QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Thursday QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune August 27, 2020 Muharram 8, 1442 Vol.13 no. 5036 qR 2

Fajr: 3:53 am Dhuhr: 11:36 am Asr: 3:05 pm Maghrib: 5:59 pm Isha: 7:29 pm

Business 9 Sports 13 Qatar’s trade balance AFC receives fine rises 6.6% to QR6.3 Qatar’s Asian Cup High : 39°C bn in July 2027 bid file LOW : 31°C

Amir affirms Qatar’s support for South Sudan peace Phase IV of lifting COVID-19 His Highness the Amir of State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of South Sudan Lt General Salva Kiir Mayardit on Wednesday. During the phone call, which HH the Amir made to South Sudan president, they reviewed bilateral relations and the ways of enhancing them. HH the Amir affirmed the support of curbs to be in two stages Qatar for establishing peace in South Sudan, and harnessing all capabilities to guarantee the success of reaching an agreement between all parties to ensure stability and peace. HH the Amir First stage will commence on Sept 1 2nd stage will kick off in Sept 3rd week also praised the efforts of the president to consolidate peace in South Sudan. (QNA) Tribune News Network Doha ● Weddings with a maximum ● Driving schools to operate at P HASE of 40 people indoors and 80 50% capacity people outdoors allowed Qatar’s fourth phase of lift- ● Audiences to attend sporting ing coronvirus (COVID-19) ● Individuals holding parties at events with a 20% capacity Pvt health facilities to restrictions has been divided home as well as managers of indoors and 30% capacity out- into two stages, with the first wedding venues are required to doors stage commencing on Septem- keep records and contact info resume full service ber 1 and the second in the be- 4 of all invitees ● Private health clinics to ginning of the third week of the REOPENING resume work in full capacity same month. ● Playgrounds and leisure from Sept 1: Cabinet “Based on Qatar’s public First Part centres to remain closed ● Metro and public transport ● Cinemas and theaters to health indicators and COV- From September 1 services will resume service at open with 15% capacity. QNA companies. ID-19 infection rate in the ● Local exhibitions allowed 30% capacity People above 18 years only with 30% capacity are allowed Doha Second community, it has been decid- ● All mosques will reopen for ●  Health clubs, gyms and pub- Amendment of the Cabi- ed to split phase four into two daily and Friday prayers with ● Museums and libraries to lic swimming pools to operate The Cabinet has decided to al- net’s decision regarding holding stages,” the Supreme Commit- precautionary measures in operate at full capacity during at half the capacity low private healthcare facilities all meetings for employees and tee for Crisis Management said place. Toilets and ablution normal hours to provide full medical services workers in the government and on Wednesday. facilities remain closed ● Malls to run at 50% capaci- from September 1. It has also private sectors remotely using It said the first stage will ty with normal working hours allowed cleaning and hospital- technology to allow meetings to start on September 1, and ● A maximum of 80% of ity companies to resume home be held with the attendance of the situation will be assessed employees allowed at workplaces ● Food courts in malls to open services. no more than 15 people. on an ongoing basis, includ- in both public and private sectors with a capacity of 30 percent The Cabinet meeting,  This decision will be ef- ing re-imposing and/or lift- ● ● chaired by Prime Minister and fective from September 1. ing of some restrictions based Gatherings of a maximum of Children are allowed to Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Third on developments in mid- 15 people indoors and 30 enter malls Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz  Continuation of work September. people outdoors allowed Al Thani at the Amiri Diwan with the Cabinet’s decision The second phase will com- ● Massage and sauna services on Wednesday, affirmed con- that allowed, no more than 80 mence at the beginning of the allowed at approved facilities tinuation of the precautionary percent of the total number of third week of September. at 30% capacity measures taken to combat the employees in both the govern- The committee thanked COVID-19 pandemic. ment and the private sectors to both citizens and residents for ● Indoor swimming pools to The Cabinet decided the fol- resume work at their place of their commitment to adhering open at 30% capacity lowing: work, while the rest of the em- to the precautionary measures ● Cleaning and hospitality ser- First: ployees to work remotely from to combat COVID-19, which vices to resume at workplaces  Annulment of the Cabi- their homes. has contributed to limiting the at 30% capacity net’s decision on the suspension spread of the virus. of medical services in private Fourth The first phase will include healthcare facilities.  The continuation of the following: facilities remain closed. both public and private sectors. doors and 80 people outdoors, tables with a maximum of five  Annulment of the adherence to the precau-  Reopening of all mosques  Continuation of the  Allowing gatherings of a provided that precautionary people per table, and avoiding Cabinet’s decision on the tionary measures, includ- in the country for daily and Council of Ministers’ deci- maximum of 15 people indoors measures are followed, in- handshakes and kisses while suspension of the system of ing wearing masks and Friday prayers, provided that sion, which limits the capacity and 30 people outdoors. cluding activating the Ehteraz greeting. temporary home services pro- maintaining a safe distance. precautionary measures are in work places to a maximum  Allowing weddings with application, maintaining a vided by cleaning and hospitality See also page 2 followed. Toilets and ablution of 80 percent of employees in a maximum of 40 people in- distance of 2 metres between Continued on page 2  COVID-19 test must for all school employees Tribune News Network Doha SAFE REturn to schools ● The Ministry of Education and All public Higher Education (MoEHE), in school staff coordination with the Ministry members will Safety and wellbeing of of Public Health (MoPH), has is- undergo medical sued a package of precautionary examinations by measures to ensure a safe and MoPH, HMC workers top priority: SC Qatar conducts healthy environment in all public and private schools and educa- and PHCC Tribune News Network tunities to socialise, enjoy their free over 600,000 tional institutions. Doha time and play an active role in Qatari As per the decision, employ- ● Priority of examination ● All private school staff society,” the SC said, adding that it ees of both public and private will be given to teachers members will be examined The Supreme Committee for Delivery begins with giving workers access to COVID-19 tests schools will be examined for cor- & Legacy (SC) has reiterated that it is recreational facilities at their accom- The total number of coronavirus onavirus COVID-19 before the followed by the by private healthcare committed to the safety, health and modation sites. (COVID-19) tests conducted in Qatar beginning of the school year. administrative staff providers wellbeing of workers. “We provide sporting amenities, in- has surpassed 600,000 as the All public school staff mem- “We recognise the sacrifices that cluding football pitches, where they can country succeeded in flattening the bers will undergo medical exami- ● Anyone who willfully or negligently violates the preventive our workers are making to deliver our play sport with their neighbours, helping curve and limiting the spread of the nations by MoPH and Hamad measures relating to epidemics will face legal action vision for the FIFA World Cup Qatar them to stay healthy and bond with virus. Medical Corporation (HMC) and 2022 venues,” the SC said. other workers. Accommodation sites On Wednesday, 244 more Primary Health Care Corpora- “At our peak construction period, also have IT facilities,” the SC added. people tested positive for COVID-19, tion (PHCC). stressed that all schools must subjected to legal liability, the we will have 30,000 workers on our The SC said it is dedicated to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) Similarly, all private school comply with the precautionary ministry warned. Under the law projects, from a range of countries making the lives of workers better. said in its daily report. As many as staff members will be examined health measures, which were regarding the prevention of in- including Nepal, India, Turkey, China, “We ensure the health, safety and 240 people recovered from the virus by private healthcare provid- previously announced by Health fectious diseases, the relevant Ghana and the Philippines.” wellbeing of our workers is safeguard- in the past 24 hours, bringing the ers before the beginning of the and Safety Department. punishment shall amount to The health and safety of the work- ed. From beginning to end, we strive total number of recoveries in Qatar school year. Teachers will be giv- Anyone who willfully or neg- imprisonment for a term not ex- ers are top priority. “All of our workers to make their experience a positive to 114,558. en priority in testing followed by ligently violates the preventive ceeding three years and a fine not are protected by Workers’ Welfare one, implementing robust health and So far, Qatar has tested the administrative staff. measures relating to epidemics exceeding QR200,000, or either Standards – a contractually binding safety working standards on site, 604,112 people for the virus. In this context, MoEHE has and infectious diseases will be of the two penalties. document that ensures all individu- while ensuring that they enjoy clean In a statement, the MoPH said als contributing to the delivery of SC and comfortable living accommoda- all new cases have been introduced projects are treated with respect and tion,” the SC added. to isolation and are receiving neces- dignity. From the moment they join Continued on page 3  sary healthcare. (TNN) Ashghal enhances traffic safety around 465 schools (PG 3) our projects, we give workers oppor- 02 Thursday, August 27, 2020

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PM assigns ministries, Mue raikhi r ceives credentials of German and Dutch ambassadors govt agencies to develop clear strategic plans QNA programmes and projects. doha The Cabinet then ap- proved a draft decision Prime Minister and Min- amending some provisions ister of Interior HE Sheikh of decision No 14 of 2017 Khalid bin Khalifa bin Ab- forming the organising com- dulaziz Al Thani has stressed mittee to host international the need for the strategic and regional sporting events, plans of ministries and other and the Ministry of Culture government agencies, bod- and Sports’ proposal to re- ies and public institutions new the term of membership Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi on Wednesday received separately copies of the credentials of Ambassador of Germany to Qatar HE Dr to reflectthe statement of of the committee for three Claudius Fischbach and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Qatar HE Marjan Kamstra. The minister wished the new ambassadors success in their mission and assured them of the Amir Sheikh Tamim years. all support to upgrade bilateral relations between their countries and Qatar in various fields.(QNA) bin Hamad Al Thani in his The committee, estab- speeches before the Shura lished at the Ministry of Council, that strategic plans Culture and Sports, is spe- are developed not only to cialised in several aspects, complete a procedure in a including study the propos- formal manner, but to be ap- als of sports authorities re- First Ethiopian community school in plicable through clear imple- garding hosting internation- mentation plans. al or regional championships Speaking during the and sporting events and giv- Qatar begins registration of students Cabinet regular meeting on ing opinion regarding them Wednesday, the prime min- in terms of the feasibility of CATHERINE W GICHUKI ister said the implementa- holding such events and their DOHA tion plans should include benefit to the state; take co- specific financial budgets for ordination measures with The first Ethiopian interna- programmes and projects the authorities concerned re- tional school in Qatar has start- within a specific time-frame garding hosting tournaments ed registration for the 2020-21 and clear criteria for measur- and sporting events that have academic year. Having fulfilled ing the success of implemen- been approved; and study the all the necessary requirements, tation and for accountability estimated budget allocated the Ethiopian Community In- to be accordingly. to them by the State and give ternational School in Qatar Based on the directives of an opinion on it. (ECIS-Qatar) has got the li- the prime minister on pro- The Cabinet also ap- cence from Qatar’s Ministry of The Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani granted the school premises to the Ethiopian community during the visit of the viding the Council of Min- proved the initial report Education and Higher Educa- former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to Doha in 2017. isters with plans related to prepared by the competent tion to enrol and teach students the competencies of minis- committee at the Ministry from KG to secondary school ly commenced registration This grant is one of the tangible to many, as many Ethiopian ful and reasonable individuals, tries and other government of Foreign Affairs in accord- levels. from August 23, 2020. For proofs of the strong bilateral expats have had to send their who are able to attain a level, agencies, public bodies and ance with the International According to the Ethiopian 2020/2021 academic year, the ties between the two countries. children back home for studies where they can utilise their institutions, Minister of Cul- Covenant on Economic, So- embassy, EICS is now ready to School will admit only KG-1, The Embassy and the Ethi- in the absence of a school offer- academic and social skills, to be ture and Sports HE Salah bin cial and Cultural Rights, for welcome students after a huge KG-2, Grade 1 and Grade 2 stu- opian community thanked HH ing Ethiopian curriculum. globally competitive and capa- Ghanem Al Ali gave a pres- submission to the Secretariat renovation has been success- dents. the Amir and the government Currently, there are about ble of supporting themselves, entation on the detailed plan of the Human Rights Com- fully done on the premises. According to the embassy, of Qatar and all stakeholders 20,000 Ethiopians living and their communities and their for the strategy of the Minis- mittee in Geneva. The school committee has the Amir His Highness Sheikh who have been working to start working in Qatar. Quite a signif- country at large. It strives to be try of Culture and Sports. The Cabinet reviewed the been working on the prepara- Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani the school. icant number of the Ethiopian one of the best schools in Qatar, He outlined the min- eighth report on the results of tion since 2017. It is now final- granted the school premise lo- According to the Ethio- families have sent their chil- producing enthusiastic learners istry’s strategy to include the work of the National Civil ising the staff recruitment and cated in Shehaniya to the Ethi- pian Embassy, the Ethiopian dren to Ethiopia for schooling. and successful citizens, through main results and objectives; Aviation Security Committee furnishing in collaboration with opian community during the expatriates have for long been The Ethiopian Community an internationally accepted sectoral intersections; ex- from January 1 to June 30, Qatari stakeholders and the official visit of the former Ethio- eagerly waiting for the school International School in Qatar school standards and bench- ecutive framework; results 2020 and took the appropri- Ethiopian community in Doha. pian Prime Minister Hailemar- to open its doors. The opening envisions producing well-disci- marks and a great learning ex- achieved in 2018; as well as ate decision thereon. The school has official- iam Desalegn to Doha in 2017. of the school will be a big relief plined, self-confident, respect- perience. Party organisers, managers to keep invitees’ contact details Lebanon FM lauds Continued from page 1  lic transport services with a parks. the Ministry of Commerce and home beauty, barber, massage capacity of 30 percent accord-  Allowing audiences to attend Industry. and fitness training services. Qatar for support Individuals holding parties ing to the procedures which sporting events with a capac-  Allowing souks to operate  Continuing the work of private at home as well as managers of will be announced by the Min- ity of 20 percent indoors and with a 75 percent capacity and education and training centres Beirut: Minister of Foreign saying it expressed Qatar’s em- wedding venues are required to istry of Transport and Com- 30 percent outdoors, according raising the capacity at wholesale at a capacity of 50 percent. Affairs and Emigrants in the pathy with the Lebanese people. keep records of the contact infor- munications. to procedures which will be an- markets to 50 percent.  Resuming cleaning and hospi- Lebanese caretaker govern- He said he discussed with mation of all invitees.  Continuing to allow personal nounced by the relevant authori-  Allowing museums and public tality services in workplaces at a ment Charbel Wehbe has HE Sheikh Mohammed the ex-  Opening of cinemas and thea- boats and yacht rentals with a ties. libraries to operate in full capac- capacity of 30 percent as well as praised Qatar for the aid it pro- ceptional circumstances that tres with a capacity of 15 percent, capacity of 30 percent, including  Allowing private health clinics ity and normal hours provided allowing the resumption of these vided to Lebanon to overcome Lebanon is going through, in provided that precautionary boat workers. to resume work in full capacity. that all precautionary measures services at homes. the repercussions of the Beirut addition to the situation in the measures are followed and that  Continuing with the Qatar’s  Continuing normal working are followed. The Supreme Committee port explosion. He also thanked region, while appreciating the only people who are 18 years and travel policy, the Ministry of hours at malls while keeping ca-  Continuing the work of health for Crisis Management empha- Deputy Prime Minister and assistance provided by Qatar above are allowed entry. Public Health will continue to pacity to 50 percent, and open- clubs, gyms and public swim- sised that the evaluation of lift- Minister of Foreign Affairs HE to support the sectors that are  Playgrounds and leisure cen- update the list of low-risk coun- ing food courts in malls with a ming pools at half capacity (50 ing further measures depends Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul- most in need. The visit of the tres remain closed. tries periodically. capacity of 30 percent. percent) and allowing massage on the cooperation of all and the rahman Al Thani for his visit to Qatari Minister of Foreign Af-  Allowing local exhibitions with  Continuing the operation of  Allowing children to enter and sauna services at a capacity commitment to following pre- Beirut on Tuesday. fairs is highly appreciated and it a capacity of 30 percent, accord- driving schools with a capacity of malls. of 30 percent in approved facili- cautionary measures, including In a statement to Qatar expresses a fraternal feeling and ing to the procedures which will 50 percent.  Allowing the increase in res- ties, as well as opening indoor wearing masks while outside, News Agency’s (QNA) in Beirut, reflects the sympathy of Qatar be announced by the National  Continuing the suspension of taurants capacity starting with swimming pools at a capacity of washing hands, maintain a safe Wehbe hailed the visit of HE with the Lebanese people, We- Tourism Council. summer camps as well as the use 30 percent, according to the 30 percent. distance and activating the Eht- Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul- hbe said, while wishing Qatar  Resuming metro and pub- of sports equipment in public procedures which will be set by  Continuing the suspension of eraz application. rahman Al Thani to Lebanon, more prosperity and stability. Qatar’s envoy to Japan attends opening of QFF-funded Onagawa school QNA portance to the residents of that work in bridging com- Tokyo Onagawa and the surround- munication, cooperation and ing areas, as 90 percent of the understanding between Japan Ambassador of Qatar to Ja- schools were destroyed by dis- and Qatar in the future. pan HE Hassan bin Moham- asters and many of them have Qatar’s embassy provided med Rafi AlE madi participat- not been rebuilt, he added. gifts, including stationery, ed in the opening ceremony He pointed out that the school supplies and souvenirs of Onagawa Elementary and school is a good model for the to all students of the school - Junior High School in Ona- reconstruction process and 300 male and female students. gawa City, Miyagi Prefecture. will contribute positively to Qatar Friendship Fund in The school is one of the create an effective and con- Japan contributed $10 mil- projects funded by the Qatar structive society in the areas. lion to the school project. It Friendship Fund (QFF), which The mayor said Onagawa was built with a high degree is affiliated with Qatar Fund school will have a good return of advanced technologies as a for Development, to recon- the embassy, Minister Pleni- of the city’s education sector Mayor of Onagawa appre- affected by disasters. in terms of consolidating the pioneering institution work- struct the areas that witnessed potentiary Abdullah bin Jas- and a number of senior Ona- ciated the initiative of Qatar He said the areas are strong partnership between ing to provide a high-quality widespread damage due to the sim Al Ziyara and Second Sec- gawa government officials. to stand with the Japanese gradually returning to normal, Qatar and Onagawa, stressing educational environment. earthquake and Tsunami dis- retary at the embassy Rashid The Japanese officials people during the crisis and thanks to the contributions that it will be keen to activate The school has a special wing asters in March of 2011. bin Mubarak Al Khater. They thanked Qatar for supporting the kind humanitarian gesture and achievements of Qatar communication channels be- for Qatar that includes post- The ambassador was ac- were received by Mayor of On- reconstruction efforts in the of contributing to the recon- Friendship Fund. tween students in Qatar and ers and brochures introducing companied by the members of agawa Yoshiaki Suda, director affected areas. struction efforts in the areas The school is of great im- Onagawa to raise generations Qatari heritage and culture. Nation Thursday, August 27, 2020 03 QRCS and OCHA support Sports stars at WISH panel talk therapeutic nutrition for about mental health struggles helping save lives in Syria Tribune News Network Tribune News Network Doha Doha

From coping with injuries and The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has illness to dealing with abuse and begun the implementation phase of a pro- allegations, sporting stars have ject to support life-saving therapeutic and spoken about the mental toll that preventive nutrition services in Syria with elite-level sport brings in an online funding from the United Nations Office for event hosted by the World Innova- the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tion Summit for Health (WISH), (OCHA). Qatar Foundation’s global health During the preliminary phase, staff have ers, and promoting public awareness of the initiative. been hired and trained and the target centers need to feed newborns and young children The webinar titled ‘Mental have been rehabilitated. The project is coor- in emergency situations and other related Health & Sport: The Challenge of dinated with local authorities and humani- issues. Balancing Risk With Reward’ saw tarian organizations operating in the target Seven centers and two rapid response Olympic gold medal-winning ath- areas. teams comprising 34 health workers will lete Dame Kelly Holmes, former A total of 127,000 people will benefit provide nutrition services. This will ensure Liverpool and England footballer from this project, which covers 15 towns and broader outreach to the most affected popu- Robbie Fowler and Wasim Akram, 24 camps of internally displaced persons lations in remote and priority areas. the ex-captain of Pakistan’s cricket ( IDPs) in northwest Syria. These include In the light of the COVID-19 pandem- team, reveal the pressures that be- 16,000 pregnant women and 27,000 young ic, some adjustments were made to the ing at the top of their sport created girls and boys. nutritional programmes to minimise the and the personal turmoil they suf- that kept me going. I won a silver a dark time. Imagine playing in a serious injury haunts sportspeo- The aim of the project is to save lives and risk of infection while ensuring the con- fered. medal, but nobody knew what team and not speaking to anyone ple and can affect their psychologi- reduce health problems and mortality rates tinued provision of life-saving nutritional The event, which also featured was happening with me. I just had in it for a month and a half. The cal health. among young children, pregnant women services. Professor Claudia Reardon, who to stay focused on my dream and culture in Pakistan was that we are “I missed out on World Cups and nursing mothers from the most vulner- As far as health education is concerned, specialises in sports psychiatry hope that would keep me going. mentally very tough and we didn’t and European Championships able groups in the northern part of the coun- interactive and participatory informative and co-chairs the International “Eventually, I decided I need- talk about mental health. It took because of injury and could not try, whether IDPs or host communities. techniques are used in the project to make it Olympic Committee’s working ed to talk about it to show people me two years to come back from get my head around that,” he said. It involves screening for mild, moder- more likely for target communities to adopt group on mental health and elite that, even when you have a dark it.” At 29, Akram was also diag- “You work so hard to get to the top ate and severe malnutrition, providing mi- good health and dietary behavior for a long- athletes, was organised by the time, you can come through it. nosed with diabetes, which he said of the game, and one injury can al- cronutrients and nutritional supplements, er period of time after the project has been World Innovation Summit for As a sportsperson, you are not led him into a three-month period most stop your life – it’s so tough.” referring cases to specialized treatment cent- completed. Health (WISH) to highlight how superhuman, and when you are of depression. According to Professor Rear- mental health issues can affect an- struggling, ask for someone’s help. He said, “If there are mental don, athletes speaking about their yone and the importance of seek- Opening up to people has helped health consultants around a sport- own mental health issues can “de- ing help when they arise. me deal with my life and realise ing team, they can help. But play- mystify and destigmatise” the sub- We strive to enrich lives of our workers: SC In a discussion moderated by that none of us can be anything ers have to accept they need help ject. BBC Sport and BBC News pre- more than we are. to start with.” “There has been less stigma in Continued from page 1  that include training opportunities, social senter Dan Walker and viewed “Having the mental issues I Fowler, who was 26 caps for recent years, but sport is still one occasions and events that involve work- by over 10,000 people from 62 have had and learning to deal with England and is still regarded as a of the final frontiers when it comes Communication with workers is cru- ers in our plans for the FIFA World Cup countries, Dame Kelly spoke about them and talk about them is per- Liverpool legend having made his to mental health,” she said. cial, the SC noted. 2022. Many of our workers benefit from how she suffered a serious mental haps one of the greatest successes debut for the club as a teenager, “It’s very hard to have a game- “Our team takes time to get to know participating in Generation Amazing, our breakdown during her glittering I have had.” said: “To be a top sportsperson, face on the field, then step off it them, discussing their cares, worries or flagship corporate social responsibility athletics career after “one injury Akram’s cricketing career you have to have tunnel vision and say something is wrong and grievances. Sometimes we just listen or programme. too many”, and turned to self- saw him become one of the best about what you do and put eve- reach out for help. share a meal with them. But we always “The football for development training harming. bowlers of all time, but he told rything else aside. Although I’ve “Mental illnesses are real, they make sure our workers know we are avail- programme offered by Generation Amaz- She said, “I looked in the mir- the webinar that while captain of now retired from playing, at times are treatable, and I just hope and able for them”, it said. ing aims to boost workers’ self-esteem and ror and hated everything about his country, his teammates – and people will still say horrible things aspire for us to get to the point “We know what they want because enhance their sense of belonging in Qatar. myself, including my body for let- friends – rebelled against him, about me on social media or bring where seeking treatment for these we ask them. With our dedicated griev- One event that is universally popular is the ting me down. That day, I became and he and his team were accused up something that happened kinds of symptoms and disorders ance hotline, forums and interviews, we Workers’ Cup, an annual football tourna- a self-harmer. of deliberately losing a World Cup 10 to 15 years ago. That matters is as normal as seeking treatment have procedures in place to make sure our ment featuring teams from contractors “I self-harmed once for every final. from a mental perspective, and for any physical health condition.” workers are heard – and feel part of the that has grown into a 32-team competi- day I had been injured and I hid “Now, there is a lot more it’s why I’m quite a private person WISH 2020 – the latest edi- tournament.” tion watched by thousands.” it because I had never known of awareness of mental health, but because I want to keep my family tion of WISH’s biennial interna- The SC said workers are bringing Qa- “As we continue on our road to 2022, anyone in my network dealing when I was in my mid-20s and away from that. As sportspeople, tional health summit, which will tar’s preparations for the FIFA World Cup we will strive to find new and exciting with the problem I had. Half of me became captain of a cricket-mad we have to learn to adapt to the take place virtually from Novem- 2022 to life. “We will always be proud of ways to enrich the lives of our workers – was dying and half of me was liv- country, I was lost,” he said. He society around us.” ber 15 to 19 – will include a focus their commitment to this historic tourna- and convey our appreciation for playing ing for my dream, because I had a added, “When my team said they Fowler also spoke about his on sport and health, as well as on ment.” such an integral role in our historic tour- World Championship to go to and would not play under me, that was experience of how the specter of mental health. “We conduct social outreach activities nament”, the SC said. Ashghal improves road safety at around 465 Two-day closure at schools in Qatar for the new academic year Al Khaleej, Al Diwan tribune news network and exit of students and parents from Intersection to begin doha schools”, Hamadi added. The School Zone Safety Pro- THE Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ gramme includes construction and from this weekend has completed improving safety features development of roads with the high- of roads surrounding 465 schools across est level of safety in the school zone, the country, constituting 88 percent of by providing designated car parks as Tribune News Network Street will have to use the Al the total number of schools included in well as building medians and small Doha Bidda Roundabout to turn left the School Zone Safety Programme. roundabouts to manage traffic flow. towards Al Corniche or make The implementation of safety Hamadi added further: “As part The Public Works Authority a U-turn and then use Wadi Al plans for 38 remaining schools, as of the programme, Roads Opera- (Ashghal) has announced a two- Sail intersection to continue part of Ashghal’s readiness for the tion and Maintenance Department day temporary closure of Al towards their destinations. new academic year 2020/2021, is (ROMD) at Ashghal installs a num- Khaleej Intersection (known Vehicles coming from currently underway. ber of signposts and provides road as Mannai Intersection), Al Kahrabaa Intersection will Ashghal’s School Zone Safety Pro- markings near schools to alert driv- Diwan Intersection and all have to turn right at Al Diwan gramme seeks to have safety features ers of the speed limit set at 30 km/h.” lanes of Al Rayyan Street intersection and use Al Jasra of international standards on all the Speed humps with specific speci- heading from Al Diwan In- Intersection to reach their des- roads surrounding schools, in order fications are installed for speed tersection towards Al Khaleej tinations. to ensure security and safety of stu- reduction, in addition to creating Intersection, besides the total As for commuters wishing dents, parents and educational staff. safe pedestrians paths for general closure on a section of Al Di- to use Gulf Intersection, which According to a study conducted by commuters and people with special wan Street in both directions will be totally closed except for the Ministry of Education and Higher over Qatar. tenance Section, said that Ashghal needs. ROMD teams also upgrade starting from Al Diwan In- right turns and the underpass, Education, Ashghal has coordinated In addition to the ongoing safety gives the School Zone Safety Pro- and maintain pedestrian paths at the tersection to the roundabout they will have to use the un- with the Ministry of Interior and the works, design plans are in progress gramme high priority as it is one of entrances and exits of schools. known as Al Bidda Rounda- derpass to continue forward National Road Safety Committee to for 25 schools and have been com- the key elements to achieve the Na- With an aim to ensure safe en- bout. and use the next intersection identify school areas in need of devel- pleted for five additional schools, tional Road Safety Strategy (NRSS trances to schools, which overlook The closure will be imple- to reach their destinations. opment. The list of schools is assessed with work expected to commence as 2013 – 2022). main streets, bright coloured rumble mented on Friday and Sat- Commuters from the White and revised on a monthly and annual soon as necessary approvals are ob- “It aims to ease traffic congestion strips are placed to alert drivers when urday, August 28 and 29, in Palace Intersection will have basis, with the number of schools in tained from concerned entities in the in these areas, separate vehicle lanes arriving or leaving the school district, coordination with the Traffic to turn right towards Wadi need of development increasing each country. from pedestrian paths and improve with clear warning signals to ensure Department in order to com- Mushaireb Intersection, then year. This year priority was given to Engineer Hassen Al Hamadi, unpaved roads to achieve higher safe- safety of the entire school commu- plete the laying of the final continue to their destinations. approximately 533 schools spread all head of Highways Operation & Main- ty levels, as well as ensure safe entry nity. asphalt layers within A Ring Ashghal will install traf- Road Development and B fic signage at the closure and Ring Road Development pro- diversions. It has called on all jects. road users to adhere to the During this closure, users speed limits and follow traffic of Al Diwan Intersection com- signboards to ensure safety of Ashghal to close part of Izghawa Street in Kharaitiyat ing from Majlis Al Taawon all.

tribune news network Street heading from Zekreet in the attached map. doha Street towards Al Rufaa Street The traffic change has will be reduced to one lane in- been planned for conver- THE Public Works Authority stead of two. sion of two roundabouts on ‘Ashghal’ on Wednesday an- Both lanes in the opposite Izghawa Street into a two nounced a closure on part of direction heading towards Ze- signal-controlled intersec- Izghawa Street in Al Kharaiti- kreet Street will be closed and tions, as part of the Roads yat area, between Gharrafat commuters will have to turn and Infrastructure Project in Al Rayyan Street and Zekreet right at the existing rounda- Al Kharaitiyat and Izghawa, Street, from Thursday (Au- bout at the intersection of Package 2. gust 27). Izghawa Street/Gharrafat The Public Works Author- The closure to be imple- Al Rayyan Street, and con- ity will install sufficient road mented by Ashghal, in coor- tinue on Gharrafat Al Rayyan signage to alert road users dination with the General Di- Street, then turn left towards about the diversion. Ashghal rectorate of Traffic, will be in Wadi Al Mashrab Street and has urged commuters to abide place for six months . turn right from it to continue by the speed limit of 50km/ During this period, the on Izghawa Street to reach hour and follow the road sig- number of lanes on Izghawa their destinations, as shown nages for their safety. 04 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Nation Moldova supports Qatar’s efforts to establish peace in region: Envoy of Moldova’s 29th National Speaking on the bilateral in Moldova’s capital city Chis- ing mega sports events. titled ‘Evolution Of Qatar’ is Moldovan Embassy Day celebrations scheduled for ties between Qatar and Mol- inau. Talking on cultural rela- scheduled to be held in Chis- celebrates 29th Thursday (August 27), Tvir- dova, he said the two official He noted that Qatar can tions, he said there are two inau. cun also congratulated Qatar visits to Qatar by Moldovan benefit fromMoldovan experi- Moldovan events and one Qa- There are around 162 Mol- National Day today for successfully overcoming prime minister and a number ence in fields like cybercrime tari event in the pipeline to dovan expats in Qatar mainly the crisis caused by the block- of reciprocal visits by minis- and food security, pointing out be held in Qatar and Moldova serving Qatar Airways, hospi- Ashraf Siddiqui ade imposed on the country in ters and organisations have that his country has witnessed respectively in collaboration tality and agriculture sectors. doha June, 2017. strengthened ties between the significant increase in agricul- with the Cultural Village Foun- The ambassador also men- Tvircun praised the bal- two countries. tural production in the recent dation ‘Katara’ in November tioned that the Moldovan- MOLDOVA stands with His anced foreign policy of Qatar, On bilateral trade, he said years. Moldova has plenty this year and early next year. Qatari Friendship Association Highness the Amir of Qatar the country’s leadership’s re- Moldova has been mainly ex- of fertile land where the two He informed that paint- ‘Solidarity’ was set up in Mol- Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al spectful attitude towards its porting fruits to Qatar since HE Prof Victor Tvircun countries can work together to ings of around 10 Moldovan dova in August 2017. Thani’s efforts to maintain neighbours and its keenness 2016 including apples, plums contribute to food security. artists will be exhibited in Ka- Prior to his posting in Qa- peace and stability in the re- to resolve various complicated and grapes, adding that his The ambassador added He said Moldova also seeks tara by the end of November tar, Tvircun has served as min- gion, the Ambassador of Mol- global problems through dia- country enjoys third position that Qatar was the first coun- joint ventures in areas like 2020 while one musical even- ister of education, youth and dova to Qatar HE Prof Victor logue and mutual understand- worldwide in honey produc- try in the Arab region where medicine and tourism. ing with Moldovan folk instru- sports of his country and as Tvircun has said. ing, while protecting Qatar’s tion. He said Moldova ex- Moldova opened its embassy He also praised Qatar’s ments will be held next year. diplomat in various countries In an exclusive interview national interests and sover- ported 7,000 tonnes of honey in 2013, which was followed by role in the development of This year, on Qatar National including Turkey, Hungary with Qatar Tribune on the eve eignty. in 2019. the opening of Qatar’s mission youth and sports and for host- Day, a photographic exhibition and various GCC states. Three books from HBKU Press secure Tamuq welcomes 181 students for prizes at 2020 Living Now Book Awards its fall semester Tribune News Network er of individual and collective actions. Doha Naemi was inspired to write the book Tribune News Network to succeed at a world-renowned by her experience working with inter- Doha engineering institution. THE Hamad Bin Khalifa University national humanitarian organizations The orientation also show- Press (HBKU Press) continues its in- to bring about change. The start of the fall semester at cased the opportunities Texas ternational award-winning streak as “The Living Now Book Awards cel- Texas A&M University at Qatar A&M at Qatar offers to stu- three more books are named winners ebrate books that enhance quality of (Tamuq), a Qatar Foundation dents to help them become en- in the 2020 Living Now Book Awards. life. Winners have shown excellence in (QF) partner university, has gineering leaders — from social The debut title in the health and both content and creativity with books seen a record 181 new under- clubs and activities to trans- wellness genre, ‘A Beautiful Balance: A that nurture mind, body, and spirit”, graduate engineering students, formative educational experi- Wellness Guide to Healthy Eating and said Amy Shamroe, the Awards direc- including the largest incoming ences, such as undergraduate Feeling Great’ by Zoë Palmer-Wright, tor. “HBKU Press’ books have shown class of 103 Qatari students. research. During available in English and Arabic, was that excellence, competing with some Tamuq Qatar Dean Dr this time, students regis- awarded a bronze medal in the General of the largest publishing companies in César Octavio Malavé ex- tered for classes, attended aca- Cookbooks category. ‘Journeys on a the world. pressed pleasure at witness- demic advising sessions, met Football Carpet’ by Matthias Krug was “From a country’s sport’s history ing the university’s ambitious with faculty and talked to cur- awarded a bronze medal in the Exer- to a picture book showing how small recruiting efforts pay off with rent student leaders. cise, Fitness and Yoga category, while changes make a big difference, HBKU such a large incoming class. Malavé welcomed the stu- ‘The Firefly’ by first-time Qatari chil- platform to shine and share their mes- Wellness Guide to Healthy Eating and Press’ titles exemplify the positive, life “Our work of creating en- dents and said though he pre- dren’s author Ameera H Al Naemi won sage around the world.” Feeling Great has been honoured in affirming spirit of the Awards.” gineering leaders in Qatar ferred to greet each student a silver medal in the Children’s Picture In addition to placing in the 2020 this way! This recognition means the The Living Now Book Awards were continues, even in challenging in person, the current global Book category. Living Now Awards, A Beautiful Bal- world to me as it supports my mission launched in August, 2008, by Inde- times,” Malavé said. “But we COVID-19 pandemic prevent- “This year has been monumental ance: A Wellness Guide to Healthy to empower as many people as possible pendentPublisher.com and Jenkins don’t educate just engineers. ed that greeting this fall. in terms of the international recogni- Eating and Feeling Great was named to live healthier, happier and more sus- Group. We are also teaching classes to “I can’t congratulate you tion HBKU Press books have received one of the finalists in the 2020 Interna- tainable lives.” All three winning books can be students from across Education in person today,” Malavé said, on the world stage through multiple tional Book Awards. The complete re- ‘Journeys on a Football Carpet’ was found online as e-books on Amazon City. An immeasurable amount “but I can tell you that you have awards,” said Bachar Chebaro, HBKU source is part-cookbook and part-well- also a finalist in the 2020 International Kindle. Hard copies of the books, and of work has been invested in chosen one of the most prestig- Press’ executive director. “This year ness guide for a total lifestyle overhaul. Book Awards. In the book, Qatar-born other HBKU Press publications, can preparing for this semester, ious engineering universities in alone, our books have been recognised Recipes include healthier twists on journalist and author Matthias Krug now be purchased and delivered in including implementing new the world. Your time at Texas in four international awards in 11 dif- traditional Mediterranean and Middle set out to explore Qatar’s sporting his- Qatar from the Rafeeq and Snoonu ap- strategies to bring Qatar’s best A&M will shape you into a fu- ferent categories. These recognitions Eastern dishes that are paired with tips tory, weaving in his personal anecdotes plications (available to download from and brightest students into our ture engineering leader in Qa- highlight the quality and diversity of and tools to help one have a healthier to complement the country’s football the Apple Store and Google Play). For classrooms — both virtual and tar. You are in control of your our books in terms of content and pro- lifestyle, take control of sugar cravings, evolution over the past six decades. more information on how to get a copy physical. I’m proud of what we own personal and professional duction, as well as their exceptional lit- and look and feel one’s best. In The Firefly, Qatari author of your favourite HBKU Press books, have achieved in getting ready growth and development. We erary value. Author Zoë Palmer-Wright said Ameera H Al-Naemi tells the inspiring follow their Facebook page (facebook. for Fall 2020 and eager to see are living in a world full of un- “We are extremely proud to be able of the win: “I am absolutely over the story of Ibraheem, a young boy who com/hbkupress) or Twitter and Insta- so many new faces in our build- certainties but you wouldn’t be to provide our literary talents with a moon that A Beautiful Balance: A learns a valuable lesson about the pow- gram (@hbkupress) for daily updates. ing soon.” here today if you weren’t up to The total number of stu- the challenge. Engineers are in- dents at Texas A&M at Qatar ventors and innovators so my this fall 2020 is 695, includ- challenge to you is to make the ing students from Hamad Bin most of this opportunity you Khalifa University’s computer have been given.” INJAZ Qatar to host Mubadara 2020 Awards Ceremony engineering programme and Student Government As- Tribune News Network given a unique opportunity to ness leaders. keting Plan award sponsored and a pioneering initiative. other Education City partner sociation President Motaz Doha set up and run a real business At the upcoming Muba- by “Ooredoo”, the Best Social We continue to support and universities, as well as gradu- Eledrisi echoed this challenge. over a period of five months, dara 2020 Awards ceremony, Impact Award sponsored by nurture the next generation ate students who are conduct- Eledrisi said, “Your experi- INJAZ Qatar, a non-profit with the guidance of profes- the innovative products and “HSBC”, the Public Choice of entrepreneurs by incubat- ing research at Texas A&M at ence at Texas A&M Univer- organisation and a member sionals from leading compa- services developed by the stu- Award sponsored by “Frame” ing their winning projects and Qatar this fall. sity is like no other. You are of Junior Achievement (JA) nies across Qatar. 17 student dent companies will be pre- along with the Best Company helping to build an ideal busi- Officials said these num- lucky to be a part of a world- Worldwide, will host the Zoom teams have reached the fi- sented and the winners of this Report and Best Public Pres- ness environment for them. bers are expected to fluctuate renowned university close to online Mubadara Awards Cer- nal stage of the programme; year’s competition will be an- entation awards. This is part of the strategy that slightly in the next few weeks as home. Make sure to take ad- emony on Monday, August 31, 10 student teams from Qa- The team that won the both the Bank and its part- the registration period closes. vantage of all the opportuni- 2020, which recognises some tar’s independent, private Best Company of the Year ners are pursuing in Qatar as Texas A&M at Qatar wel- ties that the university has to of Qatar’s most outstanding and international secondary award (University level) will part of the two key pillars of comed the new Aggies to the offer from research, to student young entrepreneurs. schools and 7 teams from receive continuous support Qatar National Vision 2030. university during its three-day life, travel opportunities and The Company Pro- Qatar’s universities. During from the QBIC (Qatar Busi- These include the promotion virtual Aggie Life 101 orienta- quality education.” gramme and Mubadara are the programme , students go nounced, giving them the op- ness Incubation Center) and of a healthy and capable na- tion ahead of the start of the During the orientation ses- INJAZ Qatar’s most interac- through the entire life cycle portunity to represent Qatar the QR35.000 seed funding tional workforce to achieve a fall semester. sions, students were split into tive and popular education of a start-up venture as they at the INJAZ Al Arab Regional from “BOEING” to start their prosperous society; and, sec- Students and graduates groups led by current students programme and event dur- develop a business idea, form finals. real business. ondly, the development and of Texas A&M University are who served as ambassadors of ing which student enterprises a team, raise capital of up to Students will receive for Ibrahim Al Mannai, Ex- diversification of the national called ‘Aggies’ and that tradi- Texas A&M at Qatar to answer are established through the QAR11,000, develop business one of seven awards, which ecutive Director of Advisory economy.” tion continues at Texas A&M’s any questions the new students globally recognised “Com- plans, and produce and sell a are: The Best Company of & Incubation, QDB, said: “In- The awards ceremony will branch campus in Doha. Aggie might have about college life. pany Programme” of Junior product or service. Towards the Year award sponsored by vesting in human capacity and be hosted by INJAZ Qatar Life 101 is a series of seminars, The groups also allowed new Achievement. It has evolved the end of the five months “ExxonMobil”, the Most Inno- developing local talent is one Board Members and repre- workshops and activities de- students the opportunity to get into a major event in the cal- of activity, students present vative Product/Service award of our top priorities at QDB. sentatives of the private and signed to teach students about to know one another as they endar of activities of INJAZ their entrepreneurial ideas to sponsored by “Qatar Devel- We are therefore very pleased public sectors, including the Texas A&M and its unique tra- begin this new experience to- Qatar. Student teams were the local market jury of busi- opment Bank”, the Best Mar- to be a partner in this program education sector in Qatar. ditions, as well as what it takes gether.

VCUarts Qatar redefines creativity amid constraints of COVID-19 Tribune News Network many departments joined forc- tion to ensure that this tempo- tools, student engagement, Doha es to develop a series of mini rary phase is engaging, fun and self-motivation and instruc- video-tutorials to help new productive.” tional technology; it also of- AS yet another cohort of stu- joiners make the most of their The videos – along with fers a discussion board where dents prepare for the new aca- online learning experiences. other innovative resources de- faculty can post queries, feed- demic year, most schools and The videos feature current veloped by VCUarts Qatar over back and suggestions. universities are gearing up to students and recent graduates the last few months to enhance From an educational per- welcome old and new students drawn from various academic the temporary transition into spective, it wasn’t merely the to online classrooms. programmes, as they share online learning – will aug- challenges of online learning In Qatar, Virginia Com- tips based on their own experi- ment the annual orientation that were addressed; pandem- monwealth University School ences, providing the incoming In the videos, current students provide the incoming cohort with a programme that the univer- ic-wrought upheavals to tradi- of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts cohort with a realistic- and of- realistic picture of what to expect from online learning in an art and sity conducts each year for new tional education inspired three Qatar) has been pulling out ten humorous – picture of what design setting. been walking into our physical students. VCUarts Qatar staff to propose all the stops to ensure that, for to expect and practical sugges- campus in Qatar Foundation’s One such resource is Tea- research with forward-looking students who will make up the tions on how to benefit from tions in the country. As art and as one such opportunity.” Education City”, he added. chLab (www.teachlab.info), a implications: the possibility of Class of 2024, the start of uni- online learning in an art and design practitioners, though, Dean Berbić noted how the “Having successfully faced pop-up website developed by using virtual reality/artificial versity life is just as exciting, design setting. the VCUarts Qatar community start of university life is a much- the transition to online learn- staff and faculty at VCUarts reality to teach undergraduate fulfilling and fun as they would VCUarts Qatar’s Dean Amir is well positioned to think criti- awaited milestone in the aca- ing during the start of the pan- Qatar. The site is a well-re- students, resilience. Investi- have envisioned it to be, had Berbić, explained how the uni- cally and adapt to constraints; demic journey of any student. demic, these videos – replete searched and vetted compi- gative work for the proposal, it been on a brick and mortar versity saw online learning as seeing and seeking opportuni- “At VCUarts Qatar, we were with information, guidance, lation of teaching resources which received a grant from campus. yet another opportunity to exer- ties for purpose-driven creativ- resolute that the new cohort and practical tips that address related to most aspects of Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- Over their summer holi- cise its creativity. He said: “The ity is a trait that is second na- should be able to experience almost every facet of remote online/hybrid instruction, sity’s Innovation Laboratory, is days, staff, students and fac- pandemic-induced restrictions ture to our students, staff, and the same thrill and excitement learning at VCUarts Qatar – are including remote teaching re- scheduled to commence in the ulty from across the university’s affected all educational institu- faculty. We saw online learning they would have felt, had they an offshoot of our determina- sources, discipline-specific fall semester. Middle East / Africa Thursday, August 27, 2020 05

Mali protest coalition offers to work with junta on transition Egypt seeks AFP “We are willing to work They headed into the capi- United States, African Union, arrest of 9 in Kati with this process, we came tal where they detained the the UN and European Union, here to exchange views and to president, along with Prime with Brussels saying Wednes- hotel rape case: A Malian protest coalition reaffirm that we have the same Minister Boubou Cisse and day it was suspending its pro- prosecution that had campaigned against positions” as the military, said other leaders. gramme of army and police former president Ibrahim Issa Kaou Djim, a leading fig- The putsch -- the second training in Mali. AFP Boubacar Keita said Wednes- ure in the protest movement. in eight years -- has once Following the roughly Cairo day it was willing to work with “We have been reassured more placed the spotlight on hour-long talks, the protest the junta which ousted him in (by the fact) that these troops one of Africa’s most unstable leaders were keen to present Egypt’s public prosecu- a process to restore civilian are soldiers, great intellectu- countries, which is battling a themselves as joint partners tion on Wednesday said it rule. als. Mali, across the entire jihadist revolt and economic in forging a “new Mali”. was seeking to arrest nine The new military rulers spectrum, is in a drive to bring slump. The next meeting is sched- suspects accused of gang- formally received the lead- everyone together,” he said. The coup leaders were uled to take place on Saturday, raping a woman, including ers of the June 5 Movement Keita, 75, was forced out cheered by a large rally on attended by the junta’s leader, seven who are on the run for the first time since seizing by young army officers who Friday organised by the June Colonel Assimi Goita, who did abroad. A delegation from M5-RFP, who have organised large protests in Mali control of the crisis-hit coun- led a mutiny at a military base 5 Movement, although they not take part on Wednesday, The rape allegedly took since June, arrives for a meeting at the CNSP headquarters on the try in a largely bloodless coup at Kati, 15 kilometres from have been condemned by the according to people at the place six years ago at a military base in Kati, Mali on Wednesday. (AFP) on August 18. Bamako. country’s neighbours, the talks. luxury Cairo hotel but the allegations only emerged online in July. “The public prosecu- tion is taking legal steps Israeli police hold Palestinian to arrest the fugitives who are accused of assaulting a man over knife killing young woman at the Fair- Iran allows UN access mont Nile City Hotel in AFP Rosenfeld added that po- 2014,” a statement said. Jerusalem lice were regarding the inci- The police informed dent, in the town of Petach the prosecution that “seven Israeli police said they were Tikva, “as a terrorist attack”. of the accused who face an holding a Palestinian suspect- The victim was identified to alleged nuclear sites arrest warrant have flown ed of stabbing to death an Is- as father of four Shay Ohayon, out of the country”, the raeli man Wednesday near Tel 39, an Orthodox Jew who had AFP statement said. Aviv in what they were treating lived near where he was killed. Tehran The prosecution said as a “terrorist attack”. Prime Minister Benjamin it was also trying to track “A man died in hospital af- Netanyahu tweeted his condo- Iran agreed Wednesday to down two other suspects in ter being stabbed by a Palestin- lences to the family, pledging allow a UN watchdog the ac- the case, one of whom had ian suspect,” police spokesman that the assailant would be “se- cess it has requested to two allegedly been “accused in Micky Rosenfeld told AFP. verely punished” and his house alleged nuclear sites, as the a similar (rape) case”. He said the suspect, a “destroyed”. head of the agency ended his It did not identify the 46-year-old-man from the oc- Israel routinely demolishes first visit to Tehran. suspects. cupied West Bank city of Nab- the homes of those accused The announcement came According to social me- lus, fled the scene but was ar- of carrying out attacks. It ar- only hours after Iran’s arch dia accounts up to six men rested nearby and found to be gues that such measures act foe the United States suffered had drugged and raped the carrying a large kitchen knife. as a deterrent, but critics say it a humiliating defeat when the woman. He had a permit to work in amounts to collective punish- United Nations blocked its The reports were wide- Israel, Rosenfeld added. ment. controversial bid to reimpose ly shared, including by As- Such permits are issued Since October 2015 Israel international sanctions on the sault Police, an Instagram subject to Israeli security and the West Bank saw a wave Islamic republic. account with more than checks, meaning that the man of “lone-wolf” attacks on Israe- The US move had threat- 180,000 followers which would have no record of mili- lis by predominantly young, ened to torpedo a historic is dedicated to pushing for tant activity. knife-wielding Palestinians. 2015 accord under which Iran justice for rape and sexual had agreed to curb its nuclear assault survivors. programme in exchange for A handout picture shows President Hassan Rouhani (right) meeting with Director General of the Interna- Names and pictures of sanctions relief. tional Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano in Tehran on Wednesday. (AFP) the accused, who hail from The deal known formally wealthy families, have cir- Rwanda issues arrest warrant for as the Joint Comprehensive The announcement came tion in late June put forward The IAEA monitors Iran’s culated online, but AFP has genocide suspect in France: Prosecutor Plan of Action (JCPOA) has at the end of IAEA director by Britain, France and Ger- nuclear activities as part of been unable to verify their been hanging by a thread general Rafael Grossi’s first many, urging Tehran to pro- the 2015 nuclear agreement authenticity. AFP France opened a probe into since US President Donald visit to Iran since the Argen- vide inspectors access to the between the Islamic republic The prosecution had Kigali alleged crimes against human- Trump’s unilateral decision to tine took the post last year. two disputed sites. and the five permanent mem- launched a probe in early ity by Ntiwiragabo after he was withdraw from it in 2018. In their statement, the Grossi met with Iran’s bers of the UN Security Coun- August after receiving a let- Rwanda has issued an inter- found in the suburbs of the city Iran has retaliated by two sides said the agreement President Hassan Rouhani on cil -- Britain, China, France, ter from a national wom- national arrest warrant for a of Orleans. French investigative gradually reducing its com- followed “intensive bilateral Wednesday before wrapping Russia and the United States en’s association, which in- top former Rwandan military news site Mediapart tracked mitments to the JCPOA ever consultations” and that the up his visit. -- plus Germany. cluded a complaint from a official, Aloys Ntiwiragabo, who down the former Rwandan spy since. IAEA had no further access “Iran, like before, is ready According to the spokes- young woman who claimed is under investigation in France chief, who had been identified by But it agreed on Wednes- requests. to closely cooperate with the man for Iran’s nuclear body, she had been gang-raped at over his role in the country’s the International Criminal Tri- day to grant the International “Based on analysis of agency in the framework of one of the two is located in the Fairmont in 2014. 1994 genocide which claimed bunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as one Atomic Energy Agency the ac- available information to the safeguards,” Rouhani said, ac- central Iran between Isfahan The Fairmont Hotel 800,000 lives. of the architects of the genocide. cess it has sought to two sites IAEA, the IAEA does not have cording to the government’s and Yazd provinces, and the has said it had conducted “We have issued an inter- The revelation of his wherea- that were suspected of having further questions to Iran and official website. other is close to Tehran. an internal investigation national arrest warrant against bouts came barely two months hosted undeclared activity in further requests for access to He called the agreement Iran had argued that the but found “that at no time Aloys Ntiwiragabo, the genocide after another suspected genocide the early 2000s. locations,” they said. “favourable” and said it can IAEA’s access requests are were any reports of the suspect. We have investigated architect, Felicien Kabuga, was “Iran is voluntarily pro- “Both sides recognise the help “finally settle issues”. based on allegations from Is- incident filed to the hotel, his case and we are working arrested on the fringes of Paris. viding the IAEA with access to independence, impartial- Rouhani also called on rael and have no legal basis. nor to the hotel’s tourism with the French unit in charge Kabuga had asked for a trial the two locations specified by ity and professionalism of the Grossi to consider that Iran After meeting Grossi, police”. of combating war crimes and in France, citing frail health and the IAEA,” the two sides said IAEA continue to be essential has “sworn enemies” with head of Iran’s atomic agency, Egyptian women often crimes against humanity,” pros- claiming the UN court in Africa in a joint statement, adding in the fulfilment of its verifica- nuclear weapons who do not Ali Akbar Salehi, said a “new face threats of retaliation ecutor-general Aimable Havugi- would be biased against him, they had agreed on dates for tion activities,” they added. cooperate with the IAEA and chapter” had started in rela- for exposing sexual mis- yaremye told a press conference and possibly hand him over to the access and the verification The IAEA’s board of gov- are “always seeking to cause tions between the country and conduct. on Tuesday. Rwandan authorities. activities there. ernors had passed a resolu- issues” for Tehran. the agency.

Supporters of Bahrain sidesteps Pompeo former Ivorian Israel says Hezbollah deliberately push for deal with Israel leader Gbagbo to AFP will follow the UAE, which ear- endangered UN troops in attack Manama lier this month became only file his election the third Arab country to agree DPA man Jonathan Conricus said Borders, a Lebanese environ- Bahrain said Wednesday it to establish relations with the candidacy Tel Aviv/Beirut late on Wednesday. mental non-profit. One of the was committed to the creation Jewish state. Conricus described the centres, located in the Aitron of a Palestinian state in talks “Hopeful we will build on AFP The Israeli military on strategy as “very dangerous reserve, caught fire when it with US Secretary of State Mike this momentum towards re- Abidjan Wednesday accused Hez- and cynical,” and suggested was hit. Pompeo, implicitly rejecting his gional peace,” Pompeo tweeted. bollah of having knowingly the snipers were hoping UN Israel also fired 117 flares push for Arab countries to swift- Bahrain’s King Hamad Supporters of former Ivo- endangered United Nations soldiers would be hit in an Is- and about 100 shells on sever- ly normalise ties with Israel. bin Isa Al-Khalifa said he told ry Coast president Laurent troops while firing on Israeli raeli counter-attack. al areas inside Lebanon, caus- Pompeo was in Manama as Pompeo that his country re- Gbagbo, who lives in Europe troops along the border to The Lebanese army said ing fires in the forest and on a part of a Middle East trip aimed mains committed to the Arab after being tried by the Inter- Lebanon. in an earlier statement that farm, and damaging a house, A Lebanese man holds, what he at forging more links between Peace Initiative -- which calls national Criminal Court (ICC), A group of Hezbollah Israeli helicopters firedthe Lebanese army added. claims to be an unexploded pro- Israel and the Arab world after for Israel’s complete withdraw- said Wednesday they would snipers positioned them- rockets inside Lebanese ter- Lebanon said that it had jectile fire by Israeli soldiers the a landmark US-brokered deal al from the Palestinian terri- file a candidacy in his name for selves directly below a UN po- ritory in the early hours of decided to file a complaint previous night during a border with the United Arab Emirates. tories occupied after 1967, in October’s election. sition before firing on Israeli Wednesday, targeting centres against Israel to the UN Secu- flare-up, in the southern Leba- The US chief diplomat has exchange for peace and the full A pro-Gbagbo coalition troops, Israeli army spokes- belonging to Green Without rity Council. nese village of Houla. (AFP) said he is hopeful other nations normalisation of relations. called Together for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) said in a statement “it will submit president Laurent Gbagbo’s candidacy, in line with sched- uled procedures”. Turkey won’t compromise in eastern Mediterranean dispute: Erdogan Gbagbo’s return to nation- DPA is rightfully hers in the Mediter- French, Greek and Italian navies try’s involvement in the exercises al politics is highly sensitive. Istanbul ranean, Aegean and the Black off Cyprus, as reported by the was intended to send a message Gbagbo, 75, was freed con- Sea too,” Erdogan said, telling Greek state news agency ANA that “dialogue, cooperation and ditionally by the ICC after he Turkey will make no conces- Greece to “stand aside” in the MPA. One Turkish research ves- diplomacy” should come first. was cleared in 2019 of crimes sions in a simmering maritime conflict. German Foreign Min- sel, accompanied by warships, Meanwhile, in Athens, against humanity. dispute with neighbouring ister Heiko Maas urged dialogue is conducting work in the area Greek Prime Minister Kyri- Candidates for the Oc- Greece in the eastern Mediter- to avoid a “catastrophe” in the through Aug 27. akos Mitsotakis told lawmakers tober 31 elections have until ranean, President Recep Tayy- region following talks in Athens “We call on our counterparts the country’s territorial waters midnight next Monday to file ip Erdogan said on Wednesday, and Ankara on Tuesday. to avoid mistakes that will lead would be extended from 6 to 12 their bid, and do not have to despite German efforts to medi- NATO allies Greece and to their devastation,” Erdogan nautical miles along its western, be present physically to do so, ate in the conflict. Turkey are locked in a dispute added. Italy-facing shores. the head of the Independent “We will never compromise about maritime borders in the In the meantime, two Turk- Greece’s dispute with Tur- Electoral Commission (CEI), what is ours,” Erdogan said at a area, which is believed to be rich ish warships have on Wednes- key in centred on the Aegean Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, ceremony marking the 1071 bat- in hydrocarbon resources. day carried out manoeuvres Sea, on the eastern coastline. told AFP. tle between the Seljuk Turks and The row has already led to a in the eastern Mediterranean Mitsotakis said that his The EDS includes a hard- Byzantine Empire in Manzikert confrontation between a Turk- along with the US destroyer USS country could eventually extend line pro-Gbagbo faction with- in the south-eastern province of ish frigate and a Greek vessel. Winston S Churchill, the Turk- its territorial waters in other in his Ivorian Popular Front Mus. Erdogan’s warning also ish Ministry of Defence said. maritime areas where the dis- (FPI), which has been deeply Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference fol- Turkey is ready to do “what- come on the heels of a joint French Defence Minister tance between the two shores is split by the upcoming election. lowing the weekly cabinet meeting. (AFP) ever is necessary” to take “what military exercise by the Cypriot, Florence Parly said that her coun- smaller than 24 miles. 06 Thursday, August 27, 2020

Established September 3, 2006 hamad bin suhaim al thani chairman Opinion adel ali bin ali managing director dr hassan mohammed al ansari editor-in-chief

Science Must Determine The Battle Against COVID-19 Poisoning Of Navalny Trump needs to understand that critical steps in the fight to stop the outbreak should be Is A Litmus Test For determined by professional experts — ending his unfounded accusation that the FDA was slowing treatment for political purposes Trump And Putin HE coronavirus has killed more Navarro, who has no medical expertise, than 800,000 people worldwide and also jeopardise the trust that will be es- The US president should at least stand with other world leaders in Troughly 177,000 in the United States. sential for an eventual vaccine to work. Over 23 million people worldwide and And that’s not all that’s at stake: demanding answers from his Russian counterpart about Navalny more than 5.7 million in America have Trump risks putting the already danger- contracted COVID-19. Millions of jobs ous anti-vaccination movement on ster- Trudy Rubin and billions in wealth have been lost, oids, which might reduce the effects of Tribune News Service and learning has been disrupted for stu- all lifesaving vaccines. dents from kindergarten to college. On Sunday, Trump announced that LL who worry about the future of de- The health, economic, social and the FDA had authorised emergency ap- mocracy in the Trump era should fol- governing crises make clear the extent proval of convalescent plasma for use low the story of Alexei Navalny, the lat- of the coronavirus catastrophe. Widely in COVID patients. The process is in ef- est Kremlin critic to be poisoned. available and more effective treat- fect an old treatment for a new disease As Republican speakers toss around ments — and ultimately a vaccine — that takes blood plasma from recovered theA words “freedom and democracy” at a real- can’t come soon enough. COVID patients for use in those cur- ity-lite GOP convention, Russia’s most prom- But the timetable should be meas- rently combating the infection. inent opposition leader lies in a coma, after ured by medical efficacy, not “Trump While some 70,000 people have al- evacuation from Siberia to a Berlin hospital. time,” which is the term used by White ready received some form of the prom- Trump has said nary a word about Navalny, House trade adviser Peter Navarro ising treatment, no randomised clinical in sharp contrast to Germany’s Angela Mer- when he confronted Food and Drug Ad- trials have yet been completed to give a kel and France’s Emmanuel Macron, who de- ministration officials over COVID treat- more complete picture of its effective- manded answers from Russia. ments and the medical supply chain, ac- ness. The FDA, however, said that data Trump’s silence is unsurprising, since he cording to an Axios report. it had accrued to date shows that “it is never criticises Putin, despite a long list of President Donald Trump was just as reasonable to believe” that it works. murdered Kremlin critics. When asked in 2015 blunt, tweeting (what else?) an unfound- That Trump announced the move about the killing of many Russian journalists, ed accusation that the FDA was slowing on the eve of the Republican National Trump replied, “Well, I think that our country treatment for political purposes. Convention was not lost on some ob- does plenty of killing, too.” In other words, the “The deep state, or whoever, over at servers who are concerned that it’s not GOP nominee believes American democracy the FDA is making it very difficult for the FDA, but the White House, that may is no different than a Kremlin kleptocracy. drug companies to get people in order be prioritising politics. But Navalny would beg to differ about didn’t mean their aspirations were fruitless. With local elections upcoming in Russia, to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” The timing of the announcement democracy. He achieved remarkable success “We understood the basic decision of Putin is and parliamentary elections next year, Putin Trump wrote. “Obviously, they are hop- was “conspicuous,” Benjamin Corb, in building grassroots organisations across to be a lifetime president and die in the Krem- may well have feared that Navalny’s “smart ing to delay the answer until after No- the director of public affairs for the Russia -- which is why Putin fears him. His lin like a tsar,” he told me. voting” would undermine Kremlin control of vember 3rd. Must focus on speed, and American Society for Biochemis- courage should inspire Americans daunted by “These rigged percentages are leverage to the country. saving lives!” try and Molecular Biology, told the Trump’s threats to undermine the 2020 elec- persuade people everything is fruitless, that Add to that the demonstrations in Be- November 3, of course, is Election Washington Post. Trump, he added, is tion. It puts the GOP to shame. resistance is impossible.” He tried to prove larus, which borders Russia, where tens of Day. For the president to presume “once again putting his political goals I last interviewed the dynamic, then that wasn’t the case. thousands are protesting against an election that the professional experts who have ahead of the health and well-being of 41-year-old Navalny in Moscow in March Was he afraid of being murdered, I asked. rigged by Europe’s last dictator, Alexander Lu- committed their careers to health care the American public.” 2018, in his sleek modern office, staffed by “Right now the cost is higher than they want,” kashenko. “Because Navalny is the only leader would risk lives for political purposes The virus is apolitical. The medical casually dressed young Russians who typify he told me, adding with grim humour, “Maybe of the Russian opposition, they look at Minsk is a profound insult. The fact is that response should be, too. And the next his legions of followers. they are still saving this tool.” and see what Lukashenko did very success- the FDA adheres to a scientific timeta- critical steps in the nation’s battle to I arrived there after visiting the volunteer So why did the Kremlin target him now? fully, totally eliminating leaders,” says Albats. ble that already is moving faster than it stop the spread should be determined memorial at the spot where the leading liberal Probably because Putin is getting nerv- Navalny’s tea was apparently poisoned at usually does. by science, lest the COVID statistics opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned ous. Beset by low oil prices and a stagnant a Siberian airport, having rallied followers in The president and aides such as grow even more grim. down right under the Kremlin walls in 2015. economy, Russians in the boonies are getting Tomsk. This was a kind of Russia-wide cam- It was an assassination that could not have restless. paigning to reach the average Ivan that no happened without Kremlin approval, and the Navalny had developed a “smart voting” other critic has dared to do. most blatant in an endless series of killings system, urging dissatisfied Russians to vote “Of course he will go home if he wakes up,” and poisonings of opposition figures at home for anyone but the Kremlin’s United Russia says Albats, “if the poison didn’t destroy his and abroad. party, rather than split their vote amongst the brain.” Banned from state-controlled media, the several toothless opposition parties permitted But what should an American leader do? former lawyer campaigned against Kremlin to run. Albats notes that America’s all-important “soft corruption on YouTube, the Telegram mes- “Navalny started building networks all power” lies in the “illusion that the American saging service and other social media plat- across the country, trying to build support people really care about freedom and liberty. forms. His group put together astonishing at the municipal, district and regional level, Do you really care about Navalny?” she asks. videos revealing official corruption, including building structures from the bottom up,” I Unlike Trump, Joe Biden has decried Na- former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, was told by Yevgenia Albats, a leading Russian valny’s poisoning, and said he would “defend the head of Russia’s national guard, and other journalist, and one of Russia’s few remaining our democratic values and stand up to auto- Kremlin favourites. The videos got millions of independent commentators. “This has never crats like Putin.” At minimum, the president hits. been done before in Russia.” should publicly stand with Macron and Mer- Banned from running in the last presiden- The result could be seen in the far east- kel in demanding answers from Putin about tial election, or from forming a political party, ern city of Khabarovsk, where “smart voting” Navalny. That is, if he gives a whit about de- Navalny was called a “fascist” and a “traitor” elected a governor not from the Kremlin party mocracy, here or abroad. by Kremlin trolls. He was arrested, repeatedly who was responsive to local needs. Clearly this jailed and physically attacked. made Putin unhappy. When the governor was (Trudy Rubin is a columnist and But he never faltered, shifting his goal suddenly arrested, tens of thousands came to editorial-board member for the (Tribune News Service) to convincing Russians that rigged elections the streets, and demonstrations continue. Philadelphia Inquirer)

How Sports Can Teach You To Be A Better Leader In The Office When leaders provide team members with the tools they need to succeed, everyone wins

Thomas Griffin tend to ignore this idea. There’s always Remove the pressure to win. rately describes the idea of a team that Tribune News Service that one manager who takes the credit Even at its highest levels, sports are sup- collaborates and helps each individual for the work of their team, right? Good posed to be fun. Most athletes started be better. In team sports, it’s vital that E use a lot of sports language in the leaders know that achieving goals is a playing sports because they enjoyed athletes encourage their teammates and business world. We “pitch” clients, team effort. Everyone must pull in the them. As they progressed to the elite challenge them to improve. Wdevise “game plans” for growth and same direction to help grow the compa- levels, their sports became more stress- Successful leaders do the same thing “drop the ball” when we make a mistake. ny. Leaders who don’t acknowledge their ful because they began to equate success by providing feedback, reinforcing posi- Aside from giving us a shared way of talk- teams’ successes are missing an oppor- with winning. If they’re not winning, tive efforts and providing informal coach- ing in business, sports coaches can help us tunity to raise morale and create a more they’re not successful. ing to employees. Leaders cannot be eve- become better leaders. collaborative environment. Yet, coaches know that athletes can be rywhere or do everything, so they must Based on the number of sports coach- Break down new techniques or successful even in a loss. Some call losses spread the leadership to their employees ing books written for business leaders, skills. When learning a new tactic or “learning events” because athletes learn and encourage them to help their col- I’m not the only one who has noticed the skill, coaches will break it down into its teach a player technique all day long, but something from the experience. Whether leagues like athletes do. connection. As a lifelong fan of sports individual parts. Athletes then practice if they never try it on the playing field, in sports or business, lasting wins hap- Sports can teach us a lot in business who is always learning how to be a bet- in layers, adding each new part until they’ll never learn when to use it in game pen through a gradual accumulation of and help us be better business leaders. ter leader, I’ve gathered the five coaching they’re proficient enough to use it in live situations. People learn by doing, whether teaching, learning, leading and doing (or By adopting more of an “employees-first” tactics that I think can help us become game situations. you’re an athlete or employee, and success playing). It’s the pursuit of excellence that mentality, we can serve employees better better business leaders. The same applies to business. Leaders comes out of knowing how to improvise should be the mark of success, not a win and create better organisations. Your success comes from your should break down tasks for employees to with what we’ve learned. in the standings. As University of Kentucky men’s bas- team’s success. Coaches prepare their learn and give them the chance to practice Business leaders cannot do everything As a leader, you can remove that pres- ketball coach John Calipari once said, athletes for every situation and teach them alone, or with guidance, until they’re com- for employees, so they have to let them sure to win by highlighting the journey to “Leadership is about serving everyone the skills they need to succeed. Athletes fortable. Employees will appreciate the experiment on their own. Give employ- get to an objective, rather than only the under you, asking yourself, ‘How do I give understand that their success depends on practice time before having to use skills in ees the freedom to use what they know so achievement of it. That’ll help your team you the tools you need to succeed and their coaches, which is why they usually live situations, making them more likely to they can develop confidence in their skills. members progress in their next journey. proceed?’” When leaders provide employ- thank their coaches when they win. use them and succeed with them. They’ll never achieve success if they’re de- Encourage employees to lead. ees with the tools they need to succeed In business, however, many people Players learn by doing. You can pendent on you. The clich “there is no ‘I’ in team” accu- and proceed, everyone wins.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE OPINION AND ANALYSIS PAGES ARE THE AUTHORS’ OWN. QATAR TRIBUNE BEARS NO RESPONSIBILITY. Asia / World Thursday, August 27, 2020 07 Suicide bombers in Philippine attack were militants’ widows: Army

AFP In a text message to report- Manila ers, Sobejana said Nanah was the wife of Norman Lasuca, Philippines’ coronavirus infections Two female suicide attackers who is considered the Philip- who carried out a double bomb- pines’ first homegrown suicide ing in the southern Philippines bomber. top 200,000, deaths at 3,137 were the widows of militants Lasuca and another attack- Manila The total number of capital region of Metro Manila, happen is for people who have who had worked for the Islamic er blew themselves up outside a coronavirus infections has which also accounted for more been infected with COVID-19 State-linked Abu Sayyaf group, military camp on Jolo in June topped 200,000 in the Philip- than 60 per cent of the deaths, in the past to assume they are the army chief said Wednesday. 2019, killing several soldiers pines, with the death toll rising the department said. already immune to the disease,” The pair blew themselves and civilians. to more than 3,100, the heath Amid concerns that pa- the advisory read. up in a coordinated attack on Inda Nay was the wife of department said Wednesday. tients who have recovered from “Until we fully understand Jolo island in Muslim-majority Talha Jumsah, also known as The Department of Health COVID-19 can be reinfected, the what we are up against, everyone Sulu province on Monday, kill- Abu Talha, who acted as liai- reported 5,277 additional department stressed that data should always follow the mini- ing or wounding scores of secu- son between Abu Sayyaf and confirmed cases, bringing the on post-infection immunity was mum health standards (of) using rity forces and civilians in the Police cordon off the site where twin bombs exploded two days ago, the Islamic State group. He was country’s total tally to 202,361. still lacking. face masks, hand-washing and country’s deadliest attack this in Jolo town, Sulu island on Wednesday. Two female suicide attackers killed in November in a shoot- The death toll from COV- “We advise the public to al- physical-distancing,” it added. year. who carried out a double bombing in the southern Philippines were out with security forces on Jolo. ID-19 also rose to 3,137, up ways err on the side of caution,” “No exceptions.” The Philippines The death toll from the the widows of militants who had worked for the Islamic State-linked Authorities are checking if 99, it added. it said in an advisory released currently has the largest case- blasts has risen to 15 with 74 Abu Sayyaf group. (AFP) Nanah was Indonesian. Sixty percent of the infec- on Tuesday. load of coronavirus infections in wounded, the Armed Forces of Sobejana has called for tions were reported from the “What we do not want to South-East Asia. (DPA) the Philippines (AFP) said in a violence,” AFP Chief of Staff No group has claimed re- martial law to be imposed in statement, blaming Abu Sayyaf Lieutenant General Gilbert Ga- sponsibility. Sulu -- a chain of islands that people. law,” Lorenzana said late Tues- Islamist militants blamed for for the attack. pay said. Army chief Lieutenant Gen- has long been a stronghold for But Defence Secretary Delf- day. the Philippines’ worst terror at- “The Abu Sayyaf Group will “Our troops on the ground eral Cirilito Sobejana identified Abu Sayyaf -- to “bring back in Lorenzana has rejected the Listed by the United States tacks as well as kidnappings of not deter us from nor shake our continue to be on high alert to the female bombers as Inda normality” and enable the mili- request. as a terrorist organisation, Abu foreign tourists and Christian resolve to bring an end to their deter similar attacks.” Nay and Nanah. tary to control the movement of “There will be no martial Sayyaf is a loose network of missionaries.

News New Zealand mosque in brief attacks gunman will not Afghanistan flash South Korean speak at sentencing doctors begin three- day strike, risking DPA imprisonment Wellington Seoul Thousands of doc- The man responsible for the floods kill over 100 tors in South Korea defied deadly 2019 mosque attacks in AFP threats of imprisonment New Zealand will not speak at Charikar and walked off the job his sentencing on Thursday as on Wednesday, in a fresh was expected. Rescue workers in Afghani- protest against the govern- The Christchurch High stan searched Wednesday for ment’s proposed reforms to Court confirmed on Wednes- Australian white supremacist survivors of flash floods that the health sector. day that standby counsel Brenton Tarrant attends his first killed more than 100 people Health Minister Park would instead make a brief day in court in Christchurch. (AFP) and destroyed hundreds of Neung Hoo ordered the doc- submisson on behalf of Bren- houses near Kabul, officials tors to return to work, saying ton Tarrant, 29. and began firing at worship- said. those who disobeyed risked The Australian citizen pers, the court heard. Troops pulled dozens of up to three years jail, a fine pleaded guilty in March to He ran at the gunman victims from the rubble of col- of up to $25,000 or the loss 51 charges of murder, 40 of twice during the attacks, at lapsed buildings in Charikar, of their license. attempted murder and one one point throwing a discard- capital of Parwan province, af- More than 3,500 clinics charge of terrorism. ed gun at his vehicle, court ter torrential overnight rains across the country were Earlier on Wednesday, the documents said. fuelled fierce floods that swept closed by noon on Wednes- third day of the sentencing The widow of the 51st vic- through the city. day, the first of a planned hearing, the actions of a man tim of the shootings was one of Officialsand witnesses three-day strike. who ran towards Tarrant dur- the last to address the court on said many children were This is the second strike ing the attacks were acknowl- Wednesday. Hamimah Tuyan among the dead. action by the KMA doctors’ edged in the Court. elicited a smirk from Tarrant Local resident Mohamed association this month. In Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah when she said she missed the Qasim, a 45-year-old farmer, addition, thousands of doc- was at the Linwood Islamic “lame dad jokes” of her hus- told AFP that 11 members of tors in training and assistant Centre when Tarrant arrived band Zekeriya Tuyan. his family were killed in the doctors have been on strike floods. since the end of last week. “My sister, her husband, The disruptions to South two of their daughters and Korea’s health care system their children were all sleeping come as the country is China shoots missiles into South in one house,” Qasim said. experiencing a surge in new China Sea in warning to US: Report “When the flood hit, the coronavirus cases. (DPA) house collapsed on them. Elev- DPA warning to the United States.” en members of my family were Vietnam asks Beijing The other, a DF-21D advanced killed, most of them my nieces China to cease anti-ship missile, has a range and nephews.” military exercises China on Wednesday report- of 1,800 kilometres. Piles of rocks from de- in South China Sea edly shot two medium-range The unusual demonstra- stroyed buildings were scat- Villagers and rescuers search for bodies among households’ debris as others watch after a flash flood af- missiles into the South China tion of military strength came tered across the city, with fected the area at Sayrah-e-Hopiyan in Charikar, Parwan province, on Wednesday. (AFP) Hanoi Following weeks of Sea in an apparent warning to hours after China said that a roads blocked by mud and de- increased defence activi- the United States after a spy US spy plane had entered into bris and cars flipped on their heavy rain, holding on to their In the Surobi district of floods ravaged a village in the ties by Beijing in the South plane entered its no-fly zone a no-fly zone imposed during side. salvaged belongings. Kabul province, a flash flood eastern province of Nangarhar. China Sea, Vietnam’s during military drills. military drills in the country’s Afghanistan’s state minis- - Emergency relief ordered killed eight people and injured Heavy monsoon rains Foreign Ministry on Wednes- The rockets were fired north. try for disaster management -”I was alone when the flood 13 more, provincial public have also wrought havoc on day asked China to cease from Qinghai and Zhejiang An Air Force U-2 plane en- said the death toll from the hit. I grabbed the window and health director Khushal Nabi- neighbouring Pakistan, with military exercises near the provinces and landed in an tered the no-fly zone for live- floods had risen to 100, with was holding it for two hours zada said. authorities in the southern city disputed Paracel Islands. area of sea closed for ma- fire military exercises “without about 100 other people in- until the neighbours came to Torrential downpours and of Karachi reporting 30 deaths The statement came noeuvrers this week, a source authorization” and “seriously jured and nearly 500 houses rescue me,” said 70-year-old flash floodskill scores of peo- over the past three weeks from in response to a question close to the Chinese military interfered” with the People’s destroyed. Hamida. ple annually in Afghanistan. flood-related incidents, in- about China carrying out told Hong Kong’s South China Liberation Army’s activities, In parts of Charikar anx- “I lost everything, my jew- Many poorly built homes, cluding injuries from collapsed week-long military exer- Morning Post newspaper. a Chinese Foreign Ministry ious residents gathered to see ellery, money and all my prop- mostly in rural areas, are at buildings, drownings and elec- cises near the Paracels One of the rockets, a DF- spokesman said. if rescue workers using heavy erty.” risk of collapse during the rains trocutions. this week, the second time 26B, has a range of 4,000 The US Pacific Air Forces machinery would be able Flash floods were also re- in the impoverished country. Afghan President Ashraf Beijing has organized such kilometres and can also be told CNN a U-2 spy plane flew to pull loved ones from the ported in other provinces -- in- Earlier this month, 16 peo- Ghani had ordered emergency activities in the last two equipped with nuclear war- in the Indo-Pacific area but wreckage. cluding Nangarhar, Panjshir, ple, including 15 children, were relief to be sent to Charikar, months. heads, the paper said, and did not violate any interna- Many residents stood on Wardak, Loghar, Paktika and killed and dozens of houses the presidential palace said in “China’s continuous called the move a “a clear tional rules. rooftops under continued Kapisa. were destroyed when flash a statement. conducting of exercises near the Paracel Islands vio- lates Vietnam’s sovereignty over this archipelago and complicates the situation,” Death toll in India building collapse Ministry of Foreign Affairs Australia eyes powers to reverse spokesperson Le Thi Thu rises to 16; search called off Hang said in a statement. DPA bled, police said. She added that China’s local deals with China, others New Delhi The police on Wednesday military manoeuvres make arrested an architect from a negotiations regarding a AFP “Where any of these agree- work and tightening foreign The death toll in a building Mumbai suburb in connection code of conduct for the Sydney ments undermine how the fed- investment laws for corpora- collapse in western India rose with the incident. resource-rich waterway - de- eral government is protecting tions. to 16 on Wednesday with the Police suspect the building, signed to aid stability in the Australia’s federal govern- and promoting our national Under the new proposal, recovery of three more bodies, which was about 7 years old, region and allow for peace- ment will unveil new powers interests they can (be) can- dozens of long-standing deals officials said. had structural defects. ful resolutions of conflict Thursday to scrap deals be- celled.” could come under scrutiny. The five-storey building, A criminal case has been between nations affected by tween state authorities and The new powers, which All official bodies would be said to house several fami- filed against five people, includ- the disputes - much more foreign countries that threaten still require parliamentary ap- required to take stock of their lies, collapsed in Maharashtra ing the builder, who is yet to be difficult.(DPA) the national interest, a move proval, will also cover publicly existing arrangements with state’s Raigad district on Mon- arrested, and the architect. which could target several funded universities. foreign governments -- on day evening. controversial agreements with Though the move does everything from culture and “The search-and-rescue op- China. not specifically target Bei- tourism to health and educa- eration has been called off, as Prime Minister Scott Mor- jing, there is growing unease tion -- for approval. all missing persons have been rison wants to stop state and in Australia that China has Australia prime minister Scott Foreign Minister Marise traced,” said Raigad district’s FOR RENT local administrations from en- sought to “divide and con- Morrison Payne, who would have the top official, Nidhi Choudhari. tering or remaining in accords quer” by gaining influence at final say on which agreements Operations to clear the building new apartments that are deemed counter to local and regional levels, cre- critics say is cover for Beijing could go ahead, said the new rubble were continuing. national foreign policy objec- ating an effective pro-China creating geopolitical and fi- laws would “ensure they are At least a dozen people, in- in Mansoura tives. lobby. nancial leverage. consistent with our national cluding a 4-year-old boy, had “It is vital that when it The new rules are certain Canberra has already tak- interest and our values”. been rescued, Choudhari said. (3) Bedrooms Qr. 5,000 comes to Australia’s dealings to reignite controversy over en steps to limit China’s influ- “It is vital for Australia’s Those left homeless by the col- with the rest of the world we the southern state of Victoria’s ence in the country, includ- prosperity, security and sover- lapse have been provided shel- (2) Bedrooms Qr. 4,000 speak with one voice and work decision to sign up to the “Belt ing by banning controversial eignty that our foreign policy ter by the local administration. to one plan,” Morrison said and Road Initiative” -- a vast telecoms giant Huawei from is driven by our national inter- At least 60 people had es- announcing the legislation. network of investments that building Australia’s 5G net- est,” she said. caped as the building crum- 55555065 08 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Europe / Americas UK govt changes its mind on masks in English schools Insect spray chemical can AFP mouth when they return to class ease under control. kill coronavirus: UK study London from next week, amid concern “The risk to your health is AFP had anti-viral properties if about a rise in new infections. not from Covid because after London mixed with the virus in the liq- British Prime Minister The change is being seen all, statistically speaking, your uid phase and on a test surface. Boris Johnson on Wednes- as another policy U-turn, just chances of suffering from that A chemical used in insect repel- “Mixing a virus suspen- day sought to reassure pupils weeks after ministers were disease are very, very low,” he lent can kill the strain of coro- sion with Mosi-guard spray or about the risks of going back forced to scrap the use of an said. navirus that causes COVID-19, selected constituent compo- to school, after a policy rever- algorithm which gave 17- and “The greatest risk you face according to a preliminary nents resulted in a reduction in sal on facemasks sparked fresh 18-year-olds lower-than-ex- now is of continuing to be out study by Britain’s defence labo- SARS-CoV-2,” said the study. questions about the govern- pected exam grades. of school.” ratory published on Wednes- At a high concentration, ment’s handling of the corona- On a visit to a school in The new guidance advises day. “Mosi-guard gave a significant virus outbreak. central England, Johnson secondary school students Scientists at the Defence decrease... resulting in no re- The government back- thanked students for enduring aged 11-18 and staff to wear Science and Technology Labo- coverable virus,” it added. Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks to a class of year seven tracked on its insistence that months at home because of the face coverings in corridors and ratory (DSTL) found that Cit- Citriodiol is made from oil pupils on their first day at Castle Rock school, Coalville, central Eng- students in England should not outbreak, which he said had communal areas, in places with riodiol, the active ingredient in in the leaves and twigs of the land, on Wednesday. (AFP) have to cover their nose and helped the country get the dis- local coronavirus restrictions. repellents such as Mosi-guard, eucalyptus citriodora tree. Russia says Navalny Two shot dead in US city not poisoned as West urges probe of Kenosha as anti-police AFP ● Moscow NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called for an The Kremlin on Wednesday investigation saying there rejected international calls for was “no reason to doubt” protests erupt in violence an investigation into the poi- the German doctors’ soning of opposition leader conclusions AFP Alexei Navalny, saying medics Kenosha Trump says federal had not identified any toxin. ● Berlin hospital said tests forces headed to The 44-year-old lawyer and indicated poisoning with a Two people were shot dead anti-corruption campaigner re- substance that inhibits the and a third injured on Tuesday protest-hit Kenosha mains in a medically-induced cholinesterase enzyme, a night in the US city of Keno- US President Donald Trump coma in a Berlin hospital, feature of nerve agents sha as anti-police protesters announced on Wednesday where doctors said tests have clashed with armed vigilante the deployment of addi- shown he was poisoned. groups during a third night of tional federal forces to the Kremlin spokesman Dmit- sassination. demonstrations over the police protest-hit Midwestern city ry Peskov slammed “hurried” Western leaders have urged shooting of a black man. of Kenosha, after two people statements on the “high likeli- Russia to immediately launch a Video footage posted on- were shot dead in violence hood” that Navalny was poi- transparent investigation. line showed a man in civilian overnight. soned. The Charite hospital in clothes with an assault rifle “We will NOT stand for “We categorically disagree Berlin treating Navalny said seeming to shoot at protesters looting, arson, violence, and with them at this stage,” he told on Monday that tests indicated and apparently hitting two who lawlessness on American journalists. poisoning with a substance tried to stop him. The Wisconsin city declared a state of emergency streets,” Trump tweeted, a Navalny fell ill after board- that inhibits the cholinester- The apparent shooter then day after demonstrations ing a plane to Moscow in Sibe- ase enzyme, a feature of nerve walked down the street freely, curfew as a third night of civil unrest occurred after over the police shooting of ria and his aides believe he was agents. gun slung across his chest, a black man gave way to poisoned by a cup of tea at the The German hospital said while protesters scattered and the police shooting of a black man on Sunday clashes between protesters airport. They place the ultimate the exact substance was un- police vehicles drove past him. and armed vigilantes. blame on President Vladimir known. Early Wednesday the Wis- Law enforcement forces hold a line in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday. (AFP) “TODAY, I will be send- Putin. NATO chief Jens Stolten- consin city’s police department ing federal law enforcement Navalny’s family fought to berg on Wednesday called for said local officers, along withas - believed at least one person car, which held his three sons. sha, as they had the previous and the National Guard to medically evacuate him to Ger- an investigation saying there sisting agencies, had responded would soon be taken into cus- Blake’s father Jacob Blake two nights. Kenosha, WI to restore LAW many, saying they did not trust was “no reason to doubt” the to reports of shots being fired tody based on video footage re- Sr accused police of “sense- But adding to tensions, and ORDER!” Russian doctors. German doctors’ conclusions. and multiple gunshot victims viewed by police. less attempted murder” as he heavily armed groups ap- Trump made the an- The doctors who treated British Prime Minister shortly before midnight. “I feel very confident we’ll remained paralysed from the peared, appearing mainly nouncement after speaking Navalny for two days in the Si- Boris Johnson also urged a “The shooting resulted in have him in a very short time,” waist down after several sur- white, vowing to protect pri- with Wisconsin Governor berian city of Omsk said their “full, transparent investiga- two fatalities and a third gun- Beth said. geries. vate property from destruction. Tony Evers, who a day earlier tests did not find any toxic sub- tion,” echoing earlier calls from shot victim was transported The violence came on the The most recent police As scuffles with demonstra- announced he was authoris- stances, calling his condition a US Secretary of State Mike to a hospital with serious, but third night of angry protests shooting of an African Ameri- tors erupted, law enforcement ing increased National Guard “metabolic disorder”. Pompeo, the French foreign non-life threatening injuries,” over the shooting by police last can has sparked renewed out- moved armored vehicles in support for the county to “How can we talk about a ministry and German Chancel- the department said in a tweet, Sunday of African American rage and protests in US cities, front of the county courthouse 250 members. (AFP) poisoning, if there’s no poison- lor Angela Merkel. adding the investigation was Jacob Blake, 29. including New York and Min- and fired rubber bullets at pro- ous substance?” Peskov said. The Kremlin spokesman “active and ongoing.” Bystander video shows a po- neapolis, and further fuelled the testers who shot fireworks. ahead of a national protest No investigation has been shrugged off any responsibil- Kenosha County Sheriff lice man shooting Blake point- Black Lives Matter movement. Earlier Tuesday Blake’s against police brutality and opened in Russia despite Na- ity, saying it was up to law en- David Beth told the Milwau- blank as many as seven times in Protests began peacefully mother Julia Jackson issued racism planned for Washing- valny’s aides asking investiga- forcement authorities to decide kee Journal Sentinel that he his back as he tried to enter his on Tuesday evening in Keno- a poignant appeal for peace ton on Friday. tors to probe an attempted as- what was “appropriate.”

News in brief Over 50 people arrested in latest Belarus protests Hurricane Laura now ‘extremely DPA A disputed presidential EU foreign ministers are to tion of power. He said it was “absolutely dangerous’ Category 4 storm Minsk election earlier this month EU foreign ministers are unacceptable” that members WASHINGTON: Hurricane Laura strengthened into an “extreme- granted long-time leader Pres- discuss a response to the to discuss a response to the of the coordinating council ly dangerous” Category 4 storm on Wednesday, the National More than 50 people have ident Alexander Lukashenko situation during a confer- situation during a conference had been “imprisoned, inter- Hurricane Center said, threatening parts of the coast of Texas been arrested in the latest another term in office. ence in Berlin set for today in Berlin set for Thursday rogated and intimidated.” and Louisiana with powerful winds and storm surge. anti-government protests in Lukashenko promised to and tomorrow and Friday, Maas said in the “The coordinating council has The Miami-based NHC said Laura was packing winds of Belarus, human rights organi- crack down on opponents as capital. repeatedly made its goal clear, 140 miles per hour (220 kilometers per hour) and could bring sation Wedna and the Inte- daily demonstrations swelled the elections were “neither “Severe human rights vio- to work on a peaceful solution “unsurvivable” storm surge to coastal areas. rior Ministry confirmed on into mass protests during the free nor fair.” German For- lations and violations of basic to the ongoing crisis on the ba- It said Laura was expected to remain a Category 4 hur- Wednesday. weekend in Minsk. eign Minister Heiko Maas on democratic principles will not sis of the current constitution ricane -- the second-highest on the wind scale -- when it makes It was the largest daily The latest round of pro- Wednesday slammed Minsk go unanswered,” said Ger- and in taking into account the landfall overnight. (AFP) number of arrests this week, tests included rallies in the cit- for cracking down on the many’s top diplomat, whose close relations between Be- as the number of people join- ies of Grodno and Gomel. country’s nascent coordinat- country currently holds the larus and Russia, including Croatia reimposes restrictions after ing unauthorised protests The EU has refused to ing council, established by the European Union’s rotating close relations between civil record virus case increase continued to rise. recognise the results, saying opposition to support a transi- presidency. society,” Maas added. BELGRADE: Croatia on Wednesday reported 358 new infec- tions over the past 24 hours, the country’s highest daily increase since the onset of the pandemic. The new infections bring the number of active cases in Croatia, a country of 4.19 million, to 2,351, with 7,993 resi- N-word dropped from French Ukraine reimposes ban for dents in self-isolation. Overall, there have been 8,888 cases in Croatia and 175 related deaths. The previous record new foreigners over virus surge case tally was recorded last week, as the country experiences edition of Agatha Christie novel its worst fortnight since the pandemic began. (DPA) AFP “Considering the level of in- AFP ble position to have in 2020”. Kiev fections, we need to protect our Germany extends Polish president Paris Publisher Masque con- citizens and show responsibility virus travel warning swears in new foreign, firmed to AFP that the edit Ukraine on Wednesday to our foreign partners,” Prime The French translation of Ag- was made at the request of the banned foreigners from enter- Minister Denys Shmygal said. for beyond EU health ministers atha Christie’s hit novel ‘And company Agatha Christie Lim- ing the country for one month Ukraine previously banned BERLIN: The German govern- WARSAW: Polish President Then There Were None’ will ited “to align it with the Eng- after health officials registered foreigners from entering the ment said on Wednesday it Andrzej Duda swore in new change its title to remove a lish and American editions a record increase in coronavi- country from mid-March was extending a travel warn- foreign and health ministers racially-charged word already and all other international rus infections. through late June. ing for countries outside the on Wednesday, as the country dropped from the British edi- translations.” The ex-Soviet country of People who hold residence European Union until Septem- keeps a close eye on the un- tion decades ago, its editor It stressed that “the story 42 million people reported a permits in Ukraine, as well as ber 14 over ongoing concerns rest in neighbouring Belarus said on Wednesday. The French translation of Agatha itself has not changed.” record daily increase in new in- members of international and linked to the coronavirus and fights to eepk its corona- The title ‘Dix Petits Ne- Christie’s mystery novel ‘And The word “negre” ap- fections on Saturday with 2,328 humanitarian delegations are pandemic. virus outbreak in check. gres’, or ‘Ten Little Niggers’, Then There Were None’ will peared 74 times in the French positive tests. exempt from the ban. Government spokes- Zbigniew Rau, chair of the will become ‘Ils Etaient Dix’ or change its title to remove an version of the book, first pub- Officials have repeatedly Long-distance truck drivers woman Ulrike Demmer said parliament’s foreign police ‘They Were Ten’. offensive word which was already lished in 1940. threatened to reintroduce an- will also still be allowed to enter the decision to extend the ad- committee, is now Poland’s The decision to change the dropped from the British edition It will be replaced with ti-virus restrictions that were the country. visory against “tourism trips” foreign minister. Rau replaces French title of one of the best- decades ago. (AFP) the word “soldat” or “soldier” eased in May and June, saying Lockdown measures were to so-called third countries -- Jacek Czaputowicz, who selling books by the “Queen of in the latest translation by citizens were ignoring social eased in May and June with the those outside the EU and the stepped down in a govern- Crime” was taken by her great- 1939 under the title “Ten Little Gerard de Cherge, according distancing rules and other pre- resumption of public transport no-passport Schengen zone ment reshuffle.D uda also grandson James Prichard, who Niggers” after a minstrel song, to RTL. ventative measures. and the reopening of parks, -- had been taken in the face swore in Adam Niedzielski, up heads the company that owns dated from a time when such And the “Ile du Negre” The government an- outdoor cafes and beauty sa- of rising infection numbers in to now president of the na- the rights to Christie’s works. language was common. where the mystery unfolds, be- nounced on Wednesday it lons. Germany attributed to travel- tional health fund, as health Prichard told the RTL Not using words “that up- comes the “Ile du Soldat” like would close its borders to for- Ukraine has reported more lers. (AFP) minister. (DPA) broadcaster that the book, set people”, Prichard said, the English version’s “Soldier eigners beginning Saturday un- than 110,000 cases and 2,354 first published in Britain in “just seems to me a very sensi- Island”. til September 28. fatalities. Markets mixed as oil firms brace for hurricane page 10

Thursday, August 27 , 2020

28,266.19 9,898.93 39,073.92 1,946.56 +17.75 pts -10.19 pts +230.04 pts Gold +0.95% Alibaba shares leap after IPO Dow QE sensex filing of its Ant Grouppage 12 Price percentage Price percentage 27.56 Brent 45.73 -0.28% WTI 43.49 +0.32% Silver +4.27% QC panel for adding its electronic services to Single Window

Tribune News Network (MoCI) to remove the can- that contributes to achieving possibilities of providing Doha celled companies from the Qatar e-Government 2020 the chamber’s services to in- database, in addition to add Strategy goals. stitutions that do not have Qatar Chamber (QC) Reg- new companies and update a The committee recom- a commercial registry and istration and Membership joint database of commercial mended boosting coordina- have a commercial licence, Committee recently held sectors between the ministry tion between the chamber and those with professions its third meeting to discuss and the chamber. and the Single Window to and other activities whose mechanisms of updating The meeting was also at- identify the most important work requires providing ser- member’s database. tended by MoCI Commercial services offered by the cham- vices from the chamber. Qatar Chamber General Registration and Licenses ber which can be provided It was agreed that the Manager Saleh bin Hamad Department Assistant Direc- through the Single Window. committee would hold a Al Sharqi, who is also the tor Ministry of Commerce It also recommended monthly meeting to follow chairman of the committee, and Industry Saleh bin Faraj updating members’ data for up all issues related to com- presided over the meeting. Al Marri, Single Window Di- creating a technological en- pany registration and clas- The meeting discussed rector Mohamed Hamad Al Qatar Chamber General Manager Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi presides over the meeting of Qatar Cham- vironment that supports the sification according to their about activating the elec- Nuaimi and members of the ber’s Registration and Membership Committee in Doha recently. electronic link between the economic sectors, develop- tronic linking between the committee from the cham- chamber and the ministry. ing e-services and enhancing chamber and the Ministry ber. the possibility of adding the vices to the Single Window, easily available for the cham- It also recommended cooperation between both of Commerce and Industry The meeting reviewed chamber’s electronic ser- so that these services will be ber’s members, and in a way studying the conditions and sides in this regard. Qatar’s trade balance rises Fed warns 6.6% to QR6.3 bn in July of ‘uncertain’ QNA Doha US recovery

Qatar’s trade balance, which represents the differ- AFP ence between total exports Washington and imports, increased 6.6 percent to QR6.3 billion in The United States’s recovery July this year when compared from the coronavirus eco- Job losses with the trade balance of the nomic downturn is ‘highly previous month, the Planning uncertain’ and many busi- As businesses were forced to and Statistics Authority (PSA) nesses will continue to strug- close in the early days of the said in a report released on gle, a top Federal Reserve of- pandemic and travel was shut Wednesday. ficial said on Wednesday. down, tens of millions of jobs According to the PSA re- “Emergency programmes were lost. Major companies port for July 2020, the for- rolled out by the government such as the US-based airlines eign merchandise trade bal- and Fed helped cushion the have announced thousands of ance showed a decrease of blow from the COVID-19 additional job cuts and layoffs about 52.3 percent from the business shutdowns, but the in October trade balance of QR6.9 billion economy is still far from back in July last year. to normal,” central bank gov- In July 2020, the total ex- ernor Michelle Bowman said. Economists say unem- ports of goods including ex- “The future course and ployment, which was 10.2 ports of goods of domestic or- timing of the recovery is still percent in August, could igin and re-exports amounted highly uncertain, and its pace spike even further when the to around QR13.6 billion, and intensity are likely to Payroll Protection Program, showing a decrease of 38.8 vary across areas of the coun- which provided loans to busi- percent compared to July try,” Bowman said in a speech nesses to retain workers, 2019, and increase of 6.9 per- to Kansas bankers. expires. Bowman said that cent compared to June 2020. She noted that the initial “with the progress of the re- On other hand, the im- wave of job losses were “heav- covery still tentative, I expect ports of goods in July 2020 ily concentrated among the that many businesses will amounted to around QR7.4 The total exports of goods from Qatar amounted to around QR13.6 billion in July. most financially vulnerable,” continue to fight for survival billion, showing a decrease of including low-wage workers in the months ahead” and 19.5 percent over July 2019. 41.9 percent to QR7.8 billion, with close to QR2.8 billion, a modities with QR0.6 billion, lion, decrease of 35.6 percent. and minority groups. that “a full recovery in eco- However, on a month-on- petroleum oils and oils from share of 20.6 percent of total showing a decrease of 29.9 In July 2020, United State As businesses were forced nomic activity may well be month (m-o-m) basis the im- bituminous minerals (crude) exports, followed by Japan percent compared to July of America (USA) was the to close in the early days of slow and uneven.” ports increase by 7.1 percent decreasing 39.7 percent to with almost QR2 billion with a 2019. leading country of origin of the pandemic and travel was The White House and compared to June 2020. QR2.3 billion and the petrole- share of 15 percent, India with In second place was ‘Elec- Qatar’s imports with about shut down, tens of millions of Congress remain deadlocked The year-on-year decrease um oils and oils from bitumi- about QR1.7 billion, a share of trical Apparatus for Line QR1 billion, a share of 13.9 jobs were lost. Major compa- on the design of a new emer- in total exports was mainly nous minerals (not crude) de- 12.2 percent. Telephony and Telegraphy, percent of the imports, fol- nies such as the US-based air- gency spending program that due to the value of exports of creasing 41 percent to QR1.2 During July 2020, the Telephone Sets’ with QR0.2 lowed by China with almost lines have announced thou- would support state and local petroleum gases and other billion in July this year. group of ‘Turbojets, Turbo- billion, showing a decrease of QR1 billion almost, a share sands of additional job cuts governments and reinstate gaseous hydrocarbons like In July 2020, China was propellers and Other Gas Tur- 34.9 percent and in third place of 13.5 percent, and United and layoffs in October, unless expanded unemployment LNG, condensates, propane, at the top of the countries of bines Parts’ was at the top of was ‘Parts of Aero Planes or Kingdom with QR0.6 billion, a government aid set to expire benefits that have provided a butane and others decreasing destination of Qatar’s exports the imported group of com- Helicopters’ with QR0.2 bil- share of 8.7 percent. then is renewed. lifeline for jobless workers.

Qatar a vital link for Sri Lanka’s trade diversification in ME: Official Tribune News Network gion,” she said. investment opportunities in Doha “Sri Lanka wants to be a prom- Sri Lanka. inent and efficient trade hub for “Sri Lanka is going through an Qatar can play a vital role in re- trade in the South Asia region. Sri interesting phase for investment. alising Sri Lanka’s vision to diver- Lanka exports agriculture prod- The country is all set to witness a sify its market for trade to the Mid- ucts to Qatar and imports plastic growth rate of almost 7 percent for dle East (ME) region in a big way, and petroleum products. Export the next 10 years. It is a global hub Sri Lanka Export Development opportunities from Sri Lanka to for hotels chains. The country has Board Director General Chitranjali Qatar include agriculture, fisher- skilled and cost-effective work- Dissanayake said on Wednesday. ies and apparel. Joint venture op- force. We have the lowest tax rate Speaking during a webinar portunities in Qatar can also be for companies. Sri Lanka provides hosted by Doha Bank on the topic looked,” she said. connectivity to South Asia, Africa ‘Bilateral and Synergistic Oppor- Central Bank of Sri Lanka Eco- and East Asia,” Mohottala said. tunities between Qatar and Sri nomic Research Department Di- Speaking on the occasion, Lanka’, Dissanayake highlighted rector Chandranath Amarasekara Doha Bank Group CEO R Seethar- the potential of exports from highlighted the impact of COV- aman highlighted developments Sri Lanka to Qatar in particular ID19 pandemic on Sri Lanka’s taking place in Qatar to attract the and to the Middle East region in economy. attention of global investors. general. “Coordinated action from the He said, “Sri Lankan economy “Sri Lanka has cordial diplo- government through fiscal and is expected to contract by 0.5 per- matic relations with Qatar for the health policies have helped Sri cent in 2020. Sri Lanka Vision last four decades. Middle-east is Lanka return to normalcy. Ex- Doha Bank Group CEO R Seetharaman and Sri Lankan dignitaries take part in a webinar on Wednesday. 2025 has given thrust on FDI and one of the key regions and Qatar ports have seen V- shaped recov- exports and to improve per-capita can play a vital role in Sri Lanka’s ery. Imports have witnessed a de- Domestic production is improv- Sri Lanka Board of Invest- Mohottala, who also took part income. Sri Lanka can support strategic expansion to this re- cline due to restrictions imposed. ing,” Amarasekara said. ments Director General Sanjay in the webinar, spoke about the Qatar in achieving food security.” 10 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Economy & Business WEF postpones 2021 Davos summit due to pandemic AFP in a statement. tion put on hold after several would be made available “as and energy systems, leaving Geneva “The decision was not tak- delegates from the war-rav- soon as we are assured that all leaders at a crossroads. en easily, since the need for aged country tested positive conditions are fulfilled to guar- “The COVID-19 crisis has The World Economic Forum global leaders to come together for COVID-19. Switzerland has antee the health and safety of shown us that our old systems said Wednesday it would post- to design a common recovery to date registered more than our participants and the host- are not fit any more for the 21st pone its 2021 Davos summit path and shape the ‘Great Re- 1,700 deaths and over 40,500 ing community.” century,” said WEF executive for several months to reduce set’ in the post-COVID-19 era is cases in the pandemic. The WEF had already an- chairman Klaus Schwab said any risks to participants from so urgent,” he said. Monck said Wednesday nounced back in June that due in June. the coronavirus pandemic. “However, the advice from that during the week of Janu- to the coronavirus crisis, the “Now is the historical mo- Next year’s gathering of the experts is that we cannot do so ary 25, when the summit had 51st edition of its annual meet- ment, the time, not only to fight world’s political, economic and safely in January.” been scheduled to take place, ing would be a hybrid event, the virus but to shape the sys- business elite may not even The announcement came the organisation would “digi- with a combination of in-per- tem for the post-corona era.” take place against its tradition- as the death toll in the pan- tally convene high-level ‘Davos son and virtual meetings. The 2020 edition of the al idyllic snowy backdrop of the demic passed 820,000 and the Dialogues’ where key global At the time, the organi- WEF summit, hosted in Janu- Swiss Alpine village of Davos, number of cases globally since leaders will share their views sation said the focus of next ary just as the world was be- the organisation hinted. the novel coronavirus first File photo of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, (aFP) on the state of the world in year’s summit would be on the ginning to become aware of Rather than January as emerged in China late last year 2021.” political, economic and social the new coronavirus spreading usual, the event will take place approached 24 million, accord- Meanwhile cautious efforts international hub Geneva this As for the physical event, he disruptions caused by the cri- in China, drew more than 50 “early next summer,” WEF ing to an AFP tally based on of- to resume in-person diplomat- week saw long-delayed talks said the dates and location of sis, which had exposed the in- heads of state and government spokesman Adrian Monck said ficial sources. ic meetings in Switzerland’s on amending Syria’s constitu- the rescheduled 2021 summit adequacies of health, financial to Davos.

London’s Virus spending Markets mixed as oil Gatwick could bring to cut firms brace for hurricane 600 jobs back positive dpa London AFP rates: ECB London Britain’s second-busiest airport, Gatwick, announced AFP World stock markets marked plans on Wednesday to cut Frankfurt am Main time on Wednesday, with the some 600 jobs and restructure coronavirus’ economic impact its business following the “dra- Strong governmental re- and fresh outbreaks in some matic impact” of the coronavi- sponses to the coronavirus countries weighing on inves- rus pandemic. pandemic could pave the Policy change tors’ minds, while hope sprung Gatwick said it plans to “re- way for a return to positive from hints it is easing else- duce operating and staff costs interest rates in the euro- “A forceful policy response by where and that a vaccine could in light of the dramatic impact zone, a top European Cen- governments to the arrive soon. Covid-19 has had on passenger tral Bank official said on pandemic is indispensable Oil prices continued to test and air traffic numbers.”T he Wednesday. for raising potential growth, five-month highs withN orth proposals could lead to the loss “A forceful policy re- thereby paving the way for American producers bracing of about 600 jobs, or 24 per sponse by governments to positive interest rates in the for the arrival within hours of cent of current posts, the com- the pandemic is indispen- future,” Isabel Schnabel, a Hurricane Laura in the US Gulf pany said. sable for raising potential member of the central bank’s Coast region. growth, thereby paving the executive board, said at a Around three million bar- The airport closed one of way for positive interest roundtable in Frankfurt. rels per day of refining capac- rates in the future,” Isabel ity have been closed after US its two terminals in March Schnabel, a member of the authorities said the hurricane and limited flight times to central bank’s executive ment alone rolling out a could bring “potentially cata- an eight-hour daily slot. board, said at a roundtable 130 billion euro ($150 bil- strophic storm surges, extreme in Frankfurt. lion) stimulus programme winds and flash flooding.” The ECB has held its key to jumpstart its coronavirus Futures prices for US Passenger numbers this rates at historic lows in re- recovery. benchmark West Texas Inter- month have remained 80 per cent years, setting its bank The ECB, led by Chris- mediate traded in a tight range cent below the levels in August deposit rate as low as -0.5 tine Lagarde, has also and dipped ahead of mid- 2019, it said. percent -- meaning banks sprung into action and is session gains to break above File photo of the New York Stock Exchange at Wall Street. (AFP) The airport closed one of pay to store cash with the pumping an additional 1.35 $43.60 -- a rise of half a percent its two terminals in March and ECB. The ultra-low rates are trillion euros into the re- -- before slipping back slightly. yet but investor concerns are closes. 28,235.97 limited flight times to an eight- meant to encourage spend- gion’s economy as part of its “Investors’ insatiable ap- growing.” While there are signs that London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 per- hour daily slot. ing and investment to boost emergency response to the petite for risk has continued Attention is now turning to- COVID-19 is levelling off in cent at 6,045.60 points (close) “If anyone is in any doubt economic growth. pandemic. so far this week, with major wards a virtual meeting of cen- the US, other countries are Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 1.0 per- about the devastating impact But banks complain that Schnabel called the US indices hitting new record tral bankers in Jackson Hole, fighting to subdue new flare- cent at 13,190.15 (close) Covid-19 has had on the avia- they hurt their profitability, ECB’s use of negative inter- highs and crude oil prices rally- Wyoming, with the key event a ups, with Spain notably saying Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.8 percent at tion and travel industry then while Germany in particular est rates a success that has ing to their best levels since the Thursday speech by US Federal Tuesday it would call in the 5,048.43 (close) today’s news ... is a stark re- has criticised how the rates helped stimulate the econo- pandemic,” said ThinkMarkets Reserve chief Jerome Powell. army and South Korea again EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.8 percent minder,” said Stewart Wingate, hit savings. my and raise inflation, even analyst Fawad Razaqzada. “It remained a mixed, un- closing schools and kinder- at 3,356.33 Gatwick’s chief executive. Schnabel, a German if unwanted side effects Wall Street was almost un- inspired session on Wednes- gartens in the greater Seoul Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at Wingate said Gatwick was herself, said negative rates could “increase over time”. changed two hours in, while day, investors choosing to sit region. 23,290.86 (close) in talks with the government largely reflect “adverse mac- “The transmission of London and Paris made the on their hands ahead of the Observers warned the up- Hong Kong - Hang Seng: FLAT at “to see what sector specific sup- roeconomic trends outside negative rates has worked most meagre of gains, not least Jackson Hole Symposium in coming winter could see more 25,491.79 (close) port can be put in place for the the remit of central banks”, smoothly,” the economist over concern at the lingering the second half of the week,” infections as people are forced Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.3 industry.” The main opposition but that governments could said, and “they have been presence of the coronavirus, noted Spreadex analyst Con- to stay indoors. “The situation percent at 3,329.74 (close) Labour party urged the Con- encourage a return to higher effective in stimulating the although Frankfurt added 1.0 nor Campbell, though Oanda’s is still far better than it was in Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1825 servative government to pro- rates by spending and in- economy and raising infla- percent. Craig Erlam forecast policy- the spring,” said AxiCorp ana- from $1.1835 at 2100 GMT on vide urgent help for the aviation vesting more. tion.” She acknowledged “Second wave fears are be- makers may have little more lyst Stephen Innes. Tuesday industry, saying it contributes The ECB has long urged that negative rates can hurt coming more real in Europe as to offer in their armoury and “However, recent momen- Dollar/yen: DOWN at 106.11 yen 22 billion pounds (29 billion eurozone governments to banks’ bottom lines and al- a number of countries, particu- could “disappoint.” tum and outbreaks around the from 106.39 yen dollars) and 267,000 jobs to supports its monetary policy ter risk-taking behaviour, larly tourist destinations such Most markets had wob- world are worrying, as second- Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3192 the economy. efforts through fiscal stimu- but she said the “positive ef- as Spain and France, are see- bled Tuesday as fading US con- and third-wave coronavirus from $1.3152 The Airport Operators’ As- lus. fects dominated”. ing a strong rise in COVID-19 sumer confidence undermined outbreaks still pose the most Euro/pound: DOWN at 89.63 sociation forecast in June that But it took a pandemic She added that the cases,” said City Index analyst news that China and the United significant threat to the eco- pence from 89.99 pence more than 20,000 airport jobs for European capitals to re- ECB’s negative rate may Fiona Cincotta. States would stick with a trade nomic recovery.” Brent North Sea crude: DOWN could be lost in Britain, or more ally open the money taps, not have fallen as low as it “Governments... are show- pact agreed earlier this year, 0.1 percent at $45.79 per barrel than 110,000 jobs if firms di- with the German govern- can go. ing reluctance to slap nation- although Wall Street booked Key figures around 1545 GMT West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 rectly or indirectly dependent wide lockdowns into place just a three-day string of record New York - Dow: FLAT at percent at $43.45 upon airports were included.

GOING ORGANIC World’s biggest rooftop greenhouse opens in Montreal ties of vegetables and herbs Shopper Catherine Bonin At Lufa, about 100 varieties of are grown year-round in hy- tells AFP she loves the fresh- droponic containers lined with ness of the produce but la- vegetables and herbs are grown year- coconut coir and fed liquid nu- ments that some items are al- round in hydroponic containers trients, including lettuce, cu- ways out of stock. “I can never cumbers, zucchini, bok choy, get peppers,” she says. AFP “The company’s mission celery and sprouts. “We are now able to feed Montreal is to grow food where people Bumblebees pollinate the almost two percent of Mon- live and in a sustainable way,” plants, while wasps and la- treal with our greenhouses Building on a new hanging spokesman Thibault Sorret dybugs keep aphids in check, and our partner farms,” said garden trend, a greenhouse told AFP, as he showed off its without the need for pesti- Sorret. atop a Montreal warehouse first harvest of giant eggplants. cides. Enough vegetables are “The advantage of being on growing eggplants and to- It is the fourth rooftop harvested each week to feed a roof is that you recover a lot matoes to meet demand for greenhouse the company has 20,000 families, with baskets of energy from the bottom of locally sourced foods has set erected in the city. The first, tailored for each at a base price the building,” allowing consid- a record as the largest in the built in 2011 at a cost of more of Can$30. erable savings in heating, an world. than Can$2 million (US$1.5 The company’s “online asset during the harsh Quebec It’s not an obvious choice million), broke new ground. market” also sells goods pro- winter, he explains. of location to cultivate organic Since then, competitors duced by local partner farms “We also put to use spaces vegetables -- in the heart of picked up and ran with the Lufa Farms, a company just opened what it says is the world’s largest commercial rooftop greenhouse is including “bread, pasta, rice, that were until now complete- Canada’s second-largest city -- novel idea, including Ameri- seen in an aerial photo of the greenhouse in Montreal, Quebec recently. (AFP) etcetera,” Sorret said. ly unused,” he said. but Lufa Farms on Wednesday can Gotham Greens, which On the ground floor of the Fully automated, the new inaugurates the facility that constructed eight greenhouses A local Montreal super- greenhouse gas emissions neighboring Vermont, found- new greenhouse, a huge distri- greenhouse also has a water spans 160,000 square feet on roofs in New York, Chicago market has also offered since linked to climate change. ed Lufa Farms in 2009 with bution center brings together system that collects and reuses (15,000 square meters), or and Denver, and French Ur- 2017 an assortment of vegeta- Lebanese-born Mohamed the ambition of “reinventing nearly 2,000 grocery products rainwater, resulting in savings about the size of three football ban Nature, which is planning bles grown on its roof, which Hage and his wife Lauren the food system.” for offer to “Lufavores,” in- of “up to 90 percent” com- fields. one in Paris in 2022. was “greened” in order to cut Rathmell, an American from At Lufa, about 100 varie- cluding restaurants. pared to a traditional farm. Thursday, August 27, 2020 11 Economy & Business Fiat Chrysler, led by Ram, leapfrogs Ford in customer satisfaction survey The latest version of the American Customer Satisfaction Index is based on interviews with 10,414 customers, ‘chosen at random and contacted via email between July 1, 2019, and June 14, 2020,’ so the period covered also includes the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic

Tribune news service DETROIT

COVID-19 and the global downturn have hit car sales hard, but the pan- demic isn’t the only thing on the minds of new car buyers. Consumers are less satisfied in general with their rides, but among the Detroit Three, Fiat Chrysler Au- tomobiles can tout some good news in the latest survey of customer sat- isfaction. The latest version of the Ameri- can Customer Satisfaction Index shows that FCA, maker of Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs, actually im- proved its score compared to a year ago. That can’t be said for either General Motors or Ford. The survey is based on inter- views with 10,414 customers, “cho- sen at random and contacted via email between July 1, 2019, and June 14, 2020,” so the period cov- ered also includes the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic. “Looking at domestic automak- ers, customer satisfaction results are mixed as both Ford and GM show steep declines while Fiat Chrysler nets a gain. Ford falls furthest this year, tumbling 5% to 76 (on a 0-100 scale), the lowest score among the Detroit Three,” according to the 2020 American Customer Satisfaction In- dex report being released Tuesday. That result marks a turnaround for FCA, which had in recent years registered the lowest score of the three companies in the annual sur- vey. FCA also saw a marked im- provement from last year. “A year ago, Fiat Chrysler was the biggest loser in satisfaction, but for 2020, the carmaker rebounds 3% to tie with GM at 77. The im- The 2020 Ram 1500 Limited provement brings Fiat Chrysler … in line with both GM and Ford for Jeep Cherokees. And then there’s The declines, however, are not proved,” the report said. the first time in five years. While Bounce back the 2019 Ram 1500 Limited. unique to GM and Ford, with 17 The auto industry can take some the company benefits from high “A year ago, Fiat Chrysler was the biggest loser in “It is just a smoking hot truck. I brands posting declines year over comfort in knowing that it’s nowhere and stable satisfaction for its Ram satisfaction, but for 2020, the carmaker rebounds 3% to tie love it,” McNichol said. year. European carmakers hold a near the bottom of industries ranked nameplate, both Dodge and the self- The Ram 1500 runs so much lead over Asian and U.S. companies. by the American Customer Satisfac- named Chrysler brand post positive with GM at 77 better than his one-time favorite “For both domestic and interna- tion Index. Subscription TV services, driver satisfaction upswings this ● vehicle, a GMC Yukon Denali, Mc- tional carmakers, customer satisfac- Internet service providers and video- year,” the report said. The improvement brings Fiat Chrysler … in line with both GM and Nichol said. That Ram drives like a tion is now at its lowest level in five on-demand services round out the Those improvements for Dodge Ford for the first time in five years “great, upper-end SUV.” years,” the report said. bottom, and Americans apparently and Chrysler should note that the ● Those improvements for Dodge and Chrysler should note that the two That’s quite a testimonial from a Luxury brands, with a 4% de- love their breweries, which, as an in- two brands bring up the bottom of brands bring up the bottom of the list, but the Ram brand, which current FCA customer. cline, were hit harder than mass dustry, is tops for satisfaction. the list, but the Ram brand, which For Ford, and to a lesser degree market brands, which dropped 1%. “The ACSI was started in the competes in the highly profitable competes in the highly profitable pickup segment, is solidly in the top GM, the news from the survey was The report did offer a way for United States in 1994 by research- pickup segment, is solidly in the top six, which includes Lexus, Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota troubling. at least some automakers to boost ers at the University of Michigan, in six, which includes Lexus, Audi, Ca- “A sharp decline for luxury plate their customer satisfaction ratings conjunction with the American So- dillac, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. Chrysler Jeep Ram. knew would be more to his liking. Lincoln combined with a smaller — improve how they handle recalls. ciety for Quality in Milwaukee, Wis- But among mass market brands, not McNichol, president and CEO “I’ve got nothing but good things drop for the Ford brand pushes the “The brands that experience consin, and CFI Group in Ann Arbor, counting luxury nameplates, Ram of the Pennsylvania Convention to say,” McNichol said. company to a five-year low,” ac- the strongest negative impact of Michigan. The Index was developed and Toyota are tops. Center in Philadelphia, said he met Although he used to be “agnos- cording to the report. “GM plunges recalls on satisfaction this year to provide information on satisfac- John McNichol of Glen Mills, Kelleher years ago at a fund-raiser tic” on car brands, McNichol, who nearly as far, down 4% to 77, beat- are two Fiat Chrysler plates, Ram tion with the quality of products and Pennsylvania, is sold on Fiat and Kelleher and his dealership has sent just about everyone he ing Ford by a point. While GMC and Jeep, along with luxury plates services available to consumers. Be- Chrysler’s products, although he at- have done everything right, includ- knows to his friend’s dealership, trucks hold steady for customer sat- Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz. For fore the ACSI, no national measure tributes much of that to the relation- ing at one point talking him out of has a mini-fleet of FCA vehicles in isfaction, the company’s Buick and these brands, customer satisfaction of quality from the perspective of ship he has with his dealer, David a more expensive Jeep Wrangler his family now — a Dodge Durango, Chevrolet nameplates both retreat would be significantly higher if their the user was available,” according to Kelleher, president of David Dodge and into a Ram pickup that Kelleher a Chrysler 300 and both sons drive to record-low satisfaction levels.” handling of the recall process im- survey’s website. Apple defeats bid to return ‘Fortnite’ to App Store

ers of its popular devices to Store or restricting access We thank the court for recognising download apps from any- to the developers program where but its App Store. until the matter is resolved that Epic’s problem is entirely The Silicon Valley-based in court. self-inflicted: Apple tech giant told Epic it would In refusing to order Ap- cut off access to tools need- ple to put Fortnite back in AFP to resolve,” Apple told AFP ed to tailor software for de- the App Store, Judge Gon- San Francisco following the ruling in Cali- vices powered by the iPhone zalez-Rogers said she was fornia late Monday. maker’s operating systems. guided by the notion that A US court has rejected a “We look forward to Without those tools, Epic “self-inflicted wounds are bid by the makers of Fort- making our case to the court will not be able to create iP- not irreparable injury.” nite to reinstate the video in September.” hone, iPad or Mac computer “The current predica- game sensation immediate- District Court Judge versions of its widely used Un- ment appears of its own ly to the App Store, saying Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers’s real Engine for powering rich making,” the judge said of its eviction by Apple was a ruling gave Epic a partial graphics, the company said. Epic. “self-inflicted wound.” victory however by order- The Unreal Engine pow- Suggested that Epic sim- The ruling against Epic ing Apple not to limit Epic’s ers popular video games ply turn off the code it in- Games was the opening sal- ability to provide Unreal other than Fortnite, and has serted in Fortnite to bypass vo in a battle over whether Engine, key graphics tech- applications such as virtual Apple’s payment system. Apple’s tight control over nology, for other apps. reality training for astro- But the judge concluded the App Store, and its 30 The judge acknowledged nauts and visual effects for that Apple blocking Epic ac- percent cut of revenue, that Fortnite has passionate television shows such as cess to its developers pro- counts as monopolistic be- fans and people are turning Apple pulled Fortnite from its online mobile apps marketplace on August 13 after Epic released an “The Mandalorian,” accord- gram, which involves sepa- havior. to games as the pandemic update that dodges revenue sharing with the iPhone maker. ing to Epic. rate agreements between “We thank the court keeps them home, but she Epic asked a judge to is- the companies, would be go- for recognizing that Epic’s added that companies must out conflicts in court. marketplace on August 13 sharing with the iPhone sue an emergency order to ing too far. problem is entirely self-in- nevertheless abide by con- Apple pulled Fortnite after Epic released an up- maker. stop Apple from refusing Epic declined to com- flicted and is in their power tractual agreements or work from its online mobile apps date that dodges revenue Apple does not allow us- to list Fortnite at the App ment. 12 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Economy & Business Singapore UK economy loses Alibaba shares leap after manufacturing £22 bn as COVID-19 recovers ravages tourism IPO filing of its Ant Group slowly DPA AFP 85 percent of tourist spend- Bangkok London ing in the capital is from for- eign visitors. The fintech arm filed for blockbuster Hong Kong, Shanghai dual listing on Tuesday Official manufacturing data Britain’s economy will “The economic pain and released on Wednesday showed lose about £22 billion ($29 suffering caused to mil- Singapore’s slow recovery from billion, 24 billion euros) this lions of households across a debilitating pandemic lock- year on the coronavirus-in- the UK, who are dependent down continuing in July. duced collapse of global trav- upon Travel & Tourism for July’s 1.6-per-cent output el, which could imperil three their livelihoods, is evident increase was a slight improve- million jobs, an industry from the latest figures,” add- ment on June’s 0.6-per-cent body forecast Wednesday. ed WTTC President Gloria increase - which in turn fol- International visitor Guevara in the report. lowed a record 15.8-per-cent spending could plunge by 78 “The lack of internation- drop in manufacturing in May, percent from 2019, equating al travel caused by the pan- according to data published by to a loss of £60 million per demic could wipe out more the Economic Development day or £420 million a week, than £22 billion from the Board. the World Travel & Tourism The July data showed pre- Council (WTTC) predicted in cision engineering output up a key report. over 9 per cent - reflecting Sin- “Travellers and tourists gapore’s prowess in the pro- are staying away from the duction of semiconductors, a UK in droves because of con- key component in computers. tinuing uncertainty around Worst-hit Pharmaceuticals output fell travel restrictions designed in July after surging over pre- to curb the spread of COV- The nation’s economy vious months as the pandemic ID-19,” the WTTC stated. shrank by one fifth in the spurred global demand. It continued: “The se- second quarter, more than July’s slight increase none- vere impact on UK travel any European neighbour, as theless represented an 8.4-per- and tourism is laid bare the lockdown plunged the cent year-on-year decline, by WTTC as the economic country into its deepest suggesting that the wealthy fallout from coronavirus recession on record. city-state is struggling to shake continues to burn its way Tourists remain reluctant to Ant Group is reportedly seeking to raise $30 billion through the IPO. off the impact of a two-month through the sector. visit because Britain is the lockdown that ended on June “Nearly three million European country worst hit AFP country where cash, cheques ByteDance and Tencent. 2 and contributed to a record jobs in the UK supported by the coronavirus. Hong Kong A loss to US? and credit cards have long The decision not to list in 13.2-per-cent drop in gross do- by travel and tourism are at been eclipsed by e-payment New York is a major loss for mestic product (GDP) during risk of being lost in a ‘worst Shares in Chinese e-com- ● The decision not to list in devices and apps. US markets but it comes as the second quarter. case’ scenario mapped out merce giant Alibaba jumped New York is a major loss Bloomberg News, citing Washington ramps up scru- Singapore imposed a so- by WTTC economic model- UK economy alone... from to a new record Wednes- for US markets but it people familiar with the list- tiny of Chinese companies, called “circuit breaker” lock- ling.” which it could take years to day morning, a day after the comes as Washington ing, say Ant group is targeting especially tech firms. down on April 7 after a surge in The nation’s economy recover. group’s financial arm filed -pa ramps up scrutiny of a valuation of about $225 bil- “The greater concern is novel coronavirus cases among shrank by one fifth in the “It could also threaten perwork for a joint Shanghai Chinese companies, lion, with a $30 billion IPO if that if the US passes a sanc- migrant workers, forcing many second quarter, more than London’s position as one of and Hong Kong listing. markets are favourable. tion of some sort, the other businesses to close and result- any European neighbour, as the world’s premier hubs for The IPO for Ant Group, especially tech firms In its filingA nt said it will markets in India, Southeast ing in retail sales falling by a the lockdown plunged the business and leisure travel the financial technology arm ● In its filing Ant said it will use the proceeds to expand Asia where Ant is looking for record 52 per cent in May. country into its deepest re- which could see other desti- of Alibaba, is being billed as use the proceeds to cross-border payments and growth could be affected,” Singapore’s exports fell cession on record. nations take over. one of the world’s largest list- enhance its research-and-de- Mark Tanner, managing di- over 15 per cent year-on-year in Tourists remain reluc- “We urgently need to ings, potentially eclipsing the expand cross-border velopment capabilities. rector of Shanghai-based con- the second quarter, before re- tant to visit because Britain replace stop-start quaran- record $29 billion raised by payments and enhance its The Hangzhou-based sultant China Skinny said. bounding in July with a 6-per- is the European country tine measures with rapid, Saudi Aramco last year. research-and-development company’s decision to IPO Video app TikTok is cur- cent jump. worst hit by the coronavirus. comprehensive and cost- The company filed paper- capabilities. in Hong Kong and Shanghai rently suing the US govern- The government has Travel has also been effective test and trace work on Tuesday evening for comes as relations between ment after Donald Trump pledged to spend the equiva- discouraged after the UK programmes at departure a joint listing closer to home the United States and China signed an executive order lent of a fifth of GDP to offset government recently re-im- points across the country.” as tensions spiral between the Alibaba, which is listed are rapidly deteriorating. giving Americans 45 days the impact of diminished in- posed quarantine on those British tourism’s lobby- United States and China. in both Hong Kong and New An escalating tech war to stop doing business with ternational trade and travel on returning from nations in- ing body VisitBritain had It did not detail a timeta- York, is China’s largest e- between Washington and Bei- its Chinese-owned company Singapore, a regional invest- cluding Austria, Croatia, forecast Tuesday that the ble for its public offering or commerce conglomerate and jing has resulted in sanctions ByteDance. ment and transit hub. France, the Netherlands and number of foreign tourists how much money it hopes is owned by billionaire Jack and threats against big Chi- Trump accuses TikTok of Largely closed to visitors Spain. will plummet by 73 percent to raise. But the filing has al- Ma. nese tech companies. Presi- being a national security risk. since March, Singapore has in The WTTC added in 2020 to 11 million people ready created a buzz. Ant Group is a behemoth dent Donald Trump recently China has accused Trump recent weeks sought to reopen Wednesday that London has on the back of the pandemic, As the market closed for in the Chinese e-payments issued executive orders that of modern day piracy and of “essential” travel links with been hardest hit by the trav- which has grounded aircraft lunch, Alibaba’s Hong Kong market, operating Alipay, one would ban transactions with using his executive order to Brunei, China, Indonesia, Ja- el collapse because around worldwide. shares were up 3.57 percent of the two dominant online TikTok and WeChat, apps effectively force the sale of pan, Malaysia and New Zea- at HK$278.8. payment systems in China, a owned by Chinese companies TikTok to a US company. land.

‘Operation Empty Plate’ China’s crash diet begs the question: Is it facing a food crisis?

AFP forfeited if they leave food. Shanghai People are also being encour- aged to inform on each other. A national campaign to curb An AFP journalist in Shanghai mounting food waste in China watched as a confrontation devel- is feeding speculation that the  President Xi Jinping started oped in a coffee shop this week supply outlook is worse than the after a woman called out another government admits and fuel- the “Operation Empty Plate” customer for leaving behind a ling warnings food could become drive in mid-August  Big meals are nearly intact sandwich. another front in the worsening ingrained in Chinese US-China rivalry.  It seeks to address what Few options President Xi Jinping started culture -- typically involv- China’s policy options are the “Operation Empty Plate” drive Jingping called “shocking and limited, experts say, as subsidis- in mid-August to address what he ing multiple dishes to ing domestic farmers could violate called “shocking and distressing” distressing” waste World Trade Organization rules waste, prompting a nationwide impress guests or woo and anger trading partners such push to comply reminiscent of the business partners as the US. Mao era. Likewise, the reduced-waste The aggressive campaign has   drive will probably have “less im- spooked many on social media, China is estimated to waste enough The prevalence of pact than everyone thinks”, said who are asking whether it indi- food annually to feed a country the size obesity -- once almost Rosa Wang, a Shanghai-based cates deeper problems. analyst with agro-consulting com- China is among the world’s of South Korea unheard of in China -- pany JCI China. biggest food producers and increased more than She said the pandemic had al- consumers, with nearly 1.4 billion  It also is among the world’s biggest food ready dramatically cut consump- mouths to feed. three-fold in 2004-2014 tion as households opted for more But heavy flooding this year producers and consumers, with nearly economical home cooking because in the Yangtze River basin -- the of lockdowns or for safety reasons. source of most of China’s rice 1.4 billion mouths to feed. That leaves mainly imports, -- has destroyed huge swathes but China is already the world’s of farmland, while coronavirus Officials have repeatedly said ‘all-is-well’ and promise a bumper 2020 grain crop as there are growing concerns about a food shortfall biggest food importer, leaving it lockdowns earlier this year upset vulnerable to trade pressure, and supply chains. has ramped up imports of grain Meanwhile, the domestic pork Repeated “all-is-well” official have reported that grain farmers Big meals are ingrained in Chi- China is estimated to waste and other items this year, partly to industry is still recovering from pronouncements and promises of -- banking on rising future prices nese culture -- typically involving enough food annually to feed a comply with a tentative US-China a devastating African swine fever a bumper 2020 grain crop have -- are hoarding stocks, which is multiple dishes to impress guests country the size of South Korea, trade deal. outbreak that killed or forced the only fuelled suspicion. crimping market supplies. or woo business partners. and conspicuous consumption has Increased Chinese imports, culling of 100 million pigs. “Some people are beginning to But consumption is soaring fuelled the popularity of bizarre however, could potentially crimp These add to longer-term speculate whether there is a short- Rising challenge along with living standards. livestream phenomena in which world supplies and drive up problems such as dwindling ar- age of domestic food this year... China’s resources “are not And prices are rising rap- viewers watch people binge-eat. prices. able land and an exodus of people in fact, there is no need to worry,” enough to support the upgrading idly, with food inflation jumping The food-waste drive has un- In the long term, China needs from rural farming regions to said a report released August 17 of our entire food consumption more than 13 percent on-year in derscored the striking ability of Xi aggressive steps to protect arable cities. by the Chinese Academy of Social structure”, Li Guoxiang, a re- July, having surged more than 11 -- focus of a growing personality land from development and im- China has increasingly filled Sciences, a top state-run think- searcher with the academy’s Rural percent in June and 15.5 percent cult -- to motivate millions with a prove farmers’ lives to keep them the food gap with imports, but tank. Development Institute, told AFP. in May. word. on the land, said the academy’s Li. trade and political disputes have But the report added that “Improving living standards The prevalence of obesity -- Diners nationwide are being Otherwise, it will become dramatically soured relations with China’s “food shortfall” will have indeed raised requirements once almost unheard of in China urged to order less, the binge eat- increasingly vulnerable to outside three of its most important food increase in coming years un- and the challenges facing our en- -- increased more than three-fold ers are going to ground, and some forces that “will have an adverse suppliers -- the United States, less major agricultural reforms tire food and agricultural produc- in 2004-2014, according to gov- buffet restaurants are making impact on the stability of our Canada and Australia. are undertaken, and state media tion picture.” ernment figures. customers pay deposits that are imports”, he added. Serena Williams crashes out of tune-up meet in New York page 14

THURSday, AUGUST 27, 2020

Sheikh Hamad is the new Qatar Sports Club president Top European clubs Tribune News Network Doha

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani has become the new president of the Qatar Sports circle as Messi calls Club after his opposing can- didates HE Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani and Ali Al Mannai withdrew from the elections before the General Assembly meeting time at Barcelona that was held on Monday. The outgoing president HE Sheikh Hamad bin Suhaim AFP Sheikh Jassim announced Al Thani. Barcelona during the General Assembly meeting his official withdrawal were also discussed, and the Lionel Messi’s bombshell in support of Sheikh Hamad. election and membership af- request to leave Barcelona is The meeting, which was fairs committee was formed expected to spark a legal bat- attended by a number of mem- for the next session, consist- tle over a multi-million-dollar bers of the General Assembly, ing of five persons, headed by buy-out clause but also raises discussed many items on the Ahmed Mohammed Al Ku- the question of which club agenda, including the financial wari, and the membership of could afford him in the heat of report, during which Sheikh Mohamed Rabia Al Kuwari, the coronavirus pandemic. said that the club’s financial Mohamed Hamid Al Midfa, Messi’s priority has always position was good and there Mohamed Ali Al Kubaisi and been to be part of a “winning were no cases filed against the Talal Ali Al Mawlawi. The list project” at Camp Nou, and club in the Federation Inter- of alternate members included newly-appointed sporting nationale de Football Associa- Fahad Abdullah Al Maliki, director Ramon Planes on tion (FIFA). Khalifa bin Abdulaziz and Wednesday hailed the Argen- The members’ proposals Khaled Abdullah. tinian a “winner” the Catalan club was working hard to keep. As it stands, Messi is Barca’s record scorer and has been part of a team that has amassed four Champions League titles, 10 La Liga titles and six Copa del Rey trophies. The 33-year-old’s latest season, however, was not only devoid of trophies (for the first time since 2008), it was also defined by chaos and ended in humiliation with a 8-2 Cham- pions League quarter-final defeat by eventual champions Bayern Munich. Messi, a six-time Ballon The covers of newspapers inform on Argentinian forward Lionel Messi’s d’Or winner, has not asked for wish to leave FC Barcelona, in Barcelona, Spain on Wednesday. (AFP) a transfer to put his feet up for the final years of his career. This Guardiola, sporting director tor Planes, named in place of was “not an argument between of which his release clause is a considered move aimed at Txiki Begiristain and chief Eric Abidal a day after Quique Messi and Barca – neither de- amounts to 700 million euros Ambassador of Qatar to Malaysia His Excellency Fahd bin Mohammed bolstering his successes, and in executive Ferran Soriano, all Setien was sacked as manager serves it”. ($828 million).” Kafood hands over Qatar Football Association’s bid file to Secretary- one competition in particular. have connections with Barce- following the Bayern defeat, “We are working to make Messi joined Barcelona’s General of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at the Asian foot- lona they are keen to respect. said on Wednesday that Messi’s Barca a winner. There is no youth academy at the age of 13 ball governing body’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday. Champions League For PSG, whose frustra- want-away demand was “a very division within the club over and made his debut in 2004 as obsession tion in Europe has been com- important story”. Leo. Anyone who knows foot- a 17-year-old, before going on to The Champions League has parable to City’s, even if they “But our idea at the club ball wants him to stay here to score a club-record 634 goals. AFC receives become his obsession, which broke new ground by reach- is still to build a new winning win again. He’s a winner.” According to Spanish me- puts all of Europe’s super- ing last weekend’s final, Messi cycle around the best player in dia, Messi met with new man- clubs in contention and elimi- would also represent a seismic the world. We are not contem- Drastic changes ager Ronald Koeman last week Qatar’s Asian Cup nates the less intensive, or addition to the Qatari project. plating any kind of departure Barcelona are understood to and told the Dutchman he cur- more romantic, options, at A Neymar-Messi-Kylian because what we want is for believe Messi’s release clause rently saw himself “more out least for now. Mbappe front three would not Messi to stay.” expired in June, and that he than in” at the club. 2027 bid file With a reported weekly be a difficult sell. Planes added: “You have remains under contract until Koeman has vowed to salary of nearly one million Staying at Barcelona re- to have enormous respect the end of the 2021 season. “fightto put Barca back on Tribune News Network mitted their expressions of euros, those able both to af- mains a possibility, however, for what Messi is and for his “In principle, this clause top” and said at his unveiling KUALA LUMPUR interest by the June 30, 2020 ford Messi, and convince him, particularly if under-pressure history. I think the future is expired on June 10, but the he was hopeful Messi would deadline. may only be Paris Saint-Ger- president Josep Maria Bar- positive. I am an optimist. unusual nature of this season remain at the club for several His Excellency Fahd bin Mo- The AFC Executive Com- main and Manchester City, tomeu decides to resign. But We need experienced players, disrupted by the coronavirus more years. hammed Kafood, Ambassa- mittee had earlier agreed to with Inter Milan a third, more despite calls from fans and ri- like Leo Messi... We are put- opened the way for Messi to The Lisbon loss to Bayern, dor of Qatar to Malaysia, on provide future hosts for the distant option. val candidates, there is no sug- ting every effort into ensuring ask to be released from his Barca’s heaviest in Europe, Wednesday delivered Qatar AFC Asian Cup, beginning City would appear favour- gestion yet that Bartomeu is that the relationship between contract now,” wrote Marca exposed an ageing team that Football Association’s bid file to with the 2027 edition, with ites but the club have always considering his position. Barca and Messi will continue. newspaper. Messi repeatedly had said was host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. more preparation time ahead trodden carefully around the We are working internally to “It’s the first step towards simply not good enough as his Secretary-General of the of the event as part of the prospect of Messi. Their sport- ‘New winning cycle’ convince Leo.” opening negotiations over relations with the club hierar- Asian Football Confederation AFC’s continued commitment ing staff, including coach Pep Bartomeu’s new sporting direc- Planes stressed that there his departure, on the basis chy grew increasingly strained. (AFC) welcomed the Qatar towards strengthening its ambassador at the football competitions. headquarters of the Asian The last edition of the AFC football body in Kuala Lumpur Asian Cup in the UAE sig- to officially submit the neces- nalled a major shift for football Goals, records, trophies: Glittering Lionel Messi career sary bidding documentation. in Asia after the tournament Qatar, the reigning cham- broke all digital media en- AFP cluded Javier Mascherano and An- goals in a season and scoring 73 pions of the AFC Asian Cup gagement and TV viewership Barcelona gel di Maria, later described it as his in all competitions, breaking Gerd after clinching their maiden records, following the widely most cherished title. But Barcelona Muller’s European record of 67. crown in the United Arab acclaimed decision to expand Lionel Messi was the teenage may never have allowed him to play Among the highlights, Messi be- Emirates in 2019, are aiming Asia’s flagship competition prodigy who blossomed into Barce- if not for the intervention of newly came the first player to plunder five to be the first Asian country to from 16 to 24 national teams. lona’s record scorer and is still oper- appointed coach Pep Guardiola, goals in one Champions League game, stage the Continent’s premier China PR, who were con- ating at the highest level at 33. who won Olympic gold with Spain in the 7-1 hammering of Bayer Lev- national team competition for firmed as hosts for the up- After announcing he wants to in 1992. erkusen. However, the season ended the third time having hosted coming AFC Asian Cup 2023 leave the Catalan club, AFP Sport The Olympic title remain’s Mes- badly for Barca as the title-holders lost previously in 1988 and 2011. at the AFC Extraordinary examines the career highlights of si’s biggest achievement with Ar- in the Champions League semi-finals Four other AFC Member Congress in Paris, France in one of football’s all-time greats. gentina, despite being their all-time to Chelsea, and were beaten to the La Associations have also indi- June 2019, will be looking to top-scorer with 70 goals. Liga title by Real Madrid. cated their intentions to host build upon the legacy of the Barca academy Asia’s crown jewel including last edition in the UAE and Messi, from Rosario in Argentina, Ballon d’Or Goals, goals, goals the All India Football Federa- setting the benchmark for was a diminutive 13-year-old and Messi eclipsed Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi was just 24 when he broke tion, Football Federation Is- the 2027 edition. suffering from growth hormone de- then newly arrived at Real Madrid, Cesar Rodriguez’s 57-year-old club lamic Republic of Iran, Saudi The host nation for the ficiency when he joined the acade- to be named the world’s best foot- record of 232 goals, smashing a hat- Arabian Football Federation 19th edition of the AFC my at Barcelona, who agreed to pay baller by a record margin in 2009. trick past Granada in March 2012. and Uzbekistan Football As- Asian Cup will be announced for his $1,000-a-month treatment. It capped a brilliant campaign He has gone on to amass 634 for sociation – all of whom sub- in 2021. Despite severe homesickness where he inspired Barcelona to the his club, including a record 444 in at the outset, Messi rose through Champions League trophy, scoring La Liga, and an unsurpassed 36 hat- the ranks and made his first-team nine goals and sealing the 2-0 fi- tricks in the Spanish top flight. debut aged 17 in 2004, becoming nal victory over Manchester United Quick read Barcelona’s youngest goal-scorer with Barca’s second goal. 700-up Fans to be allowed at stadium for Ooredoo Cup later that season. Guardiola’s Barcelona also won Another milestone fell when Messi the Copa del Rey and La Liga, claim- scored his 700th goal for club and The Qatar Stars League has decided to allow fans at the stadiums Olympic gold ing the first treble in Spanish histo- country – a cheeky Panenka penalty for 2019-20 season’s remaining Ooredoo Cup matches as per the Messi helped Argentina to their sec- ry. Messi picked up his sixth Ballon – in a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid precautionary measures followed previously to ensure the safety and In this file photo taken on September 23, 2019 Best ond straight men’s football gold at d’Or, another record, last December. in June. However, highlights have security of everyone. The Ooredoo Cup semi-finals will be played at FIFA Men’s Player of 2019, Argentina and Barcelona the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning been in short supply this season for the Al Sadd Stadium on Saturday, August 29. They are: Al Rayyan vs forward Lionel Messi poses with his wife Antonella all six of their games and conceding Muller time Messi and Barcelona, who finished Al Arabi at 4pm, and Al Ahli vs Al Sadd at 7pm. Tickets are up for sale Roccuzzo Messi and their children at the end of The just two goals. Messi enjoyed a sensational 2011- without a trophy for the first time only on the official website (tickets.qsl.qa). See also page 15  Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in Milan. (AFP) Messi, playing in a team that in- 12, setting a La Liga record of 50 since 2007. 14 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Sports Nishikori withdraws Sakkari shocks flustered from US Open despite Serena, Djokovic in QF negative test AFP is ranked 55th in the world, AFP New York made the Serb work for the vic- New York tory as he survived five match An out-of-gas Serena Wil- points in the ninth game of the Japan’s Kei Nishikori with- liams crashed out of the West- second set. drew from the US Open on ern & Southern Open on Tues- Djokovic advances to the Wednesday and announced he day, losing in three sets to 13th quarters where he will play has tested negative for Covid-19 seeded Maria Sakkari 5-7, 7-6 German Jan-Lennard Struff, after two positive tests forced (7/5), 6-1 in New York. who defeated seventh seed Da- him out of a tuneup event. The 23-time Grand Slam vid Goffin 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Nishikori, 30, was the winner finished with a whim- Djokovic had pulled out of 2014 US Open runner-up and per at the end of the two-hour, doubles on Sunday with pain the first Asian man in a Grand 17-minute match as Sakkari in his neck, but did not appear Slam singles finals. His two clinched the victory with to be bothered by the injury other best Slam showings, a backhand down the line against Sandgren. semi-final runs in 2016 and that a dejected Williams just “The neck is doing well,” 2018, also came on the Flush- watched without making an he said. ing Meadows hardcourts. effort to move. Also on the men’s side, “I am happy to announce At other points in the hard-serving Canadian Milos that I tested negative for Covid,” match, Williams flung her Raonic routed Brit Andy Mur- Nishikori said in a social media racket into the spectator-less ray 6-2, 6-2 and third seeded posting. “I will slowly pick up stands and rebuked the chair Daniil Medvedev, of Russia, my practice schedule tomorrow. umpire for slapping her with a swept past Aljaz Bedene 6-3, “Having said that, I (to- time violation. 6-3. gether with my team) have de- Sakkari, of Greece, ad- In other women’s action, cided to skip the US Open this vances to the quarter-finals of fourth seeded Naomi Osaka year. After such a long break I the no-spectator event where rolled over Dayana Yastrem- feel that returning in a best of 5 she will face Johanna Konta ska in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 to long-match setting is not smart who cruised past Vera Zvon- advance. until I am fully ready to do so. areva in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. Osaka, who is the only top “It’s disappointing as I love The joint WTA and ATP 10 player left in the women’s the US Open and have great tournament was moved from draw, clinched the victory memories.” Cincinnati to New York where Serena Williams returns a shot to Maria Sakkari of Greece during the Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis when Yastremska was called Nishikori, ranked 31, be- the same quarantine bubble Center in New York City on Tuesday. (Getty Images/AFP) for a foot fault while serving comes the latest high-profile will house the US Open start- on match point. departure from the tournament, ing on August 31. “It is hard to play the way Williams, who has lost her warn me. I’m done.” finals of the hardcourt tourna- Japan’s Osaka blasted set to begin Monday in a specta- It was the second straight I have been playing and stay cool at events in New York be- The ball people usually get ment. eight aces, won 83 percent tor-less quarantine bubble at the two-hour-plus match for Wil- positive,” Williams said. “To fore, also admonished chair the towels for the players but Djokovic breezed through of her first serve points and US National Tennis Center. liams who at 38 was trying to play nine hours in a week is umpire, Aurelie Tourte of not in the COVID-19 bubble. the final game by winning four broke Yastremska’s serve four become the oldest winner of too much. I don’t usually play France, during a changeover On the men’s side, world straight points, closing it out times. the event. She still holds the like that. It is all new for me.” for calling a time violation for No. 1 Novak Djokovic won his with a cross-court forehand Osaka moves to the quar- record, having won this event Williams made seven dou- slow play. 20th straight match of 2020 winner to take it in 88 minutes ter-finals where she will face in 2015 at age 33. ble faults and won just 66 per- “I am walking all the way with a hard-fought 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday. Anett Kontaveit, who defeated Brighton vs Williams survived a scare cent of her first serve points to get my towels... I mean, I victory over Tennys Sandgren. “All in all it was a great Marie Bouzkova 6-3, 6-3. Chelsea among in her opening match, pre- against Sakkari. am getting my own towels. Djokovic, who captured performance,” said Djokovic. Yastremska, who at 20 was vailing in a two hour, 48-min- After losing the second set That’s not fair,” said Williams. the Australian Open in Febru- “I felt better and played better the youngest player left in the test events for ute marathon over qualifier in a tiebreaker she tossed her “You didn’t give me a ary, needed six match points than last night. I am going in a field, made six double faults Arantxa Rus. It was her long- racket over her shoulder into warning. I am actually a re- to tough out the straight sets great direction.” and won just 38 percent of her return of fans est match since 2012. the empty stands behind her. ally fast player. Next time you victory and reach the quarter- American Sandgren, who second serves. AFP London

A Brighton v Chelsea friendly and Women’s Super League Bayern Munich in spat with China fixture are among a list of sporting events that will wel- come a limited number of fans over band endorsement fans, the British government announced on Wednesday. AFP have 110 million supporters The Department for Digi- Shanghai in China, came out fighting tal, Culture, Media and Sport in an open letter published (DCMS) confirmed a series of Bayern Munich are em- on Weibo. new events in England at which broiled in a row with their Chi- “We really appreciate the spectators would be admitted nese fans just days after their fans’ support and understand- on a socially distanced basis fol- Champions League triumph, ing but it’s a pity that on the lowing the ban on mass gather- accusing supporters of “hurl- eve of this historical moment ings introduced in March due ing abuse” over a public-rela- of the Champions League fi- to the coronavirus outbreak. tions campaign gone wrong. nal some people made some The events, which cover foot- In the build-up to Sunday’s unpleasant comments on ball, rugby union, horse racing, final against Paris Saint-Ger- Bayern’s Chinese social media cricket, basketball and speed- Barcelona’s Argentinian star Lionel Messi. main, some supporters were page,” the statement said. way, will take place this month riled by the German club’s “We came to China to and in September. endeavours to be endorsed have closer communication A men’s pre-season friend- ‘Dear Lionel’: Australian by a Chinese boy band called with Bayern fans and fan ly at Brighton on Saturday “Teens in Times”. clubs. However, distorting and a Women’s Super League team tries to entice The club was accused of A file photo of 2015 shows Bayern Munich supporters cheering during facts and hurling abuse at the match between West Ham and showing desperation over a the team’s football training session in Shanghai. (AFP) club’s official platform should Arsenal on September 12 are Messi Down Under series of leaked online mes- not happen among Bayern’s among the pilot events. sages that sought to make European and domestic titles “Have you ever seriously big family.” Brighton confirmed that AFP contact with the band to earn this season. evaluated the risks and conse- Bayern’s response served they were making 2,500 tick- Sydney Adelaide United Director its backing. But some fans felt Bay- quences of cooperation (with only to fuel the anger of some ets available for Chelsea’s visit. European football teams ern’s social-media effort was the boy band)?” one fan wrote Chinese supporters. The English Premiership Footballing minnows Ad- Ian Smith cited his aggressively court China’s demeaning to genuine old- on Weibo. “You have the cheek to rugby fixture between Harle- elaide United issued a long- state’s “brilliant” schools growing middle class, and school supporters, and they “I am writing a letter blame the fans?” said one typi- quins and Bath at the Twick- shot bid to entice superstar and tourist attractions as Bayern’s profile in the world’s made their feelings known on of complaint to Bayern’s cal reply on Weibo that was enham Stoop on September Lionel Messi to join its ranks reasons the Argentine most populous country should the Twitter-like Weibo, where headquarters.” liked 900 times. 5 has been selected, as have on Wednesday, touting the have been given a boost by Bayern have 4.2 million fol- Bayern, who have an of- “And you blame the fans race meetings at Doncaster, remote South Australian city should head Down Under. beating PSG 1-0 for a treble of lowers. fice in Shanghai and say they for ‘not being grateful’?” Warwick and Newmarket. as a coronavirus safehaven for playing and raising his family. winner shocked the football Writing a “Dear Lionel” let- world by informing Barcelona ter after news Messi wanted to Tuesday that he wanted to quit his long association with leave the team where he has Clippers’ George overcomes struggles, Nuggets stay alive Barcelona, Adelaide United played his entire professional Director Ian Smith cited his career, was the record scorer AFP with their playoff run. without star forward Kristaps state’s “brilliant” schools and and won four Champions Los Angeles “The bubble got the best of Porzingis. tourist attractions as reasons League titles. me. I was in a dark place,” said Also, Jamal Murray scored the Argentine should head The move is is expected to Paul George says his strug- George, who spoke with a team 42 points and Nikola Jokic had Down Under. spark a legal battle over a buy- gles are over as he scored a therapist before game five. “I 31 as the Denver Nuggets avoid- He also noted South Aus- out clause worth hundreds of team-high 35 points on Tues- wasn’t here, I checked out. ed elimination with a 117-107 tralia’s success in containing millions of dollars. day to lead the Los Angeles “I was just in a bad place. I victory over the Utah Jazz in the coronavirus pandemic Smith admitted Adelaide Clippers to a dominating 154- found my way. I am back and I game five of their playoff series. which is still ravaging much of United, which finished in sev- 111 playoff victory over the Dal- look forward to the rest of this Denver looked tired in game Europe, saying the state would enth place in Australia’s 11- las Mavericks. run. A shout out to people that three, but they bounced back be “safe for your young family”. team A League during a coro- George rebounded from stood behind me and were in nicely in games four and five “While Paris Saint-Ger- navirus-hit season, would not three sub-par performances to my corner.” and now trail three games to main, Manchester United be able to pay Messi the kind combine offensively with Kawhi George said he is now using two in the best-of-seven West- and others may be chasing of massive salary he is used to. Leonard and give the Clippers a mental tricks to raise his level ern Conference series. your signature, wouldn’t you “We cannot offer you 3-2 series lead. of play. “It was hard to get into Canada’s Murray scored 33 really like to go somewhere much in the form of financial George opened up after playoff mode with no intensity, of his points in the second half, different?” wrote Smith in compensation,” Smith said, the game about his struggles no fans, and no atmosphere,” Paul George of the LA Clippers drives against the Dallas Mavericks taking over the game with four the letter posted on the club’s explaining that the pandemic with coping inside the NBA’s he said. “We created the energy. during the first quarter in Game Three of the Western Conference First minutes to go and the score Facebook page. had badly damaged his team’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, I came in with the attitude that Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. even at 101-101. “Indeed, we will find you a finances. Florida where the players have this is Staples arena and the (Getty Images/AFP) Results from NBA first-round house in the suburb of Magill “But, hey, let’s not let that to adhere to strict health and place is packed. I had to create playoff games on Tuesday in – It’s just a free-kick away get in the way of something safety measures and no specta- my own energy.” points and Montrezl Har- points after scoring 43 and nail- Orlando, Florida (all series best- from Penfolds’ award-win- that promises to be very spe- tors are allowed into the arena. The Clippers shot a spectac- rell added 19 points and 11 ing the game winner in over- of-seven): Western Conference: ning Magill Estate restaurant, cial; once you are here, you George says after being in ular 63.1 percent from the floor rebounds off the bench for time in game four. Denver 117 Utah 107 (Utah where you will have a regular will be so happy and money a “dark place” he has finally and 62.9 percent (22-of-35) Los Angeles. Tim Hardaway scored 19 leads series 3-2); Los Angeles table at your disposal,” he said. will seem merely incidental,” got rid of the demons and is from beyond the arc. Mavericks top scorer Luka points and Trey Burke had 15 Clippers 154 Dallas 111; (Los The six-time Ballon d’Or he said. ready to help the Clippers Leonard finished with 32 Doncic finished with just 22 for the Mavericks, who were Angeles leads series 3-2). Sports Thursday, August 27, 2020 15 Longines Hathab Tour final round at QEF’s

Al Markhiya coach Younis Ali. indoor arena from today Our aim is to qualify Tribune News Network Doha for QNB Stars League, In what would be a tight and closely fought finale, the 12th says Al Markhiya and final round of the third third season of the Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab coach Younis Ali 2019-20 – which resumed earlier this month after a long Tribune News Network from any injuries. Talal Ali has break forced due to the out- Doha put his injury behind him. break of the pandemic, will “We will not talk about my take place at the Qatar Eques- Al Markhiya coach Younis situation with the team now. trian Federation’s Indoor Are- Ali exuded confidence and ex- We are all focused on the play- na from Thursday to Saturday. pressed hope of his team win- off game. The organisers – Qatar ning the play-off clash against “The atmosphere in the Equestrian Federation and Al Al Khor at the Al Janoub Sta- club is very healthy. The club Shaqab – have done an excel- dium on Friday and management pro- lent job in conducting 10th qualify for the new vides all that is and 11th legs of the series in season’s QNB Stars needed to achieve a safe environment. Now the League. our target and we 12th and final leg, which will “We want to hope to repay them be a three-day affair starting The Qatar Equestrian Federation’s Indoor Arena win against Al by winning this de- today is set for a thrilling fin- where the final three legs of Longines Hathab Khor in order to cisive match,” said ish with overall titles up for Qatar Equestrian Tour are being held since the play in the QNB Younis. grabs in the Big, Medium and resumption of the annual showjumping series Stars League next Meanwhile, Al Small Tour categories. after the forced break in March. season. That is our Markhiya player The in-form Hamad ambition, espe- Ahmed Mubarak Nasser Al Qadi leads the Big cially because our Kanu said, “We Tour with 180 points and will players provided are ready for this go into the final round as a a very good level match, we can put favourite. But with just seven during the sea- up a similar per- points separating the top four son against odds. formance, like we showjumpers, Al Qadi will We are keen to be in the QNB did against Al Gharafa and have repeat his recent form, Stars League,” said Ali while Al Rayyan in the Amir Cup, where he has won three times speaking to the media. where we qualified for the and finished runner-up once. “We now have the experi- semifinals. Our players are Just three points behind is ence to play important match- now more motivated and have Faleh Suwead Al Ajami (177). es. The team gained it also the desire to qualify for the The 2019 HH The Amir’s from games in the Amir Cup, QNB Stars League. Sword winner won the 11th leg where we have reached the “Our ambition was to di- and will be the biggest threat semifinals. rectly qualify for the QNB to Al Qadi. Khalid Mohamed “The players are at the Stars league, but we could not Al Emadi (175) is third, while highest level of readiness and, be successful. We still have the Salman Mohamed Al Emadi thank God, we do not suffer opportunity to fulfil it.” (173) is fourth, with the both Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, riders needing a victory to take President, Qatar Olympic Overall Standings the crown. Committee. BIG TOUR In the Medium Tour, lead- Hathab meaning ‘Canter’ 1. Hamad Nasser Al Qadi 180 points er Mohamed Khalifa Al Baker A horse is being taken for the mandatory veterinary check prior to the in Arabic, the annual cham- 2. Faleh Suwead Al Ajami 177 has a tough fight on his hands 12th and final round of Hathab on Wednesday. pionship aims at improving 3. Khalid Mohamed Al Emadi 175 as he will try to stave off a late the standard of horse riding 4. Salman Mohamed Al Emadi 173 challenge for the title from lowed by Mohamed Nasser Al competing after a long break. among Qatari youths while 5. Nasser Al Ghazali 169 Mohamed Saeed Haidan. Qadi (181.5) and Mohamed Al “Hathab has been a huge encouraging the involvement Al Baker enjoys a four- Ghazali (178). success despite the difficul- of private stables and indi- MEDIUM TOUR point cushion over Haidan Today, the event begins ties in organising the last three vidual horse owners to grow 1. Mohamed Khalifa Al Baker 188 going into the final round, but with Small Tour class at 4pm, rounds. awareness of horsemanship 2. Mohamed Saeed Haidan 184 the latter has been in imperi- followed by Medium Tour “The organisers have as part of Qatar’s history and 3. Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi 178 ous from since the resump- at 6:45pm and Big Tour at achieved its goals set for the tradition. 4. Mohamed Hazim Abara 174 tion of Hathab, having won 8:45pm. championship, the riders The vision for Hathab the last two rounds. Ghanim Hathab Event Director Ali have performed exception- is to inspire Qatar’s next 5. Alqaqa Adel Nassar 170 Nasser Al Qadi is third in the Al Rumaihi was delighted with ally, which only shows their generation of international SMALL TOUR standings but a 10-point defi- the success of the previous two development in the last three champions. 1. Khalifa Abdulla Al Khaldi 188.5 cit to al-Baker makes his job rounds and hoped that the fi- years,” Al Rumaihi said. Longines, ExxonMobil and 2. Mohamed Nasser Al Qadi 181.5 difficult. nal round too will be held with- The Hathab series Salam World are the official 3. Mohamed Al Ghazali 178 In the Small Tour, Khalifa out a glitch. He also praised launched in 2017 carries a partners of this tournament Abdulla Al Khaldi (188.5) has the level of the riders in the total prize of QR1.5mn and and it is open to all Qataris and 4. Ali Mohammed Al Marri 161 a seven-point lead. He is fol- last two rounds despite them is an initiative of HE Sheikh residents of Qatar. 5. Abdulaziz Ghanim Al Nuaimi 158 Iran’s Ramin Rezaelan poses with Al Duhail coach Walid Regragui after signing a two-year deal with the QNB Stars League champions. Rezaelan signs two-year Bravo becomes first player to take 500 T20 wickets deal with Al Duhail AFP West Indies came in 2014. AFC World Cup Russia 2018 and Port of Spain However, he played in both Tehran AFC Asian Cup 2019, mak- of the West Indies’ Twenty20 ing a total of 35 appearances One day after James Ander- To be able to achieve that World Cup winning teams of Al Duhail received a boost for Team Melli and scoring son became the first fast bowl- right here at home – this is 2012 and 2016. ahead of their defence of the two goals. er to claim 600 Test wickets, where I started playing Bravo, whose globe-trot- QNB Stars League title after Al Duhail, who clinched Dwayne Bravo on Wednesday cricket at age 8. It’s where it ting has seen him employed signing Iran’s Ramin Rezaelan their seventh Qatar Stars grabbed a slightly lower-pro- all started for me and I by more than 20 teams, was Rezaelan penned a two- League last Friday, open the file record by being the first also the first bowler to 300 year contract with head coach defence of their title against player to take 500 Twenty20 can’t be happier to get that and 400 wickets in the sport’s Walid Regragui’s Red Knights Umm Salal on September 3. wickets. 500 here at the Queen’s shortest format. after spending two seasons They will also resume The 36-year-old West In- Park Oval. “This is a batsman’s game. with league rivals Al Shahania their AFC Champions League dies all-rounder reached the We bowlers have it very hard. SC where he scored 17 goals. quest next month when they landmark in the Caribbean Dwayne Bravo My position is I bowl at the Earlier in his career, play UAE side Sharjah FC on Premier League in his native back end of the innings to some Rezaelan played for Iranian Matchday Three. Trinidad. at the Queen’s Park Oval.” quality players,” added Bravo. clubs Saba Qom FC, Rah Ahan After two Matchdays, Playing for Trinbago for good measure by bowl- world,” Bravo told Star Sports. Bravo, one of the world’s “So yes, I accept the fact SC and Persepolis as well as the Qatar club are second in Knights Riders, Bravo had ing Roston Chase before rain “To be able to achieve that most sought after T20 players, that I go for runs, but as you having a one-year stint with Group C with three points Rahkeem Cornwall of St Lu- stopped play. right here at home – this is has endured a roller-coaster can see I also get wickets as Belgian outfit KV Oostende. ahead of Persepolis and Shar- cia Zouks caught by New “It’s a great journey, I want where I started playing cricket international career. well. And that is a part of the The 30-year-old winger jah – both on one point, while Zealand’s Colin Munro in the to say thanks to all my team- you know? At age 8. It’s where The last of his 40 Tests game. For me to dominate a was one of Team Melli’s stand- Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun FC fourth over of the game. mates. Thanks to all the teams it all started for me and I can’t came in 2010 while his ODI batsman friendly game like out performers at the FIFA top the table with six points. He then claimed his 501st that I play for around the be happier to get that 500 here career of 164 games for the this – I’m happy.” Australia captain Aaron Finch says he will miss English crowd banter AFP against their arch-rivals from But Australia are now set England over here.” but at the end of the day as game, behind closed doors so Southampton September 4-16. to face England behind closed England have just played cricketers we probably play 95 I don’t think that we need any In normal circumstances, doors in response to the coro- six behind-closed-doors Tests percent of our games in front of extra motivation or we don’t Australia limited-overs cap- they could expect to be on the navirus pandemic. against the West Indies and not many people so I think that need any crowd to pump you tain Aaron Finch says he will receiving end of plenty of taunts “It’s always good to have a Pakistan, winning both series, we would be used to it.” up – not that we get it here in miss the “banter” of English from England fan groups such crowd to entertain and the ban- with the white-ball squad de- Australia’s most recent the UK anyway.” crowds during the upcoming as the Barmy Army. ter that comes from particularly feating Ireland 2-1 in a three- ODI, in March, took place with- “At the end of the day we white-ball campaign but is ada- Star batsmen Steve Smith English crowds is pretty spe- match one-day international out fans because of COVID-19. are still playing international mant the absence of spectators and David Warner were the cial,” Finch told reporters in a campaign this month that also Finch, speaking from Aus- cricket,” the 33-year-old bats- will not mean a lack of intensity. main targets during last year’s conference call on Wednesday. took place without spectators. tralia’s base in Derby, central man added. Finch’s men have al- World Cup and Ashes in Eng- “Do they go over the top “I have seen all of it from England, said: “We played the “What it’ll come down to ready arrived in England for land following their roles in sometimes? Maybe, yeah. back at home (on television),” game against New Zealand is pride in your performance three Twenty20 matches and a ball-tampering scandal in It’s all a great thing to be a said Finch. “It is obviously a lit- at the SCG (Sydney Cricket and representing your country three One-Day Internationals South Africa. part of, especially if you beat Aaron Finch. tle bit different with no crowds, Ground), which was our last really proudly.” 16 Thursday, August 27, 2020 The Last Word HBKU CSE receives large number of students for new academic year the challenge. Our admission quality education despite the consistently using new tools fronted with.” Since starting the new academic year, numbers have been consist- restrictions due to the prevail- and technological devices to He also assured students HKBU has admitted a total of 146 students ently good. We received a ing situation, Dr Hamdi said provide an interactive expe- that HBKU’s top priority has large pool of applicants and I the pandemic has allowed rience to our students and been and will always be to en- across all of CSE’s 13 innovative degrees am pleased to say that the situ- them to build CSE’s techno- communities. sure their safety. ation has thus far not affected logical proficiency, hone its “We have leveraged the He stressed that as educa- Ailyn Agonia unusual circumstances, CSE the college’s actual operations Meta skills and adopt a critical power of social media and tors and mentors, the institu- DOHA has managed to admit and or the quality of admitted stu- solution-based mindset for the YouTube channels to pro- tion is doing its utmost to offer retain a large number of stu- dents,” Dean Hamdi told Qa- challenges the institution was vide web tutorials and simu- the best educational experi- Similar to other colleges dents. Across all of CSE’s 13 tar Tribune. confronted with. late online laboratories. New ence possible. under the Hamad Bin Khalifa innovative degrees, it has ad- “As of now, we intend to He said, “The college’s schemes and software are “Under no circumstances University (HBKU), the Col- mitted a total of 146 students embrace the new academic faculty members have been constantly being utilised at the will we compromise the quali- lege of Science and Engineer- when HKBU opened for the year with two weeks of pure introduced to numerous college along with real devices. ty of education they are receiv- ing (CSE) has received a good new academic year recently. online instruction, thereafter Dr Mounir Hamdi training modules over the Our aim has always been to ing and we will always endeav- number of students for the “As an institution, we following a hybrid or blended summer, which definitely provide a more interesting and our to ensure an experience 2020-2021 academic year. have managed to successfully approach to learning. Face-to- added. contributed to their growth, effective learning experience that is as good - if not even According to Dean Dr navigate the implications of face instruction will be con- On the efforts of the col- skills and potential in deliv- for our students, irrespective better - than before,” Dean Mounir Hamdi, despite the the pandemic and rise up to ducted where necessary,” he lege to ensure the delivery of ering online learning. We are of the challenges we are con- Hamdi said. Healthcare students from Qatar conclude COVID-19 telehealth debate series Tribune News Network Doha

The Health Interprofessional Edu- cation Committee of Qatar Uni- versity (QU), in collaboration with the Interprofessional Education Students’ Association in Qatar, or- ganised its third virtual debate with the motion, ‘This House believes that telehealth can provide patients with more cost-effective and better- quality care than current practice’. The event lasted two hours and was conducted through Qatar University (QU) WebEx application. events during the summer break the audiences were allowed to ask Healthcare students from the QU with this successful COVID19 series questions addressed to the teams, College of Health Sciences (CHS), debate and to appreciate the high and the judges also provided their the College of Medicine (CMED) and level of commitment, dedication and clarification and feedback to both QU CHS alumni volunteers at the Ministry of Public Health. the College of Pharmacy (CPH) par- enthusiasm of every member of the teams. There have been intense mo- ticipated, along with colleagues from executive team.’ She congratulated ments between the two sides during the University of Calgary in Qatar all the students who participated in the debate, as the subject is not only (UCQ), the College of North Atlantic these debates and confirmed that health, but also economic, racial and in Qatar and Weill Cornell Medical these discussions will continue due political. However, after receiving College-Qatar (WCMQ). to the high level of interest among the votes from both the audience QU CHS alumni strengthens Around 200 local and interna- health students. “ (50%) and the judges (50%), the tional participants attended the event. The judges for the third debate negative team was announced as the Jawaher Baraka, president of the IPE were Dr. Faleh Tamimi Acting Dean winning team. Student Association of QU-CMED, of QU College of Dental Medicine at Dr Mohamed B. Elshazly, com- MoPH response to COVID-19 gave the opening remarks, which Qatar University, Dr. Derek Stewart, mented: “It was a pleasure to be in- included an overview of the associa- QU Health Manager at Academic volved as a judge in this fascinating tion’s vision, mission, events and the Quality, and Dr. Mohamed B. Els- debate. I really enjoyed watching Volunteers of the ministry implement control measures and assess public needs introduction of the new IPE Execu- hazly, WCM-Q Assistant Professor the students debate this hot topic tives for 2020-2021 from the presi- of Medicine at the Medical Educa- from different angles. As we enter a dent to the college representatives. tion Division. The two teams com- new era of decentralised and remote Tribune News Network ferent settings to plan for distant and became part of a dynamic team. Dr Egon Steen Toft, vice presi- prise an interprofessional team, the patient care, catalysed by the COV- Doha awareness sessions. This opportunity enabled us to uti- dent of Medical and Health Sciences debate opened an opportunity to ID-19 pandemic, there is no doubt Regarding how important this lise our health education knowledge at Qatar University, welcomed the see the perspectives of the various that telehealth will achieve wide- Sixteen public health graduates experience was for the public health and expertise. Our participation was participants and congratulated the health students and allowed the par- spread global adoption. Doctors and from Qatar University’s College of graduates and for the college, Dr extremely valuable; we have gained organisers for organising another ticipants to increase their knowledge patients finally realise their value Health Sciences (CHS) have taken Hanan Abdul Rahim, dean of CHS, hands-on experience and enhanced debate on an important topic and on the different issues related to in increasing traditional in-person part in the National Volunteering commented: “Volunteering with our capabilities to be better public eager to hear both sides of the de- the novel coronavirus, which is cur- care, particularly in areas with poor Campaign initiated by the Ministry the Ministry of Public Health has health educators.” bate. This was followed by a wel- rently affecting the lives of everyone healthcare accessibility. I look for- of Public Health (MoPH) to help been a tremendous opportunity for Public health volunteers are come speech by the Assistant Dean around the globe through reliable ward in the near future to watching tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. the graduates of the Public Health working at the MoPH in the morning for Student Affairs at CPH and the data and research. those students practice telemedicine The CHS alumni volunteered at programme to witness up close the and evening shifts to support tack- QU Health Chair of the Interprofes- The debate was moderated by in their daily practice.” the Health Protection and Commu- tremendous efforts on all fronts, ling COVID-19 in Qatar. Currently, sional Education Program Dr Alla El the previous president of the IPE Alya Muzafar said: “The IPE nicable Disease Control Division at including disease surveillance and they are supporting the team at the Awaisi. Dr El-Awaisi commented on Student Association and MSc Phar- Debate was not about competition the MoPH as part the college’s social community health education, as MoPH in case investigation, contact how impressed she was about how macy, Ms. Sawsan AlMukdad. Par- only, but was a knowledge, best ex- responsibility initiative. well as to put into practice what they tracing, data entry and analysis. well the students worked together ticipants on the affirmative side in- perience and most importantly great During the first two months of the have been learning in their academic The Department of Public Health in their teams, even though they cluded: CHS student Alya Naqadan, teamwork. Throughout the whole pandemic, the CHS volunteers sup- lives. We are very grateful to the col- at the CHS is Qatar’s first and only hadn’t met each other before. ‘These CPH student Sara Hussein and debate session panel, we were filled ported the ministry team in tracking leagues at the ministry for their ef- provider of Bachelor’s and Mas- debates underscore the importance CMED student Saoud Bossa. The with energetic excitement as being the implementation of control meas- forts in mentoring the graduates.” ter’s Degrees in Public Health (BSc of building an inter-professional negative side of the team included on a negative team. We were glad to ures, assessing public needs and de- Regarding her volunteering ex- and MPH). The public health pro- culture during the student under- UCQ student Alia Muzafar, CMED have an opportunity, in a topic “Tel- veloping awareness plans. perience, one of the graduates said: gramme was established in 2012 graduate learning journey. Integrat- student Mohamed Saeed and CPH ehealth” that was currently affecting They enhanced public awareness “As public health graduates, we with two concentrations for the ing IPE into the experience of health student Marwa Hamed. The debate and used in our new normal life. We by organising booths at public places believe it is a moral duty and pro- Bachelor degree: Health Education students is key to the QU Health followed a format in which each were also extremely pleased to have and working at the call centre at the fessional responsibility to support and Public Health Management. In Vision.’ student received a 5-minute speech a debate with another dedicated MoPH to respond to public con- the team at the ministry in fighting 2015, the Master’s programme was She added: “It was really amaz- slot, a 2-minute caucus and a cross- team and students from different cerns. They also helped in collecting the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar. launched with two concentrations: ing to see the IPE student associa- examination opportunity from the healthcare professions, which came data about patients in quarantine We volunteered at the MoPH and Epidemiology and Health Systems tion willing to continue organising opposing team. After the debate, up with strong arguments. and assessing workers’ needs in dif- quickly made valuable contributions Improvement.

WCM-Q, NMoQ programme allows students to investigate coronavirus

Tribune News Network ment, and was led by WCM-Q’s Dr the NMoQ, said: “We are proud of Doha Becky Cramer, teaching specialist the WCM-Q collaboration, which in biology, Dr Dalia Zakaria, lec- provided learning opportunities to High school students from across turer in biology, and Dr Kuei-Chiu students during such challenging Qatar had the chance to investi- Chen, associate professor of biol- times. Dr Abdulla Alsulaiti, deputy gate the biology and spread of the ogy, alongside Raga Mohamed, director for research and collections coronavirus (COVID-19) thanks to acting head of public programmes at NMoQ, led a session on the se- a collaboration between the Na- at the NMoQ. Seven students of ries of deadly diseases that have hit tional Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) WCM-Q acted as programme tu- Qatar in the past. Participants got a and Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar tors. chance to discuss the topic with our (WCM-Q). Dr Cramer said: “Throughout field specialist and were presented The ‘All About Science: The the week, the students were highly with original historical documents Biology of Pandemics’ programme engaged and asked insightful ques- linked to those time periods. As an offered high school students with tions as they learned about COV- educational institution, we are com- an interest in science and medicine ID-19, the tools scientists use to mitted to offering learning services the chance to learn more about the track infections and the historical for our audience and I am very ex- current pandemic and place it into context of the pandemic. They then cited for what is to come.” the context of historical pandemics. put this newfound knowledge to Dr Rachid Bendriss, assistant Using mathematical tools, the work, dividing into teams to devel- dean for student recruitment, out- students learned how scientists op and test a scientific hypothesis reach, and foundation programs at study the epidemiology of the vi- about the pandemic, with support WCM-Q, said: “This was a fascinat- rus and how measures like social from a current WCMQ student. ing program. Not only were we able distancing, vaccinations and travel The resulting presentations were of to teach young students about the restrictions impact upon the virus’ the highest caliber: well-delivered, apps and was designed to encour- veloped skills in teamwork, quan- pated in the programme and were biology and epidemiology of the spread. well-reasoned and placed mean- age the high school students to titative reasoning and experiential excited to share their valuable in- novel coronavirus, we were also The week-long online pro- ingfully into the context of the pursue a career in science and design, skills that will benefit them sight on the programme through a able to explore the series of deadly gramme was offered by Premedical COVID-19 pandemic.” medicine, and to give them a much in their future lives. survey capturing their feedback. diseases that Qatar has faced in the Education’s Office of Student Out- The programme was held re- greater understanding of COV- A total of 31 students from Qa- Fatma Al Kuwari, associate di- past, and discuss what the future reach and Educational Develop- motely over video-conferencing ID-19. In addition, they also de- tar and the region actively partici- rector of learning and outreach at may hold.”