QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Sunday QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune August 9, 2020 Dhu Al-Hijjah 19, 1441 Vol.13 no. 5020 qR 2

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Saudi plan to invade Over QR94 mn raised for Qatar in 2017 aimed at usurping Doha’s wealth Lebanon blast victims he term invasion no longer The move would have Texists in today’s dictionary plunged the entire region Individuals, banks & companies pledged during fundraising campaign on Qatar TV of a civilised world. The very into chaos, jeopardising the Amir condoles idea of an invasion has been security and stability of the Tribune News Network banished by international Middle East. with Indian Doha ● Sons of the late Abdul legislations, condemned by the However, the real reason president, PM Jalil Al Abdul-Ghani United Nations and shunned behind the invasion plot was The live fundraising campaign donated QR3.2 million by the world of diplomacy. hugely deplorable. The aim QNA — Lebanon in Our Hearts — So, the plans of Saudi of the blockading countries Doha has raised over QR94 million ● QNB donated QR2 Arabia to invade Qatar in the was to usurp Qatar’s wealth, during a live transmission on mn, while Al Rayan summer of 2017 represent take control of its huge natural His Highness the Amir Qatar TV on Saturday. a criminal mindset which has resources and impose their of State of Qatar Sheikh The donations were made Bank pledged no place in modern agendas on Qatar. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani by individuals, banks and QR1.5 million day society. The plans The accusations on Saturday sent cables of companies based in the coun- ● QIIB, Ooredoo, and for a military action that the blockading condolences to President try fro the Beirut blast vic- against Qatar, a QT countries have tried to of the Republic of India tims. Al-Fardan Holding member state of Gulf attribute to Qatar are Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Donators that included Group donated QR1 Cooperation Council EDIT nothing but to cre- Minister of the Republic of several companies, eateries million each (GCC), are regrettable ate justifications for India Narendra Modi on the etc voluntarily came forward The live fundraising campaign in progress on Qatar TV. and shocking as they achieving other larger victims of an Air India plane to contribute for the cause. go against the very tenet of goals that risk the future of that crashed in southern The major donors include of the late Abdul Jalil Al tional Exchange Company the disaster that struck the brotherhood and good neigh- the region and its people. India, wishing the injured a Qatar National Bank (QR2 Abdul-Ghani amounted to (QR50,000), Uni Money Ex- port of Beirut. bourliness. It was against this Around the time when speedy recovery. million), Al Rayan Bank QR3.2 million, while Nasser change Company (QR10,000), The campaign reflects Qa- very basis on which the GCC Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain (QR1.5 million), Qatar Inter- bin Rashid Al Kaabi donated and Islamic Exchange Compa- tar’s friendly position to stand was founded. and Egypt cut diplomatic ties national Islamic Bank (QR QR1 million for the cam- ny (QR20,000). with the people of Lebanon. The plans, which were with Qatar and closed down 1 million), Ooredoo (QR1 paign. The fundraising campaign A number of scholars, hu- largely devised by the Saudi their land, sea, and air borders million), Al-Fardan Holding Other notable contribu- was organised by the Regula- manitarian activists and rep- and UAE leaders, involved with the country, or shortly Group (QR1 million), and tions are: Al Khaliji Com- tory Authority for Charitable resentatives from local charity Saudi ground troops crossing afterwards, Qatari sources in QFMA okays Hussein Al-Fradan, a mem- mercial Bank (QR500,000), Activities (RACA) in coopera- organisations were guests at the land border into Qatar, Saudi Arabia discovered the amendments to ber of the Board of Directors Gulf Exchange Company tion with Qatar Charity (QC) the programme who encour- and, with military support from invasion plan. of the Qatar Red Crescent, QR365,000, Qatar Islamic In- and the Qatar Red Crescent aged people to extend their the UAE, advancing roughly 70 QSE rulebook (QR1 million). surance Group (QR100,000), Society (QRCS), to support helping hand for their broth- miles towards Doha. Continued on page 2  A donation from the sons Habib Qatar Interna- Lebanese people, following ers in Lebanon. Satyendra Pathak Doha

The Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) on Satur- It’s shocking a GCC member state day announced that it has Qatari team begins rescue approved amendments to QSE’s rulebook relating to planned to attack another: Official market maker and liquidity operation in Lebanon provider. Tribune News Network The amendments Doha We emphasised from the regarding the market maker beginning that the accusations and liquidity provider have A top official of the Ministry that the blockading countries been made in compliance of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has with the Liquidity Provider termed the American Foreign Pol- tried to impose on us are Rules issued previously by icy magazine report about a Saudi nothing but to create QFMA, the regulatory author- Arabia’s proposal to invade Qatar justifications for achieving other ity has said in a statement as shocking. posted on its website. In a series of tweets, Ahmed bin larger goals that risk the future In another move to bring Saeed Al Rumaihi, Director of the Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi. of the region and its people in more transparency for Media Office at the Ministry of For- investors, the QFMA an- eign Affairs (MoFA), said, “It is re- blockading countries tried to level Al Jaber Al Sabah, said in a joint nounced that it has given grettable that the military option is against us are nothing but to cre- press conference with US Presi- approval for disclosure of on the table for countries of the Gulf ate justifications for achieving other dent Donald Trump, at the White financial and non-financial Cooperation Council (GCC) against larger goals that risk the future of House on September 7, 2017, about statements for companies Qatar has sent a fully-equipped team from Qatari Search and Rescue a member state in this system that the region and its people,” he said. the success of Kuwaiti mediation in listed on QSE through the Team of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) to Beirut in support of the was originally built on collective se- “The military option revealed by stopping the military intervention unified electronic disclosure Lebanese people. The team has begun its search and rescue operations curity.” the American magazine reinforces against Qatar.” system. page 8 on the site of the blast at Beirut Port. (TNN) “We emphasised from the begin- what His Highness the Amir of State ning that the accusations that the of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Continued on page 2 

COVID-19 recoveries jump Ras Laffan Hospital played key role in by 296 to reach 109,438 recovery of 4,000 COVID-19 patients QNA QNA care. I’m proud to say that nurses Doha Doha played an important role in deliv- ering the care.” Qatar on Saturday reported 267 coro- Hamad Medical Corporation’s “While Ras Laffan Hospital navirus (COVID-19) cases, the Ministry Ras Laffan Hospital, which dis- was a dedicated COVID-19 treat- of Public Health (MoPH) said in its daily charged the final group of its re- ment facility, we provided all nec- report. covered COVID-19 patients last essary care to our patients, the Also, 296 people recovered from month, has provided high-quality majority of whom were manual the virus in the last 24 hours, bringing treatment to more than 4,000 workers living in the industrial ar- the total number of recoveries in Qatar COVID-19 patients with mild to eas. We cared for patients of vari- to 109,438. moderate symptoms since open- ous ages, many of whom were Sadly, two people — aged 65 and ing on April 21. transferred from HMC’s Hamad 70 — succumbed to the virus in the The hospital was declassified General Hospital and the Commu- past 24 hours, taking the death toll in as a dedicated COVID-19 treat- nicable Disease Center after test- the country to 182. ment facility after discharging the ing positive for the coronavirus. In a statement, the MoPH said all final group of recovered COVID-19 At our busiest, we were admitting the new cases have been introduced to patients. A file photo of the last batch of COVID-19 patients being discharged from between 120 and 150 new patients isolation and are receiving necessary rus and the number of new daily cases Saadia Ahmed Al Hubail, As- Ras Laffan Hospital earlier last month. each day. Over 4,000 COVID-19 healthcare. and hospital admissions is continuing sistant Executive Director of Nurs- patients were treated at our facil- “Measures to tackle COVID-19 in to decline each week,” the MoPH said. ing at the Ambulatory Care Center capacity of 94 beds and then grad- we operated as a dedicated COV- ity and discharged after recovering Qatar have succeeded in flattening the The ministry urged people to adhere to and Head of the nursing team at ually increased to 762 beds, which ID-19 treatment facility, over 600 from the virus,” Al Hubail. curve and limiting the spread of the vi- the health precautionary measures. Ras Laffan Hospital, said, “The included increasing ICU beds from staff tirelessly worked to ensure hospital was initially opened with a 10 to 32. During the three months patients received the best possible Continued on page 3  02 Sunday, August 9, 2020

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Quick read Qatari Ambassador visits venue of Qatar’s field hospital in Lebanon Deputy Amir sends condolences to Indian president, prime minister The Deputy Amir His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani sent on Saturday cables of con- dolences to President of India Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on the victims of an Air India plane crash in southern India, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. (QNA) Prime minister sends condolences to Indian counterpart Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani sent on Saturday a cable of condolences to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on the victims of an Air India plane crash in southern India, wishing the injured a speedy recovery. (QNA) Qatar embassy provides medical assistance to Haiti The Embassy of Qatar to the Dominican Republic has provided medical aid to the Republic of Haiti to help combat coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The shipment, provided by Qatar Charity, included medical and preventive assistance. Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar to the Do- minican Republic HE Yaser Awad Al Abdulla presented the shipment of Qatari medical aid to Acting Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti to the Dominican Republic Yves Rody Jean. (QNA) Qatar condemns Mogadishu blast Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the explosion that targeted a Somali army site in the capital, Mogadishu, and led to the deaths and injuries of soldiers. In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Qatar’s firm stance rejecting violence and terrorism regardless of their motives and causes. The statement expressed Qatar’s condolences to the families of victims and the government and people of Somalia, wishing the Qatar’s Ambassador to Lebanon HE Mohammed Hassan Al Jaber visits Al-Roum Hospital yard in Beirut, where a field hospital provided by wounded a speedy recovery. (QNA) Qatar to Lebanon is being erected. (TNN)

Lebanese Armed Forces QRCS sends humanitarian aid chief meets Qatar search to Lebanon as gift for people and rescue team in Beirut Tribune News Network Tribune News Network vicinity of the Jeitaoui Hospital. Doha Doha The Lebanese side will manage the two field hospitals after the end of A Qatar Emiri Air Force aircraft General Joseph Aoun, command- the tasks of the Qatari medical team, departed Doha on Saturday morn- er-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed which will oversee the start-up pro- ing, carrying relief aid cargo sent Forces, met with the Qatari search cess. by the Qatar Red Crescent Society and rescue team deployed in Beirut, Qatar has air-dashed planeloads of (QRCS), as a gift of solidarity from Qatar’s Embassy in Lebanon said in a medical supplies, including two field the people of Qatar to the citizens of tweet on Saturday. hospitals, to Lebanon after the devas- Lebanon. This comes as part of the Qatar’s Internal Security Force tating blasts. immediate humanitarian response (Lekhwiya) sent a search and res- Qatar has also reached out to Leb- to the Beirut Port explosion. cue team to Lebanon after deadly anese nationals holding Qatari Resi- During the departure of the air- explosions at Beirut’s port killed dency Permits (IDs). The Government craft, QRCS leaders were present, more than 130 people and wreaked Communications Office on Thurs- including Ali bin Hassan Al Ham- widespread damage. The team be- day said Qatar would give priority to madi, secretary-general; Engineer craft was received by the QRCS and medical assistance, the cargo support the efforts of the Lebanese gan their operations in Beirut on Lebanese nationals with Qatar IDs, Ibrahim Abdullah Al Maliki, execu- Representation Mission staff in is the first of a series of aid pack- Red Cross. Friday. who are currently in the country and tive director and acting director of Lebanon, in cooperation with the ages to be sent under the ‘Heart for Together with the host Nation- The team is among the several as- wishing to return to Qatar, under the Relief and International Develop- Lebanese Red Cross. They are co- Beirut’, a humanitarian campaign al Society, the mission of QRCS is sistance Qatar extended to Lebanon, exceptional entry permit (EEP) pro- ment; and Dr Fawzi Oussedik, head ordinating with the Embassy of launched by the QRCS to provide to provide food and other urgent on the orders of the Amir His High- gramme. of International Relations and Inter- Qatar in Lebanon to facilitate the health, shelter and food aid to re- assistance to the families affected ness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Besides, the Qatar Red Crescent national Humanitarian Law (IHL). entry and transfer of the cargo. duce the impact of the disaster on in order to help them with the cur- Thani. Society (QRCS) has initiated an im- On arrived in Beirut, the air- Consisting of tonnes of relief vulnerable people affected and to rent ordeal. The technical team from Qatar has mediate response to the explosion in begun assembling and equipping the Beirut. Under an approval from the two field hospitals sent by Qatar in Regulatory Authority for Charitable support of Lebanon. Activities (RACA), QRCS launched a The first hospital will be set up fundraising campaign titled “Heart Report reinforces Kuwait Amir’s Blockading countries’ military inside the Al-Roum Hospital and the for Lebanon” to support the Lebanese joint statement with US president option violates international laws second one will be assembled in the people. Continued from page 1  June 6 to invade Qatar – a day Continued from page 1  and irresponsible policy similar to after the four countries imposed the one that led the region to instabil- The then US Secretary of State a blockade on Qatar. He said, “The fact that Saudi Arabia ity in the early 1990s.” Rex Tillerson acted after the The military option revealed has not yet denied what was revealed The Foreign Policy magazine on Qatari government notified him by the American Foreign Policy by the American magazine indicates August 6, 2020, published a report and the US embassy in Doha. magazine reinforces what the the truth of what happened, which is saying the United States “firmly re- Tillerson then made a series of Amir of State of Kuwait HH extremely dangerous to the security jected” the Saudi Arabian proposal in phone calls urging Saudi offi- Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber and stability of the region. 2017. cials not to take military action Al Sabah stated in a joint press “The military option that was pre- The magazine explained that this against Qatar. American For- conference with US President sented to the blockading countries came during a phone call between eign Policy magazine published Donald Trump, at the White violates international laws, and all them on June 6, 2017, that is, just one a report highlighting how US House on September 7, 2017, the covenants accepted by us as coun- day after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bah- President Donald Trump reject- about the success of Kuwaiti me- tries in the United Nations to resolve rain and Egypt imposed the blockade ed a proposal by Saudi King Sal- diation in stopping the military disputes by peaceful means, as well on Qatar, following a widespread man bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on intervention against Qatar. as clearly expressing an adventurous campaign of fabrications. Qatar farms gear up for mass production of winter vegetables

Santhosh Chandran tember. vegetable seeds that are ideal Al Khor Speaking to Qatar Trib- for winter. We offer seeds from une, a senior employee at the different parts of the world.” As coronavirus (COVID-19) Al Khor Vegetables farm said, The hypermarkets mostly cases have come down in Qa- “We had expanded our winter offer seeds of cauliflower, cab- tar, agricultural farms growing vegetable cultivation by more bage, mint, eggplant, a wide winter crops for local markets than 200 percent last year. We variety of leafy vegetables and are gradually getting back to are also planning for a similar flowers as these are more in the normal mode of operation. expansion this year. We are demand. The vegetable farms that also planning to add more va- Market sources told Qatar target manifold expansion this rieties this year.” Tribune that the demand for year at Al Shamal, Al Khor and The initiative of Qatar seeds in Qatar has gone up Umm Salal Ali will resume General Electricity and Water significantly in the recent past. routine operations shortly. Corporation (Kahramaa) that and water to farms in various said that farmlands would no wholesale market at Sailiya An official of a leading hy- The availability of organic fer- The first phase of winter offers a reduction in electricity regions of the country to help longer be classified as com- with an area dedicated to local permarket said, “We will open tilizer at lower rates and relo- farming — preparing soil-bed and water charges will be an enhance production capacity. mercial area. vegetables have also inspired a dedicated section for seeds cation of an increasing num- for sprouting seeds — will be- additional boost for the agri- Kahramaa has announced The strong local supply young investors to turn to the in some of our outlets owing to ber of families to villas with gin in the middle of August. culture sector this year. a reduction of 70 percent for chain and opening of winter agriculture sector. The seed the growing interest of people sprawling campuses in Doha Plantation of healthy saplings Kahramaa has completed electricity charges and 40 vegetable markets at different market will also become active in farming. We are getting a lot has given a further boost to the will begin by the end of Sep- a project to deliver electricity percent for water charges and locations along with the new within a couple of weeks. of enquiries about flower and seeds market. Nation Sunday, August 9, 2020 03 HBKU Press books shine at the 2020 International Book Awards

official selection and finalist in decades. works that are the best in their This year marks the 11th anniversary of the the Best Illustrations category A Beautiful Balance: A categories. The distinguished award with more than 2,000 entries from at the 2020 Purple Dragonfly Wellness Guide to Healthy Eat- panel of industry judges, who Book Awards, was inspired by ing and Feeling Great is a com- brought their extensive edito- around the world in more than 90 categories the young author’s vivid imagi- plete resource that gives you rial, PR, marketing and design Tribune News Network Beautiful Balance: A Wellness nation. A delightfully inventive tools to help you live a healthier expertise to the table, narrowed Doha Guide to Healthy Eating and story follows Dalal ‘s missing lifestyle, control sugar cravings, the 2,000 entries to the win- Feeling Great by Zoë Palmer- teacher and takes readers on a and look and feel your best. ners and finalists. Hamad Bin Khalifa Univer- Wright, available in both Eng- literary adventure where they Filled with delicious, nourish- Jeffrey Keen, President sity Press (HBKU Press) was lish and Arabic, in the category are immersed in a new world ing recipes, including healthier and CEO of American Book named winner of this year’s In- Health: Women’s Health; and on every page. twists on traditional Mediter- Fest, said, “The 2020 results ternational Book Awards (IBA) Journeys on a Football Carpet In Journeys on a Football ranean and Middle Eastern represent a phenomenal mix in the category of Children’s by Matthias Krug, in the cat- Carpet, Qatar-born journalist dishes, and author Zoë Palmer- of books from a wide range of Educational. The book, co-au- egory Sports. and author Matthias Krug ex- Wright ‘s easy-to-use nutrition- publishers around the world. thored by Virginia Common- “HBKU Press is extremely plores Qatar’s sporting history. al guidelines and framework for With a full publicity and mar- wealth School of Arts in Qatar’s proud of all the authors who When Qatar won its bid to host health, The Six Pillars of Well- keting campaign promoting (VCUarts Qatar) Sadia Mir and have deservedly been recog- cepts, ideas and values of the the lost young falcon find his the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it ness, you’ll learn how to make IBA ‘s results, this year’s win- Summer Al-Jarrah Bateiha and nised at this year’s Internation- region, making their winnings way home. To help their new was the ultimate sporting mira- healthier and more sustainable ners and finalists will receive illustrated by award-winning al Book Awards,” said Bachar doubly important: not only do friend reach his destination, cle for a young and ambitious choices, making you feel more additional media coverage in artist Inna Ogando, was also Chebaro, Executive Director of they highlight talented authors, they have to solve math rid- nation. But critics were quick to satisfied, energised, lighter and the second half of 2020. recently named winner of the HBKU Press. but also important stories and dles along the way, with each judge, saying that Qatar, with happier. All four winning books can 2020 Purple Dragonfly Book “The recognition of HBKU narratives of the global literary answer bringing them closer no history of football of its own, This year, which marks the be found online as Amazon Awards. Press books on the interna- community that are key to the to their home. The story was did not deserve the chance to 11th anniversary of the award, Kindle eBooks. Hard copies of HBKU Press’ list of final- tional stage further confirms advancement of cross-cultural written to teach math in a fun host the biggest football tourna- there have been over 2,000 en- books and other HBKU Press ists also included: Where is our commitment to publishing knowledge and understanding, and imaginative way, but also ment in the world. In Journeys tries from around the world in publications can now be pur- My Teacher?, written by Dalal quality books that highlight lit- something that HBKU Press to address the gap in multicul- on a Football Carpet, Matthias more than 90 categories. The chased and delivered in Qatar Ghanim Al Romaihi, with illus- erary talent in the region. has consistently pursued.” tural storytelling. Krug sets out to debunk that IBA, which is sponsored by the from the Rafeeq and Snoonu trations by Nicos Yanopulos, in “These four books have spe- Spring Bloom follows Where is My Teacher? , myth by sharing the fascinating American Book Fest, highlights applications (available for the category Children’s Picture cifically been written with a dis- the protagonists Aliya and previously named as HBKU story of the football evolution a wide range of outstanding download from the Apple Store Book: Hardcover Fiction; A tinct focus on the history, con- Zade on their way to help Press’ 2020 World Book Day of the country over the past six literary fiction and non-fiction and Google Play). About 1.7million people in 32 countries benefit from QC ‘Udhiyah’ programme Some 50,847 animals were sacrificed in coun- tries across Asia, Africa and Europe

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Qatar Red Crescent Society workers with sheep that were part of the 1,000 sheep’s heads distributed in five countries, including Dafur in Sudan. QATAR Charity’s (QC) ‘Udhi- yah’ (sacrificial animals) campaign has benefited more than 1.7 million peo- ple worldwide, especially in QRCS Adahi reaches out crisis and coronavirus-hit regions. Some 50,847 animals were sacrificed in 32 coun- to 141,000 beneficiaries tries across Asia, Africa and Europe, benefiting orphans, Tribune News Network poor families, the sick, and Doha persons with special needs sponsored by Qatar Charity, Qatar Red Crescent Society as well as the poor, displaced, (QRCS) has concluded its Ada- refugees and those affected by hi project for 1441 A.H., for the coronavirus (COVID-19) the benefit of a total of 141,128 pandemic, at a total cost of beneficiaries. more than QR24 million. Under the ‘Offer Your Sac- Faisal Rashid Al-Fahida, rifice’ programme, the QRCS assistant CEO for Interna- staff distributed the meat of tional Operations and Part- A beneficary receives a Qatar Charity food package as part of the 1,000 heads of sheep as Adahi nerships Sector at Qatar sacrificial animals campaign Qurbani to 1,211 families and Charity, thanked donors for 2,672 labourers. their generous contributions Qatar Charity, with the Yemen, Ghana, Palestine, Meat rations were deliv- to the ‘Udhiyah’ campaign generous support of donors Kosovo, Lebanon, Nepal, In- ered home to 60 vulnerable for the year 1441 AH, urging from the State of Qatar, has donesia, Nigeria, families living in remote areas them to continue extend- implemented the Udhiyah Sudan, Kenya, Kyr- of the country. ing their support to Qatar projects in Albania, gyzstan, Mali, Chad, Jordan, Musa Al Othman, Public Charity’s relief and devel- Ethiopia, Bosnia and Benin, Burkina Faso, Turkey, Relations Manager at Widam opment projects and cam- Herzegovina, Senegal, the Togo, Tunisia, Montenegro, Co., praised the cooperation paigns, which are carried out Philippines, India, Pakistan, and Somalia, in addition to with QRCS on the Adahi pro- throughout the year. Bangladesh, Gambia, Qatar. ject for the third year in a row. He underscored the compa- ny’s full support for a charita- ble project that met the needs placed persons. Five hundred of poor families. heads of sheep have been dis- “We are committed to the tributed to 12,000 recipients ‘Ras Laffan Hospital nurses highest standards for the pro- in Khartoum and some of the vision and slaughter of Adahi countries in the Darfur re- animals on the basis of health gion.. received intensive training’ and religious requirements,” 3. Somalia: The Adahi Continued from page 1  an intensive training course. able to act as a cohesive unit. said Mr. Al Othman. “We look project brought happiness Each nurse working at Ras The training also helped make forward to continuing our part- to 4,000 Somali families, or “Only three patients were Laffan Hospital was required them feel more comfortable nership with QRCS towards the 24,000 people, in Mogadishu, transferred to the ICU in to complete a four-hour course about working in a high-risk social and humanitarian objec- Banaadir, Hiran, Kismayo, Hazm Mebaireek General prior to starting work at the fa- and high-stress environment. tives of this noble project.” and Gardo. After hard times Hospital for more specialist cility. We also provided nurses Organising these training The project was imple- due to the recent floods, the care, which I believe is a direct with in-depth training on in- courses allowed us to provide mented internationally in five meat of 4,000 goats provided reflection of the high-quality fection control procedures and nurses with additional men- countries (Palestine, Sudan, good nutrition for their chil- care we were able to provide at the application of security and toring and helped us build a Somalia, Chad and Ethio- dren in the midst of high rates our facility,” said Hubail. safety procedures. They re- strong and effective team,” pia), with a total of 131,190 QRCS officials with sheep in Khartoun, Sudan. of malnutrition. Mona Al Hetmi, director ceived information on the dif- added Hetmi. displaced persons, victims of 4. Chad: In three re- of Nursing Education at the ferent roles within the hospital Hetmi pointed out that disasters, poor widows and nors and recipients. While it is the host national societies: gions of the country, 6,000 Ambulatory Care Center, said, as well as the various proce- nursing teams worked 12- orphans. an act of worship, it is of great 1. Palestine: 80 cows, destitute families, or 36,000 “We worked very hard to en- dures and processes that were hour shifts and were involved Overall, 8,590 animals value to those in need who can producing a net of 14,710kg recipients of 1,500 goats, re- sure our nursing teams at Ras unique to this new facility.” in a variety of tasks that went were received, including cows, not afford to buy high-quality of meat, were distributed to ceived Adahi meat. Laffan Hospital were fully uni- “As our nursing staff was above and beyond bedside sheep and goats, depending on food for their families. It also 7,355 families (44,130 people) 5. Ethiopia: More fied and that each individual coming from a number of care. availability in the respective shows how others take care of in the cities and villages of the than 2,510 families found nurse was able to perform her/ different facilities and had She said a team of 12 nurs- countries. them and want to share with West Bank, as well as in the their food in the Eid-ul-Ad- her role effectively. Ensuring varying backgrounds, includ- es from HMC’s Department of These provisions on food them the joy of Eid-ul-Adha, villages of northwest Jerusa- ha. Prayers were sent from teams who have never worked ing different specialties and Psychiatry was also crucial in were a message of love and out of solidarity and unity. lem. 15,060 recipients to the Qa- together before are able to experience levels, it was very caring for patients and staff, compassion from benevolent According to the final re- 2. Sudan: The project tari charity payers, who re- seamlessly integrate can be important for us that we en- providing necessary psycho- donors in Qatar. The project port, the following activities involved 2,000 poor families ceived 2,510 heads of sheep challenging, and to help pre- sure they received the same logical guidance and support has a dual benefit to both do- were done in cooperation with with widows, orphans or dis- and goats in Oromia. pare our nurses we organised orientation so that they were as needed. 04 Sunday, August 9, 2020 Middle East / Africa Protesters seize Lebanon foreign ministry amid anger over blast AFP ing, Aoun said “the explosion Beirut has led to the lifting of the iso- Lebanese lation”. Lebanese protesters prime minister Hassan Nasrallah, the chief stormed the foreign ministry of powerful Shiite movement in Beirut on Saturday as anger proposes early Hezbollah, said the disaster exploded over a deadly blast had created “an opportunity” that made hundreds of thou- election as to get the world to work with sands homeless and shocked unrest mounts Lebanon again. the world. Three senior diplomats Thousands of demonstra- DPA were in Beirut Saturday in a tors, some of them brandish- Beirut show of solidarity with the dis- ing nooses, had descended on aster-hit city, where 300,000 the city centre to vent their Lebanese Prime Minis- people were made temporarily fury at politicians they blame ter Hassan Diab says he homeless by the port explosion. for Tuesday’s explosion, which will propose holding early Arab League chief Ahmed levelled Beirut port and killed parliamentary elections as Aboul Gheit met top officials 158 people. protesters clash with police ahead of expected visits by Amid the outpouring of outside parliament. Turkish Foreign Minister Mev- rage, Prime Minister Hassan “I am with [the] Leba- lut Cavusoglu and the Presi- Diab said he would seek early nese aspiring for change,” dent of the European Council, elections, saying it was the he says on Saturday even- Charles Michel. only way to “exit the country’s ing in a televised address. So far 21 people have been structural crisis”. His proposal for early detained over the blast, in- Demonstrators marched election comes as protest- cluding Badri Daher, director- through streets ravaged by the ers, angry with their leaders general of Lebanon’s customs blast, gathering in the central after Tuesday’s massive authority. Martyrs’ Square, where a truck blast in the capital Bei- But Aoun has rejected calls was on fire, as their grief gave rut, took to the streets in backed by Macron for an inter- way to anger. the city. national, independent investi- As security forces fired “The scale of the gation into the blast. tear gas to disperse strone- catastrophe is bigger than Christian MP Samy Ge- throwing demonstrators who anyone can imagine,” Diab mayel announced Saturday tried to push their way toward says. “We are in a state of during a funeral service for parliament, a group led by re- Lebanese protesters enter the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut on Saturday after they stormed the ministry as anger exploded over a deadly emergency,” he adds. his Kataeb party’s secretary tired Lebanese army officers blast. (AFP) general, who was killed in the stormed the foreign ministry explosion, that he and his two and declared it the “headquar- ing who they were. entire neighbourhoods. ted by the blast, said: “They tional rescue teams searched outpouring of international colleagues in parliament were ters of the revolution”. Two days after a landmark It was widely perceived as a have robbed us of everything. the rubble as the chances of solidarity as an opportunity to resigning. “We are taking over the visit by French President Em- direct consequence of corrup- We have nothing left: no finding survivors slipped away. break the government’s diplo- He was the fifth lawmaker foreign ministry as a seat of the manuel Macron, activity was tion and incompetence, per- dreams, no future... no dig- The health ministry said matic isolation. to quit since the blast. revolution,” Sami Rammah, a growing to drum up interna- haps the most egregious case nity, no money, and now, no 158 people were confirmed to A virtual international do- Few Lebanese seemed to retired officer, announced by tional support for the disaster- of callousness on the part of houses.” have died in the disaster, while nor conference launched by have any trust that the leader- loudspeaker from the minis- hit country ahead of a Sunday a ruling elite that was already at least 6,000 were wounded Macron, with US President ship would incriminate its own try’s front steps. virtual aid conference. reviled. Demonstrators marched and 21 still missing. Donald Trump and other top in an investigation chaired by “We call on all the an- For the fourth day running, “You were corrupt, now The Netherlands an- leaders in attendance, is sched- senior officials. guished Lebanese people to Beirut woke to the sound of you are criminals,” read one through streets ravaged by nounced that its ambassador’s uled for Sunday. Analyst Nasser Yassin of take to the streets to demand broken glass being swept on banner at the demonstration, the blast, gathering in the wife was among the dead. Lebanon defaulted on its the Issam Fares Institute for the prosecution of all the cor- the streets, its inhabitants tak- while protesters chanted: “Re- central Martyrs’ Square, The blast has prompted an debt for the first time ever this Public Policy and International rupt,” appealing to the inter- ing stock after one of the big- venge, until this regime reach- where a truck was on fire, as impressive aid response from year and the current leadership Affairs, said Lebanon’s reviled national community to boycott gest blasts of its kind in recent es an end.” their grief gave way to anger. both inside and outside Leba- has so far failed to address the leaders were clearly seeking to the government. history. “We are hanging the noos- non, but demonstrators’ chants economic emergency and agree take advantage of the situation. The Lebanese Red Cross A fire at the port on Tues- es because the same people and the mock gallows they set on the reforms needed to nego- “The fear is that the author- said it had taken 55 people day ignited a stock of ammo- have been ruling us for 30 “We should not be forced up in the street made it clear tiate an international rescue ities will benefit from this great from the protest to nearby hos- nium nitrate, triggering an years,” said Jad, a 25-year-old to live this way,” added the that people want heads to roll. package, despite intense West- disaster and from the interna- pitals and treated another 117 explosion that was felt as far man working in advertising. 33-year-old protester. But some of Lebanon’s ern pressure. tional and Arab attention they at the scene, without specify- away as Cyprus and destroyed Rita, whose home was gut- At the nearby port, interna- leaders seemed to consider the Speaking on Friday even- are getting,” he said.

Sudan ‘regrets’ tone of US travel advisory AFP warning its citizens to reconsider “political stability, free demonstra- Khartoum travel to Sudan,” the foreign min- tions, and protection of human life istry said in a statement. and the rights of Sudanese citizens, Sudan said Saturday it “regrets” It stressed “the great change with peace negotiations underway the tone of the latest US State De- brought about by the glorious with armed struggle movements”. partment advisory against travel to revolution of December 2018” that In a standard advisory, the the country, saying it does not take led to longtime leader Omar al-Ba- State Department called on US into account changes of the post- shir’s ouster, saying Khartoum “re- citizens to “reconsider travel to Bashir era. grets” the wording of Thursday’s Sudan due to COVID-19... crime, “The ministry calls on its coun- advisory. terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping terpart to show caution when The country was now one of and armed conflict”.

News in brief Lebanese man, daughter shot dead in Iran’s capital: Media Tehran A Lebanese man and his daughter were shot and killed in northern Tehran by an unknown assailant on Friday night, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported. The two were “Habib Dawoud, 58 years old and his daughter Maryam, 27, who were murdered around 9:00 pm (1630 GMT) by an unidentified motorcyclist,” the agency said on Saturday. They were shot on Tehran’s uptown Pasdaran street, it added. Quoting a source in Tehran’s police, Mehr said the two were in a vehicle and were “shot four times from the driver’s side”. The source said Dawoud was a history teacher. The police are yet to issue an official statement.(AFP) Eight killed in Somalia suicide bombing at military checkpoint Mogadishu At least eight people were killed in Somalia after a suicide bomber blew up a car at a military checkpoint in Mogadishu on Saturday, an army spokesperson said. Four government soldiers were killed and three civilians, along with the bomber. “Members of armed forces who have a military base around at Mogadishu’s national football stadium were hit with a suicide car bomb this morning... We have lost four soldiers and five others injured,” mili- tary officialA bdullahi Madoobe told dpa. Thick black smoke rose from the area and local residents said there were shattered windows and scattered pieces of twisted metal, indications of a powerful blast. Militant group al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the at- tack, saying scores of elite soldiers had been killed. The group, which seeks to establish a fundamen- talist Islamist state in Somalia, has been fighting in the region for years and controls much of the south and centre of the country. Somalia’s government is supported by US forces, which conduct airstrikes, and by African Union soldiers. (DPA) Asia / World Sunday, August 9, 2020 05 Landslide from heavy rain kills four in South Korea Hundreds protest in Bangkok after arrest of democracy activists Seoul Four people have been killed and one is missing after heavy rains triggered a landslide in a south- Bangkok A flashmob of hundreds took to Bangkok’s streets Saturday to protest against the ern town in South Korea, local offcials said on Saturday. arrest of two pro-democracy activists -- the latest outburst of anger in a movement increasingly News Five homes were buried when the landslide swept through a village in Gokseong, some 400 kilometres vocal in its demand for reforms in Thailand. south of the capital Seoul, on Friday evening, news agency Yonhap reported. The kingdom has seen near-daily rallies in recent weeks with mainly young protesters de- in brief Three victims aged between 50 - 70 were rescued soon after the landslide hit but all died later in hos- nouncing the government of former military leader Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha. pital, according to Yonhap. Two protest leaders were arrested Friday evening on eight charges, including sedition and Another victim was found Saturday morning, once rescue work resumed after halting around midnight breaking coronavirus rules about gatherings at a rally held at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument due torrential rain and threat of further landslides. (DPA) on July 18. (AFP)

Hong Kong reports 69 new COVID-19 Owner of freighter leaking oil off Mauritius apologises cases as total surpasses 4,000 DPA while coordinating with Mau- tries to have pledged support. DPA est wave is the result of wide- Tokyo ritius and relevant Japanese “If biodiversity is at risk, Hong Kong ranging exemptions to pre- agencies.” there is an urgent need for ac- ventive measures introduced The Japanese owner of a cargo Mauritian Prime Minister tion,” wrote President Em- Hong Kong reported 69 new by the government, allowing ship leaking oil off the coast of Pravind Jugnauth declared a manuel Macron on Twitter. cases of the novel coronavirus more than a quarter of a mil- Mauritius apologized on Satur- state of environmental emer- “France is here.” on Saturday, according to the lion visitors to move freely in day for the threat to the envi- gency on Friday. The Japa- An aircraft and a naval ship latest figures from the Centre the city without quarantine or ronment and promised to do its nese freighter ran aground last with experts, as well as material, for Health Protection. testing. utmost to contain the spill. month off the coast of the popu- will be sent from La Reunion, Of these, 67 were local in- With strict measures in “We deeply apologize to lar tourist island off the eastern said the island’s prefect. fections and two were import- place banning gatherings of people in Mauritius and those African coast, but only began Greenpeace said the spill ed, bringing the total number more than two people and concerned for causing them so leaking oil this week. from the bulk carrier would of cases in the city up to 4,007. barring restaurants from serv- much trouble,” read a Satur- The ship had around 4,000 A photo shows workers (left) as they look from a ship towards the have devastating consequences. Hong Kong is continuing to ing customers in-house in the day statement from Nagashiki tons of oil in its tanks and began vessel MV Wakashio belonging to a Japanese company near Blue Bay Nagashiki Shipping report- struggle with a third wave of evening, Saturday marked the Shipping. to leak on Thursday. Marine Park off the coast of south-east Mauritius on Friday. (AFP) ed no injuries among its crew, infections that has resulted in sixth consecutive day of new “To protect the environ- Authorities and helpers are all of whom are now in quaran- the most serious outbreak it cases numbering below 100. ment, we will do our utmost to currently trying to remove the But this is progressing slow- shown the oil slick spreading tine on the island, local media has yet experienced, killing 42 In late July, the city en- recover the leaked oil, pump oil that has already leaked and ly, “the task is enormous,” he through the turquoise waters reported. The crew members people so far. dured 12 straight days of triple- out the oil that remains in the to pump out the remaining oil in added. surrounding the island. hail from India, the Philippines Experts believe that the lat- figure OVC ID-19 infections. ship and remove the ship safely the freighter, Tatayah explained. Aerial photographs have France is among the coun- and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand’s Ardern Probe into Air India Express jet kicks off election campaign after taming virus AFP are crucial to our economic re- crash at Kozhikode airport begins Auckland covery.” Ardern was an unheralded came in cars, messages were New Zealand Prime Minister MP when thrust into the La- Friday’s crash killed being sent on WhatsApp... that Jacinda Ardern kicked off her bour leadership shortly before 18 including two people were needed to help. Labour Party’s election cam- the 2017 election when the “At first, people took the paign Saturday riding high in party was struggling and “there pilots; Plane was injured to the hospitals in their the opinion polls after a suc- were plenty who thought it cars. Then the emergency ser- cessful response to the corona- couldn’t (win),” she said. carrying 190 passen- vices took over.” virus outbreak. “If you had told me then gers from Dubai One of the infants died in Ardern’s popularity as pre- that our launch in 2020 would a car before the child could re- ferred prime minister -- often be in the midst of a global pan- AFP ceive treatment. referred to as “Jacindamania” demic with our borders closed Kozhikode The flight was one of hun- -- topped 60 percent in the lat- -- I would have found that very dreds in recent months to bring est surveys following her lead- hard to fathom.” Investigators have re- home tens of thousands of In- ership through the Christch- The centrepiece of Labour’s covered the “black box” flight dians stranded abroad by the urch mosque attacks, the White campaign is to support busi- recorders from an Air India coronavirus pandemic, many Island volcanic eruption and nesses in hiring at least 40,000 Express plane that crashed in of them in Gulf countries. the pandemic. people whose employment has southern India killing at least Kerala’s health minister In a country of five million been affected by the coronavi- 18 people, the aviation minister K.K. Shailaja asked all those in- people, New Zealand has had rus. said Saturday. volved in the rescue to go into only 22 COVID-19 deaths and it It pledged to expand exist- The plane carrying 190 peo- isolation because of the risk of has been 99 days since the last ing job schemes to help em- ple crash-landed during bad catching the coronavirus from recorded case of infection from ployers hire staff at risk of long- weather Friday night and tore passengers. an unknown source. term unemployment. in two, injuring scores of pas- According to flight docu- “When people ask, is this It will also help out-of- sengers. ments seen by AFP, 15 of those a COVID election, my answer work New Zealanders start a The Boeing 737, on a special on board had lost their jobs and is yes, it is,” the charismatic business through an expanded flight from Dubai to bring back People are seen near the wreckage of an Air India Express jet, which was carrying more than 190 passengers 12 were returning for a medical 40-year-old said as she launched self-employment programme Indians stranded by the coro- and crew from Dubai, after it crashed at the International Airport in Kozhikode, Kerala, on Saturday. (AFP) emergency. Two were coming the campaign with a $205 mil- which will provide the equiva- navirus pandemic, overshot the back to be married. lion pledge to boost jobs. lent of the minimum wage for runway at Kozhikode in Kerala top runway with a steep drop at he told AFP from a hospital bed ing the Boeing 737 twice circled Prime Minister Narendra “Businesses large and small up to 30-hours a week. state, plunged down an em- one end. in Kozhikode. and started to land before it Modi tweeted his condolences. bankment and broke up. Kerala has been hit by se- “The front part of the plane crashed at the third attempt. “My thoughts are with “Fuel had leaked out so it vere floods in recent days and was gone -- it was completely The jet repeatedly jumped those who lost their loved was a miracle that the plane heavy rains had been falling for gone. I don’t know how I made up and down in buffeting winds ones,” Modi said. did not catch fire, the toll could several hours at Kozhikode as it but I’m grateful. I am still before the landing, survivors Pakistani Prime Minister Gaza children return to have been much higher,” one the jet landed. shaken.” told Indian television. Imran Khan said he was sad- senior emergency official at the Puri put the latest death toll The impact was so brutal Local taxi drivers and trad- dened by the “loss of innocent school despite virus fears scene said. at 18, while authorities said 22 that the nose of the Boeing 737 ers joined airport rescue staff lives”. AFP to its 277 schools. Aviation minister Hardeep people were in critical condi- finished about 20 metres (yards) to help free people from the In June, a Pakistan In- Gaza City In a statement, it said it Singh Puri visited the site Sat- tion in hospital. from the back half of the jet. wreckage in the dark and wet. ternational Airlines flight has “put in place preventative urday and announced that the The fatalities included the “All that we could hear were Several people on board ploughed into a crowded Kara- Hundreds of thousands of measures such as providing flight data and cockpit voice re- two pilots as well as four chil- screams all around. People were had to be cut out with special chi neighbourhood, killing 97 children returned to school all the necessary materials to corders had been found, which dren. soaked in blood everywhere, equipment. It took three hours people aboard and a child on in Gaza Saturday after a five- sanitise schools” and training will help the investigation into Passenger Renjith Panan- some had fractures, some were to clear all the injured and bod- the ground. month suspension aimed staff on how to use sanitation the cause of the crash. gad, 34, recalled the plane unconscious,” said local resi- ies, officials said. The last major plane crash at reining in the spread of materials effectively. The Aircraft Accident In- touching the ground and then dent Fazal Puthiyakath who Taxis ferried many of the in India was in 2010 when an the novel coronavirus in the It said it would cancel vestigation Bureau was con- everything went “blank”. was among the first at the scene. injured to hospitals. Air India Express Boeing 737- crowded Palestinian territory. morning assemblies and keep ducting the probe, he said. “After the crash, the emer- Indian media quoted air “Locals rushed to the spot 800 from Dubai to Mangalore Ziyad Thabit, undersecre- children in classrooms during Kozhikode is considered a gency door opened and I traffic control officials and a after hearing the noise,” one overshot the runway killing 158 tary of the education ministry breaks to avoid too many pu- tricky airport as it has a table- dragged myself out somehow,” flight tracker website as show- rescue worker said. “People people. in the Islamist Hamas-ruled pils gathering in one place at enclave, said pupils would a time. follow a remedial curriculum “The measures will be re- throughout August and classes viewed once a week and im- would be limited to four a day. proved as necessary,” UNRWA Twenty dead, more than 40 missing in southern Indian landslide “The ministry has pre- said. Around a million people pared a plan based on various live in Gaza, many of them in DPA week, and the search for more tony Scaria, senior adminis- search operations. workers were sleeping in their scenarios for dealing with the poverty and a third of them New Delhi than 40 missing people is con- trative official of Kerala state’s Incessant monsoon rains houses. school year,” he said. refugees. The territory has tinuing, a local official said on Idukki district said. triggered the landslide in the At least 780 people had The United Nations agen- been under Israeli blockade Twenty bodies have been Saturday. Teams of rescue and relief Pettamudi hills. died in incidents between the cy for Palestinians, UNRWA, since 2007. recovered from the debris of “We have rescued 12 peo- workers from the National A river of mud and debris end of May and Thursday re- which provides education Gaza’s Hamas-run health a landslide that flattened a ple so far, all of them on Fri- Disaster Response Force, the buried part of the tea plan- lated to the monsoons across to hundreds of thousands of ministry has reported 78 cases tea plantation workers’ set- day. We estimate around 46 fire department, police and lo- tation in the early hours of the country, according to the children in Gaza, said over of the COVID-19 illness, with tlement in southern India this people are still missing,” An- cal agencies were continuing Friday at a time when most federal Home Ministry. 285,000 pupils had returned one death.

Afghan grand assembly demands China-US ties plunge further over Hong Kong sanctions ceasefire, rights protection in talks AFP Lam. in a statement. listing. DPA onciliation council. Hong Kong The move came after Presi- The Treasury Department “I have done what I should Kabul However, an official reso- dent Donald Trump’s adminis- announced it was freezing the do for the country and for lution on the release of the China on Saturday slammed tration forced Chinese internet US assets of Chief Executive Hong Kong,” he said. “I don’t On the second day of the Af- remaining Taliban prisoners the United States for imposing giants TikTok and WeChat to Carrie Lam and 10 other sen- have a dime’s worth in foreign ghan grand assembly, the would be announced on Sun- “barbarous” sanctions in re- end all operations in the US, in ior officials, including Luo Hu- assets.” committees asked both sides day by the assembly. sponse to Beijing’s crackdown a twin diplomatic-commercial ining -- the head of the Liaison The Hong Kong govern- of the conflict to observe an The release of the remain- in Hong Kong, capping a dra- offensive set to grow ahead of Office. ment described the sanctions unconditional ceasefire ahead ing 400 Taliban prisoners matic week of deteriorating the US presidential election in It accused the sanctioned as “shameless and despicable”. of intra-Afghan peace talks, would be the last obstacle relations between the world’s November. individuals of being “directly “We will fully support the said Abdullah Abdullah, head ahead of the much-anticipated two biggest economies. China on Saturday criti- responsible for implementing Central Government to adopt of the three-day assembly, on peace talks, Abdullah said. In the toughest US action cised the sanctions as “barba- Beijing’s policies of suppres- countermeasures,” it said in a Saturday. The committees also on Hong Kong since China im- rous and rude”. sion of freedom and democrat- statement. All of the 50 committees called upon the government posed a sweeping new security “The ill intentions of US ic processes”. Pro-China protesters (left) dem- China’s Hong Kong and also supported the release of to strongly support the nearly law on the territory, Washing- politicians to support people The move criminalises any onstrate outside the US consu- Macau Affairs Office said the the remaining 400 Taliban two decades of achievements ton on Friday imposed sanc- who are anti-China and mess- US financial transactions with late in Hong Kong on Saturday sanctions list “rudely tramples prisoners, convicted for harsh regarding women’s rights and tions on a group of Chinese ing up Hong Kong have been the sanctioned officials. after the US applied sanctions to on international law” and “will crimes, said Abdullah, who’s freedom of the press, said Ab- and Hong Kong officials -- in- clearly revealed,” Beijing’s Li- In a short statement, Luo Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie be nailed to the historic pillar also head of the national rec- dullah. cluding the city’s leader Carrie aison Office in Hong Kong said said he welcomed the black- Lam and other top officials. (AFP) of shame forever.” 06 Sunday, August 9, 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

The US Needs An Airplane Mask Mandate The Beirut Disaster Is A Wake-up As many as 30,000 lives could be saved over Call For Southeast Asia the next few months if 95% of Americans were to wear masks, says study Although many hazardous materials do not pose the same risk that the explosive ammonia

N a country where COVID-19 remains out of control, it’s wrong nitrate in the port of Beirut did, they, however, entail other insidious dangers for anyone not to wear a mask on a commercial airplane. In- Icreasing evidence shows that good cloth face coverings signifi- Christian Bueger & Scott Edwards cantly lower the spread of the novel coronavirus at close quarters Tribune News Service — and that not wearing them is risky, because this germ is so often breathed into the air by people who don’t yet know they HE explosion that has devastated Beirut should have it. One passenger on a flight from Singapore to Hangzhou, serve as a timely reminder that Asian ports China, was infected by neighbouring passengers when he merely are also vulnerable to the neglect of hazardous let his mask slip below his nose while talking with his family. materials. Safely handling chemicals and other It is one thing for people to take chances with their own material, such as the fertiliser that caused the health. It’s quite another when their reckless behaviour also puts BeirutT disaster, is a key challenge in the region. This others at risk. The evidence clearly shows that this is the case is made more difficult as often hazardous materi- with masks during the pandemic. In fact, people who choose to als are abandoned in Asian ports and are not con- risk their own health this way are exposing others to potentially trolled, as they come from illicit sources. Efforts to worse danger. Smoking is banned almost everywhere — includ- address this are not yet sufficient. ing on airplanes. During the pandemic, all air passengers should As of this writing, at least 154 people have been be required to wear masks, and face legal penalties if they don’t. confirmed dead and a further 5,000 have been Most Americans have come to understand the need to mask wounded following the explosion in the Port of Beirut up. Seventy-two percent usually do. But 18 percent rarely or on August 4. The fallout will go beyond the loss of life, never do, and some of these objectors apparently want to re- as the explosion has also crippled Lebanon’s major main maskless on airlines. This imperils the health of innocent port, with further economic woes on the horizon. strangers, including flight-crew members for whom the cabin While the actual cause of the fire remains uncer- is a workplace. Airplane ventilation systems remove almost all tain, the dramatic explosion appears to have been germs from the air, but it takes a few minutes for exhaled virus fueled by 2,750 tons of the highly reactive chemical particles to reach the filters. ammonium nitrate. The chemical ended up stored Major airlines already require passengers and crew members in the port after it was unloaded from a ship, the MV to wear masks, but their rules come with exceptions (one airline Rhosus, in 2013. The ship had been stopped in the or dispose them are a lower. There are also more op- dumped in inappropriate sites. Indonesia’s evolv- excuses children under age 8, for instance) and, most important, port due to technical issues and a lack of seaworthi- portunities to abandon such illicit freight in ports. ing plastic crisis is a case in point. 270 to 590 aren’t always enforced. In a couple of instances airlines have re- ness. Once the ship and cargo owner abandoned it, The cost of shipping such goods to Asia is ex- thousand tons of plastics end up in Indonesian fused entry to unmasked passengers or removed someone from the hazardous ammonium nitrate lay neglected for tremely low. Shipping companies often sail to Asia seas annually as it is dumped in rivers and coastal a plane after boarding, but as things stand there’s not much they seven years within Beirut’s port, awaiting disposal un- with empty containers, as much of the flow of trade waters. This is destroying ecosystems and also the can do to keep irresponsible passengers from removing their til the disastrous explosion. is in the other direction, from Asia to Europe and the livelihoods of coastal communities. masks during flight. The consequences are extremely tragic for Leba- United States. As a result, shippers are willing to take To stop the illegal waste trade, ports are the first An FAA rule could set penalties for noncompliance — just non, and they should be taken as a warning for South- low-value and high-volume bookings on the initial leg. line of defense. Authorities need to be well-equipped as some governments do. Many cities where the coronavirus is east Asian states. Their ports also need to re-focus on In a way, this is more difficult to solve than licit in the interception, management, and repatriation uncontained are levying $100 fines for going without a mask the management of hazardous materials – especially hazardous materials. As Beirut shows us, even when of hazardous materials before they have a chance to near other people in public places. Research has shown that waste, which poses even greater complexities than the owner, signatories, and creditors that claim cause significant damage. Hazardous materials pose such mandates work. Enforceable mandates increase the num- the licit ammonium nitrate in Beirut. Southeast Asian ownership of the cargo are known, it can be ex- a particular problem as their detection and handling ber of mask wearers and reduce new infections. If 95 percent of ports handle hazardous materials daily. Industrial tremely difficult to repatriate materials if they feel require highly specialised skills and training. Customs Americans were to wear masks, more than 30,000 lives could chemicals, such as fertilisers, are heavily regulated no obligation to take it. and police in particular often lack such expertise. In be saved over the next few months, according to the University and often well controlled. Yet many hazardous mate- This is more difficult in the case of illicit hazardous other cases, the control and inspection of waste and of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. rials reach Asia through the global waste trade. material, as the use of fraudulent papers, brokerages, hazardous materials are delegated to environmen- When masks do not prevent transmission altogether, they make Illicit and toxic waste presents a particular risk, flags of convenience, and shell companies make it im- tal agencies. These often find themselves under-re- infections less severe. And they do so without appreciably limit- as it is clandestine and therefore more difficult to possible to track down the original owner. Its return sourced or lack authority. ing people’s intake of oxygen. regulate and control than the ammonium nitrate that to the origin country then requires diplomatic efforts, Capacity building is key to strengthen enforce- Air travel is still a fraction of what it was before the pandem- proved so damaging to Beirut. From plastics to toxic something that is often beyond the agencies operating ment against this issue. As China has demonstrated ic. For airlines, as for the US at large, it will be impossible to metals, household waste to e-waste, every year the re- in the port and maritime sector. with its Operations Green Fence in 2013 and Blue Sky return to normal unless COVID-19 is contained. Masks are one gion’s national papers report dozens of cases in which Many of these materials do not pose the same risk in 2018, a strong focus on the issue, greater degrees of the most effective strategies. Democrats in the House have in- hazardous materials are found abandoned. With that the explosive ammonia nitrate in the port of Bei- of coordination between agencies, and deepening in- troduced legislation that would authorise the Federal Aviation waste sitting in containers in the ports of Indonesia, rut did. But various hazardous materials entail other ternational cooperation can lead to massive seizures Administration to require masks on all US flights and impose Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, it insidious dangers. If laying abandoned and undetect- and interceptions, providing a strong deterrent effect. criminal penalties for failure to comply. It should be passed takes often months, if not years, to detect these poten- ed, containers of waste can leak and poison ground Southeast Asian ports have not fully developed without delay. tially dangerous goods. and surface water and threaten public health. While the capacity to follow this example. Without capacity In July this year, Malaysian authorities found many ports, such as the above-mentioned Tanjung building and a stronger focus from governments, it is 110 containers of hazardous heavy metal aban- Pelepas in Malaysia, are a safe distance from popu- unlikely that they will be able to. doned at the Tanjung Pelepas port. Even now, lation centres, some of Southeast Aisa’s largest ports Southeast Asian ports are not only vulnerable, but 1,864 tonnes of electric arc furnace dust containing border massive residential areas. they face similar challenges to the ones that led up to heavy metals like zinc, cadmium, and lead contin- Tanjung Priok, Indonesia’s largest port, is in North the Beirut disaster. Undetected hazardous materials ue to sit in the port while Malaysia tries to arrange Jakarta, with a population of just under a million and accelerate the problem. While a tragedy similar to its repatriation to Romania and enlists the help of a half people. The Philippines’ Port of Manila is also Beirut is unlikely, tackling the risks and handling daily Interpol for further investigations. close to residential areas serving just under 2 million management is key to prevention. Illicit plastic waste is increasingly shipped to people. Their health and lives are directly at risk from Southeast Asian ports. Since China introduced a hazardous materials if not managed correctly. (Professor Christian Bueger is a professor ban of plastic imports and strengthened custom When leaving the port and disposed of, such of international relations at the Department inspections, plastic is more frequently smuggled waste can still cause massive problems. E-waste can of Political Science at the University of to other Asian destinations, such as Malaysia and be highly dangerous for the workers who dismantle Copenhagen, Denmark and one of the Indonesia, instead. it for precious materials without the required safety directors of SafeSeas. Dr Scott Edwards is The illicit waste trade is a global problem and equipment. The leftovers are often discarded in envi- a research associate at the University of Western countries are often the source. Waste is ronmentally unfriendly ways. Bristol for the TOCAS project and the lead T ribune News Service shipped to destinations in Asia since the prices to treat Plastic waste is often treated informally and author of the SafeSeas evidence base)

Hong Kong Is Bracing For A New Era Of Deadly Repression

The survival of the democratic movement in Hong Kong now depends on whether the people can overcome the national security law

Gwyneth Ho the Basic Law, the mini-constitu- watching reveals the insecurity of a district council elections. The re- not prevent the possibility of a pro- polling stations in mainland Chi- Tribune News Service tion of Hong Kong. superpower in handling dissidence sults emboldened the opposition democracy majority in the legisla- na, where a considerable popula- Eleven other candidates — in- in a city of 7 million. But the fight camp to see a viable path toward tive elections. Hence, Carrie Lam, tion of pro-Beijing elderly Hong S a pro-democracy activist in cluding four sitting members of the is not over. winning a majority in the LegCo. Hong Kong’s chief executive, re- Kong voters currently reside. Hong Kong, I have publicly legislature — have also been barred The Legislative Council, An opposition majority would sorted to postponing the elections, This is a formula that would al- Aopposed the draconian new from running in the election, which known as the LegCo, has substan- be the nightmare scenario for using the coronavirus pandemic as most certainly lead to unchecked national security law imposed had been set for September 6. On tial power to disrupt the rule of Beijing. While a pro-democracy her excuse. The postponement has election fraud. on the city by the Beijing govern- Friday, the Hong Kong government the Hong Kong government. This majority would not have enough raised serious concern: Will it be Second, the security law could ment in June. Precisely because I postponed the elections for a year is why the electoral system is de- power to pass laws it introduced, the end of democratic elections in be used broadly to imprison activ- oppose that law, the government to further undermine the pro-de- signed to prevent a majority that it would be able to veto all govern- Hong Kong? ists. Potential candidates like me of Hong Kong has ruled that I do mocracy opposition. is not obedient to Beijing — half of ment proposals and budget. Cancelling elections altogether may be targeted by that law and not qualify to run for a seat on the Elections are the bulwark of the seats are not elected by popu- Beijing reacted frantically, does not serve the purpose of Bei- other criminal statutes. Two of my Hong Kong Legislative Council, democracy. But in Hong Kong, lar vote, but by eligible voters of passing the national security law jing. The Chinese leaders want to fellow pro-democracy candidates the city’s legislature. they have now been turned into a “functional constituencies,” many to circumvent Hong Kong’s leg- maintain a façade of democracy are now being charged with rioting; The new law, which has been mechanism to suppress the voice of them Beijing loyalists. islation process. But the law has but they need the results to be to- by September next year, they may the cause of mass protests, would of the people. The screening of op- However, the democracy move- proved insufficient to contain the tally under their control — with- already be in jail. criminalise free speech, subject position candidates in the name of ment that took to the streets last call for change: On July 11-12, out any opposition candidates. In The survival of the democratic protesters to imprisonment, al- disloyalty to the city’s constitution; year to oppose a proposed extradi- more than 600,000 voters voted in the coming year, much could be movement in Hong Kong now de- low searches without court war- disqualifications of pro-democracy tion law has shifted public opinion the primary elections for the pro- done to shift the political land- pends on whether the people can rants and permit certain trials to be legislators; arrest of legislators for so radically against the government democracy camp despite repeated scape to Beijing’s favour. Even if overcome the national security law, closed to the media and the public. their acts within the chamber, and that there may be a chance for the threats from the government that an election were held next year, both with courage and coordinated The government’s perverse ra- now, an arbitrary postponement of opposition to win the majority for even participating in the primaries it would not in any way represent actions. Hong Kong has to brace tionale for my disqualification on elections are brute authoritarian the first time. could result in prosecution. the will of the people. for a new era of deadly repression. the ballot is that my opposition to tactics. Last November, the pro-de- This sent a clear message to First, the government could But I believe there is hope in our the security law means I would not That Beijing would resort to mocracy camp won 86 percent of Beijing that even with the threat of amend electoral laws. Lam has resilience given what this city has “genuinely and truthfully” uphold these means with the whole world the contested seats in the city-wide the national security law, it could already suggested setting up already endured.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE OPINION AND ANALYSIS PAGES ARE THE AUTHORS’ OWN. QATAR TRIBUNE BEARS NO RESPONSIBILITY. Europe / Americas Sunday, August 9, 2020 07 Britain recalls 741,000 virus testing kits over safety fears Pompeo to sign contract boosting DPA ate effect. However, critics have noted London In March, Randox had received that a leading member of the rul- an order worth 133 million pounds ing Conservative party, Owen US military presence in Poland The British regulatory authority (173.6 million dollars) from the Paterson, acts as a consultant for DPA report by state news agency PAP. quarters of the US army’s V Corps to responsible for medical products British government to provide cor- the company. He receives about Warsaw The contract is the realisation of Poland, from Fort Knox in Kentucky. has ordered the recall of hundreds onavirus testing kits, among other 100,000 pounds annually for his a declaration signed by the US and The forward command will be of thousands of coronavirus tests things. work, according to British parlia- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Polish presidents last year, he said. manned with approximately 200 after they were found not to be safe ment. is due to sign a contract to boost US Pompeo is set to begin his four- personnel on a rotational basis. Its for use. The test recall is one of a series The test recall is one of a se- military presence in Poland by an country tour of Central and Eastern mission is to conduct operational Up to 741,000 tests from the of mishaps and dubious dealings ries of mishaps and dubious deal- additional 1,000 troops during his Europe next week, starting off in the planning, mission command and Randox company are affected, the connected with the pandemic ings connected with the pandemic. visit to Warsaw, sources close to the Czech Republic. oversight of the rotational forces in British government confirmed on On Thursday, it was revealed that presidential office said on Saturday. On his trip, he is also set to visit Europe, and coordination with Euro- Saturday. It said that it had been According to the Guardian some 50 million protective masks Pompeo, as a representative of Slovenia, Austria and Poland. pean NATO partners, the army said. notified in mid-July that some kits newspaper, the order was placed purchased by the Health Depart- President Donald Trump, will sign He is expected in Warsaw on Au- At present, some 4,500 Ameri- did not meet safety standards and without a tender, a move justified ment were found unsuitable for the agreement, said Krzysztof Szc- gust 15. The agreement for closer can military personnel are stationed thus the kits should be returned by Britain’s urgent need to rapidly use by National Health Service em- zerki, head of Polish President An- military cooperation also foresees in the Central European NATO and no longer used, with immedi- expand its testing capacity. ployees. drej Duda’s cabinet, according to a the transition of part of the head- member.

Masks made mandatory in parts of Italy extends COVID-19 restrictions, allows Paris amid surge in COVID-19 cases cruise ships to sail have gone a step further by DPA the way for further finan- Mask-wearing is making mask-wearing obliga- Rome cial aid, for the econo- tory in certain public spaces, my and families, which obligatory for age notably in Nice and Marseille The Italian government brought the aid package 11 and above from on the Mediterranean and has extended measures in- provided by the govern- Lille in the northeast. tended to stop the spread of ment since the beginning tomorrow France emerged relatively coronavirus until Septem- of the crisis in March to swiftly from its two month ber 7, according to a decree 100 billion euros. AFP lockdown to combat the virus, issued by Prime Minister Paris and life has generally returned Giuseppe Conte’s cabinet to almost normal with a busy on Friday night. Wearing a mask will be domestic holiday season in Masks must continue compulsory in parts of Paris progress. to be worn in closed public I understand the young and its wider region from But officials are increas- spaces, people must contin- Monday to combat a rise in ingly concerned with the in- ue to keep physical distance people who would like to coronavirus infections in and creasing rate of new infec- from one another, and large return to nightlife, but around the French capital, the tions, in a country which has gatherings remain banned. one must behave police said. now seen 30,324 coronavirus Conte spoke of “bal- responsibly. The health of The mask will be obliga- deaths. anced measures that do your loved ones is at tory for all those aged 11 and France on Friday reported justice to the current situ- stake over from 8:00 am (0600 2,288 new infections, a stark ation,” and said one must GMT) on Monday “in certain increase on the daily figure remain vigilant about the Italian Prime Minister very crowded zones”, the po- from previous weeks. virus. Giuseppe Conte lice said in a statement on Sat- (File photo) A man and a woman wearing face masks walk on Trocadero Plaza as a French national flag The government’s COV- Italy was one of the urday, without yet detailing flies on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.( AFP) ID-19 scientific council warned countries most severely hit which areas were affected. this week that France could “at by the coronavirus pandem- The Prime Minister ap- “All the indicators show any moment” lose control over ic in the spring. pealed to Italians to con- that since mid-July the virus is Sweltering France posts traffic jam record the spread of the coronavirus. The decree allows cruise tinue to participate in the again circulating more actively Developments are being ships to sail again from Sep- measures to contain the in the region,” the police said, P ARIS: France saw a record lev- and the previous record of 762 40.8C on Friday, as did Cognac closely watched in Britain, tember 15, though strict coronavirus. adding that 400 people were el of traffic jams onS aturday, kilometres set on August 3 of with 39.8C, while Nantes in where press reports have sug- hygiene rules must be ob- “We must not fall be- testing positive for COVID-19 with cars stuck in gridlock on last year. the west posted a new record gested the government could served on board. hind and undo our efforts,” in the region every day, with roasting roads spanning 820 The country has been of 39.6C. add France to a list of coun- From September 1, he said. “I understand the the 20-30 age group particu- kilometres across a country sweltering through a heatwave No relief is expected until tries from where inbound trade fairs will be allowed young people who would larly affected. suffering a brutal heatwave. since Thursday, with tempera- Wednesday, with the soaring travellers will need to quaran- to open again - construction like to return to nightlife, It noted that the rate of France’s traffic authorities tures pushing towards 40 de- temperatures compounding tine for two weeks. and organisation of the ex- but one must behave re- positive tests in Paris was 2.4 said the peak was reached grees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) the pressure as the country’s On Thursday, Norway said hibitions can begin imme- sponsibly. The health of percent in the Paris region, just after noon, easily beating in several areas. coronavirus outbreak worsens, people travelling from France diately. your loved ones is at stake.” compared to the national av- both last Saturday’s record of In the southwest, Brive-la- the number of daily infections and a handful of other Euro- Another three billion Other measures include erage of 1.6 percent. 760 kilometres (470 miles) Gaillarde broke its record with hitting 2,288 on Friday. (AFP) pean countries would have to euros (3.5 billion dollars) tax deferrals for the self- Paris’ Socialist mayor Anne quarantine for 10 days upon were made available for employed and an action Hidalgo had already called on French capital, notably on the Since last month, it had spaces such as shops across arrival, citing an epidemic tourism and culture. plan for the economically the police to make mask wear- Seine river embankment and already been compulsory to the country. trend that “is moving in the The cabinet also paved weaker southern regions. ing compulsory in parts of the in open-air markets. wear a mask in indoor public But several French cites wrong direction”.

Leading Belarus oppn candidate’s Anti-govt protests in eastern Russia enter fifth weekend campaign manager detained DPA / AFP and demands for Russian Pres- testers but those rallies were AFP by the interior ministry on Moscow ident Vladimir Putin to step not massive. Minsk Thursday after visiting the down, one of the few examples Several Moscow-based ac- Lithuanian embassy in Minsk. Protests in the eastern Rus- of anti-Putin protests in the tivists have called on Russians The campaign manager of She was later released. sian city of Khabarovsk over 20 years since he ascended to to take to the streets across the Belarus’s leading opposition Belarus holds the presi- the detention of an ex-gover- power. country on August 15. candidate was detained on dential election on Sunday nor showed no signs of dying Furgal was detained and Observers say that anger Saturday on the eve of a tense with Tikhanovskaya posing out as they entered their fifth removed from office because at the Kremlin is building over presidential vote, her office the greatest challenge in years week in a row, with thousands he allegedly ordered two con- its handling of the coronavirus said. to long-ruling strongman Al- turning up. tract murders about 15 years pandemic and falling incomes A spokeswoman for presi- exander Lukashenko. According to authorities, ago. His supporters have but it remains unclear if Rus- dential hopeful Svetlana Tikh- The 65-year-old leader has about 3,000 demonstrators denounced the accusations sians across the country are anovskaya told AFP that Maria headed the ex-Soviet country marched through the centre of against Furgal as politically ready to take to the streets en Moroz had been detained and bordering Russia since 1994 Khabarovsk city on Saturday motivated. masse. was expected to be held until and Sunday’s polls are expect- with banners and flags. So far there have been few In a statement, regional Monday. ed to hand him his sixth term. The protests are being held arrests during the authorised authorities claimed turnout at It was not immediately Lukashenko has presided to demand the release of the mass protests taking place Khabarovsk rallies has been clear on what grounds she had over an aggressive crackdown former regional governor, Ser- thousands of kilometres away going down and said that just been detained, said spokes- on the opposition and Tikh- gei Furgal, who is in custody in from Moscow. People carry a banner reading ‘Return Furgal for us’, during an unau- 2,800 people turned up in woman Anna Krasulina. anovskaya has charged that he Moscow. Observers believe that the thorised rally in support of Sergei Furgal in the Russian far eastern the city’s central square on “She probably won’t be re- will rig the vote. However, the protests have Kremlin wants to sit out this city of Khabarovsk on Saturday. (AFP) Saturday. But witnesses and leased before Monday,” Kra- Early voting began in the begun to morph from demands wave of protests, fearing a participants said that tens of sulina said. country of 9.5 million people for Furgal’s freedom to criti- crackdown may provoke pro- In recent weeks people and towns took to the streets thousands took part in a march Moroz was also detained on Tuesday. cism of Moscow’s overreach tests in other regions. in a number of Russian cities in support of Khabarovsk pro- across the city. French say rescued 33 migrants heading for England AFP Channel that were heading to acceptably high” and called on ficulty in the straights” off Cal- About an hour later another NOTICE Lille England, maritime officials said. France to help keep numbers ais.” A French patrol boat saved boat rescued 16 migrants from NAME: MR. FAISAL MANAMKANDATH MOIDUNNY British interior minister Priti down. France’s regional maritime 17 migrants around 8 am aboard another vessel in trouble off San- French patrol boats on Satur- Patel on Friday described the monitoring and rescue operation two separate vessels northeast of gatte, which used to host a make- INDIA PASSPORT NO: P0078552 day rescued dozens of migrants volume of migrants crossing the said it acted “on several reports France’s port city of Calais, said shift camp for migrants heading from makeshift boats in the Channel as “appalling and un- of small boats of migrants in dif- the operation said in a statement. to England. QATAR ID NO: 28635643000 Is no longer an employee of NEC Bodies of missing marines CONTRACTING. FOR RENT KAAMCO Transportation Company He will be leaving Qatar shortly for recovered off California urgently Looking for Light Vehicle good. WASHINGTON: The bodies of seven US marines and one new apartments Drivers with transferrable VISA/NOC & soldier missing for more than a week have been recov- any issues requiring his presence ered off the coast of California, the US Marine Corps in Mansoura Qatar Driving License. should be reported to the Company said in a statement on Friday. Any Nationality with 3 years experience. within 3 days from the date of this notice. No claims The remains are to be handed over to their families (3) Bedrooms Qr. 5,000 If interested you can call shortly, the statement read. will be entertained from your side thereafter. A total of 16 Marine Corps and Navy soldiers were Qr. 4,000 7760-2359 for further details. onboard an amphibious assault vehicle off the coast (2) Bedrooms Contact Tel. : 40375144 / 40378927 of San Clemente Island, on July 30 when water seeped email:[email protected] into the interior and the vehicle sank. (DPA) 55555065 44350099 - 77964704 TikTok, WeChat bans not crucial to US security: Experts page 10

Sunday, August 9, 2020

27,433.48 9,321.96 38,040.57 2,035.55 +46.50 pts -46.21 pts +15.12 pts Gold -1.36% China exports see surprise spike in Dow QE sensex July, imports down page 9 Price percentage Price percentage 27.54 Brent 44.40 -1.53% WTI 41.22 -1.74% Silver -3.03%

CB achieves Norway’s world-class Changes in QSE rulebook sovereign fund raises info security investments in standard get approval from QFMA GCC markets Tribune News Network Agencies Doha Amendments relate to market maker, liquidity provider and unified electronic disclosure system London

Commercial Bank (CB) Satyendra Pathak Norway’s sovereign wealth has reached a new milestone Doha fund, the largest in the world, in providing highly secure increased its investments in the banking, by being awarded The Qatar Financial Mar- GCC region by $440 million or the Payment Card Data Se- kets Authority (QFMA) on 15.2 percent or by the end of curity Standard (PCI DSS) Saturday announced that it last year. certificate. This makes Com- has approved amendments Official data showed that mercial Bank a leader in ob- to Qatar Stock Exchange’s the fund’s investments in the taining the PCI DSS certifica- (QSE) rulebook relating to region reached $3.33 billion tion in Qatar in 2020. market maker and liquidity in 2019, compared with about The PCI-DSS certification provider. $2.89 billion by the end of is a world-class independent The amendments re- 2018. The fund raised its in- certification which attests to garding the market maker vestments in Qatar to $83.70 CBQ’s commitment in provid- and liquidity provider have million in 2019, compared ing a safe and secure banking been made in compliance with $36.58 million by the end environment for all customers. with the Liquidity Provider of the year before. As CB continues to be an Rules issued previously by The UAE received the innovator and leader offering QFMA, the regulatory au- highest $887.54 million of the new payment card products thority has said in a state- fund’s investments by the end and benefits, customers can ment posted on its website. of 2019, through investments feel confident in banking with In another move to in 18 companies and banks. Commercial Bank knowing bring in more transparency their data is secure. for investors, the QFMA an- The fund raised its invest- CB Executive General nounced that it has given ments in Qatar to $83.70 Manager and Chief Operat- approval for disclosure of million in 2019, compared ing Officer Leonie Lethbridge financial and non-financial said, “We have always had the statements for companies with $36.58 million by the data security of our customers listed on QSE through the end of the year before. at the core of our mission, and unified electronic disclo- today, we are committed more sure system. Kuwait came in second than ever to securing our cus- QFMA said, “The system place with the Norwegian fund tomers’ information as well as aims to facilitate the disclo- investing $492.37 million by maintaining a safe and secure sure process with greater the end of last year, compared environment for customer efficiency and flexibility for with $152.9 million in 2018. transactions. The PCI DSS cer- financial and non-financial The Qatar Stock Exchange building in Doha. Carrying out the market making activity by the licensed financial services firms will help enhance In third place, Saudi Arabia tifies the bank’s position as a statements required from the market liquidity of eligible securities. accounted for 12.5 percent of visible pioneer in the card pro- the QSE listed companies.” the fund’s investments in the cessing industry, and marks “The new disclosure sys- of market makers, it usually these changes are. Once these region with $415.45 million. a significant milestone in the tem would provide the in- Boost to liquidity, transparency takes longer for buyers and changes are known, we will be in In the same way, Norway’s bank’s commendable history.” formation in the appropriate Market makers play a key role in providing sellers to match, translating a position to comment,” a Doha- sovereign wealth fund invested Commercial Bank Chief and timely manner and con- liquidity to facilitate market efficiency as lower liquidity and higher based market analyst said. $38.94 million in Aluminium Information Security Officer tribute to enhancing the dis- trading costs owing to diffi- According to the rules, the Bahrain, and $43.38 million in Benjamin Beaston said, “Data closure quality of QSE-listed ● The unified electronic disclosure system would provide culties in entry and exit,” a market maker shall, pursu- Oman, of which $27.38 went to breaches around the world are firms,” QFMA said. the information in the appropriate and timely manner and market analyst had said. ant to a licence obtained from Bank Muscat, $15.17 million to increasing at a rapid rate and The market making ac- contribute to enhancing the disclosure quality of When contacted by Qa- the QFMA, provide quotes in Ooredoo Oman, and $8.19 mil- the bank sees this as a top risk tivities are carried out by the QSE-listed firms tar Tribune to comment one or more eligible securi- lion to Renaissance Services. to our customers’ safety. The financial services companies on QFMA’s approval to ties to enhance its liquidity The biggest sovereign security controls implemented after obtaining the necessary amendments in QSE rule- in a manner specified in the wealth fund in the world record- to protect our customer data, licences from the QFMA, in A QSE spokesperson had ble securities. book, two of the Doha-based agreement signed between ed its second best annual perfor- as attested by PCI-DSS, signif- accordance with the rules set earlier said that carrying out Markets analysts had also equity market experts said the bourse and the market mance in 2019, on the back of icantly reduces this risk, thus by the regulator in efforts to the market making activity stated that market makers that it needed more clari- maker, setting forth the terms stock investments that account- providing our customers a safe develop the activities and fi- by the licensed financial ser- play a key role in providing fication to understand the and conditions the market ed for more than 70 percent of environment for their sensi- nancial services relating to vices firms will help enhance liquidity to facilitate market changes. maker is entitled to comply its revenues that grew by 19.9 tive data and information.” Qatar’s capital market. the market liquidity of eligi- efficiency. “In the absence “It is yet to be known what with. percent or $180 billion in 2019. COVID-19 pushed commodity prices to multi-decade lows: QNB Tribune News Network A closer look at such move- over to the real economy, as Doha ments can shed light into silver is a key input for the important aspects of the on- new economy. The fallout from the global going global economic recov- “A falling gold-to-silver spread of COVID-19 pro- ery, the bank added. ratio amid a strong gold duced tremendous stress in “The price develop- performance across differ- commodity markets, Qatar ment of key commodities ent currencies is a strong National Bank (QNB) said in conveys important macro- sign that inflation will pick its weekly commentary. economic information, in- up sooner rather than later. The negative demand cluding on sentiment and While this is a positive devel- shock from the pandemic inflation trends, often lead- opment after years of persis- triggered deflationary pres- ing or confirming cyclical tent deflationary pressures, sures that rapidly pushed turning points. Our analysis this can only support a sta- commodity prices to multi- focuses on three main mes- ble macro recovery if mon- decade lows, it said. sages embedded into the re- etary and fiscal measures In its commentary issued cent recovery of commodity are maintained at adequate on Saturday, QNB explained prices,” QNB said. levels. An early withdrawal of that the Goldman Sachs First, the commod- policy stimulus would likely Commodity Index (GSCI In- ity prices confirm the recent undermine the positive refla- dex), a leading benchmark success of monetary and fis- tion story. On the other hand, for general commodity price cal authorities in stabilising too much stimulus for too movements, which accounts global economic conditions long would potentially lead to for commodity index points amid the COVID-19 shock. disorderly inflation,” it said. since the 1970s, plummeted Liquidity measures and QNB said, “All in all, the by almost 50 percent from additional fiscal spending recent recovery of commod- January to late April 2020. are already propping up ag- ity prices bodes well for the During this period, fall- gregate demand, producing proxies for activity in China weakness. Gold prices have to-gold ratio is an important gains from both higher com- global economy. It indicates ing prices were broad based, a recovery in activity,” it said. and the US, have rebounded been recently outperform- proxy for USD sentiment, modity prices and larger the beginning of a cyclical including energy, base met- QNB pointed out that this strongly to surpass the pre- ing long-dated US treas- with a declining ratio often positive inflowsof foreign upswing and a much-needed als, precious metals, grains, is expressed in the rebound COVID-19 January highs. ury bonds, suggesting that signalling a turning point of capital. breather for the strong USD. soft commodities and of highly cyclical commodi- Such price performance sug- both foreigners and private the USD cycle, from a USD Third, precious metals are However, positive develop- forest products. ties, including base metals, gests that policymakers were domestic investors are fa- bull market to a USD bear also pointing to initial fears ments require an adequate But it is not all doom and forest products and energy. able to bring deflationary vouring non-US issued market that favours other of inflation. Gold has reached continuation of policy stim- gloom for commodities. After Brent crude oil prices, pressures to a halt, which is a safe-havens. currencies. all-time highs against all ulus. Monetary and fiscal bottoming in April, the GSCI while still significantly below necessary condition for a last- Higher safe-haven de- A weaker USD is also a major currencies in recent measures should be well cali- Index staged a significant the highs of January, are up ing economic recovery. mand for non-US assets such healthy sign of stronger non- months. Moreover, silver has brated to maintain commod- recovery, re-gaining more by more than 123 percent Second, the price devel- as gold implies lower poten- US economic performance, advanced even more than ity prices supported, favour- than 50 percent of the recent from the lows of April. Copper opment of precious metals tial demand for the USD. In and is particularly positive gold, suggesting that global ing a gradual and orderly losses by the time of writing. and lumber prices, important is pointing to further USD fact, the US Treasury bond- for emerging markets, given liquidity is quickly spilling pick up in inflation.” Economy & Business Sunday, August 9, 2020 09 German industrial output, trade rises China exports see surprise as virus curbs ease

AFP duction rose 7.3 percent, spike in July, imports down Frankfurt am Main while construction output was up 1.4 percent. German industrial output “With these strong Exports up 7.2% beating forecasts of a 0.7% drop; imports fall 1.4% confounding a 0.9% rise tipped by analysts and exports surged in June, numbers, some upward re- driven by the country’s all- vision of the Q2 GDP data AFP important car industry, as should not be excluded,” Beijing the economy continued to Carsten Brzeski, economist recover after the shock of at ING said. China saw another surprise the coronavirus pandemic. “All in all, today’s data jump in exports last month as Industrial output rose confirm that at least the the global economy slowly reo- by 8.9 percent month-on- rebound after the lifting of pened after virus lockdowns, month, compared with 7.4 the lockdown measures is data has showed, but there percent in May, but remains V-shaped.” were warnings that while the around 11.7 percent lower However, the spectre of country is expected to get back compared with the same further COVID-19 restric- on track by year’s end overseas month the year before, ac- shipments would likely strug- cording to provisional data gle. issued by German statistics The readings, however, agency Destatis. showed an unexpected fall in Exports rebounded by imports, highlighting the bat- 14.9 percent month-on- tle leaders have in stoking do- month in June, extending a Recovery fast mestic demand as a key driver steady increase of 9.0 per- of national growth. cent in May, to 96.1 billion Industrial output rose by Exports rose 7.2 per- euros, Destatis said. 8.9 percent month-on- cent in July, customs data Germany is recover- month, compared with 7.4 showed, smashing forecasts in ing faster than initially percent in May, but remains a Bloomberg survey for a 0.7 expected, according to around 11.7 percent lower percent drop. The figure was Holger Schmieding, chief compared with the same also a massive jump from the economist at Berenberg. “In month the year before. 0.5 percent increase in June, the absence of a major ac- Exports rebounded by 14.9 which beat expectations as cident, Germany can recoup percent month-on-month in well. at least half the Q2 drop in June, extending a steady Analysts had warned that A cargo ship is seen at a port in Qingdao in China’s eastern Shandong province. (File photo/afp) GDP in Q3 already.” increase of 9.0 percent in a spike in global infections “Of course, it all de- -- forcing new containment sustainable”. pends on the virus and the May, to 96.1 billion euros. measures in some countries “As some countries gradu- response to it,” he added. -- and weakened external de- China’s mask makers struggle after price drop ally reopen their economies Although welcome, tions haunts any recovery. mand could weigh on China’s Tens of thousands of mask-making companies cording to China-based researchers at Daxue and start producing personal June’s export figures are On Thursday, Germany recovery, with the boost from mushroomed across China at the start of the Consulting, as firms from carmakers to diaper protective equipment domesti- still 9.4 percent down on the reported more than 1,000 healthcare shipments fading. coronavirus pandemic, but many are struggling producers converted production lines to make cally for security reasons, Chi- same month in 2019, and new virus cases for the first Imports fell 1.4 percent, to survive as they face stricter quality control masks. na’s exports of those products down 16 percent compared time since May. confounding a 0.9 percent rise measures and falling domestic demand. Now the outbreak is largely under control in could decline,” said Lu. with February this year. “The recovery should tipped by analysts. China launched a huge effort to produce mainland China, domestic mask demand has Friday’s data also showed With imports of 80.5 continue in the coming China’s economy contract- protective gear to meet shortages during the dropped dramatically, pushing prices down. China’s trade surplus with the billion euros, a rise of 7.0 months but will probably ed 6.8 percent in the first quar- outbreak, which first emerged in the country “Our orders have been slashed five or United States rose 16 percent percent month-on-month, lose momentum and we ter as lockdowns around the late last year before spreading across the sixfold since April,” said Yang Hao, a sales di- on-year to $32.456 billion in Germany’s foreign-trade think output will remain country to prevent the corona- globe. rector at CCST, a company in the southern city July. This year, tensions be- surplus rose to 15.6 billion well below normal for a virus spreading brought busi- More than 73,000 companies registered of Shenzhen that makes air purifiers but added tween the two have soared on euros, around the same lev- long time yet,” Capital Eco- nesses and activity to a near as mask makers in the first half of the year masks to its repertoire. a number of fronts, including el as a year ago, when it was nomics said. standstill. -- including over 36,000 new companies in April “We do not need to produce masks days trade, military, and China’s 16.5 billion euros. “With all the risks of But success in containing alone -- as prices and demand soared. and nights every day now.” handling of the coronavirus Meanwhile production a second lockdown wave, the disease domestically and But the influx of new companies led to a Some of the companies that piled into the pandemic. in the country’s key car an increase of perma- the easing of measures helped “dilution in quality and a surge in scams”, ac- industry are now backing out. (AFP) Tommy Xie, head of Great- industry -- which counts nent unemployment and it rebound rapidly in the fol- er China Research at OCBC giants such as Volkswa- structural changes to the lowing three months. Bank, told AFP exports to the gen, BMW and Mercedes economy stemming from Analysts told AFP that Greater China Iris Pang said The weakness in imports, Lu Ting, chief China econ- US were strong in July, sug- -- jumped 54.7 percent in COVID-19... it is... very un- while there are signs of de- the broad uptick of exports she said, could be down to a omist of Nomura, expects “de- gesting growth could also be June compared with the likely that this ‘V’ (upturn) mand recovery, China’s export -- beyond a medical supplies drop in crude oil shipments cent export growth” to extend from “frontloading activity due previous month. will last for long,” Brzeski data could still be “rocky” in boost -- suggested that exter- given prices have risen and for another one to two months, to concerns about the worsen- Consumer-goods pro- added. the coming months. nal demand has started to re- China had earlier piled up in- but cautioned some factors be- ing relationship between the ING chief economist for cover. ventory. hind the trend “might not be US and China”. Taiwan airlines offer sight-seeing flights during COVID-19 pandemic

AFP abroad, came with his wife Like most airlines around An economy seat is sell- The island has been held Taoyuan, Taiwan and six-year old daughter to the world, both China Airlines ing for around NT$5,288 up as a poster child for how to “revive that old feeling of trav- and its main competitor Eva (US$180) while business class beat the virus with fewer than Faced with the coronavirus elling”. Air have had to mothball a costs NT$6,288. 500 infections and just seven collapse in travellers, Taiwan- “Maybe it’s because we huge chunk of their fleet as in- The China Airlines flight deaths despite its proximity ese airlines have begun offer- have been bored for too long,” ternational travel evaporates lasts around two hours and and economic links to China. ing sight-seeing “flights to no- Cheng said to AFP. during the pandemic. will also fly into Japanese air- Taiwan, which is blocked where” on their passenger jets Later in the day, the excit- The two also have a lim- space before turning around from joining the World -- including flight attendant able gaggle of kids took to the ited domestic business to fall to the eastern coast of Taiwan. Health Organization by Chi- lessons for children. skies in their new uniforms back on. Further flights are planned na, learned from the 2003 At the headquarters of Tai- for a two hour flight over the On Saturday, an Eva A330 in the coming weeks and both SARS outbreak to set up a wan’s China Airlines in Taoy- island and the soaring moun- from Taoyuan International Eva and China Airlines say sophisticated track and trace uan on Saturday, 50 children tain range that runs down its Airport flew over Taiwan’s they have quickly sold out. programme that swung into took a morning course on how spine. northeast cape, circled Ja- Local enthusiasm for the action as soon as the virus serve passengers aboard a The flights are part of an pan’s Ryukyu Islands before trips has been helped by the emerged. mock cabin. innovative attempt by airlines returning home via the pic- knowledge that there is cur- It also virtually sealed its Cheng Yu-wei, who works to scramble up some extra turesque and rural southeast rently little chance of catching borders, something an island in the fashion apparel busi- cash at a time when their busi- coast. The total flight time was the coronavirus on a Taiwan- is in a much better position to Fly attendants from Taiwan’s China Airlines take part in a ‘fly to no- ness and enjoys travelling ness has all but dried up. two hours and 45 minutes. ese flight. do. where’ event for children at the China Airlines’ campus in Taoyuan City.

SURVIVAL QUANDARY Virus hastens newspapers’ slide into shaky digital future

AFP online-only or dropped some days’ itself moved online-only in 2013. hands, Germany’s newspaper Paris editions, while in the Philippines Between 2005 and 2018, some publishers “were all making money 10 of the 70 newspapers in the PPI 250 local papers closed across before the coronavirus crisis, even The coronavirus crisis has association have shuttered. Britain, while today one in three if circulation figures kept falling,” weighed heavily on print newspa- “Times are hard. There are no journalists’ jobs are believed to be said Frank Ueberall, president of pers already battling for survival advertisers and no-one is reading under threat. the DJV journalists’ federation. around the world, with the num- us,” PPI executive director Ariel The picture is similar in the “Things are different now,” but ber of copies sold tumbling while Sebellino told AFP. US, where dozens of papers have “text journalism still has good days less profitable digital readerships The archipelago nation’s small closed or merged with local com- ahead,” Ueberall said. surge. local newspapers were hardest hit petitors since the crisis. “Old people in particular are Simply delivering printed during lockdown as street sales Between 2008 and 2019, half far from adopting digital technolo- papers to the shops -- or having tumbled. of all workers in American news- gies en masse.” customers come in to buy them -- “The industry is under siege papers lost their jobs, according to “Printing is expensive, but it’s has become a challenge, worsening and we’ve all taken bruises,” Sebel- a Pew institute count. swings and roundabouts,” said a years-long decline in sales and lino said. Around the world, audiences Gilles Dechamps, head of a print- advertising revenue. Far from affecting only jour- have melted away for the free ing company in northern Paris, “Consumption of printed news- nalists, the disappearance of print sheets once handed out in busy arguing that “it’s important for papers has fallen as lockdowns papers deals out pain all up the urban centres. readers and for advertisers to have undermine physical distribution, production chain, taking in print- The French daily newspaper Le Monde is being printed at the printing house of Unable to count on fund- the landmark” of a printed paper”. almost certainly accelerating the ers, paper makers and delivery Riccobono group in Tremblay-en-France, near Paris, recently. (AFP) ing from advertisers, some have Despite efforts like cutting shift to an all-digital future,” the people. paused publication, including their size to save paper or investing Reuters Institute’s 2020 annual Major British media brands said was a new record. “the greatest threat to the global Metro or Destak in Brazil or in the web over the past 30 years, report said. could boast of 6.6 million new But most have not seen the news industry since the 2008 France’s 20 Minutes. few papers have found the winning Major dailies in Brazil and online readers in the first quarter same bounce in print sales. economic crash” wrote industry With its ageing population formula to make money from 21st- Mexico have already switched to in what their industry association The coronavirus has become publication Press Gazette -- which used to holding a paper in their Century journalism. 10 Sunday, August 9, 2020 Economy & Business TikTok, WeChat bans not crucial to US security: Experts

AFP in computer security at the Washington University of California in Berkeley. The US bans on Chinese “It uses encrypted links apps TikTok and WeChat to WeChat’s servers in Chi- are not particularly valu- na... but the servers see all able for US security, experts messages, so the Chinese told AFP Friday, but could government can see any step up broader commercial message it wants,” he said. pressure on Beijing and help However, Weaver said, President Donald Trump ap- there few alternatives if you pear tough as he seeks ree- want to communicate widely lection. with people in China, from In announcing the bans inside or outside the country. -- to take effect in 45 days “So by banning WeChat, -- Trump declared Thurs- it is really about stopping US day that Chinese mobile persons from being able to apps “threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United The WeChat ban especial- States.” ly, experts say, actually Data collection by the harms a large number of apps, he argued “threat- Chinese Americans, ens to allow the Chinese US-based Chinese, and Communist Party access to businesses working with Americans’ personal and proprietary information,” China, all for whom the Workers clean the windows outside Rockefeller Center in New York recently. (AFP) which he said could be used app is essential to com- for espionage, blackmail, munications and to track Chinese nation- als inside the US. But cyber security spe- communicate with friends cialists say the benefits to the and relatives in China, which US sees slowing job gains, as ban are minimal and don’t is an awful idea.” solve any immediate threats. As for TikTok, it is hardly The WeChat ban es- different from popular US pecially, they say, actually social media, he said, “a harms a large number of massive data-sucking opera- Chinese Americans, US- tion.” govt fails to reach spending deal based Chinese, and busi- TikTok denies having nesses working with China, provided data to the Chi- all for whom the app is es- nese government, and says The July employment gain marked a sharp slowdown from the increases of 4.8 mn in June sential to communications. it would not do so if asked Both apps collect huge -- but Weaver is doubtful of AFP Pelosi said Democrats do with China Virus! Want tack the president. amounts of data on hun- that claim. Washington had agreed to lower the pack- one trillion dollars. No inter- “While I am grateful for dreds of millions of users. “Of course the Chinese age size to $2 trillion from $3 est. We are going a different the people who got their jobs An all-in-one tool, We- government can access that The US economy regained trillion, but the White House way!” back, my heart goes out to the Chat provides messaging, information, just as the US 1.8 million jobs in July, a balked and continues to re- The unemployment rate more than 16 million Ameri- financial transactions, group government can access any solid but unremarkable re- sist aid to state and local gov- No deal fell to 10.2 percent last month cans still out of work. The chats, and social media, all information collected by Fa- sult that comes as President ernments that economists from 11.1 percent in June, ac- truth is it didn’t have to be of which is stored on Chinese cebook.” Donald Trump prepares for say will be critical to avoiding With millions still on cording to the government this bad, but Donald Trump servers that a 2017 security None of that constitutes a difficult re-election bid, but a new round of layoffs. unemployment rolls, Trump’s data, still slightly worse than failed to act,” Biden tweeted. law says must be accessible a particular security risk if economists warn challenges While the sides are open economic team on Friday failed the nadir of the global finan- A third of private jobs by Chinese intelligence. people are aware, Weaver to the pandemic recovery are to further talks, Pelosi was to reach a deal with Democratic cial crisis in October 2009. gains were due to bars and TikTok, a simple app for said. growing. standing firm. leaders in Congress on a new However, the Labor De- restaurants reopening, ac- making and sharing short The best approach, he With millions still on un- “I’ve told them, come emergency spending bill to partment said some workers cording to the report. videos, meanwhile mines us- said, “is not blanket bans but employment rolls, Trump’s back when you when you renew aid that has supported continue to be misclassified Government and health- ers’ accounts and phones for better policy and communi- economic team on Friday are ready to give us a higher wages and consumer spending in the survey, and the job- care also saw strong hiring, lots of identifying informa- cation: Communicate to US failed to reach a deal with number,” she told reporters in the past three months less rate actually would have but public jobs like teachers tion. business what the risks are, Democratic leaders in Con- after the hour-long meeting. been a full point higher than may have been inflated by “WeChat is bad,” said and configure government gress on a new emergency As COVID-19 cases spiked reported. the fact many were laid off Nicholas Weaver, a lecturer systems to avoid the risks.” spending bill to renew aid in several states in recent The July employment earlier than usual because of that has supported wages and weeks, forcing some busi- economy risks losing mo- gain marked a sharp slow- the school closures in March. consumer spending in the nesses to shut their doors mentum as it shifts into the down from the increases of And with many schools hesi- past three months. Treasury again, even as a growing second phase of its rehabili- 4.8 million in June and 2.7 tant to reopen, those jobs Secretary Steven Mnuchin number have closed perma- tation,” said Lydia Boussour million in May, and means could greatly decrease in Au- said Trump will go ahead nently, economists warn of of Oxford Economics. less than half the 22 mil- gust. with presidential action over rising concerns that the labor There are just two more lion payroll jobs lost dur- The number of people on the weekend, including on market could take a turn for reports before the November ing the pandemic have been temporary layoff in July de- expanded unemployment the worse, especially without elections, leaving little time regained. “This is far from creased by 1.3 million, but benefits, student loan repay- federal aid. for Trump to show the kind of normal, as another 13 million there were nearly three mil- ment deferrals and evictions. Another key source of improvement that will boost jobs are needed just to get us lion workers who lost their “The President would like contention is the $600 in ad- his bid for a second term back to pre-pandemic em- jobs permanently, according us to make a deal. But unfor- ditional weekly federal pay- in the White House.Trump ployment levels,” said Law- to the latest data. tunately, we did not make any ments to the unemployed, lashed out at the Democratic rence Yun, chief economist of Meanwhile, 8.4 million progress today,” Mnuchin which expired at the end leaders on Twitter: the National Association of people were working part- said after yet another meet- of July, which Republicans “Pelosi and Schumer only Realtors. time not by choice but out ing with Democratic House want to slash. interested in Bailout Money Trump’s Democratic of necessity, a group known Speaker Nancy Pelosi and “In the absence of ad- for poorly run Democrat cit- challenger Joe Biden seized as involuntary part-time Senator Chuck Schumer. ditional fiscal aid, the broad ies and states. Nothing to on the high joblessness to at- workers. Windows, Gates and firewall: Microsoft’s delicate castle in China

China censors all subjects are times when there are dif- The firm has kept its business alive in considered politically sensi- ficult negotiations with the the country by complying with strict laws, tive in the name of stability, Chinese government.” and internet giants are urged The Greatfire.org web- despite China’s censorship to block unwanted content site, which tracks online online. censorship in China, accused AFP in China. Refusing to comply with Bing a few years ago of re- Beijing The ubiquitous Windows Beijing’s strict demands, dacting results containing operating system is used in American giants Facebook, sensitive information. Microsoft, which is in the vast majority of com- Twitter, Instagram and You- In 2000 Beijing halted talks to buy part of Chinese puters in China -- despite Tube, as well as Wikipedia the sale of all consoles be- video app TikTok, is one of Beijing promising in recent and several other foreign cause of their alleged nega- the few US tech titans that years to develop its own op- media, are blocked by Chi- tive effects on the “mental have managed to succeed in erating system. The compa- na’s “great firewall”. health” of young users, al- China. ny’s success has a downside, Microsoft, however, oper- though they remained avail- The software giant has however, as its software is ates its professional Linked- able illegally. kept its business alive in the widely pirated. In network in the country by After the ban was lifted, country by complying with The important Chinese complying with the draconi- Microsoft in 2014 was the strict local laws, despite the market, which is very restric- an censorship rules through first foreign firm to break communist nation’s wide- tive for foreign firms, rep- a local joint venture. into the video games market reaching censorship. resents a drop in the ocean Skype and Teams, its oth- in China with its Xbox One Here are some key points of Microsoft’s business, ac- er two big platforms, are also console. about the technology and counting for barely 1.8 per- available in China. Also in 2014, the Chi- gaming group’s operations cent of its turnover, presi- (File photo) China’s President Xi Jinping (right) with Microsoft founder Bill Gates. (AFP) It’s not all smooth sail- nese competition authorities in the world’s second biggest dent Brad Smith said at the ing though, with Bing tem- opened an anti-monopoly in- economy. beginning of the year. market. President Xi Jinping vis- da Gates Foundation, the porarily taken offline last vestigation against Microsoft Microsoft arrived in Chi- Microsoft’s Bing is one Microsoft founder Bill ited the company’s head- 64-year-old has the prestige year, prompting speculation and its Windows software. na in 1992 and opened its of the few foreign search en- Gates has long embodied a quarters on a state visit to of a head of state in Beijing. the search engine had been Around 100 inspectors largest research and devel- gines operating in China -- model of success in the eyes the US in 2015, where he met In February Xi wrote blocked by censors. raided the group’s offices in opment centre outside the although it is far behind its of many Chinese people and with Gates and his wife. Gates a letter thanking him Smith told Fox Business four Chinese cities, confis- United States. It now em- local competitors Baidu and his books are bestsellers in Today, as the head of his for his support during the News at the World Economic cating files and questioning ploys around 6,200 people Sogou, which dominate the the country. humanitarian Bill & Melin- coronavirus epidemic. Forum in Davos that “there employees. Chris Woakes does the star turn as England score stunning win over Pakistan at Old Trafford page 12

SUNday, AUGUST 9, 2020

Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Rufaa QNB Stars League teams show support for Lebanon scores third consecutive win Al Rufaa, owned by Al Shaqab as his jockey tried to settle him Al Rufaa could well be heading Racing, has barley put a foot with cover. There was a reason- into Stakes company for the wrong in 2020. He won his ably steady pace in this 8-run- second half of the season. This third consecutive race of the ner race. Coming under pres- colt is by leading sire Kingman season in the Betway Handicap sure at the 500-metre mark, he and was bred in France by Jean- at Newmarket’s July course joined the leaders in the final Pierre Dubois, one of France’s on Saturday. Partnered by his 200 meters. He then pulled top breeders. He was bought regular rider Robert Havlin over clear easily, winning by two at the Arqana August Yearling the 1,400-metre race, he was lengths for trainer John Gos- Sale from Haras des Capucines a little keen in the early stages den. Improving with every race, in 2018. (TNN)

Al Rufaa on way to winning the Betway Handicap at Newmarket’s July course in UK on The players of QNB Stars League teams Al Sadd and Al Duhail showed their support for Lebanon, the people of which are trying to recover from Saturday. the trauma of enormous explosions that occurred at Beirut port and killed over 150 people and left several injured last Tuesday, ahead of their (Pic: Racingfotos) crucial Round 20 #QNBstarsleague fixture on Saturday. The Al Sadd and Al Duhail players held up Lebanon’s flag as they lined up prior to the start of the match at the Al Janoub Stadium. Lebanon’s national anthem was also played as a mark of solidarity. (TNN) Tabata strikes as Al Sadd dent Duhail’s title hopes

In the second half, Al Do- Brazilian scores sari was forced into a save by Bayern Munich’s Polish forward a brilliant Almoez header, Robert Lewandowski (top) cel- his first goal in while Han could only shoot ebrates after scoring during the straight at Dosari when he UEFA Champions League second- his second stint should have done better as Al leg Round of 16 match vs Chelsea for the Wolves Sadd held on for a slim win. in Munich on Saturday. (AFP) In Saturday’s earlier Tribune News Network match Umm Salal and Al Ahli Lewandowski Doha played out a drab 1-1 draw at the AL Janoub Stadium. fires Bayern Al Duhail’s title hopes took a Rasul Bezerra’s put Umm significant blow on Saturday Salal ahead on the stroke of past Chelsea as the league leaders fell to half time, but an own goal by defending champions AL Sadd Rami Fayez, 18 minutes before to set up 1-0 at the Jassim Bin Hamad time ensured Al Ahli managed Stadium. Rodrigo Tabata to steal a point despite umm Barca clash scored the lone goal in the Salal’s industrious play. 24th minute as Al Sadd earned Umm Salal are now in AFP their third straight win which 10th place with 17 points, Munich (Germany) puts them four points behind one point ahead of Al Khor, Al Rayyan in second and five while Al Ahli are eighth with Robert Lewandows- behind Al Duhail. 20 points. ki bagged his Champions The league leaders have League-leading 12th and 13th been inconsistent all season goals this season as Bayern despite losing just one match Results Munich set up a quarter-final before Saturday’s defeat. clash with Barcelona after a A win for the Red Knights Umm Salal 1 (Raul 4-1 home win over Chelsea in would have made it easier to Becerra 45’) Al Ahli 1 Saturday’s last 16 second leg. win the title next weekend Leading 3-0 from the first with a victory over Al Khor. (Rami Fayez 72’ OG) leg at Stamford Bridge in Feb- However, with this result and Al Sadd 1 (Rodrigo ruary before the coronavirus Al Rayyan’s win on Thurs- pandemic halted the compe- day, Duhail would need to Al Duhail players attempt to check Al Sadd’s Rodrigo Tabata during their QNB Stars League match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday. Tabata 24’) Al Duhail 0 tition, treble-chasing Bayern win their last two matches to Tabata scored winner in the 24th minute as Al Sadd moved to third place in the standings with a tally of 41 points. underlined their dominance to claim the Falcon Shield. progress 7-1 on aggregate. Al Sadd though, still have Despite Duhail’s posses- The Bundesliga and Ger- a slim chance of retaining the sion, Tabata scored the lone man Cup champions will meet title but would need both Al goal 25 minutes slotting in a Barcelona next Friday in Lisbon Duhail and Al Rayyan to lose rebound. Hassan al Haydos’s for a place in the semi-finals. their last two matches while Al shot was punched out by Mo- Lewandowski netted a Sadd ensure maximum points hammed al Bakri onto the penalty with just 10 minutes from theirs. path of Baghdad Bounedjah, gone at the Allianz Arena. A cagey first half saw few and then Tabata, who made no Winger Ivan Perisic then dou- chances created, and Duhail mistake from close range. bled Bayern’s lead before Eng- were without Yousef Msekni; Bounedjah should have land striker Tammy Abraham hence Almoez Ali and Mo- made it two before half time, tapped home a loose ball to hammed Muntari were left but the Algerian’s shot flew give Chelsea brief hope. to carry the goalscoring load. harmlessly wide. However, replacement Han Kwang-Song marked the Almoez headed over midfielder Corentin Tolisso put opening of exchanges with a the bar in the 44th minute the result beyond doubt when shot straight at goalkeeper in a rare first-half chance he fired home aL ewandowski Saad Al Dossari. for Duhail. pass with 14 minutes to go. This was a world-class dis- play from Lewandowski who QNB Stars League Standings played a hand in all four goals, adding a late header to his pair Pos Club M W l D GF GA GD pts of assists. 1 Al Duhail 20 14 2 4 36 16 20 46 After a ruthless display in 2 Al Rayyan 20 13 1 6 37 15 22 45 the first leg, Bayern picked 3 Al Sadd 20 13 5 2 49 28 21 41 up where they left off six 4 Al Gharafa 20 9 6 5 32 28 4 32 months ago. 5 Al Arabi 20 6 7 7 28 27 1 25 They took the lead when 6 Al Sailiya 20 7 9 4 21 25 -4 25 Serge Gnabry, who scored 7 Al Wakrah 20 6 8 6 27 29 -2 24 twice in London, spotted the run into the box of Lewan- 8 Al Ahli 20 5 10 5 24 34 -10 20 dowski, who was tripped by 9 Qatar SC 20 4 9 7 18 25 -7 19 Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Ca- 10 Umm Salal 20 3 9 8 18 36 -18 17 ballero. The Poland striker 11 Al Khor 20 3 10 7 23 32 -9 16 was initially flagged offside, 12 Al Shahania 20 2 9 9 22 40 -18 15 Action from the Umm Salal and Al Ahli match played at the Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. but VAR ruled otherwise. 12 Sunday, August 9, 2020 Sports

Scoreboard Sydney makes pitch to Pakistan (1st Innings): 326 England (1st Innings): 219 Pakistan 2nd Innings (Overnight: 137-8) host Boxing Day Test Shan Masood c Buttler b Broad 0 Abid Ali c Woakes b Bess 20 Azhar Ali lbw b Woakes 18 AFP grounds, acting as hubs and Babar Azam c Stokes b Woakes 5 Sydney hosting multiple Tests. Asad Shafiq run out (Sibley) 29 Mohammad Rizwan lbw b Stokes 27 Cricket Australia’s interim Shadab Khan lbw b Broad 15 Sydney made a pitch Satur- chief executive Nick Hockley Yasir Shah c Buttler b Broad 33 day to host the money-spin- said Melbourne retaining the Shaheen Afridi c Burns b Stokes 2 ning Boxing Day Test against Test depended on whether fans Mohammad Abbas not out 3 Naseem Shah b Archer 4 India as its traditional home were allowed. Extras: (b4, lb5, nb4) 13 Melbourne battles a surge in “It comes down to if we Total: (All out, 46.4 overs, 223 mins) 169 coronavirus cases. can get a crowd at the MCG, Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Masood), 2-33 (Abid), 3-48 The fate of the marquee we’ll play at the MCG,” he (Babar), 4-63 (Azhar), 5-101 (Shafiq), 6-120 (Rizwan), 7-122 (Shadab), 8-137 (Afridi), 9-158 fixture is uncertain with no live told reporters on Saturday. (Yasir), 10-169 (Naseem) sport currently in Melbourne “We are full steam ahead Bowling: Anderson 9-2-34-0 (1nb); Broad 10-3- as it struggles with hundreds of with the planning (for Boxing 37-3 (1nb); Archer 6.4-0-27-1 (1nb); Bess 12-2- new daily infections, in contrast Day at the MCG) in the an- 40-1; Woakes 5-1-11-2; Stokes 4-1-11-2 (1nb); to Sydney which continues to ticipation that we’ll be back England 2nd Innings (Target: 277) see only a handful of cases. to some level of normalcy by R. Burns lbw b Abbas 10 Reports have suggested that point in time.” D. Sibley c Shafiq b Yasir Shah 36 Adelaide is the frontrunner to But he conceded that “cer- J. Root c Babar b Naseem Shah 42 B. Stokes c Rizwan b Yasir Shah 9 host the December 26-30 clash tainly we’re looking at contin- O. Pope c Shadab b Afridi 7 if Melbourne is not able to, but gency planning across the en- J. Buttler lbw b Yasir Shah 75 Sydney Cricket Ground Trust tire summer”. C. Woakes not out 84 chairman Tony Shepherd said “Not necessarily specific to S. Broad lbw b Yasir Shah 7 D. Bess not out 0 they too were keen. certain matches, but our entire Extras: (lb2, nb5) 7 “We’d be very happy to host events,” he added. Total: (For 7 wkts, 82.1 overs, 363 mins) 277 it because it’s a major event and Currently, four Tests Did not bat: J Archer, J Anderson. Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Burns), 2-86 (Sibley), 3-96 it’s good for Sydney, and peo- against India are pencilled in (Root), 4-106 (Stokes), 5-117 (Pope), 6-256 ple like coming to Sydney, and for Brisbane, Adelaide, Mel- (Buttler), 7-273 (Broad) we have the capacity to host it bourne and Sydney from early England’s Jos Buttler walks back to the Bowling: Afridi 15.1-1-61-1 (4nb); Abbas 16-4-36- if that’s what Cricket Australia December, with Perth hosting 1 (1nb); Naseem 13-4-45-1; Yasir 30-2-99-4; pavilion after losing his wicket for 75 as Shadab 8-0-34-0 want to do,” he told the Sydney Afghanistan. Pakistan players converge on the fourth Result: England won by three wickets Morning Herald. The lucrative India series day of the first Test at Old Trafford in Player of the match: Chris Woakes (ENG) If that occurred, it would is seen as critical for the finan- Manchester on Saturday. (AFP) Series: England lead three-match series 1-0 mean a double-header in the cial health of Cricket Australia, Toss: Pakistan. 2nd Test: Aug 13-17 at Ageas Bowl, Southampton. city with the usual Sydney Test which has been hit hard by the ordinarily played after Mel- pandemic with its hosting of bourne. the Twenty20 World Cup this Shepherd said the large In- year postponed until 2022. dian diaspora in Sydney would On Friday, New South relish the extra opportunity to Wales state Deputy Premier Woakes leads England to stunning see their national team live. John Barilaro said he had writ- “They would love both ten to sports stakeholders and events, a double-header would officials in Victoria, whose cap- be fabulous,” he said. ital is Melbourne, offering Syd- Other possibilities sug- ney as host for major events as win over Pakistan in first Test gested include Adelaide and a backup. Perth, which have largely es- That could include the new ball, England needed just 13 270-odd,” Buttler Only twice has a team chased caped the coronavirus and Australian Open tennis Grand All-rounder shares more runs to win at a sun-drenched told BBC Radio’s more than 200 to win in the fourth have hotels adjacent to their Slam in January. Old Trafford. Test Match Special. innings of a Test at Old Trafford, 139-run stand with But there was still time for Eng- “I know it’s not with England making 294-4 against land to lose their seventh wicket good enough as an New Zealand in 2008 and 231-3 Buttler to spoil when, with four more needed, Stuart international wick- against the West Indies in 2004. Broad was plumb lbw on the sweep etkeeper...If I am Five teams ready to visitors’ big hopes to Yasir. going to continue to Collapse Woakes, however, finished the be a wicketkeeper in Earlier, England lost four wick- appeal Racing Point AFP match with an edged boundary off this team, I’m going to ets for 31 runs in slipping to 117- Manchester Afridi down to the third man rope have to be better,” he 5, with captain Joe Root and Ben ‘pink Mercedes’ decision as England went 1-0 up in a three- admitted. Stokes both falling in the collapse. Chris Woakes match campaign. But whether it was Root made 42 before he nicked hit an unbeat- Victory meant England had won cover-driving leg-spin- Naseem to Babar Azam in the slips. AFP ($471,000) but permitted to en 84 as Eng- an opening Test for the first time in ner Shadab Khan or Stokes had guided England to Silverstone continue using the car. land came six series. pulling teenage paceman an astounding one-wicket win over Teams were given 24 from behind Defeat was tough on Naseem Shah for an- Australia from a seemingly hopeless Twenty-four hours af- hours to give notice of in- to beat Pakistan Yasir, who took eight other boundary, But- position with a brilliant century in ter the verdict of a stewards’ tention to appeal and, on by three wickets wickets in the match. tler put the pressure the third Ashes Test last year. inquiry was announced, five Saturday, Renault, Ferrari, in the first Test Wicketkeeper But- back on Pakistan with But there was no repeat of his Formula One teams filed no- McLaren and Williams joined at Old Trafford on tler had a poor the bat. Headingley heroics on Saturday tice on Saturday of their in- Racing Point in doing so, the Saturday. game in the Buttler, whose father when he fell for just nine, with wick- tent to appeal the outcome of key issue for the first four be- England were was admitted to hospital Friday etkeeper Mohammad Rizwan hold- Racing Point’s copying scan- ing a belief the sanctions were struggling in pursuit of but has since been released, told ing an excellent catch after Stokes dal - including both original too lenient and the probe into a victory target of 277 af- Sky Sports: “We (England) turned got a thin glove to a Yasir googly that protagonists. copying needed to go further. ter collapsing to 117-5 on the field, up today still with a lot of belief.” bounced. The FIA stewards pub- Racing Point believe they fourth day. twice Pakistan captain Azhar Ali Ollie Pope then received a brute lished their verdict early have done nothing wrong and But Woakes, who had helped missing Shan praised Buttler and Woakes by say- of a delivery from Afridi that lept off on Friday, more than three should have avoided a sanction. drag England back into the match Masood on 45 ing: “They changed the momen- a length, the ball ballooning to Shad- weeks after Renault’s initial A spokesperson for the with 2-11 in just five overs late Fri- during the Pa- tum of the game and unfortunately ab as he ran forward from gully. protest in a sequence of three ruling International Motoring day, and fellow World Cup-winner kistan opener’s we couldn’t reply to whatever they Pakistan had resumed on 137-8, complaints at the legality and Federation (FIA) said: “We Jos Buttler turned the tide with a 156 that was threw at us.” a lead of 244. originality of Force India’s have received notices of in- stand of 139. instrumen- Buttler’s fifty came off just 55 Yasir struck a quickfire 33, with 2020 car, dubbed the ‘pink tention to appeal the Renault Nevertheless, with just 21 more tal in leaving balls, with seven fours, with Woakes Pakistan adding 32 in 16 balls Satur- Mercedes’ because of its Protest Decision from the fol- runs needed, Buttler was lbw for 75 England with no slouch in a 59-ball fifty he com- day before they were all out for 169 similarity to the 2019 title- lowing Competitors: Ferrari, after trying to reverse-sweep leg- a first-innings pleted by cover-driving Naseem for in their second innings. winning vehicle. McLaren, Racing Point, Re- spinner Yasir Shah. deficit ofthe eighth boundary of his innings. But it turned out not to be The decision focussed fi- nault and Williams.” By the time Pakistan left-arm over a hun- It was Woakes’s highest Test enough to compensate for Pakistan nally on the legality of Rac- All five have until Tuesday fast bowler Shaheen Afridi took the dred runs. score since his hundred against In- losing four wickets late on Friday. ing Point’s brake ducts, which morning to confirm their in- “If I dia two years ago. England will now try to complete were adjudged to be illegal tention to take the case to the England’s Chris Woakes celebrates after take those Although Woakes is known to their first series win over Pakistan and contrary to the sporting sport’s International Court scoring the winning runs on the fourth day of chances, be vulnerable to the short ball, Pa- in 10 years with victory in the sec- regulations of Formula One. of Appeal, where it would be the first Test against Pakistan at Old Trafford we’re not kistan did not pitch short to the all- ond Test at Southampton starting Racing Point were docked 15 heard by a panel of independ- in Manchester on Saturday. (AFP) chasing rounder until he was well set. on Thursday. points and fined €400,000 ent judges.

Bottas pips Hamilton for 70th Anniversary pole at Silverstone

AFP expected ‘slip’ to second. Norris 10th for McLaren. Starting grid for Sunday’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix Silverstone “I wasn’t that great, but After two days of political Front row: Valtteri did a great job and he intrigue surrounding the Rac- Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes), Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) Valtteri Bottas outpaced his deserves pole.” ing Point copying scandal, it 2nd row: Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Racing Point-Mercedes), Max Verstappen (NED/ Mercedes team-mate and world Nico Hulkenberg, standing was a relief for many when Q1 Red Bull-Honda) championship leader Lewis in for coronavirus victim Ser- began with an early lap from 3rd row: Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault), Lance Stroll (CAN/Racing Point-Mercedes) Hamilton by the finest of mar- gio Perez with the Racing Point Kevin Magnussen’s Haas to set 4th row: Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Honda), Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) gins on Saturday to claim a dra- team, was third, securing his the mark. 5th row: Alexander Albon (THA/Red Bull-Honda), Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren- matic pole position for the 70th spot with an impressive perfor- In windy and cooler condi- Renault) Anniversary Grand Prix. mance only 10 days after receiv- tions than those on Friday, the 6th row: Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari), Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/McLaren-Renault) The Finn clocked a fastest ing a late call-up while eating a air temperature was 27 degrees 7th row: Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (FRA/Renault) lap in one minute and 25.154 pastry in a Cologne cafe. and the track was 44 as Hulken- 8th row: George Russell (GBR/Williams-Mercedes), Daniil Kvyat (RUS/AlphaTauri- seconds to beat the six-time “It’s been a crazy last week,” berg, Hamilton and Verstappen Honda) world champion by only 0.063 he said. took over on top before Mer- 9th row: Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari), Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams- in the final seconds of an en- “Q2 was tricky and I made cedes found their rhythm. Mercedes) thralling qualifying session. life hard for myself - and it is def- Out went Daniil Kvyat who 10th row: Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari), Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/ It was the Mercedes team’s initely going to hurt tomorrow, went off at Stowe in his Alpha Mercedes’ Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas gets out of his car after Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 67th front row lockout. not having had the experience Tauri, Magnussen, Williams taking pole position during the qualifying session of the F1 70th Note: Esteban Ocon penalised three places on grid. “It feels good,” said Bottas last week.” rookie Nicholas Latifi and the Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone on Saturday. This weekend’s who was securing the 13th pole He failed to start last Sun- two Alfa Romeos of Antonio race will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the inaugural world of his career 48 hours after sign- day’s British Grand Prix at the Giovinazzi and Kimi Raik- championship race, held at Silverstone in 1950. (AFP) Red Bull surprised many by both Red Bulls and Ricciardo ing a new contract to keep him circuit after an engine problem. konen. putting Verstappen on ‘hards’ chose mediums. at Mercedes next season. Max Verstappen took fourth “I think something on the split with Leclerc fourth and the Italians’ move failed, the four- for his final run, on which he Predictably, however, He added: “We have im- for Red Bull ahead of Daniel Ric- floor broke,” said Kvyat, hav- luckless Sebastian Vettel strug- time champion qualifying a was ninth, a move that means it was Hamilton who set proved the set-up and the car ciardo of Renault, Lance Stroll ing bumped along the kerbs at gling to survive in 11th. dismal 12th. they start Sunday’s race on the the pace on his first run in since last week. Mentally, when in the second Racing Point, Chapel before re-joining. In what seemed to be an This meant the German most durable rubber and will 1:25.284, a tenth quicker than you start on pole, you can only Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri and Bottas then threw down a act of desperation, Ferrari sent was eliminated along with Es- have tactical flexibility. Bottas, with Ricciardo taking aim to win the race - and the down in eighth Charles Leclerc gauntlet at the start of Q2 with a Vettel out on softs to secure a teban Ocon of Renault, Carlos Norris, who leads Sainz third ahead of Hulkenberg be- starting point is good! It is so in the leading Ferrari. lap in 1:25.785, more than four- top-ten shootout spot as Hulk- Sainz of McLaren, Romain 4-1 in their intra-team quali- fore, after more tyre talk, the nice to drive this amazing car.” Alex Albon was ninth in tenths faster than Hamilton enberg jumped to second and Grosjean of Haas and Wil- fying scrap, was first out in final flying laps with Mercedes Hamilton explained his un- the second Red Bull and Lando in second, while Ferrari were split the Mercedes - but the liams’ George Russell. Q3 on softs while behind him duelling for pole. Sports Sunday, August 9, 2020 13 Juventus call time on Sarri experiment after Champions League flop AFP pitch after leading Chelsea to paid the price as Juve failed to Zinedine Zidane and former ‘Scudetto’ in a row. Ronaldo’s contract ex- Juventus into the quarter-fi- Milan the Europa League trophy. reach the Champions League Tottenham manager Mauricio Financially the Champions pires in 2022, but Agnelli in- nals last season with a hat-trick The Italian champions quarter-finals for the first Pochettino. League exit is not good news sisted the Portuguese forward against Atletico Madrid. Maurizio Sarri’s reign as were looking for a new direc- time since 2016. for Juventus, who paid 100 was “a pillar of Juventus” and But time is running out Juventus coach ended on Sat- tion to transfer their domestic “Sarri Out!” headlined Ronaldo a club ‘pillar’ million euros would stay despite the bitter for 35-year-old Ronaldo to urday after just one season, league dominance into a first Turin sports daily Tuttosport Although Sarri gave the ($115 million) disappointment at missing turn Juventus’s domination at the veteran manager paying for European title since 1996. on Saturday morning, with team orders, he adapted to to bring Ron- out on the last eight in his na- home into the European suc- the Italian team’s premature The stakes were high for Corriere Dello Sport writing: Juve and Ronaldo, who scored aldo to Italy, tive Portugal. cess they crave. Champions League exit. Juventus who spent big to “Adieu Maurizio.” 37 goals in total this season, a on a reported The top scorer in the his- “Not to take away from the Cristiano Ronaldo scored bolster their supporting cast The chain-smoking Sar- club record for a player in a sin- salary of 30 tory of the Champions League ninth consecutive Scudetto but twice in a 2-1 home win around five-time Ballon d’Or ri, who worked his way up gle campaign. million eu- with 130 goals and a winner of this club can aspire to much on Friday night, but Juve winner Ronaldo. through the lower leagues in Juve were rarely bril- ros a five titles across spells at Man- more,” said 30-year-old Bos- crashed out on away goals to Ronaldo was poached Italy to win his first league title liant and often disap- year. chester United and Real Ma- nian teammate Miralem Pjanic. Lyon, who finished seventh in in 2018 from Real Madrid, with Juventus, was an odd fit. pointing, losing in two fi- drid, Ronaldo carried the team “We must not belittle what Ligue 1 this season. while former Ajax captain His predecessor Massimil- nals, the Italian Cup and in Europe. we have done because winning Juventus president An- Matthijs de Ligt signed last iano Allegri won five league the Italian Super Cup. In the last two years, the is never easy and this club must drea Agnelli said the club summer -- the pair joining titles in as many seasons and They won just only Bianconeri goals in the continue to do these extraordi- would “take a few days to from teams that knocked the reached the Champions League two of their final knockout rounds have been nary things. make assessments”, but the Italians out of Europe the final twice. eight league games, Ronaldo’s seven. “In Europe we have to do axe fell swiftly. previous two seasons. Allegri is being touted as finishing the sea- He single-handedly lifted much more.” Sarri, 61, took over on a But the former Napoli one of the possible successors son just one point three-year deal last season boss in the end never man- along with Lazio coach Si- ahead of Inter Mi- Juventus’ Italian coach Maurizio Sarri during his team’s match against promising a revolution on the aged to impose his style and mone Inzaghi, Real Madrid’s lan, to seal a ninth Olympique Lyonnais at the Juventus stadium in Turin on Friday. (AFP) Thiago Silva determined to go out on a high at PSG

AFP Paris first-leg deficit by beating Borussia ‘Big opportunity’ Dortmund 2-0. Silva has loved life in France so Juventus’ Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo.( AFP) Thiago Silva’s eight years as a Paris That game was played behind much that he has gone on to take Saint-Germain player are about to closed doors too but the PSG play- French nationality but he was told in come to an end and the Brazil- ers celebrated their victory with the spring that he had no future at the ian centre-back has one piece thousands of fans who had gath- club beyond this season. Maestro to Mister: of unfinished business to ered, somewhat irresponsibly, out- The Brazilian international will contend with as the Qatar- side the ground. be 36 next month and Leonardo, the owned club head to Lis- However, the outpouring of emo- club’s sporting director, is looking to Italy legend Pirlo bon targeting Champions tion was understandable after the rebuild. League glory. disappointments of previous years, Edinson Cavani, PSG’s all-time That is something including the astonishing exit at the record scorer, and Belgian right-back replaces Sarri that has so far eluded hands of Barcelona in 2017 despite Thomas Meunier were also told they Silva and PSG. winning the first leg 4-0. could leave. AFP A collapse against “The game there (in Dortmund) Both have already departed, with Milan Manchester United last was very difficult, we lost and Meunier joining Dortmund. But Silva season meant a third thoughts went back to what hap- accepted the offer to extend his con- Former Italy and Juventus From today he (Andrea consecutive last-16 exit, pened last year against Manchester tract – which initially expired in June star Andrea Pirlo was on Satur- Pirlo) will be THE coach for but this time they are United, and our three consecutive – by an extra two months to feature in day named as the Italian cham- everyone at Juventus. through to a first quarter- eliminations before the quarters,” the Champions League ‘Final Eight’. pions’ new coach, just hours Today’s choice is based on final since 2016 and faceA tal- Silva said. “I don’t know the context for after Maurizio Sarri’s sacking. the belief that Pirlo has anta in Lisbon on Wednesday. “That was difficult to stomach Meunier and Cavani but for me it Sarri, 61, leaves Juventus “I have seen everything here. This but we knew what we wanted to do, was important to finish the season after just one season, a day after what it takes to lead. competition is so important, for the to turn it around and qualify for the here,” Silva added. the Turin giants crashed out of Juventus players but also for the club. Win- fans even though they weren’t in the “I also know the players here and the Champions League in the ning it was the objective when I stadium.” this year I feel we have a big opportu- last 16 to French club Lyon. came here,” Silva, whose con- Silva joined from AC Milan in nity to go all the way. The 41-year-old Pirlo, ventus, as the club has decided tract is about to expire, said 2012. He has been a cornerstone ever “The desire and the quality in the who has no previous top-lev- to entrust him with the techni- in an interview with AFP. since in a side that has completely squad gives me that feeling. If I start el coaching experience, has cal leadership of the first team, The game is being played dominated French football, winning something I want to finish it. I might signed a two-year contract un- after having already selected as a one-off tie behind closed seven of the last eight Ligue 1 titles. win or lose but I will give everything to til June 2022. He had recently him for Juventus Under 23. doors in the Portuguese cap- Last weekend Silva played as finish it well.” been appointed coach of the “Today’s choice is based on ital after UEFA were forced PSG beat Lyon on penalties to win If PSG beat Atalanta they will Juventus U23 side, who play the belief that Pirlo has what to rethink the tournament the League Cup and secure a fourth meet either RB Leipzig or Atletico in the third division. it takes to lead from his debut format due to the coronavi- domestic treble in six seasons. But Madrid in the semi-finals. The final is “Pirlo has had a legend- on the bench, an expert and rus pandemic. European success has not come so on August 23. Beyond that, Silva has ary career as a player, winning talented squad to pursue new PSG secured qualifica- easily. been linked with a return to Italy – he everything from the Champi- successes.” tion just before football “It’s not easy to stay in Paris for spent three years at Milan – or a move ons League to the World Cup Pirlo began his playing ca- ground to a halt in mid- eight years. I am really happy with to Everton, coached by Carlo Ance- in 2006,” Juventus said. reer at Brescia in 1995 and went March, as they everything I have done here, how the lotti, under whom he played when he “In his four years at the on to play for Inter, AC Milan overturned supporters have come to respect me. arrived in Paris. centre of the Juventus mid- and Juve from 2011 before mov- a 2-1 It’s magnificent,” he said. But you sense that he would still field, Pirlo won as many league ing in 2015 for two seasons with “I hope to end the adventure by love to stay where he is. titles, a Coppa Italia and two New York City FC in the MLS. winning the Champions League, “That depends on the club, it’s not Italian Super Cups. During his four seasons with Ju- that’s the dream.” down to me,” he said. “Today, begins a new ventus he won Serie A four times chapter of his career in the and one Italian Cup. Capped 116 world of football, as it was times for Italy, Pirlo was a key Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian defender Thiago Silva has one piece of unfinished business to contend with as said almost a week ago: from figure in the team that won the the club head to Lisbon targeting Champions League glory. PSG face Atalanta in Lisbon on Wednesday. (AFP) Maestro to Mister. 2006 World Cup. He also won “From today he will be two Champions Leagues and THE coach for everyone at Ju- two league titles with Milan. Wawrinka, Svitolina pull out of US Open ‘Recluse’ Serena says she’s AFP the US Open will be tough,” he “The situation around court tournaments in Rome Geneva added, referring to the Italian COVID-19 is still so worrying and Paris,” Bertens said, indi- ready for Flushing Meadows Open which starts a week af- that the health of everyone cating that she could play at the Former champion Stan ter the conclusion of the New comes first and control of this French Open, which is due to AFP would happen to me. Wawrinka has confirmed that York event. virus is obviously a priority,” start in Paris on September 27. Los Angeles “I am sure I would be okay he will not play the US Open Roland Garros, delayed Bertens said. but I don’t want to find out. citing “the health situation in from May-June, will then start Bertens said she was heed- Karolina Pliskova eager Serena Williams said on “I have like 50 masks that New York” as the Grand Slam in Paris on September 27. ing Dutch government warn- to play: report Saturday she is pressing ahead I travel with, I don’t ever want event took another hit. “Finally, there are all ings while Svitolina said she Meanwhile, world number with plans to play in the US to be without one. Wawrinka, the US Open the uncertainties related to did not want to risk travelling. three Karolina Pliskova said Open despite a wave of player “With health concerns I winner in 2016, was already the quarantine issue. There Svitolina thanked the she was looking forward to withdrawals from the upcom- am super careful with what I missing from the entry list are still many questions and US Tennis Association and playing at the US Open. ing Grand Slam event over have been doing and everyone along with four-time cham- doubts about the holding of WTA “for giving the players a “Even though I keep think- coronavirus fears. in the Serena bubble is really pion Rafael Nadal. the US Open.” chance to play.” ing the situation is changing The 23-time Slam winner protected. Now, the 35-year-old will Earlier Friday, top 10 “I understand and respect every day, nobody knows what returns to tennis next week at “It is cool to play tennis, instead focus on Roland Gar- women’s players Elina Svito- all the efforts they are putting will come, but I really believe the inaugural Top Seed Open the future, as tournaments got but this is my life and my ros where he won his second lina and Kiki Bertens said they to make it happen in a safe en- we will play,” Pliskova told the WTA event in Lexington, Ken- cancelled I was just like, ‘Let health, so I have been a little career major in 2015. were skipping the US Open. vironment, but I still don’t feel Czech News Agency. tucky, relaunching her season me just work on today and see bit neurotic but that is how I “There is the health situa- World number one Ash- comfortable to travel to the US Pliskova has a special after a six-month hiatus caused what happens.’” have to be right now.” tion which is particular in New leigh Barty has also opted not without putting my team and fondness for the New York by the COVID-19 pandemic. The former world num- Williams revealed that York. I did not want to go the to play. myself at risk,” wrote Svito- event where she reached the Williams, who was one of ber one said she has spent the she had been practicing on US under these conditions,” Svitolina and Bertens, both lina, a semi-finalist at theU S final in 2016, her bestG rand the first players to commit to past six months at her home her own court, built with the the world number 17, also the ranked in the women’s top 10, Open last year. Slam result to date. the US Open despite the pan- in Florida, sheltering from the same hardcout surface used 2014 Australian Open cham- also cited concerns about cor- Bertens announced her de- “The worst-case scenario demic, said her plans remain threat of the coronavirus. at the US Open. She has also pion, told RTS in Switzerland. onavirus. cision after the Dutch govern- would be if we left and they unchanged, adding that she Williams has a history of stayed fit with construction of Players at the US Open, “Considering all aspects, ment tightened health meas- sent us back. We’ve already was tentatively planning to go pulmonary embolisms which a home gym. which starts on August 31, will I have decided not to play the ures on Thursday. had this experience,” said the to Europe for the rescheduled have restricted her lung capac- “I had to make a gym and be subject to tight health con- US Open,” Svitolina, a Ukrain- “Our prime minister also 28-year-old Czech. French Open. ity, a factor which she said had my husband made a court trols to avoid the spread of the ian ranked number five, wrote indicated yesterday that we In March, Pliskova trav- “I see myself doing it all if it prompted her to be a “little bit for me. The gym is not quite coronavirus. on social media. should be quarantined for two elled to the United States happens,” Williams said when of a recluse” this year. done. The tennis court is fun, It will also be played be- Bertens, a Dutchwoman weeks after coming back from only to find out the Miami asked about her schedule dur- “I started social distancing I go there and it is my own hind closed doors. ranked seventh, said on Insta- the States,” she said. and Indian Wells tourna- ing a virtual press conference in early March,” she said. sanctuary. It’s like, ‘Why “And the sequence of tour- gram that she made her decision “This would hinder the ments were scrapped over on Saturday. “I don’t have full lung ca- haven’t I done this 20 years naments which follows after after a “long consideration.” preparation for my beloved clay the virus outbreak. “But I am not planning for pacity so I’m not sure what ago?’,” she said. 14 Sunday, August 9, 2020 Sports Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab Round 10 Celtics rip Raptors as Nets, Magic grab NBA playoff spots

AFP but the Philadelphia 76ers ral- Miami lied in the second half to beat the Magic 108-101. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Instead, the Magic reached Tatum powered the Boston the playoffs when Washington Celtics to a 122-100 rout of de- lost to New Orleans 118-107, fending NBA champion Toron- leaving the Wizards (24-45) to on Friday, keeping the Rap- the only winless bubble team tors from clinching the Eastern and too far back to threaten Or- Conference second seed. lando. Brown scored 20 points, Cameroonian star Joel Em- Tatum added 18 and Kemba biid had 23 points and 13 re- Walker added 17 for the Celtics bounds for the 76ers while To- Omar Al Mannai, Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee of Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour 2019-20, with the podium finishers of the Big Tour (left) and with Open Class (46-23), who pulled within 3.5 bias Harris added 23 points and winner Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (right) at the Qatar Equestrian Federation on Saturday. games of second-place Toronto 15 rebounds, Al Horford scored and three ahead of fourth-place 21 and reserve Alec Burks con- Miami. tributed 22. “We’re getting there,” Tat- The Magic began the fourth um said. “I don’t want to put a quarter with a 3-for-17 shooting Faleh Al Ajami showjumps his way cap on it, say where our ceiling slump from the floor and the is, but we’re improving every 76ers, missing Australian star day and we don’t want to stop.” Ben Simmons due to a left knee The Celtics, who boasted injury, went on a 9-1 run over seven double-figure scorers, 4:30 for a 97-87 edge to seal it. ahead in Hathab with Big Tour title never trailed against the NBA’s Sixers coach Brett Brown second-best defensive squad, liked Embiid boosting his game jumping ahead 52-37 at half- in the second half. time and outscoring the Rap- “I loved his physical ap- Results tors 39-20 in the third quarter. proach. The team needs that Open Class | Table A, One round against the clock, Art. 238.2.1 | “I don’t think it’s a surprise and feeds off that,” he said. 115/125cm | Prize-Money QAR 15,000 when your offense is dialed in “There was a physicality we like that,” Celtics coach Brad didn’t show much of in the 1. Rider: Hamad Nasser Al Qadi; Horse: Gibria-B; Faults: 0; Time: 56.71secs; Prize:QR3,750 Stevens said. first half.” 2. Nasser al Ghazali; What A Pleasure; 0; 59.00; QR3,000 Fred VanVleet led Toronto 3. Mohammed Saeed Haidan; Quick Step; 0; 60.16; QR2,250 with only 13 points, but the Celt- Grizzlies halt skid ics and Raptors could face each The Memphis Grizzlies, Big Tour | Table A, One round against the clock with jump off, other in the second round of the clinging to eighth in the West- Art. 238.2.2 | 130/145cm | Prize-Money QR35,000 playoffs and both sides know it ern Conference, snapped a four- 1. Faleh Suwead Al Ajami; Ulano; 0; 78.12; Jump-Off: Faults:7; Time: 44.01secs; Prize: QR9,625 could be much different. game restart losing skid by rout- 2. Cyrine Cherif; Collezione Cesaro Mikimoto; 0; 73.59; ret; QR7,000 “They are a good team,” ing Oklahoma City 121-92. Tatum said. “We’ll probably see Memphis guard Dillon 3. Hamad Nasser Al Qadi; SIEC Lonnie; 4; 71.73; QR5,250 them again.” Brooks scored a game-high 22 The Brooklyn Nets and Or- points while Morant and Jonas top podium place. added to the closeness of the lando Magic clinched the last Valanciunas each had 19 points. The 34-year-old Ajami, battles to be fought in the re- two berths in the East playoffs Oklahoma City, without who has competed at the 2010 maining legs. in different fashions. New Zealand center Steven Ad- World Championships and the Cyrine Cherif, riding Brooklyn, led by 22 points ams due to a left leg injury, led Asian Games, and achieved a Collezione Cesaro Mikimoto, from Caris LeVert and 21 from by as many as 18 points in the Team Silver medal position had made it to the jump-off Joe Harris, routed Sacramento first half but a 70-41 Memphis at the 2011 Pan Arab Games, along with Ajami but she had 119-106. The Nets (33-36) en- run produced a 95-78 lead en- made the most of the absence to retire in the jump-off. She, sured ninth-place Washing- tering the fourth quarter. of Big Tour leader Salman Mo- however, had done well enough ton could not pull within four The Grizzlies, 33-37, hammed Al Emadi who was to claim the runner-up spot. games to force a play-in series finish season games by facing earlier eliminated in this leg’s Hamad Nasser Al Qadi on under NBA restart rules. the East’s three top teams — competition. SIEC Lonnie finished third. Orlando (32-38) had a Toronto, Boston and NBA wins Al Emadi has been leading Earlier in the day, Hamad chance to win and seal a berth leader Milwaukee. the Big Tour with 172 points Nasser Al Qadi on his mount while Ajami was fourth with Gibria-B won the Open Class 163 points when the Hathab Table A, One round against series was intervened by the the clock (115/125cm) event coronavirus pandemic enforc- clocking 56.71secs faultlessly. Faleh Suwead Al Ajami in action on his mount Ulano during the Big Tour competition of Longines Qatar ing a four-month long break. Nasser al Ghazali on What Equestrian Tour Hathab-10 at the Qatar Equestrian Federation on Saturday. Today’s show may well see A Pleasure (59 secs) was Ajami topping the charts. Two second while Mohammed Tribune News Network Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab national equestrian team, more rounds remain and the Saeed Haidan on Quick Step Doha 2019-20 as he claimed the Ajami astride bay gelding eventual winners of the series (60.16secs) was third. 10th leg of the 12-round an- Ulano was a bit jittery in the are chosen on the basis of their Omar Al Mannai, Vice- Faleh Suwead Al Ajami nual series which concluded at jump-off of the round against best seven overall results from Chairman of the Organising showjumped his way into the Qatar Equestrian Federa- the clock with jump off, Art. the twelve rounds. Committee of the champion- reckoning for the top sport in tion on Saturday. 238.2.2 | 130/145cm event Al Emadi could well make a ship, crowned the podium A TV grab showing Kemba Walker during Boston Celtics’ match the Big Tour class of Longines A member of the Qatar but did enough to ensure the comeback but Ajami has surely finishers. against defending NBA champion Toronto on Friday. Zarco surprises in-form Quartararo for Czech MotoGP pole in Brno AFP race and to fight for the podi- Brno (Czech Republic) um so we will do our best for tomorrow and it will be a total- Johann Zarco claimed a sur- ly different race from Jerez.” prise pole for this weekend’s Czech MotoGP on Saturday ‘Bad news’ for Rossi three hundredths of a second Starting Grid Yamaha’s Rossi, who is eyeing ahead of championship leader his 200th career podium, also Grid for Sunday’s Czech MotoGP: Fabio Quartararo. Front row: 1. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati-Avintia), 2. bemoaned the weather condi- Team Jumbo-Vismarider Belgium’s Wout van Aert celebrates after The Ducati-Avintia rider Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha-SRT), 3. Franco tions. winning the one-day classic cycling race Milan-San Remo in San shut out his French compa- Morbidelli (ITA/Yamaha-SRT) “Unfortunately the tem- Remo on Saturday. (AFP) triot who won the opening two Second row: 4. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aprilia), 5. perature rose a lot in the after- Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha), 6. Pol Espargaro rounds of the coronavirus- (ESP/KTM) noon and the asphalt was also curtailed season from pole for Third row: 7. Brad Binder (RSA/KTM), 8. Danilo 10 degrees hotter than yester- Belgium’s Van Aert sprints Yamaha’s satellite SRT team. Petrucci (ITA/Ducati), 9. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) day, and we suffered because Fourth row: 10. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha), 11. Zarco, 30, who left KTM in Alex Rins (ESP/Suzuki), 12. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/ of this,” he told his team’s to maiden ‘Monument’ the middle of last season due Honda-LCR) website. to poor results, claimed his Selected: Sixth row 18. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/ “I will have to start from AFP Aert, who also finished third in sixth career MotoGP pole and Ducati). P10. This is bad news for to- Milan the Milano-Torino this week. his first since 2018. morrow’s race, because eve- “Today is a special day as “I can’t believe it that I got rybody is strong and starting Belgium’s Wout Van Aert I won my first Monument. It pole position,” he said. from further down the grid won a sprint finish to clinch has been a beautiful restart of “Beginning of qualifying, will be very hard. the Milan-San Remo, his first the season for me.” the first tyre, with the warmth, “But my pace is good, so I victory in one of cycling’s He added: “On the Poggio it was a bit too much and I will have to start well and try ‘Monument’ one-day classic (hill), I was at the limit, the ef- couldn’t go as fast as I did this to ride a good race and recover races on Saturday. fort was horrible for my legs. morning. On the second tyre I some positions,” he added. The Jumbo-Visma rider “Alaphilippe attacked finally managed better my gap World champion Marc pipped last year’s winner Ju- earlier than I expected and with the rider I was following. Marquez continues to be ab- lian Alaphilippe of France I couldn’t hold his wheel so I “I’m just so happy. I need to sent as he recovers from an- on the line after the gruelling had to go and chase him down. use this good position to start other bout of surgery on the 305km race in hot and sunny “He played it very well. well tomorrow,” he added. arm he broke in a first race conditions through north- Luckily I just had enough pow- Quartararo’s team-mate crash of the campaign. western Italy. er left to beat him on the line.” Franco Morbidelli will start Ducati-Pramac’s Franc- Van Aert crossed the finish “As a Belgian, the Tour of in third for Sunday’s race in esco Bagnaia also misses the line on the Italian Riviera after Flanders and Paris-Roubaix Brno with seven-time cham- Esponsorama Racing´s French rider Johann Zarco in action during the qualification of the Moto GP Czech race after fracturing his leg 7hrs 16min and 09sec in the are on top of my list,” added pion Valentino Rossi in 10th Grand Prix at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, on Saturday. (AFP) on Friday. saddle, just a week after winning Van Aert of the two races in and Andrea Dovizioso back Youngster Quartararo his first major one-day race, the October. “I climb quite well in 18th. sius in Brno played a key role unfortunately Cal crashed in was really bad, the tarmac. We leads second-placed Maver- Strade Bianche, in Tuscany. and I have a good TT (time tri- The 21-year-old collided in his result. front of us,” he told MotoGP’s know that it’s the first lap of ick Vinales, who starts fifth “It’s unbelievable to win al). Everything except Grand with LCR’s Cal Crutchlow “Really happy in the end, website. the tyre or it’s gone. at the Masaryk Circuit, by 10 Milan-San Remo after Strade Tour victories should be with- early on in the second run and the most important thing was “We know in these times “It will not be an easy race, points in the championship Bianche,” said 25-year-old Van in my capabilities.” said the heat of 30 degrees cel- to be on the front row but in these conditions, the track we know we have the pace to standings. Sunday, August 9, 2020 15 Report by Ailyn Agonia For events and press releases email [email protected] or Ailyn Agonia Kabayan Corner Ailyn Agonia call (974) 4000 2222 Ailyn Agonia

Filipino filmmaker turns to writing to reach out to people undergoing depression

Janix Pacle, the author of ‘Portraits of the Wind’. (Photos: Billy Gene Gonzales)

rom telling stories cinemati- cluding your target readers and your da because we had to travel to remote areas to professionals and doing research. About cally to reaching out to those choice of book title. and the road conditions were terrible. It myself, I learned that it does not matter With his first book, undergoing depression through During the publishing process, when was literally bone-shaking. So, staring and how I tell my stories, whether in film or in a book, this has been the recent asked about the same question, I men- typing on a smartphone with a tiny screen writing. I just hope that people would ac- ‘Portraits of the journey of Doha-based Filipino tioned that my target are teens to adult, while being jolted around inside a 1998 van tually see or read them. That’s the only re- filmmakerF Janix Pacle. and it was given a General Fiction and Ro- with no airconditioning, difficult is an un- ward I could ask for. Wind’, Janix Pacle Pacle has been working as a director and mance genre. But my real target audience derstatement, but I managed it anyway. director of photography for various com- are those who are also undergoing, or have I completed the first draft in Siem Riep, From being a filmmaker to being a shows his passion to mercials and corporate films. With the re- undergone depression. I think this story Cambodia. To celebrate, I took a quick dip in book author, what are the challenges lease of his first book titled ‘Portraits of the would really resonate with them. It does the pool and had dinner with the crew at the of venturing into another field? How connect with people Wind’, he has once again proven his deep not offer any kind of blatant inspiration mall next door. Then in Kenya, I started re- does being a filmmaker an advantage love to connect with people through the art or motivation, but it does show a life that reading the whole book and proceeded with or helped in your writing project? through the art of of storytelling. would somehow resonate with their own. some major revisions again. The only challenge I encountered at ‘Portraits of the Wind’ is a story about And by witnessing the character’s journey, Then come October, I am happy with my first was how will I show the scene through storytelling. The frustration, grief and happiness. It un- I hope it would somehow reveal the light at first draft and gave it to the editors to have a words. Being a filmmaker, when writing a folds the different ways of coping with grief the end of the pitch-black tunnel. look. They came back with their comments, screenplay, it’s easy to show what’s going on. book delves deep through the main characters Luma, a cyclist, I came up with the title Portraits of the I wrote again, and finally, June 2020, I had You’re allowed to say “we see this character” and Xavi, a photographer. Wind because, as also explained by Xavi in placed the final period on the text. It was or “the camera pans to reveal this charac- into frustration, grief The book, which was recently released, is the book, the wind to me captures all the quite an adventure writing this book, some- ter,” but in books those techniques wouldn’t now available in all online stores. It is likely emotions of the world. The wind is an inno- times I wrote while my daughter is sitting make sense. You have to carefully choose the and happiness, and to be available in major bookstores in the cent element of nature that breathes joy and on my lap because she wants to play with right words and craft them meticulously to Philippines and other physical stores. Part of sadness to someone’s heart. I am very much me. I also gained weight, a lot of weight, be- portray the scene that you want to portray. unfolds the myriad the proceeds of the book will go to the social in love with the wind in that regard. If you cause I tend to munch uncontrollably while Once you get used to that, it unlocks a whole media advocacy group #MentalHealthPH see all my previous films, I always make sure I think -- and writing involves a lot of think- new level of cinematography -- it’s cinema- ways of coping and to non-government organisation Kaya to have lots of wind. ing. Thankfully, I have already shed all those tography with words. On the contrary, com- Natin! Movement for helping COVID-19 weight and I’m ready for another round. ing from a filmmaking background, molding with sadness frontliners in the Philippines. How was your journey in putting this the overall story was easier since I already In an interview with Qatar Tribune, book project together? On the beneficiaries of the proceeds have some knowledge about storytelling. Pacle talked about his inspiration for his Working on this book was a tedious jour- of the project, why did you choose the All I had to do is translate that knowledge in new project that he worked on for a year. ney. Having a day job, I can only sneak in a two organisations? the language of book writing. Writing novels He also shared his beautiful journey as well few lines that randomly pops up in my head. This may sound naive, or maybe it is and screenplays are basically the same in the as the challenges of venturing into another Then when I get home, I start arranging the naive, that I actually don’t care about how sense of plots, beats, acts. The one big differ- creative field. Excerpts: random beats and plots that I have written much money I make in writing this book. ence with books is that you have the ability down. I could also say that I have written 70 I wrote this book because I like to tell sto- to put down an unlimited amount of words, Q: What inspired you to write the book percent of this book using my phone. That ries, that’s why the book is priced very low. whereas in screenplays, you are limited to Portraits of the Wind? How did you was not an easy task, but I had no other Now because the book deals with mental your film’s run time. come up with the idea for the book? choice. I started writing by June 2019, I got health, I started searching for mental health Pacle: I have been meaning to write to twenty pages by the end of the month, and institutions in the Philippines. I sent emails How can interested readers get hold a book for a long time now, but I always then by July, I highlighted all the text and to a few of them and the first one who an- of your new book? put it off. Instead, I kept on writing more pressed backspace. I started over again. swered, actually, the only one who answered So far, the eBook and paperback are screenplays for short films. But making films By August, we were commissioned by was MentalHealthPH. They are a social available through online stores such as Am- -- good films -- is a tall order. It wasn’t any- an NGO in Qatar to go to four different media advocacy group that offers support azon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, and more like when I was still a freelancer that I countries to document the charity efforts to those who need it. And since we are also much more. You can have a look at the links had all the time in the world to make my own that they were doing. We went to Uganda, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, I in my website www.janixpacle.com or visit films. Now that I have a full-time job and a Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Kenya. I wrote also reached out to Kaya Natin! Movement, my Facebook page Janix Pacle. If you want cheeky daughter, I had to put personal film whenever I can. I wrote at the airport while who’s donating to PPEs to frontliners, and a paperback and want to save cost on ship- projects on hold, but I still have the urge to waiting for our flight, I wrote in the air- offered them some of the profits that the ping, just send me a direct message and I can tell stories. Why not a book? So, one day in plane whenever there was WiFi available, book would make. arrange a cheaper option by pooling paper- June of 2019, I opened Microsoft Word and and I wrote down on the ground when back orders together. stared at a blank page for a long time. I didn’t traveling between locations. I would say What did you learn while writing the know what to write. So, I turned to my stock- it was fortunate that in each country that book, including about yourself? What are your upcoming projects? pile of un-produced screenplays, took two of we visited, the filming locations are always Writing involves a lot of research, and I I have another book in the pipeline, them, and merged them into one story. around 3-6 hours away from our hotel, so made sure that each character trait and the but right now I am concentrating on I had a lot of time to write. It wasn’t that struggles they are going through are as ac- launching educational videos targeting The book cover of ‘Portraits of the Wind’. Can you tell more about the book in- easy though, especially in Kenya and Ugan- curate as possible. I learned a lot by talking the Filipino people.

Janix Pacle during a film shoot. 16 Sunday, August 9, 2020 The Last Word QNTC invites community to rediscover Qatar with exciting summer offerings Qatar Summer Programme includes staycation packages, Culture Pass discounts, virtual fashion shows as well as outdoor activities Tribune News Network Doha

Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) has launched a vibrant programme of offers and activations for residents to enjoy during the summer holidays, as the country pre- pares to welcome back the world. A host of exciting hospital- ity deals, outdoor experiences and activities centered around fashion, arts and culture are in store for people of all ages and interests. at more than 40 establish- be updated regularly with the and discounts at museum ca- Residents can reconnect with safari packages. zens and residents to explore The Qatar Summer Pro- ments across the country. latest offers. fes, restaurants and gift shops. nature on a camping and de- Through fruitful collabo- and rediscover the unique ex- gramme will be offered in col- These include discounts of up As Qatar’s renowned cul- Later this summer, resi- sert safari at the Inland Sea’s ration with its stakeholders, periences Qatar has to offer. laboration with QNTC’s part- to 50 percent on room book- tural institutions open their dents will get a glimpse of the Al Bahar Beach Camp, enjoy QNTC is developing attractive In preparation for wel- ners from across the public ings, hotel packages with an doors once again, residents latest style trends with a virtu- a barbeque lunch or dinner, promotions and activations to coming back the community, and private sectors, including additional free night stay, will be able to avail of a 20 al fashion show featuring local or rent a 4x4 for exhilarating strengthen the tourism indus- QNTC recently launched the hospitality, Qatar Museums beach and pool packages, as percent discount on select designers. The first of its kind, rides over the sand dunes. try and ancillary sectors such Qatar Clean programme in (QM) and United Develop- well as special food and bev- Culture Pass memberships in- the show will be broadcast live Tour operator 365 Adventures as retail, culture and hospitali- partnership with the Ministry ment Company (UDC), among erage (F&B) promotions. cluding Culture Pass Plus and from QNTC social media ac- will draw residents to Qatar’s ty, working to deliver a vibrant of Public Health, which sets others. QNTC will feature the offers Culture Pass Family, entitling counts including Instagram, stunning coastline with spe- calendar of events throughout strict standards for sterilisa- To celebrate summer, on Facebook, Instagram and pass holders to exclusive priv- Facebook and YouTube Live. cial promotions on kayaking the year that reinforce Qatar’s tion and disinfection that all QNTC has partnered with ho- YouTube, as well as through ileges at all QM entities, such For those more inclined to and fishing trips,paratriking position as a preferred tourist hotel establishments must tels to bring residents a wide its dedicated website, Qatar as free admission at museums adventure, a variety of outdoor and scuba diving, speed boat destination for families. This adhere to, ensuring guests can range of staycation packages Staycation (https://www.qa- and galleries, VIP invites to excursions will be introduced and yacht rentals, in addition year’s summer programme enjoy a worry-free experience and other hospitality deals tarstaycation.com), which will tours, talks and workshops, to satiate any thrill-seeker. to sunrise and full-day desert presents ample choices for citi- this summer and beyond. QA continues rebuilding US network, to resume First-ever virtual fashion flights to Houston, PHL show kick-starts Qatar Tribune News Network Doha QATAR Airways – the only Summer Programme Gulf carrier that never stopped flying to the US during the COVID-19 crisis in an effort to take over 160,000 stranded AUDIENCES from across the world tuned into people home – has continued Qatar’s first virtual fashion show on Thursday to work closely with the US (August 6). Hosted by Qatar National Tourism government and airports as the airline rebuilds its US net- Council (QNTC), in collaboration with United work. Development Company (UDC), the show fea- The national carrier of the tured leading local and international designers State of Qatar further builds – The Project, Per Lei Couture, Ashwa Fashion on its commitment to the US and Youssef Al Jasmi – in the ready-to-wear, market with the resumption of flights to two additional US menswear and evening wear categories, along gateways, Houston (IAH) and with the abaya brand Shades. The show be- Philadelphia (PHL) along with gan with a tribute to the people of Lebanon in expanding frequencies to daily the wake of Tuesday’s tragedy. Set against the to Los Angeles (LAX) from Au- scenic backdrop of The Pearl-Qatar, the virtual gust 12 and double daily to New show was the opening event of The Qatar Sum- York (JFK) from September 1. With the addition of three mer Programme, a vibrant line-up of offers and weekly flights to Houston from events arranged by QNTC for residents to enjoy September 2, and four weekly during the summer holidays. The flights to Philadelphia from programme brings residents a September 15 , the airline’s US host of hospitality deals and operations grow to eight gate- ways including Boston, Chi- promotions on cultural cago, Dallas-Fort Worth and activities and outdoor Washington, D.C., strengthen- adventures. For addi- ing its position as the leading tional details on stayca- international carrier operating tion offers, visit Qatar services to and from the US. Strong partnerships in Staycation (https://www. place with American Airline qatarstaycation.com). and JetBlue, which currently empower Qatar Airways pas- sengers to book onward travel with American Airline on more than 600 daily flights and with JetBlue on more than 70 daily flights, will amplify the reach of these flights even further. By mid-September 2020, travellers will gain access to 56 weekly flights in the airline’s US network and will be able to book onward travel with American Airline to over 200 incredible US gateways.” and became uniquely posi- destinations on more than 850 Travellers can plan their tioned to effectively rebuild its daily flights, and with JetBlue travel to Qatar Airways’ eight network. to over 55 destinations on US destinations with peace The carrier has stringently more than 150 daily flights. of mind as the carrier has ex- implemented the most ad- Qatar Airways Group Chief tended its booking policies to vanced safety and hygiene Executive Akbar Al Baker said: offer passengers maximum measures on board its aircraft “Qatar Airways has remained flexibilityand choice, ranging and in Hamad International committed to bringing people from unlimited date changes Airport – from introducing home safely since the onset of to the option of changing your enhanced PPE suits for cabin the pandemic, and our com- destination as often as need- crew, to becoming the first air- mitment to the US, a very im- ed within 5,000 miles of the line to require passengers to portant strategic market, has original destination. Fare dif- wear face shields in addition never wavered. We are proud ference fees will not apply for to face coverings. of our repatriation efforts to- travel completed before De- Additionally, passen- date and we look forward to cember 31, 2020. Full terms gers flying Business Class providing travellers access to and conditions are available on Qsuite, which has been even more flights to the US at www.qatarairways.com/Re- awarded the Best Business with the resumption of flights lyOnUs. Class Seat in the World, can to Houston and Philadelphia, Over the past several enjoy full privacy, including two major cities. The addi- months, Qatar Airways has led sliding privacy partitions and tion of these flights brings us the industry by maintaining a fully closing doors. Passengers to eight US destinations and global network that never fell can also opt to use the ‘Do Not maintains our position as the below 30 destinations. In do- Disturb (DND)’ indicator in largest international carrier in ing so, the airline collected un- their private suite, if they wish the US, and we look forward to rivalled experience in carrying to limit their interactions with soon returning to all ten of our passengers safely and reliably the cabin crew.