ABU DHABI // Some people are cancelling overseas trips for fear of contacting swine flu, a travel industry insider said yesterday. "We have seen eight cancellations so far and expect between 30 and 50 more per month, depending on how the pandemic develops," said Hermant Gupta, the travel insurance manager for the Gulf region for the insurance company AXA. The travellers had planned trips to Mexico, where swine flu was first detected, Canada, which yesterday had 35 confirmed cases, and Thailand, which has not yet reported any cases, he said.
However, most people are still continuing with their planned international trips, Mr Gupta said, noting that there had been no discernible drop in the number of travel insurance policies being taken out. "It's really too early to say how this will pan out. We'll see what happens over the next month." Although Asia only reported its first case of swine flu yesterday, with a Mexican national in Hong Kong admitted to hospital there, Mr Gupta said East Asian countries were also a concern for travellers. Swine flu has now reached 12 countries on three continents but is killing fewer people than past such outbreaks, health officials said yesterday.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday raised the pandemic alert level to phase five, indicating that the world's first influenza pandemic since 1968 may soon be declared. The UN agency has urged countries to make final preparations against the disease, but has not yet recommended restrictions on regular travel because it would not slow the spread of the flu, or the closure of borders. It is advising people who are ill to delay international travel.
A delegation from the UAE, including the Minister of Health, Humaid al Qattami, will take part in an emergency meeting of health ministers of member states of the GCC today in Doha to discuss a unified strategy of dealing with the influenza strain, which is also known as H1N1. Meanwhile, as of yesterday, the nation's busiest airport, Dubai International Airport, had yet to install thermal-imaging machines, which can help identify cases of the flu by detecting whether people walking past them have a high fever, an airport spokesman said.
The machines have been hastily set up in airports across the globe. Abu Dhabi is also expected to install the machines. It was also reported yesterday that the Bahrain-based airline Gulf Air has a task force to monitor the spread of swine flu. "We have established a task force to monitor the situation," a Gulf Air spokesman told the website HotelierMiddleEast.com. "Customer safety is paramount and we are in touch with the relevant authorities and will take all the necessary measures in the event that they are required."
tspender@thenational.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
In Praise of Zayed
A thousand grains of Sand whirl in the sky
To mark the journey of one passer-by
If then a Cavalcade disturbs the scene,
Shall such grains sing before they start to fly?
What man of Honour, and to Honour bred
Will fear to go wherever Truth has led?
For though a Thousand urge him to retreat
He'll laugh, until such counsellors have fled.
Stands always One, defiant and alone
Against the Many, when all Hope has flown.
Then comes the Test; and only then the time
Of reckoning what each can call his own.
History will not forget: that one small Seed
Sufficed to tip the Scales in time of need.
More than a debt, the Emirates owe to Zayed
Their very Souls, from outside influence freed.
No praise from Roderic can increase his Fame.
Steadfastness was the Essence of his name.
The changing years grow Gardens in the Sand
And build new Roads to Sand which stays the same.
But Hearts are not rebuilt, nor Seed resown.
What was, remains, essentially Alone.
Until the Golden Messenger, all-wise,
Calls out: "Come now, my Friend!" - and All is known
- Roderic Fenwick Owen
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