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Established 1961 Friday ISSUE NO: 18190 THULHIJJA 3, 1441 AH FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020

Amir leaves for US to On yer bike: Cycling industry Olympic cancellation 3 complete treatment 35 out-pedaled by demand 38 specter haunts Tokyo

All the fun has dried up

SEE PAGES 4 & 5 2 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Education ministry meets with private schools on e-learning plans

Online learning in 2020/2021 • Tuition fee situation mulled

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education issued a statement related to the main concerns of parents in private and for- eign schools in Kuwait. In a post on its official Instagram page, the Education Ministry announced a discussion with private, foreign school owners about the various issues and topics related to finishing the 2019/2020 school year as well as preparations to start the 2020/2021 school year through online learning. Parents and teachers were not included in the discussions. According to the statement, Dr Abdul Mohsen Al- Huwailah, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education at the Ministry of Education, said that school owners gave their opinions during the discussion on the measures that need to be taken with regards to providing simultaneous, interactive education online and allowing students to improve their research and self-learning skills. Dr Huwailah said that dis- cussion focused on seven main topics, which are: • Preparations taken at private schools to transform edu- cation from conventional to remote education (online). • Discussing the standards that private schools have taken to select the remote education management system and

Regulations announced

soon on regulations to be announced later to regulate the concerning private schools with school owners, including 2020/2021 school year at private schools. issues related to the current academic year (2019-2020) and the next school year (2020-2021). He also noted it was Fees must be paid agreed that all teachers should be present in schools to con- Earlier in the week, the Ministry of Education (MoE) duct online education in order to follow up their perform- affirmed that parents must pay school fees for the spring ance in virtual classes and provide the requirements of online learning platforms. semester of the 2019-2020 school year. In an interview with online learning. • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to finish the Arabic newspaper Al-Jarida, Dr Al-Huwailah, said that Huwailah said the private education department will work 2019/2020 school year at foreign private schools online. according to clause 11 of ministerial resolution number on facilitating the return of stranded private school teachers • Finishing the 2019/2020 school year for grade 12 stu- 14550/2020 pertaining to delayed tuition fee payment until to Kuwait and that the department will contact all relevant dents at Arab private schools through online learning. the end of the school year, private schools are justified in bodies to do so. “We are currently discussing the problem of • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to start the collecting the delayed fees for the school year 2019-2020 as kindergarten pupils and how to deal with them in terms of 2020/2021 school year at Indian, Pakistani and Filipino long as students concluded the year and received their cer- online learning. Suggestions have been made to teach them schools in early August 2020. tificates, regardless of whether studies were held in class, in evening classes, but relevant bodies are still considering • Discussing the start of the 2020/2021 school year at all online or via any other means. The Private Education the matter,” Huwailah concluded. private schools online, and reviewing schools’ suggestions Department has not made an official statement via its social Private or foreign schools in Kuwait are divided up into a on how to implement e-learning in a way that maximizes the media channels in this regard. variety of curricula. There are American, British, Canadian benefit of students, especially for kindergarten and students Huwailah stressed that online learning - be it at the begin- and French schools that follow the curricula and calendars of with special needs. ning of August to complete the 2019-2020 school year or at their respective countries. There are Indian schools that are • Discussing the education ministry’s plan to reduce the beginning of the new academic year - is mandatory for already now teaching online in alignment with the Indian school tuitions for the period in which learning is done all, especially after MoE made it clear that students will not educational system. Pakistani, Filipino and other schools fol- remotely, in line with maintaining proper services and quality be allowed back into class for now. “The ministry has opted low along with the curricula of their homelands. There are education for students. for online education as long as the pandemic persists,” he also Arabic and bilingual schools which more closely follow Dr Huwailah said that the meeting was ‘fruitful’, adding underlined. the Kuwait public school calendar and curricula and these that the Private Education Department is currently working Huwailah added that MoE has discussed many issues are usually considered private schools but not foreign. Friday 3

Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Kuwait’s Amir leaves for US to complete treatment Amir receives cables from Kyrgyzstan President KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Highness the Amir is accompanied in wishes for him and the people of Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al- Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- his trip by Deputy National Guard Kyrgyzstan. Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received Sabah left for the US early yesterday chief Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al- His Highness the Amir also a telephone call on Wednesday from for completing medical treatment fol- Jaber Al-Sabah. received a cable from Lebanese former Lebanese Prime Minister lowing his recent successful surgery. On Wednesday, His Highness the Prime Minister Hassan Diab, inquir- Saad Al-Hariri. The call was to His Highness the Amir was seen off at Amir received a cable from the ing about His Highness’ health, and inquire about His Highness the the airport by His Highness Deputy President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay expressing his best wishes, good Amir’s health, during which Hariri Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Jeenbekov, expressing best wishes and health, and prosperity for the State expressed best wishes and good Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, good health for His Highness the Amir of Kuwait. In return, His Highness the health for His Highness. In turn, His National Assembly Speaker Marzouq after his recent surgery, and prosperi- Amir sent a response cable in appre- Highness the Crown Prince His Highness the Amir Al-Ghanem, His Highness the Prime ty for the State of Kuwait. In return, ciation to the Lebanese premier for expressed gratitude and thanks for Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- His Highness the Amir sent a response his sincere words, and expressing the kind words and sentiments, Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Hamad Al-Sabah, cabinet ministers cable thanking the President for his best wishes to him. expressing best wishes and good and several senior state officials. His kind sentiments and expressing best In the meantime, His Highness the health for Hariri. — KUNA 4 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020

By Nawara Fattahova

riving by the Kuwait Towers, I was shocked by the disappearance of a very popular landmark - Aqua Park. The Dgate of the waterpark was locked, but demolition work could be seen through the fencing, with no slides remain- ing standing. People said Aqua Park will be rebuilt to international standards, but it’s unclear when this new park will be ready to welcome visitors - lovers of Aqua Park hope it really will be renovated. It is a great loss for resi- dents of Kuwait, as almost everyone had visited this park, apart from frequent visitors who went there every week dur- ing summertime when there is no other outdoor entertainment. Friday 5 Local Friday, July 24, 2020

Aqua Park was the first water entertainment park in serving food and drinks. Moreover, all visitors had the popular. Companies had their teams racing in different the GCC region, built in 1995 on around 60,000 square opportunity to enjoy the beach and swim in the sea. In categories and people enjoyed the competition. meters near the Kuwait Towers. It was the perfect place addition, a surfing pool used to create sea waves every We all have many memories of the great times we to spend the entire day - ticket prices were affordable, 15 minutes. spent at this waterpark. It’s very sad to lose all the there were plenty of different activities and fun. It was More attractions were added a couple of years back. entertainment places in Kuwait at the same time. The the entertainment destination for kids as well as adults. Diving with oxygen cylinders and playing underwater Ice Skating Rink was demolished two months ago dur- Four slides were for young children, while six slides was a great experience and lots of fun. Surfing also ing the total curfew, the Entertainment City is being were for adults and older kids. Small children also had attracted many visitors, but it wasn’t easy to learn. demolished after four years of closure, and Shaab Park another area with two pools and small slides. Also, the During the first few years after Aqua Park opened, was also demolished four years ago. All these historical lazy river was a must-do attraction for all visitors. Two there was an aquarium onsite with many types of rep- landmarks of Kuwait have been demolished and our new terrifying slides were added to the park two years tiles and other creatures, which later closed. A restau- memories of childhood are gone. ago that were usually used by adults and older kids. rant and gift shop were also part of the park. Behind Parents who were not interested in the slides still had Aqua Park were a small karting track and a paintball a chance to enjoy a huge swimming pool with two ground. Various competitions used to be organized at Jacuzzi corners. There was also a cafe by the pool Aqua Park, out of which the Raft Race was the most

KUWAIT: Remains of what used to be the Aqua Park, the GCC region’s first water entertainment park. 6 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Zain Group partners Mentor Arabia to launch ‘Youth Awareness Film Competition’ Spreading awareness on leading healthy lives BEIRUT/ KUWAIT: The Mentor Arabia Foun- • Provide talented youth with opportunities dation and Zain Group, a leading communica- to gain experience from specialists tions company in eight markets across the Both parties conveyed their enthusiasm for Middle East and Africa region, announce the the launch of the competition affirming that: “We launch of the third edition of the ‘Youth Aware- are confident that the Arab youth have distinct ness Film Competition.’ capabilities and will present innovative films that Falling in line with the mission and values of imply significant messages and values, and we both parties in supporting youth, the competi- tion encourages Arab youth (ages 18 to 30) around the world to portray their artistic creativ- ity and innovation by developing short films that Highlighting highlight issues of concern relevant to them and express their views on crucial social and devel- issues through opmental issues to protect children and youth from dangerous behaviors and raise awareness short films about healthy living. The theme for this year’s competition is ‘Youth Fears and Aspirations’, aiming to: • Encourage young talents to spread aware- are confident that our strategic partnership will mous Arab celebrities contributing to the field of branch of Mentor International, and its mission ness through their movies contribute greatly in enabling us to achieve our social, artistic and media work with prizes to be is to empower children and youth to prevent • Spread a culture of living healthy lives and common goals.” distributed to the winners according to the jury’s risky behaviors through policies, capacity devel- making sound decisions The two previous editions of the competition grades and the public’s votes via social media. opment, knowledge and partnerships. In 2019, • Develop the ambitious spirit among the were held in cooperation with several public and With a deadline of 30 November 2020, applica- Zain Group partnered with Mentor Arabia to youth and motivate them to innovate private universities and youth foundations in tions can be made via host the ‘Power of Prevention’ gala dinner in the • Enhance the importance of social responsi- twelve Arab countries. Jury of the competition www.FilmFreeway.com/YAFC presence of HM Queen Silvia of Sweden, Presi- bility among youth comprises an elite of specialists, experts and fa- The Mentor Arabia Foundation is the regional dent of Mentor International.

KUWAIT: Kuwait Na- tional Guard (KNG) Ad- ministrative Support Assistant Brigadier Gen- eral Essam Nayef Essam received Kuwait Society for Youth Development volunteers, and honored them for their efforts working with KNG offi- cers at the field hospital the KNG had set up in Mahboula during the area’s lockdown period.

8 Friday Local Friday, July 24, 2020

Kuwait: Salim, a sheep vendor at the livestock market in Rai, stands in front of a pen holding sheep prepared for sale before the Eid Al-Adha holiday. — Photos by Ben Garcia Sheep stocks, prices not affected by COVID-19

By Ben Garcia cording to Salim. “Meat of sheep from Kuwait is way better, with less fat and tastier compared to Australian sheep. The regular KUWAIT: Next weekend, Kuwait and the world will celebrate price of sheep from Australia is KD 60-80 (depending on the Eid Al-Adha amidst the global coronavirus pandemic. Kuwait size), and KD 105-120 for Kuwaiti sheep,” he said. “Australian Times visited the livestock market in Rai yesterday to observe sheep are sold at another market; only a few are sold here. Most preparations and inquire if prices have been affected by the out- of the sheep we have here are from Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, break. “Prices are still the same - no effect from the virus because Somalia and Syria,” said Salim, who has been working here for we have enough stocks from various sources,” said an official at the past four years. the market, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “We have The celebration of Eid Al-Adha will be different this year as sheep from various sources - supplies weren’t hampered by the the threat of the coronavirus continues. Normally, by this time, lockdowns and curfews. They were ordered a long time before vendors display animals in the open space near the Friday Market. the virus hit Kuwait. Besides, they are transported via land, so we This year however, there is no indication they will be allowed to have no problem with stocks,” he added. do so. “I heard no permit has been given to livestock owners to Salim, a Bangladeshi vendor, said based on his experience, display in the open area - we will only sell sheep here,” Salim said. prices usually go up by KD 5 to KD 15 per head three days before The livestock market was closed for about a month in May, but Eid. Sheep and goats raised in Kuwait are the most expensive, ac- was allowed to reopen in June. Friday 9

Local Friday, July 24, 2020 Recommendation to ban expats over 60 from returning to Kuwait Interior Ministry mulls situation of expats abroad with expired visas

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior (MoI) has commenced a departure lists of dependents to examine the length of their comprehensive process to study the issue of the expiry of res- stay in Kuwait, as many of them only stay for a few days and idency visas of over 70,000 expats while they were abroad leave, then return before the passage of six months abroad. since the COVID-19 outbreak until the beginning of this week. “Those will not be allowed to get their residencies back,” the Well-informed security sources told Al-Qabas daily that the sources underlined. study will be submitted to MoI leaders next week, including MP Safa Al-Hashem had submitted a proposal on Monday recommendations on who should be allowed back into the calling to stop issuing residency permits to expats who reach country using their previous residency visas. 60 years of age and to deport all expats undergoing treatment “The total number of such expats was divided into cate- at psychiatric hospitals. In addition, the proposal calls on the gories in order to study each category in detail. Those who government to issue a decision banning expats from working will be allowed back will enter with new visit visas to be later two jobs and those found to violate the decision should be de- transferred to their previous residency ported immediately. visas,” the sources explained. The The lawmaker said that her proposal sources said that the study recom- comes as part of efforts to amend the mends banning three categories of ex- Companies population structure and the large in- pats from returning to Kuwait - crease in the number of expats, which marginal laborers, expats over 60 years to pay for has increased the burden on the coun- of age and those sponsored by fake try’s infrastructure. The proposal calls to employees’ dues KUWAIT: A vehicle drives towards Kuwait International Airport in this companies who have no actual jobs. set up a government committee that will file photo. “Age and criminal records will de- be assigned to resolve problems asso- termine the return of domestic ciated with the imbalance in the popu- helpers,” the sources added, noting lation composition. that sponsors would be asked to replace domestic helpers During a meeting with editors-in-chief of local newspapers aged over 60 with those younger. Domestic helpers indicted on June 3, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- News in brief in crimes or felonies will not be allowed back. The study said Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah said that Kuwait is facing a “big financial dues of holders of expired residency visas who will challenge” to address its demographic imbalance issue, saying not be allowed back into the country will be collected by the that “the ideal population structure is to have Kuwaitis being Fishing boats seized Public Authority for Manpower from the companies they 70 percent and non-Kuwaitis 30 percent” of the total popu- worked for. Claims for these dues can be made online on the lation. Kuwait has a population of some 4.8 million people, of KUWAIT: The Environment Public Authority (EPA), in co- manpower authority website. them 1.45 million Kuwaitis and around 3.34 million non- operation with the Naval Force and Coast Guard, carried out In addition, the study recommended obtaining arrival and Kuwaitis, or 30 to 70 percent ratio. a campaign to seize fishing boats that entered Kuwaiti mar- itime waters illegally for fishing. More than 30 fishing vessels were seized after they crossed the maritime borders into Kuwait, EPA said in a statement. taking into consideration that many countries mandate having a PCR test set at negative PCR test result for entry of all travelers, namely stu- dents, MoH is studying other labs’ applications to get accredited. COVID-19 testing KD 40 fixed fee The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had presented Tuesday a set of rules for the safe resumption of air travel, as KUWAIT: The Public Health Department’s mobile team, in Kuwait prepares to open its airport for commercial flights next coordination with the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), KUWAIT: As part of ongoing preparations to resume commer- month while assuaging travel concerns of coronavirus-wary pas- examined PAM employees through nasal-pharyngeal swabs cial flights at Kuwait International Airport by the beginning of sengers. The protocols encompass measures including random as part of the Ministry of Health’s efforts to control the August, the Ministry of Health (MoH) announced accrediting the testing of passengers arriving at and departing from Kuwait In- spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). first private lab to conduct the COVID-19 PCR test for travelers ternational Airport, Saleh Al-Fadaghi, deputy director general who will need it prior to departure for a fixed fee of KD 40. for airport affairs at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation MoH assistant undersecretary for private medical services Dr (DGCA), said in a statement. Building closed Fatima Al-Najjar told Al-Rai daily that the accreditation was The new rules mandate all travelers to wear protective face- awarded after specialized technical committees inspected the masks and keep a hand sanitizer in their possession, besides KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior announced that the Gen- lab and made sure it matched all the necessary requirements and strictly abiding by social distancing guidelines, he said. As per eral Department of Residency Affairs’ building in Farwaniya conditions to provide reliable services. the new guidelines, departing passengers are required to pro- was closed due to fumigation and maintenance work. No set Najjar added that the accreditation assessment included lab vide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding their date for reopening was announced. staff qualifications, technical efficiency, availability of equipment flights. Passengers are also instructed to keep hand luggage to and detectors needed for the test phases, work methodology, a minimum. Fadaghi explained manual checks of tickets have specimen collection, transport, storage, processing, examination now been scaled back as a result of the pandemic in favor of Oil price up and result issuance, in addition to service quality and safety. the more popular digital e-tickets, whose scanning requires no Najjar also stressed that results of tests conducted in accred- physical contact. KUWAIT: Kuwait crude oil gained 23 cents during Wednes- ited labs would be electronically linked to the MoH database. The new measures call on passengers to be present at the day’s trading session to reach $44.45 per barrel (pb) com- The accredited lab will be able to receive specimens from vari- airport no less than four hours before departure to ensure a pared with $44.22 pb the day before, Kuwait Petroleum ous licensed private medical institutions, provided they are col- smooth and convenient journey, added the official. Commercial Corporation (KPC) said yesterday. Benchmark Brent crude lected by licensed doctors. flights at Kuwait International Airport will resume from Aug 1 ended yesterday’s trading lost four cents to $44.25 pb and the “The fixed fee for the test will be KD 40 in order to ensure after a four-month hiatus, part of a three-stage resumption plan West Texas Intermediate dropped six cents to $41.84 pb. the continuality of the service quality,” Najjar added, noting that starting at no more than 30 percent capacity. InternationalFriday FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020

Global virus infections China’s two-child policy means more babies named after mum pass 15 million; Latin Page 18 America cases soar Page 15

HOUSTON: People attempt to talk to someone at the Chinese consulate in Houston on July 22, 2020. US-Chinese tensions, already rising because of the coronavirus pandemic and crackdown in Hong Kong, ratcheted up another notch on Wednesday as the US ordered the closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston within 72 hours. —AFP US-China tensions escalate US orders China consulate shut

HOUSTON: US-Chinese relations, already tense over the coron- the consulate was ordered shut “in order to protect American in- cording to its website. avirus pandemic and Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong, deterio- tellectual property and Americans’ private information.” The State The office covers eight southern US states-including Texas and rated once again Wednesday as Washington ordered the closure Department said China has engaged in massive spying and influ- Florida. There are five Chinese consulates in the United States, as of the Chinese consulate in Houston within 72 hours. China ence operations throughout the United States for years. “These well as the embassy in Washington. Chinese state-run tabloid the slammed the US move, which came one day after the unveiling of activities have increased markedly in scale and scope over the Global Times launched a poll on Twitter asking people to vote for a US indictment targeting two Chinese nationals for allegedly past few years,” it said. which US consulate in China should be closed in response, includ- hacking hundreds of companies worldwide and seeking to steal ing the ones in Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The United virus vaccine research. ‘Outrageous and unjustified’ States has an embassy in Beijing plus five consulates in mainland President Donald Trump threatened more consulate closures, In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin China and one in Hong Kong. telling reporters “it’s always possible.” “We’re setting our clear said the order to close the consulate was an “outrageous and un- expectations for how the Chinese Communist Party is going to justified move which will sabotage China-US relations.” “China ‘Significant challenge’ behave,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a visit urges the US to immediately withdraw its wrong decision, or China Trump’s administration has ramped up pressure on China on a to Denmark. “President Trump has said ‘enough,’” Pompeo added. will definitely take a proper and necessary response,” Wang said. wide range of issues, imposing sanctions over policies in Tibet and The secretary of state cited the indictment of the two Chinese na- The ministry spokesman claimed the United States “opened Xinjiang, where an estimated one million Uighurs and other ethnic tionals for computer hacking but did not specifically mention the without permission Chinese diplomatic pouches multiple times, minorities are believed to have been rounded up and held in re- order to close the Houston consulate. and confiscated Chinese items for official use.” He also said its education camps. The United States has also downgraded rela- The closure of the Chinese diplomatic installation in one of embassy in Washington had received “bomb and death threats on tions with Hong Kong after China implemented a new security law America’s biggest cities marks a dramatic escalation in tensions Chinese diplomatic missions and personnel in the US.” Before the which Washington says is in violation of Beijing’s promises of au- between the world’s top two economies. Washington and Beijing closure order was announced, firefighters and police were called tonomy for the territory. are feuding over a slew of issues ranging from trade to the pan- late Tuesday to the consulate building over reports that docu- Last week, Washington formally declared Beijing’s pursuit of demic to China’s policies in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South ments were being burned in trash cans in the courtyard, according territory and resources in the South China Sea as illegal, explicitly China Sea. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, acting chairman of to local media. backing the rival territorial claims of Southeast Asian countries. the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the Houston consulate The Houston police force said smoke was observed, but offi- Washington has also infuriated Beijing by banning equipment the “central node of the Communist Party’s vast network of spies cers “were not granted access to enter the building.” “Everybody made by telecom giant Huawei and seeking the extradition from & influence operations in the United States.” said ‘there’s a fire, there’s a fire,’ and I guess they were burning Canada of top executive Meng Wanzhou. “We find the China-US Michael McCaul, Republican Leader on the House Foreign Af- documents or burning papers? And I wonder what that’s all relationship today weighed down by a growing number of dis- fairs Committee, echoed this, saying the consulate was the “epi- about,” Trump asked later. The Chinese consulate in Houston was putes,” deputy secretary of state Stephen Biegun told lawmakers center” of efforts to steal “sensitive information to build up their opened in 1979 - the first in the year the United States and the on Capitol Hill Wednesday. “We are up against a significant chal- military.” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations, ac- lenge in China.”—AFP Friday 11 International Friday, July 24, 2020 Texas county stores the dead bodies in refrigerated trucks State sets one-day record for COVID-19 deaths

TEXAS: Texas has set one-day records for in- past five months and deaths are rising in 23 creases in COVID-19 deaths and hospitaliza- states, according to the Reuters tally. The tions in the state, forcing one county to store country’s three most populous states, Florida, bodies in refrigerated trucks and prompting a Texas and California, top the list of 44 states top health official there to call for new stay- where cases are increasing, based on a at-home orders. Texas, which reported 197 Reuters analysis. deaths and 10,893 hospitalizations, has been one of the states hardest hit by the resurgent School disputes coronavirus. California on Wednesday reported more Hidalgo County, at the southern tip of the than 12,800 new infections, a one-day record. state on the US border with Mexico, has seen The state has now eclipsed New York for the cases rise 60 percent in the last week, accord- highest number of cases overall, although ing to a Reuters tally, with deaths doubling to New York has seen far more deaths at 32,000 more than 360. “We’ve got to lasso this virus, versus 7,800 in California. The surge has fu- this stallion, bring the numbers back down and eled disputes over mandatory mask orders get control of this thing,” Hidalgo County and how best to resume schooling. In Judge Richard Cortez said. “Because our hos- Chicago, dozens of teachers staged a socially pitals - they’re war zones, they are really distant motor protest against Mayor Lori struggling right now.” Lightfoot’s plan for Chicago Public Schools Cortez, a Democrat who serves as the top to start the academic year with a mix of in- county official, issued a shelter-in-place order person instruction and remote learning. “If for residents. That mandate put him at odds the biggies make the decisions that teachers with Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who are going back fully in class, then somebody maintains that local officials do not have the is going to die. If it isn’t a student, it’ll be a authority to make residents stay home. Cre- teacher, a teacher’s grandmother or a stu- matoriums in the Hidalgo area have a wait list dent’s grandmother,” said retired teacher of two weeks, Cortez said, forcing the county Jerome Jordan, 78. to use five refrigerated trucks that can hold 50 The protesting teachers said officials have bodies each. Hidalgo’s top medical official, Dr not unveiled a detailed plan to clean schools ad- TEXAS: Men unload a mobile morgue outside the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner Ivan Melendez, partly blamed Abbott’s move equately, provide disinfectant and personal pro- in El Paso, Texas. As coronavirus deaths surge past 4000 in Texas, overwhelmed hospitals are to override local officials for the spike in coro- tective equipment and instruct them how to being forced to plan for extra refrigerated storage to hold deceased patients. — AFP navirus infections, which he said has jammed implement social distancing in large groups of the local medical system at every level. children. In Georgia, a third judge has been ap- fections was Arizona, another recent hotspot tioned that it was not time for the public to let “Do I think that a stay-at-home order is pointed in the dispute between Republican which saw new infections fall 13 percent last down its guard. medically indicated at this point? Absolutely,” Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta’s Keisha week. Hospitalizations in the state have “We need to continue doing the things we Melendez said. On Tuesday, US deaths from Lance Bottoms, a Democrat and mayor of the steadily trended downward after peaking on know make a difference: wearing a mask, COVID-19 topped 1,000 in a single day for state’s largest city, over whether people must July 13. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, a Re- physically distancing and staying home as the first time since June 10. More than 142,000 wear masks. publican, was encouraged by those trends, his much as possible,” Ducey’s office said in the people have died in the country during the Among the few states seeing a drop in in- office said in a written statement, but cau- statement. — Reuters

Study: Supplements received different meals five mornings a week for 23 weeks. The first group’s daily meal con- Concern over S Africa virus toll tained a new food supplement-called NEW- boost brain health SUP-high in antioxidants, other vitamins and minerals, polyphenols from cocoa, omega 3 after rise in natural deaths in underfed kids fatty acids and protein. The second group had so-called fortified JOHANNESBURG: South Africa has and number of excess natural deaths”. blended food (FBF), long used in nutrition pro- recorded a jump of nearly 60 percent in South Africa is the worst-affected grams, and the third was a traditional rice PARIS: Undernourished children showed im- overall numbers of natural deaths in re- country in Africa and among the top five breakfast with no supplements. Besides work- cent weeks, suggesting a much higher in the world in terms of confirmed cases, provement in brain function after taking nutri- ing memory, the researchers measured red tional supplements for six months, researchers toll of coronavirus-related fatalities than with 394,948 infections reported to date blood cell (haemoglobin) levels, growth, body officially reported. “In the past weeks, including 5,940 deaths. The mortality rate said yesterday. The findings have important im- composition, and cerebral blood flow at the plications for children’s education and national the numbers have shown a relentless in- has remained low, however, at around 1.5 start and shortly before the end of trial. Among crease - by the second week of July, percent on Wednesday, according to the development in low income countries, they re- children younger than four, the NEWSUP diet there were 59% more deaths from nat- health ministry’s daily updates. ported in BMJ, a medical journal. At least 250 provided a substantial boost to working mem- ural causes than would have been ex- The SAMRC is charged with conduct- million children worldwide under five fail to ory compared with a traditional rice breakfast, pected based on historical data,” the ing research on disease trends and identi- reach their cognitive developmental potential, the researchers found. South African Medical Research Council fying the main causes of deaths in the according to the World Health Organization It also increased cerebral blood flow, im- (SAMRC) said in a report released late country. “The SAMRC has been tracking (WHO). Undernutrition is not the only factor, proved the ratio of lean tissue to fat in the body, Wednesday. mortality for decades in South Africa, and but has been associated with long term brain and helped haemoglobin concentration in chil- The report by the council, which is gov- this system has identified excess deaths impairment. dren under four with anaemia. Among children ernment-funded but an independent unit, associated with the COVID-19 epidemic,” To see whether targeted supplements could four and older, however, NEWSUP had no sig- came as the health ministry announced a said the council’s CEO professor Glenda make a difference, a team of US researchers nificant effect on working memory or anaemia. record increase of 572 coronavirus deaths Gray. “These may be attributed to both conducted trials in Guinea-Bissau that meas- Including only one cognitive measure was a over the previous 24 hours. The author of COVID-19 deaths as well non-COVID-19 ured working memory (key for studying) and limitation to the study, the researchers ac- the report, Professor Debbie Bradshaw, due to other diseases such as TB, HIV and blood flow to the brain (a measure of brain knowledged, as was the short duration. A trial said “the weekly death reports have re- non-communicable diseases, as health health) in more than 1,000 children at risk of over four years rather than four months might vealed a huge discrepancy between the services are re-orientated to support this undernutrition. The children, aged 15 months to show similar benefits in older children, they country’s confirmed COVID-19 deaths health crisis,” she said. — AFP seven years, were divided into three groups that speculated. — AFP 12 Friday International Friday, July 24, 2020 Coronavirus-induced qat shortage adds to health problems in Somalia Price of qat had surges to as much as $300 per kg

MOGADISHU: In the sweltering seaside port of high speeds to Nairobi airports for distribu- dulahi, a doctor at Mogadishu’s Habeeb Psychi- stopped due to the coronavirus restrictions, Mogadishu, Sharif Ahmed tried to attack his rel- tion to consumers abroad. Once the qat ar- atric Emergency Hospital. “The withdrawal putting the commodity out of reach for most atives and neighbors, resulting in an emergency rives in Mogadishu, men gather in groups to symptoms have come out,” he said, adding that users. That has put huge extra strain on facili- trip to a psychiatric hospital in handcuffs. It is not chew the leaf, a mild stimulant, and chat into those who do manage to get to sleep often suf- ties at the Habeeb hospital. “Out of the total the endless civil war making the 22-year-old rest- the early hours. Somalia shut down flights in fer from nightmares. Ahmed’s mother Halima number of patients we have, half of them are less, but withdrawal from the narcotic leaf khat late March to curb the spread of the virus, Mohamed took him to hospital in the battle- addicted to the drug,” said Abdulahi, referring that he has been chewing on since he was 15. meaning the drug could no longer be imported scarred city this month, hoping she could finally to the 40 patients under his care. There are Somalia is a major market for qat, which is by air from Kenya. cure him of his addiction. more than 10 million users of qat around the grown in neighboring Kenya’s fertile central That affected users, causing some to go for The price of qat had surged to as much as world, the Nairobi-based Kenya Medical Re- highlands and soon after harvesting driven at long periods without sleep, said Abdirashid Ab- $300 per kg from $20 when the flights were search Institute said. — Reuters

Will Hong Kong become like tightly-ruled but stable Singapore?

SINGAPORE: Limited democracy but high While these stringent laws have been living standards and stability form a trade- criticized by rights groups, they have been off that most Singaporeans seem willing to largely tolerated domestically and escaped live with-and some now suggest rival Asian global scrutiny. “Singapore has always finance hub Hong Kong can emulate the made a point of cultivating and staying on model as China tightens control. The two the right side of the global markets and the trading centers have long been compared Americans in particular,” Michael Barr, an but recent events have brought the issue expert on the country at Australia’s Flinders into sharper contrast as Hong Kong faces a University, told AFP. new era of curtailed civil liberties following In Hong Kong however, many people China’s imposition of a wide-ranging na- have reacted to China’s security law with tional security law. anger and dismay. And there has been Supporters argue that after months of widespread criticism from Western nations often violent pro-democracy protests the that say Beijing is stripping away the terri- law should bring the stability needed to re- tory’s cherished freedoms. A number of tain business confidence in the commerce countries have suspended their extradition hub. But opponents insist it will undermine treaties with Hong Kong, citing concerns sentiment if Hong Kong morphs into a clone about the legislation. “Beijing has pushed BAGHDAD: An Iraqi man rides his motorbike past the premises of the Iraqi art collective Tarkib in Baghdad’s of many mainland cities where there is less the Americans to cut Hong Kong off from Karrada neighborhood, one day after a German citizen, who ran arts programs at the centre supporting legal and regulatory transparency. markets,” Barr said. young artists, was kidnapped meters away from her office in the Iraqi capital. — AFP Hong Kong lawyer Antony Dapiran said Chinese control was robbing the territory ‘Trickle of departures’ of the autonomy it needed to keep investor On the rule of law, analysts say foreign presence of US troops in Iraq has been a flash- confidence intact. “Singapore is different firms will now feel safer operating in Singa- US general sees point issue, with Iraqi lawmakers voting to for- not least because it is not subject to CCP pore than Hong Kong. The new legislation mally demand the withdrawal of American forces (Chinese Communist Party) intervention,” has toppled the legal firewall that existed Iraq troop in recent months. said Dapiran, who has written books on between Hong Kong and mainland China’s There are currently about 5,200 US troops in Hong Kong’s recent protest movement. Communist Party-controlled courts and drawdown as Iraq, which the United States invaded in 2003 to “Singapore is a sovereign state and so it opaque legal system. “Which foreign com- topple Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Relations be- behaves consistent with its sovereign inter- panies will dare to bring legal cases against tween the two countries have been strained since a ests which are very different-in both nature Chinese state-owned companies or influ- IS threat dims series of attacks on US interests in Iraq in late 2019 and scale-to China’s sovereign interests,” ential private entities?” said Ben Bland, a that Washington has attributed to Iran or its para- he told AFP. political analyst from the Lowy Institute, an military allies in Iraq. Ekman said a key sign of IS’s Australian think tank. Singapore has also WASHINGTON: A feared resurgence of the Is- reduced threat was its inability to hold territory, ‘Right side of markets’ established itself as one of the world’s lead- The new security law-imposed in the ing centers for international arbitration-a lamic State has not so far materialized in Iraq, with its activities reduced to a “low level insurgency wake of anti-China protests that convulsed process whereby parties settle disputes paving the way for a further coalition troop draw- hiding in rural areas and... in caves.” Hong Kong for months last year-targets privately outside the court system. That down, a US commander said Wednesday. Though IS declared a cross-border “caliphate” in large subversion, sedition, terrorism and foreign said, there has been little sign as yet of a IS may never be completely eradicated, the group parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, but sev- collusion. Advocates argue Singapore has corporate exodus from Hong Kong amid has been significantly diminished from when it con- eral military campaigns against it chipped away at prospered with equally tough legislation renewed speculation that Singapore may trolled swathes of Iraq and Syria just a few years that proto-state and eventually led to its territorial covering offences ranging from sedition to benefit if businesses decide to exit the Chi- ago, Major General Kenneth Ekman, deputy com- demise. Ekman noted the objective now is to keep contempt. It is illegal to hold a demonstra- nese city. Hong Kong will likely “see a mander of coalition forces, told reporters. up the pressure on IS and to continue to strengthen tion without police permission in the city- trickle rather than a flood of departures”, “What that has allowed us to do is to reduce our Iraqi security forces. Several military bases have al- state, except in the corner of one Bland said. “But this could accelerate if Bei- footprint here in Iraq,” Ekman said, speaking from ready been turned over to Iraqi forces and a large downtown park. jing steps up its interventions.” — AFP Baghdad. “I think over time, what you will see is training camp near Baghdad is to be handed to them a slow reduction of US forces,” he added. The tomorrow, he added. — AFP Friday 13 International Friday, July 24, 2020 Influential cleric Dicko emerges as a driver of Mali protest movement

Saudi-trained preacher holds key to Mali’s stability

DAKAR: When five West African presidents arrive were killed in clashes with security forces earlier religious, political and civil society groups, Dicko is is 95% Muslim but has a secular constitution, and in Mali yesterday to try to defuse a political crisis this month. Infuriated by grievances ranging from universally viewed as the driving force. Some of the France where some commentators have likened him that has alarmed governments in the region and disputed legislative election results to the army’s re- president’s supporters think that could be a good to Iran’s late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He stud- beyond, the man whose assent they need the most peated losses to Islamist militants, tens of thousands thing. Unlike others, Dicko has not explicitly called for ied in Mauritania and Saudi Arabia in the 1970s, will be one who has never held elected office. of people have taken to the streets in recent weeks. Keita, whom he supported in the 2013 election, to re- where he embraced conservative Salafist ideas. As Mahmoud Dicko, a Saudi-trained preacher known Stepping to the rostrum at the first rally in the cap- sign. “I am convinced that Mahmoud Dicko is now head of Mali’s influential High Islamic Council in for his Koranic erudition and social conservatism, ital Bamako on June 5, Dicko, 66, drew on his sig- determined to end all this,” said Bajan Ag Hamatou, a 2009, he led successful protests against a family is seen by admirers and detractors alike as the gal- nature brand of religiously-infused nationalism. lawmaker from Keita’s coalition. “If he stops, the oth- code that would have thrown out a requirement vanizing force behind a protest movement now “This great nation of Mali, builder of empires and ers will have to stop.” But Dicko - who is expected that women obey their husbands. His efforts to me- threatening the political survival of President kingdoms, is not a submissive people,” Dicko said, met with leaders of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, diate with Islamist militant groups have also drawn Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. addressing the crowd of mostly young men in the Ghana and Niger yesterday- has not publicly pro- suspicion. Mohamed Kimbiri, a member of the High International powers are anxious for the crisis to local Bambara language mixed with French and posed a compromise, leaving his endgame unclear. He Islamic Council, said Dicko was not challenging end, fearful it could undermine multi-billion-dollar Arabic. “It is a people standing proud!” he said, did not agree to an interview but previously dismissed state secularism but wanted a less rigid version. efforts spearheaded by former colonial power thrusting a fist into the air as they chanted his name. speculation he intends to seek political office. “Today, he alone can command the Malian ship,” France to contain insurgents linked to Al-Qaeda and Kimbiri told Reuters. “The politicians have disqual- Islamic State in the region. Public opposition to Agent of compromise? Hardliner ified themselves, and the Malian public is now re- Keita hardened, however, after at least 14 protesters While protesters come from a diverse coalition of Dicko’s influence unnerves some in Mali, which ally in favour of the religious leaders.” — Reuters

Black waters: Oil spills Canada court rules pollute Syria’s creeks ‘US refugee pact’ violates rights RMEILAN: In his village near a northeast Syria oil facility, Abdulka- rim Matar said he has watched his horses die because of oil spills that have polluted waterways in the resource-rich region. The landowner OTTAWA: One of Canada’s top courts ruled Wednesday that an said winter floods caused oil waste from a nearby storage facility to agreement with Washington barring people from seeking asylum if spill over onto his land. “The oil waste... sticks to our soil and agri- they arrive from US soil is invalid because it violates migrants’ rights. cultural lands” the 48-year-old said, complaining of a poor harvest The controversial 2004 deal, known as the Safe Third Country Agree- in the village of Abu Hajar. “I have lost two Arabian horses because ment (STCA), says anyone applying for asylum in either the United of the river water”, he added, explaining they had drunk water con- States or Canada must file their application in whichever country they taminated by oil. enter first. Oil pollution in Syria has been a growing concern since the 2011 AL YUSUFIYAH, Syria: Youths ride donkeys near a US military vehicle However, a federal court judge ruled the pact violates the Cana- onset of a civil war that has taken a toll on oil infrastructure and seen crossing a stream polluted by an oil spill near the village of dian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. “Everyone has the right to life, rival powers compete over control of key hydrocarbon fields. In the Sukayriyah, in the countryside south of Rumaylan (Rmeilan) in Syria’s liberty and security of the person and the right not be deprived Kurdish-held northeast, a large storage facility in the Rmeilan oil field Kurdish-controlled northeastern Hasakeh province. — AFP thereof,” Judge Ann Marie McDonald wrote, citing the Charter. The in Hasakeh province is of particular concern, according to the Dutch agreement has been repeatedly denounced by rights’ groups, and peace organization PAX. Oil leaks from the Gir Zero storage facility asylum seekers challenged it by arguing that the United States under have been suspected since at least 2014, the latest in March, it said floating down from the Gir Zero facility, near the village of Tall Adas. President Donald Trump could no longer be considered a “safe” in a June report. “Since the start of the conflict, the water coming from Tall Adas has country. To skirt the rule and guarantee their asylum application will Thousands of barrels have leaked out into creeks in the area over become polluted with oil and the most affected are the sheep,” Mah- be considered in Canada, tens of thousands of migrants have passed the past five years, threatening the health and livelihoods of people moud said. Around him, several herders explained how their sheep into the country through unofficial border crossings such as at Rox- in dozens of villages, according to PAX and Samir Madani, co- and cows have died because they drank oil contaminated water. ham Road, an area on the border between New York and Quebec. founder of oil shipping website Tanker Trackers. Matar said the pol- Residents too suffer heavily from the pollution, Mahmoud said, The ruling does not take effect for six months, during which time the luted tributary running past his land “contaminates our groundwater describing the foul odor of gas and crude oil wafting over the area at government will be given a chance to reply. The ruling can also be and constantly emits odors”. “It’s also a hotbed for diseases, including dusk. “We regularly have to take our children to the doctor to put appealed to a federal appellate court or the Supreme Court. skin infections,” he added, of the waters that eventually feed into the them on a respirator because of the fumes,” he said. Compounding Khabour river in the city of Hasakeh. the situation, makeshift oil refineries have cropped up across the ‘Cannot be justified’ northeast in recent years, dumping oil waste in the waterways, PAX McDonald’s ruling cites the case of a female Muslim immigrant Oil-soaked sheep said. These informal refineries receive oil from nearby fields and from Ethiopia named Nedira Mustefa, who was held in isolation for With the help of US forces, a semi-autonomous Kurdish adminis- process it to provide benzine, gasoline and diesel to locals. one week at a US detention center after being returned by Canadian tration controls some of Syria’s most sought-after oil fields in the authorities. Mustefa described the experience as terrifying and trau- northeast and relies on them as a key source of revenue. The major ‘Difficult solutions’ matizing. “Ms Mustefa was returned to the US where she was imme- Rmeilan field, located near a US airbase, has been among the Syrian In one such refinery near the town of Al-Qahtaniya, plumes of diately imprisoned,” the judge wrote. “In my view, the risk of Kurds’ most prized assets since regime forces withdrew early on in black smoke rose overhead as workers walked past blackened stor- detention for the sake of ‘administrative’ compliance with the provi- the war. But oil wealth comes at a heavy cost for livestock farmers age tanks, their faces covered with scarves. Exposure to oil and its sions of the STCA cannot be justified. “Canada cannot turn a blind like Hasan Abdul Mahmoud, who is in his thirties. waste products, whether through inhalation or skin contact, has cre- eye to the consequences that befell Ms Mustefa... The evidence In another creekside village, he pointed to a thick coating of oil ated problems for many in the trade, including Ahmad Mohammad clearly demonstrates that those returned to the US by Canadian of- dripping from the fleece of one of his sheep, blaming it on oil waste who works at the refinery.—AFP ficials are detained as a penalty.”—AFP 14 Friday International Friday, July 24, 2020 Brazil’s Black rights movement grapples with ‘hostile official’ Many have no access to electricity or running water

RIO DE JANEIRO: When the head of an influential run into the millions. Many have no access to electricity government body tasked with preserving Brazil’s Black or running water. Quilombolas see acquiring the formal culture called the country’s anti-racism movement titles to the land they inhabit as key to securing their “scum”, it came as no surprise to many. Sergio Ca- rights because without the deeds, they cannot access margo, a Black journalist appointed as president of the social benefits such as subsidized housing. Brazil’s 1988 Fundacao Cultural Palmares last year by Brazil’s right- constitution enshrined their rights to the land, but the wing President Jair Bolsonaro, has been contentious first step towards acquiring the deeds is for Palmares from the start as he has a history of denying racism even to recognize a community as a quilombo - something exists in his country. Rodrigues said they no longer trust it to do. In recent Under his tenure, the government-funded institute years, Fundacao Palmares issued about 100 certificates responsible for protecting the cultural and economic of recognition a year, he said. So far this year, Rodrigues rights of those descended from slaves has published ar- said, they had received only about a dozen. ticles criticizing Brazil’s most famous Black abolitionist leader. But Brazil’s quilombolas, the descendants of Legacy of slavery African slaves, worry more about his power to block Although past presidents of Palmares have not their efforts to secure the rights to land they have in- been able to address high poverty rates among quil- habited for generations - something Bolsonaro has re- ambolas, none has been openly hostile to their cause, peatedly said he wants to prevent. and Camargo’s presidency has been troubled from the “(Camargo) has been put there to cause damage,” start. A judge suspended his appointment in Decem- SAO PAULO: Partial view of the Monument to the Bandeiras -representing settling expeditions in which in- said Biko Rodrigues of CONAQ, the organization that ber after earlier comments he made on social media digenous people were killed and enslaved in the colonial times- in Sao Paulo, Brazil. —AFP represents quilombos in most of Brazil. “We won’t talk denigrating Brazil’s Black rights movement, but he won to him.” Palmares did not respond to a request for com- an appeal in February. He had previously worked as a ment, or to a list of questions for Camargo. In a state- journalist and editor, and is the son of the Brazilian able communities - argued that he had no legitimacy. 1888 - the last place in the Americas to do so - at least ment on June 5, after the recording of Camargo’s writer Oswaldo de Camargo. The case comes as communities around the world seek 4 million slaves had been brought into the country from comments on race was made public by the O Globo Earlier this month he tweeted that his critics “do not to address historic racism and the legacy of slavery, Africa to work on sugar plantations and in other sec- newspaper, it said all measures taken under his presi- tolerate a Black person having their own opinions. It is which Brazil’s quilombolas say has never been properly tors of the flourishing economy. Most of their descen- dency accorded with “the institutional mission, legality an insult to their enslaved minds”. A top Brazilian court addressed. Bolsonaro was charged with racism before dants in quilombos are still living below the poverty and ethic”. There are no reliable figures for the number will rule on Aug. 5 on whether Camargo is fit to be taking office, for saying in 2017 that Black people in line. Estimates vary, but government data suggests only of people living in Brazil’s 5,000 quilombos - rural set- president after public defenders - state lawyers who quilombos were “not fit even to procreate”, though he about 250 of quilombo settlements have title deeds to tlements originally set up by former slaves - but they can sue the government over the protection of vulner- was later exonerated. When Brazil abolished slavery in their land. —Reuters

nightly protests at the city’s federal courthouse, braving tear gas and other Mothers across US non-lethal munitions. Trump threatened earlier this week to send FBI and other federal agents to several other cities to help local authorities crack down Brazil’s Bolsonaro on a surge in violence in recent weeks. The program, known as Operation stand up to federal Legend, began in Kansas City, Missouri.

tests ‘positive’ for ‘We got gassed’ agents at protests A “Wall of Moms” group in Washington called on mothers to gather at coronavirus, again PORTLAND: Wearing bike helmets and yellow T-shirts, America’s mothers the “March Against Trump’s Police State” on Wednesday. Chicago organizer are confronting federal agents in combat gear to protect anti-racism protest- Katje Sabin said her group had been asked to attend a Saturday demonstra- BRASILIA: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has again tested positive ers in Portland and, soon, other US cities where President Donald Trump has tion. “If we have these groups of moms in yoga pants standing there, people for the new coronavirus, his office announced Wednesday, saying he vowed to crack down. Wall of Moms groups have formed in at least six cities kind of behave a little better,” Sabin, 57, said of police who she believes want would extend his two-week quarantine and suspend upcoming travel including New York and Chicago in the four days since mainly white suburban peaceful protests but get “all excited and threatened and scared.” plans. The far-right leader, who has faced criticism for downplaying the moms in Portland started making human walls in front of demonstrators. Portland’s mothers thought officers from the Department of Homeland pandemic and flouting social distancing measures, has been in self-iso- Carrying signs like “Feds stay clear. Moms are here,” and “I’m so disap- Security and other federal agencies would not use force against them at their first demonstration Sunday at the courthouse. They were wrong. “We got lation in the presidential palace in Brasilia since first testing positive for pointed in you - mom,” the Oregon women have been shoved and tear- gassed and that was the most heinous, excruciating experience in my entire the virus on July 7. “President Jair Bolsonaro’s health continues to im- gassed by agents. Some dads have joined too, bringing leaf blowers to blow life,” said Barnum. The Wall of Moms movement carries on a tradition of ma- prove, under the treatment of the presidential medical team,” his office away tear gas. Images of federal agents wearing camouflage whiskingaway ternal activism, notably the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires said in a statement. “A (new coronavirus) test carried out yesterday on Portland demonstrators in unmarked vehicles last week mobilized the moth- who held weekly vigils for nearly three decades to draw attention to the dis- the president came back positive.” Bolsonaro, 65, has famously com- ers. Protests against racial injustice have rocked the largely white city for appearance of their children under a military dictatorship. In Portland, Barnum pared the virus to a “little flu” and attacked stay-at-home measures and nearly two months since the death of Black man George Floyd in Minneapolis other guidelines from public-health officials. Until he was infected, he and other organizers are trying to ensure their fame does not eclipse the anti- police custody. racism, anti-police brutality messages of protesters they are defending. Bar- regularly hit the streets of Brasilia without a face mask, exchanging hugs The deployment of federal agents in Portland last week is a flashpoint in and handshakes with supporters and urging Latin America’s biggest num, who is Mexican American, coordinates with local Black protest leaders a national debate over civil liberties and what demonstrators and local officials country to get back to work despite its rapidly spreading outbreak. to support the wider movement. see as a political ploy by Trump, who is facing an uphill re-election battle. Since testing positive after developing a fever and fatigue, he has been Still, some activists such as E Gomez have broken away from the moms, working by video conference from the presidential residence, the Alvo- “This was a call to action. I was honest, and I said that I didn’t know how to frustrated by what she calls “boomer-aged white women and men” who do rada Palace-a routine he admitted last week he “can’t stand.” Following protest but I knew that something had to be done,” said Bev Barnum, a 35- not listen to concerns that they are drowning out the voices of people of the latest positive test result, his third since getting infected, Bolsonaro year-old Portland mother of two who used Facebook to organize the group’s color. “It’s quickly turning into a #wallofkarens. It’s feeling like a lot of optics “indefinitely postponed” upcoming trips to the north-eastern states of first demonstration of several dozen moms. and photo ops to make these white women feel better about themselves,” Piaui and Bahia, his office told AFP. —AFP Carrying sunflowers, large peace symbol cut-outs and signs like “You said Gomez, using a pejorative term to describe entitled, middle-aged white need a time out,” hundreds of mothers now link arms on the frontline of women. —Reuters Friday 15 International Friday, July 24, 2020 Latin America cases soar; Global COVID infections pass 15 million US records more than 143,000 fatalities

RIO DE JANEIRO: The number of novel coron- hardest-hit country after the United States, has avirus infections around the world passed 15 registered half of Latin America’s surging case- million Wednesday, with Latin America and the load, with 2.2 million infections and 82,771 deaths. Caribbean, one of the hardest-hit regions, Its president, Jair Bolsonaro, again tested positive notching more than four million cases. In the for the virus after first being diagnosed with the United States, home to over a quarter of global disease on July 7. The country recorded a new infections, President Donald Trump warned that daily record of novel coronavirus cases Wednes- the pandemic was likely to get worse before it day with nearly 68,000 infections. Peru, Mexico gets better. The US data makes grim reading, and Chile are also on the list of the top 10 coun- with more than 143,000 fatalities and regular tries by total cases, with well over 300,000 each. daily death tolls of more than 1,000. Trump has been a critic of lockdown meas- Vaccine hopes ures and has argued in favor of reopening the The crisis has left tens of millions unemployed economy even as death tolls have climbed. Signs around the world and crippled global commerce, are emerging in other parts of the world that the prompting the European Union to approve an virus quickly springs back when lockdown unprecedented 750 billion euro ($858 billion) measures are lifted. Australia, Belgium, Hong aid package for the hardest-hit member coun- Kong and Japanese capital Tokyo had all used tries earlier this week. But the airline industry restrictive measures to successfully beat out- continues to struggle under the weight of travel breaks earlier in the pandemic, but all are now restrictions and reluctance among potential pas- facing an upsurge in cases. sengers to fly. Irish carrier Ryanair said it would Australia and Hong Kong set new daily shut its base near the German business hub records for confirmed cases on Wednesday, and Frankfurt after pilots refused to take a pay cut. Tokyo’s governor urged residents to stay at The production of a vaccine is now key to BELO HORIZONTE: Members of the Military Firefighter Brigate of Minas Gerais (CBMMG) wearing home during a forthcoming holiday as cases ensuring a return to something close to normal- protective gear, demonstrate the use of an isolation stretcher, or bubble stretcher, to transport climb. Belgian officials said people must stick to ity. More than 200 candidate drugs are being patients infected with coronavirus (COVID-19) at Pampulha Airport in Belo Horizonte, state of social-distancing guidelines to halt a “snowball developed, with 23 having progressed to clinical Minas Gerais, Brazil. — AFP effect before it provokes a new avalanche”. trials. The United States, which recorded over South Africa’s decision to ban the sale of alcohol 63,000 new cases in the past 24 hours, has was not imminent. “We hope to be able to pro- 2020 Games next year rested on a vaccine. “If and enforce a curfew continued to cause an- agreed to pay almost $2 billion for 100 million duce a vaccine by the end of the year... perhaps a things continue as they are now, we couldn’t” guish, even as the country recorded a record- doses of a potential vaccine being developed by little earlier if all goes well,” said Pascal Soriot. hold the Games, said local organizing committee breaking 24-hour death toll of 572 fatalities. German firm BioNTech and US giant Pfizer. An- president Yoshiro Mori. While global efforts to “What the government has put in place has other leading candidate, developed in part by ‘Bake a giant cake’ prevent new infections are the principal concern been knee-capping,” restaurateur Sean Barber pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, registered With the sporting world just about getting of policymakers, the extent and severity of the said during a protest in Johannesburg. “It’s deci- promising results from clinical trials this week. But back on its feet, Olympic officials conceded on disease in countries with struggling health sys- mating our industry.” Brazil, the world’s second the firm’s chief said on Tuesday a global rollout Wednesday that their hopes of holding the Tokyo tems has become clearer in recent days. — AFP

Trump announces ‘surge’ there. The operation is “to protect the residents of those cities from senseless acts of deadly violence by targeting those involved in Florida funeral worker gang activity and those who use guns to commit violent crime,” said of federal agents to cities Barr. Some 200 more agents would be deployed to Chicago and another 30 to Albuquerque, Barr said. Shootings have spiked in a spends life dealing with hit by gun violence number of US cities this summer. Chicago has suffered about 1,640 shootings and 414 murders this year, according to police data. coronavirus deaths Both figures are up around 50 percent from a year ago. Offi- cials blame frustration and economic pains from the COVID-19 WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced he was crisis, stepped gang rivalries, and easy access to guns. New York MIAMI: For one young funeral home assistant in Florida, his deploying more federal agents to Chicago and other major cities shootings are also running at their highest levels in over a decade, social life has been dead-his main human interactions are Wednesday to help battle a jump in gun violence and shooting and many other urban areas are facing similar challenges. Shoot- with deceased coronavirus victims at his workplace. But he deaths. The move came a day after 15 people in Chicago, the ings have accelerated during the summer across the country. doesn’t regret his isolation. The pandemic is “bigger than we country’s third largest city, were wounded in a drive-by shooting More than 60 people were shot in Chicago, including 14 fatalities, at a funeral for a man recently gunned down in what police called are,” said Bradley Georges, 26, an assistant at the Van Orsdel over the past weekend alone. gang violence. funeral home in Miami. “Mentally it’s tough, trust me. But as Trump, who has sought to make law-and-order a theme for his But officials made clear that the government was not sending far as not seeing family and friends right now, I understand,” flagging re-election campaign, warned Monday he could send paramilitary forces in to address protests, as it has in a deeply he told AFP. federal officers to New York and other Democratic-led cities to controversial move in Portland, Oregon. “I’m announcing a surge Florida, with a population of about 21 million, has protect federal buildings and confront protests that he and lieu- of federal law enforcement into communities plagued by violent recorded more than 5,000 COVID-19 deaths. About 10,000 tenants blame on “violent anarchists.” For the most part, protests crime,” Trump said at the White House, with Attorney General new cases are currently reported a day, a quarter of them in across the country since the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a William Barr and the FBI and Department of Homeland Security Miami, according to official figures. Florida, along with Texas Minneapolis police officer have been peaceful and focus on racism chiefs in the audience. “We want to make law enforcement and Arizona, have been become a new virus epicenters in the and police abuse. stronger, not weaker,” he said, adding that, for the cities, “Help is United States. Georges’s constant exposure to the virus Two weeks ago the Department of Homeland Security began on the way.” means that he has not been near his mother for five months. sending federal agents, including US Border Patrol officers, to Instead he has moved to a sort of utility room in the back of Portland to fend off protests that have seen federal buildings in Epidemic of gun violence the house that he shares with his brother. Georges has even the city damaged with graffiti and broken windows. On Monday Barr said officers from the FBI, US Marshals Service, Drug En- stopped meeting in-person with everyone he knows, saying though 15 mayors pushed back strongly in a letter to Barr and forcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and that it’s to keep them safe. Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, saying they Firearms, would be boosted in Chicago and Albuquerque, New “It’s my duty to serve my community and do what I love would not accept federal agents in their cities to deal with legal Mexico, as part of ongoing Operation Legend, named after four- to do in spite of me not being able to see my own family and protests. “Unilaterally deploying these paramilitary-type forces year-old LeGend Taliferro, shot and killed while he slept on June friends,” he said. “It’s not about me. — AFP 29 in Kansas City. Around 200 officersfrom those bodies have al- into our cities is wholly inconsistent with our system of democracy ready been deployed in Kansas City to help with the gun violence and our most basic values,” they wrote. — AFP 16 Friday International Friday, July 24, 2020 Hungry, jobless and desperate: The post-lockdown reality for many Low-income households and unskilled workers most affected

PARIS: Many workers’ lives have been abruptly up- the electricity bill for three months. Food bank ‘shame’ sured her. However, the very next day, she was given ended by the coronavirus pandemic, as job losses Although he’s managed to keep up his 250- To fill the fridge and feed her student son, two weeks’ notice. “I thought at first it was a stupid in tourism, air travel, food and drink or other indus- euro car loan repayments, the family’s holiday in daughter and grandson, Sonia Herrera has no April Fool’s joke,” she said. “It was a total shock.” tries hit those both on fixed contracts and in the in- the south west is now off the cards, he said. choice but to rely on the food bank. “It makes me a Murashko’s computer skills placed her in a rar- formal sector. From employees making a “We’ve lost everything... Psychologically you have bit ashamed to ask for help,” the 52-year-old Hon- efied group that can make several thousand euros comfortable living, to others just scraping by, peo- to cope with it,” he told AFP. But his wife is suf- duran, who lives in the Spanish capital, said. People a month in Ukraine, compared to an average salary ple around the world are confronting anxiety over fering from depression and he is just holding out look, and there’s the guilt of wondering if “maybe in the country of around 300 euros. She was able how to feed their families and shame at being forced for September when he hopes business will re- others need it more”, she added. As a domestic to afford a cleaner, trips to the beautician and new to seek handouts amid growing poverty. sume-virus permitting. worker, she earned a monthly 480 euros until her clothes. From one day to the next, her life changed The IMF says that world GDP is set to plunge employers in central Madrid let her go, the day after beyond recognition. Now she’s living off savings 4.9 percent this year from the crisis sparked by the Forced career about-turn Spain’s lockdown began. and odd jobs. Last month, the mum of two teens, global pandemic, and warns that low-income With dreams of becoming a pilot, 26-year-old As an undocumented migrant, she cannot claim who also looks after her 73-year-old mother, made households and unskilled workers are most af- Colombian Roger Ordonez had been working as a state aid. The whole family lives on about 600 euros 600 euros. Her job hunting has been fruitless and fected. AFP met people in France, Mexico, Ukraine, flight attendant for Avianca since 2017 but studying in unemployment benefit that her daughter Alejan- she limits her spending to the absolute minimum. Spain, Colombia and the United States, who already to get his wings. “You get used to a certain lifestyle dra, 32, receives after losing her job as a cook in a “One thing I haven’t cut is my psychotherapist,” she are, or fear they soon will be, without work and because you have a good salary and you can nursery which had to close during confinement. said. Since losing her job, she’s had trouble sleeping spoke of their despair, sacrifices, dashed hopes and travel,” he said. He’s visited various countries in the With a few savings too, they scrape by. But little and suffers anxiety. fears for the future. region and the US in recent years and took his fam- pleasures “that you notice when you lose them”, ily for their first trip abroad. At the end of March, at such as occasionally going out for an ice cream, are Living in fear Plunged into precariousness the airline’s request, he agreed to take two weeks’ gone and their cat Bella’s operation had to be put Marie Cedile dreads hearing that she’ll be “I’ve slipped into a state of insecurity,” says unpaid leave, which was then extended. back. “The end of the month scares me more than among those to lose their jobs at French shoe com- Frenchman Xavier Chergui, 44, who for 10 years has Two months later, he learned that his temporary the virus. You have to eat after all,” Herrera said. pany Andre, which filed for bankruptcy on March been a temp maitre d’, filling in at Paris restaurants contract would not be renewed after it ended on 21 before going into receivership. Under the only when they were short staffed. The married, father June 30. In the meantime, Avianca filed for bank- ‘Total shock’ takeover offer on the table, just half of the 450 staff of two made a monthly 1,800-2,600 euros ($2,062- ruptcy. Ordonez has had to abandon his pilot stud- Ukrainian IT specialist Natalia Murashko, 39, would be kept on. She’s worried that at the age of 2,978), and in a really good month could sometimes ies and can no longer help his family out with the was due for a promotion after four years as a senior 54 and having spent all her working life at Andre, earn 4,000 euros. But as soon as France locked bills. “I’ve looked for work but it’s difficult because quality-control engineer at American travel com- she’ll have trouble finding a new job. “I have cus- down, the work stopped and the family is surviving my sector is tourism and it’s the most affected by pany Fareportal. When the pandemic hit, about 15 tomers whom I fitted for shoes when they were little on state aid of 875 euros. He hasn’t been able to COVID-19,” he said. He’s thinking of retraining, per- employees were dismissed on March 31 but she and who come today to get their children fitted,” meet his monthly rent of 950 euros since March, nor haps in management, trade or sales, he says. thought her job was safe as her bosses had reas- she said.—AFP Cover-up claims as French new police Greece marks two minister under fire years since tragedy

PARIS: Gerald Darmanin has had a tumultuous first two weeks as ATHENS: Two years after 102 people died in Greece’s worst fire tragedy, a France’s interior minister as the country questions whether some- judicial probe into operational errors has been rocked by cover-up claims, one under investigation for rape allegations can and should be its while reconstruction remains a distant goal. Wildfires fed by strong winds “top cop”. The 37-year-old’s appointment on July 6 drew immedi- swept through homes and vehicles in the coastal town of Mati near Athens ate outrage that has showed no signs of abating-women’s rights in July 2018, leaving only charred remains. campaigners have picketed every one of Darmanin’s public appear- The Kathimerini daily reported last weekend that Dimitris Liotsios, a fire ances to date. department investigator probing the disaster, was allegedly told by his chief He is accused by Sophie Patterson-Spatz of raping her in officer to “bury” and “doctor” files under “top-level” orders. Liotsios used KINETA: In this file photo, cars are blocked at the closed National Road during a 2009 after she sought his help to have a criminal record ex- wildfire in Kineta, near Athens. —AFP punged while he was a legal affairs adviser with the UMP, the his phone to secretly record the meeting with then fire chief Vassilis predecessor of France’s main right-wing party, the Republicans. Mattheopoulos and submitted it to judicial authorities, the newspaper said. received no warning about the proximity of the danger, and instead of being Darmanin maintains they had consensual sex. The case has been According to Kathimerini, Mattheopoulos told the investigator to “keep your sent away from the fire zone, many motorists were mistakenly diverted into thrown out multiple times, but appeals judges in Paris last month mouth shut” in order to avoid retaliation by superiors at the fire department its path and died trapped in Mati’s narrow streets. Four senior officials, in- ordered a new investigation after Patterson-Spatz approached and the police ministry. cluding the minister responsible for the police, later resigned or were removed France’s highest court. “If you write about your superiors having any blame, we will close ranks The uproar over Darmanin’s promotion to a key cabinet position and tear you apart,” the fire chief allegedly said. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mit- from their posts. just weeks after that ruling seems to have taken the government sotakis has called the report “chilling”. “It is now clear there was an attempted and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party by surprise. Their cover-up,” the premier said Sunday. At the time, the left-wing government Slow rebuild defense of Darmanin has focused on the presumption of innocence, of then prime minister Alexis Tsipras had stressed the difficulty of organizing An Athens magistrate is finalizing charges against 20 people including even as they appear to have exonerated him despite an ongoing an evacuation in the coastal community with winds blowing at nearly 120 the regional governor, local mayors and senior fire service and police of- inquiry. Macron explained on French television that he had a “re- kilometers an hour (75 mph). ficials. Citizens have also filed separate lawsuits. The first defendant, former lationship of trust, man-to-man” with Darmanin, a phrase many Some locals reported suffering burns from the scorching wind without Marathon mayor Ilias Psinakis, is to testify on Friday. The police minister criticized for being tone deaf. —AFP ever coming near the fire. But in the aftermath of the disaster, the police and at the time of the cover-up claims, Olga Gerovassili, denies any interfer- fire services gave conflicting accounts of what went wrong. Local residents ence in the case. —AFP Friday 17 International Friday, July 24, 2020 China launches Mars probe in space race with America Big powers take their rivalry into deep space

WENCHANG: China launched a rover to Mars yesterday, a jour- ney coinciding with a similar US mission as the powers take their rivalry into deep space. The two countries are taking advantage of a period when Earth and Mars are favorably aligned for a short journey, with the US spacecraft due to lift off on July 30. The Chinese mission is named Tianwen-1 (“Questions to Heaven”) - a nod to a classical poem that has verses about the cosmos. Engineers and other employees cheered at the launch site on the southern island of Hainan as it lifted off into blue sky aboard a Long March 5 - China’s biggest space rocket. Site commander Zhang Xueyu declared the mission a success on state broadcaster CCTV. The five-ton Tianwen-1 is expected to arrive in February 2021 after a seven-month, 55-million-kilometre voyage. The mission in- cludes a Mars orbiter, a lander and a rover that will study the planet’s soil. “As a first try for China, I don’t expect it to do any- thing significant beyond what the US has already done,” said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. It is a crowded field. The United Arab Emirates launched a probe on Monday that will orbit Mars once it reaches the Red Planet. But the race to watch is between the United States and China, which has worked furiously to try and match Washington’s su- premacy in space. NASA, the American space agency, has already WENCHANG: A Long March-5 rocket, carrying an orbiter, lander and rover as part of the Tianwen-1 mission to Mars, lifts off from the Wenchang Space sent four rovers to Mars since the late 1990s. The next one, Per- Launch Centre in southern China’s Hainan Province yesterday. —AFP severance, is an SUV-sized vehicle that will look for signs of an- cient microbial life, and gather rock and soil samples with the goal of bringing them back to Earth on another mission in 2031. Tian- in the past decade, sending a human into space in 2003. be much fainter,” he added, noting that there is a greater risk of wen-1 is “broadly comparable to Viking in its scope and ambition”, The Asian powerhouse has laid the groundwork to assemble failure. China has upgraded its monitoring stations in the far- said McDowell, referring to NASA’s Mars landing missions in a space station by 2022 and gain a permanent foothold in Earth western Xinjiang region and northeastern Heilongjiang province 1975-1976. orbit. China has already sent two rovers to the Moon. With the to meet the Mars mission requirements, state news agency Xin- second, China became the first country to make a successful soft hua reported last week. Catching up landing on the far side. The Moon missions gave China experi- The majority of the dozens of missions sent by the US, Russia, After watching the United States and the Soviet Union lead the ence in operating spacecraft beyond Earth orbit, but Mars is an- Europe, Japan and India to Mars since 1960 ended in failure. Tian- way during the Cold War, China has poured billions of dollars into other story. wen-1 is not China’s first attempt to go to Mars. A previous mis- its military-led space program. “China joining (the Mars race) will The much greater distance means “a bigger light travel time, sion with Russia in 2011 ended prematurely as the launch failed. change the situation dominated by the US for half a century,” said so you have to do things more slowly as the radio signal round Now, Beijing is trying on its own. “As long as (Tianwen) safely Chen Lan, an independent analyst at GoTaikonauts.com, which trip time is large,” said McDowell. It also means “you need a lands on the Martian surface and sends back the first image, the specializes in China’s space program. China has made huge strides more sensitive ground station on Earth because the signals will mission will... be a big success,” Chen said. —AFP

‘Questions to Heaven’ from those of other countries: develop the ca- Yutu rovers are good practice in many ways From the Moon to China’s Mars probe lifted off on July 23 from pability, explore the universe... and finally, cre- for a Martian rover. The terrain is broadly sim- the southern island of Hainan. The mission was ate political influence and national prestige,” ilar,” Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Mars: China’s long dubbed Tianwen-1 (“Questions to Heaven”) in said Chen Lan, an independent analyst at Go- Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics a nod to a classical Chinese poem that has Taikonauts.com, which specializes in news said. But the distance from Earth means com- verses about the cosmos. The probe aims to go about China’s space program. munication will be slower, McDowell said, march in space into Martian orbit, land on the planet and re- adding that the risk of problems increases with lease a small rover to conduct research on its Six-wheeled rover such a long trip. surface. The craft will travel at least 55 million The rover, weighing 240 kilograms, has six BEIJING: China launched a rover to Mars kilometers to reach its destination. It will arrive wheels and four solar panels, Chinese state Space race yesterday, another milestone for its space seven months after launch, in February, accord- media reported. The rover will roam Mars for China has poured billions of dollars into its program after putting humans into orbit and ing to an official. three months, according to Sun Zezhou, chief en- space program to catch up with the US, Russia landing a probe on the Moon. It is among a gineer of the probe. The machine is supposed to and Europe. In 2003, it became the third nation- trio of nations, along with the United Arab Without Russia this time analyze the planet’s soil and atmosphere, take after the US and Russia-to send a human into Emirates and the United States, launching It is not China’s first attempt to go to Mars. photos, chart maps and look for signs of past life. space. It has launched a slew of satellites into missions to the Red Planet this month, taking A previous mission with Russia in 2011 failed orbit, completing a constellation in June to set advantage of a period when Mars and Earth because the Russian launcher was unable to get Jade Rabbits up its own navigation system, Beidou, to rival the are favorably aligned. Beijing’s space program the craft into a transfer orbit to slingshot to- China sent two rovers to the Moon, Jade US GPS system. The Asian powerhouse plans to has made huge strides in recent years as it wards the Red Planet. The hardware partially Rabbit One and Two (Yutu in Chinese), in 2013 assemble a space station by 2022 in Earth orbit. tries to catch up with the United States and disintegrated as it later crashed back to Earth. and 2019. The second rover made a historic And China is aiming even higher, hoping to be- Russia. Here are five things to know about the Following that failure, Beijing decided to try soft landing on the far side of the Moon, mak- come only the second nation to send humans to program: again on its own. “Its purposes are not different ing China the first country to do so. “The lunar the Moon a decade from now. — AFP 18 Friday International Friday, July 24, 2020 Afghan girl who killed Taleban gunmen ‘ready to fight again’ ‘I no longer fear them and I’m ready to fight them again’ GHAZNI: An Afghan girl who shot dead two picked up the gun we had at home, went to the being informers them one last time.” Hundreds of people on social Taleban fighters after they gunned down her door and shot them,” said Gul, who was taught for the govern- media are demanding the government protect her, parents said she was ready to confront any other by her father how to fire an AK-47 assault rifle. ment or secu- with some calling for her to be sent outside of insurgents who might try to attack her. Qamar Her brother stepped in when one of the insur- rity forces, with Afghanistan. “I demand that the president help Gul, 15, killed the militants when they stormed gents, who appeared to be the group’s leader, Taywara dis- transfer her to a safe place as her and her family’s her home last week in a remote village in the tried to return fire. “My brother took the gun trict, where security is at risk,” prominent women’s rights ac- central province of Ghor. “I no longer fear them from me and hit (shot) him. The fighter ranaway Gul’s remote tivist and former lawmaker Fawzia Koofi wrote on and I’m ready to fight them again,” Gul told AFP injured, only to return later,” Gul said, By then, village is lo- Facebook. Munera Yousufzada, a defence min- by telephone from a relative’s home, where she several villagers and pro-government militiamen cated, the scene istry official, said Gul’s “brave act” was a message was being watched by guards. had arrived at the house. The Taleban eventually of near-daily to the Taleban from Afghan women. A photo of Gul posing with a gun has circu- fled following a lengthy firefight. clashes be- “The Taleban must realise and know that lated online, with many praising her actions and tween govern- today’s women are different than the women calling for her safe passage out of the country. ‘Proud’ ment forces and during their rule,” she said on Twitter. “If you re- It was about midnight when the Taleban arrived, The New York Times reported Wednesday the Taleban. ally want to protect her, then send her abroad. If Qamar Gul Gul said, recounting the events of that night. She that the killings at Gul’s home also involved a “I am proud she comes to Kabul for even two days... she will was asleep in her room with her 12-year-old family feud-and that one of the attackers was I killed my par- be killed,” Zoya Amini, a resident of Kabul, wrote brother when she heard the sound of men push- Gul’s own husband. The paper, quoting Gul’s rel- ents’ murderers,” she said. “I killed them because on Facebook. President Ashraf Ghani also ing at the door of their house. “My mother ran atives and officials, said he was seeking her they killed my parents, and also because I knew praised Gul for “defending her family against a to stop them but by then they had already bro- “forcible return” after a falling-out with her fam- they would come for me and my little brother.” ruthless enemy”, his spokesman Sediq Sediqqi ken the door,” Gul said. “They took my father ily. Officials told AFP the Taleban had come to Gul regrets she was unable to say goodbye to her told AFP. A Taleban spokesman has confirmed an and mother outside and shot them several times. kill Gul’s father, who was the village chief, be- mother and father. “After I killed the two Taleban, operation took place in the area of the attack, I was terrified”. cause he supported the government. The insur- I went to talk to my parents, but they were not but denied any of the group’s fighters had been But moments later, “anger took over”. “I gents regularly kill villagers they suspect of breathing,” she said. “I feel sad, I could not talk to killed by a woman. — AFP

China 2-child policy means more babies named after mum

BEIJING: When Wang Rong gave birth to her second son, she reminded her husband of a promise he made even before their wedding: to let her pass on her family name. “My dad had two girls and I didn’t want our family line to end with us,” the mother from Shanghai told AFP. “I didn’t want my dad to be disappointed for not having a son.” Giving the mother’s surname to a child is gaining traction in Chinese cities, defy- SRINAGAR: Pigeons take flight over an empty place during a lockdown imposed by the authorities as a preventive measure ing deeply entrenched family traditions in the country. against the surge in COVID-19 coronavirus cases. — AFP The country’s one-child rule, which ran from 1979 to 2016, meant daughters have also been tasked with safeguarding On Tuesday, the Amarnath Yatra-an annual Hindu pilgrimage their parents’ wealth and bloodline-previously this had been Indian Kashmir locks to a cave shrine in Kashmir that draws some 300,000 partici- the preserve of male heirs. This caused a shift in some family’s pants-was cancelled for the first time in more than a century. The attitudes but it was the law change to allow couples to have pilgrimage, held for nearly two months, is usually guarded by two children that has ignited the trend for kids to be given down, pilgrimage off some 40,000 government forces as well as health professionals. the maternal name. But authorities said they were not able to divert such huge re- Now, some parents are giving the father’s family name to as virus cases surge sources to the event with the health crisis still raging. the first born and the mother’s to the second child. Few sta- “The health concerns are so serious that the strain on the tistics exist on the issue, but one in 10 babies born in Shang- health system, along with the diversion in resources to the yatra, hai in 2018 had their mother’s surname, according to the city’s SRINAGAR: Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday im- will be immense,” officials said late Tuesday. “This would also un- population management office. Others are giving children posed a strict lockdown for a week as authorities warned of rising necessarily put the yatris (pilgrims) at risk of catching COVID- double-barreled names using one from each parent. Accord- coronavirus cases, one day after cancelling a major annual Hindu 19.” Kashmir has so far reported nearly 16,000 virus cases ing to a 2019 study on Chinese names by internet giant Ten- pilgrimage. India, which has recorded almost 1.2 million infections including 273 deaths in the region of 14 million people, local health cent, more than 1.1 million people in China had a combined and is the world’s third-most infected nation, had significantly officials said Wednesday. Manipur, with a population of 2.8 million last name, a tenfold increase from 1990. eased a months-long shutdown to revive its shattered economy. people, has recorded 2,015 infections but no loss of life. The Kash- “China was under the one-child rule when our first son But numerous states across the nation of 1.3 billion people have mir lockdown came just before the major Eid al-Adha festival of was born, and my husband insisted on following tradition and reimposed restrictions in recent weeks as case numbers exploded, animal sacrifice, which begins at the end of the month and lasts giving his name,” Wang, an insurance agent, said. “But I saw sparking fears of overwhelmed healthcare systems. for several days. It also came ahead of the first anniversary on Au- my chance when a second child was allowed in 2016.” Her Officials in Kashmir said the Muslim-majority Himalayan valley, gust 5 of the controversial stripping of Kashmir’s autonomy by apart from one district, would go into lockdown until July 29, when eight-year-old son, He Wenshi, has his dad’s surname, while India’s Hindu nationalist government. Last year’s pilgrimage was the restrictions would be reviewed. “Complete lockdown in all red his sibling Wang Yunshi has hers. The situation has become cut short abruptly days before the autonomy decision, with au- districts... from today evening,” the local administration’s informa- so common that several of the older boy’s classmates have thorities claiming pilgrims and tourists faced terror threats from tion department tweeted. Agriculture, construction, and the trans- their mother’s name. “He thinks it’s normal for his two-year anti-India rebel groups. Severe restrictions on movement and portation of fuel and other goods is permitted under the order. A old brother to have a different family name. He doesn’t ask communications were also imposed across the restive region to similar declaration by the small northeastern state of Manipur was why,” said Wang. — AFP quell any unrest. Kashmir has waged a three-decade-long armed made hours later, with the shutdown to be put in place Thursday rebellion against Indian rule with tens of thousands of lives, mostly afternoon for a week, extendable to 14 days. civilians, lost in the conflict. — AFP FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020 www.kuwaittimes.net

‘Go ahead, make my day,’ This picture shows a visitor looking at jellyfish in a 14-meter -wide tank at the Sunshine Clint Eastwood tells Aquarium in Tokyo.—AFP CBD retailers in lawsuits Page 21 20 Friday Lifestyle | Features Friday, July 24, 2020 Cancel culture: Positive social change or online harassment?

elebrities, brands, leaders and ordinary people are all falling foul of Harper’s letter outrage and is almost completely incapable of “cancel culture,” a movement that seeks to call out offensive behav- “We’re no longer in a cultural moment where people who are treated conveying nuance.” “Sometimes the goal is sim- Ciour but that critics denounce as excessive and contributing to in- unfairly can’t speak back to regressive and toxic opinions,” said University ply emotional satisfaction at taking someone creased political polarization. Whether it’s a controversial tweet or video clip, of Michigan professor Lisa Nakamura. “If a public figure wants to cancel down,” said Ford. social media users are quick to demand accountability—but detractors say transgender people, there is no reason in the world that they can’t be can- it can amount to online shaming. “Cancel culture” involves a concerted effort celled in return,” she added. “Cancel culture” roared into the mainstream as ‘Us versus them’ to withdraw support for the figure or business that has said or done some- part of the #MeToo movement in 2017, when many Hollywood A-listers Hampton, from Michigan State, says “guilt thing objectionable until they either apologize or disappear from view. were toppled by a wave of fury over accusations of sexual harassment and and social shaming don’t really change opinions Author JK Rowling, for comments deemed deeply insulting to transgen- abuse with impunity. Now, the culture is impacting discriminatory behav- very successfully,” adding that that part of the der people; YouTuber Shane Dawson, for old videos of him in blackface; iour in everyday life, researchers say. Nakamura cites the example of Amy movement is likely to increase the polarization of and singer Lana Del Rey, for a controversial Instagram post contrasting Cooper, a white woman filmed by a black man in Central Park in May when American society. Ford says it is President Don- herself with black artists, have all been caught in the wave. Brands are also she told police he was threatening her and asked them to arrest him—for ald Trump who fueled “cancel culture” by attack- being forced to react so as not to lose customers: for example, Uncle Ben’s no legitimate reason. The video, posted on Twitter, has been viewed some ing individuals and groups he wanted to and Aunt Jemima for their use of African-American mascots widely consid- 45 million times amid widespread outrage, and Cooper was quickly fired as discredit—such as the Black Lives Matter move- ered to be racist caricatures that have long been taboo. Richard Ford, a law her company tried to distance itself from the anger. “’Cancel culture’ is what ment. “Trump’s intolerance and bigotry has in- professor at California’s Stanford University agrees that “some of the social happens when victims of racism and sexism stop keeping their perpetra- spired similar behaviour from his followers on J. K. Rowling media activism is constructive and legitimate” but also warns of “reflexive tors’ secrets,” Nakamura told AFP. But Keith Hampton, professor of media the right, and that has in turn provoked a campaigns and crusades” online. “Activism on Twitter is easy: it takes a and information at Michigan State University, says that if the movement is counter-reaction from progressives,” said Ford. “There’s increasingly a sort of couple of seconds to attack someone or circulate a petition to have the per- intentionally about trying to harm people, then it’s “less positive.” The au- ‘us versus them’ attitude where it’s seen as justified and even necessary to be son fired or ostracized,” Ford told AFP. The academic was one of roughly thors of the Harper’s letter warned that the radicalization of “cancel culture” just as dogmatic and unyielding as one’s ideological enemies.” Nakamura be- 150 personalities from the world of arts and sciences to sign a letter pub- was constricting the “free exchange of information and ideas.” Critics dis- lieves the phenomenon can be problematic when it divides a social movement lished on the Harper’s magazine website earlier this month that complained missed the letter as powerful people—several of whom had been cancelled or “targets people inaccurately” but says, ultimately, it’s “an important force for that cancel culture was restricting debate. However, many view the move- themselves after using their platforms to express controversial or offensive change.” “The Black Lives Matter movement would have looked very different ment as giving a voice to people who previously didn’t have one, allowing opinions—complaining of backlash when people disagree with them. Ford, were it not for the documentation of everyday racism in Walmarts, on jogging them to call out offensive behavior for the first time. at Stanford, says social media “encourages provocations and expressions of and bike paths, and in other public spaces,” she concluded.—AFP Israel’s latest spy drama Natalie Portman, ‘Tehran’ explores nuclear tensions celebrities behind new women’s pro soccer team he plot of Israel’s latest spy series to screen internationally, extent, I would like to think that it is an Israeli-Iranian series, although “Tehran” premiering on Apple TV, seems straight from the news officially it is not,” he said. group of celebrities led by Holly- headlines and reflects the Jewish state’s deep enmity with Iran. A Zonder told AFP he believes the Iranian and Israeli people “could wood star Natalie Portman has youngT Mossad agent is sent on her first mission: to disable Iranian air be friends, without the leaders who frighten their population and stir Afounded a women’s professional soc- defences so Israel can strike a reactor and deny the Islamic Republic the up hatred in order to stay in power”. Lead actress Niv Sultan studied cer team set to debut in 2022, the women’s ability to make an atomic bomb. The conservative press in Iran—a coun- Farsi for four months, he said, to prepare for the role of an Iranian-born pro soccer league said Tuesday. Big-names try which strongly denies that its nuclear programme is for anything Jewish woman who is sent back on an undercover mission to the coun- involved in the effort include tennis megas- other than civilian use—has slammed the show as Zionist propaganda. try of her childhood. Two Iranian-born actors are also in the show— tar Serena Williams, as well as Hollywood Yet, while the notion of Israel and Iran cooperating on anything— Navid Negahban and Shaun Toub, both of whom have had roles in the stars Jessica Chastain, Eva Longoria, Amer- let alone a television series—is unthinkable now, “Tehran” co-creator US series “Homeland”, which is also based on an Israeli-made espi- ica Ferrera and Jennifer Garner. “A majority Moshe Zonder said he likes to think of it as at least a cultural copro- onage series. On a separate note, Zonder said that “placing a woman at woman-founded group” led by Portman duction. “We speak more Farsi than Hebrew in ‘Tehran’... so to a certain the heart of this new action series was a political decision”. “We “has secured the exclusive right to bring a wanted to see what a young, talented but inexperienced woman professional women’s soccer team to Los chooses and can do in a world ruled by men when her commanders Angeles to kick off in Spring 2022,” the Na- have failed,” he said. “It is definitely a feminist series.” tional Women’s Soccer League said. The team’s formal name is yet to be announced, Praise and controversy but “the group has formally coined itself Natalie Portman Its producers hope “Tehran” will have similar global success as pre- ‘Angel City’ in honour of its planned home vious series featuring Israel’s notorious secret agents. “Fauda”, about an in Los Angeles,” the statement said. undercover Israeli unit fighting Arab militants, marked a breakthrough It would become the 11th team in the NWSL. Currently, there are for attracting international audiences to Israeli productions and runs to nine teams in the league, but one other team — the Louisville FC — is three seasons on Netflix. Praised by some for its nuanced portrayal of set to rejoin the league in 2021. The founding investor group in- the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it has also been criticised for being one- cludes Williams’s young daughter Olympia, and several former US sided and glorifying Israel and its agents. “Tehran”, an eight-part series, Women’s National Team players including Mia Hamm, Lauren Cheney was produced by Israel’s public television network Kan and mostly shot Holiday and Abby Wambach. Gaming entrepreneur Julie Uhrman will in Athens. Yossi Sivan, a member of an association of Iranian Jews living be the franchise president. “Today we take an exciting step by an- in Israel, told AFP that the spy thriller series nonetheless “gives the im- nouncing the first women majority-owned and led ownership group,” pression” of taking place in Tehran. said Portman, who won an Oscar in 2011 for her role in “Black Swan.” Sivan, who is in his 70s, moved to Israel when he was 20, but said “Sports are such a joyful way to bring people together, and this has the images of the Tehran suburbs where he spent his childhood remain en- power to make tangible change for female athletes both in our commu- graved in his mind. An estimated tens of thousands of Iranian Jews nity and in the professional sphere,” she said. have moved to Israel since its establishment in 1948, although official Portman, who has been active in causes such as the “Time’s Up” figures are not available. Sivan, growing audibly emotional, said he had movement against sexual abuse in the entertainment industry, said that only returned to Tehran once since leaving, “when it was still possible”. the franchise hopes “to make a substantive impact on our community, Before Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution brought Ayatollah Ruhollah committing to extending access to sports for young people in Los An- Khomeini to power, Iran under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had geles.” The NWSL, which had its inaugural season in 2013, was the first diplomatic relations with Israel. Since then, Iranian leaders have re- US professional sports league to restart activities amid the novel coro- peatedly pledged to see the destruction of the Jewish state. —AFP navirus pandemic. —AFP Friday 21 Lifestyle | Music & Movies Friday, July 24, 2020 ‘Go ahead, make my day,’ Clint Eastwood tells CBD retailers in lawsuits

ovie legend Clint Eastwood filed two profited off of his name and likeness,” the lawsuit customers and caused the consuming public to lawsuits on Wednesday seeking millions adds. The three CBD companies accused of com- believe that Mr Eastwood is associated with Mof dollars in damages from several CBD ing up with the phony articles that first surfaced and/or endorsed... defendants’ CBD products, manufacturers and marketers that claimed or made last year were named as Sera Labs Inc, Greendios when no such association actually exists,” the it look like he endorsed their products. The multiple and For Our Vets LLC. The lawsuit also says that court document states. Oscar-winning actor-turned-director, 90, said in the three companies sent spam emails with the The “Dirty Harry” actor made clear in both one of the lawsuits filed in Los Angeles federal subject line “Clint Eastwood Exposes Shocking lawsuits that he would not sit by and allow his court that three CBD companies used fake news Secret Today.” The body of the emails purported name or image to be used to sell CBD products. articles featuring photos of Eastwood and attribut- to show an interview—which never took place— “Like many of his most famous characters, Mr ing quotes to him to promote and sell cannabidiol with NBC’s Today show. Eastwood is not afraid to confront wrongdoing (CBD) products. “In truth, Mr Eastwood has no The second lawsuit targets 10 companies and and hold accountable those that try to illegally connection of any kind whatsoever to any CBD individuals in various US states that are accused profit off his name or likeness,” the documents say. products and never gave such an interview,” states of using programming code to insert the actor’s Eastwood is seeking millions of dollars in damages In this file photo Director and actor Clint Eastwood attends the the lawsuit, which claims defamation. name in hidden metatags in order to direct online and has also asked the court to order the compa- “Richard Jewell” world premiere gala screening during AFI “By this action, Mr Eastwood seeks to hold searches to their webpage. “By using Mr East- nies to give up all income, profits and benefits re- FEST 2019 Presented By Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre, in accountable the persons and entities that wrong- wood’s name in hidden metatags, defendants have sulting from their conduct. The companies and Hollywood, California.—AFP photos fully crafted this scheme, spread false and mali- figuratively posted a sign with Mr Eastwood’s individuals named in the two lawsuits could not be cious statements of facts about him, and illegally trademark in front of their online store to attract immediately reached for comment.—AFP Dua Lipa says ‘misinterpreted’ Heard says Depp threw bottles at her ‘like grenades’

S actress Amber Heard on Wednesday said her ex-hus- over ‘Greater Albania’ tweet band Johnny Depp threw dozens of bottles at her “like Ugrenades”, as she gave evidence for a third day at his ritish pop star of Kosovo descent London libel action. Heard, 34, said Depp, 57, had lobbed “all Dua Lipa has insisted she was mis- the bottles in reach” towards her during an explosive 2015 row Bunderstood over a tweet linked to on a trip to Australia. Depp is suing the publishers of British Albanian nationalist aspirations that tabloid The Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN) and the au- sparked controversy, notably in the volatile thor of a 2018 article that labelled him a “wife beater” at Lon- Balkans region. Lipa, born in Britain to don’s High Court. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” star has Kosovar parents, posted a map represent- emphatically denied 14 claims of violence that NGN said ing “Greater Albania” with the caption proves its story, and sought to portray Heard as calculating “Autochthonous” on her Twitter account and dishonest. over the weekend, sparking sharp reac- The article in The Sun caused him serious reputational dam- tions on both sides. In a follow-up post age, he argues. But Heard has accused Depp of sustained verbal Tuesday evening, she said she had been and physical abuse, as well as displaying “extremely controlling “wilfully misinterpreted by some groups and intimidating behaviour”. The couple met on the set of the and individuals who promote ethnic sepa- 2011 film “The Rum Diary”, married in 2015 but divorced two ratism, something I completely reject”. The years later. US actor Johnny Depp (right) gestures as he leaves after attending day twelve of his libel trial against News Group singer said her previous post was “never Dua Lipa meant to incite any hate”. ‘Violent nights’ Newspapers (NGN), at the High Court in London.—AFP photos She added: “We all deserve to be proud of our ethnicity and Wednesday’s cross-examination focused on Heard’s allega- where we are from. I simply want my country to be represented on a tions that Depp repeatedly assaulted her in Australia, fuelled by map.” “Greater Albania” is an idea promoted by nationalist extremists drink and drugs, as well as other incidents in the US. “He started seeking to unite Albanians in the Balkans within one state, including picking them (bottles) up one by one and throwing them like Kosovo, parts of Serbia and North Macedonia. Belgrade regularly grenades,” she said during questioning by one of the actor’s accuses Pristina and Tirana of having as their ultimate political goal lawyers, adding he lobbed around 30 in total. “He threw all the the unification of all territories where ethnic Albanians make up the bottles that were in reach, all except for one which was a cele- majority. They claim it was this idea that fuelled Kosovo’s declaration bratory magnum-sized bottle of wine.” of independence from Serbia. Both Albanian and Kosovo authorities The court has previously heard that Depp’s finger was sev- insist that no such plan exists. ered during the alleged incident. The Hollywood star blamed his Lipa’s tweet was particularly controversial in the Balkans coun- ex-wife for the injury, which she denied. “I don’t think he meant tries concerned. “The discussions about borders and who is au- to sever the finger but yes he did continue the attack,” she told tochthonous in the region need only a spark as proved with the the court. Heard admitted that she got angry “at times” but “not international star’s post,” commented the Kosovo daily paper Koha to the extent where I would throw anything at him offensively”. Ditore. Her original post was published just days after the launch of Depp’s lawyer Eleanor Laws also asked her about an alleged an online petition demanding Kosovo be shown on US tech giant December 2015 incident of domestic violence in Los Angeles, Apple’s maps. which Heard has described as “one of the worst and most vio- Ethnic-Albanian majority Kosovo proclaimed independence lent nights of our relationship”. from Serbia in 2008. It was recognised by some 100 countries, in- She defended claims Depp slapped her, dragged her by the cluding the US and most European Union nations. But, Serbia and hair through their apartment—pulling clumps of her hair out— US actress Amber Heard arrives to give evidence at the libel tri- its allies Russia and China, still refuse to recognise the move, which and then repeatedly punched her in the head. “I had two black al by her former husband US actor Johnny Depp. is preventing Kosovo membership in the United Nations. The eyes, a broken nose, a broken rib... I had bruises all over my just bitten your lip because there was fresh blood on it. Had you “Greater Albania” map had already caused a stir in October 2014, body,” she said, after Laws argued a nurse who had examined just done that for (the nurse’s) benefit?” Laws asked. “Of course during an Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania, which her shortly after the row said she found no bruises. Laws told not,” Heard replied. The three-week trial is expected to run into had to be abandoned. —AFP Heard that the account was “just nonsense”, adding that the only next week, with a judge expected to rule on the case at a later blood the nurse could find was fresh and on her lip. “You had date.—AFP 22 Friday Lifestyle | Features Friday, July 24, 2020

In this file photo gondoliers go with customers for a gondola ride on a canal in Venice. —AFP In this file photo tourists in Gondolas in the Gran Canal in Venice. Tubby tourists force Venice gondoliers to slim down numbers enice is reducing the number of tourists its doliers association. The problem is “the average Canal, with their passenger numbers cut from 14 to 440. New rules mean licences can be passed on gondolas can carry, because so many are weight per tourist, but also the fact that the waters to 12. “From some countries, it’s like bombs loading within the same family, without the new holder Voverweight they dangerously lower the of the canals are increasingly agitated by motor- on and when (the boat) is fully loaded, the hull having to take an exam, provided he or she can boats in the water, a gondolier association told boat traffic,” he said. sinks and water enters,” Raoul Roveratto, the head prove four years’ experience of punting the family AFP Wednesday. The city of canals is cutting the He said the move was a safety measure, not a of the association of substitute gondoliers, told the gondola. The gondolas came to a complete stand- number of passengers allowed to board from six bid to increase the gondolier’s profits by spreading Repubblica daily. “Going forward with over half a still during the coronavirus pandemic. The sector at a time to five, to stop water dangerously slop- customers over more boats. The reduction will ton of meat on board is dangerous,” he said. had already suffered during exceptional high tides ping over the sides of the famous slim vessels, said apply as well to the larger “da parada” gondolas The city council also plans to increase the at the end of last year, which put off tourists and Roberto Luppi, former head of the Venice Gon- punting people back and forth across the Grand number of licences granted to gondoliers from 433 damaged boats. —AFP

In Sweden, female priests Humans lived in America now outnumber male ones 30,000 years ago, far

or the first time in history, earlier than thought Swedish female priests outnumber their male ools excavated from a cave in central Mexico are strong F evidence that humans were living in North America at counterparts, sixty years after they were first allowed to don Tleast 30,000 years ago, some 15,000 years earlier than the clerical collar, the Church of previously thought, scientists said Wednesday. Artefacts, in- Sweden said Wednesday. Of the cluding 1,900 stone tools, showed human occupation of the A buffalo in Temerloh, outside Kuala Lumpur. The animals are traditionally viewed 3,060 priests currently serving high-altitude Chiquihuite Cave over a roughly 20,000 year as valuable items in indigenous communities in Sabah. —AFP in Sweden, 1,533 are female, or period, they reported in two studies, published in Nature. 50.1 percent, according to “Our results provide new evidence for the antiquity of humans Bovine fine: Borneo tribal slur costs Cristina Grenholm, secretary for in the Americas,” Ciprian Ardelean, an archeologist at the Uni- the Church of Sweden. “From a versidad Autonoma de Zacatecas and lead author of one of the man eight buffaloes, plus gongs historical perspective, this parity studies, told AFP. “There are only a few artefacts and a couple of dates from that range,” he said, referring radiocarbon dating happened faster than we earlier Pakistani man has been fined eight buffaloes and eight gongs Cristina Grenholm, secretary for results putting the oldest samples at 33,000 to 31,000 years imagined. A report from 1990 by a court on the Malaysian part of Borneo for insulting in- the Church of Sweden. ago. “However, the presence is there.” No traces of human estimated that women would be digenous groups, an official said Wednesday. The island is bones or DNA were found at the site. “It is likely that humans A half of the total clergy in 2090. home to a kaleidoscope of tribes and, in the Malaysian part, special used this site on a relatively constant basis, perhaps in recur- And it took thirty years,” Grenholm told AFP. courts deal with indigenous laws and customs. Amir Ali Khan Nawatay rent seasonal episodes part of larger migratory cycles,” the Unlike the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church of Sweden has was ordered to pay the unusual fine by a native court in Sabah state study concluded. allowed female priests since 1958 and first ordained three women after he pleaded guilty to making insulting comments about indige- The stone tools—unique in the Americas—revealed a “ma- in 1960. In 1982 the Swedish parliament also scrapped a “con- nous groups in May and June. Kota Marudu district chief Baintin Adun, ture technology” which the authors speculate was brought in science clause” that allowed members of the clergy to refuse to co- who presided over Tuesday’s case, said recordings of the 50-year- from elsewhere. The saga of how and when Homo sapiens ar- operate with a female colleague. Women have been old businessman’s comments had spread on social media, creating a rived in the Americas—the last major land mass to be popu- over-represented on theological courses, especially since the sep- lot of anger. “We want to make this an example so other people don’t lated by our species—is fiercly debated among experts, and aration of church and state in 2000, and accounted for 70 percent do the same thing again,” he told AFP. “I want to appeal to society the new findings will likely be contested. of those training for ordination in a study in 2013. “Many parishes that if there are misunderstandings or arguments, don’t mention an- “That happens every time that anybody finds sites older during the Sunday service try to have both a man and a woman at other person’s race.” than 16,000 years—the first reaction is denial or hard accept- the altar,” Grenholm said. He did not reveal exactly what the Pakistani said. The businessman ance,” said Ardelean, who first excavated the cave in 2012 but “Since we believe that God created human beings, both men and is a permanent resident of Malaysia, official news agency Bernama did not discover the oldest items until 2017. Until recently, the women, in God’s image, it is essential that we do not only speak reported. Baintin said Amir had one month to pay the fine, or risked widely accepted storyline was that the first humans to set foot about it, but that it is also shown,” she added. However, there is a incurring a 4,000 ringgit ($940) fine or 16 months in jail, or both. Buf- in the Americas crossed a land bridge from present-day Russia wage gap between male and female pastors—averaging 2,200 faloes and gongs are traditionally viewed as valuable items in indige- to Alaska some 13,500 years ago and moved south through a Swedish kronor ($248 or 215 euros) per month according to the nous communities in Sabah, and so can be used as a form of payment corridor between two massive ice sheets. —AFP church’s newspaper Kyrkans Tidning. —AFP to settle grievances or even wedding dowries. —AFP Friday 23 Lifestyle | Features Friday, July 24, 2020

An undated handout photo made available by Global Finprint shows Grey An undated handout photo shows Grey Reef sharks and Sicklefin Lemon sharks An undated handout photo shows a Grey Reef Shark in Australia. Reef sharks captured by a baited remote underwater video system in French captured by a baited remote underwater video system in French Polynesia. Polynesia. —AFP photos

n unprecedented global survey has revealed a shocking de- nately, including endangered animals. cline in the number of reef sharks, with the predators “func- The study backed by the Global FinPrint project was motivated Ationally extinct” on nearly 20 percent of sites studied. The by the dearth of big-picture information about shark populations four-year study used more than 15,000 baited and remotely oper- in areas near coastlines. In the past, researchers relied either on ex- ated cameras—so-called “chum cams”—to obtain the first com- amining catch records, or underwater visual surveys by divers, both prehensive picture of where reef sharks are thriving and where they of which have shortcomings and produce results that are difficult are virtually non-existent. The results, from over 370 reefs in nearly to compare, MacNeil told AFP. The new study relied on more than 60 countries, are alarming, said lead author Aaron MacNeil. “We 15,000 hours of video from the underwater cams, analysed by a expect... that there should be sharks on every reef in the world and team of volunteers and researchers. That method has given the team to find 20 percent of the reefs we surveyed didn’t have any sharks “a baseline against which we can both predict and gauge the suc- on is very concerning,” he told a press briefing. cess of future conservation actions for reef sharks,” he added. “It At reefs surveyed in eight countries, including Qatar, India, Viet- is transformational.” And while the results might appear disheart- nam and Kenya, no sharks were detected at all. The findings do not ening, the researchers said there are were some bright spots. mean sharks do not exist in the waters of these countries, but are evidence that their numbers on reefs are now critically low. “These ‘Reservoirs of hope’ An undated handout photo shows a Caribbean reef shark swimming by a baited nations are places where we’re saying that reef sharks... play no “There are reservoirs of hope,” said Mike Heithaus, co-author remote underwater video system in the Bahamas. role in the ecosystem there and they’re functionally extinct,” Mac- of the study and dean of the College of Arts, Sciences and Educa- Neil, an associate professor at Dalhousie University said. tion at Florida International University. “There are places where protect reef sharks effectively,” said co-author Demian Chapman, reef sharks are doing well that could repopulate and rebuild in these an associate professor at Florida International University. ‘Transformational’ areas that are degraded,” he told a press briefing. Banning harmful The study also warns that policies focused on protecting reef The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, says de- fishing practices, imposing catch limits, closing areas to fishing and sharks may not be enough, given the predators rely on a healthy structive fishing practices are the most likely culprit for the losses. creating shark sanctuaries could all help restore shark populations, reef and abundant prey to survive. Modelling done by the team “The use of gillnets and longlines had the strongest negative influ- the authors said. suggests “focusing on reef sharks alone can only restore about 35 ence on the relative abundance of reef sharks,” the study says. Gill- But they emphasised the need for solutions that fit particular cir- percent of their abundance, relative to restoration of the wider nets use a wall of netting, while longline fishing involves a single line cumstances—for example where fishing communities rely on shark ecosystem,” MacNeil told AFP. “Results like these demonstrate that strung with multiple baited hooks. Both methods have been criti- fishing to survive. “They have no alternative... So we really need to conservation of any group of animals must be embedded within a cised for high levels of bycatch—snaring marine life indiscrimi- figure out solutions that can work with those communities to still wider ecosystem.” —AFP

giant 23-metre (75-foot) whale briefly Blue whales are the largest animals in existence, washed up near a beach in Indonesia but it weighing up to 200 tons and growing as long as 32 Awas unclear how the enormous marine mam- metres. The creature, whose tongue alone can weigh mal died, a conservation official said Wednesday. Cu- as much as an elephant, has an average lifespan of rious onlookers crowded the shore of coastal 80 to 90 years, according to National Geographic. Kupang city as officials scrambled to figure out what Seven pilot whales were found dead near Kupang to do with the bloated carcass, which was first spot- last October. Cross-currents off the beach pose a ted on Tuesday. But the giant creature was washed danger to whales as they can get caught between back to sea on Wednesday before it could be reefs close to shore. In 2018, a sperm whale was brought to shore for an examination. “We think that found dead in Indonesia with more than 100 plastic it’s a blue whale but we don’t know what caused its cups and 25 plastic bags in its stomach, raising con- death,” said local conservation official Lidya Tesa Sa- cerns about the Southeast Asian archipelago’s mas- putra. “It looks like it didn’t die here and may have sive marine rubbish problem. —AFP This picture shows local officials inspecting the bloated carcass of a whale near the shore in Ku- been deceased for some time,” she added. pang, in East Nusa Tenggara. — AFP 24 Friday Lifestyle | Feature Friday, July 24, 2020

heddar-making was put on hold when coronavirus Cstruck an artisanal cheesery on the outskirts of Clarens, a town tucked into the foothills of the Maluti mountains of central South Africa. Hard cheeses requiring months of ripening were no longer viable, and the small business battled to stay afloat as sales plummeted. Cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther only managed to produce small amounts of her signature smoked mozzarella and chilli-infused “string cheese”. Rare buyers were found among the few butcher’s shops and delis that stayed open during the virus lockdown. But with restrictions eased and customers trickling back, Marietjie and her husband Danie believe coronavirus could boost demand for locally-produced foods in the long run. “I have noticed that some retailers tell us they want to focus more on local products,” said Danie, who co-owns Noah’s Cheese with his wife. “To rely on food from far away doesn’t make sense anymore,” he explained. “The cost in terms of the environment, the risk when a disaster like this happens, is too high.”

South African cheesemaker Danie Crowther shows a chilli string cheese during a tasting in Clarens.

Assistant cheesemaker Jeanet Mapula Mokwena (left) prepares fig filled scamorza cheese at the dairy of South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther (right) in Clarens. Friday 25 Lifestyle | Feature Friday, July 24, 2020

South African cheesemaker Eating locally is the favoured goal of locavores—foodies Danie Crowther shows a chilli who believe in produce grown from nearby sources, in the string cheese during a tasting belief that it retains nutrients and flavours that may be lost in Clarens. through transport and carries a far smaller carbon footprint. But local food of this purity can be near-impossible to achieve in a world of long, complex supply lines and from a neighbouring apple farm. Condiments are made with South African assistant cheese- dependence on fossil fuels. The small cheesery says it has fruit pulp left over from nearby gin breweries. That unusual maker Jeanet Mapula overcome these concerns. Nestled at the bottom of a rock setup helped the firm survive the crushing impact of coron- Mokwena (left) carries buckets formation named after Mount Ararat, Noah’s Cheese runs avirus. “We didn’t have a fixed cost on electricity,” said of rennet, as cheesemaker entirely on solar energy and sources its raw materials from Danie. “We are not reliant on (imported) produce... It is Marietjie Crowther is seen at surrounding land. The mozzarella is smoked with wood here, it is local.” work in Clarens.

South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther is seen at work in Clarens. 26 Friday Lifestyle | Feature Friday, July 24, 2020

South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther holds a finished ball of scamorza, a “pasta filante” (stringy dough) cheese.

South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther poses for a portrait in Clarens.

Growing taste for cheese The Crowthers relied heavily on festivals to sell their Noah’s Cheese is a member of the Slow Food move- products and seek business partners—all of which have ment, which originated in Italy during the 1980s to protect been cancelled for the rest of the year. Clarens has missed local food cultures and traditions. The short supply chains the bulk of its tourist season, which peaks over Easter, and and small-scale nature of Slow Food production has seen travel between provinces remains banned. “I would say new interest from consumers concerned about food provi- more than two thirds of our market was lost overnight,” said sion during lockdown. “They realised when this COVID hit Danie. “So it’s a difficult thing to adapt to.” The couple have that they were stuck in the city, where there is no way you worked hard to find new delis and are currently negotiating can produce food for yourself,” said Marietjie. “People sud- shelf space with a local supermarket chain. denly became more aware that we must use what is in our area,” Danie added. “Even those who do not necessarily South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther works with a wood- know about the Slow Food movement.” For Noah’s Cheese, en stick for the preparation for a ‘pasta filante’ (stringy dough) the challenge will be to tap into that budding market. cheese.

South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther prepares mozzarel- South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther prepares mozzarel- South African assistant cheesemaker Jeanet Mapula Mokwena la cheese in Clarens. la cheese. carries buckets of rennet in Clarens. Friday 27 Lifestyle | Feature Friday, July 24, 2020

South African cheesemaker Marietjie Crowther pulls pasta filante to make string cheese.

They also have high hopes in the launch of an online shop next week that will deliver cheese directly to cus- tomers stuck at home. South Africa has a growing market of foodies seeking more sophisticated flavours than factory- made feta and gouda. Artisanal cheeseries have entered the scene to meet this demand, adapting classic tech- niques from France and Italy to local ingredients. Marietjie, for instance, ages cheese in the by-products of cherry liquor rather than wine—a northern Italian tradition. “The taste for cheese in South Africa is... still at a very early stage,” said Danie. “We are young industries,” he added. “But we make exceptional cheeses.”—AFP

Mozzarella cheese balls are seen in a cold bath.

Assistant cheesemaker Jeanet Mapula Mokwena prepares fig filled scamorza cheese. South African cheesemaker Danie Crowther prepares cheeses for tasting in Clarens. 28 Friday

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Dr. Hamoud Abdullah Alarouj ENT Consultant, Laryngologist Kuwait Board of Otolaryngology. Experienced In: Laryngology Fellowship, McGill Management of benign and malignant vocal cord lesions. University- Canada. Vocal cord augmentation. Fellow of the European Board of Diagnosis and treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery. Adenotonsillectomy using latest techniques. Member of the American Academy of Myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion. Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Surgery for the deviated nasal septum. Member of the British Laryngological Endoscopic sinus surgery. Association. Diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. Member of the European Laryngological Tympanoplasty. Society. Diagnosis and treatment of vertigo. Member of the Canadian Society of Thyroid surgery Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Diagnosis and treatment of snoring.

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Afghanistan 0093 Iran 0098 Albania 00355 Iraq 00964 Aries (March 21-April 19) Libra (September 23-October 22) Algeria 00213 Ireland 00353 Andorra 00376 Italy 0039 Your brain is likely to be working overtime, Aries. It's time to finally apply the knowledge you've accumulated Angola 00244 Ivory Coast 00225 Things were going along just fine until you suddenly ran into an and come to recognize the truth, Libra. Perhaps you've been sitting on Anguilla 001264 Jamaica 001876 the facts while contemplating their meaning. It's now time to get this in- Antiga 001268 Japan 0081 unexpected snag that kept you from where you want to be. It's as Argentina 0054 Jordan 00962 if the hamster wheel you've been running on suddenly jammed. formation out into the open. There's no doubt that this action is likely to Armenia 00374 Kazakhstan 007 Even though you're still working just as hard, the wheel simply make waves, but that's OK. 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Burkina 00226 Mali 00223 Burundi 00257 Malta 00356 Cambodia 00855 Marshall Islands 00692 Cameroon 00237 Martinique 00596 Canada 001 Mauritania 00222 Cape Verde 00238 Mauritius 00230 Cayman Islands 001345 Mayotte 00269 Gemini (May 21-June 20) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Central African Republic 00236 Mexico 0052 Chad 00235 Micronesia 00691 It's possible that you've been so emotional about a certain There's likely to be a powerful force at work trying to Chile 0056 Moldova 00373 issue that you've taken it way too far, Gemini. Fortunately, your rea- manipulate the way you think about a certain situation, China 0086 Monaco 00377 Colombia 0057 Mongolia 00976 soning has finally caught up with your feelings. Now it's time for a reck- Sagittarius. Be conscious of the source of your facts. It could be that someone is giving you tainted information so you'll act in a way that Comoros 00269 Montserrat 001664 oning. 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Grenada 001473 Saint Vincent 001784 Guadeloupe 00590 Samoa US 00684 Guam 001671 Samoa West 00685 Guatemala 00502 San Marino 00378 Guinea 00224 Sao Tone 00239 Guyana 00592 Saudi Arabia 00966 Virgo (August 23-September 22) Pisces (February 19-March 20) Haiti 00509 Scotland (UK) 0044 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Senegal 00221 Someone might feel obligated to give you their two cents Honduras 00504 Seychelles 00284 Once your brain gets hooked on something, Pisces, even if you didn't ask for it, Virgo. Be careful not to dismiss this infor- Hong Kong 00852 Sierra Leone 00232 you're likely to take it to the extreme. Be careful of overworking Hungary 0036 Singapore 0065 mation without giving it proper consideration. This knowledge comes yourself in a certain issue that requires a more rational, temperate Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Slovakia 00421 to you for a reason, and it's possible that it's the very piece of informa- attitude. 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FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020

Microsoft reports growth amid On yer bike: Cycling craze leaves Australia warns economy 34 pandemic computing demands 35 retailers out-pedaled by demand 36 to shrink record 7% in Q2

AMRITSAR: Laborers plant saplings in a paddy field in Medak district of Telangana state. Across India’s grain bowl states of Haryana and neighboring Punjab, thousands of farmers have been forced by the coronavirus to mechanize planting. — AFP Virus prompts farm ‘revolution’ in India Improved planting technique to boost Indian rice yields

RAIPUR JATTAN, India/SINGAPORE: For grain bowl states of Haryana and neighboring Pun- farmers there have used seed drilling machines to No migrant labor more than two decades, Indian farmer Ravindra jab, thousands of farmers like Kajal have been sow rice on more than half a million hectares, a big None of the world’s major rice exporting nations Kajal cultivated rice the way his forefathers had - forced by the coronavirus to mechanize planting. increase compared with less than 50,000 hectares - India, Vietnam and Thailand - makes significant every June he flooded his fields with water before They are still wary of the technology and over- in 2019, growers and government officials said. use of seeding machines. They have come into play hiring an army of farmhands to plant paddy turning the time-honored use of manual labor. But Pannu expects DSR use to jump again next in a big way in India this year because hundreds of seedlings. But a scarcity of workers this year be- Kahan Singh Pannu, Punjab’s agriculture secretary, year. “More and more farmers are using the DSR thousands of migrant laborers from Bihar and cause of the coronavirus forced Kajal to change. is convinced a historic change is underway that technology which seems to be so promising that Jharkhand states in the east did not arrive in the He irrigated the field just enough to moisten the could dramatically increase India’s rice output, the entire 2.7 million hectares of Punjab’s rice area northern grain belt for the 2020 planting season due soil and leased a drilling machine to directly sow which in turn could impact world markets. could come under it next year, which will be a wa- to the coronavirus lockdown. That pushed up the seeds on his 9-acre (3.6-hectare) plot. “It is no less than a revolution in Indian agri- tershed for India’s rice production,” he said. price of local workers and made it more economical “Since I was more than comfortable with the culture,” he told Reuters. Government officials say Avinash Kishore, a research fellow at the for farmers to lease rice planting machines rather tried-and-tested way of growing rice, I opted for the so-called direct seeding of rice (DSR) method Washington-based International Food Policy Re- than pay for hired help, said Jaskaran Singh Mahal, the new method with some trepidation,” said Kajal, could increase yields by about one-third and slash search Institute (IFPRI), said if this year’s crop was a director at the Punjab Agricultural University. 46, looking over his field, green with rice saplings, costs on workers and water. The DSR machines good, DSR would be the way forward. “The scale Farm wages have gone up by 1,500 rupees an in the Raipur Jattan village in Haryana state. allow farmers to grow more than 30 saplings per of this year’s shift to the DSR is a momentous acre to about 4,500 rupees this year, and growers “But I’ve already saved around 7,500 rupees square metre against the usual 15 to 18 seedlings, change in rice cultivation in India,” he said. Sud- need around half a dozen workers to transplant ($100) per acre because I hardly spent on water said Naresh Gulati, a state government farm offi- hanshu Singh, a senior agronomist at the Interna- rice paddy on a one acre plot. In comparison, and workers this year,” he said. India is the world’s cial in Punjab. tional Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, farmers can hire planting machines for 5,000 to biggest exporter of rice and the world’s second- Punjab is the home of the 1960s Green Revo- said the shift to DSR was “one of the rare positive 6,000 rupees per acre, which can cover 25 to 30 biggest producer after China. Across the country’s lution that led to a spike in crop yields. This year, fallouts from COVID.” acres in a day, rice growers said.—Reuters 34 Friday Business Friday, July 24, 2020 Microsoft reports growth amid pandemic computing demands Profits in quarter ending June 30 fell 15% to $11.2 billion

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft on Wednes- in after-hours trade on the results, which were ment and monetization... as people every- day reported rising revenues in the past largely ahead of forecasts. Its shares have where turned to gaming to connect, socialize quarter amid strong demand for cloud com- been trading at near record levels amid a and play.” Microsoft saw a more modest six puting services from pandemic-hit busi- surge of some 50 percent since March, giving percent revenue rise in its productivity and nesses and consumers and big gains in its it a market value of more than $1.6 trillion. business operations which include the Office Xbox gaming operations. Profits in the quar- Revenue from Microsoft’s “intelligent software suite and LinkedIn. Daniel Ives at ter ending June 30 fell 15 percent to $11.2 cloud” division which includes its Azure en- Wedbush Securities called the Microsoft re- billion, the result of increased tax charges terprise business rose 17 percent to $13.4 bil- sults “robust,” led by its cloud computing that compared with a year ago. lion in the fiscal fourth quarter. In the personal benefits from the work-from-home trend. Revenue meanwhile rose 13 percent to $38 computing segment including the Windows “This current remote work from home en- billion, led by strong gains in its cloud com- operating system, revenues were up 14 per- vironment is further catalyzing more enter- puting and its Xbox gaming services. Chief cent to $12.9 billion. prises to make the strategic cloud shift with executive Satya Nadella said Microsoft was Within that segment, Xbox gaming service Microsoft the main beneficiary as evidenced equipped to deal with the coronavirus pan- revenues rose 65 percent and sales for its by the solid results this evening,” Ives said. demic with its “integrated, modern technology Surface devices were up 28 percent. Xbox Earlier Wednesday, the workplace messaging stack.” hardware revenue increased 49 percent, as platform Slack filed an EU antitrust complaint “We are seeing businesses accelerate the Microsoft boosted the number of consoles against Microsoft, alleging that the integration PARIS: In this file photo, the logo of French digitization of every part of their operations sold even with a newer version expected later of the “Teams” service into the Office soft- headquarters of American multinational from manufacturing to sales to customer serv- this year. ware suit represented unfair competition. Mi- technology company Microsoft, is pictured ice,” Nadella told a conference call. “This was a breakthrough quarter for gam- crosoft said Teams was growing because it outside in Issy-Les-Moulineaux, a Paris’ Microsoft shares dipped some 2.5 percent ing,” Nadella said. “We saw record engage- offers video, which Slack does not. —AFP suburb. — AFP

French economy to Daimler posts net rebound to pre-crisis loss in Q2 but levels by 2022: Maire eyes recovery

FRANKFURT: German carmaker Daimler yesterday posted a PARIS: The French economy is on course to rebound by 8 percent second-quarter net loss of 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) but said next year and should return to pre-crisis levels by 2022, French it expected a “positive” end to the year as sales start to recover Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said yesterday. Le Maire told from the coronavirus hit. the National Assembly recent economic data had been “satisfying The car industry has been battered by lockdowns across the but too fragile” for now to change forecasts for an economic con- world that shuttered factories, closed showrooms and kept cus- traction this year of 11 percent, the worst since modern records tomers at home for weeks on end earlier this year. began. “I won’t resign myself to a -11 percent recession. If we step Between April and June, Daimler posted a net loss of 1.9 billion up the measures that we have already decided and make sure they euros, compared with a net loss of 1.2 billion a year earlier, it said are implemented well, we can do better than -11 percent in 2020,” in a statement. It marks a rare plunge into the red for Daimler after Le Maire said to open a debate on the public finances. The gov- last year’s quarterly loss, the first in a decade, was down to one- ernment has committed more than 460 billion euros ($533 billion) off costs to deal with the fallout from the “dieselgate” emissions in public funds to supporting the economy. Most will come in the cheating scandal. Group revenues over the second quarter of form of state-guaranteed loans and tax breaks to help companies 2020 slumped 29 percent to 30.2 billion euros, while unit sales fell cope with a slump in business. 34 percent to just over 540,000 cars and commercial vehicles Le Maire is drafting a recovery plan worth more than 100 bil- sold worldwide. But Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius said he was see- lion euros to be presented on Aug. 24, aimed at bringing the euro ing “the first signs of a sales recovery” as countries ease out of zone’s second-biggest economy back to pre-crisis levels. Le confinement, led by strong Chinese demand for Daimler’s luxury Maire said that while he forecast a rebound in growth of 8 percent Mercedes-Benz models. next year, the outlook was particularly difficult to project and de- “Due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, we had to pended in part on the depth of the recession this year. endure a challenging quarter,” said Kallenius. He added that he “My objective is that we are able from 2022 to return to a level was “firmly determined” to press on a with a cost-cutting drive of growth and national wealth comparable to that before the cri- set to slash thousands of jobs, as the group battles through a sis,” Le Maire told lawmakers. The government put France under painful restructuring to fund the pivot to electric cars. German one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe in mid-March, shutting media has reported that the coronavirus pandemic could lead to down vast swathes of the economy. Activity has steadily picked 20,000 job cuts, but Daimler has yet to confirm the figure. up since lockdown restrictions began to be lifted on May 11, al- Daimler also posted a positive free cash flow of 685 million though businesses such as hotels relying on foreign tourists con- euros over the second quarter, beating analyst expectations. PARIS: French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire tinue to suffer. The INSEE official statistics agency said yesterday Kallenius said the figure, closely watched as a gauge of a com- business confidence gained further ground in July, though it re- delivers a speech during a session of Questions to the govern- pany’s overall financial health, was “testament to effective cost mains far from pre-crisis levels. — Reuters ment at the National Assembly in Paris. —AFP control and cash management”.— AFP Friday 35 Business Friday, July 24, 2020 On yer bike: Cycling craze leaves retailers out-pedaled by demand

Bikes booming across globe as people avoid crowded buses, trains

PARIS: Bikes are booming across the globe as the world. Decathlon calculated that in Europe people seek to avoid crowded buses and trains overall, sales “have increased two- and even for their daily commutes in the wake of the threefold”. In China, demand has increased five- coronavirus pandemic-or get back into shape fold since lockdowns were eased. after long months of lockdown. But with sales And in the US, sales of bikes have exploded, exploding in many countries, the current cycling with online purchases alone skyrocketing in craze has left manufacturers and retailers out- May by 5,000 percent over the figure for the pedaled by demand. same month last year. Overall US sales, both In Paris, where mayor Anne Hidalgo has been online and in-store, jumped by 81 percent year- working hard to put cycling on the map, vastly on-year to $1.1 billion (957 million euros) in increasing the number of bike lanes in recent May, according to People for Bikes, a coalition years, would-be buyers often have to wait of manufacturers and retailers. weeks to get their hands on a brand new veloci- pede. Broken chain “For three or four weeks now, I’ve had a But in addition to runaway demand from the dozen or so clients waiting. And I’ve had to re- end consumer, lockdowns have also made it dif- turn money to a few because I simply have no ficult for European and US manufacturers to idea when I’ll have bikes for them,” independent obtain parts. The Confederation of the Euro- Paris retailer Federico Mosca told AFP. One cus- pean Bicycle Industry (CONEBI) estimates that tomer, 31-year-old Nicolas, said he had visited 45 to 50 percent of parts for all bikes sold in Eu- as many as eight different shops before getting rope are imported from Asia. lucky. Moreno Fioravanti, secretary general of the And even then, he was forced to bust his European Bicycle Manufacturers’ Association In this file photo, a worker checks an e-bike at a factory of Giant — the world’s biggest bi- budget and buy a more expensive model than (EBMA), said the industry has “lost three cycle manufacturer — in Taichung. —AFP planned because the cheaper bike he wanted months of production of components, and our was sold out. “I was looking for a specific bike stockpiles were used up in only two months”. and had given myself a month to buy one, but Pancho Pimentel, marketing chief for Summit Bi- Taiwan and Cambodia. The world’s leading “There was some shortage because of two it’s not available anywhere,” he said. cycles, which has five stores in California, said manufacturer, Taiwan-based Giant, saw its Eu- months of lockdown, due to the fact that EU Leading retail chain Decathlon said it too has “there are shortages everywhere, from bike ropean sales increase by 140 percent year-on- production stopped,” he said. “But our bike in- waiting lists, but it can also refurbish second- brands to parts”. Cycling “works off of a global year in June, driven in particular by sales of dustry is working very hard to fill the gap. It is hand bikes for more impatient customers. supply chain that has been interrupted due to e-bikes. Its order book is full until the first half a very positive thing that we have so many small French bike sales doubled in May and June COVID-19 and its consequences are being seen of next year and it is similarly optimistic for the and medium-sized makers all over Europe, who compared to the same months last year, accord- in every category”, he said. According to second half. However, CONEBI’s director gen- are very flexible. “Most EU producers will con- ing to the sporting and cycling federation. CONEBI, 7.3 million bikes and e-bikes were im- eral, Manuel Marsilio, said the bike shortage tinue to work also in July and August, so there Sales are booming in most countries around ported into Europe last year, principally from was not as bad as some people might suggest. won’t be a halt in the summer,” he said. — AFP

parliament’s finance committee on July 29 after it emerged that he Wirecard ex-CEO, had been aware of suspicions of misconduct at the company in early 2019. The case is also proving to be embarrassing for Chancellor An- 2 others arrested gela Merkel who had on a trip to China discussed Wirecard’s planned foray into the Chinese market. Ex-CEO Markus Braun, over ‘3.2bn fraud’ who had already been arrested before being freed on bail over market manipulation, along with former finance chief Burkhard Ley and the group’s former accounting head Stephan von Erffa MUNICH: German prosecutors said Wednesday they have ar- were detained on Wednesday in Munich, prosecutors said. All rested the former chief executive and two former board members three, plus another suspect who was identified only as the man- of Wirecard for “commercial fraud” reaching 3.2 billion euros aging director of Cardsystems Middle East FZ-LLC, a Dubai- ($3.7 billion), saying investigations show that trickery was already based subsidiary of Wirecard, are suspected of “inflating the happening in 2015. balance sheet and volume of revenues by falsifying the company’s MUNICH: German Chief Public Prosecutor Anne Leiding gives a The latest arrests marked another episode in the fast-running intake.” “The company was to be presented as financially strong press statement on Wednesday in Munich, southern Germany, thriller over the spectacular collapse of the German fintech com- and attractive to investors and clients, so that loans could be ob- after former chief executive and two board members of Ger- pany, which crashed in June after admitting that 1.9 billion euros tained from banks and other investors on a regular basis, as well man payments provider Wirecard have been arrested for com- on its balance sheets likely didn’t exist. Underlining the scale of as keep it generating its own income,” said Munich prosecutors. mercial fraud. — AFP the suspected fraud, prosecutors in Munich said investigations “In reality, it was already clear to the accused by the end of have had to be “substantially widened” as evidence showed that 2015 at the latest, that Wirecard group was making losses with its banks in Germany and Japan as well as other investors were actual businesses.” Urging other participants in the massive fraud merzbank out of the DAX 30 index. Hailed as a champion of the conned into providing funds of up to 3.2 billion euros to Wirecard. to come forward in exchange for leniency in sentencing for any burgeoning financial technology scene, it boasted a market valu- Those sums are now “very likely lost because of the insolvency convictions, prosecutors warned however that “the value of in- ation of more than 23 billion euros at one point-outweighing even of Wirecard,” they added. formation” is diminishing as the investigations progress. giant Deutsche Bank. Wirecard’s troubles began in January 2019 The collapse of the payments provider in June shocked the na- Founded in 1999, the Bavarian start-up Wirecard rose from a with a series of articles in the Financial Times alleging accounting tion and has since snowballed into a political hot potato for the company piping cash to porn and gambling sites to a respectable irregularities in its Asian division, headed by chief operating offi- government. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is due to be grilled by electronic payments provider that edged traditional lender Com- cer Jan Marsalek.—AFP 36 Friday Business Friday, July 24, 2020

NBK Economic Report Lockdown measures weigh on Egypt’s economic activity Inflation remains broadly within central bank target KUWAIT: With more than 85,000 confirmed cases as of July 16, increase in spending on public investment and social services, the Egypt government took preventive measures to stem the mainly health and education. In view of the current crisis, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, including closing airports and budget deficit will likely increase to 7.8 percent of GDP in imposing movement restrictions and a curfew, among others. It FY20/21 according to government estimates, against April’s esti- adopted a stimulus package of EGP 100 billion ($6.3 billion) to mation of 6.2 percent and a pre-pandemic target of 5 percent. mitigate the impact of the pandemic. However, as many sectors The draft budget aimed at reducing the public debt-to-GDP ratio were hit hard, economic growth moderated in 1Q20 compared to from an estimated 85 percent in FY19/20 to 82.7 percent and 77.5 recent trends, as containment measures were imposed later in the percent in this fiscal year and next, respectively. However, we be- quarter (in March). GDP grew by 5.0 percent y/y in 1Q20 (3Q of lieve that these targets are no longer achievable, especially if the FY19/20) down from 5.6 percent in 4Q19. This is below the gov- pandemic lasts much longer. ernment’s expectation of 5.9 percent but remains fairly solid com- pared to the contractions experienced in many other countries The external sector around the world. The external current account will widen as the pandemic rav- Growth in the second quarter is likely to drop further as the aged some of Egypt’s main sources of foreign currency. Revenues impact of the restrictions take hold. This is already confirmed by from the Suez Canal fell by $32.1 million to $5.72 billion during the sharp decline of Egypt’s PMI to a historic low of 29.7 in April. FY19/20, due mainly to a drop in revenue by 9.6 percent y/y in Although the index improved to 40.7 in May and 44.6 in June as May alone given the slowdown of international trade. Egypt’s lockdown measures eased, the average 38.3 for 2Q20 is still far tourism industry is expected to lose at least 62 percent of its rev- below the 2019 average of 49.1, indicating a significant drop in enue in 2020, according to the Egyptian National Planning Insti- private sector activity. tute. Remittances have been also threatened by the crisis, given As a result, we expect growth to slow sharply to around 3 per- that thousands of Egyptians working abroad have returned home electricity tariffs and the potential pick-up in demand as restric- cent in FY19/20 (ended in June) from 5.6 percent in FY18/19. For or lost their jobs. tions are eased. FY20/21, we forecast growth to dip below 2 percent, since many All these factors in addition to some capital flight as investors Since inflation remains broadly consistent with the target of 9 sectors such as tourism, aviation, transportation and shipment will sought safe havens following the outbreak of the coronavirus have percent (±3 percentage points), the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) remain under severe strain, especially if the pandemic crisis con- pushed foreign reserves down from a record of $45.5 billion in kept interest rates unchanged at its last three meetings after cut- tinues in the second half of the year. With lower growth, the un- February to $36.0 billion in May, before bouncing back to reach ting them by 3 percentage points at an unscheduled meeting in employment rate is expected to increase, after falling to 7.7 $38.2 billion in June. These financial resources may not be suffi- March, as a part of precautionary measures to curb the effect of percent in 1Q20, compared to 8.0 percent in 4Q19 and 8.1 percent cient to meet the balance of payments and budget financing the virus outbreak. We expect the CBE to remain prudent and in the same period last year. needs, and Egypt could issue more bonds in 2020 and secure move cautiously in the months to come to avoid an acceleration Fiscal performance significantly improved during the first half more loans from other sources. of capital outflows. of FY19/20, with the budget deficit declining to less than 6 per- cent of GDP. However, the lower revenues coupled with an unex- Inflation Challenges remain pected increase in spending on health care and other social The urban inflation rate increased to 5.6 percent y/y in June Egypt faces some challenges that were compounded by the services, and the economic stimulus measures would worsen the from 4.7 percent in May, its lowest figure since last November. coronavirus. The restrictions and lockdown measures to stem the fiscal position. The government expected the deficit to increase This was mainly due to a high demand for specific products re- outbreak of the virus, and the additional spending to reduce its to around 8 percent of GDP in FY19/20, but this would still be lated to the pandemic. Annual core inflation continued its decel- impact will disrupt the efforts that have been made over the past narrower than the 8.2 percent deficit recorded in 2018/19. eration, reaching a historic low of about 1 percent in June, down few years to achieve macroeconomic stability. The scale and For FY20/21, Egypt approved the largest budget in the coun- from 1.5 percent in May. However, inflation is expected to accel- longevity of the pandemic remain highly uncertain, casting doubt try’s history, at EGP 2.2 trillion ($137 billion), reflecting mainly the erate in the second half of the year, given the recent increase in on the outlook.

percent in April-June, pushing the economy into recession for the Australia warns first time in nearly three decades.A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction and the economy shrank 0.3 percent in the previous three months. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg economy to shrink also said the budget deficit would blow out to Aus$185 (US$132) billion-almost a tenth of GDP-in the year to June 30, 2021, having record 7% in Q2 hit Aus$86 billion in the previous 12 months. “These harsh numbers reflect the harsh reality we face,” Fry- denberg said. “The economic outlook remains very uncertain.” SYDNEY: Australia warned yesterday that its economy will Much of the forecast deficit comes from massive stimulus spend- shrink at its fastest pace in history during the second quarter, ing designed to keep the economy afloat and prevent a full-blown while the budget deficit will be the biggest since the Second economic depression. The government has rolled out around World War as the country battles to contain the impact of the Aus$289 billion in economic stimulus to cushion the country from coronavirus. The government has stumped up tens of billions of the virus fallout, Frydenberg said, including support for workers, dollars to fight the pandemic, which has ravaged global trade and businesses and retirees. Unemployment-currently at a two- forced the shutdown of much of the country earlier in the year, decade high of 7.4 percent-is expected to peak at 9.3 percent in crippling the economy. The reimposition of a six-week lockdown December. The Australian dollar dipped 0.3 percent yesterday, on five million people in Melbourne, the second-biggest city, has while shares on the S&P/ASX 200 were flat. However, the gov- added to the struggles for a country already reeling from a pro- ernment is predicting a quick recovery with the economy return- SYDNEY: People watch as the last Qantas Boeing 747 airliner prepares to take longed drought and massive bushfires before the disease struck. ing to growth in the third quarter as easing virus restrictions bring off from Sydney airport to the US Wednesday. — AFP Officials said gross domestic product would contract seven increased activity. — AFP

38 Friday Sports Friday, July 24, 2020 Olympic cancellation spectre haunts Tokyo, one year before postponed Games Olympic countdown boards have been quietly reset

TOKYO: Japan held subdued celebrations yester- much of Europe as infections and deaths from the day to mark one year until the postponed Tokyo virus decline, but elsewhere — including in the 2020 Olympics, with the coronavirus pandemic United States, Brazil and India — the disease re- raising stark concerns about whether the Games mains rampant. will go ahead. And in places where lockdowns have ended or In Tokyo, which should have been buzzing with countermeasures been eased, the virus has often thousands of athletes and fans by now, organisers come roaring back, raising questions about the fea- will hold a small event at an empty National Sta- sibility of an event involving tens of thousands of dium after the public were barred following a new people arriving from around the world. surge in infections. Olympic countdown boards have been quietly PUBLIC SENTIMENT DIPS reset around the capital, where digital signs display Public sentiment in Japan also appears less than the message “365 days to go to the Tokyo 2020 optimistic, with two polls in July showing the ma- Olympics”. Despite the setbacks and the downbeat jority of Japanese think the Games should be post- mood, Japanese and Olympic officials have not wa- poned again or cancelled altogether. vered from the message that the Games will go on, Only somewhere between one quarter and a serving as a symbol of the world’s recovery from third of respondents in the polls thought the Games the virus. should open as scheduled on July 23, 2021. “They will be the first worldwide gathering after “I’m afraid about the situation even next year,” TOKYO: People wearing face masks walk past a countdown clock for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic and the coronavirus,” International Olympic Committee said Sachiko Ahunwan, a 50-year-old department Paralympic Games in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP chief Thomas Bach insisted last week. store employee. “It’s unclear how far the coron- However, experts and officials — including Bach avirus can be settled,” she told AFP. and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — have But Japanese and Olympic officials have insisted lenges organisers faced. much cost-saving as possible. Even the traditionally raised the prospect of the first peace-time cancel- that another delay is impossible. The unprece- With the venues set, the competition schedule lavish opening and closing ceremonies may be lation of the multi-billion dollar Games if the pan- dented one-year postponement has already caused has now been agreed, making very few changes to scaled back. demic is not under control by next year. a host of logistical and financial headaches. the original calendar. “Now athletes aiming to take And what measures will be necessary to pre- The historic decision in March to delay the One major obstacle has been cleared, with part in the Tokyo Olympics can set concrete goals vent the spread of the virus — assuming it has not Games came as the real scale of the pandemic was Tokyo 2020 confirming this month that it has se- to work toward,” Tokyo 2020 sports director Koji been brought under control by next year — also emerging and countries imposed lockdowns that cured all the venues originally contracted for the Murofushi said last week. remain to be decided. In June, Tokyo Governor threw training into chaos and forced the cancella- Games. Winning agreement from stadiums that But much remains unclear, including the final Yuriko Koike told AFP the Games would be “safe tion of qualifiers and test events. were booked up long after the original Olympic cost of the delay, with organisers saying only that and secure for athletes and fans from abroad, as Since then, restrictions have been eased across date was considered among the most difficult chal- they plan a pared-down event that will involve as well as for residents”. —AFP

After his MMA debut in 2014, Stolze travelled to Dublin from Germany Stolze, McGregor’s the following year to try his luck at McGregor’s Straight Blast gym. After impressing McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh, Stolze was asked to ex-sparring partner, spar with the Irish former double world champion, who retired last month. England confront Stolze helped McGregor prepare for his 2015 win against Jose Aldo and two bouts against Nate Diaz in 2016, which launched the Irishman to super- Archer dilemma as eager for UFC debut stardom. “He’s my role model and I am a huge fan, because of what he has achieved,” said Stolze. “I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but we talked around BERLIN: Having sparred with Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Conor training sessions.” WI eye history McGregor earlier in his career, Germany’s Niklas Stolze now wants to step Stolze has had no contact with McGregor since the Irishman’s 2017 box- up and make his own mark in UFC. ing bout with Floyd Mayweather, but wants to seal his own place in UFC his- MANCHESTER: England must decide whether to recall Jofra The 27-year-old welterweight from Magdeburg fights Russia’s Ramazan tory. “I want to be a household name and be a fighter people get excited Archer for the decisive third Test against the West Indies at Old Emeev in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday when Australia’s Robert about watching.” Trafford today after the fast bowler suffered online racist abuse. Whittaker and England’s Darren Till headline UFC Fight Night 174. This will be the German’s first fight since his third-round win over Spain’s Archer is available after missing England’s series-levelling win After Emmev’s original opponent pulled out with injury, Stolze seized the Omar Jesus Santana last April on a card promoted by Germany’s Nova Fight- at the same ground following a breach of coronavirus protocols. chance of a UFC debut when the call came in early July. ing Championship. A broken finger ruled him out of a bout in November 2019, In a Daily Mail column published on Wednesday, the 25-year- “I’ve always had the goal of fighting in the UFC and wanted to prove my- then he nearly quit the sport after the pandemic saw his next fight cancelled old admitted to an error of judgement but said he had not “com- self,” he told AFP from London before flying to the UAE. in March. mitted a crime”. “I rang my girlfriend and we celebrated, but I wanted to sleep early so I “I had invested 4,000 euros ($4,571) in preparing for that fight and the He added some of the criticism he had faced on social media could train the next morning.” coronavirus put me in a big hole,” he said. “Things fell through and I was following the incident had been racist and he had reported the After the coronavirus pandemic caused a global shutdown in March, UFC really unhappy. “I said I didn’t want this any more,” added Stolze, a qualified comments to the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board). boss Dana White decamped the event to Abu Dhabi’s locked-down Yas Is- welder, who had to find work. “I need to be 100 percent mentally right so that I can throw my- land in the UAE. Strict hygiene protocols mean athletes and staff are tested With the gym where he trains closed until June, Stolze wondered if his self into my cricket this week,” Archer wrote. “If I play and don’t twice before leaving for the UAE, and twice again on arrival. dream was over. “But I came back strong and I have a chance now — MMA bowl 90 miles an hour it’s going to be news.” Stolze, whose record is 12 wins and three losses, now has a chance to is my living,” he said. He admits finances are tight, but gets by with sponsor- Veteran England paceman James Anderson said skipper Joe make the grade. ship and “a very understanding girlfriend”. Root and coach Chris Silverwood would have to assess with Archer His nickname ‘Green Mask’ was born when his coach Sascha Poppen- “She pretty much pays for everything.” UFC fight nights draw huge au- diences and having earned 1,500 euros for his win over Santana in April 2019, whether he was “in the right place to play”. —AFP dieck said he needed to attract attention on his way into the ring. “I got a KO in the first fight I wore the mask, so I stuck to it.” he stands to make 10 times that for fighting Emeev (18-4). —AFP Friday 39 Sports Friday, July 24, 2020 Klopp delighted by trophy lift after Reds hit Chelsea for five Fans promised of a proper party and parade planned through the city

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp clinched the title. And the German again promised said having the opportunity to lift the Premier the fans a proper party with a parade planned League trophy at Anfield meant the world to him through the city once restrictions are lifted. despite having to do so in an empty stadium with “You have to prepare for a party,” he added. fans shut out due to coronavirus. “When I don’t know, when this virus is gone then The Reds sealed a first top-flight title for 30 we will have a party all together.” The result had years last month, but had to wait until after a far bigger consequences for Chelsea as they slip thrilling 5-3 win over Chelsea in their final home to fourth and leaves Frank Lampard’s men still game of the season to lift the Premier League tro- needing a point at home to Wolves at Stamford phy for the first time. “You make the best of what Bridge on Sunday to secure a place in the Cham- you can,” Klopp told Sky Sports. “Today our fam- pions League. ilies are allowed to be there which is incredible. It means the world to me. “Everything would be bet- ‘IN OUR HANDS’ ter with fans but for months we knew that would “It’s huge, we know the situation,” said Lam- be impossible. A few months ago I thought it was pard. “It’s in our hands to get a result against a very impossible that we play football. good Wolves team.” Chelsea have already bol- “I couldn’t be happier to be honest, it would be stered their attacking options for next season with perfect if the stadium would be full but we cannot the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, change it. What we tried to do is make it clear to while they are reportedly closing in on a deal for LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s English midfielder Jordan Henderson (C) lifts the Premier League trophy during the the people that we really do it for them. It’s an ab- the 90-million euro ($103 million, £81 million) rated presentation following the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield solutely great moment.” Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen. in Liverpool, north west England on July 22, 2020. —AFP Despite pleas for fans to stay away on the night But it is at the other end Lampard clearly has to Liverpool finally got their hands on the trophy, sup- find solutions as they completed an entire league Roberto Firmino scored his first league goal at An- The American skipped past four challenges be- porters crowded around the stadium even prior to season with just one clean sheet away from home field all season restored Liverpool’s three-goal fore squaring for Abraham and then fired power- kick-off, while the second half was accompanied and have now conceded 54 times in the Premier cushion to cancel out Olivier Giroud’s strike just fully into the roof of the net with the Liverpool by the constant crackling of fireworks lit by fans League this season. before half-time for the visitors. defence all over the place. But Chelsea were un- outside the ground. Liverpool were 3-0 up inside 43 minutes as Christian Pulisic was surprisingly left on the done again at the other end as a blistering break On the field, Klopp’s men ensured a memorable sweet strikes from Naby Keita, Trent Alexander- bench by Lampard from the start and he changed from inside their own box saw Liverpool surge for- night was accompanied by a positive result after Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum gave Chelsea a the came after he was introduced alongside Tammy ward and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home just two wins in five previous games since they mountain to climb. They nearly did so even after Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi. Andy Robertson’s cross at the back post. —AFP

costly mistakes from David De Gea after the United keeper retained his place. Solskjaer urges Man Utd The Spaniard made two embarrassing errors that led to goals in United’s 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Chelsea on Sunday. West Ham’s point ensured they are mathematically certain to avoid relegation. West Brom promoted to seize ‘opportunity’ in After their sluggish loss at Wembley ended a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, Solskjaer’s men made a more enterprising start this time and West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski was tested twice inside the to Premier League Champions League push first four minutes. Anthony Martial’s stinging strike from just inside the penalty area forced LONDON: Slaven Bilic hailed West Bromwich Albion’s promotion MANCHESTER: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urged his Manchester United stars to seize a “fantastic opportunity” to qualify for the Champions League after an excellent save from Fabianski, who then plunged to his right to keep out to the Premier League as one of the proudest moments of his ca- Greenwood’s effort. Rashford tried his luck from 30 yards, but the forward’s reer after a 2-2 draw against QPR sent them up on a dramatic final Mason Greenwood rescued a 1-1 draw against West Ham on Wednesday. Solskjaer’s side fell behind to Michail Antonio’s penalty in the first half at powerful drive was too close to Fabianski, while Greenwood’s close-range day of the Championship season. shot was blocked by Ogbonna. Bilic’s side will join Championship title winners Leeds in the top- Old Trafford. But teenage forward Greenwood struck after the interval to lift United into third place in the Premier League. De Gea had been a spectator for the first 40 minutes and when he was flight next season after a nail-biting Wednesday night at the finally called into action, Antonio’s header lacked the power to trouble him. Hawthorns. They are ahead of fourth placed Chelsea on goal difference after the Blues lost 5-3 at champions Liverpool. United will finish in the top four if they draw But De Gea still had to pick the ball out of the net moments before half- With third-placed Brentford beaten 2-1 by Barnsley and fourth- time after Paul Pogba handed West Ham a penalty. Declan Rice’s free-kick placed Fulham held to a 1-1 draw at Wigan, Albion finished in sec- or win in their decisive showdown with fifth placed Leicester on Sunday. United are one point ahead of Leicester going into their last game of the sea- was smashed straight at Pogba, who instinctively stuck up his arms to pro- ond place to secure their return to the Premier League after two tect his face. seasons away. son at the King Power Stadium. Despite Pogba dropping to the turf as though he had been hit in the head, “You don’t know how exhausting it was this season. You can’t “When we started after the lockdown, we had to go for it. We had to go VAR confirmed the France midfielder’s handball. Antonio took the spot-kick, imagine how proud and happy I am,” former Croatia and West Ham for goal difference, we had to go for points,” Solskjaer said. “The effort has sending De Gea the wrong way for his sixth goal in his last three games. boss Bilic said. been fantastic and the results have been fantastic. “Going into half-time we United had let the first half drift out of their control, but Greenwood “I managed my country for six years and I said no matter which knew that wasn’t the result we wanted. But you can’t expect to turn teams dragged them level with another demonstration of his remarkable maturity club I manage nothing will compare. I feel as proud as I felt then.” over like we needed to have a different scenario for Sunday. On a riveting finale in the second tier, 2013 FA Cup winners Wigan “We’ve given ourselves a fantastic opportunity and a great starting in the 51st minute. Dropping deep to exchange passes with Martial, the 18- were relegated to League One along with Hull and Charlton. point for Sunday.” Solskjaer’s team were well below their best against West year-old kept his composure to drill a clinical finish past Fabianski from 12 But the focus was on West Brom, who fell behind against QPR Ham, but they are now unbeaten in 13 league matches and will complete yards. when Ryan Manning netted after 34 minutes. Grady Diangana an impressive surge into the Champions League if they emerge unscathed No teenager has ever scored more goals in a single season in all compe- equalised just before half-time when he fired in after Callum Robin- at Leicester. titions for United than Greenwood, whose 17th of the season moved him level son set him free. —AFP They can also qualify for Europe’s elite club competition if they win the with George Best, Brian Kidd and Wayne Rooney. “He’s bailed us out a few Europa League in August. Solskjaer will have been relieved there were no times and he’s done it again,” Solskjaer said. —AFP Established 1961 h i il i h bi lf

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FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2020

TOKYO: People walk past a countdown clock for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo yesterday. — AFP

Olympic cancellation spectre haunts Tokyo

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