JAMADA ALAWWAL 26, 1442 AH SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021

16 Pages Max 21º Min 06º 150 Fils Established 1961

ISSUE NO: 18330 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net

Record US virus cases; millions Mob attack to haunt Murdoch calls time on Trump, Curry sizzles as Warriors rally 5 in Asia enter new lockdowns 6 Biden on world stage 8 tries to keep his base onside 16 past Clippers, Jazz trip Bucks

Twitter permanently suspends Trump as presidency crumbles

Trump to skip inauguration amid calls for resignation, impeachment

WASHINGTON: US President Donald However, Biden showed how wary he is Milley about “preventing an unstable pres- Trump, already facing mounting calls to of the growing rush to impeach Trump - ident from initiating military hostilities or step down or risk impeachment, suffered and deepen the nation’s political divisions accessing the launch codes and ordering a further ignominy when Twitter permanent- - over his incitement of crowds who nuclear strike”. “The situation of this ly suspended his account, saying the US stormed Congress on Wednesday. “That is unhinged President could not be more leader is too dangerous to use the plat- a judgment for the Congress to make,” dangerous, and we must do everything form. After a “close review” of tweets from Biden said, adding that the “quickest” way that we can to protect the American peo- the @realDonaldTrump account, “we have to get Trump out was for him and Vice ple,” Pelosi wrote. permanently suspended the account due President-elect Kamala Harris to take over House Democrats, who already to the risk of further incitement of vio- in 12 days. “I am focused now on us taking impeached Trump in a traumatic, partisan lence,” Twitter said. control as president and vice president on vote in 2019, said the unprecedented sec- The unprecedented move, which severs the 20th and to get our agenda moving as ond impeachment of a president could be Trump from his 88.7 million followers, is quickly as we can.” ready next week. “We can act very quickly an astounding setback for the president in Two days after Trump sent a mob of when we want to,” Representative the chaotic waning days of his administra- followers to march on Congress, his presi- Katherine Clark told CNN. A draft tion. It could also prove an insurmount- dency is in free fall, with allies walking impeachment resolution being circulated able hurdle should the brash Republican away and opponents sharpening their would charge Trump with a single article: choose to mount a political comeback in teeth. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned “Incitement of insurrection.” 2024, as he has hinted he could do on that Democrats will launch impeachment Whether Republican leaders of the multiple occasions. proceedings unless Trump resigns or Vice Senate would then agree to hold a light- With his presidency imploding, Trump President Mike Pence invokes the 25th ning-fast impeachment trial before the signaled a final, unrepentant display of Amendment, where the cabinet removes transition is another matter. But division by announcing - in his final tweet the president. “If the President does not Republican Senator Ben Sasse told CBS before the ban - that he will skip the inau- leave office imminently and willingly, the News he would “definitely consider” arti- guration of Joe Biden on Jan 20. “To all of Congress will proceed with our action,” cles of impeachment if and when they are those who have asked, I will not be going,” Pelosi wrote. introduced, while Senator Lisa Murkowski he tweeted. Biden responded this was “a In a jaw-dropping moment, Pelosi became the chamber’s first Republican to SAN ANSELMO, California: The suspended Twitter account of US President Donald good thing”, branding Trump an “embar- revealed she had spoken Friday with the openly call for Trump’s resignation. Trump appears on an iPhone screen. — AFP rassment”. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Continued on Page 2

News in brief Qatar-Saudi border reopens after thaw ABU SAMRAH, Qatar: Qatar and Saudi Arabia reopened their land border yesterday, AFP corre- spondents saw, as they restore ties following a land- mark deal to end a three and a half year rift. Saudi shut its side of Qatar’s only land border in RIYADH: Saudi King Salman receives his first June 2017 as part of a package of sanctions it said was dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. — AFP a response to Doha’s backing radical Islamist groups and closeness to Iran. Qatar always denied the charges. A Qatari source told AFP that traffic at the Abu Saudi king gets COVID jab Samrah crossing, 120 km south of Doha, resumed

around 0700 GMT. Saudi Arabia, along with the Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on RIYADH: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, all of Thursday received a COVID-19 vaccine jab, more which also imposed an embargo on travel and trade, than three weeks after the kingdom kicked off a agreed to lift the restrictions at a Gulf Cooperation three-phase inoculation program, official media Council summit in the kingdom on Tuesday. ABU SAMRAH, Qatar: Cars cross the Qatari side of the Abu Samrah border into Saudi Arabia following the said. King Salman, 85, “received the first dose of Continued on Page 2 opening of crossings between the two countries yesterday. — AFP the coronavirus vaccine” in the futuristic Red Sea city of Neom, the Saudi Press Agency said. Official media published pictures and videos lished yesterday that scientists said shows the need for patients’ health,” said lead author Bin Cao, of the showing the king receiving the injection. — AFP 6 months on, at further investigation into lingering coronavirus effects. National Center for Respiratory Medicine. The research, which was published in the Lancet med- The professor said the research highlighted the ical journal and involved hundreds of patients in the need for ongoing care for patients after they have least one COVID Chinese city of Wuhan, is among the few to trace the been discharged from hospital, particularly those long-term symptoms of COVID-19 infection. who have had severe infections. “Our work also symptom lingers It found that fatigue or muscle weakness were underscores the importance of conducting longer the most common symptoms, while people also follow-up studies in larger populations in order to PARIS: More than three quarters of people hospital- reported sleeping difficulties. “Because COVID-19 understand the full spectrum of effects that COVID- ized with COVID-19 still suffered from at least one is such a new disease, we are only beginning to 19 can have on people,” he added. understand some of its long-term effects on Continued on Page 2 ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip symptom after six months, according to a study pub- Erdogan meets Lebanese former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. — AFP four minutes after it left Soekarno- Indonesia jet Hatta international airport. Hariri pays visit to Erdogan Sixty-two passengers and crew were on board, including 10 children, ISTANBUL: Lebanon’s Prime Minister-desig- loses contact, the nation’s transport minister, Budi nate Saad Hariri paid an unannounced visit Karya Sumadi, told reporters. The Friday to Turkey for talks with President Recep crash feared suspected crash site is near tourist Tayyip Erdogan. The two-hour “private” meet- islands just off the coast of ing at Erdogan’s Istanbul residence focused on JAKARTA: An Indonesian budget Indonesia’s sprawling capital. regional security issues and “deepening and airline plane with 62 people on board Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 was bound strengthening” ties, the Turkish presidency said. is suspected to have crashed into the for Pontianak on Indonesia’s section Hariri’s office said he and Erdogan also dis- sea shortly after the Boeing 737 took of Borneo island, about 90 minutes cussed “ways to support the efforts to stop the off from Jakarta airport yesterday, flying time over the Java Sea. collapse and rebuild Beirut as soon as the new authorities said. Flight tracking data Distraught relatives waited nerv- PONTIANAK, Indonesia: Relatives of passengers onboard missing Sriwijaya Air flight government is formed in Lebanon”. — AFP showed the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737- ously for news at the city’s airport. 500 plunged into a steep dive about Continued on Page 2 SJY182 wait for news at Supadio airport on Borneo island yesterday. —AFP 2 Established 1961 Sunday, January 10, 2021 Local Kuwait’s Amir receives congratulations from UN chief on inking Al-Ula statement Bahrain FM lauds Amir’s mediation efforts to heal Gulf rift

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh The minister highlighted efforts made by Nayef Al-Hajraf welcomed Friday’s Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa reopening of airspace and all sea and Friday received a congratulatory mes- to unify the Gulf ranks and his keenness land borders between the United Arab sage from UN Secretary General on working with the GCC leaders to Emirates and Qatar. This step, which Antonio Guterres on signing the Al-Ula open new chapter in Gulf relations and materializes the recently held summit’s statement and the final communique of enhance pan-Gulf dialogue to meet peo- outcomes, reflects GCC states’ eager- the 41st Summit of the Gulf Cooperation ples’ aspirations and promote security, ness and sincere efforts to strengthen Council. The summit was hosted by stability and prosperity of the GCC the GCC bonds and maintain its gains, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula City last Tuesday. states and the whole region. Zayani said Hajraf said in a In the letter, Guterres said that the these sincere press statement. achievement to which His Highness the efforts made He congratulat- Amir contributed boosts Kuwait’s key by the GCC ed GCC leaders mediation role in the region. He recalled states and GCC welcomes and people on the great role and efforts made by the Egypt is a key the start of a late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- step for dia- borders’ new era of Jaber Al-Sabah that aimed to achieve the logue to unite Gulf reconciliation. against any joint-GCC The UN chief said that he looks for- foreign inter- reopening action. Hajraf ward to continuing the close partnership ferences or said that GCC with Kuwait to enhance international threats from people are peace and security, wishing His Highness His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- entities seek- upbeat about the Amir everlasting well-being. In reply, Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres ing to undermine security and stability of this move and His Highness the Amir sent a letter to the GCC states. He expressed his opti- are looking forward towards a strong, Guterres, thanking him for his good sen- firm stance to back the UN and its activ- Abdulatif Al-Zayani praised His Highness mism about the next period of the GCC tightly-connected GCC to steer their timents. His Highness the Amir voiced his ities, wishing Guterres success in achiev- the Amir’s mediation efforts, and coordi- path. He reiterated Bahrain’s commitment countries towards more development, great delight at making this historic ing the UN’s goals to maintain interna- nation amongst Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, to agreements that aims to bolster the progress, security and stability. Earlier, accomplishment that will bolster the joint tional security and peace, and everlast- the UAE and Egypt to solve the Gulf cri- joint Arab-Gulf action. the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Arab-Gulf cooperation in order to meet ing good health. sis. This came during a meeting Zayani International Cooperation announced the desired aspirations and hopes, and held with editors-in-chief of local news- Borders’ reopening reopening all land, sea and air ports for boost stability and security in the region. Mediation efforts papers on the outcomes of the summit, In the meantime, Secretary General inbound and outbound movement with His Highness the Amir affirmed Kuwait’s Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported. of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr Qatar. — KUNA

hurricanes in the Atlantic - so many that the went down. The budget airline, which has about 19 2020 ties 2016 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Indonesia jet Boeing jets that fly to destinations in Indonesia and ran out of letters in the alphabet to name them. Southeast Asia, said only that it was investigating Some regions last year experienced warming the loss of contact. as hottest year well beyond the global average, according the loses contact... In October 2018, 189 people were killed when a Copernicus report, based largely on satellite Continued from Page 1 Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet slammed into the on record data. Europe’s average surface temperature Java Sea about 12 minutes after take-off from across 2020 was a searing 2.2C over the pre- “I have four family members on the flight - my Jakarta on a routine one-hour flight. That crash - PARIS: 2020 has tied 2016 as the hottest year industrial benchmark - and nearly half a wife and my three children,” Yaman Zai said as he and a subsequent fatal flight in Ethiopia - saw on record, the European Union’s climate moni- degree above 2019, the previous record year. sobbed. “(My wife) sent me a picture of the baby Boeing hit with $2.5 billion in fines over claims it toring service said Friday, keeping Earth on a Warming in the Arctic region was even more today...How could my heart not be torn into pieces?” defrauded regulators overseeing the 737 MAX global warming fast track that could devastate spectacular, with northern Siberia and parts of The plane took off yesterday afternoon and a model, which was grounded worldwide following large swathes of humanity. The six years since the Arctic itself nearly 7C above mid-19th cen- search and rescue operation began with no official the two deadly crashes. 2015 are the six warmest ever registered, as tury levels. results available yesterday night. “We deployed our The Boeing jet thought to have crashed yesterday are 20 of the last 21, evidence of a persistent Wildfires across Siberia lasting well into the team, boats and sea riders to the location suspected is not a MAX model. “We are aware of media reports and deepening trend, the Copernicus Climate autumn released a record quarter billion to be where it went down after losing contact,” from Jakarta, and are closely monitoring the situation,” Change Service (C3S) reported. tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, Bambang Suryo Aji, a senior official at the search- the US-based planemaker said in a statement. “We are Last year’s record high - a soaring 1.25 equivalent to the annual emissions of Spain, and-rescue agency, told reporters after nightfall. working to gather more information.” Indonesia’s avia- degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - Egypt or Vietnam, and a third more than in Data from FlightRadar24 said the plane reached tion sector has long suffered from a reputation for was all the more alarming because it came 2019, the previous record year. CO2 levels in an altitude of nearly 11,000 feet (3,350 m) before poor safety, and its airlines were once banned from without the help of a periodic natural weather Earth’s atmosphere peaked at 413 parts per dropping suddenly to 250 feet. It then lost contact entering US and European airspace. In 2014, an event known as an El Nino, which added up to million, nearly 50 percent more than in the ear- with air traffic control. “Sriwijaya Air flight #SJ182 AirAsia plane crashed with the loss of 162 lives. two-tenths of a degree to the 2016 average, ly 18th century, before fossil fuel burning lost more than 10,000 feet of altitude in less than Domestic investigators’ final report on the according NASA and Britain’s Met Office. “It is began to load the skies with heat-trapping one minute, about 4 minutes after departure from AirAsia crash showed a chronically faulty compo- quite clear that in the absence of El Nino and greenhouse gases, C3S reported. Jakarta,” the tracking agency said on its official nent in a rudder control system, poor maintenance La Nina impacts on year-to-year temperatures, These unprecedented levels were reached Twitter account. and the pilots’ inadequate response were major fac- 2020 would be the warmest year on record,” despite a seven percent drop in emissions due Broadcaster Kompas TV quoted local fishermen tors in what was supposed to be a routine flight Zeke Hausfather, director of climate and ener- to pandemic lockdowns. “Since CO2 accumu- as saying they had found debris near islands just off from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. gy at the Breakthrough Institute in Oakland, lates in the atmosphere like water in a bathtub, the coast of the capital Jakarta, but it could not be A year later, in 2015, more than 140 people, includ- California, told AFP. if we turn down the tap by seven percent, the immediately confirmed as having belonged to the ing people on the ground, were killed when a mili- During an El Nino, which occurs every two CO2 level just rises a bit more slowly,” Stefan missing jet. Authorities and the airline gave no tary plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Medan on to seven years, warm surface water in the trop- Rahmstorf, head of Earth system analysis at the immediate indication as to why the plane suddenly Sumatra island. — AFP ical Pacific Ocean can boost global tempera- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, tures. La Ninas - such as one currently under- told AFP. “We need to shut off the tap to get a way - have the opposite cooling effect. “2020 looked at 94 patients whose blood antibody levels stable climate again.” were recorded at the height of the infection as part stands out for its exceptional warmth,” said Global emissions were on a steady upward 6 months on, at C3S director Carlo Buontempo. “This is yet of another trial. trend through 2019, and it remains unclear When these patients were retested after six another reminder of the urgency of ambitious whether humanity will return to “business as least one COVID... emissions reductions to prevent adverse cli- month, their levels of neutralizing antibodies were usual” or begin to ratchet down carbon pollu- 52.5 percent lower. The authors said this raises con- mate impacts in the future.” tion quickly enough to avoid catastrophic cli- Continued from Page 1 cerns about the possibility of COVID-19 re-infec- In 2015, the world’s nations vowed to cap mate impacts. Even if all nations fulfill tion, although they said larger samples would be global warming “well below” 2C, and 1.5C if pledges submitted in annex to the 2015 Paris The World Health Organization has said the virus needed to clarify how immunity to the virus possible. A subsequent report from the UN’s Agreement, the planet would still heat up poses a risk for some people of serious ongoing changes over time. climate science advisory panel, the IPCC, left more than 3C by century’s end. “The world effects - even among young, otherwise healthy peo- In a comment article also published in the no doubt that 1.5C was the safer threshold. has been warming at a steady rate of around ple who were not hospitalized. The new study Lancet, Monica Cortinovis, Norberto Perico, and With just over 1C of warming so far, the world 0.2C per decade since the 1970s due to included 1,733 COVID-19 patients discharged from Giuseppe Remuzzi, from Italy’s Istituto di Ricerche has seen a crescendo of deadly droughts, heat- human emissions of CO2 and other green- Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan between January and Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, said there was waves, flood-inducing rainfall, and superstorms house gases,” noted Hausfather. “If we con- May last year. Patients, who had an average age of uncertainty over the long-term health consequences made more destructive by rising seas. 2020 tinue at our current rate we will pass 1.5C in 57, were visited between June and September and of the pandemic. “Unfortunately, there are few witnessed a record number, for example, of the mid-2030s.” — AFP answered questions on their symptoms and health- reports on the clinical picture of the aftermath of served as Trump’s chief of staff for 18 months, said related quality of life. COVID-19,” they said, adding the latest study was Twitter permanently the cabinet should consider the 25th Amendment Researchers also conducted physical examina- therefore “relevant and timely”. They said longer but believed the president had already been put tions and lab tests. The study found that 76 percent term multidisciplinary research being conducted in into a box. “He can give all the orders he wants but of patients who participated in the follow-up (1,265 the United States and Britain would help improve suspends Trump... no one is going to break the law,” Kelly said. of 1,655) said they still had symptoms. Fatigue or understanding and help develop therapies to “miti- After the ban, Trump took to the official muscle weakness was reported by 63 percent, while gate the long-term consequezces of COVID-19 on Continued from Page 1 @POTUS account to accuse Twitter of “trying to 26 percent had sleep problems. The study also multiple organs and tissues”. — AFP silence me”. “Twitter has gone further and further in In the House, top Republican Kevin McCarthy banning free speech, and tonight, Twitter employees test result, undergo a fresh test at the frontier and said: “Impeaching the president with just 12 days have coordinated with the Democrats and the Qatar-Saudi quarantine in a government-approved hotel for one left in his term will only divide our country more.” Radical Left in removing my account from their week. A helicopter belonging to the Qatari health Trump, whose actions Wednesday capped his platform, to silence me - and YOU, the 75,000,000 service shuttled supplies between Doha and the relentless efforts to overturn Biden’s Nov 3 election great patriots who voted for me,” he said. The post border reopens... border, an AFP correspondent reported. win, finally conceded defeat on Thursday and was swiftly deleted by Twitter. Continued from Page 1 As it was the weekend, cargo haulage did not appealed for calm. “A new administration will be Twitter also suspended Trump’s campaign appear to have resumed. Qatari Hamad Al-Marri, inaugurated on January 20. My focus now turns to account @TeamTrump. With the president muted, The day before the summit, Kuwaiti Foreign who also drove a Land Cruiser, said he was excit- ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition son Donald Trump Jr took to Twitter to call the Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al- ed to go hunting with falcons in Saudi Arabia, a of power,” Trump said in a short video. platform’s move “absolute insanity”. While his father Sabah had announced on state television that a deal popular Gulf pastime. “I will take a fortnight holi- However, the evidently reluctant concession, in is banned, “the ayatollah, and numerous other dicta- had been agreed to “open the airspace and land and day there,” he said. “I will go hunting and visit my which Trump failed to congratulate Biden or directly torial regimes can have Twitter accounts with no sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia friends, whom we have not seen for more than admit defeat, was too little, too late to calm outrage issue despite threatening genocide to entire coun- and the State of Qatar”. Only a trickle of cars three and a half years. I’ll be reunited with my fam- over his role in the Capitol invasion. Five people tries and killing homosexuals etc,” Trump Jr arrived at the palm tree-lined, whitewashed border ily and everybody is happy that we can go to died in the mayhem, including one woman who was steamed. Founder of communist China Chairman post to make the short crossing to the Saudi side Makkah and Madinah.” shot dead and a US Capitol Police officer. Flags “Mao would be proud”, he said. after news broke that the frontier had reopened. The two Saudi cities are focal points of Islam and over the Capitol were lowered to half-staff Friday. In a blog post, Twitter explained that the suspen- A smaller number made the journey from Saudi Qataris had struggled to undertake the hajj and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos became the sion was based on factors such as evidence that Arabia to Qatar, where strict measures to fight the umrah pilgrimages during the diplomatic rift. Qatar second cabinet member to quit, after Transportation plans for future armed protests were proliferating spread of the novel coronavirus have been and Saudi Arabia blamed each other for the hurdles. Secretary Elaine Chao, telling Trump in a letter that on and off the platform, “including a proposed sec- imposed. “I’m very happy the border is open Several drivers gathered at a petrol station close to such “behavior was unconscionable for our coun- ondary attack on the US Capitol and state capitol again,” said Qatari Jaber Al-Marri, as he the Qatari exit point just hours after the Kuwaiti try”. Multiple lower-level officials have also left. buildings on January 17, 2021”. approached a checkpoint in his Land Cruiser SUV, announcement of a detente between Qatar and its According to reports, the only reason the trickle Biden, who won seven million votes more than adding that he had relatives in the neighboring erstwhile rivals. hasn’t turned into a flood is the decision by senior Trump, as well as a decisive majority in the vital kingdom. “A lot of Qataris have relatives in Saudi “It is a great joy, I bought this new car, a Land figures to try to maintain stability during the transi- state-by-state Electoral College, will be sworn in on Arabia,” he said. “The coming days will be better,” Cruiser, in order to go and celebrate with my rela- tion to Biden. Trump, however, appears to have lost the Capitol Steps under huge security. Between added the man, holding a negative coronavirus test tives in Saudi Arabia, and I took the coronavirus the grip he once exercised on both the Republican drastic COVID-19 crowd restrictions, the absence result in his hand. test and waited here hoping they would allow us to Party and his own staff as he rampaged through his of Trump, and a new “unscalable” fence around the Qatar has announced strict coronavirus control cross at any moment,” said Zaid Muhammad Al- turbulent four-year presidency. Speaking to CNN, congressional complex, very little about the inaugu- measures for those arriving from the Saudi side. Marri, 23, a Qatari whose mother is Saudi, ahead of retired Marine Corps general John Kelly, who ration will be business as usual. — AFP Doha will require travellers to present a negative the border reopening. — AFP Established 1961 3 Local Sunday, January 10, 2021 Defense Minister visits Mohammad Al-Ahmad Kuwait Naval Base Sheikh Hamad highlights importance of joint drills

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah is seen during his tour at the Mohammad Al-Ahmad Kuwait Naval Base. — Defense Ministry photos

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister Ministry of Defense’s Moral and Defense Minister Sheikh Guidance Department said in a Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah visit- press statement. Sheikh Hamad ed yesterday the Mohammad Al- conveyed to the navy forces greet- Ahmad Kuwait Naval Base, where ings of Kuwait’s leadership, and he met Kuwait Army Chief of Staff expressed gratitude for their “sin- Lt Gen Khaled Saleh Al-Sabah, cere efforts” in protecting Kuwait Deputy Chief of Staff Lt Gen Fahad and its territorial waters. He also Al-Nasser and top army brass. The highlighted the importance of joint minister was then given a detailed drills and operations between presentation on the naval force’s Kuwait’s navy and that of other tasks and duties, in addition to its countries “especially in light of the level of preparation and current circumstances the region is wit- coordination with the Interior nessing, which require maintaining Ministry’s coastguards, the a high level of alert constantly.”

Two dead in vacuum tanker explosion

KUWAIT: Two people died and a third was before it crashed into the Jahra Road Bridge. The injured in an explosion reported near Jahra Road incident left two expatriates, Arab and Asian, Friday night. The explosion reportedly happened dead, while a third worker was rushed from the while workers were welding a vacuum tanker scene to the hospital with injuries as a result of used to transport fuel. The blast was strong the blast, Kuwait Fire Force said in a statement. enough that it blew the truck 30 meters away A case was filed for further investigations.

Kuwait lists 922 COVID cases, four deaths in two days KUWAIT: Kuwait listed 427 new coronavirus infections and two virus-related deaths on Saturday to raise the total to 153,900 and 942 respectively, the health ministry said. Kuwait had registered 495 new infections and two deaths on Friday. Meanwhile, Kuwait reported 245 recoveries yesterday, which raised the total to 148,728, while 244 recoveries were announced on Friday. The number of hospitalized patients stood yesterday at 4,230, with 51 of them in intensive care units, according to ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al- Sanad, down from 54 patients in intensive care units the previous day. The ministry announced Sanad further urged the public to abide by health 8,015 and 11,597 swab tests yesterday and Friday precautions, mainly social distancing to help limit respectively, which raised the total to 1,319,646. Dr the spread of the virus. — KUNA 4 Established 1961 Sunday, January 10, 2021 Local

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News in brief

Amir sends condolences

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Friday sent a cable of condolences to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud over the death of Princess Torfa bint Hathlol bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In the cable, His Highness the Amir prayed to Allah Almighty to bestow mercy on the Princess’ soul and bring sol- ace to the ruling family. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables.

Amir congratulates Swiss president KUWAIT: Kuwaiti citizen Yousef Mohammad Allumai rides a skateboard on a warm day near the beachfront in Kuwait City yesterday. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Friday sent a cable of congratulations to Guy Parmelin on Minister tours being elected the new president of the Swiss Federation. In the cable, His Highness the Amir wished Parmelin everlasting good health, and the South Zour deep-rooted bilateral ties further growth. His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al- Power Plant Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al- KUWAIT: Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity Hamad Al-Sabah sent similar cables. and Water Dr Mohammad Al-Fares visited the South Zour Power Plant yesterday to examine the process of work there. Senior Ministry of Electricity and Water officials, plant directors and department Oil price down 11 cents managers accompanied the minister in the tour. Dr Fares held a meeting with directors of the ministry’s KUWAIT: The price of Kuwaiti oil went down 11 cents power plants’ department, in which he was briefed to $54.82 per barrel on Friday after it was at $54.71 pb on plans and preparations ahead of the 2021 sum- the day before, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation mer season, the ministry said in a statement to the (KPC) yesterday. At the global level, the price of the press. The minister expressed gratitude to workers Brent crude went up by $1.61 to $55.99 per barrel, the and operators at power and water desalination same case with the West Texas Intermediate, which plants around Kuwait for their efforts to maintain a KUWAIT: Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity and Water Dr Mohammad Al-Fares in a group photo with South went up by $1.41 cents to $52.24 pb. stable supply despite increasing demand. —KUNA Zour Power Plant’s workers and operators. —KUNA

Kuwait’s Interior Minister advises for further digitization

KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah is seen during the tour. —KUNA photos

KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Thamer Ali ing a recent tour of the departments of citizenship Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah urged for continuing the and residency affairs. Sheikh Thamer advised the work to achieve a qualitative leap in the ministry personnel to cut red tape, accelerate transfer from sectors by means of applying state of art technology. paper to digital services and linking up all the sec- The supreme leadership has advised for adopting all tors. He also gave instructions to aid people of spe- necessary methods to facilitate transactions for citi- cial needs and the elderly. The minister was wel- zens and residents of Kuwait, the minister said dur- comed by senior officers during the tour. —KUNA International SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021 Devotees flock to Manila church for miracle from Post-9/11 era is over: Mob attack to haunt Biden on world stage Page 6 Catholic icon Page 7

LOS ANGELES: Registered nurse Arpa Davoudian prepares to administer a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to resident Rose Sevjain at the Ararat Nursing Facility in the Mission Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. —AFP US logs record virus caseload Millions in Asia enter new lockdowns as new variants send cases soaring

WASHINGTON: The United States logged a record new hundreds of millions criss-cross the country to visit fam- the globe, many countries are still recording record coron- “It’s not unlikely they would want to contaminate other daily virus caseload as Joe Biden slammed the Trump ily and friends. avirus numbers, including Britain which on Friday nations,” he said. Africa was spared the worst of the pan- administration’s vaccine roll-out as a “travesty” and mil- As the race to inoculate heats up, the World Health announced new highs of 1,325 deaths and 68,053 cases demic’s firstwave, but has seen a sharp surge in recent lions in Asia woke up to new lockdowns. Almost 1.9 million Organization urged rich countries to stop cutting over 24 hours. Fears have been rising over the new virus weeks, with Senegal recording its highest death and infec- people have now died from the virus, with new variants their own deals with manufacturers to snap up the variants that emerged in Britain and South Africa, but tions figures-eight and 296, respectively-on Friday. sending cases soaring and prompting the re-introduction first wave of vaccines. BioNTech brought some relief on Friday, saying its vaccine At a hospital in Nigerian megacity Lagos, managing of curbs on movement even as some countries begin mass “Fifty percent of the high-income countries in the was effective against a “key mutation” found in the strains. director Ngozi Onyia likened the surge in cases there to a inoculation campaigns. world are vaccinating today,” said Bruce Aylward, head of In Brazil, which has the second-highest death toll after “tsunami”. “I’m making tough calls-who to take into the Almost 290,000 new cases were reported in the US the WHO co-led vaccine procurement and distribution the US, two vaccine makers-China’s Sinovac and treatment centre, who to put on one of our four ventila- within 24 hours Friday according to Johns Hopkins effort. “Zero percent of the low-income countries are vac- AstraZeneca/Oxford-applied for approval for their jabs. tors-ethical decisions I’ve never had to make in 38-plus University, a day after the world’s worst-hit country cinating. That is not equitable.” The comments came as the Meanwhile Iran said it was banning the import of any US years,” she said. But there was relief in Spain, where a recorded a daily record of nearly 4,000 deaths. European Union said it had agreed an option for a further and British-produced vaccines doses, with Ayatollah Ali baby-three-month-old Petru-left the hospital after spend- “Vaccines give us hope, but the roll-out has been a 300 million jabs from Pfizer/BioNTech, doubling its supply Khamenei saying they were “completely untrustworthy”. ing nearly all his short life fighting COVID-19. —AFP travesty,” Biden told reporters, warning distribution of the of the vaccine. vaccine would be “the greatest operational challenge we France is to extend its COVID-19 curfew to a further will ever face as a nation.” eight departments, Prime Minister Jean Castex said yes- Yesterday, the streets of the Australian city of Brisbane terday, citing a “tough and necessary” response as some were quiet as its more than two million residents were opposed the restrictions in several cities. France has ordered back into lockdown after authorities detected a been ramping up its anti-virus restrictions in the face of single infection of a new strain from Britain, which is rising cases and imposed a post-New Year curfew from thought to be more infectious. “Quite surreal, like some- 6 pm (1700 GMT) on 15 of its 101 departments, the thing from a movie set,” local man Scott told AFP in remainder subject to an 8 pm confinement. Those 15 are Brisbane’s deserted downtown. deemed to be where the virus is spreading the most in a “It’s necessary. Hopefully we will get through the next country which has seen some 67,000 deaths to date few days without any cases, that will allow us just to from some 2.7 million cases and with a reproduction rate start to get back to normal.” In China, where the original escalating. The new departments likely to be be subject coronavirus first emerged in late 2019, authorities also to an earlier curfew are primarily in the east of the coun- tightened restrictions on two cities near Beijing to stamp try, including Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin and Cote d’Or, as well out a growing cluster. as the central one of Cher. The new week-long stay at home orders affecting Al-Rayan Family about 18 million people in Shijiazhuang and Xingtai Records keep falling come as cases spike ahead of the Lunar New Year, when Despite nearly a year of intermittent restrictions across sadly announces the demise of its dean least 19 Muslim COVID-19 victims, including a baby, after Sri Lanka sticks to their families refused to claim their bodies from a hospital morgue. This stoked dismay and anger among the Muslim community, moderates and abroad, with the 57-member cremation of Organization of Islamic Cooperation repeatedly expressing concern. Sri Lanka’s Muslim Council (SLMC) accused the govern- Khalil Ahmad Rayan Muslim virus victims ment of trying to provoke Muslim youths into doing “some- COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s government insisted Friday on the thing rash” with its decision on cremations, a claim echoed by cremation of all coronavirus victims, rejecting international Justice Minister Ali Sabry, a Muslim. There have been ongo- Former editorial department secretary pleas and recommendations from its own experts to allow the ing tensions between Muslims and the majority Sinhalese- Muslim minority to bury their dead in line with Islamic cus- who are mostly Buddhists-since the deadly 2019 Easter tom. The government first banned burials in April amid con- bombings carried out by local jihadists. and head of sports department cerns-which experts say are baseless-by influential Buddhist The SLMC said more than half of Sri Lanka’s 222 monks that burying bodies could contaminate groundwater COVID-19 victims were from the Muslim minority which and spread the virus. accounts for just 10 percent of the 21 million population. “We at Al-Qabas newspaper The World Health Organization has said that there is no have a disproportionate number of fatalities because such risk, recommending both burials and cremations of virus Muslims don’t seek treatment fearing that they will be cre- victims, but the Sri Lankan government has refused. “This mated if they are diagnosed with the virus after going to hos- decision will not be changed for social, religious, political or pital,” SLMC spokesman Hilmy Ahamed said. The Maldives, any other personal reason,” Health Minister Pavithra Sri Lanka’s Muslim neighbour, announced last month that Sri Wanniarachchi said, according to ministry officials. Lanka had sought permission to send bodies of Muslims The announcement came despite a government- there for burial, a claim denied by Colombo. Maldives speak- appointed expert committee noting this week that while it er Mohamed Nasheed went on to suggest that they could felt cremations were safest, burials could be allowed under allow Sri Lankan Muslims to be buried in a cemetery for He was laid to rest on Saturday 9/1/2021 strict conditions. Traditionally, Muslims bury their dead fac- Maldivians in the Sri Lankan capital. ing Mecca. Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhists, who are strong There has been no response from Colombo to that pro- backers of the current government, are typically cremated, posal. Sri Lanka has experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases, as are Hindus. with the number of infections soaring to nearly 46,800 from Last month, authorities ordered the forced cremation of at 3,300 in October and deaths rising to 222 from 13. —AFP Due to current circumstances, condolences the Ladakh region, currently in the grip of freezing India detains winter temperatures. The Indian army said in a state- ment that the People’s Liberation Army soldier was are accepted over phone or WhatsApp at “apprehended” on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Chinese soldier Control (LAC), as the border is known, in the early hours of Friday and taken into custody. 99654122 - Ibrahim Rayan “The PLA soldier is being dealt with as per laid on border down procedures, and circumstances under which he NEW DELHI: Indian forces have detained a Chinese had crossed the LAC are being investigated,” the 66221212 - Waleed Rayan soldier on the disputed Himalayan frontier where the statement added. The People’s Liberation Army Daily, world’s two most populous countries fought a dead- which is run by China’s military, said the soldier went ly battle last year, the military said yesterday. It is missing in “the darkness and complicated terrain” and the second detention on the high altitude border insisted India was informed. since the pitched battles in June in which 20 Indian “India should strictly abide by the relevant agree- soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops ments between the two countries, and promptly trans- were killed. fer the missing person to China, to help with cooling Both sides have since poured tens of thousands of and de-escalating the China-Indian border situation,” troops and heavy weaponry into the tension zone in the military newspaper added.—AFP 6 Established 1961 Sunday, January 10, 2021 International Post-9/11 era is over: Mob attack to haunt Biden on world stage ‘Single greatest national security threat seen in US is its internal division’

WASHNGTON: President-elect Joe Biden has ‘Democracy must be defended’ vowed to restore a global leadership role for the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected “slan- United States, but he will be haunted by a final der” that the United States had become a “banana act of his predecessor-inciting a mob to trash the republic”-noting that law enforcement dispersed US Capitol. the mob and the certification went ahead. In a state- Allied democracies voiced shock, and authori- ment that was widely shared among US diplomats, tarian states alleged US hypocrisy after Donald Natalie E. Brown, the ambassador to Uganda, Trump’s supporters stormed and defiled the seat acknowledged that after the attack, “many people of US democracy to disrupt a ceremonial session may question America’s right to speak out on issues that certified Biden’s victory. A number of law- of democracy around the world, and they are enti- makers, scholars and activists said that Biden- tled to their perspective.” known for his strong interest in foreign affairs-will “But when we speak out against human rights be obliged to focus inward and confront the reali- abuses, we do so not because such abuses do not ty that perhaps millions of Americans believe occur in America. When we speak out for press Trump’s unfounded conspiracy theories of elec- freedom, we do so not because American journalists toral fraud. are entirely free of harassment. When we call for “The post-9/11 era is over. The single greatest judicial independence, we do so not because judges national security threat right now is our internal in America are free of external influence. division,” said Elissa Slotkin, a Democratic con- “On the contrary, we do so because we are gresswoman who was previously a CIA analyst. mindful of the work still to be done in the American “If we don’t reconnect our two Americas, the experiment with democracy and because our histo- threats will not have to come from the outside.” ry has taught us that democracy must be defended Biden has pledged to convene within his first if it is to endure,” she said. year a “summit of democracies” to promote Nations that are often on the receiving end of US shared liberal values in a rebuke of Trump’s criticism wasted no time in alleging double stan- embrace of autocrats abroad. That summit could dards. Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson WILMINGTON: US President-elect Joe Biden puts his facemask on as he leaves after announcing now seem either poignant or awkward taking Mnangagwa renewed his call for an end to sanc- key nominees for his economic and jobs team at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware on place in Washington. “We’ve seen an undermining tions over rights concerns, saying the Trump mob’s Friday. —AFP of trust in government here but also overseas, attack “showed that the US has no moral right to where the US has been a leader in promoting the punish another nation under the guise of upholding rule of law and democracy, even if it’s often seen democracy.” Venezuela’s leftist government, sound- new president was illegitimately elected, and where source of risk rather than stability-”a nation that as hypocritical,” said Sarah Margon, who leads ing like the latest Trump administration’s call to top- too many among those millions are both armed and retains a massively powerful military while its advocacy on US foreign policy at the Open ple it, voiced hope that Americans “can open a new seemingly willing to resort to extreme measures to domestic politics become ever more erratic and Society Foundations. path toward stability and social justice.” ensure their view prevails,” the group said. “Having undemocratic.” “So I actually think what happened links spent decades telling other countries that they need She questioned the focus of many in Washington domestic and foreign policy ever more closely.” ‘Turn gaze inward’ to face up to their problems, it is past time for the on how the chaos would affect US moral authority Margon said that foreign leaders would closely The International Crisis Group, which studies US to turn its gaze inward. The stakes could hardly or appear to rivals such as China. “The real foreign- watch Biden’s domestic actions, and that he could conflict prevention and historically saw little need to be higher.” policy implications are bigger and more dangerous send a strong message by ensuring the Capitol look inside the United States, warned in a statement Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Atlantic than the question of whether Washington will be rioters are prosecuted-deterrence against any that political violence remained a threat. “The US Council, wrote in an essay in Foreign Policy that able to stage a successful summit of democracies future attempts to trample on democracy. today is a nation where millions are convinced the others could increasingly see the United States as a this spring,” she wrote. —AFP

nation after Democrats swept two News in brief Biden considered Senate races in Georgia, giving the party a slim majority in the body. Kabila killers released from jail naming Sanders Democrats and Republicans each now hold 50 seats in the Senate but KINSHASA: Twenty-two men convicted over the as labor secretary Democrats have the majority through 2001 assassination of Democratic Republic of Congo Vice President Kamala Harris’s tie- president Laurent-Desire Kabila were released from WILMINGTON: US President-elect breaking vote. prison Friday after being pardoned by current leader Joe Biden said Friday that he had “Bernie and I agreed-as a matter Felix Tshisekedi. The men were met outside Makala been considering nominating Vermont of fact Bernie said-we can’t put prison in the capital Kinshasa by family and friends, Senator Bernie Sanders as his labor control of the Senate at risk on the some in tears. Among those released was the slain outcome of a special election in president’s former aide de camp Colonel Eddy secretary but eventually decided not Kapend, who has always denied any part in the plot to do so because it could have put Vermont,” Biden said. Biden said he to murder Kabila, father of Tshisekedi’s predecessor the fragile Democratic Senate major- and Sanders had agreed they and political rival Joseph Kabila. —AFP ity at risk. “I did give serious consid- would “work together” and meet eration of nominating my friend with “working men and women who Bernie Sanders to this position,” feel forgotten, left behind in this Avalanche kills 3 at Russian ski resort Biden told reporters in Wilmington, economy.” “We agreed we’ll work Delaware, as he announced key nomi- closely on our shared agenda,” he US Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, speaks at George nees for his economic team. said. Biden nominated Boston Mayor MOSCOW: Three people were killed after an ava- Washington University in Washington, DC. —AFP lanche swept through a ski resort outside the Arctic “I’m confident he could have done Marty Walsh to be labor secretary in city of Norilsk overnight, Russian investigators said a fantastic job,” Biden said of his administration, which takes office yesterday. The Investigative Committee, which probes Sanders, who represents the left wing on January 20. Pompeo-a stalwart defender of official said. “Their meeting was very major crimes, said it was notified at 00:30 local time of the party and challenged Biden for Meanwhile, US Secretary of State President Donald Trump, who productive. Secretary Pompeo and (1730 GMT) that an avalanche had buried four build- the Democratic presidential nomina- Mike Pompeo met Friday for the first begrudgingly acknowledged defeat Secretary-nominee Blinken, as well ings under snow at the Otdelnaya Gora ski complex in tion. “I can think of no more passion- time with President-elect Joe Thursday-met Blinken “in order to as their teams, will continue to work the town of Talnakh, 25 kilometers (16 miles) north of ate ally to working people in this Biden’s nominee to be his successor, facilitate an orderly transition and to together on behalf of America Norilsk. Rescuers had recovered the bodies of a 38- country.” Biden said he and Sanders Antony Blinken, promising a smooth ensure American interests are pro- throughout the transition,” the offi- year-old woman, her 18-month-old child and 45- agreed not to proceed with the nomi- transition. tected abroad,” a State Department cial said. —AFP year-old husband. A 14-year-old was found alive and “taken to the hospital with serious injuries”. —AFP 1971, Spain’s public television said. Chaos on the Hours of intense snow which was still Denmark enforces negative tests falling by 2100 GMT cut off the city’s roads as Spain two main ringroads, the M30 and the COPENHAGEN: Denmark on Friday announced it M40, and a red alert was declared in the would only allow flights into the country where sees heavy snowfall city centre where police struggled to every passenger had tested negative for COVID-19 help people stranded in vehicles. The and the government urged Danes to put off abroad MADRID: Heavy snow continued to fall transport authority said the snow had travel all together. In addition to being negative across much of Spain on Friday, causing disrupted traffic on almost 400 main tests can only be 24 hours old. The rule will apply to chaos on the roads, particularly in the roads, where in many cases lorries and both Danish citizens and foreigners, and it will be heavy goods vehicles were unable to up to airlines to ensure passengers have been test- centre of the country, with the capital ed. “That means that, as of January 9 at 5 pm, no Madrid seeing its heaviest snowfall in 50 pass, while many roads were only pass- airline will be allowed to fly to a Danish airport years. By nightfall, the extreme weather able with snow chains. without having checked that all passengers onboard brought by Storm Filomena had left On the secondary road network, have tested negative,” transport minister Benny many areas under a deep blanket of more than 50 roads were impassable Engelbrecht told a news conference. —AFP white in a rare bout of wintry weather and around 170 roads required chains. not seen in decades to the Iberian And hundreds of lorry drivers were held peninsula. up across the country. Argentina curbs nighttime activities As the snow showed no signs of let- The AEMET weather agency ting up, Madrid’s Barajas airport halted described the situation as “exceptional BUENOS AIRES: Argentina on Friday announced it all incoming and outgoing flights. “For and most likely historic”. was tightening restrictions to slow the spread of the safety reasons, operations have been Earlier in the day, children in Madrid MADRID: People walk in the snow outside the Royal Palace in Madrid coronavirus but that individual provinces would be stopped at #Airport AS #Madrid- could be seen hurling snowballs or play- yesterday. —AFP responsible for the specific measures they take. The #Barajas, until visibility is improved. The ing under snow-covered palm trees, central government wants to restrict nighttime work to clear the runways continues in while others snapped photos of the rare Madrid and Valencia were cancelled, the Filomena begins moving northeast, activities and curb the free movement of people order to resume operations as soon as whiteout which began in earnest the day Renfe rail network said. although the temperatures would remain from Friday. But the provinces of Cordoba and possible #BorrascaFilomena,” it tweeted. after Spain celebrated King’s Day-or With many areas struggling to cope exceptionally low. Mendoza and the city of Buenos Aires rejected put- The blizzard also caused havoc on Epiphany. with the heavy snowfall, the historic city Before the snowfall began on ting limits of freedom of movement. It means vary- the roads, with nearly 400 affected AEMET had earlier warned another of Toledo asked the army for help clear- Thursday morning, temperatures had ing degrees of restriction such as the closure of across Spain and hundreds of vehicles 20 centimeters (eight inches) of snow ing the streets as did Albacete in the already plummeted, reaching an unof- eateries, reduction in public transport and restric- stranded in the snow and ice. The was expected in Madrid, the high central southeast, public television said. ficial record low of -34.1 degrees tions on movement will be applied throughout the worst-hit regions were Castilla La plains and the nearby mountain ranges, Forecasters said the heavy snow would Celsius was recorded at a ski station in country. —AFP Mancha, Valencia and Madrid, with the which could rise to 50 centimeters in continue until Sunday after which it the central Pyrenees on Wednesday capital seeing its heaviest snowfall since higher areas. High-speed trains between would subside gradually as Storm morning. —AFP

efforts to stem the devastating effects of global EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen. Organizers want to ance”. So far, efforts to protect and restore nature One Planet summit warming and species loss. lay the groundwork for crunch UN biodiversity on a global scale have failed spectacularly. Momentum on climate and biodiversity stalled in talks-postponed because of the pandemic-that are The planet is on the cusp of a mass extinction 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a set to be held in China in October and will see near- event in which species are disappearing at 100 to kickstarts year health crisis that experts say illustrates the many ly 200 nations attempt to thrash out new goals to 1,000 times the normal “background” rate, most diverse dangers of environmental destruction. preserve Earth’s battered ecosystems. scientists agree. The UN’s science advisory panel of crucial talks The One Planet Summit, a largely virtual event France hopes next week’s summit will bring for biodiversity warned in a landmark 2019 report hosted by France in partnership with the United together issues around climate and the protection that one million species face extinction, due mostly PARIS: Global leaders will try to reignite interna- Nations and the World Bank, will include French of ecosystems, a source from the Elysee Palace told to habitat loss and over-exploitation. Human activi- tional environmental diplomacy today, with a biodi- President Emmanuel Macron, UN chief Antonio AFP, adding that along with global warming, preser- ty, it concluded, had “severely degraded” three- versity summit that launches a critical year for Guterres, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and vation of biodiversity is “our collective life insur- quarters of ice-free land on the planet. —AFP Established 1961 7 International Sunday, January 10, 2021 Devotees flock to Manila church for miracle from Catholic icon Annual Catholic parade cancelled due to COVID-19 MANILA: Thousands of devotees thronged a out of reach on the balcony above the entrance. For church in the Philippine capital yesterday for a many, that was enough. glimpse of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ “I’m so happy with what I’m seeing here now,” believed to have miraculous healing powers, after said George Arevalo, 32, after attending mass, an annual Catholic parade was cancelled due to where social distancing rules have limited the con- COVID-19. Ignoring official pleas to stay home gregation to about 400 people for each service. because of the virus threat, Catholics wearing Arevalo said he touched the statue for the first masks and face shields gathered along an avenue time during the 2017 procession, an act he believes outside the Quiapo Church in Manila where the first ensured his epileptic wife, who was pregnant at the of 15 masses for the feast of the Black Nazarene time, was able to deliver a healthy baby. began before dawn. The risk of catching the coronavirus, which has People patiently waited to enter the church or infected nearly half a million people in the country, watched the back-to-back masses broadcast live on did not bother Marlene Ordiales, 58, who believed large screens outside. The orderly scenes were in the Black Nazarene would protect her. “I don’t mind contrast to the normal frenzied procession involving the pandemic. I leave it up to him,” Ordiales told hundreds of thousands of pilgrims risking life and AFP as she waited to enter the church. limb to touch the icon in the belief it can heal the sick. The life-sized statue-brought to the ‘Pandemic can’t stop us’ Philippines in the early 1600s when the country was Several thousand police were deployed to ensure a Spanish colony-is traditionally pulled through the social distancing in the devout crowd. Manila police packed streets of the capital on a float in one of the chief Brigadier General Leo Francisco estimated world’s biggest displays of Catholic devotion. hundreds of thousands had participated by mid- But fearing it could turn into a virus super- afternoon. About 80 percent of Filipinos consider MANILA: Roman Catholic devotees wearing face masks, face shields and observing social distancing to prevent the spreader event this year, authorities cancelled the themselves to be Catholic. spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus attend mass on a road near Quiapo church in Manila yesterday, during the annual celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene. — AFP parade for the first time in decades and instead The statue is called the Black Nazarene urged people to watch the masses livestreamed on because of its charred color, believed to have Facebook. occurred when it survived a fire aboard a ship en the city to give devotees the opportunity to see it mined to take part. “We shouldn’t be afraid Worshippers attending the church were forced route from Mexico. In the weeks leading up to in the hope of avoiding a huge crowd on feast day. because Jesus is with us,” the 47-year-old said. to look but not touch the icon, which was placed Saturday, it was taken to several churches around But many, like Jasper De Guzman, were deter- “The pandemic can’t stop us.” — AFP

China tightens curbs on new News in brief cluster ahead of Lunar New Year Three Sri Lankans charged in US WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department BEIJING: Two Chinese cities south city, around 300 kilometers (200 miles) charged three Sri Lankans on Friday with sup- of Beijing further tightened virus south of Beijing, have already been porting terrorism for their participation in the restrictions yesterday and issued closed and inter-city passenger travel 2019 Islamic State Easter attack that killed 268 week-long stay at home orders to halted. Supermarkets in Shijiazhuang people. The department said the three were part residents as authorities race to stamp are now closed to walk-in customers, of the “ISIS in Sri Lanka” group behind the out a resurgence in infections. China officials said later yesterday, with pur- attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels has largely brought its domestic out- chases limited to online orders and in three cities on the Christian holiday on April break under control after the coron- contactless deliveries. 21, 2019. The IS claimed responsibility of the avirus first emerged in Wuhan in late More than 16 million people across attack. The charged are Mohamed Naufar, the 2019 but a spike in Hebei province, the two cities had been tested for the BEIJING: People queue to receive vaccines against the COVID-19 coronavirus at a temporary vaccination center in Beijing on Friday. — AFP “second emir” and a recruiter and trainer for ISIS bordering Beijing, has sparked fresh virus since Wednesday, state media in Sri Lanka; Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan, lockdowns ahead of the Lunar New reported. “We haven’t seen a clear who allegedly helped manufacture the bombs Year next month. turning point yet in this outbreak,” said WHO visit being determined, and we are ready used in the attacks; and Ahamed Milhan Hayathu Hebei has reported over 130 con- Shijiazhuang official Ma Yujun. “The Meanwhile, China confirmed yester- here.” “As long as these experts com- Mohamed, who killed a police officer in the firmed COVID-19 cases in the past risk of expansion still exists.” day that preparations were still ongo- plete the procedures and confirm their attack, the Justice Department said. — AFP week, with more than 200 more The curbs come ahead of the Lunar ing for a World Health Organization schedule, we will go to Wuhan togeth- asymptomatic infections. Most of the New Year, when hundreds of millions mission to Wuhan to investigate the er to carry out investigations,” he said. cases were in Shijiazhuang city, which criss-cross China to visit family and origins of COVID-19, following a rare Earlier in the week, Chinese authori- Three held in India for killing dolphin along with its surrounding areas is friends, with National Health rebuke from the UN body over a delay ties had refused to confirm details of home to 11 million people. Several other Commission vice minister Zeng Yixin to the long-planned trip. The com- the visit, a sign of the enduring sensitiv- NEW DELHI: Police arrested three people in ments came after the WHO chief said ity of the mission-which has been beset infections were reported in neighboring warning yesterday the festival “will fur- the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on on Tuesday he was “very disappoint- with delays and politics. The WHO pre- Xingtai city, home to 7 million. ther boost the risk of transmission.” Friday for beating an endangered dolphin to ed” that Beijing had yet to finalize per- viously said China had granted permis- Overnight, both cities announced new, Authorities are racing to roll out vac- death with an axe. In a video shared widely in the mission even as the team of experts sion for a visit by a 10-person team. week-long stay at home orders for cines, with more than 9 million doses Indian press and on social media, a group of men had begun travelling to China to “We are currently waiting for their residents, officials said. given so far, Zeng added. are shown beating the Gangetic dolphin with explore the beginnings of the virus, WHO’s experts to arrive, and have Shijiazhuang also closed its subway Health authorities recently gave sticks and rods before one of them drives an axe which first emerged in late 2019 in the arranged for relevant expert groups to from yesterday morning to aid “pre- conditional approval to a vaccine into its body. “The incident happened on central city. receive them,” Zeng added. He vention and control of the outbreak”, candidate by Chinese pharma giant December 31 and we have arrested three people Yesterday, National Health expressed hope the WHO investiga- authorities said, with taxi services also Sinopharm, with emergency use jabs in connection with the assault,” local policeman Commission vice minister Zeng Yixin tions could further understanding on suspended. already administered in the later part Dinesh Prasad told AFP over the phone. told reporters: “The specific time is the origins of the coronavirus. — AFP Major highways leading into the of 2020. According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are only between 1,200 and 1,800 of the endangered try’s largest and poorest region, rife with ethnic, species left in the world. — AFP Pakistan protesters sectarian and separatist insurgencies. Their Central Asian features make them easy end blockade over targets for Sunni militants who consider them Gambia discovers 3 tons of cocaine heretics. Authorities on Friday promised the arrest of the attackers, payment of compensation BANJUI: Law enforcement officers in The Gambia deaths of miners to the bereaved families and better security for discovered nearly three tons of cocaine in a salt QUETTA: Thousands of mourners gathered in the Hazaras. shipment from Ecuador, its drugs agency said Pakistan yesterday for the burial of 10 miners who A senior government official told AFP the prime Friday, in the tiny West African country’s largest- were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State minister is expected to travel to Quetta on Saturday ever seizure. Officers searching a container in the group that sparked an outcry over the lack of pro- after the Shiite community’s decision to call off their port of the capital Banjul on Thursday found 118 tection for workers. A six-day protest by the Shiite protest. More than 4,000 people attended the last bags of the illegal white powder, which were Hazara community over the killings in the country’s rites of the dead miners whose bodies were laid to labeled as industrial salt, according to a statement restive southwest was finally called off late Friday rest amid tight security six days after their deaths. from The Gambia’s Drug Law Enforcement Agency (DLEAG). The container was part of a after they reached an agreement with the provincial The community’s refusal to bury the bodies was a A boy stands next to a closed shop at a market after government of Balochistan. symbolic protest in Muslim-majority Pakistan, snowfall in Bamiyan province on Friday. — AFP consignment of four containers originating from Shiite protesters numbering up to 3,000 had where according to Islamic culture people should the Ecuadorian port of Guayaquil. — AFP blocked a road on the outskirts of Quetta demand- be buried within 24 hours, before the next sunset. ing personal assurances by Prime Minister Imran Mourners chanted slogans of “down with terror- Khan. The 10 miners from the minority community ism and arrest the culprits”, an AFP photographer Three arrested were kidnapped by gunmen from a remote colliery at the scene said. “The provincial government will 10 babies killed in on Sunday before being taken to nearby hills where form a joint investigation team to recommend action for murder of most were shot dead, while some were beheaded. against those found guilty of negligence leading to India hospital fire Ethnic Hazaras make up most of the Shiite popula- the incident,” said the agreement, a copy of which Afghan activist tion in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan-the coun- was obtained by AFP. —AFP MUMBAI: Ten babies were killed in a maternity KABUL: Afghan forces have arrested three people unit in the Indian state of Maharashtra early yester- in connection with last month’s murder of a promi- day when fire tore through a major hospital, a doc- nent election activist, police said yesterday. tor said. Staff rescued seven of the newborn infants High-profile figures including journalists, politi- at the Bhandara district hospital but were beaten cians and rights activists have increasingly been back before they could get to the 10 others, Pramod targeted in recent months as violence surges in Khandate, a senior doctor, said. Afghanistan despite peace talks between the gov- All of those who died were aged between a few ernment and the Taleban. “Three people have been days and three months, according to reports. “The arrested for the killing of Mohammad Yousuf cause of the fire is not known yet but our staff extin- Rasheed,” Kabul police spokesman Ferdaws guished the fire as soon as they could. The smoke Faramarz told reporters. He did not immediately led to the babies suffocating,” Khandate said. specify when the three were arrested or if they Nurses on duty noticed a fire coming from the belonged to any group. hospital’s neonatal unit and raised the alarm. The On December 23, gunmen ambushed Rasheed, fire brigade stopped the blaze from spreading to who led an independent election monitoring organ- other parts of the hospital and other patients were isation, in a southern suburb of the capital as he moved to safety. “Heart-wrenching tragedy in drove to work. Bhandara, Maharashtra, where we have lost pre- He and his driver died from their wounds later at cious young lives,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi a city hospital. Rasheed was head of the Free and said on Twitter. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) which, called the deaths “extremely tragic.” Authorities according to its website, has worked since 2004 to ordered an immediate inquiry into the latest disas- promote democracy, good governance, and human ter to raise doubts about safety in Indian hospitals. resource management in the conflict-wracked More than 90 people died in an inferno in a Kolkata country. His murder followed a similar pattern of hospital in 2011. A fire at a hospital in Ahmedabad in recent months, where prominent Afghans have been August killed eight coronavirus patients. Another QUETTA: Mourners from the Shiite Hazara community gather for the burial ceremony of miners, who were killed in ambushed during the often-chaotic morning traffic, five COVID-19 patients died in a blaze in a clinic in an attack by gunmen in the mountainous Machh area, during the funeral at a graveyard in Quetta yesterday. — AFP especially in Kabul. — AFP Rajkot in November. — AFP Established 1961

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021 Biden vows to help US economy as virus spike drives job losses Relief program may include larger stimulus checks to taxpayers WASHINGTON: The US economy lost 140,000 pre-pandemic levels. jobs in December as the worsening coronavirus Particularly hard hit was the leisure and hospital- pandemic undermined its recovery, but President- ity sector, which lost 498,000 jobs in December, elect Joe Biden pledged that help is on the way. The according to the government. Black workers still Labor Department on Friday reported the first drop have a far higher jobless rate than other groups at in employment since April, and Biden said the data 9.9 percent, while the rate for Hispanic workers is means a new economic relief package including 9.3 percent. $2,000 direct payments to taxpayers and help for small businesses hit hardest by the spike in Covid- Trying again for $2,000 19 infections must be pushed through urgently. Biden announced that next week he will unveil an “We have no time to lose,” Biden said at an event economic relief program that includes larger stimu- in Wilmington, Delaware where he introduced the lus checks to taxpayers and an increase in the mini- last key members of his economic team. “The bot- mum wage. Congress last month agreed to a $900 tom line is the jobs report shows we need to pro- billion relief package that included $600 stimulus vide more immediate relief for working families and checks for taxpayers, but the Senate blocked an businesses now. Now.” As the single-day death toll attempt to increase those checks to $2,000. topped 4,000 for the first time in the United States Biden, who takes office January 20, said $600 this week, the Labor Department data confirmed payments are “simply not enough.” He also pledged that months of steady gains in hiring were brought that his team will give special attention to small to a halt by the recent surge in infections, which businesses, especially those owned by minorities, prompted states to reimpose restrictions on busi- and provide “support to help them get through the NEW YORK: People walk into a check cashing store in downtown Brooklyn on Friday in New York City. As the COVID-19 nesses to bring the virus under control. other side of this crisis.” The president-elect virus continues to keep people from restaurants, hotels and other retail establishments, a Labor Department report said The result was far worse than the modest gain lamented that under outgoing president Donald on Friday that US employers cut 140,000 jobs in December. — AFP in employment economists forecast, but some Trump’s administration “big, well-connected busi- analysts had warned the decline was coming. “The nesses jumped in front of the line” to get aid, and guidelines to ensure the aid goes first to small busi- Economists say the prospect of further stimulus current COVID-19 wave has stopped the recovery vowed to tighten controls to prevent fraud. nesses. The agencies also said they will tighten offers hope that the hiring slump will reverse, but in its tracks,” Navy Federal Credit Union econo- The December stimulus measure extended some fraud checks after a stream of prosecutions against that will not happen immediately. Gregory Daco mist Robert Frick said. Until the pandemic is jobless benefit programs passed in the early days of individuals accused of stealing tens of millions of of Oxford Economics describe the labor market as tamed and vaccine rollout speeds up, “people will the pandemic and provided another $284 billion in dollars from the program. “chilled but not frozen.” “The worsening health not be rushing back to bars and restaurants any funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). “We are committed to implementing this round situation and the fact that herd immunity is still time soon,” he said. While the unemployment rate The Treasury Department and Small Business of PPP quickly to continue supporting American months away mean that jobs growth will be tepid held steady at 6.7 percent, 10.7 million people Administration announced Friday that the PPP pro- small businesses and their workers,” Treasury in the immediate months ahead,” he said in an remain unemployed-both figures about double the gram will reopen to applications starting today, with Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. analysis. — AFP

had caused “utter confusion”. In addition, the clo- ‘Perfect storm’ sure of the French border before Christmas due to coronavirus fears had caused lengthy delays. Fordyce said in a statement on Thursday that hits Scottish consignments risked going into landfill but also the Murdoch empire slump in exports would give fishing fleets little seafood exporters incentive to put to sea. calls time on Trump “In a very short time, we could see the destruc- EDINBURGH: Scottish seafood exporters said tion of a centuries-old market which contributes but tries to keep Friday they were facing a “perfect storm” from significantly to the Scottish economy,” she added. post-Brexit red tape and coronavirus restrictions, “It’s a perfect storm for Scottish seafood his base onside which could threaten the future of the industry. exporters,” she said. Scotland’s Europe and Donna Fordyce, chief executive of Seafood External Affairs Secretary Michael Russell said the NEW YORK: The storming of the US Capitol Scotland, said companies had faced a “real chal- problems at the borders were “exactly the sorts of has triggered Rupert Murdoch’s media empire to lenge” with new customs checks and paperwork, on issues that Scottish Ministers have been raising call time on Donald Trump, with The Wall Street top of curbs to stop the spread of the virus. “It’s all since the Brexit referendum”. Journal saying the president should resign and Brexit-related,” she told BBC radio, complaining of Scotland voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 even acolytes on Fox News telling viewers he “pinch points” in IT systems on both sides of the referendum. The devolved nation’s governing, pro- has reached the end of his shelf life. Murdoch’s independence Scottish National Party has said In this file photo, workers unload fish at the fish market Channel in England and France. of the port of Roscoff, western France. — AFP right-wing outlets helped propel the property “We wanted a six-month grace period where we Brexit strengthened the argument for Scotland to tycoon-turned reality TV star to the White could iron out all these issues, so that when the time break away from the rest of the UK. “The UK House in 2016, remaining steadfastly loyal for came it would be frictionless.” Scottish seafood is Government, with their bad Brexit deal, chose to Entire trailers were being emptied so that every box four years before cracks in the alliance began to mainly exported to markets in northern France, impose these extra burdens on business at a time of and label can be checked, he said. “Combined with appear on re-election day. where it is then sold on across Europe. With a live unprecedented challenge-which is utterly unac- computer problems on both sides of the English Wednesday’s rampage around the halls of product, time is of the essence. ceptable and very damaging to the economy and Channel, this is a worrying sign for the days and Congress by a pro-Trump mob, leading to five Exporters warned of the risk of delays before for jobs,” Russell added. weeks ahead when the flow of produce will get deaths and worldwide uproar and condemnation, Britain left the Europe Union’s customs union and Jimmy Buchan, the chief executive of the Scottish much greater,” he added. “Ultimately our member appears to have sounded the death knell for the single market on December 31, even with a tariff- Seafood Association, said earlier this week that businesses lose revenue and prices in the market relationship, although the outlets face a tricky and quota-free trade deal. trucks laden with fresh seafood were being held up become depressed in reaction to the problems. “We balancing act keeping his supporters. But Seafood Scotland said firms had been hit by in central Scotland due to problems with customs are at the point now where the white-fish fleet may “Trump’s no longer going to be President of “layer upon layer” of administrative problems which barcodes and lack of veterinary service capacity. have to stop fishing.” — AFP the United States and the odds of him getting back to that position someday keep decreasing. So as his power decreases there’s a logic that says, ‘Let him go, cut him loose,’” New York Hungary kitchen fills welfare University journalism professor Mitchell Stephens said. On Thursday, The Wall Street gap for COVID jobless Journal’s editorial board did just that, calling on the 74-year-old Trump to step down before being impeached. BUDAPEST: Hungarian families regularly stretching for hundreds of “This week has probably finished him as a stricken by unemployment due to the meters. “When we started, so many serious political figure,” said the column, adding: COVID crisis who have also fallen families with children came that I said “It is best for everyone, himself included, if he through the country’s flimsy social whatever happens I have to keep goes away quietly.” The New York Post tabloid, security net say they have little option going to try to help them,” Norbert, another staple of the 89-year-old Murdoch’s but to turn to a pop-up soup kitchen. 48, told AFP. Many in the queue said vast media portfolio, also lashed out at Trump The help is a private initiative by they had lost their jobs due to the with columnist Michael Goodwin writing that the Norbert Bango and his wife Vivien, pandemic. outgoing president was responsible for “this day who run a Budapest restaurant and “I’m one of 50 let go this year from of infamy.” “This time, there is no defense of him. decided to repurpose its kitchen as a my former workplace,” Cecilia Jakab, He owns this,” wrote Goodwin. relief center after it was shuttered last a 37-year-old office cleaner and sin- Even Tucker Carlson, the second most- March during the first coronavirus gle mother of three, said. “We can’t watched TV presenter in the US, who has lockdown. Since then, at least once a pay our bills anymore but since Norbi BUDAPEST: Restaurant owner Norbert Bango (second left) wearing a face mask hands a remained fiercely loyal to Trump for the past five week the couple have been preparing and Vivi started this at least my chil- years, accused him of “recklessly encouraging” and distributing hot meals as well as dren can be fed,” she said. food package to a local family at the door of his restaurant in Budapest. Hungarian fam- ilies stricken by unemployment due to the COVID crisis who have fallen through the the rioters with an inflammatory speech in bags of essentials like cooking oil, Washington earlier in the day. flour and fruit. ‘Work-based society’ country’s flimsy social security net have had to turn to a pop-up privately-run soup kitchen for help. — AFP “At some point you’ve got to wonder where “We’re the only restaurant in cen- The virus caused a recession, our country is putting all of its energy. Is any sin- tral Budapest doing this,” Vivien, 35, which is estimated to have shrunk the gle president, anyone, worth all of this time and told AFP while ladling stew from a economy by over six percent last capped at 130 percent of the mini- has been regularly joining the meals attention?” Carlson said during one of his mono- steaming vat into hundreds of plastic year, and the loss of several hundred mum wage, which stands at around queue. logues on Fox News. With politicians from across bowls of noodles. “We gave up our thousand jobs during the first lock- 500 euros ($613). Payments are also “I was officially registered by my the spectrum and world leaders rushing to con- Christmas break with our family as we down in springtime. However, many limited to three months, one of the employer for only a few hours’ work demn the actions of the rioters, Mark Feldstein, a couldn’t sleep knowing people would unemployed people are not officially shortest periods in the EU. so I got less than the minimum wage journalism professor at the University of go hungry,” she said. registered as such and government According to the National in unemployment benefits and just for Maryland, says the outlets are “trying to protect Located in Budapest’s nightlife dis- data in November showed only a Employment Service agency, half of a few months,” said Gabriella, 65, a their own reputations.” “I think they’re afraid that trict, the “Kis Kulacs” (“Little Flask”) slight rise in unemployment in com- all registered job-seekers nationwide- laid-off dishwasher who did not want Trump has finally gone too far. They’re putting hosted popular live music sessions parison to the previous year, to around 140,000 in December-were her full name published. Prime some distance between themselves and Trump for after the couple bought it two years around 4.5 percent. not entitled to receive state support. Minister Viktor Orban “promotes their own self-preservation. “(But) let’s not forget ago. But since the coronavirus meas- In addition, the EU member has “We don’t get any kind of social what he calls a ‘work-based society’ they are the ones who enabled Trump... so they ures emptied the city of tourists and one of the least generous social secu- aid now, so many people end up and opposes the welfare state in any created a Frankenstein monster and they have no customers, it now plays host to a rity nets in the bloc, with meager here,” said Andras Mezo, 47, a restau- form,” political economist Zoltan one but themselves to blame,” he said. — AFP queue of people desperate for food, unemployment monthly payments rant cook, jobless since March, who Pogatsa told AFP. — AFP 9 Business Sunday, January 10, 2021 Survey shows home-working to quintuple in Britain by 2025 UK clothing giant Asos set to create 2,000 jobs LONDON: Working from home in Britain is Deloitte UK chief Richard Houston said even expected to quintuple by 2025, intensifying a trend after the pandemic, CFOs anticipate greater home- turbo-charged during the coronavirus pandemic, working, diversification of supply chains and invest- according to a study by consulting firm Deloitte ment in technology. “CFOs are optimistic about published Friday. After surveying 90 financial operating in this changing world, with a return to directors drawn from some of Britain’s biggest com- growth expected this year,” he said in a press panies, it found the global health crisis had “trig- release, while stressing most CFOs were keeping gered fundamental and lasting changes in business”. money back to guard against a prolonged lockdown As many as 98 percent of those questioned pre- and business uncertainty. dicted a rise in home-working in the coming years, Houston noted a Christmas Eve trade deal while more than three-quarters expect the govern- between Britain and the European Union ended one ment’s current order to work from home to continue element of uncertainty and was preferable to a “no- through the first half of this year. Almost 60 per- deal” Brexit. But he added CFOs “also recognize the cent expected the curbs on going to workplaces to challenges that leaving the EU may pose in the be permanently lifted in the third quarter, as the years ahead”, noting the deal had little provision for country’s COVID-19 mass-vaccination program professional and financial services. “These high- progresses. productivity sectors are major UK successes and The government imposed a third stay-at-home make vital contributions to jobs and prosperity,” lockdown this week after a surge in infections linked Houston said. to a new strain. It intends to review the measures in British online clothing retailer Asos on Friday mid-February. Meanwhile, almost all chief financial unveiled plans to create 2,000 jobs over the next This picture shows Yuki Sato, an employee in a startup company, working from home as a result of the COVID-19 novel officers (CFOs) surveyed expect personal taxes to three years with the creation of a new warehouse in coronavirus in Tokyo. — AFP increase, with nearly two-thirds predicting higher central England. The facility, costing £90 million taxes on businesses and an increased state role fol- ($123 million, 99.5 million euros), will be located in “When fully up and running in 2023, the site will enjoyed booming demand during the coronavirus lowing huge interventions to prop up the economy. Lichfield in Staffordshire, north of the city of support our ever-increasing customer demand and pandemic as consumers flocked online instead of “By and large, this massive forced experiment in Birmingham, Asos said in a statement. enable us to develop our offerings and delivery visiting the high street. Sales surged by almost a home-working has been very successful,” Ian “We’re thrilled to be laying down the foundations capabilities even further.” fifth to £3.26 billion in the group’s financial year that Stewart, chief economist at Deloitte, told the Daily for our future growth,” said Chief Executive Nick The new warehouse will join the group’s three ran to October, while pre-tax profit rocketed 329 Telegraph. “Sectors have been able to maintain Beighton. He said the decision to invest in addition- other fulfilment centers which are located in percent to £142.1 million. The company has more quite a high degree of effectiveness operating al infrastructure and create a large number of jobs Barnsley in northwestern England, Berlin in than 23 million customers across the world, includ- from home.” reflects the company’s confidence in its future. Germany and Atlanta in the United States. Asos has ing 7.1 million in home market Britain. — AFP Bitcoin soars past $40,000 Airbus orders for first time plunge 65% LONDON: The price of the cryptocurrency bitcoin PARIS: European plane maker Airbus said soared past $40,000 for the first time on Thursday, Friday that it garnered just 268 net new orders rising $10,000 in just five days. The price of bitcoin last year, a drop of 65 percent year-on-year was $40,380 at roughly 1820 GMT, having jumped reflecting persistent fears about the prospects 10.4 percent during the trading session. for air travel amid the coronavirus crisis. The It later lost some ground and Factset data valued new orders take into account 115 cancellations it at $38,950 dollars, up 6.52 percent on the day, at as airlines scaled back their ambitions 1850 GMT. The cryptocurrency, which has known because of uncertainty about how long inter- wild swings in value, passed $30,000 for the first national travel restrictions will remain in place. time just yesterday. “Investors continue to hop on Deliveries of completed Airbus planes also the cryptocurrency train which appears to be gain- suffered, falling 34 percent to 566 planes last ing more interest now that the US economy is year. “Based on our 2020 deliveries, we are poised to deliver more stimulus in Biden’s first 100 cautiously optimistic as we look into 2021, days,” said market analyst Edward Moya at curren- although challenges and uncertainties remain cy trading platform Oanda. But its latest meteoric high in the short term,” chief executive MARSEILLE: People walk past Bitcoin digital currency ATM shop in Marseille, southern France, on Friday. — AFP rise is already fuelling talk of a new correction. Guillaume Faury said in a statement. Fellow Oanda analyst Craig Erlam warned that The company scaled back production at its even if a correction does not seem imminent, once JPMorgan Chase compared the cryptocurrency to Facebook’s recent moves to produce its own digital factories by 40 percent last spring, and Faury one emerges “it’s going to hurt”. And one gold-and this week predicted the unit could rise to unit, Libra. Unregulated by any central bank, bitcoin said in October that no uptick was expected European analyst who wished to remain anony- $146,000, if not higher. emerged as an attractive option for investors with before the third quarter of 2021. Airlines are mous told AFP that “it’s starting to get worrying- “Bitcoin could compete more intensely with gold an appetite for the exotic-although criminals have facing their worst year ever, the International it’s no longer at all the market of a few weeks as an ‘alternative’ currency over the coming years also picked up on its under-the-radar appeal. Air Transport Association warned in back-a correction is inevitable.” given that millennials will become over time a more Debate has meanwhile raged over the status of November, with the Covid crisis likely to have Others, at Societe Generale, said if a large fall important component of investors’ universe,” they the digital asset, launched in late 2008, as to slashed industry revenue by 60 percent in does materialize people will likely look back at “bit- said. A number of central banks have meanwhile whether it should be seen as a form of money, an 2020. Even though airlines have reduced costs coin’s pandemic bubble.” Just 12 years old, bitcoin responded to the rise of cryptocurrencies and the asset or a commodity. by $1 billion a day, grounded fleets and cut has seen a meteoric rise since March, when it stood dwindling global use of cash by announcing plans After the unit-worth a handful of cents in late jobs, they are still racking up huge and at $5,000, spurred by online payments giant PayPal for bank-backed digital units. 2008 — surpassed $1,000 for the first time in “unprecedented” losses, the IATA said. — AFP saying it would enable account holders to use cryp- Several central banks including those of China 2013, it increasingly began to attract the attention tocurrency. After PayPal’s announcement in and Sweden-but also the US Federal Reserve-are of financial institutions and has experienced wild October, analysts at investment banking giant also testing digital applications in response to price swings. — AFP Deutsche Bank opers whose software is made available at Google Google pulls Parler Play, according to the Silicon Valley internet titan. to pay $130m to “In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app’s listings from the from app shop for Play Store until it addresses these issues,” Google settle US probes said. Apple has reportedly warned Parler that its NEW YORK: Deutsche Bank will pay $130 million ‘egregious content’ software could be removed from the App Store if it to settle a foreign bribery probe and fraud charges doesn’t take measures to prevent users from plan- in precious metals trading, US officials announced SAN FRANCISC0: Google said Friday it had ning illegal, violent activities on the platform such as Friday. The bribery case relates to illegal payments pulled the Parler app from its mobile store for the deadly attack in Washington. and to false reporting of those sums on the bank’s allowing “egregious content” that could incite Conservatives backing President Donald Trump’s books and records between 2009 and 2016, the deadly violence like that seen at the US Capitol. claims of election malfeasance have sparked a Department of Justice said in a press release. The The Parler social network has become a haven migration to alternative social media sites that have bank “knowingly and wilfully” kept false records for far-right personalities who say they have been refrained from filtering unverified claims. The shift This illustration file photo shows social media after employees conspired with a Saudi consultant censored by other social media platforms. “We’re has boosted right-wing favorites like Parler, to facilitate bribe payments of over $1 million to a aware of continued posting in the Parler app that Newsmax and Rumble, which have rejected application logo Parler displayed on a smartphone in Arlington, Virginia. — AFP decision maker, the DOJ said. seeks to incite ongoing violence in the US,” Google Facebook and Twitter’s approach of labeling and In another case, the bank paid more than $3 mil- said in a response to an AFP inquiry. limiting the reach of conspiracy theories. lion “without invoices” to an Abu Dhabi consultant “For us to distribute an app through Google Play, Facebook and Twitter banned Trump accounts have struggled with manipulation and misinforma- “who lacked qualifications... other than his family we do require that apps implement robust modera- Friday due to fear he would use them to instigate tion, while at the same time seeking to keep their relationship with the client decision maker,” the tion for egregious content,” the company added, another attack such as the one in the nation’s capital platforms open to a variety of viewpoints. DOJ said. In addition to criminal fines and pay- referring to its shop for digital content tailored for on Wednesday. Sites like Parler have attracted Parler and similar sites have become a magnet for ments of ill-gotten gains, Deutsche Bank agreed to Android-powered devices. Republican lawmakers as well as the Trump cam- racist and anti-Semitic tropes along with groups that cooperate with government investigators under a Policies and enforcement practices that curb paign. As they have become increasingly important have been banned from other platforms for posting three-year deferred prosecution agreement. posts inciting violence are agreed to by app devel- to the political conversation, Twitter and Facebook hateful content or promoting violence. — AFP In the commodities fraud case, Deutsche Bank metals traders in New York, Singapore and London between 2008 and 2013 placed fake trade clients looking to cut spending. The turnaround in orders to profit by deceiving other market partici- India IT giant TCS demand from customers in the key financial and pants, the DOJ said. The agreement took into banking sectors helped the firm post one of its account Deutsche Bank’s cooperation with the strongest third quarter performances. “Growing probes, DOJ said. “Deutsche Bank engaged in a sees profits jump demand for core transformation services... have criminal scheme to conceal payments to so-called driven a powerful momentum that helped us over- consultants worldwide who served as conduits for on virus demand come seasonal headwinds”, TCS chief executive bribes to foreign officials and others so that they Rajesh Gopinathan said in a statement. “We are could unfairly obtain and retain lucrative business MUMBAI: India’s largest software exporter Tata entering the new year on an optimistic note, our projects,” said Acting US Attorney Seth D. Consultancy Services saw its quarterly profits climb market position stronger than ever before, and our DuCharme of the Eastern District of New York. more than seven percent Friday, citing strong confidence reinforced by the continued strength in “This office will continue to hold responsible demand for its cloud services as the pandemic our order book and deal pipeline,” he added. financial institutions that operate in the United boosts remote working. The country’s second-most Quarterly revenues rose by 5.4 percent to over States and engage in practices to facilitate criminal valuable firm by market size said net profit jumped 420 billion rupees, the company said. TCS was at TCS chief executive Rajesh Gopinathan said the com- activity in order to increase their bottom line.” by 7.2 percent to 87.01 billion rupees ($1.19 billion) the forefront of an IT boom that saw India become pany is entering the new year on an optimistic note. “We take responsibility for these past actions, for the October-December quarter compared to a a back office to the world as firms in developed which took place between 2008 and 2017,” said year earlier. nations subcontracted work, taking advantage of a Deutsche Bank spokesperson Dan Hunter, adding The figures represent a rebound for the compa- skilled English-speaking workforce. The company States and Europe. Shares of TCS closed almost that the company has taken “significant remedial ny after earlier coronavirus-led lockdowns damp- earns more than 80 percent of its revenues from three percent higher in Mumbai ahead of the results actions” including hiring staff and upgrading tech- ened the appetite for its services among Western Western markets including Britain, the United being released. — AFP nology to address the shortcomings. —AFP 10 Established 1961 Business Sunday, January 10, 2021 KIB awarded ‘Best Bank in Terms of Branch Design for the Year 2020’ Recognition by WUAB at Arab Banks Awards & Commendations of Excellence 2020

KUWAIT: Kuwait International Bank (KIB) recent- ting to providing an easy and safe banking experi- tops available throughout the branch to meet the perity, reflecting the ly added a new award to its track record of presti- ence for customers, as well as implementing needs of customers. He pointed out that these top- Bank’s motto “Bank for gious accolades, by garnering the “Best Bank in unique architectural design concepts and engi- of-the-line technologies have changed the stereo- Life” and its primary Terms of Branch Design for the Year 2020” Award neering planning for its branches. type associated with banking services provided to goal of achieving sus- from World Union of Arab Banks (WUAB). KIB Commenting on the recognition, Naser Al- customers within branches, thereby providing a tainable and lifelong was awarded at the Arab Banks Awards & Qenai, Head of Administration at the Business seamless banking experience tailored to suit to development,” he added. Commendations of Excellence 2020, which was Services Department at KIB, said: “This award is a their modern and more sophisticated lifestyle. It serves to note that organized for the sixth year in a row by the testament the innovative and noteworthy design He further noted that KIB has been keen to put WUAB is headquartered Banking Executive Magazine (the Monthly publi- that KIB has begun to roll out at a number of its forward a completely different design vision with in Beirut, Lebanon, and cation of the World Union of Arab Bankers) to new branches, which comes in line with the Bank’s concepts aimed at strategically integrating the comprises more than honor the achievements of Arab banks. The event digital transformation strategy which seeks to aesthetic and functional elements together which 500 members from was attended by leading bankers and supervisory establish KIB as an innovation-driven, digital-first qualified KIB to win this award. “The architectural across the region. WUAB figures from both regional and international finan- bank. Today, our vision is focused on revolutioniz- design of the branch boasts social interiors that publishes The Banking Naser Al-Qenai cial institutions. ing our customer experience in the near future, by create a seamless banking environment, with its Executive Magazine, KIB was selected as an award recipient based adopting the latest innovations and technology interior design inspired by Kuwaiti architecture which organized the first Arab Banking Excellence on several key criteria evaluated by the awards there is in the banking sector.” and heritage following Al-Liwan, which revives and Achievement Awards in 2015. Today, the event committee, which consists of a group of banking Al-Qenai pointed out that KIB recently opened Kuwaiti heritage and culture through a unified has become a landmark in the Arab banking indus- experts and economists, who conducted a com- its newest branch in 89 Mall in Egaila, which fea- architectural idiom. A special touch was added to try, honoring 50 Arab banks in the presence of a prehensive study of key criteria. This included: tures high-level technical specifications and is the waiting area of unique and welcoming design; group of board leaders, executives and senior adopting the latest advanced technology, commit- equipped with tablets, interactive screens and lap- a full-size tree symbolizing life, growth and pros- management members on annual basis.

sive management system stc receives ISO to effectively manage such incidents in case they occurred. Through Canada’s Westjet certification in active monitoring and continuously enhancing business continuity the system, stc managed announces layoffs, to safely resume its oper- KUWAIT: Kuwait Telecommunications Company - ations for all stakeholders flight cancellations stc, a world-class digital leader providing innovative while abiding to the services and platforms to customers, enabling the guidelines imposed by the MONTREAL: Westjet, Canada’s second largest digital transformation in Kuwait, announced that it government. airline, announced Friday temporary layoffs of as has been certified with the latest version of the ISO Eng. Fahad Al-Ali, stc Fahad Al-Ali many as 1,000 staff as demand for flights Certification in Business Continuity (ISO Chief Technology Officer, dropped off with the sudden introduction of 22301:2019). The certification comes after a thor- said, “Receiving this ISO certification confirms and stricter Canadian entry rules to curb the spread ough and vigorous auditing process performed by demonstrates our commitment to implement a of the novel coronavirus. The carrier said it will TopCertifier, one of the leading consultation firms in robust business continuity plan that is adaptable to have to cut 230 flights per week in February and ISO certifications. different circumstances and resilient during times of March, reducing its capacity by almost one-third, stc released a statement indicating that the certi- uncertainty. At stc, we continuously search for new citing “volatile demand” and “instability in the fication process, headed by the Business Continuity ways to enhance the offerings and services we pro- face of continuing federal government travel Team and involved several other employees, vide our customers with. To continue delivering the advisories and restrictions.” revealed the practices and procedures implemented same quality of services to our customers, it is criti- As of Thursday, air travellers have been within the Company while implementing its business cal that we provide our employees with access to required to show a negative test for the Covid- continuity plan. During the evaluation process, the the necessary resources they need through a 19 illness before being allowed to board a flight team presented the necessary requirements streamlined and documented process.” to Canada. They must also quarantine for 14 requested by the international ISO standard in Al Ali added, “Our focus is to uphold the high- days upon arrival. “Immediately following the details, while confirming that internal protocols est international standards when delivering our federal government’s inbound testing announce- were taken accordingly. The findings and docu- digital solutions to customers, and as we imple- team at stc and all those who participated in achiev- ment on December 31, and with the continuation mented procedures were delivered by the Business ment our digital transformation strategy. ing this great recognition for the Company. of the 14-day quarantine, we saw significant Continuity Team to the independent auditing team Throughout the year, we were committed to sup- Considering that stc is the most recent telecom reductions in new bookings and unprecedented at TopCertifier for verification prior to the submis- porting our customers and the Kuwaiti market company to enter the Kuwaiti market, the Board of cancellations,” Westjet president Ed Sims said sion. stc has obtained and maintained the (ISO during a difficult period, while delivering our Directors at stc had recommended to plan and in a statement. 22301:2012) version since 2017, and since then has services interruptions-free. We identified the establish a continuity plan in case of unexpected He decried the new measure as “hasty” and been following the requirements of the quality stan- challenges that appeared in our path and trans- events that may disrupt both the internal and exter- “incoherent,” and said it was “causing Canadian dard, and accordingly, stc has revamped its formed them into opportunities to elevate the user nal operations of the Company. travellers unnecessary stress and confusion.” processes to adhere to the requirements of the lat- experience. This enabled us to introduce new-to- It is worth mentioning that the latest version of A handful of Canadians were reportedly est version (ISO 22301:2019). market products that can leverage on the strength the ISO 22301 is an upgrade to a comprehensive denied boarding on the first flights from Cuba The ISO Certification in Business Continuity of our strong 5G network and revamp our servic- standard that represents the highest level of com- and Mexico since the rule came into effect. comes as a testament to the diligent approach taken es to provide convenient access to our individual mitment to business continuity and disaster pre- Westjet said the staffing reductions impacting by stc to implement protocols and guidelines to and corporate customers. Moving forward, we aim paredness. By achieving ISO 22301 certification, stc “the equivalent of 1,000 employees” would maintain all business-related operations during the to further enhance our offerings and expand our continues to demonstrate its focus on high availabil- include furloughs, temporary layoffs, unpaid pandemic. While the continuity plan goes beyond spectrum of digital solutions to cater to the needs ity and business continuity, as well as the commit- leaves and reduced hours. the restrictive measures witnessed during the pan- of our diverse customer base.” ment to constantly provide reliable services to its It also announced a hiring freeze. This is in demic, the team at stc had developed a comprehen- In his words of appreciation, Al-Ali thanked the customers. addition to the cutting of half its workforce in March, and subsequent reductions that left it with 5,700 active workers and 5,200 inactive preoccupy lawmakers in Congress as prior to the latest cuts. Equities extend Democrats vow to impeach Trump, but The Canadian airline industry has been ask- markets have been looking ahead to ing for months for a bailout from the Canadian gains as stimulus Biden’s inauguration and expectations for government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more fiscal support. Oil prices reached Friday those negotiations continue, outlining 10-month highs, continuing to benefit demands that passengers be reimbursed for bets roll in from news earlier in the week that Saudi cancelled flights and that regional routes be Arabia plans to trim its crude output. NEW YORK: Global stock markets The prospect of another massive fis- maintained. mostly rose Friday at the end of a strong He noted that the government has spent close to cal infusion for the US economy helped week for equities, with Frankfurt and divert attention from soaring Covid-19 Can$1.5 billion supporting Canadian airlines Wall Street continuing a record-break- through wage subsidies and other aid. “We know infection and death rates that have ing run as investors set their sights on a forced governments to once again lock that the airline industry has been extremely hard- huge US stimulus package. hit by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Trudeau said. down as they try to quickly roll out vac- The dollar traded mixed as data cinations. “We need more direct relief “People shouldn’t be travelling and that of course is showed the US economy shed 140,000 a direct challenge for the airline industry.” —AFP flowing to families, small businesses, jobs in December — the first drop since including finishing the job of getting April — in a sign the recovery from the people the $2,000 in relief direct pay- pandemic’s damage has stalled. “Today’s ment,” Biden said Friday. nonfarm payrolls shouldn’t make too In Europe, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 index Major US labor much difference to sentiment as had opened at a record-high above FRANKFURT: A display showing the German Stock Market Index DAX at investors are only really focused on the 14,100 points, with traders putting their 14131.52 points is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, path forward with vaccines and stimu- faith in vaccine rollouts to get on Friday. —AFP federation calls lus,” noted Neil Wilson, chief analyst at economies up and running once more. It Markets.com. trimmed its gains, but still ended the day for Trump removal All three major US indices finished at with another record close. “Traders are stormed the Capitol hours earlier, trig- cially after Democrats won the two all-time highs, with the Nasdaq up the unfazed by the chaos that we experi- gering unprecedented scenes of may- Senate seat runoffs in Georgia giving the NEW YORK: The largest trade union federation most at one percent. US stocks have ral- enced on Capitol Hill yesterday,” noted hem in the seat of US democracy. party control of the chambers. Biden in the United States on Friday joined a growing lied this week in spite of chaos in Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Trump, who spoke to a rally early in also has pledged to accelerate the vac- chorus of business and political organizations Washington after supporters of outgo- AvaTrade. the day and urged them to march on the cine rollout, which raises hopes the calling for President Donald Trump’s immediate ing President Donald Trump stormed the US lawmakers in the early hours of Capitol, in the wake of the mayhem Covid-19 pandemic can be reined in. removal from office following Wednesday’s vio- nation’s Capitol building in an unsuc- Thursday morning finally managed to promised an “orderly transition.” But Craig Erlam at currency trading platform lent riot that he instigated. “The deadly storming cessful effort to block Joe Biden’s elec- formally certify Joe Biden as the next US investors focused on the increased Oanda also noted that investor concerns of the US Capitol by a mob looking to overturn tion victory from being confirmed. president, dealing a hammer blow to chances of another huge stimulus pack- about Democratic control of Congress the results of a free and fair election, encour- Fallout from those events continued to Donald Trump whose supporters age under a Biden administration espe- have quickly dissipated. —AFP aged and inspired by President Donald Trump, was one of the greatest attacks on our democra- cy in American history,” the federation said in a The deal involves the fifth section in a 2,561-kilo- Railway Construction Limited. Chamuriho invited statement. Tanzania inks $1.3bn metre (1,600-mile) railway whose construction Chinese companies to bid for the final two phases of “Trump is an affront to every union member, began in 2017. The overall plan is to link the Indian the railway and also urged the country to assist in and a clear and present danger to our nation and Ocean port of Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on Lake financing the project, currently being paid for by the our republic,” the organization added. “He should railway deal with Victoria, with eventual spurs to Burundi, Tanzanian government. Turkish company Yapi resign or be removed from office at once, whether Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Merkezi is already constructing the first two phases through impeachment or the 25th Amendment to Chinese firms Uganda. involving over 700 kilometers from Dar es Salaam. the US Constitution.” The statement came as con- The Chinese firms will build a 341-kilometre The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on gressional Democrats moved ahead with efforts to DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: Tanzania on Friday section between the port city of Mwanza on Lake a two-day visit to Tanzania, said ties were strength- remove Trump over the attack on the Capitol, even Victoria and Isaka in the northwest, according to ening between the two nations. Chinese companies with President-elect Joe Biden set to take office signed a $1.3-billion (1-billion-euro) deal with two Chinese companies for building a section of a rail- Tanzanian Transport Minister Leonard have built several major infrastructure projects in on January 20. The Wednesday assault saw a mob Chamuriho. Tanzania worth about $10 billion. of angry Trump supporters storm the US Capitol way aimed at linking its main port to neighboring countries. President John Magufuli and Chinese “This signing is a clear testimony of the friend- “I ask Chinese companies to make sure they shortly after Trump reiterated baseless election ship between Tanzania and China,” Chamuriho said implement projects with required standards. They conspiracies to the crowd and told supporters “if Foreign Minister Wang Yi oversaw the signing of at the event. The builders will be China Civil should actually put the interest of Tanzania first,” you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a the contract at an event broadcast live on state country anymore.” —AFP television. Engineering Construction Corporation and China said Wang. —AFP 11

Sunday, January 10, 2021

Dr. Hamoud Abdullah Alarouj ENT Consultant, Laryngologist Kuwait Board of Otolaryngology. Experienced In: Laryngology Fellowship, McGill Management of benign and malignant vocal cord lesions. University- Canada. Vocal cord augmentation. Fellow of the European Board of Diagnosis and treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery. Adenotonsillectomy using latest techniques. Member of the American Academy of Myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion. Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Surgery for the deviated nasal septum. Member of the British Laryngological Endoscopic sinus surgery. Association. Diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis. Member of the European Laryngological Tympanoplasty. Society. Diagnosis and treatment of vertigo. Member of the Canadian Society of Thyroid surgery Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. Diagnosis and treatment of snoring.

To advertise on this Page Call: 24833199 ext:101,102 or Direct line: 24835616 / 24835617 or email: [email protected] 12 Established 1961 Lifestyle Gossip Sunday, January 10, 2021

ast year, Katy, 36, was granted Flynn have all been covered by a pro- When he refused, he was placed under ing she is “in immediate fear” for her L a temporary restraining order tective order against Terry, who is citizen’s arrest and then formally arrest- own safety, as well as the safety of her against a man named William “believed homeless and living in a silver ed for criminal trespass by the LAPD.” family and friends. She said: “I do now Terry, who showed up at Katy’s property Buick sedan”. In her initial filing in The man allegedly told Katy’s security know if this person owns or possesses after reportedly harassing her family on September, Katy said: “I do not know he intended to enter the home, and the any firearms or other weapons. I have social media. He was charged with tres- him. He is a complete stranger who ‘Daisies’ singer also accused him of great fear that he does or may have passing and was due in court in Los trespassed on my property, is stalking making threats on social media. She access to weapons. I am in immediate Angeles last week but was a no-show. me and who threatened my family.” The explained: “William has made threats on fear for my own safety, that of my part- TMZ reports that a bench warrant has singer listed the last date of harassment Twitter including that he wants to ‘snap ner, my newborn child, our family, and been issued over Terry’s failure to as September 8, when she alleged Orlando Bloom’s neck’ as well as lewd friends.” appear in court. Katy, her fiance William “jumped the fence of my home posts about me. He has entered my Orlando Bloom, their daughter Daisy in the Beverly Hills area”. She added: property and poses a violent threat to all Dove, and Orlando’s nine-year-old son “Security ordered [William] to leave. of us.” Katy finished her filing by claim-

magazine. Taylor wrote: “Sometimes all the puzzle pieces fall into place at the Phoebe Waller perfect time. A combination of razor- sharp instincts, killer wit and genuine care for the people she works with Bridge made £7 proved to be a winning hand. She is the executive producer and was a showrun- ner of the thrilling hit show ‘Killing Eve’. he ‘That Don’t Impress Me she told Cosmo magazine: “French million in just Her one-woman play ‘Fleabag’ was T Much’ singer admitted she fries. There are so many kinds of French adapted into a show that turned her into could happily eat nothing but fries; curly ones, cheesy ones, sea- everyone’s favorite self-sabotaging the potato product and she embraces soned ones. “Chips with curry sauce maker of mischief. (Phoebe has a habit many different varieties so is always are on my list for the next time I’m in the one year of creating complex female anti¨heroes opening to trying them with a twist. UK.” The 55-year-old star thinks she’s in a way that seemed previously Asked what she’d choose if she could “boring” but she’d bring out her juggling he ‘Fleabag’ creator picked up reserved for male characters.) And she only eat one food for the rest of her life, balls if she wanted to wow someone. T the huge sum between March co-wrote the screenplay for the new She said: “I’m not a very good partyer, 2019 and March 2020 after Bond film. “It’s magical to see that all I’m kind of boring. But I can juggle - I being hired to work on the ‘No Time To the rehearsals, baby steps, false starts learned when I was about 12. “I think I Die’ Bond screenplay. A source told The and dead ends can lead to an extreme- was bored one day so gave it a go and Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “This ly driven and unfathomably talented found I had a knack for is.” And juggling millions in the future. “TV and film pro- really is a landmark moment for her woman unwinding in a lounge chair sur- isn’t Shania’s only surprising skill. She ducers have been scrambling to sign which makes her one of the world’s rounded by her winnings. “Phoebe revealed: “I chop wood. I cut down and her up, now they’ll have to come up with most sought after talents in TV and Waller-Bridge and all that she has chop my own deadwood trees for my even more lucrative deals.” Meanwhile, movies. “Phoebe’s £7million earnings achieved is, indeed, a big mood.” stove. There you go, I’m a juggling lum- last year Phoebe, 35, was named as are a reflection of just how far she’s berjack.” When it comes to splashing one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most come over the past five years, and a out, the ‘Man! I Feel Like a Woman’ Influential People in the World for 2020 sign of her huge potential to earn tens of singer’s most expenses go on her horse and Taylor Swift paid tribute to her in the riding hobby. She said: “Horses are pretty expensive and I like to spend money on horses. “I’ve always ridden them but haven’t owned many in a while and I’m just starting to reintroduce them into my life. I have five at the moment.”

nya Taylor-Joy has been over- A whelmed by the popularity of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’. The 24- year-old actress stars in the hit Netflix series as chess prodigy Beth Harmon and explained how she was taken aback he ‘Formation’ singer her website read: “Phase Two of the when seeing herself on a billboard in Los T announced last month that her BeyGOOD Impact Fund will now help Angeles advertising the show. Anya BeyGOOD Foundation were those impacted by the housing crisis. recalled: “After quarantining I was still teaming up with NAACP to help people The housing moratorium is set to end on very jet-lagged so went for a walk at four who need assistance with their accom- December 26th, resulting in mortgage in the morning and ended up on Sunset modation amid the coronavirus pan- foreclosures and rental evictions. Many Boulevard and there was a giant bill- demic and now they are officially taking families are impacted, due to the pan- board of my face. “I have never experi- applications for $5,000 grants. demic that resulted in job loss, sickness enced that before in my life and promptly BeyGood Foundation announced on and overall economy downturn. “This turned around and walked away Instagram: “Housing assistance is here. holiday season, while many are because it was too much.” Anya Online applications start today for those stressed with what they will do next explained that her character’s “passion” impacted by the housing crisis caused regarding their housing, we are proud to for chess has helped make the 1960s set by the pandemic. Go to @naacp.org for share some GOOD news. BeyoncÈ is series so successful. Speaking during an more info and to apply for the $5K giving $5k grants to individuals and appearance on tonight’s episode of ‘The grants (sic)” The initiative will help 100 families facing foreclosures or evictions. Graham Norton Show’, she said: “I think African American households who have All necessary documentation must be it is a few different things. It is a story of got behind on their rent or mortgages provided to the NAACP. Online redemption and it’s nice to know you can due to income struggles amid the global Application process opens January 7, overcome your demons in that way, but health crisis. A statement on the NAACP 2021, where 100 recipients will be also passion is just exciting. “When you selected and grants disbursed in late see how passionate she is about chess it January. Round 2 will open in February. just draws you in. And it’s really pretty to And there’s more holiday GOOD NEWS. look at.” The ‘Emma’ star also told her fel- he Kardashians have filmed their - through the good times, the bad times, low guest - former ‘Great British Bake Stay tuned next week as we announce T last scene of ‘Keeping Up With the happiness, the tears, and the many the December recipients of the Small Off’ host Mel Giedroyc - that she had The Kardashians’. The reality relationships and children. We’ll forever watched episodes of the hit baking show Business Impact Fund. #BeyGOOD ... show is set to end after this series and cherish the wonderful memories and Keep the Faith ... Remain in Hope ... during the “intense experience” of play- Kim Kardashian West, Khloe countless people we’ve met along the ing Beth. Anya said: “Being in Beth’s Together we can all Help (sic)” Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, way. Thank you to the thousands of indi- BeyGOOD have already been support- headspace the whole time was quite an Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Kris viduals and businesses that have been intense experience and I had never seen ing black-owned small businesses amid Jenner have reunited to film the last din- a part of this experience and, most the coronavirus pandemic as well as ‘Bake Off’ before, so I clung to it for the ner scene of the E! program, after 14 importantly, a very special thank you to whole time - I watched it from the very donating $6 million to mental health years of being on the air. Kim shared a Ryan Seacrest for believing in us, E! for wellness. Speaking about the support beginning, so you were right there with video from the set, where she showed being our partner, and our production me the whole time.” The ‘Witch’ star pre- they have provided since the start of the her millions of followers a clip of her get- team at Bunim/Murray, who’ve spent pandemic, they added: “When we were viously revealed she learned to speak ting her microphone fitted for the final countless hours documenting our lives. English when she moved to the UK from faced with the pandemic caused by time. She also showed off the table set- Our last season will air early next year in COVID-19, BeyGOOD created a plan to Argentina at the age of six thanks to J.K. ting, where each of the family were giv- 2021. Without ‘Keeping Up with The Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ novels. She said: website explained: “The NAACP is com- make a difference. We assisted organi- en a special customized emoji as their Kardashians’, I wouldn’t be where I am mitted to helping ensure African zations across the country that were “”I wanted to go home, and in my six, place setting. Back in September, it was today. I am so incredibly grateful to seven-year-old mentality I thought my Americans maintain their wealth and providing people with basic needs like confirmed ‘Keeping Up with the everyone who has watched and sup- financial security during this unprece- food, water, household supplies and parents would have to take me back if I Kardashians’ will end in 2021. Kim wrote ported me and my family these past 14 didn’t speak the language. “My uncle dented time of COVID-19. “We are part- COVID testing. We also provided mental in a statement: “It is with heavy hearts incredible years. This show made us nering with BeyGOOD to provide one health support. We then launched our would sit me down with the Harry Potter that we’ve made the difficult decision as who we are and I will be forever in debt books, so all my language when I was hundred grants up to $5,000 each to BeyGOOD Small Business Impact fund a family to say goodbye to ‘Keeping Up to everyone who played a role in shap- families who are delinquent in their and to date over 250 small businesses young was quite precocious because I with the Kardashians’. After what will be ing our careers and changing our lives was learning from these books.” She home mortgage or rental payments.” have received $10k grants. BeyoncÈ is 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of forever.” The ‘Crazy in Love’ hitmaker announced continuing her heart of support and then jokingly added: “I was very well episodes and numerous spin-off shows, versed in spells from a very young age.” details of the scheme - which will fea- helping where needed most.” we are beyond grateful to all of you ture a second round of applications next who’ve watched us for all of these years month - in December. A message on

he star’s self-titled talk show has given time. However, the studio have your house. This is our first show of the T been airing reruns since 10 confirmed all crew members will be paid new year. And exciting new year. 2021 December after the 62-year-old during the modified production schedule is in, 2020 is out. “I’ve been bubbling presenter was diagnosed with coron- following previous uncertainty in the ear- with enthusiasm, optimism. I’ve been avirus but filming was due to resume on ly days of the first lockdown in 2020. ready for a return to normalcy. And here 4 January at the Warner Bros. lot. Like Ellen’s show, ‘Dr. Phil’ will also I am doing the show from my kitchen However, rising cases of the virus and resume production next Monday from its again. “Because there’s a deadly virus, the fact Southern California’s hospitals Paramount Studios set but it will feature that seems to be living in LA now. It are overstretched made the date unten- a live audience on Zoom. The current sit- seems to have taken permanent resi- able, but it has now been confirmed pro- uation in California has seen night time dence here. I believe it lives across the duction will star next week, but without a talk show hosts Jimmy Kimmel and street from me in Kendall Jenner’s old studio audience. Other restrictions will James Corden return to broadcasting house.” And James was also back in his be in place, including Ellen being joined from their homes this week. Opening his own garage set at home, where he had only by a skeleton staff and crew, with a program on Monday night, Jimmy broadcast a lot of his own show earlier in goal to minimize the number of employ- laughed: “Hi, I’m Jimmy, I’m the host of the pandemic during the summer. ees needed at the show’s offices at any this house. Thanks for watching from —BangShowbiz Established 1961 13 Lifestyle Features Sunday, January 10, 2021

ndian fashion designer Satya Paul, world of fashion retail with the 1980 Iwhose eponymous brand breathed life launch of L’Affaire, India’s first sari bou- into the traditional sari, modernizing tique, before establishing his own label the garment with funky prints, has died five years later. His pioneering designs at 78, his family said. Born on February blended Indian handloom techniques 2, 1942, he first made his mark in the with a modern palette, producing saris adorned with polka dots, zebra prints and abstract motifs. He did not limit himself to saris however, expanding into accessories such as scarves and ties, and eventually creating a retail empire that spanned eight Indian cities and a thriving online business. Drawn to spiritual pursuits from an early age, Paul passed away at an ashram in the southern city of Coimbatore on Wednesday after suffer- ing a stroke last month, his son Puneet Nanda said. “Those who have been with him at any point in life would recall him of corporate rigour and hiring well- “Fashion schools-Please introduce with bio-pharma entrepreneur Kiran as one who showered his love without known designers such as Masaba young Indian design aspirants to this Mazumdar-Shaw hailing him as “an hesitation or any barriers,” Nanda wrote Gupta and Rajesh Pratap Singh to serve brand... We can be inspired by the story iconic designer who was a forerunner in on Facebook. “It is the greatest testa- as creative directors for the brand. of Chanel etc but we must learn what the fashion world”. — AFP ment to him as he went joyously, without Gupta led the tributes to Paul, praising happened on our soil first,” she said. A fear.” He was unusual among Indian him for establishing a homegrown label favorite of Bollywood stars, Paul was Indian fashion designer Satya Paul. fashion houses for bringing a measure “that will stand the test of time”. also admired for his business acumen, Family confirms suicide of British model

Stella Tennant In this file photo Scottish model Stella ritish director Michael Apted, Tennant poses before the Chanel’s 13th Bbest known for the generation- Metiers d’Art show in Paris. spanning TV documentary series ritish model Stella Tennant, “Up” and a 1990s James Bond film, Bknown for her androgynous, aris- She appeared at the closing cere- died on Friday at the age of 79, an tocratic style and who was the mony of the 2012 London Olympics industry group said. He directed many face of campaigns by top designers, along with fellow models Naomi films, including 1980’s “Coal Miner’s killed herself last month, her family Campbell and Kate Moss. Her death Daughter”, 1988’s “Gorillas in the Mist” said. Tennant died in Scotland on prompted tributes from top designers and the 1998 Bond film “The World is December 7, five days after her 50th including Stella McCartney, who said it Not Enough”. But he was best known birthday. Police said at the time there In this file photo English director Michael Apted and his wife Paige Simpson arrive for the 2019 was “sad, horrific news”. British Vogue for “Up”, a pioneering documentary British Academy Britannia (BAFTA) awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. — AFP were no suspicious circumstances. described her as “one of fashion’s most series which followed the lives 14 “Stella had been unwell for some time. beloved and idiosyncratic personalities” Britons from different backgrounds, said Thomas Schlamme, president of series demonstrated the possibilities of So, it is a matter of our deepest sorrow and a “groundbreaking figure in the his- starting from when they were seven in the Directors Guild of America, a post television at its finest in its ambition and and despair that she felt unable to go tory of British style”. Tennant was the 1964. once held by Apted. “His legacy will be its capacity to hold up a mirror to soci- on, despite the love of those closest to grand-daughter of Deborah Mitford, the The series checked in on the 14 forever woven into the fabric of cine- ety and engage with and entertain peo- her,” her family said late on Thursday. Duchess of Devonshire, who died in every seven years until they turned 63 ma,” Schlamme said in a statement, ple while enriching our perspective on They described Tennant as a “beautiful 2014. The model was married to in 2019, the work spanning an aston- praising the “steady hand, acerbic wit” the human condition,” he said in a soul”. Rocketing to fame as a teenager French photographer-turned-osteopath ishing 56 years. “Our hearts are heavy of the “fearless visionary”. Kevin Lygo, statement. — AFP in the 1990s when she appeared in David Lasnet and the couple had four today as we mourn the passing of the head of Britain’s ITV which aired British Vogue magazine, she had a children. — AFP esteemed director, longtime DGA “Up”, said the channel was deeply long and successful career, working as leader and my friend Michael Apted,” saddened by his passing. “The ‘Up’ a catwalk model and face of cam- paigns for Chanel, Valentino and Versace.

he first Philippine eagle bred in Philippine eagles in its care. They can captivity in an effort to save one of live for more than 40 years in captivity. amiroquai singer Jay Kay has been T the world’s most endangered birds The eagles are notoriously hard to pair, Jkeeping a low profile of late, and has died from infections, conservation- with the larger female known to attack assures the world he definitely ists said Friday. The raptor named and even kill an unwanted suitor in the wasn’t in Washington as part of the mob “Pag-asa” or “Hope” was hatched in wild. In more than three decades, the of Donald Trump supporters who 1992 at a sanctuary run by the center has managed to breed 28 stormed the Capitol. The 1990s jazz- Philippine Eagle Foundation on the out- eaglets. funk performer trended on social media skirts of the southern city of Davao. Seven of them were through artificial during the unrest, as users noted the Pag-asa would have turned 29 next insemination, including Pag-asa and his similarity of his signature look to a bare- week. The Philippines’ national bird, only offspring Mabuhay. The rest were chested rioter wearing a horned animal known for its elongated nape feathers bred through natural pairing. The rap- fur hat. “Goooood mornin’ world!” Kay that form into a shaggy crest, has seen tor, whose wingspan can reach more told his band’s Twitter followers in a its population devastated by the than two meters (seven feet), is endem- video message Thursday, using a mock destruction of rainforests and hunting in ic to the Philippines. Killing or wounding Quibi will be available to stream on The southern US accent. “Now some of you Roku Channel, giving you access to the archipelago. The centre has spent the species incurs a jail sentence and may be thinkin’ you saw me in decades trying to ensure the survival of fine. The successful breeding of Pag- Roku to hundreds of hours of new content,” Washington last night. But I’m afraid I Holmes said in a blog post. the critically endangered bird through a asa using artificial insemination had wasn’t with all those freaks,” the 51- breeding program and rehabilitating “heralded hope for the critically endan- Short-form streaming service Quibi year-old stressed. The Trump supporter late last year pulled the plug on the plat- wounded raptors brought in from the gered species”, the centre said. “Even stream shows sporting furs and face-paint was identi- wild. after he retired from breeding, Pag-asa form aimed at smartphone users hungry fied by US media as Jake Angeli, a for entertainment on the go. The brain- Only around 800 are believed to be lived his life as an icon of hope for prominent follower of the far-right left in the wild, the centre’s spokes- Filipinos, young and old, and was a child of Hollywood powerhouse Jeffrey QAnon conspiracy. from shuttered Katzenberg, Quibi launched in April of woman, Nelizza Marzo, told AFP. Pag- constant inspiration to the people work- 2020 with content tailored for busy peo- asa died Wednesday from infections ing tirelessly to save our National Bird ple just as the pandemic compelled them associated with diseases trichomoniasis from extinction,” the spokeswoman said. Quibi service to slow down and stay in. The streaming and aspergillosis, which the centre said “Pag-asa was gone too soon indeed, service boasted more than 100 original were fatal in raptors. “Although treat- but his legacy lives on.” — AFP series spanning a range of genres with ment was done over a week ago, he nline television pioneer Roku on episodes specifically designed for view- continued to deteriorate and died,” it OFriday said it is expanding its ing on smartphones and lasting no more said in a statement. The center has 33 library with shows from Quibi, than 10 minutes each. which made a failed debut last year with The fledgling platform scored 10 a streaming platform tailored for smart- Emmy nominations including for cop phones. The Roku channel will soon fea- spoof revival “Reno 911!” and dystopian ture exclusive Quibi shows starring thriller “Most Dangerous Game” includ- celebrities such as Idris Elba, Kevin ing two Emmy wins for actors in Hart, Liam?Hemsworth, Anna Kendrick, “#FreeRayshawn.” The multibillion-dollar In this file photo Jay Kay, singer of British Nicole Richie, Chrissy Teigen, and Lena streaming platform had bet it could band Jamiroquai, performs at La Guacima Waithe, according to vice president of transform entertainment with short, race track in La Guacima, some 24 kms north programming Rob Holmes. “The quick Hollywood-quality clips. While Quibi from San Jose. — AFP bites and big stories made famous on specialized in short-form shows to watch during spare minutes of the day, During the attack, he was shown say waiting for transit or taking a break standing on the dais of the House of at work, people who hunkered down at Representatives. Jamiroquai’s hits in the home due to the coronavirus pandemic 1990s included “Virtual Insanity”, found time for big-screen options in an “Cosmic Girl” and “Space Cowboy”. increasingly competitive streaming tele- The band’s artwork featured Kay in sil- vision market. The Roku Channel is houette, wearing an enormous horned available in Britain, Canada, and the US hat. Their last album was in 2017, and for free on Roku streaming devices, the Kay told his followers that Britain’s coro- Web and on mobile devices, according navirus lockdowns were taking a toll. to the company’s website. Roku has “We’d like to get back on the road, but been overshadowed by Netflix, of course we can’t. Haven’t seen the Disney+, Amazon Prime and other rivals band for ages. Big hug to all them,” Kay in an increasingly competitive streaming said, concluding with an appeal for ani- In this file photo (illustration photo) shows a television service market. — AFP person about to use the Quibi app on a smart mal rights. — AFP This file photo shows a Philippine eagle named “Pag-asa” (Hope), the first to be bred and phone in Los Angeles. — AFP hatched in captivity, inside an enclosure at the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) centre in Davao City on the southern island of Mindanao. — AFP 14 Sports Sunday, January 10, 2021 Stars start to NHL Photo of the Day season in disarray after eight virus cases

LOS ANGELES: Eight members of the Dallas Stars organization have tested positive for COVID-19, the National Hockey League said Friday, forcing post- ponement of the team’s opening games in the 2021 season. A statement from the NHL said six players and two staff members had returned positive tests for the coronavirus, throwing Dallas’ preparations for the new season into disarray. The Stars had been due to play their first game of the new season against the Florida Panthers next Thursday. However, the NHL said Friday the Stars were now not likely to play before January 19, with additional fixtures against Florida and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning also expected to be postponed. Dallas cancelled practice on Friday and the team’s facilities have been shuttered. The NHL said the indi- viduals concerned were now self-isolating and follow- ing league protocols. “As a result of the positive tests, and as an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for several days while further daily testing and contact tracing is conducted,” the NHL statement said. “The league is in the process of reviewing and revising the Stars’ regular season schedule with the expectation that the team will not open its 2020-21 season earlier than Tuesday, January 19,” the NHL Czech snowboarder Eva Samkova seen in Passo dello Stelvio, Italy. — Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com added. The new NHL season was initially due to start in October last year and finish in April before the play- offs. However, disruption caused by the pandemic forced league chiefs to cut the season to 56 games, running from January to May. — AFP Labuschagne, Smith steer Shooting club kicks off new Australia to lead over India tournament Jan 14 Early wickets ‘crucial’ for injury-hit India today By Abdellatif Sharaa KUWAIT: Kuwait Shooting Sport Club will organize SYDNEY: First innings heroes Marnus Labuschagne took 4-29. “I think we need (to bat) for at least a ses- Despite this, Mohammed Siraj stepped up to remove the Late Sheikh Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and Steve Smith steered Australia to an commanding sion-and-a half, two sessions tomorrow and then have Pucovski for 10, caught by substitute keeper Tournament on Jan 14-16, 2021, in which the club and 197-run lead in the high-stakes third Test yesterday, a good crack at them.” Wriddhiman Saha. Ravi Ashwin then took the prized National Guard shooters will compete. Technical and leaving an injury-hit India with a mountain to climb. India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, who made a patient 50, scalp of David Warner for 13, his ninth career dis- administrative departments are working on prepara- They came to the crease after Will Pucovski and David said early wickets would be crucial for his team today. missal of the opener, trapping him lbw. But the disci- tion for the tournament, as schedules for training are Warner fell early, pushing them to 103 for two at “We need to pick up a couple of early wickets tomor- plined Labuschagne and Smith steadied the ship, already set. stumps and a strong position with the four-Test series row morning and not allow them free runs in the first building a threatening 68-run partnership that is Shooters wishing to participate can register from locked at 1-1. session,” he said. India’s task was made harder by the slowly taking the game away from India. now until Tuesday evening. Officiating committees will Crumble set up the draw and distrib- India were all out just before tea after some scintil- ute the groups, while all will lating bowling and razor-sharp fielding, having be reminded that they must resumed at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 96 for two. comply with health proto- Cummins snared Pujara while Josh Hazlewood cols as required. removed a dangerous Pant after a breezy 36. The pair’s President of Kuwait and downfall saw the team crumble, with Ashwin and Arab Shooting Federations Jasprit Bumrah both run out, joining Hanuma Vihari Duaij Al-Otaibi said the who suffered the same fate earlier in the day. shooting community places A cautious Pujara began the day on nine and cap- a special status on such Duaij Al-Otaibi tain Ajinkya Rahane two after Hazlewood and tournaments and places them on Cummins dismissed openers Rohit Sharma (26) and the KSSC agenda every year to recall the achieve- Shubman Gill (50) on Friday. Rahane, who scored a ments the late Sheikh Ali made for his country in all century in the last Test at Melbourne, had an escape government sectors he managed, as well as the on 16, with a Nathan Lyon delivery ballooning to tremendous efforts he exerted when he was minister of Matthew Wade at short leg, who could only get his fin- defense after Kuwait’s liberation from Iraqi occupa- gertips on the ball. tion. He took the responsibility for rebuilding Kuwait’s The skipper then whacked Lyon for six before his armed forces and interior ministry security forces new-found aggression cost him his wicket, chopping when he became interior minister. a Cummins ball onto his stumps in the next over. Sheikh Ali also contributed to the development of Pujara did what he does best, grinding out singles Kuwait shooting, as he headed the first Kuwait shoot- while occasionally opening his bat, bringing up his ing delegation to the military world games (CISM). 26th half-century. Otaibi said this is an opportunity for the national teams But the celebrations were short-lived, with Pant out to be ready for the launch of HH the Amir Sheikh two balls later, edging a Hazlewood delivery to Warner Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Annual at slip. And it got worse when Pujara was removed in International Grand Prix, which will be held from Feb SYDNEY: India’s Mohammed Siraj (right) reaches to stop a shot from Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne (bottom) the next over, gloving a rising Cummins ball to wicket- 12-19, 2021. on the third day of the third cricket Test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) keeper Tim Paine. “They bowled a good line and length and it wasn’t in Sydney yesterday. — AFP easy... it’s not easy to score runs so you need to spend a lot of time at the crease and wait for the loose ball to Tennis stars to Labuschagne, who scored 91 in the first innings, absence of key spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who was sent come,” Pujara said. India slumped, with Ashwin slow was not out on 47 and Smith, who blitzed 131 in his for scans after a hit to the thumb while batting. off the mark for a single and Cummins alert, making a quarantine in Adelaide, first knock, unbeaten on 29. Australia padded up again Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant joined him in the clinic quick throw to Labuschagne standing at the stumps. after taking eight wickets on day three to dismiss India after a nasty blow to the elbow. It followed Vihari being brilliantly run out before not Melbourne for 244 in reply to the hosts’ 338. “I woke up today It piled more misery on India, who were already lunch, attempting a run that wasn’t there, with hoping that by the close of play we still wouldn’t be without injured bowlers Mohammed Shami, Umesh Hazlewood diving and throwing the ball in one move- SYDNEY: Tennis’ top stars will quarantine in bowling and to have a lead of near 200, a great day,” Yadav and Ishant Sharma and batsman KL Rahul, ment. Bumrah became the third run out of the day, Adelaide rather than Melbourne and play an exhibition said Australian pace spearhead Pat Cummins, who while skipper Virat Kohli is on paternity leave. courtesy of a lightning-fast Labuschagne. — AFP there ahead of the Australian Open, with the city also hosting a WTA event after the years’ first Grand Slam, organizers said yesterday. Some 1,270 players and support staff are due to arrive in Melbourne on charter Qadsiya, Kuwait set flights late next week, where they will have to spend a mandatory 14 days in quarantine. But with hotel rooms for Crown Prince in the city scarce, Australian Open chief Craig Tiley said he had approached the South Australian govern- Cup final showdown ment about taking some of them. Matters were further complicated when a hotel in Melbourne that was due to accommodate players By Abdellatif Sharaa pulled out on Tuesday, reportedly because of concerns from residents. With little benefit to Adelaide from KUWAIT: The HH the Crown Prince Cup Tournament putting its community at risk of coronavirus by hous- reached its decisive stage as two semifinal matches ing players, an exhibition featuring the top names in were played on Friday, which resulted in two top-flight the game was suggested as an enticement. teams reaching the Jan 12 final. The first semifinal “It would be a benefit if they played an exhibition match was between top-ranked Qadsiya and hard- tournament just before they came to Melbourne, so fighting Tadhamon. Qadsiya prevailed by defeating the premier (Steven Marshall) has agreed to host 50 their opponents 2-0 and reaching the final. It did not people in a quarantine bubble and then have those take long for Qadsiya to score their first goal - three players play an exhibition,” Tiley told Tennis Channel. minutes into the match by Abdelaziz Wadi, which was An official statement announcing the January 29 followed by Lawrence’s goal in the 27th minute. The exhibition said it would feature the world’s top three match then turned mediocre as Qadsiya attempted to men — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Dominic add to their score, but did not succeed. The second Thiem — and two of the top three women in Simona half was not much different despite substitutions with Halep and Naomi Osaka. World number one Ashleigh veteran players. Barty was not included, but 23-time Grand Slam win- The second semifinal was between Kuwait and ner Serena Williams was, with two more players to be Burqan to determine the other team in the final. Kuwait KUWAIT: Tadhamon’s goalkeeper vies for the ball as Qadsiya scores in the two teams’ semifinal match in the added to the field.“The conditions of the quarantine won and will play with Qadsiya on Tuesday. The match HH the Crown Prince Cup Tournament on Friday. will be the same (as Melbourne),” said Tiley, with play- started with both teams attacking with determination ers only allowed out of their rooms for five hours to to score as early as possible, but Kuwait’s vast experi- practise and train in a bio-secure bubble. “They’ll be in ence was highly obvious. Kuwait’s constant pressure lowed by Kuwait scoring their first goal in the 30th goal for Kuwait in the 45th minute. Burqan came out a different hotel and a smaller cohort and travel direct forced Burqan player Ahmad Allayan to commit a foul minute. Burqan tried hard to equalize, but their hopes attacking in the second half but Kuwait’s defense made to Adelaide. We think this is a great opportunity to that made him see red in the 23rd minute. This was fol- were dashed when Jumaa Saeed scored the second sure their goal remained clean. actually launch before we go into the season.”—AFP Established 1961 15 Sports Sunday, January 10, 2021 Liverpool survive scare from virus-hit Aston Villa in FA Cup Growing concerns as new virus variant plagues Britain

LONDON: Liverpool survived a scare from coron- Christian Purslow’s frank pre-match assessment. avirus-ravaged Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup “Our experience of this situation in the past two fourth round with a 4-1 win against opponents days has been a frightening scenario because we missing their entire first-team squad as the pan- went from 100 percent negative on 1 January to 14 demic wreaks havoc on English football. cases,” Purslow told BT Sport. “Many of the players Villa fielded a raw side comprised entirely of tonight are so young their mums and dads will be youth academy players and were without boss dropping them off at Villa Park.” Dean Smith after being hit hard by a COVID-19 There are growing concerns over whether the outbreak earlier this week. In all, 14 unnamed Villa Premier League season can be completed on time employees — nine players and five staff — have as the new virus variant plagues Britain. The FA Cup tested positive, forcing the Premier League club to has not escaped the chaos and Southampton’s third close their training base on Thursday because of round tie against Shrewsbury today has been post- the outbreak. poned after several positive tests at the League One Liverpool played a strong side for the third team. round tie at Villa Park, but Villa’s youngsters acquit- A record-high 40 positive tests were detected ted themselves well. Four of Villa’s starting line-up among top-flight players and staff in the week weren’t even born when Liverpool midfielder James between December 28 and January 3 and four Milner made his professional debut for Leeds in Premier League games have already been post- 2002. But they gave Liverpool a shock when Louie poned this term. The English Football League, which Barry cancelled out Sadio Mane’s opener. oversees the three divisions below the Premier Eventually, the Premier League champions’ class League, reported 112 positive tests on Friday. told with a blitz of three goals in five minutes in the Newcastle boss Steve Bruce and Leeds manager second half. Georginio Wijnaldum struck before Marcelo Bielsa claim there is a moral argument to Mane and Mohamed Salah sealed a first win in four suspend all matches after the latest national lock- games in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side. down ordered by the government. Despite the “The kids did really well,” Klopp said. “We had resurgent virus, Premier League officials are problems in passing and moving. Too many on the adamant the season will proceed and Liverpool BIRMINGHAM: Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino (center) vies with Aston Villa’s English defender wrong side of the ball, not enough recoveries of took advantage of Villa’s problems to get back on Mungo Bridge (right) during the English FA Cup third round football match between Aston Villa and Liverpool at Villa passes. We had chances and shot directly at the track. They needed just four minutes to take the Park in Birmingham, central England on Friday. — AFP goalie. It was rusty but better in the second half. We lead when Mane headed home from Curtis Jones’ have a lot players with no rhythm.” pin-point cross. Yet Liverpool were caught with a Mark Delaney, the Villa Under-23 coach deputiz- stunning counter-punch in the 41st minute. ing for Smith, added: “We are all very proud as a Barry, a 17-year-old striker who joined Villa from 60th minute when the midfielder swept home from club, as coaches and players. That was a monumen- Barcelona last year, sprinted onto Callum Rowe’s the edge of the area. News in brief tal effort considering what the players have had to pass, left Rhys Williams trailing in his wake and Mane netted with a looping header over Akos go through.” planted a brilliant finish into the far corner. If Onodi in the 63rd minute before Salah turned to fire Atletico Madrid game postponed That Villa, whose team had an average age of 18 Liverpool were experiencing flashbacks to the home from 10 yards two minutes later. In Friday’s and 294 days, ended the night with their heads held humiliation of their 7-2 Premier League defeat at other third round tie, Wolves beat Crystal Palace 1-0 MADRID: Spain’s heaviest snowfall in decades high was all the more remarkable given their CEO Villa in October, Wijnaldum restored order in the thanks to Adama Traore’s 35th minute goal. — AFP has forced Atletico Madrid’s game against Athletic Bilbao yesterday to be postponed, LaLiga announced. “With the exceptional situation due to Bayern Munich squander two-goal the storm over a large part of the peninsular which has forced the Madrid-Barajas airport to close for lead to lose at Moenchengladbach the day, and the impossibility of providing a pitch in ideal conditions LaLiga, after discussions with BERLIN: European champions Bayern Munich suf- league goal this season. Bayern were 2-0 up when the two clubs, has postponed the game,” the fed- fered only their second Bundesliga defeat of the sea- Goretzka superby won the ball back in Gladbach’s eration said. A new date for the encounter will be son on Friday after throwing away a two-goal lead and half, traded passes with Leroy Sane and hit the net published in the coming days, LaLiga’s statement crashing to a 3-2 loss at Borussia Moenchengladbach. with a great finish. However, the scores were level at added. Diego Simeone’s Atletico lead the table by Bayern were cruising at 2-0 up after 26 minutes thanks the break as the hosts fought back. two points from city rivals Real with two games in to a Robert Lewandowski penalty and a superb Leon In the pre-match build-up, Gladbach coach Marco hand. — AFP Goretzka goal at Borussia Park. Rose had highlighted Bayern’s tendency to defend However, Gladbach roared back as midfielder high up the pitch, which created space for opponents Jonas Hofmann scored twice to make it 2-2 at the to attack, and his team ruthlessly exploited the weak- break, then set up Florian Neuhaus who scored what ness. A superb pass by Lars Stindl split the Bayern Benzema’s sex tape trial proved to be the winner for the hosts just after the defence, Hofmann darted onto the ball and fired it break. “We’re delighted, it was a hard fight. I don’t past Manuel Neuer on 36 minutes. MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane think many people had thought we could do it, but we The second goal was almost identical. Stindl’s backed striker Karim Benzema to focus “on his job scored our first two goals exactly as planned,” long-range pass released Hofmann, who sprinted and his family” and not get distracted by having to Hofmann told DAZN. “We knew Bayern defend high. clear of Bayern’s scrambling defence to again fire face a blackmail trial over a sex tape. Benzema, 33, We made life hard for ourselves at the start, but it past Neuer just before half-time. Then when Niklas is accused of involvement in a plot to extort mon- was great that we could take the lead straight after Suele gave away possession to Hofmann, the mid- ey from former France teammate Mathieu the break.” fielder dribbled on the edge of the area and passed to Valbuena by threatening to make a sex video pub- Bayern were punished for repeatedly losing the Neuhaus, who made amends for the first-half penalty lic. The French star has described the trial as a ball in their half as Gladbach took the chances which with a brilliant finish four minutes after the break. ‘farce’. “I fully support him, I am with him, I know LONDON: Chelsea’s English head coach Frank Lampard came their way. Bayern started brightly, ending their Gladbach defender Matthias Ginter was floored very well that these are not situations which are reacts to their defeat on the pitch after the English curious run of conceding the first goal in their previ- and needed medical treatment after blocking a Sane easy,” said Zidane at a news conference on Friday. Premier League football match between Chelsea and ous eight league games when Neuhaus reached down shot with his face. In a bid to raise the tempo, Bayern A date for the trial of Benzema as well as four oth- Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on and brushed the ball with the back of his hand on the head coach Hansi Flick brought on Kingsley Coman, er men has not yet been set. — AFP January 3, 2021.— AFP edge of the area. whose goal decided the Champions League final in After a long VAR review, the referee awarded a August, for the final 22 minutes but to no avail as penalty and Lewandowski slotted home his 20th Gladbach held on. — AFP Lampard doesn’t De Ligt tests positive ROME: Netherlands defender Matthijs De Ligt fear Chelsea revolt has become the third Juventus player to test posi- tive for coronavirus this week, the Italian champi- LONDON: Frank Lampard insists Chelsea’s players ons said on Friday. De Ligt follows team-mates won’t turn on him after the dismal run that threatens to Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado in missing this derail their season. Chelsea manager Lampard is under weekend’s league match against Sassuolo as well pressure after four defeats in six Premier League as next Sunday’s trip to Inter Milan and January games pushed the Blues down to ninth place. Lampard 20’s Italian Super Cup final with Napoli due to the has tinkered with his team repeatedly in a bid to find a illness. “Juventus Football Club announces that, winning formula and he knows it is hard to keep all his during the checks provided for by the protocol in players happy. The 42-year-old expects players who force, Matthijs De Ligt has emerged positive with find themselves out of the side to be frustrated, but he Covid 19,” Juve said. “The player has already been believes they will do their talking on the pitch rather placed in solitary confinement.” — AFP than grumble about the boss behind his back. “Having been in those squads I can say clearly how sometimes that the player power phrase got relayed to the open world and what was going on inside was Haller joins Ajax not always the same thing,” Lampard said. “I hate relating back to my time with the club because every- THE HAGUE: Striker Sebastien Haller has joined one will get bored with that, particularly the players. Ajax Amsterdam from West Ham on a four and a Where we are at the minute is we have been off the half year deal, the Dutch champions announced on pace of winning the Premier League for a few years. Friday. “Ajax, West Ham United and Sebastien When you are in a rebuild you are searching for any- Haller have reached an agreement for the transfer thing that can help this squad grow. When it is grow- of the French-Ivorian player,” said a statement on ing there are tough times. They have to react, they the Ajax website. The club said the fee of 22.5 mil- have to get over it. The players have to do that. I am lion euros ($27.5 million) — considerably less than looking closely at the players, as I look at myself the estimated 50 million euros West Ham paid because the players will do it on the pitch but I am MONCHENGLADBACH: Moenchengladbach’s German midfielder Florian Neuhaus scores his team’s third goal Frankfurt in the summer of 2019 — makes the 26- always at the forefront of it.” during the German first division Bundesliga football match Borussia Moenchengladbach v FC Bayern Munich in year-old the most expensive signing in the Dutch Chelsea host Morecambe in today’s FA Cup third Moenchengladbach, western Germany on Friday. — AFP Eredivisie. — AFP round bidding to hit back to form after last weekend’s 3-1 damaging defeat against Manchester City. A shock cup exit would be a major blow to Chelsea’s morale, but Lampard knows it is difficult for a squad changed 32-year-old missed both the end of last season and great. What’s important is that he has good quality by a major close-season spending spree to show lead- Man City’s the start of the current campaign after knee surgery minutes as much as possible. We will see what hap- ership while players are still finding their feet. in June. His return has since been hampered by a pens with him.” “It’s a big ask to ask players fresh to this club to be Aguero set for hamstring injury and more knee trouble. Guardiola, however, was wary of over-burdening the players that have been here many years and have But City manager Pep Guardiola believes the Aguero in a season where the fixtures list has been seen it all before,” Lampard said. “Other teams in the Argentina forward can now start from the kick-off, compressed as a result of the impact of the coron- Premier League have that, we do not. So that’s the first FA Cup return telling reporters on Friday: “Yesterday he trained avirus pandemic. “It would be great to have him fit part of player power. The other part is the people talk- really well, today he was off. Tomorrow if he feels and in the best condition,” Guardiola said. “He’s opti- ing negatively. I never came into this job thinking for mistic and positive, he’s been saying he will do a good one minute that I’m going to have a squad of 25 play- LONDON: Sergio Aguero could make his first good he is going to play. Sergio, he’s unique, but he’s ers or so who are going to be saying ‘I love not playing Manchester City start since October when the club had a tough injury, really tough. The important thing season, ‘I will score a lot of goals’, and this is the most football’. I realised pretty quickly in this job that face Birmingham in the FA Cup third round today. is his mood is exceptional, better than ever. He’s important thing. But we don’t want to put him under whether we win or lose there will be players who will Aguero, City’s record goalscorer, has made just nine going to start and the minutes (to be played) his level, pressure. There are games that maybe we don’t need be wanting to play. Some will use that with real posi- appearances so far this season, with six of those from performance or knee will dictate. If he can play 90 him, but we do for most of the games, for 80 or 90 tivity, some maybe not so much.” — AFP the bench, following a series of fitness problems. The minutes it will be great, or 60 or 30 minutes will be percent of games we need him as a striker.” — AFP Established 1961 Sport

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021

Labuschagne, Smith steer Qadsiya, Kuwait set for Crown Liverpool survive scare from 14Australia to lead over India 14 Prince Cup final showdown 15 virus-hit Aston Villa in FA Cup

Curry sizzles as Warriors rally past Clippers, Jazz trip Bucks Lakers survive Bulls; Grant powers Pistons past Suns

SAN FRANCISCO: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on January 8, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. — AFP

LOS ANGELES: Stephen Curry scored 38 in the last four games, making 13 of his 24 shots this season with a 131-118 victory in Milwaukee. Lakers held on for a 117-115 victory over the vis- points as the Golden State Warriors rallied from a and nine of his 14 three-point attempts. He also Jordan Clarkson added 26, Bojan Bogdanovic iting Chicago Bulls. Montrezl Harrell tallied 17 22-point deficit to overpower the Los Angeles had 11 assists. Wiggins finished with 16 points for chipped in 20 points, while Royce O’Neale points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who Clippers with a 115-105 victory on Friday in San the Warriors, who shot 20-for-41 on three-point- added 18 points for the Jazz, who made a fran- played without injured Anthony Davis, who is out Francisco. The Warriors used a 34-6 run over the ers and outscored the Clippers 60-42 from chise record 25 three pointers and snapped a with sore groin. Dennis Schroder also scored 17, third and fourth quarters to stun the Clippers and beyond the arc. Paul George had a team-high 25 two-game losing skid. Mike Conley finished while Wesley Matthews had 14 points and erase their big lead. points and Kawhi Leonard 24 for the Clippers, with a double-double, delivering 17 points and Markieff Morris added 11. Zach LaVine had 38 “We are a young team trying to find our iden- who made 18 turnovers. 10 assists. points and six assists for the Bulls. tity and understand how we are going to win The Clippers led by 14 points at the half, and Antetokounmpo scored 35 points and Khris In Detroit, Jerami Grant had 31 points and 10 games,” Curry said. “A win like this gives us con- 85-63 late in the third quarter. Curry capped a 19 Middleton added 31 to lead Milwaukee but their rebounds as the Detroit Pistons stormed back fidence that no matter how far out of it we are, point third quarter with a 29 foot basket in the offensive prowess wasn’t enough to prevent the from a 23-point first half deficit to beat the we can turn it around.” final seconds to give the Warriors a 87-81 lead. Bucks from dropping their first game at home in Phoenix Suns 110-105 in overtime in Detroit. Curry drained nine three pointers as the Golden State extended that to 97-91 early in the the new season. Antetokounmpo scored 16 of his Grant has been red-hot lately as his 31 points Warriors avenged a loss to the Clippers on fourth but the Clippers tied it 97-97 with just 35 points in the first quarter. Once they got going equaled a career high which he established on Wednesday when Curry was held to a season low over seven minutes left on the clock. Brad there was no stopping the Jazz offence as they Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. 13 points. The Warriors made 20 threes in Friday’s Wanamaker drained two threes and Andrew pulled away for good behind a 12-0 run to open Delon Wright finished with 16 points, five contest. “It is perseverance and resilience on my Wiggins made a clutch shot late to drown out any the fourth quarter. rebounds and six assists and Blake Griffin also part,” he said. “I credit my conditioning to be able attempt by Los Angeles to rally late. had 16 points for the Pistons who scored the first to keep going and I use my basketball IQ to find Elsewhere, Donovan Mitchell scored 32 Strong game for LeBron six points of overtime. Devin Booker led the Suns those holes.” points as the Utah Jazz handed Giannis Also, LeBron James had 28 points, seven with 23 points and former Piston Langston Curry posted his third 30-point performance Antetokounmpo’s Bucks their first loss at home rebounds and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Galloway had 17. — AFP

— remained on the COVID-19 reserve list Browns battling COVID-19, with uncertainty over their availability. The Browns clinched their playoff berth last Sunday with a 24-22 defeat of the Steelers on playoff return Steelers, who rested veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and several starters, LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Browns lines at Heinz Field today. Stefanski is one having already locked up the divisional will be bidding to overcome COVID-19 of more than a dozen Browns players and title. Roethlisberger, meanwhile, is prepar- and the Pittsburgh Steelers today as they coaches whose involvement this week has ing for today’s game knowing that it may return to the NFL playoffs for the first been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. well be his last. At 38, Roethlisberger is time in nearly two decades. For so long a Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19 on one of several veteran quarterbacks in this punchline, the Browns are back in the Tuesday and has been in isolation since. year’s playoffs nearing the end of their playoffs after a transformation in fortunes His position on the sideline will be taken respective careers, a list that includes Tom that saw them claim a wild card spot from by special teams coach Mike Priefer. Brady (43), Drew Brees (41) and Philip the AFC North with an 11-5 regular-sea- Rivers (39). son record. COVID crisis It was the Browns first winning season “I’m going to try to be an extension of ‘The old guys’ EAST RUTHERFORD: In this file photo taken on December 26, 2020 Head coach Kevin since 2007, and came four years after the Kevin,” Priefer said. “I’m going to try to do “All the old guys. It’s cool. It’s fun to be Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns looks on in the third quarter against the New York Jets team posted just one victory in two sea- exactly what Kevin would want in those a part of it with them. I’m hoping we’re not at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. — AFP sons in 2015-2016, a miserable run that situations.” Stefanski, meanwhile, had one and done so I can be the last one included an 0-16 campaign four years planned to address the team yesterday standing,” he said. “I think every player insists that his team will not use last year’s Roethlisberger, Saints quarterback Brees ago. But the Browns’ stay in the post-sea- before handing off head coaching duties should approach this game like it could be shocker as motivation. “We’re just focused knows that he could be one defeat from son could be brief. The team’s prepara- to Priefer. their last playoff ever. I know I am.” on the game,” Harbaugh said. “Previous retirement. tions for today’s daunting trip to “Once it’s game time, coach Priefer will Elsewhere today, the Baltimore Ravens games have little bearing.” Those words Brees, who turns 42 next week, was Pittsburgh have been engulfed by a be serving that role,” Stefanski said. “I look for revenge when they travel to the were echoed by quarterback Lamar reluctant to be drawn on his career beyond COVID-19 outbreak that has wiped out have a ton of faith in him. The guys know Tennessee Titans. Last season, the Ravens Jackson. “It’s not about them; it’s about this season when talking to reporters. “All I practice since Tuesday. the message. They don’t need a Zoom call entered the playoffs as the top seeds in us,” Jackson said. “It really doesn’t matter know is this,” Brees said. “I didn’t come The team were finally given the all- from me to tell them what to do.” Yet as of the AFC but were dumped out at the first who we play.” back to play this season for myself. I came clear to return to training on Friday after- Friday, eight Browns players — including hurdle in a 28-12 upset by the Titans. Today’s other game sees the Chicago back for my team. I came back for the city, noon, but will nevertheless be missing guard Joel Bitonio, tight end Harrison Ravens coach John Harbaugh, however, Bears travel to New Orleans to face the I came back for the organization. That’s head coach Kevin Stefanski from the side- Bryant and wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge Saints in the NFC. Like the Steelers’ why I’m here.” — AFP