Health personnel carry out vaccination operations to school personnel in Rome, Italy, 24 February 2021. EPA
Health personnel carry out vaccination operations to school personnel in Rome, Italy, 24 February 2021. EPA
Health personnel carry out vaccination operations to school personnel in Rome, Italy, 24 February 2021. EPA
Health personnel carry out vaccination operations to school personnel in Rome, Italy, 24 February 2021. EPA

Italy closes schools in worst-hit coronavirus areas


Soraya Ebrahimi
  • English
  • Arabic

Italy's government on Tuesday ordered the closure of all schools in areas worst hit by Covid-19, and extended curbs on businesses and movement until early April amid worries over new, highly contagious variants.

Italy is reporting about 15,000 new coronavirus cases a day, with the trend steadily rising and government advisers warning the health system is under growing strain.

A colour-coded system that allows for measures to be altered according to infection levels in Italy's 20 regions will remain in force, with assessments every week.

Under the decree signed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi and effective from March 6, primary school classes in red zones, which have the toughest restrictions, will be held online.

Distance learning was already mandatory for high school pupils in these areas.

"The English variant, which is prevalent, is particularly able to penetrate among the youngest age groups," Health Minister Roberto Speranza said.

The new rules will be in place until April 6.

Mr Draghi, who took office last month, was not at the briefing, in a break with the policy of his predecessor Giuseppe Conte, who always explained new government curbs in person.

Two southern regions, Basilicata and Molise, are red zones, meaning restaurants, bars and most shops are closed and people can leave their homes only for work, health or emergency reasons.

Nine regions are classified as orange, eight as yellow and one, the island of Sardinia, as white, with only minimal restrictions.

Opening hours for bars and restaurants are limited across the nation and a nightly curfew is still in place from 10pm everywhere except Sardinia.

A ban on ski resorts, imposed before Christmas, has been extended until April, dashing the last hopes of operators to re-open their lifts.

Italy's official Covid-19 death toll is 98,288, the second highest in Europe after Britain and seventh highest worldwide, with several hundred deaths recorded every day.

A ban on non-essential travel between the regions had already been extended until March 27.

The government offered some hope for lockdown-weary Italians, saying cinemas and theatres will be able to reopen from the end of March in low-risk yellow zones.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Fixtures

Sunday, December 8, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v USA

Monday, December 9, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – USA v Scotland

Wednesday, December 11, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v Scotland

Thursday, December 12, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v USA

Saturday, December 14, ICC Academy, Dubai – USA v Scotland

Sunday, December 15, ICC Academy, Dubai – UAE v Scotland

Note: All matches start at 10am, admission is free

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

Other promotions
  • Deliveroo will team up with Pineapple Express to offer customers near JLT a special treat: free banana caramel dessert with all orders on January 26
  • Jones the Grocer will have their limited edition Australia Day menu available until the end of the month (January 31)
  • Australian Vet in Abu Dhabi (with locations in Khalifa City A and Reem Island) will have a 15 per cent off all store items (excluding medications) 
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
RESULT

Valencia 3

Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'

Ferran Torres 67'

Atlanta 4

Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'

MATCH INFO

Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')

Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')

Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets