INDEX BUSINESS | Page 1 QATAR 2,12 COMMENT 10 QATAR | Page 12 ARAB WORLD 3 BUSINESS 1-8 Credit to trading INTERNATIONAL 4-9,11 SPORTS 1-8 QU graduates and services DOW JONES QE NYMEX serve MoPH as sectors rises volunteers to 28,665.82 9,882.93 42.96 double-digit +173.55 -0.16 -0.08 fi ght pandemic +0.61% -0.16% -0.19% in July Latest Figures

published in QATAR since 1978

SATURDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11655 August 29, 2020 Muharram 10, 1442 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Amir wishes Futuristic stadium Japanese PM speedy recovery Plans for more His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has wished Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a speedy recovery. greenhouses to In a tweet yesterday, he said: “We wish a speedy recovery for our friend Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan. You have always been supporting the deeply strong rela- boost Qatar’s tions between Qatar and Japan, and work with you have been a source of happiness”. farming sector

Japan’s Abe resigning By Joey Aguilar for health reasons Staff Reporter Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced yesterday he will lans to develop 1.5mn sq m of resign, ending his record-breaking diff erent types of greenhouses in tenure in a bombshell development With its critically acclaimed design inspired by Qatar’s seafaring past, Al Janoub Stadium will welcome 40,000 football Pthe next two years is expected to that kicks off a leadership race fans in 2022, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy tweeted yesterday. Located in the southern city of Al further boost Qatar’s agriculture sec- in the world’s third-largest Wakrah, the 40,000-capacity Al Janoub Stadium opened on May 16, 2019 with the Amir Cup final. One of Qatar’s oldest tor, a prominent Qatari agriculturist economy. Abe said he is suff ering continuously inhabited areas, Al Wakrah was long a centre for pearl-diving and fishing. The traditional dhow boats used told Gulf Times. a recurrence of the ulcerative in these pursuits inspired the design of Al Janoub Stadium. At its inauguration, a stunning pre-match show paid tribute “The (agriculture) sector contin- colitis that forced him to cut short to Al Wakrah’s heritage and to Zaha Hadid, the architect whose firm designed the stadium’s boldly futuristic shape. ues to boom and there is a gap in pro- a first term in off ice, and that he duction that needs to be fi lled. These no longer felt able to continue as greenhouses will produce 40,000 prime minister. Page 6 tonnes of vegetables, as well as 33mn eggs, 350 tonnes of shrimps per year, Qatar condemns and livestock fattening and slaughter- attack in Iraq Education ministry continues to ing,” Agrico managing director Nasser Ahmed al-Khalaf explained. Qatar has strongly condemned Such eff orts will help reduce de- the attack on a military post pendence from imports, off ering the Nasser Ahmed al-Khalaf near Baquba, in north-eastern off er online services for parents public fresh, high-quality and organic Iraq, which led to the death produce at competitive prices, he plant and zucchini. Built by Agrico and of one soldier and wounding pointed out. managed in co-operation with Agrico. others. In a statement yesterday, he Ministry of Education and education ministry building as of to- ernment schools, online transfer be- Agrico, a private Qatari agricultural The (hydroponics) farm is 100% hy- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Higher Education (MoEHE) an- morrow (Sunday), in light of the pre- tween schools as well as school and development company established droponic and the greenhouse system reiterated Qatar’s firm stance on Tnounced yesterday that it will cautionary and preventive measures university certifi cates’ equivalency, in 2011, aims at helping the country does not have any type of cooling and rejecting violence and terrorism continue off ering online services for to reduce the spread of Covid-19. in addition to adult education regis- achieve self-suffi ciency. the farm produces all year long,” he regardless of motives and causes. parents to complete student enrol- The portal allows the public to have tration, online payment services for The company developed a highly said. It expressed Qatar’s condolences ment and transfer in public schools for electronic access to the services pro- the fees of textbooks, transportation sophisticated hydroponics system ca- He added that they also continue to the families of victims and the the 2020/2021 academic year via the vided by the ministry, through a uni- and the recruitment services. pable of producing various types of building similar hydroponic systems government and people of Iraq, ministry’s public service portal. fi ed window and under a multi-serv- All services provided by the MoE- organic and pesticide-free vegetables designed for backyard farming, which wishing the wounded a speedy The ministry urged parents to use ice umbrella. The portal includes the HE electronically can be accessed via and fruits such as tomatoes, cucum- helps sustain every family’s vegetable recovery. these electronic services. It has been service of educational certifi cates’ this link: https://eduservices.edu. bers, lettuces, green leafy vegetables, needs. decided not to receive visitors in the verifi cation, online enrolment in gov- gov.qa/ (QNA) spring onion, egg plants, zucchinis, About the challenges in producing Europe tightens virus mushrooms, hot and sweet peppers, during the summer period, al-Khalaf measures as cases rise and melons, among others, all year noted Agrico, like other hydroponic long. farms, face the same hot environment Europe tightened restrictions Al-Khalaf pointed out that the ag- but its products can be seen in the yesterday as it battled a surge in riculture sector in the country has a market daily. coronavirus cases, with masks 3 held for violating home quarantine conditions wide area for development and ex- “Our production did not stop since becoming obligatory all over pansion, especially for local farms 2015. We have also developed other Paris and Hungary shutting its who want to further increase their farms which are under our manage- borders once again. German QNA arrested three people who violated on citizens and residents under home production. ment and still producing vegetables Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Doha the requirements of the home quar- quarantine to fully commit to the He said many young Qatari entre- during the summer,” he said. the crisis will be “more difficult” antine, to which they are committed Ministry of Public Health’s condi- preneurs who are keen to invest in this “We have successfully achieved our in the autumn and winter. and are legally accountable for, in ac- tions, to ensure their safety and the sector can take advantage of this op- vision of producing all year long and President Donald Trump took a n implementation of the precau- cordance with the procedures of the safety of others. portunity. implementing our technology and characteristically more optimistic tionary measures in force in the health authorities in the country. Anyone who violates the condi- Al-Khalaf cited the 100,000sq m know-how in diff erent farms around view, despite the death toll in the Icountry, approved by health au- They are: Fahd Ali Mohamed al- tions is subject to the penalties stated Al Waha farm near Al Khor, which is the country,” al-Khalaf added. United States topping 180,000, as thorities represented in the Ministry Adgham al-Athba, Ali Mohamed al- in Article No. 253 of Criminal Law No. owned by a young Qatari entrepreneur, Such eff orts are also supported he vowed to “crush” the virus with of Public Health (MOPH) to ensure Hassan al-Khalifa and Hassen Ahmed 11 of 2014, the provisions of Law No. as an example, saying it was built in by the Qatar government in various a vaccine by the end of the year. public safety and to curb the spread Hassan Jaber al-Jaber. The violators are 17 of 1990 on protection from infec- 2019 to produce eggplant. forms, including long-term leases Page 8 of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), currently being referred to prosecution. tious diseases, and Law No. 17 of 2002 “Now we are building another (lands), issuance of licenses, and off er- the competent authorities yesterday The authorities concerned called on protecting society. 100,000sq m for them also for egg- ing easy loans, among others. Trump intensifi es anti-Biden onslaught President Donald Trump was following up his all-out assault on Joe Biden at the Republican convention with a rally in New QF student develops a dual-role robot Hampshire yesterday, as the Democratic challenger plotted his own return to the live student of Hamad Bin Kha- campaign trail after months under lifa University (HBKU), a Qatar coronavirus lockdown. Fresh from AFoundation member – has cre- the hyperbolic claim during that “no ated a dual-role robot that works as a one will be safe in Biden’s America,” security guard during the day and as an Trump was to hammer that “law offi ce cleaner at night. and order” theme again in the city The squat robot on wheels was de- of Manchester. Page 5 veloped by Ali al-Rashid, who is doing his PhD in computer science and engi- Turkey, US discuss neering at HBKU. “My invention is designed to keep Syrian crisis people safe in the era of Covid-19 and Turkish presidential spokesman beyond though it is built for the age of Ibrahim Kalin met in Ankara this particular pandemic,” he said. yesterday with US special envoy “The idea started when Covid-19 for Syria James Jeff rey. Turkey’s began to spread,” explained al-Rashid. Anadolu Agency said that Kalin “I am now hoping to initially install the and Jeff rey discussed during invention in buildings at Qatar Foun- the meeting the Syria crisis, dation.” especially Idlib, political process, Most robots perform one function works of Syrian Constitutional only, repeatedly, in a manner that is Committee, anti-terrorism eff orts cheaper, faster and better than a hu- and asylum seekers, in addition man could manage. The robot developed by Ali al-Rashid. Ali al-Rashid explaining the functions of the robot. to bilateral and regional issues. However, this particular robot will Both parties agreed that eff orts screen and instantly verify the Ehteraz from interacting with potentially in- under Dr Richard O’Kennedy, Qatar on healthcare systems in times of un- “I would like to continue working to axe the political process, the app status of people accessing a build- fected individuals at close range. Foundation vice president for RDI. certainty.” in the research fi eld, with my work works of the Syrian Constitutional ing during the daytime. Al-Rashid co-ordinated with Dr Bo “The project could not have come The potential uses for the inven- being based on Artifi cial Intelligence Committee should be accelerated, In the evening, it will silently prowl Wang, assistant professor at HBKU’s at a better time,” said Faiha AlQahtani, tion – which was supported through and cyber security, because our coun- an environment should be built for the halls and corridors of that building, College of Science and Engineering, on projects lead for QF RDI’s Innovation QF RDI’s Innovation Coupon initiative try requires a focus in these fi elds as free and just elections, joint works using liquid disinfectant and UV light the project. Coupon, the initiative which sup- — extend well beyond Qatar, as it is de- it evolves ahead of the FIFA World should be stepped up to ensure to thoroughly sanitise it. The funding for the project came ported the project. “The disinfectant signed to operate in any highly-secure Cup Qatar 2022, and in order to real- the voluntary and safe return of In doing so, it will protect cleaners from Qatar Foundation Research, De- robot that was remodelled in Qatar, facility, even after the Covid-19 pan- ise Qatar’s national vision,” al-Rashid migrants. from infection and security personnel velopment and Innovation (QF RDI), can ease people’s lives and the burden demic passes. added. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, August 29, 2020 QATAR

Qatar Armed Forces delegation in Russia

HE the Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Training Staff Major General Hamad Ahmed al-Nuaimi, who is visiting Moscow, met with the deputy head of the combat training directorate of the Russian Armed Forces Major General Alexander Peryazev. During the meeting, they reviewed co-operation relations between the two sides and means of enhancing and developing them. The meeting was attended by Qatar’s Military Attache to Russia, Nautical Brigadier General Mubarak Rashid al-Sulaiti and a number of off icers.

Qatar in Beirut MoPH reports 115,017 total Covid recoveries

QNA and see numbers increasing there Doha are already signs of this happen- ing in other countries around the world. Now more than ever, we he Ministry of Public must be careful and protect the Health (MoPH) yester- most vulnerable.” Tday reported 208 new While Covid-19 restrictions confi rmed cases of coronavirus are gradually being lifted in Qa- (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours. tar, it is important for everyone to Of these 198 are community cas- play their role in controlling the es and 10 from travellers return- virus by following precautionary ing from abroad who have been measures: quarantined. The health ministry „Adherence to physical dis- reported the death of a 60-year- tancing. old patient who was receiving the „Avoid close contact with Qatar’s ambassador to Lebanon Mohamed Hassan al-Jaber participated in the launching of the necessary medical care. others, crowded places and con- Donor Co-ordination Platform for countries and organisations contributing to help Lebanon over- The MoPH also recorded 220 fi ned closed spaces where other come the port disaster, Qatar embassy in Beirut tweeted on Thursday. The meeting was attended recoveries from the virus dur- people congregate. by Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Zeina ing the past 24 hours, bringing „Wearing a face mask. Aker, and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Charbel Wehbe, the tweet added. the total number of cases recov- „Washing hands regularly. ered in Qatar so far to 115,017. „Most importantly, it is vital The MoPH issued a statement that we continue to protect the on Covid-19 developments in elderly and those with chronic Qatar, which said all new cases medical conditions. have been transferred into isola- „When spending time at home tion and are receiving necessary with elderly family members or healthcare. those with chronic diseases, en- PHCC issues guidelines The health ministry said meas- sure you wash hands regularly, ures to tackle Covid-19 in Qatar wear a mask and maintain social have succeeded in fl attening the and physical distancing. curve and limiting the spread of Anyone suff ering from Cov- for preschool assessment the virus and the number of new id-19 symptoms should either daily cases and hospital admis- contact 16000 helpline or go di- sions is continuing to decline rectly to one of the designated he Primary Health Care certifi cate. „ Those registered in Muaith- each week. healthcare sector for Covid-19 The health ministry said even health centres to undergo the Corporation (PHCC) yes- „ Conducting nursing, social er Health Centre will be directed It said Qatar’s proactive and patients. though restrictions are being necessary checks: Muaither, Tterday announced guide- worker, dental screening, and to Al Wajba Health Centre or Al extensive testing of suspected „Qatar’s young population. lifted, and numbers are declin- Rawdat Al Khail, Umm Slal, or lines for the preschool registra- family physician assessments. Waab Health Centre. cases has enabled the ministry to „Proactive testing to identify ing, this does not mean that the Al Gharafa health centres. This is tion assessment for the academic „ Conducting laboratory ex- „ Those registered in Rawdat identify a high number of posi- cases early. Covid-19 pandemic is over in important as the earlier the dis- year 2020/2021. aminations. Al Khail Health Centre will be tive cases in the community. „Expanding hospital capac- Qatar as people are admitted to ease is detected the easier it will This year, according to a tweet, „Issuing an electronic health directed to Al Thumama Health Qatar has one of the low- ity, especially intensive care, to with moderate to severe Cov- be to receive the right treatment the PHCC, will follow screen- certifi cate. Centre, Omar Bin Al Khattab est Covid-19 death rates in the ensure all patients receive the id-19 symptoms. and recover from it. ing procedures in one visit with „ Receiving the student’s e- Health Centre, or Airport Health world. This is due to: medical care they need. “Unless we follow all precau- The MoPH has urged people to all precautionary measures. The fi le from the reception. Centre. „ Very high quality of care „Protecting the elderly and tionary measures, we may expe- visit its website for regular up- steps are as follows: Students registered in the „ Those registered in Umm provided through the public those with chronic diseases. rience a second wave of the virus dates and new information. „Making an appointment for PHCC Covid-19 Test and Hold Slal Health Centre will be di- preschool assessment by calling designated health centres, in- rected to Qatar University Health 107. cluding Rawdat Al Khail Health Centre or Al Daayen Health Cen- „ The parent has to be present Centre, Muaither Health Cen- tre. with the child at their registered tre, Umm Slal Health Centre, „ Those registered in Gharraft Al Waab diversion health centre or an alternative and Gharrafat Al Rayyan Health Al Rayyan Health Centre will be one as per the booked appoint- Centre, will be transferred to the directed to Leabaib Health Cen- The Ministry of Interior (MoI) ment, with ID card, valid health following health centres for their tre or Madinat Khalifa Health has urged motorists to pay card, vaccination card, and birth own safety: Centre. attention to the traff ic diver- sion at Al Waab Interchange due to the closure of the MoI e-services three lanes of Al Waab Street and the diversion of traff ic to the right lanes to turn and return in the east and west directions. The diversion, which started from 1am yesterday (Friday, August 28), will continue until 4pm today (Saturday, August 29). Please adhere to the speed limit and follow the traff ic signs, the MoI tweeted.

“You can complete your transactions with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) easily and conveniently through its e-services at any time and from anywhere,” the MoI has tweeted. Gulf Times Saturday, August 29, 2020 3 REGION/ARAB WORLD

‘Double lockdown’: Covid-19 adds to blockaded Gaza’s despair

Reuters But old politics and new pan- sea because of the occupation, entered before Monday’s first Gaza demic combined to leave the and a week later because of the reported case in the general territory’s fi sh markets virtu- coronavirus. Now we are (job- population. ally empty yesterday, when they less),” said Miqdad outside his “The situation is Gaza is very n a deserted beachfront would usually be packed on the home in Beach refugee camp. worrying, especially since 70% in a newly locked-down busiest day of the week with Humanitarian organisations of the population are refugees OGaza, fi shermen look Palestinians buying fresh sea fear Covid-19 could be devas- and they live in overcrowded impotently at the Mediterra- bream and sardines. tating on densely packed Gaza, camps, with often inadequate nean waters they can no longer The enforced fi shing layoff whose isolation so far spared it living conditions,” said Dr Ay- access under two separate bans began on August 16 when Is- from the worst of the pandemic. adil Saparbekov, head of the — one by Israel and the other by rael tightened its long-standing According to the World Food WHO’s Health Emergencies Hamas police imposing Cov- blockade of Gaza, grounding Programme, even before the Team in the Palestinian Terri- id-19 restrictions. boats after an increase in incen- virus more than two thirds of tories. In a narrow coastal enclave diary balloons fl own from Gaza Gazans were “food insecure”, He said the Gaza health au- that is home to 2mn Palestin- into Israel. citing the blockade as a key fac- thorities thought the virus ians, the 40km coastline in Fisherman Sakher Miqdad tor. entered Gaza “maybe in early normal times provides an im- says his industry now faces a Compounding the con- August,” but said that was so far portant food source, and em- “double lockdown”. cerns, Gaza health authorities an assumption “which I don’t Tied-up fishing boats during a lockdown following the recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) ployment for 4,000 fi shermen. “We were banned from the now fear the virus may have want to confi rm or to dismiss.” in the general population, at the seaport of Gaza City yesterday.

Israeli jet bomb Gaza Macron: Lebanon risks agricultural lands

QNA close to the targeting. Gaza It explained that the artillery of the Israeli occupation also bombed the land near Al Tuff ah sraeli aircraft and artillery neighbourhood, east of Gaza, ‘civil war’ if not helped bombed yesterday agricul- with three shells, while a war- Itural sites and lands in the plane raided the same site with AFP there is almost an impossibility Gaza Strip, leaving Palestinian two missiles, causing damage to Paris of carrying out reforms.” property destroyed. property. He insisted that France would Occupation warplanes In the past days, the occu- follow a policy of being “de- bombed a site west of Gaza City pation aircraft and artillery rench President Em- manding without interfering” with three missiles, destroying it launched a series of raids on a manuel Macron yester- and awaited reforms like pass- and setting it on fi re, Palestine’s number of agricultural sites and Fday warned that Lebanon ing an anti-corruption law and WAFA reported. lands in separate areas of the risks a return to civil war if it is reforming public contracts, the It added that the bombing Strip, which resulted in the in- left alone to deal with the crisis energy sector and the banking also hit and destroyed a site jury of several Palestinians, and that followed the deadly Beirut system. west of the Nuseirat camp in material damage to the targeted port explosion this month. “If we do not do this, the the middle of the Strip, which places and nearby Palestinian Macron was speaking as he Lebanese economy will col- damaged Palestinian property homes and properties. prepared to head to Lebanon on lapse” and “the only victim Monday in a new bid to press will be the Lebanese people its leaders to undertake radical (...) who cannot go into exile”, reform in the wake of the ex- he warned. plosion this month that left 181 He extolled Lebanon’s multi- dead. confessional make-up saying it Kuwait reports 633 new “If we let Lebanon go in the “is perhaps one of the last exist- region and if we somehow leave ing forms” in the Middle East of it in the hands of the deprav- the “peaceful possible coexist- virus cases, 3 deaths ity of regional powers, it will be ence of religions” and a pluralist civil war” as well as “the defeat system based on “education and of what is the very identity of culture”. QNA lah al-Sanad said that the new Lebanon,” he said. President Macron will also Kuwait cases included contacts with Paris is impatient over the meet iconic singer Fairuz and previously confirmed cases, lack of progress in forming a members of Lebanon’s political and others under investiga- new government to undertake leadership, the Elysee said yes- he Kuwaiti Ministry of tion for the source of infection reform in the aftermath of the terday. Health yesterday regis- and examining those in contact blast, which was blamed on a One of his fi rst meetings after Ttered 633 new cases of with them. store of ammonium nitrate left arriving on Monday will be with coronavirus (Covid-19) and The Kuwaiti ministry an- for years in a warehouse. Fairuz, one of the rare fi gures in three deaths in the past 24 nounced earlier yesterday that Many Lebanese have blamed Lebanon who is admired across hours, bringing the total number 798 infected people had recov- the disaster on a ruling class the multi-confessional country, of recorded cases in the coun- ered in the past 24 hours, bring- they charge as being mired in the Elysee said. try to 83,578 cases, and the total ing the total number of recover- nepotism, corruption and ne- Fairuz, 85, is famously pri- number of deaths to 525. ies from Covid-19 in Kuwait to glect since the 1975-1990 civil vate and rarely seen in pub- Ministry spokesman Abdul- 75,320 cases. war. lic but throughout her career Macron spoke of the “con- has roused fans with her songs straints of a confessional sys- about love and in praise of the tem” in a country populated by beauty of her troubled nation. Christians, Sunni Muslims and Karim Emile Bitar, a political Shias. science professor in France and Sudan to launch mass But he said that added to Lebanon, tweeted yesterday it this was “what can be mildly was an “excellent decision” by described as vested interests” Macron to meet Fairuz, describ- polio vaccination and this had led to “a situation ing her as “arguably the most where there is hardly any (polit- iconic, dignifi ed and consensual ical) renewal and where there is Lebanese fi gure.” Children play with a football past rubble and destruction along a street in the Gemmayzeh district AFP sanitation, health experts say. of Lebanon’s capital Beirut yesterday, in the aftermath of the monster blast at the nearby port which Khartoum “This is the fi rst polio out- devastated the city. break in Sudan in more than a decade, and has aff ected nine Lebanon to hold udan is preparing a mass states across the country,” the vaccination campaign UN’s Offi ce for the Co-ordi- Sagainst polio after an out- nation of Humanitarian Aff airs talks to select new UN to renew peacekeeping mandate break, the UN said yesterday, (OCHA) in Sudan said. days after the declaration of the The fi rst case was recorded on eradication of wild poliovirus in August 9, and areas aff ected in- premier on Monday Reuters monitored by Unifi l as exam- cial said the renewal was now Africa. clude the war-ravaged western Paris ples of why the force should be certain. “It’s important for On Tuesday, the World Health region of Darfur, it said. bolstered. Lebanon and Israel,” the offi cial Organisation (WHO) celebrated “At least 13 cases of circulat- DPA massive blast in the capital Israel struck Hezbollah tar- said. “What’s expected from the announcement that Africa ing vaccine-derived poliovirus Beirut Beirut that killed more than 180 he UN Security Council gets on Wednesday after it said Hezbollah is that it doesn’t do was free of cases of the wild vi- have been confi rmed,” it added. and injured 6,000 others. is to extend the man- it had come under attack. anything that could lead to an rus that causes the crippling dis- The Sudanese health ministry, After Aoun names the premier, Tdate for a peacekeeping The renewal of the UN mis- escalation.” ease, a landmark in a decades- alongside UN agencies, is plan- Lebanon’s president is to hold the candidate will start eff orts force in southern Lebanon for sion comes as Lebanon grapples A second Western diplo- long campaign to eradicate it. ning to vaccinate fi ve mn chil- consultations early next week to form a new government. another year, but will reduce with a fi nancial crisis, political mat said also said the mandate The 13 cases in Sudan are de- dren aged under fi ve. in a bid to designate a new The consultations are expected the number of troops amid US deadlock and the aftermath of a would be renewed. rived from a vaccine, which can “Although Africa was recently premier to lead the country to end Monday at noon, a and Israeli criticism over the blast that killed more than 180 The United States was sat- take place in rare cases when the declared free of the wild poliovi- through multiple crises, day before French president mission’s effi ciency, diplomats people. isfi ed because it called for a weakened virus in the vaccine mu- rus vaccine-derived polio per- the presidential palace said Emmanuel Macron visits said. France, overseeing the reso- detailed plan to improve the tates, a problem in countries with sists and poses a threat to many yesterday. Lebanon for the second time The UN Interim Force in lution’s progress at the United effi ciency of the mission and low immunisation rates and poor countries,” the statement said. Lebanese President Michel since the August 4 blast Lebanon (Unifi l) — established Nations, circulated a fi nal com- report back to the council with- Aoun will on Monday meet with originating in Beirut’s port. in 1978 — patrols Lebanon’s promise draft on Thursday, in 60 days, the diplomat said. various parliamentary blocs to Macron will also be in Beirut southern border, known as the which was put to a vote yester- The resolution, seen by Reu- discuss the selection of a new for the centennial anniversary Blue Line, with Israel. day afternoon. ters, has also been toughened, prime minister, a statement said. of the creation of Greater The United States and Israel The troop ceiling was low- asking for Unifi l to have access Amman lockdown The announcement comes Lebanon, declared by colonial have argued that the force needs ered from 15,000 to 13,000 to to tunnels discovered on the more than three weeks after France in 1920 after World to be smaller but with more meet a key US demand, though Blue Line, and for the Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister War I. powers and more access to areas one diplomat called that a sym- authorities to investigate them. Hassan Diab resigned on Lebanon gained independence controlled by Hezbollah. bolic change as only 10,500 It condemns eff orts to re- August 10 in the wake of a from France in 1943. They have pointed to recent troops are currently deployed. strict the mission’s move- incidents on the border in areas A French presidential offi - ments. Lebanon coronavirus cases top 15,000 as lockdown eases

AFP The ministry announced 676 ple, wounded thousands and time curfew from 6pm (1500 GMT), while malls, restaurants, Beirut new infections and two deaths ravaged large parts of the capi- GMT) to 6am (0300 GMT). coff ee shops and gyms were al- in the past 24 hours, bringing tal. But they eased the restric- lowed to re-open. the total number of novel coro- Some 5,855 cases, or more tions yesterday after protest Caretaker health minis- This picture taken yesterday shows a view of an empty ebanon passed the 15,000 navirus cases registered since than a third of the total, have from the private sector, includ- ter Hamad Hassan warned on roundabout during a Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic curfew in mark for coronavirus cases February to 15,613, including been registered in the past 10 ing the owners of service and August 17 that hospitals were the centre of Jordan’s capital Amman. Jordan yesterday started Lyesterday, the health min- 148 deaths. days alone. tourism businesses already reaching maximum capacity to imposing a full curfew in Amman and Zarqa, 23km north-east of istry said, as the country eased Daily infection rates have Authorities on August 21 im- reeling from the country’s worst treat coronavirus patients after the capital, after a hike in the number of coronavirus cases. The lockdown measures just a week spiked since a massive explo- posed a lockdown in all parts of economic downturn in decades. the blast overwhelmed health country also cancelled the 2020 edition of the annual Jerash after re-imposing them follow- sion at Beirut’s port on August the country except those ravaged The start of the curfew was centres already stretched by the Festival of Culture and Arts. ing pressure from businesses. 4 that killed more than 180 peo- by the blast, as well as a night- pushed back to 10pm (1900 virus. Gulf Times 4 Saturday, August 29, 2020 AFRICA Poll campaign West African bloc period kicks off in Tanzania

AFP at the University of Dar es Sa- Dar es Salaam laam. demands civilian The country votes using a simple majority system with leading opposition poli- no presidential run-off . tician in Tanzania has “Co-operating or forming Aformally kicked off his an alliance may help to make a bid to unseat President John meaningful competition, but Magufuli as the country en- that’s not easy for the opposi- tered its campaign period for tion parties for now,” Mbunda transition in Mali general elections planned for said, noting that campaigns are October. a rare opportunity for parties AFP of West Africa State (ECOWAS) for a second fi ve-year term. sion was necessary for peace and ian government’s Offi cial Journal Tundu Lissu, the presiden- to raise their national profi les. Niamey called on the junta “to initiate However, his popularity stability in Mali”. said the CNSP head had been ef- tial candidate of the main op- “The parties do not trust each a civil transition immediately” crashed as he failed to counter Meanwhile, Algeria’s Foreign fectively invested with the pow- position Chadema party, was other and that’s because such and the “rapid establishment of the country’s raging religious Minister Sabri Boukadoum sepa- ers of head of state. due to address a rally in the co-operation is not legally ali must return to ci- a government to (...) prepare the extremist insurgency and brake rately met with the junta yester- The junta has yet to comment economic capital Dar es Sa- binding.” vilian rule immedi- legislative and presidential elec- Mali’s downward economic spi- day – the fi rst representative of a on the document. laam. Opposition parties are al- Mately and hold elections tions within 12 months”. ral. foreign government to do so. In other remarks, Issoufou The event came one month ready complaining that the within 12 months, West African In a closing statement, Niger After an escalating series of Algeria hosted peace talks be- lashed the Malian military for after Lissu returned to Tan- process will be unfair, claim- countries demanded yesterday, President Mahamadou Issoufou, mass protests, young army offi c- tween Bamako and armed groups launching the coup when the zania from Belgium, where he ing that their candidates have as they considered sanctions who chairs the ECOWAS, said ers mutinied on August 18, seiz- in 2015, and Boukadoum called country was in the throes of an had sought treatment after been wrongly disqualifi ed and over a military coup that toppled that sanctions would be “gradu- ing Keita and other leaders and yesterday for elections that “re- eight-year-old religious extrem- surviving a 2017 assassination in some cases subject to physi- the country’s president. ally lifted depending on the im- declaring that they now governed spect the constitutional order”. ist insurgency. attempt in which he was shot cal violence. The demands were spelt out plementation” of the bloc’s re- the country. Within hours of taking control, Thousands of lives have been 16 times. The Alliance for Change and after the new junta released oust- quests. They have called the junta the the junta promised to enact a po- lost, hundreds of thousands of Footage broadcast on stage Transparency (ACT Wazalen- ed president Ibrahim Boubacar “Staging coups is a serious National Committee for the Sal- litical transition and stage elec- people have fl ed their homes and television showed Lissu, do), a fast-growing opposition Keita, seized in the August 18 sickness for a country,” he said in vation of the People (CNSP), led tions within a “reasonable time”. swathes of the country have been Chadema’s deputy chairman, party, said in a statement Au- coup, but also apparently grant- earlier remarks. “To cure them, by a 37-year-old colonel, Assimi According to the chief ECOW- abandoned to armed religious accompanied by the party’s gust 13 that two of its would- ed their new chief the powers of there’s only one prescription: Goita. AS envoy, former Nigerian presi- militants by the state. top leadership and his running be parliamentary candidates head of state. sanctions.” Yesterday’s video summit dent Goodluck Jonathan, the The junta “is refusing to return mate Salim Mwalimu. were beaten in attacks at their The coup shocked Mali’s West The ECOWAS closed its bor- came after a three-day ECOWAS coup leaders wanted a three-year to the barracks at a time when, Lissu is one of 14 candidates homes. African neighbours and ally ders with Mali after the coup, visit last week ended without a handover period, which was re- more than ever, the army is re- set to challenge Magufuli, who “We are tired of these inci- France, heightening worries over banning trade and fi nancial timetable for a return to civilian jected by the ECOWAS team. quired to focus on its traditional took power in 2015 amid wide- dents and we want everyone to instability in a country already fl ows as it demanded the release rule. Yesterday the group called for mission”, Issoufou said. spread enthusiasm for his anti- know that Tanzania is a multi- struggling with a religious mili- of Keita and other detained of- Keita was released on the eve of a civilian leader and said: “No He warned that the religious corruption platform but who party country which should al- tant insurgency, ethnic violence fi cials. the summit and Issoufou claimed military structure should be extremists sought to “exploit critics say has embraced a bra- low political competition,” the and economic stagnation. Keita, 75, was elected in 2013 that he had told the ECOWAS above the transition president.” the current institutional void” zen authoritarian streak while statement said. After a video summit, the as a unifying fi gure in a fractured envoys “that he resigned quite But the meeting came as a new – a scenario that happened after restricting political freedoms. Tanzania’s campaign will 15-nation Economic Community country and was returned in 2018 freely, convinced that this deci- document published on the Mal- Mali’s last coup in 2008. Magufuli was expected to play out amid uncertainty over formally launch his re-election how the country is faring in its bid today with a rally in Dodo- fi ght against the coronavirus. ma, the political capital. The government has not Voters will also select new released fi gures on infections MPs and ward councillors since late April. when they go to the polls on Magufuli’s refusal to impose October 28. lockdowns or social distancing At least 40 measures, combined with the In the presidential race, the opposition’s failure to unify lack of data, has made him a re- around a single candidate gional outlier and caused con- could ease Magufuli’s path to cern among Tanzania’s neigh- a second term, said Richard bours and the World Health dolphins die Organisation. Mbunda, a political scientist near oil spill Congo’s Nobel laureate in Mauritius doctor in danger: UN

Reuters them, fl oating on the waves. Reuters militia and armed groups, as Port Louis Heenaye, his boat running low Geneva well as counter-operations by on fuel, motioned to Reuben Pil- the army. lay, who tracked the mother dol- The doctor has received t least 40 dolphins have phin. top Congolese doc- death threats before and sur- mysteriously died in an She initially looked normal, he Coast guards bring dead tor who won the Nobel vived an assassination attempt Aarea of Mauritius aff ected said. dolphins to the marine fish farm APeace prize for his work in his family compound in by an oil spill from a Japanese “But in a few minutes she went of Mahebourg. treating war rape victims is in 2012. boat, offi cials and witnesses said on her side, one fi n in the water, danger after a series of death “The threats appear to be yesterday, as witnesses described and one out of the water and then Right: A dead dolphin is seen threats, the UN High Commis- linked to his advocacy and the the deaths of one mother dolphin she started fl apping her tail re- on a boat as it is brought to the sioner for Human Rights said very robust positions he has and her baby. ally, really rapidly,” said Pillay, a marine fish farm of Mahebourg, yesterday. taken on accountability, on Environmentalists have de- professional drone operator and Mauritius. The threats, received in the protection of women as a result manded an investigation into environmentalist who is provid- form of phone calls to Dr Denis of what he has seen over two whether the dolphins were killed ing video to Reuters. that washed ashore on Wednes- Mukwege and his family as well decades in the Panzi hospital,” as a result of the spill from a Japa- “She swam in circles in front of day and Thursday are expected in as via social media, appeared said Rupert Colville, a spokes- nese ship, which was scuttled on the boat, she moved her tail very the coming days, he said. to be linked to his outspoken man at Bachelet’s offi ce, add- Monday after running aground in violently and after about fi ve So far veterinarians have ex- criticism of violence against ing that he had also recently July and leaking oil. minutes she just stopped mov- amined only two of the dolphins, women and other human criticised civilian attacks in The death toll may rise: fi sher- ing, and she sunk. which bore signs of injury but no rights violations, another UN South Kivu. man Yasfeen Heenaye said he saw “We heard cries, I thought it trace of hydrocarbons in their offi cial said. The Congo’s government is between 25 and 30 apparently was a woman on the boat – but bodies, according to preliminary “His life seems to be at seri- offi cially responsible for Muk- dead dolphins fl oating in the la- they told me, no – it was the dol- autopsy results. ous risk,” High Commissioner wege’s protection, although goon yesterday morning, among phin.” The autopsy on the fi rst two for Human Rights Michelle the UN peacekeeping mission scores of the animals that fi sh- The mother dolphin stopped was conducted by the govern- Bachelet said in a statement, in the country also provides ermen were trying to herd away moving and eventually slowly ment-run Albion Fisheries Re- calling for an impartial investi- some, Colville said. from the pollution. sank, tail fi rst, beneath the waves. search Centre. gation into the threats. However, questions remain “There was a mother and her The dead baby fl oated on the The dolphins have been dying Mukwege received the No- about the quality of his protec- baby,” he said. “He was very surface. in an area aff ected by an oil spill bel Peace Prize in 2018 for his tion, he said, adding he needed tired, he didn’t swim well. “We didn’t know what to do. caused when the Japanese ship, work as a gynaecologist at the 24-hour surveillance. “But the mum stayed along- It was heart-wrenching,” Pillay the MV Wakashio, struck a coral Panzi hospital which receives Democratic Republic of the side him, she didn’t leave her said. reef last month. thousands of women each year, Congo President Felix Tsh- baby to go with the group. Earlier in the day, Jasvin Sok On Thursday, Greenpeace many of them requiring sur- isekedi last week called on his “All the way she stayed with Appadu from the Mauritius fi sh- called on the government of gery from sexual violence. government to take all neces- him. She was trying to protect eries ministry told Reuters that Mauritius to launch an “urgent The hospital is located in sary measures to ensure Muk- him.” 38 carcasses had washed up on investigation to determine the eastern Democratic Republic wege’s security and to open in- He fi lmed as the calf wallowed the beaches so far. cause of the deaths and any ties of the Congo where ethnic vio- quiries into the threats against on its side and died in front of Autopsy results on 25 dolphins to the Wakashio oil spill”. lence is rife, involving various him.

South African conservationist mauled to death by lions

A South African conservationist has been killed by unable to do so,” said a statement by family attorney Western diplomats worried over Zimbabwe lions he hand-reared, the family said on Thursday. Marina Botha e-mailed to AFP. West Mathewson, 69, was walking two white The lions have been temporarily moved to a facility lionesses on Wednesday when one of the animals while a decision on their final destination is made. Reuters ponents have raised the alarm matic missions to club together tion and the illicit extraction of attacked and killed him without warning. The family assured that they would be “released into Harare about a crackdown on dissent. and publicly criticise their host Zimbabwe’s wealth for personal The incident took place on the premises of the the best environment available to them”. Heads of mission from the country. gain, which continue to un- family-owned Lion Tree Top Lodge, in South Africa’s Mathewson and his wife had four sons and six United States, Britain, Germa- A government spokesman did dermine Zimbabwe’s develop- northern Limpopo province. grandchildren. estern diplomats in ny, Canada, Netherlands, Nor- not immediately respond to a ment.” Known as “Uncle West”, he had raised the lions since “The family is heart broken by the loss of their Zimbabwe expressed way and Poland said in a state- request for comment. It has been two years since they were cubs. husband, father and grandfather,” the statement Wdeep concern yester- ment that President Emmerson Mnangagwa accuses the West Mnangagwa won a disputed Mathewson’s wife Gill, 65, was driving behind her said. “They find comfort and peace with the fact that day over a deteriorating political Mnangagwa’s initial promises of of sponsoring the opposition to election. husband when the lion attacked. he died while living his dream, being in nature and and economic crisis, and said uniting the country and reform- destabilise his government. As economic conditions “She tried her best to rescue her husband, but was with his lions that were so close to his heart.” the government should stop us- ing the economy when he came African leaders often bris- worsen, critics say his govern- ing the coronavirus pandemic to to power had given hope of a tle at criticism from the West, ment is reverting to the tactics curtail freedoms. break with Mugabe’s rule – then which they say can be selective used by his predecessor. Two killed, 15 injured in militant ambush in Nigeria The coronavirus causes the proceeded to list ways in which – vilifying some and keeping si- Activists say the government Covid-19 respiratory disease. it seems not to have. lent on others when it suits their is abducting, torturing and ar- Religious extremists have ambushed a civilian The convoy, comprising mostly traders, was coming Zimbabwe is suff ering infl a- “The heads of mission express strategic interests. resting critics, including a free- convoy in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, killing two from the regional capital Maiduguri, 130km from the tion over 800%, which has re- deep concern with the current “Covid-19 must not be used lance journalist and opposition people and injuring 15, militia sources said yesterday. Cameroonian border, when the attack occurred in vived memories of the hyperin- political, economic, social and as an excuse to restrict citizens’ politician who have spent more The gunmen opened fire as the convoy, under the village of Mussine. fl ation more than a decade ago health crisis that Zimbabweans fundamental freedoms,” the than a month in detention over military escort, was heading to the town of Gamboru “The troops returned fire and the attackers retreated, during Robert Mugabe’s rule. are facing today,” the diplomats statement said. anti-government protests. near the border late on Thursday, they said. but unfortunately two people were killed among Nurses are on strike and a said. The diplomats urged “the The government denies the “The insurgents killed two civilians and seriously the passengers,” said another militia leader, Umar series of arrests of political op- It is relatively rare for diplo- government to address corrup- charges. injured 15,” militia leader Ibrahim Liman told AFP. Kachalla. Gulf Times Saturday, August 29, 2020 5 AMERICAS

DECISION POLICY CRIME FALLOUT LAW AND ORDER Contempt proceedings Canada navy drops ‘seaman’ Three killed amid surge Rio de Janeiro governor 33 tonnes of marijuana against Pompeo for gender neutral ranks of violence in Colombia suspended for graft claims seized in Brazil

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee The Royal Canadian Navy announced it will adopt Hooded gunmen killed three people in A Brazilian court temporarily removed Rio de Brazilian police have seized 33.3 tonnes of marijuana yesterday announced contempt proceedings gender neutral ranks, changing references to northwest Colombia, the latest attack in a two- Janeiro state’s governor from off ice yesterday over in the country’s biggest-ever drug haul, the justice against Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, “seaman” in designations to “sailor” in order to be week wave of violence that has left at least 42 alleged graft in the purchase of medical supplies ministry said. Packages of the drug were found citing his refusal to comply with a subpoena more diverse and inclusive, and to recruit more people dead, police said yesterday. The killings and services to fight the Covid-19 outbreak. A raft inside a multi-part lorry near Maracaju in the state for records into his “transparently political women. Eff ective early September, junior ranks will occurred near the town of Andes in Antioquia of investigations have been opened in Brazil and of Mato Grosso do Sul, which borders Paraguay and misuse” of department resources. The be known as sailor third class, sailor second class, department when hooded men entered a farm other Latin American countries, including Peru, Bolivia. The value of the drugs was estimated at Democratic chairman of the committee, Eliot sailor first class and master sailor, replacing ordinary and opened fire, regional police commander Ecuador and Mexico, into alleged corruption 50mn reais ($9mn), according to the statement. Two Engel, also cited a speech Pompeo recorded in seaman, able seaman, leading seaman and master Colonel Ever Gomez said. Two of the victims died related to the response to the coronavirus people were arrested. The origin and destination of Jerusalem for this week’s Republican National seaman, respectively. The move comes after months instantly while the third succumbed in hospital. outbreak in the world’s hardest-hit region. The the drug were not known, but Paraguay is regarded Convention and said he had “demonstrated of public consultations .That dialogue with over “Among the victims is a 13 year-old minor,” said 180-day suspension handed down by the Superior as one of Latin America’s top marijuana producers. alarming disregard for the laws and rules 18,000 respondents, said Vice-Admiral Art McDonald Gomez. He said the killers “opened fire without Court of Justice in Brasilia is a major blow for Most of the drug is smuggled into Brazil, Uruguay governing his own conduct and for the in a statement, highlighted the “sobering reality that saying a word.” Violence has escalated in several governor Wilson Witzel, a law-and-order politician and Argentina. More than 333 tonnes of marijuana, tools the constitution provides to prevent we all need to do more — individually and collectively parts of the South American country, leaving at who rose from virtual political obscurity to win the worth about 530mn reais, have been seized in Mato government corruption. — to be diverse, inclusive, and welcoming.” least 42 people dead since August 11. governorship of Brazil’s second-largest city in 2018. Grosso do Sul since September 2019. No one will be safe in Biden’s America, warns Trump

Reuters assertion once again that only he Washington can solve the problem. Republicans on Thursday sought to advance that message defi ant President Donald after days of civil unrest and Trump accepted the Re- violence in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Apublican nomination for a where on Sunday police shot a second term with a scathing at- Black man, Jacob Blake. tack on rival Joe Biden, asserting They inaccurately asserted that a Democratic victory in No- that Biden would “defund the vember would only exacerbate police.” Biden has rejected that the racial strife and coronavirus position. pandemic besieging the nation. Biden struck back on Twitter, Speaking from the White writing, “When Donald Trump House South Lawn despite criti- says you won’t be safe in Joe Bi- cism he was using the executive den’s America, look around and residence as a political prop, ask yourself: How safe do you Trump portrayed Biden, a career feel in Donald Trump’s Ameri- A demonstrator pumps his fist as others gather in front of the Lincoln Memorial for the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” march in support of racial justice in Washington, US, politician with a long record as a ca?” yesterday. moderate, as a far-left extrem- In trying to paint Biden as a ist who would usher in a lawless, tool of the “radical left,” Trump dangerous America. also distorted the Democrat’s “This election will decide policy positions on a host of oth- whether we protect law-abiding er issues, including immigration, Americans, or whether we give guns, law enforcement, abortion free rein to violent anarchic agi- and energy production. tators and criminals who threat- “If given the chance, he will be en our citizens,” Trump said on the destroyer of American great- Extradition of teen charged the fourth and fi nal night of the ness,” Trump warned. Republican National Convention The made-for-television in a speech that lasted more than scene — befi tting the fi rst real- an hour. ity TV host to serve as president “No one will be safe in Biden’s — stood in marked contrast to America.” Biden’s acceptance speech last in Kenosha slayings delayed Despite the pandemic that week, which was broadcast live has killed more than 180,000 from a largely empty arena in a Reuters arrested on Wednesday and In Sunday’s shooting, a told CNN. “He got to go home, calmly away from the scene, Americans, Trump delivered his nod to the disease. Kenosha held pending extradition to white policeman, Rusten Shes- he got water, they gave that guy hands in the air — with his ri- remarks before a crowd of more Following the speech, fi re- Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the key, shot Blake four times in the water and a high-fi ve. My son fl e slung around his neck — as than 1,000 people, standing in works exploded over the nearby alleged crimes occurred, said back, leaving him paralysed. got ICU and paralysed from the several police vehicles drive by front of dozens of American fl ags Washington Monument as the teenage vigilante charged Lee Filas, a spokesman for the The incident turned Keno- waist down.” without stopping him. and basking in chants of “Four president and his family looked with killing two people, Lake County State’s Attorney’s sha, a predominantly white Blake’s father said that when According to the criminal more years!” and “USA.!” on, giving Trump and the con- Awho had been protesting Offi ce. city of about 100,000 residents his son woke up, he said, “Why complaint, another video shows His language was evocative vention a powerful closing im- the police shooting of African During the two-minute hear- along Lake Michigan, into the did they shoot me so many Rittenhouse saying, “I just of his 2016 convention accept- age. American Jacob Blake in Keno- ing, a public defender assigned latest fl ashpoint in a summer of times?” killed somebody,” after shoot- ance speech, which also came The crowd, seated in white sha, will remain in custody in to the case asked for a delay so protests across the US over po- The drive for racial justice ing one of his alleged victims, at a time of racial tension after chairs inches apart, showed lit- Illinois after a judge yesterday that Rittenhouse could retain an lice brutality and racism. was ignited on May 25 when 36-year-old Joseph Rosen- eight police offi cers were killed tle evidence of social distancing agreed to delay his extradition attorney. Blake’s father, Jacob Blake Sr., George Floyd, a Black man, died baum, who was gunned down in Texas and Louisiana amid or face masks despite health ex- to Wisconsin. The judge granted the request told CNN his son was fi ghting under the knee of a white Min- in the parking lot of a used-car protests following shootings of perts’ recommendations. Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, was and set a new hearing date for for his life and was shackled to neapolis police offi cer. dealer. Black men. But the Trump campaign said charged on Thursday in Wis- September 25, the spokesman his hospital bed, a situation he Rittenhouse, a resident of Another victim was identi- “Americans watching this ad- it had taken appropriate health consin with six criminal counts, said. contrasted with Rittenhouse, Antioch, Illinois, is accused fi ed as Anthony Huber, 26. dress have seen the recent imag- precautions in arranging the including fi rst-degree inten- Lawyer John Pierce had al- who at one point on Tuesday of shooting three protesters, The complaint contains ele- es of violence in our streets and South Lawn event. tional homicide, attempted ready fl agged on Thursday that was given water by the police, two fatally, during demon- ments likely to be used in Rit- the chaos in our communities,” In a reminder of the country’s homicide, reckless endanger- he and colleagues at the fi rm, videos showed. strations on Tuesday night in tenhouse’s defence. he said then, vowing to end the divisions, attendees could hear ment, and possession of a dan- Pierce Bainbridge, would repre- Authorities said Blake was Kenosha. Citing multiple cellphone turmoil. anti-Trump protesters sound- gerous weapon below the legal sent the teenager. being held under an arrest war- Video footage from Tuesday’s videos and witnesses, the com- But Trump, who ran success- ing horns near the White House age of 18. L Lin Wood, another member rant. incident shows a young, white plaint says both Huber and fully as an insurgent four years as he spoke, a noise that occa- He did not appear for the of Rittenhouse’s legal team, told “That 17-year-old Caucasian gunman fi ring an assault-style Rosenbaum appeared to try to ago, is now in control at the sionally was audible on the live livestreamed hearing in Lake CBS News his client had acted shot and killed two people, and rifl e at protesters who tried grab the teenager’s rifl e before White House, complicating his broadcast. County, Illinois, where he was in self-defence. blew another man’s arm off ,” he to subdue him, then walking being shot. Senator seeks FBI probe Six dead as hurricane into ‘attack’ by protesters Laura batters Louisiana DPA treme winds and fl ash fl ooding Washington in parts of Louisiana were ongo- Reuters hotel near the White House after testers gathered just beyond the ing. Washington Trump’s late-Thursday speech White House gates shouting and Edwards told residents to to the Republican convention af- blowing horns as Trump spoke. t least six people were stay home and heed local warn- ter they saw large crowds dem- As some attendees left, they killed as Hurricane Laura ings. epublican senator Rand onstrating. were confronted by masked Aswept across Louisiana, By late Thursday evening, the Paul yesterday called on Instead, they rode a bus with demonstrators, social media bringing life-threatening storm NHC had downgraded Laura to Rthe FBI to investigate a others to the Trump Interna- postings show. surges to much of the coast, be- a tropical depression as it moved crowd of protesters that swarmed tional Hotel and then attempted Republican Representative fore it weakened and moved to- over Arkansas, with warnings of him as he departed the White to take an Uber back. Brian Mast shared a video of wards Arkansas. ongoing fl ood threats. House after listening to President When protesters blocked the protesters stopping him outside Governor John Bel Edwards It said it was moving north- Donald Trump accept his party’s car, they walked. Demonstrators the White House, where one re- said four victims, among them north-east at 24kms per hour, nomination for re-election. recognised Paul and immedi- peatedly shouts, “What do you a 14-year-old girl, were killed by with maximum sustained winds Paul told Fox News Channel ately drew close. His group then think about police killing Black falling trees. of 56kms per hour. he believes the group chanting found police for protection. people in this country?” and Edwards said he was “con- Over half a million people in his name and pushing against Video posted online shows a drowns out his answers. cerned that as we continue to go Louisiana and Texas experienced his impromptu police escort was crowd surrounding Paul and his Fellow Representative Jim out and do primary and second- power outages throughout the paid to incite a riot. wife and the police. Jordan told Fox the demonstra- ary search and rescue we’re go- day. He did not say who he believes One man yells repeatedly, “say tions were so thick when he left ing to fi nd more fatalities.” The storm also caused a chlo- fi nancially backed them or off er her name,” a reference to Breon- the White House that he decided The Louisiana department rine leak at a chemical plant in any evidence for his contention. na Taylor, a Black woman killed to get a ride with House Minor- of health later tweeted that the south-west Louisiana. “I believe there are going to be by police in March in Kentucky, ity Leader Kevin McCarthy, who death toll from the storm had It took fi refi ghters hours to people who were involved with the state that Paul represents. had Capitol Police protection. reached six. reach the vicinity of the plant the attack on us that actually One offi cer appears to use his Lafayette Square across from One person drowned on a boat because they had to bypass live were paid to come here and are bicycle to push a protester and the White House was the site during the storm, another died wires and other obstructions, not from Washington, DC, and stumbles into Paul after the pro- of protests earlier this summer, of carbon monoxide poisoning the governor said. are sort of paid to be anarchists,” tester shoves him. following the police killings of caused by an emergency power Nevertheless, Edwards point- Paul said. “The FBI needs to in- At no point does it show Paul Taylor and African-American generator, Louisiana authorities ed to some silver linings, like the vestigate but the only way you being physically attacked. George Floyd. said. fact that the storm surge had can do it is you have to arrest Paul said protesters also Washington’s local govern- The National Hurricane Cen- not materialised to the extent people.” threatened to kill him. ment later changed the name of tre (NHC) had warned that “po- that was forecast and did not Paul, his wife and two guests Convention attendees could the street leading to it to Black Flood waters surround buildings near Orange, Texas, post tentially catastrophic impacts” turn west across the ship chan- scrapped plans to walk to their hear hundreds of anti-Trump pro- Lives Matter Plaza. Hurricane Laura. would continue, and that ex- nel. Gulf Times 6 Saturday, August 29, 2020 ASIA/AUSTRALASIA Singapore battles record dengue outbreak with more mosquitoes

Reuters 150 lab-reared male mosquitoes offi cial heading the Wolbachia the disease this year, which can outbreak. That has put the onus in those areas, up to six Wol- say it might have its limits in Singapore are sent fl ying, off in search of a project, named after the bacteria. cause extreme fever that leads on traditional deterrents like fog- bachia mosquitoes are released dense urban areas such as Singa- female companion with whom Some areas with high mos- to internal bleeding and shock. ging, fi ning people for fl outing each week, the environment pore. “You’ve got to fl ood the is- they can mate but not reproduce. quito populations have seen up By comparison, only 27 people anti-mosquito regulations like agency said. land with these mosquitoes, and rom the high balcony of The dengue virus, which in to 90% declines using this tech- have died of the coronavirus in leaving plant pots full of stagnant Wolbachia mosquitoes can’t people get annoyed,” said Paul a Singapore public hous- rare cases can be fatal, is carried nique, she added. the city-state out of more than water, and deploying novel tech- transmit diseases such as den- Tambyah, senior consultant at Fing block, an environment and spread to humans by infect- Singapore – a tiny Southeast 56,000 infections. niques such as the Wolbachia gue, and only female mosquitoes Singapore’s National University offi cial steadies his mosquito ed mosquitoes. But Singapore’s Asian island nation of 5.7mn A new strain of the disease, project. bite humans. Hospital. launcher, the latest contrap- specially bred mosquitoes carry a people – has recorded more than combined with unseasonably In government laboratories, When male Wolbachia mos- “They’re not going to grab the tion authorities have devised to bacteria that prevents eggs from 26,000 dengue cases this year, wet weather and coronavirus scientists breed the bacteria- quitoes mate with females that mosquito and examine and see combat a record outbreak of the hatching, and “compete with the surpassing the previous annual lockdowns that left construction carrying mosquitoes in rows of don’t carry the bacteria, none of whether it’s a male or female. tropical disease dengue. wild type,” leading to “a gradual record of around 22,000 in 2013 sites and other mosquito breed- pallets – separating the male pu- the resultant eggs will hatch. They’re going to swipe them With the click of a button and a reduction of the mosquito popu- with four months still remain- ing grounds undisturbed, are all pae for release in high-risk den- The strategy has been success- away, and that kind of defeats the whirr of a fan, a hatch opens and lation,” said Ng Lee Ching, the ing. Twenty people have died of seen as factors behind the dengue gue areas. For every person living ful in Australia but some experts purpose,” he said. Japan PM Abe stepping down for health reasons

AFP ic bomb attack, as among his Tokyo proudest achievements. Among his greatest disappointments, he said, was his inability to bring apan’s Prime Minister Shin- home Japanese people kidnapped zo Abe announced yester- by North Korea decades ago. Jday he will resign, ending Tributes poured in from lead- his record-breaking tenure in ers around the world, with Indian a bombshell development that Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicks off a leadership race in the praising Abe’s “wise leadership” world’s third-largest economy. for strengthening ties and wish- Abe said he is suff ering a re- ing him a speedy recovery, while currence of the ulcerative coli- the Kremlin hailed Abe’s “in- tis that forced him to cut short valuable contribution” to rela- a fi rst term in offi ce, and that he tions. Britain’s Prime Minister no longer felt able to continue as Boris Johnson tweeted he had prime minister. “achieved great things”. “Now that I am not able to ful- A spokesman for the presiden- fi l the mandate from the people tial Blue House in Seoul praised with confi dence, I have decided Abe for his “many meaningful that I should no longer occupy achievements”. China was more the position of the prime minis- circumspect, with a foreign min- ter,” he said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows during a news conference at the prime minister’s off icial istry spokesman saying the res- While speculation about Abe’s residence in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. ignation was an “internal aff air” political future has grown in on which it would not comment. recent weeks, after two hospi- through a leadership election succeed him was still in its early candidates were all “highly ca- Abe’s time in offi ce will end tal visits for unspecifi ed health involving ruling party lawmak- stages. pable”. Experts said the election with his government facing checks, the resignation nonethe- ers and members. The resigna- Still, some potential suc- process was likely to happen in slumping approval ratings over less came as a surprise. Even as tion shocked the markets, with cessors have already emerged, the coming weeks, with a new its handling of the coronavirus recently as yesterday morning, Tokyo stocks plunging more among them Finance Minister parliamentary session possible crisis, including a U-turn on the government spokesman had than 2% towards the end of af- Taro Aso, chief cabinet secretary by October. Abe’s decision to stimulus and a widely-mocked appeared to dismiss concerns ternoon trade when reports of Yoshihide Suga, former defence step down will be bitterly famil- policy to issue cloth face masks about Abe’s health and suggested Abe’s decision fi rst emerged. “It minister Shigeru Ishiba and iar for the man who was forced to to every household. he would stay on. But Abe made was a big surprise”, said Shinichi LDP policy chief Fumio Kishida. leave offi ce just one year after be- Some in Tokyo were quick to clear that would not be possible, Nishikawa, a professor of politi- Kishida is rumoured to be Abe’s coming the country’s youngest- criticise Abe after his resignation apologising for once again cut- cal science at Meiji University in personal choice, while Aso com- ever prime minister. was announced. “He has been in ting short his tenure. Tokyo. mands one of the strongest blocs He has since become Japan’s the prime minister’s offi ce way “I would like to sincerely “His resignation comes at within the ruling party. Most of longest-serving premier, forever too long. I don’t want to see his apologise to the people of Japan a time when Japan is facing the potential successors are seen associated with the economic face honestly. Seven years and for leaving my post with one tough issues, including meas- as unlikely to break signifi cantly policy that bears his name: Abe- eight months, too long!” said year left in my term of offi ce, and ures against the coronavirus,” with Abe’s policies. nomics. He said his legacy would Tetsuya Daimon, 54. amid the coronavirus woes,” he Nishikawa told AFP. Abe had Abe declined to be drawn on be for others to decide but point- Abe’s departure also means he said, bowing deeply. Abe said he been expected to stay in offi ce who he would like to see take the ed to his eff orts to bring Barack will not be in charge as the coun- would “fi rmly execute my duty to until the end of his term as LDP top job, saying he had “no inten- Obama to Hiroshima, making try prepares to host the corona- the end”, and until the next prime leader in September 2021, and tion” of infl uencing the election, him the fi rst sitting US presi- virus-delayed Tokyo Olympics People cross a street as a large screen shows Japanese Prime minister is appointed, possibly the jockeying for position to and that those often fl oated as dent to visit the site of the atom- next year. Minister Shinzo Abe’s live press conference in Tokyo yesterday.

Indonesia sees record Thai activists scuffl e with police Storms lash Australia’s new coronavirus cases Reuters southeast, three dead Bangkok

Reuters Indonesia passed AFP days, with emergency services Jakarta ro-democracy activists Melbourne reporting 2,000 calls for help, the 3,000 mark in tussled with police in Bang- the majority concerning downed new daily cases Pkok yesterday when dem- trees, Andrews added. A power ndonesia reported its big- onstrators gathered at a police fi erce storm in Australia’s outage hit a local water reservoir, gest rise in new coronavirus for the first time station in a show of support for southeast killed three causing health authorities to Icases for a second succes- and added 105 protest leaders. Scores of activ- Apeople, including a four- warn residents in some suburbs sive day yesterday, while op- ists removed a steel barricade as year-old boy and left emergency to boil tap water before drink- erations at a second factory in new deaths, as they tried to move closer to the crews working to restore power ing it. One resident in the hard- the country’s biggest province authorities in West Samranrat police station, where and drinking water to thousands hit suburb of Belgrave told The were scaled down following the leaders had gone to answer of homes yesterday. High winds Age newspaper that the storm the emergence of new infection Java tackled summonses. They faced multiple sent trees crashing into homes hit with such a sudden inten- clusters. outbreaks in three charges including violating arti- Activist Jatupat Boonpattararaksa reacts outside a police station and crushing cars near Mel- sity that tree falls sounded like Indonesia passed the 3,000 cle 116, which covers sedition, and after some 15 student leaders were summoned following series of bourne, state premier Daniel An- explosions. “You couldn’t really mark in new daily cases for the factories breaching coronavirus restric- pro-democracy rallies in Bangkok yesterday. drews said yesterday. tell where the trees were coming first time and added 105 new tions on public gatherings. A four-year-old was struck down, you just knew they were, deaths, as authorities in West matic people running around “Please don’t do this, we are than a decade of unrest prior to warning yet. Thailand has seen a by a tree while reportedly walk- everything was vibrating,” Josh Java tackled outbreaks in three doing activities,” Kamil said. looking after the situation,” police the coup. “This fi ght has to end month of near-daily rallies led by ing with his father on Thursday O’Connell said. factories that the provincial Yesterday’s new cases na- said over loudspeakers as activ- with our generation,” one activ- students calling for his removal, a night in the southeast of the city. Melbourne remains under governor said could be due to tionwide brought the infec- ists pushed through metal fences. ist at yesterday’s protest said. new constitution and a new elec- The child was rushed to the hos- lockdown as authorities work to workers not following health tions total to 165,887 and the One threw a bucket of paint, cov- The situation eased when the au- tion, with some drawing more pital but later died from his inju- suppress a recent resurgence of measures. death toll to 7,169. Indonesia’s ering an offi cer in blue. thorities agreed to have the group than 10,000 protesters. ries. “This will be just a terrible coronavirus cases, recording 113 Among those was at a plant deaths are the most in South- Demonstrators have returned move closer to the building and Other protesters have vowed to time for them and our hearts are new cases on Friday and another owned by Japanese automaker east Asia and its infections are to Thailand’s streets to call for hold a small rally. move ahead with a planned dem- with you,” Andrews said, off ering 12 deaths from the disease. Aus- Suzuki, which cut operations the second highest after the the removal of the government of Prime Minister Prayuth said on onstration on Sept 19, the anni- condolences to the families of tralia has recorded over 25,400 by half after 71 employees Philippines. 2014 coup leader Prayuth Chan- Wednesday the country would be versary of an earlier military coup those killed in the storm. virus cases in a population of tested positive for the corona- The capital Jakarta reported ocha after a disputed election last “engulfed in fl ames” if the situ- in 2006 and a pro-government The cleanup is expected to take 25mn, with 584 deaths. virus. Yesterday, Suzuki Indo- yesterday its highest number of year, reviving memories of more ation persisted, his most serious protest is planned for this Sunday. nesia said in a statement that infections with 869 new cases, it would remain at reduced followed by West Java’s 526. Sri Lanka to ban imports of plastic capacity until conditions were Jakarta, a city of 10mn, on goods to protect elephants safe. Thursday extended for two That added to more than 200 more weeks its social restric- Sri Lanka will ban the import of most plastic products in a bid to protect at a factory owned by South tions, meaning restaurants wild elephants and deer that die eating the waste, the environment Korean firm LG Electronics, or worship houses must con- minister announced yesterday. Plastic in Sri Lankan landfills is a major which a spokesman said would tinue to operate at limited ca- killer of elephants, with autopsies showing kilos of it in the stomachs of resume operations next week. pacity. animals who died after rummaging at dumps. West Java’s governor, Ridwan Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, Environment minister Mahinda Amaraweera told parliament legislation Kamil, said the infections indi- an epidemiologist at the Uni- was being drafted to stop imports of plastic goods, including polythene, cated health protocols were not versity of Indonesia, said the that end up in landfills. Off icials said it would be introduced within being fully observed. He said government’s plan to incre- months. “Plastics are doing untold damage to our wildlife – elephants, there was an outbreak at a third mentally phase out Jakarta’s deer and other animals,” Amaraweera told AFP shortly after his factory, but did not elaborate. restrictions should be slowed announcement. “We need to take immediate action to arrest this “When it turns out there down. situation.” Sri Lanka has already banned the manufacture or import of are clusters, there was action “Ideally if there were no non-biodegradable plastic used for wrapping food and shopping bags that didn’t really abide by the economic pressures, the re- since 2017. Endangered wild elephants are protected in Sri Lanka by law protocols, such as not wearing strictions should be tighter,” although clashes with farmers are claiming a heavy toll on both sides. masks diligently, not keeping he said, adding that imposing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has given wildlife off icials two years to a safe distance, not washing lockdowns in risky areas could Anti-government protesters scuff le with police outside a police station in Bangkok yesterday as student implement a plan to reduce human-elephant conflict that has claimed hands, or there were asympto- be effective. leaders were summoned by the police following series of pro-democracy rallies. the lives of 607 elephants and 184 people since last year. Gulf Times Saturday, August 29, 2020 7

BRITAIN

TRIAL CONTROVERSY TRAGEDY CRIME ACCIDENT Man pleads guilty over Policeman’s killers ‘given Mother, seven-year-old Man snatches sons from 90-year-old man dies Vietnamese truck deaths £465,000 in legal aid’ son found dead at home carer at knifepoint as glider crashes

A 40-year-old Irish haulier yesterday pleaded The killers of hero policeman Andrew Harper A mother and her seven-year-old son have A father was on the run with his three young A man in his 90s was killed when the guilty to the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese received £465,000 in legal aid, the Mail been found dead at their east London home. sons after abducting them from their foster glider he was flying in crashed on to men, women and boys found dead in the back revealed. The astonishing sum was paid to Yulia Gokcedag, 35, and her son Timur were family at knifepoint. Imran Safi took the school playing fields. Two men were of a refrigerated truck near London last year. solicitors and barristers defending the three discovered by Metropolitan police off icers boys after learning they were to be adopted. travelling in the craft when it came down Ronan Hughes became the second man to teenagers who dragged the constable to who had been alerted to concerns about their Police said the 26-year-old grabbed Bilal, six, at St Edward’s prep school in Charlton plead guilty over a case that shocked Britain his death behind a car for more than a mile. welfare and forced their way into a property in Mohamed Ebrar, five, and Mohamed Yaseen, Kings, Cheltenham. A spokesman for the and Vietnam and shone a light on the illicit Harper’s widow Lissie said she was ‘horrified’ Tower Hamlets at about 3.20am on August 13. three, as they played in the garden of their Cotswold Gliding Club said a two-seater human smuggling trade. The other is Maurice by the figures, adding: “Not only did we not The pair, who had been reported missing the foster family’s home in Coulsdon, south from the club was ‘involved in an incident’ Robinson, from the British province of Northern get justice for Andrew, we now know the day before, were unresponsive and pronounced London. He took the foster mother by surprise, and that ‘one of the pilots received fatal Ireland, who was driving the truck when the cost of that injustice.” Lawyers for gang dead at the scene. Detectives are not seeking threatened her with a knife and assaulted her, injuries’. Gloucestershire Police said: bodies were found. Appearing at a full Old ringleader Henry Long, 19, were paid £169,175. anyone else in connection with the deaths. The police said. Safi and the boys have not been “Emergency services were called with a Bailey courtroom in London, Hughes stood in His accomplices Albert Bowers and Jessie Metropolitan police said postmortems gave seen since they sped away from the house in report that a glider had come down. Two the dock facing the judge as the names of the Cole, both 18, had legal teams who were paid the cause of death for Gokcedag as hanging a red Nissan Qashqai last Thursday. The boys’ men were flying in the area when their 31 men and boys and eight women were read £131,696 and £164,898 respectively, a total to and for Timur as drowning. An investigation foster mother did not suff er any serious injuries glider lost control and crashed. A man out. He admitted each charge in a process that the taxpayer of just under £465,769. And with was launched by the force’s specialist crime but was left ‘very shaken’ and ‘understandably aged in his 90s was pronounced dead at took more than 10 minutes. legal appeals ongoing, the total could still rise. command. distressed’. the scene.” Banksy funds Extinction Rebellion holds protest boat to rescue migrants in Mediterranean

AFP sels, the paper said. Rome Banksy’s involvement in the rescue mission goes back to Sep- tember 2019 when he sent Klemp ritish street artist Banksy an e-mail, The Guardian said. has funded a pink-and- “Hello Pia, I’ve read about Bwhite charity vessel rescu- your story in the papers,” Banksy ing migrants in the Mediterrane- wrote. “I am an artist from the an, a news report and the ship’s UK and I’ve made some work operators said yesterday. about the migrant crisis, obvi- Named after the 19th-century ously I can’t keep the money. French anarchist Louise Michel, Could you use it to buy a new the German-fl agged vessel on boat or something? Please let me Thursday rescued 89 people know. from a rubber boat in distress, its Well done. Banksy.” crew said on Twitter. The Louise Michel was The survivors, including 14 “bought by the proceeds from women and two children, “need the sale of Banksy artwork — who Climate action group Extinction Rebellion hold a small protest outside the Bank of England in London yesterday to kick off the group’s new campaign. Extinction a Place of Safety now”, it said. then decorated her with a fi re ex- Rebellion will target parliament as part of “mass rebellions” planned for the coming weeks, the group said. The funding of the high-speed tinguisher,” the ship’s website boat is the latest move by the said. artist, whose work often makes Klemp, who initially thought it scathing judgements on Europe’s was a joke, told the paper she be- hesitant response to the migrant lieved she was chosen because of crisis that peaked about fi ve her political stance, The Guard- years ago. ian said. Thousands of people are “I don’t see sea rescue as a hu- thought to have died making the manitarian action, but as part of dangerous crossing across the an anti-fascist fi ght,” she told the Mediterranean to fl ee confl ict, paper. Johnson urged to set out repression and poverty in Africa The crew with diverse back- and the Middle East. grounds “all identify as anti- Marinetraffi c.com yesterday racist and anti-fascist activists gave the Louise Michel’s position advocating for radical political at about 50kms southeast of the change,” The Guardian said. Italian island of Lampedusa, and “As it is a feminist project, credible back-to-offi ce plan posted Spain as its intended des- only female crew members are tination. allowed to speak in the name of Guardian News and Media to return to the offi ce, and advise priority should be improving ter enforcement of transport Confederation, said: “Steadily Painted in hot pink and white, the Louise Michel,” it added. London employers about what they can the test-and-trace system, and safety and workplace risk assess- reopening the economy, includ- the Louise Michel features a Bank- The vessel’s website said it is do to keep staff safe. tackling practical issues, such as ments.” ing workplaces, is important for sy artwork depicting a girl in a life run “on a fl at hierarchy and a ve- Yesterday Downing Street transport and childcare. She said the government reducing the long-term eff ects vest holding a heart-shaped safety gan diet”. oris Johnson has been distanced the government from “The prime minister needs a should “wake up” to the impact of this crisis on jobs, incomes and buoy, pictures of the boat posted A spokesman for Burriana’s urged to produce a “cred- reports that ministers planned credible plan to help more people limited childcare provision was opportunities.” on its website showed. port confi rmed that the Louise Bible plan” for persuading to argue that working from home travel and work safely, not a scare having on many parents’ ability The Transport Secretary, Grant The 101 feet motor yacht, for- Michel docked there on June 23 more workers to return to the could put employees at greater campaign. to return to work. Shapps, said yesterday there was merly owned by French customs, and left on August 18. offi ce instead of relying on what risk of being fi red. “Throughout this crisis mil- The Confederation of British a limit “in human terms” to re- is smaller but considerably faster “During this time, they have unions have condemned as a Responding to a Daily Tel- lions of people have worked ex- Industry’s director general, Car- mote working. than other charity rescue vessels been repairing and preparing “scare campaign”. egraph headline that said: “Go tremely hard from home, often in olyn Fairbairn, has warned of the Speaking on Sky News from — enabling it to outrun Libyan the boat but they did it by them- The prime minister, and the back to work or risk losing your cramped bedrooms with limited risk of “ghost towns” if more of- his home, Shapps said: “What coastguard boats, British news- selves, they did not use the port Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, have job”, a government source said: equipment or balancing work fi ce workers do not return to their we’re saying to people is it is paper The Guardian reported. services”, he said. become increasingly concerned “This is a deeply irresponsible with childcare. Many now want workplaces. now safe to go back to work It has 10 crew members “made About Banksy, “if he has been about the impact on city centre headline with no truth behind it. a better balance of offi ce- and But industry experts cautioned and your employer should have up of European activists with here, he came incognito,” the of- economies of the shift towards Our priority has always and will home-based working. against the idea that the govern- made arrangements which are long experience in search and fi cial said. home-working during the pan- always be protecting people’s “But before this can happen, ment should decide when was the appropriate to make sure that rescue operations” and is cap- The Louise Michel left Burri- demic. jobs.” ministers must take responsi- right time to return. it is coronavirus-safe to work tained by German human rights ana on August 18 “under the They are expected to launch a The Trades Union Con- bility for guaranteeing workers’ Kate Shoesmith, the direc- and you will see some changes if activist Pia Klemp, who has also strictest secrecy”, The Guardian publicity campaign in the coming gress general secretary, Frances safety with a fast and reliable tor of sales and marketing at the you haven’t been in for a bit as captained other such rescue ves- reported. days to encourage more workers O’Grady, said the government’s test-and-trace system, and bet- Recruitment and Employment a result.”

Digital carnival Muslim World War II hero New Diana statue to honoured with blue plaque be installed next year Reuters fountain, was launched in Hyde London Park in 2004 after years of bureau- Thomson Reuters Foundation “She believed in non-violence nothing away to her interrogators, cratic wrangling and squabbling London and religious harmony. Yet when not even revealing her real name. over the design. her adopted country needed her, Her fi nal word before she was new statue of Princess Di- The new statue will be unveiled she unhesitatingly gave her life in executed was said to have been ana will be installed at Ken- on July 1. Further details of the de- Muslim woman of Indian the fi ght against fascism.” “Liberte”, or “Freedom”. Asington Palace next July on sign will be announced later, ac- descent who spied for Brit- Khan was captured and even- Khan’s plaque is the fi rst to be what would have been her 60th cording to Kensington Palace. Aain during World War Two tually executed at Dachau con- unveiled since the scheme was birthday, the palace said yesterday is being honoured on Friday with centration camp in 1944, and paused during the coronavirus after a delay due to the coronavirus a plaque marking her former home was posthumously awarded the pandemic, and comes at a time of pandemic. in London, more than 75 years af- George Cross, one of Britain’s intense debate over statues and In 2017, Princes William and ter she was executed in Germany. highest honours, for “acts of the other forms of commemoration Harry said they had commissioned Noor Inayat Khan is the fi rst greatest heroism”. after the Black Lives Matter move- a statue in honour of their mother, woman of Indian origin to be given In 2012, following a long cam- ment. who died in a Paris car crash more a blue plaque under the 150-year- paign by Basu to keep her memory Anna Eavis, curatorial director than 20 years ago, to be erected old scheme to commemorate no- alive, a statue of Khan was put up at English Heritage, which runs outside the older brother’s offi cial table fi gures from Britain’s past. in London. the scheme, said she was par- London home, Kensington Palace. Diana, the fi rst wife of the A plaque marking the family Khan was born in Russia to an ticularly pleased to be restarting it Later that year, they chose heir-to-the-throne Prince home in central London that she American mother and an Indian with a tribute to Khan. sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, who Charles, was killed when left aged 29 to become the fi rst father of royal descent, and edu- “She’s important for refl ecting produced the image of Queen Eliz- the limousine carrying her female undercover radio operator cated in Paris, fl eeing France for London’s ethnic diversity, and of abeth used on Britain’s coins, to and her lover Dodi al-Fayed sent into Nazi-occupied France London at the start of World War course she’s also important be- create the statue to commemorate crashed in a Paris tunnel in was unveiled by her biographer II. cause she represents the changing 20 years since Diana’s death. August 1997 Shrabani Basu in a virtual ceremo- After she returned to France as role of women in the 20th cen- Diana, the fi rst wife of the heir- ny yesterday. a secret agent in 1943, the German tury in particular,” Eavis told the to-the-throne Prince Charles, was Several London memorials “When Noor Inayat Khan left Gestapo made mass arrests in the Thomson Reuters Foundation. killed when the limousine carrying have been created in tribute to this house on her last mission, resistance groups she was work- “That sort of role would have her and her lover Dodi al-Fayed Diana, including the Diana Me- she would never have dreamed ing with, putting her in danger of been unthinkable 100 years before. A Caribbean soca dancer displays her costume as she crashed in a Paris tunnel in August morial Playground at Kensing- that one day she would become a exposure, and she was off ered the So I think the blue plaque scheme promotes the first ever digital Notting Hill Carnival, following 1997. ton Palace, the Diana Memo- symbol of bravery. She was an un- chance to go back to Britain. is a very important way of giv- the cancellation of the normal Carnival festivities due to the William was 15 and Harry 12 rial Fountain in Hyde Park, and likely spy,” Basu said in a statement But she refused to leave her post ing visibility of those changes for continued spread of the coronavirus disease. at the time. The fi rst permanent the Diana Memorial Walk at St ahead of the ceremony. and when she was captured, gave women.” memorial to her, a 689-foot long James’s Palace. Gulf Times 8 Saturday, August 29, 2020 EUROPE Five years after refugee infl ux, Merkel says she’d still ‘do the same’

AFP in 2015-2016 during a pivotal Merkel’s “rationality, calmness tion, even within her conserva- migrants arriving in Germany Berlin moment in Merkel’s now 15-year and self-confi dence” during the tive ranks. slowed dramatically. tenure. crisis, he observes. Thomas de Maiziere, then in- But Merkel was punished in The infl ux deeply polarised Her understated pleas to the terior minister, admitted recently 2017 federal elections when the ive years after Germany Germany and fuelled the rise of German public to help fi ght the that there had been a “loss of AfD was voted into parliament controversially took in the far-right AfD (Alternative for coronavirus were well received control” at times. as Germany’s largest opposition Fhundreds of thousands Germany) party, weakening Mer- because they were “not a macho And then there were the dam- party. of migrants, Chancellor Angela kel’s standing at home. show of power, but fi lled with aging headlines. European and regional elec- Merkel said yesterday that she But as the veteran leader, 66, empathy”, he said. On New Year’s Eve 2015, mass tions in 2018 confi rmed the de- would do the same again as she nears the end of her fourth term, Back at the height of the mi- sexual assaults were commit- cline in Merkel’s popularity. rides a wave of popularity for her her handling of the coronavirus grant crisis in 2015, Merkel at fi rst ted against women in Cologne, At the end of 2018, she re- handling of the coronavirus pan- pandemic has given her an unex- seemed to have public opinion on mostly by men of North African signed as head of her party, the demic. pected popularity boost. her side, taking smiling selfi es origin. Christian Democratic Union “I would make essentially the In a recent Infratest Dimap with the new arrivals and coining A year later in December 2016, (CDU), but said she intended to same decisions,” Merkel said at poll, 71% of respondents said the now legendary phrase “We Anis Amri – a rejected asylum- remain chancellor until the end her annual summer press con- they were very satisfi ed or satis- can do this!” seeker from Tunisia and known of her fourth term in 2021. ference in Berlin, in response to fi ed with Merkel’s work. But the debate around migra- religious extremist – hijacked Many doubted that she would a question about whether she The AfD, on the other hand, tion became deeply divisive, eat- a truck and ploughed it into a make it that far – until the pan- regretted her 2015 policy to keep has seen its ratings decline dur- ing into public trust in Merkel crowded Christmas market in demic came along. the border open to an infl ux of ing the pandemic. and even leading to a far-right central Berlin. Five years on from the refugee Merkel: I would make essentially the same decisions. asylum-seekers. “It’s amazing to see how party – the anti-Islam, anti-im- Twelve people died. crisis, Germany “has become “When people are standing at quickly things can change,” notes migration AfD – gaining a mean- Events like these in turn fuelled more diverse, more colourful, was held up by the Institute for “Nevertheless, the subject will the German-Austrian border or Hans Vorlaender, a professor of ingful presence in parliament right-wing anger, leading to de- younger”, according to the Pro Employment Research (IAB) as a continue to be of concern to us the Hungarian-Austrian border, politics at the TU Dresden uni- for the fi rst time since the Nazi mands from the AfD that “Merkel Asyl migrants’ association. success story. and will remain so in the years they have to be treated like hu- versity. “As a rule, crises are al- regime. must go”. By the latest count, around Yesterday Merkel pointed to to come,” she said. “The subject man beings,” she said. ways a make or break moment for Some authorities were over- After the European Union half the migrants who arrived in successes in integrating refugees of migration ... is not fi nished. It More than 1mn people fi led those in charge.” whelmed and the chancellor was made a controversial agreement Germany during the crisis are into the job market and German will be a constant theme for the asylum applications in Germany Voters have been charmed by blamed for the “chaotic” situa- with Turkey in 2016, the fl ow of now employed – a fi gure that society. 21st century.”

Navalny remains in coma but Europe tightens Covid-19 symptoms improving measures as cases surge

DPA AFP emerged in China almost nine new infections were registered pandemic is a hoax, and used until the end of the year to com- people to return to work amid Berlin Paris months ago, with more than in mainland France in 24 hours, social media to incite violence bat rising case numbers blamed concern about the impact of the 832,000 deaths. calling growth in new cases “ex- against politicians, including mainly on summer travel and lockdown on the economy and Governments hope tighter ponential”. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. private parties. high street businesses. ussian dissident Alexei urope tightened restric- mask rules will off set the need Hungary said foreigners Yesterday a Berlin court al- Austrian Chancellor Sebas- An industrial body forecast Navalny, who has been re- tions yesterday as it bat- for a return to economically- would be barred from entry from lowed a demo of coronavirus tian Kurz also warned of “chal- this week that the UK economy Rceiving treatment in Ber- Etled a surge in coronavirus devastating lockdowns, though September 1, while returning sceptics to go ahead this week- lenging” months ahead but pre- will lose about £22bn ($29bn, lin following an alleged poison- cases, with masks becoming ob- the French government said that citizens would need two nega- end, with police vowing a show dicted a return to “normal” next €24bn) this year. ing, is still in a medically induced ligatory all over Paris and Hun- it could not rule out new stay- tive tests to avoid a 14-day quar- of force to ensure safety regula- year. While travel has been blamed coma although his symptoms gary shutting its borders once at-home orders. antine. tions are met. He said the government would in part for the rise in cases in Eu- have improved, the hospital said again. Masks were already obligatory Greece said it was extending a A similar protest is planned in decide next week on tightening rope, attempts to salvage at least yesterday. The coronavirus causes the in Paris on public transport and lockdown on migrant camps to Zurich. restrictions. some of the vital tourist trade “There has been some im- Covid-19 respiratory disease. in congested areas, but will now at least September 15, amid on- Merkel warned the battle The Spanish government said across Europe were not enough provement in the symptoms German Chancellor Angela be needed throughout the city. going concerns over the spread against the coronavirus is “likely this week children as young as for Paris. caused by the inhibition of Merkel warned that the crisis “The epidemic is gaining of the virus in overcrowded to be more diffi cult over the next six will be required to cover their Fourteen million fewer tour- cholinesterase activity,” the Ger- will be “more diffi cult” in the ground, and now is the time to camps on fi ve Aegean islands. few months” as people start nose and mouth at school, while ists explored the French capital man capital’s Charite hospital, autumn and winter. intervene,” said Prime Minister Many governments must also spending more time indoors. Britain reversed earlier guidance in the fi rst six months of 2020 where Navalny arrived last Sat- The total number of declared Jean Castex. confront a backlash. She and state leaders agreed that pupils aged 11-18 did not compared to last year, according urday, said in a statement. cases has now topped 24.5mn Late yesterday health au- Spanish police arrested a man on Thursday to toughen face need to wear masks. to the regional president Valerie Navalny, 44, has been one of globally since the virus fi rst thorities said that almost 7,400 who believes the coronavirus mask rules and ban large events The British government urged Pecresse. the fi ercest opponents of Rus- sian President Vladimir Putin during the past decade. He fell ill on a domestic fl ight in Russia on August 20. The Charite hospital said on Belarus leader threatens to shut transit routes Denmark Monday that there were indica- tions that he was poisoned. Navalny remains in the hos- Reuters jails Swedes pital’s intensive care unit, where Minsk/Moscow he is being kept on a ventilator. “While his condition remains over gang serious, there is no immediate elarusian leader Alexan- danger to his life,” the Charite der Lukashenko, facing a statement said, adding that it Bnearly three-week popu- murders was however too early to gauge lar uprising since a disputed potential long-term eff ects. election, threatened yester- Russian authorities have de- day to cut off European tran- AFP cided not to open a criminal case sit routes across his country if Copenhagen into the alleged poisoning, say- sanctions are imposed. ing a preliminary inquiry has Speaking during a visit to a not turned up any evidence of a dairy factory in the country’s Danish court has jailed crime. east, Lukashenko said he would three Swedish men for The Russian hospital in the Si- block European neighbours Alife and two others for 20 berian city of Omsk that treated from shipping goods to Russia Lukashenko on a visit yesterday to a cheese-making factory of the People attend an opposition demonstration in front of the Church years over a double murder, part Navalny before he was fl own to over Belarusian territory, and Savushkin-Orsha company in Orsha, Belarus. of Saints Simon and Helena at the Independence Square in Minsk. of a running battle between rival Berlin has concluded that his divert exports now shipped Stockholm gangs. condition was most likely caused through ports in EU member tion accusations that he rigged hold still, it’s necessary to use a answer to violence of govern- force” at Lukashenko’s request, The two men sentenced to 20 by low blood sugar levels. Lithuania. an August 9 election to prolong joint grouping of armed forces, ment institutions and human although it would be deployed years were both under 18 at the Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira “They got fat and forgot his 26-year rule. the basis of which is the Bela- rights violations in the coun- only if necessary. time of the killings, but their Yarmysh, has said that the op- what Belarus is. And thought Thousands of people have rusian army,” Lukashenko said. try,” Lithuanian presidential Speaking yesterday about the involvement in gang crime left position leader appeared to have we could be frightened off taken to the streets to demand “The Russians must support us spokesman Antanas Bubnelis Russian force, German Chan- them open to the highest pos- been poisoned with tea that he with rockets and tanks,” Belta he step down. and follow us.” said yesterday. cellor Angela Merkel said she sible sentence for minors under drank at an airport in the Sibe- state news agency quoted him He says the protesters are Neighbouring Lithuania, Po- Belarus is Russia’s closest ex- hoped “such troops are not de- Danish law, prosecutor Rasmus rian city on Tomsk. as saying. “Well let’s see who funded by the West, and ac- land and Latvia have pushed for Soviet ally and its territory is an ployed”. Kim Petersen said. Navalny, whose hometown is is afraid of whom. We’ll show cuses the North Atlantic Treaty Europe to take stronger action integral part of Moscow’s Euro- The West has so far acted The killers belonged to the Moscow, had been in Siberia to them what sanctions are.” Organisation (Nato) of massing against Lukashenko. pean defence strategy. cautiously, balancing its sym- Death Patrol gang from Rinkeby, support opposition candidates Goods from landlocked Bela- forces on Belarusian frontiers, Lithuania has also angered Nevertheless, Lukashenko is pathy for a nascent Belarusian on the outskirts of Stockholm, in local elections. rus account for almost a third of which the alliance denies. Lukashenko by hosting oppo- seen in Moscow as a truculent pro-democracy movement the Glostrup court said. At her annual summer press Lithuania’s rail traffi c and port Lukashenko said he had or- sition presidential candidate friend, and the Kremlin must with its concern over provoking Meanwhile their two victims conference yesterday, German volume. dered half the army to enter Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who decide whether to stick with intervention from Russia. – killed in a hail of bullets on Chancellor Angela Merkel would Belarus is also a major over- combat preparedness, and had fl ed there after the vote that her him. EU foreign ministers on June 25 last year – belonged to not rule out a joint European re- land route for European goods agreed with Russian President supporters say she won. In the biggest sign yet of Rus- Thursday discussed sanctions the rival Shottaz from the same sponse to the alleged poisoning. bound for Russia, and carries Vladimir Putin that their troops “The president supports ef- sia’s willingness to intervene to against up to 20 Belarusians district. “We will try that, once we pipelines used to ship Russian could unite in the event of a fective sanctions on Belarus, at prop up Lukashenko, Putin said they blame for election fraud Four of the men were arrested have more clarity on the circum- oil to Europe. threat from the West. European, regional and nation- on Thursday that the Krem- and cracking down on protest- soon after in Sweden, and the stances,” she told reporters. Lukashenko denies opposi- “If they (Nato troops) don’t al levels. They are used as an lin had set up a “reserve police ers. fi fth in Denmark.

Thieves seize €9mn in armed attack on security vehicle Polar bear kills man in Arctic Svalbard archipelago Thieves made off with about €9mn in cash in the southeastern French city of Lyon yesterday in an armed attack on an ar- AFP main town of Longyearbyen, which is a weapon when outside of the urban round in the archipelago, with some occurred in 2011 when a bear attacked moured security vehicle, prosecutors said. Oslo located some 1,300km from the North areas. concentrated in the west of the terri- a group of British campers on a school The vehicle was attacked by several armed Pole. “The bears generally stay away tory near human settlements. trip. individuals as it came out of a branch of The 38-year-old victim was found from humans. We are not at the top The area was free of polar bears A 17-year-old student was killed the Bank of France in Lyon. polar bear has killed a Dutch seriously injured in his tent and died of their menu, as they prefer to feed while it was still legal to hunt them. and four others were injured before No-one was wounded in the attack on the man on Norway’s Arctic Sval- shortly afterwards, the local gover- on seals,” Jon Aars, a researcher at the The campsite worker’s death was the animal was killed. vehicle belonging to the Loomis security Abard archipelago, local offi cials nor’s offi ce said in a statement. Norwegian Polar Institute, told AFP. “a tragic event”, Svalbard’s deputy Last month the Svalbard archipel- company “but the losses amount to €9mn said yesterday, the sixth fatal attack in He had been working at the camp- “But they are also opportunistic governor Soelvi Elvedah said in a ago recorded its highest temperature (about $10.7mn)”, prosecutors said in a almost 50 years in the region. site, according to the local Svalbard- animals, and if they are hungry and statement. for over 40 years, 21.2° Celsius (70.2° statement to AFP. “The perpetrators man- According to experts, the shrink- poste newspaper. are desperate enough, we can become “But this is also a strong reminder Fahrenheit), almost equal to the all- aged to immediately flee after committing ing icecap has reduced the polar Other people who were at the scene their prey,” he added. that we are in polar bear country and time record, Sweden’s meteorological the act.” bears’ preferred seal hunting grounds, shot at the bear, which was later According to a 2015 tally, the archi- must take the precautions to defend institute reported. The theft is believed to be the biggest pushing them to approach populated found dead in the parking lot of the pelago is home to about 1,000 polar ourselves.” According to scientifi c studies, such cash heist in France since notorious areas in their search for food. local airport. bears, which have been a protected Five deadly attacks on people had global warming in the Arctic is hap- robber Toni Musulin made off with €11.6mn The incident took place overnight In Svalbard, which is also known as species since 1973. previously been recorded since 1971. pening twice as fast as the rest of the in 2009. in a camping area near Svalbard’s Spitzberg, people are advised to carry Around 300 of them live year- The most recent previous fatality planet. Gulf Times Saturday, August 29, 2020 9

INDIA

CRITICISM OBITUARY CRIME POLITICS PEOPLE Delhi police ‘guilty of MP Vasanthakumar Husband murdered in Anna Hazare snubs Workers demand Rs16,000 grave abuses during riots’ dies of Covid-19 in Chennai front of pregnant wife Delhi BJP chief to unload Covid equipment

The Delhi police is guilty of “grave human Congress lawmaker from Tamil Nadu’s A 40-year-old man was repeatedly hit Veteran anti-corruption activist Kisan Baburao Workers in Alappuzha, Kerala, engaged in rights violations” during communal riots in Kanyakumari constituency, H Vasanthakumar, with an iron rod by two drivers after the Hazare, more popular as Anna Hazare, loading and unloading goods and equipment the capital earlier this year, and were even died in Chennai yesterday evening due to man along with his pregnant wife asked yesterday spurned Delhi Bharatiya Janata demanded an exorbitant Rs16,000 to unload “active participants” in the violence, Amnesty Covid-19, off icials said. He was 70. Vasanthakumar, about their missing seven-year-old son in Party (BJP) president Adesh Gupta’s recent a bio-safety cabinet brought to fight the International alleged yesterday. The worst who was also the promoter of Vasanth & Co Delhi’s Okhla Industrial area. The profusely invitation to join him in a protest against the Covid pandemic. The 225kg box came on unrest in years between Hindus and Muslims consumer durable retail chain, was admitted bleeding man was rushed to the hospital Aam Aadmi Party government. Given the a lorry from Mumbai on Thursday. While killed around 50 people, most of them Muslims, to Apollo Hospital in the city sometime back by the police but was declared brought current circumstances, the senior leader those who brought the item from Mumbai over several days of running battles in the city’s after testing positive for coronavirus. He was dead. The two accused, who are brothers from Maharashtra candidly admitted that no offered to pay Rs9,000 for unloading it, the northeast in February. A field investigation by the younger brother of veteran Congress leader and were drunk, were later nabbed by party in the country can give a bright future workers wanted Rs6,000 for first unloading Amnesty “has documented a disturbing pattern Kumari Anandan whose daughter is Tamilisai southeast Delhi police. The woman told to the people or resolve their problems and the box from the lorry to the ground and of grave human rights violations committed Soundararajan, currently the Telangana governor. the police that she and her husband were hence, “my coming to Delhi will not make any another Rs10,000 to take it to the second by the Delhi police during the riots”, the rights Vasanthakumar was elected to the Lok Sabha searching for their missing child Rahul diff erence”. Expressing disappointment at how floor using cranes. Finally, this job was done group said in a statement.“These violations from Kanyakumari constituency in 2019, defeating (7), who had gone missing a few minutes all parties are involved in the same vicious circle by the medical professionals attached to include police off icers indulging in violence BJP leader and former Union Minister Pon earlier. “When her husband asked the two of ‘chasing money-for-power and power-for- the state-run hospital. State secretary of the with the rioters; torturing in custody and being Radhakrishnan. The Vasanth & Co consumer accused about his missing child, they got money’, Anna said there will be no change in CITU (the trade union wing of the CPI-M), P mute bystanders as rioters wreaked havoc,” durable retail chain is one the largest in the country irritated and assaulted her husband,” the the country and people will not get any succour P Chitharanjan said the incident should not Amnesty said. with about 90 outlets, mostly in Tamil Nadu. police said. from their suff erings till the system changes.” have happened. UN chief warns India over ‘bad economics’ of coal use

Thomson Reuters Foundation for comment. New Delhi India is the world’s biggest consumer of coal for power after China. ith India facing deadly The coal ministry said on air pollution, high Tuesday that it plans to signifi - Whealthcare costs and cantly reduce its coal imports in growing disaster threats from “the next few years” and boost global warming, the head of local production to improve the the United Nations warned the economies of states in central country’s leaders yesterday that India, where most coal mines investing more in coal was “bad are located. economics”. The country’s coal demand India, the world’s third-larg- this year has fallen after strict est emitter of greenhouse gases, lockdowns hit the economy. has been ramping up its use of Coal-fi red power plants, ve- renewable energy — but coal hicle exhaust fumes and indus- remains its dominant fuel for try emissions make India home power production. to about half of the world’s 50 “India must end its reliance most-polluted cities, according on polluting, fi nancially vola- to IQAir, a Swiss-based group Activists of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) take part in a demonstration demanding the government postpone JEE and NEET, two of India’s most competitive tile and costly fossil fuels,” UN that gathers air-quality data entrance exams for entry to top national engineering and medical colleges, over coronavirus concerns, in Guwahati yesterday. Secretary-General Antonio Gu- globally. terres said in a virtual address to India’s toxic air claimed an the New Delhi-based environ- estimated 1.24mn lives in 2017, ment think-tank The Energy according to a study published and Resources Institute. by scientifi c journal The Lancet “Investing in fossil fuels Planetary Health. means more deaths and illness But cities such as New Delhi and rising healthcare costs. It got a taste of what lower fossil is, simply put, a human disaster fuel emissions might look like Congress slams govt and bad economics.” during the coronavirus lock- He urged the government to in- down, when a drop in driving stead invest in solar power, which and factory output meant blue he said could tackle poverty by skies for a time replaced the generating jobs at a time when the more usual haze. coronavirus pandemic has de- Guterres said 5.5mn deaths stroyed livelihoods and also boost could be prevented each year on NEET, JEE exams access to energy for 64mn Indians across the world by stopping who live without power. fossil fuel emissions. IANS ister Hemant Soren, and Mahar- tancing are you talking about?” Citing the example of Bihar, in the Supreme Court challeng- “With the Covid-19 pandemic He lauded India’s growing push New Delhi ashtra Education Minister Uday he questioned. Singhvi said, out of the 38 dis- ing its August 17 order declining threatening to push many peo- for renewable energy, including Samant, Congress leader Ab- He said these exams were tricts, centres for NEET have to entertain pleas seeking post- ple back into poverty, such job its recent decision to raise its ini- hishek Manu Singhvi said, “This scheduled in April, and the gov- been provided in only two dis- ponement of NEET-JEE exams. creation is an opportunity that tial target of 175 gigawatts by 2015 pping the ante against government is one of ineffi cien- ernment kept postponing. “You tricts while seven districts in “The short order that dis- can’t be missed,” he said, adding to 500GW by 2030. the government over cy, apathy and contradictions. slept and did not create alterna- case of JEE exams. “Such large missed an earlier review petition that investment in renewable India has pledged to cut emis- Upostponement of NEET “Maharashtra, West Bengal, tives, now you are stuck,” he said. movements are a recipe for dis- has given no reasons. CLAT exams energy creates three times more sions and have clean energy ac- and JEE examinations scheduled Punjab, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Pointing out the issue of aster when health, life and secu- with lesser students, have been jobs than fossil fuels. count for at least 40% of its in- for September, the Congress Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh transportation during the pan- rity are concerned. postponed from September 7 to Guterres called for a halt on stalled power capacity by 2030, yesterday attacked the Centre, have come together on major demic, he said the process of “We have tried to give a respon- 28. We hope that this convergence commitments to new coal pow- up from about 20% now. saying it has actually painted it- public interest issues and federal mobility is an issue. “Distance to sible roadmap. Even if you post- of views by important states of er after 2020, saying “the coal The country is ahead of self into a corner and is now try- issues and that of students.” exam centres runs into hundreds pone exams to October-Novem- India will lead to a public interest business is going up in smoke” schedule, with power gen- ing to get out of it by kneejerk, Singhvi said that the logistics of kilometres. They have not ber, get results in six-eight weeks, result,” Singhvi added. as growing numbers of large in- eration from non-fossil fuel ego-centred reactions. themselves show what a mock- provided one centre per district you can comfortably start in Janu- The petition argues that the vestors abandon its use. sources expected to reach 40% Addressing a virtual press ery the government is making which is minimum. ary and complete the academic top court has ignored the teeth- Neither the environment by 2022, and over half of total conference along with Trina- of coronavirus safeguards. “The “There is no infrastructure, year,” the Congress leader said. ing logistical diffi culties in con- ministry nor the power ministry output by 2030, according to the mool Congress leader Derek number of students is around one temperature gun is hardly a Singhvi added that a recon- ducting the examinations on the responded to repeated requests power ministry. O’Brien, Jharkhand Chief Min- 2.5mn. What kind of social dis- safeguard,” he said. sideration petition has been fi led proposed dates.

Rain misery Party colleagues in Kerala Police fi ght to stop sale train guns on Tharoor of used gloves, masks AFP tion equipment has soared in the New Delhi country of 1.3bn people, which IANS to carry on party and parliamen- he said, adding that he does not yesterday saw the offi cial tally of Thiruvananthapuram tary politics by being within the wish to complicate any issue, as coronavirus infections hit 3.4mn framework of Congress guide- it would aff ect the party. olice are battling a boom- with over 60,000 deaths. lines. He is one who often jumps But batting for Tharoor was ing black market in used Many experts say that with he antipathy towards the gun. Tharoor came into the senior Congress legislator P T Pface masks and surgical India not testing enough people Shashi Tharoor in the Congress as a guest artiste and Thomas who said just because gloves scavenged in some cases and many deaths not properly T Congress’ Kerala unit continues to be the same,” Suresh he wrote a letter, it should not be from hospital refuse tips, as peo- recorded, the real toll could be is not new and dates back to told the media here. taken against him. ple scramble for cheap coronavi- considerably higher. 2009 when he was suddenly Yet another lawmaker, K Mu- “The stand of the Congress rus protection. Several antibody tests have selected to contest the Lok raleedharan, made a veiled at- party in Kerala on issues will be Police in Navi Mumbai yes- borne this out. Sabha polls from Thiruvanan- tack on him. “Tharoor is a global stated by the state president. terday said that they seized from Many Indians though cannot thapuram, but recently, the personality, while I am a simple Tharoor is a jewel for the Con- one gang 3.8mn pieces of refur- aff ord proper PPE and use cheap tirades against the diplomat- person and hence I am not com- gress party,” he said. bished single-use surgical gloves alternatives including a hand- turned-politician have sharp- menting on him,” was Muraleed- Tharoor is now in his third term that were washed, dried and kerchief or scarf wrapped around ly increased. haran’s jibe. as the member from the prestig- packed ready for sale. the mouth and nose. This comes in the wake of his State Congress president ious Thiruvananthapuram Lok “They sourced nearly 35 Health authorities in Bihar support for handing over the Muallapally Ramachandran has Sabha seat. tonnes of used gloves from dif- said they too have busted sev- Thiruvananthapuram airport time and again expressed his Way back in 2009, when a doz- ferent hospitals and were pre- eral gangs in recent months in- to the Adani Group, even as his displeasure at the way Tharoor en leaders from the state capital paring to sell it to dealers at volved in selling used face masks party has vehemently opposed conducts himself and has said he in Delhi were trying to get the throwaway prices,” investigating collected from hospital dump- the decision. The anger inten- has to express himself in party party nomination, Tharoor who offi cer Subhash Nikam said. yards. sified after he was identified forums only. was not at all in the reckoning, “They had managed to sell Thousands of masks have as one of the 23 signatories to a He also noted that since the shocked all by being made the 6,000 to 10,000 pieces and were been seized that were washed letter calling for reforms in the Covid pandemic, Tharoor has candidate. in touch with several buyers for and repacked before being sold Congress. been based in Delhi. A senior Congress leader had the rest of the consignment,” he to dealers across cities at cheap The latest one to slam Tharoor Ramachandran yesterday told then said: “We were all waiting said. prices, the offi cial said. was fellow lawmaker Kodikunnil the media that as far as he was for a few days to meet the high The four accused are facing “We have conducted several Suresh, who yesterday termed concerned, the Tharoor issue is a command and suddenly this man initial charges of cheating and raids in the state after receiving him “a guest artiste”. closed chapter for him. (Tharoor), who fl ew down from A man pushes his bike along a road after the vehicle broke endangering lives by spreading a tip-off s about the sale of used “Tharoor is not a politician. “As a disciplined party worker, the US, met the high command down during monsoon rains in New Delhi yesterday. communicable disease. face masks,” an offi cial from Bi- He is yet to understand on how I will not make any statement,” and got the seat.” Demand for personal protec- har’s health ministry said. Gulf Times 10 Saturday, August 29, 2020 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Minimising the social Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor K T Chacko Production Editor cost of Covid-19 crisis Amjad Khan

By Andrew Sheng and Xiao Geng having strong institutions. The United in normal times. individuals do not outweigh the overall P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar Hong Kong States and the United Kingdom are During a pandemic, no individual social costs of partial interventions. institutionally robust, and both had can possibly receive comprehensive So, with institutional support and [email protected] weeks, if not months, to prepare before and current information on the clear guidance – delivered via many 44350478 (News), n 1960, the Nobel laureate econo- their outbreaks began, but both have virus. In fact, the very existence of channels, including social media mist Ronald H Coase introduced had among the world’s highest infection asymptomatic carriers precludes – people have taken the necessary 44466404 (Sport), the “problem of social cost”: and mortality rates. the possibility of “full information.” precautions. Responsibility for 44466636 (Home delivery) Ihuman activities often have nega- By contrast, East Asian countries And, because the transaction costs of implementation has also been clearly tive externalities, so individual rights were the first to be infected, meaning mask wearing, quarantining, testing, delineated across government agencies. 44350474 cannot be absolute. Institutions must they had little, if any, time to prepare. and contact tracing are high, making The results – sharply reduced facebook.com/gulftimes intervene. There is no better example of And yet many of them are among the compliance a matter of individual Covid-19 infections and deaths – speak this dynamic than the Covid-19 crisis. countries that have reduced Covid-19 choice will never be enough to contain for themselves. Other East Asian twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar While virtually every country has cases to near zero. The difference the virus. countries – such as Japan, Singapore, suff ered as a result of the pandemic, comes down to attitudes: what role But Soviet-style centralised South Korea, and Vietnam – have some have done much better than and responsibilities each society intervention is not feasible: agents of achieved similar success, using very others. Whereas some have reduced attributes to government, and to what the state cannot observe every move similar institutional approaches. In Covid-19 cases to near zero, others have extent it expects the community to act every person makes and enforce every every case, the government intervened GULF TIMES had steadily climbing infection and as a collective agent of the common precautionary behaviour at all times. early, devised comprehensive rules and death rates for months. As McKinsey & good. And, contrary to popular belief, that guidance, and provided the resources Company has noted, economic activity In the US, there is a long-standing is not what China has done. Instead, needed to apply relevant measures. And associated with discretionary mobility emphasis on personal freedom. recognising that fully voluntary action in every case, society was receptive has returned to normal for the former “Small government” is a commonly was inadequate, the state provided to government intervention aimed at ‘Education emergency’ group. Among the latter, such activity heard refrain, with many arguing that comprehensive and mandatory rules advancing the common good. remains about 40% below the pre- individuals acting as self-interested to facilitate individual and communal Crucially, these countries have pandemic level. participants in markets and in compliance, as well as fi scal and very diff erent cultures and political as third of world’s kids Not everyone is suff ering equally. social and political processes will logistical support for implementation. systems. Attempts to turn an Low-paid workers with inferior access naturally produce positive outcomes. To illustrate, upon arriving in eff ective institutional response to the to medical care and less opportunity to Government intervention – even in Shenzhen from Hong Kong, one of us pandemic into a political or ideological lack remote learning stay home – say, because their jobs are the event of a pandemic – infringes on headed to a designated hotel – equipped battleground are thus misguided, classifi ed as “essential” – are bearing individual rights and, indeed, on the with medical staff conducting tests at best. The Coasian lesson is that, the clinical and economic brunt of the very meaning of being an American. and monitoring temperatures – for a regardless of ideology or politics, each One in three schoolchildren across the world have been crisis. Protests over shelter-in-place orders 14-day mandatory quarantine. On the society must develop institutional unable to access remote learning during coronavirus school This puts everyone at risk. After all, and mask mandates refl ect this view. way to the hotel, both the landlord and a arrangements that minimise social closures, the UN children’s agency has said, warning of a even if a country contains the fi rst wave This is very diff erent from the community contact person got in touch, costs. After all, those suff ering the of Covid-19 infections, it will remain prevailing mindset in East Asia. For having been informed by the authorities consequences of others’ decisions are “global education emergency”. Nearly 1.5bn children were vulnerable, as the virus continues to example, many Western observers to prepare for a new arrival from abroad. unlikely to revel in their “freedom.” – aff ected by school closures as countries locked down to be imported from worse-performing have attributed China’s success in From the airport to the quarantine Project Syndicate prevent the disease from spreading, Unicef said in a report. countries. In other words, the social containing Covid-19 to its authoritarian hotel to home, every single individual Yet at least one in three students have had no way of costs of inadequate institutional regime, which supposedly infringed – immigration offi cers, bus drivers, O Andrew Sheng is Distinguished continuing their education at home. arrangements in some countries on individual freedoms, privacy, security screeners, medical personnel, Fellow of the Asia Global Institute at are spilling over to those with well- and economic effi ciency in a way no and hotel staff – wore full personal the University of Hong Kong and a “For at least 463mn children whose schools closed due to functioning institutions. democratic government ever could. protective equipment. Common areas member of the UNEP Advisory Council Covid-19, there was no such a thing as remote learning,” said The fi rst step towards addressing Coase’s theory shows why that logic were regularly disinfected. The state on Sustainable Finance. Xiao Geng, Unicef’s Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement. this problem is to identify which is flawed. As he explains, the market provided all needed resources. Chairman of the Hong Kong Institution “The sheer number of children whose education was institutional arrangements are most may be able to minimise social costs Of course, a traveller would prefer for International Finance, is a professor completely disrupted for months on end is a global education eff ective for reducing the social costs if all actors have full information and to go home, rather than stay in a and Director of the Research Institute of emergency. The repercussions could be felt in economies and of the Covid-19 crisis. This is not, as face near-zero transaction costs. But quarantine hotel for two weeks. But Maritime Silk-Road at Peking University one might assume, just a matter of those conditions are unrealistic even ostensibly high compliance costs for HSBC Business School. societies for decades to come.” The report examined 100 countries, looking at children’s ability to access remote learning through television and radio broadcasts or online classes and the availability of the correct educational materials on these platforms. It found students in “We must not Africa were the most impacted, with almost half be blind-sided unable to access remote education, compared to by our eff orts to 38% in South Asia and contain Covid-19 34% in eastern Europe and Central Asia. and end up with Latin America and the Caribbean had the a lost generation” lowest number of children aff ected, with 9% of students unable to access learning at home, said the report. Most children lived in rural areas, in poor households with no access to the Internet, to electricity or to the educational television and radio broadcasts that many nations ran. Unicef said that the situation was likely far worse than the report’s fi ndings. Even when children have the technology and tools at home, they may not be able to learn due to factors such as pressure to do chores, being forced to work, or living in a poor environment for learning such as crowded, noisy accommodation, it said. Child rights organisations say the school closures have had a devastating impact on children — particularly girls — in View of a sign asking people to keep social distance due to the Covid-19 pandemics on an urban bus in Villa Nueva, 20km south of Guatemala City, yesterday. Public urban transportation will operate in the next few days in some municipalities of Guatemala at a low capacity and with hygiene protocols following the order of Guatemalan Africa who have become increasingly vulnerable to sexual President Alejandro Giammattei to continue with the economic reactivation. violence and child marriage during lockdowns. A World Health Organisation (WHO) survey of 39 countries in sub-Saharan Africa found schools were fully open in only six. Some nations including Kenya have cancelled the entire Convalescent plasma: What you need to know school year, with plans to resume classes in January. Unicef and the WHO are now urging African governments By Issam Ahmed/AFP convalescent plasma was safe,” Dr Scott eff ective at reducing the death rate than coronavirus, and for the antimalarial to promote the safe reopening of schools, while taking Washington Wright, who led the study that was plasma with lower antibody levels. drug hydroxychloroquine, which was measures to limit the spread of the virus. published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Researchers at Johns Hopkins subsequently reversed following safety “We must not be blind-sided by our eff orts to contain said. University are meanwhile running a concerns. he United States has issued Importantly, there was no sign of trial in which they are using plasma to Political commentators have Covid-19 and end up with a lost generation,” said Matshidiso an emergency authorisation an eff ect called “antibody-dependent immunise patients before they have a questioned the timing of the FDA’s Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, in a statement. to use blood plasma from enhancement,” when antibodies that chance to get sick. latest move as the Republican Trump “Just as countries are opening businesses safely, we can Trecovered Covid-19 patients as aren’t well suited to stopping a virus Dr David Sullivan, who is leading lags in polls before the November reopen schools. a treatment against the disease. actually lead to more cells becoming this trial, compared it to an “immediate election. This decision must be guided by a thorough risk analysis to Is it safe and eff ective? Has President infected. vaccine.” Indeed, in making the Donald Trump’s administration put On the question of how eff ective it is If it works, “we can tell people that if announcement, both Trump and ensure the safety of children, teachers and parents and with political considerations ahead of the — all experts agree on the need for more you’re high risk you can get this early, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn key measures like physical distancing put in place.” science? Here’s what you need to know. clinical trials to compare plasma against and you don’t have to worry about going misrepresented a key statistic when When reopening is not possible, governments should O What is convalescent plasma? standard care. to the hospital,” he told AFP. they said that plasma reduced mortality plan to incorporate compensatory learning — especially for When a person has Covid-19, their Dr Soumya Swaminathan, chief Some scientists believe that while rates by 35 %. marginalised students — when classes resume, said Unicef, body produces antibodies that fi ght the scientist of the World Health plasma might be useful right now, FDA spokeswoman Emily Miller coronavirus. Organisation, said a few trials have in the long-run it might be more later clarifi ed that the fi gure referred to adding that education systems must be adapted to withstand These proteins fl oat in plasma, the reported their fi ndings but they “have advantageous to identify the best the relative reduction in mortality risk future crises. (Thomson Reuters Foundation) liquid component of blood. been relatively small and the results, in antibodies to Covid-19 then synthesise for people who received high-levels The antibodies can be harvested some cases, point to some benefi t, but them in labs. of antibodies in the Mayo Clinic study from patients who have recovered and have not been conclusive.” These are known as “monoclonal compared to those who received low injected into the blood of others to help Another study by Mayo Clinic — antibodies” and they are being levels. them fi ght the same infection. which was not a clinical trial and hasn’t developed by biotech fi rms including “It does undermine the credibility To Advertise The idea isn’t new — so-called yet been peer-reviewed — suggested Regeneron and Lilly. of the entire United States “passive immunisation” was fi rst tried plasma helped reduce death rates The advantages are that doctors know government and the administration [email protected] out against diptheria in 1892 and later among hospitalised patients when given precisely what they are getting and case but specifically these institutions,” Display against the 1918 fl u pandemic. early and when the antibody levels were dose accordingly, and the drugs can be said Dr Matthew Heinz, a physician O Is it safe and eff ective? high. mass-produced. in Arizona who served under former 44466621 44418811 The research into these questions is But there was no placebo, making it On the other hand, since the virus is president Barack Obama’s health still ongoing, but some early signs have hard to read too much into the fi ndings. continually mutating, antibodies that department. Classified been encouraging. It enrolled 35,000 patients and were produced in a lab to fi ght an older But Dr Daniel Hanley, who directs 44466609 44418811 In June, the Mayo Clinic analysed showed that those who received version might not be as eff ective as Johns Hopkins’ multisite clinical trials, the safety of plasma following transfusions within three days of their recently-harvested plasma. said that while more data was needed, Subscription transfusion in a group of 20,000 Covid-19 diagnosis had an 8.7% death O Was the authorisation politicised? early results met the threshold for Covid-19 patients, finding extremely rate in the next week. The Food and Drug Administration emergency approval. [email protected] low rates of known side-effects such Those who received plasma after four has previously issued emergency “One thing to emphasise is this as heart failure, lung injury, allergic or more days had an 11.9 % death rate. authorisations for the antiviral drug information is coming in faster than reaction and death. It also found that plasma containing remdesivir, after it was shown to it has in any other pandemic,” he told © 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved “We concluded that the use of higher levels of antibodies was more have moderate effi cacy against the AFP. Gulf Times Saturday, August 29, 2020 11 PAKISTAN Business activities halted amid heavy downpour

Internews Local media quoted Ikhtiyar as well as shortages of water. similar fears as heavy rainfall hence our exports for the month nesses generate Rs50bn in rev- there wouldn’t have been any Karachi Baig of the Baig Group of Indus- Meanwhile, Pakistan Apparel continues to imperil industrial of August may be aff ected. enue every day. buyers,” he pointed out. tries as saying that industrialists Forum chairman Javed Bilwani and business activity. “Any diffi culties faced by the “When businesses are closed, Shoaib Ashraf of the Oil Tank- and exporters are facing seri- reported a more than 60% de- Adviser to Prime Minister for exporters may please be brought tax collection falls,” he said. ers and Contractors Association ndustrial production was se- ous logistics issues as containers cline in production while raw Commerce and Investment Ab- to the notice of the ministry of All Karachi Tajir Ittehad chief said all activity at fuel storage verely hit as heavy rains and could not reach production sites materials and fi nished goods dul Razak Dawood noted that commerce.” Atiq Mir said that almost all mar- stations is halted and there is no Ithe resultant urban fl ooding and port activity slowed down. were destroyed as water entered export consignments were de- The blow to exports will be kets in the city were fl ooded. transportation of fuel in the city. forced suspension of industrial He said that industrial areas warehouses and factories. layed because of the heavy rains hard to take, especially after a “Inventory worth billions of “There is water everywhere production and activity in the were reporting a fl ood-like situa- “Of course exports would be in Karachi. long fought-for narrowing in the rupees was lost,” he regretted. and no electricity; therefore, country’s commercial engine. tion and nearly 80% of the work- impacted. Units are inundated, “This will result in lower ex- trade defi cit came on the back Mir said that half of the mar- tankers cannot be loaded and Karachi, responsible for over force could not make it to their labour can’t reach work. There ports in August,” Dawood said in of increased selling of Pakistani kets could not open because moved,” he said. “Once the rain 55% of Pakistan’s exports by workplaces. is no transportation and no elec- a tweet. “It appears that because goods and services abroad. there was either knee-deep water stops, we will start supply, and some accounts, faced unprec- Baig also complained of the tricity,” he said in response to a of the heavy rains, particularly Karachi Electronics Dealer As- or mud that made it diffi cult for hopefully there will be no short- edented devastation as two sepa- breakdown in the electricity gen- question. in Karachi, our export consign- sociation president Mohamed traders to open their shops. age plus there is very little de- rate bouts of rain lashed the city. eration and supply infrastructure The government, too, harbours ments are being delayed and Rizwan said that Karachi busi- “Even if they had opened, mand.” Prolonged power outages sink mobile networks in Karachi Dozens die as record

Internews the prolonged power breakdown. Karachi Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) spokesperson Khurram Mehran said: “Due to esidents of Pakistan’s larg- prolonged power failure in the rains lash Pakistan est city found themselves city, many towers are out of serv- Rwith limited means yes- ice and their generators are shut AFP/DPA/Reuters/Internews terday to contact friends, family because there’s no fuel to power Karachi/Islamabad and co-workers as a breakdown them.” of mobile data and phone serv- He said that the blockages ices caused by extended electric- have nothing to do with Muhar- ozens of people have been ity outages added to their woes, ram security, as was being spec- killed in accidents and a day after heavy rains wreaked ulated in some circles. Dfl oods caused by torren- havoc in Karachi. The power utility, KE, mean- tial rains that have lashed Pa- Subscribers of multiple net- while claimed that its teams kistan for days on end, offi cials works reported being unable to were working to the best of their yesterday. connect to cellular data and call- ability to deal with the current Precipitation reached record ing/messaging services, leaving circumstances and restore elec- levels in Karachi, the country’s them in the dark regarding the tricity with limited available re- largest city, where waist-deep well-being of loved ones. sources. rivers of trash-strewn fl oodwa- The outages were doubly frus- “Many KE vehicles got stuck ter swept down streets and into trating to some as KE, the city’s in fl ooded roads and streets homes and businesses. sole electricity supply utility, across the city. Also, our staff are Eighteen people died in the struggled to restore electricity working in long shifts because southern city on Thursday “in supply to large parts of the city relievers were unable to make it various rain-related accidents”, a more than 20 hours after the fi rst to service centres due to water police spokeswoman said. rain fell. logging,” the company said in a Around 2mn people were The national telecommunica- statement. feared trapped in Karachi, with tions regulator stated yesterday KE therefore warned that res- neighbourhoods still inaccessi- that cellular services in the city toration work may take longer ble for rescuers because of severe were not blocked and that out- than expected time as the situa- fl ooding across the city, local po- ages faced by users were due to tion remains “diffi cult”. lice chief Ghulam Nabi Memon said. At least 23 people were killed on Thursday alone, said Faisal Edhi, head of Pakistan’s larg- PM: Government est Edhi Foundation charity that runs a network of ambulances and morgues. fully aware of fl ood The death toll was expected to go up sharply when rescuers reach inaccessible areas, Edhi victims’ suff erings said. Pakistan’s army said mili- tary and civilian rescuers were Children use a crocodile-shaped Internews mounting a huge operation using buoy to play in a flooded street Islamabad helicopters, boats and heavy ve- in Karachi. hicles to reach victims in fl ooded streets with food and medicines. Right: Members of an army rime Minister Imran Khan Once the rains stop, it will medical team provide treatment says the government is take authorities at least a week to flood-aff ected people at a Pfully cognisant of the suf- to drain the water from the city camp in Karachi. fering of the people in the wake streets, said Sindh Chief Minister of the heavy rains, especially the Murad Ali Shah. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 16 people of Karachi. A record 230mm of rain was people were killed in fl ash fl oods In a series of tweets, the prime recorded in Karachi, home to yesterday, with landslides dam- minister said that he is person- about 20mn people, compared aging 67 houses. ally monitoring the relief and Prime Minister Khan: Personally to the average of 130mm for the And in Punjab, local offi cials rescue operations and is in con- monitoring the relief and rescue time of year, the city’s mete- said four workers were killed stant contact with the National operations. orological service chief Sarfraz when a warehouse roof collapsed Disaster Management Author- Ahmed said. yesterday. ity (NDMA) chairman and Sindh sewage system, and resolving the Meteorological offi cials said Several thousand villagers in governor for regular updates. huge challenge of water supply to the rains were expected to con- the province were being evacu- Khan said that he has directed the people of Karachi. tinue in the city until at least ated as at least two of the region’s the NDMA chairman to not only He said that master plans for Monday. fi ve rivers fl ooded. rescue stranded people but also all major cities of the country The provincial government The spillways of two dams provide emergency medical as- are being devised to prevent the declared a public holiday to near the capital Islamabad were sistance, food and shelter to all damage caused by urbanisation. avoid residents having to com- opened on Thursday as they were those in need. Khan said that, in this regard, mute yesterday, with Chundrigar fi lled to capacity, causing fl ood- He also directed the NDMA the Ravi Riverfront Urban City Road, home to the central bank, ing in nearby towns. chairman to ensure the restora- in Lahore and the Bundal Island stock exchange and head offi ces The monsoon, which usually tion of utilities. City in Karachi are being devel- of several banks, fl ooded. lasts from June to September, is The prime minister said the oped the pattern of the federal Chief Minister Shah ordered essential for irrigating crops However, each year, the in- yas, climate change has posed ple this month in Pakistan: 54 in government will be announcing a capital. schools be used to accommodate and replenishing water supplies tense rainfall also brings a wave challenges like urban fl ooding Karachi, 33 in Punjab and 16 in plan for a permanent solution to He said these projects will help displaced families, whose homes across the subcontinent, home to of destruction. and glacial lake outburst fl ooding Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, accord- the problems caused by fl oods by curb overpopulation and food had been damaged or were un- one-fi fth of the world’s popula- Apart from fl oods in rivers in recent years. ing to offi cial fi gures compiled by cleaning of nullahs, fi xing of the insecurity. reachable. tion. caused by rains on the Himala- In total, fl oods killed 103 peo- AFP.

President directs Pakistan Post to ‘Opposition to blame’ for economic PM’s aides cannot act as ministers hire ex-staff ’s son President Dr Arif Alvi has directed collapse if FATF blacklists Pakistan Internews place on record any material to ings, they cannot vote. the Pakistan Post to recruit Islamabad support that Akbar may have Separately, the prime min- the son of a disabled retired interfered with matters falling ister is also empowered to ap- employee within 45 days. Internews which is “entirely against the government over the FATF is- within the domain of the NAB, point a special assistant, but the Mohamed Shahid, a resident Islamabad national interest”. sue, but categorically stated ppointing an adviser the IHC noted that a “minister” special assistant in a ministry of Sukkur, had submitted He added: “We are going to that he would not give any with the status of a is defi ned under clause (xiii) of is “not one of its offi cials”, the a complaint to the federal convene a joint session of par- concessions to the “corrupt” in Aminister does not em- Rule 2 of the Rules of 1973 (the court observed. ombudsman over the rejection rime Minister Imran Khan liament next week, and if the the form of an NRO (National power the said adviser to act as Pakistan Constitution), and it “An adviser has no role either of the employment application has warned that the op- opposition once again joins Reconciliation Ordinance: an a minister, notes a recent order neither includes an “adviser” in policy matters of a ministry of his son for recruitment on Pposition will be respon- hands to save the corrupt within amnesty). passed by the Islamabad High nor a “special assistant”. nor its execution.” the disabled employee quota, sible if the country is placed on their ranks, it will be overt en- “No matter what the oppo- Court (IHC). “The Rules of 1973 explicitly The court also added that on the pretext of the son being the Financial Action Task Force mity with the country.” sition does, under no circum- This week, the IHC had heard declare the secretary to be the Rule 55 of the Rules of 1973 pre- over-aged, by the Pakistan Post (FATF)’s blacklist and the econ- The premier warned that stances will I ever give them an a petition challenging the ap- offi cial head of the division/ scribes guidelines for the com- department. omy collapses. the consequences of the FATF NRO,” he said. pointment of Mirza Shahzad ministry and responsible for its munication of offi cial informa- The president reprimanded the “The economic destruction blacklisting could be “horrifi c” Khan said granting an am- Akbar as adviser and chairman effi cient administration, dis- tion. department for complicating the will be exactly as India wants,” and result in economic condi- nesty to the opposition would of the Assets Recovery Unit. cipline and proper conduct of “Rule 55(4) provides that only matter and not off ering the job to the premier said in an interview tions akin to that in Iran. be tantamount to compromis- The petitioner claimed that business,” reads the judgment. ministers and secretaries shall the retiree’s son. with journalist Arshad Sharif of He said the move would end ing the ruling Pakistan Tehreek- Akbar was “illegally exercis- The president is empow- act as offi cial spokespersons of Alvi said that unjust behaviours ARY News. dealing with international fi - e-Insaf (PTI)’s manifesto. ing executive powers” and was ered under the constitution to the government. like discriminatory attitude “India wants to put us in the nancial institutions and banks, The prime minister said that allegedly “infl uencing the Na- appoint, on the advice of the “The aforementioned rule toward special persons should be FATF blacklist, and defeating which would devalue the cur- his government inherited a sit- tional Accountability Bureau prime minister, not more than would be breached if an adviser discouraged. the legislation on it would be, rency, result in price hike of uation where Pakistan was put (NAB) and other investigating fi ve advisers. or an authority not specifi ed He also directed the Pakistan Post in fact, supporting their cause,” commodities and utilities. in the FATF’s “grey” list during agencies”. Accordingly, while advisers therein is authorised to act as to give details of the jobs that he said, adding that the opposi- Khan added that the oppo- the tenure of Pakistan Muslim While disposing of the case, have the right to speak and take an offi cial spokesperson,” the are provided to the children of tion has a “one-point agenda” sition was “blackmailing” the League – Nawaz (PML-N). since the petitioner did not part in parliamentary proceed- order read. special persons. Gulf Times 12 Saturday, August 29, 2020 QATAR 16 QU graduates serve MoPH as volunteers to fi ght pandemic total of 16 public health awareness sessions. enabled us to utilise our health graduates from the Col- Dr Hanan Abdul Rahim, dean education knowledge and exper- Alege of Health Sciences of CHS, said, “Volunteering with tise. Our participation was ex- (CHS) at Qatar University, have the Ministry of Public Health tremely valuable; we have gained volunteered at the Ministry of has been a tremendous opportu- hands-on and practical experi- Public Health (MoPH) through its nity for graduates of the Public ence and enhanced our capa- National Volunteering Campaign Health programme to witness up bilities to be better public health to help tackle the Covid-19 pan- close the tremendous eff orts on educators.” demic. all fronts, including disease sur- Public health volunteers are Public health volunteers joined veillance and community health working at MoPH in morning and the Health Protection and Com- education, as well as to put into evening shifts to support tack- municable Disease Control Divi- practice what they have been ling Covid-19 in Qatar. Currently, sion at MoPH. learning in their academic lives. they are supporting the team in During the fi rst two months “We are very grateful to the case investigation, contact trac- of the pandemic, public health colleagues at the Ministry of ing, data entry and analysis. volunteers supported the team at Public Health for their eff orts in Qatar University’s Department the ministry in tracking the im- mentoring the graduates.” of Public Health in the College of plementation of some epidemic Regarding her volunteering Health Sciences is Qatar’s fi rst measures, assessing public needs, experience, one of the volunteers and only provider of Bachelor and and developing awareness plans. noted, “As public health gradu- Master Degrees in Public Health. They enhanced public aware- ates we believe that it is a moral The public health programme ness by organising booths in duty and professional responsi- was established in 2012 with two public places and working at the bility to support the team at the branches of bachelor degree: call centre at MoPH to respond to ministry in fi ghting the Covid-19 Health Education and Public public concerns. The volunteers pandemic in Qatar. Health Management. In 2015, the also helped in collecting data “We volunteered at the MoPH Master programme was launched about patients in quarantine and and quickly made valuable con- with two streams of Epidemiolo- assessing workers’ needs in dif- tribution and became part of a gy and Health Systems Improve- ferent settings to plan for distant dynamic team. This opportunity ment. Some of the QU alumni who volunteered at the Ministry of Public Health. Doha Metro set to run with 30% capacity Proposed new veterinary centre taking shape in Al Nakhsh area

new veterinary centre is livestock epidemics with imme- tion to the other drugs to fi ght to be established at Al diate eff ect. He further pointed parasites and all the treatments A Nakhsh area to provide out that all the current veteri- for diff erent diseases. However, services to the barn owners. nary centres have highly quali- he stressed that all barns and This is part of the Ministry of fi ed and trained veterinary staff livestock places should strictly Municipality and Environment’s and there are regular training abide by the biosecurity proce- (MME) plans to upgrade the ca- courses to constantly update dures and standards for main- pacity of the veterinary services their knowledge and improve taining the health of the animals. in dealing with livestock epi- performance. The MME offi cial urged the demic diseases and make such Al-Ziyarh stressed that the camel owners in the country to “We are prepared to have you back on board soon,” Doha Metro & Lusail Tram tweeted yesterday. In first services easily accessible at dif- MME is keen to provide livestock expedite updating the informa- stage of the Phase 4 of the gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions in Qatar, Metro and public transport services ferent areas across the country. owners and producers with the tion of their camels to help in are to resume with a capacity of 30% from September 1, the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management had Engineer Abdulaziz al-Ziyarh, best preventive and treatment having an accurate database and announced through the Government Communications Off ice on Wednesday. director of livestock department Engineer Abdulaziz al-Ziyarh services as this would eventually plan for the necessary services at the MME, told local Arabic refl ect positively on achieving accordingly. daily Arrayah that the ministry March with three clinics intro- the national targets of self-suf- Currently around 172,000 has started the construction of duced at Al Nakhsh, Umm Baba, fi ciency in meat, milk and other camels are registered in the Philippine repatriation flight leaves Doha the proposed centre. Once com- and Al Kharrara areas. More mo- dairy products, poultry and egg country as per the latest update pleted, it will be the 10th veteri- bile clinics are to be added in the production. The MME is very of the herd owners. Camel own- nary centre in the country, be- future. keen to provide timely and ef- ers not registering their animals sides the mobile clinics. The mobile clinics, which fective vaccinations. The offi cial with the MME will not get the The offi cial explained that the work mainly on the weekends, said the livestock vaccinations necessary government support fi rst phase of the mobile vet- have succeeded greatly in con- are given free of charge against such as subsidised fodder and erinary services was launched in taining any potential spots of various epidemics, in addi- water.

Filipino expatriates queue up for the repatriation flight at Hamad International Airport yesterday.

he Philippine government, Offi ce (POLO) in Qatar jointly express their sincere gratitude under the leadership of worked on this chartered fl ight to His Highness the Amir Sheikh TPresident Rodrigo Du- with the help of the Philippine Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the terte, repatriated 272 Overseas Airlines. Since May 2020, the Supreme Committee for Crisis Filipino expatriates plus eight Embassy and POLO have already Management, the Ministry of infants yesterday from Qatar, the mounted nine chartered fl ights Foreign Aff airs, the Ministry of embassy announced through its and two special commercial re- Interior and its Search and Fol- Facebook page. patriation fl ights to Qatar, bring- low Up Department, the Minis- The Department of Foreign ing home more than 3,000 Over- try of Administrative Develop- Aff airs (DFA) mounted the char- seas Filipinos. ment, Labour and Social Aff airs, tered fl ight. This was the seventh These fl ights would not have the Qatar Civil Aviation Author- chartered fl ight funded by the been possible without the co- ity, the Hamad International Air- DFA. operation and support of the port, and Qatar Airways for their The Philippine Embassy and Qatari government, the embassy invaluable assistance,” the Face- the Philippine Overseas Labor said. “The Embassy and POLO book post added.

New exhibition at NU-Q’s Media Majlis

he Media Majlis at North- western University in Qatar T(NU-Q) will open its third The MME is keen to provide timely veterinary services to the barn owners across the country. exhibition, ‘Breaking News? how the smartphone changed journal- ism’, on September 13. The ex- hibition explores the dynamics of journalism in response to the smartphone. The event shines light on the opportunities, limitations, and blemishes of smartphone technol- ogy with expanding journalistic platforms, the diminishing gap between consumers and produc- ers of news, human behavioural shifts, and technological design An illustration for the exhibition by Noma Bar. innovations. The transformative nature of the smartphone and its and look forward. It is an inspiring technology professionals, includ- ongoing impact on journalism context and opportunity for audi- ing a foreword written by Marty are refl ected in areas within the ences to interrogate and engage in Cooper, the inventor of the fi rst- exhibition, allowing for ideas to discussions as consumers of news, ever handheld cellular mobile and evolve and be updated in response journalism professionals, and stu- pioneer in the wireless industry, to real-time news developments dents. will be available for purchase. and visitor interactions. With bil- To complement the exhibition, The Media Majlis will be taking Currently around 172,000 camels are registered in the country as per lions of smartphones currently in a publication with contributions private visit bookings in September the latest update of the herd owners. A mobile veterinary clinic. use, it is a crucial time to take stock from high-profi le journalism and and October.