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Trump Freezes WHO Funds As World Weighs Easing Lockdown 50 New Cases in Kuwait • Bahrain Car Park Becomes ICU • 2,228 US Deaths in 24 Hrs

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Trump Freezes WHO Funds As World Weighs Easing Lockdown 50 New Cases in Kuwait • Bahrain Car Park Becomes ICU • 2,228 US Deaths in 24 Hrs SHAABAN 23, 1441 AH THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2020 20 Pages Max 31º Min 17º 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 18108 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net Trump freezes WHO funds as world weighs easing lockdown 50 new cases in Kuwait • Bahrain car park becomes ICU • 2,228 US deaths in 24 hrs KUWAIT/WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on funding for the World Health Organization for “mismanaging” the coron- Social distancing avirus crisis, as world leaders weighed easing lock- downs that threaten to tip the global economy into a second Great Depression. The death toll from the needed until 2022 pandemic has topped 125,000, with nearly two mil- WASHINGTON: A one-time lockdown won’t lion people infected by the disease that has upend- halt the novel coronavirus and repeated periods ed society and changed lives for billions confined to of social distancing may be required into 2022 their homes around the globe. to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, The health ministry yesterday reported 50 new Harvard scientists who modeled the pandemic’s coronavirus cases in Kuwait, raising the total to trajectory said Tuesday. Their study comes as 1,405 cases and three deaths. Of the new cases, 32 the US enters the peak of its COVID-19 case- are Indians. Of the 1,196 patients receiving treat- load and states eye an eventual easing of tough ment, 31 are in intensive care, including 15 cases in lockdown measures. critical condition. The ministry also announced 30 The Harvard team’s computer simulation, new recoveries, raising the total number to 206 which was published in a paper in the journal recoveries, while 2,285 people have been dis- Science, assumed that COVID-19 will become charged from quarantine. seasonal, like closely related coronaviruses that World leaders are agonizing over when to lift RIFFA, Bahrain: Medical staff are seen in the newly-inaugurated intensive care unit for COVID-19 patients at cause the common cold, with higher transmis- lockdown measures to jump-start devastated the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital on Tuesday. — AFP sion rates in colder months. But much remains economies but still avoid a second wave of infections. unknown, including the level of immunity And with the world battling to get on top of the pan- broke out late last year, charged Trump. Beijing hit ed a record of 2,228 victims over the past 24 hours, acquired by previous infection and how long it demic, Trump fired a broadside at the WHO and halt- back, saying the move was bad for the global fight. according to Johns Hopkins University. Nevertheless, lasts, the authors said. ed payments that amounted to $400 million last year. “The current global epidemic situation is grim. It is Trump vowed to reboot large sections of the world’s “We found that one-time social distancing Funding would be frozen pending a review into the at a critical moment. This US decision will weaken top economy “very soon”, saying the US would measures are likely to be insufficient to main- WHO’s role in “severely mismanaging and covering WHO’s capacities and undermine the international reopen “in beautiful little pieces”, with the hardest-hit tain the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 within the up the spread of the coronavirus,” said Trump, who cooperation against the epidemic,” said Chinese areas such as New York taking slightly longer. limits of critical care capacity in the United accused the Geneva-based body of putting “political foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. The International Monetary Fund laid bare the States,” lead author Stephen Kissler said in a correctness above life-saving measures”. Trump also earned a rebuke from the head of the scale of the economic catastrophe, saying the call with reporters. The outbreak could have been contained “with UN and entrepreneur Bill Gates who tweeted that cut- “Great Lockdown” could wipe $9 trillion from the Continued on Page 16 very little death” if the WHO had accurately ting funding was “as dangerous as it sounds”. The global economy in its worst downturn since the assessed the situation in China, where the disease president’s controversial attack came as the US count- Continued on Page 16 2 Established 1961 Thursday, April 16, 2020 Local Ministry asks for payrolls to confirm teachers’ payments Department received March salary nonpayment complaints By Faten Omar navirus outbreak. In light of the complaints department of the ministry of education/Public ed to pay employees their wages according to received by the general administration of private Authority for Manpower).” their work contracts during the period of suspen- KUWAIT: The private education department of education from a number The ministry of educa- sion in the private schools, including their entitle- the ministry of education sent an official letter of employees at private tion issued on April 2, ment to salaries during the summer break. asking schools that have been reported for viola- schools regarding failure 2020 a circular, accord- On April 5, the private education department launched tions to send records of their payrolls to confirm to pay their salaries for ing to law no. 6 of 2010, a website (https://privateeducationkw.com/cor2/) to that all teachers have received their full wages. The March 2020, the general Legal action giving the ministry receive any complaints or inquiries from schools, parents, letter sent by Private Education Department administration of private authority to take legal, or teachers. Regarding failure to pay salaries, the depart- Director Sanad Al-Mutairi was based on com- education has requested in case of financial and administra- ment noted that the complaint must be filed seven days plaints the department received against some the payrolls for the month tive measures if private after the actual date of payment. schools. of March from private nonpayment schools failed to pay Hundreds of expatriate teachers in Kuwait con- The letter reads: “Implementation of the circular schools to review and wages to their employees. tacted Kuwait Times following the closure of issued by the ministry of education represented by audit in preparation for The ministry’s private schools to report failure of their schools to pay the private education department on April 1, 2020 taking the necessary legal education sector will take wages or to note that schools were cutting salaries regarding commitment to pay the wages of work- actions against the legal action against any or paying late. Kuwait Times previously reported ers in private schools during the suspension schools that are proven to be in violation, in coor- school failing to pay the wages of its employees. that all private schools are required to pay teachers according to the Cabinet decision due to the coro- dination with the relevant authorities (financial The circular affirmed that the schools are obligat- through August as per the terms of their contracts. participate in online work teams with other stu- ACK launches dents. Depending on the nature of individual cours- es of study, faculty can choose between pre-taped or live online classes and as appropriate with e-learning program Power point slides with voice commentary. Intensive electronic training programs have been KUWAIT: In line with recent decisions by the arranged for all academic and administrative staff Council of Ministers, Ministry of Education, and to ensure that students are fully supported in their the Private Universities Council (PUC), the transition from in-class to online learning and Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) has launched assessment. A special Web link has been estab- its distance learning (e-learning) program that is lished as an ongoing resource to students in using open to all students for all programs of study. This the distance learning structure. In addition, all fac- initiative is part of ACK’s efforts to reduce educa- ulty and Student Affairs staff are available elec- tional delays for students in light of the difficult tronically on-a-one to one basis to chat online with present situation caused by the coronavirus. The students and work through any challenges associ- distance learning program will enable participat- ated with either their learning progression or gen- ing students to immediately resume their spring eral concerns regarding their life as a student. semester of 2019/2020 and conclude the semester Prof Zabalawi emphasized that the program will before the planned August continuation for live particularly benefit students in their final semester classes on campus. so they can graduate on time. However, he also The distance learning (e-learning) program encouraged all students to participate in this officially commenced on April 12, 2020 and the online learning opportunity, adding that digitiza- first week is a trial period for students to decide if tion will continue to permeate all aspects of our they feel comfortable with this means of learning. lives, communication, work and learning. Those who remain with the online program will Therefore, those students who gain experience in conclude their semester on June 9, 2020. online learning now will be better prepared to Professor Isam Zabalawi, President of ACK, pre- take advantage of growing employment and self- productively and maintain their momentum with electronic learning program. Further, a live stream sented an online speech to ACK students and par- employment opportunities associated with elec- their studies during this period of isolation. He will be held on Instagram to answer any questions ents to introduce the program. Prof Zabalawi high- tronic work environment nationally and interna- commented, “Many companies are now looking to or concerns from students and parents regarding lighted the efforts by ACK in working with its inter- tionally. In this regard, Prof Isam referred to the hire those with the ability to work from home, and the distance learning (e-learning) program.
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