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WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 25 SHA'ABAN - 1442 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 8585 www.thepeninsula.qa 2 RIYALS

Minister affirms Qatar’s proactive COVID-19 strategy

QNA — DOHA Qatar has sufficient bed capacity to meet any future increases in demand for Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, hospital admission. yesterday visited Al Wakra Hospital to meet senior By adding Al Wakra Hospital to COVID-19 members of Hamad Medical hospital network, an extra 400 hospital Corporations Tactical Command Group and Al Wakra beds and 150 intensive care beds are Hospitals leadership team available for patients. following the designation of the hospital as a COVID-19 medical facility. support for COVID-19 patients, should the demand The majority of services at patients,” said Dr. Al Kuwari. require them,” explained Dr. Al Wakra Hospital were trans- “We have taken a proactive Al Kuwari. ferred to other hospitals in the approach to our capacity During the visit to Al Wakra public healthcare sector to expansion strategy throughout Hospital, the Minister of Public enable Al Wakra to be utilized the pandemic, ensuring that Health discussed with HMC as a dedicated COVID-19 we always have sufficient bed senior leaders how the hospital facility. capacity to meet any future will play an important role in the “In recent weeks we have increases in demand for hos- strategy to ensure the healthcare seen a significant increase in pital admission. There are now system is able to manage any the number of people more than 2,100 COVID-19 future escalation in the number requiring admission to hos- patients being cared for in of COVID-19 patients needing pital due to moderate and HMC hospitals, including over medical treatment. The Minister Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari during her visit to Al Wakra severe COVID-19 symptoms. 400 admitted to intensive also inspected the inpatient units Hospital, yesterday. The designation of Al Wakra care, and by adding Al Wakra and intensive care units as they Hospital, one of the largest Hospital to our COVID-19 hos- prepare to admit COVID-19 patients with COVID-19. By cre- are best utilised to deliver high- medical services can do so hospitals in HMCs network, pital network we now have an patients. ating a clear divide between our quality care to COVID-19 pos- safely, without the risk of means we now have seven extra 400 hospital beds and “Al Wakra Hospital becomes COVID-19 facilities and non- itive patients. Additionally, infection,” said HMCs Chief facilities solely dedicated to 150 intensive care beds the seventh HMC facility dedi- COVID-19 facilities we can patients attending non- Medical Officer Dr. Abdulla Al providing medical care and available for COVID-19 cated to providing care for ensure our COVID-19 resources COVID-19 facilities for regular Ansari. `P2 QA operates world’s first fully vaccinated flight Three Azure Cloud MOHAMMED OSMAN Data Centers to begin THE PENINSULA We are proud to continue leading the industry Qatar Airways has become the by operating the first flight with a fully operations in early 2022 first airline to operate the world’s first fully COVID-19 vaccinated crew and passengers and AYENI OLUSEGUN vaccinated flight. The multiple providing a beacon of hope for the future of THE PENINSULA award-winning airline’s flight international aviation. We are thankful for the QR6421, which departed support received from our government and The Minister of Transport and Hamad International Airport at local health authorities to vaccinate our staff, Communications H E Jassim bin 11am yesterday, carried fully with over 1,000 vaccinations being Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti said the 24,000 COVID-19 vaccinated administered per day Ministry of Transport and passengers and crew onboard. Communications (MoTC) is Qatar Airways from the H E Akbar Al Baker determined to place Qatar as a Microsoft Azure to beginning of COVID-19 outbreak regional ICT hub and a desti- provide around took initiative of leading the nation for international 24,000 new jobs in recovery of international travel, investors by investing in cloud Qatar by 2024. and yesterday’s flight carrying airline continued flying to help “Today’s special flight demon- With aviation being a critical eco- computing. only vaccinated crew and pas- repatriate millions of stranded strates the next stage in the nomic driver both globally and here The Minister disclosed this sengers onboard and fully vacci- passengers and transport recovery of international travel is in Qatar, we are thankful for the during a virtual event hosted $3.14bn nated staff at check-in, conveyed essential medical supplies, while not far away. We are proud to con- support we have received from our by the MoTC and Microsoft to a message of hope that it is the also implementing the latest tinue leading the industry by oper- government and local health celebrate the first anniversary Microsoft Azure to beginning of the end of COVID-19 innovations in biosafety and ating the first flight with a fully vac- authorities to vaccinate our staff, of cloud migration via Microsoft create around restrictions on air travels. hygiene,” said Qatar Airways cinated crew and passengers and with over 1,000 vaccinations being Azure. $3.14bn opportunities “When the pandemic hit its Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar providing a beacon of hope for the administered per day,” he added. The Minister also of new revenue over peak in early April last year, our Al Baker in a statement. future of international aviation. Speaking to media before announced the completion of the next five years. the flight take-off at the HIA, construction and infra- Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways structure for three data is the first international carrier centers for Microsoft Azure Country Manager, Microsoft to operate fully vaccinated that would begin operations Qatar, MoTC and Microsoft offi- flight. All the crew in the plane in the first quarter of 2022, cials, and others. and the passengers are vacci- making Qatar the 55th Azure “We are determined to nated. For the vast majority region in the world. invest in cloud computing for of the passengers in the flight The new cloud region will Qatar to become a regional this was their first flight since enable organisations to avail hub for ICT and a destination the outbreak of the coronavirus, enterprise-grade performance, for international investors in making the trip extremely exciting security, combined with data the field. Slightly more than a giving great hope to all, where the residency and the broadest year ago, we concluded a stra- passengers on board were pro- compliance. tegic partnership with Passengers were given certificates vided with Super WiFi that com- The event was attended by Microsoft to establish a showing first international bines the latest technology from the Chargé d’Affaires of the US regional center in Qatar for airline carrying fully vaccinated Inmarsat, SITA for Aircraft and Embassy in Doha, Ambassador Microsoft Azure Cloud,” he passengers. Thales”. `P2 Greta C. Holtz, Lana Khalaf, said. `P2 DFI to host 9th Ajyal Film Festival hybrid edition from Nov 7 THE PENINSULA — DOHA compelling films from across the world. our positive momentum by delivering a DFI’s annual signature event is an community-oriented festival that will After the resounding success of the Ajyal immersive celebration of community inspire all. Film Festival’s hybrid edition last year, and the permeating power of film for “Ajyal’s focus on nurturing young the ninth edition of the annual event by audiences across generations, with a talent and cinematic voices from the Doha Film Institute (DFI) will be held unique focus on young talent devel- around the world fuels our belief that from November 7 to 19. opment through its internationally in these unprecedented times, the Continuing to follow safety protocols, acclaimed youth jury programme for impact of film and art moves beyond QUARTER-FINALS the festival will once again be held in ages eight to 25. boundaries and limitations, and its TODAY 10PM QATAR TIME hybrid format, with a selection of in- Announcing the festival dates for this innate power to connect and inspire is person events and online activations. year, Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival nurturing the appreciation and now more important than ever.Taking FC Porto vs Chelsea One of the region’s most anticipated Director and Chief Executive Officer engagement of youth in creative and into consideration that travel restric- film festivals celebrating creative inter- of DFI, said: “The ninth edition of the critical thinking. Ajyal continued to set tions are still in place in many coun- FC Bayern Munich vs Paris action and promoting cultural under- festival reinforces its founding phi- a new standard in promoting cinema, tries, we will continue to maximize the Saint-Germain standing through cinema, Ajyal Film Fes- losophy: to celebrate the finest of despite the challenges following the reach of the hybrid modeland ensure that tival 2021 will return to showcase cinema from around the world while pandemic, and we will build on all safety protocols are met.” `P2 02 HOME WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021

Three Azure Cloud Data Centers OFFICIAL NEWS Amir sends to begin operations in early 2022 condolences to Indonesia President FROM PAGE 1 expected to contribute 8% to the QNV 2030. Qatar’s GDP by 2030. Ambassador Greta Holtz The Minister of Transport Meanwhile, Lana Khalaf, said the private sector part- DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim and Communications H E Country Manager of Microsoft nership between the US and bin Hamad Al Thani, Deputy Amir Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti Qatar, said the cloud computing Qatar is strong and growing H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad saidsaid that construction work programme has helped organ- based on shared goals of sus- Al Thani, and Prime Minister and considered the importance of izations reduce operation costs tainability and innovation. Minister of Interior H E Sheikh Kha- using clean energy and limiting by approximately 40% and “The achievement between lid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al carbon emissions. HE the Min- enhanced security posture by Qatar and the US in the tech Thani sent yesterday cables of ister added that work is ongoing more than 35%. The Azure Qatar sector and our deep partnership condolences to President of the to ensure the centres are linked National Framework has also stems directly from QNV 2030. Republic of Indonesia H E Joko together using fiber optics to been established to focus on ICT is the underlying backbone Widodo on the victims of Cyclone ensure data availability at all four points, including digitali- of many of the Qatar National Seroja that struck southeastern times. zation (AI, IoT etc.), people (to Vision 2030 goals with out- Indonesia, wishing the injured a Qatar’s public sector is provide around 24,000 new standing initiatives such as the speedy recovery. — QNA among the world leaders in the jobs in Qatar by 2024), and TASMU programme. The world- Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim Saif Ahmed use of AI today. Nearly 30% of reskill more than 10,000 indi- class solutions offered and Amir sends Al Sulaiti participating in the virtual event. Azure usage comes from viduals annually. delivered by multiple US Com- condolences to advanced data workloads ena- Kalaf stressed that eco- panies in the tech sector have bling intelligent analytics and nomic growth is another crucial flourished in this ideal envi- for overcoming the current Primary Health Care Corpo- President of decision making to interpret point in the framework aiming ronment. From education and challenges using Microsoft cloud ration. Al Jazeera won the Madagascar data. The Qatar Azure Centre to further position as a digital healthcare to food security and technologies, based on special Industry Innovation, Ministry of will reduce carbon footprints hub, creating around $3.14bn oil and gas and other sectors, evaluation criteria relating to Commerce and Industry and by producing up to 98% less opportunities of new revenue US tech firms are here to innovation, cost optimization Ministry of Administrative DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin carbon emissions through for the economy over the next support Qatar and create jobs and crisis response. The winners Development, Labor and Social Hamad Al Thani and Deputy Amir renewable energy, reducing five years, significantly for the future with our are, Crisis Response: Ministry of Affairs claimed the Business H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad energy consumption by over impacting the GDP. trademark American inno- Interior, Ministry of Education Continuity recognition, Qatar Al Thani sent yesterday cables of 30%. Also, sustainability is a vital vation and sustainability.” and Higher Education and the Free Zones Authority (Born on condolences to President of the A PwC study recently stated piece of the project to reduce On the sidelines of the health sector represented by Cloud) while MoTC were recog- Republic of Madagascar H E Andry that the development and carbon footprint in line with event, several organisations Ministry of Public Health, nised with the Cost Optimization Nirina Rajoelina on the death of deployment of AI solutions are Qatar’s sustainability vision per were recognized Hamad Medical Corporation and award. former president Didier Ratsiraka. Prime Minister and Minister of Inte- rior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani also sent Shura Council participates a cable of condolences to Prime Minister of the Republic of Mada- in Arab Parliament’s gascar H E Christian Louis Ntsay on the death of former president Committee meetings Didier Ratsiraka. — QNA Amir sends QNA — DOHA congratulations to The Shura Council participated in the first session of the third Vietnam President legislative term of the Arab Parliament, during the period from April 7-10. 2021, in the Egyptian capital Cairo. DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim Meetings of the Arab Parliament Committees will be held today bin Hamad Al Thani and Deputy Qatar, Russia review cooperation in sports and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday), while the plenary Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin session will be held on Saturday morning. Hamad Al Thani sent yesterday Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali met yesterday with Minister of Sport of The Shura Council is represented at these meetings by H E cables of congratulations to H E the Russian Federation H E Oleg Matytsin. During the meeting, which was held via video conference, Yousef bin Rashid Al Khater, H E Saqr Bin Fahad Al Muraikhi, H President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on aspects of joint cooperation between the two countries and ways to support and develop them in E Dr. Aisha bint Yousef Al Mannai and H E Khalid Bin Abdulla Al taking the oath of office as Pres- the sports field were reviewed. Buainain, members of the Arab Parliament. ident of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Prime Minister and Min- ister of Interior H E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani DFI to host 9th Ajyal Film Fest also sent a cable of congratula- tions to H E Pham Minh Chinh on hybrid edition from Nov 7 taking the oath of office as Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. — QNA FROM PAGE 1 country’s musical talents through a Ajyal Film Festival 2021 will have mix of online initiatives and in- several exciting features that will be person concerts. Minister affirms announced in due course. Submis- Guests can also look forward to sions of feature length and short the Ajyal Exhibition series that Qatar’s proactive films for the festival will open on present works of art by emerging April 20, that will screen films from and accomplished local artists. COVID-19 strategy across the globe including DFI-sup- An invaluable exchange of FROM PAGE 1 ported films in addition to the culture and learning through film, acclaimed ‘Made in Qatar’ pro- Ajyal’s move into the virtual sphere “Due to the designation of gramme of films by Qatari and last year inspired an even greater Al Wakra Hospital as a Qatar-based filmmakers. number of participants to benefit COVID-19 facility we have The ever-popular Ajyal Crea- from this one-of-a-kind cultural transferred the majority of tivity Hub will delight families with initiative. routine services to other hos- a multisensory extravaganza that The eighth edition of the festival pitals, meaning patients will combines film, art and music. screened 80 films from 46 countries continue being able to access Geekdom, Qatar’s largest and one- in an innovative mix of virtual and Al Hammadi meets Nigerien official excellent care during this time. of-a-kind popculture event; Ajyal in-person film screenings, inter- I would like to thank the public Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), H E Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Talks, gathering leaders from film, active discussions, and DFI’s first- for their support and under- Hammadi, met yesterday with Counselor at the Presidency of the Republic of Niger H E art, television, and technology for ever drive-in cinema in Lusail as standing during this second inspiring and insightful discussions; part of a programme of unique expe- Tafrej Baraka. During the meeting, they reviewed cooperation and relations between the wave of COVID-19,” added Dr. and Ajyal Tunes, celebrating the riences for all ages. two countries. Al Ansari. Daily new virus Turkish Souq launched in Ankara cases rise to 927 with new universal look THE PENINSULA — DOHA THE PENINSULA — DOHA Post, Faleh Al Naemi, who rep- The “Turkish Souq” is a The Ministry of public Health resented the Ministry of modern platform for e-com- yesterday announced the The online shopping platform Transport and Communications merce for Turkish commodities registration of 927 new “Turkish Souq” was launched (MoTC) of Qatar; and Turkey and products. confirmed cases of COVID-19. in Turkish capital Ankara Post PTT (Posta ve Telgraf Costumers are now able to Of the total new cases, 113 yesterday with a new universal Teşkilatı) Corporation Director- buy high-quality Turkish came from travellers returning look and feel in the context of General Hakan Gülten. products anywhere in the world from abroad. efforts to enhance trade coop- During the trial launch, with home delivery in Doha via Also 512 people have eration between Ankara and several online purchases were Qatar Post. recovered from the virus Doha. made through the platform from The platform is owned bringing the total number of The event was attended by over 50 countries. Demand on equally between Qatar Post and cases recovered in Qatar to Turkish Minister of Transport the service is expected to grow PTT. It was first made available 166,953. and Infrastructure, Adil from around the world during for customers in Qatar in The Ministry also Karaismailoğlu; Chairman and the coming weeks and as mar- January 2018 and now it goes announced six new deaths, Officials from Turkey and Qatar during the launch event. Managing Director of Qatar keting begins. global. aged 34, 49, 52, 58, 76 and 79. Qatar Airways operates world’s first fully vaccinated flight FROM PAGE 1 largest long haul airline oper- important for people to realise The Chief Executive of the where passengers can use their important that Qatar Airways Passengers were given cer- ating in the world, adding that is that they have to be more Group emphasised that “Qatar smart phones to the system of gave 100,000 complimentary tificate that they were in the first the national carrier has plan to responsible when they travel in Airways has become the first the airplane and control enter- return tickets to healthcare staff international airline carrying continue operations. He said: order to be able to sustain habit global airline in the world to tainment system via their smart around the world and 21,000 to fully vaccinated passengers in “We see people want to travel of traveling and not try to take achieve the prestigious 5-Star phones.” teachers around the world in the airplane. “This trip proves to especially those who have been advantage of the vaccine and COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating Al Baker further said: “We 2020.” Meanwhile, Qatar the world that travel is safe once vaccinated. Travel is part of our take things for granted until by international air transport are the only airline in the world Airways Cargo has also played passengers are vaccinated and life; we cannot stay away from there is robust anti-viral drug rating organisation, Skytrax. that recognises that teachers a vital role in maintaining a they are comfortable to travel it. However getting vaccination similar to Tamiflu.” What is import to note is Qatar were risking themselves by reliable schedule across our without feeling the fear of is not a 100 percent guarantee. The special flight, showcased Airways is in the forefront of teaching students and similar network of destinations, he said, getting infected in the airplane. It works 95 to 96 percent, so still all the measures the airline has using Ultra-Violet (UV) to dis- thing done by medical staff that adding that since the onset of the Many people still fear not to get there is a chance of 4 percent of put in place to ensure the highest infect the airplanes making sure they put their lives in danger pandemic, Qatar Airways has infected in the airplane and this contracting the virus, and people standards of safety and hygiene that the crew are all properly when the disease was not known helped transport more than discourages them from will take very relax attitudes and on board, including its latest clothed with Personal Protection as major cause of death during 500,000 tonnes of medical sup- traveling,” said Al Baker. we may get another wave of innovation, the world’s first Equipment (PPE) and in addition the COVID-19 infections. Medical plies and delivered close to He further pointed out that infection.” ‘Zero-Touch’ in-flight enter- to this we have just introduced staff dedicated themselves to 20,000,000 doses of COVID-19 today Qatar Airways is the Al Baker stressed, “What is tainment technology. zero touch entertainment system treat patients, so it was vaccines to over 20 countries. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 HOME 03 QNTC outlines achievements and way forward at annual staff meeting

THE PENINSULA — DOHA Townhall spotlighted QNTC’s accom- With a push towards digital, QNTC has plishments over the past year, such as Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) the launch of “Qatar Clean” programme, has held its annual staff meeting at the been redeveloping the international carried out in collaboration with the drive-in cinema in Lusail which visitor website, and its partnership with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). included an overview of the entity’s Vodafone will allow it to harness big With a push towards digital, QNTC achievements over the past year. data and advanced analytics to has been redeveloping the international Despite the challenges brought accelerate Qatar’s goal of being a visitor website, and its partnership with about by the suspension of travel and Vodafone will allow it to harness big tourism globally, QNTC adapted, world-class tourist destination. data and advanced analytics to accel- focusing on building its digital mar- erate Qatar’s goal of being a world-class keting capabilities, and engaging stake- tourist destination. holders — both external and internal create dialogue, and share QNTC’s plans Other notable occurrences included — in capacity building initiatives. and strategic goals for the next few the launch of the “Qatar Calendar of QNTC Secretary-General and Qatar years. This townhall is also an oppor- Events” and the 17th edition of “Heya Airways Group Chief Executive, H E tunity to emphasise the importance of Arabian Fashion Exhibition”, which was QNTC Secretary-General and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Akbar Al Baker highlighted the achieve- achieving excellence and quality in all successfully organised under stringent Baker; QNTC Chief Operations Officer, Berthold Trenkel; and Director of Shared ments of the Qatari tourism industry our operations.” precautionary measures in line with and its aspirations to contribute signif- Trenkel praised the efforts of the the hygiene and safety guidelines put Services Omar Al Jaber, at the annual QNTC staff meeting at the drive-in cinema icantly to national economy. He Council’s employees as well as tourism forth by MoPH. in Lusail. stressed on the importance of each sector stakeholders who collaborated Trenkel distributed awards hon- employee’s role in boosting Qatar’s rep- in supporting Qatar’s efforts in halting ouring outstanding QNTC employees achieve our plans, and combined with line with the hygiene and safety guide- utation as a tourism destination and local transmission of the virus, partic- as well as those who have spent over the competencies of our new joiners, lines put forth by MoPH, such as promoting Qatar’s hidden gems. ularly the hospitality sector, which five years, more than 10 years, and over we will be able to enhance Qatar’s checking the “Ehteraz” application and On this occasion, QNTC Chief Oper- enabled citizens and residents to return 15 years contributing in the devel- position as a global tourist destination, measuring attendees’ body temper- ations Officer, Berthold Trenkel said: to Qatar by providing quarantine opment of the tourism sector. offering service excellence and ature, as well as maintaining physical “We are eager to use all communication facilities. He stated: “I am delighted to honour products that lead the competition in distancing. channels to stay close to our employees, He also lauded the role of the Coun- our long serving employees, who are the region.” Employees were also able to and this annual meeting is one of those cil’s employees in the Crisis Committee an important asset for the tourism The meeting was innovatively benefit from a variety of entertainment ways allowing us to exchange ideas, and the National Command Center. The sector. Their experiences will help us organised at the drive-in cinema, in offers. Qatar participates in two meetings for Customs Managers 477 booked for violating health QNA — DOHA (WCO) have also been reviewed System for classifying goods. and the recommendations The model of mutual recog- measures The State of Qatar recently related to the project of regional nition of the approved eco- participated in the 53rd electronic cargo tracking for nomic operator has also been QNA — DOHA Regional Meeting of Customs shipments passing through the presented, and developments Managers in North Africa, Near region. in the Arab Customs Cooper- The designated authorities East, and the Middle East, and During the regional ation Agreement and the yesterday referred 477 people the 41st Meeting of Customs meeting, participants also dis- Agreement on the Regulation to the Public Prosecution for Managers in the Arab Countries cussed terms of reference for of Transit Transport among violating the COVID-19 via video conference. appointing an Arabic-speaking Arab countries have been dis- precautionary measures. Qatar was represented by technical attache in WCO and cussed. It also reviewed the rec- Among them, 377 people the Chairman of General the developments of the Stra- ommendations implemented in were referred to the Public Authority of Customs (GAC) H tegic Planning Steering the previous meeting and the Prosecution for not wearing E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Jamal. Committee(SPSC), in addition rest of the topics on the meet- masks in places where they The regional meeting to discussing the mechanisms ing’s agenda. are mandatory, while 11 were addressed many topics, most of work to issue an electronic The General Authority of found violating the maximum prominent of which were the magazine on customs news of Customs participates in the number of four people allowed Chairman of General Authority of Customs H E Ahmed bin Abdullah report of building capacity in the region countries, and the regional and Arab-based in a vehicle including the Al Jamal participating in the meeting via video conference. the participating countries and proposal to establish a website periodic meetings to enhance driver, except when they are the report of the Regional Intel- for the customs of the countries mutual cooperation and coor- members of one family, 88 ligence Liaison Offices (RILO). of North Africa, Near, and the in the Arab Countries discussed exchanged electronically dination between the countries who did not adhere to the safe The efforts to include the Arabic Middle East. developments in the Arab between member states, and of the region and the Arab coun- distance, and one person for language in the work of the On the other hand, the 41st Customs Union, presented the updated translations and expla- tries in all customs fields, in line not installing Ehteraz app on World Customs Organization Meeting of Customs Managers data and information to be nations of the Harmonized with the standards of WCO. his mobile phone. Shura Council committee reviews aid for SMEs QNA — DOHA H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to these enterprises at the beginning of the coronavirus The Financial and Economic Affairs Committee pandemic to help them confront the difficulties of the Shura Council held a meeting on Tuesday, they face due to the pandemic, in the presence chaired by its Acting Rapporteur HE Nasser bin of Assistant Undersecretary for Trade Affairs at Rashid bin Saree Al Kaabi. the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Saleh During the meeting, the committee studied bin Majed Al Khulaifi. the standing of small and medium Enterprises The committee decided to complete the study (SMEs) in light of the support provided by Amir of this issue at its next meeting. Ashghal opens roads around Abu Nakhla Petrol Station in Mebaireek

THE PENINSULA — DOHA

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has completed work on roads and infrastructure around Abu Nakhla Petrol Station located on Salwa Road in Mebaireek, as part of Road Improvement Works in Al Rayyan Area, Phase 5. The road has been opened to the traffic The main purpose of the completed works is to provide safe roads and entrances for users of the petrol station, and regulate traffic around it, as well as facilitate access to the A view of the newly-built road in Mebaireek area, Salwa Road. existing schools in the neigh- bouring areas. Eng. Fahad Mohamed Al the project that serves both the from the risk of flooding, in Otaibi, Head of Western Area station and the educational addition to upgrading 300 Section in the Roads Project institutions, facilitates local meters of potable water Department, said Ashghal was access to them, and provides network lines and protecting keen to accelerate work infrastructure utilities and road electricity and telecommuni- progress of the roads around safety elements to fulfil the cations services’ lines. Abu Nakhla Petrol Station in needs of the residents of Eng. Al Otaibi stressed Ash- Mebaireek in order to serve Mebaireek and Abu Nakhla ghal’s keenness on using the users of this facility, areas as well as other nearby locally produced and manu- including visitors and resi- areas. factured materials. He pointed dents of this area and neigh- It is worth noting that the out that the local component bourhoods like Abu Nakhla project’s scope of works makes up 85% of the project and Al Sailiya. involved providing entrances works. Eng. Al Otaibi pointed out and exits to and from the petrol The local materials used that in addition to constructing station at a total road length of included Gabbro, lighting poles roads which serve the petrol 1.6 Km and asphalt works over and luminaires, surface water station, two roundabouts were a 10-squre meter-surface, as drainage pipes, asphalt, pre- constructed to facilitate and well as providing lighting fabricated manholes, concrete, regulate traffic access to the systems alongside the new and reinforcement steel. existing schools on Rawdat streets (1.6-km-long), and This project is part of Ash- Umm Islama Street, which are installing directional signage ghal’s plan to develop the located behind the station, and road markings. existing road network and including Al Sailiya School, Abu As for infrastructure works, improve its efficiency Nakhla School and Fatima 1.2-km-long stormwater and nationwide. Zahra School. surface water drainage net- It is worth noting that work He also stressed the impor- works have been implemented is underway to construct a new tance of the roads delivered by in order to protect the area bridge to serve Mebaireek area. 04 HOME WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 MADLSA concludes meeting on ‘Code of Conduct and Integrity of Public Officials’

QNA – DOHA number of government agencies He indicated that the is important. Amal Al Kuwari linked the participated in, through visual charter is consistent with the In turn, the first and second issuance of the charter and its The Ministry of Administrative communication technology, the United Nations Convention axis of the meeting was pre- The code of conduct and relationship with the position Development Labour and Social need to continue cooperation against Corruption, which the sented by Amal Al Kuwari and integrity for public officials, of the State of Qatar among the Affairs, represented by the between the institute and State of Qatar signed in 2008. spoke about public employment which was issued by Cabinet countries that fight corruption Institute of Public Adminis- government agencies to At the national level, this charter and the public employee, its in all its forms. As the State of tration, concluded the meeting implement training programs, comes in light of the ethics, benefits and implications Decision No. (18) for the year Qatar is considered one of the of the “Code of Conduct and meetings and joint activities to achievement of Qatar National for work by offering examples 2020 and ratified by HH the advanced countries in terms of Integrity of Public Officials”, implement the national Vision 2030. Furthermore, of positive behaviors at work. Amir, has set behavioral integrity, transparency and which it established in cooper- strategy. The General Director General Director of the Institute She touched on the goal of standards that govern the fighting corruption, and Trans- ation with the Administrative of the Institute of Public Admin- of Public Administration the meeting, which is to work of the employee who parency International confirms Control and Transparency istration stressed that the code referred to the speech of Amir introduce the code of conduct works in the public sector. this through its Corruption Per- Authority within the enrichment of conduct and integrity for H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and integrity of public ceptions Index (CPI), as the State meetings that the Institute holds public officials, which was Al Thani, at the 48th session of employees and to strengthen of Qatar ranked thirty-second annually for the participants in issued by Cabinet Decision No. the Shura Council 2019, which the values of integrity and Abdulaziz Saad Al Majali in the Arab world out of 180 the program of developing the (18) for the year 2020 and is: deep sense of duty by the transparency with regard to General Director of the countries in the world. During skills of those working in lead- ratified by HH the Amir, has set individual citizen towards the public employment, through Institute of Public the meeting, Ghalia Al Qahtani ership and supervisory posi- behavioral standards that society and the homeland. Cit- getting acquainted with the Administration addressed the third and fourth tions. General Director of the govern the work of the izenship includes rights not basic rules of public office ethics axes related to job specializa- Institute of Public Adminis- employee who works in the privileges. It doesnt only and building values and a pro- tions, and touched on some of tration Abdulaziz Saad Al Majali public sector. Among the most involve rights but also respon- fessional culture based on the details of the articles of the affirmed during the meeting in important of these behavioral sibilities and duties, foremost honesty and loyalty, and focused on building an efficient charter and their relationship which the directors of depart- standards are honesty, objec- among them is to work sin- defining the relationships workforce committed to work with the work environment and ments, assistant managers and tivity, fairness, equality, trans- cerely and with precision, each between the employee and his ethics, and its emphasis on the the rules and behaviors of the heads of departments in a parency, and integrity. in his position, as each position superiors and subordinates. She optimal use of public resources. public employee. Mandarin Oriental, Doha presents QF’s Doha Debates to spark conversations unique dining experiences for Ramadan on global challenges through films THE PENINSULA – DOHA THE PENINSULA – DOHA films. Selected films have been These summits, which will be curated to encourage robust held on Zoom, will explore Mandarin Oriental, Doha is Qatar Foundation’s Doha conversations, each high- story-driven strategies for delighted to host guests during Debates and US-based Points lighting people who are social change, including how the Holy Month of Ramadan. North Institute are teaming up addressing injustice and filmmakers, film protagonists, Iftar and Sohour at Mandarin to launch Solutions Cinema - inequity using the tools of com- and film audiences can each Oriental, Doha embodies the an initiative designed to foster munity organizing, politics, find agency to address inequity spirit of bringing families public dialogue and explore education, media-making, and and injustice. together. potential solutions to global the law to fight for a better Each session will include To create lasting memories challenges, helping empower future. noteworthy participants for both adults and children, individuals and communities Featured films will include including lawyers, elected offi- Mandarin Oriental, Doha, is to shape their future. two recent Sundance award- cials, academics, and activists. offering complimentary Iftar Solutions Cinema is a first- winning titles, Homeroom, by Students, educators, film- and Sohour for children up to of-its-kind partnership acclaimed director Peter Nicks, makers, and film industry pro- 12 years old when dining with between Doha Debates and and Writing With Fire by Rintu fessionals will also be invited their parents at Mosaic and IZU. Points North Institute, a non- Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh. to contribute to the Mosaic restaurant provides fiction arts organization best guests with an experiential “Silk known for producing the Route” dining experience based Camden International Film Fes- on the culinary flavours from tival as well as artist devel- the exotic destinations of Asia, opment initiatives that support the Middle East, and Europe. nearly 60 projects annually. The menu celebrates distinctive Interior of the IZU restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental, Doha. Kicking off this month with flavours prepared by our chefs a month-long series of free in nine live cooking stations at the mezzanine level. Ideal for Apricot Purée and Whole virtual film screenings and lead by Executive Chef Kim. a pleasant evening to share Roasted Chicken with Foie Gras summit-style interactive dis- Travel to destinations like Japan dishes in a refined and con- and Truffle Sauce. cussions, Solutions Cinema will for sushi, sashimi and genial ambience. Served à la Meanwhile, the Hazelnut bring together a global com- robatayaki grill, the Arabic carte, the menu is curated by Tiramisu Cake is available munity dedicated to story- kitchen with mezze and grills, Chef Izu and combines tradi- exclusively during the Holy driven social change. sizzling hot Tandoor oven bread tional flavours, fresh ingre- Month at The Mandarin Cake “Doha Debates is delighted and exotic curries from India, dients, and the essence of Shop or online on Shop MO for to partner with the Points North delicate dim sum and wok-fried French Mediterranean cooking. QAR 450. With a decadent Institute to launch Solutions dishes from China and South With favourites like the famous coffee Crème Brûlée, layered Cinema,” said Amjad Atallah, A still from the movie The Water Queen. East Asia, finally your visit con- Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina and with a gluten-free hazelnut Managing Director of Doha cludes at the dessert kitchen signature dishes that include sponge cake, milk chocolate Debates. The program also includes conversation. bringing the best of the French Lobster Salad and Asparagus, hazelnut crunch, and mas- “This initiative will be several short films recently pro- These meetings will be Riviera with a selection of Tuna Carpaccio with Citrus carpone cream. extraordinary, bringing duced by Doha Debates hosted by award-winning film- classic patisserie and sweets. Dressing, Seared Langoustine For further information and together filmmakers, educators, including Cherán: The Burning maker Marjan Safinia, director The set menu is priced at QAR with Gnocchi and Truffled reservations, call +974 4008 and students for thoughtful dia- Hope by filmmakers Elpida of the PBS series And She Could 260 per person. Butter, Grilled Tiger Prawns 8888, email modoh-reserva- logue and debate about how to Nikou and Rodrigo Hernández; Be Next and former board chair IZU restaurant welcomes with Aji Amarillo Peppers, Spicy [email protected] or visit man- better use the medium of film The Water Queen by South at the International Docu- guests for refined experiences Marinated Lamb Ribs with darinoriental.com/doha. in the pursuit of solutions to African filmmaker Lungelo mentary Association. some of humanity’s most chal- Mdlalose, and The Invisibles by “Social impact documen- lenging issues.” Italian filmmakers Carola taries have historically spent The inaugural Solutions Mamberto and Diana Ferrero. more time describing social Cinema program will be pre- Interactive discussions will problems than exploring peo- sented in four parts and will take place each Thursday this ple’s responses to them,” said include the screening of 12 month from 7pm to 8.30pm, Points North Program Director feature and short documentary Doha time, starting April 8. Sean Flynn. Ooredoo adds Microsoft 365 tools to Aamali mobile business plans

THE PENINSULA – DOHA

Ooredoo is strengthening its Aamali mobile business plans with the addition of Microsoft 365 tools to every pack. Customers subscribing to new Aamali Mobile services will be able to choose packs that suit their precise needs amid a changing market for digital services. Existing trends among contract holders reveal that Microsoft365 tools are popular when bundled with business mobile plans, while such customers also state that value for money is a high priority when making these business decisions. Ooredoo has responded by fine-tuning the range of Aamali mobile plans in line with these customer needs. In response to varying customer needs, Microsoft 365 bundles will be available to select different productivity tools. For instance, premium-price bundles come with Office Pro, while budget-price bundles come with an Office Email tool. Chief Commercial Officer at Ooredoo Sheikh Nasser Bin Hamad Bin Nasser Al Thani – said, “We recognise that for many small and medium enterprises, as well as for the self-employed, Microsoft 365 is an indispensable component for their activity. By integrating some or all of its fea- tures into Aamali mobile plans, Ooredoo is offering even better value for money while helping to increase office productivity.” WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 HOME 05 Winners of Social Responsibility Awards 2021 announced

THE PENINSULA – DOHA Responsibility Committee in a year or two. “It may take to provide excellent medical announced the Award winners. many years for the world to services. The Social Responsibility For the health sector, the award recover.” “Each of these institutions Committee of Dar Al Sharq went to the Ministry of Public He added: “Thanks to the had a task to perform, while the yesterday announced the Health; security sector to Min- sponsors of this conference, Ministry of Public Health was winners of the Social Respon- istry of the Interior; educational especially the Qatar Rail, Kah- the guide for providing medical sibility Awards 2021. sector to Ministry of Education ramaa, Lulu Hypermarket services, whether in the com- The winners included and Higher Education and Qatar Group, Qatar National Tourism munity or in hospitals,” he said. several sectors including health, Foundation; labor and workers Council, Qatar Charity, Dar Al Al Maslamai also referred to security, commercial, edu- sector to Ministry of Adminis- Sharq Group, and Sheikh Dr. another committee, the Com- cation, banking and humani- trative Development, Labour Khalid bin Thani Al Thani who munity Committee, which has tarian among others who had and Social Affair; media sector puts Dar Al Sharq’s capabilities a relationship with the Primary played an important role in to Qatar Media Corporation; at the service of social respon- Health Care Corporation and its Sheikh Dr Thani bin Ali Al Thani, Abdulla Ali Al Mawlawi, addressing the coronavirus commercial sector to Ministry sibility.” The conference also mission is to deal with infected Chairman of Social Responsibility Communication and Public pandemic. The 8th Social of Commerce and Industry; held three sessions on medical, cases in the community, Committee of Dar Al Sharq Relations Director, Qatar Rail. Responsibility Conference and business and retail sector to legal and humanitarian impli- whether in homes, schools, or Awards highlighted the role of Lulu Hypermarket; aviation cations of the pandemic, in government institutions. He also was different because of coop- this period provided a valuable companies and institutions in sector to Qatar Airways; sports addition to its effects on poor highlighted another important eration and solidarity, whether opportunity to add more facing the coronavirus pan- sector to Supreme Committee people, and also the roles point, which is the scientific from the Qatari government or services and equip other sta- demic. Three sessions also dis- for Delivery & Legacy; digital played by companies or gov- assistance provided by univer- from the local community with tions, so the trains were cussed the same issue. transformation sector to ernment institutions from the sities such as Qatar University all its institutions, which created equipped with the wireless,” he Speaking at the virtual con- many benefits for society.” He added. ference, Sheikh Thani bin Ali Al also pointed out the importance Al Mawlawi said: “The aim Thani, Chairman of Social of charitable work and social was and still is the continuation Responsibility Committee, said: solidarity in the context of social of services and the protection “The coronavirus pandemic for responsibility in general. of passengers and society. the second year in a row pushed “Last year in Ramadan there Therefore, during the last us to hold this conference vir- was the same issue on how to period, we were able to tually and the pandemic also deal with the pressure caused implement the permanent required us to visit the winners by the increase in consumption plastic card system as an alter- of Social Responsibility Awards in the month of Ramadan native to the paper ticket for honoring them in their during the pandemic. Lulu system.” Mohammed Ali Al places.” Hypermarket was keen to Ghamdi, assistant to Qatar “I am pleased to extend, on provide all the requirements Charity’s CEO in the Gov- behalf of the Social Responsi- without an increase in prices or ernance and Institutional bility Committee of Dar Al any crisis in the goods and Development Sector, said that Sharq, my thanks, congratula- products offered,” he Qatar Charity was present tions and wishes to H E the mentioned. during the coronavirus pan- Prime Minister and Minister of Abdulla Ali Al Mawlawi, demic in about 60 countries Interior, Chairman of the Speakers during sessions of the conference Communication and Public around the world at a cost of Supreme Committee for Crisis Relations Director, Qatar about $27m, from which about Management,” he added. Ooredoo; banking sector to perspective of social responsi- and Weill Cornell Medicine Uni- Railways Company (Qatar Rail) a million people benefited in “Thank you for making all Qatar Development Bank; logis- bility. Speaking at the first versity in charting the proba- said that the company has taken partnership with our interna- this wonderful and coordinated tical sector to Qatar Rail; session, Dr Yousef Al bility of increasing numbers and many precautionary measures tional partners or United effort to fight coronavirus and business organization sector to Maslamani, medical director of how to monitor them. “This and the aim is to protect pas- Nations organizations. congratulations for the success Qatar Chamber; energy sector Hamad General Hospital, said helped in providing hospital sengers and protect society. “This was the largest emer- of the state agencies in pro- to Kahramaa, and humanitarian that the existence of the stra- beds.” For his part, Director of “At the beginning, we gency plan to be implemented viding the necessary protection work sector to Qatar Charity tegic committee that includes Lulu Group International, Dr. increased the workforce to ster- in decades in light of global for society from this pandemic, and Qatar Red Crescent. all medical service providers Mohamed Althaf, said: “The ilise and clean the trains by changes, including that the and we wish for continued He also emphasised that the (Ministry of Public Health, coronavirus pandemic has focusing on certain places. world has changed its orienta- success in confronting this pan- repercussions left by this pan- Primary Health Care Corpo- created difficult events and However, the metro was tions from development to demic,” the Chairman noted. demic in societies are not easy ration and Hamad Medical Cor- times in various countries of the stopped from mid-March 2020 responding to emergencies and Chairman of Social or simple, that can be addressed poration) was very important world. But in Qatar, the matter for a period of 6 months, but crisis management,” he said. QU’s Al-Qabas program QU stand presents research, sustainable development at exhibition THE PENINSULA - DOHA neering field. attracts 250 students Dr. Mohammed Alsafran, Qatar University (QU) partici- Director of Agricultural THE PENINSULA - DOHA She considers Al-Qabas pated in the 8th Qatar Interna- Research Station, commented Program important to raise tional Agricultural Exhibition that QU participation is dif- Qatar University’s (QU) Foun- awareness among students (AgriteQ) and the 2nd Qatar ferent from previous years. QU dation Program (FP), under the regarding admission require- International Environmental shared their research entity Deanship of General Studies ments and the knowledge and Exhibition (EnviroteQ) 2021 at (Agricultural Research Station) and in collaboration with the skills necessary to succeed in Doha Exhibition and affiliated to the Research & Ministry of Education and their university studies after Conference Center (DECC). Graduate Studies Sector. Higher Education (MoEHE), completing their high school QU represented The Agri- Dr. Talaat Abdel-Fattah launched the Al-Qabas Virtual studies. cultural Research Station and Ahmad, Research Associate Program 2021 for high school Dr. Mohammed Ben Haj The Environmental Science Professor of Plant Molecular students. Rhouma, Head of the Foun- Center (ESC) at the Exhibition, Biology at ESC, said: “The A total of 250 female and dation Program Department of aiming to present the critical Qatar University pavilion at exhibition. Center presented samples from male high school students par- Mathematics, explained that Al- achievement, research, and sus- experiments using tissue culture ticipated in the program, which Qabas Program’s goal is to tainable development sector. at the exhibition. They also pre- hydroponics. to contribute and propagate ran from March 21 to 29. encourage students to apply to The Agricultural Research sented their existing research The Environmental endangered Qatari plants. In Under the theme “For a STEM majors and emphasized Station shared the plans and project, which included their Research Center shared their addition to improving the Successful University Expe- the importance of the English research for supporting food experimental plant to produce successful experiences in genetic of tomato plants to rience,” this programme aimed language and Mathematics in sustainability & security project leafy vegetables through genetic planting in the engi- resist drought and salinity.” to educate high school students succeeding in the STEM fields. from grades 10 and 11 about the He added that STEM disci- study skills required to succeed plines impact our everyday life in their university studies and in different areas, such as New branch of MES Indian School becomes functional improve their English and math fighting the COVID-19 pan- skills to enhance their suc- demic, engineering, and THE PENINSULA - DOHA cessful enrollment in STEM and technology. health majors at Qatar Al-Qabas Virtual Program M.E.S Indian School yesterday University. consisted of two to three virtual inaugurated its new branch at Dr. Hezam Al Awa, Director sessions per day, delivered via Abu Hamour for the current of the Foundation Program, Microsoft Teams over seven academic year 2021-22. said: “The program provides days. 16 FP faculty and staff After inaugurating the various sessions that simulate members participated in school in a soft launching cer- classes at Qatar University to organizing and delivering the emony, K Abdul Karim, Pres- prepare high school students program. Student participation ident M.E.S Govrning Board for their future studies and increased by 80% from the pre- remarked that the school with enhance their success in their vious Al-Qabas Program its futuristic approach would university life. The FP contin- delivered in 2020. cater for all the educational uously aims to develop Al- Al-Qabas Virtual Program needs of the students in tune Qabas Program to provide 2021 sessions included various with the latest requirement. more educational opportunities interactive and engaging activ- “The new Abu Hamour branch Officials of M.E.S. Indian School (MESIS) from left: Ahmed Isham, General Secretary; K for both male and female stu- ities that develop Math and of our school is purpose built to Abdul Karim, President; and Dr Mohammed Haneef, Principal; attending a press meet held dents interested in joining English language skills. furthering the learning horizons to announce the key features of the new Abu Hamour branch of MESIS in Doha yesterday. STEM and health fields of study During sessions such as of students in a sophisticated PIC: SALIM MATRAMKOT/THE PENINSULA to develop their life and aca- “Study Skills for Math” and study ambience,” he added. demic skills and experience “How to Apply Math in our Eve- Ahmed Isham, General Sec- showcase their talents, even sky state-of-art facilities, MESIS FM education with separate syllabi; university learning firsthand. ryday Life”, students applied retary officiating M.E.S Gov- will not be the limit for their Radio 2.0 (to develop commu- Opportunities to participate in We are pleased to have male problem-solving skills and erning Board, said: “The new holistic growth,” opined Dr. nication and extempore skills); events organized by CBSE Qatari students from secondary learned about different Abu Hamour branch of our Mohammed Haneef, the school MESIS Happiness Centre (for Sahodaya Qatar Chapter; and schools interested in joining learning strategies to enhance school will carry forward the Principal. assisting parents & students to Clubs/House based arts and STEM attending Al-Qabas 2021. their math skills. Similarly, ses- rich legacy of MES in an The new venture for solve academic issues); MESIS sports activities. Students were actively engaged sions targeting English skills, enhanced manner thus catering restructuring and furthering the Green Army (to develop pos- The school will be headed in Al-Qabas Program’s multiple like “Let’s Listen, “ allowed stu- for the need of the modern existing institution is a step itive attitude towards envi- by Dr Mohammed Haneef, who sessions, reflecting their dents to learn about listening, techno-driven younger gener- ahead as well as to go an extra ronment); MESIS Star Chase (to has been continuing his service eagerness to successfully join reading, and writing skills ation. The school is also seeking mile in catering for all the edu- continuously monitor and in the educational field over 28 university and develop their through different interactive affiliation from CBSE to extend cational needs of the students reward the children on the years (13 years of teaching academic skills in English and programs such as Quizlet, Classes up to XII, in the ensuing which has always been our spot); Science Labs, Mathe- experience in India and 15 years Mathematics.” Kahoot and Joinmyquiz. years. As of now, the school will prime articulated objective that matics Lab, Home Science Lab, of administrative experience in Fawzeya Al Malki, Aca- Also, students benefited be functioning with classes I to motivated us to open the new Engineering Graphics Lab etc.; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). demic and Career Counseling from two test taking strategy VIII, this academic year premises. DEAR (Drop Everything And Formerly, he was the Vice Specialist from the Education sessions targeting skills 2021-22.” The new school premises Read), a 3 week programme to Principal of Shathi Al Noor lnt’I Supervision Department at the required to successfully pass “We are committed to can accommodate 1450 develop reading habit; Outdoor School, Jeddah for 5 years Ministry of Education and IELTS and math standardized provide quality education at par learners as per the MOEHE and Indoor Play Areas; Twin (2004-2009), and the Principal Higher Education, welcomed tests, ACT and SAT. During the with international standards. regulations. Computer Labs with latest tech- of Modern International School, the students and explained the “Succeeding in University Our team of educators is com- The admission registration nology and all facilities; Purpose Riyadh for 10 years importance of the Al-Qabas Studies” session, students mitted to provide the 21st for the school and all other built activity room and art & (2009-2019). Program in enhancing high learned about necessary aca- century learners with real lif e details is made be available at craft room, Language Lab; Well The school is also seeking school students’ opportunities demic skills such as time man- experiences to grow as a com- www.mesisqatar.com experienced and highly qual- affiliation from CBSE to run to be acquainted with STEM agement and prioritization munity of lifelong learners. We Among the highlights of the ified teachers; E-learning classes upto XII. We have plans majors offered by Qatar needed for a successful uni- strongly believe that, if children new school (MESIS) are: Spa- empowered methodology for to commence classes I-IX and University. versity experience. are given opportunities to cious Digi-Campus with all classes; Islamic and moral XI. 06 MIDDLE EAST WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 Iran: Nuclear talks ‘constructive’ as parties to meet again

BLOOMBERG — VIENNA accord championed by his Speaking after the predecessor, Barack Obama. Iran said talks in Vienna discussions, lead Iranian Tensions threatened to spiral yesterday aimed at restoring its negotiator Abbas Araghchi into open conflict, sparking 2015 nuclear deal with world said diplomats will meet attacks on shipping in the powers had been “constructive,” again in the Austrian capital Persian Gulf and fueled the war but stuck to its demand that the on Friday to continue in Yemen, including escalating US first remove all sanctions for strikes by Iran-backed rebels real progress to be possible. negotiations. But he said on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. Speaking after the discus- Tehran had rejected a Iran was one the first coun- sions, lead Iranian negotiator “ridiculous” US proposal to tries in the Middle East to sign Abbas Araghchi said diplomats release $1bn of frozen the nuclear Non-Proliferation will meet again in the Austrian Iranian oil revenues in Treaty in 1968, but the 2015 capital on Friday to continue exchange for Iran suspending accord was designed to limit its negotiations. But he said Tehran its production of 20% atomic activities to civilian pur- had rejected a “ridiculous” US poses amid western concerns proposal to release $1bn of frozen enriched uranium. of a possible military element. Iranian oil revenues in exchange Three European nations for Iran suspending its production Washington must first guar- European External Action Service (EEAS) Deputy Secretary General, Enrique Mora, Iranian Deputy at helping to broker the talks — of 20% enriched uranium. antee the full removal of sanc- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abbas Araghchi and other officials at the start of a meeting of the JCPOA Germany, France and Britain — Iran has about $7bn in pay- tions for it to scale back its Joint Commission in Vienna, Austria, yesterday. weren’t expecting a major pos- ments for oil shipments to South enrichment activity, while the itive development on Tuesday, Korea locked in accounts in the Biden White House has ruled city’s Imperial and Grand hotels the multinational pact in 2018 overcome. partly because of Iran’s East Asian country by US out any “unilateral gestures.” in the most serious effort yet to and reimposed sanctions. Tehran breached some of insistence on US sanctions being banking sanctions. Robert Malley, the US end an impasse that has fueled Iranian and US representa- the key enrichment limits on its removed in a single step, said a The snub signaled how far special envoy for Iran, is leading instability across the Persian tives weren’t expected to speak nuclear program imposed by European official who declined apart the two main protagonists discussions for his government. Gulf region since then-US Pres- directly in Vienna, reflecting the the 2015 deal more than a year to be named because of the sen- are — Iran is insisting that Officials had gathered at the ident Donald Trump abandoned deep distrust they have to after Trump withdrew from an sitivity of the matter. Israeli president picks Netanyahu to try to form government

AP — OCCUPIED JERUSALEM together a coalition. If he fails, government yesterday and Rivlin could give another party promised to negotiate in “good Israel’s president handed Prime leader the opportunity to try to faith.” But he did not commit to Minister Benjamin Netanyahu form a government — or the backing Netanyahu, who has the difficult task yesterday of country could be plunged into led the country for the past 12 trying to form a government an unprecedented fifth election years. from the country’s splintered in just over two years. Opposition leader Yair parliament, giving the Netanyahu has the most Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh embattled leader a chance to support — 52 seats — in Israel’s Atid party, acknowledged that prolong his lengthy term in Knesset. But that is still short of the law left Rivlin “no choice,” office while he stands trial on a 61 seats needed for a majority. but in the same tweet corruption charges. He is likely to use his powers of denounced the development as In his announcement, Pres- persuasion to try to lure a “a shameful disgrace that tar- ident Reuven Rivlin acknowl- number of opponents, including nishes Israel.” edged that no party leader had close former aides who have Lapid has offered an alter- the necessary support to form vowed never to serve under native: A power-sharing a majority coalition in the 120- him again, with generous offers arrangement with Bennett that seat Knesset. He also noted that of powerful government min- would see the two men rotate many believe Netanyahu is istries or legislative committees. into the prime minister’s job. unfit to serve as prime minister The task won’t be easy. They are expected to hold Iran receives AstraZeneca doses through Covax in light of his legal problems. In order to secure a intense negotiations in the Nonetheless, Rivlin said that majority, Netanyahu would coming weeks. People walk in Tehran Bazaar amid coronavirus pandemic, in Tehran, Iran, yesterday. The first shipment there was nothing in the law likely require the support of a As the new Knesset was of some 700,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through Covax has landed in Tehran’s preventing Netanyahu from small Arab Islamist party, and sworn into office, Rivlin Imam Khomeini Airport on Monday night. holding that office. After con- one of his partners, the Reli- appealed for unity in a speech. sulting with the 13 parties in the gious Zionists, have an openly “If we do not learn and find newly elected parliament, racist platform and say they will a model of partnership that will Rivlin said that Netanyahu had not serve in a government with allow us to live here together, Saudi foreign minister meets Jordanian the best chance of any can- Arab partners. out of mutual respect for each didate of forming a new gov- “The chances of Netanyahu other, out of commitment to counterpart, reaffirms Riyadh’s support ernment. “I have decided to to form a government, as it each other, and genuine soli- entrust him with the task,” seems right now, are quite low,” darity, our national resilience REUTERS — DUBAI banned all news outlets and and stability” in Jordan. “To Rivlin said from Jerusalem. said Yohan Plesner, president of will be in real danger,” he said, social media users yesterday safeguard the secrecy of the “This is not an easy decision the Israel Democracy Institute, his voice appearing to shake Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister from publishing any content investigations being under- on a moral and ethical basis,” a Jerusalem think tank. with emotion. Faisal bin Farhan delivered a related to King Abdullah’s taken by the security services he added. “The state of Israel is Netanyahu will also likely Netanyahu’s coalition talks message reaffirming Saudi half-brother Prince Hamza in relation to Prince Hamza not to be taken for granted. And need the support of the Yamina, will be conducted in the support for Jordan, the after the latter was accused of bin Hussain and others, I fear for my country.” a right-wing party led by a shadow of his corruption trial. Jordanian foreign ministry said plotting to destabilise the Amman’s public prosecutor With that, Rivlin nudged former ally turned rival. While a ruling is months or yesterday, amid frictions country. has decided to ban the publi- forward the twin dramas over Yamina’s leader, Naftali even years away, the pro- between the king and his half Prince Hamza pledged alle- cation of everything related to the country’s future and Netan- Bennett, has had a strained ceedings are expected to take brother Prince Hamza. giance to H M King Abdullah the investigations at this yahu’s fate, giving Israel’s relationship with Netanyahu in place up to three days a week, The Saudi minister arrived on late on Monday after medi- stage,” the state news agency longest-serving premier a fresh recent years. He also been cool an embarrassing and time-con- on Monday in Amman and met ation by the royal family, two reported. chance to try to salvage his to an alliance with Arab parties. suming distraction that will with his Jordanian counterpart days after the military warned It said the ban applied to all career. Netanyahu now has up Bennett called for for- shadow Netanyahu’s appeals Ayman Safadi, the ministry said. him over actions it said were news outlets as well as social to six weeks to try to cobble mation of a “stable, right-wing” to his rivals. Meanwhile, Jordan undermining “security media platforms.

Iran indicts 10 over Ukraine plane crash, prosecutor says

REUTERS — DUBAI

Iran has indicted 10 officials over the shooting-down of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January 2020 that killed all 176 people on board, a military prosecutor said yesterday. In a report published last month, Iran’s civil aviation body blamed the crash on a misaligned radar and an error by an air defence operator. Ukraine and Canada, home to many of those who died, crit- icised the report as insufficient. “Indictments have been issued for 10 officials involved in the crash of the Ukrainian plane... and necessary deci- sions will be taken in court,” Gholam Abbas Torki, the out- going military prosecutor for Tehran province, was quoted as saying by the semi-official news agency Isna. He did not give further details. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards shot down the Ukraine Inter- national Airlines flight on Jan. 8, 2020, shortly after it took off from a Tehran Airport.The Iranian government later said the shooting-down was a “dis- astrous mistake” by its forces at a time when they were on high alert in a regional confron- tation with the United States. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA 07 EU leaders promise new refugee funds to Turkey

REUTERS — ANKARA “The Commission will soon make a (funding) proposal,” President Ursula von der Leyen told The head of the European a news conference alongside European Council Commission said it will make a proposal to Turkey to ensure President Charles Michel. Turkey hosts some 4 the flow of funding for refugees million refugees, mostly Syrian, and has repeatedly that the country hosts. accused the EU of not honouring promises under Ursula von der Leyen said a 2016 deal under which it was to curb migrant following a meeting with Pres- ident Recep Tayyip Erdogan in flows to Europe in exchange for financial aid. Ankara yesterday that Europe was committed to the continuity of such funding, but that rights der Leyen told a news con- over energy resources and issues had absolute priority and ference alongside European jurisdiction in the eastern Med- were “non-negotiable”. Council President Charles iterranean, and tensions flared Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with European Council President Charles Michel and Turkey hosts some 4 million Michel. in August when both Turkish European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Ankara, Turkey, yesterday. refugees, mostly Syrian, and has In a sign of improving ties and Greek navy frigates repeatedly accused the EU of after months of tensions, EU escorted vessels exploring for country, and last month the EU as the bloc has ramped up crit- supporting refugees and not honouring promises under leaders agreed last month to hydrocarbons there. also opened the door to begin icism of Ankara’s foreign policy, increasing mobility. a 2016 deal under which it was providing more money for ref- Michel said the bloc, which modernising a customs union and dangled the threat of EU “Our engagement will be to curb migrant flows to Europe ugees, as well as beginning backs Athens, supported the to allow unhindered bilateral sanctions. Michel said that, if progressive, proportional and in exchange for financial aid. work on deeper trade. resumption of talks with Ankara flows of goods and services. de-escalation continued, the EU reversible and we hope Turkey “The Commission will soon Turkey is in dispute with EU over the decades-old dispute. Erdogan has downplayed would cooperate with Ankara will seize this window of oppor- make a (funding) proposal,” von members Greece and Cyprus Turkey is an EU candidate EU membership in recent years on improving economic ties, tunity,” he said.

Tunisian President resists move for Egypt says latest constitutional court round of talks over REUTERS — TUNIS Ethiopia dam fail Tunisia’s president said yesterday that he opposed AP — CAIRO Also in question is the parliament’s attempt to set up method of its annual replen- a constitutional court, which Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said ishment, and how much water he said was merely a bid to yesterday the latest round of talks Ethiopia will release down- settle scores. over Ethiopia’s massive dam stream if a multi-year drought A smooth transition from project failed to make progress occurs. Another point of dif- autocratic rule to democracy after Addis Abba rejected a ference is how the three coun- in 2011 brought about a new Sudanese proposal to include tries would settle any future constitution in 2014, which international mediators. disputes. Egypt and Sudan want provided for a court to be set Spokesman Ahmed Hafez a legally binding agreement on up within a year to adjudicate said Ethiopia rejected the the dam’s filling and operation, constitutional disputes. United States, European Union, while Ethiopia insists on However, politicians have the United Nations and the guidelines. been unable since then to African Union playing a role in The talks in Kinshasa came agree the names of 12 judges. overseeing the negotiations. a few days after Egypt’s Pres- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks during a joint news conference with Libyan Prime Now, with President Kais Saied Ethiopian officials did not ident Abdel Fattah Al Sissi said Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, in Tripoli, Libya, yesterday. in deadlock with Prime Min- immediately respond to a his country’s share of Nile River ister Hichem El Mechichi and request for comment. Hafez waters were “untouchable” - a Mechichi’s ally, Parliamentary said Ethiopia also rejected an stark warning apparently to Greece restores diplomatic ties with Libya Speaker Rached Ghannouchi, Egyptian proposal to resume Ethiopia, which is preparing for the speaker has launched a the talks with the Africa Union another stage of the dam’s REUTERS — TRIPOLI diplomatic relations seven been drawn into a complex dip- new bid to establish the court playing a mediating role, as it filling later this year. years after the embassy closure lomatic and territorial stand- in the hope that it might end has played in previous talks. Egypt is a mostly desert Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitso- due to Libya’s civil war, offered off in the eastern the political paralysis. The negotiations, held in country that depends on the takis reopened Greece’s a chance for a new start. Mediterranean. But in a speech yesterday, Kinshasa, Congo, concluded Nile for almost all of its water embassy in Libya yesterday, “It’s time to leave behind The 2019 accord, which Saied said the deadline for this yesterday without a deal being needs. It fears that a quick fill urging a reset of relations what has tested our relations in prompted Athens to expel the had expired. “After more than reached, according a commu- would drastically reduce the soured by the Tripoli govern- the past,” Mitsotakis said in tel- Libyan ambassador at the time, five years, after a deep sleep, nique released after they fin- Nile’s flow, with potentially ment’s 2019 maritime boundary evised remarks alongside mapped out a sea boundary they’ve remembered about the ished. Congolese President Felix severe effects on its agriculture agreement with Turkey. Libya’s interim Prime Minister between Turkey and Libya Constitutional Court... I will not Tshisekedi, the current African and other sectors. Libya’s unity government Abdulhamid Dbeibeh. close to the Greek island of accept a court formed to settle Union chair, said “the Nile River Ethiopia says the $5bn dam took office on March 16, suc- Mitsotakis reiterated a Crete. accounts,” he said. must remain a fertile source of is essential, arguing that the vast ceeding two warring adminis- European Union call for the In 2020, Greece and Egypt The constitution requires life and shared prosperity.” majority of its population lacks trations that had ruled eastern “immediate and complete with- signed an agreement desig- the president, parliament and The yearslong dispute over electricity. and western regions over a drawal” of foreign fighters from nating an exclusive economic the judiciary each to name four a giant dam that Ethiopia is The dam will generate over decade of violent chaos since Libya. zone in the eastern Mediter- judges to the court, which then building on the Nile River’s 6,400 megawatts of electricity, the overthrow of autocratic Libya, a staging point for ranean, which overlaps with the needs the approval of par- main tributary centers on the a massive boost to the country’s leader Muammar Gaddafi. tens of thousands of illegal maritime zones it agreed with liament and the signature of speed at which a planned res- current production of 4,000 Mitsotakis’ visit, to restart immigrants into Europe, has Libya. the president. ervoir is filled behind the dam. megawatts. Turkey summons Tanzania’s new leader signals U-turn on coronavirus policy Chinese envoy BLOOMBERG — DODOMA eschewed the use of face masks joined international calls for the with the international com- and other issues with Barrick over Twitter posts and advised his countrymen to nation to change course. munity. Ties with the U.S. and and other mining joint venture Tanzania’s new president resort to prayer, steam baths Hassan has said her admin- several other nations were partners to be quickly resolved,” AP — ANKARA announced plans to appoint a and traditional remedies to istration’s response to the pan- strained by Magufuli’s she said. “Let’s not reach a point Turkey summoned China’s panel of experts to advise her safeguard their health. His demic will be science-based, clampdown on civil liberties where we start to flex our ambassador after the embassy on how best to curb the spread administration said it wouldn’t and indicated that it may and his disputed reelection last muscles against investors.” suggested on Twitter that it of the coronavirus, reversing buy vaccines and stopped pub- resume publishing infection year. “We don’t want to go Opposition leaders wel- could take action against two her predecessor’s denialism of lishing COVID-19 infection data data. While Dorothy Gwajima alone,” Hassan told Mulamula. comed Hassan’s speech, with Turkish politicians who criti- the pandemic. in May last year, making it —an ardent supporter of Magu- The president further the leader of the opposition cised Beijing’s treatment of its “We cannot isolate ourself as impossible to gauge the severity fuli’s COVID-19 approach —was instructed her officials to settle a ACT-Wazalendo party Zitto Muslim Uyghur community. an island,” President Samia of the disease. retained as health minister, Abel tax dispute with Barrick Gold Kabwe saying that she had A Foreign Ministry official Suluhu Hassan told senior gov- However, a deluge of Makubi was appointed to the Corp., cut red tape to speed up kindled renewed hope for said the ambassador was sum- ernment officials in an address patients displaying coronavirus influential post of permanent the development of nickel and justice, the “creation of an ena- moned to the ministry, but did televised on state broadcaster symptoms seeking treatment at secretary in the ministry in helium projects by foreign bling environment for investors not elaborate. Earlier yes- TBC1. “We cannot accept every- public hospitals and daily place of Mabula Mchembe. investors and lift bans the and a new focus on reviving terday, the Chinese Embassy thing from abroad, but we also funeral masses indicated that Hassan also tasked newly Magufuli administration imposed economic activities.” tagged Meral Aksener, the head cannot reject everything.” Magufuli downplayed the appointed Foreign Affairs Min- on online television channels and “Respect to Samia Suluhu of the opposition Good Party, Hassan’s predecessor John severity of the disease. The ister Liberata Mulamula to other media outlets. Hassan,” Kabwe said in a and Ankara’s mayor, Mansur Magufuli, who died last month, World Health Organization improve Tanzania’s relations “I want challenges on taxes Twitter posting. Yavas, in two Twitter posts in which it defended Beijing’s pol- icies and said “the Chinese side reserves its right to a rightful Israel, Palestinians at odds over response.” The comment was widely interpreted as a threat against the two politicians and deadly West Bank shooting caused a social media outrage in Turkey. AP — OCCUPIED JERUSALEM attacks in recent years, often which governs parts of the West The embassy tagged targeting soldiers in the Bank, identified the deceased Aksener and Yavas after the Israel and the Palestinians put occupied West Bank. But rights as Osama Mansour, 42, and said two marked with Twitter posts forth competing claims after groups say Israeli troops often the soldiers opened fire “for no the killing of Uyghurs by Israeli troops shot and killed a use excessive force, or in some reason” after waving the vehicle Chinese forces during an Palestinian man early yesterday cases kill innocent people through the checkpoint. It con- uprising in 1990. The embassy at a temporary vehicle check- wrongly identified as attackers. demned what it referred to as said: “The Chinese side reso- point in the occupied West Bank The Israeli military said the a “heinous crime.” lutely opposes and strongly near Jerusalem. soldiers set up a temporary check- Mansour’s wife, Sumaya, condemns any challenge by The military said the sol- point in order to carry out an was wounded and taken to a any person or power to China’s diers thwarted an attempted operation in the area. It said the hospital, where she described sovereignty and territorial car-ramming attack in the vehicle stopped at the checkpoint the shooting in an interview The daughter of Palestinian Osama Mansour is comforted as she integrity.” village of Bir Nabala. But the and then accelerated towards broadcast by Palestine TV. mourns during her father’s funeral in Biddu village, in the Israeli- Turks are sympathetic to man’s wife, who was in the car troops “in a way that endangered She said they were ordered occupied West Bank, yesterday. the Uyghurs, a Turkic group with him and was wounded by the lives of the soldiers.” to stop and did so, even turning native to China’s Xinjiang the gunfire, said the couple fol- “The soldiers responded off the car’s ignition. She said a at us,” she said. “My husband incident was being investigated. region. Many Uyghurs have lowed the soldiers’ instructions with fire in order to thwart the soldier then motioned for them fell into my lap and was killed.” Israel captured the West Bank sought refuge in Turkey for and posed no threat. threat,” it said, adding that no to drive through, at which point The army did not respond in the 1967 war and the Pales- decades because of their Palestinians have carried Israeli soldiers were wounded. they started the car and moved to a request for comment on her tinians want it to form the main shared cultural ties. out a series of car-ramming The Palestinian Authority, forward.“They began shooting allegations, saying only that the part of their future state. 08 VIEWS WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021

Established in 1996 Aiding Palestine refugees

CHAIRMAN DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI is not political EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected] PHILIPPE LAZZARINI AL JAZEERA DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI [email protected] Mohammad is a seven-year- old boy living in Gaza, which in June will enter its 15th year of a land, air, and sea EDITORIAL blockade. Like the nearly 300,000 students in Gaza who attend schools run by the United Nations Relief and Public service transparency Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East THE employees in the government sector, generally (UNRWA), he has been in and known as civil servants, are the vital link between the out of in-person and remote government and the general public of a country. They learning since the outbreak of Palestinians receiving their monthly food aid from a UN distribution centre in the Rafah refugee are expected to mirror the character of the government the COVID-19 pandemic a camp, southern Gaza Strip, recently. in its dealings with the people, so they have a respon- year ago. He battles against sibility to possess a polished behaviour, which should electricity cuts every day to ensure that Palestine refugees in found in breach of them. At all better than anyone else the make the visitors to the offices of different government receive online educational the West Bank, including East 711 UNRWA schools in the importance of remaining agencies feel welcome and comfortable. They should materials prepared by Jerusalem, Gaza, Jordan, region, our students organise in neutral. The ongoing attacks be transparent in their dealings and should serve the UNRWA teachers who also Lebanon, and Syria, receive the school parliaments and learn and unfounded allegations nation with utmost integrity and sincerity. struggle to get access to elec- basic services to which they are about the importance of against UNRWA are but a Qatar, through several legislations and charters have tricity and the internet. entitled. And yet, in the past human rights, equality and tol- political tool to delegitimise the been spreading this message across all sectors of gov- Mohammad’s right to year, UNRWA has been the erance. UNRWA school- agency and the Palestine ref- ernment and has been conducting training programmes education remains inalienable subject of attacks of unprece- teachers are constantly trained ugees that it protects. These for government staff to make them familiar with the reg- even during a pandemic and a dented ferocity and bias. on how to approach critically attacks seek to draw the focus ulations. As part of these efforts the Ministry of Admin- humanitarian crisis. The charge most frequently any educational content that is away from the hardships Pal- istrative Development Labour and Social Affairs, rep- He is just one of the 5.7 levied against us is that not in line with UN values. It is estinian refugees face due to resented by the Institute of Public Administration, con- million Palestine refugees reg- UNRWA plays a political role. a testament to our 28,000 staff their ongoing dispossession cluded a meeting on the Code of Conduct and Integrity istered with UNRWA today, This could not be further from and some 532,000 students and displacement. In the face of of Public Officials in cooperation with the Administrative many of whom have faced the truth. UNRWA is mandated that they overwhelmingly these political attacks, it is the Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA) unimaginable suffering since to provide direct, vital humani- assert these values even amid voices of the most vulnerable yesterday. their ancestors were displaced tarian assistance to Palestine emergency and crisis, like Mohammad and his class- Qatar had issued a Code of Conduct and Integrity from their homeland over 70 refugees pending a just and remaining neutral even during mates, struggling to learn in the for public officials as Cabinet Decision No. 18 of 2020 years ago. The one-year anni- lasting solution to their plight. conflicts. harshest of settings, that are and ratified by H H the Amir, which specifies behav- versary of the global lockdown That is the agency’s priority and The recent attacks on muted. Shaking the founda- ioural standards for public sector employees mainly marks 12 months of even focus. It does not engage in pol- UNRWA – alleging that we tions of the agency that pro- honesty, objectivity, fairness, equality, transparency greater suffering for Palestine itics. UNRWA, like all other teach “jihad” and “terrorism” – vides aid to millions of indi- and integrity. The Charter of Integrity of Public Officials refugees across the region. United Nations agencies and are biased attempts to drag a viduals across the Middle East is considered one of the ACTA’s competencies under As commissioner-general of international NGOs, is bound to principled humanitarian constitutes yet another blow to Item 5 of Integrity of the Amiri Resolution No. 6 of 2015, UNRWA, my responsibility is to the four humanitarian prin- agency into a highly politicised a highly volatile region. in the reorganisation of ACTA. ciples (humanity, impartiality, sphere where it does not Just imagine a Middle East The charter is consistent with international standards As humanitarians, neutrality, and independence) belong. Moreover, they incor- without UNRWA and an unre- such as the United Nations Convention Against Cor- finding a solution that are enshrined in two UN rectly cast UNRWA students as solved conflict. In the absence of ruption, the International Code of Conduct for Public General Assembly resolutions. prone or supportive to jihad a political solution, no UNRWA Officials issued by the UN General Assembly and code to this conflict does This means that all UNRWA and terrorism. There should be means no education for half a of conduct and civil service ethics in many countries. not fall in our remit. operations are exclusively no tolerance for stereotyping. million children or no health It defines the job behaviours, public job ethics, trans- But ensuring that driven by the alleviation of suf- Firmly sticking to neutrality clinics for 3.1 million Palestine parency, integrity etc to enhance confidence in the fering (humanity), while and non-discrimination refugees a year and mostly, no public service and give more protection to public funds. the human rights of ensuring that our response is ensures that we can work with sense of safety and stability for Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in his Palestinian refugees independent from military and all parties to be able to assist millions of Palestine refugees address to the 48th session of the Shura Council in political aims (independence), and protect Palestine refugees, who are made to feel increas- 2019 stressed on the deep sense of duty by the citizen are fully respected with no discrimination (impar- whether by importing medi- ingly discriminated against, dis- towards the society and homeland. Citizenship includes and their voices are tiality), and not taking sides in cines for our 144 health clinics enfranchised and marginalised. rights not privileges. It doesn’t only involve rights but conflict (neutrality). Being that 3.1 million refugees access As humanitarians, finding a also responsibilities and duties, foremost among them not silenced, until political is antithetical to being each year, obtaining visas for solution to this conflict does not is to work sincerely and with precision, each in his the international a humanitarian. our teachers to attend confer- fall in our remit. But ensuring position, as each position is important. Strict commitment to ences abroad, or ensuring the that the human rights of Pales- Qatar, with its tireless efforts in making the services community finds a humanitarian principles drives sanctity of our buildings in tinian refugees are fully it provide fully transparent, could place itself at the upper solution, does. all our positions and decisions. wartime. respected and their voices are rungs of the ladder of a few corruption-free countries. Every UNRWA staff member is As the largest UN or not silenced, until the interna- The Transparency International affirmed this through trained in upholding the prin- humanitarian agency operating tional community finds a its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking Qatar ciples of neutrality and non- in one of the most complex and solution, does. 32nd out of 180 countries in the world. discrimination and is held longest-standing conflicts in The writer is Commissioner accountable and disciplined if the Middle East, we know General of UNRWA World Health Day: Together we can reach a fairer and healthier D-RING ROAD, POST BOX: 3488, DOHA - QATAR countries or communities. Director for the Eastern take these recommendations EMAIL: [email protected] The COVID-19 pandemic has Mediterranean. forward and ensure that no had grave consequences for In addition to conflict, one is left behind,” added Dr EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE: TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 people already experiencing several factors contribute to Ahmed Al-Mandhari. FAX: +974 4455 7758 inequities. The pandemic has inequities such as poverty, On World Health Day MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4462 7505 disproportionately impacted unemployment, environ- 2021, WHO is calling on those people already socially, mental challenges, gender leaders to monitor health DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR: TEL: 4455 7769 DR AHMED AL MANDHARI economically, or geographi- inequities, and most recently, inequities and address their WHO Regional Director cally disadvantaged, and evi- the COVID-19 pandemic. All root causes to ensure that LOCAL NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7743 dence shows a worsening of these factors and others everyone has access to the BUSINESS NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4462 7535 trend of dispararities and have a negative affect on the living and working condi- Today, World Health Day will inequity across the Region. provision of services to com- tions that are conducive to SPORT NEWS SECTION: TEL: 4455 7745 be commemorated globally, “Health is a fundamental munities and ultimately on good health and to quality under the theme “Together human right. Every person their health and well-being. health services where and ONLINE SECTION: TEL: 4462 7501 for a fairer, healthier world”. deserves to live a healthy life Working to tackle the root when they need them, and to email: [email protected] On this occasion, the World regardless of their age, causes of inequity, last week, invest in primary health care Health Organization (WHO) gender, ethnicity, disability, the WHO Regional Office to achieve health for all by PUBLIC RELATIONS: TEL: 4455 7613 email: [email protected] calls for urgent action to elim- economic situation or launched the report of the all. inate health inequities and employment. Progress in Commission on Social Deter- The WHO Regional MARKETING: TEL: 4455 7657 mobilize action to attain tackling health disparities has minants of Health in the Director noted that the email: [email protected] better health for all and leave been slow worldwide, Eastern Mediterranean regional“Vision 2023: Health no one behind. including in the Eastern Medi- Region. “This report provides for all by all: a call for action ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7837 / 857 Inequities have always terranean Region in which detailed analysis of inequities and solidarity”, was aligned FAX: 4455 7870, email: [email protected] existed. Despite improve- many countries are experi- among and within countries with this year’s theme and CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT: TEL: 4455 7857 ments in health outcomes encing emergencies and con- of the Region and recom- that achieving health for all email: [email protected] globally and in the Eastern flict and we have the largest mends fairer policies and by all was essential to meet Mediterranean Region, these number of displaced people actions to achieve health the challenges of today and to SUBSCRIPTION & DISTRIBUTION: TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 gains have not been shared in the world,” said Dr Ahmed equity. I call on all our build the resilience of FAX: 44557819, email: [email protected] equally across different Al-Mandhari, WHO, Regional partners and stakeholders to tomorrow.

www.thepeninsula.qa Quote of the day /PeninsulaQatar

/ThePeninsulaQatar Even with high uncertainty about the path of this pandemic, a way out of this health economic /Peninsula_Qatar crisis is increasingly visible.

/ThePeninsulaNewspaper Gita Gopinath, IMF Chief Economist

+974 6698 6188 WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 OPINION 09 The case for bold debt relief for the poorest countries

deployed significant fiscal and domestic product in one year living, especially for the creditors, there will be monetary measures to min- - and a similarly large mon- poorest. As such, there is renewed efforts to ensure that imize the disruptions to lives etary effort. At the other end genuine fear that a growing the Paris Club approach to and livelihoods from a fatal are vulnerable developing number of developing coun- relief for the poorest devel- pandemic. This included heavy countries that face debt tries could end up in the worst oping countries is emulated reliance on deficit spending problems, are unable to of all worlds: unsatisfactory better by nonmembers such and debt financing to protect access sustainable private growth, multiplying debt traps as China, which, according to MOHAMED A EL-ERIAN populations from the effects of financing, are increasingly and an increasingly systemic data from Fitch Ratings, BLOOMBERG the virus and lost income. reliant on public assistance debt problem. accounts for 64% of the The guiding principle was and, despite new waves of To recover more mean- bilateral debt of DSSI-eligible a mix of whatever-it-takes, infections and hospitaliza- ingfully from a COVID shock countries. Uneven growth rates among all-in and whole-of-gov- tions, are ever more hesitant that has erased, in some cases, As for private creditors, Almost all economies countries this year are not the ernment. The analytical foun- to impose health-related a decade’s worth of poverty the thorniest issue is a worldwide followed only risk to the global dation was the lesson learned restrictions out of fear that reduction, these countries requirement that they provide economic recovery that must from the 2008 global they will undermine already need more external help. Thus similar relief on a timely basis, a similar game plan be addressed this week when financial crisis. The enemy to fragile livelihoods. the attention of this week’s if not proactively, instead of when responding officials from 190 countries overcome quickly was similar While the global economy IMF and World Bank “free riding” on what the gather virtually for the spring to the one in 2008, a will benefit from the demand meetings, which begin on official sector does. This to the “sudden meetings of the International breakdown in counterparty spillovers of a fast-growing Monday, should not just be on private sector involvement is stop” that followed Monetary Fund and the World trust. This time, though, it was US economy, that also comes a new Special Drawing Right already specified by the the outbreak of Bank. They also need to get not financial and between with the risk of the unin- allocation but also on what Common Framework, which their arms around the banks but health related and tended domestic and cross- can be done to enhance pro- requires that successful nego- COVID-19 last year. growing risk of a systemic among humans. One of the border implications of a growth debt relief, focusing tiations between all official They deployed debt crisis in the developing inevitable outcomes was pedal-to-the-metal policy on two areas in particular: bilateral creditors and the world that highlights the unprecedented increases in accelerator when the extension of the debt service debtor economy be followed significant fiscal and striking contrast between debt levels around the globe. economy is already gaining suspension initiative and fair by private creditors providing monetary measures worrisome debt dynamics in As 2020 evolved, momentum in the right burden sharing under the “comparable treatment.” The the most vulnerable econ- however, it became clear that, direction. Thus, concerns will auspices of the Group of 20’s requirement lacks legal to minimize the omies and the luxuries unlike in 2008, this was not a be raised, and I fear too “Common Framework for enforcement, though, and is disruptions to lives afforded to the richest coun- one-round counterparty quickly dismissed this week, Debt Treatments beyond the much harder to attain outside tries in the world. This crisis. With successive waves about the risks of market DSSI” or, more simply, the of what tend to be overly pro- and livelihoods from contrast is fuelled by differ- of the virus, it became a mul- overreactions to an inflation Common Framework. tracted comprehensive debt a fatal pandemic. ences in policy flexibility and tiround phenomenon that overshoot and the financial This policy paradigm restructurings under an IMF This included heavy financial resilience that stand increasingly exposed differ- market instability that would seeks to broaden the partici- program. to amplify the inequality ences among countries’ will- come with that. pation of creditors in debt The official sector will reliance on deficit shock inflicted on the global ingness and ability to deploy The context for the vul- relief and goes beyond need to decide between spending and debt economy by COVID-19. repeated rounds of massive nerable developing countries delaying payments to include leaving an unsatisfactory situ- Efforts to combat these risks fiscal and monetary relief. is the opposite. They are potential restructurings. ation as is or strengthening financing to protect can become self-reinforcing At one end of the facing an uphill 2021 journey Three countries - Chad, the traditional “case by case” populations from the through more timely and spectrum was the US, which, with limited ability for Ethiopia and Zambia - have mind-set by boldly adopting audacious pro-growth debt after some political delays in effective domestic policy signaled their interest to more of a “stick” approach to effects of the virus relief. the second half of 2020, has accelerators. Fiscal policy is pursue the approach with private creditors who, in and lost income. Almost all economies deployed incredible constrained by limits to both guidance from the IMF’s debt- aggregate and to their longer- worldwide followed a similar resources. This includes last debt and inflationary sustainability analyses. term harm, have yet to find game plan when responding to month’s $1.9 trillion in relief financing. Too loose a mon- Under the DSSI, led by the the “carrot” enticing enough. the “sudden stop” that fol- measures - which increased etary policy risks destabilizing IMF, World Bank and G-20 This would make it is easier to lowed the outbreak of fiscal support to a previously currencies, with adverse con- last year, 39 official creditors align the behaviors of cred- COVID-19 last year. They unthinkable 27% of gross sequences for the standard of have already provided cash- itors and debtors with what is flow relief to almost 50 devel- in their collective interest as oping countries that are strug- well as that of the global gling to meet domestic prior- economy as a whole. ities, including health-related One of the main lessons of expenditures. This has been Latin America’s “lost decade” supported by a significant in the 1980s is that persistent pickup in financing from the debt overhangs significantly IMF and the World Bank. undermine countries’ growth There will be many calls to and investment potential, extend this initiative through imposing considerable hard- the end of this year, if not ships on the most vulnerable beyond, something that is segments of their population. likely to gather sufficient One of the main lessons of the support over time. There may 1990s Heavily Indebted Poor also be interest in expanding Countries (HIPC) initiative is eligibility for DSSI beyond the that appropriately designed current 73 low-income coun- and incentivized debt relief tries. As important, but much can clear the way for high more difficult, will be the dis- growth and faster devel- cussion on how to better opment for those that need it implement the Common desperately in the developing Framework, which seeks to world. Let’s hope that all address not just developing creditors can quickly inter- countries liquidity challenges nalize both lessons. Absent but also solvency ones, lest a that, the world risks multi- growing debt overhang plying debt traps and an hamper growth even more. increasingly systemic COVID The main hurdle is fair debt overhang that would burden sharing in the debt impose further hardships on relief, which involves official already vulnerable and suf- creditors, private creditors fering populations while also and their interactions. accentuating the unevenness A GrabFood rider getting ready for a delivery outside a McDonald's restaurant, amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in Kuala Lumpur, recently. When it comes to official of the COVID recovery. Drug companies keep merging. Why that’s bad for consumers and innovation.

the combined market share of pharmaceutical industry also of pharmacy benefits man- giant drug companies have the eight largest drug com- encouraged consolidation. In agers, newly giant pharmaceu- merged. But in a new twist, in panies stood at a relatively low the late 1980s, widespread tical firms could leverage their recent years, most consoli- 36 percent. By the conclusion of deregulation at both the state dominant position with one dation has featured bigger the first merger wave, it had and federal level may have type of drug to suppress com- players acquiring smaller start- grown to 42 percent; by 2012, in facilitated an uptick in mergers, petitors for another one of their ups. The difference reflects a the wake of the second merger particularly as companies with drugs, or they could use the dramatic shift in the structure ROBIN FELDMAN wave, the ratio had climbed to expiring drug patents sought to combined power of multiple of the pharmaceutical industry. THE WASHINGTON POST 53 percent. All told, between make up for their revenue drugs to shore up a waning Faced with stagnating research 1995 and 2015, the 60 leading losses by acquiring other prof- monopoly position. Both of productivity, large drugmakers In the past few pharmaceutical companies itable drugs. these practices could block now rely on outsourcing their decades, three The Federal Trade Commis- merged to only 10. The second merger wave cheaper drug competitors from new drug research to start-ups sion’s acting chairwoman, As a result, now only a beginning around 1996 can be reaching patients, inhibiting and other small pharmaceutical waves of mergers Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, handful of manufacturers are traced in part to another access and affordability. firms. have substantially recently announced that the responsible for sourcing the external shock, as globalization In short, consumers were Increasingly, these smaller agency would collaborate with vast majority of prescription spurred firms to join forces to the losers from the two waves players specialize in high-risk increased regulators in Canada and the drugs: Just four companies, for reach more potential markets. of drug company mergers. research and early drug devel- concentration European Union to review its example, produced more than Similar to the first merger wave, They confronted higher prices opment, with larger firms then in the guidelines for evaluating drug 50 percent of all generic drugs “patent cliffs,” in which many of and fewer choices - and saw gobbling them up and navi- company mergers. This move in 2017. a company’s drugs were set to companies exploring fewer gating the FDA’s regulatory pharmaceutical may signal more active policing This dramatic consolidation lose their lucrative patent paths that might produce process. For example, 63 industry. The of consolidation in the pharma- has remade the pharmaceutical monopoly around the same breakthroughs. To make percent of all new molecular ceutical industry. For industry. Before 1988, a robust time, also helped push firms to matters worse, around 2010, entities in 2018 came from first wave prescription drug users and cohort of drug manufacturers combine forces. another wave of mergers smaller biopharma firms, com- occurred from society at large, this is a often competed across multiple But the newly consolidated began. pared with just 31 percent in welcome - and long overdue - therapeutic areas. This compe- pharmaceutical industry This wave is ongoing and 2009. approximately change, one with the potential tition encouraged exploring dif- actually stifled innovation. In looks quite different from the Unlike its predecessors, 1988 to 1991, to spur innovation and offer ferent possible approaches for the period following merger previous two, although its the third wave has coincided more treatment options to treating the same disease state waves one and two, the causes are familiar. Again, with an increase in new with the second Americans. as well as treatments for a industry generated fewer new deregulation is a prominent molecular entities. Yet this following between In the past few decades, wider range of health concerns, molecular entities each year factor: In 2010, the FTC raised isn’t all positive news for con- approximately three waves of mergers have increasing the potential for compared to pre-merger levels. the Herfindahl-Hirschman sumers. Unfortunately, all new substantially increased concen- innovations that might improve Merged drug companies also Index thresholds, the index drugs are not created equal. 1996 and 2002. tration in the pharmaceutical lives. spent proportionally less on used to trigger antitrust investi- Modern drug innovation has The third began in industry. The first wave Although this marketplace research than their non- gations, a move some saw as a skewed increasingly toward occurred from approximately was better for innovation, drug merged competitors. mandate for consolidation. “orphan drugs” and other rare 2010 and remains 1988 to 1991, with the second companies were drawn to Consolidation also enabled Moreover, interest rates have disease treatments intended ongoing. following between approxi- merging because of the lure of drugmakers to directly quell remained at or near 0 percent for diseases affecting fewer mately 1996 and 2002. The increased market power, competition through what were in the decade since the 2008 than 200,000. For example, third began in 2010 and improved synergies, larger known as “killer acquisitions,” financial crisis, providing a nearly 60 percent of new remains ongoing. economies of scale and more in which they acquired inno- favorable environment for the drugs received an orphan drug The result of these merger diverse product portfolios. vative peers solely to stop lending that facilitates mergers designation in 2018, com- waves has been a dramatically Abrupt changes to the envi- potential competition. and acquisitions. pared to a mere 10 percent in consolidated industry. In 1987, ronment surrounding the Moreover, with the assistance As with the earlier waves, 1998. 10 ASIA WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 Russia says in talks to make more military equipment in India REUTERS — NEW DELHI governments have been dis- under license and the two coun- had focused on deepening mil- this year. Jaishankar said ties cussing for some years the pos- tries have collaborated to itary ties. with Russia were time-tested Russia and India are discussing sibility of making Russian mil- develop and produce super- Washington has already Washington has already and that the two sides also dis- “additional” production of itary helicopters in India. sonic BrahMos cruise missiles warned New Delhi that it warned New Delhi that it could cussed a summit meeting Russian military equipment in “We have confirmed our in India. could face sanctions if it face sanctions if it goes through between Modi and President India, Russian Foreign Minister determination towards the While joint defence pro- goes through with the with the purchase of Russian Vladimir Putin later this year. Sergei Lavrov said yesterday, development of military-tech- duction would fit with Indian purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile “India-Russia ties are char- in a move that could irk the nical cooperation,” Lavrov told Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s systems under a deal struck in acterised by consistent ability United States which frowns the briefing, adding there was flagship make-in-India pro- S-400 surface-to-air 2018, though it has not made to identify and update shared upon countries engaged in an inter-governmental com- gramme, it could rile the United missile systems under a the same threat over other interests,” he said. defence trade with Moscow. mission dealing with the States, which has been targeting deal struck in 2018. Indian arms purchases from Russia has traditionally Speaking at a joint news subject. Russia’s defence and intelli- Russia. been India’s main arms supplier conference with India’s Foreign “It has its own plans, and the gence sectors with trade sanc- Last year, the United States but Delhi has turned to the Minister Subrahmanyam Jais- prospects for additional pro- tions for Moscow’s annexation sanctioned Turkey for buying United States and Israel in hankar, Lavrov did not specify duction of Russian military of Crimea from Ukraine and US States has been trying to dis- S-400 systems. India made an recent years for supplies of what kind of equipment could equipment on India’s territory intelligence findings it has courage countries from buying initial payment of $800 million attack helicopters, transport be made in India. are under discussion,” he said. meddled in the 2016 US presi- Russian weapons, but US objec- in 2019, and the first set of planes and high-tech drones Officials from both coun- India has made Russian MiG dential election. tions did not feature during his missile batteries is expected to and other surveillance tries have said their fighter planes and Su-30 jets Lavrov said the United talks with Jaishankar, which be delivered towards the end of equipment. US climate envoy Kerry says India Death toll from Bangladesh is 'getting job done' on climate ferry capsize REUTERS — NEW DELHI itself to a goal of net-zero said. India points to its target of rises to 34 greenhouse gas emissions by generating 450 gigawatts of US Special Presidential Envoy 2050 as its energy demand was renewable energy by 2030 — AP — DHAKA for Climate John Kerry praised projected to grow more than five times its current capacity India as a world leader in that of any other nation over the and two and half times its Paris The death toll from a weekend renewables as he began talks next two decades. pledge. ferry capsize in Bangladesh with government leaders aimed Kerry is leading efforts to But officials in India argue rose to 34 yesterday after at cutting carbon emissions get countries to step up com- against adopting tougher rescuers and villagers faster to slow global warming. mitments ahead of a summit of emission goals, noting that its recovered nine more bodies India is the world’s third 40 leaders on April 22-23 called per capita emissions are still from waters outside the biggest emitter behind the by US President Joe Biden. only an eighth of those of the nation’s capital, an official United States and China and is Later this year, world United States and less than a said. under pressure to commit itself leaders are due to gather for a third of China’s, even as it tries Local chief government to net zero emissions by 2050, UN climate summit to build on to bridge a development gap. administrator Nahida Barik in line with pledges made by the 2015 Paris accord to limit Kerry said it was “absolutely said the additional bodies were several other countries. global warming. critical” that India, the United found from Sunday’s capsize “India is getting the job done Kerry said India was setting States and others scale up of the passenger ferry ML on climate, pushing the curve,” a “very strong example” for investments in areas including Rabit Al Hasan. Kerry said. other nations on powering a energy storage, clean fuels and It was unclear whether any “You (India) are indis- growing economy with clean decarbonising industries. more people remained missing putably a world leader already energy. “India, in particular, is a because ferry owners do not in the deployment of renewable “That kind of urgency is red-hot investment opportunity always keep formal passenger US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry meets with energy.” Government sources exactly what we need to con- because of its clean energy lists. India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi, yesterday. said India was unlikely to bind front global climate change,” he transition,” he said. The ferry sank after being hit by a cargo vessel in the Shi- talakkhya River in Naray- anganj district, just outside Myanmar protesters paint Yangon red, call for boycott of Water Festival Dhaka. The double-decker ferry REUTERS coup, and security forces have clinging onto power. disobedience campaigns aimed media, including some jour- was travelling to neighbouring arrested close to 3,500 people, “Don’t kill people just for a at crippling the government nalists, yesterday shared pic- Munshiganj district with more Myanmar’s pro-democracy with about four-fifths of them small salary as low as the cost apparatus. tures of striking workers than 50 passengers when the protesters sprayed red paint on still in detention, advocacy of dog food,” it said in a message “The state of people now is marching for a second day in accident took place. roads in Yangon yesterday in a group the Association for that went on to accuse junta that it doesn’t matter who called the city of Mandalay, some reminder to the junta that it had Political Prisoners (AAPP) said leader, Senior General Min Aung for what kind of protest, people wearing gas masks and giving blood on its hands as the crisis yesterday. Hlaing, of stealing from people. are always ready to follow,” the three-finger salute that has Indonesia reports created by a military coup in the Demonstrators woke early Anger has swept Myanmar Khin Sandar, an activist and a become a symbol of resistance Southeast Asian nation dragged in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest in the past two months over the protest organiser, said. to army rule. virus case with on with no end in sight. city, to spray and splash pave- return of a military government But the ability to organise Authorities have issued Several groups called for a ments, roads and bus shelters and an abrupt end to a brief era protests may have been ham- arrest warrants for dozens of ‘Eek’ mutation boycott of next week’s Thingyan with red paint in protest at a of democratic and economic pered in recent days by the mil- celebrities, models and influ- Water Festival, which marks the sweeping crackdown by reform and international inte- itary’s restriction of broadband encers, and yesterday a popular REUTERS — JAKARTA Buddhist new year. Leaflets security forces that has caused gration that was absent under wireless Internet, adding to a comedian was arrested in calling for the ban, distributed weeks of international outrage. the military’s oppressive 1962- weeks-long blockage of mobile Yangon, the Mizzima news site Indonesia has reported its first in Yangon, said it would be a “The blood has not dried,” 2011 rule. data services that had been the reported. case of a more transmissible sign of compassion for the fam- said one message in red. Some protesters have called main channel for spreading Sithu Aung Myint, a prom- new variant of the coronavirus ilies of those killed. Another daubed across a their movement a “spring rev- word of what was happening in inent journalist, was on the known for reducing vaccine About 570 people have been bus shelter implored rank-and- olution”, characterised by street the country during the wanted list. Writing on protection, but the killed during two months of file soldiers not to be exploited marches, quirky acts of non- crackdown. Facebook, he said he was proud government yesterday said unrest since the February 1 by kleptocratic generals violent rebellion and civil Those able to access social to be considered a threat. vaccines being used in the country could withstand the mutation. The new variant contains Former Jamaate Islami Hind the E484K mutation found in variants first identified in V-P Siddique Hassan dies South Africa and Brazil. It is nicknamed “Eek” by THE PENINSULA — DOHA some scientists for its apparent ability to evade natural Prof. K A Siddique Hassan, immunity from previous former national vice-pres- COVID-19 infection and to ident of Jamaate Islami Hind reduce protection offered by (JIH) and long-term head of current vaccines. its Kerala wing, died Siti Nadia Tarmizi, a senior yesterday at Kozhikode in health ministry official, said the Southern Indian state of yesterday that the one variant Kerala after a prolonged case had recovered and did illness. He was 76. not infect close contacts, He had visited Qatar on adding that the vaccines cur- several occasions and was rently available in Indonesia fondly remembered by could withstand the mutation. Prof. K A Siddique Hassan many Qatar residents as a However, Herawati great Islamic scholar, Sudoyo, deputy director for orator, social activist and publishes prominent fundamental research at the An aerial picture shows damaged houses affected by flash floods after heavy rains in East Flores, author who envisioned and Malayalam language news- government-funded Eijkman East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, yesterday. charted a unique path of paper, Madhyamam, the parent Institute, which specialises in growth and development for publication of GCC-based Gulf medical molecular biology and Hunt for survivors as cyclone kills 119 in Indonesia the low-income and margin- Madhyamam. He was the biotechnology, said the vac- alised people in India. Editor-in-Chief of Kerala’s cines’ ability to withstand the REUTERS — JAKARTA “The rescue team is moving Tuesday and were setting up Named Vision-2026, the initi- prominent weekly Islamic mutation had yet to be on the ground. The weather is public kitchens, while medical ative had helped hundreds of magazine, Prabodhanam, and determined. Rescuers searched for dozens good,” BNPB spokesman workers were brought in. thousands of people living in was also instrumental in The first case of the variant missing in the remote islands Raditya Jati told a news briefing. Video taken by a local ghettos and slums to get up on launching a children’s publi- comes as the country prepares of southeast Indonesia Search and rescue per- official in Tanjung Batu village their feet and progress on cation, called Malarvadi, in for a reduced supply of yesterday, as reinforcements sonnel, however, had trouble on Lembata, home to the Ile various fronts. early 1980s. COVID-19 vaccines due to arrived to help in the aftermath transporting heavy equipment Lewotolok volcano, showed Siddique Hasan’s contri- Prof. Siddique Hassan was export curbs of AstraZeneca’s of a tropical cyclone that killed for use in the search. felled trees and large rocks of bution to the upliftment of the a post-graduate in Arabic lan- shot imposed by manufacturer at least 119 people. “Search for victims is con- cold lava that had crushed Muslim community and the guage and literature and had India to prioritise its domestic Helicopters were deployed strained, the existing heavy homes after being dislodged by society at large was exemplary. worked as an Arabic professor supplies. to aid the search, and ships car- equipment cannot be sent to the cyclone. He had taken the lead in in many government colleges. Indonesia’s health minister rying food, water, blankets and their destination, especially in Thousands of people have launching several extra- He led the state unit of JIH for said on Monday only 20 medicine reached ports previ- Adonara and Alor,” the head of been displaced, nearly 2,000 ordinary and outstanding more than 15 years from 1990 million of the 30 million doses ously blocked by high waves BNPB, Doni Monardo, said. buildings including a hospital socio-cultural and economic to 2005 before taking over as it had ordered for a March- whipped up by tropical cyclone The Adonara and Alor were impacted, and more than ventures including Human its national secretary and then April delivery were available Seroja, which brought heavy islands were among the islands 100 homes heavily damaged by Welfare Foundation, Human its national vice president. due to the export curbs. rain and triggered deadly floods worst hit by the cyclone, with the cyclone. Two people died Welfare Trust, Association for Prof. Siddique Hassan had He called for the vacci- and landslides on Sunday. 62 and 21 people dead in nearby West Nusa Tenggara Protection of Civil Rights, won many recognitions from nation programme to be read- Indonesia’s disaster agency respectively. province. There were also con- Society for Bright Future, India and abroad for his unpar- justed and prioritised for the BNPB revised upwards the Aerial images from Adonara cerns about possible COVID-19 Medical Service Society, Centre alleled service to the society in elderly. With around 1.54 death toll from the cyclone in on Tuesday showed brown mud infections in crowded evacu- for Information and Guidance general and the Muslim com- million cases and 41,900 the East Nusa Tenggara islands, and flood water covering a vast ation centres. In neighbouring India, and Social Advancement munity in particular. He deaths so far, Indonesia has after earlier saying 86 had died. area, burying houses, roads and East Timor, at least 33 were Foundation of India. He was authored several books and the highest caseload in Seventy-six people were still trees. The military and volun- killed in floods and landslides also the founder secretary of articles on Islam. He is survived Southeast Asia and one of the missing. teers arrived on the islands on and by falling trees. Ideal Publications Trust, which by wife and four children. worst epidemics in Asia. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 ASIA 11 Russian FM in Pakistan, Afghan talks to dominate agenda AP — ISLAMABAD Afghanistan but is also seeking a three- to six-month extension Lavrov’s visit to Pakistan is Russia’s foreign minister arrived of the troop withdrawal the first by a Russian yesterday in Pakistan for a deadline amid repeated state- two-day visit expected to focus ments from President Joe Biden foreign minister in nine on efforts to bring peace to that America wants to end its years. neighbouring Afghanistan. longest war. Sergey Lavrov’s visit comes The Taliban have warned as a May 1 deadline for US against overstepping the occupation and thousands of troops to leave Afghanistan in deadline and threatened more soldiers who died in Afghan- line with a deal Washington attacks including an end to a istan, the Soviets negotiated signed a year ago with the moratorium on attacks against their exit from Afghanistan in Taliban seems increasingly US and Nato troops. February, 1989. The exit came unlikely. Afghanistan has seen a after so-called proximity talks “A common concern is the nationwide spike in bombings, between Afghanistan’s com- situation in Afghanistan,” said targeted killings, and violence munist government and the US- a Russian Foreign Ministry recently. backed mujahedeen, many of Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood statement. “We look forward to Lavrov heads a 13-member whom are now in the Taliban, Qureshi in Islamabad, Pakistan, yesterday. an early finding of a con- delegation that includes Mos- while others are warlords structive solution in order to cow’s special representative for linked to the Kabul end the civil war in the Islamic Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov. government. minister in nine years. Paki- statement said the visit will also who recently recovered from Republic of Afghanistan through Russia has intensified efforts to Three years later the pro- stan’s Foreign Minister Shah focus on bilateral trade, which COVID-19, as well as Pakistan’s agreements on the formation of interject itself as a key player in Moscow government led by Mahmood Qureshi said in a last year was nearly $800m, a powerful army chief, Gen. an inclusive government with the peace push and last month, President Najibullah, who used video statement yesterday that lot of that in Russian wheat. Qamar Javed Bajwa. the participation of the Taliban Moscow hosted Taliban and only one name, fell to the the visit is indicative of a closer Russia’s top diplomat “Pakistan and Russia are movement.” Afghan government officials for mujahedeen. relationship between the two arrived from India. While in working together in the Afghan The US has accelerated a one-day meeting. Lavrov’s visit to Pakistan is countries. Pakistan, Lavrov will meet peace process,” Qureshi said in efforts to get a peace deal for Following a 10-year the first by a Russian foreign The Russian ministry Prime Minister Imran Khan, the video statement. Australia-NZ travel bubble from April 19 in pandemic milestone Philippine leader calls for peaceful REUTERS — WELLINGTON/SYDNEY outbreaks there. Wellington. cases and 26 deaths. New Zealand in 2019, the year New Zealand Prime Min- Australian Prime Minister A man from the nearby before the pandemic shut resolution of China New Zealand and Australia will ister Jacinda Ardern said yes- Scott Morrison called the Pacific nation of Papua New borders, contributing NZ$2.7bn boats impasse create a quarantine and terday Australians would now agreement “the first of many Guinea died in an Australian ($1.9bn) to its economy, COVID-testing free “travel have open access, allowing more steps to come... as we get hospital, the authorities said according to New Zealand REUTERS — MANILA bubble” from April 19, after cross-border travel without back to a more normal yesterday, but the death was figures. Arrivals were forecast effectively eradicating the virus mandatory COVID-19 testing position, not only over the not included in Australian sta- to reach 80% of that level by Philippine President Rodrigo by closing borders last year to - one of the first such agree- course of this year but tistics since he was diagnosed early 2022, Ardern said. Duterte is committed to peace- stop more infections reaching ments since the pandemic beyond”. in his home country before Flights to and from some fully resolving a diplomatic their shores and stringent lock- prompted countries to block The virus has effectively being airlifted. Australian states could still be row with China over the downs. foreign arrivals to stop the been eradicated in both coun- About 568,000 New suspended if there were local disputed South China Sea, his Though most Australian virus spreading. tries, with minor outbreaks the Zealand-born people live in outbreaks, Ardern warned. spokesman said yesterday, in states have allowed quar- “The Trans-Tasman travel result of leakage from quaran- Australia, according to 2018 She added that travellers a measured response after antine-free visits from New bubble represents a start of a tined returned travellers. figures, equivalent to 2.3% of must wear masks on flights and days of strong rebukes by his Zealanders for months, New new chapter in our COVID Australia has recorded Australia’s population and Aus- undertake New Zealand ministers and generals. Zealand has continued with response and recovery, one about 29,400 virus cases and tralia’s fourth-largest migrant contact tracing, while the travel The continued presence enforced isolation for arrivals that people have worked so 909 deaths since the pandemic community. bubble did not apply to people inside the Philippines’ from its neighbour, citing hard at,” Ardern told reporters began, while New Zealand has Australians made up 1.5 transiting via Australia from exclusive economic zone of concern about small COVID-19 in the New Zealand capital had just over 2,100 confirmed million, or 40%, of arrivals to other countries. hundreds of Chinese vessels has frustrated Manila and drawn concern from ally the Japan extends N United States, among others. China holds aircraft carrier drills near Taiwan “We will continue to Korea sanctions resolve the issues on Julian AP — BEIJING Felipe through diplomatic for two years channels and through peaceful China is holding naval drills involving an aircraft means,” said a statement from AP — TOKYO carrier battlegroup near Taiwan it says are aimed Duterte read by his spokesman at safeguarding Chinese sovereignty. Harry Roque. Japan extended its own sanc- The navy said the exercises involving the China has maintained that tions against North Korea for Liaoning, one of its two aircraft carriers, are routine Whitsun Reef, known as Julian another two years as and assigned under an annual schedule. Felipe Reef in the Philippines, Pyongyang continues to In a statement late Monday, the navy did not was a traditional fishing develop its nuclear weapons say when the exercises began or how long they ground where its vessels were without any progress in would last, but said more such drills will be held seeking shelter from adverse resolving the abductions of in the future. weather. The toning down of Japanese nationals. It said the exercises aim to “assist in improving the Philippine response comes Japan bans all trade the ability to safeguard national sovereignty, a day after its foreign ministry between the countries and security and development interests”. said it would protest daily if prohibits North Korean-reg- China operates two aircraft carriers, of which China refused to withdraw Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning sails through the Miyako Strait near Okinawa on its istered ships from entering its the Liaoning, originally purchased as a hulk from boats that “blatantly infringe” way to the Pacific in this photo taken by Japan Self-Defence Forces and released by ports, except for humanitarian Ukraine, is the first, having been operating in a on Philippine sovereign rights. purposes. It also bans flights combat role since at least 2019. the Joint Staff Office of the Defence Ministry of Japan on April 4, 2021. Duterte’s legal counsel warned between the countries. US military officials and observers have recently of “unwanted hostilities”. Japan also abides by UN warned of increased Chinese threats toward Taiwan, which split In a move certain to anger Beijing, the US Navy said the carrier In Duterte’s statement, he sanctions against North from the mainland during a civil war in 1949. The US has recently Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group had re-entered the South said differences in the South Korea’s nuclear and missile agreed to sell upgraded warplanes, missiles and other defensive China Sea on Saturday to “conduct routine operations.” It is the China Sea would not be an programmes. They include an hardware to Taiwan and the island is also revitalising its own second time the strike group has entered the waterway this year obstacle to friendly relations arms trade ban, a freeze of defence industries, particularly by starting a submarine devel- as part of its 2021 deployment to the US 7th Fleet area of and cooperation in pandemic North Korean assets, a ban on opment programme. operations. response. people exchanges and restric- tions on education and training. Workers remove Ex-Philippine President Estrada Japan’s Chief Cabinet Sec- retary Katsunobu Kato more wreckage announced yesterday the on ventilator with COVID-19 Cabinet had decided to extend from deadly the sanctions, which were to AP — MANILA, PHILIPPINES margins in Philippine electoral expire on April 13. Taiwan train crash history. But his six-year term North Korea test-fired two Former Philippine President was cut short after he faced ballistic missiles on March 25 AP — TAIPEI, TAIWAN Joseph Estrada has been put on allegations of plunder and was for the first time in about a a ventilator in a hospital to help ousted in January 2001 during year, which Japan has con- Investigators looking into him breath after being infected massive protests. demned as a violation of UN Taiwan’s deadliest railway by the coronavirus, his son said A special anti-graft court Security Council resolutions. disaster in decades combed yesterday. convicted him of plunder in Japan, the United States and through the crushed wreckage The 83-year-old Estrada, 2007. His successor, Gloria South Korea have called for and debris for three days before the most prominent Filipino Macapagal Arroyo, pardoned full implementation of the UN they found the microSD chip politician to test positive for him. He won election as mayor sanctions and for ensuring from the dashboard camera of COVID-19, was hospitalised of Manila in 2013 and has been international efforts to denu- a construction truck that more than a week ago and ini- out of politics since his term clearize North Korea. collided with a train coming out tially was recovering well, said ended in 2019. In 2002, North Korea of a tunnel, officials said his son, former Sen. Jinggoy Separately, Defence Sec- admitted to kidnapping 13 Jap- yesterday. Estrada. retary Delfin Lorenzana, who anese nationals in the 1970s That dashboard video, the But on Monday, “my is leading efforts to deal with and ’80s to train spies in Jap- black box on the train, surveil- father’s condition suffered a the pandemic in the Philip- Rescue workers extract a damaged train carriage from a tunnel after anese language and culture. lance video and railway records setback,” he said in a medical pines, said he tested positive for the deadly train derailment north of Hualien, Taiwan, yesterday. Five of them were allowed to have allowed investigators to bulletin posted on Facebook, the coronavirus yesterday and return to Japan later that year, reconstruct Friday’s accident, adding that doctors decided to would go into isolation. The and Pyongyang says the others though a more detailed inves- stuck in bushes. Then it tumbled slow it down enough to avoid put the former president on a 72-year-old retired army had died or never entered the tigation is still underway, offi- down a slope onto the tracks, harm in the short time he had. ventilator “to improve oxygen general, who said he is experi- North. cials with Taiwan’s Transpor- but officials could not confirm The collision was so violent that delivery as well as to prevent encing no symptoms, is one of Japan believes more tation Safety Board said at a why it had shut off. the train carried part of the the tiring of his respiratory several members of President people may have been news conference. The truck remained on the truck body an additional 320 mechanism.” “My father has Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet who abducted and that many may The officials declined to tracks for a little more than a metres into another tunnel always been a fighter and I have contracted the disease. still be alive. Questions over provide conclusions about the minute before the Taroko before it all finally came to a hope that with the help of your Lorenzana’s Cabinet colleagues their fate, along with North exact cause of the accident, Express Train collided with it stop. prayers, he will win this battle,” have all recovered. Korea’s nuclear and missile which killed 50 people and head-on as it came out of a Workers are still on the he said. Duterte has placed the development, have kept rela- injured 211. tunnel, said Yang Hong-chih, ground working to remove the Another Estrada son, Manila metropolis and four tions frozen between the The initial findings show the director of the Transportation last two cars of the train, former Sen. JV Ejercito, also outlying provinces, a region of countries that do not have dip- construction truck’s engine was Safety Board. including the driver’s cabin, appealed for prayers, saying in more than 25 million people, lomatic ties. still on just minutes before the The train’s driver engaged which sustained the most a tweet that “COVID is unpre- back under lockdown amid an Prime Minister Yoshihide collision, investigators said. The the manual brakes to try and damage. dictable.” Estrada, a former alarming spike in infections. Suga has made resolving the engine turned off after the truck slow down the train travelling There were 494 passengers action film star and long-time The Philippines has reported abduction issue a high priority made a sharp turn on a path at at 127 kilometres per hour, but and four Taiwan Railways politician, won the presidency more than 812,000 COVID-19 for his administration. the construction site and got there was little he could to do workers on the train. in 1998 with one of the largest cases, including 13,817 deaths. 12 EUROPE WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 Clear link between AstraZeneca EU hopes for ‘community immunity‘ by end-June vaccine, blood clots: EMA official AP — BRUSSELS situation where we have suffi- cient community immunity to REUTERS — ROME The EMA said in a regarding the age of individuals ticularly at risk from Astra- Despite its flagging vaccination fight the virus,” he said. But he statement that its to whom the AstraZeneca shot Zeneca’s shot. drive, the European Union said added the key proviso that it There is a link between Astra- should be given. Scientists are exploring yesterday it is still on target to was based on prompt deliveries Zeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and review of the vaccine Some countries, including several possibilities that might reach what it calls “sufficient of vaccines, and on the 27 very rare blood clots in the was ongoing and it France, Germany and the Neth- explain the extremely rare brain community immunity” by the member states rolling out dis- brain but the possible causes erlands, have suspending the blood clots that occurred in end of June. tribution without the hiccups are still unknown, a senior expected to announce use of the vaccine in younger individuals in the days and The European Commission that have marked the first official for the European Medi- its findings soon. people while the investigations weeks after receiving the has said it wants to have vac- quarter of the year. cines Agency (EMA) said in an continue. vaccine. cinated a minimum 70% of the “We need, obviously, interview published yesterday. In response to Cavaleri’s One theory suggests that the entire adult population by the targets that are realistic,” De However, the EMA later said The EMA has repeatedly comments, the Amsterdam- vaccine triggers an unusual end of the summer. But it is Keersmaecker said. in a statement that its review of said the benefits of the Astra- based EMA said in a statement antibody in some rare cases; counting on a strong second Vaccine deliveries have the vaccine was ongoing and it Zeneca shot outweigh the risks yesterday: “EMA’s Pharma- other investigators are looking quarter of vaccine production bedeviled the EU ever since the expected to announce its as it investigates 44 reports of covigilance Risk Assessment into a possible link with birth to reach a threshold of first shots came just after findings on Wednesday or an extremely rare brain clotting Committee (PRAC) has not yet control pills. immunity already by the end Christmas, and have become a Thursday. An AstraZeneca ailment known as cerebral reached a conclusion and the But many scientists say of June. huge political issue as other spokesman declined to venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) review (of any possible link) is there is no definitive evidence With some 107 million nations like the United comment on the matter. out of 9.2 million people in the currently ongoing.” and it is not clear whether or doses already distributed and Kingdom and the United States “In my opinion, we can now European Economic Area who The EMA said last week that why AstraZeneca’s vaccine up to 360 million slated for the raced ahead. The Anglo- say it, it is clear that there is an have received the vaccine. its review had at present not would cause an issue not shared next 3 months, the EU said the Swedish pharma giant Astra- association (of the brain blood The WHO has also backed identified any specific risk by other vaccines that target a target is within reach. Zeneca has delivered less than clots) with the vaccine. the vaccine. factors, such as age, gender or similar part of the virus. “We believe that on the half of what it promised However, we still do not know AstraZeneca has said pre- a previous medical history of In a separate interview, basis of this, we will have initially. what causes this reaction,” viously its studies have found clotting disorders, for these very Armando Genazzani, a member enough doses of the vaccine to Even now, the Our World Marco Cavaleri, chair of the no higher risk of clots because rare events. of the EMA’s Committee for reach our very important target in Data group says that the vaccine evaulation team at the of its vaccine. A high proportion among Medicinal Products for Human of about 70 percent of the adult share of people who received EMA, told Italian daily Il Cavaleri said the EMA the reported cases affected Use (CHMP), told La Stampa population,” said EU Com- at least one dose of COVID-19 Messagero. would say in its review that young and middle-aged women daily that it was “plausible” that mission spokesman Stefan De vaccine stands at 46 percent in Cavaleri provided no evi- there is a link but was not likely but that did not lead EMA to the blood clots were correlated Keersmaecker. the UK and 31 percent in US, dence to support his comment. to give an indication this week conclude this cohort was par- with the AstraZeneca vaccine. “That would leave us in a compared to 12.8 percent in EU. Johnson faces political fight over UK coronavirus passports plan BLOOMBERG — LONDON the opposition Labour Party has Health Minister Nadhim hinted it could vote against the Zahawi told Sky News yes- Prime Minister Boris Johnson policy. If all those MPs who terday vaccine passports would is on course for a battle with have said they have concerns not be needed to enter pubs and members of Parliament over were to vote against the pro- restaurants when customers are plans to introduce vaccine posals in the House of allowed inside again next passports as part of opening up Commons, the government month. The government backs services after lockdown. would risk potential defeat on Covid certificates in principle So-called Covid-status cer- the issue. and they will be important for tificates— based on proof of a Former Tory minister Mark international travel, he said. vaccine, a negative test or Harper said COVID-19 certifi- Labour’s health spokesman immunity for those who have cates would create a “two-tier Jonathan Ashworth called for recovered from the virus — Britain” and demanded MPs be more clarity. “I do think it is dis- could eventually eliminate the given a vote on the plan. “Trying criminatory,” he told Sky News. need for testing of audiences at to introduce these domestic “Last night, Boris Johnson live events and passengers vaccine passports by the back couldn’t explain his own policy. heading on international trips, door by linking them to We’ve now got the vaccine min- under government plans. removing social-distancing ister saying it’s not for shops But Conservative members rules just won’t be acceptable,” and pubs. The government just of Parliament are unhappy, and he said. need to clear this up.”

The newly elected Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and the Speaker of Parliament Glauk Konjufca Suspect in Van Gogh, Frans Norwegian Cruise during a swearing in ceremony in Pristina, yesterday. Line to resume Hals painting thefts arrested trips in Greece, New Kosovo president takes office REUTERS — THE HAGUE paintings have not been recovered and appealed to the Caribbean AP — PRISTINA President Glauk Konjufca president is largely ceremonial, Dutch police have arrested a public to come forward with AP — OSLO handed over the country’s con- but she also plays a leading role suspect in two separate thefts any information about the Kosovo’s new president took stitution, avoiding a more in foreign policy and as the of paintings by Dutch masters whereabouts of the works. Norwegian Cruise Line is office yesterday, becoming the formal ceremony due to the commander of armed forces. Vincent Van Gogh and Frans In March last year thieves putting three of its ships back country’s youngest head of state pandemic. Resuming normalisation Hals from museums that were stole the Van Gogh painting in the water after a one-year and one of the youngest in the Osmani-Sadriu was for- talks with former war foe closed due to the pandemic. “Lentetuin”, or “Spring pandemic hiatus, with plans world. merly acting president from Serbia will be a priority on her “This morning my col- Garden”, which dates from to resume sailings in the Greek Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, 38, November until late March. She list, even though the gov- leagues arrested a 58-year-old 1884 and depicts the garden of islands and the Caribbean in was elected to a five-year term replaced Hashim Thaci, who ernment of Prime Minister man in Baarn and we suspect the rectory at Nuenen, from the late July and August. on Sunday by Kosovo’s resigned after facing charges Albin Kurti has said it’s not high him of stealing two paintings Singer Laren Museum in town The cruise line expects that Assembly, or Parliament, for war crimes and crimes among its own goals. by Frans Hals and Van Gogh,” of Laren, near Amsterdam. the limited re-openings making her the Balkan nation’s against humanity at a special Kosovo became inde- police spokeswoman Maren Five months later, thieves announced yesterday will second female leader in the court based in The Hague. Thaci pendent in 2008. It is recog- Wonder said in a video broke into a small museum attract many Americans, even post-war period. was a guerrilla leader during nised by more than 100 coun- statement released on Twitter. near the city of Utrecht and if the ships can’t stop at US ports. Osmani-Sadriu took office Kosovo’s war for independence tries but not by Serbia or No further details were given made off with a painting by The company said that all yesterday in a ceremony with from Serbia in the late 1990s. Serbian allies like Russia and about the suspect. Dutch “Golden Age” master passengers and crew members a guard of honour. Acting The post of Kosovo’s China. She added that the Frans Hals. will need to be fully vaccinated and tested for COVID-19 before boarding. Norwegian yesterday can- Italy’s ‘Dying Town’ seeks Unesco heritage status celed all July and August trips on 10 of its 17 ships that would normally visit Alaska, northern REUTERS — CIVITA DI landslide that occurred in 1114 Europe and the Mediter- BAGNOREGIO, ITALY still under study today. ranean. The line will offer “During three millennia, 7-day trips around the Greek Calling yourself “The Dying regressive erosion has practi- Isles leaving from Athens Town” may not sound like the cally reduced Civita to a starting in late July and sailings best way of attracting visitors, nucleus, leaving the square and from Jamaica and the but Civita has learned to make a few streets around it,” said Dominican Republic on two a living out of dying. Luca Costantini, 49, a geologist other ships starting in August. And it has resisted definitive who is part of project to monitor CEO Harry Sommer said death for so long that Italy has and slow down the erosion. Greece is the cruise line’s top nominated it and the sur- In underground caverns cut European destination and he rounding area of stark cliffs and out of soft volcanic rock known expects the Greek government valleys known as “badlands” to as tufo, steel bars hold walls to allow Americans to travel be a Unesco World Heritage together. to the country as soon as May Site. “Our motto is ‘resilience’ or June. Centuries ago, the town was because Civita was founded by For its first Caribbean much larger and connected by the Etruscans, passed through cruises, the company picked road to other settlements. But the Roman era and the entire Montego Bay, Jamaica, and landslides, earthquakes, cracks medieval period to reach the Punta Cana in the Dominican and erosion have reduced its present day,” said Luca Profili, Republic for departures size dramatically and left it 32, the mayor of Bagnoregio, of because of plentiful airline sitting spectacularly alone at the which Civita is a part. “This service from the United States. top of a spur. place is so fragile,” he said. Sommer predicted that more When winter clouds are That fragility is measured in A general view of Civita di Bagnoregio, accessible only by a bridge and known as ‘the dying town’ than 90 percent of the pas- low, Civita looks like a floating part by an “extensometer”, an due its susceptibility to erosion and landslides, in Italy, recently. sengers will be Americans. castle in the air. On a clear day, external telescopic rod that Cruising in US waters is the rock on which it rests looks detects movement. size, over the centuries entire between Rome and Florence. town can get back on its feet. still barred by the Centers for like a slice of a multi-layered The Civita that remains neighbourhoods collapsed in Road signs direct visitors to “The environmental risk is Disease Control and Pre- cake. Clay from an inland sea a today is mostly from the landslides. Today it is accessible “Civita — The Dying Town”. worrying (but) we hope that for vention, with no set date for a million years ago supports Medieval period and measures via a long and steep ramp for Stefano Lucarini, 29, bought many years everyone will be restart. Norwegian’s Miami- strata of compacted ash and about 152 by 91 metres, less than pedestrians or golf carts. a restaurant in Civita in March, able to enjoy the town,” he said. based parent company pressed magma from subsequent vol- two soccer pitches. Its main The number of permanent 2020, just days before the first The mayor’s spokesman, CDC Director Rochelle canic eruptions. square is about the size of a bas- residents fluctuates between 10 COVID-19 lockdown. Roberto Pomi, said Italy sub- Walensky on Monday for per- Civita’s past, present and ketball court. to 14 depending on the season. “The timing was not great,” mitted the heritage site proposal mission to resume sailing in US future are the stuff of a geolo- Once spread out on a hill Before the pandemic Civita was he joked. But he is optimistic in January and expects Unesco waters July 4. The company gist’s dream, with a major about three times its current a draw for tourists travelling that after the pandemic, the to decide in June next year. has not received a response. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 EUROPE 13 EU denies blocking AstraZeneca shots to Australia REUTERS — CANBERRA/BRUSSELS A European Commission spokeswoman said immediately reply to a request An EU official said it was not the vaccine that will be pro- for comment yesterday. responsible for AstraZeneca’s duced locally by CSL Ltd. The European Union yesterday the bloc had rejected only one of 491 COVID- With inoculation rollouts failure in upholding commit- Australia has recorded just denied blocking shipments of 19 vaccine export requests since it enhanced running far behind those of ments to other countries. The 909 coronavirus deaths since 3.1 million doses of Astra- export transparency in late January, but added Britain and the United States, drug maker aims to deliver only the pandemic began and said Zeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to the EU tightened its oversight 100 million doses to the bloc by on Tuesday it would launch a Australia, as the bloc steps up that seven requests were currently being of vaccine exports last month, the end of June out of 300 quarantine and virus-testing scrutiny of vaccine exports to reviewed — and therefore shipments were on giving it greater scope to block million it had pledged. free travel bubble with New address shortages. shipments. It is unclear whether Aus- Zealand this month after effec- An Australian government hold until a decision was made. “They’ve blocked 3.1 million tralia plans to ask Britain or the tively eradicating the virus by source said that the EU had shots so far,” said the Australian United States to ship Astra- closing borders last year. blocked 3.1 million shots and the government source, adding that Zeneca doses. Australia’s vaccine pro- country had little hope of A Commission spokes- The only rejected request it had only received 300,000 Australian Prime Minister gramme is running well behind getting the remaining 400,000 woman said the bloc had out of nearly 500 received has doses and a further 400,000 Scott Morrison said yesterday schedule, having started much doses it has been promised on rejected only one of 491 been so far a shipment of doses were scheduled to arrive the missing shipments were later than some other countries time. COVID-19 vaccine export 250,000 doses to Australia in by the end of April. responsible for it not meeting due to the low case numbers, and The dispute underscores requests since it enhanced March. From Jan 30 to March “We haven’t given up hope its inoculation schedule. the Astrazeneca blockages leave massive shortfalls of the Astra- export transparency in late 24, the EU exported 1 million but we’ve stopped counting “In early January, we antic- it struggling to step up the pace. Zeneca shot across the EU and January, but added that seven doses to Australia, the Com- them in our expected supplies,” ipated we would have the 3.1 Only about 670,000 people complicates Australia’s inocu- requests were currently being mission said in a press release. the source said. The person million vaccines. Those vac- have been inoculated against lation campaign, which is more reviewed — and therefore ship- The EU has repeatedly said declined to be named because cines were not supplied to Aus- an initial target of 4 million by than 80 percent behind its ments were on hold until a that AstraZeneca may not be he is not authorised to talk tralia,” Morrison told reporters end-March. original schedule. decision was made. allowed to export from the EU about the matter. in Canberra. “That is the While the government “We cannot confirm any She declined to say whether until it fulfils its contractual Australia had until Tuesday reason.” blamed the slow rollout for new decision to block vaccine a new shipment to Australia was obligations towards the bloc, a only confirmed the block of The AstraZeneca vaccine supply issues from Europe, Aus- exports to Australia or to any among those being reviewed. position that has led the 250,000 AstraZeneca doses arriving from Europe were to tralian state governments have other country,” a European But an EU official said there was company to refrain from sub- from the EU, which Canberra underpin the early stages of also complained about slower- Commission spokesman told a no request for export to Aus- mitting some export requests. said then would not delay its Australia’s vaccine drive, sup- than-expected distribution and news conference. tralia under review. AstraZeneca did not inoculation timetable. plementing 50 million shots of a lack of certainty on supplies. Greenland election shows divide over rare-earth metals mine

AP — HELSINKI Former Prime Minister Kim the People party in pre-election Kielsen pushed to give the green polls may not necessarily hold. Greenland is holding an early light to mine owner Greenland “A third of the voters decide parliamentary election Minerals, an Australia-based at the last minute, and the yesterday focused in part on company with Chinese own- support for (Community of the whether the semi-autonomous ership, to start operation. Erik People) is overestimated,” said Danish territory should allow Jensen — Kielsen’s recent suc- political scientist Leander international companies to cessor as Forward party leader Nielsen at the University of mine the sparsely populated — is opposed to granting the Greenland, as quoted by the Arctic island’s substantial company a mining licence. Norwegian news agency NTB. deposits of rare-earth metals. Recent election polls One of the Forward’s party’s Lawmakers agreed on a showed the left-leaning Com- initial justifications for granting snap election after the centre- munity of the People party a mining licence to Greenland right Democrats pulled out of (Inuit Ataqatigiit), a staunch Minerals was that the proceeds Greenland’s three-party gov- opponent of the mine project, from the project would erning coalition in February, in position to become the largest strengthen Greenland’s leaving the government led by party in the Greenlandic economy and thus help in the centre-left Forward party Parliament. efforts to disengage the island with a minority in the national The opposition party has completely from Denmark A voter casts his ballot in Greenland’s parliamentary election, in Nuuk, Greenland, yesterday assembly, the 31-seat claimed that a majority of through independence — an Inatsisartut. Greenland’s 56,000 inhabitants, ambition nurtured by Forward, think that we should focus deposits of rare-earth metals, in a wide array of sectors and One of the main reasons the most of them indigenous Inuit the Community of the People much more on the conditions according to the US Geological products, including smart- Democrats withdrew was a people, are against the project, and some other parties. of the population, and that pol- Survey. phones, wind turbines, micro- deep political divide over a pro- largely for environmental “In the past, I was very pre- iticians should try to act on Estimates show the Kvane- chips, batteries for electric cars posed mining project involving reasons. occupied with the fact that, of things they promise year after fjeld mine could hold the largest and weapons systems. uranium and rare-earth metals Observers stress political course, we must be inde- year.” deposit of rare-earth metals In 2019, former President in southern Greenland. Sup- surveys in Greenland have pendent. And so will we one The mining proposal is rel- outside China, which currently Donald Trump floated an idea porters see the Kvanefjeld mine proved to be uncertain, and the day,” Greenland resident Lise evant beyond Greenland. The accounts for more than 90 to buy Greenland for the United project as a potential source of over 30 percent support level Svenningsen told the Danish largely ice-covered island has percent of global production. States from Denmark for stra- jobs and prosperity. enjoyed by the Community of public broadcaster DR. “But I the world’s largest undeveloped Rare-earth metals are used tegic reasons. Spain prepares Bosnian protesters want govt to resign over lack of vaccines vaccine rollout REUTERS — SARAJEVO pandemic began last year and and at least 300 people were COVID-19 patients. government is gambling with surge as supplies following a surge in infection in the motorcade of about 150 The protesters called for the our lives every day of the coro- Hundreds of Bosnians staged a rates in Bosnia over the past cars. resignations of the central and navirus pandemic, and we are gather pace protest in the capital Sarajevo month. The protesters briefly regional governments, and the gambling too if we remain yesterday, demanding the resig- Protesters marched through blocked the area around gov- introduction of obligatory neg- silent.” The demonstration was AP — MADRID nations of top government offi- the city centre carrying placards ernment buildings in central ative tests for COVID-19 to be held in silence to honour those cials over their handling of the reading “The Fight for Life” and Sarajevo. produced by all visitors entering who have died of the corona- Spain is stepping up its vacci- coronavirus pandemic and “Resignations and Vaccines”, The country’s death toll the country. virus, she said. nation drive, with Prime failure to launch a nationwide while others drove in a from COVID-19 has now “This is a cry for help by Sarajevo, which has a pop- Minister Pedro Sánchez saying vaccination programme. motorcade, honking their car reached 7,052, up from 5,228 Bosnian citizens,” Maja Gasalo- ulation of about 400,000, yesterday that a steep rise in The demonstration came as horns in support. a month ago, while a vacci- Vrazalica, one of six women reported 389 deaths from the deliveries over coming months the country reported a further A spokesman for Sarajevo nation programme has only who organised the demon- coronavirus in March, com- will allow the country to inoc- 99 deaths from COVID-19, the police estimated that about been rolled out so far for stration on Facebook, told pared with 80 in the previous ulate 70 percent of its adult highest daily toll since the 500 people joined the march health workers dealing with reporters. “Our incapable month. population — some 33 million people — against COVID-19 by the end of August. Ukraine says fire “The priority now, more than Russia detains Navalny ever, is to vaccinate without fight claims lives respite,” Sánchez told a news supporters outside prison conference. “Vaccinate, vac- of two soldiers cinate and vaccinate,” he said. Spain’s new COVID-19 infec- REUTERS — POKROV on his health. She was turned AP — KIEV tions have been edging higher in away. Police later detained her recent weeks. The 14-day cumu- Russian police detained nine along with at least six other Ukraine’s military said lative incidence — a key con- people outside a prison holding people, including several sup- yesterday that two of its serv- tagion metric —rose on Monday Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny porters and two reporters for icemen were killed within 24 to 163 cases per 100,000 people, yesterday as a small group of CNN. hours in the country’s east, from 149 a week earlier. his supporters came to the “All our peaceful actions where Ukrainian forces have Spain expects to receive 87 facility and authorities turned don’t work. It feels like they been fighting Russian-backed million doses by September. away a doctor who tried to see want to kill Alexei,” Vasilyeva separatists since 2014 and “Anyone who wants a vaccine him. said as she was led away. where tensions have intensified will be able to get one,” Navalny, 44, a prominent Police said nine people had in recent weeks. The two Sánchez said. opponent of President Vladimir been taken into custody for military members sustained Those deliveries will Putin, announced a hunger strike flouting public order. fatal gunshot wounds as a result include 38 million between last week in protest at what he Authorities stepped up of a “hostile fire,” the Joint April and June — 3.5 times said was the refusal of prison security at the prison early on Forces Operation reported. more than in January-March, authorities to treat him properly Tuesday, closing a parking lot Ukraine’s military reported Sánchez said, when vaccine for acute back and leg pain. to all but prison staff, setting up on March 26 that four of its deliveries across Europe fell Some allies had threatened a makeshift checkpoint and soldiers died in a mortar short of expectations. to protest at the prison in the blocking the road. attack, the most significant To help the rollout pick up town of Pokrov from yesterday “It is now under a special violation this year of a speed, some cities are opening unless he saw a doctor of his (security) regime,” a police- ceasefire that had led to a mass vaccination centers. The choice and was given proper woman said. decline in fighting. Spanish health system has medicine. The prison has said Navalny said late on In the past 24 hours, seven capacity to inoculate 3.5 his health is satisfactory and Monday that he had a high tem- fire fights took place along the million people a week, that he has had all necessary perature and bad cough and line of contact, the Ukrainian according to Sánchez. medical care. that three inmates in his ward military said. Sánchez set out a series of Yesterday, Anastasiya Vas- had been hospitalised with Officials in Kiev and the intended milestones: 5 million ilyeva, a Navalny ally who leads tuberculosis. He said, however, West expressed concerns over people vaccinated by the first a doctors’ trade union that that he planned to continue his reports of a troop buildup week of May, 10 million by authorities see as opposition hunger strike. along Russia’s borders with early June, 15 million by mid- activists, said she had not come The pro-Kremlin Izvestia Ukraine. Ukrainian President June and 25 million by July 15. to protest. newspaper later cited the state Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Supplies of the recently Instead, she said she had an prison service saying that Russia last week of “muscle- approved Janssen vaccine will Russian police officers detain Anastasiya Vasilyeva, a doctor and appointment with a senior Navalny had been moved to a flexing in the form of military help add momentum to the ally of Alexei Navalny, near the IK-2 corrective penal colony, where prison official and wanted to be sick bay and tested for the exercises and possible provo- rollout. Navalny serves his jail term, in the town of Pokrov, Russia, yesterday. let in to see Navalny and check coronavirus. cations along the border.” 14 AMERICAS WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 Canada hospitals deploy artificial lungs as virus hits younger patients REUTERS — TORONTO Many of Canada’s Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital is more worried about staffing Younger Canadians are bearing provinces are in the than artificial lung use. the brunt of the nation’s latest grip of a worsening On a given shift, he said, a COVID-19 surge, creating third of the staff are working growing demand for artificial third COVID-19 wave, overtime. lungs and a struggle to maintain as they struggle “They’re working so hard staffing in critical care units as to find bodies to fill those empty hospitals make last-ditch to hasten vaccine spots,” he said. “I wouldn’t say efforts to save patients. rollouts. The country we’re seeing more mistakes. Treatment with artificial reported more than Not yet, anyways. But we are lungs, known as extracorporeal certainly seeing burnout.” membrane oxygenation, or 6,200 new cases on For ICUs, there is no end in ECMO, is much more likely to Monday. sight. As of yesterday, there were be deployed for patients under 497 COVID-19 patients in Ontario’s Asylum-seeking migrants’ families attempt to get off an inflatable raft with a help of a Texas Ranger age 65, explained Marcelo ICUs, a new high. Last week, officer after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico in Roma, Texas, US, Cypel, surgical director for the workers.” experts advising the provincial on Monday. extracorporeal life support The ECMO situation is government said that could rise to program at Toronto’s University under control for now, but 800 by the end of April even with Health Network (UHN). things can change very quickly, a new stay-at-home order — or Migration in focus for US Last week, there were a Cypel cautioned. approach 1,000 without it. The record 19 ECMO patients at When hospital systems in province stopped short of a new UHN, 17 of them with severe other countries were over- stay-at-home order. envoy’s trip to Central America COVID-19. When the sickest whelmed, they had to stop New restrictions imple- COVID-19 patients’ lungs fill using ECMO because it requires mented in Ontario last week REUTERS — GUATEMALA CITY government did not divulge institute said Diaz had not been with fluid and mechanical ven- a lot of staff — seven or more change little for hardest-hit areas. details of the initial meetings notified of any accusations and tilators can no longer do the job, people to start the treatment. In Toronto, patios for outdoor US President Joe Biden’s special with Zuñiga’s delegation on was still in his job. artificial lungs can save lives. About 55 percent of people bars and restaurants closed, and envoy to a group of Central Monday, saying only in a Zuñiga will also visit El Sal- By Monday, doctors had who receive the therapy survive, a plan to reopen salons was American countries began a statement that further talks vador later this week, the White weaned some off the machines Cypel said. However, they are shelved. On Monday, hard-hit two-nation tour aimed at focusing on economic devel- House said. While he is not and were down to 14 ECMO often left with “severe physical Peel, west of Toronto, moved on addressing soaring migration opment, security and immi- scheduled to visit Honduras on patients, 12 of them with the virus. limitations” from their extended its own to suspend in-person by meeting Guatemalan Pres- gration would be held the trip, Zuñiga did discuss The need for these artificial hospital stay, he added. classes at schools for two weeks. ident Alejandro Giammattei on yesterday. migration “in a comprehensive lungs reflects a change in Can- Many of Canada’s provinces Canada’s vaccination rate Monday afternoon. Shortly beforehand, several fashion” with Honduran ada’s epidemic, which has are in the grip of a worsening has picked up after a slow start, Ricardo Zuñiga’s visit to the Guatemalan cabinet ministers Foreign Minister Lisandro taken a turn for the worse, with third COVID-19 wave, as they with 15 percent of the popu- so-called Northern Triangle issued a statement urging Rosales last Friday, according new cases surging and out- struggle to hasten vaccine lation getting at least one shot. countries comes as the number Giammattei to dismiss the head to a statement from the min- breaks hitting workplaces and rollouts. The country reported But data from the Institute for of migrants crossing the US- of Guatemala’s migration istry on Monday. schools. more than 6,200 new cases on Clinical Evaluative Sciences Mexico border leapt last month, institute, Guillermo Diaz, Further talks between Hon- With many seniors vacci- Monday, with the percentage shows that the Ontario commu- adding urgency to Biden’s push alleging Diaz had acted in a duran officials and Zuñiga are nated and new, far more con- of people testing positive for the nities at highest risk of to revamp US border policy manner contrary to the interests expected to continue on April tagious coronavirus variants virus up to 3.8 percent. COVID-19 transmission also while trying to manage people of his post. 9 in Washington. circulating widely, younger In British Columbia, where have the lowest rates of flows. Guatemalan media quoted US authorities caught more patients are increasingly hospitals are bracing for a surge vaccination. Guatemala, El Salvador and one of the ministers as saying than 171,000 migrants along the arriving in intensive care. in demand for intensive care These communities tend to Honduras constitute the their recommendation was US-Mexico in March, the “It’s very different now than unit (ICU) beds caused by the have a high proportion of res- Northern Triangle, a region based on anomalies detected at highest monthly total in two the first wave, when we saw highly concerning P.1 virus idents unable to work from which in recent years has pro- the institute on Diaz’s watch, decades and the latest sign of older people with comorbid- variant first discovered in, and home, many of them non-white vided the bulk of US-bound which included hiring the mounting humanitarian ities,” Cypel said. “We’re seeing now ravaging, Brazil, critical immigrants holding down jobs migrants. decisions. challenge confronting Biden’s more... young essential care doctor Del Dorscheid from at high risk of virus exposure. The Guatemalan A spokeswoman for the administration. Brazil’s COVID-19 Most kids with serious inflammatory illness had mild Covid death surge set to AP — NEW YORK largest analysis to date on US State-reported cases winter and spring of last year. that can reduce inflammation. pass the worst of cases of multisystem inflam- through March 29 totaled 3,185 Some cases, especially those The best way to prevent it Most children with a serious matory syndrome in children and included 36 deaths, the that follow silent, undiagnosed is to prevent COVID-19 infec- record US wave inflammatory illness linked to and bolsters evidence that it is CDC’s website shows. State COVID-19 infections, may be tions, ‘’which vaccines are very the coronavirus had initial a delayed immune response to reports aren’t always timely so mistaken for Kawasaki disease, good at doing,’’ he said. REUTERS — RIO DE JANEIRO COVID-19 infections with no COVID-19. The study included it is uncertain how many US a rare condition that can cause COVID-19 vaccine studies in symptoms or only mild ones, almost 1,800 cases reported to children developed the illness red skin, swelling and heart children are underway. Brazil’s brutal surge in new US research shows. the CDC from March 2020 since the study ended. problems. In the CDC analysis, fever COVID-19 deaths will soon The unusual post-infection through mid-January. Most Most kids who had Dr. Sean O’Leary, vice was among the most common surpass the worst of a record condition tends to be milder in were in kids younger than 15 but COVID-19 don’t develop the chairman of the pediatrics symptoms. Abdominal pain, January wave in the United kids who were sicker with the study included up to age 20. post-infection illness. Almost academy’s infectious diseases vomiting, diarrhea and red skin States, climbing well beyond COVID-19, although more than Upticks in cases have occurred 3.5 million US children and committee, said the inflam- rash occurred in at least half of an average 3,000 fatalities per half of affected youngsters two to five weeks after COVID-19 teens have tested positive for matory condition typically affected kids. Almost one-third day, scientists predict, as received intensive hospital care, peaks and have followed spread COVID-19, according to data causes children to become very had heart inflammation or other contagious new variants over- according to an analysis by the of initial infections from urban to compiled by the American sick very quickly, but that most cardiac involvement. These whelm hospitals. federal Centers for Disease rural areas, the researchers said. Academy of Pediatrics and the ‘’respond very well to treatment symptoms were least common Brazil’s overall death toll Control and Prevention pub- More recent CDC data indicate Children’s Hospital and the vast majority get com- among children up to age 4, trails only the US outbreak, lished yesterday in JAMA there’s another emerging peak in Association. pletely better.’’ who were also less likely to with nearly 333,000 killed, Pediatrics. the pediatric condition consistent The condition was first Treatments may include require intensive care than according to Health Ministry The study represents the with that trend. reported in Europe in late steroids and other medicines older children. data, compared with more than 555,000 dead in the United States. But with Brazil’s With voters ‘fed up of healthcare system at the breaking point, the country could also exceed total US politicians,’ Peru’s deaths, despite having two- thirds the population, two experts said. election is wide open “It’s a nuclear reactor that has set off a chain reaction and REUTERS — LIMA former soccer goalkeeper is out of control. It’s a bio- George Forsyth and conserv- logical Fukushima,” said In the popularity contest to ative Keiko Fujimori, the Miguel Nicolelis, a Brazilian become Peru’s next president, daughter of former President doctor and professor at Duke nobody is winning. Alberto Fujimori. University, who is closely The Andean country’s If no single candidate gets tracking the virus. voters, tired of years of political over 50 percent of the votes on Right-wing President Jair turmoil and corruption, are Sunday then the top two will Bolsonaro has pushed back split as never before over who go to a head-to-head on June against mask-wearing and to vote for when polls open 6. lockdowns that public health next Sunday. Peru is coming off the back experts consider necessary. That has left the election of one of its worst political crises The country dragged its feet race in the world’s number two in recent years. In November, last year as the world raced to copper producer wide open, President Martin Vizcarra was secure vaccines, slowing the weighing on markets and the impeached over a corruption launch of a national immuni- sol currency. There are 18 can- investigation that is still ongoing. zation program. Venezuelan refugees arrive in a boat on the banks of the Arauca river on the Colombian side after didates, half a dozen of whom His successor resigned days With weak measures fleeing their country due to military operations, in Arauquita, Colombia, on Monday. could reach the likely second later amid deadly protests. failing to combat contagion, round run-off. The country, on a par with Brazil’s COVID-19 cases and “It is unprecedented in the Brazil at 94th in Transparency deaths are accumulating faster Venezuela creates military unit on Colombia border history of Peru... that with so International’s corruption per- than ever. few days until the elections the ception index, was also rocked On the other hand, a wide- REUTERS — CARACAS “terrorists.” General Vladimir Venezuela’s military main- main candidates have such low earlier this year by a major spread US vaccination cam- Padrino said a temporary unit tains a standing ZODI unit for levels of voter support,” said scandal over preferential paign is rapidly curtailing what Venezuela has created a special called an Integrated Operational each of its 23 states and the Jeffrey Radzinsky, a lawyer and access to COVID-19 vaccines, has been the world’s deadliest military unit for an area on its Defense Zone, or ZODI, would capital, Caracas. Padrino said governance expert in Lima. which led to several ministers outbreak. border with Colombia that has operate in several municipal- eight soldiers had been killed in In the lead is Yonhy being fired. Nicolelis and Christovam been the center of clashes ities of Apure state, where the the fighting, while 34 soldiers had Lescano who opinion polls Interim President Francisco Barcellos, a researcher at Bra- between troops and illegal clashes have taken place. been wounded, nine members of indicate has just 12.1 percent of Sagasti, who is not running, has zilian medical institute armed groups since last month, “We are not going to allow the armed groups had been killed. support. Lescano is a social restored calm, but many voters Fiocruz, are separately pre- the defense minister said on any type of force, be it conven- Colombia’s Foreign Min- conservative who has said he say they have lost faith in pol- dicting that Brazil could Monday. tional, irregular, criminal, drug istry on Monday urged respect wants fairer wealth itics and the traditional political surpass the United States in Thousands of civilians have trafficker, etcetera, to come to for the rights of the civilian distribution. elite. Almost all Peru’s presi- both overall deaths and the been displaced by combat with Venezuelan territory to commit population living in Apure and He is polling just ahead of dents were impeached or record for average deaths per fighters that the government of crimes,” Padrino said in a tele- the neighboring Colombian liberal economist Hernando de probed for graft over the last day. President Nicolas Maduro calls vised statement. state of Arauca. Soto, leftist Verónika Mendoza, three decades. WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 AMERICAS 15 All eligible Americans to get vaccine from April 19

AP — WASHINGTON Biden is also already had begun moving up expected to announce their deadlines from the original President Joe Biden was May 1 goal. It also comes as a announcing yesterday that he’s that 150 million flood of vaccine supply is being bumping up his deadline for doses of COVID-19 sent to states this week. states to make all adults in the Jeff Zients, the White House US eligible for coronavirus vaccine have been coronavirus coordinator, told gov- vaccines. shot into arms since ernors yesterday during a weekly With states gradually conference call that more than 28 expanding eligibility beyond his inauguration on million doses of COVID-19 vac- such priority groups as older January 20. That puts cines will be delivered to states people and essential, front-line this week, Psaki announced at her workers, the president will the president well on daily briefing. announce that every adult will track to meet his new That allocation brings the be eligible by April 19 to sign up goal of 200 million total amount of vaccine dis- and get in a virtual line to be tributed over the past three vaccinated, said White House shots administered weeks to more than 90 million press secretary Jen Psaki. by his 100th day in doses, Psaki said. That’s about two weeks At least a dozen states earlier than Biden’s previously office on April 30. opened eligibility to anyone 16 announced May 1 deadline. and older on Monday alone, Biden was making the Biden is also expected to while New Jersey and Oregon announcement at the White announce that 150 million doses announced this week that all House later yesterday after a of COVID-19 vaccine have been residents 16 and older will visit to a COVID-19 vaccination shot into arms since his inaugu- become eligible on April 19. site at Immanuel Chapel at Vir- ration on January 20. That puts The president had ginia Theological Seminary in the president well on track to announced just last week that Paul Navarro, 17, receives the first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus disease vaccine from Dr. Sophia Chan Alexandria. meet his new goal of 200 million 90 percent of adults would be at a Northwell Health vaccination pod in New Hyde Park, New York, US, yesterday. Psaki said the change will shots administered by his 100th eligible for one of three clarify things for the public. day in office on April 30. approved COVID-19 vaccines a virtual line until they can waiting to be vaccinated should Americans and over 40 percent “It reduces confusion and it Biden’s original goal had by April 19, in addition to having schedule an appointment. seek appointments quickly of adults have received at least ensures that Americans who are been 100 million shots by the a vaccination site within 5 miles “That doesn’t mean they will “because the lines are going to one shot, and nearly 1 in 4 adults not yet vaccinated, who are end of his first 100 days, but that of their home. get it that day,” Psaki said, become longer” after April 19, is fully vaccinated. Seventy-five looking to get vaccinated, they number was reached in March. But eligibility isn’t the same speaking of a vaccine shot. “It Psaki said. “There are going to be percent of people older than 65 know they are all eligible, all The announcement about as actually being vaccinated. means they can join the line that more people waiting.” have now received at least one adults, I should say, on April 19,” vaccine eligibility is somewhat Being eligible means people can day if they have not already done The White House said shot, and more than 55 percent she said. symbolic and comes as states sign up to reserve their place in that beforehand.” Seniors still Monday that nearly 1 in 3 of them are fully vaccinated. Michigan virus Navy medic shoots 2, before being shot down at Army base cases at record, AP — FREDERICK shot by base personnel, Lando email asking for an update on 1,300 acres in the city of happen here. And today it did.” tops daily tally said at a news conference. The their conditions. Frederick. By early afternoon, the A Navy medic shot and critically US Navy released an initial The gunman drove through Frederick Mayor Michael Nallin Farm gate at Fort Detrick among US states wounded two people at a statement saying there was an a gate at an entrance to the base O’Connor said the base is a huge through which the shooter Maryland business park “active shooter incident” at Fort before military personnel con- economic driver in the region, entered remained closed and REUTERS — LANSING yeserday, then fled to a nearby Detrick “involving US sailors” fronted him on a road inside, drawing scientists, military per- two officers were standing by. Army base where he was shot and that the shooter, a Navy said Fort Detrick spokeswoman sonnel and their families to the Mark Nelson, a firefighter Michigan reported a record and killed, police and US Navy medic assigned to the base, was Lanessa Hill. community. O’Connor noted who lives in a row of town- number of coronavirus cases officials said. killed. Lando said the man who “It wasn’t that long after he that various defense contractors homes across the street from on Monday to top the daily The man entered a business was killed on base was the same came through the gate” that the are based near Fort Detrick and the base, said he heard the base tally among US states, about a at the Riverside Tech Park, person who shot the two people shooter was stopped, Hill said. it wouldn’t be unusual for a blast warning sirens yesterday month after easing restrictions causing people inside to flee, at the business park. Fort “Not even a quarter of a mile.” member of the military to be off morning. “I heard, I don’t know when new cases showed a but it was unclear if the shooting Detrick officials later confirmed She said Frederick police had base and working with a private what they call it, but they were downward trend. took place inside or outside, that on the base’s Facebook given base officials advance firm that does business with the like air raid sirens, and I knew It reported 11,082 cases on Frederick Police Chief Jason page. notice, “so we knew that he was US government. something was going on,” Monday, surpassing a previous Lando said. Lando said detec- The two people who were out there.” “When these incidents Nelson said. daily peak of 10,140 hit on tives are still trying to determine critically wounded by the Fort Detrick is home to the happen in other places, you’re Lando called the shootings November 20 and bringing the a possible motive and what the shooter were airlifted to a hos- military’s flagship biological always grateful that it’s not your “very tragic.” “It’s happening total case load to 779,974. shooter’s relationship was to his pital, Lando said. A spokes- defense laboratory and several community,” O’Connor added. too frequently,” he said. Every Michigan is currently the victims. woman for Shock Trauma at the federal civilian biodefense labs. “But you always know, perhaps time we turn on the TV we’re worst affected US state in terms After the shooting, the University of Maryland Medical About 10,000 military per- in the back of your mind, that seeing something like this hap- of new cases and hospitaliza- medic drove about 10 minutes Center in Baltimore did not sonnel and civilians work on the that’s just luck - that there isn’t pening. And now it’s happening tions per 100,000 people in the to Fort Detrick, where he was immediately respond to an base, which encompasses about any reason why it couldn’t in our backyards.” week to April 5. It is the only state to report more than 7,000 new cases on Monday. Following a slew of other Chauvin was trained to states, Michigan began loos- ening restrictions around defuse situations, police gatherings by increasing the capacity of gyms, restaurants, retail stores and entertainment official says at Floyd trial venues in March. Around the time when AP — MINNEAPOLIS drugs, frantically struggled restrictions were eased in with officers who tried to put March, the state reported Four years before George him in their squad car, saying about 1,800 new infections a Floyd’s death, Officer Derek he was claustrophobic. Pros- day. In the seven days to April Chauvin took a 40-hour course ecutors said Chauvin con- 5, the average has surged to on crisis intervention that tinued to kneel on Floyd’s neck over 6,700 cases a day. included training on how to for 9 minutes, 29 seconds, Nationwide, new virus recognize people in crisis and after he was handcuffed infections were up for a third how to use de-escalation tech- behind his back and lying on week in a row and hospitali- niques to calm them down, the his stomach, even though zations also broke an 11-week jury at Chauvin’s murder trial Floyd said 27 times that he streak of falling admissions. was told yesterday. could not breathe. Twenty-seven states have Sergeant Ker Yang, the Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric reported increases in new cases Minneapolis police official in Nelson, has argued that in the past week compared with charge of training officers on Chauvin “did exactly what he the previous seven days. Last handling crises, became the had been trained to do over his week, US President Joe Biden latest member of the 19-year career” and that it was urged states to pause reopening department to take the stand Floyd’s use of illegal drugs and efforts with the head of the US as prosecutors try to prove that his underlying health condi- Centers for Disease Control and Vigil for rapper DMX outside hospital Chauvin failed to follow his tions — not the officer’s knee - Prevention warning of training when he put his knee that killed him. “impending doom” if precau- People attend a vigil for rapper DMX outside a hospital amid the coronavirus disease pandemic in on Floyd’s neck. Nelson has further argued tions are not taken seriously. White Plains, New York, US, on Monday. Yang said on Day Seven of that police at the scene were Chauvin’s trial that officers are distracted by what they per- taught to make critical deci- ceived as a growing and sions in dealing with people in increasingly hostile crowd of 6 dead in apparent murder-suicide at Texas home crisis, including those suffering onlookers. mental problems or the effects Instead of protecting a AP —DALLAS weighing pros and cons, — didn’t seem to help him as recorded 452 incidents of mass of drug use, and then defuse the fellow officer in what is some- including the decision to kill his much as it had previously, Felty killings — the slaying of four or situation. Prosecutor Steve Sch- times called the “blue wall of Six people were found fatally family. said. more people — from 2006 leicher said records show that silence,” some of the most shot in a suburban Dallas home Police found the six family In the post, he also spent “a through Sunday, he said. He Chauvin attended a course on experienced members of the early on Monday after police members dead in the home. lot of time” writing about his said nearly half of those - 217 - the method in 2016. Minneapolis force - including say two brothers made a pact Felty said the dead included the disappointment with how the were mass killings where “When we talk about fast- the police chief and the head to kill four family members and two brothers, a sister, their television series “The Office” someone killed their family evolving situations... a lot of the of the homicide division -- themselves. father and mother and a ended, Felty said. members. time we have the time to slow have taken the stand to openly Officers in Allen went to the grandmother. “He thought it should have He said that of the 217 things down and reevaluate condemn Chauvin’s treatment home for a welfare check at Felty said the those dead ended much differently and he family mass killings, 207 and reassess and go through of Floyd. around 1am after getting a call ranged in age from 19 to mid- was upset...” involved a single perpetrator. this model,” Yang said. On Monday, Police Chief from a friend of one of the 70s. He said the slayings The brother who wrote the The only other family mass Chauvin, 45, is charged Medaria Arrondondo, who brothers who feared he was sui- likely happened over the social media post also said in it killing recorded in the database with murder and manslaughter called Floyd’s death “murder” cidal, said police Sergeant Jon weekend. that he thought it was too easy that involved siblings was a in Floyd’s death May 25. The soon after it happened, testified Felty. Felty said they were not yet for his brother to obtain a 2015 slaying in Oklahoma. 46-year-old Black man was that Chauvin had clearly vio- “It appears that the two releasing the names of the firearm, Felty said. Two brothers — Robert and pinned to the pavement outside lated department policy on a brothers had entered into an victims. He said the deaths were A mass killing where two Michael Bever— were sen- a neighborhood market after number of counts and used agreement, they were going to being investigated as a murder- siblings are the perpetrators is tenced to life in prison after being accused of trying to pass excessive force. complete suicide,” Felty said. suicide but he could not yet say rare, said James Alan Fox, a being convicted in the stabbing a counterfeit $20 bill for a pack Arrondondo said con- Felty said one of the two who shot whom. criminologist at Northeastern deaths of their parents and of cigarettes. tinuing to kneel on Floyd’s neck brothers wrote a lengthy post The brother who wrote the University. three siblings. At the time of the Floyd’s treatment by the once he was handcuffed behind on social media in which he said social media post says in it that “In these situations, mass killings, Robert was 18 and white officer was captured on his back and lying on his belly he and his brother had a plan he has been cutting himself killing, it’s usually one perpe- Michael was 16. widely seen bystander video was “in no way, shape or form” to kill their family members and more frequently recently and trator,” he said. Fox said generally in killings that sparked protests around part of department policy or then themselves. that as of late his treatment for The Associated Press/USA involving two perpetrators, the US that descended into vio- training, “and it is certainly not He also wrote that all of his depression — which included Today/Northeastern University “usually one is the leader and lence in some cases. part of our ethics or our decisions were based on counseling and medication Mass Killing Database has the other the follower.” Floyd, who had taken values.” WEDNESDAY 7 APRIL 2021 16

Guy Ritchie, Statham reunite in Cash Truck THE PENINSULA — DOHA A beIN Media Group spokesperson said: “We Award nominations and 68 (Aubrey Plaza), Fortune sets off Oscar awards, including four on a globe-trotting mission beIN Media Group’s Miramax is are thrilled to kick off the summer movie Best Picture awards. where he will have to use all of PRAYER delighted to launch the official season with such an exhilarating film whose MIRAMAX’s blockbusters his charm, ingenuity, and trailer of Cash Truck, Guy include The Gentlemen, Good stealth to track down and infil- TIMINGS trailer dropped this past week." PRAYERPRAYRRAAAY TIMINGSMING Ritchie’s upcoming action Will Hunting, Pulp Fiction, and trate billionaire arms broker thriller starring Jason Statham, Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2. Greg Simmonds. coming to theatres soon. After Wrath of Man, Guy During his recent filming in FAJR 04.01 am The movie marks Statham) who surprises his first taste of this latest project Ritchie and Jason Statham fans Doha, Qatar, Ritchie told beIN SUNRISE 05.20 am Miramax’s second film to come coworkers during a heist in from legendary director Guy won’t have to wait much longer Media Group: “We wanted to from a pivotal series of which he unexpectedly Ritchie, his second collabo- for future Miramax shoot somewhere that we DHUHR 11.36 am projects with renowned unleashes precision skills. ration with Miramax. Since collaborations. hadn’t shot before. I like this ASR 03.05 pm director Guy Ritchie following The crew is left wondering beIN’s acquisition of Miramax, The pair have been working part of the world anyway. I’m a MAGHRIB 05.55 pm The Gentlemen’s global who he is and where he came nearly 20 projects have been together in Qatar and Turkey big fan of the Middle East, which ISHA 07.25 pm success, which premiered in from. Soon, the marksman’s released or are currently in pro- over the past few months was the principal reason. It’s 2019 and grossed over 100M ultimate motive becomes clear duction, including Wrath of Man filming an untitled thriller in great to be back with me old worldwide. The new release as he takes dramatic and – a testament to our continued which MI6 guns-and-steel mate (Statham). We’ve had a will see actor Jason Statham irrevocable steps to settle a success and ambition to invest agent Orson Future (Statham) lovely time here. The weather star alongside Josh Hartnett, score. in innovative and culturally rel- is recruited by a global intelli- has been perfect. I’d like to Scott Eastwood, Holt McCa- A beIN Media Group evant films.” gence agency to track down and come back and make a whole llany, Jeffrey Donovan, Laz spokesperson said: “We are beIN Media Group acquired stop the sale of a deadly new movie here!” Alonso, Raul Castillo, Niamh thrilled to kick off the summer Hollywood studio Miramaxin weapons technology that Wrath of Man will be Algar and Post Malone. movie season with such an March 2016, including its unri- threatens to disrupt the world released by MIRAMAX in 2021, The film follows a myste- exhilarating film whose trailer valed archive consisting of order. with the second untitled movie WEATHER rious and wild-eyed new cash dropped this past week. Audi- more than 700 films. Reluctantly paired with CIA released within the following TODAY truck security guard (Jason ences can now experience their The studio has 278 Academy high-tech expert Sarah Fidel year. Qatar to face Oman in 5th International Schools Debating Championship finals o o 21 C 35 C THE PENINSULA — DOHA was the proposing team against against Kuwait/Singapore against Minimum Maximum Mauritius team opposition, while Qatar/Sudan against Pakistan/ Hazy at places at first becomes The Sultanate of Oman team and Thailand was proposition against Oman against Tunisia.” moderate temperature with slight the State of Qatar team qualified Malaysia opposition. The issue of Winning for the open cat- dust daytime, relatively cold by for the final after the qualifiers the first round for this category egory was “Kuwait - Qatar - night. for the fifth International was “This council believes that Oman - Sudan” and moving to the W ALRUWAIS : 21o → 25o Schools Debating Championship developing countries should pri- semi-finals in the following issue: W ALKHOR : 19o → 30o in Arabic and English, organised vatize state-owned companies” “This council will link the value W DUKHAN : 21o → 28o by the QatarDebate Center, in such as airlines, railways, and of fines and violations to the indi- W WAKRAH : 17o → 35o its virtual version under the service companies. vidual’s income.” Kuwait will slogan “Our Earth, Our Refuge.” The Turkish and Malaysian debate against Oman, and Qatar W MESAIEED : 17o → 35o Aspetar launches ‘Healthy The results committee teams competed in Arabic for will debate against Sudan’. W ABUSAMRA : 18o → 29o announced that the teams qual- non-Arabic speakers for the South Africa qualified for the Ramadan Story’ campaign ified for the final for the Arabic championship title in the fol- semi-finals - against the Hong HIGH TIDE language and non-native lowing issue: “This council will Kong team, and the Sri Lanka 1:40– 14:46 speakers. After the quarter-final grant immunity to drug gang team against the Philippines THE PENINSULA — DOHA @aspetar. The audience is also round announcement for the members in exchange for ceasing team in the following issue: “This LOW TIDE 09:34 – 19:38 invited to submit their ques- qualified teams, the first issue violence in conflict areas.” council regrets celebrating For the 11th year in a row, tions on Ramadan and these for the first round for non-native The eight teams from the members of marginalised com- Aspetar Orthopaedic and topics on Aspetar social media. Arabic speakers was announced. open category who competed in munities who have reached posi- Sports Medicine Hospital have Aspetar experts will then give According to the draw, Turkey the semi-finals were “Libya tions of authority”. announced the launch of a new their answers in dynamic and Chernobyl and ‘Healthy Ramadan’ campaign. interactive ways. This year the campaign is called The campaign, which runs Harry Potter ‘Healthy Ramadan Story’ and until the middle of Ramadan, seeks to increase awareness of aims to promote physical actor Paul Ritter the importance of adopting an activity among community active and healthy lifestyle members in Qatar and profes- dies at 54 during the Holy Month. sionals and recreational The campaign includes athletes. AP — LONDON messages on the latest findings However, with Ramadan from Aspetar sports medicine taking place in the shadow of Versatile British actor Paul researchers, who have spent the pandemic for the second Ritter, who appeared in the several years studying the time, COVID-19 and the subse- Harry Potter franchise and impact of fasting on athletic quent restrictions will still be played a key figure behind performance and overall factored in. nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, health. COVID-19 challenges and has died, his agent said Throughout Ramadan, restrictions are still affecting Tuesday. He was 54 and had information on topics around lives and habits. Aspetar con- been suffering from a brain nutrition, physical activity, psy- siders this situation alongside tumor. chological aspects (sleep and hopeful and positive mes- A familiar face to British stress), and oral health will be saging during the holy season television viewers and theatre shared mainly via Aspetar’s to support the community The Qatari team who will compete against Oman in the finals. goers, Ritter played Martin official social media channels fully. Goodman, the eccentric father of a London Jewish family, in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner. QAD Primary, QLA become eco-schools; hoist Green Flags He also played ill-fated nuclear engineer Anatoly THE PENINSULA — DOHA said Kennedy. “The children are Dyatlov in the HBO drama Cher- learning how to use Canva and nobyl; the wizard Eldred Worple Qatar Academy Doha (QAD) different animators to make in Harry Potter and The Half- Primary and Qatar Leadership online content for their social Blood Prince; and a devious Academy (QLA) have been media pages – they have political operative in the James awarded the Eco-Schools Green become very skilled in this area.” Bond film Quantum of Solace. Flag by Qatar Green Building All QF schools are under- Ritter was a frequent cast Council — making them the first going the process of Eco-Schools member in productions at Qatar Foundation schools to be Green Flag accreditation, and Britain’s National Theatre, recognized by the initiative. are on course to achieve this by including All My Sons, Coram As part of the Eco-School 2022. As one of the first QF Boy and The Curious Incident programme, schools are required schools to receive the award, Of The Dog In The Night-Time. to complete seven steps before Kennedy says it serves as an He also appeared in Art at applying for the award, which opportunity to help other London’s Old Vic and on a include: Form an Eco Committee; schools within the PUE eco- West End stage as Prime Min- Carry out a Sustainability Audit; system: “We are so proud of our ister John Major, performing Action Plan; Monitor and students and our parent com- opposite Helen Mirren as Evaluate; Curriculum Work; munity – and all the support that Queen Elizabeth II in the royal Inform and Involve; and Produce Qatar Leadership Academy officials and students (above) and Qatar Academy Doha officials and they’ve given us. We need to drama The Audience. an Eco Code. students (below) with the green flag. work together as sister schools, The actor was nominated Elizabeth Kennedy, Well- to inspire each other.” for a Tony Award in 2009 for being Facilitator at Qatar have sustained change. And that Jameel Al his performance in Alan Ayck- Academy Doha (QAD) Primary is what we are really focused on. Shammari, Director, bourn’s farce The Norman — which is part of Qatar Foun- Yes, we have activities at school, QLA, said: “We are Conquests on Broadway. dation’s (QF) Pe-University Edu- and yes, we participate in Qatar proud to receive the Actor Russell Tovey said cation (PUE) — said: “We took a Sustainability Week and Earth Eco-School Green Flag Ritter was “one of the nicest and holistic and heartful approach Day. But, for us, changing from Qatar Green best actors you’ll ever meet.” to what it really meant to be an mindsets and cultivating a life- Building Council. Actor-comedian Rob eco-school, and that came right style approach is where we have “It is the result of a Delaney tweeted that Ritter down to our mission and vision had the biggest impact.” lot of hard work from had “knocked it out of the — to really understand who we An important component of our students and PARK in Chernobyl. Watching are and what we do.” the award for QAD Primary is teachers, who are it I consciously thought, ‘Oh, QAD Primary’s tagline is “cul- empowering teachers to striving to highlight the we have a new movie star.’ tivating a sustainable mindset”, empower students, and this importance of environ- Between that & how funny he as, according to Kennedy, includes student leadership. Fea- mental sustainability was in Friday Night Dinner... changing outlooks and attitudes turing four branches – Student and water conservation, just unreal talent.” is vital in order to create Council, House Captains, Eco- as well as mitigate Agency Markham, Froggatt impactful change – and to drive Warriors, and Activists in Action climate change. To & Irwin said Ritter died long-lasting change within the – the system has sustainability achieve this, we have Monday night “peacefully at school’s community. weaved into its fabric. embedded these prin- home with his wife Polly and “Activities are locked in time The award is a two-year forced the children to become opportunities. ciples within all our programs sons Frank and Noah by his and space,” she explained. “Day- process, and while COVID-19 more creative, which has led to “Online meetings have across the curriculum at Qatar side.” to-day living is where we will has created challenges, it has even more collaborative become a regular occurrence,” Leadership Academy.”