Global efforts to combat coronavirus have been stepped up in what has become a make or break week, as more cases were reported and new restrictions applied in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, the Vatican and elsewhere.
Italy reported its largest daily increase in deaths, 368 in 24 hours. More than 1,800 people have died in the country with the virus.
The number of positive cases rose to 24,747 from 21,157 a day earlier.
Lombardy, Italy's worst affected region, saw its death toll rise by 252 to 1,218 on Sunday, from 966 a day earlier.
Iran’s Health Ministry reported another 113 deaths, bringing the country’s total death toll to 724, with the official leading the country's response acknowledging on Sunday that the pandemic could overwhelm health facilities.
In east Jerusalem, the Al Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, is to be closed indefinitely due to concerns about the outbreak, with prayers continuing to be held on the sprawling esplanade outside.
Similar measures have been taken at the nearby Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray. Outdoor prayers continue, but only 10 people at a time are permitted in enclosed areas, in keeping with measures taken by the Israeli government.
Egypt introduced school and university closures, while Iraq's President Barham Salih reportedly requested parliament move to impose a state of emergency on the nation.
Lebanon is also planning to declare a state of medical emergency following its third death on Thursday, and Sudan closed schools and universities for a month from Saturday, having announced its first death on Friday.
Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh ordered the closure of all malls, restaurants, coffee shops and public parks and gardens on Sunday, the municipality said on Twitter, with food deliveries exempt.
The UAE's Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, discussed the with Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif over the phone on Sunday.
The UAE announced 12 new cases of the virus on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 98.
Sheikh Abdullah offered Mr Zarif his condolences to the victims of the global pandemic, affirming the UAE's support to the Iranian people as they come through this crisis.
Ali Reza Zali, who is leading the campaign against the outbreak in Iran, the worst affected country in the Middle East, told the state-run IRNA news agency that if the trend continues, there "will not be enough capacity" to contain it.
Iran is believed to have around 110,000 hospital beds, including 30,000 in the capital. However, Mr Zali acknowledged that “many” of those who have died from COVID-19 were otherwise healthy, a rare admission by local authorities that the virus does not only prey on the sick and elderly.
Iranian figures show that while 55 per cent of fatalities were in their 60s, some 15 per cent were younger than 40.
ISIS also warned its followers in its Al Naba newsletter against travel to Europe and for those who may have become ill with coronavirus not to leave the region, in order to prevent the disease spreading.
Elsewhere in the world, the Vatican is to hold its Holy Week ceremonies, but without public attendance as Italy tries to contain the virus.
“The Vatican announces that #PopeFrancis’ Holy Week liturgical celebrations will take place without the physical presence of the faithful, in an attempt to contain the spread of the Covid-19 #coronavirus,” the Holy See’s media arm tweeted on Sunday.
In an elaboration, Vatican media added that the office of the papal household was informing people that “until April 12 the General Audiences and the Angelus presided over by the Holy Father will be available only in live streaming on the official Vatican News website.”
Spain says deaths from the coronavirus have more than doubled in a day to 288, infections near 8,000. Greece's death toll rose to four and confirmed infections rose by 103 to 331.
Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Namibia and Rwanda reported their first cases on Saturday, with 24 of Africa’s 54 countries now having COVID-19 patients.
Sportswear brand Nike said on Sunday that is to close all of its stores in the US, Canada, western Europe, Australia and New Zealand from Monday March 27.
France held an election on Sunday to choose all of its mayors and other local leaders, despite a crackdown on public gatherings. Voting stations opened just as a drastic new order came into effect shutting down all of France's restaurants, museums, and most stores. The country has some 4,500 cases, including 91 people who have died.
Leaders and officials from the eight South Asian nations held a video conference on Sunday calling for closer co-operation. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who initiated the conference, proposed creating a COVID-19 emergency fund to be used by South Asian nations to combat the spread of the disease.
Presidents and prime ministers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and a representative from Pakistan, shared steps taken by their governments in their efforts to control the spread of the virus.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
The Cockroach
(Vintage)
Ian McEwan
