A contractor works on the expansion of the Sao Francisco Xavier cemetery in the Caju neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Bloomberg
A contractor works on the expansion of the Sao Francisco Xavier cemetery in the Caju neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Bloomberg
A contractor works on the expansion of the Sao Francisco Xavier cemetery in the Caju neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Bloomberg
A contractor works on the expansion of the Sao Francisco Xavier cemetery in the Caju neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Bloomberg

Coronavirus: countries could be overwhelmed with bodies, Red Cross warns


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The surge in deaths caused by the global coronavirus pandemic could “overwhelm” countries’ capacities to handle dead bodies, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

The Red Cross issued a warning that authorities across the world must plan for “mass casualties”. If they fail to do so, the NGO said, they risk having to bury the dead in mass graves.

With more than 178,000 deaths globally from the novel coronavirus with worldwide cases climbing towards 2.6 million, already mass graves have been seen in virus hot spots.

In New York, aerial photographs have shown pictures of mass communal graves on Hart Island being dug for victims of the coronavirus.

In Iran also, satellite imagery has identified communal grave sites which have been created since the beginning of the outbreak in the city of Qom.

The Red Cross said the families of loved ones buried in mass graves will suffer.

"Mass fatality planning doesn't mean there will be mass fatalities. But it's imperative that plans are made and, if needed, carried out to help lower the pain that families and broader society feel in the face of a high death toll," said Oran Finegan, the head of the forensics unit at the Red Cross.

"Undignified management of the dead is avoidable," he said.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the Red Cross is giving technical advice and recommendations on the management of the dead and burials to government ministries, forensic authorities and first responders. It is also in contact with religious authorities to raise awareness with the public about appropriate measures in these cases.

It says it is very sensitive to fears in the region of families not being able to carry out a proper Islamic burial if a loved one dies of Covid-19.

The Middle East has already witnessed communities preventing the burial of coronavirus victims due to fears of infection, it said.

The Florida Project

Director: Sean Baker

Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe

Four stars

UAE%20SQUAD
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'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
Spec%20sheet
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Profile

Company: Libra Project

Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware

Launch year: 2017

Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time

Sector: Renewable energy

Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.

Maestro
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ARSENAL IN 1977

Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland

Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal

Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal

Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham

Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)

Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal

Mar 05  Arsenal 1-4 ipswich

March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom

Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal

Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal

Apr 02  Arsenal 3-0 Leicester

Have you been targeted?

Tuan Phan of SimplyFI.org lists five signs you have been mis-sold to:

1. Your pension fund has been placed inside an offshore insurance wrapper with a hefty upfront commission.

2. The money has been transferred into a structured note. These products have high upfront, recurring commission and should never be in a pension account.

3. You have also been sold investment funds with an upfront initial charge of around 5 per cent. ETFs, for example, have no upfront charges.

4. The adviser charges a 1 per cent charge for managing your assets. They are being paid for doing nothing. They have already claimed massive amounts in hidden upfront commission.

5. Total annual management cost for your pension account is 2 per cent or more, including platform, underlying fund and advice charges.

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

Dolittle

Director: Stephen Gaghan

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen

One-and-a-half out of five stars

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eamana%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karim%20Farra%20and%20Ziad%20Aboujeb%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERegulator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDFSA%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinancial%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E85%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESelf-funded%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

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AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out

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Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last