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WORLD NEWS Friday 6 March 2020
With hand sanitizer nearby, Dubai Comic Con laughs at virus

By JON GAMBRELL Emirates, say it is emptier mot of Jordan and 21-year-
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- than they've ever seen it. old Mohamed Rashed of
ates (AP) — As papier-mâ- Meanwhile, a host of big Egypt — they acknowl-
ché hand grenades and events including Dubai's edged that the coronavirus
plastic assault rifles barely annual boat show and art did come up in their minds
caught the attention of exhibition have been put as they attended. And if
security guards, a health on hold. it hadn't, "my mom, my
official in Dubai wordlessly But not Comic Con. As ac- friends' mom, everyone's
watched over an infrared tor John Rhys-Davies — you mom" had reminded them
camera filming all who know him as the Egyptian beforehand, Rashed said.
passed by — including a character Sallah from the Luckily, the two plumbers
few scythe-wielding Grim "Indiana Jones" franchise wear large gloves. Rashed
Reapers. — exhorted a crowd to substituted in two sets of
Welcome to Comic Con in become filmmakers them- latex gloves, which he
the times of the new coro- selves, the halls at the snapped to show journal-
navirus. Dubai World Trade Center ists. Two women wearing masks dressed as sword-wielding anime
The Middle East Film & slowly filled. "The gloves still work with the characters pose for a photograph at the Middle East Film &
Comic Con in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Thursday, March 5,
Comic Con began Thurs- For the uninitiated, anyone Luigi thing," said Rashed, 2020.
day night in Dubai, a city of can come to a Comic Con who went as a voodoo doll Associated Press
skyscrapers and nightclubs in your street clothes. But to his first Comic Con.
suddenly subdued by the many choose to cosplay, Both Rashed and Zumot Reapers moving through est building, with the cap-
outbreak of the new virus or "costume play," as a fa- praised the organizers for the crowd to the beat of tion "Back to Dubai."
across the region. The wid- vorite character from a having thermal scanners, pop music. Other stands tested the
er United Arab Emirates has film, television show, video hand sanitizer and medical One cosplayer, who only germaphobe. A giant
at least 28 confirmed cases game or comic book. staff on hand for the event. gestured to a journalist mockup of Thor's hammer,
of the virus, a small num- An initial surprise came from However, Zumot offered a when questioned, wore the supposedly unliftable ex-
ber compared to the 3,750 an Emirati in the traditional bit more of a fatalistic view. long-nose black beak of a cept for the worthy, found
cases region wide, but the kandora robes, ghuttra "If corona gets me, it's go- plague doctor. It didn't stop itself lifted and touched all
concern here is growing. headscarf and lifelike mask ing to get me!" he bellowed a woman in a mask from over by every person want-
Nationwide, schools and of Nemesis from the "Resi- in his red overalls. taking a selfie with him. ing a photograph.
universities will be shut dent Evil" video game se- Others took a bit more of Stands sold pop-culture Deeper inside, those cos-
down for four weeks be- ries. He played a guitar for a cautious view, wear- paintings infused with an tumed took part in sessions
ginning Sunday. The few happy Instagramers. Hand ing off-character surgical Emirati vibe. A Batman next of a dance contest to win
frequent fliers trickling out sanitizer stations stood at masks or in-character pro- to a Dubai police officer prizes. They watched moni-
of Dubai International Air- the ready nearby. tection like bandit masks getting out of a sports car. tors for the moves, egged
port, the world's busiest for For the Nintendo-famed covering the lower half of The DeLorean from "Back on by a master of ceremo-
international travel and the plumbers Mario and Luigi — their faces. Most seemed to the Future" in front of the nies who may have exag-
home of long-haul carrier rather 24-year-old Bibi Zu- unconcerned by the Grim Burj Khalifa, the world's tall- gerated his qualifications.q

UN food aid chief fears

for Africa, Mideast amid

new crises

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — set aside to address the
The head of the U.N.'s food needs in Africa, East Africa,
aid agency warned of "ab- West Africa, in the Middle
solute devastation" in Afri- East right now," Beasley
ca and parts of the Middle said during an interview in
East in coming months if Jordan late Wednesday,
wealthier nations grappling after a visit to Syria. "If there
with an economic down- is an economic downturn,
turn linked to the new coro- on top of the economic
navirus don't step up aid downturn that exists now
efforts in countries in need. in Syria and Lebanon, it
David Beasley, head of absolutely could be a ca-
the World Food Program, tastrophe," he said. "I mean
told The Associated Press absolute devastation. I am
that the convergence of very concerned about
several crises could further what would happen in the
destabilize conflict-scarred next six months. You could
regions. see destabilization unlike
"If the corona virus contin- any time period, maybe in
ues to create panic around my lifetime." In the Middle
the world, and there is an East, Iran has been hardest
economic downturn, I hit by the new virus which
have been telling the Eu- has spread around the
ropean leaders, and lead- globe after first being de-
ers around the world, you tected in the Chinese city
don't have enough money of Wuhan late last year.q