Italy to close shops, bars, restaurants as coronavirus death toll hits 1,016
March 13, 2020, 10:57 am

Italy to close shops, bars, restaurants as coronavirus death toll hits 1,016

A woman walks past Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the second day of an unprecedented lockdown across all of the country in Milan. (File photo Reuters)

Italy will close all shops excepts food stores and pharmacies as the country tackles with the largest outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in Europe, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.

Italy has reported 15,113 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,016 deaths, also known as COVID-19.

Conte announced a list of precautionary measures that will be enforced in the country to combat the spread of the virus, including shutting bars, restaurants, ice cream parlors, and pastry shops.

Beauty parlors and barbershops will also be expected to close, the prime minister said.

The government had approved several measures earlier this week, which included placing millions of people in northern Italy under forced quarantine.

Museums, theaters, cinemas, and other entertainment venues were also shut nationwide to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the lethal virus a global pandemic as the number of people infected across the world reached about 134,530.

Several countries have suspended flights to Rome and Milan until further notice. The United Arab Emirates’ Etihad Airways announced on Friday it would halt flights to the two Italian cities temporarily. levant

source: Tamara Abueish levant

First coronavirus case in Kenya confirmed Australian home affairs minister says he has coronavirus

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”