Lebanon will enter a state of emergency from Thursday, introducing a 24-hour curfew and stringent new measures as it tries to stave off a collapse in its healthcare system.
Under the rules, supermarkets and restaurants will be permitted to open between 5am and 5pm for delivery only, and it will be illegal for people to be on the streets without specific exemptions.
Lebanon has had record numbers of Covid-19 cases in recent days, as it suffers devastating effects of relaxing restrictions in December, pushing hospitals to breaking point.
Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport will remain open, with traffic limited to 20 per cent of capacity at most.
Passengers travelling from Baghdad, Istanbul, Adana, Cairo and Addis Ababa must quarantine at a hotel for seven days.
About 85 per cent of incoming coronavirus cases arrived from these cities, the government said.
Private businesses will be closed with a few exceptions, including pharmacies and bakeries.
People will be forbidden from leaving their properties from 5am on January 14 until January 25.
Measures introduced last week to close religious institutions, schools and universities, and a ban on all social gatherings was reimposed.
At a coronavirus inter-ministerial committee meeting, interim Prime Minister Hassan Diab criticised citizens’ attitude to the virus, saying they had not taken the dangers seriously.
“All indicators about the spread of coronavirus clearly show that we have entered a stage of extreme danger, or at the very least, we are about to enter this state,” Mr Diab said.
“Unfortunately, all our calls, appeals, warnings, measures and actions did not persuade a large number of Lebanese of the dangers of the epidemic.”
President Michel Aoun declared a state of “health emergency”, with the country’s health system shows signs of buckling under record numbers of coronavirus cases.
The intensive care unit at Rafik Hariri University Hospital in the capital was at 100 per cent capacity, while ICUs nationwide are believed to be more than 95 per cent full.
One hospital in the city of Byblos said it had begun isolating and treating Covid-19 patients in vehicles in the car park.
Reports of further restrictions prompted panic buying in supermarkets across Lebanon on Monday, with queues snaking out of stores and into car parks.
Outside one supermarket in Achrafieh, more than 20 people lined up in the street.
Rouba, 27, said the country was paying the price of relaxing controls over the holidays.
“There was a lot of contact between people and social gatherings and that made the pandemic spread,” Rouba said.
“Of course, this was wrong – they should have closed from the beginning.
“Restaurants and clubs stayed open for festivities. People were acting like there was no pandemic and not wearing masks.”
EU Russia
The EU imports 90 per cent of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40 per cent of EU gas and a quarter of its oil.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
FULL%20RESULTS
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The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%20and%203.6-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20235hp%20and%20310hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E258Nm%20and%20271Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh185%2C100%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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Company%20profile
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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