INDEX BUSINESS | Page 1 QATAR 2-7,16 COMMENT 14 QATAR | Page 7 ARAB WORLD 8 BUSINESS 1-12 QNB green INTERNATIONAL 8-13,15 SPORTS 1-8 Qatar Airways, bond venture DOW JONES QE NYMEX QNTC join endorses Qatar hands to environment 27,772.76 10,016.28 39.83 -375.88 +59.62 +0.61 support startup social governance -1.34% +0.6% +1.56% commitment Latest Figures competition published in QATAR since 1978

WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11694 October 7, 2020 Safar 20, 1442 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir to meet Turkish president today Amir, Afghan president hold official talks His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today. Erdogan arrives in Doha on a working visit. The two leaders will discuss the strategic bilateral relations and ways to enhance them, in addition to a number of issues of mutual concern. 3 arrested for fl outing home quarantine rules Competent authorities in Doha yesterday arrested three people for violating the legal requirements of the home quarantine. The arrests came in implementation of the precautionary measures in force in the country, approved by health authorities represented in the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), to ensure public safety and to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The three people being referred to the competent prosecution are: Hassan His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and President of Afghanistan Dr Mohamed Ashraf Ghani held a Saad Badi al-Jafali al-Nuaimi, session of off icial talks at the Amiri Diwan yesterday. Mahmoud Badea Mukhtar Abdul Kamel and Salah al-Sayyed Bedair is Highness the Amir Sheikh Afghan president expressed his thanks During the talks, the two sides re- number of ministers, and from the Af- Mohamed Ashraf Ghani, and his ac- al-Dersi. The authorities concerned Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and appreciation to the Amir for the viewed bilateral relations and the ghan side by members of the offi cial companying delegation. in the state call on citizens and Hand President of Afghanistan warm reception and stressed the im- means of developing and strengthening delegation accompanying the presi- The banquet was attended by a residents who are subject to Dr Mohamed Ashraf Ghani held a ses- portance of relations between the two them in various fi elds. dent. number of Sheikhs and ministers. quarantine to fully adhere to the sion of offi cial talks at the Amiri Diwan countries. Dr Ghani also appreciated The talks also dealt with develop- Earlier, an offi cial reception was held Dr Ghani left Doha yesterday evening requirements set by the Ministry of yesterday. At the beginning of the ses- Qatar’s hosting of the Afghan peace ments in Afghanistan in light of the for the president upon his arrival at the following an offi cial visit to Qatar. Public Health, to ensure their safety sion, the Amir welcomed the Afghan negotiations and praised the role of Afghan peace negotiations currently Amiri Diwan. He was seen off at Hamad Interna- and the safety of others. president and the accompanying del- Qatar and its commitment to peace in underway in Doha, in order to achieve His Highness the Amir Sheikh tional Airport by HE the Minister of egation, expressing his confi dence that his country and its eff orts to host this security, stability and peace in Afghan- Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani hosted a State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad MoPH reports 123,893 this visit will contribute to strengthen- round of negotiations in order to reach istan. luncheon banquet at the Amiri Diwan al-Muraikhi and Afghan ambassador total Covid recoveries ing bilateral relations. For his part, the lasting peace. The meeting was attended by a in honour of Afghanistan president Dr Abdul Hakim Dalili. (QNA) Page 16 The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported yesterday Covid-19 vaccine 251 new confirmed cases of coronavirus (Covid-19) during the may be ready by last 24 hours, of which 233 are year-end: WHO from community cases and 18 from Qatar allows foreigners to travellers returning from abroad who are subject to quarantine. The A vaccine against MoPH also recorded 229 recoveries Covid-19 may be from the virus during the past 24 ready by year- hours, bringing the total number own property in more areas end, the head of of cases recovered in Qatar to the World Health 123,893. Page 2 Organisation said atar will allow foreigners to „The 16 areas eligible for usufruct are: Msheireb, Fareej yesterday. Trump ends stimulus own real estate in more ar- Abdulaziz, Al Doha Al Jadeeda, Al Ghanim Alateeq, Al WHO Director- talks until aft er election Qeas in the country, liberalising Rifa, Al Hitmi Al Ateeq, As Salatah, Bin Mahmoud 22, Bin General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus rules to attract funds in the sector as Mahmoud 23, Roudet Al Khail, Al Mansoura, Bin Dirham, Al (pictured) called for solidarity and US President Donald Trump part of moves to diversify the econo- Najma, Umm Ghawlina, Al Khulaifat, Al Sadd, Al Mirqab Al political commitment by all leaders to yesterday called off talks on a my. ensure equal distribution of vaccines new stimulus plan until after the Non-Qatari individuals could own Jadeed, Al Nasr, Doha International Airport. when they become available. election, accusing Democrats of properties in nine areas, up from „The nine freehold areas are: the West Bay, The Pearl, Al “We will need vaccines and there is hope not negotiating in good faith. “I three before, while the number of ar- Khor resort, Al Dafna (areas No 60 and 61), Onaiza, Lusail, Al that by the end of this year we may have have instructed my representatives eas where foreigners may use real es- Kharaej, and Jabal Thuaileb. a vaccine. There is hope,” Tedros said to stop negotiating until after the tate subject to usufruct has also been „Ownership of commercial units in malls and residential in final remarks to the WHO’s Executive election,” he wrote in a tweet. The increased to 16, bringing the total compounds is now allowed in all areas of the country. Board, without elaborating. decision sent Wall Street stocks number of areas designated for own- HE Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi Nine experimental vaccines are in the plunging and upended recent ership and usufruct by non-Qataris to has introduced new advantages ac- diversifi cation, and the establishment pipeline of the WHO’s COVAX global progress made in the long-stalled 25, a government statement said. completing measures taken by Qatar cording to which Qatari and non-Qa- of an integrated legislative system to vaccine facility that aims to distribute talks after Treasury Secretary “Such decision would contrib- to provide a legislative and legal en- tari citizens may own a detached unit achieve the goals of Qatar National 2bn doses by the end of 2021. Steven Mnuchin and House ute to the advancement of the Qatari vironment conducive to investment. in one of the residential complexes, Vision 2030. The two-day board meeting, which Speaker Nancy Pelosi restarted real estate market, the acceleration of Cabinet Resolution No 28 of 2020 and they may also own the detached The minister noted that these de- examined the global response to the negotiations last week. the economic development, and the determined the areas in which non- units (offi ces and shops) in commer- cisions will make a qualitative leap pandemic, heard calls from countries stimulation of the real estate sector,” Qataris may own and benefi t from cial malls, in other areas, provided in the development of the real estate including Germany, Britain and Australia Trio win Physics Nobel the Ministry of Justice statement said. real estate, and the terms, conditions, that they do not modify the nature, sector in Qatar and enhance its in- for reforms to strengthen the UN agency. for black hole research The Qatar government will also benefi ts and procedures for their shape or appearance of the unit. vestment attractiveness in the re- US President Donald Trump’s grant residency to owners of property ownership and use. On this occasion, HE the Minister gion, in a way that serves the national administration has strongly criticised A trio of scientists, Roger Penrose worth at least QR730,000 ($200,000) The Cabinet decision also allows of Justice and Acting Minister of State economy and strengthens the attrac- the WHO’s role in the crisis, accusing of Britain, Reinhard Genzel of as well as their families, it said. non-Qatari companies to own prop- for Cabinet Aff airs, Dr Issa Saad al- tive legislative and legal environment it of being too close to China and not Germany and Andrea Ghez of the The move is in accordance with erties in the 25 areas mentioned. Jafali al-Nuaimi, stressed the impor- that stimulates investors and guaran- doing enough to question Beijing’s US, won the Nobel Physics Prize a decision issued by the Council of The Ministry of Justice said in a tance of this decision, which supports tees them safe and promising invest- actions late last year when the virus first yesterday for their research into Ministers ,within the framework of statement yesterday that the decision the government’s plans for economic ment at the same time. To Page 7 emerged in Wuhan. what the Nobel committee called “one of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, the black hole.” SC gets award for workers’ welfare plan Penrose, 89, was honoured for showing “that the general theory of relativity leads to the formation of black holes”, while Genzel, 68, and HIA ‘fi rst global entity’ to be Ghez, 55, were jointly awarded for discovering “that an invisible and extremely heavy object governs the orbits of stars at the centre of BSI-verifi ed for Covid safety our galaxy,” the jury said. Page 12 amad International Airport following successful audits for com- Akbar al-Baker; Jon Wilks, UK ambas- US survival camps to (HIA) has become the fi rst pliance to International Civil Avia- sador to Qatar; HE Abdullah bin Nass- Hentity in the world to achieve tion Organisation Civil Aviation Re- er Turki al-Subaey, president, Qatar face election violence independent verifi cation from BSI covery Taskforce - ICAO CART. Civil Aviation Authority; HIA’s Chief A chain of US survival (British Standards Institution) for its Qatar’s airport received the veri- Operation Offi cer, Badr Mohammed communities plan to activate implementation of Covid-19 ICAO fi cation certifi cate during an offi cial al-Meer; Jamal Dalli, Business De- and open to members for the Aviation Health Safety Protocols. handover ceremony attended by Qatar velopment Manager at BSI; among first time over fears of violence The verifi cation was conducted Airways Group Chief Executive, HE other BSI offi cials and executives from following the presidential election MATAR Qatar Company for Airports on Nov 3. Fortitude Ranch camps Management and Operation. in West Virginia and Colorado will “This important achievement open on election day to protect marks the State of Qatar as the fi rst members, the company’s October country in the world to be verifi ed by The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has received special newsletter said. Regardless of BSI for its Covid-19 Aviation Health recognition for its Workers’ Welfare programme from the Ministry of Municipality whether Republican President Safety Protocol Implementation. It and Environment. Mohamed Fahad al-Hajri, Compliance and Audits senior Donald Trump or Democratic is also a signifi cant testament to the manager from the SC’s Workers’ Welfare Department, received the award during challenger Joe Biden wins the eff orts implemented by Qatar’s gate- the Qatar Achievements on Vocational Safety book launch ceremony. The award election, Fortitude Ranch expects way to the world- HIA, which helped was presented by HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Abdullah bin possible “looting and violence” successfully restore passenger confi - Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie. The book covers the SC’s milestones to date, top that could devolve into long- The official handover ceremony was attended by HE Akbar al-Baker, dence and boost air travel, even dur- line statistics across the programme, as well as information about a number of term, widespread clashes, the ambassador Jon Wilks, HE Abdullah bin Nasser Turki al-Subaey, Badr ing the most turbulent of times,” HIA key initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being of workers. Pictured are off icials newsletter said. Mohamed al-Meer, Jamal Dalli and other officials. said in a statement. To Page 6 on the occasion. Page 4 Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 QATAR

FM meets British foreign secretary Investment options in Umm Slal central market announced

QNA ordination with the Aswaq for Food The ministry clarifi ed the docu- Doha Facilities Management Company, to ments and requirements to apply for achieve great benefi t for tenants and obtaining investment opportunities, consumers by setting up a mecha- include submitting a copy of a valid he Permanent Committee for nism that allows the tenant to obtain commercial register, a copy of a valid Central Markets Management good investment, by granting him an commercial license (if any), a copy of Tof the Ministry of Commerce adequate rental price while adhering the establishment’s registration (if HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met in and Industry (MoCI), in co-ordina- to some conditions that will main- any), a copy of the identity card, and London yesterday with British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Aff airs Dominic tion with the Aswaq for Food Facili- tain the continuity of the new central an experience of not less than two Raab. During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations, mainly in investment and economy, as well as ties Management Company, a Hassad markets and their success, and at the years of inactivity with submission of the latest developments in the region and issues of mutual concern. They also discussed the need to reach a just subsidiary, announced the off ering of same time providing opportunity for evidence. solution to the Palestinian cause based on the international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution, in investment opportunities to rent out the consumer to obtain his basic needs MoCI indicated the steps for sub- order to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as stores in the second phase in the cen- of goods and services at competitive mitting applications to commence a its capital. tral fi sh market in Umm Slal. prices. commercial activity in the market, The second phase includes 53 in- MoCI has set operating standards pointing out that the application could vestment opportunities, such as barns for determining the value of rents for be submitted online via www.MoCI. for display and sale of sheep, and commercial activities in the market, gov.qa, through the link https://www. stores for selling vegetables and fruits, and for the lease period to be two years aswaq.com.qa/ar/shop-registration, in addition to the existing stores of which is renewable for a similar peri- which was activated yesterday and similar activities. od, and to provide a guaranteed cheque which will remain open until Oct 20. Qatar takes part in WHO executive It also includes butcheries, selling of for one month’s rent and 24 cheques in The draw will be conducted via video travel supplies, and chilled poultry and the name of Aswaq for Food Facilities conferencing on Nov 5, with the results their products, in addition to the avail- Management Company. Also set is the announced on Nov 8. board’s session on Covid-19 response ability of a veterinary clinic and phar- ability to off er products permanently, The ministry specifi ed the tenants’ macy to serve owners of the barns, and the commercial activity recorded in obligations of practising the desig- shops for various commercial activi- the commercial registry in line with nated activity within a month from QNA tant topics, the steps taken to ensure lessons are ties such as the trade of dates and spic- the activity for which it is submitted, the allocation date, and in the event of Doha most notably learned and best practices are imple- es, and other commercial activities. and that the trader has experience in non-compliance, the shop would be updated in- mented. MoCI said that it has worked, in co- the activity. referred to the fi rst substitute winner, formation on Updated information was also pro- and if the substitute does not respond atar participated in the special the imple- vided by the co-chairs for the Inde- or is delayed for a month from the date session of the WHO Executive mentation of pendent Panel for Pandemic Prepar- of its notifi cation, the shop would be QBoard on the response to the resolutions edness and Response, the Chairman of referred to the second alternative win- Covid-19 pandemic, which concluded related to the the International Health Regulations ner. yesterday. response to Review Committee and the Chairman The tenant must also fulfi l the fi - The delegation of Qatar at the spe- HE the Minister of the Covid-19 of the Independent Oversight and nancial obligations on time specifi ed cial session was chaired by HE the Public Health Dr Hanan pandemic. Advisory Committee for the WHO in the contract, adhere to the provi- Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari The Health Emergencies Programme. sions of the general regulations for the Mohamed al-Kuwari, through remote Director- The main functions of the executive work of the market, and be committed communication technology. General of WHO provided a summary board are to give eff ect to the decisions to providing products on an ongoing During the two-day session, the ex- of the WHO’s activities since January and policies of the Health Assembly, to basis at high quality, in addition to ecutive board discussed several impor- 2020 in response to the pandemic, and advise it and to facilitate its work. committing to public cleanliness, uni- forms, work timings, not sub-leasing, The second phase of the central fish market in the Umm Slal area includes 53 and compliance with any other re- investment opportunities, such as barns for display and sale of sheep, and stores for quirements or controls set by the mar- selling vegetables and fruits, in addition to the existing stores of similar activities. ket administration. Qatar panel begins disbursing cash aid in Gaza

QNA Gaza

atar Committee for the Re- construction of Gaza, in co- Qoperation with Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD), yesterday began disbursing cash assistance to needy families in the Gaza Strip. HE the chairman of the committee ambassador Mohamed al-Emadi said that the cash assistance will be pro- vided to 100,000 poor families in the governorates of the Gaza Strip, where every family will receive $100. Disbursing of cash assistance to needy families in the Gaza Strip began yesterday. He said the distribution is carried out through the postal bank and its of Social Development and the Minis- to ensure the safety of the workers branches, and new points affi liated to try of Communications and Informa- and beneficiaries. Preventive meas- it in the governorates, under the su- tion Technology in Gaza. ures include sterilisation and physi- pervision of the Qatari committee staff HE al-Emadi stressed that strict cal distancing in light of the spread and in co-operation with the authori- health preventive measures are be- of coronavirus (Covid-19) in the ties concerned, headed by the Ministry ing taken at the distribution centres Gaza Strip.

MoPH reports 123,893 total Covid recoveries

QNA Doha

he Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) reported yesterday 251 Tnew confi rmed cases of coro- navirus (Covid-19) during the last 24 hours, of which 233 are from commu- nity cases and 18 from travellers re- turning from abroad, who are subject to quarantine. The MoPH also recorded 229 recov- eries from the virus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases recovered in Qatar to 123,893. The MoPH issued a statement on Covid-19 developments in Qatar, which said all new cases have been in- troduced to isolation and are receiving necessary healthcare. The ministry said measures to tackle Covid-19 in Qatar have succeeded in fl attening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus and the number of new daily cases and hospital admis- sions are continuing to decline each week.Qatar’s proactive and extensive testing of suspected cases has enabled the MoPH to identify a high number of positive cases in the community. Qatar has one of the lowest Covid-19 death rates in the world. This is a result of: z Very high quality of care provided through the public healthcare sector z Qatar’s young population lifted, and numbers are declining, this protect the most vulnerable. z Proactive testing to identify cases does not mean that the Covid-19 pan- While the restrictions of Covid-19 early demic is over in Qatar, as people con- are gradually being lifted in Qatar, it z Expanding hospital capacity, es- tinue to be admitted with moderate to is important for everyone to play their pecially intensive care, to ensure pa- severe Covid-19 symptoms. role in controlling the virus by follow- tients receive the medical care Avoid close contact with others, ing the precautionary measures: zProtecting the elderly and those crowded places and confi ned closed „ Adherence to physical distancing with chronic diseases spaces where people congregate. Now „ Wearing a face mask Even though restrictions are being more than ever, we must be careful and „ Washing hands regularly Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 3 QATAR HMC to open new Fracture Liaison Clinic in coming months amad Medical Corpora- patients in Qatar have access followed by chronic pain, de- prescribed medicine to treat your tion’s (HMC) Rheuma- to world-class care. “There is pression and even reduced life condition, you should never stop Htology and Orthopaedic clear evidence that timely test- expectancy. Both doctors and taking the medication, or change departments are fi nalising plans ing is critical to faster diagnosis, patients should be educated the dosage, without your doc- to open a Fracture Liaison Clinic prompter treatment and better about this disease, and in par- tor’s approval. There is no known later this year, an offi cial has outcomes in many medical con- ticular about early symptoms. interaction between Covid-19 said. ditions, including osteoporosis. Sudden severe backache (due infection and osteoporosis medi- “The main aim of the clinic Today, many people are more to a fractured or collapsed ver- cations. Any patient who has will be to identify patients with educated about the importance tebra), a gradual loss of height questions or concerns about fragility (low-impact trauma) of good bone health and they and an accompanying stooped their osteoporosis treatment plan fractures who have osteoporosis understand that osteoporosis is posture, and fractures that oc- should talk to their doctor. Oste- so that we can begin treatment not just a disease of the elderly. cur with minor trauma should oporosis can’t be cured, but with in the hope of preventing fur- However, many people remain all be viewed as possible warning medication and lifestyle changes, ther fractures,” according to Dr unaware that osteoporosis is a signs,” explained Dr Abdulla. you can slow or even stop it,” said Samar al-Emadi, head of HMC’s largely preventable disease,” said Dr Samar al-Emadi Dr Nabeel Abdulla Dr Omar Alsaed “A bone mineral density test Dr Alsaed. Rheumatology Division Dr al-Emadi. (BMD) and/or a fracture risk as- Dr Alsaed says patients with In a statement yesterday, “Our team is working with in- departments are currently fi nal- oids (cortisone) and gender, with bone health, noting that early sessment can be important di- osteoporosis should make every Dr al-Emadi said her team has ternational experts to prepare an ising plans to open a Fracture Li- the disease being more common identifi cation and treatment of agnostic tools and can help guide eff ort to attend scheduled medi- made major strides in recent Osteoporosis Treatment Guide- aison Clinic later this year,” she in women, many people with os- low bone density is the most ef- treatment options. Once the dis- cal appointments, noting that on- years towards educating the line as part of eff orts to stand- explained. teoporosis continue to go undiag- fective approach to preventing ease is identifi ed, treatment can going treatment is an important public about the importance of ardise osteoporosis care in Qatar. Osteoporosis is often called a nosed and untreated. future fractures. help strengthen bones and pre- part of managing the disease. He good bone health. Last year, we launched a national silent disease as patients seldom Dr Nabeel Abdulla, Rheuma- “Osteoporosis weakens the vent further fractures,” added Dr says the Rheumatology Division She says HMC’s Rheuma- osteoporosis screening pro- have signs or symptoms until a tology consultant, says health- bones and can lead to painful Abdulla. is working with HMC’s Home tology Division uses the latest gramme and recently introduced fracture occurs. While risk factors care professionals play an im- fractures or severe disability. Dr Omar Alsaed, associate Health Care Service to provide in- technology and medication to a programme that will see all for the condition include older portant role in educating their One in three women and one in Rheumatology consultant, says home care to patients who receive diagnose and treat patients with patients age 50 years and above age, a family history of osteoporo- patients about bone health. He fi ve men over the age of 50 might it is important for patients who an injection every six months as osteoporosis and is continu- who have experienced a fracture sis, low body weight, smoking, says healthcare providers who be aff ected by osteoporosis dur- have been prescribed osteoporo- part of their treatment plan to en- ing to collaborate with special- screened for the disease. Our certain medical conditions and have female patients over the ing their lifetime. The condition sis medication to ensure they take sure that these patients continue ists across the globe to ensure Rheumatology and Orthopaedic some medications, such as ster- age of 50 years should prioritise can lead to fractures that can be it as directed. “If your doctor has to receive the medication on time. Qatar Charity honours ‘Noon’ platform educators Qatar Charity (QC) has honoured in crisis, reimagining the future’, fo- challenging circumstances due morale of teachers, noting that lives of students, while Mohamed several teachers of its ‘Noon’ cusing on the works of educators. to the Covid-19 pandemic. He the ‘Noon’ platform contributed to Tharwat termed the recognition platform, which is concerned with Jassim Mohamed al-Emadi, direc- pointed out that QC launched the easy delivery of information as a “beautiful gesture” from Qatar remote teaching and training, for tor of the Local Development ‘Noon’, a distance-teaching, train- to students, creating a friendly Charity to celebrate the importance their dedicated eff orts to raise the Department at QC, said: “As Qatar ing and empowering platform, to relationship between the teach- of teachers’ role in the life of the level of knowledge of individuals Charity pays considerable atten- meet the cultural, educational and ers and students and providing individual and society, adding that as well as for their educational role tion to education, it marked World social needs of society in these an encouraging environment the recognition encourages them in the betterment of society. Teachers’ Day to shed light on the times of adversity. for learning. Teacher Afaf Abdul to make more eff orts in spread- The honouring of teachers came position of educators and appreci- The teachers expressed delight at Razzaq described the honour as ing knowledge. Qatar Charity had as part of the celebration of World ate their inspiring role in building being honoured by Qatar Charity an unexpected and wonderful marked World Teachers’ Day last Teachers’ Day, which is observed generations.” on World Teachers’ Day. surprise. Mohamed Abdel Moneim year with various competitions, with annually on October 5. He also praised the teachers for Alawiya Hassan Mohamed, one of stressed that the honour has come the participation of 90 teachers The recognition of teachers has come as part of the celebration of Qatar Charity marked the day their tremendous eff orts in provid- them, thanked QC for the honour in recognition of the positive from Asian schools in Doha. The World Teachers’ Day, which is observed annually on October 5. with the theme ‘Teachers: Leading ing education under the current that contributed to raising the impact that a teacher leaves on the teachers were honoured by QC. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 QATAR Qatar 2022 organisers get safety award for Workers’ Welfare programme

he Supreme Committee the Workers’ Welfare Depart- for Delivery & Legacy (SC) ment has delivered positive Thas received special rec- change for thousands of work- ognition for its Workers’ Welfare ers since stadium construction programme from the Ministry of began six years ago,” the report Municipality and Environment states. (MME). Mahmoud Qutub, executive Mohamed Fahad al-Hajri, director of the Workers’ Wel- Compliance and Audits senior fare Department, said: “We are manager from the SC’s Workers’ proud to receive this award as it Welfare Department, received is a testament to our eff orts to the award during the ‘Qatar not only improve workers’ wel- Achievements on Vocational fare standards on our projects, Safety’ book launch ceremony. but also across the nation. As The award was presented by Qatar 2022 draws closer, our HE the Minister of Municipality The Workers’ Welfare Department has “delivered positive change for workers’ health and safety will and Environment Abdullah bin thousands of workers since stadium construction began six years ago”. remain a top priority. Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie. “We want to ensure this tour- “I am honoured to receive this lights important achievements number of key initiatives aimed nament acts as a catalyst for award on behalf of my colleagues of various Qatari companies and at enhancing the wellbeing of signifi cant positive and long- at the SC. The health, safety and institutions in the fi eld of occu- workers, including comprehen- term impacts to the well-being protection of our workforce has pational safety. sive annual health screenings, of workers in Qatar and beyond. always been at the forefront of It sheds light on Qatar’s eff orts centralised electronic medical This will be our legacy.” our work since we won the host- to ensure the safety and protec- records, occupational health and Other attendees at the cer- The book covers the SC’s milestones to date, top line statistics across the programme, as well as ing rights and we appreciate this tion of workers and celebrates safety training, and the innova- emony included representatives information about a number of key initiatives aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of workers. important recognition,” al-Hajri best practices in the country’s tive cooling wear, ‘StayQool’, from Aamal Company, Katara said. business sector. sc.qa reports. Hospitality, Alfardan Group, Primary Health Care Corpora- in workers’ welfare, encourage Middle East and Arab world. Developed under the patron- The book covers the SC’s “Through the SC’s numer- AlJaber Engineering, Qatar Ol- tion human and social development One can learn more about age of the MME, the 2020 ‘Qa- milestones to date, top line sta- ous health and safety initia- ympic Committee, Suhail Hold- The SC’s Workers’ Welfare De- in Qatar and support more than Worker’s Welfare at https:// tar Achievements on Vocational tistics across the programme, tives, along with an unwavering ing Group, Al Balagh Trading & partment was established with 30,000 workers who are a part www.qatar2022.qa/en/oppor- Safety’ book analyses and high- as well as information about a commitment to best practices, Contracting Company and the a vision to achieve best practice of the fi rst FIFA World Cup in the tunities/workers-welfare

Ooredoo brings Disney+ Originals World Cup in Qatar to set standards with OSN at no extra charge for future editions: UK football author oredoo has announced that its mobile and Ooredoo By Joseph Varghese lim-majority, Arab-speaking OONE customers will be able Staff Reporter Middle Eastern country. Fi- to access Disney+ Originals, HBO nally, it has come to the region series and more, at no extra charge, and I think it has a profound thanks to a major partnership with atar is likely to set signifi cance for the region,” the OSN Streaming App service standards for future he stressed. now included with its plans. QWorld Cup editions The journalist noted it The OSN Streaming App – a vid- and above. Customers on lower- best of entertainment to its tech- by hosting the FIFA World would be interesting to see if eo-on-demand (VOD) streaming tiered plans can upgrade to obtain savvy clientele. The OSN Streaming Cup Qatar 2022 with several this World Cup generates the app by OSN – off ers viewers a com- all the exclusive content now. App, with its huge library of premi- unique features and initia- same vibes as the ‘pan-Afri- prehensive entertainment package Fatima Sultan al-Kuwari, chief um content, is sure to satisfy Qatar’s tives, a leading football au- can’ World Cup in 2010, and with exclusive access to Disney+ consumer offi cer at Ooredoo, said: customers’ demand for world-class thor noted yesterday. it is to be seen “if the same Originals, including content from “We’re extremely excited to have and exclusive content. We are com- “Qatar has set very high can be replicated and put the home entertainment powerhouses signed a partnership with OSN to mitted to growing our customer base standards for environmen- region seriously on the sport- such as Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star allow our customers to experience in Qatar and our partnership with tal protection. I think the ing map”. Wars and National Geographic, new and classic Disney content for Ooredoo is a great opportunity to 2022 World Cup is going to Starting the lecture with a Ooredoo said in a statement. no extra charge, as well as many expand our reach with the country’s set the standards for future “The 2006 World Cup in Speaking on the other as- chronology of the develop- The service also incorporates more content options. We’re sure leading home brand.” World Cups. The ambition Germany was the fi rst one to pects of the upcoming World ments all through the history HBO exclusively along with an ex- they’ll be entertained and informed World-class entertainment is and commitment of Qa- have a proper dimension for Cup, Goldblatt said this is of World Cups from 1930, tensive library from NBC Universal by this exclusive streaming package, available across a range of devices, tar towards environment is the environmental aspects going to be the fi rst World Goldblatt highlighted sev- and CBS and the recently added which combines many of the biggest meaning Ooredoo Qatar subscrib- very strong and very unique of the major sporting event. Cup in the winter in its entire eral similarities between the portfolio of Paramount+. In addi- names in home viewing under a sin- ers can look forward to box sets of in global sports,” said David The 2014 and 2018 World Cup history. He also said the 2022 fi rst World Cup in Uruguay tion, the OSN Streaming App fea- gle banner, and we’re delighted to be their favourite shows such as ‘Game Goldblatt (pictured), best- editions had full-scale carbon World Cup has the potential and the upcoming one in Qa- tures 11 local and regional channels able to off er them even more value of Thrones’, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, selling British author, jour- analysis. 2022 is genuinely to be termed the ‘Middle East tar, such as the population of available exclusively through OSN for money and yet more extra ben- ‘The Mandalorian’, ‘Succession’ nalist and sociologist. diff erent. The commitment World Cup’. the two countries and other in the Middle East. efi ts with their postpaid services.” and ‘The Sopranos’,in addition to Goldblatt was speaking at of the Qatar government to- “It builds on the experi- geographical features. He To celebrate the partnership, Zahra Zayat, senior vice-pres- the latest Turkish series such as the World Cup 2022 Lecture wards environment is really ence of the 2010 World Cup also highlighted the evolu- Ooredoo is off ering the OSN ident of telco and OTT at OSN, ‘Al Tuff ah Al Haram’ and ‘Taer Al Series launched by Georget- noteworthy for a carbon-zero in South Africa, which was tion of the World Cup and the Streaming App as a gift to all cus- added: “We are very excited to have Sabah’. Popular movies available on own University in Qatar (GU- event. The seriousness to- termed as ‘Africa’s World changes that happened in the tomers with Qatarna 5G plans, Ooredoo as our telco partner for the app include Disney classics and Q). The online event, ‘The 2022 wards this commitment is Cup’. Qatar, in that case, last 90 years. Shahry 5G L and XL plans, as well OSN streaming in Qatar; a partner latest releases, ‘Star Wars: The Rise World Cup in Qatar in Histori- seen in the construction as stands in relation to the The next edition of the as those with 5G Data SIM L, XL that shares our dedication in provid- of Skywalker’, ‘Rambo: Last Blood’, cal Perspective’, was moderated well as the public transport wider Middle Eastern region. World Cup 2022 Lecture Se- and Max plans, and all Ooredoo ing an exceptional digital experience ‘Gemini Man’ and a whole lot of by Dr Danyel Reiche, a visiting arrangements for the World This is the fi rst major world ries will take place in Novem- ONE customers on 150Mbps plans to customers and availing the very Hollywood blockbusters. professor at GU-Q. Cup,” explained Goldblatt. sports mega event in a Mus- ber.

Registration for quiz on India underway

egistration for the Bharat Ko Janiye (BKJ) Quiz is underway and will Rremain open until the start of fi rst round on November 1, the Indian embas- sy has said in a statement. “Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz is one of the Huawei MateBook X important initiatives of the government of India to engage the Indian diaspora and friends of India. The quiz will be organ- ised online and have four rounds. It will be held for three categories of partici- pants – persons of Indian Origin, non- Huawei launches ‘thin resident Indians and foreign nationals (in the age group of 18-35 years only),” the statement explained. The fi rst round will take place from November 1 to 30. It is a ‘welcome round’ and light’ MateBook X open to everyone. Winners from each country will get gold, silver and bronze uawei Consumer Busi- Share, according to a press The new MateBook X is the medals. ness Group has launched statement. fi rst laptop to feature the Infi nite Winners of the fi rst round will partici- Hthe Huawei MateBook X, “The ultra-portable experi- FullView Display, realised with pate in the second round from December “transforming how consumers ence is redefi ned by the compact a borderless design that off ers a 7 to 13. Then, the top 10 contenders of can work in this new era of mo- laptop, which packs everything 90% screen-to-body ratio. the second round (with a total 30 par- bile productivity”. in a lightweight body that is as The MateBook X is joined ticipants) will take part in the third round Featuring the signature aes- light as 1kg and measures just by the MateBook X Pro, which from December 14 to 20. thetics of the series, the Mate- 13.6mm at the thickest part. boasts of an Ultra FullView The fourth and fi nal round, to be held Book X comes with significant The latest Huawei laptop’s slim Display in a sleek and elegant from December 21 to 27, will see the top enhancements to portability form factor comes at no expense unibody design, as well as the seven contenders of the third round par- due to its ultra-light and thin to durability. Featuring a light- MateBook 13, featuring a highly ticipate. There will be a total of 21 partici- body, innovations for an im- weight aluminium unibody, it is portable design and powerful pants. mersive experience like the 3K built with robustness in mind. performance. The fi nal round winners – fi ve in each Infinite FullView display with Inspired by the iridescent moth- Starting tomorrow, the Mate- category - will be invited for a ‘Bharat full touchscreen and latest er-of-pearl and glitter powder, Book X will be available for pre- Darshan’ (India tour). 10th generation processors, Huawei MateBook X elevates order at https://bit.ly/3lgP1QL For registration and participation, one and an overall smart experi- CMF design to an artform with for QR5,399. The MateBook 13 has to visit the website, www.bharatko- ence with Multi-Screen Col- glitter-infused colourway Silver will be available for purchase in janiye.in. laboration as a part of Huawei Frost,” the statement explains. stores tomorrow for QR2,999. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 5 QATAR

Nissan Sunny cars on off er in Safari mega promotion CRA takes part he Safari Group has an- nounced that it will launch Tthe “Safari Win 25 Nissan Sunny Cars” mega promotion today in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of Safari Mall – Abu Hamour. in Arab Digital “The ‘Safari Win 25 Nissan Sunny Cars’ is Safari’s latest mega promotion, which is aimed at giving customers a fresh start February 15, 2021 at Safari Hy- director/Group co-ordinator, in this situation where they are permarket, Salwa Road. thanked customers for their sup- slowly recovering from the grip The fourth draw will be held on port when announcing the latest of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the March 31, 2021, at Safari shop- mega promotion. hypermarket chain said in a press ping complex – Umm Slal Mo- “Safari was the fi rst to intro- Content Forum statement. hamed. duce diverse promotions in the The Covid-19 respiratory dis- Anyone can participate in the Qatar hypermarket industry for he Communications tions, like the usages of artifi - ease is caused by the coronavirus. promotion by getting a raffl e customers. Regulatory Authority cial intelligence (AI) to enhance The promotion will feature a coupon after purchasing items “The ‘Go Green, Grow Green’ T(CRA) has participated in the strengthen of digital Arabic total of fi ve draws, with fi ve Nis- worth QR50 from any of the Sa- promotion is one of the best ex- the fourth Arab Digital Content content in various fi elds and san Sunny 2020 cars to be won in fari outlets. amples of this. Forum, which is being held un- sectors,” said Abdulla Jassmi, each draw. Safari stressed that it “has “This was launched by Safari til today via video-conferencing the technical aff airs department The fi rst draw will take place ensured the uninterrupted sup- with the aim of going back to the technology under the theme The manager at the CRA. on November 28 while the fi fth ply of foodgrains and other daily nature, while the ‘Rice Bazaar’ Future of Arabic Content on the “We also exchanged our views – and last – draw will be held necessities during the pandemic promotion off ered varieties of Internet. about the importance of sup- on May 24, 2021, at Safari Mall – and taken extra care in creating rice and rice products at aff ord- The event has been organised porting the innovations and Abu Hamour. an atmosphere where one could able prices,” the statement noted. by the Ministry of Transport breakthroughs in this fi eld, The second draw is planned for shop without any fear thanks to Safari has launched a number and Communications under the which will contribute to the de- January 4, 2021, at Safari Hyper- the safety measures implement- of off ers for customers as part auspices of the League of Arab velopment of Arab digital con- market – Al Khor, while the third ed”. of Safari Mall’s 10th anniversary States and in collaboration with tent.” draw is intended to take place on Shaheen Backer, Safari Group celebrations. the CRA of Qatar, the Arab In- The forum focuses on Arabic formation and Communication digital content, its advance- Technologies Organisation (Ai- Jassmi: We discussed the current reality of digital Arabic content on ment, and its challenges. cto), the UN Economic and So- the Internet. It also discusses the impor- cial Commission for West Asia tance of Arabic digital content (ESCWA), the Arab League Edu- Research Institute. Participants also exchanged during crises and the role it has cational, Cultural and Scientifi c The session discussed the their views and experiences in played in the current coronavi- Organisation (Alecso), and the reasons for the weak presence this fi eld. rus pandemic, and lessons from International Telecommunica- of Arabic digital content on the “We are pleased with our par- this that may be applicable for tion Union (ITU). Internet and the importance ticipation in this session, where other crises. The CRA participated in the of preserving the Arab digital we discussed the current real- CRA president Mohamed Ali fi rst session that was conducted identity from disappearing, in ity of digital Arabic content on al-Mannai opened the forum on on October 5 under the title The addition to discussing the chal- the Internet and the challenges October 5 with the attendance Reality of Digital Arabic Con- lenges of digitisation from a that face digitising the Arabic of high-level offi cials from the tent, along with representatives technical perspective, and the content, in addition to the im- League of Arab States, the Aicto, from the Qatar Scientifi c Club impact of artifi cial intelligence portance of using the currently the ESCWA, the Alecso, and the (QSC) and the Qatar Computing in promoting Arabic content. available technologies and solu- ITU. Forum discusses possibilities of using AI

he second day of the opportunities that artifi cial in- the Arab region, the role of Ara- the decision of the 18th Round fourth Arab Digital Con- telligence (AI) can off er to de- bic digital content within a smart of the Arab Telecommunica- Ttent Forum reviewed the velop Arabic digital content. nation, Arabic digital content and tions and Information Council challenges being faced by Arabic The forum discusses six main entrepreneurship among youth, of Ministers, which decided to content in the area of smart cit- topics: the reality of Arabic digital and the advancement of Arabic organise the Digital Arabic Con- ies. content, the importance of Arabic digital content. tent Forum yearly, and the ITU While addressing the forum, digital content during crises, the It is being held within the Arab Regional Offi ce plan of ac- speakers also shed light on the future prospects of e-learning in framework of implementing tion 2015.

Closure of northbound traffi c Radiation dept gets IAEA software app on Al Waab Bridge announced QNA thority Information System auditing all the data of ra- tion Department. Doha (RAIS). dioactive sources, companies, The system has been pre- he Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has an- Al Ahmad Corridor (northbound) can use the Al RAIS is a software applica- transport vehicles, workers, pared and made appropriate nounced the closure of northbound traffi c Waab signalised junction while keeping south- tion developed by the IAEA to and activities and entering amendments to it, to be in line Ton Al Waab Bridge on Sabah Al Ahmad Cor- bound traffi c open on the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor he Ministry of Munici- assist Member States in man- them into the system to create with the national systems cur- ridor for 30 hours, from 11pm tomorrow until 5am Bridge towards Hamad International Airport, Ash- pality and Environment, aging their regulatory control the basic rules for the record rently in the country, and the on Saturday. ghal has explained. Trepresented by the Ra- programmes in accordance of radioactive sources in the registry will be available to the The closure, which will be implemented in co- The authority will install road signs advising mo- diation and Chemicals Protec- with IAEA safety standards country, inspection reports, concerned authorities in the ordination with the General Directorate of Traffi c, torists of the closure. tion Department, in co-ordi- and guides. and information about the country to strengthening the has been announced in order to allow for the com- It has requested all road users to abide by the nation with the International A specialised technical team supervisory authority in the monitoring work on activi- pletion of the project works there. speed limit and follow the road signs to ensure their Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in the radiation protection country represented by the Ra- ties, practices, and radioactive Travellers heading towards Al Rayyan from Sabah safety. obtained the Regulatory Au- section at the department is diation and Chemicals Protec- sources. SundanceTV Shorts QSC to produce 6,000 face shields Competition attracts he Qatar Scientifi c Club (QSC) is set to manufacture 6,000 face over 120 submissions Tshields with support from Oryx GTL for the benefi t of medical staff at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) as he fi rst Middle East and tainment package and a beIN well as Oryx GTL employees. North Africa edition of Connect voucher. These will be made at the QSC’s Fabri- Tthe SundanceTV Shorts The winner and three run- cation Lab, after a face shield previously Competition, held in partner- ners-up will be announced in manufactured by the Club was tested ship with beIN Media Group and November at Ajyal Film Festival and approved by the HMC. Doha Film Institute, has attract- in Doha, and their fi lms will be Oryx GTL has supported the QSC to ed over 120 submissions from broadcast exclusively on Sun- produce 5,000 face shields for the HMC around the region. danceTV on beIN channel 75 in and 1,000 for its employees, in order to The organisers have reminded the Mena, later in the year. provide protection against the risk of all who have a story to share, Held for the fi rst time in the coronavirus infection. whether it’s a short fi lm pro- Mena (Middle East and North The coronavirus causes the Covid-19 duced on a mobile phone or us- Africa region) after successful respiratory disease. ing sophisticated equipment, runs in Europe and South Africa, These locally-manufactured face that they can continue to submit the SundanceTV Shorts Compe- shields have a number of advantages, their fi lms until the fi nal deadline tition is a platform for independ- which include providing enhanced pro- on October 25. ent storytellers and emerging tection and reducing condensation that The largest number of submis- talent in the region to share their could aff ect the wearer’s vision. sions to date have come in from stories. These are also reusable after being Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Leba- Entries can be submitted by sterilised, and are environment-friend- non, and Egypt. the producer or director, who ly. Storytellers from Yemen, Lib- must provide proof of residence The shields were tested multiple times ya, Iraq and elsewhere have also in the Mena. by the medical teams concerned, and shared their stories. Films should be no longer than the recommended improvements were The organisers had recently 15 minutes and must be delivered made accordingly. announced that acclaimed actor with English subtitles if English Saad al-Muraikhi, director of public and producer Uma Thurman and is not the spoken language. relations at Oryx GTL, said that this as- trailblazing fi lmmakers Anne- Entries must meet Sundan- sistance comes as part of the company’s marie Jacir and Sophia al-Maria ceTV’s offi cial rules and techni- eff orts to support the Qatar society, and had joined the SundanceTV cal requirements, available on is in line with their corporate social re- Shorts Competition jury panel. the website. Off icials mark the sponsibility – which is being committed The winner of the competition Submissions will be judged on partnership. to support important and constructive will participate in an exclusive creativity, entertainment value, programmes. masterclass with Thurman, who original storytelling and produc- Left: Oryx GTL has Abdulaziz al-Jabiri, technical direc- is a Golden Globe winner and tion values. supported the QSC to tor at the QSC, added that the support of Academy Award and Primetime To submit their fi lms or fi nd produce 5,000 face Oryx GTL stresses the strong and con- Emmy Award nominee. out more, interested participants shields for the HMC tinued desire of the company to main- Additional prizes include a can head to https://www.bein. and 1,000 for its tain community partnerships in a way state-of-the-art home enter- com/en/sundancetvshorts/. employees. that benefi ts the entire society. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 QATAR QGBC award to promote culture of sustainable events industry The Qetaifan Projects team.

atar Green Building economic benefi ts of promoting has scalable guidance aligned Council (QGBC) has an- low-carbon events for Qatar as a with established international Qnounced the launch of whole. standards, it aims to encour- the Eco-Event Award in con- Qatar’s events industry has age event owners and organis- Qetaifan Island North launches junction with the release of ‘En- been growing steadily over the ers to deliver environmentally visioning a Sustainable Future years, and, while such a devel- sustainable events regardless of for Events’, the fi rst edition of opment is economically favour- scale.” QGBC’s new publication series. able, events can leave a consid- The Eco-Event Award has 11 sales of Phase 2 villa plots The award programme aims to erable carbon footprint, creating categories and three levels of build a culture of sustainability compounding damage to the en- acknowledgments to establish within the events industry. vironment and human lives. a wide adoption of low-carbon etaifan Projects has competitive prices and pay- Designed to reward industry Al-Shammari said: “Over the practices and cultural accept- announced the sales ment facilities to owners and best sustainability practices, the past decade, Qatar has become ance of environment-friendly Qlaunch of Qetaifan Is- investors, and in continuation programme aligns with QGBC’s a MICE destination (meetings, events. Each level equates to land North’s Phase 2 villa plots. of the company’s success, we commitment to establishing incentives, conferences and ex- the owner or organiser’s level of This came on the occasion of announce the launch of the sustainable, healthy and resil- hibitions) by hosting a growing commitment and experience in the Safety Award presented to Phase 2 villa plots that are now ient communities through cre- number of international and delivering sustainable events. Qetaifan Projects at the ‘Qatar open for reservation. These ating a low-carbon culture, a national conferences, exhibi- Qualifying for level one certifi - Achievements on Vocational include beach villas, water- press statement notes. tions, festivals, tournaments, cation is free, while levels two Safety’ book launch event, in front villas and garden villas. Event planners aspiring for an and major events. Coupled with and three require registration the presence of Sheikh Nasser For transparency, the same award will fi nd plenty of advice the national vision that embrac- fees. bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, sales mechanism that was on building a more sustainable es sustainability, a framework to Additionally, the award uti- managing director of Qetaifan used in Phase 1 will be applied; industry culture in QGBCs new guide organisers in staging eco- lises a checklist model, which Projects and deputy chairman by bidding on the down-pay- accompanying publication se- friendly events became a neces- helps ensure that the registra- of Katara Hospitality; Hesham ment only at a ceremony at- ries “Envisioning a Sustainable sity, given the excessive carbon tion process is simple. Sharaf, chief operating offi c- tended by all interested inves- Future for Events”. footprint such events generate. As Qatar Sustainability Week er; Mohamed El-Garhy, chief tors who have reserved a plot, The launch of the Eco-Event The Eco-Event Award show- 2020 approaches, QGBC is en- technical offi cer; Jean Antonios, and in the presence of the Award programme was an- cases sustainability at all stages couraging organisations to par- chief legal offi cer; Sheikh Nass- sales agent.” nounced at a virtual event host- of an event as practical applica- ticipate in the award, particu- er bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, head The villa plots include beach, waterfront and garden villas. The areas of the beach villa ed by Hamoda Youssef, head of tions of low-carbon practices.” larly those planning to take part of the Business Development plots range from 1,000sq m Technical Aff airs, QGBC, with The award also focuses on in the week-long event. Department; and the Qetaifan we seek to be in line with the the development and economic to 2,400sq m, and water- Meshal al-Shamari, director; educating stakeholders and the To qualify, the nominated Projects team, as well as a group national vision of Qatar and the projects of the State through front plots from 1,000sq m to Ruba Hinnawi, technical spe- community about sustainable event must be managed by an of VIPs and visitors. country’s aspirations to lay the our endeavour for the island to 1,800sq m. The garden villa cialist; and Shireen Obeidat, best practices to develop a low- organiser with an appropriate Sheikh Nasser bin Abdulaziz foundations for development in be a unique entertainment and plots reach an area of 1,300sq m Events & Marketing specialist, carbon culture of event organi- legal status, complying with lo- made the announcement on the all sectors,” Sheikh Nasser bin touristic destination that pro- at an average of 850sq m. participating as speakers. The sation. cal, communal, and indigenous sales launch. Abdul Rahman said. vides an integrated community, The design of the villas al- event gave an overview of the “QGBC advocates a more rights. The owner or organiser “It is with great pleasure that “The Qetaifan Island North off ering world-class services lows building a ground fl oor in new publication, and discussed sustainable, environmen- is responsible for implementing we have received this award, project will contribute to serv- and amenities for housing and addition to two fl oors, includ- the award’s application and ac- tally friendly events industry,” the Eco-Event Award criteria which comes as a culmination ing all the State’s sectors, most entertainment.” ing the fi rst fl oor and the pent- creditation mechanics, as well as Youssef said. and, as such, must have appro- of the eff orts of the Qetaifan importantly the real estate de- He said “given the high house, and it is also possible to the social, environmental, and “With an award scheme that priate authority over the event. Projects team over the past two velopment sector, in addition to demand on Qetaifan Island build a basement for those who years. There is no doubt that other sectors such as tourism, North’s Phase 1 villa plots, wish. The villa plots are located the award puts more responsi- hospitality and entertainment. which was launched last year on the eastern side of the island bility on us towards this huge In general, the Qetaifan Island during Cityscape after study- on the beach and overlook the national project through which North project will be added to ing the market and by offering hotel. Doha Institute to host forum on ‘Innovation in Libraries’

Doha Institute for Graduate network and facilitate the Christine Mackenzie, president are no Limits to Communication Studies (DI) will host the fifth exchange of experiences, which of the International Federation and Creativity in School Annual Forum of the Library will pave the way for libraries in of Library Associations and Libraries’, as well as ‘When and Information Association Qatar to keep up with the latest Institutions; and Dr Frederick Patrons are in Charge: in Qatar (LIA-Q) tomorrow to developments. Nesta, associate professor and Demand-driven Acquisition at discuss ‘Innovation in Libraries’ The event will be attend by founding degree the Doha Institute Library’. via Zoom. HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz co-ordinator for MA in Library and In 2018, Doha Institute hosted The forum, which has been al-Kuwari, Minister of State Information Studies at UCL Qatar. the third forum of the Library organised by Qatar National and president of QNL; Dr In addition, a group of librarians and Information Association in Library (QNL) in collaboration Hend Abdulrahman al-Muftah, will deliver presentations Qatar, themed ‘Qatar Libraries’ with LIA-Q and Doha Institute, Administration and Finance addressing diff erent topics such Contribution to Information aims to provide an interactive V-P at DI and president of the as ‘Providing Innovative Library Access and Use of Technology in The launch of the Eco-Event Award programme was announced at a virtual event. platform for librarians to LIA-Q Establishment Committee; Service to Children’ and ‘There Service Delivery’. HIA ‘fi rst global entity’ to be BSI-verifi ed for Covid safety

From Page 1 Engineer al-Meer said, “It is an hon- ess safer and faster for both staff and our to be recognised for our eff orts to HIA’s achievements based on strength of Qatar’s aviation sector: minister passengers. The ‘Verifi cation of Compliance’ is a maintain a safe environment for our BSI has maintained a fruitful his- testament to the airport’s commitment staff and passengers while ensuring HE the Minister of Transport and Protocols. The achievements and the recommendations of the tory with Qatar’s airport. The organi- to maintaining business effi ciency operational effi ciency. We always strive Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed successes of HIA are based on the organisation’s CART to ensure a zation recently confi rmed HIA’s ISO during the Covid-19 pandemic while to provide consistently high-quality al-Sulaiti expressed pride at the strength and development of the rapid and co-ordinated operation of 22301:2012 Business Continuity Man- implementing unprecedented meas- services for all our stakeholders. qualitative achievement of Hamad aviation sector in Qatar, which follows the global aviation network. The BSI agement System Certifi cation, making ures to protect its staff and passengers “The verifi cation refl ects our capa- International Airport (HIA) by the latest international methods verification came following successful it one of the fi rst airports in the world in compliance with guidelines issued bility in maintaining HIA’s position as demonstrating compliance with the in its standards and operations, as audits for compliance to ICAO’s to achieve this. by the International Civil Aviation Or- a leading airport in the world, in these standards of the International Civil well as the high-level infrastructure CART. The accreditation certificate is This achievement is proof that the ganisation’s (ICAO) Civil Aviation Re- unprecedented times. As the world is Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Civil with global specifications to achieve a recognition of HIA’s commitment airport is operationally resilient and covery Taskforce (CART). adjusting to the new normal, the inter- Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), sustainable development in line with to maintaining business eff iciency is able to continue its operations while The airport was awarded based on national recognition we get from BSI is in addition to being the first airport Qatar National Vision 2030, HE the during the Covid-19 pandemic while reducing the likelihood of disruptions a compliance verifi cation audit con- important to ensure HIA’s operational in the world to obtain accreditation minister said. implementing unprecedented in the face of an unprecedented crisis ducted by BSI to assess guidelines im- capabilities at all times.” by the British Standards Institution ICAO extended its congratulations measures to protect employees and like the Covid-19. plemented by the airport during the Engineer al-Meer added: “This (BSI) for its implementation of to HIA, expressing thanks for its travellers, in line with guidelines In 2018, HIA achieved ISO/IEC pandemic and will be maintained via achievement would not have been Covid-19 ICAO Aviation Health Safety commitment to implementing issued by ICAO’s CART. (QNA) 20000:2011 certifi cation, the inter- a continued verifi cation that will be made possible without the determined national gold standard for excellence conducted to ensure this compliance is eff orts of our staff , partners, and pas- in IT Service Management and an ISO maintained over time. sengers, who all contribute in boosting delighted to have been collaborating passengers, HIA continues to maintain This digital identity record makes 55001:2014 certifi cation, the interna- Qatar’s state-of-the-art hub dem- the airport’s position as a true leader in with the airport management team to a 1.5m physical distancing across all the passenger’s face their pass at key tional standard for asset management, onstrated industry best practices, hav- the global aviation industry.” provide such trust.” passenger touchpoints around the air- airport touchpoints, such as self- making Qatar’s airport the fi rst in the ing implemented innovative measures Group Executive director (Assurance Qatar’s airport has taken swift and port, through fl oor markings, signage service bag-drop, pre-immigration, Middle East to achieve this certifi ca- for transferring, departing, and arriv- Services) at BSI – Pietro Foschi said: comprehensive steps to curb the spread and distanced seating. e-Gate and self-boarding gates. The tion from BSI. ing passengers. “We welcome and congratulate the of Covid-19. The airport’s protocols All passenger touchpoints are sani- visionary approach and early invest- The ISO/IEC 20000:2011 certifi - On the achievement, al-Subaey leadership demonstrated by Hamad and procedures have changed drasti- tised every 10-15 minutes. All gates and ment in biometric identifi cation tech- cation demonstrated HIA’s eff orts in said, “We are pleased to witness this International Airport to be the fi rst to cally to adapt to the diff erent needs of bus gate counters are being cleaned nology have proved to be an extremely establishing necessary controls and unprecedented development in Qatar’s achieve this verifi cation. The challeng- passengers. Keeping every passenger after each fl ight. HIA’s retail and food effi cient tool in the airport’s battle procedures to consistently deliver aviation history. This achievement is es presented by Covid-19 to organiza- journey in mind, HIA recently applied and beverage outlets encourage con- against Covid-19, allowing depart- cost-eff ective and high-quality IT a testament to Qatar’s keenness and tions, employees and consumers have newly modifi ed procedures for arriving tactless and cashless transactions ing passengers to move through key services, ultimately enabling world- commitment to ICAO’s principles and had a huge impact and as we adjust to passengers. through cards and are considering in- touchpoints with minimal physical class experiences to more than 30 mil- objectives that help achieve the safety, the ‘next normal’, organisations around The airport has customised its pro- troducing online or in-app purchases contact. lion passengers transiting through the security, and effi ciency of the world’s the world are implementing new ways cedures based on the categorisation of in the future. The airport also conducts The airport also installed C2 tech- airport every year. civil aviation system. of working as part of a progressive re- arriving passengers to ensure a smooth regular disinfection of all baggage trol- nology for transferring passengers. The ISO 55001:2014 certifi cation “Qatar’s Civil Aviation Author- covery. return to the country. Whether travel- leys and tubs. This security screening system allows was awarded to HIA based on the air- ity continuously works on improving “Organisations need expert guid- lers are arriving, departing, or trans- HIA has recently become one of the transferring travellers the freedom to port’s continuous eff orts to deliver and developing the country’s aviation ance on how to maintain business effi - ferring through the fi ve-star airport, few airports to introduce paperless air move through security checkpoints excellence in safety and passenger ex- regulations to ensure that the latest ciency and resilience, while protecting their journeys have been designed to travel through its investments in facial without having to take out any elec- perience across the airport, through health, safety, and security standards workers and consumers. They need to meet high levels of convenience and biometric identifi cation. The tech- tronic devices from their bags and is a best practice management of physical are implemented. This achievement ensure that protocols are in place and comfort. To ensure the health and nology combines passenger’s fl ight, signifi cant counter Covid-19 measure assets and infrastructure. confi rms the key role played by the need to provide trust to workers, pas- well-being of its staff and passengers, passport, and facial biometric infor- that reduces possible cross-contami- As global travel slowly resumes, Qa- authority to ensure compliance with sengers, authorities and all stakehold- HIA also introduced a series of unprec- mation in a ‘single travel token’ at the nation in passenger carry-on bags. The tar’s airport continues to focus its ef- international standards as well as the ers that the best practices regarding edented measures including the im- self-check-in kiosk. This has enabled implementation of the technology el- forts on the normalisation of travel by leading role of Hamad International safety in aviation are correctly applied plementation of robotics and advanced passengers to use biometric-enabled evates the airport’s hygiene standards, focusing on boosting passenger confi - Airport, one of the best airports in the so that such critical infrastructure can thermal screening helmets. check-in kiosks to take their photo and by limiting human contact at the se- dence through introducing the safest world.” be used safely over time. We at BSI are Sparing no eff ort in safeguarding its scan their passport and boarding pass. curity checkpoints, making the proc- and most convenient travel experience. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 7 QATAR

MIA event focuses on technology to preserve its collections

he Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), in collaboration Twith the Qatar National Commission for Education, Cul- ture and Science, fi nished its week-long campaign yesterday to mark Islamic World Heritage Day. The annual event, celebrated on September 25, aims to raise awareness within the wider com- munity of how the museum uses modern technology to preserve its extensive collections from the natural elements. The Islamic World Educational, Scientifi c, and Cultural Organi- sation announced the launch of Islamic World Heritage Day dur- MIA is promoting an awareness of the purpose and measures used in ing the 11th Islamic Conference of Carpet Conservation. The museum uses modern technology to preserve its extensive collections. the museum to protect its collections. Culture Ministers, held in Tunis on December 17, 2019, an occasion awareness of the purpose and technology to guard against the vides us with the opportunity to extra special care needs to be taken awareness about the extensive ef- couraged children to join in a sim- to consolidate the importance of measures used in the museum to natural elements and manage the celebrate our rich Islamic heritage and we utilise modern technolo- forts that go into protecting these ple experiment that demonstrated human heritage in nations’ mem- protect its collections. collection. and to highlight the eff orts of our gies, amongst other methods, to artworks and artefacts,” MIA di- the eff ects of exposure to sunlight ories. The posts highlighted how the “Qatar Museums is delighted teams’ eff orts to protect and pre- preserve our collections for future rector Dr Julia Gonnella said in a on colours to convey the impor- Through a series of social me- MIA Conservation and Collections to support the inaugural Islamic serve our collections. The harsh generations, and the week-long press statement. tance of careful preservation of dia posts, MIA is promoting an teams use a variety of modern World Heritage Day, which pro- desert climate in Qatar means that campaign has enabled us to raise The social media posts also en- artworks. Mathaf to launch book on artist M F Husain

athaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art has an- Mnounced the release of Qatar Airways recognises the vital role the tourism sector plays in the positive fulfilment of societies’ economic potential and cultural relevance. the publication, M.F. Husain: Horses of the Sun (2020), to be launched during a Mathaf Talk that will be held today, Qatar Museums (QM) has announced. In a press statement, QM not- ed that the volume is the expand- ed publication of the exhibition Qatar Airways, QNTC of the artist’s work presented at Mathaf in March 2019. Mathaf director Abdellah Kar- roum will introduce the 2019 M.F. Husain: Horses of the Sun join hands to support exhibition, placing it in the con- text of Mathaf’s curatorial pro- gramme and vision. It will be fol- lowed by a talk by Ranjit Hoskote, curator of the exhibition and edi- tor of the volume, where he will startup competition touch on Husain’s art and its multiple contexts. atar Airways has part- successful applicants are being role in supporting the UNWTO it also has made clear the impor- “Following the huge success nered with the Qatar selected based on pre-requisites through this competition, up- tant role tourism plays in every of last year’s exhibition, Mathaf QNational Tourism Coun- such as innovative value-added holding sustainability and inno- part of society. We commend the is delighted to launch the ex- cil (QNTC) to support a global solutions with the potential for vation at the heart of the global dedication of Qatar Airways to tended publication of Husain’s startup competition in Doha, an international scalability. economic recovery,” Qatar Air- continuing to carry passengers oeuvre. We invite members of initiative led by the United Na- A fi nal event is set to be held ways Group Chief Executive and safely throughout this time, and in the community to attend the tions World Tourism Organisa- in Doha in February 2021 with QNTC Secretary-General HE the new reality that awaits us all.” launch, which will provide in- tion (UNWTO), it has been an- fl ights, transportation and ac- Akbar al-Baker said in a press The national carrier of Qatar sights into works that spanned nounced. commodation being provided by statement. will actively be involved in the more than six decades and de- The event is inviting bright Qatar Airways and QNTC for the “We look forward to welcom- competition fi nals, with a repre- pict his strong connection to minds to pitch ideas towards ac- fi nalists. ing these bright minds to Doha, sentative from the airline evalu- many parts of the world, in- celerating Sustainable Develop- Qatar Airways stressed that with the anticipation that they ating the participating start-ups cluding Qatar,” Karroum said in ment Goals (SDGs) within the it recognises the vital role the can accelerate their vision to- through various competition a press statement. The volume is the expanded publication of the exhibition of the artist’s tourism industry, according to a tourism sector plays in the posi- ward a sustainable future.” phases, as part of the jury. Maqbool Fida Husain (1913- work presented at Mathaf in March 2019. press statement. tive fulfi lment of societies’ eco- UNWTO Secretary-General The UNWTO will advocate 2011) was a foundational fi gure The competition is aimed nomic potential and cultural Zurab Pololikashviki said: “We are the best ideas to its member in the history of modern Indian During his last years, Husain to Central Asia and Indonesia. at global entrepreneurs whose relevance. committed to strengthening our states, affi liate members and in- art. Born in British India and cel- explored his ancestral connec- The launch of M.F. Husain: ideas contribute towards the “During these challenging long-standing partnership with vestors, providing winners with ebrated as a national artist by an tions with Yemen and eventu- Horses of the Sun will be held achievement of the United Na- times, it is essential for nations both Qatar Airways and QNTC. a unique networking and match- independent India, he saw him- ally made his home in Doha and from 4pm to 5.15pm today. The tions 17 SDGs through state-of- to provide platforms where en- Thank you for supporting this making opportunity. self as a global nomad. was honoured with Qatari citi- event will be in English with the-art methods, governance trepreneurs can realise innova- competition, the SDGs and those Innovators are encouraged He was an early example of zenship. His life and art form a simultaneous Arabic transla- structures and social impact tive ideas that align with the entrepreneurs setting out to mak- to apply through the competi- the transcultural artist, open and bridge between West Asia and tion. To register to attend, one initiatives, technological appli- current necessities of the world- ing tourism safer, more responsi- tion’s website: https://www. responsive to the energies of di- South Asia, as well as between can visit https://us02web. cations and other ways of chosen wide market. As a company that ble and more sustainable. While unwto.org/sdgs-global-start- verse societies, which nourished modernity and the deep histories zoom.us/meeting/register/ innovation. is moulded strongly by tourism, the Covid-19 pandemic has taken up-competition before Octo- his lifelong quest for a space of of a transcontinental swathe ex- tZUpd-CupjwrGdW0SKB2KRb From July to October this year, we are determined to play our an unprecedented toll on tourism, ber 10. belonging. tending from Morocco and Mali TmV_9nvqt14yA

Qatar allows foreigners to Trump remarks ‘could have own property in more areas an impact on Black voting’

From Page 1 These areas also provide ownership of real estate. By Joey Aguilar ing to change positions, but cy without the Black vote,” Dr promising real estate invest- The 16 areas eligible for usu- Staff Reporter it might motivate more peo- Morris noted. HE Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al- ment opportunities to Qatari fruct are Msheireb, Fareej Ab- ple. However, I would suspect “That is to say no Democrat, Nuaimi said with the issuance citizens, whether through part- dulaziz, Al Doha Al Jadeeda, that it will motivate even many except for Johnson, has won of Cabinet Resolution No 28 nership or investing in those 25 Al Ghanim Alateeq, Al Rifa, Al S President Donald more people on the moderate the White vote. In this stel- of 2020, there are 16 usufruct areas, or through investment Hitmi Al Ateeq, As Salatah, Bin Trump’s refusal to con- left and the White electorate lar moment for Black voter areas valid for a period of 99 funds that will be dedicated Mahmoud 22, Bin Mahmoud Udemn White suprema- than it would in the Black,” achievement, 2012, in terms of years, and 9 freehold areas. It to investors. The decision will 23, Roudet Al Khail, Al Man- cists during the recent debate is added Dr Morris, who high- turnout, everyone celebrates has also become available to help stimulate the Qatari real soura, Bin Dirham, Al Najma, expected to create a signifi cant lighted the importance of the the contribution of the over- Qatari and non-Qatari citi- estate market and will push for- Umm Ghawlina, Al Khulaifat, impact on the Black votes, ac- African American vote and its all American electorate to the zens, residents and non-res- ward economic development as Al Sadd, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, cording to the chair emeritus impact on the 2020 presiden- election of Obama and are idents, the right to free own- it will increase real estate trad- Al Nasr, Doha International of Political Science and distin- tial elections. disappointed with what hap- ership of residential units, ing. Airport. guished professor at Howard VRT, being organised by the pened with Clinton, if you’re inside residential complexes Owners of property that is As for the nine freehold ar- University, Dr Lorenzo Morris. US Department of State in col- on the Democratic side,” he and shops inside malls. worth no less than QR730,000 eas, they are the West Bay, His research and teaching in- laboration with Meridian In- explained. “But you must Also, real estate investment ($200,000) will be granted resi- The Pearl, Al Khor resort, Al clude a wide range of electoral ternational Centre, is an eight- note that if you remove the funds that specialise in real es- dency for themselves and their Dafna (areas No 60 and 61), issues and political matters, week programme for more than Black vote from the 2012 peak, tate investment have also been family for the duration of their Onaiza, Lusail, Al Kharaej, including African American 225 journalists, including those then Obama lost to Romney, allowed, and this decision will ownership. and Jabal Thuaileb. Ownership politics, public policy and the from the Middle East, to cover not just by a little bit but by a provide an opportunity that The Ministry of Interior and of commercial units in malls role of racial minorities in party the upcoming US elections re- Dr Lorenzo Morris landslide, 10% is a landslide.” was previously unavailable to the Ministry of Justice also and residential compounds is politics. motely. About the impact of the cur- middle and limited income citi- worked on implementing a new now allowed in all areas of the Speaking to journalists at the In his presentation, Dr Morris declined, I want to argue basi- rent administration’s handling zens to invest in the real estate system that allows non-Qataris country. Virtual Reporting Tour (VRT) also pointed out that one of the cally that it did not decline, it of the Covid-19 pandemic on sector. to obtain their residency as “By allocating these areas as press briefi ng recently, Morris things that is often overlooked simply stabilised. That may be the Black vote, Dr Morris said The areas that have been des- soon as they complete the pur- eligible for foreign ownership said the president’s controver- about the African American illustrated by the fact that since survey results showed it has ignated for ownership and usu- chasing. and investment, Qatar has cre- sial remarks could aff ect the vote, commonly known as the the Voting Rights Act occurred, been severe. fruct are typical areas accord- Owners of property worth ated attractive opportunities overall vote of African Ameri- Black vote, is that “across space which was a singular moment, “So, along with Hispan- ing to the latest global planning no less than QR3,650,000 that will benefit both domestic cans and other groups. and across time, since the 1960s Black voting has continually ics and others, it has created a and urban specifications, and ($1mn) will get the same ben- and international investors,” “And if you look at the media, it has been a stable and constant gone up or stabilised.” very negative impact on their their planning and design sys- efits of permanent residents said HE the Minister of Com- it’s clear that the media takes it contributor to the development “Now, why other than mov- sense of government response. tems have taken into account in terms of healthcare, edu- merce and Industry, Ali bin as one that supports White su- of national and local American ing towards equality, is a Black And one of the things that is the latest international real es- cation, and some commer- Ahmed al-Kuwari, in a separate premacy. And, therefore, you politics”. vote important? One simple fact just shown in the Washington tate specifications, which make cial activities. The Ministry statement. can expect an impact on Black “In spite of the disappoint- helps to explain it. That is that Post today is that in terms of them meet the expectations of of Justice will be the one stop “The changes will also help voting,” he said. ment exhibited by many com- since World War II, no Demo- economic recovery, it has been investors from different coun- shop for all the related trans- to grow and strengthen Qatar’s “I think maybe less in terms mentators after the 2016 elec- crat, except for Lyndon Baines worse for Blacks and particu- tries of the world. actions regarding non-Qatari economic development.” of orientation, nobody’s go- tion, in which they said the vote Johnson, has won the presiden- larly Black women,” he added. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 REGION/ARAB WORLD/AFRICA Debt ‘rising among young Arabs, with virus deepening woes’

Reuters Refl ecting the vastly diff er- of young Arabs said they have Dubai ent economies and government considered emigrating to an- support systems across the Arab other country, of which 15% said world, personal debt was lowest there were actively considering he number of young Ar- in the Gulf states and highest in it. Nearly two-thirds of young abs in debt has more than Syria, Jordan, the Palestinian people in the Levant — which Tdoubled in fi ve years, ac- Territories and Iraq. includes war-battered Syria cording to a survey published Just 4% of young Kuwaitis said and Lebanon, hit by a currency yesterday, with household debt they were in debt, but 73% of crisis and political instability rising since the coronavirus young Syrians did. Student loans — are actively considering leav- pandemic for around a third of were the most common reason ing. Young people in the more A visitor looks at an artwork by British artist Tom Young during a collective exhibition entitled “Beirut Year Zero”, in which some of the young Arabs. for debt among young people in stable oil producing states of the proceeds will be donated to the Lebanese Red Cross who will support families aff ected by the port explosion, at Arthaus Beirut. About 35% of young Arabs this the Levant and North Africa, and Gulf Co-operation Council are year said they were in debt com- in the Gulf car loans were. 60% least seeking to leave, with only pared to 15% in 2015. of young people in the GCC de- around 13% saying they may try Sponsored by Dubai-based scribed their fi nancial situation to emigrate. public relations fi rm ASDA’A as “excellent”, and in the Levant “Young Arabs...simply want BCW, the 12th annual Arab 57% said it was “pretty bad”. a decent government, a decent Channelling ‘anger into art’, Youth Survey of 4,000 people Tackling corruption was the top job, decent opportunities, and aged 18-24 across 17 Arab states priority for the future of the Arab decent education,” said Afshin was conducted partly in the fi rst world, followed by job creation, Molavi, a senior fellow at Johns quarter of this year and partly in those surveyed said. With ex- Hopkins University, comment- August to take into account the isting economic strains exac- ing in the published survey on its artists in Beirut process blast coronavirus pandemic. erbated by the pandemic, 42% fi ndings.

Reuters halls of the building are now hood known for its galleries and non for more than a decade, and Beirut open to paying visitors to view nightlife, especially hard. one of the participants in the ex- more than 100 works of art by It “was an assault on our hibition, said artists needed “to mostly Lebanese and Arab art- ways and beliefs”, he said. “The do something with this pain and Kuwait’s Amir asks govt to n the day of the Beirut ists, refl ecting on the explosion political system, the economic this anger”. The main inspiration explosion two months itself and also the turmoil and crisis, everything is coming for his work was the Beirut port Oago, 54-year-old Na- wars of past decade. against us, so we transformed silo, a towering structure which bil Debs was busy planning the The initiative, “Beirut Year that anger into...an art front.” bore the full force of the Aug 4 stay on, prepare for elections opening of his boutique hotel Zero”, features paintings, in- Lebanon is facing its worst explosion — but by doing so, which had been in the works for stallations, and sculptures by crisis since its 1975-1990 civil shielded some western districts the past decade. some 60 artists and aims to war. Its banking system has of the city from the worst impact. Reuters Instead, the day after escap- raise money to support them been paralysed since last year, Young said the “hero” silo Kuwait ing death in the massive blast and the Lebanese Red Cross, the currency has crashed by protected half the city, acting that killed nearly 200 people, which was at the forefront of 80% and banks have severely “as a giant sandbag and prob- Debs was clearing rubble from rescue and relief work after the restricted withdrawals. ably saving hundreds if not uwait’s new Amir has the collapsed facade, roof and blast. Debs — who is one of the The explosion that ruined a thousands of lives”. asked the cabinet to carry balconies of the heritage build- curators of the exhibition — said swathe of Beirut has compound- The exhibition will run un- Kon its duties and prepare ing that was his family home for many artists’ studios were de- ed the fi nancial meltdown. Brit- til Oct 14, after which around for parliamentary elections due decades and now a business. stroyed in the explosion which ish artist Tom Young, who has 30 works will go to London for this year after the prime minis- With the debris cleared, the hit Gemmayzeh, a neighbour- been working and living in Leba- auction at Christie’s. ter handed in his government’s resignation, state news agency Kuna reported yesterday. Parliament, which must ap- prove the Amir’s choice of crown Kuwait’s Amir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah meets with Prime prince, will end its term on Oct Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah, in Kuwait City, yesterday. At least 11 dead in blast in northwest Syria town 8, Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim later said in remarks broadcast Amir’s confi dence”, Kuna said. the Amir names a crown prince on state television. It said Sheikh Nawaf ex- today, then he would call a ses- Reuters A witness said the blast occurred when while firefighters tried to put out the fires. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah pressed his full confi dence in sion for tomorrow morning. Istanbul a large truck bomb went off in a crowded A nurse in a local hospital told Reuters al-Khalid al-Sabah met Amir the current cabinet, which was If there is no announcement, area in the town. 11 people had been killed, but a doctor at a Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jab- formed last December. then parliament would vote on Videos and images circulated by activ- local hospital put the death toll at at least er al-Sabah, who assumed pow- Sheikh Nawaf, 83, took the helm the candidate at an extraordi- t least 11 people were killed and doz- ists on social media showed large plumes 21. The local administration said at least er last week, and in line with the of the Opec member state follow- nary session. Al-Ghanim said ens more were wounded yesterday in of smoke rising from the blast site, along 118 were injured. Several buildings were constitution submitted the gov- ing the death of his brother Amir the body would hold two ses- Aan explosion in the northwest Syrian with several fires and damaged buildings. damaged in the blast and collapsed onto ernment’s resignation “to en- Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber sions today, one to honour the town of Al-Bab, which is under the control The videos and images circulated by onlookers, two witnesses told Reuters. sure ministerial responsibilities al-Sabah last Tuesday aged 91. late Amir and another to fi nalise of rebel factions, hospital sources told Reu- activists showed several wounded people People were being pulled out of the rub- are held by those who enjoy the The parliament speaker said if pending items. ters. being carried away from the blast site, ble, they said.

REPORT Over 90,000 Protest against normalisation deals ‘displaced in north Ecowas lifts post-coup Yemen battle zone’ Palestinian women lift More than 90,000 people have a banner sanctions against Mali been displaced in Yemen’s flash- which says point Marib province since January “normalisation is due to intense fighting between the treason” during AFP Africa’s poorest countries af- government and the Houthi rebels, a demonstration Bamako ter president Ibrahim Boubacar the UN said yesterday. The Houthis of the women Keita was ousted following mass have long held the capital Sanaa committee of the protests. which lies just 120 kilometres away Fateh movement, he West African regional The coup was bloodless but and are mounting a fierce campaign to reject bloc Ecowas announced triggered widespread alarm to take the oil-rich province. The normalisation Tyesterday that it was end- among Mali’s neighbours. escalation in fighting has pushed deals with Israel, ing sanctions imposed against A coup in 2012 was followed more and more families from their in Halhoul village Mali after a military coup in by an uprising in northern Mali homes, and is now threatening north of Hebron August, saying it wished to back which morphed into a bloody 140 camps currently operating in city in the the return to civilian rule. insurgency, claiming thousands the province. Some sources put occupied West In a statement, the Economic of lives and threatening neigh- the number of displaced in Marib Bank, yesterday. Community of West African bouring Niger and Burkina Faso. at 1mn. “Deadly fighting now is States (Ecowas) said “heads The Ecowas sanctions, im- entering its 10th month in northeast of state and government have posed on August 20, included Yemen, where more than 90,000 decided to lift sanctions” after border closures and a ban on people have been displaced to and seeing positive steps towards a commercial trade and fi nancial within Marib governorate since Jan- constitutional government. fl ows but not basic necessities, uary,” the International Organisation The 15-nation group imposed drugs, equipment to fi ght coro- for Migration said in a statement. tough sanctions against one of navirus, fuel or electricity.

Syrian victims of chemical attacks fi le case with German prosecutors

Reuters it to prosecute people for crimes confi rmed that the complaint weapons programme or plans to hind chemical weapons attacks who fl ed to Germany in 2015 eral has also issued an interna- Berlin against humanity committed had been submitted, declining to carry out the two attacks, they in Syria concluded in 2016 that and requested anonymity, citing tional arrest warrant for the head anywhere in the world. give further details. say. “Prosecutors may ultimately Syrian government forces had safety fears. of the Syrian Air Force Intelli- That off ers a rare legal avenue The complaints are based determine they have suffi cient used chlorine and sarin gas. Syrian lawyers and victims of gence on charges of war crimes awyers representing vic- for action against the govern- on what the lawyers say is the evidence to issue arrest warrants “It is a small step but it gives alleged torture are also pursu- and crimes against humanity. tims of chemical weapons ment of President Bashar al- most comprehensive body of for members of the Assad re- us hope that maybe one day we ing cases against former Syrian The Assad government denies Lattacks in Syria say they Assad. Attempts by Western evidence so far on the use of gime,” said Steve Kostas, a law- could see justice,” said a vol- military and security offi cials it tortures prisoners. have fi led criminal complaints powers to set up an international substances such as sarin gas in yer with the Open Society Foun- unteer medic who was injured living in Germany and suspected “The signifi cance of the com- with Germany’s federal public tribunal for Syria have been Syria in Ghouta in 2013 and in dation’s Justice Initiative, one of while rescuing victims of the at- of human rights violations. plaints is to send a signal to the prosecutor against Syrian of- blocked by Russia and China at Khan Sheikhoun four years later, three organisations behind the tack in Ghouta. The fi rst trial of suspected Syrian regime’s main backers that fi cials they blame for the deaths the UN Security Council. which killed at least 1,400 peo- complaints. “The world has started to for- members of Assad’s security there can be no resolution to the of hundreds of civilians in rebel- The Syrian government denies ple. “This would be a major step in get about us and our complaints services for crimes against hu- confl ict without accountability held areas. it has used chemical weapons They include testimonies the longer term process to secure are a reminder that the world has manity, including torture and for crimes against civilians,” said Germany, which is home to against its own civilians. from 17 survivors and 50 de- trials against Syrian offi cials.” a moral obligation to help put on sexual assault, started in a Ger- Mazen Darwish, director of the 600,000 Syrians, has “univer- A spokesman for Germany’s fectors with knowledge of the A UN-commissioned inves- trial people who used chemical man court in April. Syrian Centre for Media and Free- sal jurisdiction” laws that allow Public Prosecutor General (GBA) Syrian government’s chemical tigation to identify those be- weapons,” added the woman, The country’s prosecutor gen- dom of Expression. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 9 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Thais remember 1976 student massacre as protests grow

Reuters Thammasat University monu- bring down the monarchy. Vajiralongkorn. A 23-year-old Oct 14. Protesters seek the re- Protests have been peaceful in the name of love for the na- Bangkok ment, 64-year-old survivor Dozens were killed — shot, student, Thantara Sriserm, said moval of Prime Minister Prayut so far. tion, religion and monarchy, as Wichian Visutanakon recalled hanged or beaten to death. The she was worried the protests Chan-ocha, a former junta lead- Government spokesman seen in the Oct 6 incident, will the bloodshed. events have never been investi- might be violent like 1976, but er whose critics accuse him of Anucha Burapachaisri said the not happen again,” said oppo- hais paid their respects “The worst thing is those peo- gated offi cially. that “it might be less likely as keeping power by manipulating Oct 6 memorial ceremonies sition MP Rangsiman Rome, a with fl owers and prayers ple who did those crimes are still This year’s memorial cer- these days we have smartphones 2019 elections. happen every year and the gov- former student activist. Tyesterday to the victims of proud and don’t regret their ac- emony drew more younger sym- that we can use to fi lm and share He says the vote was fair. ernment has no objection to this Thailand became a constitu- a 1976 massacre of pro-democ- tions,” he said. pathisers than in recent years things quickly”. The protests are Last month, tens of thousands year’s event. tional monarchy when absolute racy students by state forces, an On Oct 6, 1976, security forces after nearly three months of the biggest challenge in years of protesters gathered just out- The #Oct6 hashtag in Thai monarchy ended in 1932. Thai- event given new resonance by a attacked some 2,000 student street protests against the gov- to a ruling establishment long side Thammasat University also was among the top trending on land’s army has seized power 13 recent surge in student-led pro- protesters on the campus, ac- ernment, in which some pro- dominated by the army and the cheered calls for palace reform, Twitter in Thailand, used more times since then and has on sev- tests. cusing them of being commu- testers had called for reforms to palace. breaching a longstanding taboo than 410,000 times. eral occasions carried out bloody As people laid wreaths at the nist sympathisers and seeking to curb the powers of King Maha The next big protest is set for on criticising the monarchy. “I hope that instigating hatred crackdowns on protesters. Maldives’ former Pompeo uses Tokyo VP gets 20 visit to slam China and years for graft AFP tenure between 2013 and 2018. Male “Adeeb co-operated with the state in the investigation and entered a plea deal,” a aldives former vice court offi cial said adding that president Ahmed the 20-year sentence was a seek Asian allies’ support MAdeeb has been sen- “light punishment” for the tenced to 20 years in prison crimes he admitted to. Reuters charged recent rhetoric from after pleading guilty to graft, In July, Adeeb had been Tokyo Trump and Pompeo and remain money laundering and abuse cleared of the charges by the wary of going too far in antago- of power, court offi cials said Criminal Court, but pros- nising China. yesterday. ecutors appealed to the High S Secretary of State Mike Part of the problem for Wash- Adeeb was a close ally of ex- Court which ordered a fresh Pompeo visited Japan ington’s Asian allies is their de- president Abdulla Yameen un- trial. Uyesterday to rally support pendence on China for trade. til Adeeb was jailed for alleg- Adeeb was initially tourism from Washington’s closest allies China was the top destination edly trying to assassinate the minister and promoted to vice in Asia, calling for deeper col- for Australian exports in 2019, strongman former ruler with president by Yameen, but the laboration with Japan, India and the No 2 destination for Japanese a bomb on board his yacht in two later fell out. Australia as a bulwark against exports and the No 3 destina- 2015. Adeeb was jailed for 15 years China’s growing regional infl u- tion for Indian exports, accord- The Criminal Court in an after being accused of trying to ence. ing to International Monetary overnight decision also im- assassinate Yameen following The East Asia visit, Pompeo’s Fund direction of trade statistics posed a fi ne of 2mn rufi yaa a September 2015 explosion fi rst in more than a year, coin- compiled by Refi nitiv. ($129,000) for Adeeb’s role aboard the presidential yacht. cides with worsening tensions Japanese Foreign Minister in siphoning money from the However, Adeeb was cleared with China. Toshimitsu Motegi said after the state tourism promoter during of the attempted assassination Yet the call for a united front talks the nations had confi rmed the former administration. charge after Yameen’s defeat against Beijing is a sensitive they would advance with practi- He was accused of causing at the 2018 re-election bid. subject for Washington’s allies, cal talks on infrastructure, cy- a loss of about $260mn to the Adeeb left the country illegally which are reliant on China for bersecurity and other areas. state in leasing islets for resort in August last year but was ar- trade. Australian Foreign Minister development and receiving rested in neighbouring India In comments before the start Marise Payne said the strategic kickbacks from tourism com- and returned to the archipela- of a meeting of the Quad group- environment in the Indo-Pacifi c panies. go to face the latest corruption ing of the four nations’ foreign was becoming more complex, Adeeb’s then boss, Yameen, charges. ministers, Pompeo spoke in typ- and pressure on the rules under- is already serving a fi ve-year During his fi ve-year term, ically unsparing terms against pinning regional stability could prison sentence after being Yameen had all his political ri- Beijing’s ruling Chinese Com- undermine recovery from the found guilty in November of vals either locked up or forced munist Party. (From left) India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Covid-19 pandemic. money laundering during his into exile. That was in contrast to his Motegi, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne and US “We emphasised that, espe- three counterparts, all of whom Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posing for photographs before a Quad Indo-Pacific meeting at the cially during a pandemic, it was avoided calling out China di- prime minister’s office in Tokyo, yesterday. vital that states work to ease rectly. tensions and avoid exacerbating Teacher struck off for ‘pro-independence’ classes “As partners in this Quad, it is tentially broadening the Quad with China. But they say such was very diff erent. We couldn’t long-standing disputes, work to more critical now than ever that grouping. “Once we’ve institu- remarks serve as a warning to have imagined a pandemic that counter disinformation and re- A Hong Kong teacher has been struck off for allegedly promot- we collaborate to protect our tionalised what we’re doing — China and play to its fears that came from Wuhan. That crisis frain from malicious cyberspace ing the city’s independence in class, in what the government people and partners from the the four of us together — we can the Quad might one day take was made infi nitely worse by activity,” Payne said. yesterday hailed as a blow against “black sheep” working in the CCP’s exploitation, corruption begin to build out a true security shape as Nato did in Europe to the Chinese Communist Party’s “Ministers reiterated that education system. and coercion,” Pompeo said, re- framework,” Pompeo told the contain the Soviet Union. cover-up,” he said. states cannot assert maritime The decision is the first time Hong Kong’s Education Bureau has ferring to the ruling party. Nikkei, suggesting other coun- Pompeo’s visit was supposed The United States and China, claims that are inconsistent with removed a teaching licence because of the content of lessons, “We see it in the South and tries could be added to that “fab- to include trips to Mongolia and the world’s top two economies, international law, particularly and comes as a crackdown on democracy supporters in the city East China Seas, the Mekong, the ric” at “the appropriate time.” South Korea but was cut back are at loggerheads over a wide the United Nations Convention gathers pace. Himalayas, the Taiwan Strait.” Pompeo told the Japanese to one day after President Don- range of issues from Beijing’s on the Law of the Sea (Unclos),” “Our work has to continue to remove the black sheep from the China has denounced the public broadcaster NHK it was ald Trump was diagnosed with handling of the coronavirus to she added, in comments that ap- field of education,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam told reporters. Quad as an attempt to contain its important that the “shared pic- Covid-19. its imposition of a new security peared to refer to China’s actions “If there are a very tiny fraction of teachers who are using their development. The four nations ture” of the challenge was shared The top US diplomat also law in Hong Kong and ambitions in the South China Sea. teaching responsibilities to convey wrong messages to promote in the grouping stated their sup- with Southeast Asian countries. reiterated the Trump admin- in the South China Sea. The meeting had agreed to misunderstanding about the nation, to smear the country, and port for a free and open Indo- Analysts say such a formalised istration’s criticism of China’s Most Asian allies have been strengthen co-operation with the Hong Kong government, without basis, then that becomes Pacifi c. grouping referred to by Pompeo handling of Covid-19 after it pleased with Washington’s regional partners, including in a very serious matter.” The Education Bureau said the primary In an interview with Japan’s may never take shape, given the fi rst broke out in the Chinese toughness toward their re- the Mekong, and convene Quad school teacher, who was not named, had been struck off for Nikkei newspaper, Pompeo need for countries in the region city of Wuhan. “When we met, gional rival China but have not ministerial meetings on a regular “deliberately disseminating pro-independence messages”. spoke of formalising and po- to balance their relationships now, last year, the landscape so eagerly welcomed the highly basis, she said. UN calls for impartial probe Thousands of Indonesians into South Korean’s killing protest against nod for jobs bill Reuters government said their inves- should also engage with the Seoul tigation suggests Lee wanted South to return the man’s re- Reuters mandatory paid leave. to defect to the North, but his mains, the UN offi ce said. Jakarta Indonesian markets cheered family disputes that. Lee Dae-jun’s teenage son the passage of the bill, with the he United Nations Hu- Lee’s brother, Lee Rae-jin, wrote a letter to South Korean main stock index up as much as man Rights offi ce in told reporters outside the Seoul President Moon Jae-in accusing housands of Indonesians 1.31% and the rupiah reaching TSouth Korea called yes- offi ce of the UN High Com- the government of failing to save took to the streets of sev- as high as 1.28%, before paring terday for an impartial investi- missioner for Human Rights his father’s life. Teral cities yesterday in a some gains. gation into the killing of a fi sh- that he wanted to expose North “Would you have acted national strike to protest against The Indonesia Investment eries offi cial by North Korean Korea’s “atrocities” and ask for the same way if it were your a new jobs law they say is too Co-ordinating Board, a govern- troops at sea last month, as the a “fair and objective investiga- own child or grandchild going pro-business, but which the ment agency, said it would lead man’s family urged the UN to tion” by the UN In a statement through this pain?” he wrote to government has promoted as vi- to better welfare for workers by conduct its own probe. on Twitter, the UN human Moon. Moon’s offi ce said that tal to attract investment. facilitating more foreign invest- The death of the offi cial, rights offi ce in Seoul said both the president planned to re- President Joko Widodo’s ment. whose family identifi ed him as Koreas are obligated to carry spond to the boy personally. “omnibus” Job Creation bill, Citibank, in a research note, Lee Dae-jun, sparked a dispute out a “prompt, impartial, and A spokesman for South Ko- approved by parliament on said the law simplifi es business over why and how he was found eff ective investigation” and to rea’s ministry of defence said Monday, revises more than 70 licensing and addresses restric- fl oating in North Korean waters make the fi ndings public, but it would respond to the family existing laws to accelerate re- tive trade and labour policies, nearly 36 hours after he went made no mention of the UN after reviewing their request for form of Southeast Asia’s largest but added that immediate for- missing. The South Korean playing a role. North Korea information. economy. eign investment was unlikely in Unions expect some 2mn the currently depressed global workers to join the three-day University students protest the government’s proposed labour economic climate. national strike, starting since reforms in a controversial “jobs creation” bill in Manado, North Trimegah Securities econo- Australia to pay businesses to employ young people after shutdowns yesterday, against the law. Sulawesi Province, yesterday, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. mist Fakhrul Fulvian said banks Demonstrations began yester- and export-oriented industries Australia will spend A$4bn over the next year to of the government’s hiring credit scheme, Canberra day in industrial areas around Ja- the local parliament offi ce, ac- People fear losing pensions should benefi t from the law, pay businesses that hire those under the age of 35, will pay businesses A$200 a week for the next a year karta and on Batam island, home cording to media reports. and insurance if they are made while consumer and retail sec- Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said yesteday, as part of if they employ a person under 29. Businesses will to many electronics plants, as Citing the need to contain the contract workers for life due to tors may be pressured as workers an ambitious plan to boost jobs and growth. get A$100 per week if they employ a person aged well as in cities in Sumatra and spread of the coronavirus, police the law, Sanusi told Reuters. may increase savings to com- Australia has been widely lauded for limiting the between 30-35. Eligible employees will have to work Sulawesi islands, local media re- blocked workers from protesting The law removes the three- pensate for changes in labour spread of Covid-19, but strict lockdown measures for at least 20 hours a week. ported. in front of the national parlia- year maximum duration of con- rules. forced shut entire sectors of the economy, sending “Having a job means more than earning an income,” Television footage showed ment in Jakarta as planned. tracts and reduces severance However, many Indonesians unemployment to a 22-year high of 7.5% in July. Frydenberg told Australian lawmakers in Canberra.”It thousands of people protesting “The law will defi nitely aff ect benefi ts — provisions the gov- criticised the law on Twitter, The impact on younger Australians is even worse, means economic security. It means independence. It in Bandung, West Java, wearing the status of our employment,” ernment said are intended to with one trending hashtag in- with recent data showing the unemployment rate means opportunity. We can’t let this Covid recession face masks but without observ- said Anwar Sanusi, a member of promote formal hiring. corporating an expletive against for 15- to 24-year olds was hovering near 20%.As part take that away.” ing social distancing. FSPMI trade union in Tangerang, Other reforms include longer parliament and another calling They burnt tyres in front of west of Jakarta. working hours and changes to lawmakers traitors. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 AMERICA/LATIN AMERI CA

LEGAL DECISION LAW AND ORDER WEATHER RECOMMENDATION Trump rape accuser seeks Judge to hold hearing on Texas police off icer charged Mexico mobilises military Colombia’s govt ‘must to bar govt from lawsuit TikTok ban on November 4 in killing of Black man as hurricane approaches stop activist killings’

The writer who accused Donald Trump of raping A judge yesterday said he would hold a A white police officer in Texas has been Mexico yesterday announced the deployment Colombia’s government must prioritise her in a Manhattan department store a quarter November 4 hearing on whether to allow the charged with murder following the fatal of thousands of soldiers as an “extremely communities’ safety over military operations century ago argued that he cannot hide behind government to bar transactions with TikTok, shooting of a 31-year-old Black man, dangerous” hurricane barrelled towards the against armed groups to stop killings of his job as president to escape as a defendant a move that the Chinese-owned short video- Jonathan Price, a state law enforcement Yucatan Peninsula, home to some of the activists, while ensuring perpetrators face from her defamation lawsuit. In a filing in sharing app has warned would eff ectively ban agency said. The police officer was country’s top tourist resorts. Hurricane Delta legal punishment, advocacy organisation Manhattan federal court, lawyers for former its use in the US. District judge Carl Nichols in responding to a disturbance call on October rapidly intensified in the Caribbean to reach International Crisis Group said in a report Elle magazine columnist E Jean Carroll urged Washington issued a preliminary injunction 3 when he sought to detain Price, who Category 4 status, the second-highest, and yesterday. At least 415 human rights and a judge to reject the department of justice’s on September 27 that barred the commerce “resisted in a non-threatening posture was on course to hit southeastern Mexico community activists — widely known in bid to replace Trump’s private legal team and department from ordering Apple and and began walking away,” according to a early today, US forecasters said. “The order Colombia as social leaders — have been killed substitute the government as a defendant, with Alphabet’s Google app stores to remove TikTok statement from the Texas Department of has been given to mobilise up to 5,000 troops since January 2016, according to government taxpayers footing the bill for costs and any for download by new users. Nichols must now Public Safety. Shaun Lucas of the Wolfe with all the necessary equipment to protect figures cited in the report. President Ivan damages. In June 2019, Trump denied raping decide whether to block the other aspects of City Police Department first deployed his the population,” President Andres Manuel Duque’s government has focused on destroying Carroll in Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s, the Commerce Department order set to take Taser before shooting Price with his service Lopez Obrador said. The storm was packing coca crops and weakening armed groups in a or even knowing who she was. Her lawyers said eff ect on November 12. Nichols’ new hearing weapon, the statement said. Price was maximum sustained winds of around 215km bid to protect activists, but military operations Trump was not acting in his role as president is scheduled for one day after the presidential transported to the hospital, where he later per hour, according to the Miami-based can provoke retaliation against communities, when he said that. election. died. National Hurricane Centre. said Crisis.

Michelle brands Trump tries Trump as ‘racist’ to out-macho in video

AFP Washington Covid, signs of onald Trump is a “racist” president whose strategy Dof fearmongering, division and promoting ugly conspiracy theories could “destroy” America if he is re-elected, former fi rst lady election defeat Michelle Obama said yesterday. In a 24-minute video off ering AFP capable of vanquishing his grim on “spreading misleading and po- closing arguments for Democratic Washington odds on election day November 3. tentially harmful information.” White House nominee Joe Biden “Maybe I’m immune,” he For a president whose brand four weeks before election day mused on the grand South Portico centres on self-confi dence, the November 3, Michelle described resident Donald Trump balcony after demonstratively entire hospital discharge has Trump and his Republican allies yesterday doubled down on taking off the mask which he’d clearly been stage managed to as unfairly “stoking fears” about Pthe macho image his fans worn back from hospital. convince voters that he has the African Americans. adore, declaring himself cured He is still being administered near superhuman strength to Trump is “morally wrong” for of Covid-19 and scoffi ng at dis- an aggressive cocktail of thera- overcome not only Covid-19 but taking actions that intimidate astrous opinion polls only four peutic drugs, as well being under Biden’s steadily solidifying lead in voters and for “lying” about how weeks before election day against constant monitoring in case of the polls. minorities will ruin US suburbs, Democrat Joe Biden. relapse. The latest CNN poll published she said. “Feeling great!” he tweeted Doctors say they won’t give yesterday gave Biden a national “What the president is doing on his fi rst day back in the White the all clear until the start of next advantage of 57% to 41% among is once again patently false, it’s House following three nights in week. Yet the way Trump, 74, tells likely voters. morally wrong, and yes, it is rac- hospital. it, Covid-19 was simply no match Fifty-two percent of those ist,” said the 56-year-old wife of He also insisted that he is for him. polled said they have a positive Barack Obama, the nation’s fi rst “looking forward” to holding a “Don’t let it dominate you. impression of Biden while only black president. second scheduled debate against Don’t be afraid of it,” he urged 39% said they have a positive view But she warned such tactics Biden in Miami on October 15. Americans in his homecoming of Trump, a historically unpopu- have the potential to work, par- In a medical bulletin, the presi- speech. lar leader. ticularly because Americans lack dential doctor said Trump “re- He returned to Twitter yester- Among women, the numbers the time and energy to fact-check ports no symptoms” and “con- day with one of his oldest lines of were cataclysmic for the Republi- everything being spread online or tinues to do extremely well.” argument used to downplay the can: 32% support to Biden’s 66%. in US media. However, indicating the seriousness of the pandemic, say- His running mate Kamala Har- “Because this is a diffi cult time, breadth of the coronavirus cri- ing it was comparable to the ordi- ris, meanwhile, was set to debate a confusing time, and when peo- sis overshadowing Trump, a vi- nary fl u and “we have learned to Vice President Mike Pence in ple hear these lies and crazy con- ral outbreak continued to sweep live with it.” Utah today, with a plexiglass bar- spiracies repeated over and over through his inner circle. Twitter hid the tweet, saying rier for coronavirus prevention and over again, they don’t know In the latest incident, the that it broke the platform’s rules between the two. what to think,” she said. chairman of the joint chiefs of “And the one thing this presi- staff and Trump’s top military dent is really, really good at is using advisor - General Mark Milley - Commemorative coin goes on sale fear and confusion, and spreading went into quarantine following lies to win,” Michelle added. contact with an infected Coast The White House Gift Shop, was no photograph of the coin Trump has declared himself the Guard offi cer, a Pentagon source which is not aff iliated to the on the website. The design “law and order” president, and said. White House, has started taking of the coin was informed by has repeatedly slammed protest- There had been speculation, pre-orders for a “President superhero graphic art, Anthony ers taking on racial injustice as even among some Republicans, Donald J Trump Defeats Covid” Giannini, the creator of the violent extremists. that Trump might emerge from commemorative coin. Last series and CEO of the gift Michelle’s video targets a hospital chastened or at least with in a series of coins marking shop, said in a statement on wide range of voters. Along with a new tone of empathy for the moments in Trump’s first the webpage. “Like it or not, speaking to “black and brown roughly 210,000 Americans who presidential term, the coin President Donald J Trump is folks,” she urged white Ameri- have died from the virus. celebrates his “ascendance strong to a mythic level,” his cans to imagine “the millions Instead the Republican has re- over and personal defeat of the statement reads, and goes of folks who look like me, and turned to the White House boast- deadly Covid pandemic virus”, on to say the design of the fought and died and toiled as ing he vanquished the disease that the gift shop website said. The coin has been intentionally slaves and soldiers and labourers President Donald Trump takes off his face mask as he arrives at the White House upon his return from upended the country this year — coin was priced at $100. There concealed until its release. to help build this country.” Walter Reed Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for Covid-19, in Washington, DC. and, by extension, that he is still

Funeral service California’s ‘gigafi re’ Ruling could aff ect poll mail: Postal Service

Reuters The Postal Service said it may burns over 1mn acres Washington be able to implement long-term solutions to distinguish election mail “sent as marketing mail from Reuters burning in and around the Men- ruins in Napa and neighboring he US Postal Service has other marketing mail” but said “it Helena, Calif. docino National Forest between Sonoma County. asked a federal judge to is not possible to implement those Napa and the Oregon border The fi re broke out in the midst Tclarify a ruling on election solutions this close to an election, surpassed 1mn acres on Monday, of the region’s grape harvest after mail, saying the decision could especially as states have begun irefi ghters aided by calmer leaving a footprint greater than a spate of other large blazes dur- hinder the agency’s ability to printing and mailing ballots.” winds made signifi cant all California fi res from 1932- ing the summer. make prompt mail deliveries be- The Postal Service asked Sul- Fstrides against fl ames 1999 combined. Since January, wildfi res across fore the November 3 elections. livan for clarifi cation because wreaking havoc in northern Cal- “If that’s not proof-point tes- California have burned well over Four judges have issued pre- his ruling would “undermine the ifornia, as a separate blaze — al- tament to climate change, I don’t 4mn acres, nearly the combined liminary injunctions barring the Postal Service’s ability to timely ready the largest in state history know what is,” California gover- land mass of Connecticut and Postal Service from making serv- deliver the mail before the up- — grew to over 1mn acres burned. nor Gavin Newsom told a Mon- Delaware, and more than twice ice reductions before the vote. coming election.” In Napa Valley, diminishing day news conference. California’s previous annual Many more voters than usual The Postal Service added it gusts helped crews gain some The 1mn-acre milestone marks record from 2018. are expected to cast their bal- “will employ special individu- ground over the Glass Fire, af- California’s fi rst “gigafi re,” a The bulk of that acreage was in- lots by mail instead of in person alised measures to deliver in- ter heavy gusts and scorching term coined by academics to de- cinerated amid an unprecedented because of the novel coronavirus dividual ballots mailed close to weather kept fi refi ghters on the scribe the growing presence and outbreak of wildfi res across the pandemic, but President Donald elections, which may include defensive over the weekend. scope of massive wildfi res in the entire western US this summer, Trump has repeatedly said, with- manually separating them and “We’re cautiously optimistic US West. stoked by frequent, prolonged out providing evidence, that mail moving them by air.” we’re going to get this thing un- Despite its colossal size, the bouts of extreme heat, high winds voting would lead to widespread Postmaster general Louis De- der wraps pretty soon,” Cal Fire August Complex fi re has burned and dry lightning storms. fraud. Joy, a Trump donor who took over spokesman Dave Lauchner said in remote, sparsely populated ar- Scientists have pointed to the The Postal Service in a court in June, had been criticised by of the Glass Fire, which erupted eas, keeping property losses rela- region’s incendiary weather, fi ling cited a September 27 deci- lawmakers and others for organi- September 27 near the Napa re- tively low — about 160 buildings along with supercharged fuel sion by district judge Emmet Sul- sational changes that would delay sort town of Calistoga, some destroyed — though a contract beds overgrown with tinder dry livan of the District of Columbia mail delivery. 120km north of San Francisco. fi refi ghter was killed by the blaze. grass and scrub, as consequences that requires election mail be sent In August, DeJoy agreed to The 2020 wildfi re season has By comparison, no serious of climate change. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pays his respects via plane, saying it “would con- suspend any changes through shattered records, with scientists injuries have been reported in California wildfi res since Jan- during the state funeral service for former prime minister stitute a major change that would Election Day. Several courts have and state offi cials putting much the much smaller Glass Fire, but uary have claimed a total of 31 John Turner at St Michael’s Cathedral Basilica in Toronto, seriously disrupt the processing ordered the Postal Service to treat of the blame on global warming. nearly 1,500 homes and other lives and destroyed nearly 8,700 Ontario, Canada, yesterday. of the mail and may not, in fact, all election mail as fi rst-class or The August Complex fi re buildings have been reduced to structures. be possible.” priority mail express. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 11

BRITAIN EU upbeat on trade deal after Brexit talks ‘progress’

Reuters talks off at the start of next month one of the two sources, both of tariff s or quotas. and the sides risked failing to get The EU has so far said a deal earlier divorce settlement with Brussels — to avoid a damaging “no-deal” whom were briefed by the ex- Speaking separately this week, one by the end of the year. must be fi nalised by the end of the EU. scenario when Britain’s standstill ecutive European Commission, a senior EU offi cial dealing with Prime Minister Boris John- October to leave time for ratifi ca- Asked to comment on the EU transition with the bloc ends on which is negotiating with Britain Brexit said the talks were “in a son’s spokesman yesterday add- tion by the European Parliament sources’ assessment yesterday, a ritain and the EU are closer December 31. on behalf of the 27-nation EU. decisive period” and “not far ed Britain needed to know by Oc- and some national parliaments in UK offi cial said: “A deal is possible to agreement on recipro- There was no breakthrough in The sources spoke ahead of away from the endgame”. tober 15 if there was going to be a the bloc. but not certain... We remain fully Bcal social security rights last week’s negotiations on the further talks today and tomorrow “I still hope and think that we deal because businesses need to A new, mid-November tar- committed to seeking to reach an for their citizens after Brexit, two three most contentious issues — in London with Britain, which can fi nd an agreement,” the per- prepare. get suggests hectic weeks ahead agreement by October 15.” diplomatic sources said, with fi sheries, fair competition guar- left the EU in January after nearly son said, but stressed that EU The 27 national leaders are would rattle fi nancial markets if The two EU diplomats, speak- one describing talks last week antees and ways to settle future half a century of membership. industries must be ready for the due to assess progress when they an eleventh-hour-deal is to be ing on condition of anonymity, on an elusive trade deal as “one disputes — but the prospects of At stake is an estimated 1tn eu- most damaging economic split meet in Brussels on October 15- reached. said Britain had made welcome of the most positive so far”. The an overall accord looked brighter. ros worth of bilateral trade. as well. 16. If they decide a deal is in the Brussels insists, however, it proposals on nine out of 10 ar- European Union diplomats said “We seem to be getting closer Investors and businesses are A deputy head at the commis- making, they would authorise a will not implement any new deal eas of protecting social security Brussels was now gearing up to and closer to a deal, even though increasingly anxious about a split sion said separately yesterday the fi nal stretch of extremely secre- without Britain rowing back on rights for people moving between negotiate until as late as mid- the no-deal rhetoric in public with no agreement to ensure the EU wanted a deal with Britain, tive, make-or-break negotia- proposed new domestic legisla- EU member states and the United November — rather than cutting might suggest the opposite,” said continuation of trade without but that time was running out tions known as the “tunnel”. tion that would violate London’s Kingdom. Global shortage of key Covid drug leads to NHS rationing

Guardian News and Media “While there remain plenty London of remdesivir supplies, we have asked the NHS to temporar- ily prioritise patients to ensure global shortage of rem- those most likely to benefi t can desivir, one of the key access it.” ACovid-19 drugs given to The department issued a Donald Trump since he tested “supply disruption note” to all positive for the virus, is leading doctors on September 29. to rationing in the UK and pres- It asked them to do a stock- sure on the manufacturer to al- take in their hospitals to ensure low other companies to supply it. they knew how much of the drug Remdesivir, made by the US they had left. company Gilead, is one of only Some stocks would be held two drugs proven to work against centrally, it said, for allocation Covid-19. “to areas of greatest need”. It has been shown to help pa- Doctors should prescribe rem- Musicians perform near the houses of Parliament in London yesterday during a protest highlighting their inability to perform live or work during the coronavirus pandemic. tients recover faster from the desivir only to patients with Cov- disease and shorten the length id-related pneumonia who are of hospital treatment but is not in need of oxygen to breathe and a cure. should limit any course of treat- Unlike the steroid dexametha- ment to fi ve days, they were told. sone, which saves lives and is Dr Andrew Hill, senior visiting widely available and cheap be- research fellow at Liverpool Uni- cause it is an old drug, remdesivir versity, said the crisis was pre- is under patent, which means no dicted in June, when the US se- PM vows to transform other company can make it with- cured all production of the drug out Gilead’s permission. until October. Since trial results showed it He had heard, he said, that had an eff ect in Covid-19, Gilead some UK hospitals were down to has been unable to keep up with their last few doses of the drug. demand. Others were fi guring out how The US in June bought up vir- to ration it, for instance by giving UK after Covid crisis tually all stocks for a three month fewer than fi ve doses if a patient period, but even US hospitals say seemed to be doing well. Reuters Covid-19 more diffi cult to over- tory teaches us that events of he said, adding he was stick- from all sources. they cannot get enough to treat The criteria for using remdesi- London come as a metaphor for chang- this magnitude, wars, famines, ing with the diet after losing 26 He also promised to build more their patients. vir given in the supply disruption ing Britain, he listed the areas plagues, events that aff ect the pounds. homes and make them more ac- In Europe, where the Euro- note meant it could not be used he wanted to tackle — housing, vast bulk of humanity, as this vi- His speech was aimed at those cessible to younger people, and pean Commission buys on be- in the NHS before people had rime Minister Boris John- education, jobs, climate change rus has, they don’t just come and who suggest that the former to improve education. half of member states, the Czech developed pneumonia, in spite of son yesterday promised to and crime. go...We can’t now defi ne the mis- London mayor has no vision for Angela Rayner, deputy leader Republic and the Netherlands as evidence that giving the antiviral Ptransform Britain rather But he off ered few clues on sion of this country as merely to Britain with him repeating his of the main opposition Labour well as the UK are short of sup- as soon as possible is better. than settle for the “status quo” funding and opposition parties restore normality. pledge to build back better with a Party, said he had off ered “the plies. “If Trump was in an NHS hos- after the coronavirus crisis by criticised the speech for being That isn’t good enough.” focus on the green economy. usual bluster and no plan for the Doctors in the UK have been pital, he wouldn’t be eligible,” building more new homes, im- the “usual bluster” with scarce Hitting back at critics who “Now, as we build back better months ahead”. instructed to treat only those pa- Hill said. proving education, fi ghting detail on how he would protect say he has both lost control of we must build back greener. So “The British people needed to tients who can most benefi t from In the US, the Food and Drug crime and boosting the green jobs or get control over the in- the coronavirus pandemic in we are committing to new am- hear the prime minister set out the drug, in order to conserve Administration had written to economy. creasing number of coronavirus Britain and struggled since suf- bitious targets and investment how he and his government will its limited stocks, which were Gilead broadening the criteria for In a speech aimed at rallying infections. fering from Covid-19, Johnson into wind power to accelerate our get a grip of the crisis,” she said in bought earlier in the year with use, so that people can be given it his Conservative Party, which “We’ve been through too said suggestions he had lost his progress towards net zero emis- a statement. trials in mind. whether they are on oxygen or has become increasingly critical much frustration and hardship “mojo” was “self-evident drivel”. sions by 2050,” he said. “We end this Conservative “We are aware of a rise in the not, which will also increase de- of its leader, Johnson laid out his just to settle for the status quo “The kind of seditious propa- A £160mn ($207mn) invest- conference as we started it: with use of remdesivir in line with mand. vision for Britain, where deep- and to think that life can go on as ganda that you’d expect from ment in ports and factories is part a shambolic testing system, mil- an increase in Covid-19 hospi- But while wealthy countries rooted inequality has been laid it was before the plague,” he told people who don’t want this gov- of a drive to quadruple Britain’s lions of jobs at risk and an in- tal cases,” said a department of are running out, there is no bare by the Covid-19 pandemic. the Conservative Party’s virtual ernment to succeed, who wanted off shore wind capacity to 40 gi- competent government that has health and social care spokes- shortage in many low-income Using his own battle with conference. to stop us delivering Brexit and gawatts by 2030, around half of lost control of this virus and is person. countries. weight loss which made a bout of “It will not, because his- all our other manifesto pledges,” Britain’s electricity capacity now holding Britain back.”

Duchess meets students Minister hints govt Church failed to shield kids from abuse: probe may sell Channel 4 Reuters church improves the way it re- London sponds to allegations from victims and survivors, and provides proper Guardian News and Media giving a lot of thought to.” vatisation, having fi rst proposed support for those victims over London Channel 4 is commercially such a move in 1996, arguing the he Church of England failed time,” she added. funded but is ultimately owned channel needs external fi nancial to protect children from The primary concern of many by the government, with all backing in order to survive. Tsexual predators within its senior clergy was to uphold the inisters are considering money going back into the The government considered a ranks for decades, allowing abus- church’s reputation, the inquiry whether there is still a broadcaster, which commissions sell-off when Whittingdale was ers to hide in an attempt to defend said. Mneed for Channel 4 to all of its programmes from inde- culture secretary in 2015 but ul- its own reputation rather than fol- Senior clergy often declined to exist in its current form, raising pendent producers. timately backed down in the face lowing its duty to protect young report allegations to the appropri- the prospect that the broadcaster Individuals at the top of gov- of an intense lobbying campaign people, an inquiry said yesterday. ate agencies and hindered crimi- will be privatised. ernment, including the prime from the broadcaster. The church apologised for the nal investigations, allowing some John Whittingdale, the culture minister’s adviser Dominic Channel 4 then saw off a bid abuse and said it would learn les- abusers to escape justice. minister with responsibility for Cummings, have made no secret by the government to force it to sons from the inquiry. Responding to the fi ndings on broadcast policy, told a fringe of their disdain for Channel 4. move its headquarters outside From the 1940s to 2018, 390 behalf of the church, Jonathan event at the Conservative party They were especially aggrieved London, instead agreeing to set people who were clergy or in po- Gibbs, Bishop of Huddersfi eld, conference that the channel was after Dorothy Byrne, the broad- up three regional bases in Leeds, sitions of trust associated with said: “The report makes shock- struggling fi nancially and hinted caster’s former head of news Bristol, and Glasgow. the church have been convicted of ing reading and while apologies that a sell-off could be on the and current aff airs, delivered a However, the long-term de- sexual off ences against children, will never take away the eff ects of cards. speech at last year’s Edinburgh cline in traditional television the Independent Inquiry into abuse on victims and survivors, we He said: “Unlike the BBC, television festival lambasting viewing has hit its fi nances hard. Child Sexual Abuse said. today want to express our shame Channel 4 survives as an adver- Boris Johnson as a liar. Earlier this year the broadcast- “Over many decades, the about the events that have made tising-funded model. With the During the general election er was forced to make enormous Church of England failed to pro- those apologies necessary.” advent of the streamers and oth- campaign a Conservative cam- cuts to its programme budget due tect children and young people “The whole church must learn er competing services that model paign source pledged to review to the pandemic-related collapse from sexual abusers, instead facili- lessons from this inquiry,” Gibbs is under considerable strain. Channel 4’s licence after they of the advertising market. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gestures as she chats with tating a culture where perpetrators said. The report recommended “We do need to think about replaced Johnson with a melt- Although the broadcaster staff and students during her visit to the University of Derby could hide and victims faced bar- that both the Church of England Channel 4 and whether there is ing ice sculpture when the prime prides itself on investing in new in Derby, central England, yesterday. Catherine met students riers to disclosure that many could and the Church in Wales should still a need for a second publicly minister failed to turn up to a cli- British talent, its biggest ratings- to hear how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted university not overcome,” professor Alexis each introduce a church-wide owned public service broadcast- mate change event. winner is The Great British Bake life, and what national measures have been put in place to Jay, chair of the inquiry, said. policy on the funding and provi- er, or what function it should ful- Whittingdale is a longtime Off , which was poached from support student mental health. “If real and lasting changes sion of support to victims of child fi l. And that is something we are proponent of Channel 4’s pri- BBC. are to be made, it’s vital that the sexual abuse concerning clergy. Gulf Times 12 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 EUROPE

Global Kyrgyzstan’s opposition watchdog confi rms Navalny takes over govt buildings poisoning

Reuters liamentary election, which Kyrgyzstan, which borders attempted attack on its offi ce. politicians Myktybek Abdyl- sands of people demanding the AFP Bishkek protesters condemned as ille- China, has long been a platform Another group appeared to dayev and Sadyr Zhaparov as results of the parliamentary The Hague gitimate, would be rerun, while for geopolitical competition have broken into its gold refi n- speaker and interim prime min- election be annulled. opposition fi gures took charge between Moscow, Washington, ery. ister respectively. Western observers said the pposition groups took of the key posts of prime minis- and Beijing. Canada’s Centerra Gold, Protesters sprang Zhaparov election, which appeared to have he global chemical weap- control of most of ter and parliament speaker. It houses a Russian military which operates the country’s earlier in the day from a prison handed most seats to two es- ons watchdog OPCW said OKyrgyzstan’s govern- Fresh clashes remained a se- base and its leaders and main biggest gold deposit, said it was where he was serving a sentence tablishment parties supporting Tyesterday that samples ment apparatus yesterday after rious risk however, as protest- opposition groups have tradi- monitoring political events but on charges of hostage-taking in closer links between the former taken from Russian opposi- storming buildings during post- ers stayed on the streets and a tionally backed close ties with that its operations were contin- 2013 unrest. Soviet republic and Russia, had tion leader Alexei Navalny, who election protests, but the presi- crowd armed with rocks and Russia. uing uninterrupted. Interior Minister Kashkar been marred by vote buying. claims that he was poisoned by dent clung to power as unrest stones broke into a hotel where Yet unidentifi ed intruders The opposition said it had set Junushaliyev did not show up One of the parties was close the Kremlin, contained a Novi- risked tipping the Central Asian members of parliament had torched a Russian-operated up a co-ordination council and for work yesterday, a ministry to Jeenbekov, who insisted in chok-type nerve agent. state into chaos. convened, forcing the new in- factory at Kyrgyzstan’s second- was discussing the line-up of a spokesman said, saying that an interview with the BBC last The fi ndings by the Organi- Protests spread throughout terim prime minister, an opposi- largest gold deposit Jeruy yes- provisional government. Kursan Asanov, an opposition night that he remained the legit- sation for the Prohibition of the country, where two presi- tion fi gure, to fl ee, according to a terday, forcing its owners to sus- Opposition groups also freed politician and a former senior imate president and that it was Chemical Weapons (OPCW) dents have been overthrown in report by news website Akipress. pend development of the site. Almazbek Atambayev, a former security offi cial, had taken over his job to consolidate the posi- confi rm similar results by a the past 15 years, halting some Shop owners in the capital Russia’s military base was put president jailed on corruption as acting interior minister. tions of various factions through military laboratory in Germany, foreign gold mining operations Bishkek, fearing looting, in- on high alert. charges after falling out with Police had been ordered to en- negotiations. where Navalny was treated in and prompting an expression of stalled metal shields to try to London-listed miner Kaz Jeenbekov. sure citizens’ safety and prevent As well as storming the White hospital, and labs in France and concern from Russia, a longtime protect their doors and windows Minerals said it had suspended Atambayev was not named to clashes and looting, the same House, which houses both the Sweden. ally. from marauders. production at its Bozymchak any role, however, and Jeenbe- spokesman said. president and parliament, pro- OPCW chief Fernando Arias President Sooronbai Jeenbe- Burnt-out cars littered the copper and gold mine, and pro- kov showed no immediate signs The Russian embassy to Kyr- testers took over several other “considered that these results kov called for calm and ordered city after protesters stormed testers showed up at smaller of relinquishing power. gyzstan said it supported resolv- buildings, including the mayor’s constitute a matter of grave con- security forces not to open fi re the main government building, mines developed by Chinese The central election com- ing the situation in the coun- offi ce. cern”, the Hague-based watch- on protesters after unrest in known as the White House, early and Turkish companies and de- mission said it had annulled the try through legal means while They appointed their own dog said in a statement. which one person had been yesterday. manded they halt operations, results of the election and a new ensuring stability and people’s acting head of national security, They came as Navalny said in killed and 686 wounded by af- It briefl y caught fi re before according to local news website one would be called shortly. safety. acting prosecutor-general and an interview that he hoped to ternoon yesterday, according to emergency services put out the Akipress. Following calls to legitimise a Trouble erupted on Monday a commandant of Bishkek, al- return to Russia within months, the health ministry. blaze and debris from inside was State-owned gold miner Kyr- transfer of power, the outgoing after police used teargas and though it was hard to judge how while showing his trembling Offi cials said Sunday’s par- strewn outside. gyzaltyn said it had repelled an parliament elected opposition water cannon to disperse thou- much power they wielded. hands as evidence of the nerve damage he suff ered. The OPCW said that the blood and urine samples taken from Navalny in Germany by the watchdog’s own experts con- Pressure Chanel and Louis tained signs of a “cholineste- rase inhibitor” – a type of nerve agent. builds for Vuitton close Paris The traces “have similar structural characteristics as the toxic chemicals” found in two Karabakh fashion week in style Novichok chemicals that were banned by the Hague-based body in 2019, it said. ceasefi re AFP Her collection was no less The specifi c type of Novichok Paris than a grand sweep through the found in the Navalny samples long history of the label found- was however not itself one of AFP ed by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, those placed on the banned list Stepanankert, Azerbaijan hanel went back to the with a giant nod to Chanel’s last year, the OPCW added. timeless glamour of time in Tinseltown in the 1930s Western powers have de- Cblack and white Holly- when she dressed stars like manded answers from Russia attles raged between Ar- wood movies while Louis Vuit- Greta Garbo, Katharine Hep- over the poisoning, while Naval- menian and Azerbaijani ton embraced a gender neutral burn, Marlene Dietrich and ny himself blamed the Kremlin. Bforces over the disputed future on the last day of Paris Gloria Swanson. Russia has denied all involve- Nagorno-Karabakh region yes- fashion week yesterday. “I was thinking of actresses ment. terday, with both sides vowing An army of the world’s top on the red carpet ... some of Navalny was medically evacu- to pursue the confl ict despite in- supermodels walked under a whom we haven’t seen in a long ated to Germany in late August creasing international pressure huge Hollywood-style sign time... their faces a little some- after falling ill on a plane and for a ceasefi re. spelling out Chanel’s name in where else as the photographers Models present creations by designer Virginie Viard as part of her Spring/Summer 2021 spending several days in a Sibe- Turkey’s Foreign Minister its biggest catwalk spectacle call out to them,” Viard said af- ready-to-wear collection show for fashion house Chanel during Paris Fashion Week. rian hospital. Mevlut Cavusoglu landed in Az- since designer Virginie Viard terwards. He is still recovering in Berlin. erbaijan for talks after Russia, took over the fabled French The show – dominated by “Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Nicolas Ghesquiere’s Louis “What cut might dissolve the “I rule out the option” of not the United States, and France on house from Karl Lagerfeld after black and white interspersed Lagerfeld dressed so many ac- Vuitton could not be more masculine and the feminine?” returning to Russia, Navalny, Monday called for an “uncondi- his death last year. with splashes of bold colour – tresses in their fi lms and in resolutely now, with the open- he asked. “What wardrobe who has been visited in hospital tional” halt to the fi ghting. They included the body posi- coincides with the fi rst-ever their lives,” Viard added. “They ing look a sweater emblazoned might make them come togeth- by German Chancellor Angela Western powers are urging tive pin-up, Jill Kortleve, the museum exhibition dedicated made us dream.” with “Vote”, a rallying call for er in one?” Merkel, told a popular Russian Turkey, an ally of Azerbaijan, to Dutch model who is a voluptu- to Coco Chanel in the French “Without redoing clothes the liberal left in the upcoming Ghesquiere said he wanted to YouTube blogger, Yury Dud. use its infl uence with Baku to re- ous size 16 (US size 12). capital, which opened last week exactly and falling into vintage, US presidential election. bring the world’s richest luxury Russia insists its medical tests store calm after 10 straight days Coronavirus restrictions to rave reviews. I wanted it to be very joyous and But that was as convention- label on a “voyage of explora- did not fi nd poison in Navalny’s of clashes that have claimed may have limited the number Viard recreated and updated colourful and full of life.” ally political as it got, with the tion ... to discover and abolish system and has not accepted more than 260 lives. of fashionistas allowed into some of Coco’s most beloved With Paris fashion week highly-rated French designer the last [gender] frontiers”. Germany’s declarations, saying The battles began on Septem- the immense Grand Palais in looks, with a nod to her pred- forced largely online by the insisting that his eyes were set The bravura show was held in that it requires more evidence. ber 28 in a long-simmering ter- central Paris, but like the de- ecessor Lagerfeld’s more street coronavirus, Chanel streamed fi rmly on the possibilities that the long-closed La Samaritaine Moscow has for several years ritorial dispute over Nagorno- cor, Viard wrote her ambitions fashion sensibility with logos a the show live for fashion fans. gender fl uid clothes might off er department store, which is due alleged political bias at the Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian large. gogo. While Chanel looked back, in the future. to reopen next year. OPCW. enclave that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s. Neither side has shown any inclination to slow hostili- ties despite a mounting civilian death toll. Trio of scientists win Nobel Physics Prize for black hole research Azerbaijan’s defence ministry and Karabakh’s foreign ministry both said that fi ghting was con- AFP could really exist but Penrose, called Sagittarius A* at the cen- pose many questions that beg tinuing on several fronts yester- Stockholm a professor at the University tre of the Milky Way. for answers and motivate further day morning. of Oxford, used mathematical Using the world’s largest tel- research”. Both sides continued to claim modelling to prove back in 1965 escopes, they discovered an ex- The trio will share the Nobel to have infl icted heavy losses in trio of scientists – Roger that black holes can form. tremely heavy, invisible object – prize sum of 10mn Swedish kro- manpower and equipment, and Penrose of Britain, Rein- His calculations proved that around 4mn times greater than nor (about $1.1mn, €950,000), to accuse each of other of target- Ahard Genzel of Germany black holes – super dense ob- the mass of our Sun – that pulls with half going to Penrose and ing civilian areas. and Andrea Ghez of the US – jects formed when a heavy star on surrounding stars, giving our the other half jointly to Genzel The confl ict has expanded in won the Nobel Physics Prize collapses under the weight of its galaxy its characteristic swirl. and Ghez. the last few days with shelling on yesterday for their research own gravity – are a direct con- The pair in particular devel- They would normally receive big cities, including the regional into what the Nobel committee sequence of Einstein’s general oped methods to see through their prize from King Carl XVI capital Stepanakert and Azerba- called “one of the most exotic This combination of pictures shows Roger Penrose, Andrea Ghez, theory of relativity. the huge clouds of interstel- Gustaf at a formal ceremony in ijan’s second-largest city, Ganja. phenomena in the universe, the and Reinhard Genzel. The Royal Swedish Academy lar gas and dust to the centre Stockholm on December 10, the After several days of heavy black hole”. of Sciences, which crown the of the Milky Way, creating new anniversary of the 1896 death of bombing, Stepanakert was calm Penrose, 89, was honoured Ghez is just the fourth woman professor of physics and astron- Nobel Prize winners in physics, techniques to compensate for scientist Alfred Nobel who cre- yesterday, according to an AFP for showing “that the general to receive the physics prize since omy at the University of Califor- chemistry and economics, said the image distortion caused by ated the prizes in his last will and journalist in the city, with the theory of relativity leads to the 1901, when the fi rst Nobel prizes nia, told AFP. Penrose’s 1965 article “is still Earth’s atmosphere. testament. streets nearly empty. formation of black holes”, while were handed out. The term “black hole” refers regarded as the most important In April 2019, astronomers But the in-person ceremony Warning sirens rang out and Genzel, 68, and Ghez, 55, were “I feel delighted to be recog- to a point in space where mat- contribution to the general the- unveiled the fi rst photo of a has been cancelled this year due the city was littered with glass jointly awarded for discovering nised in that way because I think ter is so compressed as to create ory of relativity since Einstein”. black hole. to the coronavirus pandemic, and debris from previous shell- “that an invisible and extremely having visible role models can a gravity fi eld from which even Since the early 1990s, dec- While the existence of black replaced with a televised cer- ing, but no explosions had been heavy object governs the orbits make a huge impact on young light cannot escape. ades after Penrose published his holes is no longer in doubt, the emony showing the laureates heard by mid-day. of stars at the centre of our gal- women thinking about becom- For years physicists ques- theories, Genzel and Ghez have Nobel Committee chair David receiving their awards in their Armenian Health Minister axy”, the jury said. ing scientists,” Ghez, who is a tioned whether black holes led research focusing on a region Haviland noted that they “still home countries. Arsen Torosyan told reporters near the border that he had seen a rocket landing very close to Wolves on the loose, corpses washed Twitter blocks accounts of the Swiss WHO calls for action against rising Stepanakert’s main hospital. “I’m not ruling out they are up after French floods ministry ... of communications ‘pandemic fatigue’ in Europe deliberately targeting medical facilities, which is a war crime,” Seven wolves are on the loose after their enclosure in a southern “Account suspended – Twitter suspends accounts which violate the The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned European he said. French wildlife park was destroyed by floods which have killed at Twitter Rules.” countries about “pandemic fatigue”, which it says threatens the Azerbaijan’s defence ministry least four people and washed up dozens of buried corpses. This message has popped up for more than a week on the continent’s ability to tackle the coronavirus. claimed yesterday that separa- The black Canadian wolves escaped from the Alpha wildlife park off icial Twitter accounts of the Swiss communications ministry, “Although fatigue is measured in diff erent ways, and levels vary tists had incurred major losses in a national reserve north of Nice, an area left in ruins after floods which lamented yesterday that it had received no notice and no per country, it is now estimated to have reached over 60% in some and were forced to retreat. hammered southeast France on Friday. explanation from the social media giant. cases,” WHO Europe director Dr Hans Kluge said, adding that this is It said an ammunition de- Agents of the French off ice for biodiversity OFB were scouring the The Federal Off ice of Communications OFCOM, which supervises based on “aggregated survey data from across the region”. pot near Stepanakert, rocket area around the Mercantour national reserve by helicopter. the media, telecoms and postal services, said in a statement that it Citizens have made “huge sacrifices” over the last eight months launchers and artillery had been Dozens of kilometres east of the animal park, the mayor of the town had “been unable to post tweets since September 28”. to try and contain the coronavirus, he said in a statement. “In destroyed. of Tende said three-quarters of the local cemetery was washed It complained that the problem persisted across its accounts in such circumstances it is easy and natural to feel apathetic and The two sides have reported away and about 150 bodies later recovered downstream. German, French, Italian and English. demotivated, to experience fatigue.” 265 deaths since the fi ghting “They (the bodies) were carried for about 20km and ended up all The ministry said that it was doing everything it could to resolve the Kluge called on European authorities to listen to the public and erupted, including more than 45 over the place, sometimes in people’s gardens,” said mayor Jean- situation, but acknowledged that “to date Twitter has not responded work with them in “new and innovative ways” to reinvigorate the civilians. Pierre Vassallo. to any requests for information”. fight against the coronavirus. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 13 INDIA

VERDICT CORRUPTION CONTROVERSY WILDLIFE INVESTIGATION Man sentenced to death Ex-minister convicted Goa files contempt plea Online events mark Assam’s ex-DIG held for 2009 murder of boy in coal scam case against Karnataka zoo celebrations over recruitment scam

A Delhi court yesterday sentenced a man to A Delhi court yesterday convicted former Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant yesterday Online workshops on wildlife, exhibition, Former Assam deputy inspector general of police death for kidnapping and murdering an 11-year- central minister Dilip Ray, and five others in a said his government has filed a contempt competitions, quiz and other activities have marked Prasanta Kumar Dutta, an accused in the Assam old boy in 2009, saying the crime fell under coal block allocation case. The case pertains petition before the Supreme Court accusing the celebration of the National Wildlife Week by the police recruitment scam, was arrested at the the ‘rarest of the rare’ category. The parents to the allocation of 105.153 hectares of non- Karnataka of illegally diverting water from the Visakhapatnam zoo amid the coronavirus pandemic. India-Nepal border yesterday, off icials said. Dutta of the boy broke down after the verdict was nationalised and abandoned coal mining Mhadei river basin via the newly-constructed “The ultimate aim is to have a connection between and former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Diban delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji area in Jharkhand’s Giridih district to Castron Kalasa-Banduri canal. The announcement the public and wildlife,” Nandani Salaria, curator Deka were absconding since the recruitment Anand. “For such an act, the convict does not Technologies Limited by coal ministry in 1999. comes a day after Sawant said his government at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park said. She said scam came to light on September 20. Deka was deserve any leniency and the life imprisonment Ray was the minister of state (MoS) for coal in has collected enough evidence to prove that it was also about changing the public perception arrested soon after he surrendered on September is highly inadequate. So, there is no alternative the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Special Karnataka has started diverting water from and encouraging them to protect wildlife. As part 30 night. The state’s ruling BJP expelled him. but to impose the death sentence,” the judge Judge Bharat Parashar said it was “beyond the inter-state river to the deficit basin of of the celebrations, the zoo has lined up one event So far, 33 people including women have been said. Jeevek Nagpal kidnapped the boy on shadows of all reasonable doubts that all the the Malaprabha river in Karnataka. Mhadei a day during the ongoing Wildlife Week. As the arrested in connection with the scam. The March 18, 2009, and later sent messages to the convicts conspired together so as to procure also known as the Mandovi river in Goa and pandemic has restricted physical gatherings, most of chairman of Assam State Level Police Recruitment victim’s father demanding ransom. Nagpal later allocation of a captive coal block – Brahmadiha Mahadayi in Karnataka, is considered the lifeline the activities are happening online. To encourage Board (SLPRB), Pradeep Kumar, quit last month murdered the boy by hitting him with a car jack coal block – in favour of Castron Technologies in the northern parts of Goa. It originates in students to participate in the Wildlife Week, the zoo citing moral responsibility for the recruitment test lever and smothering him. He later threw the Limited.” Arguments on sentencing will be Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in has also conducted a 50-question online quiz, testing paper leak that resulted in the cancellation of the body into a drain. heard by the court on October 14. Goa, while briefly flowing through Maharashtra. their knowledge on Indian forests and wildlife. written exam on September 20. NDA allies reach deal on seats for Bihar polls

IANS shakti Party chief Chirag Pas- Patna wan and said: “(Chirag’s father and federal minister) Ram Vilas Paswan is ill at the moment and ihar Chief Minister Nit- I want him to recover as soon ish Kumar yesterday an- as possible. At the same time I Bnounced a plan for seat- want to clarify that the LJP has sharing among constituents of no strength to send Ram Vilas the National Democratic Alli- Paswan to the Rajya Sabha. The ance (NDA) for the Bihar assem- LJP has just two MLAs and it was bly election. the JD-U and BJP who supported At a joint NDA press confer- him in order to confi rm his seat Women shout slogans and hold placards during a protest after the death of the Hathras rape victim, on a street in Mumbai, yesterday. ence, the chief minister said the in Rajya Sabha,” Kumar said. Bharatiya Janata Party has been Referring to Chirag Paswan given 121 seats, while Bihar’s rul- and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, ing Janata Dal (United) has got he said some people have it in 122. their nature to object to work Kumar said the JD-U has giv- done by the ruling party. en seven seats to the Hindustani “I have nothing to do with it. Awam Morcha (HAM) from its They are free to say whatever quota, while the BJP will give they want,” the JD-U leader said. Foreign groups inciting seats to the Vikassheel Insaan Earlier, Jaiswal reiterated that Party (VIP) from its quota. the NDA was contesting the Bi- He said talks between the BJP har polls under the leadership of and VIP are in the fi nal stages. Kumar. “We are not concerned with “We have no confusion over what someone speculates. We it. He is the leader of NDA and are working together and will do he will remain our CM face post Hathras protests: police so,” the chief minister said. election. Numbers do not matter Several leaders including BJP to us,” Jaiswal said. Agencies from meeting bereaved rela- Police Vineet Jaiswal said two caste men can be heard threat- the suspects along with politi- leaders Sanjay Jaiswal, Bhupen- Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Lucknow tives. women sub-inspectors and six ening the victim’s family and cal workers would assemble at dra Yadav, Devendra Fadnavis, Modi said the NDA has four alli- They were accused of intimi- women constables have been defending the four suspects. her village, which could lead to JD-U state chief Vashisht Naray- ance partners – JD-U, BJP, HAM dating the family and attempt- stationed at the victim’s house. The men are seen shouting a major law and order problem. an Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief and VIP. olice yesterday accused ing a cover-up in case it snow- “Two security personnel threats on camera when Bhim As fury about the case spread, Minister Sushil Kumar Modi “These parties are entitled to foreign human rights balled into a political challenge have been deployed for the se- Army chief Chandrashekhar another young Dalit woman were present at the press confer- use photographs of Prime Min- Pgroups and other organi- to the ruling Bharatiya Janata curity of the victim’s brother. visited the victim’s family on died after being gang-raped in ence. ister Narendra Modi and Chief sations of inciting caste ten- Party. Provincial Armed Constabulary Sunday. the same state. Lashing out at the opposition Minister Nitish Kumar. Misuse sions after widespread pro- Police said the protests were personnel are also camping out- Videos that have surfaced Two men have been arrested Rashtriya Janata Dal, Kumar said of photos will be liable for le- tests against their handling of co-ordinated by “anti-nation- side the house,” he said. online show the complete fear- over that attack. the NDA will fi ght the election gal action. Our party is ready to a gang-rape and murder of a al” elements. Apart from this, 15 police lessness and impunity with The latest incidents come on development works done in write to the Election Commis- young Dalit woman in Uttar “We have reports that some personnel, three station house which the men go around drop- months after four men were the last 15 years. sion to take action against those Pradesh. foreign human rights groups, offi cers and one deputy super- ping threats in the presence of hanged for the 2012 rape and “What was the development parties or individual candidates The assault last month of the Muslim groups are involved,” a intendent of police have been scores of policemen. murder of a student on a bus in in Bihar during 15-year tenure if they are involved in it,” Modi teenager has sparked outrage senior Uttar Pradesh police of- deployed in the village to pre- Meanwhile, the Department New Delhi in a case that drew of the RJD? There were no roads, said. across the country against ram- fi cer added. vent any untoward incident, he of Forensic Medicine at the Ja- global attention towards India’s no power supply, law and order His statement comes after pant sexual violence, as well as The offi cer said around 500 added. waharlal Nehru Medical College problems with sexual violence. situation was pathetic with so Chirag Paswan said that his par- the treatment of lower castes. people, including six who were The victim’s family had re- of Aligarh Muslim University On Monday, the United Na- many massacres across the state. ty will use photos of the prime Four upper-caste men have arrested, had been “booked” peatedly said they feared for has certifi ed that there was no tions issued a statement ex- How many jobs have they given minister in the election cam- been accused of gang rape and for sedition and conspiracy in their safety. evidence of rape of the victim. pressing concern about sexual to the youth of Bihar during their paign. murder, and face the death sen- recent days. They had even said that they The certifi cate was submitted violence in the country, saying tenure? Now they question us on Meanwhile, the BJP state unit tence if found guilty. In India a booking may not wanted to leave the village and with an affi davit by the Uttar women and girls from disad- jobs,” he said. asserted that there was no back But the Uttar Pradesh police necessarily lead to a formal settle elsewhere. Pradesh government in the Su- vantaged social groups were at He said there was no confu- door alliance with the party led have been accused of poorly charge, but is an incident that is “We are afraid of threats preme Court yesterday. “greater risk”. sion over seat sharing and selec- by Chirag Paswan. managing the investigation and offi cially recorded. (from the supporters of the four The government also told the The external aff airs ministry tion of candidates. “Our party is contesting the criticised for cremating the vic- The Uttar Pradesh govern- suspects). The coming days will court that the victim was cre- called the comments “unwar- “We are contesting under the elections under Nitish’s leader- tim’s body without permission. ment has deployed round-the- be more challenging for us,” the mated in the night due to intel- ranted” and said the country umbrella of NDA and we have no ship. Whosoever goes against Offi cers surrounded the vic- clock security outside the house victim’s brother said. ligence inputs that hundreds of had a “time-tested record of confusion on it,” he said. him or challenges him will not be tim’s home village Hathras af- of the victim. In a video that has gone viral thousands of people from the providing justice to all sections He also lashed out at Lok Jan- a part of the NDA,” Jaiswal said. ter she died, and barred anyone Hathras Superintendent of on social media, some upper communities of the woman and of the society”. Informal workers seek No festive events in emergency fi nancial aid containment zones IANS “In case of events that run for New Delhi days or weeks, the crowd density Reuters “This assistance will provide rural employment scheme. doesn’t remain the same through- Chennai liquidity to the vulnerable fami- But many informal workers out and usually peaks around cer- lies below poverty line,” said P fear lacking documentation or he Health Ministry yester- tain hours of the day and some Balamurugan, a member of the a bank account will hinder their day issued standard oper- previously known auspicious days. nformal workers urged Prime Tamil Nadu Alliance – a coali- access to government aid, and Tating procedures (SOP) on Planning for the event should spe- Minister Narendra Modi in a tion of 100 charities seeking to labour rights activists say large preventive measures to contain cifi cally factor this so that crowds Ipetition yesterday to grant improve the conditions of gar- numbers have turned to informal the spread of the coronavirus dur- are regulated and managed to en- emergency fi nancial aid to pro- ment industry workers. lenders often charging high rates ing the upcoming festival season sure physical distance and frequent tect them from loan sharks and The petition, which was ini- of interest. and urged people in containment sanitisation,” the ministry said. labour traffi ckers as the coro- tiated by the charity coalition, The home ministry issued an zones, and vulnerable populations Meanwhile, the Karnataka gov- navirus pandemic erodes their included signatories from 23 advisory in July urging state gov- to celebrate events at home. ernment said it was planning to incomes. states, the organisers said. ernments to launch anti-traf- “Festive events shall be per- issue new guidelines like compul- India is one of the countries Asked about the ap- fi cking awareness campaigns, mitted only outside the contain- sory Covid-19 test and physical worst aff ected by the coronavi- peal, Principal Government amid increasing fears that ment zones. Organisers, staff and checking of tourists using police, rus, and a strict lockdown ear- Spokesman K S Dhatwalia said countless people without work, visitors from containment zones health and revenue department lier this year took a heavy toll on “a slew of measures for all cat- food or money may fall prey to shall not be permitted. People re- staff at all tourist places. informal workers, who represent egories of workers” had been traffi ckers. siding inside containment zones Medical Education Minister K 90% of the nation’s 450mn- announced since the start of The petition said the cash aid may be encouraged to observe all Sudhakar said in Madikeri that strong workforce. the pandemic. would act as a “safety net”, mini- festivals inside their homes and then new guidelines were meant Yesterday’s petition, signed “These initiatives have been mising hunger and reducing the not move out,” the ministry said. to prevent the virus spreading by 1.5mn people including mi- updated along the way to meet likelihood of human traffi cking, It said fairs, rallies, exhibi- from tourists. grant workers, street vendors the needs of people,” he told child marriage and child labour tions, cultural functions, pro- The minister added that the and home-based labourers, calls the Thomson Reuters Founda- among the informal labour force. cessions and concerts associated state government was not in fa- for cash handouts of Rs6,000 for tion. “The cash aid will give them with the festivals are mass events vour of reopening schools or col- at least the next four months to Modi’s administration has access to essential food com- and advised organisers to com- leges at present even though the help prevent risky borrowing, pledged to spend Rs35bn on modities, medical care, payment ply with the required steps such central government had issued human traffi cking and child la- food for migrant workers and of rent, and other supplemen- People wearing protective masks wait in line to board a bus in as thermal screening, physical instructions for starting educa- bour. offer them local jobs under a tary expenses,” it said. Mumbai yesterday. distancing and sanitisation. tional institutions in the state. Gulf Times 14 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar [email protected] 44350478 (News), 44466404 (Sport), 44466636 (Home delivery) 44350474 facebook.com/gulftimes twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar GULF TIMES Event of the year: Markets gear up for turbulent US polls

Global political event of the year - US presidential election on November 3 – has for long been hanging as a double-edged sword on the fi nancial markets, regardless of its outcome. Global equities plunged on Friday after the White House announced President Donald Trump had tested positive for coronavirus. The sudden turn of events, coming a month before the election, led some commentators to express doubts if the vote would actually take place at all. True, the markets have already been gearing up for an unprecedentedly turbulent US election. But with Mantra for Democrats: Joe Biden’s lead widening in the polls and Trump’s campaign sidelined by the virus, investment strategists now say there’s less of a chance for a contested election. A clear-cut Democratic victory could avoid a long and messy legal battle and provide certainty to Fight fi re with water markets that have been nervous about election risks, according to strategists from Citigroup to JPMorgan who were most hostile to his agenda. by political gambits that weaken and the Senate both increasingly over- Chase & Co. By Daron Acemoglu Cambridge Unlike Roosevelt, he faced little institutional checks and further erode represent rural areas, owing to the US A poll released last Sunday - taken between Tuesday’s resistance, setting the stage for a further trust in the process. Rather than population’s gradual shift toward cities debate and Friday’s news of the president’s infection - unravelling of Argentina’s institutions. playing the Republican’s cynical game, (Wyoming, with a population of about found that Biden’s national lead had leaped to 14 points, hen US President Donald It became acceptable for presidents to Democrats should use their political 600,000, commands the same number Trump spoke of “Ameri- appoint their cronies and bypass judicial capital to pursue comprehensive of seats as California, with 40 million). from 8 before the debate. Biden also has set two records can carnage” during his review whenever they felt like it. political reform through the existing The GOP’s surrender to Trump’s for monthly fundraising in August and September, giving Winauguration speech in One could argue that this analogy channels. nativist agenda did not come out of thin him enough money to dominate Trump on the airwaves. January 2017, few could have known is misplaced, because Perón was an Political reform should come fi rst, air; it is the result of malapportionment. On the contrary, there is one scenario that could shake that he was off ering a preview of what authoritarian who never respected because it bears directly on America’s This problem could be redressed up the bond market the most: A clear and undisputed would follow over the next four years. democratic institutions in the fi rst economic problems in at least two through constitutional reform, or by Now, on the eve of the US election, place. But the same can be said of ways. The fi rst is the growing power of granting statehood to Washington, DC, winner. right-wing militias and neo-fascist Trump and the current Republican money in politics — not just campaign and Puerto Rico. This is likely groups like the Proud Boys are roaming leadership. In pushing for fundamental contributions from wealthy donors, but Court packing, however, would be The race is still one of the most- the streets and “monitoring” polling changes to the system, US Democrats also offi cial and unoffi cial lobbying by the wrong way to go, because it would underappreciated risks places on Trump’s behalf. can justifi ably claim to be fi ghting back powerful corporations. The GOP, and merely compromise the institutional closer in some of of the vote, with the Witnessing all of this, Democrats and against the opponents of democracy. especially McConnell, will brook no foundation upon which the broader potential to push the independents are right to be dismayed Moreover, the demand for reforms to reduce these forms of undue political and economic reform agenda the states most and angered, not just at Trump, but at fundamental reform is palpable. infl uence. But Democrats can count must be built. 10-year Treasury yield the entire Republican Party. Having America’s economic institutions need on the fact that the vast majority of Through gradual radicalism, needed to win back to 1% in the weeks absorbed Trump’s agenda, the GOP to be overhauled so that the gains from Americans support such policies. far-reaching reforms — including that follow, a level it is now wholly complicit in his war on growth are more broadly shared. This The second major political problem constitutional changes — can be the presidency hasn’t touched since American democratic institutions and calls for more progressive taxation and is just as fundamental, but more implemented deliberatively over time the electoral process. changes to the tax code that rebalance controversial: malapportionment. with the support of a relatively broad the fi rst quarter. After refusing even to consider the burden between capital and labour. Over time, the distribution of the US coalition, and within the established While it may not be the base case for many prominent President Barack Obama’s Supreme Equally important, the US needs to population has increasingly become institutional system. This approach investors, some are positioning for it just in case. Court nominee, Merrick Garland, curtail corporate power (especially decoupled from the distribution of is more diffi cult than the kind of Who is, then, likely to win? in March 2016, Republican Senate Big Tech); expand protections for political representation. Political discretionary radicalism that Perón History strongly favours the incumbent: Nearly three- Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is workers (starting with a higher federal scientists have long recognised that favoured. But it is much more durable. currently forcing through Trump’s minimum wage); and enact policies systems with high malapportionment — Only by restoring trust in institutions quarters of sitting presidents have been re-elected, nominee to fi ll the seat vacated by Ruth to redirect technological change away which one fi nds in much of Africa and can America’s politics and economy be looking at elections going back to 1932. Since then, an Bader Ginsburg when there is only a from labour-replacing automation Latin America — are prone to crises and put back on the right track. — Project incumbent president has never failed to win re-election month to go before the election. This and toward innovation that boosts dysfunction. Syndicate unless a recession has occurred during their time in offi ce, cynicism has convinced some on the left workers’ productivity. And if this year In the US, one of the two main according to a JP Morgan Asset Management report. that it is time for the Democrats to fi ght has proved anything, it is that the US parties now exists solely to cater to z Daron Acemoglu, Professor of fi re with fi re, including by increasing urgently needs to implement measures the economic and social interests of a Economics at MIT, is co-author (with The race is still closer in some of the states most needed the number of Supreme Court justices to mitigate climate change and improve shrinking minority, and it is this party James A Robinson) of The Narrow to win the presidency. The unprecedented number if they reclaim the Senate and the White its healthcare system. that has been empowered by distortions Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of mail-in ballots being cast this year because of the House. But this agenda would be ill served within the system. The Electoral College of Liberty. pandemic means it likely won’t be possible in some True, by hook and by crook, the GOP battleground states to declare an unoffi cial winner on has forged a commanding conservative majority on the court, and have election night. demonstrated that they will not behave Election offi cials say it could take days or even weeks in good faith. It is clear that the country in some cases to get a complete count, and a fi nal needs major institutional and policy determination could also be delayed by post-election reforms. But weakening institutions lawsuits challenging the results. further will not serve Democratic As a matter of fact, volatility markets have been pricing objectives in the long run. The situation calls for gradual radicalism, so that in risks from the election for months now, raising the bar institutions are not destroyed in the for bad news to hit trading. process of being saved. But here’s the enduring concern. The last time a US president Any fi nancial instability that may follow the election threatened to “pack the court” was will add to the headwinds undermining a much-needed in 1937, under Franklin D Roosevelt. With his New Deal programmes being economic recovery that is strong, sustainable and consistently struck down by the inclusive, says Mohamed A El-Erian, chief economic Supreme Court’s conservative majority, adviser of Allianz. Roosevelt sought legislation that would His advice: Investors need to wake up to the reality that allow him to appoint additional justices. the economic recovery will take longer to take place and But Roosevelt’s plan met with stiff opposition, not only from Republicans they shouldn’t overly rely on US lawmakers. and civil-society groups, but also from his own party. When the Democratic- controlled Senate Judiciary Committee To Advertise came out against him, he was forced to abandon the eff ort. [email protected] But the Supreme Court got the Display message. That year, it started to accommodate New Deal legislation, 44466621 44418811 and, after winning an unprecedented third term in 1940, Roosevelt was able Classified to push the court leftward by replacing 44466609 44418811 outgoing justices through the normal process. In the end, the Court emerged Subscription institutionally stronger. A similar episode played out very [email protected] diff erently in Argentina, however. In 1946, President Juan Perón responded to Supreme Court opposition by State of the union: Democrats, whose presidential nominee Joe Biden (above) is pitted against Republican Donald Trump, would © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved moving to impeach the four justices do well to use their political capital to pursue comprehensive political reform through the existing channels. Gulf Times Wednesday, October 7, 2020 15 PAKISTAN

Covid-19 SOPs issued for Caution in the time of coronavirus Charles taken in by ‘very domestic tasty’ Pakistani mangoes passengers Famed for its ethereal taste, Pakistani mangoes made Amid the rise in number of their presence felt again coronavirus cases, the Civil as Prince Charles of Britain Aviation Authority (CAA) has acknowledged it with a note issued new rules for the domestic of thanks to President Dr Arif air transport department. Alvi, an off icial statement said As per details, the rules will yesterday. remain applicable till December The Prince of Wales described 31 under which no person apart Pakistani mangoes as “very from airport staff and passengers tasty” and thanked Alvi will be allowed to go beyond the for sending him a gift of parking area. Further, no-one will mangoes. be able to enter the passenger The British heir-to-the-throne terminal building without a mask. in a letter addressed to the People other than passengers president said he and his Pakistan ranks sixth in the will be barred from entering the spouse Kate Williams were world in terms of mango lounge from the airport. The appreciative of the excellent production and fifth in terms CAA said that it would be the gift, a statement issued by the of mango exporting countries responsibility of the air manager President’s Media Off ice said in the world it nearly 5% to ensure social distance between yesterday. share. the boarding bridge and the Prince Charles expressed Pakistan produces around departure lounge. his happiness on receiving 1.7 million tonnes of man- Airlines will be required to the gift of “best Pakistani goes every year and exports provide briefing counters and mangoes”. it to more than 50 countries. sanitisers to every passenger The president had sent the There are more than 250 while all passengers and crew will same gift to heads of states of varieties of mangoes in Pa- be required to wear masks and around the world. kistan, including Chaunsa, comply with other SOPs. The initiative was aimed Sindhri, Langra, Anwar Ratol Furthermore, the aircraft must at introducing the fruit to and Samar Bahisht. be disinfected in accordance new international markets The country’s ‘mango di- with the SOPs before boarding A couple wearing protective masks walks along a market in Karachi yesterday. While Pakistan has dodged the devastation some in a bid to further boost plomacy’ goes back a long the passengers. The presence of the world’s Covid hotspots have endured, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged caution, advising people to wear masks in order export of Pakistani fruits and way with Pakistani diplomats of PPAs on each aircraft will be to “avoid a spike”. According to figures released by the National Command and Operation Centre, the number of active Covid-19 vegetables and highlight reportedly first introducing ensured while the cabin crew cases is nearing 9,500, whereas there were just over 6,000 cases last month. investment opportunities in the fruit in diff erent parts of will be required to provide hand the horticulture sector. the world in the Sixties sanitisers to the passengers every hour. CAA said the protocol would be binding on passengers on domestic flights. The requirement to wear a mask is mandatory on all parts of the airport and on board whereas, social distancing, hand sanitiser and mask must Opposition be ensured while boarding and disembarking. Govt distances Waqar Masood announces appointed as special assistant on revenue itself from new schedule for rallies

Internews pointed the PDM’s Secretary-General Islamabad and other senior opposition leaders, sedition case Iqbal said the participants of the meet- ing had also condemned the fi rst in- he alliance of opposition par- formation report (FIR) lodged against ‘Filing treason cases is not our was a political party and that it was Badar Rasheed, on which Shahdara ties has decided to hold its fi rst former prime minister Nawaz Sharif policy. These were the tactics yet to make its move. police registered a case under the ap- Tpublic rally in Gujranwala on and other PML-N leaders. [used during] Nawaz Sharif’s Earlier in the day, an FIR was reg- plicate section of the law,” the notifi - October 16, senior PML-N leader Ah- The PML-N leader alleged that the tenure,’ says PM istered against Sharif on a crimi- cation maintained. san Iqbal announced after a meeting of government has damaged the Kashmir nal conspiracy for the “provocative The FIR registered by a citizen, the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s cause by implicating Azad Jammu and Prime Minister Imran Khan has Internews speeches” he made in London to Badar Rasheed, states that Sharif has (PDM) steering committee. Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq appointed eminent economist Islamabad “defame Pakistan’s institutions”. “conspired against the state and its The PDM leaders also announced a Haider in the FIR. and former secretary finance The FIR registered against Sharif institutions” by making “provocative new schedule for anti-government ral- Earlier today, a case was fi led against Dr Waqar Masood Khan as his on October 1 was lodged by a citizen speeches” from London. lies across the country after diff erences the PML-N supremo pertaining to special assistant on revenue with rime Minister Imran Khan has in the Shahdra Police Station’s ju- “Dispensation of justice would be emerged among the main political par- criminal conspiracy for the “provoca- the status of minister of state. expressed displeasure over the risdiction. The case was registered ensured at any cost,” the press release ties on the dates announced earlier. tive speeches” he made in London to Dr Masood has a PhD in Pcriminal conspiracy case fi led under the provisions of the Pakistan added. The PPP had earlier objected to an “defame Pakistan’s institutions”. Economics and a Master’s degree against former prime minister Na- Penal Code for criminal conspiracy The FIR included Section 120-A October 18 rally in Quetta, saying that Taking the mike, Shahid Khaqan in Political Economy from Boston waz Sharif and other PML-N lead- against the PML-N supremo and (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (waging it commemorated the date for the Abbasi said the newly-formed group University Massachusetts, ers, Federal Minister for Science and other leaders. or attempting to wage war or abet- Karsaz bombing incident in 2007 that would aim at providing relief to the USA, and a Master’s degree in Technology Fawad Chaudhry said. The FIR alleges that the former ting waging of war against Pakistan) had targeted slain party leader Benazir people. Economics as well as an LLB from The minister, in a tweet, said the prime minister, in his speeches, and 123-A (condemnation of the Bhutto. “This government is selected and it Karachi University. premier was unaware that such a supported the policies of India, and creation of the state, and advocacy Responding to the objection, the has destroyed the economy. [The PDM The newly-appointed premier’s case had been fi led against the PML- claimed that Sharif wanted to give of abolition of its sovereignty) of the PDM decided to join the PPP for its demands] that the country should be aide has wide-ranging experience N supremo, and that maybe someone the impression that Pakistan will be Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Karachi rally and postpone the Quetta run according to the Constitution,” he in both the public and private wanted to implicate him in a case. listed in the Financial Action Task It also included the PPC’s Section rally to October 25. said. sectors. “Prime Minister Imran Khan was Force’s (FATF) grey list in its upcom- 124-(assaulting president, gover- Iqbal also said the opposition parties Abbasi claimed that the mass- In the past few months, Dr Waqar unware of any such [first informa- ing meeting. nor etc with intention to compel or will hold “massive gatherings” sub- es would join the PDM’s campaign Masood assisted the Ministry tion report] FIR. When I informed The Punjab police clarifi ed late restrain the exercise of any lawful sequently in Peshawar and Multan on against the government and that Pa- of Finance in diff erent informal him about it, he expressed extreme yesterday that the sedition case power), Section 124-A (sedition), November 22 and 30, respectively. kistan would see “a new beginning of capacities and was recently made displeasure,” Fawad Chaudhry said against Sharif was registered at the Section 153 (wantonly giving provo- “Finally, a massive gathering will be democracy”. in-charge of a high-powered in response to journalist Hamid behest of a private citizen and not the cation with intent to cause riot), Sec- held in Lahore on December 13, after PDM’s Vice President Raja Pervez committee working to create a Mir who had shared the copy of state. tion 153-A (promoting enmity be- which this fake set-up will not be able Ashraf said the basic aim of the move- targeted subsidies mechanism for FIR. According to a press release is- tween diff erent groups) and Section to stand on its feet and the nation will ment was to express the sentiments of diff erent sectors of the national “Filing treason cases is not our sued by the Lahore Capital City 505 (statements conducing to public announce that they want the rule of the Pakistani people. economy. [PTI government’s] policy. These Police, “Various speculations were mischief). Constitution and law in the country,” “Today, people in Pakistan are suf- Meanwhile a meeting of federal were the tactics [used during] Nawaz being made in the media regarding The FIR also invoked Section 10 of Iqbal said. fering as they are unemployed, and cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sharif’s tenure,” he said. the case”. “In fact, the case was reg- the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Flanked by Shahiq Khaqan Abbasi If we don’t raise our voice for them it Imran Khan discussed the The science minister said the PTI istered on the request of a citizen, Act (Peca) 2016. who, it was announced, has been ap- would be a grave injustice,” he said. overall economic situation of the country.

Pakistan Navy, Snapshots from Karachi’s Clifton beach Japan Maritime Force hold joint exercise

Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Zulfiquar has participated in Passage Exercise with Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force Ship Onami in Gulf of Aden. Both the ships are presently operating in vital area of Gulf of Aden as part of international eff orts to counter piracy and ensure security of international shipping. The Passage Exercise encompassed various operational serials with the aim to enhance interoperability and augment collaborative eff orts to ensure maritime security in the region. PNS Zulfiquar is also undertaking Regional Maritime Security Patrol in Gulf of Aden. The exercise is testimony of Pakistan Navy’s resolve to provide secure maritime environment in the global commons for international shipping and contribute towards international eff orts to counter A couple walks at the Clifton beach in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi yesterday. Right: Fishermen remove fish from a net at the Clifton beach. illicit activities at sea. Gulf Times 16 Wednesday, October 7, 2020 QATAR

Amir welcomes Afghan president

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani welcomed the President of Afghanistan, Dr Mohamed Ashraf Ghani, and his accompanying delegation at the Amiri Diwan in Doha yesterday. An off icial reception was held for the president upon his arrival at the Amiri Diwan. The two leaders held a session off icial talks. The Amir expressed confidence that the visit will contribute to strengthening bilateral relations.

Jurisprudence and political agreement Great potential for are key, says minister

By Mudassir Raja Doha

Afghan peace: Ghani cting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mohamed By Mudassir Raja “Afghans are not the prisoners of the AHaneef Atmar has said Doha past. They can live in peace. that with additional and en- “We have died enough. We must em- hanced eff orts from all sides, the brace living together. We must have cour- two main obstacles – jurispru- fghan President Ashraf Ghani has age to declare a national ceasefi re.” dence and political agreement said that the government of Af- Highlighting the eff orts of his govern- – in the ongoing Afghan peace Aghanistan is ready to overcome the ment for peace, the president said: “In process can be removed, and a past in order to achieve peace. four days, the Loya Jirga decided to release fi nal agreement achieved. “We have the will, capital, capabilities, some 400 prisoners. It was a courageous Addressing a press conference Minister Atmar: The role played and desire for peace, but we must have decision as we want peace. at the Sheraton Grand Doha Re- by Qatar has proved very compassion, commitment and courage to “The Afghan nation has passed the test sort and Convention Hotel yes- fruitful. fi nd the peace,” he said yesterday. of showing courage for peace with fl ying terday, the minister, who was He made the observation while deliver- colours. part of the offi cial Afghan dele- to an agreement of political set- ing a lecture on the Prospects for Peace in “Peace is guaranteed by an end state. gation led by President Dr Ashraf tlement, which would establish a Afghanistan, organised by the Centre for There is a democratic government in Af- Ghani, said: “The two primary permanent ceasefi re.” Confl ict and Humanitarian Studies (CHS), ghanistan, backed by the international issues are critical for rules of Appreciating the Qatar gov- at Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. community. procedure to move the peace ernment for the offi cial invita- The lecture was moderated by CHS di- “The negotiating team has full authority talks further. tion and hospitality for the Af- rector Sultan Barakat. and mandate of the people of Afghanistan. “I hope that all the parties will ghan delegation, Atmar said that Ghani stressed the need and desire of “This is the fi rst team that is not going to be able to make a fi nal agree- there were two objectives of the the Afghan people for peace, and brought be micromanaged.” ment, bringing peace for the Af- visit: the fi rst was to advance the home the point that peace can certainly be Speaking about the nature of the con- ghan people.” peace process, and the second achieved in his country. fl ict in his country, Ghani said: “The con- The minister said that the Af- was to expand co-operation with He highlighted the diff erent aspects of fl ict is not a civil war in Afghanistan. It is ghan government is pursuing Qatar at multiple levels. Afghanistan’s history, culture, religion, not a separatist war. There is no faction three objectives at the moment He said that high-level meet- and economy in support of his arguments fi ghting for separation. They are fi ghting to achieve peace. ings were held by members of that peace can be established. to control the centre. He explained: “The fi rst objec- the Afghan delegation with the A good number of people were in at- “There is great potential for peace, as all tive is to remove the obstacles in Qatar government as well as with tendance, including members of the dip- want to live in Afghanistan.” the way of reaching the rules of offi cials from the US Department lomatic community in Qatar. He further underlined the points that procedure for the peace process. of State. The lecture was organised in compli- can lead to peace. “The second objective is to “The meetings have proved ance with social distancing rules and other Ghani said: “We have the most Islamic have a reduction in violence, and very positive and successful, as coronavirus preventative measures. constitution in the world. Over 99% of the fi nally, to have a complete cease- we share a common objective of “Peace in Afghanistan cannot be the people are Muslims. fi re. having peace and stability in Af- peace of one group. It must be the peace of “Afghanistan has a long history of Islam “It is a legitimate desire of the ghanistan. the people because the people are sover- and Islamic civilisation. Religion is not a people of Afghanistan. “The role played by the Gov- eign,” the Afghan president said. dividing force but a binding force in the “Reduction in violence was ernment of Qatar has proved “Confl ict is very easy. It becomes an au- country.” promised to the people during very fruitful so far, and will fur- tomatic force, but the people responsible Highlighting the role of Afghan women, the peace agreement (signed ear- ther the peace process,” Atmar (for the confl ict) should realise that people he mentioned their bravery and courage to lier this year). noted. die due to their orders,” said Ghani. speak up. “It is necessary to establish Appreciating the political will Alluding to the Taliban, he said: “We “The women of Afghanistan do not a special mechanism to moni- of the Qatar government, the must show compassion for the weak peo- need someone to speak for them or write tor the level of violence, and the minister said: “It will enhance ple who are being killed and for our reli- for them. They can speak for themselves, two sides have to take eff ective our bilateral ties and economic gious values that do not allow the killing of and they can represent themselves,” the measures to address the reasons co-operation. innocent people. president said. “There are numerous ex- behind the violence. “We have agreed to establish a “We must show some courage to em- amples in history when Afghan women “The third objective of the Af- joint commission to further dis- brace peace. We should be committed to took up arms against the British, and suc- ghan government is to make sure cuss the ties and operationalise President Ghani delivering the lecture yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil peace as it is not going to be an easy road. cessfully defended their homeland.” that the peace negotiations lead them at the highest level.” Qatar-Asian Parliamentary Friendship Ministers discuss Qatar-Afghanistan co-operation Group welcomes Afghan delegation

The Qatari-Asian Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Shura Council, headed by its chairman HE Rashid bin Hamad al-Maadadi, held a meeting yesterday with the delegation of the House of HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Aff airs Yousef bin Mohamed al-Othman Fakhro met yesterday the Representatives of the People and the House of Elders of Afghanistan. During the meeting, they Acting Minister of Economy of Afghanistan, Karima Hamid Faryabi, who was among the delegation accompanying Afghan President Dr reviewed parliamentary relations between the two sides, and means of supporting and developing Mohamed Ashraf Ghani. During the meeting, they discussed aspects of co-operation, especially issues related to employment, and ways to them. Shura Council member Ahmed bin Khalifa al-Rumaihi attended the meeting. support and develop them.