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Uncertainty as Hamilton eyes Investment and fi nancing Schumacher’s diversifi cation strengthens record QIIB, says Sheikh Khalid published in QATAR since 1978

TUESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11483 March 10, 2020 Rajab 15, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Qatar is a leader in risk, crisis management; no need for panic O Hypermarkets say they have adequate stocks MoCI to ensure there is no shortage

By Peter Alagos The Ministry of Commerce and sanitisers. In addition, the ministry Business Reporter Industry (MoCI) has stressed that said it conducts regular inspection it is working to guarantee the campaigns to control prices and continued flow of goods, services ban monopolistic practices. Besides, ypermarkets are urging the and food supplies in the local market Qatar has a strategic storage of food public to stay calm and to avoid to meet all the requirements of the and consumer products suff icient Hpanic-buying as they have country’s inhabitants. In a series of enough for the needs of its residents. enough stocks to meet the local demand tweets yesterday, the MoCI said it has “We advise that it is important and the government is determined to been working in co-operation and to choose the suitable timing for prevent the virus from spreading. co-ordination with various entities shopping and avoid crowds. It’s The government has already taken concerned in the country to meet the advisable to buy only the needed eff ective measures, which are being re- needs of the local market, especially items as there is no need to buy large viewed and updated everyday to ensure of protective masks, gloves and quantities for storing them.” Page 2 the safety of the residents. Qatar has also proved its ability to meet greater challenges and emerged as of the suspension of classes from March fi ces in countries not aff ected by the a leader in risk and crisis management, 10,” Shanavas told Gulf Times yesterday. coronavirus, so we are also working particularly after the unjust blockade He emphasised that LuLu has enough with them to source out other goods that was imposed on the country by its stocks to provide for up to two months’ and supplies. LuLu will cater to the neighbours. need of “almost all essential items.” needs of the market at any point in LuLu regional manager Shanavas P “We have suffi cient stock for es- time,” Shanavas stressed. M said his company’s management had sential items like rice, oils, and pulses, He also urged residents to refrain from anticipated the current scenario “two among others,” Shanavas said, adding panicking, saying that its hypermarkets weeks back”. that LuLu is working with suppliers have back-up stocks and that LuLu “But the rush amongst customers to- from Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, and oth- “will not hold out any stocks” and will day may have stemmed from the deci- er African countries to further shore up not hike prices of items. “Whatever is sion to temporarily suspend fl ights to 14 its stocks. available, we will sell for the same price,” countries, as well as the announcement Residents shopping for necessities at a Doha store yesterday. “LuLu also has our international of- Shanavas pointed out. To Page 6 In brief Three more Covid-19 cases found; All schools, universities Amir congratulates to remain closed from Afghan president virus spread limited in Qatar His Highness the Amir Sheikh By Joseph Varghese today until further notice Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Staff Reporter Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and QNA The ministry has launched a dedi- HE the Prime Minister and Minister he Ministry of Public Health Doha cated, round-the-clock call centre to of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa (MoPH) announced three more answer all inquiries related to corona- bin Abdulaziz al-Thani sent cables Tcoronovirus (Covid-19) cases virus. The toll-free hotline number is of congratulations to Mohamed in Qatar yesterday, taking the total ll schools and universities in 16000. Ashraf Ghani on his inauguration as number to 18 but assured that the virus Qatar will remain closed from MoI warns against President of Afghanistan. Page 2 spread was very limited in the country. Atoday until further notice, the spreading rumours “We have identifi ed three more cases Government Communications Offi ce who had contacts with the three cases (GCO) announced yesterday. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has Deputy Amir chairs 3rd that were tested positive on Sunday. Off icials announcing yesterday measures to contain the spread of Covid-19. In a statement, the GCO said the sus- warned the public against spreading, meeting of QU board All of them have been admitted at the PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed pension is within the eff orts and meas- publishing or circulating rumours. “In- His Highness the Deputy Amir Communicable Diseases Center under ures taken by Qatar to limit the spread volvement in spreading or circulating Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- complete quarantine, and everyone cases announced on Sunday, proves the round the clock to answer any queries of the new coronavirus (Covid-19) and rumours is a serious off ence and may Thani, the Chairman of the Board who shared the residence with them effi ciency of the healthcare system in from the public. Qatar is following to ensure the safety of students in all expose you to legal accountability,” the of Trustees of Qatar University have been isolated,” Sheikh Dr Mo- the country. the example of developed countries in public and private educational institu- ministry said in a post on social media (QU), presided over the third hamed bin Hamad al-Thani, director of “This is proof of the effective- dealing with the coronavirus by de- tions. yesterday. meeting of the Board of Trustees Public Health Department, MoPH, told ness of public health measures in tecting the cases and isolating people if Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public The competent authorities will sum- for the academic year 2019-2020, a press conference. the country as the Ministry of Public there are confi rmed infections.We also Health has urged all residents to avoid mon those who publish and circulate which was held at the Amiri Diwan Dr Hamad Eid al-Rumaihi, direc- Health started immediately imple- provide treatment for them and there gatherings in public places and to avoid rumours and all legal measures will be yesterday. The board reviewed the tor, Department of Health Protec- menting early detection and contain- are specialised medical teams working all but essential travel at this time. “Ap- taken against them, the MoI stressed. topics on its agenda and took the tion and Prevention of Transitional ment measures of persons who were around the clock,” he said. ply measures to prevent infection as rec- “Be keen to get information from appropriate decisions thereon. Diseases, MoPH and Dr Abdullatif in contact with the positive three Sheikh Dr Mohamed stressed that ommended by the ministry on its website original sources to stay away from ru- al-Khal, head of Infectious Diseases cases. They traced all the contact the heightened surveillance system and its accounts on social media.” mours and anonymous stories.” Division, Hamad Medical Corpora- persons from Sunday’s cases at their for detecting the virus in the commu- Decree on release of tion were also present. residences and work place, screened nity helps in reducing the spread of Taliban prisoners today “We have screened about 300 peo- and put them on quarantine. The lab- Covid-19 in the country. “The spread Virus-hit ship allowed to dock Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ple who were in contact with the three oratory results were positive for only of the virus is still limited in the com- pledged yesterday to issue a decree confi rmed cases announced earlier and three of them,” he highlighted. munity. About 3,500 tests have been on the release of Taliban prisoners the latest tests detected three more Dr al-Khal also maintained that the conducted since the emergence of the today. The president also said that cases. The Central Market and a hyper- investigation and tracing are still go- disease and the total number of cases on the same day the negotiating market where the infected people are ing on and all the three admitted in infected with the virus is only 18. Qa- team will be finalised. The release of working have been closed temporarily isolation, are in good health. “Other tar’s primary healthcare, secondary up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners from and sterilised,” he explained. patients diagnosed positive over the and tertiary care and ministries are the government’s custody is part Dr al-Khal highlighted that there past few days are also in good health,” working together. We are taking sev- of the US-Taliban peace agreement were no deaths related to Covid-19 in he said. eral measures now for precautions,” that is intended to open the way Qatar. “There are rumours on several According to Dr al-Rumaihi, the he highlighted. for intra-Afghan negotiations, for platforms about Covid-19 deaths in ministry has been actively involved in The official appealed to the em- which Ghani’s administration must the country. These are absolutely false. locating all the suspected cases right bassies, community leaders and the announce a negotiating team. Do not believe any such rumours and from the early days and in providing general public to co-operate with “This negotiating team has been people must contact the ministry hot- all the necessary support for the local the efforts of the ministry so that the finalised after consultations with line for any information. We have an community. “We have a dedicated page spread of the disease can be brought influential figures, members of the effi cient 24x7 hotline - 16000,” he ex- on our website with a number of edu- under control at the earliest. He also civil society, women, youths and plained. cational materials and videos about the stressed that people have to follow all representatives of the ulema and The offi cial also said that the ability disease. All the guidelines are available the guidelines to prevent the spread The Grand Princess cruise ship carrying passengers who have tested positive for diff erent levels of people,” Ghani to quickly identify and screen about on the website. We are updating the of the disease and maintain hygiene coronavirus travels past the skyline of San Francisco, California, US, yesterday. The added. 300 people related to the three positive website regularly and our hotline works in all aspects. Page 6 ship later docked at the Port of Oakland. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 QATAR

Shura Council discusses draft law PM holds phone talk with Sudan on minimum wage for workers counterpart

QNA fairs Committee on the draft the inquiries of members of the Doha law, and in the presence of HE Council regarding the draft law, QNA the Minister of Administrative confi rming his response to the Doha Development, Labour and So- recommendations of the Com- he Shura Council held cial Aff airs Yousef bin Mohamed mittee in its report. its regular weekly ses- al-Othman Fakhro, who gave a After extensive discussions, Tsion yesterday under the presentation of the draft law, its the Council recommended that E the Prime Minister chairmanship of HE the Speaker objectives and mechanisms for the draft law be returned to the and Minister of Interior of the Council Ahmed bin Ab- its implementation, explaining Legal and Legislative Aff airs HSheikh Khalid bin Kha- dullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud. that the project comes within Committee to complete its study lifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani held During the meeting, the the framework of the Qatar Na- in light of the discussions that a telephone conversation with Council continued to discuss a tional Vision 2030, the imple- took place with HE the Minister Sudan’s Prime Minister Dr Ab- draft law on setting minimum mentation of the National De- and members of the Council in dalla Hamdok to enquire after wages for workers and domestic velopment Strategy and in line the meeting, in order to submit his health following the assas- workers, in light of the report with international standards. a supplementary report to the sination attempt which targeted HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud chairing yesterday’s session. of the Legal and Legislative Af- HE the Minister responded to Council on it. his convoy yesterday. The Prime Minister and Min- ister of Interior underlined Qa- tar’s rejection and denunciation of this cowardly terrorist act, Qatar takes part in inauguration wishing the Sudanese Prime Minister good health, and Sudan ceremony of Afghan president lasting security and stability. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs has strongly con- demned and denounced the as- Demand rises sassination attempt targeting Sudan’s prime minister. In a statement yesterday, the ministry considered this attempt as criminal act, stressing the need to prosecute those involved in it and bring them to justice. for online The statement also affi rmed Qatar’s fi rm support for the uni- ty, stability and sovereignty of Sudan and the aspirations of its grocery orders people.

By Joey Aguilar “I think a lot of people now shopping and found it hassle- Staff Reporter prefer to stay home, either to free and suitable for their life- Afghan attack rest or do other stuff , and wait style and routine. for their orders to be delivered,” Indian expatriate Sachin told he added. “We are also trying Gulf Times that he and his wife condemned number of supermarkets our best to meet this growing has been doing online grocery and stores in Doha are ex- demand.” shopping which allows them to Aperiencing a growing de- Many residents in Doha fi nd do other important things, in- atar voiced strong con- mand for online grocery shop- online grocery shopping con- cluding exercise and recreation demnation and denunci- ping as many residents opt for a venient with the use of mobile among other engagements. Qation of the rocket attack convenient way of getting their apps for placing their orders and “Before, we used to spend at which targeted the inauguration purchases. payment, it is learnt. least three to four hours at the ceremony of Afghan President Speaking to Gulf Times, LuLu Speaking to Gulf Times, Fili- store every week, but with online Ashraf Ghani in Kabul. Group International regional pino expatriate Jessy T, who shopping, we use that time to In a statement yesterday, the manager Shanavas PM said they lives in the Al Hilal area, said accomplish more stuff ,” he said. Ministry of Foreign Aff airs reit- have been receiving a signifi cant purchasing grocery items online Meanwhile, major hypermar- Qatar participated in the inauguration ceremony of Mohamed Ashraf Ghani as President of erated the fi rm position of Qatar number of online inquiries from saves her time and money than kets and stores in Doha have re- Afghanistan in Kabul yesterday. HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad rejecting violence and terrorism consumers who usually use mo- going to the nearest store. assured residents that they have al-Muraikhi represented Qatar at the ceremony. regardless of motives and rea- bile apps to place their orders. “I don’t need to book a cab plenty of food supply. sons. He said plans to expand deliv- or look for a parking slot if I’m Shanavas PM said LuLu has ery to various areas in Doha is al- driving. No more queues, I just ample food surplus – from rice, ready in the pipeline, expressing need to select and click the items cooking oil and bread to sugar and confi dence that such a platform I need on the app, place an or- milk, among other necessities. will benefi t more consumers. der and pay using my bank card. “We just need to get all the The LuLu mobile app provides Then, while waiting for the de- supplies from our depot and re- users with an array of categories livery, I can do my household fi ll the shelves,” he said. Ministry holds meeting to train to choose from with pictures and chores,” she said. Monoprix regional general prices: ranging from fresh food “Though sometimes, deliv- manager Sebastien Farhat ech- (meat and fi sh) to dairy, eggs and ery time takes time and in some oed similar statements saying: cheese, bread, fruits and vegeta- cases, it takes more than a day,” “We have enough food supply bles, as well as organic products, Jessy said, adding that there are in all our branches in Doha, eve- workers in refrigeration sector among other grocery items. advantages and disadvantages. rything is organised and under A staff member of another hy- “But for me it works well, and I control.” permarket said they have been know when and what to order, I The French retail chain, intro- QNA During the meeting, repre- getting more orders online in the do it in advance so I won’t be in duced by Ali Bin Ali Group in Qa- Doha sentatives of a number of the past four months. a hurry.” tar in 2013, provides customers a authorities in Qatar and com- Compared to the fi rst quarter Like Jessy, some residents, wide range of fresh and organic panies working in the field of in 2019, he noted that the fi rst especially those who are too food: from vegetables and fruits he Ministry of Munici- refrigeration and air condi- two months of this year saw busy to visit a store, said they to eggs, fi sh and dairy products, pality and Environment tioning reviewed the most im- more orders and delivery. have been used to online grocery among items. T(MME) held a joint meet- portant developments related ing yesterday aimed at train- to the protocol, and consulted ing workers in the refrigeration on training technicians work- Meetings on national human rights action plan continue and air-conditioning sector in ing in the refrigeration and Qatar, and to identify the most air conditioning sector in the important developments in the country, in addition to co-or- The consultative meetings of the small group of meetings will continue until tomorrow. Montreal Protocol to protect the dinating joint efforts between the National Human Rights Action Plan Committee HE the Assistant Director of the Human Rights ozone layer. the authorities and companies concerned with preparing the national human rights Department at the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh The meeting took place be- concerned with the aim of action plan continued to consult with the various Mohamed bin Youssef Jassim al-Thani chaired the tween the Ozone group of the preserving the environmental stakeholders in Qatar. meeting. In an opening speech, HE Sheikh Mohamed Department of Radiation and balance. Yesterday’s meeting, which was held at the Ministry bin Youssef Jassim al-Thani pointed out that Qatar’s Chemicals Protection of the The meeting was held via Sky- of Foreign Aff airs headquarters, dealt with the two involvement in preparing a national human rights Ministry, the representatives of pe on the Internet, in view of the strategic goals of the national human rights action action plan confirms its commitment to international the West Asia UNEP based in current global travel restrictions plan for the promotion and protection of human covenants on human rights, adding that the plan Bahrain, and the Italian compa- due to Coronavirus (Covid-19), Workers in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector in Qatar rights and those related to strengthening capabilities aims to promote and protect human rights at the ny ATF which is training techni- in order to preserve public health attending a meeting organised by the Ministry of Municipality and and spreading the culture of human rights. The national level. – QNA cians working in the sector. and safety. Environment via Skype. Civic ministry organises workshop to monitor, control desert locust

QNA informational information, so affected because pastorallists working against locusts in all Doha that the roles are divided and and farmers were alerted and sectors of the country. tasks are integrated for each educated. The workshop dealt with the party concerned with the imple- He stressed that the impor- spread of desert locusts in the mentation of the plan. tance of this workshop also lies neighbouring countries and the he Ministry of Munici- He added that the administra- in raising the effi ciency and level possibility of their arrival in Qa- pality and Environment, tion co-ordinated with the FAO of workers in the fi eld of track- tar, set steps and programmes Trepresented by the Agri- Commission for Controlling ing and controlling the desert that enable the ministry to mon- cultural Aff airs Department, has the Desert Locust in the Central locust, the quality of pesticides itor the movements of locust organised a national workshop Region to seek the assistance of used and the importance of co- swarms, and carry out control on establishing a national sys- its experts to contribute to the ordination between the various operations to avoid economic tem for monitoring and control- development of the aforemen- authorities in the country. damage to the agricultural sec- ling the desert locust in Qatar, tioned plan, in addition to gain- Meanwhile, Secretary of the tor. in co-operation with Food and ing international expertise in Commission for Controlling The importance of convening Agriculture Organisation (FAO) this fi eld. the Desert locust in the Central this workshop comes in light of Commission for Controlling He pointed out that Qatar is region Dr Munir Gabra Butrous what the country witnessed in Desert Locust in the presence of considered a transit country, spoke about the situation of the recent arrival of swarms of HE the Assistant Undersecretary Participants attending the workshop organised by the Agricultural not a breeding country, for the the desert locust in the Horn of desert locusts, as the Agricul- of Agriculture and Fisheries Af- HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser Aff airs Department on establishing a national system for monitoring desert locust, according to the Africa and neighbouring coun- tural Affairs Department, in fairs Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani. and controlling the desert locust in Qatar. classifi cation of international tries, the locust situation in co-operation with its strategic al-Thani, a number of ministry organisations. the Red Sea region, noting the partners in this regard, rushed offi cials, representatives of the accordance with the strategic the commitment the State in country, through developing the Furthermore, he pointed preparations made by Qatar to to take the necessary measures concerned agencies, specialists plans of the Ministry of Mu- all international covenants and work plan currently in force and out to the existing work that contain the current situation to limit the spread of locusts and media personnel. nicipality and Environment, in charters. forming a working group led by is being done to eliminate the by preparing an emergency according to an action plan that HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser implementing the highest in- He further added that the Ag- each of the Agricultural Aff airs desert locusts with minimum plan for rapid intervention would eliminate these swarms. al-Thani stressed in a statement ternational quality standards ricultural Aff airs Department Department and the Environ- cost and the globally approved against the desert locusts and All concerned parties were to Qatar News Agency (QNA) the and the acquisition of the latest decided to activate the emer- mental Operations Department technologies, adding that the to co-operate with relevant au- keen to intensify their efforts eff orts of Qatar, under the guid- vital devices and the best types gency response plan in the event in co-operation with other rel- animal wealth represented by thorities, as well as to set up a to contribute to limiting their ance of good leadership and in of pesticides, which enhances that locust swarms spread in the evant authorities, logistical and camels and livestock were not programme to qualify cadres spread. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 3 QATAR

100,000 sign up for Ooredoo’s Shahry 5G, Qatarna 5G plans

oredoo yesterday an- ed with fantastic entertainment in- leisure, lifestyle and dining options customers, whether on 4G or 5G, local and international minutes. and Qatarna plans are so popu- nounced more than cluding premium football leagues with the Urban Point app in Qatar, will be able to enjoy more data in Speaking of the popularity of lar with our customers. We know O100,000 customers have and top-tier global sporting events Kuwait and Oman. the new plans and better endless the plans, Sabah Rabiah al-Ku- they represent excellent value for already signed up for its recently with the beIN Connect app; Holly- Customers with 5G-enabled access to the Internet even if their wari, director of Public Relations money and off er great flexibility, launched Shahry 5G and Qatarna wood and Bollywood movies with devices will be able to take ad- data allowance is fully consumed. at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “With and of course provide access to all 5G plans and are now enjoying STARZ PLAY and ErosNow; and vantage of Ooredoo’s phenom- With the Add-Ons, customers complete customer satisfaction the incredible benefi ts of enter- the many benefi ts on off er. thousands of buy-one-get-one enal 5G network in areas where can also personalise their plans, a key goal at Ooredoo, we’re de- tainment, endless data and our 5G Ooredoo’s new plans come load- free off ers at a wide range of leading it is commercially available. All giving them extra data and extra lighted to see our new Shahry network at no additional cost.” WCM-Q scientist creates world’s smallest drill

scientist at Weill Cor- a static picture. The entire drill nell Medicine – Qatar might disassemble, which we A(WCM-Q) has created don’t want.” the world’s smallest drill – 50,000 times smaller than the The product of a decade of breadth of a human hair. research, the nano-drill has The drill, which measures been engineered from a Secrets of whales were revealed at Qatar National Library. just two nanometres long, has section of protein and may been created and analysed by have potential applications Dr Mohamed Yousef, associate in the delivery of drugs professor of physics at WCM- to targeted areas within Q, in collaboration with an in- the human body Qatar National Library lecture ternational team of scientists from the University of Oregon, The team turned to super- UT Southwestern Medical Cen- computing to help solve the tre, the Max Planck Institute problem and has now seen the explores the secrets of whales of Developmental Biology and fi rst few frames of movement. Southern Illinois University Dr Mohamed Yousef illustrates the concept of the nano-drill. “We now have the fi rst Edwardsville. glimpse of the movie,” said Dr he fascinating world of ogist and curator of fossil marine and we are perfectly capable of The product of a decade of ent way. Dr Yousef, who is the The motion is the same that one Yousef. “We know the fi rst shot, whales, some of the big- mammals at the Smithsonian doing this, so whales and hu- research, the nano-drill has lead author of the nano-drill would see in a hammer drill.” we know the last shot and now Tgest creatures ever to have National Museum of Natural mans can live alongside each been engineered from a section research paper, said, “The pro- But although the team knew we have some of the fi lm itself. existed on earth, dwarfi ng even History in the US and author of other in peace.” of protein and may have poten- tein’s structure had a “spring” that the movement occurred The movement itself is very the largest of the dinosaurs, was the book Spying On Whales: Geologist Jacques Leblanc, tial applications in the delivery at the surface which made it an and had static images of the signifi cant as it spans the en- revealed in an entertaining and The Past, Present and Future Of who attended the event, said, “I of drugs to targeted areas within ideal candidate for this work. spring in diff erent locations, tire structure of the protein, so informative lecture at Qatar Na- Earth’s Most Awesome Crea- found the lecture fascinating, the human body. We saw that a section of the they were unaware of the move- there are undoubtedly applica- tional Library recently. tures. as it gave a lot of information The research team behind spring tightens and has its mo- ment itself. tions out there. I envisage that In his lecture “Spying on “Whales face a lot of challeng- about whales and how they have the drill was initially concerned tion limited when it is exposed Dr Yousef explained, “We it could be used for minimally- Whales,” Dr Nick Pyenson en- es, including living alongside evolved over the past centuries. with proteins and why they are to a chemical called guanidin- took static pictures of the ‘on’ invasive procedures and per- gaged attendees with stories humans. Whales that live near We need to exchange knowledge structured in the way they are. ium. The guanidinium essen- and ‘off ’ states but we didn’t sonalised medicine, and it could from his research into the lives of urban areas face threats, includ- with researchers in other coun- But in the course of that work tially anchors part of the spring. know what was happening in be used to target individual cells whales, revealing how intelligent ing noisy oceans, plastic pollu- tries to fi nd best practices to they discovered the potential When the guanidinium is re- between and that is essential to with drugs, it could be used as a these creatures from the deep tion, and dangers from fi shing protect whales. Most important- to re-purpose a protein for al- moved, the spring then moves the design if we want to use the biosensor as well.” really are and the challenges lines and shipping lanes,” said Dr ly, we should keep them free and ternative uses. Using a protein to the left. When guanidinium drill in applications; we need to Dr Yousef and the research they currently face due to human Pyenson. study them in their natural envi- that in nature eats up bacterial was added once again, the an- know exactly how the spring team will now continue to work pollution of the oceans they call “It is easy to protect this great ronment to understand them, so cell walls, the team engineered chor was re-established and moves between the two loca- on viewing the entire ‘fi lm’ of home. species by changing our laws, we can fi nd ways to protect them a section of it to act in a diff er- the spring moved to the right. tions. We need a movie, not just the drill in action. Dr Pyenson is a research geol- shipping lanes and fi shing lines, and their habitats.” Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 QATAR Schools out: Measures taken to limit coronavirus spread he global coronavirus outbreak has led “We recommend that all students and em- said it will be suspending classes from today until Ooredoo Ride of Champions postponed to November to a series of measures undertaken to ployees adhere to the preventive measures further notice. Tcontrol and limit its spread in Qatar. and to follow the health instructions and “HBKU wishes to emphasise its commitment The Ooredoo Ride of Champions, which had been importance,” said Dr Abdulazziz al-Kuwari, president The coronavirus causes the Covid-19 disease. guidelines to reduce the spread of the coro- to maintaining educational continuity, through slated to take place at Education City on March 13, of the Qatar Cyclist Centre. Among the measures taken at academic in- navirus,” QU added. the use of our online learning platform, allowing has been postponed. “With the global Covid-19 situation continually evolv- stitutions are: our students to continue their studies without Announcing this yesterday, the organisers said in a ing, this is the responsible decision to take in the „Qatar Foundation disruption,” HBKU tweeted yesterday. statement that the event has been rescheduled for interests of public health and well-being. „ Qatar University All events for the next six weeks, starting yes- November 13. “We and our partners look forward to a great Oore- Qatar University (QU) yesterday announced a terday, at Qatar Foundation (QF) have been „ Northwestern University in Qatar The decision to postpone the event comes in “light doo Ride of Champions in November.” host measures following the statement issued cancelled with immediate eff ect, QF tweeted Based on the Qatar government’s decision to of the worldwide coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak Competitors who have paid their entry fee will be by the Government Communications Of- yesterday. suspend all private and government schools and and with the safety of volunteers, athletes and the automatically entered for the event on its resched- fi ce to suspend classes in public and private Following the Qatar government’s direc- universities until further notice, beginning today, general public in mind”, the organisers’ statement uled date. schools and universities for all students in tive issued yesterday in view of the novel Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) has notes. Participants unable to participate on the new date Qatar from today until further notice. coronavirus outbreak, QF also confi rmed that said classes will continue online. “While we are naturally disappointed to have to and seeking a refund should send an e-mail to info@ The educational process will continue with classes are suspended at all Qatar Foundation Students should not report to campus begin- postpone this event, the safety of participants, rocdoha.qa by April 1. the help of virtual and distance learning plat- schools, partner universities and Hamad Bin ning today, NU-Q tweeted. stakeholders and the general public is of paramount Further updates will be posted on www.rocdoha.qa. forms and the university will communicate Khalifa University until further notice. Faculty and staff are expected to report as usu- with the students via e-mail and blackboard “QF is continually monitoring the evolving al. to provide them with details, QU said in a worldwide coronavirus,” it added. Additionally, all scheduled events will be can- the educational programmes, we will leverage for instructions on how to attend class and com- tweet. “All university staff and faculty mem- celled until further notice, according to informa- technology-based solutions to deliver the cur- plete assignments electronically,” Tamuq tweeted bers should continue work as usual.” „ Hamad Bin Khalifa University tion available on the NU-Q website. riculum,” WCM-Q said on its website. yesterday. Meanwhile, all overseas student participa- Due to the current situation regarding Cov- tion is suspended until further notice, QU in- id-19 and following the Ministry of Educa- „ Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar „ Georgetown University in Qatar „ Virginia Commonwealth University School formed, adding that all university events are tion and Higher Education circular in this re- Qatar is suspending schools and universities for Eff ective today, all on-campus classes will be of the Arts in Qatar postponed until further notice. gard, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) all students in order to limit the spread of the transitioned to online classes, Georgetown Uni- As a result of the Qatar government’s decision to coronavirus. versity in Qatar (GU-Q) has said. close all schools and universities as a preventative During this time, Carnegie Mellon University “Students will not be allowed into the GU-Q measure against the spread of the coronavirus, in Qatar (CMU-Q) will continue to teach remote- building and instead should continue classes re- Virginia Commonwealth University School of the ly and the university will remain open for faculty motely,” GU-Q said on its website, adding that all Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) will suspend on- and staff , CMU-Q tweeted yesterday. events are also cancelled until further notice. campus instruction and move to a remote model of operation. „ Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar „ Texas A&M University at Qatar “This technology-based solution will ensure Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q) said Eff ective today, classes at Texas A&M University that students will be able to continue their stud- that it is suspending all in-person classes as of at Qatar (Tamuq) will move online until further ies as planned. today. notice. Students should not report to the campus until “Until further notice, in order to continue with “Students should check with their professors further notice,” VCUarts said on its website.

Participants of the course. Stenden University Qatar trains industry partners

tenden University Qatar has Stenden University Qatar. ment at the university, under the tourism management. delivered a customer service The university off ers a wide range slogan “Invest in your growth, in- All programmes are recognised Straining course to a group of of professional training programmes vest in your future, invest in your by the Ministry of Education and employees from Marzooq Holding. to industry partners. employees”. Higher Education in Qatar. This came as part of the “contin- Some of the most popular courses Stenden University Qatar was es- Stenden University Qatar also of- uous endeavour to diversify educa- pertain to emotional intelligence, tablished in 2000 under the chair- fers master’s degrees in the fi elds tional and training services off ered business communication, business manship of HE Sheikh Faisal bin of tourism, hospitality, and event by Stenden University Qatar to vari- etiquette, sales and acquisition, cul- Qassim al-Thani. management. ous organisations in the country”, tural awareness, and event manage- Stenden University Qatar deliv- NHL Stenden University has according to a press statement. ment, the statement notes. ers internationally accredited four- campuses in the Netherlands, Doha, The training course was con- The courses are delivered under year bachelor’s degrees in the fi elds Bali (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thai- ducted by Khadia Ibtihaj, the head the umbrella of the professional of international business, interna- land), and Port Alfred (South Af- of Industry Liaison and a lecturer at training and development depart- tional hospitality management, and rica).

Qatari Authors’ Forum marks Women’s Day

QNA some vocations, especially the fi eld of jour- women, but with the support of her family, she managed to Doha nalism. overcome many of them and achieve her ambition, whether Journalism was restricted to men and was in study or writing, she said, adding that women should not prohibited for women, especially Qatari give up in the face of obstacles. he Qatari Authors’ Forum held a ses- women. The Qatari Authors’ Forum continues its cultural activities sion on Sunday to celebrate Interna- But with her insistence and adherence to as a cultural body affi liated with the Ministry of Culture and Ttional Women’s Day under the title her ambition, she managed to change pre- Sports. “Women Leaders Make History “. vailing ideas, until she fi nally reached her A group of female writers participated in goal of publishing a number of stories for the forum. children. During the session held on Sunday night, A writer and director of Doha Interna- a group of female writers spoke about their tional Centre for Special Needs, Dr Hala ACCEPTING path to success, the diffi culties they faced, al-Saeed, who is also a member of Gulf and how they managed to overcome them Disability Society and a former member of through perseverance and persistence. Unesco, said that the Qatari woman is able Author Dr Hessa al-Awadi talked about to prove herself in the labour market and in BROKERS her early days during her writing career, all fi elds. which began at an early age. She was active and infl uential in society She spoke about the diffi culties and chal- especially during the blockade period. lenges she faced, especially the traditions Young Qatari writer Intissar al-Seif of a conservative society which prevented talked about her experience and ambition. women from travelling alone and enter Society still imposes some restrictions on 5,200 SQM. LAND FOR SALE FOR CHEMICAL AND INDUSTRIAL GASES With approved drawings for GF+1F+2F ideal for warehousing,

Contact us: 30322838 - 70002575 - 44449942 Participants of the forum discussing a topic. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 5 QATAR AFG College with Aberdeen varsity marks Women’s Day The announcement came during The Luxury Network International Awards ceremony. econd year in a row, AFG College with the Univer- Ssity of Aberdeen has cel- ebrated International Women’s Day, aiming to foster greater Lexus AAB picks Amal awareness of the important role that women play within society. The event was opened by AFG College chairperson Sheikha Dr Ameen as fi rst-ever Aisha bint Faleh al-Thani who welcomed the distinguished guests who joined the speakers and audience. brand ambassador in Qatar Sheikha Dr Aisha said, “It is always a privilege and joy for me to participate in events which exus-Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros Co (AAB) celebrate and draw on the im- has offi cially announced Amal Ameen as the portant role that women play in Lfi rst-ever Lexus brand ambassador in Qatar. society. I have, for many years, The announcement came during The Luxury been a strong advocate for the Network International Awards ceremony held re- advancement of women in all cently. roles of the social structure and Amal graduated from the Virginia Common- that, despite the progress that wealth University School of the Arts in Qatar in has been made, there is still 2004 and holds a bachelor of fi ne arts (interior massive defi cits that we, as a design) degree. She has also obtained an advanced society, need to address.” certifi cate in Arts, Communication, Etiquette and This year’s speakers included Protocol. Her passion for design and luxury led Al Jazeera English senior news Amal to open the luxurious La Boutique Blanche — anchor, Nastasya Tay, who a “unique multi-brand store” — in 2015. spoke about her own experi- In 2017, La Boutique Blanche was named the Best The Lexus brand ambassador programme is ences of being a journalist and AFG College with University of Aberdeen celebrates International Women’s Day. Luxury Boutique in Qatar at the Grazia Style Awards. meant to associate Lexus with a “high-profile, the obstacles she had experi- Driven by her success in the world of fashion, respectable public figure such as Amal and to enced during her ten years as everyone and especially women not only make up for 50% of the that she experienced when she Ameen opened Amici Di Moda — her latest fashion raise public awareness about the Lexus lineup”. a roving reporter in hotspots and recognising that strength population, but also 50% of the began working in a non-tradi- concept located — at the luxurious Al Hazm. around the world, including can be in many diff erent plac- world’s potential. It is essential tional female working environ- Amici Di Moda won two prestigious awards — said: “We are very excited this year to collaborate war zones and the challenges es.” that we recognise their impor- ment, for which she was duly Best Luxury Boutique at The Luxury Network In- with Amal Ameen as our fi rst-ever Lexus brand that female journalists face AFG College/University of tance, their power and their recognised. ternational Awards in 2018 and Best Independent ambassador. As a recognised fashion icon, Amal every day. Aberdeen graduate, Khulood achievements.” Microsoft Qatar country Boutique from ‘Grazia’ in 2019. will play a key role in endorsing the brand through Tay said, “At a time when hu- al-Khori who recently gradu- Other guest speakers at the manager, Lana Khalaf gave an Amal started her journey with Lexus Qatar as a joint lifestyle and fashion events.” manity is facing such enormous ated with a degree in busi- event included Sheikha Athba inspirational speech regard- key participant in several lifestyle events and the The Lexus brand ambassador programme is challenges, the only way we can ness management spoke about bint Thamer al-Thani, chief ex- ing the challenges of attracting ladies’ track day. She was interviewed by ‘Grazia’ in meant to associate Lexus with a “high-profi le, re- move forward in confronting the struggles she experienced ecutive director and adviser to young females into the grow- the ‘Leading Ladies with Lexus’ section, focusing spectable public fi gure such as Amal and to raise them is together – with empa- when she began at the national chairman of Qatari Diar Vinci ing IT sector in the Mena region on women’s empowerment. public awareness about the Lexus lineup and their thy and compassion. The only and international level in the Construction (QDVC), who and how Microsoft is develop- On nominating Amal as the Lexus brand ambas- state-of-the-art features, benefi ts and technol- way we fi nd those is by chang- equestrian endurance racing spoke about the empowerment ing unique ways of engaging sador, Firas Mufti, AAB senior marketing manager, ogy”, a press statement noted. ing the conversation, including fi eld. Khulood said, “Women of women and the diffi culties female talent from an early age. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 QATAR Indian schools’ CBSE exams to continue ‘as per schedule’

he Indian CBSE board examina- tion and parents are required to drop The students’ average marks of from Grade 6 during the closure pe- Similarly, Ideal Indian School said Shantiniketan Indian School, tions for Grades X and XII will their children directly to the examina- previous terms will be considered for riod. the school will remain closed from too, said the CBSE board exams for Tcontinue as per schedule, accord- tion centre (MES Indian School, Doha) record purpose and they will be pro- On its website, DPS-MIS said the today until further orders due to the Grades X and XII will continue as per ing to some of the Indian schools in Qatar. and pick them up from the same place moted to the next grade. school will remain closed from today coronavirus outbreak. schedule though the school will re- Birla Public School (BPS) said yes- after the examination, according to a In respect of Grade IX students, for all students, from Grades KG1 on- All school-based examinations are main closed from today until further terday the CBSE board examinations press statement by BPS. promotions will be made to the next wards, until further notifi cation. postponed and new date(s) for the same notice in view of the government di- for Grades X and XII will take place “as “In the interest of your child’s grade based on their previous term Board examinations for Grades X will be intimated in due course, the school rective. normal, as per schedule” though the health, please do not use shared serv- exam marks. and XII “will be held as per the sched- said in a notifi cation on its website. “Parents will be updated as and school will be closed from today until ices. It is best if the parents can take However, those students in Grade IX uled dates and there will be no change However, the CBSE examinations when we get further information from further notice, based on yesterday’s care their child using their own vehi- who are not meeting the passing mark in the same”, the school stressed. will be conducted as per schedule. the ministry,” the school said on its directive from the Ministry of Educa- cle,” BPS added. criteria will have to appear for exams The examination scheduled on Transport will be provided to the stu- website. tion and Higher Education to prevent For Grades KG to VIII, all remaining after the school reopens. March 11 for Grades V-VIII stands dents who are appearing for the board Bhavan’s Public School also said the spread of Covid-19. school-based exams are hereby can- Birla Public School is also set to postponed until a further update, it examinations, Ideal Indian School there is no change in the CBSE exami- There will be no school transporta- celled, the statement adds. start the first virtual classrooms added. added. nation schedule. ‘Temporary hold’ on Qatar Airways’ The Mitsubishi Outlander (left), the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and the Mitsubishi Mirage (below). stopover services Qatar Automobiles Company extends

atar Airways has said it is off ers on range of Mitsubishi vehicles placing a temporary hold on Airlines scramble to alter course Qstopover services in Doha atar Automobiles Company, the The seating confi guration can be for the purpose of connection. authorised distributor of Mit- quickly changed with the quick-folding “Passengers with onward con- By Shafeeq Alingal their confirmed ticket on or Qsubishi Motors Corp in Qatar, has 60/40 split second row and 50/50 split nections will not be permitted to Staff Reporter before March 28. extended its off er on a range of vehicles third row seats. leave Hamad International Air- “You may choose a new travel including Eclipse Cross, Outlander and The 2018 Outlander is equipped with a port (HIA),” the airline said in an date that falls on or before June Mirage. 166hp, 2.4L MIVEC engine that achieves updated travel alert on its website Airlines based in some of the 30,” the airline said. “Please note Valid until April 4, the off er has several 30 highway MPG3, or upgrade to GT for yesterday. countries from where travellers this is a developing situation. We benefi ts including 1-year free compre- even more performance with the power- “It is with regret that we must have been temporarily barred shall provide updates on flight hensive insurance, 1-year free registra- ful 224hp, 3.0L MIVEC engine. inform our valued customers that from entering Qatar yesterday cancellations to/from Doha.” tion, 3-year warranty or 100,000km. Mirage is the family economy car with all current stopover bookings will, said they were cancelling In response to the new The vehicles are available with no down enhanced light body, made of reinforced therefore, be cancelled. A full re- flights to Doha and making the restrictions, Pakistan payment and the option of in-house fi - tionably a Mitsubishi Motors SUV. steel which absorbs shocks and shatters fund will be off ered, with support necessary alterations in view of International Airlines (PIA) said it nancing through NBK Financial Serv- The sculpted form projects the explo- the impact in all directions. off ered to make alternative travel the government directive. is temporarily suspending flight ices (terms and conditions apply).The sive power of an athlete from sporty face All the cars are available now in Mit- plans with Qatar Airways,” it add- On Sunday, it was announced operations from Pakistan to Doha monthly instalment starts from QR699, to high-tech rear lamps. subishi Motors Showroom on Salwa ed. that entry to Qatar had been until further notice. with special prices for cash purchase. The newly developed 1.5L petrol turbo road, open Saturday to Thursday from Regarding Sunday’s announce- temporarily suspended for Any change of booking, refund The Eclipse Cross’s beautiful, dynamic engine provides a pleasing response, high 8am-9pm and on Friday from 5pm-9pm, ment that entry to Qatar had been people from Bangladesh, China, and/or no-show charges have form creates the same sense of excite- revolutions and strong acceleration. and Al Khor Showroom from Saturday temporarily suspended for people Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, been waived for all passengers ment and inspiration as the diamond ring Outlander off ers plenty of room for to Wednesday from 8am-8pm, and on from Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, who are booked on Doha-bound eff ect during a total eclipse. seven passengers with its standard third- Thursday from 8am-3pm. India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nepal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria flights from Pakistan, and are While stylish like a coupé, it’s unques- row seating. Pakistan, the Philippines, South and Thailand with eff ect from unable to travel due to the above Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thai- yesterday. travel restrictions. This facility is land, the airline said only those Accordingly, low-cost Indian valid until March 31, PIA said on with onward connections through carrier IndiGo yesterday tweeted its website. Hamad International Airport are that “due to temporary restriction On its website, SriLankan being accepted for travel. to operate to Doha issued by the Airlines said it has been “kindly 10-hour closure on “This decision comes as a pre- State of Qatar, as a preventive requested to adhere to the Qatar ventive measure due to the spread measure in view of coronavirus, government’s statement (on of coronavirus (Covid-19) world- flights to/from Doha are travel restrictions for people from Bani Hajer Bridge wide. It aff ects all individuals in- impacted”. the above-mentioned countries) tending to enter from these coun- “Flights to/from Doha are and abide by the instruction until shghal will implement a temporary closure on Bani tries, including visas upon arrival, suspended till March 17, 2020. further notification”. For further Hajer Bridge from midnight to 10am on March 13-14 those with a residence or work per- Please visit ‘Plan B’ (https://bit. details, passengers can contact Afor traffi c coming from Al Rayyan towards Dukhan mit, and temporary visitors,” the ly/2GVplHb) to opt for a full the SriLankan Airlines 24-hour for installing gantries as part of the Khalifa Avenue Project. airline noted. refund. We will be monitoring the contact centre or their travel During the closure implemented in co-ordination with In relation to passengers travel- situation closely and will share agent. the General Directorate of Traffi c, road users on Al Rayyan ling from Italy, only those with on- further updates,” the airline said. As for Nepal Airlines, a flight Al Jadeed Road heading towards Dukhan will be able to use ward connections through HIA are In a statement on its Facebook will be operated from Doha Bani Hajer Underpass to reach Al Shahama Street where being accepted for travel. page, Philippine Airlines (PAL) to Kathmandu today and no they can make a U-Turn and than take the exit towards Qatari nationals and those in said the airline “is compelled passengers will be carried from Dukhan, as shown on the map. Ashghal will install road possession of a Qatar Residency to cancel all flights to and Kathmandu to Doha, it is learnt. signs advising motorists of the closure and requested them Permit are exempted from this de- from Doha from March 11 until Further course of action will be to abide by the existing speed limit to ensure safety. cision. March 15” in view of the Qatar decided today. However, these passengers will government’s directive over Biman Bangladesh Airlines be asked to stay in a quarantine Covid-19 concerns. has also cancelled all flights to facility for 14 days in line with the The flights cancelled during this and from Doha in view of the World Health Organisation (WHO) period are PR 684/685, Manila- government directive. Access road opened measures. Doha-Manila. Also, all services of Lebanon- All passengers arriving from Passengers of these flights based Middle East Airlines to and he Public Works Author- traffi c fl ow through the intersection. Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore have the option to request for from Doha have been suspended ity (Ashghal) yesterday an- The opening, according to a state- will be screened and those display- rebooking/rerouting or refunding for an indefinite period. Tnounced the opening of the ment by Ashghal, will be carried out ing disease symptoms will be taken service road and access leading to in co-ordination with the General for further testing. Passengers re- Sidra Medicine and Qatar National Directorate of Traffi c. turning positive test results will be days as per WHO measures. Fees for booking alterations Convention Centre (QNCC) for the Road users will have to take the admitted to treatment centres in Meanwhile, the airline stressed will be waived if reservations are road users coming from the Tilted second exit towards the service road accordance with the measures of that it recognises that some pas- changed at least three days before Intersection from March 13. instead of going straight on the main the Ministry of Public Health. sengers may wish to alter their departure, and fare diff erences may The road, developed as part of the intersection road to access the hos- Also, in line with a circular from existing travel plans in the light of apply. Khalifa Avenue Project, will improve pital and QNCC. the Civil Aviation Authority con- Covid-19. The travel voucher can be used cerning the preventing the spread “We have altered our commer- for future travel with Qatar Air- of coronavirus, Qatar Airways cial policy accordingly in order to ways, valid for one year from its is- said it is prohibited from carry- provide maximum fl exibility and suance date. ing all passengers from Egypt via peace of mind to our customers,” Penalties will be waived if can- any intermediate point(s), in- the travel alert said. Passengers cellations are submitted at least Doha Inspire Awards 2020 to honour cluding those who are in posses- travelling with Qatar Airways up three days before departure. This sion of a Qatar Residency Permit. to June 30 can now change their policy is valid for all Qatar Airways Qatari nationals are exempted travel plans free of charge by alter- fl ights and those of its codeshare women for outstanding achievements from the above-mentioned de- ing their booking dates or opting to and interline partners booked as cision but will be asked to stay receive a travel voucher up to three published fares, either directly in a quarantine facility for 14 days prior to departure. from or through travel agents. ingapore- and Qatar- based Xplus Inc has Slaunched the Doha In- QOC postpones activities of all age groups spire Awards 2020 to honour women living in Qatar for Qatar Olympic Committee framework of the eff orts and organisations and institutions, and outstanding achievements in (QOC) has postponed activities measures taken by the State to in line with the recommendations their chosen vocation. of all age group until further curb the spread of the coronavirus of the Ministry of Public Health Xplus introduced Inspire notice. QOC pointed out that (Covid-19), out of keenness on the on avoiding gatherings in public Awards 2020 in Qatar on In- the decision comes within the safety of members of all sports places. (QNA) ternational Women’s Day, specially marked by the Unit- ed Nations to celebrate and honour women’s contribu- (From left) Dr R Seetharaman, Yousif al-Jaber and Abdullah al-Hammadi. tions to the global community in various fi elds. media, sports and many more. categories. Business Council — Qatar) “More than competition, Any woman living in Qatar The jury comprising Ab- and Yousif al-Jaber (chair- Qatar is leader in risk, crisis Xplus Inspire Awards 2020 with an outstanding achieve- dullah al-Hammadi (chair- man, International Business is a celebration to honour the ment could be a role model in man of Technical & Judges Delegation) will select the excellence of womanhood,” her chosen fi eld qualifi es for Committee of Asian Shooting awardees from the nominees management; no need for panic said Xplus Inspire Awards the nomination. These awards Confederation), Anu Shar- listed in each category. All project head Anu Sharma. are an opportunity for Xplus ma (media personality and Qatar citizens and residents “At Xplus Inspire, we be- to provide a platform to hon- project head, Inspire Awards), qualify for these awards. From Page 1 “We have diff erent international because we are prepared. lieve in equality simply be- our female talent in Qatar.” Dr R Seetharaman (Group April 10 is the last date to suppliers from all over the globe, “Besides, Ramadan is coming cause only an equal world can The awards will have dis- CEO, Doha Bank), Lisa Saad suggest nominees online by Similarly, Rajesh Nair, the pro- which is why we are not worried and we have also taken this into ac- be an empowered world. And tinct categories like: Inspire (executive director, American way of a 30 second video mes- curement manager of Safari Mall, about running out of stocks. Also, count, so we are well-stocked and that’s why we have named the Her – Abilities award, Life- Chamber of Commerce — sage or sharing a picture at in- reassured the public that the com- we have expected this situation, we guarantee our customers that women of today as Sheros. time Achievement, Young Qatar), Nishad Kader (direc- [email protected]. pany has ample supply of basic which is similar to what hap- there will be no shortage in grocery Our Sheros could come from Achievers, Community Spirit, tor, Xplus Inc), Omar Shaath Selected entries would be commodities, as well as food and pened during the initial days of the items and basic goods like rice, sug- diverse fi elds such as tech- Health, Education and Media (social infl uencer), Susanna appreciated at the Xplus In- non-food items. blockade, so we know what to do ar, and meats,” Nair said. nology, arts, culture, health, awards along with many other Toi (vice president, Singapore spire awards. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 7 QATAR Female students: Second Ihsan School brought indescribable delight to us ears poured down the cheeks of Nagham who have been deprived of education for various Aziz Al-Hamed, a Syrian seventh-grade reasons. Tstudent at the Second Ihsan School while Wonderful Feeling speaking about the discontinuation of her studies “It was a wonderful feeling full with joy and for more than one year, due to the ongoing conflict delight,” Nagham described the moment when she in her country. heard about her enrollment into the school. She “I used to go through a great anxiety every tells us that she has devoted herself to her study morning when I saw, from a window of my house, and is racing against time to make up for what she girls of my age riding school buses, while I was missed. trapped in the house”, Nagham expressed her pain. She thanked the State of Qatar and everyone After arriving in Doha, Nagham remained who played a role in establishing this school, which out-of-school for a whole semester. However, the depends on the full support of Qatar Charity and is opportunity of being a regular student came to her run in cooperation with Afif Charity, the Ministry due to the opening of the second Ihsan School, a of Education and Higher Education, and the non-profit academic institution that provides free- Education Above All Foundation. of-cost education to Arab children within Qatar,

She expressed the hope that more students in the future to fight for children’s rights violated would find an opportunity of education at the in crises. She also thanked the people of Qatar for school where some 482 students, boys and girls, are establishing the school and providing all school now studying. supplies and transportation for students free of Nagham is not the only student at the school, charge. who went through the deprivation of education. Out-of-School Nearly half of the school’s female students are Besides, Maryam Saad, talked about her Syrian nationals, including Salah al-Din Murad, suffering, saying “I remained out-of-school for currently a seventh-grader supposed to be a ninth- nearly one year due to the security reason in my grader, who said the conflict in her country deprived country. When I arrived in Qatar, I began to study her of education and she moved to Qatar where she at the home on my own. However, after joining the is now a student at the Second Ihsan School. Second Ihsan School, I focus more on my studies Children’s Rights and do homework regularly. The school provided She expresses her delight at being a student me with a good environment and friends and of the school that brought an opportunity to her brought back a hope to my life, as I want to be a to realize her dream, as she wants to be a lawyer doctor in the future.” Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA Sudan’s PM survives assassination attempt

Reuters tional government following the The convoy appeared to have gathered as police tried to secure al-Burhan condemned the at- Transitional authorities are of coup plots against the revo- Khartoum overthrow last year of long-time been targeted from above, they the site. One member of Ham- tack and said it would seek the also taking steps to disempower lution,” Khalid Omer, a leading president Omar al-Bashir. said. State radio said it had been dok’s entourage suff ered light help of friendly countries to in- Bashir’s supporters, including member of the civilian coalition Hamdok’s government is hit by gunfi re and a projectile, injuries, a government state- vestigate it and bring suspects to parts of the security services. that backed last year’s uprising, udanese Prime Minister struggling to manage a severe while state television said it had ment said. An investigation was justice, a statement said. In mid-January, armed se- said on Twitter. Abdalla Hamdok survived economic crisis that triggered been targeted by a car bomb. launched into who was behind Hamdok leads a government curity agents linked to Bashir Hamdok is an economist and San assassination attempt months of protests against Ba- “I saw the moment of the ex- the attack, said Information of technocrats under a power- fought soldiers in Khartoum for former senior United Nations targeting his convoy as he head- shir and continued after his plosion and the strike, and the Minister Faisal Salih. “Terror- sharing agreement between the several hours, after a dispute offi cial who is well connected ed to work yesterday morning in downfall in April. strike came from a high build- ist attempts and dismantling military and civilian groups for linked to severance packages. with the international com- the capital Khartoum, offi cials Three witnesses told Reuters ing,” one witness said. Images the old regime will be dealt with a transitional period due to last Soon after Bashir’s over- munity. Britain’s ambassador to said. the attack happened near the broadcast on regional TV chan- decisively. What happened not until late 2022. throw, authorities said they had Sudan, Irfan Siddiq, called yes- Hamdok said he was in “good northern entrance to the Kober nels and social media showed a only targeted the prime minister Relations between civilians thwarted several coup attempts terday’s incident “a deeply wor- shape” and that what had hap- bridge, which crosses the Blue convoy including several dam- himself but targeted the Suda- and the military have been tense, by military offi cers. rying event (that) reaffi rmed the pened would be “an additional Nile from Khartoum North to aged white SUVs and a badly nese revolution.” and the government has en- “The attempted assassination fragile nature of this transition push to the wheel of change in the city centre, where Hamdok’s damaged car. The Sudanese security council countered resistance as it tries of Prime Minister Abdalla Ham- and the vital role being played by Sudan”, where he heads a transi- offi ce is located. Large crowds of onlookers headed by General Abdel Fattah to implement economic reforms. dok is the new episode in a series the PM”. New coronavirus deaths in Iran raise toll to 237

AFP agency IRNA said. Another have ordered the closure of ho- Tehran prominent victim was Ayatol- tels and other tourist accom- lah Reza Mohamadi Langerou- modations in a bid to discour- di, 91, a student of the Islamic age travel. ran yesterday announced 43 republic’s late founder Ayatol- State television has also new deaths from the novel lah Khomeini, Entekhab web- started airing educational pro- Icoronavirus in the past 24 site reported. grammes for elementary school hours, bringing the overall toll The outbreak of the virus in students, after schools were to 237 dead, one of the world’s Iran is one of the deadliest out- closed until the end of the Ira- highest. side of China, where the dis- nian year. “Our colleagues have con- ease originated. Some radical Iranian officials fi rmed 595 new cases across With 1,945 cases, the capital have speculated the coronavi- the country,” health ministry Tehran remains the province rus may have been developed spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour with the most cases. as a weapon by the republic’s told a news conference. The second worst-hit prov- arch-enemy, the United States. A Palestinian municipal worker sprays disinfectant in the Gaza City Park yesterday, amid fears of the spread of the novel coronavirus. “This brings the overall ince with 712 confirmed cases The virus may have been “a number of confi rmed cases to is Qom, the pilgrimage city product of America’s biologi- 7,161 as of today noon,” he said. south of Tehran where the Is- cal aggression that has first in- Jahanpour said the rate of new lamic republic’s first cases fected China and then spread to infections was slowing but it were reported, followed by Ma- Iran and the rest of the world,” was “still too early to judge” zandaran in the north with 633. said Hossein Salami, com- 20th case confi rmed in Palestine; when the outbreak could be The latter is a popular tour- mander of the elite Revolution- brought under control. ist spot bordering the Caspian ary Guards, quoted in Etemad “Forty-three people have Sea, especially during holidays newspaper. unfortunately been added to for the Iranian New Year on But Alaeddin Boroudjerdi, Gulf states take more measures the number of those who have March 20. Iran is yet to offi- a senior MP, noted that the died of the disease, so to date cially impose quarantines but “United States, the Zionist re- we have 237 dead,” he said. authorities have repeatedly ad- gime (Israel) and other coun- DPA/Agencies source with the Interior Minis- until March 23, said the gov- rest are in stable condition. Iranian media said a politi- vised against travelling. tries are all affected” by the Cairo/Tehran try. The decision suspends the ernment’s offi cial spokesman The United Arab Emirates’s cian and a high-ranking cleric In certain provinces includ- virus. travel of citizens and residents Tareq al-Merzem, amid a rap- Health Ministry detected 14 were among the latest fatali- ing Mazandaran, the police Apart from the direct fatali- to these countries and the entry idly spreading coronavirus out- new cases, including four Emi- ties. Mohamedreza Rahcham- have announced that non-res- ties, 27 people have died from n the Middle East, the 20th of people coming from them or break, QNA reported. ratis, bringing the total number ani, a reformist politician and idents will be denied entry. methanol poisoning in Iran af- Palestinian case of the coro- who have been there in the 14 According to the Kuwait in the country to 59. sitting MP from 1984-2000, According to Iranian media, ter rumours that drinking it can Inavirus was confi rmed by days prior to their entry. News Agency (KUNA), the ex- Egypt’s Health Ministry has died yesterday, state news authorities in several provinces help cure the disease. the Ministry of Health in Beth- The kingdom later yesterday tension will come into eff ect raised the number of coronavi- lehem, the wife of a hotel guest suspended the travel of citizens on March 15 until March 26, rus infections to 55. A 60-year already diagnosed with the vi- and residents to Oman, France, al-Merzem added, describing old German man died in Egypt rus. Germany, Turkey and Spain. the measure as a safety precau- on Sunday, becoming the fi rst The Palestinian Authority It also suspended fl ights be- tion. The tally of coronavirus fatality from the coronavirus in said that no non-nationals from tween the kingdom and these infections in Kuwait currently the country. Two US personnel killed in Iraq anywhere in the world will be al- countries. The kingdom, which stands at 65 after an additional In Syria, the cabinet decided lowed into its areas and nation- has reported a total of 15 infec- case was reported yesterday. to suspend travel to and from als from certain countries will tions with the virus so far, also The Omani Ministry of Iraq and Jordan for one month during counter-IS mission be subjected to quarantine for suspended sea trips to and from Health reported two new posi- as part of preventive measures two weeks. All tourists have been these countries. tive cases, QNA added. The two against the virus. In Lebanon, a evacuated from the West Bank. Saudi Arabia also temporar- cases are for citizens who are total of 41 cases have been con- Reuters notifi ed, the Combined Joint Task Force for Operation Saudi Arabia suspended ily suspended study at schools, linked to travel to Iran. They are fi rmed by health authorities. Washington Inherent Resolve said in the statement released by the fl ights to and from nine coun- universities and other educa- currently subject to quarantine In Israel, the number of con- command. The deaths highlight that despite losing its tries as a precautionary meas- tional institutions as of yester- and their condition is stable. fi rmed cases rose to 39, the territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria, Islamic State can ure to control and curb the day. Kuwait yesterday recorded The ministry added in a Health Ministry said. wo US service members were killed in north still pose a threat. spread of the virus, the offi cial one new infection, bringing the statement that the total number Israel’s health minister said central Iraq while accompanying Iraqi se- An Inspector General report published earlier this Saudi Press Agency reported total number to 65 in the Gulf of cases confi rmed in the Sul- the government was consid- Tcurity forces on a mission targeting Islamic year said that despite the death of IS leader Abu Bakr yesterday. state. tanate stood at 18. Seventeen of ering whether all travellers State, the US military said in a statement yesterday al-Baghdadi, the group continued low-level attacks The countries are the UAE, KUWAIT EXTENDS which are linked to travel to Iran returning from abroad — no attributing the deaths to “enemy forces.” and while it did not appear to grow stronger, it did not Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, SCHOOLS’ CLOSURE and one related to travel to Italy. matter from what destination The two US military members, killed on Sunday, were “lose its freedom of movement or ability to hide and Lebanon, Syria, South Korea Kuwait’s cabinet has de- The ministry affi rmed that nine — must stay at home quarantine not being publicly identifi ed until their families could be transport fi ghters and supplies.” and Italy, according to an offi cial cided to keep schools closed cases have recovered while the for 14 days.

35 die in Boeing pilot training on Rwanda bans big gatherings Ghana bus 737 Max ‘inadequate’ in capital amid virus fears collision AFP AFP rants, bars, and sports clubs — freezing overland trade across Addis Ababa Kigali which were told to apply “good one of its busiest frontiers. AFP hygiene practises” and supply This measure against coro- Accra soaps and hand washes. navirus, too, could hit Rwanda’s thiopia’s probe of last ity authorities in Kigali The government has advised economy. International visi- year’s Ethiopian Air- have banned concerts, its citizens against travelling to tors for tourism and trade shows hirty-fi ve people, includ- Elines crash found that Crallies and other mass countries where coronavirus has are a major source of revenue of ing women and children, Boeing did not provide suffi - gatherings in the capital as a pre- been reported. Rwanda and Kigali in particular, Twere killed yesterday cient pilot training for the 737 ventive measure against corona- Church authorities, mean- which markets itself as an at- when two buses collided on a Max and that crucial fl ight virus, despite Rwanda recording while, announced that com- tractive location for global con- busy road in Ghana, offi cials software was fl awed, accord- no confi rmed cases of the illness. munal holy water would not be ferences. said. ing to an interim report pub- Coronavirus has only been re- provided for worshippers to dip But the economic pain could be The accident, which hap- lished yesterday. ported in eight countries on the their fi ngers upon entering mass, felt in other East African markets, pened in the Bono East region The crash of the Nairo- Relatives of victims of the ET302 flight that crashed shortly African continent, according to and that communion would no where precautions against coro- around 430km from the capi- bi-bound Boeing 737 MAX after taking off from Bole International Airport on March 10, data from the World Health Or- longer be passed from hand to navirus could impact the lucrative tal Accra, also left six people in six minutes after takeoff on 2019, lay flowers during a memorial ceremony at the French ganisation (WHO), among the mouth. tourism industry. critical condition. March 10, 2019, killed all 157 embassy in Addis Ababa, yesterday. lowest rates of confi rmed infec- Religious pilgrimages have Kenya has banned direct fl ights “I can confi rm that the death people on board, triggering tion in any region globally. also been suspended as a pre- to its tropical coastline from Italy, toll has risen to 35,” Bono East the global grounding of the investigators have blamed on The new interim report “The city of Kigali wishes caution in Rwanda, where close a major source of visitors, where Regional Minister Kofi Amoako- Max and the worst crisis in the model’s anti-stall fl ight published yesterday says that to inform that entertainment to half the population is Catho- the virus has hit hard, with 366 hene said. The minister said that Boeing’s history. system, the Manoeuvring the design of the MCAS sys- shows, social gatherings, trade lic. Rwanda has not recorded any fatalities. It has also suspended 27 of the victims were “burnt It followed the October Characteristics Augmenta- tem “made it vulnerable to fairs, exhibitions and other gath- cases, and none of its immedi- international conferences, a top beyond recognition”. 2018 crash of a 737 Max oper- tion System, or MCAS. undesirable activation”. Spe- erings that assemble many peo- ate neighbours have either. But earner in Nairobi, a hub for such “Six of the survivors are in ated by Lion Air in Indonesia, A preliminary report by cifi cally the report points to ple...are offi cially suspended till the small landlocked country is events in the region. critical condition and are cur- which killed 189 people when Ethiopian investigators re- the fact that the system could further notice,” the Kigali City no stranger to imposing tough In Uganda, meanwhile, all pas- rently being monitored,” he said, it crashed moments after leased last April said the crew be activated by a single angle- Council announced in a state- measures in response to health sengers arriving from France, adding that “one person escaped leaving Jakarta airport. of Flight 302 repeatedly fol- of-attack sensor reading. ment on Sunday. scares. China, Germany, Italy, Iran, South unharmed.” Both accidents saw uncon- lowed procedures recom- Those indicators measure The policy does not extend to In August 2019, Rwanda Korea and Spain must self-quar- The police confi rmed the toll trolled drops in the aircraft’s mended by Boeing but were the plane’s angle vis-a-vis venues hosting smaller numbers briefl y closed its border with the antine for 14 days, Ugandan health and have launched an investiga- nose in the moments before unable to regain control of the oncoming air to warn of im- of people — such as wedding Democratic Republic of Congo minister Ruth Jane Aceng an- tion into the crash. the planes crashed, which jet. pending stalls. venues, churches, hotels, restau- as a precaution against Ebola, nounced at the weekend. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 9 AMERICAS

Jury hung in case of Elderly urged to stock up on CIA coder accused of cyberweapon leak

AFP groceries as Covid-19 surges New York

AFP/Reuters Canada confirms first Washington death from virus New York federal judge yesterday declared a mis- trial after a jury failed to convict a former CIA Canada has recorded its first Aprogrammer accused of passing the agency’s most S health authorities yester- death from the new coronavirus, valuable hacking tools to WikiLeaks, deeply hobbling its day urged Americans most health off icials in the western- online spying operations. Uat risk of getting seriously ill most province of British Colum- The government had said that Joshua Schulte gave the from the new coronavirus to stock bia announced yesterday. anti-secrecy group the ‘Vault 7’ collection of hacking up on food and medicine and prepare The victim, a senior residing tools, malware, viruses, trojans, and “zero day” exploits to remain at home, as the pathogen at an elderly care facility, “was in- which comprised the CIA’s most valuable tools for tap- spread rapidly across the country. fected with Covid-19 (and) passed ping into adversaries’ computers. The advice, which targeted the away last night,” the province’s The March 2017 breach was the largest-ever leak of elderly and those with underlying health off icer Bonnie Henry told classifi ed information at the US spy agency, allowing health conditions, came as thou- reporters. hackers in other countries, government and non-govern- sands of people stranded on a cruise Canada has recorded at least ment alike, to use the tools for criminal activity, and help- ship off California were set to begin 71 confirmed or presumed coro- ing the CIA’s targets close vulnerabilities. disembarking. There have been 21 navirus cases. But in an embarrassing defeat for the Justice Depart- confi rmed cases on the vessel. The Most are in the most populat- ment, after a four-week trial the jury remained divided on patients will proceed to treatment, ed province, Ontario, or in British whether there was proof that Schulte had in fact provided while others will be quarantined or Columbia. the fi les to WikiLeaks, and failed to convict him on the returned to their home countries if eight most serious charges in the case. non-US residents. They did fi nd him guilty on lesser charges of lying to the According to a Johns Hopkins Over the weekend, the CDC is- FBI and contempt of court. University tracker, more than 550 sued fresh recommendations that Schulte was arrested in August 2017 and charged ini- people have become infected in the travellers — particularly those with tially with multiple counts of possessing child pornogra- US while there have been 22 deaths health conditions — defer all cruise phy on his computer, with no suggestion that there was — most in the western state of ship travel worldwide. any national security issue involved. Washington where the virus gained The Grand Princess cruise ship Ten months later the Justice Department fi led addi- its fi rst foothold in the country. was set to dock later yesterday, a tional charges accusing him of stealing and transmitting Speaking to reporters yesterday, spokesman for the port of Oakland classifi ed “national defense information” to give it to Nancy Messonnier, a senior offi cial told AFP. WikiLeaks. with the Centers for Disease Control It had been sitting off the coast Schulte had already left the CIA when WikiLeaks pub- and Prevention (CDC) said the agen- of nearby San Francisco since lished the information in March 2017, but testimony in- cy had new recommendations for Wednesday while authorities fi g- A woman with a face mask walks around the terminal as people walk through lines to reach TSA immigration dicated that investigators quickly focused on him as the people most at risk, including stock- ured out how to get people safely process at the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York yesterday morning. prime suspect. ing an excess of their routine medica- ashore without spreading the dan- But defense lawyers appeared successful, based on tions as well as drugs to treat fever. gerous virus. screening and interviews, and would be produced a week by pris- Stephanie Grisham said it was questions submitted by the jurors, in raising doubt over “Have enough household items “None of the passengers who prioritising those who require the oners, who already manufacture “business as usual” in the White whether the government had proof it was Schulte who and groceries so that you will be disembark will be released into the most acute care,” Princess cruises soap, to meet shortages. House, despite fears that the Cov- stole and transmitted the materials to WikiLeaks. prepared to stay home for a period general public,” said a statement said in a statement. The announcement came as the id-19 epidemic around the world The judge, Paul Crotty, set a new conference for both of time,” she added. from California Governor Gavin Passengers will be tested at their number of confi rmed cases in the could threaten Trump and other sides in the case for March 26, in which the government She added that, based on a study Newsom’s offi ce. onward destination to avoid de- state rose to 142, the vast major- senior offi cials. could demand a new trial. of 70,000 Chinese patients of the Fences have been put up at the lays, it added. ity of them in Westchester County, Trump says he has no plans to virus, about 15-20% developed a port, and buses and fl ights were Those who don’t require acute just north of New York City. cut back on his steady rhythm of serious illness — with the risk in- lined up to transport passengers. care will be quarantined for 14 days There have been 19 confi rmed large political rallies and he con- creasing from the age of 60 and They will go into treatment, be at US military bases. cases in the Big Apple. tinues to downplay the relative se- highest for those 80 and over. placed in quarantine, or returned Crew will remain onboard and The United States has recorded riousness of the epidemic. Led Zeppelin prevails Underlying conditions like dia- to their home countries in the case the ship will leave San Francisco at least 22 deaths from the coro- “Last year 37,000 Americans betes, heart disease and lung disease of non-US residents. Bay, the company said. navirus and 565 confi rmed cases, died from the common Flu. It av- compounded this risk even further. Local television stations yester- In New York — one of many US according to a Johns Hopkins tally. erages between 27,000 and 70,000 in copyright imbroglio People in these high risk cat- day showed tents being set up on states that have declared a state President Donald Trump’s per year. Nothing is shut down, egories should avoid close contact the Oakland quayside and a line of emergency — offi cials launched spokeswoman yesterday mean- life & the economy go on,” Trump Reuters with people who are sick, avoid of portable toilets as offi cials pre- the state’s own brand of hand sani- while denied reports that White tweeted yesterday. San Francisco crowds in poorly ventilated spaces, pared for the operation. tiser, made by jail inmates. House staff are being forced to “At this moment there are 546 and avoid all non-essential travel The US Coast Guard sent teams Governor Andrew Cuomo said restrict activities as a precaution confi rmed cases of CoronaVirus, like plane trips. “to assist with medical triage, 100,000 gallons of “NYS Clean” against the coronavirus. with 22 deaths. Think about that!” ed Zeppelin yesterday persuaded a US appeals court to reinstate a jury verdict that it did not steal the Lopening guitar riff for Stairway to Heaven from an obscure song written four years earlier. Florida encourages absentee, early voting rules amid coronavirus fears In a 9-2 decision, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant’s lorida election offi cials yesterday en- Fears of the spread of the virus have led erly people, has 19 confi rmed cases of the They also emailed local election offi cials and guitarist Jimmy Page’s 1971 rock anthem did not in- couraged absentee and early voting offi cials to cancel events and conferences virus and its Republican governor, Ron De- the recommendations from the Centers fringe Taurus, a song written by guitarist Randy Wolfe of Fin the state’s upcoming Democratic across the country, including a planned Santis, has declared a state of emergency. for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the band Spirit. presidential nominating primary, in the Saturday event by Democrats in Washing- Florida offi cials yesterday urged all resi- on how to prepare polling places amid the The case has been among the music industry’s most latest response by US election offi cials to ton state, which also votes next Tuesday. dents returning from travel outside the spread of the virus. closely watched copyright cases, potentially exposing the spreading coronavirus. Washington’s unusual vote-by-mail United States to self-quarantine for 14 The recommendations include advising Plant and Page to millions of dollars of damages. The move ahead of the state’s March 17 system limits human contact. days. poll workers to stay home if feeling sick and Wolfe, who performed as Randy California, drowned in primary came after offi cials in Michigan, So far, the top Democratic candidates State voters who have symptoms can steady cleaning of the facility throughout 1997, and the case was brought by a trustee for his estate. one of six states that votes today, told state — former vice president Joe Biden and US designate someone to pick up their absen- the day. Lawyers for the trustee and Led Zeppelin did not im- election workers to step up plans to sanitize Senator Bernie Sanders — have not called tee ballots up until election day, Laurel Lee, “The Florida Department of State is mediately respond to requests for comment. voting booths and other equipment ahead off major campaign events due to the virus. Florida’s secretary of state, wrote on Twit- aware and concerned about the pub- The trustee had argued that Stairway and Taurus had of its primary. Republican President Donald Trump has ter yesterday. lic health of Florida’s voters as it relates similar chord progressions, and that Page may have writ- Health offi cials around the world are said he would not stop holding campaign State election offi cials in Florida are en- to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) ten Stairway after hearing Taurus while Led Zeppelin and scrambling to slow the spread of the virus, rallies. couraging residents to take advantage of and the 2020 election cycle,” Mark Ard, Spirit were touring together. which has sickened more than 111,000 people Florida, the nation’s third most populous early-voting sites to avoid standing in long a spokesman for Florida’s Department of In the June 2016 jury verdict, jurors found that while globally, including 566 in the United States. state and home to a large population of eld- lines. State, said in an e-mail. Plant and Page had access to Taurus, its riff was not in- trinsically similar to the opening of Stairway.

Riding a wave of endorsements, Biden looks to end Sanders’ White House hopes

Reuters Twitter labels video retweeted by Trump as ‘manipulated’ Detroit Twitter Inc on Sunday used its with manipulated or synthetic cratic nominee to oust Republican new “manipulated media” label for media such as deepfakes or President Trump. emocratic presidential the first time on a video clip of US more manually edited videos, on The video, which had about contender Joe Biden, Democratic presidential candidate March 5. 5.8mn views on Twitter at the time Dwho is seeking to deliver Joe Biden that was retweeted by However, Twitter’s new label of writing, was also posted on a knockout blow today to rival President Donald Trump. was not showing for all users. Scavino’s Facebook page, where it Bernie Sanders as six states vote, The video, which was posted The tag was applied on Sunday had about 1mn views. received another boost yesterday on Saturday by White House afternoon, but Twitter said it The Biden campaign slammed when former presidential hope- social media director Dan Scavino, was not showing when people Facebook Inc for showing the ful Cory Booker endorsed his showed Biden stumbling on a searched for the tweet or clicked video on its platforms without campaign. speech in Kansas City, Missouri, in into it, only when it was seen in labels. The US senator from New Jer- which he said the words “Excuse timelines. “Facebook won’t say it, but it is sey, who ended his own White me. We can only re-elect Donald A Twitter spokesman said the apparent to all who have exam- House bid in January, wrote on Trump.” company was working on a fix. ined their conduct and policies: Twitter that Biden would “re- Biden’s full sentence, which was “The video was NOT manipulat- they care first and foremost about store honor to the Oval Offi ce.” cut off by the clip, was “Excuse ed,” said Scavino in a later tweet. money and, to that end, are willing Booker’s endorsement — one me. We can only re-elect Donald Social media companies are to serve as one of the world’s most day after another onetime can- Trump if in fact we get engaged under pressure to police mis- eff ective mediums for the spread didate, Senator Kamala Harris of in this circular firing squad here. leading or false information on of vile lies,” said Greg Schultz, California also backed the former It’s gotta be a positive campaign their platforms ahead of the US Biden’s campaign manager. vice president — means Biden has so join us.” presidential election in November, Facebook did not immediately picked up the backing of two black Twitter implemented its new in which Biden and Senator Bernie respond to a request for com- former presidential contenders as Democratic US presidential hopeful and former vice president Joe Biden is welcomed by Michigan policy, which labels tweets Sanders are vying to be the Demo- ment. he seeks the party’s nomination Governor Gretchen Whitmer during his campaign stop at Cherry Health clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. to take on Republican President Donald Trump this fall. number of delegates needed to sissippi, Washington state, Idaho Michigan cities of Grand Rapids candidates. The money will help that gap with an endorsement lieve the choice for working fam- Biden over the past nine days win the nomination at the party’s and North Dakota, will hold con- and Flint before holding a rally fund voter registration drives in from the Reverend Jesse Jackson. ilies is clear.” has powered to the front of the July convention. tests today. alongside Harris and Booker in eight Midwestern and Southern Jackson said the senator’s pro- Justice Democrats, another lib- contest for the Democratic nom- Sanders, a US senator from Sanders was to then return to Detroit, where the majority of the states, including Michigan, Tex- gressive agenda off ered black eral group that had remained neu- ination. Vermont, may need a victory in Michigan, where he was to join a population is African-American. as, Florida and Wisconsin. Americans the best chance to tral, endorsed Sanders on Sunday. A wave of endorsements by Michigan to recapture momen- roundtable on the coronavirus in Black voters have backed Biden Sanders, who drew huge catch up socially and economi- The Progressive Change Cam- his former rivals has made him tum after Biden showed surpris- Detroit. overwhelmingly, and propelled crowds to weekend campaign cally. paign Committee, which has the clear standard-bearer for ing strength in last week’s Super Michigan offi cials had said on him to big victories in South events across Michigan state, Yesterday, Sanders also picked supported Warren for years, has the Democratic Party’s moderate Tuesday contests. Friday they would take steps in- Carolina on February 29 and on scored a surprise upset in the up the endorsement of the liberal encouraged Michigan residents wing, while Sanders represents An opinion poll from the De- cluding having clerks repeatedly Super Tuesday. state four years ago in the Demo- Working Families Party, which to vote for Sanders but has not the party’s more liberal elements. troit Free Press published yes- sanitize voting booths to allevi- They will be crucial in Michi- cratic primary against eventual had previously backed Senator formally endorsed him. Booker and Harris were plan- terday found Biden holding a ate risks of infection spreading at gan, where they comprise almost nominee Hillary Clinton. Elizabeth Warren. Warren, who Meanwhile, Biden collected ning to campaign with Biden 24-percentage-point lead over polling places. 14% of the population. Clinton would later lose the dropped out last week, has not the backing of the International yesterday in Michigan, the big- Sanders among Democratic vot- Washington state, which has Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, historically Democratic state by a yet made an endorsement. Association of Machinists and gest prize in today’s voting. ers in Michigan. seen the largest US cluster of who ended his presidential run narrow margin to Trump. “We were lucky to have two Aerospace Workers union, which A win in the Midwestern “rust Sanders was holding a rally coronavirus, conducts its prima- last week and endorsed Biden, But Sanders still lags well be- progressive giants in this race,” represents nearly 600,000 active belt” state could give Biden yesterday in St Louis in Missouri, ry election by mail. has given $2mn to The Collective hind Biden among black voters. the party wrote on Twitter. “But and retired members in North an insurmountable lead in the which along with Michigan, Mis- Biden was making stops in the PAC, which works to elect black On Sunday, he sought to close with the fi eld narrowing, we be- America. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA

China reports no new locally transmitted coronavirus cases outside epicentre

Reuters data on Jan. 20. Of the new cases, cumulated number of cases in screening over the weekend as ing. Walt Disney Co’s Shanghai to two hours for health checks at of the collapse, 58 were in un- Beijing 36 were in Wuhan, the provin- mainland China to 80,735. While worry about imported infections Disneyland said it would partly a highway checkpoint, raising the der quarantine, the Quangzhou cial capital of Hubei, and four in the domestic spread of the virus from countries such as Italy and resume operations in a phased risk of contagion. city government said. China has Gansu province in people arriv- has signifi cantly slowed in recent Iran grew. reopening, though the main “The situation need to be fi xed called for safety inspections of all ainland China reported ing from Iran. days, authorities are mindful of China’s foreign ministry yes- theme park would stay shut. immediately!” Hu Xijin, chief in venues used for quarantine, ac- no new locally trans- Chen Yixin, secretary general risks stemming from people — terday established a 24/7 emer- The offi cial Xinhua news agency editor of the state-backed Global cording to a statement published Mmitted coronavirus of the Communist Party’s Poli- foreigners and Chinese nationals gency centre to co-ordinate called for an orderly return to Times, wrote on his offi cial Weibo by the Ministry of Emergency cases outside the epicentre of tics and Law Commission, said — travelling back to China from eff orts to limit the number of im- business, arguing against exces- account. Management on its website. The Hubei province for the second no one should drop their guard. new hotspots abroad. China’s to- ported cases. sive virus-control restrictions. As of Sunday, 58,600 patients death toll from the outbreak in day running yesterday, but a top “We must stay cautious, not be tal number of imported cases hit Chen acknowledged that while “The abnormal status, trig- had been discharged from hospi- mainland China reached 3,119 as Communist Party offi cial warned blindly optimistic and must not 67 with the four Gansu cases. the outbreak in Wuhan was im- gered by the coronavirus, has tal in China. Recently discharged of the end of Sunday, up 22 from against people dropping their have war-weariness,” Chen said. Zhong Nanshan, head of the proving, epidemics may bring aff ected us for almost 50 days patients have to go into quaran- the previous day. guard. “We should not reduce the National Health Commission’s risks to social stability. Public fa- now,” said the commentary. “The tine for 14 days. Hubei, the centre of the out- China had 40 new confi rmed vigilance against the epidemic team investigating the outbreak, cilities were nevertheless trying country’s economy, companies’ On Saturday, a small hotel break, reported 21 new deaths. In cases of coronavirus infections and the requirements of preven- said it would persist globally un- to return to normal. development, and people’s live- used to quarantine people under Wuhan city, 18 people died. as of Sunday, the National Health tion and control.” til at least June, media reported. Wuhan’s Tianhe International lihood cannot aff ord to wait any observation in Fujian province Total deaths outside mainland Commission said, down from 44 The coronavirus emerged in In China’s capital of Beijing, offi - Airport said it was training staff , longer.” collapsed, killing 12, while 20 had China have surpassed 500, with cases a day earlier, and the lowest the central province of Hubei cials have urged foreigners in the maintaining equipment and car- Yesterday, media reported an yet to be rescued. most in Italy and Iran. Cases are number since the health author- late last year. The new cases on city to avoid unnecessary travel. rying out security inspections. unusually long line of workers Of the 71 people inside the ho- increasing in other countries, in- ity started publishing nationwide Sunday brought the total ac- Shanghai stepped up airport It did not give a date for reopen- living outside the city waiting up tel in Quangzhou city at the time cluding the United States.

Singapore S Korea sees to allow ship barred by Malaysia, coronavirus Thailand to dock

‘stable phase’ AFP Singapore Reuters Officials warn against calling Seoul peak of outbreak; Death toll ingapore will allow a South Korean soldiers from a chemical corps prepare to carry out quarantine works in Daegu. cruise ship carrying outh Korean President rises by one to 51; Japan spat Sabout 2,000 people to Moon Jae-in expressed hit S Korean financial markets; dock after it was barred by Ma- Sguarded hope for the coun- laysia and Thailand over coro- try’s fi ght against the coronavi- K-pop concerts, flights to navirus fears, officials said rus yesterday, saying a downward Covid-19 cases in Philippines rise yesterday. trend in new infections could Japan cancelled The Costa Fortuna was lead to a phase of stability, but he turned away from the Thai warned that it was too early to be to 24, classes suspended in schools holiday island of Phuket and optimistic. the Malaysian state of Penang The Korea Centers for Disease in recent days, despite hav- Control and Prevention report- DPA ing no suspected virus cases ed 165 new coronavirus cases, Manila among its passengers and crew. bringing the national tally to But the ship — carrying doz- 7,478, while the death toll rose by ens of people from Italy, which one to 51. hilippine President Rodrigo has been hard hit by the virus The numbers showed the rate Duterte has declared a state — will be allowed to dock at its of increase in new infections fell Pof public health emergency home port of Singapore today to its lowest level in 11 days in and ordered yesterday that school as scheduled. one of the most severely aff ect- classes in all levels in the capi- A doctor onboard will check ed countries outside mainland tal be suspended for fi ve days, as passengers and crew before China. cases of the new coronavirus rose they disembark, and every- Moon said South Korea can to 24. one will undergo temperature enter the “phase of stability” Under the state of emergency, screenings before entering soon if it continues to reduce the all government agencies are di- Singapore, the city-state’s number of new cases. rected to “mobilise the necessary port authority and tourism “We must maintain this A South Korean soldier sprays disinfectants at an apartment complex resources to undertake critical, A worker disinfects a classroom in a high school following an order board said. trend,” he told a meeting of sen- which is under cohort isolation after mass infection of coronavirus urgent and appropriate response from a local government amid new cases of coronavirus in the The vessel, which set sail ior aides. “We’ve come this far disease reported in Daegu, South Korea, yesterday. and measures ... to curtail and country, in San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines. from Singapore on Tuesday thanks to the citizens who were eliminate the Covid-19 threat.” last week, said no passengers united and cooperated well with ported a new case, bringing the arrivals from South Korea. “The secretary of health may was necessary to further suspend tions this month. Elsewhere in were feverish or had other the government. total to eight cases among sol- The dispute, together with oil call upon the national police and classes “to keep safe the children.” Southeast Asia, Bangkok can- symptoms, they added. “But it’s too early to be op- diers, employees or people re- price swings, sent South Korean other law enforcement agencies The national capital region celled all offi cial events related to Thailand refused to let the timistic... Please be a little bit lated to the roughly 28,500 US shares and the won sharply lower to provide assistance in address- refers to metropolitan Manila, Thailand’s annual water fi ghting ship dock due to restrictions more patient and stay away from troops stationed in South Korea. and prompted the fi nance min- ing the Covid-19 threat,” read the which comprises 16 cities and one festivities due to fears of the epi- on people with recent travel mass gatherings such as religious South Korea started rationing istry to issue a verbal warning emergency declaration, which town with a total population of demic. history to Italy, while Malaysia events.” surgical masks yesterday after against disorderly market move- was signed on Sunday and made nearly 13mn people. Songkran, the biggest holiday has barred all cruise ships from Health authorities say the imposing an export ban amid ment. A series of K-pop concerts public yesterday. Duterte said the The fi rst local case of trans- on the Thai calendar, is celebrated the country’s ports because of number of new infections being panic buying. planned in Japan has been called number of confi rmed coronavirus mission in the Philippines was by nationwide water fi ghts that coronavirus fears. identifi ed has dwindled as most Dozens of people were seen off or postponed, including by cases in the Philippines rose to reported on Friday. The patient is foreign tourists delight in taking Italy has been hard hit by the of the roughly 200,000 follow- lining up outside pharmacies Super Junior, Stray Kids and CJ 24 as more infections were con- a 62-year-old man with no travel part in. Thailand has reported 50 virus with 366 fatalities – the ers of a fringe Christian church across the country. Mutual travel ENM which had planned a major fi rmed since the weekend. history. coronavirus cases, 33 have been most deaths from the disease at the centre of the epidemic in restrictions imposed by South annual festival featuring TWICE “It is the consensus that school His 59-year-old wife has also discharged from hospital while of any country outside China, the hard-hit southeastern city Korea and Japan also took eff ect, and IZ*ONE. classes in all levels will be sus- tested positive for the new coro- 16 others are still receiving treat- where the outbreak began in of Daegu have now been tested. an issue that rekindled a diplo- Korean Air, which had previ- pended in the national capital navirus. Three towns in nearby ment. One person who tested December. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun matic and economic feud be- ously operated 17 fl ights to Japan, region beginning (Tuesday) and it Rizal province, just east of Ma- positive died. Singapore last week banned also said at a separate meeting tween the old foes. said it had stopped all but one will end March 14,” he told a late- nila, also suspended school class- Indonesia announced 13 new visitors with recent travel his- that he was still extremely cau- South Korea suspended visas between Seoul and Tokyo, while night televised press conference es, while education authorities infections, bringing the number tory to northern Italy. Officials tious but “there’s hope we can and visa waivers for Japan on Asiana Airlines halted all of its 11 after meeting with an inter-agen- indefi nitely postponed an annual of confi rmed cases to 19. Malaysia said all passengers on the Costa reach a turning point in the near Friday, after Tokyo announced Japanese routes for the fi rst time cy task force on the coronavirus sports event for elementary and saw 18 more yesterday, raising the Fortuna had completed neces- future”. travel restrictions, joining more since it started fl ying to Japan 30 threat. The task force will meet high school students in May, as total to 117. In Singapore, the total sary checks related to the virus US Forces Korea (USFK) re- than 100 other countries limiting years ago, company offi cials said. again after Saturday to discuss if it well as other regional competi- stands at 160 after 10 new cases. before the start of the cruise. N Korea fi res three projectiles into sea Two Sydney schools close as

Reuters the eastern sea and a detailed Seoul analysis was being conducted. virus cases in Australia jump China’s foreign ministry called for all sides to use dialogue and orth Korea launched show flexibility, saying the sit- Reuters who might have had contact corded a jump in the number multiple short-range uation was “complex and sen- Sydney with the confirmed cases,” of cases after two people who Nprojectiles into the sea sitive”. New South Wales minister for recently travelled to the United yesterday as part of fi ring drills, “We also urge parties to make health Brad Hazzard told me- States and one who returned according to South Korea’s mili- positive eff orts to calm the situ- wo Sydney high schools dia yesterday. from Iran were diagnosed with tary, drawing US and Chinese ation for talks to continue, and to closed yesterday after The announcements come Covis-19. appeals for Pyongyang to return realise the denuclearisation and Tthree students tested only days after another high “This is a public health to talks on ending its nuclear and lasting peace in this region and positive for Covid-19 as health school in Sydney shut down emergency of an unprecedent- missile programmes. the peninsula,” spokesman Geng authorities ramped up prepa- when a 16-year-old student ed nature that our nation and Launched a week after North Shuang told a briefi ng. rations for a larger outbreak tested positive. that the entire global commu- Korea resumed missile tests fol- The South Korean JCS ex- with the number of infections Epping Boys High School nity is facing,” Victorian Health lowing a three-month break, pressed “strong regret” at the in Australia exceeding 80. reopened yesterday though Minister Jenny Mikakos told a the projectiles, including from a launches and South Korea’s St Patrick’s Marist College nearly 70 students and staff televised briefi ng. multiple-launch rocket system presidential Blue House called Dundas in the city’s northwest who had close contact with the “We do anticipate that this (MLRS), fl ew up to 200km and the drills “unhelpful” for Korean will remain shut today after infected student remained in likely pandemic will have sig- reached 50km in altitude, South A man watches a television news broadcast showing file footage peninsula peace eff orts. two year-10 students were self-isolation. nifi cant impacts on our health Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, at a railway station in Seoul. Japanese Defence Minister diagnosed with coronavirus. Globally, the coronavirus system. This has been my ab- said. Nuclear-armed North Korea yesterday fired what Japan said Taro Kono said the projectiles Willoughby Girls High School has killed about 3,600 and in- solute focus, making sure that Hopes were raised for dialogue appeared to be ballistic missiles, a week after a similar weapons appeared to be ballistic missiles in north Sydney also closed fected 107,000 as the outbreak our system is prepared to re- when North Korean leader Kim test by Pyongyang. and did not fall into Japan’s ex- from Monday after a year-7 reached more countries and spond.” Jong-un met US President Don- clusive economic zone. Britain, pupil tested positive. caused hefty economic car- Chief Medical Offi cer ald Trump for a historic summit spokeswoman said: “We contin- tiations to do its part to achieve Germany, France, Estonia and “Obviously, when you have nage and stock market losses, Brendan Murphy told reporters in Singapore in June 2018. But ue to call on North Korea to avoid complete denuclearisation.” Belgium raised North Korea’s new cases at a school, it’s prompting central banks to in Melbourne the vast major- no signifi cant progress has been provocations, abide by obliga- A US official, who spoke recent launches at the UN Secu- cause for concern, because ease monetary policies. ity of cases in Australia were made despite two more meetings tions under UN Security Coun- on condition of anonymity, rity Council on Thursday, calling we want to make sure that we Three people have died in return travellers, with only one between the leaders. cil Resolutions, and return to said North Korea had fired at them provocative actions that move as quickly as possible Australia. instance of community trans- A US State Department sustained and substantive nego- least three projectiles towards violated UN resolutions. to require isolation of others The state of Victoria also re- mission. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 11

BRITAIN/IRELAND Migrants being smuggled into country for as little as £2,000

Daily Mail and people smugglers cash in on Northern Ireland. Kurtaj, who has footage of a Kurtaj explained that his role book conversation he insisted on ceptable and a massive concern London those fl eeing their homelands. MPs branded the fi ndings zombie knife and gun on his Insta- was helping arrange the fake Ital- a video call so he could see the to the British people. He is com- One traffi cker told the Daily ‘shocking’ and demanded action gram page, warned the undercover ian IDs, which cost between £420 undercover reporter’s face and lo- pletely brazen – advertising on Fa- Mail he could arrange for a migrant to stop traffi cking gangs ‘brazenly’ reporter: “This conversation has to to £670, and are made by forgers in cation. However, he kept his own cebook shows he doesn’t fear the uman traffi ckers are ex- to come to London from Albania exploiting the route into the UK. be between us.” Albania. face hidden. consequences.” ploiting a back-door route for just £2,000. Kurtaj touts for business on a He also said traffi ckers have “I will send one of my people But he later agreed to meet DUP MP Ian Paisley said the Hinto Britain that makes it British-based Albanian Kledjan Facebook page and, when asked started using a route for women in Tirana to meet you,” he said. reporters posing as relatives of UK should put pressure on the ‘easy-peasy’ to get into the coun- Kurtaj, 20, helps organise fake IDs whether it would be possible to get and teenagers to fl y from France “You only have to give them three would-be customers in a busy Irish authorities. “We can’t stop try. and fl ights via a European capital to Britain, said it would be ‘easy- to Luton, because “nobody asks photos for ID, in a letter write the London street. When confront- the problem if they don’t close the Operating from the UK, they ar- such as Dublin or Paris. peasy.’ He added: “I do Italian ID in many questions”. colour of your eyes and how tall are ed, he denied all knowledge of door,” he said. range for illegal migrants to come He boasted he could get mi- Tirana (the Albanian capital).” “The main problem is passing you. At the same time, you have to the Facebook conversations and Irish sources told the Irish Inde- here via European airports and grants false European ID cards He said that after fl ying to Ber- Albanian passport controls. After give them the money. Then, after switched off his phone. pendent newspaper last year that boast that it is as simple as opening in Albania, before fl ying them gamo airport in Italy and then on to you’ve left Albania, the rest of the one to three days, the ID will be Tory MP Philip Davies said: 10 Albanians a day were arriving a front door. to Italy and then on to Dublin, Ireland, “they get into a taxi from journey will all be good”’ he said. ready. When you are ready, just “This is shocking and exposes with false identify documents, The shocking expose comes as a where a taxi could take them Dublin to Britain and that will cost “Girls pass like opening the door of write to me.” clear weakness and loopholes in most travelling on fl ights from new migrant crisis sweeps Europe over the unmanned border into you £2,000”. a house.” At one point during the Face- our system. It is completely unac- other EU countries. Fishery owner who shot otter dead jailed for two months

Daily Mail Hill said: “They thought it was London being caught to be relocated but when the defendant arrived he was carrying a rifl e. He pulled fi shery owner who shot the bolt back on the rifl e, put it an otter has been jailed in to the back of the otter’s head Athe fi rst prosecution of its and pulled the trigger. The otter kind in the UK. seemed to thrash a few times and Stuart Jones killed the heavily then it was dead.” protected Eurasian otter with a Webb described the act as rifl e. “barbaric and inhumane”. The 54-year-old – who owned The court heard otters have Lyons Gate Caravan Park and a limited impact on the fi shing Fishery in Dorset – set traps population within this environ- for otters which were empty- ment and were actually a positive ing his lakes of carp worth up to feature as they demonstrate good Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (left) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (second right) follow Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, as they £40,000 each. quality water for fi sh. depart Westminster Abbey after attending the annual Commonwealth Service in London yesterday. His ‘barbaric’ act was wit- Hill added: “If people were to nessed by shocked fi shermen and behave in the way this defend- they reported him to the authori- ant has, the impact on the otter ties. population as a whole would be Jones was prosecuted for kill- devastating. That’s why they are ing a wild protected animal un- a protected species.” der the Conservation of Habitats The court heard that Jones had and Species Regulations 2017 also set up traps to drown otters. and for setting a trap for a pro- He pleaded guilty to two tected animal under the Wildlife counts of killing and setting up Harry and Meghan and Countryside Act 1981. traps for a protected species. He was jailed for two months He had run the fi shery for 17 by a judge at Bournemouth years but recently sold the busi- Crown Court. The founder of ness. Jamie Porter, defending, the UK Wild Otter Trust Dave said: “He had a lot of otters on the Webb said that it was the first site at that time, at least three, case of its kind in the UK and and wasn’t thinking clearly when he was ‘over the moon’ with the he took the action he took. wave royal goodbye outcome. “He badly misjudged his audi- Otters were on the verge of ence and as a consequence fi nds AFP as they briefl y spoke with dig- from the royal limelight. fi nal fl urry of engagements. 1968 helped pave the way for the extinction in Britain in the late himself here today.” London nitaries, before the arrival of the Harry and Meghan rocked the The couple received a standing 1970 Equal Pay Act. 1950s and early 1960s because of Judge Stephen Climie sen- Queen. monarchy with their announce- ovation as they took their seats at “No matter what colour you pollution and habitat loss. tenced Jones to two months in They appeared to mouth “hel- ment in January that they want- an evening of military band music are, no matter what gender you They were successfully re- prison. rince Harry and his wife lo” to Harry’s brother William and ed to break free from the con- at London’s Royal Albert Hall on are, you have a voice and you introduced by conservationists He said: “You planned the de- Meghan bowed out as sen- his wife Kate as they took their straints of royalty, and will no Saturday. certainly have the right to speak in the 1980s but Eurasian otters mise of this otter and had set up Pior royals yesterday, joining seats, despite rumours of a rift be- longer represent the monarch And Meghan drew shrieks of up for what is right,” she told the are now classed as near threat- your own makeshift traps. You Queen Elizabeth II for a Com- tween the siblings. as they pursue a new, fi nancially delight from school children in children. ened. were aware that it was illegal to monwealth Day ceremony in The couple, who unlike last independent life based in Cana- Dagenham, east of London, when Harry is the youngest son of Since their reintroduction, ot- trap and/or kill this species but London before setting off on their year were not part of the mon- da. They complained about me- she made an unannounced visit the Queen’s eldest son and heir, ters have been blamed for the loss you continued with the plan you own. arch’s procession, watched on as dia intrusion — a long-running on Friday. Prince Charles. of thousands of pounds worth of had. The Duke and Duchess of Sus- singer Alexandra Burke performed issue for Harry, who watched “She really is beautiful, innit?” Despite stepping back from fi sh such as carp and barbel. “You went with one clear in- sex were cheered as they joined and boxer Anthony Joshua gave a how photographers pursued his head boy Aker Okoye, 16, told the the royal frontline, the 35-year- The court heard that Jones tention in mind to kill that otter.” other members of the royal fam- speech about the “shared vision” mother Diana until her death in audience after the duchess asked old will remain sixth in line to the found the creatures a “nuisance” Judge Climie also said he could ily at Westminster Abbey in their of the Commonwealth commu- a Paris car crash in 1997. him up on stage and he greeted her throne. and had “planned their demise”. not suspend the sentence be- fi nal public engagement before nity. Their decision to leave with a kiss on the cheek. But from the end of this month, Victoria Hill, prosecuting, said cause “the point has to be made” stepping back from their roles on They chatted with choirboys on prompted anger and dismay In a visit to mark International he and his wife will no longer use fi shermen at the lakes in July last and Jones had deliberately at- March 31. the way out of the famous central among many royal fans in Britain, Women’s Day, Meghan paid trib- the “royal highness” style or use year caught the otter in a net and tempted to avoid the law which Meghan, wearing an emerald London church, before heading but both Harry and Meghan have ute to the women whose strike at public funds, except for their se- alerted Jones. had been in place since 1981. green dress and hat, joined Harry into their car and disappearing received a warm welcome in their the nearby Ford Motor Plant in curity.

Whirlpool could face Salmond trial over court over washer fi res

Daily Mail back as November 2016. assault charges begins And the fi rm told investors on London October 23 that it would be set- AFP were chosen, sworn in and told by the jury in court prejudicing the ting aside £80mn to deal with Edinburgh judge Leeona Dorrian they had to trial. hirlpool could face a the problem. It took a further be impartial during the trial. Salmond himself could be called criminal prosecution eight weeks to issue the recall in She told them the accused was to give evidence, although he is Wover washing machine Britain. cotland’s former fi rst min- a “very well-known fi gure” but under no obligation to do so, as the blazes that led to a mass recall. The recall came after reports ister Alex Salmond went on urged them to decide the case burden of proof is on the prosecu- The US manufacturer issued of blazes caused by fl aws in a Strial yesterday accused of a based on the evidence heard in tion to prove its case beyond rea- an alert just before Christmas door-locking system which can string of sexual off ences against court. sonable doubt. over more than half a million overheat and catch fi re when the 10 women, including an attempt- The prosecution alleges in the Unlike in England and Wales, Hotpoint and Indesit appliances machine’s heating element is ed rape at his offi cial residence in indictment that the off ences were which has a separate legal system, that are at risk of catching fi re. activated. 2014. committed at various locations there are three possible verdicts: Now the government regula- The problems aff ect products The 65-year-old, wearing a across Scotland between June guilty, not guilty and not proven, tor has refused to release infor- from Whirlpool brands Hotpoint dark suit, said nothing to waiting 2008 and November 2014. which has the same status in law mation about its correspond- and Indesit sold in the UK be- reporters as he arrived at the high The most serious allegation as an acquittal. ence with the company’s bosses tween October 2014 and Febru- court in Edinburgh for the case, of attempted rape is said to have The jury’s decision does not ahead of the recall because do- ary 2018. which has been scheduled to last happened in June 2014 at the fi rst need to be unanimous. ing so could jeopardise ‘poten- A freedom of information re- four weeks. minister’s offi cial Bute House resi- A majority verdict needs only tial future criminal proceedings’ quest to the Offi ce for Product Salmond, who led the devolved dence in the Scottish capital. eight of the 15 jurors to agree. which may follow its ‘ongoing Safety and Standards (OPSS) government in Edinburgh from The woman, who claimed Sal- At the end of the prosecution investigation’. asked for any correspondence 2007 to 2014, faces two counts of mond attacked her at Bute House evidence, the defence can also ar- The company faces claims of between the government regu- indecent assault, 10 of sexual as- on two separate occasions in May gue there is no case to answer and putting lives and property at risk lator and Whirlpool about safety sault, an attempted rape and a and June 2014, began giving evi- that the evidence is not strong by delaying a warning to British concerns over Indesit and Hot- sexual assault with intent to rape, dence and said she felt “embar- enough to put before the jury. customers about the fi re-risk point washing machines and the according to the indictment. rassed and humiliated” by what Should the judge agree, the ac- washing machines. When it is- product recall between October Salmond has denied the charges happened. cused can be acquitted. sued its safety alert on Decem- 22 and December 17 last year. and yesterday his legal team sub- Under Scots law, none of the 10 Salmond, who is married and ber 18 last year it said it had only But the OPSS declined, with mitted special defences to the alleged victims can be identifi ed. a former economist at the Royal become aware of the issue in the one reason being that the infor- court of consent and alibi. Strict media reporting restric- Bank of Scotland, took over the previous few weeks. mation was held for the investi- On the fi rst day of the hearing, tions are in place to prevent in- leadership of the Scottish National Former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond arrives at the high However, there have been 79 gation it was conducting which a jury of nine women and six men formation not presented before Party (SNP) in 1990. court in Edinburgh, Scotland, yesterday. fi res and 10 injuries dating as far may lead to criminal proceedings. Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 BRITAIN MoD ‘pressured regulators to delay drone safety warnings’

Guardian News and Media was being fl own from north Da- commercial jets, private planes ings over the Protector fl ight to than £1.1bn to buy a 16-strong in July 2018. The fi rm displayed but the MoD has blocked this due London kota to a military base in Glouces- and gliders in British airspace are Gloucestershire, which took place squadron of Protector drones that the drone at a huge airshow where to concerns about the potential tershire. given 60 days’ notice to stay clear in the summer of 2018 and was will be able to fl y for twice as long more than 100,000 spectators for ‘anti (military) drone’ pro- The drone, named “Protector”, of specifi c blocks of airspace, the fi rst time a drone had made as the Reapers they are replacing. viewed hundreds of military air- tests hampering the arrival at he ministry of defence will be able to attack targets in known as temporary danger areas, a transatlantic journey through They are scheduled to start oper- craft from around the world. Fairford if the fl ight is publicised put pressure on regulators many parts of the world with pre- to avoid mid-air crashes. British civilian airspace, the higher ating by 2024 from a Lincolnshire E-mails released under the too early.” Tto delay safety warnings cision missiles and laser-guided However, the documents reveal the risk of other planes crashing airbase. The MoD is buying the Freedom of Information Act have The offi cial said “clearly there is about a new drone it planned to bombs. With a wingspan of 24 me- that the defence ministry wanted into the drone. drones from the US arms manu- revealed the row between the a confl ict between the MoD’s con- fl y over British skies to avoid tip- tres, it can remain airborne for up regulators to give only six days’ They complained that they had facturer General Atomics and MoD and the Civil Aviation Au- cerns” and that the CAA needed ping off protesters, according to to 40 hours with a maximum speed warning to the public. The min- received “huge” pushback from chose to call it Protector in con- thority, which is responsible for to warn others that designated offi cial documents obtained by the of 240mph. It will replace the cur- istry wanted to prevent protesters the MoD to delay as long as pos- trast to the previous American aviation safety in the UK. blocks of airspace had to be closed Guardian. rent generation of drones, known organising a demonstration about sible, despite the danger to gliders model, named Predator. A month before the scheduled off . They reveal how the ministry as Reapers, which are not permit- the drone, according to the docu- holding a competition close to the General Atomics fl ew one of the July 11 fl ight, a CAA offi cial wrote On June 19, a CAA offi cial wrote was embroiled in a behind-the- ted to fl y over Britain because of ments. route that the Protector drone was new drones to an airbase in Fair- to a colleague: “General Atomics there was an MoD worry about an- scenes row with safety regulators safety issues. Regulators said that the longer scheduled to take. ford, Gloucestershire from its test had wished to issue a press re- ti-drone protesters “hindering this over the US-built drone, which Normally civilian pilots fl ying the delay in issuing the warn- The MoD is spending more centre in north Dakota in the US lease last week or early this week fl ight or causing a scene”.

Probe into website Fifth person dies off ering virus ‘cure’ after contracting

AFP London coronavirus as ritish offi cials yesterday said they had opened a Bprobe into an illegal web- site claiming to sell a cure for the novel coronavirus, which came to light during an AFP fact- cases rise to 319 checking investigation. AFP reporters in Lagos discov- Reuters source for the disinformation. caused by coronavirus. ered the UK-registered site while London But he said preventing the de- It has even been suggested that examining a WhatsApp message liberate or inadvertent spread of the army could be asked to pro- spreading around Nigeria with false information was a “top pri- vide extra drivers and vehicles. the claim that an anti-malaria fi fth person in the UK has ority”, after several days of panic Tesco’s strict rationing is drug could heal Covid-19 — the died after contracting buying in supermarkets. likely to be followed by big ri- disease caused by the new coro- Acoronavirus, the health The government will have vals such as Asda, Sainsbury’s, navirus. service said. “We can confi rm “regular engagement” with social Morrisons, Ocado and Wait- Britain’s Medicines and that sadly, a patient in their sev- media platforms to monitor and rose. Shoppers are increasingly Healthcare products Regulatory enties who was very unwell with limit and its spread, he added. choosing to stay at home and or- Agency (MHRA) confi rmed the a number of signifi cant and long Hancock added he was confi - der online after shelves at stores website was not an offi cially li- term health conditions has passed dent Britain’s food supply would and supermarkets around the censed supplier for the drug. away at St Helier Hospital,” said not be interrupted by coronavirus country were cleared of certain “This website is now under in- Daniel Elkeles, chief executive for even in the government’s reason- products. vestigation by the MHRA,” it said Epsom and St Helier University able worst-case scenario. A snapshot survey by the Daily in a written statement to AFP. Hospitals NHS Trust in a state- “We are confi dent that food Mail newspaper found most of In the two-minute WhatsApp ment. supply will continue even in our these big fi rms did not have deliv- voice message, an unidenti- “They had tested positive for reasonable worst-case scenario. ery slots to an address in London fi ed sender alleges that Chinese Covid-19,” Elkeles said. “Our “We have been talking to the until Thursday. The earliest slot and French doctors recom- thoughts and condolences remain supermarkets for some time for one grocer was 11 days away, mend taking 500mg of chloro- with the patient’s family and about this scenario,” he told par- on March 19. quine phosphate for eight days loved ones at this diffi cult time.” liament. Thousands of shoppers de- to “overpower the coronavirus”. “Here in the UK, as of this Earlier panic buying forced scended on supermarkets over the The man, speaking English in a morning, there were 319 con- Britain’s biggest supermarket to weekend and cleared shelves of Nigerian accent, urges people to fi rmed cases, very sadly this now ration tinned peas and other veg- canned and packet foods, pasta, “rush to any pharmacy” and buy includes fi ve confi rmed deaths,” etables for online shoppers. rice, toilet paper, soap, antibacte- the drug. Health Minister Matt Hancock The restrictions at Tesco had rial wipes and disinfectant. The message featured a pic- said yesterday in a statement to previously only applied to clean- Customers reported that some ture of a box of chloroquine parliament. ing products. Stores in some ar- outlets of Costco and Aldi were phosphate tablets. Meanwhile, the government eas are so overwhelmed by online rationing the number of packs of AFP tracked the image to has set up a specialist unit to orders that they have no delivery toilet rolls customers could buy. www.coronavirusmedication. combat the spread of disinforma- slots for 11 days. Responding to reports of peo- co.uk, which sells packs of the tion about the novel coronavirus Most stores ran out of hand ple panic buying in supermarkets, drug for £79.99. Further in- outbreak, offi cials said. sanitisers – or imposed ration- Prime Minister Boris Johnson vestigations revealed that the The culture department said ing on such items – a week ago, said: “We’ve had no advice from site was registered in the UK on teams had been brought together but the list of restricted goods has the scientifi c advisers or medical February 28 — around the same to provide a fuller picture of the now grown to cover basic foods. offi cers that there’s any need for time that the WhatsApp mes- potential extent, scope and im- Rationed items listed on the people to buy stuff in. sage started to spread across pact of the issue. Tesco website include most “We will make sure we give the Nigeria. “The aim is, where necessary, tinned vegetables, long-life UHT NHS the investment it needs to The website bills itself as be- to identify and respond to disin- milk, dried pasta, hand sanitis- cope with this crisis.” longing to an organisation called formation related to Covid-19,” it ers, anti-bacterial wipes and even A government source said: Viral Medications UK, but there added in a statement. bottled water. “A couple of measures raised by is no further online trace of the Prime Minister Boris Johnson It imposes a limit of fi ve of each retailers that could help allevi- alleged group. yesterday chaired an emergency item per order. Some tinned prod- ate any pressures were removing The MRHA warned it would committee with scientifi c ex- ucts, such as green beans, have curfews for delivery vehicles, and act against “those who act with perts, with more stringent meas- sold out online in certain regions. government sharing data of ar- no regard to public health”. ures to delay the spread of the vi- Supermarkets are not thought eas where we have identifi ed there “The illegal supply of medi- rus expected. to have the vehicles and driv- may be hotspots of coronavirus so cines is a criminal off ence,” the Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a news conference on coronavirus at Downing Street in London, Culture Minister Oliver Dow- ers to cope with soaring demand that they can ensure food stocks agency said. Britain, yesterday. den did not identify any specifi c from all those in home quarantine are moved accordingly.” Firm ‘misled’ architects Top pooch Legal loophole lets rash drivers go free

Daily Mail The 66 points held by the about Grenfell insulation worst off ender relate to 11 of- London fences where he failed to pro- Guardian news and Media rial by the cladding subcontrac- “The fi re hasn’t got a tape meas- vide information relating to the London tor Harley Facades. ure and if it starts at the ground rivers with dozens of pen- driver’s identity. Seven drivers The marketing sheet that fl oor it will love to race up.” alty points are staying on have 36 points on their licence, Crawford saw for the new prod- Crawford also highlighted the Dthe road due to a legal 17 drivers have 30 points, and 13 he fi rm that made the uct said it was “acceptable for responsibility of Exova, a fi rm loophole. drivers have 27 points but all are combustible insula- use in buildings above 18m in of fi re engineers that he said he One man with 66 points on his still on the road. Ttion installed on Grenfell height” and had passed a full- trusted “for all things fi re-relat- licence has avoided a ban, as have Building up 12 or more pen- Tower deliberately misled archi- scale fi re test. However, it also ed”. He said he relied on Exova a further two men with 60 points. alty points within three years can tects about its safety as if selling said the test was carried out with and it was “fairly emphatic” that The next-worst off enders – all disqualify you from driving. horsemeat as beef, the public in- cladding panels less combustible the new insulation was appropri- of them women – have kept their Points stay on your licence for quiry into the disaster has heard. than the plastic-fi lled materials ate to use”. licences despite having between between four and 11 years de- Neil Crawford, the lead de- proposed for Grenfell. However, the inquiry heard 48 and 59 points each. pending on the severity of the signer for the architects Studio “They calculatedly sought that Studio E almost sacked Exo- Amassing 12 or more points off ence. E, alleged Celotex “calculatedly to deceive based on the under- va in 2012 for failing to adequate- usually results in an instant ban Road safety charity Brake has sought to deceive” in the way it standing that the average archi- ly scrutinise early proposals and but these drivers are among more called for an urgent review of the described the attributes of its tect could have with the way they it never delivered a promised than 10,000 making a ‘mockery’ ‘exceptional hardship’ loophole. foam insulation. “It’s masquer- worded this document,” Craw- analysis of whether the cladding of the system, critics say. A spokesman said: “If driv- ading horse meat as beef lasagne ford said. system was safe. Many are exploiting a loophole ers who rack up 12 points aren’t – and people bought it,” he said. The Celotex RS5000 insula- In 2012, Exova was advising whereby magistrates can use banned, it makes a mockery of Crawford made the allegation tion used on Grenfell burned on Grenfell and the construction discretion to allow an off ender to the system.” while under cross-examination during the fi re, which spread of the neighbouring Kensington stay on the road if they believe it There is no strict defi nition for by the inquiry about why Gren- through the cladding system. Aldridge Academy school and would cause ‘exceptional hard- exceptional hardship, which is fell Tower was wrapped in com- Celotex executives have yet to leisure centre. Studio E com- ship’ to revoke their licence. judged on a case-by-case basis, bustible materials that spread give oral evidence but the in- plained it had failed to commit Winner of Best in Show, the Wire Haired Dachshund, Maisie is This has helped 10,589 motor- but it could cover caring for a sick the fi re on June 14, 2017, that quiry has already seen an e-mail to fi re strategies for the build- seen next to the trophy at the presentation event on the final ists to stay on the roads, accord- relative who relies on someone to killed 72 people. in which a Celotex executive said ings, the designs had not had day of the Crufts dog show at the National Exhibition Centre in ing to fi gures obtained by the drive them around. John Bache, While not a fully qualifi ed ar- it was “clearly wrong” to think adequate scrutiny, and Exova had Birmingham, central England. Crufts is one of the largest dog Daily Mail. Of these, 1,792 are of the Magistrates’ Association, chitect, Crawford was oversee- combustible insulation could be provided “no concrete input by events in the the world, with thousands of dogs competing for women while 8,797 are men – al- said: “The process for establish- ing the design when an explicitly used on buildings of any height. way of drawing markups or draft the coveted title of ‘Best in Show’. most fi ve times as many. Speed- ing exceptional hardship is ro- fi re-retardant insulation was re- Rob Warren, the head of tech- reports to support the developing ing in a 30mph zone is the most bust and magistrates scrutinise placed with a combustible mate- nical at Celotex in Ipswich, said: designs”. common off ence committed. each case very carefully.” Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 13 EUROPE Six die amid virus panic Sydow: his career spanned seven decades. Screen in prisons across Italy legend DPA ing the prison’s infi rmary, but surrounded the building. Rome this had yet to be confi rmed by Two prison guards were autopsies. briefl y taken hostage by inmates Max von Another serious situation was in Pavia, near Milan, on Sun- talian authorities were reported in Foggia, in the south- day, and other violent protests, struggling yesterday to re- east, where dozens of prisoners sometimes leading to fi res, were Sydow Istore order in prisons up and managed to escape, according to reported in Rome, Naples, Turin, down the country after coro- prison police union representa- Prato and elsewhere. navirus-related riots led to six tives. The government decree that dies at 90 inmates’ deaths and dozens of “The situation is catastroph- sparked the prisoners’ riots, escapes. ic, in Foggia 50 inmates have es- which was approved on the Prison inmates are concerned caped,” weekend, ordered the suspen- AFP about contagion risks within the Aldo Di Giacomo of the Spp sion of outside visits, except for Paris jails, and are angry at a recent trade union told the Adnkronos “exceptional cases”. government decision to restrict news agency. It made provisions for pris- outside visits as part of a na- Quoting union sources, Adnk- oners to be allowed to talk to wedish-born actor Max tional outbreak containment ronos reported later that about friends and relatives via phone von Sydow, whose seven- strategy. 20 remained at large, while the or video link, but also called for Sdecade career saw him go The six dead are inmates from others were caught by police or restrictions in permits allowing from starring in iconic art-house Modena prison, where protests turned themselves in. some convicts to leave prison movies by Ingmar Bergman to broke out on Sunday. Justice Minister Alfredo Bon- during the day. appearing in English-language Modena is one of the prov- afede was summoned by the Susanna Marietti from An- Inmates stage a protest on a hits including The Exorcist and inces of northern Italy which is Senate to give explanations tigone, a prisoners’ rights asso- rooftop of a wing at Milan’s San Pope receives guests ... from a distance Game of Thrones, has died in under lockdown. about the situation. ciation, told DPA that sports and Vittore prison, in one of Italy’s France aged 90, his family said. Three inmates died inside the He is scheduled to brief the cultural activities inside prisons quarantine red zones. Pope Francis, who complained of feeling “caged” while addressing the “It is with a broken heart and institution, while another three chamber at 5pm (1600 GMT) to- were also suspended. faithful by livestream because of the new coronavirus, received 30 with infi nite sadness that we passed away after being trans- morrow. Prisoners were not prop- dent Patrizio Gonnella called French bishops yesterday – at a healthy distance. have the extreme pain of an- ferred to other jails, the head The fi rst prison riots took erly informed, she said, fuelling on inmates to stop rioting, and Pictures released by the Vatican showed the bishops seated in arm- nouncing the departure of Max of the prison service Francesco place on Saturday in Salerno, panic. urged authorities to allow more chairs spaced 1m apart, in keeping with government regulations aimed von Sydow” on Sunday, said a Basentini told RAI public televi- and have since spread nation- “If people outside [prisons] convicts to serve their sentences at fighting an illness that has killed 366 people in Italy in just over two statement sent to AFP. sion. wide. are scared [about the coronavi- under house arrest, rather than weeks. Von Sydow took French citi- RAI said four other prisoners According to the Spp union, rus], imagine what it’s like in- in jail. All were kept a good distance away from the 83-year-old Pontiff , who zenship in 2002 and renounced are in a critical state in hospital, protests have taken place in a to- side,” she said. On the other hand, far-right addressed the 30 bishops, a prelate from Peru, and two foreign ambas- his Swedish nationality, but re- while three prison guards and tal of 27 prisons. Italy is facing the worst out- opposition leader Matteo Sal- sadors to the Holy See, by microphone. mains fondly remembered in his seven prison infi rmary staff were In central Milan, inmates break of the virus in Europe. vini called for an “iron-fi st” But everyone still shook hands, a participant said. homeland. lightly-injured. climbed on the roof of the San On Sunday the country re- response and spoke against any “After 2.40 (hours) non-stop with Pope Francis, I can assure you that he With chiselled features and According to Uilpa, a prison Vittore prison and hang banners ported 7,375 coronavirus cases, concession towards inmates, in- is in great shape,” Francois Jacolin, the bishop of Lucon, said on Twitter. piercing blue eyes, Von Sydow police union, the inmates died of calling for “freedom” and “am- including 366 fatalities. cluding switches from custody The Argentine-born Pope has been out with a cold for more than a became a recognisable face dur- methadone overdose after raid- nesty” while anti-riot police On Facebook, Antigone Presi- to house arrest. week, cancelling many of his public appearances. ing a career that mixed genres Although he had a part of a lung removed when he was young, the Pope and languages and saw him play has enjoyed a life of good health and follows a rigorous schedule. vulnerable heroes and evil vil- His unusual absence during the coronavirus scare prompted immediate lains. speculation that he had contracted Covid-19. “He was one of the world’s All EU states now hit with coronavirus cases A newspaper reported last week that the Pope had been tested for the greatest actors,” said the former virus and came out clean, although the Vatican never confirmed it. president of the Cannes fi lm On Sunday, obeying instruction from the Italian government, the Pope festival Gilles Jacob. “He could Reuters/AFP old man who had returned from thorities on Sunday. es reported that the 64-year-old delivered his traditional Angelus Prayer and message to the world’s play troubling roles but Max had Athens/Nicosia northern Italy and the second, “This does complicate eff orts was a doctor who worked in the 1.3bn Catholics by livestream instead of from his window facing Saint a delicacy and a humanity that the health professional, is a by the ministry on the tracing heart surgery ward of Nico- Peter’s Square. were so moving.” 64-year-old who returned from we need to do on the contacts sia general hospital, the largest The measure was designed to keep the crowds down and the risk of In 1973, he became part of yprus reported yesterday Britain on March 3. he had over the past fi ve days,” public health facility on the is- contagion low. horror movie history in The its fi rst two confi rmed Health Minister Constanti- he said. land. But the Pope still took a peek out the window and waved after he was Exorcist where he portrayed a Ccases of coronavirus, nos Ioannou said: “Two of ... 50 Ioannou urged anyone who Authorities said they were done, drawing a cheer from a few faithful who had still turned out to priest trying to rid a possessed including a public health pro- samples were positive, so these has travelled to a country with working closely with the health watch his appearance on a giant screen. young girl of her literal demons, fessional who had contact with are the fi rst cases of the coro- a coronavirus outbreak and has professional to trace patients, “It is a little strange, this Angelus Prayer today, with a pope in a cage in shouting the iconic line: “The medical patients before he re- navirus in Cyprus ... there is no symptoms of the disease to self- family members and other a library,” Pope Francis remarked on Sunday. “But I see you – I am close power of Christ compels you.” ported his symptoms to authori- need to panic.” isolate. health professionals he may to you.” More recently, von Sydow ap- ties. However, he said it is “regret- The health professional works have been in touch with. Famous for his geniality and gregarious style, the Pope will sit down peared in blockbusters such as Both patients – males – had table” that the second patient, at a public health facility in the The cases in Cyprus means and record another livestream tomorrow, replacing his weekly “general Star Wars: The Force Awakens travelled from abroad. who developed symptoms on capital Nicosia. that all 27 EU member states audience” appearance on Saint Peter’s Square. and the hit television HBO series The fi rst case is a 25-year- March 3, only reported to au- Multiple Cypriot news sourc- have now reported infections. Game of Thrones, making him a familiar face to millions in the later part of his life. His career began more humbly in the early 1950s on the theatre stages of Stockholm and then Malmo, where he met the man Victims’ names read out at start of MH17 trial who would help forge his career – Swedish director Ingmar Berg- man. AFP and to questions like what was that they did not recognise the US Secretary of State Mike It is Von Sydow’s collabora- Badhoevedorp, Netherlands Russia’s role.” Dutch court, the judges said. Pompeo lent his support on the tion with Bergman in art-house Dutch prosecutors last year “We assume they have waived eve of the trial, saying he had fi lms often laden with existen- charged Russian nationals Igor their right to be present since confi dence in the Dutch justice tial angst – now seen as all-time ereaved family members Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, Oleg they do not value the right to be system and those responsible classics – that are likely to be his listened silently with Pulatov and Ukrainian citizen present,” Steenhuis said. “must be held accountable”. best-remembered roles. Bbowed heads as the names Leonid Kharchenko with murder The fourth suspect, Pulatov, is Girkin, 49, also known by his In one of the most memorable of all 298 victims of Malaysia and causing the fl ight to crash. being represented by lawyers but pseudonym “Strelkov”, is the scenes in the history of cinema, Airlines fl ight MH17 were read Prosecutors say all four were was also not present. most high-profi le suspect – a Von Sydow played the knight out yesterday at the start of linked to pro-Russian sepa- “He says he has nothing to do former Russian spy and his- who has a chess game with death the trial of four men accused of ratists on whose territory the with the destruction of fl ight torical re-enactment fan who on a lonely beach in The Seventh downing the plane. plane’s wreckage fell near the MH17,” his defence lawyer Sab- helped kickstart the war in Seal from 1957. The suspects – three Rus- start of Ukraine’s bitter civil war. ine ten Doesschate told the Ukraine. Von Sydow was twice nomi- sians and one Ukrainian – were They argue the men were in- court. Dubinsky, 57, who has also nated for Academy Awards, fi rst not present in court but judges strumental in bringing the BUK Russia has long denied any been tied to Russian intelli- in 1989 for his role in Pelle the decided to continue the hearing, missile system to Ukraine from involvement in the downing of gence, allegedly served as the Conqueror and then in 2012 for the fruit of a long fi ght for justice its original base in Russia – even MH17, and has off ered a series of separatists’ military intelli- Extremely Loud and Incredibly by relatives and investigators if they did not pull the trigger. alternative explanations for the gence chief while Pulatov, 53, Close, about an 11-year-old boy since the crash on July 17, 2014. “We have a duty to honour the plane’s downing. was an ex-Russian special forc- whose father dies in the Septem- The shooting down of the Toys are placed near the cross in memory of victims of Malaysia truth, not just out of duty to the Moscow again on Friday ac- es soldier and one of Dubinsky’s ber 11, 2001 attacks. Boeing 777 over Ukraine by a Airlines flight MH17 plane crash in the village of Rozsypne in families, but also to do justice to cused the Netherlands of a “crude deputies. Von Sydow had two sons with Russian-made missile was an Ukraine’s Donetsk region. international law,” Ward Ferdi- attempt to put pressure on the Kharchenko, 48, allegedly his fi rst wife Christina Olin. “atrocious disaster”, head judge nandusse, another prosecutor, court” and said it was trying to led a separatist unit in eastern He married his second wife, Hendrik Steenhuis said as he ing the hearing, taking the same while relatives listened with told the court. “fi ll the gaps in the evidence”. Ukraine. French documentary fi lmmaker declared the trial open at a court route as MH17 did on its way their eyes closed. Judges ruled yesterday that But Dutch Prime Minister “For me, the most important Catherine Brelet, in 1997, and near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Air- to Kuala Lumpur before it was “I think today is of the highest proceedings could go ahead Mark Rutte said on Friday that thing is will there be enough evi- the couple lived together in port. ripped apart by a surface-to-air importance,” said Piet Ploeg, the “in absentia” against Girkin, the trial was being held in “full dence that the judge can make a France. “The court realises the im- missile over part of Ukraine held head of a foundation for MH17 Dubinsky and Kharchenko as independence” and was a “very conclusion – guilty. If that’s the He had to renounce his Swed- pact of the loss of so many lives by pro-Moscow rebels. victims who lost his brother, Dutch, Russian and Ukrainian important step to get to the truth case, then I will be satisfi ed,” ish citizenship in 2002 when he and the manner in which they But inside the high-security sister-in-law and nephew on authorities had tried to contact and to fi nd justice for the victims said Anton Kotte, another family acquired French nationality. so abruptly ended is barely con- courtroom it was silent during the doomed fl ight. “This is the them by post and by electronic and their relatives”. member attending the hearing. “I want to live in France. And ceivable,” added Steenhuis. the solemn moment when pros- fi rst day that we will know what media. More than two-thirds of the The trial – which is expected I want to die in France,” he told Planes taking off from ecutor Dedy Woei-a-Tsoi in- happened, who was responsible, Girkin and Dubinsky had also victims – 196 in total – were to last more than a year – was newspaper Aftonbladet in 2012. Schiphol roared overhead dur- toned the names of the victims, why the plane was shot down, been quoted by media as saying from the Netherlands. adjourned to today. Greece-Turkey migrant row plays out on social media

Reuters from the Middle East, Afghani- come quite common. speculated that it was a farmer as well as over migrants. being stripped to their under- tended to the coronavirus out- Athens/Ankara stan, Pakistan, and elsewhere On Turkish Twitter #Kahpe- spraying pig urine along the bor- Turkey, which hosts 3.6mn wear after being caught on the break. have been trying to enter Greece, Yunan (Greek[crude word]) was der. Syrian refugees, says the EU has Greek side of the border, and then One Turkish commentator a European Union member state, briefl y a trending topic. Turkish social media users said failed to honour its promises of sent back. suggested that Greece was “fi lled reeks and Turks are wag- since Ankara said on February 28 Foreign Minister Mevlut Ca- it showed Greek police and farm- aid. Others show Turkish forces al- with coronavirus, unlike Turkey”, ing a proxy war on social that it would no longer keep mi- vusoglu used the tag #GreeceAt- ers spraying chemical weapons Brussels and Athens accuse legedly attempting to dismantle and recommended “never visit Gmedia with photos, video grants on its territory as required tacksRefugees. and tagged the United Nations. Ankara of goading migrants parts of the border fence to make Greece”, even as Erdogan actively and commentary purporting to under a 2016 deal with the Euro- One video circulating yester- The heated online exchanges to storm the border in a bid to it easier for migrants to cross. encourages migrants to move show the other side behaving pean Union in return for aid. day appeared to show a tractor on draw on a long history of con- “blackmail” Europe into off er- Turkey says Greek forces are there. badly in a migrant crisis that has Greece has used tear gas and the Greek side spraying liquid to- fl ict between Muslim Turkey and ing more cash and supporting its fi ring live ammunition and that Greece has 73 confi rmed cases seriously strained already tense water cannon to hold them back. wards the border fence, dousing Christian Greece, which today geopolitical aims in the Syrian they killed four migrants last of coronavirus but no fatalities, a relations between Athens and On Greek Twitter, the hash- hundreds of migrants gathered remain at loggerheads over issues confl ict. week, claims that Athens denies. relatively low toll for Europe. Ankara. tags #GreeceUnderAttack and on the Turkish side. such as Cyprus and drilling for Photos unverifi ed by Reuters The media manipulation and Turkey has no confi rmed cases An estimated 35,000 migrants #GreeceDefendsEurope have be- Some Greek social media users gas in the eastern Mediterranean, have shown migrants apparently disinformation have even ex- so far. Gulf Times 14 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 INDIA Poor risk loss of privacy, land in drive to digitise records

Reuters upgrade records, and put the in- records easily accessible, she told a legal advocacy group in Ben- non-profi t that develops tools to About 70% of land in the de- tion makes it easier to administer New Delhi formation online by 2021. the Thomson Reuters Foundation galuru. document land. veloping world is undocument- and go to market. But what is the Authorities have said this will at the sidelines of a land confer- Population growth, industrial “But having digital records ed, leaving more than a quarter use of an open registry for poor enable them to monitor land ence. expansion and the need for more doesn’t take away the need to of the world’s population vul- communities and small and mar- push to digitise land sales more easily, increase tax “Technology has the potential airports and roads, is putting accurately and fairly document nerable to conflict, evictions ginalised farmers who cannot ac- records in India to es- revenue and reduce corruption. to be empowering, but it is pos- greater pressure on land, with land in the fi rst place, ensuring and encroachment, Cadasta es- cess it?” she said. Atablish ownership and But with some states not hav- sible that it will empower those more than 700 disputes over land equitable access to those who timates. India also does not yet have a minimise confl icts has raised ing surveyed their lands in more who are already empowered more across India, according to Land have been left out of land sys- With digitisation comes an personal data protection law, and concerns over privacy for poorer than a century, digitising of ex- than those who are currently dis- Confl ict Watch, a research or- tems,” she said. increased burden on such peo- it is unclear who will control the communities and could make isting records could be “counter- empowered,” she said. ganisation. “Issues of consent, fair access ple to prove their ownership and data and who has access to it, she them more vulnerable to evic- productive”, said Namita Wahi, Hundreds of laws and the lack Digitisation of land records and gender equality must be part safeguard their land, said Usha said. tions, legal and technology ex- a fellow at the Centre for Policy of clear titles means that mat- is an important step towards of a broader digitisation strat- Ramanathan, an independent “Bringing in technology does perts said yesterday. Research, a think-tank in New ters related to land and property greater transparency and ef- egy. Otherwise these systems can legal researcher who has studied not change the equation on the India’s national land record Delhi. make up about two-thirds of fi ciency, said Amy Coughenor, further marginalise and disen- India’s digital identifi cation sys- ground - people still have very modernisation programme seeks In addition, there are data all civil cases in Indian courts, chief executive of Cadasta Foun- franchise people without digital tem. diff erential access to technol- to re-survey lands, verify and privacy issues with making land according to a study by Daksh, dation, a Washington, DC-based access,” she said. “For the government, digitisa- ogy,” she said. Probe agency seizes Rajiv portrait from Rana Kapoor

IANS pensive paintings, the ED said on New Delhi Sunday. Earlier in the day, Congress leaders criticised the Bharatiya he Enforcement Directo- Janata Party (BJP) for connect- rate (ED) yesterday seized ing Priyanka Gandhi with the Yes Ta portrait of former prime Bank scam. minister Rajiv Gandhi’s, bought “Priyanka Gandhi received the by Yes Bank founder Rana Ka- Hussain as inheritance. She had poor from Congress general sec- mentioned in her income tax re- retary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for turns about receiving Rs2 crore Rs20mn in June 2010. through cheque,” said Congress The portrait by noted painter spokesman Randeep Singh Sur- M F Hussain was seized under jewala. the Prevention of Money Laun- Surjewala also said the dering Act (PMLA) “as it’s the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) proceed of crime,” an ED offi cial government must talk about in- told IANS. crease in bad loans at Yes Bank in Commuters walk past a billboard installed by Uttar Pradesh authorities displaying pictures, names and addresses of people accused of vandalism during deadly protests in December According to ED offi cials, late the last fi ve years after Narendra against a contentious citizenship law, in Lucknow yesterday. Maharashtra Congress leader Modi came to power, and should Milind Deora had written to Ka- not try to divert public attention. poor on May 1, 2010, asking him Responding to the BJP alle- to approach Priyanka Gandhi di- gations on Kapoor’s links with rectly to buy the painting. the Congress, Surjewala said the Earlier in the day, the ED of- government must clarify about fi cial said the painting would be rise in Yes Bank loan book from probed as its valuation was not Rs556.33bn in March 2014 to Court orders UP to remove done before the sale. Also, the Rs241tn in March 2019, and not portrait was gifted to then prime obfuscate the real issue of people’s minister during the Congress money sinking into a bad bank. centenary in 1985, and thus it The relation between the BJP was the party’s property, the of- and Kapoor “is well-known”, fi cials added. Surjewala said and added: “Why ‘name and shame’ posters Priyanka Gandhi had also did the prime minister address written an acknowledgement a Yes Bank-sponsored confer- Agencies The court slammed the bill- The BJP says the law is re- The actions of the govern- had violated the right to privacy letter to Kapoor on June 4, 2010 ence on March 6, despite the RBI Lucknow boards as “highly unjust” and “an quired to protect non-Muslim ment are “totally illegal”, said S guaranteed under Indian and in- after he sent her a cheque of moratorium.” The Congress al- absolute encroachment on the refugees across South Asia. R Darapuri, a former police of- ternational laws. Rs20mn. leged the loans given by Yes Bank personal liberty of individuals”. Sadaf Jafar, an activist whose fi cer who also appeared on the “We urge the central and state In her letter, Priyanka Gandhi rose 100% in just two years after he Allahabad High Court The Bharatiya Janata Party name and photo fi gures on the billboards for supporting the governments to drop all charges said: “Thank you for purchasing demonetisation from Rs982bn yesterday ordered the Ut- government will comply with giant hoardings, welcomed the protests. and notices against such pro- the portrait of my father Rajiv in March 2016 to over Rs2tn in Ttar Pradesh government the court order but is consider- ruling but said she was still wor- “We are not absconders or testers, and instead ensure that Gandhi, painted by M F Hussain, March 2018. to remove large displays of the ing its “legal options”, the chief ried she could come to physical hardcore criminals,” he said. the leaders and offi cials who which was presented to him in The ED registered a money names, pictures and addresses minister’s top adviser, Mrityun- harm. “The government by this act have incited violence and hatred 1985 at the Congress centenary laundering case against Kapoor of dozens of anti-government jay Kumar, said. “I have been left vulnerable. I has put our lives in danger.” between communities are held celebrations and is presently in and alleges that he was involved protesters, amid fears that they The state government accuses am concerned about the safety In one particular photograph accountable,” Amnesty tweeted. my possession.” in generating Rs43bn black mon- encourage attacks by vigilante the 57 people depicted in the of self and my children,” she put up on the hoardings, a minor The adviser, Kumar, has pre- Acknowledging the payment ey and “laundering” the amount. mobs. posters of rioting in December, said. is also seen. viously defended the billboards, by cheque, representing the full According to ED offi cials, the The state government put though none has been convicted Jafar said she was considering The family of the minor said saying they are an attempt to and fi nal payment towards the matter came to light during an- up six hoardings last week in of any crime. taking legal action against the they were also preparing to take recover damages from those ac- painting, Priyanka Gandhi said other investigation when it was prominent places in Lucknow, Those depicted accuse the au- government. legal action. cused and insisting on their le- she hoped Kapoor was aware of found that Yes Bank had sub- identifying people it says joined thorities of trying to “name and Another activist Deepak Kabir “The hoarding has been put gality. the historical value of the work scribed to Rs37bn Dewan Hous- in violent protests against a new shame” the protesters. said: “Justice has been served. up by the ‘orders of the district India’s demonstrations have and would ensure its placement ing Finance Limited debentures citizenship law based on reli- Hundreds of thousands of But I have been branded as a magistrate and police com- spurred often-violent clashes in an environment that benefi ts in April-June 2018. gion. people have held demonstra- criminal. My family is scared.” missioner’ and they owe an ex- between protesters and police, its stature. The CBI meanwhile carried The high court ordered the tions across India since late last While it was not possible to planation to us,” said a family some along sectarian lines, in The ED would also investigate out searches at seven locations in state government to remove the year to protest against Citizen- verify the religion of those fea- member. which more than 70 people have from whom Kapoor bought other connection with the corruption posters by March 16, saying they ship Amendment Act, which tured in the posters, the major- Rights group Amnesty In- died, a majority in last month’s expensive paintings, the offi cial case Kapoor, DHFL as well as its were “an unwarranted interfer- they say discriminates against ity had names commonly used ternational India welcomed the bloodletting between Hindus said. Kapoor owned over 40 ex- promoter Kapil Wadhawan. ence in privacy of people”. Muslims. by Muslims. ruling, saying the government and Muslims in New Delhi.

Sena activists heckle bravery Holi revelry Sonia begins talks to award girl at Mumbai event name RS candidates

IANS Of the 55 upper house mem- IANS tested they snatched away the “It’s now compulsory to know New Delhi bers retiring, 13 are from the Mumbai mike,” Gunratan Sadavarte, a Marathi here and you must speak Congress. The party is likely to lawyer, told IANS. Marathi since this is a Marathi win two seats each from Ra- Among the dignitaries invited audience. The people here know mid a political crisis in jasthan, Madhya Pradesh and ational Bravery Award were Shiv Sena politicians Mani- what they are doing and their Madhya Pradesh, Con- Chhattisgarh, and one each from winner Zen Sadavarte sha Kayande and Yamini Jadhav contributions,” the man said, A gress interim president Haryana, Gujarat and Maharash- Nwas heckled and virtually and other prominent leaders and abruptly stopping Zen’s speech Sonia Gandhi yesterday start- tra. hounded off the stage by some activists where the ‘Maasaheb despite her vehement protests. ed the process to finalise the Despite being at logger- Shiv Sena activists at an Interna- Meenatai Thackeray Achieve- “They have violated my right list of Rajya Sabha candidates heads with allies, the Con- tional Women’s Day event where ment Awards-2019’ were to be to expression. I have the right to for the March 23 elections for gress is eyeing one seat each she was one of the guests, her conferred on several women speak in English and Hindi, both 55 seats. from Bihar and Tamil Nadu family said yesterday. achievers, including Zen. recognised languages. They had Gandhi met Madhya Pradesh and also a second seat from The programme was organised One of the women organisers even permitted me to speak in Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Maharashtra. The Congress is jointly by Subhash Bhamre Mi- came and fi rst whispered some- either language as I am not pro- Maharashtra minister and state said to have initiated talks the tra Mandal, Shivraj Pratishthan, thing to Zen, but she continued fi cient in Marathi,” Zen said later. Congress chief Balasaheb Tho- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Vitthal Chavan Pratishthan and speaking; again another lady at- Shocked by the humiliating rat and Leader of Opposition in Bihar and the Dravida Munne- Ganraj Sahakari Patsanstha at tempted to stop her, and then treatment on a public platform Haryana assembly Bhuprinder tra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil the Damodar Hall in Parel, late some others standing behind where she was invited, Zen boy- Singh Hooda. Nadu to cut its loss to 11. on Sunday. started questioning her points. cotted the function and honour, Rajasthan Chief Minister While Girish Devangan is set “Zen was speaking on the Chaos reigned as one of the and was escorted by police from Ashok Gehlot has also met the to get the party nomination from problems of poor children in ru- women snatched away the mike the venue, said Sadavarte. party chief. Chhattisgarh, the name of the ral areas which aff ect even Mum- from Zen’s hand. In January, Zen was given the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister second candidate has not been bai civic schools when they are Another person then advised National Bravery Award by Pres- Bhupesh Baghel will meet her discussed yet. deprived of mid-day meals, and the 12-year-old Mumbai girl that ident Kovind and later she shot tomorrow. The Congress is also hoping the issue of horizontal reserva- she was ‘too young’ to under- to limelight for writing to Chief Many young Congress lead- for a seat from West Bengal, tions for transgenders. That ap- stand many things, she should Justice of India S A Bobde seek- ers, including Jyotiraditya Scin- but is yet to decide on the can- parently upset the Shiv Sena learn to respect the elders and ing directives banning children Revellers smeared in colour powder pose for a picture as dia, Jitin Prasada, Randeep didate. The Mamata Banerjee- members on the stage and in the more experienced people in the from being taken in civil protests they celebrate Holi, the spring festival of colours, in Siliguri, Singh Surjewala, Rajiv Satav and led Trinamool Congress an- audience who started disturbing gathering, and more importantly, after the death of an infant at the West Bengal, yesterday. Milind Deora, are in the race to nounced its four candidates on the speech and when Zen pro- speak in Marathi. Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi. get the nomination. Sunday. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 15 INDIA

INVESTIGATION CONDOLENCES CULTURE JUDICIARY VERDICT Infosys sacks 3 employees Sonia, Rahul express grief Thousands of women take SC refuses petition on 3 decades later, court acquits arrested on fraud charges over death of H R Bharadwaj part in Attukal festival Lalit Modi dispute 30 in transistor blast case

Global software major Infosys yesterday sacked Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi and Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram was yesterday The Supreme Court yesterday declined to A Delhi court has acquitted 30 people three three employees arrested on a bribe charge by the former party president Rahul Gandhi yesterday taken over by hundreds of thousands of women vacate the stay on the arbitration proceedings decades after they were jailed in the transistor Income Tax Department, a company off icial said. expressed condolences on the death of former who took part in the famed Attukal Pongala temple concerning former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and blast case which left several dead. The court Renugunta Kalyan Kumar, Prakash and Deveshwar law minister and senior party leader Hans Raj festival. The Pongala cooking takes place on the the family property belonging to K K Modi Trust. of Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav Reddy “were arrested for contacting taxpayers Bharadwaj. Bhardwaj died on Sunday evening penultimate day of the 10-day-long Attukal festival The court asked Modi’s lawyer to move the Delhi said the “prosecution miserably failed to prove and promising to get them tax rebates in lieu of 4% in New Delhi at an age of 82. Remembering and is done by women on roads. According to High Court, where the matter is pending. Lalit charges against the accused.” A series of of the total amount involved,” Bengaluru Deputy his long years of service as parliamentarian tradition, the women have to be dressed in new Modi’s mother Bina Modi had moved the division transistor bombs exploded on buses and public Commissioner of Police Joshi Srinath Mahadev and law minister, Sonia extended her heartfelt clothes and every item used for cooking the pongala bench of the high court after a single bench places in the national capital and adjoining areas said. He said there was a contract between the condolences to the family and friends. “May his has to be new too. Women from show business – TV refused a stay on the arbitration proceedings on May 10 and 11 in 1985, killing 49 people. “The Income Tax Department and Infosys due to soul rest in peace,” she said. Rahul in a tweet said: and film industry, which included Chippy, Sangeetha going on in Singapore among Lalit Modi, Bina indisputable conclusion is that investigation which company employees assigned to the IT “I’m sorry to hear about the passing of former Mohan and singer Rajalekshmi, were present. Kerala Modi and her two other children Charu Bhartia conducted in these cases was defective, lopsided, work were privy to information on taxpayers. The governor and law minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj. His Governor Arif Mohamed Khan and his wife came out and Samir Modi. The division bench had stayed unfair and suff ered from various lacunas. The off icer said the three employees were involved long years of dedicated service to the Congress of their off icial residence and went around the main the arbitration proceedings between Lalit Modi natural conclusion is that prosecution miserably in fraudulent activities for a month and made party will always be remembered.” He was a road greeting the women who were busy cooking. and his mother and siblings. Lalit Modi’s lawyer failed to prove charges against accused,” Yadav Rs400,000 through illegal means, which has minister in the governments of Rajiv Gandhi, P V With coronavirus raging in around 100 countries, told the top court that the high court passed the said in the order. The judge added that the since been recovered. They have been charged Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh and was this time foreigners who otherwise take part in the order for stay without hearing him, though he accused cannot be convicted on the basis of with cheating and criminal breach of trust. governor of Karnataka from 2009 to 2014. festival were asked to remain in their hotels. had filed a caveat. evidence collected during faulty investigation. Minister meets parents of J&K students stuck in virus-hit Iran

IANS students will be evacuated soon New Delhi/Srinagar after the pilgrims are brought back, he said. Meanwhile, an Indian marine xternal Aff airs Minister S offi cer stranded in Japan has Jaishankar yesterday vis- urged Prime Minister Naren- Eited Srinagar and promised dra Modi to rescue and save him help to the parents of Jammu and from the epidemic. Abhay Som, Kashmiri students stranded in 26, a resident of Kalindi village in coronavirus-hit Iran where 194 Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has been people have died due to the epi- stranded on a ship at Japan’s People wearing face masks amid fears of the spread of coronavirus walk through a shopping arcade in New Delhi yesterday. demic. Funabhashi for 20 days. Jaishankar’s visit assumes In an SOS video, shot on the signifi cance since it is not com- ship and sent to the external af- mon that India’s foreign minister fairs ministry and Modi, he said: goes to Kashmir or interacts with “I am stranded on the ship in locals regarding their problems Japan. I am scared for my life. I overseas. Offi cial sources said pray to the government of India, although India has evacuated especially the prime minister, to some of the 350 Kashmiri stu- save me as soon as possible lest I Mobile phone networks dents in Iran, many were still should die due to the infection.” awaiting evacuation. Som also said he had kept himself safe, but if he continued “I am stranded on the to remain on the ship, he could ship in Japan. I am scared get the infection. for my life. I pray to the According to Som, he is the government of India, only Indian on the ship, 11 oth- help combat virus fears especially the prime ers are Chinese nationals. He has minister, to save me as soon been working with the Chinese Agencies “Always protect your face India meanwhile has banned The ship called in as planned sources said India will send a as possible lest I should die shipping company Blue Whale New Delhi with a handkerchief or tissue all foreign cruise ships from its in Muscat on Saturday and in C-17 Globemaster military air- due to the infection” Maritime since January 2019 on while coughing or sneezing,” ports because of the virus, with Khasab, Oman on Sunday, and craft to coronavirus-hit Iran to a 10-month contract. the message recorded in a wom- one European vessel turned yesterday was heading for Abu evacuate stranded Indians from Thousands of students and In the video he said his com- ndia is using its massive an’s voice said. away from Mangalore at the Dhabi, Roothans added. there. Shia pilgrims from Kashmir visit pany was misleading the India mobile phone network to “Regularly clean hands with weekend, offi cials said. “In view of the coronavirus India is in touch with Iran on Iran every year. The students embassy in Japan and his family Ispread coronavirus aware- soap and avoid touching your Cruise ships are seen as fer- threat the central government possible evacuation of Indian were to return home in Kashmir about the contract. In February, he ness messages, kicking off with face, eyes, or nose.” tile breeding ground for the has decided that no cruise ship pilgrims and students stuck for annual holidays but got stuck was travelling to Japan from Chi- coughing sounds, on how to The message includes a hel- deadly virus, with more than from any foreign destination there, Health Minister Harsh in Iran after several airlines can- na. But his ship was stopped from protect against the outbreak, pline number for further infor- 700 cases and six linked deaths will be allowed to call on Indian Vardhan had said in parliament celled their fl ights from Tehran. entering Japan due to coronavirus. offi cials said yesterday. mation. from the Diamond Princess held ports with immediate eff ect till last Thursday. Offi cial sources said that “Cases of coronavirus are ris- India, the world’s second- Cellular Operators Associa- off Japan last month. 31 March 2020,” Mangalore port An estimated 1,200 Indians, many have returned to Kashmir ing on a daily basis in Japan. All most populous nation with tion of India director general A sister ship, the Grand Prin- said in a statement. mostly students and pilgrims, in the last few weeks but the par- people on the ship are Chinese, I 1.3bn people, has 1.1bn mobile Rajan S Mathews said the mo- cess, was due to dock in Cali- In other developments, are in Iran currently. ents of the students yet to return am the only Indian. I am scared phone connections. bile network had the widest fornia with 21 confi rmed coro- had approached the ministry in that I will also get infected. My The country has so far re- reach in India, including rural navirus infections among 3,500 PM cancels Dhaka trip New Delhi. contract with the company has ported 43 positive cases of the areas that lack other communi- people on board. Jaishankar who arrived in Sri- ended, but it’s not relieving me, contagious disease. cation and media channels. The operator of MSC Lirica, Prime Minister Narendra three cases of coronavirus and nagar by an early morning fl ight, torturing and pressuring me not Telecommunications op- “It is going to make a lot of which was turned away from Modi cancelled a visit to urged citizens returning from held a detailed meeting with the to leave the ship. I have spoken to erators were ordered to play the impact to create awareness,” Mangalore on Saturday, said Bangladesh next week to six countries – China, Italy, parents at the Kashmir Interna- Anil S Kalra at the India embassy health ministry-approved mes- Mathews said. that none of the 1,145 crew or attend a celebration of the South Korea, Singapore, Iran tional Conference Centre and in Japan, but my employer is sage from Sunday, which re- Authorities often use the 1,430 passengers on board had country’s first president, after and Thailand – to quarantine assured them that the ministry misleading him too by saying my layed advice on how to help stop large network to disseminate a fl u-like illness or associated Dhaka detected its first cases themselves in their homes will do everything to help the contract hasn’t ended,” said Som. the spread of the virus. critical information or warn- symptoms. of coronavirus and postponed for 14 days. “Prime Minister’s students. Speaking to IANS Som’s When a user calls someone ings about natural disasters like “There is no one under quar- the event. The event marking (Modi) visit to Bangladesh The minister said that the brother Abhishek Som said: “I with their mobile phone, they fl oods and cyclones. antine on board nor under any the centenary of the birth next week at the invitation of government was in the proc- have knocked every door of vari- will be played the recording – The government recently other type of precautionary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is ess of fi rst evacuating the pil- ous ministries but didn’t get any which starts with the sound of launched a public health cam- health measure,” MSC Cruises was scheduled to take place being deferred,” Indian foreign grims, who are generally older relief. If something happens to someone coughing, followed by paign around the virus, includ- spokesman Robin Roothans on March 17. On Sunday, ministry spokesman Ravish and therefore more vulnerable my brother my parents and I will a 30-second audio message in ing advertisements in newspa- said, adding that all medical Bangladesh confirmed its first Kumar said. to the coronavirus infection. The lose everything.” Hindi or English. pers and on radio. protocols were being followed.

Special health cards for students MP govt on the brink as 10 of govt schools Under an initiative of the Human Resource Development Ministry, special health cards will be issued MLAs fl y off to Bengaluru to students of government schools by the government. The health card will have the IANS Giriraj, Raksha Sinoriya, Jaswant Since Scindia lost in the May information of the students New Delhi/Bengaluru Jatav, Suresh Dhakad, Jajpal 2019 general elections from the including their age, weight, Singh and Brijendra Yadav. Guna Lok Sanha seat, he has been medical history, diseases if any, “The MLAs were whisked trying to become the party’s state and treatment. An off icial from he Congress govern- away from the old HAL airport unit chief, a post which the chief the ministry said: “Health cards ment in Madhya Pradesh soon after landing to a resort in minister continues hold on to, de- will be distributed among the Tseemed to teeter as 10 the suburb of Whitefi eld,” said a spite it being against the party’s students of all government legislators, including some party source in Bengaluru. one-post-for-one-man principle. schools. It will have complete ministers, close to former MP “We have no information A tussle is also underway be- health records of students. This Jyotiraditya Scindia, were yes- if Scindia is also in Bengaluru tween Nath and Scindia over the includes immunisation records, terday fl own to the Bharatiya Ja- though he was not on the char- fi ling of three nominations to the biennial examinations, health nata Party-ruled Karnataka by a tered aircraft,” the source added. ensuing Rajya Sabha elections issues since birth, diseases chartered fl ight from Delhi. The resort, however, denied on March 26. and issues related to their According to airport sources the MLAs were staying there. Last week, 10 MLAs had gone development along with a list of in Delhi, about 10 people, in- Attempt to contact the MLAs ‘missing’ but eight of them have current disorders among children cluding Bankim Silawat, the son did not succeed as they had returned to the state, the lat- and their initial diagnostics.” of Congress minister Tulsi Sila- switched off their mobile phones. est being Congress’ Bisahu Lal Human Resource Development wat, and Scindia’s close aide Pu- The BJP in Karnataka denied Singh, who met Nath in Bhopal Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal rushottam Parashar, fl ew from any role in the Congress crisis. on Sunday, after returning from ‘Nishank’ and Health Minister the national capital to Bengaluru Earlier in the day Chief Min- Bengaluru. Harsh Vardhan met yesterday on a Falcon 2000 aircraft. ister Kamal Nath met Congress Two MLAs, Raghuraj Singh to discuss about the health of A source said the fl ight left from chief Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi Kansana and Hardeep Singh students. Nishank said: “Teachers Delhi at 8am and reached Ben- and briefed her about the cur- Dang, have still not been traced. are the best guides of children galuru at 10.40am. Asked about rent political situation in the Dang had sent his resignation to and now they will also work as who booked the fl ight, the source state following last week’s at- the speaker and Kamal Nath. ambassadors of health for them. refused to share any details. tempt to topple the government. Meanwhile, three rebel BJP They will organise an hour-long Apart from the two close The party witnessed a po- MLAs met Nath last week as two session every week for 24 weeks, Scindia associates, the other litical slugfest over the last few of them have openly revolted but where important information lawmakers were Rajyawardhan weeks, giving a scare to the Con- the third one, Sanjay Tripathi, will be shared with the students Singh, Pradhuman Singh Tomar, gress state government. has said he is not leaving the BJP. through cultural activities”. Gulf Times 16 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 LATIN AMERICA

Fire destroys voting machines in Venezuela’s main elections warehouse

Venezuela’s elections council be rescued,” Lucena said in a production process,” she told not cause any injuries. “In 2017, those who did not want Chile’s drastic said that a fire over the statement broadcast on state reporters. The CNE, which has been the elections were vicious against weekend had destroyed most television. “If there are small groups (of target of opposition criticism the voting machines, thinking of the voting machines stored “However, the Venezuelan people) who think that this in every election, will be they could stop a process like the in its main warehouse in the electoral system is far from will end our constitutionally reappointed in the coming Constituent Assembly,” she said. anti-obesity steps capital, Caracas, potentially being destroyed,” Lucena said, established electoral processes, weeks and will have to organise “They attacked operators, they complicating parliamentary adding the electoral procedure they are very wrong.” She did legislative elections, which are burned vehicles, they made elections scheduled for this is a multi-step process, only not elaborate on how many scheduled for later this year. death threats, they burned year. two of which have been voting machines were still “Nothing is being ruled out,” voting machines, but the cut sugary drink Nearly 50,000 voting machines damaged. available for use, or how the Lucena said. election took place.” and almost 600 computers “This act, which we are incident would aff ect future She noted that three years ago, The South American country’s went up in flames as a result of waiting to hear if it was elections. the CNE and its off icials were elections have come under the fire, said elections council criminal, aff ected only two of Lucena said she had asked state targeted during the National heavy criticism since President sales by 23% chief Tibisay Lucena. the processes: the inventory prosecutors to look into the Constituent Assembly election Nicolas Maduro’s 2018 re- “There was little that could process and the machine cause of the blaze, which did campaign. election.

Guardian News and Media foods with no warning label will Santiago drop from 22.5g per 100g to 10g per 100g. Salt will halve from 800mg to 400mg per 100g. he world’s toughest con- “This impact in the fi rst phase Protest at Brazil’s economic policy trols over the promotion is pretty impressive,” said Barry Tof sugary drinks, brought Popkin, professor of nutrition at in by a nation beset by obesity, the Gillings School, who said it have cut purchases by nearly a was having an eff ect on families’ quarter in two years, research understanding of what consti- has shown. tutes a healthy diet. “We did fo- Instead of a sugar tax, which cus groups with low and middle- the UK and other countries income mothers and they were have chosen to impose, Chile saying their kids were coming has banned sales in schools and home and telling them to buy adopted stark black and white stuff without warning labels. labels aimed at warning and ed- “It is the fi rst intervention we ucating families about the health have seen showing potential for dangers of junk food and drinks changing food norms. I think a for their children. lot of countries are going to look Unlike the UK’s traffi c lights, at this, because it is so impactful.” which may award a red label for Some already are. “What’s sugar but also green for fruit con- amazing about the Chilean reg- tent, Chile’s ministry of health ulations is how much they have labels only deliver the bad news: already infl uenced international high in sugar, high in salt or high food policy,” said Taillie. “From in fat. Sugary drinks, unhealthy our work with advocates and snacks and packaged foods must policymakers, we know that at carry the front-of-pack labels. least a dozen countries have di- Chile’s Law of Food Labelling rectly used Chile’s policies and and Advertising, which came the evaluation results to develop into force in 2016, also restricts and inform similar policies. marketing to children of any “We expect that in fi ve to 10 such foods or drinks and bans years, much more of the world them from sale in schools. will look like Chile with regards When the ban came in, the to putting clearer labelling sys- people of Chile were consum- tems on food and drink packages ing more sugary drinks per head to tell people which products are than any other country in the unhealthy and cut through the world, and counting the cost in noise created by food marketing.” terms of obesity, type 2 diabetes Chile is classifi ed as a high- Members of the Without Land Liberation Movement and members of Guarani indigenous community demonstrate against the economic policy of Brazilian President and other health problems. income country by the World Jair Bolsonaro’s government outside the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday. Researchers from the Uni- Bank, with sophisticated food versity of North Carolina at systems in which retailers exert Chapel Hill Gillings School of a lot of control over supply, very Global Public Health, publish- much like the UK and Europe. ing in the journal Plos Medi- Popkin believes his team’s anal- cine, have found purchases of ysis of their food warning labels sugary drinks dropped by 23.7% will show signifi cant impact on during the fi rst phase of the re- buying habits – unlike the traf- forms. The largest changes were fi c-light labelling in the UK. in the amount of sweetened He thinks there will soon be fruit drinks and sweetened dairy evidence of positive eff ects on Ronaldinho did not know drinks purchased. health but says the policies are “This regulation is diff erent aimed at long-term change, because it is the fi rst to require adding: “We will see a pretty im- warning labels about excess lev- mediate impact in the next few els of nutrients of concern, such years on type 2 diabetes, but in as sugar or sodium, on the front overweight it takes time. We will passport was fake: lawyer of food and beverage packages,” get it in hypertension (high blood said fi rst author Lindsey Smith pressure) and diabetes but not AFP country when they next appear 2002 World Cup win and played by charities working with dis- in 2004 and 2005 and won the Taillie, assistant professor of quickly in weight.” A separate Asuncion before a judge. for Paris Saint-Germain, AC advantaged children. World Cup with Brazil in 2002 nutrition at the Gillings School. study has shown that the sugary “Ronaldinho did not commit Milan and Barcelona, among Ronaldinho was last year and the Champions League “The regulation includes the drinks levy in the UK appears to a crime because he did not know others. named a tourist ambassador by with Barcelona in 2006. world’s strictest limits on how be a success, said researchers in razilian football legend that the passport they gave him He and his brother arrived Brazil’s far-right government Meanwhile the prosecutor and where food companies can Oxford, Cambridge and London, Ronaldinho did not delib- was faked,” he said. in Asuncion from Brazil on and was invited to Paraguay by leading the case said Ronald- advertise junk food to children. because many manufacturers Berately use a fake passport A judge ruled them a fl ight Wednesday and showed their a local casino owner to take part inho is being investigated for The reductions we observed in had taken enough sugar out of and should be released by au- risk and said they must remain passports to immigration po- in a soccer clinic for children additional crimes. sugary drink purchases were their products to escape it. thorities in Paraguay, his lawyer in jail while the investigation lice, who did not immediately and a book launch. Osmar Legal did not clarify markedly greater than those seen The analysis, also published said. takes place. notice any problem with the He was greeted at the airport what the crimes were but told following the implementation of in the journal Plos Medicine, The two-time world player of Queiroz said that prosecutors documents. in Asuncion by throngs of fans. Brazilian news site Globoe- standalone policies – such as a shows when George Osborne, the year and his brother Rober- had agreed that the footballer Hours later, when the pass- Although he last played pro- sporte “there are indications tax on sugar-sweetened bever- the former chancellor, an- to, who was detained with him, had acted in good faith and the ports were determined to be fessionally in 2015, Ronaldinho, that other crimes were com- ages – elsewhere in Latin Amer- nounced plans to introduce the spent their third night behind decision by a judge to order their fake, investigators raided the who also represented Brazil- mitted” by Ronaldinho and his ica.” tax, about 52% of eligible soft bars in the capital Asuncion on detention was unwarranted. room Ronaldinho was staying in ian clubs Atletico Mineiro, brother and business manager, The limits on acceptable levels drinks contained 5g or more sug- Sunday after using forged travel Under Paraguayan law, of- and seized the brothers’ iden- Flamengo and Fluminense, is Roberto Assis. of sugar, salt and fat have stead- ar per 100ml and were liable for documents to enter the country. fi cials have six months to com- tity cards and travel documents. still hugely popular with global Globoesporte said the broth- ily dropped as tougher phases the tax. The levy came into force Their Brazilian lawyer Sergio plete their enquiry. Ronaldinho said the pass- football fans for his skills and ers were choosing to remain of the regulations were brought in April 2018, and by February Queiroz said he would ask for Ronaldinho, considered one ports had been given him by showmanship. inside their cell to avoid the at- in. By the end of two years, the 2019, only 15% of soft drinks the pair to be released and al- of the greatest footballers of people who had invited him to The 39-year-old was named tention of families and children allowable amount of sugar in were still liable. lowed to return to their home all time, was the star of Brazil’s attend conferences sponsored FIFA world player of the year visiting the other inmates.

Twitter testing Women protest in Santiago disappearing ‘fleets’ Argentina farmers Twitter said it was testing in Brazil a new type of tweet that disappears after 24 hours, similar to the stories strike over exports tax feature popular on Snapchat and Facebook’s photo-sharing app Instagram. Reuters on the Parana River at Rosario Called ‘fleets’, the vanishing mes- Buenos Aires yesterday, according to CAPyM sages can be viewed by tapping on data. a user’s profile picture. On the same date last week, They do not appear on the user’s rgentine farmers began a the number of trucks was 3,100. timeline or receive retweets, likes four-day strike yesterday “The activity in the port area or public replies, Kayvon Beykpour, Ato protest the govern- (of Rosario) is completely nor- the company’s product lead, said ment’s hike on export taxes for mal,” Wade said, adding that the on Twitter. soybeans and its byproducts, strike is not expected to impact “We’re hoping that ‘fleets’ can help though shipments were not im- grains shipments because the people share the fleeting thoughts pacted in the major global food export companies have reserves that they would have been unlikely exporter. in their ports. to Tweet,” Beykpour said. Three of the South American The latest crop of soy has also The move comes nearly a year after country’s four main rural associ- not been harvested, Wade said, Twitter’s much larger social media ations announced the strike last further mitigating the impacts competitor Facebook announced week in frustration over the gov- of the strike. that it would shift focus toward ernment’s decision to raise soy The protest has political im- building products that emphasise export taxes to 33% from 30% plications in Argentina, one of privacy and ephemerality, which it amidst a deep economic crisis. the world’s largest exporters of says users are gravitating toward. The impact of the strike would soybeans and corn, as it is remi- Twitter has been rolling out new likely be visible by Tuesday when niscent of a confl ict between features aimed at making the plat- grains and beef already sold will farmers and the Peronist gov- form more user-friendly in the past not arrive at ports, industry ex- ernment of former president several months, but the company’s perts said. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner growth has lagged behind rivals for “Surely, today we’ll feel it,” from 2007-2015. years, leaving investors grumbling Guillermo Wade, head of Argen- Fernandez de Kirchner is cur- that it has failed to innovate or tina’s CAPyM port operators’ rently vice president to centre-left expand beyond its core platform. chamber, said in reference to the President Alberto Fernandez. Its shares fell last year when it dis- port area of Rosario, from where Her administration was locked closed that its platform experienced about 80% of the country’s in a fi erce dispute with agricul- glitches that hindered its ability grains and byproduct exports are ture producers that reached a to target ads and share data with Women clash in front of the government house during a women’s strike as part of International Women’s Day activities in shipped. boiling point in 2008 when she partners. Santiago, Chile, yesterday. About 4,800 trucks carry- attempted to raise taxes on soy ing grains entered the terminals exports. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 17 PAKISTAN

Security issue, mice infestation Khan attributes political irk federal lawmakers resilience to sports days Internews Prime minister directs one competitive in life. ing of decisions and is contrary Similarly, draft bills, ordi- Islamabad cabinet not to accept He said that the talent of Pa- to good governance. nances and orders must comply incomplete summaries kistani youth will be recognised The Prime Minister’s Offi ce with the requirements laid out in on the basis of sports competi- has dispatched a notifi cation to Rules 18(4) and 18(5) of the Rules panel of the National Internews tions. all ministries and divisions ad- of Business. Assembly (NA) has ex- Peshawar/Islamabad Before the inauguration, se- vising them to follow the rules of “The summaries must have Apressed displeasure over curity arrangements were made business. clear explanations regarding is- the Capital Development Au- for the security of the Under-21 According to the notifi cation, sues, should contain necessary thority (CDA) for not taking rime Minister Imran Khan Games. the secretaries of all ministries legislation and must follow the substantial measures against the has expressed gratitude Adviser to Khyber Pa- and divisions have been directed requirements of Rules 18(2) and mice outbreak at the parliament Ptowards his sports days khtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister to guide the concerned ministers 18(5) of the 1973 Rules of Busi- lodges in Islamabad. for making him resilient in his on Information Ajmal Wazir said regarding the implementation of ness. The committee has called for a 22-year-old political career, that players from all 35 districts the rules of business to ensure “As per Rule 4(9g), secretar- permanent solution to the prob- saying that he would have con- of the province were taking part, the fundamental principles of ies of the respective ministries lem. ceded defeat if he had not been a adding that it is for the fi rst time rule of law and good governance and divisions are responsible for The NA Standing Commit- sportsman. that such a big sporting event are adhered to. ensuring implementation of the tee on Rules of Procedure and He was addressing the inau- has been planned. It states that the premier ex- rules and providing guidelines Privileges meeting was held at guration ceremony of Under-21 He said the winners and run- pressed serious concern over the to the concerned ministers and the Parliament House under the games at Peshawar Sports Com- ners-up will be awarded decent submission of summaries with- heads of divisions.” chairmanship of Rana Mohamed plex. cash prizes, and a monthly sti- out following Rule 18 of the 1973 The premier directed the Cab- Qasim Noon. Khan said that the govern- pend would be granted to the Rules of Business. inet Division secretary not to The members were irked on ment will give rural youth a medallists and top three posi- It directs the concerned min- accept any summary forwarded the surfacing of news published chance to hone their skills in tion holders. istries and divisions to cite rele- in contravention of the rules, in a newspaper that families of sports and benefi t from oppor- Meanwhile, Prime Minister vant laws, rules, regulations and and return it to the concerned lawmakers also enjoyed perks on tunities, adding that as life is a Khan has directed the Cabi- instructions and related sec- Prime Minister Khan: A person is defeated truly when he accepts ministry or division, stating the the taxpayers’ money. competition, one should not be net Division secretary to return tions in their summaries before defeat. grounds for rejection. In response to this, the com- scared of facing defeat. those summaries to the min- sending them to the cabinet. He has also directed the secre- mittee summoned the traveling “A person is defeated truly istries and divisions that lack The notifi cation states that without the consultation with Rules of Business. tary to keep the Prime Minister’s record of the parliamentarians when he accepts defeat,” said the rules of business, saying that summaries pertaining to mul- the ministry of inter-provincial “Such summaries must com- Offi ce updated about all sum- for the past decade from the prime minister. such incomplete work results in tiple ministries or divisions are co-ordination, which violates ply with the said rules before be- maries that have been returned Pakistan International Airlines He added that sports make unnecessary delays in the mak- being forwarded to the cabinet Rules 8, 10 and 14A of the 1973 ing sent to the cabinet.” with objections. (PIA). Regarding the issue of mice presence in the capital, member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said that there should be a perma- 26 people nent treatment for the mice that Police case lodged against 12 over roam everywhere in the lodges. Another member, MNA Ghu- killed lam Bibi Bharwana, pointed out the abysmal condition and use of substandard construction mate- attempt to disrupt women’s march in bus rial in the lodges, and said that the roofs kept dripping every other day. Internews Shireen Mazari had also vowed crash She feared that they might get Islamabad action against “those who at- collapsed one day. tacked the peaceful protesters MNA Mohamed Junaid Anwar with stones, sticks”. Internews/AFP/DPA Chaudhry said that the CDA has slamabad’s Kohsar Po- The Aurat March, as it has Islamabad not fi nished repair work even lice have registered a case come to be known since its fi rst though six months have passed. Iagainst 12 local religious iteration in 2018, was organised The committee chairman leaders, including Jamiat Ule- by Hum Aurtain – a feminist wenty-six people were slammed published reports that ma-e-Islam – Fazlur (JUI-F) collective. killed yesterday when a parliamentarians’ families also leader Majeed Hazarvi, for try- It has a manifesto demanding Tpassenger bus swerved benefi ted from taxpayers’ mon- ing to disrupt Sunday’s Aurat basic rights for women in each off a mountain road and plunged ey. [Women] March in the federal fi eld of life. into a deep ravine in northern He termed the news tanta- capital. For three years now, it has Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan re- mount to diminishing parlia- On Sunday, one person was been organised to coincide with gion, near the city of Skardu. ment’s dignity. injured after participants of the International Women’s Day A spokesperson for the Gilgit- The committee also reviewed the march in Islamabad were on March 8. Baltistan government said that the matter pertaining to the pro- attacked by some men who Last year, the holding of the 25 passengers were onboard the vision of security to parliamen- shouted slogans and pelted rally led to a backlash against bus travelling from Rawalpindi tarians. them wit stones. the organisers and participants to Skardu. The Punjab home depart- The rally was being held in for allegedly “violating Islamic “All those aboard the bus, in- ment offi cials said that they are a designated area outside the principles” and “disrespecting cluding the driver, were killed,” obliged to implement the stand- National Press Club when the women”. the spokesperson said, adding ard operating procedures (SOPs) incident happened. This year, the Lahore and Is- that the dead were unlikely to pertaining provision of security Police had to intervene to lamabad High Courts received have drowned as the water level to VIPs. control the situation before it petitions seeking to ban the in River Indus is very low. The offi cials further recalled escalated. event all together, terming it On Sunday, fi ve people died the Supreme Court (SC) orders The fi rst-information report “vulgar” and “against the prin- and 17 were injured when a bus in which the apex court had (FIR) registered in the state’s ciples of Islam”. fell into a ravine near the town barred unnecessary provision of name invoked Section 147 This picture taken on Sunday shows police off icers gathering to stop the men from various religious While dismissing the peti- of Arja, northeast of Islamabad, security. (Punishment for rioting), 149 groups from confronting participants of the Aurat March in Islamabad. tion in the capital, Islamabad said local offi cial Abdul Hameed MNA Ranjha, who won the (Every member of unlawful as- High Court Chief Justice Athar Kiyani. 2018 general elections on Paki- sembly guilty of off ence com- The FIR names 12 people, National Press Club. On Sunday he had said that Minallah said: “It is important In September 2019 at least 27 stan Muslim League – Nawaz mitted in prosecution of a com- including Shabir Usmani, Maq- According to the FIR, the an FIR would be registered that you see the Aurat March in people, including 10 Pakistan (PML-N) ticket, said that secu- mon object), 186 (Obstructing sood Ahmed, Rizwan Makki, leaders incited violence against against those who disrupted the a positive light. On your own, Army soldiers, were killed and rity detail was withdrawn from public servant in discharge of Abd Ullah, Waheed Qasmi, participants of the Aurat Aurat March. how can you interpret these more than 15 wounded when a party offi cial Rana Sanaullah, public functions), 188 (Diso- Rasheed Tauheedi, Liaquat March, following which some “After an inquiry, people will slogans?” passenger bus rammed into a despite the fact that he faced se- bedience to order duly prom- Turabi, Nasir Ahmed, Asadul- people threw stones at the be arrested. The Islamabad po- Lahore High Court Chief mountain in Babusar Pass after rious threats to his life. ulgated by public servant), lah Abbasi, Majeed Hazarvi, marchers. lice worked very hard to ensure Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh losing control on the road. Contending that he must be 341 (Punishment for wrongful and Razzaq Haideri. The miscreants also tried to that situation stays under con- had also dismissed the peti- That bus had been travelling given security, he recalled that restraint), and 353 (Assault or The report points out that forcefully enter the premises of trol, but few elements broke the tion seeking to ban the march, from Skardu to Rawalpindi when Shuja Khanzada, the former criminal force to deter pub- leaders from various politico- the march, it added. law and they had no NOC [no- saying: “Under the law and it crashed into a mountain while Punjab home minister, had been lic servant from discharge of religious parties and students Islamabad Deputy Commis- objection certifi cate],” he wrote Constitution of the country, making turn at Naran’s Gati Das killed because he refused to ac- his duty) of the Pakistan Penal from seminaries had illegally sioner Hamza Shafqaat shared on Twitter. the Aurat March cannot be area, killing dozens and injuring cept a security detail. Code. occupied the road across the a copy of the FIR on Twitter. Minister for Human Rights stopped”. several aboard. Pakistan has one of the world’s worst records for fatal traffi c ac- cidents, many blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Pakistan to draw anti-locust plan with other countries The country’s northern mountainous areas have a par- ticularly appalling record with Internews working closely with their peers agement Department of the often unpaved roads along sheer Islamabad in Pakistan to make a compre- National Forestry and Grassland cliff s setting the scene for nu- hensive plan to control the lo- Administration, the National merous gruesome traffi c acci- cust problem that includes using Agricultural Technology Exten- dents over the years. he agriculture ministers a fungus to kill off the pests. sion Service Centre, the China According to the Pakistan Bu- of Pakistan, India, Iran Pakistan has been using Agricultural University, and reau of Statistics, around 9,000 Tand Afghanistan will con- chemical pesticides to deal with Shandong Plant Protection Sta- road accidents are reported nect via video-conferencing the current locust plague and tion, has already visited Sindh, every year, killing around 4,000 tomorrow (March 11) to chalk local experts hope that they can Baluchistan, and Punjab be- people. out a strategy to deal with the introduce China’s biological tween February 23 and March 4. worst locust invasion to hit the control methods to the country The group previously stated region in nearly three decades, before the autumn harvest. that China had formulated a 50 shelter homes as swarms of the insects destroy China dispatched the fi rst detailed assistance and training entire harvests in these coun- batch of pesticides, sprayers plan to send disaster prevention established tries. and other supplies to Karachi materials, including pesticides, Representatives of the UN’s yesterday to assist the Pakistani spraying vehicles and monitor- The prime minister’s focal person Food and Agriculture Organisa- authorities in controlling the lo- ing equipment to assist Paki- for shelter homes Naseem-ur- tion (FAO) will also participate in cust invasion. stan. Rehman has said 50 shelter the meeting via a video link from It included 50,000 litres of According to the expert group, homes have been established Abu Dhabi. pesticides and 14 air-powered in the current large-scale out- across the country to provide It is feared that recent rains in high-effi ciency remote sprayers, break of the locust disaster in accommodation and food to diff erent parts of Pakistan and according to China Economic Pakistan, the spraying of chemi- homeless and needy people. other countries in the region Net. cal pesticides and biological He said 40 shelter homes are would further exacerbate the In this picture taken on February 23, dead locusts are seen on the ground at a farm in Pipli Pahar village, To assist in locust eradica- pesticides was more conducive fully functional in six major cities, problem. central Punjab. tion in Pakistan, an expert group to the emergency treatment of while 10 are nearing completion. The UN has attributed the ex- comprising representatives from locust disasters. Rehman said the establishment plosive growth of locust popula- The FAO has pledged to as- national food security and re- locust control in the country. China’s ministry of agriculture The experts believe that the of around 1,000 shelter homes is tions to heavy rains and cyclones sist the Pakistani government in search ministry signed a techni- China has also been helping and rural aff airs, the ministry’s next four to six weeks will be a in the off ing, and a computerised in the Arabian Peninsula last overcoming the crisis. cal co-operation project agree- Pakistan. International Co-operation De- critical period for the eradica- database of the beneficiaries is year. Last month, the FAO and the ment to develop a roadmap for A team of Chinese experts are partment, the Grassland Man- tion of locusts in Baluchistan. being prepared. Gulf Times 18 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Spurs’ spiral the sign of a club in decline Tottenham travel to Leipzig today needing to overturn a 1-0 fi rst leg defi cit to prevent adding an early Champions League exit to a season spiralling out of control. Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Burnley stopped the rot of four consecutive defeats in all competitions that has seen Jose Mourinho’s men fall behind in the race for a top four fi nish in the Premier League and eliminated from the FA Cup by bottom-of-the-table Norwich. Failure to fi ght back in Germany will also halt the progress How Europe should manage Spurs have made in the Champions League in recent years. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham went further in the competition for each of the past three seasons, culminating in a rollercoaster run to the fi nal last season. Rather than using defeat in Madrid to Liverpool last June coronavirus-induced crisis as a springboard to continue competing with the European elite, Spurs have unravelled. most, could increase public spending for reasons outside of their employers’ all of them. Banks can do much more, Pochettino was sacked just three months into this season By Daniel Gros Brussels for virus-containment measures control. These mechanisms, which but only if they are willing to overlook after fi ve-and-a-half years in charge that transformed the without violating EU fi scal rules. would sustain personal incomes during bad financials. Supervisors should club’s fortunes. If these costs spiral – as seems the crisis, are the main reason why a allow – and even encourage – such an he spread of the Covid-19 likely, now that a quarter of the long-lasting drop in consumption is approach. Rather than follow the template of Pochettino’s coronavirus across Europe country, accounting for most unlikely. Once the virus is contained, A forbearance-based approach – appointment with a young and forward-thinking coach like and the United States has led industrial and financial activity, is European consumers will have little together with the “automatic” fi scal Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy Tto a sharp fi nancial-market under lockdown – the European Union reason not to spend as much as before. stabilizers built into Europe’s social- was wowed by Mourinho’s past. correction and prompted calls for active should be able to offer support to Italy Yet two other possible developments security systems – would do far more monetary and fi scal policy to prevent beyond allowing the government to could tip the eurozone into recession. to mitigate the risk of crisis than The Portuguese has a recession. But a closer look suggests run a larger deficit. Article 122.2 of the The fi rst is a sharp slowdown of global microscopic interest-rate cuts. Spurs chairman 25 trophies to his name, that such an approach might not help Treaty on the Functioning of the EU trade, which the EU has little power Additional fi scal stimulus, but the last of them much at all. allows the European Council to grant to counter. The second is a collapse meanwhile, would be needed only in Daniel Levy came three years ago The Covid-19 epidemic is marked financial assistance to a member state in investment, which the EU can and the unlikely event that the economic by uncertainty. Technically, it does not facing “severe difficulties” caused by should work to prevent. disruption is followed by a period of was wowed by and recent spells at represent a “black swan” event, because “exceptional occurrences beyond its The last eurozone crisis demonstrated depressed demand. The eurozone’s Chelsea and Manchester there have been other pandemics control.” This procedure should be that investment collapses when the fi scal rules pose no obstacle to such a Mourinho’s past United did little to before. But it was, until a few months activated. fi nancial system stops functioning. In policy mix, because they are fl exible suggest he was the man ago, unforeseeable, at least in specifi c In any case, Covid-19’s trajectory market-based systems, like that of the enough to permit temporary defi cits terms. And it will have a long-lasting suggests that it will likely spread US, this is a question of risk premia that result from lower tax revenues, to take Spurs forward. impact even if its precise evolution farther, forcing other EU member and plain access to credit, which or fi scal support to sectors hit hard So it has proved with Mourinho’s negativity contributing cannot be predicted today. states to adopt public-health measures policymakers can hardly infl uence. by exceptional circumstances. to the gloom around the club. For now, it seems that the virus is at the expense of economic activity, For Europe, with its bank-centric Nonetheless, the Covid-19 epidemic After losing Harry Kane and Son Heung-min to injury, moving westward. In China, where the particularly in important sectors such fi nancial system, the key to weathering should serve as a reminder of the value virus emerged, infections are declining as travel and tourism. Moreover, supply the Covid-19 crisis is thus to keep the of maintaining prudent fi scal policy Mourinho has repeatedly stated the end of the season cannot after the authorities implemented chains will be impaired, not only by the banking sector healthy. during normal times. Countries with come soon enough. radical measures – including lockdowns temporary shutdown of the Chinese For that, a calibrated supervisory lower defi cits and debts are in a much The 57-year-old is quick to bemoan his lack of resources at that brought the economy to a standstill export machine, but also by disruptions response is essential. The shift of stronger position to respond to the what is now the eighth richest club in the world, according for over two weeks. Although it is too within Europe. Neither interest-rate banking supervision to the European Covid-19 shock than those, like Italy early to tell whether the virus has really cuts nor new government expenditures Central Bank has led to more rigorous and France, that have not created fi scal to Deloitte’s Football Money League. been contained, economic life now would do much to off set the short-term and selective credit policies by space. However, he was scathing of Tottenham’s club record seems to be normalising gradually, eff ects of such shocks. commercial banks. While this has In the face of a severe shock, public signing Tanguy Ndombele after hooking the French implying that the “China shock” may be The more serious problems are likely reduced banking risks, applying tough authorities must act – and be seen midfi elder at half-time on Saturday. unwinding. to emerge from the fi nancial system. lending standards at a time of severe acting. But, in this case, the usual In the US and Europe, by contrast, the While many fi rms can slash production economic stress caused by public- macroeconomic instruments are “My thinking was that in the fi rst half we didn’t have a shock seems to be just beginning, with a quickly, running a business in “disaster health measures could punish otherwise unlikely to work. Central banks and midfi eld. Simple as that,” he said. fast-growing number of new infections recovery mode” still costs money, and creditworthy fi rms that are facing government authorities should explain Mourinho dressing down an underperforming star player raising the spectre of severe economic debt still comes due. In Europe, where temporary losses. this to the public, and then focus their in public is nothing new, but evidence from his previous disruption. This risk is particularly labour costs cannot be cut in the short Italy’s government is providing attention on the less glamorous work of pronounced in the eurozone, which run, the challenges this raises could be direct financial support to companies safeguarding public health, household clubs suggests it does little good. may not be able to weather a severe particularly serious. directly affected by the lockdowns. incomes, and the fi nancial system. – At 23, and in his fi rst season in England, it is questionable as to downturn without spiralling into crisis. Fortunately, most EU members have But if the crisis spreads, the number Project Syndicate whether Mourinho’s criticism of Ndombele is the best way for To be sure, the epidemic’s direct fi scal some system in place under which the of sectors that are affected (often Spurs to realise the potential of their £63mn ($82mn) signing. consequences seem manageable. Even government covers the wages of workers indirectly) will increase. Governments z Daniel Gros is Director of the Centre Italy, which is currently suff ering the who become temporarily redundant cannot provide financial support to for European Policy Studies. Levy also has to bear his share of the blame for Spurs’ decline. As he oversaw a £1bn project for the club’s new stadium that ran well over budget and time, he allowed Pochettino’s squad to stagnate without a single signing between January 2018 and August 2019. At the same time, Levy demanded exorbitant fees for players that could have been sold to reinvest in the squad and saw many of those assets depreciate. Christian Eriksen was sold to Inter Milan in January for a cut-price £17mn with just six months left on his contract. Levy faces another crossroads come the end of a season that Mourinho so desires. Does he back his bet on an experienced coach by meeting his demands in the transfer market, or cut his losses on a coach he signed until 2023 in November on a reported £15mn a year?

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© 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved An empty canal is seen after the spread of coronavirus has caused a decline in the number of tourists in Venice, Italy. Gulf Times Tuesday, March 10, 2020 19 COMMENT A stress test for public health systems

By Jim O’Neill areas covered by the Review’s policy Hubei province have died, but that London recommendations, at least two are toll is below Italy’s. Moreover, from central to the fight against Covid-19. what I hear, the Chinese authorities The first is health and sanitation. By are now cautiously lifting limits on the n January 25, Chatham now, everyone will have heard that movement of people and allowing the House and Georgetown they should be washing their hands economy to return to some semblance University hosted US often and thoroughly (it helps to of normality, which means that the OSecretary of the Treasury sing all of “Happy Birthday” while March numbers should show a notable Steven Mnuchin for a discussion about you do it). But while hand washing pickup. US economic policymaking and the and other basic hygiene measures What about the rest of us? The world. are necessary, they are not sufficient Italian Covid-19 numbers are Mnuchin had come straight from for averting the spread of viral and worrying: the country’s reported the World Economic Forum’s annual bacterial infections. death rate is not only much higher meeting in Davos, but the dominant More to the point, the Covid-19 than China’s, but also dramatically theme of that gathering (“stakeholder crisis raises another issue that I have higher than that of South Korea, even capitalism”) had already been eclipsed long championed: public-health though South Korea has almost the by broader developments. The preparedness. As a part of its annual same number of cases. In the United coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak had Article IV reviews of its member States, equity markets are clearly become a massive problem for China countries, the International Monetary worried, and not for the conventional and would soon threaten the entire Fund should be assessing the strength cyclical reasons. There seems to be a world. and readiness of national health growing fear that the epidemic will As someone whose career has systems. To the Fund’s credit, I have expose the full failings and costs of the included work on infectious-disease been invited to its headquarters to US healthcare system. Making matters risks, I had some sympathy with discuss this idea. But my hunch is that worse, US authorities failed early on Mnuchin’s comments at Davos, where the IMF leadership will demur, on the to implement some of the most basic he pointed out that climate change is grounds that their institution lacks measures for preventing the spread of not the only policy challenge facing the edge in health-system analysis the virus. the world today. (I do not, however, that it has in public fi nance and other As the old adage goes, one should support his belittling of the Swedish matters. never let a crisis go to waste. The teen climate activist Greta Thunberg And yet the IMF’s lack of an enormous attention being devoted to on that same occasion.) analytical edge on climate change Covid-19 creates an opportunity to According to the United Kingdom’s has not stopped it from issuing rethink how we manage and prepare 2016 Review on Antimicrobial policy statements on that topic. That for such challenges. One hopes that Resistance (AMR), which I chaired, is as it should be: As markets are world leaders, especially those in policymakers around the world need demonstrating, one cannot distinguish the G20 countries, will recognise to pursue 29 essential interventions between fi nance and broad-based the need for larger investments in in the medium term in order to avoid issues like climate change or public national health systems so that the a costly and deadly global health health. It should be obvious that current mood of anxiety doesn’t crisis. Specifi cally, we warned that a failure to prevent the spread of become a regular feature of our lives. A man and woman sit in front of a poster reminding citizens to wear face masks as a preventive measure against the in the absence of concerted action, infectious diseases can and will have And while they’re at it, they can start Covid-19 coronavirus, at a bus stop in Bozhou, in China’s eastern Anhui province. drug-resistant microbes could take a direct bearing on macroeconomic to fix the broken pipeline for new around 10mn lives per year by 2050, conditions. managers’ indices, suggests that of the economy and curtailed the massive initial mistakes, has gotten to antibiotics, so that we don’t dump at a cumulative cost to global GDP of When we met with Mnuchin in late Chinese economic activity did indeed movement of people, a significant grips with the outbreak – at least for the human and financial costs of the around $100tn. January, Covid-19 was still widely collapse in February, with the key temporary downturn should not now. As of March 6, the reported data AMR crisis onto future generations. - Now the Covid-19 crisis is upon us. regarded as a Chinese problem, with Caixin services PMI survey recording come as a surprise. The question is by province show that outside of Hubei Project Syndicate There is no readily available vaccine, many commentators arguing that it a 50% drop in business confidence. whether the Chinese leadership is in (Covid-19’s epicentre), around 95% and global health systems around the could topple China’s economy and That figure implies that the Chinese a position to crank things back up. of reported infections have resulted z Jim O’Neill, a former chairman of world have proven largely unprepared health system. What do the data economy has weakened by half. Judging by Johns Hopkins’s real- in recoveries, with only around 1,200 Goldman Sachs Asset Management and and unequipped to manage a fast- show now? One regularly published But, given that Chinese authorities time Covid-19 case-tracking module, people still undergoing treatment. a former UK Treasury Minister, is Chair moving pandemic. Of the ten broad indicator, monthly purchasing deliberately shut down large parts it appears that China, despite its Sadly, around 110 Chinese outside of of Chatham House.

HBKU’s QCRI nurtures next generation of

Three-day forecast computer scientists through tech-focused events TODAY Maximum Temperature : 240c Minimum Temperature : 170c zChildren and mothers introduced to robotics and AI via host of engaging games and activities WEDNESDAY Maximum Temperature : 250c Doha participated in hands-on activities, Along with the child-focused Minimum Temperature : 150c which aimed to pique their interest activities, the event also featured in all things tech. These included a Mother-Child electronic maze, a THURSDAY s part of its ongoing eff orts the concept of robotics, which was game whereby mother and child were Maximum Temperature : 260c to nurture an innovation delivered through games such as challenged to complete the entire Minimum Temperature : 170c mindset among the younger Cozmo, a robot that has AI capabilities labyrinth without releasing each Fisherman's forecast generation, Qatar Comput- and is suitable for all ages; Sphero, a other’s hand. A WARNING ing Research Institute (QCRI), part of spherical robot that children could Continuing with its family-focused Inshore : Nil Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), program to go through a maze; Wedo, capacity building drive, QCRI will organises a host of events throughout a Lego robot game that is suitable for host the Creative Space fair on April Offshore : Nil the year which are themed around the ages 7-9; and DoBot, a robotic arm 18. QCRI’s fl agship program is a public WEATHER latest technological innovations and that children could program to draw event that provides a platform to Inshore : Misty at some places at trends. and spell out their names. showcase the K-12 programs off ered by first becomes moder- ate temperature day- The events encourage children and Some of the DIY activities QCRI’s Creative Space Lab as well as time with some clouds, their parents to engage in activities showcased during the Mother- those off ered by other entities working relatively cold by night. that promote an understanding of Child TechFund event included a in the Maker and Science, Technology, Offshore : Fine to some clouds robotics, artifi cial intelligence (AI) Hologram Projector, LED Art and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at times and other branches of computer Scribble Bots, which saw children fi elds. Members of the community can WIND science that support the expansion using simple electronics to build a bot look forward to more than 50 STEM Inshore : Northwesterly-North- of the next generation of tech-savvy that is capable of moving around and activities and a Science Show. easterly 06-16 KT individuals who will in turn go on to scribbling, 3D pens and Augmented For more details, and to register, Offshore : Northwesterly 03-13/17 benefi t Qatar’s burgeoning innovation Reality Coloring. please visit qcri.hbku.edu.qa KT ecosystem. Visibility : 4-8/3 KM “Through our various capacity Offshore : 1-3/4 FT building initiatives, QCRI aims About Hamad Bin Khalifa University to inspire more people to become Around the region creators of technologies i.e. computer The recent Mother-Child Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow Weather Weather scientists, rather than just consumers TechFun is one such programme today Max/min tomorrow Max/min of technology. Our various programs that facilitates a fun and stimulating Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), ity through an enriching academic Baghdad Sunny 29/13 P Cloudy 29/14 instil in children a curiosity for coding, learning environment for both a member of Qatar Foundation for experience, innovative ecosystem, Kuwait City P Cloudy 26/12 Sunny 27/13 robotics and the development of digital parent and child. Mothers and their Education, Science and Community and unique partnerships. HBKU deliv- Manama M Sunny 24/17 Sunny 24/17 applications. By also inviting parents children attending the event were Development (QF), was founded in ers multidisciplinary undergraduate Muscat S Showers 24/18 Sunny 25/18 to take part in these programs, we are able to bond and try their hand at 2010 as a research-intensive university and graduate programs through its Tehran Sunny 17/05 Sunny 18/07 demonstrating to them how they can testing and familiarising themselves that acts as a catalyst for transforma- colleges and provides opportunities play an integral role in supporting their with what it entails to conceptualise tive change in Qatar and the region for research and scholarship through children in pursuing diff erent career and develop technological while having global impact. Located in its institutes and centers. For more ambitions within the tech arena,” innovations. Education City, HBKU is committed to information about HBKU, visit www. explained Dr Eman Futuri, director of Mothers along with children building and cultivating human capac- hbku.edu.qa. educational initiatives at QCRI. between the ages of four and 12

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Around the world How to take your spring cleaning up a notch — safely Weather Weather today Max/min tomorrow Max/min Athens P Cloudy 16/08 P Cloudy 17/07 ased on what is currently Clean surfaces and objects that are cleaning, disinfecting can further – If you choose other disinfectants, Beirut M Cloudy 18/14 Sunny 21/17 known about Covid-19 and touched frequently, including remotes, lower the risk of spreading infection. use those with labels that say “EPA Bangkok Sunny 37/27 Sunny 37/28 similar illnesses such as Sars refrigerator and faucet handles, – To disinfect with bleach, mix 1/3 approved” for killing bacteria and Berlin Rain 08/08 M Cloudy 11/08 and Mers, person-to-person desks, doorknobs, railings, computer cup of bleach per gallon of cold water viruses on solid surfaces. Always Cairo M Sunny 24/14 P Cloudy 26/17 B Cape Town P Cloudy 23/17 M Cloudy 26/16 transmission is the most likely source keyboards, light switches, phones and or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of follow directions on product labels, of infection, most frequently through toys. cold water. Always, mix bleach with especially instructions on how long to Colombo M Sunny 32/25 P Cloudy 32/25 respiratory droplets passed from – Use soap and water to remove cold water for disinfecting; hot water leave the product in place. Dhaka Sunny 31/18 M Sunny 33/21 talking, coughing or sneezing within viruses and bacteria. renders bleach ineff ective. Bleach – Chemical disinfectants can make Hong Kong M Sunny 23/16 M Cloudy 19/17 about 6 feet. *Why? decomposes over time, so don’t you sick if not used properly. Follow Istanbul Rain 12/09 P Cloudy 16/08 Transmission by contaminated Cleaning safely removes germs, stockpile it. To ensure its eff ectiveness label instructions for precautions you Jakarta S T Storms 33/25 S T Storms 32/25 surfaces has not been documented, dirt and impurities from surfaces. at disinfecting, only buy what you should take when applying, including Karachi Sunny 28/17 Sunny 26/16 but there’s evidence that the new Cleaning does not kill germs, but need when you need it, and mix your wearing gloves and making sure you London S Showers 15/09 M Cloudy 14/07 coronavirus may remain viable for by removing them, it lowers their diluted solution fresh the day you’ll have good ventilation (such as opening Manila M Sunny 34/26 S T Storms 33/26 hours or days on surfaces. numbers and the risk of spreading use it. Protect from sunlight. Only windows) while using the product. Moscow Rain 08/04 Showers 09/04 In general, the federal Centers various types of infections. apply to clean surfaces, as organic – Never mix bleach with ammonia New Delhi M Sunny 25/16 S Showers 25/16 for Disease Control and Prevention *Extra steps materials inactivate bleach. or other household cleaners. Doing so New York Cloudy 17/08 P Cloudy 13/06 recommend cleaning visibly dirty and – Chemical disinfectants can kill – To disinfect with alcohol, use can produce a dangerous gas that even Paris S Showers 15/12 Cloudy 16/11 frequently touched surfaces, followed germs on surfaces, but you can’t skip solutions with at least 70% alcohol, in small amounts can irritate the eyes, Sao Paulo P Cloudy 29/17 M Sunny 28/16 by disinfection, as a best practice for the cleaning step. Those chemicals by preferably ethyl alcohol. Since alcohol skin and respiratory tract. Seoul Rain 09/-1 Sunny 09/-2 the prevention of Covid-19 and other themselves won’t necessarily clean is fl ammable, limit its use as a surface – Never leave disinfectants where Singapore P Cloudy 33/26 M Sunny 33/26 viral respiratory illnesses. dirty surfaces or remove germs, but disinfectant to small surface-areas and children or pets can access them. - Sydney P Cloudy 22/16 S Showers 22/16 *Do by killing germs on a surface after use it in well-ventilated spaces only. Tribune News Service Tokyo Rain 15/11 Cloudy 18/09 Gulf Times 20 Tuesday, March 10, 2020 QATAR

During the ceremony, which took place at the Doha Bank Tower, the bank honoured schools and students who worked on projects to raise awareness on the pressing environmental issues and implement environmental sustainability practices. Doha Bank acknowledges 13 schools at annual ECO-Schools awards ceremony oha Bank has acknowl- following four categories: ‘Envi- “The award ceremony is indeed a “Indeed, this initiative is cru- them the impact of pollution on ing at the top of our priorities. edged 13 schools at the an- ronmental Health’, ‘Waste Man- culmination of our persistent efforts cial for implanting the concept the environment and ways they In addition, we are striving to Dnual ECO-Schools awards agement’, ‘Water Management’, of environmental protection in can follow to protect it for greener instil a sense of responsibility in ceremony, an initiative that en- and ‘Energy Saving’. Under the to spread awareness about the the minds and the hearts of the horizons for them and the future our children towards the envi- courages students across Qatar to ‘Waste Management’ category, youngsters as part of their educa- generations who should cher- ronment, familiarise them with create innovative projects in four six schools were acknowledged eco-friendly measures, particularly tional process. ish the unique natural heritage the environmental issues, and main environmental categories. for their innovative projects. among young children who are our Therefore, if we are fi rm about within Qatar.” Braik Ali H S al- encourage them to adopt eco- Building on its constant Cor- These included Birla Pub- our resolution to have an eco- Marri, chief retail banking offi cer, friendly practices. porate Social Responsibility lic School for their ‘Reducing hope for a better ecologically sound friendly society and to reduce the said: “This awarding ceremony “This year’s projects focused on (CSR) eff orts in the fi eld of envi- Food Wastage (SDG No 2 & 12)’ future” carbon footprint on the world, is to celebrate and acknowledge various key ideas for waste recy- ronmental awareness, Doha Bank project, Pakistan International those students should be edu- the eff orts of our young children cling as well as water and energy announced the winning schools School Qatar for ‘Old Tire New School (‘Save Water Save Life’). Doha Bank Group CEO Dr R cated about the environmental to save the environment and pre- saving, which could have a sub- at the awarding ceremony of Life’, Shantiniketan Indian School For the ‘Energy Saving’ cat- Seetharaman said: “Doha Bank cause and how to garner their serve our natural resources.” stantial eff ect on improving our the eighth edition of its annual (‘Waste Management’), Staff ord egory, the honoured projects has always been at the forefront talents and collective capabilities “This year, our ECO-Schools environment if implemented.” ECO-Schools programme held Sri Lankan School Doha (‘Re- were Gheras International School of promoting environmental towards improving the environ- Programme proved eff ective once Schools anywhere in Qatar on March 7. duce, Recycle & Reuse — The way (‘GIS Energy Savers’) and Rajagiri conservation and sustainable mental status quo.” again in mobilising young talents can join the programme free- During the ceremony, which to the Future’), and Qatar Turk- Public School (‘Save the Energy’). practices, and our ECO-Schools Underscoring the importance and abilities to create innova- of-charge via http://www.eco- took place at the Doha Bank Tow- ish School (‘Best out of Waste’). Similarly, the following two programme stands as a shining of the Doha Bank’s initiative, am- tive environmental projects that schools.com.qa. er, the bank honoured schools and Meanwhile, three schools were schools were recognised for their example in this regard. bassador Ivonne A Baki of the Re- would help build a better future To join the programme, each students who worked on projects awarded for their ‘Water Man- creative projects in the ‘Environ- Today’s award ceremony is in- public of Ecuador said: “I believe for the next generation, which is school is requested to create an to raise awareness on the pressing agement’ projects: Al-Ahnaf Bin mental Health’ category: Philip- deed a culmination of our persist- that it is essential to implant the one of the underlying pillars of action plan and present it to the environmental issues and imple- Qais Independent School (‘Save pine International School Qatar ent eff orts to spread awareness principles of the environmen- the Qatar National Vision (2030). ECO-Schools committee for ment environmental sustainabil- Me a Drop, My Life Won’t Stop’), - Elementary (‘Urban Garden in about the eco-friendly measures, tal conservation and sustainable “The initiative falls in line with approval. Once approved, the ity practices. The programme, Olive International School (‘Let’s PISQ’) and Philippine Interna- particularly among young chil- development in the young Qa- our CSR eff orts seeking to apply schools implement their action which crowned 13 winning All Do Our Share to Save Water tional School Qatar - High School dren who are our hope for a better tari generations. The best way of a positive change in the society, plans which are later evaluated schools across Qatar, spans the with Care’), Doha Modern Indian (‘Green Wall @ PISQ’). ecologically sound future. achieving this is by early teaching with the environmental cause be- and awarded by the committee. 175 volunteers join hands in Purple Island beach cleanup

he second beach cleanup nicipality provided support. The school co-ordinator at FES and and changes to local conditions.” of the ongoing 22nd edi- FES programme, has been creat- programme co-ordinator of DEAP director Jose Saucedo, Ttion of A Flower Each ing awareness since 1999 on lo- FON. described Purple Island as an in- Spring (FES) programme, held cal fl oral and other environmen- Mohamed El-Azab, Opera- credible beautiful place in Qatar at the mangrove forests of the tal aspects. The Purple Island tions & Branding manager of that is home to many species of Purple Island in Al Thakira, saw (Bin Ghanim Island), a natural AquaSports pointed out that the birds and marine life. 175 volunteers, comprising fami- heritage site, is also a location of mangrove forests of Al Thakira The collected trash included lies, participating to collect over signifi cant historical interest. around Purple Island are a pro- old tyres, plastic bags, and fi shing 1000kg of waste materials. A purple dye used to be derived tected natural site and home to a lines and sharp metal objects. The The event was organised by in ancient times from the shells wide variety of wild birds and sea volunteers were instructed on Doha Environmental Actions of a local mollusk. This purple life including fl amingos, herons, how to safely collect the rubbish. Project (DEAP) and Friends of dye was much prized by royalty as well as the endangered grey At the end of the day, the mu- Nature (FON) and hosted in and wealthy across the region mangrove. nicipal authorities removed the two diff erent campsites, by Aq- and as far as the Roman Empire. “Grey mangroves are hugely waste materials for safe disposal, uaSports and FES programme, “The beach cleanup was a grand important to habitat preservation leaving the natural habitat a safer respectively. success, thanks to the stakehold- for many animals but they are and cleaner place for humans and Al Khor and Al Thakhira Mu- ers,” said Fatma Hassan, event/ also very susceptible to pollution animals alike. Volunteers engaged in trash collection on Purple Island.

Sacks of collected waste materials arranged at a camp site. Some music and dance helped the volunteers unwind at the end of a hectic day.