Digital Qatar Total technology Open: Defending helpedh SMEs champ to tide over Sabalenka gets pandemic tough draw

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SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 16 RAJAB - 1442 VOLUME 25 NUMBER 8547 www.thepeninsula.qa 2 RIYALS

Patient rehabilitation facility Sheikha Moza crowns winners of CHI Al Shaqab ‘Easy Street’ opens at QRI

THE PENINSULA — DOHA clinical environment for patients reintegrated back into their to take their first independent community.” Hamad Medical Corporation steps towards recovery fol- “Easy Street is the first of its (HMC) has expanded its lowing protracted illness with kind in Qatar and one of only a specialised rehabilitation life-changing medical issues. few such simulated environ- services with a modern simu- Dr. Al Kuwari commended ments in the region. I am lated environment located the team for their efforts to extremely pleased to see how within the Qatar Rehabilitation establish this facility despite the well it has turned out and rec- Institute (QRI). year-long challenges faced by ognise the immense effort of The Minister of Public so many healthcare systems the QRI team who have brought Health, H E Dr Hanan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. this idea to fruition during the Mohammed Al Kuwari, opened “This remarkable facility rep- pandemic. This is a true tes- the ‘Easy Street’ patient reha- resents an exceptional addition timony of the ‘can do’ attitude bilitation facility and met with to the growing rehabilitation we have in Qatar, which dem- some of the patients who have capabilities in Qatar and will onstrates that we can achieve benefited from the service. provide a huge boost for all almost anything we set out The Easy Street simulates patients who need targeted minds to,” the Minister added. real-world situations in a safe therapy to enable them to be The facility was designed H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community for patients recovering from Development, crowned the winners of the 8th Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines The Easy Street simulates real-world situa- stroke or brain haemorrhage, and organised by Al Shaqab, a QF member. The German, Christian Ahlmann, won the first place tions in a safe clinical environment for traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injuries, orthopaedic sur- astride Dominator 2000 Z, the Frenchman, Oliver Robert, came second, and Belgian Niels Bruynseels patients to take their first independent steps finished third. H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, and towards recovery. geries or other medical issues that have impacted their ability a number of dignitaries were present. Her Highness also honoured the companies sponsoring the PIC: AR AL BAKER ` to live at home and conduct championship. P2 Easy Street is the first of its kind in Qatar basic life tasks. and one of only a few such simulated Qatar National Lead for environments in the region. Healthy Ageing and Medical Director at the Qatar Rehabil- Remarkable decrease in fire incidents The Easy Street enables patients to simulate itation Institute, Dr. Hanadi Al going to a supermarket and handling a small Hamad explained the journey SIDI MOHAMED the areas into three sectors: Doha measures especially during shopping basket as well as utilising ramps. taken to establish this facility. THE PENINSULA sector, which includes 11 centres, winter camping season such as “QRI first opened at the end of then the South sector having six extinguishers and fire blankets, In the last years 2017 and since then the goal has The last year witnessed a centres, and the Northern sector noting that early hours of the Qatar Rehabili- been to expand rehabilitation decrease in fire incidents with six centres,” said Head of the fire’s incident are very tation Institute services and facilities that will compared to 2019 primarily due Preventive Awareness Section at important and contribute to have opened addi- really benefit our patients. In to more awareness among the General Directorate of Civil reducing fire losses. tional services, the last years we have opened society members, a senior Defence at the Ministry of Interior, The General Directorate of such as assistive additional services, such as official at the Ministry of Interior Colonel Jaber Mohammad Al Civil Defence at MOI pays technology assistive technology services, (MoI) said. Marri. special attention to the educa- services, adult day adult day rehabilitation He also said that the response Speaking to Qatar Radio tional aspect among campers, services, and specialised reha- time to reach fire incidents and recently, he explained that the which aims to familiarise the rehabilitation bilitative gymnasium. All rescue is between 7 – 9 minutes. reason behind the decrease in campers with aspects of safety services, and spe- services and programmes here “Currently we have 23 centres fire incidents is efforts of the and security, and how to cialised rehabili- have been developed in line that provide our services Department in creating prevent accidents that may tative gymnasium. with international best practice throughout the country, divided awareness in society. occur as a result of the wrong to enable the best outcomes for into all areas. The General Direc- Colonel Al Marri stressed use of heating and electrical rehabilitation patients.” `P2 torate of Civil Defence has divided the necessity of taking all safety connections, he said. `P5 QDB's ‘Factory One’ to drive local manufacturing

THE PENINSULA — DOHA local manufacturers the oppor- Nasser Al Khalifa, CEO of QDB, revolutionary model, we hope Qatar Development Bank (QDB) tunity to advance their effi- said: “Qatar is among the to boost the capabilities of our has announced the launch of ciency, innovation, and com- fastest-growing global econ- local industries, the expansion The region's first the region’s first model factory petitive advantage. omies in the world. The emer- of our markets and the diversi- model factory concept, ‘Factory One’, which The launch of the model gence of new industries, fac- fication of the economy,” said concept, located is located within the Qatar factory coincides with positive tories and enterprises demon- Al Khalifa. within the Qatar Business Incubation Center market trends exhibiting expo- strate the vast potential that Currently, Factory One Business Incu- campus and aims to enable nential growth in local indus- underpins our comprehensive offers four trainings and pro- bation Center Small and Medium Sized Enter- tries. Over the last three years, economic development. grams ranging in scope from campus, aims to prises (SMEs) in achieving oper- Qatar’s focus on self-sufficiency Factory One enters the scene Introduction to Lean to Learn enable SMEs in ational excellence. and economic diversification to support these industries tap and Transform Program - a achieving opera- Factory One is the first-of- have led to an overall 17% into their full potential by hands-on training program on its-kind industrial capability increase in factories across a taking them to the next stage implementing these concepts tional excellence. center based out of Qatar, variety of sectors. of production.” on-ground. established in collaboration As the focus of the economy “Here, our motto is to Manufacturing SMEs can The launch of the model factory coincides with McKinsey & Company to shifts towards higher tech- achieve more by doing less. By select the specific training with positive market trends exhibiting bring world-class experience nology industries and digital fully integrating the principles program with the added benefit exponential growth in local industries. in lean operations to power transformations, Factory One of sustainable development, we of requesting programs be tai- local manufacturing steps in as the primary center offer our local manufacturers lored to their specific needs. industries. of lean and digital manufac- new prospects to transform and Remote trainings are also A broad spectrum of capa- turing training to boost opera- achieve operational excellence offered extending training Factory One offers four trainings and bility-building and SME trans- tions for SMEs. using less inventory and with opportunities to participants programs ranging in scope from Introduction formation programmes will be Commenting on the launch less wastage. who are unable to physically to Lean to Learn and Transform Program. delivered at the center offering of Factory One, Abdulaziz bin Through Factory One’s travel to the facility. `P5 Effective system in place to prevent infection spread from travellers: Official

FAZEENA SALEEM TheThe mainm signs and treat your symptoms, the public can call 16000 immedi- THE PENINSULA It is veryery ssymptomsympt of COVID 999 greater the chance of avoiding ately and will be directed to a importantt that -1-199 areare high body complications,” she said. suitable health center for people seekek helphelp Call 999 if you In recent weeks, the number of temptemperaturee (fever), are unable to The main signs and testing. Or they can visit COVID-19 positive cases among as soon ass theythey symptoms of COVID -19 are COVID-19 testing centers of the ddry-persistentry-pe cough, wake the travellers has been low experiencence llossoss oror change in the high body temperature (fever), Primary Health Care Corpo- compared to those reported COVID-19-19 patient or dry-persistent cough, loss or ration at Rawdat Al Khail Health sense of smell or notice any from the community. symptoms:ms: tastetaste,, and difficulty change in the sense of smell or Center and Umm Salal Health In the past few days, about Expert.t. emergency taste, and difficulty breathing. Center. 10 percent of the cases were bbreathing.reath signs. “If you have a fever, cough, “If an emergency warning from returning travellers, and or other symptoms, you may sign appears on you or the a very effective system is in have COVID -19. Most people COVID-19 patient you are place to prevent the risk of of people in Qatartar aandnd iitt is suchsuch asas vaccination,vaccinat physical told The Peninsula. have mild illness and can caring for, you will need to seek infection spreading from imperative that people follow distancing, and use of masks, Dr. Al Maslamani empha- recover at home. If you think medical attention immediately,” travelers, said Medical Director all preventive measures to hand hygiene, isolation and sised that it is very important you have been exposed to said Dr. Al Maslamani. of Communicable Disease reduce the risk of infection. The quarantine is essential to curb that people seek help as soon COVID-19, contact your “Call the emergency Center, Dr. Muna Al Maslamani. strict and increasing com- the spread of the virus that as they experience COVID-19 healthcare provider,” said Dr. number 999 if you are unable “The COVID-19 continues to pliance with strategies to mit- causes COVID-19 and protect symptoms. Al Maslamani. to wake the patient or notice pose a real threat to the health igate public health impacts, public health,” Dr. Al Maslamani “The sooner medical teams To obtain a COVID 19 test any emergency signs." `P5 02 HOME SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021

Sheikha Moza crowns winners of CHI Al Shaqab OFFICIAL NEWS Amir sends congratulations to President of Dominican Republic DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, and Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Kha- lid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani sent yesterday cables of congratulations to President of the Dominican Republic, H E Luis Rodolfo Abinader, on the anniver- sary of his country’s Independence Day. — QNA

MoPH: Total H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President recoveries at of Qatar Olympic Committee, yesterday attended the conclusion of the competitions of the 8th Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines. Her Highness crowned the winners and honoured the companies sponsoring the championship. PIC: AR AL-BAKER over 153,000

THE PENINSULA — DOHA 356 booked for Patient rehabilitation facility ‘Easy Street’ opens The Ministry of Public Health violating COVID-19 FROM PAGE 1 (MoPH) yesterday announced the registration of 460 new “We had planned to open Easy measures confirmed cases of COVID-19. Street last year, but when the Among them 37 were trav- COVID-19 pandemic hit, we had to QNA — DOHA ellers returning from abroad. deploy our resources to where they Another 412 people have were needed most. However, the The designated authorities recovered from the virus, team continued to work on this yesterday referred 356 people bringing the total number of project whenever time permitted to the Public Prosecution for recovered cases in Qatar to and with the combined support violating the preventive and 153,219. All new cases have from all staff, the Ministry and our precautionary measures been introduced to isolation partners who donated many of the enforced by the country to and are receiving necessary items to aid simulation of normal contain the spread of the coro- healthcare according to their tasks, we are able to establish this navirus. health status. amazing facility,” said Dr. Al 291 people were referred The total number of pos- Hamad. to the Public Prosecution for itive COVID-19 cases recorded The Easy Street enables patients not wearing masks in places in Qatar to date is 163,197. to simulate going to a supermarket where they are mandatory, There are 9,721 active cases and handling a small shopping while 26 were found violating under treatment. There were basket as well as utilising ramps. An the maximum number of four also 86 new cases of hospital ATM facade enables the simulation people allowed in a vehicle admissions taking the total of extracting cash from a machine. including the driver, except number of patients in the hos- There is a small coffee shop setting when they are members of one pital to 682. Minister of Public Health, H E Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, at the inauguration of the ‘Easy that is opened during patient family, 28 people did not abide While the first phase of Street’ patient rehabilitation facility, yesterday. practice sessions and patients are by the safe distance, three COVID-19 vaccinations has offered a complimentary cup of others did not comply with started in Qatar and in the coffee or tea to see how they can concept of Easy Street. being reintegrated into life assessed and deemed ready quarantine, seven people were coming months it will be navigate the challenges of handling “We have patients who in the community, they often to use facilities such as Easy also referred to the Public available for the public for a hot beverage while still experi- are learning to master the need to relearn and practice Street, they will be accom- Prosecution for not installing free, the Ministry has stressed encing mobility issues. use of devices such as wheel- simple daily tasks, such as panied by a trained Physical Ehteraz app on their mobile it is important for everyone to Chief of Occupational therapy chairs, walkers, crutches or buying a coffee or or Occupational Therapist to phones, and one person, who play their role in controlling services for HMC, Sultan Al Abdulla canes; and in order for them groceries. guide them in how to make did not comply with the pledge the virus by following precau- explained the exceptional design to feel confident to manage "Once a patient has been certain movements safely.” of social event. tionary measures.

Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie with other officials and students during an event held at Rawdat Al Thamid to mark Qatar Environment Day. Preserving environment a religious, moral and national duty: Al Subaie THE PENINSULA — DOHA future generations was a reli- The Minister praised chil- gious, moral and national duty. dren's participation in the cam- Minister of Municipality and Lauding the participation of paigns to clean up and preserve Environment H E Eng. Abdullah school students in the cleaning the environment, and called for bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al campaigns on the occasion of continuing such efforts because Subaie yesterday participated the Environment Day, the Min- of their positive impact on the in a campaign to clean a istry said that their participation future and future generations. meadow, Rawdat Al Thamid, in showed that the young gener- The minister also took part Al Riffa area. ation are aware of the impor- in the cleaning activity at the The event was organised by tance of environment. meadow. the Ministry of Municipality and He said educational insti- Assistant Undersecretary Environment (MME) to mark tutions made great efforts in for Environmental Affairs Eng. Qatar Environment Day 2021 instilling these values among Hassan Jumah Bujumhur Al under the slogan ‘Together for children and students, which is Muhannadi said the Qatar Envi- Our Health and Our a good indicator for the future ronment Day was of great Environment’. with regards to preservation of importance because of its Assistant Undersecretary the environment. awareness messages targeting for Environmental Affairs at The Minister said that there all segments of society. He said MME Eng. Hassan Jumah is great coordination between the Ministry was organising Bujumhur Al Muhannadi; the MME and the Ministry of many events to raise awareness Director of the Public Relations Education and Higher Edu- of this day by conducting cam- Department Abdullah cation for arranging pro- paigns for cleaning meadows Muhammad Al Falasi; Director grammes for students, like and beaches with the partici- of Public Relations at Ooredoo, campaigns to clean public parks pation of a number of other Sabah Rabia Al Kuwari; and and beaches, and plant trees parties. Al Muhannadi said that Head of the Wildlife Section at under 'Plant Million Tree' initi- campaigns include Rawdat Al the Protection and Wildlife ative. The Minister toured the Nisar in Muaither, Rawdat Al Department, Ali Saleh Al Marri meadow, Rawdat Al Thamid, to Samaria in West of Al Ris, also participated in the get acquainted with its most Rawdat Al Thamid in Riffa, campaign. prominent components and Rawdat Asa Al Rai in Al Shamal, Minister Al Subaie stressed wild trees. He was also briefed Fuwairit Beach, and Alia Island. that the aim of the day is to about the most prominent The Ministry organised yes- educate young people and projects by the students and the terday many environmental society about the importance participating children as well awareness activities and cam- of the environment. He said as their efforts against paigns on the occasion of Qatar preserving environment for deforestation. Environment Day. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 HOME 03 Vodafone Qatar unveils enhanced GigaNet network

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Vodafone Qatar yesterday We are not announced the launch of a new the network cross-country campaign to we were showcase the improvements it when we launched over has made to its GigaNet ten years ago, and we network. The campaign demonstrates that the Vodafone are not the network we network is at its strongest, will be tomorrow. We biggest and fastest point in the never settle and we Company’s history, in order to consistently challenge better support both consumers ourselves to be better, and businesses. Since 2018, Vodafone Qatar which is what our has poured more than QR1bn customers deserve. worth of investment into its advanced network. During that Sheikh Hamad Bin time, the number of Vodafone Abdullah Al Thani outdoor and indoor mobile sites CEO, Vodafone Qatar in Qatar has increased by over 35%. Users can access the network in more areas of the those in The Pearl, Lusail City, we were when we launched country than ever before with Msheireb Downtown Doha, over ten years ago, and we are a higher quality of connections Gharaffa, Abou Hamour, West not the network we will be for data and voice, and while Bay, Wukair, Industrial area, Al tomorrow. We never settle and data traffic has increased by 5X, Sadd and Al Waab. we consistently challenge our- Vodafone customers are expe- For enterprises, connec- selves to be better, which is riencing 300% faster data tivity has been extended with a what our customers deserve. speeds. portfolio of managed services The more we achieve, the more In the last year alone, and smart solutions including we invest. We’re proud that our network coverage has been sig- the Internet of Things (IoT). network is bigger, faster and nificantly increased to improve Vodafone’s nationwide Nar- stronger than ever before, and Vodafone’s services in areas rowband IoT network (NB-IoT) we have a clear commitment such as Umm Slal, Al Khritiyat, has been powering a host of IoT to building a state-of-the-art Lusail City, the Pearl, Bani solutions for smart cities and communications infrastructure Hajer, Abu Nakhla, Rawdat Al several industries since 2019, that serves our country’s digital Hamama, Al Mearad, Al Rayyan, enabling connections that requirements and leads digital Ras Laffan, Umm Saeed, weren’t previously possible and innovation in Qatar.” Dukhan and others. bolstering Qatar’s digital To check network coverage Vodafone Qatar has been economy and digital and service availability in your leading the development of 5G transformation. area, Vodafone has created a — the next generation of mobile Vodafone Qatar recently dedicated page on its website connectivity, which brings reported its highest-ever Net www.vodafone.qa/GigaNet. faster speeds, increased Profit following the close of its The Company is also network capacity and lower 2020 financial year, a 29% encouraging customers to share latency levels. 70% of Qatar’s increase compared to 2019 and feedback on their experience population can now access despite the impact of COVID-19, of its network as part of its Vodafone’s 5G network, the the Company continued ongoing campaign to make benefits of which are enhancing its network to further improvements to its far-reaching. support the community and network and services, which Vodafone has also been country. they can do so on the website continuing the roll out of its Commenting on the cam- or Vodafone App. Vodafone’s extensive fibre infrastructure. paign, Vodafone Qatar Chief Customer Care and technical Connections to this service have Executive Officer, Sheikh team will be monitoring all doubled for homes and business Hamad Bin Abdullah Al Thani, feedback and taking any in a number of areas, including said: “We are not the network required actions. QA congratulates Al Sadd World’s largest energy ministers’ SC on winning Qatar Cup group to host Gas THE PENINSULA — DOHA world of sport; with the likes of Lecture tomorrow FIFA, CONMEBOL, Paris Saint- Qatar Airways, the Official Germain, AS Roma, Boca THE PENINSULA — DOHA Partner, has congratulated Al Juniors, FC Bayern München, Sadd SC who overcame rivals K.A.S. Eupen and Al Sadd SC The Gas Exporting Countries Al Duhail in a competitive well placed in the carrier’s Forum (GECF), the global Qatar Cup 2021 final that global football sponsorship platform of the leading gas featured the nation’s top two portfolio, further representing producing nations, has football powerhouses at the its alignment with the national announced the season-opener Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium vision of Qatar. of its prestigious Gas Lecture on Friday. Qatar Airways recently Series, with the first lecture in The final concluded with became the first global airline 2021 taking place tomorrow Qatar Airways’ partner Al Sadd in the world to achieve the (March 1) at 11am Doha time. SC winning 2-0, and claiming prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 The lecture will be their 8th win in the prestigious Airline Safety Rating by inter- delivered by Joseph McMo- tournament. The Qatar Cup national air transport rating nigle, the Secretary General of hosted the clash of the four best organisation, Skytrax. This the International Energy teams from the previous Qatar follows HIA’s recent success as Forum (IEF), on the topic of Stars League Season. the first and only airport in the ‘The Role of Gas in Clean, Qatar Airways Senior Vice Middle East and Asia to be Reliable, and Sustainable President Marketing and Cor- awarded a Skytrax 5-Star Growth’. porate Communications, Salam COVID-19 Airport Safety Riyadh-based IEF is the Al Shawa, said: “Qatar Airways Rating. world’s largest international would like to extend hearty These recognitions provide organisation of energy min- congratulations to our partner assurance to passengers across isters from 70 countries, Al Sadd SC for emerging as the world that airline health including both energy pro- worthy champions of Qatar and safety standards are ducing and consuming nations. Cup 2021. We are delighted to subject to the highest possible The GECF and IEF enjoy a continuously witness interna- standards of professional, inde- longstanding history of collab- tional and regional tourna- pendent scrutiny and oration dating back to 2010. ments being held with the assessment. For full details of A 20-year veteran of the highest standards in Qatar, as all the measures that have been energy industry in the public we look forward to hosting implemented onboard and in and private sectors, McMonigle many more world-class tour- HIA, please visit qatarairways. took the helm of the IEF in July naments in the country.” com/safety. 2020. Prior to becoming Sec- With the recent The national carrier of the retary General, he was the announcement as the Official State of Qatar continues to President and Co-Founder of Airline for UEFA EURO 2020, rebuild its network, which cur- The Abraham Group, a leading Qatar Airways continues to rently stands at over 130 international energy sector strengthen its presence in the destinations. management consulting firm based in Washington DC as well as a senior energy analyst for Hedgeye Risk Management QM cooperates with Oman's based in Stamford, Con- necticut, US. Ministry of Heritage & Tourism This will be the 49th lecture in the GECF Gas THE PENINSULA — DOHA Lecture Series. The GECF lec- Qatar Museums, Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and tures, and workshops and the National Museum of the Sultanate of Oman have signed a five other public events, feature year automatically renewable memorandum of understanding policymakers and experts who (MoU) outlining collaboration in the field of cultural and museum share their knowledge and work. insights on contemporary Under the MoU, the three institutions will organise collabo- issues related to the gas rative activities and exhibitions, and periodically exchange col- industry and its relationship lections and exhibits. The three institutions will also provide with geopolitics, economy, and training, qualifications, and loan programmes for their employees climate change. These activ- as part of their cooperation in the field of museum management ities form part of the GECF’s and collections management. long-term strategy to promote The agreement was signed by Ahmad Musa Al Namla, Chief natural gas as the fuel of Executive Officer of Qatar Museums, and H E Najib bin Yahya al choice for sustainable Balushi, Oman’s Ambassador to Qatar. development. 04 HOME SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 Al Meera and MME launch ‘Local Produce Festival’ THE PENINSULA – DOHA provides its wide-customer base the needs of consumers, and access to fresh high-quality ultimately result in an increase Al Meera Consumer Goods products at great prices. in their demand in the Qatari Company (QPSC) has launched Al Meera commented on market. This year alone, the its traditional ‘Local Produce launch of the festival, stating: sale of premium Qatari vege- Festival’ in cooperation with the “Al Meera remains an avid sup- tables has grown by 66 percent, Ministry of Municipality and porter of our nation’s local and we recognise this is in part Environment (MME). The farms and is honoured to offer through the work of our festival was launched on a platform to home-grown partners like Al Meera who tire- February 25 and will run for products. This festival cele- lessly support local farms. two weeks featuring a variety brates the successes of our local Through the Vegetables Fes- of vegetables and promotions products which continue to tival, we hope to once again at the retailer’s branches. grow in variety and quality and increase the visibility of Qatari The initiative is in line with enhance their presence in the farms, boost their competitive Al Meera’s long-standing support market. This week, a variety of advantage and thus, guarantee for Qatar Farms Programme and vegetables will be displayed at continuity in production Premium Qatar Farms Pro- Al Meera’s shelves across the according to the highest gramme under the sponsorship country to give our customers standards.” of the MME. The retail giant is greater variety in choosing The festival marks the currently spread over 50 local- premium, fresh, and high- beginning of the spring season ities in the country giving pro- quality products.” and features a variety of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, ducers, and SMEs in the food The Ministry of Municipality premium quality vegetables, with other officials during his visit to a private school. industry the opportunity to and Environment said: “We are whilst also celebrating the showcase their products to the very proud of our food industry achievements of local farms marketplace at prominent shelf which continues to produce who have increased their pro- spaces whilst simultaneously high-quality products that meet duction significantly this year. Dr. Al Nuaimi visits private schools to As the country’s national retailer, Al Meera enjoys close check compliance with health measures ties with local farmers and has been instrumental in champi- THE PENINSULA — DOHA and Higher Education and the oning national products at its The visit was made to Ministry of Public Health in this branches. Al Meera frequently Undersecretary of the Ministry DeBakey High School for regard. Dr. Al Nuaimi praised the offers shelf and kiosk spaces of Education and Higher Health Professions, role that educationists, school and engages in collaborations Education, Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh English Modern School, leaders and management play in with key government minis- Al Nuaimi, yesterday made an these schools in terms of super- tries to promote ‘Made in inspection visit to some private Al Furqan Private vision, follow-up, and keenness Qatar’ products through schools to check the implemen- Primary School, to apply all procedures and monthly promotions, cam- tation of preventive and precau- Al-Furqan Preparatory implement them in the right paigns, and raffles as part of its tionary measures to curb the Private School and Al ways and communicate with the unwavering support for local spread of COVID-19. Furqan Private competent authorities about producers and national Dr. Al Nuaimi was accom- cases of infection. products. Al Meera continues panied by Assistant Undersec- Secondary School. The visit was made to its commitment for local Small retary for Private Education DeBakey High School for Health and Medium-Sized Enterprises Affairs, Omar Al Naama, and Professions, English Modern (SME) in the food industry on Director of Private Schools teaching and administrative staff, School, Al Furqan Private the path to food security, self- Licenses Department, Hamad Al the progress of the educational Primary School, Al Furqan Pre- sufficiency and economic Ghali. process and the extent of com- paratory Private School and Al Vegetables are showcased at an Al Meera outlet under Local diversity in line with the Qatar He reassured the health and mitment of schools to the direc- Furqan Private Secondary Produce Festival. National Vision 2030. safety of the students, the tives of the Ministry of Education School. VCUarts Qatar alumnus’ creations emphasise mindfulness and mental well being

THE PENINSULA – DOHA “There was a time when the Jawad’s self-reflection, – much like a light-weight creation of a series of modular word ‘addiction’ was ascribed coupled with his background in helmet – with a collapsible lighting fixtures,” Jawad says. “I Mental health and well-being solely to substance dependency biology, and exhaustive structure; the piece, inspired by was inspired by the form and might be one of the trending or abuse,” says Jawad who com- research into human psy- the armadillo, covers one’s face process of crystallization and Google searches at the moment, pleted his BFA in Graphic chology, led him to explore the when you’re engrossed in a chose to make nature-made but for Mohammad Jawad it is Design (2015) and MFA in topic of art and medicine during phone conversation, preventing crystals. Crystals are excellent a personal mission – the Design (2019) from the Qatar his BFA studies, and to create others from interacting with diffusers of light, and what Virginia Commonwealth Foundation partner university. an exhibition installation titled you as they normally would – could be more alluring than a University School of the Arts in “Now it is also applied to the ‘Virtual to Real’. symbolic of the psychological lamp made by the same process Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) alumnus intoxicating allure of social Later on, during his MFA and social barriers that digital of crystallization that leads to designs products that help media and how it leads to a studies, he delved deeper into dependency creates in the striking bloom pattern of a people disconnect from the constant craving for gratifi- the intersection of art and relationships. desert rose?” For the design, ‘Virtual Bubble’ a wearable digital deluge around them, and cation and pleasure, enveloping health, and developed a series The Class of 2019 post- Jawad worked in VCUarts device, much like a light-weight reconnect with themselves and users in a sense of addiction.” of wearable devices that drive graduate is convinced that Qatar’s Fabrication Lab to gen- their natural environment. In addition to social media helmet with a collapsible home the need to curb digital reconnecting with oneself also erate and grow alum and borax For almost a decade, addiction, Jawad points to structure. dependency. One of these means reconnecting with crystals. Jawad’s interest in science has studies that show how pro- responsible for creating such products is ‘Hypo Connect’, a nature, a belief that led him to The development process seen him explore the inter- longed multi-tasking – a trait devices and user interfaces, small mesh-like finger cover create products that are in sync balanced the precise, con- section between design and that most organizations cite as why can’t we help design that allows the user to be more with our natural environment. trolled, flexibility of industrial biology to investigate subjects a pre-requisite for jobs – products that help users dis- present and focused by quelling These products “change and 3D printing, with the natural of sustainability and human decreases productivity and cre- connect from their digital the urge to constantly swipe a adapt – as the natural world growth of crystals— making psychology, and raise ativity by 40%. devices, and reconnect with phone screen, especially while does – and are meant for a each lamp inherently unique. awareness of the detrimental “All this prompted me to themselves, and their envi- attending meetings. post-industrial world”. The result presented a new way side effects of prolonged digital wonder: if design – and ronment?” says the Qatar res- Yet another one is ‘Virtual “My MFA thesis focused on to design environmentally dependency. designers like myself – are ident from Pakistan. Bubble’ a wearable device bio-design, and resulted in the friendly products. Loyola International IIQS-Qatar selects new School marks World Day of Social Justice management committee

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Following the path of Gandhi Ji and to commemorate the World Day of Social Justice which falls on February 20, grade 5 students of Loyola International School performed a presentation to shed light on the need for social justice by highlighting issues such as human rights, gender equality, sustainable devel- opment, social protection and poverty, among others. The activity was designed to forge a better understanding on the importance of the day and to make the students aware of the principles of social justice- access, equity, The new managing committee of Indian Institute of Quantity participation and rights. Students presented Surveyors - Qatar Chapter. their views through posters, play cards and speeches. THE PENINSULA – DOHA (Membership Manager 1); The virtual event concluded with students Manash Kaushik (APC/CPD taking a pledge to uphold the principles of Indian Institute of Quantity Committee); Pookoya Thangal social justice and make this world a better Surveyors - Qatar Chapter (IIQS- (PPM APC/CPD Committee); place to live in. Qatar) associated to Indian Abdul Basith (Publicity Business and Professionals Manager); Rahul Washikar Council (IBPC) under the aegis (Sports & Entertainment Com- of Embassy of India, has success- mittee); Avinash Arvind fully conducted the nomination Gaikwad (Head of Advisory process for selecting the Panel) and Sudheer Edamana Managing Committee of 2021- (Member of Advisory Panel). 2022 as per the constitution and Indian Quantity Surveyors regulation of Embassy of India. (IQSA) was initiated in The new Managing Com- December 1998, and formerly mittee of 2021-2022 has been known is a non-profitable pro- designated as Kiran Kumar fessional body registered in Podakanti (President); Ahamed India with a vision to share and Zubair A (Vice President); Sunil develop knowledge among the Kamalaksha (General Sec- fellow Indian engineers, retary); Nidhi Prashant Micheal quantity surveyors, planners, Students of Loyola International School during (Joint Secretary); Venkat estimators, cost engineers, con- a virtual activity to mark World Day of Social Narsima Reddy (Treasurer); tract administrators and other Justice. Balantrapu Surya Prakash similar professionals. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 HOME 05 Qatar Foundation’s HQ awarded for sustainability

THE PENINSULA - DOHA they are continually operated wellbeing of its occupants. GSAS is the MENA as a green building. QF’s com- The 2015 building has 11 Qatar Foundation’s head- region’s first green mitment to both practicing and storeys and a total floor area quarters – the 2015 building at building certification promoting sustainability is illus- spanning 27,366 sqm, accom- Education City – has been system that assesses trated through the way in which modating numerous QF depart- awarded a top regional sustain- and guides projects on we continue to operate our ments and executive offices. ability ranking from the Gulf headquarters, from its use of Designed with sustainability Organisation for Research & how they reduce their energy and water to the and energy efficiency in mind, Development (GORD) for setting environmental footprint measures we have imple- the operations and maintenance an example of how a building during the design, mented to manage waste. of all its facilities were thor- can be operated in an eco- construction and “We are delighted that these oughly analysed before it friendly way. operation stages. efforts to make the 2015 received its Gold rating for the The building received the building a standard-bearer for GSAS Operations certification, Global Sustainability sustainable operations have which is valid for four years. Assessment System (GSAS) organization’s initiative also been recognized through the To achieve this rating, the Operations Certificate from represents a practical imple- awarding of the GSAS Opera- building was evaluated in six GORD with a ‘gold’ rating after Executive Director, City Operations at QF, Hamad Mohamed Al mentation of Qatar’s efforts to tions certification from GORD.” categories: energy performance, being assessed by sustainability Kuwari, and Founding Chairman of Gulf Organisation for Research combating the effects of climate GSAS is the MENA region’s indoor environment, waste experts, reflecting Qatar Foun- and Development, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, during a ceremony to mark change and charting out the first green building certification management, facility man- dation’s (QF) role as a leader of Qatar Foundation’s headquarters being awarded with Global strategies to confront it.” system that assesses and guides agement, water performance, sustainability and its efforts to Sustainability Assessment System Operations Certificate from GORD. Executive Director of City projects on how they reduce and environmental policy and reduce the carbon footprint of Operations, QF, Hamad their environmental footprint awareness. its own environment. Mohamed Al Kuwari, said: during the design, construction The assessment included Founding Chairman of the but only the beginning of a GSAS standards for design and “From its first day of operation, and operation stages. Its Oper- thermal imaging analysis of the Gulf Organisation for Research project’s journey towards sus- construction. However, the QF has been dedicated to ations scope focuses on the building envelope, energy and and Development, Dr. Yousef tainability. In reality, a project’s application of sustainability ensuring that the 2015 building impact of buildings once water labelling, indoor environ- Alhorr, said: “When it comes to overall carbon footprint is requirements in the operations is an exemplar of sustainability occupied, as their operational mental quality analysis, and green building certifications, we defined by the design, con- and management of buildings — not only in its design, but in and maintenance practices have techno-commercial analysis of see that the focus of project struction and operations stages is still in its early stages and has how it is run and how it is used. a direct impact on the natural its energy management oppor- owners and developers is combined, and the largest part not gained much traction yet. “Even buildings which have environment, the economy, and tunities. Additionally, the build- largely on meeting sustaina- of it in relation to the age of the By opting for GSAS Operations the highest standards of sus- people’s health. ing’s indoor environmental bility standards in design and buildings is determined by how to monitor and improve its tainable design can only truly The GSAS Operations certi- quality and waste and facility construction stages only. they are operated and managed. environmental performance, be environmentally-friendly, fication program aims to lessen management practices were “While these efforts are “Almost all government Qatar Foundation has taken a and educate people about the a building’s environmental foot- assessed and found to be in line praiseworthy, it is not the end projects in Qatar have adopted pioneering step, and the importance of sustainability, if print while also improving the with industry standards. AMNM successfully performs invasive fertility surgery in Qatar Doha Bank wins Golden THE PENINSULA — DOHA Reproductive Medicine & Gynaecology speciality delivers Alfardan Medical with North- both conventional and Peacock Global Award western Medicine (AMNM), advanced treatment plans with Qatar’s renowned and medi- unique protocols shared with cally advanced ambulatory care NM in the US. Patients suited for 2020 for sustainability center, recently conducted an conventional fertility treat- innovative fertility preserving ments are provided with pro- THE PENINSULA — DOHA operation to remove a uterine cedures such as Ovulation polyp, which is usually asso- Induction, Intrauterine Insem- Doha Bank, one of the leading ciated with infertility, heavy ination (IUI) and IVF. Advances banks in Qatar, has won the menstruation, and anaemia. in Assisted Reproductive Tech- prestigious Golden Peacock The surgical procedure was nology have increased the Global Award for sustainability performed for the first time in chances of conceiving for 2020. Qatar by AMNM’s Reproductive complex cases as well. The care Chief Executive officer, Medicine Physician and Gynae- center’s spectrum of advanced Doha Bank Group, Dr. R. cologist, Dr. Guy Fender to min- fertility treatments includes Seetharaman received the imize the surgical impact on the Assisted Hatching, cutting-edge prestigious award in a virtual cervix and the uterine lining. IVF technology, intracyto- ceremony held online. The The minimally invasive A view of an inpatient room at Alfardan Medical with North- plasmic sperm injection, and event was hosted by Institute technique used increases spon- western Medicine. Preimplantation genetic testing of Directors, India, and taneous and In vitro Fertili- and embryo attended by distinguished zation (IVF) treated pregnancy cryopreservation. bankers, academics, environ- success and reduces the risk of Dr. Fender said: “We, at AMNM’s Reproductive Med- mentalists, economists, legis- premature delivery. The value AMNM, are thrilled to bring AMNM’s Reproductive icine & Gynecology specialty lators and policy makers. of this approach allows sur- such an innovative technique Medicine & Gynecology also features the latest embry- On receiving the award Dr. geons to avoid damaging the to Qatar. This way of operating specialty also features oscope technology which R. Seetharaman said, “This is a challenges posed by climate uterine lining caused by tradi- on the uterus is significantly the latest embryoscope allows safe incubation of milestone achievement in our change and there should be tional techniques which are less traumatic to the cervix and technology which allows embryos before they are trans- efforts towards sustainability. policies to attract private sector associated with thermal or endometrial lining, allowing planted into the uterus. It gives us a boost to strengthen investment.” physical trauma. for enhanced recovery and an safe incubation of Moreover, the specialty con- our efforts towards sustainable Due to Doha Bank’s unwa- Associate Professor and early return to a normal men- embryos before they are ducts genetic testing of development. Doha Bank will vering commitment to Carbon Medical Director at North- strual cycle and future transplanted into the embryos, in conjunction with a continue to work on sus- Neutrality, the Bank has signed western University Feinberg pregnancy.” uterus. laboratory in the United States, tainable development of its an Memorandum of Under- School of Medicine, Dr. Jared Proactively creating a for the detection of genetic dis- stakeholders. Green Banking standing (MOU) with Gulf Organ- Robins said, “Northwestern healthy environment for future eases through preimplantation and Climate Change Financing isation for Research and Devel- Medicine (NM) is proud to fertility is an integral part of genetic testing. are the key initiatives to opment (GORD) to explore areas partner with Alfardan Group successful pregnancies. worked together seamlessly, AMNM is currently wel- promote green economies.” of mutual collaboration in sus- to bring innovative and patient AMNM’s Reproductive Med- and I woke up feeling great, and coming patients to high quality “Doha Bank advocates and tainability and carbon neutrality. centric techniques to the region icine & Gynaecology with exceptional pain man- evidence-based medical practices Green Banking, which Doha Bank, a pioneer in Qatar – I am especially proud of this department provides a holistic agement I was ready to go services in Dermatology, is one of the core business phi- for annual sustainability disclo- procedure because as a fertility experience in a transformative home.” Internal Medicine, Gastroenter- losophies that will support sus- sures, has been publishing these physician, I am excited that space which offers state-of- AMNM’s focus on patient ology, Sleep Medicine, Repro- tainability into the future. disclosures for more than a AMNM will be able to offer the the-art individualized fertility centricity and service excel- ductive Medicine and Gyne- Banks should align lending decade. Their sustainability same quality of fertility care we treatment planning for couples lence nurtures personalized cology, Orthopedics, Dentistry, activities with environmental reporting is guided by the Qatar offer at NM in Chicago.” struggling with infertility. healthcare experiences for Ear Nose and Throat, Physical cause. They should develop Stock Exchange (QSE) ESG As one of the leading aca- Reflecting on her medical patients, reflecting the warmth Medicine and Rehabilitation. environmental and Social Risk reporting methodology since demic medical centres in the experience at AMNM, the and understanding of its expert Highly credentialled allied Management and expand the 2016. Doha Bank was the first US, NM provides high-quality patient stated: “It was truly an team towards the needs and health professionals specialized scope of risk management to listed company on the Qatar and compassionate care, sup- amazing experience from start emotions that accompany in Exercise Physiology, Physi- include Social and environment Stock Exchange to be included ported by research-based, to finish and unlike anything I infertility. otherapy, Clinical Nutrition and risk also. Public Private Part- in the FTSE4Good Index and the advanced services and tech- had experienced before with Equipped with state-of-the- Diagnostic Imaging and Lab are nership (PPP) models can bank also received an MSCI ESG nologies for its patients. previous procedures. The team art technologies, AMNM’s also available. potentially address the Rating of BB. Ooredoo holds clean-up event to Effective system in place to prevent QDB’s ‘Factory One’ to drive mark Qatar Environment Day 2021 infection spread from travellers local manufacturing FROM PAGE 1 FROM PAGE 1 closer investigation and more THE PENINSULA — DOHA nership with local entities. “The signs include breathing studies are underway,” she said. The programmes aim to benefit an array of manufacturing With numbers strictly difficulties, a constant feeling of The viruses are constantly SMEs from start-ups to established factories that are looking Qatar’s leading telecommuni- limited to comply with current pain or pressure in the chest, changing through mutations, and to transform their industrial processes. cations operator has social distancing rules, the mental confusion that did not new types of viruses are expected More can be discovered at Factory One’s website www. announced it held a clean-up event was attended by repre- exist before, lips and face turn to emerge over time. Sometimes factoryone.qa. event in honour of Qatar Envi- sentatives from Ooredoo and into blue and inability to stay new variants appear and dis- With enormous potential to power manufacturing SMEs ronment Day 2021 in collabo- the Ministry of Municipality and awake,” she added. appear. Other times, new vari- in the region, Factory One is the latest in a string of initiatives ration with the Ministry of Environment. “One of the reasons why we ables emerge and persist. under the belt of the QDB who is at the frontline of supporting Municipality and Environment. Director PR at Ooredoo, see an increase in cases is due to Multiple types of the virus Qatari SMEs, start-ups, and the next generation of innovative A dedicated team of Sabah Rabiah Al Kuwari, said: people not following preventive that causes COVID-19 have been entrepreneurs across numerous sectors. Ooredoo volunteers attended “We’re proud to be working measures as strictly as they used documented in the US and the Rawdat Althemaid area with the Ministry of Munici- to be,” said Dr. Al Maslamani. around the world during this yesterday clearing up garbage pality and Environment as part “Failure to follow preventive pandemic. The virus that causes Remarkable decrease in fire incidents left behind by visitors and of our corporate social respon- measures and the laxity of some COVID-19 is a type of corona- FROM PAGE 1 ensuring the environment was sibility commitment to members of the community with virus, a large family of viruses. left spotless as it should be. sustainability. regard to wearing masks and coronaviruses are named after Al Marri added: “In cooperation with a number of other The Minister of Munici- "We all have a responsi- visits and not taking precautions the crown-like spikes on their departments of the Ministry of Interior and some other bodies, pality and Environment HE bility to protect the envi- in councils, weddings and other surfaces. Scientists are watching the General Directorate of Civil Defence conducts many visits Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin ronment, and a duty to ensure events, led to the occurrence of for changes in the virus, including to the campers to educate them more about the required safety Turki Al Subaie visited the site we never leave trash behind; many hotbeds of infection. Most changes in the bumps on the measures, whether before, or after camping.” and commended the efforts imagine what we could achieve of the community cases were surface of the virus. The mission of the General Directorate of Civil Defence and made to maintain the clean- if each of us gave just a few reported among citizens and pro- “It seems that these variants its related departments is to highlight the potential risks in liness of the area. minutes of our time to clean up fessional residents – including spread more easily and quickly homes, procedures for securing kitchens, heating tools, etc, In keeping with the ethos any mess? We were delighted their families,” said Dr. Al than other variants, which may through meetings, plans, and awareness programmes that work of the day, volunteers also to see our Ooredoo volunteers Maslamani. Dr. Al Maslamani lead to more cases of COVID-19. to activate this theme. planted some trees. giving up their time at the also highlighted different The increase in the number of The General Directorate of Civil Defence added 11 fire trucks The event was part of Oore- weekend for the benefit of our COVID-19 variants and said that cases will put more pressure on to its fleet late in 2019, in addition to 23 other vehicles that were doo’s ongoing initiative which beautiful country and its cit- studies indicate that antibodies healthcare resources, and lead contracted, which will come successively during the current aims to achieve complete clean- izens and residents, and we resulting from vaccination with to more hospitalizations, and year, all of which work in the field of extinguishing and pro- liness of beaches, archaeological look forward to many more approved vaccines recognize possibly more deaths,” said Dr. tecting buildings and towers, rescuing accidents and land-based sites and tourist spots, in part- such events in the future.” these variants. “This is under Al Maslamani. places, and dealing with chemicals. 06 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 UN Mideast envoy wishes to restore hope for Palestinians through polls QNA — NEW YORK “Given the reality pandemic. We are also advancing the goal of ending UN Special Coordinator for the of developments the occupation and realizing a Middle East Peace Process Tor on the ground, the negotiated two-State solution Wennesland stressed the depth of the task is based on UN resolutions, inter- importance of restoring hope national law and prior agree- to the Palestinians through the daunting, but not ments,” he underlined. possibility of achieving the two- insurmountable. We On the other hand, Wen- state solution and the estab- nesland expressed concern over lishment of a just, lasting and must seize emerging the developments on the comprehensive peace. opportunities,” ground, noting that the Israeli “Given the reality of devel- occupation authorities demol- A close up view of destroyed buildings at an Iraq-Syria border crossing after air strikes, on Friday in opments on the ground, the the envoy told UN ished or seized 170 Palestinian- this satelite image provided by Maxar. depth of the task is daunting, but Security Council. owned structures in Area C and not insurmountable. We must 10 in East Jerusalem, displacing seize emerging opportunities,” some 314 Palestinians, Wennesland told the Security deciding their own political future. including 67 women and 177 US air strikes in Syria intended to Council videoconference on the Meanwhile, Wennesland children. The occupation situation in the Middle East. warned that the COVID-19 crisis authorities also demolished or revive organised terrorism: Iran He noted that the upcoming remains a persistent health confiscated 80 structures in the elections in Palestine may be one threat that has triggered a Palestinian Bedouin community REUTERS — TEHRAN activities of the terrorist Daesh Hussein is in Iran “to discuss such opportunity and is a crucial massive economic fallout, of Humsa al-Bqaia in an Israeli (Islamic State) in the region,” regional developments, step towards reestablishing Pal- adding that the unilateral steps declared firing zone in the Friday’s US air strikes against Shamkhani, the Secretary of including ways to balance rela- estinian national unity, stressing on the ground are eroding the Jordan Valley. The actions dis- Iran-backed militias in eastern Iran’s Supreme National tions and avoid tension and that the UN and the international prospect of establishing a viable placed reportedly 63 people, Syria encourage terrorism in Security council, said in escalation” with Iranian offi- community will continue to play and contiguous Palestinian state, including 36 children multiple the region, Iran’s top security remarks to visiting Iraqi cials, according to an Iraqi an active part in supporting the and are moving the parties times, and followed a similar official, Ali Shamkhani, said Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. foreign ministry statement. election process. further from constructive dia- demolition in November 2020. yesterday. “The attack on anti-terrorist An Iraqi militia official close He added that the extraordi- logue and compromise. The UN envoy urged the Washington said the strikes resistance forces is the beginning to Iran said the strikes killed narily high registration rate “We are working actively occupation authorities to cease on positions of the Kataib Hez- of a new round of organised ter- one fighter and wounded four. among the Palestinians is a with the parties, and with our the demolition and seizure of bollah (KH) paramilitary group rorism,” the semi-official Nour US officials said they were resoundingly positive response partners in the international Palestinian property along the Iraq border were in News quoted him as saying. limited in scope to show Pres- from the people of Palestine in community, to address the throughout the occupied West response to rocket attacks Hussein, on his second visit ident Joe Biden’s administration support of the call for elections, pressing socio-economic needs Bank, including East Jerusalem, against US targets in Iraq. to Iran in a month, later met will act firmly while trying to saying that it is a clear indication of the Palestinian people, and to allow Palestinians to “America’s recent action with his Iranian counterpart avoid a big regional that they want to be a part of including in the context of the develop their communities. strengthens and expands the Mohammad Javad Zarif. escalation. Clashes in Iraqi city leave 5 protesters dead, injure hundreds Albania minister in Lebanon for REUTERS — NASSIRIYA of the security forces were the removal of the governor and killed and 271 injured including removal of the ruling elite, injured, according to a another justice for protesters who killed 147 members of the security whom they accused of Syria repatriation At least five protesters were hospital source and a security since 2019. forces in the last five days. corruption. killed and more than 175 people source. Late on Friday Amnesty “The situation is out of Nearly 500 people were efforts injured on Friday in clashes The clashes continued on International said it “verified control in Nassiriya and the killed, and the protests caused between demonstrators and Friday evening after a week of videos from Nassirya that blood is shedding while the the resignation of Prime Min- AP — TIRANA security forces in the southern violence that erupted on contain clear audio of gunfire government is watching,” ister Adel Abdul Mahdi. Iraqi city of Nassiriya, a witness Sunday when security forces and show police firing weapons Bayati posted on twitter. Prime Minister Mustafa Albania’s interior minister said and other sources said. fired to disperse protesters, as well as dead protesters in the Iraq’s biggest anti-gov- Al Kadhimi, who took office he was in Lebanon looking to Among the fatalities, most who were trying to storm the streets.” ernment protests in decades in May 2020, has pledged repatriate more Albanians died from bullet wounds, a hos- provincial government building Ali Bayati, a member of broke out in October 2019 and justice for activists killed or related to other nationals who pital source said, adding that using rocks and Molotov Iraq’s semi-official High Com- continued for months, with abused by armed groups. But had joined Islamic extremist about 120 protesters were cocktails. mission for Human Rights, said hundreds of thousands of Iraqis no prosecutions have groups in Syria and Iraq. wounded. At least 57 members Protesters are demanding on twitter that five have been demanding jobs, services and occurred so far. Bledi Cuci, in Beirut in the last two days, said he met there with Major General Abas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon’s Children in Yemen starve General Security Directorate whom Albanian Prime Min- as UN seeks billions ister Edi Rama had described as “instrumental” in a previous successful attempt. to avoid vast famine The minister did not say whether he would be able to REUTERS — SANA'A/NEW YORK Lowcock warns. repatriate any Albanians, only On Monday the United adding that his visit was a “sig- Ahmadiya Juaidi’s eyes are Nations hopes to raise some nificant indicator of the wide as she drinks a nutrition $3.85bn at a virtual pledging insistence of the Albanian gov- shake from a large orange mug, event to avert what Lowcock ernment to repatriate Albanian her thin fingers grasping the says would be a large-scale citizens from Syria.” handle. Her hair is pulled back “man-made” famine, the worst Last October four children and around her neck hangs a the world will have seen for and a woman related to silver necklace with a heart and decades. Albanian nationals killed in the letter A. More than six years of war fighting with Islamic extremist Three weeks ago the in Yemen have sent the impov- groups in Syria were repat- 13-year-old weighed just nine erished country spiralling into riated. The woman had severe kilograms when she was what the United Nations health problems. “We shall admitted to Al Sabeen hospital describes as the world’s largest work with the same devotion in Yemen’s capital Sanaa with humanitarian crisis. and determination to success- malnutrition that sickened her Some 80 percent of fully finalize this operation, like for at least the past four years. Yemenis need help, with we did the first time,” said Cuci. Now she weighs 15 kilograms. 400,000 children under the Authorities have not spec- “I am afraid when we go age of five severely malnour- ified the number of Albanians back to the countryside her ished, according to UN data. For still in detention camps in condition will deteriorate again much of its food, the country Syria, only saying they have due to lack of nutritional food. relies on imports that have been identified. Their relatives We have no income,” her older been badly disrupted over the in Albania say 52 children are brother, Muhammad Abdo years by all warring parties. still in Syria. Taher Shami, said. “Before the war Yemen In October then-Interior They are among some 16 was a poor country with a mal- Minister Sander Lleshaj said 20 million Yemenis — more than nutrition problem, but it was other Albanian women and half the population of the one which had a functioning children were interviewed and Arabian Peninsula country — economy, a government that were expected to be repatriated, that the United Nations says are provided services to quite a lot adding that camp authorities going hungry. Of those, five of its people, a national infra- were reluctant to release adults million are on the brink of structure and an export base,” who could have been involved famine, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told reporters. in criminal activities. Libya panel says can’t secure govt vote

ANADOLU — TRIPOLI forces to secure the city,” announced a permanent cease- General Ahmad Abu Shahma, fire agreement between Libya’s The Libyan government’s the head of the government’s warring rivals during 5+5 military committee said military committee and Libyan Joint Military Com- yesterday it does not have the member of the 5+5 Joint Military mission talks in Geneva. military force needed to secure Commission, said in a The Commission consists of a planned parliamentary statement. five senior military officers from session in the coastal city of “It is up to the members of the internationally-recognized Sirte to vote on a new cabinet parliament to select the con- Government of National Accord lineup. venient place in coordination and five others chosen by On Friday, Aquila Saleh, with the relevant security warlord Khalifa Haftar. speaker of the Tobruk-based authorities,” Abu Shahma said. On February 5, Libya’s rival parliament, called on the On Friday, Saleh said the political groups agreed during assembly to convene in Sirte on planned parliamentary session UN-mediated talks to form an March 8 to vote on a new unity would be held in Tobruk to vote interim unity government to government. on the cabinet lineup proposed lead the country to elections “Sirte is still under the by Prime Minister-designate this December in which control of foreign forces and Abdul Hamid Dbeibah if it could Dbeibeh was designated as mercenaries. There is no not be held in Sirte. prime minister and to form a presence of any legitimate Last year, the UN new government. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 07 Nigeria: Schoolboys freed; search on for 300 girls

REUTERS — MAIDUGURI “The Abducted Students, Staff and Relatives The release of the abductions in Nigeria’s tur- subsequently rescued by of Government Science Collage Kagara have schoolboys comes just a day bulent northeast, as does a security forces. Gunmen in Nigeria yesterday after the raid on a school in branch of Islamic State. Violence and insecurity released 27 teenage boys who regained their freedom and have been received Zamfara state where gunmen The unrest has become a have compounded the eco- were kidnapped from their by the Niger State Government,” Governor seized 317 girls. political problem for President nomic challenges faced by cit- school last week in the northern “As we welcome the news of Muhammadu Buhari, a retired izens in Africa’s most populous state of Niger, while security Abubakar Sani Bello said in a tweet. the release of the abducted general and former military country and top oil exporter, forces continued to search for Kagara students, I urge gov- ruler who has faced mounting which is struggling to cope with more than 300 schoolgirls ernment to expedite action on the criticism in recent months over a fall in revenues due to a slump abducted in a nearby state. Government Science secondary government official said the boys release and safe return of the kid- high profile attacks by the gangs in crude prices in addition to the Schools have become targets school in the Kagara district of were aged between 15 and 18. napped students of Government known locally as “bandits”. impact of the COVID-19 for mass kidnappings for ransom Niger state, overwhelming the “The Abducted Students, Girls Secondary School Jangebe,” Buhari replaced his long- pandemic. in northern Nigeria by armed school’s security detail. One boy Staff and Relatives of Gov- Peter Hawkins, Unicef’s Nigeria standing military chiefs this The most high profile groups, many of whom carry was killed during the raid. ernment Science Collage representative, said. month amid worsening violence school kidnapping was that of guns and ride motorcycles. After their release, boys were Kagara have regained their The recent attacks have in Nigeria. more than 270 schoolgirls On February 17, 27 students, seen by a witness walking with freedom and have been raised concern about rising vio- In December, gunmen abducted by Boko Haram from three staff and 12 members of armed security through a dusty received by the Niger State Gov- lence by armed gangs and raided a school in northwestern the town of Chibok in 2014. their families were abducted by village, some struggling to stand ernment,” Governor Abubakar Islamist insurgents. Jihadist Katsina state and kidnapped Around 100 of them remain an armed gang who stormed the and asking for water. A Sani Bello said in a tweet. group Boko Haram carries out nearly 350 boys, who were missing. Tunisia’s main party holds huge rally in show of strength

REUTERS — TUNIS Ahmed Ben Ali. Last month, Mechichi The dispute has brought to changed 11 ministers in a Tunisia’s biggest political party a head months of wrangling reshuffle seen as replacing allies rallied an immense crowd of between the three men in Tuni- of Saied with those of Ennahda supporters in the capital sia’s latest political crisis since and Heart of Tunisia. The pres- yesterday in a show of strength a 2019 election delivered a frag- ident has refused to swear four that could fuel a dispute mented parliament while pro- of them in, however, saying between the president and pelling Saied, an independent, they had conflicts of interest. prime minister that has para- to the presidency. Meanwhile, during protests lysed the government. It has played out against a last month over inequality and In one of the biggest dem- grim backdrop of economic police abuses, demonstrators onstrations in Tunisia since the anxiety, angry protests, wide- focused most of their anger 2011 revolution, tens of thou- spread disillusionment with against Mechichi and Ennahda. sands of party faithful marched democracy and competing Ennahda billed yesterday’s through central Tunis chanting reform demands from foreign march as “in support of “the people want to protect lenders and the powerful labour democracy”, but it was widely institutions” and “the people union as sovereign debt repay- seen as an effort to mobilise want national unity”. ments loom. popular backing against Saied - The moderate Islamist Saied nominated Mechichi raising the spectre of competing Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, head of the moderate Islamist Ennahda, speaks to supporters party Ennahda, led by Par- as prime minister last summer protest movements that could during a rally in opposition to President Kais Saied, in Tunis yesterday. liament Speaker Rached Ghan- when the government collapsed lead to polarisation or violence. nouchi, has backed Prime Min- after only five months in office, “This is a strong message ister Hichem Mechichi in his but the two men soon fell out. that all the people want dia- needs of 19.5bn Tunisian dinars credit default swaps - insurance foreign lenders for long-term cuts standoff with President Kais Mechichi then turned for logue and national unity,” Fethi ($7.2bn), including about $5bn against sovereign debt defaults in current spending are opposed Saied over a cabinet reshuffle. support to the two biggest Ayadi, a senior Ennahda official, in foreign loans. - have soared in recent weeks, by the labour union and could “We are telling Saied we are parties in parliament - Ennahda said as people waved national The country’s credit rating showing market concerns about lead to painful reductions in state not ready to lose the democratic and jailed media mogul Nabil and party flags. Tunisia’s 2021 has fallen since the coronavirus its ability to raise funds. programmes that might further process,” said one protester, Karoui’s Heart of Tunisia. budget forecasts borrowing pandemic began and Tunisian However, demands by destabilise the government. Several soldiers Security protocols, leaks a focus of Congo probe: WFP killed in central AP — ROME eastern Congo had been in the Milambo was killed instantly, cooperating in the Italian, Con- security review, the WFP had no Mali attack works since 2020. and Attanasio and Iacovacci golese and UN investigations. plans to alter its humanitarian A UN investigation into the Advance planning and were fatally shot in an ensuing Barrow said the UN probe efforts in Congo. It wasn’t imme- AL JAZEERA —BAMAKO attack on a humanitarian security meetings as well as shootout after a nearby ranger would scrutinize the preparatory diately clear why Attanasio was convoy in Congo that killed the security briefings took place up patrol arrived on the scene. meetings leading up to the mission inspecting the food programme Nine soldiers have been killed Italian ambassador, his body- to the moment the seven- There has been no claim of itself as well as whether security since Italy wasn’t funding it. in an attack near the central guard and driver will look into member team took off from responsibility for the attack. protocols were followed. One of the survivors of the Malian town of Bandiagara, in whether the long-planned Goma, in Congo’s east, in a Several armed groups are active “The main focus of the fact- ambush, WFP’s deputy country an area where armed groups mission’s security protocols two-car convoy bound for the in the region. finding mission will be on what director Rocco Leone, said it was are rampant, a military official were followed and whether program in Rutshuru, he said. Italy has formally asked the security protocols were under- incumbent on the surviving four has said. information might have leaked “Very careful planning went United Nations for an inquiry into taken, how they were followed members of the mission to establish Army and local officials to the unknown gunmen on ahead of this visit,” he said. what happened amid questions and what steps were taken to the truth of what transpired. had earlier spoken of a death involved in the ambush. Attanasio, his security about whether the UN security minimize any sort of risk to any “I am sure that I speak for toll of eight in the attack on a The deputy communica- escort, Carabiniere paramilitary arrangements were sufficient for of those who were on this everyone in saying that I look gendarmerie post which took tions director of the World Food officer Vittorio Iacovacci, and the mission. The UN has said the mission,” he said. “And that would forward to the facts behind this place on Thursday night. Program, Greg Barrow, told an the WFP’s Congolese driver road had been declared “green” include any access to any advance tragic incident being soon estab- Nine Malian soldiers were online briefing Friday that the Moustapha Milambo were killed by the U.N. and cleared for travel information or contemporary lished, and so that the perpe- also wounded, five of them Feb. 22 mission to bring Ambas- on Monday when an armed without security escorts or information about the trips.” trators of this heinous attack can seriously, according to a mil- sador Luca Attanasio to a WFP group stopped them and armoured vehicles. He said that while the attack be brought to justice,” Leone said itary official who declined to school feeding program in ordered them out of their cars. The WFP says it is had prompted an automatic in a statement read by Barrow. be named. A local official also said there was a long exchange of fire with a large number of Niger President-elect fighters. Mali has been plagued by a brutal conflict that began as rules out power-sharing a separatist movement in the north but devolved into a mul- AL JAZEERA — NIAMEY “They were children. They titude of armed groups jock- are not protesters and they eying for control in the coun- Niger’s President-elect have no political vision. They try’s central and northern Mohamed Bazoum has ruled are thieves attacking Arabs and regions. out a power-sharing deal with Tuaregs’ shops.” The insecurity has spread the opposition and blamed it On Thursday, Niger’s across the arid scrublands of for bringing children from rural Interior Minister Alkache the Sahel, into Burkina Faso areas for post-election protests. Alhada told reporters that one and Niger, with groups Governing party candidate of the two deaths occurred as exploiting the poverty of mar- Bazoum was declared the a result of an epileptic fit while ginalised communities and winner of the country’s presi- the other person was shot dead. inflaming tensions between dential election runoff on There was also “destruction ethnic groups. Tuesday, setting off allegations of infrastructure, of public and Attacks grew fivefold of fraud by the opposition private property”, he added. between 2016 and 2020, with which also organised protests Bazoum belongs to the 4,000 people killed in the three in which at least two people small Awlad Suleiman tribe, countries last year, up from died and more than 400 were which exists in Chad and Libya. about 770 in 2016, according arrested. In Niger, the tribe is based on to the United Nations. The electoral commission its southeastern borders with Rebel attacks in central Clean-up drive said Bazoum secured 55.75 Chad. Mali typically involve roadside percent of the votes cast on Being the first Arab to be bombs or hit-and-run raids on Members of security forces stand guard as people clean a beach in the aftermath of an oil spill that February 21, while opposition named president, Bazoum said motorbikes or pickups. drenched much of the Mediterranean shoreline in Tyre nature reserve, Lebanon, yesterday. candidate and former President that he was reluctant in the Mahamane Ousmane garnered beginning to run for the presi- 44.25 percent. dency as he belonged to an Ousmane disputed the ethnic minority, but was con- Rwandan court rules it can try Hotel Rwanda hero announcement, saying he had vinced to do so by outgoing narrowly won with 50.3 President Mahamadou Issofou. AP — KIGALI about jurisdiction and present during a visit to Dubai in August terrorism. If convicted, he could percent of the vote. In an “I belong to this small tribe further arguments. “We cannot and appeared days later in face more than 20 years in interview, Bazoum said no but he encouraged me to run The terrorism trial of the man go ahead with the hearing of the Rwanda in handcuffs, accused prison. power-sharing deal was pos- for [the] presidency,” Bazoum who inspired the film “Hotel case without having our of supporting the armed wing of His family says Rusesa- sible as he won overwhelm- said. Rwanda” can be held in objection heard,” he said. his opposition political platform, bagina, praised for saving ethnic ingly, adding that “in our elec- “I am proud because we Rwanda, a judge there ruled on Rusesabagina has argued he which has claimed responsibility Tutsis during Rwanda’s 1994 toral system, it’s impossible to succeeded twice to transfer a Friday, rejecting Paul Rusesa- is a Belgian citizen who was kid- for deadly attacks. genocide and awarded the US. cheat”. civilian governance to another bagina’s argument that a court napped and taken to Rwanda, a He faces nine charges Presidential Medal of Freedom, “Their representatives were civilian governance in a dem- there cannot try him because country he left in 1996. The including the formation of an has no chance at a fair trial part of the whole voting ocratic system. I am also very he is no longer a citizen. judge, however, said the court armed group; membership in a because of his outspoken crit- process and then they agreed proud that people voted for a Rusesabagina’s lawyer, does not find it relevant to talk terrorist group; financing ter- icism of longtime Rwandan on that fraud,” Bazoum said, candidate from a small tribe Gatera Gashabana, said his about how he was detained. rorism; and murder, abduction President Paul Kagame and before addressing the pro- and that means people in Niger client will appeal the decision Rusesabagina disappeared and armed robbery as an act of human rights abuses. testers as “thieves”. are united and transcendent." 08 VIEWS SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 EU told to back vaccine passports Established in 1996 CHAIRMAN or Google may do it anyway DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI

IAN WISHART, VIKTORIA DENDRINOU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ARNE DELFS — BLOOMBERG DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected] As European Union leaders inched toward establishing bloc-wide vaccine certificates ACTING MANAGING EDITOR to enable countries to reopen MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED to travel, Commission Pres- [email protected] ident Ursula von der Leyen warned that Apple Inc. and Google will step into the DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR vacuum unless they hurry. MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI During a five-hour video [email protected] call, the EU’s 27 leaders focused on how to haul their nations back to a form of nor- malcy after a pandemic that’s EDITORIAL claimed more than 500,000 lives and shut down large parts of their economies. Promoting educational excellence While there was broad support for certificates of THE Ministry of Education and Higher Education in some sort, leaders didn’t A mock-up of a COVID-19 immunity passport. 2006 launched the Education Excellence Award with agree on the type of privileges an aim of honouring distinguished Qatari students, they would grant. von der Leyen urged the shutting borders should be “Typically in our industry teachers and schools to show appreciation to their con- “We have all agreed that group to move faster before proportionate and we have years to refine the tributions and encourage further efforts. we need vaccine certificates,” US tech companies fill the nondiscriminatory. process,” he said. “Here we The Award is meant to achieve excellence by hon- German Chancellor Angela void. “It is important to have a The convergence on pass- didn’t have that time, we ouring and celebrating outstanding achievements and Merkel said after the talks on European solution because ports comes with the bloc’s didn’t have that luxury. We contributions of Qatari students, teachers and schools, Thursday. “In the future, it otherwise others will go into tourism-dependent econ- had six months.” every year. The Award in its 14th edition will honour will certainly be good to have this vacuum,” she said at a omies, which suffered the During the leaders’ dis- tomorrow (Monday) 71 winners, in all categories, in the such a certificate but that will press briefing. “Google and steepest contractions last cussion, von der Leyen sought presence of top government officials, parents and a not mean that only those who Apple are already offering year, determined to open to reassure the group that any number of dignitaries. As Qatar is moving fast towards have such a passport will be solutions to the World Health their doors to those who have vaccine supply shortages will implementation of development strategy which places able to travel; about that, no Organization. And this is sen- been inoculated. Other soon be over. According to a high priority on education, the State has also sought to political decisions have been sitive information so we want nations, however, have slide shown to EU leaders develop its own educational system and upgrade it with made yet.” to be very clear here that we resisted such moves, citing a available doses in the fol- all means and resources available to serve this end. Europe’s leaders have offer a European solution.” lack of convincing evidence lowing quarters will be suffi- Thus promoting the education sector requires quan- been anxious to find a A spokesperson from the that vaccination halts trans- cient to vaccinate the bulk of titative and qualitative approaches in order to promote response after facing criticism WHO said the organization mission as well as concerns the bloc’s population by the quality of education and achieve perfection and excel- for a vaccination program has taken a software-neutral over granting certain citizens end of September. Draghi lence. Adoption of farsighted development vision neces- that lagged the US and U.K. approach to the development special privileges and legal wasn’t convinced, according to sitates putting excellence on top of educational pol- There’s also the prospect of a of a vaccination certification considerations. another official, saying deliv- icies, objectives, projects and programs harnessing third wave of infections and “neither Google nor Apple French President eries in the second and third resources to achieve its goals and long term targets. leading again to stricter are involved in this process.” Emmanuel Macron was more quarters couldn’t be predicted. To come to this end, there is always a need to focus lockdowns. A person familiar with skeptical during the discussion, Concerns over the vaccine on development of educational and research institu- It was the first such meeting Apple’s position on the matter voicing concerns about rollout come as governments tions, promote creativity, independent thinking and out- as prime minister of Italy for suggested that von der Leyen unknowns like the duration of are again grappling with rising standing initiatives, and focus on scientific achieve- Mario Draghi, the former had misunderstood the situ- immunity, the infection risk of numbers of infections. Paris is ments and in this context the Education Excellence European Central Bank pres- ation. Apple has never dis- those who have been vacci- among 20 French regions Awards have designated to recognize key categories ident. He asked leaders to cussed a possible vaccine nated as well as legal and ethical potentially facing tougher in the educational system. The Education Excellence adopt a more resolute and application with the WHO or issues regarding the protection COVID-19 restrictions from Awards have nine categories including award for stu- pragmatic approach to speed the EU, the person said on of personal data, two people next week as cases jump, Prime dents of primary schools, preparatory, and high school up vaccinations and told them condition of anonymity. familiar with his remarks said. Minister Jean Castex said. students. Further categories include awards for uni- the program has to move much “If we as European Union “We’ll have, in the end, a The government has asked versity graduates, PhD holders, distinguished teachers faster, according to an official don’t provide a solution, harmonious EU approach,” he health authorities to closely at three levels of education, as well as distinguished with knowledge of the call. somebody else will, whether told reporters. “It’s obvious monitor the situation in the school and an award for scientific research. Draghi also called for a it’s going to be the US big tech because there is no other capital and other districts as it Last month, the CEO of Education Excellence Award tougher approach against companies or somebody else, choice.” The summit came seeks to avoid a third Dr. Hamda Hassan Al Sulaiti announced the names of companies that don’t respect the solution will be provided,” after AstraZeneca Plc Chief nationwide lockdown, Castex the winners and the medals they will be honoured within delivery commitments, sug- Alex Patelis, chief economic Executive Officer Pascal said on Thursday. While France each category, calling on all winners to “maintain their gesting that their exports from adviser to Greek Prime Min- Soriot spoke to the European has seen an average of about excellence and work to leave unique and distinguished the EU could be blocked not ister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told Parliament and sought to 20,000 new cases a day since marks in their future”. only during the period they Bloomberg. “Let’s get the deflect blame for a shortfall in December, and intensive-care This year the honouring ceremony will be organised don’t respect accords, but also infrastructure ready.” Coun- coronavirus vaccine deliv- occupancy recently showed a under strict precautionary measures of COVID-19, which for a certain period afterward. tries including Germany and eries to Europe. slight gain to 67%, there’s an shows the determination and perseverance of the Qatari The growing support for a Belgium have come under fire Soriot said his company increasingly pronounced candidates in all categories and the winners who strived digital certificate with from the EU commission for would deliver 40 million regional variation. to get the honour despite the circumstances shaped common criteria such as vac- closing frontiers with other doses to the EU in the first “A lockdown is a tool that by COVID -19 pandemic. As it has been also stated by cination, negative testing or European nations to keep the quarter, with the volume set we have to resort to when we the ministry’s officials, the annual awards are playing a immunity was helped by virus under control. While to rise in coming months. can’t do anything else,” Castex key role in spreading the culture of creativity and Merkel seeming to soften her they said that nonessential Employees are working told a weekly news con- improving learning outcomes. They also motivate all stance on the matter, backing travel should be restricted, around the clock to increase ference in Paris. “We must do individuals and educational institutions to develop their work on such a document, their summit communique production, but perfecting the everything to put it off and performance and celebrate their efforts in educational according to two people included no new commit- process takes time and isn’t allow the vaccines time to attainment and academic study. familiar with her remarks. But ments, merely reiterating that without setbacks, he said. have an effect.”

Somalia’s politicians strike a last-minute deal but fears of conflict remain high

D-RING ROAD, POST BOX: 3488, DOHA - QATAR MAX BEARAK Thursday’s meeting did foreign advisers, while others with bullets. THE WASHINGTON POST EMAIL: [email protected] not yield a new date for the are more closely aligned with Earlier this week, the election, and Farmajo, who regional governments that president of one of Somalia’s In a late-night meeting on has become an increasingly have been at odds with the regions, Puntland, recounted EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE: TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 Thursday, Somalia’s prime controversial figure, was not government in Mogadishu in a widely viewed speech FAX: +974 4455 7758 minister persuaded oppo- directly involved in the over how elections should be how Farmajo had boasted to sition leaders to postpone agreement. held. him about having enough MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4462 7505 their plan for mass anti- While Somalia’s Western Efforts to bring all armed armed forces behind him to government protests and backers heralded the deal as a forces under federal control stay in power as long as he DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4455 7769 apologized for violence last step in the right direction, have succeeded in stream- wanted. Friday that targeted candi- security officials said the lining payrolls, codes of While a new constitution LOCAL NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7743 dates running in an election potential for conflict conduct, and restructuring its introduced in 2012 set out that was meant to take place remained high with security leadership but have not guidelines for the creation of BUSINESS NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4462 7535 this month but is now delayed forces increasingly under erased underlying divisions a constitutional court that indefinitely. pressure to take sides amid within them, Hassan said. would adjudicate disputes SPORT NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7745 Somalia is now in a pro- deepening political divisions. “It’s a predicament,” she between Somalia’s member tracted constitutional crisis, “As long as there’s no said. “The forces are not states as well as potential ONLINE SECTION: TEL: 4462 7501 with opposition leaders political agreement, we’re in a nationally integrated yet - presidential impeachment email: [email protected] claiming that president phase where we have no idea they are close, but they are proceedings, neither Farmajo Mohamed Abdullahi what will happen regarding not there yet. We cannot nor his predecessor took the PUBLIC RELATIONS: TEL: 4455 7613 Mohamed - commonly how the different armed allow them to slide back into necessary procedural steps to email: [email protected] known by his nickname forces will react if there is political or clan rivalries.” create the court. “Farmajo” - has overstayed sudden violence,” said Jihan In Mogadishu, the mood Some within the security ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 his mandate. Tensions spiked Abdullahi Hassan, a former on Thursday had been tense. establishment have begun to FAX: 4455 7870, email: [email protected] last Friday, leading to senior adviser to Somalia’s The city was choked with speak out about what they exchanges of gunfire on the defense minister. traffic as roads were closed perceive as Farmajo’s incli- CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7857 streets of the capital, Somalia has an array of ahead of the planned protests nation to use various email: [email protected] Mogadishu, heightening fears military units, some of which and residents stocked up on branches of the security the election dispute could are professionalized, federally essentials, fearing this Fri- forces to quell any opposition SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION: TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 spiral into civil conflict. controlled and trained by day’s protests would be met to him. FAX: 44557819, email: [email protected]

www.thepeninsula.qa Quote of the day /PeninsulaQatar

/ThePeninsulaQatar Carbon-cutting pledges by countries are very, very far from where we need to be. What we need to put /Peninsula_Qatar on the table is much more radical and much more transformative than we have been doing until now. /ThePeninsulaNewspaper Patricia Espinosa, UN Climate Chief +974 6698 6188 SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 OPINION 09 Countries' pledges to cut emissions are far too meagre to halt climate change

BRADY DENNIS goals," said Patricia Espinosa, pollution until emissions carbon dioxide equivalent THE WASHINGTON POST executive secretary of the UN levels peak around 2030. emissions, a category that Framework Convention on They have said they expect to includes not only carbon Climate Change. "While we stop adding to the global dioxide but also methane and Pledges made by so far by acknowledge the recent The UN analysis warming problem by 2060. other climate-warming countries around the globe to political shift in momentum The US, the world's agents. If that trend continues cut greenhouse gas emissions towards stronger climate comes as second-biggest emitter, only unchecked, scientists say, the fall strikingly short of the action throughout the world, presidents and just rejoined the Paris accord. world could begin to cross profound changes necessary decisions to accelerate and President Joe Biden has made troubling climate thresholds to avoid the most catastrophic broaden climate action every- prime ministers clear that he wants to put the within the coming decade. impacts of climate change, the where must be taken now." face pressure country on a path decar- The architects of the Paris United Nations said on Friday. Only two of the world's 18 to ramp up the bonize the electricity sector accord knew that the initial The UN analysis comes as largest emitters - the by 2035, and to eliminate the pledges that countries made in presidents and prime min- European Union and the promises they nation's carbon footprint 15 2015 were not enough to limit isters face pressure to ramp United Kingdom - submitted made as part of years after that. warming to acceptable levels - up the promises they made as plans with substantially "Nothing less than bold rather, they represented a part of the Paris climate bolder emissions-cutting the Paris climate action in this decade can set the down payment that made the accord in 2015. Through the plans in 2020. So far, they are accord in 2015. entire world on the path that unprecedented international end of last year, roughly 75 the exception among the we have confidence will get to agreement possible. The countries representing about globe's biggest carbon Through the end of net-zero emissions by 2050 - expectation was always that The US, the world's 30% of global emissions had polluters. last year, roughly or earlier," Biden's climate nations would grow more second-biggest updated their initial plans "One thing that gets lost in 75 countries envoy, John Kerry, told the UN ambitious with time. emitter, only just ahead of a key UN climate this report's top-line findings Security Council earlier this Global emissions have summit this fall in Scotland. is the deeply encouraging representing about week, adding, "For those that continued to rise. Countries rejoined the Paris But so far, UN officials news that a number of coun- 30% of global argue that climate action is just have failed to hit even accord. President reported Friday, those more tries put forward really bold too expensive, study after study modest targets. And the con- ambitious pledges are hardly climate targets last year, such emissions had confirms that now at this this sequences of a warming Joe Biden has made ambitious enough. Even if as Colombia, Argentina, the updated their initial moment in our history, inaction world have become ever clear that he wants countries follow through, United Kingdom and the comes with a far higher price more tangible, deadly and their combined impacts European Union," Helen plans ahead of a tag than action." expensive. to put the country on would put the world on a path Mountford, vice president for key UN climate The UN analysis on Friday "The warning signs are a path decarbonize to achieve only a 1% reduction climate and economics at the echoed the findings of everywhere," UN Secretary- in global emissions by 2030, World Resources Institute, summit this fall in another report from earlier General Antonio Guterres the electricity sector compared to 2010 levels. By said in a statement. Scotland. this month, which found that said earlier this month on the by 2035, and to contrast, scientists have said "The problem is that those the current national pledges day the United States for- eliminate the nation's that emissions must fall by taking ambitious action are strengthen their efforts at all. to cut emissions are woefully mally rejoined the Paris nearly 50% this decade for the being overshadowed by a few These laggards must stop fid- weak. Even if countries were accord. "The six years since carbon footprint 15 world to realistically have a countries that are lagging dling while the world burns." to meet their existing pledges, 2015 have been the six years after that. shot at avoiding devastating behind like Brazil and Mexico, China, the world's largest that study found, the world hottest years on record. temperature rise. which put forward new plans emitter, has a developing has only about a 5% chance to Carbon dioxide levels are at "Current levels of climate that have even weaker targets economy that relies heavily limit the Earth's warming to record highs. Fires, floods ambition are very far from than what they put forward on coal-burning power plants. "well below" 2 degrees Celsius and other extreme weather putting us on a pathway that five years ago, and Australia The Chinese have no plans to (3.6 Fahrenheit) over prein- events are getting worse, in will meet our Paris agreement and Russia, which did not begin scaling back their dustrial levels - a key aim of every region. If we don't the international agreement. change course, we could face Adrian Raftery, a Uni- a catastrophic temperature versity of Washington statistics rise of more than 3 degrees professor and co-author of the this century." study, and a colleague calcu- Aubrey Webson, chair of lated that global emissions the Alliance of Small Island would need to fall steadily - States, a group of 44 islands about 1.8% each year on and low-lying coastal states average - to put the world on a around the world that act as a more sustainable trajectory. bloc at international climate While no two countries are talks, said Friday that alike, that amounts to overall promises from countries to be emissions reductions roughly carbon neutral by 2050 are 80% more ambitious than largely meaningless without those pledged under the Paris more immediate, concrete agreement, he said. plans to cut emissions. In many respects, the race "This report confirms the to slow the Earth's warming shocking lack of urgency, and amounts to a harrowing math genuine action," Webson, an equation. Emissions have ambassador from Antigua and risen about 1.4% annually on Barbuda, said in a statement. average over the past decade, "We are flirting dangerously not including the abnormal with the 1.5C warming limit plunge in 2020 driven by the that the world agreed we coronavirus pandemic. need to stay within. It is small In 2019, the world logged island developing states like the highest emissions ever ours that will pay the ultimate Firefighting efforts continue at the site of a wildfire in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, yesterday. recorded, at 59 billion tons of price if we do not." UK Supreme Court’s Uber decision is a victory for all gig workers workers”, which entitles them refusing to give them basic court struck down a regime of pay for men and women, and to employment rights. employment rights and employment tribunal fees, protection from discrimi- The court reasoned that protections. noting that if people do not nation, apply to “workers”, a “the transportation service per- The Supreme Court have unimpeded access to the legal category with the same formed by drivers and offered addressed this issue in its latest courts to demand the definition in the bloc’s 27 to passengers through the Uber decision against Uber head-on. enforcement of the laws member states. So, the fact app is very tightly defined and In particular, it held that courts passed by Parliament, “the that Uber drivers were held to JASON MOYER-LEE controlled by Uber… [It] is and tribunals should not treat democratic election of be “workers” in the UK would AL JAZEERA designed and organised in such these contracts as the starting Members of Parliament may likely be persuasive for courts a way as to provide a stand- point of their analysis, because become a meaningless across the EU considering ardised service to passengers in “an employer is often in a charade”. whether the company’s drivers For the past few years, the which drivers are perceived as position to dictate such con- And in 2019, after Prime are entitled to the same rights “gig economy” business substantially interchangeable tract terms” and “the indi- Minister Boris Johnson there. Beyond Europe, from model – in which workers are and from which Uber, rather vidual performing the work attempted to shut down Par- India to the US, the decision classified as independent than individual drivers, obtains has little or no ability to liament for several weeks, the has been hailed as a symbolic contractors and therefore not the benefit of customer loyalty influence those terms”. Supreme Court ruled the precedent for regulators and given basic employment and goodwill.” The effect of the Uber decision unlawful. Indeed, it is courts. rights – has been on trial For anyone who has taken decision is that it will now be a hypocritical peculiarity of Although employment across the world. an Uber before, this even harder for employers to British politics in recent years laws differ between countries, From Uruguay and the assessment is no shocker. The use their contracts to mis- that despite a Brexit campaign Uber’s defence in workers’ United States to Australia and decision is also not surprising classify their workers and fought by some – ostensibly – rights cases is usually the With its latest France, couriers and drivers as Uber had already lost three deprive them of basic rights. to protect the sovereign role same: it claims to be a tech- decision against have been bringing legal chal- times in a row before the case This means that any attempt of Parliament, it is the nology, rather than transpor- Uber, the Supreme lenges against food delivery reached the Supreme Court. by Uber to squirm out of the Supreme Court, rather than tation, company, acting as an and passenger transport com- Nevertheless, this decision decision by changing the con- the Brexiteer government in intermediary between drivers Court sent the panies, such as Uber, Lyft, and still has dramatic implications tracts – as the company has power, that has become the and passengers. The fact that a message to all UK Deliveroo, arguing that as for workers. already hinted at – will be all institution’s staunchest panel of six justices of the UK’s their “workers” or “Gig economy” companies but hopeless in the courts. defender. highest court has unanimously workers that it “employees” they should be often make the people who With last week’s decision With its latest decision rejected this absurd assertion would not allow gig entitled to employment pro- work for them sign highly against Uber, the Supreme against Uber, the Supreme is likely to be persuasive for tections such as minimum sophisticated contracts that Court also underlined its Court sent the message to all courts around the world grap- economy companies wage, paid holidays and the are designed to make it look commitment to ensuring that UK workers that it would not pling with the same issue. to trample right to unionise. like they are independent the laws passed by Parliament allow gig economy companies In the US, there are mul- The United Kingdom has entrepreneurs rather than the – in this case laws that aim to to trample employment rights tiple definitions of “employee” employment rights been one of the main battle- companies’ employees. When protect vulnerable workers and protections that have across state and federal laws. and protections grounds for such cases and the issue goes to court, the from exploitative employers – been enshrined in law by their However, the courts often that have been things have not gone well for companies rely on these con- are being fully implemented. elected representatives. consider the control a the companies: they have lost tracts to argue their case. The UK Supreme Court The impact of the decision company exerts over a enshrined in law virtually every high-profile These contracts are key to the has been bolstering the role of is likely to be felt beyond Brit- worker as a key factor when by their elected workers’ rights case that has functioning of the “gig Parliament for a while now. ain’s shores as well. deciding whether that worker been brought against them. economy” because they are In 2017, the court held that For example, some of the is entitled to employment representatives. And last week, they lost the main mechanism through despite the Brexit referendum worker’s rights the Supreme rights or not. So, the UK again. In a landmark decision which the companies try to vote, then-Prime Minister Court considered in last week’s Supreme Court’s extensive published on February 19, the disguise the otherwise blind- Theresa May could not take decision come from European discussion of how Uber con- UK Supreme Court ruled that ingly obvious fact that they the UK out of the European Union (EU) law. In EU law, trols its drivers will likely be Uber drivers belong to the are hiring workers and telling Union without an act of Par- various employment rights, helpful to drivers arguing legal category of “limb (b) them how to do their jobs but liament. Later that year, the such as paid holidays, equal their cases across the pond. 10 ASIA SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 Myanmar police launch sweeping crackdown

REUTERS — YANGON nesses said. “People are protesting Police launched their most peacefully but they’re threat- sweeping crackdown in three In the main city of ening us with weapons,” youth weeks of protests against Yangon, police took up activist Shar Yamone told military rule yesterday in positions at usual Reuters. towns and cities across protest sites and “We’re fighting to end to Myanmar, and one woman this military bullying which was shot and wounded and detained people as they has been going on for gener- dozens of people were congregated, witnesses ation after generation.” Some detained. said. Several journalists protesters threw up barricades Three domestic media were detained, their across streets. Crowds even- outlets said earlier that the media organisations and tually thinned but police in woman shot in the central Yangon were still chasing town of Monwya had died but colleagues said. groups and firing into the air an ambulance service official Confrontations in the late afternoon, wit- said she was in hospital. The developed as more nesses said. Police detained circumstances of the shooting people came out despite numerous people through the were not clear and police were day and set upon some with the police operation. A riot police officer fires a teargas canister to disperse protesters taking part in a rally against the not available for comment. clubs. military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, yesterday. The violence came after Similar scenes played out Myanmar’s UN envoy, saying in the second city of Mandalay he was speaking for the ousted and other towns, witnesses as an independent media UN Special Rapporteur Suu Kyi, 75, spent nearly civilian government, urged the cities and towns from early and media said. Among those website on Friday quoted offi- Tom Andrews said he was 15 years under house arrest United Nations to use “any yesterday in their most deter- detained in Mandalay was Win cials of her party as saying she overwhelmed by the ambas- during military rule. She faces means necessary” to reverse mined effort yet to stamp out Mya Mya, one of two Muslim had been moved this week sador’s “act of courage”, charges of illegally importing the Feb. 1 coup. the protests. members of parliament for from house arrest to an undis- adding on Twitter “It’s time for six walkie-talkie radios and of Myanmar has been in In the main city of Yangon, Suu Kyi’s National League for closed location. the world to answer that cou- violating a natural disaster law turmoil since the army seized police took up positions at Democracy (NLD), media said. Activists called for another rageous call with action”. by breaching coronavirus power and detained elected usual protest sites and Aye Aye Tint, a protester day of protests on Sunday. China’s envoy did not crit- protocols. leader Aung San Suu Kyi and detained people as they con- in the central town of Monwya At the UN General icise the coup and said the sit- A lawyer for her, Khin much of her party leadership, gregated, witnesses said. said police had fired water Assembly on Friday, Myan- uation was an internal Maung Zaw, told Reuters he alleging fraud in a November Several journalists were cannon as they surrounded a mar’s Ambassador Kyaw Moe Myanmar affair, adding that had also heard that she had election her party won in a detained, their media organ- crowd. Tun said he was speaking on China supported a diplomatic been moved from her home in landslide. isations and colleagues said. Junta leader General Min behalf of Suu Kyi’s government effort by southeast Asian the capital, Naypyitaw, but The coup, which stalled Confrontations developed Aung Hlaing has said author- and appealed for help. countries to find a solution. could not confirm it. Author- Myanmar’s progress toward as more people came out ities have been using minimal “We need further strongest The Myanmar generals ities did not respond to a democracy, has brought hun- despite the police operation. force. Nevertheless, at least possible action from the inter- have traditionally shrugged off request for comment. dreds of thousands of pro- Crowds chanted and sang three protesters have died national community to imme- diplomatic pressure. Aus- The lawyer said he had testers onto the streets and then scattered into side streets over the days of turmoil. The diately end the military coup,” tralia’s Woodside Petroleum been given no access to Suu drawn condemnation from and buildings as police army says a policeman was he said. Ltd said it was cutting its Kyi ahead of her next hearing Western countries, with some advanced, firing tear gas, killed in earlier violence. Reuters was not immedi- presence in Myanmar over on Monday and he was con- imposing limited sanctions. setting off stun grenades and Uncertainty has grown ately able to contact the army concern about rights viola- cerned about her access to Police were out in force in shooting guns into the air, wit- over Suu Kyi’s whereabouts, for comment. tions and violence. justice and legal counsel. 7-day lockdown in Auckland after new case Australia moves closer REUTERS — WELLINGTON Health officials, who could trying to find out whether the seen just over 2,000 cases of not immediately confirm how new case was linked to the the coronavirus since the start New Zealand’s Prime Minister the person got infected, said earlier February cluster, now of the pandemic. to pre-pandemic life Jacinda Ardern said yesterday genome sequencing of the new at 12 infections. A marquee Twenty20 that the country’s biggest city, infection was under way. The lockdown, with Level 3 cricket clash in Auckland REUTERS — MELBOURNE Auckland, will go into a seven- The patient developed restrictions, will allow people between New Zealand and Aus- sporting events. day lockdown from early today symptoms on Tuesday and is to leave home only for essential tralia, scheduled for Friday, will Life across Australia inched Australia has fared better after a new local case of the regarded as having been poten- shopping and essential work, be played in Wellington without toward pre-pandemic than most advanced econ- coronavirus of unknown origin tially infectious since Sunday, Ardern said. Public venues will crowds, said New Zealand normal yesterday, with New omies thanks to swift border emerged. officials said. The person has remain closed. Restrictions in Cricket. South Wales and South closures, high community This comes two weeks after visited several public venues the rest of the country will be The new restrictions also Australia states allowing compliance with public health Auckland’s nearly 2 million res- during that period. tightened to Level 2 restrictions, complicated the America’s Cup some dancing and Victoria measures and aggressive idents were plunged into a snap “Based on this, we are in the including limits on public Event yacht race scheduled to permitting larger crowds at testing and tracing. It has three-day lockdown when a unfortunate but necessary gatherings. start on March 6 in Auckland’s sporting events. reported fewer than 29,000 family of three were diagnosed position to protect Aucklanders New Zealand, one of the harbour. The three states, home to coronavirus infections and with the more transmissible UK again,” Ardern said, announcing most successful developed America’s Cup Event said on nearly two-thirds of Aus- 909 COVID-19 deaths. variant of the new coronavirus the lockdown. nations in controlling the Twitter it was working “through tralia’s 25 million people, On Monday, the country that causes COVID-19. Health authorities were spread of the pandemic, has the implications.” recorded no community began vaccinations pro- transmissions on Saturday of gramme, with about 60,000 the new coronavirus that Pfizer/BioNTech doses Bangladesh under ‘no causes COVID-19. For New administered to priority pop- South Wales, the most pop- ulations, such as aged-care obligation’ to shelter ulous state, it was 41st and disability staff, and straight day without a local border protection and quar- 81 Rohingya refugees case. antine workers. The state, in addition to Foreign Minister Marise allowing up to 30 people to Payne said she received the REUTERS — DHAKA dance at weddings, eased first dose of a COVID-19 further restrictions on the vaccine on Saturday as part Bangladesh is under “no obligation” to shelter number of visitors at home. of the rollout that aims to 81 Rohingya Muslim refugees adrift for almost South Australia state allowed offer immunisations to all two weeks on the Andaman Sea and being some club dancing from Australians by October. assisted by neighbouring India, said Bang- Friday. “The timing of the vacci- ladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen. People in Victoria, which nation will also help facilitate India’s coast guard found the 81 survivors this month imposed a five- possible international travel and eight dead crammed onto a crippled day strict lockdown after a in the near future so we can fishing boat and were trying to arrange for small outbreak of the coro- continue to prosecute vital Bangladesh to take them, Indian officials said navirus, woke up yesterday national interests with our on Friday. to rules allowing stadiums to international partners,” Payne But Momen told Reuters late on Friday seat 50% of capacity for said in a statement. that Bangladesh expects India, the closest country, or Myanmar, the Rohingyas’ country of origin, to accept them. A file photo of Rohingya refugees sitting on a makeshift boat after crossing the Bangladesh- “They are not Bangladesh nationals and Myanmar border, at Shah Porir Dwip near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. in fact, they are Myanmar nationals. They Taiwan may administer own were found 1,700km away from the Bang- ladesh maritime territory and therefore, we The refugees have been drifting in inter- home-made vaccine by July have no obligation to take them,” said Momen, national waters after leaving southern Bang- More than 1 million Rohingya REUTERS — TAIPEI who is in the United States. ladesh on February 11 in the hope of reaching Taiwan had agreed to buy “They were located 147km away from refugees from predominantly Malaysia. Taiwan could begin adminis- almost 20 million vaccine Indian territory, 324km away from Buddhist Myanmar are living in Yesterday, they were under the aid and tering its home-made doses, including 10 million Myanmar,” he said by phone, adding other teeming camps in Muslim-majority surveillance of India as officials were holding COVID-19 vaccines as early as from AstraZeneca and 4.76 countries and organisations should take care Bangladesh, including tens of talks to return them to Bangladesh, said the July, the health minister said on million doses from the COVAX of the refugees. thousands who fled after senior Indian official who is not authorised Friday, with the island still global vaccine programme. Indian foreign ministry officials did not to speak to the media. awaiting the arrival of imported The island is also getting respond to requests for comment. Myanmar’s military conducted a The boat, which sailed from the massive vaccines to begin its immuni- five million doses from US External Affairs Ministry spokesman deadly crackdown in 2017. Cox’s Bazar refugee camp, was carrying 56 sation campaign. drugmaker Moderna Inc and Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday that India women, eight girls, 21 men and five boys. Taiwan has kept the pan- the government is working to was “in discussions with the Government of Many of the survivors, according to Indian demic well under control grant them emergency-use Bangladesh to ensure their safe and secure More than 1 million Rohingya refugees officials, were sick and suffering from extreme thanks to early and effective approval. repatriation.” from predominantly Buddhist Myanmar are dehydration, having run out of food and water prevention, with less than 40 Security officials had India’s foreign ministry did not respond living in teeming camps in Muslim-majority after the boat’s engine failed four days into active cases, but it has not yet expressed concerns over an to requests for comment on whether it would Bangladesh, including tens of thousands who their journey. received any vaccines from offer from China to Taiwanese accept the refugees onto Indian soil. fled after Myanmar’s military conducted a “Has Bangladesh been given the global abroad. in China priority for COVID-19 One senior Indian official, who declined deadly crackdown in 2017. contract and responsibility to take and reha- Health Minister Chen Shih- vaccines, describing it as ploy to be named as he was not authorized to Traffickers often lure Rohingya refugees bilitate all the Rohingya or boat people of the chung told the parliament to win favour with the island’s discuss the matter with media, said India with promises of work in Southeast Asian world?” Momen said. “No, not at all.” Momen human trials had begun for two population. planned to help the refugees with food and countries like Malaysia. said the UNHCR should also take responsi- vaccines separately developed China claims Taiwan as its water, but it was not planning to take them The United Nations refugee agency, bility as many people on the boat hold ID by Taiwan-based Medigen own territory and has not given ashore. UNHCR, expressed alarm this week over the cards from the UNHCR office in Vaccine Biologics and United up the use of force to bring the New Delhi did not sign the 1951 Refugee missing boat. Bangladesh. Biomedical Inc Asia. island under its control. Taiwan Convention, which spells out refugee rights India on Thursday said around 47 of the “If (the refugees) are UNHCR card holders, “If everything goes well, we has banned imports of vaccines and state responsibilities to protect them. Nor occupants of the boat are in possession of ID why did they allow traffickers to take their could start administering from China, and officials have does it have a law protecting refugees, though cards issued to them by the UNHCR office in card holders to adrift on the high sea leading domestically-made vaccines in repeatedly spoken of health it currently hosts more than 200,000, Bangladesh, stating that they are displaced to death?” UNHCR officials were not imme- July,” Chen said without “risks” related to Chinese including some Rohingya. Myanmar nationals. diately reachable for comment. elaborating. vaccines. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 ASIA 11 China may hike defence spending as tensions rise

REUTERS — HONG KONG/BEIJING Chinese-claimed Taiwan and Washington-based Centre for September. That excludes said a rumour last year that the through disputed territory in the Strategic and Budgetary Assess- outlays on research and devel- United States was considering a China is expected to reveal a South China Sea, to Beijing’s ments and former Australian opment and foreign weapons plan to use MQ-9 drones to robust increase in defence anger. defence official, expects a rise of buying, and the Pentagon esti- attack islands or reefs in the The new administration spending at the March 5 annual “China is facing the most about 7%. mated that real spending in 2019 South China Sea in a so-called of President Joe Biden opening of parliament, as its severe security situation since “That is less than some could be more than $200bn. “October Surprise” would have has moved quickly to economy rebounds from the the Korean War,” said Ni people might expect and the The Stockholm International given China a keener sense of COVID-19 pandemic and Lexiong, a retired professor at reason for that is the Chinese Peace Research Institute esti- crisis about the security remind Beijing that the military tensions rise, Chinese the Shanghai University of economy is still not in great mated China spent $261 billion situation. United States intends to and Western security experts Political Science and Law. shape.” China’s economy grew on its military in 2019. Beijing took the rumour seri- compete with China’s said. He predicts a substantial just 2.3% in 2020, although it The United States spent ously enough to seek formal growing influence and With the coronavirus ham- hike in China’s military budget, was the only major economy not $732bn, or about 3.4% of GDP, clarification from the Pentagon military strength in the mering its economy, China last citing US arms sales to Taiwan, to contract, and is expected to on its military in 2019. and subsequently publicised US year announced a 6.6 percent regular deployments of US air- see growth of 8.4% percent this If Beijing does announce a denials, he added. Asia-Pacific. In recent boost in defence spending to craft carriers off the China coast year, a Reuters poll found. sharp increase, it would signal Wang said US moves to weeks, powerful US $178bn, the lowest rate of and the recent presence of a China’s Defence Ministry did an intention to intensify military restrict Chinese access to mil- warship fleets have increase in three decades. French warship and nuclear not respond to a request for operations against Taiwan or itary equipment and technology sailed near Chinese- The new administration of submarine in the South China comment. Many Western experts assert Chinese sovereignty over would force China to invest claimed Taiwan and President Joe Biden has moved Sea. believe Beijing’s real military other disputed territory in the more on homegrown research quickly to remind Beijing that “Looking at public opinion, outlays are far higher than South China Sea or East China and development. through disputed the United States intends to it has become more urgent to official figures. Sea, Babbage and other Western “The US military wants to territory in the South compete with China’s growing take back Taiwan militarily. That China’s published military analysts said. preserve its overwhelming China Sea, to Beijing’s influence and military strength is why the budget will surely rise spending for 2019 was $174 Wang Xiangsui, a retired advantage in nuclear and space, anger. in the Asia-Pacific. In recent sharply,” he said. billion adjusted for inflation, or senior colonel in the People’s and China wants to upset this. weeks, powerful US warship Ross Babbage, a non-res- 1.3 percent of GDP, according to Liberation Army and a professor More spending is definitely fleets have sailed near ident fellow at the an annual Pentagon report in at Beihang University in Beijing, needed,” Wang said. Hong Kong activists summoned by police in national security case

BLOOMBERG — HONG KONG month have been summoned organise an unofficial primary this weekend, the South China in July to nominate opposition Hong Kong opposition figures Morning Post reported, citing candidates for a legislative arrested in a historic subversion the activists. Former University election that the Hong Kong sweep last month have been of Hong Kong law professor government later postponed. summoned to report to police, Benny Tai, a key proponent of They were accused of sub- suggesting the national security the “Occupy Central” protests version under a China-drafted case against them is acceler- that rocked the city in 2014, told national security law imposed ating. local media he was among on the former British colony in Several prominent activists those ordered to report. Former June without public debate. among the more than 50 lawmaker Claudia Mo also said The sweep showed how rounded up on Jan. 6 said she was contacted by police. much Chinese President Xi Friday that they have been “Informed by the national Jinping has tipped the balance of ordered to turn themselves in security department about the power back to the government again a month earlier than pre- subversion of state power case; after a historic wave of viously scheduled. Some need to report in advance to the democracy protests gripped including district councilors Western police station at 2pm. Hong Kong for months in 2019. Fergus Leung, Lester Shum and today,” said Shum, a former The law carries sentences as long Cheng Tat-hung, said sepa- student leader elected to a Dis- as life in prison depending on the rately on their Facebook pages trict Council seat in 2019. severity of the offense. Medical workers wait to receive the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the National Medical that they expected to be for- “Expect to be charged US Secretary of State Antony Center, in Seoul yesterday. mally charged in preparation officially.” Blinken has called the sweep an for prosecution in the courts. The Hong Kong police “assault on those bravely advo- So far, 52 of the 55 former didn’t immediately respond to cating for universal rights” in South Korea vaccinates 18,000 to lawmakers and activists a request for comment Friday. Hong Kong and vowed to support start ambitious COVID-19 campaign arrested in the sweep last The activists had helped the activists targeted. REUTERS — SEOUL Malaysia receives Sinovac vaccine for regulatory testing The government hopes to has also reached agreements reach herd immunity, defined with Moderna Inc, Novavax Inc BLOOMBERG — JAKARTA population. The roll-out is still process, is safe, Science, Tech- South Korea said 18,489 people as at least a 70% vaccine and Johnson & Johnson for subject to regulatory approval. nology and Innovation Minister received their first doses of take-up, by November, as vaccines. Malaysia received China’s Malaysia has secured 66.7 Khairy Jamaluddin said in a AstraZeneca PLC’s vaccine by health authorities remain on South Korea reported 415 Sinovac vaccine yesterday, the million doses of the Covid-19 briefing yesterday. While the midnight on Friday as it alert for signs of sporadic infections of the new corona- second brand of COVID-19 shots vaccine from producers, government would prefer the launched an ambitious infections. virus for Friday. The country days after the Southeast Asian including Sinovac, AstraZeneca vaccine to be approved as COVID-19 inoculation The first AstraZeneca vac- has recorded 89,321 infections country kicked off its inoculation Plc, Sputnik V, and CanSinoBio, quickly as possible, “there’s no campaign, and began using cines are to be administered to and 1,595 COVID-19 deaths, the program. enough to inoculate nearly 110% shortcut,” he said. Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines 289,000 people, while about Korea Disease Control and Pre- The vaccine arrived in bulk of the population. Pfizer remains “We take note of where yesterday. 55,000 healthcare workers in vention Agency said. totalling 200 litres, which will the only manufacturer to receive these vaccines are being used The first to receive the shots coronavirus treatment facilities The authorities are then be processed into 300,000 the government’s conditional around the world but we have are healthcare workers, staffers will receive first batch of the extending social distancing doses, according to Pharmaniaga approval for usage, and is set to our own regulatory agency,” he at assisted care facilities and vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc rules by two weeks nationwide, Bhd., the firm that will package deliver a total 32 million dosages. said. other high-risk people, with a and BioNTech SE supplied including a ban on private gath- and distribute the shots. The The Sinovac doses arrived “The government’s position goal of vaccinating 32 million through the COVAX global erings of more than four, to company last month signed an in bulk so that the country’s reg- is to please take whatever that to 36 million people — some vaccine-sharing programme. blunt the coronavirus surge, agreement for Sinovac Biotech ulatory agency can conduct sta- the National Pharmaceutical 60% to 70% of the population Aside from AstraZeneca, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun Ltd. to supply 14 million doses in bility testing to ensure that the Regulatory Agency has — by September. Pfizer and COVAX, South Korea on Friday. stages that will cover 22% of the vaccine, and its manufacturing approved.” Forbidden fruit: Taiwan Philippines set to start vaccination drive urges people to eat more BLOOMBERG — MANILA The Philippines will receive pineapples after China ban more than 1.1 million shots of COVID-19 vaccines in two days, allowing the nation to kickstart REUTERS — TAIPEI together!” Taiwan’s ruling an inoculation effort weeks Democratic Progressive after some of its neighbors Taiwan President Tsai Party (DPP) said on top of started theirs and as its daily Ing-wen called on people to ongoing “military intimi- infections are escalating. eat more pineapples to help dation”, Beijing is also using The first batch, 600,000 farmers on Friday, saying the import ban to exert eco- doses donated by Sinovac Taiwan had been nomic pressure on Taiwan, Biotech Ltd., will arrive today, “ambushed” by a ban on the which counts China among followed by 525,600 doses of fruit by neighbouring long- its top trading partners AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccines time rival China which despite political tensions. tomorrow through the Covax claims the island as its own. “This is not the first time facility, presidential spokesman China said on Friday China has used agricultural Harry Roque said. The gov- that starting in March it exports to other countries ernment is confident “many” would suspend imports of as political threats,” the DPP health care workers would use pineapples from sub- said in a statement. the vaccine from the Chinese tropical Taiwan, citing Beijing, which has never company, he said. “harmful creatures” it said renounced the use of force The local Food and Drug could come with the fruit, to bring Taiwan under its Administration has said it’s threatening China’s own control, has carried out against the use of the Sinovac agriculture. repeated air missions in the vaccine for health care workers, The move prompted southwestern corner of Tai- citing low efficacy for those fre- A woman wearing a face mask and a face shield as protection against the coronavirus disease checks condemnation from Tai- wan’s air defence identifi- quently exposed to the virus. her temperature at a community quarantine checkpoint, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. wan’s ruling party and Tsai cation zone in recent months. Still, the health department said in a Facebook post that Taiwan’s air force said on Friday that a panel of On Friday, he signed a law that Friday not to require COVID-19 cases rose 2,921 yesterday, after the island’s agricultural scrambled for a second its own experts declared the would hasten vaccine pro- testing for domestic travelers adding 2,651 on Friday. exports met international straight day last weekend vaccine as beneficial and added curement and give manufac- unless required by localities, Metro Manila, Baguio City standards. after a dozen Chinese fighter it would leave health workers turers indemnity for adverse Roque said. and Davao City will stay in “China sent an ambush- aircraft and bombers carried to decide if they want to take side-effects. Any examinations will be general community quarantine like notice, unilaterally sus- out drills close to Taiwan- the shots. The AstraZeneca shots limited to RT-PCR tests and through March, along with the pending the imports of controlled islands in the dis- President Rodrigo Duterte make up the first round of the travellers aren’t required to provinces of Batangas, Apayao, Taiwan pineapples. This puted South China Sea. has said the entire country, 44 million doses under the quarantine unless they exhibit Kalinga, Mountain Province and obviously was not a normal Taiwan exported about which has the second-highest World Health Organization- symptoms upon arrival, he said. Lanao del Sur and the cities of trade decision,” Tsai wrote 46,000 metric tons of pine- infections in Southeast Asia and backed Covax facility to inoc- The relaxed testing protocol Tacloban and Iligan, Roque without elaboration. apples last year, and more is facing limited vaccine sup- ulate 20% of the nation’s pop- comes even as daily infections said. “To support the farmers, than 90% of them were sold plies this quarter, will not be ulation, Roque said. have escalated at the fastest All other parts of the let’s eat pineapples all to China, the DPP said. placed under looser quarantine The agency tasked with bat- pace since October. country will remain under curbs until shots are rolled out. tling the pandemic agreed The nation’s COVID-19 looser restrictions, he added. 12 EUROPE SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 Italy tightens curbs as virus cases rise REUTERS — ROME Three regions moved from needed,” said Gianni Rezza, a yellow to orange zones: Lom- With regional restrictions, senior health ministry adviser. Italy’s government yesterday bardy and Piedmont, which are gyms remain closed On Friday, in one of his first ramped up restrictions in five centred on the wealthy virtually nationwide and decisions in managing the of the country’s 20 regions in northern cities of Milan and health crisis since taking office an effort to head off a rise in Turin respectively, and the opening hours for earlier this month, Prime Min- COVID-19 cases as scientists central coastal region of restaurants are limited. ister Mario Draghi named Fab- warned of a growing preva- Marche. In these areas restau- rizio Curcio as the new head of lence of highly contagious new rants are closed except for take- the Civil Protection Agency variants. aways and people are not new daily cases, up from 19,886 replacing Angelo Borrelli. Italy has established a four- allowed to leave their towns the day before. Over the last five No reason was given for tier colour-coded system except for emergencies, work days, new cases have increased Borrelli’s removal. (white, yellow, orange and red) and health reasons. by 35% by comparison with the With regional restrictions, which allows for measures to The island of Sardinia same period last week. gyms remain closed virtually be calibrated according to became the first region to be Italy also reported 253 coro- nationwide and opening hours infection levels, with assess- named a white zone, with only navirus-related deaths on for restaurants are limited. Such ments revised every week. minimal restrictions. Friday against 308 the day curbs will almost certainly be For the first time since the Saturday’s decision means before. Deaths always lag the confirmed until after Easter. Enforcing rules end of January, two regions — that as of Monday, when it rise in cases. Looking to instil some French Police officers check on a person during the first local Basilicata and Molise — were becomes effective, two regions “Many outbreaks are due to optimism, Culture Minister weekend lockdown imposed to slow the rate of COVID-19 spread, shunted into the strictest red will be classified as red, nine as the (new) variants. I am con- Dario Franceschini said the zone. This means restaurants orange, eight as yellow and one cerned about the progress of the government was considering in Nice, France, yesterday. On Friday, France reported 25,207 new must be shuttered, movement as white. On Friday, the health epidemic. We must keep up our reopening cinemas and theatres confirmed cases and 286 new deaths from the coronavirus. The severely restricted and all but ministry signalled a continued guard and we must intervene in low-risk yellow areas from seven-day moving average of new cases increased to 21,608, a essential shops closed. rise in infections, with 20,499 promptly and strongly where March 27. new 2021 high. Spanish report calls for killing of more than 850 cattle on pariah ship REUTERS — CARTAGENA, SPAIN months. The cattle was rejected cattle had bluetongue disease. tested “to prove if there is any pariah. Several countries experts counted 864 animals by several countries over fears “It is not even mentioned, bluetongue”. refused it entry even to alive on board. Twenty-two More than 850 cows that spent they had bovine bluetongue which is very surprising,” said The Agriculture Ministry did replenish animal feed, forcing cows died at sea, with two months aboard a ship virus. The insect-borne virus Miquel Masramon, a lawyer not immediately respond to a the cows to go several days with corpses still aboard. The wandering across the Mediter- causes lameness and haemor- representing the ship owner request for comment. It said just water. remains of the others that died ranean are not fit for transport rhaging among cattle. Blue- Talia Shipping Line. The ship is earlier on Friday that it would The cows likely have severe were chopped up and thrown anymore and should be killed, tongue does not affect humans. registered in Lebanon, make appropriate decisions health problems after their overboard during the journey, according to a confidential The veterinarians’ report according to VesselFinder. after analysing information “hellish” crossing, said animal the report said. report by Spanish government concluded that the animals had “My impression is that they from the inspection. rights activist Silvia Barquero, Ownership of the cattle is veterinarians seen by Reuters. suffered from the lengthy will definitely go ahead with the The vessel originally left director of the Igualdad Animal unclear. The exporter, World The cows were kept in what journey. Some of them were slaughter and destruction of the Cartagena to deliver the cattle NGO. Trade, said it is not responsible an animal rights activist called unwell and not fit for transport animals and it’ll be difficult for to Turkey. But authorities there “What has happened to the because it sold the animals, “hellish” conditions on the ship, outside of the European Union, us to prevent it,” he said. blocked the shipment and sus- waste produced by all these Masramon said. A second ship, which docked in the south- nor should they be allowed in Masramon said he would pended live animal imports animals for two months? We the ElBeik, also set sail from eastern Spanish port of the EU. Euthanasia would be the push for the return of blood from Spain, fearing bluetongue are sure they are in unac- Spain in December with a cargo Cartagena on Thursday after best solution for their health samples taken from the animals infection. ceptable sanitary conditions,” of nearly 1,800 cows. It is cur- struggling to find a buyer for the and welfare, it said. and impounded by authorities That rejection turned the Barquero said. rently moored off the Turkish cattle during the past two The report did not say if the on Thursday to be released and ship into an international The Agriculture Ministry’s Cypriot port of Famagusta. Military honours mark funeral Spain to give just one dose to under of Britain’s Captain Tom 55-year-olds who

REUTERS — BEDFORD, ENGLAND the White House said after his death that had COVID-19 he had “inspired millions through his life A military guard of honour and Royal and his actions”. REUTERS — MADRID Air Force fly-past marked the funeral In line with current pandemic yesterday of Captain Sir Tom Moore, the restrictions, the funeral at Bedford Cre- Spain will give a single vaccine World War Two veteran who raised matorium in central England was dose to under 55-year-olds millions of pounds for Britain’s health attended by just eight members of who have already been service during the coronavirus Moore’s immediate family. It was tele- infected with COVID-19, the pandemic. vised, however. Health Ministry announced on Moore died on February 2 after con- Six soldiers from the Yorkshire Reg- Friday in the latest update of tracting COVID-19. iment, the modern incarnation of its national inoculation In the run up to his 100th birthday Moore’s wartime regiment, carried his strategy. last year, he had been challenged to walk coffin, an honour guard of 14 fired three “The duration of protective Members of the armed forces attend the funeral of Captain Sir Tom Moore, in Bedford, 100 laps of his garden to raise a modest volleys into the air, and a World War immunity to the virus after Britain, yesterday. 1,000 pounds. Two-era Douglas C-47 Dakota per- natural infection is unknown By the time he finished, on April 16, formed a fly-past. but studies show that admin- he was being willed on by millions in The service featured Moore’s own specially for the family by Michael Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” was played. istering a single dose to these Britain and beyond, and the total raised recording of “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, Buble. The service ended with the regi- individuals boosts protective was heading towards £39m ($54m). which topped the charts last year, Vera There were also readings from his ment’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel immunity,” the strategy update Moore was knighted by Queen Eliz- Lynn’s wartime anthem “The White daughters, grandsons and granddaughter Tim Exton, reading the Kohima Epitaph read. France announced a abeth in recognition of his efforts, while Cliffs of Dover”, and “Smile”, recorded before his coffin was committed and before a bugler played the Last Post. similar policy earlier this month while Italian politicians are debating whether to follow Archaeologists that path. Germany’s Left picks Spain had already advised uncover ancient that people within that bracket two women to lead who have no major health carriage near complications wait six months party into election from their diagnosis before Pompeii taking a vaccine. AP — BERLIN As of Thursday, some 2.2 REUTERS — ROME million people from priority Germany’s Left has picked two women to lead the groups such as nursing home Archaeologists have unearthed anti-capitalist party into this fall’s national election. residents and staff, people a unique ancient-Roman cere- A party conference yesterday elected Janine over 80 and frontline medics monial carriage from a villa Wissler and Susanne Hennig-Wellsow as co-leaders. had received an injection. just outside Pompeii, the city Wissler is the Left’s parliamentary caucus leader in Some 1.2 million of those had buried in a volcanic eruption Hesse state. received a full course of two in 79 AD. Hennig-Wellsow is the party’s chairwoman in shots. Just over 2% of Span- The almost perfectly pre- Thuringia, the only German state where the Left leads iards offered a vaccination served four-wheeled carriage a government. have refused, including people made of iron, bronze and tin They succeed Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger, who declined for medical was found near the stables of who have led the party since 2012. reasons. After an intense third an ancient villa at Civita The Left, which is partly rooted in East Germany’s wave of infection, Spain’s two- The new co-leaders of Germany’s left wing Die Linke (The Left) party, Janine Giuliana, around 700 metres governing Socialist Unity Party, received 9.2% of the week incidence of the virus fell Wissler and Susanne Hennig-Wellsow, react after being elected, during a virtual (yards) north of the walls of vote in the 2017 national election. Current polls ahead to 194 cases per 100,000 ancient Pompeii. two-day party meeting in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. of the vote on September 26 put its support at 7-8%. people on Friday. Massimo Osanna, the out- going director of the Pompeii archaeological site, said the carriage was the first of its Take AstraZeneca’s ‘fantastic’ vaccine, Germany tells sceptical public kind discovered in the area, which had so far yielded func- REUTERS — BERLIN people aged 18 to 64, which they would take it. tional vehicles used for critics said was counterpro- Health authorities in some European countries, including “The reports I heard and transport and work, but not for Germany’s government and ductive to efforts to contain Germany, are facing resistance to the vaccine after side- read about it were definitely ceremonies. “This is an health chiefs on Friday urged the pandemic. EU regulators positive, not just negative,” extraordinary discovery that the public to take Astra- have declared it safe for all. effects including fever and muscle pain led some front-line said Kerstin Schlebthorst. advances our understanding Zeneca’s coronavirus vaccine, “We strongly recommend workers to call in sick, putting extra strain on already- “Yesterday I actually heard of the ancient world,” Osanna seeking to stem a tide of scep- it: this vaccine is safe and stretched health services. one saying it works differently said, adding that the carriage ticism about its effectiveness effective,” Health Minister Jens but it is just as safe. I think this would have “accompanied and safety that has left most Spahn told a news has been approached very festive moments for the com- of the country’s supply unused. conference. hysterically.” munity, (such as) parades and Health authorities in some “...It protects oneself and selective, slowing vaccination the vaccine reduced hospital- Wieler also warned the processions”. European countries — others, like both other vac- efforts. isations by 94%, which was public to be vigilant in The culture ministry called including Germany — are cines,” he added, referring to Lothar Wieler, the head of “fantastic”, and rejecting it upholding social distancing it “a unique find, without any facing resistance to the the two other vaccines Germany’s Robert Koch would not be “technically, since there was a risk oth- precedent in Italy”. vaccine after side-effects approved for use by the Institute for Infectious Dis- objectively justified”, he said. erwise of undoing progress Pompeii, 23 km (14 miles) including fever and muscle European Union, from eases, said data from Britain AstraZeneca’s lacklustre and triggering a third wave of southeast of Naples, was home pain led some front-line BioNTech /Pfizer and and Israel, where there had reception prompted Spahn at the epidemic. to about 13,000 people when workers to call in sick, putting Moderna. already been extensive vacci- the weekend to offer to vac- “We will eliminate the it was buried under ash, extra strain on already- The health ministry said nation with AstraZeneca’s cinate primary school teachers severity of the disease through pumice pebbles and dust as it stretched health services. this week it had administered drug showed that the product and nursery workers sooner vaccination and immunity and endured the force of an Germany also recom- only 15% of the shots it has was “very, very effective”. than originally planned. protect ourselves from it, but eruption equivalent to many mended that the AstraZeneca available, confirming concerns A study of 500,000 vacci- On the streets of Berlin on we will not be able to erad- atomic bombs. vaccine be given only to that Germans were being nations in Scotland found that Friday, several Germans said icate it,” he said. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 EUROPE 13 ‘Sputnik V performs well against virus mutations’

REUTERS — MOSCOW Some scientists have an intruder and trying to raised the possible destroy it. A Russian trial testing the effec- But developers of Sputnik tiveness of revaccination with risk that the body also V disagreed this would pose the Sputnik V shot to protect develops immunity long-term problems. against new mutations of the “We believe that vector- coronavirus is producing strong to the vector itself, based vaccines are actually results, researchers said recognising it as an better for future revaccinations yesterday. intruder and trying to than vaccines based on other Last month President platforms,” Logunov said. Vladimir Putin ordered a destroy it. He said that the researchers review by March 15 of Russian- found that antibodies specific produced vaccines for their to the vectors used by the shot effectiveness against new var- available yet. — which could generate an iants spreading in different So-called viral vector shots anti-vector reaction and parts of the world. — such as Sputnik V and a shot undermine the work of the shot “(A) recent study carried out developed by AstraZeneca — itself — waned “as early as 56 by the Gamaleya Centre in use harmless modified viruses days after vaccination”. Russia showed that revacci- as vehicles, or vectors, to carry This conclusion was based nation with Sputnik V vaccine genetic information that helps on a trial of a vaccine against is working very well against the body build immunity Ebola developed earlier by the new coronavirus mutations, against future infections. Gamaleya Institute using the including the UK and South The revaccination used the same approach as for the African strains of coronavirus,” same Sputnik V shot, based Sputnik V shot. said Denis Logunov, a deputy upon the same adenovirus Vector immunity is not a People get treatment for coronavirus disease in the Wieliczka salt mine to deal with respiratory director of the centre, which vectors. The trial indicated this new issue but has come under illness, in Wieliczka, Poland, on Friday. developed the Sputnik V did not impact effectiveness, renewed scrutiny as companies vaccine. Logunov said in a statement to including Johnson & Johnson Results of the trial are Reuters. anticipate regular COVID-19 expected to be published Some scientists have raised vaccinations, like annual Poles go underground for virus treatment soon, but this was the first the possible risk that the body influenza shots, may be needed indication of how the tests are also develops immunity to the to combat new variants of the AGENCIES — WIELICZKA “The underground micro- increase in the number of going. No further details were vector itself, recognising it as coronavirus. climate is, above all, charac- COVID-19 patients in hospitals A Unesco World Heritage site terised by exceptional air for a ninth day, the longest streak in Poland is being used to help purity,” she said. since November. Oxygen explosion people recover from COVID-19, “The air reaches here On Wednesday, Poland Ukraine: Pro-Russia separatists with patients going deep under- through a whole series of salt reintroduced restrictions in a at hospital in ground in the Wieliczka salt corridors... Thanks to this, it is northeastern region that has have used banned weapons mine to a therapeutic centre cleaned of pollutants that are reported a relatively high Ukraine, one dead dealing with respiratory illness. on the surface.” number of new coronavirus BLOOMBERG — KIEV nine time over the past day, Famous for its ornate For Jozef Biros, 58, who infections compared to the rest REUTERS — KIEV citing the region’s joint center underground chapels carved caught COVID-19 in November, of the country, Health Minister Pro-Russian forces have for control and coordination. from salt, the Wieliczka mine, the benefits from his stay in the Adam Niedzielski said. One person was killed and attacked Ukrainian positions Ukraine this month sanc- located just outside the mine are clear. “We have decided to take a another wounded in an oxygen using heavy weapons banned tioned three pro-Russian tele- southern city of Krakow, is one “Two weeks have passed small step back,” Niedzielski explosion at a hospital in the under the Minsk peace vision channels, and also of Poland’s biggest tourist and I will tell you that I am told a news conference, adding western Ukrainian city of agreement, according to restricted politician Viktor attractions, drawing around 1.8 feeling better and better, both that from Saturday shopping Chernivtsi, Ukraine’s emer- Ukraine’s military press centre. Medvedchuk’s access to assets million visitors in 2019. with breathing and physically,” malls, hotels and schools in the gency service said yesterday. Ukrainian forces were he controls. But doctors say the micro- he said. Warminsko-Mazurskie region The explosion occurred on attacked 14 times in the past 24 Ukraine plans to discuss the climate in the mine, which “Even a simple thing like would have to close. the second floor of the hospital hours with 120-millimetre recent escalation of clashes in stretches as far as 327 metres tying your shoes — I used to Poland has loosened some at lunchtime on Saturday and mortars, 82-millimetre mortars the east of the country and underground, also helps people bend down and feel I have no restrictions, opening ski slopes 20 people were evacuated, the and machine guns, with 11 sol- alleged blocking of humani- with pulmunory problems. air, but now I can tie my shoes as well as cinemas, hotels and service said in a statement, diers suffering injuries, the tarian aide by separatist forces Magdalena Kostrzon, a no problem.” theatres at up to 50 percent which did not specify the Ukraine military said. at the March 3 meeting of the doctor working at the mine, Yesterday, Poland reported capacity, but authorities have cause of the incident. Separately, Russia’s state trilateral contact group, which said that patients with respi- 12,100 new virus infections and warned that these measures This is the second incident news agency Tass reported includes Russia and the Organ- ratory illnesses have been 303 deaths over the past 24 may have to be rolled back this month in which patients yesterday that Ukraine has ization for Security and Co- coming there since the 19th hours, the Health Ministry said. depending on the pandemic have died in hospitals due to shelled the territory of Donetsk operation in Europe. century. The country has registered an situation. oxygen flaring. Earlier in February, three intensive care patients and a ward doctor died in a fire in a European court urges govts to prove climate change effort hospital treating coronavirus cases in Zaporizhzhya. AP — LISBON The activists allege that the urgent hearing and denied of the Global Legal Action complaint include the 27 Ukraine has registered countries’ efforts to cut green- their application to defer Network (GLAN), an interna- member nations of the more 1.3 million coronavirus A top European court is forcing house gas emissions are scrutiny of their climate pol- tional nonprofit organization European Union plus the cases with 25,893 deaths so 33 governments to prove they inadequate. icies, the statement added. that challenges human rights United Kingdom, Switzerland, far. Chernivtsi is currently are cutting emissions in line The governments had The governments now violations and which is Norway, Russia, Turkey and among the regions with most with the requirements of the asked the court to drop its pri- have until May 27 to submit assisting the activists. Ukraine. new COVID-19 cases. 2015 Paris climate accord. ority status for the case and their legal defense. GLAN has launched a If the activists win their Ukraine on Wednesday The European Court of hear their argument that the “This is another major step crowdfunding appeal to case, the countries would be started its COVID-19 vacci- Human Rights has also case is inadmissible, the toward securing a decision support the case. legally bound to cut emissions nation campaign, with 159 rejected an attempt by those activists’ legal representatives from the court which compels The two young Portuguese in line with the requirements medical workers getting the governments in the same case said in a statement on Friday. (the) governments to take the adults and four children filed of the Paris climate accord. initial dose of the AstraZeneca to overturn its decision to fast- But in the latest legal urgent action necessary to their claim last September at They would also have to vaccine, the first batch of track an ambitious climate victory for the activists, the safeguard the futures of the the Strasbourg, France-based address their role in overseas which came to Ukraine on change action brought by six court dismissed the govern- youth applicants and their court. emissions, including by their Tuesday from India. young Portuguese activists. ments’ arguments against an generation,” said Gerry Liston The countries named in the multinational companies. Russians mark anniversary of Nemtsov murder Protesters demand release of REUTERS — MOSCOW Georgia’s jailed oppn leader

Several thousand people BLOOMBERG — TBILISI Gakharia resigned last week, commemorated the anni- saying he feared “polarisation versary of the 2015 murder of Anti-government protesters and tensions” over the court Russian opposition politician demanded the release of Geor- order to arrest the opposition Boris Nemtsov in central gia’s main opposition party politician. Moscow yesterday, following a leader whose detention Opposition leaders said clampdown on protests over the provoked international they plan further rallies over jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei condemnation and triggered the next two weeks. Navalny. the resignation of the country’s New Prime Minister Irakli With a minimal police prime minister. Garibashvili has defended the presence at the scene, opposition Several thousands of people detention, while also offering supporters laid flowers on the marched through the capital, dialogue to the opposition to bridge in central Moscow where Tbilisi, on Friday in support of try to defuse tensions. “We are Nemtsov was gunned down on the Nika Melia, head of the United building a democratic state, night of February 27 six years ago. National Movement, who was and everyone in the country, Nemtsov briefly served as seized when riot police stormed no matter to their taste and deputy prime minister in the late the party’s headquarters to political views, must obey the 1990s before joining the oppo- enforce an arrest order. Some law,” he said. sition, and Russian news agencies set up tents outside parliament The US Embassy voiced its said the ambassadors of several to begin a permanent protest. disapproval, saying in a state- Western countries were among The US embassy expressed ment: “Today, Georgia has moved those who attended yesterday’s deep concern at Tuesday’s backward on its path toward commemoration. People place flowers at the site of the assassination of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov arrest and the EU’s envoy to becoming a stronger democ- “Nemtsov was one of the best. while marking the 6th anniversary of Nemtsov’s death, in central Moscow, Russia, yesterday. Georgia urged both sides to find racy in the Euro-Atlantic family A decent, intelligent, handsome common ground. of nations.” man and a free man. And he Georgian prosecutors said The confrontation threatens wanted our country to be free,” jailed this month on parole viola- wearing face masks. Several vol- refrain from bringing posters. Melia was taken into pre-trial to deepen a political crisis in said Valeriya, 58, holding two tions he said were trumped up, unteers handed masks to There is no need to give any detention because he refused the Caucasus nation that has carnations. have declared a moratorium on participants. reasons for the police to detain to post increased bail after he ambitions to join the European “Unfortunately, those who street protests until spring. Moscow authorities turned (participants).” removed a monitoring bracelet Union and the Nato in order to want to drive our country into They announced the protest down a request for them to hold a Nemtsov had been working during a November rally. to escape the influence of obscurantism are now temporarily freeze after several nationwide commemorative march due to the on a report examining Russia’s The authorities charge Russia, with which it fought a winning. I just want to live a rallies were broken up by police, pandemic, but Saturday’s gath- role in the conflict in Ukraine Melia with instigating violence brief 2008 war. normal life and not be afraid of who detained more than 11,000 ering was allowed to go ahead. at the time of his killing. After at June 2019 protests against Opposition parties are boy- anyone around.” people, according to a monitoring “This is a memorial event, not his murder, opposition activists Kremlin influence in Georgia cotting parliament and Bely Schetchik, a group that group. a rally or a march,” said a began guarding a makeshift that prompted temporary sanc- demanding fresh elections after monitors attendance at protests, But the opposition urged Mus- statement signed by several oppo- memorial on the bridge when tions from President Vladimir a disputed vote in October won said about 4,600 people took part covites to come to pay their sition politicians and posted on municipal authorities turned Putin. He says the allegations by zuling Georgian Dream in the event. respects to Nemtsov, while social media. down a request to put up a are politically motivated. party of billionaire Bidzina Allies of Navalny, who was observing social distancing and “We recommend that you plaque there in his honour. Prime Minister Giorgi Ivanishvili. 14 AMERICAS SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 Lockdown, curfew in Brazil to quell virus surge REUTERS — BRASILIA lockdown starting early on Sunday. Shops, pharmacies, gas The governor of Brazil’s capital A dozen states running stations, churches and funeral city, Brasilia, decreed a 24-hour out of beds for patients parlors will remain open, the lockdown for all but essential locked down their main aide said, but everything else will services on Friday to curb a shut down, especially bars and worsening COVID-19 outbreak cities, and some restaurants, which were blamed that has filled its intensive care declared a night-time for increased spread during the wards to the brim. curfew to try to stop the end of last year and Carnival A dozen states running out spread of novel holidays. of beds for patients locked down coronavirus as cases Intensive care wards in Bra- their main cities, and some silia, the third-largest city in declared a night-time curfew to escalated to their worst Brazil, are more than 80% try to stop the spread of novel level since the peak of occupied, the health department coronavirus as cases escalated the pandemic in July. said. to their worst level since the The situation in the capitals peak of the pandemic in July. of 17 of Brazil’s 26 states this The drastic steps came as week reached the most critical right-wing President Jair Bol- second-worst daily toll of 1,541 level since last year’s peak, sonaro, who has repeatedly dead. He threatened to cut off according to a report by bio- downplayed the gravity of the federal emergency pandemic medical center Fiocruz. pandemic that has killed 250,000 assistance to states resorting to Brazil reported 65,169 new Brazilians, renewed attacks on lockdowns. cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 A health worker prepares to apply the second dose of Sinovac’s CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine to an governors for destroying jobs “From now on, governors hours, and 1,337 deaths, the elderly at a nursing home, in Guarulho, near Sao Paulo, Brazil. with lockdowns. who close down their states will health ministry said on Friday. “People can’t stay at home have to provide for their own The South American country any longer. What they most want emergency aid,” Bolsonaro said. has now registered 10,455,630 ministry data, in the world’s Bolsonaro, who has called failing to secure timely supplies is to work,” he said on a visit to In Brasilia, where the pres- cases since the pandemic began, third-worst outbreak outside the COVID-19 a “little flu” and says of shots. So far, only 3% of the northeastern Brazil on Friday, ident lives and works, Governor while the official death toll has United States and India and the he will not take any vaccine, is population has been one day after Brazil recorded its Ibaneis Rocha decreed a risen to 252,835, according to world’s second-deadliest. facing growing criticism for vaccinated. Processing of asylum seekers expands at US-Mexico border

AP — MEXICO CITY Secretary of State Antony Mexico, called on both govern- Blinken. Mexico also ments to remember that the The processing of asylum announced late on Friday that migrants need protection while seekers waiting to enter the President Andrés Manuel López they wait, noting growing vio- United States expanded to a Obrador and President Joe lence in border cities, including third border crossing on Friday, Biden would hold their first Piedras Negras and Nuevo even as nongovernmental bilateral meeting tomorrow. Laredo. organizations called for more Mexico’s Foreign Affairs “What we want to do from effort to protect the thousands ministry said in a statement that (Doctors Without Borders) is still in Mexican border cities. among the topics to be dis- push the Mexican government A week after the US gov- cussed will be “the mechanisms to take the necessary steps to ernment began processing for cooperation to address the protect this population, who are those with active cases made structural causes of migration its responsibility while they are to wait in Mexico during the in northern Central America in Mexican territory,” he said. Trump administration at a and southern Mexico.” The US government must also border crossing between They also plan to discuss collaborate since it created the Tijuana and San Diego, the strategies to deal with the situation, he added. process expanded this week to COVID-19 pandemic and In September and October the Matamoros-Brownsville opportunities for economic 2019, before the pandemic, the crossing and Friday to Ciudad recovery. organization recorded that in A long wait Juarez-El Paso. The organisation Doctors cities like Nuevo Laredo three A camp of migrants on the Without Borders, which works out of four migrants they reg- Family members of inmates stand outside a prison waiting for information about their loved ones banks of the Rio Grande in along the migratory routes istered said they had been kid- after gangs fought one another with handmade weapons in what authorities said was a coordinated Matamoros was a particular through Central America and napped in the previous 10 days. outbreak of violence, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Friday. priority for the Biden adminis- Mexico, warned Friday that Once the pandemic began tration and Mexico. It holds there are places where they were not able to continue about 750 people now, but the migrants remain at great risk. the level of monitoring, but city is dangerous and camp res- The great majority of the believe the security risks have Latin America’s vaccine scandal idents were hard hit by frigid 25,000 asylum seekers with only grown as some local winter weather that affected active cases who were forced authorities have closed shelters Texas and northern Mexico this to wait out the process in citing public health concerns, claims third Health Minister month. Mexico under Trump’s so- leaving migrants without safe On Friday, the second day called “Remain in Mexico” spaces. BLOOMBERG — GUAYAQUIL current political situation, and The VIP line-cutting trend of processing there, 100 program, still have weeks or Matamoros “is a drop in the for the sake of continuity of the in the Southern Hemisphere is asylum-seekers crossed from months of waiting ahead. The bucket, the tip of the iceberg, Ecuador health minister Juan national vaccination plan, I unsurprising due to a trifecta of Matamoros. On Thursday, situation is further complicated and what really concerns us Carlos Zevallos resigned on present to you, Mr. President, regional factors. Latin America about two dozen were by the COVID-19 pandemic, more are the other places on Friday, becoming the third top my resignation,” Zevallos wrote is not only one of the world’s processed. which has reduced capacity at the border that don’t have even Latin American health official in his exit note. After sharing the most economically unequal and The acceleration came as shelters that provide a degree the protection of media forced out in two weeks as letter, Moreno denied in a sep- corrupt regions, but it’s also Mexico Foreign Affairs Sec- of safety for migrants. attention” and where organized outrage grows over the ability arate tweet that any of his own where the virus has hit the retary Marcelo Ebrard met vir- Sergio Martínez, head of crime continues preying on of the region’s richest and most close relatives had been hardest. Forecasts for complete tually with his counterpart US Doctors Without Borders in migrants, he said. powerful to obtain vaccinations vaccinated. vaccination in the countries before the rest of the population. Ecuadorians are infuriated ranges from two years to a President Lenin Moreno, that the glacial pace of the vac- decade. whose term ends on May 24, cination effort didn’t keep well- Moreno’s government ini- posted the minister’s resig- placed individuals from tially bet on deliveries of vac- nation letter on Twitter. obtaining the coveted jab. On cines bought from Western Zevallos’ departure was Friday, octogenarian radio talk- pharmaceutical companies, but quickened after he sent letters show host Diego Oquendo initial Pfizer-BioNTech ship- to university presidents inviting became the latest non-frontline ments only included doses for them to skip the line and after person to acknowledge getting 30,000 people. Before prosecutors launched an inves- the shot. Unlike Argentina and resigning, Zevallos announced tigation into his mother’s vac- Peru, where the governments that 2 million Sinovac Biotech cination in January. have published lists of people Ltd. vaccines would arrive in Argentina’s health minister who received shots early, March and April. He also pre- resigned on February 19, as did Zevallos said that patient con- dicted that 9 million Ecuado- both the Peruvian health min- fidentiality made it impossible rians would be inoculated by ister and her deputy a week to do the same. the end of October. earlier. In both countries, the Tomorrow, a court in Quito With as many as 6 million revelation of VIP vaccinations will hear a request by non-gov- of the country’s 17.5 million sent the governments’ cabinets ernmental organization Accion people already estimated to into disarray, as the number of Juridica Popular to force the have contracted COVID-19, insiders who were vaccinated Health Ministry to publish a list those projections would allow in secret ballooned to at least of people vaccinated to date, the country to develop herd 70 in Argentina and nearly 500 one of its representatives, San- immunity, according to the in Peru, where a foreign affairs tiago Machuca, said via Twitter. government. In the meantime, minister was also forced out. The presidency and health a new variant has also cropped It’s a tender political ministry didn’t immediately up in the past month. moment for the country, with respond to telephone calls and “Zevallos has been an Activists accompany migrants from Central America, under the Migrant Protection Protocols program, a lame-duck government and text messages seeking infor- example of what a health min- after they crossed from Mexico into the US to continue their asylum request in the United States, in a runoff presidential election mation on who will succeed ister shouldn’t do,” said epide- slated for April 11. “Given the Zevallos. miologist Andrea Gomez. El Paso, Texas, on Friday. CDC says risk of Ebola to US is low Mexico says no evidence of organ harvesting in death of man REUTERS — NEW YORK travelers arriving from the DRC and Guinea,” the CDC said in a AP — MEXICO CITY external injuries, the Mexico another, which Polish media material evidence exist that the The US Centers for Disease statement late on Friday. state prosecutor’s office said in linked to alleged organ har- referenced events are related Control and Prevention said it The CDC said on Friday that A Polish man who died this a statement. The initial inves- vesting. Poland’s Justice Minister in any way to the extraction or was closely following outbreaks beginning next week, travellers month outside Mexico City tigation suggested carbon mon- Zbigniew Ziobro said he had trafficking of organs as reported of Ebola in Democratic Republic from DRC and Guinea will be appears to have perished from oxide poisoning, which also ordered a separate investigation by various media organiza- of Congo (DRC) and Guinea, and funnelled to six US airports. Air- carbon monoxide poisoning sickened another young Pole into what he called the “hom- tions.” The Mexico state prose- said the risk of Ebola to the lines will collect passenger and there was no evidence of who is hospitalized but icide and attempted homicide” cutor’s office similarly denied United States was extremely information for public health organ harvesting, Mexican recovering. of the two young Poles in any evidence of a connection low. follow-up and intervention for authorities said Friday. On Thursday, Poland’s Mexico. to organ trafficking. “Out of an abundance of all passengers boarding a flight The 20-year-old man was Foreign Ministry said author- Late Friday, Mexico’s Both Mexican statements caution, the US government will to the US who were in DRC or found in an apartment in ities in Mexico were investi- Foreign Ministry said in its own said they are sharing infor- institute public health measures Guinea within the previous 21 Metepec west of Mexico City on gating the death of a young Pole statement the investigation mation with Poland’s embassy for the very small number of days. February 14 with no apparent and the hospitalization of continues, but “no indication or in Mexico. SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021 AMERICAS 15

US House approves Biden's $1.9 trillion PRAYER TIMINGS PRAYERPRAYRRAAAY TIMINGSMING COVID-19 relief plan REUTERS — WASHINGTON The American FAJR 04.41 am Rescue Plan would SUNRISE 05.58 am President Joe Biden scored his first legislative win as the pay for vaccines and DHUHR 11.46 am House of Representatives medical supplies and ASR 03.06 pm passed his $1.9 trillion corona- send a new round of virus relief package early MAGHRIB 05.37 pm emergency financial ISHA 07.07 pm yesterday, though Democrats faced challenges to their hopes aid to households, of using the bill to raise the small businesses minimum wage. Democrats who control the and state and local chamber passed the sweeping governments. measure by a mostly party-line vote of 219 to 212 and sent it on US President Joe Biden talks to a person as he visits Houston Food Bank in Houston, Texas, on Friday. to the Senate, where Democrats The President has focused his planned a legislative manoeuvrr first weeks in office on tackling the WEATHER to allow them to pass it without greatest US public health crisis in Biden brings empathy to Texas TODAY the support of Republicans. a century, which has upended The American Rescue Plan most aspects of American life. REUTERS — HOUSTON stacked in a large warehouse and House promised will be would pay for vaccines and Democrats aim to get the bill to watched conveyors move slowly delivered in the first 100 days. medical supplies and send a him to sign into law before mid- US President Joe Biden met as volunteers pulled food out of He said the effort is “weeks new round of emergency March, when enhanced unem- with volunteers at a food bank, boxes and put them in containers ahead of schedule”. financial aid to households, ployment benefits and some other toured a health center and for delivery. “America will be the first... small businesses and state and types of aid are due to expire. visited an emergency opera- He visited an emergency in the world to get that done,” o o local governments. The bill’s big-ticket items tions facility on Friday to assess operations center in Harris he said. In five weeks, the 16 C 24 C Democrats said the package include $1,400 direct payments recovery efforts from a severe County, where roughly 50 United States has administered Minimum Maximum was needed to fight a pandemic to individuals, a $400-per- Texas winter storm while an percent of the county’s 4.9 the most shots of any country, that has killed more than week federal unemployment aide blamed state government million residents were without Biden said. It has the highest Moderate temperature daytime with some clouds at times, relatively cold 500,000 Americans and benefit through August 29, and for being unprepared. power. “As my mother would COVID-19 death toll at more by night. thrown millions out of work. help for those in difficulty Biden and his wife Jill Biden say to you, you’re doing God’s than 500,000 people and is still “The American people need paying rents and home mort- landed in Houston where he work,” he told workers there. recording the most infections W ALRUWAIS : 16o → 22o to know that their government gages during the pandemic. met Republican Governor Greg Biden, a Democrat, has and deaths per day. W ALKHOR : 10o → 24o is there for them,” House The action now moves to the Abbott and Houston Mayor Syl- sought to bring consolation Biden also delivered a W DUKHAN : 16o → 21o Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in Senate. Democrats will have to vester Turner to discuss the and empathy to the hard-hit warning with his message of W WAKRAH : 10o → 23o debate on the House floor. sort out how to handle a proposed recovery from last week’s state, which leans heavily hope and progress. “Cases and Republicans, who have minimum-wage increase, which storm, which caused serious Republican. When he visited hospitalizations could go back up W MESAIEED : 10o → 23o broadly backed previous may have to be stripped from the damage to homes and busi- a vaccination center, he as new variants emerge and it’s W ABUSAMRA : 11o → 23o COVID-19 spending, said much bill due to the complicated rules nesses, left millions without repeated his message of unity. not the time to relax,” he said. of the current package was not that govern the Senate. The power or clean water for days, “We’re not here as Democrats Earlier in the day, Biden’s HIGH TIDE necessary, highlighting elements House-passed bill would raise and killed at least two dozen. or Republicans. We’re here deputy national security adviser, 05:22 – 16:42 like a subway near Pelosi’s San the national hourly minimum At the Houston Food Bank, today as Americans.” Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Francisco district. The House vote wage for the first time since the largest in the country serving Biden also said his admin- laid responsibility on the Texas LOW TIDE 13:00 – 0:00 amounted to a successful first test 2009, to $15 from $7.25. The more than 1.1 million people, istration has given out 50 government for foregoing energy for Democrats, who hold a narrow increase is a top priority for pro- Biden saw rows of packaged million shots of the vaccine out regulation that could have left it 221-211 majority in the chamber. gressive Democrats. food, from pasta to applesauce, of the 100 million the White better prepared.

Lady Gaga’s two US nears authorization of J&J vaccine for emergency use abducted bulldogs REUTERS — NEW YORK the regulator said in a statement possible,” Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’s been administered nationwide, infected with the virus, the less returned unharmed after the vote by advisers. chief scientific officer said. a milestone highlighted by Pres- opportunity it has to emerge as US regulators on Friday said “The agency has also The company said it is pre- ident Joe Biden. a more virulent strain. So we’re to police they would work quickly to notified our federal partners pared to supply its vaccine But the emergence of highly in a hurry to get this vaccine authorize Johnson & Johnson’s involved in vaccine allocation immediately if it receives emer- contagious new virus variants out,” he said. REUTERS — LOS ANGELES COVID-19 vaccine for emer- and distribution so they can gency use authorization (EUA), has heightened the urgency to The head of the US Centers gency use after a panel of execute their plans for timely as expected. J&J has said it will get hundreds of millions more for Disease Control and Pre- Lady Gaga’s two stolen outside advisers backed the vaccine distribution,” it said. be able to ship three million to people inoculated against the vention on Friday expressed bulldogs, snatched in a violent one-shot immunization. The outside panel consisting four million doses of its vaccine coronavirus. COVID-19 has concern that a recent decline in abduction that left the pets’ The Food and Drug Admin- of doctors, infectious disease next week. The company claimed the lives of more than COVID-19 cases may be stalling. caretaker shot in the chest this istration is expected to decide experts and medical researchers expects to have enough supply a half a million people in the In a 44,000-person trial, week in Hollywood, were on emergency use soon for voted unanimously that the ben- to vaccinate 20 million people United States. the J&J vaccine overall was turned over to police on Friday what would be the third vaccine efits of the vaccine outweigh its by the end of March. Panel member Jay Portnoy, 66% effective at preventing and have been reunited with available in the United States, risks in people age 18 and over. Senior White House adviser professor of pediatrics at the moderate-to-severe cases of the pop singer’s representa- and the only one that requires “We believe our COVID-19 Andy Slavitt tweeted that the FDA University of Missouri-Kansas COVID-19 compared with a tives, police said. a single shot. vaccine candidate has the would meet to finalize the EUA City School of Medicine, said the placebo. The safe return of Koji and The agency told J&J that “it potential to help change the tra- soon. “A third safe and effective race was on to stop the pan- Two-dose vaccines made by Gustav came hours after Gaga, will rapidly work toward final- jectory of the pandemic and vaccine is very welcome news,” demic before new virus variants Pfizer Inc with BioNTech SE and who was filming a movie in ization and issuance of an stand ready to make it available he said. More than 50 million cause further disease. Moderna Inc were about 95% Rome when her pets were emergency use authorization,” to protect the public as soon as vaccine shots have “The fewer people who are effective in their pivotal trials. taken on Wednesday night, issued a plea on social media for “an act of kindness” to bring them home. White House asks 'Trump who?' FBI pinpoints suspect A woman who authorities have not publicly identified brought the dogs to an LAPD ahead of speech to conservatives in probe of US Capitol station unharmed, and they were turned over to the musi- REUTERS — WASHINGTON cian’s representatives, policeman’s death according to a Los Angeles President Joe Biden’s White Police Department spokesman, House has made it clear it plans REUTERS — WASHINGTON homicide probe that Sicknick’s Officer Mike Lopez. to ignore Donald Trump’s death was related to his inha- Two men suspected of speech today to a conservative The FBI has pinpointed a lation of a chemical irritant, stealing the pets at gunpoint conference in Florida, where suspect in its investigation into such as mace or bear spray, from their dogwalker, the former president is the death of a US Capitol Police which both law enforcement 30-year-old Ryan Fischer, expected to go on the attack officer in the January 6 attack officers and rioters were armed remained at large, however, against his successor. on Congress by supporters of with during the insurrection. Lopez said. “Our focus is certainly not then-President Donald Trump, According to one of the offi- In a message posted hours on what President Trump is the New York Times reported cials cited in the Times’ report, earlier on her Twitter and saying” at the Conservative on Friday. video evidence shows that Sic- Instagram accounts, Gaga said Political Action Conference, The Times, citing two knick’s suspected assailant dis- her “heart is sick” over the White House Press Secretary unnamed law enforcement cussed attacking officers with violent robbery and vowed to Jen Psaki told reporters. officials briefed on the inquiry, bear spray beforehand. Medical pay $500,000 for the dogs’ It’s a strategy that has Donald Trump Jr. speaks at the Conservative Political Action said investigators have zeroed examiners have yet to rule on safe return, including from worked before, political vet- Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, US, recently. in on an individual seen in the cause or manner of Sick- anyone who had bought or erans and historians say. video footage of the riot who nick’s death, as the autopsy is found them. “Biden is obeying an old the future... he is doing exactly having a fight with themselves attacked several officers with pending results of toxicology “My beloved dogs Koji and political rule, which is ‘Never get what he needs to do which is about Donald Trump,” bear spray, including Brian Sic- tests, the Capitol Police said in Gustav were taken in Hol- in the way of a train wreck’,” said talk about COVID and the Elmendorf said. “We should let knick, the policeman who died. a statement on Friday. lywood two nights ago,” she Bob Shrum, former Democratic economy,” Elmendorf said. them have it and stay out of it.” Sicknick, 42, was among a Well over 100 officers were wrote in the post, alongside strategist and director of the Meanwhile, Republicans are Today, Trump is expected to vastly outnumbered group of injured in the riot and five people photos of the dogs. “I am Center for Political Future at Uni- at loggerheads over how to deal signal a run in 2024 and put police officers confronted by died. Although investigators have praying my family will be versity of Southern California. with Trump’s legacy. Several of Republicans who supported his the mob who stormed the narrowed potential suspects whole again with an act of Biden’s approval ratings in the seven Republican senators impeachment on notice, while Capitol in a bid to stop Congress seen in video footage to a single kindness.” It was not immedi- Gallup polls have remained who voted to convict Trump on accusing Biden of opening the from certifying the election of person this week, they have yet ately clear whether the woman above 55% since he took office an impeachment charge over doors to immigrants. President Joe Biden. to identify that individual by who brought the dogs to the on January 20. “Why should the deadly riot at the US Capitol The White House plans to The violence led to the name, the Times reported. police on Friday will collect the somebody with a 60 percent have faced censure votes at shrug. “Well, we’re not looking impeachment of Trump by the More than 200 people have reward. approval rating be fighting with home. to former President Trump or US House of Representatives been arrested for their role in Fischer was walking three someone with a 33 percent Others, like House minority any of his advisers as a model on a charge of inciting an insur- the Capitol siege, a number of of Gaga’s bulldogs in a resi- approval rating?,” Shrum said. leader Kevin McCarthy, have for how we’re approaching rection, but he was acquitted them associated with militant dential area in Hollywood late “It just doesn’t make any taken great pains to walk back immigration,” Psaki said. by the Senate in a trial held groups such as the Oath on Wednesday when a car sense.” Democratic strategist initial criticism of Trump’s role Some say any truly incen- after he left office. Keepers and Proud Boys, pulled up alongside them and Steve Elmendorf agreed. “One on January 6, when he urged diary remarks today or after- According to the New York underscoring rising concern two men demanded he turn of Biden’s great strengths in the his supporters to march on the wards deserve a federal gov- Times, FBI agents began to about threats posed by right- over the animals, police said campaign was he focused on Capitol. “The Republicans are ernment response, however. suspect soon after opening a wing extremists. in a statement. 16 HOME SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2021