SANAULLAH ATAULLAH THE PENINSULA

Chair of the National Strategy Group of COVID-19 and Head of Infectious

Diseases at Hamad Medical Corpo-ration, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal has called citizens and expatriate to stay at home during ongoing holy month of Ramadan and forthcoming Eid Al Fitr

to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

“Now, more than ever, it is very important that people strictly follow the preventive and physical and social distancing measure,” said Dr. Abdul-latif Al Khal while addressing a press conference yesterday at Qatar TV.

He said however tempting—espe-cially during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr - it is really important that you stay at home and only go out when it is abso-lutely necessary.

“We are entering the peak of epi-demic of COVID-19 in Qatar and the number of daily confirmed cases has risen steadily the past week,” said Dr. Al Khal.He said that the number of people being tested has increased and we have launched a community study to learn more about the epidemiology of the virus within the large community and about the prevalence of cases of infection that do not show symptom.

“We continue to see many patients making full recovery from COVID-19 every day and more than 3,000 patients have now recovered from the virus,” said Dr. Al Khal.�P2

Friday 15 May 2020

22 Ramadan - 1441

2 Riyals

www.thepeninsula.qa

Volume 25 | Number 8258

*Terms and conditions apply#Hadaya_Ooredoo

Enjoy double speed with Ooredoo ONE while you’re at home

SPORT | 08BUSINESS | 01

WTO chief expected

to step down, as

global economic

crisis rages

Qatar joins

World Rugby as

Associate

Member

Ramadan Timing

Today's Iftar:6:14pm

Tomorrow's Imsak:03:14am

4,420,743

301,160

1,578,135

TOTAL POSITIVE

TOTAL DEATHS

TOTAL RECOVERED

GLOBALLY

COVID-19 QATAR UPDATES ON 14 MAY 2020

1,733213

24,9023,35614

NEW CASES ANNOUNCED

NEW RECOVERIES

ACTIVE CASES

TOTAL RECOVERIES

TOTAL DEATHS

Qatar’s medical aid shipment arrives in Albania, AngolaQNA — DOHA

In implementation of the directives of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the shipment of urgent medical assistance, provided by the State of Qatar through the Qatar Fund for Devel-opment, has arrived in the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Angola to support its efforts to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

The shipment of medical aid was received by Albanian Minister of Health and Social Care, H E Ogerta Manastirliu; Albanian Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, H E Etjen Xhafaj; and Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Albania, H E Ali bin Hamad Al Marri.

In a speech on this occasion, H E the Albanian Minister of Health commended the directives of H H the Amir to send this urgent medical assistance to the Republic of Albania, expressing deep thanks to the State of Qatar for providing this necessary assistance for the medical staff and the general citizens to combat COVID-19 epidemic.

She stressed that the State of Qatar has stood permanently alongside Albania and its people, especially in difficult times, as happened after the devastating earthquake in November, saying this confirms the great friendship between

the two countries and peoples.H E the Albanian Deputy Minister for

Europe and Foreign Affairs expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to H H the Amir for the continuous support of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Albania

and its people, pointing to the generous assistance provided by the State of Qatar to Albania, after the earthquake in November. H E Ali bin Hamad Al Marri said that the shipment of medical aid that arrived in the Republic of Albania carries 10 tons of medical materials to support the Albanian health system in combating the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, stressing that the State of Qatar will always stand with Albania and its friendly people.

The urgent medical aid plane from Qatar to the friendly Republic of Angola arrived in the capital Luanda to help it combat the outbreak of novel coro-navirus. A number of officials and rep-resentatives of the media were present when the plane landed in Luanda. The aid included 792,500 units of medical supplies. The provision of aid was coordinated by Qatar Fund for Devel-opment and the Embassy of the State of Qatar to South Africa (non-resident representation in Angola), in cooper-ation with the Angolan Embassy in Pre-toria and the competent authorities in Luanda.

Qatar Airways to resume services to Brisbane from WednesdayTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Qatar Airways announced yesterday that it would be resuming services to Brisbane, with three-weekly flights starting from Wednesday, May 20. The flights will be operated by an Airbus A350-1000 offering 46 seats in Business Class and 281 seats in Economy

Class with flights connecting through the airline’s state-of-the-art hub at Hamad Interna-tional Airport, voted “Third Best Airport in the World” and “Best Airport in the Middle East” this week by Skytrax.

The airline is resuming services after previously receiving short-term approval to operate to Brisbane from

late-March to early April. During this period Qatar Airways helped reunite over 5,000 stranded travellers with their loved ones and transported over 270 tonnes of cargo, including Australian agriculture exports.

By maintaining 24/7 opera-tions throughout the crisis, including almost 200 charter flights, Qatar Airways’ has become the leading airline in taking people home, repatriating over one million people worldwide and in the process receiving widespread praise and thanks from passengers and governments, including Aus-tralia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker, said: “In these difficult times, cus-tomers are looking for an airline they can trust, our commitment and willingness to get people home continues to provide assurance. We have built a strong level of confidence with pas-sengers, governments, trade partners, and airports as a reliable partner during this crisis and we intend to continue deliv-ering on this mission.” �P2

Amir and British PM discuss bilateral ties

MoPH: 213 recovered; 1,733 new cases THE PENINSULA — DOHA

The Ministry of Public Health has recorded 1,733 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 213 recoveries, bringing the total number of recovered cases in Qatar to 3,356.

The total number of pos-it ive COVID-19 cases recorded in Qatar till now stands at 28,272 and there are 24,902 active cases under treatment. So far, 14 people died from the coronavirus in Qatar. Ministry conducted 4,811 tests yesterday taking

the total tests done so far to 143,938 tests.

The Ministry stated that the new cases are due to expatriate workers who were infected with the virus as a result of contact with indi-viduals who were previously infected, in addition to recording new cases of infection among groups of workers in different regions. The new cases have been iden-tified after conducting inves-tigations by the research and investigation teams of the Min-istry of Public Health.

Over 11,000 students to appear for high school examsQNA — DOHA

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, H E Dr Ibrahim bin Salih Al Nuaimi affirmed that the distance learning process is proceeding well in accordance with the plans drawn up for it, indicating that there is a great response from students and their guardians. H E Dr. Al Nuaimi stressed that the pandemic will not affect the start of the new academic year, because it has not affected the progress of the educational process.

“We have sensed this through the feedback indicators of performing daily and weekly assignments and assessments and of the number of illustrated lessons, the number of views in addition to other indicators.

In this regard, His Excel-lency said that the statistics indicate that the total number of illustrated lessons exceeded 23,500, of which about 2,500 are for general education, approximately 1,200 for spe-cialized schools, and about 20,000 for special education and integration schools.

H E Dr. Al Nuaimi said that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s preparations, for secondary school exams (for students of day school and adult education) for the 2019-2020 academic year, in which 11,476 students will appear, are well proceeding. The Exams will start on the first of June and continue for two weeks, he added. He further stressed that the corona-virus (COVID-19) pandemic will not affect the start or start of the new school year, because it has not affected the progress of the educational process. �P2

QNA — DOHA

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held via telephone a conversation with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, H E Boris Johnson to check on his health.

During the call, the two sides discussed friendship and

cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in addition to the international efforts to address the novel coronavirus pandemic and the two countries’ efforts and cooper-ation in this regard.

The most prominent regional and international issues were also discussed.

Health official: Strictly adhere to social distancing in Ramadan, Eid

Chair of the National Strategy Group of COVID-19 and Head of Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medical Corporation, Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal (right), speaking at a press conference, yesterday.

Three-weekly flights will be operated by an Airbus A350-1000 offering 46 seats in Business Class and 281 seats in Economy Class.

We are entering the peak of epidemic of COVID-19 in Qatar and the number of daily con-firmed cases has risen steadily the past week,” said Dr. Al Khal, the Chair of the National Strategy Group of COVID-19.

Albanian Minister of Health and Social Care, H E Ogerta Manastirliu (second right), Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Albania, H E Ali bin Hamad Al Marri (second left), and other officials during the reception of the shipment of medical aid, in Tirana, Albania, yesterday.

02 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020HOME

W A L R U WA I S : 25o↗ 31o W A L K H O R : 24o↗ 36o W D U K H A N : 24o↗ 32o W WA K R A H : 24o↗ 34o W M E S A I E E D 24o↗ 34o W A B U S A M R A 25o↗ 35o

WEATHER TODAY

HIGH TIDE 07:33– 22:39 LOW TIDE 5:23 – 14:13

Relatively hot daytime with scattered clouds and mild by night.

Minimum Maximum26oC 35oCFAJR SUNRISE 03.24 am 04.49 am

PRAYER TIMINGS

ZUHRMAGHRIB

11.30 am06.14 pm

ASR ISHA

02.57 pm07.44 pm

DECC wins three prizes from Eventex AwardsTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) was awarded three prizes (two gold and one silver) at the 10th anniversary edition of Eventex Awards, the biggest global event competition, which aims at spotlighting the best events, experiences, and suppliers in the industry worldwide. It is well known for the stellar jury panel and fair evaluation process.

Eventex Awards was founded in 2009 to celebrate creativity, innovation and effectiveness in the industry, today Eventex Awards is the most esteemed accolade in the world of events and experi-ential marketing, a true symbol of excellence.

Private health facilities launch teleconsultationFAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

Private healthcare facilities have started a number of initi-atives to support the efforts in curbing the spread of COVID-19 in Qatar.

Private hospitals and clinics have implemented new measures and are raising awareness of COVID-19, while adhering to instructions by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). Several healthcare pro-viders have started teleconsul-tation and started social media campaigns and are holding webinars to raise awareness among the public.

“At Aster DM Healthcare, we have seen teleconsultation is taking a huge leap and many patients are experiencing tele-consultation for the first time in Qatar. We really appreciated the steps taken by MoPH by permitting virtual teleconsul-tation which is helping patients in hassle-free consultation and

combating COVID-19 by reducing patient visits to healthcare facilities.

“Technology is only an enabler, not an end by itself. We have seen many patients who were not keen to visit healthcare facilities due to fear of getting COVID-19 which was one of the potential barriers in ensuring the continuity of care,” Dr. Mahesh Patel, Head of Quality Assurance at Aster Qatar, told The Peninsula.

“To a large extent, telecon-sultation has bridged that gap The decision when to limit the use of teleconsultation and insist on a face-to-face consul-tation is always a clinical decision based on patient con-dition and patient needs. Aster is expecting demand for tele-consultation will continue to grow rapidly.

“Due to COVID-19, enforced habits of today will become the new normal, as we keep listening life will never again be the same in the after

COVID-19 era. Soon obligatory preferences of today will switch to a default mode. Aster DM Healthcare is keen to offer futurist service during the post COVID-19 era, adhering to reg-ulatory guidelines to ensure patient safety and quality of services,” he added.

Aster DM Healthcare also delivers medicines at home and have hosted several webinars by it doctors to educate the public about COVID-19.

As part of the Al Ahli Hos-pital’s heightened infection control measures, in response to the spread of COVID-19, a committee has been formed to implement s trategical measures.

A stricter visitor restrictions are in place at the hospital. Before entering the clinical areas; all guests, caregivers and staff undergo temperature screening and complete a dec-laration form on their current health status, recent travel and recent contact with COVID-19

patients. “At Al Ahli Hospital, we

strictly follow the guidelines of WHO and MoPH to curb the spread of COVID-19. All measures are in place to protect the guests and our staff in every possible way. We have imple-mented some strategies to respond to the crisis and we have been quite rapid in terms of implementing,” said Dr. Abdulazim Abdul Wahab Hussain, Medical Director of Al Ahli Hospital.

“From the very beginning of the spread of the COVID-19, we have establish an initial screening, so that everyone coming into the hospital is screened on entry, using WHO criteria.

Also questions are asked to identify risk factors, fever, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, travel history and contact with the suspected cases. Based on those assessments we fast-track the guests to the relevant department,” he added.

Over 11,000 students to appear for high school exams

FROM PAGE 1

In a related context, H E the Under-secretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education pointed out that formal education, that observes direct interaction between teachers and stu-dents as well as among students, is undoubtedly the best way to achieve learning goals, as well as to help in social and psychological development in addition to the cognitive devel-opment of students in the different aca-demic stages.

However, due to the circumstances created by the pandemic, the Ministry found in distance education the appro-priate means to complete the academic year, as part of the precautionary measures taken by the state to preserve the health of students, as well as of all workers in the educational sector, he added.

He stressed that the Ministry has made great strides in establishing e-learning over the past years, in imple-mentation of the decisions of wise lead-ership that have always emphasized the importance of e-learning that is consistent with the tremendous cog-nitive growth in today’s contemporary world, through the “LMS” system adopted in all schools in the state.

Dr. Al Nuaimi continued, “The rapid and highly professional response of the Ministry of Education and Higher Edu-cation was represented by the adoption of the MS Teams system as a major platform for distance learning, and this was accompanied by ensuring schools’ readiness and teachers’ familiarity with

the required skills. Students and their parents are also guaranteed access to systems. Moreover more than 1,600 tablets and more than 4,800 home broadband devices were distributed to provide internet access to students who do not have those capabilities, in addition to broadcasting e-lessons on YouTube and TV distance learning channels.”

The number of daily assignments, accompanying each illustrated lesson, that were produced until May 7 was about 2,100. These were transferred to electronic forms via “Microsoft Forms” and published for school teachers, in order to pass them to all students using the “MS Teams” application, he added.

He stated that the number of total weekly assessments has exceeded 750, until the end of the school year for gov-ernment schools, pointing that all assessments have been transferred in to electronic assessment forms, and cir-culated to teachers to present them to students according to the policy of con-tinuous evaluation, with emphasis on broadcasting the lessons in a sequence according to their daily schedule, and re-broadcasting in the evening, with allocating Friday and Saturday of each week to repeat all lessons which have been broadcasted.

On the other hand, he said that the number of YouTube educational channels reached 19, with a total of 84,000 subscribers, pointing out that these channels contained all the illus-trated lessons, divided according to the stages and subjects.

Qatar sends medical aid to Angola

A Qatar Airways plane delivered urgent medical aid from the State of Qatar to the friendly Republic of Angola in Luanda yesterday to help it combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Qatar Airways to resume Brisbane flights on 20th

FROM PAGE 1

“Qatar Airways received exceptional approval to operate short term services to Brisbane to repatriate the many tourists, students and diplomats who wanted to go back to their home countries. Our flights also provided Aus-tralians with an opportunity to come back home from various parts of the world including Europe, the Gulf and Middle East, Asia, and others. We successfully completed this task, but now there are more travelers wanting to get home,” he said.

“We know this is an anxious time for many stranded travellers around the world who want to be with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. With the resumption of these three-weekly flights, we are sup-porting critical passenger movements, and aiming to alleviate some of those anxi-eties,” he added.

With the resumption of flights to Brisbane, Qatar Airways will operate 21 pas-senger flights per week to Australia

Qatar Airways continues to fly to 16 destinations in Europe, including London, Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam, with plans to add an additional seven European destinations by the end of June. Passengers travelling to and from Australia will enjoy a seamless connection through Hamad International Airport.

Lebanese Foreign Minister meets Qatar’s envoy

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Lebanese Republic, H E Nassif Hitti met yesterday with Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Lebanese Republic, H E Mohammed Hassan Jaber Al Jaber. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral cooperation and relations, in addition to issues of common concern.

Ministry withdraws licence of manpower agencyQNA — DOHA

The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor, and Social Affairs cancelled the activity of Al Qaswa’a manpower agency and withdrew its licence due to its violation of contracts with employers.

The Ministry banned dealing with the aforemen-tioned office to avoid conse-quential damages because of the violation.

This procedure comes within the role of the Min-istry in settling disputes arising between recruitment

agencies and employers, in accordance with the Labor Law and the decisions imple-menting it, and its compe-tence to issue, renew and c a n c e l l i c e n s e s o f recruitment agencies in accordance with the provi-sions of the law.

Health official: Strictly adhere to social distancing in Ramadan, Eid

FROM PAGE 1

He said that so far, a total of 417 coronavirus patients were admitted in ICU, 265 patients out of them were shifted from out of ICU, 14 people died in ICU, 138 patients are still in ICU, 55 patients are on ventilators and six patients are receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

“Anyone with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 should come forward for testing so that we can provide you with the care and treatment you need.”

“We have taken every nec-essary measure to ensure that our hospitals and health centers are safe to attend — the measures we have taken are to prevent the further spread of the virus and to protect our patients and our staff,” said Dr. Al Khal.

He said that the hospitals are seeing more patients being admitted because the country is approaching towards the peak — with more being admitted to intensive care.

“Although death rates remain very low in Qatar com-pared to the rest of the world, people are still getting very sick and it can be a very traumatic

and painful experience for people who end up need intensive care support,” said Dr Al Khal.

He urged people to stay safe as even young people are at risk for severe COVID-19.

Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad, National Lead for Healthy Aging in Qatar, Medical Director of Rumailah Hospital and Qatar Rehabilitation Institute said that the evidence from around the world has shown that while the virus can affect people of all ages and health status, the elderly are much more likely to experience severe symptoms of COVID-19.

She said for this reason Qatar is doing its best to protect elderly population and keep them safe.

“Our doctors are now deliv-ering consultations virtually, via video and telephone system, to enable elderly patients to talk to their doctors while in the comfort and safety of their own homes,” said Dr. Hanadi.

She said for several weeks now, we have staff from Geri-atric and Long-term Care Department call people aged 60 years and over to offer advice and support on how to stay safe during this period.

03FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 HOME

MoPH ensuring best medical care for the elderly QNA — DOHA

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has stressed that it is working along with all the health sector institutions to provide the best possible care for the elderly, taking steps to protect them from infection with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and to meet their medical and psychological needs.

National Health Strategy Lead for Healthy Ageing Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad, the Medical Director of Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Rumaillah Hospital and Qatar Rehabili-tation Institute, said that “This difficult period poses a double challenge for the elderly, as they need many health services, and at the same time we work to reduce their exposure to other people and [advise them] not to leave the house without extreme necessity.”

She called on the com-munity to closely cooperate in this regard by adhering to social distancing and continuous com-munication with the various services intended for the elderly when needed.

Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad indi-cated that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the

Ministry has prepared the nec-essary pre-emptive plans to receive the senior returnees from abroad, of whom many were receiving treatment abroad, pointing that appro-priate quarantine was desig-nated for them on the basis of their health needs, as a number of them needed hospitalization to complete treatment in quar-antine units under the care of an integrated medical team working on the continuation of the patient’s treatment plan, while the rest of those who are in stable condition and can depend on themselves are cared for in other quarantine

places designated for the elderly in hotels.

She pointed out that the integrated medical team over-seeing the treatment plan include specialised doctors, physiotherapists, career therapy specialists, nutri-tionists and a clinical pharma-cists, in addition to the nursing team. Dialysis services were also provided to patients who need them, she added.

“Attention is also being paid to the psychological state of the patients and their families under the current circum-stances, as the treatment teams, led by the case coordi-nators, are working constantly on communication and coun-selling with patients’ families, while the patients commu-nicate with their families to avoid a sense of loneliness during the quarantine period,” Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad explained.

She further explained that at the end of the quarantine period, a comprehensive eval-uation of the elderly patient is made to determine the ideal place to complete the treatment plan.

About the elderly afflicted with COVID-19 in general, she said they are provided with the necessary healthcare in HMC’s

hospitals, pointing that age is not the only criterion for severe complications of the disease, but rather other health condi-tions of the elderly and whether they suffers from chronic comorbidities should be considered.

Dr. Al Hamad stressed, “We attach great attention to the elderly care and take many precautions to protect them.” She pointed to a number of promising cases, referring to the recovery of an 85-year-old female patient from OVID-19. Other patients are recovering successively, she added.

Dr. Al Hamad explained that since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, the elderly have been the focus of the health sector in order to protect them from the infection, and to continue providing the health care services they need, as many services have been activated and created, most notably the participation of a team of specialised doctors in answering the inquiries of the elderly through the hotline 16,000.

This is in addition to launching a telephone service in the Geriatrics and Extended Care Department of HMC to reassure those over 60 years of age, meet their medical

needs and support them psychologically.

Medical consultations are also provided through video calls to assess the medical con-dition of the elderly. Physio-therapy and remote rehabili-tat ion sessions were introduced.

The day-care unit for the elderly was also opened on April 12, to receive the elderly who need assessment or simple procedures that do not need going to the emergency room, following prior arrangement of the patient’s visit.

Cooperation has been made with the World Health Organ-ization (WHO) to prepare a guide for dealing with patients in long-term care and to activate all necessary measures to protect them, starting with reduced visits, physical dis-tancing and infection control measures, while maintaining contact with families and informing them about the patients’ condition.

The Ministry of Public Health launched a page on its website (www.moph.gov.qa), through which it provides the public with the latest develop-ments related to COVID-19 and information on how to protect themselves and others from this virus.

QF highlights how children are helping to shape curriculums amid COVID-19THE PENINSULA — DOHA

Leaders from progressive schools around the world gathered for a Qatar Foundation webinar that highlighted how — in a COVID-19 era that has seen education shift online — children and their parents are beginning to help shape their own learning environments.

The discussion, hosted by Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education (PUE) and titled 'Leading Educational Advancement in Progressive Schools (LEAPS) Webinar', brought together six experts from five different countries to address some of the effects of the pandemic on schools globally.

Maryam Al Hajri, Director of Academyati, a progressive school established by QF, spoke about the importance of child agency, saying: “I believe child agency and independent work were one of the great enablers for this change. Children are no

longer in that environment where the teacher is directing everything. The teacher will have interaction with them, but they are also doing a lot of inde-pendent work.”

Echoing this view, Dr Frances Wilby, Head of Inter-national Development for Lumiar Education, said: “Our main takeaway has been to consult with parents, and give them multiple access points, so we haven’t used a one-size-fits-all model.

“We’ve really understood that, for some families, this is really a challenge. The idea that they will be online everyday doing schoolwork is difficult for them. So we’ve offered a menu of activities, and multiple access points, where parents with their children can dip in and out. And for me, the takeaway is how we are allowing the children to start shaping their curriculum.

“Every Friday we have virtual feedback session in small groups. And the children are

starting to say, ‘I’m doing a project on X, I really want to share it’, with another child saying, ‘Can we do a joint project in pairs?’ So what we’ve found is they are driving learning, and telling us what they want. There really are some incredible things happening.”

While children are beginning to develop their own ways of learning, parents have become increasingly important stakeholders in the process, as Gitanjali Sarangan, Founder of Snehadara Foundation, India, explained.

“Parents have been a part of our designs and plans,” she said. “They’re accessing this

online, they’re preparing the materials for it. That itself has brought in an element of an observer and a supervisor who strengthens the confidence of a facilitator.”

Stuart Bamford, Co-Founder of Kingsland Pre-Prep, UK, added: “We come from a place where we involve fam-ilies a lot in a child’s education, and we’ve taken this oppor-tunity, through the world being in crisis and lockdown, as an opportunity to support parents and almost re-set education, especially from an early years perspective.

“We are engaging in parents in a curriculum at home that really sparks children’s

imagination, where they can then use their play skills and creativity to almost teach their parents. This is a great expe-rience; one that is hopefully cre-ating a family bond, and making parents’ involvement in their child’s education a little less daunting.”

Concluding the discussion — which was moderated by Aysegul Sert, International Pre-senter and Journalist — and highlighting the components of virtual distance learning that are essential to ensure students learn through this process, Ms.

Al Hajri said: “Always allow children to choose.

“In our setting, the most important things we’re trying to build are that independent learner personality, that cre-ative problem-solver mindset. We don’t want to do anything that will take away from this. Agency choice and nurturing curiosity is very important for all of this.” The recent webinar was the second LEAPS event organized by QF’s PUE. Designed to support the global education community, it will continue to be held biennially.

Participants during a Qatar Foundation webinar addressing effects of the pandemic on schools globally.

Talabat donates QR1 with every grocery orderTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Talabat, the region’s leading food and grocery delivery app, announced yesterday that during the Holy Month of Ramadan, QR1 will be donated from every purchase of groceries on the Talabat app to Qatar Charity.

The initiative will allow Qatar’s residents and citizens to make a difference in the lives of people who need it the most, but from a safe distance. This initiative is aligned with Qatar’s mandate to encourage members of the community to stay safe, and stay home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Francisco De Sousa, Man-aging Director of Talabat Qatar, said Talabat was proud to con-tinue to work hand-in-hand with Qatar Charity, its long standing charitable partner .

"This is the second Ramadan we have collaborated with Qatar Charity. This time with setting up a virtual res-taurant on the Talabat app to provide the people of Qatar with a cashless donation option to buy meals for those in need.

"For every purchase from any store under the Grocery section, one riyal gets added to the Qatar Charity fund to support their charitable endeavours," he said.

Ali Al Ghareeb, Director of the Resource Development Department at Qatar Charity applauded Talabat for its

wonderful gesture, especially at an unprecedented time when the whole world is under the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, noting that such support would enable Qatar Charity to help the vul-nerable and those affected by the coronavirus.

“Qatar Charity is always keen to cooperate with various public and private sector insti-tutions,” added Al Ghareeb, urging other companies and individuals to support Qatar Charity’s Ramadan campaign that aims to benefit 2.4 million people in Qatar and 30 other countries across the globe at a cost of QR119m. Since the launch of the grocery section on Talabat, the app has expanded the list of grocery stores available including Car-refour Now, Spar, Vision Mart, and neighbourhood markets.

Toy stores, electronics, pharmacies, and even water refilling stations are now also delivering via Talabat.

To donate, open the talabat app, select your location, and click on groceries.

Georgetown student takes her Islamic bioethics research at QF to Washington and winsTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

An academic paper analysing the Muslim perspective on the controversial use of stem cell research won Amna Al Essa, a Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), student, second place in the Bioethics Research Showcase sponsored by the Kennedy Institute of Ethics in Washington, DC, one of the oldest academic ethics centers in the world.

Amna’s winning entry was judged by an interdisciplinary panel of judges and announced during a virtual awards ceremony. In the paper, she explores the back-ground behind the Islamic rulings guiding the use and limitation of embryonic stem cells in the medical sciences, a field of research that holds great promise for the treatment of degenerative conditions and the under-s t a n d i n g o f h u m a n development.

The medical technology uses cells from human embryos which has raised a host of ethical concerns and debates across cultures and countries.

Muslim countries also face these debates, explained Amna, but often lack the needed guidance of a religious

authority ruling. “There is a pressing need to address con-tinuing ethical concerns and questions that arise from societal, cultural, and religious perspectives on issues which transgress into matters of pro-hibitions and permissibility in Islam.”

She was encouraged to submit her paper for compe-tition by the instructor of her Islam, Culture, and Bioethics course, Associate Research Professor Dr. Ayman Shabana. He is also the director of the Islamic Bioethics Project at GU-Q, which has been sup-ported by three consecutive grants from Qatar National Research Fund’s National Pri-orities Research Program.

“Being at GU-Q has defi-nitely deepened my interest in the connections between Islam and bioethics. We are

offered this great opportunity to be exposed to multiple fields and wider disciplines, like theology, philosophy and politics. This opportunity has allowed us to cultivate our own selves and knowledge based on our personal interests across different fields.”

An International Politics major student at GU-Q, a QF partner institution, Amna said it was during her pursuit of the Theology minor that she became interested in bioethics. “I have always had a passion for science and medicine, which is why I decided to pursue them within the realm of liberal arts. Studying theology at Geor-getown has widened my horizons to think about issues in the medical field and to consider how contemporary religious beliefs and practices deal with those issues.”

The Showcase is a juried digital exhibition of under-graduate research in a variety of categories and disciplines on the ethics of health, the environment, and the bioethics of emerging technol-ogies. The virtual award cer-emony as well as Amna’s winning paper are available for viewing on the Kennedy Institute of Ethics website.

Dr. Hanadi Al Hamad. Medical Director of HMC's Rumaillah Hospital and Qatar Rehabilitation Institute.

Children are no longer in that environment where the teacher is directing everything. The teacher

will have interaction with them, but they are also doing a lot of independent work.”

The paper explores the background behind the Islamic rulings guiding the use and limitation of embryonic stem cells in the medical sciences.

PHCC celebrates International Nurses DayQNA — DOHA

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) celebrated International Nurses Day, which is celebrated on May 12, to highlight the importance of the role played by the nurses as they are the first line of defence.

The WHO joined hundreds of partners worldwide to high-light the importance of nurses in the healthcare continuum and thank nurses for what they do. The theme for this year is “Nursing the World to Health’, the WHO said, while high-lighting that in this year of the Nurse and the Midwife, now more than ever, it is essential that governments support and invest in their nurses.

Assistant Director of Nursing at PHCC, Afrah Moussa, highlighted the role of the nursing sector in pro-viding treatment for patients, saying that they are the link between the patient and their family members, and that is their role is central to improving the treatment results and follow-up during the course of patient treatment. The nursing staff also plays an effective role in improving the health level of all members of society, being the most decisive factor in the quality of care provided, Afrah said.

She pointed out that the nursing team always strives towards achieving the goal of complete health care for the individual in the areas of awareness, prevention, diag-nostic and treatment. Among the essentials of the nursing profession is health education and awareness of chronic dis-eases, clarification of maternity services for pregnant women before and after birth, and providing nec-essary vaccinations to immunize children against infectious diseases besides their main role in treatment services, she said.

The Assistant Director of Nursing stressed the important role of nursing staff in health centers, especially during this period in light of the outbreak COVID-19 disease, as nursing cadres in primary health care are considered the first line of defence against COVID-19.

The PHCC noted the joint cooperation of the nursing cadres with the MoPH and HMC to contribute with the rest of the medical cadres in meeting the needs of the Qatari community by exam-ining and guiding the largest possible number and the delivery of the service to patients in their homes to overcome the epidemic as soon as possible, and working to increase health awareness of the visitors in the health centers by urging them to follow the necessary means and precautions to avoid infection with COVID-19.

Under the lockdown

Ramadan charity

04 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 MIDDLE EAST

A car drives under a road sign calling on people to stay at home at Zouk Mosbeh highway north of Beirut yesterday, after new cases of coronavirus infections were announced. Lebanon’s Cabinet has announced a four-day nationwide lockdown as of Wednesday evening after a spike in COVID-19 cases that Prime Minister Hassan Diab said threatened the country’s so-far successful response to the pandemic.

Iran warns of virus cluster spread, says 71 more deadAFP — TEHRAN

Iran warned of a possible coro-navirus cluster hitting another province yesterday as it announced 71 new deaths and more than 1,800 infections nationwide.

“We are in situation similar to previous days (in most prov-inces) save for Khuzestan, which is still in a critical con-dition, and it seems that North Khorasan may be critical as well,” said health ministry s p o k e s m a n K i a n o u s h Jahanpour.

“If this trend continues, North Khorasan will require more serious measures, too,” he added in televised remarks.

North Khorasan province lies in northeastern Iran on the border with Turkmenistan. Khuzestan province in the southwest borders Iraq.

The ministry had on Monday signalled a setback in its efforts to contain the virus in Khuzestan where authorities shut state bodies, banks and non-essential businesses again in around a third of its counties.

Iran stopped publishing provincial figures for the coro-navirus last month.

Authorities in the south-eastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, have also warned of a fresh spike in infections.

“We had not seen such an increase in coronavirus infec-tions since” late February, said Ghasem Miri, deputy head of provincial capital Zahedan’s medical university.

The total number of people infected in the province had hit 909, of whom 821 had recovered and 59 died, Miri told

ILNA news agency on Tuesday. Miri said the jump was due

to the failure of people to observe “social distancing and health protocols”.

Iran has deemed more than 150 counties across the country as low-risk from the virus and has allowed them to reopen mosques.

Since April 11, it has allowed a phased reopening of its economy and lifted restrictions on intercity travel.

Iran’s deputy health min-ister also announced on Thursday that athletes in 29 sports — including track and field, tennis and weightlifting — could resume training.

Iraj Harirchi also told ISNA news agency that a decision about Iran’s top flight football league would be made tomorrow. According to health ministry spokesman Jahanpour, the latest deaths brought the official toll to 6,854.

He said 1,808 new cases of COVID-19 infection had been detected, raising the total to 114,533. Of those hospitalised, 90,539 had recovered and been discharged, while 2,758 were in critical condition.

Iran has struggled to contain its outbreak of the novel coronavirus since announcing its first cases in the Shia city of Qom on February 19.

QNA — KUWAIT

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health announced yesterday that it reported 947 new cases of COVID-19 during the last 24 hours, bringing the total in the country to 11,975, while six new deaths of the virus have been reported, bringing the fatalities’ tally to 88.

In a press conference, Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Al Sanad said that 175 patients were in intensive care, 95 of them are in critical condition. The newly diagnosed cases include people who were in touch with previously infected people and cases being investigated for sources of infection, he added.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health had announced at an earlier time that there have been 188 recoveries of the virus, bringing the total of recoveries in the country to 3,451 cases.

The Omani Ministry of Health announced Thursday that it reported 322 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), 80 of which were of Omanis, and 242 of non-Omanis, bringing the total of the cases in the country to 4,341. The Ministry confirmed that there have been 1,303 recoveries.

The Ministry calls on all to adhere to the social and physical distancing instructions issued by the Supreme Committee and the Ministry of Health and only leave home out of necessity.

Israel delays swearing-in of unity govt until SundayAFP — JERUSALEM

Israel has postponed the swearing-in of its long-awaited unity government, which had been set for yesterday, following a request for a three-day delay by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

After more than 500 days in limbo, three inconclusive elections in less than a year and a power-sharing agreement between Netanyahu and former rival Benny Gantz, it appeared the country’s unprec-edented political crisis had finally ended.

But Netanyahu asked Gantz to postpone the swearing-in until Sunday so he could finalise cabinet assignments among his right-wing Likud party, said a statement from Likud and Gantz’s Blue and White alliance.

“Gantz agreed to Netan-yahu’s request,” the statement said. Netanyahu and former military chief Gantz agreed to a three-year coalition gov-ernment last month, with cabinet position split among their respective allies.

But in the three weeks since the deal was agreed, hag-gling over key posts has been fierce within Netanyahu’s camp. Netanyahu, in power

since 2009, had informed Pres-ident Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday that had his gov-ernment had been finalised.

Yesterday's statement did not spell out the unresolved issues. Under the coalition deal, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the coming 18 months, a victory for a leader due to stand trial from May 24 on corruption charges, which he denies.

Gantz will be alternate prime minister — a new position in Israeli governance — for the first half of the deal, before he and Netanyahu swap roles. Pro-Netanyahu paper Israel Hayom wrote Thursday that the premier had signed off on his own “expiration date” after the longest tenure as prime minister in Israeli history.

Cabinet posts have been assigned to the left-wing Labour party, Blue and White, Likud and leaders from con-servative ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

Writing in the Yediot Aha-ronot newspaper, political columnist Ben-Dror Yemini said the coalition was “inflated” and “wasteful”, pointing to the record 34 cabinet seats, a number that could grow to 36.

Iran dismisses US threat to trigger return of UN sanctionsREUTERS & AP — TEHRAN

Iran’s Foreign Minister yesterday dismissed as “foolish claims” US threats to trigger a return of all United Nations sanctions if the UN Security Council does not extend an arms embargo on Tehran, state media reported.

The US special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, on Wednesday publicly confirmed the strategy two weeks after an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Wash-ington had notified Britain, France and Germany of its plan.

The UN embargo is due to expire in October under a 2015 Iran nuclear deal that US Pres-ident Donald Trump quit in 2018.

Washington argues it can trigger a return of UN sanctions because a 2015 Security Council resolution enshrining the deal

still names the United States as a participant.

“Foolish claims by US offi-cials is nothing new,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif told reporters.

“It is no surprise to hear such things from people who recommend drinking disin-fectants to ward off the coro-navirus - to contend they are still a party to the agreement after officially leaving it,” said Zarif.

This appeared to refer to Trump’s suggestion for research into whether the coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

A foreign ministry spokesman ridiculed a 2019 US State Department report released on Wednesday that Iran and four other countries had not coop-erated fully with US counter-ter-rorism efforts.

“With a history of founding,

funding and arming different terrorist groups, a record of state terrorism, and its outright support for another terrorist regime, US is not a good yard-stick for measuring anti-ter-rorism efforts,” spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted.

Meanwhile, the US military offered condolences yesterday to Iran over a friendly fire incident in the Islamic Republic that killed 19 of its troops, iden-tifying the weapon used in the incident as an anti-ship cruise missile.

Iranian authorities on Monday said that a missile struck the Iranian navy vessel Konarak near the port of Jask, some 1,270km southeast of Tehran in the Gulf of Oman. Authorities said the Konarak was too close to a target and was accidentally hit Sunday in an incident that also wounded 15 troops.

Yemenis gather at a stadium during a charity distribution of clothes as part of actions to help the impoverished during the fasting month of Ramadan, in the capital Sana'a, yesterday.

Israeli soldier shoot dead Palestinian in West BankREUTERS — OCCUPIED JERUSALEM

An Israeli soldier shot dead a Palestinian yesterday who the military said drove deliberately at high speed towards troops in the occupied West Bank, injuring one of them.

Violence has flared in the territory in the past week in the run-up to the planned inaugu-ration of a new Israeli “unity” government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Its agenda includes possible de facto annexation of Jewish

settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, with cabinet deliberations on the move, vehemently opposed by the Palestinians, set to begin in July.

Palestinians seek to establish a state in the West Bank, land captured by Israel in a 1967 Middle East war, and regard Israeli settlements in the territory as illegal, as do many countries.

In a statement, the military said a soldier shot and “neu-tralised” a Palestinian who drove his vehicle into another

soldier at an army post outside Negohot settlement near the city of Hebron.

The Palestinian Health Min-istry said the Palestinian was martyred. The Israeli military said the injured soldier was taken to hospital.

On Wednesday, Israeli sol-diers shot dead a 15-year-old Palestinian in Fawwar refugee camp in the West Bank.

The military said soldiers, on an arrest raid, had responded with live fire after being attacked with rocks and firebombs.

On Tuesday, a rock thrown from a rooftop in the West Bank village of Yabad killed an Israeli soldier taking part in an oper-ation to detain suspected militants.

In a separate incident in the West Bank that day, a Pales-tinian was shot and wounded by police at a checkpoint.

There was no immediate official Palestinian comment on the Fawwar refugee camp or checkpoint incidents.

US-backed peacemaking between Israel and the Pales-tinians broke down in 2014.

Attack on Turkish workers distributing aid kills twoAP — ANKARA

Turkish officials say Kurdish rebels have opened fire and killed two municipality employees who were distributing aid in a district that has been placed under quarantine due to the coronavirus outbreak. A third employee was wounded.

The attack occurred yesterday on a road near the district of Ozalp, in Van province, which

borders Iran, the local governor’s office said in a statement. The group was attacked with long-bar-reled weapons from a vehicle while they were travelling in another vehicle after having handing out aid packages.

There was no imme-diate claim of responsi-bility. Presidential com-munications director Fahrettin Altun said the attack was the work of the outlawed Kurdistan

Workers’ Party, or PKK, which has waged a more than three-decade-old insurgency in Turkey’s southeast region.

The PKK is considered a terror organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The conflict has led to the loss of tens of thousands lives since it started in 1984. The Van governor’s office said an operation has been launched to catch the assailants.

Epidemics kill over 600 people in AdenANATOLIA — ADEN

Over 600 people, including six government offi-cials, have died in Yemen’s temporary capital, Aden, due to epidemics, according to a government official.

During May 1-13, due to epidemics, including pneumonic plague and chikungunya virus, a total of 623 people, six of them government officials, died, said the official who did not want his name revealed due to security concerns.

The Yemeni government on Monday declared the temporary capital Aden a “disaster zone” due

to the spread of the novel coronavirus and other epidemics, according to local media.

The government called on the World Health Organization, the international com-munity and healthcare organizations to support Yemen in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics that emerged after a flood disaster in the city, the official Saba news agency reported.

Aden was ravaged by flash floods since mid-April, affecting 150,000 and prompted the gov-ernment last month, to declare the southern city a “disaster zone”.

Istanbul Film Festival begins online todayANATOLIA — ISTANBUL

Turkey’s prestigious Istanbul Film Festival will begin online from today, with 15 selected films set to entertain the public till May 29.

The 39th Istanbul Film Festival, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), originally scheduled from April 10-21, was postponed earlier amid fears of coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Istanbul Film Festival, held in April every year since 1984, was postponed to a later date during the year due to the COVID-19 out-break. For the first time in its 39th anniversary, the festival opens access to 15 films selected carefully from Cannes, Venice, and Berlin film festivals on filmonline.iksv.org between May 15-29,” IKSV said in a statement.

Kuwait reports 947 new COVID-19 cases, six deaths

05FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 ISLAM

The last ten nights of Ramadan

SALMAN AL OUDAH

The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. The first of these nights occurs on the eve of the

21st day of Ramadan. In other words, it is the night that commences after the completion of the 20th day of fasting.

Sometimes there are only nine nights, whenever the month of Ramadan lasts for only 29 days.

Nevertheless, they are still tradi-tionally referred to as “the last ten nights”. The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. These are the nights that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would spend in constant worship.

Among these nights is Laylat Al Qadr (the Night of Power) — a night more blessed than a thousand months.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to single these nights out for worship and the performance of good deeds.

He would exert himself in worship during these ten nights more than any other nights of the year.

Prophet's (PBUH) wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us: “During the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would tighten his waist belt and spend the night in worship. He would also wake up his family.” (Al Bukhari)

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) also said: “I had never known Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to read the entire Quran in a single night, or to spend the whole night in prayer up until the morning, or to spend a whole month in fasting —except in Ramadan.” (Nasai’ & Ibn Majah)

When we say that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spent the whole night in worship, we should qualify it. This is because he would spend some time eating dinner, partaking of his pre-dawn meal, and other similar activities. However, he would spend most of the night in worship.

Waking up the family Aisha (may Allah be pleased with

her) informs us that the Prophet (PBUH) used to wake up his family during the last ten nights of Ramadan. Indeed, he used to wake up his wives for prayer throughout the year, but that was so that they could pray for a small fraction of the night.

We know this, because Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with

her), the Prophet’s wife, relates that the Prophet woke her up one night and said: “Glory be to Allah. What has been sent down of trials during this night? What has been sent down of treasures, so that the denizens of the bed-chambers will be awakened? O Lord! To be clothed in this world by naked in the Hereafter.” (Bukhari)

During the last ten nights of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)would wake up his wives to pray for a much longer portion of the night than during the rest of the year.

Exerting in worship Aisha (may Allah be pleased with

her) tells us: “The Prophet (PBUH) would exert himself in worship during the last ten nights more than at any other time of the year.” (Muslim)

The great jurist, Al Shafi’i, declares: “It is Sunnah for one to exert greater efforts in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadan.” When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would “tighten his waist belt”, she is speaking figuratively. The phrase means to set about to devote oneself fully and wholeheartedly to the task at hand.

One of the greatest distinctions of these ten special nights is that one of them is Laylat Al Qadr. This is the greatest night of the year – better than a thousand months. This means that a Muslim can earn more rewards on the Night of Power than he would if – excluding this special night – he were to worship his Lord for eighty-four years straight. This is one of the immense favours Allah has bestowed upon the Muslim community.

Imam Ibrahim Al Nakhai says: “Good works performed on this night are better than those performed con-sistently for a thousand months.”

Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever spends Laylat Al Qadr in prayer, believing in Allah and seeking His reward, will be forgiven all of his past sins.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

“Believing in Allah”, in this hadith, means not only to believe in God, but to believe in the reward that we are promised for observing prayer on this night.

Laylat Al Qadr (the Night of Power) is on one of the odd nights. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Seek out Laylat Al Qadr in the odd

nights during the last ten nights of Ramadan.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

It is most likely one of the last seven odd nights. Ibn Umar relates that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Look for it in the last ten nights. If one of you falls weak or unable to do so, then he should at least try on the seven remaining nights.” (Muslim)

The most likely candidate for Laylat Al Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadan. This is indicated by the statement of Ubayy ibn Ka’b: “I swear by Allah that I know which night it is. It is the night in which Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) ordered us to observe in prayer. It is the night on the eve of the 27th of Ramadan. Its sign is that the sun will rise in the morning of that day white without exuding any rays.” (Muslim)

A Muslim should seek out this special night by spending the last ten nights of Ramadan engaged in various acts of worship. These include reciting the remembrances of Allah, reading the Quran, and begging Allah's forgiveness.

It is best for us to strive hard on all ten nights, because the Prophet (PBUH) said: “The way we “look for” Laylat Al Qadr is by engaging in extra worship.” When the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Look for it in the last ten nights” he did not mean that we should literally “look for” signs and indications that distinguish

Laylat al-Qadr from other nights.The things that distinguish this

night from other nights are part of the Unseen.

Allah says: Surely We revealed it on a blessed night. Surely We ever wish to warn (against evil) — On this night, every wise matter is made distinct.(Dukhan 44: 3-4)

God says in the Quran: Laylat Al Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with every decree. (This night is) peace, until the rising of the dawn. (Al Qadr 97: 3-5)

These are the ways in which Laylat Al Qadr is special. They are not things that we can see with our eyes. No one after the Prophet can see the angels.

The Prophet (PBUH) used to observe a retreat in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan up until he died. His wives continued to observe this practice after his death.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

The practice of i`tikaf is a strongly recommended act. It is defined as remaining in retreat in the mosque for the express purpose of worship. The purpose of doing so is to devote one’s heart exclusively to Allah. The person engaging in i`tikaf keeps this intention close to mind and seeks God’s blessings. He should not forget the reason why he is observing this retreat.

A person observing i’tikaf does not leave the mosque except for what is absolutely necessary.

Generosity It is encouraged for us to be extra

generous during the last ten nights of Ramadan, without being extravagant or ostentatious in our giving. Ibn Abbas relates that: “Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) was the most generous of all people in doing good, and he was at his most generous during the month of Ramadan. Gabriel used to meet with him every year throughout the month of Ramadan, so the Prophet could recite the Quran to him. Whenever Gabriel met with him, he became more generous than a beneficial breeze.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Al Nawawi states: “Generosity and open-handedness are strongly encouraged in Ramadan, especially during the last ten nights. By doing so, we emulate the example of Allah’s Mes-senger (PBUH) as well as of our Pious Predecessors. Also, this month is noble, and good works carried out in this month are more blessed than they are at any other time.

Also, during this month, people are preoccupied with fasting and worship, and this distracts them from their live-lihood, so they might need some assistance during this time.”

Courtesy:onislam.net

One of the greatest distinctions of these ten special nights is that one of them is Laylat Al Qadr. This is the greatest night of the year— better than a thousand months. This means that a Muslim can earn more rewards on the Night of Power than he would if — excluding this special night — he were to worship his Lord for eighty-four years straight. This is one of the immense favours Allah has bestowed upon the Muslim community.

Significance and rules of Zakat Al Fitr in IslamZakat Al Fitr is also known

as Sadaqatul Fitr. The word Fitr means the same

as Iftar which is breaking a fast. So, Zakat Al Fitr is the name given to charity which is dis-tributed at the end of the fast of Ramadan.

Zakat Al Fitr is the Wajib or we can say it is a duty on every Muslim to pay it before offering Eid prayer. However, it can be paid earlier than that to enable the poor to provide their needs for the Eid day.

The main aim of Zakat Al Fitr is to provide the poor with their needs and make them happy on the blessed day of Eid Al Fitr.

The intention of paying Zakat Al Fitr is to bring hap-piness to the poor on the day of Eid. And to do that we may pay it a little in advance as much as this is necessary to make it on time to the poor.

Zakat Al Fitr is a seasonal payment that has a special time-related objective that is why it must stick to this time frame. It becomes obligatory from sunset on the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of Salat Al Eid.

Zakat Al Fitr is an obligation which is due to the free or slave Muslim, male or female, young

or adult. A man who is the head of a family pays for himself and for whomever he shelters, unless they have enough money of their own, to give out Zakat Al Fitr in Ramadan.

It is stated in hadith in these words: “Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made it incumbent on all the free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa’ of dates or barley as Zakat Al Fitr” (Bukhari).

The significant role played

by Zakat in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Zakat Al Fitr. But in the case of Zakat Al Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity.

So, we can say that Zakat Al Fitr plays an important role in the development of the bonds

of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor which helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community.

Ibn Abbas reported that: “The Prophet (PBUH) made Zakat Al Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed

during Ramadan) and so that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before Salah will have it accepted as Zakat, while he who gives it after the Salah has given Sadaqat.” (Abu Dawud)

The amount of Zakat Al Fitr is the same for everyone regardless of their different income brackets. The minimum amount is one Sa’ of food, barley, grain or dried fruit for each member of the family.

Paying Zakat Al Fitr is an act of worship, and all acts of worship are described through the Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). May Allah accept our fasts and give us the strength to complete them in a better way by paying Zakat Al Fitr. Ameen!

www.quranreading.com

The intention of paying Zakat Al Fitr is to bring happiness to the poor on the day of Eid. Ibn Abbas reported that: “The Prophet (PBUH) made Zakat Al Fitr compulsory so that those who fasted may be purified of their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadan) and so that the poor may be fed.

06 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020AFRICA

7 UN agencies urge Libya ceasefire to contain coronaviusAP — UNITED NATIONS

Seven UN agencies called on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Libya to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus, saying the international community “must not turn a blind eye to the conflict” in the North African nation where 64 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.

In a joint statement, the heads of the agencies said the confirmed cases include three deaths and have been reported in different parts of Libya, showing that “the risk of further escalation of the outbreak is very high.”

They said the conflict is having a “catastrophic effect on civilians, including migrants and refugees, across the

country” and backed UN Sec-retary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for a global cease-fire to tackle the pandemic, which is especially needed now in Libya.

The agencies asked donors to “continue to show their gen-erosity and stand by the people

of Libya in their quest for peace and in this moment of great need.”

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has since split between rival admin-istrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and foreign countries.

In April 2019, eastern-based forces under military com-mander Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive trying to capture the capital, Tripoli, and fighting between forces loyal to Haftar and the UN-recognised gov-ernment based in Tripoli have recently intensified.

The agencies said the situ-ation for many migrants and

refugees “is especially alarming,” with more than 3,200 people intercepted at sea since January having been returned to Libya. The United Nations has repeatedly said the country is not safe and they should not be returned to detention.

“Many end up in one of the 11 official detention centers,” they agency heads said. “Others are taken to facilities or unof-ficial detention centres to which the humanitarian community does not have access.”

The agencies said the UN has verified 113 cases of “grave violations” in Libya over the past year, including the killing and wounding of children and attacks on schools and health facilities. Since January, they

said, “at least 15 attacks have damaged health facilities and ambulances and injured health care workers.”

Latest assessments found that as a result of the spread of the coronavirus, most cities in Libya “are facing shortages of basic food items coupled with an increase in prices,” the agencies said.

They urged continued support for food availability, saying this is essential “so that this health crisis does not worsen by becoming a food crisis.”

The agencies also urged protection for vital water sup-plies, which have been deliber-ately targeted or indiscrimi-nately attacked. They noted water is crucial for basic virus

prevention measures including hand washing.

They also said humanitarian groups reported 851 incidents in which their personnel and aid items were constrained from entering Libya or moving within the country.

The signatories of the statement were UN humani-tarian chief Mark Lowcock, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore, UN Population Fund Exec-utive Director Natalia Kanem, World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley, and International Organization for Migration Director-General António Vitorino.

The agencies said UN has verified 113 cases of “grave violations” in Libya over the past year, including the killing and wounding of children and attacks on schools and health facilities.

Burundi kicks out top WHO official in country ahead of voteAP — KIGALI, RWANDA

Burundi is kicking out the World Health Organization’s top official in the country just days before the presidential election and after the WHO raised concerns about crowded political rallies.

A foreign ministry letter seen by AP says the WHO rep-resentative to Burundi, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, has been declared persona non grata and must leave the East African nation by Friday. The letter says three WHO experts also must go.

The letter gave no expla-nation for the expulsions. Reached by phone and asked for details, Foreign Minister Ezechiel Nibigira hung up yes-terday morning. The WHO rep-resentative, Mulombo, did not immediately respond to phone calls.

The WHO Africa regional chief, Matshidiso Moeti, described Mulombo as an “extremely competent person” and said the WHO was com-municating with Burundi “to clarify and understand the rea-soning for the decision they have taken.” The day that

election campaigning in Burundi began late last month, images circulated online of crowded political rallies with President Pierre Nkurunziza in attendance.

Moeti messaged the head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about it, the Africa CDC chief has said.

The Africa CDC chief, John Nkengasong, yesterday called Burundi’s action “unfortunate” and said any differences should be addressed by dialogue instead of actions that affect the pandemic response. “We don’t have the luxury of kicking out the WHO,” he told reporters. “This war has to be won in a coordinated fashion, and coordination is key. We’re in dire need of expertise.... We encourage countries to do the right thing.”

Burundi has 27 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but some citizens and others have raised concerns that more exist. Authorities have been accused of downplaying the virus and relying on divine pro-tection, while rights groups have alleged squalid conditions and lack of access to quar-

antine facilities.Burundi is using virus

restrictions to limit election observers, however, telling the East African regional bloc that any arriving foreigners would face a 14-day quarantine. The election is on May 20.

Holding a vote that allows the virus to spread could make it “extremely difficult” for a country to contain it later, the Africa CDC chief said. “If an election is conducted that limits space for people to come together, it’s OK. But if you

cannot ensure that... then it’s gonna put you in danger.”

Burundi’s previous election in 2015 sparked deadly political turmoil as Nkurunziza success-fully ran for a third term that some said he had no right to pursue.

This time he is not running, but critics have accused the ruling party of targeting the leading opposition party and its supporters ahead of the vote. Some fear further unrest if this election’s results are dis-puted over allegations of

rigging. This is not the first time Burundi’s government has expelled a United Nations official. It kicked out the UN human rights office a year ago after the UN repeatedly raised concerns about killings and other alleged abuses following the 2015 vote.

Burundi also became the first country to leave the Inter-national Criminal Court after ICC judges authorized an inves-tigation into allegations of state-sponsored crimes including murder, rape and torture.

Supporters of Burundi’s ruling party, the National Council for the Defence of Democracy-Forces for the Defense of Democracy, attend a campaign rally of their presidential candidate Evariste Ndayishimiye at the Bugendana Stadium in Gitega Province, Burundi, on April 27, 2020.

Queuing up for COVID-19 testMen line up as health officials conduct COVID-19 screening and testing drive at the Wolhuter men’s hostel in the Jeppestown district of Johannesburg, South Africa, yesterday.

Lesotho PM can be fired if he fails to quit: PartyAFP — MASERU, LESOTHO

Lesotho’s beleaguered prime minister can be sacked by the king if he does not resign before May 22, his party said yesterday.

The tiny southern African nation has been gripped by political turmoil over accusations that premier Thomas Thabane may have had a hand in the killing of his former wife.

Thabane had told AFP that he intended to hand in his resignation to the country’s supreme traditional leader, King Letsie III, on Wednesday.

But yesterday, the prime minis-ter’s spokesman Relebohile Moyeye said he had not “received infor-mation that the PM has resigned”.

Thabane’s coalition government collapsed in parliament on Monday, paving the way for the creation of a new one and the appointment of a successor premier.

His own All Basotho Convention (ABC) party said the king can fire Thabane as he has not quit.

“The constitution says if the prime minister has lost support in parliament, the speaker will advise His Majesty,” ABC chairman Samuel Rapapa said.

“The king has authority to remove him now that the report has been submitted by the speaker that Thabane no longer commands the majority,” Rapapa said, replying to a question about what would happen if Thabane does not resign by May 22 — the date parliament reconvenes.

“We are now expecting the king to remove the prime minister. As to when, we don’t know,” Rapapa said.

Thabane, 80, who faces possible prosecution over the killing of his ex-wife, told AFP in a telephone interview that he is retiring because of old age.

Thabane and his then wife Lipolelo Thabane, 58, were going through a bitter divorce when she was shot and killed outside her home two days before her husband’s 2017 inauguration.

Police have since found Thabane’s mobile number in com-munications records from the crime scene.

That prompted rivals within and outside his party to demand his immediate resignation.

He briefly appeared in court in February but he was not formally charged and it is yet to be decided if he enjoys immunity or not.

Thabane, whose five-year term was due to run until 2022, said he felt ready to leave and was tying up loose ends to ensure his retirement was “as smooth as possible”.

Thabane’s party has nominated Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro as his successor.

Coronavirus cases in Africa surpass 70,000

ANATOLIA — ADDIS ABABA

Coronavirus cases in Africa rose to 72,336 as the tiny enclave state of Lesotho in Southern Africa reported its first infection yesterday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The death toll in the con-tinent has risen to 2,475 while the number of recoveries have reached 25,270.

North Africa continues to be the hardest-hit of the five geographic regions in terms of number of cases with 24,300 followed by West Africa 21,500, Southern Africa 13,000, East Africa 7,100 and Central Africa 6,500.

In terms of death toll, North Africa has 1,300, West 452, Central 247, Southern Africa 238 and East Africa 222.

More than 9,500 patients in North Africa, 6,300 in West, 5,000 in Southern Africa, 2,500 in East and 2,000 in Central Africa have recovered.

South Africa recorded 12,100 cases and Egypt 10,400 but the death toll in Egypt is much higher — 556 — than South Africa’s 219.

In East Africa Sudan and Somalia have suffered from fatalities the most at 90 and 52, respectively.

Namibia bans car perks for politicians for virus spendingAFP — WINDHOEK

Namibia’s president yesterday slapped a five-year ban on buying new cars for top politicians and government officials in order to channel funds into fighting coronavirus, his office said.

President Hage Geingob “has directed that the vehicle fleet of the Namibian government will not be renewed for the period 2020-2025,” presidential spokesperson Alfredo Hengari announced in a statement.

“No new vehicles will be purchased for members of the executive and public office bearers in the Namibian government.” He said the decision would save some 200 million Namibian dollars ($10.7m), which will be directed “to urgent priorities, specifi-cally at a time when the country is dealing with the health and economic implications of COVID-19”.

The southern African country of 2.5 million people has so far recorded 16 cases of COVID-19, with no deaths. Namibian ministers and their deputies each qualify for Mercedes-Benz vehicles upon their appointment. The President also directed a limit on monthly fuel consumption for top politicians.

Militants kill five soldiers in northeast NigeriaAFP — KANO, NIGERIA

Militants have killed five soldiers in an attack on a military outpost in restive northeast Nigeria, army sources said yesterday.

Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in several trucks opened fire on troops at a checkpoint outside the town of Mainok in Borno state on Wednesday, they said.

“We lost five soldiers in the surprise attack on the check-point,” a military officer, who did not want to be named, said.

Troops from the town intercepted the militants, leading to a gunfight in which “some of the terrorists” were killed and two vehicles fitted with machine guns were recovered, he said.

Another military source said the five soldiers manning the checkpoint were “out-gunned” by the insurgents.

The militants were said to have taken three military vehicles away.

The army said on late Wednesday its troops killed nine “Boko Haram terrorists” in an ambush, outside Mainok.

Spokesman Sagir Musa said two soldiers were “slightly wounded” in the encounter, without mentioning any fatal-ities from troops.

Mainok, which lies along the 120 km highway linking Maiduguri and Damaturu, the capital of neighbouring Yobe state, is an ISWAP stronghold.

The area has seen an upsurge in abductions of civilians, prompting increased military deployments to con-front the insurgents.

12 ‘terrorism’ suspects found dead in Burkina Faso prisonAFP — OUAGADOUGOU

Twelve people detained on suspicion of terrorism were found dead in their police cells in west of Burkina Faso, the local prosecutor said on Wednesday.

The prosecutor for the town of Fada N’Gourma said in a statement that 25 people had been detained overnight Monday and “unfortunately, 12 of them have died during the course of the night in the cells they were being held in.”

An investigation has been launched and officers of the judicial police are at the scene as well as health officials, the statement said.

Security sources said one

possible explanation was asphyxiation.

Independent sources said most of those detained were ethnic Fula, who are regularly accused of having links with militant groups.

In July 2019, 11 people sus-pected of drug trafficking were found dead in a single cell while in custody of the national police’s drugs squad.

Burkina Faso’s security forces have regularly been accused of mistreating Fula people.

On May 2, a Fula teacher was found dead in a police station in Ouagadougou, according to the Burkinabe human rights organisation, MBDHP.

07FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 ASIA

WHO has ‘forgotten’ neutrality by barring Taiwan: V-PREUTERS — TAIPEI

The World Health Organization (WHO) has “forgotten” its professionalism and neutrality in locking Taiwan out of the body for political reasons, Taiwan Vice-President Chen Chien-jen said yesterday.

Taiwan says China and the WHO have conspired for political purposes to keep it out of key meetings, that the WHO has not responded to requests for coronavirus information and has misreported the number of its infections.

The WHO and China have strongly dispute the

accusations, saying Taiwan has been given all the help it needed, but that only China, which claims democratic Taiwan as one of its provinces, has the right to fully represent it in the WHO.

Chen, a US-trained

epidemiologist, said the WHO had been putting politics above health.

“Unfortunately, because of political reasons, Taiwan’s 23 million people have become orphans in the global health system,” he told reporters at the presidential office in Taipei.

“The WHO pays too much attention to politics and has for-gotten their professionalism and neutrality. This is quite regrettable.”

While the WHO has done good work and contributed to world health in the past, its record on the virus has not been as good, Chen added.

“On the Wuhan pneumonia, we mostly criticise them for acting too slowly,” he said, referring to the central Chinese city where the virus first emerged late last year, before spreading worldwide to infect 4.3 million people and kill 295,000.

Chen, who was Taiwan’s health minister during the 2002-2003 SARS crisis, said the world needed to be cautious with China’s virus numbers, and urged Beijing to be more transparent.

He wished China well in its fight, however.

“Here I give my blessings to

them and hope that they can contain the Wuhan pneumonia as early as possible and avoid a second wave,” said Chen, who leaves office when President Tsai Ing-wen is sworn in for her second term next week.

Taiwan has lobbied to attend next week’s meeting of the WHO’s decision-making World Health Assembly as an observer, but China objects.

In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Taiwan’s basis for partici-pation in the WHO was damaged by the refusal of its ruling Democratic Progressive Party to recognise that the

island is part of China.There is no legal basis for a

“non-sovereign region” to par-ticipate as an observer, Zhao added.

The United States has repeatedly clashed with China over its refusal to allow Taiwan full access to the body, helping to further fuel tension between Washington and Beijing.

Taiwan’s tally of 440 virus infections and seven deaths is far lower than many of its neighbours, thanks to early and effective prevention work and an efficient public health system.

Bangladesh says virus detected in Rohingya refugee camp REUTERS — DHAKA

The novel coronavirus has been detected in one of the camps in southern Bangladesh that are home to more than a million Rohingya refugees, officials said yesterday, as humanitarian groups warned that the infection could devastate the crowded settlement.

An ethnic Rohingya refugee and another person have tested positive for COVID-19, a senior Bangladeshi official and a UN spokeswoman said. It was the first confirmed case in the camps, which are more densely populated than most crowded cities on earth.

“Today they have been taken to an isolation centre after they tested positive,” Mahbub Alam Talukder, the Refugee Relief and Repatri-ation Commissioner, said by phone.

The other patient was from the “host population”, a term usually used to refer to locals living outside the camps, the UN spokeswoman said.

Coronavirus infections have been gathering pace in recent days in Bangladesh, which has reported 18,863 cases of COVID-19 and 283 deaths.

Aid workers have warned of a potential humanitarian dis-aster if there is a significant outbreak in the refugee camps outside Cox’s Bazar.

Dr. Shamim Jahan, Save the Children’s Health Director in Bangladesh, said in a statement that healthcare capacity in the country had already been over-whelmed by the virus.

“There are only an esti-mated 2,000 ventilators in all of Bangladesh, serving a pop-ulation of 160 million people. In the Rohingya refugee camps — home to nearly a million people - there are no intensive care beds at this moment,” he said.

“Now that the virus has entered the world’s largest refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazaar we are looking at the very real prospect that thou-sands of people may die from COVID-19. This pandemic could set Bangladesh back by decades.”

Health facilities lack staff and space, while people in the camps do not have enough soap and water or space to protect themselves, said Manish Agrawal, Bang-ladesh Country Director at the International Rescue Committee.

Indonesia’s chronic testing lag undermines fight against COVID-19REUTERS — JAKARTA

More than a month after Indo-nesian President Joko Widodo promised to ramp up corona-virus testing, medical workers are complaining of persistent delays in the process.

The Southeast Asian nation, the world’s fourth most populous, has the highest coronavirus death toll in East Asia outside China, and one of the lowest global testing rates.

Indonesia reported 568 new coronavirus cases yesterday, taking the total to 16,006, with 1,043 deaths. It has so far con-ducted around 50 tests per 100,000 people, compared with 2,500 per 100,000 in neigh-bouring Singapore.

“We can’t even get the results after two weeks,” Meneldi Rasmin, a consulting doctor at Persahabatan Hospital in Jakarta, said.

“So we cannot determine whether it’s COVID-19 or not.

We can only judge them (the patients) from clinical symptoms,” he said, attributing the delay to limited equipment capacity.

COVID-19 is the lung disease caused by the new coronavirus.

President Widodo promised in April that 10,000 tests would be performed each day, but the goal is yet to be reached, with testing rates on average hov-ering at less than half that figure.

Health experts have urged Jakarta to rapidly increase its testing rate to determine the true spread of the virus across the Indonesian archipelago, saying that without sufficient data the full extent of the COVID-19 outbreak will remain unknown.

In between his rounds at Persahabatan Hospital where medical staff move about in white protective gear, Rasmin called for testing capacities to be scaled up not only in the

capital, but across the sprawling country. “Early detection by rapid testing should take place in every small district. Local clinics should take control, instead of (centralised) rapid testing,” he said.

“It should be organized at the community level, working together with the district authority.”

A health ministry official has said that more than 33,000 patients are suspected of having the novel coronavirus.

Unfortunately, because of political reasons, Taiwan’s 23 million people have become orphans in the global health system: Chen Chien-jen

Speeding bus kills Indian migrant workers trying to walk home

REUTERS — NEW DELHI

A speeding bus ran over and killed six Indian migrant workers as they tried to walk home, police said yesterday, days after the death of a group of migrants who fell asleep on a railway line shocked the country.

Five others were injured in the accident late on Wednesday, which comes as tens of thousands of distressed migrants try to get home after work — and most public transport — vanished over-night when India imposed a lockdown in late March.

The men were walking from the northern state of Haryana to their home state of Bihar hundreds of miles away, said Abhishek Yadav, a senior police official.

Neither the labour nor the road transport and highway ministries responded to requests for comment.

Dozens of migrant workers have fallen sick or died on their way home, either from fatigue or in acci-dents, underscoring the extreme risks the poor have been exposed to under measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Yesterday, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it was up to individual states to take care of migrants, including providing them freshly cooked meals.

“As regards migrants who are walking, it is very, very touchy and there is a tug at my heart when I watch this,” she said at a press conference as she announced a package of aid to help migrant workers.

“But it is up to state gov-ernments — from where they are moving to where they are moving — to make those provisions.”

Vietnam in all out effort to avoid first virus deathREUTERS — HANOI

Vietnam has mounted an all-out effort to save the life of its most critically ill novel coro-navirus patient, a British pilot who works for Vietnam Airlines, the national carrier.

Through aggressive testing and a mass, centralised quar-antine programme, the Southeast Asian country has kept its tally of coronavirus cases to just 288 and has reported no deaths.

Little expense has been spared to try save the life of the 43-year-old man, identified only as “Patient 91”, who caught the coronavirus at a bar in the southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh City in mid-March, state media reported.

More than 4,000 people connected to the cluster were tested, with 18 of them found to be infected with the coronavirus.

While most have recovered, the British pilot is on life support and his condition has deteriorated significantly.

On Tuesday, the health min-istry held a meeting with experts from top hospitals and decided that the only way to save the man’s life was with a lung transplant.

His case has garnered national interest in Vietnam,

where the government has won broad support for its campaign to contain the coronavirus.

Yesterday, state media said 10 people, including a 70-year-old military veteran, had vol-unteered themselves as lung donors, but had been turned down by state doctors.

“We are touched by their good intentions, but current regulations don’t allow us to

transplant lungs donated by most living people,” a repre-sentative of the Vietnam National Coordinating Centre for Human Organ Transplan-tation (VNHOT) told the Tuoi Tre newspaper.

The patient has just 10 percent of his lung capacity left and has been on life support for more than 30 days, Tuoi Tre said.

Deputy health minister Nguyen Truong Son told media last month that Vietnam had imported specialist medicine from overseas to treat blood clots in the patient, but to no avail.

Vietnam has spent more than five billion dong ($200,000) trying to save him, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

An aerial view of morning hour traffic is seen along a busy road in Hanoi, yesterday.

Spike in coronavirus cases in Guwahati and HyderabadIANS — GUWAHATI

Amid a sudden jump of 22 fresh COVID-19 positive cases in Assam’s main city of Guwahati in the past 24 hours, the state’s main health centre — Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) — would be opened for the admission of the new patients from today after a week, Assam’s Health Minister said yesterday.

The GMCH was closed for new patients after a doctor, who is also a postgraduate student at the GMCH, tested COVID-19 positive on May 7.

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma while briefing the media said that 22 more fresh coronavirus cases were reported in Guwahati on Wednesday and yesterday, taking the total COVID-19 pos-itive cases in the state to 86, though active cases are 43 and while 40 people were dis-charged from hospitals after they recovered from the con-tiguous virus and a patient migrated to Bihar.

In Assam, two people have so far died of the dreaded

disease. These include a 16-year-old girl in Guwahati, who was found to be infected a day after her death on May 7.

Sarma said that seven persons, including three cancer patients and a 13-year-old girl who recently underwent heart surgery in Mumbai, recently returned to Guwahati and tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. The other three are the patients’ attendants.

He said that after the central government withdrew the travel restrictions, 4,700 Assam resi-dents and 6,412 people bound for other northeastern states entered into the state by road from dif-ferent parts of the country leading to the 18 COVID-19 pos-itive cases in Assam.

“Without classifying the areas as Red Zone or Orange Zone or Green Zone, the Assam government specifies the areas as containment zone in the exact areas where COVID-19 positive cases are found. If we declare a Red Zone or Orange Zone in big areas then business, economic activities would be affected and people would suffer more,” said Sarma, who

also holds the Assam Finance Department.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 cases in Telangana continued to surge as the state reported 47 new cases yesterday, taking the tally to 1,414.

Out of the fresh cases, Greater Hyderabad accounted for 40 while neighbouring Ranga Reddy reported five cases. Two migrants also tested positive.

According to the director of public health and family

welfare, 13 patients were dis-charged from hospitals fol-lowing their recovery. This took the number of total recoveries to 952. The number of active cases now stands at 428.

No deaths were reported on Thursday. The death toll remains at 34. According to the data released by the health department, 27 of those died of COVID-19 were male while the remaining were female.

Age-wise distribution of the

deceased also shows that about 80 per cent of them were aged above 50 years. A child in the 0-9 year age group and a man in 30-39 group were among the deceased.

The data shows five of those died were in the 40-49 age group. There were nine in the 50-59 age group. Seven of the dead were aged between 60 and 69 years while nine belonged to the 70-79 age group.

A Railway Protection forces policeman issues medical certificated to stranded migrant workers as they wait with their belongings to board a special train to Bihar from MGR Central railway station after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the COVID-19, in Chennai, India, yesterday.

08 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020VIEWS

CHAIRMAN

DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFIeditorinchief@pen.com.qa

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR

MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMEDm.salim@pen.com.qa

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI osman@pen.com.qa

EDITORIAL

WHILE Qatar’s early response to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been lauded for being effective and coherent, the country’s strategy against the pandemic has continued to evolve ever since. As the State and the region as a whole have expe-rienced a surge in COVID-19 infection in recent weeks, the authorities in Qatar have responded by redoubling the COVID-19 prevention, detection and treatment efforts, and have expanded the health sector’s capacity to successfully handle the patient load.

In addition to existing network of hospitals and primary health centers, the authorities have set up fully-equipped field hospitals as a contingency plan. A 200-bed field hospital has been set up in the Industrial Area while a 504-bed facility has been made functional at Libsear military camp.

The Industrial Area field hospital, which was con-ceived and built for the local population after the area was placed on lockdown, has a dedicated section for COVID-19 patients and can receive up to 3,000 patients daily. It is manned by 200 medical and paramedical staff and also has an ambulance station.

The Libsear field hospital, which will receive COVID-19 patients exclusively, is a success story in itself. It has been built within three weeks, as a result of collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Defence.

The surge in the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the country in recent weeks is because the region is going through the peak phase of the outbreak, but is also the result of increased testing. The country has conducted more than 140,000 COVID-19 tests to date.

Authorities are also carrying out random tests in dif-ferent localities, supermarkets, private hospitals and residential complexes. Random testing is helping author-ities determine the spread and flow of the infection in the community and detect asymptomatic cases.

By aggressively tracing and testing contacts of con-firmed cases, authorities aim to reach positive cases as early as possible to help break the chain of trans-mission and reduce the spread of the infection in the community. And they have been largely successful in this, as approximately 25 percent of those tested through contact-tracing have been found positive. This high percentage shows the effectiveness of the contact-tracing mechanism and that the right people are being tested.

Qatar’s mortality rate of 0.05 percent — 14 deaths out of more than 26,000 confirmed cases to date — is among the lowest in the world, and a testament to the effectiveness of the country’s COVID-19 prevention strategy.

Fight against COVID-19

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE: TEL: 4455 7741 / 767FAX: +974 4455 7758

MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4462 7505

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4455 7769

LOCAL NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7743

BUSINESS NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4462 7535

SPORT NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7745

ONLINE SECTION: TEL: 4462 7501email: INFO@PEN.COM.QA

PUBLIC RELATIONS: TEL: 4455 7613email: PR@PEN.COM.QA

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7837 / 780FAX: 4455 7870, email: adv@pen.com.qa

CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7857email: adv@pen.com.qa

SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION: TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 FAX: 44557819, email: info@tawseelqatar.com

D-RING ROAD, POST BOX: 3488, DOHA - QATAR

EMAIL: editor@pen.com.qa

Quote of the day

The greatest challenge facing the Palestinians today is the Israeli threat of annexation, which constitutes the last link of a systematic process to destroy the possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state.Mohammad Shtayyeh, Palestinian Prime Minister

THE WASHINGTON POST

Silicon Valley’s new motto during the coronavirus pandemic is to move fast and fix things. Technologists have created contact tracing systems to help get us out of this crisis and out of our houses, but the narrow debates surrounding the inventions miss a reality: Any digital solution to our problem that’s sufficiently privacy-protective also won’t be sufficiently useful without a lot of humans in the loop.

Apple and Google have built a Bluetooth-based tool that, in combination with apps

built by states and localities, will notify users who have come into contact with someone who has self-reported a covid-19 diagnosis. Many governments around the world are sparing themselves technical headaches by accepting the companies’ vision as their own. Others are not, primarily because they want to control more data than the companies will permit.

Those hanging on to dreams of this so-called cen-tralized model include France and Britain. Regulators in the U.K. argue that holding the anonymized data of those the

infected have encountered will allow them to decide which cit-izens to notify and which to leave alone, as well as to analyze the types of interac-tions most likely to result in transmission. Those pushing the decentralized model argue that proximity data isn’t as anonymous as it seems and so could allow for too much gov-ernment monitoring. They argue further that the crucial ingredient to success is trust: The less like a dragnet a tracing tool looks, the more people will use it - and use it in a way that’s helpful to stemming outbreaks.

The dispute obscures the

fact that neither method, as long as it puts anonymity at the center and as long as it leaves location aside as most Western liberal democracies have pledged, can come close to a substitution for manual efforts. That doesn’t mean the systems aren’t valuable, but their value shouldn’t be overstated.

Contact tracing as tradi-tionally conducted relies pre-cisely on a lack of anonymity. It requires knowing names, addresses and routines to follow extended chains of transmission and also cajole people, through person-to-person interaction, into behaving responsibly.

/PeninsulaQatar

/ThePeninsulaQatar

/Peninsula_Qatar

/ThePeninsulaNewspaper

+974 6698 6188

www.thepeninsula.qa

Apple and Google’s tools alone aren’t enough for contact tracing

Established in 1996

PROJECT SYNDICATE - PS

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many institutional weaknesses, but above all, it has shown that the United Nations is in urgent need of reform. In particular, the response of the World Health Organization – the UN’s global health agency – to the virus has revealed obvious shortcomings, which reflect a lack of international consensus and cooperation, as well as widespread protectionism on the part of its stakeholders.

Nowhere has criticism of the WHO been louder or more pronounced than in the United States, where President Donald Trump’s recent decision to freeze US funding for the organization delivered a devastating blow at a time when it was desperately in need of support. What the UN does next, and how it recovers from its failure to coordinate effectively during the COVID-19 crisis, will determine its role in the post-pandemic world.

I consider myself a son of the UN and a staunch supporter of its values and prin-ciples. Over a period of more than four decades, I undertook various roles within its mammoth bureaucracy, starting in 1974 with my appointment as Qatar’s delegate to the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and ending in 2017, when I failed by a single vote to become UNESCO Director-General.

For much of this time, the UN consist-ently provided hope for a better future. Its specialized agencies and organizations played a vital role in preserving world peace, preventing international conflicts, eliminating colonialism, and protecting human rights.

More recently, however, the UN’s role has been steadily declining, and its influence on world events and govern-ments has waned. Once the world’s pre-eminent moderator and arbitrator, it has become too constrained by old concepts and doctrines to be the truly effective, col-laborative global governing body that its founders envisioned. It can no longer instill respect among governments for interna-tional legitimacy, international law, and the maintenance of global peace and security, as it did after both World War II and the collapse of the Soviet Union, for example.

Put simply, the world has changed and the UN has failed to keep up. The twenty-first century’s turbo-charged political, eco-nomic, and cultural fluidity has left the once-powerful organization exposed, with few friends left to defend it.

But this decline does not mean that the UN is destined for history’s scrap heap. If the past is any guide, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic – a catastrophic

failure of global politics – is likely to usher in a period of significant change throughout the world. I believe we are heading toward a new and more diverse global order, in which international gov-ernance is no longer driven by any one country or set of political values.

During the COVID-19 crisis, interna-tional solidarity has failed, as each country has sought to protect its own interests. When the world eventually emerges from the pan-demic, there will be inquests, finger pointing, and even scapegoating. The UN will need to weather this storm, but I think that, in the end, it will be helped by a renewed appreci-ation for the collective community that we previously worked so hard to build.

Still, this period of reckoning will be difficult for the UN, because tough deci-sions will need to be made. The organi-zation will need to abandon its old mindset and move in directions that it may find uncomfortable.

For example, bodies such as UNESCO will need to demonstrate their contribution to the world more clearly. Because edu-cation, science, and culture will be critical

to the post-pandemic recovery, UNESCO’s leaders must ask themselves probing ques-tions: What are we doing to preserve cul-tural values? How can we protect human rights, including the right to education? How can we lead the scientific community and prevent another pandemic? Should there be more regional diversification to ensure it serves all member states, and does the leadership reflect this? Only by addressing such challenges successfully will UNESCO and other UN agencies remain relevant in a post-COVID-19 world.

Reform of the UN should start at the top with the Security Council, whose five per-manent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the US – continue to exert veto-wielding power commen-surate with a bygone age. Expanding the Council’s permanent membership to include other countries – from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East – would deliver a more equitable balance to global decision-making.

And such change is justified. For example, India is set to become the world’s most populous country during this decade, Japan has the world’s third-largest economy, and South Africa and Nigeria have by far the largest economies in the continent with the fastest-growing population.

Equally, UN agencies need to ensure that citizens of the country in which they are based do not fill their top positions. Too often, an organization’s choice of lead-ership calls its legitimacy and inde-pendence into question. We need look no further than my own region – the Middle East – to see the harmful effects that such decisions can have.

For example, the Cairo-based Arab League was once hailed as a platform for Arab cooperation, but the continuing appointment of a member of the Egyptian government as the organization’s Secretary General signaled its demise. By seeking to make the League an extension of the Egyptian state, the country’s leaders have rendered the body politically obsolete and reduced it to a hollow discussion forum.

The COVID-19 pandemic should serve as the necessary starting point for UN reform. If it does not, then I fear that the organization to which I dedicated much of my professional career, and whose values I hold in the highest regard, will be unable to find a secure place in today’s world, let alone regain its former glory.

H E Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari is a Minister of State of Qatar with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister, President of the Qatar National Library, and a former Qatari ambassador to the United Nations.

It’s time to reform the UN

H E Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kawari

The United Nations’ failure to coordinate effectively during the COVID-19 crisis will bring about a difficult period of reckoning and tough decisions for the organization.

09FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 ASIA

Residents in Wuhan queue up for COVID-19 mass-testing campaignREUTERS — WUHAN

Residents in Wuhan braved pouring rain in queues of more than an hour to take part in a government-led exercise to test the city’s 11 million people for the novel coronavirus, a scale health experts describe as unprecedented.

Authorities in the central Chinese city, where the global pandemic began last year and whose cases account for more than 80 percent of the coun-try’s total, started the campaign this week after a cluster of new cases raised fears of a second wave of infections.

While Wuhan lifted its 76-day lockdown last month, concerns persist over how many asymptomatic cases —people who show no symptoms but are capable of spreading the virus — there may be.

In Wuhan’s Qiaokou dis-trict, at the Zirun Mingyuan apartment community where about 10,000 people live, men, women and children stood under umbrellas while elderly residents perched on stools as they waited to get tested at four

sites set up in the middle of the compound.

Many said they were notified by text by the com-pound’s residential committee on Tuesday that they could get tested in batches and were under the impression it was voluntary and free of charge.

Authorities say they aim to test all 11 million residents, though the priority are people from 12 categories, such as school, medical, transport, supermarket and government workers and people returning from overseas or leaving Wuhan for work.

“Even though there weren’t any new cases in a while it seems Wuhan continues to have asymptomatic patients. Everyday there’s a few,” said Zhu Fangmin, 43, who stood in a queue of more than 60 people.

“It’s very likely these people could be around us so this wide-scale examination will put people’s mind at ease,” she said.

One test site was made up of two tables. At the first, a vol-unteer took down identification

details. The other was staffed by two nurses dressed in face shields, gloves and hazmat suits, one of whom took throat swabs from residents.

Some people expressed concern that they could catch the virus through the testing exercise, by standing in the queues. “I heard that the nurses aren’t switching their gloves,” said one woman who gave her surname as Chen.

Health News, a newspaper affiliated to China’s National Health Commission, said on Tuesday while the exercise would likely cost Wuhan more than 1 billion yuan, it would help find possible sources of infection and provide reas-surance for work resumption purposes and to other provinces receiving travellers from Wuhan.

Wuhan now had a daily testing capacity of 100,000 and 63 agencies that could process nucleic acid tests, the news-paper said. But if it wanted to hit its target of testing all resi-dents in 10 days, it would need to test 730,000 people a day, it said.

China rejects US claim of attempted vaccine theftAFP — BEIJING

Beijing accused the United States yesterday of smearing China after Washington alleged Chinese hackers were attempting to steal research on developing a vaccine against the coronavirus.

The claims have added fuel to tensions between the global superpowers, who have traded barbs over the origin of the pandemic that has killed 300,000 people.

US authorities said on Wednesday that Chinese hackers were trying to obtain coronavirus data on treatments and vaccines, warning the effort involved Chinese government-affiliated groups and others.

The FBI and the Cyberse-curity and Infrastructure Security Agency said China’s efforts posed a “significant threat” to the US response to COVID-19.

“China expresses strong dis-satisfaction and firm opposition

to such smearing,” foreign min-istry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing.

“Judging from past records, the US has carried out the largest cybertheft operations worldwide,” Zhao said.

He stressed that Beijing has significant achievements of its own in the fight against the pandemic.

China is “also leading the world in COVID-19 vaccine research and treatment”, and therefore has more reason to worry about cyber espionage itself, Zhao said.

He added that the country has cracked down on cyber-hacking, and that any cyber attack hindering the global fight against the pandemic should be condemned by people around the world.

Responding to US President Donald Trump’s reference to COVID-19 as the “Plague from China”, Zhao said the US should stop blaming and dis-crediting others, and focus on their own prevention and control work.

The virus first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

Trump has accused China of hiding the origins of the virus and not cooperating with the United States and other coun-tries in efforts to research and fight the disease.

Asked on Monday about reports that the US believed Chinese hackers were targeting US vaccine research, Trump replied: "What else is new with China? What else is new? Tell me. I'm not happy with China."

A medical worker taking a swab sample from a resident to be tested for the COVID-19 in Wuhan, in China’s central Hubei province, yesterday.

Suicide attack in Afghanistan leaves five deadAP — KABUL

A suicide bombing in Afghani-stan’s eastern Paktia province yesterday that looked to target a military compound but exploded before its destination killed five civilians and wounded at least 29 others, including civilians and military personnel, Afghan officials said.

The Taliban took responsi-bility for the bombing, calling it retaliation for statements by President Ashraf Ghani blaming it for an attack earlier this week against a maternity hospital that killed 24 people, including two newborns as well as several mothers and nurses.

The Taliban were quick to deny responsibility and condemn that attack on Tuesday. The US special peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, also noted the Taliban’s denial and urged the Afghan government and Taliban to work together to battle the scourge of terrorism, specifically from the IS affiliate operating in Afghanistan.

The Taliban and IS extremists are rivals. Afghan and American officials say the IS affiliate in Afghanistan has been weakened in recent months as a result of US bombing raids in the group’s stronghold, as well as military operations by Afghan security

forces and attacks by Taliban insurgents.

The IS affiliate declared war on Afghanistan’s minority Shia several years ago. It did take responsibility for another bombing on Tuesday in the eastern Nangarhar province that targeted the funeral of a pro-government warlord that killed 32 people.

In his speech following Tuesday’s dual attacks, Ghani did not mention the Islamic State but said he was ordering an all-out offensive against the Taliban.

Khalilzad brokered a peace agreement between the US and the Taliban in February to allow

US and Nato troops to leave Afghanistan. It was seen at the time as Afghanistan’s best chance at peace in decades of war but the government has since been consumed with political turmoil. Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah have both declared themselves winners of last year’s presi-dential polls.

Meanwhile, Khalilzad has been pressing the Taliban to agree to a reduction in violence. Since the deal, they have con-tinued attacking government security forces but since refrained from attacking US or Nato troops, who often come to the aid of embattled Afghans.

Strong typhoon slams into pandemic-hit PhilippinesAP — MANILA

A strong typhoon slammed into the eastern Philippines yesterday, knocking out power and threat-ening food crops in a new emer-gency for a country already over-whelmed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Typhoon Vongfong blew into Eastern Samar province at noon with fierce rain and wind as tens of thousands of people were being evacuated to safety in provinces along its northwestward path through the country’s most pop-ulous region. There were no imme-diate reports of casualties or major damage.

After landfall, the storm main-tained its maximum sustained winds of about 155kph but its gusts intensified to 255kph, weather agency administrator Vicente Malano said.

The typhoon hit as the Philip-pines struggles to deal with coro-navirus outbreaks, largely with a lockdown in the main northern region of Luzon that is to be eased this weekend, except in metro-politan Manila and two other high-risk areas. The rest of the country will be placed in less restrictive

quarantines, and crucial businesses will partially reopen starting next week after the economy contracted in the first quarter.

More than 11,600 coronavirus infections, including 772 deaths, have been reported in the country.

“This is a double whammy,” Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone said by telephone. “Psy-chologically, the people are already struggling with COVID and now we

have this typhoon.”Evardone said the entire

province lost power, apparently due to downed electricity lines. Six northern towns could not be reached by cellphone or two-way radio, and the storm hit during the harvest season for rice and corn, he said.

Neighbouring Northern Samar province also lost power, Governor Edwin Ongchuan said by telephone,

adding that authorities will survey the damage after the storm.

Ongchuan said he asked for twice the usual number of school buildings to be turned into typhoon shelters to accommodate thousands of displaced coastal residents because of the required social dis-tancing, which aims to reduce the chance of coronavirus infections.

Overcrowding in emergency shelters has been common in an archipelago that is lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms annually and is often hit by volcanic erup-tions and earthquakes.

In Eastern Samar’s far-flung Jipapad town, Mayor Benjamin Ver said by telephone that social dis-tancing is “almost impossible” to enforce, with only the town hall and a small gymnasium serving as evac-uation shelters for about 8,000 res-idents in the flood- and landslide-prone municipality.

Ver said he has secured enough face masks to protect villagers from the virus if they take shelter in the town hall.

Eastern Samar, a province of half a million people, remains free of confirmed coronavirus infec-tions, unlike neighbouring regions, Evardone said.

A motorist braving rains and strong wind maneouvres along a highway littered with fallen coconut trees in Can-avid town, in Eastern Samar province, yesterday.

Judging from past records, the US has carried out the largest cybertheft operations worldwide: Zhao Lijian

Panda dolls kick pandemicblues for Thai dinersREUTERS — BANGKOK

Can’t bear to eat alone?One restaurant in Thailand

is ensuring it meets new social distancing guidelines, and pro-viding lonely diners a bit of company, by seating stuffed pandas at its tables.

Thailand earlier this month relaxed some restrictions on businesses as the number of coronavirus cases slowed, allowing restaurants to reopen but with strict rules in place to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

“Earlier we had only one chair for the tables where the customer came alone. But for me, it felt strange, so I thought I’d give them some company,” said Natthwut Rodchanapan-thkul, the owner of Maison Saigon, a Vietnamese res-taurant in Bangkok.

Sitting opposite one of the panda dolls, diner Sawit Chaiphuek said he was happy to have some company as he stepped out to eat for the first time in months.

“The doll makes me feel less lonely eating by myself,” said Sawit, 25.

Siriporn Assavakarint, another customer, said the new seating rules often bam-boozled diners, and the army of plush pandas made things much clearer.

“It’s a lot easier to under-stand compared to other res-taurants where people always get confused about where to sit and end up sitting too close to each other.”

On Wednesday, Thailand reported zero new cases for the first time since early March, before the lockdown began.

People have dinner as they sit next to stuffed panda dolls, used as part of social distancing measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, at the Maison Saigon restaurant , in Bangkok on Wednesday.

Thailand reports 1 new virus case, no new deathsREUTERS — BANGKOK

Thailand yesterday reported one new coronavirus case and no new deaths, bringing the total to 3,018 cases and 56 deaths since the outbreak started in January.

The new patient is a 39-year-old man from the northern province of Chiang Mai who recently returned from working on the resort island of Phuket, an area with high infection rate, said Taw-e e s i n W i s a n u y o t h i n , spokesman for the govern-ment’s Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

Since the outbreak esca-lated, 2,850 patients have recovered and gone home and 112 people are still being treated in hospitals, he said.

Lawmakers back temporary franchise for ABS-CBNBLOOMBERG — MANILA

The Philippines’ House of Representatives has initially approved a temporary franchise for shut-tered broadcaster ABS-CBN Corp to air through October while lawmakers debate on renewing its 25-year permit.

“Today, to end all conflicts and discussions, we will begin the process of turning on your trans-mitter by giving you a franchise until October 31, 2020,” House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said in a speech at the bill’s committee approval on Wednesday. “We will not pass the buck. We will have hearings and finish this.”

The bill needs to be approved by the Senate and President Rodrigo Duterte, who first made his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal in April 2017 for alleged bias. Authors of the bill said a provisional franchise will allow the House and the Senate to hear the issues raised on the broadcaster.

ABS-CBN said in a statement on Wednesday it welcomes the provisional permit and will par-ticipate in the process of renewing its franchise. The network, in a petition filed last week with the Supreme Court to halt the shut order, said it’s losing 35 million pesos each day it’s off the air, con-straining it ability to service debts.

ABS-CBN was ordered shut by the telecommu-nications commission on May 5, a day after its fran-chise expired. Trading on shares of ABS-CBN remains suspended since a halt by the bourse on May 6.

10 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020EUROPE

France says any Sanofi COVID-19 vaccine for the world, no favouritesREUTERS — PARIS/WASHINGTON

France said yesterday that the world’s nations would have equal access to any coronavirus vaccine developed by pharmaceuticals giant Sanofi, a day after the CEO suggested that Americans would likely be the first in line.

US President Donald Trump said he was mobilising the mil-itary to distribute a vaccine when one became available as scien-tists across the world rushed to find cures and treatments for a disease that has killed nearly 300,000 people worldwide.

More than 90 vaccines are currently being developed glo-bally, with eight in the clinical trial phase. But experts say the process could take years and may not happen at all.

There is still no vaccine for HIV, which emerged in the early 1980s, or SARS, a corona-virus that hit Asia in 2002.

“A vaccine against COVID-19 should be a public good for the world. The equal access of all to the virus is non-negotiable,” French Prime Min-ister Edouard Philippe said yesterday.

He was speaking after com-ments by CEO Paul Hudson, who said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday: “The US government has the right to the largest preorder because it’s invested in taking the risk.” The comments had upset President Emmanuel Macron, an Elysee official said.

Sanofi, which has urged stronger European coordi-nation in the hunt for a vaccine and has US financial support, clarified that any such vaccine

would be made available to all.Hudson said yesterday it

was vital that any coronavirus vaccine reach all regions and he was sorry that his earlier remarks had created such a storm.

Sanofi is working on two vaccines project, one with British rival GlaxoSmithKline Plc that has received financial support from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Devel-opment Authority (BARDA) of the US Health Department and another with US company Translate Bio that will use dif-ferent technology.

Trump, who faces re-election in November and is pushing for an early re-opening of the economy despite the world’s highest coronavirus death toll, said he believed there would be a vaccine by the end of the year.

“Our military is now being mobilised so at the end of the year, we’re going to be able to give it to a lot of people very, very rapidly,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network.

His timetable conflicted

with that given by his top infec-tious disease expert in Senate testimony on Tuesday.

Anthony Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases, said the idea that there would be a vaccine available by the autumn, when schools and uni-versities resume classes, was “a bridge too far”.

Fauci and other US health experts have said it would likely be at least a year before a vaccine was available. He also told the Senate he was cau-tiously optimistic there would be one.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, asked by Israel’s Kan 11 News whether Israel would be ahead in the line to share any vaccine, said he hoped it would be shared across the globe.

More than 4.37 million people have been reported to be infected globally and 296,257 have died, according to a Reuters tally. The United States has the highest death toll at 83,720.

The World Health Organi-zation is leading a global initi-ative to develop a vaccine.

“We do have some treat-ments that seem to be in very early studies limiting the severity or the length of the illness but we do not have any-thing that can kill or stop the virus,” spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a briefing in Geneva.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which approves medicines for the European Union, said on Thursday a vaccine could be approved in about a year in an “optimistic” scenario.

Markus Soeder (CSU), Prime Minister of Bavaria (centre), and Dieter Reiter (SPD) Munich’s mayor (right), meet with medical staff at the intensive care unit of the Munich Schwabing hospital in Munich, Germany, yesterday.

Germany must stabilise social security system with cash injection: OfficialsREUTERS — BERLIN

Germany will have to stabilise its social security system with cash injections to cushion the effect of coronavirus on health, the labour market and pensions, officials said on Thursday, an effort experts estimate could cost many billions of euros.

The German economy, Europe’s largest, is facing its deepest recession since World War Two even though a lockdown to contain the spread of the virus is being gradually eased. The plunge in business activity is expected to push down tax revenues and tear a gigantic hole in the public finances.

Eckhardt Rehberg, budget chief of Chancellor Angela Mer-kel’s conservatives, said the latest tax revenue estimates, expected later yesterday, will show that the fiscal room to manoeuvre is getting smaller and that Berlin

has to set priorities now.“We should not raise the

impression that the state can do everything. That’s why I think we won’t be able to fulfil every spending wish,” Rehberg told ARD public broadcaster.

Rehberg said the government should focus on stabilizing the public social security system with cash injections, helping busi-nesses with a fiscal stimulus pro-gramme and supporting other European countries during the economic recovery.

Asked what spending wish the government should reject, Rehberg said that he was against another cash-for-clunkers pro-gramme to support Germany’s car industry as the sector itself still had large financial reserves.

“Instead of mulling cash incentives to buy a new car, it’s better to think about (supporting) innovation in this area and not only in one sector, but also in other

sectors,” he said. Health Minister Jens Spahn, another member of Merkel’s conservatives, welcomed Rehberg’s budget priorities.

“In the coronavirus cabinet, we agree that payments (of employers and employees) into the social security system must not rise above the 40 percent threshold, especially in such an economically difficult situation,” Spahn told RND media group.

“So the logical consequence from this is that the federal gov-ernment needs to inject more cash into the social security system to stabilize contribu-tions in 2021,” Spahn said.

Rehberg and Spahn didn’t put a figure on the expected cash injections. But in the labour market alone, the Labour Office has calculated in a worst case sce-nario that the government would have to inject £15bn in 2020 and 2021 to avoid higher payments from employers and employees.

Spain’s daily virus death toll rises, potential second wave feared

REUTERS — MADRID

Spain’s daily coronavirus death toll rose yesterday to its highest in a week as author-ities warned that a second wave of the outbreak was possible after a nationwide antibody survey showed about 5% of the population had contracted the virus.

The number of fatalities caused by the disease reported each day rose on Thursday to 217 up from 184 on the previous day, the health ministry said. The number rose above 200 for the first time since May 8.

The reasons for the increase are unclear, head of health emergencies Fernando Simon said. More than half of the new fatalities were reported in one region, Catalonia.

“We are now working with the region to identify the date of the deaths and evaluate whether these are new fatal-ities or if there was a delay in the update,” Simon said.

The overall death toll from the disease rose to 27,321, while the number of diagnosed cases rose to 229,540 yesterday.

The preliminary results have shown a five percent prevalence ratio in Spain’s 47 million population, much below the levels needed to attain “herd immunity”, which means a second wave of con-tagion is possible all over the country if the measures to stem the pandemic are not observed, Simon said.

UK follows EU, US to approve Roche antibody testsREUTERS — LONDON

Britain is in talks with Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG to buy an accurate COVID-19 antibody test, following the lead of the European Union and United States, which had already given preliminary approval to the tests.

Mass antibody testing with millions of kaits is being con-sidered by many countries as a way to speed the reopening of economies devastated by the lockdowns and social dis-tancing measures put in place to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

A Public Health England

laboratory concluded on May 7 that the Roche test detected the exact antibodies prompted by the virus, but the findings were only made public late on Wednesday.

“This has the potential to be a game changer,” Edward Argar, Britain’s junior health minister said yesterday.

“We are now moving as fast as we can to discuss with Roche purchasing of those but I can’t give you an exact date when we’ll be able to start rolling them out.” The Roche test received a conformity assessment, known as Con-formité Européenne, or CE mark, from the European Union

on April 28 and received Emer-gency Use Authorization from the US Food and Drug Admin-istration on May 2.

Roche said it was able to produce hundreds of thousands of the tests per week for the United Kingdom. Germany is getting three million of them this month, and five million a month after June.

The antibody tests — also known as a serology test — show who has been infected, although it is not yet clear whether the presence of anti-bodies to the new coronvirus, SARS-CoV-2, confers per-manent immunity.

They require a blood test

that can be run on fully-auto-mated equipment in labora-tories to provide results in just 18 minutes.

Britain’s health ministry did not answer questions about how many tests it has ordered.

“We are exploring the use of antibody testing across the NHS and ultimately the wider public,” a ministry spokesman said, adding that the gov-ernment was “actively working on our plans for rolling out antibody testing”.

Similar antibody tests have also been developed by com-panies including US-based Abbott Laboratories and Italy’s DiaSorin. Abbott and Germany’s

Siemens Healthineers have sep-arately laid out plans to produce 20 million tests or more per month for the global market from June.

Based in Basel, Switzerland, Roche said it is ramping up capacity to produce high double digit millions of tests per month to serve countries accepting the CE mark and the United States.

“The test requires a blood sample to be taken by a qual-ified healthcare professional and processed in a laboratory,” Roche said, adding that it was one of the most accurate tests on the market with over 99.8 specificity.

People getting on and off a bus in Brixton following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in London, Britain, yesterday.

London mayor calls for govt grant for bus, rail servicesAFP — LONDON

London mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday warned that bus and underground services in the British capital would be cut without urgent government funding to help meet the costs.

Operator Transport for London (TfL) has seen a 90 percent drop in revenue from ticket sales during the seven-week coronavirus lockdown as passenger numbers slump.

It has been paying the £600m monthly operating bill from cash reserves but says the situation is no longer sustainable.

Khan said the operator was legally obliged to balance its books and without emergency funding would be forced to slash

services, even as lockdown restrictions are gradually eased.

“We’d have to reduce the bus services we provide. We’d have to reduce the Tube services we provide to save money,” he told LBC radio in an interview.

“If we don’t get the deal done today, the CFO (chief financial officer) of TfL has legal duties that he has to follow.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week eased stay-at-home measures in England, rec-ommending workers in sectors such as manufacturing and con-struction return to their jobs.

The government has called for people to use alternatives to public transport, including walking and cycling, but in the capital, some Tube and bus services have been packed.

Dentists reopen in France after two-month lockdownAP — PARIS

Anyone who suffered through France’s two-month lockdown with a toothache or other oral affliction of a non-emergency nature has a hope of licking the pain. Dental practices around the country are cautiously reopening and accepting appointments after the French government eased restrictions

on some businesses, services and public activity.

Yet getting back to work in the age of coronavirus requires caution, especially for over 40,000 dentists in France who are among the health professionals at highest risk of becoming infected.

Because respiratory droplets are a way the virus spreads among people, dentistry demands protecting patients and

especially practitioners. That means not only disinfecting tools and surfaces, but layer upon layer of extra screens, wraps, gloves and masks.

The World Health Organi-sation has recommended spe-cialized face masks for health care providers performing medical procedures such as ventilation and intubation that produce fine, airborne particles,

which might transmit the coro-navirus. Drilling teeth for fillings is also known to generate aer-osolised viral particles.

Paris dentist Sabrine Jen-doubi said the trade-off for safety is the discomfort of addi-tional head and body wear.

“A surgical suit is something that we wear in the operating theater. Today, we wear it for everything.” Jendoubi said. Of

the various filtering face masks certified to protect against viruses in the air, she finds the FFP2-rated model “the most complicated, as it’s really tight.” “It filters out every virus and bacteria, so it’s quite heavy to wear but it protects us and the patients,” Jendoubi said.

An operator of medical clinics and offices in France, Doctocare, said it is costing

$54,000 to supply each of the company’s centres with the hygiene and protective equipment recommended by the French government.

“We will communicate to the government these difficult adjust-ments in terms of profitability, but for now we’re focused on this public health issue,” Carine Ben-harrous, director of dental oper-ations at Doctocare, said.

A vaccine against COVID-19 should be a public good for the world. The equal access of all to the virus is non-negotiable,” French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said.

11FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020 EUROPE / AMERICAS

Russia slams NYT and FT on virus deathsAP — MOSCOW

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has criticised the Financial Times and The New York Times after they reported that Russia’s coronavirus death toll could be much higher than government officials are saying.

The articles said that they were based on a spike in total mortality rates reported by offi-cials in Moscow, who said the capital registered about 1,800 deaths more in April 2020 than the monthly average.

The New York Times reported that total is far higher than the official COVID-19 death count of 642, which the news-paper said was an indication of significant underreporting by the authorities. It quoted Tatiana N Mikhailova, a senior researcher at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration in Moscow, as saying that the number who died from the virus is “possibly almost three times higher than the official toll.” The Financial Times pointed to a similar surge in deaths reported by authorities in St Petersburg, and it con-cluded that nationwide, Russia could have 70 percent more coronavirus deaths than it reports.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

complained about what she called “disinformation” by the two newspapers and said letters demanding a retraction would be passed on to both yesterday.

Danielle Ha, vice president for communications for The New York Times, told Russian news agencies the report was accurate because it was based on data released by an official state agency.

The Financial Times didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russia has reported over 250,000 coronavirus cases on Thursday and 2,305 deaths. The comparatively low death toll

raised questions in the West, with some critics suggesting it could be much higher.

The New York Times reported that Russia’s mortality rate of only about 13 deaths per million was far below the world average of 36.

Russian health officials insisted that the relatively low coronavirus death toll is due to its instituting a quick ban on travel from neighbouring China earlier this year, an early intro-duction of restrictions and tracing of the infected contacts. US President Donald Trump has cited a similar travel ban for his efforts to combat the virus.

Russian officials also have said the scope of testing has been significantly increased in recent weeks, allowing for offi-cials to spot the infections quickly and prevent patients from developing life-threat-ening complications.

Following the Foreign Min-istry statement, lawmaker Vasily Piskaryov demanded that reporters from the newspapers be stripped of their accredi-tation, effectively banning them from working in the country.

Zakharova said measures against the media organizations “will depend on whether they run the retraction.” Last month, Russian lawmakers approved fines of up to $25,000 and

prison terms of up to five years for anyone who spreads what is deemed to be false infor-mation during the outbreak. Under the measure, media outlets could be fined up to $127,000 for disseminating dis-information about the virus.

On Wednesday, Moscow’s health department rejected the allegations of undercounting coronavirus deaths. Officials said

autopsies are being conducted in all suspected coronavirus deaths.

“That’s why post-mortem diagnoses in Moscow and causes of death, in the end, are exceedingly accurate, and the mortality data absolutely trans-parent,” the statement said.

More than 60 percent of deaths of people with coronavirus in Moscow were ascribed to other causes, such as cardiovascular

ailments, cancer, diseases involving organ failures and other illnesses, according to the statement.

Guidelines on reporting coro-navirus deaths, issued by the World Health Organization in mid-April, state that “deaths due to COVID-19” should be considered as such “unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a video conference call, dedicated to the development of genetic technologies, amid COVID-19 outbreak at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, yesterday.

Finland reopens schools despite virus warnings from teacher’s unionAFP — HELSINKI

Finnish schoolchildren began returning to class yesterday after eight weeks of corona-virus lockdown despite warnings from the teacher’s union it may not be totally safe for staff or children.

The reopenings see pupils back at school for just over two weeks before the summer hol-idays begin in early June, with strict social distancing rules in place.

Break times will be stag-gered to avoid large numbers of children in the playground at once, and unused spaces will be turned into classrooms to allow pupils to spread out, Edu-cation Minister Li Andersson said when announcing the decision on 29 April.

Finland has so far recorded 284 coronavirus-related deaths and over 6,000 infections, a lower rate than neighbouring Nordic countries, which has led epidemiologists to warn that future waves of the virus may prove more serious.

At Eestinkallio primary school, on the outskirts of the capital Helsinki, teachers made sure children kept a safe dis-tance apart as they waited in the playground for school to start.

Under social distancing regulations, some grades started the school day two hours later than usual, at 10.15.

“I think we’ll be focusing more on the social side than the actual teaching, making sure the kids are OK,” class tutor

Johanna Mauno said.“We’ve already got their

end of year grades so we’ll be trying to get back to some sort of normal so the kids don’t have such a huge gap before the autumn term starts.” On Tuesday, Andersson announced that laws were being drafted to allow for schools to switch between classroom and dis-tance teaching as required once term starts again in mid-August, if the epidemic spikes.

The Finnish union of teachers has criticised the plan to restart teaching in class-rooms rather than remotely.

The union said in a statement that “it is not clear that this is in the interests of the children” and warned schools may not “be able to fully ensure safety for the children or staff.” The state’s top epidemiologist, Mika Salminen, however defended the move, telling a press conference on April 29 that “the share of children with the disease is small.”

“The risk of a child infecting an adult is not realistic. Opening schools is risk-free.” Opinion polls on Wednesday suggested the public was evenly split on the issue.

Antti Kamppi, a father of three children at the Eestinkallio school, told AFP he wasn’t too concerned.

“The infection situation in Finland looks quite stable at the moment so I’d say this two-week return to school isn’t a bad thing and it’s mostly pos-itive,” he said.

Slovakia to allow home quarantine for travellersREUTERS — BRATISLAVA

The Slovak government approved legislation yesterday that will allow people returning from abroad to self-isolate at home so long as they use a mobile app that will check on them, rather than be forced into quarantine in state-run facil-ities.

The compulsory quarantine, one of a series of measures taken by Slovakia to curb the spread of the coronavirus, has been criticised by Slovaks living abroad as well as by the state ombudswoman, who has said

it potentially breaches basic human rights.

Health Minister Marek Krajci said the launch of the application allowing a “smart” quarantine could be launched next Monday after it is approved by parliament.

“This smart solution will allow returnees to self-isolate at home if they agree to install the application after crossing the border,” he said.

Details on how the app will work are expected to be announced on Monday but one of the options is that it would use face-identifi-

cation technology.Prime Minister Igor Matovic

had defended the aquarantine’s role in helping detect infections and prevent the coronavirus’s spread. Official figures show people who are or were at the state-run centres account for almost 13 percent of the 1,477 positive cases confirmed in the country.

Slovakia, a European Union member state of 5.5 million, has recorded 27 deaths. Like other European countries it is grad-ually easing its lockdown measures.

The quarantine system has

affected mostly Slovaks returning home, since for-eigners are barred from entry, unless they have a right to stay.

The government has also approved a phone app tracking contacts of infected people.

It is not clear when that app will be launched, however, as the Constitutional Court on Wednesday suspended parts of the existing law allowing state authorities to access data col-lected by telecommunications operators, saying some of its clauses were insufficiently clear.

‘Total’ lockdown for Chile capital after virus spike

AFP — SANTIAGO

Chile ordered a mandatory total quarantine for the capital Santiago’s seven million people on Wednesday after authorities reported a 60 percent spike in coronavirus infections in 24 hours, dealing a stunning blow to hopes the economy would soon reopen.

“The most severe measure I must announce is a total quarantine in Greater San-tiago,” the location of 80 percent of the country’s 34,000-plus confirmed cases, Health Minister Jaime Man-alich said.

Manalich said the lockdown — including in several areas where earlier confinement measures had been lifted — was necessary after 2,260 new infections and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The announcement follows a government request to the IMF for a flexible line of credit amounting to around $23.8bn for the next two years.

The credit line would help kickstart the economy after months of mass protests against the government of President Sebastian Pinera, a bodyblow to state revenues exacerbated by the corona-virus pandemic.

The lockdown — which come into force on Friday at 10pm (0200 GMT Saturday) —means that people will be allowed to leave their homes only for essential reasons like buying food or medicine.

Chile had until now opted for a selective quarantine strategy in dealing with the pandemic. Curfews were imposed in Santiago and other cities, but quarantines were limited to areas with high inci-dences of infection.

Chile also has Latin Amer-ica’s highest rate of corona-virus testing -- 14,000 a day and around 200,000 overall.

Brazil's bid to ward off COVID-19An employee wearing protective gear disinfects a shopping mall as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 in Caxias do Sul, Brazil on Wednesday.

Amazon could be next virus hot zone, says scientistAFP — SAO PAULO

The next pandemic could come from the Amazon rainforest, warns Brazilian ecologist David Lapola, who says human encroachment on animals’ habitats — a likely culprit in the coronavirus outbreak — is soaring there because of rampant deforestation.

Researchers say the urban-ization of once-wild areas con-tributes to the emergence of zoonotic diseases — those that pass from animals to humans.

That includes the new coro-navirus, which scientists believe originated in bats before passing to humans in China’s rapidly urbanising Hubei province, probably via a third species.

Lapola, 38, who studies how human activity will reshape the

future ecosystems of tropical forests, says the same processes are in play in the Amazon. “The Amazon is a huge reservoir of viruses,” he said in an interview.

“We’d better not try our luck.” The world’s biggest rain-forest is disappearing at an alarming rate.

Last year, in far-right Pres-ident Jair Bolsonaro’s first year in office, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surged 85 percent, to more than 10,000sqkm — an area nearly the size of Lebanon.

The trend is continuing this year. From January to April, 1,202sqkm were wiped out, setting a new record for the first four months of the year, according to data based on sat-ellite images from Brazil’s National Space Research

Institute (INPE).That is bad news, not just

for the planet but for human health, said Lapola, who holds a PhD in earth system modeling from the Max Planck Institutes in Germany and works at the University of Campinas in Brazil.

“When you create eco-logical disequilibrium... that’s when a virus can jump” from animals to humans, he said.

Similar patterns can be seen with HIV, Ebola and dengue fever — “all viruses that emerged or spread on a huge scale because of ecological imbalances,” he said.

So far, most such outbreaks have been concentrated in South Asia and Africa, often linked to certain species of bats.

Ontario redeploys education staff into nursing homesREUTERS — TORONTO

The Canadian province of Ontario is allowing its education staff, including teachers and custodians, to voluntarily redeploy into the province’s long-term care homes, the provincial government said on Wednesday, as the coronavirus outbreak at just one Toronto-area home alone has killed dozens.

Coronavirus deaths in long-term care nursing homes account for 815 of 1,765 total deaths in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, according to provincial data released on Wednesday.

Camilla Care Community recorded 56 deaths, according to the home’s owner, Sienna Senior Living, on Wednesday. The regional health authority reported 179 residents and 39

staff have tested positive at the facility.

In March, Ontario closed schools in an effort to stop the spread of the virus, requiring many educators and other staff to leave their jobs. This latest redeployment focuses on training and moving any employees who volunteer into nursing homes.

Ontario has previously moved workers from hospitals into long-term care homes, and Wednesday’s announcement expands the province’s support for the facilities, which have been hit hard by the virus.

The province also issued an emergency order on Wednesday morning, allowing the provincial government to issue mandatory management orders to any long-term care home struggling to deal with an outbreak.

The New York Times reported that total is far higher than the official COVID-19 death count of 642, which the newspaper said was an indication of significant underreporting by the authorities. The Financial Times pointed to a similar surge in deaths reported by authorities.

12 FRIDAY 15 MAY 2020AMERICAS

Trump hails Wisconsin ruling as tensions flare over virus lockdownsREUTERS - MADISON

President Donald Trump yesterday applauded a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision striking down a coro-navirus lockdown order, as hundreds of people gathered at the statehouse in neighboring Michigan to protest the gover-nor’s restrictions there.

Trump’s comments in an early morning tweet fuelled a nationwide debate over how soon to reopen states closed in March to fight a pandemic that a tally shows has infected nearly 1.4 million Americans and killed almost 84,000.

Residents of Wisconsin flocked to outlets on Wednesday evening after the court sided with Republican lawmakers who argued the state’s top public health official exceeded her authority by imposing restric-tions on businesses and daily life.

“Its Democrat Governor was forced by the courts to let the State Open,” Trump, a Repub-lican, wrote in an early morning tweet, referring to Governor Tony Evers. “The people want to get on with their lives. The place is bustling!”

The division has split largely along political lines, with Repub-licans generally pushing to reopen more quickly to help the

crippled economy and states led by Democratic governors pro-ceeding more cautiously, citing concerns over public health.

Hundreds gathered yes-terday at the Michigan capital, Lansing, to protest Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s recent decision to extend her stay-at-home order until at least May 28. Some carried signs in support of Trump.

Whitmer also gave the go-ahead to restart manufacturing from this week in her state, ena-bling US automakers to plan reopenings across the country on Monday because so many parts suppliers are based in and around Detroit.

Witnesses said yesterday’s protest was peaceful. A handful had guns. Police quickly broke up a minor scuffle. At a protest in Lansing on April 30, hun-dreds of protesters, some armed, entered the Capitol and demanded to be let onto the House floor.

US Representative Debbie Dingell, also a Michigan Dem-ocrat, said she was directly tar-geted for defending Whitmer, a frequent target of Trump’s ire, calling it “scary.” “Somebody’s going to get hurt if this hatred keeps getting stoked,” she told MSNBC in an interview. “What we’ve got to do is come together.”

Nearly all 50 US states have taken some steps to relax restric-tions. Today, New York state will allow construction and manu-facturing operations to restart work in more sparsely populated areas outside of New York City, the epicenter of the pandemic in the country. The metropolis has accounted for more than a quarter of all US deaths.

Trump, who has staked his chances for re-election in November on a strong economy, wants states to reopen despite warnings from health experts, including some on his own White House task force, that a premature lifting of lockdowns could spark new

virus outbreaks.The crisis has battered the

US job market, with government data released on Thursday showing that initial claims for state unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 2.981 million for the week ended May 9. The numbers lifted to 36.5 million the number of people who have filed claims since mid-March, equal to more than one in five workers.

Yesterday, Trump was due to visit a medical equipment distributor in Pennsylvania, his second major trip outside the White House since March, both to battleground states

considered key to winning the 2020 election.

In Wisconsin, another bat-tleground state, the court ruling invalidated the “Safer at Home” order that had been extended through May 26 by health sec-retary-designee Andrea Palm on grounds that it exceeded her “statutory authority.” Images on social media showed residents of small towns celebrating in their local bars immediately afterward.

But Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city, said his stay-at-home order would remain intact.

That meant restaurants like

Lakefront's, employing about 170 full and part time employees, will stay closed for now.

Lakefront president Russ Klisch said he was not ready to open his doors to customers anyway, as he was still waiting on orders of plexiglass to put between tables and and needed to train staff to keep themselves and customers safe.

“I don’t feel we are there yet,” Klisch said in a phone interview. “We are going to have to learn to deal with this one way or another. But we are going to have to deal with it in a way that is safe.”

US President Donald Trump talking to reporters with US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany as they depart for Allentown, Pennsylvania from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, yesterday.

Michigan settles suit after landmark right to read ruling

AP — LANSING

The state of Michigan early yesterday announced a settlement in a lawsuit over poor reading skills that was filed on behalf of Detroit schoolchildren, weeks after a federal appeals court issued a ground-breaking decision recognizing a constitutional right to education and literacy.

The 2016 lawsuit that the appeals court had sent back to a federal judge in Detroit alleged that the city’s public schools were in “slum-like conditions” and “functionally incapable of delivering access to literacy.” Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the plaintiffs announced the agreement in a joint statement.

“We are pleased to announce that we have reached a settlement that will help secure the right of access to literacy for students in Detroit who faced obstacles they never should have faced,” they said. “This landmark court decision recognizes that every child in Michigan deserves an opportunity to obtain an education, which is essential to having a strong foundation in life and a brighter future.” Details of the deal will be released later Thursday.

US District Judge Stephen Murphy III had dismissed the case in 2018, asserting the US Constitution doesn’t guarantee a fundamental right to literacy.

But on April 23, the appeals court said students at poor performing, dilapidated Detroit schools are entitled to a basic minimum education under the US Constitution.

Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probeAP — WASHINGTON

Senator Richard Burr tempo-rarily stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee yesterday after the FBI served a search warrant for his cellphone as part of an ongoing insider-trading inves-tigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the move, saying he and Burr had agreed that it was in the com-mittee’s best interests.

FBI officials showed up at Burr’s home with the warrant on Wednesday, two people familiar with the investigation said yesterday, marking a sig-nificant escalation into the J u s t i c e D e p a r t m e n t ’ s

investigation into whether Burr broke the law with a well-timed sale of stocks before the coro-navirus caused markets to plummet. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to d iscuss an ongoing investigation.

The search warrant was served on Burr’s lawyers, and FBI agents went to Burr’s home in the Washington area to retrieve the cellphone, a senior Justice Department official said. The decision to obtain the warrant, which must be authorized by a judge, was approved at the highest levels of the department, the official said.

The official could not discuss the ongoing

investigation publicly and spoke t on condition of anonymity.

The Justice Department declined to comment. His attorney did not respond to phone and email messages, but said in a statement last month that the law is clear that any senator can participate in stock market trading based on public information “as Senator Burr did.”

The attorney, Alice Fisher, said that Burr welcomed a review of the stock sales, “which will establish that his actions were appropriate.” Burr has denied wrongdoing but has also requested an ethics review of the stock sales. Burr is an amiable member of the Senate, and his quick call for an Ethics investigation and willingness to

cooperate with authorities appears to have bought him some goodwill among col-leagues tapping down imme-diate calls for him to step aside.

Senate records show that Burr and his wife sold between roughly $600,000 and $1.7m in more than 30 transactions in late January and mid-February, just before the market began to nosedive and government health officials began to sound alarms about the virus. Several of the stocks were in companies that own hotels.

Burr has acknowledged selling the stocks because of the coronavirus but said he relied “solely on public news reports,” specifically CNBC’s daily health and science reporting out of Asia, to make

the financial decisions.Burr was not the only law-

maker to sell off stocks before the market slide.

Senator Kelly Loeffler, a new senator from Georgia up for reelection this year, sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock in late January and February, as sen-ators began to get briefings on the virus, according to records.

So did fellow Georgia Sen-atorDavid Perdue, another Republican lawmaker running for reelection, and also Repub-lican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California Senators did receive a closed-door briefing on the virus on January 24, which was public knowledge.

US immunologist warns of ‘darkest winter’ if coronavirus reboundsAP — WASHINGTON

America faces the “darkest winter in modern history” unless leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coro-navirus, says a government whistle-blower who alleges he was ousted from his job after warning the Trump adminis-tration to prepare for the pandemic.

Immunologist Dr. Rick Bright, wearing a protective mask, testified Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Aspects of his complaint about early administration handling of the crisis were expected to be backed up by testimony from an executive of a company that manufactures respirator masks.

A federal watchdog agency has found “reasonable grounds” that Bright was removed from his post as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after sounding the alarm at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Bright alleged he became a target of criticism when he urged early efforts to invest in vaccine development and stock up on supplies.

“Our window of oppor-tunity is closing,” Bright said in his prepared testimony.. “If we fail to develop a national coor-dinated response, based in

science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be pro-longed, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities.”

Bright’s testimony follows this week’s warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the govern-ment’s top infectious disease expert, that a rushed lifting of store-closing and stay-at-home restrictions could “turn back the clock,” seeding more suf-fering and death and compli-cating efforts to get the economy rolling again.

President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Bright in a tweet as “a disgruntled employee, not liked or respected by people I spoke to and who, with his attitude, should no longer be working for our government!” It’s a sen-timent some of the president’s political allies have expressed about Fauci as well.

More than 84,000 people have died in the US, repre-senting more than one-fourth of global deaths and the world’s highest toll, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University. On the planet more than 4.3 million have been infected and about 298,000 have died.

Eager to restart the US economy, Trump has been urging states to lift restrictions, and many governors are doing so gradually, though consumers remain leery of going back to restaurants, social events and sporting competitions.

Blood test in New York for detecting COVID-19A nurse draws blood to test for COVID-19 antibodies at Abyssinian Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, yesterday.

Court rejects Trump bid to escape anti-corruption lawsuitREUTERS — WASHINGTON

A US appeals court yesterday handed President Donald Trump a setback, rejecting his bid to end a lawsuit that accused him of violating anti-corruption provi-sions of the US Constitution with his ownership of a hotel in Washington while in office.

The decision by the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals sitting as a whole — reversing a ruling in favor of Trump issued by a three-judge panel of the same court last July — was a

victory for the Democratic attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia who brought the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged viola-tions of the Constitution’s “emol-uments” clauses — rarely tested in courts — that ban a president from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments without congressional consent.

In a 9-6 decision, the 4th US Circuit decided that the Repub-lican president — seeking re-election on November 3 — failed to show the sort of “clear and indisputable right to relief”

necessary for an early dismissal of the case. The court found that the narrow view of the emolu-ments clauses argued by Trump’s lawyers was not clearly the right one in light of past statements by officials within the executive branch.

“Given this history, we can hardly conclude that the Pres-ident’s preferred definition of this obscure word is clearly and indisputably the correct one,” Judge Diana Gribbon Motz wrote on behalf of the court.

The case is now set to return to a judge in Maryland, who has

consistently ruled against Trump on preliminary legal questions, for further proceedings poten-tially including a trial.

Trump opened the Trump International Hotel on Pennsyl-vania Avenue just blocks from the White House shortly before he was elected in November 2016.

Trump, a wealthy real estate developer who as president regularly visits his own hotels, resorts and golf clubs, maintains ownership of his businesses —unlike past presidents — though he has said he has ceded day-to-day control to his sons.

“Its Democrat Governor was forced by the courts to let the State Open,” Trump, a Republican, wrote in an early morning tweet, referring to Governor Tony Evers. “The people want to get on with their lives. The place is bustling!”