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MONDAY Vol. XXXXII No. 11846 March 8, 2021 Rajab 24, 1442 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Doha, Capital of Culture FM meets Yemeni counterpart in the Islamic World activities begin today

Under the patronage of His Highness Over 327,000 Covid the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- Thani, the activities of “Doha, Capital of Culture in the Islamic World 2021” will start today, and run for a whole year, under the slogan “Our Culture vaccine doses given is Enlightenment.” The activities are held under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, in co-operation with the Islamic World Organisation for Education, so far, says MoPH Science and Culture (ISESCO), the Qatar National Commission for QNA 60 years of age having received the Education, Culture and Science, and Doha vaccine. the strategic partners in the country, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin The MoPH stated that in the fi rst namely, the Ministry of Education Abdulrahman al-Thani met yesterday with the visiting Yemeni Minister of Foreign six weeks of the vaccination pro- and Higher Education, the Ministry Aff airs and Expatriates Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak. They reviewed the bilateral he Ministry of Public Health gramme, around 60,000 doses were of Endowments and Islamic Aff airs, relations and the latest developments in Yemen. HE Sheikh Mohamed stressed, (MoPH) has announced that administered to people most at risk Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums, during the meeting, Qatar’s firm position regarding the importance of preserving T327,582 Covid-19 vaccine doses from severe complications due to Katara, and many participating the unity of Yemen and achieving its security and stability. He underlined the have been administered to Qatar resi- Covid-19, while the last six weeks entities in the country. Page 2 need to end the state of war, adopt dialogue and a political solution, achieve dents since the start of the National have seen more than 267,000 doses national reconciliation, and return to the outcomes of the comprehensive national Vaccination Programme against the administered to the priority groups. Saudi confirms attacks dialogue agreed upon by the political forces and all spectrums of the Yemeni coronavirus pandemic. “Due to the availability of more on Ras Tanura port people as a basis for ending the crisis. He also called for implementing the “Ten percent of Qatar’s adult pop- vaccines and the opening of addi- relevant UN Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution No. 2216. ulation has already received at least tional vaccination centres, including Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said one vaccine dose. It is very important Qatar National Convention Center yesterday that a drone hit a petroleum that everyone completes the vaccine and the Lusail Covid-19 Drive- tank farm at Ras Tanura port, one of Home quarantine for ‘kids’ of vaccinated parents by having the second dose to ensure HE Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari Through Vaccination Center, we have the world’s largest oil shipping ports, its effi cacy,” said HE Dr Hanan Mo- been able to widen the eligibility to and shrapnel from a ballistic missile fell Any child up to the age of 16 years, years or above and who have received hamed al-Kuwari, Minister of Public tered each week throughout the pro- include more sections of our popu- near Saudi Aramco’s residential area in and arriving in Qatar from a red zone both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine Health. gramme. lation,” said Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, Dhahran. A ministry spokesman said in country, will be exempted from hotel from a medical facility in Qatar, with the “Our decision to focus on the most “With the recent availability of Chair of the National Health Strate- a statement that neither attack resulted quarantine if accompanied by a second dose administered at least 14 vulnerable in the initial stages of the Moderna vaccine alongside the Pfi zer gic Group on Covid-19 and Head of in any injury or loss of life or property. parent who has received both doses days before the date of entry into the vaccination programme has helped and BioNTech vaccine the vaccina- Infectious Diseases at Hamad Medi- of the Covid-19 vaccine in line with the country, are exempted from quarantine. to ensure that we have been able to tion programme is moving ahead at a cal Corporation. French billionaire dies protocol announced earlier, according For parents travelling with a minor aged protect many of the high-risk, eld- (steady) pace,” she said. “There is growing clinical evidence in helicopter crash to information available on the Discover 16-18 years where the minor has not erly population. I urge all the re- The milestone comes as data shows around the world showing that both Qatar website yesterday. received the vaccine in line with the maining elderly and at risk popula- that more than half the people aged the Moderna and Pfi zer vaccines pro- French billionaire Olivier Dassault, a The child, however, will be required to above qualifications, they will need to tion to take the opportunity”, added 60 and above among the most vul- vide a good level of protection after politician and scion of the Dassault quarantine at home for seven days, book a Welcome Home Package and the minister. nerable in the population – have now just one dose. However, it remains aircraft-making family, was killed Discover Qatar in Partnership with follow the same conditions outlined on “We are now signifi cantly expand- received at least their fi rst dose of the very important that everyone com- in a helicopter crash yesterday. Qatar Airways Holidays has said, as the website, “regardless if the parent ing our vaccination programme and vaccine, with 61% of people over 80 pletes the vaccine by having the sec- President Emmanuel Macron paid mentioned on the website. has received the vaccinations or have seen an impressive increase in years of age, 61% of people over 70 ond dose to ensure its effi cacy,” added rich tributes. Page 11 As announced earlier, people aged 18 otherwise”. To Page 5 the number of vaccines adminis- years of age, and 55% of people over Dr al-Khal. To Page 6 Gulf Times 2 Monday, March 8, 2021 QATAR Qatar hands over presidency of 14th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to Japan

QNA terrorism, and in building solid from the Covid-19 pandemic, Index for 2020, and ranked fi rst training of more than 11,000 Upon the inauguration of the the work of the crime prevention Kyoto criminal justice systems in ad- and the early agreement on the in the Arab world in the Societal young people on crime preven- 14th United Nations Conference and criminal justice conferences, dition to contributing to the im- Kyoto Declaration which repre- Safety and Security index. tion through sport, and the train- in Kyoto, HE Dr al-Nuaimi hand- besides establishing the principle plementation of the goals of the sents an eff ective roadmap that HE the Minister of Justice re- ing of more than 1,500 judges and ed over the banner from Qatar, in of building on the achievements he Global Program for the United Nations 2030 Agenda for leads joint international eff orts viewed the achievements of the public prosecutors on the issues its capacity as President of the of previous conferences, and implementation of the Sustainable Development. in crime prevention and criminal Doha Global Program that have of judicial integrity. 13th United Nations Congress on confi rming that the great legacy TDoha Declaration received In a statement delivered at the justice over the next fi ve years. been introduced during the Kyo- HE Dr al-Nuaimi affi rmed Crime Prevention and Criminal of the crime prevention confer- wide international attention at 14th Congress on Crime Preven- HE the Minister said that Qa- to Conference. Qatar’s keenness to provide all Justice, to Japan, stressing Qa- ences since 1955 will be present the opening of the 14th United tion and Criminal Justice, HE tar has not and will not spare He made a special reference to aspects of support to the Unit- tar’s keenness on providing full at all conferences. Nations Congress on Crime Pre- the Minister of Justice and Act- any eff ort in combating crime, the programme reaching 2.5mn ed Nations Offi ce in Vienna on support to the new presidency HE the Permanent Represent- vention and Criminal Justice in ing Minister of State for Cabinet consolidating the principle of people in 190 countries, besides Drugs and Crime, and to actively for the success of its tasks. ative of Qatar to the United Na- Kyoto, Japan. Aff airs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al- the rule of law and establishing a the delivery of educational ma- participate in all international HE the Minister presented tions and International Organi- The Program is described as Nuaimi expressed the gratitude successful and eff ective criminal terials to more than 1.4mn stu- and regional eff orts, and at the the Japanese presidency with a sations in Vienna Ambassador a pioneering model in helping of Qatar to the people and gov- justice system, noting that Qatar dents, and benefi ting more than bilateral level between coun- small memento representing a Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri countries, especially developing ernment of friendly Japan for topped the list of countries in the 170,000 people from 187 coun- tries, to implement the Kyoto boat with a sail symbolising the handed over the memento to the ones, in dealing with organised hosting this conference despite Middle East and North Africa in tries from capability-building Declaration and achieve its de- unity in front of the challenges Japanese presidency of the con- crime, corruption, drugs and the great diffi culties resulting the ranking of the Global Peace activities, in addition to the sired goals. and confi rming the continuity of ference. ‘Doha, Capital of FM meets US Envoy for Peace in Afghanistan Culture’ events get underway today many participating entities in the Doha Events to highlight cultural diversity of Qatar QNA country. A special episode on the launching ceremony of “Doha, Qatar National Commission for about cultural diversity, the HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman nder the patronage of Capital of Culture in the Islamic Education, Culture, and Science global citizenship symposium, al-Thani met yesterday with the visiting US Envoy for Peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad. His Highness the Amir World 2021” will be broadcast is to participate in the events the alliance of civilisations During the meeting, they reviewed the bilateral relations, and the latest developments in the USheikh Tamim bin Hamad at 7:30pm on Qatar TV, the me- and activities of ‘Doha, the programme, the International region, especially in Afghanistan. al-Thani, the activities of “Doha, dia partner, Al Rayyan channel, Capital of Culture in the Islamic Day of Islamic Art, intercultural Capital of Culture in the Islamic Al Jazeera Mubasher, Al Araby World 2021’ under the slogan dialogue programme and Earth World 2021” will start today, and TV, and via the event’s website “Our Culture is Enlightenment.” Week in Palestine. run for a whole year, under the https://www.dcciw.qa, during The commission will organise Qatar’s hosting of the activities slogan “Our Culture is Enlight- which several personalities will a series of activities and events of “Doha, the Capital of Culture enment.” talk about the importance of Qa- highlighting Qatar’s the culture, in the Islamic World 2021” The activities are held under tar hosting this celebration, and civilisational and human comes to reinforce the bonds of Katara, Diplomatic Institute sign the supervision of the Ministry what it refl ects on the state’s ef- features, and its intellectual and friendship and respect that bind of Culture and Sports, in co-op- forts in promoting culture in the national values, in a way that Qatar with many countries, eration with the Islamic World Islamic world. serves the slogan chosen for especially the countries of deal on cultural co-operation Organisation for Education, Sci- The episode will also include this celebration. the Islamic world, and based ence and Culture (ISESCO), the a speech by HE the Minister of Among the activities that the on the fact that Doha is a land Qatar National Commission for Culture and Sports Salah bin commission will organise of dialogue, a meeting place QNA Education, Culture and Science, Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali and a throughout the year is a of cultures and openness to Doha and the strategic partners in the speech by Director General of IS- scientific symposium on civilisations. country, namely, the Ministry of ESCO Dr Salim bin Mohamed al- tangible and intangible cultural The activities are an Education and Higher Education, Malik on Doha’s hosting of this heritage, a panel discussion on opportunity to highlight he Cultural Village Foun- the Ministry of Endowments and cultural celebration. social media and its impact on the cultural diversity that dation (Katara) signed Islamic Aff airs, Qatar Founda- Also, the Qatari artist Fahad consolidating national values, characterises Qatar, in Tyesterday a memorandum tion for Education Science and al-Kubaisi will perform artistic a seminar on digital citizenship addition to promoting its of understanding (MoU) with the Community Development (QF), shows and Omani poet Jamal al- and its role in consolidating ancient cultural and historical Diplomatic Institute (DI) of the Qatar Museums, the Cultural Mulla will present a special poem values, an educational meeting monuments. Ministry of Foreign Aff airs aimed Village Foundation (Katara), and on this occasion. at co-operation in organising Prof Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti and HE Dr Abdulaziz bin Moham- joint cultural events, scientifi c ed al-Horr signing the MoU. research, diplomatic studies, and the exchange of experts and re- cultural services under what is the agreement will yield shortly searchers to spread public aware- known as public diplomacy. the launch of an ongoing pro- ness on various cultural issues. Prof al-Sulaiti expressed his gramme of cultural activities that The agreement was signed by hope that the agreement would will serve the public interested QGBC, SC host workshop Director General of the Cultural contribute to enabling knowl- in the issue of public diplomacy, Village Foundation (Katara) Prof edge exchange and promoting whether inside or outside Qatar. Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, and programmes, events, and activi- Qatar, represented by Katara, HE the Director of the Diplomatic ties in public diplomacy at the took over the presidency of the Institute (DI) ambassador Dr Ab- regional and international levels, GPDNet in May 2019, as the fi rst to support hotel sector dulaziz bin Mohamed al-Horr. which would highlight the cul- Arab country to head this global The Director-General of Katara tural and civilisational aspect of organisation since its founding praised the partnership which, he Qatar, whose diplomacy records in 2014. said, would provide a lot for dip- bright fi ngerprints and remarka- Qatar succeeded in attracting 13 lomats, researchers and students. ble achievements at the regional new countries representing vari- ahead of World Cup He noted that the sign- and international levels. ous continents of the world as new ing of the agreement came at For his part, Dr al-Horr ex- members in the network, as Ka- a time when Katara holds the pressed his hope that the agree- tara seeks to expand partnerships  First in series of presidency of the Global Pub- ment would constitute a general between member states of the sustainability workshops lic Diplomacy Network (GPD- umbrella for the consolidation network with the aim of enrich- Net), and within the successive and closer co-operation be- ing cultural diversity, enhancing n the lead-up to the FIFA achievements of the institution tween Katara and the Diplo- the role of culture in communica- World Cup Qatar 2022, Qa- in this regard, whether through matic Institute, pointing out tion between civilisations, under- Itar Green Building Coun- its success in attracting many that the joint project will be the standing, and dialogue between cil (QGBC) recently hosted the countries from diff erent con- start of a wide range of cultural peoples and societies. fi rst in a series of workshops on tinents of the world as new events and activities, whether This will contribute to creat- ‘Green Hotels for Qatar – Chal- members in the network or by through the exchange of experi- ing opportunities for develop- lenges and Pathways’, in partner- adopting a distinct strategy in ences and training or organising ment and progress in line with ship with the Supreme Commit- the electronic aspect by launch- events and holding conferences, the requirements of the times, tee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) ing an electronic portal that has exhibitions, workshops, and as the network aims to enable and supported by Qatar National become a fundamental factor other programs and activities the exchange of knowledge in Tourism Council (QNTC). for cultural communication be- that embody the common vi- theoretical and practical fi elds, The three-part workshop se- tween member states and pro- sion of the two parties. and the establishment of bilat- ries aims to support the hospital- vides them with many common He also expressed his hope that eral or multilateral projects. ity industry to achieve lasting and tangible green transformation. The fi rst workshop, ‘Environ- mental Management and Poli- cies, F&B’, saw industry profes- sionals, including hotel general MME: Importers must procure managers, directors of engineer- Participants of the workshop. ing, housekeeping and F&B staff , come together to identify current “We are honoured to join hands director of The Landmark Man- sociated with hospitality. We are high-quality fruits and veggies operational challenges during the with the Supreme Committee for darin Oriental Hong Kong. pleased to be partnering with the three-day virtual session. Delivery & Legacy and Qatar Na- Bodour al-Meer, Sustainabil- Qatar Green Building Council in Attendees explored ways in tional Tourism Council to provide ity director at the SC, said: “We delivering these workshops, which he Ministry of Munici- fruit and vegetable production Safety Department of the Min- which current challenges can be re- this invaluable platform for fruit- are less than two years away from we are certain will be invaluable in pality and Environment and implement relevant stand- istry of Public Health (MoPH) solved with the support of national ful discussion that will contrib- hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, tackling the challenges facing the T(MME) has stressed that ard specifi cations, elevating it to monitor the quality and safety stakeholders while also highlight- ute to sustainable transformation and have been on an extraordinary sector and lead to increased green all importers of fresh fruits and premium-quality imported fruit of fresh vegetables and fruits ing the best practices from certifi ed within the hotel sector.” journey over the last decade with and sustainable practices.” vegetables must import high- and vegetable items”. imported to Qatar,” the state- green hotels in Qatar and how best The virtual workshop included our various stakeholders to ensure The second and third work- quality produce in line with This comes as part of the ment noted. to make these scalable. presentations from various hotel a sustainable delivery of the event shops will be held in March and quality requirements and speci- MME’s eff orts to enhance the Accordingly, the MME and Commenting on the workshop industry professionals, includ- that will leave a lasting legacy. May, respectively. fi cations, based on the relevant quality of locally consumed MoPH “call upon all importers series, Meshal al-Shamari, director ing Sara Stocker, Sustainability “While we have achieved great Outcomes from the workshop approved GCC Standardisation fruit and vegetables, which is of fresh fruits and vegetables to of QGBC, said: “QGBC is delighted manager, FIFA; Sven Wiltink, di- progress in this regard, maintain- series will be documented and pub- Organisation (GSO) standard. “one of the key food security import high-quality fresh fruits with the overwhelming success of rector of Responsible Business, ing this green momentum is of lished in a joint report in November. In a statement on social media standards”. and vegetables, in line with the the fi rst part of the workshop series Radisson Hotel Group; Kamaran crucial importance as we transi- The workshop presentations yesterday, the MME said it has “To further enhance food se- quality requirements and speci- designed to support and further Abdollahi, Business Develop- tion into refi ning the operational are available on the QGBC (a rolled out a number of promo- curity and fulfi l the needs and fi cations, and according to the drive sustainability within Qatar’s ment manager, MEA, Winno; planning leading to and during the member of Qatar Foundation) tional programmes recently with aspirations of consumers, of- relevant approved GSO stand- hospitality sector. and Richard Ekkebus, culinary tournament – including that as- YouTube channel. “a view to improve the national fi cials at the MME and Food ard”. Gulf Times Monday, March 8, 2021 3 QATAR Minister tours projects of MoI holds workshop Public Bus Infrastructure for patrol workers E the Minister of Trans- project has been wrapped up, as port and Communica- part of the fi rst package of the Htions Jassim Seif Ahmed programme. Two in Al Qassar QNA hance theoretical and practical al-Sulaiti yesterday conducted and Al Wakra were inaugurated Doha experiences to raise the effi - an inspection tour of the ongoing for the public in January 2020. ciency and readiness of patrol projects of the Public Bus Infra- The other two in Lusail and workers so that they can carry structure Programme, carried Education City are near 100% he Ministry of the In- out their work eff ectively to out in collaboration with Public completion and ready to open terior started yesterday maintain security, reducing Works Authority (Ashghal). soon. Ta workshop on “Patrols crime, and enhancing com- The minister inspected work Work is underway to establish Works”, organised by the Per- munication between the pub- progress on the programme’s seven bus terminals within the manent Committee for the De- lic and the police, so that the fi fth package, during which bus second and third packages of the velopment, Follow-up of the community enjoys safety and depots are being established at programme. Delivery nears 68% Patrols and Investigation. security. Lusail, Al Rayyan, Al Wakra and for bus terminals in Al Sudan, This came within the frame- The workshop, in which New Industrial Area. The new Lusail, Al Wakra, Education City work of the ministry’s training experts from the Ministry of depots will include a bus care and Industrial Area and would plan to develop the skills of its Interior are lecturing, is an op- centre and bus parking spaces complete during the third quar- cadres, refi ne their experiences portunity for the participants fully-equipped with an infra- ter of 2021. Works at bus termi- and introduce them to modern to exchange experiences and structure supportive of e-bus nals in Msheireb and Al Gharafa methods in security work. experiments on ways to pre- charging along with residential are 31% complete and would be The workshop, which will vent crimes and control them and recreational facilities and fully delivered during the fi rst run until April 17, aims to en- when occurring. mosques. quarter of 2022. The bus depot in Lusail will The programme includes es- have parking canopies powered tablishing a ferry terminal and by highly-effi cient solar panels parking spaces (water taxi) un- making it the fi rst bus depot in der the fourth package in Lusail, New envoy to Namibia the region to rely on solar energy Doha Port, Hamad International as a renewable source of clean Airport and the Pearl. These are energy. As many as 10,720 solar in addition to establishing a bus panel units will generate 4MW terminal in the West Bay. Work per day. They will also provide is underway to award the project the necessary energy for operat- tender to the most qualifi ed ing electric charging devices. company during the fi rst quarter The Lusail bus depot will have of 2021. 217 units of 150KW dual bus The Public Bus Infrastruc- charging devices, fi ve 300KW ture Programme aims to achieve fast bus electric charging devic- integration with public transit es, and 474 bus parking spaces. systems countrywide and sup- Works to establish the bus park- port transportation operations ing spaces and solar panel cano- during FIFA World Cup Qatar pies are scheduled for comple- 2022 and beyond. It also wants tion in Q4 of 2021. The bus depot to increase public transit rider- Namibian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International in Lusail is expected to be com- ship by off ering high-quality Relations Nandi-Ndaitwah received in Windhoek yesterday pleted in the fi rst quarter of 2022. service and facilities with world HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti conducting an inspection a copy of the credentials of Tariq Ali al-Ansari as Qatar’s non- The programme also includes the best technologies and specifi ca- tour of the ongoing projects of the Public Bus Infrastructure Programme. resident ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Park and Ride parking spaces, tions. Namibia. The Namibian Deputy Prime Minister wished the bus stations and ferry (water The programme refl ects reduce carbon emissions of con- jectives is supporting transit using electric, eco-friendly vehi- ambassador success in his work assignments and the bilateral taxi) terminals. MoTC’s attention to implement- ventional vehicles and improve operations during FIFA World cles during a FIFA championship, relations further development and growth. Work to establish four new ing the strategy of switching to overall air and climate quality in Cup Qatar 2022 to make Qatar let alone integration with other sites under the “Park and Ride” clean energy in transportation to Qatar. Among key strategy ob- second-to-none worldwide in public transit systems. Gulf Times 4 Monday, March 8, 2021 QATAR

iSpot opens revamped Apple authorised store at new location in City Center Doha Apple Authorised Resel- ler iSpot’s store at the City Center Doha has relocated from the third floor to the first floor of the mall, next to the Home Centre store. The new revamped iSpot store opened its doors on March 2. iSpot is part of Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Hold- ing’s Prime Distribution Trading Services division. The store was inaugurated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony by ABA Holding’s Group chief fi- QRCS donates 50 tonnes of food items for 1,050 families in Lebanon. nancial off icer, Iftekhar Ahmad. Also present at the launch were the general manager of Prime Distribution Trading Services, Mohamed Imran, and other senior off icials of Ali Bin Ali QRCS deploys third Holding. The event was also at- tended by Apple Qatar distribu- tor Redington Qatar’s country sales head, Rajesh Aiyar, and batch of aid to Lebanon sales manager Bassam Halabi. “With a simple design and eas- ily navigable layout, the new Off icials at the inauguration of the store. nder its humanitarian With 50 tonnes of food items, vention and help the mission in store is planned for eff iciency response to the Beirut 1,050 families or 5,250 persons distributing aid to the aff ected and customer convenience. mised to provide the cleanest community better with more “With this opening, we are UHarbour explosion, Qa- will benefi t from the relief. people. The bright lighting and open and safest shopping environ- space for customers’ favourite pleased to inform that we tar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) Besides, 100 medical beds QRCS and the Lebanese Red display of Apple products ment possible, as the health products. Our store at City would be soon launching deployed the third batch of aid were delivered to hospitals in Cross worked together to re- create an inviting ambiance, and safety of customers and Center has always been popular many value-added services, in solidarity with the Lebanese the proximity of the explosion to pair the explosion-damaged making it an attractive zone employees is the company’s among Apple users. I am sure such as extended financing, people. help them resume their medical homes. for all Apple product lovers,” top priority”. that the relocation of the store extended warranty, personal In co-operation with the services amid the Covid-19 out- Under the supervision of the ABA Holding said in a press Speaking about the relocation, to the first floor, near the main set-up, gift vouchers and more. Lebanese Red Cross, QRCS’ break. Regulatory Authority for Chari- statement. Most importantly, Imran said: “The new location entrance, will make it more con- We are also keen to roll out our mission in Lebanon cleared and In 2020, two shipments were table Activities, QRCS and Qatar the new iSpot store is “opti- will allow iSpot to serve the venient for our customers. trade-in programme shortly.” transported the shipment to the deployed by QRCS, including Charity launched a joint cam- former’s warehouses and it was food items and medical supplies. paign called Heart for Lebanon, set to be distributed to the af- A fi eld relief delegation took which raised more than QR94mn fected people and hospitals. part in the humanitarian inter- worth of donations. ILO hails Qatar labour market reforms

he head of the UN’s In- university’s Centre for Interna- committees that bring company ternational Labour Or- tional and Regional Studies. The management and elected worker Tganisation (ILO) Project research project seeks to examine representatives to the table for Offi ce in Qatar, Houtan Homay- the implications of staging one dialogue and discussions. “It’s ounpour, praised the ongoing of the world’s largest sporting really incredible what has hap- labour reforms led by Qatar and events on the social, political, pened in the past three years, in supported by the ILO on a pod- and economic development of such a short period of time,” he cast hosted by Qatar Foundation Qatar, as well as on regional and said adding the implementa- partner, Georgetown University global aff airs. Homayounpour tion phase of any reforms on a in Qatar (GU-Q). oversaw the implementation of national scale will take time. He Homayounpour praised Qa- a comprehensive three-year pro- said the changes improve mi- tar for using the FIFA World Cup Houtan Homayounpour gramme supporting the labour grant welfare and contribute to Qatar 2022 as an opportunity to reform agenda of Qatar. In the in- Qatar’s economy by fostering institutionalise major changes confi dence that the country’s terview conducted by the head of competition in the private sector, including the removal of the exit commitment to strengthening the CIRS research initiative, vis- though challenges remain. visa for domestic workers, the es- its labour market would continue iting associate professor, Dr Dan- Homayounpour credited the tablishment of a non-discrimina- beyond the tournament. yel Reiche, answered questions co-operation and collaboration tory permanent minimum wage, The GU-Q podcast features about the labour market and the of all stakeholders in pushing and the removal of the No-Objec- scholars and experts working in future of labour law reforms be- through the recent reforms, in- tion Certifi cate requirement for fi elds related to sports and soci- yond the World Cup. cluding the country’s leadership, job transfer, saying “they adopted ety, and is part of the Building a The ILO representative shared government ministries, NGOs, the legislative changes that they Legacy: Qatar FIFA World Cup promising signs of increased labour unions, and various UN 100 medical beds delivered to hospitals. promised.” He also expressed 2022 research initiative at the private sector interest in joint organisations. Gulf Times Monday, March 8, 2021 5 QATAR International Women’s Day celebrated by QC

atar Charity (QC) marked International Women’s Day to “celebrate the tremendous eff orts of women to Qfi ght the coronavirus in and outside Qatar”. This year, International Women’s Day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world’. Women at QC, both employees and volunteers, have dem- The IOM and their student meeting with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs. onstrated their abilities during the current global health crisis, contributing to delivering eff ective and effi cient as- sistance to fi ght the coronavirus, according to a press state- ment. A year ago, Qatar Charity launched an initiative under the hashtag of #VolunteerForQatar to limit the spread of the coronavirus. A good number of female Qatari and expatriate GGirlsirls becomebecome volunteers took part in the initiative to contribute to arrang- ing aid, kits and preventive items that were distributed to the Women involved in QC initiatives. workers across the country. The female volunteers also contributed to distributing many items, including multilingual awareness leafl ets and ed- ddiplomatsiplomats fforor a ddayay ucational materials, to the workers to raise awareness among them about the importance of health and personal hygiene. To celebrate this year’s Inter- Besides, they took part in the distribution of food items. national Women’s Day, the Fatima Jumah AlMohannadi, head of Initiatives and Vol- ambassadors of Austria, Cana- unteering at QC, praised the role played by the Qatari and da, Ethiopia, Greece, Mexico, expatriate women in fi ghting Covid-19, considering the step the Netherlands, Tanzania an incentive to encourage women to get involved in voluntary and the US, and the director and humanitarian work. of the regional Unesco and Female employees working in diff erent departments of International Organisation Qatar Charity, as well as at its offi ces outside Qatar, took part for Migration (IOM) off ices in the campaigns aimed at preventing the coronavirus. launched by Qatar Charity to motivate people to adhere to in Doha – all female heads of Shaikha Mohamed AlSubaey, a content specialist in the social distancing and wearing masks. mission – organised the ‘Dip- Marketing Department of QC, said she provided content She also participated in the distribution of winter items for lomat for a Day’ initiative. necessary for the awareness campaigns launched by Qatar workers and food packages among expatriate families with This programme aims at Charity to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. low income who were aff ected by Covid-19. mentoring, for a day, young Female mediapersons and social media infl uencers have The female employees of QC supervised ‘Noon’, a platform female Qatari students from contributed signifi cantly to raising awareness, encouraging to remotely teach, train and empower. Within the framework of Georgetown University and people to get involved in volunteering and giving to limit the the ‘Noon’ platform, Qatar Charity organised many education- the American School of Doha negative eff ects of the pandemic. al programmes and training workshops such the Holy Qur’an and expose them to real diplo- The Canadian ambassador and her Nadine al-Bitar, a mediaperson and civil society activist, learning course, ‘Al-Qaeda Al-Nourania’ course and ‘Tamkeen’ matic life. The ambassador of the Netherlands student donating books to l’Institut said she participated in many awareness-raising initiatives programme, benefi ting hundreds of girls and children. Each head of mission organ- and her students meeting with Dr Hend Français in the presence of the French ised a unique programme that al-Muftah at the Shura Council. envoy. highlighted their mandate SIGA Web Summit kicks off today and activities in Qatar. Students were a shadow- SIGA Web Summit on Female Leader- such us the United Nations, B20, Euro- to promote greater equality and diplomat for the day, working ship in Sport will kick off today in coin- pean Commission, sports organisations, opportunities for women in sport, side by side with their head cidence with the International Women’s including World Rugby, FIFA, Formula E, as advocated by the SIGA Universal of mission and participating Day, with the participation of nearly 90 F1 W Series, US Lacrosse League, Major Standards on Good Governance in in various diplomatic ac- international organisations alongside League Soccer, the English, French and Sport. tivities. Some of the activities senior off icials, executives and decision- Australian Football Associations, LPGA, Commenting on the occasion, SIGA Vice comprised meeting with the makers from the various sectors of ICC, NWSL, FIFPro, Saudi Sport for All Chairman Mohamed bin Hanzab said consular sections to witness global sport. Foundation and R&A, as well as several that launching the new summit on the the documentation process, More than 70 high profile female execu- National Olympic Committees, will take International Women’s Day reflects the interacting with other ambas- tives and legendary athletes from a part. important role of SIGA in promoting the sadors, receiving briefings number of international organisations, The three-day summit is designed role of women in sports. on the various policies being implemented, discussing The Ethiopian embassy team with their student. programmes within embassy trade and cultural sections, meetings with other United Nations agencies, participat- ing in technical meetings and attending field visits. At the end of the day, a virtual wrap-up session was organ- ised to allow all participants to meet and provide feedback on their experience. All Covid-19 precautions were in place for the day. “The idea behind this initiative is to provide young women with exposure to some of the The Greek ambassador and her student visiting the Elite Paper Recycling factory. work we do, and to give them first-hand experience in dip- lomatic off ices,” said Stefanie McCollum, Canada’s ambas- sador to Qatar, speaking on behalf the female heads of mission. “The experience was very enriching for us too, and the energy and enthusiasm exhibited by these amazing students was contagious,” she added. Maryam al-Thani, who spent the day with Graciela Gómez The ambassador of Tanzania briefing her student on diplomatic work. García, Mexico’s ambassador to Qatar, said: “As a member of Georgetown University in Qatar’s ‘Ambassador Society’, I frequently receive invites to meet distinguished guests and speakers in the field of foreign service. But when the opportunity to shadow an ambassador to Qatar presented itself, I did not think twice. Being ‘Diplomat for a Day’ allowed me to translate The Austrian ambassador and the theory I have learned in her students planting a tree with Georgetown into practice. The head of mission of Unesco with her the Ministry of Municipality and I was able to experience an student. Environment. in-depth look into the life of an ambassador, one that can oftentimes feel far and foreign to a politics major, like me. “This opportunity is especially relevant to me as a female. To have been able to shadow a successful female ambas- sador, who surely had to overcome a lot in her own respect, is a clear indicator that women are finally plac- ing themselves firmly in the field – and I cannot think of a better way to spend the week The Mexican embassy team with their student. leading up to International Women’s Day!” The world will come together today to celebrate Interna- tional Women’s Day (IWD 2021). ‘Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world’ is this year’s theme, which aims to cel- ebrate the tremendous eff orts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery The US ambassador and their student with the Qatar Air Sports Committee canopy from the Covid-19 pandemic. formation demonstration team. Gulf Times 6 Monday, March 8, 2021 QATAR

QM debate highlights public art’s QNTC conducts inspection role in development of culture campaign at Batabit atar Museums (QM), in diff erent ideas and cultures to it. It is part of a collaboration between the government entities co-operation with the During the debate, commu- QQatar Debate Centre – a nity members voted on the ques- to ensure the safety of individuals and properties member of Qatar Foundation, re- tion and majority of the audience cently organised a virtual Arabic agreed with the proposition team. debate on public art and its role Architect Abdulrahman Ahmad atar National Tourism in the development of culture and al-Ishaq, director of Public Art, Council (QNTC) carried thought in society. It was attend- QM said: “We were pleased at QM Qout two inspection cam- ed by more than 100 community to receive so many attendees in paigns at the motorcycle and four- members. this debate, held in co-operation wheel drive bike rental offi ces in Two teams of high school stu- with Qatar Debate Centre. QM is Sealine. dents debated the topic: This working to enhance the sense of In a statement, QNTC noted house believes that public art national participation in impor- that these inspections were to must be compatible with coun- tant cultural dialogue, and to in- ensure the properties are li- try’s culture? The debate fea- spire future generations to take an censed and committed to apply- tured the participation of: Moza interest in the arts and contribute ing the provisions of Circular No. al-Hajri, Dana al-Darwish, and to Qatar’s thriving art scene.” (5)/2018, which specifi es oper- Mohamed Hamzah al-Sioufi as Abdulrahman al-Subaie, head ating guidelines associated with the proposition team, and Ammar Members of the two teams present their arguments during the of Outreach Programmes at Qa- tourism transport activities, as Yasser Mohamed Karkur, Abdul- debate. tar Debate Centre, said: “The well as the terms and standards lah Hamza Mohamed Sha’ar, and importance of debate and public of four-wheel drive bikes, desig- Rahaf Khalid Abu Tarbush, as the contributes to constructing soci- limiting the freedom of expres- discussion of general issues that nated for tourists for desert trips. opposition team. ety’s culture when artists docu- sion, a human right guaranteed meet the aspirations of young QNTC launched the inspection The proposition team argued ment new events using modern by the Universal Declaration of people and allow them to employ campaigns in the beginning of that art’s role was a historical methods. Human Rights. The team further their promising energies by pro- 2021. During the fi rst campaign, one. As per the team’s argument, The opposition team conversely stated that public art led to the viding the appropriate atmos- 26 rental offi ces were notifi ed art documents events that aff ect argued that art was a means of ex- development of the thought and phere to explore the potentials about existing violations, with Bike renters must be 16 years of age or older. people’s lives, and it additionally pression, and its restriction meant culture of society by introducing within them.” fi nal warnings issued during the second campaign. Rental offi ces that continue to violate licence and safety conditions will be shut during the HBKU Press publishes article on role of pharmacists during Covid third campaign, which started in February. QNTC is conducting these inspections in col- Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU approximately 22,000 per month. In addition laboration with the South Security Department, Press) has recently published a new article to simply filling up prescriptions, the new the General Directorate of Traffi c, and The Min- detailing the eff ectiveness and the dedication inpatient workflow for pharmacists and istry of Municipality and Environment (MME) – of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in pharmacy technicians established to maintain represented by the Department of Protection and responding to Covid-19 pandemic in Qatar eff icient infection control increased their Wildlife, to improve security and safety during on its online academic publishing platform overall workload by four times. The outpatient the winter camping season in the Sealine. QScience.com. pharmacy also expanded its scope of service QNTC COO Berthold Trenkel said: “We work The research was conducted by Dr Rania A to manage all refill requests for Covid-19 cases closely with all public and private institutions to Hassanin, supervisor, Outpatient Pharmacy at in the 12 quarantine centres across Qatar. improve security and safety during the camping the Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) of The Clinical Pharmacy Service established season, and to enhance the visitor experience Hamad Medical Corporation, in co-ordination protocols within its team to raise awareness in Qatar. With a strong focus on Service Excel- with Dr Fatima Rustom, pharmacy director at and provide education to prevent prescription lence, QNTC works with owners, helping them the CDC, and highlights how the retrospective errors. comply with requirements and obtain the nec- analysis on the roles of these particular The result of such an initiative by the CDC essary licenses. With safety and service key, we healthcare workers provides a key data as a Pharmacy Team, along with the various aim to help vendors protect their investments part of the overall contribution of healthcare eff orts of multiple other healthcare sectors while preserving the safety of tenants and camp- providers in containing the eff ect of the in HMC, was the containment of Covid-19 ers alike”. pandemic in Qatar. The research took place from March – patient’s death rate. This resulted in the overall Mohamed al-Ansari, director of Tourism Li- “As preventative measures surrounding the October 2020 and the post-research analysis death rate in Qatar around 40% lower than censing at QNTC, said: “The initiative follows Covid-19 pandemic are re-introduced due to demonstrated how the pharmacy team at the the global rate. The article details how the Circular No. (5)/2018, which lays out conditions QNTC is conducting inspections at the a spike in cases, the research published on CDC managed to plan, record, and implement a eff ective maintenance of pharmaceutical and regulations for vendors. The licensee must motorcycle and four-wheel drive bike rental QScience.com provides insight on successful full strategy to maintain their critical healthcare treatment plans for Covid-19 patients, coupled keep periodic maintenance records that include off ices in Sealine to improve security and safety protocols implemented in the past by frontline service despite the challenges presented by with the use of automated disinfecting and the maintenance history of brake pads, fuel and during the winter camping season. healthcare sectors becomes increasingly the Covid-19 pandemic. distribution services in collaboration with other oil pumps, fi lters, batteries, and other technical important,” said Dr Rima J Isaifan, head of During those months, it was reported that stakeholders in clinical workflows, allowed for matters related to the safety of passengers and their parents. The licensee must also oblige bikers Academic and Journals Publishing, HBKU the number of prescriptions increased life-saving medications to be made available to bikes.” to wear safety gear, and make sure that the right Press. from approximately 7,000 per month to those in dire need “Requirements related to the storage of motor- size of helmets, shoes, and gloves, and protective bikes and fuel are included in the circular, with equipment are being used. Drivers must wear seat- motorcycle tracks and the maximum speed al- belts in vehicles accommodating more than one lowed clearly stated. Modifi cations to motorcycles passenger. that may aff ect safety are not allowed, neither are This inspection campaign focuses on addressing Social media posts on visit visas false: Indian embassy any modifi cations to the exhaust. These measures safety concerns regarding motorcycle and four- help prioritise the safety of renters and campers wheel bike rentals. As head of the tourism sector in The Indian embassy has said social media ily/tourist visas. The social media posts with the Qatar authorities in the matter,” it and prevent environmental pollution,” al-Ansari the country, and a licensing authority, QNTC fo- posts on the resumption of visit visa and that the visit visas and visa on arrival have added. The clarification came after social added. cuses on providing safe, secure experiences. visa on arrival issuance in Qatar are false. reopened in Qatar are false,” the embassy media posts went viral, claiming that visit The circular outlines further rules, including With the popularity of camping and associated “To prevent and control spread of the pan- said in a statement on Twitter yesterday. visas and visa on arrival had reopened in a stipulation that bike renters must be 16 years of activities, enforcing regulations is of great impor- demic, Qatar is not issuing new visit/fam- “The embassy of India remains in touch Qatar for Indian citizens. age or older, with younger patrons only allowed tance, helping the sector build off erings and as- to drive suitable bicycles under the supervision of suage concerns. Gulf Times Monday, March 8, 2021 7 QATAR/REGION

Vande Bharat Coalition jets pound Sanaa Mission Phase 10 includes after Houthi drone strikes AFP strikes on the city. Targeting civilians in the and commercial goods. weak and those who are giving Trump, had been widely criti- Riyadh “The military operation tar- kingdom was a “red line”, the “I need to understand the sit- funding fi nd it more diffi cult to cised by aid organisations, who fl ights to gets Houthi military capabilities coalition said after the retalia- uation of food, fuel, health, wa- give money,” said Gressly. warned it would hamper their in Sanaa and a number of other tory strikes on Sanaa. ter, education and other needs “So we need to fi nd a way to go eff orts to alleviate a humanitar- Saudi-led military coali- provinces,” the coalition was Amid a new US push for a res- of the people,” he told reporters. beyond humanitarian assistance ian crisis in Yemen. Qatar tion mounted air strikes quoted as saying by the offi cial olution to the grinding confl ict, “What we would want to see is to help the economy come back,” “The removal of the Houthis A yesterday on Yemen’s Saudi Press Agency. it added that the Houthis’ ac- the port to be open, not only for he added. from the list of terrorist groups Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa The raids come after the coa- tions “will not lead to an impo- fuel but other commodities.” The Houthis have stepped up has been interpreted in a hostile VBM Phase 10 lists after it intercepted a string of lition said it intercepted a total of sition of a political settlement”. The United Nations had attacks on Saudi Arabia in re- way by the militia,” SPA cited the repatriation flights to various drones launched by the rebels, 12 drones launched by the rebels The grinding confl ict has warned of a “death sentence” cent weeks, while they escalate coalition as saying. destinations including Doha state media reported. yesterday, in a sharp escalation claimed tens of thousands of against Yemen after a donor an off ensive in Yemen to seize The coalition added that until March 28 The developments mark a new in cross-border attacks on the lives and displaced millions, conference last week yielded the government’s last northern their “victories” in Marib had escalation in Yemen’s six-year kingdom. according to international or- less than half the funds needed stronghold of Marib. prompted the rebels to step up he latest phase of repa- confl ict between the coalition- The coalition – fi ghting in ganisations, sparking what the to prevent a devastating famine. The escalation comes after the attacks on the kingdom. triation fl ights for Indians backed Yemeni government and Yemen alongside the interna- United Nations calls the world’s It appealed for $3.85bn to pay United States last month delist- On Saturday, Yemeni govern- Taff ected by coronavirus the rebels, despite a renewed US tionally-recognised government worst humanitarian crisis. for urgently needed aid, but just ed the Houthis as terrorists and ment sources said fi erce fi ghting (Covid-19) disruptions world- push to end the confl ict. against the insurgents – said that Yesterday David Gressly, the $1.7bn was off ered at the virtual stepped up eff orts to de-escalate between pro-government forces wide (known as the Vande Bharat The strikes triggered explo- the drones were aimed at “civil- UN’s humanitarian co-ordina- pledging conference. the six-year confl ict. and the rebels in oil-rich Marib Mission, VBM) includes services sions in Sanaa, according to AFP ian” targets in Saudi Arabia, SPA tor for Yemen, was in the Red “After over a year of (the coro- The terror designation, im- had left at least 90 combatants to and from Doha, according to correspondents at the scene. reported, without specifying the Sea port of Hodeida, a key entry navirus pandemic) throughout posed late in the administration on the two sides dead over the India’s ministry of external af- The rebels reported seven air locations. point for both humanitarian aid the world, the economies are of former US president Donald span of 24 hours. fairs (MEA). VBM Phase 10 lists fl ights to various destinations including Doha until March 28. Air India fl ights to and from the following destinations will Smoking ‘increases risk of colorectal cancer’, say experts be connected to Doha during Phase 10, the MEA said, and advised passengers to counter- xperts at Hamad Medical gression and response to treat- preventing colorectal cancer, Dr recommended age of 50 years for check with the airline for con- Corporation (HMC)’s To- ment. Jamal Abdullah, smoking ces- colon cancer screening.” fi rmation of the fl ights, timings, Ebacco Control Centre have Tobacco use has been asso- sation specialist at HMC’s To- He stressed the importance of dates, destinations and other warned that smoking is one of ciated with increased cancer bacco Control Centre, said that quitting smoking immediately details. the leading causes of colorectal growth and metastasis of tu- the sooner an individual quits for those diagnosed with color- The destinations include cancer, the third most common mour cells in patients with can- smoking, the less likely he is to ectal cancer. Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode (all cancer worldwide, as March is cer, thus increasing the risk of develop colorectal cancer. Dr Abdullah explained that Kerala), Mangaluru (Karnataka), marked as the Colorectal Cancer death due to cancer. He added that there are many continuing to smoke after a Trichy (Tamil Nadu), and Vijaya- Awareness Month. “Studies indicate that color- cancer-causing ingredients in cancer diagnosis, regardless of wada (Andhra Pradesh). Dr Ahmad al-Mulla, the head ectal cancer-related death rates tobacco that can damage the cancer type, can have very seri- According to Zawya business of the HMC Tobacco Control are signifi cantly higher in smok- DNA. ous consequences in terms of news site, the biggest slice of the Centre, explained that many ers compared to non-smokers,” Over time, the ability of the increasing the pace of tumour ongoing phase of repatriation epidemiological studies indicate Dr al-Mulla said. “Studies also body to repair this damage de- growth, negatively impacting fl ights for Indians aff ected by that smokers are at an increased showed that the amount and Dr Abdullah: Available evidence creases. Dr al-Mulla: Colorectal the patient’s response to treat- Covid-19 disruptions worldwide risk of developing colorectal duration of smoking can play is strong enough to suggest However, the body starts to cancer-related death rates ment, and increasing the risk of has been set apart for the GCC cancer. a role in increasing the risk of that the risk of developing colon dispose of all toxic tobacco in- are significantly higher in developing more tumours. countries, accounting for 68% While several factors can lead developing colon cancer, as the cancer as a result of smoking gredients if the smoker quits this smokers compared to that of He noted that several studies of the total fl ights. to the development of colon incidence of this type of cancer is high. harmful habit early. non-smokers. have indicated a link between The latest phase of these repa- cancer – including inherited ge- decreased among those who quit “Available evidence is strong smoking cessation and the in- triation fl ights began on March netic mutations, unhealthy life- smoking early (before at least 10 more risk of developing colon enough to suggest that the risk that smokers, and especially creased likelihood of survival for 1 and will last until March 28, styles such as eating a low-fi bre years) compared to those who cancer than male smokers.” of developing colon cancer as those with a family history of co- people with cancer, compared to stated MEA spokesperson An- or high-fat diet and leading an continued to smoke. Commenting on the impor- a result of smoking is high,” Dr lon cancer, should get screened those who have been diagnosed urag Srivastava. inactive lifestyle – smoking can “Other studies have found tance of quitting smoking as Abdullah said. “The American for colon cancer at the age of 40 with cancer but did not quit More than 1,350 international negatively aff ect disease pro- that women who smoke are at early as possible and its role in Cancer Society recommends years compared to the normally smoking. fl ights are scheduled to be op- erated from 28 countries in this phase, enabling an estimated 260,000 Indians to travel home. Over 327,000 Covid-19 vaccine MoPH Temperature rise in coming days, doses administered so far reports 474 hot Friday forecast Temperatures are expected to From Page 1 new Covid rise gradually from today and significantly during the daytime The current priority groups on Friday, when the maximum eligible for vaccination are as cases will touch the upper-30Cs in follows: some areas, the Qatar Met  People aged 50 and above department has said. regardless of their health con- he Ministry of Public The weather will be moderate ditions; Health (MoPH) reported to relatively hot during the  People at any age with Tyesterday 474 new con- daytime in the coming days, the moderate chronic medical con- fi rmed cases of coronavirus department tweeted yesterday. ditions; and (Covid-19) during the last 24 Today’s detailed forecast says  Additional healthcare pro- hours, of which 419 were from strong winds and high seas are fessionals and other key work- community and 55 from travel- expected in off shore areas in the ers in diff erent ministries and lers returning from abroad who early hours of the day. government institutions, in- are subject to quarantine. The wind speed may go up to 25 cluding teachers and adminis- The MoPH also recorded 301 knots, with the sea level rising tration staff in education. recoveries from the virus during to 8’. The appointment process the past 24 hours, bringing the The temperature is expected to remains the same, with Pri- total number of cases recovered range from 16-26C in Doha today. mary Health Care Corporation in Qatar to 156,001. (PHCC) teams contacting eligi- For regular updates and new ble people directly to off er ap- information on the pandemic Recall order for pointments. one may visit the MoPH website. Anyone over 60 years can – QNA Mercedes-Benz call PHCC on 40277077 to book 2019 model an appointment at a primary 495 face prosecution for violations of Covid-19 protocols health centre and an online reg- The Ministry of Commerce istration system is available on The competent authorities referred 495 people including the driver, are allowed in a vehicle, except and Industry (MoCI), in co- the MoPH website for people to to the Public Prosecution for violating the when the occupants are of the same family. operation with Nasser Bin Khaled register their interest in receiv- precautionary and preventive measures enforced Seven people were referred to the Public Prosecution Automobiles, has announced ing the vaccine. by the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus for not maintaining a safe physical distance, and the recall of Mercedes-Benz (Covid-19). eight others for not installing the Ehteraz app on A Class model of 2019, as the Of them, 471 people were referred to the prosecution their mobile phones. condensation drain hose of the for not wearing masks in places where they are The measure is in line with a Cabinet decision and air conditioning system may not mandatory, while nine were found violating the rule Decree Law No 17 of 1990 on infectious diseases, and have been correctly installed in limiting the number of people allowed in a vehicle. the precautionary measures in force in the country certain vehicles. According to the rule, a maximum of four people, to contain the spread of Covid-19. For complaints, inquiries and suggestions, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has advised all customers to contact its Consumer Protection and Anti- Home quarantine for children of Commercial Fraud Department, through the following channels: Call centre: 16001, e-mail: parents who have been vaccinated [email protected], Twitter: @MOCIQATAR, Instagram: MOCIQATAR, MoCI mobile app From Page 1 provided that they arrive after 14 to the website, “if all members for android and iOS: MOCIQATAR days. of the booking of ages 18 years or Quarantine requirements are Meanwhile, the Discover Qa- over have received both doses of determined by the country from tar website says once a booking a vaccine from a medical facility 380 inspections where the fl ight departs. is confi rmed, amendments to in Qatar, with the second vaccine The list is available on the quarantine hotel packages can- having been received at least 14 by Al Sheehaniya Ministry of Public Health not be made. days before the date of the return Municipal off icers (MoPH) website at https://cov- Once a person has made a fl ight to Doha, a full refund will id19.moph.gov.qa/EN/Pages/ booking, it is non-refundable be issued if Discover Qatar re- Al Sheehaniya Municipality’s Countries-Classified-Low- and the dates cannot be amend- ceives a notifi cation no less than Health Technical Control Section Risk-of-COVID-19.aspx ed, except under certain condi- 48 hours before the quarantine carried out 380 inspection The MoPH had also recently tions. booking is due for check-in”. campaigns that resulted in Al Wakra Central Market inspected reiterated that those who have “Please, therefore, do not book Refunds can take up to 60 issuing nine violation reports received the second dose of your quarantine package until days. during February. Further, 230 The inspectors at Al Wakra Municipality’s Health Section examined 44,563kg of desert truff les Covid-19 vaccine from Qatar can you are sure that the details are Cancellation charges will ap- inspection campaigns were at Al Wakra Central Market in February at the daily auction to ensure they are safe for human travel out of the country imme- correct,” it advises. ply if a notifi cation is received carried out on the related consumption. Following the inspections, a total of 1,615kg of the truff les were destroyed. diately and return without be- The following exceptions to within 48 hours of the quaran- violations of state property. ing required to be quarantined, the above now apply, according tine booking. Gulf Times 8 Monday, March 8, 2021 WORLD South Korea, US scale back annual military drill

AFP/Reuters for a military invasion. denuclearisation of the Korean drills could complicate President tween the US and the South. joint military exercises with times responded to such drills Seoul “The upcoming annual train- Peninsula and the establishment Moon Jae-in’s drive to complete There are close to 30,000 US South Korea. with its own shows of military ing is a computer-simulated of peace”, the JCS said. the transfer before his term ends troops stationed in South Korea, But a second meeting held in force, it may be unlikely to do so command post exercise that is The drills will not include out- in 2022. and their annual drills with tens Hanoi in February 2019 broke up this time, said Chad O’Carroll, outh Korea and the United strictly defensive in nature,” the door manoeuvres, which have The drills come in the early of thousands of South Korean early with no progress towards chief executive of Korea Risk States will conduct their Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in been carried out throughout the months of a new US adminis- soldiers have always angered the Washington’s goal of getting the Group, which monitors North Sannual military training a statement, adding they went year, and the number of troops tration under President Joe Bi- North – with Pyongyang con- isolated North to abandon its nu- Korea. this week but the drills will be ahead with plans after consider- and equipment will be minimised den, with nuclear talks between demning the manoeuvres as of- clear weapons programme. “I think there’s too much smaller because of the coronavi- ing the pandemic. due to the pandemic, Yonhap Pyongyang and Washington fensive plans. Experts say North Korea may on the domestic agenda going rus (Covid-19) pandemic, Seoul South Korea and the US decid- news agency reported. deadlocked. However, following the fi rst use the upcoming military drills wrong to risk any signifi cant tit- said yesterday. ed to move forward with the drills The exercises also provide a The nuclear-armed North Ko- summit between the US and to launch fresh provocations for-tat escalation,” he said on The nine-day exercise that be- after “comprehensively taking chance to assess South Korea’s rea – which attacked its neigh- North Korea in Singapore in June against Washington as it seeks to Twitter. “And this is a govern- gins today is still likely to infuri- into consideration the Covid-19 readiness to take over war-time bour in 1950 and triggered the 2018, then-US president Donald test the new Biden administra- ment which tends to focus most ate North Korea, which has long situation, the maintenance of the operational control (OPCON), Korean War – has regularly been Trump said Washington would tion. of its resources on dealing with considered them to be rehearsals combat readiness posture, the and the series of scaled back angered by military exercises be- suspend the “very provocative” While Pyongyang has some- one key issue at a time.”

Auckland emerges Myanmar unions call from lockdown

Reuters Coronavirus Melbourne reaches shores of New Caledonia uckland, New Zealand’s The remote Pacific territory for total strike action biggest city, emerged of New Caledonia, one of the Ayesterday from a strict few places on the planet to Suu Kyi party off icial dies in police custody weeklong lockdown imposed have avoided the coronavirus after a community cluster of (Covid-19) pandemic, is to Reuters National League for Democ- the more contagious British go into strict lockdown after Yangon racy (NLD) offi cial Khin Maung coronavirus (Covid-19) vari- detecting nine cases, local of- Latt had worked as a campaign ant. ficials said yesterday. manager for one of two Muslim There were no new local The outbreak on the French yanmar’s major trade MPs elected in 2020. Covid-19 cases recorded yes- archipelago was detected after unions have called on Ba Myo Thein, a member of terday, health offi cials said, a school headteacher fell ill on Mmembers to shut down parliament’s upper house which marking a full week of no com- the Wallis and Futuna islands – the economy from today to back was dissolved after the coup, munity transmissions across another French territory in the a campaign against last month’s said reports of bruising to Khin the country. Pacific – leading authorities to coup, raising pressure on the jun- Maung Latt’s head and body Footage on TVNZ, New Zea- screen for cases. ta as its forces fi red weapons and raised suspicions that he had land’s state-owned television “According to the first indica- occupied hospitals in the main been tortured. network, showed many people tions, the patient developed city Yangon after a day of mas- “It seems that he was arrested lining up at coff ee shops yes- symptoms in mid-February sive protests. at night and tortured severely,” he terday morning, with many and could have been infectious Witnesses reported sounds of told Reuters. “This is totally un- saying that they were feeling in Wallis and Futuna from the gunfi re or stun grenades in many acceptable.” relieved. end of January,” the head of districts of the commercial capi- Police in Pabedan, the Yangon Auckland, a city of nearly the local government in New tal after nightfall, as soldiers set district where Khin Maung Latt 2mn, will continue to have Caledonia, Thierry Santa, told up camp in hospitals and uni- was arrested, declined to com- limits on public gathering and reporters. versity compounds, local media ment. masks are obligatory on public Travel between the two French reported. Yesterday saw some of the big- transport. territories had previously been It was not clear whether any- gest protests in recent weeks. Restrictions might be fur- unrestricted, while anyone one was hurt. Police fi red stun grenades and ther eased on Friday. arriving from elsewhere had to The Assistance Association for tear gas to break up a sit-in by Neighbouring Australia also undergo a strict 14-day quaran- Political Prisoners, a non-profi t, tens of thousands of people in had no local Covid-19 cases tine in a hotel. – AFP said the army was “intentionally Mandalay, the Myanmar Now yesterday, making it the 37th terrorising residents” in Yangon. media group said. day of no infections this year. The show of force came af- At least 70 people were ar- There have been no related of the AstraZeneca’s vaccine. ter some of the largest nation- rested. deaths in 2021. Australia’s Health Minister wide protests since the Febru- Police also launched tear gas Protesters hold shields with the word ‘PEOPLE’ written on them during a demonstration in Yangon Swift public health measures Greg Hunt, among the fi rst re- ary 1 coup, and an alliance of and stun grenades in the direc- yesterday against the military coup. combined with aggressive con- ceive the University of Oxford/ nine unions said they planned a tion of protesters in Yangon tact tracing, border closures AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday “full extended shutdown” of the and in the town of Lashio in the “They broke into the house … police statement as saying secu- China, Myanmar’s giant and compulsory quarantine after an earlier shipment, said economy. northern Shan region, videos and point with guns, I was told,” rity forces were dealing with the neighbour to the northeast, said for travellers have been cred- the rollout is on track. “To continue economic and posted on Facebook showed. he said in a Facebook post, add- protests in accordance with law. yesterday that it is prepared to ited with making New Zealand Inoculation with the Pfi zer/ business activities as usual ... A witness said police opened ing that his father was also beat- It said the forces were using engage with “all parties” to ease and Australia highly successful BioNTech vaccine started in will only benefi t the military as fi re to break up a protest in the en. tear gas and stun grenades to the crisis and is not taking sides. in keeping the pandemic from February, but most Austral- they repress the energy of the historic temple town of Bagan, The United Nations says secu- break up rioting and protests that Australia said it suspended a spreading. ians will be vaccinated with the Myanmar people,” they said in and several residents said in so- rity forces have killed more than were blocking public roads. bilateral defence co-operation Both countries saw their University of Oxford/Astra- a joint statement. “The time to cial media posts that live bullets 50 people to quell daily demon- Well more than 1,700 people programme with the military fol- economies recovering speedily Zeneca vaccine. take action in defence of our de- were used. strations and strikes since the had been detained under the mil- lowing the coup, and its develop- in the second part of 2020. The weekly number of ad- mocracy is now.” Video posted by Myanmar military overthrew and detained itary junta by Saturday, accord- ment programme would engage Australia’s economy ex- ministered doses is expected to A spokesman for the mili- Now showed soldiers beating up Suu Kyi on February 1. ing to fi gures from the Assistance only with non-government or- panded at a much faster-than- reach 1mn by the end of March tary did not answer calls seeking men in Yangon, where at least “They are killing people just Association for Political Prison- ganisations. expected pace in the fi nal quar- when CSL Ltd begins to locally comment and Reuters was unable three protests were held despite like killing birds and chickens,” ers advocacy group. Protesters demand the re- ter of last year and all signs produce 50mn of the Astra- to reach police for comment. overnight raids by security forces one protest leader said to the The killings have drawn anger lease of Suu Kyi and respect for were that 2021 has started on a Zeneca doses. The army has said it is dealing on campaign leaders and opposi- crowd in Dawei, a town in Myan- in the West and been condemned November’s election – which fi rm footing too. The government is spend- with protests lawfully. tion activists. mar’s south. “What will we do if by most democracies in Asia. her party won in a landslide but Coronavirus inoculation be- ing more than A$6bn ($4.6bn) Meanwhile, an offi cial from the Sithu Maung, the NLD MP we don’t revolt against them? We The United States and some which the army rejected. gan in both countries, with the to support the vaccine rollout party of deposed leader Aung San who worked with Khin Maung must revolt.” other Western countries have The army has said it will hold vaccination rollout in Australia with contracts for over 150mn Suu Kyi died overnight in police Latt, said that soldiers and police State-run Global New Light Of imposed limited sanctions on the democratic elections at an un- becoming slightly complicated doses of various Covid-19 vac- custody. detained his father last night. Myanmar newspaper quoted a junta. specifi ed date. after Italy blocked a shipment cines.

Rights groups call for Philippines China hopes US will remove ‘curbs on co-operation’ investigation into killings of activists Human rights groups have called on the Philippine government to investigate what they said was the use of “lethal force” during Reuters between China and the United police raids yesterday that left at least nine activists dead. Beijing States must be managed care- The raids in four provinces south of Manila resulted in the death fully, the two sides must advo- of an environmental activist as well as a co-ordinator of left-wing cate healthy competition not group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, among others, and resulted hina has urged the United zero-sum fi nger-pointing, and in the arrest of four others, activist groups said. States to remove “un- that areas like climate change “These raids appear to be part of a co-ordinated plan by the Creasonable” curbs on and fi ghting the pandemic were authorities to raid, arrest, and even kill activists in their homes and co-operation as soon as possible where they could co-operate. off ices,” Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson and work together on issues like “It is hoped that the United said in a statement. climate change, while accusing States and China will meet each Lieutenant-General Antonio Parlade, head of an anti-rebel task Washington of bringing chaos in other halfway and lift the various force, told Reuters that the raids were “legitimate law enforcement the name of spreading democ- unreasonable restrictions placed operations”, and authorities acted on the basis of search warrants racy. on Sino-US co-operation to date for possession of firearms and explosives. – Reuters Last week US President Joe as soon as possible, and not cre- Biden singled out a “growing ri- ate new obstacles artifi cially.” valry with China” as a key chal- The United States and China Sri Lanka’s top Catholic demands lenge facing the United States, are at odds over infl uence in the with his top diplomat describing Indo-Pacifi c region, Beijing’s action on Easter bombings probe the Asian country as “the biggest economic practices, Hong Kong geopolitical test” of this century. (see accompanying report), The leader of Sri Lanka’s Catholics demanded that the government Speaking at his annual news Taiwan and human rights in Chi- find the perpetrators of deadly Easter attacks two years ago, as conference, the Chinese gov- na’s Xinjiang region. black-clad worshippers held silent protests outside the capital’s ernment’s top diplomat, State The Biden administration has churches yesterday. Councillor Wang Yi, struck a indicated it will broadly continue No one has been prosecuted over the bombings at three hotels and tough line even as he outlined the tough approach to China tak- three churches in Colombo that killed 279 people on April 21, 2019, where the world’s two biggest en by former president Donald although a local investigation found that followers of a religious economies could work together. Trump, but do so in co-ordina- Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is seen via video link at a news conference on the militant group were behind them. – AFP Questioned about recent US- tion with allies. sidelines of the National People’s Congress (NPC), in Beijing. China frictions over Taiwan, Wang warned that on Chi- Xinjiang and the disputed South nese-claimed Taiwan there was nomic policies, which have not about the region, and took a dig Hong Kong needs electoral reform for ‘brighter future’: China China Sea, the foreign minister no room for compromise, urg- been lifted under the new admin- at Western countries’ record. said that Beijing “will never ac- ing the new US government to istration. “When it comes to ‘geno- The Chinese government’s top diplomat State democracy in Hong Kong during colonial times, and cept baseless accusations and change the previous administra- Activists and UN experts say cide’, most people think of North Councillor Wang Yi has said that the electoral system that China has confidence electoral reforms will be smears”. tion’s “dangerous acts of playing 1mn Muslim Uighurs are held in American Indians in the 16th in Hong Kong must be improved for long-term beneficial. The United States had used with fi re”. Chinese camps. century, African slaves in the stability, saying reform would bring about a “brighter “Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to governance is democracy and human rights as Biden’s team says the US com- China denies abuses and says 19th century, Jews in the 20th future” for the city. fully in the interests of all parties,” he said. a basis for arbitrarily interfering mitment to democratic Taiwan is its camps provide vocational century, and the Australian abo- China’s plan to dramatically reform Hong Kong’s A year ago, China imposed a tough national security with other countries’ aff airs, he “rock solid”. training and are needed to fi ght rigines who are still fi ghting electoral system, unveiled this week during the law on the former British colony, saying it was said. “The US should realise this During Trump’s administra- extremism. today,” he said. “The so-called country’s annual parliamentary session, is expected needed following months of sometimes violent anti- as soon as possible, otherwise the tion, the United States levied a Wang addressed accusations ‘genocide’ in Xinjiang is ridicu- to upend the territory’s governance and ensure government protests. world will continue to experience series of sanctions against China over human rights abuses in lously absurd. It is a rumour with Beijing loyalists are in charge. Beijing has since said that it will directly vet electoral instability.” and its offi cials over Xinjiang, Xinjiang, saying some Western ulterior motives and a complete Speaking at his annual news conference at the candidates for the city’s legislature and declared that Wang added that diff erences Hong Kong and Beijing’s eco- politicians chose to believe lies lie.” parliamentary session, Wang said that there was no only “patriots” should rule Hong Kong. – Reuters Gulf Times Monday, March 8, 2021 9 WORLD

ROYALTY HEALTHCARE CLAIM CRIME Queen calls for Johnson expresses Tory funds ‘used to pay for Children being groomed Commonwealth unity gratitude to health workers Johnson’s flat makeover’ to steal from cars: police

Queen Elizabeth yesterday celebrated the sense Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday expressed Boris Johnson persuaded Tory chiefs to secretly The huge number of children being lured into car of Commonwealth unity fostered by “a time like his gratitude to health workers, responding to criti- pay for Carrie Symonds’ makeover of his off icial crime was revealed as a police chief warns that no other”, just hours before a US interview with cism over his government’s pay proposal by saying flat, it was claimed. The Daily Mail has been told gangs are using county lines tactics. Children as her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan he had tried to give the service as much as he that Conservative Party funds met a large part young as six are caught stealing from cars and that could deepen divisions in the royal family. In could. Johnson, who himself was treated in hospital of the bill, which is said to be in the region of organised crime groups use messaging apps like a speech to mark Commonwealth Day, the Queen last year when he became severely ill with Covid-19, £200,000. But after being warned this could be WhatsApp to groom thousands of teenagers. A welcomed the “deeper appreciation of the mutual has come under fire for failing to meet his promise ‘improper’, and amid a backlash from outraged study of vehicle crime in the UK has revealed support and spiritual sustenance we enjoy being to look after health workers who have been fighting party elders, the Tories are said to have tried to that 39,635 off ences were committed by children connected to others” during the coronavirus pan- a coronavirus pandemic for more than a year by launch a cover-up. One or more wealthy donors as young as six in the past five years. Sir David demic. “We have all continued to appreciate the proposing a 1% pay increase for the National Health reportedly agreed to pay an equivalent sum into Thompson, chief constable of West Midlands support, breadth of experiences and knowledge Service. Earlier, the Labour Party stepped up its criti- Tory coff ers, apparently in the hope that party Police, said children were being sent out with a Queen Elizabeth II signs her annual that working together brings, and I hope we shall cism of the government’s budget, calling the pay HQ’s involvement in the Downing Street aff air shopping list of cars to hunt for after being lured Commonwealth Day Message in St George’s Hall maintain this renewed sense of closeness and off er to health workers “reprehensible” and pledging would stay hidden. Downing Street insisted there with cash, clothing and trainers by gangs, who at Windsor Castle, Windsor, west of London. community,” she said in a televised message. to vote against its freeze on income tax thresholds. had been no wrongdoing. often have links to the drug trade.

Detained Rohingyas Modi pledges facing deportation development in by India

Reuters Srinagar West Bengal

ndian police have detained more than 150 Rohingya ref- Iugees found living illegally in the northern region of Jammu and Kashmir and a process has to woo voters begun to deport them back to Myanmar, two offi cials said yes- IANS gine government to capitalise on Mithun Chakraborty yesterday terday. Kolkata that growth momentum,” Modi joined the BJP’s mega show at in Dozens of Rohingya are in a said. He said, besides Kolkata, the presence of Modi. makeshift “holding centre” at other cities will also be devel- He urged people to vote against Jammu’s Hira Nagar jail after reparing a roadmap for the oped across various districts so the incumbent Trinamool Con- local authorities conducted bio- upcoming state Assem- that education and medicines are gress government in Bengal. metric and other tests on hun- Pbly polls, Prime Minister available people and jobs can be Meanwhile, BJP leader Suv- dreds of people to verify their Narendra Modi yesterday said created for the youths. “I prom- endu Adhikari yesterday chal- identities. that the Mamata Banerjee-led ise to win your hearts with devel- lenged West Bengal Chief Minis- “The drive is part of an ex- Trinamool Congress government opment drives. ter Mamata Banerjee saying that ercise to trace foreigners living has shattered the expectations of You know what all Bengal had he would defeat the Trinamool in Jammu without valid docu- people in West Bengal. lost. We want to bring that glory Congress supremo in East Mid- ments,” said one of the two offi - “Bengal wants development, back once again,” the prime min- napore’s Nandigram in the As- cials, who declined to be named peace and property. People want ister said, adding that just to top- sembly elections. as they are not authorised to Bengal to reach the peak of de- ple the existing state government “It is my land and I am a voter speak to the media. velopments. They want Sonar is not the target of BJP. in Nandigram. Mamata Banerjee “We have started the process Bangla (Golden Bengal). Peo- “We want real change which is an outsider there,” Adhikari of deportation of these refu- ple have come here to bring real will bring back its lost glory and said. “I urge you all to have faith gees,” the offi cial added. change in Bengal,” he said. development. We must stop the in me. I will defeat the chief min- Prime Minister Narendra Mo- Modi was addressing a huge practice of vote bank politics. ister in Nandigram.” di’s federal government scrapped rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground TMC-led state government has Nandigram is a stronghold Jammu and Kashmir’s special yesterday ahead of state Assem- been exposed,” he said, while of newly-inducted BJP leader status in August 2019 and now bly polls. Modi said that he had shouting “no more corruption, no Adhikari who had been elected administers the region from New never before seen such a huge more syndicate, no more violence”. from the high profi le seat in 2016 Delhi. turnout in a political rally. The 294-member West Bengal and became a minister in Mama- The government regards the The premier said his visit was Assembly will go to the polls in ta Banerjee-led state cabinet. Rohingya as illegal aliens and a targeted to reassure the people of eight phases between March 27 Adhikari had joined the saff ron security risk, and has ordered Bengal that the Bharatiya Janata and April 29. The counting will brigade in December last year. that thousands of them living in Party (BJP) would work towards a take place on May 2. The rebel Trinamool leader had scattered settlements be identi- better tomorrow. Bollywood superstar and son claimed earlier that he will defeat fi ed and repatriated. “Let me assure you that we will of the soul from West Bengal Banerjee by over 50,000 votes. Hundreds of thousands of Ro- leave no stone unturned to devel- hingya were forced to fl ee their op Bengal. We want a Bengal full homeland after a crackdown by of employment opportunities so Shah kicks off campaign in Tamil Nadu Myanmar’s military in 2017. that people do not have to go out. Most are in ramshackle Real change means 21st century Union Home Minister Amit Tamil Nadu Assembly and the camps on the border with infrastructure, more investment, Shah yesterday kicked-off Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat Bangladesh. comprehensive growth and more the election campaign of BJP in alliance with the AIADMK Myanmar denies accusations economic power to poor people,” leader Pon Radhakrishnan, and PMK. The ruling AIADMK of genocide and says the army he pointed out. who is contesting from the has allotted 20 Assembly was fi ghting a legitimate coun- He said that there would be no Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat, seats and the Kanyakumari ter-insurgency campaign. appeasement politics in the state by conducting a roadshow. The Lok Sabha seat to the BJP. The Rohingyas living in Jammu if the BJP comes to power. The Union home minister launched PMK is contesting from 23 said they were concerned about party will not entertain illegal the Vijay Sankalp Mahasampark seats in the Vanniyar strong the weekend’s detentions and immigrants. Abhiyan at Sucheendram by holds. Radhakrishnan, also a the threat of deportation. “These fi ve years are going to canvassing votes conducting former Union minister, said: “We will go back when peace be really important for Bengal to a door-to-door campaign. He “The BJP, AIADMK combined is returns to our country,” said prepare the development blue- campaigned at 11 homes in the formidable in Tamil Nadu and Sufeera, 28, who said her uncle print for the next 25 years. We all town as part of the initiative. even after 10 years, there is no and brother had been sent to the India’s Prime Minster Narendra Modi addresses supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during need to work hard towards that The Bharatiya Janata Party is anti-incumbency factor against holding centre, leaving her alone a mass rally ahead of the state legislative assembly elections at the Brigade Parade ground in Kolkata direction. contesting the elections to the the state government.” with her children. yesterday. “Bengal needs a double-en- China stresses on peace, Detained US defence chief ‘likely to visit India’ partnership with India partment, which could not be Reuters New Delhi reached outside regular busi- ness hours. IANS very clear. “We are committed sang plains. However, yesterday, For India, closer bilateral mili- New Delhi/Beijing to settling the boundary dispute Wang said it falls on both sides S Defence Secretary tary ties could bring greater ac- through dialogue and consulta- to solidify existing consensus, Lloyd Austin is likely to cess to American technology, as tions,” he said, adding that at the strengthen dialogue and com- Uvisit India next week, an New Delhi tries to modernise its hina yesterday talked same time the Xi Jinping regime munication and improve the var- Indian government source said defence system amid tensions peace, partnership and has resolved to safeguard its sov- ious management mechanisms yesterday, as the two allies seek with neighbouring China in the Cprosperity with India, ereign rights and interest. to jointly safeguard peace and to deepen military ties to counter western Himalayas. insisting that it is committed to The foreign minister said, tranquillity in the border areas. the growing power of China in India and China last month settling the boundary dispute “China and India are each oth- In the year ahead, he said, the Asia-Pacifi c region. began to pull back troops and with New Delhi through dialogue er’s friends and partners and not Beijing hoped that India will The fi rst visit by a top offi cial battle tanks from a bitterly and consultations. threats and rivals. Both need to work with China to truly deliver of the new US President Joe Bi- contested lake area high in the After troops of both coun- help each other succeed instead on important common under- den’s administration will focus Himalayas, in a breakthrough tries disengaged along the Line of undercutting each other, we standing of the leaders of the two on enhancing co-operation, said after a months-long standoff of Actual Control in Ladakh last should intensify co-operation countries that India and China the source, who declined to be on the disputed border be- month, New Delhi had warned instead of harbouring suspicion are not threats to each other but named due to the sensitivity of tween the two nuclear-armed Beijing over a week ago that it over each other.” The boundary opportunities to each other’s de- the matter. giants. was not in the interest of either dispute, an issue left from his- velopment. Austin plans to meet Defence The standoff began in April side to prolong the remaining tory, is not the whole story of Together, the Xi Jinping and Minister Rajnath Singh during when India said Chinese troops boundary issues. the China-India relationship, he Narendra Modi governments can his visit some time in the week of had intruded deep into its side At his annual press meet, said. “It is important that the two bring greater benefi t to the peo- March 15, the offi cial added. of the Line of Actual Control or Chinese Foreign Minister Wang sides manage the dispute prop- ple of China and India, and make The fi rst Black US defence the de facto border in the La- Yi yesterday said the right and erly and at the same time ex- greater contribution to eff orts for chief will join Secretary of State dakh area in the western Hima- wrongs of what happened in the pand and enhance co-operation an Asian century, the Chinese Antony Blinken on a visit to Ja- layas. border area last year are clear, so to create enabling conditions for foreign minister said. pan and South Korea, sources US defence manufacturers are the stakes involved. “It again settlement of the issue.” The China-India relationship, told Reuters on Thursday. hope closer ties will boost their proves initiating confrontation Following the disengagement he argued, is essentially about Activists of the Congress party shout slogans after being It was not immediately clear if own prospects in India, which will not solve the problem. Re- along the LAC in Pangong Tso how the world’s two largest de- detained by police during a protest against the central Blinken will also visit India. is one of the world’s biggest turning to peaceful negotiation area, there has been no progress veloping countries get along and government’s recent agricultural reforms in New Delhi The US embassy in New defence spenders but still has is the right way forward,” he said. over other disputes in Gogra-Hot pursue development and rejuve- yesterday. Delhi referred a request for major gaps in its military capa- China’s position, he said, is Springs area, Demchok and Dep- nation together. comment to the defence de- bilities. Gulf Times 10 Monday, March 8, 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 Enabling fl ying robots to go past cramped spaces

Flying robots are among the most challenging domains of robotics, but the achievement of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) assistant professor Kevin Yufeng Chen and team is exciting news. The researchers have built a new generation of tiny, agile drones, allowing them to operate in cramped spaces and withstand collisions. Chen, a member of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Research Laboratory of Electronics, has developed insect- sized drones with unprecedented dexterity and resilience. The aerial robots are powered by a new class of soft actuator, which allows them to withstand the physical travails of real- world flight. Chen hopes the robots could one day aid humans ‘Special Relationship’: by pollinating crops or performing machinery inspections in cramped spaces. Chen’s work has appeared this month in the journal IEEE Transactions on Robotics. His co-authors include MIT PhD student Zhijian Ren, Harvard University PhD student Siyi Xu, and City University of Hong Kong roboticist Pakpong Chirarattananon. As it is generally known, drones require wide Will they, won’t they? open spaces as they are neither nimble enough to navigate confined spaces nor robust enough to withstand collisions It is now up to the UK and the emissions-reduction target that the Without financial support for denialists like Trump and Brazilian in a crowd. “If we look at most drones today, they’re usually US to create the conditions for US sets for itself. To meet the challenge struggling countries, any deal that President Jair Bolsonaro, it is the futility quite big,” says Chen. “Most of their applications involve flying at hand, the new target will need to emerges from COP26 will be dead on of engaging with those who thrive on outdoors. The question is: Can you create insect-scale robots scaled-up green investment be even more ambitious than the 50% arrival. Even if many countries offer disruption. that can move around in the developing world reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions ambitious updates to their national We need to pursue net-zero emissions Potential in very complex, (from 2005 levels) that is currently climate plans this year, they will through nature-based solutions based cluttered spaces?” By Rachel Kyte, Ana Toni, being fl oated in Washington. need the resources to meet those on science, and with respect for local applications include According to Chen, and Bernice Lee As for the United Kingdom, its role as commitments. Global powers’ failure communities. As home to indigenous “The challenge Washington the host of COP26, and as the current to deliver a substantial financial peoples and as the lungs for our polluted artifi cial pollination of building small G7 president, means that it will have its package, while still insisting that planet, the world’s forests are precious aerial robots is hand on the global climate tiller. Should everyone phase out fossil-fuel resources. Nature must not be treated as a bargaining chip for big business of crops or search- immense.” Pint- the summit end in acrimony or paralysis, infrastructure, would merely fuel there is little doubt that the blame will fall further tensions between developed and global fi nance as they seek to off set and-rescue missions sized drones require on Johnson and Biden. Though China’s and developing countries. their carbon footprints. Success will a fundamentally September 2020 pledge to achieve In many respects, this challenge is come only through the restoration and following a disaster. different carbon neutrality by 2060 was light on more manageable for the US than it regeneration of our natural resources. construction specifi cs, it nonetheless has insulated is for the UK, which recently cut its Biden and Johnson make for strange What was science from larger ones. Beijing from climate criticism for the time international development budget bedfellows. But they need each other. Large drones are being. (And India may yet make a similar and thus undermined its own global British politicians love to wax lyrical fi ction once is now usually powered by announcement this year.) infl uence just when it was most needed. about the UK’s “special relationship” motors, but motors With key countries already In addition to paying the $2 billion that with the US, even though that idea has becoming a reality lose efficiency as committing to carbon neutrality, the it owes to the Green Climate Fund, always been more their dream than a you shrink them. top priority in Glasgow is not to bring the US can also use the Development reality. Today, however, both countries So, Chen says, for insect-like robots “you need to look for big polluters on board, but rather to Finance Corporation to leverage its fi nd themselves at the same critical marshal support for the dozens of resources fully. Now is the time to juncture: they must go green before it alternatives.” The principal alternative until now has been smaller developing countries. Many of activate these mechanisms. is too late. And, for their own sake and employing a small, rigid actuator built from piezoelectric these governments are eager to embrace The UK and the US also need to come that of the planet, they must provide ceramic materials. While piezoelectric ceramics allowed the a low-carbon economy, but they face together to push back against countries leadership for others to set and fulfi l first generation of tiny robots to take flight, they’re quite fragile. OP26, the United Nations climate mounting hurdles such as unsustainable and initiatives that undermine global ambitious climate commitments. - And that is a problem when building a robot to mimic an insect, summit being held this November debt burdens. Hence, as UN Secretary- decarbonisation eff orts. For starters, Project Syndicate considering that foraging bumblebees endure a collision about Cin Glasgow, is already looming General António Guterres has the current Brazilian and Australian once every second. large in US and UK policymaking circles. emphasised, a global debt-relief plan governments need to be isolated in  Rachel Kyte, a former UN climate Chen has designed a more resilient tiny drone using soft For UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and a climate-fi nance package have the international climate arena, with envoy, is Dean of the Fletcher School at actuators, made of thin rubber cylinders coated in carbon the summit is a major opportunity become essential ahead of COP26. It is support in those countries being Tufts University. Ana Toni is Executive nanotubes. When voltage is applied to the carbon nanotubes, they to demonstrate what a post-Brexit now up to the UK and the US to create redirected toward willing sub-national Director of Instituto Clima e Sociedade produce an electrostatic force that squeezes and elongates the “Global Britain” can do. And for US the conditions for scaled-up green actors. If we learned one thing from the (iCS). Bernice Lee is Research Director of past four years of dealing with climate Futures at Chatham House. rubber cylinder. Repeated elongation and contraction causes the President Joe Biden, it is an early test investment in the developing world. of his administration’s ability to uphold drone’s wings to beat fast. Chen’s actuators can fl ap nearly 500 its climate leadership promises, both at times per second, giving the drone insect-like resilience. “You can home and abroad. hit it when it’s fl ying, and it can recover,” says Chen. “It can also do The stakes could not be higher. In challenging moves like somersaults in the air.” The drone weighs in 2021 alone, world leaders will gather at at just 0.6gm, approximately the mass of a large bumble bee. Chen least seven times to address global crises is working on a new prototype shaped like a dragonfl y. such as the Covid-19 pandemic, its Building insect-like robots can provide a window into the economic fallout, climate change, food biology and physics of insect flight, a longstanding avenue of systems, and biodiversity loss. In all of inquiry for researchers. Chen’s work addresses these questions these discussions, the central question through a kind of reverse engineering. “If you want to learn how is how to reorient our economies and insects fly, it is very instructive to build a scale robot model,” he societies to protect one another and the planet. says. “You can perturb a few things and see how it affects the Although Winston Churchill’s bust is kinematics or how the fluid forces change. That will help you no longer on display in the Oval Offi ce, understand how those things fly.” But Chen aims to do more. His co-operation with the United States drones can also be useful in industry and agriculture. remains as important as ever. Joint Chen says his mini-aerialists could navigate complex leadership will be necessary to achieve machinery to ensure safety and functionality. For example, a the system-reset that the current drone can move around a turbine engine with a small camera moment demands. to check for cracks on the turbine plates. Other potential Four years after former president applications include artificial pollination of crops or completing Donald Trump pulled the US out of search-and-rescue missions following a disaster. What was the Paris climate agreement, the Biden science fiction once is now becoming a reality. administration has now brought the country back in. But rejoining the accord was the easy part. Delivering on a plan to achieve carbon neutrality To Advertise by mid-century poses a much greater challenge. [email protected] Fortunately, Biden and his climate chief, former Secretary of State John Display Kerry, recognise that US legitimacy 44466621 44418811 abroad now depends on whether it can pursue bold action at home. Kerry’s Classified stature, broad remit, and presence on 44466609 44418811 the White House National Security Council indicate the seriousness with Subscription which the administration views the climate issue, as does Kerry’s promise to [email protected] deliver a new US climate plan by April 22. In this pivotal year for climate action, © 2021 Gulf Times. All rights reserved much will depend on the updated 2030 GREEN DREAM: Both the US and UK find themselves at the same critical juncture: they must go green before it is too late. Gulf Times Monday, March 8, 2021 11 EUROPE Switzerland outlaws facial covering The Central Council of Muslims calls the vote a dark day for the community

Reuters expands the principle of legal inequality, and Zurich sends a clear signal of exclusion to the Muslim minority,” it said. It promised legal challenges to laws imple- far-right proposal to ban facial coverings menting the ban and a fundraising drive to help in Switzerland won a narrow victory in a women who are fi ned. A binding referendum yesterday instigated The proposal predated the Covid-19 pan- by the same group that organised a 2009 ban on demic, which has required adults to wear masks new minarets. in many settings to prevent the spread of infec- The measure to amend the Swiss constitu- tion. tion passed by a 51.2-48.8% margin, provision- Two cantons already have local bans on face al offi cial results showed. coverings. The proposal under the Swiss system of di- France banned wearing a full face veil in pub- rect democracy does not mention Islam directly lic in 2011 and Denmark, Austria, the Nether- and also aims to stop violent street protesters lands and Bulgaria have full or partial bans on from wearing masks, yet local politicians, me- wearing face coverings in public. dia and campaigners have dubbed it the burqa Practically no-one in Switzerland wears a ban. burqa and only around 30 women wear the “In Switzerland, our tradition is that you niqab, the University of Lucerne estimates. show your face. That is a sign of our basic Muslims make up 5% of the Swiss population of freedoms,” Walter Wobmann, chairman of the 8.6 million people, most with roots in Turkey, referendum committee and a member of par- Bosnia and Kosovo. liament for the Swiss People’s Party, had said The government had urged people to vote before the vote. against a ban. He called facial covering “a symbol for this “After the ban on minarets, a majority of extreme, political Islam which has become in- Swiss voters has once again backed an initia- creasingly prominent in Europe and which has tive that discriminates against a single religious no place in Switzerland”. community and needlessly stirs up fears and di- The Central Council of Muslims in Switzer- vision,” Amnesty International said. land called the vote a dark day for the commu- “The veiling ban is not a measure for women’s nity. liberation, but a dangerous symbolic policy that People hold signs during a protest hours after Swiss voters accepted an initiative, the so-called anti-burqa vote, to ban full facial coverings in public “Today’s decision opens old wounds, further violates freedom of expression and religion.” places in Bern yesterday. Merkel’s party slumps French billionaire politician Austria suspends on Covid woes as killed in helicopter crash Conservative billionaire politician Olivier Dassault was killed yesterday in a helicopter AstraZeneca German polls loom crash, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter. Dassault, 69, was the eldest son of French Palatinate and Baden-Wuerttem- billionaire industrialist Serge Dassault, Covid vaccine AFP Berlin berg. whose group builds the Rafale war planes Both polls are being closely and owns Le Figaro newspaper. watched as a test of the national “Olivier Dassault loved France. Captain of ith just a week to go mood ahead of Germany’s gen- industry, lawmaker, local elected off icial, batch after death before two key regional eral election on September 26 reserve commander in the air force: Welections, support for — which will be the fi rst in over during his life, he never ceased to serve German Chancellor Angela Mer- 15 years not to feature outgoing our country, to value its assets. His sudden Reuters BASG said blood clotting was kel’s conservatives has hit a one- chancellor Merkel. death is a great loss. Thoughts on his family Zurich not among the known side ef- year low on growing anger over In Rhineland-Palatinate, the and loved ones,” Macron said on Twitter. fects of the vaccine. It was pur- the country’s pandemic crisis CDU/CSU has now fallen behind The private helicopter crashed yesterday suing its investigation vigor- management. the centre-left Social Democrats, afternoon in Normandy, where he has a ustrian authorities have ously to completely rule out any Merkel’s CDU/CSU bloc fell to while the Green party leads sur- holiday home, according to a police source. suspended inoculations possible link. 32% in a survey carried out by the veys in Baden-Wuerttemberg. A lawmaker for the conservative Les TRAGEDY: Olivier Dassault. (AFP) Awith a batch of Astra- “As a precautionary meas- Kantar institute for Bild newspa- Merkel’s centre-right CDU and Republicains party since 2002, Dassault Zeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine as a ure, the remaining stocks of the per yesterday, a two-percent drop their Bavarian CSU sister party was considered the 361st richest man in the Dassault Aviation CEO Charles Edelstenne. precaution while investigating aff ected vaccine batch are no on last week that pushes Germa- hit a popularity peak of nearly 40 world alongside his two brothers and sister, “Great sadness at the news of the sudden the death of one person and the longer being issued or vaccinat- ny’s biggest political force to its percent last spring, when Ger- according to the 2020 Forbes rich list. disappearance of Olivier Dassault,” Valerie illness of another after the shots, ed,” it added. lowest level since March 2020. many won plaudits at home and He stepped down from his role on the Pecresse, a conservative politician who a health agency said yesterday. An AstraZeneca spokesman “There are many reasons for abroad for successfully suppress- board of Dassault due to his political role to is president of the Paris region, said on “The Federal Offi ce for Safety said: “There have been no con- the decline, and they all have to do ing the fi rst Covid-19 wave. avoid any conflict of interest. Twitter. in Health Care (BASG) has re- fi rmed serious adverse events with the pandemic,” said Bild. But Europe’s top economy was Olivier, seen as the favourite of founder “A businessman, but also a renowned ceived two reports in a temporal associated with the vaccine,” The slump is bad news for the hit hard by a virus resurgence at Marcel, was once considered favoured to photographer, he had a passion for politics connection with a vaccination adding that all batches are sub- conservatives ahead of the March the end of 2020, and Merkel’s succeed Serge at the head of the family in his blood, rooted in his department of from the same batch of the As- ject to strict and rigorous quality 14 elections for regional parlia- coalition government has increas- holding, but that role went to former Oise. My warm thoughts to his family.” traZeneca vaccine in the district controls. ment in the states of Rhineland- ingly found itself in the fi ring line. clinic of Zwettl” in Lower Aus- Trials and real-world experi- tria province, it said. ence so far suggests the vaccine One 49-year-old woman died is safe and eff ective and it had as a result of severe coagulation been approved for use in well France tries weekend surge to improve vaccination record disorders, while a 35-year-old over 50 countries, he said. woman developed a pulmonary AstraZeneca also said it was in In southwest Paris, mayor Philippe Goujon 1,200.” He dismisses any suggestion that around three times the number seen in a were administered country-wide, embolism and is recovering, it contact with Austrian authori- answered the government’s call for a the previous Monday-Friday operation usual week. compared with 80,000-85,000 on a said. A pulmonary embolism is ties and would fully support the “national mobilisation” to accelerate was because of the sacred status of the It’s a similar picture across France where normal Saturday, and another 100,000 an acute lung disease caused by investigation. vaccinations this weekend — but he weekend in France, where shops were vaccinations centres have been asked jabs were expected yesterday. a dislodged blood clot. European Union regulators at wonders why the surge has taken so long. long banned from opening on Sundays, or to open on Saturday and Sunday in a Mayor Goujon, who is from the opposition “Currently there is no evi- the end of January approved the In the town hall of the wealthy 15th district diff iculties in finding volunteers. bid to accelerate the roll-out, with the right-wing Republicans party, applauds dence of a causal relationship product, saying it was eff ective of the capital, hard-pressed doctors and “We didn’t have enough doses. It’s only an government facing criticism at home the sense of urgency, but says it has come with the vaccination,” BASG and safe to use, while the World municipal staff opened the doors of issue of doses,” he said as elderly people and mockery abroad for the sluggish too late – and at a cost of lives and new said. Health Organisation (WHO) in their inoculation centre on Saturday and lined up outside ready to head into one of progress. “We are calling for a national infections. “I heard the prime minister call Austrian newspaper Nieder- mid-February listed the product yesterday. 10 diff erent booths. “At the beginning we mobilisation,” Prime Minister Jean Castex for a national mobilisation. Why didn’t he oesterreichische Nachrichten as for emergency use. “There’s a gigantic diff erence,” Goujon thought we’d open every day including told reporters last Thursday. “Mayors, do this a month and half or two months well as broadcaster ORF and the Adverse reactions seen in tri- told AFP. “For a start we’re open at the Saturday and Sunday.” nurses, hospitals, everyone needs to be ago? We should have had this sort of APA news agency reported that als were short-lived for the most weekend, and secondly we’ve gone from By the end of the weekend, staff here will on deck, including the weekend.” organisation in place in mid-January,” he the women were both nurses part and blood clotting issues about a hundred vaccinations a day to have inoculated well over 2,000 people, On Saturday, around 220,000 injections said. who worked at the Zwettl clinic. were not reported.

Germany: Mobile testing unit Italian mayor accused of queue-jumping resigns

AFP The city of Corleone — oth- Nicola Morra, a sena- Rome erwise famous for inspiring tor from the ruling Five Star the name of the Mafia boss Movement and head of the from The Godfather franchise upper chamber’s anti-mafia town mayor in Italy’s — confirmed on its Facebook committee, said Nicolosi was Sicily region said yes- page that Nicolosi got two not the only local politician A terday he was stepping vaccine doses in January. who abused the system. down after coming under fire Italy started its vaccination “Unfortunately we are for jumping the queue for campaign in late December, hearing of several situations coronavirus vaccinations. reserving the first doses for in which the rule of law was “I spent a sleepless night health workers and people trampled on,” Morra wrote on thinking about this deci- over 80. Like in the rest of Eu- Facebook, urging other queue sion and I concluded that it is rope, supply shortages have jumpers to follow the example right for me to resign,” Nicolo caused delays. of stepping down. Nicolosi, 78, told the ANSA Nicolosi argued that lo- Italy has so far injected 5.3 news agency. cal politicians like him also million doses of the vaccine Nicolosi, mayor of Corleo- needed immediate protection and fully vaccinated 1.6 mil- ne, a small town near Palermo, against the virus, as frontline lion people, out of a popu- said he was quitting “even if I workers serving their local lation of 60 million, health insist that I made the right communities. ministry data showed yester- choice in getting vaccines for His vaccination was “a con- day. me and city councillors.” scious choice made to stave New Prime Minister Mario On Saturday, press reports off the possibility that any Draghi, sworn in last month, said police were investigating contact with the virus might has made it a priority to ac- A view of a mobile testing unit at a temporary testing centre in Berlin’s Wedding district yesterday amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The the mayor and other members have forced him to abandon celerate vaccine distribution, German government has decided on March 5, that every person in Germany will be entitled to a weekly rapid test, either from a test of the municipal government, his post on the trenches,” the to contain a pandemic that centre, medical practice, or place of work, administered by trained personnel. (AFP) and had reported the case to city of Corleone said on Face- has killed almost 100,000 local prosecutors. book. people nationwide. Gulf Times 12 Monday, March 8, 2021 QATAR LuLu Intersection on D-Ring Road partially opens The opening of LuLu Intersection is the Right: A view of the partially first achievement of Ashghal’s D-Ring Road opened LuLu Intersection on development project D-Ring Road.

he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has partially opened to traffi c the LuLu Intersec- Ttion on D-Ring Road. The opening, according to an offi cial statement, was carried out in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffi c. Commuters from Jaber Bin Hayyan Street and Al Hurriya Street can now reach D-Ring Road towards north on left, or towards Al Matar Street on right. Commuters from Al Matar Street via D-Ring Road can turn left to Jaber Bin Hayyan Street or turn back. Those coming from the north via D-Ring Road towards Old Airport can take a right turn at LuLu Engineer Abdulla Darwish: About 30% of work on Intersection to Jaber Bin Hayyan Street. the D-Ring Road development project is over. While announcing the opening, engineer Abdulla Darwish from Highway Projects Department said change (Al Tadamon Interchange), which witnesses the opening of LuLu Intersection would smoothen heavy traffi c. traffi c fl ow in the area, especially for commuters to The improvement works within the project also and from Old Airport via D-Ring Road. covers the development of rainwater drainage net- He added that about 30% of work on the D-Ring works to raise the effi ciency of drainage in the area, Road development project is over, and that the by constructing a stormwater drainage tunnel with complete delivery is expected in the fi rst quarter of a total length of about 3.5km. 2022. The project includes construction of a common The opening of LuLu Intersection is the fi rst path for pedestrians and cyclists on both sides of D- achievement of D-Ring Road development project. Ring Road along 4.5km, in addition to tree-planta- The project includes development of Fereej Al Ali tion and landscaping works throughout the project. Intersection (known as Al Tadamon Interchange), Special attention is being paid to maintain the Nuaija Intersection (The Mall), and LuLu Intersec- Qatari heritage of the project area known as Rawdat tion. Al Khail, during designing the beautifi cation ele- This expansion will enhance traffi c capacity of ments of the tunnel under construction within the the interchanges and largely reduce traffi c conges- project. tion in the area, especially at Fereej Al Ali Inter- Murals are planned inside the tunnel.

QBG concludes series of Qatar Environment Day activities

he Qur’anic Botanic Gar- den (QBG), described as Tthe fi rst in the world to ex- hibit all plant species mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, Hadith, and Sunnah, marked Qatar Environ- ment Day, held annually on Feb- ruary 26, with a series of activi- ties in co-operation with local and international entities, in- cluding ministries, local NGOs, and the Qatar Development Bank (QDB). The event aims to raise awareness on the serious damage caused by plastic pollution and littering to the environment and wildlife. Among the events was a wild plant restoration event at Rawdat al-Faras in Al Nasraniya, which the Environmental Protection Reserves & Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Municipality Clean-up drive at Al Zubarah and Environment (MME) has al- A tree planting activity. located to the QBG for rehabilita- tion. Conservation Centre. The aim of the workshop is to he Italian and British Participants restored 300 As part of its Ghars campaign, contribute to Qatar’s eff orts to embassies in Qatar, and desert trees adhering to social the QBG also organised a tree- protect the environment and its Tthe Unesco Offi ce for the distancing regulations. planting ceremony with Women natural balance. GCC Countries and Yemen, in The event took place in co-op- in Construction and Allied Sec- QBG director Fatima al-Khu- collaboration with the Doha eration with the Qatar National tors in Qatar, a member of Bay- laifi said: “Qatar Environment Environmental Actions Project Committee for Education, Cul- anihan Qatar, a federation of Fili- Day is an especially important (Deap), held a beach clean-up ture and Science that in turn co- pino grassroots organisations. occasion for the QBG.” event at the Unesco World Her- ordinated the participation of the In line with the United Na- “Sustainability and protect- itage Site of Al Zubarah yester- Youth Aff airs Department at the tions’ SDGs (sustainable devel- ing the environment is crucial day. Ministry of Culture and Sports, opment goals) and the environ- for the future of Qatar, and we The clean-up event was at- and the Department of Con- mental pillar of Qatar National are pleased to have collaborated tended by Italian ambassador servation and Energy Effi ciency Vision 2030, the Ghars campaign with well-respected entities all Alessandro Prunas, British am- Tarsheed at the Qatar General aims to plant 2,022 trees in the over the country towards this in- bassador Jon Wilks, Unesco Electricity & Water Corporation. lead-up to the FIFA World Cup dispensable goal,” she said. “Ad- regional director Anna Paolini, AYCM’s al-Sahlawi (left), Italian ambassador Prunas, Unesco regional director Paolini, Deap’s Saucedo, The QBG brought together Qatar 2022. ditionally, we are working with and Partnerships of the Arab and UK ambassador Wilks (right) at Al Zubarah’s clean-up drive yesterday. members of the Scout and Guide Following the MoU signed diverse parties to rehabilitate en- Youth Climate Movement Qatar Association of Qatar and Friends with the Qatar Development demic plants and plant wild trees (AYCM) associate director Reem education and community ini- agenda for the G20 forum, Unesco World Heritage Site. of the Environment Center. Bank last December, the QBG in their desert habitats to reduce al-Sahlawi, in addition to other tiatives as this one,” she added. which is aimed – among other “The United Kingdom looks Qatar Environment Day activ- launched its fi rst online interac- carbon emissions and limit de- volunteers. Deap director Jose Saucedo objectives – at encouraging a forward to working closely with ities also included the launch of tive workshop on Qatar Environ- sertifi cation in Qatar.” The clean-up drive was a joint said: “Plastic pollution is a glo- switch towards renewable ener- the Italian and the Qatari gov- the Seeds Exhibition of the Flora ment Day for QDB clients, which “The QBG is fully committed eff ort to help preserve Qatar’s bal issue, we need to focus on gies and green technologies.” ernments in the run up to COP26 of Qatar, located at the QBG Mu- aimed to familiarise participants to providing the community with natural resources and rich her- what we can do to help mitigate This year Italy and the UK as Qatar refi nes and develops its seum. with greenhouses, home-cul- the expertise and tools required itage, in the framework of the the problem.” are leading the change by co- Nationally Determined Con- At present, the exhibition con- tivation techniques and man- to make them active contribu- #KeepQatarClean campaign “In one hour, we collected chairing in Glasgow the 26th tribution to emissions reduc- tains 20 types of natural plant agement, irrigation techniques, tors to Qatar’s sustainable devel- launched by Qatar Museums 850kg of trash, that not only il- Conference of the Parties of tion,” Wilks said. “We also look seed samples from diverse fl ora hydroponics, fertilisers, sustain- opment and the environmental chairperson HE Sheikha Al Ma- lustrates the magnitude of the the UN Framework Convention forward to engaging with Qatari that can be found across Qatar, able planting practices, and pest pillar of Qatar National Vision yassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al- problem, but it serves as an ex- on Climate Change (COP26), a civil society at grassroots level from the collection of the QBG’s control. 2030,” she added. Thani, and also as a way to raise ample on how the local commu- key milestone in the global fi ght in tandem with another of our awareness on the serious dam- nity can have a positive impact against climate change, with It- partners here today, the AYCM.” age caused by plastic pollution on the protection of the envi- aly hosting also the Pre-COP26 AYCM offi cial al-Sahlawi and littering to the environment ronment,” he added. Summit in Milan. said: “As a grassroots, commu- and wildlife. Saucedo said: “Educating and “I am confi dent that the lead- nity-oriented environmental Every year more than 8mn motivating future generations ership of Italy and the UK, to- organisation, the AYCM fully tonnes of plastic waste enter the to respect nature, and encour- gether with likeminded partners supports the #keepqatarclean oceans around the world. aging people to actively partici- such as Qatar and in the frame- campaign under the leadership “World Heritage sites are of pate in the clean-up eff orts of work of a comprehensive strat- of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint outstanding universal value our natural landscapes and his- egy co-ordinated by the UN, can Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and I am pleased that the cam- torical sites, is part of what we make a real diff erence in accel- and the eff orts of the co-hosts paign includes the beach area need to do.” erating the process of change,” of COP26 and Deap in this cam- of Al Zubarah to contribute to Italian ambassador Prunas Prunas said. paign. its preservation,” Paolini said said: “As members of a com- British ambassador Wilks “Reversing the damage and in a press statement. “This ini- munity, we all can play a crucial stressed that: “Protecting the eco-system degradation caused tiative takes an even greater im- role in fi nding local solutions to environment in all aspects is by plastic and waste pollution portance as the United Nations global issues aff ecting the Earth. a common responsibility that requires civil society and gov- Ocean Decade of which Unesco “Awareness and commitment calls on all of us to play a part. ernment collaboration in every is partner just started with the are essential to leading the eco- “As co-hosts of COP26 in stage, from raising awareness to scope to assure sustainability of logical transition of our socie- Glasgow in November, the shaping and introducing poli- our oceans.” ties and ensuring the sustain- British embassy Doha is very cies that can preempt problems, “Promoting a plastic free ability of our life on the planet. pleased to join the Italian em- regulating industries and en- ocean is a common moral re- “These are indeed top priori- bassy to contribute to today’s couraging conscious consumer sponsibility and start with civic ties on the Italian Presidency’s valuable eff ort to preserve this behaviour.” An activity on Qatar Environment Day.