25-04-2020
23:37
Iraq repatriates 158 nationals from Dubai: transport minister
Photo: social media
A total of 158 Iraqi nationals were repatriated from Dubai on Saturday night, according to a Facebook post from Iraq's minister of transport.
The passengers returned to Iraq on an Iraqi Airways flight and will be transferred to quarantine in their respective provinces, Abdulla Luaibi announced.
Another 1,027 Iraqi nationals were returned last week on six “exceptional direct flights” provided by Iraqi Airways – two out of Amman, one out of Muscat, one out of Tehran, one out of Baku, and one out of Cairo.
Over the weekend, Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority extended its commercial flight ban until May 22. Flights have been grounded since March 17.
Special flights have been arranged by foreign diplomatic missions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to bring home expats living and working in the region. Ticket prices for these services were often massively inflated.
Governments have advised against all foreign travel while the world battles the COVID-19 outbreak. The airline and tourist industries have been especially hard hit by the containment measures.
As of Saturday night, a total of 1, 763 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded across Iraq. Of this number 1,224 have recovered and 86 have died.
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20:15
KRG records three new COVID-19 cases in past 24 hours
Erbil's empty city centre on April 18, 2020. Photo: Safin Hamed/AFP
The KRG Health Ministry on Saturday night reported three more COVID-19 cases in the Kurdistan Region over the past 24 hours.
Two cases are in Sulaimani province, including a 80-year-old man in Sharbazer and a 29-year-old student from Garmiyan who returned from Russia. A woman in Erbil's Bahirka sub-district has also tested positive for the virus.
"In the course of the past 24 hours, 891 tests were conducted including 270 in Erbil, 230 in Sulaimani, 365 in Duhok and 26 in Raparin," added the statement from the KRG Health Ministry.
With today's new numbers, 344 total cases of COVID-19 have been recorded since the outbreak began.
Of this number, 318 patients have recovered and four have died, according to the ministry.
Only 22 people still have the virus, and are currently receiving medical care.
17:22
Iranian officials warn against 'hasty reopenings' as 1,100 new COVID-19 cases recorded
Shoppers buy produce from a merchant in Tajrish Bazaar in Tehran on April 25, 2020. Photo: Atta Kenare/ AFP
Despite a gradual ease on COVID-19 related closures across Iran, officials warned on Saturday that easing measures too soon could lead to another wave of the virus as the health ministry announced 1,100 new cases in the previous 24 hours.
76 new deaths were also recorded, according to health ministry spokesperson Kianoush Jahanpour.
Tehran's anti-coronavirus coordinator Alireza Zali warned that "hasty reopenings could create new waves of sickness in Tehran and complicate efforts to bring the epidemic under control," according to state-run agency IRNA.
The country is the epicenter of the virus in the Middle East, with more than 89,000 confirmed cases and 5,650 deaths. According to the ministry, almost 3,100 patients are in a critical condition.
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76 new deaths were also recorded, according to health ministry spokesperson Kianoush Jahanpour.
Tehran's anti-coronavirus coordinator Alireza Zali warned that "hasty reopenings could create new waves of sickness in Tehran and complicate efforts to bring the epidemic under control," according to state-run agency IRNA.
The country is the epicenter of the virus in the Middle East, with more than 89,000 confirmed cases and 5,650 deaths. According to the ministry, almost 3,100 patients are in a critical condition.
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15:30
Sulaimani to reopen mosques on May 2: religious affairs office
A man in a face mask walks past an Erbil mosque. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
Mosques will be permitted to reopen in Sulaimani province next Saturday after the current coronavirus-related enforced closure expires, according to the head of Kurdistan Region’s religious affairs office in Sulaimani.
The lockdown, first imposed mid-March, has been extended to May 1, though the Interior Ministry has eased some measures, allowing most businesses to open from 6am to 6pm. Mosques, churches, fitness and sports centres, restaurants, and bars remain closed.
The closure of mosques has angered worshipers and clergymen, some of whom have taken to streets in Sulaimani province in protest. Some have also disobeyed the bans and conducted prayers inside and outside mosques.
Faraidun Ghareeb, head of Sulaimani’s endowment office, told Rudaw on Saturday that they are under pressure from worshipers to reopen the mosques, but will not do so until the current restrictions expire.
He acknowledged that some 20 percent of mosques have reopened in defiance of the government orders in the province’s outlying districts and sub-districts, but “no mosque has been reopened inside Sulaimani city.”
“There is also pressure on clergymen to reopen the mosques. Therefore, we will reopen them on May 2,” said Ghareeb. “This does not mean that coronavirus will end, but life can continue while coronavirus is in existence.”
It is not immediately clear if Sulaimani's crisis cell and interior ministry have approved the move.
There are 344 reported cases of COVID-19 in the Kurdistan Region. Of those, 317 have recovered, four people have died, and there are 23 cases still active.
The government eased lockdown measures last week, after several days with no new cases. But with six new cases in the last three days, the lockdown may be extended beyond May 1.
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan began on Friday. Muslims visit mosques more frequently during this month of fasting and prayers. There are some 1,700 mosques in Sulaimani province.
By Karwan Faidhi Dri
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The lockdown, first imposed mid-March, has been extended to May 1, though the Interior Ministry has eased some measures, allowing most businesses to open from 6am to 6pm. Mosques, churches, fitness and sports centres, restaurants, and bars remain closed.
The closure of mosques has angered worshipers and clergymen, some of whom have taken to streets in Sulaimani province in protest. Some have also disobeyed the bans and conducted prayers inside and outside mosques.
Faraidun Ghareeb, head of Sulaimani’s endowment office, told Rudaw on Saturday that they are under pressure from worshipers to reopen the mosques, but will not do so until the current restrictions expire.
He acknowledged that some 20 percent of mosques have reopened in defiance of the government orders in the province’s outlying districts and sub-districts, but “no mosque has been reopened inside Sulaimani city.”
“There is also pressure on clergymen to reopen the mosques. Therefore, we will reopen them on May 2,” said Ghareeb. “This does not mean that coronavirus will end, but life can continue while coronavirus is in existence.”
It is not immediately clear if Sulaimani's crisis cell and interior ministry have approved the move.
There are 344 reported cases of COVID-19 in the Kurdistan Region. Of those, 317 have recovered, four people have died, and there are 23 cases still active.
The government eased lockdown measures last week, after several days with no new cases. But with six new cases in the last three days, the lockdown may be extended beyond May 1.
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan began on Friday. Muslims visit mosques more frequently during this month of fasting and prayers. There are some 1,700 mosques in Sulaimani province.
By Karwan Faidhi Dri
14:01
Turkey repatriates nearly 1,000 nationals from abroad, including Iraq
An elderly woman stands on her balcony next to a Turkish flag bearing a picture of Mustapha Kemal as she attends festivities marking the National Sovereignty and Children's Day, On April 23, 2020 in Istanbul. Photo: Yasin Akgul/AFP
Early Saturday, the Turkish government repatriated some 1,000 nationals who had been stuck abroad due to coronavirus-related flight bans and closures of borders.
The group included 135 Turkish citizens who had been in places across Iraq. They returned to Turkey via the Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border crossing on Saturday morning, reported state-owned Anadolu Agency.
The repatriation was done in coordination with the Turkish embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Basra.
The 135 people were taken by bus to Diyarbakir province where they will be kept under quarantine for 14 days.
Another 777 Turkish citizens were returned from Morocco, Algeria, Italy, and the United States. Ankara has already brought back thousands and plans to repatriate another 25,000 during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Turkey has recorded 104,912 COVID-19 cases as of late Friday. This includes 2,600 deaths and 21,737 recoveries, according to data shared by health minister Fahrettin Koca.
It has taken several preventative measures to curb spread of the virus in the country, such as a flight ban, closure of borders, weekend lockdowns, and the confinement in their homes of people under 20 and over 65.
Erdogan announced a four-day lockdown in 31 cities, effective from Thursday.
By Karwan Faidhi Dri
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The group included 135 Turkish citizens who had been in places across Iraq. They returned to Turkey via the Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border crossing on Saturday morning, reported state-owned Anadolu Agency.
The repatriation was done in coordination with the Turkish embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in Basra.
The 135 people were taken by bus to Diyarbakir province where they will be kept under quarantine for 14 days.
Another 777 Turkish citizens were returned from Morocco, Algeria, Italy, and the United States. Ankara has already brought back thousands and plans to repatriate another 25,000 during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Turkey has recorded 104,912 COVID-19 cases as of late Friday. This includes 2,600 deaths and 21,737 recoveries, according to data shared by health minister Fahrettin Koca.
It has taken several preventative measures to curb spread of the virus in the country, such as a flight ban, closure of borders, weekend lockdowns, and the confinement in their homes of people under 20 and over 65.
Erdogan announced a four-day lockdown in 31 cities, effective from Thursday.
By Karwan Faidhi Dri
13:58
April 25: Latest COVID-19 updates from the Kurdistan Region and beyond
An Iraqi soldier stands guard in front of the shuttered 17 Ramadan mosque in the capital Baghdad on April 24, 2020. Photo: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP
How are you coping under the lockdown? Send your comments and photos to our Facebook and Twitter pages.
The Kurdistan Regional Government advises anyone in the Kurdistan Region displaying coronavirus symptoms to call its emergency hotline on 122. This service is available in Kurdish and Arabic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More information can be found on the government’s website.
Catch up on past updates here. Continue Reading
The Kurdistan Regional Government advises anyone in the Kurdistan Region displaying coronavirus symptoms to call its emergency hotline on 122. This service is available in Kurdish and Arabic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More information can be found on the government’s website.
Catch up on past updates here. Continue Reading