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TUESDAY Vol. XXXXII No. 12022 August 31, 2021 Muharram 23, 1443 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir condoles with Kazakh president Shura elections: Voters His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim Address Afghan issue in a bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah can fi le objections to bin Hamad al-Thani have sent cables of condolences to Kazakh realistic way, FM tells G7 President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev candidates’ lists until Sept 2 on the victims of the ammunition depot blast in southern Kazakhstan, Qatar thanked for its efforts to bring stability to Afghanistan wishing the injured a speedy QNA recovery. HE the Prime Minister and QNA Doha Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Doha Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani sent a similar cable of condolences to he Ministry of Interior (MoI) Prime Minister Askar Mamin (QNA) atar took part in the virtual has announced the details of the Ministerial Meeting of the Tprocess of submitting grievanc- Over 55% of kids aged QGroup of Seven on Afghani- es and objections on the preliminary stan yesterday. lists of candidates for the Shura Coun- 12-15 fully vaccinated HE the Deputy Prime Minister and cil elections at the headquarters of the All necessary measures to ensure Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Candidates Committee located in the the safety and well-being of children Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani Hall of Events at Qatar University and be submitted in writing on the form have been taken in view of the start represented Qatar at the meeting. at the electoral districts. prepared for this purpose indicating of the new school year, a senior The meeting was attended by US The preliminary lists of candidates the reasons for which the request was health off icial has stressed, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken, for the Shura Council elections were made, attached with supporting docu- also informing that more than 55% Minister of Foreign Aff airs and Inter- scheduled to be announced later yes- ments, the statement added. of children aged 12-15 years have national Co-operation of Italy Luigi Di terday. The Candidates Committee is re- received both doses of the Covid-19 Maio, Secretary of State for Foreign, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed The ministry said in a statement sponsible for examining and adju- vaccine. Page 2 Commonwealth and Development Af- bin Abdulrahman al-Thani represented Qatar at the virtual Ministerial Meeting that objection and grievance requests dicating objections and grievances fairs of the United Kingdom Dominic of the Group of Seven on Afghanistan yesterday. on the preliminary lists of candidates within seven days following the date Hurricane Ida death Raab, French Foreign Minister Jean- are to be submitted to the Candidates of their submission, and the expiry of Yves Le Drian, German Foreign Min- tection of civilians and preserves co-operation of all international ac- Committee at its headquarters located this period without a response is con- toll expected to soar ister Heiko Maas, Japanese Foreign the gains and rights of the Afghan tors in the transitional period in Af- in the Hall of Events at Qatar Univer- sidered an implicit rejection, according Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Canadian people. ghanistan, noting Qatar’s continued sity and at the electoral districts for to MoI’s statement. Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, Turk- The participants in the meeting ex- support to the eff orts aimed at evacu- a period of three days, starting from The ministry said that the fi nal lists ish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, pressed their thanks to Qatar for its ating the civilians and ensuring their today until Thursday, Sept 2, from 4 of candidates will be announced at the High Representative of the European continuous eff orts to achieve stability protection and safety, and Qatar’s pm-8 pm. electoral district headquarters, and Union for Foreign Aff airs and Secu- in Afghanistan and preserve the rights readiness to co-operate with every- Regarding objection and grievance that the electoral campaign period will rity Policy Josep Borrell, and Secretary- of the Afghan people. one to promote regional and interna- procedures, the statement said that begin on September 15. General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg. HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul- tional consensus in order to achieve the candidate has the right to submit Those whose objections or griev- The meeting reviewed the latest rahman al-Thani stressed the impor- security and stability in Afghanistan. a grievance if his candidacy applica- ances are rejected can appeal to the developments of the humanitarian, tance of addressing the current situa- HE Sheikh Mohamed stressed the tion is rejected, and every voter or Administrative Appeals Chamber security and political situation in tion in Afghanistan in a realistic way importance of accelerating the provi- candidate in their electoral district has at the Court of Appeal without fees Afghanistan, the developments of and setting up incentives in order to sion of aid to avoid any humanitarian the right to object to the inclusion of against the committee’s decision with- the process of evacuating civilians, ensure a peaceful transfer of power and economic crisis in Afghanistan, a candidate in the list of candidates in in three days of being notifi ed at their The death toll from Hurricane and the international efforts neces- that preserves the basic rights of the warning that such crisis would have the same district, due to the lack of any national address, or if the seven-day Ida was expected to climb sary to ensure a peaceful transition Afghan people. serious repercussions on the stability of the conditions for membership in it. period expires without a response, the “considerably,” Louisiana’s governor of power that guarantees the pro- He emphasised the necessity of the of Afghanistan and the region. Page 11 The grievance and objection can statement said. warned yesterday, as rescuers combed through the “catastrophic” damage wreaked as it tore through the southern United States as a Category 4 storm. The city of New Orleans was still without power Al Furjan Parks to be set Natural gas world’s best solution almost 24 hours after Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast, exactly 16 years to the day Hurricane Katrina up across Qatar made landfall, wreaking deadly to tackle emissions: al-Attiyah havoc. “The biggest concern is we’re still doing search and rescue and we have individuals all across By Pratap John this in mind. The situation in devel- southeast Louisiana... who are in a Business Editor oped countries, particularly in the bad place,” Louisiana Governor John west, is quite diff erent from that in Bel Edwards said. Page 7 developing countries, particularly in atural gas, which is the clean- Asia and Africa.” Rockets target US est fossil fuel, is one of the On the prospects of a hydrogen Nbest solutions for the world economy, al-Attiyah, an energy in- troops as diplomats as it grapples with emissions, said dustry veteran and former president fl y out of Kabul HE the former deputy Prime Minister of Opec said: “LNG or liquefi ed natu- and Minister of Energy and Industry, ral gas can be a source for hydrogen. US anti-missile defences intercepted Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah. The technology is available. But the rockets fired at Kabul’s airport He was speaking at a webinar host- HE Abdullah bin Hamad issue is the costs involved in it. Gov- yesterday as the United States flew ed by the US-Qatar Business Council al-Attiyah, chairman of the Al-Attiyah ernments around the world can no its core diplomats out of Afghanistan on ‘LNG’s Role in Global Energy Sus- International Foundation for Energy longer aff ord to subsidise energy.” in the final hours of its chaotic Architect’s rendition of a Furjan park. tainability’, last night. and Sustainable Development. Al-Attiyah highlighted Qatar’s withdrawal. The last US troops are Asked whether net-zero (emission commitment to provide the world due to leave Kabul today after the he Supervisory Committee for “These parks are meant to improve reduction) targets are possible, al-At- many countries will continue to see a with “cleaner energy” and said: “We biggest air evacuation in history. Beautifi cation of Roads and weather conditions, reduce pollution tiyah said: “It can never be achieved. lot of emissions. More than 1bn peo- currently produce 77mn tonnes per The US and its allies have flown out TPublic Places in Qatar has start- and lower temperatures. They also When we talk about net-zero emis- ple around the world still do not have year (mtpy) of liquefi ed natural gas”. 122,000 people, including their own ed works of various projects to build Al have a key role in limiting the eff ects sions, we should realise the fact that access to electricity. We should bear To Page 5 citizens and Afghans who helped Furjan public parks within residential of climate change, contribute to pro- them over 20 years of war. neighbourhoods across Qatar. The fi rst tecting the neighbourhood from dust, Islamic State claimed responsibility park is to open in the second quarter of which will refl ect positively on the QE showcases world’s first Gulfstream G700 for the rocket attacks. In recent days 2022. health and safety of people,” he ob- Washington has warned of more The Public Works Authority (Ash- served. attacks, while carrying out two air ghal) announced yesterday that the The MME’s Public Parks Depart- strikes. It said both hit Islamic State projects are implemented in co-opera- ment director Mohamed al-Khouri targets, one thwarting an attempted tion with the Ministry of Municipality pointed out that public parks which suicide bombing in Kabul on Sunday and Environment (MME). increase the green area and improve by destroying a car packed with The committee’s projects manager quality of life are considered as natu- explosives, but which Afghans said engineer Jassim Abdulrahman Fa- ral fi lters to purify the air from carbon had struck civilians. Page 11 khroo revealed that designs for several emission. parks have been completed, includ- The department is making extensive US warns of ‘real’ terror ing those for areas such as Fereej Al eff orts to plant in the parks tree species Soudan, Fereej Hazm Al Markhiya, better adapted to the local climate and threat to Kabul airport Al Thameed, Rawdat Egdaim and Al environment conditions. The Pentagon warned yesterday of Mearad. “There will be a mix of shade trees “real” and “specific” threats of new The committee’s secretary engineer and those which protect the environ- attacks at Kabul airport just hours Amna al-Bader said that increasing ment. Al Furjan parks are to be located ahead of a US deadline to complete green areas within cities contributes across the country as per the popula- its frenzied withdrawal from to enhanced sustainability of environ- tion density of diff erent areas. The plan Afghanistan, which has been marred mental development in line with the also considers the provision of appro- by Islamic State violence, including fourth pillar of Qatar National Vision priate services and various designs, a volley of rocket fire. President Joe 2030, it was was explained in a state- according to the residents’ needs,” he Qatar Executive (QE) has welcomed the arrival of the world’s first Gulfstream G700 jet aircraft in Qatar as part of Biden has set a deadline of today ment. explained. a special demonstration by the manufacturer honouring QE as the launch customer. Equipped with the all-new to withdraw all US forces from The MME’s Climate Change Depart- Engineer Fakhroo said that the parks Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and an advanced high-speed wing design, the G700 is “able to fly at record-breaking Afghanistan, drawing to a close his ment director Abdulhadi al-Marri said will have many features that make speed and range with outstanding environmental efficiency, promoting sustainable business aviation”. The G700 nation’s longest war, which began the ministry has allocated a number of them enjoyable for all family members will be the latest addition to Qatar Executive’s state-of-the-art fleet of long-range and ultra-long-range aircraft. The in late 2001 in retaliation for the lands across Qatar for Al Furjan Parks including elderly, youth and children. executive charter service provider has ordered 10 of the world’s largest business jets, and will take delivery of the September 11 attacks. Page 11 project. To Page 12 first aircraft off the Gulfstream assembly line in Georgia, US, in 2022. Page 3 Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 QATAR

At the preliminary meeting in Al-Hammadi meets Geneva, Doha Slovenian official reiterated that the Qatar all set to host 5th Conference on Least Developed Countries (UNLDC-5) will support its path LDC meet in Jan ’22 towards achieving development for QNA happiness to participate in this Geneva important meeting, which takes next 10 years place in the framework of prepa- rations for the UNLDC-5, which outstanding needs and special atar affi rmed that hosting will be hosted in Doha in January priorities of the least developed the 5th Conference on the 2022. He said that he is honoured countries in the region. Based QLeast Developed Coun- to convey the wishes of HE the on Qatar’s well-known policy of tries (UNLDC-5) comes within Deputy Prime Minister and Min- co-operation and partnership its keenness to support these ister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh with the international commu- countries in their eff orts to meet Mohamed bin Abdulrahman nity, and based on its fi rm belief the challenges and obstacles they al-Thani, that the work of this in the importance of this co- face to achieve sustainable de- meeting will be crowned with operation, especially in light of velopment, and expressed con- success, and thanking all those the current challenges the world fi dence that the conference will who participated in organising is witnessing, Qatar has spared contribute to meeting the needs the conference. no eff ort to provide all forms of of the least developed countries HE al-Mansouri added that support to the least developed and support their path towards they are pleased to open the work HE Ali bin Khalfan al-Mansouri countries, especially in the Asia- achieving development for the of this meeting to move forward Pacifi c region with which Qatar next 10 years in line with the in the coming days in the process tive international and national the least developed countries in have strong relations within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable De- of a comprehensive evaluation of policies, as well as emerging the Asia-Pacifi c region had made framework of international co- velopment. the implementation of the Istan- challenges and opportunities and signifi cant progress in their so- operation and partnerships. This came in the speech de- bul Programme of Action for the means to address them. cial and economic development He referred to the announce- livered by HE the Permanent Least Developed Countries by He added that Qatar looks for- during the past decade, particu- ment of His Highness the Amir Representative to the UN Offi ce the countries of the Asia-Pacifi c ward that the upcoming Doha larly in reducing income poverty Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- in Geneva, ambassador Ali bin region and their development conference will build on the ex- and investing in human resourc- Thani, during the Climate Action Khalfan al-Mansouri, during the partners. periences gained and the suc- es and infrastructure, and this Summit held in September 2019, high-level opening session of He added that Qatar is look- cesses achieved in previous con- enabled some of the countries in that Qatar contributed $100mn HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr the Asia-Pacifi c regional review ing forward to the outcomes of ferences. The 4th conference was this region to meet the gradua- to support least developed coun- Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met yesterday with Slovenian meeting on the implementa- this meeting that will enrich the hosted by Turkey, which played tion criteria, especially the re- tries and small island develop- State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs Dr Stanislav tion of the Istanbul Programme discussions of the conference, in an important role in achieving cent achievement in December ing states to deal with climate Rascan. During the meeting in Ljubljana, bilateral relations of Action in preparation for the terms of exchanging best prac- important steps implemented 2020 with the graduation of Van- change, which will contribute to were reviewed. The meeting was attended by the Director of UNLDC-5, being held from Au- tices and learned lessons, iden- through the Istanbul programme uatu from the list of least devel- supporting the endeavours of the European Aff airs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs gust 30 to September 2, 2021 at tifying obstacles and constraints, for the decade 2011-2020, which oped countries. HE al-Mansouri countries of the Asia-Pacifi c re- ambassador Salem bin Abdullah al-Jaber, Qatar’s ambassador the UN’s European headquarters as well as coming up with results Qatar must benefi t from and added that Qatar is aware that gion to overcome the challenges (non-resident) to Slovenia Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri, and in Geneva. on the necessary measures and build on during the next decade. despite this progress, there is they face as a result of this phe- the accompanying delegation. (QNA) HE al-Mansouri expressed his initiatives, and identifying eff ec- He stated that, undoubtedly, still an urgent need to meet the nomenon. Over 55% of children aged 12-15 fully vaccinated: offi cial

ll necessary measures  Parents assured of children’s safety tinued. Alsahory said a number to ensure the safety and of activities and awareness cam- Awell-being of children in schools, urged to get children above paigns will be implemented dur- Good attendance on Day 1 have been taken in view of the 12 jabbed ing the academic year, covering start of the new school year, a preventive measures, practising Meanwhile, a number of government school managers told local senior health offi cial has stressed, Number of activities and awareness social distancing and hand hy- Arabic daily Arrayah that around 80% of the permitted number while also informing that more campaigns will be implemented during giene, and the rules of coughing of students attended classes on the first school day (August than 55% of children aged 12-15 and sneezing in addition to rais- 29), which they “considered a good rate” on the first few days years have received both doses of academic year ing awareness among students of school resumption after the holidays. Schools reopened for the Covid-19 vaccine. crowding in the classes. Also, Besides reiterating the need about the importance of eating a the new academic year on August 29 with the 50% rotational Dr Soha al-Bayat, head of all classes were set up to have a for children above 12 years to healthy diet to enhance their im- attendance-based blended learning system in place. the Vaccination Department at minimum space of 1.5m between get vaccinated, the MoPH has munity. The managers said notices have been sent to the parents of the Ministry of Public Health each student.” also stressed that all concerned Dr Soha al-Bayat “We would like to emphasise the students who were absent that day. They stressed that the (MoPH) and leader of the Cov- “I would like to inform parents should comply with the Cov- the role of parents in preparing Covid-19 precautionary and preventive measures are being id-19 tracing and detection team, that up to now, more than 55% of id-19 measures implemented in ing a mask, washing hands, using their children to return to school implemented strictly to maintain the health and safety of all said in a video message posted on the 12-15 age group have received schools. sanitisers and maintaining social by ensuring an early bedtime, teachers, employees and students. Further, the entry and exit social media yesterday: “With both doses of the (Covid-19) vac- In a video message posted by distance.” maintaining a healthy diet, edu- of students are being conducted in a highly organised manner the start of the new school year, I cine,” Dr al-Bayat continued. the MoPH regarding this, School “To begin the new academic cating children about the impor- to maintain the desired physical distancing among students. In would like to reassure all parents “It’s a good percentage but we Health Supervisor Ayman Alsa- year in Qatar, we have prepared tance of preventive measures, addition, each class is separated from other classes to reduce that all necessary measures to need more. So, I urge all parents hory said: “School staff and stu- a protocol for school health as and visiting the health centre the chances of bigger groups of students getting together at one ensure the safety and well-being who have not yet vaccinated dents above 12 years are urged to a comprehensive guide for the when they feel sick,” he advised. time. of their children were taken.” their children to do so to ensure get the vaccine against Covid-19, preventive and precautionary “It is everyone’s responsibility to In the meantime, awareness eff orts and messages continue to be “For example,” she explained, their well-being and good health. in addition to adhering to the measures, which should be im- commit to the precautionary and communicated constantly to both parents and students to remind “the 50% attendance (system) Wishing our students an exciting measures to prevent the spread plemented in schools to prevent preventive measures at schools to them of the importance of abiding by the Covid-19 measures. assures us that there will be no year and a healthy one.” of infection. These include wear- the spread of Covid-19,” he con- ensure a safe return.”

Exams for Covid Traffi c Dept implements new school year plan GTA extends deadline recovered pupils The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is to hold QNA tersections and in the vicinity of Traffi c Department that the es- hicle by parking in designated for fi ling tax returns exams for Grade 1-12 students Doha schools, through traffi c patrols, tablishment of the requirements areas, making sure students get who missed the second round and road monitoring through for safe driving in the community off not in the middle of the road exams due to a Covid-19 cameras, for rapid intervention starts with the future leaders. or in places that endanger their he General Tax Authority (GTA) has extended the deadline infection or contact with an s part of the Ministry of in cases of emergency and traffi c He noted that parents are the lives, and crossing the road from for submitting tax returns for fiscal 2020 for companies and infected person. Interior’s continuous en- congestion. most important link in consoli- the places designated for pedes- Testablishments owned by Qatari citizens and GCC citizens, According to a circular issued Adeavour to achieve a safe With regard to the second part, dating traffi c safety requirements trians, in addition to the need to which are exempt from income tax for a period of four months, to by the ministry’s Evaluation and accident-free traffi c envi- he indicated that it is related to for children, through continuous alert students that creating dis- December 31, 2021 from August 31. Affairs Sector to principals ronment, and to maintain the intensifying awareness messages monitoring, introducing the im- turbance inside the school bus The authority said, in a statement yesterday, that it had always of public and private schools safety of students and road users, for students, parents, teach- portance of these requirements, would distract the driver, expos- sought to enhance the principle of tax compliance with taxpayers, that follow national standards, the General Directorate of Traffi c ers and all those in charge of the following traffi c laws and rules, ing them to the risk of traffi c ac- stressing the importance of the commitment of small- and me- the exams will take place has started implementing a com- educational process in schools, and the health and social eff ects cidents. dium-sized companies and projects owned by Qatari citizens and from Sunday, September 5 to prehensive plan to welcome the through programmes that com- of traffi c accidents. The Director of the Awareness residents of GCC countries, to submit tax returns to avoid financial Thursday, September 16. new school year. ply with the precautionary Al-Hajri stressed the impor- and Information Department penalties. The students are required In a statement on the occasion, measures followed in the country tance of being careful when driv- urged drivers to adhere to the The GTA expressed that companies exclusively benefit from the to bring a certificate from the Director of the Awareness to limit the spread of Covid-19. ing on the roads surrounding speed limit on roads under main- tax system which enhance their efficiency and governance, not- the Ministry of Public Health and Information Department at Al-Hajri also stated that the schools, adhering to the speed tenance, in order to avoid traf- ing that the step to extend the deadline comes in response to the proving the date of infection or the General Directorate of Traf- traffi c safety programmes for limits, signs and traffi c signals, fi c accidents. He also called for requests received by taxpayers to adjust the conditions of their contact with a virus-infected fi c Colonel Mohamed Radi al- students of civil and military and for children under the age of the use of smart applications to companies. The authority works closely with its partners from the person. Hajri said that the department’s schools and universities occupy 10 to sit in the back seats of the choose the least crowded roads, competent government entities to monitor the economic situation Schools are required to provide plan is divided into two parts, the a large part of the annual opera- vehicle. especially since the last period in the country in light of the current challenges, and it is commit- the Student Assessment fi rst one related to monitoring tional plans of the Awareness and He also stressed the need to witnessed the opening of many ted to providing guarantees available to taxpayers and investors in a Department with the names of and facilitating the movement of Information Department, and is follow all safety rules as stu- roads that contributed to the way that contributes to proactively support the national economy those students no later than vehicles on roads and main in- based on the belief of the General dents descend or get in the ve- easy movements of vehicles. without burdening taxpayers. (QNA) September 1. (QNA)

Sanitation drive in Al Shamal schools Annabi posts record performance at world schools debating contest

atarDebate Center, a mem- The team consisted of young ber of the Qatar Founda- Qtion for Education, Science individuals who represented Qatar and Community Development, in international debate forums praised the Annabi Debates Team’s historic achievement after rising to through the capabilities that the most important contemporary the playoff s and for the first time team fought against its competi- global issues. The national team in the history of the World Schools tors in the championship that took reached this distinction after a se- Debating Championship in Eng- place from July 25 to August 5, via ries of successes achieved in the lish, in which 400 debaters repre- the Zoom platform. The team con- past years, and the richest record senting 74 countries participated. sisted of young individuals who of its victories since 2008, as it Al Shamal Municipality’s Services Aff airs Department carried out a campaign to fight rodents and insects at all the schools, ahead of the The centre underlined that represented Qatar in international participated in the World Debating start of the new school year. All the drainage manholes were sprayed in addition to the garbage containers, and the streets and pave- members of the national team were debate forums. This team received Championship until reaching its ments around the schools, in addition to toilets, kitchens and other related facilities. The campaign also covered other areas such as the distinguished by high competen- training that refi ned its capabili- fi fth victory against international harbour, the municipality headquarters, and the commercial streets. cies in debate and dialogue, and ties to be characterised by word teams and fulfi lling the condition their skills were clearly evident and logic in its dialogues on the of competing at the top. (QNA) Gulf Times Tuesday, August 31, 2021 3 QATAR Qatar Executive showcases world’s fi rst Gulfstream G700 in Doha

Qatar Executive is launch customer of G700, an industry ecutive’s continued confi dence benchmark for sustainability and innovation in Gulfstream,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “With atar Executive (QE) has business jet aircraft service pro- their partnership, we are intro- welcomed the arrival of viders in the Middle East and ducing the tremendous per- Qthe world’s fi rst Gulf- around the world,” he added. “As formance capabilities and cabin stream G700 jet aircraft in Qatar the global launch customer for comfort of the G700 to their cus- as part of a special demonstration this technologically-advanced tomers, and look forward to their by the manufacturer honouring jet, we look forward to welcom- fi rst G700 deliveries.” QE as the launch customer. ing the G700 into Qatar Execu- The new aircraft is designed Equipped with the all-new tive’s fl eet in 2022 and continu- for ultra-long-haul fl ights and Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines ing to set new standards in air can operate non-stop from Doha and an advanced high-speed travel for years to come.” to New York in about 12 hours, wing design, the G700 is “able “As a launch customer, we are and from Doha to Seoul in just to fl y at record-breaking speed also proud to reaffi rm our com- over eight hours. and range with outstanding envi- mitment to addressing climate Gulfstream introduced the ronmental effi ciency, promoting change and other environmen- G700 in 2019 as the industry’s The G700 is ‘able to fly at sustainable business aviation”, tal impacts through the addition new fl agship aircraft. record-breaking speed and according to a press statement. of the technologically advanced It boasts of business aviation’s range with outstanding The G700 will be the latest ad- G700 to our fl eet,” HE al-Baker most spacious cabin and can fl y environmental eff iciency, dition to Qatar Executive’s state- said. “Qatar Executive grew ex- farther, and faster, than any other promoting sustainable business of-the-art fl eet of long-range ponentially during the Covid-19 competitor in the business-jet aviation’. and ultra-long-range aircraft. pandemic, where the average industry. The executive charter service monthly block hours reserved Powered by two Rolls-Royce Right: The aircraft has been provider has ordered 10 of the grew by 76% year-over-year, and Pearl 700 engines, the G700 ‘tailor-made exclusively with world’s largest business jets, and the booking enquiries increased can fl y 7,500 nautical miles superior-quality cabins to meet will take delivery next year of the by more than 100%.” (nm)/13,890km at Mach 0.85 Qatar Executive’s standards’. fi rst aircraft off the Gulfstream “The sharp growth came as a or 6,400nm/11,853km at Mach assembly line in Georgia, US. result of the new strategies im- 0.90. The jet also features an all- The aircraft has been “tailor- plemented by Qatar Executive It features the award-winning new, Gulfstream-developed rev- made exclusively with superior- and dynamic positioning of the Symmetry Flight Deck, with ac- olutionary lighting system that quality cabins to meet Qatar Ex- services in the right marketplace, tive control sidesticks and the mimics circadian rhythms. ecutive’s exacting standards”, the in addition to understanding most extensive use of touch- Along with 20 panoramic win- statement notes. their customer requirements and screen technology in the indus- dows and the Gulfstream cabin Qatar Airways Group chief off ering tailored fl ight hour pack- try. environment of 100% fresh air, executive HE Akbar al-Baker ages,” he said, adding: “Today, The aircraft delivers the most low cabin altitude and whisper- said: “We take great pride in the we celebrate our strong ties with spacious, innovative and fl exible quiet sound levels, the G700 expansion of Qatar Executive Gulfstream Aerospace Corpora- cabin in the industry, off ering an promotes in-fl ight health and throughout the ongoing (corona- tion, and look forward to forging extra-large galley with lounge or well-being, and greatly reduces virus, Covid-19) pandemic.” an even closer relationship as we crew compartment, up to fi ve liv- the physical impact of travelling largest owner-operator of the ered within the next 10 months in three Bombardier Global 5000s, “The arrival of the Gulfstream continue receiving new jets from ing areas and a spacious, unpar- halfway around the world non- Gulfstream G650ER and current- addition to the planned deliveries one Bombardier Global XRS, and G700 in Doha emphasises our them in the near future.” alleled grand suite with en suite stop. ly operates seven of the aircraft of the G700 fl eet. one Airbus A319CJ, making the position as one of the leading “We are grateful for Qatar Ex- washroom. Qatar Executive is the world’s type, with eight more to be deliv- Qatar Executive also operates current fl eet 12 strong.

‘Hand hygiene, safe social greetings still vital’ SriLankan marks 42nd anniversary

and hygiene, includ- ing support of the commu- “This includes hand washing with tree-planting event at HIA ing regularly washing nity in following the Covid-19 with soap, using hand sanitis- Hhands with soap and precautionary measures and ers, and reducing the need to water as well as practising safe their uptake of the Covid-19 touch surfaces where possible. riLankan Airlines, the na- social greetings, is still an es- vaccine, the number of new If you are unable to access soap tional carrier of Sri Lanka sential part of the fi ght against daily Covid-19 cases in Qatar and water, use hand sanitisers,” Sand a member of the one- the spread of the coronavirus has remained stable in recent Dr al-Ajmi said. “Also, avoiding world alliance, held a tree plant- (Covid-19), according to an ex- months,” she said. “However, physical contact, including not ing event at Hamad International pert from Hamad Medical Cor- with the Delta variant present shaking hands or kissing when Airport (HIA) to mark its 42nd poration (HMC). in Qatar, like most countries greeting another person, is an anniversary of its presence in Dr Jameela al-Ajmi, senior around the world, it is still ex- important measure we can all Doha and the rest of the world. Dr Jameela al-Ajmi: Our fight consultant (infectious diseases) tremely important that people take to keep us all safe.” Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Qa- against Covid-19 has and executive director at HMC continue to adhere to precau- In addition to getting vac- tar M Mafaz Mohideen was the demonstrated the importance Infection Prevention and Con- tionary measures – this impor- cinated, people should adhere chief guest on the occasion. of hand hygiene as one of the trol, said everyone still needs to tantly includes practising hand to measures to reduce their The HIA’s senior vice-presi- simplest and most eff ective take key protective measures to hygiene and safe social greet- chances of catching Covid-19, dent (operations) Ioannis Metso- ways to prevent the spread of prevent the spread of the virus. ings.” such as: vitis, vice-president (marketing viruses. “Thanks to the overwhelm- Dr al-Ajmi said that hands  Keeping a safe distance and corporate communications) and physical contact are critical from people Abdulaziz al-Mass, SriLankan ways that germs and viruses can  Avoiding physical contact, Airlines country manager be easily transmitted. including greeting people by Thusitha Wickramasinghe, and “Our fi ght against Covid-19 shaking hands and kissing offi cials from the general sales has demonstrated the impor-  Using your sleeve to cover agent (GSA) Ali Bin Ali travel Bu- tance of hand hygiene as one of your nose and mouth when reau were present. the simplest and most eff ective coughing and sneezing or using This year’s celebration em- ways to prevent the spread of tissue paper and disposing of it phasised the corporate social re- viruses,” she said. “Clean hands appropriately sponsibility (CSR) of SriLankan can stop germs from spread-  Wearing a face mask in and the motto “giving back to the ing from one person to another public society and the environment”. and throughout a community – For more information about Accordingly, trees were plant- from your home and workplace Covid-19, one can go to https:// ed around the world throughout to schools and hospitals.” covid19.moph.gov.qa/. the SriLankan airlines network. Addressing the gathering, Covid-19 recoveries at 229,246 Wickramasinghe described the occasion as a memorable mo- The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported today 138 new ment. confirmed cases of the coronavirus (Covid-19) among the community “It also gives me immense and 67 among travellers. pleasure to celebrate this event The MoPH recorded 200 recoveries from the virus during the past with two prominent stakeholders 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to – Hamad international Airport, The tree-planting ceremony emphasised SriLankan’s CSR policy. 229,246. – QNA the world’s best Airport and our partner Ali Bin Ali Travel Bureau, gratulated SriLankan Airlines SriLankan airlines have four 360 referred to prosecution the leading GSA in the state,” he and its management and workers decades of relationship built added. for celebrating its 42nd anniver- on trust, and we believe it will The designated authorities referred 360 people to the Public Ali Bin Ali Travel Bureau gen- sary. continue to be strengthen in the Prosecution for violating the preventative and precautionary eral manager Saeed al-Hajri con- “Ali Bin Ali Travel Bureau and years to come,” he said. measures enforced by the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), the Ministry of Interior said yesterday. Among them, 324 people were referred to the prosecution for not Preparations progressing well for fi ft h edition of S’hail at Katara wearing masks in places where they are mandatory, 27 for not maintaining safe physical distancing, and nine persons for not Preparations are progressing well for the fifth edition downloading the Ehteraz app. of S’hail – Katara International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition, to be held from September 7-11 at Katara –the Cultural Village with the participation of 160 inter- national companies representing 18 countries, and in Cuban medical group returns home partnership with some national companies. The event will be held in Hall 12 and Al Hekma Hall at Katara, it was explained in an off icial statement yesterday. The e-auction of falcons this year will be open to all participants through a smartphone app. In addition, e-sales will be implemented to guarantee a safe and secure shopping experience. The organising committee will also launch a number booking through the website of S’hail 2021. of competitions. Entry is only for those above 12 and fully-vaccinated These include contests for the most beautiful com- against the coronavirus (Covid-19). mercial stall with a prize of QR20,000, and for the S’hail is set to open its doors for visitors from 10am- The Henry Reeve Brigade has returned to Cuba after helping Qatar in the battle against the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Cuban most beautiful falcon eye mask, with prizes of $3,000, 10pm daily except on Friday, when the event will be embassy in Doha has said. “(The team) goes home with outstanding outcomes, in addition to those achieved so far by the well-known $2,000 and $1,000, for the first three places, respec- open to the public from 2pm-11pm. Cuban Hospital in Dukhan,” the embassy tweeted. The Henry Reeve Brigade is a Cuban group of medical professionals established in tively. S’hail has become an annual event since its debut in September 2005 with the mission of international medical solidarity. Visitor entry will be through pre-registration and e- 2017. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 QATAR QF to host fi rst Qatar climate change forum next month

atar’s climate chal- lenges and how they can Thai ambassador Nathapol Khantahiran with Abeer Saad al-Kuwari and Lolwa al-Naemi at QNL. Qbe tackled as the nation pursues a future built on sus- tainable development will be the focus of the fi rst Qatar Climate Change Conference 2021 hosted Thailand embassy by Qatar Foundation (QF) on September 13. The conference – sponsored by ExxonMobil Qatar – will see experts from across Qatar and donates books to QNL the world discuss and debate ac- Ghanim Hassan al-Ibrahim Dominic Genetti tions that can be taken to miti- By Joey Aguilar Economy Philosophy of “We hope that these younger generations who gate the eff ects of climate change Conference 2021 aims to support try of Municipality and Environ- Staff Reporter His Majesty King Bhumibol books will help expand will become our future. This on the country, and support its Qatar’s goal of sustainable de- ment; the Ministry of Finance; Adulyadej The Great, Thai the growing collections at will enrich people-to-people leadership, businesses, indus- velopment and its climate action Kahramaa; Ashghal; the Supreme arts and culture, architecture, QNL, cultivate the culture understanding which has been tries, and people in facing up to eff orts, which include the coun- Committee for Delivery & Legacy; The Thailand embassy in Doha tourism, Thai culinary of reading and lifelong the fundamental aspect of our the risks that rising global tem- try’s commitment to the Paris ExxonMobil Qatar; Qatar Petro- donated a collection of 141 and Muay Thai, as well as learning, and promote cordial bilateral relations for peratures pose. Agreement. It will be a platform leum; Qatargas; Qatar Airways; books to the Qatar National Thai language studies and better understanding about the past 41 years,” Khantahiran Organised by QF with Ab- for dialogue, ideas, and action, Qatar National Bank; QF’s Hamad Library (QNL) to mark the 41st children’s books,” ambassador Thailand among the general added. dullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah as global climate change experts, Bin Khalifa University; Qatar Uni- anniversary of diplomatic ties Nathapol Khantahiran said. public in Qatar,” he said. The envoy thanked QNL, International Foundation for stakeholders, and policymakers versity; and Georgetown Univer- between the two countries, The envoy was welcomed by “Through these books, Qatar Foundation, and Energy & Sustainable Develop- come together with the aim of sity in Qatar, a QF partner. which was on August 7. QNL’s Research and Learning which serve as a source of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign ment as a strategic partner, the making change on this critical International experts from “The collection of books Services director Abeer knowledge and wisdom, we Aff airs for their collaboration event will bring together insight issue happen.” the World Economic Forum, the donated present several Saad al-Kuwari and Strategic hope to bring the peoples in celebrating the 41st on climate change from the Dominic Genetti, president United Nations Framework Con- aspects about Thailand, such Planning director Lolwa al- of Qatar and Thailand closer anniversary of Thailand-Qatar worlds of policymaking, indus- and general manager for Exxon- vention on Climate Change, the as Thai history, the Suff iciency Naemi at the event. together, especially the diplomatic relations. try, and academia. It aims to al- Mobil Qatar said, “ExxonMobil European Roundtable on Cli- low knowledge to be shared and is honoured and pleased to part- mate Change and Sustainable potential climate actions and ner with Qatar Foundation and Transition, Verra, the embassy of collaborations to be identifi ed Al-Attiyah Foundation on the Sweden, the Ministry of Foreign ahead of the 26th UN Climate Qatar Climate Change Confer- Aff airs of the Republic of Korea, Change Conference of the Par- ence. Natural Capital Partners, and the ties – COP26 – later this year. “We’re committed to help- Global Green Growth Institute “With the world seeing the ing further Qatar’s Sustainabil- will also join the conversation warmest temperatures on record ity Strategy and look forward to around three core topics: Qatar’s over the past fi ve years, and tem- both sharing ExxonMobil’s sig- national climate change action peratures rising faster across the nifi cant experience in low car- and policy; climate change miti- Middle East than in the rest of bon solutions, and to being part gation and adaptation in Qatar; the world, urgent action to tack- of important discussions on and the carbon market and pric- le climate change in our region is pathways to a lower carbon fu- ing in Qatar, including the role of imperative,” said Ghanim Has- ture.” the public and private sector in san al-Ibrahim, chief operations The conference will feature enabling this market to support offi cer, QF. Qatar-based representatives the nation’s eff orts to tackle cli- “The Qatar Climate Change from, among others, the Minis- mate change.

Khalifa Olympic City Intersection closure

QRCS boosts co-operation with OCHA in Somalia

E the Secretary-Gen- During the meeting, the the humanitarian conditions in health care, water and sanita- eral of Qatar Red Cres- delegation gave an overview Somalia, and Africa in general, tion, food security, economic Hcent Society (QRCS) of the diffi cult living condi- capitalising on its strong times empowerment of the poor, ambassador Ali bin Hassan al- tions in most of Somalia, where with the Somali Red Crescent agricultural production, and Hammadi met yesterday with drought, fl ooding, and deserti- Society (SRCS). Together, they medical convoys. Deputy Special Representative fi cation displaced 2.9mn peo- have already executed numer- The two sides agreed to ar- of the UN Secretary-General ple, now living at camps with ous humanitarian projects in range for a visit by QRCS sec- and Resident and Humanitar- hardly any basic services like many parts of the country. retary-general to Somalia with The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a three-month partial closure of all left turns ian Co-ordinator for Soma- education and healthcare. Al- For his part, Executive Di- the aims of strengthening the on Khalifa Olympic City Intersection on Al Waab Street from today. The closure in co-ordination lia Adam Abdelmoula and his most half of the population, or rector of Relief and Interna- relations with SRCS, following with the General Directorate of Traff ic is to enable widening and improvement works of the vital accompanying delegation to 5.9mn people, need humanitar- tional Development Division up with QRCSs representation junction. Al Waab Street users coming from Muaithar and heading to Baaya are advised to use discuss the humanitarian situ- ian aid, 2.7mn need food, and at QRCS Faisal Mohamed al- mission there, and setting the Mehairja Intersection while those going from Mehairja to Al Aziziyah are advised to use the Sports ation in Somalia and means of 1mn children are at risk of fam- Emadi explained that QRCS is scene for resuming bilateral Hall Intersection to reach their destinations. Sports City Street users heading from Salwa road to Al promoting co-operation to en- ine and malnutrition. working on 18 projects in So- co-operation between QRCS Waab street should use Snay Bu Hasa Street. Ashghal will install road signs advising motorists of the hance the joint humanitarian Al-Hammadi emphasised malia, with a total budget of and OCHA in Somalia and else- temporary closure and requested all to follow them and abide by the speed limit to ensure safety. work in the country. QRCS’s keenness to improve over QR19mn. These include where. (QNA)

13 Qatar students in Doha Debates’ Ambassador Programme

s many as 13 university non, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, students from Qatar are Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Chi- Aamong 36 young people na, Malaysia, Brazil, Rwanda, Ni- from around the world who have geria, and South Africa. been selected to participate in During the three-month pro- Doha Debates’ inaugural Ambas- gramme, the ambassadors will sador Programme. engage with global experts and The solutions-focused initia- community leaders to explore tive will empower a new genera- and wrestle with topics related to tion of changemakers with the pressing global challenges. knowledge, tools, and relation- Amjad Atallah, managing direc- ships to bring positive change to tor of Doha Debates, said: “We look their communities. forward to hosting such an impres- Doha Debates is a production of sive and diverse inaugural class of Qatar Foundation. Doha Debates ambassadors. They More than 800 young peo- will emerge from the programme ple from countries around the with new skills and knowledge to world applied to be part of the better position them to be leaders programme. The fi rst cohort in- and change-making trailblazers.” cludes students from Qatar Uni- The programme is facilitated in versity and QF partner universities partnership with Shared Studios, Georgetown University in Qatar, a global, purpose-driven startup Northwestern University in Qatar, Students selected for Doha Debates’ inaugural Ambassador Programme. forging connections that build to- Virginia Commonwealth Univer- ward a more inclusive and collab- sity School of the Arts in Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar. Additional applicants come from the US, Iraq, Jordan, Leba- orative world. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 31, 2021 5 QATAR/REGION/ARAB WORLD QSC makes sterilisation unit

atar Scientifi c Club (QSC) has manufactured a mo- Qbile sterilisation unit (pic- tured) using the UV Light Device in co-operation with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). The sterilisation unit is an ideal solution to kill viruses and bacte- ria and is used eff ectively with the Covid-19 virus, based on docu- mented scientifi c research. The unit enables sterilisation and disinfection of rooms and corridors of hospitals, schools, A Saudi student wearing a face mask gets his books at a school in government buildings, shopping Riyadh. places and closed public places easily with an effi ciency of more represents a great national ac- than 95%. It is installed on a complishment. remote-controlled robot which Executive Director of Qatar can move within various corri- Scientifi c Club engineer Rashid Saudi students return dors and halls and sterilise them. al-Rahimi said that the unit Since the outbreak of Cov- PICTURES: Ram Chand has been manufactured in co- id-19, Qatar Scientifi c Club has operation with doctors and with to school after a year been keen on having a signifi cant Business Services at HMC Ha- the support of the Ministry of role in confronting the pandemic mad al-Khalifa, Head of Infec- Culture and Sports and Kah- by virtue of its competence as a tion Control at HMC Dr Nasser ramaa, noting that the available Reuters supportive body for innovation Ali al-Ansari, and Omar Has- capabilities of devices, equip- Riyadh and innovators and based on its anat from HMC, with the aim of ment, experts and engineers has social responsibility. co-operating in the implemen- contributed to the rapid imple- In order to co-ordinate ef- tation of projects and providing mentation of the project and its aleed Saleh grinned behind his face mask in the corridor of forts and raise the level of quali- the appropriate advice. delivery to HMC in record time. Riyadh’s Ibn al-Hajeb elementary school, enjoying his fi rst ty of the products, a joint higher Dr al-Ansari praised the ad- Qatar Scientifi c Club has previ- Wchance to see all of his classmates in more than a year. “It committee was formed by Qa- vanced achievements of Qatar ously developed and implemented has been a while,” the 13-year-old said as his friends headed to lessons tar Scientifi c Club and Hamad Scientifi c Club which helped a medical security robot that per- around him, wearing traditional attire and leather sandals and carry- Medical Corporation, headed the medical staff in preventing forms sterilisation tasks and also ing black backpacks. A sign in the courtyard outside wished them all a by Chief of Health Facilities De- the outbreak of the coronavirus, improves the work of vision units “warm welcome back”. velopment and Acting Chief of noting that the new product installed in robots. (QNA) Around 6mn students returned to classes in the kingdom this week for the fi rst time since the start of the pandemic after data suggested infections were stabilising and fatalities falling. But authorities are keeping cautious. Natural gas world’s best solution to tackle emissions: al-Attiyah Children older than 12 have to show they have been vaccinated before they can return. At Ibn al-Hajeb, a security guard checked all From Page 1 modern technology, will increasingly All these resources are required to meet “Oil price impacts all oil producers – those in the children’s temperature after their parents dropped them off at become the first choice for the whole the world’s increasing needs for energy. the Opec and outside of it. That’s why they the gate. The pupils then lined up, standing on marked spots in the “We are the world’s largest LNG world. It is the cleanest among fossil He also touched upon Qatar’s have all come together (as Opec +) because courtyard before processing in. “School breaks and activities involv- producer. We are now stepping up fuels… many sectors such as power, investment on a multi-billion dollar they wanted to defend their industry…their ing physical proximity have been cancelled,” school manager Hassan production to 126mn tpy, for which industry and transportation will benefit LNG project (Golden Pass) in the United resource. So they agreed for a big cut. They al-Fefe told Reuters. Pupils have to keep their distance during the works have already started.” from LNG development.” States in partnership with the leading have agreed that it is the only solution to day — the children sit far apart on blue tables. But the return was still The former Deputy Prime Minister sees Qatar, he said, is also a “big producer” global energy company ExxonMobil. stabilise prices.” something to celebrate, Waleed and his friends said. a greater role for natural gas for the of gas-to-liquids (GTL). The project is fast nearing completion. The session was moderated by international “At least now we can understand what our teacher is saying. We foreseeable future. GTL products represent a pioneering Qatar and the United States have broadcaster Stephen Cole. could barely follow our lessons remotely,” said Fahd al-Fares, 13. “China and India are two large innovation to increase the supply of shared a deep, long-lasting history and The other panellists were Marianne Kah, Adjunct New coronavirus infections in Saudi Arabia have stabilised at a few economies, who require substantial highly-demanded liquid hydrocarbons. partnership in the oil and gas sector. Senior Research Scholar and Advisory Board hundred daily over the last months from a peak of more than 4,000 energy for their development needs. GTL products are virtually sulphur free This partnership, among others, has Member, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia new cases in June 2020. The average daily number of deaths fell be- Even in our (GCC) region, we have huge and have practically no contaminants resulted in Qatar becoming the top LNG University, Mohamed Barakat, managing director, low 10 during August. On Sunday, the Saudi health ministry reported shortage of gas. such as heavy metals or aromatics. exporter in the world. US-Qatar Business Council and Dominic Genetti, 208 new infections and six deaths. More than 36mn doses of Covid-19 “We now supply LNG to the UAE, Al-Attiyah, also the chairman of On Opec’s role in the global energy president and general manager, ExxonMobil Qatar vaccines have been administered and 78% of the kingdom’s 35mn and have already signed a supply the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah scene, al-Attiyah said: “Opec’s share in Limited. people have at least received one doze, the ministry said. agreement with Kuwait. Saudi Arabia International Foundation for Energy the market used to be more than 70%.... too have a big shortage of gas. and Sustainable Development, now I believe the share has come down “I believe when you take all these into however, said the world needs mixed to less than 30%. So, today Opec is a consideration, natural gas, driven by energy – solar, thermal, wind and hydro. minority producer. Four killed in Beirut factory explosion

AFP scarce fuel supplies ignited sectar- source said. The situation was calm Beirut ian tensions between neighbouring yesterday. Shia Muslim and Christian villages in The Shia Amal movement, headed southern Lebanon over the weekend, by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, factory explosion in the Leba- forcing the army to intervene, a secu- condemned the violence, saying it had, nese capital yesterday killed rity source said. “no relation in any way shape or form Afour people, the offi cial National Clashes mostly centred on the crip- to what happened in Maghdouche”, News Agency reported. pling petrol and diesel shortages have denying accusations on social media of The blast happened inside a factory become a daily occurrence in Lebanon, involvement. in the Burj al-Barajneh area in Beirut’s prompting growing concern about a The fi nancial meltdown, which has southern suburbs, the NNA said. It did descent into chaos after two years of seen the currency sink by more than not specify the cause of the blast, but fi nancial meltdown. Around six people 90% in two years and forced more than local media said a water heater had were wounded in a dispute involving half of the population into poverty, exploded. Local television stations the Christian village of Maghdouche entered a new phase this month as the broadcast footage showing damage to and Shia Ankoun, the source said. The fuel shortages brought much of Leba- vehicles parked outside the factory, incident spiralled when a Maghdouche non to a standstill. and a video circulating on social me- resident fi led a complaint to police af- The state’s most senior Sunni Mus- dia appeared to show three bodies on ter being injured during a dispute over lim cleric, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul the building’s blood-soaked fl oor. AFP fuel on Friday and police visited Ank- Latif Derian, said on Friday Lebanon could not independently verify the au- oun to investigate. was heading towards complete collapse thenticity of the footage. Villagers blocked roads and burnt unless action was taken to remedy the In another incident, a dispute over trees and troops were deployed, the crisis. Israel says it will loan money to Palestine after highest-level talks

Reuters Palestinian statehood, returned from tance of steps to improve the lives of Jerusalem his fi rst talks with US President Joe Bi- Palestinians”. den in Washington. Bennett did not mention Palestin- PA offi cial Hussein Al Sheikh said ians in public remarks at the White srael will lend the Palestinian Au- the talks with Gantz included “all as- House that focused largely on Iran’s thority more than $150mn after the pects” of Palestinian-Israeli relations. nuclear programme. Isides held their highest-level meet- Abbas coordinates West Bank security Gantz, a centrist in Bennett’s coali- ing in years, Israeli offi cials said yester- with Israel. Both sides are wary of Ha- tion government, has called in the past day, while playing down prospects of mas who seized the Gaza Strip, another for resumption of a peace process with any major diplomatic breakthrough. Palestinian territory, from Abbas in the Palestinians, who aspire to a state Defence Minister Benny Gantz, who 2007. of their own in the occupied West Bank has overall responsibility for the Israe- But Israel chafes at stipends the PA and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as li-occupied West Bank, travelled to the pays to fi ghters jailed or killed in attacks its capital. Israel captured those terri- Palestinian self-rule area of the terri- on Israelis. In a protest measure, the tories in the 1967 Middle East war. tory for previously undisclosed talks Bennett government last month with- But any renewed movement on the on Sunday with President Mahmoud held $180mn from 2020 tax revenues it issue could shake the foundations of Abbas. collected on behalf of the PA. A Gantz Bennett’s government of left-wing, A source close to Israeli Prime Min- spokeswoman said that policy was un- rightist, centrist and Arab parties that ister Naftali Bennett said the premier changed. The 500mn shekel ($155mn) in June ended the conservative Ben- had approved the Gantz-Abbas meet- loan was meant to help “with vital PA jamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime ing and deemed it a “routine” matter. functions” and would be repaid in 2022 minister. In a sign of friction within the “There is no diplomatic process with out of future tax revenues collected by coalition, Mossi Raz, a legislator from the Palestinians, nor will there be one,” Israel, the spokeswoman said. the left-wing Meretz party, said dis- the source told Reuters. A White House statement said Bi- missal of prospects for renewed peace US-sponsored talks on founding a den, during his talks with Bennett on talks by the Bennett source was “out- Palestinian state stalled in 2014. The Friday, reiterated his support for a two- rageous”. Gantz-Abbas meeting took place as state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian “A peace process is an Israeli inter- Bennett, a nationalist who opposes confl ict and “underscored the impor- est,” Raz wrote on Twitter. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 WORLD Juba tense, activists go into hiding as It’s snowing South Sudan warns against protests

AFP heavily-armed security forces told AFP they were afraid even to Internet shutdown after us- with ties to the Vatican, have Juba patrolled the capital Juba, pro- leave home. “We are hearing that ers reported diffi culty accessing failed to curb violence in the testers were nowhere to be seen, there is no work today, and be- two of the country’s main net- south of the country, despite a with one organiser telling AFP sides we are fearing (what the day works, Zain and MTN, blaming ceasefi re signed in January 2020. South Sudanese activist that he and four other members will bring),” food hawker Emelda any problems on technical trou- “While the quest for an in- said yesterday that he and of the People’s Coalition for Civil Susu said. “I will go to the market bles. With the mood in the usu- clusive peace in our country re- Afour others had gone into Action (PCCA) were now in hid- when I see things are normal, but ally bustling capital decidedly mains our sole objective, recent hiding, abandoning plans for an ing and feared for their lives. for now one’s life (comes) fi rst, subdued, Kiir told members of killings of innocent civilians... anti-government demonstra- “It is a peaceful protest; it is my friend. Yes I am fearing so I the new parliament to “place the have tested our patience,” Kiir tion as the authorities warned of supposed to be non-violent but have to be careful,” said Jimmy people of South Sudan above any said, accusing rebels from the a tough crackdown against any the government responded with Bandu, a small-scale trader. narrow party interest.” National Salvation Front – a A view of an orchard after unusually heavy snowfalls in the protesters. violence,” said Wani Michael. National security offi cers with “Our fi nal mandate in this member of SSOMA – of indis- mountains and highlands above the town of Ceres, about 180km The world’s newest nation has “There have been massive militarised mounted vehicles pa- (peace) process is to hold free, criminate attacks. The peace from Cape Town, South Africa. suff ered from chronic instability deployments... these guys are trolled usually busy neighbour- fair and credible democratic process has suffered from years since independence in 2011, with carrying AK-47s, they are carry- hoods in Juba, which also saw a elections at the end of the tran- of drift and bickering following deepening discontent prompt- ing machine guns, and there are ramped-up police presence and sitional period,” he added, refer- the 2018 ceasefire and power- ing civil society groups to urge its tanks on the roads. So citizens low levels of traffi c. The authori- ring to long-delayed polls now sharing deal between Kiir and leadership to step down, saying fear... they will be met with vio- ties have branded the protest expected in 2023. his former foe Vice President they have “had enough.” lence,” he added. “illegal” and warned of strict In a sign of the lingering chal- Riek Machar. The demonstration was set The government has taken a measures against anyone who lenges facing the country, Kiir The PCCA – a broad-based to take place the same day as hard line against the PCCA calls defi es the ban. “The government also announced that the govern- coalition of activists, academics, President Salva Kiir inaugurated for a peaceful public uprising, is in full control and... so every- ment was pulling out of nego- lawyers and former government a newly-created national parlia- arresting at least eight activists body should resume his or (her) tiations with the South Sudan offi cials – has described the cur- ment, a key condition of a 2018 and detaining three journalists normal duties and... not fear Opposition Alliance (SSOMA), rent regime as “a bankrupt po- peace deal that ended the coun- this month in connection with anything,” Information Minister a coalition of rebel groups. The litical system that has become so try’s brutal civil war that killed the demonstrations, according Michael Makuei told AFP. talks, which were brokered in dangerous and has subjected our nearly 400,000 people. But as to rights groups. Juba residents He dismissed reports of an Rome by a Catholic association people to immense suff ering.”

A family takes pictures of a snowman after unusually heavy S Africa detects new Covid snowfalls in Ceres, South Africa. variant, studying mutations

Reuters not yet sure how they aff ect the ant in July, the latest month for Johannesburg behaviour of the virus. Labora- which a large number of samples tory tests are underway to es- was available. tablish how well the variant is In July C.1.2 accounted for 3% outh African scientists neutralised by antibodies. South of samples versus 1% in June, have detected a new coro- Africa was the fi rst country to whereas Delta accounted for Snavirus variant with mul- detect the Beta variant, one of 67% in June and 89% in July. tiple mutations but are yet to only four labelled “of concern” Delta is the fastest and fi ttest establish whether it is more by the World Health Organisa- variant the world has encoun- contagious or able to overcome tion (WHO). tered, and it is upending as- A car with a snowman built on the front bonnet is pictured as the immunity provided by vac- Beta is believed to spread more sumptions about Covid-19 even people come and enjoy the snow in Ceres. cines or prior infection. easily than the original version as nations loosen restrictions The new variant, known as of the coronavirus that causes and reopen their economies. C.1.2, was fi rst detected in May Covid-19, and there is evidence Lessells said C.1.2 may have and has now spread to most vaccines work less well against more immune evasion proper- Buhari urges unity after massacres in Jos South African provinces and to it, leading some countries to re- ties than Delta, based on its pat- seven other countries in Africa, strict travel to and from South tern of mutations, and that the Europe, Asia and Oceania, ac- Africa. Richard Lessells, an in- fi ndings had been fl agged to the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has called for communities cording to research which is yet fectious disease specialist and Demonstrators raise their fists and react to a slogan while holding WHO. A spokesman for South to unite to ease tensions after violence in a flashpoint central city to be peer-reviewed. one of the authors of the re- up banners and placards during a protest march against Covid-19 Africa’s health department de- killed dozens of people. Jos, in Plateau State, has in the past suff ered It contains many mutations search on C.1.2, said its emer- vaccinations and wearing of masks, in Pretoria. clined to comment on the re- from clashes between Muslim and Christian communities, although associated in other variants with gence tells us “this pandemic is search. South Africa’s Covid-19 local off icials say recent attacks are the work of criminals rather than increased transmissibility and far from over and that this virus overly alarmed at this stage and ic sequencing data from South vaccination campaign got off to religious violence. reduced sensitivity to neutralis- is still exploring ways to poten- that variants with more muta- Africa show the C.1.2 variant a slow start, with only around At least 23 Muslim travellers were killed earlier this month when their ing antibodies, but they occur in tially get better at infecting us”. tions were bound to emerge fur- was still nowhere near displac- 14% of its adult population fully bus convoy was attacked outside Jos. Police had blamed a suspected a diff erent mix and scientists are He said people should not be ther into the pandemic. Genom- ing the dominant Delta vari- vaccinated so far. Christian militia. Just over a week later, gunmen descended on a predominantly Christian village on the outskirts of the city, shooting dead at least 18 people and setting homes on fire. “The Presidency wishes to assure all citizens that as a government, the administration is on top of events and is moving ahead with force to crush the perpetrators,” a statement from Buhari’s off ice said late on Envoy says time running out for Libya poll framework Sunday. “But to achieve success, our communities must unite against these horrific attacks. Retributive violence is not the answer.” Plateau State off icials put Jos city and its surroundings under a 24-hour AFP work,” Kubis said at the opening polls. But recent talks in Geneva In recent years, the oil-rich Kubis on Monday said that curfew as a security measure. That was relaxed to a 6pm to 6am curfew Algiers of a meeting in Algeria of Libya’s have exposed deep divisions over country split between two rival Libya’s unity government backed on Monday, an AFP reporter in the city said. Both Fulani Muslim leaders neighbours. when to hold elections, what administrations backed by for- by the UN has “allocated the nec- and Christian Irigwe representatives denied their communities were “The members of parliament elections to hold, and on what eign powers and myriad militias. essary budget for the elections. involved in tit-for-tat attacks. Buhari, a former soldier first elected in he UN envoy to Libya Jan are now trying to fi nalise the constitutional grounds, threat- After eastern strongman Kha- “But it is important that as 2015, is under fire from opponents over a surge in insecurity in Africa’s Kubis said yesterday that electoral law and time is running ening to plunge Libya back into lifa Haftar’s forces were routed soon as possible we have a legal most populous nation. Ttime was pressing for out,” Kubis said in statements crisis. The North African coun- from the country’s west last year, framework” for the polls, he said. Nigerian troops are battling a 12-year insurgency in the northeast that Libyans to fi nalise a legal frame- carried in French by the offi cial try was gripped by violence and the two camps signed a ceasefi re Kubis said he told MPs to “as- has killed more than 40,000 and forced over 2mn more from their work for elections to be held on Algerian news agency APS. The political turmoil in the aftermath in Geneva in October. An interim sume their responsibilities and homes. Parts of northwest and central Nigeria have long struggled with time in December. “The (Libyan) two-day ministerial meeting is of the 2011 Nato-backed upris- administration was established not waste time”. clashes between nomadic herders and local farmers over water and government has taken the nec- aimed at helping Libyans achieve ing that ousted dictator Muam- in March this year to prepare for He also called on Libya’s land. But violence in those regions has escalated with increasing attacks essary dispositions to hold elec- national reconciliation and draw mar Gaddafi and in which he was presidential and parliamentary neighbours to appoint observers from heavily armed criminal gangs who raid and ransack villages, loot tions but we need a legal frame- a roadmap for organising the killed. polls on December 24. to monitor the polls. cattle and kidnap for ransom. War-weary Libyans yearn for end to daily blackouts

AFP Zerkani. “It’s a basic right the administration based in the east. A GECOL offi cial told AFP the Tripoli state should guarantee.” Keep- For a time, the east and its main problem was the infrastructure, ing the generators fuelled up has city Benghazi enjoyed more reli- which has been “decaying for become a daily chore for many. able mains supply than Tripoli 10 years and requires extensive alk down any com- At service stations, pedestrians and the west. But as the confl ict maintenance.” mercial street in the equipped with funnels and jer- intensifi ed, it too was forced to During the abortive 2019-20 WLibyan capital Tripoli rycans for the generators queue adapt to the daily grind of power assault on Tripoli by Haftar’s and the pavements will be lined alongside motorists. cuts. forces, hundreds of high-tension with generators ready to spring The destruction and decay has “When there’s no power, we lines serving the capital and its into action whenever the mains come as a shock in a country that stop work,” said Benghazi me- suburbs were destroyed. Foreign electricity supply cuts out. In boasts Africa’s largest reserves of chanic Ali Wami. “It’s been a fi rms pulled out fearful for the the decade since the Nato- oil and gas, and a population of week since I was able to carry out safety of their employees, delay- backed overthrow of longtime just 7mn. The most recent round any repairs to that vehicle,” he ing the construction of new gen- dictator Muammar Gaddafi , of fi ghting ended with a UN- said, pointing to a heavily dam- erating capacity. Thieves pulled repeated outbreaks of fi ghting backed ceasefi re last year. aged car. out the distribution cables to have caused heavy damage to That paved the way for peace Nearby, grocery shop manager scavenge copper wire. the power distribution network, talks and the formation of a Osama al-Dalah said the black- Generating capacity from oil while there has been virtually no transitional government this outs were bad for profi ts and bad and gas power stations of be- new investment in generating March, ahead of elections set for for staff . “All these power cuts tween 5,000 and 5,500 mega- capacity. December. The new peace proc- wear us down, dampen our spir- watts falls well short of the de- On most days, Tripoli resi- ess has raised hopes that there its and lose us money,” he said. mand of 7,000MW in winter dents can expect multiple cuts might be light at the end of the “We need a radical solution.” and 8,000MW in summer, the to the mains supply totalling 12 tunnel after a decade of rival But while the country basks in GECOL offi cial said. hours a day. The hum of gen- governments fi ghting with the a plentiful supply of sunshine, Two new power stations are erators and the acrid fumes and support of shifting alliances of few Libyans are yet to set up solar under construction by a Ger- smoke of diesel fuel have become local militias. But for many, the panels as an alternative source man-Turkish consortium in one of the most hated aspects promise of a return to peace and A technician works on the maintenance of an electric power generator outside a shop in Tripoli. of energy. In a recent report, Tripoli and in Libya’s third city of daily life in the once-affl uent normality is not coming quickly the Libyan Audit Bureau took Misrata. They are expected to city. enough. “Nothing’s changed In the hottest months, tem- for those without the means to more reliable models cost thou- the state-run General Electric- add 1,300MW of capacity to the “We’ve put up with this mess — the promises made by one peratures in Tripoli regularly buy a generator, who sleep out- sands. ity Company of Libya (GECOL) grid in the fi rst quarter of next for the past 10 years... It has a big government after another have touch 40C (104F). “It’s a disas- side on rooftops to escape the Last year’s ceasefi re came af- to task for unfi nished projects year. A third new power station, impact on our daily lives,” said never been kept,” said 25-year- trous situation, especially in the stifl ing heat at night. Basic gen- ter forces in Tripoli saw off a and investments that “brought in Tobruk in the far east of Libya, 23-year-old pharmacist Sufi an old student Nader al-Naas. summer,” Naas said. It is worse erators sell for around $470, but year-long off ensive by a rival nothing to the network”. is scheduled to follow. Gulf Times Tuesday, August 31, 2021 7 WORLD Mexico puts flow of firearms high on the agenda with US

AFP “In the same way that the United 2020, according to the lawsuit. “They bring them either in parts or “80 per cent” guns that are fi nished in ing illegally-imported or stolen fi re- Mexico City States is saying, ‘I need you to do The litigation seeks compensation whole with contraband merchandise, Mexico, according to a person involved arms. something about illegal drug traffi ck- for the damage caused by the fi rms’ clothes and various items imported in arms traffi cking for two decades. “Rather than seeking to scapegoat ing’, Mexico is saying, ‘I need you to do alleged “negligent practices”, as well to Ciudad Juarez,” said Jorge Nava, a “It’s legal, and with it, you can build law-abiding American businesses, ong under pressure to curb drug something about guns’,” she said. as the implementation of adequate prosecutor in the border state of Chi- an army,” he said, speaking on condi- Mexican authorities must focus their smuggling, Mexico is seeking The suit fi led in early August accuses standards to “monitor and discipline” huahua. tion of anonymity. eff orts on bringing the cartels to jus- Lto hold the United States partly major gunmakers – including Smith & arms dealers. A member of a self-defence group in The Mexican government says that tice,” the association said. responsible for rampant cartel-related Wesson, Beretta, Colt, Glock, Century Although it is unclear if the suit will the violent western state of Michoacan the lawsuit does not seek to change US The Mexican government accuses violence by suing US-based gunmak- Arms, Ruger, and Barrett – over fi re- succeed, “the objective is symbolic and who did not want to be named said that laws such as the Constitution’s Second US manufacturers of developing dif- ers over illegal fi rearms traffi cking. arms traffi cking that Mexico blames political to open the debate”, said Ro- their weapons sometimes come from Amendment granting the right to bear ferent fi rearm models especially for The lawsuit fi led in a Boston court is for fuelling cartel-related bloodshed. main le Cour, an expert at the consul- family members living north of the arms. drug traffi ckers. part of Mexico’s eff orts to put the issue Between 70-90% of all weapons tancy fi rm Noria Research. frontier. However, the National Shooting The arms traffi cker, who operates of cross-border weapons fl ows at the recovered from crime scenes in Mex- Mexico has seen over 300,000 mur- “We started with hunting rifl es, Sports Foundation, the US fi rearm in- in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca, heart of the diplomatic conversation ico were smuggled in from the United ders, most of them blamed on criminal but everyone in the movement has dustry trade association, has called agreed that the authorities in his coun- between the neighbours, experts say. States, Mexico’s foreign ministry says. gangs, since the government of then- relatives in the United States and from the litigation “an aff ront to US sover- try share responsibility. “Mexico is really managing to say They include Barrett semi-auto- president Felipe Calderon deployed the there they manage to send us good eignty”. “The Mexican authorities allow eve- that this is a bilateral problem,” said matic rifl es, Smith & Wesson pistols, military in the war on drugs in 2006. weapons across the border,” he said on “The Mexican government is re- rything to enter from the United States Cecilia Farfan, an expert on the subject and Ruger and Colt rifl es recovered Many weapons reach Mexico from condition of anonymity. sponsible for the rampant crime and without carefully checking it, without matter at the University of California, after an attack on Mexico City police the United States through small-scale Mexico has seen increased infl ows of corruption within their own borders,” adequate controls, and also due to a lot San Diego. chief Omar Garcia Harfuch in June shipments known as “ant traffi cking”. partially-assembled fi rearms known as it said, blaming drug cartels for misus- of corruption in customs,” he said. Ida knocks out power to nearly all of Louisiana

Reuters/AFP we have individuals all across The death toll was likely to FEMA offi cials and the National New Orleans southeast Louisiana... who are increase, Edwards told MSNBC, Guard had activated more than in a bad place,” he told the Today and he posted on Twitter that the 5,200 personnel in Louisiana, show yesterday morning. state had deployed 1,600 search- Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama. t least one person has died One death has been confi rmed and-rescue personnel. “They bring a variety of assets and power is out across so far but Edwards said he ex- “Please remain sheltered in including high water vehicles, ALouisiana and Mississippi pected the toll “to go up consid- place. Although you may be rotary lift and other transporta- yesterday as offi cials warned erably.” tempted to go explore, conditions tion capability to support recov- residents against venturing out One person was killed by a fall- are still very dangerous,” the City ery eff orts,” he said. on roads littered with downed ing tree in Prairieville, 60 miles of New Orleans Emergency Med- Ida crashed ashore as Loui- power lines and debris from Ida, northwest of New Orleans, the ical Services wrote on Twitter. siana was already reeling from which remains a powerful storm. Ascension Parish Sheriff ’s Offi ce President Joe Biden declared a a resurgence of coronavirus Virtually no one in the state said. major disaster in the state, order- (Covid-19) infections that has has electricity and many water Emergency 911 service was ing federal assistance to bolster strained the state’s healthcare systems are also out, Louisiana also not available in New Orleans recovery eff orts. system, with an estimated 2,450 Governor John Bel Edwards said. in the wake of the powerful Cat- US Army Major-General Hank Covid-19 patients hospitalised “The biggest concern is we’re egory 4 hurricane that slammed Taylor told journalists at a Pen- statewide, many in intensive care still doing search and rescue and into the state a day earlier. tagon briefi ng that the military, units. This National Oceanic and The storm’s arrival came 16 Atmospheric Administration years to the day after Hurricane (NOAA) handout image shows Katrina, one of the most cata- Hurricane Ida late on Saturday. strophic and deadly US storms on record, struck the Gulf Coast, Most residents had heeded and about a year after the last warnings of catastrophic dam- Category 4 hurricane, Laura, age and authorities’ instructions battered Louisiana. to fl ee. Federal Emergency Manage- “I stayed for Katrina and from ment Agency (FEMA) admin- what I’ve seen so far there is way istrator Deanne Criswell said less debris in the streets than af- that the full impact of the storm ter Katrina,” fellow French Quar- would become clear later in the ter resident Mike told AFP yes- day. terday, declining to give his last A man and his stepson walk through floodwater in Saint Rose, “We’re hearing about wide- name. Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida made landfall. spread structural damage,” she Federal levees appeared to have said in an interview with CNN. “I held. media, saying they were trapped Orleans metropolitan area fol- don’t think there could have been Hundreds of miles of new by rising fl ood waters. lowing the failure of all eight a worse path for this storm. It’s levees were built around New Or- “The damage is really cata- transmission lines that deliver going to have some signifi cant leans after fl ooding from Katrina strophic,” Governor Edwards electricity to the city, the utility impacts.” inundated much of the low-lying told Today, adding that Ida had company Entergy Louisiana re- Images of people being plucked city, especially historically black “delivered the surge that was ported. from fl ooded cars and pictures neighbourhoods. forecast. The wind that was fore- One transmission tower col- of destroyed homes surfaced on In the town of Jean Lafi tte, just casted and the rain”. lapsed into the Mississippi River, social media, while the damage south of New Orleans, mayor Ida lost some of its punch as it the Jeff erson Parish Emergency in New Orleans itself remained Tim Kerner said the rapidly ris- grinded over southwestern Mis- Management Department said. limited. ing waters had overtopped the sissippi yesterday, but the sys- Just over 1mn Louisiana homes Branches, broken glass and 7.5-foot-high (2.3m) levees. tem, downgraded to a tropical and businesses were without other debris littered New Or- “Total devastation, cata- storm, could still trigger heavy electricity yesterday, as well as Palm trees sway in the wind as then-Hurricane Nora pounded the Mexican coast with heavy rains and leans’s downtown, while in strophic, our town levees have fl ooding throughout the region, nearly 130,000 in Mississippi, strong winds on Sunday in Mazatlan, Mexico. the touristy French Quarter, a been overtopped,” Kerner told the National Hurricane Centre according to the tracking site number of trees were uprooted. ABC-affi liate WGNO. (NHC) said. PowerOutage. Nora, now a tropical storm, kills boy in Mexican resort town “I was there 16 years ago. The “We have anywhere between A loss of generator power at Ida pummelled US Gulf Coast wind seems worse this time but 75-200 people stranded in Bara- the Thibodaux Regional Health energy suppliers, knocking out Nora, which has now weakened to a tropical storm, of the Cuale River,” Alfaro wrote. “To his family, who the damage seems less bad,” said taria” after a barge took out the System hospital in Lafourche most of the region’s off shore killed one boy over the weekend after torrential rains came to our port from Spain seven years ago, and French Quarter resident Dereck swing bridge to the island. Parish, southwest of New Orle- wells and nearly half its motor and heavy winds caused a building the popular resort to his loved ones, all our support and our deepest Terry, surveying his neighbour- Cynthia Lee Sheng, president ans, forced medical workers to fuel production and drove prices town Puerto Vallarta to partially collapse. condolences. R.I.P.” hood in fl ip fl ops and a T-shirt, of Jeff erson Parish covering part manually assist respirator pa- broadly higher. Nora was about 105 miles (165km) northwest of Maz- Elsewhere, local media showed pictures of flooding, umbrella in hand. of the Greater New Orleans area, tients with breathing while they Scientists have warned of a atlan on Sunday evening and moving north-northwest felled trees, damaged roads and power lines across “I have a broken window. Some said people were sheltering in were moved to another fl oor, the rise in cyclone activity as the at 12mph (19kph), the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) several states. tiles from the roof are on the their attics. state Health Department con- ocean surface warms due to cli- said. The Miami-based NHC expected Nora to continue streets and water came inside,” Several residents of LaPlace, fi rmed to Reuters on Sunday. mate change, posing an increas- It was blowing at 60mph (95kph) with higher gusts. moving north-northwest in its latest advisory and then the 53-year-old retired pharma- just upstream from New Orleans, Power was knocked out on ing threat to the world’s coastal In Puerto Vallarta, a river burst, destroying a bridge, move slower northwest through today. cist added. posted appeals for help on social Sunday night to the entire New communities. flooding roads and bringing a building to collapse, a “Gradual weakening is forecast during the couple of Reuters witness said. days as the centre moves roughly parallel to the coast Earlier, Nora was a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest of Mexico,” the NHC said. “However, rapid weakening Seven-time Emmy rating on a five-step scale. will likely occur if the centre moves inland sooner than The dead body of a minor was recovered from a forecast.” award winner partially-collapsed hotel, Jalisco Governor Enrique Nora will likely produce additional heavy rainfall along Trudeau resumes campaign Ed Asner dies at 91 Alfaro said on Twitter. the west coast of Mexico from the states of Jalisco to It was not immediately clear whether the second Sonora through late week, the NHC said. US television actor Ed Asner, person that had also been missing, a woman, has been It could also produce life-threatening flooding and after protesters disrupt rallies winner of a record seven Emmy located. mud slides, as well as storm surge and large waves. awards, has died at age 91, his “This tragedy was caused by the partial collapse of a Last week, Hurricane Grace killed eight people after it family said on Sunday. hotel in downtown Puerto Vallarta, due to the overflow hit Veracruz. – Reuters Reuters unusual decision to cancel an right-wing groups as in the “We are sorry to say that our Ottawa evening rally planned for near United States. beloved patriarch passed away Bolton on Friday, saying that “I’m not going to back down this morning, peacefully. Words the protests could endanger on a message that Canadians cannot express the sadness we anadian Prime Minister public safety. know is the right path for- feel,” his family wrote on the Justin Trudeau plunged His announcement on ward,” Trudeau, who has been actor’s Twitter account. Cback into campaigning Sunday of policies to combat in power since 2015, said on His publicist said Asner died of Robbers in Brazil stage brazen raids yesterday after groups of unu- climate change was in part Sunday. natural causes. – AFP sually-vocal and abusive pro- drowned out by the crowd in The Conservatives de- testers disrupted his weekend Cambridge. nounced the images and be- Reuters zilians has encouraged robbers to leave their houses until the ex- election rallies, at one point Trudeau, 49, is the son of haviour on the campaign trail Jamaican reggae Rio de Janeiro plan bold raids in sleepy regional plosives have been found and de- forcing him to cancel an event. former Liberal prime min- as disgusting and demanded cities where bank branches are activated. Trudeau, whose ruling Lib- ister Pierre Trudeau, who in that they stop. icon Lee ‘Scratch’ storing more cash. There were two separate fi re- erals are in a neck-and-neck the early 1980s was extremely That said, some of the peo- Perry passes away rmed robbers hit several More than 20 heavily-armed fi ghts with police, and three peo- race with their Conservative unpopular in Western Canada ple at the Bolton protest wore banks in a small Brazil- men carried out the attack, using ple died, Camilo said. rivals ahead of the September over policies opposed by the shirts identifying themselves Lee “Scratch” Perry, the wildly- Aian city yesterday, using 10 cars, Alvaro Camilo, the ex- Two of the fatalities were lo- 20 vote, spoke to media in the energy industry, some provin- as working for a Conservative influential Jamaican singer locals as human shields, leaving ecutive secretary of Sao Paulo’s cal residents, while one of the al- Quebec town of Granby yes- cial governments and many legislator. and producer who pushed a trail of explosive devices and military police, said at a news leged assailants was killed. terday but did not refer to the Western Canadians. Dan Robertson, chief of the boundaries of reggae and shooting at police in an assault conference. The statement said two at- unrest over the weekend. “I’ve never seen this inten- strategy for Conservative shepherded dub, died on Sunday. that killed at least three people, a As the criminals made their tackers had been arrested. In scenes rarely seen in sity of anger on the campaign leader Erin O’Toole, sug- He was 85 years old. senior state security offi cial said. getaway, they used locals as hu- One passerby who was injured Canada during federal cam- trail or in Canada, not when I gested the Liberals, who have No cause of death was given, but The brazen attack around man shields, and burned cars, by an explosion had his leg am- paigns, demonstrators in the was a kid, even with my dad a minority government that Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew midnight in Araçatuba, a city of while leaving a trail of explosive putated, it added. Ontario towns of Bolton and visiting out West, where we depends on opposition par- Holness said in a statement that roughly 200,000 people in the traps across the city, the military There were more than 350 po- Cambridge shouted death did see anger, certainly not ties to pass legislation, might the visionary died while in the interior of Sao Paulo state, is the police said in a statement. lice in the city, using two heli- threats and screamed profane in my last 12 years as a politi- be seeking to benefi t from the Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea. latest in a series of increasingly The attackers used drones to copters to track down the attack- abuse at Trudeau, many refer- cian,” he told reporters on Fri- protests. A producer for an array of artists violent recent bank heists in Bra- monitor the streets as they en- ers, Camilo said. ring to the government’s push day. “It’s not terribly diffi cult to including Bob Marley, Perry’s zil. tered the city, hit the banks, and Brazil has a long history of for people to get vaccinated Trudeau’s insistence that re-jig a tour to avoid demon- mastery traversed time and Experts believe that a corona- made their getaway, the state- bank heists, and major lenders against the coronavirus (Cov- all Canadians get Covid-19 strators (and) confrontations genre, his impact evident from virus (Covid-19) pandemic wel- ment said. have struggled with a wave of id-19). vaccinations has generated – if you wanted to,” he tweeted hip-hop to post-punk, from The fare programme for poorer Bra- Camilo urged people not to violent robberies in recent years. Trudeau’s team took the the same kind of anger among yesterday. Beastie Boys to The Clash. – AFP Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 WORLD

POLITICS CRACKDOWN PANDEMIC QUARANTINE CRIME Duterte’s top aide declines China limits children’s Covid curbs to be eased, Malaysian PM misses Australian man charged presidential nomination online gaming time says Indonesia president cabinet swearing-in with dealing drugs

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s long-time China yesterday announced a drastic cut to Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo yesterday said Malaysia’s new prime minister missed the inaugura- An Australian man in his 60s has been charged aide has rejected the endorsement of the ruling children’s online gaming time to just three hours the government would adjust Covid-19 restrictions tion of his own cabinet yesterday after coming into with allegedly dealing prohibited drugs from his re- party to run as its candidate in the 2022 elections, a week during term time, the latest move in a over the week August 31 to September 6, includ- contact with someone infected with the coronavirus tirement home, police and local media said yester- a development that some analysts said may open broad crackdown on tech giants in the world’s ing for shopping malls and factories, in response and being forced to self-isolate. Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s day. Police said they arrested the man after finding the way for Duterte’s daughter to stand. biggest gaming market. Gamers under 18 will only to a lower infection rate in more areas, off icials ministers headed to the national palace for a swear- methamphetamine and cannabis during a vehicle Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, in a letter to the be allowed to play online between 8pm and 9pm said. More parts of densely populated Java island ing-in ceremony before the king, two weeks after the stop. They later searched his home in a retire- PDP-Laban party, said he wanted to devote his on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, state news have been lowered from the most severe Level 4 previous government collapsed during infighting. But ment village in Dural, Sydney and uncovered LSD, attention to helping fight the pandemic, asking agency Xinhua said, in what it described as a bid category, said Jokowi, as the president is known, Ismail Sabri - himself inaugurated earlier this month more cannabis and a baton, the statement added. his allies to support candidates who will continue to curb addiction in the gaming-crazy nation. noting that hospital beds occupancy rates in those - had to skip the occasion after the virus contact, The drug investigation began in June, police said. Duterte’s policies and programmes. “As much as Gamers are required to use their ID cards when areas have dropped over the last week. Curbs on his off ice said in a statement, without giving further Sydney’s Daily Telegraph said the investigation was I wish to respond to the clamor of many of our registering to play online, to ensure minors don’t businesses such as restaurants and non-essential details. He will also have to virtually join celebrations sparked when fellow residents at the retirement party mates, I most respectfully decline the said lie about their age. On school holidays, children industries will be eased, while the government today to mark Malaysia’s National Day. Ismail Sabri village raised concerns about the man’s behaviour endorsement,” he wrote in the letter, which was will be allowed to play a little longer, with the al- ramps up the use of a smartphone application for was appointed by the king after Muhyiddin Yassin and visitors, with the newspaper reporting he was made public yesterday. located time set at 60 minutes per day. tracing, senior minister Luhut Pandjaitan said. quit when he lost his parliamentary majority accused of dealing drugs from the facility. 1mn more Philippine healthcare workers protest Covid shots suspended in Japan

Reuters deaths,” said Takahiro Kinos- Tokyo hita, a physician and vice chair of Cov-Navi, a vaccine information group. oderna’s Covid-19 vac- “If the contaminated sub- cine contamination stances were dangerous enough Mwoes in Japan have wid- to cause death for some peo- ened with another million doses ple, probably many more people being temporarily suspended, would have suff ered from some after foreign substances were symptoms after the vaccination. found in more batches and two “However, further investiga- people died following shots from tions are defi nitely needed to aff ected lots. evaluate the harm of the particu- The suspension of Moderna lar doses in question.” supplies, aff ecting more than Japan earlier halted the use of 2.6mn does in total, comes as 1.63mn Moderna doses, shipped Japan battles its worst wave to 863 vaccination centres na- of Covid-19 yet, driven by the tionwide after the domestic dis- contagious Delta variant, with tributor, Takeda Pharmaceutical, new daily infections exceeding received reports of contaminants 25,000 this month for the fi rst in some vials. time amid a slow vaccine rollout. Some 500,000 people received Health workers in protective suits demonstrate, calling the government to release their allowances amid rising Covid-19 infections, in front of a hospital in Manila yesterday. The latest reports of vaccine shots from those supplies, Taro contamination came from Gun- Kono, the minister in charge of ma prefecture near Tokyo and the the vaccine push, has said. southern prefecture of Okinawa, Moderna and Spanish pharma prompting the suspension on company Rovi, which bottles Sunday of two more lots in addi- Moderna vaccines for markets tion to the 1.63mn doses already other than the US, said at the time pulled last week. that the contamination could be A tiny black substance was due to a manufacturing issue in found in a Moderna vaccine one of Rovi’s production lines. vial in Gunma, an offi cial from Takeda said yesterday that the IAEA concerned as N Korea the prefecture said, while in investigation is ongoing. Okinawa, black substances were Rovi shares plunged more than spotted in syringes and a vial, 20% in early trade. and pink material was found in a The aff ected vaccines in Gun- diff erent syringe. ma are from a Moderna lot that Japan’s health ministry said is diff erent from those whose use restarts nuclear reactor some of the incidents may have has already been suspended, the been due to needles being incor- Gunma offi cial said. Reuters said in its report. “Since early While intelligence on North The country subsequently fi cient water for the cooling sys- rectly inserted into vials, break- Vaccines from the same lot Vienna/Seoul July 2021, there have been indi- Korean nuclear weapons is pressed ahead with its nuclear tems,” she said. ing off bits of the rubber stopper. have been administered to 4,575 cations, including the discharge limited, making it impossible weapons programme and soon “The timing seems a little Other vials from the lots can people in Gunma, but the pre- of cooling water, consistent with to know their number, Al- resumed nuclear testing. Its last strange to me, given the tenden- continue to be used, the ministry fecture has heard no reports of ill orth Korea appears to the operation,” the IAEA report bright estimated the country nuclear test was in 2017. cy for fl ooding in coming weeks said yesterday. health, the offi cial said. have restarted a nuclear said of the reactor at Yongbyon, had the capacity to produce The IAEA now monitors or months that could aff ect re- The contamination cases fol- The contamination “is a seri- Nreactor that is widely a nuclear complex at the heart material for four to six bombs North Korea from afar, largely actor operations.” lowed a government report on ous problem” and there is need believed to have produced plu- of North Korea’s nuclear pro- a year. through satellite imagery. Last year 38 North said fl oods Saturday that two people died af- to investigate, but given rising tonium for nuclear weapons, the gramme. The report “underscores the Commercial satellite imagery in August may have damaged ter receiving Moderna shots that Covid-19 cases, Moderna vac- UN atomic watchdog said in an More plutonium could help urgent need for dialogue and shows water discharge, sup- pump houses linked to Yongby- were among lots later suspended. cinations should “continue with annual report, highlighting the North Korea make smaller nu- diplomacy” a senior US admin- porting the conclusion that the on, highlighting how vulnerable The government had said that appropriate precautions”, said isolated nation’s eff orts to ex- clear weapons to fi t on its ballis- istration offi cial said yesterday. reactor is running again, said the nuclear reactor’s cooling no safety or effi cacy issues had Nicholas Rennick, an Austral- pand its arsenal. tic missiles, said David Albright, The US is continuing to seek Jenny Town, director of the US- systems are to extreme weather been identifi ed and that the sus- ian doctor practising at the NTT The signs of operation at president of the Institute for dialogue with North Korea to based 38 North project, which events. pension was a precaution. Medical Centre in Tokyo. the 5-megawatt (MW) reactor, Science and International Se- discuss the report and denu- monitors North Korea. Seasonal rains brought fl oods The causes of death are being Severe Covid-19 cases are at which is seen as capable of pro- curity. clearisation of the Korean Pe- “No way to know why the in some areas this year, state investigated. record levels in Japan, leaving ducing weapons-grade plutoni- “The bottom line is North Ko- ninsula, the offi cial said. The reactor wasn’t operating previ- media have said, but there have “It is unlikely, in my opinion, many people to recuperate at um, were the fi rst to be spotted rea wants to improve the number IAEA has had no access to North ously — although work has been been no reports yet of threats to that contamination of foreign home amid a shortage of critical since late 2018, the International and quality of its nuclear weap- Korea since Pyongyang expelled ongoing on the water reservoir the site, the Yongbyon Nuclear substances led directly to sudden care beds. Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ons,” he added. its inspectors in 2009. over the past year to ensure suf- Scientifi c Research Center. Covid hospitalisations New Zealand sees fi rst to peak in Oct: Australia death linked to Pfi zer jab Reuters Myocarditis is an infl amma- Wellington tion of the heart muscle that can Reuters “We will need to manage Indigenous Australians, told re- limit the organ’s ability to pump Canberra things diff erently because we are porters. blood and can cause changes in in the middle of a pandemic, but Nationwide, a record 1,375 new ew Zealand reported heartbeat rhythms. we will cope.” Covid-19 cases were reported. its fi rst recorded death Pfi zer said it recognised there ntensive care cases in Aus- There are 840 people in hos- Australia has used a system of Nlinked to US drugmaker could be rare reports of myocar- tralia’s New South Wales will pital for Covid-19 in New South strict lockdowns and quarantine Pfi zer’s Covid-19 vaccine, the ditis after vaccinations, but such Ihit a peak in October as Cov- Wales, with 137 in intensive care to keep coronavirus infection and health ministry said yesterday, side-eff ects were extremely rare. id-19 infections accumulate, said and 48 requiring ventilation. death rates lower than in most after a woman suff ered a rare “Pfi zer takes adverse events the premier of the country’s most The state reported four addi- comparable nations, however the side-eff ect leading to infl amma- that are potentially associated populous state, which reported tional fatalities yesterday, taking Delta variant is now pressuring tion of the heart muscle. with our vaccine very seriously,” record daily new infections yes- the Covid-19 death toll to 1,003 health services. The report comes as the it said. terday. in Australia, the last of the Group Just over 33% of those aged country battles an outbreak of “We closely monitor all such New South Wales, the epicen- of 20 big economies to exceed 16 and older have received two the Delta variant after nearly six events and collect relevant tre of Australia’s current out- that milestone. vaccine doses, well below most months of being virus free. information to share with break, declared a record 1,290 One of the four was the fi rst comparable nations, according It followed a review by an in- worldwide regulatory authori- new cases as the nation struggles known death of an Aboriginal to government data. dependent panel monitoring the ties.” to contain the highly contagious person. The delays were partly because safety of the vaccines. The health ministry said other Delta variant. The 50-year-old man, who of changed health advice over the “This is the fi rst case in New medical issues at the same time Premier Gladys Berejiklian was not vaccinated, lived in use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Zealand where a death in the could have infl uenced the out- said the state was preparing for western NSW where vaccination which was to be the backbone of days following vaccination has come after vaccination. additional hospitalisations as in- rates are particularly low, rais- the country’s immunisation pro- been linked to the Pfi zer Cov- But the vaccine’s benefi t out- fections pile up, before increased ing fears there will be many more gramme, after rare cases of blood id-19 vaccine,” the ministry said stripped risks from side eff ects, vaccination coverage starts to deaths there. clots among some recipients. in a statement, without giving it added. ease the pressure. “Aboriginal people were The pace of vaccination in the woman’s age. “The benefi ts of vaccination “We anticipate that the worst deemed to be vulnerable com- Australia has since risen to a The vaccine monitoring panel with the Pfi zer Covid-19 vaccine month, the worst time for our in- munities, vulnerable groups in seven-day average of more than attributed the death to myocar- continue to greatly outweigh the tensive care unit will be in Octo- the vaccine rollout. And clearly 250,000 doses a day, the fastest ditis, a rare, but known, side- risk of both Covid-19 infection ber,” Berejiklian said in the state that has failed,” Linda Burney, rate ever, according to a Reuters A medical worker administers a test for Covid-19 on a member of eff ect of the Pfi zer vaccine, the and vaccine side-eff ects, in- capital Sydney. Labour’s shadow minister for analysis. the public at a pop-up testing centre in Sydney, Australia, yesterday. ministry added. cluding myocarditis.” Gulf Times Tuesday, August 31, 2021 9 WORLD The Sun pays damages to Ben Stokes over family tragedy story

Guardian News and Media headlined “tragedy that haunts Stokes’ intensely private and painful matters article.” on August 30, 2021.(Photo by article included an on-the-record in- editor Tony Gallagher, who has since London family” to ensure others did not have to within our family. The suff ering caused Maria Tan / AFP) It is unclear why the terview with a member of the Stokes been replaced by Victoria Newton. endure similar stories. to our family by the publication of this Sun decided to settle the case after two family after a Sun reporter visited the The Sun’s statement read: “On Sep- The tabloid also apologised to the article is something we cannot forgive. years rather than take it to court. family home, and that they approached tember 17, 2019, we published a story he Sun has paid substantial pair, agreed to pay their legal costs and “Ben and I can take no pleasure in The newspaper originally argued that Ben Stokes for a comment before pub- titled ‘Tragedy that Haunts Stokes’ damages to England cricketer issued a public statement saying the concluding this settlement with the a privacy claim was unjustifi ed because lication. However, the Sun has now is- Family’ which described a tragic in- TBen Stokes and his mother, De- story, about an incident that took place Sun. We can only hope that our ac- the article was based on archive news sued an unreserved apology after the cident that had occurred to Deborah borah, after the newspaper put details before the cricketer was born, should tions in holding the paper to account reports that were widely published in Stokes family fi led a claim through so- Stokes, the mother of Ben Stokes, in of a tragedy involving the family on its never have been published. will leave a lasting mark, and one that the New Zealand media in the 1980s licitors Brabners, saying: “We should New Zealand in 1988. front page. Deborah Stokes said: “The decision will contribute to prevent other fami- and remained in the public domain, al- not have published the article.” “We should not have published the Deborah Stokes said they took legal to publish this article was a decision lies from having to suff er the same pain beit not easily available online. One Sun journalist said the article article. We apologise to Deborah and action over the September 2019 article to expose, and to profi t from exposing, as was infl icted on our family by this The paper had also argued that the had been published under the previous Ben Stokes.” UK auction shines light on overlooked Indian artists Paintings commissioned by commissioned by Sir Elijah and East India Company in 18th Lady Impey, who created a me- and 19th century up for sale nagerie of animals in their gar- at Sotheby’s den in Calcutta (now Kolkata). In his review of the Wallace Guardian News and Media Collection show, the Guard- London ian’s Jonathan Jones said the Impeys “were typical of a generation of early imperial- emarkable paintings of ists who had not yet learned the flora and fauna of total contempt for the people RIndia, including a work around them”. once owned by Jackie Kennedy Several works from the Impey Onassis depicting a stork eating album are now in major collec- a snail, are to go on sale in the tions such as the V&A in Lon- first auction dedicated to Com- don and the Metropolitan Mu- pany School art. seum of Art in New York. Sotheby’s has announced de- One of the most dramatic tails of a sale that shines light works in the auction, also from on overlooked Indian artists to- the Impey album, is A Great People wait at the observation area after receiving a dose of Covishield, a vaccine against Covid-19 manufactured by Serum Institute of India, at a hospital in Noida on the day regarded as forgotten mas- Indian Fruit Bat signed by Bha- outskirts of New Delhi, India, yesterday. ters. wani Das, which is far more a The 18th- and 19th-century portrait than a study, accord- artists were commissioned ing to Carter. “There is some- by officials of the East India thing about the character of Company to paint the animals, these animals that goes beyond plants, architecture and people mere anatomical accuracy,” he they were encountering. said. They wanted people in Brit- The bat has an estimate of be- Export hopes grow as India ain to see what they were see- tween £300,000 and £500,000. ing. A Painted Stork Eating a For centuries, the paint- Snail, signed by Shaykh Zayn ings tended to be credited to al-Din, Calcutta, and dated the people who commissioned 1781, is also from the Impey al- them rather than the artists, bum. Covid vaccine supply jumps but that has been changing. Rochell started collecting A Forgotten Masters exhibi- “these lesser-known master- tion last year at the Wallace pieces” more than 20 years ago Reuters tion more than doubling since SII, which has previously in- ordinates vaccine exports, did the US experience showed that Collection in London was im- because he was captured by New Delhi April and set to rise again in the dicated exports could resume by not respond to a request for vaccinations tend to slow down portant in helping to change the the east-meets-west aesthet- coming weeks. year-end, did not respond to a comment. after a big majority of people get narrative. ic. “When they were painted, New production lines have request for comment. Bharat Biotech, the maker of their shots. Seven of the paintings from these works were the principal ndia’s rising output of Cov- been set up, a vaccine developed Global vaccine sharing plat- India’s fi rst domestically devel- That might give SII a chance the exhibition are among the 29 way in which India could be re- id-19 vaccines and the in- by Cadila Healthcare won recent form Covax hopes India will re- oped Covid-19 shot, on Sunday to export excess output, said the lots that make up the auction, vealed to those in Great Britain, Ioculation of more than half approval, and commercial pro- start foreign sales sooner than inaugurated a new factory with source. entitled In an Indian Garden. who otherwise could only hear its adult population with at least duction of Russia’s Sputnik V is later. a production capacity of 10mn The chief of Prime Minis- They all come from the col- stories about this sumptuous one dose are raising hopes the starting in India. “With successful national doses a month. ter Narendra Modi’s party said lection of the US art dealer land,” he pointed out. country will return as an ex- The Serum Institute of India vaccination and the arrival of It said it was “marching to- this month India could pro- Carlton Rochell. The writer William Dalrym- porter within months, ramping (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine more products, we are hoping wards” a goal of a total annual duce as many as 1.1bn vaccine Benedict Carter, Sotheby’s ple, who curated the Wallace up from early next year. maker, is now producing about that Indian supply to Covax will capacity of about 1bn doses of doses between September and head of sales, said the genre Collection show, said Rochell’s After donating or selling 150mn doses a month of its ver- resume as quickly as possible,” a the drug, Covaxin. December, enough to fully im- of painting was finally getting collection was remarkable in 66mn doses to nearly 100 coun- sion of the AstraZeneca shot, spokesperson for the platform’s Infections, meanwhile, are munise all adults in the country the recognition it deserved. that it contained “quite simply tries, India barred exports in the more than twice its April output co-lead GAVI said. again rising in India after an this year. “They are not really like any- some of the great masterpieces middle of April to focus on do- of about 65mn, a source with India, a major international explosive outbreak in April and India has so far given emer- thing else,” he said. “They are of Indian painting”. mestic immunisation as infec- knowledge of the matter said. producer of many other vac- May. gency authorisation to six Cov- not just studies done for British Exhibitions of the works will tions exploded, upsetting the “No fi xed timeline on ex- cines, could play a “similarly But the country has adminis- id-19 shots, four of which are and other European patrons, be held in New York from Sep- inoculation plans of many Afri- ports but the company hopes transformative role in the glo- tered more than 633mn vaccine being produced locally. they are great Indian paintings tember 17-20, Hong Kong from can and South Asian countries. to restart in a few months,” said bal response to Covid-19,” the doses, with at least one dose to One more domestic vac- in their own right.” October 7-11 and London from India’s daily vaccinations the source, who declined to be spokesperson said. 52% of its 944mn adults and cine is expected to be approved The most famous album of October 22-26 before the auc- surpassed 10mn doses on Friday, named without approval to talk India’s health ministry and two doses to more than 15%. A soon while many more are going Company School paintings was tion on October 27. with national vaccine produc- on the matter. the foreign ministry, which co- government source said in June through mid-stage trials. Wales plans to disinfect Floods threaten classrooms raise concern thousands in India AFP the fl oods and the state govern- Guwahati, India ments said more than 400,000 Guardian News and Media sity, the machines convert oxy- programmed to give cleaners time had been moved to higher Cardiff gen in a room to ozone, a chemi- to leave a class room while the ma- ground. cal that kills Covid in the air and chine is in operation. “Once the lood waters yesterday rose Sixteen-year-old Anuwara on surfaces, along with other vi- full cycle is fi nished then it is safe across northeastern India, Khatun said she and her family £3.3mn scheme to pro- ruses and bacteria. to go back to the room, and the Fwhere hundreds of thou- have spent nearly a week on the vide schools in Wales with Once a room has been disin- machine will signal to the cleaner sands of people are stranded on roof of their home at Ghasbari in Amachines that disinfect fected, the machine, each the that it is safe to return,” Tizaoui the roofs of their homes or have Assam’s Morigaon district. classrooms after a Covid out- size of a suitcase, converts the said. fl ed to higher ground as more “The water level has been ris- break has prompted calls for re- ozone back to oxygen. He added that they could be torrential rain fell. ing for fi ve days now,” she said assurance over their safety. But ozone is so toxic that no one password protected to guard Incessant downpours for by telephone from her stricken The Welsh education ministry will be allowed inside the room against misuse, and that a strict more than a week forced the village on the banks of the Brah- said yesterday that all schools, when the machine is operating, safety guidelines would be re- Brahmaputra and other major maputra. universities and colleges in Wales according to Dr Chedly Tizaoui, quired before they are rolled out. rivers to burst their banks across “A lot of families are stuck would be supplied with ozone who was part of the design team. He added: “They are safe if op- Assam and Bihar states. on their roofs. There is a short- disinfecting machines for clean- Speaking to the Guardian, he said: erated properly. Like a car, if you Up to 6.6 feet of water has age of essential supplies so we ing up Covid-hit classrooms. “When we apply the ozone, the drive it at 100mph in a 30mph submerged many villages. only eat once a day. There is no Plaid Cymru has raised ques- room has to be closed and no one hour limit that is not safe.” Experts say annual fl oods hygiene here.” Santosh Mandal tions about toxic chemicals con- is allowed to be in the room, in- Asked if the benefi ts out- which hit the region are get- moved his family to a sandbank tained within the technology. cluding pets and animals. weighed the risks, Tizaoui said: ting worse because of climate in Bihar’s Supaul district after And campaigners questioned “That is the condition of the “It not just a benefi t for tackling change. At one dam, authorities his village was fl ooded. “There is why the Welsh government was application. It is like the use of Covid, ozone is also eff ective released water fearing the walls no clean water to drink, food to turning to a harmful substance chlorine, you don’t want to be in against other seasonal viruses.” would collapse. eat and the children are crying in schools when safer alterna- an environment where chlorine Rebecca Evans, the minister The fl oods have also threat- for milk. We are praying for help tives are available. The 1,800 ma- is dispersed at high concentra- for fi nance and local government, ened a Unesco World Heritage- because the government has yet chines, currently in production, tion. Ozone smells but people said: “By investing in new technol- listed reserve that is home to the to send relief,” Mandal said. will cost £3.3mn as part of £5.9mn are not allowed to smell it. That ogy such as ozone disinfecting ma- largest concentration of one- The Bihar government has initiative to improve air quality in is extremely important from a chines, we’re ensuring learners can horned rhinos. sent rescue boats to get people classrooms and lecture halls. safety point of view.” stay in school and colleges as Wales A villager rows a boat next to a partially submerged hut in a flood Tens of thousands of people to safety but these are concen- Developed at Swansea Univer- He said the machines would be moves beyond the pandemic.” aff ected area of Morigaon district in India’s Assam state yesterday. are stuck in villages cut off by trated in the worst-hit districts. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 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 Promise of open fi nancial data

From Australia and Brazil to Nigeria and the United States, countries are putting in place new guidelines and regulations governing the digital sharing of fi nancial data. The aim is to spur the creation of digital-data ecosystems that smooth and speed interactions between fi nancial institutions and their individual and corporate customers. But successful adoption of open fi nancial data could also provide a broader boost to global GDP. By enabling customer data to fl ow frictionlessly between fi nancial institutions through application programming interfaces (APIs), open-data systems reduce or remove the need for manual data processing. Strong consumer trust is the essential prerequisite for such a system. That can be secured only by establishing a protective cushion of user consent, data protection, and cybersecurity. With safeguards in place, the benefi ts can be signifi cant. With escape dashed, Afghan Individuals and small businesses can gain increased access to fi nancial services; for example, data showing that a customer with a thin credit fi le reliably pays utility, rent, and other bills can improve their chances of receiving a loan, sometimes for the fi rst time. Other advantages for consumers include greater convenience – no need to continue fi lling out all those forms in triplicate – and women eye uncertain future a wider range of product options. In the United Kingdom, where so-called open banking has been in operation since 2018, customers By Rupam Jain and Sabine Siebold have dominated news bulletins around stationed at Kabul airport told Reuters. stay. Others are waiting for a better can easily switch accounts from one institution to another to earn a the world. More than a hundred people At least 13 US troops were among those opportunity to leave the country if the higher deposit rate, and can compare mortgage rates from diff erent died in a suicide attack on Thursday by killed in Thursday’s attack. chaos subsides. providers without needing to go through fee-charging brokers. In eacher Shirin Tabriq spent fi ve Islamic State that Western countries Since seizing the country, the Taliban “I have decided to ... relocate to the US, President Biden’s July 9, 2021, executive order on promoting days and nights outside Kabul had warned about. Others have been have sought to reassure Afghans and the our village home in Faryab,” she said, competition in the economy specifi cally referred to increased Tairport trying to get on a fl ight killed in gunfi re and stampedes. West that they would respect human referring to the northern province. sharing of fi nancial data, so that “consumers can more easily switch from Afghanistan. Humiliated and “I would rather live under the new rights and not seek revenge. Reports “I think we will live a better life fi nancial institutions and use new, innovative fi nancial products.” enraged by her ordeal, she has given up regime than be treated like garbage of abuses and threats by members there. We have some farmland; we grow Financial-services providers benefi t, too. Adopting open data and plans to return to her village to start by foreigners,” the 43-year-old told of the movement have undermined wheat there and some fruits. We have a improves their operational effi ciency by providing them with a new life under the Taliban. Reuters, after nearly a week of living in confi dence. well. We don’t need anything more ... The Americans can all leave, and I hope verifi ed data digitally, freeing them from the onerous tasks of Midwife Shagufta Dastaqgir also squalor and fear with her husband’s fi rst Tabriq, who is 43, said she had all tried, and failed, to fl ee. She, too, wife and their three children. the documents she required to travel to never to see them again in my country.” manual entry or searching for information in data silos. This says she has lost faith in the West’s “The Americans have insulted each Pakistan, but there appeared to be one Dastagir, the midwife, is from signifi cantly reduces the costs associated with remediating bad commitment to help Afghanistan and is Afghan. I come from a respectable rule for foreigners trying to fl y out of Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of customer-relationship- heading back home. family ... but to live on streets for 5 Kabul and another for Afghans. Afghanistan. She is a trained midwife management data, currently Their stories refl ect the stark reality nights made me feel like I am begging “Not a single person tried to stop and speaks fl uent English and German, With safeguards estimated at 20% of a typical for many Afghans who want to leave people who have no respect for women any foreigner ... I have all the legal and worked for a German non- fi nancial institution’s income, the country now that the militant and children.” documents to travel out, and why is governmental organisation that she in place, the and enables service providers movement is back in power. Thousands She was speaking hours before America stopping me from getting out? declined to name. to do more to automate their have been evacuated, but they are far the bomb attack. The prospect of an Who are they to stop anyone?” As long ago as 2020, she said benefi ts can be data operations. outnumbered by those who could not ultra-radical off shoot of Islamic State Although some Afghan dual German embassy offi cials had given Deeper data sharing get out. disrupting the Taliban’s attempts to nationals appear to have been held up, reassurances to more than 20 Afghan signifi cant also means that banks can Tabriq, the second wife of a former rule has only heightened the sense of there has been little sign of Westerners staff that they would be relocated Afghan government offi cial who fl ed foreboding in Afghanistan. being prevented from reaching the to Germany if the security situation allocate their staff resources to Pakistan in February, is furious with Washington has agreed with the airport. Many Afghans who were deteriorated. to the most at-risk customers, and cut back on the need for data what she sees as the United States’ Taliban that it will withdraw all its airlifted expressed gratitude to foreign Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck intermediation. In the US, for example, nearly half of all mortgage failure to do more to evacuate people troops from Afghanistan by August 31. troops for helping them. and the NGO offi ces were closed, and, providers rely on third-party data for loan origination, but open since the Taliban seized Kabul on Aug. President Joe Biden has come under Taliban offi cials have urged Afghans as Dastagir continued to work on a fi nancial data are making much of this information publicly 15. fi erce criticism from Afghans and in the not to leave, saying they are needed to small number of projects she went on available. Lastly, data sharing is an eff ective tool against fraud, as Some Afghans fear Taliban West for not doing more to put a better help them run the country and make it receiving her salary. it provides more evidence and clues with which to fl ag suspicious reprisals against those associated evacuation plan in place. prosper in the future. Some employees Taliban attacks in and around activity, helping institutions strengthen their predictive fraud with the ousted, Western-backed American offi cials at Kabul airport of the outgoing government have Mazar-i-Sharif intensifi ed last month modelling. administration. Women feel exposed: say they have worked around the clock returned to work, though others are in as the group swept aside Afghan forces. Then come the macroeconomic gains. In a recent analysis of the last time the group was in power, it to airlift people, adding that evacuating hiding. Since July 23, she said she had called 24 fi nancial data-sharing initiatives in banking and payments, banned them from work and girls from thousands of Afghan staff along with The insurgents swept across and e-mailed the German embassy and Afghanistan in recent weeks with NGO she worked for dozens of times we found that broad adoption of open-data systems can deliver a school and brutally enforced its version foreigners has been a complex task. of Islamic law. A total of 105,000 people have been surprising ease, but are struggling seeking clarity on her situation. sizeable economic boost. This could range from about 1-1.5% of In recent days the group has vowed evacuated from Kabul since August 15, to form a government in a country When she did not hear back, the GDP in 2030 in the European Union, the UK, and the US to as much to respect people’s rights and allow the White House has said. that has for years been propped up by 29-year-old’s father and cousin drove as 4-5% in India. women to work within the framework The US military will now prioritise Western aid and military spending. her from Mazar-i-Sharif to Kabul Moreover, all market participants – fi nancial institutions; of Shariah, but what that means in the removal of US troops and military Having lost hope of leaving where she hoped to board a fl ight out of individual customers; and micro, small, and medium-sized practice is still not clear. equipment on the fi nal days before the Afghanistan by the end of August, the country. enterprises (MSMEs) – will benefi t, albeit to varying degrees Scenes of chaos outside the airport deadline, an American security offi cial Tabriq has made up her mind to The road trip was fraught with risk, depending on each country’s fi nancial depth and structure and the with Taliban roadblocks stopping her characteristics of its open-data system. vehicle every few miles and the security For now, even countries in the forefront of open-data adoption are situation across the north in a state of capturing only a fraction of its potential value. We estimate that the fl ux. UK is currently accessing 30-40% of the possible gains, and the US “The Americans “They (the Taliban) stopped us and we told them we were going to see and Europe just 10%. have insulted each family in Kabul,” she said. “Some of Realising the full value requires a level of data standardisation and Afghan. I come from them even laughed at us and called us breadth of data sharing that few economies currently have. In some stupid to be leaving our home.” cases, data sharing is relatively ad hoc. In many countries, for example, a respectable family Like Tabriq, Dastagir ended up in the consumers wanting automated access to competitive mortgages need ... but to live on streets tumult outside Kabul airport where she to provide the same specifi c mortgage application data to multiple spent four days and three nights. providers. But operating at scale – and thereby capturing the most for 5 nights made me “Soon I will head back to Mazar,” she potential value – requires a wide range of fi nancial data to be sourced feel like I am begging told Reuters, speaking the day before easily through standard APIs at minimal cost. the suicide attack. “I am not angry Two other aspects are essential: robust digital fi nancial people who have no right now because I am tired. You infrastructure on which to build a data-sharing system, and respect for women know, I always admired the Germans innovation to ensure that it continues to fl ourish. — Project ... but now I see an indiff erent side of and children” these foreign powers.” Syndicate A German diplomatic source said: “Our opportunities to grant access to (Kabul) airport were very limited due to the chaotic situation in the area of the To Advertise gates over the past days.” Germany ended evacuation fl ights [email protected] late on Thursday. Its military, a major part of Nato’s forces fi ghting Display the Taliban, evacuated 5,347 people 44466621 44418811 including more than 4,100 Afghans. Germany previously said it had Classified identifi ed 10,000 people who needed 44466609 44418811 to be evacuated, including Afghan local staff , journalists and human rights Subscription activists. “After seeing all the desperation at [email protected] the airport, I feel like we have been an abandoned, and Allah knows Afghan civilians did no wrong to any foreign © 2021 Gulf Times. All rights reserved nation.” — Reuters Gulf Times Tuesday, August 31, 2021 11 WORLD

‘Work is work’: Afghan ex-minister now delivers food in Germany

AFP many. This makes them the second As a dual Afghan-British citizen, he of cycling 1,200km (745 miles) every Leipzig biggest group of people seeking pro- decided to move to Germany at the end month. tection in Europe’s most populous of 2020 before Brexit made it no longer With the return to power of the Tali- country after Syrians. possible for Britons to obtain residency ban and the withdrawal of Nato forces e was once a minister in Af- With the Taliban’s return to power in the EU without conditions such as from his native country, he sees an- ghanistan but quit, fed up with earlier this month, Germany has also an off er of employment. other possible opening for him in Ger- Hthe corruption. Now in Ger- evacuated around 4,000 Afghans, in- He could have secured a post in Brit- many. many, Sayed Sadaat is making a living cluding those who worked with Nato ain, but said he saw more opportuni- “I can advise the German govern- delivering meals as a bicycle courier. forces and others who need protection. ties for his sector in Germany. ment on Afghanistan so that the Af- For six hours on weekdays and from Sadaat’s journey to Germany was far But without German, Sadaat, who ghan people can benefi t because I re- noon to 10pm on Saturdays and Sun- less harrowing. came alone and refuses to talk about fl ect the true picture there,” he said. days, Sadaat dons his distinctive or- He was minister of communications his family, said he has struggled to get He admits however that no contact ange coat and big square backpack, in Afghanistan from 2016- 2018. employed. has yet been made with the German shuttling pizzas or other orders to cus- But the 50-year-old said he quit his The coronavirus pandemic delayed authorities on the issue. tomers. post because he was fed up with cor- his plans to learn to speak German. As for the Taliban, he believes they “There is no shame in the job at all. ruption in the government. But he is now taking language class- may have “learnt from the past mis- Work is work,” he told AFP. “When doing the job as a minis- es four hours a day, before getting on takes” in terms of human, women’s “If there is a job, it means there is ter there was a diff erence between the the bicycle for food delivery company rights. public demand... someone has to do president’s close circle and myself,” he Lieferando. But he calls on the international it,” he said. explained. The job pays up to €15 ($18) an hour, community not to turn its back on Af- Sadaat is one of thousands of Af- “Their demands were for private enough for his living expenses, includ- ghanistan and continue providing eco- ghans who have found a home in Ger- benefi t, I wanted the money for gov- ing rent of €420 a month. nomic support. many over the last years. ernment projects to be implemented Sayed Sadaat on his courier bicycle in Leipzig, eastern Germany. (AFP) Sadaat said he does not regret his As his shift begins at the stroke of Since 2015, when Europe saw a huge properly. decision to move to Germany. midday, he fl icks through his phone. infl ux of people fl eeing wars mostly “So I could not fulfi l their demands side.” He took on a consultancy job in But by 2020, the security situation “I know this challenge is for a short “I have to go now,” he says, riding off from Syria and Iraq, around 210,000 and then they tried to push me, put the telecommunications sector in Af- had deteriorated, he said. time, it is until I can get another job,” through the rain for his fi rst delivery of Afghans have sought asylum in Ger- pressure on me from the president’s ghanistan. “So I decided to leave,” he told AFP. he said, touting the physical benefi ts the day. In Kabul, back to school Evacuation mission ends today offi cially US warns terror threat to Kabul airport ‘real’ IS-K rockets fired at airport thwarted: Taliban

AFP cluding those of 13 US troops. they are being directly targeted, Kabul Yesterday, they claimed to it can put our lives in danger.” have fi red six rockets at the air- An AFP journalist in Kabul port. A Taliban offi cial said the said there was a constant sound he Pentagon warned attack was intercepted by the of planes overhead, with aircraft yesterday of “real” and airport’s missile defence sys- taking off and landing, as well T“specifi c” threats of new tems. as jets off ering surveillance and attacks at Kabul airport just Even as the US troop pres- protection. hours ahead of a US deadline to ence in Afghanistan drew to an The United States said Sunday complete its frenzied withdrawal end, Pentagon spokesman John it had carried out a drone strike from Afghanistan, which has Kirby told reporters that it was against a vehicle threatening been marred by Islamic State “a particularly dangerous time the Kabul airport that had been violence, including a volley of right now”. linked to the regional Islamic rocket fi re. “The threat stream is still real, State chapter — its second tar- President Joe Biden has set a it’s still active, and in many cases geting IS-K in recent days. deadline of today to withdraw it’s still specifi c,” he said yester- But yesterday, it looked like all US forces from Afghanistan, day. they had possibly made a terrible drawing to a close his nation’s The White House confi rmed mistake. longest war, which began in late there had been a rocket attack Members of one family told 2001 in retaliation for the Sep- directed at the airport yesterday, AFP they believed a fatal error A teacher walks along with the students as they leave after attending their government middle school in Kabul yesterday. (AFP) tember 11 attacks. but said airlift operations there had been made, and that 10 ci- The return to power a fort- were “uninterrupted”. vilians were killed. night ago of the Taliban move- An AFP photographer saw a “My brother and his four chil- ment, which was toppled in 2001 destroyed car with a launcher dren were killed. I lost my small in that US-led invasion, trig- system still visible in the back daughter.. nephews and nieces,” Afghanistan gered a massive exodus of terri- seat. Aimal Ahmadi told AFP. healthcare fi ed people fearing a new version “The president... has recon- “We are aware of reports of of their hardline rule. fi rmed his order that com- civilian casualties following our WHO fears 236,000 is nearing Those fl ights, which have tak- manders redouble their eff orts strike on a vehicle in Kabul to- en more than 122,000 people out to prioritise doing whatever is day,” Captain Bill Urban, a US collapse of Kabul airport, will offi cially necessary to protect our forces Central Command spokesman, end today when the last of the on the ground,” a White House said in a statement. more Covid deaths in Afghanistan’s healthcare thousands of American troops statement said. “We would be deeply sad- system is at risk of collapse, pull out. While there were no reports of dened by any potential loss of two major aid agencies US forces are now focused fatalities or airport damage from innocent life.” told Reuters, after foreign chiefl y on fl ying themselves and the apparent IS-K rocket salvo, In recent years, the Islamic Europe by year-end donors stopped providing American diplomats out safely, they caused greater anxiety for State has been responsible for aid following the Taliban and the UN Security Council was locals already traumatised by some of the deadliest attacks in takeover. After the United set to meet to discuss a resolu- years of war. those countries. AFP High transmission rates The warning comes as the States withdraw the bulk tion on the way forward. “Since the Americans have They have massacred civil- Copenhagen across the continent were WHO and Unicef urged Euro- of its remaining troops The regional Islamic State - taken control of the airport, we ians at mosques, public squares, “deeply worrying, particularly pean countries earlier yester- last month, the Taliban Khorasan (IS-K) group, rivals can’t sleep properly,” Abdullah, schools, and even hospitals. in the light of low vaccination day to make teachers a prior- accelerated its military of the Taliban, pose the biggest who lives near the airport and While both the Islamic State he World Health Organi- uptake in priority populations ity group for vaccinations so campaign, taking control of threat to the withdrawal, after gave only one name, told AFP. and the Taliban are hardliners, sation (WHO) warned in a number of countries.” schools can stay open through- the capital Kabul on August carrying out a suicide bombing “It is either gunfi re, rockets, they are at times also bitter foes Tyesterday that another Kluge said the Delta variant out the pandemic. 15. International donors outside the airport last week that sirens or sounds of huge planes — with each claiming to be the 236,000 people could die from was partly to blame, along with As schools reopen after the including the World Bank claimed more than 100 lives, in- that disturb us. And now that true fl ag-bearers of jihad. Covid in Europe by December 1, an “exaggerated easing” of re- summer holidays, the agencies and European Union froze sounding the alarm over rising strictions and measures and a said it was “vital that class- funding to Afghanistan EU draft underpins infections and stagnating vac- surge in summer travel. room-based learning continue shortly afterwards. cine rate on the continent. While around half of people uninterrupted”, despite the “One of the great risks for plans to stop Countries across the region in the WHO’s Europe region are spread of the Delta variant. the health system here is Afghan kids need new ‘uncontrolled’ have seen infection rates tick fully vaccinated, uptake in the “This is of paramount im- basically to collapse because up as the highly-transmissible region has slowed. portance for children’s educa- of lack of support,” said Afghan migration Delta variant takes hold, par- “In the past six weeks, it has tion, mental health and social Filipe Ribeiro, Afghanistan liver after eating toxic ticularly among the unvacci- fallen by 14%, infl uenced by skills, for schools to help equip representative for Médecins The EU plans to bolster financial nated. a lack of access to vaccines in our children to be happy and Sans Frontières (MSF), one aid to Afghanistan’s neighbours Poorer nations, especially in some countries and a lack of productive members of soci- of the largest medical aid mushrooms in Poland and head off “uncontrolled the Balkans, the Caucasus and vaccine acceptance in others.” ety,” Kluge said. agencies in the country. large-scale illegal migration” Central Asia, have been hardest Only 6% of people in lower “The pandemic has caused “The overall health system in after the Taliban’s takeover, hit, and deaths are mounting as and lower-middle income the most catastrophic disrup- Afghanistan is understaff ed, AFP according to a draft statement well. countries in Europe are fully tion to education in history,” he under-equipped and Warsaw seen yesterday by AFP. “Last week, there was an vaccinated, and some countries added. underfunded, for years. And Interior ministers from the 11% increase in the number have only managed to vaccinate The agencies urged countries the great risk is that this 27-nation group meet in Brussels of deaths in the region — one one in 10 health professionals. to vaccinate children over the underfunding will continue he mayor of a Polish town appealed for organ donors yesterday today for emergency talks as reliable projection is expect- age of 12 who have underlying over time.” Necephor after two children evacuated from Afghanistan fell so ill after they seek to avoid a repeat of ing 236,000 deaths in Europe, Vaccines for teachers medical conditions that put Mghendi, Afghanistan Teating poisonous mushrooms they need liver transplants. the 2015 migrant crisis that saw by December 1,” WHO Europe Kluge stressed that since them at greater risk of severe head of the International “We are all moved by the news of the accidental mushroom poison- over one million people enter director Hans Kluge said yes- public health and social Covid-19. Federation of the Red ing,” Artur Tusinski, mayor of Podkowa Lesna near the Polish capital the bloc. terday. measures were being relaxed Cross and Red Crescent Warsaw, wrote on Facebook. “Based on lessons learned, Europe has registered around in many places, “the public’s Pitch for booster shots (IFRC), said the healthcare The children are being treated at a hospital in Warsaw. the EU and its Member States 1.3 million Covid deaths to date. vaccination acceptance is Kluge also said a Covid-19 system, which was already The news portal OKO.press reported that their father, an account- stand determined to act jointly Of the WHO Europe’s 53 crucial”. booster shot is a way to keep fragile and heavily reliant ant, worked for several years for the British army. After the Taliban took to prevent the recurrence member states, 33 have regis- “Vaccine scepticism and sci- the most vulnerable safe and on foreign aid, had been over Afghanistan this month, the family was evacuated by the Polish of uncontrolled large-scale tered an incidence rate great- ence denial is holding us back not a luxury robbing people left under additional strain. military at Britain’s request. illegal migration movements er than 10% in the past two from stabilising this crisis. It who have yet to have even a “The humanitarian needs The report said the 12-member family group arrived in Warsaw last faced in the past, by preparing weeks, Kluge said. Most are in serves no purpose, and is good single jab. on the ground are massive,” Monday and went foraging in woods outside their migrant centre. It a coordinated and orderly poorer countries. for no-one.” The comments appeared to he said. Both aid agencies said the children who need transplants are aged six and eight, adding response,” said the draft be more positive than the UN said that while their ground that an older 17-year-old sibling had also fallen ill but was now better. prepared for the meeting. health body’s past assessments operations were broadly Jakub Dudziak, a spokesman for the Offi ce for Foreigners, which runs As part of the eff orts, it said, the World crosses 4.5mn Covid deaths of the third vaccinations be- unaff ected, they had seen migrant centres in Poland, denied the children had eaten the mush- EU “will engage and strengthen The world has passed the grim threshold of 4.5 million ing administered by a growing a significant increase in rooms because they were being fed only twice a day and were hungry. its support to third countries, Covid-19 deaths, according to an AFP tally yesterday, as the number of countries. demand as other facilities are He said the evacuees were being provided “with three meals a day, con- in particular the neighbouring virulent Delta variant wreaks havoc globally. Last week, WHO Director- unable to fully function. sisting of varied ingredients with appropriate calorifi c value, including and transit countries, hosting Since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, the General Tedros Ghebreyesus Mghendi said closures of dairy products, meat, vegetables, fruit and drinks”. large numbers of migrants virus has killed a total of 4,500,620 people, the tally of off icial said data on the third shots Afghan banks had meant “In connection with this unfortunate accident, employees of centres and refugees, to reinforce their sources revealed. was inconclusive. He had ear- almost all humanitarian for foreigners will sensitise Afghan citizens not to consume products of capacities to provide protection, Some 10,000 deaths are reported every day in the world, lier said they should be halted agencies have been unable unknown origin,” he added. dignified and safe reception a much lower figure than the highs of January when an and authorities should focus to access funds, leaving Dudziak said a total of fi ve people had asked for medical assistance at conditions and sustainable average of 14,800 people were being killed daily. on getting the doses to poorer vendors and staff unpaid. the facility complaining of stomach problems but they had not initially livelihood for refugees and host nations. said they had eaten mushrooms. communities.” Gulf Times 12 Tuesday, August 31, 2021 QATAR Onset of cruise season Qatar Tourism issues call to enlist in its Tour Guide Training Programme to be a boon for domestic atar Tourism is off ering practising tour guides Qand eligible residents the opportunity to enhance their skills in the tourism sector tourism: industry expert through its Tour Guide Training Programme. Developed by Qatar Tourism By Peter Alagos ship,” the expert added. tive impact on the tourism sec- in collaboration with stakehold- Business Reporter Syed also noted that the re- tor of Qatar. ers, the programme aims to raise sumption of classes in schools “I feel since the opening of standards and regulate tourism would also create a positive im- Phase 3, customer footfall in the service providers by providing he start of the cruise sea- pact on the country’s local tour- malls have grown threefold, and offi cial tour guide licences to The initiative is part of Qatar Tourism’s eff orts to achieve service son in the last quarter of ism industry. all the off ers running across all those who complete the required excellence in the sector. T2021 is expected to create “The travel pattern is chang- these establishments have been work. a series of benefi ts to domestic ing. Earlier, you could just hop the ‘cherry on the cake’,” Syed The initiative is part of Qa- for visitors, tour guides need to Qatar Tourism in partnership tourism in Qatar, according to on a fl ight and get back to your said. tar Tourism’s eff orts to achieve be able to tell stories, giving visi- with stakeholders, including an industry expert. home country or visit a touris- “Citizens and residents who Service Excellence in the sector tors information and insight into Qatar Museums, Msheireb Mu- “Come November, we are tic place,” he explained. “But in opted not to travel during this and provide an unforgettable ex- the country’s history, culture seums, the Ministry of Munici- expecting huge cruise ships to the current scenario, there are period have been spending perience to the visitors, especial- and heritage, that will help de- pality and Environment, Souq start their intra-regional cruise several (coronavirus) Covid-19 quality time with their families ly as borders reopen and Qatar liver an unparalleled experience,” Waqif, Qatar Foundation, Qatar and subject to approvals from Tawfeeq Travel Group chief protocols that need to be ad- while waiting for the start of the prepares to host mega sporting Berthold Trenkel from Qatar TV, and Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Qatar Tourism, we can expect executive Rehan Ali Syed. hered to, which eventually be- next session of schools,” he add- events. Tourism said in a press state- Al Mahmoud Islamic and Cul- some turnaround cruises from comes pretty challenging.” ed. “The reopening of schools Dates of the upcoming training ment. “As part of our Tourism tural Centre (Al Fanar). Qatar, which will allow citizens lers are desert safari, museum “With schools reopening, it clearly demonstrates that coun- sessions will be announced in the Sector Strategy, we are working While enabling tour guides to and local residents to enjoy the visits, and trips to the shopping will be good for the domestic try is getting back to normal, coming months. closely with all tourism-facing deliver insightful information world-class cruise sailing from malls,” Syed said. “Similarly, tourism: In order to avoid many and the market is opening up Interested parties can register entities to implement Service about Qatar’s society and eco- Doha Port,” said Tawfeeq Travel visits to the football stadiums, hassles, residents would prefer despite the ongoing pandemic.” through the Qatar Tourism web- Excellence at every touch point system, the manual also contains Group chief executive Rehan Ali Al Shaqaab Race Course, tradi- to spend time in the country and “Such positive vibes encour- site or in person at the Ministry of the visitor’s journey.” a section on tour group manage- Syed. tional Souq Waqif, kayaking in use the various facilities and age visitors (business and tour- of Commerce and Industry offi ce “With Qatar’s FIFA World Cup ment, highlighting the skills tour Speaking to Gulf Times, he the mangroves of Al Khor, and options available locally,” Syed ists) to come to Qatar and thus, in Lusail, Al-Jassra Tower, fi rst 2022 around the corner, we need guides need to provide an ideal said: “The start of the cruise many more activities, are a huge emphasised. boost tourism for the country, fl oor counter 44. more guides to cater to the huge visitor experience. season will defi nitely be a crowd drawer.” He said that the various especially for the travel and The course will be conducted number of visitors who will be Since the beginning of the pro- booster for the tourism in the “We were off ering 19 diff erent “back-to-school” promotions hospitality industry, which is in English and the exam fee is arriving in the country,” he said. gramme in 2017, more than 100 country.” shore excursions to experience previously launched by many still recovering from the eco- QR1,200, while the Tour Guide The Tour Guide Training Pro- tour guides have been trained, “Some of the major shore ex- Qatar for the passengers when malls, hypermarkets, and other nomic impact of Covid-19,” licence fee is QR1,000. gramme uses the Tour Guide helping position Qatar as an ideal cursions enjoyed by the travel- they were disembarking the stores have also created a posi- Syed stressed. “As the main point of contact Manual that was developed by tourism spot.

Works of Al Thumama, Al Wajbah Al Furjan Parks to be set up across country and Al Wakra parks underway From Page 1 “These features and services he design works of fi ve “Al Thumama Park, spread vary according to the area of the parks under Al Furjan across 4,400sq m, is in an area park, such as pedestrian and cy- TPublic Parks project are which has a mix of residential cle paths, seats, kids’ play areas, currently underway, and all are units, sports and commercial fi tness equipment, kiosks, and expected to be opened by the facilities and offi ces, and located others. Elderly people and peo- third quarter of 2022. near two mosques,” he added. ple with special needs are also The initiative under the Su- “The park design will match the taken into consideration in the pervisory Committee for Beau- surrounding environment and designs,” Fakhroo said. tifi cation of Roads and Public contribute to creating a healthy The park construction projects Places in Qatar, a part of the Pub- green environment that encour- are awarded to fi ve local contrac- Abdulhadi al-Marri Mohamed al-Khouri lic Works Authority (Ashghal), is ages social interaction.” tors: JH Construction, Al Na- implemented in co-operation The park will include many kheel Agriculture and Trading, site preparatory works. with the Ministry of Municipal- Engineer Mansour Jafar seating areas and a children’s Boom General Contracting, El- Regarding Al Furjan Parks at ity and Environment (MME). al-Mosawi play area, in addition to a shared egancia Landscape, and AG Mid- Rawdat Egdaim and Al Mearad in Engineer Mansour Jafar al- path for joggers and cyclists. dle East. Al Rayyan Municipality, engineer Mosawi, projects design manag- “These projects are assigned to Green areas will cover about The scope of works include Jazmine Sheikh, projects design er at the committee, said that the Elegancia Landscape Company, 70%. infrastructure works such as irri- manager at the committee, said fi ve parks comprise a total area of which has started the prelimi- The park is connected from gation, electricity, and rainwater that the fi rst park is to be built on 34,553sq m. nary works. While four of them the south and east sides by a drainage. an area of about 24,000sq m and They are Al Thumama Park in will be opened for the public in “railway” that currently exists Additional works in some the second on an area of 3,520sq Doha Municipality, Al Wajbah the second quarter of 2022, Al between boundaries of buildings parks shall feature children’s play m. Park in Al Rayyan Municipality, Wajbah Park is scheduled to open and the park, integrating with areas and service buildings that The construction of these and three parks in Al Wakra Mu- in the third quarter of 2022,” al- the design to facilitate access to include prayer areas, toilets, and parks is assigned to AG Middle nicipality. Mosawi said. the park by bicycle or on foot. guardrooms. East, which has started prelimi- Engineer Jassim Abdulrahman Engineer Reem Khalid The committee’s projects de- nary works on the site. Fakhroo al-Muraikh sign manager, engineer Reem The two parks are scheduled Khalid al-Muraikh, stated that to open to the public during the and there requirements with she is currently working on im- third quarter of 2022. clear passages to ensure visitors’ Al Furjan Parks to further plementation of designs of three She said that the location of a safety and ease of access.” parks on a total area of about park and the surrounding build- Engineer Maryam al-Kuwari, 42,000sq m. ings are taken into consideration projects design manager at the promote healthy lifestyle “Two of these parks are lo- during the design. committee, is supervising the cated in Al Rayyan Municipal- For example, during the design design of several parks in Al ity – Al Soudan Park on an area of Rawdat Egdaim Park, it was Rayyan Municipality, including he concept behind Al Fur- pedestrian and cyclist-friendly Engineer Amna al-Bader of 2,300sq m, which is planned taken into consideration that the Bu Hamour Park (5,800sq m), Al jan Parks project is to en- culture,” she explained. to open for public in the second site is surrounded by a nursery, Sailiya Park (6,370sq m), and Al Tcourage families to lead The committee, which func- environment, which enhances quarter of 2022, and the 15,750sq mosque and a commercial com- Muraikh Park (3,640sq m). a healthy lifestyle and practice tions under the Public Works social gathering and communi- m Fereej Al Thameed Park,” she plex, and also by streets from These projects are assigned to sports within a green area in their Authority (Ashghal), is working cation,” al-Bader said. said. “The third park located in north, east and south. Boom General contracting and Engineer Maryam al-Kuwari neighbourhood, according to en- in co-operation with the Minis- The committee has previously Doha Municipality at Hazm Al “Therefore, it is proposed to are scheduled to open to the pub- gineer Amna al-Bader, secretary try of Municipality and Environ- implemented central parks and Markhiya is to be built on an area implement an alley, which is lic in the second quarter of 2022. of traditional market shadings, of the Supervisory Committee ment on the design and imple- plazas, including 5/6 Park, Al of about 24,340sq m. The second called ‘Sikka’, next to the park The main design lines of Bu considering their function in for Beautifi cation of Roads and mentation of the parks. Daayen Park, Al Shura Plaza, and and third parks are scheduled to from the west to integrate with Hamour Park are inspired by one proportion to the use of the park. Public Places in Qatar. “The parks are designed close Post Offi ce Plaza, that contribute open in the third quarter of 2022.” the design of the park and fa- of the distinctive elements in The design also includes pe- “The design and implementa- to houses with easy access for to enhancing the aesthetic ap- Al-Muraikh added that the cilitate access,” al-Muraikh said. the area, the old markets such as destrian and jogging paths. tion of the public parks comes pedestrians and cyclists while pearance of the cities. “design and build” contract for “The park designs include the Wholesale Market, Thursday and Ease of access to the park was within our strategic plan that encouraging the local residents These projects are also key three parks is assigned to Al Na- provision of multiple entry/exit Friday Market, and others. considered through walkways aims to humanise cities and to visit them regularly and spend factors in improving climate and kheel Agriculture and Trading points along the perimeters, The arches of parks are connected to surrounding areas, change a car-centric culture to a quality time in a healthy and safe preserving the environment. Company, which has started the considering each neighbourhood sketched similar to the designs without the need to use cars. QM’s 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum at grand Venice event

atar Museums (QM), under pation, titled “Sport Platform”, in the It focuses on two mega sporting the 17th International Architecture Ex- the patronage of its Chairper- Central Pavilion of the Giardini della events – the Tokyo Olympics and the hibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Qson, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa Biennale. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The exhibition How will we live to- bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, an- Conceived by principal architect The exhibition features models of gether? is curated by Hashim Sarkis and nounced yesterday that the 3-2-1 Qatar Christoph Lechner of Architect Chris- the eight football stadiums, on loan by organised by La Biennale di Venezia. & Olympic Sports Museum (QOSM) is toph Lechner & Partners and co-or- the Supreme Committee for Delivery & On the QM’s involvement, chief ex- being featured at the 17th International dinated by the QOSM, the installation Legacy (SC). ecutive Ahmad Musa al-Namla said: Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale explores the question: “How will we HE Sheikha Al Mayassa is also chair “La Biennale di Venezia is the premier di Venezia through a special partici- play sport together?” of the Honourary Committee for The platform for international dialogue on Majlis exhibition, which made its inter- new trends in art, architecture and de- national debut on May 21 in the wild- sign, and cinema among other sectors.” fl ower gardens of the Abbazia di San “As an institution that values inter- Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. national cultural exchange and global The project, curated by Dr Thierry debate, the QM is pleased to provide Morel and organised by Caravane Earth support to the 17th International Ar- foundation, is one of the offi cial Collat- chitecture Exhibition of La Biennale eral Events of the Biennale Architettura di Venezia and congratulates Hashim 2021 titled How will we live together? Sarkis on his achievement,” he said. The bamboo Majlis, designed by “We are also honoured to support the internationally-acclaimed bamboo ar- ‘Sports Platform’ through our upcom- chitects Simón Vélez and Stefana Sim- ing QOSM, and we would also like to ic, is designed to be a community meet- thank the SC for providing the FIFA ing place and a centre for vernacular World Cup Qatar 2022 football stadium architecture and traditional construc- models that are on display at the Cen- tion skill. tral Pavilion of the Giardini della Bien- Caravane Earth is an international nale.” foundation that aims to promote social, The panel was scheduled on August cultural and ecological transformation. 27 and took place at the La Biennale di After its presentation in Venice, The Venezia headquarters at Palazzo Ca’ 3-2-1 Qatar & Olympic Sports Museum on show at the 17th International Majlis exhibition will travel to Doha. Giustinian, near St Mark’s Square in Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The QM is also the major donor for Venice.