US President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP
US President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP
US President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP
US President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment in Phoenix, Arizona. AFP

Coronavirus: US to wind down its pandemic task force to reopen country


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US President Donald Trump is to wind down the country's coronavirus task force and replace it with a new group geared towards reopening the country, US media reported.

Despite evidence appearing to show that the pandemic is still going strong, Mr Trump and other officials said on Tuesday that they had made so much progress in bringing it under control that they planned to now focus on restarting the economy.

The task force is to be replaced with an unspecified new advisory body as part of "phase 2" of the country's response, Mr Trump said.

"I’m viewing our great citizens of this country to a certain extent and to a large extent as warriors. They’re warriors," the president told reporters.

"We can’t keep our country closed. We have to open our country. I’m not saying anything is perfect. And yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.”

The US has the highest number of cases and loss of life from the novel coronavirus in the world, at over 1.2 million and more than 71,000 deaths.

Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the task force, said the group would likely stop its work around the end of the May.

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.
 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds