RABIA ALTHANI 15, 1442 AH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

16 Pages Max 23º Min 14º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 18296 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Court ruling a win for From small businesses to farmers, Loneliest elephant heads to Tyson comeback fight at 54 4 press freedom in Kuwait 9 middle India is driving demand 12 Cambodia after campaign 14 ends with draw against Jones

74 former MPs among 321 candidates left in the fray

Local, foreign volunteers to monitor National Assembly elections

By B Izzak wins a seat in the Assembly, with most analysts ruling out that he can mount any challenge. KUWAIT: As many as 74 former MPs are among 321 As many as 568,000 Kuwaitis are eligible to vote, a Zain KSA: Strategic transformation candidates left in the fray for the 50 National Assembly 17 percent rise from four years ago. About 51 percent seats after withdrawals of candidacy closed for the Dec of the voters are females because members of the mili- opens door to new era of growth 5 elections. Of the 395 candidates who registered to tary and police forces, overwhelmingly men, are barred contest the polls, 54 dropped out and an interior min- from voting. Local and foreign observers will monitor istry commission disqualified 34 others, of whom 14 the elections, according to the Anti-Corruption Remaining offer of priority shares oversubscribed by 469% have so far been reinstated by the court. The final num- Authority, which held a training course for 187 volun- ber of hopefuls could change after the court of cassa- teers from Kuwait Transparency Society, which was RIYADH: Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom tion issues its final verdict on the issue today. invited by the government to monitor the polls. innovator in seven markets across the Middle East There are 27 female candidates left in the race, The Anti-Corruption Authority also said 11 Arab and and Africa announced the successful competition including MP Safa Al-Hashem. In the 2016 general foreign observers will also participate. Kuwait Human of its subsidiary Zain Saudi Arabia’s (Zain KSA) polls, about 300 candidates contested the polls, Rights Society also announced it will take part in moni- capital restructuring. This follows the high with around 80 former lawmakers. Forty-four mem- toring the polls with an unspecified number of demand by institutional investors in the remaining bers of the outgoing Assembly along with 30 former observers. The observers are allowed to monitor and priority shares that were oversubscribed by an MPs from previous assemblies are bidding for re- report illegal practices like vote-buying, violations in unprecedented 469 percent. election amid a very quiet and dull election cam- campaigns and other violations that could impact the These last steps came as part of Zain KSA’s paign hit by the coronavirus pandemic that lacks outcome of the election. plan to restructure its capital, which included the “explosive” issues. A local pollster and research center Masarat reduction of the capital and then raising it through Around 25 opposition members, a majority of them expected that 13 Islamist candidates will win seats in the offering of priority rights shares. This con- Islamists, are in the race with the main aim to create a the next Assembly. Its conclusion was based on a sur- tributed to extinguishing most of the telco’s accu- strong opposition bloc capable of stopping what oppo- vey conducted by the center. Unlike previous elec- mulated losses, paying part of the Murabaha sition figures claim is an unprecedented slide in tions, campaigning this time was mainly virtual, financing, and capitalizing part of other dues. The Kuwait’s domestic politics. Pollsters and analysts believe depending on social media and television interviews, transaction paves the way for the company to Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO Bader Al-Kharafi that some 40 percent of the members of the outgoing but only for lucky candidates who could book their enter a new era of strategic transformation of its Assembly will be replaced, but barring a last-minute interviews in advance. financial performance. tional strategy and future growth plans, rein- major event that could influence the outcome, the same Local issues like housing, education, corruption, Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Vice-Chairman and forced by the company’s return to profitability policies are expected to be maintained with the gov- economy and freedom of speech dominated the cam- CEO of Zain Group said: “The successful compe- over the last three years. The transaction ernment and its supporters retaining their solid control. paign, with leading opposition figures charging that the tition of the company’s capital restructuring and enhances Zain KSA’s capabilities to expand its Marzouq Al-Ghanem, the house speaker for the past country was being controlled by a “deep state”. Almost the massive demand in the remaining priority strategic investments in the kingdom’s telecom- two parliaments, is expected to be reelected for the all candidates insisted they will oppose any plans by the rights subscription reflects the confidence of munications sector, growing its profitability and coveted post as no real threat has emerged to challenge government to impose taxes or raise charges on public shareholders and investors in Zain KSA’s opera- paving the way for dividends.” (See Page 8) him. Only former MP and minister Roudhan Al- services to meet a growing budget deficit due to the Roudhan said he will contest the speakership post if he sharp fall in oil prices.

News in brief Firemen rescue Baby born with COVID antibodies 83 people after SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman, who was infected with the novel coronavirus in March when heavy rainfall she was pregnant, has given birth to a baby with KUWAIT: Firefighters rescued a total of 83 people antibodies against the virus, offering a new clue as during heavy rains that hit Kuwait over the past two to whether the infection can be transferred from days, Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) said yesterday. The mother to child. The baby was born this month with- persons rescued were trapped in their vehicles in out COVID-19 but with the virus antibodies, the areas where rainwater accumulated, mostly in Jahra Straits Times newspaper reported yesterday, citing governorate, the public relations and information the mother. “My doctor suspects I have transferred department at KFF said in a statement. Authorities my COVID-19 antibodies to him during my preg- received more than 170 emergency calls, mostly nancy,” Celine Ng-Chan told the paper. — Reuters from desert areas, KFF explained, adding that no injuries were reported as firefighters handled all KUWAIT: A pickup truck and makeshift structure in Mutlaa are submerged in a pool of water yesterday after UAE names climate change envoy emergency cases. — KUNA (See Page 3) heavy rainfall a day earlier. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

DUBAI: The UAE yesterday approved the establishment of a new national cybersecurity council, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al- Indonesian volcano Iran mulling Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister and Vice- President and ruler of Dubai, said on Twitter. The belches huge tower response to cabinet also appointed Industry and Advanced Technology Minister and head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan Al-Jaber of smoke and ash assassination as a special envoy for climate change. Jaber, who JAKARTA: Indonesia’s Mount Ili Lewotolok holds a PhD in business and economics, is also TEHRAN: Iran was weighing its response yesterday erupted yesterday, belching a column of smoke and to the killing of its top nuclear scientist, which it the chairman of Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy ash four kilometers into the sky, triggering a flight company known as Masdar. — Reuters blames on arch-foe Israel, as his body was taken to warning and the closure of the local airport. There Shiite shrines ahead of being buried. Two days after were no reports of injuries or damage from the Mohsen Fakhrizadeh died following a firefight eruption in a remote part of the Southeast Asian between his guards and unidentified gunmen outside Trump loses another challenge archipelago. But authorities raised the volcano’s Tehran, parliament called in a statement for interna- alert status to its second-highest level as they tional inspectors to be barred from nuclear facilities. WASHINGTON: The US state of Pennsylvania’s warned of possible lava flows. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council usually supreme court dismissed another legal challenge A two-kilometer no-go zone around the crater handles decisions related to the country’s nuclear to the election by supporters of President was also expanded to four kilometers, while flights program. President Hassan Rouhani has stressed the Donald Trump on Saturday. A Republican lawsuit were advised to steer clear of the area as volcanic country will seek its revenge in “due time” and not had sought to invalidate mail-in ballots in the ash rained down on East Nusa Tenggara’s Wunopitu be rushed into a “trap”. Israel says Fakhrizadeh was battleground state or to throw out all votes and airport, which was temporarily closed. “People are the head of an Iranian military nuclear program, the allow the state’s legislature to decide the winner. advised to not carry out any activities within a four- existence of which the Islamic republic has consis- The court dismissed both claims in a unanimous kilometer radius from the crater,” Indonesia’s geolog- tently denied. decision, calling the second one an “extraordi- ical agency said. His body arrived in the northeastern holy city of Indonesia is home to about 130 active volcanoes Mashhad late Saturday and was taken to the shrine nary proposition that the court disenfranchise all Residents gather to watch as Mount Ili Lewotolok 6.9 million Pennsylvanians who voted in the gen- due to its position on the “Ring of Fire”, a belt of tec- of Imam Reza for prayers and a ceremonial circling tonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean spews ash during a volcanic eruption in Lembata eral election”. — AFP of the tomb, state news agency IRNA reported. where frequent seismic activity occurs. — AFP yesterday. — AFP Continued on Page 2 2 Established 1961 Monday, November 30, 2020 Local Amir, Crown Prince receive state officials

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sabah meets His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah meets His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. — Amiri Diwan and KUNA photos meets National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem. Hamad Al-Sabah.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah meets His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Sabah meets Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior and Minister of Sabah meets Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh. Ahmad Al-Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- Amir also received National Assembly Speaker Highness hosted Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Affairs Anas Al-Saleh. In the meantime, His Highness Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received yesterday at Marzouq Al-Ghanem. Furthermore, His Highness the Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Mansour Al-Ahmad Al- the Crown Prince received Speaker Ghanem, His Bayan Palace His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Amir received His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah. In addition, he received Deputy Prime Minister, Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, Sheikh Ahmad Al- Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. His Highness the Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Moreover, His Minister of Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Mansour, and Saleh at Bayan Palace. — KUNA

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Minister orders investigation meets Bahraini counterpart over rain accumulations KUWAIT: Minister of Foreign Ambassador Dhari Al-Ajran, Assistant KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works legal measures against any party or Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al- Minister of Foreign Affairs for Gulf and the Minister of State for Housing company whose negligence is Mohammad Al-Sabah met yesterday Cooperation Council Affairs Dr Rana Al-Fares formed yesterday proven, as it will be referred to the with the visiting Foreign Minister of Ambassador Nasser Al-Muzain, a neutral and emergency legal and regulatory and legal authorities Bahrain Dr Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Assistant Foreign Minister for Foreign technical fact-finding committee to according to what the committee will his accompanying delegation. The Minister Office Affairs Ambassador investigate the causes of water conclude. She added that in light of talks dealt with bilateral relations and Saleh Al-Loughani, Deputy Assistant accumulations in some areas due to the weather conditions and the thun- latest regional as well as international Foreign Minister for Foreign Minister recent heavy rains in various parts of derstorm that the country recently developments. The meeting was Office Affairs Counselor Ahmed Al- the country. In a press release, experienced, accompanied by rain, attended by Assistant Foreign Shuraim, and a number of senior offi- Minister Fares said that the main the concerned teams were able to Minister for Protocol Affairs cials in the ministry. — KUNA objective for committee is to identify deal with all the reports received on deficiencies in rain drainage network the main roads and highways and and submit its report and recom- regions in the various governorates mendations within a week of its date that witnessed rain gathering. Fares regarding the legal, technical and confirmed that the bad weather con- administrative procedures that must ditions remain, and there are expec- be followed in this regard. The minis- tations of another wave of heavy KUWAIT: Minister of Public Works and the Minister of ter stressed that her ministry will not rains which requires the cooperation State for Housing Dr Rana Al-Fares inspects a site be negligent in taking the necessary of all in this regard. — KUNA damaged by heavy rain. — KUNA Iran mulling response to...

Continued from Page 1

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Then it was taken yesterday to Fatima Al-Sabah meets Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al-Zayani. — KUNA Masumeh’s shrine in Qom, south of Tehran, and later to that of the Islamic republic’s founder Imam Khomeini, according to Iranian media. Fakhrizadeh’s funeral will be held today in the presence of senior military commanders and his family, the defense ministry said on its website, without speci- fying where. Israel has declined to comment on Fakhrizadeh’s killing, less than two months before US President-elect Joe Biden is set to take office following four years of hawk- ish foreign policy under President Donald Trump. Trump withdrew the US from a mul- tilateral nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018 and then reimposed and beefed up punish- MASHHAD, Iran: A handout picture shows servants of the holy shrine of Imam Reza praying ing sanctions as part of its “maximum pres- around the coffin of Iran’s assassinated top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh during sure” campaign against Tehran. Biden has his funeral procession in this northeastern city. — AFP signaled his administration may be prepared to rejoin the accord, but the nuclear scien- opment of Iran’s nuclear program”. Almost a the legislature’s news agency ICANA. Some tist’s assassination has revived opposition to year after the US withdrawal, Iran respond- MPs had earlier accused inspectors of act- the deal among Iranian conservatives. ed by gradually abandoning most of its ing as “spies” and potentially leading to Yesterday, Iran’s parliament held a closed essential nuclear commitments under the Fakhrizadeh’s death. But the spokesman for session to “investigate the assassination,” deal. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Iran’s atomic energy organization, Behrouz KUWAIT: Deputy Chief of Kuwait National Guard Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al- ISNA news agency reported. Speaker Khamenei called Saturday for Fakhrizadeh’s Kamalvandi, told IRNA on Saturday that the Ahmad Al-Sabah meets Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad bin Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf called yester- killers to be punished. issue of inspectors’ access “must be decided Khaled Al Saud. day for “a strong reaction” that would Yesterday, parliament said the “best on at high levels” of the Islamic republic’s “deter and take revenge” on those behind response” to Fakhrizadeh’s assassination leadership. the killing of Fakhrizadeh, who was aged 59 would be to “revive Iran’s glorious nuclear Tehran representative Mahmoud Saudi envoy visits National according to Iranian media. industry” by halting the voluntary imple- Nabavian told Tasnim news agency inspec- In an op-ed yesterday, the ultraconserva- mentation of the additional protocol, a doc- tors should be barred “from interviewing tive Kayhan daily called for strikes on Israel ument which under the 2015 accord pre- experts and scientists, since our mistrust of Guard’s Deputy Chief if it is “proven” to be behind the assassina- scribes more intrusive inspections of Iran’s the (IAEA)’s inspectors has been proven (to tion. It called for the port city of Haifa to be nuclear facilitates. In a statement following be correct)”. “The enemy could have identi- KUWAIT: Deputy Chief of Kuwait National Guard Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al- targeted “in a way that would annihilate its its meeting, the legislature said the killing fied martyr Fakhrizadeh either through intel- Ahmad Al-Sabah received Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad infrastructure and leave a heavy human toll”. showed that Israel, the US and their allies ligence work or direct interviews,” he bin Khaled Al Saud in his office at the National Guard’s headquarters building That will “certainly achieve deterrence, had become “brazen” in their “terror and added. Firebrand MP Javad Karimi yesterday. Prince Sultan congratulated Sheikh Ahmad on winning the trust of since the US and the Zionist regime ... are in sabotage” against Iran. Ghodousi, had on Friday accused Rouhani Kuwait’s political leadership, and being appointed in his current post. Sheikh no way ready to fight a war,” it added. Signed by all 290 members of parliament, of setting up a meeting between Ahmad, meanwhile, highlighted the deep-rooted relations between Saudi Arabia The United States slapped sanctions on the statement called for International Atomic Fakhrizadeh and IAEA officials in the past - and Kuwait, Kuwait National Guard said in a press release. The two sides also Fakhrizadeh in 2008 for “activities and Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to be a claim strongly denied by the Rouhani discussed issues of common interest between the two countries, it added. transactions that contributed to the devel- barred from the country’s atomic sites, said administration. — AFP Established 1961 T 3 Monday, November 30, 2020 L o c a l Firefighters rescued 83 persons as heavy rains swept Kuwait Rain chances, temperature drop today

Rainwater floods an entire neighborhood in Fintas Saturday night. Vehicles drive through a flooded road. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and Fouad Al-Shaikh

KUWAIT: Firefighters rescued a total of 83 peo- the heavy rains. “Those persons were safely res- ple during heavy rains that hit Kuwait over the cued and no casualties resulted from the rains,” it past two days, Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) said yes- affirmed. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of terday. The persons rescued were trapped in their Interior and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs vehicles in areas where Anas Al-Saleh visited the rainwater has accumulat- operations room and was ed, most of which were in briefed by KFF Chief Lt Al-Jahra governorate, the Gen Khaled Al-Mekrad Public Relations and More than on how to tackle the acci- Information Department dents related to the rains. at KFF said in a state- 170 emergency Kuwait Meteorological ment. Authorities Center said meanwhile received more than 170 calls received that chances of rain had emergency calls, mostly started to drop gradually in desert areas, KFF since last night after two explained, adding that no days of downpour due to injuries were reported as the effects of the Sudan firefighters handled all emergency cases it low pressure on the region. Temperatures are received. expected to drop today as a cold air mass enters KFF had announced on Saturday that firemen the country, meteorologist Abdaziz Al-Qarawi said, responded to calls from 63 persons who sought adding that light to moderate rain showers are This picture released by Kuwait Fire Force shows Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh and KFF Chief Lt Gen Khaled Al-Mekrad inside the operations room. help after getting stuck in ponds formed due to expected between tomorrow and Friday. —KUNA

Rain knocks down Kuwait Times tree

This picture released by the Kuwait Fire Force shows fire- KUWAIT: Vehicles parked next to a huge pool of rainwater men rescuing a person whose vehicle is stuck in rainwater. in Mutlaa yesterday.

Two men walk through a completely submerged street in Fintas. Vehicles sunken deep in a pool of rainwater.

KUWAIT: The heavy rains and strong winds that hit Kuwait in the past couple of days have knocked down the longest-standing tree in Kuwait Times’ premises. Planted in 1983 by General Manager Badrya Darwish, the tree has provided shade and shelter and welcomed all those who entered our premises. The tree had been a part of the newspaper’s history, cut back and pruned over the years to branch out again and again. During the construction of the second building, some suggested cutting down the tree and that its roots might disrupt the underground pipes, but the owners were adamant that a living tree provides not only respite from Kuwait’s relentless sun but also growth and hope for a greener future for all. Heavy traffic due to deluged streets. 4 Established 1961 Local Monday, November 30, 2020

Established 1961 The First Daily in The Arabian Gulf Kuwait remains committed to creating THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961 balance in global market: Oil Minister Founder and Publisher YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN Kuwait participates in OPEC, OPEC+ ministerial meetings EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Minister of Oil and Acting OPEC+ crude producers, in April, trimmed the Moreover in this vein, ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 Minister of Electricity and Water Dr Khaled Al- output by 9.7 million bpd, 10 percent of the global observers allude, as FAX : 24835620/1 Fadhel and Kuwait’s Governor of the Organization demand that fell at the time due to ramifications of another factor for the CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Haitham the coronavirus crisis. Sources close to OPEC said prices’ reasonable level; ACCOUNTS : 24833199 Extn. 125 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 Al-Ghais are set to participate in the OPEC 180th yesterday the conferees would seek to capitalize on to states’ latest financial P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait. Ministerial Meeting today and the 12th OPEC plus the noticeable recovery of the oil prices that hit $46 incentives’ policies, Email: [email protected] Ministerial Meeting tomorrow through videocon- pb, highest level since outbreak of the pandemic intended to relieve cash- Website: www.kuwaittimes.net ference. Fadhel said in a statement released by the late last year. Participants in the OPEC+ gathering strapped citizens and job- Oil Ministry that Kuwait continues its cooperation would look into the latest regular report by the less; in the shadow of the and full commitment to increase production levels organization that predicted demand increase for corona crisis that para- according to OPEC quota in order to create a bal- OPEC crudes next year at a rate of 5.2 million bpd lyzed wide sectors of the ance in the global oil markets. He mentioned that as compared to 2020. In light of this forecast, the businesses. Oil Minister Dr Khaled Kuwait sees 231 Kuwait is still playing an effective role in the negoti- Al-Fadhel ations and discussions, which led to the adoption of Growing reserves new COVID-19 many OPEC decisions, adding that OPEC’s deci- OPEC Secretary sions brought stability and confidence to the oil Efforts to General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo has acknowl- cases, three deaths market and increasing the oil sector’s contribution edged that balancing supply and demand has to the global economy. Regarding the OPEC meet- capitalize on become harder due to global reserves’ growth by a KUWAIT: Kuwait said yesterday that 231 new ing, Fadhel said that the global oil market is looking staggering one billion bpd since start of this year. coronavirus infections were registered over the past forward to the influential role of state members to price recovery The crude reserves’ glut could have been much big- 24 hours, raising the total to 142,426. Meanwhile, stabilize the oil market, especially in the next phase. ger had the OPEC+ countries made no significant three fatalities were recorded over the same period, OPEC appreciated Kuwait’s role in advancing the efforts to maintain the market balance, Barkindo which upped the country’s COVID-19 death toll to desired cooperation between all member states in believes. The producers’ commitment to the output 878, the health ministry said. The ministry had earlier the organization in order to achieve balance and cut reached a remarkable and record level of 100 reported that 524 patients had recovered from the stability in the global oil market. decision makers will study duration of the output percent in November, according to many observers. virus over the past 24 hours, raising total recoveries cut. Although current price remained short of the Moreover, they believe that the conferees will opt to 136,413. The number of people hospitalized with New deal producing states’ aspiration to see it at the level of to maintain the current level of the crude produc- the virus stood yesterday at 5,135, with 76 of them OPEC hosts the two meetings today and tomor- $60 pb to be compatible with the price upon which tion in the first half of the coming year (2021). in intensive care units, according to ministry row to discuss prospects of maintaining the oil pro- their budgets had been projected, they appeared Statistics showed that costs of facing the sec- spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad, who revealed that duction’s cut. The oil sector stakeholders are sched- generally satisfied with the latest price level, con- ond wave of the virus exceeded $20 trillion, 4,827 swab tests were conducted over the same uled to celebrate the possibility of hammering out a sidering the unchecked spread of the virus globally. equivalent to 20 percent of the global gross prod- period raising the total to 1,091,469. Dr Sanad went new deal whether to keep the decrease of the crude Observers link the price improvement to the US uct. OPEC noted in its regular report, released on to urge the public to abide by health precautions, output by 7.7 million barrels per day. On the table is presidential process, high hopes upcoming mass last week, that the demand for the OPEC crudes, mainly social distancing, which he said is the only a recommendation of the joint OPEC-non-OPEC production of vaccines will curb the contagion in 2020, dropped by 200,000 bpd to stand at 22.1 way to halt the spread of the virus. — KUNA ministerial committee to slash production in a bid to along with the forecast such a success will dissuade million bpd, 7.2 million bpd less as compared to boost markets’ stability. The virtual sessions coin- states’ leaders from ordering further lockdowns 2019. Additionally, the organization predicted in cide with OPEC’s 60th anniversary and fourth giving way for restoration of normal life and recov- its report that this demand would reach, next year, anniversary of the coalition, established on ery of industries namely those that require energy, 27.9 million bpd, some 5.6 million bpd higher than Indian embassy December 10, 2016. in addition to restoration of regular air transports. that of 2020. — KUNA sets up helpdesk AbdulKareem, said in a statement, Sunday that the Al-Kandiri, said in a similar statement that the idea KUWAIT: The embassy of India has set up a helpdesk Kuwaiti doctor winners were selected among a group of Arab com- of the award came from the basis of the Arab at its premises for assistance of those who fall in the cat- petencies that lead major institutions from all over nation’s permanent and renewed need for creativity egory of the special announcement made by the Kuwait wins at Global the Arab world. The award’s supreme committee and excellence in all fields. Dr Abdullah Al-Ajeel is government for regulation of stay or exit from Kuwait. and its branch in various Arab countries are con- the recipient of several awards at the local, Gulf, Information on the announcement is also available at the cerned with the process of nominating individuals regional and international levels, including 6 awards helpline numbers of the embassy. These numbers are: Awards in Morocco and institutions in accordance with the internal from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of +965 - 65806158, 65806735, 65807695 and KUWAIT: Dr Abdullah Al-Ajeel from the Kuwait controls approved for these committees, he said. In Sciences, Kuwait Electronic Prize in the field of 65808923 from 8am to 8pm, +965 - 65809348 from 8 selecting the winners, he indicated that the expert electronic sciences, in the field of e-learning, and in pm to 8 am. Those who require travel documents may Ministry of Health received the Professional committees use modern evaluation methods to the field of electronic inclusion. He also received the visit the helpdesk during office hours. Any Indian Excellence Award for the year 2020 in the field of measure the rates of ability, compliance, and admin- Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Prize national not having passport and residency and if he has health at the level of Arab countries. The award is not applied for emergency certificate yet, may do so by part of the fifth session of the Global Awards of istrative excellence, levels of popularity and attrac- twice and the Creativity Medal from the Bahrain filling the EC form and deposit the same either at the Arab Best Foundation for the year 2020, held tiveness of services, performance, and productivity. Conference for Technology Innovation, the most boxes kept at Indian passport offices at Al-Sharq, Jleeb recently in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Secretary- Meanwhile, the representative of the Higher recent of which was the 2017 Information Summit Al-Shuyoukh, Fahaheel and at the embassy. General of the Best Arab Award, Abdullah Committee for the Best Arab Award, Mohammad Award from UNESCO-United Nations. — KUNA

zling writers who always seek to reveal the truth Court ruling a win and serve public interest, away from any personal convictions or other goals, as responsible freedom is guaranteed by the law and the constitution. for press freedom Lawyers said the ruling explains that publishing names in newspapers is not considered defama- in Kuwait tion, and that conveying news with evidence is not a means of targeting anyone; it is rather to convey the truth. This is the role of the media, especially KUWAIT: In a new court ruling seen as a victory with regards to issues of public opinion. They said to liberties in general and freedom of the press in the ruling relied on the role of the paper that pub- Kuwait in particular, the felonies court chaired by lished the news, and by publishing the name of the Judge Abdullah Al-Othman confirmed that news- complainant, it only reported the truth and did not papers will not be indicted if they publish genuine write the name by itself. The ruling stressed that news, even if the names of concerned officials are the role of the paper is to report true news and mentioned. this is what took place without any additions. The criminal court exonerated an editor-in- Lawyers reaffirmed that this ruling is a moral chief for publishing the name of an engineer after support for freedoms in Kuwait and an answer to an MP demanded to hold him to account through a all opinions that adopted the idea of limiting free- parliamentary question, which was published by dom of expression, or those who called for shack- the paper. The court said newspapers cannot be ling the media and making it afraid of reporting held to account or convicted in cases of publishing facts to the readers as they are. They insisted that official news, even if it mentions names, because it enemies of democracy want papers to be as they did not accuse anyone - rather it was reporting like, so they support silencing and preventing the facts, Al-Qabas Arabic daily reported yesterday. publication of truth in public issues and events Lawyers and legal experts considered this ruling that preoccupy the society. They added that a new victory for freedom of expression, adding Kuwaiti journalism was and still is the spokesper- that the Kuwait judiciary gives journalistic and son of the people, who are looking for the coun- information freedom a high status and rejects muz- try’s interests.

Man hurt in Shuwaikh garage fire

KUWAIT: Firemen put out a blaze reported in the garage to prevent the flames from spread- a garage in Shuwaikh Industrial yesterday. ing, before they put out the blaze. One man was Shuhada and Shuwaikh Industrial fire stations injured in the incident and was taken to hospi- responded to an emergency call reporting a tal in a stable condition, Kuwait Fire Force said. fire that started in a vehicle parked inside the An investigation was opened to reveal the garage. Firefighters towed the vehicle out of cause of the fire. International MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 Protesters target Thai royal guards Sydney records hottest November night as heatwave sweeps city unit in latest rally Page 6 Page 7

GEDAREF, Sudan: Ethiopian refugees fill bottles and containers with water at Um Raquba camp on Saturday. — AFP Tigray military operation ‘over’ Ethiopia federal forces take over Tigray capital

ADDIS ABABA: The Ethiopian government launched a issued arrest warrants for 17 more military officers against Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, whom manhunt yesterday for leaders of a rebellious faction in charged with crimes in connection with the conflict that it eventually toppled in 1991. The TPLF and Eritrean the northern region of Tigray after announcing federal include treason and embezzlement of public properties, forces fought together against Mengistu, but relations troops had taken over the regional capital and military state-affiliated Fana TV reported. They add to the 117 later soured after Eritrea became independent in 1993. operations were complete. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed warrants issued for senior military officers it says are The two nations fought over a border dispute in 1998- Ethiopia PM Abiy: government has been trying to quell a rebellion by the connected to TPLF since the conflict broke out. 2000 and the TPLF sees Eritrea as a mortal enemy. Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a powerful Eritrea signed a peace deal with Abiy in 2018, and the From peace prize ethnically-based party that dominated the central gov- prime minister won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. ernment from 1991 until Abiy came to power in 2018. to air strikes He said on Saturday evening federal troops had taken Explosions in Eritrea’s capital control of the Tigrayan capital Mekelle within hours of Ethiopia hunts for Six explosions were reported in the Eritrean capital, launching an offensive there, laying to rest fears of pro- Asmara, on Saturday night, the U.S. State Department ADDIS ABABA: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy tracted fighting in the city of 500,000 people. The prime Tigray leaders said, although it was not immediately clear if they were Ahmed came to power promising real democra- minister, who refers to the three-week-old conflict as an related to the Tigray conflict. The State Department cy, promoting women and feverishly planting internal law and order matter and has rebuffed interna- post did not mention the cause or location of the explo- trees across his vast country, snapping up the tional offers of mediation, said federal police will try to sions. Tigrayan forces fired rockets at Eritrea on Nov 14. Nobel Peace Prize along the way. But Abiy’s arrest TPLF “criminals” and bring them to court. Reuters was unable to reach the Eritrean government or image of a modern, peacemaking reformer risks However, TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael told It was not clear if any TPLF leaders had surrendered, Tigrayan forces for comment. The TPLF, which shattering entirely after he sent troops and war- Reuters in a text message on Saturday evening that their whereabouts or their next plans. “Their brutality denounces Abiy’s warm relations with Eritrea, has planes into Ethiopia’s Tigray region, a move ana- TPLF forces would fight on, raising the prospect that can only add (to) our resolve to fight these invaders to accused Eritrea of sending troops to Tigray to join the lysts fear could push Africa’s second most popu- the conflict could drag on. Thousands of people are the last,” the TPLF’s Debretsion told Reuters in a text Ethiopian government’s fight. lous country into a long, devastating civil war. believed to have been killed and nearly 44,000 have message on Saturday. Asked by Reuters if that meant It has not been possible to contact the Eritrean gov- Abiy, 44, announced the campaign on November fled to Sudan since the fighting began on Nov. 4. The his forces would continue fighting, he replied: “Certainly. ernment for comment on this. The TPLF also accuses 4, saying it came in response to an attack by conflict has been another test for Abiy, who took office This is about defending our right to self determination.” Abiy of wanting to centralize control at the expense of Tigray’s ruling party, the Tigray People’s two years ago and is trying to hold together a patch- Debretsion said in another text message that Tigrayan Ethiopia’s 10 regions. The constitution grants the Liberation Front (TPLF), on two federal military work of ethnic groups that make up Ethiopia’s 115 mil- forces were withdrawing from around Mekelle. regions wide-ranging powers over matters like taxation camps, an accusation the party denies. lion people. and security. Abiy has denied he wants to centralize A communications blackout in Tigray has The flow of refugees and attacks by the TPLF on History of resistance power. This year, Abiy postponed elections scheduled made it difficult to verify competing claims on neighboring Eritrea have also threatened to destabilize Regional diplomats and experts have warned that a for August to next year because of the COVID-19 pan- the ground. Yet officials say hundreds of people the wider Horn of Africa region. Claims from all sides rapid military victory might not signal the end of the demic. Calling this a power grab, the TPLF held its own have been killed, and the UN is warning of a rap- are difficult to verify since phone and internet links to conflict. The TPLF has a history of guerrilla resistance. regional elections in September and announced it no idly deteriorating humanitarian situation as thou- Tigray have been down and access tightly controlled Tigray’s mountainous terrain and borders with Sudan longer recognized federal authority. Abiy’s government sands flee across the border into neighboring since the fighting began. The police late on Saturday and Eritrea helped the TPLF during its long struggle declared the Tigray election illegal.— Reuters Sudan. World leaders are calling for an immedi- ate halt to fighting and for dialogue, but Abiy has repeatedly insisted on the need to preserve the country’s “sovereignty and unity” and “reestab- Iran assassination lish law and order”. It is a remarkable turn of events for a leader could undercut who less than a year ago travelled to Oslo to accept the Nobel for ending a two-decade Biden’s options stalemate with neighboring Eritrea after a bru- tal 1998-2000 conflict that left some 80,000 people dead and achieved little. Abiy declared WASHINGTON: The assassination of a top Iranian in his acceptance speech that “war is the epito- nuclear scientist, which Tehran has blamed on Israel, me of hell for all involved”, and his office insists risks not only sharpening tensions across the region that this remains his position. His press secre- but also severely complicating plans by US tary has even suggested he deserves “a second President-elect Joe Biden to resume dialogue with Nobel Prize” for his efforts to resolve the the Islamic republic, analysts said Saturday. Iran has Tigray conflict. accused arch-foe Israel of seeking to sow “chaos” by killing 59-year-old Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and has Meteoric rise strongly implied that the Jewish state was acting Born in the western town of Beshasha to a with US blessing. Muslim father and Christian mother, Abiy “grew Washington has not officially commented on the up sleeping on the floor” in a house with no operation, in which gunmen targeted Fakhrizadeh’s car electricity or running water. “We used to fetch on a road outside Tehran, according to Iran’s defense water from the river,” he told Ethiopian radio ministry. But President Donald Trump has retweeted station Sheger FM last year, adding that he was others’ comments on the incident, including at least 12 or 13 before he first saw an asphalt road or one that said the scientist had been “wanted for many electricity. Abiy progressed quickly through the years by Mossad,” the Israeli intelligence agency. power structures created by the ruling coalition, Trump in 2018 withdrew the US from the multina- the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic tion nuclear agreement with Iran, instead launching a Front (EPRDF), ever since it took power in 1991. MASHHAD, Iran: A handout picture shows servants of the Imam Reza shrine carrying the coffin of Iran’s assassi- Fascinated with technology, he joined the mil- “maximum pressure” campaign which he appears nated top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh during his funeral procession yesterday. — AFP determined to pursue until he leaves office in January. itary as a radio operator while still a teenager. In Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who recently visited his Nobel speech he described his experiences Israel, on Friday announced new economic sanctions Brennan, who led the US intelligence agency from That view was shared by Ben Friedman, a defense during the brutal border war with Eritrea, saying against some Chinese and Russian firms accused of 2013-2017, when Barack Obama was president and specialist at George Washington University. The his entire unit had been wiped out in an Eritrean having supported Iran’s missile program. Biden was vice president, exhorted Iran to “wait for killing, he said, was “an act of sabotage against US artillery attack but he had survived after briefly “This administration... is here until January 20” and the return of responsible American leadership on the diplomacy and interests” and would “likely help leaving a foxhole to get better antenna recep- will “continue to pursue its policies,” a senior US offi- global stage & to resist the urge to respond against Iranian hardliners who want nuclear weapons”. For tion. He rose to lieutenant-colonel before enter- cial traveling with Pompeo said during a stop Sunday perceived culprits”. As the US was moving a carrier Ben Rhodes, a former advisor to Obama, “This is an ing government as the first head of Ethiopia’s in Abu Dhabi. “I would hope that this leverage that the group led by the USS Nimitz back to the Gulf - while outrageous action aimed at undermining diplomacy cyber-spying outfit, the Information Network administration works so hard to get will be used to insisting this had nothing to do with the assassination between an incoming US administration and Iran.” He Security Agency. He entered parliament as a good purpose to get the Iranians to, once again, start - Germany warned on Saturday against any new added: “It’s time for this ceaseless escalation to stop.” deputy in 2010 and became science and technol- behaving like a normal state.” “escalation.” Some analysts, however, saw the killing in Iran as ogy minister in 2015. But for some American analysts, the killing of “We call on all parties to avoid taking any action providing leverage to the incoming US administration The circumstances that led to Abiy’s ascent to Fakhrizadeh was a dangerous act that undercuts which could lead to a new escalation of the situation” that could be useful in possible negotiations with high office can be traced to late 2015. A govern- Biden’s stated intention of offering Iran “a credible which “we absolutely do not need at this moment,” a Tehran. “Still almost two months before Joe Biden ment plan to expand the capital’s administrative path back to diplomacy” as a step toward the United German foreign ministry spokesman told AFP. “Weeks takes office,” noted Mark Dubowitz, director of the boundaries into the surrounding Oromia region States rejoining the nuclear accord. Former CIA head before a new government takes office in the United Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). “Plenty was seen as a land grab, sparking protests led by John Brennan tweeted Friday that the scientist’s killing States, existing dialogue with Iran must be maintained of time for US and Israel to inflict severe damage on the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, and was a “criminal act & highly reckless,” saying it “risks in order to resolve through negotiation the conflict the regime in Iran - and build leverage for the Biden the Amhara people.—AFP lethal retaliation & a new round of regional conflict.” over Iran’s nuclear program.” administration.” — AFP 6 Established 1961 Monday, November 30, 2020 International ‘Catastrophic’: Balkan healthcare overwhelmed by COVID-19 surge Skyrocketing virus caseload pushes hospitals to the cusp of collapse

BELGRADE: Not enough beds and not enough doc- tors: a skyrocketing coronavirus caseload is pushing hospitals in the Balkans to the cusp of collapse, in chaotic scenes reminding some medics of the region’s 1990s wars. After nearly a year of keeping outbreaks more or less under control, the nightmare scenario that Sydney records its the Balkans feared from the start of the pandemic is now starting to unfold. In hard-hit Bosnia, one doctor hottest Nov night described the distress of having to juggle the care of multiple patients whose lives were hanging by a thread. “The situation reminds me of the war, and I’m afraid amid heatwave it could get even worse during the winter,” the doctor, who requested anonymity said. “We can do the work of SYDNEY: Sydney recorded its hottest three (people), but not of five”. The Western Balkans, November night as Australia’s largest city suffered one of Europe’s poorest corners, has for weeks been through a weekend heatwave that saw daytime battling an explosive coronavirus spike, its death toll temperatures peak above 40 degrees Celsius (104 doubling in the last month alone to reach nearly 10,000. degrees Fahrenheit). The overnight temperature The crisis is exposing gaps in healthcare systems that did not drop below 25.3 degrees Celsius Saturday have long suffered from low funding and a brain drain SARAJEVO: People wait for a medical examination outside a COVID hospital on Nov 5, 2020. — AFP into Sunday in central Sydney, according to the crisis, with an exodus of promising young doctors and meteorology bureau, making it the hottest nurses leaving to seek better wages and training November night since records began. abroad. downs imposed at the start of the pandemic, instead answers the phone for hours,” said one man seeking The temperature had already hit a scorching 30 Even before the pandemic began, the Balkans had opting for lighter restrictions such as early closure of information on his sick relative. “They (medical staff) are degrees Celsius by 4:30 am Sunday, before reach- some of the lowest density rates of doctors in Europe, restaurants. While Serbia is racing to build two brand fighting, giving their best, but they simply cannot do ing above 40 degrees for the second consecutive according to World Health Organization data. Hospitals new hospitals, Kosovo is considering adapting old everything”. day. “New South Wales is in the midst of a severe are now facing further shortages as staff fall victim to hotels into makeshift wards, including the Grand Hotel in heatwave with very warm conditions already the respiratory disease. In Serbia, some 2,000 medical downtown Pristina. Slow to act being experienced yesterday, and today being a workers have been forced to self-isolate just as medical Overflowing clinics in Pristina mean that some Croatian doctors have also warned of staff and repeat of some of those conditions,” said the wards are seeing a huge inundation of patients filling patients, such as 33-year-old Veprim Morina, are being equipment shortages. More than 2,100 patients are cur- Bureau of Meteorology’s Agata Imielska. beds in the capital Belgrade. turned away. The doctor “told me to take my medication rently hospitalized and 3,000 would push the health- Daytime records for November fell elsewhere “I never had such an experience in my professional at home since the hospitals are full,” the fitness instruc- care system to “collapse,” they say. Experts say politi- in Australia’s southeast, with the outback towns of career”, Rade Panic, the president of a Serbian doctors’ tor said. Morina managed to hire a nurse to provide cians have struggled to strike a balance between con- Griffith and Mildura reaching 43.2 and 45.7 union, told regional TV channel N1 on Friday in a trem- treatment at home — an option those who can afford it trolling the virus and protecting fragile economies. “We degrees Celsius respectively on Saturday. The bling voice. “I didn’t have room for patients that we are opting for when possible. Getting a hospital bed are too poor that all (lockdown measures) be repeated heatwave saw bans on lighting fires imposed medically consider young, I didn’t have anywhere to now requires having “connections”, he said. “You have twice”, said Croatian economist Ljubo Jurcic. across large swathes of New South Wales (NSW) transport them”, added the anaesthesiologist, who to be very lucky to find a place.” In Bosnia, shops, restaurants and gyms all remain state, which was badly hit by catastrophic bush- works in the “red zone” of a hospital treating the most In neighboring North Macedonia, the government is open while Serbia recently cut hours for businesses but fires during the last southern hemisphere summer. serious Covid-19 cases. marshalling private clinics and their staff to treat has stopped short of an all-out closure. While progress A number of blazes broke out Sunday, including COVID-19 patients after public hospitals hit full capaci- on vaccines is giving doctors hope, they fear the chaos one on Sydney’s western outskirts that the NSW ty. “We have been providing new beds, but it is harder that could unfold in the meantime. “I don’t understand Bed shortage Fire and Rescue Service said damaged a property. and harder”, health minister Venko Filipce said last why the authorities don’t put in place more restrictive Bosnia, North Macedonia and Montenegro are all in More than 60 bushfires were still burning Europe’s top ten when it comes to highest per capita week. Outside clinics in the capital Skopje, relatives of measures,” said Jasmina Smajic, a doctor in the Bosnian across the state, but most had been brought under death rates on the continent. Yet governments in the patients bring food and sometimes even medicine to city of Tuzla. “Something must be done about this if we control by firefighters as a southerly wind change region have been reluctant to return to the drastic lock- their loved ones. “Catastrophic. Unorganized. No one want to prevent catastrophic consequences”.—AFP led to a rapid drop in temperatures. It was the first burst of significant bushfire activity since the dev- astating 2019-2020 fires, which burned an area ‘Silent majority’ of Belarus protesters roughly the size of the United Kingdom and left 33 people dead as tens of thousands fled their homes. take to the streets The fire season also killed or displaced nearly Poles favor strict three billion animals and cost the economy an esti- mated US$7 billion. The latest heatwave comes abortion law with new tactic just two weeks after government scientists warned the fossil-fuel reliant country should brace for worse to come, predicting climate change will MINSK: Opposition protesters in Belarus took to the WARSAW: While mass protests against a court ver- continue to exacerbate bushfires, droughts and streets of capital Minsk yesterday in the latest of three dict backing a near-total ban on abortion have taken cyclones in Australia. —AFP on an increasingly political flavor in Poland, the devout months of demonstrations against the re-election of Catholic country is far from turning pro-choice. strongman president Alexander Lukashenko. Since an Surveys show that Poles have grown comfortable with August election, Belarus has been gripped by massive protests that erupted after Lukashenko, 66, secured a existing abortion legislation - among Europe’s most MINSK: Opposition supporters hold former white-red- sixth term as president of the ex-Soviet republic. The restrictive - adopted in 1993 as part of a church-state white flags of Belarus as they gather to protest against Sao Paulo, Rio elect compromise after the collapse of communism. opposition believes the election was rigged and politi- police violence and the Belarus presidential election Abortion is only permitted in cases of rape or cal novice Svetlana Tikhanovskaya - who ran against results yesterday. — AFP mayors in runoffs incest, when the life of the mother is at risk or if there Lukashenko in the place of her jailed husband - was is a severe foetal anomaly. That last provision was the true winner of the polls. struck down by the constitutional court last month, In recent weeks, authorities imposed an intense custody so far. “Everyone takes to the streets in their SAO PAULO: Brazil’s biggest cities, Sao Paulo and triggering a wave of protests nationwide. “We’re see- crackdown in which hundreds were detained and pro- district and sees dozens, hundreds and thousands of Rio de Janeiro, began electing their next mayors yes- ing a surprising mobilization of the younger generation testers were prevented from gathering in central supporters,” Tikhanovskaya, 38, said in a video terday as the country held municipal runoffs, the last in particular in these protests. And in that group, sup- Minsk. That prompted Lukashenko’s opponents to address posted on her Telegram channel on Saturday. polls before far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is up for port for a more liberal law is growing — but that’s not change tactic, calling on supporters to create small She added that Belarusians are a “proud, brave and reelection in 2022. In Sao Paulo, Brazil’s economic cap- the majority,” said Adam Szostkiewicz, a commentator gatherings in every district of the capital. According peaceful people that have learned the price of freedom ital, centrist incumbent Bruno Covas faces leftist chal- on political and religious issues. to local media, some twenty rallies were recorded yes- and will never agree to live without it”. Tikhanovskaya lenger Guilherme Boulos, a leader of the Homeless “The majority had been silent for years, holding the terday across the city. fled to EU member Lithuania shortly after the August Workers’ Movement (MTST). Boulos, 38, who is run- belief that if the Church says so and politicians don’t “Large columns of people have assembled in all vote and has received support from several Western ning for the upstart Socialism and Liberty Party question it, then evidently that’s just how it must be,” districts of Minsk, without exception. The Lukashenko leaders, who refuse to recognise the election results. (PSOL), trails in the polls by about 10 points. he told AFP. Only 22 percent of Poles are in favour of police are desperately rushing from district to district,” The European Union has slapped sanctions on But he has momentum: he came from behind in the abortion on demand, according to a survey published said opposition Telegram channel Nexta Live that has Lukashenko and a number of his allies over election first round on November 15 to beat both Bolsonaro’s late last month by the independent Kantar pollsters. helped coordinate the ongoing demonstrations. As in rigging and a violent crackdown on demonstrators. candidate and a leftist rival from the more-established Sixty-two percent think it should be legal in certain previous weeks, several metro stations in the city cen- Belarus police detained thousands of protesters in Workers’ Party (PT). Young and charismatic, he is cases, while 11 percent are in favour of a total ban. ter were shut and mobile connection was limited. the first days of the demonstrations, with many report- being called the new face of the Brazilian left, which is According to sociologist Katarzyna Zielinska, the Riot police were deployed in large numbers, with ing torture and abuse in custody. Lukashenko, who has still reeling from the 2016 impeachment of President attachment of Poles to Catholicism as well as conser- the Tut.by news website reporting the use of stun the firm backing of Moscow, has refused to step down Dilma Rousseff and the jailing of ex-president and PT vative family and gender roles is rooted in the commu- grenades and tear gas. Human rights group Viasna said and instead has suggested reforms to the constitution founder Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on corruption nist past. —AFP that at least 20 people have been taken into police to placate the opposition. — AFP charges. The runoff took a twist two days before the vote when Boulos announced he had tested positive for the new coronavirus, forcing the cancellation of the The beating of music producer Michel Zecler- “We are shocked by the injuries suffered by our col- candidates’ final debate. French police risk exposed in video footage published last week-has league Ameer al-Halbi and condemn the unprovoked Covas, a cancer survivor, meanwhile has a powerful become a rallying cause for anger against the police in violence,” said Phil Chetwynd, AFP’s global news direc- backer in Sao Paulo governor Joao Doria, his prede- France, accused by critics accuse of institutionalized tor, demanding that the police investigate the incident. cessor and mentor, a top contender to challenge charges over black racism including singling out blacks and Arabs. The Police said 62 officers were injured at the demonstra- Bolsonaro for the presidency. In June, Covas was also protests in Paris saw a brasserie set alight, cars set on tions and 81 people arrested, with Interior Minister diagnosed with coronavirus. The virus has indelibly man’s beating fire and stones thrown at security forces, who responded Gerald Darmanin saying the violence in the protests was marked the municipal elections in the giant country of with tear gas and anti-riot tactics. “unacceptable”. Authorities did not have a tally for the 212 million people. The polls were postponed by six Among those hurt was an award-winning Syrian number of marchers injured, saying only that two people weeks because of the pandemic, with the period PARIS: Four French police yesterday risked being photojournalist, Ameer Alhabi, seen with a bruised face outside the capital had complained of police violence. between the first and second rounds reduced from charged over the beating and racial abuse of a black and much of his head covered in bandages in AFP pho- four weeks to two. music producer that shocked France and intensified con- tos. Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters ‘Shame us’ The authorities are urging voters to bring their own troversy over new security legislation. Tens of thousands Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old had been Four police have been detained over the beating of pens, respect social distancing guidelines and disinfect protested across France Saturday against the security wounded at Place de la Bastille by “a police baton” and Zecler, with three of them specifically probed for using their hands multiple times. Bolsonaro, who has down- bill-which would restrict the right of the press to publish condemned the violence. Alhalbi is freelance photogra- racial violence as well as for making false statements. played the virus as a “little flu,” faces criticism for his the faces of on-duty police-with the rally in Paris ending pher who has worked for Polka Magazine and AFP, who Following questioning by the police’s National Police handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than in bitter clashes. both condemned the incident in statements yesterday. Inspectorate General (IGPN) they have now been hand- 172,000 people in Brazil — the second-highest death ed over to the judicial authorities to decide on the next toll worldwide, after the United States. In Rio de steps, which could see them being charged. They could Janeiro, Brazil’s second city, opinion polls indicate face a fast-track trial or a more standard procedure incumbent Mayor Marcelo Crivella, an Evangelical which would see a case being opened and the men pastor and Bolsonaro ally, is set to lose in a landslide appear before an investigating magistrate. Paris prose- to ex-mayor Eduardo Paes of the traditional right- cutor Remy Heitz is due to give an update on the meas- wing Democrats party (DEM). ures to be taken against them from 5:00 pm. Other races to watch include the northeastern city Commentators say that the images of the beating- of Recife - scene of a family feud on the left between first published by the Loopsider news site-may never cousins Joao Campos of the center-left Brazilian have been made public if the contentious Article 24 of Socialist Party (PSB) and Marilia Arraes of the PT - the security legislation was made law. The bill would and the southern city of Porto Alegre. There, another criminalize publishing images of on-duty police with the rising left-wing star, Manuela D’Avila of the intent of harming their “physical or psychological Communist Party of Brazil, faces centrist candidate integrity”. It was passed by the National Assembly Sebastiao Melo, in a city rocked by violent protests although it is awaiting Senate approval. The controversy following the first-round vote after two white security over the law and police violence is developing into guards killed a black customer at a supermarket. In all, another crisis for the government as President Emmanuel 57 cities across Brazil are holding mayoral runoffs. PARIS: Demonstrators clash with French riot police during a protest against the ‘global security’ draft law on Macron confronts the pandemic, its economic fallout and Results are expected from around 0100 GMT Saturday. — AFP a host of problems on the international stage.—AFP today.— AFP Established 1961 7 Monday, November 30, 2020 International Suicide bomber hits Afghan army base, kills 30 security personnel One of the bloodiest attacks in recent months

GHAZNI: A suicide car bomber struck an army largely in rural areas have often not commented base in Afghanistan yesterday killing at least 30 on deadly strikes since the peace talks com- security personnel, officials said, in one of the menced in September. bloodiest attacks targeting government forces in recent months. The attack occurred on the out- ‘Atmosphere of fear’ skirts of Ghazni city, capital of the eastern “Such terrorist attacks will create an atmos- province of Ghazni, which has seen regular fight- phere of fear, terror and pessimism among the ing between the Taleban and government forces. Afghan people and will harm the peace process,” It came as the Afghan government and Taleban said Abdullah Abdullah, who is leading the overall are engaged in peace talks, but a top official said peace process in Afghanistan. “The increase in vio- such attacks have the potential to “harm the peace lence is not acceptable to people... and runs against process” as violence continues to surge across the peace process, negotiations and reconciliation.” the country. “Thirty bodies and 24 wounded peo- The Ghazni attack comes just days after two ple have been brought to hospital. All of them are bombs killed 14 people in the historic city of security personnel,” Baz Mohammad Hemat, Bamiyan, ending years of calm in the isolated town director of Ghazni hospital said. Interior ministry famous for its ancient Buddhist heritage. In anoth- spokesman Tariq Arian er suicide car bomb said a suicide bomber attack yesterday, one had detonated a vehicle civilian was killed and 20 full of explosives. “The others wounded in the bomber drove a Humvee Violence southern city of Qalat in vehicle right inside the continues to the province of Zabul, base and detonated it,” provincial police chief Ghazni governor surge across Hekmatullah Kochi told spokesman Wahidullah AFP. Yesterday’s bomb- Jumazada said. the country ings marked the latest The base is located on carnage in Afghanistan, GHAZNI, Afghanistan: Security personnel are seen after a suicide car bomber struck an army base a vast swath of arid land where violence has yesterday. —AFP surrounded by moun- surged since the start of tains. Video footages showed military ambulances peace talks on September 12 in Doha. taking the dead and wounded to hospitals and Brutal attacks have killed more than 50 people religious interpretations, but agreement has now called for “expedited discussions” during a cranes deployed to remove the debris from the in Kabul in recent weeks, including two assaults been reached on all issues, according to sources visit to Doha last week where he met negotia- site of the attack in the base. The ministry of on educational centers and a rocket attack. The close to the talks. tors from both sides. The Pentagon said earlier defense gave a toll of 10 security personnel killed three Kabul attacks were claimed by the Islamic Late on Saturday, a spokesman for the gov- this month that it would soon pull out some and seven wounded. The ministry is known to State group, but Afghan officials blamed the ernment negotiating team, Nader Nadery, said 2,000 troops from Afghanistan, speeding up downplay tolls in attacks against its forces. No Taleban - who denied any involvement. Peace on Twitter that there had been progress in the timeline of a full withdrawal by May 2021 group has so far claimed the attack, and the talks had been bogged down by disputes on the talks but an overall agreement was still to be as agreed with the Taleban in a separate deal Taleban who are fighting government forces agenda, the basic framework of discussions and finalized. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed in February. —AFP

“These two regiments have been involved in Protesters target cracking down on people in the past,” said promi- nent protest leader Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak. “They have also played key roles in past coups.” Thai royal guards The black-clad protesters wore hair clips with yel- Indian farmers low rubber ducks, while those on the frontlines unit in latest rally donned gas masks and helmets-prepared for any defiant as Modi potential skirmishes with authorities. The entrances, BANGKOK: Hundreds of protesters marched on a gates and walls of the barracks were covered with tries to calm anger barracks of Thailand’s royal guards unit yesterday coils of barbed wire, while police in riot gear stood hoisting inflatable rubber ducks high above their guard outside. NEW DELHI: Thousands of Indian farmers, angry heads, a whimsical show of force by a pro-democ- “The things used against us are bought using over reform of the agriculture sector, held a third day racy movement calling for curbs to the power of the our taxes, so they are using our money to hurt us,” of protests on the outskirts of the capital yesterday, monarchy. The yellow toy has been harnessed as a Farng, a 30-year-old graduate student, told AFP, blocking roads into the city and defying a government symbol by the protesters, whose leaders have declining to provide her full name. “As taxpayers, BANGKOK: A line of pro-democracy protesters wearing appeal to move to a designated site. The government emphasized peaceful tactics despite recent use of the army should be serving us, not the monarchy,” helmets link hands as they walk in front of others car- on Saturday invited farmers’ union leaders for talks on water cannon and tear gas by security forces. she said. “Their duty should be to protect the peo- rying large inflatable ducks during a march to the new legislation to deregulate agricultural but that has But their demands to reform the kingdom’s unas- ple.” The military has long positioned itself as a 11th Infantry Regiment yesterday. —AFP not calmed farmers’ anger over what many see “anti- sailable monarchy-once a taboo topic due to a dra- defender of Thailand’s enormously wealthy royal farm laws”, and their action appeared to be spreading. conian royal defamation law-have sent shockwaves family, who boast assets conservatively estimated Besides royal reform, the protesters are also “We will stay put here today,” said Rakesh Tikait, through Thailand’s political and ruling class. to be some $30-$60 billion. In the name of pro- demanding Prayut’s removal as premier and a spokesman of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, one of more Yesterday’s protest-the latest in a series of near- tecting the king, the army has staged more than a rewrite of the constitution. So far scores of pro- than 30 protesting unions, as he and his members daily turnouts across Bangkok-was meant to target dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in testers have been charged with sedition, while at blocked a road on the eastern approaches to Delhi. the 11th Infantry Regiment. Along with the 1st 1932. The most recent was in 2014. least a dozen prominent leaders were summoned The farmers object to legislation introduced by Prime Infantry Regiment, the two units were placed under Coup mastermind General Prayut Chan-O-Cha for questioning on royal defamation allegations. Minister Narendra Modi’s government in September King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s direct control last was head of a junta regime before renewing his Army Chief Narongphan Jittkaewtae has rejected that would let farmers sell their produce anywhere, year-a move experts saw as a way for the monarch lease on power in elections last year, which were coup rumors, saying the chance of another putsch including to big corporate buyers like Walmart, not just to assert more authority. governed under a military-scripted constitution. was “less than zero”. —AFP at government-regulated wholesale markets where growers are assured of a minimum price. Small growers worry they will be left vulnerable to big business and could eventually lose price support for Armenians rally for soldiers staples such as wheat and rice. Modi sought to allay farmers’ concerns yesterday. “From these reforms, farmers will get new rights and opportunities,” he said missing in Karabakh fighting in his monthly radio address. But one farm union leader said many protesters were demanding that the govern- YEREVAN: A thousand people took reported that a smaller gathering of 30 ment withdraw the laws. “The farmers’ leaders will meet to the streets of the Armenian capital people took place on Saturday in later on to decide their response to the government,” he Yerevan yesterday demanding the Karabakh’s main city Stepanakert. said, referring to the government’s call for talks. authorities take action to find soldiers Demonstrators briefly blocked a The protests began with farmers from the northern missing in recent fighting with main street in the city until their repre- states of Haryana and Punjab on the outskirts of New Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. sentatives were received by Arayik Delhi on Friday, when police fired tear gas and water The protesters, including several local Harutyunyan, the president of the self- cannon in a bid to disperse them. But instead farmers celebrities, marched through Yerevan proclaimed republic. “We are calling from the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh joined in holding up photos of the missing sol- for immediate action to resolve the over the weekend, blocking roads to the east of the diers and posters that read “Help problem. But the authorities say that it capital. Media reported protests by farmers in the return our captives”. At the start of the is not up to them, that it depends on southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and march, the demonstrators read out a the Azerbaijanis,” 47-year-old Arsen Kerala on Saturday. Prices of fresh produce prices at letter addressed to the Russian Ghukasyan said after the meeting. wholesale markets in the city began to tick up and ambassador in Yerevan asking him to Ghukasyan says he is searching for his commuters have faced travel disruption. —Reuters “personally intervene in the process” son and brother who was last in touch HADRUT, Azerbaijan: A burned armored personnel carrier and car and pass on their request to Moscow. in early October, less than a week after are pictured in the countryside outside this town of Hadrut on The six weeks of fighting over the fresh clashes broke out over Saturday. —AFP restive region were halted by a Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Russia-brokered peace deal that was Armenian enclave that declared inde- Arrested Salvador signed by the ex-Soviet rivals on pendence from Baku during a war in how to save our children,” the 47- 2,300 military casualties while Baku November 9. Under the document, the 1990s. year-old father added. Karabakh has not disclosed army losses. The Azerbaijan reclaimed swathes of terri- Another man, who is looking for his rights ombudsman Artak Beglaryan International Committee of the Red gang members tories that for three decades were held son, said the missing soldiers are said on Friday that around 50-60 Cross has overseen the exchange of by Armenian separatists. The accord “waiting for the Armenians to come Armenian soldiers were being held as casualties under the protection of paraded for cameras also provided for the exchange of and rescue them”. “But we, parents, prisoners in Azerbaijan. Armenian Russian peacekeepers who have been prisoners and bodies. AFP journalists are without hope. We do not know authorities have reported more than deployed to the region. —AFP SAN SALVADOR: Hundreds of handcuffed Salvadoran gang members were displayed before assembled reporters on Saturday, a vivid show of Authorities reported 450 new infections yesterday said. For the rest of the country, social distancing President Nayib Bukele’s policy of confronting them South Korea bans after more than 500 cases were recorded for three rules would also be tightened from tomorrow, he said. and the violent crime they are accused of committing. days in a row, the Korea Disease Control and Chung said the government was talking to parliament Some 600 members of El Salvador’s Mara Prevention Agency said. What authorities are calling about the possibility of new relief funds for house- Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang and its rival Barrio 18 made year-end parties, a third wave of infections is spreading at the fastest holds and businesses, the third this year as the econ- up the bulk of the detentions that were announced on rate in nearly nine months, driven by outbreaks at omy struggles. Friday, following a one-week US-backed round-up of military facilities, a sauna, a high school and churches. “Our assessment is that we need the third cri- Central American gangs that also netted arrests in music lessons Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said restrictions sis support fund ... The government will come up neighboring Guatemala and Honduras. would be tightened on gatherings and activities seen with a conclusion on this after discussing with The detainees paraded before the press on SEOUL: South Korean authorities announced a ban as prone to virus transmission, especially in the cap- both the ruling and opposition parties,” he said. Saturday, a common tactic that predates Bukele, on year-end parties and some music lessons yester- ital Seoul and surrounding urban areas. “Year-end President Moon Jae-in toured a Seoul high school day and said public saunas and some cafes must also have been charged with murder, kidnapping and events and parties hosted by hotels, party rooms, on Sunday that was being prepared as a test cen- human trafficking, among other crimes, according to close after coronavirus infections surged at their guest houses and other accommodation facilities ter to accommodate students in quarantine on fastest pace since the early days of the pandemic. officials. In April, Bukele provoked the ire of rights will be banned outright,” Chung told a briefing after Dec 3, when almost 500,000 students sit for the groups when he published on social media jarring South Korea has been one of the world’s coronavirus meeting health officials. annual college entrance exam. Moon toured pictures of hundreds of semi-naked jailed gang mitigation success stories but spikes in infections Saunas and steam-bath rooms with a high risk of classrooms where desks were equipped with par- have reappeared relentlessly, triggering alarm in mass infection would also be banned as would the titions and hand sanitizers to host five test takers members, pressed tightly together in rows, despite Asia’s fourth-largest economy. teaching of wind musical instruments and singing, he in quarantine. —Reuters the raging pandemic. —Reuters Established 1961

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020 Business Zain KSA: Strategic transformation opens door to new era of growth Remaining offer of priority shares oversubscribed by 469%

RIYADH/KUWAIT: Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator in sev- en markets across the Middle East and l Bader Al-Kharafi: A return to profitability over last three Africa announces the successful compe- tition of its subsidiary Zain Saudi Arabia years enhances Zain KSA’s strategic growth, profitabil- (Zain KSA) capital restructuring. This ity and future outlook follows the high demand by institutional investors in the remaining priority shares that were oversubscribed by an l Zain KSA: The preferred digital service for businesses unprecedented 469 percent. These last steps came as part of Zain and individuals KSA’s plan to restructure its capital, which included the reduction of the cap- l ital and then raising it, through the offer- Growth focused on digital innovation, cloud computing, ing of priority rights shares. This con- IoT and AI tributed to extinguishing most of the tel- co’s accumulated losses, paying part of the Murabaha financing, and capitalizing share, compared to just SAR 6 last year. judged as the best performing one in 12 part of other dues. The transaction paves Zain KSA recently announced its suc- of the 13 administrative regions, accord- the way for the company to enter a new cess in signing an agreement to ing to a report issued by the Kingdom’s era of strategic transformation of its Zain Group Vice-Chairman and CEO Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi reschedule the joint Murabaha financing Communications and Information financial performance. with a consortium of several banks, with Technology Commission. Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Vice- the areas of digital innovation, cloud recorded net profits during the first nine an estimated value of SAR 3.85 billion Zain KSA also recently announced Chairman and CEO of Zain Group said, computing, the Internet of Things, and months of 2020 amounting to SAR 224 on preferential terms. This agreement the launch of the frequency integration “The successful competition of the com- artificial intelligence, with the view to million, while total revenues for the third extends for a period of five years to feature for its 5G network, becoming pany’s capital restructuring and the mas- becoming the preferred digital service quarter of this year amounted to SAR 2025. The funds will be drawn down the first telecom operator in the world sive demand in the remaining priority provider for individuals and businesses. 1,928 million, compared to SAR 1,889 according to the company’s require- to provide this feature to customers, rights subscription reflects the confi- million, up 2 percent from the previous ments, at a much lower interest than enabling connection speeds of up to dence of shareholders and investors in 5G expansion quarter. before, and with better commercial 2.4 gigabits per second. Recently, Zain Zain KSA’s operational strategy and The operator is set to continue its Zain KSA’s accumulated losses have terms. In addition, this agreement KSA was awarded three accolades at future growth plans, reinforced by the expansion of 5G into new cities, as well continued to decline based on the net includes working capital facilities worth the 14th Telecom Review Leaders’ company’s return to profitability over the as increasing coverage in current loca- profit achieved during the third quarter SAR 1 billion until 2025, which will pro- Summit, for the Best 5G Infrastructure last three years. The transaction tions, raising the quality of services pro- of 2020, with the capital restructuring vide additional liquidity to finance the Deployment, Best 5G User Growth, and enhances Zain KSA’s capabilities to vided in a manner that ensures the supe- having taken place during the fourth company’s business growth plans. Best Cloud Provider. Earlier in the expand its strategic investments in the riority of the company locally and inter- quarter of the year, and thus, most of the In the last 12 months, Zain has year, Zain KSA gained international Kingdom’s telecommunications sector, nationally. The capital restructuring accumulated losses were amortized to launched one of the largest 5G networks recognition by being recognized as growing its profitability and paving the process coincided with Zain KSA main- SAR 34 million. Hence, since the capital in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, running the fastest fixed Internet in way for dividends.” taining its profitability for the ninth con- restructuring, the company’s share price and has since become the only operator Saudi Arabia by Ookla, owner of Zain KSA’s management is targeting secutive quarter, after its conversion to has increased to reach its highest level in the Kingdom to cover all administra- SpeedTest, the globally acclaimed the further growth of its operations in profit three years ago. The company this year with a value of over SAR 13 per tive regions, with its network being Internet speeds measuring website.

the cards despite positive news on the that have already been assigned to them. OPEC and allies development of vaccines against the virus Those exceeding their allotted output- by several pharmaceutical companies. foremost among them Iraq and Nigeria- AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech and regularly come in for a scolding from mull extending Moderna have all shared encouraging tri- Prince Abdelaziz bin Salman, energy min- al results from their candidate vaccines in ister of OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia. output cuts recent weeks, providing a lifeline for the oil demand. However, while the effects of Falling US output VIENNA: The OPEC oil producers’ club a vaccine will play out over the longer The cartel’s main focus is on crude oil and its allies will hold a virtual meeting term, OPEC and its allies will be focused prices, which have returned to roughly today and tomorrow to finalize an on supporting prices in the first and pos- their pre-pandemic levels of between 45 expected extension to production cuts as sibly the second quarter of 2021. and 50 dollars per barrel for both the US the coronavirus pandemic continues to benchmark, West Texas Intermediate weigh on global demand. Tensions and price wars (WTI), and Europe’s Brent North Sea The meeting comes as the oil industry While an extension of the cuts is the contracts. But members also have to keep hopes to turn a page on a disastrous year most likely scenario, there is always the a keen eye on production figures outside which saw the cartel forced to adopt possibility of discord arising among the the bloc as well as how much oil is cur- drastic cuts in response to the cratering 23 countries involved. The memory of the rently being stored at any one time. of demand caused by the pandemic. debacle of a meeting in March this year is Output from the world’s biggest pro- Member states want to avoid a repeat still fresh, when Saudi Arabia and key ally ducer, non-OPEC member the US, has of the collapse in prices seen in April. Russia failed to reach agreement and fallen from the historic highs at the According to the deal reached in that spent the next month engaged in a fratri- beginning of the year to around 11 million month, the current cut of 7.7 million bar- cidal price war. bpd now. The trend is unlikely to be exemptions from quotas-Libya, Iran and Iran’s offer on the oil market may also rels per day (bpd) is meant to be eased to In mid-November the United Arab reversed as victorious Democratic presi- Venezuela. increase if the incoming US administration 5.8 million bpd as of January 2021, but Emirates displayed reluctance at the dential candidate Joe Biden has commit- Libya’s production had been almost pursues a policy of detente with Tehran most observers expect this to be extend- prospect of fully applying the cuts past ted to modest curbs on fracking. Within wiped out by civil conflict but spiked since and relaxes sanctions. That would lead ed by between three and six months. Key the end of the year. Then there is the sen- its ranks, OPEC will also have to pay October and now stands at over a million hundreds of thousands of barrels coming players within the grouping have hinted in sitive topic of whether all members are attention to developments in the three bpd, according to the countries National on to market, exerting a fresh downward recent weeks that such a move may be on currently sticking to the output quotas members which have been granted Oil Corporation (NOC). In the longer term, pressure on prices. — AFP Sudan’s inflation Cyprus olive farmer soars amid fears vows change to face of hyperinflation climate challenge

AKAKI, Cyprus: Standing in her olive grove in CAIRO: Inflation in Sudan has risen to one of the high- Cyprus, Elena Sampson sighs at the sight of hundreds est levels in the world, and the country risks slipping of barren trees and vows to tackle climate change after into hyperinflation unless it gets its budget deficit and Inflation in Sudan jumped to 99 percent because of ris- another scorching year. The first of several heatwaves money supply under control, economists say. The run- ing food prices, official figures showed Saturday. — AFP in 2020 descended in May, the flowering season for away prices have worsened an economic crisis for mil- her 2,500 olive and citrus trees in Akaki, about 20 lions of ordinary Sudanese and imperiled a political September. In September alone M2 rose by 7.13 per- kilometers (12 miles) outside the Mediterranean transition under a military-civilian power sharing deal. cent. Steve Hanke, a hyperinflation specialist at Johns island’s capital Nicosia. Elena Sampson, an owner of an olive grove and The government has run up enormous budget Hopkins University, calculated that on a monthly basis, “This year the heatwave struck at the exact time farm, sits by a an olive tree with a fungus growing deficits by subsidizing the cost of fuel, then financed the inflation rate has accelerated to about 24 percent a that the olive trees were flowering, and it was not just a nearby, as she gives an interview at her premises in the deficits by printing money. This has debased the month, dangerously high, but still below hyperinflation, heatwave of a couple of days,” said the 38-year-old the village of Akaki in central Cyprus. — AFP currency, weakening it against other currencies and generally defined as 50 percent a month. Greek Cypriot. “We were watering, watering, but we driving inflation up to annual 230 percent in October, He placed Sudan among the five countries with the didn’t manage to save the blossoms,” Sampson said. spring. But Bruggeman warned that some semi-arid according to the state statistics bureau. highest inflation. “This year, maybe 40 (of her 1,200 olive) trees had areas of Cyprus now face the threat of becoming fully The skyrocketing prices have led many consumers “It’s pretty scary,” he said, adding that it was hard to olives-Nothing! Nothing!” Harvested for millennia on arid by 2050 because of global warming. to spend their salaries quickly, particularly on durable predict what direction inflation would go from here. Cyprus, olives are at the heart of the local culture and Official figures show average annual rainfall has fall- items that hold their value. Idrees Abdelmoniem, who trees now cover 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of its en to 470 millimeters (18.5 inches) since 1971, down works in marketing at an engineering company in Subsidies land, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture from 540 mm (21 inches) between 1902 and 1970. On Khartoum, said he had snapped up car spare parts and A US decision to remove Sudan from its list of state Organization. top of that, heatwaves are growing more common and furniture, but was not as quick with food and drink, sponsors of terrorism has provided little immediate More than 19,000 tons of olive oil were produced have squeezed the duration of springtime. This year whose prices were not increasing as fast. relief from the economic crisis and the country has in 2018. But olive oil and other sectors of Cypriot agri- alone, the mercury soared above 42 Celsius (104 “If I have something I want to buy outside of the turned to the International Monetary Fund for help. culture face the threat of climate change, Adriana Fahrenheit) on May 17 and the island experienced its monthly house supplies, I buy it as soon as I get money, Sudan is counting on a reform program drawn up with Bruggeman, an associate professor at the Cyprus highest ever recorded average daily temperatures for and I won’t even try to haggle because tomorrow it the lender to help get control of the deficit, exacerbat- Institute, told AFP. “Not only droughts, but also July, August and September. “We know that climate could be double the price,” he said. ed by decades of US economic sanctions and by eco- increasing temperatures and heatwaves affect the change will make the region hotter and drier... We need Central bank figures show the scale of money print- nomic mismanagement under President Omar al- flowering, fruit set and ripening of crops,” she said. to adapt to this change and make our agricultural and ing by the authorities with the M2 money supply meas- Bashir, who was ousted in a popular uprising in April Although olive trees are generally resistant to drought, semi-natural ecosystems more resilient,” said ure increasing by over 50 percent in the year to end- of last year. — Reuters they do need water during the flowering season in the Bruggeman. — AFP Established 1961 9 Monday, November 30, 2020 Business From small businesses to farmers, middle India is driving demand Carmaker Maruti Suzuki’s rural sales up 10% in July-Sept

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Manish Mehra, owner of by the manufacturing sector which has moved from Washex Hospitality, an industrial laundry service, near annihilation in the July quarter to rebound recently flew from Delhi to Jodhpur, a city in mode, said Yuvika Singhal, an economist at north-western India, to win a contract to service a QuantEco Research. “Until there is a stronger large, government-run hospital - a move essential recovery in high contact service sectors, which to kickstarting his business. make up 60 percent of the GDP, agriculture and “For a new relationship it is essential to know manufacturing are expected to carry the growth,” each other before you can establish the trust and said Singhal, adding that India is still growing on a confidence to work online and that need is higher lower GDP base and it will take more than a year in case of government departments,” said Mehra, to recover lost output. who had to stay for a week in a Jodhpur hotel. Increased demand for air travel and hotel stays by Slow start for hotels, airlines small business owners like Mehra, accompanied by A string of Marriot hotels in industrial towns a rise in rural incomes and spending after two like Sriperumbudur, Visakhapatnam and Nasik are good monsoons, is helping the pandemic-hit operating at 50 percent to 60 percent occupancy Indian economy slowly recover. Government data with the bulk of guests working with domestic released on Friday manufacturing companies, showed the economy said Ashish Jakhanwala, shrank 7.5 percent in the CEO of hospitality firm July-September quarter, SAMHI which owns the performing better than Farm income properties. Meanwhile analysts’ expectation of SAMHI’s hotel in the tech- an 8.8 percent contrac- revs up demand city of Bengaluru, that tion as lockdowns were mainly depends on large eased and some pent-up for tractors corporates, is filling only demand was met. In the 20 percent to 30 percent April-June period, the of rooms. BANGALORE: Laborers winnow millet grain to separate it from its chaff at a farm on the outskirts of economy shrank 23.9 “Demand from large Bangalore on Saturday. —AFP percent. corporates and interna- Annual growth of 3.4 percent in farm sector and tional travel will take longer to recover. Hotels 0.6 percent in manufacturing during the catering to public sector and infrastructure com- Airlines and Tata Group. like Mahindra & Mahindra. September quarter has raised hopes of an early panies are doing better,” said Jakhanwala. SMEs have contributed to a 35 percent to 40 Lack of adequate and safe public transport in recovery and some service sectors such as trade, Since the end of May, when the government lift- percent recovery in hotel bookings compared with small towns and villages has also pushed up hotels and transport contracted at a much slower ed a ban on flights, monthly domestic passenger pre-COVID times and between 27 percent and 32 demand for cars and motorcycles. Maruti Suzuki, pace compared with the April-June period. traffic has more than doubled from 2 million in percent recovery in flights, according to online India’s biggest carmaker, had a 10 percent growth Farmers, benefiting from a bumper crop, are lap- June to over 5 million in October. But that is still travel agency MakeMyTrip. in rural sales between July and September versus a ping up tractors while demand for personal vehi- down from about 12 million a year ago. 4 percent rise overall, led by small, entry-level cles, due to a lack of public transport and the need India’s biggest carrier IndiGo and rival Vistara Rural revival robust models, said Shashank Srivastava, executive direc- for safer travel options, has boosted sales of cars are seeing an uptick in business travel but to a In the hinterlands, the impact of COVID-19 tor, marketing and sales. and motorcycles. much smaller extent than before. “Much of it is has not been as severe as in the big cities and “While Bharat (rural India) is leading India in There has also been an uptick in goods and from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or farmers have benefited from good rainfall for terms of a recovery, it cannot carry India,” he said, services, tax collections and higher energy con- small business owners who cannot afford to sit at two consecutive years leading to a bumper har- adding that steady, long-term demand will depend sumption. home,” said Vinod Kannan, chief commercial offi- vest and adequate conditions for winter-sown on improving economic factors, growing incomes A recovery is taking shape and it has been led cer at Vistara, a joint venture between Singapore crops. This is driving up sales for tractor makers and a rebound in urban markets. —Reuters

after the Moroccan intervention. Desolate WSahara Western Sahara, a vast swathe of desert on Africa’s Atlantic coast, is a disputed former Spanish colony. Morocco controls around three-quarters of truck stop doubles as the territory, including its phosphate deposits and Global stocks bull ‘gateway to Africa’ its fishing waters. run to race on, Gateway to Africa RABAT: It might be a dusty frontier truck stop in Rabat has extended a 2,700 kilometer (1,700- the far south of the disputed Western Sahara, but mile) defensive sand wall in the territory to spurred by cheap locals call Guerguerat Morocco’s “gateway to secure the road to the border and has consoli- Africa”. On the border with Mauritania, the dated the last section of the route-little more remote outpost consists of three motels, three than a sandy track. cash, vaccine hopes cafes, three grocery stores, two gas stations and Moroccan Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El LONDON/BENGALURU: The blistering rally in global a hairdresser. Othmani visited Guerguerat on Friday for the first RABAT: Workers unload goods from trucks near the “There is nothing else here,” says Aziz stock markets is set to continue for at least six months, time. The military operation was carried out “in border in Guerguerat located in the Western Sahara albeit at a shallower pace, amid hopes more cheap cash Boulidane, a Moroccan who runs one of the gro- the interest of Africa, Morocco” and Europe, he after the intervention of the royal Moroccan armed and a COVID-19 vaccine allow economies to heal and cery stores. said. El Fekir Khattat, a local council official, forces in the area. —AFP corporate earnings to recover, a Reuters poll found. With Boulidane has set up tables outside his shop to proudly described the area as “Morocco’s gate- the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the globe, serve coffee to truck drivers and passing travellers, way to Africa”. African Union, King Mohammed VI released some economic activity ground to a halt as governments as Moroccan customs officials check heavy goods “The border post carries important economic $8 billion for investments to transform the region forced citizens to stay home and businesses to close, vehicles nearby. The border crossing in the rocky weight and generates sizeable revenues,” he said. into an “economic hub”. disrupting supply chains. arid area has become a source of friction. The army’s intervention “will bolster its econom- But the Polisario Front says its people’s natural That collapse led to unprecedented levels of fiscal Rabat on November 13 launched a military oper- ic attractiveness”, he said. Khattat said he was resources in the Western Sahara are being “pil- and monetary stimulus and with that cheap money sup- ation in a UN-patrolled buffer zone along the bor- counting on the construction of two industrial laged”. One of the projects, worth around $1 billion, ply set to continue, around 75% of respondents to an der after it said the pro-independence Polisario zones “to develop commercial activity” along the was to develop the “National 1” north-south high- additional question said the bull run would last at least Front had been blocking road passage for around highway and create jobs in the sparsely-populated way that runs through the territory. Another is to six months. Over half of those respondents in the Nov three weeks. The Polisario, which says the border area. Rabat has already undertaken several large turn the port of Dakhla into a “regional maritime 12-24 poll said at least a year. “The rebound in equities from March to October was the initial ‘hope’-driven road was built in violation of a 1991 UN-sponsored infrastructure projects in the Western Sahara. In hub” to serve Morocco and West Africa, along with ceasefire deal, declared the truce null and void Spain’s Canary Islands. —AFP phase of a new bull market, led mainly by valuation 2017, the year Morocco officially rejoined the expansion as profits collapsed, while we are now moving into the longer ‘growth’ phase as profits start to recov- weddings or other gatherings. “Where are people er,” noted analysts at Goldman Sachs. COVID dampens going? They’re not going anywhere.” “Negative real interest rates should continue to sup- At least three businesses on Davis’ block have port the bull market in 2021.” While around 1.4 million shuttered as she turns to personal savings and grant people have died globally from COVID-19 and the cheer for Black funds to stay afloat. Between March 1 and August 31, Northern hemisphere is experiencing a second wave, expectations were pinned on effective vaccine develop- 163,735 businesses on Yelp closed across the US, with ments, and around 80% of respondents said their fore- small businesses about 60 percent permanently shut, the website said casts were based on the progress. in September. Non-white businesses have been hit The tough lockdowns imposed by governments put a LOS ANGELES: It’s been a rough year for Black-owned harder. An August Federal Reserve of New York paper big dent in company profits but hopes a vaccine will small businesses in the United States, and the latest said the number of Black small businesses fell by 41 allow some return to normality led around two-thirds of surge in coronavirus cases suggests a festive season compared with a 17 percent drop in white-owned respondents to say corporate earnings would return to without much celebration. “Black Friday” normally kicks businesses. Factors behind this difference include the pre-COVID-19 levels within a year. So while nine of the off the holiday shopping season the morning after more severe health toll of coronavirus among commu- LOS ANGELES: Customer Tamara Jenkins tries on a hat 17 indexes Reuters polled around 170 strategists on Thanksgiving. But rising coronavirus cases have prompt- nities of color and weaker banking relationships that with Meeka Robinson Davis, owner of One-Of-A-Kind were expected to end this year down from 2019 closes, ed fresh restrictions in Los Angeles and elsewhere. positioned Black companies unfavorably for federal Hats, as Davis’ daughter Chrstiana Davis looks on, at most were predicted to end 2021 above pre-pandemic The new rules mean Hotville Chicken, a south Los small business supports, according to the Fed paper. the store in the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los levels - with some significantly higher. Angeles restaurant specializing in “Nashville-style” “COVID-19 has exacerbated these issues and Angeles, California. It’s been a rough year for Black- The range of forecasts suggests a higher proportion owned small businesses, and the latest surge in coro- spicy dishes, will have to shut its outdoor eating space businesses in the hardest hit communities have wit- of strategists expect the indexes polled to rise from here after already closing the dining room. “It’s going to navirus cases suggests a festive season without by mid and end-2021. “Equities are set to rise further. nessed huge disparities in access to federal relief much celebration. —AFP hurt,” said owner Kim Prince, who expects the busi- funds and a higher rate of business closures,” said They increased already appreciably since March ness should pull through with pickup and delivery. Claire Kramer Mills, assistant vice president at the notwithstanding the second wave of new COVID-10 Many stores like “One of a Kind Hats” are still New York Fed. Pinning down the total number of Los Corporation (VSEDC) in Los Angeles. “Not until the cases thanks to huge policy support, both fiscal and open, but struggling. “It’s really slow,” said owner Angeles casualties is difficult, because some compa- dust settles with Covid will we see the full effect, but monetary,” said Michele Morganti at Generali Meeka Robinson Davis, who estimates sales of her nies have relocated or scaled back to bare bones, we know there’s going to be some serious damage,” Investments. custom-made hats are down about 70 percent said Joe Rouzan III, chief executive of the non-profit he said. “When you look at Covid, we haven’t even Run on because her cliental no longer needs items for church, Vermont Slauson Economic Development peaked yet.” —AFP The S&P 500 has staged a 60 percent recovery roughly from March lows and will rise over 9 percent stability mandates,” Haldane said in a speech to a Britain and globally. “Taken together with the huge between now and the end of 2021, finishing next year at BoE’s Haldane sees University College London webinar on Saturday. amounts of policy stimulus provided this year, this will 3,900. US stocks were nervous ahead of the presidential Haldane has consistently sounded more upbeat than in my view leave risks to the economic outlook more election this month but investors were upbeat about his fellow interest-rate setters about the prospects for evenly balanced than for some time, including risks to Democrat Joe Biden’s win, a feeling likely to linger if a inflation risks as an economic recovery in Britain after the record 25 inflation over the medium term,” he said. divided Congress means limited regulatory changes and percent slump triggered by the first coronavirus lock- Britain’s most recent consumer price index showed Biden’s Cabinet picks are market-friendly. down in the spring. The BoE’s nine-member Monetary inflation at 0.7 percent. Haldane focused most of his North of the border, Canada’s main stock index is economies rebound also set to extend its rally over the coming year, as the Policy Committee has stressed that it will not be in a speech on central bank independence and said the likely vaccine rollouts bolster prospects for the eco- LONDON: Bank of England Chief Economist Andy hurry to tighten monetary policy by saying it first want- blurring of the distinction in some people’s minds nomically-sensitive financial and resource stocks that Haldane said inflation could rise by more than expected ed to see clear evidence of “significant progress” to hit- between governments and central banks had been dominate the index. European stocks were forecast to as progress on COVID-19 vaccines and huge amounts ting its 2 percent inflation target sustainably. reflected partly in a fall in public trust in central banks. flirt near record highs next year, driven by expectations of stimulus raised the chances of a swift economic Haldane said recent news of progress with the “These developments underscore the crucial impor- of a strong bounce in corporate confidence and prof- bounce-back. “As the economic recovery gathers pace development of COVID-19 vaccines “offers some eco- tance of efforts to improve public understanding of the itability as the European Central Bank looks set to keep next year, it will be important central banks remain nomic light at the end of the long, dark tunnel of this economy, financial system and build trust in central stimulus flowing. —Reuters squarely focussed on their core medium-term price year” and there could be a rapid economic recovery in banks’ role in supporting both,” he said. —Reuters 10 Business Monday, November 30, 2020 29 scholars from KU sound alarm over Kuwait’s economic future KuwaitImpakt.com paper; ‘Before It’s Too Late: A Vision to Reform Kuwaiti Economy’

KUWAIT: KuwaitImpakt.com published yesterday Rasheed, PhD, a signatory to the paper, “but what ting and use contrary to their intended economic a new paper authored by 29 distinguished Kuwait we seek for this vision is a comprehensive treatment objectives. University scholars titled “Before It’s Too Late: A of the economic imbalance that targets the root of 6. Reforming social and consumer subsidies by Vision to Reform the Kuwaiti Economy”. The paper the problem rather than its symptoms. It isn’t suit- allocating them equitably based on income level. proposes alternative scopes of analysis for the able to deal with the economic sectors as separate 7. Modifying the salary scale in the public sector existing economic imbalances in Kuwait and offers units while neglecting the spillover effects of public to reflect the productive value of each job and solutions for future economic reforms that enable policies among them.” achieve competitiveness with the private sector. development and safeguards the welfare status of Shamlan W Al-Bahar, PhD, another signatory to 8. Imposing a tax on businesses for employing Kuwait and its future generations. the paper added: “This is not the first time that the foreign workers, and directing their revenues to The paper carefully investigates the foundations urgent need for economic reform has been raised incentivize and train Kuwaitis to work in the private that led to the current instability and imbalance of and discussed. However, what we seek in this vision sector. the Kuwaiti economy. It identifies the dependency is a comprehensive treatment of the economic 9. Increasing the research budget and raising the on oil, the fiscal imbalance, a weak educational sys- imbalance that targets the roots of the problem standards for obtaining it. tem, and the inflated public sector as key factors. rather than its symptoms. It would be a mistake to 10. Establishing a public commission to imple- How the paper differs from the prevailing discourse deal with economic imbalances as separate units ment the immigration and residency policy and reg- is that, rather than examining the economy as a dis- while neglecting the spillover effects of public poli- ulate the recruitment of foreign workers and their • Sulaiman H Al-Bader, PhD connected entity, it focuses on the symptoms and cies across them. Our aim is not to propose short- rights and obligations. • Abdulrahman A Al-Rifaie, PhD impact of these imbalances in all aspects of the sighted solutions that disregard their long-term The paper was authored by 29 distinguished • Hessa H Al-Aijan, PhD socio-economic landscape. effects, or superficially associating them to the scholars who specialize in economic and business • Salman A Al-Jazzaf, PhD The authors outline five structural imbalances in state’s financial situation, so that the calls for reform administration at the College of Business • Saad A Al-Nahid, PhD the Kuwaiti economy that were deepened by accu- are not contingent on the price of oil.” Administration at Kuwait University. They were at • Ahmed F Al-Qassar, PhD mulating crises, including: ‘Before It’s Too Late’ sets forth a corrective the academic frontlines during the 2008 economic • Abdullah S Al-Awadhi, PhD 1. Heavy Dependence on Oil Revenues accounts vision divided into five axes that should be taken as crash, and have continued to monitor the influx of • Mohammad I Askar, PhD for 91% of Kuwait’s exports an integrated approach, it includes: data and research that has emerged since and its • Yousef J. Abdulsalam, PhD 2. Public Finance Imbalance exemplified by the 1. A private sector with added value to the continued consequences on Kuwait. Their ethos is • Abrar A Abul, PhD accumulated budget deficits since 2015 amounting national economy. based on concrete economic and scientific research • Ali E Dashti, PhD to KD 28 billion 2. Openness to neighboring regional markets by that offers well-rounded and viable solutions. The • Sayed M Al-Mahri, PhD 3. Labor Market Imbalance caused by a bloated expanding trade relationships. 29 scholars behind this vision are: • Abrar R Al-Hassan, PhD public sector, and a low skilled private sector domi- 3. Small and medium enterprises that expand • Nawaf M. Al-Abduljader, PhD • Hussain A Ali, PhD nated by cheap labor the economic base and create national job • Abdulrahman M Al-Taweel, PhD • Sarah E Khalaf, PhD 4. Poor student rankings on international stan- opportunities. • Shamlan W Al-Bahar, PhD • Dalal S Ahmed, PhD dardized tests as a result of a Weak Education 4. Defining the concept of “future generations”, • Dhari S Al-Rasheed, PhD • Zainab M Al-Bader, PhD System clarifying the objectives of their reserve, and defin- • Saoud A Al-Thaqib, PhD • Mohammad J Ghlom, PhD 5. Demographic Imbalance as a net result of oth- ing a general framework for the timeline and the cir- • Barrak G. Al-Gharablli, PhD • Ebrahim K Al-Ebrahim, PhD er imbalances cumstances that warrant withdrawing from it. • Ahmed M Ashkanani, PhD • Asma’a A Al-Fadhel, PhD “This is not the first time that the urgent need for 5. Periodically assessing the use of state-owned • Yaqoub A Baqir, PhD The paper can be downloaded from economic reform has been floated,” said Dhari S Al- industrial and agricultural plots to prevent sublet- • Mohammad N Al-Marzouq, PhD KuwaitImpakt.com Huawei Mate 40 Pro is the ultimate 5G Fishing rights top performance King of the menu as Brexit talks continue KUWAIT: Huawei’s latest flagship the Huawei Mate 40 Pro is not only commended for its ultimate 5G performance, which is complemented by Huawei’s own top of the line Huawei Kirin 9000 5G chipset. The flagship also comes with a futuristic Space Ring design, stellar videography, fastest Huawei SuperCharge solutions, long lasting battery, innova- tive and intelligent interactions and of course solid privacy and security features. We are going to take a Cine Camera comprises of two Cine Cameras at the 40 Pro can be activated at a glance, with fully cus- detailed look at the Ultimate 5G Performance King front and back that support 100-degree ultra-wide tomisable interactive displays hosting all the informa- with Stellar Videography and come up with an hon- angle cinema-like shots in addition to Super Sensing tion you need from your phone. Here is a trick: est verdict of what we think. Wide Camera, Ultra Wide Cine Camera, Periscope improvements made to Multi-screen Collaboration Telephoto Camera and a Laser Sensor. Additionally, bring your smartphone closer to your PC. Multi- (Huawei Mate 40 Pro) with features like XD Fusion HDR Video, Steady tasking is now better, with support for up to three 5G powerful performance and an iconic design Shot, Front and Rear Dual-View Video, Tracking concurrent active apps, so you do not have to flip When you hear “world’s first 5nm 5G chipset”, Shot, Audio Focus, Audio Zoom and more - you can between screens to access different apps. LONDON: EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier you would probably ask yourself, how efficient ensure memorable moments are recorded anytime walks to a conference center to continue nego- could this chipset be? Well, the Huawei Mate 40 and anywhere! Up front, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro Safe and secure tiations on a trade deal between the EU and the Pro comes with Huawei Kirin 9000 chipset, which features an Ultra Vision Selfie Camera. Which is the Based on the Trusted Execution Environment UK in London yesterday. — AFP is not only more powerful and power efficient than perfect vlog tool. You can also spice up your vlogs (TEE), Huawei Mate 40 Pro bolsters the security of its predecessor, it also ensures an impactful, high with Super slow-motion video recording, which the device in aspects that are applicable to various speed experience for all your online streaming, shoots footage at 240fps. usage scenarios. The security features in place LONDON: Last-ditch Brexit trade talks con- downloading, gaming and uploading of huge chunk ensure that only you can access your data, providing tinued in London yesterday with fishing rights of files that can all be smoothly done at once and Powerhouse Battery with Huawei you with comprehensive protection. Dual biometric remaining an “outstanding major bone of con- on the go! In terms of design, the Huawei Mate 40 SuperCharge Abilities authentication including 3D Face Unlock and features tention,” according to British foreign minister Pro continues in the Huawei Mate Series’ focus on The Huawei Mate 40 Pro has a 4400 mAh (typical an in-screen fingerprint reader including enables Dominic Raab. outstanding designs. At the back, the flagship value) long-lasting 5G battery life that can power quick and secure identification. European Union chief negotiator Michel comes with a futuristic Space Ring Design that is through your hectic day without bailing out on you. To indulge you with a wide range of mobile apps, Barnier told reporters that “work continues, reminiscent of interstellar portals in sci-fi films. Moreover, this humongous battery is rapidly fed with the Huawei Mate 40 Pro comes pre-installed with even on a Sunday,” as he arrived for the second Upfront, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro comes with the a 66W Huawei Wired SuperCharge and a 55W Huawei AppGallery - Huawei’s official app store with day of talks. Barnier had arrived in London on 88° Huawei Horizon Display that provides a wider Huawei Wireless SuperCharge. These smart fast a constantly growing list of apps, where you can sim- Friday following a spell in self-isolation after a viewing area and a more immersive visual experi- charging solution ensure the battery’s health and ply browse and download the apps you need. member of his team contracted coronavirus and ence for video calls, movies, games etc. it also fea- longevity are never compromised. Complementing AppGallery is Petal Search, the ahead of the resumption of talks with British tures physical and virtual volume buttons for your search tool offers Huawei users an open gateway to a counterpart David Frost on Saturday. Both men convenience. Lastly, the Huawei Mate 40 Pro is Innovative and unique intelligent interactions million apps. You can also download news, movies, warned that a deal could not be reached with- water and dust resistant with an IP68 rating. The Huawei Mate 4o Pro comes with EMUI 11 images and so much more directly from your home out major concessions from the other party. Available in Black and White, as well as an enchant- that delivers an enhanced cross-device user experi- screen, offering you a more convenient way which There are only five weeks to go until the end of ing Mystic Silver ence, i.e. Smart Gesture Control, which allows total ultimately saves you time. the current transition period, during which trade hands-free control of your device. Simply hover your relations have remained largely unchanged. Extraordinary Videography hand over the device to wake it up or navigate your The verdict The two key sticking points remain post- The Ultra Vison camera system on the Huawei phone by swiping left, right, up and down. There is After looking at the Huawei Mate 40 Pro, it is safe Brexit access to British fishing waters for Mate 40 Pro is co-engineered with Leica to provide also an air press gesture for answering calls. The all- to say this is the flagship smartphone we have all European vessels and the EU’s demand for the best camera solution possible. The Ultra Vision new dynamic Eyes on Display on the HUAWEI Mate been waiting for. trade penalties if either side diverges from common standards or state aid regulations rules. Raab told Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday that this could be the final week of “substan- Canada grants poultry, tive” talks, with time running out to agree and ratify a deal. egg producers aid “There’s a deal to be done,” he said. “On fishing there’s a point of principle: as we leave the EU we’re going to be an independ- over free trade losses ent... coastal state and we’ve got to be able to control our waters,” he added. Barnier told envoys last week that London was asking that MONTREAL: Canada on Saturday announced aid European access to UK waters be cut by 80 of Can$691 million ($531 million) to its poultry and percent, while the EU was willing to accept 15 egg producers for losses caused by free trade to 18 percent, according to a Brussels source. deals with Europe and Asia-Pacific countries. A British official called the demands “risible”, Canada controls the production and price of eggs, according to the domestic Press Association, poultry and milk through annual quotas and import adding that the “EU side know full well that we taxes-a system deemed protectionist by its foreign would never accept this.” “There seems to be a partners. failure from the Commission to internalize the But with the entry into force in recent years of scale of change needed as we become an inde- free trade deals with the European Union (CETA) pendent nation,” said the source. However, Raab and another with a dozen Asia-Pacific countries was cautiously optimistic over the “level playing (TPP), Ottawa has agreed to open further its market Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. example payment, saying the owner of an 80-cow field” issue, saying “it feels like there is progress to foreign producers, angering Canadian farmers. Bibeau also announced an acceleration in disburse- farm would receive compensation of about towards greater respect” for Britain’s position. By announcing these breaches of the supply man- ments of the Can$1.75 billion pledged in 2019 to Can$38,000 per year. Bibeau also reiterated the A failure to reach an agreement would see agement system, in place since the 1970s, Prime compensate dairy farmers over eight years. government’s intention to offer compensation to Britain and the EU trading on World Trade Minister Justin Trudeau’s government had promised More than 10,000 farmers had received a first producers affected by a greater opening of the Organization terms, with tariffs immediately that compensation would be paid to breeders. aid tranche of Can$345 million last year. Canadian market under the new free trade agree- imposed on goods travelling to and from the Federal aid to some 4,800 egg and poultry pro- The remaining Can$1.4 billion is to be paid to ment between Canada, the United States and continent. — AFP ducers will extend over 10 years, said Marie-Claude them over the next three years. Bibeau cited an Mexico, in force since earlier this year. —AFP Classifieds Monday, November 30, 2020

Sabah Hospital 24812000 Amiri Hospital 22450005 Maternity Hospital 24843100 Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700 Chest Hospital 24849400 Farwaniya Hospital 24892010 Adan Hospital 23940620 Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300 LOST

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000 My BTech Degree semester mark lists (10 nos.) in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from the University of Calicut lost in Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9 Kuwait during travel. The details of semester register number with year is given as follows: 1 st and 2nd Semester - Reg.No: 28787 (June-1992), 3rd Semester- Reg.No: 21702 (Dec-1992) & Reg.No:5304 (Oct-1993), 4th Kaizen center 25716707 Semester-Reg.No: 6973 (Sept-1993) & 2356 (Oct-1994), 5th Semester-Reg.No:1824 (April-1994), 6th Semester Reg.No: 948 Rawda 22517733 (June-1995), Reg.No:822 (Dec- 1995) & Reg.No:847 (Dec-1995), 7th Semester Reg. No: 1323 (May-1995). Adaliya 22517144 If found, kindly return to me at the following address. If the same Khaldiya 24848075 is not found in one week time from the date of this advertisement, I will be applying for the duplicated semester mark lists. Kaifan 24849807 Shemej Kumar K.K, Flat 902- Ghaliya Tower, Mahboula, Kuwait. Mob: 97106957. (C 5820) 30-11-2020 Shamiya 24848913 Shuwaikh 24814507 CHANGE OF NAME

Abdullah Salem 22549134 I, Shazeen Mahamad Shaif Alaji (Indian Passport no. T8991335 issued in Kuwait) D/o Alaji Mahamad Shaif Kasam, resident of Nuzha 22526804 Kurdhunda, Tal. Sangmeshwar, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra- Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764 415611 hereby declare that henceforth my name will be read as, given name: Shazeen Mahamad Shaif, surname: Alji and Qadsiya 22515088 Father’s name as Mahamad Shaif Kasam Alji for all purposes. (C 5819) Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908 I, Nuwair Mahamad Shaif Alaji (Indian Passport no. T2416290 issued in Kuwait) S/o Alaji Mahamad Shaif Kasam, resident of Shaab 22518752 Kamte Mohalla, Tal. Chiplun, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, hereby declare that henceforth my name will be read as, given Qibla 22459381 name: Nuwair Mahamad Shaif, surname: Alji and Father’s Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082 name as Mahamad Shaif Kasam Alji for all purposes. (C 5819) 27-11-2020 Mirqab 22456536 Sharq 22465401 112 Salmiya 25746401

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Aries (March 21-April 19) Cancer (June 21-July 22) Libra (September 23-October 22) Capricorn (December 22-January 19) There is some likelihood that the mood at You've been stamping the ground impatient- This is the right moment to extricate your- Today more than ever you will yearn to home is fraught with tension, Aries. Did you dare to ly. You're waiting for the moment to jump into new adven- self from relationships that have seen their day, escape from the daily routine. You're thirsty for new express some contrary intellectual opinion? In any case, it tures with renewed vigor after your meditation of the last Libra. This won't be easy, but you must. In your pro- sights and sounds, new faces and places. However, looks like your self-confidence is stronger than usual right few months. Cancer, know that the moment has almost fessional and private lives, you're too hesitant to get you're well aware that you must juggle your desires with now. Go ahead and express any complaints or opinions arrived! You now have the strategy, objective, and means at out of distasteful situations or obligations. You're your professional or domestic obligations. It isn't always you may have been keeping to yourself. But try and do it your disposal to succeed. Just a bit more work remains. afraid of hurting people or making them mad. But in easy, but you should trust your imagination to suggest a gently, especially where your family is concerned. Gather your strength and get ready for action! the end, you're hurting yourself. way to amicably settle this conflict.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Leo (July 23-August 22) Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

It would seem that your sensitivity is in slight If you find yourself tired and irritable now, Leo, You took off like a bullet a few days ago, Finally, you're on the mend, Aquarius. The minor ailments that have been dragging you down late- conflict with your actions, Taurus. You continue to go you should know that this is normal. You may have had a few Scorpio, making great progress in a short amount of ly are beginning to disappear, and you're about to through the motions and do what you planned to do, but it months that were a little too studious. Would you like to con- time. But now you're grappling with doubts that are tinue with the same rhythm? Be careful that your ambitions undermining all your energy. Reflecting on the events regain all of your physical energy. However, if you seems like your heart isn't in it anymore. Don't ask yourself overindulge, your energy levels are likely to plummet don't lead you to physical exhaustion. If you get sick, you will of the past few days, it's obvious that you were some- why. It's just that you've worked hard and have been think- again. If nothing else, you will have learned a valuable ing hard lately. You have reached your limit and it's time for be even more frustrated. So be wise and take care of your what reckless in your headlong pursuit of your goals. Don't give up! Just rethink your strategy. lesson about the importance of moderation, especially you to rest. own basic needs. now. Don't overdo it!

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Virgo (August 23-September 22) Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Pisces (February 19-March 20) This is going to be a good moment to look There is some likelihood that thoughts of your You may have been spending or saving too love life will haunt you today, Sagittarius. Do you feel a little under the weather, Pisces? much money, Gemini. It's clear that a rebalancing is in elsewhere, Virgo. You should do just as the artist does when It's possible, considering all the emotional turmoil you've he has worked on a painting for too long, which is take a Perhaps you're intrigued by the idea of exploring certain order if you're to find pleasure rather than eternal frustra- realms of your relationship that remain secret, but you're been through lately. It takes time to recover from those step back. You need to see some people, travel, go to the tion. It's a curious phenomenon. It's as though you have unsure how to communicate this to your mate. Perhaps storms. As you know, the work itself isn't what gets you theater, and clear your head. This is never easy for you, but lost contact with your body. Yet it's in your body where you're still testing the waters, waiting until you're sure of down but rather your worries about the future that drain you will ultimately find your balance. You certainly won't don't hesitate. You will realize afterward that it was the best how you feel. In any case, you may decide to proceed! your energy. Give yourself a break today. Take some time for find it in your head! thing for you to do. rest and recuperation. 12 Established 1961 Lifestyle Features Monday, November 30, 2020

ollowing years of public outcry and cam- activists, Kaavan’s fate made headlines around the paigning by American pop star Cher, the globe and this contributed to the facilitation of his F“world’s loneliest elephant” embarked yester- transfer,” said Martin Bauer, a spokesman for Four day on a mammoth move from Pakistan to retire- Paws International-an animal welfare group that ment in a Cambodian sanctuary. The famed singer has spearheaded the relocation effort. Experts and Oscar-winning actress has spent recent days spent hours coaxing a slightly sedated Kaavan into at the Islamabad zoo to provide moral support to a specially constructed metal crate-at one point Kaavan-an overweight, 36-year-old bull elephant- using ropes to help pull him in-that was to be hoist- whose pitiful treatment at the dilapidated facility ed onto a lorry and taken to Islamabad airport. From there, Kaavan will be sent via a Russian transport jumbo jet for the lengthy flight to Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia. The plane will stop for refuelling in New Delhi. Cher spent several days in the Pakistani capital to visit Kaavan before the trip to a 10,000-hectare (25,000-acre) Cambodian wildlife sanctuary, with Prime Minister Imran Khan personally thanking the 74-year-old star. Cher was due to fly to Cambodia yesterday to be in the Southeast Asian nation when the elephant arrives. Officials said Kaavan will initially be kept in a small designated section of the park where he can see other elephants. “Sending him to a place where he can be with other elephants of his kind ... is really the right choice,” climate change minister Officials of Four Paws International and wildlife rangers Malik Amin Aslam told AFP. “We will be happy to Officials of Four Paws International and wildlife rangers pose for a photograph beside a crate carrying Kavaan, move Kavaan, Pakistan’s only Asian elephant. see him happy in Cambodia and we hope he finds Pakistan’s only Asian elephant, after placing onto a trailer truck prior to transport it to a sanctuary in Cambodia, at the a partner very soon.” Marghazar Zoo in Islamabad on Sunday. — AFP photos sparked an uproar from animal rights groups and a spirited social media campaign by Cher. “My wish- ‘Loneliest’ elephant Zoo officials have in the past denied Kaavan conservationists have said that the abysmal condi- es have finally come true”, Cher said in a statement Dubbed by the press as the world’s loneliest was kept in substandard conditions or chained, tions at the Islamabad zoo resulted in part from the thanking her charity Free The Wild. “We have been elephant, Kaavan is the only Asian elephant in claiming instead the creature was pining for a new lack of legislation in Pakistan aimed at protecting counting down to this moment and dreaming of it Pakistan-the tiny number of other pachyderms at mate after his partner died in 2012. But Kaavan’s animal welfare. “There’s a lot of improvement to be for so long and to finally see Kaavan transported other zoos are African. A team of vets and experts behavior-including signs of distress such as con- made,” said Rab Nawaz with the World Wildlife out of (the Islamabad) zoo will remain with us forev- from Four Paws have spent months working with tinual head-bobbing-raised concerns of mental ill- Federation in Pakistan. “Kaavan is just one animal. er.” Kaavan’s case and the woeful conditions at the Kaavan to get him ready for the trip to Cambodia, ness. Activists also said Kaavan was not properly There’s lots of animals in Pakistan... which are in zoo resulted in a judge this year ordering all the which has included training the elephant to enter sheltered from Islamabad’s searing summer tem- miserable conditions.”— AFP animals to be moved. the massive metal transport crate that will be peratures. Kaavan’s mate Saheli, who also arrived “Thanks to Cher and also to local Pakistani placed in a cargo plane for the seven-hour flight. from Sri Lanka, died in 2012. Rights groups and

ver four decades after terrorizing beachgo- ers in “Jaws,” the blockbuster movie’s 25- Ofoot shark model has been installed at Los Angeles’ long-awaited Oscars museum, it was ave Prowse, the British actor behind the announced Monday. “Bruce the Shark,” rumored to menacing black mask of Star Wars villain have earned its nickname from director Steven Darth Vader, has died, his agent Thomas D Spielberg’s razor-sharp lawyer, now lurks 30-feet Bowington said Sunday. “It’s with great sadness (nine-meters) above the third floor of the Academy that we have to announce that our client Dave Museum, which is set to open in April. The fiber- Prowse... passed away yesterday morning at the In this file photo (from left) US actresses Amelia Heinle, glass predator is the only remaining version creat- age of 85,” Bowington wrote on Facebook. “May Sharon Case and Camryn Grimes pose during a photocall ed for the classic 1975 movie, but with Jaws meas- the force be with him, always!” the agent told the for the TV soap opera “The Young and the Restless” during uring nearly five feet wide, was too large for the BBC. Bowington added that Prowse’s death was the 59nd Monte-Carlo Television Festival in Monaco. — AFP building’s elevators-and had to be levered in by “a truly and deeply heart-wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world”. Mark crane through the window. “It’s been a long jour- Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the epic ney for Bruce since he was acquired in 2016, and This undated handout photo shows the sole surviving saga, tweeted that he was “so sad to hear David we couldn’t be happier to welcome him to his new full-scale model of the 1975 Jaws shark, donated by Prowse has passed.” “He was a kind man & home,” said museum president Bill Kramer. Nathan Adlen. — AFP photos Weighing more than 1,200 pounds (540 kilos), it much more than Darth Vader,” he wrote. beset with delays. Billed as “the world’s premier “Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order is the largest object so far in the collection of the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures-a institution dedicated to the art and science of of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting movies,” the museum will showcase some 13 mil- Champion. He loved his fans as much as they project by the body organizing Hollywood’s Oscars, first dreamt up nearly a century ago but lion photographs, scripts, costumes and props loved him.” A former body-builder turned actor, he Young and the Restless,” one of the including Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from Prowse’s towering stature at almost two meters longest-running TV soap operas ever “Wizard of Oz” and Bela Lugosi’s cape from 1931’s (6.5 feet) clinched him the role of the instantly- “Tfilmed, marks another milestone next “Dracula.” The museum is due to open April 30, recognizable antagonist in the original Star Wars week with its 12,000th episode in the US. “Since 2021, although all indoor Los Angeles museums trilogy. But while he donned the glossy black 1973, ‘The Young and the Restless’ has been part are currently closed due to Covid restrictions. armor and cape, the Bristol native’s strong west- of daily life for millions of Americans,” CBS, which The futuristic museum contains a 1,000-seat ern English accent meant the filmmakers turned airs the series, said in a release about the big day theater inside a seemingly-suspended glass, steel to James Earl Jones for the chilling voice that next Tuesday. and concrete orb designed by Renzo Piano, con- would emerge from behind the mask. Prowse The show has tens of millions of fans in dozens nected by sky bridges to a converted department nevertheless remained attached to the charac- of countries. It centers on families living in an imag- store housing the main galleries-and the shark. ter, telling AFP in 2013 that he was “the greatest inary Wisconsin town called Genoa City, and fol- “We look forward to our opening when museum big-screen villain of all time”. lows their personal dramas of love, marriage, sepa- visitors can engage with our exhibitions, experi- ration and people vanishing before mysteriously ence our beautiful Renzo Piano-designed building, reappearing. Some of the actors have played the and come face to face with one of the most iconic same characters for decades. To celebrate characters in film history,” added Kramer. — AFP episode 12,000, a special week for the show is In this file photo workers clean the roof of the new planned, featuring flashbacks and the return of Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, in Los Angeles, what CBS called beloved characters. — AFP California.

eslie Chihuly, the wife and business driver Q. It’s a particularly bleak time for creative profes- our projects involve working all over the world and in This file photo shows David Prowse, the British behind glass artist Dale Chihuly, believes these sionals such as artists and musicians. Do you different parts of the country. We had three different actor behind the menacing black mask of Star Lare fighting times, especially for artists. “If we have any advice for creative types? gallery shows - in London, Toronto and Seattle. Not Wars villain Darth Vader. — AFP don’t have our paintings and art and music and cul- A. I know it’s a difficult time, but it’s also a very fertile being able to travel, we had to show those galleries ture and civility, then what do we have?” said the time. Dig deep and keep making work. Keep writing, how to install the shows without us. He was born in the southwest English city on president and chief executive of Chihuly, Inc, who keep making music, keep doing what you do. It’s so July 1, 1935, to a working class family, winning a chaired the board of the Seattle Symphony for nine essential. Q. What’s the best piece of job advice you’ve scholarship to the prestigious local school. years until 2018. “What art does is create that thin received? Prowse soon developed a love for weightlifting veneer that separates us from our more base Q. What has been your biggest challenge this A. Learn how to listen. If you can listen to others and and went on to represent his country at the instincts. Without it, I don’t like how life looks.” year? you can listen to your employees and subject matter Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s Chihuly, 59, had a chat with Reuters about her per- A. We had to figure out how to blow glass safely. We experts, you’re going to make better decisions. It’s before forging a career in Hollywood. He trained sonal, professional and philanthropic choices. Edited closed our glass shops for quite a while. We have great to be proactive, to be leading and guiding, but Christopher Reeve for the role of Superman and excerpts are below. fewer people on our team now, but we’re still spread you still have to have that back and forth. was reportedly spotted by Star Wars director out in three locations. We can’t travel and so many of George Lucas as an extra in “A Clockwork Q. What did your first job teach you? Q. Do you have tips for someone just starting out Orange”. Lucas asked him to audition for the A. My first job was probably when I was around 14 or right now? roles of Vader and hairy giant Chewbacca, 15. I worked in a small boutique store on the Main A. In every dark time or challenging time there are plumping for the dark side because “you always Street in my hometown (Guymon, Oklahoma), and it still opportunities, and there are opportunities for cre- remember the bad guys,” he once told the BBC. was called The Vogue. I wanted to save up for a ative approaches on how to do things. There are At home, he is equally well remembered for Christmas present for my mother. I loved having a always goods and services that people need and playing the “Green Cross Code” Man, a super- job, having my own little bit of money in my purse. I there are always those needs to be filled. There’s hero created as part of a public information also learned how to perfectly wrap gifts. I’m really always a path forward. You need to draw a support campaign to teach children road safety. good at gift wrapping. team around you and know that you can’t do it by He played the role for almost 20 years, and yourself. earned an MBE in 2000. Other film credits Q. What was your toughest job? include 1972’s “Minotaur” and 1977’s A. Doing multiple jobs at the same time. I was doing Q. What is your work-from-home set up? “Jabberwocky”, and he also appeared in many the job of being a mother. I was doing the job at A. I like to move around a lot, so I don’t have one TV shows including “The Saint” and “The Benny Chihuly with a lot of complexity and a lot of projects desk where I sit and work. I use the couch in our TV Hill Show”. Since the original Star Wars trilogy and issues. I was also simultaneously board chair of room for doing my Zooms because I like having a was released in the late 1970s and early 80s, the Seattle Symphony, which is a huge job. It’s more piece of art behind it. It’s a Samuel Levi Jones, one of Prowse had travelled the world meeting hard- than a full-time job at times. Having all of those jobs his paintings, and it’s made of book covers.—Reuters core fans. — AFP at the same time and trying to balance the load, I found out that I can really push myself. I had to learn how to prioritize and also delegate. Glass artist Dale Chihuly and his wife Leslie Chihuly. Established 1961 13 Lifestyle Features Monday, November 30, 2020

In this picture Champa Devi Tuladhar knits during an In this picture Dil Hera Tuladhar stitches a handmade In this picture jeweler Ratna Kaji Tamrakar makes silver Dil Hera Tuladhar stitches a handmade shawl during an interview with AFP in Kathmandu. — AFP photos shawl during an interview with AFP in Kathmandu. jewelry in his workshop during an interview with AFP in interview with AFP in Kathmandu. Kathmandu.

very winter, Lorina Sthapit and her take listeners and readers on a nostal- (IFAD). She worked around the world Empowering the elderly grandmother’s joy about how popular cousins would warm their feet in gic journey through the lives of the eld- from Uganda to Uzbekistan, but felt Sthapit found the social enterprise her socks had become. “The excitement Ewoolen socks freshly knitted by erly artisans. The tales-from being mar- she wanted to make a difference in her had another benefit-it gave the artisans it brought in her life made me think of their grandmother. As the brightly ried at just eight-years-old, battling to home country. Undaunted by the male- a sense of purpose. When she first told other grandparents who might enjoy coloured pairs stacked up in her cup- be given an education and raising five dominated start-up world, Sthapit quit her grandmother, Champa Devi creating things too,” she said. Tuladhar board, the 32-year-old felt inspired to children as a single mother in the patri- her NGO job to work full-time on Aji’s. Tuladhar, that her socks were being herself has become an evangelist for share the creations with the world-co- archal society-shed light on Nepal’s She slowly cultivated loyal cus- snapped up, the 77-year-old’s eyes lit staying active. founding a crafts venture that not only rich social and cultural history, but also tomers who shared their love for the up. “My grandmother really enjoys “Old people say that you shouldn’t sells such handmade products but also its strict gendered social order. products with others, eventually draw- being busy and even forgets her joint work but I really enjoy working... and delves into the seldom-told lives of their ing the attention of the wider public pains when knitting,” Sthapit said. also tell others to get involved,” mostly elderly female makers. “Each Sharing stories and international clients. Aji’s now has Parents traditionally live with their chil- Tuladhar told AFP. Another product has a story and historical and Born in Kathmandu in 1988, Sthapit 30 elderly women and men working dren in Nepal with the elderly discour- craftswoman, Dil Hera Tuladhar, has cultural value. We want to keep their found herself drawn to the Indian clas- with them, using traditional Nepali tech- aged from working and earning. sewn traditional blankets and shawls for legacy and skills alive for the future,” sical dance of Kathak-derived from the niques and materials. The crafts are But ageing populations have forced years. But for the first time, she’s started Sthapit told AFP. “They grew up at a Sanskrit word kathaka, or storyteller. sold at two stores in the Kathmandu a global shift in attitudes to those aged earning from them. “I had never made time when most things were handmade, From just 18-years-old, she started to valley and on the online marketplace 65 and older-in fashion catwalks have money in my life. It made me so happy not store-bought. So there is an amaz- perform in national and international Etsy. The company works closely with seen greater age diversity and models and proud,” the 85-year-old said. For ing wealth of skills and experiences dance events. The gender studies makers’ children or grandchildren, in such as Jan de Villeneuve, and Elon Sthapit, the venture has grown much among people of that generation.” Aji’s- graduate then taught a course in an effort to help the families develop Musk’s mother Maye Musk, have made bigger than she envisaged. “We want to which means grandmother-was found- women’s empowerment at Nepal’s first closer bonds. Sthapit herself learnt that names for themselves as fashion stars be able to help elders live a healthy, ed in 2018 by Sthapit, her sister Irina women’s college Padma Kanya her grandmother was “more confident in their 60s and 70s. Businesses pay happy life, whether by promoting their and husband Pursarth Tuladhar, selling Multiple Campus. A decade-long and bold than I thought”. “It was as if greater attention to so-called “grey dol- creations... or sharing their stories. “It a variety of products including knitwear, career in international development fol- this side of her was hidden and she lar” and older consumers, while studies just gives them a lot of joy... That’s what blankets and jewelry. lowed, including working for Oxfam has now found recognition and uncov- have shown keeping active boosts older drives us.”— AFP Through podcasts and blogs, and the United Nations’ International ered her bolder confident self,” she people’s physical and mental well- Sthapit and the makers’ grandchildren Fund for Agricultural Development said. being. Sthapit was emboldened by her

mysterious metal monolith found ‘reset’ button for 2020. Can someone in the remote desert of the west- please press it quickly?” joked one Aern United States, sparking a Instagram user. national guessing game over how it got “Somebody took the time to use there, has apparently disappeared, offi- some type of concrete-cutting tool or cials said. The Bureau of Land something to really dig down, almost in Management in Utah said Saturday it the exact shape of the object, and People visit with their cars at a drive-in Christmas market in Landshut, southern Germany. had received “credible reports” that the embed it really well,” Nick Street, a object had been removed “by an spokesman for the Department of Public unknown party” on Friday evening. The Safety told the New York Times. “It’s bureau “did not remove the structure odd,” he added. “There are roads close which is considered private property,” it by, but to haul the materials to cut into said in a statement. “We do not investi- the rock, and haul the metal, which is gate crimes involving private property taller than 12 feet in sections-to do all which are handled by the local sheriff’s that in that remote spot is definitely inter- office.” esting.” Some observers pointed out the The shiny, triangular pillar which pro- object’s resemblance to the avant- truded some 12 feet from the red rocks garde work of John McCracken, a US of southern Utah, was spotted on artist who lived for a time in nearby New November 18 by baffled local officials Mexico, and died in 2011. counting bighorn sheep from the air. His son, Patrick McCracken, told the After landing their helicopter to investi- Times recently that his father had told gate, Utah Department of Public Safety him in 2002 that he would “like to leave crew members found “a metal monolith his artwork in remote places to be dis- installed in the ground” but “no obvious covered later.” Although officials had indication of who might have put the refused to disclose the object’s location monolith there.” out of fear that hordes of curious sight- Christmas sweets are offered in a sales booth at the drive in People visit with their cars at a drive in Christmas market in seers would flock to the remote wilder- Christmas market in Landshut. Landshut.—AFP Photos 2020 ‘reset button’ ness, some explorers had been able to News of the discovery quickly went track it down. Instagram user David viral, with many noting the object’s simi- Surber said he trekked to the monolith larity with strange alien monoliths that using coordinates posted on Reddit. trigger huge leaps in human progress in “Apparently the monolith is gone,” he Stanley Kubrick’s classic sci-fi film posted later. “Nature returned back to “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Others her natural state I suppose. Something remarked on its discovery during a tur- positive for people to rally behind in bulent year that has seen the world 2020.”— AFP gripped by the Covid-19 pandemic, and hestnuts roasting, mulled wine Billions at stake market has been cancelled this year but optimistically speculated it could have a steaming and music blaring from As Germany battles a second wave of managed to hold an online version of its different function entirely. “This is the Cwooden chalets lined with artifi- coronavirus infections, leisure and sporting traditional opening ceremony. And in cial snow-the Landshut Christmas mar- facilities have been ordered to close while north-western Germany, the town of Kalkar ket in southern Germany has all the restaurants and bars can only offer take- is also offering a drive-in Christmas market. usual trimmings. But this year, visitors aways. The restrictions also include limits The market in Landshut has been open must enjoy the sights and smells of the on social gatherings and have been a since mid-November and is proving popu- traditional Christmas market from huge blow to Germany’s 3,000 or so annu- lar with locals, according to Schmidt. “Last inside their cars due to precautions to al Christmas markets. The markets have Saturday we had 500 cars,” he said. prevent the spread of Covid-19. Every been an annual fixture in Germany since And they’re not just here for the night after dark, several dozen vehicles the 15th century, when craftsmen and bak- mulled wine, served in thermos flasks to roll into the Christmas market drive-in, ers were given special permission to ply keep it warm-many are coming with the their occupants cozy and socially dis- their wares in town squares in the run-up to whole family in tow. “I’m here to support tanced inside. Once through the gates, Christmas. the restaurants, because I miss them,” they must wait for an employee wearing But many German cities have cancelled said Markus Renneke, 55, visiting the a mask and a Christmas hat to knock their Christmas markets entirely this year, market with his wife. “And I think it’s a on their window and offer them a menu despite the huge financial losses-the mar- great idea.” Sandra, joined by her of savory treats to choose from, such kets draw about 160 million visitors annual- teenage daughter Laura, is here to enjoy as crepes, sausages and roasted ly and bring in revenues of three to five bil- that special Christmas market “atmos- chestnuts. Orders placed, they can lion euros ($3.6 billion and $5.9 billion), phere”. “You have to put a bit of time then drive on to the next hut offering according to the BSM stallkeepers’ indus- aside and there are no stands selling sweets such as candy floss or ginger- try association. To keep the spirit-and the anything but food, but that’s OK,” she bread hearts. economic benefits-of Christmas alive, said as a waitress arrived with two grilled “We take our inspiration from fast- cities across the country have come up sausages. Her daughter, “starving”, can- food chains,” smiles Patrick Schmidt, with creative initiatives. not resist starting to tuck into her 31, market organizer and owner of the sausage before the final stop: the check- Zollhaus Landshut restaurant. “We 500 cars out. Once they’ve settled up, customers wanted to recreate a bit of the In Berlin’s Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf are free to return home basking in the Christmas atmosphere, even if it’s more district, small clusters of huts have been glow of mulled wine-apart from the des- complicated this year.” The market is a spread across several streets, though food ignated drivers, of course.—AFP way of helping his business get and drink cannot be consumed on site. This video grab image shows a mysterious metal monolith that was discovered in Utah after through “a difficult time”, he said. The world-famous Nuremberg Christmas public safety officers spotted the object while conducting a routine wildlife mission. — AFP 14 Sports Monday, November 30, 2020

Photo of the Day News in brief Bezuidenhout takes tour title

MALELANE: Christiaan Bezuidenhout held his nerve to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship by four shots at Leopard Creek Country Club yes- terday as the rest of the contenders faltered in a dramatic finish. The 26-year-old South African took his second European Tour victory after birdies on the 14th and 15th holes helped him surge through a crowded leaderboard and end with a fourth-round 69 for a tournament total of 274. Bezuidenhout, ranked 61 in the world, proved steady on the back nine as super-fast greens and tight pin positions proved the undo- ing of the other frontrunners. Four golfers tied for second place, including American Sean Crocker, who was one shot behind the lead with a hole to play but hit his ball out of bounds twice on the 18th for a horror-show eight that put paid to his hopes. Poland’s Adrian Meronk, who had led from the start of the tournament, South African teenager Jayden Schaper and Englishman Richard Bland also all finished on 10- under-par 278. — Reuters

Delayed Olympics to cost more

TOKYO: The coronavirus-delayed Tokyo Olympics could cost $1.9 billion more than its original budget of $13 billion, a 15 percent increase, a report said yesterday. The Olympics organizers will formally decide the increased Thomas van Tonder is seen setting a Guinness World Record for fastest 50m rope climb at Red Bull Rising in South Africa. — Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com budget for the Games as early as mid-December after communicating with the Japanese govern- ment and the host city Tokyo, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, citing unnamed Olympic sources. The 2020 Games were pushed back a year as Covid-19 spread around the globe, and are now scheduled to open on July 23, 2021. But the delay has thrown up a plethora of new costs, Elite runners brave pollution, from rebooking venues and transport to retain- ing the huge organizing committee staff. With many countries experiencing second or even third waves of infection, there have been doubts about whether the event can be staged, but COVID in Delhi half marathon organizers and Olympic officials insist it can be done safely. —AFP

Shanghai marathon defies coronavirus with 9,000 runners Palmeiras win 3-0 to go fourth NEW DELHI: Elite runners brushed off poor air ond behind. The previous best was 59.06 set by Chicago marathons all fell victim to coronavirus quality and a surge in coronavirus cases yester- Ethiopia’s Guye Adola in 2014. “The course was this year, while London and Tokyo were open only SAO PAULO: A brace from Rony either side of day in India’s capital for the Delhi Half Marathon, very good,” Walelegn said. “In earlier years there to elite runners. Bucking that trend, the Shanghai halftime helped Palmeiras to get a 3-0 win over one of the country’s first major sporting events were a lot of U-turns, but this time it was flat and marathon went ahead under sunny skies following visitors Athletico Paranaense on Saturday and since the pandemic started. Forty-seven profes- good to race on.” In the women’s race, Yalemzerf several days of rain, and with virus prevention lifted the Sao Paulo club into fourth place in sional runners hit the 21-kilometre (13.1-mile) Yehualaw of Ethiopia won in 1.04.46 - also a measures in place to thwart infections. Shanghai is Brazil’s Serie A. Patrick de Paula with a nice turn course in the men’s and women’s event, while record-with Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich second. on edge following a scattering of recent local cas- and finish put Palmeiras 1-0 up after eight min- amateur participants raced between Wednesday Avinash Sable, who has qualified for the Tokyo es, but China has largely got to grips with the epi- utes and Rony doubled their leader 11 minutes and Sunday to prevent overcrowding. Olympics in 3000m steeplechase, was the top demic thanks to strict lockdowns and aggressive before the break. Rony got his second with a The route was sprayed with chemicals to mini- Indian finisher with a record national time of mass testing. header four minutes into the second half to seal mize the effect of Delhi’s annual toxic smog, which 1:00.30. Runners had to pass a coronavirus test in order all three points for the home side. Palmeiras are blankets the megacity in winter due to traffic and to take part and were ordered to wear a mask now five points behind leaders Atletico Mineiro industrial pollution, crop stubble burning and cold Shanghai marathon immediately before and after the race. Some kept and have a game in hand. Athletico sit in 11th temperatures. The air quality index-which moni- In another development, around 9,000 runners- them on the whole time. About 9,000 runners had spot in the 20-team table. — Reuters tors tiny PM2.5 and PM10 particles that get into some wearing face masks-took part in the Shanghai been expected to take part, down from 38,000 in the bloodstream and vital organs-was at 244 and International Marathon yesterday, Chinese media previous Shanghai marathons. No overseas ath- in the “poor” category, the Central Pollution said, a rare mass event in a year when coronavirus letes flew in for the race and spectators were told Players losing ‘joy of playing’ Control Board said yesterday. Doctors last week laid waste to most such sport. Prior to the race offi- to stay away. Distance running is booming in said it would be “suicidal” for runners to take part cials touted it as an opportunity to show how China, with state media saying there is “marathon LONDON: Manchester City manager Pep in the competition given the twin risks. China-where the virus emerged late last year before fever”. In February, when the country was shut Guardiola said his players could not revel in their Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelegn won the men’s unleashing a pandemic-is moving ahead despite the down by the pandemic, one fanatical runner 5-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday as hectic race with a course record of 58.53 minutes with continuing global health crisis. jogged the equivalent of an ultra-marathon inside match scheduling had sucked some of the joy out last year’s champion Andamlak Belihu just a sec- The prestigious New York, Berlin, Boston and his small apartment. — Agencies of the sport. The novel coronavirus pandemic forced last season to finish late and this cam- paign to be condensed into a shorter period, with a chorus of club managers lamenting the Tyson comeback fight relentless schedule that they believe has con- tributed to more player injuries. City, who at 54 ends with draw bounced back from last week’s defeat by Tottenham Hotspur and moved up to eighth with the win against Burnley, travel to Porto for a against Jones Champions League game on Tuesday before facing Fulham in the Premier League on LOS ANGELES: Mike Tyson’s return to boxing at Saturday. “The problem is the players lose the age 54 ended in a draw with 51-year-old Roy Jones joy of playing football,” Guardiola told reporters. Jr. on Saturday in an eight-round exhibition battle of “Before it was nice playing once or twice a week former heavyweight champions. Fifteen years after with spectators. Now it’s three days and then retiring with a 2005 loss to journeyman Kevin another one. We will travel to Porto to win, then McBride, Tyson made his comeback at Staples prepare against Fulham.” — Reuters Center in Los Angeles without spectators in a pay- per-view matchup that mixed curiosity and nostalgia. California State Athletic Commission officials required two-minute rounds instead of the usual Bahrain crash cuts car in two Kuwait’s Shooting three-minute rounds, mandated larger than normal 12-ounce gloves, said neither fighter could seek a MANAMA: Romain Grosjean escaped from a Tournament ends knockout and declared there could be no official win- horrific first-lap crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix ner in safety moves for the over-50 fighters. yesterday when his car split in two and burst in style “Sometimes that two minutes felt like three minutes,” into flames. The French driver’s Haas collided Tyson said. “I’m glad I got this under my belt and I’m with Daniil Kyvat’s Alpha Tauri on turn three, skewing into a barrier. Grosjean, 34, was lodged By Abdellatif Sharaa looking forward to doing it again.” An “unofficial” panel of former World Boxing in the front half of his monocoque as it appeared to fly under the barrier, leaving the rear half KUWAIT: HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Council champions at ringside scored the bout a behind on the edge of the circuit after spinning Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Annual Shooting draw, an outcome that Tyson applauded despite on impact. His car’s fuel tank was clearly rup- Tournament came to a conclusion Saturday at appearing to dominate. “I’m good with that,” Tyson tured in the accident, releasing the fuel that Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting said, admitting he thought he had won the fight. ignited in a huge blaze. The crash came at a Complex. Capital governor Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid Habeeb; In the Men’s Trap - Abdelrahman Nasser “Yeah, but I’m good with a draw. The crowd was service road access point where the driver and Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah represented HH the Crown Al-Faihan; In Women’s Skeet - Iman Salem Al- happy with that.” Jones, who looked tired and medical crew from the circuit Safety Car were Prince during the closing ceremony which was Shamma; In Women’s Trap - Sarah Al-Hawal; In grabbed Tyson much of the fight, was unhappy at a on the scene immediately. They helped Grosjean attended by Deputy Director General of Public the Men’s 10 Meter Air Pistol - Saad Mane draw. “I ain’t never happy with a draw. I dont do from his car as he leapt over the barrier. A med- Authority for Sport Dr Saqer Al-Mulla, President Nuhaiqan; In the Men’s 10m Air Rifle - Abdallah draw,” Jones said, admitting that Tyson hurt him ical official used a fire extinguisher on his race of Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Awadh Al-Harby; In the 50 Meter 3 Positions throughout the bout, particularly with body blows. suit as they tackled the blaze and quickly put it Engineer Duaij Khalaf Al-Otaibi, Secretary Rifle Abdallah Awadh Al-Harby; In the 25 Meter “If he hits you with his head, punches, body shots, out. A clearly shaken Grosjean was taken back General Obaid Munahi Al-Osaimi, board members Rapid Pistol - Hassan Abdelaziz Abdelmajid; In it don’t matter, everything hurts. Body shots definitely to the pits by the medical car at the Sakhir and other dignitaries. the Women’s 10 Meter Air Rifle Hessa Nabil Al- took a toll. Body shots are what makes you exhaust- Circuit suffering from minor burns. —AFP Engineer Duaij Al-Otaibi in his speech wel- Zayed; In the Women’s 10 Meter Air Pistol - ed.” Tyson, who entered 50-6 with 44 knockouts, lost comed the guests on behalf of board members and Huthama Ali Al-Baghli; In the Olympic Archery - 100 pounds and began training again, his desire to the entire shooting community. He said “we are Abdallah Mohammad Taha and in the Compound get back in shape becoming a hunger to strap on the honored to organize HH the Crown Prince tourna- Archery - Abdallah Yaqoub Malallah. gloves once more. Jones, who entered 66-9 with 47 ment,” adding that the committee provided all that knockouts, had not fought since a February 2018 is necessary - including the sterilization of the cruiserweight victory. He hoped a solid effort against complex as they followed the instructions of the Tyson might set up a fight with 45-year-old Brazilian health authorities to protect against coronavirus. mixed martial arts star Anderson Silva. Engineer Al-Otaibi said the tournament Tyson came out aggressive and fast, swinging and enjoyed the participation of a large number of connecting often to the body of Jones, who was able shooters from the club, National Guard, military to hit and evade at times, then hugging Tyson often and Police Sports Associations as more than 300 when all else failed. “You came back. I hit you with shooters registered for the tournament. He said good shots and you took it,” Tyson told Jones. “We the competition was very strong as each shooter have to do this again.” A hard left to the head stung SAKHIR: Fire marshals put out a fire on Haas F1’s French sought the honor of winning the season opener. Jones in round two and he spent much of the third driver Romain Grosjean’s car during the Bahrain The results of the tournament were as follows: and fourth rounds holding and moving into clenches Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International In the Men’s Skeet - Saud Abdelrahman with Tyson. “It’s something in there taking punches Circuit in the city of Sakhir yesterday. — AFP from Mike,” Jones said. — AFP Established 1961 15 Monday, November 30, 2020 Sports Lyon see off Reims to climb to provisional 2nd in Ligue 1 Neymar scores his 50th league goal; PSG held

DECINES-CHARPIEU: Lyon continued their fine cult for us in the league and in the Champions run of form with a 3-0 win over Reims in yester- League," Neymar told Canal Plus ahead of the trip day's early game which lifted them provisionally to to Old Trafford on Wednesday. second in Ligue 1. Karl Toko Ekambi, Bruno PSG were again missing key players, as has Guimaraes and Moussa Dembele scored for Lyon often been the case this season, with goalkeeper as they made it 16 points from their last six match- Keylor Navas and captain Marquinhos among es to sit two points behind leaders Paris Saint- those absent at an empty Parc des Princes. Yet, Germain. Lille can leapfrog them if they win at regardless of that, the performance will do little to Saint-Etienne. Reims, who had Moreto Cassama ease concerns that have been growing since they sent off after 33 minutes, remain fourth from bot- succeeded in beating RB Leipzig in midweek tom and look destined for a relegation dog fight. despite a disjointed display. "We know how Toko Ekambi, returning from suspension, important Wednesday's match is. It's decisive. We proved the key for Lyon, hitting the post early on didn't play well (against Leipzig) but we won. On before scoring the opener in the 22nd minute with Wednesday we will try to play our best game. We a header at the back post from a cross by need to play more as a team and be better organ- Memphis Depay. He also created the second - ised, otherwise it will be difficult," Neymar added. Guimaraes's first for Lyon - four minutes after the A failure to beat United at Old Trafford could break, the Brazilian's shot taking a deflection off leave last season's Champions League runners-up Marshall Munetsi. Toko Ekambi also teed up staring at a group-stage exit from the competition Dembele for the third shortly after he came on as a for the first time in the Qatar era. Bordeaux took a substitute for Tino Kadewere who had hit the post 10th-minute lead when 18-year-old defender in the first half and had a goal ruled out for offside. Pembele, making his first senior start, turned a cor- Cassama was sent off for a foul on Depay when he ner into his own net as he jumped with Josh Maja at looked to be in on goal. the near post. PSG honored the late Diego Meanwhile, Neymar scored his 50th league Maradona with a minute's silence before kick-off goal for Paris Saint-Germain but warned the Ligue and a banner at one end of the empty Parc des 1 leaders needed to improve quickly as they pre- Princes which read, in Spanish, 'Goodbye number PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar fights for the ball during the French L1 pared for a crunch European clash with 10! Rest in Peace!'. But, rather than an Argentine, it football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Girondins de Bordeaux (FCGB) at the Parc Manchester United by drawing 2-2 with Bordeaux was their own Brazilian superstar who turned this de Princes stadium on November 28, 2020. —AFP on Saturday. The world's most expensive player game around before the half-hour mark. A foul in scored a penalty to cancel out an early Timothee the box on the ex-Barcelona forward by Otavio Neymar's fizzing shot and Kean following in to can repeat our second-half showing when we play Pembele own goal and become the quickest to was spotted by the referee following a VAR review, score his sixth goal since signing on loan from in Manchester," Tuchel said. Earlier Marseille put reach a half century of league goals in a PSG shirt, and Neymar rolled in the resulting spot-kick, just Everton. PSG should then have put the game to their humiliating losing run in the Champions outdoing Zlatan Ibrahimovic. as he had done against Leipzig. Signed for 222 mil- bed but Costil tipped a Kylian Mbappe shot onto League to one side as they beat Nantes 3-1. Moise Kean then put PSG in front only for lion euros ($264m) in August 2017, Neymar has the post on 35 minutes and then denied Mbappe Florian Thauvin and Dimitri Payet scored before Yacine Adli to fire in a superb second-half equalis- needed just 58 matches to score 50 goals in Ligue again early in the second half when he dived at Dario Benedetto made it three from a penalty. er for mid-table Bordeaux, who deserved their 1, fewer than any other player. Ibrahimovic required the feet of the France star. Instead Bordeaux Ludovic Blas pulled a goal back for Nantes. It was draw. It is a setback for the reigning French cham- 59 games to get to the milestone. drew level on the hour mark when Hatem Ben a fourth straight Ligue 1 victory for Marseille, pions, a week after they lost 3-2 at Monaco, and Arfa set up former PSG youngster Adli to score moving them up to third. Andre Villas-Boas's team nearest challengers Lille can move level on points Marseille bounce back with a fine first-time strike. suffered a Champions League record 13th straight at the top of the table with victory at Saint- Within a minute of equalising, PSG went "Normally I protect my team but our second- defeat in the competition in midweek when they Etienne. "If we don't improve it's going to be diffi- ahead, with goalkeeper Benoit Costil parrying half performance was not ok. There is no way we lost 2-0 at home to Porto. —AFP

him to get tired and rest.” Ronaldo-less Morata, who scored the late winner on Tuesday, opened the scoring in the Juventus held 21st minute after collecting Federico Chiesa’s cross-pitch pass to bring his England do enough 1-1 at Benevento tally to eight goals in all competitions this season. Gaetano Letizia’s volley to subdue Wales, MILAN: Juventus again showed their just before the break earned a point reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo as, with for 13th-placed Benevento. Dybala the superstar attacker absent, they wasted chances to score his first secure top spot league goal this season, including one drew 1-1 at promoted Benevento on LLANELLI: England had took much power and strength Saturday, while Serie A title rivals four minutes from time when goal- keeper Lorenzo Montipo tipped over in depth as they overcame a spirited but limited Wales Inter Milan beat high-flying Sassuolo with a 24-13 victory in Llanelli on Saturday to secure the bar. Morata also missed opportu- 3-0 to move second. The champions’ top spot in Autumn Nations Cup Group A and set up a fifth draw in nine league matches nities to rescue Juventus before being title decider against France at Twickenham next week. A leaves Andrea Pirlo’s side fifth, three shown a red card after the final whistle Johnny Williams try gave new-look Wales an early lead points behind leaders AC Milan who for arguing with the referee. “When but they were second-best for most of a messy, largely faced Fiorentina yesterday. Ronaldo we lack players of experience and forgettable match as Henry Slade and Mako Vunipola did not play after scoring in Juventus’s personality, we struggle,” added Pirlo, crossed for England and, after their powerful bench also without injured defenders Giorgio BENEVENTO: Juventus’ Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey (right) outruns wrested control, captain Owen Farrell brought them 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros on Benevento’s Finnish midfielder Perparim Hetemaj (left) after colliding with Tuesday which sealed their berth in Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. home with four penalties. Benevento’s Italian midfielder Riccardo Improta (Bottom left) during the Italian “It was a dogged game, no-one could really get a the Champions League last 16. Serie A football match Benevento vs Juventus on November 28, 2020. —AFP “Every team is addicted to Inter defy ‘mud slingers’ foothold and we couldn’t really get any momentum until Ronaldo, even at Real Madrid he In Emilia-Romagna, Antonio Conte’s the end,” Farrell said. England topped the group with 13 scored a lot,” said Pirlo, describing the Inter bounced back from the 2-0 loss with more strength.” before Tuesday’s European trip to points from their three wins. Ireland, who play Georgia on Sunday, are on four points and are very likely to finish Portuguese star as “a catalyst”. “He is to Real Madrid which left their Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring Borussia Moenchengladbach. Champions League hopes dangling by in the fourth minute following good Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young second, with Wales third, also on four. In the decider at an important player and it’s normal Twickenham next Sunday, England will play France who, that he makes you win games, but a thread, inflicting this season’s first work from Lautaro Martinez and poor came on in place of Lautaro and defeat on Sassuolo. Inter move second defending from Sassuolo’s Vlad Sanchez for the final 10 minutes, with despite fielding a largely second-string team due to club even without Ronaldo we have to be commitments, outclassed Italy 36-5. good at winning games.” Alvaro ahead of Sassuolo, with both teams on Chiriches. It was a nightmare match for the Belgian forward having a goal ruled 18 points after nine games, two points England fielded their most experienced starting team, Morata and Paulo Dybala started up Chiriches who 10 minutes later acci- out for offside. Conte also brought on boasting 807 caps, while the Welsh, who broke a run of front in Ronaldo’s absence, which Pirlo behind AC Milan and one ahead of dently turned a powerful Arturo Vidal Christian Eriksen, who looks set to Conte’s old team Juve. “It’s not easy, six successive defeats with an unimpressive victory over put down to “tiredness”. “(Ronaldo) centre into his own net, with the leave Inter in January after just one Georgia last week, had very much a side building to a especially at Inter, because many peo- had a little problem and he wanted to Romanian later limping off with a mus- year. The Danish midfielder came on new era. The hosts struck first when Dan Biggar charged play anyway in the Champions ple can’t wait to criticise, to throw mud cular problem. Roberto Gagliardini for Ivan Perisic for the final five min- down a Slade clearance and kicked ahead, with centre League. “He had played many games at us,” said Conte. “But we are united added a third just before the hour utes to make his first appearance in Williams - who scored a try for England in a non-cap with the national team, it is normal for and such situations should provide us mark, sealing a win that will boost Inter more than a month. —AFP game against the Barbarians last year - first to the ball. Slade made amends with England’s first try after man of the match flanker Sam Underhill and Kyle Sinckler made change the flow of the match. It deep inroads and Farrell shifted the ball wide. Real Madrid bothers me, and the players too I England were on top for most of the half, though it think. The problem we have right now was a disjointed effort, and could manage only two is consistency.” After a minute’s Farrell penalties to take them to the break 11-7 ahead. slump to 2-1 silence in honor of Diego Maradona, England stretched the lead when Vunipola cleverly spun in keeping with the poignant tributes off the side of a tryline ruck but they were unable to loss at home around Spain this weekend following build on that score in a messy period for both teams. the death of the Argentine legend, Wales did gain some territory and earned two penalties MADRID: Real Madrid slumped to a Real soon fell behind when Nacho that Biggar slotted to move within five points and spark 2-1 loss at home to Alaves in La Liga handled at a corner. Perez powered hopes of an upset. However, England quickly regained control on the pitch and the scoreboard as Farrell landed on Saturday as city rivals Atletico the spot-kick beyond Courtois to give Alaves the lead, and the forward two more penalties to take them safely clear, and they moved level with leaders Real finished in comfortable control without ever really should have struck a second when he Sociedad after extending their win- threatening any fireworks. —Reuters ning run to six matches. Lucas Perez was played clean through, his scored a fifth-minute penalty at attempted chip superbly swatted Alfredo di Stefano stadium and Joselu aside by the Real ‘keeper. added a second just after half-time Madrid’s night went from bad to following an awful mistake by goal- worse when Eden Hazard was forced keeper Thibaut Courtois. off on 28 minutes after taking a knock, Matches on TV MADRID: Alavesí Spanish defender Ximo Navarro (left) vies with Real Madrid’s Casemiro gave Real a lifeline on the latest in a long list of injury set- (Local Timings) 86 minutes but Alaves held on for a backs for the Belgium star. While a Brazilian midfielder Casemiro during the Spanish League football match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves on November 28, 2020. —AFP victory that lifted them to ninth. terrific double save by Fernando ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Madrid remain in fourth place and six Pacheco denied Toni Kroos, a howler Leicester City v Fulham 20:30 points behind Real Sociedad and from Courtois presented Joselu with equal on 23 points with Sociedad with gate. “The return to La Liga (after the beIN Sports HD 1 Diego Simeone’s Atletico. “I don’t the second goal on 49 minutes when a a game in hand thanks to Toni Lato’s first lockdown) was very good and the West Ham v Aston Villa 23:00 have any explanations,” said Real wayward pass went straight to the own goal 11 minutes from time. Stingy team was already starting to show beIN Sports HD 1 coach Zinedine Zidane, whose side forward who steered home from 30 Atletico have conceded just twice in encouraging signs. This is the result of yards. Mariano Diaz’s header was followed an impressive 2-0 midweek their nine league matches so far this the progression of all of the players.” SPANISH LEAGUE cleared off the line before Casemiro win at Inter Milan by losing for the season and have only scored two less Simeone applauded his former team- Real Betis v SD Eibar 23:00 tapped in from close range after third time in 10 league games this than La Liga top scorers Sociedad, mate and friend Maradona while beIN Sports season. “We alternate between good Pacheco kept out Vinicius Junior’s who hosted third-placed Villarreal teams held a minute’s silence before and bad moments. The other day in effort, but Alaves clung on as Isco yesterday. kick-off. Barcelona are 12 points back ITALIAN CALCIO LEAGUE Milan we played a good match, and clipped the bar with the final kick. “We have made huge progress in 14th place, although they hosted Torino v Sampdoria 20:30 today, three days later, we put in a Earlier in the day, Atletico edged a since April, since that wonderful Osasuna in yesterday’s early match beIN Sports display like that at home.” tight contest at Valencia 1-0 that match at Liverpool,” said Simeone, and will still have two games in hand Genoa CFC v Parma 22:45 “It was our worst start to a match stretched their unbeaten league run to referring to the Champions League on Sociedad come the end of the beIN Sports HD 4 this season,” he added. “We can’t 25 matches. They stay second but are last-16 tie his team won 4-2 on aggre- weekend. —AFP Established 1961 Sport

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020

Elite runners brave pollution, Real Madrid slump to 2-1 Neymar scores his 50th 14COVID in Delhi half marathon 15 loss at home to Alaves 15 league goal; PSG held

Barcelona trounce Osasuna 4-0 Messi salutes Maradona as Clubs across Europe pay tribute

BARCELONA: Barcelona’s Argentinean forward Lionel Messi shoots the ball during the Spanish League football match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna at the Camp Nou stadium yesterday. — AFP

PARIS: Clubs across Europe continued to pay trib- Messi got his goal in the 74th minute with a daz- players have stopped to applaud for 60 seconds as jersey reminiscent of Argentina’s for their first ute to Diego Maradona yesterday with particularly zling strike that sealed a 4-0 victory. The Argentine Maradona’s picture appears on the stadium screens league game since his death. The club said the poignant moments in Italy and Spain where the picked up the ball in midfield, danced past two in the 10th minute. launch had already been planned with kit sponsors Argentine played. Maradona, who played two sea- defenders and smashed a rising left-foot shot into Kappa before Maradona’s death. sons for Barca, one for Sevilla and spent seven the top far corner. He celebrated by pulling off his ‘I felt like crying’ “A year ago, together with Kappa, we thought mostly glorious years at Napoli, died on Wednesday Barcelona shirt to reveal a vintage Newell’s Old In Rome, Lazio’s players took to the pitch with of designing a special jersey that echoes Diego aged 60. Barcelona played yesterday afternoon Boys jersey from Maradona’s one season with the special edition ‘AD10S’ jerseys in honour of Maradona, his beloved Argentina and the very while Napoli were planning an elaborate and emo- club in Rosario, Argentina. Maradona but lost 3-1 to Udinese, for whom four strong bond with the people of Naples,” Napoli tional tribute before their game in the evening. Earlier this week, Newell’s tweeted a photograph Argentine-born players followed Koeman’s advice. said in a statement. “Together we hoped that Before Barcelona faced Osasuna, the club played from Maradona’s debut showing a six-year-old Roberto Pereyra set up the first goal, then Rodrigo Diego could see it, maybe wear it and share in the ‘The Song of the Birds’ by Catalan cellist Pablo local prodigy, in a similar black and red shirt, doing De Paul provided assists for the next two, scored by excitement with us. “The presentation of the new Casals as the teams stood around the centre circle ball tricks for the crowd at half-time. That boy was Ignacio Pussetto and Fernando Forestieri. kit had already been agreed for the ninth matchday where a Maradona shirt was laid on the centre spot. Messi. “It was a great moment,” said Koeman. After his goal, Pussetto opened his hands wide, of the championship, on the occasion of the SSC Lionel Messi, who has inherited Maradona’s leg- “Leo’s goal, his gesture dedicated to Maradona. “It to form 10. “This victory is for him,” said Forestieri. Napoli-Roma match. “The Kombat that will be endary Argentina number 10 shirt, bowed his head. was something very big. We Europeans don’t realise “After the goal I felt like crying. Diego was the worn by the players tonight will have an even Flags at the Camp Nou flew at half mast, how big Maradona is in Argentina.” On Friday, greatest of all time.” Maradona’s former club Napoli greater significance than initially assumed.” In Maradona’s image was displayed on every screen Koeman said the best tribute his team could pay host Roma with tributes planned for the player who Germany, Bundesliga clubs observed a minute’s and digital advertising hoarding, while a club official Maradona was to “show what we can do on the led the club to their only league titles in 1987 and silence before games. In England, players applaud- held a framed Maradona Barcelona shirt. pitch”. In Italy, in addition to the minute’s silence, 1990 and the UEFA Cup in 1989. Napoli will wear a ed for a minute. — AFP

Franck Ribery missed chances for Fiorentina with Tottenham take back top spot AC Milan pull Gianluigi Donnarumma holding firm in the Milan goal. Pioli spoke to the team by video link after the game. “Pioli congratulated everyone for winning this very with goalless Chelsea draw 2 points clear important match,” said Kessie. “It’s like this on penal- LONDON: Tottenham moved back to the top of the Edouard Mendy has resulted in a huge upturn in ties, either your score or miss, but I’ll still take the Premier League after grinding out a 0-0 draw at Chelsea’s defensive record and the Senegalese pro- MILAN: AC Milan shrugged off the absence of next one.” New Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli fell Chelsea that bolstered their claim to be contenders for duced a smart stop to deny Serge Aurier’s strike from injured star Zlatan Ibrahimovic to consolidate their to his second defeat in as many games, with his side a first league title in 60 years. Chelsea enjoyed the bet- outside the box. lead in Serie A yesterday with a 2-0 win over above the relegation zone without a goal in their last ter of a game of few chances, but Spurs showed the But that was the only effort on goal either side man- Fiorentina. Milan pulled five points clear of city rivals four games. resilience and steel of Mourinho’s three Premier aged before the break as Chelsea controlled possession Inter Milan and Sassuolo, with AS Roma and In Rome, Lazio’s players took to the pitch with League title-winning seasons when Chelsea manager to with little potent threat. Timo Werner did produce an Juventus six points adrift. But Lazio slumped to a 3-1 special edition ‘AD10S’ jersies in honour of former hold out for a fourth consecutive clean sheet. exquisite finish to fire in off the far post, but the goal home defeat to Udinese, days before their Argentina and Napoli great Maradona who died last A share of the spoils means Chelsea remain just two was ruled out for offside against the German interna- Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund, in a week aged 60. But the hosts trailed after quarter of points behind their London rivals in third, with tional. Chelsea began to push with more purpose early victory paved by the visitors’ Argentina players on a an hour when Argentine Roberto Pereyra set up Liverpool trailing Tottenham only on goal difference. By in the second half as three times Tammy Abraham could day Serie A paid tribute to Diego Maradona. Turkish midfielder Tolgay Arslan for Udinese’s first extending a now nine-game unbeaten run in the not get a clean contact on inviting crosses from Reece Serie A top scorer Ibrahimovic watched from the goal against Lazio in the Stadio Olimpico in six years. Premier League, Mourinho also ensured he did not lose James and Werner. stands after picking up a muscle injury last weekend. Rodrigo De Paul then set up fellow Argentine three consecutive league meetings to the same manag- Lampard showed his intent to try and win the game Head coach Stefano Pioli was absent recovering from Ignacio Pussetto for the second just before the break, er for the first time in his career and to one of his for- by throwing on Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and coronavirus, but Milan extended their unbeaten run and provided the assist for another compatriot mer players, Frank Lampard. Lampard showed what he Olivier Giroud in the final quarter, while Mourinho kept in the league this season. Franck Kessie set up Fernando Forestieri’s third midway through the sec- has learned from the Portuguese as the cautious tactics Gareth Bale in reserve for the full 90 minutes. Hugo Alessio Romagnoli for the opener after 17 minutes ond half. After his goal, Pussetto opened his two from both saw the sides largely cancel each other out. Lloris was finally forced into a meaningful save 10 min- with the Ivorian forward adding a second from the hands wide, to symbolise the number 10, Maradona’s Chelsea were wary not to give Tottenham any utes from time when the Spurs captain turned Mason penalty spot 10 minutes later. Fiorentina goalkeeper jersey number. Forestieri dedicated the success to chance to counter-attack in the manner that cut open Mount’s powerful strike behind. But the biggest chance Bartlomiej Dragowski denied Kessie a second in the Maradona after the match: “This victory is for him!” Manchester United and Manchester City in recent to win the game came in stoppage time when Giroud first half after Martin Caceres fouled Theo “After the goal I felt like crying, Diego was the great- weeks. Spurs showed why with a sprightly team move pounced on a weak header from Joe Rodon, but he did Hernandez. est of all time,” said Forestieri. — AFP that ended with Steven Bergwijn turning inside and not get enough on his attempted lob over Lloris and his blasting just over the bar early on. The arrival of French teammate easily saved. — AFP