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WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11533 April 29, 2020 Ramadan 6, 1441 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Employers urged to open bank Amir approves decision accounts for QF working on Covid-19 domestic workers to form committee for The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs (MADLSA) has urged all test, treatment protocol real estate development employers to open bank accounts for their domestic workers. The directive is based on the atar Foundation (QF) is work- zPrivate practitioners allowed to keenness of Qatar to provide ing to develop a test that will work in govt Covid-19 treatment banking services to all segments Qhelp in determining the pres- institutions of the society, including domestic ence of the coronavirus in human zOfficial highlights steps taken workers. Earlier Qatar Central Bank body, in addition to developing po- by ministry of health had issued a circular regarding tential treatment mechanisms. z10% of those infected with opening accounts and ensuring Besides, QF is also working to de- Covid-19 ‘do not show clinical banking services for domestic velop an application for diagnosis symptoms’ workers. MADLSA, through its and monitoring, in co-operation with z ‘Fight against Covid-19 hasn’t off icial website, has clarified Qatar Computing Research Institute stopped Qatar from helping other opening bank accounts will be free (QCRI), according to Sheikh Dr Mo- nations’ — Page 2 of charge and would not require to hamed bin Hamad al-Thani, director Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad meet any financial consideration. of the Public Health Department at the al-Thani: building capacity to fight doing, in co-operation with some It will be carried through Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). the virus international research centres, as it banking applications without the In an interview with the offi cial conducts six studies on Covid-19. requirements of maintaining a Qatar News Agency (QNA), Sheikh Dr ried out by QF in co-operation with He also revealed that licensed prac- minimum balance. The ministry Mohamed said QF’s research, devel- HMC and some external parties on titioners in the private sector were also advised employers on the opment and innovation centres have the use of Artifi cial Intelligence, ge- recently allowed to work in treatment importance of educating workers provided Hamad Medical Corpora- nomics and other advanced technolo- facilities in the government sector in on how to use the application to tion (HMC) with some of the equip- gies used to combat the novel corona- order to strengthen the medical and conduct banking operations. Two of ment available in order to help speed virus outbreak. These are in addition paramedical staff in the face of the the most important benefits of the up laboratory testing procedures. to what Qatar University is currently coronavirus pandemic. new step are that it would facilitate Regarding the number of exami- easy transfer of the workers’ nations that are being carried out to salaries to their accounts and that it detect the virus, he said laboratories 5 hospitals, 4 health centres, 1 isolation would help workers transfer funds affi liated with the Department of centre designated for Covid-19 treatment electronically to their accounts in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology their home countries. Also it helps at HMC have been conducting the Qatar has so far designated five Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, them pay for their expenses, use necessary medical lab tests from the hospitals to care for Covid-19 The Cuban Hospital, Mesaieed the debit card for purchases and beginning. The total number of labo- patients, four health centres for Hospital and Ras Laff an Hospital. withdrawals from ATMs. Banks are ratory exams have exceeded 85,000, testing, examining and keeping The four health centres are keen to provide these electronic involving modern techniques. suspected cases in addition to Gharafat Al Rayyan, Umm Salal, services in safe and secure ways to He said the expansion of central a hospital for medical isolation, Muaither and Rawdat Al Khail. protect customers’ data and money. laboratories contributed to enhanc- Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al- In addition, a medical isolation ing the ability to have a larger number Thani, director of the Public Health hospital in Umm Salal was opened Covid-19 recoveries of tests daily, while work is currently Department at the Ministry of on April 9. It has a capacity of reach 1,134 in Qatar under way on importing modern and Public Health (MoPH), has said. 12,500 beds and is equipped with certifi ed reagents that will enable He said the five designated hospitals all the necessary facilities to take The Ministry of Public Health more to be tested and get results faster. to treat Covid-19 patients are the care of those infected with the (MoPH) announced yesterday the The director of Public Health also Communicable Disease Center, virus. registration of 677 new confirmed referred to the scientifi c studies car- cases of the novel coronavirus zCabinet decisions on Reorganising Qatar National (Covid-19), and the recovery of 68 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing Commission for Education, Culture and Science and the total number of recovered cases 3rd shipment of Qatar aid arrives in Iran Unified Economic Registry also approved to 1,134, according to off icial Qatar News Agency (QNA). The MoPH pointed out that most of the new is Highness the Amir Sheikh of Justice, Ministry of Municipality and cases registered are expatriate Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani ap- Environment, Ministry of Commerce workers in diff erent occupations Hproved yesterday Cabinet deci- and Industry, Ministry of Administra- and who have been in contact with sion No 12 of 2020 on the executive reg- tive Development, Labour and Social previously discovered cases. ulations of Law No 1 of 2020 regarding Aff airs, Qatar Central Bank, Qatar Fi- There are also new cases of Covid-19 the unifi ed economic registry. nancial Markets Authority and Qatar among groups of workers from The decision is eff ective starting Chamber of Commerce and Industry. outside the Industrial Area who were from the day following the date of its The decision is eff ective starting identified through testing by the publication in the offi cial gazette. from its date of issue and is to be pub- MoPH. Page 3 His Highness the Amir also ap- lished in the offi cial gazette. proved Cabinet decision No 10 of 2020 Also His Highness the Amir ap- Unsettled weather to form a committee on real estate sec- proved Cabinet decision No 11 of 2020, conditions expected tor development strategy. on reorganising Qatar National Com- The committee will be chaired by HE mission for Education, Culture and Unsettled weather, marked by the Minister of Municipality and En- Science. chances of rain, are expected in vironment, with the membership of a The decision is eff ective starting the country from today until the representative from each of Ministry of from its date of issue and is to be pub- beginning of next week, the Qatar Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry lished in the offi cial gazette. Met department has said. The maximum temperature is Amir directs sending urgent medical aid to Algeria expected to range from 33-39C and In implementation of the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the third shipment the minimum from 26-29C in diff erent of medical aid (16 tons) from Qatar has arrived in Iran. The aid comes within the framework of Qatar’s support for the His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has directed sending areas during this period, according eff orts made by the Iranian government in combating Covid-19. The medical aid was received by representatives of urgent medical aid to sisterly Algeria, in support of eff orts of the brothers there to to a report issued yesterday by the the Qatari embassy in Tehran, in addition to Iran’s Assistant Minister of Health for International Aff airs Jalal Naeli. fight the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. weather off ice. Page 4 US considering virus testing on flights President Donald Trump said US CDC adds six new offi cial symptoms to Covid-19 yesterday the United States was considering having passengers on international flights from coronavirus DPA/TCA the CDC would update its list of symp- Newly added symptoms hot spots be tested for the virus. Los Angeles toms as more information about the “We’re looking at doing it on the virus became available. “It’s what they Chills, Repeated shaking with chills, international flights coming out should be doing,” he said. Muscle pain, Headache, Sore throat of areas that are heavily infected,” he Centers for Disease Control “This is a brand-new disease and we and New loss of taste or smell Trump said at a White House event. and Prevention (CDC) in the US are learning enormous amounts about Thas made six additions to its of- it,” Swartzerg added, “including its fi cial list of Covid-19 symptoms this clinical manifestations.” Covid-19 generally develop their fi rst RAMADAN THOUGHT week to help doctors and patients bet- The novel coronavirus keeping us symptoms, including fever and mild ter understand who might be sickened stuck at home has been circulating in respiratory problems, about fi ve days by the novel coronavirus. the human population for only four after infection. Swartzberg said those How can you disbelieve in Al- The newly added symptoms include months. symptoms can last anywhere from lah? Seeing that you were dead chills, repeated shaking with chills, As more people become infected, seven to 14 days, but acute cases can and He gave you life. He will give muscle pain, headache, sore throat and scientists gain a better understanding last longer than that. you death, then again will bring new loss of taste or smell. They join the of how it spreads, how it makes us sick, “It’s a bell-shaped curve, with some you to life (on the Day of Resur- list of Covid-19 symptoms identifi ed and how best to treat it. people getting sick for just a few days rection) and then unto Him you by the US public health agency early in A spokesperson for the CDC said Vice President Mike Pence visits Mayo Clinic facilities supporting Covid-19 and others having symptoms that last will return (Qur’an 2: 28) the outbreak: fever, cough, and short- the newly added Covid-19 symptoms research and treatment in Minnesota, US, yesterday. longer than two weeks,” he said. ness of breath or diffi culty in breath- refl ect changes in the case defi nition As health experts continue to learn Prayer times ing. adopted by the Council of State and these things that are reported by clini- what doctors call “mild to moderate” more about the disease, it is likely If you have any of these symptoms - Territorial Epidemiologists, or CSTE. cians and then feeding that data to the symptoms - similar to having a fl u, that other symptoms will be added to Fajr....3.38 Zuhr....11.31 Asr....3.00 and especially if you have a few of them The CSTE is composed of epidemiolo- CDC,” he said. but not bad enough to require hospi- the CDC’s list, said Janet Hamilton, Maghrib.....6.06 Isha.....7.36 - it’s a good idea to call your healthcare gists who work in health departments The CSTE report notes that not talisation. executive director of CSTE. “It is so Fasting times provider, health experts said. across the US, and they make recom- everybody who is infected by the As much as 15% of cases are severe new and it’s rapidly moving,” she said. Dr John Swartzberg, an infectious mendations to the CDC about how to coronavirus has the same symptoms. enough to require supplemental oxy- “I couldn’t tell you when we plan to Iftar today ...... 6.06pm disease specialist at the University of track and report diseases. Swartzen- Some people have no symptoms at all, gen, and 5% are critical enough to re- update it, but updating is our normal Imsak tomorrow...... 3.27am California, Berkeley’s School of Pub- berg described them as the “eyes and while about 80% of those who do be- quire mechanical ventilation. process when dealing with emerging lic Health, said it is not surprising that ears of the CDC”. “They are seeing come sick with Covid-19 experience The CSTE report said people with infections.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 QATAR

Sheikha Alya calls for global solidarity to address Covid-19 challenge

QNA member-states on the draft po- portance of global governance depends on that. the United Nations as well as to portance of the global response to New York litical declaration to be adopted and the celebration of multilat- Sheikha Alya said that the con- enhance multilateralism. the coronavirus pandemic, taking at the high-level meeting with the eralism, within the framework sultations will continue remotely, The virtual dialogue was in- into account the economic and participation of heads of state and of the 75th anniversary of the and that the main challenges will augurated by Minister of Foreign social impacts, as well as respond- he spread of the coronavi- governments on the 75th anniver- founding of the United Nations. be addressed. These are the ongo- Aff airs of Sweden Ann Linde, and ing to the UN secretary-general’s rus (Covid-19) pandemic sary of the founding of the United Sheikha Alya noted that this ing confl icts, climate change, the the Minister of Foreign Aff airs call for a global ceasefi re. Tis a challenge that re- Nations in September. situation comes at a time when absence of confi dence globally, and of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn Participants also stressed that quires the unifi cation of eff orts, Taking part in the virtual dia- work is being done to plan for the the positive and negative aspects as well as Fabrizio Hochschild the Covid-19 pandemic under- co-operation and international logue held under the title “The future of the United Nations. She of emerging technologies. She also Drummond, Under-Secretary- scored the great importance of solidarity, HE the ambassador Future We Want - The United reviewed the process of consul- drew attention to the need to focus General of the United Nations multilateralism, as the lives of Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al- Nations We Need”, HE Sheikha tations on the statement of the on the Covid-19 crisis, with its di- and Special Adviser on Prepara- many will depend on how suc- Thani, Permanent Representa- Alya said the virus has reached high-level meeting of heads of mensions and eff ects, and how to tions for the Seventy-Fifth Unit- cessful states are in solidarity tive of Qatar to the United Na- all countries in the world and did states and governments in light deal with it, which has become part ed Nations Anniversary. and supporting international in- tions, has said. not distinguish between them of the developments of the pan- of the political declaration. The participants stressed the stitutions. They agreed that this This came in a speech which and has become a test for all. demic, stressing that the political Ambassador Sheikha Alyaia importance of multilateral co-op- time is a time of pluralism, not a HE Sheikha Alya, in her capac- The dialogue was organised declaration is meaningful and not affi rmed that the 75th anniver- eration and the international sys- time of isolationism, and that all ity as facilitator in partnership by the government of Sweden removed from the suff ering and sary of the founding of the Unit- tem to meet the many challenges have a responsibility to ensure with the Permanent Delegate of in partnership with the “Global aspirations of people around the ed Nations is an opportunity to facing the world in economic, en- that the United Nations is strong Sweden, delivered while partici- Challenges Foundation”; with world, as the eff ectiveness of the HE the ambassador Sheikha Alya renew the principles and values vironmental and legal fi elds. and capable of addressing global pating in consultations between the aim of highlighting the im- United Nations in the 21st century Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani. established by the founders of They also underlined the im- challenges. Private practitioners allowed to work Offi cial highlights in govt Covid-19 treatment institutions steps taken by ministry of health icensed practitioners in as tests are done every two days the private sector were to detect the virus. KEY POINTS Lrecently allowed to work He also indicated that all z About 30 hotels used for the spread of the virus has in treatment institutions in the services are provided in hotels, quarantine purpose begun to enter the peak stage, he Ministry of Public and other relevant ministries, in government sector in order to including the Internet, to allow z Internet, room service steady increase in the eff orts of Health has established a co-ordination with the Supreme strengthen the medical and par- residents to communicate with provided at hotels, including the MoPH and its medical teams Tsystem to monitor infl uen- Committee for Crisis Manage- amedical staff in the face of the family and friends. Room serv- cleaning on a daily basis to track the transmission chains za and infl uenza-like illness (ILI) ment, and a group of medical coronavirus and provide more ice is also provided, including zNoticeable increase in positive and expand the surveillance since the emergence of the severe teams has been formed to support and faster medical and nursing cleaning on a daily basis, while cases due to several reasons: process acute respiratory syndrome in the work of the committees. services. the hotel provides laundry and 2003 and H1N1 in 2009. He pointed out that medi- This was revealed by Sheikh delivery services. This system has been linked cal teams at the country’s entry Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al- He noted that leaving the bined eff orts between various rise in the number of new cases,” to the Department of Labora- points undertook the procedures Thani, director of Public Health room is forbidden if there is no sectors in the country in order to he said. tory Medicine and Pathology of examining passengers com- at the Ministry of Public Health necessity in order to prevent di- respond appropriately and rap- On the medical teams’ cur- at Hamad Medical Corporation ing from diff erent countries and (MoPH), during an interview rect contact, in accordance with idly to this new threat, he said, rent handling of the coronavirus (HMC), which has been named subjecting them to quarantine with the offi cial Qatar News the rules of social distancing. Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad adding that this has been done crisis, he said due to the State’s as a National Infl uenza Centre upon arrival for a period of 14 Agency. The director of Public Health al-Thani through “outstanding co-op- keenness on the right of every- by the World Health Organisa- days to assess, follow up and en- This is among the proactive explained that those in quaran- eration” with the World Health one to health, including provid- tion (WHO), a senior Ministry of sure that they are free from the steps being taken in the country tine are authorised to leave after lance process, including that of Organisation (WHO). ing the necessary medical care Public Health (MoPH) has said. virus, while transferring infected under the prevailing circum- it is confi rmed that they are free groups of contacts with people He pointed out that all min- for them as well as the neces- Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Ha- cases to the Communicable Dis- stances, the others including from the virus, depending on the who were previously diagnosed istries have participated in this sary supplies and equipment, mad al-Thani, director of the ease Center at HMC. equipping fi ve hospitals to treat clinical examination, the result with the disease. collective approach, along with the MoPH accelerated the pro- Public Health Department at the Several fi eld medical teams, coronavirus patients and in- of laboratory analysis and the All of these factors have con- health, academic and research vision of medical, nursing and ministry, made these observa- including doctors, nurses and creasing the number of primary report of the treatment team. tributed to the early detection institutions as well as civil soci- technical cadres and employed tions while explaining the vari- technicians, were allocated from healthcare centres to four cen- He said the 14-day period is of many cases of infection and ety organisations and the private additional physicians to support ous possibilities off ered by the the MoPH, HMC and the Pri- tres to carry out the necessary adequate for quarantine, and it reduced the spread of the virus. sector in order to fi nd the best the medical and nursing staff as- MoPH to deal with the Covid-19 mary Health Care Corporation tests to examine and keep sus- is calculated starting from the Sheikh Dr Mohamed also ways to reduce the social and signed to work in the fi eld to re- pandemic in an interview with to tackle the virus. pected cases, in addition to pre- time of the last contact with an talked about the eff orts made by economic impact of this pan- spond to the outbreak. Qatar News Agency. Sheikh Dr Mohamed said paring a medical isolation hospi- infected person. When there is various sectors in the country to demic. He added that the health cad- He said this is the way in which within the context of co-op- tal in Umm Salal with a capacity a positive case of Covid-19 with combat Covid-19, saying that all Responding to a question on res have been trained and quali- the national surveillance mecha- eration of all sectors with the of 12,500 beds, he observed. clinical symptoms, the patient governmental and non-govern- the ministry’s plans to handle fi ed remotely by WHO experts, nism is being built in response MoPH, a smartphone app named The offi cial also noted that will be transferred to an isolation mental sectors as well as civil so- the spread of Covid-19, Sheikh pointing out that quality and to the coronavirus pandemic, Ehteraz has been launched with some 30 hotels featuring the hospital, he added. ciety organisations have adhered Dr Mohamed said the goal of performance indicators have pointing out that the ministry has the aim of strengthening the highest safety standards were Regarding the increasing to the directives of His High- addressing this pandemic is not been developed to measure the formed teams to trace and detect State’s precautionary eff orts allocated for quarantine pur- number of positive Covid-19 ness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin only to slow the spread of the readiness of the hospital system the disease early, co-ordinate with to tackle the coronavirus and poses since the beginning of the cases in Qatar, the offi cial ex- Hamad al-Thani, as well as the virus to reduce the number of in the country, which is moni- Department of Laboratory Medi- provide multiple services to en- Covid-19 crisis. plained that the noticeable in- national executive plan and in- infected people and reduce its tored through periodic reports. cine and Pathology and approve hance preventive measures and Rooms were allocated for in- crease is due to several reasons. structions of the Supreme Com- burden on the health system, He also referred to the launch the available data in the infl uenza reduce the spread of the virus. dividual cases as well as families, One of these is that the spread of mittee for Crisis Management to but the main objective from the of the ‘For Qatar’ campaign by surveillance system about related A community awareness cam- in addition to clinics within ho- the virus has begun to enter the fi ght the virus. beginning has been to prevent the MoPH with the aim of at- diseases and the WHO’s recom- paign has also been implement- tels for medical and paramedical peak stage (ie the highest wave He noted that everyone has an ascendant curve as much as tracting volunteers to help mendations and directives. ed and drones have been used to personnel for case management, that aff ects a country), which realised from the beginning that possible. reduce the spread of the pan- He noted that the ministry broadcast awareness messages evaluation, monitoring and fol- may continue to increase for a the problem of Covid-19 is not “We have faced a serious chal- demic. The volunteers have been formed the National Pandemic through loudspeakers. low-up, Sheikh Dr Mohamed said. period of time before it begins to limited to medical and health lenge since the end of February trained at the Education City Preparedness Committee to study The MoPH website has a dedi- He stated medical staff per- decline. solutions provided by the MoPH after the Qatari citizens were Student Center (Multaqa), Qatar the situation in the country, de- cated page on Covid-19, which in- form a daily evaluation of those It is also due to the steady in- and that this crisis cannot be evacuated from Iran, in addition Foundation for Education, Sci- velop plans and projects and fol- cludes the latest information and in quarantine to detect their crease in the eff orts of the MoPH managed individually. This epi- to the return of citizens from ence and Community Develop- low up on the implementation resources about the virus in sev- health status, measure the body and its medical teams to track demiological situation needs a the aff ected countries to Qatar, ment, and they have embarked of these plans to address the dis- eral languages, in addition to allo- temperature and ensure that no the transmission chains of coro- collective approach that guar- which contributed to an increase on their volunteering work with ease. The committee is composed cating a round-the-clock hotline, pathological symptoms appear navirus and expand the surveil- antees co-operation and com- in the number of infections and a enthusiasm. of active members of the MoPH 16000, to respond to all enquiries. ‘Fight against Covid-19 hasn’t stopped 10% of those infected with Covid-19 Qatar from helping other nations’ ‘do not show clinical symptoms’ en per cent of those in- fected with the Covid-19 atar’s “great eff orts to eff orts of society, and therefore Tvirus do not show clini- combat the coronavirus eff orts to tackle the coronavirus cal symptoms, which underlines Qcrisis” has not stopped is a core responsibility of the de- the importance of scanning and it from lending a helping hand partment. doing other laboratory tests, a to other countries, stressed Within the framework of the senior Ministry of Public Health Sheikh Dr Mohamed bin Hamad implementation of the National (MoPH) offi cial has said in an in- al-Thani, director of the Public Health Strategy, the depart- terview with Qatar News Agen- Health Department at the Min- ment, he said, has established a cy. istry of Public Health (MoPH). system for monitoring, control- Speaking on the steps that Qatar has sent medical aid to ling and following up on all epi- are taken after finding a Cov- The Communicable Disease Center of Hamad Medical Corporation. countries like China, Iran, Italy demic and infectious diseases, id-19 case, Sheikh Dr Mo- and Lebanon in addition to pro- and it continues to carry out its hamed bin Hamad al-Thani, the disease and complica- their family, close ones and viding fi nancial support to the tasks regarding health preven- director of Public Health at tions, especially difficulty in all of those who have been in Palestinian people in the Gaza tion, protection and promotion the MoPH, explained that breathing, in addition to es- contact with the case. Strip to combat Covid-19, while Medical aid has been sent to Italy on the directives of His Highness the and the provision of its services once an infection is con- timating whether the patient He indicated that the patient’s organisations such as Qatar Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. at the national and individual firmed, the patient will be is in need of an artificial res- medical isolation period can be Red Crescent Society and Qatar levels. placed in an isolation room pirator, so that oxygen can be up to three weeks or more, de- Charity are continuing to con- guidelines and scientifi c evi- is following with interest what is Sheikh Dr Mohamed pointed at the Communicable Dis- provided. pending on the condition of the tribute to the eff orts of fi ghting dence released by WHO, and being done by two leading uni- out that all employees of the ease Center of Hamad Medi- patient as well as the complica- the virus in many countries, he enhancing communication with versities, namely University of Public Health Department have cal Corporation. Once an infection is tions associated with the dis- noted. other countries aff ected by the Cambridge and Carnegie Mellon demonstrated fl exibility and It is a negative-pressure room confi rmed, the patient will ease. The patient is then trans- The Qatari assistance has been virus by exchanging informa- University, separately to develop creativity in dealing with this equipped with HEPA air fi ltra- be placed in an isolation ferred to the quarantine hotel praised by the United Nations tion as well as strategic plans apps that listen to users’ coughs crisis by continuing to imple- tion system, which is a standard room at the Communicable and his/her condition is moni- and World Health Organisation implemented by these nations and voices to predict whether ment public health programmes technology used to prevent the Disease Center of Hamad tored and evaluated for at least (WHO), the offi cial added. to tackle the disease and learn they are infected with the coro- and including them in the eff orts transmission of pollution from Medical Corporation 14 days. He made the observations from their expertise and expe- navirus. made to combat this epidemic, a room to another, in order to The director of the Pub- while speaking on co-operation riences, according to Sheikh Dr Updates related to co-ordina- including providing psychologi- avoid the transmission of the An X-ray (scanner) is also lic Health also spoke about the with regional and international Mohamed. tion between technology giants cal support to the public in facing virus. taken if necessary to detect unit of plasma donation from authorities and organisations to At the regional level, Qa- such as Facebook, Amazon and this dangerous virus and linking The patient can also be placed whether or not there is pneu- recovered Covid-19 patients. combat Covid-19, during an in- tar took part in the meeting of Google with WHO are also being home quarantine with physical under isolation at Hazm Mebai- monia, as well as a sample from The unit was opened at Hamad terview with Qatar News Agen- health ministers of the Gulf Co- followed up regarding the pro- activity and proper food, as well reek General Hospital, which the throat through the mouth Medical Corporation (HMC) and cy. operation Council states held on vision of digital epidemiology as advising to work remotely has been designated for this and nose to search for the virus. this advanced service allows the He said the MoPH has been March 14 via a video-conference tools, chatbots, rapid response by applying the same ‘health purpose, or any other allocated The test results can be avail- collection of blood plasma from working, since the beginning of to discuss the measures fol- test kits and other technologies in the workplace’ programme, health facilities. able in less than 24 hours, he people who have recovered from the novel coronavirus crisis, to lowed by each country to curb to combat the epidemic. continuing health education He noted that the medi- explained. the coronavirus and gives it to accelerate national eff orts and the spread of coronavirus. These Regarding the Public Health programmes in order to spread cal team performs examina- A serum sample is also people who are currently receiv- enhance capabilities, logistic include the measures followed Department’s handling of this awareness about this pandemic, tions, diagnoses the case, taken for serological test- ing treatment for the virus. supplies, proactive precaution- at entry points, statistics related pandemic, Sheikh Dr Mohamed continuing public prevention studies the medical history ing, in addition to prescrib- The antibodies present in the ary preparations and measures to the virus, preparedness of the explained that WHO defi nes programmes and linking them to of the patient and identi- ing five-day chloroquine blood plasma taken from the to curb the spread of the disease, health sector, media and aware- public health as the science the epidemic, urging the public fies his/her chronic diseases treatment and antipyretics, recovered person can help pa- in co-ordination with WHO. ness-raising plans and emergen- and art of preventing disease, to wash hands, keep social dis- (heart and artery diseases, performing the necessary tients undergoing treatment to This has been done by tak- cy plans, he added. prolonging life and promoting tance, and wear face masks and diabetes, asthma, etc). It tests for the patient’s family enhance their resistance to the ing into consideration Covid-19 The offi cial said the ministry health through the organised gloves. also determines the stage of and monitoring the health of virus. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 3 QATAR Envoy praises Qatar’s Total Covid-19 recoveries support to Rwanda reach 1,134

he ambassador of Rwan- “Qatar’s generous donation intensive care and there has not he Ministry of Public There are 11,921 da, François Nkulikiy- comes at the right time, been any Covid-19 related death. Health (MoPH) an- positive cases, Timfura, has expressed on as the world is facing a Ambassador Nkulikiyimfura Tnounced yesterday including 677 new, to behalf of his government the global pandemic. This lauded Qatar for its timely and the registration of 677 new date in Qatar and 10,777 gratitude to His Highness the is a concrete gesture of eff ective preventive measures, confi rmed cases of the novel currently undergoing Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad friendship between the which were put in place soon af- coronavirus (Covid-19), and treatment al-Thani and the people of Qa- Rwandan and Qatari ter the fi rst positive cases were the recovery of 68 cases in the tar for their invaluable support people and a strong announced in the country. last 24 hours, bringing the to- are expected to continue to in the fi ght against the novel support to Rwanda’s eff orts “The leadership role of the tal number of recovered cases increase before they begin to coronavirus (Covid-19). to fi ght Covid-19” Supreme Committee for Crisis to 1,134, according to offi cial gradually decline. “Qatar’s generous dona- Management has been vital in Qatar News Agency (QNA). Another reason was that tion comes at the right time, ures, followed by the country the handling this crisis and the The MoPH pointed out that the MoPH has redoubled its as the world is facing a global lockdown on March 21, except measures taken have so far have most of the new cases regis- eff orts in tracking the Cov- pandemic. This is a concrete for Rwandans and residents allowed Qatar to contain the tered are expatriate workers in id-19 transmission chains gesture of friendship between returning home, goods and spread of Covid-19 among its diff erent occupations and who and expanded the search for the Rwandan and Qatari peo- cargoes. population. have been in contact with pre- infected people by conduct- ple and a strong support to Rwanda has set up a Cov- “The recent additional meas- viously discovered cases. ing extensive and proactive Rwanda’s eff orts to fight id-19 Command Post in Kigali, ures such as the use of face masks There are also new cases of tests of groups of contacts Covid-19,” the envoy said bringing together 400 profes- in public places and the new rap- Covid-19 among groups of with people who have been in comments to local Arabic sionals from diff erent sectors id test kits are another sign of the workers from outside the In- confi rmed with the disease daily Arrayah. to co-ordinate activities aimed authorities’ commitment to limit dustrial Area who were iden- previously. This early detec- “Rwanda and Qatar have Rwandan ambassador François Nkulikiyimfura. at containing the disease in the the coronavirus spread,” he said. tifi ed through testing by the tion of many cases of infec- strong bilateral relationships and country. The embassy of Rwanda is MoPH. tion helps reduce the spread it is reassuring to know that you Rwanda on March 14, His High- the fi ght against this pandemic,” According to the Rwandan keeping close contacts with the The discovery of the lat- of the virus further. can count on a brotherly coun- ness the Amir was among the the diplomat recalled. Ministry of Health there are so Rwandan community in Qatar ter cases were a result of the According to a tweet from try during these challenging fi rst leaders to have a call with After the identifi cation of the far 207 positives cases of Cov- and has requested them to abide compounded eff orts of the the MoPH, with a total of times of Covid-19 spread. our President Paul Kagame on fi rst Covid-19 case in Rwanda, id-19 in the country and out of by the country’s guidelines to ministry’s search and tracking 2,898 people tested for Cov- “When the fi rst positive case the same day and reiterated Qa- the government immediately those, 93 have recovered. No counter the spread of Covid-19 teams, which contributed to id-19 in the last 24 hours, as of coronavirus was declared in tar’s strong support to Rwanda in took a series of preventive meas- patient has been admitted under in the country and beyond. the early detection. many as 88,607 have been The remainder of the new tested so far in Qatar. cases infected with Covid-19 There are 11,921 positive come from citizens and resi- cases to date in Qatar and dents who contracted the 10,777 currently undergoing virus from their family mem- treatment. The total number Ooredoo supports Silatech campaign as bers, who in turn got the in- of Covid-19 deaths so far fection through their work- in Qatar is 10, according to places or other places where the tweet. Offi cial Telecommunications Partner they were exposed to infected The MoPH called on all people. members of society to stay at oredoo has announced succeeded in facilitating some outbreak, and enter the holy All the new infected cas- home and not go out except that it is the Offi cial 1.4mn jobs for young people in month of Ramadan in these es have been quarantined in cases of necessity and take OTelecommunications more than 17 countries in Af- challenging times, we encourage where they are receiving the care to implement preven- Partner of Silatech’s fundrais- rica and the Middle East, and our customers and communi- necessary medical care. tive measures and maintain ing campaign to help young peo- its aim is to link more than 5mn ties to help support vulnerable The MoPH said most of social distancing from others, ple fi nancially aff ected by the with jobs by 2022. members of our communities as the infected cases being including in the workplace Covid-19 pandemic. In the ongoing Covid-19 pan- much as possible. identifi ed are in people who and public places. The min- Silatech is an international demic, Silatech is working to “For many young people with are showing only mild symp- istry reminds people to use non-profi t organisation helping create employment for young families to support, losing their toms of the virus. It added a face mask and avoid social young people access employ- people who have been aff ected source of income is likely to have that the noticeable increase visits to reduce their risk of ment in order for them to pro- by job losses due to the economic a signifi cant negative impact on in the number of confi rmed contracting the virus. vide for themselves and support impact of the pandemic. both the person and their fam- new Covid-19 cases is due The MoPH also urged the their families. Since its inception Sabah Rabiah al-Kuwari, di- ily, and we’re proud to be work- wish you all a safe and blessed nate. Silatech’s fundraising cam- to several reasons, includ- public to visit its website regu- in 2008, until the fi rst quarter of rector, PR at Ooredoo, said: “As ing with Silatech to mitigate this Ramadan.” paign is licensed by the Charity ing that the spread of the larly to view the latest informa- 2019, Silatech’s innovative pro- we all continue our eff orts to impact where we can. We thank Donations can be made quick- Regulatory Authority under No. virus has begun to enter the tion and instructions related grammes and initiatives have fi ght the ongoing coronavirus everyone for their support, and ly and easily at silatech.org/do- 15-2020-2020-16-59-60. peak stage where numbers to Covid-19, QNA added. Committee for Crisis Management receives QR79.4mn in contributions

he appeal to support the Rayyan Restaurant Management details of all contributors. fi ght against Covid-19 topped the list of service sector Moza Khaled al-Mohannadi, Tcontinues to strike a chord contributors. head of the Support and Con- with the philanthropists in Qatar The committee has received tribution Initiative Committee, and the Covid-19 Stakeholder several contributions below explained that 155 companies and Individual Contributions QR10,000 while real estate have expressed their readiness initiative is evoking a good contributions were made by to contribute in support of the response. hotels, resorts and residential eff orts to combat Covid-19. As per fi gures, released by the complexes. The committee has Individuals and companies National Committee for Com- also received contributions of can make contributions through bating Covid-19, the Supreme workers housing and residential the website of the National Committee for Crisis Manage- complexes. Committee for Combating Cov- ment has so far received con- “Individuals and businesses of id-19 by using the link https:// tribution of QR79.4mn along all sizes have actively supported sci.adlsa.gov.qa/. with 213 real estate contribu- the eff orts of Qatar to fight the The Supreme Committee for tions. The number of individual coronavirus disease (Covid-19) Crisis Management decided to contributors stood at 174. through fi nancial, service and create this platform to receive Followed by Muhammad Ab- real estate sector contributions,” registration of contributions of dul Rahman Al Bahr & Sons, Al the website of Government individuals and companies after Rayyan Bank and Al Adekhar Communication Offi ce (GCO) says. many individuals and institu- Real Estate, QNB topped the list Out of the total contribu- tions made contributions be- of major fi nancial contributors. tions, 44% are service sector fore launching the platform. The Katara Hospitality Manage- contributors while 37% are platform receives all fi nancial, ment, Aspire Zone and Urbacon fi nancial contributors. Real real estate and service contribu- Trading and Contracting are estate contributors form 19% tions through a special account the top real estate contribu- of the total contributors. The created to help philanthropists Ehsan magazine tors. Qatar Foundation and Al website has published the transfer their contributions. published online QC facilitates Zakat calculation and payment lderly Empowerment elderly from Covid-19 and gen- and Care Center, Ehsan, eral advice regarding the social atar Charity (QC) has Benefactors can contact the data such as fi ngerprint and fa- app also provides a proper un- can send a text message containing Epublished on its website and psychological aspects such facilitated the Zakat cal- Zakat expert by sending a mes- cial recognition, or through their derstanding of the Zakat concept the amount to be donated to 92124, the 51st issue of its magazine, as taking a break from watching Qculation and payment sage to the email ID: rmojahed@ social media accounts, or simply and its conduct, in addition to and the person will be contacted to pictured, that covers the aff airs the news and the importance of service through its offi cial web- qcharity.org, or calling him at the logging in by email address or service to track the history of the receive the donation directly. and issues of the elderly, it was exercising and meditation, hav- site and mobile apps, especially phone No: 55035744 Or 44290152 username created on the app. previous Zakat payment and Za- z The person can directly con- announced yesterday. ing adequate sleep, relaxation the ‘Zakaty website and app’, in Zakaty Website & App Zakaty provides a smart and easy katy will help know more about tact the customer service center The periodical has a spe- and spending time with family addition to calling the Zakat ex- (www.qch.qa/Zakaty) approach to calculate your Zakat. Nisab, zakat outputs, zakat types at 44667711. The center has an cial section about the Covid-19 members. pert, contacting customer serv- Whether a benefactor looks Regardless of the Zakat type, this and how to calculate Zakat. automated interactive voice re- pandemic and its health and It also highlighted the impor- ice employees, and requesting for a piece of advice about Za- service is the way to go. The Zakat Home Collector sponse (IVR) system to answer psychological implications tance of communicating with the ‘Home Collector’. kat, ask for a calculation, or seek calculator covers cash, stocks, cat- Through its mobile app (ht- incoming calls, provide instruc- on the elderly, according to a others and includes many top- Qatar Charity has made it eas- an expert’s help, the Zakaty app tle, and Zakat on gold and silver. tps://www.qcharity.org/en/qa/ tions to customers, and manage statement. ics related to the activities im- ier for benefactors to accomplish comes in very handy. The app of- The zakat-calculator enables home/mobileappsdetails?Parent donor relations professionally, in It features the precautionary plemented by Ehsan and an in- your Zakat-related tasks while fers smart and secure solutions people to calculate the zakat WebStoryId=14503), Qatar Char- addition to off ering a service to methods and measures taken terview with lawyer and former they are at home, according to a for those who want to give their amount on their savings money, ity off ers a service to request a complete donation processes and by Ehsan to reduce the spread judge Yussif Al-Zaman about his statement. Zakat. The app can be down- stocks, gold and cattle to know home collector. Upon the request, receive reports automatically. of the disease in addition to the career, family life and partici- Zakat Section loaded by clicking on the link the percentage of the payable it sends a representative to the z The donor can donate by awareness campaigns launched pation in Ehsan’s seminars, in Rabea Mohamed Mojahed, (https://www.qcharity.org/en/ zakat. Zakaty off ers a detailed donor’s place to collect donations. credit/debit cards safely and se- to educate the elderly and allevi- addition to elderly rights. an expert in the fi eld of za- qa/home/mobileappsdetails?Pa guide about Zakat for compa- Customer Service curely and know the latest avail- ate the severity of psychological Ehsan decided to release the kat, responds to Zakat-related rentWebStoryId=14505) nies, and comes out with a list of To strengthen its relations with able projects, sponsorships and implications of the news about latest edition of the magazine questions, calculates Zakat (for Zakaty ensures the privacy frequent and common Fatawas the donors and facilitate the re- programmes while talking to the Covid-19. online in view of the Covid-19 individuals, companies, pro- and confi dentiality of all its us- on Zakat payment. ceiving of donations, Qatar Char- customer service employees. The magazine also includes pandemic and in line with the fessionals, self-employed and ers to protect them from identity Zakaty facilitates the direct ity has allocated several channels, z Abshir Service: A donor can medical, health and psychologi- precautionary procedures tak- property owners, etc.), and ana- theft and internet fraud. Zakaty payment of Zakat to help those which are the following: send a text message containing his cal topics prepared by Ehsan’s en by Qatar. The publication is lyse the company’s budget to pay allows Zakat givers to log in to in need around the world, using z Financial Pledges Service: If a inquiry to 92747, and within a few specialists on how to protect the available on www.ehsan.org.qa. its Zakat. their accounts using biometric your credit or debit card. The person wishes to donate an amount, minutes, he will be informed. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 QATAR Vodafone announces availability of Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip NHRC ensures

odafone Qatar announced yesterday that the all-new Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip is Vnow available for all customers at the well-being of retail price of QR5,599 on its online shop www. vf.qa/handsets. Galaxy Z-Flip is the fi rst device in the Z series and has been designed with fi rst-of-its-kind foldable glass. expat workers in The 6.7-inch Infi nity Flex Display is an im- mersive, dynamic Amoled screen that delivers impressive colour quality and reduced blue light. Not only does this innovative display fold into a stylish and compact form factor that fi ts into closed off parts of the palm of your hand, but the device also pro- vides elegant new ways to capture, share, and experience content. With its stylish design and fl exible camera ex- perience, Galaxy Z Flip marks the beginning of a Industrial Area new era in foldable smartphone innovation. Galaxy Z-Flip is available in three colours: Mirror Purple, Mirror Black, and Mirror Gold. For more details on Samsung Galaxy Z-Flip, he expatriate workers in the “Qatar Charity provides visit www.vf.qa/handsets. closed part of the Industrial Area them excellent food services Tare well taken care of by the au- free of charge and maintain a thorities concerned, Dr Mohamed Sayf catering kitchen there for the al-Kuwari, deputy chairman of the Na- purpose. The NHRC highly tional Human Rights Committee and appreciate the services offered head of the visits and monitoring com- to the workers and lauds mittee, told Qatar TV yesterday. the entities concerned in The committee conducted fi eld visits this regard to the closed part of the industrial area and talked to the workers from a distance quantities of sanitisers, face masks and due to the preventive and precautionary personal hygiene items. measures against the novel coronavirus “The NHRC highly appreciate the (Covid-19). services off ered to the workers and lauds “Qatar Charity provides them excel- the entities concerned in this regard,” he lent food services free of charge and stated. maintain a catering kitchen there for the The senior offi cial pointed out that purpose,” he said. the NHRC has launched a hotline Besides, both the Ministry of Public (800222) that works round the clock in Health (MoPH) and the Ministry of Ad- fi ve diff erent languages to receive related ministrative Development, Labour and requests, inquiries, complaints, and of- Fresh local vegetables are available at the yards. PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam The yards for selling local agricultural products are sanitised regularly. Social Aff airs provide the workers with fer the due assistance to the vulnerable good services and good health care in people anywhere in the country. addition to supplying those who are sick The committee has conducted several with the necessary medications free of visits to the people at the health quaran- charge. tine facilities in hospitals, hotels, the In- Qatari farms producing high-quality vegetables Some workers asked for more food dustrial Area, and many other places to and Qatar charity in co-ordination with ensure they are receiving their due rights some national companies have agreed to and get the good care and treatment they he Qatari farms have proven include tomato, cucumber, zucchini, items is sold for QR10, while bundles daily even though the temperature ensure that the workers get the supplies deserve. themselves capable of sup- white onion, caulifl ower, broccoli, of leafy vegetables weighing around has started to go up. they need in good time. “All was very well and the people Tplying various fresh vegeta- and white and red cabbage among 1kg are sold for QR5 each. They also pointed out that they go Also, MoPH has been prompt in dis- highly appreciated the excellent services bles daily at the yards for selling other products. Customers have immensely ap- shopping in great confi dence as the tributing among the workers adequate they receive,” Dr al-Kuwari added. local agricultural products, local Most of these are sold at highly preciated the improvement of the yards strictly follow the preventive Arabic daily Arrayah reported yes- competitive prices when compared production of the local farms and and precautionary measures to fi ght terday. with other sellers and outlets in the their ability to continue supplying the spread of the novel coronavirus The produce on display currently country. A 4-6kg box of any of the the market with high quality produce (Covid-19). Commercial registrations to be automatically renewed for now

Commercial registrations and licences expiring between March and June will be Unsettled weather likely from today automatically renewed for six months, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) has said. The relevant fees will be settled later, according to a tweet by the ministry. The decision comes in view of the prevailing circumstances and the steps nsettled weather, moderate in intensity, the re- transitional period is known taken in the State to curb the spread of Covid-19, the MoCI has stressed. marked by chances of port states. for fast weather fl uctuations. Urain, are expected in the The rain may become thun- Meanwhile, today’s detailed country from today until the dery in some places at times, it forecast says thundershowers beginning of next week, the Qa- adds. and strong winds are expected tar Met department has said. The winds during this pe- in some places. Similar condi- The maximum temperature riod will be mainly northeast- tions are also likely off shore is expected to range from 33- erly to southeasterly, fresh to along with high seas. Besides 39C and the minimum from strong in intensity in some partly cloudy conditions 26-29C in diff erent areas dur- places, with the speed ranging and chances of rain, slight to ing this period, according to a from 15-25 knots and reaching blowing dust is also expected report issued yesterday by the a high of 30 knots. at times today. weather offi ce. Also, the wave height is The wind speed may go up The cloud cover is expected expected rise to more than to 25 knots both inshore and to increase gradually from 10ft off shore during thunder- off shore, with the sea level today, continuing until the storms, the report says. rising to 8ft during thundery beginning of next week with The Met department has rain. chances of scattered rain in urged people to be careful and The temperature in Doha intermittent periods - rang- follow latest updates through is expected to range between ing mostly between light and its offi cial accounts, as this 27C and 36C today. MoCI issues safety KTM model recalled tips in virus battle

The Ministry of Commerce the maintenance and repair and Industry, in co-operation works and will communicate he Ministry of Commerce and In- before arranging or using them. You may with Alfardan Motorcycles, with customers to ensure dustry (MoCI) has issued an advi- spray disinfectants on the labels of food announced the recall of KTM that the necessary repairs Tsory on what to do after shopping products before using them 790 Adventure motorcycle are carried out. The ministry and returning home. zWash your hands with water and soap for models of 2019-2020 due to urges all customers to report The tips cover various aspects and are 20-30 seconds after disposing of the bags possible malfunction in the any violations to its Consumer available on the ministry’s Twitter page. or opening cans and using their content rear brake system. The ministry Protection and Anti-Commercial The MoCI advisory states the following: zWash and sterilise vegetables and confirmed the recall campaign Fraud Department, which z Take off your shoes outside the house fruits by soaking them in water and comes within the framework processes complaints, inquiries zSafely dispose of face masks and gloves vinegar. Vegetables like lettuce, parsley, of its ongoing eff orts to protect and suggestions through the immediately after removing them mint and green onions may be soaked consumers and ensure that following channels: Call Centre: zTake off your clothes, put them aside in water for 10-15 minutes and then vehicle dealers follow up on 16001, e-mail: [email protected], and wash them separately at 60-70C washed well and dried defects and repairs. The ministry Twitter: @ MOCIQATAR, Instagram: zEmpty and dispose of your bags zClean and sterilise surfaces that have has said that it will co-ordinate MOCIQATAR, mobile app for zWash all cans as well as plastic and come in contact with bags, using steri- with the dealer to follow up on Android and IOS: MOCIQATAR. glass containers with water and soap lisers or watered-down chlorine Qatar makes fi rst payment to benefi ciaries of ‘Maskan Kareem’ project in Gaza Strip

E the chairman of Qatar’s the Public Works Ministry for those Gaza Reconstruction Com- classifi ed in its lists as the worst cas- Hmittee, ambassador Mo- es economically and most in need of hamed al-Emadi, said that the com- restoration, which met the criteria mittee, in co-ordination with Qatar for benefi ting from the project. Fund for Development (QFFD), has The criteria suggests that the delivered the fi rst fi nancial payment benefi ciary must not have a sta- of Qatar’s grant to a number of ben- ble source of income and that there efi ciaries from the ‘Maskan Kareem’ must be at least seven family mem- (A Decent House) project to renovate ber or more, with priority given to the homes of the poor in Gaza Strip. widows, orphans and chronic dis- Ambassador al-Emadi explained ease patients. that about 120 families in Gaza Strip Al-Emadi said that the fi rst pay- are expected to benefi t from $1mn ment was delivered through the post grant for renovating the homes of offi ces in Gaza to about 60 of the the poor. families who have met the necessary He pointed out that the process procedures to begin the restoration, of selecting the benefi ciary fami- while the rest will be distributed to the lies was done in co-operation with rest of the families in the coming days. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 5 QATAR

HEC Paris to run online information QF helping session for Master’s programmes

EC Paris in Qatar is running Master’s Degree in Strategic Business ership and human resources manage- an online information session Unit Management (SBUM) degree pro- ment. Habout its degree programmes grammes. The HEC Paris in Qatar Specialised Qatar be more on May 4 from 2pm-3pm. The International Executive MBA Master’s comprises three stages, start- During the session, prospective par- is a 16-month programme developed ing with the core curriculum focused ticipants can meet HEC Paris in Qatar to provide participants with an un- on strategy, fi nance, leadership and admissions team remotely to learn derstanding of the social, economic, change. more about accelerating their career and environmental aspects of interna- Participants can also personal- path by studying in one of the world’s tional business, as well as the skills to ise their learning journey further by most prestigious business schools. implement their vision. choosing one of the three tracks: Gen- autism-friendly Apart from providing useful career The curriculum is built around three eral Management, Digital Innovation tips, the online session is also intended components: 11 core courses covering & Transformation, and Entrepreneur- to give professionals and entrepre- key business areas, a specialisation ship & Business Development. neurs from the private and public sec- (major), and a fi nal strategic business Furthermore, the professional the- hrough a partnership between tor insights into how they can enhance project (capstone project). sis enables participants to focus on a a Qatar Foundation (QF) school their leadership skills through HEC The comprehensive core courses specifi c challenge related to their in- Tand a UK-based charity, the Paris’s renowned International Ex- include modules on strategy, analysis dustry and provide detailed and well- goal of creating an autism-friendly ecutive MBA (EMBA) and Specialised and implementation, as well as lead- researched solutions. environment across Qatar is being ad- vanced. Experts from the National Autistic Society (NAS) came to Qatar this year for the second time to deliver training packages to staff at Renad Academy, a specialised school that is part of QF Pre-University Education and sup- porting children with autism. The aim of the visit by the train- ing consultants from the UK’s leading charity for those with autism – which followed an initial training exercise in 2016 – is to help enable Renad Acad- emy’s team provide similar NAS-li- censed training to stakeholders in Qa- Rutter: Renad Academy staff are now Satouf: Our role is to help the tar, and help people across the country licensed to deliver three training community become familiar with, and become more aware of autism. courses to business partners. accepting of, autism. Mandy Rutter, an autism training consultant at the NAS, said that Renad created by the NAS, with the aim of have as they do and providing an en- Academy staff are now licensed to de- creating an autism-friendly commu- vironment that doesn’t overload their liver three training courses to business nity. senses. partners – Autism Champions, Essen- “As a school for children with au- “This training concept has been tial Autism, and Autism and SPELL. tism, we want this community to be shown to have value in other coun- “This will enable Renad Academy’s fully accessible to our students, and tries, and we will be sharing it with the team to target the length and level of since organisations and businesses community in Qatar. delivery to their stakeholders’ needs, don’t necessarily have the information “For us, it will be a great support ranging from a short introduction ses- about how they can be autism-friend- because it means that when we take sion for those who are very new to au- ly, we can train them on certain strate- children on a fi eld trip to, for example, tism, through to an in-depth two-day gies they can use to achieve this.” a farm, the staff there will know how to course for those needing more spe- Qatar is home to 5,000 children with interact with our students and ensure cifi c knowledge,” she said. “It means autism, and Miller says the training the environment is right for them.” that children and adults with autism, will include supporting mall-based Six members of Renad’s team have wherever they go, will have people businesses to be autism-friendly “so been trained by the NAS, including around them that understand autism, parents can take their children there Rola Ayoub Satouf, a parent trainer at increasing accessibility and inclusiv- with confi dence”, and collaborating Renad, who said: “Our role is to help ity.” with hospitals and children’s centres, the community become familiar with, Renad Academy director Sherri with organisations across Qatar hav- and accepting of, autism. Miller said: “When we talk to busi- ing shown their willingness to support “We believe that collaboration with nesses in Qatar, they want to learn the initiative. families and professionals will help about autism, and they want to be ac- “The more children with autism are in supporting these students to reach cessible for people with autism – they active in the community, the more au- their fullest potential. just need more information about it. tism will be accepted,” she explained. “We are taking a further step to- “At Renad, we are now being li- “One of the keys to supporting people ward increasing autism awareness and censed to provide the necessary train- with autism is empathy – demonstrat- creating a healthy society for children ing, using well-practised methods ing that you understand why they be- with autism.”

EVMC staff working in the stem cell laboratory. QF’s equine medical centre off ers regenerative stem cell treatment

quine Veterinary Medical Cen- is injected into the lesion using ultra- commercial and a research section. tre (EVMC), a member of Qatar sound-guidance. Stem cells will be produced for clinical EFoundation, is now off ering re- EVMC has received the support of patients, and similar protocols will be generative stem cell treatment to the Prof Roger Smith and Dr Jay Dudhia used to develop research projects and equine population of the Middle East. from the University of London’s Royal enhance the scientifi c knowledge of EVMC has developed, within the Veterinary College. stem cell therapy in the horse.” research department, a regenerative Their assessment of EVMC facility “Diff erent conditions will be able to section of therapies including platelet in 2018 was a crucial step towards set- be treated in the horse, from tendon, rich plasma, autologous conditioned ting up the stem cell laboratory. ligament, and joint injury to more ex- serum, and stem cell treatment, ac- Both researchers have been involved perimental treatments such as lam- cording to a statement. in the development and daily opera- initis or degenerative conditions,” said The goal of this service is to treat tions of a similar laboratory in the UK, Dr Florent David, equine surgeon and musculoskeletal equine conditions, which is authorised by the British Vet- sports medicine specialist at EVMC, where regenerative medicine has been erinary Medicines Directorate for the on this achievement. shown to improve the natural healing production and processing of autolo- EVMC, located within Education process and reduce the rate of re-inju- gous equine stem cell for the treatment City, is a world-class equine facility, ry post-healing. of horses. comprising of an equine referral hos- For stem cell obtention, the pro- Dr Tatiana Vinardell, head of re- pital, a diagnostic laboratory, and a re- cedure available at EVMC consists of search and education, said: “The stem search and education department. harvesting a sample of bone marrow, cell laboratory has been set up with the The centre, staff ed by board-cer- then extracting a pure population of highest standard of quality control and tifi ed specialist veterinarians and re- pluripotent cells in order to prepare traceability. searchers, applies advanced veterinary a fi nal product, two weeks later, that “The laboratory is divided into a techniques and procedures. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 RAMADAN/QATAR Ramadan and mercy Shura Council takes part in IPU

amadan is a Muslim’s recur- meeting, symposium on pandemic ring opportunity for spiritual enhancement and soul re- Rdemption. It is also an annual exercise in self-control and self- QNA dent Gabriela Cuevas Barron and the member of the Parliamentary Wom- restraint, but above all, it is a physical Doha participation of parliamentarians en’s Offi ce at the IPU. manifestation of our total submission from various countries of the world as The symposium, attended by more and obedience to Allah. Because of well as the Assistant Secretary-Gen- than 460 parliamentarians from all this submission and obeying of His he Shura Council has partici- eral of the United Nations, discussed over the world, focused on lessons order, the Muslim fasts, abstaining pated in a meeting of the Inter- many issues and topics of interna- learned from the pandemic (Covid-19) from food, drink, and sexual inter- TParliamentary Union (IPU), tional concern, the most important of and presented parliamentary measures course during the days of Ramadan, and in an international symposium which are eff orts to combat the coro- to reduce risks, enhance emergency this is the physical aspect of fasting. that brought together the IPU, the navirus (Covid-19) globally, along preparedness and manage emergency By nightfall, the spiritual aspects take World Health Organisation (WHO) with review of the eff orts made by in- situation fl exibly. over, because while eating, drink- and the United Nations, where the ternational organisations and govern- The event was attended by WHO Di- ing, and sex are permitted during two events were held via video con- ments and the co-operation shown rector-General Tedros Adhanom Ghe- nighttime, the Muslim then engages ferencing. by the citizens of countries amid this breyesus and IPU Secretary-General in prayers that take him/her deep into The Shura Council was represented pandemic. Martin Chungong who briefed parlia- the night. It is a well-balanced pro- at the IPU meeting organised on the On the other hand, the Shura Coun- mentarians on the current status of gramme that lifts the spirit, strength- occasion of the International Day for cil was represented at the international the pandemic and the risks and impact ens the resolve, and asserts Tawheed Pluralism and Diplomacy for Peace symposium by Mohamed bin Mahdi al- of the virus on countries outside the as no other act of worship can. by Khalid bin Abdullah al-Buainain, Ahbabi, member of the Shura Council, health system, besides issues related to The conduct of our Prophet, member of the council. and Reem bint Mohamed al-Mansoori, preparedness for an eff ective response sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his The meeting, chaired by IPU Presi- member of the council who is also a to future biological hazards. companions may Allah be pleased with them, in Ramadan diff ers a lot from the way Muslims do today. They dedicated their days and nights for worship. Their lives revolved completely around the Book of Allah, the Qur’an. Reciting it in and out of prayers. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to review the whole Qur’an with Jibreel (Angel There is no better time to start making positive changes in our lives Gabriel) once every Ramadan. Imaam than this blessed month. Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrated: “Jibreel used to that which is healing and mercy for partially attain his high levels and repeat the recitation of the Qur’an the believers, but it does not increase standards, but that should not be an Khalid bin Abdullah al-Buainain Reem bint Mohamed al-Mansoori Mohamed bin Mahdi al-Ahbabi with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi the wrongdoers except in loss.” excuse for not following his example wa sallam, once a year (in Ramadan) [Qur’an 17:82] and striving to be the best Muslims but he repeated it with him twice And when Allah Almighty referred that we can be. in the year he died.” The Prophet, to the commission of our beloved There are many Prophetic sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, narrations that refer to the stay in I’tikaaf (seclusion in the Masjid He said (what means): “And We have deprivation of an individual from the for the purpose of worship) for ten not sent you, [O Muhammad], except very thing he deprives others from, Green Tent discusses days every year (during Ramadan) but as a mercy to the worlds.” [Qur’an or the rewards, in multiples, of that in the year of his death, he stayed in 21:107]. which he provides. Among these I’tikaaf for 20 days.” Moreover, when the Prophet, narrations are: Manisfestation of Mercy sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said 1.“Allah will not be Merciful to those Ramadan is the month of mercy. describing himself and listing his who are not merciful to mankind.” eff ects of fasting on This is manifested in the revelation of attributes: “I am the Prophet of [Al-Bukhari] the Qur’an and the commission of the mercy.” [Al-Bukhari] 2.“Allah does not bestow His mercy Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, There is no question that our except on the merciful among His to the Prophethood during this beloved Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi slaves.” [Al-Bukhari] blessed month, as Mercy from Allah. wa sallam, possessed the highest 3.“Every good deed will be rewarded chronically-ill patients Allah, The Most Exalted, asserts this forms of moral and human attributes. tenfold, up to 700 times, and Allah in numerous verses of the Qur’an; Among human beings, he, sallallaahu multiplies to whomever he wills.” [Al- such as (what means): ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the most Bukhari and Muslim] QNA “Islamic preacher Sheikh Mustafa al-Serafi stressed on the 4. “And We have sent down to you the generous, the most merciful, the “Allah Says: Spend, o son of Aadam Doha importance of food reduction for human health and activity, Book (i.e. the Qur’an) as clarifi cation most courageous, the ‘most’ and and I shall spend upon you.” [Al- explaining that food is not a goal in itself for Muslims, but a means for all things and as guidance and the ‘best’ of everything good in Bukhari and Muslim] of survival, referring to what was stated in tradition that the mercy and good tidings for the Islam, and as described by his wife There is no better time to start he Green Tent of the ‘A Flower stomach is the home of the disease and the Hadith by the Prophet, Muslims.” [Qur’an 16:89] ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with making positive changes in our lives Each Spring’ programme dis- peace be upon him, “we are people who do not eat until we are And (what means): her, his morals were the Qur’an. than this blessed month. In Ramadan, Tcussed, during a remote semi- hungry and if we eat we are not satisfied” “So there has [now] come to you The question is: where does this many good things occur: the rewards nar, the topic of “Fasting Medicine: clear evidence from your Lord and a leave us? Some people dismiss their are multiplied, the devils are chained, Between Food and Medicine,” and re- sising that patients must comply with tem of the body, calling on those with guidance and mercy.” [Qur’an 6:157] shortcomings by saying: “I am not the the gates of Hellfi re are closed, and the viewed the eff ect of fasting on patients their advice to heal. chronic diseases to be in constant con- And (what means): Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam”, gates of Paradise are opened. Every with chronic diseases. Executive Director of the Qatar tact with their doctors to determine “And We had certainly brought but where does it say that you have to night of Ramadan, Allah redeems The seminar was hosted with the Diabetes Association Dr Abdullah al- the possibility of their fasting. them a Book which We detailed by be a prophet to be merciful, or to be believers from the pains of Hellfi re. participation of a group of doctors, Hamaq explained that there are more He pointed out that chronic diseases knowledge — as guidance and mercy generous, or to be anything for that It is the month of mercy, repentance, religious scholars and those involved than 463mn diabetic in the world, need special care, especially for those to a people who believe.” [Qur’an 7:52] matter? Granted, that no one can be and charity. Use it or lose it! from Qatar and some Arab countries. 150mn of whom are Muslims and 79% with unstable conditions such as dia- And (what means): compared to the Prophet, sallallaahu Article source: http://www. Participants in the symposium, of them fast, pointing out that fast- betes, blood pressure, the elderly, liver “And We send down of the Qur’an, ‘alaihi wa sallam, or even hope to islamweb.net/emainpage/ moderated by Dr Saif bin Ali al-Hajri, ing involves multiple risks for patients patients, and stomach and kidney ul- the head of the programme, talked with Type 1 and those who could not cers. about the importance of food and its control blood glucose levels with Type He also advised to have more fl uids quality for human health, especially to 2. during the period of breaking the fast        those with chronic diseases. He said that one of the biggest pos- or not fasting at all to the owners of late They also discussed the psycho- sible complications caused by fasting cases, as well as consulting the attend-      logical effects of not being able to fast while diabetic is a dangerous drop or ing physician so that their condition and whether it is permissible to break rise in blood sugar and blood clots due does not worsen as a result of fasting   the fast for medical staff and relief to lack of fl uids. and the need of their bodies for fl uids. teams during disasters and pandem- Therefore, patients should see spe- Dr Mohamed Usama al-Homsi, a ics. cialists before they fast. doctor of haematology and oncology    Speakers at the symposium touched He stressed that for diabetics who at the Primary Health Care Corpora- on the positive eff ects of fasting on are planning on fasting during Ra- tion, confi rmed that the spread of the    harmful diseases and habits, the reper- madan, there are many things that coronavirus (Covid-19) aff ected the cussions of not following Sharia du- should be taken into account, includ- doctors’ communication with patients                                    ties such as fasting and why the focus ing monitoring blood sugar levels, in light of taking precautionary meas-      on fasting as medicine for people with proper nutrition, exercise and consult- ures to protect patients from infection, certain diseases such as diabetes, can- ing doctors. especially since cancer patients and .     cer and others. He pointed out that those with blood diseases have weaker immunity In this context, Islamic preacher chronic diseases are more likely to be compared to others.  Sheikh Mustafa al-Serafi stressed on infected with coronavirus; therefore, He showed that cancer patients are the importance of food reduction for they must maintain personal hygiene more susceptible to infection with      human health and activity, explaining and take precautions through social infectious diseases due to their weak that food is not a goal in itself for Mus- distancing as much as possible. immunity resulting from the medi- lims, but a means of survival, referring For his part Dr Ali Irshad al-Lawati, cations and drugs allocated to them,    to what was stated in tradition that the an Internal Medicine Specialist from demanding cancer patients and those stomach is the home of the disease and Sultanate of Oman, focused in his in- with chronic diseases to stay at home                      the Hadith by the Prophet, peace be tervention at the symposium, on types these days and not go out except for upon him, “we are people who do not of food diabetics should stay away the extreme necessity and for very                          eat until we are hungry and if we eat we from, especially those that contain a short periods to avoid infection with are not satisfi ed.” high percentage of sugar and are not the virus. Al-Serafi asked Muslims to donate sweet in taste such as starches, leg- He explained that many measures            the extra food they have to the poor and umes and fruits, and some vegetables were taken to raise the morale of the to comply with doctors instruction to such as potatoes, beets and others. patients and support them psychologi-    survive (Covid-19) pandemic, pointing He pointed also to the need to con- cally while protecting them from the out that the person who breaks his fast sult with the specialist doctor before transmission of infection to them, in-       according to doctor’s instruction must fasting, and follow up their condi- cluding the closure of some outpatient perform Kaff aarah or Qadhaa. tion throughout the day, especially for clinics, communicating with patients He added that one of the purposes of those who have fl uctuations in blood by phone, delivering treatments to  Islamic law is self-preservation. sugar. their homes, and limiting visits to hos- Therefore, doctors must be asked Dr Mohamed El Amine ben Nasser, pitals for 15 minutes and limiting them .  because they know the harm caused to an Internal Medicine doctor from Al- to fi rst-degree relatives, while spar- the body as a result of following reli- geria, stressed the importance of fast- ing the patient as much as possible of    gious regulations wrongfully, empha- ing in strengthening the immune sys- chemotherapy.        Qatari Authors’ Forum announces     winner of youth literature contest  

  QNA from among the four works nominated for the final. Doha All of the competition’s literary works were subject to ac-   curate scientifi c standards when they were evaluated, in ad- dition to being reviewed and discussed among the members he Qatari Authors’ Forum announced yesterday the of the jury which consisted of members of the Qatari Au-        winner of the youth literature competition, which was thors’ Forum. Tlaunched in mid-March with the aim of enhancing the The forum will work to co-ordinate the publication of    role of the Arabic language, as well as the need for advancing the winning as well as the other stories that have been   its literature and other art forms. nominated in this competition while inviting young peo-        High-school student, Sara Khalid won the competi- ple to discover and to develop themselves, their interests tion for her story “#14 Days”, after the jury chose her work and talents. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 7 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA Palestinian At least 46 dead in northern Syria blast fi ghter DPA injured Beirut/Istanbul

t least 46 people were AFP killed in a blast yesterday Kfar Saba Ain a northern Syrian town controlled by Turkish-backed rebels, a war monitor said. Palestinian fi ghter A booby-trapped fuel tanker stabbed an Israeli woman exploded on the road to Rajo Aon a high street in the in the town of Afrin, which is centre of the country yesterday controlled by Turkish troops before he was shot and wound- and their allied rebel groups, ed, police said. the Britain-based Syrian Ob- Police said in a statement that servatory for Human Rights both had suff ered “moderate” said. The blast also wounded injuries. at least 50 people, the watch- They said the 62-year-old dog said, adding that the death woman was attacked on the toll is likely to increase as most main street of Kfar Saba, a gen- of the wounded were in critical erally quiet, prosperous city condition. northeast of Tel Aviv. The watchdog said it ob- Police spokesman Micky served charred bodies of chil- Rosenfeld said that the fi ghter dren and women and nine was a 19-year-old from the West others for fighters allied with Bank, who was shot by a passing Turkey. civilian. But the Turkish Defence “The fi ghter was shot and tak- Ministry said that 40 people en to hospital,” Rosenfeld said. were killed, including 11 chil- Many Israelis, most of whom dren, and 47 were wounded. have performed compulsory The mainly Kurdish enclave A handout picture released by the Syrian Civil Defence rescue workers, also known as White Helmets, shows the scene of a fuel truck bomb which killed at least 46 people military service, carry licenced of Afrin was captured by the yesterday in the northern city of Afrin. fi rearms. The attack came as Is- Turkish military and allied rael observed its annual day of Syrian rebel fighters during an months in Afrin. Rebels have Turkey launched an incur- which lost more than 10,000 (SDF), which were in control of linked to the Kurdistan Work- remembrance for soldiers who offensive in 2018. accused the Kurdish-led Peo- sion into northeastern Syria people fighting alongside the swathes of northeastern Syr- ers’ Party (PKK), a designated died in service and civilians Similar car bombings have ple’s Protection Units on October 9, 2019, to push US against Islamic State. The ia, is mainly led by the YPG, terrorist group fighting an in- killed in attacks. taken place over the past few (YPG) of being behind them. back Syrian Kurdish militias, Syrian Democratic Forces which Ankara considers to be surgency on Turkish soil.

Million risk losing shelter in Yemen for lack of funds: UN Protester killed as Oman starts easing Iranians ‘must be cautious Nearly 1mn displaced people in unrest rocks Lebanon business closures but not afraid of virus’ Yemen risk losing their shelter, the UN said yesterday, warning of a dire funding shortfall as the Covid-19 pandemic looms, Reuters in his 20s and it was not im- Reuters/QNA Omanis. This brings the total Reuters past week as the country eases AFP reported. Some $89.4mn is Tripoli mediately clear who was Dubai number of positive Covid-19 Tehran coronavirus restrictions, with urgently needed in the coming responsible for his death, cases in the Sultanate to 2,131, the daily increase in the death weeks to keep life-saving aid the source said. Protesters in addition to 10 deaths. The toll below 100 since April 14. programmes running, the UN rotests against grow- returned yesterday, setting man has allowed a lim- Ministry also pointed out that ranians should be cautious The death toll in Iran from the refugee agency said, warning ing economic hardship two banks on fi re and smash- ited number of com- 364 cases have recovered. but not afraid of the coro- coronavirus pandemic rose by the shortfall threatens critical Perupted in the Leba- ing their facades, prompting Omercial businesses to KUWAIT CONFIRMS Inavirus, President Hassan 71 in the past 24 hours to 5,877, aid for nearly 1mn displaced nese city of Tripoli yester- the army to redeploy. reopen, including money ex- 152 NEW CASES Rouhani said yesterday as the health ministry spokesman Ki- Yemenis and refugees. “Yemen day, with banks set ablaze Dozens of soldiers posi- changes, state media said yes- The Kuwaiti Ministry of country eases restrictions in an anush Jahanpur said on state TV is already considered to be the after a night of rioting that tioned themselves in a street terday, as some Gulf countries Health yesterday confi rmed attempt to return to normal life. yesterday. world’s largest humanitarian left one demonstrator dead, lined with several banks and moved to ease restrictions 152 new cases of Covid-19 in Iran is one of the Middle East- The total number of diagnosed crisis,” UNHCR spokeswoman according to security and some fi red rubber bullets imposed to combat the novel the country during the last ern countries hardest hit by the cases of the new coronavirus in Shabia Mantoo told a virtual medical sources. and tear gas. coronavirus. 24 hours, bringing the total to outbreak of the new coronavirus. Iran has reached 92,584, he said. press briefing in Geneva. “The A collapse in the currency, Prime Minister Has- Car and fi shing boat repair 3,440 cases, QNA reported. “Excessive fear, excessive Seeking a balance between country is now also facing soaring infl ation and spiral- san Diab urged Lebanese to and spare parts stores, and A new death was reported, anxiety, excessive worrying is protecting public health and the overlapping threat of the ling unemployment are con- refrain from violence and shops selling electronic goods said Kuwait News Agency, worse than this corona itself and shielding an economy already coronavirus pandemic, and vulsing Lebanon, in deep fi - said “malicious intentions are among those that can adding that the deceased was this virus and can really break up battered by sanctions, the gov- the impact of recent torrential nancial crisis since October. behind the scenes” were resume operations, said a gov- a resident who was receiving people’s lives and take away peo- ernment has refrained from rain and flooding.” More than A shutdown to fi ght the “shaking stability”. ernment statement carried on treatment at ICU in the last ple’s comfort,” Rouhani said, ac- imposing the kind of whole- 100,000 people across Yemen new coronavirus has made “We are faced with a new state news agency ONA. three days. cording to the offi cial presidency sale lockdowns on cities seen in have been affected, she said, ac- matters worse for the econ- reality, a reality that the The Omani Ministry of In the UAE, business hub website. many other countries. Health of- cording to initial reports on the omy. Overnight, protesters social and living crisis has Health announced yester- Dubai on Friday allowed shop- “But at the same time we fi cials have warned that the eas- floods. The aid being sought in Tripoli set several banks made worse at record speed, day the registration of 82 new ping malls and dine-in restau- shouldn’t be careless, mean- ing of restrictions could lead to a has become “urgent”, said Man- and an army vehicle on fi re. especially with the rise positive cases with coronavi- rants and cafes to operate at ing there must not be excessive new wave of infections and state too, as the groups it would be Soldiers fi red in the air of the US dollar exchange rus (Covid-19) in the Sultan- 30% capacity and instructed anxiety and worrying and there TV in recent days has featured directed to are also the “most and used tear gas and rub- rate to record levels on the ate, QNA reported. Forty of people to wear face masks must be necessary caution.” interviews where people on the vulnerable” to Covid-19. ber bullets, a security source black market,” Diab said in the new registered cases are while outside or at public Iranians have returned to street are questioned why they said. The man who died was a statement. Omanis and 42 cases for non- venues. shops, bazaars and parks over the are not using masks and gloves.

CONFLICT Food distribution in Senegal Libya unity govt Ivory Coast’s presidential accuses rival of seeking coup candidate Soro gets jail sentence Libya’s UN-recognised govern- ment yesterday accused rival military strongman Khalifa Haftar Reuters court pressed ahead with the trial anyway. of seeking to stage a new coup Abidjan “Guillaume Kigbafori Soro is condemned after he claimed to have a “man- to 20 years in prison for embezzling funds and date” from the people to govern laundering public resources,” said Judge Cissoko the country, AFP reported. “It’s a uillaume Soro, the former rebel leader Amouroulaye, fi nding Soro guilty of using more farce and the latest in a long series running for president in Ivory Coast, was than $2mn in public funds to buy a house while he of coups d’etat,” the Government Gconvicted in absentia yesterday of embez- was serving as prime minister in 2007. of National Accord (GNA), which is zlement and sentenced to 20 years in prison, a The court also ordered that Soro, 47, be stripped based in the capital Tripoli, said in verdict likely to exclude him from October’s elec- of his civic rights for seven years. He is expected a pre-dawn statement. The oil-rich tion. to face another trial over the coup allegations. North African nation has been The verdict was announced after a trial that “I consider this verdict to be a non-event,” gripped by chaos since the ouster lasted only a few hours and was boycotted by Soro said in a statement. Soro led the rebels that and killing of longtime dictator Soro’s lawyers, who say the charges were cooked swept Ouattara to power during the civil war that Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with ri- up to prevent their client from being a candidate. followed his disputed election victory in 2010. val administrations in the east and The Oct 31 election is seen as a test of stability He went on to serve as prime minister and west vying for power. Haftar, who for Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa produc- speaker of parliament under Ouattara but the two controls swathes of eastern Libya er, which has emerged from a civil war in 2010-11 men later fell out as the president made clear he and in April last year launched an that killed some 3,000 people to become one of would oppose Soro’s presidential ambitions and off ensive to seize Tripoli, on Mon- Africa’s fastest-growing economies. back his prime minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly. day said his self-styled “army” had Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Soro in Soro is believed to retain the loyalty of many “accepted the will of the people December, just before he planned to return home former rebel commanders who now hold senior and its mandate”. The military from Europe to launch his campaign, for allegedly positions in the army and was seen a potentially A food recipient gets a bag of sugar from the hands of Mansour Faye (centre), Senegal’s commander did not make clear plotting a coup against his former ally Ouattara’s viable presidential candidate who could attract Minister of Community Development, Social and Territorial Equity, during the launch of however if a parliament elected in government and stealing public funds. support from young voters. the food distribution in the courtyard of the community hotel in Yenn, yesterday. Senegal 2014 and also based in the east of Last week, the African Union’s human rights After leaving open the possibility that he would yesterday, kicked off a massive food distribution operation to help nearly half of its population the country backed his move. court ordered the arrest warrant temporarily run for a third term this year, Ouattara announced cope with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is slowing down the economy of Haftar claims his legitimacy from suspended while it weighed arguments by Soro’s in March that he would not be a candidate and this West African country. that parliament which was forced lawyers that his rights had been violated, but the threw his support behind Gon Coulibaly. to move its headquarters after violence ripped apart Tripoli six years ago. The GNA said Haftar had “turned his back on the paral- lel political institutions that backed him and designated him” head of Virus hits Guinea, Sierra Leone prisons Pandemic ‘may double food insecurity’ the army. Washington called for dialogue between the two sides and a “humanitarian” truce. “The AFP Agency said that authorities tion of about 13mn people. AFP dan and Uganda.Compared to other parts of the United States regrets...commander Conakry had discovered an infection in Rights groups say its prisons Geneva world, these countries have so far registered few Haftar’s suggestion that changes the capital Conakry’s central are often disease-ridden and confi rmed Covid-19 cases, with numbers still to Libya’s political structure can be prison. overcrowded. counted in the dozens or hundreds. imposed by unilateral declara- oronavirus has reached He did not specify whether Conakry central prison, for he spread of Covid-19 risks devastating However, due to their often weak economies tion,” a statement on its embassy’s prisons in Guinea and an inmate or a guard had been example, has a capacity of 500 countries across East Africa, where food and poor health infrastructure they are con- Twitter account said. “As civilians CSierra Leone, govern- infected, but said the agency inmates but currently houses Tinsecurity could more than double in just sidered highly vulnerable to the impacts of the continue to suff er during the holy ment offi cials said yesterday, had “identifi ed the measures to some 1,500, according to Am- three months, the United Nations warned yester- mounting crisis. (fasting) month of Ramadan and raising the spectre of outbreaks be applied urgently”. nesty International. day. “WFP projections are currently that the the Covid-19 pandemic threatens in unsanitary and overcrowded Guinea — with some 1,200 Neighbouring Sierra Leone The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) es- number of food insecure people in the region is more lives, we urge the LNA jails. confirmed Covid-19 infec- has also recorded a posi- timates that some 20mn people currently do likely to increase to 34 or up to 43mn during the (Haftar’s forces) to join the Govern- Bouna Yattassaye, the dep- tions, and seven deaths — is tive prison case, the gov- not have secure provisions of food across nine next three months due to the socioeconomic im- ment of National Accord in declar- uty director-general of Guin- struggling to curb the spread ernment said in a statement countries in the region: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethio- pact of Covid-19,” spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs ing an immediate humanitarian ea’s National Health Security of the disease across the na- on Monday. pia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Su- told journalists in a virtual briefi ng. cessation of hostilities,” it said. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 AMERICAS

INFO WAR SURVEY RESTRICTIONS LEAKED VIDEO YouTube fact-checks Two-thirds believe pandemic Newsom admonishes Pentagon releases ‘UFO’ US video searches will disrupt November vote crowds at Calif. beaches videos taken by Navy

YouTube, the video service of Alphabet Inc’s Google, Two-thirds of Americans believe the coronavirus Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday admonished The Pentagon has off icially released three said yesterday it would start showing text and links pandemic is “very or somewhat likely” to disrupt Californians who flocked to beaches by the videos taken by US Navy pilots showing mid-air from third-party fact-checkers to US viewers, part the ability to vote in the November presidential thousands at the weekend, warning that their encounters with what appear to be UFOs. The of eff orts to curb misinformation on the site during election, according to a survey published behaviour could reverse progress made in grainy black and white footage had previously the Covid-19 pandemic. The information panels yesterday. But a majority of those polled by the combating the coronavirus pandemic. “We can’t been leaked. The Department of Defense said will highlight third-party, fact-checked articles Pew Research Center are confident the election will see images like we saw, particularly on Saturday, on Monday it was “releasing the videos in order above search results for topics such as “Covid be conducted fairly and accurately. In all, 67% of in Newport Beach and elsewhere,” Newsom told to clear up any misconceptions by the public and ibuprofen” or false claims like “Covid-19 is a those surveyed said it is “very or somewhat likely” reporters, referring to photos showing people on whether or not the footage that has been bio-weapon,” as well as specific searches such as that the Covid-19 outbreak will significantly disrupt packing several beaches in southern California amid circulating was real, or whether or not there is “did a tornado hit Los Angeles.” Social media sites Americans’ ability to cast their ballots in November, a heatwave. “The virus doesn’t take the weekend more to the videos.” “The aerial phenomena including Facebook Inc and Twitter Inc are under Pew said. About 59% of those polled said they were off because it’s a beautiful sunny day around our observed in the videos remain characterised as A video grab courtesy of the US Department of pressure to combat misinformation relating to the at least somewhat confident the election will be coasts,” he added. “The only thing that will set us ‘unidentified,’” the Pentagon statement said. One Defense of an unclassified video taken by Navy pandemic caused by the new coronavirus, from conducted fairly and accurately and 63% said all back is our behaviour,” he said. “The only thing that of videos was shot in November 2004 and the pilots showing interactions with ‘unidentified false cures to conspiracy theories. who want to vote will be able to do so. can stop more images like we saw this weekend.” other two in January 2015. aerial phenomena’. Trump lawyers and Infections top million as judges butt heads in subpoena fi ght

Reuters Mooppan on the scope of his states roll back curbs Washington argument that Congress can use political tools like with- holding appropriations to force S appeals court judges compliance with its subpoe- Reuters yesterday appeared nas. New York Usceptical about broad “I’m struggling to see how arguments made by the Trump that theory applies” in the Mc- administration that the House Gahn case because Congress he number of confi rmed of Representatives cannot has a long history of obtaining US coronavirus cases sue to enforce a subpoena de- information from the executive Ttopped 1mn yesterday — manding testimony of a former branch, she added. representing a third of the glo- senior White House offi cial. A divided three-judge panel bal total — even as some states Holding arguments by of the court ruled for Trump in eased restrictions in the face of phone because of the corona- February, saying the court had an economy battered by the pan- virus pandemic, the US Court no place in settling the close- demic. of Appeals for the District of ly watched dispute between With President Donald Columbia Circuit considered the executive and legislative Trump’s economic adviser fore- whether a House committee branches of the US govern- casting an unemployment rate can sue in an eff ort to obtain ment. of more than 16% for April and testimony from former White The panel of nine judges has many Americans chafi ng under House Counsel Donald Mc- a 7-2 majority of Democratic stay-at-home orders, about a Gahn. appointees. dozen states were moving to re- The nine judges heard the Two judges who were ap- start their economies despite a case alongside another dis- pointed by Trump to the court, lack of large-scale virus testing. pute between the House and Neomi Rao and Gregory Kat- Public health experts have the Trump administration over sas, are not participating, warned that a premature roll- President Donald Trump’s an- likely because both previously back of social-distancing poli- nouncement that he would worked in his administration. cies could cause a surge in new spend $8.1bn for a wall on the The Democratic-led House infections. US-Mexico border despite the Judiciary Committee has said More than 56,500 Americans fact Congress had appropri- the earlier 2-1 ruling upset the have died of Covid-19, the respi- ated only $1.3bn. balance of powers created by ratory illness caused by the virus, Although the panel appeared the US Constitution. with an average of about 2,000 generally sympathetic to the The committee had sought a day this month, according to a House’s arguments, some testimony from McGahn, who Reuters tally. judges seemed concerned left his post in October 2018, The number of confi rmed US about opening the door to the about Trump’s eff orts to im- coronavirus infections passed House suing over all manner pede former Special Counsel 1mn and has doubled in 18 days. of issues, including policy dis- Robert Mueller’s investigation The actual number of US in- putes and military confl icts. that documented Russian in- fections is believed to be higher Healthcare workers from the NYU Langone Medical Center watch as the US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration Courts are generally wary of terference in the 2016 US elec- than the confi rmed number of teams participate in a midday flyover yesterday over New York City as part of the ‘America Strong’ tour of US cities to honour first responders weighing into such politically tion. cases, with state public health and essential workers. divisive issues, in the hope that McGahn declined to testify offi cials cautioning that short- a compromise will be reached. before the committee after the ages of trained workers and ma- retail shops in phases beginning the hospital system,” Cuomo told White House offi cials and state efi ts over the past fi ve weeks has Judge Judith Rogers ap- Trump administration advised terials have limited testing ca- on Friday. his daily briefi ng, adding that his public health authorities, up- soared to 26.5mn, underscoring peared sceptical of the notion him to defy the subpoena. pacity, leaving many infections Florida Governor Ron DeSan- state’s death toll had grown by wardly revised its projected US the pandemic’s economic impact. that courts cannot intervene The Justice Department, unrecorded. tis yesterday met Trump at the 335 in the last day. coronavirus death toll to more Chuck Schumer, the top US when the executive branch and arguing for the Republican About 30% of the American White House and said he would Squadrons of US Navy Blue than 74,000 people by August 4, Senate Democrat, said yesterday Congress are at odds. administration, has argued in cases have occurred in New York make an announcement today Angels jets and US Air Force compared with its previous fore- that state and local governments “Are you of the view there court that senior presidential state, the epicentre of the US about how to relax restrictions in Thunderbirds jets performed a cast of 67,000. will be forced to make “mas- can be no role for the courts in advisers are “absolutely im- outbreak, followed by New Jer- his state. joint fl yover in the sky above New The university’s Institute sive” layoff s if Congress fails to terms of preserving the sepa- mune” from being forced to sey, Massachusetts, California DeSantis said he would review York City in a tribute to frontline for Health Metrics and Evalu- act soon to provide fi nancial as- ration of powers?” she asked testify to Congress about of- and Pennsylvania. his state’s task force report before responders and essential workers ation said late on Monday that sistance to help them deal with Hashim Mooppan, a Justice fi cial acts and that courts lack The virus was fi rst reported making his announcement. fi ghting the pandemic. the number of US deaths caused the costs of addressing the pan- Department lawyer arguing for jurisdiction to resolve such late last year in China and has The governors of other states, The planes also were fl ying over by the virus was not abating as demic. the Trump administration. disputes. spread worldwide. including New York, have put off New Jersey and Pennsylvania. quickly as previously projected In another sign of the impact Judge David Tatel, referenc- The border wall case raises The earliest-known US deaths easing restrictions out of con- The US Chamber of Com- after hitting a daily peak on April of the pandemic on the function- ing separate cases now at the issues similar to the McGahn were in February. cern they might fuel a second merce, the top lobbying group 15 with about 2,700. ing of the nation, the US House Supreme Court concerning the dispute, with a district court Georgia, at the vanguard of wave of infections. for the country’s business sector, While most states seem to of Representatives will not re- House’s eff ort to obtain Presi- judge ruling that the House did states reopening businesses, “Everyone is talking about re- called for consistency across fed- have passed their peaks in the turn to Washington next week as dent Donald Trump’s fi nancial not have standing to sue. on Monday permitted restau- opening. I get it,” said New York eral, state and local governments pandemic, seven — Hawaii, Mis- planned, Majority Leader Steny records, questioned whether Addressing that case, one rant dining for the fi rst time in a Governor Andrew Cuomo, add- to reopen the economy but urged sissippi, Texas, Wyoming, Utah, Hoyer said yesterday. the Justice Department’s argu- judge, Thomas Griffi th, ques- month. ing any decision should not be against any public health guide- Nebraska and North Dakota — Hoyer said House leaders re- ments are consistent. tioned whether the lawsuit Texas Governor Greg Abbott made based on politics or emo- lines becoming regulations that may be experiencing their peaks ceived a warning from the cham- The Justice Department has could be brought by only the said on Monday he would let the tions or in reaction to protests. could harm businesses as they now or in the coming weeks, the ber’s physician that there is a said Trump can sue to block a House and would also need to state’s stay-at-home order ex- “We want to reopen, but we seek to restart. model showed. health risk to lawmakers amid a subpoena but the House can- be joined by the Senate, the pire and begin reopening busi- want to do it without infecting The University of Wash- The number of Americans still-rising number of infections not sue to enforce one. other chamber of Congress, to nesses including restaurants and more people or overwhelming ington’s model, often cited by seeking unemployment ben- in the US capital. Judge Nina Pillard probed be successful. Coronavirus-hit Quebec plans return to normal life even as Trudeau urges caution

Reuters Apartment fi re sends PM’s mother to hospital province and another coronavi- Montreal rus hot spot, had said on Monday Margaret Trudeau, the mother of lance crews “for their incredible it would not begin lifting restric- Canadian Prime Minister Justin work.” tions for weeks to come, citing uebec, the Canadian Trudeau, is “doing fine”, her son “I’m keeping the other the need to ensure public safety. province hit hardest by said yesterday after she was families aff ected by this fire in my The provinces — which in Qthe coronavirus out- rushed to hospital overnight thoughts today,” he added. Canada’s political system have break, was yesterday planning when a fire broke out in her Mon- Trudeau’s off ice did not im- wide-ranging powers — have to announce plans for restarting treal apartment. mediately respond to requests for all declared health emergencies, its economy, paving the way for Emergency response off icials more information. shutting down businesses across companies like Bombardier Inc told AFP that one person was But public broadcaster Radio- the country. to gradually reopen key facilities. transported to hospital, as local Canada said Margaret Trudeau, Plane and rail maker Bom- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau media posted images of several who is also the widow of late bardier aims to bring employees said the federal government and fire trucks, their long ladders prime minister Pierre Trudeau, back to its Montreal business jet the 10 provinces would soon re- extended and hoses strewn was treated in hospital for smoke completion centre, which has lease a package of agreed guide- across the road, at her downtown inhalation and possibly burns. been operating with reduced lines on returning to normal, residence. She is expected to recover. staffi ng. stressing there had to be enough “I spoke with my mom, and The blaze reportedly started on The centre, which prepares the capacity to test and trace the thankfully she’s doing fine,” the a fifth floor terrace, and took 70 fl agship Global 6500 and 7500 coronavirus to control any new prime minister said in a Twitter firefighters to douse. model business jets for delivery, spread. message thanking fire and ambu- Three families were evacuated. is critical for the company, which “If we lift the restrictions gets paid when customers take too soon, we could lose all the possession of their aircraft. progress we’ve already made,” he The epidemic is spreading public health measures,” chief Company precautions like dai- told a briefi ng, saying it was still more slowly, updated federal Public Health offi cer Theresa ly employee temperature checks, to early to talk about a general modelling showed yesterday, Tam said. tool disinfecting stations and the reopening of the economy. with the number of cases dou- The overall death toll by the installation of Plexiglas shields Data released yesterday bling every 16 days now com- end of the pandemic is seen at show an eff ort to protect work- showed the total coronavirus pared with every three days early between 4,000 and 44,000, ac- Canadian Members of Parliament, displayed on a computer monitor, attend the first virtual meeting of the ers, said Serge Dupont, assistant national death toll had risen by in the outbreak. cording to yesterday’s projec- special committee on the Covid-19 pandemic in Ottawa yesterday. to the Quebec director of the un- more than 10% for the fi rst time The modelling showed that tions. ion Unifor. in nine days, climbing 11.1% to deaths could rise to as many as On April 9, the projected over- ulous of Canada’s 10 provinces, But given that the vast major- Premier Francois Legault said “Are people concerned? It 2,766. 3,883 by May 5, and total cases to all death toll had been between accounts for 58% of the corona- ity of Quebec deaths have oc- the province will gradually open would be a lie if I said no,” Dupont There have been 49,025 con- 66,835, so “it is critically impor- 11,000 and 22,000. virus-related deaths and 51% of curred in nursing homes, and schools and businesses. said. “But the majority are happy fi rmed cases in Canada. tant that we maintain our current Quebec, the second most pop- confi rmed cases. among people aged 60 and over, Ontario, the most populous to go back to work.” Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 9 ASIA

185 Lanka Over ‘2,200 Indonesians have military personnel died with Covid-19 symptoms’ test positive for Covid-19 The most current data from the 16 provinces shows there the Reuters fi ndings but declined is no clinical explanation other that coronavirus was the only port Covid-19 data truthfully. the 16 provinces shows there were 2,212 deaths of patients to comment on the number of than the new coronavirus. likely explanation. His government announced a were 2,212 deaths of patients under supervision because coronavirus victims he believed To be classifi ed as PDP, pa- Indonesia had offi cially re- new transparency initiative two IANS under supervision because they have acute coronavirus were to be found among the tients must also have travelled corded 9,096 coronavirus in- weeks ago but a promised new Colombo they have acute coronavirus symptoms. Indonesia’s health patients classifi ed as PDP. to a country, or an area in In- fections as of April 27. It has website with all the data has yet symptoms ministry uses the acronym He said many of the 19,897 donesia, where the coronavirus conducted 210 tests per million to be launched. PDP to classify these patients suspected coronavirus suff erers has taken hold within 14 days of people. Neighbouring Australia Daeng Faqih, chairman of the ome 4,000 Sri Lankan Reuters when there is no other clinical in Indonesia had not been tested becoming sick. has tested 100 times more per Indonesian Doctors Associa- Navy personnel and their Jakarta/ Sydney explanation for their symptoms. because of long queues of speci- “I believe the vast majority of capita, while Vietnam’s testing tion, the country’s preeminent Sfamilies have been quar- The data is collated by pro- mens awaiting processing at un- PDP deaths were caused by Cov- is about 10 times higher. grouping of doctors, has urged antined after at least 185 military vincial agencies daily or weekly der-staff ed laboratories. Some id-19,” said Pandu Riono, an epi- “The true infection and death the government to reveal the members tested positive for the ore than 2,200 Indo- from fi gures supplied by hospi- people had died before their demiologist at the University of rate are higher than the offi cially national number of suspected novel coronavirus, offi cials said nesians have died with tals, clinics and offi cials over- sample was analysed, he said. Indonesia, citing their Covid-19 reported data because our tests Covid-19 patients who had died yesterday. Macute symptoms of seeing burials. It was obtained “If they have thousands or symptoms and that there was no are still a very low number com- but were not tested. Some 181 of the virus-positive Covid-19 but were not recorded by Reuters by checking websites, hundreds of samples they need other identifi ed cause of death. pared to the population,” said The WHO representative of- military personnel are from the as victims of the disease, a Reu- talking to provincial offi cials to test, which one will they give Some senior government Dr Iwan Ariawan, an epidemi- fi ce in Indonesia also said at the navy who were among the fi rst ters review of data from 16 of the and reviewing World Health the priority? They will give the members played down the risk ologist from the University of weekend that deaths of suspect- responders in the island na- country’s 34 provinces showed. Organisation (WHO) reports. priority to the people that are of an outbreak in January and Indonesia. ed coronavirus suff erers should tion’s battle against the disease Three medical experts said the The 2,212 deaths were in ad- still alive,” he said. February with some suggesting The government has been ac- be disclosed. that has infected 588 people and fi gures indicated the national death dition to the deaths of 693 peo- Adisasmito is the most senior that prayer, herbal remedies and cused by activists and political op- Adisasmito said the govern- claimed the lives of seven others. toll was likely to be much higher ple who had tested positive for public health expert on Indone- hot weather would help ward off ponents of a lack of transparency ment was not hiding data and Navy spokesperson Lt Com- than the offi cial fi gure of 765. Covid-19 in those provinces sia’s Covid-19 taskforce and the the virus. The death toll is now in handling the epidemic. that he was unaware the WHO mander Isuru Sooriyabandara Indonesia has one of the low- and were offi cially recorded as press offi ce of President Joko the highest in Asia after China, The government says it has had called for suspected Cov- said news that the force had est testing rates in the world and victims of the disease. Widodo typically refers queries according to a Reuters tally. taken appropriate measures, id-19 death statistics to be made tracked all personnel potentially some epidemiologists say that The 16 provinces account for to the taskforce. The provincial data follows but President Widodo said last public. exposed to the virus and put them has made it harder to get an ac- more than three quarters of the According to the Ministry of a report by Reuters this month month that some information Yesterday, the WHO declined under isolation or quarantine. curate picture of the extent of country’s 260mn population. Health’s most recent Covid-19 that burials in the capital Jakar- had been withheld from the to off er any comment beyond The disease erupted in the infections in the world’s fourth A senior member of the gov- guidelines, patients classifi ed as ta in March were up by 40% on public to prevent panic. its weekend advice, made in force after a sailor contracted most populous country. ernment’s Covid-19 taskforce, PDP are those with acute respi- any month since at least January Widodo said last week he its latest situation report on the virus while taking part in an The most current data from Wiku Adisasmito, did not dispute ratory illnesses for which there 2018. The city’s governor said had told his ministers to re- Indonesia. operation to arrest a group of curfew violators. The sailor showed no symp- toms in the fi rst week after his infection. “These offi cers and sailors are Quarantine with an healthy with high immunity. It could be the reason why it took several days for the sailor to show symptoms,” Sooriyabandara said, adding that more than 90% Indonesian twist of the 181 navy personnel were asymptomatic. He said the sailors and offi c- Reuters where he ran a traditional medicine deliver food. “I support him be- ers were operating with lim- Klaten clinic he was forced to close after cause he is trying to keep every- ited availability of resources business plummeted. one healthy and prevent people like safety gear. Concerned he might have from gossiping about us,” said The government imposed a eturning to his Java village contracted the virus from one his wife Susanti, after one recent nationwide curfew on Mon- for Ramadan, Abdullah Al- of his patients, the 42-year-old visit. day to facilitate the recalling of RMabrur pitched a tent in chose to avoid the village and The village also welcomes his all the defence personnel after the forest over concerns he might stay alone in full protective gear decision. the military cancelled all leaves be carrying the coronavirus – and in the nearby bamboo forest. “The condition of the river is indefi nitely. is now spending his self-imposed His daily tasks include clear- better than before thanks to his Sri Lanka Air Force spokes- isolation cleaning up the river he ing the river of rubbish, building good intentions and kindness,” person Group Captain Dushan played in as a child. a bamboo bridge across it and said community leader Sumadi. Wijesinghe said that an airman The Indonesian government reading the Qur’an. Indonesia, the world’s most pop- tested positive on Sunday. banned “mudik” – citizens’ “I have to take care of my fam- ulous Muslim-majority country, has “This corporal is attached to traditional return to their home ily and my environment to cut reported just over 9,000 coronavi- the air force music band and he towns and villages for the fasting the spread of the Covid-19 dis- rus cases with 765 deaths, the high- performed at a TV show along- month – on Friday to help con- ease,” he told Reuters TV. “I see est toll in East Asia after China. side navy personnel,” Wijesinghe tain the spread of the epidemic. a lot of benefi ts (isolating) here Last year, an estimated said. Ramadan began the same day, by the riverbank. This is where 19.5mn people in the archipela- Abdullah Al-Mabrur talks with his neighbour outside a tent he used for self-quarantine on a river bank Some 62 people who were the but by then Al-Mabrur had already I played as a child, 35 years ago.” go of more than 260mn people after he came back from Pekanbaru, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Klaten fi rst contacts of the corporal have travelled back from West Sumatra, Each day his family stops by to undertook “mudik”. yesterday. been isolated.

Vietnam student given probation Deaf turning to clear Thailand’s coronavirus medics for beating guard over virus coronavirus masks A Vietnamese student was sentenced feel strain even as cases decline to one year’s probation yesterday for AFP read their lips,” said 52-year- beating a security guard at a building Makassar, Indonesia old Faizah Badaruddin. after being asked to put on his face “There were a lot of misun- mask, the court said. derstandings,” she added. Reuters Bui Anh Huan, 23, was charged with ip-reading suddenly got Badaruddin and her hus- Bangkok “resisting a law enforcement off icer tricky when everyone band used to sew cushions, who was performing his off icial Lcovered their face dur- bed sheets and curtains for duties,” according to the verdict ing the coronavirus pandemic, customers. or Bangkok nurse Kanjana by the District 7 court in Ho Chi but Indonesian tailors have hit But when orders dried up, Kamoun, the coronavirus Minh City reported by Ho Chi Minh upon the perfect solution – Badaruddin looked up instruc- FIntensive Care Ward is not police-run newspaper Cong An. see-through masks. tional videos online to work only where she works all day, it According to the indictment, the One husband and wife duo out how to produce masks for is where she thinks she is when incident occurred in the early in Makassar on Sulawesi island the hearing impaired. she wakes up in the middle of the morning of March 30, when started producing cloth masks Since early April, the little night, anxious and afraid. Huan was running in the Phu with transparent plastic in the business has been producing Even as the number of new My residential area in District 7 middle to help fellow deaf people. as many as two dozen trans- cases are slowing in Thailand without wearing a face mask. “Since the pandemic start- parent masks a day in small, – the fi rst country outside of Security guard Ha Ngoc Gia asked ed, everyone is wearing face- medium and large sizes. China to report a coronavirus Huan to put on a mask, but the masks. For deaf people, we They sell for between infection – the strain is showing man refused and punched Gia in can’t understand what others 10,000 rupiah to 15,000 rupiah for the doctors and nurses who the face, causing an injury. are saying because we can’t (65 cents to 97 cents) each. have worked for weeks to keep The court said that when the patients alive. whole of society was actively “Sometimes when I wake and implementing the government’s my throat hurts, I get worried policies for the prevention and and wonder if I made mistakes at control of Covid-19, Huan’s work or not,” Kanjana, 36, said. behaviour broke the rules and “All I can do is think that I did needed to be strictly punished for my best.” deterrence and education. Since March 9, the King Chu- Vietnam’s response to the lalongkorn Memorial Hospital in coronavirus pandemic has earned Bangkok has treated nearly 200 Medical personnel perform a nose swab test on a local resident of a community in Bangkok, amid the praise from the World Health coronavirus patients, and the med- coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak in Thailand, yesterday. Organisation (WHO). ical staff there pride themselves on No new cases of the coronavirus having not lost a single one. ment suits,” said infectious dis- been over 100 per day earlier in have spent more than a month have been reported in Vietnam “I don’t want anyone to die, eases specialist Opass Putcharoen. past weeks. under closure orders, crippling for the past 12 days, keeping I want them to only get better,” “It makes us worry that if we Since the outbreak began, the economy. The reopening date the country’s total number of said Tatsanee Onthong, one of have a lot of severe cases we will 2,652 patients have recovered was not clear as details remain Covid-19 cases at 270, without any Imama Saroso (right) and his wife Faizah Badaruddin pose with the nurses from the Intensive use up a lot of resources and in- and gone home. to be worked out, but will be an- deaths reported. (DPA) homemade face masks in Makassar, South Sulawesi yesterday. Care Unit. crease the chance of infection.” Onthong recalled a patient nounced on Wednesday, a civic The hospital pays close at- But unlike in China or parts who had arrived unconscious. administration spokesman said. tention to preventing infections Europe and the United States, Elderly and with another medi- “It will not be a return to nor- among staff . Thailand’s emergency wards cal condition, the chances looked mal like before,” said the spokes- Patients who arrive for the have never been overwhelmed slim. man, Pongsakorn Kwanmuang, fi rst time see the doctor only with coronavirus patients. “But later the patient got bet- adding that markets, sporting Dhaka eateries to sell takeaway items on a screen. Consultations are And the number of cases re- ter and recovered,” she said. grounds, public parks, medical carried out remotely. ported has been slowing. “That lifted my spirit to keep on facilities and golf courses are also estaurants in Dhaka were allowed to eat inside the restau- not to allow any sale of Iftar The Intensive Care Unit is Thailand yesterday reported fi ghting.” among the services eligible to re- allowed yesterday to sell rants, Masudur Rahman, deputy items on streets to ensure social behind double barriers of glass. seven more coronavirus cases Authorities in Bangkok plan to open fi rst. Rtakeaway Iftar items amid commissioner (media) of Dhaka distancing, he said. Only those who absolutely have and two new deaths, bringing the lift curbs over the next few days “All activities in these places an ongoing lockdown due to the Metropolitan Police (DMP), told In another development, the to enter the room ever do so. One total number of infections since or weeks for some businesses, will be regulated,” he said, adding Covid-19 pandemic, police in reporters. DMP said shops selling daily ne- patient is kept in each room. the outbreak began in January to ranging from restaurants and that the announcement would set the Bangladeshi capital said. The restaurants will not be cessities in neighbourhoods and “It requires fi ve to six medical 2,938 cases and 54 fatalities. hair salons to pet groomers, a city out strict social distancing meas- Owners must ensure buyers’ permitted to set up any stalls alleys in the capital will be open staff , which each time takes up a The numbers extended a trend offi cial said yesterday. ures and other rules to prevent physical distancing while selling outside their premises on foot- from 6am to 4pm instead of 2pm lot of personal protective equip- in fewer new cases, which had Many businesses in Bangkok a fresh virus outbreak. Iftar items, and no one will be paths as the DMP has decided from Tuesday. (IANS) Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Australia permits home visits, opens beaches as virus lockdown eases

Reuters 24 hours, suggesting commu- homes,” NSW Premier Gladys to barely 1% per day, compared gether as a single Australian na- “Unemployment rose to higher nese consumers might boycott Sydney nity transmission had almost Berejiklian told reporters in Syd- to 25% a month ago. The country tion, as one single family”. Aus- levels in the Great Depression, Australian products and univer- stopped, Health Minister Greg ney. “Two adults will be able to has recorded 84 deaths associ- tralia is expected to plunge into but it did that over the course of sities if it supported demands Hunt said. go and visit anybody else in their ated with the virus. State govern- its fi rst recession in 30 years due a couple of years. These move- for an international investigation ustralia’s most populous “We are winning but we have home on the basis of care, on the ments have set up coronavirus to the economic hit from the ments are happening in just a into the origins of the virus. state said yesterday it will not won yet,” he said. New South basis of reducing socialisation testing centres and want people coronavirus, and the govern- couple of months,” he told the “We will not deviate from Arelax some restrictions on Wales (NSW) state, which is and everybody’s mental health.” to undergo tests regardless of ment has committed A$320bn, hearing. those policy positions under any movement, as beaches reopened home to nearly half of Australia’s Children were allowed to ac- whether they have symptoms. or about 16% of GDP, in relief The country’s second-largest threat of economic coercion or amid hopes a policy of wide- roughly 6,700 cases of Covid-19, company adults on house visits, Around 2.44mn Australians, or funding, the country’s biggest lender, Westpac Banking Corp , anything else,” Birmingham told spread medical testing will help said it would let up to two adults Berejiklian added. about 10% of the population, emergency package ever. said in a stock market fi ling that reporters in Adelaide. sustain a decline in new cases visit another person’s home from Australia, which closed its had downloaded a government At a Senate hearing, Austral- it will take an impairment charge “The least the world can ex- of the coronavirus. Bondi Beach Friday, relaxing a stay-at-home external and internal borders, “contact tracing” smartphone ian Treasury secretary Stephen of A$1.6bn due to the coronavi- pect is a transparent inquiry into and two neighbouring beaches policy and ban on non-essential imposed an early shutdown of app to monitor the spread of the Kennedy said government data rus impact. A day earlier, Na- the causes of Covid-19 so that we in Sydney were reopened to local movement. businesses, and issued strict so- illness, less than two days since showed jobs in the accommoda- tional Australia Bank Ltd took can understand how best to pre- residents yesterday after being “For many people, they’ve cial distancing rules, has avoided its launch. tion, food, arts and recreation in- an A$807mn charge due to the vent a repeat episode any time in closed a month ago due to large been cooped up in their homes the high numbers of coronavirus That is short of the govern- dustries fell by up to a quarter in virus. the future. We would hope that crowds breaking social distanc- for a number of weeks, and with cases and deaths seen in other ment’s target to have about half the three weeks to April 4. Trade Minister Simon Bir- China, like any other country ing rules. the exception of exercising, med- countries. the population with the software, Overall unemployment was mingham meanwhile said the around the world, would see the Australia recorded just one ical needs or buying what they Australian states are starting but health minister Hunt said it expected to roughly double to government had rebuked the merits in understanding how the new case of Covid-19 from an need to or going to work, many to relax some restrictions as the was a sign people have overcome more than 10% in the three Chinese ambassador to Australia world can be better prepared in unknown source in the past people have been isolated in their local rate of new infections slows privacy concerns and “come to- months to end-June, he said. after the ambassador said Chi- the future,” he added New Zealanders freed from strict lockdown

Reuters „ Takeaway burgers, fries and coffee in demand Still, Ardern was quick to Wellington stress that the reduction in the People enjoy Muriwai Beach in the wake of New Zealand easing „ Challenge to restart economy as thousands return to offi cial threat status to Level 3 strict regulations implemented to curb the spread of the coronavirus work from Level 4 was merely the fi rst disease near Auckland, New Zealand. ew Zealanders queued step and it would be weeks be- for burgers, fries and „ Debate over whether virus has been eliminated fore all movement restrictions Ncoff ee takeaway yester- were wound back. day after they were freed from “It’s an ongoing battle,” Ard- a month-long lockdown, which ern said at a televised news con- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ference. “There is no one point has credited with eliminating in time that this mission ends. domestic transmission of the We are in the next phase of the coronavirus. battle and we are not done.” Around 400,000 people re- The Level 3 restrictions, turned to work after Ardern which limit people to local travel shifted the country’s alert level and keep malls, pubs, hairdress- down a notch, loosening some ers and other businesses closed, of the tough movement restric- will last for at least another two tions that shut down businesses weeks, Ardern said. for weeks. Any step down to Level 2 “It’s hard to explain how good would depend on a review of this tastes,” Christopher Bishop, the situation at May 11, she said, a lawmaker, said on Twitter after adding it was also possible some posting a picture with a takea- restrictions could be reintro- way coff ee cup. duced. There was no immediate Vehicles back on a motorway in Auckland, New Zealand. Long queues of cars snaked up timetable for subsequent steps to McDonald’s Corp outlets in down to Level 1 and a return to “Elimination does not mean about 60-70% of its usual ca- Auckland and Wellington from post-crisis life. zero cases,” Ardern clarifi ed. “It pacity. Westpac Bank warned in the early hours as people sought “No one wants a second wave would be an ongoing campaign a note yesterday that NZ$20bn a fast food fi x. in New Zealand and we must and zero tolerance for cases.” ($12bn) of government stimulus “We got quarter pounders, Big guard against that,” Ardern said. Ardern’s government now may not be enough to prevent a Macs, drinks ... I’ve still got two There was growing debate faces the challenge of restarting steep slide, forecasting GDP to cheeseburgers left but I can’t A man collects takeaway food at a McDonald’s in Auckland. about the terminology that the $200bn trade and tourism fall 6.3% in 2020. fi nish them,” Tai Perez, who ar- should be used for New Zea- dependent economy as it heads Westpac also said the RBNZ rived at a McDonald’s outlet in and a round of golf were other downs in the world in response Covid-19 infections ticked up land’s status in relation to the into national elections in Sep- would likely need to double its Auckland at 4am, was quoted as popular pursuits yesterday as to the coronavirus pandemic. by two yesterday to 1,124 cases, coronavirus spread, with some tember. existing NZ$30bn quantitative saying by the New Zealand Her- the country’s 5mn residents Ardern said the shutdown had with a community transmission experts saying “elimination” Ardern told parliament that easing programme next month ald. experienced a taste of freedom eff ectively eliminated the coro- rate of just 0.4%. There have would not allow for recurrent economic activity would rise and reduce the offi cial cash rate Surfi ng, walks on the beach after one of the strictest lock- navirus in the country. New been 19 deaths. small numbers of cases. under Level 3 restrictions to to -0.5% in November.

Faulty masks S Korea says absent Kim may are latest Singapore says its Covid-19 cases problem for Japan’s may be higher than offi cial tallies be trying to avoid coronavirus government

Some 300,000 Reuters accommodation housing more Kenneth Mak, said at a media Reuters (coronavirus) situation,” the an outbreak of the coronavirus. coronavirus masks sent to Singapore than 300,000 mostly South Asian briefi ng. Seoul minister said, though North Ko- But if Kim Jong-un is hiding out pregnant women in Japan workers. Mak said any discrepancy in the rea has said it has no confi rmed due to fears surrounding Cov- as part of a government Yesterday, Singapore reported offi cial numbers would eventu- cases of the coronavirus. The id-19, it would “puncture a hole handout have been ingapore said yesterday 528 new infections – its lowest in ally be ironed out as these work- ear of catching the corona- South Korean minister noted in the state media narrative of found to be faulty, media that the number of mi- almost two weeks – but authori- ers would need to be tested before virus could have kept North that there were at least two in- how this crisis has been perfectly reported yesterday, Sgrant workers infected with ties said the real number could they could leave isolation and re- FKorean leader Kim Jong-un stances since mid-January when managed”, said Chad O’Carroll, the latest in a string of coronavirus in the city-state may be greater due to a lag in testing. turn to work. He declined to say away from state ceremonies for a Kim Jong-un had been unsighted CEO of Korea Risk Group, which complaints about how be higher than offi cial tallies as “When we report fi gures...of how many workers were in such a key holiday in mid-April, a South for nearly 20 days. The last time monitors North Korea. the government has dealt symptomatic patients had been confi rmed and verifi ed infections, position. Korean minister said yesterday as offi cial media in the secretive “If he is merely trying to avoid with the epidemic. The isolated in dormitories with mass the number of foreign workers “The numbers will reconcile. speculation swirled over Kim’s North Korean state reported on infection, it should theoretically eff orts of Prime Minister outbreaks before testing. that are in the dormitories that It’s not an issue of fudging or whereabouts and health. Kim’s whereabouts was when he be very easy to release photos Shinzo Abe’s government The nation of 5.7mn people has we are keeping a close eye on with dodging or trying to hide num- Under Kim Jong-un, North presided over a meeting on April or videos of a healthy-looking to distribute protective nearly 15,000 confi rmed coro- respiratory symptoms may in fact bers. It is really to make sure that Korea has expanded its arsenal of 11, but there have been near-dai- Kim,” he said. cloth masks in the fight navirus infections, one of the be bigger than the actual number our priorities in testing match nuclear weapons and long-range ly reports of him sending letters An authoritative source famil- against the coronavirus highest in Asia, largely due to that we report,” the health minis- the needs that we have on the ballistic missiles, and with no and diplomatic messages. iar with US intelligence reporting have been marred by infections in cramped bunk-bed try’s director of medical services, ground,” Mak said. obvious successor, any change South Korean offi cials empha- said on Monday it was entirely complaints about mould, in leadership in the authoritar- sise they have detected no unu- possible Kim had disappeared insects and stains. ian country would raise concerns sual movements in North Korea from public view to avoid expo- Just days after the about instability that could im- and have cautioned against re- sure to Covid-19 and the sight- government began pact other North Asian countries ports that Kim may be ill. ing of his presidential train in supplying every Charity show in Wuhan and the United States. The unifi cation minister de- the coastal resort area of Won- household with two The speculation about Kim’s scribed reports that Kim had un- san did suggest he may be there washable masks at a health erupted after his unprec- dergone a heart procedure, and or have been there recently. But total cost of $430mn, edented absence from ceremo- that a Chinese medical team had the source said that since there complaints emerged nies marking the April 15 birth travelled to North Korea, as “fake was no authoritative backing for of soiled or defective anniversary of his grandfather news.” Citing three people famil- such a conclusion, US agencies products, many of them and founder of the country, Kim iar with the situation, Reuters were also still considering the from pregnant women. Il-sung. reported on Saturday that China possibility Kim might be ill, even By yesterday, the number South Korea’s Unifi cation had dispatched a team to North seriously. of defective masks Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who Korea including medical ex- 38 North, a Washington-based distributed to pregnant oversees engagement with the perts to advise on Kim Jong-un, North Korea monitoring project, women had risen to North, said it was plausible that though it was unclear what the said on Saturday that satellite 300,000 out of 500,000, Kim decided against attending trip signalled in terms of Kim’s images from last week showed a public broadcaster NHK because of the coronavirus, given health. special train that was probably reported. The masks are the stringent steps his govern- US President Donald Trump Kim’s at Wonsan, lending weight being sent out in order ment has taken to head off an said on Monday he has a good to reports he had been spend- of priority, with pregnant outbreak. idea how Kim Jong-un is doing ing time in the resort area. Thae women and care homes “It is true that he had never and hopes he is fi ne, but would Yong-ho, a former North Korean for the disabled at the top missed the anniversary for Kim not elaborate. diplomat who defected to South of the list, though private Il-sung’s birthday since he took Japanese Prime Minister Shin- Korea in 2016, said that the train households in Tokyo are power, but many anniversary zo Abe said he was aware of re- could be a deception tactic used also starting to get theirs. events including celebrations ports on Kim’s health and he was by North Korea to mask Kim’s The Health Ministry was and a banquet had been can- paying close attention to devel- movements. not immediately available celled because of coronavirus opments. “North Korea always perceives for comment, but the concerns,” the unifi cation minis- North Korea had cancelled that US spy satellites are moni- minister, Katsunobu Kato, Performers wearing face masks take part in a charity show on a ship to pay tribute to medical ter told a parliamentary hearing. some large events, and imposed a toring the North and is prepared told a news conference workers in Wuhan, the Chinese city hit hardest by the coronavirus disease outbreak, in China’s “I don’t think that’s particu- border lockdown and quarantine for it,” he said in a post on Face- the safety of all masks Hubei province. larly unusual given the current measures in an eff ort to prevent book. would be verified. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 11

BRITAIN UK on track for one of Europe’s worst virus death tolls

Reuters records began in 1993. H Chan School of Public Health. and Wales up to April 17 were havoc on the economy, for fear — which also counts deaths in 2020, the biggest total since London The Offi ce for National Statis- “With the most optimistic more than 50% higher than the of a deadly second outbreak. care homes — by around 5,000 comparable records began in tics said 21,284 people had died views of the amount of immunity daily toll for deaths in hospitals The ONS bases its fi gures on at that point in time. 1993, the ONS said. This was in England by April 17 with men- that might be being generated, it initially announced by the gov- mentions of Covid-19 in death Britain’s true toll is likely to be 11,854 more than average for the ritain is on track to record tions of Covid-19 on their death would be still not be close to hav- ernment. certifi cates, including suspected closer to Spain or even Italy, Eu- week. one of the worst coronavi- certifi cate. ing enough to be able to return to The fi gures underline the cases rather than those who ac- rope’s worst-aff ected countries, Given that only 8,758 cases Brus death tolls in Europe, Together with fi gures from normal,” he told Reuters. scale of the challenge facing tually tested positive. although their reporting of deaths mentioned Covid-19 in death after data published yesterday Scotland, Wales and North- Unlike the hospital death tolls Johnson as he returns to work Scotland last week reported outside hospital is patchy so exact certifi cates, it is likely that even showed nationwide fatalities ern Ireland, the total United announced daily by the govern- after recovering from Covid-19, 1,616 deaths that mentioned comparisons are diffi cult. the comprehensive ONS data are topped 24,000 nine days ago. Kingdom death toll was at least ment, the fresh fi gures include the respiratory disease caused Covid-19 on the death certifi - The latest daily fi gures re- undercounting the true toll. A day after Prime Minister 24,000 as of April 19. deaths in community settings, by the novel coronavirus, and cate as of April 19. Northern Ire- leased by the health ministry for Last week, a Financial Times Boris Johnson spoke of success “The UK is going to be right such as care homes where over- the dangers of relaxing Britain’s land posted 276 as of April 17. Covid-19 deaths in hospitals hit analysis based on the gap be- in dealing with the outbreak, up there among the worst-hit all fatalities have trebled in a few lockdown too soon. Another 1,016 had died in Wales. 21,092 on Monday. tween the signifi cant increase in the new fi gures showed the nations in the initial surge,” said weeks. He warned on Monday that it A UK death toll of more than Including all causes of death, all deaths and those that men- week ending April 17 was Brit- Bill Hanage, associate professor Overall, yesterday’s figures was still too dangerous to relax 24,000 puts it among the worst- 22,351 people died in England tioned coronavirus put Britain’s ain’s deadliest since comparable of epidemiology at Harvard’s T for Covid-19 deaths in England stringent measures wreaking hit in Europe, exceeding France and Wales in the 16th week of true death toll at over 40,000.

Contact-tracing app developed A smartphone app developed by the National Health Service Delays, errors at (NHS) could be rolled out within three weeks, its technology chief said yesterday, despite privacy concerns. Matthew Gould, head of the state-run service’s digital drive-in virus innovation arm NHSX, said the in-house app — reportedly favoured over similar software developed by Google and Apple — would be trialled in a small test centres area to gauge its eff ectiveness. The government last week said the app and a wider testing regime would help to prevent a second wave of infection when stringent restrictions raise concerns are eventually lifted. Off icials are coming under pressure to ease a national lockdown, which was imposed on March Guardian News and Media competition. They were handed to be told to swab himself. “I’m 23 and is due for review on May London to private companies includ- scared I haven’t done the test 7. Deaths and confirmed cases ing the accountants Deloitte, right,” he said after testing nega- are on a downward trend but the public services specialists tive. Prime Minister Boris Johnson ey workers and NHS staff Serco and Sodexo and the phar- At Doncaster and elsewhere, warned on Monday that a full have raised concerns about macy chain Boots, which has also security guards patrolled the easing of the restrictions was Kthe management of a na- trained and provided more than lanes warning motorists not to not imminent. Gould told a tional network of drive-in coro- 300 staff to administer swabs. take photos or videos and not to parliamentary committee on navirus testing centres, with doc- At Wembley, tests have been open their windows. science and technology that tors at one London hospital trust lost, with no contact number pro- Drivers could communicate NHSX was “on course to have “actively discouraging” staff from vided to chase missing results. with marshals only by phone, us- the app ready for when it will be using them. The site is operated by Sodexo, ing numbers written on signs. needed, for the moment when Thousands of people have but ensuring staff receive results There were some portable toi- the country looks to have the turned up at more than 30 lo- is the responsibility of Deloitte. lets, but after a single use they tools to come out of lockdown cations around the UK to be The accounting fi rm is man- were sealed, awaiting cleaning. safely”. swabbed for traces of the virus, aging logistics and data across Motorists waited in three sepa- The app uses Bluetooth after the government opened up most of the test centres, including rate queues before being handed technology to log the phones facilities previously reserved for booking tests, getting samples to their tests. of other people that the user NHS workers to all employees in the labs and communicating the Serco, which runs nine cen- comes into proximity with. essential services, including care results. tres including Doncaster, said the The user can then choose to homes and utilities. The Royal Free source said: “All longest recorded wait was two send data to the app if they The expansion in testing at the three (of the trust’s) hospitals are hours” begin to show symptoms or test weekend has led to long queues actively discouraging people from Anna Whittekind, a nutrition- positive for Covid-19. at some facilities, with motorists going there. We have no faith that ist who has been off work with A notification will then be sent – many of them already feeling they would get the result. The chest and stomach pains for 12 to other users who have been in unwell with symptoms of Cov- chain of command is very opaque days over the last month, said she close contact. If enough people id-19 – stuck in their cars in hot and it is very diffi cult to know and her husband, who works for use the app, scientists say it weather for hours, forbidden from how you get your results back. the NHS, had waited three hours could help to keep the virus opening windows and unable to It should be run by people with in the heat at a drive-in facility. reproduction rate low and bring use toilets or fi nd water. operational experience of clini- Her result arrived quickly and the outbreak under control. The Guardian was contacted cal tasks, not by an accountancy was negative. “I have no idea The BBC reported the NHS had about multiple concerns, includ- fi rm.” whether I managed to take a good decided to develop the software ing queues of up to fi ve hours, Instead of using Wembley, the enough swab, so it may have all in-house rather than use a workers with appointments trust is swabbing staff at work been a waste of time,” she said. similar app in development by turned away because of delays, and sending the results to Francis “I felt for the poor souls working Apple and Google. The NHSX leaking test vials, wrongly labelled Crick Institute laboratories for there, but the organisation was version matches contacts samples, and lost test results at analysis. abysmal.” centrally via a computer server Nottingham and Wembley. People attending a number of A worker at the Lighthouse rather than the tech giants’ A doctor at the Royal Free NHS drive-in facilities reported be- laboratory in Milton Keynes, model, which instead matches trust, which operates three hos- ing left with no choice but to take which was opened by the Health through individual handsets. pitals in north London, said they their own swabs, having expected Secretary, Matt Hancock, this Researchers said that made it were so concerned about the the procedure to be carried out by month as one of three “megalabs” easier to track the spread of drive-in facility located in the a trained professional. created to support the testing the virus. Other countries in Ikea car park in Wembley that James Collins, a carer at a home initiative, said she was concerned Europe have favoured Apple staff had been told not to use it. for vulnerable adults in Lincoln about safety and lost results. and Google’s “decentralised” The regional network, which who has been self-isolating with She claimed the lab, which approach. will be extended to 50 locations, is a cough, said he waited for fi ve is capable of processing up to “Engineers have met several a cornerstone of the government’s hours for a test at Robin Hood 10,000 tests in 24 hours, had re- core challenges for the app to target of reaching 100,000 tests airport in Doncaster on Saturday ceived hundreds of swabs in vials meet public health needs and per day by the end of this week. after a two-hour round trip to get that either were leaking or were support detection of contact Contracts to operate the fa- there. not sealed in two bags as required, events suff iciently well,” NHSX Prime Minister Boris Johnson pauses for a minute’s silence inside 10 Downing Street, central London, cilities have been awarded under Collins, who described the meaning the couriers and techni- said. to honour key workers, including NHS staff , health and social care workers, who have died during the special pandemic rules, through experience as “the worst seven cians handling them risked con- coronavirus outbreak. a fast-track process without open hours of my life”, was surprised tamination. Harry helps Thomas and EU ‘sees new Brexit Friends mark anniversary talks at an impasse’ Reuters to achieve — the diff erences are Brussels enormous. Things cannot move without a political push. And it’s Reuters ill in bed. His loving father en- train character, The Duchess of missing.” London tertained him with stories of a Loughborough, whose role is to egotiations between the After last week’s talks, chief EU special railway on the magical transport the royal family. European Union (EU) and negotiator Michel Barnier warned island of Sodor.” “I think this is a very beautiful Nex-member Britain over that London had to budge to rince Harry is helping “Those stories would go on and apt episode for the 75th an- new trade arrangements from bridge gaps for a deal to be sealed Thomas and Friends cel- to become the tales of the most niversary episode,” said actress next year are at an impasse due to in the little time available. Pebrate their 75th anni- iconic tank engine the world has Rosamund Pike, who voices the disagreements and the coronavi- Johnson’s spokesman coun- versary by introducing a spe- ever known, Thomas the Tank duchess. rus crisis, according to diplomats tered on Monday that the London cial episode which features the Engine...‘Thomas & Friends’ is “It’s got all the key charac- and offi cials in the bloc’s hub team was ready to keep talking cartoon trains as well as some celebrating 75 years of friend- ters and some new ones and Brussels. “but that doesn’t make us any members of the royal family. ship and teamwork.” some unexpected ones, and I Halted when the epidemic more likely to agree to the EU’s Fictional train Thomas the The Royal Engine features think it puts Thomas front and started, the EU’s tortuous Brexit proposals in areas where they are Tank Engine came to life in Queen Elizabeth and her eldest centre, giving him a very noble talks with Prime Minister Boris not taking into account the UK’s 1945 as a character in The Rail- child Prince Charles - Harry’s and important challenge and he Johnson’s government were re- status as an independent state.” way Series books by Reverend father - as a boy awaiting the emerges from it triumphant,” newed a week ago but have quick- “Clearly there will need to be Wilbert Awdry, an Anglican arrival of Sir Topham Hatt, also Pike said. ly hit snags, the sources said. political movement on the EU’s clergyman, and later his son known as the Fat Controller. The recording of Harry read- “We are at an impasse,” said side to move negotiations for- Christopher. He has been invited to Lon- ing the introduction took place one diplomat following the ne- ward, particularly on fi sheries It led to a children’s TV spin- don by the queen to collect an in January, before he gave up his gotiations aimed at agreeing new and level playing fi eld issues in off show now called Thomas award and it is Thomas’ job to royal duties and moved with his trading terms between Britain order to help fi nd a balanced so- and Friends, which began in get him there safely. wife Meghan to the US, where and the 27 member states of the lution.” More negotiations are due 1984 and is still running. “It’s about Thomas and Sir they intend to launch a new bloc from 2021 when London’s to take place by early June. Sitting in an armchair and Topham Hatt embarking on a charitable foundation. current, status-quo transition EU offi cials note there is still holding one of the brand’s journey to London and on the “Thomas & Friends: The Roy- period after Brexit ends. time for London and Brussels to books, Prince Harry introduces way they come across lots of al Engine” is due to be screened “There are plenty of minor meet a deadline at the end of that the episode Thomas & Friends: pitfalls and perils,” said produc- on various channels around the technical details where we could month to agree on extending ne- The Royal Engine saying: “It er Ian McCue. world starting on May 1 in the Prince Harry records his on-camera introduction to the new animated fi nd solutions. But on the funda- gotiations beyond the end of the all began when a young boy lay The episode features a new United States on Netfl ix. special Thomas & Friends: The Royal Engine. mental goals each side is trying year. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 EUROPE

Luxembourg aims to test all 600,000 citizens for virus Luxembourg is beginning broad- Spanish govt eyes return scale testing of its citizens for the novel coronavirus, a measure which will accompany the easing of its lockdown restrictions, Research Minister Claude Meisch said yesterday. The tests are voluntary and are also available to those to normality by end-June commuters who live across the country’s borders with Germany, France and Belgium. Some 8,500 school pupils and Reuters Each phase is designed to last to reopen with the support of lo- Total fatalities since the start ciation, told RNE radio. with the economy contracting as teachers are to be tested before Madrid two weeks. cal authorities. of the outbreak rose to 23,822 Prime Minister Sanchez also much as 12.4%. schools reopen on May 4. The progression to higher “We are starting to glimpse an yesterday, with the daily increase warned there would be a reces- “The authorities will set the Each day, at least 20,000 tests phases with fewer restrictions outcome that will be a reward for coming down from Monday’s sion of “extraordinary scale” this pace,” Jose Antonio Alvarez, chief are due to be carried out. pain announced a four- will depend on factors such as the huge collective eff ort made 331, the health ministry said. year that will demand an extraor- executive of Santander, told a “The aim is for us to test the phase plan yesterday to lift how the rate of infection evolves, over the past weeks,” Sanchez The number of diagnosed cas- dinary response from the Euro- news conference after the eu- whole population, some people Sone of the toughest coro- the number of intensive care beds said, warning that the “virus is es rose to 210,773 – the world’s pean Union. rozone’s second largest bank by several times,” Meisch said, navirus lockdowns in Europe and available locally and how regions still lurking”. second-highest after the United The fi rst-quarter unemploy- market value reported an 82% noting that this could be carried return to normality by the end of comply with distancing rules, the “It’s up to the people now, we States. ment rate rose to 14.4% from slide in profi t on provisions out within a relatively short June as the daily death toll fell to premier said, without provid- are embarking on a journey with- As data published yesterday 13.8% in the preceding three booked for the pandemic. period of time thanks to the 301, less than a third of a record ing concrete thresholds for such out a precise route map ... what brought further evidence of a months, the National Statistics “What we are looking at is how country’s small size. high of 950 in early April. evaluation. we’ve accomplished is enormous worsening in unemployment, Institute said. we can adapt our spaces and our The move would make The coronavirus causes the While restaurants can start but it could all be lost if we don’t companies said they were look- That data only partially re- ways of working to an orderly re- Luxembourg the first country in Covid-19 respiratory disease. opening terraces at no more than look after each other,” he said. ing to the government to allow a fl ected the impact of the lock- turn. As far as the tests are con- the world gain an overview of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez 30% of their capacity during the Sanchez explained the govern- gradual restart of the economy. down that began two weeks be- cerned, the health authorities are the number of citizens who are said the lifting of the measures fi rst phase, remote working will ment had chosen not to set pre- “The important thing is to fore the end of the quarter. the ones who have the last word infected. that have halted public life since be recommended where possible cise deadlines for the easing of resume our activities in order to According to forecasts by the on how to carry out this process,” March 14 and nearly paralysed until reaching the last phase of the lockdown, as had countries really avoid this drama that we Bank of Spain, the coronavirus he said, adding that the banking Putin extends the economy, will begin on May the plan at some point in June, such as Italy, to avoid missing are living,” Antonio Garamendi, crisis could push the unemploy- group had a global framework for 4. when beaches would also be able them in what is a fl uid situation. head of the CEOE business asso- ment rate up to 21.7% this year, testing staff . quarantine regime

Russian President Vladimir Prosecutors open Putin has prolonged Russia’s terror inquiry into France charts ‘risky’ return to life after lockdown coronavirus quarantine regime until May 11, with residents Paris car ramming throughout the country advised to stay home. France’s anti-terrorism AFP Philippe told the National As- tailers and fresh produce mar- Russia does not appear to have prosecutors said yesterday that Paris sembly, which will vote on his kets can reopen from May 11, reached its peak of infections, they had opened an inquiry after proposed measures. when the easing of the lockdown and a “diff icult path lies ahead”, a man claiming allegiance to the It is necessary, the premier offi cially starts, with strict dis- Putin said in a nationally televised Islamic State (IS) group rammed rance will begin a grad- said, to “gradually, cautiously, tancing measures to prevent too address. his car into a police checkpoint ual but “risky” return but also resolutely proceed with many people in once place at the He ordered senior off icials to in a Paris suburb, injuring two Fto normality on May 11, lifting the lockdown, as long- same time. come up with a list of criteria off icers. with shops, markets and some awaited as it is risky”. But restaurants and bars will by next Tuesday on whether to The 29-year-old suspect, schools reopening after an The government was treading remain closed for now, as will lift the quarantine regime the identified as Youssef T, was eight-week coronavirus lock- a fi ne line, he added. “A little too large museums, cinemas, thea- following week, on May 12. not on France’s list of people down that saved over 60,000 much carelessness, and the epi- tres and concert halls. The regime has been in place for suspected of radicalisation or lives, Prime Minister Edouard demic restarts. A little too much Primary schools and daycare the past four weeks as Russia has being security threats. Philippe said yesterday. caution, and the entire country centres can reopen progressively sought to curb its quickly rising However, investigators found But life will not be as before, sinks.” from May 11, followed by junior caseload. a knife and a letter swearing with face masks compulsory on Only 75 of the assembly’s 577 high schools the following week, Russia’s confirmed coronavirus allegiance to IS extremists in the public transport, working from lawmakers were present for the though only in areas not hard- cases have been approaching black BMW he used to plough home strongly encouraged for premier’s address, with several hit by the epidemic. 100,000 this week, surpassing into police cars and motorcycles several more weeks, and restau- empty seats between them, in There can be no more than 15 A French family in Hede-Bazouges, western France, watches Prime the virus’ origin country, China. as off icers carried out traff ic stops rants and cafes – quintessential line with virus-busting social- pupils to a class, the prime min- Minister Philippe on TV as he presents the government’s plan to exit Russia has the eighth-largest on Monday evening. to the French way of life – re- distancing measures. ister said. from the lockdown situation at the French National Assembly, Paris. nationwide outbreak in the world. The man wrote that he wanted maining shuttered. More than 23,000 deaths had A decision will be made by the to “throw his body and soul into The French people “will have been reported in France by Mon- end of May on when to reopen the prime minister. be isolated, and people they Greece to ease the battle to impose Shariah law to learn to live with the virus”, day, with a downward trend in restaurants, cafes and all high Long-distance travel will be have been in contact with will be across the Earth”, prosecutors said Philippe, urging strict, on- the number of people in hospi- schools. discouraged. traced and also tested. curbs in stages said. going respect of social distanc- tal and intensive care in recent Philippe said public parks and Distribution of face masks, No religious ceremonies He was taken into custody for ing and personal hygiene meas- days. gardens can open in areas with which have been in short supply allowed before June 2, said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos questioning, and a psychiatric ures to limit new infections to Philippe quoted a study show- no active virus circulation, but and limited to medical person- Philippe. Mitsotakis has announced a evaluation did not reveal any a minimum, with no vaccine or ing that the French lockdown beaches will remain off -limits nel, will be expanded with sales Funerals will remain limited gradual easing of coronavirus mental troubles. proven treatment yet available. had prevented 62,000 deaths in until June 1. to the general public. to 20 people, and weddings will lockdown rules from May 4, but The two motorcycle police At the same time, France can- a month, and obviated demand People who have the option France will be receiving continue to be put off for now. said implementation would be suff ered leg fractures and remain not aff ord an “indefi nite” lock- for over 100,000 intensive care of working from home should 100mn surgical masks and some All gatherings, whether in monitored daily. hospitalised. down, said Philippe. hospital beds. continue to do so after May 11, 20mn reusable, non-medical public places or private homes, “Having contained the first wave Non-essential businesses But it has also struck a deep at least for three weeks, and grade masks each week, said the must be limited to 10 people, he of the virus, we are now ready have been closed since March blow to the economy, with a Philippe issued a “fi rm request” premier. added. to move to the second phase, Suspected serial 17, and people confi ned to their historic contraction of eight to companies to respect this di- He said there will be enough The prime minister warned the gradual de-escalation of homes except for urgent busi- percent in economic output rective. masks for all who need them and the lockdown could be extended measures,” he said in a televised killer arrested ness. predicted for this year and un- For those who have no choice, a national capacity to conduct at the last minute, and urged address. “We must protect the French employment rising a record 7.1% limited public transport will some 700,000 viral tests per people to continue observing Around 10% of the businesses A 35-year-old Brazilian suspected without immobilising France in March. be available, but users will be week. confi nement rules so as not to that were closed last month will of battering to death at least to the point that it collapses,” The prime minister said re- obliged to wear face masks, said Those who test positive will unleash a new infection wave. be allowed to reopen. three homeless people in Barcelona during Spain’s strict coronavirus lockdown was arrested yesterday, police said. A symbol of resurrection: new Genoa bridge nears completion He was detained in Sant Cugat del Valles on the outskirts of the Mediterranean coastal city, just hours after a homeless person DPA sirens from ships in Genoa’s port a layer of asphalt needs to be applied. was found murdered in the Rome harbour. “The bridge is not fi nished but to- centre, Catalonia’s regional police Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte day we celebrate the reconnection” force, the Mossos d’Esquadra, said the work that had gone on in of the eastern and western sides of said in a statement. he main structure of a new Genoa was “a symbol” for a country the city, Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci The dead body showed signs of motorway bridge in Genoa, It- “that knows how to stand up again, said. a violent death and was found Taly, was completed yesterday, that rolls up its sleeves, that does not He said that the new bridge should “in the same area where other a milestone that off ered some relief give up” in the face of tragedy. open to traffi c in July. deaths of the homeless were to a stricken country. He travelled especially to the The old Morandi bridge, a giant recorded in recent weeks”, a The new structure replaces a land- northwestern port city to witness cable-stayed reinforced concrete de- spokeswoman for the force mark bridge that collapsed in August the completion of the bridge, a steel- sign from the 1960s, was a key artery added. 2018, killing 43 people. and-concrete structure more than that connected Genoa and its large Police said they had identified It was completed despite Italy 1km long. port to motorways leading to France the suspect with the aid of being in the midst of a severe novel It was a rare break from Rome for and other Italian cities. descriptions provided by coronavirus epidemic. the premier, who has been leading Its collapse was a national trauma witnesses and security camera The last 50m span of the bridge, the country through a novel coro- which also highlighted the poor state footage. designed by Genoa-born star archi- navirus epidemic that has so far of public infrastructure across Italy The suspect, who was not named, tect Renzo Piano, was lifted by giant claimed nearly 27,000 lives and in- following decades of neglect. had previously been arrested for cranes at a height of more than 40m fected nearly 200,000 people. The motorway operator responsi- theft in Zaragoza, 250km (155 and slotted into place. It will still be a few months until ble for the Morandi, Autostrade per miles) west of Barcelona. The fi nal moment was marked by the bridge can be used. l’Italia, is under criminal investiga- Prime Minister attends the inauguration ceremony of the final section of Genoa’s new the sound of blaring sirens at the Lighting and traffi c management tion for allegedly skimping on main- bridge being installed into place and completing the rebuilding of the structure. construction site, echoed by more systems still need to be installed, and tenance to maximise profi ts. Norwegian tycoon held for murder

Norwegian police said yesterday German offi cial urges discipline after setback in coronavirus fight that they had arrested a wealthy businessman over the disappearance of his wife 18 DPA social-distancing rules, under the virus on to – ticked up to 1.0, important,” he said, saying that win back some degree of nor- towards normality, the govern- months ago, the latest twist in Berlin which citizens must maintain a although it was reassessed at 0.9 the caseload had reached a size mality is developing a coronavi- ment is planning to reduce the a case that has kept the Nordic distance of 1.5m from others in later in the day, bringing it back that the country could “better rus tracking app that could warn number of intensive care beds countries on tenterhooks. public, and said masks should be on par with recent days. handle”. people who have come into con- reserved in hospitals for Cov- Tom Hagen, 70, was arrested ermany’s top disease worn where this is not possible. Offi cials have stressed that the Many small and medium- tact with infected individuals. id-19 patients from the current as he was leaving his home for control offi cial urgently All of Germany’s 16 federal country will regress back into an sized shops reopened across Deutsche Telekom and soft- 50% to 25%. work yesterday, on suspicion of Gappealed to the pub- states have made mouth-and- exponential spread if the esti- Germany last week and the ma- ware company SAP are to devel- That is laid out in a policy pa- “murder or accessory to murder”, lic to stick to rules designed to nose coverings compulsory in mate edges above 1. jority of states are to gradually op such a model using Bluetooth per seen by DPA and comes after commissioner Ida Melbo Oystese slow the spread of the corona- shops and on public transport. However, Wieler warned allow pupils to return to school and the exchange of encrypted almost six weeks of hospitals told a press conference. virus yesterday, as a key metric Unlike other countries, Ger- against relying too heavily on from May 4. data, a statement from the min- postponing or cancelling opera- Hagen’s wife Anne-Elisabeth showed the country struggling many has so far been successful that particular metric, which is a Spahn said that decisions on istries for health and the interior tions for regular patients to free Hagen disappeared without to maintain its downward trend in curbing the outbreak, Wieler nationwide average and does not any further easing of restric- and Merkel’s chancellery said up capacity for the coronavirus a trace from their home in in daily new cases. said. “We want to defend this illustrate regional diff erences. tions, such as in restaurants or yesterday. outbreak. Lorenskog, east of Oslo, on “We do not want the number success.” Instead, he said, assessments the domestic tourism industry, Those who have had contact “Postponing urgent treat- October 31, 2018. of cases to rise again. We do However, a situation report should be based on the data tak- are set to be taken on May 6. with someone carrying corona- ments such as with tumours or Hagen is the 164th richest man not want to again have more released by his disease control en as a whole. Chancellor Angela Merkel has virus would be alerted via the planned operations such as hip in Norway with an estimated Covid-19 cases,” Lothar Wieler, institute late on Monday called Health Minister Jens Spahn repeatedly stressed that Ger- app so that they could isolate replacements also brings with it net worth of 1.9bn Norwegian president of the government’s into question Germany’s eff orts said Germany was right to press many’s gains against the novel and therefore break the chain of physical and psychological suf- kroner ($183mn, €168mn) in 2019, Robert Koch Institute, said at a to slowly reboot public and eco- ahead with easing restrictions coronavirus, which has infect- infection, the statement said. fering for the aff ected patient,” according to business magazine briefi ng in Berlin. nomic life. despite the uptick in the repro- ed over 156,200 people in the “Interoperability with other Spahn said. Kapital. The coronavirus causes the The reproduction number – duction number. country and led to at least 5,842 European solutions is also to be He had previously spoken of His lawyer said he denied the Covid-19 respiratory disease. R0, the average number of peo- “That is an important factor, deaths, are “fragile”. considered,” it added. bringing back a “new normal” in allegations. He stressed the importance of ple each infected person passes but the absolute number is also Part of the country’s plans to In another tentative step back hospitals from May. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 13 INDIA Plasma therapy not yet proven, says health ministry

Agencies harmful for a patient,” spokes- lescent plasma therapy. Agarwal also said the number any health facility, the facility can The recovery rate of corona- India with a jump of around 1,500 New Delhi man Lav Agarwal said. The therapy involves tak- re-infection is very minuscule be reused after proper disinfec- virus patients has increased to to 1,700 daily. So far 937 people “In fact, there is no approved ing plasma containing Covid-19 worldwide, and in the absence tion procedures. 23.3%, he added. have died of the disease, accord- therapy for Covid-19 anywhere antibodies from a person who of any conclusive evidence, pa- Similarly, workplaces where “From the WHO data on April ing to government data. mid reports that several in the world.” has had the viral disease and re- tients certifi ed as cured through positive patients were found can 27, we observed the number “The whole country is now hospitals in India were Until robust scientifi c proofs covered and transfusing it into RT-PCR test are perfectly alright. be used after proper disinfection, of confi rmed cases in these 20 waiting for a discovery by our sci- Atreating Covid-19 pa- were available, he said “we someone who is sick. He said the doubling time of Agarwal added. countries and compared it with entists whether it is a new drug, a tients with plasma therapy, a should use this therapy only for Several hospitals have said coronavirus cases in India was He said 20 countries whose confi rmed cases in India. We successful trial of drugs that are federal Health Ministry spokes- trial and study purposes. In fact, over the past week that critically 3-3.25 days before a nationwide combined population is that of found 1/84 cases reported in being used to handle Covid or a man said yesterday the treatment if the plasma therapy is not used ill Covid-19 patients had im- lockdown was enforced, but is India have reported 84 times the India or 84% more cases have new vaccine,” federal Health Min- was not proven and still at an ex- as per the prescribed guidelines proved with the therapy. now around 10.2 days. number of cases detected in this been reported in these countries. ister Harsh Vardhan said. perimental stage. it could cause life-threatening While a few of these hospi- “This is mainly because of our country. These 20 countries have reported “The government is support- “To use the therapy before the complications.” tals like one located in Delhi are focus on containment, physical dis- Agarwal said India has report- nearly 200% more deaths than in ing a number of companies who ICMR (Indian Council of Medi- The ICMR is currently doing part of the fi eld trials, others are tancing and lockdown measures.” ed only 1/200 times the number India”, said Agarwal. are doing research for vaccine cal Research) gives its approval pan-Indian field trials to iden- not and include privately owned The offi cial said if a Covid-19 of deaths as the total number of The number of positive Cov- development. We have come would be illegal and may be tify and understand the conva- hospitals. patient is found to be infected at fatalities in these 20 countries. id-19 cases is nearing 30,000 in quite ahead in that direction.” Coronavirus cases close to 30,000, death toll 937

Agencies port be allowed between states,” New Delhi said Pramod Sawant, chief min- ister of Goa that draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to its ndia was nearing 30,000 beaches from within India and coronavirus infections yes- overseas. Iterday, second only to China Maharashtra, the worst af- in Asia, a steady rise that would fected state in India, yesterday make it difficult to lift a nearly recorded its highest number of six-week lockdown that ends Covid-19 deaths - 31 in a single this weekend, health officials day, health offi cials said. and some government leaders The state also recorded a mas- said. sive 729 new patients, taking the Prime Minister Narendra total of infected people to 9,318. Modi’s government has allowed With the large number of fa- some farm and industrial activ- talities, the state toll touched ity to resume in less-aff ected 400, up from 369 on Monday. rural areas after the shutdown of Telangana reported six new Vehicles are stopped at a key road in Faridbad after the Haryana government sealed its border with Delhi, yesterday. the economy left millions with- cases bringing the the state’s out work and short of food and tally to 1,009. shelter. Tamil Nadu saw 121 more peo- But with about 1,500 new ple testing positive for the coro- cases each day on average over navirus, taking the state’s total the past week, the government tally beyond 2,000 to 2,058 and is facing calls not to ease further the death of one more person, Serum to make 60mn doses and instead keep the world’s big- taking the toll to 25. gest shutdown in force beyond Chief Minister K Palaniswami May 3, even though the econom- said the people were not realis- ic distress is deepening. ing the danger of the infection, “India is still on the ascending terming crowding at vegetable limb of the epidemic curve and shops in major cities like Chen- of potential corona vaccine so to ease the restrictions will nai, Coimbatore and others a mean the cases will multiply un- major issue. controllably,” said Dr S K Sarin, In Karnataka, with 11 new who leads a government group Covid-19 cases the state’s tally Reuters Covid-19, the respiratory disease my existing facility,” Poonawalla plans to make the vaccine at its Over roughly the next fi ve tackling the outbreak in New is 523. The state has also reported New Delhi caused by the coronavirus. said. two manufacturing plants in months, Serum will spend some Delhi, one of the hotspots. 20 deaths. While the Oxford vaccine, As many as 100 potential Cov- Pune, aiming to produce up to Rs30mn to 400mn on making The number of people infected In Thiruvananthapuram, called “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19”, is id-19 candidate vaccines are now 400mn doses next year if all goes around 3-5mn doses per month, with the coronavirus stood at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi he Serum Institute of In- yet to be proven to work against under development by biotech well, Poonawalla said. he said. 29,974, the health ministry said, Vijayan said four more people dia said yesterday it plans Covid-19, Serum decided to start and research teams around the “A majority of the vaccine, “(The government) are very a rise of 1,543 over the previous have tested positive for the virus, Tthis year to produce up to manufacturing it as it had shown world, and at least fi ve of these at least initially, would have to happy to share some risk and day. taking the total number of people 60mn doses of a potential vac- success in animal trials and had are in preliminary testing in peo- go to our countrymen before it fund something with us, but we So far 937 people have died, a presently under treatment to 123. cine against the new coronavi- progressed to tests on humans, ple in what are known as Phase 1 goes abroad,” he said, adding that haven’t really pencilled any- small number compared with the The state has a total of 485 rus that is under clinical trial in Serum Chief Executive Adar clinical trials. Serum would leave it to the In- thing down yet,” Poonawalla United States and parts of West- Covid-19 cases. Britain. Poonawalla said. Poonawalla said he hoped tri- dian government to decide which said. ern Europe where tens of thou- “A total of 20,255 people are Serum, the world’s largest “They are a bunch of very als of the Oxford vaccine, due to countries would get how much of Serum has also partnered with sands have died. under observation at home maker of vaccines by volume, qualifi ed, great scientists (at Ox- fi nish in about September, would the vaccine and when. the US biotech fi rm Codagenix But India’s healthcare sys- while 518 have been kept under is mass-producing the vaccine ford)...That’s why we said we will be successful. Serum envisages a price of and Austria’s Themis on two tems are much more limited than observation at different hospi- candidate developed by the Uni- go with this and that’s why we are Oxford scientists said last Rs1,000 per vaccine but govern- other Covid-19 vaccine can- those in developed countries and tals across the state,” Vijayan versity of Oxford, which started confi dent,” Poonawalla told Reu- week the main focus of initial ments would give it to people didates and plans to announce the fear is that a surge in cases of said. testing it on humans last week, ters in a phone interview. tests was to ascertain not only without charge, he said. a fourth alliance in a couple of the kind seen in the United States Six districts - Kannur, and is a leader in the global race “Being a private limited com- whether the vaccine worked but He said Prime Minister Naren- weeks, he said. and Italy could easily overwhelm Kozhikode, Kasargode, Malap- to develop an antidote to the pany, not accountable to public that it induced good immune dra Modi’s offi ce was “very Serum’s board last week also public hospitals. puram, Kottayam and Idukki are novel coronavirus. investors or bankers, I can take responses and no unacceptable closely” involved in the vaccine agreed to invest roughly Rs6bn “We are recommending that in the red zone. All the remaining Some 3.05mn people have a little risk and sideline some of side eff ects. production and the company is on making a new manufacturing the lockdown be extended after eight districts are under orange been reported to be infected glo- the other commercial products Serum, owned by the Indian hoping the government will help unit to solely produce coronavi- May 3. No mode of public trans- zone. bally and 211,376 have died from and projects that I had planned in billionaire Cyrus Poonawalla, foot the cost of making it. rus vaccines, Poonawalla said. Karnataka eases more Goa to create database of curbs in ‘green’ districts expats seeking to return IANS Pinarayi Vijayan said 276,000 Panaji expats from the state have regis- IANS “Similarly, manufacturing and Uttar Kannada districts, where tered to return. Bengaluru industrial establishments with there no Covid-19 cases and are Most of them also from the access control in Special Eco- ‘orange’ spots, district in-charge he Goa government’s Non Gulf. nomic Zones (SEZs) and Export ministers will decide on the reo- Resident Indian Commis- “The state is fully geared up to arnataka lifted more re- Oriented Units (EoUs), industrial pening of shops and industries. Tsion yesterday launched a receive these people at the four strictions from an extend- estates and industrial townships Meanwhile, the Delhi govern- campaign to reach out to expats airports in the state. Commit- Ked lockdown in 14 ‘green’ can reopen,” he said in a state- ment yesterday allowed some re- of Goan origin, primarily to cre- tees under the respective district districts, which are free from the ment. laxation has approved services of ate a database of individuals who collectors in the places where coronavirus spread, a top offi cial The establishments, however, electricians, plumbers and sale wish to return home due to the the airports are located are pre- said yesterday. have to arrange for stay of work- of educational books. Covid-19 pandemic. paring a road map for the way “In accordance with the April ers in their premises or adjacent In an order issued late Mon- “Glad to inform that, today the returnees should be treated. 14 guidelines of the central gov- buildings and implement the day night, the government also Goa NRI Commission has begun Those with no symptoms will be ernment on relaxing the lock- standard operating protocol as allowed the movement of inter- the registration process/assist- taken by police to their homes down restrictions to mitigate per the guidelines. and intra-state and air travel of ance of NRIs of Goan origin,” and put under home quarantine, public hardship, more activities Employers have to also arrange healthcare workers and scien- Commissioner for NRI Aff airs while those with symptoms will are allowed in 14 of the 30 dis- transport for their employees to tists. Narendra Sawaikar tweeted. be isolated in state run centres,” tricts across the state, which are the work place in special buses In the healthcare sector, vet- As part of the outreach, the Vijayan said. green spots,” Chief Secretary T M and ensure they observe social erinary hospitals, dispensaries, expats have been asked to fi ll a “There are reports that evacu- Vijay Bhaskar said. distancing. clinics, pathological laborato- small online questionnaire re- ation from the Gulf might hap- The 14 ‘green’ districts are All shops, including those in ries, the sale and supply of vac- lated to personal details. pen on Indian ships and if that Chamarajanagar, Chitradurga, residential and market complex- cines and medicine have been The NRI Commission is a Goa happens, then the ports also will Chikmagaluru, Davanagere, es, except in multi-brand and allowed, the order said. government agency which serves be made fi t to receive them,” the Hassan, Haveri, Kodagu, Kolar, single brand malls, can reopen “Movement of all medical and as a liaison between the state chief minister added. Koppal, Ramanagara, Raichur, even outside civic limits, with veterinary personnel, scientists, government and the large expat In another development, the Shivamogga, Udupi and Yadgir. 50% of workforce, and all wear- nurses, paramedical staff , lab population of Goans worldwide. Kerala High Court stayed for Industries operating in rural ing masks and observing social technician, midwives and other Goa has a large expat popula- two months the government’s areas and outside the civic limits distancing. hospital support services, in- tion working mainly in Gulf as decision to deduct six-day sal- of the districts except in Ram- In Ballari, Bengaluru Ru- cluding ambulances will be al- well as on board cruise liners. ary of all its employees in the anagara district can also resume ral, Chickkaballapur, Dharwad, lowed,” the order signed by Chief An electronic appliance repair store stays open in Bengaluru yesterday Meanwhile in Thiruvanan- next five months as a temporary operations. Gadag, Mandya, Tumakuru and Secretary Vijay Dev said. as part of the phased relaxation of a nationwide lockdown. thapuram, Kerala Chief Minister measure. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 INDIA 2 judges travel over 2,000km by road to take up new posts

IANS Justice Biswanath Somadder, Bharatiya Janata Party leader West Bengal to Odisha, Andhra court offi cial said Somadder, 56, protocols of Covid-19, including rest at his Salt Lake residence in New Delhi who also travelled by road from Devendra Fadnavis, Assembly Pradesh, passing through Vi- travelled by car from Prayagraj social distancing. the West Bengal capital, left for Uttar Pradesh to Meghalaya via Speaker Nana Patole, Tour- jayawada, then to Solapur and in Uttar Pradesh to reach the According to the offi cial, soon Shillong and reached the hill city West Bengal, went into home ism Minister Aditya Thackeray, Pune in Maharashtra and to fi - Meghalaya capital through West after the swearing-in, the chief on Sunday night. wo senior judges travelled quarantine hours after taking oath judges, senior police offi cers and nally Mumbai. Bengal. justice, who came to Shillong Meghalaya’s Deputy Chief Min- over 2,000km by road to as the chief justice of the Megha- other personalities, all main- After Datta, his family and “Justice Somadder was sworn alone, went into a 14-day home ister Prestone Tynsong defended Ttake up their new posts, laya High Court on Monday. taining physical distancing. other offi cials entered Mahar- in as the ninth chief justice quarantine on his own. the “sudden appointment” amid offi cials said yesterday. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Following his appointment by ashtra, they were honoured as of Meghalaya High Court on “During the chief justice’s the Covid-19 lockdown. Justice Dipankar Datta, who Singh Koshyari administered the President Ram Nath Kovind on state guests and accorded full Monday afternoon by Governor two-week quarantine, through “The high court needs a chief undertook a gruelling, three-day oath of offi ce to Datta at a func- April 23, Datta embarked on the protocol till their journey to Tathagata Roy at a very simple video conference, important is- justice, just as a state needs a road trip from Kolkata to Mum- tion in Raj Bhavan attended by long road journey from Kolkata Mumbai. ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in sues will be resolved by him,” the chief minister or the army needs bai, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister Uddhav Thack- to Mumbai as all fl ights were He replaces Chief Justice Shillong,” the offi cial said. offi cial said. a general,” Tynsong said, adding chief justice of the Bombay High eray. grounded due to a nationwide Bhushan Dharmadhikari who All dignitaries and offi cials Somadder left Prayagraj on Somadder, his driver and his en- Court yesterday evening, offi - Other prominent dignitar- lockdown. retired on April 27. present at the oath-taking cer- Friday and arrived in Kolkata tire entourage have been asked to cials said. ies present included opposition Datta’s trip took him from Meanwhile in Shillong, a high emony maintained the standard on Saturday, and after a brief follow the national protocol. UP sending back students stranded at Criticism of Prayagraj

IANS virus test kits Lucknow

he Uttar Pradesh govern- ment has started send- Ting back around 10,000 students stranded in Prayagraj irresponsible, to their respective districts in a phased manner. More than 300 buses are being used to take the students to their home districts. They were students of Alla- habad University and other col- says China leges and coaching centres and were stranded in the district – a big hub in coaching for competi- tive examinations. Agencies able,” Wondfo said in a statement. the tests and suggested that the The Uttar Pradesh govern- New Delhi The diplomatic fl ap comes government had overpaid. ment had said on Monday that days after China criticised an In- However, offi cials have said it would send around 9,000- dian decision to step up scrutiny that the government will “not lose 10,000 students stranded in hina has criticised India’s of investments from neighbour- a single rupee” from cancelling Prayagraj to other districts in the decision to stop using ing countries, seen as a move to the order kits as they had not paid state in a phased manner. CChinese testing kits for stave off opportunistic takeo- the amount in advance, and had Senior government offi cial the novel coronavirus because vers by Chinese fi rms during the cancelled the entire shipment. Avanish Awasthi said that in the of quality issues as unfair and ir- coronavirus outbreak. Ji said the tests needed to be fi rst phase, the students would responsible in the latest strain in The two countries have been carried out in a professional be dropped at Sonbhadra, Mir- their ties. taking steps to improve ties but manner to produce accurate re- zapur, Chandauli, Varanasi, The Indian Council of Medical distrust stemming from a dis- sults. Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Kausham- Research, the top agency dealing puted border and China’s grow- “There are strict requirements bhi, Fatehpur and Chitrakoot with the coronavirus outbreak, ing infl uence across the region for the storage, transportation districts, with borders close to said on Monday it planned to remains deep in India. and use of Covid-19 antibody Prayagraj. return the kits for antibody tests India ordered more than half rapid test kits,” she said. The same buses will be sent procured from two Chinese a million Chinese kits for testing “Any operation which is not to other districts in the second fi rms because of poor accuracy. for antibodies to the coronavirus carried out by professionals in ac- phase. The Chinese embassy said it this month as a way to boost its cordance with the product speci- Awasthi said if other states was deeply concerned by the In- screening, among the lowest per fi cations will lead to the testing want to take back their stu- dian decision and Chinese au- capita in the world. accuracy variations,” Ji said. dents stranded in Prayagraj, they thorities had validated the equip- The antibody tests taken from “Regarding the current issue, would also be provided permis- ment produced by the two fi rms, blood samples do not always we hope the Indian side would sion. Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and pick up early-stage infections respect China’s goodwill and The Uttar Pradesh govern- Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics. but show whether a person had sincerity, strengthen communi- ment had earlier sent buses to “It is unfair and irresponsible the virus in the past, even if the cation timely with relevant Chi- bring back students from Kota in for certain individuals to label person had no symptoms. nese companies based on facts, Rajasthan, and migrant labour- Chinese products as ‘faulty’ and In comparison, the standard and resolve it reasonably and ers stuck in Haryana due to a na- look at issues with preemptive swab test determines whether properly.” tionwide lockdown. prejudice,” embassy spokeswom- a person has the virus at that Even as the world fi ghts the Over the weekend, more than an Ji Rong said in a statement. moment by looking for it in se- pandemic, China has become 12,000 migrant labourers were The Chinese companies had cretions. Several states said the the largest manufacturer and ex- brought back from Haryana, ac- exported equipment to sev- Chinese tests had produced con- porter of medical equipment and cording to the government. eral countries in Europe, Asia fl icting results. protective gear. The acute short- All the students have been ad- and Latin America without any Offi cials in Rajasthan said the age of these products is the rea- vised a 14-day home quarantine. problem, she said. kits were initially used for test- son why most countries contin- Meanwhile, during a video China was trying to help India ing patients who already had a ue to order medical equipment conference with students who fi ght the coronavirus with con- confi rmed infection for corona- from China despite many com- have been brought back from crete action and it made sure the virus but some results came back plaining of faulty testing kits and Kota, Chief Minister Yogi Adi- quality of its medical exports is negative. substandard Personal Protection tyanath underlined the need for a priority with manufacturers, The states said the kits had an Equipment (PPE). following safety protocols. Ji said. accuracy rate of only 5%, add- “We will continue to support “The lockdown has helped the Wondfo Biotech said in a ing they had used the kits on India’s eff orts in fi ghting Cov- country fi ght against the deadly statement it stood by the quality patients who they already knew id-19, strengthen medical and virus. Other countries have suf- of its equipment and it had been were positive, but the tests had health co-operation, and jointly fered greater losses,” he said. validated by the Indian medical shown a “negative” result for work with India to overcome the The chief minister said the research body itself at the time antibodies. diffi culties at an early date, so government would provide fa- of issuing an import licence. The test kits then also failed as to safeguard the safety and cilities of coaching and studies “We are currently investigat- quality checks by the ICMR. health of our peoples as well as in diff erent districts so that stu- ing the ICMR’s concerns with our On Monday, the issue was fur- global and regional public health dents do not have to move out of Stranded students from various districts wait to board a bus to reach their hometowns in Prayagraj products and will share more in- ther complicated after the Delhi security,” Ji said extending full the state. yesterday. formation when it becomes avail- High Court capped the price of co-operation to India. Migrant labourers go Vellore removes walls on rampage in Surat after Andhra protest IANS in Gurugram and Faridabad dis- Chenna tricts with the national capital, he said. IANS bourers ransacked the main offi ce, food to the needy and the re- “The state is considering seal- Gandhinagar smashing windows, and overturn- sponse to the calls about sus- he Vellore district admin- ing all borders with Delhi, in- ing a number of parked vehicles. pected Covid-19 cases. istration of Tamil Nadu cluding those in Gurugram and They also tried to damage a A state offi cial explained to the Thas decided to bring down Faridabad,” Vij, who also holds igrant labourers in Su- police vehicle which had arrived team the functioning of the con- two walls it built on a road con- the health portfolio, said. rat, restive for the last at the scene. trol room 24x7, supply of food to necting Andhra Pradesh follow- He said 18 cases have been re- Mfew days back as they According to police sources, the needy by vehicles through ing protest by the neighbouring ported in the state linked to daily were unable to return to their the management hired some Hare Krishna Foundation and state, an offi cial said. commuters of the state working home states, yesterday ransacked outside labourers for construc- Annapurna Meals and about The temporary walls were in Delhi. the Diamond Bourse offi ce, van- tion work at the site. getting feedback and tracking on built on the road leading to Chit- On Sunday, Vij asked Delhi dalising vehicles and also tried “We are in the process of fi ling health conditions of home quar- toor in Andhra Pradesh to pre- Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to attack a police van after some an FIR about the incident. So far, antined people. vent people travelling between to make arrangements to check workers were hired from outside. we are not detained anybody,” The central team appreciated the two states due to the coro- the daily commuters between Around 4,000 construction said a police offi cial. the functioning of the control navirus. Haryana and the national capital labourers, working at the site of Meanwhile in Hyderabad, an room and providing shelter and The Chittoor district collector and limit the number of lock- Diamond Bourse in Surat’s Kha- Inter Ministerial Central Team food to the migrant workers by had spoken to his counterpart down passes being issued. jod area were infuriated when the (IMCT) yesterday visited a hos- the GHMC. in Vellore about the diffi culties He also blamed the Delhi gov- management hired around 40 la- pital, a temporary shelter home GHMC Commissioner Lokesh faced by the people due to the ernment for allowing entry of bourers from outside the city. for migrant workers and the Kumar showed the control room walls following which they were Tablighi Jamaat members, who Confronting the manage- control room at Greater Hydera- to the team and explained how the removed. were allegedly responsible for ment, the angry labourers asked bad Municipal Corp (GHMC) online monitoring system works. Meanwhile, Haryana Home spreading the virus in the state. them they hired workers from headquarters. The team later visited King Minister Anil Vij said coronavi- \>\>Two members of the Delhi outside. They also feared that The team led by Arun Baroka, Koti Hospital. rus cases in his state were rising Commission for Women (DCW) the new hired help would bring inquired about the functions of It also visited Victory Play due to people travelling to Delhi were put under quarantine after in coronavirus, and reiterated the control room, facilities pro- Ground where a temporary shel- for work everyday. a girl rescued by the organisa- their demand to be sent home. vided to the migrant workers in ter has been provided for 102 mi- Migrant workers from Maharashtra walk along National Highway 44 The government was there- tion was found to be positive for Going on a rampage, the la- shelter homes, distribution of grant workers. to reach their hometowns on the outskirts of Hyderabad yesterday. fore considering sealing borders Coronavirus. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 15

LATIN AMERICA Murders of women in Mexico rise amid lockdown violence fears

Thomson Reuters Foundation “The deadliest pandemic for Of the coronavirus deaths, enced some form of violence, National Network of Shelters — a tic abuse. “There is a complete sands of lives a year,” she said. Mexico City women in our country, more than about 420 have been women, the with almost 44% suff ering abuse network of almost 70 refuges for and absolute abandonment,” she The interior ministry did not the coronavirus, is feminicidal government said. from a partner. female victims of violence — rose said.”What’s happening in the immediately reply to a request violence,” said Congresswoman The government reported that The femicide rate has more more than 80 % between mid- country is inhumane.” for comment. lmost 1,000 women were Martha Tagle from the opposi- at least 720 women were mur- than doubled in the past fi ve March and mid-April when com- In a meeting last week re- Protests against gendered vio- murdered in Mexico in the tion Citizens’ Movement party. dered in the fi rst quarter of the years, and gang violence has pared to the previous month. garding violence against women lence grew earlier this year, with Afi rst three months of this “Today, violence is the greatest year and 244 women were vic- pushed the murder tally to record “It’s terrible. I think many during the pandemic, Interior millions of Mexican women stay- year, according to government threat to all the rights for women tims of femicide, where a woman heights. more women could die because Minister Olga Sanchez Cordero ing home from work during a na- data, showing a spike in violence that we have had recognised with is killed because of her gender. Most violent crime in Mexico of violence than Covid in this pe- said the country’s 911 emergency tionwide strike in March, a day that combined with coronavirus great eff ort,” she told the Thom- A year ago, at least 890 women goes unsolved. riod,” said Patricia Olamendi, a hotline was key to battling the after a series of protests across lockdown measures, advocates son Reuters Foundation. were killed. Gender-based vio- With coronavirus lockdown lawyer who represents victims of scourge. the country for International say, puts women in double jeop- Some 14,000 confi rmed cases lence is widespread in the Latin measures extended until at least violence and has written proto- “We must join eff orts to Women’s Day. ardy. of Covid-19 have been reported American country. the end of May, advocates worry cols on femicide investigations. face the pandemic of violence Mexico suff ered its worst year The rate was 8% higher than in Mexico, and more than 1,300 The national statistics agency that such alarming rates of vio- She added that the govern- (against women) that is the silent for homicides in 2019, with a in the same period last year, ac- deaths, although testing rates are (INEGI) has said two-thirds of lence may get worse. ment has not published a plan pandemic, but also the one that record 34,582 victims, according cording to the data. low. women in Mexico have experi- Calls and messages sent to the to address the spike in domes- causes pain (and) costs thou- to data published in January. Brazil plans to Judge orders reopen economy probe into

Reuters Brasilia

razil’s government is work- claims against ing on a plan to gradually Breopen economic activ- ity that has been shuttered in ef- forts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and hopes profes- sional soccer matches can resume shortly without spectators, a Bolsonaro senior offi cial of the economy ministry said. Speaking at a news confer- AFP cases the request was rejected by family and political allies. ence in Brasilia, productivity and Brasília the Chamber of Deputies. One probe, opened in March competition secretary Carlos da The tensions come at the 2019, is investigating false news Costa said there is still no date for height of the global coronavirus campaigns to threaten or slan- the resumption of business activ- Brazilian supreme court crisis. der supreme court judges who ity or soccer games, and stressed judge has ordered a probe Bolsonaro has repeatedly opposed Bolsonaro’s projects, that health and safety will be the Ainto accusations by downplayed the danger of Cov- such as liberalising the carrying main priority in all decisions. former justice and security min- id-19 and earlier this month fi red of arms. Another, initiated by Da Costa said soccer was one ister Sergio Moro that President his health minister, Luiz Hen- the attorney general last week, example of a sector in the econ- Jair Bolsonaro sought to “inter- rique Mandetta, who supported is investigating a demonstration omy that could reopen relatively fere” with police investigations. isolation as a tool to contain the outside the army headquarters in quickly, and that the government In his decision, obtained by spread of the pandemic. Brasilia by Bolsonaro supporters is in talks with clubs and the Bra- AFP, judge Celso de Mello gave A poll published on Monday who called for military interven- zilian Football Confederation the federal police 60 days to night showed divided opinions tion in handling the coronavi- (CBF) about the timing. question Moro about his explo- about Bolsonaro’s future, with rus pandemic while protesting Bars and restaurants were an- sive allegations against the right- 45% of Brazilians saying Con- against stay-at-home orders. other sector that could be reo- wing president. gress should open an impeach- Bolsonaro, a former army cap- pened soon, he said. The fi ndings, which will be ment process against him. tain who has been criticised for The CBF, which suspended all handed over to the attorney gen- In comparison, 48% think Bol- previously praising Brazil’s bru- soccer matches on March 15, did eral, could result in either a re- sonaro should not be impeached, tal 1964-85 military dictator- not respond to requests for com- quest for a political trial against according to the Datafolha poll, ship, also attended the protest. ment, but local media dismissed Bolsonaro or an indictment which ran in the Folha de S. Paulo Moro, who made his name da Costa’s proposals and said against Moro for false testimony. daily. leading the corruption investiga- football’s governing body had According to the judge, the al- Behind the scenes, changing tion that saw former leftist pres- told clubs not to expect any im- leged crimes seem to have “an the head of the federal police, an ident Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva minent return. intimate connection with the investigative body that reports to jailed for accepting a bribe, re- Da Costa and Deputy Economy exercise of the presidential man- the justice ministry, is seen as an signed after Bolsonaro dismissed Minister Marcelo Guaranys said date,” thus allowing for an inves- attempt by Bolsonaro to control the federal police chief, who was the economy ministry is not try- tigation of the leader. investigations that surround his a close ally of the minister. ing to decide when commerce Moro, a former anti-corrup- resumes and that it is taking its tion judge, resigned on Friday af- cue from the health ministry, but ter clashing with Bolsonaro over Mendonca named new justice minister noted that planning for that is the sacking of the federal police well under way. chief, accusing the president of Brazilian President Jair by means of leniency deals, Brazil has recorded more than political interference. Bolsonaro has appointed Andre whereby the firms agree to co- 66,000 confi rmed coronavirus The judge’s document lists Mendonca as the new justice operate with the probe. Alexandre cases and more than 4,500 deaths seven accusations against Bol- minister, replacing Sergio Moro Ramagem, former head of the related to the illness. The eco- sonaro, including malfeasance who resigned last Friday after Brazilian Intelligence Agency nomic damage from the outbreak and obstruction of justice. accusing his boss of wrongdoing, (Abin), was named federal police and lockdown is expected to be Should the investigation con- according to the off icial gazette chief, replacing Mauricio Valeixo. severe, with some analysts saying fi rm the allegations, it will be up yesterday. Mendonca, 47, Bolsonaro dismissed Valeixo last the economy will have its biggest to the lower house of the Nation- previously served as Brazil’s Friday. Ramagem is a close friend annual crash on record. al Congress to initiate impeach- attorney general and was once of the Bolsonaro family and took Brazil has one of the lowest ment proceedings against Bol- considered for a nomination to charge of the personal security of per-capita coronavirus testing sonaro and potentially remove the Brazilian Supreme Court. the then presidential candidate records in Latin America, but him from offi ce. As attorney general, Mendonca when he was stabbed on the da Costa said the government is In 2017, the prosecutor gen- is credited with recovering campaign trail in 2018. Ramagem working toward providing 7mn- eral’s offi ce asked to open two in- some 7.5bn reais ($1.33bn) from had become intelligence chief 8mn tests per month, possibly President Jair Bolsonaro walks outside the Alvorada Palace, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in vestigations against then-pres- companies accused of corruption last July. even more. Brasilia, Brazil. ident Michel Temer, and in both Colombia’s ELN Virus heaps misery rebels end ceasefi re

AFP So far, 244 people have died on poor in Honduras Bogota from Covid-19 among a total of 5,400 cases in Colombia. UN special envoy Carlos Ruiz olombia’s last active rebel Massieu said there had been Reuters informal economy workers in Reuters spoke said that without group said it will resume “signifi cant respect” for the ELN Tegucigalpa Tegucigalpa who can no longer their own place, they had re- Cits guerrilla war on May truce, and urged it to “extend the aff ord the apartments they had ceived nothing. 1, ending a one-month unilateral ceasefi re”. previously been renting, and are Honduras has reported nearly ceasefi re over the coronavirus The ELN, which is said to op- oor Hondurans who were now forced to spend the night 600 confirmed coronavirus pandemic. erate in about 10% of the coun- barely eking out a living on the streets, with no means of cases to date, as well around 50 The ELN said in a statement try, has some 2,300 combatants Pselling basics on the capi- protecting themselves from in- deaths. it was resuming military op- and an extensive network of sup- tal’s gritty streets prior to the fection. Roughly 40% of the popula- erations because of a lack of re- porters in urban centres. coronavirus outbreak are now She is especially worried that tion was already living in ex- sponse to its March 30 ceasefi re It is the last formal guerrilla sleeping on those same streets her kids will suddenly fall ill and treme poverty, with half of those announcement by the conserva- group left in the country after as they can no longer aff ord their will not be able to access proper subsisting on $1 or less a day, ac- tive government of President the government reached a peace rent. care.”If they get sick, are we go- cording to data from the national Ivan Duque. agreement with the larger Revo- Perla Maradiaga, a 35-year-old ing to just wait until they die?” statistics institute. It accuses Bogota of “lacking lutionary Armed Forces of Co- mother-of-two, had been sell- Reuters spoke to several home- The ranks of the poor are ex- the will” to resume stalled peace lombia, or Farc, in 2016. ing water from a street stand, but less people who said they had pected to swell, with the econo- negotiations in Havana, Cuba Peace negotiations began with now begs for donations after her previously lived in tenements in my forecast to contract by about and is demanding safe passage the ELN the following year, fi rst sales collapsed since the govern- the historic centre of Tegucigalpa 3% this year, according to the for its negotiating team to allow in the Ecuadoran capital Quito, ment last month ordered offi ces or in neighbourhoods on the city United Nations Economic Com- them to return to Colombia. and later in Havana. and schools closed in an eff ort to outskirts. mission for Latin America. “It is clear that we are facing But Duque, a conservative who contain the pandemic. Since March 25, the govern- “We’re all here because we a bellicose government, deaf to succeeded Juan Manuel Santos — “This way you can get some ment has been delivering care don’t have anywhere else to go,” the calls of Pope Francis and the who delivered the Farc peace deal food so your stomach isn’t packages of basic foodstuff s said Jose Cruz, a 27-year-old, secretary general of the United and opened discussions with the empty,” she said, sitting on the door-to-door, which include who now camps out along with Nations, and blind to the hu- ELN — ended the talks after a ground with her two-year-old items like beans, rice, hand sani- his mother. manitarian tragedy being suf- January 2019 car bomb attack on daughter in her arms.”But some- tizer, and face masks. “Kids, old people, women fered by the Colombian people,” a Bogota police academy. times we can’t get nearly enough They estimate that some sleep here where it’s dangerous,” Indigenous people from the Altos de Chiapas queue - keeping the organisation said, referring Duque has said he would only to buy milk or diapers.” 3.2mn people had received the he said.”I’m asking the president social distancing- while waiting for an allowance from the local to recent appeals by the UN chief reopen talks if the ELN releases Maradiaga is one of what lo- packages. to listen because the people on government, due to the coronavirus pandemic, in the city of San and the pope for an immediate all its hostages and ceases its cals say are at least three dozen But the newly homeless who the streets are not animals.” Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. ceasefi re in global confl ict. “criminal activity.” Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 PAKISTAN Karachi reports most new virus cases in Sindh again

„ Sindh Governor spent 10 busy days before testing positive for in various diff erent hospitals. Ismail spent a busy day in Hy- Offi ce meeting with muftis Taqi district has recorded the fi rst Bhutto Zardari: During a crisis, coronavirus Across the province, on the derabad and Jamshoro along with Usmani, Muneeb-ur-Rehman casualty of the pandemic. it is the national leadership’s „ More than 100 died of Covid-19 in KP province other hand, 23 cases were report- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Allama Shehenshah Hussain The province’s CFR from the responsibility to take ownership ed in Khairpur, 12 each in Larkana leaders Haleem Adil Sheikh, Naqvi via video. epidemic now stands at 5.4%, the of matters. Internews Of the 269 new cases, 90 were and Hyderabad, eight in Ghotki, Jamal Siddiqui, Sidra Imran, and On April 16, the governor met highest by any province in the Karachi/Peshawar in the East district, 50 in South, four in Sukkur, three in Dadu, Bilal Ghafaz, where they were with delegations of the Kara- country. 40 in Korangi, 39 in West, 30 in two in Matiari, and one each in briefed by Hyderabad Deputy chi electronic market and other The nationwide CFR is 2.11%. Malir, and 20 in Central. Jacobabad and Umerkot. Commissioner Fawad Soomro traders. Peshawar has 8.93% CFR, the akistan’s port city once On Sunday Karachi reported Meanwhile, Sindh Governor and the Ehsaas Programme di- Meanwhile, Khyber Pa- highest by any district in the Bilawal again led in terms of the 301 of the province’s 383 new Imran Ismail is currently in self- rector-general. khtunkhwa has become the fi rst country. Pnumber of coronavirus cases. isolation after he tested positive On the same day, the Sindh province to record more than 100 Except Kohistan Lower and cases in Sindh, recording 269 of Over the past 24 hours, Sindh for the coronavirus. governor visited an Ehsaas Cen- confi rmed deaths of Covid-19 Kolai Palas, all the districts of accuses the province’s 341 new patients has carried out 2,733 tests, of Before he went into self-iso- tre at a girls college in Kotri, patients, with six new fatalities. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have be- over the past 24 hours, with Chief which 341 were diagnosed as lation, the governor had 10 very where he was given a briefi ng at The province now has 104 come endemic for Covid-19, with Minister Murad Ali Shah saying positive, translating into a rate of busy days during which he met a the offi ce of the Jamshoro Deputy deaths due to Covid-19. Peshawar leading with 627 cases, Centre of that social distancing was not 12.6%, the chief minister said. host of people and attended im- Commissioner. Of the fresh deaths, four be- followed by Swat with 157 cases, being observed in the economic To date, the provincial health portant meetings. He also attended a function in longed to Peshawar and one each Mardan 136, Buner 102, Dir Up- hub’s slums despite serious ef- department has conducted According to information re- his honour in Matiari. to Malakand and Bajaur districts, per 79, Mansehra 75, Malakand ignoring forts. 43,949 tests, of which 4,956 leased by Governor House, Is- On April 21, Ismail met Kara- said a daily situation report re- 69, Kohat 58, Abbottabad 50, and The coronavirus causes the (11.2%) have tested positive, he mail held separate meetings with chi traders regarding their con- leased by the health department. Nowshera and Charsadda each Covid-19 respiratory disease. added. delegations of the Jewelers and cerns on the resumption of busi- The report said that the with 49 cases. provinces Shah said that the number of Shah said that four more pa- Manufacturers Association and nesses, and later the same day, a number of confi rmed patients in According to the report, 18 pa- cases was increasing rising day tients lost their lives, bumping up the Beauty Parlour Association 25-member delegation of well- the province rose to 1,984, with tients have recovered from Cov- by day as social distancing was Sindh’s death toll from the novel on April 24. known industrialists called on 120 new cases during the last 24 id-19 during the last 24 hours, Internews not being practised in the katchi coronavirus to 85, or 1.7%, of the The beauticians’ delegation him at Governor House. hours. taking count to 533 so far in the Karachi abadis, or informal settlements, total patients. comprised Sabah Ansari, Nadia A day earlier on April 20, the Peshawar, which has 5.25% province. despite eff orts by offi cials and However, 24 patients’ condi- Hussain, and NG Marshall. governor met a delegation of An- case fatality rate (CFR) in the It said that 760 active patients authorities. tion was critical and another 16 On the same day, the governor juman-e-Tajiran Sindh and later province, accounted for 56 were quarantined and 455 were akistan Peoples Party Slums are highly-populated were on ventilators. attended an informal ceremony visited Faizan Madina, a religious deaths due to coronavirus. admitted to various hospitals of (PPP) chairperson Bila- areas of the metropolis, with With regard to those under at a fi eld isolation centre to do- school in city’s old Sabzi Mandi In Swat, 12 persons have died the province, among them 405 Pwal Bhutto Zardari said the closely-knit communities and treatment, the chief minister said nate 3,000 items of protective area. so far due to the virus. in stable condition and 40 were Prime Minister Imran Khan-led people often living in cramped that 2,705 were in self-isolation, gear. On the same day, Ismail also Malakand has recorded three critical, including 10 on ventila- government is showing indiff er- spaces with inadequate facilities. 825 at isolation centres, and 416 Two days before, on April 22, participated in a Prime Minister deaths so far while Bajaur tribal tor. ence towards the provinces dur- ing the coronavirus crisis. In an interview with the BBC, Life under lockdown the PPP boss said that the Paki- stan Tekreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led Senator federal government, rather than working alongside its provincial counterparts, is attempting to infected, “sabotage the good work done by Sindh”. He added that the Centre goes into could not remain negligent to- wards its duty towards the prov- inces in light of its own interpre- isolation tation of the constitutional 18th Amendment. During a crisis, Bhutto Zard- Internews ari noted, it is the national lead- Islamabad ership’s responsibility to take ownership of matters. He opined that it is the federal enator Mirza Mohamed government that should formu- Afridi has tested positive late the policy to be implement- Sfor the novel coronavirus, ed on a country-wide level, but it emerged yesterday. there is a lapse in leadership this He is the latest politician to time. have contracted the virus that “When the Centre wants to has so far infected nearly 14,000 steal hospitals [from] under the people across Pakistan. government of Sindh, then no Afridi, who hails from erst- one sees the 18th Amendment. while Federally-Administered But, when there is a global out- Tribal Area (Fata), said that he break of a disease and the coun- had gone to Peshawar last week, Police off icers disperse vendors try is in a ‘state of war’, then they where he had distributed ration in Peshawar as the time to close bring up the 18th Amendment, bags in diff erent areas of the city. the market arrived, during a which is extremely unfair,” he He started experiencing high government-imposed underlined. temperature and body aches a nationwide lockdown as a The PPP chair said that at few days back, and had gotten preventative measure against such a time, the entire coun- himself tested “as a precaution- the coronavirus. try needed to unite and termed ary measure”. Prime Minister Khan’s state- The senator received his re- Right: A woman walks through ments as quite irresponsible. sults yesterday. a ‘sanitising gate’ at a market in “The sliver of doubt in the He is currently in isolation at Karachi. policy of [Prime Minister Imran] his home in Lahore and has said Khan gives an impression that that he is feeling better, though the state of Pakistan is not free. the symptoms persist. Governments across the world Afridi urged those he had been are abolishing popular deci- in contact with to get tested. sions and implementing meas- Senate Deputy Chairperson ures that can benefi t their public Saleem Mandviwala has con- and secure their health,” Bhutto tacted Afridi to inquire after his Zardari said. health. While referring to the pre- Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) mier’s telethon for the Corona Senator Sherry Rehman also Relief Fund, Bhutto Zardari said sent best wishes and expressed that even though the donations the hope that Afridi will make a were for a worthy cause, the pre- complete recovery. mier needed to comprehend that “Just spoke to him (Afridi) donations are not a solution to and he sounded positive. He is everything. young, normally very active, and He lamented that no matter can fi ght this off , Inshallah,” she which global organisation laud- said in a tweet. ed the work of the Sindh govern- Afridi is not the fi rst politi- ment, the federal government cian from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa always had some kind of criti- who has been infected; last cism in store. month Mardan member of the Bhutto Zardari also said that Provincial Assembly (MPA) Ab- the Senate chairperson and Na- dus Salam Afridi was also diag- tional Assembly speaker should nosed with Covid-19, the disease decide whether a virtual or in- caused by the coronavirus person session of the National Sindh Governor Imran Ismail Muslim Hands Pakistan workers are seen in an area on the Volunteers distribute free Iftar food along a street in Rawalpindi, ahead of the time to break their fast Assembly could be summoned to has also announced that he had outskirts of Islamabad to distribute Iftar food to people in need. during Ramadan. discuss pertinent national issues been diagnosed with the virus. and relevant legislation. Prime Minister Imran Khan, via Twitter, wished him a Government utilising all resources to Pakistan announces relief for small Senator Faraz takes oath of off ice “speedy recovery” today. Last month, Sindh Educa- bring back stranded Pakistanis: Qureshi businesses during virus lockdown as federal information minister tion Minister Saeed Ghani had also tested positive for the virus, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says government is utilising The government has announced that it would pay the electricity bills Senator Syed Shibli Faraz took his oath as minister for information and prompting the provincial Chief all possible resources to bring back stranded Pakistanis to home in of small- and medium-sized companies for a period of three months in broadcasting yesterday. Minister Murad Ali Shah and phased manner. order to prop them up during the coronavirus lockdown. President Dr Arif Alvi administered the oath at a ceremony at President other members of his cabinet to He said this during a sudden visit of Emergency Crisis Management “Small businesses and the cottage industry are hit hard by the House in Islamabad. take the test as well. Unit at the Foreign Off ice in Islamabad yesterday. lockdown, and the government will help them sustain their businesses,” Social distancing was strictly followed by the participants during the Ghani made a full recovery a Qureshi said the government is fully aware of the pains and diff iculties Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar said. ceremony. week later and resumed work. of overseas Pakistanis who wish to return to their home country. The government allocated more than $300mn for payment of the bills. Faraz is the son of prominent Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz. Earlier this month, Khyber The minister was briefed that so far that 11,529 stranded Pakistanis have It says that the fund will benefit more than 3.5mn people aff iliated with He is also a nephew of former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly Pakhtunkhwa (KP) director of been brought back, while 62,709 registered citizens are waiting for their the businesses. speaker Masood Kausar. public health Dr Ikramullah repatriation from abroad. According to a report from researchers associated with the planning He did his Masters in International Relations from the University de Los Khan had also tested positive for Meanwhile, 50 Pakistanis left Colombo yesterday as a result of co- ministry, a prolonged economic halt could lead to more than 18mn job Andes (Colombia) in 1994. the virus. ordinated eff orts of the Pakistan High Commission and Sri Lankan cuts and push half of the population into poverty. Faraz is also the current leader of the House in the Senate. Last week, KP Health Minister authorities. The government initially announced a $7.1bn rescue plan. He was elected on a general seat of the upper house from Khyber Taimur Jhagra said that Kamran Deputy High Commissioner Tanvir Ahmad saw off the departing Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved nearly Pakhtunkhwa, on the ticket of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khan Bangash, special assistant Pakistanis at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport. $1.4bn in emergency funding after projections suggested that party. to the provincial chief minister, The returning Pakistanis thanked the Pakistan government for Pakistan’s economy could shrink by up to 1.5% during the financial year Faraz is an investment banker by profession and was a Pakistan Air had also been infected. arranging their repatriation. ending June 30. Force pilot and a civil servant. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 17 PHILIPPINES

Manila rejects charge Beijing exploiting Govt warns hospitals pandemic to control disputed sea demanding deposits

DPA Manila By Ma RL Tolentino treatment from persons who Manila Times need it the most or face legal penalties for doing so,” Hon- he Philippine government tiveros said. yesterday rejected warn- alacanang has warned “Human lives are more im- Tings that China was tak- hospitals that turning portant than the profits of ing advantage of the coronavirus Maway emergency pa- some people, especially during pandemic to expand its control tients who could not pay a de- this time of crisis,” she said. in the disputed South China Sea posit is a violation punishable Her warning was prompted but vowed to defend the coun- by imprisonment. by reports of emergency pa- try’s territory and sovereign Palace spokesman Harry tients who died after they were rights. Roque Jr aired the warning after turned away by hospitals be- Presidential spokesman Har- a person died when several hos- cause they could not pay an ry Roque said the government pitals refused to treat her. initial deposit or fee. does “not agree with the con- One hospital allegedly asked Hontiveros cited the cases clusion” by some Philippine ex- for a P30,000 down payment. of Katherine Bulatao, who perts that Beijing was escalating In a briefi ng, Roque said Re- was rejected by six hospitals, tensions in the South China Sea public Act 10932, signed into including one which wanted at a time when countries are law by President Rodrigo Du- her family to pay P4,000 pre-occupied by the Covid-19 terte in 2017, strengthened the for the personal protective outbreak. Roque: rejecting experts’ view Anti-Hospital Deposit Law. equipment of their medical “We do not agree with that The spokesman said Justice staff, and Josefina Barros, conclusion, although the cur- that came from China, and Chi- Secretary Menardo Guevarra who was denied treatment by rent policy is we will defend all na is taking advantage of our dif- assured him the turning away nine hospitals, including one our national territory and our fi culty right now.” of the patient would be inves- which demanded a P3,000- sovereign rights,” Roque said. “It’s time really to talk to our tigated. He said violators of the deposit from her family. Since February, China has neighbours, Vietnam and Ma- Anti-Hospital Deposit Law face The two cases are clear vi- been sending warships, survey laysia and perhaps even Indo- imprisonment olations of the Anti-Hospital vessels and coastguard ships to nesia, that we should conduct Under the Anti-Hospital De- Deposit Law, she said. the exclusive economic zones joint patrols now,” added Car- posit Law, it is unlawful for any “I urge the Department of (EEZ) of the Philippines, Viet- pio, a staunch critic of China’s hospital offi cial, medical practi- Health and our law enforce- nam and Malaysia in an escala- policies. “We will be sending tioner or employee “to request, ment agencies to immediately tion of its encroachment in the a message that China cannot solicit, demand or accept any investigate and charge those South China Sea, the experts pick us out one by one. We are deposit or any other form of ad- Nurses wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) attend to patients on the driveway of Gat Andres legally liable for these inci- noted. united.” vance payment as a prerequisite Bonifacio Memorial Hospital serving as triage area due to the overwhelming numbers. dents.” “It’s very unfortunate that Roque said the Philippine for administering basic emer- “The ongoing pandemic China is doing this during this government does not agree with gency care to any patient.” Earlier this month, Duterte pandemic. The president made issued by Sen. Ana Theresia is not an excuse for hospitals pandemic,” former Supreme Carpio’s “personal opinions... The violation is punishable warned hospitals that they the statement after a patient in “Risa” Hontiveros on Monday. to commit abuses and deny Court justice Antonio Carpio on what China is doing, but the with six months to two years of would face suspension if they Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, was “Hospitals must comply emergency medical care to said in a media forum on Mon- suggestion on joint patrol is well imprisonment, or P100,000 to refuse admission to critically ill refused admission by six hos- with the law and must not those who have less in life,” day. “We are battling a pandemic taken and it will be considered.” P300,000 fi ne. patients amid the coronavirus pitals. The same warning was withhold life-saving medical Hontiveros said.

Mayor orders probe Small fi rms’ losses likely Taiwan rejects govt over village ‘assault’ Makati City Mayor Mar-Len push for deportation Abigail Binay has ordered the police to investigate the alleged assault of a policeman on a to touch 465bn peso of Filipina caregiver resident of an exclusive village, Manila Times reported. In a statement, city spokesman Michael Camina said Binay By Mayvelin U Caraballo DPA Philippine media also re- directed the police to pursue an Manila Times Virus infections Taipei ported that DOLE agents had “immediate inquiry” into the con- near 8,000: ministry met the worker, her employer frontation at Dasmarinas Village. and broker to “enlighten” her Videos circulating online showed mall businesses closed The Philippines’ health ministry aiwan’s foreign ministry that her actions “amounted to that Javier Salvador Parra, a down by the enhanced on Tuesday reported 19 more has rejected reported a crime.” Spanish resident of Dasmarinas Scommunity quarantine coronavirus deaths and 181 Tattempts by the Philip- Ou added that Manila Village, was allegedly physically as- (ECQ) could lose as much as infections, Reuters reported from pines to secure the deporta- should follow “legal proce- saulted and nearly arrested in the P465.3bn. Manila. In a bulletin, the health tion of a Filipina worker ac- dures” through bilateral judi- frontyard of his own home. “The The estimate of the fi nancial ministry said total deaths have cused of “cyber-libel” against cial assistance channels if it appropriate charges should be fallout from the lockdown was increased to 530 while confirmed President Rodrigo Duterte. believed the worker in ques- filed against those concerned after provided by Finance Secre- cases have risen to 7,958. But 43 Ministry of Foreign Aff airs tion had violated Philippine a full investigation,” Camina said. tary Carlos Dominguez 3rd in a more patients have recovered, (MOFA) spokeswoman Joanne law. “The law must be upheld, most statement. bringing total recoveries to 975. Ou stated in a news confer- The MOFA spokeswoman especially during a public health Dominguez said small estab- ence yesterday that Taiwan is added that “other countries emergency where the welfare lishments had either complete- a democratic country and all should respect our system” and safety of the people are of ly closed or forced to make do Metro Rail Transit 3 personnel start work on the tracks along Dominguez said the en- foreign workers have the same and said “no agency has the paramount concern,” he added. A with a skeletal force. Quezon City, after the Department of Transportation, through the hanced Nolco proposal was treatment as Taiwan citizens right to exert pressure on this report from the Makati Police said Businesses operating in malls Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious part of the three-pronged res- and that “their rights are pro- worker or her employer or la- the village association and village and other retail outlets, which Diseases, approved the resumption of its railroad projects. cue programme to help small tected, including freedom of bour broker.” off icials called them to complain remain closed, will lose about businesses and their workers speech.” Although Ou said the DOLE about violations of enhanced com- P461bn. Those with a reduced in the form of foregone tax pay- small enterprises to cover survive the economic repercus- Ou made the remarks in had denied the media reports, munity quarantine (ECQ) within workforce stand to lose around ments. He said stretching the losses from the coronavirus sions of the pandemic. response to questions about Duterte’s spokesman Harry the subdivision. This was con- P4.3bn, Dominguez said. Nolco by two more years, from pandemic is similar to the tax The fi rst measure launched reports that Manila’s Depart- Roque told reporters yesterday firmed by Barangay Dasmarinas To help the distressed busi- the present three years, requires relief measures being adopted by the government under the ment of Labour and Employ- that Manila was “looking into head Rossana Hwang, who said ness get back on their feet, an amendment to the Tax Code. in the United States and Chi- Small Business Relief Pro- ment (DOLE) had pushed this.” since March 5, they have called Dominguez said the Depart- An extended Nolco will in ef- na, Dominguez said. Based on gramme is the Small Business Taipei to deport a Filipina car- “We approve of MOFA’s af- the Makati Police, to implement ment of Finance (DoF) would fect lower the tax payments be- the National Internal Revenue Wage Subsidy programme, egiver for alleged libel against fi rmation that foreign work- ECQ protocols. Makati police chief propose to Congress in extend- tween 2021 and 2025 of aff ected Code, net operating losses that which will provide around Duterte on her Facebook page ers have the same rights as Rogelio Simon said MSg. Roland ing the net operating loss carry- small businesses by a combined have not been previously off set 3.4mn workers in the formal under a Philippine law crimi- citizens, including freedom of Madrona was deployed in Dasma- over (Nolco) for small fi rms to estimated total of P139.6bn, he as a deduction shall be carried sector with salary subsidies nalising dissemination of speech,” Taiwan Association rinas Village on Sunday afternoon fi ve years, with the government said. over as a deduction from gross amounting to a combined P51bn “fake news” during the Cov- for Human Rights secretary- on the request of Hwang. absorbing as much as P139.6bn The extended Nolco for income for the next three years. for two months, he added. id-19 pandemic. general Shih Yi-hsiang said. Enhanced quarantine protocols Higher funding sought should be fi rm but ‘compassionate’ for science, technology By Divina NJD Cruz ecutive but also especially to Manila Times Congress — to grant a higher budget for science and tech- By Franz L Embudo Rizal and Quezon) until May 15 nology, because this is always Manila Times as it would give the government ice President Maria Le- neglected,” she said during “more time to prepare for an- onor “Leni” Robredo is her weekly radio programme. other surge.” Vseeking higher funding Robredo said the impor- ice President Maria Le- Robredo said President Rod- for science and technology in tance of science was only re- onor “Leni” Robredo has rigo Duterte made the right but the aftermath of the corona- alised during a crisis such as Vsaid the enforcement of “diffi cult decision” to extend virus disease (Covid-19) crisis. the Covid-19 pandemic. enhanced community quaran- the ECQ, saying the government Robredo was reacting to Robredo stressed the need tine (ECQ) protocols should be had to fi nd the balance between the P50mn reward off ered by to continuously support lo- fi rm and “compassionate.” the economic impact of the President Rodrigo Duterte to cal scientists who, she said, Robredo issued the statement lockdown and the health of the whoever could develop a vac- could even contribute more after incidents of human rights people. cine against Covid-19. discoveries with sufficient violations were reportedly com- “It’s a tough balancing act. I Robredo stressed that funding. mitted in the past days by offi - think it really has to be extended finding a cure would not only “We have a lot of great sci- cials enforcing the lockdown. in high-risk areas. We were ex- depend on the skill of scien- entists. Unfortunately, there “The implementation should pecting it already,” Robredo said. tists but also on the available is not enough support for be compassionate, but everyone Robredo also said the list of resources and funding. them. So maybe this is the should be fl exible on this. I agree the benefi ciaries of the govern- “We know that the discov- lesson that we can take, of that the enforcement should be ment’s Social Amelioration Pro- ery of a vaccine does not only how much it is important,” fi rm. But I hope this should not Robredo: expressing concern An Air Force off icer with a frontliner ID inspects the quarantine pass of a gramme should be made public depend on the skill of those she said. lead to violence,” said Robredo, over rights violations man, before he can enter a public market in Trece Martires city, Cavite. for transparency. who will discover but also on “So for me, of course we al- speaking to CNN Philippines’ “It is better that the list of the the equipment and support. ways want discoveries to come “The Source.” doing this, and it should not lead Ragos at a checkpoint in Quezon Robredo said she supported benefi ciaries should be made For me, if I have a desire, it from us but I think there would “If it comes down to making to violence,” she said. City for allegedly violating quar- the second ECQ extension in public so the LGUs would not would be that our current be more, the support after this. arrests and imposing fi nes, so be On April 21, PMSg. Daniel antine guidelines. The Quezon high-risk areas in Metro Manila, be blamed by the people who circumstances would be an Support now and support after it. But for me, the most impor- Florendo Jr. shot dead former City Police charged Florendo Central Luzon and Calabar- are not included in the subsidy,” eye-opener to the govern- because we have a lot of exem- tant is, they know why we are Philippine Army Cpl. Winston with homicide Friday. zon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, she said. ment — not only to the Ex- plary talents,” she added. Gulf Times 18 Wednesday, April 29, 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 Great oil crisis: Industry braces for shutdowns

The Covid-19 outbreak has ripped through the oil industry with a double whammy. The pandemic fi rst destroyed demand as lockdowns shut factories and kept drivers at home. Consequently, storage started fi lling up and traders resorted to ocean-going tankers to store crude in the hope of better prices ahead. The looming chapter in the great oil crisis now looks more inevitable: Great swathes of the petroleum industry are about to start shutting down. It’s the worst-case scenario for producers and refi ners. The number of oil rigs in operation in the US last week The fog of Covid-19 fell to a four-year low. By Friday, more than 40% of them had stopped working, with only 378 left. The output cuts won’t be limited to the US. From Chad, a poor and landlocked country in Africa, to Vietnam and Brazil, producers are now either reducing war propaganda output or making plans to do so. As traders scour the globe for places to stash oil, three many health-care workers have been unexpectedly) passed legislation that the beginning of the end of the Soviet of the world’s biggest buyers — China, India and Japan — By Nina L Khrushcheva New York asked to go “into battle” without the would enable Putin to circumvent Union – is most likely on Putin’s are in focus. most basic protective equipment, such constitutional term limits and stay in mind today, especially because he Together they purchased almost 40% of the world’s as gowns and masks. power through 2036, rather than 2024. initially downplayed the pandemic imports in 2018. We are at war,” declares French Similar risks are visible at the global Predictably, Russia’s highest court and delegated the response to regional President Emmanuel Macron. level. Yes, war metaphors can help assented to the proposed changes. But, authorities. Now, during his regular China has about 937mn barrels of oil in tanks with US President Donald Trump convey the gravity of the situation, with the outbreak raging, the April appearances to discuss the crisis, he fl oating roofs, according to an April 22 estimate from “promises “the end of our historic and, as leaders such as Macron and 22 referendum has been postponed. works hard to appear informed and in Orbital. battle with the invisible enemy.” We Merkel seem to hope, help to galvanise In fact, for the first time since 1941, charge. The country may now struggle to maintain current must brace for our “Pearl Harbour international co-operation. But they when Nazi troops stood near Moscow, Russian offi cials advocate “WWII- import levels without exceeding storage capacity, moment,” warns US surgeon general can also shift the focus from saving lives public spaces are closed and people’s style” co-operation in the pandemic. Jerome Adams. to outdoing rivals. movements are controlled. On April 25, Putin and Trump signed a according to Sanford C Bernstein & Co They are not alone. Many political Trump is a case in point. Proclaiming The crisis could give Putin an excuse joint statement on the 75th anniversary In India, a lockdown of more than 1bn people has leaders are hoping that the din of himself a “wartime president,” he to cancel the referendum altogether, of the meeting of Soviet and American pummelled the appetite for transportation fuels. war rhetoric will drown out public has shirked responsibility for his leaving the constitutional changes in troops at the Elbe River, signifying the Oil in fl oating-roof storage spiked to as much as 134mn discussion of their failures in preparing administration’s delayed and inept place. But, to avoid a backlash, he must inevitable defeat of the Nazi regime. barrels earlier this month, while fuel inventories are for the Covid-19 pandemic. But, as we response, bickered with China, and prove his mettle as a leader now. Images Today, however, Putin’s real objective know from real wars, propaganda tends suspended US funding allocated to of war will be central to this eff ort. is not only to defeat the “enemy.” The already at about 95% of capacity. to increase body counts. the World Health Organisation after Memories of World War II are Kremlin wants to portray Russia as a Japan has about 355mn barrels In the United Kingdom, Prime accusing it of “promoting Chinese particularly potent for Russians. The global saviour, providing aid, producing The cost of of oil in fl oating-roof tanks, Minister Boris Johnson – who, aping ‘disinformation’ about the virus.” As Red Army’s liberation of most of Europe eff ective tests, and, most important, which is seasonally in-line with Trump, initially downplayed the threat, he prepares to face American voters in is a constant source of national pride, developing a vaccine. lost global the previous the three years, only to fi nd himself battling Covid-19 November, competition with China – and Russia’s loss of 20 million people in Putin is keen to project such an though the stockpiles started personally in an intensive care unit – not the fi ght against Covid-19 – has the “Great Patriotic War” – more than image. Vaccine development, he growth in has been (yet again) trying to encourage become a central feature of his re- any other country – makes that victory declares, is occurring at “full speed.” 2020 at a much lower level than comparisons with Winston Churchill. election campaign. something sacred. Every May since If Russia succeeds, the logic goes, no 2020 is seen normal. Even Germany’s more reserved leader, Meanwhile, by declaring victory 1945, a massive military parade has been public referendum on his leadership will As least 85% of the country’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, has called at home and donating provisions held in Red Square to commemorate it. ever be needed, and his international at more than storage is on fl oating roof tanks, the pandemic the greatest challenge her to countries that are still “at war,” This year, Red Square will stand reputation will be guaranteed. But, so according to Orbital. country has faced since World War II. Xi is attempting to burnish China’s empty. Instead of fl aunting the weapons far, the gap between Putin’s confi dence $6tn Meanwhile, in Russia, hospitals were reputation and boost its soft power, and tanks that he has been amassing, that Russia is outfi ghting the West in These are, for sure, bad times prepared as if for “world war,” and even though it was Chinese authorities’ Putin will attempt to distract public the “coronavirus war” and the growing for the oil market. President Vladimir Putin is referred to inept early response to the outbreak attention from Russia’s insuffi cient number of Covid-19 cases and deaths Global oil demand will decline this year for the fi rst as the “supreme commander.” In China, that allowed the virus to spread globally. hospitals and laboratories. The only highlights his detachment from time since the 2009 fi nancial crisis as the coronavirus President Xi Jinping has eff ectively Similarly, when the situation in Russia inconvenient truth is that, on the 75th ordinary Russians. A favourite Internet declared victory over the virus, while seemed less dire than in Western Europe anniversary of the Soviet victory over meme now is a picture of the crowned slams the global economy, according to the International state media have extolled him for and the United States, Putin bragged Nazism, Putin’s Russia may be losing a president captioned “Coronavirus.” Energy Agency. commanding the “people’s war” against about it and dispatched nine military war to a virus. The Covid-19 virus is a large-scale For only the fourth time in almost 40 years, oil Covid-19. planes with medical equipment to Italy Russia now has roughly 87,000 threat demanding extraordinary consumption may not grow at all in 2020, according to a It is not just leaders who have fed and one to the US. confi rmed Covid-19 cases and less action. But it is not Nazi Germany, and growing minority of traders, investors and analysts. this narrative. From every podium and Putin also hailed China’s “consistent than a thousand deaths. That is far “beating” another country is not the newscast, similar metaphors echo. and eff ective actions” to manage the fewer than France, Germany, the UK, same as managing the outbreak. We What’s in store for the oil industry? Health-care workers are warriors and outbreak. For him, the fi ght against or the US, but the number is growing should be wary of leaders who suggest The virus recession looks set to outstrip even the most heroes, standing on the “frontlines” Covid-19 is another manifestation of rapidly – and may refl ect signifi cant otherwise. - Project Syndicate pessimistic of early forecasts. of the fi ght against an “invisible the ideological competition between underreporting of infections. The With strict lockdowns in place across major economies, enemy.” Other essential workers, such authoritarian China and the democratic Kremlin often hides the truth to save z Nina L Khrushcheva is professor of and growing realisation that the path back to normality as grocery-store clerks and delivery West. face. The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear International Aff airs at The New School. will be long, Bloomberg Economics is cutting the estimate couriers, are also hailed as heroes, A Chinese victory is in Putin’s catastrophe – about which the Soviet Her latest book (with Jeff rey Tayler) is In though “unsung” until now. interest – not least because, just authorities obscured information for Putin’s Footsteps: Searching for the Soul for 2020 global growth to -4.0%, down from -0.2% in the But calling workers heroes sets them before the pandemic hit, Russia’s weeks – is but one tragic example. of an Empire Across Russia’s Eleven Time last forecast round, and 3.3% at the start of the year. up to become martyrs. And, indeed, parliament suddenly (though not In fact, Chernobyl – which marked Zones. The cost of lost output is more than $6tn. The Opec+ alliance will join the output cuts on Friday, slashing their production by more than 20%, or 9.7mn barrels a day. It may not be enough, though. Every week, 50mn barrels of crude are going into storage, enough to fuel Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK combined. At that rate, the world will run out of storage by June.

To Advertise [email protected] Display 44466621 44418811 Classified 44466609 44418811 Subscription Prime Minister Boris Johnson thanks the NHS in a video message on Easter Sunday, in 10 Downing [email protected] Street, London, Britain, April 12, 2020. Boris Johnson – who, aping Trump, initially downplayed the Covid-19 Proclaiming himself a “wartime president,” US President Russian President Vladimir Putin initially downplayed threat, found himself battling Covid-19 personally in an Donald Trump has shirked responsibility for his the pandemic and delegated the response to regional © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved intensive care unit. administration’s delayed and inept response, to Covid-19. authorities. Gulf Times Wednesday, April 29, 2020 19 COMMENT The international order after Covid-19

By Robert Malley scientific knowledge is shared, the emerges on top, it is hard to believe Washington, DC faster those drugs will be developed. that the socioeconomic despair And, in the meantime, the more that caused by the pandemic will not governments co-ordinate on matters prepare the ground for an even unning parallel to the such as travel restrictions and social stronger nativist and xenophobic global battle against the distancing, the smoother the exit surge. In many countries, the coronavirus pandemic is from this crisis. scapegoating of foreigners and Ra tug of war between two The pandemic also would seem minorities has already begun. competing narratives about how to call for greater collective efforts Might a superior, stronger the world ought to be governed. to resolve deadly conflicts, and not international order emerge at Although addressing the pandemic is only as a means of helping vulnerable some point? Perhaps. Even before more urgent, which narrative prevails local populations. Owing to the achieving victory in World War II, will have equally far-reaching additional socioeconomic stress the Allied powers began to devise a consequences. introduced by the pandemic, ongoing post-war order designed to prevent The first narrative is intra- or inter-state conflicts could the reoccurrence of another global straightforward: a global health crisis lead to a further loss of governmental conflagration. That order had has further demonstrated the need authority or even state collapse in profound weaknesses. Although for multilateralism and exposed the countries already near the breaking it created the illusion of global fallacy of go-it-alone nationalism point. Beyond the obvious human governance, it could never be more or isolationism. The second costs, this would create new and effective than whatever the rival narrative offers the counterview: growing pockets where Covid-19 powers at its core would allow. For globalisation and open borders create could spread unchecked; larger all its successes, one can also list vulnerabilities to viruses and other migration flows over less regulated monumental failures. threats, and the current struggle for borders; and greater opportunities And yet, the system that arose control of supply lines and life- for violent non-state actors to exploit from the 1940s was clearly preferable saving equipment requires that each the chaos, take root, and expand. to what preceded it. In 2020, one country first take care of its own. Finally, there is a clear economic can only begin to imagine what it Those in the first camp regard the rationale for pursuing international would take to create a new, more pandemic as proof that countries co-operation. By helping the hardest- sustainable order that addresses must come together to defeat hit countries, all countries can soften growing concerns about equality and common threats; those in the second the blow they will experience from the in which more countries can find a see it as proof that countries are safer looming global meltdown. The United Nations has come to seem like a relic, favouring victors of a long-ago war, and denying a suff icient voice to voice. In the meantime, we may have standing apart. Yet the pandemic also strengthens countries of the global south, many of which had yet to achieve independence by the time the UN was founded in 1945. to navigate a new world in which At first blush, Covid-19 seems the pull of the rival view. Crises a free-for-all abruptly replaces likely to corroborate the argument for tend to intensify and accelerate power relations, and denying a needs will make international claim to global leadership will have existing arrangements. Even if the a more co-ordinated international preexisting trends – and severe sufficient voice to countries of the solidarity seem like an unaffordable been battered, owing to the Trump chaos proves temporary, it would be approach. Given that the coronavirus crises all the more so. The Covid-19 global south, many of which had luxury. As national economies administration’s mishandling of a sad, disruptive, and dangerous coda does not stop at national borders, it pandemic has coincided with a yet to achieve independence by the contract, resources will shrink, and the pandemic, the sense that it was to the post-war era. stands to reason that the response period of mounting populist and time the UN was founded in 1945. governments will struggle to provide unable to care for its own, let alone Covid-19 has laid bare the costs should not be constrained by them nativist resistance to globalism and In parallel, and especially since the for their own populations. Political others, and the perception that it of confronting a global crisis with either. the post-war international order, 2008 global financial crisis, socio- leaders will find it exceedingly withdrew into itself when the chips a flawed international system. The This makes perfect sense from fuelled by inequities both within and economic discontent has given rise to difficult to justify allocating were down. China, buoyed by its only worse outcome would be to a public-health perspective. If between countries. various forms of populism, nativism, funds to foreign development camera-friendly demonstrations of confront the next crisis with no Covid-19 persists anywhere, it The global economic system that and authoritarianism in countries assistance, international health generosity at the height of the crisis, system at all. – Project Syndicate will remain an incipient threat emerged following the end of the ranging from Russia, and Hungary to and relief organisations, refugees, might step up to fill the leadership everywhere, regardless of efforts Cold War has benefited the few at the Brazil, Israel, and the United States. or diplomatic initiatives. vacuum. But it also could find itself z Robert Malley, President and CEO to wall it off. The more widely that expense of the many, its detractors These dynamics could well be Mounting discontent at home will weighed down by its own botched of the International Crisis Group, was testing kits and, when discovered, say, not without reason. Similarly, strengthened by the Covid-19 translate into even greater anger handling of the outbreak, and by the White House Co-ordinator for the treatments and vaccines, are the United Nations has come to seem crisis. One vision of the future and disillusionment toward the domestic political implications of a Middle East, North Africa, and the distributed, the faster the pandemic like a relic, favouring victors of a looks like this: In the coming international system. profound economic contraction. Gulf Region under President Barack will be vanquished. The more that long-ago war, reflecting obsolete months and years, dire domestic Moreover, any remaining US Regardless of who (if anybody) Obama.

Trump’s cruellest month Three-day forecast baseless bragging about how much he Institute of Allergy and Infectious Amazon and owner of The Washington TODAY By Elizabeth Drew Maximum Temperature : 360c Washington, DC has achieved collided with his desire to Diseases, who serves on the White Post. evade responsibility for deaths and other House coronavirus task force. Fauci’s As the last week in April began, more Minimum Temperature : 270c havoc caused by his dilatory response to status as the most widely respected than 26mn US workers had fi led for THURSDAY S Eliot famously called April the pandemic. authority on the pandemic has enabled unemployment in the previous month, Maximum Temperature : 360c “the cruellest month.” If US Predictably, the result of Trump’s him publicly to correct Trump’s Congress had approved four bills Minimum Temperature : 270c President Donald Trump, not impulsive governing style and his frequent misinformation – for example, amounting to $2.4tn in relief to business FRIDAY Tknown as a fan of poetry, were determination to dominate the news about the unproven (and subsequently and individuals, and policymakers were Maximum Temperature : 340c honest with himself (another unknown), cycle has been a stream of bizarre and disproved) benefi ts of antimalarial drugs debating the next round of spending. Minimum Temperature : 260c he would likely agree that this month often contradictory statements. For in treating Covid-19 – at the task force’s With the economy spinning out of control Fisherman's forecast has turned his tenure into a wasteland. example, despite the US Constitution’s daily briefi ngs. and expected to sink to depths not seen By April 28, the US was leading the Tenth Amendment, he recently claimed As April wore on, Trump’s long- since the 1930s, polls were suggesting world with nearly 57,000 Covid-19 “total” power over whether and when winded appearances at the televised that Trump would lose November’s WARNING Inshore : Thundery rain and deaths and over 1mn confi rmed state governments can lift public-health briefi ngs became tiresome to the public, presidential election to his presumptive strong wind expected coronavirus infections. A recent analysis health restrictions. and his poll ratings began to drop. Democratic challenger, Joe Biden. at places by the Yale School of Public Health That démarche elicited bipartisan Meanwhile, the lockdown policies in Trump has become his own worst Offshore : Expected thunder rain associated with strong indicates that the number of pandemic- objections, and his political advisers place in most states were slowing the enemy. When, on April 23, he speculated wind and high sea related deaths in the early months of reminded him that the strategy increase in infections, while an NBC/ from the podium of the White House WEATHER 2020 far exceeded the offi cial public was to avoid responsibility for the Wall Street Journal poll showed that briefi ng room that Covid-19 could Inshore : P cloudy with c of sctd rain may be thundery estimates. pandemic by shifting it to state nearly 60% of the public favoured be killed off by injecting household at places and slight Another landmark reached by the end governors. Although Trump quickly stay-at-home policies over loosening disinfectants or by ultra-violet light, dust to blowing dust at of April was that Trump had lost the backed down, that didn’t stop him restrictions on people’s movements. even many Republicans had seen times WIND faith of much of his own party on the from encouraging demonstrations And yet, despite warnings by Fauci enough. White House aides said his Inshore : Southeasterly-North- preeminent issue facing the country. at statehouses to protest against the and other scientists, Trump spoke appearances at the briefi ngs, which easterly 10-20/25 KT According to an AP poll released on April very restrictions he had encouraged enthusiastically about “opening up” the he had viewed as a substitute for the Offshore : Northeasterly-South- frequent rallies he could no longer hold, easterly 5-15/25 KT 23, only 47% of Republicans believed governors to impose. country. Visibility : 4-8/3 KM “quite a lot” in Trump’s claims of The one thing Trump has seemed It should come as no surprise would be curtailed. Trump himself, Offshore : 2-4/8 FT progress against the virus. And only 23% comfortable with throughout this that Trump has abused his power in evidently stung by the widespread of all respondents expressed a high level ordeal has been fi ring people. Two orchestrating the federal response to mockery that followed his comments, of trust in him. particular targets of his vengefulness the pandemic. For example, he made dismissed the briefi ngs, tweeting that Around the region Trump not only squandered the time have been inspectors general of federal sure that Colorado received 100 much- his participation was “not worth the Weather he’d had to prepare the country from departments (a genus of offi cial needed ventilators, and made sure that time and eff ort!” Weather tomorrow when he was fi rst informed of a possible installed after Watergate in order to Colorado voters knew it, in order to help But he couldn’t stay away. After only today Max/min Max/min Sunny pandemic (at least early January); he also bring accountability to government re-elect troubled incumbent Republican a few days, he took to the podium again, Baghdad Cloudy 29/17 33/18 M Sunny squandered his opportunity with voters. agencies), especially if they played senator Cory Gardner. determined to get a head start on May. – Kuwait City P Cloudy 29/24 31/23 P Cloudy The damage from his compulsive lying a role in Trump’s impeachment More alarming, Trump eff ectively Project Syndicate Manama M Sunny 33/28 34/26 M Sunny was compounded by the national alarm in January, and people who have threatened to wage germ warfare Muscat M Sunny 36/31 37/31 Rain about the subject – two unstoppable disagreed too publicly with his views against US Postal Service workers by z Elizabeth Drew is a Washington- Tehran P Cloudy 22/13 17/11 forces that have collided almost about the current plague. denying them congressionally approved based journalist and the author, most daily in the self-serving, meandering On the other hand, Trump is clearly virus-mitigation aid unless the USPS recently, of Washington Journal: “briefi ngs” he insisted on leading in the frustrated that he cannot fi re Anthony quadrupled rates on packages. Trump’s Reporting Watergate and Richard White House press room. And Trump’s Fauci, the longtime head of the National actual target was Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Nixon’s Downfall.

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Coronavirus brought back plastic bag madness Around the world Weather Weather mong the many bad things to have their own ban before 2015 to forgo bags, warning that they’re dangerous And too much of it has ended up in the today Max/min tomorrow Max/min come out of the coronavirus charging a 10-cent fee for paper or coronavirus vectors and urging cities environment, including the ocean and Athens P Cloudy 24/14 P Cloudy 25/13 pandemic is the resurgence of reusable plastic sacks, and to fall back and states to embrace single-use plastic. the food chain. We are literally eating Beirut M Sunny 21/16 Sunny 21/17 Asingle-use plastic in the US. on the fl imsy single-use plastic ones if This nakedly self-serving ploy would be and drinking plastic residue. Single- Bangkok S T Storms 33/26 P Cloudy 35/27 In early March, weeks before necessary. Pending plastic bag bans in laughable if it weren’t so misleading. use plastic bags were singled out fi rst Berlin M Sunny 23/09 M Cloudy 24/12 California adopted the nation’s fi rst other parts of the country have been put The coronavirus vector argument because they are ubiquitous – about Cairo P Cloudy 31/19 Sunny 32/16 stay-at-home orders and when toilet on hold. is just a new twist on the old industry 100bn are used in the US every year – Cape Town Sunny 22/12 M Sunny 22/13 paper could still be found in abundance It’s understandable that fears canard, trotted out repeatedly during and diffi cult to recycle. They’re also Colombo P Cloudy 31/26 P Cloudy 31/26 on store shelves, Starbucks stopped about a spreading pathogen that we the debate over California’s statewide expensive to clean up, an eff ort that Dhaka T Storm 29/23 S T Storms 28/23 accepting customer’s refi llable cups for still don’t understand well has led to ban on disposable plastic bags, that cost California taxpayers an estimated Hong Kong P Cloudy 24/20 P Cloudy 24/19 fear that they might expose baristas to emergency measures such as these. reusable bags are biological hazards. $428mn annually before the ban went Istanbul M Sunny 19/09 Sunny 20/08 infection. Dunkin’ followed suit. Who knows how this virus is getting An industry-funded study in 2011 took into eff ect. Jakarta T Storm 32/25 T Storm 32/25 Then grocery stores told people to around? Grocery store workers, who samples from 84 reusable bags used In addition, they are easy to avoid, Karachi Sunny 33/26 Sunny 34/26 keep their potentially germy reusable are at high risk for exposure because by shoppers and found that half had and still are even now. You don’t have London M Cloudy 19/08 Showers 12/08 bags to themselves and began foisting of their interaction with customers, traces of E. coli and other bacteria. But to use a disposable plastic bag to stay Manila P Cloudy 36/26 P Cloudy 36/26 new plastic and paper bags on shoppers. ought to be protected as much as reusable bags pose no more risk than safe. Use paper bags when available or Moscow Rain 14/02 Cloudy 10/03 San Francisco, home of the state’s fi rst possible. But we hope that this current anything that comes into contact with simply carry unbagged groceries in your New Delhi S T Storms 31/22 M Sunny 32/23 plastic bag ban, was one of six Bay health crisis isn’t an excuse to abandon groceries and isn’t properly washed, shopping cart to the car (which most New York Showers 09/05 P Cloudy 18/07 Area counties to forbid shoppers from years of hard-won progress toward including the hands of shoppers. of us in Southern California used to do Paris P Cloudy 24/13 Cloudy 19/11 bringing reusable bags into stores. reducing our reliance on disposable Let’s not forget why California and when shopping). Sao Paulo M Sunny 28/14 P Cloudy 28/15 And last week – right on the heels of plastic packaging. other states and nations have adopted Like the stay-at-home orders, the Seoul M Sunny 18/05 Sunny 19/07 Earth Day – Governor Gavin Newsom What’s particularly reprehensible bans on single-use plastic bags and revival of disposable bags must be a Singapore T Storm 31/26 T Storm 31/26 suspended California’s pioneering ban is how the plastic industry is taking other disposable plastic. Of the 8.3bn temporary measure that is lifted as Sydney S T Storms 24/18 T Storm 22/10 on single-use plastic bags for 60 days, advantage of the national crisis to renew metric tonnes of plastic ever produced, soon as possible. – Tribune News Tokyo Clear 21/10 Clear 23/11 allowing stores in cities that didn’t its campaign against reusable grocery almost none of it has been recycled. Service Gulf Times 20 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 QATAR Leading hotels off er unique dine at home Iftar, Suhoor experience

By Joey Aguilar Staff Reporter

any hotels in Doha con- tinue to provide Qatar Mresidents with a unique Iftar or Suhoor experience this Ramadan at the comfort of their homes amid the novel coronavi- rus (Covid-19) pandemic. Curated Ramadan menus range from traditional local and Arabic cuisines to authentic internation- al off erings, along with an array of sweets and other delicacies for dessert. All Katara Hospitality proper- ties are off ering special Ramadan experience due to the current situation. Four of its key hotels in Qatar – Sharq Village & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Al Messila Resort & Spa and Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel – launched yesterday (April 28) ‘Ramadan Weyakum’ (meaning Ramadan with you), a unique Iftar Mondrian Doha’s Walima off ers an array of sumptuous Iftar and Suhoor meals this Ramadan. Katara Hospitality hotels has four of the best chefs in Doha. and Suhoor menu for home deliv- ery to mark “a true spirit of unity combining a signature menu to- and sharing this Ramadan.” gether with our sister properties.” Expert chefs used traditional Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & recipes from four of the most Convention Hotel general manag- iconic restaurants, featuring B- er Belal al-Kadry said: “As Shera- Lounge’s chicken salad, Veritas’ ton Grand Doha is Qatar’s iconic lasagna bolognese, Parisa’s chelo hotel and the most recognisable kabab e Koobide and Al Hubara’s social landmark in the country, famous Um Ali. we always seek to incorporate the “The holy month of Ramadan heritage and local element into is a much-revered tradition with the experiences we put forth for age-old customs that resonate our guests.” deeply. Sharq Village & Spa has “We always say, ‘our heritage is over the years cultivated this her- your heritage.’ We aim to make the itage and sought to revive fond essence of the holy month come memories and spread goodwill,” alive in parallel with Al Messila Ziad Mallah, hotel manager at Resort & Spa, Sharq Village & Spa, Belal al-Kadry Christian Sack Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carl- and Ritz-Carlton. Every single ton Hotel in Doha, said in a state- detail has been designed to make Arabic and international delicacies special menu at Dusit Doha Hotel. ment. He noted that they joined the Ramadan experience with us hands with three other hotels in more memorable considering the “We are happy to be able to take star Iftar and Suhoor set menus these unprecedented times to unprecedented times; Ramadan our unique culinary experience throughout Ramadan, pairing craft new traditions with “the Weyakum has been created in the beyond our property and directly Qatari and Middle Eastern spe- four culinary maestros from four spirit of solidarity and we hope to the people of Qatar. With a cu- cialities, ranging from traditional of the most beloved restaurants in that our guests enjoy their much- linary emporium encompassing beverages, cold and hot mezze, Doha, creating memorable Iftars loved signature menu items from seven restaurants, which includes fi sh, grilled meat and ouzi to and Suhoors, delivered to the B-lounge, Al Hubara, Veritas and CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Morimo- freshly prepared traditional sweet doorstep of our valued guests.” Parisa,” he said. to, EllaMia and a number of other delicacies such as sweet honey, “Ramadan Weyakum gives a new Ramadan Weyakum Iftar and ‘fi rst to market’ concepts includ- rosewater, coconut syrups, pis- meaning to this celebration.” Suhoor menus are priced starting ing Walima, a Qatari-inspired tachio fl avoured creams and date The Ritz-Carlton, Doha gen- from QR400 per two persons and restaurant, we hope to bring joy pudding. eral manager Christian Sack said: can be ordered with a four-hour and delight to the people of Doha The hotel’s Iftar set menu starts “We are honoured to collaborate notice. Mondrian Doha, managed during Ramadan,” sbe Group’s from QR180; Suhoor set menu to create a memorable experience by leading international lifestyle Middle East & Europe COO Chadi from QR190, Arabic sweets from Ziad Mallah Patrizia Hofer ‘Ramadan Weyakum’ which pro- hospitality group, sbe, is off ering Farhat said. QR90 per kg, and Hampers from vide you, a safe and intimate cel- its crème de la crème outlets from Residents can also enjoy Mo- QR800. lights, zaatar, rose water, pome- sweets to crafted gift hampers, Phad Thai Goong Benjarong (stir- ebration with your family in the some of the world’s top Michelin- rimoto Doha’s fusion of Japanese Pearl and Marsa Malaz Ham- granate molasses, sparkling date our hospitality and extensive cu- fried Chantaburi rice noodle with comfort of your home.” starred chefs. and Western styles of cuisine, de- pers cost QR800, which include juice and chocolate almonds. linary experience will ensure your prawn), among others. “Indulge yourself through an Walima, a unique Arabic Qa- livered throughout Ramadan from assorted baklava and macarons, “Marsa Malaz Kempinski team Ramadan is a memorable one,” the Free delivery (from 12 noon un- authentic culinary journey with tari restaurant at Mondrian, de- 12 noon until 11pm. apricot jam, mixed nuts and dried would like to deliver the joyous hotel added. til 1am) for orders above QR250 international fl avours prepared by livers Ramadan boxes (available Other off erings include craft fruits, jallab date, honey, Majdool spirit of Ramadan and allow you Dusit Doha Hotel is off er- and orders must be placed mini- our culinary team to celebrate the between 5pm and 1am): chicken burgers, chicken wings and spicy dates, Turkish delights, zaatar and to celebrate this special month’s ing authentic Thai gastronomy mum two hours in advance. Ara- spirit of the season”, he said. biryani for QR125, lamb machboos cheese fries by Hudson Tavern, rose water. traditions through authentic de- with Benjarong’s special deliv- bic and International delicacies Al Messila Resort & Spa general for QR150, mixed grill for QR150, and cakes, sweets, macarons and Pearl Deluxe and Marsa Malaz lights, carefully crafted by our ery menu. The hotel’s Iftar and special menu include Tomato Qa- manager Patrizia Hofer said such and family servings (six people) chocolates by EllaMia – open Deluxe Hampers cost QR1,500, culinary experts, in the comfort of Suhoor special menu features layah Bill Laham, Butter Chicken, “beautiful initiative allows us to of its lamb leg Ouzi for QR1,500. for delivery between 12noon and which include assorted baklava your homes,” the hotel said in an Tom Yum Goong (prawn in spicy Iranian Shrimp Stew, Eggplant enliven our Epicurean excellence All boxes come with a variety of 11pm. and macarons, apricot jam, mixed e-mail to its guests. soup), Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai Yang Mushka, and more. Family boxes associated with Michelin-starred juices, appetisers, main course Marsa Malaz Kempinski at nuts and dried fruits, jallab date, “From Iftar and Suhoor set Krueng Gaeng (green curry with are pegged at QR600 for four Executive Chef Pino Lavarra while and dessert. The Pearl-Qatar prepares fi ve- honey, Majdool dates, Turkish de- menus and traditional Arabic grill marinated chicken), and people and QR900 for six people. AEB bestows excellence awards on design students of VCUarts Qatar

rab Engineering Bureau (AEB) presented the 2020 Aawards for Design Excel- lence, and Creative Achievement and Potential, to two graduating and two junior students from Virginia Commonwealth Univer- sity School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a Qatar Foun- dation partner university, in a virtual ceremony. AEB’s Group CEO and chief ar- chitect Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, a longtime supporter and friend of VCUarts Qatar, awarded the Arab Engineering Bureau Award for Design Excellence for a grad- uating senior to Interior Design VCUarts Qatar building. student Farzana Abubacker Vel- liyattil, and the Arab Engineering tive Achievement and Potential “The students who won this Bureau Award for Design Excel- for a rising junior was awarded award in the past have gone on lence for a graduating senior to to Interior Design student Aia to leading positions all over the Graphic Design student Marwa A Zaina. These awards aim to help GCC, including Lejla Nikšic al-Kalbani. the junior students realise and (2007) who has been at AEB since The awards were instituted achieve their true potential and 2010; Zlatan Pejdah (2012) is a by Jaidah to encourage and as- encourage them to continue de- Design Manager at Cambridge sist graduating students as they veloping their skills through their Interiors in the UAE; Amira Nat- start their careers as designers senior year. sheh (2017 and 2018) is a Product in Qatar and the region. Jaidah is VCUarts Qatar’s dean Amir Design Specialist at Qatar Foun- recognised as a pioneer of a new Berbic said the university was dation; and Noha Fahmy (2014 architectural movement that hugely grateful for the contin- and 2015) is a Regional Retail De- combines the far-reaching infl u- ued support from AEB and Jai- sign Manager at L’Oreal UAE,” he ences of Islamic art with modern dah, who has been a longtime added. styles to create memorable land- friend and speaker at the univer- Dean Berbic noted that the mark structures that are shaping A screenshot of the virtual ceremony. sity for over a decade. “I am really awards recognised the students’ Qatar. pleased that we have arranged commitment to their future ca- “Over the years VCUarts Qatar kick start their careers,” Jaidah graduates who have joined our our younger generations in gain- achievements.” The Arab Engi- this virtual ceremony to mark the reers in what is a very competi- graduates have proven to be at said. “I also must commend the team. I consider that recognising ing new knowledge and experi- neering Bureau Award for Crea- recognition of four of our lead- tive and demanding environ- the forefront of various art and high level of education being of- and supporting design talent is ences; and it is our responsibility tive Achievement and Potential ing students by one of VCUarts ment. Besides the awards, AEB design industries in Qatar, and fered at VCUarts Qatar. I had the not only a responsibility of prac- to nurture the leaders of tomor- for a rising junior was awarded to Qatar’s most enduring indus- and Jaidah continue to partner it is our absolute pleasure to be pleasure of working closely with tising professionals as individu- row. So, I take this opportunity Graphic Design student Zainab N try partners, Ibraham M Jaidah, with VCUarts Qatar by off er- able to award such individuals for several strong students who came als, but that of the industry too. to congratulate once again all al-Shibani, and the Arab Engi- Group CEO of Arab Engineering ing internship opportunities to their hard work and to help them to us as interns, but also several It is our responsibility to support of the award winners on their neering Bureau Award for Crea- Bureau,” dean Berbic said. VCUarts Qatar students.