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QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune Sunday June 14, 2020 shawwal 22, 1441 Vol.13 no. 4972 qR 2

Fajr: 3:14 am Dhuhr: 11:34 am fine Asr: 2:57 pm Maghrib: 6:28 pm High : 42°C LOW : 34°C Isha: 7:58 pm

Americas 7 Business 8 Sports 11 Brazil now second in virus Masraf Al Rayan Juve squeeze past Milan to deaths worldwide, as US capitalisation remains reach cup final as states see rising cases robust in Q1: Report football returns to Italy

Amir, Angola president Malls, shopping centres to run from review bilateral ties His Highness The Amir of State of Qatar 8 am to 8 pm during weekdays: MoCI Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held The four-phase easing of restric- a telephone conversa- ● Those under 12 years and tions begins on June 15, followed by tion with President of Malls to operate at 30% the second stage on July 1, the third the Republic of Angola above 60 are barred from on August 1 and the fourth and the Joao Manuel Lourenco capacity from Monday entering the malls final on Sept 1. on Saturday. During The malls and shopping centres the phone call, they Tribune News Network ● Malls & shopping centres to will have to meet certain conditions discussed bilateral relations and the means to bolster them. Doha remain shut on weekends as they resume operations. They also discussed developments related to the COVID-19 ● Allowing shoppers onto the pandemic. In this regard, the Angolan president thanked HH Malls and shopping centres will ● Parking spaces for visitors to premises only after checking the col- the Amir for the Qatari support and assistance to Angola dur- be allowed to operate between 8 am be reduced by 50% our code on the Ehteraz app. Only ing the pandemic. (QNA) and 8 pm at 30 percent capacity dur- ‘Green’ code holders are allowed in. ing weekdays from Monday (June 15) ● ● Gaming centres, amusement ● Barring people not wearing a when the first phase of lifting of COV- Only ‘Green’ medical mask and compelling visi- ID-19 restrictions begins. code holders on parks, skateboard arenas, tors to wear one throughout their These businesses, however, will re- Ehteraz app will prayer rooms and cinemas time at the mall. main closed on Fridays and Saturdays. be allowed in will remain closed ● Barring individuals under the This was announced by the Ministry age of 12 and those aged 60 and 11,500 complete of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) on above, from entering the mall. Saturday. ous decisions and measures adopted safety of citizens and residents, and SSC final exams The move is in line with the previ- by Qatar to preserve the health and to limit the spread of the virus. Continued on page 2  QNA Minister praises Doha students for A total of 11,500 students have Private health facilities completed the final examina- completing exams tion of the secondary cer- Minister of Education and to resume operations tificate for the academic year Higher Education HE Dr Mo- 2019-20, which lasted for two hammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al weeks. Hammadi has praised the 12th from Monday: MoPH The students had complet- grade students for completing ed the tests at 149 centres, and their final exams during these Tribune News Network were observed by about 6,100 exceptional circumstances. Doha employees, including commit- “Congratulations for finish- tees’ employees. ing the secondary school exams Private healthcare facilities Minister of Education and under these exceptional circum- can resume operations in all Higher Education HE Dr Mo- stances that have affected the health specialties from Mon- hammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al whole world,” Hammadi said in day as part of the gradual eas- Hammadi confirmed that the a statement. Qatar Rail receives new batch ing of COVID-19 restrictions. ministry had taken all precau- “Undoubtedly, you have set In a memo issued to pri- tionary measures to curb the an impressive example through vate health facilities, the Min- outbreak of COVID-19 to en- your determination and sense of Doha Metro trains istry of Public Health (MoPH) sure the health and safety of of responsibility towards our said they should limit clini- the students. country’s future. This is ex- QNA network will increase from 75 Cup Qatar 2022 tournament. cal operations to 40 percent The secondary school cer- pected from anyone who lives in Doha to 110. The trains are to be Approximately one and a of their maximum capacity tificate control centres are at Qatar -- citizen or resident,” he transported to Qatar Rail’s Al half million visitors are expect- and continue to provide tele- Sumaya and Hafsa schools for added. Qatar Railways Company (Qa- Wakra Depot where they will ed to arrive in Qatar during the medicine services as much as gency and urgent care ser- girls, where marking is being “By taking the final exams tar Rail) has received the first be reassembled and tested in tournament days. possible. vices. carried out, besides monitor- under COVID-19 pandemic, batch of the additional Doha readiness for adding them to Qatar Rail’s Managing The memo said private ● Allocation of a clinic ing, estimating grades and you proved high conviction in Metro trains at Hamad Port. the network. Director and Chief Executive health facilities should contin- time of no less than 40 min- reviewing them to ensure that education and determination to This batch includes two out All the necessary tests Officer Eng. Abdulla Abdulaziz ue to suspend health services utes for each client with each each student gets the accurate join the university in spite of all of a total of 35 additional trains such as checking the technical Al Subaie said these ad- delivered in the home (home doctor or care provider. degree. the challenges. We commend that were ordered according to and operational aspect of the ditional trains will increase visits by doctors, physical ● Allow clients to enter The results will be an- your strong will power and trust the agreement signed earlier trains will be done to ensure the network’s capacity and therapy, daily nursing etc) the healthcare facility only five nounced through the minis- in the measures taken by the with the Kinki Sharyo manufac- their compliance with the reduce the time between tips except for services provided minutes before the scheduled try’s website after the approv- ministry to ensure your safety ture. The rest of the additional approved safety and security to provide a smooth trans- through long-term contracts. appointment time. al of the Minister of Education during the exams.” trains will arrive in the coming standards. portation experience for the They are also required to ● Check the COVID-19 and Higher Education. Certifi- The minister also thanked months. These additional trains will network users, especially dur- adhere to the following in- status of the clients and health cates will also be received in the schools leaderships, teach- By the second quarter increase the capacity of the ing the main events hosted structions: workers through Ehteraz ap- schools, and students will be ers and administrative teams of next year, total number of metro system, especially during by Qatar such as the World ● Receiving clients only plication. informed of the date by a text for their great job during these trains serving on Doha Metro the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022. through the pre-booked ap- message. exceptional times. (TNN) pointment, except for emer- Continued on page 2 

UDC awards QR1.5 bn contracts for Gewan Island’s infra works 8 parks to open for sports, Tribune News Network Othman said, “Despite the current vices and finishings to all 15 build- workouts from Monday Doha exceptionally difficult conditions, ings being developed by UDC which Eight public parks will remain open for a few UDC continues to pursue the de- will deliver 586 apartment units, hours in the morning and the evening from United Development Company velopment phases of all its projects 11,000 sqm of retail area, a mixed- Monday as part of the four-phase plan to ease (UDC), the master developer of The as part of an action plan based on use climate-controlled Crystal Walk COVID-19 restrictions. This was announced by Pearl-Qatar and Gewan Island, has enhancing operational flexibility and a 71,000 sqm common base- the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. awarded the contracts for Gewan to achieve sustainable growth for ment parking. The parks that will open are: Al Wakra Public Island’s Building & Landscape pack- the company and to create new op- The building & landscape pack- Park, Al Khor Park, Al Qutaifa Park 66, Al Sha- age to China Railway 18th Bureau, portunities and long-term revenue age also includes development of mal City Park, Al Sailiya Park, Al Dafna Park, and has tasked Navayuga Engineer- streams, while attaching great im- designated roads and road connec- Museum Park and Al Rayyan Park. People can ing Company with Infrastructure portance to the safety of employees, tions, the island’s clubhouse, prayer visit the parks from 4 am to 9 am and 4 pm works on the island. residents and contractors alike by rooms and 20 standalone seaside to 10 pm. Only those with green status on UDC’s investment in these pack- applying the necessary precautions.” villas in addition to the installation Ehteraz app and body temperature within the ages amounts to approximately QR1.5 As part of the building & land- of island-wide CCTV surveillance normal range will be allowed to enter. Once billion. The development works are scape package, China Railway 18th and landscaping of all public spaces inside, people are not supposed to sit in the expected to be completed in 2022. Bureau is expected to undertake and 15 UDC buildings. garden area as the parks can only be used for The design of the 15 multi-use building developed by United Develop- UDC President, CEO and Mem- works on Gewan Island’s common doing exercises. (TNN) ment Company. ber of The Board Ibrahim Jassim Al basement structure, including ser- Continued on page 9  02 Sunday, June 14, 2020

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1,956 more recover from COVID-19, 1,828 more test positive in 24 hours COVID-19 has brought Qatar and Tribune News Network Doha Nepal closer to each other: Envoy Recoveries from COVID-19 continue the buoyant upswing in Qatar as 1,956 more patients Qatar Charity has distributed over 6,000 food packets to Nepalese expats recovered from the virus on Saturday, taking the total number of recoveries to 55,252. Ashraf Siddiqui were not just unable to remit home, but In the last 24 hours, 1,828 more people tested Doha were also faced with shortage of food, ac- positive for the virus, taking the total active cas- commodation and social security issues. es in the country to 23,094. The total number of Ambassador of Nepal to Qatar HE Dr “With deepening coronavirus crisis identified infections since the outbreak in Qatar Narad Nath Bharadwaj has expressed and increasing number of infections, the reached 78,416. his gratitude to The Amir His Highness Nepalese workers are feeling more vul- The last 24 hours also saw 13 patients being Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for di- nerable and are in a state of panic,” he shifted to intensive care units due to health com- recting government agencies to dispatch said. plications resulting from infection, bringing the a consignment of medical equipment and The ambassador also thanked Qatar total number of cases currently in ICUs to 232. medicines to Nepal amid the (COVID-19) Charity and Qatar Red Crescent Society In a statement, the Ministry of Public Health said will be to receive the right treatment and recover pandemic. for protecting the lives and dignity of the there has been a small decrease in the number of from it. In an online interview with Qatar people in crisis, irrespective of their ori- acute COVID-19 positive patients being admitted The main screening centers include Muaither Tribune, the ambassador said that while gin, citizenship and health status. He said to intensive care, thanks to the measures taken by Health Centre, Rawdat Al Khail Health Centre, Qatar and Nepal share friendly relations that Qatar Charity, in collaboration with the ministry and the authorities concerned to limit Umm Slal Health Centre and Al Gharafa Health based on mutual respect, trust and coop- the Nepalese Embassy, Non-Resident the spread of the virus. The new confirmed cases Centre. eration, the coronavirus pandemic has Nepalese Association (NRNA) and other of infection have been introduced to complete iso- The ministry said, based on the extensive data brought the two countries closer to each community organisations, has so far dis- lation at various medical facilities in the country, and studies conducted by the authorities in the other. HE Dr Narad Nath Bharadwaj tributed more than 6,000 food packets to where they receive the necessary healthcare. country, Qatar will begin, starting next Monday, Bharadwaj said that the prime min- needy Nepalese expatriates. The ministry said the efforts to tackle the June 15, to lift the restrictions imposed to combat ister of Nepal, in his telephonic conver- The ambassador said the pandemic The ambassador said the pandemic COVID-19 virus in Qatar have succeeded in flat- the epidemic gradually in four stages that will last sation with Prime Minister of Qatar HE has impacted the expatriate community has also made international movement of tening the curve and reducing the impact of the until September 1. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz severely across the world, including Qa- workers difficult. virus by a large percentage. In this context, it is stressed that the applica- Al Thani, conveyed Nepalese people’s tar. Bharadwaj said the world would never Qatar has now started to overcome the stage of tion of preventive measures and measures must solidarity with Qatar in the fight against “Workers have lost jobs due to sus- be the same after the pandemic is over. the peak of the virus outbreak, it added. continue to be implemented in the stages of grad- the pandemic. pension of productive activities. Many “The pandemic has compelled us to The ministry said anyone who has symptoms ually lifting the imposed restrictions that were ap- He said the Qatari prime minister as- construction companies have downsized redefine socialisation, work spaces, sports of COVID-19 should either quickly contact the plied in the country as a result of the spread of the sured his Nepalese counterpart of contin- their workforce and businesses have shut activities and other creative activities re- 16000 helpline or go directly to one of the desig- COVID-19, as failure to adhere to precautionary ued protection and medical care for the down resulting in massive layoffs,” he quiring congregation of people. I think, nated health centers for testing. This is important measures during the next stage will lead to the re- Nepalese workers during the coronavirus said. we are on the threshold of a whole new as the earlier the disease is detected the easier it turn of the virus to the country. crisis. The ambassador said that workers civilization,” he added.

Ministry rolls out Onion prices touch precautionary ‘Malls must adhere to record low in Qatar measures at to Dirham 50 per kg preventive measures’ Santhosh Chandran health facilities doha Continued from page 1  * Continuously measure Continued from page 1  the body temperature of the ONION prices touched a record low in Qatar  Measuring the body outlet’s staff, isolate employ- on Saturday to Dirham 50 per kilogram in The other conditions are: temperature of workers and ees who exhibit symptoms the wholesale market. The steep fall in on-  Check the temperature of clients and visitors at all entrances and and inform the authorities ion prices has come as a big relief to families workers upon entering the health facility. preventing those with tem- concerned to take the neces- as well as restaurants and companies that  Clients may be allowed to wait within the peratures above 38 degrees C sary precautions and health provide free food to their employees amid healthcare facility, provided that the space al- from entering the mall. measures in this regard. the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. located to each client is not less than 9 square  Providing hand sanitis- * Abide by the decision Onion dealers in the wholesale market metres and that the distance between one cli- ers across mall facilities. to allow employees aged 60 told Qatar Tribune that onion price has ent and the next is 1.5 to 2 metres.  Educating visitors to years and above, in addition been dropping lately with the normalisation  Clients with respiratory infections or fe- maintain a safe distance of no to pregnant women and staff of the supply chain from India since the last ver should not be allowed to mix with other cli- less than 2 metres from other with chronic diseases, to work week of April. ents. Instead, they must be separated in sepa- individuals. from remotely. Onion price reached its peak touching rate waiting rooms  Reducing the number * Place safe-distancing QR18 per kilogram in the retail market in  All workers and clients must wear face of parking spaces available to stickers on the store’s floor. the beginning of April, just after the lock- masks all the time visitors by 50 percent. * Allow customers to enter down was imposed in countries where on-  The facility must provide appropri-  Operating at less than retail outlets only according ion was imported from amid COVID-19. ate personal protective equipment (PPE) for 30 percent of the mall’s regu- to the store’s capacity. Only Manager of a catering company that health workers. lar capacity. one individual is allowed per supplies food to the labour camps in Al Khor  Provide full protection (full PPE) for  Barring smoking at mall 9sqm. Industrial Area said, “We are supplying health workers when making interventions entrances and removing all * Encourage customers to food to many companies based on a yearly that generate aerosols or splashes. containers designated for cig- pay using credit cards rather contract. So, we could not revise the price  Frequent disinfection of examination arette waste. than using cash. of food stuff according to its availability, rooms, chairs, treatment rooms and waiting  Preventing the gather- * Continuously sterilise even though our expense increased by 20 to rooms according to the infections control rules ing of visitors and limousine/ from dining in. Malls and shopping cen- all of the outlet’s facilities, in- 30 percent due to the sharp hike in onion of MOPH. taxi drivers at the entrance to  Shops selling sweets, ice tres have to adhere to the cluding administrative offices, prices.”  Applying strict physical distancing while the mall cream, cakes, pastries, honey precautionary and preven- warehouses, employee hous- Onion is one of the key ingredients of providing care and maintaining a safe distance The other applicable con- and dates. tive measures outlined by the ing and affiliated transporta- food of people of this region and of Asians. except during doing medical examinations or ditions are: According to the circular, Ministry of Public Health and tion facilities. A wholesale onion dealer in Doha said, procedures  Partial opening of some gaming centres, amusement the Ministry of Administrative The decision comes into “The pandemic and the subsequent lock-  Utilisation of single-use tools as possible shops in commercial centres, parks, skateboard arenas, Development, Labour and So- effect from Sunday and may down in Asian markets interrupted the sup- which must be disposed of immediately ac- provided the outlet’s floor prayer rooms and cinemas cial Affairs. be subject to amendments and ply of many vegetables including onion lead- cording to MoPH standards. space is not less than 300sqm. will remain closed. The deci- Shops and retail outlets updates according to the latest ing to its severe shortage in Qatari market.”  Compliance with the rules and guide-  Restaurants that deliver sion also prohibits any artistic, operating inside malls and developments in this regard. According to market sources, a large lines of the Ministry of Public Health regarding to home addresses or hand cultural or recreational activi- shopping centres have to com- Any violation of the decision number of traders had placed orders with the health workers in the health facility and the over orders at the restaurant, ties at malls and commercial ply with the following meas- will subject perpetrators to le- Indian suppliers for large volumes of onion, need to monitor their health status. while prohibiting customers centres. ures: gal accountability. but owing to the lockdown, Indian farmers could not deliver their produce to the sea- ports. However, with the beginning of the phase wise easing of lockdown in the coun- try and restoration of economic activity, ex- port resumed and onions flooded the Qatari Ministry of Justice sets up 3 administrative units market leading to a sharp drop in its price. It is noteworthy that India, Pakistan and qna islative systems in the State, de- tivation of Law No (22) of 2017 official website. the goals that the law seeks to Sri Lanka are the major suppliers of onion doha velop legal professions and work regulating real estate brokerage. These efforts will be followed achieve. The new unit focuses on in Qatar. on the necessary legislation to The ministry has directed by meetings of the Committee highlighting the Qatari expertise THE Ministry of Justice has es- encourage and protect national real estate brokers to accelerate for Regulating Non-Qatari Own- and qualifying national experts tablished three administrative and foreign investments. registration for completing the ership of Real Estate and Utilis- according to the needs of the ju- units, after the Cabinet’s ap- The new administrative units licensing and accreditation pro- ing it, which will encourage the diciary. proval, and within the frame- include the Real Estate Broker- cedures for practicing brokerage. investment climate in the coun- The Anti-Money Laundering work of the ministry’s commit- age Department, the Experts The registration is open to all try and boost the real estate sec- and Terrorist Financing Unit re- ment to Qatar’s development Administration, and the Anti- companies and individuals. tor in general. flects the Qatar’s pioneering role strategies to realise the goals of Money Laundering and Terrorist The ministry added that in The Experts Administration in this field. The new unit seeks the Qatar National Vision 2030 Financing Unit. order to facilitate the citizens Affairs of the Ministry of Jus- to facilitate coordination be- and achieve comprehensive eco- The Real Estate Brokerage who wish to practice real estate tice provides technical exper- tween supervisory and the com- nomic and social progress. Department has already started brokerage, or are already operat- tise in the fields of engineering, petent authorities in this field The move also seeks to up- performing its duties within the ing, a registration page has been accounting and any other fields and keep upgrading according to grade the legal, judicial and leg- framework of the ministry’s ac- launched through the ministry’s or specialisations to achieve the international standards. Nation Sunday, June 14, 2020 03 beIN SPORTS launches ‘LaLiga’ filter to mark QRCS prepares healthcare centre football league return Tribune News Network to aid people in Afghan province Doha beIN SPORTS, the global The QR2.1 million project aims to reduce morbidity rate by providing high-quality healthcare sports channel, is celebrating the return of the Spanish foot- Tribune News Network ball league ‘LaLiga’ with a dedi- Doha cated filter in partnership with Instagram. The filter has been THE representation mission launched across beIN SPORTS’ of Qatar Red Crescent Soci- global locations including the ety (QRCS) in Afghanistan is Middle East and North Africa working on a project to es- (MENA), Asia Pacific (APAC), providing viewers with exhila- tablish and operate a prima- and the US. rating trilingual coverage. ry healthcare centre in Dis- The fun filter, which in- beIN guests and talent in- trict 3 of Kandahar Province. cludes the famous purple beIN cludes Egyptian legends Mo- At a total cost of $582,000 SPORTS branding, is very hamed Aboutrika and Wael (around QR2.1 million), the popular on Instagram as it asks Gomaa; Algerian expert Lakh- project is aimed at reducing fans what team they dream dar Berriche; Tunisian football the morbidity and mortality of playing for – allowing true legend Tariq Dhiab; former rates among the local popu- LaLiga enthusiasts to show off Moroccan football star Yousef lation, particularly women their passion and share their Chippo; and many others. and children, by allowing posts with their friends and fol- WHEN TO WATCH them more access to high- lowers. beIN SPORTS will contin- quality health services. As fans of Barcelona all ue its coverage of LaLiga with Other goals of the project over MENA dream of playing the following live games this are to improve the skills of with Lionel Messi and Luis weekend: medical and technical per- Suarez, other fans will want Espanyol vs Alaves Satur- sonnel, as well as creating to play with Eden Hazard and day 13 June, 15:00 Mecca Time obstetric emergency night Toni Kroos’ Real Madrid or (GMT +3) shifts and referral system. Joao Felix and Diego Costa’s Celta Vigo vs Villarreal Sat- To that end, QRCS and its Atletico Madrid. urday 13 June,18:00 Mecca Afghan counterpart worked To find the LaLiga filter, Time (GMT +3) together on the project, the fans can visit the Instagram Leganes vs Real Valladolid which was initiated in 2018 account of beIN SPORTS (@ Saturday 13 June, 18:30 Mecca and will last until July, 2021. Since its opening, the health centre has served 45,182 patients, including under-5 children, mothers, pregnant women and women in beINSPORTS) and press the Time (GMT +3) Since the opening of the childbearing age. filter tab. The name of the filter Mallorca vs Barcelona Sat- health centre, it has served is “beIN LaLiga.” urday 13 June, 23:00 Mecca 45,182 patients, including mables are given to the pa- demic, training and aware- beIN analysts and present- Time (GMT +3) mainly under-5 children, tients free of charge, based ness sessions were held for ers will also join in with fans Athletic Club vs Atletico mothers, pregnant women on the lists of needs and the all the staff on the risks of and post Instagram stories Madrid Sunday 14 June, 15:00 and women in childbearing Afghan Ministry of Health’s the virus, how it spreads, and using the fun filter with the Mecca Time (GMT +3) age. Also, there are 620 indi- (MOH) Basic Package of how to prevent it. The neces- hashtags #beINTERACT and Real Madrid vs Eibar Sun- rect beneficiaries, including Health Services (BPHS). sary protective supplies were #beINLaLiga. day 14 June, 20:30 Mecca the medical and non-medical A wide range of health secured, such as masks, hand LaLiga returned with a host Time (GMT +3) staff, suppliers, drivers and services are available at the sanitisers, soap, etc. of much-anticipated live games Real Sociedad vs Osasuna other professionals engaged health centre, such as ma- This is a major humani- for viewers to enjoy exclu- Sunday 14 June, 23:00 Mecca in the execution of the pro- ternal and child care (pre- tarian project, as it is the only sively across the Middle East Time (GMT +3) ject. natal and postnatal services health care centre in such an and North Africa (MENA) last beIN SPORTS’ official First, the building was – vaccination for women and overpopulated area, mostly Thursday – with world-class Twitter and Instagram ac- leased and renovated, and a children), outpatient clin- poor. Thanks to the good and players such as Barcelona’s Li- counts also showcases live workforce of 17 persons were ics (examinations – com- diverse services, the centre onel Messi and Real Madrid’s coverage of the much-antici- hired (physicians, nurses, mon diseases – malnutri- is receiving more and more Eden Hazard ready to compete pated LaLiga games with re- midwives, vaccinators, lab tion – psychological issues), visitors, with a current aver- for the coveted LaLiga title. actions and comments from technician, pharmacist, so- basic lab diagnostic services, age of 140 cases per day. beIN SPORTS’ main studio legends such as Mohamed ciopsychological advisor, ad- medications and consuma- It has become a first coverage for LaLiga is on beIN Aboutrika. Follow (@beIN- ministrative officer, supervi- ing, training courses were tion and control, nutrition bles, emergency night shifts choice of trust, reflecting the SPORTS HD1 and HD3 for SPORTS_EN) on Twitter in sor, janitors, and security). held on reporting, health and other health and techni- (especially maternity), and reputation of QRCS’ human- Arabic; beIN SPORTS HD11 English or (@beINSPORTS) Then, QRCS secured all management information cal topics. referrals to hospitals for ad- itarian interventions among for English; and beIN SPORTS on Twitter in Arabic or (@ the furnishing and equip- systems (HMIS), Expanded Throughout the operation vanced health care. the target communities, gov- HD14 for French; as well as beINSPORTS) on Instagram ment required for the centre. Programme on Immuniza- period, all the required medi- In response to the coro- ernment organisations and beIN SPORTS’ 4K channel – for more details. In relation to capacity-build- tion (EPI), infection preven- cations and medical consum- navirus (COVID-19) pan- NGOs. ANNHRI, APT hold seminar on coronavirus challenges QNA tive precautionary measures through alternative methods of Doha and health considerations that conducting remote monitoring should be taken by NHRIs and activities without the need to The Doha-based Arab Network national preventive mechanisms visit places of detention. for National Human Rights In- during visiting places of deten- Issam Younis, head of the stitutions (ANNHRI), in part- tion, as well as exploring how Arab Network for National nership with the Geneva-based the purpose and methodology of Human Rights Institutions, Association for the Prevention monitoring are affected by pre- Commissioner-General of the of Torture (APT), organised an cautionary measures and health Independent Commission for online seminar on ‘Control of considerations for monitors. Human Rights in Palestine, said DPS-MIS felicitates 378 meritorious students places of deprivation of the prin- Participants discussed sev- that the extraordinary circum- Tribune News Network Principal Asna Nafees; Vice- appreciated the students for each awardee of the day was ciple of non-harm ... in theory eral topics, such as monitoring stances in the world as a result Doha Principal of Senior Second- achieving 100 percent at- an epitome of hard work, for implementation’, with the of detention centres amid the of the spread of the coronavirus ary School Soma Bhattacha- tendance, and the parents for dedication and of wonderful participation of 33 representa- (COVID-19) virus, assessments, pandemic require national hu- The DPS-Modern Indian rjee; Vice-Principal of Senior providing their children with values that have been im- tives of national human rights accountability and promising man rights institutions to work School (DPS-MIS) Doha re- School Mary Cruz; and Head- a great ambiance at home. bibed over the years. She also institutions and members of the practises, as well as questions hard to ensure and secure these cently organised an online mistress Sini Menon, as well Quoting the words of one of appreciated the collective vi- network. and guidelines on the specific rights. award ceremony to honour as the young achievers and his teachers, he inspired the sion put forth by the manage- The seminar aimed to iden- challenges facing the implemen- He noted that the Covid-19 meritorious students of grades their parents. students to share their ideas ment, faculty, support staff, tify key challenges and good tation of surveillance tasks in crisis showed the willingness V and VI of the academic year A total of 378 students and techniques of learning to parents and students to rise practices related to the preven- national institutions performing of national institutions to work 2019-2020. were virtually awarded for other students to bring them above the ordinary and make tion and control of coronavirus their duties and promoting hu- with creative mechanisms to The event, aired live on their outstanding academic to the fore. the collaborative learning a spread (COVID-19) in places man rights in correctional and carry out their work, in par- Facebook, was attended by excellence and 100 percent at- Principal Asna Nafees grand success. of deprivation of liberty, and to penal institutions. Furthermore, ticular monitoring places of chief guest Sreedharan Kun- tendance. congratulated the young The programme was an- provide practical guidance to in places of deprivation, in addi- detention, including places of niramath, director DPS-MIS; Chief Guest Kunniramath achievers, pointing out that chored by Sonal Sampath. detention monitors on effec- tion to exchanging best practices quarantine.

Vodafone Qatar to support digital transformation of Aman

Moreover, the centre provides on launching the Aman watches The virtual MoU will see the two entities working a hotline (919) to these categories, that track children, and recently together to foster knowledge transfer, train and managed by a team available 24/7. providing laptops and an internet Under the partnership, Vodafone connection for the centre’s chil- develop Aman’s talent and establish new digital Qatar will be advising Aman on dren and women to conduct their processes to streamline Aman’s communications how to enhance these crucial ser- remote learning. Vodafone Qatar vices. is a strategic partner and we hope Commenting on the MoU, Nai- to launch more distinguished and Tribune News Network Al Misned, the acting CEO of Aman. mi said: “Aman plays a vital role in new initiatives to help the people Doha The agreement will see the our society, and as part of our cor- we serve. This cooperation with two entities work together to fos- porate social responsibility, it’s im- Vodafone Qatar adds value, given VODAFONE Qatar and the Pro- ter knowledge transfer, train and portant that we support such social the company’s high level of exper- tection and Social Rehabilitation develop Aman’s talent and estab- work. We look forward to using our tise, especially in the fields of tel- Centre (Aman) have announced lish new digital processes that will digital expertise and world class ecommunications and customer the signing of a Memorandum of streamline Aman’s communica- Vodafone Qatar’s Chief Human Acting CEO of Aman Mariam bint Ali customer service experience to up- service.” Understanding (MoU) to support tions, among other benefits. Resources Officer Khames Moham- Al Misned skill Aman’s people and optimise She added: “This cooperation the digital transformation of the Established in 2002 by Her med Al Naimi their processes and communica- with Vodafone Qatar in the field centre. Highness Sheikha Moza bint and a counselling hotline that tions services.” of training represents only a start- The virtual MoU was signed Nasser, the centre targets the up and reintegrating them into provides free consultations (so- From her end, Ms Misned said: ing point as the centre intends to by Vodafone Qatar’s Chief Human protection and rehabilitation of society. Among the centre’s wide cial, psychological and legal) for “Vodafone Qatar has been a long- broaden it to include other fields in Resources Officer Khames Moham- women and children, who are vic- range of services are a mobile ap- women under the strictest of con- term supporter of Aman centre, line with our plan to optimise the med Al Naimi and Mariam bint Ali tims of violence, or family break- plication for children to seek help fidentiality. having worked with us in 2017 outcomes of the MoU.” 04 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Middle East / Africa

UN chief calls for Iran president decries reduced respect for virus rules thorough probe AFP Rouhani said, citing a report. concerns about infection coun- cases in the Shiite holy city much higher. into Libya mass Tehran But it was “disturbing” to ter-measures at the holy shrine of Qom in February, Iran has Authorities initially im- see that this proportion “has of Imam Reza in Mashhad, struggled to contain what posed a series of measures graves Iranian President Has- greatly diminished... with only the capital of Khorasan Razavi quickly became the Middle aimed at halting the virus’ DPA san Rouhani on Saturday re- 18 to 20 percent of people re- province and a main pilgrimage East’s deadliest outbreak of the spread, such as the closure of New York proached citizens for their specting” the rules now, the site in the country. COVID-19 respiratory disease. mosques, but has gradually reduced adherence to health president said in a live televised “Officials must make great- Official figures show the rolled back many of these steps UN Secretary General An- measures designed to stop the speech. er efforts -- reports on mask illness has killed 8,730 in the since April. tonio Guterres has called for a spread of the novel coronavirus. The health ministry on wearing, social distancing and country, while 184,955 are con- Imam Reza and other ma- thorough and transparent in- “The respect of measures by Saturday announced 71 deaths collective prayer are not sat- firmed to have been infected. jor shrines -- Fatima Masumeh vestigation after mass graves our dear people has been great, from the disease over the last isfactory” at the shrine, Rou- There has been scepticism in Qom and Shah Abdol-Azim were found in Libya. up to 80 percent or more” of 24 hours and 2,410 new infec- hani said, noting also concerns at home and abroad about in Tehran -- were shut in mid- Guterres said he was “deep- Iranians wearing face masks arrive citizens played by the rules be- tions. about the wider province. Iran’s official figures, with March, before authorities re- ly shocked” by the discovery of at a metro station in Tehran. (AFP) tween April 20 and May 20, Rouhani also expressed Since announcing its first concerns the real toll could be opened them in late May. multiple mass graves in recent days, in a statement from his spokesman late Friday. He called for Libyan au- News thorities to secure the graves, identify the victims, establish in brief causes of death and return the bodies to the next of kin, and Botswana capital Fresh Lebanon protests over offered UN support to do so. in lockdown after Guterres repeated calls for new virus cases the fighting to end in Libya and said he hopes a ceasefire will be detected agreed soon. Gaborone Authorities in spiralling economic crisis At least eight mass graves Botswana declared a strict were found, most of them in lockdown in the capital AFP 200 young men gathered on Tarhouna, a town some 65 kil- Gaborone from Saturday Beirut mopeds in central Beirut on Fri- ometres south-east of the capi- after the discovery of 12 day night, some of them defac- tal Tripoli, the UNSMIL said new cases of the corona- Hundreds of demonstrators ing shop fronts and setting fire on Thursday. virus. angered by a deepening eco- to stores. Last week, the GNA’s forces Under the measure, nomic crisis rallied Saturday Security forces fired tear regained control of several bor- no one will be allowed to across Lebanon for a third con- gas to disperse them and some dering areas of Tripoli, foiling a leave the Gaborone region, secutive day, after violent over- of the young men threw stones months-long campaign by Haf- the head of the presiden- night riots sparked condemna- and fire crackers back. tar to seize the city. tial COVID-19 Task Force, tion from the political elite. In Tripoli, demonstrators LNA leader Khalifa Haf- Kereng Masupu, said in a Protesting against the surg- threw stones and Molotov cock- tar’s forces also lost control of statement. ing cost of living and the gov- tails at soldiers late Friday and Tarhouna, his last stronghold No movement would ernment’s apparent impotence damaged the facades of several in western Libya. be permitted without a in the face of Lebanon’s worst banks and shops. Soldiers re- Oil-wealthy Libya has been permit and only essential economic turmoil since the sponded with tear gas. in turmoil since a 2011 revolt top- services will be allowed to 1975-1990 civil war, protesters The next day, Diab called pled long-time dictator Moamer stay open. in central Beirut brandished on officials to assess damage in Gaddafi and has become a bat- Authorities took the de- flags and chanted anti-govern- central Beirut. tleground for rival proxy forces. cision after 12 new cases, ment slogans. Former premier Saad Hariri half of them in the capital, “We are here to demand toured the area, condemning were registered in the land- the formation of a new transi- vandalism and riots. locked southern African tional government” and early Lebanese anti-government protesters clash with soldiers in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood in Tripoli, Lebanon -- one of the most Three ‘Hirak’ country of 2.2 million. parliamentary elections, Neh- on Saturday on the third consecutive day of demonstrations across the country. (AFP) indebted countries in the world, The new cases brought mat Badreddine, an activist and with a sovereign debt of more activists in Algeria to 60 the number of infec- demonstrator told AFP near The Lebanese Red Cross Lebanon is caught in a spi- epicentre of protests in down- than 170 percent of GDP -- went tions in the country, with the Grand Serail seat of govern- said it treated nine people ralling economic crisis, includ- town Beirut, demonstrators into default in March. to face trial one death. ment. wounded in Tripoli. ing a rapid devaluation of the dressed in black and with their It started talks with the In- AFP The World Health In the northern city of Trip- Prime Minister Hassan Lebanese pound, which has faces whitened carried a coffin ternational Monetary Fund last Algiers Organization warned on oli, young men scuffled with se- Diab in a speech condemned triggered a fresh wave of dem- draped with the Lebanese flag month in a bid to unlock bil- Thursday that the pandem- curity forces, who fired rubber Friday night’s violence and what onstrations since Thursday. in a symbolic funeral Saturday lions of dollars in financial aid. Three activists of Algeria’s ic is accelerating in Africa, bullets to disperse crowds. he termed efforts to mount a Local media said the ex- for their crisis-ridden country. Dialogue is ongoing. “Hirak” protest movement which has thus far been The stand-off began after “coup” against the government change rate had tumbled to President Michel Aoun has Unemployment has soared were Saturday ordered to be less badly hit by the virus young men blocked a highway and “manipulate” the value of 6,000 Lebanese pounds per announced that the central bank to 35 percent nationwide. held in pre-trial detention, a than Europe, Asia and the to prevent a number of trucks the Lebanese pound. dollar on the black market at will implement measures from The country enforced a prisoners’ defence group said. Americas. (AFP) carrying produce destined for “The state and the people one point Friday, compared to Monday including “feeding dol- lockdown in mid-March to stem The National Committee Syria from passing through, ac- are being subjected to black- the official peg of 1,507 in place lars into the market”, in a bid to the spread of the novel corona- for the Release of Detainees cording to the official National mail,” he said, vowing to defeat since 1997. support the Lebanese pound. virus, dealing a further blow to (CNLD) told AFP that Merzoug 12 feared dead, News Agency. corruption in the country. In Martyrs’ Square, the Despite the pledges, some businesses. Touati, Yanis Adjila and Amar 20 rescued after Beri appeared in court in the migrant boat northeastern town of Bejaia. sinks off Libya They are to go on trial June 17 for incitement, “publication Cairo Twelve people are Syrian protesters in pro-govt area that could damage the national missing after a migrant Turkey and Russia to hold interest” and “endangering boat bound for Europe demand Assad’s resignation the lives of others during the sank off the Libyan coast, DPA broke out earlier last week in confinement period” against survivors said on Saturday. Damascus the same area, in response to talks on Libya, Syria the novel coronavirus, CNLD The incident took the worsening economic situa- spokesman Kaci Tansaout said. place off the port town of Dozens of people in a pro- tion. AFP The Russian foreign minis- pro-Haftar loyalists, who then He said Beri also faced Zawiya, west of the Libyan government area of Syria took The value of the local pound Istanbul try confirmed the visit of Lavrov tried to march on the capital. charges of “damaging the per- capital Tripoli and 20 other to the streets on Saturday, de- has plunged against the dollar in and Shoigu “to hold consulta- In Syria, where Turkey son of the president of the migrants were rescued, the manding that President Bashar the war-devastated country. Russia’s foreign and defence tions on regional problems that and Russia again back oppos- republic”, Abdelmadjid Teb- International Organization al-Assad step down, in the lat- Sweida is a mainly Druze ministers will visit Turkey on are of mutual interest”. ing sides, they are working to boune. for Migration (IOM) said. est show of opposition to the area that is under the govern- Sunday, the foreign ministry Turkey and Russia -- whose bring a political solution to the The three formed part of a The survivors of the regime. ment’s control. announced, for talks on re- leaders have forged a strong conflict. group of around 20 people ar- shipwreck reported that 12 The protesters gathered Druze, a minority in Syria, gional issues including Libya partnership in recent years -- But their partnership re- rested on Friday for trying to migrants are still missing outside the city hall in the south- are an offshoot of Shiite Islam. conflict. back opposing sides in Libya, mains fragile and is being test- hold a protest in support of the at sea, the agency tweeted western province of Sweida, There has been an increase The meeting, by Sergei which has been riven by unrest ed over the fighting in Syria’s release of other Hirak activists. without providing further chanting slogans against al- in the numbers of participants Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu, was since the fall of dictator Moam- last rebel-held bastion of Idlib. The rest were detained only details. Assad, according to the Syrian in the protests that started about agreed by Russian President er Kadhafi in 2011. Ankara has raised concerns briefly and released. In recent years, the Observatory for Human Rights. a week ago in Sweida, Mundhar Vladimir Putin and his Turk- Ankara has sent Syrian over the recently increased at- Weekly anti-government conflict-ridden country has People shouted “Long live al-Aridi, a local activist, said. ish counterpart, Recep Tayyip fighters, military advisors and tacks by forces loyal to Syrian protests rocked Algeria for been a major transit route Syria and down with Bashar al- “In today’s (Saturday) dem- Erdogan, the ministry said drones in support of the GNA, President Bashar al-Assad in more than a year and only for migrants, mostly Afri- Assad” and “The Syrian people onstration, there were more Saturday. which has changed the tide Idlib. came to a halt in March due to cans, desperate to reach are one,” the watchdog said. than 100 people who called for A Turkish diplomatic of war in the conflict-struck Iranian Foreign Minis- the novel coronavirus outbreak, Europe on perilous jour- The protest was peaceful departure of al-Assad and Rus- source told AFP the situation country. ter Mohammad Javad Zarif is with the authorities banning neys aboard shipwrecks. and no violence was reported. sians and Iranians from Syria. in the north African country of GNA forces have in recent also expected to visit Turkey marches -- although the op- (DPA) Saturday’s demonstra- They also demanded the release Libya would figure high on the weeks recaptured outposts in on Sunday, the Iranian foreign position already suspended its tion followed rare protests that of all detainees,” he told dpa. agenda of talks in Istanbul. western Libya seized earlier by ministry said. regular gatherings.

Saudi-led alliance says it intercepted Egypt accuses Ethiopia of holding it ‘hostage’ in Nile dam talks Yemen rebel missile AFP on the dam in a press release agreement, after Egyptian DPA capital Sana’a and other cit- Cairo posted to the ministry’s Face- President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Cairo ies in late 2014 from a Saudi- book page. put in a request to his ally US backed government. Egypt said Saturday that This was due to “Ethio- President Donald Trump. A Saudi-led coalition, fighting The Houthis’ advances on tripartite talks with Ethiopia pia’s intransigence which, But the process ran Yemen’s Iran-linked rebels, the government’s temporary and Sudan over a controver- once again, became abun- aground after the Treasury said on Saturday it had inter- capital of Aden prompted Sun- sial mega-dam on the River dantly clear during the ongo- Department urged Ethiopia to cepted and destroyed a ballistic ni Muslim Saudi Arabia to Nile were deadlocked because ing meetings of the ministers sign a deal that Egypt backed missile launched by the rebel form the coalition and start an of Addis Ababa’s “intransi- of water resources of Egypt, as “fair and balanced”. group in the direction of Saudi air campaign against the Shiite gence”. Ethiopia, and Sudan”, he Ethiopia denied a deal had Arabia. group in March 2015. The Grand Ethiopia Re- added. been reached and accused The coalition’s spokesman The conflict hasnaissance Dam (GERD) has The strongly-worded Washington of being “undiplo- Turki al-Malki said the missile pushed Yemen, already one of been a source of tension in statement follows days of matic” and playing favourites. had targeted civilian facilities in the Arab world’s poorest coun- the Nile River basin ever since negotiations over the project Ethiopia’s water ministry the south-western Saudi city of tries, to the verge of famine and Ethiopia broke ground on it amid heightened urgency to criticised Egypt on Thursday Najran near the border with devastated the country’s health nearly a decade ago. reach a deal ahead of Addis for detailing its grievances Yemen, the state Saudi news facilities. Ethiopia sees the dam as Ababa’s plans to start filling over the dam in a May letter to agency SPA reported. In late April, the Saudi-led essential for its electrification the dam in July. the UN Security Council. An unspecified number of coalition extended a temporary and development, while Sudan “Ethiopia’s positon is that A file photo shows boats moored by the town of Borg Megheizel, lying The 6,600-kilometre-long civilians were injured by shrap- unilateral ceasefire in Yem- and Egypt view it as a threat to Egypt and Sudan should ei- on the Rosetta branch of the Nile river delta in Egypt’s northern Kafr Nile is a lifeline supplying wa- nel from the missile, according en for a month, saying the step essential water supplies. ther sign a text that would el-Sheikh Governorate. (AFP) ter and powering electricity in to the official. aims to back UN peace efforts Mohamed al-Sebaie, make them hostages to Ethio- the 10 countries it traverses. There has been no com- and focus efforts on curbing an spokesperson for Egypt’s Wa- pia’s will and whim or accept the three Nile basin countries After several rounds of Its main tributaries, the ment so far from Yemen’s outbreak of the new coronavi- ter Resources and Irrigation Ethiopia’s decision to unilat- resumed Tuesday after a four- failed negotiations, the United White and Blue Niles, con- Houthi rebels. rus in the country. Ministry, said he “is not opti- erally fill the GERD,” Sebaie’s month hiatus along with three States and the World Bank verge in the Sudanese capi- Yemen has been in the grip The coalition and the Hou- mistic about the prospects of statement said. observers from the United sponsored talks from No- tal Khartoum before flowing of a devastating power struggle this have traded blame for vio- achieving a breakthrough dur- Talks between the irriga- States, European Union and vember 2019 geared towards north through Egypt to drain since the Houthis took over the lating the truce. ing the ongoing negotiations” tion and water ministers from South Africa. reaching a comprehensive into the Mediterranean Sea. Asia / World Sunday, June 14, 2020 05 One man dead after an explosion in Pakistani city of Rawalpindi 6.7-magnitude quake strikes off coast of Japan: USGS Islamabad At least one person was killed in an explosion in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi Tokyo A strong but deep 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of southwest Japan early late Friday evening and 12 others were wounded, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued. News The explosive device had previously been placed in a busy marketplace, the newspaper There were no immediate reports of injury or damage caused by the earthquake, whose epi- cited police sources as saying. Panic is said to have broken out among residents and shop- centre was 132 kilometres northwest of Naze, Japan. in brief keepers. Police and security forces carried out a major search after the explosion in the area, The quake was relatively deep at 164 kilometres and struck at 12:51 am local time (1551 the Rawalpindi police wrote on Twitter. GMT Saturday), according to USGS. Videos on social media and on television showed rescue workers and debris on the street. Japan’s Kyodo News agency reported that the earthquake was felt in Okinawa as well as the No one initially claimed responsibility for the attack. (DPA) island of Kyushu. (AFP)

Violence in Afghanistan leaves 17 dead, many of them civilians Australian sentenced DPA cident that left one person unknown gunmen in the prov- He was publicly denounc- Kabul wounded, according to Haid- ince’s Argo district, according ing the activities of armed to death in China for ar. to the police chief’s spokes- militia groups in the province, At least 17 people were killed In central Logar’s provin- man, Sanaullah Ruhani. Asir said. in a series of violent incidents cial capital, unknown armed The commander was trav- On Friday, a pro-govern- drug smuggling across four Afghan provinces, men entered into a house, kill- elling from one village to an- ment cleric was killed in an ex- DPA penalty in all circumstances officials said on Saturday. ing a mother along with her other when ambushed, Ru- plosion in capital Kabul. Beijing for all people.” Convicted drug Unknown gunmen killed three daughters, according to hani said. A spokesman for the Af- smugglers face long prison eight people including a for- councillor Qasim Seddiqi. At the same time, a cleric ghan National Security Coun- An Australian national has sentences or the death penalty mer parliamentary candidate The motive behind the was killed by unknown men cil, Javid Faisal, said on Twit- been sentenced to death in in China. in the Ali Sher district of the incident was not yet known, in the Chah-e Ab district of ter on Friday that the Taliban China for drug smuggling, ac- Foreigners previously exe- eastern Khost province, the Seddiqi said. Takhar province while com- was prolonging campaigns cording to the Guangzhou In- cuted by China for drug charg- Residents inspect inside the Sher police chief’s spokesman, Adel Meanwhile, in north-east- ing home from an engagement against the people, killing at termediate People’s Court. es include a Japanese national Shah Suri Mosque following a Haidar, said. ern Badakhshan province, an ceremony, the police chief’s least 89 in the past two weeks. Australian Cam Gillespie in 2014, a Filipina in 2013 and bomb blast during Friday prayers Personal enmity was said armed militia commander and spokesman, Khalil Asir, told The Taliban did not imme- was arrested with over 7.5 kilo- a Briton in 2009. in Kabul on Friday. (AFP) to be the reason for the in- three of his men were killed by dpa. diately react to the comments. grams of methamphetamine in Last year, China sen- his check-in luggage in 2013 tenced two Canadians to death while attempting to board an for drug-related crimes follow- international flight from Bai- ing the arrest in Vancouver of yun Airport in the southern Huawei executive Meng Wan- Two militants Chinese city of Guangzhou. zhou. The court also ordered that Their detention was seen killed in Kashmir all of Gillespie’s personal prop- by some as a retaliatory move Parts of Beijing erty be confiscated. by Beijing for the proceedings gun battle Australia said on Saturday against Meng. DPA it was providing consular as- Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, Srinagar sistance, although access to another Canadian, received prisoners remains difficult due the death sentence after a sud- Two unidentified militants locked down due to to Covid-19 restriction meas- den retrial in which the court were killed in a gun bat- ures implemented by the Chi- deemed his previous 15-year tle with security forces on nese government. prison sentence too lenient. Saturday in India-adminis- “We are deeply saddened to New Zealander Peter Gard- tered Kashmir. hear of the verdict made in his ner is still awaiting sentencing The exchange of fire fresh virus cluster case,” a spokesperson for the after allegedly attempting to took place in the Nipora Department of Foreign Affairs smuggle methamphetamine area of Kulgam district, AFP and Trade told dpa, adding: out of Guangzhou’s Baiyun Central Reserve Police Beijing “Australia opposes the death Airport in 2014. Force (CRPF) spokesman Moses Dhinakaran said. Dozens of people tested posi- “Joint troops of the tive for the coronavirus in Bei- CRPF, police and army jing as parts of the city were neutralized two terrorists locked down Saturday after Thousands of people in and recovered their bod- the emergence of a new clus- ies along with two pistols,” ter linked to a wholesale food Taiwan protest in support Dhinakaran said. market. An operation to nab the People were ordered to stay of Hong Kong rebels was launched by the home at 11 residential estates in security forces after receiv- south Beijing’s Fengtai district DPA Sinica’s Institute of Taiwan ing specific information of and the nearby Xinfadi mar- Taipei History, told the crowd. their presence in a village. ket was closed as authorities Rights groups including The area was cordoned raced to contain the outbreak Thousands of people pro- the Hong Kong Outlanders, off and the gun battle fol- that has fuelled fears of a resur- tested in Taipei on Saturday the Taiwan Citizen Front and lowed. gence in local transmission. against China’s plans to im- the Taiwan Association for Hu- India-administered Most of the six new do- pose a national security law in man Rights, called on Taiwan’s Kashmir has been at the mestic infections reported Hong Kong. government to revise laws in centre of a separatist insur- Saturday were linked to the People carry goods out of the Jingshen seafood market in Beijing on Saturday. The market was closed for Participants gathered in order to respond to the situa- gency since the 1980s. Tens meat and vegetable market, disinfection and investigation on Friday after it was found that a newly identified coronavirus patient had Taipei’s Liberty Square and tion in Hong Kong. of thousands of people in- health officials said,which visited it. (AFP) shouted slogans such as “Stand Lam Wing-kee, a pro-de- cluding rebels, security provides much of the capital’s with Hong Kong,” and “Fight mocracy bookseller who fled force personnel and civil- food supply. Thursday, had visited Xinfadi ployees at the China Meat Re- named Wang said. for freedom!” The protest Hong Kong last year, said he ians have been killed. Official news agency Xin- market and had no recent trav- search Centre, seven kilometres “I hope we can get suffi- was organized by Taiwanese felt heartbroken seeing young Indian forces have hua reported at least one of the el history outside the city. away. One of the employees had cient supplies as soon as pos- groups and Hong Kongers liv- people under fire. upped their offensive cases was “severe”. China’s domestic outbreak visited the market last week. sible”. ing in Taiwan. Campaigners in “As long as we maintain against militants since early But another 45 asympto- had been brought largely un- Officials in Fengtai -- which Beijing authorities also an- Hong Kong and Taiwan often our Hong Kong identity, we this year. At least 88 mili- matic cases -- which China der control through strict lock- has more than two million resi- nounced a mass COVID-19 point to a shared fight against will reclaim Hong Kong,” Lam tants have been killed since counts separately -- were de- downs that were imposed after dents -- announced Saturday testing campaign of anyone the influence of Beijing. said, and called on young Hong January in over three dozen tected after mass testing of the disease was first detected that the district has established who has had “close contact” The date was chosen to Kongers to fleeH ong Kong. operations, Jammu and nearly 2,000 workers at the late last year. a “wartime mechanism” to deal with Xinfadi since May 30, mark the first anniversary of The protesters called on Kashmir police chief Dil- market on Friday, city health These measures had mostly with the fresh wave. after they tested more than Hong Kong’s anti-extradition Taiwanese President Tsai Ing- bagh Singh recently said. official Pang Xinghuo later told been lifted as the infection rate “Everyone’s very stressed 5,000 environmental samples bill protest. wen to implement a humani- The Kashmir region is reporters. dropped, and the majority of right now,” an elderly driver from farmers’ markets and “We have seen in the last tarian action plan as soon as disputed by India and Paki- Another worker tested recent cases were citizens liv- told AFP outside a fenced-off large supermarkets across the year how authorities in Bei- possible. Ting Yun-kung, a stan and both control parts positive at a farmers’ market in ing abroad who were tested as neighbourhood. city on Friday. Of those, all 40 jing and Hong Kong have presidential office spokesman, of it. India claims that Pa- the city’s northwestern district they returned home during the With many shops in the af- positive samples came from suppressed a pro-democracy said late on Saturday that Tai- kistan supports Kashmiri of Haidian -- a close contact pandemic. fected areas closed, residents Xinfadi market. movement, forcing people to wan remains determined to militants, a charge Islama- of one of the confirmed cases Among the six new domestic worried how they would stock Around 10,000 people create a Hong Kong commu- help and that a cabinet-level bad denies, calling them linked to Xinfadi. cases announced Saturday were up on essentials. working at the Xinfadi market nity in self-defence,” Wu Rwei- task force was working on a freedom fighters. Beijing’s first COVID-19 three Xinfadi market workers, “What do you want us to will be tested, the market chair- ren, a researcher at Academia plan. case in two months, announced one market visitor and two em- eat and drink?” a woman sur- man told local media.

Kim’s sister says N Korea will take ‘action’ against South: KCNA AFP a statement carried by the authorized by the Supreme She added that “the right to It was the second angry Seoul KCNA news agency. Leader, our Party and the taking the next action against outburst from Pyongyang “I feel it is high time to state, I gave an instruction to the enemy will be entrusted to on Saturday. Earlier in the North Korea will take “ac- surely break with the south the arms of the department the General Staff of our army.” day, the North excoriated the tion” against the South and Korean authorities. We will in charge of the affairs with “Before long, a tragic scene South for making “nonsensi- entrust its military to carry it soon take a next action,” she enemy to decisively carry out of the useless north-south cal talking” about the denu- out, Kim Yo Jong, the power- said in the latest denunciation the next action,” said Kim Yo joint liaison office completely clearisation process and trying ful sister of leader Kim Jong of Seoul. Jong, who is a key advisor to collapsed would be seen,” her to “meddle” in the US-North A demonstrator waves a flag during a rally to show support for Hong Un, threatened Saturday in “By exercising my power her brother. statement on KCNA said. talks. Kong pro-democracy protests at Free Square in Taipei on Saturday. (AFP)

Nepal parliament vote steps up border friction with India Thailand tests bats for coronavirus AFP move and its cabinet decided arisen because neither side can DPA 140 species of bats and we see April said all evidence current- Kathmandu to publish a new political map agree its source. Bangkok the need to study and learn ly suggests that the coronavi- that includes Lipu Lekh and “We are available for talks,” more about them. We need to rus originated in bats in China. Nepal’s lower house of par- contested zones in Kalapani Minister for Law, Justice and Thai researchers caught over understand the coronavirus It remains unclear how the liament on Saturday approved and Limpiyadhura. Parliamentary Affairs Shiva Maya 100 bats in a forest cave in an more and know where the risk virus was transmitted to hu- a new national emblem with a An amendment bill for a Tumbahangphe told parliament. eastern province of Thailand may be at so that policies can mans. controversial political map that revised national emblem to in- Following Saturday’s vote, to test them for the coronavi- be made,” she said. To date, Chanthaburi re- includes strategic territories clude the new map was passed India’s foreign ministry spokes- rus. Supaporn, who identi- ported a total of three corona- disputed with its giant neigh- by the House of Representa- man Anurag Srivastava said: “The The tests are being con- fied the country’s first case of virus cases that all recovered, bour India. tives on Saturday. Speaker Agni artificial enlargement of claims is ducted over three days from COVID-19 in January, said according to the province’s With relations between Prasad Sapkota said there were Nepal’s House of Representatives not based on historical fact or evi- June 11 at Tham Sador cave in the researcher aims to collect public relations department. the two strained by their fron- no votes against. members sign as they vote on dence and is not tenable. Chantraburi province with re- 200 bats, which are immedi- Thailand was the tier squabble, India quickly hit The amendment will have an amendment to update the “It is also violative of our cur- searchers from Chulalongkorn ately released back into the first country outside China back saying the action was “not to be endorsed by the National national emblem with a new rent understanding to hold talks.” Hospital, Kasetsart University cave after their saliva, blood, to record a case of the virus. tenable”. Assembly and the president be- controversial political map in Nepal reacted angrily last and National Parks Depart- urine and faeces are extracted It has recorded 58 deaths The two have been wran- fore it is implemented. Kathmandu on Saturday. (AFP) month after Indian army chief ment, Supaporn Wachara- near the site. from the coronavirus and gling since India last month The neighbours are wran- General M.M. Naravane com- pluesadee, the deputy chief of The tests for the coronavi- 3,134 confirmed cases, most opened a new 80-kilometre road gling over a region of more than Nepal claims the Lipu Lekh mented that Nepal’s reaction the Thai Red Cross’ Emerging rus are to be carried out in a of which have recovered. The in Uttarakhand state leading up 300 square kilometres where under an 1816 treaty that sets might have been “at the behest Infectious Disease Health Sci- lab and it could take weeks for country has reported no local to the disputed Lipu Lekh pass. the Nepali and Indian borders the boundary with India along of someone else”, hinting at Chi- ence Centre, told dpa. the results to show. The World transmission of the virus for 19 Nepal condemned the touch China. the Kali River. Disputes have na’s involvement. “Thailand has more than Health Organization (WHO) in days. 06 Sunday, June 14, 2020

Established September 3, 2006 hamad bin suhaim al thani chairman Opinion adel ali bin ali managing director dr hassan mohammed al ansari editor-in-chief

Trump Is Trashing Arms Control Banning Chinese Treaties Making The World More Dangerous Students Won’t Safeguard If Trump goes through with the withdrawal, US National Security the US and its allies will be denied valuable information about Russian intentions A proposed ban would not only fail to address the main avenue INCE 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic As a result of Trump’s actions, there of Chinese espionage, it will also hurt US universities Scientists has maintained a so-called remains only one significant arms control SDoomsday Clock designed to indicate treaty binding the US and Russia, the 2010 how close the world was to a catastrophe New START Treaty, which places limits on Connor Fairman caused by nuclear war or, more recently, intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear Tribune News Service other causes such as climate change. warheads, missile launchers and nuclear- In January, the group moved the clock to armed bombers. It will expire in February N May 27, Republican Senators 100 seconds to midnight, the direst setting unless the two nations agree to extend it for Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Mar- yet. Among other reasons for the change, the up to five years. sha Blackburn of Tennessee un- group blamed world leaders who “denigrate Russia has said it is willing to extend the veiled the Secure Campus Act, a and discard the most effective methods for pact unconditionally; the Trump adminis- bill that would ban Chinese citizens addressing complex threats — international tration has declined to make that commit- fromO receiving visas to attend US gradu- agreements with strong verification regimes ment, with US arms control negotiator Mar- ate programmes in STEM fields. Contrary — in favour of their own narrow interests shall Billingslea calling the treaty “the wrong to the senators’ comments that the bill and domestic political gain.” framework for the future.” Instead, the ad- will safeguard national security and curb The Doomsday Clock is a symbol to be ministration has said it would try to nego- Chinese theft of US technology, it will not taken seriously, not literally. But its cus- tiate an agreement to replace New START. have the desired effect. Instead, it will todians are right to sound the alarm about But the administration is insisting that likely hurt US universities and further ex- leaders who seek to undermine arms con- a new version of the START treaty also in- acerbate US-China tensions. trol agreements. One of them is the current clude China, which has a much smaller nu- While there are high-profile examples president of the United States. clear arsenal than Russia and the United of Chinese graduate students stealing US First, Donald Trump repudiated the in- States. Beijing has indicated that it has no research, cyberespionage is the main av- ternational agreement that made it harder interest in taking part in arms control nego- enue through which China has stolen US for Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Then, tiations with the other countries. research and technology for over a dec- ed States and the loss of around $3.5 billion The US Department of Justice should claiming that Russia was cheating, he disa- In the past, Trump has said that the ade. According to the US Department of for US universities. Many US universities continue its policy of publicly indicting vowed the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nucle- arms race between the US and Russia Defense, Chinese state-affiliated hackers are already on the precipice of closure due Chinese hackers. Even though this does ar Forces Treaty signed by President Reagan was “getting out of control” even as he has have stolen massive amounts of data about to financial distress and rely heavily on Chi- not deter Chinese cyberespionage, it al- and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. pressed to create a Space Force, develop US military technology, including designs nese students to stay afloat. Revenue from lows the United States to shame malicious Finally, last month Trump said he was new supersonic missiles and resume nu- for fighter jets, missile systems, drones, Chinese students also allows universities to Chinese behaviour on a global stage and pulling the United States out of the Open clear weapons tests. And his aversion to supersonic torpedoes, the THAAD missile provide need-based financial aid to students helps define a norm against cyberespio- Skies Treaty signed in 1992. Under that arms control treaties with Russia might defense system, and Navy ships. from the United States, where tuition and nage of research and technology that the agreement, 34 nations allow each other’s also seem hard to reconcile with his gen- Efforts taken by the United States to student debt are astronomically high. United States can build international ac- reconnaissance aircraft to fly over their ter- eral policy of courting Putin — manifested improve domestic cybersecurity, includ- Compounded with the Trump adminis- tion around. There is precedent for this ritory to monitor possible troop movements most recently in his suggestion that Russia ing the creation of the Cybersecurity and tration’s use of the term “China virus,” which already, as the Group of Seven (G-7) and and missile installations. In announcing might be invited to the Group of 7 summit Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the has been widely criticised as promoting Group of Twenty (G-20) [PDF] – the lat- that it would withdraw from the treaty, the in Washington, DC, later this year (along Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and “de- xenophobia, a broad ban targeting a large ter including China as a member — have Trump administration cited both Russian with India, Australia and South Korea). fend forward” strategy, highlight the pro- subset of Chinese students could alienate embraced norms against industrial cyber- restrictions on where US planes could fly in But Russia may actually welcome US with- found threat that Chinese cyberespionage potential allies, especially in Asia, at a time espionage. In the cyber realm, the United that country and financial costs associated drawal from arms control agreements that poses to the United States. However, despite when Washington has been trying to build States should employ defend forward with replacing surveillance aircraft. constrain it as well as the United States. these measures, China continues to launch an international coalition to confront China strategy to disrupt Chinese hacking infra- The administration’s announcement Arms control agreements aren’t a pana- massive cyber operations targeting US uni- in multiple areas, including internet govern- structure and organisations that support jolted America’s European allies, who rely cea, and the ultimate goal should be to elim- versities and the US defence industry. Chi- ance, 5G telecommunications infrastructure, cyberespionage targeting US technology. on information from the surveillance flights inate nuclear weapons, not just reduce their nese hackers face minimal risk in carrying and human rights. It would also unneces- This would raise the cost of carrying out to keep track of Russian military exercises numbers. That is because, even with limits out these operations because they are able sarily exacerbate tensions in US-China re- these kinds of operations in the future. on NATO’s eastern flank. Retired Air Force on stockpiles and weapons development to do so from within China’s borders. While lations, which are already considered to be US Cyber Command should also practice General Michael Hayden, the former direc- more drastic than now exist, the possibility attacks have eventually been linked to spe- at their lowest point in decades. While it is malware inoculation, another tenet of de- tor of both the Central Intelligence Agency of a nuclear war would remain. Still, arms cific Chinese threat groups, attribution in understandable that the United States would fend forward, which publicises malware and the National Security Agency, said control agreements are worth pursuing and cyberspace is slow and often relies on many want to retaliate against Chinese espionage, obtained from foreign networks. Doing so Trump’s decision to withdraw from the preserving — especially if they involve rig- forms of intelligence. Even if Chinese hack- digging the relationship into a deeper hole would make it harder for Chinese threat Open Skies Treaty was “insane.” ourous inspection — because they make it ers are identified and indicted, there is al- serves no practical purpose. Instead of a groups to operate undetected. Trump indicated that he could change less likely that leaders will be tempted to use most no chance that they will stand trial in blanket ban, improving visa-vetting process- To be sure, Chinese theft of US research his mind about withdrawing from the nuclear weapons. the United States. With such protections in es and increasing counterespionage efforts and technology is a critical issue that the Open Skies Treaty if Russia complied fully Trump seems oblivious to that reality. place and the continued success of cyberes- between the US intelligence community and United States needs to address. However, with the agreement. But by announcing On the other hand, former Vice President pionage operations, China has little incen- US universities would help identify would-be banning Chinese graduate students from that the US would withdraw — rather than Joe Biden, Trump’s likely Democratic oppo- tive to change its strategy. spies before they arrive on US soil. enrolling in STEM programmes at US uni- challenging Russian restrictions before nent, has promised to pursue an extension Not only will the ban proposed by Cotton Although the United States has tried to versities will not solve the problem. Instead, a commission established to implement of the New START treaty and to have the US and Blackburn fail to address the main ave- pressure China on cyberespionage in the the United States should take a smarter ap- the treaty — he gave Russia no incentive join the Iran nuclear agreement if Iran re- nue of Chinese espionage, it will also hurt US past, culminating in a 2015 bilateral agree- proach that plays to its strengths and raises to modify its behaviour. If Trump goes turned to full compliance with its terms. It universities. American universities collect ment between Presidents Barack Obama the costs of cyberespionage for China. through with the withdrawal, the US and looks as if a re-commitment to nuclear arms $14 billion annually from Chinese students, and Xi Jinping in which both sides prom- its allies will be denied valuable informa- control by the US will require the election of who often pay full tuition. A ban against ised to refrain from cyberespionage for (Connor Fairman is a research tion about Russian intentions. a new president. students enrolling in graduate STEM pro- commercial benefit, these efforts ultimately associate in the Digital and grammes would amount to nearly a quarter failed. However, there are other options Cyberspace Policy programme at (Tribune News Service) of all Chinese students studying in the Unit- available to the United States. the Council on Foreign Relations) Ways To Keep Warehouse Workers Safe

Storage and distribution companies should consider these seven steps to protect pickers, packers, and shippers from COVID-19

Leigh Buchanan in many ways, are more challenging than says, “it’s a good strategy to include on your often accustomed to entering warehouses warehouse owners can communicate to Tribune News Service offices to secure against illness. Employees team representatives of the transportation through multiple entrances. “They may customers that “if it was contaminated, it move around a lot. Equipment is shared. companies involved in delivery.” have been servicing your facility for years, did not come from us.” AREHOUSE workers at 450-employ- There may be multiple entrances. And Limit equipment use. Small-to- and they know their way in and out,” Develop training. Just as warehouse ee Lindsay Window & Door have been many hands touch a single product as it midsize companies typically don’t pos- Gaines says. Make sure to position sani- employees are trained on safety, they now Wseeing a lot of owner Geoff Roise re- travels from shelf to packaging to shipping. sess huge fleets of forklifts and hydraulic tation stations and other control mecha- also must learn best practices for prevent- cently. Two weeks ago, Roise got on a plane So while all the usual rules apply to stackers, so several employees may take nisms at all entrances. Companies should ing illness. Such training will be “more ex- to visit three of his company’s five produc- protecting warehouses (temperature tak- frequent turns operating them. Kruse sug- encourage drivers to stay in their trucks- tensive than for the office because the PPE tion and distribution facilities around the ing, mask and glove wearing, hand wash- gests limiting each piece of heavy equip- -or at least to remain on the building’s in a warehouse tends to be more exten- country. There he met with groups of em- ing, social distancing), companies in the ment to one operator per day, with thor- perimeter. Gaines suggests installing a sive,” Gaines says. The requirements also ployees to discuss Lindsay’s commitment storage and distribution game should also ough disinfecting between uses. That likely dedicated portajohn for drivers outside of may be more complex. Warehouse work- to minimising the COVID-19 threat in their consider these steps. reduces opportunities for cross training, the warehouse or near the entrance on the ers already have experience in dealing with workplaces and his expectations for how Field an illness-prevention team. which is important for warehouses, where inside. Picnic tables or other furniture on physical risks such as forklift collisions, they will contribute. Many warehouses deploy cross-functional turnover is high. But greater specialisation the grounds allow people to take breaks carbon monoxide on the loading dock, and Roise and his manager of HR and safety teams to oversee safety. Similar teams can may be necessary to minimise infection. from their cabs in the less-risky outdoors. falling items. Now they’ll have to add to also periodically make surprise video calls address COVID-19-related issues, says For less-expensive equipment, such as A dedicated rest area inside the building that list of concerns. “The biggest risk of- to the sites from Lindsay’s headquarters in Travis Kruse, senior director of safety strat- body harnesses, safety glasses, tapers, and could serve in bad weather. fice workers had prior to COVID-19 was North Mankato, Minnesota. “We ask the egy and solutions for the industrial supply utility knives, warehouse managers may Avoid crowding along conveyors. ergonomic injuries,” says Kruse. “People in person on the other end to start walking company Grainger. Representatives from simply want to buy enough so everybody Employees who stand along these systems warehouses already have more of a safety around so we can check for social distanc- different parts of the warehouse identify has his or her own. “Box cutters could be to package products for shipping should be mindset.” ing,” Roise says. their areas’ exposures: crowding around individually provided instead of sitting on properly distanced using floor tape or some Inspect and verify. Companies For a company like Lindsay, these are the conveyor, for example, or the need a table and 10 people grabbing it when they other device, Gaines says. If that’s diffi- should conduct frequent inspections to all sound moves. Business leaders spend for extra care when disinfecting battery- need it,” says Rob Gaines, senior director of cult, he recommends placing inexpensive make sure employees adhere to all proto- more time in their offices than in their recharging stations. They also establish health and safety at US Compliance, which shields between work positions. cols, and that environmental protections warehouses. Consequently, safety prac- sanitation and social-distancing protocols helps industrial companies comply with Disinfect packages. Companies may remain in place. “People respect what you tices within cubicles and conference rooms for employees. Because drivers and de- OSHA and environmental regulations. want to wipe down or spray packages as inspect,” Gaines says. “Everyone must be dominate their attention. But warehouses, livery people are frequent visitors, Kruse Reduce driver access. Drivers are they are loaded into trucks, says Kruse, so held accountable.”

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE OPINION AND ANALYSIS PAGES ARE THE AUTHORS’ OWN. QATAR TRIBUNE BEARS NO RESPONSIBILITY. Europe / Americas Sunday, June 14, 2020 07 French court suspends COVID-19 ban on protests Ukraine reopens its borders to travellers from abroad P ARIS: France’s top administrative court on Saturday suspended a ban on demonstrations, part of KIEV: After almost three months, Ukraine is reopening its borders to travellers from abroad. The the country’s ongoing coronavirus restrictions. move takes effect with the government’s publication of its decision, Ukraine’s border guard ser- News An urgent affairs judge in the Council of State upheld a complaint by trade unions and an indi- vice announced on Saturday. Ukraine is also allowing international air travel again. vidual applicant that the blanket ban was a disproportionate interference with a fundamental right. The country closed its borders and imposed further strict measures to contain the coronavi- in brief Several demonstrations have taken place recently despite the ban, including two large pro- rus in mid-March, when the first infections emerged. tests against alleged police violence and counter-protests by police officers. Infection numbers are now rising again since some of these measures have been lifted. The judge said it had not been established that it would be impossible to hold protests while The country’s caseload currently stands at around 30,000, with just under 900 having died as a respecting health precautions. (DPA) result of Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. (DPA)

EU agrees Trump postpones rally scheduled purchase of 300 Brazil now second in virus for ‘Juneteenth’ holiday mn COVID-19 AFP site of one of the deadliest Washington race riots in US history -- as vaccine doses anti-racism protests sweep the President Donald Trump country following the death of AFP deaths worldwide, as US has postponed by one day a George Floyd in police custody. Berlin controversial rally scheduled “This isn’t just a wink on a holiday commemorating to white supremacists - he’s Germany, France, Italy and the end of slavery in the US, fol- throwing them a welcome the Netherlands have signed an lowing fierce criticism. home party,” Senator Kamala agreement with pharmaceuti- states see rising cases The ‘Make America Great Harris, who is black, tweeted cal group AstraZeneca to guar- Again’ re-election campaign after Trump first announced antee the supply to the EU of AFP rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma had the rally. 300 million doses of a possible Rio de Janeiro The Latin American been due to mark Trump’s re- The Republican billionaire coronavirus vaccine, the Ger- nation has overtaken turn to the campaign trail after announced on Wednesday that man government announced Brazil on Friday claimed the Britain’s fatality total and a months-long absence im- he would resume his campaign on Saturday. unenviable position of having is now in second place posed by the coronavirus pan- rallies in four states -- Oklaho- The four countries have the second-highest coronavirus demic. ma, Florida, Arizona and North signed an agreement with the death toll worldwide behind globally in terms of But he said overnight Fri- Carolina -- even as the pandem- group, formed in 1999 from the the United States, where sev- COVID-19 deaths, behind day on Twitter the event had ic continues to rage in the US. merger of the Swedish compa- eral states have posted record the United States been postponed “out of respect” Raucous rallies have been a ny Astra and British company daily case totals, signalling the for the June 19 “Juneteenth” hallmark of Trump’s presiden- Zeneca, which provides for the crisis is far from over. holiday. cy and a key to energising his supply of a vaccine to all EU US and European stocks In a later tweet Trump said base, which he hopes will turn member states as soon it is dis- ended the week on an upswing the rally would be held the very out in big numbers on Novem- covered, said the German Min- after a rout sparked by the US next day. ber 3. He is currently lagging in istry of Health. data and fresh evidence of the Critics had slammed the polls against Democrat Joe AstraZeneca is partnering economic damage caused by Trump’s choice of Tulsa -- the Biden. in the enterprise with Britain’s virus-related lockdowns, with Oxford University, which has British GDP shrinking by a re- pioneered the inoculation. cord 20.4 percent in April. The firm has been building Meanwhile, in several Eu- separate supply chains around ropean countries, the focus Ukraine anti-graft chief says offered the world during the tests, strik- shifted to the courts, and who ing other deals earlier this month might eventually be pinned $6-mn bribe over Burisma owner to double production capacity to with the blame for the global A protester holds a placard depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as the coronavirus and reading AFP amount for a bribe in Ukraine, more than two billion doses. financial and health crisis. “35000 deaths a day” during a demonstration against the president recently. (AFP) Kiev as far as I remember,” he said. “This agreement will ensure Brazil’s health ministry re- Those offering the bribe that hundreds of millions of Eu- corded 909 deaths in the past care unit occupancy levels of Latin America is the latest two of the most populous, Tex- Ukraine’s anti-corruption were caught in a sting opera- ropeans have access to Oxford 24 hours, putting the total at more than 90 percent, World epicenter in the world’s bat- as and Florida, reported their chief on Saturday said he was tion and three have been de- University’s vaccine following 41,828 -- meaning the country Health Organization emergen- tle with the novel coronavirus, highest-ever daily case totals offered a $6-million bribe to tained including a senior tax approval,” Chief Executive Pas- of 212 million people has now cies director Mike Ryan told which emerged in China late this week. drop a probe into the owner official, he said. cal Soriot said in a statement. surpassed Britain’s death toll. journalists in Geneva. last year. The region has record- “It’s important that we of energy company Burisma “With our European sup- Experts warn the actual Brazilian President Jair ed more than 1.5 million infec- remember that this situation Holdings. Ukrainian officials stressed ply chain due to begin produc- number of cases in Latin Amer- Bolsonaro, who threatened tions and 76,000 deaths, with is unprecedented. And that The energy company was the bribe was not linked to tion soon, we hope to make the ica’s biggest economy could be last week to quit the WHO no signs the virus is slowing. the pandemic has not ended,” at the centre of a scandal lead- the Biden family in any way vaccine available widely and many times higher than the over “ideological bias,” has dis- In the US, which has con- Robert Redfield, director of ing to US President Donald rapidly.” confirmed figure of 828,810. missed the virus as a “little flu,” firmed the most COVID-19 the Centers for Disease Control Trump’s impeachment trial Burisma in a statement Oxford University began “Some areas are at a critical and berated state officials for deaths -- over 114,000 -- more and Prevention, told a media due to the son of Joe Biden, said neither Zlochevsky nor initial trials with hundreds of stage” in Brazil, with intensive imposing lockdowns. than a dozen states, including briefing on Friday. now the leading Democratic its employees had anything to volunteers in April and is now contender, having served on do with the “illegal actions” al- expanding them to 10,000 par- its board. leged by the Ukrainian officials. ticipants. Ukrainian officials stressed It said “Zlochevsky has The development of a vac- the bribe was not linked to the never addressed anyone with cine could be successfully com- Chile’s health minister resigns as pandemic hits hard Biden family in any way. requests to commit illegal pleted by year end, German SANTIAGO: Chile’s health The departure of Jaime informed the World Health the health ministry told the The aim of the bribe was actions and has in no way government sources told AFP. minister resigned on Saturday Manalich was announced by Organization that the country’s WHO about the toll. to halt an investigation into contributed to such actions.” The doses announced on amid controversy over the President Sebastian Pinera. coronavirus death toll was Publication of the informa- Burisma’s owner Mykola Zlochevsky, a former ecology Saturday, potentially rising to country’s official coronavirus The government says pub- actually more than 5,000. tion followed a week in which Zlochevsky, the head of the minister, is wanted as a sus- 400 million, “must be distrib- death toll, as the pandemic licly that the health crisis has The report was by an inves- criticism of Manalich intensi- National Anti-Corruption Bu- pect in a probe into large-scale uted to all member states that hits the nation hard despite claimed more than 3,000 lives. tigative journalism organisation fied after the ministry changed reau, Artem Sytnyk, said at a misappropriation of a state want to participate, depending quarantine measures in the On Saturday, however, a called CIPER which obtained a the way it tallies COVID-19 briefing. loan as well as violations over on the size of their population,” capital for more than a month. report revealed that Chile had copy of documentation in which deaths. (AFP) “The total confiscatedthe allocation of land for gas the German ministry said. was $6 million. This a record extraction. Italy PM ‘totally calm’ after grilling Uncertainty as Spain puts virus death toll ‘on hold’ over pandemic response AFP together. Madrid But last week he acknowl- AFP the health emergency around edged that the overall number Rome the towns of Nembro and Alza- For days now, Spain’s daily of deaths had remained “fro- no in the northern province of coronavirus death toll has zen” as a result of discrepan- Prime Minister Giuseppe Bergamo. been on hold, generating cies in the figures, which he put Conte said he gave prosecutors Health experts say had the widespread uncertainty about down to delays in submitting a full account of how he han- area been quarantined, many the real state of the epidemic data in certain regional areas. dled the coronavirus pandemic lives would have been saved. that has claimed more than Since June 7, the number that devastated Italy, adding The team has already met 27,000 lives. of dead has stuck at 27,136 he did not fear a judicial probe with senior officials inL om- The health ministry’s while the regional authorities would be opened. bardy, who say it was up to emergencies coordinator Fer- “review the information on “I explained everything to Italy’s Prime Minister Rome to decide whether cer- nando Simon, who for months deaths.. (until) they can give a prosecutors. I am totally calm,” Giuseppe Conte tain areas should be shut. has given a daily briefing on precise death date which will Conte said in an interview pub- Conte has countered that the pandemic’s evolution, give a clearer sequence,” Si- lished on Saturday after he was scientific technical committee” regions had full discretion to acknowledged the “astonish- mon said. grilled for about three hours on offering advice. close certain areas where the ment” and “confusion” gener- Healthcare workers call for a reinforced healthcare system, outside But some regions have hit Friday over his handling of the “I am not expecting to re- virus had begun to flare in late ated by the figures. the Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid recently. (AFP) back, insisting they have sub- emergency. ceive a notice of an opening of February and early March. On May 25, the ministry mitted all the required data yet “I detailed all the stages a judicial investigation. I have “As I have already told in- changed its method of collect- there had been “no deaths” lower levels,” warned Salvador saying it wasn’t reflected in the in these terrible days during never feared one,” he added. vestigating magistrates, the ing data on confirmed cases for several days, prompting a Macip, an expert in health sci- overall balance. which we fought an invisible The epidemic has killed chronology of events is very and fatalities, initially giving a backlash from the right and ences at Catalonia’s Open Uni- Such was the case with An- enemy. I have nothing to fear,” more than 34,000 people in clear,” the premier told La daily death toll of between 50 the far-right who have since versity. dalusia whose health minister the premier told La Stampa Italy, one of the hardest-hit Stampa. and 100. accused him of hiding the real Simon has said the new Jesus Aguirre recently lashed newspaper. countries in the world, mostly “In light of the epidemio- But the figure then fell to number of fatalities. system was set up to facilitate out at the central govern- Conte said he believes he in the nation’s north. logical framework available fewer than five per day and “(The) biggest danger is the rapid detection and isola- ment’s “total lack of respect “acted based on science and Chief prosecutor Maria to us during the first week of on some days there were no communicating this idea that tion of any new outbreak and for the dead” in publishing conscience,” adding: “I have Cristina Rota and her team are March, it would have made no deaths at all. the epidemic is over because that the regions must provide lower figures than those sub- the serenity of one who always trying to find out why a lock- sense to close only the towns of Prime Minister Pedro the virus is still present in a detailed breakdown of cases, mitted by the southern region carried out each step with the down was not enforced early in Alzano and Nembro,” he said. Sanchez even told parliament our country although at much rather than lumping all figures itself. Queen marks official birthday with scaled-back parade at Windsor

AFP staying during the COVID-19 rus guidelines to keep at least the worst-hit countries in the to remain visible, making a London outbreak, in her first official two metres apart, in a ceremo- world by COVID-19, with the rare televised address to the public appearance since the ny dubbed “mini-Trooping”. number of suspected and con- nation in April and her debut Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II country’s virus lockdown be- The annual “Trooping” firmed deaths passing the grim on a digital platform this week celebrated her official birthday gan in late March. event, which normally features milestone of 50,000 this week. in a video conference call. on Saturday in subdued style, It was the first time the cas- hundreds of servicemen and The Queen observed Sat- She celebrated her actual with a scaled down version of tle, west of London, has staged women from Britain’s most urday’s pared back ceremony 94th birthday on April 21 with- the traditional “Trooping the an event to mark a sovereign’s prestigious regiments for a in the quadrangle of Windsor out the traditional gun salute, Colour” ceremony due to the official birthday since 1895, centuries-old spectacle of mili- Castle from a dais and was due to the health crisis. coronavirus pandemic. when a ceremony was held in tary pomp and pageantry in given the royal salute by the The double birthday tradi- The 94-year-old monarch honour of Queen Victoria. front of thousands of specta- troops. tion was started by King George watched a smaller military pa- The parade featured sol- tors, was cancelled because of Despite isolating at the cas- II in 1748, who wanted to have Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony to mark her official birthday at rade in the grounds of Wind- diers from the Welsh Guards, the health crisis. tle for the last three months, a summer celebration as his Windsor Castle in Windsor, southeast England on Saturday. (AFP) sor Castle, where she has been who observed government vi- Britain has been among the elderly monarch has tried own birthday was October 30. Thailand eyes ‘travel bubbles’ to resuscitate tourism page 10

Sunday, June 14, 2020

25,605.54 9,233.35 33,780.89 1,730.75 +477.37 pts +47.24 pts +242.52 pts Gold +0.18% US consumer sentiment jumps more Dow QE sensex than expected in June: Survey page 9 Price percentage Price percentage 17.48 Brent 38.73 +0.47% WTI 36.26 -0.22% Silver -2.28%

GCC witnesses Masraf Al Rayan capitalisation huge growth remains robust in Q1: Report in contactless Masraf Al Rayan’s payments loans are estimated Tribune News Network to grow by 6.6% Doha in 2020, says report The GCC countries have seen considerable growth in contactless payments over Satyendra Pathak the years. The Middle East Doha and Africa (MEA) region saw over 200 percent growth in Capitalisation of Masraf contactless transactions in Al Rayan (MAR) remained 2019, according to a Master- an acceleration in contact- robust and one of the highest card report. less payment and this digital among its peers as the bank Today, almost one in nine transformation will continue. ended first quarter of 2020 Mastercard transactions at The MENA region is home to with a capital adequacy ratio point-of-sale terminals in a youthful tech-savvy popu- of (CAR) 19.9 percent, QNB MEA is contactless. lation that is constantly con- Financial Services (QNBFS) The COVID-19 pandemic nected and on the go. Current has said in its latest report. has certainly accelerated the spending patterns show that “We expect CAR to remain adoption of contactless pay- people in the region are turn- elevated at current levels go- ments and increased aware- ing to contactless payments ing forward due to the con- ness around its speed and to buy essentials like grocery, servative nature of the bank,” security. pharmacy, and retail items, QNBFS said in its company Mastercard’s data for foretelling a shift in consum- report. March 2020 against the er behaviour that is likely to Asset quality remains a same month last year shows stick,” the study said. non-issue as MAR’s primary growth in contactless pay- A new report by Research exposure is the public sector, ments throughout the GCC. Dive states that the Global the report said adding the Contactless transactions Contactless Payment Market bank’s NPL ratio decreased to grew faster than non-con- is set to grow at a CAGR of 0.94 percent against 1.01 per- tactless transactions. 11.2 percent and is projected cent at the end of 2019. More- In a consumer study in to garner revenue of $20.34 over, coverage of stage 3 loans The Masraf Al Rayan building in Doha April, eight in 10 respond- billion during the period of remained low at 45 percent ents in MEA said they will forecast from 2019 to 2026. against 43 percent in 2019. creased 4.2 percent quarter- percent of the bank’s assets continue using contactless The global market is seg- “What is important to note Positive outlook on-quarter (QoQ) solely due are repriceable within one- payments post-pandemic, mented on the basis of device here is that management is be- “Net loans increased by 5.9 percent YTD to to a surge in net provisions as year against 67 percent of li- pointing to a long-term shift type, industry vertical, and ing conservative and is hence QR79.3 billion in the first quarter of 2020, net operating income grew by abilities to total assets, in behaviour. region. The report delivers increasing provisions. Going 7.1 percent. thus leading to a stable net Contactless uses an em- in-depth insights into oppor- forward, we do not foresee while deposits moved up by 3.2 percent to The bank reported provi- interest margin,” the report bedded chip with antennae. tunities, vital segments, re- any pressure in asset quality QR67.6 billion sions of QR41 million in the said. After tapping a contactless straints, drivers, and promi- due to the nature of the bank ● first quarter of 2020. The se- “The bank remained cost- card or device at checkout, nent players of the global primary exposure is to the Masraf Al Rayan reported a net profit of QR547 million in quential gain in net income efficient as it generated a payment details are com- market. public sector,” the report said. the first quarter of 2020 was due to a 17 percent drop cost-to-income ratio of 22.6 municated wirelessly to the “Our analysts stated that The bank’s loans are esti- ● The bank reported provisions of QR41 million in the first in provisions. percent in the first quarter of terminal. If using a mobile the growing acceptance and mated to grow by 6.6 percent “Given the COVID-19 pan- 2020 against 22.5 percent in phone, consumers receive increasing demand for con- in 2020 against 5.9 percent by quarter of 2020. The sequential gain in net income was due demic, we lower our 2020- the first quarter of 2019. We payment confirmation mo- tactless payments all across the end of the first quarter of to a 17 percent drop in provisions 2023 earnings forecasts by an expect the bank to maintain ments later. the globe are significant fac- 2020. average of 4 percent,” QNBFS a cost-to-income ratio of 22 Contactless cards are tors driving the growth of “Net loans increased by said. percent during the period of designed to meet all the es- global contactless payment 5.9 percent YTD to QR79.3 2019. Moreover, loans to sta- and lower its LDR,” the report “Margins remained stable 2020-23,” it said. sential security requirements market,” the report said. billion in the first quarter of ble sources of funds weakened said. in the first quarter of 2020 “MAR boasts one of the that often worry us – from Furthermore, the report 2020, while deposits moved from 105 percent in 2019 to Masraf Al Rayan reported given MAR’s asset and liabil- highest dividend yields of 5.8 protecting against fraud to said, the vivid innovations in up by 3.2 percent to QR67.6 122 percent in the first quar- a net profit of QR547 million ity interest rate gap. On the percent, is cost-efficient, a maintaining consumer priva- the digital economy platform billion. Thus, MAR’s loan-to- ter of 2020. We are of the in the first quarter of 2020. other hand, we expect some strong return on equity gen- cy and offering a good card- are likely to create massive deposit ratio (LDR) position opinion that the bank may in- According to the report, margin pressure as the bank erator and maintains supe- holder experience. growth opportunities in the remained challenging at 117 crease its borrowings in order the bottom-line remained flat may raise funds to bolster its rior asset quality against its “COVID-19 has led to global industry. percent against 114 percent in to enhance its liquidity profile year-on-year (YoY) and in- liquidity position. Almost 64 peers,” the report said.

GPC to facilitate British Airways a India’s forex reserves cross $500 bn for first time ‘national disgrace’, direct money transfers Country’s forex say lawmakers among GCC states reserves jumped Agencies by $8.2 bn in London QNA system is expected to further Riyadh enhance the security and ef- the week ended British Airways was labelled ficiency of cross-border pay- a “national disgrace” by law- GCC Payment Systems Com- ments across the region and June 5, 2020 makers for its treatment of pany (GPC) has been estab- significantly reduce trans- employees on Saturday, add- lished to provide a safe, ef- action processing time and Agencies ing to pressure on the airline ficient, and cost-effective cost. Mumbai as it juggles job cuts and new cross-border payments facil- The new system will also quarantine rules. ity while leveraging cutting- contribute to the develop- India’s foreign exchange Britain’s Transport Select edge technologies in ac- ment of appropriate infra- (Forex) reserves have crossed Committee said that BA and cordance with international structure facilitating the the 500 billion US dollars its parent company IAG were standards and best prac- clearing and settlement of mark for the first time, ac- trying to take advantage of tices. GCC states have set up financial operations. cording to the latest weekly the coronavirus crisis to cut the company to facilitate di- It will also strengthen statistical data issued by the India’s overall forex reserves increased to $501.703 billion. 12,000 jobs and downgrade rect money transfers among the regional market and country’s central bank. the terms and conditions of the members. promote the integration of India’s foreign exchange lion. Hitting an all-time high However, the value of the in the last two months. Ac- other employees. GPC will be responsible financial markets in the GCC reserves rose by over $8.223 of $501.7 billion as on June country’s gold reserves de- cording to the data released “It is unacceptable that a for managing and operating countries. billion during the week end- 5, 2020, India has come a creased by $329 million to by RBI, while the FDI inflow company would seek to drive the GCC-RTGS system and The establishment of the ed June 5 to cross the $500 long way since its forex re- $32.352 billion. stood at $4 billion in March, this level of change under the for providing other related GCC Payment Systems Com- billion mark. serves of $5.8 billion as of Besides, the SDR value it amounted to $2.1 billion in cover of a pandemic,” Con- payment services to the pany (GPC) follows the first According to the RBI’s March 1991. rose by $10 million to $1.442 April. servative lawmaker Huw Mer- banking industry in GCC. meeting of the board, which weekly statistical supple- India’s forex reserves billion. The country’s re- Fall in crude oil prices riman, who chairs the commit- The GCC RTGS system is a was held recently, after com- ment, the overall forex re- comprise foreign currency serve position with the IMF has brought down the oil tee, said in a report published platform designed to link pleting the legal require- serves increased to $501.703 assets (FCAs), gold reserves, increased by $120 million to import bill, saving precious on Saturday. In response, a all GCC local RTGS systems ments for establishing the billion from $493.480 bil- special drawing rights $4.278 billion. foreign exchange. Similarly, spokeswoman for the airline together to process and set- company and the issuance lion reported for the week (SDRs), and India’s reserve The major reason for the overseas remittances and said, “We will do everything in tle cross-border payments of its commercial record by ended May 29. position with the Interna- rise in forex reserves is the foreign travels have fallen our power to ensure that Brit- in the GCC region on a real- the Ministry of Commerce in While the country’s forex tional Monetary Fund (IMF). rise in investment in foreign steeply – down 61 percent ish Airways can survive and time basis. Saudi Arabia, with its head- reserves jumped by $8.2 bil- On a weekly basis, FCAs, portfolio investors in Indian in April from $12.87 bil- sustain the maximum number GPC is owned and fund- quarters in Riyadh and its lion in the week ended June the largest component of stocks and foreign direct in- lion. The months of May and of jobs consistent with the new ed by the six central banks of branch in Abu Dhabi, in the 5, 2020, since the announce- the forex reserves, edged vestments (FDIs). Foreign June are expected to show a reality of a changing airline in- the GCC countries. The new United Arab Emirates. ment of lockdown in March, higher by $8.422 billion to investors had acquired stakes further decline in dollar out- dustry in a severely weakened it has surged by $31.8 bil- $463.630 billion. in several Indian companies flows. global economy.” Economy & Business Sunday, June 14, 2020 09

QNB WEEKLY ECONOMIC REPORT US consumer sentiment Global economy stabilises and indicators suggest a jumps more than recovery is underway

Tribune news network expected in June: Survey doha The spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has resulted in changes in behav- The world’s largest economy is muddling through its reopening process iour and containment meas- ures bringing the world to an AFP entire halt. Washington The resulting shocks to both supply and demand US consumers were feeling have triggered one of the surprisingly confident in June fastest and deepest economic as states began to roll back downturns ever experienced coronavirus shutdowns and in modern times. However, some unemployed workers recent data suggests that went back to their jobs, ac- the decline in growth of the cording to a survey released global economy has reached on Friday. the bottom, with activity now The University of Michi- being set for a significant gan consumer sentiment in- rebound over the coming dex jumped to 78.9 from 72.3 months. in May, much better than Our analysis delves into economists had expected. the global Purchasing Man- “Consumer sentiment agers’ Index (PMI) for the posted its second monthly manufacturing sector in or- gain in early June, paced by der to assess the conditions gains in the outlook for per- for an economic recovery. sonal finances and more fa- The global manufacturing vorable prospects for the PMI is a survey-based indi- national economy due to the cator that measures whether reopening,” said Richard Cur- several sub-components of tin, chief economist of the Sur- business activity have im- vey of Consumers. proved or deteriorated ver- “The turnaround is largely sus the previous month. As due to renewed gains in em- such, the manufacturing PMI ployment, with more consum- is an index that serves as an ers expecting declines in the important coincident indi- jobless rate than at any other A person walks by a closed Banana Republic store in San Francisco recently. (afp) cator of global activity and time in the long history of the demand. Traditionally, an Michigan surveys.” government aid program for soon.” theon Macroeconomics index reading of 50 serves as The index of current eco- small businesses were credited Consumers expected the warned the expiration of ex- a threshold to separate con- nomic conditions climbed to with adding 2.5 million jobs in coronavirus to cause another panded unemployment ben- tractionary (below 50) from PMI sub-components are is suggesting that the lay- 87.8 percent from 82.3 percent May and lowering the unem- downturn, and persistently efits in the $2.2 CARES Act expansionary (above 50) pointing to additional im- offs have reached their peak in May, while consumer expec- ployment rate to a still-high high unemployment to slow stimulus bill passed to cushion changes in business condi- provements in the next cou- and we should start seeing tations rose by more than sev- 13.3 percent. the recovery. the blow from the virus could tions. ple of months, as the ratio improvements across differ- en points to 73.1 percent. But the virus has resurged “Bad times financially in reverse the progress made in The headline global man- of new orders to inventories ent labour markets. For this The world’s largest econ- in parts of the country, which the economy as a whole dur- recent weeks. ufacturing PMI worsened for suggest investment in work- particular sub-component, omy is muddling through its has seen the world’s worst ing the year ahead were still “These benefits currently three consecutive months ing capital is set to increase. the US is at the forefront, reopening process, with states outbreak with nearly 114,000 expected by two-thirds of all are scheduled to expire at the from 50.3 in January to 39.6 When inventories are drawn- given the flexibility of its la- easing the lockdowns imposed deaths. consumers, and a renewed end of July... at which point in April 2020, narrowly un- down and new orders in- bour market. After a sharp in mid-March to stop the Though consumers are downturn was anticipated by sentiment could easily roll dercutting the contraction crease, manufacturers need deterioration in the employ- spread of the virus that led to expecting things to get better, nearly half over the longer over again, because millions during the 2008-09 finan- to expand activity. The new ment sub-component for the tens of millions of layoffs. Curtin said few anticipate a term,” he said. of people will still be out of cial crisis. However, the lat- orders to inventories ratio US from 46.9 in February to The reopenings and the return to normalcy “anytime Ian Shepherdson of Pan- work,” he said. est data for May imply that tends to lead the headline 27.5 in April, the contraction the deterioration of global manufacturing PMI by 2 started to ease to read 32.1 in economic conditions is slow- months, i.e., manufactur- May. In addition, and argu- ing down, with the headline ing PMI tend to respond to ably even more importantly, manufacturing PMI figure changes in the new orders to US non-farm payrolls experi- Protective mask sales boom in Germany, prices also skyrocket recovering to 42.4. While inventories ratio and follow enced the first improvement the absolute levels are still its direction and pace. in months, with a robust gain dpa company Nielsen. artisans or in the medical field, within contractionary ter- Second, output improved of 2.5 million jobs in May Hamburg The food and drugstore From January to the end but today the world looks very ritory, the rate of change is to 39.2 in May compared to against a consensus expecta- markets also recorded a strong of May, sales in the whole- different, Arleth said. moving in the right direc- 32.5 in April. Despite the low tion of 8 million job losses. Sales of face masks have ris- increase in sales compared to sale market rose by The smallest increase in tion, suggesting a potential absolute level, the sharp in- Overall, while global en astronomically during the the same period in the previous almost 14,200 percent, sales was at DIY stores, at 99.3 turning point. Importantly, creases point to a fast stabi- manufacturing activity is coronavirus pandemic in Ger- year at just under 8,000 per- with the price per mask percent. positive developments are lisation. As major economies still struggling as a result of many, with wholesale revenue cent, with the average price per rising on average by 509 Compared to the same pe- taking place in almost all open up, pent up demand the shock from Covid-19, all rising by over 14,000 percent, mask increasing by 254 percent. riod in the previous year, the major economies, including will filter through the econ- key sub-components of ma- a report released on Saturday “Protective masks have percent, according to data average price per mask even the US, China and the Euro omy. This is likely to be am- jor manufacturing PMI sur- has shown. quickly moved from being a from the market research fell by 46.4 percent. area, with Japan being the plified by the strong support veys point towards economic From January to the end niche for special applications company Nielsen According to Nielsen, this only major laggard. from both fiscal and mone- stabilisation. Should this of May, sales in the whole- to become a new everyday has primarily to do with the Looking into the details, tary authorities, which could trend continue, global manu- sale market rose by almost product,” Bettina Arleth, trade in price is due to the high de- expansion of the range to in- the PMI sub-components are push output quite suddenly facturing will likely be tran- 14,200 percent, with the price expert at Nielsen, told dpa. mand, she said. clude simpler and therefore also indicative of a positive into expansionary territory. sitioning from deteriorating per mask rising on average The reason for the massive Until the coronavirus cheaper protective masks, turning point. We highlight Third, employment eased at a slower rate to improv- by 509 percent, according to increase in sales was availabil- pandemic, face masks were thus reducing the average unit three main areas. slightly to 43.2 in May from ing gradually in the coming data from the market research ity in April, and the increase mainly used by dust-plagued price. First, forward looking 41.5 in April. Likewise, this months.

Germany plans $25 bn extra UDC’s Gewan Island will be home to in aid for crisis-hit businesses 586 apartments, 20 standalone villas dpa The announcement came Continued from page 1  Berlin as a survey on Friday showed the majority of Germans were The scope of work for the The German government said satisfied with a 130-billion- infrastructure package car- on Friday it would provide euro stimulus package agreed ried out by Navayuga Engi- crisis-hit small and medium- Cash boost by the government last week. neering Company, will cover sized businesses with 25 bil- Around two thirds, or 75 primary service installations lion euros (28 billion dollars) The interim cash injection is per cent, of those surveyed by across the island including of additional state aid in a bid aimed at small businesses in broadcaster ZDF said they ap- main power and chilled wa- to stave off a looming wave of the hospitality and gastronomy proved of the stimulus pack- ter supply, automatic solid bankruptcies. sectors, as well as age, compared with 22 per waste system, utility struc- The interim cash injection professional sports clubs in cent who did not and 10 per tures, boundary walls and is aimed at small businesses in the lower leagues and cent who said they did not gates to villa plots as well as the hospitality and gastrono- institutions helping the know. several bridge crossings con- my sectors, as well as profes- disabled About half of those sur- necting different residential sional sports clubs in the lower veyed said they thought 130 districts on the island. leagues and institutions help- billion euros was the right Gewan Island, UDC’s ing the disabled. toric amounts of state aid into amount, compared with 17 per latest real-estate project, is The government will help the economy to shore up busi- cent who said the figure was situated next to The Pearl- cover businesses’ fixed over- nesses in the wake of closures too high and 14 per cent who Qatar, spanning 400,000 heads from June to August in during the coronavirus pan- said it was too low. sqm. cases where turnover in April demic. However, a separate a Once completed, the and May fell by at least 60 per The Economy Ministry travel industry survey showed island will accommodate cent compared with the same justified Friday’s additional 82 per cent of businesses said 3,500 residents and a simi- period last year. help for small businesses, say- they felt the government had lar number of daily visitors. The amount of help avail- ing grants were needed rather not made a decisive contribu- Gewan Island will be able will increase if the firms than loans as firms would be tion to their overcoming chal- home to 659 residential vate beach, 26 waterfront Gewan Island will also Boardwalk, parks and green have seen a greater slump in unable to make up for weeks lenges in the pandemic. units, including 586 apart- villas that are equipped with feature a golf course with areas, which will play a ma- sales, with individual busi- of profits lost in the pandemic. Half of the around 500 re- ments, 20 standalone villas private pontoons for private the five-star Corinthia Doha jor role in attracting various nesses able to apply for a max- The measure must now spondents were disappointed located along a placid beach boats, and six independent hotel and connected beach new brands to Doha. The imum of 150,000 euros over be drafted into law before be- overall by government’s eco- in a quiet and gated seaside island villas, in addition to club, an air conditioned island will also be home to three months. ing brought back before the nomic stimulus package, the community, as well as 21 11,000 sqm of retail spaces ‘Crystal Walkway’ out- entertainment facilities, a The move comes as Ger- cabinet and parliament for ap- DRV travel industry associa- beachfront villas with pri- and 15 multi-use buildings. door promenade, a seaside clubhouse and a mosque. many debates pumping his- proval. tion said on Friday. 10 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Economy & Business Airbnb reaches UK economy shrinks a settlement with New York on fifth on virus lockdown host data Gross domestic product nosedived by a record 20.4 percent after a 5.8-percent contraction in March AFP AFP New York London Airbnb and New York Britain’s economy shrank City officials announced by a fifth in size during April an agreement on Friday Crackdown as the coronavirus lockdown settling a long-running shuttered factories, offices and dispute over a munici- The listings data from shops, official data showed on pal requirement that the home-sharing services Friday, stoking concerns over a home-sharing platform enables officials to crack painful recession. disclose data on hosts. down on illegal short-term Gross domestic product The listings data from rentals. Under the deal, nosedived by a record 20.4 home-sharing services ena- Airbnb will provide the city percent after a 5.8-percent bles officials to crack down with information on listings contraction in March, the Of- on illegal short-term rent- that generate five or more fice for National Statistics said. als. Taken together, the slump Under the deal, Airbnb nights of bookings per over March and April was will provide the city with quarter, so long as the three times worse than dur- information on listings listing offers an entire home ing the global financial crisis that generate five or more or allows three or more of more than a decade ago, the nights of bookings per guests to stay at one time ONS added. quarter, so long as the list- The dire data capped a ing offers an entire home or week of bad news for British allows three or more guests government overreach,” Prime Minister Boris John- to stay at one time. winning a court order that son, who faces increasing criti- The agreement exempts blocked the law. cism over his handling of the private or shared room New York in 2016 deadly COVID-19 outbreak as listings with two or fewer tightened rules applying Britain’s death toll surpassed guests, and some other to home-sharing services, 40,000 people to reach the bookings. slapping steep fines on second highest in the world. Mayor Bill de Blasio those who let out unoccu- The UK government im- said the deal allows the city pied apartments for fewer posed a lockdown on March 23 to crack down on “illegal than 30 days -- which is -- later than many other virus- hotel operators who flout generally against the law. hit nations -- to halt the spread the law at the expense of As part of the agree- of COVID-19. working New Yorkers.” ment, Airbnb agreed to It has also backed up em- People wearing protective masks walk near the Emirates Stadium in London recently. (AFP) City officials said the drop its legal action. ployee wages in a costly fur- law was aimed at illicit Christopher Lehane, lough jobs retention scheme, Analysts say a recession The economy meanwhile biggest the UK has ever seen, allowed at places of worship. short-term rentals by real head of public policy while the Bank of England is likely already underway be- shrank by 10.4 percent in the more than three times larger However, restrictions have estate speculators, which and communications for (BoE) has injected enormous cause of the staggering impact three months to the end of than last month and almost not yet been lifted on pubs, reduce housing available Airbnb, said the company amounts of liquidity and of the virus lockdown and de- April. ten times larger than the steep- bars, restaurants and other lei- to residents and drive up had been seeking “an effec- slashed interest rates to a re- spite Britain gradually easing The OECD this week pre- est pre-COVID-19 fall,” said sure facilities. rents. tive regulatory framework” cord-low 0.1 percent. stay-at-home restrictions. “The dicted the UK economy was on Athow. “In April, the economy “April 2020 has experi- Christian Klossner, to enable the sharing of “The economy has experi- UK is clearly in deep recession course to shrink by more than was around 25 percent smaller enced sharper falls than March head of the Mayor’s Office certain information. enced a significant shock since -- GDP contracted 2.0 percent 11 percent in 2020 because of than in February.” as the negative impacts of so- of Special Enforcement, “As we look toward the the start of the coronavirus in the first quarter and it looks COVID-19. The pandemic, which has cial distancing and ‘lockdown’ said the deal gives the city recovery of New York’s tour- pandemic,” the ONS said Fri- likely to contract at least 15 per- The Bank of England has blighted economies world- have led to a significant fall in “a powerful tool to detect ism economy, we hope this day. “GDP has fallen dramati- cent in the second,” EY econo- warned that the economic pa- wide, had a “significant and consumer demand and busi- those who hide behind fake settlement will represent cally, with record broad-based mist Howard Archer told AFP. ralysis could lead to Britain’s wide-ranging negative impact” ness and factory closures, as accounts and address those a continuing relationship falls in output for production, “However, April highly worst recession in centuries on British businesses. well as supply chain disrup- who take housing away and the first step on a path services and construction,” it likely marked the low point for amid a broader global econom- The data comes as Britain tions,” the ONS said. from New Yorkers.” forward for our community added in a statement. the economy and activity ap- ic downturn. presses ahead with its lock- The UK economy could Airbnb faces similar le- citywide,” Lehane said. The UK economy shrunk pears to have edged up in May - ‘Unprecedented’ -Jona- down easing plans. shrink by as much as 35 per- gal disputes in other cities Airbnb agreed to hand by 2.0 percent in the first quar- as there was some easing of re- than Athow, ONS deputy na- Non-essential shops and cent in the second quarter including Paris, Berlin and over on a quarterly basis ter, and another contraction in strictions in England.” tional statistician, described services, as well as zoos, wild- according to a recent fore- Barcelona. information on the address the current second quarter, or The ONS said pubs, educa- the 20-percent slump as “un- life parks and drive-in cinemas cast from UK fiscal watchdog The company in 2018 and host information of the April-June period, would put it tion, health and car sales were precedented”. can open from Monday, and the Office for Budget Respon- sued the city of New York, affected listings, as well as in recession. hardest hit areas. “April’s fall in GDP is the individual attendance will be sibility. claiming the ordinance other data that can help de- was unconstitutional and termine if the listings com- “an extraordinary act of ply with local laws. American Express gets final approval to operate card network in China

dpa sign that Beijing is willing to mainland Chinese market, Beijing open up its financial markets where demand for credit cards in order to attract more for- is booming. Credit card giant American eign capital. “This approval represents Express has become the first China’s central bank said an important step forward in non-Chinese company to be on Saturday it had signed off our long-term growth strategy given the green light by Beijing on a card-clearing network and is an historic moment, not to process transactions in the operated by the New York- only for American Express but local currency. based company’s Chinese for the continued growth and The final approval gives joint venture that will pro- development of the payments American Express a leg up cess and settle transactions industry in mainland China,” over its rivals in China, the in yuan. The service should said Stephen J Squeri, chair- Airbnb faces similar legal disputes in other cities including Paris, world’s second-biggest econ- begin within six months, the man and chief executive of- Berlin and Barcelona. omy. bank said. like American Express, along card, have sought for years ficer of American Express, in a It also serves as another Foreign card companies with rivals Visa and Master- to have greater access to the statement. Thailand eyes ‘travel bubbles’ to resuscitate tourism year in tourist revenues, ac- The country closed its borders at the start of cording to an HSBC Global April, leading to millions of job losses across Research note published this week, based on arrivals drop- tourism industry which accounts for 20% of GDP ping to 14 million from 40 Boosting million last year. AFP tourism officials are hoping The civil aviation author- Bangkok to lure back visitors from re- tourism ity, which has said airports gional countries with similar Despite registering the first will remain closed until at Thailand will open “trav- levels of the virus -- including COVID-19 case outside of least the end of June, is un- el bubbles” with countries China, Vietnam, South Korea, China in January, Thailand has der intense pressure from ho- which have comparably low Australia and New Zealand. recorded just 3,129 infections teliers, conference organisers coronavirus infections, of- “These so-called ‘travel and airlines to reopen Thai ficials said on Friday, as the bubbles’ will allow people with 58 deaths. Buoyed by the airspace. kingdom tries to claw back from countries who have low figures, tourism officials Thailand’s economy money for its battered tour- the same level of virus to are hoping to lure back has flatlined since the virus ism sector. visit... without the manda- visitors from regional struck, hammering tourism The country closed its tory 14-day quarantine,” countries with similar levels of and exports. borders at the start of April, said Taweesin Visanuyothin, the virus -- including China, Annual growth is forecast leading to millions of job loss- spokesman for the Centre for Vietnam, South Korea, to slump by between five to es across a tourism industry COVID-19 Situation Admin- Australia and New Zealand seven percent, depending which accounts for around 20 istration. He did not give a how fast the country can reo- percent of GDP. date for the select reopening. pen to visitors. Despite registering the Travellers would need People walk in a street food market in Bangkok recently. (AFP) The kingdom will ease a first COVID-19 case outside to have complete “health tact with locals... as well as curfew on June 15 as busi- of China in January, Thailand checks” before and after ar- not elaborate on how quickly Instead, he said talks over The country is targeting businessmen and medical nesses creep back to life. has recorded just 3,129 infec- rival as well as valid medical COVID-19 tests could be car- coming days between health “sports tourists like golfers tourists,” he added. Bars, clubs and massage tions with 58 deaths. insurance, he added. ried out once visitors arrived and tourism officials will out- because they stay in certain The kingdom is expected parlours, however, will re- Buoyed by the low figures, However, Taweesin did in Thailand. line the next steps. areas and have limited con- to lose up to $47 billion this main closed. Nasser al Attiyah to participate in 43rd Dakar Rally page 13 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Juve squeeze past Milan to reach cup final as football returns to Italy

AFP Rome

Juventus reached the Ital- ian Cup final on Friday after a goalless draw with 10-man AC Milan in the semi-final, second leg in Turin on the day football returned to Italy after three Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez and Al Rayyan player Rodrigo months away. Tabata (below) undergo swab tests at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Serie A champions Juve Attiyah Stadium on Saturday. advanced on away goals to Wednesday’s final in Rome thanks to February’s 1-1 first-leg draw at the San Siro, despite an Coronavirus tests under-par display against a Mi- lan side who played 74 minutes for QNB Stars with a man less and which fea- tured a missed Cristiano Ron- aldo penalty. League players, At the capital’s Stadio Ol- impico, Maurizio Sarri’s side will face either Napoli or In- staff continue ter Milan, the last side Juve faced before football entered Tribune News Network into its coronavirus-enforced Doha hiatus in March. Napoli were to take on An- Aligning with the arrangements for teams’ training ahead tonio Conte’s Inter at Naples’ of the resumption of 2019-20 season QNB Stars League and Stadio San Paolo late on Sat- according to the general plan and protocol developed by the urday with a 1-0 lead from the Qatar Stars League in co-operation with the Ministry of Public first leg, in another match set Health and Aspetar hospital, the novel coronavirus tests for for an eery atmosphere with- Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) semi-final second leg football match against players as well as technical and administrative staff contin- out supporters. AC Milan at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Friday. (AFP) ued at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium on Saturday. “It was odd and difficult at who lost their lives to the virus Tests were scheduled for Al Sadd, Al Gharafa, Al Khor, Al the start, playing in an empty before breaking out into ap- Rayyan, Qatar SC and Al Wakrah clubs. After completion of stadium after 90 days away,” plause for healthcare workers, tests, they would return to their homes under self-quarantine said Leonardo Bonucci to public three of whom were stood in the until the test results come, taking into account the health broadcaster RAI 1. More than 8 million Italians tune in centre circle. and safety of everyone. “We’ve shaken off a dark AFP football, Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Juventus players warmed In the event of a positive case (God forbid), the person moment for the whole world. I Rome Spadafora welcomed the fact the first up before the match in T-shirts will undergo the procedures of Ministry of Public Health. If hope being back will offer the matches would be in the Italian Cup, as they with the message “No Rac- the test result is negative, he will join the team at their hotel fans at home a bit of hope and The return of Italian football was a hit with are broadcast free-to-air on national network ism”, while Milan wore tops on as per schedule. joy. We want to give them some- television viewers in the country as more RAI and are thus accessible to everyone. with “Black Lives Matter” writ- thing more on Wednesday.” than eight million tuned in to watch the cup On Friday, the match attracted almost ten on them, in solidarity with A feisty start belied the two semi-final second leg between Juventus and 8.3 million viewers on RAI 1, with a 34 per global protests over the death of teams’ long absence from the AC Milan on Friday. cent market share. George Floyd. pitch, with Juve -- missing the The match was the first to be played in The biggest audience before the The few fans hanging likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Italy since the coronavirus pandemic halted lockdown was for the first leg of the semi- around the Allianz Stadium told Gonzalo Higuain -- roaring out the season on March 9. final which ended 1-1 attracted 8.09 million AFP that they were happy to see of the blocks and Milan putting The 0-0 stalemate, which was enough to viewers. football come back as the coun- in some questionable challeng- send Juventus to the final, drew the biggest The national team, whose matches are try edges towards normality. es to try to stop themselves from TV audience for a football match this term, also broadcast free-to-air on RAI, attracted However they were sad being overrun. Italian media reported on Saturday. 7.4 million viewers for their Euro 2020 that matches had to take place Juve should have been When he authorised the resumption of qualifier against Bosnia last June. without the passionate sup- ahead in with just 15 minutes port that accompanies most on the clock when Andrea Conti matches in Italy. clipped the ball in the penalty suspended, Stefano Pioli’s side utes from the end. off Euro 2020 in Rome had “It’s hard for a team not to area with his elbow and conced- were missing some firepower However Juve also had their the tournament not been post- be able to count on the presence ed a penalty after a VAR check. going forward, but managed chances, with Milan stopper poned for a year. of the cheering fans,” said Mas- Ronaldo hit the woodwork to create problems for Juve Gianluigi Donnarumma doing More than 34,000 peo- similiano Balduzzi, 47, from with the resulting spot-kick, but despite spending most of the well to keep out Blaise Matuidi’s ple on the peninsula have Bergamo, one of the country’s while that should have been a match on the back foot. thumping close range effort on died because of the coronavi- worst-hit areas. reprieve for the away side, they Hakan Calhanoglu had Mi- the half-hour mark, and two rus with the vast majority in “I believe that there should found themselves a man down lan’s best chance two minutes great efforts from Paulo Dybala northern regions like Pied- always be cheering at the sta- seconds later when Ante Rebic after the restart, flashing a and Alex Sandro late in the sec- mont and Lombardy which dium. Unfortunately, with what kicked Danilo in the head. free header wide, while Simon ond half. host Juve and Milan. happened, we can only keep on With Zlatan Ibrahimovic Kjaer should have done better The match was played on Both teams held a minute’s waiting and hope that every- out injured and Samu Castillejo with another header 10 min- the day Italy would have kicked silence before kick-off for those thing will go well.” Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi contracts virus AFP ternationals, hitting 351 in 398 you are, sending all the prayers Karachi matches. possible, wish you a speedy recov- Since retiring from interna- ery and good health.” Pakistan’s well-loved former tional cricket two years ago, Afri- Another former team-mate cricket captain Shahid Afrid said di has been active in charity work Mohammad Hafeez described Af- on Saturday he had tested positive through his own foundation. ridi as a “fighter by nature” in a for coronavirus, as the pandemic He has been providing food message of support. accelerates across the country. donations to people in remote Meanwhile Pakistan head The 40-year-old all-rounder, areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkh- coach Misbah-ul-Haq wished Af- known for towering sixes and dis- wa and Balochistan provinces hit ridi a speedy recovery during a tinctive celebrations after taking by the impact of the virus and the conference call ahead of a tour of a wicket as a bowler, revealed his lockdown. England set to start in August. illness on Twitter. “I am happy to serve my peo- “My prayers are with him, all “I’ve been feeling unwell since ple but I am doing all precautions well wishes with him that he gets Thursday; my body had been ach- with mask and disinfection so it’s out of this soon,” he said. ing badly. I’ve been tested and a risk worth taking,” he told AFP “I think he was doing a lot of unfortunately I’m covid positive,” last week. work in the area of Balochistan Afridi said. “These are very hard times on and the northern areas just to “Need prayers for a speedy re- humanity across the world...” help the people. Throughout the covery, Inshallah (God willing),” The Pakistan Cricket Board COVID situation he was helping added Afridi, who still has a huge and fellow former players were the poor, doing a very good job.” global fan base. quick to offer their support to Supporters have also rallied His 22-year Pakistan career Afridi. round Afridi on social media. took off when he smashed a 37- “Brother your services to our “You have faced many chal- ball hundred in only his second homeland especially in the last lenges in cricket and we have one-day international, against Sri few months are forever etched seen you come out on top and Lanka in Nairobi in 1996. in our hearts,” tweeted long time this virus is no different, smash it Afridi still holds the record team-mate Shoaib Malik. out of the park & get well soon,” for the most sixes in one-day in- “We all know the fighter that tweeted one fan. Shahid Afridi, who distributed food during Pakistan’s coronavirus lockdown, has got infected. (AFP) 12 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Sports Late wins for Munich, Dortmund as Bundesliga title race not over yet

DPA Serge Gnabry before in-form Goretzka Berlin clinched victory with his sixth goal of the season which set of big celebrations Leon Goretzka scored a late winner after the final whistle. as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moe- “If you win tight games you are a nchengladbach 2-1 on Saturday, after little more happier. We are a little clos- Borussia Dortmund made sure earlier er to the title,” Munich captain Manuel that Munich’s latest title celebration is Neuer told Sky TV. on hold for at least three more days. Dortmund should have taken Goretzka slid in to convert Benja- the lead in the 18th when Achraf min Pavard’s cross from the right wing Hakimi ran unmarked towards goal in the 86th minute. but failed to beat goalkeeper Florian Teenager Joshua Zirkzee had put Kastenmeier; and they had a goal Bayern in front in the 26th and Glad- from Raphael Guerreiro diallowed bach - the last team to beat Munich because he was ruled to have han- in the league back in December - lev- dled the ball before scoring. elled 11 minutes later from an own Dusseldorf almost stole victory goal by Pavard. when substitute Steven Skrzybski hit Bayern retained their seven-point the left post from 20 metres in the lead over Borussia Dortmund with 82nd, and volleyed against the right three rounds left and will wrap up a Dortmund’s Norwegian teen forward Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring the one shortly after. 30th national title with victory at sec- 95th-minute winner at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday. (AFP) But Haaland, who returned in the ond-last Werder Bremen on Tuesday. second half from knee problems, then Had Dortmund lost Saturday Mu- Wolfsburg blew a two-goal lead in a and team-mate Breel Embolo should had the last laugh when he rose to meet nich would have already clinched an 2-2 draw with fellow Europa League have scored as well in a lively affair Manuel Akanji’s cross from the left for eighth straight title but Dortmund contenders Freiburg; Eintracht while Lucas Hernandez failed to beat his 11th Bundesliga goal. prevailed 1-0 at lowly Fortuna Dus- Frankfurt won 4-1 at 10-man Hertha Yann Sommer at the other end. “It was very, very difficult. We bad- seldorf from Erling Haaland’s stop- Berlin; and Union Berlin prevailed But Sommer then blundered in the ly wanted to win. We took big risks. It page time header. 2-1 at Cologne for their first win since 26th when he played a bad pass which was a tragedy for Dusseldorf and a little Gladbach are fourth but risk los- the league restart. Leipzig won 2-0 in fell straight Zirkzee who fired home luck for us,” said Dortmund coach Lu- ing the final Champions League slot Hoffenheim on Friday. from outside the area for 1-0. cien Favre who also fumed that Guer- to Bayer Leverkuse, who are at ailing In Munich, Dutch teenager Zirkzee Gladbach were however level nine reiro’s “clear goal” was disallowed. Schalke Sunday. and ex-Gladbach player Mickael Cui- minutes later, Pavard trying to clear a The best goal of the day however Elsewhere, Werder Bremen tri- sance replaced suspended Robert Le- low cross which Hofmann lurking be- came in Berlin from Frankfurt’s Andre Moenchengladbach’s Algeria’s defender Ramy Bensebaini (left) and umphed 5-1 at all but doomed bot- wandowski and Thomas Mueller. hind him, and hitting his own net. Silva who back-heeled into the net af- Bayern Munich’s midfielder Leon Goretzka vie for the ball in Munich tom side Paderborn to draw level on Gladbach had an early goal from After the break, Neuer saved well ter Daichi Kamada had run past three on Saturday. (AFP) points with third-last Dusseldorf; Jonas Hofmann disallowed for offside from Herrmann and Sommer from Hertha defenders. Ultimate Tennis Showdown Out of contract pair Thiago Silva postponed due to rain

AFP and Cavani to leave PSG Biot (France) The tournament held at Frenchman Mouratoglou’s AFP arrived from AC Milan in 2012. estimated they stand to lose Rain postponed the start of academy will be played Paris Silva’s contract is due more than €200 million ($225 the innovative Ultimate Ten- to expire at the end of this million), increasing the need to nis Showdown on the French behind closed doors Paris Saint-Germain sport- month, as is that of Uruguay- trim their enormous wage bill. Riviera on Saturday. across five straight week- ing director Leonardo has an striker Cavani. “Maybe we are making a The UTS is an idea by ends and has given the confirmed that veteran duo Now 33, Cavani joined PSG mistake, I don’t know, there is Patrick Mouratoglou, who players nicknames. Thiago Silva and Edinson from Napoli for 64 million eu- never a perfect moment,” add- coaches Serena Williams and Cavani will not stay with the ros in 2013 and has gone on to ed the Brazilian Leonardo, who mentors Coco Gauff and Ste- French champions with their become the club’s all-time top does nevertheless hope to ex- ‘Black Lives Matter’ to fanos Tsitsipas, intended to scoring and it’s deliberate,” contracts due to expire at the scorer with 200 goals. tend the contracts of both play- make the sport more attrac- according to Mouratoglou, end of this month. However, his place in the ers to allow them to take part tive to new audiences. who said last week the exist- “Yes, we are coming to the side came under threat follow- in the latter stages of the inter- replace player names on Mouratoglou says the ing system “is a big problem” end,” Leonardo said in an in- ing the arrival of Mauro Icardi rupted Champions League. event is revolutionary. It in attracting a young fanbase. terview with newspaper Le on loan from Inter Milan at the “The idea is that they stay Premier League shirts changes the points scoring The ATP, which runs Journal du Dimanche. start of the season. with us until the end of Au- system, uses cards for players men’s professional tennis, is “It has been a very diffi- Silva and Cavani have gust, but how we do that is DPA wherever it exists to bring to gain an advantage or dis- supportive but wary, telling cult decision to reach. These played a major role in estab- not clear yet.” London about a global society of inclu- advantage and will be broad- AFP players are free to take are players who have marked lishing PSG as the unrivalled Paris are through to the sion, respect, and equal op- cast for a fee online. part in “private exhibitions” the history of the club and force in French football, but quarter-finals of Europe’s elite A Premier League player state- portunities for all, regardless The tournament held at but warning them “to protect you wonder if you should car- their time at the club will also club competition, which is set ment announced on Friday of their colour or creed.” Frenchman Mouratoglou’s their health and safety”and ry on a little longer together be remembered for disappoint- to be played to a finish in Au- that all player names on shirts In addition, the Premier academy will be played be- “to comply with the guide- or if it’s best to avoid staying ing results in Europe. gust. will be replaced with “Black League said it would support hind closed doors across five lines of the anti-corruption a year too long. PSG recently made Icardi’s They must also still play Lives Matter” for the first 12 any player choosing to “take a straight weekends and has programme.” “We needed to make the move permanent but the fi- the finals this summer of the matches of the resumed cam- knee before or during matches.” given the players nicknames. The International Fed- right decision, including in nancial position of the Qatar- French Cup, against Saint- paign. Black Lives Matter is a A Black Lives Matter logo World number three eration said its “priority” is economic terms and in terms owned club has been seriously Etienne, and the League Cup, movement which has saw anti- will feature on shirts alongside Dominic Thiem is ‘The Domi- to continue its work with the of the next generation of play- weakened by the decision to against Lyon. racism marches across Britain a heart-shaped badge in trib- nator’, while Stefanos Tsitsi- ATP, the WTA and the Grand ers coming through.” end the Ligue 1 season early, Several other PSG players following the death of Ameri- ute to National Health Service pas is ‘The Greek God’. Slam tournaments “to follow It was widely reported with 10 rounds of matches un- out of contract this summer, can George Floyd while in the workers for their fight against The familiar scoring sys- the evolution of the world- earlier this week that Brazil- played, because of the corona- including full-backs Thomas custody of police. coronavirus. tem is abandoned in favour wide impact of Covid-19 and ian centre-back Silva, the PSG virus pandemic. Meunier and Layvin Kur- The statement read: “We, The Premier League re- of collecting the most points prepare the restart of the captain who turns 36 later this PSG were declared cham- zawa, and striker Eric Maxim the players, stand together sumes on June 17 following an in a ten-minute quarter. professional tours in the best year, would not be kept on at pions for the third year run- Choupo-Moting, are also set to with the singular objective of absence of 100 days due to the This format “removes the possible conditions.” the Parc des Princes, where he ning but within the club it is leave the club. eradicating racial prejudice coronavirus pandemic. Nobody’s wearing masks - rugby, fans return in New Zealand AFP Dunedin The fast-paced encounter was marred by a high count More than 20,000 fans wit- of 30 penalties, 17 against the nessed the Otago Highlanders Highlanders, with referee Paul edge a 28-27 thriller against Williams putting a special focus the Waikato Chiefs on Satur- on breakdown infringements. day as New Zealand welcomed In a see-sawing first half, the return of live sport after the Highlanders took an early the coronavirus. lead from a Mitch Hunt penalty The highest profile sports and after falling behind to a pair fixture worldwide since the pan- of McKenzie penalties, they hit demic, and one of the first with the front again with Hunt con- an unrestricted crowd, did not verting tries by Ash Dixon and disappoint, as Bryn Gatland’s Sio Tomkinson. last-gasp drop goal settled a The Chiefs, finding space nail-biter in Dunedin. out wide, struck back with a Gatland drilled the win- gates there was no sign of face thing I didn’t think I would see Sean Wainui try and another ning points in the 79th minute, masks or sanitiser -- or the anytime soon. I’m bloody hap- McKenzie penalty, before Ma- denying the Chiefs -- who are cardboard cut-outs used to fill py. I’m sure rugby fans all over rino Mikaele-Tu’u scored on the coached by his father, ex-Wales empty stadiums in other coun- the world have the same feeling stroke of half-time for the High- boss Warren -- after they had tries where crowds are still right now.” landers to turn with a 22-16 ad- snatched the lead with their barred. - High penalty count -The vantage while down to 14-men own drop goal just a minute ear- “I don’t really have any Highlanders had only one win with Vili Koroi in the sin-bin. lier. The Super Rugby Aotearoa health concerns,” said one fan, from six games compared to the After McKenzie and game was played in a festival Fans attend the Super Rugby match between the Otago Highlanders and Waikato Chiefs at Forsyth Barr who gave his name as Peter. Chiefs’ four when the 15-team, Hunt traded penalties in the atmosphere at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday. (AFP) Another spectator, Wendy, five-nation Super Rugby was third quarter the Chiefs re- Stadium just six days after New said she feared New Zealand suspended in March because of gained the lead with an Anton Zealand declared itself free of named Jordan told AFP. McKenzie’s drop goal put the “It wasn’t perfect but we would have stayed locked down the coronavirus. Lienert-Brown try and Mc- COVID-19 and lifted restric- Gatland was only brought Chiefs ahead, only for Gatland gutsed it out and playing a qual- longer “but I’m happy that we’re But they looked a sharper Kenzie’s drop goal before Gat- tions on mass gatherings. on to the bench for the High- to settle the contest with his ity side like the Chiefs we just not. Nobody’s wearing masks, unit, despite two yellow cards land sealed the match. “Actually being able to landers after Josh Ioane pulled long-distance reply from nearly kept trying to compete as much it’s good”. and problems at the breakdown New Zealand recorded watch a rugby game after quar- out with a groin strain, and 40 metres. as we could and managed to just South Africa broadcast- in the opening game of Super 1,154 confirmed coronavirus antine, we’ve come a long way came on for his game-winning “I never imagined it would be on the right side of the ledger er Kaunda Ntunja tweeted: Rugby Aotearoa, an interim cases, including 22 deaths, but since COVID. I think New Zea- cameo near the end. be like that,” Highlanders cap- at the end.” “Watching live rugby with a domestic replacement for the has now gone 22 days without land’s doing pretty good,” a fan In a tense finish, Damian tain Ash Dixon said. As fans flowed through the crowd at the stadium is some- wider championship. any new cases. Sports Sunday, June 14, 2020 13 Best of WRC 8 to wage new battle

the Rally Argentina and dis- The qualifiers: Change in cars adds twist to semis as played he was getting into a Group A: Adel Hussein Abdulla, 12 compete for six slots in finals shape good enough to resist the Misfer Al Hajri, Patrick Roux Nasser Al Attiyah fastest drivers in the pool. Group B: Mansour Dbeissy, The Group A features two of Ahmed El Khouly, Nasser Al Attiyah to Tribune News Network Auto winner), Hamad Al Sulaiti the top three drivers in the com- Saadoun Al Kuwari DOHA (QTCC M240 and QORC Auto petition - Al Aufi and Dbeissy. Group C: Zakariya Al Aufi O( man), compete in 2021 runner-up), Kuwait’s Meshari Both faced some spirited resist- Hamad Al Sulaiti, Ahmed Al The rough gravel terrains of Al Thefiri and his co-driver ence in Sweden but thereafter, Kuwari Dakar Rally Chile will test the 12 qualifiers Nasser Saadoun Al Kuwari, the they went on to regain their su- Group D: Ammar Al Balushi to limits as they battle it out in MERC 2 champions. Mansour Dbiessy: Rising through perb rhythm and speed, posting (Oman), Khalid Al Maraghi, Me- the WRC 8 semi-finals for six Abdulla has indeed been the ranks. wins in 18 stages. shari Al Thefiri (Kuwait) QNA slots on Sunday. driver to beat after three qualify- Al Aufi said he was prepar- Doha The drivers have been split ing rallies (Sweden, France and ing hard for the semi-finals. Groupings for semi-finals into two pools with six each Argentina). He has not only set Adel Hussein Abdulla: On the top “I’m looking forward for tomor- Group A @ 5 pm Qatari’s star car rally ace and the Group A will take to the fastest times in all the three of his game. row’s race. I’m expecting tough Zakariya Al Aufi O( man), Mansour and three-time champion the starting line at 5 pm, while rallies, he has claimed all the competition but I’m trying to Dbeissy, Misfer Al Hajri, Khalid Nasser Al Attiyah announced the Group B begins the quest 22 stages so far and beaten the get as much training as pos- Al Maraghi, Ahmed Al Kuwari, that he will participate in the one and a half hours later. closest challengers by over three sible. Pressure is always there. Patrick Roux 43rd Dakar Rally in 2021. There will be three rounds minutes. This shows clearly Usually in real races, I fear Al Attiyah has won the in all to spot the fastest three how hot pace he has set in this about mechanical failures and Group B @ 6:30 pm most prestigious rally three from each group on the basis digital challenge. On the basis not other competitors. Adel Hussein Abdulla, Ammar times and finished runner-up of the maximum points col- of his envious peformance, he “In SIM racing, it is however Al Balushi (Oman), Ahmed Al in the 42nd rally in January lected. Three top drivers each is clearly tipped to get into the slightly different. You can see Khouly, Hamad Al Sulaiti, Me- this year in Saudi Arabia. from the two groups will figure finals from his group. results of others on the screen shari Al Thefairi (Kuwait), Nasser Road books will now be in the one race shootout to de- “I hope I can something very while driving and this can put Saadon Al Kuwari handed out in the morning cide the champion. good in this stage and qualify pressure on you to push more right before the start of each The races will have Qatar for the finals.T he competition Oman’s Zakariya Al Aufi: Showing either to run away from others Second round rallies special. Some categories will Online Racing Champion- is certaintly going to get difficult strong pace. Oman’s Ammar Al Balushi. or catch up quickly if you are be- schedule have digital road books. The ship Observer Omar Aswat with the best drivers left in the hind. I’m ready, anways,” added Sunday - Chile (gravel terrain) goal is to shift the focus of the and Timekeeping Officer fray. I’ll try my best to win the be high. I will try my best so that Even other drivers are also quite the Omani national champion. Tuesday - Spain (asphalt + gravel race more on navigation. The Aaron Limbago. race tomorrow. The WRC cars I can grab a podium position. competitive. I’m setting goal af- Dbeissy is also excited with terrain) rules have been amended to The Group A consists of (in the semi-finals) are much “Zakariya and I are very ter goal for me. Now the aim for his level and hopes to do well in Thursday - Germany (asphalt slow down the vehicles and, Omani rally champion Zaka- faster than the R5 that we used happy about the results in me is to get into the finals.I ’ll WRC car. “By the grace of God, terrain) in general, to make the race riya Al Aufi, Mansour Dbeissy in the qualifying, requiring a the qualifying stage. We’ll try try my best but it is going to be I qualified for the semi-finals.I n even safer. (eighth in QORC Auto finals), great deal of concentration. to take the championship to very tough and interesting. Let my group, there are several ex- Misfer Al Hajri, Khalid Al Also we need to be quite sharp Oman,” Al Balushi added. us see what happens.” perienced players, but my train- two rallies were good for me Maraghi (QORC Moto third- on turns. I wish good luck to all QORC Auto winner and Al Sulaiti said he is thrilled ing is in full swing to ensure that and quite fair to my level. Then place winner), Ahmed Al Ku- and may the deserving driver runner-up Al Khouly and Al Su- to be racing against the best of there is no mistake in the next in the final qualifying rally, World’s oldest wari and Patrick Roux. win and advance to the finals,” laiti, who have bagged four stag- the lot. “I’m happy to reach the stage. The car has changed now I was really fast and I didn’t The Group B features for- Abdulla added. es each, are also in the fray and semi-finals round with the best - it is much stronger and con- expect to compete the fastest first-class cricketer mer FIA World Cup for Cross- But Abdulla’s pool may not capable of big upsets. El Khouly drivers. I hope that I get a bit trolling it has become difficult driver Ammar. But at the end, Country Rallies T2 winner Adel be easy for him. Al Balushi, with won all his stages in Sweden, lucky and can achieve the de- but we;ll see on Sunday how I all I can say that I’m lucky to Raiji dies at 100 Hussein Abdulla, who has been 16 stage wins, is surely going to while Al Sulaiti also performed sired results - the finals.” will deal with it.” be with the professional driv- unbeaten in all 22 stages that lead the challenge. He said: “Of well in that rally in his group MERC 2 regional winners Al Maraghi was pleased ers in the semi-finals and will AFP he has contested so far, Ammar course the drivers who qualified and clinched three of his stages. Al Thefiri and NasserS aadon with his pace in the final stag- try to do my best in the next New Delhi Al Balushi, the co-driver of Al to the finals are very skilled and El Khouly said: “My group Al Kuwari are also in the pool. es of the Rally Argentina. He rounds. I wish very best to to Aufi, Ahmed El Khouly (QORC I feel the competition level will is very difficult.A bdulla is there. Al Thefiri grabbed a stage in said, “To be honest, the first all the competitors.” Vasant Raiji, the world’s oldest first-class cricketer, died aged 100 in Mumbai on Saturday, his son-in-law Su- darsahan Nanavata told In- Windies coach Simmons dian media. Raiji, a right-handed bats- Misbah says no strings has faith in domino theory man, played nine first-class matches between 1938 and AFP Holder would ensure the 1950, scoring 277 runs at an London squad remained in buoyant average of 23.08. He was also attached to England tour mood at a trying time. a cricket historian. Dominoes may be an unu- “There’s always dominoes Indian batting great AFP in Pakistan and also for Pa- sual way to get ready for crick- -- as you can imagine if you’ve Sachin Tendulkar and for- London kistan cricket that countries et but West Indies coach Phil been to the Caribbean that is mer Australia captain Steve start touring Pakistan.” Simmons believes the tradi- a highly explosive form of en- Waugh visited Raiji at his Head coach Misbah-ul- Meanwhile Misbah said tional Caribbean past time will tertainment,” Simmons told a Mumbai home on his 100th Haq is adamant Pakistan’s Pakistan’s experience of play- help his squad’s morale ahead conference call on Saturday. birthday on January 26. upcoming tour of England ing ‘home’ games in the Unit- of their behind-closed-doors “We have a golf simula- “His warmth and pas- amid the coronavirus pan- ed Arab Emirates without the Test series with England. tion centre, we have cards, a sion for playing and watch- demic is not dependent upon “energy” provided by fans The West Indies arrived few things the guys are enjoy- ing Cricket was endearing,” a return visit. would stand them in good in Manchester on Tuesday ing. When you have characters Tendulkar wrote of his meet- Next month international stead for matches in England and will now spend several like Jason Holder everyone is ing with Raiji on Twitter fol- cricket is set to resume for the where there will be no specta- weeks at Old Trafford ahead always laughing and enjoying lowing the announcement of first time since the outbreak as tors on health grounds. of the firstT est at Southamp- themselves.” the death. England host the West Indies “Nobody understands it ton starting on July 8 before According to Indian sports in a three-Test series staged better than us because we returning to Lancashire’s ‘Guys are hungry’ statistician Mohandas Menon, behind closed doors. played much more cricket headquarters for the final two Simmons, himself a for- New Zealand’s Alan Burgess, Pakistan are also meant than any other team in the matches. mer West Indies all-rounder, who was 100 on May 1, is now to play three Tests, as well as world with empty stadiums in The three-Test series will added: “The biggest challenge the world’s oldest living first- three Twenty20s, in a series Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq. the UAE,” he said. mark the return of interna- is boredom, but saying that in class cricketer. scheduled to start on August “Obviously in a bigger pic- tional cricket following the this scenario -- because of do- 5, although the England and hand” from one of the sport’s view something that the ECB ture, if we want to resume in- coronavirus shutdown. ing nothing, no cricket being Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wealthiest major bodies to one has to do for us in return,” he ternational cricket, we have to But with COVID-19 still play for the last however many have still to confirm the dates. of its poorest. said. start it from somewhere.” very much a reality in Brit- months -- that will take a while Major international The Pakistan Cricket “It is important for us to Misbah also wished Sha- ain, where the virus has to come into play. teams stopped touring Paki- Board, who announced on Fri- restart international cricket hid Afridi well after his fel- killed more than 50,000 “The guys are hun- stan after Sri Lanka’s team day a touring squad at a time somewhere, get the players low former Pakistan skipper people, players won’t be gry, they want to play bus was attacked by armed when more than 50,000 peo- back on the ground. That is tweeted on Saturday he had able to go out and about and practise.” militants in Lahore in 2009 ple have died from COVID-19 the most important thing at tested positive for the illness. as they would normal- The West Indies and, although some have re- in Britain, are also a financial the moment.” “My prayers are with him, ly after training or a hold the Wisden turned recently, it is 15 years minnow compared to the ECB. Nevertheless, looking to all well wishes with him that match day. Trophy after beat- since England last visited But Pakistan chief selector the longer term, the former he gets out of this soon,” said Simmons, while ing England in the the country. and head coach Misbah, in a Pakistan captain added: “Ob- Misbah. acknowledging the se- Caribbean last year Cricket West Indies (CWI) conference call on Saturday, viously, in a bigger picture, we “I think he was doing a riousness of the but it is more than three President Ricky Skerritt told rejected talk of a reciprocal ar- are not expecting anything in lot of work in the area of Ba- pandemic, said decades since they ESPN Cricinfo on Friday a $3 rangement. return but overall, we want lochistan and the northern the likes last won a series on million loan to CWI by the not just the ECB but all crick- areas just to help the people. of West English soil. ECB in May, was not contin- ‘Start somewhere’ eting nations to help each Throughout the COVID situa- Indies gent upon his side touring “It is not in our minds that other so this game can grow. tion he was helping the poor, captain West Indies’ coach Vasant Raiji England but rather a “helping we are coming and keeping in It’s important for cricket fans doing a very good job.” Jason Phil Simmons. Varner ahead as McIlroy charges in PGA return at Colonial

AFP pretty eye-opening,” said Var- but there’s obviously no one “If you going to make The leading scores Los Angeles ner, later referring to protests there,” McIlroy said. a triple do it while you Leading scores after Friday’s second round against the death of George The field includes 15 of are playing well,” said Var- of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Harold Varner overcame a Floyd, a black man killed re- the world’s top 20 players, ner, seeking his first PGA Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas (USA unless triple-bogey start to maintain cently as he was detained by but some bigger names from Tour win. noted, par-70): the lead at the halfway stage of white police officers. outside of North America “I got it back in a hurry, so 129 - Harold Varner 63-66 the Charles Schwab Challenge Jordan Spieth and Bryson skipped it because travelling that was nice... The way I fin- 130 - Jordan Spieth 65-65, Bryson on Friday as the hard-charging DeChambeau are tied for sec- to the US would mean two- ished was pretty awesome.” DeChambeau 65-65 Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spi- ond, one stroke back after a weeks quarantine. After a bogey at 18, Var- 131 - Xander Schauffele 65-66, Collin eth appear poised to strike. second consecutive 65s, while ner closed with a flourish that Morikawa 64-67, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 68-63 Varner, one of three black world number one McIlroy Triple bogey started with a 31-foot birdie 132 - Justin Thomas 64-68, Daniel Berger players in the top 200 in the fired a 63 to join Collin Mori- After an opening 63 to putt at the par-three fourth. 65-67, Justin Rose (ENG) 63-69, Gary world rankings, fired a four-un- kawa and Xander Schauffele match Britain’s late-starting He made three more in a row, Woodland 65-67, Branden Grace (RSA) der-par 66 at Colonial Country sharing third on 131. Rose for the first-day lead, Var- the last a 20-footer at seven, 66-66 Club to reach 11-under 129 after England’s Justin Rose and ner took a seven at the par-four and closed with a 10-foot 133 - Corey Conners (CAN) 66-67, Joel 36 holes in the US PGA Tour’s American Justin Thomas are 10th hole to begin his second birdie putt at the ninth. Dahmen 68-65 return event after a three- tied for seventh. round, soaring off the tee and The Tour is also holding 134 - Bubba Watson 68-66, Brian Harman month shutdown due to the This week’s Charles Schwab Harold Varner III of the United States tees off on the ninth hole during finding a bunker and rough be- a moment of silence every 65-69, Peter Uihlein 69-65, JT Poston new coronavirus pandemic. Challenge is full of firsts, the the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Friday. (AFP) fore reaching the green. round at 8:46am, marking the 68-66, Abraham Ancer (MEX) 64-70 “I have learned a lot biggest change being the ab- Varner bounced back with time -- 8 minutes 46 seconds 135 - Im Sung-Jae (KOR) 66-69, Rafael about myself through adver- sence of spectators. COVID-19 testing and practice went in and I didn’t get a clap ... birdies from four feet at 11 and -- George Floyd spent pinned Cabrera (ESP) 68-67, Patrick Rodgers sity. America is going through Players have to undergo social distancing. my hand was trying to go up to 10 feet at the par-three 12th and down by a white police officer 67-68, Mark Hubbard 67-68, Tyler Duncan adversity right now so it is temperature screenings, regular “When that first birdie putt wave to someone in the gallery, par-three 16th holes. kneeling on his neck. 65-70, Harry Higgs 70-65 14 Sunday, June 14, 2020 The Last Word GU-Q student club hosts Black Lives Matter panel discussion for QF community

and culture and an inductee bers in its first year, has hosted quires us to step up and live The panel answered questions on race, to the Washington DC Hall of several events, including a col- up to the responsibilities af- Fame for his social activism, laboration with Words and forded us as institutions of police reforms and divisive politics that described the events as un- Strings, a Black-led initiative scholarship and service.” surround the issues of social justice precedented in his lifetime. He in Doha that aims to enrich the Noting that conversations highlighted pivotal moments local art scene. about race and inequality are Tribune News Network Attended by an audience in US civil rights history, not- Dean of GU-Q Dr Ahmad often difficult for students Doha of students, faculty, staff and ing that each successive effort Dallal said, “As a university to have, Tsedenya hopes in- members of the QF communi- builds on the previous genera- with longstanding commit- stitutions of higher learning The Black Student Asso- ty, the panel took an unflinch- tion’s struggle. ment to foundational values expand and increase oppor- ciation (BSA) at QF partner ing look at the wave of protests The BSA student club was of diversity and social justice, tunities for positive and con- Georgetown University in Qa- that have swept across the US launched in the fall of 2019 Georgetown is committed to structive engagement on these tar (GU-Q) hosted a webinar and the world, and answered by third year students Tsed- ensuring a safe campus en- issues. She says the panel is titled ‘Black Lives Matter: Po- audience questions about race, enya Girmay, an International vironment where students, the first of many discussions lice Brutality and Racial Injus- police reform and the divisive Politics major, and Lina Hajo, faculty and staff can come the club hopes to host, in a tice in America’. politics that surround issues of a Culture and Politics major. together for critical conver- community where “the nature The online event was mod- social justice. The club aims to encourage sations on issues of race and of Georgetown’s liberal arts erated by the BSA’s student co- Dr Wilcox, whose research The webinar was titled ‘Black Lives Matter: Police Brutality and Black students’ unity, sup- inequality. This moment education attracts students founders and featured GU-Q interest includes religion and Racial Injustice in America’. port and cultural exchange in in our history represents a who care about social aware- faculty -- African American politics, public opinion, and Doha, and to create awareness turning point, and demands ness and community engage- Studies expert Prof Maurice electoral behaviour, noted been driven by many intersect- tutions and highlighted the ra- on issues faced by communi- that we not only bear wit- ment.” Jackson and American and that the broad public reaction ing factors. These include the cial inequalities in health care. ties worldwide. ness to the systemic violence The panel discussion is Comparative Politics specialist to the latest of many cases of ongoing pandemic which has Dr Jackson, a prolific author The club, which has al- and inequality faced by Black available for viewing on the Prof Clyde Wilcox. racialised police brutality has decreased public trust in insti- on African American history ready attracted over 60 mem- community members, but re- GU-Q BSA’s instagram page. Two QF alumni lend help Qatar Charity to open to millions of students to largest education city learn while watching TV Tribune News Network Doha/Islamabad

Osaama Shehzad and Haroon Yasinboth work in the field of for orphans in Sudan education in Pakistan, and, over the course of the last year, they The facility is expected to benefit some 6,600 people in Khartoum State have attempted new things with the aim of benefiting a large number of people. Tribune News Network Shehzad quit his job as a Doha university instructor to join an edtech company, hoping to Qatar Charity (QC) will soon reach out to more than the 20 Haroon Yasin Osaama Shehzad open the Taiba Education City students who were in his class- in Omdurman, Sudan, which room. Yasin, who runs a digital net connection or a computer. thing that is disrespectful and aims to provide comprehen- learning mobile app called Tal- However, both Shehzad and can bring shame—that it might sive care for 600 orphans. eemabad, tried to televise the Yasin agree that broadcasting take their children out of their The project is 95 percent app’s content on local televi- lessons on TV is not without its hands because of what they see complete, said Hussein Kar- sion, but faced delays due to red challenges. over the internet,” said She- mash, director of QC’s office in tape and censorship guidelines. “It’s very different to engage hzad. Sudan. It would be completed Then came the COVID-19 a broadcast audience, com- “But now, schools are forced within one and a half months pandemic, changing educa- pared with a digital or in-app to make PowerPoint presenta- after the end of a COVID-19 tional landscapes across the audience,” explained Yasin. tions, join Zoom, create cloud lockdown in Sudan, he said. globe. As schools were shut and “The viewers can switch the files, or set up email accounts. The facility, being imple- students asked to start learning channel at any moment, so you All these things are breaking mented with the support of from home, the government of don’t want to be too obvious mental barriers to technologies, a philanthropist in Qatar, is Pakistan launched Teleschool, while you are teaching.” so half of my job is done. The expected to benefit 6,600 per- an initiative that broadcasts Since television is primarily circumstances are already do- sons, including orphans, their educational content for K-12 used for entertainment, putting ing it for me, so I don’t have to families and those in need students on national television educational content on it push- break the mindsets.” from the areas south to Khar- daily. es the content creators to make Yasin and his co-founder toum State. The Taiba Education City is the largest education city for orphans in Sudan. For Shehzad and Yasin— it more fun and engaging than Ahwaz Akhtar created Tal- The 9,000-sqm city con- who are Qatar Foundation they would for other platforms. eemabad in 2015 while they sists of several facilities, such halls, sports facilities and a cialists at the Ministry of Edu- according to the Ministry of alumni and graduates from While Pakistan has some were still students at GU-Q. as a foundation school with 9 dormitory for 600 orphans. cation. Social Welfare of Khartoum, Carnegie Mellon University in well-reputed private education- They were driven by a passion classrooms and a computer lab; Officials at the Ministry Mohamed Ibrahim Ali and only 50 percent of them Qatar (CMU-Q) and George- al institutes, its public educa- to improve the state of educa- and a secondary school with of Education in Sudan said Fadlallah, director-general receive sponsorship from gov- town University in Qatar (GU- tion system struggles due to the tion in Pakistan by using in- four classrooms, a laboratory, the Taiba Education City is a at the Ministry of Education ernmental organisations and Q), respectively — this was a country’s overpopulated nature teractive, play-based learning a library and a computer lab; in qualitative addition to the or- in Khartoum State, said the agencies. unique opportunity to directly and large number of out-of- methods and incubated their addition to offices, homes and phan service and care. presence of a specialised city Prof Mona Ibrahim Al Faki, reach students without any school children. project through the World In- a health centre which will pro- The Taiba Education City that provides integrated edu- head of organisations at the middlemen. Shehzad’s employer Knowl- novation Summit for Educa- vide medical services for stu- would be fully ready for open- cational services for orphans Ministry of Education in Khar- The launch of the initiative edge Platform has been work- tion, a global initiative of QF dents and poor residents from ing before the beginning of is a blessing, which has to be toum, said the Taiba Educa- allowed Taleemabad to fast- ing on designing new learning aimed at transforming educa- surrounding villages. the school year in September, welcomed. It will have a clear tion City is established among track its partnership with Paki- solutions for its clients in the tion through innovation. The largest education city Karmash said, pointing out impact on society by offering villages and areas where there stan’s federal education minis- education sector by blending As the coronavirus pan- for orphans in Sudan also has that the process of selecting service for orphans, he added. are no schools, which makes it try and screen its cartoon-style traditional methods of learning demic has disrupted traditional various administrative fa- orphaned students is under There are about 60,000 very useful for the residents of animated videos on television. with technology. teaching methods, the engag- cilities, dining and activities way in coordination with spe- orphans in Khartoum alone, those villages. Knowledge Platform, the ed- According to Shehzad, prior ing content of Taleemabad has tech company where Shehzad to the pandemic, many schools come into the limelight. The creates science content for stu- in Pakistan still used conven- app has witnessed an unprec- dents from Grade 6-12, was tional methods of teaching edented surge in users over also took on board as one of focusing on routine learning, the past few months, with over HBKU CCSE professor wins prestigious computing award the several organisations feed- instead of using visuals and 2,000 new users joining every ing content into the Teleschool technology to explain the con- day. The team expect to have Tribune News Network recognises outstanding pa- puter systems. Dr. Di Pietro channel. Content worked on cept. However, that might be about 1.3 million users on the Doha pers that have significantly joined CSE in 2017 as profes- by Yasin and Shehzad is now changing as schools push their platform by the end of 2020, influenced the theory and/or sor of cyber security, lead- broadcast every day from 8am teachers to rethink their teach- exceeding their target of one Dr. Roberto Di Pietro, Pro- practise of reliable comput- ing the College’s efforts to to 6pm, reaching an audience ing methods using technology, million. fessor at Hamad Bin Khalifa ing. set up a world-class cyber of 50 million on Pakistan’s na- something Shehzad had been The app is now used not University (HBKU) College The award recognises security laboratory that tional television. advocating for before the crisis only by underserved or out-of- of Science and Engineering Jean-Claude Laprie (1944- addresses both key and The Teleschool initiative began. school children –Taleemabad’s (CSE), received the Jean- 2010) who has dedicated applied challenges in the is effective in reaching out to “Many communities were initial target audience - but Claude Laprie Award. In- his entire career to research field, impact and drive inno- communities that have a televi- not open to technology. They across the socio-economic spec- Roberto Di Pietro troduced in 2012, the award on the reliability of com- vation. sion but cannot afford an inter- thought of technology as some- trum in Pakistan.

MoQ gives away prizes to winners of Eid, Ramadan competitions on social media

Tribune News Network which is its top priority at all on Mall of Qatar’s social me- to the different brands at the great response and would like Doha times. dia platforms, where follow- mall, and more than 15 lucky to thank all our followers for Catering to all age groups, ers shared their Eid moments winners received several valu- their participation and con- MALL of Qatar (MoQ) de- the competitions were part of while staying home. Appreciat- able gifts from different stores gratulate all the winners.” livered more than 100 prizes Mall of Qatar’s campaign to ing their reaction and admiring ranging from perfume sets, Additionally, the Mall of to the winners of its Eid & engage with the community their lovely pictures and vid- gift sets and outdoor BBQ Qatar launched a CSR initia- Ramadan competitions that in line with the mall’s strat- eos, all participants received a grilling sets. tive during Ramadan, distrib- received positive engagement egy to enhance relations with variety of prizes ranging from Emile Sarkis, general uting iftar meals to labourers, and interaction from follow- customers, especially during iPhone 11, Apple watch series manager, Mall of Qatar, said: in collaboration with Wahab. ers on Mall of Qatar’s social COVID-19, with the aim of ed- 5, Samsung watches and gift “These competitions come Besides, the nation’s mall also media platforms. ucating them about the Holy vouchers worth QR500 valid as part of our commitment supported its tenants with the The daily and weekly Month of Ramadan and Islam for two years. to our community in sharing ‘Stay Safe & Shop from home’ competitions were part of a and at the same time enter- In addition, several fol- their happiness during Eid campaign, allowing custom- comprehensive campaign and taining them while at home. lowers participated in another and engaging with our com- ers to shop for their favourite reflected the mall’s commit- The Eid campaign includ- Eid daily competition that munity of followers. We are brands and products from the ment to the local community, ed a week-long competition included questions related thrilled to have received a comfort of their own homes.