An employee of the Lantz funeral company looks at his phone as he prepares a coffin April 1, 2020, in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
An employee of the Lantz funeral company looks at his phone as he prepares a coffin April 1, 2020, in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
A lift truck loads wood at the coffin manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey. Reuters
A lift truck loads wood at the coffin manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
A paint robot finishes a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
A paint robot finishes a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee works on a coffin at the manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey as the spread of the coronavirus disease continues in France. Reuters
An employee loads coffins in a truck at a manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey. Reuters
An employee loads coffins in a truck at a manufacturing plant OGF in Jussey. Reuters
Employees of Lantz funeral directors carry a coffin containing a corpse infected by the Covid-19 into a hearse in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP
Employees of Lantz funeral directors carry a coffin containing a corpse infected by the Covid-19 into a hearse in Mulhouse, eastern France. AFP

Europe

French coffin makers struggle to keep up with demand as deaths soar

With nearly 60,000 confirmed cases and 5,387 deaths, funeral parlors are struggling to bury the dead

Reuters

April 03, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Two hauliers load their lorries with what is fast becoming a precious commodity in France as the coronavirus pandemic takes its dreadful toll - coffins.

While most businesses have shut their doors as part of a national lockdown designed to slow the spread of the disease, the coffin-making factory in the sleepy town of Jussey in north-east France can barely keep up with the orders.

France has confirmed nearly 60,000 cases of the coronavirus and as of Friday 5,387 deaths, the fourth-highest tally in the world.

"Given what's happening, the pace of production is going up by 50 coffins a day," said Emmanuel Garret, manager at the OGF plant. "We're going up from 360 to 410."

The group, which also has a factory near the Alps in eastern France, churns out about 144,000 coffins a year, making it the country's biggest producer.

The Jussey plant manufactures 80,000 oak and pine caskets for the French market. It is not short of wood as there are about 60 square kilometres of forest in the adjacent area.

The town of just 1,600 inhabitants lies between Paris and the east of France, regions at the epicentre of the outbreak that account for more than half of the country's death toll.

"It's clear that in terms of activity, it's where the demand is now strongest," Mr Garret said.

Inside the factory, the 120 employees beaver away assembling coffins that usually sell for between 700 euros (Dh 2,775) to 5,000 euros (Dh 19,821) apiece.

That will change as the surge in demand has pushed the plant to focus on the simpler units, Mr Garret said.

Keeping a safe distance from each other and regularly disinfecting the workspace, the employees all wear masks. The company commissioned local seamstresses to make them due to a chronic shortage caused by the global pandemic.

Quick turnaround

People get their temperature checked by health workers as a preventive measure against the spread of the new coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. Latin America had more than 20,000 cases of Covid-19 as of April 1, 2020 - double the figure from five days earlier, according to an AFP tally. AFP
People get their temperature checked by health workers as a preventive measure against the spread of the new coronavirus in Bogota, Colombia. Latin America had more than 20,000 cases of Covid-19 as of April 1, 2020 - double the figure from five days earlier, according to an AFP tally. AFP
A worker performs a swab test on a desk at the Duduza Clinic that has been shut down after a nurse tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus in Ekurhuleni, South Africa. AFP
A worker performs a swab test on a desk at the Duduza Clinic that has been shut down after a nurse tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus in Ekurhuleni, South Africa. AFP
A municipal worker disinfects a quarantined homeless shelter in El Salvador's capital San Salvador. AFP
A municipal worker disinfects a quarantined homeless shelter in El Salvador's capital San Salvador. AFP
Japanese tuba player Kazuhiko Sato records himself at his home in Tokyo as members of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra prepare for their latest recital. AFP
Japanese tuba player Kazuhiko Sato records himself at his home in Tokyo as members of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra prepare for their latest recital. AFP
People maintain safe distancing while queueing to enter a supermarket in Grand Baie, Mauritius. AFP
People maintain safe distancing while queueing to enter a supermarket in Grand Baie, Mauritius. AFP
Protective masks bearing the names of medical staff are pinned to a wall at a field hospital for coronavirus patients, financed by US evangelical Christian disaster relief NGO Samaritan’s Purse, outside the Cremona hospital, Lombardy, Italy. AFP
Protective masks bearing the names of medical staff are pinned to a wall at a field hospital for coronavirus patients, financed by US evangelical Christian disaster relief NGO Samaritan’s Purse, outside the Cremona hospital, Lombardy, Italy. AFP
A woman wears a face mask as she takes a photo of blossoms at Yuyuantan Park in Beijing. AP Photo
A woman wears a face mask as she takes a photo of blossoms at Yuyuantan Park in Beijing. AP Photo
A shop window in Grosse Pointe Woods, in the US state of Michigan. AP Photo
A shop window in Grosse Pointe Woods, in the US state of Michigan. AP Photo
A municipal worker sprays disinfectant at a school in Dakar, Senegal. AP Photo
A municipal worker sprays disinfectant at a school in Dakar, Senegal. AP Photo
Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, wears a protective mask during a plenary session at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo. Bloomberg
Shinzo Abe, Japan's prime minister, wears a protective mask during a plenary session at the upper house of parliament in Tokyo. Bloomberg
An employee holds up an Ichroma Covid-19 Ab testing kit at the Boditech Med headquarters in Chuncheon, South Korea. Bloomberg
An employee holds up an Ichroma Covid-19 Ab testing kit at the Boditech Med headquarters in Chuncheon, South Korea. Bloomberg
Police officers wear protective face masks as they direct traffic through a checkpoint in Barcelona, Spain. Bloomberg
Police officers wear protective face masks as they direct traffic through a checkpoint in Barcelona, Spain. Bloomberg
A medical worker takes a swap at a coronavirus drive-through testing centre in the car park of the closed Chessington World of Adventures Resort theme park in Chessington, Greater London. Bloomberg
A medical worker takes a swap at a coronavirus drive-through testing centre in the car park of the closed Chessington World of Adventures Resort theme park in Chessington, Greater London. Bloomberg
Pedestrians pull trolley bags along a nearly deserted street in Palermo, Italy. Bloomberg
Pedestrians pull trolley bags along a nearly deserted street in Palermo, Italy. Bloomberg

While the conveyor belts turn and robots finish off the varnishing in Jussey, more than 300 km away in Paris, preparations are underway for a wave of deaths with more than 2,200 people on life-support in regional hospitals.

At the Rungis food market, the largest in Europe, local authorities on Friday were converting a hall into a mortuary to hold 1,000 coffins and side rooms for families to say farewell to their loved ones for the last time.

"This is not a video game, this is reality," Paris police chief Didier Lallement said. The makeshift morgue was to ensure there would be capacity if needed, he added.

Nathalie Vounikoglou, saleswoman for Bernier, one of the five casket distributors in the Paris region, said demand from funeral parlours had jumped by 20 per cent in the past two weeks.

"We have occasional shortages of low-end models in standard size because there are no more ceremonies and so families go for the least expensive," she said.

Some nursing homes and hospitals do not want to hold onto the bodies of coronavirus patients, Ms Vounikoglou said, meaning there has to be a quicker turnaround.

Funeral parlours are ordering coffins at a day's notice rather than the four or five previously, out of concern they could fall short.

"For the moment, we are restocking for the next morning," Ms Vounikoglou said.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16. first leg

Atletico Madrid v Juventus, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

Kareem Shaheen on Canada
UAE currency
FA CUP FINAL

Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)

Manchester United 0

Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

GOODBYE%20JULIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohamed%20Kordofani%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiran%20Riak%2C%20Eiman%20Yousif%2C%20Nazar%20Goma%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041mm%20%E2%80%93%20352%20x%20430%3B%2045mm%20%E2%80%93%20396%20x%20484%3B%20always-on%20Retina%20LTPO%20OLED%2C%202000%20nits%20max%3B%20Ion-X%20glass%20(aluminium%20cases)%2C%20sapphire%20crystal%20(stainless%20steel%20cases)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20S9%2064-bit%2C%20W3%20wireless%2C%202nd-gen%20Ultra%20Wideband%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2064GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20watchOS%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHealth%20metrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Blood%20oxygen%20sensor%2C%20electrical%20heart%20sensor%20and%20ECG%2C%203rd-gen%20optical%20heart%20sensor%2C%20high%20and%20low%20heart%20rate%20notifications%2C%20irregular%20rhythm%20notifications%2C%20sleep%20stages%2C%20temperature%20sensing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmergency%20services%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Emergency%20SOS%2C%20international%20emergency%20calling%2C%20crash%20detection%2C%20fall%20detection%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GPS%2FGPS%20%2B%20cellular%3B%20Wi-Fi%2C%20LTE%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP6X%2C%20water%20resistant%20up%20to%2050m%2C%20dust%20resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20308mAh%20Li-ion%2C%20up%20to%2018h%20regular%2F36h%20low%20power%3B%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20eSIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinishes%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aluminium%20%E2%80%93%20midnight%2C%20pink%2C%20Product%20Red%2C%20silver%2C%20starlight%3B%20stainless%20steel%20%E2%80%93%20gold%2C%20graphite%2C%20silver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Watch%20Series%209%2C%20woven%20magnetic-to-USB-C%20charging%20cable%2C%20band%2Floop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starts%20at%20Dh1%2C599%20(41mm)%20%2F%20Dh1%2C719%20(45mm)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did

We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.      
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.  
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

Kareem Shaheen on Canada
Company profile

Name: Tratok Portal

Founded: 2017

Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

Size: 36 employees

Funding: Privately funded

KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%2C%20multimedia%20and%20creative%20work%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELogo%20design%2C%20website%20design%2C%20visualisations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20management%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELegal%20or%20management%20consulting%2C%20architecture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20and%20professional%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EResearch%20support%2C%20proofreading%2C%20bookkeeping%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESales%20and%20marketing%20support%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESearch%20engine%20optimisation%2C%20social%20media%20marketing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EData%20entry%2C%20administrative%2C%20and%20clerical%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20entry%20tasks%2C%20virtual%20assistants%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIT%2C%20software%20development%20and%20tech%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EData%20analyst%2C%20back-end%20or%20front-end%20developers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWriting%20and%20translation%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EContent%20writing%2C%20ghost%20writing%2C%20translation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOnline%20microtasks%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImage%20tagging%2C%20surveys%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20World%20Bank%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here
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The%20Caine%20Mutiny%20Court-Martial%20
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While you're here
While you're here
The currency conundrum

Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”

Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.

This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.

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Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I