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THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 / RAJAB 28, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17634 16 PAGES 150 FILS SUPPORT EYED FOR NEEDY FAMILIES DURING CURFEW SMEs may be exempt from state fees

Vaccinations total 326,000

KUWAIT CITY, March 10, (Agencies): The Cabinet has assigned government agencies, dium enterprises to alleviate their suffering after the issuance of the aforementioned Cabinet decision, the acting based on their speciality, to take the necessary measures and decisions to postpone the pay- Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Wael Al-Asousi said the council reviewed the recommendation con- tained in the minutes of a meeting held previously by the Economic Affairs Committee regarding the aforementioned ment of all fees for the services provided by the state to business owners (small and medium petition, and that the council reviewed the demands made by the applicants. enterprises) for a period of three months from the date of issuance of this decision. This is in It is worth explaining that the applicants (small and medium entrepreneurs) demanded reopening of all closed commercial ac- accordance with the texts and procedures in force, after the issuance of the decision to close tivities, tightening of health requirements, and closing of an activity only in case of violation, as well as provision of compensation for fully closed commercial projects by paying salaries registered in the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) system, paying the some businesses, reports Al-Qabas daily. rents under the lease contracts registered with the PAM or the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), and exempting from In a letter addressed to the concerned ministers regarding the petition submitted by the owners of small and me- payment of fees owed to the state. These fees include electricity, water and telephone bills, fees for the “As-hal” portal of PAM, ac- comodation and stamp fees, trade license renewal fees, and Kuwait Municipality fees for billboards, workers’ health cards and so on. Opinion They also demanded postpone- ment of payment of installments of the Industrial Bank of Kuwait and of the National Fund for Small Mallow, watercress Minister personality of ‘Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah’ and Medium Enterprises Develop- ment for a period of one-two years without the interest being carried over and with continued support By Ahmed Al-Jarallah throughout the curfew period and Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times for a year after the opening of the activities. ABU Ali Mansour, better known by his regnal name “Al-Hakim Bi- Al-Asousi said the committee Amr Allah” (The Ruler by the Order of God) was the sixth ruler of reviewed the viewpoints of repre- the Fatimid Empire in the 10th century. He was known for his strange sentatives of the Ministry of Elec- decisions, for example, he had prohibited the cultivation of mallow and tricity and Water, the Office of the watercress crops, and ordered the punishment of those who ate them. State Minister for Services Affairs It is said that the reason behind his ban on the cultivation of mallow and the Industrial Bank of Kuwait and watercress plants was that he almost fell after stepping on them on about the extent to which facili- one of the streets of Cairo at that time. In fact, he is known to have is- ties can be provided to owners of sued many contradictory orders, such as he would allow a certain thing small and medium enterprises that to be done, but when someone does it, that person would get punished. have suspended their activities or It seems that our Minister of Health, in fact the entire Cabinet, is are still not working according to following in the footsteps of the ruler “Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah” with the Cabinet decision to confront contradictory decisions such as the partial curfew, which was imple- the outbreak of the COVID-19 mented in accordance to the minister’s recommendations. pandemic. It seems that the Health Minister is afraid of being infected with CO- VID-19 and has thus quarantined the entire country, as well as threat- Activities ened the violators with imprisonment for Kuwaitis and deportation for A representative of the Ministry non-Kuwaitis. of Electricity and Water stated that In addition to all that, the minister did not leave any means of there are two proposals - exemp- transportation for them to reach their homes in a timely manner. The tion from electricity and water residents have been left displaced on the streets, and terrified of what fees, which requires the issuance would happen to them if they got arrested after 5:00pm. of a law, and postponing payment, This is a very ugly description of the situation on the ground which or allowing payment in install- has no precedent from any other country. Kuwait claims to fight inter- ments, or rescheduling the fees national terrorism, when it, within its borders, terrifies, or rather terror- owed by the owners of these ac- izes, people who are under its care and are seriously working. tivities, for which a directive will Considering this historical transportation crisis that Kuwait suffers be required from the Cabinet, after from and the prevention of expatriates from obtaining driving licenses which a decision regulating this and owning cars, suppose if they delay for an hour or two on the streets matter would have to be issued. as it has been happening daily since the beginning of the partial curfew, Also, a representative of the Of- will you deport tens of thousands of them? fice of the State Minister for Ser- Are the threats made against them by the concerned ministers ac- vices Affairs said a legal opinion is ceptable to reason? Isn’t this discrimination and racism? What should required on the extent of exemption an expatriate worker, who works the whole day and does not find a or deferral of landline usage fees. means of transportation before 5:00 pm, do, O ministers of Health and According to the legal opinion Interior? Should he wear an invisible hat? of the representative of the Indus- We also ask - If you quarantine people in their homes between 5:00 trial Bank of Kuwait, the bank, at pm and 5:00 am, will the spread of COVID-19 virus stop, or does it the beginning of the COVID-19 mean that the virus cannot spread during the day? crisis, had postponed the payment Isn’t there a wise rational person in the Ministry of Health and some of installments for a period of six concerned ministries to guide you to the right path? Or are these just months for owners of small and decisions and fake gains at the expense of the people and the interest medium enterprises, and later ex- of the country, as well as the image of Kuwait in front of the world? tended the postponement for a fur- Why not speed up the vaccination process, diversify vaccines, then ther period of six months, ending leave it to people to choose what they want from them, and distribute in the month of April 2021. them to hospitals and private health centers? Al-Asousi explained that the We will not repeat the talk about the precautionary measures taken committee reviewed the legal by some of our friendly countries, which have reaped great benefits in opinions on the subject. Regarding their economy and for their people despite the higher rate of spread of the fees for services such as elec- COVID-19 virus there than in Kuwait. tricity, water and telephone, the For instance, Saudi Arabia has lifted the curfew and resumed nor- fees are in exchange for a service mal life, and so did the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Britain, the due to which it is not permissible United States, and many other countries. They neither deported nor to exempt them except by law, imprisoned anyone in an impulsive manner, as seen in Kuwait, which considering that the service will is assumed to be the country of humanity and should ideally rise to the be provided free of charge. occasion. These decisions have destroyed the livelihood of the people here. Instruct Businesses have been disrupted, projects have closed, and the number Regarding postponing the pay- of cases in the courts has increased, either related to the rents people ment of installments to the In- were unable to pay, or for defaulting to pay off bank installments. KUNA photo dustrial Bank of Kuwait, small The government did not put in place any real rescue or rather stimu- After the clock ticks 5, streets in Kuwait become deserted with no queues of motorists or pedestrians’ public appearance. projects, and others, it is permis- lus plan. Instead, the government’s procedures have become a source Citizens and residents have been abiding by the Cabinet’s latest decisions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus sible through a Cabinet decision to of ridicule for the Kuwaitis, and the whole world because of the state (COVID-19).The Government has declared partial lockdown from 5 pm to 5 am effective for a month as part of the efforts instruct the concerned authorities of confusion, improvisation and contradiction that Kuwait has reached. against the virus. to study and take measures, after It is as if the personality of Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah has been reincar- presentation to the boards of direc- nated in the current government. tors, to postpone payment. All this must take into account the fact that Email: [email protected] Other Voices the period of postponement or ex- Follow me on: emption is within the period of the exceptional circumstance. The emergency committee of charitable societies will hold a [email protected] Our white hands recently blackened meeting this week to set up a new mechanism for providing support and relief baskets to the needy By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli Returning to the relationship of the Kuwait of ‘Good and Giv- and the affected during the days Former Minister of Oil ing’ and that visit which history will write in letters of gold, I will of the curfew, which will last for describe to you what I received from one of the Iraqi acquain- a month with the possibility of Newswatch ur beloved Kuwait, in which we were born and lived for de- tance and thinker in that connection: extension, reports Al-Qabas daily. Ocades, was a pioneer in all fields -- justice, hygiene, culture, Blessed are the hands that helped turn the page of the wounded According to reliable sources, arts, education and the distribution of wealth. Kuwait helped past, and blessed is everyone who served or contributed to the the upcoming meeting will focus rehabilitation of the Najaf airport and the restoration of life in it, CANBERRA: A British-Australian academic imprisoned by Iran on a spy- everyone; that is why God Almighty helped Kuwait to survive on setting up a coordination mech- when (Abd al-Karim) Qasim of Iraq threatened to ‘annex’ the and we do not forget in this respect the global and local compa- anism with relevant government ing conviction said in a television interview broadcast Tuesday that she en- nies and institutions, especially our brothers and our neighbors dured “psychological torture” during her more than two years behind bars. country in the early sixties of the last century after independence. agencies, headed by the Ministry Kylie Moore-Gilbert, 33, returned to Australia in November after Following the occupation of the coun- from the Kuwaiti companies that contributed, and played a major of Social Affairs and the Ministry serving 804 days of a 10-year sentence. She was freed in exchange for try by the treacherous criminal Saddam role in the rehabilitation of the Najaf airport that welcomed His of Interior, regarding campaigns the release of three Iranians who were held in Thailand. Hussein with the two treacherous people Holiness the Pope as a pilgrim, a tolerant personality who carries for the distribution of relief food “It’s extreme solitary confi nement room designed to break you. Its’ and the supporters of those villains of the banner of brotherhood, the one who calls for healing the rifts, baskets and financial aid. and treat the wounds of those who bleed in these homes. psychological torture. You go completely insane. It is so damaging. I Arabism whom Kuwait served well be- Until yesterday afternoon about In my former capacity as a member of the board of directors would say I felt physical pain from the psychological trauma I had in fore those horrific events, met their ugliest 326,000 people have been vac- that room. It’s 2-meter by 2-meter box,” Moore-Gilbert told Sky News. and a shareholder in the Kuwaiti ‘Al-Aqeela Company’, which fates. This was a divine revenge in favor cinated, which represents 7.63 “There were a few times in that early period that I felt broken. I felt if carried out that honorable role in rehabilitating the Najaf airport, percent of the total population, an I had to endure another day of this, you know, if I could I’d just kill my- of Kuwait and the generosity of its rulers I felt elated and happy at mention of this by our Iraqi brothers increase of 15,000 from the sta- self. But of course, I never tried and I never took that step,” she added. and its people. and sisters, despite the great financial disagreement between the tistics published by the daily the Moore-Gilbert was a Melbourne University lecturer on Middle Eastern Recently, the entire world watched Najaf G overnorate and the company on the issue, hoping that day before yesterday, which was studies when she was picked up at the Tehran airport as she tried to leave the Pope Francis paying a visit to the Grand this visit will contribute to resolve it satisfactorily between the 311,000. country after attending an academic conference in 2018. She was sent to Teh- Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the supreme Shi- parties to that relationship, which history and generations will Despite the high rate of vac- ran’s notorious Evin prison, convicted of spying and sentenced to 10 years. ite reference and the world was astonished Al-Baghli remember with love, friendship and gratitude. cination in the country, Kuwait She vehemently denied the charges and maintained her innocence. (AP) when that meeting called for renunciation still ranks fourth in the Gulf and ❑ ❑ ❑ This is just the tip of the iceberg of the deeds and benevo- and an end to violence in this world and called for peaceful coex- lence of the people of Kuwait that overwhelmed millions of this 42 globally among the 126 coun- KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and istence among its peoples and biggest religious sects. universe, and which has been blackened these days with great tries that has begun vaccination Fish Resources announced Wednesday the appearance of bird fl u in The world was also amazed at the humility of Ayatollah al- regret because of the widespread corruption wherever we look, against corona, in contrast to Bah- some poultry farms in Kuwait. Sistani and the proof of that is his home in that narrow neigh- the cultural, cognitive and religious backwardness, and the gov- rain’s progress globally and in the The Spokesman of the authority Talal Al-Daihani said in a press borhood that is very modest, and he who manages millions of ernmental-parliamentary political mismanagement. Gulf region, ranking second in the statement that the authority has taken veterinary health measures and ‘fifths’ and donations funds allocated for supporting the needy We pray to God Almighty to restore to Kuwait and our chil- Gulf and fourth in the world on implemented an emergency plan to curb the bird fl u. and deprived himself of it. This is a message to the clergy to dren the days of glory, pride, progress and giving. the index of vaccination against He pointed out that some other countries have been informed to co- be humble and not spend millions for their pleasures and needs ❑ ❑ ❑ Covid-19 and is said to have vac- operate and join efforts to control it. (KUNA) whatever they may be unlike what we see in Kuwait and ‘over- cinated 516,000 people, represent- seas’. [email protected] ing 30.32 of the population. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 2

In this March 8, 2021 fi le photo, a protester fl ashes a victory sign as he aims to block a road during a protest, in Beirut, Lebanon. It’s an expression of anger but also of helplessness: Dense palls of smoke rising around Beirut and other parts of Lebanon from burning tires that anti-government protesters are using to block roads. The tactic has become the hallmark of a new fl are-up of demonstrations against an intransigent political class that does nothing as its country slides toward the political and economic abyss. (AP) Lebanon’s protesters send dark, angry message ‘Fire releases our anger, quiets our hearts’

t’s an expression of anger but also of helplessness: Anti-govern- Iment protesters in Lebanon are burning tires to block key roads, releasing dense palls of smoke that rise above the capital Beirut and Army chief issues warning other parts of the country. The tactic has become the hallmark of a new fl are-up of demon- strations against an intransigent political class that appears to do little as its country slides toward the political and economic abyss. Leba- Soldiers suffering, getting hungry like the rest non is mired in the worst economic crisis in its modern history, and ebanon’s army chief warned Monday dier earned the equivalent of about $700 a told The Associated Press that after a two- the situation has been exacerbated by pandemic restrictions and an Lthat soldiers are hurting from the se- month but that has dropped to about $100 day weekend in which there was no oxygen overwhelmed health care sector. vere economic crisis engulfi ng the country, per month. Offi cers receive higher salaries distribution, some hospitals were running “The fi re releases our anger. It quiets our hearts,” said Mounir voicing rare criticism from the military of a but currently make no more than $400 a low and in urgent need of supplies, especial- Hujairi, a 23-year-old protester from Baalbek in northeastern Leba- ruling class that has done little to try and re- month. ly to treat COVID-19 patients. non, who juggles his time between low-paying day jobs and pro- solve a monthslong political deadlock. Earlier on Monday, President Michel “This is not a joke. It is a matter of life tests. Gen. Joseph Aoun’s comments came as Aoun, who is from the same family but not and death,” Haroun said, urging protesters The tire soot and smoke blacken the faces of protesters in anti- protesters, angry with Lebanon’s political virus masks at make-shift roadblocks that cut off traffi c around Bei- closely related to the general, blasted the to allow vehicles carrying supplies of oxy- rut and between cities. The persistence of the protesters and the daily class, blocked major roads leading to the road closures calling them “organized acts gen to pass. There are several oxygen plants burning of tires underscore how intractable the country’s problems capital for the seventh straight day. They of sabotage that aim to undermine stabil- around Lebanon and they supply hospitals have become. caused traffi c jams and prompted the head ity.” His comments came during a meeting throughout the country, including some in Anti-government rallies fi rst began gripping Lebanon in late 2019. of the country’s hospital union to warn attended by heads of the country’s security remote areas. Since then, the local currency has collapsed, after being pegged to they were preventing oxygen supplies from agencies and economic and fi nancial offi - Cases of coronavirus remain high in Leba- the dollar for nearly 30 years. Salaries have remained the same as in- reaching medical centers treating coronavi- cials. non, with 2,283 new cases registered Mon- fl ation skyrocketed. People lost their jobs and poverty affected nearly rus patients. The army and police “should fully per- day, raising the total since February last year 50% of the population. The protests come against the backdrop of form their duties and implement the law to nearly 400,000. The virus has also killed Meanwhile, Lebanon’s sectarian-based political system is stuck. a crash in the local currency, an increase of without hesitation,” he said. His comments 5,090 people, including 43 on Monday. Politicians have refused to compromise on forming a government or consumer goods prices and political bicker- sparked concerns of a potential crackdown The rapidly deteriorating situation in on making diffi cult fi nancial decisions for fear of losing their clout ing between rival groups that has delayed the against the protesters to force them to open Lebanon prompted Pope Francis, who has or support base. formation of a new government. Lebanon’s the roads. But by nightfall, many roads were just completed the fi rst papal visit to Iraq, to Exhausted, scared and restricted by the coronavirus, Lebanese currency has lost 85% of its value in the past still blocked. say he is contemplating visiting the country, have watched as members of the ruling elite blame each other for year and a half. Starting in the early morning hours, small which has the largest percentage of Chris- the crisis. In a rare statement, Aoun said the fi nan- groups of demonstrators blocked the south- tians in the Middle East. Last week, the currency hit a record low, trading in the black mar- cial and economic crisis is hurting soldiers ern, northern and eastern entrances to Bei- He said Lebanese Maronite Patriarch ket at 11,000 pounds to the dollar, down from the offi cial 1,500 — whose salaries have lost value, adding that rut with burning tires and parked vehicles. Bechara Boutros Rai had asked him to add sparking a new wave of protests. “members of the military are suffering and In other parts of Lebanon, soldiers briefl y a Beirut leg onto his Iraq trip, but he de- “The solution will only come through the streets,” said Hujairi, getting hungry like the rest of the people.” opened some roads only to have protesters clined. who has taken part in protests since October 2019. “Of course, those In unprecedent criticism of the political close them again shortly afterward. “It seemed too little, like a crumb consid- whose streets — or the streets of their political parties — are blocked class, which is doing little to move the coun- In the southern village of Abbasiyeh, a ering the problems that the country is suffer- will be angered.” try out of the crisis, the general said: “We man poured gasoline on his body and tried to ing. I wrote him a letter and I promised I’d The roadblocks are a desperate way to reclaim the anger felt na- have warned more than once about the dan- set himself on fi re before civil defense mem- go to Lebanon. But Lebanon in this moment tionwide in 2019, when the government was forced to resign, spark- gers of the situation and how things might bers and soldiers intervened and sprayed his is in crisis,” he told reporters on the fl ight ing a brief period of euphoria and hope that change may be possible. blow up.” body with water. back to Rome. The national mood is now more fearful. Offi cials have warned of Aoun referred to budget cuts to the army Tens of thousands have lost their jobs In October, former Prime Minister Saad chaos and some have argued the protests were manipulated by politi- over the past few years but also vowed the over the past year as the economic crisis, Hariri was named to form a new Cabinet but cal groups to ignite violence or extract concessions from rivals. army would protect civil peace and prevent the worst in Lebanon’s modern history, was fi ve months later, disagreements between Many fear the social tension has reached levels not seen since be- acts of sabotage against public or private made worse by the spread of the coronavi- him and President Aoun on the shape of the fore the civil war broke out in April 1975. For the next 15 years of property. rus. According to the World Bank, the crisis Cabinet have stood in the way of a new gov- confl ict, burning tires became common — a cheap way to set up “They don’t care about the army or the is expected to drag more than half of Leba- ernment’s formation. roadblocks between warring factions. suffering of members of the military,” he non’s population into poverty. The local currency hit a record low against Tire fi res are hard to put out and can go on for hours, drawing at- said. Sleiman Haroun, president of the asso- the US dollar on Saturday, nearing 11,000 tention and keeping rivals away. Before the currency crash, an enlisted sol- ciation that represents hospitals in Lebanon, pounds on the black market. (AP) The tactic has been used in the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Su- dan. Palestinians burned tires during protests against Israeli occupation Open tire fi res, which were used in some countries to power kilns, “The world moved on. ... But Lebanon didn’t,” she said. “We have starting in their fi rst uprising that erupted in 1987. Three decades have been outlawed in most of the world because of their high emis- the same parties and the same leaders, so the tools are the same.” later, during protests against an Israeli-Egyptian border blockade of sion of pollutants. Hujairi claims he and his friends burn between 100 and 150 tires a Gaza, young men formed “tire crews” that drove around the small Sahar Mandour, a Lebanon researcher with Amnesty International, day. He said they collect used and punctured tires from refuse piles, coastal strip in motorcycle rickshaws to collect tires for burning. The said the practice of burning tires as a form of protest picked up in dismissing claims that political parties hand them out. dark black smoke served to obscure the identities of those throwing many countries in the 1980s. But it has since been out of fashion “A little black smoke won’t hurt,” Hujairi said, in response to criti- stones at Israeli forces. because of the environmental impact. cism. “There is no way for us to reach the houses of politicians.” (AP)

editor’s choice ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 3

Weather Expected weather for the next variable wind to light to moderate Bubyan - 14 Prayer Timings 24 hours: south easterly wind with speeds Jahra 29 14 Fajr ...... 04:44 Asr ...... 15:20 By Day: Warm with light varia- of 06-26 km/h. Salmiyah 24 19 Sunrise .. 06:03 Maghrib .. 17:53 ble wind to light to moderate north Station Max Exp Min Rec Ahmadi 24 20 Zohr ...... 11:58 Isha ...... 19:10 westerly wind with speeds of 08- Kuwait City 28 18 Nuwaisib 27 13 26 km/h. Kuwait Airport 29 12 Wafra 29 13 By Night: Rather cold with light Abdaly 28 11 Salmy 27 12

VACCINE REGISTRATION WEBSITE: https://cov19vaccine.moh.gov.kw/SPCMS/CVD_19_Vaccine_Registration.aspx

National Investment Co paces 4 fils, KIPCO retreats Kuwait market wraps up week with uptick, volume dips By John Mathews with 80.9 million shares while Banking 5,746 pts and headed south as sentiment Qurain Petrochemical Co erased 4 fi ls ▼ UUS$/KDS$/KD 0.30215/250.30215/25 Arab Times Staff sector continued to dominate the value turned weak. It moved sideways past after moving 1.2 million shares. Jazeera with KD 19.49 million. the mid-session and slipped further to Airways added 3 fi ls and ALAFCO fol- ▲ Euro/KD KUWAIT CITY, March 10: Kuwait Among the notable movers, sector bottom at 5,731 points and clawed back lowed suit to close at 203 fi ls. Mezzan 0.3603 stocks eked slight gains on Wednesday bellwether National Bank of Kuwait ex- in the fi nal minutes to close with slight Holding and Aznour held ground at 579 ■ Yen/KD 0.0028 to close the holiday-shortened week on tended last session’s gains with 3fi ls rise gains. fi ls and 259 fi ls respectively. a positive note. The All Shares Index to 850 fi ls on back of 3.4 million shares Top gainer of the day, Sanam Real Es- In the banking sector, Gulf Bank ▲ British £/KD 0.4207 climbed 7.86 points in volatile trading to while Kuwait Finance House scaled 5 tate scaled 6.6 percent to close at 37.1 took in 1 fi l on back of 11.5 million close at 5,741.47 pts even as the overall fi ls to close at 750 fi ls after pushing 8.8 fi ls and NAPESCO climbed 5.65 pct to shares whereas Kuwait International ■ Indian Rs/KD 0.0041 mood remained cautiously mixed. million shares. National Investment Co stand next. Gulf Franchising Co skidded Bank tripped 1 fi l, Burgan Bank was un- ■ Philippines Peso/KD The Premier Market rose 9 points to paced 4 fi ls whereas KIPCO gave up 4 9.58 percent, the steepest decliner of the changed at 223 fi ls with a volume of 3.8 0.0062 6,277.54 pts taking the month’s gains fi ls before settling at 169 fi ls. day and Ahli United Bank BSC topped million and Boubyan Bank dialed up 2 to 120 points while Main Market scaled Zain eased 1 fi l to, 616 fi ls with a vol- the volume with 13.8 million shares. fi ls. ▼ FTSE -7 pts at 13:30 hrs March 10 5.39 points. The BK Main 50 index was ume of 2.5 million whereas Ooredoo Despite the day’s uptick, the los- Ahli United Band and Warba Bank up 3.39 points at 4,866.18 pts. The vol- stood pat at 659 fi ls. stc darted 8 fi ls to ers slightly outnumbered the winners. clipped 1 fi l each whereas Ahli United ▲ Nikkei +8.62 pts at closing March 10 ume turnover meanwhile saw a pullback 920 fi ls taking the year’s gains to 68 fi ls 50 stocks advanced whereas 56 closed Bank Kuwiat added 1 fi l. Commercial following Tuesday’s bounce. Over 192 while logistics major Agility was down lower. Of the 137 counters active on Bank of Kuwait and Al Ahli Bank stalled ▲ Gold 1702.85 per oz (London) million shares changed hands – a 20 pct 3 fi ls at 672 fi ls. Humansoft Holding Wednesday, 30 closed fl at. 9,137 deals at 500 fi ls 203 fi ls respectively. drop from the day before. and Boursa Kuwait Securities clipped 2 worth were transacted during the ses- The market was upbeat during the ▼ NYMEX crude The sectors closed mostly in red turf. fi ls each and Integrated Holding gave up sion. week. The main index closed higher in $63.57 per barrel Oil and Gas outshone the rest with 2 pct 7 fi ls to close at 413 fi ls. National Industries Group paused at all four sessions rallying 88 points week- ▼ Brent crude $66.92 per barrel gain whereas Basic Materials shed 0.73 The market opened slightly gap up and 191 fi ls whereas Gulf Cable scaled 8 fi ls on-week. It has gained 84 points from percent, the worst performer of the day. pulled higher in early trade. The main to end at 872 fi ls. Boubyan Petrochemi- the start of the month and is up 168 LIBOR rate 0.18250% Volume wise, Financial Services topped index scaled the day’s highest level of cal Co slipped 5 fi ls to 830 fi ls and Al points year-to-date. ‘Security of nation top priority’ 261 more Pakistani medical workers to help fight Covid KUWAIT CITY, March 10: The new batch of Pakistani medical workers Permits cut will arrive in Kuwait next week to support the national teams in dealing with the corona outbreak, reports Al- Jarida daily. 2,000 join list Reliable health sector sources re- KUWAIT CITY, March 10: The Pub- vealed to the daily that the new Paki- lic Authority for Manpower (PAM) re- stani batch - the third - consists of 261 cently issued statistics showing the specialists; including doctors, techni- cancellation of work permits for 1,999 cians and nurses. expatriates from Jan 12 till date, re- Sources explained that the Ministry ports Al-Rai daily. According to the statistics, the num- of Health will soon complete proce- ber of expatriates whose work permits dures for the entry visas of the team were canceled for final travel reached and then send the visas to them within 6,245; 12,391 were canceled due to this week. expiry of residence permits while out- Sources added the team includes side the country; 896 due to death of medical and nursing teams special- the workers and 463 for transferring to dependent, domestic or self-sponsor- ized in intensive care, anesthesia, ship visas. chest diseases, respiratory diseases During that period, about 83 people and infection control. transferred from the government sec- Sources disclosed the Pakistani tor, 602 work permits were issued, medical staff will enter the coun- 404 work permits were issued after try through the ‘Lukum’ system. transferring from dependent visa and Source said the team will work 106 were canceled for transfer to the government sector. for a period of three months, after ❑ ❑ ❑ which their appointment will be ex- tended for another three months if Leave balance row: The Civil Service the ministry will appoint them once Commission (CSC) has resolved the controversy over the surplus leave their contract ends to continue their balance for doctors, technicians, services in dealing with the pan- and administrators working in the demic. Ministry of Health, reports Al-Seyas- Sources added two batches of sah daily. KUNA photo The CSC confirmed the Under- Deputy Chief of the National Guard Lieutenant General Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, during a visit to Al-Samoud camp Pakistani medical teams consisting on Tuesday. of 468 doctors, nurses and techni- secretary of the Ministry of Health, cians arrived earlier to support and Dr. Mustafa Reda has been asked not to carry forward the leave bal- assist the national health profes- ance of employees working in the Conscription a national duty: Kuwait Army sionals in dealing with the virus. Ministry of Health and in case of Sources said the first batch included excess leave balance it will be for- KUWAIT CITY, March 10, be held at the Ministry of Health and the 208 specialized doctors; while the feited in accordance with the Civil second included 260 doctors, tech- Service Law. (KUNA): The National Mili- petroleum sector so that everyone can com- PADA, gyms catering plete the remaining eight months. nicians and nurses. tary Service Authority (NMSA) Aman said according to the law all those Sources affirmed that for more than reached 291. of the Kuwaiti Army affirmed who are 18 years old are obliged to register a year, the national medical teams The total health licenses issued in the importance of conscription on the NMSA website or through its cen- have been playing a vital role in ad- the year 2020 amounted to 2,647, for needs of disabled ters in the six governorates within 60 days calling it a national duty be- so that they will not be subject to the pen- dressing and confronting the pandem- and the total number of licenses KUWAIT CITY, March 10, (KUNA): The Pub- ic; thereby, gaining the praise of the renewed reached 6,917. The total lic Authority of the Disabled (PADA) announced cause the safety and security of alty stipulated in the law. the homeland should be the top For his part, the Director of the National World Health Organization, as well as licenses issued for new food trucks on Tuesday a partnership with various gyms and Military Service Directorate, Brigadier other international and regional health in 2020 was 1,372, and the number sports clubs catering for the special needs of the priority. The authority said the General Muhammad Al-Jassar, said the organizations. of renewed licenses for food trucks disabled. defence of the nation is a sa- NMSA began receiving requests from the Meanwhile, the Public Authority was 3,201. A press release by the PADA said that this partner- cred duty medical committees in the Al-Mubarakiya for Food and Nutrition (PAFN) re- The amount of food items destroyed camps (Gate No. 4), the reception hall of ship came in line with article 18 of the 8/2010 law stip- A report published by the General vealed that the total number of food was about 851,702 kilograms, and the ulating obligation of the Public Authority for Youth the National Military Service Al-Jassar Staff of the Kuwaiti Army, Tuesday, the saying the applicants must bring along the stores that were administratively total losses during the past year were (PAY) and The Public Authority for Sports (PAS) to NMSA said conscription is an honor for closed in the year 2020 reached 291, take necessary measures to ensure that the disabled following documents -- a medical report is- 3,692. citizens who work under the leadership sued by the Ministry of Health and a fitness reports Al-Qabas daily. The total number of healthy sac- had access to sports, cultural, and entertainment facili- of His Highness, the Amir, the Supreme certificate issued by the Public Authority ties. According to a recent statistic is- rifices amounted to 1,309,296 car- Commander of the Armed Forces and for Disabled Affairs, provided the docu- sued by the PAFN’s Control and In- casses, the total number of sacrifices This partnership also came in line with article 19, His Highness, the Crown Prince (we ments are issued recently. which stated that the government must encourage and spection Sector, the total number of reached 1,312,988, and the number of pray to God to protect them). He explained the reports will be pre- violations in the inspection depart- poultry slaughtered was 17,820,993, support athletes with especial needs to pursue sports in The report explained the decree of (Law sented to the competent military medi- a similar fashion as their other peers, added the state- No. 102 of 1980) regarding compulsory cal committee, starting from tomorrow, ments in all governorates reached according to the Kuwait News Agen- ment. military service was marred by several ob- to consider cases of applicants suffering 7,295, and the total number of pledges cy (KUNA). PADA indicated that it would assign teams to im- servations that required reconsideration, so from a certain disease or disability that plement the partnership, facilitating means for the dis- it was suspended by (Law No. 56 of 2001) prevents him from joining the service in accordance with the conditions of health abled to practice the sports of their liking. and some provisions of (Law No. 102/80) as it strived to find radical solutions to fitness for the active service, indicating PADA lauded sports club and gym efforts to include avoid remarks of the previous repealed law. that inquiries and review can be made international standards that would allow disabled ath- The report quoted the head of the Na- through the National Military Service lete to do sports and thanked the competent authorities tional Military Service, Brigadier General website www.kns gov.kw. for their input in this important matter. Imad Aman, as saying after a 14-year hia- For his part, Colonel Muhammad Al- tus, the Ministry of Defense came up with Rifai said, according to the report, the pur- the (Law No. 20 of 2015) regarding the na- pose and objective of performing the na- Barcodes for co-ops tional military service, and Article (58) of tional military service is loyalty, belonging, it stipulated that “it shall be enforced after sacrifice and giving Al-Rifai indicated that KUWAIT CITY, March 10: The Ministry of Com- two years from the date of its publication in the aim is also to protect the nation from merce and Industry (MoCI) has been instructed to the Official Gazette.” external greed and internal threats, to en- resume the appointment reservation system for the Subsequently it was enforced on May hance the spirit of loyalty to the country, to public to enter cooperative societies and supermarkets 10, 2017, and ministerial decisions and mobilize manpower when necessity arises, during the partial curfew period from 5:00 pm to 10:00 administrative orders were issued in to develop the capabilities of Kuwaiti youth this regard. He indicated the period of in the field of national service and effective pm, reports Al-Qabas daily. performing active service, according to participation in all sectors of the state. The Council of Ministers announced earlier that co- what was mentioned in the law, is 12 Al-Rifai pointed out those with disabili- operative societies are open to provide delivery ser- months, divided into two phases, the first ties, students studying outside the country, vices to citizens and expatriates during curfew hours. of which is four months, at the National or whoever has any temporary health con- However, the daily reported that cooperatives and Service Institute, while the second phase ditions, the guardian or his official repre- supermarkets are not ready to take delivery orders dur- of eight months was in the National Ser- sentative, according to the law must visit ing curfew, because they do not have the facilities to vice Brigade. the registration center to prove the case, meet the demand. Brigadier General Aman stated since the whatever it may be. This is especially true as consumption increases dur- application of this law, the first batch of re- He added in the second stage, a minis- ing curfew, particularly among young people. cruits No. 46 was in January 2018 and the terial decision will be issued to announce It can pose a problem as supermarkets and coop- number of recruits was 94, and in Decem- the training course, and published first in ber 2018, the Batch No. 47 comprised of the Official Gazette (Kuwait Alyawm) and eratives do not have suffi cient delivery manpower to 133 recruits. then announced through various advertis- handle large requests; and they do not have the right He explained that the part of the civil ing means. number of cars and motorcycles for making deliveries training will take place at the Kuwait Flour He stressed that whoever evades con- or managing a payment mechanism suitable for every- Mills and First Aid Company, in addition scription until the age of 35 is subject to one. to various trainings activities which will legal punishment and accountability. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 LOCAL 4

Deputy Amir hosts ex-minister Al-Saleh, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Amir’s appreciation for municipal efforts relayed to personnel KUWAIT CITY, March 10, the fight against the novel coronavi- A statement issued after the meet- that the workers earned His Highness Audiences: His Highness the Deputy lauded Al-Saleh for serving with (KUNA): Minister of State for rus. ing quoted Al-Shaye as expressing his the Amir’s praise due to their notice- Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh devotion and faithfulness, expressing Municipal Affairs, Minister of State His Highness the Amir’s message deep confidence in capacities of the able efforts and hard work. Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber gratitude for the efforts he had exert- for Housing Affairs and Development reflects his pride of the municipal national cadres for overhauling the Specialized staff are working round Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace on ed in the offices. Shaye Al-Shaye declared on Monday personnel good efforts at this level, he work to speed up citizens’ transac- Tuesday, former deputy prime minis- Earlier today, His Highness Sheikh the clock to set up as many as possi- that he conveyed appreciation from said during a meeting of the munici- tions and tackle any irregularities or ter and minister of state for cabinet Meshaal hosted, at Bayan Palace, His His Highness the Amir for the pality officials, including Director defaults. ble of online services. affairs Anas Al-Saleh. Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Moham- municipal personnel for their role in General Ahmad Al-Manfouhi. For his part, Al-Manfouhi noted ❑ ❑ ❑ His Highness the Deputy Amir mad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. KFH launches strategic initiative in bid to ‘help’ debtors in Kuwait $65 mln donated to benefit nearly 10,000 people

KUWAIT CITY, March 10: Based on the keenness of the tegic initiative, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Board of Directors of Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to Justice, to repay the debts of defaulting debtors and indi- expand the scope of social responsibility in view of the viduals against whom judicial rulings have been issued circumstances the country is going through since the for their arrest, given that $65 million has been donated HH the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince with former minister Al-Saleh. beginning of 2020, it has recommended launching a stra- to benefit nearly 10,000 people, reports Al-Anba daily. In this regard, the acting CEO of KFH Group Abdul Wahab Essa Al-Rashoud explained that benefiting from this initiative will be subject to well-studied criteria and conditions from the Sharia viewpoint. The implementation of the initia- tive is aimed to contribute in reliev- ing the burden endured by a num- ber of debtors among the poor families and defaulters because of their economic conditions and their inability to pay their debts. Such an initiative embodies KFH leadership in social responsibility and achieving sustainability in its comprehensive development con- KUNA photos cept, as well as its keenness for HH the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince with HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad. strategic partnership with state institutions, which reflects Kuwait’s vision of leadership and ‘Govt will not attend panel meeting’ people in humanitarian work. Assistance MP queries on MoH decision to Providing assistance to the debt- ors by paying their debts according to the conditions will contribute to cancel vacation of medical staff Al-Shahed photo Cracks are seen in the middle of the road. lifting their burdens so that they By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh heart of the medical staff. can return to society, practice their Arab Times Staff He also stressed the need to pay the normal life with great optimism frontliners’ reward to deserving Potholes and cracks fill Airport Road and hope, and seek a decent living. KUWAIT CITY, March 10: The par- employees who have been working The implementation of this ini- liamentary Budgets and Final Accounts hard for almost one year with full The Airport Road, from the begin- since the road is used by those roads. tiative will be carried out by the Committee scheduled a meeting for capacity. ning of Shuwaikh area to the right heading to the airport, reports The main roads have large pot- Ministry of Justice and the con- Wednesday to discuss the budget of the MP Khalil Al-Saleh said that paying and Kaifan area to the left, are Al-Shahed daily. holes and endless cracks, which Environment Public Authority (EPA) the allowance allocated for frontline filled with potholes, impending In this regard, the Airport Road is make motorists constantly afraid cerned authorities with confidenti- ality, transparency and high profes- in light of the comments of the State workers must be a top priority for the movement and causing inconve- not an exceptional case, as the of exposure to dangers and sur- Audit Bureau (SAB) and Financial government. He added that if the delay nience to motorists, especially situation is the same with the other prises. sionalism. Al-Rashoud highlighted that the Controllers Bureau (FCB). is due to legislative factors, the govern- first part of the program, which was Meanwhile, official spokesperson of ment must submit the required bill to implemented in 2020, had positive the Cabinet Tariq Al-Mezrem said His be approved as soon as possible and Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh enforced retroactively. repercussions in the community, Sabah Al-Khaled sent a letter to and this prompted KFH to continue National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Criteria this program this year also and Al-Ghanim informing the latter that the In addition, MP Mehalhal Al-Mudaf expand the scope to cover a larger government would not attend the com- asked Minister of Commerce and number of debtors out of a sense of mittee meeting because it has yet to Industry Abdullah Essa Al-Salem, social responsibility. take oath in front of the Assembly. Minister of Finance and Minister of He expressed his happiness over Commenting on the decision of HH State for Economic and Investment the positive results of this initiative the Prime Minister, MP Hamdan Affairs Khalifa Hamada, and Minister presented by KFH, with the aim of Al-Azmi pointed out this is another nail of Information and State Minister for helping the debtors and relieving in the government’s coffin. He stressed Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Badr their families, indicating that KFH the need for the government to resign Al-Mutairi about the number of agri- has implemented this program in the before the upcoming parliamentary ses- cultural, industrial or other plots mea- State of Bahrain also in coordination sion to avoid more embarrassment. suring 250 square meters and above granted to citizens since 2006. with Bahrain’s Ministry of Justice. Queries Al-Rashoud also expressed He also wants to know the criteria appreciation for the efforts exerted On the other hand, MP Muhannad for granting these plots and legal basis by all concerned parties, especially Al-Sayer forwarded queries to Minister for the abovementioned ministries to of Health Dr Basel Al-Sabah about the distribute the plots. the Ministry of Justice in both reason behind the cancellation of MP Muhammad Hadi Al-Hewaila Kuwait and Bahrain for their role Circular No. 107/ 2020 which allows forwarded queries to Minister of in the success of the initiative. the Ministry of Health employees to go Finance and Minister of State for He affirmed the continuation of on leave according to the relevant regu- Economic and Investment Affairs the pioneering role in social respon- lations. Khalifa Hamada on the delayed pay- sibility, reflecting KFH’s presti- “Since the relevant regulations allow ment of indemnity for the employees at gious position as a leading Islamic the health minister to summon the med- Kuwait Aviation Services Company financial institution at the level of ical staff and suspend their vacations in (KASCO). He wants to know the total the private sector and worldwide. case of emergency, why prevent them number of beneficiaries, total amount from taking vacation?” Al-Sayer asked. needed for the payment of their indem- Contributions Moreover, MP Abdulkareem nity, if the indemnity was paid for some Al-Rashoud highlighted that Al-Kandari said the decision of the of the employees, and if KASCO KFH has made various contribu- health minister to cancel the vacation intends to cut part of the indemnity tions to support the state’s efforts of doctors, nurses and other medical allotted for retired employees accord- in facing the COVID-19 crisis, workers is considered a stab in the ing to Law No. 68/2020. believing in the importance of its national role towards Kuwait and Large quantity of doses expected to arrive its people. He revealed that the bank con- tributed the largest share to the COVID-19 vaccination rate may reach government’s effort support fund announced by the Central Bank of Kuwait, whose value is KD 10 mil- desired level by the end of Ramadan lion, adding that KFH has sepa- KUWAIT CITY, March 10: By the and it is expected that the barrier of rately contributed an additional end of the month of Ramadan, the 250 thousand will be broken in the amount to the fund, which makes pace of COVID-19 vaccination cam- coming days. KFH one of the major donors to the paign might reach desired levels, ren- They said, “If the new batch of the fund, and it was placed at the dis- dering ineffective measures such as Oxford vaccine arrives this March, posal of the Cabinet to support curfews and lockdowns, but under the 266,000 Kuwaiti men and women government’s efforts, needs and condition that the companies contract- who took the initiative to register will urgent measures to deal with the ed to supply vaccines do so as per the be vaccinated, as well as 295,000 non- COVID-19 crisis. scheduled dates, reports Al-Rai daily Kuwaitis. Al-Rashoud affirmed the contin- quoting sources from the health sec- The registered Kuwaiti citizens are uation of the national and social tor. elderly people over 65 years of age, role of KFH, and its adherence to They said, “A large quantity of and they reached about 65 thousand. the responsibilities towards the doses is expected to arrive during the Those who received the vaccine so far society, and government and offi- coming period”, indicating that the have reached about 28 thousand”. cial agencies in various circum- Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basel The sources warned of the dangers stances. Al-Sabah held a virtual meeting of responding to calls for non-vacci- He explained that KFH plays a recently with officials of the manufac- nation of expatriates, stressing that the pivotal role in achieving sustain- turers to discuss the arrival dates of virus will remain and will mutate, able community development the vaccine batches during the coming which is a dangerous matter that through its contributions that period. should not be curbed. include various social activities and The sources revealed the strength They said the Ministry of Health initiatives in the fields of health, of the health system and its high capa- has plans to accelerate the pace of education, youth and environmen- bilities to vaccinate more than 300,000 vaccination of expatriates, regardless tal activities, enhancing the spirit people per month, provided that vac- of their working conditions, adding, of social solidarity, supporting peo- cines are available. “Vaccination is the way to reduce the ple with special needs, caring for They insisted on the need for those seriousness of the pandemic and end the workforce and providing con- wishing to receive vaccination to reg- it, and for achieving community tinuous support to the Kuwait ister. immunity by vaccinating 65 to 70 Foundation for the Advancement The sources revealed that one third percent of the population”. of Science (KFAS) and others. of Kuwaiti citizens who meet the The sources highlighted the notable Al-Rashoud indicated that requirements for vaccination took the increase in COVID-19 cases infection KFH’s social efforts have been initiative to register, with the exclu- rates after each occasion, adding that appreciated by prominent global sion of pregnant women and children the rates of gatherings is reflected in and local bodies, adding that it laid less than 16 years old, stressing that the high rates of COVID-19 cases two the pillars of leadership, excellence the number of those who received the weeks after each occasion, as seen and sustainability. vaccination exceeded 220 thousand, after the November’s general election. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 LOCAL 5 REMEMBER WHEN

The local souks At a cloak shop in the city bazaar, became deserted, the shops were a buyer and seller argue for a fair well-guarded. Photograph courtesy price while a friend sits nearby en- To wander through the souks was joying the bargaining. It was quite a pleasure for a visitor to the old city. of The Center for Re- interesting to meander through the He would enjoy walking through the search and Studies on souks in old Kuwait. narrow and covered markets teem- Kuwait’s traditional markets, or ing with activity. He would pass by Kuwait and the work souks, were an integral part of the a group of bedouins from the desert of Dr Yacoub Al- old city. Souks were colorful and sitting near an arms shop waiting pa- diverse, some being highly special- tiently for their guns to be repaired, Hijji in the book Old- ized. They were the meeting place or hear a group of women bargain- Kuwait: Memories of merchants, men, women and the ing with a textile vendor, or watch people of the desert. After a light an old man waiting calmly for his in Photographs fi rst breakfast and a cup of coffee, shop- turn to get a free cup of fresh wa- published in 1996. keepers left their homes and headed ter from an earthen jar provided for the souk. They stayed in their by a wealthy citizen. These were shops buying, selling and receiving but a few interesting sights the old friends until noon when they went souk had to offer before modernity home for lunch and the noon siesta. changed the spirit of the souk and In the afternoon they returned to hastened the disappearance of most their shops where they stayed un- of them. (From the book ‘Old Ku- til sunset. Although the souks then wait: Memories in Photographs’)

Courtesy of The Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait

© N.M.M. diwaniya A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION ‘Why not apply strict control, penalty ... partial curfew unnecessary?’ “AFTER the Cabinet announced the imposition of a partial ban in the country “Closing cooperatives, pharmacies and restaurants, preventing orders and either the demand for it (life) or depression, so the partial ban should not be the from 5 in the afternoon to fi ve in the morning, social media fl ared up with ex- delivery during the ban period, will make lives of people diffi cult, so we say it solution in the long term as it causes the loss of projects, trade and economy as pressions of condemnation and denunciation of this decision and some held the clearly that the partial ban is unnecessary as long as we by means of controlling, it has a stronger and greater impact on human life.” Minister of Health responsible on the basis that he was the one who suggested monitoring and following up can guarantee the safety of people. ❑ ❑ ❑ this measure, while others threw the ball in the court of the Prime Minister for “The government sometimes takes wrong decisions to deal with incorrect issuing the decision. The matter developed to an extent that some MPs have situations, such as this strange and dangerous decision of referring deputies “It appeared recently that there is very limited change in the new govern- threatened to activate the constitutional tools to hold the and citizens to the Public Prosecution Offi ce for violating the law of preventing ment. Four ministers left and others entered. With all due respect to them, it Minister of Health accountable,” columnist Mubarak gatherings although the Minister of Interior agrees with this event and under- does not really matter to the citizens, as approach and work are the most impor- Al-Duwailah wrote for Al-Qabas daily. stands its circumstances.” tant for us as citizens. There has been discontent and frustration among many “Personally, I am not concerned with the manner in citizens,” columnist Yousuf Al-Hajji wrote for Annahar daily. which the MPs will deal with this issue, whether by sub- Also: “It is noticeable that this government created new names for some ministries mitting an interpellation against the Minister of Health “The pandemic continues to expand and devastate humanity in all its dimen- and added the names of certain ministries that we are not used to before despite or they will go beyond that, but I fi rmly believe that the sions. The devastating Corona virus is threatening people with new complexes the existence of independent bodies for most of these designations. These inde- ban decision cannot be justifi ed. and mental illnesses after it contributed to stopping the wheel of the economy pendent bodies have heads and members whose salaries are thousands of dinars “The ban, as announced by the government, is to pre- and shattering the hopes and aspirations of small and medium enterprises busi- and they carry out the same tasks. We do not know the reason behind these vent the spread of infection by preventing gatherings ness owners and in the midst of all the government decided to reintroduce the designations for some ministers. that often occur during social events that occur at night. partial curfew starting from fi ve in the evening until fi ve in the morning as part “Everyone waited for a government able to shoulder its responsibilities, a These can be prevented by applying the law and punish- of its strategy to confront the effects of the pandemic, starting from Sunday, government of decision and national salvation in order to get the country out of the state of pessimism and discontent that most citizens are living in. ing everyone who participates in these harmful events Al-Duwailah March 7, 2021,” columnist Riyadh Al-Sanea wrote for Al-Anba daily. that cause the spread of disease among the participants “This decision has aroused the feelings of the Kuwaiti street, which unani- “Our new government must put the citizen’s interests and aspirations in mind, and I believe that everyone today is aware of the danger of this disease and the mously agree that there is a fl aw in decisions. Is it reasonable to impose the ban eliminate pessimism and replace it with optimism, because the next stage needs seriousness of these gatherings and that everyone bears responsibility for his/ and open sports clubs and barber salons in conjunction with the high rate of action, cooperation, decision-making and meeting the people’s requirements.” her actions and what results from them. cases? How is it that open public parks are closed while ‘closed’ halls and cent- ❑ ❑ ❑ “Therefore, we need fi rmness in implementing the law and employing more ers remain open? What is the purpose of re-imposing the curfew if the precau- “A previously-formed parliamentary investigation committee had conducted of our security cadres in order to control the situation in the areas and whoever tionary measures are not applied by the force of law? Also, this ban will open a research on the violations of the oil sector and the Ministry of Oil. The out- circumvents avoiding punishment should bear the consequences of his actions, the way for many questions about the fate of activities in light of the closure. come of that investigation led to the referral of many fi les to the Public Pros- and whoever violates the measures. “Since the government announced its new measures Thursday evening, ecution due to suspicions of corruption, violations, and encroachment on public “The ban will prevent the spread of the disease at night, but who will prevent Kuwaitis are still expressing their anger in the social media, denouncing on money. This led to the dismissal of many employees from work”, columnist Dr. it from spreading during the day? Or is it that Corona strikes only at night? ‘hashtags’ the ban and the feasibility of it asking if this is the right manner of Essa Muhammad Al-Omairi wrote for Al-Rai daily. “What prevents the authorities from imposing physical distancing in cafes curtailing the number of cases. “Later, some who were referred to the prosecution were transferred to other and restaurants? Today, restaurant owners welcome all required precautions “All know very well that we are tired of lockdown, curfew, airport closures, positions in other oil companies, some others were assigned to new positions, as long as they can do their business, therefore, we need a little follow-up and and strict restrictions on many activities and sectors, and the question arises: ‘Is and the rest were appointed into the boards of directors of these companies. control over these activities to ensure the safety of their visitors and users. there room for an exception for those who have been vaccinated and have taken Such a move may be considered as indifference by the Ministry of Oil. “Why do we close cooperative societies in the evening while they are indis- the necessary immunity against Corona’? “So, how can this be consistent with the state’s tendency today to besiege the pensable for providing the necessities for people, especially when some sup- “We do not know the feasibility, usefulness and impact of all these measures sources of corruption, suspicions and irregularities in all its sectors? plies are needed? Why do we not benefi t from our previous experiences when and restrictions, and for information, mental health is no less important than we were regulating entry to these societies by barcode? physical health, but is more important as it is responsible for the balance in life, — Compiled by Ahmad Al-Shazli Check on prices; Court rejects request to end detention 8-year-old kills himself KUWAIT CITY, March 10: The Court Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution Drug peddler held: Personnel from KUWAIT CITY, March 10: An 8-year-old Kuwaiti boy of Appeals decided to refer the former ordered the arrest of Sheikh Mazen Al- the General Department for Drugs ended his life by hanging himself with a piece of cloth by Ramadan ‘close’ assistant undersecretary for Training Jarrah in a new case in which he was Control (GDDC) have arrested an uni- tying one end to the window and another around his neck Affairs at the Ministry of Interior Ma- accused of money laundering. It also or- dentifi ed Egyptian for attempting to in his house in Saad Al-Abdullah area. jor General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah to dered the arrest of the accused Nawaf Al- smuggle into the country 1.25 kilos of As soon as the Ministry of Interior operations room Eye on markets the Central Prison after he surrendered Mutairi in connection with the same case. hashish, reports Al-Seyassah daily. received a report from the Saad Al-Abdullah polyclinic himself to the authority. The court re- On the other hand, the investigation The daily added, the contraband ar- about the death of the child, securitymen went to the house jected the request to end the detention committee in the ministerial court or- rived from the UK in a parcel by ex- of the victim and it was found that the child ended his life KUWAIT CITY, March 10 : The Depart- of the defendants in the case related to dered the extension of the detention press mail packed inside a cocoa box. by hanging. ment of Technical Authority for Com- the Bangladeshi MP. It set the session of former minister of Interior Sheikh When the customs authorities sus- The family indicated he was infl uenced by e-games. of March 14 to summon the investiga- Khaled Al-Jarrah until March 14. pected the shipment, it was checked However, the CID men are investigating the case. modity Supervision in the Ministry of tion offi cer, reports Al-Rai daily. ❑ ❑ ❑ and the GDDC was informed. His corpse has been referred to Forensics. Commerce and Industry conducted an inspection tour of a number of markets, shops and outlets in Shuwaikh area that sell meat, fruits and dates, reports Al-An- ba daily. In a press statement, the Director of the de- partment Faisal Al-Ansari explained that a team from the department conducted the inspection campaign based on the instruc- tions of the Assistant Undersecretary for Commercial Control and Consumer Pro- tection Affairs. Stores selling food items, dates, meat, grains and others in Shuwaikh area were inspected during the campaign. Al-Ansari said, “We are on the verge of the month of Ramadan. One of the tasks of the team is to monitor prices during the month of Ramadan this year, as well as during the partial curfew. Situation is normal and there is no crowding. All stores are committed to their prices both before or after the implementation of the partial curfew decision. All stores have been informed that the ministry will take legal meas- ures in case of any increase in prices”. The Minister of Interior, Sheikh Thamer Al-Ali, visited the security clearance unit in the suburb of Al-Adan Sunday evening, reports Al-Seyassah daily. He was received by the Assistant Undersecretary for Traffi c Operations at the Ministry, Major General Jamal Al- Sayegh and a number of senior security offi cials. The Directorate General of Public Relations and Secu- rity Media Department of the Interior Ministry said in a press statement the Minister of Interior heard during the visit an explanation given by the permits issuing unit to government agencies, institutions and private companies based on the nature of their work to be on the street during curfew hours. The Minister of Interior praised the efforts exerted by those concerned in carrying out their tasks and duties en- trusted to them with dedication and sincerity, affi rming his confi dence in them in performing their duties in cooperation and coordination with the Public Authority for Civil Infor- mation. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 LOCAL 6 Filipino domestics recruitment Future travel trends Travelers gaining confi dence possible beginning next month in a ‘return to air travel’: poll GENEVA, March 10: The Inter- Survey responses are telling us national Air Transport Association that people are becoming more (IATA) announced results from confident to travel. Those expect- its latest poll of recent travelers, ing to travel within a few months Meeting reviewed prominent new conditions revealing growing confidence in a of “COVID-19 containment” now return to air travel, frustration with account for 57% of survey respon- current travel restrictions, and ac- dents (improved from 49% in Sep- KUWAIT CITY, March ceptance of a travel app to manage tember 2020). This is supported by 10: A breakthrough has health credentials for travel. vaccine rollout which indicates that Travel Restrictions 81% of people will be more likely appeared with regard to ■ 88% believe that when open- to travel once vaccinated. And 72% the end of the crisis relat- ing borders, the right balance must of respondents want to travel as be struck between managing CO- soon as possible after COVID-19 is ed to shortage of domestic VID-19 risks and getting the econ- contained to see friends and family. workers in the country, omy going again There are some headwinds in which was exacerbated by ■ 85% believe that governments travel trends. About 84% of travel- should set COVID-19 targets (such ers will not travel if it involves quar- the measures taken by the as testing capacity or vaccine distri- antine at destination. And there are authorities due to the CO- bution) to re-open borders still indications that the pick-up in VID-19 pandemic and the ■ 84% believe that COVID-19 business travel will take time with will not disappear, and we need to 62% of respondents saying they ensuing insane rise in costs, manage its risks while living and are likely to travel less for business reports Al-Qabas daily traveling normally even after the virus is contained. quoting informed sources. ■ 68% agreed that their quality That is, however, a significant im- They indicated that the Federa- of life has suffered with travel re- provement from the 72% recorded strictions in September 2020. tion of Filipino Domestic Labor ■ 49% believe that air travel re- “People want to get back to trav- Offices has begun coordinating strictions have gone too far el, but quarantine is the showstop- with the offices in Kuwait to sub- While there is public support for per. As testing capacity and tech- mit recruitment applications. travel restrictions, it is becoming nology improves and the vaccinated The sources affirmed that Filipino clear that people are feeling more population grows, the conditions domestic workers will start coming to comfortable with managing the for removing quarantine measures the country again this month, and this risks of COVID-19. are being created. And this points will ease the severity of the crisis as the People are also feeling frustrated us again towards working with holy month of Ramadan approaches. with the loss of freedom to travel, governments for a well-planned They explained that a meeting took with 68% of respondents indicat- re-opening as soon as conditions al- place on Monday between the owners ing their quality of life is suffering low,” said de Juniac. of domestic labor recruitment offices as a result. Travel restrictions come IATA Travel Pass and the Philippines Labor Attaché with health, social and economic ■ 89% of respondents believe Nasser Mustafa. During the meeting, consequences. Nearly 40% of re- that governments need to standard- they discussed steps to return to bring KUNA photo spondents reported mental stress ize vaccine and testing certificates in workers on new contracts from the Kuwait Foreign Minister and Minister of Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah receives and missing an important human ■ 80% are encouraged by the Philippines, which is the only source British Ambassador Micheal Davenport. moment as a result of travel restric- prospect of the IATA Travel Pass of domestic workers to Kuwait in light tions. And over a third have said App and would use it as soon as of the existence of a joint labor agree- that restrictions prevent them from available ment between the two countries. Kuwait FM commends British ambassador’s contribution to bilateral ties doing business normally. ■ 78% will only use a travel cre- “The top priority of everybody at dential app if they have full control Prominent Kuwait Foreign Minister and Minister He made the remarks while re- Ambassador Saleh Al-Loughani, the moment is staying safe amid the over their data The meeting reviewed the most of Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr. Ahmad ceiving Davenport who was end- Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister COVID-19 crisis. But it is important Travel health credentials are s Office Counselor Ah- that we map a way to being able to already opening borders to some‘ﺁprominent new conditions required of Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah ing his tenure in Kuwait, a ministry for Minister Kuwait and its offices to launch new praised Tuesday British Ambassa- statement said. The meeting was mad AlShuraim and a number of re-open borders, manage risks and countries. IATA believes that such dor Micheal Davenport’s contribu- attended by Assistant Foreign senior officials of the Foreign Min- enable people to get on with their a system needs global standards and ﺁ -contracts, and the outstanding prob lems that need quick solutions. tion to strengthening bilateral ties. Minister for the Minister ‘s Office, istry. (KUNA) lives. That includes the freedom to the highest level of data security. One of the issues that had been travel. It is becoming clear that we The survey produced very en- raised was the persistence of the prob- will need to learn to live and travel couraging data indicating traveler lem related to 96 domestic workers, in a world that has COVID-19. Giv- willingness to use a secure mobile against whom lawsuits were filed by ‘Distinct imprint in decision-making’ en the health, social and economic phone app to manage their travel their sponsors for refusing to work and costs of travel restrictions, airlines health credentials. Four of five peo- for going to shelters. should be ready to re-connect the ple surveyed would like to use this The Embassy of the Philippines GCC Sec-Gen hails Gulf women achievements world as soon as governments are technology as soon as it becomes in the country, in coordination with able to re-open borders. That’s why available. They also expect that the Public Authority for Manpower KUWAIT CITY, March 10, He praised the Gulf women for gional and international forums. a plan with measurable milestones travel health credentials (vaccine or (PAM), seeks to settle the conditions (KUNA): The GCC Secretary-Gen- their achievements in the GCC coun- The Kuwaiti women have proven is so critical. Without one, how can test certificates) must comply with of female workers and notify the Min- eral, Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf, praised the tries, where they are living a golden that they are qualified, having ac- we be prepared for restart without global standards – a work that is still istry of Labor of the Philippines re- role of Gulf women and their distin- phase of achievements after achieving complished a lot of major achieve- an unnecessary delay?” said Alex- in progress by governments. garding the end of all their problems, guished contributions to the develop- a distinct imprint in decision-making, ments, thus encouraging the state to andre de Juniac, IATA’s Director Survey respondents also sent a as this would be a supportive reason ment process in the GCC countries. full and effective participation at the launch more initiatives for enabling General and CEO. clear message on the importance of to officially launch the recruitment of In a statement, on International local and international levels. them to be “a basis in implementa- Future Travel Trends data security. Some 78% of travel- new workers from the Philippines. Women’s Day, Al-Hajraf affirmed Dr. Al-Hajraf congratulated the tion of New Kuwait Vision 2035,” ■ 57% expect to be traveling ers will not use an app if they are A meeting will be held this week be- that this day comes as an apprecia- Gulf women on the scientific, eco- said Minister of Electricity, Water within two months of the pandemic not in full control of their data. And tween the Philippines’ Labor Ministry, tion and reinforcement of the wom- nomic, and social achievements that and Energy, Minister of Social Af- being contained (improved from about 60% will not use a travel en’s role and achievements in vari- have been made and contributed to fairs and Development, Dr. Me- 49% in September 2020) credential app if data is stored cen- the Domestic Labor Federation and the ■ secretariat of the Kuwait offices. Seri- ous aspects of life. strengthening their presence in re- shaan Al-Otaibi on Monday. 72% want to travel to see fam- trally. ous steps on the road to re-recruitment ily and friends as soon as possible “We are designing IATA Travel will be discussed, including the condi- (improved from 63% in September Pass with the traveler in mind. Pas- 2020) sengers keep all the data on their mo- tions that must be met prior to the ar- contracts had expired and their residen- cases to the courts. About 239 com- recruitment of domestic workers from ■ rival of new workers in the country. cies were transferred to other sponsors plaints are currently under investigation. the Philippines: 81% believe that they will be bile devices, and they remain in full The most prominent among the new without their knowledge. 1. Freedom to transfer residency or more likely to travel once they are control of where that data goes. There Issued vaccinated is no central database. While we are demands that the Philippines will place The sources stressed the importance leave after two years ■ before Kuwait include granting freedom of setting up a mechanism to uncover In the statistics issued for the month 2. Settlement of the affairs of 96 fe- 84% said they will not travel making good progress with numerous to the domestic worker either to transfer expired contracts and not allowing le- of February by PAM’s Department male workers with lawsuits if there is a chance of quarantine trials, we are still awaiting the global her residency with her knowledge or to gal cases to be instituted against work- for Regulating the Recruitment of Do- 3. Prevent sponsors from transfer- at destination (largely unchanged standards for digital testing and vac- from 83% in September 2020) cine certificates. Only with global return to her country after the expiry of ers who refuse to work after the end of mestic Workers, it was stated that the ring residency without the workers’ ■ her two-year contract, and to prevent their contracts with their right to return total number of domestic labor recruit- knowledge 56% believe that they will standards and governments accept- sponsors from transferring the residency to their country and refuse to transfer ment offices registered in the country 4. Not to be intransigent in institut- postpone travel until the economy ing them can we maximize efficiency of their employees without their knowl- to another sponsor. amounted to 464 offices with 1,533 ing lawsuits stabilizes (improved from 65% in and deliver an optimum travel experi- edge, as this is the reason behind the cas- Also, the Public Authority for Man- registered workers. 5. Establish a mechanism to detect September 2020) ence,” said de Juniac. es brought against many workers whose power has referred 200 domestic labor Five conditions for resuming the expired contracts Kuwait Flour Company adds ‘vitamin D’ to its wheat fl our By Mohammad Al-Mutairi

KUWAIT CITY, March 10, (KUNA): Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company, in cooperation with the Food and Nutrition Authority, announced addition of vitamin D to wheat flour according to international standards and as applied in some Arab and international countries. The company Chief Executive Officer Mutlaq Al-Zayed said in a statement to KUNA, Tuesday, that fortifying flour with iron and folic acid is an effective way to maintain the level of vitamin D in the body, reduce its deficiency and pre- vent diseases associated with it. The mills sector can play an important role for people suffering from vitamin D deficiency, as basic materials will be enriched with this vitamin, he said, adding that mixtures containing vitamin D can eliminate the dangerous effects of this vitamin deficiency. A small study will be made on flour with vitamin D to follow up and evaluate the flour enhancement program with this vitamin to prepare reports on the final product, he added.

TGS features Sundus Hamza

Join ‘The Guest Show’ in honouring International Wom- en’s Day with Sundus Hamza, one of Kuwait’s leading activists. A remarkable woman, she is at the forefront of the fight against gender based violence in the Mid- dle East. Sundus is the co-founder of Abolish 156, an awareness campaign against domestic violence. We look forward to finding out more about her life journey and the values she represents.

The Guest Show poster ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 INTERNATIONAL 7

Britain

Black Britons not surprised Royals comments put ‘spirit of unity’ at risk CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 10, (AP): In countries with historic ties to Britain, allegations by Prince Harry and Meghan that an unnamed member of the royal family had “concerns” over the color of their unborn baby’s skin have raised a thorny question: Do those nations really want to be so closely connected to Britain and its royal family anymore? It was expected the interview would expose more rifts in the royal family. Now it seems to be risking divisions within the “family” of the Commonwealth – an association of 54 countries, most of them former British colonies, held togeth- er by historic ties. For decades, Queen Elizabeth II has been the driving force behind the Commonwealth. After the TV interview, shown in the US on the eve of Commonwealth Day, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull cited it as an- other reason for the country to sever its constitutional ties to the British monarchy. “After the end of the queen’s reign, that is the time for us to say: OK, we’ve passed that watershed,” Turnbull told Australian Broadcast- ing Corp. “Do we really want to have whoever happens to be the head of state, the king or queen of the UK, au- tomatically our head of state?” Turnbull The value of the Commonwealth has been debated before, with critics questioning if countries and people once colonized – and even oppressed – should remain in such an association with a former colonizer. Its stated aim is to improve international relations, but Britain’s relationship with the members has been clouded by diplo- matic missteps and the legacy of empire. In a speech to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday, the queen spoke of “the spirit of unity.” In this Feb 4, 2021 fi le photo, President Joe Biden waves after speaking to State Department staff in Washington. Biden laid out an ambitious agenda for his fi rst Charismatic royals like Harry and Meghan have been 100 days in offi ce, promising swift action on everything from climate change to immigration reform to the coronavirus pandemic. (AP) deployed in the past to Commonwealth-related events with young people, businesses and volunteer groups. But their interview this week “opens our eyes further” on the merits of the Commonwealth, wrote Nicholas Sengoba, a America newspaper columnist in the former colony of Uganda. Colonialism He cited “unresolved issues” in his country relating to the abuses of colonialism and questioned whether the heads of Biden on cusp of triumph Commonwealth countries should still be “proud to eat din- ner” with members of the British royal family, considering the accusations. Meghan, who is biracial, had said in the interview that an House set to vote on virus relief unidentifi ed member of the royal family had raised “con- WASHINGTON, March 10, (AP): The measure provides up to $1,400 top of state benefi ts, was trimmed by cerns” about the color of her baby with Harry when she was Congress is poised to approve a land- direct payments to most Americans, the Senate to $300 and will now halt in pregnant with her son, Archie, and that the palace failed to mark $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief extended emergency unemployment early September. help her when she had suicidal thoughts. Buckingham Palace bill, placing President Joe Biden on the benefi ts and hundreds of billions for Manchin was a leading holdout and said Tuesday the allegations of racism by Harry and Meghan cusp of an early triumph that advances COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, in the middle of talks that resulted in were “concerning” and would be addressed privately by the Democratic priorities and showcases schools, state and local governments curbing all of those initiatives. The royal family. the unity his party will need to forge and ailing industries from airlines to Senate approved the bill on a party- Reaction to the interview was especially fi erce in Africa. future victories. concert halls. There is aid for farmers line 50-49 vote on Saturday. It was encapsulated by one Twitter user in South Africa who The House was expected to give fi - of color and pension systems, and sub- Dropping the minimum-wage boost wrote: “It’s Britain and the royal family. What did you ex- nal congressional approval Wednesday sidies for consumers buying health in- was “infuriating,” said Rep. Pramila pect? They oppressed us for years.” to the package, which aims to fulfi ll surance and states expanding Medicaid Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the roughly Meghan and Harry traveled to South Africa in 2019, Democrats’ campaign promises to beat coverage for lower earners. 100-member Congressional Progres- where their impending split with the royal family became Chinese President Xi Jinping ap- the pandemic and revive the enfeebled Its very expansiveness is a chief sive Caucus. But she called the overall clearer and they even spoke of possibly living there. economy. House and Senate Repub- GOP talking point. bill “incredibly bold,” adding, “It hits Mohammed Groenewald, who showed them around at plauds during the closing session of Chinese People’s Political Consul- licans have unanimously opposed the “It’s not focused on COVID relief. all of our progressive priorities - put- a mosque in Cape Town, was still digesting the interview, tative Conference (CPPCC) at the package as bloated, crammed with lib- It’s focused on pushing more of the ting money in people’s pockets, shots which was only shown in South Africa on Monday. But he Great Hall of the People in Beijing, eral policies and heedless of signs the far-left agenda,” said No. 2 House in arms, unemployment insurance, said that, more than anything, it sparked memories of “Brit- Wednesday, March 10. (AP) dual crises are easing. GOP leader Steve Scalise of Louisi- child care, schools.” ish colonial racism.” “It’s a remarkable, historic, trans- ana. The independent Tax Policy Center “It comes out very clearly,” he said. formative piece of legislation which The Associated Press-NORC Center said that the Senate-passed bill would In Kenya, a former colony where a young Princess Eliza- goes a very long way to crushing the for Public Affairs Research poll found give almost 70% of this year’s tax beth was visiting in 1952 when she learned about the death virus and solving our economic crisis,” last week that 70% of Americans back breaks to households earning $91,000 of her father and thus that she would become queen, news House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Biden’s response to the virus, includ- or less. In contrast, the Trump-era of the interview also has begun appearing in the country’s said Tuesday. ing a hefty 44% of Republicans. GOP tax bill gave nearly half its 2018 newspapers. For Biden and Democrats, the bill is Yet the bill’s pathway has under- reductions to the top 5% of house- “We feel very angry seeing our fellow African sister being essentially a canvas on which they’ve scored Democrats’ challenges as they holds earning around $308,000, said harassed because she is black,” said Nairobi resident Sylvia painted their core beliefs - that gov- seek to build a legislative record to the research center, which is run by Wangari, referring to Meghan. She added that Kenyans in ernment programs can be a benefi t, persuade voters to keep them running the liberal-leaning Urban Institute and 1952 did not show Elizabeth “any racism, and she stayed not a bane, to millions of people and Congress in next year’s elections. Brookings Institution. here without us showing her any discrimination.” that spending huge sums on such ef- Yet keeping Democrats united Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to com- forts can be a cure, not a curse. The Support won’t get easier as the party tries ad- ment on the interview. He said many institutions in Canada Suu Kyi Prayuth measure so closely tracks Democrats’ Democrats control the Senate, split vancing the rest of its agenda. There are built around colonialism and systematic racism, includ- priorities that several rank it with the 50-50, only because Vice President are fault lines within the party over ing Parliament, and he said the answer is to listen to Canadi- top achievements of their careers, and Kamala Harris gives them the winning priorities like immigration, health care ans who face discrimination so that institutions can be fi xed. despite their slender congressional ma- vote in tied roll calls. They have just a and taxes. “The answer is not to suddenly toss out all the institutions Asia jorities there was never real suspense 10-vote advantage in the House. At some point it seems likely that and start over,” Trudeau said. over its fate. That’s almost no wiggle room for a progressives will draw their own lines “I wish all the members of the royal family all the best, but party that ranges from West Virginia China probes in-air brawl: China’s They were also empowered by three in the sand. They are already demand- my focus is getting through this pandemic. If people want to Sen. Joe Manchin on the conservative aviation regulator is investigating a re- dynamics: their unfettered control of ing that the party revisit the minimum- later talk about constitutional change and shifting our system the White House and Congress, polls side to progressives like Vermont in- wage boost, and amid all this Repub- of government that’s fi ne, and they can have those conversa- ported fi stfi ght between the captain and chief steward aboard a domestic passen- showing robust support for Biden’s ap- dependent Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mas- licans are already demonstrating they tions, but right now I’m not having those conversations.” proach, and a moment when most vot- sachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and are ready to pounce. Meanwhile, explosive allegations by Meghan, Duchess of ger fl ight last month. The Civil Aviation Administration of ers care little that the national debt is New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- The American Action Network, Sussex that she faced racist attitudes from both the palace soaring toward a stratospheric $22 tril- Cortez. tied to House GOP leaders, said it’s and the U.K. press have sent ripples of shock around the China said it took the reported incident extremely seriously and was collecting lion. Neither party seems much trou- Progressives had to swallow big launched digital ads in mostly mod- world. But they came as no surprise to many Black Britons. bled by surging red ink, either, except concessions in the bill to solidify mod- erate districts calling the relief bill “a Whether it’s the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on further information. Any incident endan- gering fl ight safety would be “dealt with when the other is using it to fi nance its erate support. The most painful was freight train of frivolous spending to people of color or the lack of non-white faces at the top of priorities, be they Democratic spend- dropping the House-approved federal bankroll their liberal cronies.” British media and politics, ethnic minorities in the UK say strictly under the law,” said the statement issued late Monday. ing or GOP tax cuts. minimum-wage increase to $15 hourly The bill passed the Senate under racist attitudes and structures of discrimination are pervasive A dominant feature of the bill is by 2025. budget rules that prevented Republi- – and all too often denied by society at large. Chinese media reports said the in-air brawl occurred on a Feb 20 Donghai Air- initiatives making it one of the biggest Moderates forced tightened eligibil- cans from launching fi libusters, which “This is a country that doesn’t want to have an honest federal thrusts in years to assist lower- ity for the $1,400 stimulus checks, now require 60 votes for most measures. conversation about race,” historian David Olusoga, who lines fl ight. The captain became angry after emerg- and middle-income families. Included phased out completely for individuals That process won’t be available for presented the TV series “Black and British: A Forgotten are expanded tax credits over the next earning $80,000 and couples making much legislation moving forward, but History,” said Tuesday. ing from the bathroom to fi nd a fi rst-class passenger waiting directly outside, and year for children, child care and family $160,000. The House’s initial exten- either way any Democratic Senate Isolation accused the steward of not fulfi lling his leave plus spending for renters, feed- sion of the soon-to-end $400 weekly defections will make most bills there ing programs and people’s utility bills. emergency jobless payments, paid on non-starters. In a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, the former Markle duties by requiring the passenger to wait said isolation and a lack of support from the royal house- in their seat. hold after her marriage to Prince Harry drove her to thoughts The two then exchanged blows, leav- of suicide. She also said an unnamed member of the royal ing the steward with a broken hand and The quick-tempered former army com- guy,” he said and walked away. (AP) Nyunt neighborhood in Yangon where the family expressed “concerns” to Harry about the color of her the captain a chipped tooth, according to mander, who overthrew the elected gov- ❑ ❑ ❑ Ma Hlwa Kone train station and housing the reports. ernment in a 2014 coup, is known for his for railway workers are located. Photos unborn child’s skin – a statement that drew an astonished Police raid workers housing: My- and video on social media showed offi c- “What?” from Winfrey. The fl ight was about 50 minutes from unpredictable behavior. In the past, he’s its destination at the central city of Xi’an spoken to a media scrum while fondling anmar security forces early Wednesday ers blocking streets and what was said to Tiwa Adebayo, a communications consultant and journal- raided a neighborhood in the country’s be people escaping. At least three arrests ist, said the couple’s revelations in the interview bore out after departing from the coastal city of the ear of one of the reporters and fl ung a Nantong near Shanghai. banana peel at camera operators. largest city that is home to state railway were reported but it was not immediately her worst fears. possible to independently confi rm that. “When Meghan joined the royal family, every person of In a statement, Donghai Airlines apol- After an event in 2018 he declined to workers who have gone on strike to pro- ogized and said it was reviewing safety speak to the media, and instead set up test last month’s military coup. The raid comes just days after several color in the UK was worried,” she said. “This is an institu- Myanmar unions, including the Myanmar tion that is rooted in colonialism. It’s based on white su- protocols. It said those involved in the a life-size cutout of himself. “Ask this Police sealed off the Mingalar Taung incident had been suspended from duty, Railway Worker’s Union Federation, issued premacy. I mean, for me, it kind of seemed like ‘How could a joint call for a nationwide work stoppage. this possibly end well?’ but didn’t say if they were still employed by the company and gave no details about The statement said the strike would be part “I expected there to always be that undercurrent of rac- of a broader effort for “the full, extended ism,” she added. “But to hear it so outright, it’s really scary. the altercation. China’s fast-growing aviation sector shutdown of the Myanmar economy.” My- It’s very shocking. And it’s hard to see how the royal family anmar has been roiled by protests and other is going to come back from this.” has a strong safety record, although there have been previous incidents of pas- acts of civil disobedience since the Feb 1 It’s a long way from the optimism that surrounded Harry coup that toppled elected leader Aung San and Meghan’s royal wedding in 2018. The relationship be- sengers opening emergency exits while waiting for takeoff, brawling with staff Suu Kyi’s government just as it was to start tween a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and a biracial Amer- its second term. The coup reversed years ican actress was hailed as evidence that, in modern Britain, onboard or at the gate and even tossing coins into the jet engine inlet, allegedly of slow progress toward democracy in the skin color and background no longer mattered. Southeast Asian nation after fi ve decades of Harold Wilson, a 57-year-old local authority worker in for good luck. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ military rule. Brixton, a district at the heart of London’s Afro-Caribbean Security forces have responded with community, said Meghan joining the royal family “should PM ends presser by spraying: Politi- mass arrests and at times lethal force. At have been an opportunity for them to move forward – but the cians are often accused of sanitizing the least 60 protesters have been killed since royal family are not like that.” news. On Tuesday, Thailand’s prime the military takeover, according to the “Even before the child has been brought into the world, minister sanitized members of the press. independent Assistance Association for they are worried about the actual tone of the skin of the After fi elding a slew of questions from Political Prisoners. baby,” he said. “That tells you everything about them.” journalists at his weekly news conference Authorities have also moved to shut The fairy tale image surrounding the wedding at Windsor in Bangkok, the famously mercurial Pr- down independent reporting on the situ- Castle faded quickly. Meghan faced tabloid stories about her ayuth Chan-ocha sprayed back – with ation, both through arrests of journalists allegedly demanding behavior and was even criticized for disinfectant. the closure of media outlets. eating avocadoes, which the Daily Mail claimed fuel “hu- Riled by a fi nal question about a pos- Despite the increasingly violent tac- man rights abuses, drought and murder.” sible Cabinet reshuffl e, he told reporters An exile Tibetan with a face mask in the colors of the Tibetan fl ag stands with tics of security forces, protests continued to mind their own business, then grabbed others at a gathering to mark the anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising Day in Wednesday in cities and towns across the — See Also Page 13 a container of alcohol mist and doused the Dharmsala, India, Wednesday, March 10. Thousands of Tibetans had come out country, including Yangon, Mandalay, front row before sauntering off. on streets in Lhasa in 1959 to protest against Chinese rule. (AP) Monywa, Dawei and Myitkyina. (AP) Market Movements 10-03-2021 Change Closing pts Change Closing pts JAPAN - Nikkei +8.62 29,036.56 AUSTRALIA - All Ordinaries -53.28 6,947.15 PHILIPPINES - PSEi +41.49 6,808.32 S. KOREA - KRX 100 -33.58 6,413.62 INDIA - Sensex +254.03 51,279.51 PAKISTAN - KSE 100 -531.23 43,691.68 CHINA - Shanghai SE -1.56 3,357.74 Business Vaccines help inject hope in world economy: OECD report Improvements are uneven and joblessness remains a big concern

PARIS, March 10, (AP): The world this year and 4% next year. That is up from businesses and jobs. economy is bouncing back from the a December forecast of 4.2% growth in 2021 Nearly 10 million more people across the and 3.7% for 2022. OECD’s 36 mostly rich-country member states pandemic crisis faster than expected, After the virus plunged the world economy are unemployed now than prior to the crisis. thanks in part to successful corona- into crisis last year, the OECD now expects And in poorer countries, “substantial job losses virus vaccines and U.S. stimulus ef- global output to surpass pre-pandemic levels have increased poverty and deprivation of mil- by the middle of this year. However, it warned lions of workers,” the report said. forts, but the improvements are un- of divergence in progress, with faster growth “The top policy priority is to ensure that all even and joblessness remains a big in China and the U.S. while some other regions resources necessary are used to produce and concern, according to a new forecast. are expected to continue struggling until the fully deploy vaccinations as quickly as pos- end of 2022. sible throughout the world, to save lives, pre- The Organization for Economic Coopera- The Paris-based group also warned that new serve incomes and limit the adverse impact tion and Development on Tuesday raised its virus variants and too-slow vaccine rollouts of containment measures on well-being,” the expectations for global GDP growth to 5.5% could threaten chances of improvement for report said.

The Amazon Fresh grocery store opens to the public in London, March 4, where shoppers will be able to pick up items and walk out of the store, contactless, without the need for a till. Customers will scan a QR code on their way into the store, with cameras and technology identifying the items that shoppers take from the shelves and their account automatically paid. (AP) Amazon opens first UK checkout-free grocery store in London

Amazon has opened a cashier-free super- technology. the checkout, a feature that has more appeal market in London, its fi rst bricks and mortar Shoppers use a smartphone app to scan a after the pandemic highlighted the need for expansion outside the U.S. as the company QR code so they can enter the store. social distancing. bets on strong demand for its contactless They can fill their shopping bags with Amazon already operates 26 cashier- shops. milk, eggs or other groceries while cam- free convenience stores in the U.S. under The online retailing giant opened the doors eras and sensors track what’s taken off the Amazon Go brand and two larger su- to its Amazon Fresh shop in West London’s shelves. permarkets called Amazon Go Grocery. As Ealing neighborhood on Thursday, in what it Purchases are charged to an Amazon part of its U.K. launch, Amazon also un- said will be the fi rst in a wave of shops in the account after leaving and a receipt sent by veiled its new private label food brand, by British capital using its automated checkout email. There’s no need to wait in line to pay at Amazon. (AP) Restaurants are big beneficiaries of relief bill NEW YORK, March 10, (AP): Restaurants devastated by the coronavirus outbreak are getting a lifeline from the pan- OAPEC, KISR sign cooperation MoU demic relief package that’s awaiting fi nal approval in the House. KUWAIT CITY, March 10, (KUNA): The Cooperation between OAPEC and KISR The bill passed by the Senate on Saturday adds money to Organization of Arab Petroleum Export- has been ongoing for years, he said, and the the Paycheck Protection Program and provides indirect help ing Countries (OAPEC) and Kuwait Insti- MoU would further explore studies over to small businesses in general through stimulus payments tute for Scientific Research (KISR) signed production, refining and treatment of oil, gas and unemployment benefi ts. But restaurants got the biggest a memorandum of understanding Monday and petrochemical products. share of direct help: $28.6 billion in grants for restaurants over scientific cooperation. The MoU also tackles management of water whose revenue fell in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. OAPEC secretary general Ali bin Sabt, resources and environmental studies, he said. The bill calls for grants equal to the amount of restaurants’ speaking to reporters after signing the MoU This cooperation, said bin Sabt, stipulated revenue losses, up to a maximum of $10 million per com- with KISR Director General Dr Samira conducting of studies over consumption of re- pany and $5 million per location. Eligible companies cannot Sayyed Omar, said the MoU reflected desire newable and conventional energies. Dr. Omar own more than 20 locations, and they can’t be publicly trad- of both institutions to exchange expertise in said the MoU was part of KISR’s contributions ed. The bill sets aside $5 billion for the smallest restaurants, energy industry. to oil industries and natural resources. those whose annual revenue is $500,000 or less. Industry groups welcomed the grants. The National Restaurant Association, an industry organization, noted that the Senate added $3.6 billion to the $25 billion al- located in the original House bill. While the $28.6 billion in the bill was only about a tenth of the amount of money the industry has lost during the pandemic, the restaurant group sees it as a win. “It’s going to keep doors open. The smallest and hardest hit are going to get the help they’ve needed the most,” said Sean Kennedy, an executive vice president at the group. Restaurants were decimated by the pandemic that led to government-ordered shutdowns and that is still keeping many diners away. As of Dec. 1, over 110,000 U.S. restau- rants were closed either temporarily or permanently, accord- ing to the National Restaurant Association. That’s 17% of the number of restaurants in business before the pandemic. In January, industrywide revenue was down more than 16% from a year earlier, the group said. Small business advocates were pleased with the overall bill, and said the $1,400 stimulus payments to individuals and families as well as continued unemployment benefi ts will give consumers more money they can spend at small businesses. “Anytime you’re putting money in the hands of consum- ers, regardless of how it gets there, it helps small business- es,” said Keith Hall, president of the National Association for the Self-Employed, noting that Main Street businesses like hair salons will likely benefi t. Congress added more than $7 billion to the $800 bil- lion allotted to the latest round of the PPP that began Jan. 11. The Small Business Administration has approved about $680 billion in loans so far during this round, and a total of $1.2 trillion since April. But small business advocates are concerned because the bill did not extend the program, which is scheduled to end March 31. Congress can still extend the PPP - it previously passed extensions after two earlier rounds of funding ended - but Karen Kerrigan, president of the Small Business & En- trepreneurship Council, called the bill “a missed opportu- nity” for improvements to small business pandemic relief. Kerrigan was also concerned because lawmakers didn’t increase a $150,000 limit on SBA economic injury disaster loans that many companies sought during the virus outbreak. The bill also includes $100 million for SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Centers and other organiza- tions that offer free advice and education to small business- es. It also contains $10 billion for the State Small Business Credit Initiative, a program aimed at helping states support lending to small companies. Kerrigan was optimistic that the bill would have a positive effect on the economy and in turn, small businesses. “We do anticipate an overall lift that helps to fuel the mo- mentum and confi dence that is building on Main Street,” she said. But she warned, rather than spend their stimulus pay- ments, many individuals and families will use the money for savings or pay down debt. “Therefore, small businesses must continue to compete fi ercely for available consumer dollars,” she said. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 BUSINESS 9

ex-shareholders demand $1 billion from Vivendi Universal

Shareholders from the U.S. and multiple Jean-Marie Messier, vaunted the company’s ties fraud. countries took entertainment conglomerate fi nancial health even as it was bleeding cash, France’s fi nancial market regulator or- Vivendi Universal to court in Paris to demand according to internal company documents dered Vivendi and Messier to pay $1 million This Friday, Sept up to $1 billion in damages for allegedly hid- read at the trial. Its share price plunged in each for fraud in 2004 over their actions in ing its massive debts and other fi nancial July 2002 after its diffi culties became public, the early 2000s. Vivendi was also found li- 16, 2016 fi le photo troubles from investors 20 years ago. and the company lost billions. able for violating federal securities laws in shows the logo of Vivendi – whose holdings currently in- Scores of institutional shareholders who separate U.S. legal proceedings involving the French media clude Universal Music Group, Gameloft lost out as a result – including public pen- the same period. At Tuesday’s trial, the company Vivendi video game producer and cable network Ca- sion funds from the U.S. and Europe – are shareholders’ lawyers argued that the com- S.A. in Paris. (AP) nal+ – was accused of providing fraudulent seeking compensation from the company via pany management, gripped by an “obses- information to shareholders between 2000 Tuesday’s trial. sion of grandeur” and determined to prop and 2002 in the trial held Tuesday in the Vivendi lawyers argued that the compa- up the share price, intentionally released Paris commercial court. ny’s troubles were not hidden and were the incomplete or fraudulent information about Vivendi’s high-fl ying CEO at the time, result of an “error of strategy” and not securi- Vivendi’s fi nancial troubles. (AP) Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher Major tech companies rally

BEIJING, March 10, (AP): Asian stock prices followed Wall Street higher on Wednesday following a rally for major tech companies. Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong advanced. South Korea retreated. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index closed up 1.4%, led by gains for Apple, Amazon and other tech majors. The Nasdaq composite index, dominated by tech shares, surged 3.7% for its biggest gain in four months. Markets have been adjusting to a rise in long-term in- terest rates in the bond market, which has pulled money out of stocks. A reversal in bond market trends at least temporarily sent investors back to companies they hope will thrive after the coronavirus pandemic ends. The swing shows “how fragile sentiment has become, driven by the absolute uncertainty” about the outlook for interest rates and infl ation, said Stephen Innes of Axi in a report. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.7% to 3,381.84 and the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 0.3% to 29,106.84. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.5% to 28,9904.00. The Kospi in Seoul lost 0.6% to 2,957.54 while Aus- tralia’s S&P-ASX 200 slid 0.4% to 6,745.60. Rose India’s Sensex opened up 0.50% at 51,279.51. New Zealand and Indonesia rose while Singapore retreated. In European trading FTSE 100 in London rose 0.6% to 6,686.70 and Frankfurt’s DAX added 0.1% to 14,420.95. The CAC 40 in Paris advanced less than 0.1% to 5,920.13. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose Tuesday to 3,875.44. Communication companies and those that rely on con- sumer spending contributed to the increase. Financial, energy and industrial stocks lagged the broader market. Apple rose 4.1%, chipmaker Nvidia climbed 8% and Tesla jumped 19.6% for the biggest gain in the S&P People walk by an electronic stock board of a securities fi rm in Tokyo, March 10. (AP) 500. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which is weighted Financial sector stocks, which had benefi ted from the stocks. gine. less toward tech, rose 0.1% to 31,832.74. rise in bond yields, were the biggest decliners Tuesday. The fall in bond prices drew investors who didn’t In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude lost 49 The Nasdaq advanced to 13,073.82. Despite that, the Bank of America fell 2.2%, while American Express want to pay high prices for stocks, especially tech stocks cents to $63.52 per barrel in electronic trading on the index is 7.2% below its Feb. 12 high. On Monday it slid 3.4%. Banks and credit card issuers tend to do well that looked most expensive. New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract sank closed 10% below its peak in what is known as a correc- when interest rates are rising because they can charge Investors are betting the $1.9 trillion in coming gov- $1.04 on Tuesday to $64.01. Brent crude, used to price higher rates. ernment stimulus will help lift the U.S. economy out of tion on Wall Street. international oils, declined 61 cents to $66.91 per barrel Some of the big technology stocks that fueled last Bond yields, or the difference between a bond’s mar- its coronavirus-induced malaise. The package set for fi - year’s market rebound after the coronavirus outbreak ket price and the payout at maturity, have been widen- nal approval in the U.S. House on Wednesday provides in London. It retreated 72 cents the previous session to upended the global economy have been shedding gains ing due to rising expectations for growth and the infl a- direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and $67.52. since the Nasdaq peak on Feb. 12. tion that could follow. Infl ation erodes the value of that extends emergency unemployment benefi ts that help to The dollar rose to 108.83 yen from Tuesday’s 108.47 Apple was down 14% through the end of last week. future bond payout, encouraging investors to shift to support consumer spending, the economy’s main en- yen. The euro declined to $1.1878 from $1.1901. Public pensions threatened Puerto Rico outlines its debt ‘restructure’ plans SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, March 10, (AP): A framework that outlines how Puerto Rico will restructure at least $35 billion in public debt and more than $50 billion in public pension liabilities threatens a 10% cut to certain public pen- sions if no agreement is reached with retirees. The amended plan of adjustment of 233 pages was filed late Monday in U.S. court by a federal control board that oversees Puerto Rico’s finances and was created by Con- gress to lift the U.S. territory’s government out of bank- ruptcy. The plan includes a proposed cut of up to 8.5% to monthly pensions of at least $1,500. That has long been a point of contention between the board and the governor, who has re- peatedly said he would not approve such cuts. Board Chairman David Skeel called the plan “a milestone for Puerto Rico’s recovery, stability, and prosperity. This plan substantially reduces the burden of debt payments on future generations, stabilizes and protects pensions that have been mismanaged for so long, and affi rms the collective bar- gaining agreements of government workers.” The board said that if the proposed pension cut is rejected, it would return to the original proposal of imposing a 10% cut on monthly pensions of at least $1,000. Gov. Pedro Pierluisi issued a statement saying the plan was a great step in helping end the debt-restructuring pro- cess. “Puerto Rico needs to leave this bankruptcy process be- hind in order to achieve the sustainable economic develop- ment to which we all aspire and eliminate the uncertainty inherent in this process, as well as the million-dollar restruc- turing expenses that the government has had to incur,” he said. Support But Pierluisi noted the government will state in court that it does not wholly support the plan. “My administration has been emphatic that this pension cut is not reasonable,” he said. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico economist José Caraballo said the plan had positive and negative aspects and recommended that the governor negotiate with the board to protect pen- sions up to $2,000 and then impose a 10% cut on anything higher. “You have to seek a little fl exibility,” he said in a phone interview. Caraballo said he supports the plan’s call to create a pen- sion reserve trust, noting that pensions are currently paid by tax revenues. He also agrees that the amount of money bondholders would receive is to be contingent on the ups and downs of government revenue fl ows. However, he worries that creditors would be paid what he considers an excessive amount. “Practically 30% of Puerto Rico’s budget will go toward paying retirees and bondholders,” he said, adding that the is- land’s legislature could be a game changer because it would have to approve the issuance of new bonds as outlined in the plan. “That’s where we could see a roadblock.” Ultimately, the plan also has to be approved by a judge overseeing Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy-like process. If that oc- curs, the plan would reduce Puerto Rico’s outstanding debt from $35 billion to $7.4 billion, an 80% cut. Among other things, it also would cut total debt service payments by more than 60%, which the board said would save the government nearly $60 billion in debt service payments. The board said the amended plan has “substantial” sup- port from creditors, including from those who hold more than $13 billion worth of bonds. new owner Buzzfeed lays off 45 from HuffPost newsroom The entrance to BuzzFeed Buzzfeed announced Tuesday that it has According to excerpts released by the the restructuring. in New York is laid off 45 reporters, editors and producers company, Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti told The union said the layoffs included nearly seen on Nov 19, from the newly acquired HuffPost. employees at a meeting that “we will begin 30 percent of its membership. HuffPost Executive Editor Hillary Frey, the to restructure HuffPost today to fast-track “We are devastated and infuriated, par- 2020. Buzzfeed website’s executive editor, and Executive its path to profi tability. Unfortunately that ticularly after an exhausting year of covering announced that Editor Louise Roug also resigned over the includes staff reductions, and a number of a pandemic and working from home,” the un- it has laid off 45 layoffs, Buzzfeed said. talented colleagues will be laid off over the ion’s statement said. reporters, editors The dismissals come just three weeks af- next few days.” Many of the laid off employees were la- and producers ter Buzzfeed acquired HuffPost, the media Peretti said “losses last year exceeded menting losing their jobs on social media af- from the newly outlet founded in 2005 as The Huffi ngton $20M, and would be similar this year without ter stints of many years, and objected to the acquired HuffPost. Post, from Verizon Media. intervention. Though BuzzFeed is a profi t- way they were told, saying the password for (AP) “We never got a fair shot to prove our able company, we don’t have the resources entering the remote meeting was a variation worth,” the HuffPost union said in a state- to support another two years of losses.” of “spring is here,” making them blindsided ment. HuffPost Canada will be shut down under by what would come later. (AP) Business PPluslus Hack poses a new challenge for the White House Microsoft server hack has victims hustling to stop intruders

product installed.” Asked for comment, the Chinese embassy in Washington pointed to remarks last week from For- eign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin saying that China “fi rmly opposes and combats cyber at- tacks and cyber theft in all forms” and cautioning that attribution of cyberattacks should be based on evidence and not “groundless ac- cusations.” The hack did not affect the cloud-based Microsoft 365 email and collaboration systems favored by Fortune 500 companies and other organizations that can afford quality security. That highlights what some in the industry lament as two computing classes - the security “haves” and “have-nots.” Ben Read, director of analysis at Mandiant, said the cybersecurity fi rm has not seen anyone leverage the hack for fi nancial gain, “but for folks out there who are affected time is of the essence in terms of of patching this issue.” That is easier said than done for many victims. Many have skeleton IT staff and can’t afford an emer- gency cybersecurity response - not to mention the complications of the pandemic. Fixing the problem isn’t as simple as clicking an update button on a computer screen. It requires upgrading an organization’s entire so-called “Active Directory,” which catalogues email users and their respective privileges. “Taking down your e-mail server is not something you do lightly,” said Alperovitch, who chairs the nonprofi t Silverado Policy Accel- erator think tank. Tony Cole of Attivo Networks said the huge number of potential victims creates a perfect “smoke- The CEO of FireEye Kevin Mandia gives a tour of the cybersecurity company’s unused offi ce space in Reston, Va., on March 9, 2021. Mandia said 550 of his employees are working remotely screen” for nation-state hackers to and responding to a recent barrage of cyber breaches, including four different zero-day attacks against Microsoft Exchange. (AP) hide a much smaller list of intended targets by tying up already over- By Frank Bajak, Eric Tucker and providers and manufacturers. those hackers got wind of the initial but it’s a large percentage of them.” stretched cybersecurity offi cials. “There’s not enough incident re- Matt O’Brien While the hack doesn’t pose the breach because no one knew about Katie Nickels, director of intel- kind of national security threat as the this except a few researchers, Alp- ligence at the cybersecurity fi rm sponse teams to handle all of this.” ictims of a massive global more sophisticated SolarWinds cam- erovitch said. Red Canary, warned that installing Many experts were surprised and Vhack of Microsoft email server paign, which the Biden administra- After the patch was released, patches won’t be enough to protect perplexed at how groups rushed to software – estimated in the tens tion blames on Russian intelligence a third wave of infections began, those already infected. “If you infect server installations just ahead I would say it’s a of thousands by cybersecurity offi cers, it can be an existential threat a piling on that typically occurs patch today that is going to protect of Microsoft’s patch release. Ken- responders – hustled Monday to you going forward but if the adver- nedy, of TrustedSec, said it took ‘ for victims who didn’t install the in such cases because Microsoft Microsoft too long to get a patch serious economic shore up infected systems and try patch in time and now have hackers dominates the software market and saries are already in your system to diminish chances that intruders out, though he does not think it lingering in their systems. The hack offers a single point of attack. then you need to take care of that,” should have notifi ed people about it security threat might steal data or hobble their poses a new challenge for the White Cybersecurity analysts trying to she said. networks. before the patch was ready. House, which even as it prepares to pull together a complete picture A smaller number of organiza- Steven Adair of the cybersecu- because so many The White House has called the respond to the SolarWinds breach, of the hack said their analyses tions were targeted in the initial rity fi rm Volexity, which alerted hack an “active threat” and said must now grapple with a formidable concur with the fi gure of 30,000 intrusion by hackers who grabbed Microsoft to the initial intrusion, small companies out senior national security offi cials and very different threat from China. U.S. victims published Friday by data, stole credentials or explored described a “mass, indiscriminate were addressing it. “I would say it’s a serious cybersecurity blogger Brian Krebs. inside networks and left backdoors at exploitation” that began the week- there can literally The breach was discovered in economic security threat because Alperovitch said about 250,000 universities, defense contractors, law end before the patch was released early January and attributed to so many small companies out global victims has been estimated. fi rms and infectious-disease research and included groups from “many have their business Chinese cyber spies targeting US there can literally have their busi- Microsoft has declined to say centers, researchers said. Among different countries, (including) policy think tanks. Then in late ness destroyed through a targeted how many customers it believes are those Kennedy has been working criminal actors.” destroyed through a February, fi ve days before Micro- ransomware attack,” said Dmitri infected. with are manufacturers worried about The Cybersecurity Infrastructure soft issued a patch on March 2, Alperovitch, former chief technical David Kennedy, CEO of cy- intellectual property theft, hospitals, and Security Agency issued an ur- targeted ransomware there was an explosion of infi ltra- offi cer of the cybersecurity fi rm bersecurity fi rm TrustedSec, said fi nancial institutions and managed gent alert on the hack last Wednes- tions by other intruders, piggyback- CrowdStrike. hundreds of thousands of organiza- service providers who host multiple day and National Security Adviser attack ing on the initial breach. Victims He blames China for the global tions could have been vulnerable to company networks. Jake Sullivan tweeted about it ’ run the spectrum of organizations wave of infections that began the hack. “On the scale of one to 10, this is Thursday evening. that run email servers, from mom- Feb 26, though other researchers “Anybody that had Exchange in- a 20,” Kennedy said. “It was essen- But the White House has yet to and-pop retailers to law fi rms, say it’s too early to confi dently stalled was potentially vulnerable,” tially a skeleton key to open up any announce any specifi c initiative for municipal governments, healthcare attribute them. It’s a mystery how he said. “It’s not every single one company that had this Microsoft responding. (AP) Turn your quarantine clutter into money By Courtney Jespersen With Chelsea” web series, says she one might pay for the item, then Once you’ve sold and donated jects around the house. You’ll spend NerdWallet made over $1,000 selling things price it slightly lower to make it what you can, fi ght the urge to less and accumulate less stuff. online during the last six months move. You can also check listings impulse shop again. Keeping up Too expensive? Buy used placed more online orders than I of 2020 through Facebook Mar- posted by other users to determine your current habits could get you But you can’t stop shopping al- Ican count in 2020. And I justifi ed ketplace, an outlet for buying and the going rate. right back to where you started. One together. For things you absolutely all of them. selling locally. ■ PARTICULARS. Spell out way to avoid that? Save fi rst and need, consider buying on the same If you have so My front porch was fi lled with You can, too. Look online for this everything in the description, in- buy later. websites you used to make extra boxes containing all sorts of things: or another marketplace that suits cluding the brand and any imperfec- This approach is the exact op- money. furniture (I needed to redecorate), ‘ your needs. For example, Face- tions. A more detailed listing means posite of putting something on a When you list products, you much stuff that you paper towels (I needed to stock up), crafts (I needed activities), board book Marketplace caters to local less back and forth with potential credit card and paying it off after won’t sell them for as much as you can’t see what you games (more activities) and a tread- transactions, while other sites focus buyers. As the saying goes, “Time is the fact, says Pam Horack, a certi- originally paid for them. That means mill (I needed exercise). on product categories like tech or money,” Wolf says. fi ed fi nancial planner and the owner you can purchase things at a signifi - have, then you’re But if I’m being honest, I bought apparel. Read the directions to see Too much work? Consign of Pathfi nder Planning LLC, based cant discount, too. a little too much. how the site works and check for Depending on which site you in Lake Wylie, South Carolina. Consumers have been buying and going to buy more Take a look around your place. customer reviews or a Better Busi- use, you’ll have to write listings, Save money and wait to place selling used during the pandemic, If your quarantine habits were even ness Bureau accreditation before package your items and send them an order until you can afford it in according to Sara Beane, media than you need a tiny bit like mine, you could turn committing. Make an account, then either directly to the buyer or to the full. Horack says her family has a relations specialist at technology that clutter into money. Here’s how. get to work. platform you used to make the sale. designated clothing account. When marketplace Swappa. “Everybody is ’ You can sell almost anything In some cases, you can deliver in someone needs a new pair of shoes, kind of strapped during this unprec- Too much stuff? Sell it Perhaps you purchased more online – technology, furniture, person. the money comes from what they’ve edented time,” Beane says. than you ended up using, like board clothing, video games and toys, to To save time and effort, take your set aside. For example, the site saw a rush games or video games. Or maybe name a few. stuff to a local consignment store You can do the same with a on laptops around back-to-school you bought new products to replace Here are Wolf’s keys to making instead. You’ll likely make less, but general spending account. “If you season. Search used marketplaces old items and were left with a things sell: the store does the selling for you. don’t have money in that account, by model and condition of the item. drawer of discarded technology. ■ PRESENTATION. “You want Expect to pocket half of the selling then you can’t buy it,” Horack says. You’ll fi nd many price points to fi t Whatever the case, you have the item you’re selling to be the fo- price, Wolf says. “That needs to be your rule.” your budget. more than you need. And there cal point of your photo,” Wolf says. Other options? Give things away There are also ways to stay busy But before you hit the “buy” but- are lots of places to sell your stuff Clean it fi rst, then take fl attering to family and friends. Donate to a without spending much, if any, ton, do some organizing, Wolf says. online. photos in natural sunlight, prefer- local charity. And throw away items money. Here are some of Horack’s “If you have so much stuff that Chelsea Lipford Wolf, co-host ably near a window. Get multiple that have absolutely no use. ideas: Redecorate your house by you can’t see what you have, then of the “Today’s Homeowner” TV angles. Too many temptations? Scale moving around your furniture. you’re going to buy more than you show and host of the “Checking In ■ PRICE. Consider what some- back Spend time outdoors. Finish up pro- need.” (AP) ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 SCIENCE 11

Coronavirus

Guilt, envy, distrust Vaccines ‘breed’ mixed emotions NEW YORK, March 10, (AP): Before posting a selfie with her COVID-19 vaccination card on Twitter, Aditi Juneja debated whether to include an explanation for why she was eligible for a shot. “The first draft of the tweet had an explanation,” says Juneja, a 30-year-old lawyer in New York City. After some thought, she decided to leave out that her body mass index is considered obese, putting her at higher risk of serious illness if infected. A friend who disclosed the same reason on social media was greeted with hateful com- ments, and Juneja wanted to avoid that. The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the US is offering hope that the pandemic that has upended life around the world will finally draw to an end. But as distribution widens in the US, varying eligibility rules and unequal access to the coveted doses are also breeding guilt, envy and judgment among those who’ve had their doses - particularly the seemingly young and healthy - and the millions still anxiously awaiting their turn. Adding to the second-guessing about who should be getting shots is the scattershot feel of the rollout, and Berlinger the sense that some might be gaming the system. Faced with a patchwork of confusing scheduling systems, many who aren’t as tech- nically savvy or socially connected have been left waiting Sangu Kande (left), a nurse at Queen Anne Healthcare, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in Seattle, poses for a photo, March 5, with Jean Allen, 96, one even as new swaths of people become eligible. of the patients Kande cared for during the past year. Allen was infected and recovered from coronavirus. But 19 of her fellow residents and two beloved staff The envy and moral judgments about whether others members died. The deaths trailed off, but the isolation and boredom continue. (AP) deserve to be prioritized are understandable and could reflect anxieties about being able to get vaccines for our- selves or our loved ones, says Nancy Berlinger, a bioethi- Coronavirus cist with the Hastings Center. “There’s the fear of missing out, or fear of missing out on behalf of your parents,” she says. Stereotypes about what illness looks like are also feeding into doubts about people’s eligibility, even though the rea- Pandemic one year: deaths, agonies and disrupted lives son a person got a shot won’t always be obvious. In other cases, Berlinger says judgments could reflect entrenched biases about smoking and obesity, compared with condi- tions that society might deem more “virtuous,” such as Weary world looks back and forward cancer. By Michelle R. Smith and But it is a hard-earned optimism. It’s been difficult. “We are moun- Vaccination Andrew Meldrum Sedidi, a 59-year-old nurse at Soweto’s tain people who are used to walking Yet even though a mass vaccination campaign is bound Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital, freely in nature,” Sherpa said. “But for to have imperfections, Berlinger noted the goal is to priori- o one has been untouched. recalls being terrified when she got months during lockdown we were tize people based on medical evidence on who’s most at N Not the Michigan woman who COVID-19. Her manager fell ill at the forced to be confined in a room in risk if infected. awakened one morning, her wife dead same time and died. Kathmandu city. It was mental torture Nevertheless, the uneven rollout and varying rules across by her side. Not the domestic worker South Africa has had more than 1.5 for us.” million confirmed cases, including the country have some questioning decisions by local offi- in Mozambique, her livelihood threat- Relief cials. ened by the virus. Not the sixth-grader, more than 50,000 deaths in a country In New Jersey, 58-year-old software developer Mike exiled from the classroom in the blink of 60 million people. In Mozambique, one of the world’s Lyncheski was surprised when he learned in January that of an eye. “I had shortness of breath and tight- poorest countries, the government smokers of any age were eligible, since he knew older It happened a year ago. “I expected ness of the chest. It lasted for six pledged relief pay of the equivalent of to go back after that week,” said months,” she said. “I didn’t think it $20 for three months to those who lost people at the time who were still waiting for shots. would ever go away.” work. “It didn’t seem like there was medical rationale for it,” 12-year-old Darelyn Maldonado. “I Julie Fry poses outside her home in didn’t think that it would take years.” But she mended, and she’s back at “It never happened,” said domestic says Lyncheski, who isn’t yet eligible for the vaccines. He On March 11, 2020, when the work. Others have not been so lucky. worker Alice Nharre, 45. “My mother also noted there’s no way to confirm that people are smok- Port Matilda, Pa, with a memorial booklet honoring her late grandmoth- World Health Organization declared a In the United States -- the world’s signed up, but the money never ers, leaving the door open for cheating. er Regina Connelly on Feb 4. After pandemic, few could foresee the long most COVID-wracked country -- 29 arrived.” The suspicions are being fueled by reports of line- Connelly died of COVID-19 at her road ahead or the many ways in which million have been infected, and The country has received nearly jumpers or those stretching the definitions for eligibility. nursing home last December, there they would suffer – the deaths and 527,000 have died. 700,000 vaccine doses for its 30 mil- In New York, a Soul Cycle instructor got vaccinated after was no large church celebration of agonies of millions, the ruined econo- lion people, but it’s not clear when teachers became eligible in January, the Daily Beast her life. Fry and her sister put together mies, the disrupted lives and near-uni- Home they will be widely available. reported, and later apologized for her “terrible error” in a ‘memory book’ shared with family versal loneliness and isolation. Latoria Glenn-Carr and her wife of “Maybe, it’s for doctors, and the big judgment. In Florida, two women wore bonnets and and friends. (AP) A year later, some are dreaming of a six years, Tyeisha, were diagnosed at a people. For us, the little people, we glasses to disguise themselves as elderly in hopes of scor- return to normal, thanks to vaccines hospital emergency room near their don’t know,” Nharre shrugged. ing shots. Hospital board members, trustees and donors that seemed to materialize as if by home outside Detroit. Despite Latoria’s When Trump began calling COVID- have also gotten shots early on, raising complaints about magic. Others live in places where the qualms, they were sent home. 19 the “China virus,” Joyce Kuo unfair access. magic seems to be reserved for wealth- Tyeisha, 43, died in bed next to her tensed up. It’s why some feel obligated to explain why they were ier worlds. wife three days later. “It was like ‘Here we go, brace able to get the vaccine. In an Instagram post, Jeff Klein held At the same time, people are look- “I woke up on Sunday, and I didn’t yourself,’” said the 36-year-old furni- up his vaccination card and noted he was given a shot as a ing back at where they were when they feel a pulse,” Glenn-Carr said. ture manufacturer from Greensboro, volunteer at a mass vaccination hub. first understood how drastically life One month later, COVID killed North Carolina. Kuo was born in “I definitely mentioned it on purpose, because I didn’t would change. Glenn-Carr’s mother, too. America, but kept being reminded that want people to get the wrong idea,” says Klein, a 44-year- On March 11, 2020, confirmed Glenn-Carr sometimes thinks she others felt she did not belong. old musician in Austin, Texas. cases of COVID-19 stood at 125,000, should have pushed the hospital to During a dentist visit with her chil- and reported deaths stood at fewer keep Tyeisha, or taken her elsewhere. dren, Kuo recalled, a white woman in As she waited for a shot in Jacksonville, Florida, 33-year- than 5,000. Today, 117 million people She’s angry at America’s political the waiting area pulled her daughter old Amanda Billy said it could be frustrating seeing people Rogozin Kerry are confirmed to have been infected, leaders - in particular, Trump, who she close and loudly instructed: “You need her age in other states posting about getting vaccinated. She and according to Johns Hopkins, more believes was more worried about the to stay away from them. They proba- understood that state rollouts vary, but felt anxious because than 2.6 million people have died. economy than people’s lives. bly have that virus.” she has a medical condition that makes COVID-19 “very “If he was more empathetic to the Meanwhile, Kuo and her husband real and scary.” Discovery Season issues and concerned about people, in worked to keep their outdoor furniture “I’m just happy for them that they got it. But also, I want On that day, Italy closed shops and general, he would have taken it more business going, and started using it,” she said in an interview before getting her first shot. Nations to build lunar station: Chi- restaurants after locking down in the seriously,” she said. “And because of upholstery materials to make cloth Others are finding they are opening themselves up to na and Russia said they will build a lunar face of 10,000 reported infections. The that, 500,000 people are dead.” masks. She also began homeschooling criticism when sharing news that they got a shot. Public research station, possibly on the moon’s NBA suspended its season, and Tom With the pandemic came hard times her children, finishing her work after figures in particular might become targets of second-guess- surface, marking the start of a new era in Hanks, filming a movie in Australia, in so many places. In Nepal, the stream the kids’ bedtimes. ing by strangers. space cooperation between the two coun- announced he was infected. of foreign adventurers arriving to climb “I think for any parent with chil- In New York, local TV news co-host Jamie Stelter posted tries. On that evening, President Donald Mount Everest stopped - a disaster for dren, working from home is almost a a photo of herself after getting a first shot last month. Many A statement posted on the website of the Trump addressed the nation, announc- guides like Pasang Rinzee Sherpa. joke,” she said. “You do what you replies were positive, but others noted that she didn’t look China National Space Administration ing restrictions on travel from Europe Sherpa has scaled Mount Everest can.” old enough or that she must “have connections.” Wednesday said the International Lunar that set off a trans-Atlantic scramble. twice and spent 18 years helping Darelyn Maldonado hasn’t been Afterward, Stelter’s co-host Pat Kiernan weighed in and Research Station would also be open to use Airports flooded with unmasked climbers up the highest Himalayan inside her school in Pawtucket, Rhode tweeted that the “you don’t look that sick to me” commen- by other countries, but gave no timeline for crowds in the days that followed. peaks, generally earning about $8,000 Island, for a year. She once loved tary she received was “evidence of the hell that COVID has its construction. Soon, they were empty. a year. In the past 12 months, he has school, but the 7th grader now strug- It described the project as a “comprehen- And that, for much of the world, had no income. gles with online lessons. There’s also placed us in.” sive scientific experiment base with the For Juneja, the decision to get a shot after becoming eli- was just the beginning. Sherpa had to beg his landlord in the frustration of giving up softball capability of long-term autonomous opera- Today, thanks to her vaccination, Kathmandu to waive his rent. He and so much else that brings her joy. gible wasn’t easy, given the struggles she knew others were tion.” Maggie Sedidi is optimistic that nor- stopped sending money to his parents. “I don’t have very many friends having securing appointments because of technology, lan- The station would be “built on the lunar mal life might return in a year or two. He lives on two simple meals a day. anymore,” Darelyn said. (AP) guage or other barriers. But she realized it wouldn’t help for surface and/or on the lunar orbit that will her to refrain from getting vaccinated. carry out ... scientific research activities “It’s not like with other types of things where I could give such as the lunar exploration and utilization, my spot to someone else who I think is more in need,” she lunar-based observation, basic scientific this year to work on its first permanent to Brussels on Tuesday to relaunch trans- orities. Biden had the United States rejoin experiment and technical verification,” the orbiting space station, the core module of Atlantic cooperation with European offi- the Paris climate accord in the first hours says. “We are sort of all in this situation where we can only which could be launched as soon as next cials in the wake of President Joe Biden’s of his presidency, undoing the US with- really decide for ourselves.” statement said. It said a memorandum of understanding month. (AP) decision to rejoin the global effort to curb drawal ordered by predecessor Donald Also: on the project was signed Tuesday by ❑ ❑ ❑ climate change. Trump. Zhang Kejian, administrator of the China Like EU Commission President Ursula Kerry was welcomed by the EU MILAN: Russia has signed a deal to produce its Sputnik V National Space Administration, and Russian Kerry in Brussels for talks: US spe- von der Leyen, Biden has said that fighting Commission vice-president in charge of cli- coronavirus vaccine in Italy, the first contract in the space agency Roscosmos chief Dmitry cial envoy for climate John Kerry traveled global warming is among his highest pri- mate action, Frans Timmermans, for discus- European Union, the Italian Russian Chamber of Commerce Rogozin. sions focusing on the next UN climate announced Tuesday. China drew heavily on Russian exper- summit, taking place in Glasgow in The deal was signed with Adienne Srl, the Italian subsid- tise in the early years of its space program, November. He also held talks with von der iary of a Swiss-based pharmaceutical company, and Kirill but has largely forged its own path since Leyen and other EU officials during a Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. launching its first crewed mission in 2003. weekly commission meeting on trans- Production is set to start in July and produce 10 million Despite that, China’s Shenzhou spaceships Atlantic climate action. doses this year. closely resemble Russia’s Soyuz capsules Kerry insisted the partnership should and the CNSA has worked with countries “even be stronger now.” “The innovative production process will help create new around the world, apart from the US “We face an extraordinary crisis, jobs and allow Italy to control the entire production of the Congress bans almost all contacts between because the science is screaming at us, the compound,’’ the chamber said in a statement. Financial NASA and China over concerns about evidence grows by the year,” said Kerry, a terms were not released. technology theft and the secretive, mili- former US Secretary of State. “Last year, Russian authorities are working on 20 similar collabora- tary-backed nature of China’s space pro- again, hottest year in history ... So this is a tions in Europe and the Sputnik V vaccine has been regis- gram. crisis, the climate crisis. But it’s also a tered in 45 nations worldwide, the group said. Russia and China will “adhere to the moment of the greatest opportunity that The Russian Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled the principle of ‘co-consultation, joint construc- we’ve had since perhaps the industrial vaccine and markets it abroad has said that the production tion, and shared benefits,’ facilitate exten- revolution.” India sive cooperation in the ILRS, open to all The 2015 Paris climate change accord of Sputnik V will span several countries, including , commits countries to put forward plans for South Korea, Brazil, China, Turkey, Iran, as well as interested countries and international part- ners, strengthen scientific research exchang- reducing their emissions of greenhouse Belarus and Kazakhstan. Some manufacturers abroad es, and promote humanity’s exploration and gases such as carbon dioxide, which is have produced trial batches of the Russian vaccine, but use of outer space for peaceful purpose,” released from burning fossil fuels. European there are few indications they have so far produced any the Chinese statement said. Union leaders reached a hard-fought deal in large amounts of the shot. Russia is a participant in the International December to cut the bloc’s net greenhouse Russia announced, Tuesday, 9,445 new coronavirus Space Station but its space program has gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 com- cases and 336 deaths in the past 24 hours. been somewhat eclipsed by those of China, A medic wearing a special suit against coronavirus adjusts a coronavirus pared with 1990 levels. The total number of cases rose to 4,342,474 and deaths to the US, India and others. In its most recent patient’s oxygen mask at the intensive care unit at a hospital in the mining town The EU wants to be a leader in the fight 89,809, Russian health authorities said in a statement. development, Russia successfully test- of Selydove, 700 km (420 miles) east of Kyiv, eastern Ukraine, March 4. Ukraine against global warming and has pledged to launched its heavy lift Angara A5 space received its first shipment of 500,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses in late reach climate neutrality by mid-century as The statement added that 9,931 people were discharged February. Yet, only about 19,000 people have been vaccinated since then. from hospitals, raising the number of recoveries to rocket for the second time in December part of its European Green Deal action plan. after lengthy delays and technical prob- Ukrainians are becoming increasingly opposed to vaccination: an opinion poll The Biden administration has yet to 3,932,177. lems. this month by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found 60% of the coun- announce a new national 2030 target for China has planned four crewed missions try’s people don’t want to get vaccinated, up from 40% a month earlier. (AP) cutting US fossil fuel emissions. (AP) Film THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 FFeatureseatures to wirefraud.(AP) $13,000. later suedthegymandsettledfor where hewasamanager.Lewis ish,” aftermeetingheratagym Ruby ontheABCsitcom“black- $50,000 fromLewis,whoplays offi uities atUCLA,”theUSattorney’s teaching acourseonbiblicalantiq- graduate andan“Oxfordprofessor Navy SEAL,anOxfordUniversity prestige,” Wilsonclaimedtobea judge said. it isanaptdescriptionhere,”the referred tointhefraudcontext,but Tuesday toeightyearsinprison. his phonybusinesseswassentenced order toconthemoutofmoneyfor offi statement fromtheUSattorney’s havior as“vicious,”accordingtoa Wilson himself, theysaid. prosecutors said. company andsoftwarebusiness, investments inhissounddesign of moneythatheclaimedwere rington,” fl Tony Mariot”and“BriceCar- restitution. and orderedtopay$272,000in eral courtroominLosAngeles Monica “black-ish” star romanced threewomen,including network said. air inmorethan80territories,the and CBSlicensedtheinterviewto rise. Notalloftheratingsarein, viewers in17countriesissureto company said.Itaired anight lion peopleonCBS, theNielsen interview wasseen by17.8mil- missed itthefi Friday nightrerunforanyonewho — asCBSquicklyscheduleda 50 millionpeople—andcounting ship of Harry view withBritishroyals Also nominated are Lee Isaac Chung for the family drama “Minari” and Also nominatedareLeeIsaacChungforthefamilydrama“Minari”and Shannon Murphy(“Babyteeth”)andJasmilaZbanic(“QuoVadis,Aida?”). teenage girl(BukkyBakray)inLondon. out ofhervan,andGavron’scoming-of-agetaleaboutaBlackBritish (Frances McDormand)whotravelstheAmericanWestwhileliving leading vote-getterswereZhao’sdramaaboutamiddle-agedwoman divided equallybetweenwomenandmen. fi categories wereselectedinpartthroughjuries.Watchingalllonglisted and changedthenominationprocesstoincludealonglistphase.Acting voting members,grewthenumberofnomineesinnumerouscategories panded membership,mandatedunconsciousbiastrainingforits6,700 NEW YORK: LOS ANGELES: Joaquin Phoenixsaidhefelt“confl — riskedirrelevancy.Afterwinningforhisperformancein“Joker,” Steve McQueensaidtheBAFTAs—Britain’sequivalentofOscars all-male directingnomineesandall-whiteactingnominees.Director spawned a#BaftasSoWhitehashtagandweredenouncedfortheir nominations bytheBritishAcademyofFilmandTelevisionArts land” andSarahGavron’s“Rocks.” directors andaleadingsevennominationsforChloeZhao’s“Nomad- far moreinclusivefi lations, theEEBritishFilmAcademyAwardsonTuesdayunveileda diversity inlastyear’snomineesandanoverhaulofitsrulesregu- NEW YORK,March10,(AP):Followinganoutcryoverthelackof ‘Nomadland,’ ‘Rocks’leadnotablymore diverseBAFTA noms lms werecompulsoryviewing.Andthelonglisteddirectingfi Wilson pleadedguiltylastyear Wilson wasaccusedofstealing To createa“falsesenseof “Predator isnotusuallyaterm Antonio Wilson US In fact,hespentthemoneyon Wilson, alsoknownas“Dr In the The estimateof49.1million ce statementsaid. ce. Four of the six directing nominees are women, including Zhao, Gavron, Four ofthesixdirectingnomineesarewomen,includingZhao,Gavron, The resultsonTuesdaymadeforaradicallydifferentBAFTAs. The Britishacademyrespondedwithaseven-monthreview.Itex- Much likepreviousAcademyAwardscontroversies,lastyear’s DistrictJudge and describedWilson’sbe- Oprah Winfrey , wassentencedinafed- ❑ United States eeced hisvictimsout Meghan rst time. Worldwide viewer- Jenifer Lewis A man who A manwho , 58,of isuptonearly Stephen V. eld ofnominees,includingrecordnodsforfemale , the ’s inter- Prince Santa , in , in icted” evenacceptingtheaward. later in CBS hadoriginally setaside90 interview toexceed thehype. tion onTuesday. 10 pm. shown againFriday,from8to number forasmallercountry. had 13.3millionviewers,ahuge Winfrey’s talkwas therare It wasstillatopicofconversa- CBS saidtheinterviewwillbe one toldthefi ing innowaylikeasuperhero.Unfortunately, dicted veteraninthenewmovie“Cherry,”look- pan shots,stolentechniquesfromMartinScorsese “AARGHH” inredletters,magicalrealism,aerial add gimmickafter—slo-mo,writing heroin andbankrobbingswagger. consciousness, lesionsonhishaggardfacedueto rors ofwar,PTSDafterward,drug-addledsemi- harrowing role,completewithnavigatingtheter- either butIlikethem.” sider. “Thetreesarenice.Idon’tunderstandthem at thebeginning,settinghimupasaperpetualout- what itisthatpeopledo,”hesaysinavoiceover ing tobankrobberyfeedhisaddiction. Army veteranwhoservedtimeinprisonforturn- 2018 novelbyNicoWalker,adecoratedUS “Cherry” isbasedonasemi-autobiographical way theymakefi incarceration. Andyettheyhaven’tchangedthe aimlessness, soldiering,addiction,robberyand telling oneClevelandman’sstoryofheartbreak, universe-changing eventsastheThanossnapare Infi two CaptainAmericafi fi Anthony andJoeRusso,bestknownfordirecting be becausedirectingdutieshavebeenhandedto T ‘Cherry’ isfl lms intheMarvelCinematicUniverse,including But it’slargelywastedastheRussobrothers Holland shouldgetcreditforgivinghisallina “I’m 23yearsoldandIstilldon’tunderstand Overly long,bombasticandpoorlyfocused, That meansthebrotherswhogaveussuch “Cherry” hasanidentityproblemandthatmay nity War”and“Avengers:Endgame.” Variety der-Man costumetoplayagritty,heroin-ad- om HollandhasbravelystrippedoffhisSpi- Britain , whereITVsaidit lmmakers. By MarkKennedy lms. This imagereleasedbyAppleTV+showsTomHollandinascenefrom‘Cherry.’(AP) Zhao, Fennell make history inDGAnominations Zhao,Fennellmakehistory eld was lms aswell as“Avengers: Film nominated elsewhere,includingCareyMulligan(“PromisingYoung and TaharRahim(“TheMauritanian”). Anthony Hopkins(“TheFather”),MadsMikkelsen(“AnotherRound”) (“Ma Rainey’sBlackBottom”),AdarshGourav(“TheWhiteTiger”), for leadactorareRizAhmed(“SoundofMetal”),ChadwickBoseman Wunmi Mosaku(“HisHouse”)andAlfreWoodard(“Clemency”).Up Forty-Year-Old Version”),VanessaKirby(“PiecesofaWoman”), drama “TheTrialoftheChicago7.” “Promising YoungWoman”andAaronSorkin’s1960scourtroom “The Mauritanian,”EmeraldFennell’spitch-blackrevengecomedy tia drama“TheFather,”KevinMacdonald’sGuantanamoBay The nominationsleftoutsomenotableperformancesthathavebeen Up forleadactressare:Bakray,McDormand,RadhaBlank(“The Nominated forbestfi not enoughpeoplewerewatchingfi “But oneofthebiggestpiecesfeedbackwasthatfeeling a 120changesthatwe’vemadeacrosstheorganization,”saidBerry. than 150,000timesthroughitsonlineplatform. into thisyear’sBAFTAs,whichtheacademysaidwerewatchedmore hyped movies.Despitethepandemic,atotalof258fi emy’s overhaulwasgettingmemberstowatchmorethanjustthemost in avideointerviewthatoneofthemostimportantpartsacad- up from39lastyear.AmandaBerry,chiefexecutiveofBAFTA,said Thomas VinterbergfortheDanishdarkcomedy“AnotherRound.” pa Lewis Oprah “Hundreds ofpeoplewereinvolvedinthatreview.Outitcame More fi Holland giveshisallinaharrowing role lms werenominated,too.Atotalof50fi ashy, look-at-mefi lm are:“Nomadland,”FlorianZeller’sdemen- Ciara Bravo)emergesasthespine.Theymeet,fall relationship withEmily(asupremelyexcellent goes throughseveralchaptersinthefi your cherrypoppedtoday”sobecomesCherry— out, butistoldatonepointinIraqthat“yougot they justwanttobeinontheaction. really understandtheirleadcharacter’sjourney, being created.TheRussobrothersdon’tseemto the fl not dying,”CherrysaysofhisserviceinIraq)but wry humor(“Myonetrueaccomplishmentwas sister AngelaRusso-Otstot—hassomedepthand Holland’s character—heisunnamedthrough- The script—byJessicaGoldbergandRusso Nominated thing. your friendswithcaution?Saysomething,any- Or lackofveteranmedicalcare?Maybejustpick American penalsystem?Orlate-stagecapitalism? redemptive poweroflove?Anindictmentthe ing ourmilitary?Thedepravityofaddiction? saying. Isitaboutthelong-termcostsofdeploy- into acomic. for look-at-mefi into acoherentprofi hand thatconnectedallthevariouspartsofalife This storyreallyneededanunfl “Natural BornKillers”and“ApocalypseNow.” Dream” meets“TheHurtLocker”withtouchesof tone orunifi the ridiculous. rectly tothecameraandinconsistentembraceof breaking thefourthwallbyhavingCherrytalkdi- opera togoosethedramalevel,saturatedcolors, and WesAnderson,theuseofclassicalmusicor It’s notevenoverlyclearwhatthismovieis They’re thrashingaboutforaconsistentstyle, ashy visualsswampanysenseofhonesty looking formorebig-name inter- big events. it isstillapotentforce forshowing ing broadcasttelevision’scasethat perhaps mostimmediatelybolster- reverberations fortheindustry, bumped ituptotwohours. the interviewactuallytookplace, minutes forthebroadcastbut,after ed vision. It’slike“Requiemfora It mightalsohave networks The successislikelytohave lmmaking. Theyturnedabook lms.” Action le. Insteadthedirectorsopted lms werenominated, lms wereentered ashy, unfl ashy, lm andhis was had afemalefi In themorethansevendecadesofawards,onlyninetimesbefore recting honorsattheAcademyAwards,announcednomineesTuesday. the guild’stophonor. America, markingthefi ed foroutstandingdirectorialachievementbytheDirectorsGuildof with theblackrevengecomedy“PromisingYoungWoman.” was joinedintheDGAAwardsbyFennell,whomadeherdirectorialdebut director attheGoldenGlobes,andfi living inhervan.Zhaorecentlybecamethesecondwomantoeverwinbest about awoman(FrancesMcDormand)travelingtheAmericanWestwhile recting Oscar—wasnominatedforhermuch-acclaimed“Nomadland,” NEW YORK: The 73rdAnnualDGAAwards,consideredastrongindicatorofdi- But onTuesday,Zhao—widelyconsideredthefrontrunnerfordi- inching Albert HallandsplitbetweentwobroadcastsonApril1011. ising YoungWoman,”“Rocks”and“SaintMaud.” “His House,”“Limbo,”“TheMauritanian,”“MogulMowgli,”“Prom- panded to10—are:“TheDig,”Father,”“CalmWithHorses,” Oldman andAmandaSeyfriedfrom“Mank.” 7”), AndraDay(“TheUnitedStatesvsBillieHolliday”)andbothGary for both“BoratSubsequentMoviefi Woman”), ViolaDavis(“MaRainey”),SachaBaronCohen(snubbed Greta Gerwig The BAFTAswillbeheldvirtuallythisyearfromLondon’sRoyal The nomineesformostoutstandingBritishfi average of6million viewersin als, CBSwonthe week withan the business. Walters like used tochasesuchinterviews, now. Someofthebignamesthat but areseenmuchlessfrequently prime-time broadcasttelevision, views. Theyusedtobeastapleof Powered byWinfrey androy- Diane Sawyer Chloé Zhao of four.(AP) ning time:141minutes.Oneandahalfstarsout es, pervasivelanguage,andsexualcontent.Run- graphic drugabuse,disturbingandviolentimag- anyone outtherestillwatching? she evenalive?And,moreimportantly,isthere Army. Whenheemerges,willEmilybethere?Is echoes therhythmofyearshespentin years inprison,aseeminglyendlessloopwhich fi stand andneverexplained. at theendisverycoolvisually,buthardtounder- viewer whiplashagain.Cherry’sdecisionmaking meets anunexpectedandgrislyend,givingthe crew playatbeingstick-upmen.Thatisuntilone for laughs,Cherryandhisalways-high,bumbling “I’m notgoodforyou,”hetellshislove. sampling hispillstashandgettinghookedherself. romanticizing it.Cherry’sPTSDhasledtohisgirl to showtheuglinessandyetalsogettingclose ringes ofheroin—isexpertlyhandled,notafraid — Xanaxleadstooxycodone,whichsy- there wasaboutdying,”Cherrysays. low soldiersarecallousandsadistic.“Everything hicles andthewhistleofbulletsarefi chaotic warscenesofdustyexplosions,fi rect Avengers,theRussosknowviolenceand ers’ strengths.Asanyonewhohasseenthemdi- it’s anightmare,”Cherrysays. ready seeneverythingthat’sgoingtohappen.And will notendwell:“SometimesIfeellikeI’veal- and fallintoaddictionwhenhereturns.Itlikely in love,fi lmmaker beennominatedforbestdirector.Mostrecent lm —awordlessmontagecoveringCherry’s14 , havesteppedawayfrom “Cherry,” anAppleTV+release,isratedRfor The epilogueisperhapsthebestpartof And yetthetransitiontobankrobberyisplayed Stateside, ourcouple’sdescentintoaddiction Part Three—inIraqplaystothefi in2018for“LadyBird.” lmmaking rst timetwowomenhaveevercompetedfor ght, getseparatedwhilehegoes toIraq and and Barbara Also: Emerald Fennell rst woman of Asian descent. She rstwomanofAsiandescent.She lm” and“TheTrialoftheChicago HGTV had1.11million. (AP) million, CNNhad 1.25millionand had 1.88million,TNT had1.41 viewers inprimetime. MSNBC networks, averaging2.37million Telemundo had1million. Ion Televisionhad1.1millionand million, Univisionhad1.3 NBC had3.2million,Fox2.5 prime time.ABChad3.5million, Fox NewsChannelledthecable havebeennominat- lm —acategoryex- rst-rate. Fel- lmmak- ery ve- ery ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Obit

‘Gifted journalist’ Mudd, legendary TV newsman, dies at 93

NEW YORK, March 10, (AP): Roger Mudd, the longtime political correspondent and anchor for NBC and CBS who once stumped Sen. Edward Kennedy by simply asking why he wanted to be president, has died. He was 93. CBS News says Mudd died Tuesday of complica- tions of kidney failure at his home in McLean, Vir- ginia. During more than 30 years on network television, starting with CBS in 1961, Mudd covered Congress, elections and political conventions and was a frequent anchor and contributor to various specials. His career coincided with the fl owering of television news, the pre-cable, pre-Internet days when the big three net- works and their powerhouse ranks of reporters were the main source of news for millions of Americans. Besides work at CBS and NBC, he did stints on PBS’s “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” and the History Channel. When he joined Robert Mac- Neil and Jim Lehrer’s show in 1987, Mudd told The Associ- ated Press: “I think they regard news and information and fact and opinion with a reverence Mudd and respect that really is admi- rable.” He wrote a memoir, “The Place To Be,” which came out in early 2008, and described the challenges and clashing egos he encountered working in Wash- ington, where among other things he covered Con- gress for CBS for 15 years. In an April 2008 interview on the “NewsHour,” he said he “absolutely loved” keeping tabs on the na- tion’s 100 senators and 435 representatives, “all of In this May 8, 2019 fi le photo, Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose during a photocall with their newborn son Archie, in St George’s Hall at them wanting to talk, great access, politics morning, Windsor Castle, Windsor, south England. One of the most dramatic claims in Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was that their son was denied noon and night, as opposed to the White House, where a royal title, possibly because of the color of his skin. Queen Elizabeth II has nine great-grandchildren, including Archie. They are not princes and princesses, apart everything is zipped up and tightly held.” from the three children of Prince William, who is second in line to the throne and destined to be king one day. (AP) Mudd received a George Foster Peabody Award for his November 1979 special “CBS Reports: Teddy,” which aired just days before Kennedy offi cially an- Royals nounced his attempt to challenge then-President Cart- er for the 1980 Democratic presidential nomination. In the report, Mudd asked the Massachusetts sena- tor a simple question: “Why do you want to be presi- dent?” ‘Whole royal family saddened’ Kennedy was unable to give a focused answer or specify what he personally wanted to do. Announcement ‘Harry, Meghan racism charges concerning’ “Well, I’m, uh, were I to make the announcement to run, the reasons that I would run is because I have a great belief in this country. ... We’re facing complex LONDON, March 10, (AP): Bucking- fort to quiet the controversy. But the story quickly turned sour. issues and problems in this nation at this time but we ham Palace said Tuesday that allega- “It’s not very long, but it’s very pre- The couple stepped away from royal have faced similar challenges at other times. ... And I tions of racism made earlier this week cise and it has a clear intent - and that is duties last year and moved to Califor- would basically feel that it’s imperative for this coun- by Prince Harry and Meghan were to close this down as a family matter; nia, saying they wanted to escape rac- try to move forward, that it can’t stand still, for other- “concerning” and would be addressed to make clear that this is clearly a fam- ist coverage and unwanted intrusions wise it moves backward.” privately by the royal family. ily in crisis, that there’s family issues to on their privacy by the British media. It was enough to prompt New York Times column- The comments, made in a statement sort out, but to separate this very clearly During the interview, Meghan de- ist Tom Wicker to give Kennedy the “Safi re Prize for issued on behalf Queen Elizabeth II, from any criticism or discussion about scribed feeling so isolated and misera- Nattering Nabob of the Year.” Carter went on to win are the fi rst from the palace since the the institution of monarchy itself,” she ble inside the royal family that she had the nomination for a second term, only to fall to Ron- two-hour television interview with told The Associated Press. “And I think suicidal thoughts, yet when she asked ald Reagan in the general election. Meghan and Harry rocked the royal time will tell whether that’s a distinc- for mental health assistance from the As Mudd told viewers: “On the stump Kennedy can In this March 25, 2019 fi le photo, Op- family. Meghan, who is biracial, said tion that the public will accept.” palace’s human resources staff, she be dominating, imposing and masterful, but off the rah Winfrey waves on stage at the the palace had failed to help her when While the palace often tries to stay was told they couldn’t help because stump, in personal interviews, he can become stilted, Steve Jobs Theater during an event she had suicidal thoughts and that an above controversy by remaining silent she wasn’t a paid employee. She also to announce new products, in Cuperti- unidentifi ed member of the royal fam- and riding out the storm, the Duke and said Harry told her there were “con- elliptical and at times appear as if he really doesn’t no, Calif. Oprah recommended Jesse want America to get to know him.” ily had raised “concerns” about the Duchess of Sussex’s charges proved so cerns and conversations” about how Collins for the chance to produce the color of her baby’s skin when she was damaging that the family was forced to dark Archie’s skin would be. Mudd spent a fair amount of time in the “CBS 2021 Oscars. (AP) Evening News” anchor chair, substituting for Walter pregnant with her son, Archie. respond. Winfrey later said Harry told her off “The whole family is saddened to camera that the family member wasn’t Cronkite when he was off and anchoring the Saturday Response evening news broadcasts from 1966 to 1973. learn the full extent of how challeng- Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip, But he lost out to Dan Rather in the competition to ing the last few years have been for The response was likely delayed sparking a fl urry of speculation about succeed Cronkite as the news anchor at CBS when the Harry and Meghan,” the palace said. by the queen’s struggle to balance her who it could be. latter retired in 1981. Cronkite, for one, had backed “The issues raised, particularly that sometimes-confl icting roles as mon- Harry also revealed that the stresses Rather because he didn’t think Mudd had enough for- of race, are concerning. While some arch and grandmother, said Angela the couple endured had ruptured rela- eign experience. recollections may vary, they are taken Levin, author of “Harry, a Biography tions with his father, Prince Charles, It was then that Mudd jumped to NBC as its chief very seriously and will be addressed of a Prince,” before the statement heir to the British throne, and his Washington correspondent. In addition, he co-an- by the family privately.’’ was released. During past crises, the brother, Prince William, illuminating chored NBC’s “Nightly News” with Tom Brokaw for The interview, conducted by Oprah 94-year-old monarch has usually come the depth of the family divisions that a year before Brokaw went solo in 1983, and for a Winfrey and which aired Sunday night down on the side of the 1,000-year-old led the couple to step away from royal time co-hosted “Meet the Press,” the Sunday morning in the US and a day later in Britain, institution she has led since 1952. duties and move to California last year. interview show. has divided people around the world. “The queen has a motto: Never But the most explosive issue was But when he left NBC, he said management viewed Morgan Travolta While many say the allegations dem- complain, never explain,” Levin told race. The royal family has tried to ad- news as “a promotable commodity” rather than a pub- onstrate the need for change inside the AP. “And she’s stuck with this for dress that head on, although the rest of lic service. His departure had been rumored since he a palace that hasn’t kept pace with decades. But I think in this climate and the discussion is likely to take place in sharply criticized NBC News for canceling the news- the #MeToo and Black Lives Mat- 2021, everything goes everywhere. private, Whitelock said. magazine show “1986,” which he co-anchored with Variety ter movements, others have criticized There’s so much social media that in “I’m sure there will be a lot of soul Connie Chung. Harry and Meghan for dropping their this instance, she really can’t not say searching within the royal family, but “Roger Mudd was one of the most gifted journal- bombshell while Harry’s 99-year-old anything.” this is going to be very much behind LONDON: British television host Piers ists of my lifetime. An astute political reporter and grandfather, Prince Philip, remains Harry and Meghan married in May closed doors and we’re not going to Morgan on Tuesday quit the “Good Morning hospitalized in London after a heart 2018 in a ceremony at Windsor Cas- see dramatic statements, dramatic guardian of the highest standards. Roger’s dedication Britain” program after making contentious to fundamental journalistic practices remains a marker procedure. tle that ended with a ride around the changes,” she said. “This is going to comments about Meghan following her Anna Whitelock, a professor of his- town in a horse-drawn carriage. In the be about a family who are going to for future generations,” Brokaw said. bombshell interview about the royal family. In fi ve years on “NewsHour,” Mudd served as a tory and director of the Centre for the early days of their marriage, the couple have to look at themselves and refl ect The UK’s media watchdog said earlier Study of Modern Monarchy at Royal were seen as the fresh young face of on what’s happened and what needs to senior correspondent, essayist and occasional an- Tuesday that it was launching an investiga- chor. He hosted a number of reports on American Holloway, University of London, said the monarchy for an increasingly mul- happen and what needs to change.” tion into the show under its harm and the palace’s brief message was an ef- ticultural nation. — See Also Page 7 history and education, including “Learning in Amer- offense rules after receiving more than ica: Schools That Work” and “The Wizard: Thomas 41,000 complaints over Morgan’s com- Alva Edison.” ments about the Duchess of Sussex. Morgan’s departure was announced gram as weather presenter Alex Beresford volta and Morgan Freeman. having an explosives license. Awards shortly after Buckingham Palace issued was criticizing his attitude toward Meghan. A US District Court judge ordered a 2 According to court documents, the Mudd left the “NewsHour” in 1992 to teach jour- a statement saying allegations of racism As Morgan walked away, he said “I’m 1/2 year prison sentence for Robert Chris- federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and nalism at Princeton University, describing the offer to made by Prince Harry and Meghan done.” (AP) topher Bailey of Los Angeles, according Firearms questioned Bailey after receiving teach at the Ivy League school as simply too appealing during an interview with Oprah Winfrey ❑ ❑ ❑ to a news release from the US Attorney’s complaints from people on the Georgia to turn down. He also was a host and correspondent were “concerning.” Offi ce in Savannah. movie set in 2018. One complaint said for The History Channel from 1995 to 2004. In the interview, which aired in the US SAVANNAH, Ga: A special effects worker Bailey had pleaded guilty in December Travolta had been “hit with sparks and Among his other awards over the years, Mudd on Sunday night and then in the UK on was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday 2019 to providing pyrotechnic effects for treated for a minor injury during a mishap shared in a Peabody for the 1970 CBS documentary Monday evening, Meghan spoke about how for illegally possessing explosives while the movie “The Poison Rose” despite a with special effects,” according to a legal “The Selling of the Pentagon,” which looked at the she “didn’t want to be alive anymore” as working on a movie starring John Tra- prior felony conviction that kept him from fi ling by prosecutors. No other details of military’s public relations efforts. Mudd was the nar- she struggled to fi t in with the monarchy. the incident were given. She also alleged that she faced racist atti- Bailey was not charged with injuring Tra- rator of the program, which the Peabody judges said tudes from Buckingham Palace and British was “electronic journalism at its best.” volta or anyone else on the fi lm set. (AP) media, and that her requests for help with ❑ ❑ ❑ Early in his career at CBS, Mudd was teamed with her mental health were rejected. Robert Trout to anchor coverage of the 1964 Demo- Morgan, 55, said Monday on “Good BIRMINGHAM, Ala: A Maryland cratic convention after CBS - using Walter Cronkite as Morning Britain” during a discussion about man has been charged with selling fake anchor - trailed NBC’s Chet Huntley and David Brin- Meghan’s revelations that “I’m sorry, I autographed memorabilia and defrauding kley in the ratings at the Republican convention. The don’t believe a word she says. Alabama TV stations out of thousands in memorably named Mudd-Trout team did not conquer “I wouldn’t believe her if she read me a advertising costs for fraudulent websites, NBC’s duo, and Cronkite was back as anchor on elec- weather report,” he said, adding the duch- according to federal court records. tion night that November. ess had sparked an “onslaught” against the Douglas Edward Duren agreed this In 1990, he received the Joan Shorenstein Barone royal family. month to plead guilty to wire fraud and ag- award for distinguished Washington reporting. That drew criticism from many, including gravated identity theft, according to federal Before joining CBS News, Mudd worked at radio the mental health charity Mind, which said it prosecutors in the Northern District of station WTOP in Washington. Before that, he was was disappointed and concerned by Morgan’s Alabama. Authorities alleged he sold items news director at WRNL Radio in Richmond, Virginia, comments on not believing Meghan’s experi- with forged signatures, including sports a reporter for the Richmond News Leader and a re- ences about having suicidal thoughts. collectibles and movie posters, over a nine- search assistant with the House Committee on Tax- “It’s vital that when people reach out for year period on three fake websites. Exempt Foundation. He was also an English and his- support or share their experiences of ill men- Duren was also accused of impersonating tory teacher and football coach at Darlington School tal health that they are treated with dignity, advertising agency employees, promising to in Rome, Georgia. respect and empathy,” the charity said. pay several television stations in Birming- In 1977, Mudd received an honorary doctorate from In Tuesday’s episode, Morgan addressed ham and Madison County up to $75,000 to his own comments the day before, stressing advertise the websites, AL.com reported. Washington and Lee University, his alma mater. He that he believed mental illness and suicide The FBI eventually launched an investiga- donated his 1,500 volume collection of 20th-century are topics that should be “taken extremely tion into the scheme and discovered that Du- Southern writers to the university in 2006. He earned seriously.” But he maintained he had “seri- ren would obtain items without autographs, a master’s degree in American History from the Uni- ous concerns about the veracity of a lot of This image released by Altitude shows, (from left), D’angelou Osei Kissiedu, then forge signatures on the memorabilia versity of North Carolina in 1951. what (Meghan) said.” Kosar Ali and Bukky Bakray in a scene from ‘Rocks.’ The fi lm received seven and sell them online based on false claims of He then stormed off the set of the pro- nominations from the EE British Film Academy Awards. (AP) authenticity, according to offi cials. (AP) ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 SPORTS 14 Dortmund reach CL quarter-finals Haaland stars again

DORTMUND, Germany, Sevilla keeper and cut the ball back for Haaland’s easy fi nish. March 10, (AP): Erling Sevilla’s frustrations and Dort- Haaland sent Borussia mund’s confi dence grew in tandem Dortmund into the Cham- after the goal. Haaland displayed remarkable pions League quarterfinals strength and precision to score his sec- for the first time since 2017 ond after the break, but the goal was with two goals in a heated taken back through VAR - Haaland was adjudged to have fouled Fernando, 2-2 draw with Sevilla. whom he bundled over with his shoul- Haaland took his season tally to der - and a penalty was awarded for an 10 goals for Dortmund to advance earlier infringement on the Norwegian with a 5-4 win on aggregate. The by Koundé, who had been pulling his Bundesliga team won the fi rst leg jersey for a Reus cross. of their last- Yassine Bounou – the Sevilla goal- keeper known as Bono – saved Haa- 16 tie 3-2 in land’s penalty, then the forward’s second Seville, where effort from the rebound, but VAR inter- Haaland also vened again and ordered another penalty scored two. as Bono was marginally off his goal line. The Norwe- gian has 20 alto- gether in just 14 SOCCER appearances in Europe’s premier “I missed and then he cheated. So tournament in then I took it again and then I scored his young career, Haaland when he didn’t cheat,” Haaland said. and he was the Haaland scored at the second attempt key factor in Dortmund moving on. – third including the disallowed goal – in “I’m tired, but the next round feels the 54th and was then booked for taunt- very good,” Haaland said. ing the goalkeeper with his celebration. Youssef En-Nesyri scored twice for Several Sevilla players ran after the for- Sevilla to set up a dramatic fi nale. ward and referee Cüneyt Çakır had to The visitors attacked from the start work to keep tempers in check. and had Dortmund pinned back for Haaland said Bono had taunted him much of the opening 30 minutes. Lucas after his fi rst penalty miss. Ocampos tested Dortmund goalkeeper “When he was screaming in my face Marwin Hitz early on before playing after the fi rst one, I was thinking, oh, the ball through Emre Can’s legs to set it’ll be even better to score another up Suso, who fi red narrowly wide. goal. And, yeah, that’s what happened. Dortmund’s defenders were desper- So it was nice,” Haaland said. ately just booting the ball away as the Can then conceded a penalty for a pressure continued, but the home side foul on substitute Luuk de Jong. capitalized on some indecision in Se- En-Nesyri hammered the spot kick villa’s buildup play for Haaland to score in off the underside of the crossbar in with Dortmund’s fi rst real chance on a the 69th to set up a nervy fi nale. Sevilla counterattack in the 35th minute. still needed two goals to force extra “We knew that they were going to time but had already proved capable of come out very hard and, yeah, when scoring them in the fi rst leg. we scored the goal, they needed to Diego Carlos was fortunate to es- have two or three, I don’t remember. cape with a yellow card for catch- But, then we scored, 1-0 at halftime, ing Haaland in the face with his arm. that was very good,” Haaland said. Tempers continued to fray and the Thomas Delaney muscled Jules Koun- bookings continued. Çakır managed to dé off the ball, and Nico Schulz passed it avoid sending anyone off. to Mahmoud Dahoud, who played a fi ne En-Nesyri scored in the sixth minute Sevilla’s Ivan Rakitic (left), challenges Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borus- ball for Marco Reus. The Dortmund cap- of injury time but it was just too late sia Dortmund and Sevilla FC in Dortmund, Germany, on March 9. (AP) tain stayed cool in front of the outrushing for Sevilla. ‘New gig still feels fresh’ ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ Neville era starts at Miami, Anniversary marks progress of pandemic, not the end PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, MLS opens training camps March 10, (AP): The backdrop was Coach, former Olympian Zimmerman suspended a navy blue board fi lled with 33 lo- MIAMI, Florida, March 10, (AP): gos of The Players Championship. Phil Neville says the excitement for Sitting next to PGA Tour Commis- Gymnastics test event for Tokyo Olympics canceled his new gig at Inter Miami still feels sioner Jay Monahan was the gold fresh, even though he took the job in trophy as he spoke about scrapping TOKYO, Mach 10, (AP): A gymnastics by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for Zimmerman, 47, will be barred from January. the tour’s premier event last year and test event in Tokyo for the Olympics that a coverup of an alleged sexual abuse any skating events run by the U.S. fed- Neville led England to the Wom- would have included athletes from out- incident involving two of his students. eration or Olympic committee, and how golf made it through the COV- side Japan was canceled on Tuesday. Zimmerman, inducted into the U.S. also prohibited from attending any fa- en’s World Cup semifi nals in 2019. It ID-19 pandemic. was expected that he’d take the team The Japan Gymnastics Association Figure Skating Hall of Fame, is a 2002 cility run by those groups. At least there wasn’t a “Mission and international governing body FIG Olympian who won three U.S. pairs The alleged incidents took place to the Olympics in Tokyo this sum- Accomplished” banner. mer, but he left early to join David said the All-Around World Cup sched- championships and a world bronze in Florida and involved French pairs It’s tempting to think that way. uled for May 4 was off. It was to be medal with skating partner Kyoko skater Morgan Cipres, who was Beckham’s Major League Soccer Monahan mentioned the phrase team. the last of an artistic gymnastics series Ina. He can appeal the decision, which coached by Zimmerman. Cipres was “light at the end of the tunnel” on doubling as Olympic qualifi ers, but the could carry as much as a two-year ban. investigated by SafeSport for alleg- “I think I came here three or four three occasions during his news con- weeks ago, and even now when I other two World Cups in Germany and edly sending lewd photos in 2017 to a ference Tuesday, which typically is Britain were also previously canceled 13-year-old female skater also coached walk into the building, I drive down more of a “State of the Tour.” This because of the coronavirus pandemic. OLYMPICS by Zimmerman. SafeSport looked into the I-95 and I turn off and I just see was a state of the pandemic. The Tokyo World Cup will be re- accusations from the girl’s parents that the stadium and I see the complex, The news felt mostly positive. placed by a local event with only Japa- The suspension, announced Tues- Zimmerman intimidated her in an ef- it makes me really proud,” Neville In this March 7, 2018 file photo, The tour has played 36 out of the nese gymnasts to test the venue for the day by SafeSport on its website, de- fort to silence her because Cipres and said. “It makes me feel as if I’m part England head coach Phil Neville 39 weeks since it returned, stopping Olympics. tailed the charges as an abuse of pro- his pairs partner, Vanessa James, were of something really special. And that walks onto the field before a She- Travel restrictions were cited as a cess, emotional misconduct and failure headed for the 2018 Winter Olympics Believes Cup women’s soccer only because of holidays, not an out- hasn’t changed yet.” break. It never had more than three prime reason for the cancellation. The to report an incident. USA Today first in South Korea. Inter Miami offi cially opened match against the United States in Tokyo Olympics are to open on July 23. reported the suspension. SafeSport Cipres, who lives in France, and Orlando, Florida. (AP) players test positive for the corona- training camp this week, along with virus at any one tournament. Meanwhile, figure skating coach investigates sexual abuse in Olympic Zimmerman have previously declined most other MLS teams. also start the season in Florida. It was Memories are still fresh from last John Zimmerman has been suspended sports. to comment on the allegations. Neville, 44, takes over for Diego unclear where the third Canadian Alonso, who guided Miami through year. Players received a text late at team, the Vancouver Whitecaps, will night after the fi rst round saying that ready. No one is. McIlroy read about Texas doing Florida and pause. its coronavirus-shortened inaugural play. “It’s funny, because a year into it away with its mask mandate and he “The idea is great and the idea you’re season last year. The Players Championship was can- LAFC coach Bob Bradley was celed and there would be no tourna- you think, ‘OK, we hopefully will was OK with it, because part of him comfortable with, but then when you Miami made the playoffs, marking opening camp this week - like Nev- actually start to live it, it’s like, ‘Whoa, just the seventh time that an expan- ments for at least a month (it turned be done now.’ The vaccine is rolling likes the idea of people having free- ille - with similarly lofty ambitions. into three months). Bernd Wiesberg- out and there’s light at the end of the dom to choose. But then he would maybe this is a little too soon,” McIlroy sion franchise reached the postsea- But for Bradley, they include the said. “You are certainly going to have son, fi nishing the regular season er caught the last fl ight home to Aus- tunnel,” Rory McIlroy said. walk into a bustling restaurant in hope that the team will have fans in tria. Kevin Na found a banana in one that coming back.” 7-13-3. But the club fell to fellow ex- the stands come the start of the sea- And that’s why Monahan, while pansion team Nashville in the open- of the pockets of his golf bag, which son. otherwise would not have been dis- pleased with how far golf has come, ing round. “The news about the possible re- remains guarded. Miami parted ways with Alonso, covered for months. turn of some fans to our stadium, that “We’ve seen surges. We’ve seen paving the way for a reunion between part is incredible,” Bradley said. “All Neville and Beckham, who played the unpredictable, the uncertain na- of us are so excited for the day when, GOLF ture of this pandemic and this vi- together with Manchester United and safely, we have our incredible fans on England’s national team. rus,” Monahan said. “While we see back in the stadium and there’s some Monahan remembers missing light at the end of the tunnel and the As a player, Neville’s Manches- atmosphere. That has been so impor- ter United teams won six Premier the opening tee shot for the fi rst progress we’re making and the hope tant to LAFC from the beginning.” time since he joined the PGA Tour that’s in front of us ... you still have League titles and three FA Cups. He Except for two games at the start appeared in 59 matches with the na- as executive director of The Play- to remind yourself that you’ve got to of last season, most MLS teams ers Championship. He had been in focus on your plan and your proto- tional team from 1996 to 2007. were prevented from allowing fans His new job ramped up consider- a boardroom at the TPC Sawgrass cols and make sure we’re doing ev- in their stadiums. There were a few clubhouse with the rest of the ex- erything we can to keep health and ably Monday, even though the team exceptions when the teams returned had trained unoffi cially for a week. ecutive staff for a meeting that lasted safety as our No. 1 priority.” from the MLS is Back tournament in The Arnold Palmer Invitational Florida. more than 12 hours and ended with the decision to stop playing. last week was the fi rst of seven con- SOCCER The 2021 MLS season begins secutive tournaments that are open April 17, a start date that was pushed “I will be there on Thursday. I look back after the league and its players forward to it,” he said. “Just proud, to the general public at a reduced “I think as a coach, what you look renegotiated their collective bargain- most importantly, to be back here a In this March 13, 2020 file photo, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan capacity. The target at Bay Hill was for, you look for reactions, you look ing agreement. year later - proud of our players, proud reacts to a question during a news conference at The Players Champion- 5,000 and it felt twice as large. A for people trying to make an impact, Four MLS teams started camp ear- of all the caddies, everybody that has ship golf tournament, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (AP) majority, but certainly not everyone, you look at the conversation that you ly this year in preparation for CON- worked so hard to get us back to this was wearing masks. have, and about the words being spo- CACAF Champions League play, point in time. And candidly, to do so in Monahan doesn’t know when golf ken. And everyone is doing and say- including Portland, Philadelphia, At- a really inspiring way. or any sport can return to normal, ing the right things at this moment in lanta and Columbus. “I think this is an important week or even when the light gets a little time,” Neville said of his fi rst impres- The new season comes at a some- for us every single year,” he said, brighter. sions. “We have a long way to go.” what turbulent time for Miami. The “but particularly so this year.” Former Masters champion Danny Neville is among six coaches tak- team is breaking in a new coach and He won’t be the only one watch- Willett had to withdraw from The ing over MLS teams this year. Greg sporting director Chris Henderson. ing. The Players Championship is Players on Tuesday because of a Vanney moved from Toronto to the MLS is also investigating the team’s allowing 20% of capacity for specta- positive coronavirus test. The tour LA Galaxy while Chris Armas, let signing of Blaise Matuidi last August tors, which will be somewhere short had gone four tournaments over the go by the Red Bulls last September, and whether it broke the league’s sal- of 10,000 people (no one knows last three weeks without one, its lon- took Vanney’s place at Toronto. ary guidelines. exactly what “capacity” means on gest stretch since six weeks between Former Argentine star Gabriel Neville is embracing the challeng- a golf course). The tickets sold out positive tests last summer. Heinze is the new head coach at At- es of his new job – even in the midst one hour after they went on sale last There is an anniversary this week, lanta, Hernán Losada has taken over of ongoing coronavirus concerns. month. a reminder of when it all started. Mc- at D.C. United, and Wilfried Nancy “We’re going to make sure that we Instead of players sharing the Ilroy is still the defending champion was hired to replace Thierry Henry in push the players, we raise the level $15 million purse like they did last from his 2019 victory. He shot 72 in Montreal. of expectations, and we put high year - a generous gesture by the tour the fi rst round last year and was al- Montreal will play home games demands on them. We’re training for players who went an entire year ready nine shots behind Hideki Mat- to start the season at Inter Miami’s a lot of double sessions this week,” without purses being cut - the winner suyama. Now they start over. stadium in Fort Lauderdale because he said. “We want to make sure that gets $2.7 million. In this Feb 28, 2021 file photo, Kevin Kisner tees off on the 13th hole during There is progress. There are fans. of travel restrictions between Canada from the fi rst week we hit the ground Back to normal? the final round of the Workday Championship golf tournament, in Braden- But it’s best to keep eyes on the and the United States. Toronto will running really fast.” Not quite, because golf isn’t ton, Florida. (AP) road instead of the rearview mirror. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 SPORTS 15

Mount St Mary’s stuns Bryant No. 1 Gonzaga rallies to beat BYU 88-78 in WCC title game LAS VEGAS, March 10, (AP): Jalen In Sioux Falls, S.D., Max Abmas Suggs hit two late 3-pointers and scored scored 23 points, Francis Lacis made a 23 points, helping top-ranked Gonzaga game-saving block and steal, and No. survive its biggest test of an undefeated 4-seed Oral Roberts beat third-seeded season to beat Brigham Young 88-78 North Dakota State in the Summit in the West Coast Conference Tourna- League tournament championship. ment title game. It’s the fi rst tournament title for Oral The Bulldogs (26-0) had been un- Roberts since 2007-08 and the fi rst stoppable all season, winning all but league championship since Oakland’s one of their games by double digits as in 2010-11 that doesn’t include South they advanced to the WCC title game Dakota State or North Dakota State. for the 24th straight year. Kevin Obanor, whose put-back at the The Cougars (20-6) made the lopsid- buzzer beat top-seeded South Dakota ed losses list twice, but exposed Gon- State in a semifi nal, had 21 points and zaga’s lone weakness in the fi rst half at nine rebounds for Oral Roberts (16-10). Orleans Arena: its defense. Kareem Thompson added 12 points. BYU shot confi dently, using an early Cal Poly 87, CS Fullerton 82 11-0 run to build a 12-point halftime In Las Vegas, Colby Rogers tied lead. The Zags responded to their biggest his career high with 21 points as Cal halftime defi cit in three years by lock- Poly beat Cal State Fullerton 87-82 a ing down defensively and getting back Big West Conference tournament fi rst- to their effi cient ways on offense. round matchup on Tuesday night. Suggs took charge down the stretch, Alimamy Koroma had 18 points for hitting consecutive 3-pointers to put Cal Poly (4-19), Tuukka Jaakkola and Gonzaga up by nine with 1:28 left. Co- Keith Smith each scored 10 and Smith rey Kispert scored 14 of his 17 points in distributed six assists. the second half. Landis Spivey had 17 points for the Gonzaga has won a school-record 30 Titans (6-10), Tory San Antonio scored straight games over two seasons and 16 points and Dante Maddox 15. Titans will be the fi rst team since Kentucky leading Tray Maddox Jr., struggled in 2015 and 16th overall to enter the with a 2-for-14 shooting performance. NCAA Tournament undefeated. The Rice 61, Southern Miss 52 Zags won their eighth WCC title in nine In Frisco, Texas, Max Fiedler re- years and 17th under coach Mark Few. corded 16 points and 11 rebounds to lift Gonzaga celebrates after defeating BYU in an NCAA college basketball game for the West Coast Conference men’s tournament championship on March Trevin Knell led BYU with 20 Rice to win over Southern Mississippi 9, in Las Vegas. (AP) points. in a fi rst-round game of the Conference USA tournament. BASKETBALL Fiedler buried 8 of 10-shot attempts. Chris Mullins and Travis Evee each The Cougars were the last team to scored 12 for Rice (14-12) and Quincy beat Gonzaga, 91-78 on Feb. 22, 2020. Olivari grabbed 10 rebounds. Mount St. Mary’s 73, Bryant 68 DeAndre Pinckney had 14 points for Team NZ and Luna Rossa In Smithfi eld, R.I., Damian Chong the Golden Eagles (8-17), Tyler Ste- Qui scored 21 points and Malik Jef- venson scored 12 and Tae Hardy 11 ferson scored 10 with 15 rebounds and with six rebounds. Mount St. Mary’s stunned Bryant in Notre Dame 80, Wake Forest 77 the Northeast Conference tournament In Greensboro, N.C., Trey Wertz hit championship game and clinched an a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a automatic berth to the NCAA Tourna- 17-2 closing run and No. 11 seed Norte tied 1-1 in America’s Cup ment. Dame rallied past 14th-seeded Wake It’s Mount St. Mary’s (12-10) sixth Forest in the fi rst round of the Atlantic trip to the NCAA Tournament. Bryant Coast Conference tournament. Defender and challenger reveal new developments (15-6), which entered Tuesday’s game Tied at 77, Wake Forest’s Daivien undefeated at home this season, has yet to make an appearance in the big dance. Williamson drove the lane but his fl oat- The Mount was NEC’s No. 4 seed er was blocked by Cormac Ryan, who AUCKLAND, New Zea- in light winds, and that it was well and Bryant was second seeded. dribbled the other way to fi nd a trailing sailed by its dual helmsmen Wertz for a winning 3. Wertz celebrat- land, March 10, (AP): De- Nana Opoku scored 18 points and fender Team New Zealand Francesco Bruni and Spithill. Mezie Offurum 16 for the Mountain- ed by fi nding Ryan in the corner for a While the Prada Cup took place, eers. chest bump before getting mobbed by and Italian challenger Team New Zealand trained alone but The game marked Mount St. Mary’s teammates. Luna Rossa won one race not unobserved. Reports from the eighth appearance in the NEC champi- Williamson scored 21 points to lead each Wednesday on the Hauraki Gulf were consistent that onship game since joining the league Wake Forest (6-16). Isaiah Mucius had Team New Zealand had built a very in 1989-90. Mount St. Mary’s won 20 points and Carter Whitt 12 points fi rst day of the 36th match fast second generation AC75 class the championship game in 1995, 1999, and seven assists. for sailing America’s Cup boat in Te Rehutai - the indigenous 2008, 2014 and 2017. SE Louisiana 71, McNeese St. 68 at Auckland, New Zealand, Maori words for Sea Spray. HBU 80, UIW 68 In Katy, Texas, Gus Okafor matched Nothing could be certain until the In Katy, Texas, Pedro Castro his career high with 26 points and adding to the perpetual teams came together on Wednesday eighth-seeded Southeastern Louisiana matched his career high with 21 points Cup enigma of which has in a Cup match eagerly awaited for as No. 10 seed Houston Baptist beat narrowly defeated nine-seed McNeese seventh-seeded Incarnate Word. in the State in the Southland Conference tour- the quicker boat. four years. fi rst round of the Southland Conference nament fi rst round. Team New Zealand won the start Luna Rossa felt the sting of sea tournament. The Lions face New Orleans in the and led around all marks to win the spray as Team New Zealand sailed Hunter Janacek had 18 points and second round on Wednesday. fi rst race by 31 seconds, seeming to away on the first leg of the first race. seven rebounds for Houston Baptist Isiah Kirby had 14 points for South- confi rm the expectation they might The Italians looked to their pugna- (6-18). Zach Iyeyemi added 10 points. eastern Louisiana (8-17). Keon Clerge- have a boat-speed advantage. cious Australian-born helmsman Jade Tse had seven points and nine as- ot added 10 points. Nick Caldwell had Spithill to dominate Burling in the sists. The Huskies move on to face No. 4 points and 13 rebounds. pre-starts. But Burling gained the 6 seed Lamar. Carlos Rosario had 18 points and SAILING upper hand in the start of race one. Keaston Willis had 19 points and eight rebounds for the Cowboys (10- Approaching the line and with a Italy’s Luna Rossa (right), and Team New Zealand sail in race one of the eight rebounds for the Cardinals (8-14). 14). A.J. Lawson added 12 points and But Luna Rossa crossed the start good time and distance run, Burling Brandon Swaby added 15 points. seven assists. Chris Orlina had 10 America’s Cup on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, on March 10. (AP) swung Te Rehutai behind Luna ORU 75, N. Dakota St. 72 line first in the second race and, in a points. classic contest of tacking and cover- clear that in the conditions and prediction leads up to the start of Rossa’s stern into the windward ing, held out New Zealand by a Wednesday, they didn’t hold a deci- the first race when everyone leans position and hit the line at speed. shrinking margin of seven seconds. sive advantage. forward, holds their breath and waits Spithill, typically combative, tried to New Zealand gained on the last two “It was no secret we haven’t raced to see what unfolds. luff Team New Zealand at the start of legs and came home fast on the last in a little while and it was good to get Eagerness to find the answer to the the first beat but the Kiwis crossed downwind but couldn’t pass. that first race under our belt and we question of who is faster had been his bow and the move cost the Italian The leading boat has been domi- felt we did a really good job in that heightened before Wednesday’s boat the lead which New Zealand nant in most races in the regatta so pre-start,” New Zealand helmsman delayed start to the Cup match by the retained. far and again, in winds of between 12 Peter Burling said. “In the second fact there was very little comparative “The good news is the perfor- and 18 knots, there were no passing pre-start just one mistake and life’s data from which to make any judg- mance of the boat seems to be pretty lanes on the Hauraki Gulf on pretty hard for the rest of the race. ment. close so there are exciting times Wednesday. “We felt like the boats were pretty Team New Zealand Luna Rossa ahead,” Bruni said. “I still think “I though the boys sailed a great even today and you just had to do raced in the informal America’s Cup they probably have a fast boat race,” Luna Rossa helmsman Jimmy the right thing and sail the shifts. World Series prior to Christmas but upwind which is not all the time Spithill said. “We had quite a lot of But we’re pretty happy we’ve got a neither team was near the stage of great. If you are not in phase with maneuvers, quite a lot of tacks and tool here we can win this thing technical development they were in the pressure you may lose going low just kept the boat going well. with.” by the first race Wednesday. and fast.” “It was quite a show of strength I According to the lore of the In the intervening three months, Burling tried again to grab the thought to bounce back well after 170-year-old Cup, no one can tell Luna Rossa was consistently fast in windward spot near the start of the that first race.” who has the faster boat until they winning the Prada Cup challenger second race but his slight misjudg- Team New Zealand looked quick, cross the start line in the first race on series, dismissing the United States ment gave Luna Rossa the lead. The Mount St Mary’s guard Damian Chong Qui (15) drives to the basket against sailing low and fast upwind and low the first day of the match. In the team American Magic in the semifi- Italian boat was superbly sailed as it Bryant forward Hall Elisias (34) during the fi rst half of an NCAA college downwind in the first race. While America’s Cup, it’s said, the faster nal and Britain’s Team UK in the defended that lead, staying in phase basketball game for the Northeast Conference men’s tournament champi- they managed to close up the second boat is everything. final. That racing showed that Luna with New Zealand and often gaining onship, on March 9, in Smithfi eld, R.I. (AP) race with a strong final beat, it was All the anticipation, calculation Rossa was quick, especially upwind in the tacks. Wright State claims 2nd NCAA bid in 3 years NRL star Cameron Smith Gonzaga women edge BYU to win WCC title ‘retires’ after 19 seasons MELBOURNE, Australia, March Fittingly, he led the Storm to the LAS VEGAS, March 10, (AP): Jill da, the top seed in the American Ath- three shots, but she grabbed 15 re- three seasons. 10, (AP): Many great sportspeople 2020 league title in his last match. Townsend scored on an 15-foot fadea- letic Conference tournament, avoided bounds, seven on the offensive end Baker, averaging 26 points in the retire and later have statues erect- “I couldn’t ask for more than way jumper as time expired and No.18 a major upset with a win over ninth- where the Bulls had an 18-9 advantage tournament, outdueled three-time ed in their honor. National Rug- finishing with a premiership with a Gonzaga rallied past second-seeded seeded Wichita State in the quarterfi - for a 14-5 difference in second-chance player of the year Macee Williams – by League star Cameron Smith club I’ve played my whole career BYU 43-42 in the West Coast Confer- nals. points. who scored every second-half point turned the tables on that scenario with,” Smith said while his statue ence championship to advance to the Elena Tsineke added 12 points for Wright St. 53, IUPUI 41 (16) for IUPUI. NCAA Tournament. the Bulls (16-3), who overcame 24.6% In Indianapolis, Angel Baker scored Tyler Frierson had nine points and on Wednesday when he officially and that of another Storm legend, Kaylynne Truong inbounded the shooting (15 of 61) and 16 turnovers. 23 points and top-seeded Wright State eight rebounds and Jada Wright added ended a record-filled 19-season Billy Slater, was unveiled. “I think ball with 0.6 seconds to play, fi nding They will play fourth-seeded Temple used a 14-0 run in the second half to a career-high 12 rebounds for Wright playing career while a statue of I might just put my feet up for 12 Townsend on the left side of the lane. in the semifi nals on Wednesday. beat defending champion IUPUI in State (18-7), which ranks fourth in himself was unveiled. months.” Townsend, one of three starters who Bethy Mununga, who averages 11.2 the Horizon League championship for Division I averaging 16.7 offensive re- The Smith said relocating back to did not start because of illness, came points, was limited to three points on its second NCAA Tournament bid in bounds per game. Baker, who returned ceremony Queensland’s Gold Coast with his off a Jenn Wirth screen and just got the home to Indianapolis where she aver- outside family had helped him realise it shot off over 6-foot-7 Sara Hamson as aged 22.7 points in her senior season at Melbourne was the right time to retire. time expired. Pike High School, was 10 of 16 from Storm’s It was the only points of the game for the fi eld with three 3-pointers. home sta- RUGBY Townsend, who started on the bench South Dakota 66, Omaha 43 dium came with leading 3-pointer shooter Cierra In Sioux falls, S.D., Hannah Sjerven as the Walker, and third-leading scorer and scored 20 points with nine rebounds 37-year-old The Storm paid tribute to Smith second-leading rebounder LeeAnne and second-seeded South Dakota goal-kicking for the “immeasurable contribu- Wirth because of gastroenteritis. earned its third straight NCAA Tour- hooker re- tion to our club on and off the tired after field” and a legacy that “will be re- nament bid with a romp over eighth- Smith seeded Omaha in the Summit League playing a membered in Melbourne forever.” BASKETBALL championship. record 430 games for the club. He’s Smith was the consummate Chloe Lamb hit three 3-pointers and the only player in league history to captain, leading the Storm for 327 Freshman Yvonne Ejim, playing a scored 17 points for the Coyotes (19- go beyond 400. He made his debut matches, the Queensland Origin season-high 21 minutes, led the Bull- 5), who won their ninth-straight game in 2002 for the Storm, where he team for 21 and Australia for 33. dogs (23-3) with 13 points, nine in - including three tournament games by played his entire career. He made his NRL debut on the fourth quarter, and nine rebounds a total of 72 points. Lamb scored 57 Smith also played 42 matches April 13, 2002 and played his last – both season highs. She forced a tie- points in the three games. for Queensland in the high-stakes game on Oct. 25 of last year, when up with a friendly possession arrow on Freshman Lauren Frost led Omaha and even higher-profile annual Smith, as if anyone would have an offensive rebound when Kayleigh (7-13) with 10 points. The Mavericks State of Origin series against New expected anything else, scored a Truong missed a layup with two sec- became the fi rst eight seed to win a South Wales. He represented Aus- try and kicked four goals to help onds left. game in the tournament when they got tralia in 56 matches, winning the lead Melbourne to a 26-20 over the S. Florida 48, Wichita St. 44 Gonzaga celebrates a victory over BYU in an NCAA college basketball the program’s fi rst win over a ranked World Cup with the Kangaroos in Penrith Panthers in the champion- In Forth Worth, Texas, Sydni Har- game for the West Coast Conference women’s tournament championship, team with a 52-40 win over No. 21 2013 and 2017. ship match. vey scored 14 points and South Flori- on March 9, in Las Vegas. (AP) South Dakota State in the opener. ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 16

Dortmund’s Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla FC in Dortmund, Germany, March 9. Dortmund won 5-4 on aggregate. (AP) – See Page 14 Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Juve knocked out of CL by Porto

Portuguese side advance to quarters on away goals

TURIN, Italy, March 10, (AP): Juventus - and Cristi- ano Ronaldo - crashed out of the Champions League round of 16 on away goals for the second successive year as the Bianconeri were were eliminated by 10-man Porto. Sérgio Oliveira scored in extra time to send Porto into the quarter- finals of Europe’s premier club competition despite a thrilling 3-2 loss in Turin after Federico Chiesa’s two goals had given Juventus hope. Porto, which played most of the second leg at a numerical disadvan- tage after Mehdi Taremi’s sending off, advanced on away goals after the matchup ended 4-4 on aggregate. “There’s great disappointment and sadness, I’m pretty much speechless,” Chiesa said. “We managed to get back into the match and we deserved to go through. Instead, we’re here talking about something else and I really don’t know what to say. “We had all the cards in our hand to go through, just we didn’t show it. We only performed in the second half today and we almost did it ... the dis- appointment is so great. It’s all pretty much meaningless, even my two goals or my performance, because we haven’t got anything out of it.” Juventus went out in the round of 16 on away goals to Lyon last season. Sérgio Oliveira also netted Porto’s first goal, from the penalty spot, but Chiesa scored twice in the second half to level the tie for Juventus and send the match into extra time.

SOCCER

Porto appeared to have all but won it before Adrien Rabiot reduced the Porto’s Pepe vies for the ball with Juventus’ Federico Chiesa, on the ground, during the Champions League, round of 16, second leg, soccer match between Juventus and Porto in Turin, Italy, deficit three minutes from time to set March 9. (AP) up a tense finale. Both sides also hit the woodwork in an end-to-end match in which the Islanders win 6th straight in shootout momentum kept changing. “These games are marked in the history of the club,” Porto coach Sérgio Conceição said. “I have a group of brave players who interpret- Penguins gain ground in East Division ed what we wanted in the best way, against a great team with players of a UNIONDALE, N.Y., March 10, (AP): bined 11-1 after dropping four straight very high level. Anthony Beauvillier scored the decid- games. “After Taremi’s sending off, we ing goal in the shootout and the New NHL Results/Standings Mattias Janmark scored for the showed the Porto DNA. We never York Islanders beat the Boston Bruins Blackhawks, who have allowed six stopped believing - this is the true 2-1 on Tuesday night for their sixth goals each in losing their last two DNA of Porto.” straight win. games. Malcolm Subban made 31 Brock Nelson scored in regulation WASHINGTON, March 10, (AP): NHL results and standings on Tuesday. saves. Juventus needed to overturn a 2-1 Pittsburgh 4 NY Rangers 2 Washington 5 New Jersey OT 4 deficit from the first leg. It had con- for the Islanders, and Semyon Winnipeg 4 Toronto 3 Carolina 3 Nashville OT 2 Flyers 5, Sabres 4, SO Varlamov stopped 32 shots as Barry Florida 4 Columbus 2 Tampa Bay 4 Detroit OT 3 ceded early in Portugal and almost In Philadelphia, Shayne Gostis- did so again in Turin as Taremi’s Trotz became the third coach in NHL NY Islanders 2 Boston SO 1 Dallas 6 Chicago 1 history to reach 1,700 games behind Philadelphia 5 Buffalo SO 4 behere tied it late in regulation, Sean header bounced off the bar in the East Division West Division Couturier and Nolan Patrick scored sixth minute after Bianconeri defend- the bench. New York beat Boston for the fourth time in four meetings this P W L OT Pts GF GA P W L OT Pts GF GA shootout goals, and Philadelphia hand- er Leonardo Bonucci had blocked NY Islanders 26 16 6 4 36 75 57 season. Vegas 22 16 5 1 33 70 47 ed Buffalo its NHL-worst eighth Zaidu Sanusi’s effort. Washington 25 15 6 4 34 84 80 St Louis 26 14 8 4 32 83 82 straight loss. Taremi was also involved in The Islanders also improved to Pittsburgh 25 15 9 1 31 81 77 Minnesota 23 14 8 1 29 71 60 New York Islanders’ Brock Nelson 11-0-2 at Nassau Coliseum, remaining Boston 23 13 6 4 30 66 56 Colorado 23 13 8 2 28 70 58 The Flyers rallied from a 3-1 hole to Porto’s goal as he won the penalty Philadelphia 23 13 7 3 29 76 73 Arizona 25 12 10 3 27 68 75 avoid their first three-game losing (29) looks to pass during the over- the league’s only team without a regu- NY Rangers 24 10 11 3 23 68 67 when he was fouled by Merih Demiral time period of an NHL hockey lation loss at home. Los Angeles 24 10 8 6 26 73 71 streak of the season. New Jersey 22 8 11 3 19 55 71 Anaheim 26 8 12 6 22 61 81 and Sérgio Oliveira converted into the game against the Boston Bruins, David Pastrnak scored for Boston, Buffalo 24 6 14 4 16 56 80 Gostisbehere ripped one from the bottom left corner. San Jose 23 9 11 3 21 66 88 March 9, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP) which lost its second straight and fell Central Division point on one knee past Jonas Johansson Juventus appeared transformed North Division to 3-5-2 in its last 10 games. Jaroslav P W L OT Pts GF GA with 5:46 left in the third to make it after the break and drew level four Juan Cuadrado cross into the top left Halak finished with 26 saves. Tampa Bay 24 18 4 2 38 87 51 P W L OT Pts GF GA 4-all. minutes into the second half as Carolina 25 18 6 1 37 88 66 Toronto 27 18 7 2 38 93 67 corner in the 63rd minute. Florida 25 16 5 4 36 84 72 Winnipeg 25 16 8 1 33 83 72 Lightning 4, Red Wings 3, OT Ronaldo controlled a Bonucci ball Edmonton 27 16 11 0 32 86 82 over the top and knocked it on for Juventus almost won it in stoppage Chicago 27 13 9 5 31 83 86 In Detroit, Blake Coleman scored time as Álvaro Morata had a goal ICE HOCKEY Columbus 27 10 12 5 25 71 89 Montreal 24 11 6 7 29 79 68 Chiesa to curl into the top right cor- Nashville 26 11 14 1 23 63 85 Vancouver 29 12 15 2 26 83 94 2:17 into overtime to lift Tampa Bay ner. disallowed for offside before Dallas 21 8 8 5 21 62 55 Calgary 26 11 12 3 25 71 80 over Detroit, extending the Stanley Cuadrado fired an effort off the bar. Detroit 27 7 16 4 18 57 91 Ottawa 28 9 18 1 19 76 108 Juve’s hopes of turning the tie Beauvillier beat Halak top shelf Cup champions’ season-high point The Bianconeri were made to Note: Two points for a win one point for overtime loss. The top four teams in each around grew further five minutes later with a backhand in the third round of division will qualify for playoffs under this season’s temporary realignment. streak to nine games. when Taremi was sent off after he regret those wasted opportunities as, the tiebreaker. Varlamov then denied Coleman’s goal was set up by Tyler kicked a ball away and received a five minutes from the end of extra Johnson, who also scored. Detroit’s Brad Marchand to preserve the dominant third period that featured a his first four-point game and Dallas second yellow card moments after his time, Weston McKennie fouled Islanders’ first win in five games Dylan Larkin had a tiebreaking goal first booking. Sérgio Oliveira, who dusted himself 16-5 shot disparity. dominated Chicago. midway through the second period, beyond regulation this season. Jordan The Capitals went up 4-1 before the Chiesa hit the post before complet- off to fire a free kick under the wall Eberle scored for New York, and Joe Pavelski got his team-best 13th and the rebuilding team kept the lead ing the comeback when he headed a and into the bottom left corner. Devils tilted the ice, scoring three con- goal for the Stars. Roope Hintz had a against an NHL power for 20-plus Pastrnak converted for Boston in the secutive goals to force OT. first round. goal and an assist, and defensemen minutes. Stars 6, Blackhawks 1 Erik Cernak pulled Tampa Bay into Penguins 4, Rangers 2 Jamie Oleksiak, John Klingberg and In Dallas, Joel Kiviranta scored 100 Esa Lindell also scored. Anton a 3-all tie 9:40 into the third. Detroit’s Germany’s top division soccer clubs In Pittsburgh, Kasperi Kapanen got Khudobin stopped 21 shots for Dallas, Adam Cerne and Tampa Bay’s his fourth goal in his last five games seconds in and added an assist, rookie Jason Robertson had four assists for which has won two of three by a com- Brayden Point also scored power-play ‘generated’ $4.5 billion last season and surging Pittsburgh held off New goals, and Patrik Nemeth had Detroit’s York. other goal. BERLIN, March 10, (AP): the 2020-21 season. One example Teddy Blueger and Jake Guentzel Hurricanes 3, Predators 2, OT Germany’s top division soccer of this is the international transfer also scored for the Penguins, who went clubs generated the third highest market. In addition, a further 4-1 on their homestand to gain ground In Raleigh, N.C., Jordan Staal revenue figures ever last season, decline in revenue from ticket in the hyper-competitive East Division. scored his second goal of the game despite the coronavirus pandemic. sales is unavoidable,” the DFL Sidney Crosby’s empty-net goal with with 34.9 seconds left in overtime to Revenue for the 18 Bundesliga said. 32 seconds to go helped Pittsburgh give Carolina a win over Nashville as clubs for 2019-20 was 3.8 billion Most of last season was played escape. the Hurricanes stretched their winning euros ($4.5 billion), down from with ticket-buying fans present. Tristan Jarry finished with 33 saves streak to six games. 3.95 billion ($4.7 billion) the sea- The first Bundesliga game in an - including a couple of scrambling Staal scored unassisted in the extra son before, according to the empty stadium was the postponed stops on his belly in the final minutes period, carrying the puck into the zone German soccer league’s annual derby between Borussia to preserve a one-goal lead. and beating Pekka Rinne to give the report released . Mönchengladbach and Cologne Capitals 5, Devils 4, OT Hurricanes their first six-game win The governing body, known as on March 11, 2020. The league streak in 10 years. the DFL, said games in empty completed 25 rounds from 34 the In Washington, Jakub Vrana scored his second goal of the game in over- Panthers 4, Blue Jackets 2 stadiums without supporters due weekend before, which proved to In Columbus, Ohio Patric Hornqvist to the hygiene measures against be the last with full stadiums in time to help Washington beat New Jersey after squandering a three-goal and Owen Tippett scored power-play the virus contributed to revenue Germany. The league was sus- lead. goals in the second period, Sergei dropping by 5.7% across the top pended on March 15 for two Washington has won six of seven, Bobrovsky made 40 saves and Florida two divisions. months, when games resumed including two in a row since Tom beat Columbus. “The impact of the coronavirus under strict restrictions with few, Wilson was suspended for hitting Philadelphia Flyers’ Jakub Voracek (right), lunges after Buffalo Sabres’ Juho Lammikko and Carter will be even more pronounced in if any, fans present. Boston’s Brandon Carlo in the head, Cody Eakins during the second period of an NHL hockey game, March 9, Verhaeghe also scored for the but New Jersey earned a point with a in Philadelphia. (AP) Panthers, who have won three of four.

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