Kuwait's Zain telecom said Wednesday its net profits in the first half of 2020 plunged due to business disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Zain recorded a 28-percent collapse in net profits in the second quarter, compared to the same period of 2019, posting $117 million. For the six months ending June 30, net profits fell 14 percent, year-on-year. Zain said its business was impacted by the closure of retail stores as well as a halt to international business and travel that hit revenues from roaming services. Kuwait has declared almost 400 deaths from more than 56,000 cases of COVID-19. "All our operations were focused on providing connectivity during the lockdown to minimise the impact of the pandemic on socio-economic life," Zain's CEO Bader al-Kharafi said. Zain has 47 million customers and operates in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and Sudan. bur-oh/dm/hc