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Established 1961 Friday ISSUE NO: 18228 MUHARRAM 23, 1442 AH FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Woman shot dead in Mubarak New York marks 9/11 anniversary NBA Playoffs: Raptors 9 Hospital over ‘family disputes’ 14 amid coronavirus pandemic 38 claw back to force game 7

Confidence reaffirmed in two ministers See Page 8 2 Friday Local Friday, Sep[tember 11, 2020

Hello corona PHOTO OF THE DAY

IN MY VIEW

By Abdellatif Sharaa [email protected]

t is clear that the country has opened up, and it seems that there is no turning back, that this situa- Ition will remain so and there is no other way about it. Kuwait was in virtual lockdown for over seven months and this had a tremendous impact on the economy, which was already under pressure due to the significant fluctuation of oil prices for various reasons. We, at this point, should ask ourselves when it comes to survival: is it for the strongest and toughest, or is it for those who are aware? We described the virus as the invisible ene- my and it remains so. It is still attacking, and will attack KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti man stops at a currency exchange shop in Kuwait City on September 7, 2020, a sector heavily affected you from any direction and at any time, while the sad by the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a sharp drop in travel and tourism. -— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat thing is that you will not know it until it is too late. So, it is important to have awareness about how to behave and act in a way that helps us spare ourselves from being Despite glimmer of hope, Kuwait infected. We must first be examples for our families and encourage them to be cautious and turn healthy behav- still far from full gender equality ior into a habit to fight the coronavirus. Behaviors such as kissing and hugging when leaving the house or women don’t have the right to pass down their citizenship to returning home must be abandoned. Believe me, your IN MY VIEW their children. Under Kuwait’s citizenship law, only Kuwaiti men mother, father, sister, brother or children will not be can pass their citizenships to their children, whereas Kuwaiti angry at you when you do not kiss and hug them if they women married to non-Kuwaitis do not have the same right. This understand why, so do not carry on with this unneces- By Staff writer situation puts many Kuwaiti women who are married to non- sary act. Do the same outside in the street or at work. A Kuwaitis under a constant case of worry, knowing that their chil- [email protected] dren don’t have access to the same rights and opportunities as simple hello is more than enough, and your colleagues their peers who have Kuwaiti fathers. While the government understand that very well. Governments are now taking ight women took the legal oath of office before Chairman gives exceptions for children of Kuwaiti women such as educa- different approaches to the issue after giving abundant of Kuwait’s Supreme Judicial Council and the Cassation tion in public schools and priority in public sector employment advice and warnings for the public on a daily basis, to ECourt and President of the Constitutional Court Yousef Al- ahead of expatriates, these ‘advantages’ are far from enough to the point that I am sure many may have imagined the Mutawa last week on the occasion of their appointment as give a sense of security, neither to those who are tied to this land coronavirus as a real and tangible entity standing in judges at the Cassation Court. These are the first women to be by blood, nor to their mothers. front of them. sworn in as judges in Kuwait. In July, Attorney General Dirar Al- The issue of citizenship is a very sensitive topic in Kuwait, as it is considered a matter of sovereignty. There are many demo- I am afraid that cases may go up if we are not careful. Asousi had approved the promotion of the eight female prosecu- tors to the rank of judge. graphic, cultural, economic and other dimensions to consider For now, we are blessed by the grace of God that the That moment is without a doubt a monumental victory for when discussing the subject of granting citizenship to children of number of recoveries is good. But if we are not vigilant women’s rights in Kuwait, and a step forward in what still Kuwaiti women married to men who hold nationalities of other enough, hospital capacities may not be able to handle a remains a long road for Kuwait to achieve gender equality, and countries. But discussion over giving children of Kuwaiti women large number of cases. By the way, if you feel any symp- allow Kuwaiti women to enjoy equal rights with their male the right to citizenship should not focus on or merely be limited toms or have any doubts, it is much better to stay home counterparts. to talking about them having access to the privileges that comes Kuwait’s history is rich in examples where women shouldered with nationality. Instead, discussion should start with equality and keep away from others just to keep everyone on the and their naturalization as a human right, as well as giving a real safe side. the responsibility of building their country with men; far too many for one article to contain. The government has made efforts chance to this important category of society to work, contribute, I must say here that heads of departments, company since Kuwait’s independence to provide equal opportunities for be fully integrated with and give back to the only country they’ve owners, managers and supervisors must be strict in male and female citizens in the education and job market fields, called home - something that seems even more relevant today implementing procedures because the appearance of and has largely been successful in terms of providing public edu- when the government is aggressively pushing forward its even one case will mean the place will be closed down cation and jobs for all regardless of gender. ‘Kuwaitization’ policy. for a few days, and this may be very costly. Employees The same cannot be said about providing equal rights to citi- The names of the eight women judges; Fatima Al-Sagheer, zens irrespective of gender, however. In fact, Kuwaiti women had Fatima Al-Kandari, Sanabel Al-Houti, Fatima Al-Farhan, Bashair must not be selfish and think about all those around Shah, Bashaer Al-Rakdan, Rawaat Al-Tabtabae, and Lulwa Al- them, and about the entire community because it takes to wait until 2005 to have the right to vote; 44 years after Kuwait’s independence and 43 years since the country’s first par- Ghanim are forever etched in Kuwait’s history, marking an impor- only one person to transmit the disease to many others. liamentary elections. In a more recent example, the health min- tant point in Kuwaiti women’s march towards equality. Their Yes, remind your brothers in humanity to wear their istry announced last week allowing women to approve urgent achievement gives hope to female law practitioners around masks, and it is not a bad behavior to extend your elbow medical intervention for their children, after the parliament Kuwait who until recently feared that no matter how much they to a person who wants to shake hands with you! The passed a law in that regard late August. But before being passed, proved their worth, they could never be put on equal grounds the draft law had to be amended to exclude wives from having with their male peers. Likewise, Kuwaiti mothers should never solution is in front of us and with us, so let us be smart have to worry about the fate of their children while their male and help make ‘corona’ and its sisters something of the the right to approve urgent medical intervention for their hus- bands, as originally proposed. One of the main obstacles in counterparts don’t have to feel the same. Until that situation is past. May God protect you all. women’s road towards equality remains in the fact that Kuwaiti rectified, Kuwait remains far from achieving full gender equality.

4 Friday Local Friday, September 11, 2020

By Ben Garcia agement has decided to reduce the number of temperature of everyone entering the market. stalls inside the market of up to 50 percent only. Unlike the normal market days at Friday Market, he Friday Market in Al-Rai reopened yester- The huge space inside the market and the dis- only two entry and exit points are opened for Tday and unlike the brief reopening on July tance between stores to the next are evident. The customers. The remaining eight gates of the mar- 9, which only lasted for few hours because entry point or gate is being closely monitored in ket are closed. of over-crowding, this time however, the man- an air-conditioned tent by cameras to check the Friday 5 Local Friday, September 11, 2020

Promis, a Bangladeshi vendor, confirmed that agreed to sell our goods together in one store the market as a precautionary measure to stop the management is now strictly observing health and we agreed to alternate during the next three the spread of COVID-19. The reopening of the protocols inside the market. “We have our own days. I will stay in the store one day, and on the market yesterday means new measures have gate pass to enter or leave the premises,” he next day, he will come and attend the store. At been taken to prevent overcrowding. The Friday said. “They are telling us to properly observe least we both earn something.” Market is very popular among people looking for social distancing inside the market. They already Friday Market was initially reopened on July 9, used items and cheap goods. reduced the number of stalls; you see the empty but Kuwait Municipality sealed it later in the stalls and space. They also tell us that only one evening due to crowding and lack of social dis- attendant is allowed per store, so my friend and I tancing. On March 13, the Municipality closed

KUWAIT: Several photos showing people standing in line waiting to enter the Friday Market, and stalls inside the market yesterday. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and Ben Garcia 6 Friday Local Friday, Sep[tember 11, 2020 Kuwait ousts blue-collar expats as slump, resentment bite KUWAIT: After more than 45 years washing my life here,” said Ali, a greengrocer at Souq Al- cars in Kuwait to make ends meet, Egyptian Mubarakiya in Kuwait City. “It’s difficult that I Marzouq Mohammed will soon be kicked out have to leave ‘just like that’ after all these years.” of the country as economic woes and coron- avirus stoke anti-foreigner sentiment. The 65- Business sense? year-old is among tens of thousands who will The coronavirus pandemic, which dispro- be forced to leave the oil-rich emirate, hard portionately hit migrant workers living in hit by collapsing crude prices. crowded lodgings, spotlighted the presence of The cash-strapped government said last a community increasingly seen as a burden- month that from January it will no longer particularly as the downturn snuffed out their renew work permits for expatriates over the jobs. age of 60 without university degrees. “Now One famous Kuwaiti actress made headlines they tell us this? Now they say ‘he’s 65, he at the height of the panic in April by saying for- must leave’. Leave where and to do what? We eigners should be expelled to free up hospital spent a lifetime here,” Mohammed told AFP. beds for locals. “We should send them out... put Like its Gulf neighbors, Kuwait depends them in the desert. I’m not against humanity, KUWAIT: In this file photo taken on May 5, 2020, Egyptian citizens queue up at Kuwait heavily on cheap foreign labor, mainly Middle but we have reached a stage where we’re fed International Airport before boarding a repatriation flight to Cairo. -— Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Eastern and Asian workers. Many arrive as up,” Hayat Al-Fahad told a local television young adults to work in blue-collar jobs, occu- channel. Her comments sparked outrage on pations most Kuwaitis shun in favor of high- social media. over five percent of the country’s 1.4 million cit- Generations Fund, with assets estimated at paying government positions. While the latest move to slash the migrant izens. “The government would also need to take $550 billion-set aside for a post-oil era. But collapsing oil revenues, a vital source of population has been welcomed by some, steps to make the private sector much more Withdrawals require approval from parliament. state funds, are forcing a rethink. His Highness experts say the decision will hurt the private attractive for nationals, who currently prefer to But the legislature accuses the government of the Prime Minister Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah sector and stifle consumption. The restaurants work in the public sector,” Raghu said. mismanaging public finances, and has rejected has said the number of non-Kuwaitis should be union has warned it could hit businesses already a bill to borrow KD 20 billion ($65 billion) over capped at 30 percent of the 4.8 million popula- struggling after months of lockdown. ‘Leave everything behind’ the next 30 years. It is a rude reckoning for a tion, down from 70 percent currently, to M R Raghu, head of research at Kuwait Populations across the Gulf are dipping as country once seen as the most dynamic in the “resolve the demographic imbalance.” The Financial Centre (Markaz), said the strategy the coronavirus and the ensuing oil crunch rav- Gulf, but where generous subsidies and public country must rely more on Kuwaitis “to work in was to create jobs for Kuwaitis while retaining age economies. Kuwait’s crunch has been par- sector salaries now make up three-quarters of all professions” as it seeks to diversify its econ- more skilled foreign workers. “By reducing the ticularly acute. Finance minister Barak Al- oil-fueled state budgets. omy, he said. expats who do not add much value to the econ- Sheetan warned last month that there would But Syrian Khalil Abdullah, a 63-year-old But for Iranian Hasan Ali, also among the more omy, jobs can be freed up to provide employ- not be enough cash to pay state salaries mechanic, said he still hoped for a reprieve to than 68,000 people whose visas will not be ment opportunities for nationals,” he said. beyond October unless the government can let him stay in Kuwait into his old age. “Those renewed, leaving a country where he has spent However, despite a drive to encourage locals secure fresh funds. who have shops and companies, is it possible more than half his 67 years will be heartbreaking. to enter the private job market, only about The country has one of the world’s largest for them to just leave everything behind and “I got married here, I had my children here, I lived 72,000 locals work in the private sector-just sovereign wealth funds, known as the Future go?” he asked. — AFP

back to hospital. I am living with the pain until now. I went to the Philippine Embassy to appeal 73-year-old Filipino seamstress in hit for help, but I was not allowed to enter the embassy,” she said. She tried to contact Filipino community and run decides to go home at last organizations in Kuwait and was connected to By Ben Garcia after four days I won’t be able to pay, because AKO OFW, an NGO, which referred her to most of my friends have no money and my Embassy Welfare Officer Llewelyn Perez. KUWAIT: Two days after returning to work, a employer also said they have no money to give,” “Through AKO OFW, I was able to get connect- Filipina seamstress was run over by an SUV in Luz said. ed to our welfare officer Attorney Perez. I told Mirqab. The accident took place at 7 pm on Aug She asked for medicine and painkillers, but her I wanted to go back to my family in the 24, 2020. Luzviminda Adornado, 73, was in a the doctor only gave her paracetamol. “Maybe Philippines so I could see a doctor there,” Luz hurry to catch the bus before the curfew at 9 because I didn’t have money, they only gave me said. pm. She was injured but conscious; however, the paracetamol. It was very painful - I could feel If the accident hadn’t happened, she was car that hit her sped off, and no one witnessed excruciating pain all over. My arm was so willing to stay and work in Kuwait. “I love the hit-and-run. “The person who helped me painful that I couldn’t even move it a bit; I had Kuwait - I do not want to go back to the was the haris of a nearby building, who called an several bruises all over my body, but all I got Philippines despite repeated requests by my ambulance, which took me to Amiri Hospital,” was Panadol. I told the Filipina nurse that I do sons and daughters for many years, because I she told Kuwait Times. not have any money, so she gave me KD 3 to know I will miss this country very much. I told She suffered multiple bruises and a head take a taxi back home that morning. The follow- them I want to stay until I am able to work and injury, while x-rays revealed her left arm was ing day, I asked help from a Filipina in my build- do my job. I told them until I’m unable to direct a thread in the eye of a needle, I will stay in KUWAIT: 73-Year-old Luzviminda Adornado dislocated. The doctor at Amiri Hospital referred ing because I couldn’t bear the pain anymore. (right). her to Razi Hospital. She was brought to Razi When she saw me suffering, she immediately Kuwait,” she said. Hospital at 2 am and underwent another x-ray. took me to Amiri Hospital. The doctor at Amiri Luzviminda came to Kuwait in 1994 after she The doctor checked her again, realigned her dis- told me to go to Razi. The problem with going terminated her contract as a family seamstress in stay long in the Philippines, but only in Kuwait. located bones and told her to pay KD 70. But back to Razi was that I had to pay the KD 70. Saudi Arabia in 1990. She went back to the But after the accident on August 24, 2020, I Luz had no money at the time of the accident. “I Everyone was complaining they had no money, Philippines after the death of her husband to came to realize that Kuwait will not care for me had KD 5 in my wallet, but it was taken home by so I endured the pain,” Luz recalled. tend to her six children. “I stayed with my sons when I am old, so I am bowing out,” she said. my roommate, so I had no money. They told me and daughters and tried my luck in small busi- The Philippine Embassy has reserved her the injuries were not very serious and I could go Living with the pain nesses. But I was not very good in business, plus ticket and she will be on the next chartered flight home. But they said I had to pay KD 70 for Luzviminda stopped working on March 14 it required lots of my time for little profit. So to Manila. As of now, there are no commercial applying a tourniquet,” she said. when the government of Kuwait ordered almost when a friend convinced me to go with her to flights to Manila pending a decision by the “At 5 am, a Filipina nurse told me to leave the every establishment to cease operations in an Kuwait in 1994 as a family seamstress, I agreed. Kuwaiti government to resume flights to 32 hospital but come back after four days for a effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. I left the care of my kids to my relatives. In a few countries where coronavirus infections are checkup and pay the KD 70, but I told her even “After my last Amiri Hospital visit, I did not go years, I was in love with Kuwait. I didn’t like to widespread, including the Philippines.

8 Friday Local Friday, September 11, 2020 Assembly renews confidence in interior, education ministers Deputy Amir congratulates ministers for parliament’s trust

By B Izzak among activists with one group accusing the minister of being part of what they described as KUWAIT: MPs yesterday overwhelmingly re- the ‘deep state’. On the other hand, a part of local jected two no-confidence motions against the in- press, mainly Al-Rai and Al-Qabas newspapers, terior and education ministers who were grilled strongly defended the minister accusing his op- last week for the second time in a few weeks over ponents of threatening national security. alleged violations and mismanagement. Opposition MPs who grilled Saleh, the first Twenty-nine MPs voted in favor of Education non-ruling family member to become interior Minister Saud Al-Harbi while 15 voted against minister, said the minister tried to cover up a with three abstentions. Only elected MPs are al- massive leak from the secret service police and lowed to vote on no-confidence motions while its involvement in the Malaysian sovereign cabinet members are barred. Thirty-two MPs wealth fund scandal. voted in support of Interior Minister Anas Al- MPs speaking in favor of the motion accused Saleh while 16 lawmakers voted against him. the minister of failing to take appropriate actions His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown against officers responsible for leaking the Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- videos and plotting to tap social media accounts Sabah congratulated the two ministers, com- of Kuwaiti citizens. The minister categorically mending them for their responses, and praising denied the accusations, saying that the incident the democratic practice which he said “reflects took place before he became a minister and even the civilized nature of Kuwait.” Harbi said ob- though he referred the issue to the public pros- taining the confidence “increased responsibility ecution. entrusted upon him,” as he asks Allah Almighty Saleh was also accused of not taking legal ac- to provide him with strength to further improve tion against senior officers who benefited from a education. The minister expressed sincere scandal involving 5,000 stateless or bedoon KUWAIT: MPs and ministers attend yesterday’s National Assembly session. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat thanks and gratitude to each MP for granting people who were the victims of buying passports him confidence to continue working, expressing from a foreign country which turned out to be sulted into a confrontation between two groups change Saleh because he effectively fought at the same time his appreciation to everyone fake. MP Rakan Al-Nasef defended the minister, in the society. He said that some people learnt of against money laundering, the Malaysian sover- who disagreed with him. saying he took all the necessary legal actions the video leaks over a year but took no action eign wealth fund scandal and visa traders, be- The motion against Saleh attracted huge at- against people who violated or exploited the law. until Saleh was appointed interior minister. Shatti sides his efforts to amend the population tention in the local press, social media and MP Khaled Al-Shatti said the grilling has re- claimed that members of the ‘deep state’ want to structure.

2334, he said. In regards to the Syrian conflict, which has entered Kuwait reaffirms its tenth year, the minister described the situation there as having witnessed “unprecedented humanitarian tragedies... (where) ex- ternal parties compete at the expense of the Syrian people.” He Deputy Foreign Minister steadfast support of reiterated Kuwait’s stance in rejection of a military solution to the crisis, saying that a political settlement remains the only op- meets new Indian envoy tion in accordance with Security Council resolution 2245 and Palestinians’ rights the 2012 Geneva Communique. KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jar- allah held talks yesterday with India’s new Ambassador to KUWAIT: Foreign Minister and Acting Minister of Defense Yemen crisis Kuwait Sibi George. During the meeting, they discussed bi- Sheikh Dr Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah led Kuwait’s On Yemen, he said that the conflict there continues to lateral relations, as well as regional and international issues, delegation at an Arab League ministerial meeting held remotely threaten the security and stability of the Arab region as a the foreign ministry said in a statement. Assistant Foreign on Wednesday. Under the directions of His Highness the Amir whole as he underlined the need for a political solution based Minister for Deputy Foreign Minister’s Office Ayham Al-Omar Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Kuwait has pro- on the three basic references - the GCC initiative, national di- attended the meeting. —KUNA vided assistance worth $100 million for global efforts to tackle alogue and Security Council resolution 2216. He expressed coronavirus, some of which will go to Arab states, he said. support for efforts by the UN to mediate consultations and di- Speaking to fellow ministers, he described the ongoing global alogue between Yemeni parties aimed at reaching a political pandemic as a “tangible threat to the security and stability” of settlement, urging these parties to commit to the process. the world. “Cooperation and coordination between our countries Saudi Arabia’s initiative to restart the Riyadh Accord talks was and the countries of the world is necessary,” he maintained. praised, as the minister reiterated Kuwait’s condemnation of On the Middle East crisis, he stressed Kuwait’s “principled attacks on the kingdom and support for all measures it takes and steadfast position” in support of Palestinians’ legitimate to maintain its security and stability. rights and statehood, along the 1967 borders and with a capital On Libya, he welcomed the announced ceasefire and cessa- of East Jerusalem, and its continued support for the UNRWA in tion of hostilities, highlighting Kuwait’s support for global efforts its assistance of Palestinian refugees. He also renewed the call aimed at ending the fighting and ensuring peace and stability for the international community to “seriously and carefully” con- there. He went to urge parties there to aim for the nation’s ben- sider the option for just and comprehensive peace as a strategic efit above all other considerations, to commit to ending the vio- option that ends the Arab-Israeli conflict and preserves the lence and resort to peaceful dialogue as a means to end the rights of the Palestinian people. This may only be achieved ongoing crisis. The minister also welcomed the peace accords KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah meets through the implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative, Israel’s signed between the Transitional Government of Sudan and sev- with India’s new Ambassador to Kuwait Sibi George. —KUNA withdrawal from occupied Arab territories and the implementa- eral opposition factions and expressed Kuwait’s support during tion of United Nations Security Council resolutions 242, 338 and the upcoming interim stage. —KUNA Friday 9 Local Friday, September 11, 2020 Woman shot dead in Mubarak Hospital over ‘family disputes’ Victim’s brother turns himself in, other sibling in custody

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti woman was shot dead in her hos- was supposed to be heavily guarded, and then escape clothes, a cap and a facemask. A relative of the victim said security sources. Case papers indicate that the girl pital bed by her brother, two days after she was hospi- from hospital and remain at large. Security sources identified him from the video as the victim’s brother, and was getting out of the court house when a citizen whom talized with gunshot wounds inflicted by her other quoted in an Al-Rai report published yesterday that search was on for him before he turned himself in. The she had been having legal disputes and cases with brother in a crime that shocked Kuwait. Mubarak Hos- while being interrogated, exact motive of the crime re- stabbed her from the back and fled the scene. The pital doctors had managed to save the victim’s life after the policeman assigned to mains unclear, but investiga- woman was rushed to hospital where she provided po- she was rushed there when her brother shot her outside guard the victim at the hos- tions with the suspect who licemen with information about the suspect. A case was her house in Salwa. Police were able to arrest the sus- pital said that he was at the committed the initial shoot- filed and a search is on for him. Separately, police ar- pect the same night at Anjafa beach. But while his sister other end of the ward when Shot twice ing revealed that it was for rested an Arab man accused of attempting to rape an was recovering at Mubarak Hospital’s ICU, the other he heard the shooting, and family disputes. The two re- Asian woman inside an apartment she had rented for him, sibling made his way to her room on Wednesday and ran with others towards the within main in police custody said security sources. The woman had filed a complaint shot her twice, killing her instantly, before escaping. ICU but failed to arrest the two days pending further legal action. saying that she had rented a Salmiya apartment and sub- The killer later turned himself in at Jahra police sta- shooter. The policeman was leased it to five Arab men. She added that a few days tion, but the crime sent shockwaves throughout the detained pending further in- Stabbed outside court later, one of them called her claiming that the air-condi- community due to its gruesome details, and raised vestigations. In another case, detec- tioner had malfunctioned and needs repairs. She added many questions such as how the suspect managed to When police inspected the hospital’s CCTV camera tives are currently in search of a person who stabbed a that on reaching the place, he was alone and immediately reach the victim and commit his crime when her room tapes, they saw that the killer was wearing sports non-Kuwaiti woman he knows outside a court in Jahra, attempted to rape her, but she managed to escape. Kuwait COVID-19: Five fire stations battle factory blaze 740 new cases, four deaths, 818 recoveries KUWAIT: Kuwait’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases increased by 740 to 92,822, while four patients succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 556, a health ministry official said yesterday. The fig- ures include people who have come into contact with infected individuals, and others whose source of infection is currently being investigated, ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sanad said. In terms of health zones, 181 cases were reported in Hawally, 154 in Al-Ahmadi, 150 in Farwaniya, 137 in the Capital and 118 in Jahra, added the official. Earlier, the ministry said 818 people have recovered from the virus, upping the total number of those to have overcome the disease to 83,040. There are 90 people currently receiving intensive care for the virus out of a total 9,226 patients being hos- pitalized. Some 5,384 swab tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, out KUWAIT: Firemen battled a blaze that broke out in a drinking Shuyoukh and Backup fire stations responded to the scene of a total of 663,135 so far, added the spokesman. The official reiterated the water bottling factory in Sabhan. The fire reportedly started and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported in the in- strict need to abide by health precautions, urging the public to follow social in wood stored in a warehouse at the factory. Firefighters from cident, and an investigation was opened to reveal the cause of distancing rules as the only way to keep the virus at bay. —KUNA Sabhan, Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hazardous Materials, Jleeb Al- the fire. KFSD deploys new ‘advanced’ fire engines KUWAIT: Director General of Kuwait Fire Services Direc- torate (KFSD) Lieutenant General Khaled Al-Mekrad an- nounced yesterday the inauguration of new fire engines equipped with an advanced system to provide more efficient firefighting and rescue operations. Mekrad stated in a press statement during his visit to several fire stations that this up- graded vehicle, which comes with the CIFS system, will help progress firefighting operations in line with the latest tech- nologies in the field. KFSD would deploy 15 new vehicles, which contribute to reducing water and foam usage, to all fire stations, he added. Mekrad also stated that 17 more vehicles would enter into service in the second stage. —KUNA International FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

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DOHA: Mask-clad passengers stand along the train platform at a station in Qatar’s capital. Coronavirus cases in the wider Middle East from Morocco to Pakistan have topped two million, the World Health Organization said yesterday. — AFP Virus cases top 2m in wider Mideast Coronavirus death toll passes 900,000 worldwide CAIRO: Coronavirus cases in the wider Middle As the fatalities climbed, US President Don- Russian trials ‘too small’ tious-it’s a pause, it’s not the same thing as say- East from Morocco to Pakistan have topped two ald Trump admitted he had tried to minimize the Russia has already approved a vaccine and ing, ‘We can’t move forward’,” said Lo. “In some million, the World Health Organization said yes- seriousness of the COVID-19 threat at the start on Wednesday began inoculating volunteers in ways I’m quite relieved, it means they’re really terday. The caseload for the 21 countries has of the pandemic, in audio recordings released Moscow, the capital’s deputy mayor said. Russia paying attention.” The volunteer may have ex- more than doubled since July 1, the UN agency Wednesday from interviews with veteran jour- announced last month that its vaccine, named perienced an adverse reaction already seen in said. Regional director Ahmed Mandhari warned nalist Bob Woodward. “I wanted to always play “Sputnik V”-after the Soviet-era satellite that earlier patients such as fever and soreness, but that even countries like Jordan, Lebanon, Mo- it down,” Trump told Woodward on March 19, was the first launched into space in 1957 — had in a more severe form, Lo added. rocco and Tunisia, which had kept their infection according to a CNN preview of the book received approval. rates under control, were now facing significant “Rage”, due to be published this month. Research published in The Lancet medical ‘Standard process’ upticks. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t journal last week said patients involved in early Britain’s health minister Matt Hancock said it The WHO listed the hardest-hit countries as want to create a panic,” he said in the recorded tests in Russia developed antibodies with “no se- was not the first pause in the trials of the As- Iran with more than 393,000 cases, Saudi Arabia conversation with Woodward. There have been rious adverse events”, although scientists cau- traZeneca vaccine. “It’s a standard process in clin- with more than 320,000, Pakistan with just more than 27.7 million confirmed virus cases tioned the trials were too small. High-profile ical trials. There was a pause earlier in the summer under 300,000 and Iraq with nearly 274,000. worldwide, according to an AFP count based on Russians have already been vaccinated, includ- and that was resolved without a problem,” he told Mandhari said that a number of factors threat- official statistics, with the worst-hit region Latin ing President Vladimir Putin’s daughter, Sky News. China, meanwhile, put its homegrown ened to raise infection rates further-the resump- Moscow’s mayor, and nationalist politician vaccines on display for the first time at a Beijing America and the Caribbean, followed by Europe. tion of international travel across much of the Vladimir Zhirinovsky. trade fair this week, and authorities hope one will The country with the most coronavirus deaths is region, the start of the new school year and the Clinical trials of a Chinese-made vaccine in be approved for use by the end of the year. the United States with over 190,000 fatalities, beginning of the flu season. Brazil have shown “extremely positive” results, The economic impact of the virus continues followed by Brazil. It is now six months since the WHO declared and a widespread vaccination campaign could to wreak havoc on economies around the world, the novel coronavirus a pandemic. Worldwide, With billions of people around the world still begin as early as December, the governor of Sao with governments desperate to get back to nor- there have been more than 27.7 million con- suffering from the fallout of the crisis, a world- Paulo state said. AstraZeneca said it had “volun- mality. South Africa announced its economy had firmed virus cases, according to an AFP count wide race for a vaccine is underway, with nine tarily paused vaccination to allow review of shrunk by more than half in the second quarter, based on official statistics, with the worst-hit re- companies already in late-stage Phase 3 trials. safety data”, adding that in large-scale trials, ill- as the epidemic took its toll on Africa’s most in- gion Latin America and the Caribbean, followed However clinical trials on one of the most ad- nesses will sometimes happen by chance, but dustrialized state. Latin America and the by Europe. vanced experimental Covid-19 vaccines, which must be reviewed independently. Caribbean surpassed 300,000 virus deaths. Ar- Meanwhile, the global death toll from the is being developed by pharmaceutical company David Lo, a professor of biomedical sciences gentina’s caseload surpassed the half-million coronavirus pandemic has topped 900,000 AstraZeneca and Oxford University, were at the University of California, Riverside, told mark, while in Peru, which has the highest per since the respiratory disease first appeared in “paused” this week after a volunteer developed AFP the company’s decision is not necessarily a capita coronavirus death rate in the world, fatal- China last year, according to an AFP tally. an unexplained illness. setback. “Probably right now it’s just being cau- ities climbed beyond 30,000.—- AFP Friday 11 International Friday, September 11, 2020 Fear and poverty in Turkey as pandemic hits Erdogan’s base Workers anxious over looming layoffs, new lockdowns

ISTANBUL: Huseyin Goksoy, a tailor who was home - said he still supported AKP though he so stressed about going hungry during the worst would change his mind if he thought the party of the COVID-19 pandemic that he was briefly was no longer honest. bedridden with a hernia, is increasingly worried about his future as Turkey strains to curb Unsustainable poverty. He is not alone. Erdogan said on Monday the economy would Though a two-month lockdown ended in emerge stronger from the pandemic even June, about four million Turks still rely on state though its effects linger, adding that the govern- aid to get by, while even more informal workers ment’s 100 billion lira ($13 billion) aid pro- missed out on most of the financial support. gramme helped lower-income households. Polls and academic research paint a grim pic- Representatives of the presidency and the fi- ture ahead of the day when President Tayyip Er- nance ministry, which administers the aid, did not dogan’s government is expected to lift a immediately respond to questions about rising temporary ban on layoffs, possibly as soon as poverty. November. Goksoy, 48, makes face masks to The aid scheme partially covers wages of help cover losses from earlier this year when he many registered workers and funded some 2 could not get a subsidized small-business loan million needy households. Big cities run by the because there was no guarantor in his conser- main opposition party chipped in other funds vative neighborhood in central Istanbul. and food supplies. “People don’t get dressed up when they don’t But Turkey’s mix of low-skilled labor in which work, so I only repaired tears and it was 5-10 a third of workers informally earn cash daily, a liras ($1) a day - if that,” he said. “I still can’t send private sector dominated by small businesses money to my kids when they want it. If I do a and public finances already strained from a bad job, I’d go hungry.” Data and polls show that 2018-2019 recession leaves the country ISTANBUL: People shop at the Spice Market also known as the Egyptian Bazaar as the outbreak fear and disillusionment like this are unprece- uniquely vulnerable. Reserves at the central of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday. — Reuters dented across the labor market. Those hardest bank, which backstopped much of the pandemic hit are the same Turks who benefited from years response, have fallen sharply and accelerated a of Erdogan’s welfare policies that helped to plunge in the Turkish lira to all-time lows. That Turkey’s 3.6 million Syrian refugees faced record 1.4 million were too discouraged to sharply reduce income inequalities. in turn raises prices for basic imported goods. backlash in past downturns, and those left un- search for work, up nearly threefold from a year One study by Turkish economists Ayse Aylin By law, Erdogan can extend the ban on lay- employed this year had little safety net. Retired ago. Of those who had jobs last month, nearly Bayar, Oner Guncavdi and Haluk Levent predicts offs beyond November to mid-2021 to shield florist Kemal Erdogan, 76, said this week he sup- half were “very afraid” of losing them by winter, the number of impoverished Turks could double workers, but at a fiscal cost. “These are not sus- ports AKP but added that with the poor now a poll by Istanbul Economics Research found. this year to nearly 20 million, and set back by tainable policies,” said Guncavdi, an economist getting poorer it was clear Turkey welcomed too Can Selcuki, general manager of the consultancy, two decades progress in narrowing inequality. at Istanbul Technical University who co-au- many foreigners who are “living better lives than said that likely reflects workers’ suspicion that That would effectively wipe out the successes thored the study predicting a jump in poverty. you and I”. they will be laid off “the minute” the layoff ban of Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP) “When they are removed, there is potential An unprecedented collapse in employment is lifted. He added that support for Erdogan’s and could test his staunchest voter base at the for upheaval with mass layoffs, a spike in desti- endured after the lockdown was lifted in June ruling alliance dipped to 44 percent in a poll this next general election set for 2023. Goksoy - tution, family structures being tested and poten- and July, driven by workers not formally on pay- month, from 46 percent in August after a sum- whose shop is near the president’s childhood tial demonizing of minorities and refugees.” rolls, government data showed yesterday. A mer bounce. — Reuters

fields, the WHO says. For workers Sudan’s ‘silent depending on manual labor to survive, the crippling infections Turkey debates dropping act as a life sentence. Mycetoma, death’ from caused by bacteria or fungus and entering the body usually landmark women’s treaty flesh-eating cuts through cuts, is a progressively destructive infectious disease of ISTANBUL: Just as Turkey began debating leaving the the body tissue, affecting skin, world’s first treaty prosecuting femicide and domestic abuse, KHARTOUM: It seemed little to worry about: Sudanese farmer muscle and even bone. a jealous killer set a woman’s body on fire and covered it in Khadija Ahmad was planting onions when she stepped on a thorn It is often characterized by cement. Pinar Gultekin’s murder in July shocked the mostly that pierced her sandal and cut her foot. But the thorn brought swollen feet, but it can also Muslim but secular country, quite possibly helping stall its with it a flesh-eating infection, a bacterial and fungal disease cause grotesque barnacle-like Khadija Ahmad departure from the 2011 Istanbul Convention-a document called mycetoma, which rips through the body causing severe de- growths and club-like hands. once lauded by the government of then prime minister Recep formities. For Ahmad, a 45-year-old from El-Fasher in western “The disease grows slowly and Tayyip Erdogan. Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region, the first she knew something slyly inside the body over many years,” said Ahmad Hassan Fahal, Gultekin’s confessed killer, Cemal Metin Avci, claimed to was wrong was when her foot swelled. “At first I didn’t have any founder of the MRC clinic. be the 27-year-old university student’s boyfriend, acting “in pain, just a lump,” she said. “We thought it would pass.” Myce- It can manifest itself anywhere on the body, not just where the a moment of anger”. Gultekin’s family denies this, accusing toma, listed as a neglected tropical disease by the UN’s World entry cut was made. “The organism goes inside the skin, and then him of being a stalker who became enraged when she Health Organization (WHO), is all too common in Sudan. it grows,” Fahal said. “Disability is very common; almost 60 per- blocked him on social media after discovering he already had “I waited nine years before coming,” Ahmad said, as a doctor cent of people who catch the disease end up with deformed a wife. “In a period where violence against women and femi- examined her at the Mycetoma Research Center (MRC) in the limbs.” It thrives in the humid heat of tropical climates. Sudan is cides are increasing, it would be bad legally to withdraw from capital Khartoum. “When I arrived, it was too late,” she said, hold- particularly affected by mycetoma, but it is endemic in a geo- the convention,” the Gultekin family’s lawyer, Rezan ing up her prosthetic leg in her arms. “It had to be amputated.” graphical “belt” of some 40 countries ranging from neighboring Epozdemir, told AFP. She now has to take medication for life. Ethiopia and Chad, to India, Mexico and Venezuela. “This planned, organised murder should be punished with “In Sudan, we also call it the ‘silent death’, because it creates aggravated life imprisonment,” the lawyer said. Instead, Turk- Slow and sly different problems-disability, deformity and difficulties-and it can ish feminists fear Avci, once tried, could avoid jail thanks to Sudanese have another name for the disease; the “silent death”. kill the patient,” Fahal said. “People lose their limbs and cannot “good behavior”, which has in the past included things such While few cases are fatal, mycetoma destroys the lives of its vic- work.” Since MRC was founded in 1991, it has treated 9,000 pa- as wearing a clean shirt in court. — AFP tims. Many infected are young farmers walking barefoot in the tients free of charge from all over Sudan. — AFP 12 Friday International Friday, September 11, 2020 Bell rings on virus-era reality at hundreds of Italian schools Millions of Italian pupils head back to the classroom next week

ROME: Millions of Italian pupils head back to the proof” the premises and prepare for the return of classroom next week after six months at home, its 1,000 pupils. “We’re a completely different confronting a new reality of outdoor lessons, coro- school compared to the one on March 6,” said navirus “isolation rooms” and even a possible ban principal Diana Guerani, referring to the date on on singing. While some in the north of the country which the Lazio region closed classrooms as the already returned this week, the majority of Italy’s virus tightened its grip on Italy. around eight million school pupils go back on “It’s a completely new situation, but we have to Monday after the coronavirus shuttered classes in face it,” Guerani told AFP, as outfitters noisily early March. moved in new single-seat desks to be placed a Italy was one of the first European countries to mandatory one meter (3.3 feet) apart. “We want to be hard hit by Covid-19, which has so far killed make sure the transition is as smooth as possible,” more than 35,500 people in the country, out of a she added. The school, which opened 58 years ago total of more than 280,000 cases. and is named after Italy’s second president and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte vowed on anti-fascist journalist, is a stone’s throw away from Wednesday to make a safe return to school “a bea- Saint Peter’s Basilica in nearby Vatican City. con of the government.” “Thank you, you have paid As well as special tape on the floor indicating the highest price in this crisis,” he said, addressing the direction of movement, the school has added schoolchildren, during a televised news conference. frequent hand sanitizer dispensers, provided by the “Closing schools and distance learning have Italian government which has pledged that been a huge burden,” he added. Italian Education 170,000 liters of disinfectant gel will be available ROME: Italian Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said that more than 5,000 extra classrooms had been created. —AFP Minister Lucia Azzolina said that more than 5,000 per week across the country. extra classrooms had been created. Nevertheless, Like all Italian pupils over the age of six, stu- some southern regions like Puglia and Calabria dents will have to wear face masks-some 11 million place” to test for the virus, teacher Marina Di Fog- ‘Tedious’ have already postponed the reopening until Sep- free masks are being provided to teaching staff and gia said. Italian officials say the country’s back-to-school tember 24, over concerns about being ready to pupils daily. At the school’s entrance, a scanning The room has a separate exit, from which any ill strategy revolves around the immediate quarantine meet all the coronavirus requirements. camera will set off an alarm if a pupil has a temper- pupils can then leave for home, she told AFP. And a of those who have been “in close contact” with a ature-or enters without wearing a mask. program introduced in September last year-to student or teacher testing positive for Covid-19. ‘COVID room’ “Pupils identified with a high temperature are teach outdoor classes at Luigi Einaudi “as long as After a positive result, pupils will only be allowed At Rome’s Luigi Einaudi technical high school, immediately isolated and brought to a special the weather holds”-is also being broadened out, back to school following two subsequent negative staff were hard at work this week to “COVID- ‘COVID’ room where protocols have been put in Guerani said. ones, carried out a day apart.—AFP Lesbos fire revives UK extradition hearing refugee debate for Assange put off in Germany LONDON: The London extradition hearing for WikiLeaks BERLIN: Five years after a mass asylum seeker influx bitterly divided Ger- founder Julian Assange was postponed yesterday because of many, a fire laying waste to the biggest migrant camp in Greece has re- concern that one of the lawyers involved might have been ex- vived debate over how much of the bloc’s refugee burden Europe’s biggest posed to COVID-19. Assange is fighting extradition to the United economy could shoulder. Spontaneous gatherings of people sprang up States where he is wanted for conspiring to hack government across Germany late Wednesday, with protesters chanting: “We have computers and violating an espionage law over the release of space here”. confidential cables by WikiLeaks in 2010-2011. Judge Vanessa Germany’s most populous region North Rhine-Westphalia has also Baraitser adjourned the case until Monday after being told one voiced its readiness to take in up to 1,000 asylum seekers from the devastated 165 migrants of a group of 400 unaccompanied minors proceed to board of the lawyers representing the United States might have been Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. But Chancellor Angela Merkel’s a plane taking them to camps in northern Greece, after a major fire de- exposed to the virus. The lawyer was being tested yesterday with government, which has the ultimate say on any intake, has so far held back. stroyed the Moria camp on the island of lesbos on Wednesday. —AFP the result due on Friday, she said. Although Interior Minister Horst Seehofer held talks with his Greek “At the moment we would respectfully submit we have to go counterpart to offer aid, he notably did not make a promise outright to ahead on the assumption that she has COVID,” Edward Fitzger- open Germany’s doors to refugees from the camp. Instead, his spokesman in the race for the top job in Merkel’s party. ald, Assange’s lawyer told London’s Old Bailey court where the said Berlin was waiting on Athens to detail its needs, while German Foreign While his party has sought to tighten immigration rules since 2016, hearings are taking place. “If that is the correct assumption ... we Minister Heiko Maas urged EU member states to all step up and take in Laschet is one of the few German political figures who has ever travelled shouldn’t really be here: COVID would be here in the courtroom people left homeless by the fire. The message is clear: Berlin wants the to the camp. With sanitation and safety overstretched inside the camp and it’s not possible to tell how far it’s extended,” he added. The bloc to agree on sharing out the load before putting up its hand. walls, Moria has long been labelled a disgrace to European values by many extradition hearings began for a week in February and were due rights groups. to resume in May, but were then delayed until this week because ‘Disgrace of Europe’ Other German states like Lower Saxony and Thuringia have since of the coronavirus lockdown. Assange’s lawyers have argued he Some regional and local leaders are urging Merkel’s government to said they too were ready to receive refugees. The co-leader of the should be granted bail because he himself is at particular risk move faster in the emergency. “We need two things: immediate aid for Green party, Annalena Baerbock, pointed out that “there is capacity, from COVID-19 as he has suffered from respiratory infections Moria and sustainable European help to take in children and families,” said there is the space, there is certainly a lot of willingness from states and and has had heart problems. —Reuters North Rhine-Westphalia state premier Armin Laschet, who is a candidate local governments to help”. —AFP Friday 13 International Friday, September 11, 2020 US towns destroyed as firefighters battle wildfires under orange skies Fleeing wildfires ‘10 times harder’ during epidemic CLOVIS, US: Entire communities have been thorities notified them on Saturday through razed by wildfires raging in the western United loudspeakers to evacuate, the couple has been States, with officials warning of potential mass living in a subsidized hotel room because the deaths under apocalyptic orange skies. At least usual emergency facility-a gymnasium filled six people were confirmed dead by late Wednes- with hundreds of beds-is not an option during day, with officials warning that more deaths the Covid-19 crisis. would likely be reported in the coming days as The Red Cross has provided meals for evac- many areas were currently impossible to reach. uees sheltering in the hotels. Cindy Huge, a Five towns were “substantially destroyed” as spokeswoman for the aid charity based in a local widespread evacuations took place across the high school, said: “There’s over 600 people... northwestern state of Oregon, governor Kate and food has been delivered to them in dispos- Brown said. “This could be the greatest loss of able containers, three meals a day and snacks human lives and property due to wildfire in our and water.” state’s history,” she told a press conference. Another evacuee, 69-year-old David Mas- It is not the first time that Leanna Mikesler carini, told AFP he fled his home with his wife has evacuated her home in the California moun- and dog, and after spending one night in a hotel tains because of wildfires, but during an epi- he had to approach the Red Cross because there demic it is “10 times harder.” Mikesler and her were no more rooms available. Two deaths were husband fled with only their most important confirmed in the Santiam Canyon region, 60 documents, and, as she walks her dog at an miles south of Portland, and Marion County emergency Red Cross facility in Clovis in the sheriff Joe Kast warned the death toll would center of the state, she says she fears their prop- likely rise further. Only “smoldering ruins” re- erty may be destroyed. mained of large parts of the town of Talent, local Firefighters cut defensive lines and light backfires to protect structures behind a CalFire fire “The fire is right around it,” she says of her resiident Sandra Spelliscy said. station during the Bear fire, part of the North Lightning Complex fires in the Berry Creek area home in Meadow Lakes, in the Sierra National “There are numerous neighborhoods where of unincorporated Butte County, California. — AFP Forest where the Creek fire is raging. “They there are no structures left standing... dozens of call... the evacuation. And then you go from there homes (gone) and literally nothing except the with his two large dogs and was nervously wait- a chance of getting away safely. Another resident to see if your house has been burned down,” skeletons of a chimney or an appliance,” she said. ing in the central downtown area for his mother. said she was planning to stay despite the evacu- Mikesler says slowly, adding she has seen aerial Emergency officials ordered the evacuation of “She wanted to keep the dogs in their pen, but I ation order because she worried about looting, images of firefighters battling to save her small Estacada-a small, rural city 30 miles southeast of wasn’t going to let her,” he said, adding she had although her husband was leaving with their son community with water bombers. Since the au- Portland. Jason Valean, 29, fled his house on foot released their pigs in the hope they would have and granddaughter. — AFP DR Congo Nobel Strongman regimes doctor back under display weakness UN protection in COVID response

KINSHASA: Nobel peace laureate Denis Mukwege was again PARIS: Posturing, repression and a distaste for facts: the world’s under the guard of United Nations security forces in DR Congo strongman regimes have dealt with the Covid pandemic in much after death threats against him prompted protests and interna- the same way they deal with everything else, analysts say. But the tional calls for his protection. Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege has quit a local coronavirus taskforce, saying its work has been hamstrung by problems. — AFP sometimes blatant disregard for the wellbeing of populations, Mukwege, a gynaecologist who shared the 2018 Nobel Prize coupled with sheer incompetence, has undermined whatever trust for his work against sexual violence in war, said in July he had citizens have in such leaders, they say. been threatened after he condemned a massacre in the country’s lowing a tweet in which he condemned the massacre of 18 people “They all have a similar type of leadership behavior, a macho strife-torn eastern region. The doctor has been living at the Panzi in South Kivu province. Several hundred people marched in leadership,” said Uma Kambhampati, a development economist hospital near Bukavu, which cares for women raped in the sur- Bukavu last week to call for his protection-including women he at Britain’s University of Reading. “This kind of pandemic must be rounding province, since he survived an attack at his home in 2012 treated-as well as in the capital Kinshasa. Amnesty International irritating the hell out of them.” After a strong public presence early in which a security guard was killed. UN police officers had left on Friday called on the government and the UN to “take urgent the site in May but were re-deployed to the hospital, Mukwege’s and concrete measures to protect Denis Mukwege”. in the crisis, leaders like Narendra Modi, the prime minister of communications manager said, adding there had been “zero pro- On the same day, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said “his India, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are now avoiding the tection” until Wednesday morning. “We welcome the redeploy- life seems to be at serious risk”. Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman Covid limelight, she told AFP. ment of elements from #MONUSCO to #Panzi this morning to for UN chief Antonio Guterres, told the media this week that “we “In the initial stages they could blame others but now, six ensure the safety of our patients and staff. Thank you to the #UN have continued to work closely with Dr Mukwege and the Con- months down the line, they can’t blame anybody else,” she said. for ensuring our protection,” Mukwege tweeted. golese authorities”. “The personal security of Congolese person- “It’s not a comfortable position for them.” One typical response A spokesman for MONUSCO, the UN mission deployed in DR alities is a responsibility of the national authorities, but the has been to stifle criticism coming from health workers and other Congo, confirmed to AFP that the security detail had previously peacekeeping mission is providing all possible support within its essential personnel, said Amnesty International, citing China, Rus- been stood down. “The police officers who were directly assigned limited means.” In addition to his work as a gynaecologist, Muk- sia, Malaysia and Pakistan as examples. In a July report, entitled to securing the Panzi clinic had to be withdrawn due to Covid wege, 65, has been campaigning for punishment of rights abuses “Exposed, Silenced, Attacked”, Amnesty highlighted cases of gov- cases,” the spokesman said. There have been renewed fears for committed during the two Congo Wars, of 1996-98 and 1998-2003, ernments imposing restrictions to prevent such workers from Mukwege’s safety after he and his relatives were threatened fol- whose aftermath still afflicts the east of the country today. —AFP voicing concerns about policy. — AFP 14 Friday International Friday, September 11, 2020 New York to mark 9/11 anniversary amid the coronavirus pandemic Crime on the rise, apartments increasingly vacant and homeless people on the sidewalks NEW YORK: With crime on the rise, shops and on Tuesday reminded New Yorkers that their apartments increasingly vacant and homeless resilience is likely to be tested once again by people on the sidewalks, New York on Friday the social and economic “after-effects” of the will mark the 19th anniversary of the Septem- pandemic. ber 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and a bitter fight Offices empty until 2021? with the White House. Gale Brewer, president of borough of Man- The city will hold its annual ceremony in hattan, recognizes that the island renowned for memory of the nearly 3,000 people who died its hustle and energy now faces an array of in the bloodiest terrorist attack in US history, problems. Some of these stem directly from the punctuated by a minute’s silence at the exact coronavirus pandemic: almost all the white col- moments that Al-Qaeda jihadists crashed two lar workers, such as bankers, traders and insur- ance employees, have been working from home hijacked airplanes into the World Trade Center since March. This has emptied Manhattan’s towers. Instead of reading out the roll call of business hubs, leaving thousands of small NEW YORK: The New York city will hold its annual ceremony in memory of the nearly 3,000 people the dead, this year the families of victims have stores and restaurants without customers. who died in the bloodiest terrorist attack in US history. — Reuters recorded themselves. But they will still be pres- Boris Tulchinskiy, a 26-year-old software en- ent at the “Ground Zero” memorial. The site gineer, misses Manhattan but expects to “keep museum will also open for the first time since working from home” in neighboring New Jer- Homeless people are now more visible due the world’s safest cities, has now slipped back the novel coronavirus brought the city to a sey until July 2021. If the more than 60 million to the closure of numerous shelters for health to 2012 crime levels, the New York Times re- standstill in March. tourists who visit New York every year have reasons, and the transfer of almost 13,000 to ported. “I can’t tell you how many phone calls Almost two decades after the attacks, Sep- gone, so too have New Yorkers, fleeing the city live in less contagious conditions in Manhat- I get from people especially in New York City, tember 11 remains synonymous with New by the thousands. tan’s vacant hotels. who are literally worried about the degradation York’s heroism and resilience. At least 35,000 people have moved out of The rise in homicides and shootings-up 47 of New York City,” governor Cuomo said Tues- City leaders have emphasized the latter in Manhattan, judging by requests for absentee percent and 166 percent in August, compared day. Even as the city shows signs of revival- the past months as the Covid-19 infection rate- ballots for November’s presidential elections, with the previous year-is one of the more strik- which include museums reopening in late which killed 23,00 people here, the early epi- Brewer said. Many businesses are now shut- ing aspects of the crisis hitting the city. Even if August and restaurants welcoming diners in- center of the disease in the United States has tered: between 2017 and 2020, the number of it is still far below the endemic levels of crime side in late September-its full recovery could been lowered to under one percent. vacant commercial spaces has almost doubled, that plagued the city in the 1970s and 80s, take up to three years, Brewer said, citing the New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo up by 78 percent, she said. New York, which prided itself on being one of estimates of realtors. — AFP

China offers counselling Trump revels in to slow divorce rate Nobel Peace Prize BEIJING: China is offering state-sponsored marriage nomination for 2021 counselling to couples before they tie the knot in an at- tempt to slow rising divorce rates. WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump reveled Wednes- Marriage breakups have surged over the last two day in his nomination by a right-wing Norwegian politician for decades as divorce laws were liberalized and many women the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. “Thank you!” he said in one of a have become more financially independent, choosing ca- flurry of tweets and retweets celebrating the nomination, which reers first and families later. cited Trump’s role in brokering an agreement to normalize rela- Last year 4.15 million Chinese couples untied the knot, tions between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs-up from 1.3 million Norwegian member of parliament Christian Tybring- in 2003, when couples were first allowed to divorce by mu- Gjedde told AFP that he has nominated the Republican US US President Donald Trump reveled in his nomination by a right-wing tual consent without going to court. In a bid to stop the president due to the “unique and historic agreement between trend, marriage registration bureaus across the country Israel and the UAE-an agreement that, we hope, can be ex- Norwegian politician for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. — AFP should offer premarital counselling services to prevent dis- tended to other Arab countries so that we can have lasting putes “from the get-go,” according to a directive issued peace in the Middle East.” ously for the peace prize, expressing bitterness that his Demo- Tuesday by the civil affairs ministry and the All-China A member of the right-wing, anti-immigration Progress Party, cratic predecessor Barack Obama was awarded the prestigious Women’s Federation. Tybring-Gjedde is the deputy chair of the Norwegian parlia- honor at the start of his first term in 2009. It is not clear whether it is mandatory for all couples to ment’s committee on foreign and defense affairs. He unsuccess- “They gave it to Obama. He didn’t even know what he got it seek counselling before getting married, or who would pay fully proposed Trump, along with another lawmaker, for the for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel for it. Rising divorce rates have become a headache for of- Nobel in 2018, citing his rapprochement with North Korea. Prize,” Trump said last year. “I probably will never get it.” ficials who want to boost birth rates and prevent China That spectacular attempt at breaking the US standoff with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and White House advisor, from greying before it gets rich. the isolated, nuclear-armed dictatorship has since lost momen- said the president was “very, very honored to be nominated.” But state interference in private relationships has tum. Hundreds of people are nominated every year for Nobel “All of America’s allies feel much closer to America, and now sparked outrage in the past. prizes, with no guarantee of being picked. they’re becoming closer to each other and breaking barriers that A month-long cooling-off period for couples filing for The Norwegian Nobel Institute welcomes all proposed people thought previously were not breakable. So it really is a divorce-included in a civil code that takes effect next year- names, as long as they are sent in by January 31 for the year in very hopeful time in the Middle East,” he added. was met with widespread online criticism when it was ap- question and are submitted by those eligible to nominate-which According to Tybring-Gjedde, Trump is more deserving than proved in March. — AFP includes members of the country’s parliament. Trump has pre- many past laureates for his role in breaking the impasse be- viously complained that he has not been considered more seri- tween Israel and an Arab regional power. — AFP Friday 15 International Friday, September 11, 2020 US election: Two candidates, two polar opposite campaigns

Trump, Biden displaying radically different styles as they court American voters WASHINGTON: The cat-and-mouse campaigning that restriction Thursday when he hosts a rally at an by Donald Trump and Joe Biden has led the president airport outside Saginaw. and his Democratic challenger to the same locations, “Nothing is going to move Trump away from as sometimes on the same day, while displaying radi- large a rally as he can generate,” professor Tobe cally different styles as they court American voters. Berkovitz, an expert on political communication at As the candidates criss-cross the battleground Boston University, told AFP. states likely to determine the outcome of the Novem- “Being in everybody’s face is his strategy and he’s ber 3 election, two competing trends have emerged: sticking with it.” Biden admits he longs for a return Biden holds small campaign gatherings, while Trump to traditional campaigning, but he has signalled he orchestrates crowded rallies that flout local health will keep trading the image of a crowded rally for the rules. Trump, the 74-year-old rabble-rouser desper- substance of a sharp speech. ate to recreate the spectacle of his upstart 2016 cam- Berkovitz said the team around Biden-who would paign, is unmasked and unfazed by the threat of become the oldest US president ever, at 78, and coronavirus. whose mental acuity is repeatedly questioned by Biden, a cautious adherent to pandemic policy, Trump-keenly uses the pretense of a coronavirus wears a face covering to mostly empty halls where threat to reduce chances of spontaneous interaction he speaks to a television audience, but with few if any triggering a Biden gaffe weeks before the election. everyday voters present. “The tighter the shield they can put around Biden, The glaring differences most likely will be on dis- the better they are,” he said. Donald Trump and Joe Biden are displaying radically different styles as they court American voters. play for the remaining 55 days until the election, as “But I don’t think it serves democracy,” added they are this week in battleground Michigan. On Berkovitz. Presidential candidates should be Wednesday Biden arrived at a United Auto Workers “challenged” by real voters, “and that’s just not large rally planned for Saturday. polling, and smaller leads in the swing states. With parking lot in Warren, near Detroit, and immediately happening.” On Friday, both candidates will be at the same most Americans supporting mask-wearing and so- addressed the specter of the pandemic and his ea- Trump and his team relentlessly mock Biden’s event in pivotal Pennsylvania, commemorating the cial-distancing guidelines, “until something happens gerness to follow local mandates. events, often posting images of the Democrat’s cam- 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. How the rival so that (Biden’s) strategy no longer works, why Such compliance is anathema to Trump, who usu- paign stops, such as him seated in a garden talking candidates will act, and whether they meet face to change it?” Berkovitz said. ally barrels into a location unmasked and in defiance to a handful of voters. Biden “could hold a campaign face, will be closely watched. Biden has stepped up his ground game by visiting of ordinances, as he did in North Carolina on Tues- event in a broom closet,” Trump campaign commu- Biden backers are not displeased with their can- more states and not letting the narrative of hiding in day before mocking the restrictions to a cheering nications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. didate’s low-key campaign, which has remained ef- his Delaware home congeal, said John Hudak, a sen- crowd. Outdoor gatherings in Michigan are currently Murtaugh also decried efforts by Nevada’s Demo- fective through the summer, Berkovitz noted. Biden ior governance fellow at the Brookings Institution, a limited to 100 people, but Trump is certain to ignore cratic government officials to restrict the president’s maintains a substantial lead over Trump in national Washington think tank. —AFP

‘Magical force’: Pardon for US Marine New book reveals should get Manila virus Trump-Kim letters vaccine access: Aide

MANILA: President Rodrigo Duterte’s par- that has infected about a quarter of a million WASHINGTON: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un de- don of a US marine convicted of killing a Filipinos, killing more than 4,000 of them. “As ployed flattery and florid prose in the letters that forged transgender woman should help the Philip- we all know our president has emphasised the his diplomatic courtship of Donald Trump, according to pines gain access to coronavirus vaccines need for a vaccine,” Roque told a virtual news a new book on the US president. WASHINGTON: Top North Korean official Kim Jong Chol being developed by American companies, his conference. The pair’s personal relationship has been a key driver delivered the letter to the president at the White House. of diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, spokesman said yesterday. “The grant of a pardon to Pemberton is in veering from mutual insults and threats of war to a dec- “I accept the reality that the president is line with our president’s desire that the Philip- laration of love from Trump. lowing their first meeting in Singapore. It was the first upholding the higher national interest,” pines should also benefit when Americans do “Rage” by Washington Post investigative journalist ever encounter between a North Korean leader and a spokesman Harry Roque said, although he in- develop a vaccine,” he said, stressing he was Bob Woodward unveils 25 letters the pair exchanged, in sitting US president and even after the collapse of their sisted he was expressing a personal opinion, stating his personal opinion. Duterte’s action which Kim uses over-the-top wording as he fawns over second summit in Hanoi, Kim described Singapore as “a not that of Duterte. Duterte sparked contro- has cleared all legal obstacles to the soldier’s Trump while they formed a most unusual friendship. Ad- moment of glory that remains a precious memory.” versy earlier this week for granting a surprise release after a local court ordered him freed dressing Trump as “Your Excellency”, Kim’s letters are “I also believe that the deep and special friendship pardon to Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pem- early on the grounds of good behavior. filled with flattering language and personal comments, between us will work as a magical force,” Kim added in berton, who was halfway into a 10-year sen- Roque-himself in quarantine after an aide according to transcripts released by CNN. a June 2019 missive. Three weeks later the two held a tence for killing Jennifer Laude in October tested positive for the virus-previously served “Even now I cannot forget that moment of history short-notice meeting in the Demilitarized Zone that di- 2014. Laude was found dead in a motel room as a lawyer for the victim’s family in the high- when I firmly held Your Excellency’s hand at the beau- vides the peninsula. Ahead of the encounter, Trump in the northern Philippines hours after she met profile trial. He rejected suggestions the tiful and sacred location as the whole world watched wrote to the North Korean leader-the third generation the American at a bar in Olongapo city. Roque Philippines was swapping its sovereignty for with great interest and hope to relive the honor of that of his family to rule the isolated country-that they had said the pardon was linked to Duterte’s desire a coronavirus vaccine. “The higher interest is day,” Kim wrote to Trump on Christmas Day, 2018, fol- shared “a unique style and a special friendship.”—AFP to win swift access to a vaccine against a virus saving lives,” Roque said. — AFP 16 Friday International Friday, September 11, 2020 Myanmar army tries to discredit confessions of Rohingya abuses Soldiers admits they were ordered to wipe out entire Rohingya villages MYANMAR: Myanmar’s military has sought to three years ago. undermine the confessions of two soldiers who The AA dismissed the military’s claims, telling said they were ordered to “exterminate” Ro- AFP yesterday the two soldiers had deserted. hingya Muslims before taking part in the mas- “They voluntarily confessed about the war sacre of scores of men, women and children. crimes committed by Myanmar’s military,” AA NGO Fortify Rights and the New York Times spokesman Khine Thu Kha said, adding other on Tuesday released details of the filmed inter- defectors had given similar testimonies, which views-seen by AFP-of Private Myo Win Tun, 33, they have posted online in recent months. AFP and Private Zaw Naing Tun, 30, in which they is unable to independently verify the video or described “wiping out” entire villages. The sol- statements, but Fortify Rights said it published diers allege they were ordered by senior com- its analysis of the confessions only after being manders to “shoot all that you see and hear” certain they were not made under duress. The during the military operations in 2017 that NGO said the men appeared at the Bangladesh- forced some 750,000 Rohingya to flee to Myanmar border asking for protection, and have Bangladesh. since been taken to The Hague, where the Inter- Widespread atrocities have been docu- national Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating mented by UN investigators and rights groups atrocities against the Rohingya. in violence that now sees Myanmar facing The ICC told AFP the men are not in its cus- charges of genocide, but this is the most detailed tody, while the prosecutor’s office said it was un- account so far given by alleged perpetrators. able to comment to “ensure the safety and Military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min security” of victims and witnesses. Tun admitted to BBC Burmese late Wednesday In this file photo, Rohingya refugees walk through a shallow canal after crossing the Naf River the men were former soldiers, but claimed they ‘Exterminate all Rohingya’ in Palongkhali near Ukhia, as they flee violence in Myanmar to reach Bangladesh. — AFP had been “taken hostage” by the Arakan Army Fortify Rights is calling for the men to be (AA) militant group and “threatened and co- prosecuted at the ICC, calling this a “monumen- erced into confessing”. tal moment” in the Rohingya’s ongoing struggle soldiers they say committed atrocities-including allel to the ICC investigation, Myanmar also The AA is fighting the military in the coun- for justice. Working in different teams in sepa- six senior commanders who ordered them to faces genocide charges at the UN’s top court, try’s northwest for more autonomy for ethnic rate townships, the soldiers confessed to killing “exterminate” all Rohingya. the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Civilian Rakhine Buddhists. Both sides frequently trade up to 180 women, men and children between Myanmar’s military has always justified its leader Aung San Suu Kyi led the country’s de- accusations of human rights abuses in a civil them, burying many of the bodies in mass graves. 2017 operations as a means to root out Ro- fense team at preliminary hearings in December, war raging in the same area where the military Myo Win Tun also admitted to rape. hingya militants after attacks against around a conceding the army might have used “dispro- operations against the Rohingya took place They gave the names and ranks of 17 other dozen security posts and police stations. In par- portionate” force, but denying genocide. — AFP Sri Lankan navy Rights groups say tows fire-stricken Facebook bias spurs tanker to sea violence in India

NEW DELHI: The Sri Lankan navy has towed a fire- SAN FRANCISCO: Civil rights groups on Wednesday said Facebook has failed stricken supertanker further out to sea to keep it off the to address dangerous content in India and demanded that the head of public pol- coast of the Indian Ocean island after the wind picked up icy there be removed. strength and changed direction, a spokesman said yes- A letter addressed to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and his second-in- terday. The tanker, loaded with 2 million barrels oil, was command Sheryl Sandberg wanted the social network’s India policy chief Ankhi 50 nautical miles (95 km) from the east coast and moving Das sidelined pending the results of a civil rights audit. “Facebook should not in a northerly direction, the navy spokesman, Indika de This handout picture taken on Wednesday and released be complicit in more offline violence, much less another genocide, but the pat- Silva, said. Earlier, it had been headed southwest. by Sri Lanka Air Force shows the Panamanian-registered tern of inaction displayed by the company is reckless to the point of complicity,” The stricken vessel has raised fears of an environmen- crude oil tanker New Diamond on the Indian Ocean off Sri the letter stated. tal disaster, but two oil slicks in its trail are the result of Lanka’s eastern coast.— AFP “It is no secret, given the acknowledged and harsh realities of Facebook’s escaping marine fuel oil, rather than leaking crude. A fire role in the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar, that online violence and hate easily broke out in the engine room of the Greek-owned New vestigation by the salvage firm showed the presence of a spill into violence in real life.” Diamond tanker last Thursday. The blaze was believed to toxic gas in and around the vessel, de Silva said, but gave The letter was signed by more than 40 groups including the Southern Poverty have been doused on Sunday but reignited a day later. no further details. Law Center, Witness, Muslim Advocates, and Global Project Against Hate and Ex- De Silva ruled out the possibility of fire breaking out Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority tremism. It comes in the wake of controversy over anti-Muslim remarks posted again after a team of salvage experts visited the ship on (MEPA) has said it plans to take action against the ship’s on the page of a member of the ruling party that were not initially removed. “The Wednesday. owner under the country’s laws to protect the marine full extent of the harm done by Facebook India is yet to be determined, but even New Shipping Ltd, the manager of the Panama- ecosystem. what we know now highlights the urgent and serious nature of these demands,” flagged New Diamond, has appointed SMIT Singapore The oil slicks have been sprayed with chemical dis- the letter read. Facebook has acknowledged in the past that it needs to do more Pte Ltd as its salvage expert, he said. There was no im- persants from a Dornier aircraft deployed by the Indian to fight hate speech in India. The social network did not immediately respond to mediate comment from either company. A preliminary in- Coast Guard. — AFP an AFP request for comment. — AFP Friday 17 International Friday, September 11, 2020 ‘Illegal thoughts’: How some exiled critics of Thai king are fuelling revolt Youngsters, students calling for changes to the political system

BANGKOK: At a university campus demonstra- ment’s deputy spokeswoman, Ratchada Thanadi- tion in Bangkok on Aug 10, the images of two men rek, said the two men’s online criticism of the were projected onto a giant screen against a monarchy was “inappropriate.” shimmering golden background as protesters “The monarchy is loved and revered by Thais. mockingly chanted “Long live the king.” The im- Insults to the monarchy can upset another group ages were not of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who of people. Expressions should take other people’s holds a place of “revered worship” in the Thai feelings into consideration too,” she told Reuters. constitution and whose image is omnipresent on “Criticizing the monarchy is a legitimate act,” city streets, schools and businesses, but of two Pavin told Reuters. Somsak did not respond to re- exiles who have openly criticized the monarchy. quests for comment. Since July 18, a growing Former diplomat Pavin Chachavalpongpun and number of mostly young protesters have gathered historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul have not been on Bangkok’s streets and university campuses involved in organizing a recent series of demon- calling for changes to a political system they say strations and show no sign of working together, assures prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha a hold but some protesters said their writing and social on power. The protests have focused on Prayuth, media posts have helped to loosen the taboo on but some protesters have also called for reform of questioning the monarchy, which is punishable by the monarchy. More than 10,000 people attended up to 15 years in prison under Thailand’s lese ma- the biggest of the rallies on Aug. 16. Another big jeste law. “The fact that the public discusses the gathering is planned for Sept. 19. monarchy institution more is because of them,” Prayuth, who led a military coup in 2014, says BANGKOK: A still image from a video shows images of historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul and former diplomat said Panusaya Sithijirawattankul, a 21-year old elections held last year were fair. His security Pavin Chachavalpongpun projected onto a giant screen at a Thammasat university during demonstration in student at Thammasat University in Bangkok. forces have arrested more than a dozen leaders Bangkok, yesterday. — AFP “Previously, we were unable to say any of this of the demonstrations for breaching internal se- and if we did, we would risk becoming another curity laws and defying an emergency decree exile,” said Panusaya, who read out a 10-point de- banning public gatherings to prevent the spread The Royal Palace in Bangkok declined to com- based author and former Reuters journalist An- mand for palace reform at the Aug. 10 protest. It of the coronavirus. All protesters have been re- ment on the recent protests and on overseas crit- drew MacGregor Marshall, could face prison was based on a reform proposal by Somsak, leased on bail. ics of the monarchy. In addition to Pavin and under the Computer Crime Act. Later that month, which he wrote a decade ago and revised and Pavin and Somsak, who now live in Japan and Somsak, at least 102 other Thais have gone into police arrested and detained four people after published on Facebook last year, where Panusaya in France, respectively, have been singled out for exile since the 2014 coup, mostly for fear of pros- they shared a Facebook post by Somsak but did first saw it. attack by Prayuth. “Where are they now and how ecution for lese majeste, according to campaign not proceed with charges, according to legal Somsak’s proposal called for the abolition of are they taking responsibility for the damage af- group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. group iLaw, which keeps track of the Thai gov- the lese majeste law and the end of what he called flicted on our country?” Prayuth said on Aug. 25, In April 2017, Prayuth’s military government ernment’s moves to restrict freedom of expres- “one-sided public relations campaigns promoting referring to the two men specifically, when asked said anyone sharing what it described as “false in- sion. Thai police did not respond to questions the monarchy,” among other things. The govern- about royal criticism on social media. formation” from the two men, as well as UK- from Reuters. — Reuters

to get the economy moving, especially after linked firm, but now more companies are inter- Australia govt Victoria suffered a second wave of infections Malaysia’s palm ested in the program, chief executive Nageeb last month. Wahad told Reuters. squabbles with Yesterday, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt Some plantation firms are also in discussion said Victoria - the epicentre of the country’s producers to with the Drug Prevention Association of COVID-19 outbreak - should consider lifting a Malaysia to recruit recovering addicts in reha- states over night curfew, just days after the state kept the recruit prisoners bilitation, he said. Travel and movement restric- curfew among other tough measures extended tions have left the Southeast Asian nation easing restrictions until Sept. 28. And Queenland’s state premier grappling with a shortage of 37,000 workers, snapped back at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s labour-reliant nearly 10 percent of the total workforce. after he chided the state for refusing to let a palm oil companies are looking to recruit recov- Migrants from Indonesia and Bangladesh SYDNEY: Australia’s conservative government woman from a virus-free part of the country at- ering drug addicts and prisoners to solve a se- make up nearly 85 percent of plantation hands clashed with state lawmakers yesterday over tend the funeral of her father. vere shortage of foreign workers that has in an industry locals typically shun as dirty, dan- how fast to relax social distancing restrictions, “To use the tragedy of this personal family worsened due to a coronavirus-driven border gerous and difficult. MPOA wants to rebrand the as the number of new COVID-19 cases showed is disgusting,” Queensland state Premier An- closure. Planters in the world’s second largest industry as “dignified, disciplined and decent”. a steady decline. nastacia Palaszczuk told state lawmakers in producer have in recent months embarked on A dearth of workers, especially during the Australia in March created a national cabinet Brisbane. “I will not be bullied nor will I be in- rare recruitment drives to hire locals to do peak production season in September-Novem- which includes federal, state and territory lead- timidated by the prime minister of this country.” everything from harvesting to fertilising, but re- ber, will hurt output by delaying the harvest of ers to coordinate measures to stop the disease Australia on Thursday reported 58 new cases sponse has been lukewarm. perishable fruit, giving an edge to no.1 pro- spreading, closing international and domestic in the past 24 hours, down on the 76 infections “We are even reaching out to Department of ducer Indonesia which has no such labour borders, suspending schools and closing busi- detected on Wednesday. Orang Asli Development, the Drug Prevention problems. MPOA estimated that the industry nesses. The steps taken have helped Australia Victoria accounted for the bulk of the cases, Association of Malaysia, as well as the Prisons has lost up to 30 percent of its potential yield record far fewer COVID-19 infections and with 51 cases, well down on the more than 700 in- Department in search of locals,” industry group due to a labour crunch, and pegged the coun- deaths than many other developed nations, and fections recorded in one day in early August. the Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) try’s crude palm oil output to be much lower the divisions in the national cabinet are emerging Home to one-quarter of Australia’s 25 million pop- said in a statement on Tuesday evening. The than last year’s 19.9 million tonnes. “We have to at time when the infection rate is coming down. ulation, Victoria accounts for about 75 percent of collaboration with the Prisons Department to utilize all available alternatives [to recruit lo- The federal government is now struggling the country’s more than 26,000 COVID-19 cases recruit parolees and prisoners under supervi- cals... but if we fail, we would need the govern- to persuade states to relax restrictions in order and 90 percent of its 788 deaths. — Reuters sion first started in 2016 in one government- ment to help us,” Nageeb said. — Reuters 18 Friday International Friday, September 11, 2020 Pompeo urges Southeast Asia to shun South China Sea firms

ASEAN summit overshadowed by trade, regional tensions

HANOI: Washington’s top diplomat urged China Sea as part of live-fire exercises. Vietnam, Southeast Asia yesterday to cut ties with Chi- which is chairing the summit, expressed “serious nese companies helping build islands in the concern” about recent militarization of the sea. South China Sea, weeks after the US blacklisted “This has eroded trust and confidence, increased two dozen firms working in the disputed waters. tension and undermined peace, security and rule Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comments of law in the region,” said Foreign Minister Pham came at a regional Asian summit overshadowed Binh Minh. by the US-China rivalry over a range of issues, But the Philippines already said last week it from trade to the coronavirus. would not follow the US lead because it needed Tensions are also simmering over the South Chinese investment, even as a fresh dispute be- China Sea, with the US last month sanctioning tween the two nations over Scarborough Shoal- 24 Chinese state-owned companies it said had one of the region’s richest fishing grounds-hangs helped Beijing’s military buildup in the resource- over the talks. And Chinese Foreign Minister rich waterway. Wang Yi laid blame on the United States for ten- Pompeo said it was time for Southeast Asian sions, claiming Washington was “becoming the governments to reconsider their own relation- biggest driver” of the waterway’s militarization. ship with firms working in the sea. “Don’t just China claims the majority of the South China speak up, but act,” he told the 10 foreign minis- Sea, invoking its so-called nine-dash line to jus- ters of the Association of Southeast Asian Na- tify what it says are historic rights to the key HANOI: Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (left) and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tions (ASEAN) during an online summit. trade waterway. Vietnam, the Philippines, (center, on screen at right) are seen on monitor screens during the Association of Southeast “Reconsider business dealings with the very Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all contest parts of Asian Nations (ASEAN)-US Ministerial Meeting, held online due to the COVID-19 novel coron- state-owned companies that bully ASEAN China’s declared territory in the sea. avirus pandemic, in Hanoi yesterday.—AFP coastal states in the South China Sea. “Don’t let Tensions between the US and China have the Chinese Communist party walk over us and also been exacerbated by concerns over Hong our people.” Kong, where Beijing recently imposed a dra- several countries in raising concerns over... the fication of pro-democracy electoral candi- This year’s ASEAN summit comes days after conian national security law in response to arrests of pro-democracy students, the year- dates,” according to spokeswoman Morgan Beijing launched ballistic missiles in the South months of civil unrest last year. Pompeo “joined long postponement of elections, and disquali- Ortagus. — AFP

Suga is favorite as Social networks should archive opposition picks hate speech as evidence: HRW new leader PARIS: Social media networks should start ingly sophisticated artificial intelligence systems archiving hate speech and other illegal posts were often taking down content before police TOKYO: Japanese government spokesman Yoshi- after taking them down so they can be used as “have a chance to see it or even know that it ex- hide Suga is the voters’ favorite to succeed Prime TOKYO: Yukio Edano (left), head of the Constitu- evidence in prosecutions, Human Rights Watch ists”, it noted. Minister Shinzo Abe, according to a poll published tional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), and said yesterday. Platforms were becoming more HRW said social media platforms should by the daily Mainichi Shimbun yesterday, amid Kenta Izumi (right), policy chief of the Democratic reactive in removing undesirable content, the work with other parties concerned to develop speculation over an early general election. About Party for the People (DPFP), raise their hands fol- New York-based rights group said in a report. mechanisms “to preserve potential evidence of 44 percent of respondents, asked whom they lowing a vote for the leadership of a new main But it was time that such content was pre- serious crimes” and make it available to investi- would pick as Abe’s successor, said they would opposition party in Tokyo yesterday.— AFP served to facilitate any subsequent prosecution gators, civil society organizations, journalists and choose Suga, while 36 percent favored former De- of individuals, including war criminals, HRW academics. The experience of the US, where on- fense Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Suga held a clearer said. “Social media content, particularly photo- line evidence of child sexual exploitation is pre- lead among supporters of the leading Liberal is stoking speculation about a snap election for graphs and videos, posted by perpetrators, vic- served for 90 days, may yield important lessons Democratic Party (LDP). parliament’s lower house as early as next month. tims, and witnesses to abuses, as well as others for such a discussion, it said. The poll, taken by the newspaper and Social No election is mandated until October 2021, but has become increasingly central to some pros- In the first quarter of this year, Facebook took Survey Research Centre, is the latest to show the Suga may call a vote while his ratings are high to ecutions of war crimes and other international down 6.3 million posts because they were con- chief cabinet secretary as the most popular can- try to improve his chances of winning a full three- crimes,” it said. sidered to be “terrorist propaganda”, 25.5 mil- didate among ordinary voters. The LDP leadership year term as party leader next year. Online posts could also help document atroc- lion because of violence and 9.6 million because election will be held on Sept 14, with LDP lawmak- Defense Minister Taro Kono, in an online event ities and abuses “such as chemical weapons at- of hate speech. ers and regional party representatives casting sponsored by a US think tank, said on Wednesday tacks in Syria, a security force crackdown in Last year, millions of Twitter accounts were votes. The winner - who will serve the rest of Abe’s an election was expected “probably sometime in Sudan, and police abuse in the United States”, it flagged because of hate content or threats of vi- term as party chief, which ends in September 2021 October”, domestic media reported. Talk of a gen- said. While it was “understandable” that social olence. In 2016, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter - is virtually assured of becoming premier because eral election has added urgency to efforts by the media platforms remove content that incites or and YouTube created a “Hash Sharing Consor- of the LDP’s majority in parliament. fragmented opposition to unify, pushing the cen- promotes violence, “they are not currently tium” to pool databases of inappropriate con- The surge in the popularity of Suga, who has ter-left Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan archiving this material in a manner that is acces- tent. Pinterest, Dropbox, Amazon, LinkedIn, served as chief cabinet secretary under Abe and (CDPJ) to merge with former colleagues in the sible for investigators and researchers to help Mega.nz, Instagram, WhatsApp and others have has said he would pursue his boss’s key policies, Democratic Party for the People (DPP). —Reuters hold perpetrators to account”, it said. Increas- since joined. — AFP LifestyleFriday www.kuwaittimes.net FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Members of the Tigray Circus rehearse in the city of Mekele, Ethiopia, on September 7, 2020. — AFP

Tokyo park gets transparent toilets See Page 20 20 Friday Lifestyle | Features Friday, September 11, 2020 I can see loo: Tokyo park gets transparent toilets

pacious, clean, and almost completely see-through, an unusual new public toilet block has been built in a Tokyo Spark-but thankfully, the walls turn opaque when you lock the door. When not in use, the three stylish units are translucent, with purple glass for men and pink for women, as well as an accessible yellow unit equipped for changing ba- bies. The walls are kept transparent by an electrical current running through them. Locking the door cuts the current, en- suring user privacy, and meaning that there’s no danger of all being revealed if there’s a sudden power cut. The toilets are part of a project by the Nippon Foundation, a non-profit, which commissioned a series of prominent archi- tects to rethink what public facilities might look like. The transparent units in Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park are the work of architect Shigeru Ban, who wanted to tackle a couple of the biggest concerns people have about public toilets, said Nip- pon Foundation communications officer Kana Saji. “By making the toilets transparent, we can alleviate people’s fears about their cleanliness, but also in terms of safety, because you can see that there’s no one hidden inside,” she told AFP. The concept appealed to at least one local resident, a 41- year-old housewife who said she liked how clean the facilities were, as public toilets are often “dark and dirty.” And Masa- taka Tsuchigami, 55, another local resident, said he trusted the This file photo shows a general view of a transparent toilet This file photo shows a man using a transparent toilet designed technology behind the transparent walls, and wasn’t worried designed by Shigeru Ban, which has outer walls of glass that by Shigeru Ban. they would suddenly turn see-through as he did his business. turn opaque when the lock is closed, at the Haru-no-Ogawa “In the worst-case scenario, if that were to happen, it wouldn’t Community Park in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. —AFP photos be that bad-we were all born naked!” —AFP Koala row threatens leader of Australia’s biggest state

dispute over protection measures for Environmental groups criticized the stance, Australia’s endangered koalas threat- saying koalas were on track for extinction in Aened yesterday to topple the govern- NSW by 2050 without urgent intervention. ment of the country’s biggest state. Angered “Wanting to retain the right to kill koalas is an by a new koala conservation law it says comes extraordinary hill for the Nationals to want to at the expense of farmers in New South die on, but here we are,” Nature Conservation Wales, the rural-based Nationals party with- Council CEO Chris Gambian said. Corey Brad- drew its support for state Premier Gladys shaw, professor of global ecology at Flinders Berejiklian’s governing Liberals. The move left University, said the legislation that sparked the Berejiklian with a minority government, lack- political fight was “a mere band-aid in the fight ing the numbers in parliament to pass legisla- to stem further deforestation”. NSW has some tion as the state battles to recover from the of the weakest anti-land clearing laws in Aus- coronavirus crisis. tralia, Bradshaw said, with poor enforcement The uniquely Australian political stoush and insufficient penalties exacerbating the comes months after unprecedented bushfires problem. destroyed vast swathes of koala habitat, “With increasing mega bushfires, the legacy prompting fears for the survival of the beloved and persistence of broad-scale deforestation, tree-dwelling marsupials. Berejiklian’s Liberals and weak laws, koalas in New South Wales are have governed in a delicate coalition with the effectively doomed,” he said. “Koalas live in Nationals in NSW, a state that runs from popu- and eat trees-you don’t need a university de- lous coastal areas that include Sydney to a vast gree to predict what will happen when you rural outback. In a statement, the Nationals continue to destroy their already highly de- decried the koala bill passed last December as graded habitats.” Berejiklian, who has steered “a blunt instrument to make city-centric law the state through the devastating bushfires and makers feel good about themselves”, claiming it coronavirus pandemic, is yet to comment pub- prevents farmers from clearing their own land. licly on the row. —AFP A man looks at his phone as he sits in front of a mural of a koala in Melbourne. —AFP Friday 21 Lifestyle | Feature Friday, September 11, 2020 Giraffe haven in Niger faces uncertain future after attack

A man walks next to office of guides of the Koure Giraffe Reserve.—AFP photos In this file photo this aerial view shows giraffes in Koure.

ne of the most famous animal sanctuaries in the Sahel desert region where shrubs grow in stoney soil. International women who had come to fetch water. “If the park no longer op- faces a troubled future after suspected jihadists mur- NGOs have been financing projects to help local people diver- erates we will be the big losers,” she said. The park has been a Odered eight people, six of them young French aid work- sify their income, making them less dependent on growing crops huge success in conservation terms. As giraffe numbers rose, the ers. The Koure Giraffe Reserve, located 60 kilometers (35 miles) that can become a giraffe’s lunch. authorities in 2018 transferred seven females and three males to southeast of Niger’s capital Niamey, is a rare success story for “If the closure lasts for long, this presupposes that all activi- the Gadabedji park in central Niger, 600 kms away, to help pre- conservation on the vast hard-scrabble rim of the Sahara. It is a ties in the park will be stopped, including development projects, vent overpopulation. haven for the West African giraffe, a species that once roamed which are costing millions in funding, to help villagers,” said from Lake Chad to Senegal but whose numbers catastrophically Omer Dovi, of the Association to Safeguard Giraffes in Niger. Extinction fears declined, surviving in pockets, as its habitat was destroyed. Ac- The list of benefits for neighboring villages is long, including Sani Ayouba, of the Young Volunteers for the Environment, cording to Niger’s environment ministry, the reserve had 50 gi- pharmacies, schools, mills to grind grain, seeds and fertilizers, as said he fears the attack will bring about “the end of all the activ- raffes in 1996 — a tally that rose to 664 in 2019, thanks in large well as no-interest loans to women to help them set up a small ities which help keep the giraffes in this reserve”. He suggested part to income from European tourists. business. that the park needed more trained rangers, “like parks in other But that sunny picture has now been darkly clouded after the “This water pump has been financed by an NGO which pro- countries”. Guides such as Idrissa rely on the presence of mili- August 9 attack, in which six French humanitarian workers tects giraffes,” said Assa Issa, a villager clustered among fellow tary and security forces in the area. “There is no miracle to bring based in Niamey were slaughtered at the park along with their back the white people: drastic security measures must be im- Nigerien guide and driver. “What’s the future for the park?” posed on the entire site,” Idrissa said. Prime Minister Brigi Rafini asked Aicha Ide, who lives in the adjoining village of Kanare. visited the park after the attack, vowing more security and that “We are deeply saddened by the deaths... we are all brothers, the government would “take all actions to help recreate hope in because we live thanks to the giraffes,” said Ousseini Idrissa, Koure”. one 11 guides who are now out of work. “If the white peoples Ramatou Issa, a fruit vendor near the entrance to the reserve, stop coming to see the giraffes, our families will also suffer, be- said “the government must set up a military base here immedi- cause the giraffes are our only means of survival.” ately!” “If the area is abandoned, it will become a den of ban- dits.” Heavily armed military patrols have combed the reserve Locals ‘the big losers’ since the attack, and residents have been told to report any sus- One of the poorest countries in the world, Niger is facing a picious activity to the authorities. The giraffes are also at risk, double jihadist threat-from insurgents coming from Mali in the according to an expert speaking on condition of anonymity. west and Nigeria in the south. After the August 9 massacre, the “Everything must be done to keep the giraffes in Koure-if they government closed the park and France, Niger’s former colonial permanently migrate to conflict zones, the species will go ex- power, placed the site in its so-called red zone-a move that says tinct,” the expert said. Dovi meanwhile fears a rise in poaching. it is not advised for French nationals. The 842-square-kilometre “If the locals no longer benefit from the presence of giraffes, (325-square-mile) park, traversed by a highway, lies in a semi- In this file photo this aerial view shows giraffes in Koure. then they will attack one giraffe, then two, then three...” —AFP 22 Friday

Lifestyle | Feature Friday, September 11, 2020

In this photo tattoo artist Seo Uri poses for a photo before the city skyline of Seoul. — AFP photos Tattoo artist Doy works on a client at his studio in Seoul. Marked for life: South Korea’s tattoo artists seek legalization

outh Korean tattooist Doy counts Hollywood superstar Brad in central Seoul. Pitt and members of K-Pop band EXO among his celebrity “On your way back home after tattooing Brad Pitt, there are Sclients, but his delicate, detailed designs could land him in no words to describe how proud you feel,” the 40-year-old told prison. Now he is leading a campaign for the abolition of a law AFP. “But from the moment you arrive at Incheon International that reflects tattoos’ long-marginalized status in South Korea, Airport, you worry about the tattoo tools in your bag being where they were once associated almost exclusively with organ- found.” Doy, whose real name is Kim Do-yoon, says the situation ized crime. While tattooing itself is not illegal, it is classed as a leaves the country’s 20,000-odd tattooists vulnerable to prose- medical procedure and may only be carried out by a fully qualified cution and random raids-as well as blackmail by malicious or dis- doctor-with the law setting a minimum two-year prison sentence satisfied clients. for violators, although judges can impose lighter penalties. Earlier this year, he established the country’s first tattoo artists’ But artists say the law has failed to keep pace, as tattoos have union and will soon ask the Constitutional Court to legalize tat- become more mainstream in recent years, championed by K-pop tooing by non-doctors. But after media reports featuring his union stars, athletes and others with powerful fan bases. Doy’s career activities, someone-who has not been publicly identified-filed a illustrates the contradictions: One of the most prominent tattoo criminal complaint and Doy now faces a police inquiry. It “feels artists in the country, he has nearly 500,000 followers on Insta- crappy” to be investigated, he said, but felt he “had to do some- gram. He declines to say what he inked Pitt with last year, citing thing”. “If you leave things as they are, nothing will change.” client confidentiality, but is known at home and abroad for his unique designs-from a bird to croissants to a jumping gymnast- Repeat offenders and intricate use of color. Even so, there is no sign on his studio According to the Korea Tattoo Association-a separate organ-

Tattoo artist Seo Uri receives a tattoo from Kim Chan-jik at a studio in Seoul. A tattooist works on a tattoo in Seoul. Tattoo artist Doy works on a client at his studio in Seoul. Friday 23 Lifestyle | Features Friday, September 11, 2020 Trump tries to ‘create chaos’: Oscar-winner Wiseman

S President Donald Trump often tries to “create chaos” when he opens his mouth, Oscar-winning di- Urector Frederick Wiseman said Wednesday. The vet- eran American famous for his painstakingly detailed documentaries on the country’s institutions, lashed out at Trump as his latest, “City Hall”, was premiered at the Venice film festival. Wiseman, 90, followed Boston’s Democratic mayor Marty Walsh and his team for the best part of a year. Ronald Bell — a co-founder of Kool and the Gang. Tattoo artist Doy stands in his studio in Seoul. The resulting four-hour film has been hailed as “a testament to American democracy” when so many of its tenets seem to be under threat. “Mayor Walsh and Trump represent two ization to Doy’s union-at least a million people have inked their extremes,” Wiseman told reporters. Ronald Bell of Kool and skin in the country and the illicit but growing industry is worth “Every time Trump opens his mouth he says something about 200 billion won ($170 million) a year. It says another idiotic which is either racist or divisive, or with the intent 200,000 beauticians who apply permanent makeup to their to create chaos. “Someone like Mayor Walsh is interested the Gang dies at 68 clients using tattooing techniques also come under the current in bringing people together and negotiating and finding rules. But despite their newfound popularity, tattoos can still carry ways of resolving problems,” said the director, who was negative connotations, especially at workplaces in South Korea, born in Boston but now lives mostly in Paris. Wiseman said onald Bell-a co-founder of Kool and the Gang, the heavy- with public broadcasters often blurring them out. Medical doctors his sprawling portrait of local authority is “an example of weight funk group behind hits like “Celebration,” “Jungle strongly oppose legalizing tattooing, saying doing so would “en- democracy functioning. “Does it function perfectly? Obvi- Boogie” and “Ladies’ Night”-died Wednesday. He was 68 danger” Koreans. Getting inked by non-doctors could lead to “a R ously not but I do not know any form of government that years old. The performer died at his home in the US Virgin Islands, serious infection or allergic reactions”, an official at the Korea does,” he added. — AFP the group’s publicist Angelo Ellerbee told AFP, without specifying Medical Association said. Doy says his union plans to come up a cause of death. Bell founded Kool and the Gang with his brother with health guidelines for tattooists, in collaboration with medical Robert and friends Dennis Thomas, Robert Mickens, Charles Smith, professionals who support their cause. George Brown and Ricky West in the early 1960s, fusing a foun- He has tattooed at least 10,000 people in his 14-year career, but dation of jazz with smatterings of funk, disco, R&B and pop. says he had never faced prosecution or blackmail until July. Other The group became a major smash in the 1970s, its brassy funk tattooists, though, had lost their income after being convicted, and putting it in a class with Earth, Wind and Fire, the Isley Brothers he knows of artists who have committed suicide as a result. “This is and Sly and the Family Stone. Kool and the Gang scored a Grammy very devastating,” he said. “In a way, they lost their lives because in 1978 for their contributions to the soundtrack for “Saturday they were painting.” Some have come to terms with being repeat Night Fever” starring John Travolta. The group was inducted into offenders: Kim Goang-seok, 54, says that when he first went into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018. Born in Youngstown, Ohio in tattooing 25 years ago, “80 percent of my clients were gangsters, 1951, Bell also went by his Muslim name Khalis Bayyan. A self- and I would repeatedly ink big tigers and dragons”. He has been taught musician, he wrote some of the ensemble’s major hits in- convicted three times for inking and was once jailed for eight cluding “Celebration,” which is still a popular anthem at sporting months, but says he will never stop. “I’ve always felt uneasy about events. The group remains a DJ favorite and is heavily sampled es- doing something illegal, and I still feel uneasy,” said Kim, who has pecially in the rap world, its tracks appearing in songs by artists been tattooing at his “secret”, signless studio in the southern city of Oscar-winning director Frederick Wiseman. including Jay-Z, Nas, NWA, Tupac, The Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Ulsan for more than two decades. “But this is the only thing that I’m Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes. — AFP good at. I accepted that when I was convicted the first time.” — AFP

While the flagship show is now being killed ‘Walking Dead’ off, the lucrative “Walking Dead” franchise has a lengthy afterlife planned. AMC is forging ahead with a new spin-off focused on the to conclude characters Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), to premiere in 2023. A separate, anthology-style series will record-breaking feature standalone episodes or groups of episodes focusing on individual characters- run in 2022 both existing favorites and new. No release date was announced. nce the highest-rated series in US Another spin-off, “Fear the Walking Dead,” cable television history, “The Walking has been running since 2015, and “The Walk- ODead” is officially on its last legs. The ing Dead: World Beyond”-a new series about record-breaking zombie show will conclude in the first generation raised in the apocalypse- 2022 after a monster-sized 11th season span- will debut October 4. “The Walking Dead” ning 24 episodes, network AMC said in a universe is based on a comic book about a statement Wednesday. “It’s been ten years zombie-ridden vision of the United States. The ‘gone bye;’ what lies ahead are two more to original series centered on Rick Grimes (An- In this file photo cast members, from left: Lauren Cohan, Alanna Masterson, Steve Yeun, Emily Kinney, come and stories and stories to tell beyond drew Lincoln), a sheriff who wakes up from a Andrew Lincoln and Sonequa Martin-Green attend a special screening to celebrate the season 5 premiere that,” said co-creator Scott Gimple. Launched coma to find the world overrun by the undead, of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” at AMC Universal Citywalk Stadium in Universal City, California. —AFP in 2010, the post-apocalyptic horror series re- and goes on a search for other survivors. Lin- peatedly shattered cable audience records, coln left the show in 2018, but his character is ducers in March revealed production had been joyed an unprecedented string of successful peaking with the season five premiere in 2014, due to star in standalone feature films. halted by the coronavirus pandemic. Six re- series in recent years including “Mad Men” which drew 17.3 million viewers. But audi- The concluding episodes of season 10 of maining episodes from this season are now and “Breaking Bad”-which itself generated ences began declining steeply in 2017. “The Walking Dead” have yet to air, after pro- scheduled for early next year. AMC has en- popular spin-off “Better Call Saul.” — AFP 24 Friday Lifestyle | Travel Friday, September 11, 2020

The globetrotting spy is at it again in ‘No Time to Die’. Hammersmith Bridge in London. — Getty Images View above the town of Funningur in the Faroe Islands .— Mads —Getty Images Peter Iversen

By Jeanette Zinno Fans can stay at the famous GoldenEye ence, opt for a stay at the Grosvenor House Newly opened Hilton Garden Inn Faroe estate and you don’t have to be a special Suites by Jumeriah Living. The hotel Islands, located in the capital city of Torshavn aniel Craig is at it again in No Time to agent to do so, either. Red Savannah, a luxu- concierge can even coordinate a private will be the first international hotel in the north- Die, the 25th installment of the James ry travel company that specializes in tailor- bespoke James Bond tour for fans in the ern archipelago. Boasting uninterrupted sea DBond film series. Past Bond flicks have made trips around the world actually rents heart of many filming locations in London. views, the hotel will be an ideal setting for followed 007’s footsteps to all four corners of the GoldenEye property in Jamaica. Fleming Get ready to let your inner spy out! Post-tour, those seeking extraordinary Bond-esque the world on risky endeavors in far-off places died in 1964, but all of his furniture remained, hit the bar and have a Bond martini... shaken, adventures. like Egypt and Japan. And the latest version so guests who rent it can sit in the chair not stirred. (premiering November 20) will not disappoint where he wrote his Bond novels. Matera, Italy fans, with exotic filming locales that have Faroe Islands Italy has been one of Bond’s favorite already been revealed, such as the Faroe London, England No Time To Die filmed in the epic one-lane escapes in recent movies. It’s been reported Islands and Matera, Italy. Here are some of It’s no secret that Bond is British, so film- tunnels on the Faroe Islands (an archipelago that filming happened in the small southern our favorite destinations featured in No Time ing in his beloved hometown of London is a situated in between Iceland and Norway). town of Matera, where a high-speed car to Die. mainstay in this spy series. Daniel Craig’s Past the one-way tunnels, the islands (18 to chase takes place through the winding final run as James Bond filmed exciting be exact) are a majestic set of green rolling streets in the iconic Aston Martin DB5. Port Antonia, Jamaica scenes throughout London - including a hills and a hiker’s paradise. If you find your- Matera is well known for its cave dwellings It’s been disclosed that Bond 25 kicks off scene on Hammersmith Bridge, which cross- self on the island of Kalsoy, everyone will tell that are carved into the mountainside - you at creator Ian Fleming’s once owned es the River Thames. you to hike up to Kallur Lighthouse. It’s mostly can even stay in a cave hotel to experience it GoldenEye property in Jamaica. The movie And let’s be honest, Bond is not basic. to see the exquisite panoramas of the Atlantic firsthand. The incredible scenery found in this begins as Bond is enjoying his retirement Throughout the series he stays in opulent and the other islands in the distance, but it’s location has earned it a place on Unesco’s until he’s called back into secret spy busi- hotels and castles, so if you find yourself in worth every minute of the climb up the World Heritage List. Exploring this site makes ness. London and want a true Bond-style experi- rugged cliffs. a great adventure for any avid traveler, let alone Bond fans looking to pinpoint where the film’s most iconic scene takes place.

Nittedal, Norway Rumors are out that the movie filmed frozen lake scenes in a small town called Nittedal, just eighteen miles north of Oslo. Additionally, a car chase scene was reportedly filmed on Norway’s windy Atlantic Ocean Road. Calling all James Bond fans. One of the best ways to explore the country, especially as someone with an adventurous mindset, is through an immersive locally led adventure. REI’s Experiences recently released a new trip in Norway, that is a result of years’ worth of scouting and following breathtaking paths interspersed with secluded beaches, granite mountains and colorful villages - much in the way a super spy might travel. — www.lonelyplanet.com Ancient town of Matera (Sassi di Matera) at sunrise, Basilicata, southern Some scenes were filmed on Norway’s Atlantic Ocean Road.-Cinematic Italy. —Getty Images Photography / 500px Friday 25 Lifestyle | Travel Friday, September 11, 2020

You can now take a kayak tour of Louvre Abu Dhabi.— Sea Hawk

here’s now an even more beautiful way to explore “Sea Hawk and Louvre Abu Dhabi decided to launch orange hues. It makes the perfect background to take in Tthe serene turquoise waters that surround the tours at sunrise and sunset as this is a popular time for the Middle East’s most spectacular museum.” Louvre Abu Dhabi: local adventure outfitter Sea recreational activities within the region,” Nikki Andrew, Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Hawk is offering hour-long weekend kayak tours at sun- Sea Hawk’s Director of Sales and Marketing, told Lonely Jean Nouvel, Louvre Abu Dhabi opened to great fanfare rise and during the evening ‘golden hour’ just before Planet Travel News. “At dusk and dawn the skies around at the end of 2017. The gallery, which bills itself the sunset. The Louvre transform to include dusky pinks and vibrant Middle East’s first ‘universal museum’, contains a world- class collection that traces humanity’s artistic achieve- ments from the Neolithic up to the present day grouped by theme and time instead of by geographic location. Unsurprisingly, the Louvre Abu Dhabi building itself is a work of art, and the geometric domed roof is a particu- lar highlight. The design layers lattices of nearly 8000 metal stars, which filter sunlight to create a ‘rain of light’ that scatters across the interior, meant to evoke the feel- ing of walking through the labyrinthine alleyways of the medina, the ancient neighborhoods found at the heart of cities across the Middle East and North Africa. In addition to its daily tours, Sea Hawk also runs full moon kayaking sessions, so you can see the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s gleaming white exterior glowing under the bright lunar light. The company provides life jackets, guides, water bottles and changing areas, and the tours are open to all fitness levels ages six and older. —www.lonelyplanet.com The Louvre Abu Dhabi. — Lindsey Parry / Lonely Planet The sun sets over the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum. — KARIM SAHIB/AFP 26 Friday Lifestyle | Feature Friday, September 11, 2020

anzhai, a quiet little corner of rural Guizhou province, is bubbling with creativity. The local Miao people, Done of China’s 56 officially recog- nized ethnic groups, have for countless generations practiced and passed on tradi- tional crafts that form the backbone of their own rich cultural heritage. The region is awash with master craftspeople working with tools and techniques unchanged for thousands of years.

Stunning and challenging au tao A craft gone global that some say first originated in Guizhou province is batik, a process of applying images and color to cloth. Batik is an Indonesian word; in Chinese it’s known as la ran and in the Miao tongue, it’s called au tao. One of the top au tao practitioners in the region is Zhang Shixiu. She was recognized as a master of the craft in 2014, and given a grant by the local government as part of a drive to pre- serve and promote Danzhai’s intangible cul- tural heritage. The concept of au tao is beautifully sim- ple. Molten beeswax is ‘painted’ on to cloth, which is then dipped in a natural indigo dye so the unwaxed parts of the cloth take on color. Finally, the cloth is boiled to melt the wax away and reveal the finished image. In practice it’s a little more challenging. Zhang’s village home, raised high on a hillside with dreamy views over the rice ter- races, has been converted to include a batik workshop, dyeing room, and simple accommodation for travellers wishing to come and learn the craft themselves. You’ll be given a handkerchief-sized square of white cloth with which to make the most of your artistic ability. The workshop is heady with the honeyed aroma of melted beeswax and crisp new cotton. Using a curved brass knife designed to drip and disperse the melted wax, you’ll paint lines on the cloth. Next up is the dye- ing, in vats of natural indigo dye made from a local plant. The more you dip, the richer the final color, and the longer your fingertips will be stained a deep blue. The most satisfying stage is the final boil, which melts away the wax and reveals your design. Nearby, a local woman from the vil- lage, dressed in pale pink robes with a sil- ver and cloth headband, might be painting an intricate wax pheasant onto a silk scarf. The finished piece will sell for around 500 RMB (about $70 USD) in Zhang’s own shop, or upwards of 2000 RMB (about $250 USD) if purchased by a middleman and sold in a boutique at Guiyang airport.

Handmade bird cages Clothing that tells a story are a traditional Miao Traditionally, almost all Miao women craft in Danzhai County. practice batik, creating their own household — Photos by Lonely Planet items such as bedding or clothing. It’s also customary for the Miao to create ceremonial costumes for themselves, including their own wedding dress and, somewhat fore- Friday 27 Lifestyle | Feature Friday, September 11, 2020

Photo shows Miao craft in Danzhai County. A batik craftswoman at work in Paimo Village, Danzhai. A Miao woman paints a design on silk using molten beeswax. bodingly, their funeral shroud. Since estab- a cobbled lane in the village. only about a tenth of that number keep the By giving Miao women an income stream lishing her workshop in 2014, Zhang Wang Xingwu, a local craftsman, has craft alive. Pan has made a name for him- related to their traditional crafts, it also employs some 200 local villagers, with even supplied paper to the National Library self locally by using a range of self- helps stem the tide of women leaving vil- around eight in the workshop at any one of China and the Palace Museum (a.k.a. designed machines to streamline the tradi- lages and following their husbands into fac- time. Empowering Miao women in the vil- The Forbidden City), where it has been tional papermaking process while remain- tory jobs. lage to monetise their skills has helped used to restore ancient imperial texts. The ing true to the essence of the craft. make them more independent, financially highest-grade paper Wang produces is as Protecting an endangered way of life and socially. thin as spider silk and almost translucent; a Uncommon thread Preserving minority culture and customs “Traditionally, Miao women were a lower dao (100 sheets) can sell for as much as Along with batik and papermaking, in places like Danzhai takes the efforts of social status than men, and many were and 3000 RMB (about $400 USD). another of Danzhai’s traditional crafts is many, from passionate individuals to gov- are illiterate,” says Zhang, “unable even to Wang’s shop, with its neat stacks of embroidery using vividly colored threads, a ernments and corporations. But few have distinguish different values of banknotes.” paper and dry, woody fragrance, is a haven process which can be observed at Village contributed more to the preservation of The villagers are paid per piece they cre- for fans of boutique stationery. Some Story, a social enterprise established in an Miao culture than a Chinese anthropologist ate, so they can fit the work in and around papers are coloured with natural dyes to idyllic forest setting. Like Zhang’s batik by the name of Wang Fenggang. With no their other duties such as planting and har- create patterns while others are pressed workshop, Village Story employs local Miao written language of their own, the Miao peo- vesting rice (often with infants strapped to with real flowers like artisan wallpaper. women and seeks to hone their skills so ple have relied on oral history to hand down their back), household chores, cooking and Where once around 80 families practiced they can work on pieces in their own vil- their knowledge, customs and stories raising children. papermaking in the village, says Pan lages, to be sold at the Village Story show- through the generations. The speed of The finished pieces are sold on site or in Yuhua, another Stone Bridge craftsman who room or at shops in places like Danzhai China’s recent development put this system shops like those at Danzhai Wanda Village, learned the trade from his grandfather, now Wanda Village. of knowledge transfer at a precarious junc- a tourist attraction and social enterprise ture, prompting Wang to make capturing supporting Miao culture and crafts. Zhang the Miao people’s ‘jiali’ (oral history) his has also taken advantage of China’s life’s work. advanced e-commerce technology, selling Starting in 1972, he studied and record- a range of batik products online, such as ed the history, philosophy, mythology and handbags, clothing and table runners, and customs of the Miao, finally publishing sev- even using livestreams to promote her eral volumes in 2009 that run to more than wares. 800,000 words. It’s a precious legacy, all the more remarkable given that, for much of Paper pushers his life, Wang, now in his mid 70s, has bat- Several mountains away from Zhang’s tled with Motor Neurone disease. village, a naturally eroded rock bridge As Wang himself said in a recent inter- spans the Nangao River, lending its name view of the vital importance of preserving to Shi Qiao (Stone Bridge) Village. intangible cultural heritage: “If ethnic culture Upstream from the bridge, the Nangao is lost, civilization will only be left with an surges forth from an enormous cave hung empty shell, the soul will die with it, the peo- with stalactites. For centuries, this prehis- ple will forget their history and won’t be able toric cavern has served as a Miao factory to see their future.”— www.lonelyplanet.com floor for making superior quality paper, thanks to the alkalinity of the waters and the bark of a particular local tree. Papermakers sell their wares from wooden houses along

Miao embroidered baby carriers for sale at Danzhai Market. 28 Friday

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 Business

EU ponders legal action against UK Reform hopes rise as China focuses WTO leadership race seen 34 over plan to break Brexit deal 35 on strategic inward economic shift 36 as hostage to US election

FRANKFURT: In this file photo, people wearing face masks walk in front of a big Euro sign in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, as the European Central Bank (ECB) headquarter can be seen in the background. —AFP ECB keeps policy unchanged Central bank to take aim at strong euro

FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank left policy ECB said after a widely expected decision. nomic forecasts and face questions about the euro’s its message if markets react poorly. Adding to the chal- unchanged yesterday but with the economic recovery The problem is that fresh data point to waning in- strength and prospects for more stimulus. lenge for Lagarde is the US Federal Reserve’s tweak losing momentum and a strong euro dampening infla- vestor and consumer confidence amid a resurgence in last month to its own inflation target, which suggests it tion expectations, ECB President Christine Lagarde is coronavirus infections, with many fearing fresh restric- Tricks will raise rates later than in the past and could put expected to set the stage for more stimulus later. Hav- tions on ordinary life. Lagarde is faced with a complicated communica- downward pressure on the dollar. ing pulled out the stops this spring to halt a historic But more importantly for the ECB, inflation has tions exercise. She cannot target the exchange rate but Once it is time to turn words into action, the ECB is economic decline across the 19-country currency bloc, turned negative, raising the risk that longer term price also cannot just ignore the euro’s rapid rise to near likely to keep relying on its 1.35 trillion euro Pandemic the ECB has time to let governments implement their growth expectations also take a hit, leading to a hard- $1.20. “Ms. Lagarde will need to walk a tightrope, Emergency Purchase program to hoover up even more own countermeasures and for its own ultra-easy policy to-reverse downward spiral. This is crucial for the probably hinting that the ECB is monitoring the impli- debt to keep euro zone governments’ borrowing costs to seep into the real economy. ECB, which has undershot its nearly 2 percent infla- cations of euro appreciation for price stability, and that down. But hurdles to the rebound from a 12 percent out- tion target for the past seven years, casting doubt on all tools can be adjusted as needed to meet the inflation While some policymakers argue that the scheme put drop in the second quarter are proving bigger than the credibility of a policy suite that is radical, yet fails mandate,” UniCredit said in a note. needs to be wound down once the coronavirus crisis expected, and economists say the ECB will have to to achieve its objective. “That said, we doubt that her rhetoric will be suffi- is over, bond issuance is expected to spike next year, take more action, possibly in December. Compounding the problem, the euro has firmed 8 ciently bold to trigger a trend reversal in the euro.” meaning any hint that the ECB will step back from the “The Governing Council continues to stand ready percent against the dollar, eroding export competitive- Attempting to guide the currency is risky, and four market risks pushing yields higher. to adjust all of its instruments, as appropriate, to en- ness and cutting inflation further as import costs fall. ECB board members, including Lagarde and chief With yesterday’s decision, the ECB’s benchmark sure that inflation moves towards its aim in a sustained Attention now turns to Lagarde’s 1230 GMT press economist Philip Lane are lined up to speak in the next deposit rate remains at minus 0.5 percent while the manner, in line with its commitment to symmetry,” the conference, during which she will unveil fresh eco- 24 hours, suggesting the ECB is preparing to fine-tune main rate remains at 0 percent. —Reuters 34 Friday Business Friday, September 11, 2020 EU ponders legal action against UK over plan to break Brexit deal EU deeply concerned over Johnson’s plans LONDON/BRUSSELS: Britain and the Euro- peace deal that ended decades of violence. It pean Union will hold emergency talks over Prime said the bill would be debated on Monday. Minister Boris Johnson’s plan to undercut parts Europe’s leaders have been handed an ulti- of the Brexit divorce treaty, with Brussels ex- matum: accept the treaty breach or prepare for ploring possible legal action against London. a messy divorce when Britain disentangles itself As Britain pushes ahead with its plan to act from the EU at the end of the year. outside international law by breaching the di- Britain signed the treaty and formally left the vorce treaty, EU negotiators are trying to gauge EU in January, but remains a member in all but how to deal with London. European Commission name until the end of 2020 under a status quo Vice President Maros Sefcovic expressed con- agreement. cern about the plan before a meeting with British Sterling was flat at $1.2999 though overnight counterpart Michael Gove in London, taking sterling implied volatility rose to 13 percent, its place alongside trade talks between chief nego- highest since March 26, and the FTSE 100 share tiators Michel Barnier and David Frost. index slipped. EU diplomats and officials said the bloc could use the Withdrawal Agreement to take legal ac- Ireland tion against Britain, though there would be no Talks on a trade deal have snagged on state resolution before the end-of-year deadline for aid rules and fishing. Without an agreement, Britain’s full exit. nearly $1 trillion in trade between the EU and One EU source said Britain would fail if it Britain could be thrown into confusion at the be- wants to try to use the planned breach of the ginning of 2021 as they also deal with the eco- LONDON: European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic leaves Europe House, the headquarters of the EU delegation Withdrawal Agreement to extract concessions nomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The in the UK in London yesterday after arriving in the British capital for an emergency Brexit meeting. —AFP from the bloc in trade talks. “If they try to do latest dispute centers on rules for Northern Ire- that, it will fail,” the EU source said on condition land, which shares a land border with EU mem- US Congress if Britain undermined the 1998 to change course. Some fear Johnson may view of anonymity. ber Ireland. Under the 1998 agreement, there agreement. Former British leaders Theresa May a no-deal exit as a useful distraction from the A note distributed by the EU executive to the must be no hard border in Ireland. and John Major scolded Johnson for considering pandemic. 27 EU member states said the bloc could start To ensure that, Britain’s EU divorce agree- an explicit, intentional breach of international law. “I’m not optimistic at this stage,” Irish Prime so-called infringement procedures against ment calls for some EU rules to continue to apply “If we lose our reputation for honoring the Minister Micheal Martin told national broad- Britain. in Northern Ireland. But Britain wants power to promises we make, we will have lost something caster RTE when asked how confident he was in The British government says its planned law, override many of them, acknowledging this beyond price that may never be regained,” a trade deal being reached. He said trust in ne- put forward on Wednesday, merely clarifies am- would violate international law. US House of Major said. European diplomats said Britain was gotiations had been undermined, making it biguities in the Withdrawal Agreement, but also Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said any playing a game of Brexit “chicken”, threatening harder to secure a free trade agreement without says its main priority is the 1998 Northern Irish potential US-UK trade deal would not pass the to wreck the process and challenging Brussels tariffs and quotas. — Reuters

Morrisons hires Stocks struggle after 6,000 staff to meet tech reboot, euro online demand in ECB crosshairs LONDON: The tech-led reboot of stock markets stalled in Europe yes- terday as traders pulled back to hear just how twitchy the European LONDON: British supermarket Morrisons yesterday said it Central Bank has become about the euro’s run-up in recent months. was hiring about 6,000 new permanent staff to help meet The ECB’s upcoming meeting, along with emergency Brexit talks in booming online demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. London after negotiations turned chaotic again, and wilting commodity The food retailer said in a statement it was keeping 25,000 of markets kept the bulls firmly on the leash. An early push from the pan- the 45,000 temporary staff it hired in March amid Britain’s European STOXX 600 quickly faltered as tech struggled, the euro and Covid-19 lockdown. government bonds gained pre-ECB, and drooping oil and metals prices A company spokesman told AFP that it had now handed hit the region’s drillers and miners. Analysts were waiting to see whether permanent contracts to about “one quarter” of those 25,000 reports that the ECB will fractionally revise up its COVID-battered eco- employees. The retail sector enjoyed soaring online sales dur- nomic and inflation forecasts later would ultimately affect the chances ing the nationwide lockdown, which ran for about three months of a further ramping up of stimulus, which would rein in the euro. from late March, as consumers were forced to shop via com- The currency has firmed 8 percent against the dollar since the spring puter screens and smartphones. and more than 4 percent against a basket of currencies weighted by the It comes as US e-commerce giant Amazon last week an- bloc’s foreign trade. It was hovering at $1.1830, not far below the sen- nounced 7,000 new permanent jobs in the UK by the end of ning 16,000 new permanent roles. sitive $1.20 level. “What happens at the ECB today is quite important the year, as the coronavirus pandemic fuels online shopping, Morrisons also said that it took a £155-million ($201-mil- for global markets,” said TD Securities’ European head of currency but hurts bricks-and-mortar businesses, which by contrast lion, 171-million-euro) charge in investment costs related to strategy, Ned Rumpeltin. “There is still one trade, which is reflate or are shedding thousands of positions. The biggest surge in the Covid-19 pandemic. That was heavily offset by a £93- die,” he said, referring to stimulus aid lifting asset prices. “So the degree new UK jobs fuelled by online demand has come from su- million benefit from the government’s tax break for virus-hit to which the ECB either takes that one step forward or one step back permarket giant Tesco, with Britain’s biggest retailer plan- businesses. — AFP today will be important.” — Reuters Friday 35

Business Friday, September 11, 2020 Reform hopes rise as China focuses on strategic inward economic shift Reforms come as external rifts rise amid pandemic, US tensions BEIJING: Chinese reform advocates are hoping lation) will be a pivot of the 14th five-year plan. President Xi Jinping’s proposed new economic There will definitely be difficulties to make it model, expected to be the centerpiece of a key work,” said a policy insider. conclave next month, is an opportunity to Guided by the new strategy, elements of the quicken changes to spur domestic demand and 2016-2020 plan, including supply-side reforms tackle structural woes. and policies to spur urbanization and innovation, The new development model will be dis- are expected to be taken to the next level, the cussed at a meeting of the ruling Communist details of which will be unveiled at the annual Party in October, where policies are expected to parliamentary session next year. be built into the next five-year road-map for the Few details have been published on the economy, policy insiders said. Xi in May pro- scheme itself, but economists and think tanks are posed a “dual circulation” strategy for the next proposing various reforms that they deem cru- phase of economic development in which China cial to steering a more self-reliant economic will rely mainly on “domestic circulation” - an course and building long-term growth drivers, internal cycle of production, distribution and they said. China’s State Council Information Of- consumption. fice did not immediately respond to a faxed re- That will be supported by “international cir- quest for comment. Government advisers have culation”, in which China further integrates with called for faster reform of China’s land and res- the global economy, opening its doors to more idency systems - key obstacles to its goal of foreign goods, capital and investment. As ten- building a highly urbanized, consumer-driven sions between Washington and Beijing rise, the economy - and tackling a yawning rich-poor potential decoupling of the world’s two largest gap that has weighed on spending. WUHAN: Employees work on an air conditioner production line at a Haier factory in Wuhan, in economies presents significant risks, a Overhauling giant state companies would China’s central Hubei province yesterday. — AFP prospect that is firming China’s resolve to shift help tackle deep-rooted economic distortions reliance to its own vast domestic market, policy and help level the playing field for struggling pri- insiders said. vate firms, they argued. “Domestic circulation markets play a decisive role in resource alloca- cient investment and volatile exports has been The gathering of the Central Committee, the won’t take off if we cannot do a good job on re- tion. In April, China’s cabinet issued guidelines a key policy goal for the past decade. But many largest of the Communist Party’s elite decision- forms,” said a government adviser who declined on improving market-based allocation of “pro- Chinese advisers and economists are disap- making bodies, will focus on the 2021-2025 plan to be identified. duction factors”, including land, labor, technol- pointed over the pace of reform in recent years, for the country’s social and economic develop- At a meeting with Chinese economists on ogy and capital, in a bid to deepen as a stability-obsessed government has ment. It will be the 14th such plan since China Aug. 24, Xi pledged to take more measures to market-oriented reforms. plucked lower hanging fruit and delayed more embarked on rapid industrialization under its break down “deep-seated institutional barri- To be sure, rebalancing the economy to rely painful reforms first unveiled at a key party first five-year plan in 1953-1957. “It (dual circu- ers”, and reaffirmed a longstanding pledge to let more on consumer spending and less on ineffi- meeting in 2013. — AFP

in May of a more than 80 percent tariff on Aus- stimulus pledged so far to prevent a deeper European firms tralian barley imports, effectively stopping a bil- S Korea draws downturn in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. lion-dollar trade in a move widely viewed as South Korea had been more successful than fear ‘arbitrary linked to escalating political tensions between many other countries in containing the virus, Canberra and Beijing. Already inflamed by Aus- extra $6.6bn managing to avoid a full-blown lockdown, but it punishment’ tralia’s allegations that China was meddling in its suffered a setback in mid-August with a church domestic affairs, relations worsened when Prime budget to help outbreak which spread to a political rally. The Minister Scott Morrison called for an independ- strict social distancing rules imposed since late BEIJING: European companies in China are in- ent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. small businesses August have hurt restaurants, hospitality and re- creasingly afraid of “arbitrary punishment” amid Travel restrictions imposed amid the pan- tail sectors, as the government banned onsite a more politicized business environment, a Eu- demic have also left many European company dining after 9 p.m. (1200 GMT) and limited cof- ropean business industry group said yesterday. employees stranded outside of China, and dis- SEOUL: South Korea is preparing the fourth fee franchises to takeout and delivery. The annual report of the European Chamber crimination against foreigners was ignored by supplementary budget of this year of around Small businesses are vanishing fast. Statistics of Commerce in China also highlighted concerns Chinese officials, the said. “Chamber members $6.6 billion to aid struggling small businesses Korea data show the number of self-employed about travel restrictions imposed on foreign cannot help wondering if these actions and in- facing mass closures amid unprecedented so- businesses were down by 128,000 in July from workers because of the coronavirus pandemic actions are indicative of a broader mindset that cial distancing restrictions to curb a resurgence a year earlier to 5.55 million, marking the biggest and the exclusion of foreign businesses from key while foreign capital and technology are desired of the coronavirus. At an emergency economic annual drop since 2009. The Korea Center for sectors of the economy. “Companies are left in China, foreigners themselves are not,” it said. policy meeting, President Moon Jae-in said the Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) re- navigating a political minefield during a health The report also cites a continued lack of signifi- fresh spending of 7.8 trillion won ($6.58 billion) ported 155 new cases as of midnight Wednesday, crisis of truly overwhelming proportions,” cham- cant opening of China’s market, with bureau- will be used to help small businesses and which brought the total infections to 21,743, with ber president Joerg Wuttke said in comments at- cratic obstacles to full entry in sectors like households. 346 deaths. tached to the report, which draws on banking and insurance, cutting off foreign com- “The unexpected resurgence of the coron- The fresh government containment efforts contributions from working groups, surveys and panies from gaining market share. avirus is delaying recovery momentum, and eco- have led to a steady drop in the daily tally since comments from its more than 1,700 members. “Worryingly, there now seems to be a grow- nomic activities across domestic demand and it reached a peak of 441 last month. But smaller The report warned that the risk of deteriorating ing list of sectors that either restrict foreign in- consumption are sharply contracting,” Moon clusters continued to emerge from churches, relations between China and Europe - over is- vestment, or in which support is provided to told the meeting. offices and medical facilities. The government sues like Beijing’s treatment of the Uighur Mus- China’s national champions to the extent that it Of the new budget subject to parliamentary is set to announce soon whether to extend cur- lim minority and new national security legislation squeezes out any potential European competi- approval, 3.2 trillion won will be used as cash rent curbs, which expire on Sunday, including for Hong Kong - could seriously impact Euro- tion,” it said. Renewables, telecoms, and other payments to small businesses, while another 1.4 limiting nightly on-site dining in the Seoul met- pean companies doing business in China. high-tech industries with strong growth poten- trillion won will support struggling job seekers. ropolitan area, health ministry officials said European companies now “have even more tial are tightening up to foreign investors, the re- Moreover, every South Korean aged 13 years old yesterday. “There are nearly 100 cases occur- reason to believe that they could become victims port said. China has sent both its foreign minister or older will be able to receive subsidies for mo- ring daily in the greater Seoul area and we of arbitrary punishment” due to their home and top diplomat to Europe in recent weeks, in bile phone bills. think this trend should be broken,” said Yoon country governments’ actions against China, the efforts to bolster ties amid increasing tensions The fourth extra budget of this year comes Tae-ho, the ministry’s director-general for report said. The report cited China’s imposition with the United States. — Reuters on top of 277 trillion won ($233.66 billion) of public health policy. — Reuters 36 Friday Business Friday, September 11, 2020 WTO leadership race seen as hostage to US election Trump is unlikely to throw a lifeline to the multilateral trade body GENEVA/BRUSSELS: The World Trade Orga- The White House referred questions to the US nization’s effort to select a leader entered a new Trade Representative’s (USTR) office. The USTR stage this week as ambassadors from 164 mem- declined to comment, and referred Reuters to re- ber countries met with senior officials for private marks made by US Trade Representative Robert ‘confessionals’ to say who they support. But the Lighthizer to US lawmakers in June, in which he politicking in Geneva, the first in a three-stage said the WTO needed a reform-driven leader and elimination process, could be a wasted effort ac- that he would veto any candidate who showed cording to six former WTO officials and trade “any whiff of anti-Americanism”. experts. They say the decisive developments that The US-China economic conflict is a further will shape the future of the embattled global or- complicating factor. Any candidate backed by ganization are unfolding thousands of miles the United States could be automatically re- away in Washington. jected by Beijing and vice versa, former WTO The US presidential election on Nov 3 is officials and trade experts say. In a statement, overshadowing the WTO’s efforts to fill the gap China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would left by Roberto Azevedo since he stepped down participate constructively in the selection as director-general on Aug 31 and it could end process. “We are willing to work closely with all up thwarting the WTO’s aim of filling the vacant parties to elect a good director-general through top spot within the prescribed two months. full consultation, ensure a smooth handover and The United States’ support for a particular push the WTO to play a greater role in global candidate is critical but four trade experts in- economic governance,” the ministry said. cluding former WTO employees believe the ad- ministration of US President Donald Trump is The Biden factor unlikely to throw a lifeline to a multilateral body Azevedo’s departure has left a void at the the president has threatened to leave, particu- WTO amid worsening US-China relations and larly during an election campaign in which trade as the coronavirus crisis accelerates protection- The eight candidates battling to become the next Director General of the World Trade Organization, (top, is a hot button issue. ism and pulverizes the global economy. There left to right) Kenya’s former WTO General Council chair Amina Mohamed, Egyptian former diplomat Trump has launched a trade war with China, are currently eight candidates in contention and Hamid Mamdouh, South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee, Former Saudi economy minister Mo- imposed tariffs on US allies and crushed the they will be winnowed down to five after the first hammed Al-Tuwaijri, (bottom, left to right) Mexican former World Trade Organization (WTO) deputy di- WTO’s ability to intervene in disputes - a key ‘confessional’ meetings conclude on Sept. 16. rector-general Jesus Seade, Former Moldovan foreign minister Tudor Ulianovschi, Nigerian former part of its raison d’etre-by blocking the appoint- The field will then be cut to two, with the winner Foreign and Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Britain’s first post-Brexit international trade ment of members to its Appellate Body. “I find it due to be confirmed by a Nov. 7 deadline. secretary Liam Fox. — AFP hard to imagine that the Trump administration Many delegates perceive the main frontrun- would shift tack and do something very positive ners as being two women from Africa, Nigeria’s for the system,” said David Tinline, a former ad- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Kenya’s Amina Mo- leader. The final decision is designed to be taken occurred and is described under WTO rules as viser to Azevedo. hamed. Either would be the body’s first female by consensus. The alternative, a vote, has never a “last resort”. — Reuters

United States to isolate the firm, saying it poses Huawei releases OS a cybersecurity threat. Both Huawei and China’s long-term price growth that could force the ECB government deny the accusation. Eurozone bonds to act again soon. The euro has firmed 8 percent The US has been pushing allies to shun prod- against the dollar since the spring and more than source code in push ucts made by Huawei, which is also the global 4 percent against a basket of currencies market leader for 5G and other telecom-network steady as investors weighted by the bloc’s foreign trade. for own ecosystem equipment. The Trump administration has essen- “I don’t think the move in the euro has been tially barred Huawei from the US market and in- look to ECB for sufficiently big to be a real concern but it’s just troduced a series of steadily escalating moves to against the backdrop of everything else that SHANGHAI: Chinese telecom giant Huawei yes- cut off its access to the computer chips and stimulus clues is happening that means it’s not particularly terday said its nascent homegrown operating other technology the company needs to survive. welcome news,” said Anatoli Annenkov, senior system could be available on smartphones early Huawei’s announcement on HarmonyOS was European economist at Societe Generale. He next year, as it pushes to build an alternative app made at an annual software developers confer- LONDON: Germany’s benchmark Bund yield expects the ECB’s emergency bond buying ecosystem after the US barred it from using ence that it organizes at its headquarters in the held above two-week lows yesterday, before program to be extended and expanded by a Google’s Android. The source code for Har- southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. The move in- a European Central Bank meeting that in- further 500 billion euros in October or De- cember. Germany’s 10-year bond yield was monyOS will be made available beginning in De- dicates Huawei intends to push ahead with plans vestors suspect could signal more stimulus little changed on the day at -0.46 percent, cember to software developers who create apps to create its own ecosystem, a challenge analysts given weak inflation and a strong euro. Most holding above two-week lows hit the previous for smartphones, said Yu Chengdong, CEO of say is daunting in a world dominated by Android 10-year bond yields in the euro area were lit- Huawei’s consumer products division. and Apple’s iOS. Yu, however, expressed hope session around -0.51 percent. Italian bond tle changed with calm in markets expected to yields were broadly steady with the closely- HarmonyOS is so far used only with certain that China’s huge smartphone market, the world’s prevail ahead of the ECB policy decision at watched Italian/German 10-year bond yield products including smart TVs, in-car entertain- largest, could remain a safe space and a platform 1145 GMT and news conference at 1230 GMT. gap hovering at 153 basis points-almost 20 ment systems and wearable devices, not the for drawing global users to HarmonyOS. Having acted aggressively in recent months company’s smartphones. Huawei is the number- bps tighter than where it traded at the time of “We are dedicated to introducing Chinese to protect the economy from the coronavirus the ECB’s July meeting. The ECB’s growth and two smartphone producer in the world after developers’ work to global consumers, hoping to shock, the ECB is not expected to take any major Samsung, but tech market analysis firm Canalys inflation projections to be published later in see more TikToks in the future,” said Yu, a ref- policy action. But inflation has turned negative the day will only show slight changes com- said Huawei surpassed the South Korean com- erence to the wildly popular Chinese-owned and a strong euro, which adds to downward pany in the virus-affected second quarter. pared with the bank’s June forecasts, short-form video app that also is now in Trump’s pressure on prices, has raised concern about Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. — AFP Huawei is facing an intense campaign by the crosshairs. — AFP Friday 37 Sports Friday, September 11, 2020 Braves set NL runs record in 29-9 rout

Dodgers dump D-backs in 10 innings

ATLANTA: Adam Duvall had his second for a win over host Chicago. Bauer (4-3) three-home run game of the season, includ- scattered three hits and walked none to earn ing his fourth career grand slam, and the At- his first victory in four starts. He notched lanta Braves set a modern-era (since 1900) double-digit strikeouts for the third time this National League record for runs scored in a season and the first time since Aug. 7 against 29-9 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Milwaukee. Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish Wednesday. Duvall was 3-for-4 with five (7-2) took the loss after giving up three runs runs and a franchise-record-tying nine RBIs. on two hits in six innings. The Reds won for He also hit three homers against Boston on the second time in the past five games and Sept. 2, and has 13 long balls on the year — the fourth time in the past 10. Chicago was including nine in his past 10 games. He be- shut out for the first time this season. came the first Braves player ever with two career three-homer games — both in an DODGERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4 eight-day span. Atlanta broke the NL record Chris Taylor and AJ Pollock delivered run- of 28 runs set by the St. Louis Cardinals scoring singles in the top of the 10th inning, against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 6, and Los Angeles held on for a win over Ari- 1929. The modern major league record of 30 zona in Phoenix. The National League West- was set by the Texas Rangers in 2007 leading Dodgers earned their second against the Baltimore Orioles, also in the first consecutive 10-inning victory over Arizona game of a doubleheader. The loser was Mar- and seventh consecutive win against the Di- lins starter Pablo Lopez (3-4), who gave up amondbacks. Arizona has lost five in a row seven runs on four hits and four walks in 1 overall and dropped 18 of the past 20 games. 2/3 innings. Marlins reliever Jordan Ya- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw allowed four ATLANTA: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves scores during the fourth inning of a game against mamoto was hammered for 13 runs (12 runs (three earned) on four hits with three the Miami Marlins at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. — AFP earned) on 11 hits with two walks and three strikeouts and two walks in five innings. Jake strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. McGee (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning of land a win in a matchup of the American more runs in each of their past 11. Anderson relief to earn the win. League West’s top two teams. The win was (2-3) allowed three hits, walked one and BREWERS 19, TIGERS 0 the third in four days for the A’s over the As- struck out four. Mariners left-hander Nick Luis Urias drove in five runs and Corbin METS 7, ORIOLES 6 tros, pushing the Oakland advantage to 5 1/2 Margevicius (1-3) gave up seven runs on six Burnes gave up one hit in seven innings as Mil- New York overcame a four-run deficit, games atop the division. The clubs conclude hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and waukee cruised to a shutout victory over host when Pete Alonso capped the comeback a five-game set and their 10-game season se- struck out six. Detroit. Burnes (3-0) struck out 11 while col- with the tiebreaking homer in the eighth in- ries on Thursday afternoon. Seeking his first lecting his third straight win for the Brewers. ning of a win over visiting Baltimore. The win major league win in just his second game, ROYALS 3, INDIANS 0 Tyrone Taylor had four hits, including his first salvaged a split of the two-game series for Houston starter Luis Garcia was pulled after Danny Duffy pitched into the sixth inning homer, while scoring and driving in three runs the Mets. Jeff McNeil had three RBIs, includ- five innings with a 2-0 lead. He allowed just and Nicky Lopez had three hits and an RBI apiece. Orlando Arcia also had four hits and ing a two-run homer in the fourth for the one hit, walked two and struck out four. The to help visiting Kansas City earn a shutout scored three runs, while Avisail Garcia scored Mets. Michael Conforto and Andres Gimenez Astros have lost seven of their last eight. win over Cleveland. Duffy (3-3) found him- three runs and drove in two more and Jedd Gy- also homered for New York. The Orioles had self locked in a modest pitchers’ duel with orko hit a pair of solo homers. Ryan Braun also their four-game winning streak snapped. YANKEES 7, BLUE JAYS 2 Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco (2-4). The homered among his three hits and drove in Ryan Mountcastle was 4-for-4 with an RBI Gleyber Torres had a home run, a double Kansas City left-hander allowed four hits, three runs. Matthew Boyd gave up seven runs single for the Orioles while DJ Stewart and four RBIs, and New York defeated struck out four and overcame four walks on eight hits in three-plus innings for the Tigers. homered and finished 3-for-3. Toronto to salvage the finale of a three-game over 101 pitches in 5 2/3 innings to keep the series in Buffalo. Deivi Garcia (1-1), a 21- Indians in check. Carrasco also threw 101 PADRES 5, ROCKIES 3 WHITE SOX 8, PIRATES 1 year-old making his third career major pitches, though he lasted seven innings. The Wil Myers drove home the tying run with James McCann homered twice and drove league start, allowed two runs, five hits and Royals posted a second straight win over the a triple in the sixth inning, then scored the in four runs as the Chicago walloped host no walks while striking out six in seven in- Indians after losing seven in a row. Three winning run and a later insurance run as San Pittsburgh for a split of their two-game se- nings. The right-hander made his longest Royals relievers held Cleveland batters to Diego completed a three-game sweep with ries. The White Sox outhit Pittsburgh 11-4. major league start to earn his first win. The two hits over 3 1/3 innings. Greg Holland a victory over visiting Colorado. The Padres Yoan Moncada added an RBI double, Nick Yankees ended a five-game losing streak pitched the ninth for his third save. earned their fourth consecutive win overall Madrigal a two-run single and Yasmani with their sixth victory in their past 21 games. and their fifth straight over the Rockies. San Grandal an RBI single for Chicago. Dane The Blue Jays had a three-game winning RANGERS 7, ANGELS 3 Diego finished with a 7-3 edge in the teams’ Dunning (1-0), making his fourth career start streak stopped. They have won 10 of their Isiah Kiner-Falefa had four hits, including season series. Padres right-handed starter and first against the Pirates, allowed three past 15 games and hold a two-game lead one during a five-run fifth inning, leading Zach Davies moved into a tie for the major hits, walked one and struck out three in six- over the Yankees for second place in the Texas to a win over Los Angeles in Arlington, league lead with his seventh win. Davies (7- plus innings for his first win. Pittsburgh American League East. Texas. Kiner-Falefa raised his season average 2) allowed three runs on five hits and two rookie JT Brubaker (1-1) got rocked for to .322, tied for fourth in the American League. walks with eight strikeouts in six innings. seven runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, GIANTS 10, MARINERS 1 Reliever John King (1-0), the third of seven Trevor Story gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead in with five strikeouts and two walks. Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run homer pitchers used by Texas, gave up one unearned the top of the first with a one-out homer off and Tyler Anderson pitched six scoreless in- run in two innings to get the victory, the first Davies, the shortstop’s 10th of the season. A’S 3, ASTROS 2 nings as San Francisco completed a sweep of of his major league career in just his second Ramon Laureano, suspended earlier this a two-game interleague series against visit- game. The Angels got a home run from Matt REDS 3, CUBS 0 season for charging the Houston dugout, got ing Seattle. Evan Longoria also drove in Thaiss, his first of the season, but otherwise Trevor Bauer struck out 10 batters over 7 a measure of revenge with a two-out, walk- three runs for the Giants, who won their fifth missed opportunities, going 1-for-10 with 2/3 scoreless innings, and Cincinnati held on off single in the ninth inning, giving host Oak- consecutive game and have scored four or runners in scoring position. — Reuters 38 Friday Sports Friday, September 11, 2020 Raptors outlast Celtics to stay alive in NBA playoffs Raptors equalized best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final

MIAMI: With their season on the brink and title pride myself in playing for.” Boston’s Jayson repeat hopes in jeopardy, the Toronto Raptors Tatum answered with an inside jumper but outfought Boston for a dramatic series-tying Lowry hit a fall-away jumper — Toronto’s sixth 125-122 double-overtime triumph Wednesday in successful shot in a row — to put the Raptors the NBA playoffs. ahead 123-119. Tatum sank a 3-pointer to pull Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 33 points and Boston within a point with 6.2 seconds remain- Norman Powell added 23 off the bench in an ing but Powell sank two free throws and Marcus emotional thriller that resembled the intensity of Smart missed a last-chance 3-pointer for a heavyweight boxing matchup. Boston. The defending champion Raptors equalized “We didn’t play as poised as we needed to the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final down the stretch,” said Boston’s Jaylen Brown. with a winner-take-all game seven set for Friday, “We didn’t take care of the ball as well as we a conference final against Miami awaiting the needed to. We had some turnovers that just winner. “We play every possession like it’s our killed us. “Got to embrace the challenge. This is last and find ways to pull out victories,” an ex- what adversity is about. We have to give every- hausted Lowry said after playing 53 minutes. thing for game seven.” Brown scored 31 points “That was two hard teams playing hard. Win and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead Boston while or go home. Get it done. Don’t matter who has Tatum had 29 points, 14 rebounds and nine as- to do it. Ready for game seven.” sists and Smart managed only his second career The Raptors won their first NBA crown last triple double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 season but NBA Finals Most Valuable Player assists. Fred VanVleet added 21 points for Kawhi Leonard left in the off-season for the Los Toronto, and German center Daniel Theis had 18 Angeles Clippers, who defeated Denver 96-85 points for Boston. in a Western Conference semi-final to seize a 3- “They are defending champs. We’ll get their MIAMI: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the 1 edge over the Nuggets. best every time,” Boston’s Kemba Walker said. Eastern Conference Semifinals. — AFP Leonard just missed his first career NBA “We fought hard. We made plays. I’m confident. playoff triple double with 30 points, 11 rebounds We have a good group of guys. I know we will and nine assists to spark the Clippers, who can respond. conference final since the franchise began play cent from the court. advance with a victory Friday. Powell made a “We have to find a way.” Teams exchanged in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves, but they are on the “We just focused, came out knowing the crucial steal and fast break layup plus a free emotional words as they departed the court, verge of ending a half-century of futility by ad- game plan, gave our energy in those first five throw to lift Toronto ahead 121-117 with 38 sec- cooler heads preventing more as intensity nearly vancing past the second round of the playoffs for minutes and it carried over from there,” Leonard onds remaining. bubbled over before Friday’s decider. the first time. The team spent eight seasons in said. When it comes to closing out the series on “I was just really focused on the defensive “A lot of emotions and things like that Buffalo and six more as the San Diego Clippers Friday, Leonard said the Clippers must “just be end and let that spill over to the other end,” Pow- swirling,” Brown said. “It’s an intense series. It’s before moving to Los Angeles in 1984. The Clip- consistent, play defense, share the ball, every- ell said. “I pride myself on making winning plays. a lot of testosterone. Things like that happen. pers jumped ahead 26-12 after the first period body having the mindset of playing every pos- The game called on me to be aggressive and Grown men should be able to keep it re- and the Nuggets never led as Leonard’s squad session.” Nikola Jokic led Denver with 26 points that’s what I did. It’s what I play for. It’s what I spectable.” The Clippers have never reached a shined despite shooting a season-low 41.8 per- and 11 rebounds. — AFP

Al-Arabi, Kazma, Kuwait and Yarmouk in s-finals of HH the Amir Cup By Abdellatif Sharaa which allowed Al-Arabi to gain an almost full control and won a penalty which Xavi kicked in the back of the net for a third goal. KUWAIT: Al-Arabi Football Club seems to have regained its Burqan abandoned its defensive style in the second half and ex- winning ways at it trounced Burgan Club 4-1 to reach the semi- changed few attacks and was able to score in the 50th minute. finals of HH the Amir Cup. Al-Arabi’s goals were scored by Al-Arabi could establish control as the case was in the first Cedric Henry in the 18th minute, Alsanousi Alhadi in the 21st half and Burgan had two legitimate chances to score, but Al- and 79th minutes and Xavi Torres in the 41st minute from the Arabi had the final word when it scored the fourth goal in the penalty spot, Burgan’s only goal was scored by Yousuf Saad in 79th minute. Meanwhile in an earlier match Al Yarmouk de- the 50th minute. feated Al Jahra 3-1, after being one goal down. Al Jahra drew It was obvious from the onset that Al-Arabi was going to at- first blood from the penalty spot as Obaid Rafe’ kicked in in the tack from the first whistle with Burgan sticking to a futile de- 45th minute, then Yarmouk equalized, also from the penalty spot fensive strategy. The repeated attacks of Al-Arabi produced the by Hashim Adnan in the 52nd minute. Mansour Bader scored a first goal early on in the 18th minute, followed by a second when second goal for Yarmouk in the 69th minute , then Sonami Doof Mohammad Furaih sent a cross which was converted into a goal scored a third 3 minutes into injury time. This means Al-Arabi, by Alhadi in the 21st minute. Kazma, Kuwait and Yarmouk are into the semi final and a draw Despite being down by two goals Burgan stuck to defending will be held today for the semi final matches. Friday 39 Sports Friday, September 11, 2020 Serena, Thiem into US Open s-finals

NEW YORK: Serena Williams battled into a US Court’s record for the most number of singles Open semi-final showdown with Victoria Grand Slam wins. It has been more than three Azarenka on Wednesday as top men’s seeds years since she won her 23rd at the 2017 Aus- Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev booked tralian Open — when she was already pregnant their spots in the last four. with daughter Olympia. Williams, seeded third, came from a set Williams has come close since, reaching four down to overcome unseeded Bulgarian Tsve- major finals only to come away empty handed. tana Pironkova and keep alive her bid for a 24th In the last four she will renew her rivalry with singles Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows. former world number Azarenka who demol- Later, Azarenka blew away Belgium’s Elise ished Mertens 6-1, 6-0 in just 1hr 13 min. Mertens as she continues her hunt for a first Williams defeated Azarenka in the final of the Grand Slam title in seven years. Williams’ US Open in 2012 and 2013. comeback included two astonishing shots with The last few years of Azarenka’s career have her left hand that contributed to winning been interrupted by a custody battle over her points. son who was born in 2016. “At that point I was fighting so hard. I was Azarenka said she found it “hard to accept just trying to do everything I can whether losses” when she was young and at the top of righty or lefty,” she said. A sluggish start saw her game, but was now benefiting from a more the American lose the first 6-4, but she fought philosophical attitude. NEW YORK: Serena Williams of the United States returns the ball during her Women’s Singles quarterfinal back to take the next two 6-3, 6-2, in 2hr 12min “I enjoy the moment no matter what it is. I match against Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria on Day Ten of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. take life as it comes,” Azarenka told reporters. King National Tennis Center. — AFP “I never give up and you know I just gotta “It took me a long road to come here with a keep going,” Williams added. Williams smashed lot of struggles, a lot of understanding, forcing 20 aces, the most she has had in eight years, me to find this route, this path, if you can say Medvedev, 24, smashed 16 aces and won 89 the first moment on,” said the Austrian. taking her tally for the tournament to 64 so far. that. But I’m here and I’m happy.” percent of first-serve points. He made 75 per- Fifth seed Alexander Zverev of Germany The record for the most number of aces in a In the men’s draw, Russia’s third seed cent of returns to Rublev’s 54 percent. faces Spain’s 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta in US Open in the women’s singles is 70, set by Medvedev downed compatriot and childhood “One point decided two sets so it was a re- the competition’s other semi-final. Williams in 1999 when she won for the first friend Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). ally tough match and Andrey was playing un- The disqualification of Novak Djokovic time. “Sometimes when I’m serving, I just tell Twenty-two-year-old Rublev raced to a 5- believable actually,” Medvedev said. for accidentally hitting a line official with a myself, I don’t care if my arm falls off, I’m going 1 lead in the first-set tie-break before Medvedev will play second seed Thiem who ball during the last 16 means the US Open to keep serving,” she said. Medvedev, last year’s US Open runner-up, demolished Australia’s Alex de Minaur, seeded will crown a first-time Grand Slam winner on Williams is looking to match Margaret hauled back to win it 8-6 with an ace. 21st, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. “I had a great feeling from Sunday. — AFP

Chinese streaming platform PPTV, understood to be worth Kucherov’s late blast lifts Premier League clubs about $700 million, had been cancelled, with political ten- sions between Britain and China potentially making a new contract difficult to negotiate. Lightning over Islanders forget virus crisis in European Club Association chairman Andrea Agnelli said on Tuesday that rebates owed to Champions League and Eu- MONTREAL: Russian right wing Nikita Kucherov scored with nine transfer splurge ropa League broadcasters totalled 575 million euros, warn- seconds remaining Wednesday to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 ing football was in “crisis-management” mode. victory over the New York Islanders in the NHL playoffs. Agnelli, who is also the chairman of Italian champions Ju- ventus, said the overall value of the transfer market could Kucherov took a pass from the left boards across the crease by Ryan LONDON: Just five months after Premier League clubs con- McDonagh and blasted the puck past Islanders goaltender Semyon plummet by up to one third. sulted their players about taking a 30 percent wage cut, the Yet no such downturn has been noticeable among Premier Varlamov to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern English top-flight is again blowing Europe’s other top Conference final. “I just made a quick little eye contact with Kuch after League clubs. Chelsea have led the way with a £200 million leagues out the water when it comes to splashing the cash. rebuild, signing Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and I got the puck,” McDonagh said. “I knew I had to get it there fast and A return to the routine spending of tens of millions of he did the rest, great hand-eye contract.” Ben Chilwell. Manchester City have spent more than £60 mil- pounds on players jars with the bleak forecasts often pre- lion on two players in Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres who will Game three will be on Friday in the NHL COVID-19 quarantine bub- sented by the clubs themselves as a result of the coronavirus ble at Edmonton, Canada, with the winner to face either Vegas or Dallas struggle to start in Pep Guardiola’s strongest XI, while Donny pandemic. van de Beek could end up costing Manchester United around in the Stanley Cup Final. At the height of the pandemic, Liverpool and Tottenham “Gutsy win for sure,” McDonagh said. “Got to be more disciplined £40 million. planned to use government money to pay non-playing staff, Even more striking are the sums spent by non-Champions and keep finding ways to win.” Matt Martin had scored 84 seconds into only to back down in the face of public anger, while Arsenal the game to give the Islanders the early lead but Victor Hedman lifted League clubs. Wolves broke their transfer record on a 40- announced proposals to cut 55 jobs just last month. million-euro capture, Portuguese teenager Fabio Silva, who Tampa Bay level with 1:35 remaining in the first period. If Premier League clubs require a reminder that Covid- The Lightning, down to nine forwards after a second-period injury had scored three goals and started one league match for 19 remains a threat, they need only look to the empty Porto. to Brayden Point, saved the winning goal until late when Kucherov net- stands that will accompany the start of the new season ted his sixth goal of the playoffs and seventh career game-winning After spells together at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, from Saturday. James Rodriguez and Carlo Ancelotti have been reunited at playoff goal. “He made a nice pass across the ice,” Kucherov said. “All Gate receipts may only account for 13 percent of the Pre- I had to do is hit it in. “Huge goal in the series. Definitely it was huge Everton, who have also signed midfielders Allan and Ab- mier League’s revenue, according to figures from UEFA’s lat- doulaye Doucoure. The outlay for the three players is around for us. It’s not easy for us with nine guys. We had to wait for our est benchmarking report, but the other major streams of chances.” It was the sixth win in a row for the Lightning, who won their £64 million. Leeds announced their return to the Premier income such as television rights and commercial sponsor- League by signing Spanish international Rodrigo and Ger- only Stanley Cup in 2004, and Hedman’s fourth game in a row with a ships are also not immune to the crisis. goal. “We showed a lot of resiliency,” Hedman said. “A big relief to see many’s Robin Koch. A rebate worth a reported £330 million ($429 million, 363 Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Leicester are also among that one go in by Kuch.” Tampa Bay’s penalty killers stopped four New million euros) was due to domestic and international broad- York extra-man situations and the Islanders are only 1-for-9 on the those to have spent around £20 million on a single signing. casters because the 2019/20 season was not completed on By contrast, even giants across Europe such as Real power play in the series. Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy time after a three-month stoppage to the campaign. Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are selling and seeking to made 27 saves. —AFP Last week the Premier League announced its deal with cut wage costs.—AFP Established 1961 h i il i h bi lf

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 Serena, Thiem into US Open semi-finals See Page 39

NEW YORK: Serena Williams of the United States reacts to a lost point during her Women’s Singles quarterfinal match against Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria on Day Ten of the 2020 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. — AFP