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published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11659 September 2, 2020 Muharram 14, 1442 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

QM launches campaign to protect public art Amir honours ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Greece Qatar Museums (QM) has launched a campaign to protect and preserve installations across the country, encouraging the wider community to share in the responsibility to take ownership of #OurPublicArt. As part of the campaign, the museum has installed anti-vandalism signage at Zekreet, where Richard Serra’s striking East-West-West-East sculpture has been defaced by unsightly tags. The signage, installed in collaboration with Ashghal, serves to educate the community on what constitutes vandalism of public art: drawing, marking, spray painting, scratching or any other act that damages or defaces an installation. Page 3 New book on US First Lady feeds speculation A new book released yesterday dishes on the supposed icy relationship between Melania Trump and her stepdaughter Ivanka, fuel for gossips eager to speculate about first family rivalries. Author Stephanie Winston Wolkoff says she was once a friend of the president’s third wife, also acting as an adviser until His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met at the Amiri Diwan Off ice yesterday with the outgoing ambassadors of Kazakhstan and Greece to Qatar Askar Shokybayev and Constantinos 2018 when she fell out of favour Orphanides respectively. The Amir granted the ambassadors Al Wajbah Decoration in recognition of their roles in enhancing relations between Qatar and their countries, wishing them success in their future after reporting revealed colossal tasks and further progress and development for the relations. For their part, the ambassadors expressed thanks and appreciation to the Amir and the State off icials for the co-operation they received, which spending on Donald Trump’s contributed to the success of their work in the country. Page 2 inauguration, which she played a key role in organising. ‘Health workers should be fi rst to get vaccines’ Healthcare workers and first Doha 2030 Asian Games responders who are at the highest risk of contracting Covid-19 should be at the front of the line for vaccines when they become available, an independent expert bid launches logo, slogan panel tapped by top US health off icials said yesterday. The draft report, issued by the National he Doha 2030 Asian Games Bid Academies of Sciences, Engineering Committee yesterday unveiled and Medicine, recommends Ta dynamic bid logo and slogan, vaccines be rolled out in four which together refl ect Qatar’s combi- phases, with the first “Jumpstart” nation of tradition and modernity and phase focused on managing what its commitment to hosting a magical is expected to initially be a scarce Games with an enduring legacy for Asia. Jassim Rashid al-Buenain HE Sheikh Joaan supply of vaccines. The offi cial logo and slogan, “Your Gateway”, were revealed virtually by tee and QOC Secretary-General Jassim hosted more than 500 major interna- ‘Lebanon cabinet QOC President and Doha 2030 Asian Rashid al-Buenain said: “We are confi - tional sport events, conferences and Games Bid Committee Chair, HE The Doha 2030 Asian Games bid logo Doha 2030 logo dent that we off er the Olympic Coun- training camps. Athletes and their within 2 weeks’ Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, projected on to the National Museum cil of Asia and its members certainty teams would be able to benefi t from Lebanese leaders have promised to alongside Qatari athletes and commit- of Qatar yesterday. outstanding natural scenery, with its vi- because all of the permanent venues this experience and the existing state- form a new government within two tee representatives. brant, contemporary and diverse culture. we need to host the 2030 Asian Games of-the-art competition venues and weeks, visiting French President HE Sheikh Joaan said: “Our bid is “Building on the legacy of the Doha The look and feel is bold and colourful, are already built. Our infrastructure is training facilities used at major sport- Emmanuel Macron said yesterday born out of our strong belief that sport 2006 Asian Games, we want to deliver representing the bid’s vision to inspire ready to host Asia and the World. ing events, such as the IAAF 2019 after talks with political blocs who has the power to drive social change a sustainable, inspirational Games dreams of a more prosperous future for “We have a proven track-record in World Athletics Championships and designated a new prime minister a and foster peace and understanding. plan that provides certainty and an Asia through the celebration of sport. delivering world-class events to the the FIFA 2022 World Cup. day earlier. “What I have asked for, The unique role sport can play in keep- enduring legacy for Asian sport. We The ‘Your Gateway’ slogan mirrors very-highest standards. And we can QOC Marketing & Communications what all political parties without ing us connected and inspiring hope want to deliver an Asian Games that Qatar’s belief that the Doha 2030 Asian deliver a world-class Asian Games that Director Sheikha Asma al-Thani added: exception have committed to has been so clearly demonstrated this supports development throughout the Games can be a gateway to a brighter sets a sustainable blueprint for future “By understanding the challenges Asian this evening right here, is that year during the global pandemic. It continent and provides a platform that tomorrow for Asia’s National Olympic bids. At a time of great uncertainty, NOCs are facing and identifying ways the formation of this government has only strengthened our determina- connects all nations and celebrates our Committees (NOCs). The Doha 2030 Qatar is ready to deliver the excellence the Games can contribute to overcom- will not take more than 15 days,” tion to use Doha 2030 as a gateway to a peaceful diversity.” bid is proposing a gateway to a risk- Asia deserves in the sustainable, risk ing them, we can ensure that Doha 2030 Macron said in a speech. He said brighter future for Qatar and the Asian The logo has been designed to show- free, excellent and sustainable Games. free way that it needs.” is a gateway to a stronger future for Asia the cabinet would be comprised of Olympic family. case the blend of Qatar’s heritage and CEO of the Doha 2030 Bid Commit- In the last 15 years alone, Qatar has before and after 2030. To Page 5 “competent personalities”. Page 7 Millions of European PM witnesses contract signing for students return to school building eight public schools Millions of mask-wearing European Schools reopen, Metro back children returned to school yesterday with governments determined to get pupils back in class despite still-rising coronavirus on track as Phase 4 begins infections which surged over four million across the continent for the first time. Schools reopened housands of students returned to school for According to the blended learning system, stu- in Russia, Ukraine, Belgium and the new academic year yesterday after a long dents have to attend classes in school from one to France, where teachers and Tbreak necessitated by the Covid-19 restric- three times a week, with a maximum 30% of the children aged 11 and older were tions, even as many others stayed at home as part total number of students allowed on a single school obliged to wear face coverings, of the blended learning system put in place for this day. In order to maintain the necessary health con- echoing regulations in place across term. ditions and social distancing, schools have been the continent. Lockdowns imposed Doha Metro and public bus services also resumed required to split students at any level into groups from March meant many children operations yesterday while food courts reopened at of a maximum of 15. have missed months of education, malls, all with limited capacity on the fi rst day of the Also, a minimum distance of 1.5m has to be main- as well as time with their friends. Fourth Phase of the lifting of Covid-19 curbs. tained between each student on all sides. To Page 3 Facebook dismantles Russian ‘influencer’ A Russian influence operation posed as an independent news outlet to target left-wing voters in the United States and Britain, including by recruiting freelance journalists to write about domestic politics, Facebook said yesterday. The website HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz operated 13 Facebook accounts and al-Thani yesterday witnessed the signing of a contract to construct eight public schools under two pages, which were set up in the public-private sectors partnership system. The contract was signed by the Public Works May and suspended on Monday Authority (Ashghal) and Dar Al Uloom Real Estate Development Company of Barwa Real Estate for using fake identities and other Group. The ceremony was attended by a number of ministers and senior off icials. The new forms of “co-ordinated inauthentic Passengers on board Doha Metro yesterday. Children in a classroom at a school yesterday. schools are located in Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Al Kheesa, Rawdat Al Hamam, Umm Salal Mohamed, behaviour,” the company said. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed PICTURE: Ram Chand Pages 3, 12 Bu Faseela and Rawdat Al Naisar. The construction is expected to be completed in 2022. Page 2 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 QATAR

Prime Minister meets envoys of Kazakhstan and Greece OFFICIAL

Amir greets president of Uzbekistan

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday sent cables of congratulations to the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziy- HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani yesterday met the outgoing ambassadors of Kazakhstan and Greece to Qatar – Askar Shokybayev and oyev on the anniversary of his Constantinos Orphanides, respectively. The Prime Minister and Minister of Interior wished the ambassadors success in their future duties, and further development and progress in the relations between Qatar country’s Independence Day. HE and their countries. the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani has also sent a cable of congratulations to the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov on the occasion. Amir sends cable PM witnesses contract signing for of congratulations to Slovak president

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir construction of eight public schools Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday sent cables of QNA congratulations to President of the Doha Slovak Republic Zuzana Caputova on the anniversary of her coun- try’s Constitution Day. E the Prime Minister and HE the Prime Minister and Min- Interior Minister Sheikh ister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin HKhalid bin Khalifa bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani has Abdulaziz al-Thani yesterday also sent a cable of congratula- witnessed the signing of a con- tions to the Prime Minister of the tract to construct eight public Slovak Republic Igor Matovic on schools under the public and the occasion. private sectors partnership sys- tem. Summer working The contract was signed by the Public Works Author- hours at open ity (Ashghal) and Dar Al Uloom worksites end Real Estate Development Com- pany of Barwa Real Estate Group The Ministry of Administrative within Qatar Schools Develop- HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, ministers and Development, Labour and Social ment Programme. other dignitaries at the signing ceremony yesterday. Aff airs (MADLSA), represented by The new schools are located in the Labour Inspection Depart- Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Al Khee- embodies the principles stipu- schools as a fi rst package. ment, announced the end of the sa, Rawdat Al Hamam, Umm Slal lated by Law No 12 of 2020 on “The project has been as- period for determining working Mohamed, Bu Faseela and Raw- regulating the partnership be- signed to a national company hours in open workplaces during dat Al Naisar. The construction tween the government and the in accordance with the govern- the summer. of all the schools is expected to private sector, which was issued ment’s directives to give pri- In a statement, the ministry af- be completed in 2022. by His Highness the Amir Sheikh ority to Qatari businesses,” he firmed that inspection campaigns Under the agreement, Dar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. said while observing noting that have stopped to follow up on Al Uloom Real Estate Develop- The minister appreciated the Ashghal does not hesitate to fa- companies commitment to Min- ment Company will construct directives of the prime minister, cilitate procedures for the pri- isterial Resolution No 16 of 2007 the schools and provide mainte- which refl ect the interest in the vate sector, especially for local limiting working hours in open nance and operation services for role that the private sector plays fi rms implementing its projects. workplaces, which prohibits work them for 25 years. as a strategic partner to achieve In this context, a middle school after 11:30am, and stipulates that The contract signing ceremo- the future vision of Qatar. and a secondary school for boys working hours do not start in the ny was attended by a number of “This agreement represents will be built in Al-Kheesa, Raw- evening period before 3pm from ministers, senior offi cials from an inspiring model for the part- dat Al Hamama in addition to a June 15 to August 31 every year. Ashghal and Barwa Real Estate nership between the public and middle school for girls in Bu Fes- The ministry called on companies Company, and several stake- private sectors, especially as it seela, three secondary schools to continue occupational safety holders and representatives of mainly aims at supporting the for girls in Umm Slal Mohamed, and health measures to protect the executing company. nation’s education system. Rawdat Al Naisar and Al Wakrah, workers from exposure to heat The signing ceremony be- Ashghal president Dr Saad bin and an elementary school for girls stress by providing air-conditioned gan with a presentation on the Ahmed al-Muhannadi affi rmed and a model school for boys in Al areas for their comfort, providing project in terms of work com- that the contract is the fi rst of Wukair. The projects will accom- cooled drinking water and light mencement and the mecha- its kind, and comes within the modate more than 6,000 students clothing, and giving them breaks nisms followed in accordance framework of the directives of the and employ 720 people. at diff erent times. with the highest international wise leadership and the recent Each school will consist of The inspection campaigns carried standards in addition to the ad- law issued by His Highness the 30 classrooms to accommodate and arts halls, multipurpose will also take into account the The new school buildings will out by the ministry’s inspectors at vantages of the new schools and Amir regulating the partnership about 786 students. According halls, gyms, libraries and class- sustainability criteria represent- also consider the requirements workplaces in various regions of the designs presented. between public sector and private to the approved design model, rooms, in addition to external ed by the GSAS 3-star system, of Qatar Building Code for peo- the country from June 15 to Aug 31 In a statement, HE the Min- sector. A total of 47 new schools the schools will include vari- facilities including shaded park- which focuses on promoting the ple with special needs, in terms resulted in the closure of 263 work ister of Commerce and Indus- are scheduled to be created though ous educational facilities such ing, sports fi elds, and service application of green building of providing appropriate en- sites of companies violating the try Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari the private sector during the next as science labs, language labs, buildings. requirements in the design and trances as well as special toilet ministerial decision. underlined that the agreement fi ve years, including these eight information technology, sports The implementing company construction of facilities. designs and other requirements. Ministerial decision on regulating HMC holds online MoPH reports 115,895 total Covid-19 recoveries hunting season HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdulla bin workshop for children QNA ready signs of this happening Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie is- Doha in other countries around the sued a ministerial decision on the world. regulation of the hunting season with disabilities Now more than ever, people for certain birds and wild animals. he Ministry of Pub- must be careful and protect the The decision stipulated that the QNA summer workshop initiative lic Health (MoPH) an- most vulnerable. hunting season for certain migra- Doha seeks to support children and Tnounced yesterday 216 While the restrictions of Cov- tory birds will be from 1/9/2020 teach them skills that will help new confi rmed cases of coro- id-19 are gradually being lifted in until 1/5/2021 only, provided that them form their independent navirus (Covid-19) during the Qatar, it is important for every- the Houbara bustard is hunted by he Hamad Medical Cor- personalities and build self-con- last 24 hours – 196 of these from one to play their role in control- falcons only. It is prohibited to use poration (HMC), repre- fi dence so that they can continue community cases and 20 from ling the virus by following pre- or exchange non-traditional hunt- Tsented by the Child and their lives naturally. travellers returning from abroad cautionary measures: ing tools and means, especially Adolescent Mental Health Serv- The annual summer work- who are subject to quarantine. zAdherence to physical dis- Electronic Bird callers “Sawayat”. ices Department, has organised shop is supervised by a group The MoPH also announced the tancing. The season for hunting rabbits is an online summer camp in which of multidisciplinary supportive death of an 81-year-old patient zAvoid close contact with from 1/11/2020 until 12/15/2021 only, 30 children between the ages of health service cadres, with ex- who was receiving the necessary others,crowded places and con- provided that they are caught by 8-15 participated. pertise in therapeutic education medical care. fi ned closed spaces where other falcons and hunting dogs only. The workshop, held online for and training methods based on The MoPH also recorded 228 people congregate. It is prohibited to hunt any other the fi rst time since its inception scientifi c evidence, which in- recoveries from the virus during zWearing a face mask. birds or wild animals. In particu- in 2016, was aimed at children clude occupational therapists, the past 24 hours, bringing the zWashing hands regularly. lar, hunting birds and endemic with intellectual disabilities and speech therapists, play thera- total number of cases recovered zMost importantly, it is vi- animals is prohibited throughout off ered training workshops that pists and psychoanalysts. in Qatar to 115,895. tal that people continue to pro- the year. include many entertainment and Dr al-Muraisi explained that The MoPH issued a statement tect the elderly and those with educational aspects. the supervisors of the workshops on Covid-19 developments in chronic medical conditions. Qatar condemns Executive Director of Clinical are strengthening the abilities of Qatar, which said that all new zWhen spending time at and Service Development with the participating children in the cases have been introduced to home with elderly family mem- attack in HMC’s Child and Adolescent fi eld of communicating with those isolation and are receiving nec- bers or those with chronic dis- Afghanistan Mental Health Service Dr May around them, critical thinking, essary healthcare according to eases, people must ensure that Jassim al-Muraisi confi rmed reading and writing, speaking, their health status. they wash their hands regularly, Qatar has expressed its strong that the workshop organisers de- sharpening memory and writing It said that the measures to wear a mask and maintain social condemnation and denunciation cided to go online this year, with notes, and through these work- tackle Covid-19 in Qatar have and physical distancing. of the attack that occurred in Pa- the aim of children continuing to shops the development of skills succeeded in fl attening the curve zVery high quality of care Even though restrictions are Anyone suff ering from Cov- ktia province, southeast Afghani- benefi t from this initiative while and sensory abilities are also de- and limiting the spread of the vi- provided through the public being lifted, and numbers are id-19 symptoms should either stan, which resulted in deaths and preserving their health and pro- veloped through play therapy. rus and the number of new daily healthcare sector for Covid-19 declining, this does not mean contact 16000 helpline or go injuries. tecting them from the coronavi- She pointed to the increasing cases and hospital admissions is patients. that the Covid-19 pandemic is directly to one of the follow- In a statement yesterday, the Min- rus (Covid-19). demand for specialised treat- continuing to decline each week. zQatar’s young population. over in Qatar. People are being ing designated health centres to istry of Foreign Aff airs reiterated She indicated that this year’s ment for children with intellec- Qatar’s proactive and exten- zProactive testing to identify admitted to hospital with mod- undergo the necessary checks: the firm position of Qatar rejecting workshop aims to support chil- tual disabilities. sive testing of suspected cases cases early. erate to severe Covid-19 symp- Muaither, Rawdat Al Khail, violence and terrorism regardless dren who suff er from low cogni- She said that, over the past has enabled us to identify a high zExpanding hospital capac- toms. Umm Slal, or Al Gharrafa. of their motives and reasons. tive abilities and constructively few years, HMC has doubled the number of positive cases in the ity, especially intensive care, to Unless people follow all pre- This is important as the The statement expressed condo- address the challenges related to number of functional physio- community. ensure all patients receive the cautionary measures, the coun- earlier the disease is detected lences of Qatar to the families of the crisis caused by the corona- therapists to meet the increasing Qatar has one of the low- medical care they need. try may experience a second the easier it will be to receive the victims and to the government virus pandemic. needs of these patients’ treat- est Covid-19 death rates in the zProtecting the elderly and wave of the virus and see num- the right treatment and re- and people of Afghanistan, wish- Dr al-Muraisi added that the ment services. world. This is a result of: those with chronic diseases. bers increasing. There are al- cover from it. ing the injured a speedy recovery. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020 3 QATAR Qatar Museums FM meets US assistant secretary of state launches campaign to protect public art zRichard Serra sculpture in Zekreet to be restored HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman n its continuous efforts to foster ar- den by law. As public art belongs to us all, it is al-Thani yesterday met the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Aff airs David Schenker, tistic appreciation and ensure Qatar’s our collective responsibility to respect, pre- who is currently visiting Qatar. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and discussed Ipublic art is cherished and looked after, serve and protect it. QM strongly encourages the situation in Libya, the Gulf crisis and issues of the region as well as issues of common concern. Qatar Museums (QM) has launched a cam- the community to take pride in these incred- paign to protect and preserve installations ible works, which have been created to be en- across the country, encouraging the wider joyed by us all,” he said. community to share in the responsibility to Serra’s breathtaking installation, located take ownership of #OurPublicArt. in the Brouq nature reserve, spans over a kil- As part of the campaign, QM installed ometre and comprises four steel plates, each anti-vandalism signage at Zekreet where over 14 metres in height, standing in stark Venezuela envoy visits QRCS to Richard Serra’s striking East-West/West- contrast to the topography of the land and East sculpture has been defaced by un- the desolate space in the heart of the desert. sightly tags. East-West/West-East is one of many The signage, installed in collaboration awe-inspiring public artworks by renowned enhance humanitarian relations with Ashghal, serves to educate the com- artists, including Damien Hirst, El Seed, munity on what constitutes vandalism of Louise Bourgeois and Subodh Gupta, which public art: drawing, marking, spray painting, can be found dotted across the city, taking li bin Hassan al-Ham- and Venezuela. He also high- of the International Federation scratching or any other act that damages or art beyond four walls and breathing life into madi, secretary-general lighted the close communication of the Red Cross and Red Cres- defaces an installation. shared spaces. Aof Qatar Red Crescent between QRCS and the Venezue- cent Societies (IFRC). Al-Hajj In the coming months, QM will also un- QM is committed to nurturing a thriving Society (QRCS), has met a high- lan Red Cross in international presented QRCS’s support to the dertake a clean-up operation to restore Ser- public art scene through #OurPublicArt that profi le delegation from the em- conferences, under the umbrella Venezuelan Red Cross, among 22 ra’s installation. refl ects the artistic expression of the wider bassy of Venezuela. The delega- of the International Red Cross national societies that received Emphasising the community’s responsi- community. tion comprised Giuseppe Angelo and Red Crescent Movement. humanitarian support to fi ght bility to preserve public art, QM CEO Ah- Throughout the year, QM leads a Yoff reda Yorio, ambassador; Fa- He revealed a plan to visit sev- Covid-19. mad Musa al-Namla said: “Qatar boasts a number of public art initiatives, includ- tima Majzoub, assistant ambas- eral countries in South America, Yorio was happy for being at vibrant public art scene that not only brings ing the 6/5 Open Call, Public Art Student sador; and Andres Eloy Marquez including Venezuela, where a QRCS to step up co-operation to life urban areas but also sparks debate on Competition and Mural Open Call that Picon, fi rst secretary. memorandum of understanding against the pandemic. “The topical issues of global relevance. It is un- invite the community to unleash their The meeting was also attend- (MoU) may be signed between Government of Qatar has given fortunate that some public art pieces, such creativity and actively contribute to Qa- ed by QRCS offi cials Dr Fawzi QRCS and the Venezuelan Red a lot to the world out of human as Richard Serra’s installation, have been Anti-vandalism signage installed at Zekreet. tar’s vibrant cultural dialogue through Oussedik, head of International Cross to establish humanitar- solidarity,” he said. “It is some- defaced with scrawling and tags by visitors pieces that represent Qatar’s past, cel- Relations and International Hu- ian co-operation, building on thing to be respected and ad- to Zekreet.” national asset that is meant for the enrich- ebrate its modernity and contemplate the manitarian Law; Adel al-Baker, the excellent relations between mired.” “Vandalism of public artworks damages a ment of the entire community and is forbid- country’s future. director of the offi ce of presi- the two countries, according to a He promised to off er all types dent; and Nagla al-Hajj, head of press statement. of facilitation to QRCS’s Cov- International Development. Al- Dr Oussedik described the Qa- id-19 control project in Ven- Hammadi welcomed the guests tar-Venezuela relations as “his- ezuela. “Despite the distance, and emphasised the strong po- torical and not recent”. QRCS the hearts of the Venezuelan and litical, economic and humani- advocated Venezuela’s nominee Qatari people are close,” Yorio Schools reopen, Metro back tarian relations between Qatar for the offi ce of deputy president concluded. on track as Phase 4 begins

From Page 1 Parents to sign consent form for students’ Covid test transportation on public and school buses. These and a host of other pre- The fourth phase has been di- cautionary measures have been Parents of students selected and limit the spread of the virus vided into two stages, with the put in place to protect children for random Covid-19 testing will in the school environment,” the fi rst one beginning yesterday from Covid-19 infection. These be requested to sign a consent MoPH said in a post on social and the next one scheduled to include checking the body tem- form prior to their children get- media yesterday. start in the third week of Sep- perature of students before let- ting tested, the Ministry of Public “Testing of students is not tember, as was announced by the ting them in, general social dis- Health (MoPH) has said. mandatory and will be subject Supreme Committee for Crisis tancing on campus, wearing face “The MoPH, in collaboration with to parental consent. Parents of Management recently. masks, provision of hand sani- the Ministry of Education and students selected for random The fi rst stage of Phase 4 tisers and other measures. Higher Education, will conduct testing will be requested to includes the reopening of all The Ministry of Education random testing of students. This sign a consent form prior to mosques in the country to per- and Higher Education (MoEHE) will enable the early detection of their children getting tested,” form daily and Friday prayers. and Ministry of Public Health Covid-19 cases among students it added. Normal working hours will QRCS and Venezuelan embassy off icials. (MoPH) have reiterated the need continue at malls while keeping for students to follow all pre- the capacity to 50%, while food cautionary measures in schools The fi rst three days of school the home-school partnership. courts in malls will open at 30% and at homes, and stressed the reopening are dedicated to rais- Meanwhile, yesterday also of their capacity. Also, children important role played by all con- ing the students’ awareness on saw the resumption of Doha are now allowed to enter malls. cerned in this – children, their Covid-19 precautionary and Metro and public transit (bus) Restaurants with a Qatar GRSIA takes part in meeting of GCC parents and the school staff . preventive measures and the services at 30% of their capac- Clean programme certifi cate can Yesterday, children were seen need to follow them strictly. ity. Qatar Rail and Mowasalat receive customers up to 100% of undergoing body temperature The MoEHE is implement- have taken the necessary steps their capacity. Eateries that do committee of civil pension agencies checks while entering the school, ing the blended learning sys- to ensure that all precautionary not have a Qatar Clean certifi - and maintaining social distanc- tem during the fi rst term of the measures are followed by both cate can only receive customers ing in classrooms and elsewhere 2020/2021 school year in gov- staff and users. up to a maximum of 30% of their he General Retirement social insurance agencies, the civil pension and social insur- on campus and the staff explain- ernment and private schools, Doha Metro has imposed premises’ capacity. and Social Insurance Au- update of a comparative study ance systems and the challenges ing the dos and don’ts to chil- higher education institutes and stringent measures to prevent Private health clinics are now Tthority (GRSIA) partici- of civil pension and social in- related to the payment of con- dren, among the implementa- kindergartens, across all educa- the spread of Covid-19 such as allowed to resume work at full pated in the 45th meeting of the surance systems to discuss tributions to banks, in addition tion of other measures. tional stages. requiring Metro passengers to capacity. Permanent Technical Commit- ways of rapprochement be- to reviewing statistics on the The authorities had earlier More than 340,000 students show the ‘green’ QR code on the Cleaning and hospitality serv- tee of the Gulf Civil Pension and tween them, the review and number of Gulf nationals work- assured that the precautionary are expected to attend public and Ehteraz app, wear face masks ice companies are allowed to Social Security Agencies held via update of the unified system ing in the GCC countries. and preventive measures put private schools in this academic at all times and adhere to social resume work in workplaces and video conference technology. for extending insurance pro- Developments in the imple- in place will make the return to year. distancing practices and other homes, provided the staff does The authority was represent- tection, and the review of mentation of the system for school safe. Technical teams will HE the Minister of Educa- protocols such as thermal scan- not exceed 30% of the total op- ed in the meeting by Director applied developments, in ad- citizens were also discussed, in regulate and monitor the entry tion and Higher Education Dr ning. erating capacity. of Customer Management and dition to discussing the devel- addition to co-ordinating par- and exit of students to avoid any Mohamed Abdul Wahed Ali Mowasalat (Karwa) also start- This phase includes the open- member of the committee Ali opment of procedures manual ticipation in international events potential crowding and main- al-Hammadi had on Monday ed providing public and school ing of cinemas and theatres at Abdullah al-Kuwari. between agencies and benefi- and discussing the requirements tain adequate physical distance stressed that the success of transport services from yester- 15% of their capacity, and only The meeting dealt with the ciaries in the GCC. of a unifi ed visual media cam- among them during these pro- blended learning depends on day, with all preventive meas- people who are 18 years and work plan of the committee The meeting also touched paign, in addition to topics sub- cedures. many factors, most prominently ures put in place to ensure safe above are allowed entry. of heads of civil pension and on the electronic link between mitted by member states.

Back-to-school campaign

This year’s version of the back-to-school campaign has been restricted to giving gifts to students because of the “current exceptional circumstances”, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education said in a post on Twitter yesterday. The ministry launches the campaign annually to welcome students back and build communication with the public. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 QATAR Nearly half of permitted students attend Indian schools on day one

By Joseph Varghese Staff Reporter

bout 50% of the permit- ted students attended Aphysical classes at vari- ous Indian schools yesterday on the fi rst day of the new academic year – the fi rst time since schools were closed due to the outbreak of Covid-19. Government had permitted to resume the academic year with 30% of the students attending the classes at the school campus and the rest continuing online classes. With blended education in practice, most Indian schools had prepared a schedule allow- Senior students attend classes yesterday at MES Indian School, abid- Students enter Birla Public School following social distancing yester- ing 30% of the students to attend ing by the Covid-19 protocol. Students’ temperature being checked at Ideal Indian School. day. the classes on the campus for one or two days a week. While some scheduled to attend the class. with all the safety precautions. Ali pointed out that very few one. “We had good attendance at Ministry of Education and High- she explained. The school has schools appealed the parents to This is very encouraging as par- We hope the situation improves students availed the school all the three campuses. Offi cials er Education and the Ministry of adopted a blended learning sys- drop and pick their children, sev- ents and students are eager to in the coming days,” she added. transportation. “Though we had from the Ministry of Education Public Health on Covid-19 pre- tem with only a third of students eral schools had provided school make sure that physical classes Ideal Indian School principal made arrangements for school and Higher Education had visit- vention and control in schools, attending the physical class on transport adhering to strict take place at the earliest. School Syed Shoukat Ali also noted that transport, very few students ed the school and they were very principal Hameeda Kadar said in a day, with the rest attending Covid-19 protocols. Schools also appreciates the trust shown by about 50% of the allotted stu- opted it. This could be due to the happy with the arrangements a statement. online classes from home. The had applied all the necessary pre- the parents towards the arrange- dents had attended the school on certain concerns of the parents made. We hope the number of “The fi rst three days of the schedule for school days and re- cautions to make sure that every ments made for reopening.” the fi rst day. and students. Many of the buses students go up in the coming commencement of the academic mote learning were shared with student follows the Covid-19 Nafees also noted that it was “Out of the prescribed 30%, had only a handful of students days. We have also refrained from session is primarily dedicated to the students and parents. preventive and precautionary heartening to welcome the stu- we had over 50% of the students while some of them returned arranging school transport and raising students’ awareness on “Further guidelines will be measures. dents after such a long time. attending classes. However, in empty,” he explained. have appealed the parents to drop Covid-19 protocols. shared from time-to-time in DPS-MIS principal Asna Na- “The day went off very well and lower classes, the strength was Birla Public School’s construc- and pick the kids,” he said. During the school hours, stu- WhatsApp groups and parent- fees said that almost 50% of the all of us complied well with the considerably lesser but higher tion manager Jackson T Solomon MES Indian School reopened dents were advised to practice portal as per the directives of allowed students attended the guidelines issued by the govern- classes recorded good number echoed the same sentiments and after summer break yesterday mindfulness about keeping safe the Ministry of Education and school. “We received 50% out ment. We have also provided of students. Our school timing is said that all the campuses of the following the guidelines and distance from others, proper Higher Education,” the principal of the one-third of the students transport facility for the students until 12.30pm.” school were functional from day recommendations issued by the ways of eating and sanitising,” added.

Vodafone, Qatar Rail partner to provide Wi-Fi on metro QIB ‘exclusive’ Home

odafone Qatar, in partnership with Qatar Rail, has launched a Finance off er for Qataris Vpublic Wi-Fi service on the Doha Metro Red, Green and Gold lines to pro- vide passengers with Internet access at IB has launched an “exclusive” for the property mortgage or any property all stations and on board trains. Home Finance off er, in line with its evaluation fees. QIB’s Home Finance off er “The fully managed Wi-Fi is one of Q“commitment to providing the best covers up to 70% of the property’s value and Qatar’s very few projects to provide and most competitive” off ers in the market off ers a repayment period of up to 20 years. seamless Internet access while users are for its customers. Whether customers want On the new promotion, D Anand, QIB on the move,” Vodafone Qatar said in a to buy a new home or a land, the new off er general manager (Personal Banking Group) statement yesterday. allows Qatari citizens to benefi t from re- said, “QIB has established itself as one of The coverage spans the Metro fa- Vodafone Qatar CEO Sheikh Hamad duced profi t rates, extended grace period and the leading banks in Qatar by following a cilities, both above and below ground, Abdulla al-Thani. waived fees when purchasing their home customer centric approach in everything it including the 37 stations and all trains through QIB’s Shariah-compliant home fi - does. In collaboration with leading real es- on each of the three lines, to give pas- prove the quality of their service, the nance programme. tate developers in Qatar, we are providing sengers uninterrupted connectivity. HE Seamless Internet access for Doha Metro users. statement notes. Anyone on the Metro The off er is valid for a short period of time, to our customers a comprehensive solution Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al- premises will be eligible to register for the bank said. During this period, salaried granting them access to exclusive pack- Subaie, MD and CEO of Qatar Rail, said: Vodafone Qatar CEO Sheikh Hamad able to consumers, and with our world- the service regardless of the telecom Qatari customers will benefi t from competi- ages that respond to all their needs and cover “We are pleased to have Vodafone join Abdulla al-Thani said, “The Doha Met- class network, Metro patrons will be operator they use or if they are roaming tive home fi nance profi t rates starting from their plans to purchase their desired homes us as the offi cial Wi-Fi provider for the ro is one of the most important public able to experience our reliable Internet in Qatar. reducing rate of 4.5% p.a., inclusive of Life in Qatar.” Doha Metro rail network. facilities in the country, providing an af- connection during their commute.” Upon registration, they will imme- Takaful coverage. Customers applying for Customers can submit their request to The extensive Internet coverage fordable, fast and convenient means of The public Wi-Fi will feature a highly diately have access to 30 minutes of QIB’s Home Finance will also be eligible for apply for home fi nance through QIB’s web- makes our passengers’ journey more transport to thousands of people daily. secure data privacy platform along with free Internet access daily, valid for use the 12 months’ repayment grace period al- site and a QIB representative will contact convenient and comfortable by facili- We are proud to be Qatar Rail’s partner a sophisticated tool that will enable Qa- throughout the day of activation. lowing them to own their home today and them for further information. For assist- tating connectivity from any part of the of choice in adding Wi-Fi access to their tar Rail to analyse the customer journey Users can also choose to purchase start paying the instalments after one year. ance, customers can call QIB’s 24x7 call rail network. With Vodafone’s expertise superior service. in terms of the frequency with which one of several premium plans for their Furthermore, during the campaign peri- centre at 44448444, or visit their nearest on hand, we are confi dent to provide Vodafone Qatar is committed to they use the Doha Metro, the duration day-, week- or month-long Internet od, customers will only pay a nominal feasi- QIB branch to fi nd out more about eligibility, best-in-class service to our customers.” making the best telecom service avail- and geographic movement to help im- consumption. bility fee and there will be no separate charge benefi ts and the application process. Al Meera launches Truth Bottle Recall campaign for wise water usage of Mazda CX9 l Meera Consumer Goods Company launched a new Acampaign in a series of sus- models tainability initiatives as part of its ef- forts to instil environmental-friendly values across various segments of the he Ministry of Com- society. The ‘Truth Bottle’ campaign merce and Industry aims to raise awareness on wise water T(MoCI), in co-op- consumption in Qatar and the need to eration with National Car preserve the valuable resource as the Company, announced the country moves towards a sustainable recall of Mazda CX9 models future. of 2014-2015, due to possible Research shows that Qatar’s water fault in the fuel tank hose, consumption per capita is one of the which may lead to a fuel leak. highest in the world at 500 litres per The recall campaign person per day. Many similar studies comes within the framework point to the excessively high rates of of the MoCI’s continuous consumption and the need to change efforts to protect consum- the behaviour towards water usage. The Truth Bottle campaign aims to raise awareness on wise water ers and ensure that dealers Truth Bottle, conceptualised as a consumption in Qatar. follow up on vehicle defects half-full Al Meera water bottle, is dis- and repairs. played at specially designed stands wider environmental implications. tionship with its wide customer base The MoCI said that it will at Al Meera branches to engage with The campaign aims at encouraging a to spread the message of mindful co-ordinate with the dealer Al Meera customers. Truth Bot- positive change in consumers’ behav- water consumption, encourage more to follow up on the mainte- tle prompts customers to a micro- iour while inviting every individual to conscious behaviour and foster a sus- nance and repair works and site through a QR code, where they question their daily habits. tainability driven nation as intended will communicate with cus- attempt to fi ll the bottle virtually. Commenting on the initiative, Al under the Qatar National Vision 2030. tomers to ensure that they Through a ‘Fill and Share’ button, the Meera said in a statement: “Currently, This includes encouraging lifestyle carried out the necessary campaign aims to raise awareness and Qatar relies on seawater desalina- changes in day to day tasks like wash- repairs. spread the message to as many peo- tion as its primary source for drinking ing cars, watering plants, doing the The MoCI urged all cus- ple as possible by reaching a target of water as well as for use in agriculture, dishes, or taking a bath. tomers to report any vio- 10,000 shares. household and commercial purposes. The Truth Bottle campaign follows lations to its Consumer The thought-provoking bottle, Even with the use of treated water, our in a series of sustainability initiatives Protection and Anti-Com- half-full, portrays the large numbers country’s fresh groundwater reserves previously led by Al Meera. These mercial Fraud Department, of wasted water bottles left over in continue to be overused.” include the installation of plastic re- which processes complaints, meeting rooms, cars, and gatherings “Truth Bottle aims to bring this in- cycling machines at select stores, the inquires and suggestions calling for attention on the alarming formation to the forefront of conver- launch of eco-friendly bags, recycling through the following chan- fact of high levels of water waste and sation so that together we can start of cardboard cartons and paper, and nels: Call centre: 16001, the importance of working together as working towards a more sustainable a battery waste collection initiative e-mail: [email protected], society members to preserve the local future as a nation”. in collaboration with the Ministry of Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, water resource. The online experience As Qatar’s national retailer and Municipality and Environment that Instagram: MOCIQATAR, acts as an awareness platform on the committed to the well-being of the allows customers to dispose of used MoCI mobile app for android issue of water usage in Qatar and its nation, Al Meera leverages its rela- batteries. and iOS: MOCIQATAR Gulf Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020 5 QATAR Doha 2030 Asian Games bid launches logo, slogan

From Page 1 that have been made in Qatar in the Asian Games in 2030. It is a ues in front of passionate sports clusive and accepting of people tar was very diff erent then to how these great qualities and more. promoting gender equality. And wonderful place for an athlete fans. But Doha is also a great from all backgrounds.” it is now. But what was the same Athletes would benefi t from the “Doha 2030 will be a festival of it will be a Games that welcomes to compete. When you train in place for athletes when they are Olympic and Asian Games was our passion for sport; our experience Qatar has got from our continent’s rich and vibrant and respects people of all genders, Doha, you have access to some of not competing or training. It is gold medallist, Nasser al-Attiyah commitment to making sure ath- hosting hundreds of world- cultures and a commemoration of races and cultures.” the best training and rehabilita- a vibrant and diverse city which added: “Competing at the Doha letes and fans have the very best class sports events. And athletes our unity through sport. It will be a GCC Women’s Games hand- tion facilities in the world. And off ers so much; from beautiful 2006 Asian Games will always conditions and that everyone would have access to some of Games that builds on and champi- ball champion, Hana Albadr, when you compete you are com- beaches to amazing restaurants feature very highly among my feels welcome. An Asian Games the world’s very best venues and ons the signifi cant advancements said: “I would love Doha to host peting in state-of-the-art ven- and cultural attractions. It is in- fondest sporting memories. Qa- in Doha in 2030 would have all training facilities.”

Texas A&M at Qatar Doha Bank fi fth draw winners

oha Bank has announced the winners of the Al Dana mentoring 19th-ranked DScheme, whose fi fth draw took place at the bank’s headquarters on July 28, 2020. R Rupapara won the QR1mn Al Dana Prize and A Abdel Hamid got the month- Qatar robotics team ly prize of QR100,000. As for the weekly draw, Y M al-Tamimi and four others took home the prize of QR10,000 each. igh school students with an in- In addition, 30 Doha Bank clients won terest in robotics from schools QR5,000 each. The winners were se- Hacross Qatar have formed Team lected in the presence of representative Qatar, the STEM-vengers, to represent from the Ministry of Commerce and the country in the FIRST Global Chal- Industry’s Quality Licenses and Market lenge, an “Olympics”-style robotics Control Department. event. “Al Dana Savings Scheme is one of The FIRST Global Challenge invites the many means that we use at Doha Al Dana winners each country to send a team to compete Bank to reward our customers and in a Robotics Olympics, which is based inspiring them to save by providing a largest prize pool that encompasses citizens as well as a year-end mega on the 14 Grand Challenges of Engi- platform that encourages spreading a highest number of millions in prizes draw, with a grand prize of QR2.5mn. neering identifi ed by the US National strong savings culture across Qatar,” and brings a variety of savings prod- Customers can enter the draws Academy of Engineering. Team Qatar said Braik al-Marri, its chief retail ucts to Doha Bank customers. by holding a minimum balance of comprises 25 students from 14 diff erent banking offi cer. The bank conducts monthly, quar- QR5,000 in any of Al Dana accounts, schools. The team is part of Texas A&M Al Dana Savings Scheme 2020 of- terly, semi-annually, and special with each QR1,000 saving giving University at Qatar’s (Tamuq) STEM fers Qatar’s highest individual prize, draws for ladies, children and senior them an entry to win millions. Hub Robotics Club, which is current- ly ranked 19th out of 174 teams from around the world. Qatar committee supports health sector in Gaza The 2020 FIRST Global Challenge — Connecting Communities consists HE the Chairman of Qatar Commit- the first time in the Gaza Strip, along of three months fi lled with social me- tee for the Reconstruction of Gaza with the provision of about 20,000 dia and technical challenges, talks by Team Qatar meets virtually with Tamuq mentors. ambassador Mohamed al-Emadi of the swabs needed to examine citi- STEM professionals, and technical announced that the committee, in zens reached about $150,000, add- training sessions — all while connect- tions and made me believe that work- hamed Gharib in the university’s STEM co-operation with Qatar Fund For ing that the provision of the new de- ing the First Global Community around ing together and co-operating we can Hub, a joint initiative between the uni- Development (QFFD), has support- vice will contribute significantly to the world. The season began in June and find solutions to the world’s grand versity and the Qatar National Research ed the health sector in Gaza with an solving the crisis of the accumulated wraps up on September 25. challenges. Despite the difficulties Fund (QNRF). The STEM Hub aims to advanced device (pictured) for the check-ups at the Ministry of Health Team Qatar’s Almayasa al-Obaidli that we faced this year by working promote creative applications of engi- testing of samples of coronavirus in Gaza, and that it was provided in said, “FIRST Global is a yearly robot- remotely, as a team, we were able to neering and science toward innovative (Covid-19). response to the repeated calls of the ics competition that promotes STEM face the challenges. FIRST Global has thinking and original design among He said that the cost of the new ministry to contribute to curbing the education and it’s a great way to rep- inspired me to expand my knowledge Qatar’s youth. device, which was introduced for spread of the virus. — QNA resent team Qatar among more than and to continue studying for the fu- Gharib established the SHRC initia- 150 countries. Participating in this ture.” tive at Tamuq in 2019 in co-operation competition helped me make friends The team is mentored by Tamuq’s with QNRF to use robotics to enhance, with other participants from all na- STEM programme specialist Dr Mo- supplement and enrich science and math learning experiences for second- ary students; to put together a team of talented students from diff erent schools in Qatar whose interests are in engineering in general and robotics in particular; and to prepare the students to participate in international competi- tions. Gharib said Team Qatar has shown a strong presence in the FGC since fi rst participating in FGC 2018 when Qatar achieved the bronze medal in a fi eld of 161 nations. SHRC aims to ensure the continuity of the team and transfer the knowledge and experience among the students, Gharib said. In 2019, Gharib won the Outstanding Mentor Award, which is given to mentors who are com- mitted to their students and inspired them to keep going, despite any chal- A member of the 2019 Team Qatar building a robot. lenges.

The accused with the seized drugs. 40kg drugs seized, drug peddler gang busted

The General Directorate of Drug Enforcement at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has seized 40kg of banned nar- cotic substances and arrested three Asians, MoI yesterday informed through its social media platforms. The haul included 29kg of hashish and 10.2kg of methamphetamine. The Directorate received information about some persons involved in drug traff icking and a search and investigation team was formed immediately. The investigation verified the information and accordingly a plan was developed to arrest the accused. After obtaining the permis- sion of the Public Prosecution, the team arrested the ac- cused and seized the drugs. The accused were referred to the competent authorities for further legal procedures. Last month, the General Authority of Customs (GAC) off icials seized 2,152kg of ‘tambaku’ (a kind of chew- ing tobacco) from a sugar shipment at the Hamad Port. In July, four packs of crystal methamphetamine weighing 734gm were seized at Cargo customs at Hamad Interna- tional Airport. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 QATAR HBKU, Norwegian Company Yara sign deal to support food security amad Bin Khalifa Univer- rity, sustainable food produc- population of the planet. In such the utilisation of carbon dioxide delighted to link-up with Yara sity’s College of Science tion, energy effi ciency, water conditions, conventional farm- to enhance agricultural produc- for this important project. This Hand Engineering and management and the application ing practices are not able to ac- tivity and the use of advanced collaboration is an excellent ex- Norwegian-based fi rm Yara In- of artifi cial intelligence within commodate the changing reality methods to optimise energy ample of industry-academia col- ternational ASA, the world lead- Controlled Agricultural Environ- for food demand. and water consumption within laboration which will foster the ing crop nutrition company, have ments. CEAs range from simple net- greenhouses. These projects will exchange of knowledge and ex- signed a major framework re- Controlled Agricultural En- ting covers to fully automated contribute towards the develop- pertise, and contribute towards search collaboration agreement. vironments (CEA) is the pro- greenhouses. As CEAs allow bet- ment of sustainable and preci- enhancing sustainable food pro- The contract is aimed at devel- duction of plants in a protected ter control of various variables sion agriculture. duction and food security in arid oping research projects designed ecosystem where optimal grow- such as temperature, humid- The link-up will also boost the climates around the globe such to promote academic and indus- ing conditions are maintained ity, lights, insects and diseases, development and application as Qatar. Everyone at the College try relations, contribute to the throughout their life cycles. De- it provides higher yields and im- of CEAs specifi cally tailored for is looking forward with great en- development of human capital, velopment of Controlled Agri- proved quality of produce. Such Qatar and similar climate condi- thusiasm to the collaboration and Dr Tareq al-Ansari Ivan de Witte foster innovation and facilitate cultural Environments is largely cultivation also reduces usage of tions, contributing to the growth the vital work that lies ahead.” the expansion and use of state- driven by two major factors: land, water, fertilisers and agro- of a local talent pool and add vital Ivan de Witte, head of Yara it. In Yara, we believe knowledge an important step in developing of-the-art technology and de- fi rst is the scarcity of principal chemicals. expertise in the areas of sustain- Middle East, commented: grows and has the power to cre- our collective knowledge, ideas sign of food production systems resources such as land and wa- The collaboration between the able development and agricul- “Feeding the world embodies ate positive change. The chal- and expertise to deal with the in Qatar and around the world. ter, and second is the increas- college and Yara will include re- ture. knowledge and requires innova- lenges of the world cannot be challenges of sustainable food The research projects will be ing demand for year-round food search in areas such as artifi cial CSE’s assistant professor, Dr tive ideas to overcome the many solved by one company alone. production locally and around primarily focused on food secu- production to feed the rising intelligence, digital technology, Tareq al-Ansari, said, “We are challenges that come along with Our collaboration with HBKU is the world”. WCM-Q welcomes new cohort of future doctors

eill Cornell Medicine- The incoming cohort is truly and wellness services, legal is- classmates after so long made Qatar (WCM-Q) wel- global, comprising citizens of sues in the practice of medicine, the event so enjoyable. This Wcomed its new cohort 19 diff erent countries: Qatar, study skills and technology year’s orientation was defi nite- of incoming students with a Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, tools. ly something that I will remem- comprehensive three-day ori- Egypt, India, Iran, Jordan, Ko- Dr Rachid Bendriss, assistant ber as it heavily refl ects every entation programme – delivered rea, Kuwait, Pakistan, Russia, dean for Student Recruitment, aspect of my future career as a fully online this year for the fi rst Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Outreach and Foundation Pro- doctor.” time in the institution’s history. Tunisia, the UK and the US. grammes, said: “Orientation Dr Thurayya Arayssi, sen- New students logged in re- This year’s intake brings 22 is always a great experience as ior associate dean for Medi- motely to meet one another, new students to the college’s it marks the beginning of our cal Education and Continuing interact with faculty and staff , Foundation Programme, all academic year, with all of the Professional Development, and learn study and ITS skills of whom are Qatari nationals. energy, hope and excitement said, “Helping students orient designed to help them excel There are 51 new pre-medical that brings. I thank all of our themselves to their new lives at The management and workers participated in all training activities and documenting operations and academically and thrive in their students, 23 of whom have new students and my colleagues college has never been so im- implementation with full co-ordination with the Planning and Development Off ice at Dreama. new environment. been promoted from last year’s at WCM-Q for working hard to portant. I am very pleased that Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean of Foundation Programme, while make this year’s orientation not our fi rst ever fully online orien- WCM-Q, said: “We are ab- 28 are new arrivals. Of the 48 only a great event, but also one tation programme proved to be solutely delighted to welcome new medical students, 47 were that protected the health, safety extremely eff ective.” our new cohort of students to promoted after completing the and wellness of everyone who Dr Ravinder Mamtani, vice- Dreama gets occupational WCM-Q to begin learning the two-year pre-medical curricu- participated.” dean for Student Aff airs-Ad- art and science of medicine lum at WCM-Q, with one new Student Maryam al- missions, Population Health, at a time when such skills are arrival. Quradaghi said, “Despite view- and Lifestyle Medicine, said, needed more than ever. These The orientation programmes ing the world through a screen, “Orientation this year was a health and safety certifi cate talented young women and men began with welcome addresses, the excitement that we felt fantastic success, thanks to the are excited to learn and to make followed by introductions to the about the upcoming year was excellent can-do spirit of the strong contributions to the curricula. Other sessions in- still there. Meeting new pro- participating students and the he Orphan Care Centre to the targeted group of orphans. quality management system, and health of people in Qatar and cluded information about aca- fessors, learning more about professionalism of our staff and (Dreama) has received the The objective is to enhance occupational health and safety. beyond.” demic integrity, student health the profession and seeing our faculty.” TOccupational Health and opportunities for their integra- Amna al-Tamimi, director of Safety Management System ISO tion into the society, in addition Dreama’s Planning and Develop- 45001:2018, it was announced. to enhancing life and profes- ment Offi ce, reiterated the organ- The implementation was in co- sional capabilities of the targeted isation’s mission to achieve the operation with the Qatar Financial groups according to interna- highest standards of quality and and Business Centre, which pro- tional standards. Accreditation safety while implementing plans vided the relevant consultation. is considered as a certifi cate of for risk prevention. The main ob- The programme included recognition that Dreama’s serv- jectives of quality, health and oc- training all employees in Dreama ices are of a high level of quality, cupational safety ISO 45001: 2018 on prevention, safety, health and occupational health and safety include raising the standard of readiness procedures for evacu- equivalent to the highest inter- proper upbringing of the child in ation in case of emergency. The national standards. foster families, raising the level of training also included strict ap- Al-Misnad referred to Drea- child satisfaction in internal and plication of safety and health ma’s constant keenness to apply external accommodation, and standards to preserve lives and standards on occupational health reducing the number of child re- property. The management and and safety in compliance with integration cases. Objectives also workers participated in all train- the requirements of Qatar and include raising the level of child ing activities and documenting the Ministry of Administrative protection standards, effi ciency operations and implementation Development, Labour and Social index of the fostered child follow- with full co-ordination with the Aff airs, by providing the neces- up process, students ’academic Planning and Development Of- sary resources to comply with achievement rate and improving fi ce at Dreama. this policy, besides that of the the behaviour modifi cation index. The centre had undergone in- ternal and external scrutiny to Dreama children get iPads get an approved certifi cate that The virtual orientation. reinforces the commitment of the Sheikha Lamia bint Hamad Sheikha Lamia al-Thani expressed top management to the highest al-Thani has provided iPads to her hope that the support standards of occupational health the children of the Orphan Care will contribute to providing and safety and to achieve con- Centre (Dreama), according to a educational assistance to the tinuous improvement in man- statement. The Social Services children of Dreama, besides the GU-Q launches programme on protecting agement processes and other op- Department of Dreama appreci- continuous development of their erations related to occupational ated the gesture, which enables capabilities and abilities. health and safety in Dreama. to provide high-quality services to She stressed the support of all seg- Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al- the children, especially in educa- ments of society in need of assist- education from confl ict and insecurity Misnad, acting executive director, tion and technology. The skills so ance and care, including orphans, Dreama, said that co-operation acquired will empower the children and standing by them to enhance with the Qatar Financial and and integrate them into the society, opportunities for educational onfl ict and situations of insecurity learning to a class blog project which will Business Centre comes within the in accordance with international attainment and overcome the deprives millions of young people of document student analysis and ideas for framework of commitment to in- standards in educational, profes- diff iculties they suff er by providing Can education globally, a crisis that change. ternational quality requirements sional, sports, and artistic fields. modern educational means. is the focus of a new course at QF partner Dr Nebel said, “One of the things we and upgrading Dreama’s services Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q). really wanted and hoped would come out Off ered in collaboration with the Protect of this course and collaboration, is for Education in Insecurity and Confl ict pro- students to contribute in real time to the gramme of the Education Above All Foun- thinking of solving this crisis in educa- dation (EAA), the course, “Education and tion.” Confl ict” is the fi rst of its kind in the univer- She also noted how Covid-19 has high- QU College of Health admits 127 sity’s curriculum. lighted additional inequalities aff ecting The aim is to introduce GU-Q students to education such as access to the internet and the importance of education for global hu- educational technologies, and created ur- students for fall semester man development and the necessity of pro- gency around developing solutions. tecting education from confl ict, insecurity, Students of the course will also be tak- and health crises. ing part in the #UniteToProtect social atar University’s (QU) QU Health Cluster, namely the which contribute to building the The dean of GU-Q, Dr Ahmad Dallal, media campaign leading up to the first College of Health Sciences College of Medicine, the College healthcare workforce in the coun- commented, “Through this collaboration, ever International Day to Protect Edu- Qhas admitted 127 students, of Dentistry, the College of Phar- try. The students interacted with which brings together our university’s com- cation From Attack, a United Nations including 111 Qatari students for macy in addition to the College of questions and discussed the cur- mitment to academic excellence and service General Assembly resolution adopted the fall semester. The online ori- Health Sciences. rent challenges and opportunities with EAA’s expertise in education policy, we to mobilise action to safeguard educa- entation meeting was attended by The orientation programme in the coming academic year. hope to inspire our students to consider the tion in armed conflict. GU-Q is also an around 75 new students, includ- also acquainted students with Dr Rahim expressed her pride fi ght for education rights in terms of global GU-Q dean Ahmad Dallal EAA partner in the campaign, which will ing transfer students. the four departments in the col- in the high quality programmes citizenship and responsibility.” culminate in the official launch on Sep- The meeting started with the lege – biomedical sciences, hu- off ered by the college, which has The course led by Dr Anne Nebel, asso- Students will learn about various kinds tember 9, a high-level online event that welcome by the college dean Dr man nutrition, public health, and a long history of collaboration ciate dean for Teaching, Learning and As- of disruption to education and methods will feature addresses from Her Highness Hanan Abdul Rahim followed by physical therapy and rehabilita- with the health sector. She also sessment, will feature guest lectures from of analysing the impact of confl ict and in- Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson a detailed orientation presented tion sciences. expressed her confi dence that the experts at EAA and Educate a Child, as well security for the individual and society, on of EAA and UN Sustainable Development by Nada al-Kubaisi, assistant Heads of the departments gave close collaboration among faculty as GU-Q alumni working in related fi elds local and international levels. They will ex- Goals Advocate, António Guterres, Secre- dean for Student Aff airs. The the students an overview of the and students of the college will and GU-Q students working as EAA Youth amine the role of international frameworks tary-General of the United Nations, and common year includes courses programmes and their academic usher in a new academic year full Advocates. in addressing the crisis and apply their other high-level speakers. common to the colleges of the and professional opportunities, of accomplishments on all fronts. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020 7 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

Iran nuclear deal parties meet amid US pressure

The signatories to the faltering Macron back Iran nuclear deal kicked off a meeting in Vienna yesterday as the United States is bidding to restore international sanctions on the Islamic republic and extend an arms embargo. Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia are in Lebanon for struggling to save the landmark 2015 accord with Iran, which has been progressively stepping up its nuclear activities since last year. Tehran insists it is entitled to do so under the deal — which swapped sanctions relief for reform push Iran’s agreement to scale back its nuclear programme — following AFP Macron set an ambitious goal which have been long demanded the US withdrawal from the accord Beirut for his return visit – to push for by the international community, in 2018 and the reimposition of deep change, but without being Macron said. sanctions. seen as a meddler in the former Macron had kicked off his trip In a boost to Tuesday’s talks, the rench President Emmanuel French mandate. “This is the last not by visiting political lead- French President Emmanuel Macron reviews guards as he arrives on the French helicopter carrier Ton- Iranian atomic energy last week Macron on a visit yesterday chance for the Lebanese system,” ers, but by spending more than nerre for a second visit to Beirut port yesterday. agreed to allow inspectors of the Fto disaster-hit Lebanon he warned. an hour Monday with singing UN nuclear watchdog to visit two urged its embattled leaders to “It’s a risky bet I’m making, I legend Fairuz, who at 85 is a rare The French air force jets fl ew gency aid during a video confer- and to call for the proclamation sites suspected of having hosted grab a “last chance” for politi- am aware of it... I am putting the unifying fi gure in Lebanon. overhead, leaving trails of red, ence jointly organised by France of a secular state, to replace the undeclared activity in the early cal reform, promising to return only thing I have on the table: On Tuesday he attended a se- white and green smoke, the col- and the United Nations. multi-confessional country’s 2000s. International Atomic in December to follow up on my political capital,” he told Po- ries of events to mark 100 years ours of the Lebanese fl ag. Some Macron said he was ready to sectarian power sharing system. Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael progress. litico. The French leader arrived since French mandate authori- on social media criticised the host a second Lebanon aid con- “We proclaim the birth of a Grossi had travelled to Iran on his Macron was in Beirut for a Monday, just hours after Adib, ties proclaimed the creation of aerial manoeuvre, saying it could ference next month. new Lebanon,” read one poster first trip since taking up the top second time since the August 4 a little known 48-year-old aca- Greater Lebanon. In the Jaj forest trigger traumatic memories The French president also met at the rally. Macron, after meet- post last year and after months blast there killed more than 180 demic and former ambassador to northeast of Beirut, he planted a among people who experienced other political leaders, who are ing President Michel Aoun, was of calling for access. Results people, laid waste to entire city Germany, was designated prime cedar tree – Lebanon’s national the port blast and the 1975-1990 collectively blamed for the ex- to gather with representatives from any site visits are, however, districts and fuelled popular rage minister. symbol – to express “confi dence civil war. plosion of a stockpile of ammo- of the country’s top nine po- expected to take three months, against the country’s entire po- Macron, who has described in the future of the country,” his The Beirut explosion com- nium nitrate fertiliser that had litical blocs in the second such according to a diplomat familiar litical elite. his stance towards Lebanon’s offi ce said. pounded Lebanon’s worst eco- languished in the port for years. talks since the blast disaster. with the matter, so “it risks being He came to attend muted political establishment as “de- Macron also returned for nomic crisis since the war, with The protest camp has already Representatives of the powerful a problem then with the Iranians” celebrations marking the cen- manding without interfering”, a second visit to Beirut port, a UN agency warning that more rejected the choice of Adib as Hezbollah movement were to be if anything undeclared and tenary of Greater Lebanon, and said it was not his place to “ap- ground zero of the colossal blast. than half of the population risk premier, charging that he is too among those meeting Macron. nuclear-related is found. Mikhail as political leaders settled on a prove” of Adib’s designation. He oversaw aid distribution from food shortages by the end of the close to established political cir- The French president said Ulyanov, Russia’s ambassador new prime minister, Mustapha Adib, whom he met late Monday a French helicopter carrier and year. cles. this was necessary as Hezbollah to International Organisations in Adib, tasked with leading the and again Tuesday, “has to be met French soldiers working with On August 9, the international Dozens of protesters gathered is part of the Lebanese political Vienna, noted Monday on Twitter country out of political turmoil given all the tools to succeed... the Lebanese army to clear thou- community pledged over 250mn in central Beirut to demonstrate system and excluding it “would that “nuclear deal participants and a painful economic crisis. so he can implement reforms,” sands of tonnes of debris. euros (around $300mn) in emer- against their reviled leadership be a mistake”. have a lot of topics to discuss”.

Facebook threatens ban Philippines will on Australians sharing news Hotel Rwanda hero’s family not follow US in in battle over media law accuses govt of kidnapping Facebook threatened yesterday blacklisting China to block users and media organisations in Australia Reuters which have been linked to attacks from sharing news stories Nairobi in Rwanda. “The time has come in an escalating challenge for us to use any means possible fi rms: offi cial to government plans to to bring about change in Rwanda force digital giants to pay for he family of Paul Rusesa- as all political means have been content. Australians would be bagina — hailed a hero in tried and failed,” he said. “Rwan- AFP Philippines, Huang Xilian, said stopped from posting local Ta Hollywood movie about dan people can no longer stand Manila the US sanctions were aimed at and international articles on Rwanda’s 1994 genocide — have the cruelty.” driving “a wedge between China Facebook and Instagram, the accused authorities in Kigali of Kagame’s stabilisation of and regional countries”. “I be- company said, claiming the move kidnapping him, a day after he Rwanda, economic reforms and he Philippines will not fol- lieve that any attempt to under- was “not our first choice” but the was paraded before media in anti-corruption drive won in- low the US lead in black- mine the normal economic co- “only way to protect against an handcuff s. ternational plaudits. But Rus- Tlisting Chinese companies operation between China and the outcome that defies logic”. Rusesabagina was played by esabagina has said Kagame keeps involved in the construction of Philippines will never succeed,” Government off icials quickly Don Cheadle in the Oscar-nom- power through muzzling the me- artifi cial islands in the disputed he said. shot back, with Treasurer Josh inated fi lm Hotel Rwanda, which dia and suppressing opposition, South China Sea, the president’s China has reinforced its claim Frydenberg rejecting what told how hotel manager Rusesa- charges the government denies. spokesman said yesterday, argu- to the South China Sea by build- he called “coercion or heavy- bagina used his job and his con- Human Rights Watch said in ing Manila needed Beijing’s in- ing up small shoals and reefs into handed threats” from the social nections with the Hutu elite to 2017 the government routinely vestment. military bases with airstrips and media giant. Rod Sims, head of protect Tutsis fl eeing the slaugh- tortured detainees — accusations Washington last week an- port facilities. It rejected a 2016 the Australian Competition and ter. Paul Rusesabagina, the man who was hailed a hero in a Hollywood the government denies. A United nounced sanctions against 24 UN-backed tribunal’s ruling that Consumer Commission (ACCC), Rwandan police said Rusesa- movie about the country’s 1994 genocide is detained and paraded Nations delegation investigat- Chinese state-owned companies its claims were without legal ba- which drew up the draft law, bagina — who called for armed in front of media in handcuff s at the headquarters of Rwanda ing the accusations was forced to — including subsidiaries of China sis. Philippine-China relations called the threat “ill-timed and resistance to the government in Investigation Bureau in Kigali, Rwanda. leave Rwanda, citing government Communications Construction have improved under Duterte, misconceived”. a YouTube video — was arrested interference. Co, which is involved in a $10bn who has tried to steer his country In one of the most aggressive on terrorism charges on an inter- would “never go to Rwanda on him of exploiting the genocide Kagame won nearly 99% of airport project in Manila. away from the ambit of the United moves by any government to national warrant. His family dis- his own will”. for commercial gain. Rusesaba- the vote in the last election. The US has been pushing back States— its former colonial mas- curb the power of US digital pute that. Offi cials in Dubai did not re- gina, whose father was Hutu but One of his main opponents, Di- against Beijing’s military buildup ter — to pursue greater economic giants, Canberra has drawn up “He was kidnapped and taken turn calls seeking comment on mother and wife were Tutsi, has ane Rwigara, was jailed with her in the South China Sea, where cooperation with its giant neigh- legislation to force Facebook and by extraordinary rendition to the arrest or any extradition denied exaggerating his role. mother for more than a year on sovereignty is contested by sev- bour and American rival. Google to pay struggling local Rwanda,” his daughter Carine agreement. Rwanda’s ministers A Belgian citizen who resided charges that judges later dis- eral countries — including the But Duterte’s shift has failed news organisations for content Kanimba posted on Facebook. for justice and foreign aff airs did in the United States, Rusesabagi- missed. Philippines. to stem Chinese ambitions in the or face millions of dollars in fines. Thierry Murangira, the not respond to messages seeking na has called for armed rebellion Speaking to Reuters, Faustin China claims the majority of sea or unlock much of the billions The measures would also force spokesman for the Rwanda In- comment. against Kagame, who came to Twagiramungu, a former Rwan- the area, invoking its so-called of dollars of promised trade and transparency around the closely vestigation Bureau, said that was Rusesabagina moved abroad power in 1994 when he led troops dan prime minister living in ex- nine-dash line to justify its al- loans. In recent weeks tensions guarded algorithms that tech false. “He has been arrested in after the genocide and won into Rwanda to end the genocide. ile who shares the leadership of leged historic rights to a key wa- have intensifi ed between the firms use to rank content. accordance with the law,” Mu- worldwide acclaim, receiving the In December 2018, Rusesabagina MRDC with Rusesabagina, de- terway through which trillions Philippines and China over dis- Facebook Australia and New rangira told Reuters. “He was United States’ highest civilian posted a video on YouTube de- nied Rusesabagina was engaged of dollars of international trade puted areas. Zealand managing director subject of an international arrest award, the Presidential Medal of nouncing Kagame. in terrorism but repeated the pass every year. President Ro- The Philippine defence min- Will Easton said the proposed warrant.” Freedom, in 2005. The video identifi ed him as movement’s call to arms. drigo Duterte’s spokesman told ister accused China of illegally overhaul “misunderstands the Another daughter, Anaise, told Some genocide survivors and the president of the Mouve- “It is not because we don’t like reporters Tuesday that Chinese occupying Filipino maritime ter- dynamics of the internet and the BBC World Service radio that President Paul Kagame have dis- ment Rwandais pour le Change- democracy or western countries, involvement in major Philippine ritory, saying the nine-dash line will do damage to the very news her father had last called them on puted Rusesabagina’s account ment Démocratique (MRCD) and but we feel we have been aban- infrastructure projects would was a fabrication. organisations the government is Thursday from Dubai and said he of rescuing Tutsis or accused the National Liberation Forces, doned,” he said. go ahead despite Washington’s His remarks came after the trying to protect”. sanctions — including turning Philippine foreign ministry “Most perplexing, it would Sangley Point, a US naval station lodged a diplomatic protest over force Facebook to pay news Bangladesh until the early 1970s, into a com- what it said was the “illegal con- organisations for content that mercial airport. fi scation” by China’s coast guard the publishers voluntarily place Rainy day in Beijing garment exports “The Sangley project will push of fi shing equipment near Scar- on our platforms and at a price through,” Harry Roque told re- borough shoal, which has long that ignores the financial value rebound from porters, adding the Philippines been a fl ashpoint between the two we bring publishers,” he said in a Covid-19 crunch “will not follow the American di- countries. China’s foreign min- statement. rective because we are a free and istry defended the coast guard, Easton also accused the ACCC of Bangladesh’s crucial textile independent state and we need saying they had carried out law having “ignored important facts” industry saw a sharp rebound investments coming from China”. enforcement activities and “their during a lengthy consultation from the coronavirus crisis in China’s ambassador to the actions are understandable”. process that ended Monday. August, with exports surging nearly 50% as factories swung into full gear to meet orders from global retailers, off icials said yesterday. Shipments of ready-made clothes hit $3.3bn, Indonesia stages coffi n parade up from $2.3bn a year earlier, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said. as reminder of Covid-19 threat The garment industry is the cornerstone of the economy in Bangladesh, the world’s second AFP through crowded neighbour- how things would be if they died largest exporter of the goods Jakarta hoods, with some participants of Covid-19,” he added. The after China. also donning headpieces depict- mock coffi ns got the attention of The reinstatement of cancelled ing ghost-like fi gures known as Cilandak resident Ahmad Soleh orders from retail titans including ffi cials in hazmat suits pocong. Suzany. “It’s very scary because H&M, Primark and Walmart has paraded empty cof- “We’re hoping this coffi n pa- this shows the huge dangers revived the industry even though Ofi ns through the streets rade will remind people to be we’re facing,” he told AFP. Bangladesh is still suff ering of Jakarta yesterday to remind more aware of the risk of diso- The move comes as Indone- from the pandemic, BGMEA residents that coronavirus cases beying health safety rules,” said sia’s coronavirus toll mounts, spokesman Khan Monirul Alam are still surging in one of Asia’s Mundari, the head of south Ja- with the deadly respiratory dis- Shuvo told AFP. worst-hit nations. karta’s Cilandak district, who ease killing more than 100 front- Some companies say they are A convoy of truck hearses like many Indonesians goes by line doctors and possibly hun- People wear raincoats as it rains in Beijing yesterday. now looking for thousands of and pallbearers snaked its way one name. “They can picture dreds of children. workers to cope with new orders.

Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 AMERICAS/BRITAIN/EUROPE

LAW AND ORDER CRIME DISASTER POLLUTION RESEARCH Belarus detains Tory MP accused of rape Quake strikes near Toxic liquid leaks Canada researchers look to protesting students not to attend parliament northern coast of Chile into Paris river acai berry to fight Covid

Police in Belarus detained several dozen A British Conservative member of parliament A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck near the Hundreds of litres of toxic wastewater have Canadian researchers said they are university students yesterday as they marked arrested last month on suspicion of rape will not coast of northern Chile yesterday, the GFZ leaked into Paris’ Seine River from a plant investigating a popular superfood – the acai the first day of school with protests against attend the House of Commons during his bail German Research Centre for Geosciences belonging to Franco-Swiss cement giant berry – as a treatment to prevent Covid- strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko. period, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said yesterday. said, with local news media reporting some Lafarge-Holcim, local reports said, sparking 19’s most severe symptoms. Past studies Hundreds of students took to the streets of the Hoyle also urged MPs not to use parliamentary damage and minor landslides in areas near outrage from French off icials. Lafarge have shown the berry’s extract may act as capital Minsk for the latest in three weeks of privilege — legal immunity granted to lawmakers the epicentre. Chile’s interior ministry said in a acknowledged the spillage but insisted an inflammation inhibitor, which doctors rallies rejecting the strongman’s claim to have during Commons debates ensuring freedom of statement that mining companies operating in it had been the result of sabotage, rather believe could help prohibit the severe won a sixth term in elections last month and speech — to identify the suspect, who has so far the area had not reported any issues in the two- than an intentional act by the company. The inflammatory response caused by the demanding he resign. Students from several remained unnamed. MPs have previously used and-a-half-hours since the initial quake. GFZ has contaminated liquid is composed of a mixture coronavirus. University of Toronto scientists universities chanted “Fascists!” and “This is parliamentary privilege to identify prominent reported several aftershocks of magnitudes of cement, wastewater treatment liquid and Michael Farkouh and Ana Andreazza, our city!” Some attempted to form a human individuals accused of off ences. “I have received between 5.5 and 6.2. Chile is the world’s plastic microfibres and comes from a Lafarge who have studied the berry’s effect on chain but were detained by riot police, with assurances that the member has voluntarily largest copper producer and most of its large site in the east of the city, Europe 1 radio said. inflammation responses for nearly five years, rights group Viasna saying more than 40 were agreed not to attend the House of Commons for operations are in Antofagasta region, more “It’s a complete environmental scandal” Paris are researching how it can be used to fight arrested. the period of the bail,” the Speaker said. than 300km north of the quake’s epicentre. Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Twitter. Covid-19. “It’s a long shot,” Farkouh said.

Court blocks Trump arrives release of Trump tax in Kenosha returns

Reuters New York amid protests, n appeals court yesterday granted President Donald ATrump’s request to delay Manhattan’s district attorney from accessing his tax returns in connection with a criminal racial unrest probe of his business practices. The unsigned order by a panel Reuters riot gear stood in a row block- National Guard and federal law of the 2nd US Circuit Court of Kenosha, Wis. ing traffi c, with no disturbances enforcement reinforcements Appeals in Manhattan was a visible. were sent in. victory for the president in his A 17-year-old Trump sup- Although Wisconsin governor yearlong quest to block district efying requests to stay porter has been charged with Tony Evers called in more Na- attorney Cyrus Vance from en- away, President Donald killing two people and wounding tional Guard troops on his own forcing a grand jury subpoena DTrump arrived in Keno- another with a semi-automatic authority, Trump sent in about for eight years of personal and sha, Wisconsin, yesterday to rifl e in Kenosha. 200 federal law enforcement of- corporate returns. highlight his “law and order” Trump defended the white fi cials. Trump has been challenging re-election campaign theme in teenager, who faces six criminal Kellyanne Conway, a Trump an August 20 decision by district a city upended by protests after counts, and declined to condemn adviser until Monday, said judge Victor Marrero to let Vance the shooting of a Black man by a violence from his supporters. last week the president stood obtain the returns from the white police offi cer. But in Portland, Oregon, site to benefit politically from the president’s longtime accounting Opinion polls show the Re- of three months of nightly pro- kind of unrest that erupted in fi rm Mazars USA. The district publican president narrowing tests that have often turned Kenosha. attorney had wanted access to the gap with the front-running violent, a Trump supporter was Trump’s “law and order” the returns even during Trump’s Democrat, former vice president shot dead on Saturday and the message appeals to his base of appeal, but yesterday’s order Joe Biden, amid ongoing protests president lamented that “they white supporters. ends that possibility for now. over racial injustice and the re- executed a man in the street.” Meanwhile he has largely Oral arguments have been sulting violence. “One of the reasons I’m mak- overlooked the racial wounds scheduled for September 25. Trump’s trip to Wisconsin, a ing the trip today and going to caused by police use of force Vance began his probe after political battleground state that Wisconsin is we’ve had such a and plays down the more than news that Trump’s former law- he won narrowly in 2016, gives big success and shutting down 180,000 US deaths from the yer Michael Cohen paid por- him a chance to emphasise his what would be right now a city coronavirus pandemic. nographic fi lm actress Stormy police-friendly pitch in a state — that would have been Kenosha At last week’s Republican Na- Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet he hopes to keep in his column in — a city that would have been tional Convention Trump por- before the 2016 election about the November 3 election. burned to the ground by now,” trayed Biden as a leader whose claimed meeting with Trump, The state’s governor and the Trump said before departing policies would create further which the president has denied. city’s mayor both urged Trump Washington. chaos in the streets, trying to In July, the Supreme Court to avoid Kenosha to prevent in- The president takes credit for link Biden to vandals and left- refused to block the subpoena, fl aming tensions and allow citi- restoring peace in Kenosha since leaning, violent activists. rejecting Trump’s claim of ab- zens to heal. solute immunity from criminal But the president dismissed Trump denies suff ering ‘series of mini-strokes’ probes while in the White House, their appeals, choosing to visit but said Trump could raise other one of the fl ashpoint cities where President Donald Trump of his annual health exam ahead objections. Trump is seeking re- anti-racist demonstrators have yesterday denied unfounded of time. However CNN reported election on November 3. Vance clashed with Trump supporters rumours that a series of yesterday that a new book by has complained that dragging who have converged on protest mini-strokes were behind his a New York Times journalist out the litigation has eff ectively sites, sometimes openly carry- unscheduled visit to the Walter claims Vice President Mike given the Republican president ing arms while vowing to protect Reed Medical Center last year, Pence was put “on standby the immunity he wanted. property from looters. calling the claims “fake news.” to take over the powers of Grand jury proceedings are After landing at an airport in Trump made the surprise visit the presidency temporarily” held in secret, and if Trump’s neighbouring Illinois, Trump to the hospital in November. The if Trump had to undergo tax returns were handed over it and his motorcade passed groups fact that it was not scheduled, anaesthesia during the visit. could take months for the public of onlookers, mixed with people a departure from established CNN, which obtained a copy of to learn their contents. carrying signs of support for him protocols, ignited speculation the as-yet-unreleased book by The prior six presidents, both and others carrying signs with at the time of a serious health Michael Schmidt, said the author Republican and Democrat, from “Black Lives Matter” written in issue, but the White House did not specify the sourcing for Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama, big letters. insisted he was just doing parts the claim. have released their tax returns. President Donald Trump tours an area aff ected by civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, yesterday. At one intersection, police in Migrants pitch tents Scotland independence vote plans announced in central Paris Reuters Perceptions that Prime Minis- London ter Boris Johnson has responded slowly to the Covid-19 pandemic AFP ing to stay in this cycle,” she in the streets. You set up some- and Scots’ anger over the UK’s Paris said. where, you’re chased away. We cotland’s First Minister decision to leave the European Other migrants present were become ill through living in Nicola Sturgeon yesterday Union has led for the fi rst time from Somalia and Afghanistan. the midst of rubbish,” she said, Spledged to publish draft to sustained support of over 50% undreds of migrants In France, asylum seekers are crying. legislation for a new Scottish for independence. pitched tents in cen- not allowed to work until their Police said that there was no independence referendum, in- Scottish voters opposed leav- Htral Paris yesterday to refugee status has been ap- way tents could be allowed to cluding the question and timing ing the EU in a 2016 referendum. call attention to their plight proved. be pitched in the heart of the of the vote, before the country’s If Scotland voted for inde- on the streets, where they Rolande, like many of those city. parliamentary election next year. pendence it would mean the scrape by in often dire hygiene who participated in the dem- But the city hall, control- Sturgeon, who heads Edin- United Kingdom would lose conditions. onstration, arrived three led by Socialist mayor Anne burgh’s pro-independence de- about a third of its landmass, Families, single women and months ago in the midst of Hidalgo, opened its doors to al- volved government, put on hold almost a tenth of its population, unaccompanied minors were the Covid-19 health crisis and low the migrants inside. plans for a second referendum a core ingredient of its identity, among the 218 migrants who has been living on the streets “We have asked the state to in March to concentrate on the and rip apart the world’s sixth- set up an impromptu camp in since. fi nd a solution, especially as coronavirus crisis. biggest economy. front of the Paris town hall at “It’s not normal that people the majority of these people However, the most sustained Next year’s election to the de- around midnight. who have just arrived in France are asylum seekers and should support for Scottish independ- volved parliament is expected to Police rapidly dismantled necessarily have to spend time therefore be cared for in some ence in the modern era has provide a fresh platform for the the tents yesterday morning. on the streets,” said Mael de way,” councillor Ian Brossat, in prompted nationalists to renew Scottish National Party to press But the city hall invited the mi- Marcellus, a co-ordinator charge of housing and refugee their push for another vote. for a new referendum. grants inside for talks and ad- for migrant aid group Uto- protection in the city, said. In a 2014 referendum on inde- The nationalists are expected mitted that a solution needed pia56, adding that half of those After France’s Covid-19 pendence, Scots voted 55%-45% to win a majority and aim to use to be found. present at the protest were lockdown was announced in to stay in the United Kingdom. that mandate to push Johnson to “It’s a cry for help. I am tired newcomers to France. March, authorities cleared mi- “Before the end of this parlia- grant a fresh vote on the issue. of living in the streets. For Ouga, a 33-year-old preg- grants from makeshift camps ment, we will publish a draft bill However, it is ultimately up to women, it’s very dangerous.... nant woman from Ivory Coast, around Paris and put them in setting out the proposed terms the British parliament to decide We are easy targets,” said Ro- said she crossed the Mediterra- gyms and hotels. and timing of an independence whether Scotland can hold an- lande, a 36-year-old woman nean in a fi shing boat and many But after stay-at-home or- referendum as well as the pro- other referendum, and Johnson’s from Ivory Coast. people died, including her old- ders were lifted in May, they posed question that people will Conservative government in Lon- “If we’re not helped, if we’re er sister. soon found themselves sleep- Children stand as migrants are evacuated by police from near the be asked in that referendum,” don has repeatedly said it will re- not allowed to work, we’re go- “Now, we continue to suff er ing rough again. Paris town hall yesterday. Sturgeon said. ject any demand for a fresh vote. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020 9

INDIA INDIA

RULING DECISION POLITICS CLAIM TRAGEDY Allahabad court grants Monuments other than Taj Jose Mani-led faction ‘Sasikala’s properties in Mumbai accident bail to Kafeel Khan reopens in Agra today original party: EC Tamil Nadu attached’ toll climbs to five

The Allahabad High Court yesterday Off icials of the Archaeological Survey of India Jose K Mani, son of Kerala Congress-Mani’s The Income Tax (IT) department is said to have The toll in a late night accident in Mumbai after granted bail to Dr Kafeel Khan of Uttar (ASI) and the district administration said all late founder K M Mani, now has something attached about 65 properties belonging to V a speeding car rammed an eatery climbed to Pradesh’s Gorakhpur city. Khan had been necessary preparations and precautions were to cheer after the election commission K Sasikala and her associates in and around five, off icials said. Kamlesh N Singh, 21, who was booked under the National Security Act in place to welcome visitors to the historical recognised his faction as the original party. the Tamil Nadu capital. Senior IT department admitted to the Sir J. J. Hospital, succumbed (NSA) and is lodged at the Mathura jail monuments in Agra, other than the Taj Mahal Going through the claims of the rival factions off icials, however, declined to confirm or deny yesterday morning, said an off icial of Pydhonie since his arrest in January. The court asked and the Agra Fort. Basant Kumar, superintending led by Jose Mani and party veteran and the action. As per some reports, one of the Police Station. Earlier in the day, the police Khan to submit two sureties of Rs60,000 archaeologist of the ASI said all visitors would senior legislator P J Joseph, the poll panel properties that is being attached is a residential arrested the vehicle driver Syed Sameer Ali, 46, each and an undertaking that he will not be thoroughly screened, sanitised before allotted the party symbol of two leaves to building under construction in Poes Garden. alias Diggy – who is a known history-sheeter. repeat the offence. The state government being permitted to enter monuments. Tickets his faction. Expressing happiness, Jose Mani It is said Sasikala after her release from the Ali is suspected to have been in an inebriated had opposed his release on the ground would need to be purchased online, as ticket said truth has finally triumphed. “We lost the Bengaluru jail will be residing at the Poes condition at the time of the accident. He that he would again make provocative windows will not be opened at the monuments. Pala by-election because we did not have the Garden residence. Sasikala and two of her sustained minor injuries and is admitted in a speeches and vitiate the atmosphere. Khan All visitors will have to wear masks. Only 2,000 symbol. We will now seek the resignation of relatives are in a Bengaluru jail after being hospital. Late on Monday night, four people – had been arrested for his speeches made visitors would be allowed daily. The hospitality the legislators in the faction led by Joseph,” convicted in a corruption case. In 2017, the IT Saroja Naidu, 65, Zubeda A Khan, Saira Banu, 60 during the anti-CAA protests in the Aligarh industry in Agra has suff ered a major dent due he said. Joseph said they will go in appeal department had raided about 187 properties and Mohamed Naeem, 55, died, while four others Muslim University. to Covid-19. against the directive. said to be linked to Sasikala and her relatives. were injured.

Farewell to Mukherjee CPI-M, Congress trade charges over murder of two activists

IANS “I am ready to take up the Thiruvananthapuram challenge as I have done noth- ing in this. As the local MP, it’s my duty to get involved when ith the Kerala Police our party workers are wrongly yesterday formally arrested by the police. Since Warresting four Con- Jayarajan has levelled this alle- gress workers and taking into gation about me, the onus is on custody another four alleged him to prove it,” said Prakash. to be part of the conspiracy to Joining issue was state eliminate two activists of the Congress president Mulla- CPI-M’s youth wing, a war of pally Ramachandran who con- words has broken out between demned the brutal murders and the two parties. The Congress said they do not have faith in a is demanding a Central Bureau probe by those who are close to of Investigation probe into the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. double murder. “The CPI-M is a party which The four were arrested on celebrates murder and they in- Monday and another four ac- dulge in collecting party funds cused were being questioned in the name of murder. We do yesterday. not have faith in a probe by the Military police escort an ambulance carrying the body of former president Pranab Mukherjee as they leave his residence ahead of his funeral in New Delhi yesterday. The murders took place close police of Vijayan, instead we Mukherjee, a veteran powerbroker once described in leaked US diplomatic cables as “the ultimate Congress Party fixer”, died on August 31 at the age of 84, his family said. to midnight on Sunday, when demand a CBI probe, then only 24-year-old Haq Mohamed the truth will come out. The and 32-year-old Mithilaj, both Congress party is not one which youth wing activists of the CPI- dabbles in violence and has al- M, were hacked to death by ways condemned any such acts. fi ve people who came on bikes The Congress party has no role armed with swords and knives in this ghastly incident,” said at Venjaramoodu, about 25kms Ramachandran. from the state capital’s suburbs. Even though the police According to the police, the charge-sheet does not mention Minister accuses Facebook arrested include Shejith, Ajith, that these are political mur- Najeeb and Sathi, while two ders, the police pointed out that others – the prime accused these two factions fi rst clashed Sajeev and Sanal – are yet to be during the May 2019 Lok Sabha arrested. Four more people have polls and since then, there has been picked up for questioning. of bias in deepening row been an uneasy calm between State Industries Minister E them. P Jayarajan, soon after visiting The top CPI-M leadership, AFP ister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya elections, “there was a concert- speech on the platform. phemous nexus between the BJP the homes of the victims alleged including Chief Minister Pi- New Delhi Janata Party and disparaged the ed eff ort by Facebook...to not Ajit Mohan, its India chief, and Facebook”. that the Congress MP from the narayi Vijayan, condemned the opposition in internal posts. just delete pages or substantially defended the company’s actions “The aim of the BJP is ‘divide locality, Adoor Prakash, knew double murder and ordered a The Journal reported that Fa- reduce their reach but also off er and denied any bias. and rule’ and the social media everything about the incident. probe into it. he communications min- cebook also failed to take action no recourse or right of appeal But the company also admit- giant Facebook is helping them “There are reports that have The incident occurred when ister yesterday accused against posts containing hate to aff ected people who are sup- ted it had to do better on tackling achieve this,” it said in the state- come out that after the brutal the two victims, who were trav- TFacebook of bias against speech against Muslims by a portive of right-of-centre ideol- hate speech. ment. right-wing politics, even after Hindu nationalist lawmaker out ogy”. The Time magazine article Facebook’s Das had told staff murder of the two young CPI- elling on a bike, were stopped M party workers, the attackers fresh reports about claims that of concern for its business inter- Prasad also alleged in the let- said Facebook had commis- that hate speech rules should and attacked by the fi ve persons not be applied to BJP individuals got in touch with Prakash. This a high-ranking staff er at the so- ests in India — the fi rm’s largest ter that the recent press reports sioned an independent report who came on two bikes. While cial media giant supported the market in terms of users. were the result of “selective on its impact on human rights in and party allies even though the is a cold blooded murder un- Mithilaj died on the spot, Mo- country’s Hindu-nationalist Time magazine also published leaks...to portray an alternate India before the fi rst of the two post had been fl agged by staff , leashed by the Congress party, hamed died in hospital. ruling party. an article last week with similar reality”. WSJ reports was published. the Journal reported. who are out to wreck things. A After the incident, angry The row erupted after The allegations. “This interference in the po- Politicians from the opposi- The company’s executives detailed probe will have to be CPI-M workers went around Wall Street Journal published But Communications Minis- litical process through gossip, tion Congress party have ac- have been ordered to appear be- done,” said Jayarajan. the area and are alleged to have two reports alleging that Ankhi ter Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed whispers and innuendo is con- cused the company of favouring fore an parliamentary informa- Reacting to this, Prakash said damaged the Congress offi ces Das, Facebook’s top public pol- in a letter dated yesterday to Fa- demnable.” the BJP. tion technology committee on the onus was on Jayarajan to at several places in Thiruvanan- icy executive in India, had ex- cebook chief Mark Zuckerberg Facebook has been under in- The party said in a statement September 2 over the contro- prove his allegation. thapuram and Kollam districts. pressed support for Prime Min- that ahead of the 2019 national tense pressure to act against hate yesterday that there was a “blas- versy.

Fighting Covid Troops hold hilltops after Trouble looms for Vijayan face-off with China forces in gold smuggling case IANS to him and prime accused Swap- Thiruvananthapuram na Suresh, would be asked to ap- Reuters troops move responded to an at- mountain pass. pear before one or more of these New Delhi tempt by a large number of Chi- “What India has done runs probe agencies. nese infantry to push through a counter to the eff orts made by ith three national The gold smuggling case was key mountain pass late on Sat- both sides for a period of time to agencies all set to unearthed when P S Sarith, a senior offi cial yesterday urday. ease and cool down the situation Wagain question M former employee of the UAE said Indian troops had “We mobilised and occupied on the ground, and China is reso- Sivasankar, former secretary to consulate here, was arrested by Adeployed on four strate- the four heights,” the offi cial lutely opposed to this,” she said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi the customs department on July gic hilltops after what New Delhi said, adding all four hilltops were “India...said it pre-empted Vijayan, it is going to be uneasy 5 when he was facilitating the called an attempted Chinese on India’s side of the LAC. Chinese military activity,” Chi- days ahead for the latter. smuggling of 30kg of gold in the incursion along the disputed The offi cial said the Chi- na’s state-backed Global Times The customs, enforcement di- diplomatic baggage to Thiru- Himalayan border, underlining nese soldiers were backed up by said in an editorial. “The word rectorate (ED) and the National vananthapuram from Dubai. simmering tensions between the military vehicles and drew close ‘pre-empt’ shows it was In- Investigation Agency (NIA) are It turned murkier when the Asian giants. enough to engage Indian troops dian troops that first took de- now probing the case and have name of Swapna Suresh, a former China denied that it had moved in verbal arguments, but there structive action, and the Indian arrested around two dozen peo- employee of the consulate, and fi rst, with an embassy spokes- were no clashes. troops initiated the stand-off ple, who were directly or indi- employed with the state’s IT de- woman in New Delhi accus- He said the incident occurred this time.” rectly involved in this case. partment, surfaced and more so, ing Indian troops of trespassing on the southern bank of Pangong In June, 20 Indian soldiers Since July 5, when customs when her links with Sivasankar, across the Line of Actual Control Tso, a picturesque lake in the were killed in hand-to-hand busted the gold smuggling case, who held the dual posts of prin- (LAC) — the de facto border — snow desert region where Indian combat with Chinese troops in Sivasankar has been questioned cipal secretary to Vijayan and and conducting “fl agrant provo- and Chinese troops have been Ladakh’s Galwan area, the most by these three agencies for long state IT secretary, was revealed. cations”. facing off since April. serious clash between the two hours. The last time was on Au- What has added to the already Indian and Chinese troops The offi cial said the Chinese countries in 50 years. gust 15, when he was questioned beleaguered Vijayan’s woes is a have been locked in a high-al- had also been consolidating po- Both sides then agreed to pull for fi ve hours by the ED. fi re in the secret section of the titude border confrontation for sitions on the northern bank of back with military chiefs in the After that, these investigat- general administration depart- months in the western Himalay- the lake with what appeared to be region holding fi ve rounds of ing agencies have been evidence ment in the state secretariat that an region of Ladakh. new defensive positions. talks. and corroborating it with the ar- took place last week. The two sides have disputed But Ji Rong, a spokeswoman But the Indian military said A worker sanitises the floor of a shopping mall reopened rested. According to sources, the With the BJP and Congress al- the course of the frontier for for the Chinese embassy in New this week Beijing had reneged on after the government eased a nationwide lockdown imposed agencies have found that there leging that it was a ‘created’ fi re, more than half a century. Delhi, said Indian troops had vi- the deal by carrying out “pro- as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 coronavirus, in are some missing links and very a team of NIA offi cials will soon The offi cial, who was briefed olated the LAC at Pangong Tso’s vocative military movements to Chennai yesterday. soon Sivasankar and a chartered visit the site of the blaze. on the latest incident, said the southern bank and near another change the status quo”. accountant, who has been close Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Shortcoming in Russian, Chinese Covid-19 vaccines High-profi le Covid-19 vaccines developed in Russia and China share a potential shortcoming: They are based on a common cold virus that many people have been exposed to, potentially limiting their eff ectiveness, some experts say. CanSino Biologics’ vaccine, approved for military use in China, is a modifi ed form of adenovirus type 5, or Ad5. The company is in talks to get emergency approval in several countries before completing large-scale trials, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. A vaccine developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, approved in Russia earlier this month despite limited testing, is based on Ad5 and a second less common adenovirus. “The Ad5 concerns me just because a lot of people have immunity,” The importance of digital health said Anna Durbin, a vaccine researcher at Johns Hopkins University. “I’m not sure what their strategy is maybe it won’t have 70% effi cacy. It might have 40% effi cacy, and that’s better than nothing, until something else comes along.” Vaccines are seen as essential to ending the pandemic that has claimed technologies in a pandemic over 845,000 lives worldwide. Gamaleya has said its two-virus approach will address Ad5 immunity two-tiered model has emerged over heart rate with a smart watch, how that these tools are deployable and issues. the years in which you might see can such data be comprehensively capable of providing accurate patient Both developers have years of experience and approved Ebola vaccines government or government-affiliated weaved into a patient care plan? record assessments in real-time. An based on Ad5. hospitals adopting much more Information overload aside, the unassimilated or fragmented patient Neither CanSino nor advanced digital health technologies, medical record systems we adopt record system serves little purpose “I think they Gamaleya responded to requests compared to private hospitals. Those today do not allow user-generated even if incorporating the most for comment. hospitals, including Sidra Medicine data to be amalgamated into an advanced of all technologies. We must will get good Researchers have and Hamad Medical Corporation’s electronic format. always remember that technology experimented with Ad5-based Primary Health Care Centres, are With the increase of technologies exists to serve human needs, but immunity in vaccines against a variety of forging the way. The Covid-19 crisis and over-reliance on AI, patient without applicability, technology will infections for decades, but none – along with relevant precautionary safety, fair and accessible care become not be long-lived. people that don’t are widely used. measures – will see a surge in digital very important issues that continue They employ harmless viruses By Dr Mowafa Househ health technologies being used by the to evolve. Furthermore, there is a z Dr Mowafa Househ is an Associate have antibodies as “vectors” to ferry genes from Doha private sector to generate income, disparity between the adoption of Professor at the College of Science the target virus — in this case the only if and when insurance companies healthcare technology in developed and Engineering, part of Hamad to the vaccine, novel coronavirus — into human are also able to compensate private and developing countries, widening Bin Khalifa University. The college cells, prompting an immune he convergence of digital medical clinics for such services. the adoption and equitability gaps. offers two advanced degrees in health but a lot of response to fi ght the actual virus. health technologies can On the other hand, if AI algorithms informatics, including the Master But many people already have have great benefits and zSomething for the sceptics are becoming widely available and of Information Systems in Health people do” antibodies against Ad5, which Ta positive impact on Qatar’s adoption of its Ehteraz accessible: what is to stop a general Management and the Master of Data could cause the immune system healthcare delivery, now more than application poses a unique model practitioner from running a patient Analytics in Health Management. to attack the vector instead of responding to the coronavirus, making ever. As early as 1879, telephone for the world. Once a sceptic myself, record assessment akin to that of a these vaccines less eff ective. calls were identified as one method I soon came to realise its ability to specialised doctor? (This article is submitted on Several researchers have chosen alternative adenoviruses or delivery of facilitating patient consultations. safeguard public health. Ehteraz behalf of the author by the HBKU mechanisms. In 1925, the Science and Invention is chiefly successful because the zWay forward Communications Directorate. The Oxford University and AstraZeneca based their Covid-19 vaccine on a magazine touted a then unlikely use associated government policies also What is even more important views expressed are the author’s own chimpanzee adenovirus, avoiding the Ad5 issue. for radios – to educate the wider circumscribe an ill individual’s entry than adopting digital tools that and do not necessarily reflect the Johnson & Johnson’s candidate uses Ad26, a comparatively rare strain. population about health aspects. into public spaces. Without adequate fit our personal needs is ensuring University’s official stance.) Dr Zhou Xing, from Canada’s McMaster University, worked with Today, with the advent of personal enforcement, the Ehteraz application CanSino on its fi rst Ad5-based vaccine, for tuberculosis, in 2011. computers, Internet connections, would have been unsuccessful. His team is developing an inhaled Ad5 Covid-19 vaccine, theorising it mobile devices, social media, artificial But as is the case with any could circumvent pre-existing immunity issues. intelligence (AI), holograms, wearable technology, infringement is possible, “The Oxford vaccine candidate has quite an advantage” over the devices, and telesurgery, digital health and loopholes will continue to exist. injected CanSino vaccine, he said. technologies have evolved into an In its current form, the Ehteraz Xing also worries that high doses of the Ad5 vector in the CanSino integrated ecosystem, and become application facilitates QR code scans, vaccine could induce fever, fuelling vaccine scepticism. even necessary for our everyday leaving less doubt as to whether “I think they will get good immunity in people that don’t have survival. quarantined users are presenting a antibodies to the vaccine, but a lot of people do,” said Dr Hildegund Ertl, ‘green’ yet static screenshot. China, director of the Wistar Institute Vaccine Center in Philadelphia. zDigital Health in a Health once identified as the origin of In China and the United States, about 40% of people have high levels Crisis Covid-19, has managed to eradicate of antibodies from prior Ad5 exposure. Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 all traces of the virus with strict In Africa, it could be has high as 80%, experts said. crisis has helped shed more light adherence to contact tracing. Some scientists also worry an Ad5-based vaccine could increase on the importance of digital health, As Western countries come chances of contracting HIV. especially when it comes to education, with their own disparities, the full In a 2004 trial of a Merck & Co Ad5-based HIV vaccine, people with diagnosis and treatment of patients enactment of such technologies can be pre-existing immunity became more, not less, susceptible to the virus or health consumers. Contact-tracing harder to achieve, where the general that causes Aids. applications, for example, have public perception generally perceives Researchers, including top US infectious diseases expert Dr Anthony become a widely accepted method for them to be a violation of personal freedoms. China’s application for Fauci, in a 2015 paper, said the side eff ect was likely unique to HIV vaccines. curbing the spread of the Covid-19 instance has been under scrutiny But they cautioned that HIV incidence should be monitored during virus. Teleconsultations – already on because of its tendency to collect and after trials of all Ad5-based vaccines in at-risk populations. the rise pre-Covid – are now a new normal. private and personal user information. “I would be worried about the use of those vaccines in any country In the digital health implementation In much of the Western world, or any population that was at risk of HIV, and I put our country as one arena, Qatar is spearheading efforts adoption of such technologies is left of them,” said Dr Larry Corey, co-leader of the US Coronavirus Vaccine within the region. The country’s solely to the discretion of the user. Prevention Network, who was a lead researcher on the Merck trial. biggest success over the years has Gamaleya’s vaccine will be administered in two doses: The fi rst based been the implementation of the zUse and misuse on Ad26, similar to J&J’s candidate, and the second on Ad5. Electronic Health Record system, The biggest challenge we now Alexander Gintsburg, Gamaleya’s director, has said the two-vector which connects primary, secondary, face is bridging the gap between approach addresses the immunity issue. and tertiary hospitals. Such flux of patient and clinical adoption of Ertl said it might work well enough in individuals who have been information within healthcare sectors new technologies. The wider the exposed to one of the two adenoviruses. improves clinical decision-making, spectrum of tools available to us, Many experts expressed scepticism about the Russian vaccine after patient flow, hospital management, the more difficult it is to integrate, the government declared its intention to give it to high-risk groups in and policy planning. interpret, and consolidate data. If a October without data from large pivotal trials. But when it comes to these patient was to track his or her sugar technologies, we will find that not all levels with a glucose monitor patch, implementation is equal. In Qatar, a sleeping patterns with a Fitbit, and To Advertise [email protected] About Hamad Bin Khalifa University Display Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow 44466621 44418811 Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), ity through an enriching academic a member of Qatar Foundation for experience, innovative ecosystem, and Classified Education, Science and Community unique partnerships. HBKU delivers 44466609 44418811 Development (QF), was founded in multidisciplinary undergraduate and 2010 as a research-intensive university graduate programmes through its Subscription that acts as a catalyst for transforma- colleges, and provides opportunities tive change in Qatar and the region for research and scholarship through [email protected] while having global impact. Located in its institutes and centres. For more Education City, HBKU is committed to information about HBKU, visit www. building and cultivating human capac- hbku.edu.qa © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved Qatar’s adoption of its Ehteraz application poses a unique model for the world. Gulf Times Wednesday, September 2, 2020 11

PAKISTAN

15 full-fl edged departments created for south Punjab secretariat

Internews taries — off ering them maximum two decision-makers, when there istration department, and law. south Punjab secretariat, in his secretary P&D, in his own pay and and posted as secretary agriculture Lahore functional autonomy. would be one account of the pro- The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf own pay and scale, against a new- scale, against a new post. department, south Punjab secre- The Punjab government had al- vincial government. (PTI) stalwarts say the party has ly-created slot. Provincial Disaster Manage- tariat, against a new post. ready allocated 35% of its provin- According to a fi nance depart- fulfi lled its promise of creating Additional secretary (budget) ment Authority (PDMA) director- Additional commissioner (co- he Punjab province gov- cial budget for south Punjab and ment notifi cation, the secretar- the south Punjab secretariat and finance department Rana Obaid general Raja Khurram Shahzad ordination), Bahawalpur Aftab ernment has created 15 ring-fenced it. ies’ posts have been created in granted it ‘full functional auton- Ullah Anwar (BS-19) has been Umar (BS-19) has been transferred Ahmad Pirzada has been trans- Tfull-fl edged administrative The posting of secretaries came livestock and dairy development, omy’ so that people should not transferred and posted as sec- and posted as secretary LG and CD ferred and posted as secretary departments in the newly-estab- as a surprise as the move would bi- planning and development (P&D), be compelled to go all the way to retary finance department, in department, in his own pay and livestock and dairy development lished south Punjab secretariat but furcate the jurisdiction of already housing urban development and Lahore to get their local issues re- his own pay and scale, against scale, against a new post. department, in his own pay and without a proper transition plan in serving secretaries’ departments. public health engineering (HUD solved. a newly-created post till De- Offi cer on Special Duty Liaqat scale, against a new slot. place. The plan of deciding respective and PHE), board of revenue, According to the posting of cember 31 i.e. the date when his Ali Chatha (BS-19) has been post- Director (development and fi - The Punjab fi nance department secretaries’ jurisdiction is report- communication and works, lo- secretaries at the newly-created extended period of deputation ed as secretary HUD and PHE de- nance) Bahawalpur Nosheen Ma- has created 77 new posts of ad- edly yet to be prepared. cal government and community posts, Punjab primary and sec- shall expire. partment, in his own pay and scale, lik (BS-19) has been transferred ministrative secretaries, additional More serious issues will be in development (LG and CD), home, ondary heath department special Programme director, Punjab Re- against a newly-created slot. and posted as secretary S&GAD, secretaries and deputy secretaries the fi nance as well as P&D depart- agriculture, health, education, fi - secretary Ajmal Bhatti (BS-19) source Management Programme Commissioner Punjab Revenue south Punjab secretariat, in her for the secretariat and soon after- ments as sources close to the de- nance, wildlife and fi sheries, irri- has been transferred and posted (PRMP) Shoaib Iqbal Syed (BS-19) Authority (PRA), Multan, Saqib Ali own pay and scale, against a wards notifi ed posting of 10 secre- velopments ask how there could be gation, services & general admin- as secretary health department, has been transferred and posted as Ateel (BS-20) has been transferred newly-created post.

Covid precautions Two dead as heavy Nawaz told rains lash Shangla to appear Internews Islamabad

t least two people were killed and seven others Ainjured in Khyber Pa- khtunkhwa’s Shangla district as before court widespread rains damaged hous- es and blocked major arteries in parts of the province yesterday, offi cials said. Shangla deputy commissioner Imran Hussain Ranjha said a house collapsed in Batkot area of by Sept 10 Bisham tehsil, leaving two minor brothers, eight-year-old Idrees Internews conditional bail for a specifi c time. missed in his absence? and four-year-old Raees, dead. Islamabad Haris replied that Nawaz’s “What will be the status of his In another incident, the roof of medical reports, which stated that appeal if the court declares him an a house collapsed during a wed- he was ill, were provided to the absconder,” he wondered. ding in Malak Khel area of Alpuri he Islamabad High Court Punjab government. Additional prosecutor general, tehsil leaving fi ve people injured. (IHC) yesterday granted “Even then, Nawaz’s request for NAB, Jahanzeb Bharwana opened According to Ranjha, due to Tformer prime minister Na- the bail extension was rejected,” he his arguments before the court by fl ooding in streams caused by the waz Sharif the opportunity “to said. opposing Nawaz’s appeals for im- heavy rains, the Karakoram High- surrender” and present himself In response to the bench’s ques- munity from appearing before the way (KKH) had been blocked at before the court by September 10. tion, Haris replied that Nawaz’s court. Shang and other points, while the A two-member bench of the appeal for bail extension was re- “Nawaz not appearing before Bisham-Swat road was washed IHC comprising justice Aamer jected by the Punjab government the court is tantamount to fl eeing away near Ranyal suspension Farooq and justice Mohsin Akhtar on February 27. from court proceedings,” he said, bridge, leading to the route’s clo- Kayani was hearing appeals fi led The court then wondered accusing the former prime minis- sure for all traffi c. Other impor- by NAB against the former prime whether the PML-N leader’s ter of absconding on purpose. tant link roads were also blocked minister’s acquittal in the Flagship sentence in the Al-Azizia refer- “We will provide a date on or damaged due to the rains. reference as well as appeals against ence ended after the Lahore High which Nawaz will have to surren- Several animals were also killed his conviction in the Al-Azizia ref- Court’s order to the government der. Right now, we are not declar- when a house collapsed in Chake- erence. to take off Nawaz’s name from the ing him an absconder,” said Justice sar area. Ranjha said information “We are not declaring Nawaz ECL Farooq. “We are providing Nawaz regarding rain-related incidents Sharif an absconder,” said justice “The IHC suspended Nawaz’s an opportunity to surrender.” was being collected from diff er- Amir Farooq. “We are giving him sentence in the Al-Azizia reference “Then you have decided that ent parts of the district. an opportunity to surrender before for a short period. After the LHC’s he should return at any cost,” said The KKH was also blocked at the court.” verdict, can the IHC’s order be su- Haris. several points in lower and up- The court directed the federal perseded,” asked the court. “Do you think Nawaz will be ar- per Kohistan, with hundreds of government to present a report “It’s not like Nawaz Sharif does rested at the airport when he re- vehicles stuck on roads due to the on Nawaz’s health and adjourned not want to surrender before the turns? If that is so, do tell us,” said blockade. proceedings of the petition till court,” said Haris. justice Kayani. Local police said the fl ood September 10. The court said that the matter Haris replied by telling the judge swept away water mills, mini Nawaz’s attorney Khawaja of the ECL was being heard by the that he would move the court if power stations and wooden sus- Haris argued before the court that LHC whereas the IHC was con- that happens. pension bridges in Kohistan. his client’s bail had been approved cerned with the issue pertaining Meanwhile Maryam Nawaz has A fl ooding situation was also after his sentence in the Avenfi eld to suspension in sentence and bail. said her father, Nawaz Sharif, will observed in the Dubair, Pattan Apartments reference had been “The eff ects of this order will return to the country as soon his and Indus rivers. suspended. also impact the LHC’s decision,” treatment is completed and his Upper Kohistan deputy com- He said that the PML-N supre- said justice Farooq. health is out of danger. missioner Arif Khan Yousafzai mo had been granted conditional Justice Farooq said that the Maryam made the remarks after urged the public to avoid unnec- bail in the Flagship reference. court was not declaring Nawaz an her appearance at the Islamabad essary travel in the district to pre- “Nawaz’s current status is that he absconder currently but wondered High Court (IHC) yesterday to at- vent any untoward incident. is not out on bail,” said Haris. “This how the appeals can be heard tend a hearing of the Avenfi eld Torrential rains have disrupted is the legal position that he is out without him present in court. Apartments review petition. routine life in the Abasin region seeking medical treatment abroad He said that the court will also “Everyone is equal in the eyes of and the area has been without Men wearing protective masks walk along a market, as the coronavirus disease outbreak and not on bail.” seek NAB’s help in this regard the law,” Maryam said, adding that electricity for more than eight continues, in Karachi, Pakistan. Justice Farooq responded by and wondered what would hap- they (the Sharif family) had been hours. saying that Nawaz was granted pen if Nawaz’s appeal was dis- buried under accusations. Journalist among fi ve Truck overturns Two-month ban on swimming, fi shing

Internews dulging in boating, swimming and acquitted in arms case fi shing in Rawal Dam, Simly Dam, Islamabad Soan River, Korang Nullah and Internews The ATC-XIII judge, who con- recovered from the possession of other nullahs in Islamabad, which Karachi ducted the trial in the judicial accused Mohtashim Haider. he Islamabad adminis- is extremely dangerous and inci- complex inside the central prison, Police also allegedly recovered tration yesterday banned dents of drowning have also been pronounced his verdict reserved a hand-grenade, a pistol of 30- Tswimming, boating and reported in this regard. n anti-terrorism court in after recording evidence and fi nal bore calibre with fi ve live bullets, fi shing in dams, rivers and nullahs The orders said that this is suf- Karachi has exonerated arguments from both sides. CNIC and other documents from for the next two months. fi cient grounds for proceedings Afi ve accused persons, in- The judge wrote in his judge- the possession of accused Syed Administration offi cials said under section 144 of the Criminal cluding a journalist, in a case ment that the prosecution had Imran. that rainfall in the capital as well Procedure Code. pertaining to the allegedly pos- failed to prove the charges against The prosecution further men- as water fl owing into the city from The ban will come into force session of explosives and arms. the accused persons beyond a tioned that a hand-grenade, a upper parts of the country has immediately and remain in place Five accused — Syed Matloob shadow of reasonable doubt. pistol with fi ve bullets were re- fi lled the dams, rivers and nullahs for two months. Hussain; a journalist working for The judge acquitted all the covered from the custody of co- in the capital. Deputy commissioner Moham- the Urdu-language daily Jang, men of the charges levelled accused Waqar. With dams at capacity, their ed Hamza Shafqaat said that Raw- Syed Mohtashim Haider Shah, against them by the prosecution. It added that one hand-gre- spillways are being opened regu- al Dam’s spillways were opened by Syed Imran Haider Shah, Syed All the accused persons ap- nade and a pistol with three live larly to discharge excess water, 1.5 feet at 11am to discharge 6,000 Waqar Raza and Mohamed Abbas peared before the court on bail. bullets were seized from co-ac- they said. The discharged water cusecs of water. — were charged with possessing The judge cancelled their bail cused Abbas. can fl ood rivers and nullahs in the The capacity of the dam is explosives and illicit weapons bonds and discharged the surety The prosecution further men- capital, they said, and water dis- 1,758ft, and the water reached last year. and ordered their release in the tioned that a pistol with three charged from dams such as Rawal 1,751.9ft, he said. Police had arrested Syed Mat- present cases. live bullets was recovered from Dam also leads to an outfl ow of The capacity of Simly Dam is loob Hussain Moosavi on March According to the prosecution, the possession of journalist Syed fi sh from the spillways. 2,315.05ft, and the dam’s spillways 30, 2019. on a tip-off , police reached the Matloob Hussain. Many locals and fi sh vendors were opened 1ft at 6am after water But the reporter’s family al- Attock petrol pump near Chakar Five separate cases under Sec- wait downstream to catch these reached the 2,315ft mark. leged that he had been “taken hotel on May 1, 2019, where they tions 4/5 of the Explosive Sub- fi sh, which is dangerous, the offi - The spillways were opened to away by unknown men” from his allegedly spotted the fi ve accused stances Act read with Section cials said, as the water that gushes 2ft in the afternoon, he added. residence in Salman Farsi Soci- with a briefcase. 23(i)-A of the Sindh Arms Act, into rivers and nullahs can endan- Rawalpindi’s administration ety. It further mentioned that a 2013 and Section 7 (punishment ger people who may be swimming, and residents of low-lying areas His alleged disappearance hand-grenade and a pistol with for acts of terrorism) of the Anti- boating or fi shing in these areas. in the capital have also been in- had sparked protest by journal- fi ve live bullets, documents, Terrorism Act, 1997 were lodged Traff ic police off icers check an overturned container truck on Separate orders issued by the formed about the opening of the ists’ representatives and human passports, a CNIC, ATM cards at the SITE Superhighway police a street in Karachi. offi ce of the deputy commissioner spillways so they may take precau- rights bodies and civil society. and petty cash worth Rs470 was station on behalf of the state. said that individuals have been in- tions, Shafqaat said. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 QATAR

Ehteraz checking at a station yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed Passengers on board a train yesterday. PICTURE: Ram Chand Passengers at a station yesterday. PICTURE: Ram Chand Doha Metro resumes full service at 30% capacity with precautions

By Joey Aguilar sail Tram page yesterday. All 37 from others and raise public and Family Food Centre, while Line’s Legtaifi ya station yes- Staff Reporter stations on the Red, Green and awareness on the importance of goldclub travel cards are avail- terday, completing the opera- Gold lines are now operational, practising social distancing. In able at dedicated goldclub offi ces tion of all 37 stations of Doha while the metrolink feeder serv- addition, Metro stations have at all Metro stations. Metro and giving residents and oha Metro resumed op- ice is available on 17 selected stopped issuing paper tickets and The reopening of Doha Metro visitors access to new locations. erations yesterday at full routes. Doha Metro has imposed only allow reusable travel cards also witnessed the launch of its Meanwhile, the metrolink feeder Dservice while maintaining stringent measures to prevent “to further reduce the number of Wi-Fi service at all stations on service resumed operations on a maximum of 30% capacity on the spread of Covid-19 such as contact touch points throughout the Red, Green and Gold lines, 17 selected routes. These are Al its trains as a safety precaution requiring Metro passengers to the journey”. providing Internet access to pas- Wakrah (M128 and M134), Free for all passengers and Metro staff show the ‘green’ QR code on the Metro passengers who already sengers upon entering and until Zone (M140), Oqba Ibn Nafi e against the novel coronavirus Ehteraz app, wear face masks at have reusable cards can load or they leave a station. According to (M124 and M125), Al Matar Qa- (Covid-19). all times and adhere to social dis- top up online using their debit or Qatar Rail, the new Wi-Fi serv- deem (M121 and M122), Umm “For your safety, wearing of tancing practices and other pro- credit cards through Qatar Rail’s ices aim to foster connectivity for Ghuwailina (M118), Al Doha Al face masks is mandatory whilst tocols such as thermal scanning. website or its mobile application. travellers during their journey. Jadeeda (M115), Corniche (M143), inside our stations and trains. Posters with the message ‘Stay Pre-loaded Standard travel cards Subscribing to one of the pre- DECC (M105), Lusail (M145), Stay safe, leave a space. Wear safe, leave a space’ have been in- can be purchased at licensed re- mium packages off ers unlimited Al Aziziyah (M313), Al Messila a mask at all times,” Qatar Rail stalled on trains’ seats to encour- tailers, including Al Meera, LuLu, online connectivity. (M208 and 209), and Education Various safety measures have been put in place at stations. tweeted on its Doha Metro & Lu- age passengers to keep distance Carrefour, Jumbo Electronics Qatar Rail also launched Red City (M202 and M203). PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

Phase 4 begins

The first stage of Phase 4 of the gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions began in Qatar yesterday amid the implementation of precautionary and preventive measures. Pictured are children returning to school for the new academic year, kids at malls and food courts reopening at malls with limited capacity. PICTURES: Shemeer Rasheed and Ram Chand

SSLSD opens new Pre-Primary wing

Staff ord Sri Lankan School Doha (SSLSD) opened its new Pre-Primary wing, near Midmac Roundabout, yesterday in the presence of a number of school off icials, dignitaries and guests. The opening event included the hoisting of flags and lighting of the ceremonial lamp on the premises. All precautionary measures have been put in place by the school to ensure the safety of children and school staff . These include body temperature checks, social distancing and wearing of face masks. The school is aff iliated to the Sri Lankan embassy and approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.PICTURES: Shaji Kayamkulam