Month: April 2020

Issued on: 29/04/2020 – 18:13Modified: 29/04/2020 – 18:16

Across the world authorities have been scrambling to supply health workers with equipment needed to treat the surge of Covid-19 patients. But a new problem is emerging: How to deal with the vast amounts of medical waste the pandemic is creating, including the masks, gloves, gowns and other protective gear used by doctors and nurses, all of which could be contaminated by the virus.

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One processing plant in Vandoeuvre-lés-Nancy in eastern France has had to double its capacity to cope with the influx of infectious waste.

"We had to implement a number of important measures, such as almost doubling our mechanical treatment capacity, doubling our teams in place in order to ensure all the treatment. And also, working seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Joël Keller, director of treatment at the plant, told AFP.

Once delivered from hospitals across the country the waste is incinerated at temperatures of 110..

Issued on: 30/04/2020 – 07:47Modified: 30/04/2020 – 07:47

Germany has banned Iran-backed Hezbollah activity on its soil and designated it a terrorist organisation, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

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Police conducted early morning raids in Germany to detain suspected members of the group. Security officials believe up to 1,050 people in Germany are part of Hezbollah's extremist wing.

"Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has banned the Shiite terrorist organisation Hezbollah in Germany," tweeted a ministry spokesman.

"Even in times of crisis, the rule of law is capable of acting," he added.

Germany had previously distinguished between Hezbollah's political arm and its military units, which have fought alongside President Bashar al-Assad's army in Syria.

Israel and the United States had been pushing Germany to ban the organisation.

German parliament had also urged ban

Last December, Germany's parliament approved a motion urging Cha..