionately aff ecting Covid-19 mortality rate rises with age, the past month,” said Alex Newman of the Bunnings Warehouse lead to 2.2mn deaths. But if today’s distancing. the young, Covid-19 is starting to fuel it is not just chronological age that hardware store. US population was the same size, The issue is not just the growing a political debate pitting generations matters, but also underlying health In a sign that Australians are bracing themselves for a longer but with the (younger) age structure elderly population, but also the fact against one another. conditions. Heart disease, cancer, lockdown, Bunnings’ most popular online guide includes tips on of 1920, that number is reduced to that people are living longer. That But attempts to spark obesity, and diabetes all increase the the fastest-growing plants to create a screen from neighbours — 740,000. That diff erence highlights makes it more valuable to save lives intergenerational confl ict are fatality risk, and their incidence tends providing extra privacy for those staying at home. the potential greater gains today at all ages, because more people have exaggerated, for several reasons. For to rise with age. from social-distancing measures to more years ahead of them. The VSL starters, the young and the old are part Focusing on public-health measures combat Covid-19, further justifying for an American in their 60s has risen of the same families, and often the same and research that slow the rate of To Advertise the approach even if it results in heavy by $2mn compared to 1933 mortality households. Many of the countries biological ageing is paramount if society economic losses. rates, and by more than $1.25mn that have been most severely hit by is to exploit fully one of the greatest [email protected] When the US government evaluates compared to 1970. Even those in their the pandemic, such as Italy, have been advances of the last century – the Display environmental or public-transport 80s have experienced an increase in life aff ected precisely because of their high increase in healthy life expectancy. Such safety measures, it uses the concept expectancy over this period valued at levels of intergenerational mixing. eff orts will also be crucial to minimising 44466621 44418811 of the value of a statistical life (VSL) more than $300,000 compared to 1933, Furthermore, the young eventually the costs of future pandemics that will to gauge cost-eff ectiveness. Taking and at more than $150,000 since 1970. become old. In fact, the chances of occur over the course of these long Classified this approach, Michael Greenstone These longevity gains further increase that happening are now much greater lives. – Project Syndicate 44466609 44418811 and Vishan Nigam of the University the benefi ts of social distancing and the than ever before. Back in 1920, a of Chicago calculate that social- acceptability of associated economic 20-year-old in the US had only a 50% O Andrew Scott, Professor of Subscription distancing measures which save losses. chance of living to 70, compared to Economics at the London Business the lives of 1.7mn Americans are Moreover, these gains are set to an 80% chance today. Young people School and a consulting scholar at the [email protected] worth $7.9tn, or 37% of US GDP – increase further in the decades ahead. today should therefore be much more Stanford Center on Longevity, is the outweighing even Great Depression- By 2050, more than 17% of the US interested than their predecessors a co-author (with Lynda Gratton) of The size declines in the economy. population will be over 70 – boosting century ago in how society looks after 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved These numbers refl ect the ageing the economic value of social distancing the health of the elderly during a once- Age of Longevity. Gulf Times Saturday, April 25, 2020 15 COMMENT The spies who predicted Covid-19
By Kent Harrington as someone who worked on dozens off ering presidents a long-term Atlanta of unclassifi ed briefi ngs at the CIA, international perspective with which I know that professional analysts to fashion or refurbish their national- do their utmost to portray classifi ed security goals. ntelligence agencies are used to fi ndings accurately, even as they Trump has described the Covid-19 making headlines when they fail protect their sources and methods. pandemic as an “unforeseen problem” to do their job. But after months Consider the annual threat that “came out of nowhere.” The Iof US President Donald Trump ig- briefi ng to Congress, which has been authors of the past three Global Trends noring their warnings about Covid-19, postponed indefi nitely for this year. In reports would beg to diff er, as would and after years of his administration delivering the assessment, the Director the hundreds of experts whom they discounting their alerts about the of National Intelligence off ers a unifi ed consult in constructing their analyses. danger of a pandemic more generally, it perspective drawn from a wide array of Consider the 2008 report, is time that intelligence professionals agencies whose primary job is to fi nd “Global Trends 2025,” which was receive the credit they deserve. facts and track their implications. In all but oracular. “The emergence of It should come as no surprise the 2019 briefi ng that so upset Trump, a novel, highly transmissible, and that Trump repeatedly dismissed then-DNI Dan Coats reaffi rmed the virulent human respiratory illness intelligence about the threat of the intelligence community’s conclusion for which there are no adequate coronavirus throughout January and that Russia had interfered in the countermeasures could initiate February. Trump has long made clear 2016 election on Trump’s behalf, and a global pandemic,” the authors that he has no patience for those warned that Trump’s bromance with warned. The threat, they added, who don’t pander to his views. When North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un would likely emerge “in an area intelligence leaders contradicted had not diminished that country’s marked by high population density him on several issues in their annual nuclear ambitions. and close association between briefi ng to Congress last year, he told More to the point, the DNI’s annual humans and animals, such as them to “go back to school.” briefi ng has repeatedly warned about many areas of China and Southeast This year, the bill for Trump’s war the risk of a global pandemic. The Asia.” Even with limits placed on on intelligence is coming due in the intelligence community fi rst raised international travel, “travellers form of lost lives and overwhelmed the alert immediately after President with mild symptoms or who were healthcare systems. US intelligence Barack Obama took offi ce in January asymptomatic could carry the disease agencies had sounded the alarm and 2009, when then-DNI Dennis Blair to other continents.” even provided the enemy’s battleplan, testifi ed that, “The most pressing From peddling disinformation detailing precisely how a novel transnational health challenge for the about the virus to disbanding the coronavirus pandemic would unfold. United States is still the potential for National Security Council directorate Still, the wannabe wartime president emergence of a severe pandemic, with overseeing pandemic threats, Trump did nothing. Res ipsa loquitur – the the primary candidate being a highly has squandered multiple opportunities negligence speaks for itself. lethal infl uenza virus.” Following the to get ahead of the Covid-19 crisis. The Most Americans will never see the 2009 H1NI (swine fl u) outbreak, Blair President Trump briefing the media at the White House. health and economic consequences raw intelligence and in-depth analysis doubled down in 2010, highlighting that we are now experiencing have that the president receives every day, the potential for a pandemic to disrupt that “an easily transmissible, novel that a pandemic would cost the world a briefi ng this year? long been predicted. US intelligence nor can anyone who is not on the front the economy. A “lack of consistent respiratory pathogen that kills or around 5% of GDP. Coats then issued But the DNI’s annual assessments analysts were warning about precisely lines appreciate the sheer breadth surveillance and diagnostic capability incapacitates more than one percent the same warning in 2019, testifying aren’t the only unclassifi ed this scenario for at least 12 years. of national-security challenges that for diseases in animals,” he said, of its victims is among the most that, “The United States and the world briefi ngs that show the extent of But even they could not foresee that intelligence analysts and offi cers “undermines the United States’ ability disruptive events possible. Such an will remain vulnerable to the next fl u Trump’s negligence in the face of America would end up with a president must follow. That is why the public to identify, contain, and warn about outbreak would result in a global pandemic or large-scale outbreak of a the pandemic. Every four years, the willing to sacrifi ce so many lives on the briefi ngs by intelligence leaders are local outbreaks before they spread.” pandemic.” contagious disease that could lead to National Intelligence Council, the altar of his ego. – Project Syndicate so important, especially when they Blair’s successor, James Clapper, In foretelling the Covid-19 pandemic massive rates of death and disability, US intelligence community’s senior expose the president’s own wilful delivered the same message in exactly, Clapper made clear that, severely aff ect the world economy, analytical body, produces Global O Kent Harrington, a former senior ignorance. March 2013, but also refi ned the US “This is not a hypothetical threat.” strain international resources, and Trends, a forecast of the forces likely to CIA analyst, served as National Obviously, public briefi ngs cannot assessment of the threat with prescient Trump received the same message in increase calls on the United States for shape the decades ahead. The timing Intelligence Offi cer for East Asia, lay out every detail about the issues detail. Pointing to the growing danger May 2017, when Coats highlighted a support.” Is anyone surprised that isn’t coincidental: the strategic outlook Chief of Station in Asia, and the CIA’s the intelligence community tracks. But posed by zoonotic viruses, he warned World Bank assessment predicting Coats’s successor isn’t bothering with appears when administrations change, Director of Public Aff airs.
Rich are getting richer, despite Three-day forecast TODAY Maximum Temperature : 390c Minimum Temperature : 250c
SUNDAY coronavirus pandemic Maximum Temperature : 370c Minimum Temperature : 270c
By Omar Ocampo and Chuck Collins of 2020, has donated $22mn to MONDAY Tribune News Service coronavirus relief efforts, while Maximum Temperature : 330c calling on his fellow billionaires to Minimum Temperature : 240c give more. Fisherman's forecast ince the start of the Covid-19 Generosity is important. But pandemic, the press has run we shouldn’t be bamboozled by stories about billionaires see- billionaire charity. Tepper’s $22mn WARNING ing their wealth vanish. gift is roughly 0.183% of his $12bn Inshore : Nil S In late February, even before the fortune – equivalent to a family of Offshore : Nil outbreak forced mass closures and median net worth giving a bit less disruption, Bloomberg News reported than $200. WEATHER that the world’s richest had lost a total More to the point, billionaires have used their considerable political clout Inshore : Hot daytime with some of $444bn. Later on, Barron’s put clouds and mild by the number at $408bn over just two over the decades to reduce their tax night months. obligations, shifting expenses onto WIND In its annual spring survey of global the rest of us. Between 1980 and 2018, Inshore : Southeasterly-South- billionaires, published on April 7, as our report details, billionaire taxes westerly 05-15/18 KT Forbes pegged the pandemic as a great declined 79% as a percentage of their equaliser. “The world’s richest are not wealth. Offshore : Southeasterly 04-14/20 KT immune to the devastating impact of Billionaires did not cause this the coronavirus,” noted Kerry Dolan, pandemic. But four decades of Visibility : 4-8 KM Forbes assistant managing editor of billionaire tax cuts have increased wealth. the fragility of the public response Offshore : 2-4/5 FT Such pronouncements are proving infrastructure. A little charity is no Around the region premature. A new report that we substitute for billionaires paying their Weather Weather helped produce for the Institute fair share of taxes for vital expenses today Max/min tomorrow Max/min for Policy Studies concludes that like a responsive public health system Sunny 35/19 Sunny 28/16 billionaires as a group are actually and emergency preparedness. Baghdad M Sunny 36/26 Sunny 36/22 seeing their wealth increase during Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, whose private wealth has increased $25bn At some point, Congress will take Kuwait City M Sunny 37/28 M Sunny 37/26 this crisis. since Jan. 1. up the question of how to pay for the Manama Sunny 36/28 Sunny 36/28 By April 10, barely three weeks after trillions in defi cit spending deployed Muscat S T Storms 24/16 T Storms 21/12 the period covered by Forbes, we found CEO of Amazon, whose private we found, billionaire wealth has soared toward recovery. Middle and working- Tehran that US billionaire wealth had surged wealth has increased $25bn since Jan. 1,130% – more than 200 times greater class families - the people actually to $3.2tn, surpassing its 2019 level. 1. Other profi teers have capitalised than the meagre growth in US median hurting – shouldn’t be on the hook Driving this surge are a host of on America’s urgent need for video income over the same period. for this. “pandemic profi teers” – at least eight conferencing, including Zoom CEO Are billionaires paying this wealth Instead, America’s fl ourishing billionaires who’ve seen their wealth Eric Yuan and Microsoft shareholder forward? A few, to be sure, have billionaires should be asked to step grow by more than $1bn so far this Steve Ballmer. stepped up. up with more than their charitable year, even as the US unemployment All this occurs against a backdrop of Hedge fund billionaire David chequebooks. As their wealth rate has soared past 20%. wealth that’s been concentrating and Tepper, whose wealth has surged continues to balloon, it’s time for them Heading the pack is Jeff Bezos, skyrocketing for decades. Since 1990, over $700mn since the beginning to pay their fair share.
Live issues Around the world Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens M Sunny 22/11 Cloudy 22/11 Covid-19: New daily routines for medications Beirut T Storms 19/16 S Showers 21/15 Bangkok T Storms 33/27 P Cloudy 36/27 Berlin P Cloudy 17/06 P Cloudy 19/06 Tribune News Service “I would encourage people to to take care of yourself. He says don’t help. He encourages you to call for Cairo P Cloudy 26/15 Sunny 28/18 Washington DC establish a new routine and a new withdraw and go to bed. help, especially if you’re already Cape Town Sunny 25/15 M Cloudy 21/16 schedule,” says Dr Bright. “What “With all that’s happening, it established with a mental health Colombo S T Storms 32/26 I T Storms 31/26 time are you now getting up? Are you can be easy to drift emotionally and provider. If you’re really struggling, Dhaka T Storms 29/23 T Storms 29/23 chedules and routines are going to bed at a diff erent time? When psychologically into thinking, ‘I don’t reach out to the National Suicide Hong Kong Cloudy 22/18 P Cloudy 23/19 being aff ected as people stay- are you eating? And what are you really need the medication, or I don’t Prevention Lifeline, where you can call Istanbul Sunny 16/09 P Cloudy 21/11 at-home during the Covid-19 doing with those in-between hours at feel like it, or it’s so overwhelming and talk to somebody. He or she can Jakarta P Cloudy 33/26 T Storms 33/26 pandemic. home?” I just can’t do this today,’” says Dr. provide resources and connect you to Karachi Sunny 33/26 Sunny 33/27 S 18/06 M Sunny 21/08 For instance, it might be diffi cult to “Set a reminder on your Bright. counselling. London Sunny stay on track with taking medications smartphone, or someplace in your He also warns that running out of Finally, Dr Bright emphasises that Manila M Sunny 36/27 M Sunny 36/27 when you’re not doing the things you house, or post sticky notes to tie those medication is a problem and people people are not alone. He says people Moscow Showers 09/-1 P Cloudy 11/0 usually do, according to Dr Robert medications to something else you’re might not have the emotional energy don’t struggle by themselves. New Delhi S T Storms 35/24 S T Storms 33/23 Bright, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist. doing, to remind you,” Dr Bright says. to deal with getting a refi ll. “It’s so important to reach out to the New York P Cloudy 17/08 Rain 12/06 Dr Bright says it’s especially “Put the prescription bottle next to “It’s so important to fi ght against people who care about you and who Paris P Cloudy 22/08 Sunny 23/11 important for people who have your toothbrush, so when you get up all this,” he says. “This is a time of you care about, to contact your mental Sao Paulo Sunny 28/14 Sunny 28/14 mental health issues, such as anxiety in the morning and go to bed at night, vulnerability, and it’s not a time to stop health provider, a counsellor, or a Seoul Cloudy 17/04 M Sunny 17/04 or depression, to keep up with their you see the medicine right there.” medications. This is a time to be really counselling hotline,” he says. “It can Singapore T Storms 31/26 T Storms 31/27 medicine. He says when you’ve lost When you are anxious or depressed, consistent.” be isolating, but you can be separated Sydney Sunny 24/16 M Cloudy 27/16 that routine, it can be easy to slip off Dr Bright says, it’s important to do the Dr Bright adds that it’s also a time without being isolated.” – Mayo Clinic Tokyo Clear 16/06 Clear 23/13 schedule. opposite of what you’re feeling up to, to recognise when you might need News Network Gulf Times 16 Saturday, April 25, 2020 QATAR Generation Amazing youth advocates lead relief eff orts
eneration Amazing youth tor Nasser al-Khori praised the advocates, inspired by youth advocates. “We’re ex- Gtheir role as leaders for the tremely proud to see our youth football for development pro- advocates lead the crisis manage- gramme, have been helping at- ment in their communities and risk people in their communities begin to take forward the values Zaheer Khattak, from Pakistan, has organised volunteers to give out during the Covid-19 pandemic, taught at Generation Amazing, food to the needy. sc.qa reports. through football for develop- Over several weeks, youth ad- ment, to become changemakers vocates in Qatar, India, Nepal and in their societies,” he said. Pakistan have utilised the skills Moza al-Mohannadi, Gen- they have learned during football eration Amazing’s Communi- for development activities or- cations & Marketing director, ganised by Generation Amazing. said: “It’s wonderful to see our Many of the youth were in- youth take an innovative ap- volved in the inaugural Gen- proach to raising awareness eration Amazing Festival, which about health, safety and well- took place in Doha last December being during the pandemic. and brought together 140 young They are taking the lead dur- people from 22 countries to par- ing this tough period and using ticipate in football for develop- their online platforms to spread ment workshops. positive messages.” Twenty-six-year-old Govind On social media, Generation Rathod, a co-ordinator during Amazing continues to off er live the festival, has been distributing sessions on its Instagram and food to members of his commu- Facebook channels. The sessions nity in Mumbai, who have been include tips on health and fi tness, fi nding it hard to feed their fami- Many of the youth were involved in the inaugural Generation Amazing Festival. along with interviews with sport Generation Amazing youth advocates are inspired by their role as lies during the lockdown. for development personalities, leaders for the football for development programme. In Nepal, Smriti Ojha, 21, has which advise people to stay at to give out food to the needy. In Meanwhile, 28-year-old Shai- such as the fi rst captain of the utilised her signifi cant social home and illustrate the impor- Qatar, Mohamed al-Muhannadi, ma Abdullah, goalkeeper for the Palestine women’s team, Honey dition to a joint discussion on about healthy exercises to do at media following to raise aware- tance of good hygiene. Zaheer 22, hosted an Instagram Live chat Qatar women’s team, and fellow Thaljieh. gender equality between rep- home. ness of how to keep safe during Khattak, 26, from Pakistan, who with Mohamed Saadon al-Ku- youth advocate Shouq al-Sulai- Special guests over the past resentatives from Generation For the latest news from Gen- the pandemic. recently launched a football wari via the @GA4Good chan- ti, 22, hosted an Instagram Live two weeks have included Span- Amazing and the International eration Amazing, including de- Another Nepalese youth ad- academy for poor and disabled nels to explain how people can session about gender equality ish FIFA World Cup winner Xavi Federation of Red Cross and Red tails of its daily live sessions, one vocate, Rakshya Pandit, 21, has children in his hometown of remain fi t and healthy in the pre- and women in sport. Generation Hernandez and AS Roma star Crescent Societies, as well as can follow @GA4Good on Insta- been posting videos on Facebook Thatta, has organised volunteers vailing circumstances. Amazing Programmes direc- Justin Kluivert. These are in ad- book readings and information gram, Facebook and Twitter.
SC outlines digital media QU concludes pre-incubator training programme
atar University’s College students, staff , and faculty. The for our students through our re- and we look forward to assist- strategy at NU-Q webinar of Business and Eco- programme was divided into markable digital infrastructure. ing the teams in their journeys,” Qnomics – Centre of En- three segments which included, This is directly in line with the Peralampi, noted, trepreneurship (CFE) in collab- training, coaching and pitching eff orts of Qatar University for The programme was divided he Supreme Committee oration with Qatar Development day. providing students with the best into the industries of: Arts, for Delivery & Legacy Bank and Alstom concluded a The agenda for the pro- practices towards the business Design & Fashion, Corporate T(SC) recently participat- four-day intensive pre-incuba- gramme consisted of training world and equip them with crit- Social Responsibility, Digital ed in an online lecture organ- tion programme to prepare can- modules based on the “Business ical thinking skills for now and Technology, FinTech (Financial ised by Northwestern Univer- didates to enter the business Model Canvas”. Pre-Incubator the future.” Technology), MedTech (Medical sity in Qatar (NU-Q). incubator, under the theme of Training Programme was kicked “Pre-Incubator Training pro- Technology), Sports & Educa- The event informed students ‘From Innovation to Commer- off by Juha Peralampi, manager gramme is entering into its 7th tion, Sustainability and Tech- about FIFA World Cup Qatar cialisation – Digital Edition’. of Business Incubator at College edition this year, and despite the nology in general. 2022 preparations, with par- The aim of the online event was of Business and Economics. current socioeconomic situa- This year’s prizes include a ticular focus on the SC’s dig- to provide hands-on training to Dr Adam Mohamed Ali Fad- tion, we were able to completely spot in Qatar University’s Busi- ital and social media strategies, the teams through a multilateral lalla, acting dean, College of migrate to a digital platform and ness Incubator, QR2,000,000 sc.qa reported. Twenty-two co-operation model and high Business and Economics, said: provide practical training to our potential funding for research NU-Q students tuned in for the involvement with local entre- “We always push towards stim- community. It is now, more than and development by Qatar De- lecture, which was titled ‘Me- preneurial stakeholders, includ- ulating our student talents and ever, that entrepreneurs need to velopment Bank, while Alstom dia, Public Diplomacy and the ing funding organisations. encourage them to develop and step up to the challenge and take will provide cash prizes which Rise of Soft Power’. The training programme con- innovate so that they can take innovative initiatives towards will include a business trip to The SC’s involvement was tinued from April 19-22 on an initiatives and enter the en- the betterment of the society, its headquarters in Paris to meet initiated by the Community online platform named ‘Black- trepreneurial world. We are community, and the country. with top management and get Engagement Division and led Afrah Hassan outlined the SC’s digital and social media strategies, board Collaborate’. The partici- continuing to provide various We have already received a re- high-level training on topics of by digital media officer, Afrah sharing key outcomes from the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup and FIFA pants included Qatar University training programmes and events markable level of startup ideas relevance. Hassan. Club World Cup, which both took place in Qatar last year. Participation in the lecture, which was organised by Banu and lessons learned we are the audience’s intercultural un- Akdenizli, associate professor gaining from hosting such a derstanding of Qatar.” of Communication at NU-Q, prestigious event. Participat- Akdenizli added: “The World supports Community Engage- ing in this event with NU-Q al- Cup is a mega-event that is Local yards fl ush with fresh farm products ment in its mission to share key lows for discussion and debate an essential element of both details and knowledge about – something which is equally branding and soft power for a Qatar 2022 with local residents, beneficial for the SC and the nation, thus we wanted to learn he yards for selling lo- the report states. students.” about the strategies and vision cal agricultural products Hassan outlined the SC’s dig- Communications junior of the SC. “We are educating Tare fully prepared to re- ital and social media strategies, Maryam Saud al-Khalifa said communication specialists and ceive customers during the holy sharing key outcomes from the the session was beneficial in journalists. The role of media, month of Ramadan daily from 24th Arabian Gulf Cup and FIFA helping complete her final pa- both traditional and social, is 7.30pm until 12 midnight and Club World Cup, which both per, which focuses on Qatar’s an integral element in public supply fresh products. took place in Qatar last year. investment in sport as a pub- diplomacy efforts.” Currently, a good variety of Commenting on the lecture, lic diplomacy strategy. “My Commenting on the success fresh vegetables and leafy veg- Hassan said: “The students key takeaway from the session of the lecture, Ali Mahmoud, etables are available in good were very interested in learn- would be highlighting the es- the SC’s head of Sport & Cul- quantities and reasonable pric- ing about our digital brand and tablished goals of the SC to ture, said: “We are proud to be es across all the yards, local Ar- social media, and how sports portray a digital brand that rep- able to persevere and fulfil our abic daily Arrayah has reported. events can shape successful soft resents Qatar’s culture,” said mission of engaging with our These include cucumber, power diplomacy. We also had al-Khalifa. community members, espe- tomato, diff erent types of egg- the opportunity to discuss the “The SC’s objectives portray cially during these turbulent plant and bell pepper, white impact of the blockade on our significant messages, including times. University students are onion, caulifl ower, beetroot, digital strategy and the chal- bridging cultural and linguistic very important members of our celery, parsley, mint leaves, lenges we are currently facing differences among nations by community and we are fortu- cabbage and others. All such Customers and sellers at a yard for selling locally grown agricultural products. due to the Covid-19 pandemic. harnessing the power of sport,” nate to be able to include them products are being planted by “One of our goals at the SC she said. “Another is creating a on our journey to 2022 and at the local farms all year round. ley. The sellers and supply- they strictly follow all the nec- disinfecting the yards. Also, the is to support the next genera- lasting legacy and sustainable the same time, add value to The sellers stressed that ing farmers pointed out that essary preventive and precau- body temperature of custom- tion and share the knowledge future, which would enhance their education.” the retail prices have dropped the evening working hours tionary measures against the ers are checked before they are compared to the previous of the yards is more suitable spread of the novel coronavi- allowed in the market and that weeks. A big box of tomatoes for shoppers, workers and to rus (Covid-19) such as wearing too ensuring they wear gloves was sold for around QR8-12, guarantee the supply of more gloves and face masks all the and face masks. bell pepper from QR8-15 de- fresh products to the consum- time and regularly replacing They pointed out that farm pending on the type, QR10 for ers, especially since the rising them to avoid any chance of workers follow the same pro- a box of cauliflower, QR15 for temperatures may cause the contamination. cedures to guarantee a safe and celery, QR8 for eggplants and vegetables to wither quickly. The entities concerned are secure shopping experience for QR10 for five bundles of pars- Meanwhile, the sellers said also constantly sanitising and all.
The event informed students about FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 preparations, with particular focus on the SC’s digital and social media strategies. A display of fresh vegetables at a yard. Farm fresh eggplants for sale.