S&P Downgrades Kuwait Rating; Outlook Negative

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SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 / ZUL-HIJJAH 8, 1442 AH emergency number 112 NO. 17742 16 PAGES 150 FILS LACK OF COMPREHENSIVE FUNDING STRATEGY FOR DEFICIT S&P downgrades Kuwait rating; outlook negative

Institutional roadblocks present risks

DUBAI, July 17: On July 16, 2021, S&P Global Rat- At the same time, they revised their transfer and convertibility assessment ings lowered its long-term foreign- and local-currency to ‘AA-’ from ‘AA’. The negative outlook primarily reflects risks over the next 12-24 months sovereign credit ratings on Kuwait to ‘A+’ from ‘AA-’. relating to the government’s ability to overcome the institutional roadblocks The outlook remains negative. preventing it from implementing a financing strategy for future deficits. The rating agency also lowered its short-term foreign and local cur- S&P could lower the ratings if elevated central government deficits per- Muslim pilgrims run at a special part between the two hills of Al-Safa and Al-Mar- rency sovereign credit ratings to ‘A-1’ from ‘A-1+’. sisted over the medium term, with still no sustainable comprehensive financ- wah, to commemorate Lady Hagar’s search for water for her son and herself, at the ing arrangements agreed. This Grand Mosque, a day before the annual Hajj pilgrimage, July 17. (AP) could happen, for instance, as a result of continued confronta- tion between the government and Special measures for Hajj Call for strategy after rating cut parliament rendering the government unable to implement fiscal Managers of pilgrimage companies have been informed by the authorities By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh reforms, pass the debt law, or authorize other sources of budget have affirmed that forthcoming pilgrim- about the extraordinary precautions and Arab Times Staff age will be easy amid extraordinary have trained their staff on observing the financing. health measures planned by the author- special measures. KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Chair- “We could revise the outlook ities to safeguard the pilgrims. Al-Haqbani said pilgrims must erect man of the parliamentary Financial to stable if the authorities dem- The Saudi authorities have decided to their tents in Mina, Muzadalifa and on and Economic Affairs Committee onstrated a track record of struc- restrict the annual Hajj to pilgrims from Mount Arafat four meters apart. The dev- MP Ahmed Al-Hamad comment- tural reform implementation that inside the Kingdom as one of the precau- otees will be provided with packaged food ed on the downgrading of Kuwait addressed Kuwait’s long-term tions against the novel coronavirus (CO- and will be banned from eating in groups. by Standard and Poors to A+ with funding needs, enhanced policy- VID-19). Only 60,000 pilgrims will be al- Dr. Mohammad Shukri, manager of a a negative outlook. making, and improved economic lowed to perform the rituals at the sacred company for serving pilgrims, said the prospects,” S&P explained. sites amid the anti-virus precautions. extraordinary measures will be effected He said Kuwait needs a compre- Abdulrahman Al-Haqbani, the chair- in the pilgrims’ transports, housing and hensive and clear financial strategy Rationale based on practical and scientific person of the coordination council of the performing the religious services. The downgrade reflects the per- internal pilgrims services companies, He indicated that the relevant authori- grounds. said in remarks to KUNA that the pil- ties and the services companies have Al-Hamad affirmed the current sistent lack of a comprehensive grims to be allowed to perform the Hajj been coordinating online and via appli- financial position of Kuwait is funding strategy despite the cen- are of 150 nationalities. cations to regulate the pilgrims’ move- strong and its classification must tral government’s ongoing sizable The pilgrims’ services companies ment. (KUNA) improve in the coming period. deficits. Due to parliamentary op- He disclosed the Kuwaiti Sover- position, the government has so eign Fund recently witnessed re- far been unable to pass a law giv- markable progress, indicating the ing it the authority to issue debt Future Generations Fund ranked or gain immediate access to its Opinion third globally in 2021 according large stock of accumulated assets. to Bloomberg and the assets of the The pace of structural reforms in fund reached $700 billion. He add- Kuwait also remains sluggish: ed Kuwait Investment Authority is the long-discussed adoption of one of the largest sovereign funds new taxes and broad expenditure adjustments has largely stalled. Kuwaitis riled, government in terms of global investment, indi- We consider that these persistent cating the Kuwaiti Sovereign Fund delays could ultimately leave Ku- ranked fourth internationally - an Lebanese soldiers hide from stones behind their protective shield as they wait more vulnerable to potential is ‘living on another planet’ implication of the high revenues future terms-of-trade shocks. achieved in 2021. clash with supporters of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri who stepped down on Thursday in Beirut, Lebanon, July 15. Hariri says he is stepping We estimate that in the He revealed the Kuwaitis ranked 2020/2021 fiscal year (ending third among the GCC citizens in down, nine months after he was named to the post by the parliament. He is citing ‘key differences’ with the country’s President, Michel Aoun. (AP) March 2021) Kuwait ran a cen- By Ahmed Al-Jarallah In the beginning of the pandemic, the share of national income ac- tral government deficit of 33% cording to How Much website. He Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times the Minister of Health introduced to of GDP, the highest ratio of all us the “Kuwait Mosafer” app. How- added that the average annual in- sovereigns we rate globally. Oil THE government will emerge from come of a Kuwaiti citizen reached prices have recovered substantial- ever, this app has further complicated $68,000 - ninth globally. Microsoft blocks the COVID-19 pandemic crisis with matters, and imposed fees on citizens, Newswatch ly from last year’s lows, and we a lot of failures and confusion in its He also emphasized the need expect Kuwait’s oil exports to in- who were stranded at the airports of to adopt a clear strategy with the decisions. This brings to mind the the world, in what is an unconstitu- crease as OPEC+ production cuts contibution of national experts to KUWAIT CITY: His Highness Israeli spy tools question that the late Amir Sheikh tional procedure. are gradually discontinued. Even maintain economic stability. the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- so, we forecast Kuwait’s central Saad Al-Abdullah, when he was the Even in the state of emergency, a Meanwhile, MP Bader Al- Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah re- RICHMOND, Va., July 17, (AP): Microsoft government deficits will average citizen has the right to return to his Humaidi holds the Directorate turned home on Saturday after a said Thursday it has blocked tools developed 17% of GDP over 2021-2024. We used to ask whenever a crisis worsens or her country in any circumstance. General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) private visit abroad. by an Israeli hacker-for-hire company that - “Where are we heading to?”. estimate the fiscal breakeven oil However, due to “deafness”, the wise responsible for the repercussions Upon arrival, His Highness the were used to spy on more than 100 people price currently at over $90 per bar- His Highness the Prime Minister government paid no attention, and did of the decision to prevent citizens Amir was received by His High- around the world, including politicians, hu- Sheikh rel (/bbl), which is substantially has abandoned the affairs of Ku- not move a fi nger to stop this farce. who are more than 75 years old ness the Crown Prince man rights activists, journalists, academics above our medium-term oil price waitis, who continue to burn under Unfortunately, this app, despite its from traveling. Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber and political dissidents. Al-Sabah, National Assembly assumptions (see “S&P Global the fi re of the government that seems complexities, is still imposed on eve- He said the DGCA is passing Microsoft issued a software update and Ratings Raises Short-Term Oil to have lost its bearing, in the hands the responsibility to travel agencies Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, ryone. No one knows who benefi ts Senior Sheikhs, and His High- worked with the Citizen Lab at the University And Gas Price Assumptions On of the ministers by avoiding account- from it, or where the money obtained although it is the one that issued ness Sheikh Nasser Moham- of Toronto to investigate the secretive Israeli Improving Market Conditions,” ability in the event that any action from these procedures go. the decision. He added the DGCA mad Ahmad Al-Sabah, His company behind the hacking efforts. Citizen published on June 16, 2021). is taken that does not please certain All countries of the world have disregarded the fact that the deci- Highness the Prime Minister Lab said the company goes by several names In recent years the government MPs, and upsets Kuwaitis. started adapting to the pandemic. sion causes problems to citizens Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Ham- including Candiru, which according to legend has, on multiple occasions, com- Everyone rejoiced when the Britain has lifted all restrictions, as and it seems unaware that many ad Al-Sabah, and senior state of- is a parasitic fish found in the Amazon that municated its intention to accel- Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of well as France, the United States, citizens cannot install ‘Musafer’ fi cials. (KUNA) attacks human private parts. erate the momentum of fiscal re- Defense and Chairman of the COV- application because they are using ❑ ❑ ❑ Microsoft said people targeted in “preci- form, but actual progress remains Italy, and Russia, even though new old style mobile phones. ID-19 Emergency Committee issued cases are recorded daily in the thou- sion attacks” by the spyware were located in slow. The 2021/2022 budget was He pointed out the issue is now KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s daily adopted in June with a deficit of the statement, “Travel and enjoy”. sands. So why such strictness in coronavirus cases jumped by the Palestinian territory, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, However, when the citizens started in the hands of Defense Minister Yemen, Spain, the United Kingdom, Turkey, 31% of GDP and expenditure Kuwait where the plan to confront Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali. 1,226 to 384,573 infections, as packing their bags, they were met deaths rose by 18 to 2,211 peo- Armenia, and Singapore. Microsoft did not increasing in nominal terms by the spread of COVID-19 seems ill- On the other hand, MP Abdu- 8.5%, vis-à-vis the 2020/2021 at the airport with a decision which studied? This is confi rmed by the ple, the health ministry said on name the targets but described them generally laziz Al-Saqaabi criticized the Saturday. by category. outcome. Although we believe bars those above the age of 75 years daily rise in the number of new cases, difficult exam questions given to the actual outcome for 2021/2022 from travelling unless they acquire which subsequently means failure of Another 1,515 people were Citizen Lab said Candiru’s spyware infra- graduates of the College of Petro- cured of the virus, raising the structure included websites “masquerading will be stronger, partly due to or rather pay for a COVID-19 health the plan. leum and Engineering at Kuwait total of those to have overcome higher-than-budgeted oil prices, insurance. as advocacy organizations” such as Amnesty Indeed, this situation continues to University who applied for jobs in the disease to 365,507 patients, International and Black Lives Matter. we consider that the adopted bud- This is a new invention by the upset the citizens and increases the Kuwait National Petroleum Cor- ministry spokesperson Dr. get deviates from the stated goals Ministry of Health which lacks any The reports by Microsoft and Citizen Lab level of their anger. Like the way the poration (KNPC). Abdallah Al-Sanad said in a shine new light on an opaque and lucrative indus- of reigning in the fiscal imbalance convincing explanation. It does not late Sheikh Saad used to ask, the citi- He said 90 percent of the appli- statement to KUNA, adding the try of selling sophisticated hacking tools to gov- and containing expenditure. have a place in either the law or the zens also ask, “Where are we heading cants did not pass the exams; hence, country’s percentage in terms In contrast to our previous expec- of recoveries reached 95.04 ernments and law enforcement agencies. Critics Constitution. to?” the need to revise the questions, con- say such tools are often misused by authoritarian tations, the central government has Usually, the countries to which sidering that even those with excel- percent. yet to put in place a comprehensive Will the government answer this The number of people hospi- governments against innocent people. these people would travel do not question, or will it continue to live on lent marks could not pass the exams. funding strategy for these deficits. talized with the virus currently “A world where private sector companies The expiry of Kuwait’s debt law obligate them to acquire health in- a different planet? He urged KNPC to hire all those manufacture and sell cyberweapons is more who graduated from the college. stands at 16,855, with 330 of in 2017 meant that the government surance. Also, part of the visa fees them in intensive care units, he dangerous for consumers, businesses of all sizes imposed by many countries go to this Email: [email protected] has been unable to borrow since, added, revealing that another and governments,” Microsoft said in a blog post. relying instead on the GRF to meet type of insurance, which covers the Follow me on: 1,124 are receiving regular treat- Attempts to reach representatives of Can- traveler throughout his or her stay in ment. (KUNA) budgetary requirements. This has diru were unsuccessful. depleted the GRF. that country. This makes us wonder ❑ ❑ ❑ Microsoft said the business model for com- whether Kuwait’s Ministry of Health panies such as Candiru is to sell its services [email protected] KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait express- has become an agent. es its solidarity and sympathy to government agencies, which then likely with Germany, Belgium, Neth- choose the targets and run the operations erlands and Luxembourg over themselves. Day by Day the destructive fl oods that hit Citizen Lab published parts of what it said several parts of these countries, were a leaked proposal by Candiru for hack- US, Jordan sign $600m grant deal leaving dozens injured, killed ing services that offered a la carte hacking THE Kuwaiti press, the me- and displaced, the foreign minis- options. For 16 million euros ($18.9 million), dia, and the MPs have given AMMAN, July 17, (KUNA): The Jordani- priority development projects within the try said on Saturday. the company would allow the customer to their opinion and asked the Kuwait also extended its con- government to stop the ‘Ku- an and US governments inked on Saturday sectors of public finance, water, education, monitor 10 devices simultaneously in a single wait Traveler’ platform. They an agreement to transfer the first trunch of health, public works, housing, energy, tour- dolences and sympathy to these country. For an extra 5.5 million euros ($6.5 countries’ governments, their have enumerated the reasons USD 600 million in direct cash support to ism and others, the statement quoted Al- people and the families of the million), 25 additional devices could be moni- and the harm this application the Jordanian treasury, earmarked for fi- Shraideh as saying. victims, wishing those injured a tored in five more countries. has caused to the people, but nancing priority development projects and The second payment, worth USD 245 speedy recovery. (KUNA) Citizen Lab said Candiru’s spyware tar- the government has turned supporting economic recovery. million, will be transferred to the treasury ❑ ❑ ❑ gets computers, mobile devices and cloud a deaf ear as if it does not The agreement was signed by the Jorda- account before the end of this year. accounts. know. Even if it interacts with nian Minister of Planning and International Meanwhile, the statement quoted Carlin Photo courtesy of The Royal Com- BRUSSELS: Kuwait Embassy in Thursday’s disclosure by Microsoft was part any topic that is critical the Cooperation Nasser Al-Shraideh and the as saying that the early transfer of the direct mission for AlUla Belgium confi rmed Friday that of what the company said was a broader effort solution comes in the form of US Agency for International Development cash support grant reflects the continued A view of Hegra. A delegation all Kuwaiti citizens currently in to “address the dangers” caused by hacker-for- minor modifications in ‘secret’ (USAID) Mission Director Sherry Carlin, commitment of the government and US’ from Film AlUla, The Royal Belgium and Luxembourg are hire companies. Microsoft is supporting Face- and this we call a face-saving a statement by the Jordanian Ministry of people to helping the Jordanian government Commission for AlUla’s new- safe after the fl oods that swept book in its lawsuit against NSO Group, which measure. ly-established film agency, the two countries earlier. What is the issue, Prime Planning said. achieve a stable and prosperous future na- has been at the Cannes Film In a statement, the embassy is also based in Israel and is perhaps the most Minister? It looks like you The first trunch of the US cash grant for tionwide. Festival to promote interna- said since the fl ood started early prominent private offensive spyware company. are preparing to leave. It also the year 2021, with a total value of USD 845 According to Jordan’s official data, the to- tional film and TV production in the two countries, the em- Facebook filed a federal civil suit in 2019 looks like you don’t like the po- million, comes as part of the US economic tal value of economic and military aid expect- in AlUla, a region of outstand- bassy contacted Kuwaiti citizens allegedly that NSO Group targeted some sition anymore. assistance program for Jordan’s govern- ed to be provided by the US to Jordan during ing natural and cultural sig- and confi rmed that there are 1,400 users of Facebook’s encrypted messag- … Yet, tomorrow is another ment in 2021, according to the statement. the year 2021 is about USD 1.65 billion, of nificance globally in northwest no victims or injuries to them. ing service WhatsApp with highly sophisti- day. The grant will contribute to supporting which USD 1.12 billion is economic aid. Saudi Arabia. — See Page 2 (KUNA) cated spyware. Zahed Matar ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 2

Clockwise from top: Artist render of new ﬁ lm crew accommodation in AlUla, Dadan, landscape and desert rocks of AlUla.

historically known as the Incense Route, is home to 200,000 years of history. Including the ancient city of Hegra, the Kingdom’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the region features historical sites dating back to the Neolithic era through to the Ancient Arabian King- doms of the Dadanites and Nabataeans, the Roman era and the early Islamic period. The terrain features breath-taking rock formations, volcanic craters, luscious oasis, untouched wilderness, fascinating wildlife, microclimates, and vast sandstone canyons. The extraordinary sweeping vistas present the perfect backdrop for a wide range of genres such as delegation from Film AlUla, the Royal Commission for AlUla’s historical epics, fantasy adventures, extra-terrestrial worlds, and dra- Anewly established film agency, has been at the Cannes Film matic war movies, and can stand in for an array of different locations, Festival to promote international film and TV production in AlUla, countries, cities, or even another period in time. a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance globally in AlUla is beginning to attract a growing number of international northwest Saudi Arabia. and regional productions. It will soon welcome the upcoming action Having launched at the Berlinale earlier this year, this was the first thriller Kandahar, directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Gerard appearance for the destination at Cannes. Film AlUla also announced Butler. Many local productions including Noura, directed by Tawfiq its new facilitates which will accommodate 150 film crew and will include production offices and recreational facilities as well as an Al-Zaidi, will also shoot in AlUla, the latter partly financed by the outdoor cinema. The first phase of construction is already underway Film Commission at the Ministry of Culture. The region is also at- with accommodation to be available by the end of 2021. tracting a broad range of documentary projects due to its many layers The Cannes Film Festival, celebrating its 74th edition, took place of rich history and culture and untold stories. from July 6 to 16, 2021. Film AlUla showcased an extraordinary, Production companies who choose to film in AlUla can benefit mostly unexplored destination which presents filmmakers and the from a range of incentives such as free bespoke production support, world at large with some of earth’s most sensational scenery. location scouting, expert knowledge of filming in Saudi, assistance in The vast scope of impressive landscapes located along what was Continued on Page 3 AlUla a stand-out stand-in for film

editor’s choice ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 3

Weather Expected weather for the next eas with light to moderate south Kuwait Airport 46 31 Prayer Timings 24 hours: easterly wind to wind with speeds Abdaly 48 30 By Day: Hot and humid special- of 08-32 km/h and some high Jahra 49 33 Fajr ...... 03:27 Asr ...... 15:29 ly over coastal areas with light to clouds will appear with a chance Salmiyah 40 32 Sunrise .. 05:00 Maghrib .. 18:49 moderate south easterly wind with for light fog forming over some Ahmadi 39 31 Zohr ...... 11:54 Isha ...... 20:18 speeds of 12-35 km/h and some areas. Wafra 46 29 scattered clouds will appear. Station Max Exp Min Rec Salmy 47 31 By Night: Hot to rather hot and Kuwait City 45 34 Jal Aliyah 47 32 humid specially over coastal ar- Managish 46 31 VACCINE REGISTRATION WEBSITE: https://cov19vaccine.moh.gov.kw/SPCMS/CVD_19_Vaccine_Registration.aspx

‘Disabled’ persons get driving licenses Anti-corruption body launches probe into PADA forgery reports KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Kuwait Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) has of whom 9,153 suffer from physical disabilities, 14,769 from mental disabili- for providing false data or for failure to update the social status data. detected fraud in the reports of the Public Authority for the Disabled Affairs ties and 13,251 motor disabilities. Eng. Al-Manfouhi called on the Personnel Department to commit to sub- (PADA), which indicates “suspicion of crime related to corruption, violation ❑ ❑ ❑ mitting an annual periodic statistical report on the number of employees who of the provisions of the Penal Code, and damages to public money”, reports submitted the declaration and who did not, as well as those who were referred Al-Qabas daily. New mechanism: Director-General of Kuwait Municipality Eng. Ahmad Al- to accountability. In the event that the employee did not submit the social According to informed sources, the anti-corruption watchdog initiated in- Manfouhi issued a circular on the mechanism for approving social allowance allowance declaration within a maximum of two months from the date of is- vestigations related to forgery of offi cial documents and changes in the reports and the provisions for controlling its disbursement, reports Al-Qabas daily. suance of the circular, the disbursement of social allowance will be suspended of committees within PADA. In his circular, Eng. Al-Manfouhi called on all employees subject to the as a precautionary measure until the Personnel Department is provided with They explained that preliminary investigations showed that the changes in provisions of the decision of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to ensure evidence proving that the employee has complied with the directives. the committees’ reports were based on orders issued by offi cials within the that administrative units are obligated to receive and collect social status dec- ❑ ❑ ❑ commission. Investigations have been launched in this regard. larations for employees working in their administrative units. In the same context, Nazaha received a report of profi teering suspicion re- He explained that consolidated statements must be prepared for employees. Million for furniture: The Ministry of Education, as part of its preparations garding the issuance of certifi cates of mental and visual disabilities of “severe They should include the name and civil ID number of those who submitted the for the next academic year, has allocated a one million dinar budget for school and moderate” degrees to more than 2,300 citizens in order for them to benefi t declaration and those who did not. Those statements are approved and sent to furniture, reports Al-Anba daily quoting reliable sources. from the services they receive from other government agencies. the Personnel Department, which in turn will follow-up with the highest of- The same sources said a tender has been fl oated in this regard. The sources Some of the disabled persons registered in the statements obtained driving fi cial of each administrative unit. indicated the tender amount can be increased, given the fact that approximate- licenses, despite the presence of certifi cates proving that they have “moderate The Personnel Department is tasked to review the data received and verify ly 16 new schools will be opened in the new scholastic year, and stressed the or severe” mental disabilities. in case of any fraud that led an employee to obtain social allowance unjustly. need to provide furniture in an integrated manner for all schools, whether new According to PADA’s data, there are 54,421 registered with the authority, If that is the case, the employee will be subjected to disciplinary accountability or those which need to replace their furniture.

Other Voices

Masculinity, impotence enigma By Ahmad alsarraf contradictory, and which upon verifi - cation proves to be well founded. he standards of human strength One of the funny paradoxes that Thave changed since John Brown- caught my attention is that we find ing produced the Colt 110 years ago, in the animal and human world that the cowardly and the weak have the male, often, seeks to attract the changed and muscle power is not much of a point. attention of the opposite sex be- Paradox means a situation or cause of its advantages and merits. phrase that carries some logic and We see the peacock spreading its contradiction. They contain con- beautiful tail, the bird play with tradictory, yet its wings with subtle movements, interrelated ele- and another uses its voice to call ments that exist out to its female, and the female simultaneously beautifies to attract the male, and and continue the male makes a great effort to over time. improve its structure, strengthen According its muscles and make sure to high- to the Crete light them. paradox, which Muscles these days are not the is attributed muscles before the anabolic ster- to a philoso- oids. The old was often the result of strenuous physical exercise and an pher living on alsarraf the island of unusual lifestyle, but the new one, Crete, he assumed everything that most muscles grow and come from the philosophers of the island say is taking steroids that help accelerate incorrect; Is the philosopher right or muscle growth. wrong in his conclusion? The paradox is that these stimu- If it is true, then it means that his lants that help in muscle growth, and words will be a lie; because he said contribute to attracting the female, that what all the island philosophers are the same that contribute to the will say is a lie. atrophy of the man’s sexual organs, But if what he mentioned is a lie, and the imbalance of the hormones then it means that he is truthful in his in his body, and may subsequently words. That is, the philosophers of cause impotence. Also, stopping tak- Crete, and he is among them, lie in ing steroids will lead to muscle atro- everything they say. phy and slackness. This brings us back to the fi rst One of the paradoxes of ‘ethics’ possibility, and thus we will enter in Kuwait is that playing piano in into a loop hole that has no exit. the lobby of any hotels stops on KUNA photo In logic, there are many paradoxes Christmas and New Year’s Eve, to Security forces maintaining strict health precautionary measures and physical distancing between pilgrims at the ‘Bab Al-Fahd’ (Fahd Gate) at that are known to be invalid argu- the detriment of Westerners. How- the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The annual Hajj pilgrimage (Arafat Standing) falls on Monday, July 19, 2021. ments, but which are nonetheless ever, the hotels themselves allow a valuable in promoting critical think- Westerner to share a room with his ing. An example of outside logic is wife, but they do not allow a citizen the example of ‘The Theseus Ship’. to have the same right without pre- If the ship needs continuous repairs senting a marriage contract, even if he is a Kuwaiti ambassador, and on Airport crawls to normality over time by replacing all its wood- en parts, one by one, will the ship a short visit to the country with his remain the same ship? wife. Paradoxes can also take the form This contradiction is caused by ‘Ready for summer’ ‘Over 3,000 register’ of images or other media. In common people of strange mentalities controlling a ministry which was run usage, the word ‘paradox’ often refers KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Director General to ironic or unexpected statements, by one who prevented Jalal al-Din such as ‘standing is more exhaust- al-Roumi from entering the country. of Civil Aviation Youssef Al-Fawzan con- Kuwaiti graduates apply for jobs ❑ ❑ ❑ fi rmed that signs of recovery at Kuwait In- ing than walking’ or any statement KUWAIT CITY, July 17: According to Most of those who registered in the re- or suggestion that appears absurd or e-mail: [email protected] ternational Airport started to show with the high-level sources in the Civil Service cent period are university graduates - 1,551 increase in the number of passengers and Commission (CSC), a total of 3,108 male and female citizens - with bachelor’s fl ights, as well as the opening of many sta- citizens recently registered in the central degrees in various disciplines. The number AlUla Asia-Gulf Arab ties tions and travel destinations that were sus- employment system, reports Al-Qabas of diploma holders who registered are 589 pended due to the coronavirus pandemic, daily. male and female citizens. About 330 citi- Continued from Page 2 improvement eyed They stressed the need for coordination zens with secondary-level certifi cates and sourcing equipment and professional reports Al-Qabas daily. among the various employment sectors in 638 citizens with certifi cation of interme- crew locally and regionally, and, of KUWAIT CITY, July 17, (KUNA): There In a press statement, Al-Fawzan attributed such de- the country in order to fi nd appropriate al- diate level and below had registered. course, year-round sunshine. Producers remains huge potential for more coopera- velopment to the concerted efforts of State authorities ternatives to employ national cadres, espe- The nomination mechanism used in the can expect a production-friendly setup tion between the Gulf Cooperation Council in increasing the number of arrivals and departures. He cially in the private sector. past few years differs from the current location, a range of accommodation op- (GCC) and the wider Asian region, Ku- pointed out that increasing the number of arriving pas- The sources explained that the last day one, which has contributed to reducing the tions with a skilled English-speaking wait’s foreign minister told pan-regional sengers to 5,000 per day was made possible due to the for registration in the central employment waiting periods for job seekers. The nomi- team of experienced and established talks in Uzbekistan on Friday. cooperation of all entities operating at the airport to re- system was June 25. The order of search- nation is no longer in the form of batches, production experts to guide and support Highlighting Kuwait’s “storied relations” move obstacles in front of travelers. ing for work appeared for those who reg- but is done on a daily basis. As soon as them every step of the way. As well as with the Central and South Asia region, He affirmed the directorate has laid down an integrated istered on July 9, according to which the any party announces its need for employ- the new fit-for-purpose film crew ac- Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al-Nasser Al-Sabah plan to facilitate the movement of passengers -- from enter- priority of appointment in each specialty ees, CSC nominates those registered in the commodation, a range of other accom- said his country has been a major contribu- ing the parking lot at the airport until they board the plane as is determined. employment system on the same day. tor towards development there, citing key per the health regulations. modation includes the 100 guest room projects worth USD four billion in areas Habitas AlUla, and the 79 room Banyan He said teams are working round the clock to serve passen- ranging from infrastructure to education. gers and facilitate travel procedures; indicating the number Tree Ashar Resort, both set to open this Remarks of Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Al- Autumn. of counters has been increased, especially in the luggage and Nasser, who doubles as Minister of State passports hall, to complete procedures for passengers. Film AlUla was based in the Saudi for Cabinet Affairs, came at “The Inter- He praised the civil aviation workers and other entities Pavilion, number 120, at the Festival national Conference on Central and South operating at the airport for their efforts in laying down and alongside the Saudi film commission, Asia Regional Connectivity, Challenges implementing a plan to facilitate the movement of passen- Ministry of Investment, Red Sea Interna- and Opportunities”, held Tashkent, capital gers, including the streets leading to the airport and the ar- tional Film Festival, Neom, MBC, Ithra, of Uzbekistan on July 15-16. rival area. Nebras Films, Cinewave, Telfaz 11 and Improving cooperation between Gulf He disclosed the number of passengers from July 14-24 Arabian Pictures. The Pavilion, located Arab states and Asian countries would is expected to reach 73,000 passengers on 877 flights. The in the International Village, hosted sev- yield remarkable “success” for both sides, number of departures will be about 55,000 passengers on 442 eral industry gatherings to build interna- the Kuwaiti top diplomat noted, pinpointing flights; compared to 18,000 arrivals on 435 flights. The most tional relationships within the industry sectors such as trade and investment as of popular destinations for departures are Riyadh, Istanbul, and share with a global audience the de- the most potential for growth. Doha, Dubai and London, he added. With COVID-induced challenges thrust velopment of Saudi Arabia’s flourishing He also enumerated five steps taken in preparation for the upon the world, it would behoove both re- summer and Eid Al-Adha holiday as follows: film and TV industry. gions to work closer together to keep those Stephen Strachan, Film Commissioner 1. Field plans to deal with arriving and departing passengers, hardships at bay, added the minister. 2. Opening new destinations and travel stations that were at The Royal Commission for AlUla, ex- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has plained: “Our objective at Cannes Film previously closed, called for the two-day talks as part of efforts 3. Field teams working 24 hours a day, Festival was to connect with the interna- to establish more trans-regional cooperation. tional film industry to introduce AlUla as ❑ ❑ ❑ 4. Increasing the number of counters in the luggage and a truly unique and exciting film destina- passports hall, The Kuwait Oil Tankers Company 5. Facilitating the movement of passengers from the park- tion, now open for international producing lot to the aircraft. tion.” (KOTC) has been working on an extended plan for more than a year to completely mod- Ready for the summer season “The Festival is the perfect platform ernize home cooking gas cylinders, reports Al-Fawzan confirmed: “We are ready for the summer to boost the development of the film- Al-Anba daily quoting reliable sources. season, according to the new procedures and regulations, to friendly ecosystem within the country, The company has a plan during fi scal serve tens of thousands of passengers and ensure the smooth highlight the young pool of talent and 2021/2022 to purchase and supply 400,000 movement of passengers at the airport.” experienced crew, and showcase this re- gas cylinders weighing12 kg with valves to Al-Fawzan called on travelers to be at the airport at least gion of outstanding natural beauty and cover the demand for cylinders for the two three hours before their flight and to confirm the implementa- cultural significance which set it apart as branches of liquefi ed gas fi lling stations in tion of travel procedures for departures and arrivals as per the a truly dynamic filming destination.” Shuaiba and Umm Al-Aish. circulars issued in this regard. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 LOCAL 4 Physicians decry verbal and physical ‘assaults’ on them

‘What is currently happening is unacceptable’ From left Dr Hussein, Dr Al-Wadani and Dr Khaja.

By Marwa Bahrawi pital, and the doctors feel this was like adding insult to Al-Seyassah Staff injury after the deliberate smear campaign that was launched against the doctors of the Ministry of Health KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Incidents of repeated at- who worked hard to raise awareness among the resi- tacks on the medical staff have opened the ‘wounds’ dents and citizens regarding the vaccination against of doctors which are difficult to heal with time, after a the coronavirus. recent incident that happened at the Farwaniya Hos- Instead of praising the efforts exerted by the medical personnel they were heaped with abuse and sometimes physical violence against them. In this context, the General Surgery Consultant at the Mubarak Hospital, Dr Fatima Khaja, said the largest share of KUNA photo smear campaigns were seen on Twit- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society Dr Hilal Al- ter, after she supported the Ministry Sayer during his meeting with the Tunisian Ambassador Hashemi Ajili. of Health in raising awareness and the importance of vaccination against the virus and despite the support of her col- Law to link budgets of ministries, govt bodies leagues for her and standing by her side to get over this crisis, the bitterness of reality and the failure of offi cials were MoH extends tender for providing more than a word of praise could be cured. health insurance to retired citizens Commenting on the recent attack, Khaja said, the series of attacks against KUWAIT CITY, July 17: The Ministry insurance company reached KD125 million doctors in word and deed is old and of Health has extended the tender for pro- and KD25 million of which has been pend- continuous, and that the Ministry of viding health insurance to retired citizens ing since the Afi ya 1 contract. Health and representatives of doctors (Afi ya), which is being implemented by ❑ ❑ ❑ are unfortunately aware of this, but Gulf Insurance Company for a period of have yet to take serious steps to protect six months starting from July 16 until the Budgets linked: The Al-Anba daily has KUNA photos doctors by providing security in hospi- awarding of the new tender (Afi ya 3), re- learned from its sources that a law has been Kuwait’s FM Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad during the meeting with his Turkish counterpart. issued to link the budgets of ministries, tals. ports Al-Rai daily quoting sources. Sources affi rmed that efforts have been government institutions and fi nance institu- Security exerted to extend the period to one year as tions for fi scal 2021/2022 and said the law On her Twitter account she said in the six-month period increases the insur- is to be published soon in the offi cial ga- neighboring countries, whoever thinks ance risks for the company, especially since zette ‘Al-Kuwait Al-Yawm. of raising his hand on the doctor, the it raises the cost of providing health insur- According to the same sources, the rev- security intervenes immediately, the ance to more than 10 percent of the Kuwaiti enues of ministries and government institu- person is handcuffed and sent to the society -- more than 137,000 retirees. tions for fi scal 2021/2022 are estimated to competent authorities and no one is Sources added the claims owed to the be approximately 11 billion dinars. allowed to play the game of psychol- ogy and circumstances of the patient’s Govt center prepares action plan family. There is no justification and leni- ency with this kind of act under any circumstances, and if “we were other MPW seeks integrated lab for countries, no one would have dared Left: Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser with the Afghan president, and (right) with the Tajik FM. to attack the doctor, because the se- testing construction materials FM Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser meets his foreign counterparts curity forces would have intervened immediately.” KUWAIT CITY, July 17: According to reli- rors. She said the doctors since the aware- able sources, the Ministry of Public Works is This tender was put forward by the Central Uzbek, Afghan presidents, Kuwaiti FM discuss ties ness campaign was launched are being seeking to establish an integrated laboratory in Tenders Committee for the purchase of new described as masons, fascists, vaccine the Government Center for Inspection, Qual- devices and equipment for this purpose. KUWAIT CITY, July 17, (KUNA): Uzbekistan velopments. delegates, charlatans, vampires, butch- ity Control and Research that will specialize in The ministry has obtained approvals from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev received Friday Also, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser met on Friday ers, thugs and the list goes endless. international calibration to detect the accuracy several bodies, including the Ministry of Fi- Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minis- Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin in The general surgeon at the Farwani- and sensitivity of devices that perform physi- nance, and is currently completing the proce- ya Hospital, Dr Musaed Al-Wadani cal, mechanical and chemical tests on building dures required by CTC to obtain its approval. ter of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan. materials, reports Al-Anba daily. The sources revealed that the advantages of Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah in the capital, Both top diplomats tackled deep-rooted bilat- said most of the attacks have exceeded the limits and the surprising thing is the They explained that the government cen- this laboratory include that it will contribute to Tashkent. eral ties and means to boost them in various fi elds, ter has prepared an action plan in this regard reducing human errors, increasing the accura- The meeting took place on the sidelines of the in addition to regional and international latest de- wrong-doers are not punished. What is currently happening is unacceptable, he and submitted it to the concerned authori- cy of the tests and shortening the test time, and “The International Conference on Central and velopments. said. ties in the ministry. This laboratory will be that the results will be more accurate. South Asia Regional Connectivity, Challenges Meanwhile, Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser met ear- On his Twitter account he said he was ready to operate within less than a year. They stated that this laboratory does not and Opportunities”, held between July 15-16. lier on Friday Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Af- exposed to many verbal abuses during his The center is seeking the approval of a exist in this size and features anywhere in Deep-seated bilateral ties and means to boost fairs Mevlut Cavisoglu in Tashkent, capital of career and that he overcame most of them tender for the purchase of modern equipment the Middle East, except for a laboratory af- them in various fi elds, in addition to regional and Uzbekistan. that is compatible with modern technology for fi liated with the National Institute of Mea- by not responding and some with the ap- conducting tests in order to reduce human er- surement and Calibration in Egypt. international latest developments were discussed. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the propriate response, but what is currently Meanwhile, Afghanistan President Ashraf International Conference on Regional Connectiv- happening in the form of verbal and phys- Ghani received Friday Kuwait’s Minister of For- ity of Central and South Asia, held between July ical abuse cannot be accepted. ‘No fear for strategic stockpile’ eign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Af- 15-16. Family doctor, a graduate of the fairs Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- Both top diplomats tackled deep-rooted bilat- Royal College of Surgeons, Dr Hassan Sabah in the capital, Tashkent. eral ties and means to boost them in various fi elds, Al-Rasheed said what is happening is ‘Water consumption exceeds production’ The meeting took place on the sidelines of the in addition to regional and international latest de- dangerous intellectual invasion that af- “The International Conference on Central and velopments. fects the reputation and dignity of doc- KUWAIT CITY, July 17: Some regions are to production. South Asia Regional Connectivity, Challenges Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- tors. currently witnessing a decrease in the level The volume of production yesterday and Opportunities”, held between July 15-16. Sabah met Friday with Chinese Foreign Minister He continued saying, “Yes, we have of pressure in the fresh water network due reached 446 million imperial gallons, while Deep-seated bilateral ties and means to boost Wang Yi. some doctors who do not have the art to the low percentage of production com- consumption reached 479 million imperial them in various fi elds, in addition to regional and The meeting was held on sidelines of Central pared to consumption, reports Al-Anba gallons. of communicating with the patient, daily. The source pointed out the decrease in international latest developments were discussed. Asia and South Asia conference, held on July 15- but everyone must understand that this Informed sources at the Ministry of Elec- pressure is due to consumption and said Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser met on Friday Uzbek 16 in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. happens only in exceptional cases. tricity and Water said in a statement to the the ministry is keen to deliver fresh water Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov in Tashkent, The discussions dealt with the Kuwaiti-Chi- As for the vast majority of col- daily that the ministry usually uses the stra- service to all regions without exception. capital of Uzbekistan. nese bilateral relations, ways of strengthening leagues, they have a high degree of re- tegic stockpile to cover consumption in the Therefore, the decrease in pressure does not Both top diplomats tackled deep-rooted bilat- and developing them in various fields, and lat- sponsibility, stressing that doctors can- event of a discrepancy between production mean water interruption, because the minis- eral ties and means to boost them in various fi elds, est developments on the regional and interna- not work in an environment in which and consumption, and it was noticed this try compensates for this shortage in produc- in addition to regional and international latest de- tional arenas. they do not feel safe and secure.” week that consumption increased compared tion through the strategic stockpile. MoFA denies alleged Emirati group working against Kuwait in EP KUWAIT CITY, July 17, (KUNA): Kuwait denied ru- mors on Friday circulating on social networks regarding an alleged Emirati group working at the European Parlia- ment in Brussels against the State of Kuwait. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry stated that such fabricated information mentioned the name of an EU par- liamentarian that does not exist. The Ministry stressed on the strong relation that holds both nations together, pointing out to the ongoing coordination between both diplomatic missions in Brussels. ‘No limits to dream’ Passion, ambition help Kuwaitis raise their country’s name high KUWAIT CITY, July 15: Passion, ambition, persistence and determination are traits that accompanied Kuwaiti personalities who sought to raise the name of Kuwait in international events and forums in several fields, reports Al-Anba daily. There are no limits to the dream as long as there is a beginning and the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In the late sixties and early seventies, Dr Saleh Al-Ujiri in 1973 left for the United States to buy the dome for his observatory and after establishing it at his own expense, the center was named after him and came to be known as the ‘Al-Ujairi Observatory’. Then a committee was formed with representatives from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS) and the Scientifi c Club. After that, work began to establish the Astronomy and Meteorology Center at the Scientifi c Club at his new head- quarters in the South Surrah, and Al-Ajiri left work to build his observatory in Al-Andalus. In 1986, the late Amir of Ku- wait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad, may God have mercy on him, inaugurated the observatory, and honored Al-Ujiri before the formation of the committee in 1980. The thing is, ‘we now have a new dream for the ambition of Kuwaiti Dr Arad to include the name of Kuwait in the fi eld of outer space under the name ‘Moon Al-Kuwait’. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 LOCAL 5 diwaniya ‘60s rule decision threat A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION to lives of some expats’

Humble Obama and our leaders Workers’ rights will be protected: KSHR “THE former American president Barack Obama was American Revolution, and he rejected to play the role of born on August 4, 1961. His mother was American and observer only, and he joined the revolutionaries although KUWAIT CITY, July 17: his father a Kenyan,” columnist Qais Al-Osta wrote for his attitude in this connection had raised the dissatisfaction Al-Jarida daily. of the then American consul in Iran, and the latter called Commenting on the new “However, he continued his study in the US and grad- him to remind him that in his capacity as a US citizen, he re- decision issued by the Pub- uated from the Harvard University’s Faculty of Law serves no right to intervene in Iran’s internal affairs to which lic Authority for Manpow- -- the fi rst black student to be the editor-in-chief of the Baskerville responded saying ‘I am an American citizen university’s Law Magazine. and I am proud of my belonging, but I am also a human er (PAM) to renew residen- “In 2004, Obama was elected to the Senate Council being, and I will not hesitate to sympathize with the people cy permits for expatriates from the State of Illinois. He also worked as advisor to of the city, because I can’t stand idle and see the suffering who are above 60 years the civil rights movement in Chicago – one of the big- of people who are struggling for their right’. He went on to gest cities in the US. say, ‘the sole difference between me and this people is the and holding only high “On Nov 4th, 2008, Obama was place of birth and this is not a big difference’. school certificates or below, elected US president after defeating “However, after ten months of the siege, the people of the Kuwait Society for Hu- the late John McCain in the presi- Tabrez, started suffering from famine, and a group of men dential race. He took the reins of attempted to break the siege and smuggle food for the be- man Rights (KSHR) said, power in the United States on Jan sieged people, but once in a while Baskerville also was at- “We were surprised when 20, 2009, and four years later was tempting to bring the food into the city, and he died at the the PAM board of direc- re-elected to the White House de- age of 24 when one of the snipers shot him in the chest. feating his Republican Mitt Rom- “Consequently, Baskerville was buried in Tabrez. tors approved an amend- ney. But two terms in offi ce Obama For his part, an Iranian teacher Mohsen Rahimi said ‘al- ment to Resolution No. 520 was succeeded by the Republican though many years have passed after the passing away of 2020, which prohibits President Donald Trump in Janu- of Baskerville, his popularity is steadily increasing. He ary 2017. Qais Al-Osta added ‘Baskerville shall remain in our hearts and minds issuing a work permit for “However, the presidency of as a real hero who stood against the oppression”. this category of workers,” The boat is towed by the Fire Dept personnel to the shore. Obama remained distinguished. His popularity was “In spite of the increasing number of people who con- reports Al-Rai daily. low among the peoples of the Gulf Cooperation Council verge on Tabrez to visit its traditional markets and its However, what was more sur- Family of 12 rescued (GCC) following the signing of an agreement with Iran red and turquoise mosques, most of the visitors place because following this agreement Tehran was able to wreathes on the grave of Baskerville in the Ashouri prising is that this category of spread its infl uence in the region. cemetery. Not just that, these visitors in the evening sit workers is permitted to renew Firefighters Friday rescued 12 Marine Rescue Center rescued a “But it is needless to say that it is impossible to ana- in the famous café that is named after Baskerville. work permits if they can pay an people from drowning after water family of 12 people after the engine lyze this topic because some of us believe that the US “But under the bust that was inaugurated by the for- annual fee of 2,000 dinars. leaked into their boat, reports Al- of their boat broke down and water policy is based on favoritism, love and hatred. However, mer Iranian president Sayed Mohammad Khatami, the The society says it regrets this ap- Rai daily. began to seep into the boat near an proval, which will lead to an official The Public Relations and Me- island opposite Al-Zour. we tell these people that ‘here there is no gentleman following is written in Persian ‘Baskerville … is a na- dia Department of the Operations The DGFD said the 25-feet long policy’ because it is vital for us to know that America tionalist … and history maker’.” decision that will become government Room of the Directorate-General vessel was towed ashore by the fire throughout the world works to serve its interests. ❑ ❑ ❑ legislation affecting a large number of of Fire Department said person- and rescue personnel. No one was “In this connection we say during the years of migrant workers in Kuwait and their nel from the Al-Muhallab Fire and injured in the incident. Obama’s administration it is noteworthy to mention the “Successive news about the referral of the boards of di- families. rectors of cooperative societies to the Public Prosecution is The KSHR added, “We, at the Ku- surprising fact is that he tactfully communicated with The association recommended “the Forensic report showed the man died various denominations of the Americas – a continent no longer a surprise. Such news has become common and wait Society for Human Rights, have of heart failure. However, he fell to size country of 300 million people. familiar because of its frequent recurrence,” columnist Ab- recently signed a partnership agree- necessity of issuing decisions based on “For example, a trip from New York City to San Diego in dulrahman Al-Awwad wrote for Al-Sabah daily. ment with the American Middle East specialized studies and research, and the ground after he was allegedly hit California, takes about six hours. In spite of this fact, presi- “Recently, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Partnership Initiative to work to pro- discussing these decisions seriously on the head with a hard object, but the dent Obama, paid visits to many US cities and states to meet Affairs and Societal Development Abdul Aziz Shuaib tect the rights of migrant workers in with representatives of the relevant blow to the head was not the cause of the people. He once even accepted an invitation by a restau- announced that he signed the minister’s decision to refer the State of Kuwait. public interest associations.” death. rant owner in Austin City of Texas to attend the inauguration nine cooperative boards of directors to the prosecution “It is our national duty in human ❑ ❑ ❑ A security source said the victim for financial and administrative violations. He asserted had abrasions on the chest and this was ceremony – a trip that takes about four-and-a-half hours. rights work to protect migrant work- ‘It is not murder’: “The question that may impose itself here is, how the ministry has not and will not hesitate in punishing ers. We recommend canceling this A Forensic caused when the suspect dragged him president Obama managed to remain committed to all anyone who manipulates or exploits the interests of decision from a humanitarian point report issued by the Criminal Evi- into the yard of the house, trying to re- internal activities in addition to his overseas assign- shareholders. of view, because this is a real threat dences Department says the death of vive him, and when the suspect felt the ments which were full of disputes, wars and other prob- “These repeated financial and administrative irregu- to the lives of some migrant work- an Indian delivery man was due to man was not moving, he fled fearing lems throughout the world. larities in the boards of directors of cooperative societies ers, and we reiterate our call to the natural causes and not murder as was his arrest by the detectives. “The other question is, can we as citizens in a small are considered a dangerous phenomenon not only be- government of the State of Kuwait to believed to be earlier, reports Al-Rai The Prosecution on the strength country the size of the State of Kuwait, see HH our Prime cause they constitute a serious infringement and blatant assume its responsibilities by abol- daily. of the report is said to have released Minister having dinner in a restaurant with a group of violation of the sanctity of the funds of important and ishing the sponsorship system and A Kuwaiti, the son of the owner of the suspect of the murder charge, ordinary citizens to know their opinion over the national vital institutions such as cooperative societies, but also working to establish an alternative the house, whom the worker went to but continues to be detained because economy or the pension programs or the roads network because they reveal the view of some on public work — system that safeguards the rights of deliver in the parcel in Abu Futaira, he is wanted by law in several other or the other issues which have remained suspended for that it is an opportunity for profit and benefit, even if it is all.” was accused of killing the man but the cases. fi fty years? To be more humble, let us ask: Can we meet done through theft, looting, embezzlement and all ways with an undersecretary without any ‘wasta’.” or methods of obtaining forbidden money. “It is truly a great tragedy that we have so many Also: preachers, religious bodies and institutions, sermons, “We hear the Iranians regularly chanting ‘Death to lectures and lessons, yet we have largely failed to re- America’ and ‘death to the great Satan’ refl ecting the deep- duce this dangerous phenomenon of corruption or steal- rooted enmity between Washington and Tehran, which ing money from others — public money owned by the dates back to more than 50 years,” columnist and professor State or parties in which the State contributes a share Dr. Hisham Al-Awadhi wrote for Al-Qabas daily. while the other share belongs to shareholders.” “But the history, tells a different story, that the Iranians ❑ ❑ ❑ are in consensus for loving and respecting one US citizen, Howard Baskerville. In this connection, we say the former “Yesterday, Kuwait buried the remains of a number president Mohammad Khatami in 2005 unveiled the bust of of our righteous martyrs who defended the homeland Baskerville during a big ceremony and as such we wonder during the sinful Iraqi invasion on Aug 2, 1990. Words what the story behind this American is. are not enough to be grateful to them,” columnist Dr “As a matter of fact, Baskerville is a young man from Hind Al-Choumar wrote for Al-Anba daily. Nebraska, who came to Iran in 1907 to work as a his- “They deserve to have their names on the streets and tory teacher at a private school in Iran. During that pe- schools in honor of their memory and in recognition of riod, Iran witnessed an acute struggle between the ruling their sacrifi ces. party and the opposition when the latter demanded the “The image of honoring and bidding farewell to the enactment of a specifi c constitution – particularly those martyrs must remain engraved in the memory of every who were encouraged by the American Revolution and citizen, especially those who were referred to the Pub- the US constitution of 1776. lic Prosecution because of suspicions of profi ting or “However, the Iranian dream was realized with the encroaching on public money because the homeland is election of the Iranian parliament in 1906, but when the precious and it deserves a lot from us. A person without new Shah took power in Iran, the country witnessed a a homeland cannot live in abundance. popular revolution. In this context, we say the City of “Successive generations must be made aware of the Tabrez where Baskerville worked as teacher resisted the importance of the homeland, the sacrifi ces of the mar- rule of the Shah and the Shah ruled with an iron fi st and tyrs, and how the homeland can be built and preserve exposed the residents of Tabrez to famine. its safety and stability through the solidarity of its sons “Baskerville realized there was a common element be- and daughters.” tween the Iranian constitutional revolutionaries and the — Compiled by Zaki Taleb ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 LOCAL 6 MoI, Commerce & Municipality organize campaigns with MEW MEW issues 115 citations in 3 months

KUWAIT CITY, July 17: The Deputy Judicial En- forcement Team at the Min- istry of Electricity and Water and member of the Eviction of Bachelors from Model Areas Committee, Ahmed Al-Shimmari, announced 115 citations were issued in 3 months — May, June and July — and stressed the team will continue its campaigns to eliminate all violations and infringements on the electricity and water networks, reports Al-Seyassah daily. This is done, he said, in full coordination with the other concerned authorities, especially the Photos by Samer Shiker Top: Members of seizure team from MEW, Interior, Commerce and the Kuwait Ministry of Interior and the Ku- Municipality. Above: Checking faulty power connection. wait Municipality and the NEW’s distribution networks sector. Al-Shimmari told Al-Seyassah daily that the team carried out a joint campaign, in cooperation with the Fire Department closes 24 facilities General Traffic Department of the KUWAIT CITY, July 17: The in- they did not conform to the pre- Ministry of the Interior and the Minis- spection teams from the Director- ventive requirements, reports Al- try of Commerce inside the Shuwaikh ate-General of Fire Department Seyassah daily. Industrial Area to monitor violations. upon instructions from the head Major-General Al-Abdullah has He explained the these campaigns of the DGFD, Lieutenant-General called on citizens and residents to achieve continuous success in coop- Khaled Al-Makrad, and under the abide by the safety and fire preven- eration with other parties to moni- supervision of the Vice President tion conditions, and to inform the tor dozens of violations of all types for the Prevention Sector, Major- firefighting force in the event of any of housing, especially the industrial General Khaled Al-Abdullah, violations related to the protection of plots and the extensions therein, closed 24 facilities that posed a buildings and facilities that threaten which pose a threat to the network threat to community security, as the safety of lives and property. and the safety of the facilities themselves and their workers. Al-Shimmari said the most prominent violations are changing the sizes The Guest Show to feature Dr Abeer of fuses and power connection without a meter, tampering with supply network through random extensions that The Guest Show on Radio Kuwait business. After that, she joined cause faults and fires in the network. next Thursday will feature Dr Abeer Equate in its early stages of growth. Sulaiman Al Omar. One of Kuwait’s There, she worked on formulating He added the campaigns are con- most accomplished daughters, Dr a pioneering HR strategy followed tinuing in cooperation with the con- Abeer looks after Corporate Com- by a sustainable communication & cerned authorities. munications and Government Affairs CSR program. Housing at Equate Petro Chemical, a global In this show, Dr Abeer shares her producer of petrochemicals and the life journey, her professional chal- The Municipal Council earlier this second-largest producer of Ethylene lenges, her happy childhood with month, in its regular session headed Glycol in the world. Dr Abeer’s life re- the strong presence of her mother by Osama Al-Otaibi, the allocation of flects her spirit of adventure, strong who empowered her children, her five sites in the Shuaiba port within work ethics, commitment, and the habit of putting targets in life and the Ahmadi Governorate to estab- quality of never giving up. her parallel journey into wellness, lish housing complexes for expatri- Dr Abeer began her career in mindfulness and love for the envi- ate workers in implementation of the banking before starting her own ronment. decision of the Council of Ministers. In other news, the council also approved the adoption and unification of the numbering of the Sabah Al Ahmad Marine City and the request of the Min- istry of Electricity and Water to allocate a site for the construction of a new power generation and water distillation plant within the Nuwaiseeb area (the expansion of the Nuwaiseeb station). The council also approved the request of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to allocate a mosque and car parks in the agricultural area of Al-Wafra plot 7 (the agricultural holding 116) and to allocate a mosque and car parks in plot 1. The Council also approved the request of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to find an alternative location for the Sharq Industri- al plots, in addition to approving the allocation of the land of the neighboring state for the Al Mulla Tower project for the construction of the Mirqab parking building, Block No. 3. The Council approved the request submitted by the Institute of Banking Studies regarding approval of Rent- ing parts of the building allocated to them in the Qibla area, Block 14. The Guest Show Poster

Campaign targets most affected Kuwaiti charity funds cataract surgeries, orphanage in Yemen

ADEN, July 17, (KUNA): Kuwait’s and medication, in response to the dire Wednesday, bin Mubarak recalled the Global Charity Association for Devel- needs of the Yemeni people, it added. peace talks which Kuwait hosted in opment (Tanmeia) fully funded 100 Seperately, the Kuwait-based foun- 2016, a gathering lasting for over 100 cataract surgeries for Yemenis in the dation is covering the expenses of an days and was brokered by the UN. governorate of Taiz on Thursday as it orphanage home, which is so far tend- He also underlined Kuwait’s ef- witnessed the launch of an orphanage ing to the needs of 20 children. forts to resolve Yemen’s issues and in the war-torn country. Kuwait had always been one of defend its sovereignty during its non- The local organisation tasked with the top countries supporting Yemen’s permanent membership at the United organising the endeavours, Ramz Foun- peace and security and Yemenis are Nations Security Council (UNSC) in dation for Development, said that the grateful for the Kuwaiti role in their 2018-2019. four-day campaign delivered 100 glau- development as well as for the hu- Kuwait had also played a role in coma and intraocular lens surgeries. manitarian efforts, said Yemeni For- ending the war in Yemen and unite The campaign targeted the most eign Minister Ahmad bin Mubarak last the country in 1979, as it brokered an affected, paid in full by the Kuwaiti week. agreement between the two clashing charity, including medical checkups In an interview with KUNA on sides, the minister said.

KUNA photo Surgery being performed on patients with cataract. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 INTERNATIONAL 7

Coronavirus

Freedom or folly? UK’s end to mandatory masks sows confusion LONDON, July 17, (AP): For many, it’s common courtesy or a sensible precaution. For others, it’s an imposi- tion, a daily irritation. The face mask - a highly charged source of debate, confusion and anger around the world during the coronavirus pandemic - is now dividing people as the crisis eases. Britain is bracing for acrimony on Monday, when the government lifts a legal requirement to wear face coverings in most indoor settings, including shops, trains, buses and subways. Donning a mask in many places will stop being an order and become a request. Already, people are split over how to respond. “I’m glad,” said London café owner Hatice Kucuk. “I don’t think they really help much.” But Lucy Heath, a fi lmmaker, said she would prefer to see masks remain mandatory on the subway and in supermarkets. “I just think vulnerable people will feel that they don’t want to venture out,” she said. The end of many pandemic restrictions next week - once touted in British newspapers as “freedom day” - comes as the U.K. faces soaring coronavirus cases and rising deaths, despite an inoculation program that Johnson has given two-thirds of adults both doses of vaccine. This week Britain recorded more than 40,000 cases A father and son walk through their fl ooded street, in the town of Brommelen, Netherlands, Saturday, July 17, 2021. In the southern Dutch province of Limburg, in a single day for the fi rst time in six months. Globally, which also has been hit hard by fl ooding, troops piled sandbags to strengthen a 1.1-kilometer (0.7 mile) stretch of dike along the Maas River, and police helped the World Health Organization says cases and deaths are evacuate low-lying neighborhoods. (AP) climbing after a period of decline, spurred by the more contagious delta variant. Last week there were nearly 3 million new infections and more than 55,000 lives lost around the world. Analysis Against that backdrop, British politicians’ talk of freedom has been replaced with words of caution. “This pandemic is not over,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this week. “We cannot simply revert in- Afghans still caught in cycle of violence stantly from Monday the 19th of July to life as it was before COVID.” So while people no longer have to wear masks, they’re being told that they should. Afghan war shows US military limits Crowded WASHINGTON, July 17, (AP): It took opportunities to stabilize Afghanistan son the U.S. failed to stop a Taliban The government says it “expects and recommends” only two months for U.S. invaders to in the early years after ousting the Tali- resurgence after its initial losses, but a masks to be worn by workers and customers in crowd- topple the Taliban in Afghanistan in ban, which had run the country as an contributing factor was a decision by ed, enclosed spaces such as shops. London’s mayor 2001, a seemingly tidy success against international pariah since 1996. But the President George W. Bush to invade says masks will continue to be required on the city’s a government that had given refuge to bigger question is whether the military, Iraq in 2003. Within a few years that public transit system, and the National Health Service 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. after its initial success, was miscast in war became so all-consuming that Af- will insist on them in hospitals. And while the rules Twenty years later, the United States is the lead role of transporting Afghani- ghanistan was offi cially relegated to a withdrawing - visions of victory long stan from chaos to stability. secondary priority. are changing in England, masks will still be mandatory vanished and an ascendant Taliban ar- The U.S. military does not fi ght “Making it a sideshow was a fatal in Scotland and Wales, which make their own health guably within reach of restoring their wars entirely on its own terms. It op- choice,” Eikenberry said. regulations. rule. erates through civilian direction. Al- A full decade after bin Laden’s de- Opposition politicians and some doctors have urged the Richard Sherman, (left) stands up to Afghanistan proved to be a lesson in though civilian leaders may be accused mise, President Joe Biden decided that government not to remove the mask mandate, while busi- leave a King County District Court the limits of America’s military power. of having overreached with visions of continuing the war was senseless. He nesses and unions worry the change from mandatory to hearing with his attorney, Cooper Of- It demonstrated the seeming para- building Afghanistan into a democracy announced in April that he was ending optional is a recipe for chaos. fenbecher, Friday, July 16, 2021, in dox that it is possible to win the battles capable of defending itself, the military it, arguing that waiting for an ideal mo- “It is a real mess,” said Paddy Lillis, general secretary Seattle. The NFL football cornerback, and still lose the war. Or at least that a eventually embraced that goal. Claims ment to leave was a formula for never who has played with the Seattle Sea- of retail workers union USDAW. “Protection for retail hawks and the San Francisco 49ers, technologically superior force can kill by senior military offi cers of having leaving, and citing the pullout com- workers through wearing face coverings and maintaining was arraigned on fi ve criminal charg- more effi ciently than its enemy yet fail “turned a corner” toward success in mitment the Trump administration had social distancing in busy public areas like shops should be es Friday. (AP) to achieve a fi nal result resembling vic- Afghanistan were repeated so regularly made to the Taliban in 2020. The last backed up by the law.” tory. that critics wondered whether the mili- troops are to depart by Aug. 31. The prime minister has appealed to Britons’ common It showed that in the 21st century, tary was going in circles. Biden argued that the central pur- sense. “I generally urge everyone to keep thinking of oth- it takes more than a conquering army, pose of starting the war - to crush al- even one as well armed as America’s, Retired Qaida and to prevent Afghanistan from ers and to consider the risks,” Johnson said. to convert the overthrow of a govern- Karl Eikenberry, a retired Army again being a breeding ground for an- It’s not always obvious, though, what the risks are. ment, even one as tenuous as the Tali- lieutenant general with a rare combina- other attack on the United States - had Most scientists say masks can help curb the spread of ban’s, into a lasting success. It showed tion of high-level military and diplo- been achieved, leaving no reason to COVID-19 by preventing people who may be unknow- that it takes, at a minimum, an under- matic experience in Afghanistan, said further risk U.S. troops. The risk that ingly carrying the virus from passing it on to others. But standing of local politics, history and the U.S. military initially balked at an remains is a collapse of the Afghan studies suggest masks may be useful only if a high per- culture that the Americans were slow open-ended mission of nation-building government and a return of extremist centage of people wear them. to acquire. in an impoverished country trauma- threats, although Biden has promised “There is evidence to suggest it does good, but only if The United States underestimated tized by decades of civil war. to keep a U.S. diplomatic presence in everybody does it,” said Graham Medley, a professor of how much its presence as an occupier “But it warmed to the task,” he said, Kabul and to push for a peace settle- infectious disease modelling who is on a panel of scien- Biden Siddiqui fueled Taliban motivation to fi ght and and the United States became further ment. tists advising the British government. “I understand the limited the Kabul government’s ability entangled as it pursued a military strat- On the day American forces began government’s reluctance to actually mandate it. On the to unite. Although bin Laden eventual- egy not informed by realistic policy the war, Oct. 7, 2001, then-Defense other hand, if it’s not mandated, it probably won’t do any News in Brief ly was killed and his al-Qaida network debates in Washington about what out- Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested good.” blunted as an international threat, Af- come was achievable and at what cost. it would be open-ended, but no one an- But Robert Dingwall, a professor of sociology at Not- ghans are still caught in a cycle of vio- By numbers alone, the costs were ticipated it turning into the longest war Biden pledges appeal: President Joe lence and misrule with no end in sight. enormous. Tens of thousands of Af- in U.S. history. tingham Trent University who is also a government sci- Biden said Saturday that the Justice In his book, “The American War ghan government forces and civilians “While our raids today focus on the ence adviser, said letting people “fi nd their own comfort Department intends to appeal a federal in Afghanistan, A History,” Carter were killed. The United States lost Taliban and the foreign terrorists in level” is a sensible move. judge’s ruling deeming illegal an Obama- Malkasian, a former adviser to senior more than 2,440 troops, and the allies Afghanistan, our aim remains much “We need to tolerate each other’s different risk appe- era program that has protected hundreds U.S. military leaders in Afghanistan lost more than 1,100. The U.S. spent broader,” he told reporters. “Our ob- tites,” he said. “We’ve had all this behavioral science in of thousands of young immigrants from and Washington, says one reason for hundreds of billions, and even after the jective is to defeat those who use ter- the background, trying to encourage compliance through deportation and he renewed his calls for the futility of the American effort was withdrawal, the Biden administration rorism and those who house or support amplifying fear and anxiety. And that really needs to re- Congress to create a permanent solution. the infl uence of Islam and resistance to plans to ask Congress to spend billions them.” He made clear that this was a verse tack. We should stop talking about the dangerous He said in a statement that Friday’s foreign occupation. Those were fac- more in support of Afghan soldiers - global war on terrorism, not just a fi ght situations and start talking much more about the safe decision was “deeply disappointing,” and tors, he says, that were not well under- even to continue paying their salaries. in Afghanistan. Yet even as talk of a ones.” although the judge’s order did not affect stood by the Americans. The war, conceived in the traumatic war on terrorism faded, the war in Af- those already covered by the Deferred “The very presence of Americans aftermath of the hijacked plane attacks ghanistan persisted, long after victory Grappling Action for Childhood Arrivals program, in Afghanistan trod on what it meant that killed nearly 3,000 people on 9/11, fell out of reach. Britain is not alone in grappling with masks. In recent it ”relegates hundreds of thousands of to be Afghan,” he wrote. “It prodded devolved from the triumphant moment “In the end, we prosecuted the war months, Israel has reopened businesses, schools and event young immigrants to an uncertain future.” men and women to defend their honor, of ousting the Taliban from Kabul to in Afghanistan because we could,” venues, lifting nearly all restrictions after it inoculated The program has allowed thousands their religion, and their home. It dared nearly a decade of revived insurgency, Eikenberry said. “With no peer com- of young people who were brought ille- young men to fi ght. It animated the starting in 2005. The killing of bin Laden petitor, a volunteer force, and defi cit some 85% of its adults. Now cases are rising again, and gally into the United States as children, authorities have reimposed a rule requiring people to wear Taliban. It sapped the will of Afghan in 2011 seemed like an opportunity to spending, we had the luxury strategi- or overstayed visas, to live, work and re- soldiers and police.” wind down the war, but it dragged on. cally and politically of fi ghting a for- masks indoors, as the country scrambles to contain the main in the country. Many of the recipi- The U.S. military may have missed Experts disagree on the central rea- ever war.” delta variant. ents, commonly known as “Dreamers,” In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- have now been in the U.S. for a decade vention says fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear or longer. (AP) ized the church. ment asked law enforcers to stop the sac- come” messages in multiple languages, masks in most settings, in contrast to the WHO, which ad- ❑ ❑ ❑ Francis issued a new law requiring in- rifi ce of cows, calves, camels and other the Eiffel Tower greeted tourists Friday vises them to cover up. Some U.S. states and cities are try- dividual bishops to approve celebrations animals. for the fi rst time in nearly nine months, Reuters photographer killed: Afghan of the old Mass, also called the Tridentine G.L. Sharma, a senior government of- reopening to the public even as France in- ing to decide what to do as cases rise again. Los Angeles government forces battled Friday to re- County, the most populous county in the U.S., announced Mass. (AP) fi cial, said the earlier communication was troduces new virus rules aimed at taming take a border crossing with Pakistan from the fast-spreading delta variant. Thursday it is again requiring people to wear masks in- Taliban insurgents, and the Reuters news ❑ ❑ ❑ “misconstrued,” and the government had doors, even if they are vaccinated. been seeking proper transportation of ani- Smiles were broad and emotions pal- agency said one of its photographers was No ban on animal sacrifi ce: Authori- pable as the fi rst masked visitors mounted In many East Asian countries, it was common even be- killed in the area. mals and the prevention of cruelty during ties in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Fri- the Muslim festival. (AP) the elevators heading to the top of the fore the pandemic for people to wear masks when sick The Taliban had overrun the Spin day said there is no ban on the sacrifi ce of Boldak crossing earlier in the week. On ❑ ❑ ❑ Paris monument. or on high-pollution days. There is little in the way of an animals during the upcoming Islamic Eid “It’s such a lovely place and wonder- anti-mask movement. Friday, witnesses on the Pakistan side of the border said they saw intense fi ghting al-Adha holiday, a day after the govern- Eiffel Tower reopens: With “Wel- ful people...and now the wonderful Tour In the United States, however, they have become an Eiffel,” German tourist Ila Mires said, us- often partisan issue, epitomized during the 2020 presi- and reported seeing bodies. Reuters said Pulitzer Prize-winning ing the French name for the tower. She dential election by the contrast between often maskless came with her 19-year-old daughter be- Republican Donald Trump and mask-wearing Democrat photographer Danish Siddiqui, who was embedded with the Afghan special fore the young woman leaves for studies Joe Biden. forces, was killed as the commando unit in Amsterdam. Seeing the tower on their European nations are less divided, but recent research sought to recapture Spin Boldak. last day together in Paris “is such a gift to by King’s College London and pollster Ipsos MORI iden- The agency said Siddiqui and a sen- mother and daughter,” Mires said. (AP) tifi ed masks as a “culture war” fault line, dividing people ior Afghan offi cer were killed in what ❑ ❑ ❑ in Britain in a similar way to Brexit and the Black Lives they described as Taliban crossfi re. “We UK reverses plan to open: The Brit- Matter movement. are urgently seeking more information, ish government threw the holiday plans The large majority who supported masks and other cor- working with authorities in the region,” of tens of thousands of people into dis- onavirus restrictions tended to regard the minority who Reuters President Michael Friedenberg array Friday night when it reversed plans opposed them as selfi sh, hypocritical and closed-minded. and Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni to open up travel from France because of A lower proportion of lockdown opponents said the same said in a statement. (AP) concerns about a COVID-19 variant cir- about the other side. ❑ ❑ ❑ culating in the country. “The face mask is such a minimal object - this small Pope reverses restrictions: Pope Plans to relax self-isolation rules for piece of fabric, it’s a very low-tech device. But it’s Francis cracked down Friday on the people traveling from a wide range of become imbued with so much symbolic power,” said spread of the old Latin Mass, reversing countries will no longer apply to France Deborah Lupton, professor at the Center for Social Re- one of Pope Benedict XVI’s signature de- because of the persistent presence of the search in Health at Australia’s University of New South cisions in a major challenge to tradition- Beta variant, which was first discov- Wales and co-author of the book “The Face Mask in alist Catholics. ered in South Africa and is believed to COVID Times.” Francis reimposed restrictions on cel- be more dangerous than other variants, A mask against COVID-19 “is an object which can of- ebrating the Latin Mass that Benedict the government said. The announce- fer some degree of certainty and protection in this very, relaxed in 2007. The pontiff said he was ment came just days after authorities very chaotic and uncertain and constantly changing risk doing so because Benedict’s reform had confirmed plans to lift the quarantine become a source of division in the Cath- Pervis Payne shakes hands with his attorney, Kelley Henry, during a hearing in requirement for fully vaccinated people environment,” she said. “I think for that reason alone, it olic Church and been used as a tool by Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Paula Skahan’s courtroom, on Friday, July arriving from “amber list” countries, has incredible power and signifi cance.” Catholics opposed to the Second Vatican 16, 2021, in Memphis, Tenn. Payne, 54, has been on death row since 1988, but including most destinations in the Eu- Council, the 1960s meetings that modern- has maintained his innocence for the past three decades. (AP) ropean Union. (AP) Facebook asks recusal of FTC head in antitrust case decision

In this fi le photo, Lina Facebook is asking that the part in decisions on the FTC’s critic of Amazon, Google and sues arose of potential confl ict Khan, nominee for Com- new head of the Federal Trade antitrust lawsuit against the Apple, as well as Facebook. of interest. missioner of the Federal Commission step away from company. A federal judge re- FTC offi cials declined com- It’s not known how internal Trade Commission (FTC), decisions on whether to con- cently dismissed the suit by the ment on Facebook’s motion, FTC rules on confl ict of inter- speaks during a Senate tinue the agency’s antitrust FTC and one from a coalition which came two weeks after est might be interpreted in Committee on Commerce, case against the social network of states, saying they didn’t Amazon requested that Khan this case. On the face of it, Science, and Transporta- giant, asserting that past public provide enough evidence to be removed from taking part in though, “the fact that (Khan) tion confi rmation hearing criticism of the company’s mar- prove that Facebook is a mo- antitrust investigations of that has a point of view and has on Capitol Hill in Wash- ket power makes it impossible nopoly in the social networking company. The agency could expressed it forcefully is not ington. (AP) for her to be impartial. market. The judge, however, be expected to respond for- a basis for recusal,” said Ste- Facebook Inc. petitioned the allowed the FTC to revise its mally at some point. Khan has phen Gillers, a law professor agency Wednesday to remove complaint and try again. said she would seek the opin- at New York University who is Chair Lina Khan from taking Khan has been a persistent ion of FTC ethics monitors if is- an expert on ethics. (AP)

Market Movements 16-07-2021 Change Closing pts Change Closing pts SAUDI - Tadawul +16.44 10,794.51 JAPAN - Nikkei -276.01 28,003.08 PAKISTAN - KSE 100 +206.07 47,834.33 UK - FTSE 100 -3.93 7,008.09 SINGAPORE - Straits Times STI +12.32 3,153.30 EUROPE - Euro Stoxx 50 -20.62 4,035.77 UAE - DFM -11.17 2,744.28 EGYPT - EGX 30 -41.13 10,561.28 PHILIPPINES - All Shares -34.10 6,693.83 INDIA - Sensex -18.79 53,140.06 Business

High oil and gas prices will probably remain this year as recovery levels off: analysts Summer driving, tight supply gasses fuel prices at the pump WASHINGTON, July 17, (AP): The economic recovery is pumping up gas prices. Drivers are facing pricier fi ll-ups as more people hit the road for work, travel and other activities that the virus US economy strong but ‘hindered’ pandemic halted. Higher demand for gasoline is running up against lagging supply as the energy industry slowly ramps up after more than a year of production and staff cuts. The prices are especially painful for drivers who just a year ago saw gas fall to its lowest point since 2016, but by bottlenecks, Fed survey shows who couldn’t take advantage because the virus pandemic limited travel. The supply and demand disconnect is exacerbated by a busier summer travel season as COVID-19 cases fall, Further increases in input costs, selling prices expected in coming months vaccination rates rise and the tourism industry recovers. The Energy Information Administration estimated that gas demand for the week ending July 2, which included only WASHINGTON, July 17, (AP): enced above-average economic growth one day of the Independence Day holiday weekend, was The Federal Reserve’s latest na- in the period. the highest in 30 years. tionwide business survey found But the survey also found that the “The reason we’re here is because of imbalances created supply-chain disruptions led to shortages by COVID-19,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum that the economy strengthened of materials and labor, along with low analysis at GasBuddy. “Less driving during the pandemic further in late May and early inventories and constrained sales of caused demand for gas to plunge and that forced the fuel June, despite supply-chain bot- many consumer goods. industry’s hand to cut production and lay off employees.” “A report like this would have roiled The national gas price average has increased 40% since tlenecks that led to price hikes. the start of the year, according to AAA, and drivers can The Fed said that seven of its 12 re- markets several decades ago,” said Robert Brusca, an economist with FAO expect the price to keep rising. The auto club expects the gional bank districts reported strong national average to rise above $3.25 this summer. price increases with some businesses Economics. “There are lots of shortages and prices rising and input costs going The actual cost of gas isn’t near a historic high, De Haan expressing concerns that the supply said, but the quick rise in prices not long after last year’s chain disruptions would push prices up and labor in short supply.” sharp dip is making it feel more painful. even higher. The Fed survey was based on inter- “Obviously the $3 threshold is what makes it fell par- The US economy is rebounding views by the Fed’s 12 regional banks ticularly worse,” De Haan said. strongly from the recession brought on with business contacts in their regions. It A large part of the production imbalance stems from the by the coronavirus pandemic. That has will form the basis for discussions on the OPEC cartel’s resistance to increasing production to meet led to a surge in people seeking every- economy when central bank officials rising demand. Talks among OPEC members and allied oil thing from new cars to hotel stays, leav- next meet on July 27-28. producing countries broke off earlier this month in a standing businesses struggling to find enough The expectation is that after that meet- off with the United Arab Emirates over production levels. ing the central bank will keep interest Currently, OPEC and allied countries are producing components and employees to meet the Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell testifi es before Senate Banking, Hous- demand. unchanged near a record low of zero some 37 million barrels a day, compared to around 43 mil- ing, and Urban Affairs hearing to examine the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to lion barrels per day in April of last year, at the start of “While some contacts felt that pricing percent as a way to bolster the economy Congress, Thursday, July 15, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP) pressures were transitory, the majority as it rebounds from last year’s pandemic the pandemic. The low supply, high demand situation has expected further increases in input costs recession. retain workers,” the Fed said with many surging as the economy strengthens, will pushed crude oil prices up more than 50% in 2021 to levels The survey found that three-fourths of businesses expecting the difficulty in remain elevated in coming months but not seen since late in 2018. and selling prices in the coming “Lots of energy companies paused development as bond months,” the Fed said in its latest beige the Fed’s districts reported either slight finding workers to extend into the early will then moderate. fall. Powell was upbeat in his views on the holders demanded discipline and you’re not seeing a sup- book report, based on interviews with or modest job gains with demand stron- ply reaction,” said Katie Nixon, chief investment offi cer at its business contacts around the coun- gest for low-skilled workers, with labor Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome economy, saying growth is on track “to Northern Trust Wealth Management. try. shortages often cited as the reason that Powell delivered the Fed’s twice-a-year post its fastest rate of increase in Analysts have said high oil and gas prices will probably The report said that business sectors firms could not fill their vacancies. monetary report to Congress on decades” but that there was still a long remain this year as the economic recovery levels off and dealing with transportation, travel and “All districts noted an increased use of Wednesday. In his testimony, Powell way to go before the labor market is fully energy companies fi nd their footing again with production tourism, and manufacturing all experi- non-wage cash incentives to attract and suggested that inflation, which has been healed. and staffi ng levels. Oil prices to stay strong, despite the ‘differences’ By Kamel Al-Harami Independent Oil Analyst THERE are indications of a compromise prior to the OPEC- Plus meeting next month, as some hard discussions are taking place behind closed doors. An overall agreement will be achieved, considering there are plenty of oils in the markets and the demand will remain strong. The stumbling block is the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its variants that will just not allow the world economy to open up so soon. The number of COVID-19 cases almost globally is on the rise. In the USA, Europe, and some Asian countries, the numbers are increasing again, threatening the possibility of an economic recovery in the immediate future in industrial countries. There is no doubt that the oil prices are bound to go up eventually. A level of $80 is not far away, with the global demand on the rise, estimated to reach 99 million barrels and more next year. Strong oil prices are undoubtedly expected but can oil producing countries do something about building a stable economy by moving away from Al-Harami a single source of income, just like us here in Kuwait?! Certainly, the latest report on Kuwait’s fi nancial rating by Standard & Poor (S&P) states that Kuwait has failed to come up with a long-term strategy for organizing its long-term debts, and its outlook in this regard is still negative, due to which its overall ratings was reduced to A+. We have been stating repeatedly that Kuwait must move away from oil and come up with a long-term strategy to sort out its future shortage and defi cits in its annual budgets. It has been more than six years in a row now, and our expenses are increasing every year. There are no solutions at sight or even being thought about. Even though the oil price has jumped again, which gives hope to reduce our defi cits, we do not know if even $95 a barrel is enough to meet our ongoing ap- petite for increasing our expenses. At the same time, there are new graduates knocking hard on the doors in pursuit for employment. They are estimated to be between 25,000 to 30,000 per year, but no action has been taken in this regard, not even in any fi ve-year plan. Improvements in the oil prices are temporary situations. Our neighboring countries are taking positive steps to move away from oil and introduce local measures to reduce state defi cits such as Value-Added Tax on goods except for food items. For example, choice is given to buy lower-priced goods such as cars instead of opting for very expensive cars. Edu- cated consumers are aware that they need to be careful with their spending and monitor it. This is not going to be the last article that seeks the government’s attention to fi nd a solution to our ongoing dependence on oil. It has to face the reality of the hard times that are to come if it fails to address the need to fi nd jobs for the upcoming fresh graduates. Oil prices will keep going up and down, but will not stay at a level that can ensure breakeven budget! PS: “Kuwait In The Time of The British Empire” is the title of a newly published book written by young Kuwaiti citizen Muhsen Khajah who worked in Kuwait’s oil sector. It covers two periods - time of treaty between 1899 and 1961, and the time of oil from 1913 to 1976, as well as the time of nationalization of the oil industry in Kuwait. This book is highly recommended for its simple wordings and an insight into the on-hand experience in the fi eld of oil. It also has historical facts obtained from reliable Kuwaiti sources. ❑ ❑ ❑ email: [email protected] ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 BUSINESS 9

lawsuit says Alabama blocking solar power with unfair fees

The fees imposed by the Alabama Power The Southern Environmental Law “Alabama is being left behind by other system, on people who use solar panels or person for Alabama Power said, “we be- company on customers who generate Center and Ragsdale LLC fi led the law- Southern states when it comes to solar other means to generate part of their own lieve Alabama law and sound ratemaking their own electricity with rooftop or on-site suit on Monday against the Alabama Pub- generation, and the jobs, bill savings and electricity. That amounts to a $27 monthly principles were followed in reaching a fair solar panels are now the subject of a fed- lic Service Commission on behalf of four other benefi ts that come with it,” SELC’s fee on a typical 5-kilowatt system. The av- determination of the cost for this service.” eral lawsuit against the state’s regulators. Alabama Power customers who installed statement said. “These charges are a sig- erage solar panel setup for a home costs “It is important to us that all of our 1.5 Environmental groups argue that pun- solar panels on their properties and the nifi cant roadblock to our state’s success.” about $10,000, according to the law center, million customers are treated fairly. There ishing fees are purposely discouraging the Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pol- A spokesperson for the Public Service and the fees add another $9,000 or so over is nothing about the lawsuit that changes adoption of solar power in the sun-rich state. lution, or GASP. Commission wrote in an email that, “it a system’s 30-year lifespan, dramatically our position - we believe the lawsuit is Alabama Power maintains that the fees “We’re asking the court to require the would not be appropriate for the Alabama increasing costs and reducing any fi nancial without merit. Customers who want to rely are needed to maintain the infrastructure Commission to follow the law so that Ala- Public Service Commission to comment benefi t for the homeowner. on the company to back up their own gen- that provides backup power to custom- bama Power will stop unfairly taxing pri- on pending litigation.” Alabama Power maintains that the fees eration should pay their share of associat- ers when their solar panels don’t provide vate solar investments,” said Keith John- Alabama Power charges a $5.41-per-kilo- are needed to maintain the infrastructure ed costs,” Alabama Power spokesperson enough energy. ston, director of SELC’s Alabama offi ce. watt fee, based on the capacity of the home that provides backup power. A spokes- Alyson Tucker wrote in an email. (AP) Wall St ends wobbly week on down note Small-company stocks continue to lag rest of the market

NEW YORK, July 17, (AP): Wall Street ended a US ‘regulator’ milestone-setting week on a down note Friday, as stocks closed lower and the S&P sues Amazon 500 index posted its first NEW YORK, July 17, (AP): Safety regulators are suing Amazon to force weekly loss in four weeks. it to recall hazardous products sold The benchmark index fell 0.8%, on its site, including fl ammable with a good part of its pullback children’s pajamas, faulty carbon attributable to declines in big monoxide detectors and hair dryers technology stocks, banks and that don’t protect users from getting companies that rely on consumer electrocuted. spending. Energy and industrial The U.S. Consumer Product stocks also helped drag the market Safety Commission, which filed down, outweighing gains in health the complaint late Wednesday, care and utilities companies. said the online shopping giant Small-company stocks continued to stopped selling some of the faulty badly lag the rest of the market. Trea- products. sury yields remained relatively low, a Amazon said in a statement that it sign of caution among investors. The was “unclear” why the safety com- yield on the 10-year Treasury note mission fi led a complaint when the held steady at 1.29%, well below the company already removed the “vast 1.75% it fetched in late March. majority” of the hazardous products, “Some of what’s been refl ected in notifi ed customers, gave refunds and the bond market is starting to fi lter into asked shoppers to get rid of the prod- the (stock) market just a little bit,” said ucts themselves. Stephanie Roth, senior markets econo- The safety commission said Ama- mist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. zon’s actions were “insuffi cient” and The S&P 500 fell 32.87 points to it wants the company to do more, 4,327.16. It ended the week with a 1% including issue recalls with the com- loss. The Dow Jones Industrial Aver- age dropped 299.17 points, or 0.9%, mission and destroy any of the goods to 34,687.85. The tech-heavy Nasdaq sent back by customers. composite slid 115.90 points, or 0.8%, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Dem- to 14,427.24. ocrat from Connecticut who is chair The Russell 2000 index of smaller of the consumer safety committee, companies fared worse than the broad- said in a statement that the lawsuit er market, shedding 27.06 points, or sends a message to Amazon and 1.2%, to 2,163.24. The index, which other online marketplaces: “Know- had outpaced the rest of the market for Floor official Brendan Connolly, (left), and trader John Romolo confer on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, July 16, 2021. Stocks edged ingly selling dangerous and defec- much of 2021, is now up just 9.5% for lower Friday, dragged down by a slide from technology companies, as investors digest another round of corporate earnings. (AP) tive products that imperil Americans the year, well below the S&P 500’s will not be tolerated,” he said. year-to-date gain of 15.2%. virus could weaken economies around ics and dining out as the economy and the following week. Expectations donesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Viet- The safety commission said it test- Moderna rose 10.3% after the drug- the world. opened up and there were fewer pan- are high, with profi ts in the S&P 500 nam all reporting a record high number ed the products and found thousands maker was added to the S&P 500 index, “Covid is probably one of the big- demic-related restrictions. expected to be up 64% from a year ear- of daily cases. While vaccine rollouts of them to be hazardous. prompting a rush of buying from fund ger uncertainties out there,” Roth said. U.S. retail sales rose a seasonally lier, according to FactSet. have accelerated in recent weeks, cov- Nearly 400,000 hair dryers managers who need to keep a portfolio of “We do have to price in some chance adjusted 0.6% in June from the month Stocks fell in Paris, Tokyo, Shang- erage across most of the region is still didn’t have a device in the plug stocks that replicate the index. that it becomes a bigger headwind than before, the U.S. Commerce Depart- hai and Seoul but rose in London and very low,” Capital Economics said in a that protects users from being Trading was choppy this week after we think.” ment said. The increase was a surprise Hong Kong. U.S. futures edged higher. report Friday. electrocuted when dropped in wa- the three major stock indexes set all-time On Thursday, Federal Reserve to Wall Street analysts, who had ex- The Biden administration was ex- The relapses have led governments ter. And 24,000 carbon monoxide highs on Monday. The downbeat end to Chair Jerome Powell delivered his sec- pected sales to fall slightly last month. pected to soon issue a warning to U.S. to reimpose pandemic restrictions that detectors didn’t work when the gas the week suggests investors are uncer- ond day of testimony before Congress. Banks, airlines and other major fi rms about risks of doing business in will stifl e business activity and slow a tain about how strongly the economic Powell reiterated that signs of infl ation companies kicked off the latest round Hong Kong, adding to strains between revival of travel, it noted. was present. recovery will be in the second half of the should ease or reverse over time, while of quarterly report cards this week. the two biggest economies. The Bank of Japan kept its policy The safety commission didn’t year. Infl ation is raging, many of the U.S. acknowledging that the U.S. is in the The reports have been mostly solid, A resurgence of coronavirus cases settings intact Friday but downgraded say exactly how many flammable government’s pandemic relief efforts are midst of an unparalleled economic though investors are still trying to across Asia and signs of rebounds else- its growth forecast for the current fi s- sleepwear garments it found, but fading and the Federal Reserve is starting reopening on the heels of a pandemic- gauge how corporations are faring dur- where has cast uncertainty over recov- cal year slightly, to 3.5%-4% from it said there were “numerous” to discuss reining in some of its support induced recession. ing the recovery and how they might eries in the region. 3.5%-4.4%. It said the outlook for the children’s pajamas, night gowns for the economy. Investors got a bit of positive eco- perform for the rest of the year. “The virus situation across South- world’s No. 3 economy was “highly and bathrobes that violated fabric Investors are also anxious that the nomic news Friday. Americans spent The bulk of companies in the S&P east Asia has gone from bad to worse unclear” and depends on how the CO- safety standards and risked burn spread of new variants of the corona- more last month on clothing, electron- 500 will report their results next week over the past couple of weeks, with In- VID-19 situation unfolds. injuries to kids. UnitedHealth raises outlook after strong second quarter MINNETONKA, Minn., July 17, earning were $4.70, far better than people calling off visits to the doc- ing the second half of this year. cast to $18.10 to $18.60 per share, (AP): UnitedHealth Group boosted the $4.41 that Wall Street had been tor’s offi ce, elective surgery, and Quarterly revenue reached up from an outlook of $17.75 to its full-year outlook for a second projecting, according to a survey of other non-emergency visits due the $71.32 billion, topping the $69.22 $18.25 per share that it debuted in time this year after a surprisingly industry analysts by Zacks Invest- pandemic. billion that Wall Street was calling December. strong second quarter despite sus- ment Research. The return of those patients after for, thanks in part to double-digit The guidance accounts for ap- This file photo shows a portion of tained, elevated spending tied to It’s still below the $6.64 billion, a successful vaccination program percentage growth at Optum and proximately $1.80 per share in po- the UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s cam- the pandemic. or $6.91 per share, the company in the U.S. has added more medical UnitedHealthcare. tential net unfavorable COVID-19 pus in Minnetonka, Minn. United- The country’s largest U.S. health earned in the same three-month costs for insurers like UnitedHealth. UnitedHealth now foresees full- costs. Health Group boosted its full-year outlook again after a surprisingly insurer earned $4.27 billion, or period last year, which ended June Executives with the Minnetonka, year adjusted earnings in a range Analysts polled by FactSet pre- strong second quarter despite sus- $4.46 per share. Adjusted for one- 30. Those three months were an Minnesota, company said they ex- of $18.30 to $18.80 per share. In dict full-year earnings of $18.57 tained, elevated spending tied to time gains and costs, per-share extraordinary stretch with so many pect to feel most of that impact dur- April the company raised its fore- per share. the pandemic. (AP) Lordstown Motors receives two subpoenas

Lordstown Motors, an Ohio with DiamondPeak, a special fering. SPACs can also make it That dynamic is playing company under scrutiny over purpose acquisition company. easier to get prospective buy- out as Lordstown’s opera- the number of orders it claimed Special purpose acquisition ers on board. Companies go- tions come under increasing In this fi le photo, a mural it had for the electric trucks that companies, or SPACs, have ing the SPAC route often feel scrutiny, which it was partially is displayed on the wall it wants to produce, acknowl- gained prominence this year more license to highlight pro- shielded from when it went outside the Lordstown edged receiving two subpoenas as a quick route to becom- jections for big growth they’re public through a SPAC. Motors plant in Lords- from federal regulators and that ing publicly traded and listing expecting in the future, for ex- Last month, Lordstown ac- town, Ohio. (AP) prosecutors in New York have shares on an exchange. ample. In a traditional IPO, the knowledged that it had no fi rm opened an investigation. SPACs can cut up to 75% off company is limited to listing its orders for its vehicles days af- The Securities and Exchange the time it takes for a company past performance, which may ter its president said the com- Commission asked in a pair of to get its stock trading on an not be a great selling point for pany had enough of them to subpoenas for documents re- exchange, versus the tradition- young startups that typically fail maintain production through lated to the company’s merger al process of an initial public of- to put up big profi ts or revenue. 2022. (AP)

New variants of coronavirus threatening to weaken economies around the world As stock prices peak, markets begin to fear looming threats By Stan Choe ith the U.S. economy hum- Wming, corporate profi ts fl owing and stock prices peaking, investors on Wall Street are beginning to pose an anxious question: Is it all downhill from here? Financial markets are always trying to set prices now for where the economy and corporate profi ts are likely to be in the future. And even though readings across the economy are still at eye-popping levels, investors see some areas of concern. New variants of the coronavirus are threatening to weaken economies around the world. Many of the U.S. government’s pandemic relief efforts are fading. Infl ation is raging as supplies of goods and components fall short of surging demand. And the beginning of the end of the Federal Reserve’s assistance for markets is coming into sight. So far, investors have largely put aside nervousness - broad measures like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite are hitting record highs. Major stock market averages, in fact, have nearly doubled since bottoming in March 2020. The U.S. recovery from the recession is proceeding so quickly that many forecasters estimate that the economy will expand this year by roughly 7%. That would be the most robust calendar-year growth since 1984. Outside the U.S., too, economies are showing sustained growth. The Chinese economy, the world’s second-largest, has slowed sharply from last year, though Beijing said it grew nearly 8% in the April-June period. And among the European countries that use the euro currency, growth for 2021 is expected to reach a brisk pace of nearly 5%. Still, some sharp moves under- Traders gather on the fl oor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, July 16, 2021. Stocks edged lower Friday, dragged down by a slide from technology companies, as investors digest another neath the stock market’s surface and across other markets show round of corporate earnings. (AP) newfound hesitance and anxi- raging optimism. The fear isn’t “The unknown of what you’re that life would return to normal as resumed setting records, the lat- for declining yields. They include ety about the potential economic that economic growth may slow. going to do looms large,” he said. the economy reopened and COV- est on Monday. That’s one of buying of Treasurys by investors threats. Yields on longer-term U.S. It’s that any one of threats to the “We’ve been riding this humon- ID-19 vaccinations rolled out. the confounding things for Da- from countries where rates are government bonds have sunk, for economy will weaken growth too gous reopening economy and refl a- But that also fueled worries about vid Joy, chief market strategist at even lower, pension funds shift- example, while stocks of companies much, too quickly and perhaps tion trade. Yes, it’s going to slow sharply higher infl ation. Ameriprise. ing some of their investments from most closely tied to the strength of even derail the recovery from the down, but what is it going to slow The 10-year yield, though, If the bond market is signaling stocks into bonds and a rush of the economy have slumped. pandemic recession and puncture down to? If the job market is still dropped below 1.25% last week. The worries about upcoming economic traders simultaneously getting out For now, many voices on Wall corporate profi ts. weak, do we slow down to some- months-long drop came as investors growth, Joy said, it’s surprising of bets for rates to keep rising. Street see the nervousness as “We don’t see it stalling out or thing on the order of 4% to 5%” fell more in line with the Fed’s in- stocks have performed this well. Though the S&P 500 is close merely a blip: They are forecast- reversing, but it’s clearly aging,” economic growth, “or does it slow sistence that high infl ation looks to The same goes for “junk” bonds, to its all-time high, some market ing stocks and bond yields to rise Rich Weiss, senior vice president down to 2%? That would be a nega- be only temporary. The slide accel- which are those issued by compa- watchers say movements within through the year as the economy at American Century Investments, tive surprise that could roil the bond erated after a couple of reports that nies with weak credit ratings. And the stock market have also shown and corporate profi ts continue to said of the economy’s recovery. markets and the stock markets.” showed economic growth remained corporate bonds should be offering signs of concern. In the past two grow. Many factors are behind the “We have this whole deceleration Concerns fi rst emerged earlier strong but not quite as powerful as more in yields over Treasurys than months, the synchronized moves recent shifts in markets, particu- theme going on that ‘The Best Is this year in the bond market, which Wall Street expected. they are now. higher for many areas of the mar- larly the sharp drop in bond yields, Yet To Come’ is not the case any- has the reputation of being more The stock market, which had “The bond market historically ket on fl ourishing optimism have including some technical ones that more. We’ve defi nitely peaked.” rational and sober than the stock been gliding to record highs, has often provided a good early broken down, say strategists at likely worsened the swings and Asked why investors would market. dropped nearly 1% one day last warning signal,” Joy said. “I don’t Deutsche Bank. While big U.S. may be short-lived. worry about a slowdown when The yield on the 10-year Treas- week. The decline was modest but know if that’s the case this time, stocks continue to inch higher, But some of those same analysts growth rates look so high as to be ury, which moves with expecta- enough to cause some analysts to necessarily, because we don’t really smaller stocks in the Russell 2000 also acknowledge that the shift- unsustainable, Weiss suggested tions for economic growth and for suggest that stocks were fi nally know what’s driving rates down.” index have stalled since peaking ing signals in markets may be an that uncertainty can often lead in- infl ation, had shot above 1.75% in paying attention to the signal from Besides the worries about peak in March - and those companies’ infl ection point following months vestors to consider a worst-case March after more than doubling in the bond market. growth and virus variants, analysts prospects are more closely tied to of gangbusters performance and scenario. four months. Optimism was rising Instead, the S&P 500 quickly point to other possible reasons the economy. (AP)

Do not charge car overnight due to fi re risk: GM Some Bolt owners warned to park outdoors DETROIT, July 17, (AP): General of an abundance of caution,” he said. Around 6:30 a.m. the next day, he Motors is telling owners of some older The steps should be continued until saw smoke coming from the rear of Chevrolet Bolts to park them outdoors GM engineers investigate and develop the car and called the fi re department. and not to charge them overnight be- a repair, he said. Volunteer fi refi ghters arrived within cause two of the electric cars caught “We are moving as quickly as we 10 minutes and extinguished the blaze fi re after recall repairs were made. can to investigate this issue,” GM said with a lot of water, but stayed for an- The company said that the request in a statement. other three hours, using an infrared covers 2017 through 2019 Bolts that Vermont State Rep. Tim Briglin, camera to make sure the battery tem- were part of a group that was recalled whose 2019 Bolt caught fi re, said he perature didn’t increase and the fi re earlier due to fi res in the batteries. drove it to work and back home in Thet- didn’t restart, he said. Nothing other The latest request comes after two ford, Vermont, on June 30, depleting the than some nearby plants were dam- Bolts that had gotten recall repairs battery to around 10% of its range. He aged, he said. caught fi re, one in Vermont and the plugged it into a 240-volt outdoor charg- Briglin said he had the recall repairs other in New Jersey, GM spokesman er around 8 p.m. and left the Bolt in his done on June 9, and charged his Bolt to Kevin Kelly said. driveway after the car messaged that it 100% of its battery capacity the morn- Owners should take the steps “out would be fully recharged by 4 a.m. ing of the fi re, he said. Briglin said he is happy GM is taking the action, because he’s heard from Bolt owners who didn’t know what to do because of the recent fi res. “I’ve had a great experience with it, but at the same time, an unhappy ending for this Bolt,” he said. GM, he said, plans to fi nd him a 2021 or 2022 model to replace his, which was a total loss. In April, GM announced that it had developed diagnostic software to look for anomalies in the batteries of 69,000 Bolts worldwide. If problems are found, the company will replace faulty parts of the battery. Kelly said owners who haven’t had the recall repairs done should still take their cars to dealers to get the fi xes. In November, GM recalled the electric vehicles after getting reports of multiple battery fi res. Two people In this fi le photo, a Chevrolet Bolt charges at an Electrify America site out- suffered smoke inhalation and a house side Colorado Mills outlet mall in downtown Lakewood, Colorado. (AP) was set ablaze. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 SCIENCE 11

Health

New pneumonia shot OK’d Pandemic made hunt for drug rehab harder

NEW YORK, July 17, (AP): After using drugs on and off for years, Megan Sims wanted to get clean again. But she couldn’t bring herself to stop during the coronavirus pandemic, even when she discovered she was going to have a baby. She had been to rehab before but couldn’t fathom how to do it while pregnant. Sims, a 28-year-old from North Carolina, was forced to confront her heroin addiction like never before when her drug use was reported to child protective services last summer. “None of my relapses had had a consequence until this last one,” she said. Social workers urged her to go to rehab, but none of the services were adequate because most substance abuse programs consider pregnancy to be high risk. Through word of mouth, Sims found UNC Horizons, a substance use disorder treatment program at the University of North Car- olina’s School of Medicine designed for pregnant women and mothers. “I needed somewhere to go that would accept me and be able to take care of me being pregnant,” Sims said. “Horizons saved my life.” Experts say programs like Horizons, which allow children to stay with their mothers during substance abuse and mental health treatment, are the kind of full-spectrum rehab needed to reduce Jones the number of babies born to mothers who, like other Americans, are increas- ingly struggling with drug use. With the rise of the opioid epidemic, there has been a grow- A Iranian resident receives a shot of a coronavirus vaccine at a mobile vaccination station in the center of Yerevan, Armenia, July 9. Armenia’s offer of free corona- ing movement among health care professionals and state social virus vaccines to any foreign visitor has drawn many people from neighboring Iran and other countries to the ex-Soviet Caucasus nation. (AP) workers to help mothers get sober rather than punish their drug use by taking away their babies, which can have lifelong effects. But such programs are a rarity in the world of rehab, and experts fear that even more limitations during the pandemic will stifl e what little progress has been made. Coronavirus The Associated Press sought the number of babies who were exposed to drugs in all 50 states between 2018 and 2020 to as- sess the pandemic’s toll on families and found that most child welfare agencies are only beginning to grasp the problem of Desperation for vaccines growing amid virus surge drug use among pregnant women. Policy Several states have made policy changes in the last three years to help instead of penalize those women, but 31 states Iranians fl ock to Armenia for jabs couldn’t or wouldn’t provide data showing whether more babies were being born exposed to drugs during the pandemic. YEREVAN, Armenia, July 17, (AP): That’s despite a federal mandate to report those numbers, In Iran, the urgency of getting vacci- showing how far there is to go. nated against COVID-19 is growing Hendrée Jones, Horizon’s executive director, said she’s by the day. ‘I numb myself’: Hospital fire seen a rise in the number of deaths and relapses among women A crush of new cases fueled by the who were stable in their recovery before the pandemic, an fast-spreading delta variant has threat- anecdotal trend in line with other populations struggling with ened to overwhelm Iranian hospitals deepens Iraq’s COVID crisis drug abuse during the upheaval to American life over the past with breathless patients too numerous year and a half. to handle. But as deaths mount, and the BAGHDAD, July 17, (AP): No beds, Iraq’s state news agency reporting At the same time, Horizons was forced to cut its capacity sense swells that protection for most medicines running low and hospital 92 dead. This 2021 photo provided by his fam- citizens remains far-off, thousands of because of social distancing. It has always had long waits for ily shows Oliver Daemen in an air- wards prone to fire - Iraq’s doc- Many blame corruption and mis- its 40 beds, but since the pandemic, the center is down eight plane cockpit. The 18-year-old from desperate Iranians are taking matters tors say they are losing the battle management in the medical system spots because it can’t have roommates share its apartments. The Netherlands is about to become into their own hands: They’re fl ocking against the coronavirus. And they for the disaster, and Iraq’s premier Jones worries about the women the program hasn’t been able the youngest person in space. Blue to neighboring Armenia. say that was true even before a ordered the arrest of key health of- to serve. Origin announced, July 15, that the In the ex-Soviet Caucasus nation, devastating blaze killed scores of ficials. “The severity of substance use has increased markedly since teenager will be traveling on the July where vaccine uptake has remained people in a COVID-19 isolation unit Doctors said they fear working the pandemic,” Jones said of her client base. “That’s really 20 launch in West Texas. (AP) sluggish amid widespread vaccine this week. in the country’s poorly constructed hesitancy, authorities have been dol- Infections in Iraq have surged to isolation wards and decried what scary.” record highs in a third wave spurred they called lax safety measures. That comes amid a fourfold increase in opioid use disorders ing out free doses to foreign visitors - a by the more aggressive delta vari- “After both infernos, when I’m among pregnant women in the past two decades, according to boon for Iranians afraid for their lives ant, and long-neglected hospitals on call I numb myself because ev- the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. Discovery and sick of waiting. suffering the effects of decades of ery hospital in Iraq is at high risk The federal government responded by requiring states in “I just want her to get the jab as war are overwhelmed with severely of burning down every single mo- 2016 to track and address drug-exposed infants and by allow- soon as possible,” said Ahmad Reza ill patients, many of them this time ment. So what can I do? I can’t quit ing states in 2018 to repurpose some foster care money to help Rare stone discovered: Archaeolo- Bagheri, a 23-year-old jeweler at a young people. my job. I can’t avoid the call,” said families stay together. Much of that work, however, has been gists have discovered a rare stone delin- bus stop in Tehran, gesturing to his Doctors are going online to plea Hadeel al-Ashabl, a doctor in Bagh- disrupted by the pandemic. eating the city limits of ancient Rome that diabetic mother who he was joining on for donations of medicine and bot- dad who works in a new isolation “The federal changes haven’t really translated to local ac- dates from the age of Emperor Claudius the winding 20-hour road trip to Arme- tled oxygen, and relatives are tak- ward similar to the one in Nasiriyah. tion,” said Dr Stephen Patrick, director of the Vanderbilt in 49 A.D. and was found during excava- nia’s capital, Yerevan. ing to social media to find hospital “Patients are also not willing to be Center for Child Health Policy who is a top national expert on tions for a new sewage system. Bagheri’s uncle had already re- beds for their stricken loved ones. treated inside these hospitals, but drug-exposed babies. “States are kind of confused on what’s Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi was ceived his fi rst dose in the city and “Every morning, it’s the same it’s also out of their hands.” supposed to be done and missing the broader picture.” on hand for the unveiling Friday of the would soon get his second. Such sto- chaos repeated, wards over- Iraq recorded over 9,600 new Child welfare agencies are still learning to navigate the pomerial stone, a huge slab of travertine ries have dominated Iranian social whelmed with patients,” said COVID-19 cases Wednesday in new policy implications. In about half the country, drug use that was used as a sacred, military and po- media in recent weeks, as hordes of Sarmed Ahmed, a doctor at Bagh- the highest 24-hour total since the litical perimeter marking the edge of the dad’s Al-Kindi Hospital. pandemic began. Daily case num- during pregnancy is considered child abuse and doctors are Iranians head to Armenia by bus and Widespread distrust of Iraq’s bers have slowly been rising since required to report suspected cases, according to the Gutt- city proper with Rome’s outer territory. plane. Acting Armenian Prime Min- It was found June 17 during excava- crumbling health care system only May. More than 17,600 people macher Institute, a research organization that supports repro- tions for a rerouted sewer under the re- ister Nikol Pashinyan said last week intensified after Monday’s blaze at have died of the virus, according to ductive rights and tracks state laws on substance use during cently restored mausoleum of Emperor that foreigners, including residents, the Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital the Health Ministry. pregnancy. Augustus, right off the central Via del have accounted for up to half of about in the southern city of Nasiriyah, In April, at least 82 people - most More states are shifting away from removing babies, in an Corso in Rome’s historic center. 110,000 people who were vaccinated the country’s second catastrophic of them severely ill virus patients in acknowledgement that the punitive era of the 1980s “crack In ancient Rome, the area of the pomer- in the country. Armenia administers fire at a coronavirus ward in less need of ventilators to breathe - died baby” scare proved to be overblown and racially divisive. ium was a consecrated piece of land along AstraZeneca, Russia’s Sputnik V and than three months. in a fire at Baghdad’s Ibn al-Kha- The effort to support moms wanting to get sober is rooted the city walls, where it was forbidden to China’s CoronaVac vaccines. Days after the latest fire, the teeb Hospital that broke out when in decades of research showing the lifelong consequences of farm, live or build and through which it In Iran, which has the highest COV- death toll was in dispute, with the an oxygen tank exploded. Iraq’s removing a baby — especially if they show no signs of being was forbidden to enter with weapons. ID-19 death toll in the Middle East, Health Ministry putting it at 60, lo- health minister resigned over the affected by the mother’s drug use — and negative outcomes At a press conference in the Ara Pacis less than 2% of the country’s 84 mil- cal health officials saying 88, and disaster. for children stuck in the overburdened and expensive foster museum near the mausoleum, Claudio lion people have received both doses, care system. Parisi Presicce, director of the Archaeo- according to the scientifi c publication “Punishment doesn’t make anybody a better mother or logical Museums of Rome, said the stone Our World in Data. edented surge in business. border town of Meghri. A local doc- make them want to use less,” Jones said. “If anything, it ex- had both civic and symbolic meaning. Sharing “The number of our customers for tor, speaking to The Associated Press acerbates it. When children are removed from mothers, it’s a “The founding act of the city of Rome the Armenia tour has tripled in recent on condition of anonymity because he risk for relapse.” starts from the realization of this ‘pome- Although the sanctions-hit coun- weeks,” said Ahmad, the manager of wasn’t authorized to speak to the me- For pregnant women facing this reality, the disconnect be- rium,’’’ he said of the consecrated area. try has imported some Russian and The stone features an inscription that al- a tour agency in Tehran who declined dia, reported seeing at least 100 Irani- gins with trying to fi nd help. Chinese vaccines, joined the UN-sup- to give his last name for fear of re- ans vaccinated there over the past few Findtreatment.gov, the online directory run by the U.S. lowed archaeologists to date it to Claudi- us and the expansion of the pomerium in ported COVAX program for vaccine prisals. weeks. Department of Health and Human Services, doesn’t include a 49 A.D., which established Rome’s new sharing and developed three of its own The surge of Iranians has inundated But last week the government de- search function for pregnancy or even gender. city limits. (AP) vaccines, doses remain scarce. Author- Armenia’s coronavirus testing centers, creed that foreign visitors can only And while 19 states have or fund drug treatment programs ❑ ❑ ❑ ities have yet to inoculate nonmedical leaving scores stranded in the buffer receive a jab at fi ve designated As- for pregnant women, only 10 states protect them from dis- workers and those under age 60, prom- zone, Iranian semioffi cial ILNA news traZeneca mobile clinics in Yerevan, crimination in publicly funded rehab programs that may not Hubble Space Telescope fi xed: The ising that mass vaccinations will start agency reported, with several fainting and, in an apparent bid to boost the want to take on the risk of treating them, the Guttmacher In- Hubble Space Telescope should be back in September. from the heat. Roughly 160 kilometers country’s tourist sector that took ef- stitute said. in action soon, following a tricky, remote “I can’t wait such a long time (100 miles) away in Yerevan, hun- fect Thursday, must spend at least 10 repair job by NASA. Also: for vaccination,” said Ali Saeedi, a dreds of Iranians lined up to get a vac- days in Armenia before getting vac- The orbiting observatory went dark in 39-year-old garment trader also wait- cine shot, with some sleeping on the cinated. NEW YORK: US regulators have approved a new pneumonia mid-June, with all astronomical viewing ing to embark on the journey at a Teh- streets to secure a place. After the new rule entered force, vaccine from Merck, more than a month after OK’ing an im- halted. ran bus station. “Offi cials have delayed NASA initially suspected a 1980s-era Hope sustains them through the long the crowds of Iranians waiting in the proved version of rival Pfi zer’s shot. their plans for public vaccination many lines under an unforgiving sun. In the streets of Yerevan to get the shot in Both new shots offer better protection against bacteria that computer as the source of the problem. But after the backup payload computer times. I’m going to Armenia to make streets of the Armenian capital, Irani- Yerevan dispersed but medical work- can cause pneumonia, meningitis and blood infections, as well it happen.” ans cavort to Farsi music outside vac- ers said that many have booked vacci- as garden-variety ear and sinus infections. also failed, fl ight controllers at Mary- land’s Goddard Space Flight Center fo- Others, like 27-year-old secretary cine centers, clapping as they receive nations for the following days in com- Merck said Friday that the Food and Drug Administration cused on the science instruments’ bigger Bahareh Khanai, see the trip as an act doses, videos show. pliance with the 10-day minimal stay approved its shot, called Vaxneuvance, for people aged 18 and more encompassing command and of national service, easing the daunting “We couldn’t expect that our hu- requirement. and up. It protects against 15 of the roughly 100 pneumo- data unit, installed by spacewalking astro- inoculation task facing Iranian authori- manitarian act would become popular Now, the profi le of Iranian visitors coccal strains, including those most responsible for severe nauts in 2009. ties. and spread so much and that we would is changing, as cross-border bus jaunts disease. Engineers successfully switched to the It remains unclear just how many have a big fl ow of foreigners,” Arme- become extended vacations, with some Merck hasn’t disclosed its shot’s price or when it will be backup equipment Thursday, and the cru- Iranians have made the trip to get nian Health Minister Anahit Avanesy- fl ights routed through Qatar. The surge launched. cial payload computer kicked in. NASA vaccinated, as Armenia also remains an told reporters. “Our citizens are our in interest has also pushed up the price, Pfizer’s updated vaccine, Prevnar 20, was approved on said Friday that science observations a popular summer getaway spot. But priority, but I repeat again that the pan- putting the journey out of reach for all June 8 for adults. It has a list price of $232, but Pfizer said should resume quickly, if everything goes each day, dozens of buses, taxis and demic doesn’t recognize citizenship.” but the wealthy. insured patients likely can be vaccinated for free or at low well. fl ights ferry an estimated 500 Iranians But even as Armenian authorities Ethicists, who said they other- cost. A similar switch took place in 2008 af- across the border. Airlines have added encourage vaccination tourism, the wise wouldn’t take issue with needy A panel of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ter part of the older system failed. three weekly fl ights from Iran to Ye- sheer number of Iranians fl ooding vac- foreigners securing excess shots vaccine experts is set to review both vaccines in October and “Congrats to the team!” NASA’s sci- revan. The cost of bus tours has dou- cination centers has pushed Armenia shunned by citizens, say the price recommend who should get them. ence mission chief Thomas Zurbuchen bled as thousands devise plans. Travel to tighten the rules. hike and new 10-day requirement ex- Pfi zer’s new vaccine protects against seven more strains tweeted. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ agents who watched the pandemic rav- At fi rst, Iranian vaccine-seekers acerbates the stark inequalities in the than the decade-old Prevnar 13, long the world’s most-lucra- age their industry have seen an unprec- headed for clinics in the southern pandemic. tive vaccine with nearly $6 billion in annual revenue. In one 18-yr-old joining spacefl ight: An large study, the new shot was 75% effective against the most 18-year-old is about to become the young- serious disease. est person in space, rocketing away with Merck said testing showed its new vaccine works as well as an aviation pioneer who will become the Prevnar 13 against the strains both vaccines fi ght, but that it’s oldest at age 82. more effective against one strain. Blue Origin announced Thursday that seat on the space capsule after the auc- He added in a video posted by Dutch Merck and Pfi zer have been testing their shots in children instead of a $28 million auction winner tion winner stepped aside because of a broadcaster RTL: “I am super excited to and infants and plan to seek approval for those age groups. launching with founder Jeff Bezos on scheduling confl ict. The offer came in a experience zero-g and see the world from Meanwhile, Merck will continue selling its 38-year-old Tuesday, the Dutch son of another bid- surprise phone call from Blue Origin last above.” Pneumovax 23 vaccine, which protects against 23 strains and der will be on board. The company said week, he said. Also on Blue Origin’s fi rst launch with is approved for kids. Oliver Daemen will be the fi rst paying “This is so unbelievably cool!” Dae- passengers: Bezos’ brother and Wally It uses an older technology that doesn’t cause as strong or customer, but did not disclose the price men said in a statement. “The flight to Funk, one of 13 female pilots who went long-lasting an immune response as the two newly approved of his ticket. But a family spokesperson and into space only takes 10 minutes, through the same tests in the early 1960s shots. said it will be considerably less than the but I already know that these will be as NASA’s Mercury 7 astronauts but nev- winning bid. the most special 10 minutes of my er made it into space because only men Daemen snagged the fourth and last life.” Bezos Raggi were allowed. (AP) Tech SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 FFeatureseatures the fi a release.“Nowthe partyisoverand prostitution business. pany tooperateaninternational using amovieproductioncom- York indictmentaccusinghimof producer wasarrestedonaNew US actual movieproductioncompany,” and eventplanningcompanyan front companies—apurportedparty prostitution businessthroughtwo ated anextensiveandfar-reaching Peter Swarth. comment wassenttohisattorney, $150,000 bail.Amessageseeking video andwasorderedreleasedon California, Jordanappearedby court appearanceinRiverside, County, arrested in rowhead Lake begin Aug9in sex-traffi rations forKelly’slong-delayed torneys continuedwithfi continue representingKelly. would be“impossible”forthemto and Leonardtoldthejudgeit Kelly’s teamoflawyers.Greenberg case amidafalling-outamong to withdrawfromthehigh-profi ing anyone.(AP) Minnesota sex-related chargesinIllinoisand He alsohaspleadednotguiltyto born legal perilfacingthesinger, to seeKelly. ues andarrangedforthemtotravel victims atconcertsandotherven- prosecutors saythegroupselected recruit womenandgirls.Federal other employeeswhohelpedhim prise ofmanagers,bodyguardsand is chargedwithleadinganenter- multiplatinum-selling R&Bsinger court. two attorneys, granted arequestbyKelly’stop and charges. trial inNewYorkonracketeering just weeksbeforeheissettogoon to shakeuphislegaldefenseteam lowed jailedR&Bsinger the pandemic. video streamingservicetogetthroughlockdownsimposedduring tain themomentumitgatheredlastyearwhenpeopleturnedto ment, confi NEW YORK: NEW YORK: title atthecompany.VerduisjoiningNetfl gaming, butleftlittledoubtaboutitsintentbyannouncingVerdu’s zon, Hulu,WaltDisneyCo.andApple. against othervideostreamingservicesofferedbythelikesofAma- against videogamesforapieceofpeople’sleisuretimeasitdoes CEO ReedHastingshaslongsaidthecompanycompetesasmuch March. 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This imagereleasedbyNetfl the USandperformed actsfor roster ofwomenwho livedacross 2010 throughMay 2017,kepta Hawke “The Kid,”whichstarred Gyllenhaal Teacher,” whichfeatured the 2018fi of producersonfi An indictmentsaidJordan,from terview, withdrewfromtheFrenchOpenlastMay, duction company. 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Productionconcludedinearly2021before over atwo-yearperiodstartingwiththe2019US Garrett Bradleysaidoftheseriesthatwastaped are theheartof“NaomiOsaka,”director-producer pion. docuseries aboutthefour-timeGrandSlamcham- fame shouldn’texpecttofi how shecopeswiththedemandsofhercareerand for defi LOS ANGELES,July17,(AP):Thoselooking Docuseries takesintimatelookatOsaka nding herway.Filmofmajortournaments,wins Osaka, 23,whowasnotmadeavailableforanin- Those inquiriesare“connectedtovaluesystems As fi “It wasreallyimportantformetonotgointo The three-partserieswhichdebutedFridayis It’s thetennisstar’sunresolvedquestionsthat ections onhercareer,multiracialidentityand Variety rst-quarter subscriberin- ix fromFacebook’sOcu- . ix anotherwaytobuild ix hashiredveteranvid- lm “TheKindergarten lming progressed,shesaid,itbecameclear eld ofentertainment. nitive answersaboutNaomiOsakaand , andthe2019movie nition, andhowonecancreateamore lms including rstthree Ethan Maggie ix showsNaomiOsakainascenefromthedocuseries‘NaomiOsaka,’premieredonJuly16.(Netfl ix viaAP) ix co- nd themselvesin,” said nd theminanewNetfl Television fl NEW YORK: eets, aftertheydidn’tcatchon. The companybegantestingtweetsthatvanishafter24hourslast Twitter killsoffephemeral‘fl odnGyllenhaal Jordan most subscriberswillaccept. and fi games alogicalcomplementtoNetfl them orincludeaspartofitsvideostreamingservices. video gamesandwhetheritintendstochargeaseparatefeeplay previously workedatvideogamemakersElectronicArtsandZynga. lus, whereheoversawthevirtualrealityheadsetmaker’sgames.He and movies. already immersedinthestoriesunfoldingservice’sTVseries April thatvideogamescouldbeanotherwaytoengagesubscribers down by8%fromtheirpeakof$593.29reachedinJanuary. ket hasbeennotchingrecordhighsrecently,Netfl by 1%tocloseThursdayat$542.95.Whilemuchofthestockmar- potential forayintovideogames.Thecompany’sstockpricedipped in hisnewjob. fandom,” Peterssaidatthetime.Verduwillbereportingto we canincreasethosepointsofconnection,deepenthat Madonna docucomingtoParamount+thisfall Greg Peters,Netfl In aresearchnote,CFRAanalystTunaAmobicalledvideo Now thebiggestquestionsarewhenNetfl “We’re tryingtofi Investors seemedtobetakingawait-and-seeattitudeonNetfl lms, helpingtosetthestageforeventualpriceincreasesthat Twitterisdisappearingitstweets,called ix shot ofabriefperiodinlifethatcontinuesto should notbeseenasdefi says, “SowhatamI,ifnotagoodtennisplayer?” her future.Atonemomentofself-refl struggling tocopewithhersport’sdemandsand Osaka asthoughtfulanddriventosucceedbut ney whichIdidn’tenjoyultimately.” was retiringfromthesportbecauseit“ajour- but saidinasocialmediapostMarchthatshe gure outwhatareallthesedifferentwaysthat ix’s chiefoperatingoffi Filmmaker Bradleycautionsthattheseries The docuseriessketchesaportraitofNaomi Mari Osaka,25,alsoplayedprofessionaltennis hours adayatpractice,adding,“Iwasjusttired.” with thetennisstarrecallingspendingatleasteight ka andhersister,Mari,onthecourtasyoungsters, public fi ing MichelleObama,MichaelPhelpsandother ally lightattheendofanytunnel,”shesaid,thank- it. Therearepeoplewhocanhelp,andthereisusu- it’s O.K.tonotbeO.K.,andtalkabout anxiety.” to beright,butthatoftencomesatacostofgreat try topushmyselfspeakupforwhatIbelieve introverted anddonotcourtthespotlight.Ialways Osaka wrotethat,“Believeitornot,Iamnaturally United States. Japanese motherandHaitianfathermovedtothe just afewyearsoldwhenshe,hersisterandtheir kyo OlympicsforhernativeJapan.Osakawas but isexpectedtocompeteintheupcomingTo- with heragentsayingshewantedpersonaltime, bouts ofdepression. the mediaandrevealingthatshehassufferedlong citing “hugewavesofanxiety”beforespeakingto The Netfl “I dohopethatpeoplecanrelateandunderstand In aTimemagazineessaypublishedJuly8, She alsoskippedthejust-endedWimbledon, Also: ix? Latesthiringoffers aclue gures forofferingsupport. ix docuseriesincludesfootageofOsa- for womentoengage inprostitu- Jordan arrangedtransportation name incourtpapers. The madamwasnotidentifi sharing andreferringcustomers. United Kingdom money. Jordan’s clientsinexchangefor ix’s vastlibraryofTVseries Sometimes, theindictment said, It saidhecoordinatedwitha Portrait ix mightstarttooffer cer, toldinvestorsin nitive, butratherasnap- eets’ -based madam, ix’s sharesare ed by eto she ection ix’s stressed thatthisispartofhowthecompanyworks. longer beavailableonTwitter.” said inastatementWednesday.“SoasofAugust3,Fleetswillno people joiningtheconversationwithFleetslikewehoped,”Twitter of normaltweets. users whomightbeturnedoffbythepublicandpermanentnature March in date withwhat’sgoingon.Fleets,itturnsout,didnotmakesense. apps —it’smoreofapublicconversationandwaytostayup ple useTwitterdifferentlythanFacebook,Instagramormessaging ers lookingforsmallergroupsandmoreprivatechats.Butpeo- sages. Suchfeaturesareincreasinglypopularwithsocialmediaus- Snapchat’s snaps,whichletuserspostshort-livedphotosandmes- we’re nottakingbigenoughswings.” down featureseveryonceinawhile,thenitwouldbesignthat of themwon’twork,”hetweeted.“Ifwe’renothavingtowind to thefeature. or you’rewelcome,”tacitlyacknowledgingmixeduserreactions launched. something manypeoplepointedoutonTwitterwhenthefeature were fl “(Big) betsareriskyandspeculative,sobydefi Kayvon Beykpour “However, wehaven’tseenanincreaseintheamountofnew There wasalsoamatterofthename.Calledfl Fleets arereminiscentofInstagramandFacebook“stories” In atweetannouncingthedecision,Twitterwrote“we’resorry Jordan usedemail todiscussthe parties, accordingto theindictment. ing, massagetherapyandhouse for modeling,appearance,consult- women bydescribingthemasfees prostitution madebychecktothe interstate transportation. tion ordirectedclientstoarrange To communicatewith clients, He disguisedpaymentsfor US day that“MadameX”willmakeitsdebutinthe road. the personallifeof landed adocumentarythatoffersglimpseinto the topspotofBillboard200chartin2019. tour. Herlastalbum,alsocalled“MadameX,”hit cling herlife during herBlond Ambition world breaking documentary“TruthorDare,”chroni- and bringinglighttodarkplaces.” the world,changingidentities,fi sona MadameX,asecretagenttravelingaround pelling andaudaciousasMadonna’sfearlessper- dren, musiciansanddancersfromaroundtheglobe. 48 on-stageperformersincludingMadonna’schil- mance,” accordingtoapressrelease.Itfeatures the popicon’srareandrapturoustourperfor- and eeting, thewordisalsoabrandnameforanenema— NEW YORK: The streamingarmofViacomCBSsaidThurs- It willcome30yearsafterthepopstar’sground- The fi Filmed in , Brazil think that’sabeautifulthing,”shesaid. credibly strongandreallybrilliantperson.” well-being, Bradleysaidsheconsidersher“anin- cludes choosingwhentouseitandnotto.” but alsoisinfi and certainlyinherfamilylovedones, accepting wheresheiscurrentlyinthismoment, Bradley said.“Thesustenancethatshefi elements offamethatarehardtobepreparedfor,” rectly articulatesreallybeautifully,(that)thereare process ofalearningcurve,whichIthinkshedi- “evolve andgrow.” Canada Latin America,Australia, “She’s incontrolofherownnarrative,andI Asked howsheperceivedOsaka’semotional “This momentthatwecapturedwasherinthe lm willtake“viewersonajourneyascom- . Fleetsweredesignedtoallaytheconcernsofnew beginningOct.8. Lisbon, Portugal, Streaming serviceParamount+has , headofconsumerproductatTwitter, nding herownvoice.Andthatin- Madonna Also: andherworkonthe ghting forfreedom Sheri Pym are,” JordantoldMagistrate Judge name soIdon’tknow whoany to beawitnessinthecase. with anyvictimsoranyonelikely was orderednottocommunicate transportation, authoritiessaid. price ofservicesandtoarrange the fi Nordiccountries “They haven’tsaidanyone’s As partofhisbailterms,Jordan lm “captures lm eets becausethey . (AP) nition anumber nds isin ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Television

Gaines ‘Welcome Home’ Chip and Jo step up to lead TV network

NEW YORK, July 17, (AP): Chip and Joanna Gaines made a name for themselves thanks to their knack for renovating homes. Now they’re ready to put their skills to work on building an entire TV network. The couple known for restoring old homes and buildings into styles varying from industrial to farm- house are making the transition to TV executives with Thursday’s launch of the fi rst steps toward their Mag- nolia Network. It will feature dozens of hours of new unscripted content and archive shows. “It’s become this passion project for us and we’re just so excited about it. And now we’re fi nally here, and we can’t wait to show the world what we’ve been working on,” said Joanna Gaines. The shows will vary from Atlanta-based farmer Jamila Norman helping families transform their outdoor spaces to designer Brian Pat- rick Flynn beautifying interior spaces. Motels get makeovers in one show, and vans get re- made into tiny homes in another. Joanna Gaines stresses that what Magnolia Network will offer mainly is not scripted shows as much as “real people Joanna doing real things.” “The thing that I think wakes us up in the morning and gets us to work is the idea that we get to tell people’s stories,” she added. Andrew Zimmern, an Emmy and four-time James Beard Award winning TV chef, signed on to host “Family Dinner,” in which he visits families across America to hear their stories and explore their food Gemma Chan poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the fi lm ‘The Restless’ at the 74th international fi lm festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, history. He’s known the Gaines for many years. July 16. (AP) “They’re very genuine. They are who they are. They are consistent. They are reliable. They believe in taking risks and they believe in vulnerability,” he said. “They did not put any boundaries about what kind of Film show I was going to make. They essentially let me make the show I felt was important.” Lifestyle Another host they tapped was Clint Harp, a carpen- Alicia gives dazzling performance ter who had been featured on the couple’s infl uential show “Fixer Upper.” Harp will debut “Restoration Road with Clint Harp,” following his trip across the country searching for items to fi x. Lavish amfAR gala returns at Cannes “Joanna didn’t have to call me to keep making furniture for ‘Fixer Upper.’ She didn’t have to. They ANTIBES, France, July 17, (AP): and one-off experiences go under the Cannes’ closing ceremony caps 12 were fi ne on their own,” he said. “But she kept giving Sharon Stone hosted and Alicia Keys hammer. days of red-carpet premieres, regular me opportunities. And I’ve told her this to her face gave a dazzling performance as the Stone led the proceedings arriv- COVID-19 testing for many attend- and in front of other people before, just how grateful lavish amfAR gala that raises money ing on stage with a man on each arm. ees and the fi rst major fi lm festival to I am... And of course, whenever that phone rang and for AIDS research returned to Cannes “Isn’t it so nice to be here!” she shout- be held since the pandemic began in I saw her name on there, it was like, ‘Yes, what’s up? Friday evening. ed before raising a toast of thanks to almost its usual form. With smaller Let’s go!’” One of the most anticipated nights all the guests. crowds and mandated mask-wearing in The lifestyle channel will make its digital debut of the festival, the 27th edition was This year’s highlights included a theaters, Cannes pushed forward with fi rst, on discovery+ and the Magnolia app. Viewing a smaller more intimate affair than chance to create your own personal an ambitious slate of global cinema. requires a discovery+ streaming subscription, which previous years, with the exclusive vintage drink which went for 70,000 Last year’s Cannes was completely starts at $5 per month and includes the app. Magnolia guestlist pared from 900 to 400 people ($82,638) euros, while a Chopard canceled by the pandemic. Network will then take over Discovery’s DIY network Sharon Stone poses for photogra- with COVID-19 protocols in place. 18-karat white gold diamond, tan- Twenty-four movies are in conten- when it arrives on cable in January 2022. Chip and phers upon arrival at the amfAR Cin- The night began with a cocktail hour zanite and amethyst necklace raised tion for the Palme. The jury’s delibera- Joanna Gaines promise not the same old program- ema Against AIDS benefi t the during complete with ballerinas, fl apper girls 170,000 euros ($200,692). tions are private and unknown, but that ming. the 74th Cannes international fi lm fes- with Afghan hounds and plenty of fun. Amongst the artwork an Andy never stops a wide spectrum of predic- “I think it’s kind of good that we didn’t come from tival, Cap d’Antibes, southern France, This was followed by a seated din- Warhol Mickey Mouse piece raised tions, guesses and betting odds. This a background that understands television, honestly, Friday, July 16. (AP) ner without the usual after-party that 375,000 euros ($442,702), a Michael year featured a strong slate of many top because then we’d get kind of stuck in our minds keeps guests dancing into the early Kagan astronaut sculpture went for international fi lmmakers, but no movie about, ’OK, we need a formula, we need a format,’” hours. That didn’t stop attendees from 400,000 euros ($472,215) and contem- was viewed as the clear favorite. said Joanna Gaines. “For us, it was just like, ‘No, we enjoying the hottest ticket in town. porary British artist Sacha Jafri cre- Among the best-received fi lms at the want to fi nd people who are authentically doing this. Dining under the stars at Villa Eilen- ated a live painting during the auction festival were: Iranian director Asghar We want to tell their story. We’re not going to shape roc in Antibes , this year’s theme was which raised 1 million euros ($1.18 Farhadi’s portrait of honor and social their story.’” “I am a Movie Star” and guests were million). media “A Hero”; Chadian fi lmmaker The launch comes at an interesting time in the life- entertained with a fashion show cu- Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s abortion style ecosystem, when many people cooped up during rated by Carine Roitfeld. Keys was Fashion drama “Lingui”; Thai director Api- the pandemic are itching to get out of their homes and the music headliner, performing a The 32 top designer outfi ts featured chatpong Weerasethakul’s meditative, travel. spellbinding set which included her in the evening’s fashion show were Tilda Swinton-led “Memoria”; French “I think the timing is actually pretty fortuitous and legendary hit “New York” as well as also auctioned off gaining a hammer director Julia Ducournau’s wild, high- coming right at the moment when people are looking the much-loved “Fallin’.” Keys sat at price of 225,000 euros ($265,621). octane serial-killer odyssey “Titane”; for inspiration of where to go,” said Allison Page, the the piano and announced to the crowd The non-profi t amfAR, the Founda- Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” president of Discovery, Inc.’s joint venture with Mag- Markie Mamonov that this was her fi rst in person perfor- tion for AIDS Research, raises money follow-up, “Red Rocket”; Japan’s Ry- nolia. mance since the pandemic to a raptur- to support AIDS research, HIV pre- usuke Hamaguchi’s Haruki Murakami The couple also found encouragement from another ous applause from the diners. vention, treatment education, and adaptation, “Drive My Car”; and Rus- fi gure who has built a TV empire - Oprah Winfrey. Variety “It is beautiful, it is overwhelming, advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has sian director Kirill Serebennikov’s in- Chip and Joanna Gaines met virtually recently with it is exciting, it is great to stay on mis- invested nearly $550 million in its fl uenza tale “Petrov’s Flu.” Winfrey and came away inspired: “Something about sion here,” Stone said before the fes- programs and has awarded more than In 2019, the Palme went to Bong that really made us believe that it was possible,” said MOSCOW: Pyotr Mamonov, a rock musi- tivities began, noting that some of the 3,300 grants to research teams world- Joon Ho’s “Parasite,” which later took Chip Gaines. “That she really believed in us meant a cian, poet and actor who was a prominent science used to fi ght HIV and AIDS wide. best picture at the Academy Awards, whole lot to us.” fi gure in Russia’s cultural scene for dec- was deployed against COVID-19. “I Before the sale, head auctioneer too. Only one female fi lmmaker has Chip and Joanna Gaines catapulted to fame in 2013 ades, has died. He was 70. think we’re staying on mission and Simon de Pury stressed the auction’s ever won Cannes top award (Jane in Waco, Texas, with their show “Fixer Upper.” It led Mamonov died Thursday at a Moscow we’re back at it which is really nice.” importance to sustaining amfAR’s Campion for “The Piano”), so a win to a magazine and lifestyle books as well as apparel, hospital after two weeks in an artifi cial This year’s festival jury president mission. “amFAR really does depend for Ducournau or Mia Hansen-Løve furniture and design lines, all under the Magnolia um- coma on a ventilator after testing positive Spike Lee made a special appear- on those galas, does depend on the (“Berman Island”) would be history brella. At the beginning, they admit they felt odd. for the coronavirus. ance along with a star-studded guest generosity of so many of those artists making. If Haroun were victorious, it After founding the rock group Zvuki Mu Demands list from screen, catwalk and music who give works and so many patrons would be the second time a fi lm from (Sounds of Mu) in 1982, Mamonov became including Dylan Penn, Natasha Poly, who come to these galas, so I do hope Africa won. “The fi rst couple of seasons of ‘Fixer,’ Jo and I an underground cult fi gure in Moscow. Orlando Bloom, Regina King, Swizz we can raise a lot of money tonight for Lee is the fi rst Black jury president were like a fi sh out of water. We had no idea what this He gained wider recognition after Soviet restrictions on rock music and alternative Beatz, Rachel Brosnahan and Soo Joo amFAR.” at Cannes. His fellow jury members universe was like,” said Chip Gaines. Park. The 74th Cannes Film Festival was are: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Lau- Their decision to end “Fixer Upper” in 2017 came culture were lifted in the late 1980s as part of then-leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s The live auction which took place on Saturday to award its top honor, rent, Song Kang-ho, Tahar Rahim, at the height of its popularity, but the Gaines seemed reforms. during the dinner saw a combination the Palme d’Or, as selected by a jury Mati Diop, Jessica Hausner, Kleber to signal that they were fed up, chafi ng against produc- Mamonov further expanded his fame of luxury holidays, jewels, art-work headed by Spike Lee. Mendonça Filho and Mylène Farmer. tion demands. through acting. He performed in numerous “Jo and I evolved pretty quickly in season one and fi lms and theater productions in the 1990s. two to where we had real expectations for what ‘Fixer After becoming deeply religious, he Upper’ should be and how it should feel and what it moved to a distant village and left the “We are grateful for the many calls and spanning over 35 years. He leaves behind Prince of Hip-Hop” for his lighthearted lyr- should be about,” said Chip Gaines. cultural scene behind in the late 1990s. But prayers of support that we have received a wife, many family members and close ics and humorous nature. He made music “And the production company had formats that it he made a triumphant comeback as an ac- during this diffi cult time,” Izumi said in friends who will miss his vibrant personal- with the Beastie Boys, opened for Chris needed to fi t us into. And those things started bumping tor, starring as a devout Russian Orthodox a statement. “Biz created a legacy of art- ity, constant jokes and frequent banter.” Rock’s comedy tour and was a sought-after monk in Pavel Lungin’s 2006 movie “Is- istry that will forever be celebrated by his Markie, who birth name was Marcel DJ for countless star-studded events. into each other more frequently than they did in the The New York-native’s music career fi rst couple of seasons.” land” and as Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible industry peers and his beloved fans whose Theo Hall, became known within the rap in Lungin’s 2009 fi lm “Tsar.” began in 1985 as a beat boxer of the Juice As a sign of rebirth, the new Magnolia Network lives he was able to touch through music, genre realm as the self-proclaimed “Clown Crew, a rap collective he helped Big Daddy brand will launch with a nine-episode reboot of “Fix- Mamonov suffered a heart attack and underwent a surgery in 2019. Kane join. Three years later, he released his er Upper,” which the couple now produce, subtitled debut album “Goin’ Off,” which featured “Welcome Home.” The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, sent his condo- underground hits “Vapors” and “Pickin’ The biggest change the couple face now is that they lences, saying that Mamonov’s remarkable Boogers.” are not just starring among fellow entrepreneurs from portrayal of religious characters was pos- Markie broke into mainstream music the worlds of design, food, home and garden - now sible because of his spiritual experience. with his platinum-selling song “Just a they are employers. They may have to cancel shows, Mamonov used “the language of art to Friend,” the lead single on his sophomore but Page said Magnolia Network will not operate like talk to viewers about eternal subjects: life album “The Biz Never Sleeps.” The friend- typical networks. and death, the sense of being and the value zone anthem cracked Rolling Stone’s top “The way Chip and Jo defi ne success is different of good, internal struggles and the impor- 100 pop songs and made VH1’s list of 100 from probably your average media outlet in terms of, tance of heeding the voice of conscience,” greatest hip-hop songs of all time. ‘Are we proud of the shows? Are the people that are Kirill said. “This one hurts baad ... RIP to my Aries In a letter to Mamonov’s family. Russian bro…” Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest said watching it loving it, and what makes us well-rounded on Twitter, where an outpouring of mourn- and fully realized as a brand?’ And that may wind up Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova hailed the musician-actor as “bright, charismatic ing for Markie was growing, “ahhh man being some shows that are loved and some shows that @BizMarkie damn im gonna miss u so so are loved by fewer people and that may be OK,” Page and strong.” Funeral arrangements were not immedi- many memories.” said. Questlove said he learned from Markie With all the changes, one thing remains: The cou- ately announced. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ early in his career. ple won’t be watching - even their own network - on “Biz built me man,” Questlove posted a traditional TV. They watch on mobile devices and LOS ANGELES: Biz Markie, a hip-hop on Instagram along with a picture of him computers at home, but they haven’t owned a TV in staple known for his beatboxing prowess, and Markie. “In my early early stages it 18 years and don’t intend to start now. turntable mastery and the 1989 classic “Just was Biz who taught me the REAL places “There is still no television in the Gaines house- a Friend,” has died. He was 57. to cop records….Biz taught me what Markie’s representative, Jenni Izumi, cities had good digging…..Biz taught hold. And I’m proud to announce it. You stick to your Tilda Swinton poses for photographers at the photo call for the fi lm ‘Memoria’ guns. I stick to my guns,” said Chip Gaines. said the rapper-DJ died peacefully Friday me where to collect 45s……Biz taught evening with his wife by his side. The at the 74th international fi lm festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, July 16. me where to collect 8TRACK TAPES!!” cause of death has not been released. (AP) (AP) ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 SPORTS 14 Red Sox blank short-handed Yankees Padres rout Nats WI beat Aussies by 16 runs NEW YORK, July 17, (AP): Eduardo Rodriguez Lewis leads Windies to 4th shut down the short-handed Yankees into the sixth inning, Christian Arroyo Twenty20 win vs Australia and J.D. Martinez homer- GROS ISLET, St Lucia, July 17, (AP): West Indies stand-in captain Nicholas Bangladesh hammer ed and the Boston Red Sox Pooran won his first toss of the series beat their rivals 4-0 with and decided to bat against Australia in Zimbabwe in 1st ODI New York missing slugger the final Twenty20 matchy. Then opener Evin Lewis took over. HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 17, (AP): Aaron Judge and fi ve oth- Player-of-the match Lewis scored Opener Liton Das made a century ers due to a coronavirus 79 runs off 34 balls, including 9 sixes, and Shakib Al Hasan’s 5-30 broke outbreak. to put the Caribbean side well on its a national record as Bangladesh way to its fourth win in the five-match hammered Zimbabwe by 155 runs A day after the series opener was in the fi rst one-day international. postponed for testing and contact series. Despite a late collapse, the West Indies scored its highest total of Das’ 102 saved Bangladesh from tracing, Judge, third baseman Gio the series - 199 for eight. 74-4 and lifted the visiting team to Urshela and catcher Kyle Higash- 279-6 in 50 overs batting fi rst at Ha- The West Indies bowlers, backed up rare Sports Club. ioka were added to the COVID-19 by some outstanding fielding, restrict- injured list. They joined Yankees Zimbabwe was all out for 121 in ed Australia to 183-9 to clinch a 16-run just 28.5 overs for a hefty home de- pitchers Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor win. feat. Cortes Jr. and Wandy Peralta, who Shakib’s fi ve made him Bang- have also tested positive over the ladesh’s leading wicket-taker in past week. CRICKET ODIs, overtaking seam bowler and New York was also without fi rst former captain Mashrafe Mortaza. baseman Luke Voit, who went on the Wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva injured list Friday with a bone bruise in San Diego Padres starting pitcher Chris Paddack delivers during the fi rst inning of a baseball game against the Australia was looking strong in made 54 for Zimbabwe but there his left knee. Washington Nationals, on July 16, in Washington. (AP) reply until they lost two wickets for was hardly any other resistance as five runs, including a spectacular one- Padres 24, Nationals 8 Shakib’s left-arm spin claimed four the Dodgers’ Julio Urias for the major York. Whit Merrifi eld went 4 for 5 with handed diving catch at long-on by of the last fi ve wickets. In Washington, Jake Cronenworth Fabian Allen to remove captain Aaron hit for his fi rst career cycle, Wil Myers league lead in wins. He is the fi rst Cubs Mets star shortstop Francisco Lindor three RBIs, including a run-scoring sin- pitcher to go at least 12 straight starts left in the fi fth inning with soreness on Finch for 34. Andre Russell and Adam Zampa and Mitch Marsh added had a grand slam and a two-run shot and gle in the seventh inning. Kansas City without a loss since Jon Lester in 2016. his right side — moments before a hot- fi nished with 15 hits. Sheldon Cottrell took three wickets two wickets each. San Diego blew out Washington to set a each for the West Indies. “When you score runs against these Blue Jays 10, Rangers 2 tempered shoving match between the Athletics 5, Indians 4 franchise record for runs. teams on the fi eld. Pooran added 31 to Lewis’ domi- teams you feel very good,” Lewis said. The Padres had 22 hits against seven In Buffalo, N.Y., Vladimir Guerrero In Oakland, California, Jed Lowrie nant batting display and the West “It’s good for us, we have a lot of con- pitchers. San Diego scored in every in- Jr. followed up his breakout All-Star Phillies 5, Marlins 2, 1st Game Marlins 7, Phillies 0, 2nd Game hit a game-ending, two-run homer in the Indies were at 168-4 when they lost fidence going into Pakistan but want to ning except the seventh as the Nationals Game with two homers to help Toronto bottom of the ninth inning and Oakland 4-25 before tailender Hayden Walsh keep playing smart cricket.” allowed the most runs since the fran- beat Texas. In Philadelphia, Jesús Aguilar rallied past Cleveland. Jr. hit a six to end the home side’s The West Indies open a home series chise moved to Washington in 2005. All-Stars Teoscar Hernández and homered and drove in four runs, Star- It appeared the Indians were in line innings. Andrew Tye made his first of five T20s against Pakistan on July Cronenworth had a two-run double in Marcus Semien homered for Toronto ling Marte went deep with three RBIs for a comeback win themselves after 28, followed by two tests beginning the second, an RBI triple in the third, a appearance of the tour and led the along with Randal Grichuk, and Robbie and Miami beat Philadelphia to split a erasing a 3-0 defi cit. But Lowrie drilled Australian bowlers with 3-37, while Aug. 13. solo homer in the fi fth and an infi eld sin- Ray (8-4) held Texas scoreless over 6 doubleheader. a 1-1 pitch over the right fi eld wall off gle against the shift in the sixth. Jurick- 2/3 innings. Jordan Holloway (2-2), recalled from Emmanuel Clase (3-5) with one out, af- son Profar replaced him at second base Guerrero, named the All-Star MVP Triple-A Jacksonville on Friday as the ter Elvis Andrus led off the ninth with a in the bottom of the seventh. on Tuesday night, connected off Texas 27th man, didn’t allow a hit in fi ve in- single. Bradley Zimmer hit a go-ahead Dodgers 10, Rockies 4 nings of relief after Ross Detwiler homer in the seventh for Cleveland, opened with a scoreless fi rst. Holloway In Denver, Julio Urías became the which had its three-game winning streak BASEBALL stuck out six and walked two. Richard snapped. Roberto Perez also went deep fi rst 12-game winner in the majors, Will Bleier completed the two-hitter with a Smith drove in four runs and Los An- scoreless seventh. Zach Efl in (4-7) was for the Indians. geles beat coronavirus-compromised starter Jordan Lyles (5-6) in the fi rst in- the loser. Mariners 6, Angels 5 Colorado. ning to make it 1-0 and added a three- The Rockies were without manager Brewers 11, Reds 6 In Anaheim, California, Mitch Hani- run blast in the sixth against Dennis ger had three hits, including a two-run Bud Black and fi ve other team members Santana, his 30th of the season. In Cincinnati, Willy Adames homer- due to health and safety protocols and ed and drove in four runs in Milwau- homer, and Chris Flexen continued his contact tracing. Astros 7, White Sox 1 kee’s victory over Cincinnati. mastery of the Angels as Seattle held off In addition to Black, fi rst base coach In Chicago, Lance McCullers Jr. Adames had a two-run shot in the Los Angeles. Ron Gideon and four Rockies players pitched seven sparkling innings and fi fth inning and then doubled home two Angels second baseman David were not available Friday. Right-hander Houston beat Chicago in the opener of more in a fi ve-run eighth. After losing Fletcher got two hits and extended his Antonio Senzatela was scheduled to the weekend series between AL division three straight to the Reds in Milwaukee hitting streak to 25 games, tied with Rod Miami Marlins’ Miguel Rojas, (left), tags out Philadelphia Phillies’ Travis start but was added to the COVID-19 leaders. before the All-Star break, the Brewers Carew for the second-longest in fran- Jankowski during the seventh inning to end the second baseball game of a injured list instead, along with fellow Michael Brantley homered and Myles won the fi rst of a three-game set in Cin- chise history. doubleheader, on July 16, in Philadelphia. (AP) pitchers Yency Almonte and Jhoulys Straw drove in three runs to helpthe As- cinnati and pushed their lead in the NL Chacín, and outfi elder Yonathan Daza. tros improved to a big league-best 43- Central back to fi ve games. Bench coach Mike Redmond served as 22 against teams with a .500 or better Rays 7, Braves 6, 10 Innings MLB Results/Standings acting manager. record — including a 5-0 mark against In Atlanta, Austin Meadows hit a Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 1 the White Sox. Yuli Gurriel added three hits and two RBIs. single in the 10th-inning to score Brett In Phoenix, Kyle Hendricks out- Phillips from second base in Tampa Pirates 4, Mets 1 WASHINGTON, July 17, (AP): Results and standings from the MLB games on Friday. pitched Madison Bumgarner in six ef- Bay’s victory over Atlanta. Toronto 10 Texas 2 Miami 7 Philadelphia (7 inn 2nd game) 0 fective innings for his 10th straight vic- In Pittsburgh, coming off their fi rst With Phillips opening the 10th on Boston 4 NY Yankees 0 Pittsburgh 4 NY Mets 1 tory and Chicago beat Arizona. All-Star appearances, Bryan Reynolds second base, right-hander Jesse Chavez Tampa Bay 7 Atlanta (10 inni) 6 Milwaukee 11 Cincinnati 6 Hendricks (12-4) allowed a run on homered and Adam Frazier hit a two- (0-2) walked Brandon Lowe before re- Kansas City 9 Baltimore 2 San Diego 24 Washington 8 six hits and struck out four to match run single to lead Pittsburgh past New cording two outs. Chavez then gave up Houston 7 Chicago White Sox 1 San Francisco 7 St Louis 2 Meadows’ go-ahead single to right fi eld, Seattle 6 LA Angels 5 LA Dodgers 10 Colorado 4 Ji-Man Choi homered for Tampa Bay. Oakland 5 Cleveland 4 Chicago Cubs 5 Arizona 1 Giants 7, Cardinals 2 Philadelphia 5 Miami (7 inn 1st game) 2 In St. Louis, Mike Yastrzemski hit American League National League two home runs, Logan Webb pitched East Division East Division four strong innings as a spot starter and W L Pct GB W L Pct GB San Francisco beat St. Louis. Boston 56 36 .609 _ New York 47 41 .534 _ Webb was a last-minute starter for the Tampa Bay 54 37 .593 1-1/2 Philadelphia 45 45 .500 3 Giants after Kevin Gausman was placed Toronto 46 42 .523 8 Atlanta 44 46 .489 4 New York 46 44 .511 9 Washington 42 48 .467 6 on the Family Medical Emergency List. Baltimore 28 62 .311 27 Miami 40 51 .440 8-1/2 Gausman, a fi rst-time All Star this sea- Central Division Central Division son, left to be with his wife in Louisiana W L Pct GB W L Pct GB after she was hospitalized with pregnan- Chicago 54 36 .600 _ Milwaukee 54 39 .581 _ cy complications. Cleveland 45 42 .517 7-1/2 Cincinnati 48 43 .527 5 Webb, who was scratched from his Detroit 40 51 .440 14-1/2 Chicago 44 46 .489 8-1/2 start the day before at Triple-A Sacra- Minnesota 39 50 .438 14-1/2 St Louis 44 47 .484 9 mento, allowed only a bloop RBI single Kansas City 37 53 .411 17 Pittsburgh 35 56 .385 18 by Tommy Edman in the fourth. West Division West Division Royals 9, Orioles 2 W L Pct GB W L Pct GB In Kansas City, Mo., Nicky Lopez Houston 56 36 .609 _ San Francisco 58 32 .644 _ Oakland 52 40 .565 4 Los Angeles 56 35 .615 2-1/2 drove in four runs to lead Kansas City Seattle 48 43 .527 7-1/2 San Diego 54 40 .574 6 past Baltimore. Los Angeles 45 44 .506 9-1/2 Colorado 40 51 .440 18-1/2 Boston Red Sox’s Christian Arroyo hits a two-run home run during the sec- Lopez cleared the bases in the second Texas 35 56 .385 20-1/2 Arizona 26 66 .283 33 ond inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, on July 16, inning with a two-run single and again in New York. (AP) in the seventh with a two-run double. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 SPORTS 15

SKorea removes banners at Olympic village after IOC ruling Japan’s Olympic security balancing act leaves few satisfi ed TOKYO, July 17, (AP): Struggling The government and the Games’ businesses forced to temporarily shut organizers “are treating visitors as if down around Olympics venues. Olym- they are potential criminals,” Chizuko pic visitors ordered to install invasive Ueno, a professor emeritus of sociol- apps and allow GPS tracking. Minders ogy at the University of Tokyo, said on staking out hotels to keep participants YouTube. from coming into contact with ordinary There’s also lingering resentment Japanese or visiting restaurants to sam- over a widespread sentiment that Ja- ple the sushi. pan is facing this balancing act because Japan’s massive security apparatus the International Olympic Committee has raised complaints that the nation, needs to have the Games happen, re- during the weeks of the Games, will gardless of the state of the virus, to get look more like authoritarian North Ko- the billions of dollars in media revenue rea or China than one of the world’s critical to its survival. most powerful, vibrant democracies. “The Olympics are held as an IOC The worry for many here, however, business. Not only the Japanese peo- isn’t too much Big Brother. It’s that ple, but others around the world, were all the increased precautions won’t be turned off by the Olympics after all of nearly enough to stop the estimated us saw the true nature of the Olympics 85,000 athletes, offi cials, journalists and the IOC through the pandemic,” and other workers coming into Japan mountaineer Ken Noguchi told the from introducing fast-spreading coro- online edition of the Nikkan Gendai navirus variants to a largely unvac- newspaper. cinated population already struggling Senior sports editors at major inter- with mounting cases. national media companies, meanwhile, “It’s all based on the honor system, have asked organizers to “reconsider and it’s causing concern that media some measures that go beyond what is people and other participants may go necessary to keep participants and resi- out of their hotels to eat in Ginza,” dents safe,” saying they “show a disre- Takeshi Saiki, an opposition lawmak- gard for the personal privacy and tech- er, said of what he called Japan’s lax nological security of our colleagues.” Japan has fared better during the pandemic than many nations, but the Olym- OLYMPICS pians will be arriving only a few months after a coronavirus spike had some Japa- nese hospitals nearing collapse as ICUs border controls. So far, the majority of fi lled with the sick. While the surge has Olympic athletes and other participants tempered, cases are rising enough for the have been exempted from typical quar- declaration of yet another state of emer- antine requirements. gency in Tokyo. There have been regular breakdowns One of the highest-profi le secu- England’s Liam Livingstone bats during the fi rst Twenty20 international cricket match between England and Pakistan at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, on in security as the sheer enormity of try- rity problems came last month when a July 16. Pakistan win by 31 runs. (AP) ing to police so many visitors becomes Ugandan team member arriving in Ja- clearer - and the opening ceremony pan tested positive for what turned out looms. The Japanese press is fi lled with to be the more contagious delta variant. reports of Olympic-related people test- He was quarantined at the airport, but ing positive for the coronavirus. Photos the rest of the nine-person team was and social media posts show foreign- allowed to travel more than 500 kil- ers linked to the Games breaking mask ometers (300 miles) on a chartered bus South Africa beat Ireland rules and drinking in public, smoking to their pre-Olympics camp, where a in airports - even, if the bios are accu- second Ugandan tested positive, forc- rate, posting on dating apps. ing the team and seven city offi cials “There are big holes in the bub- and drivers who had close contact with bles,” said Ayaka Shiomura, another them to self-isolate. opposition lawmaker, speaking of the Meanwhile, South Korea’s Olympic so-called “bubbles” that are supposed committee said Saturday it removed to separate the Olympics’ participants banners at the Olympic athletes’ vil- in 3rd ODI to draw series from the rest of the country. lage in Tokyo that referred to a 16th- The pandemic has tested democra- century war between Korea and Japan cies around the world as they try to after the International Olympic Com- Malan and De Kock post centuries strike a balance between the need to mittee ruled they were provocative. protect basic rights and the national im- In agreeing to take down the banners, perative to control a disease that thrives the South Koreans said they received a DUBLIN, July 17, (AP): The left-hander fi nished on 120 from when people gather in large numbers. promise from the IOC that the display- Janneman Malan posted 91 balls after being rested for the fi rst Few places, however, have faced ing of the Japanese “rising sun” fl ag a career-best 177 not out Verstappen wins historic sprint two matches. higher stakes than Tokyo will during will be banned at stadiums and other Malan’s haul in his seventh ODI in- July and August - or closer global scru- Olympic venues. The fl ag, portraying and Quinton de Kock also qualifying, takes British GP pole cluded 16 fours and six sixes. tiny. The government, well aware of a red sun with 16 rays extending out- made a century to help “It was a privilege to bat with QDK,” repeated domestic surveys that show ward, is resented by many people in South Africa beat Ireland SILVERSTONE, England, July said Malan, the man of the series. strong opposition to the Games, argues South Korea and other parts of Asia 17, (AP): Max Verstappen out- Rassie van der Dussen added 30 that its security and monitoring meas- who see it as a symbol of Japan’s war- by 70 runs as their one-day dragged Lewis Hamilton at from 28 balls. ures are crucial as it tries to pull off an time past. The South Korean banners, the start of Formula One’s ex- international series ended perimental fi rst sprint qualify- Cricket South Africa tweeted the Olympics during a once-in-a-century which drew protests from some Japa- in a draw. ing race to take the pole for the Proteas were “wearing black armbands pandemic. nese far-right groups, had been hung at South Africa fi nished on 346-4 British Grand Prix and spoil the today in solidarity with those affected But as the restrictions are tested by the balconies of South Korean athletes’ homecoming of the seven-time by the recent events in South Africa increasing numbers of visitors, offi - rooms and collectively spelled out a after winning the toss and opting to bat fi rst on an unusually sunny champion. and the devastation caused by the third cials have been blamed for doing too message that read: “I still have the sup- Hamilton initially seemed fi ne wave of the COVID-19 virus.” much, and too little. port of 50 million Korean people.” day in Dublin, as Cricket Ireland with the defeat and showed en- Ireland needed a record chase to thusiasm for the format and the achieve a milestone series win, but the fan energy at packed Silver- pressure from Malan’s and de Kock’s CRICKET stone. mighty stand was too much. Openers Paul Stirling (11) and captain Andy Balbirnie (7) went quickly, followed cautioned fans to “remember the MOTOR RACING Red Bull driver Max Verstappen by Andy McBrine (9). sunscreen” at The Village. of the Netherlands poses after With its main batsmen gone, Ireland fi nishing fi rst in the Sprint Quali- played to save face and got it from The Proteas could only draw the For him, Hamilton said in the fying of the British Formula One three-match series after losing Tues- trolley the inaugural sprint race Curtis Campher, who made 54, and Grand Prix, at the Silverstone Singh. His 100 not out from 91 balls day and seeing the fi rst match washed format was “way more enjoy- circuit, in Silverstone, England, out due to rain - more typical of Irish able. We should do more like on July 17. (AP) was the highest ODI score by an Irish weather. Ireland’s 43-run victory was that, or a version of it in the fu- No. 8 batsman. Andile Phehlukwayo took 3-56 off its fi rst ever over South Africa. ture.” and Red Bull. Hamilton said From 92-6, Ireland tailender Simi He’d changed his tune by the 10 overs for South Africa. Tabraiz Singh energized the chase by making a post-race news conference, and there he didn’t like the format Shamsi also took three wickets. Spin- career-best century, but the hosts were Hamilton sullenly accepted that - which, also, cost him another ner Keshav Maharaj (2-51) claimed all out for 276 in the 48th over. Singh he’d lost again to Verstappen point in the standings. openers Stirling and Balbirnie, who was stranded on 100 not out. posted a century in Tuesday’s historic Malan’s 177 from 169 balls was a win. Fast bowler Lizaad Williams career best in ODIs and the fourth high- The pair shared an opening stand of Ireland fi nally made a breakthrough needed just one delivery to take his est score by a South Africa batsman in 225 runs with de Kock reaching a cen- in the 37th over when de Kock was maiden ODI wicket, McBrine. They Foreign visitors wait in the holding area to take a COVID-19 test at the ODIs, one run short of de Kock’s tally tury fi rst, getting there from 83 balls caught in the deep by Mark Adair, who start a three-match Twenty20 series on Narita International Airport on July 10, in Narita, near Tokyo. (AP) against Australia in September 2016. for his 16th in ODIs. stood on his tiptoes at the boundary. Monday. Brazilian weightlifter Reis out of Tokyo Olympics for doping Cambage withdraws from team US Olympian Steveson chases gold, pro wrestling dreams Australia stun US women ST. LOUIS, July 17, (AP): Gable Ste- veson loves to put on a show -- during and after his biggest matches. in pre-Olympic exhibition Moments after he won at the U.S. LAS VEGAS, July 17, (AP): Australia ble-like environment. Cambage posted a Olympic trials at 125 kilograms to handed the U.S. women their second statement on social media late Thursday qualify for the Tokyo Games, he was straight loss in pre-Olympic exhibi- night saying the prospect of having no taking down the strap on his singlet tions, getting 17 points from Ezi friends, no family, no fans and no sup- when he heard the crowd chanting. port system outside the women’s basket- “Backfl ip! Backfl ip!” Magbegor to win 70-67. Steveson had celebrated wins with The Americans, who got together as ball squad was “honestly terrifying.” backfl ips before -- quite a feat for a a team for the first time earlier this Even without Cambage, the Australians man who weighs about 275 pounds. week, were beaten by a team of put forth a stellar effort. The Opals were And though he was drained after WNBA All-Stars on Wednesday night. down 13 at the half before rallying qualifying for his fi rst Olympics, he Breanna Stewart’s three-point play against the No. 1 team in the world that couldn’t help himself. The man who tied the game at 66 with 2:59 left has a 49-game winning streak in the aspires to be a World Wrestling En- before Magbegor hit a layup and Olympics. tertainment superstar like his mentor, Marianna Tolo made a reverse layup Australia took a 59-58 advantage Brock Lesnar, had to deliver. with 2 minutes remaining to give early in the fourth Australia a 70-66 advantage. - its first lead The U.S. missed seven straight since the second shots before Brittney Griner was quarter. The OLYMPICS Opals increased the lead to 66-62 Steveson, 21, hopes to transfer that BASKETBALL with 3:25 left swagger into becoming one of wres- before the tling’s youngest U.S. Olympic gold Americans tied it. medalists. He wants that stage to help fouled with 17 seconds left. She made Australia led launch a career in WWE. Eventually, one of two free throws. 25-24 early in the he hopes to cross over into movies like After a timeout, the U.S. committed second quarter former WWE star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ four consecutive fouls to try and get Magbegor before the U.S. Johnson. Australia to the foul line. After the closed the period Steveson’s stardom was seemingly fourth foul, Australia turned the ball with a 17-3 run. Stewart had eight planned. His mother named him Ga- In this March 18, 2021 fi le photo, Minnesota’s Gable Steveson, (top), takes on Air Force’s Wyatt Hendrickson dur- over with 10.9 seconds left, but points during the spurt. ble Dan -- after wrestling icon Dan ing their 285-pound match in the second round of the NCAA wrestling championships in St. Louis. (AP) Stewart’s 3-pointer before the buzzer The Americans led 41-28 at the half Gable. Gable was a two-time national was off the mark. She scored 17 points before Australia got back into the champion wrestler at Iowa State and an Hodge Trophy winner as the nation’s his opponents. The committee said in a statement to lead the U.S, which finished 2 of 18 game behind solid outside shooting to Olympic gold medalist in 1972. best college wrestler after a 17-0 sea- that 31-year-old Reis did not travel as from 3-point range. trail 56-51 heading into the fourth Steveson, who is from Apple Val- son. Then he won the Olympic trials. Also: expected last week after testing posi- The loss comes on the heels of the quarter. The U.S. will be trying to win ley, Minnesota, said Gable’s name was Now, he could add to his resume in RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s Olympic tive for a growth hormone. U.S. men dropping exhibitions against a seventh consecutive gold medal at known around the area. Tokyo. Committee said Friday that heavy- “The athlete is excluded of the del- Nigeria and Australia this week. the Tokyo Games. Steveson has handled the pressure But for all the showmanship, Ste- weight weightlifter Fernando Reis egation that will compete at the Tokyo The Opals’ victory came hours after The Americans were missing Diana that comes with having that name in veson is most special on the mat. He has been suspended for doping and Olympic Games,” the Brazilian com- star center Liz Cambage withdrew from Taurasi, who suffered a hip injury in the sport. He followed in Lesnar’s has the expected power of a big man, will not compete at the Tokyo Olym- mittee said. “We reinforce our com- the team, citing mental and physical practice a few weeks ago and missed footsteps by winning a national cham- but possesses unusual quickness and pics. He was one of the favorites for mitment with clean sports as we keep health concerns. She had been worried the final three games before the pionship as a heavyweight for the Uni- agility for a someone his size, allowing a medal in the 105-kilogram cat- several educational initiatives to fi ght about the experience at the Tokyo Olympic break for the Phoenix versity of Minnesota. He was the Dan him to wrestle differently than most of egory. against doping.” Games, with players isolated in a bub- Mercury. ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2021 16

Drivers prepare for the start of the Sprint Qualifying of the British Formula One Grand Prix, at the Silverstone circuit, in Silverstone, England. The British Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands fi nished fi rst. (AP) – See Page 15 Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com First resident of Oly Village Pogacar ‘closes’ in on tests positive for COVID-19 TOKYO, July 17, (AP): The first was Friday. Organizers say for resident of the Olympic Village confidentiality purposes they can has tested positive for COVID- only offer a vague description and 19, Tokyo Olympic organizers few details. said on Saturday. “In the current situation, that Officials said it was not an ath- positive cases arise is something lete with the the Games opening we must assume is possible,” said 2nd straight Tour title in just under a week on July 23. Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the Tokyo officials including Seiko Tokyo organizing committee. Hashimoto, the president of the The person is identified simply Van Aert claims 19-mile stage organizing committee, confirmed as a “games-concerned person- the case and said the positive test nel.” SAINT-EMILION,France, July 17, (AP): There was no drama this time, and Tadej Pogacar is all but guaranteed to win a second straight Tour de France. The defending champion from Slovenia just needed to play it safe in Saturday’s time trial to put the fi nishing touches to his summer tri- umph and retain his yellow jersey. That’s exactly what he did, placing eighth almost one minute behind stage winner Wout van Aert. It was a sharp contrast to last year’s final race against the clock at the Planche des Belles Filles, where the UAE Team Emirates rider clinched the overall win with a last- minute effort in one of the most remarkable turn- arounds in the history of the Pogacar race. “Last year everything was decided on the last (time trial) and the emotions were by far stronger,” Pogacar said. With the final day of the race on Sunday usually uneventful until the last sprint on the Champs-Elysees, the Stage 20 time trial marked the last serious test after nearly three exhausting weeks. Given Pogacar’s near six-minute advantage at the start, it was unlikely someone would be able to knock the Slovenian off his perch. As Van Aert claimed the 31-kilometer (19-mile) stage from Libourne to Saint-Emilion, Pogacar did not take any risks, conceding 57 seconds Australian players celibrate after defeating France in the third rugby international at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. (AP) to the Belgian champion. He will carry an insurmountable lead of five New Zealand dominate Fiji for series sweep CYCLING Veteran Giroud minutes, 20 seconds into the final Australia edge France to clinch 3-Test series joins AC Milan day, a 109-kilometer (68-mile) stage MILAN, July 17, (AP): Veteran from Chatou to Paris. BRISBANE, Australia, July 17, (AP): row at the stadium dating to 2016 and that, both teams missing one each as France striker Olivier Giroud has Pogacar won the delayed Tour last Australia played with 14 men for most capped a tight series that had featured well, before Lolesio nailed the match- left Champions League winners September at 21 and became the of the match but sensationally over- two-point wins to both sides in a three- winner. France had one last attempt Chelsea to join seven-time youngest champion in 116 years. came France with a late penalty goal match series compressed over 11 days. with a penalty on halfway, but Darcy European Cup winner AC Milan. “I can’t compare both Tour de for a 33-30 win to clinch the three- Australia had already lost their other Swain forced the turnover after the The Italian giant said in a state- France victories. I can’t say which match test series on Saturday. winger, Filipo Daugunu, who injured visitors opted to kick for touch and go ment Saturday that Giroud will one is more beautiful,” he said. “This With less than two minutes remain- his arm in a tackle inside the fi rst 90 for the try. wear the No. 9 shirt. time, I took the yellow jersey quite ing in the series decider, fl yhalf Noah seconds of his test return. Meanwhile, Fiji-born winger Sevu “AC Milan is delighted to earlier. It has been totally different.” Lolesio slotted the crucial three points French halfback Baptiste Couilloud Reece scored three fi rst-half tries announce the signing of Olivier Pogacar routed all of his rivals to give Australia the win. then ran over his opposite number Tate against his native country as New Giroud on a permanent transfer The Wallabies had played almost the McDermott for the game’s fi rst try. Zealand beat Fiji 60-13 to sweep the from Chelsea FC,” Milan said, during the first week of crash-filled entire match with just 14 players after racing. He stamped his authority on McDermott had an immediate reply teams’ fi rst-ever two-match series. without giving more details. winger Marika Koroibete was handed though, racing to link up with Michael Reece was born in Nadi, Fiji and The 34-year-old Giroud has the race in the first time trial in a contentious red card for a high tackle followed the path of many of his Laval and snatched the yellow jersey Hooper after Lolesio had put the captain spent the past nine years in English fi ve minutes into the match. through a gap in the French defense. countrymen in seeking an education soccer, where he scored 105 goals in the Alps. He reigned supreme in Lolesio accounted for 23 of the Wal- in New Zealand before committing for Arsenal and 39 for Chelsea. He the Pyrenees with two consecutive labies’ points with a try, three conver- RUGBY to play rugby for his adoptive nation. is also France’s second-highest stage wins, and did not need to go sions and four penalty goals. He touched down in the 14th, 30th and scorer with 46 goals, five fewer full gas in the burning heat envelop- Koroibete was red-carded for his A Lolesio intercept try put the Wal- 35th minutes to give the All Blacks a than former Arsenal star Thierry ing the vineyards of Saint-Emilion. tackle on French captain Anthony labies ahead before a string of unforced commanding 29-6 lead by halftime. Henry. It was Van Aert’s second stage Jelonch. New Zealand referee Ben Fiji rocked New Zealand with their His crucial goals late in the O’Keeffe and his assistants deliberated errors allowed France fl anker Cameron win this year after the versatile France’s Melvyn Jaminet runs at Woki to score a try and the sides went physical play in the fi rst test of the se- 2019-20 season helped Chelsea for several minutes before determining ries last weekend, stretching the All Belgian claimed the double ascent of the defence during the third rugby to halftime level at 20-20. qualify for last season’s Koroibete had raced in from a distance Blacks before four second-half tries to the Mont Ventoux. international between France and Pierre-Louis Barassi fi nished a Champions League, and his six On a course with frequent changes and contacted him high without any Australia at Suncorp Stadium in replacement hooker Dane Coles lifted goals in the competition helped the mitigating factors. 90-meter play for a French try but prop the home side to a 57-23 win. London club win it for the second of direction, Van Aert delivered a Brisbane, Australia, Saturday. (AP) Taniela Tupou’s arrival after 46 min- vintage performance of raw power The French raced ahead 10-0 but the The Flying Fijians again tested New time. Wallabies fought back to lead before seconds to play. utes paid off when he barged over. Zealand early in Saturday’s match, Giroud was also the Europa to claim a fifth individual stage win The teams traded penalties after at the Tour. Lolesio kicked the hosts clear with 90 The win was Australia’s ninth in a scoring the fi rst points from a penalty Van Aert had 21 seconds on sec- to Ben Volavola and trailing by only 10-6 after 30 minutes. The All Blacks SOCCER ond-placed Kasper Asgreen, and were booed by their own fans in the Jonas Vingegaard was third, 32 sec- 28th minute when, leading 7-6, they League’s top scorer when Chelsea onds off the pace. opted for a kick at goal from an attack- won it in 2019, when he scored the “It is quite something,” Van Aert ing penalty. opening goal in the final against said. “Winning a Tour de France The match swung heavily in New Arsenal, and won the FA Cup a time trial has been one of the biggest Zealand’s favor in the last 10 minutes year earlier. objectives in my career. I’ve been of the fi rst half when a series of errors ❑ ❑ ❑ really focused on this day in the last and moments of indiscipline from Fiji Harry Kane may want out of couple of days, and I’m so happy yielded three tries and gave the All Tottenham but new manager Nuno that I can finish it off. The course Blacks a 23-point halftime lead. Espirito Santo sent a bold message was perfect for me, it was more roll- In the 30th minute, fullback Kini : “Harry is our player.” The England ing and faster than the first TT.” Murimurivalu, under no pressure, captain has indicated he wants a Van Aert can sprint, climb and dropped a high kick on his own 22 change of scenery after Tottenham’s time trial, but is too heavy to fight and allowed the All Blacks an attack- seventh-place finish in the Premier for the general classification. He ing scrum. As the New Zealand pack League left them out of the worked in support of Jumbo-Visma trundled forward, scrumhalf Aaron Champions League, but Nuno said leader Primoz Roglic and was given Smith and fl yhalf Richie Mo’unga at- he expects the striker to return. more leeway by his team after tacked down the blindside, creating the “Look, Harry is our player, peri- Roglic retired from the race. chance for Reece to score. od. No need to talk about anything “It’s been a real hard Tour de Five minutes later, Reece was in else,” Nuno said in his first news again. Mo’unga took a quick tap from conference as Tottenham manager. France for our team, but in the end, a penalty while Fiji captain Leone Na- we have three stage wins and we have “Now is the moment for Harry to karawa was still addressing his team recover his energy, to rest. When Jonas in second on GC, which is an after a series of defensive penalties. The Harry comes again, we have time amazing result for only four guys left, ball went quickly to Reece, who walked to speak.” Kane, who is under con- so I’m really proud of how we fight.” over outside a compact defense. tract with Tottenham until 2024, is Overall, Vingegaard cemented his Nakarawa was sent to the sin-bin on a break after helping England runner-up spot ahead of Richard just before halftime and the All Blacks reach the final of the European Carapaz, who lagged 7:03 behind Belgium’s Wout Van Aert competes during the twentieth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual immediately capitalized with a try to Championship. Pogacar. time-trial over 30.8 kilometers (19.1 miles) with start in Libourne and fi nish in Saint-Emilion, France. (AP) backrower Ardie Savea in his 50th test.

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