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SUNDAY Vol. XXXXII No. 11915 May 16, 2021 Shawwal 4, 1442 AH

GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals

Al Jazeera condemns Israel’s FM meets Hamas chief; reaffi rms Qatar’s fi rm destruction of its Gaza offi ces support for Palestinians

l Jazeera has condemned in the actions,” the statement said. and to hold the government of Israel strongest terms bombing and Residents and occupants of Al Jalaa accountable for deliberately targeting AP ‘shocked and Adestruction of its offi ces by the building, which houses Al Jazeera’s journalists and media institutions.” horrified’ by attack Israeli military in Gaza. offi ces along with other major inter- Commenting on the bombing of In a statement, the Doha-based national media outlets, such as AP, Al Jalaa building, Dr Mostefa Souag, The Associated Press said it was news network said it views this as a and Middle East Eye, were informed Acting Director General of Al Jazeera “shocked and horrified” by the clear act to stop journalists from con- by the Israeli army via a phone call Media Network said: “We call on the Israeli airstrike that destroyed ducting their sacred duty to inform that they had less than one hour to va- international community to condemn a building housing the US news the world and report events on the cate the building. such barbaric actions and targeting of agency’s Gaza bureau and those ground. “Al Jazeera vows to pursue “Al Jazeera calls on all media and journalists and we demand an imme- of other international news every available route to hold the Is- human right institutions to join forces diate international action to hold Israel media. “This is an incredibly raeli government responsible for its in denouncing these ruthless bombing accountable for its deliberate targeting disturbing development. We narrowly avoided a terrible loss of life,” AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said in a statement about the attack on the building, which also housed Qatar-based Al Jazeera. A dozen AP journalists and freelancers had been in the building but were able to evacuate, Pruitt said. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs holding talks with Dr Haniya in Doha yesterday.

of journalists and the media institu- E the Deputy Prime Minister rejecting these attacks and renewed tions.” and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Qatar’s standing by the Palestinian Dr Souag further said: “The aim of HSheikh Mohamed bin Abdul- brothers and its categorical rejection of this heinous crime is to silence the rahman al-Thani met yesterday with violating the Islamic holy sites. media and to hide the untold carnage the Head of the Political Bureau of the The minister stressed the need for and suff ering of the people of Gaza. Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) the international community to act “The destruction of Al Jazeera of- Dr Ismail Haniya, who is currently vis- urgently to stop the repeated brutal fi ces and that of other media organi- iting the country. Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza sations in Al Jalaa tower in Gaza is a During the meeting, they discussed and the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque. blatant violation of human rights and the recent Israeli attacks, the events of For his part, Dr Haniya appreciated is internationally considered a war Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, the at- the position of Qatar, the government crime. We call on all media and hu- tacks on worshippers in Al Quds, and and people, on the Palestinian issue, man rights institutions in denouncing the recent attack on the besieged Gaza especially in latest events, stressing the this heinous crime, and to stand with Strip. importance of this role and the impor- Al Jazeera and other media organisa- During the meeting, HE the Deputy tance of a unifi ed Arab position at this tions targeted by the Israeli army, de- Prime Minister and Minister of For- important moment in the history of the spite knowing their use of the building eign Aff airs affi rmed Qatar’s position Palestinian people’s struggle. (QNA) as their headquarters for many years.” Al Jazeera promises its audience to FM discusses Palestine with German continue its coverage and to uncover the truth on what is happening in and Indonesian counterparts Gaza, the Palestinian Territories and in Israel, regardless of the suppression HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Aff airs Sheikh Mohamed attempts. The assault on the building bin Abdulrahman al-Thani received yesterday a phone call from German Foreign hosting international media institu- Minister Heiko Maas. During the call, they reviewed bilateral co-operation relations tions aims to silence the truth by kill- and developments in Palestine. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of ing the messenger, the statement said. Foreign Aff airs also received a phone call from Indonesian Foreign Minister “Journalism is not a crime,” it added. Retno Marsudi. During the call, they reviewed bilateral cooperation relations and The al-Jalaa building housing Al Jazeera and Associated Press media off ices is hit by an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, yesterday. Pages 4, 5, 6 developments in Palestine. (QNA)

Amir, Deputy Amir congratulate Israel-Hamas conflict rages;145 die in Gaza Paraguayan president Israel pounded Gaza yesterday, destroying a tower block Doha rally highlights big that housed news media organisations, while Palestinian His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim rocket salvoes hit Tel Aviv with no sign of an end to almost a bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday a week of fighting. support for Palestinians cable of congratulations to President Palestinians say at least 145 people, including 41 children, of the Republic of Paraguay Mario have been killed in Gaza since the conflict erupted on Abdo Benitez on the occasion of his Monday. Israel has reported 10 dead, including two children. large number of people belong- country’s Independence Day. His Israel’s military brought down a 12-storey block in Gaza ing to diff erent nationalities and Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh City that housed the US Associated Press and Qatar-based Awalks of life attended a meet- Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani also Al Jazeera media operations, as well as other off ices and ing organised to show solidarity to the sent a cable of congratulations to the apartments. Palestinian cause yesterday evening in Paraguayan president . (QNA) Israel gave advance warning of the strike so the building could Doha, amid the ongoing Israeli bomb- be evacuated. The Israeli military said later it was a legitimate ing of Gaza which has claimed more QU graduation military target because it contained military assets of Hamas, than 140 lives. on May 30, 31 the Islamist group that runs Gaza. Held in front of the State Mosque (Imam The strike was condemned by the AP and Al Jazeera. Journalists sit on the rubble of Jalaa Tower, which was Muhammad bin Abdulwahab Mosque), Under the patronage of His Highness The United States told Israel “that ensuring the safety flattened in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip yesterday. the participants at the pro-Palestine the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and security of journalists and independent media is a The 13-floor building housed Al Jazeera and American demonstration were seen waving the fl ags al-Thani, Qatar University (QU) will paramount responsibility,” White House Press Secretary Jen news agency off ices. of Qatar, Palestine and their respective celebrate the graduation of the 43rd Psaki said. countries, shouting slogans stressing their batch of male students (Class of 2020) US President Joe Biden later spoke to both Israeli Prime The White House said Biden updated Netanyahu on “high- full support for the people of Palestine on May 30, 2021. The ceremony for Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President level” contacts with regional partners to restore calm, and and their love and readiness to sacrifi ce for the distinguished female students Mahmoud Abbas to urge calm. raised concerns about the safety of journalists. Al Aqsa Mosque. To Page 12 Dr Haniya addressing the Doha meeting. will be held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani, Consort of the Amir, on May 31, Parents can register 2021. Attendance will be limited to children from today graduates and the organisers of the More than 2mn Covid vaccine ceremony while observing social Parents will be able to register distancing. The total number of their children, aged 12-15 years, to graduates of this batch is 3,188 (2,455 doses given in Qatar so far take the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine females and 733 males). Page 2 through the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) website (www. QRCS allocates he National Cov- the start of the programme, moph.gov.qa) from today, after $1mn to Palestine id-19 Vaccina- and 1,177,725 people have which they will be contacted Ttion Programme received at least one dose by the Primary Health Care Qatar Red Crescent Society announced reached another mile- of the vaccine. Corporation. Off ering the vaccine the allocation of $1mn, in response stone as the Ministry of Some 25,270 vaccine to 12-15-year-olds in Qatar will to the recent events in Palestine and Public Health (MoPH) doses were administered help ensure a return to greater to provide the most basic needs at yesterday announced that in the past 24 hours, the normalcy when the school year the present time. Through its urgent more than 2mn vaccine ministry said, adding that starts this coming September, response and rapid action, QRCS seeks doses have been adminis- 88.4% of people above 60 the MoPH had said recently. The to provide support in a number of areas, tered in Qatar so far. (the most vulnerable pop- move to extend the opportunity to such as: the provision of medicines and The ministry also in- ulation group) have been children aged from 12-15 years to medical consumables to keep pace formed that 51.9% of vaccinated with at least take the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine with the acute consumption of these adults have received at one dose, while 82.6% comes shortly after Pfizer said materials in the current situation, and least one dose of the vac- have received both doses. its study of the vaccine’s use in ambulances, the provision of medical cine and 36.4% have had both doses. “Play your part in enabling life to participants of this age group equipment for hospitals, materials to Giving details about the progress of return towards normal by getting found that it was “safe and prevent the spread of Covid-19, food Covid-19 vaccination in the country, vaccinated when it is your turn,” the extremely eff ective in preventing and non-food supplies, and partial the MoPH said a total of 2,002,018 ministry urged the public through a Covid-19 cases”. repair of damaged homes. Page 3 vaccine doses have been given since post on social media. To Page 2 A participant waves the Palestinian and Qatari flags at the rally. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Gulf Times 2 Sunday, May 16, 2021 QATAR

More than 2mn Covid vaccine doses given in Qatar so far One From Page 1 vaccination rates, and the over- munity members with the cur- added. “With Covid-19 still a whelming support of the com- rent measures, restrictions and threat to our health here in Qa- Meanwhile, the MoPH yes- munity, has resulted in a con- guidance by the government,” tar, it is important for everyone held for terday reported 260 new con- sistent reduction in the number the ministry said. “With a po- to play their role in controlling firmed Covid-19 cases, 169 of of new daily infections in the tential spike post-Eid a dis- the virus by following precau- which were community cases country,” the ministry said in a tinct possibility, the first phase tionary measures,” the MoPH assaulting while 91 cases were detected statement. “However, it is still of the lifting of restrictions is stressed. These include adher- among travellers returning important to be cautious as planned to start on May 28 - ence to physical distancing; from abroad, Qatar News Agen- the second wave is not yet over this will allow sufficient time to avoiding close contact with motorist cy said. The ministry also re- and there are still two highly analyse the data and determine others, crowded places and corded 557 recoveries from the contagious and highly virulent the impact of Eid.” confined closed spaces where virus during the past 24 hours, strains of the virus that are ac- Unlike last year, it is possible people congregate; wearing a person has been arrested bringing the total number of tively circulating in the com- to make more freedoms availa- face mask; and washing hands for assaulting a motor- recoveries in Qatar to 206,307. munity.” ble to those people who are vac- regularly. A ist, the Ministry of Inte- Further, the MoPH an- The MoPH reiterated that the cinated where they will enjoy Anyone suffering from Cov- rior (MoI) has said. nounced two more deaths, of plan to gradually lift restric- certain privileges before oth- id-19 symptoms should contact “With reference to a video people aged 37 and 61 years, re- tions will be delivered over four ers. “It is vital that people do the 16000 helpline immedi- (being) circulated on social spectively, both of whom had a phases with each phase lasting not claim victory against this ately. This is important as the media about a person’s assault history of chronic diseases and three weeks. “The date of im- virus too early with the new, earlier the disease is detected, on a car driver following a traf- were receiving the necessary plementation and the duration highly transmissible variants the easier it will be to receive fic dispute between them on medical care. of each phase will depend on in the community, and there is the right treatment and recover a public road, the person was “In recent weeks, the com- the epidemic indicators, which still the potential for the virus from it. One can visit the MoPH arrested and referred to the bined impact of Covid-19 rely to a great extent on the to gain momentum and for the website for regular updates and prosecution,” the MoI tweeted restrictions and increasing degree of compliance of com- numbers to rise,” the ministry new information. yesterday. Isesco offi cial hails activities QU to host its 43rd graduation ceremony

nder the patronage of His Highness in order to facilitate the graduation ceremo- to chronicle a long history spanning decades of ‘Doha, Capital of Culture’ the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ny for the Class of 2020 with a total of 3,188 in which it contributes heavily to Qatar’s de- Ual-Thani, Qatar University (QU) will graduates - 2,455 of whom are females and velopment and prosperity, through boosting celebrate the graduation of the 43rd batch of 733 males. The university will release further the labour market with qualifi ed graduates,” QNA quality, which makes Doha at the male students (Class of 2020) on May 30. The details about the event soon. the university stressed. Doha forefront of capitals that have ceremony for distinguished female students Considering the current Covid-19 pan- QU’s new strategy places an emphasis on hosted such events. will be held under the patronage of Her High- demic, safety and precautionary measures elevating the student experience by placing He also pointed out that the or- ness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim approved by the State will be implemented the university as a pioneer and a leading edu- he general co-ordinator of ganisation’s capital of culture in al-Thani, wife of His Highness the Amir, on during the event. Attendance will be limited cational institution in the higher education the celebration of Doha, the Islamic world was approved May 31, Qatar News Agency reported yester- to graduates and a limited number of senior sector in Qatar and abroad. “QU is commit- TCapital of Culture in the in Doha nearly 20 years ago as day. offi cials from the university, with the aim of ted to providing quality education in areas of Islamic World 2021 at the Islamic this programme was adopted to Attendees will be limited to graduates and maintaining adequate social distancing, the national priority, moving towards building World Educational, Scientifi c celebrate annually three Islamic organisers only, QU said in a press statement. statement notes. “As QU graduates its 43rd a knowledge-based society,” the statement and Cultural Organisation (Is- capitals in three geographical re- This year, early preparations were under way cohort of graduates, the university continues adds. esco), Dr Naguib al-Ghayati, af- gions representing Africa, Asia fi rmed the organisation’s pride and the Arab world. in holding activities in Doha Regarding the activity that the throughout the year 2021. organisation is doing to support This came during Dr al-Ghay- Jerusalem, he said, Isesco is fol- ati’s message in the ‘360 Weyak’ lowing the tragic events in Jeru- Qatar University observes programme on the blessed Eid diversity, the city was made to salem, and the organisation has al-Fitr, presented by Doha 360 occupy the position as the capital a stable unit in Jerusalem, and through its various digital plat- of culture in the Islamic world. every year a set of educational forms. He praised the organisation of and cultural activities are put in Speaking on the occasion, Dr Qatar-USA 2021 Year of Culture place. International Family Day al-Ghayati commented that the programme, which serves the The organisation has a com- activities off ered by Doha are goal pursued by the organisation, mittee of experts that monitors distinguished. He noted that the which is to promote dialogue and the excavations that are being selection of Doha as the capital of support cultural diversity among held around Al Aqsa Mosque by atar University (QU) culture in the Islamic world 2021 countries. the Israeli occupation authori- marked International was done according to specifi c In his evaluation of the events ties, all with the aim of protect- QFamily Day, celebrated criteria set by the organisation. of Doha, Capital of Culture in ing the Islamic heritage in Jeru- annually on May 15, to honour It is only after the Qatari capi- the Islamic World 2021, Dr al- salem, and Isesco co-operate in the importance of families. The tal responded to all these criteria Ghayati valued the organisation this with the Palestinian Nation- theme for this year is “Socially due to the city’s distinct cultural of events in terms of number and al Council. just transition towards sustain- able development: the role of digital technologies on social de- velopment and well-being of all.” On this occasion, several pro- Awqaf, Katara host activities fessors from QU shared their opinions about the importance of families and their role in the QNA of Endowments and Islamic Af- director of Events and Cultural society. Dr Fatima Ali Hussein al- Doha fairs on this occasion were held Affairs at Katara, Khalid Abdel Kubaisi, head of the Department Dr Chedli Baya Chatti Dr Mohamed Khalaf Dr Mahmoud Radwan during the blessed month of Rahim al-Sayed, spoke about of Social Sciences, said: “QU, as Ramadan, including the Islamic the role of Katara in the activi- a national academic institution, lecturer of social work, said: “We the signifi cance of the family as In the age of new technology and he Ministry of Endow- Cultural Security Conference, ties of Doha, Capital of Culture sheds light on the role of a family place more value on family since the key building block of society globalisation, the family faces ments (Awqaf) and Is- which focused on the Muslim in the Islamic World 2021 ini- in society every year, by conduct- it is regarded as the most impor- and the fi rst space in which the numerous challenges, including Tlamic Affairs and Katara nation and issues of unity, di- tiative, saying that Katara pro- ing classes for students about tant pillar in the construction of basic features of an individual’s social challenges such as weak – the Cultural Village Foun- versity, difference and renewal. posed to the Supreme Commit- families. These classes explain the a community. In order to solve personality and inclinations are family ties and connectivity, as dation, along with strategic Speaking during the ‘360 tee for events to hold about 21 importance of their role.” contemporary family issues, the created, the rights of the fam- well as the problem of social iso- partners, are taking part in the Weyak’ (360 With You) pro- activities in Katara, which have “The research centres at QU international community has also ily are well expressed in various lation. In addition to the obvious activities of ‘Doha, Capital of gramme presented by the already been approved, and will are concerned with various fam- encouraged community organi- religious and positive laws,” said separation between family mem- Culture in the Islamic World’. Doha360 website, he pointed be held over the current year. ily issues. Many professors at QU sations to use selective scientifi c Dr Chedli Baya Chatti, lecturer of bers and the unhealthy interest Mal Allah Abdulrahman al- out that the events were af- Six events have been organ- studied various family issues from models. This demonstrates that sociology. Dr Mahmoud Radwan, in video games that has become Jaber, representative of the fected by the coronavirus pan- ised starting from the blessed diff erent aspects, and they get the international and national vi- lecturer of social work, added: a dangerous epidemic that leads Ministry of Endowments and demic, as there were plans to month of Ramadan, including a family scholarship from Doha sions of caring for the family and “The family is at the heart of so- to a lack of responsibility, there is Islamic Affairs, said that there hold the second edition of the the Katara prize for the recita- International Family Institute,” off ering all necessary care and ciety, and it is on it that society’s a relationship disorder between are activities offered by the Holy Qur’an recitation compe- tion of the Holy Qur’an, Katara she added. Dr Mohamed Khalaf, support are compatible.” “Due to cohesion and growth are based. spouses and children.” ministry within the activities tition, in which the winners of prize for Arabic poetry, a prize of Doha, Capital of Culture in the first places were to compete for short story, a mobile app the Islamic World as well as from contestants around the contest on the love for Prophet other events that are presented Islamic world, but it was post- Muhammad (peace be upon Civil Defence further improves on its response time in collaboration with the stra- poned until the restrictions of him), and a contest on the lan- tegic partners. He noted that the pandemic are lifted. guage in the Holy Qur’an, he some activities of the Ministry During the same programme, said.

Towering protest

Lieutenant Mohamed Hamad al-Suwaidi

he General Directorate of Civil Defence (GDCD) Tat the Ministry of Inte- rior (MoI) has recorded another achievement by bringing down the response time to reports to a maximum of 7 minutes and 45 seconds. This was highlighted through a video tweeted by the MoI. The video showed that the new time surpasses the global response rate, helping Qatar’s Civil Defence secure an inter- nationally advanced position while achieving its desired goal. This was achieved by us- ing the latest technologies and equipment in addition to the presence of trained officers, who are capable of dealing with the risks and challenges in- From the GDCD fleet. volved. Lieutenant Mohamed Hamad al-Suwaidi from the directorate deal with all types erations. “The directorate is the National Command Centre Operations Department said of accidents. He added that equipped with the latest speci- following requests submit- The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday tweeted an image of the 5/6 Interchange arches lit the Civil Defence possesses an the administration has lad- fications in its field of work,” he ted by community members or up in red in solidarity with Palestine. advanced fleet of vehicles and ders of different heights, which said, adding that the adminis- through alarms in some build- equipment, which helps the are used in fire and rescue op- tration receives reports through ings and facilities. Gulf Times Sunday, May 16, 2021 3 QATAR QRCS allocates $1mn as urgent response to Palestine

QNA bles to keep pace with the acute Strip, was evaluated to check on stitutions due to the recent escala- recorded over the past few years Society with 4 ambulances dur- dealing with and responding to Doha consumption of these materials the safety of the wounded and tion that would weaken the ability distinguished achievements in ing the years 2020-2021, as this these events is a humanitarian in the current situation, and am- to identify the most important to respond to serve the residents many humanitarian fi elds and project comes as a continuation duty, QRCS has monitored the bulances, the provision of medical health needs, and it was found of Gaza, in addition to evaluating urgent interventions through its of an integrated intervention development of these events atar Red Crescent Soci- equipment for hospitals, materials that there is an urgent need to some residential areas aff ected by offi ce in Gaza and its fi eld team program for QRCS, which has by activating the Information ety (QRCS) announced to prevent the spread of Covid-19, provide hospitals with medi- the bombing, provided that the in the West Bank, including the been implemented since 2016- Management Center in cases Qthe allocation of US$1mn, food and non-food supplies, and cines and urgent medical con- fi eld team continues assessing the restoration and rehabilitation 2017, with the aim of building the of disasters since May 8, and in response to the recent events partial repair of damaged homes. sumables in light of the contin- aff ected areas to coincide with the of the operations and sterilisa- capabilities of Palestinians to re- daily constant contact with his in Palestine and to provide the QRCS team in Gaza Strip also ued aggression of the occupation implementation of the urgent re- tion department at the Pales- spond to emergency conditions. mission in the Gaza Strip and most basic needs at the present conducted a fi eld visit to the af- forces on Gaza Strip. sponse in securing basic needs. tinian Red Crescent Hospital in QRCS stated that this re- fi eld teams in the West Bank, time. Through its urgent response fected areas and hospitals to QRCS indicated that the health QRCS seeks to launch an ur- Jerusalem and providing it with sponse comes after the bloody and continuous communica- and rapid action, QRCS seeks to assess the damage and urgent sector is suff ering due to the coro- gent relief campaign to provide medical devices and equipment, events and violations of inter- tion with the Palestinian Red provide support in a number of humanitarian needs. Al-Shifa navirus pandemic, and the health a decent life for those aff ected by as well as supporting the am- national humanitarian law in Crescent and the International areas, such as: the provision of Hospital, which is considered burdens have increased on the recovery programmes that will bulance and emergency services Jerusalem, Gaza and many cities Federation of Red Cross and Red medicines and medical consuma- the largest hospital in the Gaza Ministry of Health and health in- last for 18 months. QRCS has of the Palestinian Red Crescent in the West Bank, and because Crescent Societies (IFRC). 901 face prosecution for Djibouti president meets al-Muraikhi fl outing Covid measures

he designated authori- minded the public to follow all ties took action against a precautionary measures. “So- Tlarge number of violators cial distancing should be main- as they referred 901 people to the tained, wear masks and keep prosecution for fl outing the pre- the hands clean. Also, maintain ventive and precautionary meas- social distancing during the Eid ures enforced by the country to prayer and while wishing each contain the spread of Covid-19, other.” the Ministry of Interior (MoI) He also reminded the public of said yesterday. the Cabinet decision regarding Among them, 559 people were gatherings at home and majlises referred to the prosecution for as well as in open places. “The not wearing masks in places National Vaccination Programme where they are mandatory, 164 is continuing and we hope it will for not maintaining safe physical help us return to a normal life,” he President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh received HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs distancing and 158 for gathering added. The MoI has been issuing Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, on the sidelines of his participation as Qatar’s representative at at parks and on the Corniche. a series of health advisories on the inauguration of the president of Djibouti, which was held yesterday in Djibouti. At the Also, seven persons were re- social media. “Avoid social gath- beginning of the meeting, al-Muraikhi conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh ferred to the prosecution for not erings and visits in closed places Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to the president and his wishes for the people of Djibouti for further installing the Ehteraz app, and 13 such as homes and majlises. A progress and prosperity. For his part, the president of Djibouti entrusted the minister with people for violating the vehicle maximum of fi ve people who his greetings to the Amir, wishing him good health and happiness, and for the Qatari people occupancy rule, which stipulates have received Covid-19 vaccine continued progress, development and prosperity. (QNA) that a maximum of four persons doses are allowed in open spaces - including the driver - are al- therein,” it said in one of the ad- lowed in a vehicle except when visories. the occupants are members of On its part, the MoPH re- PM exchanges Eid greetings with his Tunisian counterpart the same family. The measure is minded the public that the date in line with the Cabinet decision, of implementation and duration Decree Law No 17 of 1990 on in- precautionary measures in order until most of the country’s pop- of each phase of the lifting of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani exchanged fectious diseases, and the pre- to curb the spread of the virus. ulation gets the vaccine, warn- restrictions will depend on the in a phone call yesterday, greetings with Prime Minister of Tunisia Hichem Mechichi on the occasion of cautionary measures in force in “Indoor social gatherings con- ing that the implementation of epidemic indicators, which rely the blessed Eid al-Fitr. During the call, they reviewed the bilateral relations between the two brotherly the country to contain the spread tinue to be prohibited while a these precautions will be more to a great extent on the degree of countries and means of supporting and developing them, in addition to discussing the most important of Covid-19. The designated au- maximum of fi ve fully vaccinat- necessary in the coming days, compliance of community mem- regional and international issues. thorities have called on the pub- ed people are allowed to gather especially during Eid al-Fitr. He bers with the current measures, lic to adhere to the precautionary outdoors,” the GCO had said in also stressed the need to follow restrictions and guidance by the measures in place to ensure their a video advisory ahead of Eid. the precautionary measures and government. Speaker holds discussions with Turkish counterpart safety and that of others. Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, chair of avoid visits in line with the re- “With a potential spike post- The authorities concerned, the National Strategic Group on strictions in place. Eid a distinct possibility, the fi rst HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud received a phone including the MoI and the Gov- Covid-19 and head of the Infec- In a video message posted on phase of the lifting of restrictions call yesterday from Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mustafa Sentop. During the call, ernment Communications Offi ce tious Diseases Division at Hamad the Ministry of Public Health is planned to start on May 28 - they exchanged congratulations on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Fitr. Talks focused on the latest (GCO), as well as senior health Medical Corporation, had earlier (MoPH)’s Twitter page, Sheikh this will allow suffi cient time to developments of the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip and other occupied offi cials in Qatar had urged peo- called on everyone to adhere to Dr Mohamed bin Hamad al- analyse the data and determine Palestinian territories, the occupation forces’ violations of the sanctity of the holy Al Aqsa Mosque, plans ple in the country to celebrate Eid the precautionary measures even Thani, director of the MoPH’s the impact of Eid,” the ministry for the forced displacement of Palestinian citizens from Jerusalem, and the role of parliament in stopping al-Fitr by following all Covid-19 after receiving the vaccination Public Health Department, re- said. the Israeli aggression and protecting the Palestinian people. (QNA)

HMC Emergency sees spike Mesaimeer Interchange works near completion ith most of its parts Expressway and Al Shamal Road. so far opened, work It also connects traffi c between in minor accident cases, Won Mesaimeer Inter- Industrial Area Road and the change will be completed in the heart of Doha through a connec- third quarter of 2021, the Public tion to Rawdat Al Khail Street, food-related ailments Works Authority (Ashghal) has which intersects with D-Ring said on its website. and C-Ring roads, and also be- Touted to be the fi rst of its kind tween the busy areas of Nuaija, he Emergency Depart- the second day while no deaths Emergency Departments re- in Qatar, the three-level Me- Al Thumama, Bu Hamour, Al ment at Hamad General were registered. Also, there 53 ceived and handled 611 cases saimeer Interchange will contain Mamoura and Mesaimeer, pro- THospital (HGH), Hamad were cases of people suff ering on the second day of the Eid nine underpasses and two main viding easy access to Al Wakra, Al Medical Corporation (HMC), from problems related to the holidays, including 369 at Al bridges connecting Rawdat Al Wukair and the Industrial Area. received 403 cases on the third stomach and indigestion, in Sadd, 156 at Al Rayyan, 52 at Khail Street and Industrial Area It is located in a vital area that day of the Eid al-Fitr holidays. addition to some case of spikes Airport, 30 at Al Daayen and Road in both directions, in addi- has many facilities, including These included 11 cases of road and irregularities in blood sug- four at Al Shamal. He said most tion to connecting E-Ring Road Al Thumama Stadium, one of accidents as well as various ar rates. The cases were mostly cases were minor to medium in with the southern part of Doha The three-level Mesaimeer Interchange will contain nine the World Cup venues. The in- other health issues mostly re- minor to medium in nature, nature, mostly due to high tem- Expressway in one direction underpasses and two main bridges connecting Rawdat Al Khail terchange has three pedestrian lated to stomach problems. caused by excessive consump- perature and sore throat. while achieving “great fl ow of Street and Industrial Area Road in both directions, in addition to bridges that will help ease peo- Similarly, Paediatric Emer- tion of foods like sweets. This Ali Darwish, assistant execu- traffi c in all directions”. connecting E-Ring Road with the southern part of Doha Expressway ple’s access to the stadium. gency Departments received caused trouble for some people tive director of the Ambulance In July last year, Ashghal an- in one direction while achieving “great flow of traff ic in all directions”. The interchange also serves 776 cases on the same day while due to a sudden change in the Service, said they received 721 nounced 92% completion of the many important educational, the Ambulance Service got system after a month of fasting. calls for help during the sec- works while opening a 7km road, in both directions, saving around Industrial Area Road and Rawdat health and commercial facilities 739 calls for help. Earlier, 413 He noted out that the de- ond day of the Eid holidays. Of linking Doha Expressway and 70% of travel time. Mesaimeer Al Khail Street. such as the Medical Commission, cases were received by HGH’s partment has followed a very these, 565 cases were simple/ Southern Doha Expressway at Interchange enables a direct It connects six main roads, Qatar Meteorological Depart- Emergency Department on the effi cient system of classifi - medium in nature, while 181 re- Mesaimeer Interchange in order link with the Al Janoub, Ras Abu namely Mesaimeer Interchange, ment, many schools, health cen- second day of the Eid holidays cation of cases to avoid any ports of road accidents and dif- to ensure free and direct traffi c Aboud Stadium and Al Thumama Doha Expressway, southern part of tres and nearby shopping malls. while 328 cases were reported crowds as people were sent to ferent injuries at home. fl ow from Mesaieed, Al Wakra stadiums as it integrates with Doha Expressway, Sabah Al Ahmed It integrates with Sabah Al on the fi rst day. the designated Primary Health He added that three patients and Al Wukair towards Doha, 22 other major arteries, running Corridor, Industrial Area Road and Ahmad Corridor through its Dr Abdulnasser al-Jazairi, Care Corporation urgent care required transportation by February Street and Al Shamal from Umm Besher Interchange Rawdat Al Khail Street. The inter- connection to Al Wetiyyat In- senior consultant of emergency departments in addition to the helicopter, which involved me- Road. on G-Ring Road and Southern change also provides a vital traffi c terchange, which is a strategic medicine at Hamad General health centres of Qatar Red dium cases from the outer parts Also, Ashghal opened the lanes Doha Expressway, through Al link between the south, central link between the southern part Hospital, told local Arabic daily Crescent Society. of the country away from Doha. to Al Wakra along with the other Wetiyyat Interchange on Sabah and north of the country. It links of Doha Expressway with Doha’s Arrayah that the department Dr Mohamed al-Ameri, di- He added that the Ambulance lanes from Al Wakra with 4-6 Al Ahmad Corridor, onto Me- traffi c from the south through the main highway, to provide free- received 10 cases of minor inju- rector of Paediatric Emergency Service had allocated 130 vehi- lanes in each direction to allow saimeer Interchange along with southern part of Doha Express- fl owing traffi c between the north ries from diff erent accidents on at HMC, said the Paediatric cles. some 20,000 vehicles per hour Doha Expressway, E-Ring Road, way, main carriageway of Doha of Doha and its south.

Rise in import of veggies at Al Sailiya Central Market

he percentage of im- the local supply of vegetables ary measures are enforced ported vegetables at Al because of the end of the agri- strictly to prevent any spread TSailiya Central Mar- cultural season. of Covid-19 and ensure the ket increased over the past Besides vegetables, various protection of all the custom- two weeks to respond to the types of fruits will be avail- ers, workers and sellers at high demand during the fi nal able to cater to the needs of the market. Meanwhile, in- days of Ramadan and the Eid customers at the market. The spection teams from the de- al-Fitr holidays, an offi cial offi cial said the market was partments concerned at the source at the market told local closed for business on the fi rst Ministry of Municipality and Arabic daily Arrayah. day of Eid and resumed work Environment carry out regu- The source said this per- on the second day. The work lar tours of the market to en- centage is set to further rise in hours are from 5am until 8pm. sure that the food products on All preventive measures are enforced strictly to ensure the protection of all the customers, the coming summer months The source stressed that all display are in good shape and workers and sellers at the market. due to the expected drop in preventive and precaution- fi t for human consumption. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, May 16, 2021 WORLD

Pro-Palestinian activists and supporters wave flags and carry placards during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause outside the Israeli embassy in central London, yesterday. Right: Protesters take part in a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinians in Berlin. Thousands rally across Europe to express support for Palestinians

AFP In Madrid, some 2,500 peo- Police offi cers used tear gas London ple, many of them young people and water cannon in Paris to try wrapped in Palestinian fl ags, and disperse a pro-Palestinian marched to the Puerta del Sol rally held despite a ban by au- housands of protesters plaza in the city centre. thorities. marched in support of “This is not a war, it’s geno- Some threw stones or tried TPalestinians yesterday in cide,” they chanted. to set up roadblocks with con- major European cities including “They are massacring us,” said struction barriers, but for the London, Berlin, Madrid and Par- Amira Sheikh-Ali, a 37-year-old most part police pursued groups is, as the worst violence in years of Palestinian origin. across the district while pre- raged between Israel and fi ghters “We’re in a situation when the venting any march toward the in Gaza. Nakba is continuing in the mid- Place de la Bastille as planned. In London, several thousand dle of the 21st century,” she said, “You want to prohibit me from protesters carrying placards referring to the “catastrophe”, showing solidarity with my peo- reading “Stop Bombing Gaza” a word used by Palestinians to ple, even as my village is being and chanting “Free Palestine” describe Israel’s creation in 1948 bombed?” said Mohamed, 23 converged on Marble Arch, near when hundreds of thousands and wearing a “Free Palestine” the British capital’s Hyde Park, fl ed or were driven out. T-shirt. Around 500 people ral- to march towards the Israeli em- “We want to ask Spain and lied in Athens, AFP correspond- bassy. the European authorities not to ents said. Greek police used wa- Packed crowds stretched all collaborate with Israel, because ter cannon and there were minor along Kensington’s High Street with their silence, they are col- scuffl es with protesters in front where the embassy is located. laborating,” said Ikhlass Abou- of the Israeli embassy. Organisers claimed as many as sousiane, a 25-year-old nurse of Israel is fi ghting Hamas fi ght- 100,000 people had gathered for Moroccan origin. ers in Gaza while trying to con- the demonstration though Lon- The marches came amid the tain an outbreak of internal don police said they were unable worst Israeli-Palestinian vio- clashes and violence in the West to confi rm any fi gure. lence since a 2014 war in Gaza. Bank. “The group is spread across a Thousands marched in Berlin The Israeli bombardment be- large area which makes it impos- and other German cities follow- gan on Monday, after Gaza’s rul- sible to count them,” a Metro- ing a call by the Samidoun col- ers Hamas fi red rockets towards politan Police spokesman said. lective. Jerusalem. “Offi cers are engaging with a Three marches were author- That was in response to bloody group of people who have gath- ised in Berlin’s working class Israeli police action at the fl ash- ered for a demonstration in cen- Neukoelln southern district, point Al Aqsa Mosque com- tral London this afternoon,” the home to large numbers of people pound in Jerusalem, as well as a police said in a separate state- with Turkish and Arabic roots. crackdown on protests against ment, adding that a plan was in The protesters shouted “Boy- the planned Israeli expulsion of place to curb the spread of Cov- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators attend a protest in Vienna, Austria. cott Israel” and threw paving Palestinians from their homes id-19. stones and bottles at the police, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbour- “This time is diff erent. This “Today we are saying enough, whole world should be doing Washington to “make peace and “I’m not Palestinian originally leading to several arrests. hood in annexed east Jerusalem. time we will not be denied any enough with the complicity,” he something about it, including stop what’s happening”. but my heart bleeds for Palestin- Other protests were held in Since Monday, Israeli air and more. We are united. We have added. this country”. Azadeh Pyman, a 50-year-old ians,” she said. “I think it’s the Frankfurt, Leipzig and Hamburg. artillery strikes on Gaza have had enough of oppression,” Pal- Simon Makepace, a 61-year- He was critical of the United scientist said she had been raised cause that will go from one gen- On Tuesday, Israeli fl ags were killed 139 people including 39 estinian ambassador Husam old accountant said he had States, which he said was un- on the Palestinian cause by her eration to another generation, burnt in front of two synagogues children, and wounded 1,000 Zomlot told the demonstrators. joined the protests because “the fairly backing Israel, and urged parents and grandparents. until Palestine is free.” in Bonn and Muenster. more, health offi cials say.

Pro-Palestinian supporters hold placards and wave flags while being sprayed by water cannons during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinians, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, yesterday. Right: A man holds a flag during a protest in support of Palestine, at Puerta del Sol square, in Madrid, Spain. Gulf Times Sunday, May 16, 2021 5 ARAB WORLD

Funeral Egypt sends ambulances held of man killed by border to evacuate Gaza wounded fi ring in AFP Cairo Lebanon gypt opened its Rafah bor- der crossing with Gaza Reuters Eyesterday to allow 10 am- Aadloun bulances to transport Palestin- ians seriously wounded in Israeli air strikes to Egyptian hospitals, he family of a 21-year-old medical offi cials said. man who the Lebanese Egypt “exceptionally opened Tauthorities say was killed the Rafah crossing to allow 10 by Israeli fi re when he and a Egyptian ambulances into the group of others tried to cross the Gaza Strip to transport wounded border fence with Israel held his Palestinians... to be treated in funeral yesterday, a day after he Egypt,” a medical offi cial said. died. An offi cial at the Gaza border The Israeli military said its said the opening was “exception- tanks had fi red warning shots al” because it is usually closed at people who had damaged the during public holidays including fence. The incident took place Eid al-Fitr, this year running from during a protest on the Leba- Wednesday until today in Egypt. nese side to support Palestin- The Egyptian public health ians, amid a confl ict between Is- authority said Friday that the rael and Hamas, the group which holiday was being suspended for rules Gaza. some Egyptian doctors and nurs- Members of his fam- es in preparation to receive “those ily, dressed in black and wearing coming from the Gaza Strip”. face masks to prevent the spread The Rafah border crossing is of the coronavirus, gathered usually open on working days. around the coffi n of Mohamed Health offi cials in Gaza say Is- Tahan in his home town of Ad- raeli strikes have killed 145 peo- loun, in southern Lebanon, to ple, including 41 children, since bid farewell, Reuters images Monday. showed. Around 1,100 others have been Palestinian firefighters battle a blaze following an Israeli strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday. A large poster at the mourning wounded. ceremony was emblazoned with The Israeli strikes were retalia- istry said in a statement yester- his picture, alongside a symbol tion for Palestinian group Hamas day. The grand imam of Egypt’s of the Lebanese group Hezbol- launching rockets on Israel, after Al Azhar mosque and university, lah, which is a staunch opponent Israeli police moved in on Pales- Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, late Fri- of Israel. The poster carried the tinian worshippers in the Al Aqsa day launched a campaign on so- words: “On the way to Al Quds Mosque compound and cracked cial media in “support of the Pal- (Jerusalem).” down on protests against planned estinian people”. Protesters gathered again on Israeli expulsions of Palestinians “Stop the killing,” said Tayeb, Lebanon side of border with Is- from their homes in annexed east who is head of the body consid- rael yesterday, waving Palestin- Jerusalem. ered the foremost religious insti- ian and Hezbollah fl ags. Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh tution worldwide. The Lebanese army deployed Shoukry renewed his call for an “Enough with silence and in the area, setting up cordons “immediate ceasefi re”, after a double standards if we are really to prevent protesters approach- phone call with his Saudi coun- working towards peace.” ing a border wall that runs along terpart. Yesterday, the head of the that stretch of the boundary, “Both ministers exchanged country’s Coptic Orthodox although some protesters still views on how to quickly remedy Church, Pope Tawadros II, who managed to move up close. the situation in order to restore represents the largest religious UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping calm. Minister Shoukry discussed minority in the Middle East, lam- force in Lebanon that monitors Egypt’s latest eff orts with all the basted “the brutal attacks in Je- the boundary with Israel, said concerned parties to ensure an rusalem and the Gaza Strip that on Friday it had launched an im- immediate ceasefi re and to end have taken the innocent lives... of mediate investigation into the the bloodshed,” the foreign min- women and children”. Palestinians inspect the damage following an Israeli strike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, yesterday incident.

Ten family members killed in strike on Gaza: medics

AFP Israeli warplanes have struck said of his children, who were dle East envoy, said he was “ap- cials, in an apartment in the area Gaza City multiple targets in Gaza, while killed “wearing their clothes for palled” by the Shati devastation, of the Al-Shati refugee camp in Palestinian fi ghters have fi red Eid al-Fitr”, the holiday marking noting that 40 Gazan and two the northern Gaza Strip”. barrages of rockets at southern the end of Ramadan. Israeli children had been killed in The incident was under re- en members of a single ex- Israel, some falling short and Both Hadidi and Mohamed recent days. view, it added. tended family were killed hitting the ground inside Gaza, Abu Hattab, his brother-in-law “Children continue to be vic- “The Hamas organisation de- Tin an Israeli air strike early the Israeli military said. and host, were away from Hat- tims of this deadly escalation. I liberately uses Gazan civilians yesterday on the western Gaza Speaking outside Shifa hospi- tab’s home when it collapsed. reiterate that children must not as a way to shield and cover its A woman feeds Palestinian infant boy Omar al-Hadidi as he lies on a Strip, medics in the Palestinian tal in Gaza City, the father of four The Abu Hattabs’ fi ve-month- be the target of violence or put in hostile operations,” the army hospital bed after health off icials said a missile struck a house, killing enclave said. of the children, Mohamed al- old baby also survived. harm’s way,” he wrote on Twit- said in a statement, stressing it his mother and four siblings, in Gaza City, yesterday. The eight children and two Hadidi, said he wanted “the un- A spokesman for Gaza’s rul- ter. “The hostilities must stop takes “all possible precautions to women were killed when a three- just world to see these crimes”. ers, Hamas, declared the deadly now!” avoid harming civilians”. 950 people have been wounded. the fl ashpoint Al Aqsa Mosque storey building in Shati refugee “They were safe in their air strike “a war crime in its own The Israeli army meanwhile The death toll in Gaza since On Monday, Hamas fi red rockets compound in annexed east Jeru- camp collapsed following an Is- homes, they did not carry weap- right”. said it had “attacked a number of Monday stands at 139, at least towards Jerusalem in response to salem, prompting Israel to begin raeli strike, medical sources said. ons, they did not fi re rockets,” he Tor Wennesland, the UN Mid- Hamas organisation senior offi - 39 of them children. Around a bloody Israeli police action at air strikes. Tensions in Paris as pro-Palestinian protesters defy police

AFP lence, we don’t want to import Paris a confl ict onto French soil, we don’t want eruptions of hate on our streets,” government spokes- aris police used tear gas man Gabriel Attal said yesterday and water cannon yes- in Marseille. Pterday to disperse a pro- But no incidents were reported Palestinian rally held despite a as around 22,000 people nation- ban by authorities, who feared wide gathered for 60 protests and a fl are-up of anti-Semitic vio- marches around France, accord- lence during the worst fi ghting ing to interior ministry fi gures. between Israel and Hamas in Demonstrations took place in years. Strasbourg, Marseille, Lyon and The interior ministry said be- Nantes, among other cities. tween 2,500 and 3,500 people Critics accuse France of being converged on the heavily im- too favourable towards Israel in migrant Barbes neighbourhood the latest confl ict, which has seen in the north of the capital, while a barrage of rocket fi re from Gaza organisers claimed as many as met with Israeli artillery and air 5,000 rallied amid a massive se- strikes. The ban has caused a split curity presence involving some Protesters stand in front of a water cannon during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinians called over the ongoing conflict with Israel in Paris, yesterday. Right: Protesters hold among French politicians, with 4,200 offi cers. signs as they take part in a demonstration in support of the Palestinian cause in Paris. President Emmanuel Macron’s Police blocked off wide boul- centre-right party and the right- evards as well as narrow streets showing solidarity with my peo- facing off against ranks of offi c- day over concerns of a repeat of lems, they would have prohib- into refugees. But a Paris court wing opposition supporting the where some of the protesters ple, even as my village is being ers who held their ground on a fi erce clashes that erupted at a ited it right away,” he told a press upheld the ban Friday, saying the move, but leftists calling it an un- were forced to retreat, while bombed?” said Mohamed, 23 stretch of boulevard. similar Paris march during the conference ahead of the march. “international and domestic con- acceptable attack on freedom of knots of residents and passers- and wearing a “Free Palestine” A handful of garbage bins were last war in 2014, when protest- “They banned it at the last text” justifi ed fears of unrest “that expression. by watched or recorded the T-shirt. set on fi re and rocks and other ers took aim at synagogues and minute —it’s unacceptable,” he could be as serious or even worse Macron’s offi ce said he spoke scene with their phones. Other demonstrators chanted projectiles were hurled toward other Israeli and Jewish targets. said. Similar protests in Germany than in 2014”. with Israeli Prime Minister Ben- Some threw stones or tried “Free Palestine” or “Israel, get police, who broke up the demo But Walid Atallah, president and Denmark this week have de- Interior Minister Gerard Dar- jamin Netanyahu on Friday, off er- to set up roadblocks with con- out, Palestine doesn’t belong to by around 7:00pm (1700 GMT). of the Association of Palestin- generated into clashes leading to manin also called for similar bans ing his “condolences for the vic- struction barriers, but for the you” while waving the territory’s Out of 51 arrests at protests ians in Ile-de-France, the region several arrests. in other cities if necessary, and of- tims of the rocket fi re claimed by most part police pursued groups fl ag. nationwide, 44 people were held encompassing Paris, accused the The protest had originally been fi cials prohibited marches in Nice, Hamas and other groups.” across the district while pre- As a cold rainstorm settled in Paris. One policeman was government of infl aming ten- called to mark the Nakba, as Pal- where around 150 people gathered The statement said Macron venting any march toward the over the city toward evening, slightly hurt in the capital and sions with the ban. estinians call the “catastrophe” nonetheless, and in some Paris urged a return to peace and “his Place de la Bastille as planned. many protesters left, leaving a another in Nice. “If there were genuine risks of of Israel’s creation in 1948, which suburbs. concern about the civilian “You want to prohibit me from large group of mostly young men The march was banned Thurs- public disorder, of serious prob- turned hundreds of thousands “We don’t want scenes of vio- population in Gaza”. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, May 16, 2021 ARAB WORLD/AFRICA

30 receive Iraqis organise anti-Israel death sentence over protests over Gaza attacks clashes in Reuters Baghdad DR Congo hanting crowds gathered in several Iraqi cities AFP Cyesterday, some burning Kinshasa Israeli and American fl ags, in protest against the Israeli bom- bardment of the Gaza Strip. hirty people were sen- Thousands of demonstra- tenced to death in the tors shouted anti-Israeli slo- TDemocratic Republic of gans, held signs saying “Death Congo yesterday for their role in to Israel, death to America” and anti-police violence marking the waved Palestinian fl ags. end of Ramadan in the capital The rallies, called by power- Kinshasa. ful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and A policeman was killed on other paramilitary leaders, were Thursday as rival groups fought held as Israel launched more air over the right to mark the end of strikes on Gaza and Palestinian Ramadan at a major sports sta- fi ghters fi red rockets on Tel Aviv dium, offi cials said. and other cities in the worst The government has also con- escalation in the region since fi rmed that one policewoman is 2014. in critical condition and 46 oth- Sadr, who has millions of ers were injured with eight in a followers in Iraq and controls serious state. a large paramilitary group, About ten police vehicles were pledged his support to Palestin- damaged including one that was ian armed groups in Gaza. completely incinerated. Mass public gatherings have A total of 38 people who had been rare in Iraq since secu- been arrested appeared at Fri- rity forces and militia groups day’s trial. crushed anti-government pro- The trial was broadcast live on tests last year and amid regular public television and lasted until curfews to combat the spread of the early hours of yesterday. Covid-19. A lawyer for civil parties, Chief The government had an- Tshipamba said 30 people were nounced a 10-day curfew over sentenced to death and a record- the Eid holiday in response to ing of the proceedings obtained rising coronavirus infections. by AFP confi rmed the verdict. The curfew was partially lift- DR Congo has not carried out ed the day before the anti-Israel death penalties since a morato- demonstrations. rium was introduced in 2003. Political leaders aligned to Since then, death sentences militias joined the call for Ira- are commuted to life imprison- qis to take to the streets in a rare ment. show of unity by rival factions Two rival factions have for which are competing for power years disputed the leadership of ahead of a general election slat- the DRC’s Comico Muslim fed- ed for October. eration. Sadr and other groups see The case remains before the Israel and the United States as courts. enemies and vehemently op- But Kinshasa on the Congo pose the possibility of restoring river in the west of the vast cen- diplomatic links with Israel as tral African country also tradi- two Gulf states have done. Iraqis gather in the capital Baghdad’s Tahrir square for a solidarity march with the Palestinians, yesterday, on the 73rd anniversary of the Nakba. tionally sees mass celebrations for the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in public squares and on major roads. Speaking with AFP reporters outside the stadium, dismayed Zimbabwe court says worshipper Papy Okitankoyi Nigeria off ers support to Kimoto said it was “devastat- ing to do a month of fasting only chief justice’s tenure to have it end in guerilla street scenes like this”. Widely circu- lated images of the violence and extension is invalid Chad after leaders meet of the injured police offi cers have prompted authorities to call for religious leaders to be held ac- Reuters yesterday, had ceased being chief AFP without giving further details. countable. Harare justice due to his age. Abuja The 78-year-old former DR Congo’s minister of sports “In view of the decision that we general also off ered to assist Serge Chembo Nkonde has sanc- have reached, Hon. Malaba ceased Chad “to stabilise and return tioned the managers of the sta- resident Emmerson being a judge and chief justice” on igeria’s President Mu- to constitutional order.” dium where the violence took Mnangagwa’s extension of May 15, the judges said in a ruling. hammadu Buhari has Deby died, according to place. PChief Justice Luke Mala- The court said the constitu- Noff ered support to the Chadian authorities, on ba’s tenure by another fi ve years tional amendment should have Chad’s new leader, General April 19 after suff ering mortal was invalid as it breached the gone to a referendum before be- Mahamat Idriss Deby, prom- wounds fi ghting the Front for constitution, Zimbabwe’s High coming a valid law. ising continued collaboration Change and Concord in Chad Court ruled yesterday. It also said that under Zimba- during an offi cial visit to the (FACT), a large armed group The ruling is a set back to bwe’s constitution, incumbent capital Abuja. with a rear base in Libya. Mali to Mnangagwa whose ruling party judges could not benefi t from a Chad’s army has often The new junta appointed a also changed the constitution to term extension. played a key role in the dec- transitional civilian govern- allow him to appoint senior judges “It’s a judgement that protects ade-long fi ght against Boko ment and promised to hold form new without going through a public the constitution. Constitutional Haram and more recently elections within 18 months. vetting process. change extending term of offi ce of against the Islamic State West “We will help in all ways we Lawyers had challenged a a public offi cer cannot benefi t the Africa Province (ISWAP) that can,” Buhari said, “to en- transition constitutional amendment that incumbent,” said Tendai Biti, an operate in a region straddling sure a smooth transition in 18 raised the retirement age of Con- opposition leader and lawyer who both countries. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari receives Chadian months, as you have promised stitutional and Supreme Court argued the case in court. Deby, 37, came to power at President of the Transitional Council Lt General Mahamat Idriss your people.” govt judges to 75 from 70, which al- The Judicial Service Commis- the head of a military junta af- Deby (left) at the State House in Abuja. The statement added that lowed Mnangagwa to extend Mal- sion (JSC), which employs the ter the shock death last month Deby “recommitted to demo- aba’s term of offi ce by another ve fi country’s judges and was opposed of his father Idriss Deby Itno, “Nigerians know and ap- rorism, and we will continue cratic, free, fair polls in 18 AFP years. Three High Court judges to the court challenge, did not im- who had led the country for 30 preciate the role Chad played the collaboration,” Buhari said months” and was ready to be Bamako ruled that Malaba, who turned 70 mediately comment. years. in helping us to combat ter- in a statement from his offi ce, “guided” by Nigeria.

ali’s interim govern- ment is set to form a Mnew “broad-based” cabinet, the presidency said, Ethiopia postpones landmark polls as logistical woes pile up amid growing criticism of the army-dominated authorities in the Sahel state. AFP vote will not happen on June ethnic violence, including in the Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prime Minister Moctar Ouane Addis Ababa 5...we can’t tell you the date as country’s most populous regions, Prize in 2019 for his reforms, resigned on Friday but was im- the board has to examine the Oromia and Amhara.Abiy came which included ending a long mediately reappointed in order inputs it received from parties,” to power in 2018, after years of confl ict with neighbouring Erit- to carry out the reshuffl e, ac- he head of Ethiopia’s said election board chairwoman protests by the two largest eth- rea over a border dispute. cording to a tweet from the offi ce election board said yes- Birtukan Mideksa. nic groups forced his predecessor Abiy dismantled the ruling of the interim president. Tterday it would be im- She cited a plethora of lo- Hailemariam Desalegn to step EPRDF coalition, forming his “The prime minister has just possible to hold parliamentary gistical delays, such as fi nalis- down. The country’s fi rst ever Prosperity Party, sidelining the started consultations,” said an elections as planned on June 5, ing voter registration, training Oromo premier sparked hope as powerful Tigray People’s Lib- advisor to the interim presi- due to mounting logistical is- electoral staff , printing and dis- he released dissidents from jail, eration Front (TPLF) which had dent who declined to be named. sues, without giving a new date. tributing ballot papers. apologised for state brutality and dominated national politics for “He must form a broad-based When Prime Minister Abiy “Practically, it became im- welcomed home exiled groups decades. government”. Ouane was named Ahmed came to power three possible to deliver all these at — part of a democratic rebirth The TPLF increasingly defi ed prime minister after military of- years ago, he promised to break the originally slated dates.” meant to culminate in the most his authority, holding their own fi cers in August ousted the elected from Ethiopia’s authoritarian Mideksa said the new date competitive elections in Ethio- regional elections despite the president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, past and hold the most demo- would take into account the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia chairwoman Birtukan Mideksa. pia’s history.The ruling coalition coronavirus delay. who was under pressure for his cratic elections the country rainy season — which runs from that preceded Abiy claimed stag- The feud erupted into vio- handling of Mali’s militant insur- has ever seen. The elections about June to September. a largely ceremonial role. in November last year that has gering majorities in the two pre- lence when the prime minister gency. had already been delayed from The nation of 110mn people Even with the delay, numer- turned into a grinding war, with vious elections, which observers sent troops into Tigray to oust Under the threat of interna- last August due to the corona- was due to choose national and ous security crises are expected massacres, brutal sexual vio- said fell far short of international the party which he accused of tional sanctions, the military virus pandemic, and problems regional parliamentarians via to make voting impossible in lence and humanitarian misery. standards for fairness. attacking federal military camps, handed power between Septem- have only mounted since, with the ballot box. large swathes of the country. Birtukan said that some 36mn A more open contest in 2005 but what was billed as a brief ber and October to a caretaker a confl ict in the northern Ti- The MPs elect the prime This includes the north- voters had registered so far, with saw big gains for the opposition military campaign has turned government, which pledged to gray region and brutal ethnic minister, who is head of govern- ern Tigray region, where Abiy no registration taking place at all but led to a lethal crackdown on into a grinding confl ict with no reform the constitution and stage violence in several areas. “The ment, as well as the president — launched a military operation in some areas which have seen protests over contested results. end in sight. elections within 18 months. Gulf Times Sunday, May 16, 2021 7 AMERICAS

Biden rescinds rule on health insurance Chileans vote for body for new immigrants

Reuters The White House and other Washington US agencies did not immedi- ately respond to requests for to rewrite constitution comment. S President Joe Biden Biden has vowed to reverse AFP advanced economies. (Covid-19) outbreak that has re- has revoked a 2019 many of Trump’s restrictive Santiago This inequality was one of the sulted in more than 1.2mn cases Uproclamation by former immigration policies, rolling main drivers of protests that be- and nearly 30,000 deaths in the president Donald Trump that back a travel ban on 13 mostly gan in October 2019, resulting a country of 19mn people. sought to bar the entry of im- Muslim-majority and African hileans went to the polls month later – after 36 deaths – in Chile has one of South Amer- migrants who could not prove countries and halting con- yesterday to elect 155 the government agreeing to a ref- ica’s highest vaccination rates, they had health insurance or struction of the US-Mexico Cpeople who will re-write erendum on a new constitution. with more than 48.5% of the could cover healthcare costs. border wall. the country’s dictatorship-era That plebiscite, initially 15.2mn targeted inhabitants hav- In an announcement by the Trump’s initial announce- constitution in a bid to address scheduled for April 2020 but ing received two doses to date. White House, the Democratic ment of the health insurance deep-seated social inequality delayed due to the pandemic, The country has the highest president said the suspension requirement sent prospective that gave rise to deadly protests fi nally took place on October 25 per capita income and the third- imposed by his Republican immigrants scrambling to fi g- in 2019. last year. most multi-millionaires in Latin predecessor “does not advance ure out how to get the neces- Over two days this weekend, And the outcome was un- America. the interests of the United sary coverage and navigate US some 14mn people are eligible to equivocal: 80% voted for a new A woman casts her vote in Santiago during elections to choose However, the working and States”. bureaucracy. vote in what many consider to be constitution to be drawn up by a mayors, councillors and a commission to rewrite the constitution. even upper-middle classes live Trump issued a proclama- Immigrant advocates said Chile’s most important election body made up entirely of elected with high indebtedness, often tion in October 2019 requiring the proclamation would have since its return to democracy 31 members. dictatorship – and more public law for Chile, which will be ap- to pay for schooling and private all prospective immigrants to barred entry to as many as years ago. This weekend, more than spending on education, health, proved or rejected next year in a pensions. show proof of US health insur- two-thirds of legal immigrants “Let the voice of the people be 1,300 candidates are in the run- pensions and social welfare. mandatory national vote. An Organisation for Economic ance within 30 days of their had it been allowed to take ef- heard today in this historic elec- ning to become a part of history. Those on the right, with a nod Seventeen seats on the consti- Co-operation and Development arrival in the United States or fect. tion,” President Sebastian Pinera Analysts say the election will to the need to boost social sup- tution-writing “convention” are (OECD) report in February said enough money to pay for “rea- Biden’s proclamation came said on Twitter before casting his be a battle between candidates port, largely defend the capi- reserved for indigenous repre- “persistently high inequality” sonably foreseeable medical as part of a package of actions ballot. from leftist parties and rightist talist, free market system they sentatives. was a key challenge for Chile, costs”. late on Friday reversing some Chile’s constitution dates ones, with independents not ex- thank for Chile’s decades of eco- Voters will this weekend also with 53% of households classed A federal judge blocked the largely symbolic policy state- from 1980, enacted at the height pected to draw any meaningful nomic growth. elect regional governors, mayors as economically vulnerable and healthcare requirement before ments by Trump. of dictator Augusto Pinochet’s support. In a world fi rst, half the candi- and local councillors – usually a the poorest 20% of households its eff ective date a month later. Those included the former 1973-1990 rule, and is widely Parties on the left broadly seek dates are women – by design – as litmus test for presidential elec- earning a mere 5.1% of total in- But in a December 2020 rul- president’s executive orders blamed for blocking equitable greater state control of min- will be the 155-member drafting tions, next due in November. come. ing, the 9th US Circuit Court deriding online censorship, progress in a country ranked as eral and other natural resources group that will have nine months Campaigning has been com- There is a low level of satisfac- of Appeals upheld the Trump street protests attacking mon- one of the most unequal among – mostly privatised since the to come up with a new founding plicated amid a coronavirus tion with quality of life. proclamation, saying that it uments, and excessive govern- fell within the president’s ex- ment regulation. ecutive power. Another order reversed by Biden took offi ce weeks later, Biden proposed building a and advocates said the measure sculpture garden of American never went into eff ect. “heroes”. Colombia’s Covid-19

Venezuela newspaper’s off ice seized deaths exceed 80,000 in defamation case filed by top leader Reuters would self-isolate. Venezuelan authorities have seized the headquarters of a Bogota Demonstrators have newspaper critical of President Nicolas Maduro’s government, to marched across Colombia cover $13mn in compensation that a court had ordered it to pay a since April 28, around the time top off icial in a defamation case. onfi rmed deaths from that nationwide daily deaths “At this very moment, a judge surrounded by national guards coronavirus (Covid-19) hit a record 505. entered the building of El Nacional to seize everything,” tweeted Cin Colombia passed Average deaths are hovering newspaper president-director Miguel Henrique Otero. 80,000 on Friday, with inten- around 470 per day and on Fri- In April, Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice ordered the daily sive care units (ICUs) almost day the cumulative toll reached to pay $13.4mn for causing “serious moral damage” to Diosdado full in the biggest cities, where 80,250. Cabello. crowds have been gathering for The pressure on ICUs in the In 2015, Cabello, second in command of the governing Socialist weeks of protests. capital “is worrying”, the gov- Party, sued the newspaper for reproducing a report by Spanish Authorities warned this ernment said late on Thurs- newspaper ABC that accused him of links to drug traff icking. week that the demonstrations day, adding patients would be El Nacional had asked the Supreme Court to explain how it came to – initially called in opposition transferred by air to other cit- the astronomical figure of $13mn, given a previous decision reached to a now-canceled tax reform ies. in 2018 ordered the newspaper to pay 1bn bolivars, worth around but which have expanded to ICU occupancy for Covid-19 $600 on the black market at that time. – AFP Women take part in a protest in Bogota yesterday against alleged abuses by the police. tackle inequality and police patients in Bogota stands at brutality – were set to prolong 94%, according to local au- an already-devastating third thorities. wave of the epidemic. In Medellin and Cali, the Bogota’s mayor echoed that rates are at 99% and 95%, re- warning, saying the capital spectively. US envoy wants Pope to attend climate conference had on Thursday reported its Health experts say they re- second-highest number of spect people’s right to protest, new Covid-19 cases and high- but warn large groups cannot Kerry calls Pope Francis a ‘powerful voice’ on climate Kerry, who is on a European est number of deaths since the continue to gather. tour that will take him to Brit- pandemic began. “We can’t go on like this,” Reuters/AFP meeting Pope Francis. ain and Germany after Rome, “I don’t know what more to Andrea Ramirez, an epidemi- Vatican City There was no immediate con- met with the Argentine Pope at say, to warn, to beg, to plead,” ologist at Bogota’s Universi- fi rmation of this from the Vati- the Vatican a day after a meet- Claudia Lopez said in a Twitter dad de los Andes, told Reuters. can. ing with Prime Minister Mario message late on Thursday that “We’re now talking about an ope Francis has the moral “Because he is above politics Draghi. urged people to stick to social- almost life-or-death situation, authority to sway public and outside of the hurly-burly He is mid-way through the distancing rules. as right now if people get sick Popinion over global warm- of day-to-day, national confl ict, week-long trip to Europe. On Friday she announced and need an ICU, they won’t ing and might attend the United I think he can sort of shake peo- Francis has made many calls that she was infected and fi nd one.” Nations’ Climate Change Con- ple a little bit and bring them to for environmental protection ference (COP26) in Scotland, US the table with a better sense of since becoming pope in 2013, President Joe Biden’s climate en- our common obligation,” Kerry and has repeatedly urged govern- Peru probes ‘empty’ jabs, finds no voy John Kerry said yesterday. added. ments to take drastic measures to COP26 is being held in Glas- “We need everybody in this combat global warming and re- evidence of vaccine black market gow in November and could ac- fi ght. All the leaders of the world duce the use of fossil fuels. celerate measures by the world’s need to come together and every Last month, Biden announced A probe into reports that people who sat for coronavirus (Covid-19) biggest polluters to tackle cli- country needs to do its part,” he that the world’s largest economy vaccinations in Peru were jabbed with empty syringes, found no mate change, a challenge which said. would cut emissions blamed for evidence of any scam, the government said on Friday. activists, scientists and world The Pope has called climate climate change by 50-52% by A four-day investigation found no evidence that the unused leaders say could ultimately en- change “one of the principal 2030 compared with 2005 levels, vaccine doses were being squirrelled away for resale on the black danger the planet. challenges facing humanity” to- doubling the country’s previous market, deputy health minister Gustavo Rosell said. “I think that his voice will be day. commitments. This photo taken by the Vatican Media shows Pope Francis with US “We have lost none (vaccines) so far,” the minister insisted. a very important voice leading He has rebuked industrialised Kerry, a former senator who climate envoy John Kerry at the Vatican. Peru opened a probe on Tuesday after three reported cases in up to and through the Glasgow countries most responsible for served as secretary of state un- which “apparently, the syringes to be used for vaccination did not conference, which I believe he the crisis, while speaking up for der president Barack Obama, has to upgrade commitments in the said in April, was “our last best contain a dose against Covid-19”, the ministry said at the time. intends to attend,” Kerry told the the poor in developing countries said that the next six months will 2015 Paris Agreement. hope to be able to coalesce the Peru, a country of 33mn people, has registered some 1.8mn offi cial Vatican News outlet after who will feel its worst eff ects. be critical in shoring up support The summit in Glasgow, he world in the right direction”. coronavirus infections and more than 65,000 deaths. – AFP Though US lifts guidance, not all are ready to unmask

AFP keep wearing her mask for a while around somebody who’s sick? A you very diff erently, so you can lican,” another woman wrote, re- Washington longer. non-vaccinated person?” act very diff erently.” ferring to political divisions over “If I see more people not wear- The 36-year-old consult- Part of the problem, said masks. ing masks, it’ll make me feel ant, who also chose to only give Adalja, a senior scholar from the “This is a just a note to say day after the top US health comfortable not wearing masks,” her fi rst name, told AFP that she Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School that masks are like weighted face agency eased coronavirus she said. “And then just seeing plans to keep her mask handy of Public Health, is that the CDC blankets and I’m keeping mine A(Covid-19) mask restric- the number of people who are when she’s out and decide was overly cautious during the forever,” tweeted author Glennon tions, many people could still be vaccinated in the US will defi - whether to put it on based on a pandemic and has now shocked Doyle. seen walking around the capital nitely help. “day-to-day, even hour-to-hour people with what seems like a According to Adalja, “people Washington wearing face cover- “If that number goes up, I feeling”. more aggressive step. didn’t develop the ability to risk ings. might feel more comfortable tak- “It has kind of become a part of When the CDC announced on calculate”. Among them was a student, ing it off ”. our face. I feel kind of bare with- Thursday that people fully vacci- “There just was a lot of pre- Chloe, who said she was fully But “it’s really important to out it,” Lauren said, adding her nated against Covid-19 no longer cautionary principles that got vaccinated – but was wearing her recognise that the pandemic’s mask sometimes can feel like a had to wear masks outdoors, carried away to a point that I black face mask anyway. still going on”. “security blanket”. President Joe Biden celebrated think it’s going to be hard for “I think the announcement ... Currently, only 36% of people Health experts say that it is the decision, calling it a “great people who totally embraced all was defi nitely a shock to a lot of are fully vaccinated in the United normal to feel anxious about re- day” for the country hardest-hit of that to jettison it,” he told AFP. people. It defi nitely was a shock States, where the pandemic has turning to normal life, given how by the pandemic. But “what value are you deriv- to me,” the student, who declined killed more than 580,000. hard the last year has been for Comedic takes fl ooded Twit- ing from the vaccine if you’re not to give her last name, told AFP on “Yesterday, I was not really many. ter, but their humour belied us- actually living your life?” Friday. into the idea” of going maskless, However, there is such a thing ers’ deeper-seated anxiety over Lauren ultimately agrees. Chloe, 20, viewed the Centres said Lauren, who wore a white as being too careful, warns Dr the issue. “I’m really desperate to see for Disease Control and Preven- cloth face mask. “Even though Amesh Adalja: “The science is “We don’t have to wear masks people’s faces again,” she said. “I tion (CDC) announcement as I’m vaccinated, what if there’s showing that if you’re fully vac- anymore if we’re vaccinated but want to be able to smile at peo- A welcome sign is seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. “hopeful” but said she plans to some slight chance that I’m cinated, the virus is going to treat what if I’m mistaken for a Repub- ple.” Gulf Times 8 Sunday, May 16, 2021 WORLD

ACHIEVEMENT DISASTER OPINION PANDEMIC DECISION Chinese spacecraft lands 12 people dead as two ‘Study social media Thailand to ease some Philippines president on surface of Mars tornadoes strike China algorithms to fight hate’ dining restrictions reduces rice tariff s

An uncrewed Chinese spacecraft successfully land- Two tornadoes that struck central and eastern China New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thailand plans to allow restaurants to resume dine- Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday ed on the surface of Mars yesterday, state news killed at least 12 people and injured more than 400, world leaders and tech firms looking to stamp out in services in capital Bangkok, a senior off icial said reduced the tariff for imported rice to ensure food agency Xinhua reported, making China the second authorities said yesterday. Violent winds of more extremism online would need to focus eff orts on yesterday, but opening hours and the number of security and protect consumers in the world’s space-faring nation after the US to land on the Red than 260km per hour blasted the central city of understanding social media algorithms that drive diners will be limited as the country grapples a third biggest importer of the grain. The southeast Planet. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft landed on a site Wuhan on Friday night. Eight people died and more content. Ardern was speaking at a summit to mark wave of coronavirus infections. Restaurants in dark Asian nation, which is battling elevated inflation, on the Southern Utopia Plain, “leaving a Chinese than 280 were injured there, authorities said, adding the second anniversary of the global initiative to end red zones like Bangkok will be allowed to reopen for took into consideration the increase in global rice footprint on Mars for the first time,” Xinhua said. that around 30 homes had collapsed. Vehicles were online hate, called the Christchurch Call, launched by dine-in services but at a limited capacity of 25% and prices and uncertainties in local rice supply, the The craft left its parked orbit at about 1700GMT crushed by falling objects, trees uprooted, buildings Ardern and French President Emmanuel Macron in will have to close at 9pm (1400GMT), said Taweesin president’s off ice said in a statement. In an execu- Friday (0100 Beijing time yesterday). The landing partially destroyed and electricity pylons felled, leav- 2019 after a white supremacist killed 51 people at two Wisanuyothin, a coronavirus taskforce spokesman. tive order, Duterte cut the Most Favoured Nation module separated from the orbiter three hours ing more than 26,000 homes without power. The mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch Restaurants in dark red zones, which have the (MFN) tariff rates on rice to 35% from 40% for later and entered the Martian atmosphere, the gale damaged two construction cranes, one of which while live-streaming his rampage on Facebook. Since highest risk of infection and the strictest restrictions, in-quota purchases and 50% out-quota volume off icial China Space News said. It said the landing toppled onto the site below, causing damage. In then more than 50 countries, organisations and tech could previously only open for delivery. The new for one year “to diversify the country’s market process consisted of “nine minutes of terror” as the Suzhou, near Shanghai, another tornado with winds firms have supported the initiative including firms like regulations, subject to the prime minister’s approval, sources, augment rice supply, maintain prices af- module decelerates and then slowly descends. of more than 200km per hour wreaked havoc. Facebook, Google, Twitter and Microsoft. should take eff ect before Monday, he said. fordable, and reduce pressures on inflation.” Taiwan tightens restrictions after coronavirus cases increase

Reuters sary meetings” or public events. Taipei The presidential offi ce is close to Wanhua. Amid pictures on social media aiwan yesterday raised its showing people fl ocking to su- coronavirus alert level in permarkets to stock up on toilet Tthe capital, Taipei, and paper and instant noodles, the the surrounding city, bringing economy ministry took to Face- curbs for a period of two weeks book to assure people that sup- that will shut many venues and plies were ample and there was restrict gatherings in the wake of no need to hoard. 180 new domestic infections. The rising community infec- Masks are to be worn outdoors tions unnerved the stock market for the fi rst time, as the govern- this week, though the govern- ment encourages work and study ment says the island’s economic from home, shutting cinemas fundamentals remain good. and entertainment spots, while Deputy Finance Minis- limiting gatherings of families ter Frank Juan said authorities and friends to fi ve indoors and 10 would watch market reaction outdoors. on Monday, adding he did not rule out calling a meeting of the National Stabilisation Fund, which the government can use to People queue up to buy tickets to return home at a bus station in Kolkata after the West Bengal government yesterday announced a 15-day lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19. smooth large fl uctuations. Investors should act rationally, he said, pointing out that only a few sectors would be aff ected by the curbs, such as tourism, rather than the island’s crucial foreign trade. The new restrictions do not Customers rush to buy instant apply to the chip-manufacturing noodles after the government hub of Hsinchu, and are unlikely Localised containment plan advised people to reduce to aff ect exports of semiconduc- leaving their homes and limit tors, a global shortage of which gatherings due to an increasing has shut some car factories. number of locally transmitted Chipmaking giant Taiwan Covid-19 infections, in Taipei, Semiconductor Manufacturing Taiwan, yesterday. Co said it was closely monitoring vital to stem Covid rise: Modi the situation, cutting non-es- Taipei’s government has al- sential gatherings and activities Reuters/AFP of ventilators lying unutilised in a government offi cial said. some Indian states hit by an four days from medical oxygen ready ordered restaurants and and reducing the movement of New Delhi storage in some states and di- “We keep recovering 10 to initial surge in infections, such shortages at hospitals, an op- similar venues to shut. people across diff erent chip fabs. rected that an immediate audit 20 bodies every now and then,” as Maharashtra and the capital position party in the region said. Health Minister Chen Shih- Taiwan has millions of vaccine of installation and operation of Navneet Sehgal, a spokesman New Delhi, after they imposed A court ordered emergency chung said a “level of risk” in doses on order from Moderna ndian Prime Minister Naren- ventilators provided by the cen- for the northern state, which has stringent lockdowns. supplies of oxygen to be sent to certain hot spots, such as Tai- and AstraZeneca, though only a dra Modi yesterday said the tral government be carried out. more people than Brazil, said. Delhi’s positive cases as a Goa Medical College Hospital to pei’s gritty Wanhua district, had small number have arrived from Igovernment is actively mon- The country yesterday re- “We have put a police force on share of tests have fallen to 11%, prevent more deaths. spurred the decision to raise the the latter due to global shortages itoring the supply of drugs being ported its smallest daily increase the river and have also sent com- Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal The state’s main opposition alert level. and vaccination rates remain low. used to fi ght Covid-19. He added in coronavirus infections in munications to local authorities told a news briefi ng, from more party said the patients died from “Only by doing this can infec- More vaccines will start arriv- that the situation with regards to nearly three weeks, but deaths that this practice be stopped.” than 30% early this month. a lack of oxygen but the govern- tions be dealt with and control- ing next month, Tsai has said. the black fungus infection, mu- stayed near the 4,000-mark. Sehgal was denying a report But the eastern state of West ment said the cause of death had led,” he told reporters. Since the pandemic began, cormycosis, which has aff ected In the past 24 hours, India had in the Asian Age newspaper, cit- Bengal, which held elections last not been determined. Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je urged Taiwan has reported fewer than some Covid-recovered patients 326,098 new infections, taking ing federal government sources, month, had its biggest single- Goa authorities nevertheless people to stay home as much as 1,500 cases among a population was also being monitored. its tally to 24.37mn, with 3,890 that nearly 2,000 bodies of pos- day spike. said they had asked the central possible, adding that schools of about 24mn, most of them im- The premier was speaking at a deaths, for a toll of 266,207, sible virus victims had been Yesterday it ordered a state- government to nearly double teaching should move online. ported from abroad, but a recent high-level meeting on the coun- health ministry data shows. pulled from the river in the past wide lockdown for 15 days until the state’s oxygen supply to 40 “During this time, if you have rise in community transmissions try’s Covid-19 situation and the But the slow growth may also week or so. the end of May. tonnes per day. nothing on, then stay at home and has spooked residents. ongoing vaccination drive. refl ect test rates that are at their The state’s virus infections Some other states, such as Coronavirus restrictions in don’t go out, and if you do, wear a The island has never gone into He stressed localised contain- lowest since May 9. offi cially peaked late last month Karnataka in the south, have Goa had been relatively relaxed mask to reduce infection from drop- a full lockdown and its people ment strategies were the need Meanwhile police are patrol- but experts say many more cases also reported recent rises, im- until the current wave of infec- lets,” said Ko, a doctor by training. are used to life carrying on near of the hour specially for states ling the banks of the Ganges are going undetected in the vil- plying an fall in overall cases is tions. The virus is now causing President Tsai Ing-wen’s normal, despite the pandemic where TPR (test positivity ratio) in India’s most populous state lages home to the bulk of the still some time away. more than 60 deaths a day in the spokesman said she would re- ranging in many other parts of are high. of Uttar Pradesh to stop any state’s 240mn people. In the resort state of Goa, region and Goa has one of India’s duce the number of “unneces- the world. Modi also took note of reports dumping of corpses in the river, Cases have fallen steadily in more than 70 people have died in highest infection rates.

Giant puppet Australia govt ‘must avert new Covid risk halts India repatriation fl ight fi asco’ bid to scale Everest Reuters guides and 27 Sherpas carelessly, Guardian News and Media Total cases of Covid-19 have the people who were blocked from Kathmandu would be irresponsible,” Furten- Canberra topped 24mn in India, with the travelling, but it was the right de- bach said in a statement. country’s Prime Minister, Naren- cision to protect other people. Infections at Everest base dra Modi, saying the country was He said: “I’m very pleased the n international expedition camp have surged as “elementa- he Australian govern- “on a war footing” as more than fl ight has arrived. But what they yesterday abandoned its ry precautionary measures were ment needs to do more to 4,000 people died from the virus could do diff erently is have a Aattempt to scale Mount simply not observed” by some Tavoid a repeat of the scores for a third straight day. mechanism to bring people to the Everest, citing risks posed by an teams, he said, without naming of seats left empty on the fi rst India is experiencing a spread city where the plane is leaving and increasing number of Covid-19 any expeditions. post-ban repatriation fl ight from of cases associated with the have them in quarantine and test cases at the base camp, the or- Tendi Sherpa of the Iceland virus-ravaged India, one com- B.1.617 variant, which some ex- them several times. ganisers said. Trekking and Expedition com- munity leader has said. perts say could be more transmis- “I hope they will learn from Some climbers were evacuated pany, which provided local sup- Eighty Australians touched sible than other variants. what has happened and have a from Everest base camp in April port to the team, confi rmed down in Darwin yesterday morn- The World Health Organisation better testing system to bring as after they fell ill with Covid-19 climbers were returning for fear ing and were moved to the Howard this week declared it a “variant of many as possible home. symptoms as Nepal battles a of the disease. Springs quarantine facility on the concern”. “They are Australian citizens brutal second wave of infections. Department of tourism direc- city’s outskirts. Indian community leaders in and there are moral obligations to Lukas Furtenbach, of Aus- tor Mira Acharya said she had But about 70 seats reserved for Australia said statewide lock- look after them.” trian expedition organising no information of any expedi- returning Australians were empty downs in the subcontinent and The department of foreign af- company Furtenbach Adven- tion evacuating due to Covid-19 after 40 people tested positive higher case numbers in cities was fairs and trade declined to answer tures, said his team of climb- fears. before the fl ight from Delhi, with making the job of repatriating Guardian Australia’s questions ers from America, Norway, Is- “Doctors at the base camp said another 30 identifi ed as close Australians harder. about whether eff orts had been rael, Germany, Austria, Italy, the situation was not as serious contacts. Some 10,000 Australian citi- made to fi ll seats that became Luxembourg and Romania as it was reported,” she said.”I Dr Yadu Singh, the president of zens and permanent residents available on the repatriation fl ight were abandoning the climb for did not see any terrible situation the Federation of Indian Associa- have told the government they and if a standby system would be safety reasons as the number of there,” said Acharya, who re- tions of New South Wales and the want to return from India. in place for future fl ights. Performers control the giant puppet ‘MOCCO’ designed Covid-19 infections at the base turned this week after overseeing head of the Council of Indian Fed- First in line for repatriation The department also did not by Noriyuki Sawa during the “Rediscover Tohoku — camp was increasing. preparations at the base camp. erations of Australia, said: “They fl ights are about 1,000 people the say if the government had plans to MOCCO’s Journey from Tohoku to Tokyo” media tour at “To climb...with these mas- Nepal has reported 447,704 need to think about a diff erent government has deemed vulner- set up quarantine for Australians Takata Matsubara Tsunami Reconstruction Memorial sively increasing coronavirus coronavirus cases and 4,856 mechanism so as not to waste able. stuck in India to isolate before the Park in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, yesterday. numbers and risk the lives of deaths, according to government those seats.” Singh said he sympathised with fl ight. our 20 climbers, four mountain data. Gulf Times Sunday, May 16, 2021 9 BRITAIN Miliband faces fl ak over charity’s unpaid internships

Guardian News and Media Miliband, the chief executive sor received. While the full-time Applicants are required to end to unpaid internships argue sations, said: “Unpaid intern- said the UK government should London of the refugee charity Interna- internships, which range from have at least two years of under- that they shut many less advan- ships are opportunities which not support charities that do tional Rescue Committee (IRC), eight to 12 weeks, are based in graduate-level education. taged young people out of top are largely restricted to those not pay everyone who works for has previously been labelled the US, the charity receives mil- The adverts, which are pro- careers. with enough fi nancial backing them. he former Labour MP “million-dollar Miliband” after lions in UK aid. moted on the UN jobs web- In London, an unpaid intern- to support them. This reinforc- A spokesperson for IRC UK David Miliband is facing his pay packet rose to $911,796 The intern roles, based on a site, say: “Our internships are ship costs young people more es inequality and makes them a said: “IRC UK does not use un- Tcriticism after it emerged in 2019, then worth more than 37.5-hour week, are being adver- unpaid. However, these are than £1,000 a month due to ris- barrier to social mobility, so we paid interns and is a separate le- that the charity he runs, for £700,000. tised in a variety of departments great opportunities to make ing rents, according to Sutton don’t recommend charities off er gal entity from the IRC’s global which he was paid more than This was an increase of near- in the IRC including advocacy, a meaningful impact through Trust research. them.” headquarters in the US.” £700,000, is off ering unpaid in- ly £200,000 on the previous executive offi ces and violence work and start a career in non- Vicky Browning, the head of Ellie Mae O’Hagan, the direc- The IRC in the US and David ternships at its headquarters in two years, and two-and-a-half prevention and response, the profit.” the Association of Chief Ex- tor of the thinktank Class (Cen- Miliband have also been ap- New York City. times the amount his predeces- Times fi rst reported. Campaigners calling for the ecutives of Voluntary Organi- tre for Labour & Social Studies), proached for a comment.

CoExistence message Publication of Lord Mountbatten diaries blocked by Cabinet Offi ce

Guardian News and Media Edinburgh, confi dant of Edward London VIII (Duke of Windsor) and the last Viceroy of India, while Lady Mountbatten had a close rela- hen the diaries and tionship with the Indian leader letters of Lord and Jawaharlal Nehru. WLady Mountbatten He said: “I just feel what were “saved for the nation” in they’re doing is wrong … And 2010, it should have created an they just think they’ve got invaluable public resource. deeper pockets and they can Instead, a writer has spent just see me off . And this is why four years and £250,000 of his I’m hoping I can at least shame own money in an ongoing – but them and maybe we can get the still frustrated – attempt to force release of these diaries, which I Southampton University and the think are important sources for Cabinet Offi ce to allow the public any 20th-century story but also to view them. we can make the point that this The university bought the is not the way that governments Broadlands archive, named af- and universities should behave ter the Mountbattens’ Grade I- … This is opening up, what po- listed house, for £2.8mn in 2010, tentially could be another Chips attracting funding by stating it Channon diaries (which con- Natasha Hibbert poses alongside an exhibition of life-size elephant sculptures, part of the CoExistence campaign organised by the Elephant Family Trust, on The Mall in would “preserve the collection in tained scandalous revelations London, Britain, yesterday. The campaign aims to trumpet the idea that humans and wild animals can share space in this crowded world. its entirety for future generations about the powerful in interwar to use and enjoy” and “ensure London) for other historians.” public access”. The university bought the ar- However, Andrew Lownie, the chive, which also included the author of a 2019 book about the papers of the Victorian prime Mountbattens, has been fi ght- minister Lord Palmerston, with ing unsuccessfully since 2017 for the help of grants of almost £2mn their correspondence and diaries from the National Heritage Me- to be released. morial Fund and £100,000 from This is despite freedom of in- Hampshire county council. formation (FoI) requests and an It was also subject to the “ac- Patel accused of lobbying order by the Information Com- ceptance in lieu” scheme under missioner’s Offi ce (ICO) that the which art works and archives are material be released. accepted by the nation in lieu of The university has said it was inheritance tax, taking the total directed by the government to cost to about £4.5mn, according keep a small number of the pa- to Lownie. for face mask company pers private until told other- When he found omissions relat- wise. “They’ve spent hundreds ing to the Mountbattens from the of thousands of pounds and university’s inventory, he made an Guardian News and Media healthcare fi rm Pharmaceuticals national crisis, failure to do so Project campaign group – re- could review the matter urgently brought in two top QCs, and FoI request but the university re- London Direct Ltd (PDL). would have been a dereliction of vealed a letter Patel wrote to and urged him to “work with the this fi ght has been going on for fused to release the materials, cit- Her eff orts failed after the duty.” Gove in May last year. company to distribute and sup- four years so I can only imagine ing a Cabinet Offi ce power of veto Health Secretary, Matt Han- However, Labour said there The Daily Mail, which fi rst ply these masks”. there’s something (interesting) under a ministerial direction. abour has accused Priti cock, said the masks were “not was “no evidence that the home reported on the documents, Hancock wrote back 10 days there otherwise why would they After he complained to the Patel of a “fl agrant breach” suitable for the NHS”, according secretary had any interest” in said the possible deal was worth later to say that “KN95 face bother?” said Lownie. ICO, it contacted the university, Lof the ministerial code by to disclosure in a legal case. the PPE deal until contacted by £20mn. masks are Chinese standards” Lownie began his quest when which failed to respond for 12 allegedly lobbying Michael Gove But PDL was awarded a Jassal, suggesting that she did it In the letter, Patel expressed and that UK offi cials have con- researching his book. months, prompting the com- over a £20mn deal. £102.7mn contract weeks later in “as a favour to her friend”. disappointment that the gov- cluded that they are “not suit- Although it has since been missioner, in the interim, to issue In a letter signed by the depu- July to provide a diff erent type of “This would represent a glar- ernment no longer required able for use in the NHS”. published, he is determined to what it described as “unprec- ty Labour leader, Angela Rayner, mask. On both occasions, Samir ing and fl agrant breach of the supplies of KN95 masks from Rayner yesterday tweeted: “In continue the fi ght, and is now edented” contempt of court pro- and shadow home secretary, Jassal was Patel’s contact at PDL. ministerial code,” the letter read. PDL, saying “they have com- April 2020, Priti Patel should’ve trying to raise £50,000 on Crow- ceedings against the university Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Jassal has stood as a Conservative Labour pointed to the princi- mitted stock and secured supply, been securing our borders djustice to help fi ght an appeal by because it “continues to fl out its party urged the cabinet secre- candidate at two general elec- ple that “ministers must ensure exposing them to considerable against Covid – not working the university and Cabinet Offi ce statutory duty”. tary Simon Case to investigate tions and has met Boris Johnson that no confl ict arises, or could fi nancial risk and pressures”. on get rich quick schemes for a against the ICO decision. After the university respond- the home secretary over alleged and David Cameron. reasonably be perceived to arise, “The late stage in which the Tory donor. The PPE didn’t even The academic believes the ed, in December 2019, the ICO eff orts to sway the award of a A spokesperson for Patel de- between their public duties and government has decided not to work, it was deemed unsafe for documents could shed light on ordered it to publish the Mount- contract. nied any wrongdoing. their private interests, fi nancial use them has caused these prob- NHS staff . Patel needs to come the royal family and the inde- battens’ diaries and letters. Documents show that in He said: “The home secretary or otherwise”. lems,” the home secretary wrote clean and we need to know if she pendence and partition of India. An appeal against that deci- May last year Patel attempted rightly followed up representa- Disclosure from the govern- on May 3 last year. broke the ministerial code.” Lord Mountbatten was the sion is due to be heard at the fi rst to secure a personal protective tions made to her about the vital ment – in response to a pre- She went on to say she would Jassal and PDL have been con- uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of tier tribunal in November. equipment (PPE) deal for the supply of PPE. During a time of action letter from the Good Law be “most grateful” if Hancock tacted for comment.

Museum reopening Govt responding calmly to Secondary schools India Covid variant: minister facing longer terms Daily Mail tracurricular activities such as London sport, drama, music or clubs, Guardian News and Media transmissible), but equally it variant could become the most possibly run by community London could be much less more trans- dominant strain across the UK. groups to reduce the pressure on missible, if that makes sense,” Ar- Yesterday, Prof Anthony econdary school children are teachers. gar told BBC Breakfast yesterday. Harnden, deputy chair of the likely to face longer terms But sources said ministers are he government is acting “We don’t know how much Joint Committee of Vaccines and Sand shorter holidays after currently leaning towards ex- “coolly” and “calmly” to more transmissible it is yet. All Immunisation (JCVI), said coro- the summer as part of a multi-bil- tending the length of terms – a Ttackle the coronavirus the evidence so far suggests there navirus vaccines were “almost lion-pound catch-up plan. move that will put them on col- variant fi rst found in India as so- is no evidence of increased sever- certainly less eff ective” at reduc- A ‘comprehensive’ programme lision course with the trade un- cial distancing measures are fur- ity of illness or that it evades the ing transmission of the variant. for ‘educational recovery’ will be ions. ther eased on Monday, the Health vaccine. So, at the moment, on the Harnden, who advises the gov- published by the government Primary schools will also re- Minister Edward Argar has said. basis of the evidence we are doing ernment on vaccinations, told next month – which may also see ceive catch-up help but are un- At a press conference on Fri- the right thing, coolly, calmly con- BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: exams made easier. likely to be asked to work a longer day, Boris Johnson said he would tinuing with Monday, but keeping “The vaccines may be less eff ec- Whitehall sources said min- day. press ahead with allowing indoor everything under review.” tive against mild disease but we isters have already agreed that Ministers are also looking gatherings of six people or two Argar added that people don’t think they’re less eff ec- millions of youngsters need more ahead to next year’s GCSE and A- households in England from next should take personal responsi- tive against severe disease. But time at school after suff ering Level exams, which will go ahead week, though the fi nal stage of bility when deciding whether or in combination with being less more than a year of disrupted in pared back form. lifting restrictions in June could not to hug loved ones, when al- eff ective against mild disease, education. Under one proposal, young- face “serious disruption”. lowed to do so. “You have to take they’re almost certainly less ef- A debate is going on within sters would be told in advance His comments came amid all the facts into consideration,” he fective against transmission.” government about whether to which topics will feature in their warnings from scientists that the said.“It’s about personal respon- Argar said there had been a lengthen the school day by up to exams. new variant of concern fi rst de- sibility, it’s about making the right “minor increase” in people pre- an hour, or extend the length of The idea is designed to recog- tected in India, B.1.617.2, could judgment call.” senting at hospital with the vi- Matt Falcus, member of Save the Trident existing terms to add around a nise the fact that schools have lead to a “signifi cant” surge in Prof Chris Whitty, England’s rus, mainly among unvaccinated organisation, tends to the Hawker Siddeley HS-121 fortnight of extra learning. had less time to cover the full infections, and could be up to chief medical offi cer, had warned people aged between 35 and 65 in Trident 1C on display at the North East Land, Sea and Air The longer day would be used syllabus. The new plans are being 50% more transmissible than the on Friday that a more transmis- Bolton, where, alongside Black- Museum, ahead of the venue’s reopening to the public to provide extra lessons and tu- drawn up by Education Secretary variant fi rst detected in Kent. sible B.1.617.2 variant would burn with Darwen, the army will following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in toring for children who have Gavin Williamson and the prime “As Chris Whitty said on Fri- mean “a really signifi cant surge” be deployed to help mass testing Sunderland, Britain, yesterday. fallen behind. minister’s education recovery day, it’s possible (it could be more in infections, as he predicted the eff orts. Other pupils would do ex- tsar Sir Kevan Collins. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, May 16, 2021 COMMENT

CHAIRMAN Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah Some US border agents struggling EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka Deputy Managing Editor with Biden’s policy shift K T Chacko

P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar By Ted Hesson, Kristina Cooke and with the politically outspoken union but who may not speak out. [email protected] Mica Rosenberg Washington If Magnus is confi rmed to head CBP, 44350478 (News), Kerlikowske said, “empathy and com- passion will be a standard.” 44466404 (Sport), ome US border patrol agents are Many immigration advocates have 44466636 (Home delivery) so frustrated with President Joe been deeply critical of border patrol and SBiden’s more liberal border poli- say it is time for reform. 44350474 cies that they are considering early re- In 2019, the agency came under fi re facebook.com/gulftimes tirement, while other disgruntled col- when the non-profi t news site ProPub- leagues are buying unoffi cial coins that lica revealed a private Facebook group in twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar say ‘US which border patrol agents aired racist Welcome Patrol.’ and misogynistic views. Interviews with a dozen current and Then-acting CBP commissioner former agents highlight growing dis- Kevin McAleenan said at the time that satisfaction among some rank and fi le the posts did not refl ect the views of the GULF TIMES members of the agency over Biden’s agency’s employees. swift reversal of some of former presi- Border apprehensions have been ris- dent Donald Trump’s hardline immigra- ing since Biden took offi ce in January, tion policies. reaching about 173,000 in April — the Since Biden took offi ce, border ap- highest monthly level in more than 20 prehensions have risen sharply. years. Hopeful signs of light Some of that frustration is coalescing The Biden administration ini- into opposition to Biden’s pick to lead tially struggled to process the border the border patrol’s parent agency, US crossers fast enough, resulting in through the tunnel Customs and Border Protection (CBP). thousands of children being stuck in The nominee is Tucson Police chief overcrowded border stations and forc- Chris Magnus, who still needs to be ing some agents to take on caretaker for Mena economies confi rmed by the US Senate. roles instead of patrolling for drugs The discontent was partly refl ected and smugglers. in an unusual memo from the acting While the administration made Covid-19 exacerbated long-standing development Border Patrol chief last month, who changes that helped empty out the challenges in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) with the objected to a new directive to stop us- crowded stations, agents said they and accumulated cost of the pandemic in the region estimated to top ing the term ‘alien’ when referring to their colleagues remain frustrated that $227bn by the year-end. migrants, saying it would hurt agents’ many families are being released into A family of asylum seekers cross an open section of wall at the US-Mexico border to When Mena governments increased borrowing to address morale. the US to pursue asylum cases, even as a The interviews provide an anecdotal turn themselves in to US Border Patrol agents in Yuma, Arizona. Trump-era policy of quick expulsions at Covid-19, they saved lives and livelihoods, all investments in snapshot of the mood within border the border during the pandemic is still human capital. patrol and, as such, do not represent the led some agents to consider early retire- who were congregating at the hospital. in place. But, as the World Bank cited recently, the substantial views of all agents. ment, six of them said. Border patrol union offi cials were In at least one part of the southern borrowing that Mena governments incurred to fi nance health One agent who spoke on the condi- Voluntary retirements within border outraged, writing on Facebook at the border, some agents have started calling and social protection measures increased government debt. tion of anonymity said “there are always patrol are set to outpace last year if they time that Magnus’ police department Biden ‘Let ‘Em Go Joe,’ according to a Countries need to continue spending on health and income going to be changes” between presiden- continue at the current rate, according “put politics over rule of law and oath border patrol agent who asked to remain transfers, which will add to already high debt burdens and lead tial administrations and that agents are to agency data. of offi ce.” anonymous because he was not author- “used to it.” Rosemarie Pepperdine, a border Magnus “refused to work with the ised to speak to the media. to complicated policy decisions after the pandemic recedes. But any internal strife could compli- patrol agent working in Casa Grande, agency that he’s going to be overseeing,” Gil Maza, a former agent who retired “We can see hopeful signs of light through the tunnel, cate plans Magnus may have to imple- Arizona, is one of those who said she Judd, the union president, said in an in March, runs a website selling an especially with the deployment of vaccines, but the region ment and reshape border and asylum was considering taking early retirement. interview. “That alone, in my opinion, unoffi cial coin that refashions the US remains in crisis. Strong institutions are crucial to absorbing policy. “We have so many people coming should be disqualifi cation.” Border Patrol logo to read ‘US Welcome this crisis, re-launching economies, and building them back Criticism from even a small number across, and then we’re out there killing Hall said he felt the police depart- Patrol.’ stronger and more resilient in the years ahead,” noted Ferid of agents could also bolster Republican ourselves to catch them, rescue them or ment had done everything they could Maza said he had sold 78 of the coins Belhaj, World Bank vice president for the Middle East and North eff orts to use concerns over illegal im- whatever it is, and then they’re being to fi nd the man. “We were all a bit sur- in four days to current and former Africa. migration to rally supporters ahead of released,” she said.”Why even bother?” prised,” Hall said of the union’s outrage agents. the 2022 congressional elections. Asked about the agents’ frustration, about the 2017 incident, “because the “It sheds a little humour on the The region’s Brandon Judd, president of the Na- a Biden administration offi cial said facts as we saw them were not exactly situation,” he said of the coins.”And Transparency will economies are tional Border Patrol Council, the labour the president’s approach was rooted in aligning with the facts as they saw it’s something that helps us, I guess, estimated to have union that represents three-quarters solutions and eff ective management. them.” mentally and emotionally cope with the play an important contracted by 3.8% of the roughly 20,000 border patrol The opposition to Magnus from Magnus declined to comment for this situation because especially right now, in 2020, which is 1.3 agents, sharply criticised Biden in a within the agency derives in part from story. the situation is pretty dire out there.” role in helping percentage points news conference with Republican sena- an incident in 2017, when a Honduran The son of an immigrant father from Some agents echoed a grievance aired above the World Bank tors on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. migrant escaped from a Tucson hospital Norway, Magnus, 60, has not publicly by Border Patrol chief Rodney Scott in Mena countries The union endorsed Trump in the while a border agent was looking at his spoken about what his plan would be an April 16 memo that criticised the forecasts in October 2020 election and still supports his phone. for CBP. Biden administration’s directive to use address the 2020; however, the restrictionist policies. Magnus’ police department dis- His backers in police and policy the terms ‘undocumented non-citizen’ regional growth “I can confi dently say that Presi- patched search teams and helicopters, circles say he is a strong supporter of his or ‘migrant’ and stop using the phrase tradeoff s between estimate is 6.4 dent Biden owns this crisis,” Judd said, police records show. employees and is open to a wide range ‘illegal alien.’ percentage points referring to the recent spike in border After they determined the migrant of views. “Over the years many outside forces short-term needs lower than the pre- crossers. “It is his fault.” had likely left the area, they called off Claudia Jasso, chief development on both extremes of the political spec- pandemic growth The 97-year-old border patrol the manhunt, according to Tucson’s as- offi cer at the Tucson-based nonprofi t trum have intentionally, or uninten- and the long-term agency has been whipsawed by sistant police chief, Kevin Hall. Amistades, said one of the fi rst things tionally, politicised our agency and our forecast published in policy changes under Republican and The border patrol wanted to use a Magnus did as head of the city’s police mission,” Scott wrote in the memo to risks of public debt October 2019. Democratic administrations that have police station to set up a command post department was to meet with the Latino acting CBP commissioner Troy Miller. The estimated required them to frequently modify to aid the search. community to listen to their concerns. The memo was fi rst leaked to the accumulated cost of the pandemic, in terms of gross domestic their approach to migrants they en- But that was rejected by police, who “He was humble and asked a lot of right-wing news site Breitbart. product (GDP) losses by the end of 2021, will amount to $227bn. counter at the border. according to Hall felt that was unneces- questions,” she said. The Biden administration offi cial The region is expected to recover only partially in 2021, but But a number of the agents inter- sary because the border patrol had their Gil Kerlikowske, who was CBP com- defended the new terminology, saying that recovery is, in part, dependent on an equitable rollout of viewed said they had never experienced own facilities. missioner for three years under former that choice of words mattered and that such a dramatic pendulum swing. He said police also wanted to avoid president Barack Obama, said there are those in custody deserved to be treated vaccines. Discontent in the ranks has already attracting pro-immigrant protesters people within the agency who disagree with dignity. – Reuters The substantial borrowing that Mena governments had to incur to fi nance essential health and social protection measures increased government debt dramatically: the average public debt in Mena countries is expected to rise eight percentage points, from about 46% of GDP in 2019 to 54% in 2021. Notably, debt among Mena oil importers is expected to average about 93% of GDP in 2021. Russia struggling to make Sputnik V doses The need to keep spending — and keep borrowing — will remain strong for the immediate future. Mena countries will have no choice but to continue spending on healthcare and By Polina Nikolskaya and Polina countries, from Latin America to Asia. cells that will form the shots. R-Pharm To deal with the problems, Russia has social protection as long as the pandemic continues. Ivanova But delays in getting shots to those was initially learning the process from teamed up with AstraZeneca, whose Consequently, in a post-pandemic world, most Mena Moscow countries gives China and the US time scratch and operating the bioreactors vaccine uses a diff erent adenovirus countries may fi nd themselves stuck with debt service bills to fi ll the gap. was like working “blindfolded”, chief shot, two sources familiar with vaccine In another blow, Brazil’s regulator has executive Alexei Repik said. strategy said. requiring resources that otherwise could be used for economic ransforming the site of what once denied approval to import Sputnik V, “Vaccine production takes around Human trials of a mix-and-match development. was a Soviet-era car factory into a citing incomplete data on its safety and one-and-a-half months or more, for vaccine are under way in several “Transparency will play an important role in helping Mena Tstate-of-the-art facility churning effi cacy. each series,” he said. “Then afterwards, countries. countries address the tradeoff s between short-term needs and the out Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V The Russian Direct Investment you compare the output to the reference Another option is “Sputnik Light”, a long-term risks of public debt,” said Roberta Gatti, World Bank was the easy bit. Fund (RDIF), which is responsible for sample. If it matches, you’re lucky. If it single-dose version of the shot using chief economist for the Middle East and North Africa Region. Making doses in bulk, fi nding marketing the vaccine abroad, said the doesn’t, you pour out the product you only the fi rst component. The Mena region, like the rest of the world, remains in a qualifi ed staff and getting equipment manufacturing capacity for Sputnik made.” One private producer, Pharmasyntez, have been much bigger headaches for V was increasing globally as new The company has also struggled with plans to seek permission to produce pandemic-induced crisis. But we can see hopeful signs of light Moscow-based biotech fi rm R-Pharm manufacturers come on board. global shortages of equipment and raw only the one-dose vaccine, its chief through the tunnel. and other private Russian companies RDIF said it planned to produce materials. executive, Vikram Punia, said. Vaccines to fi ght Covid-19 are being produced and, in some picked to make the country’s fl agship enough doses to vaccinate 800mn R-Pharm was initially gearing up to It sent a fi rst batch for quality countries, rapidly deployed. Shortages of medical supplies are shot to fi ght the pandemic. people in 2021 and that it had make 10mn doses a month but by late controls on May 3. abating. President Vladimir Putin has “demonstrated its strong commitment March had still not produced 1mn doses. In response to questions, RDIF said There is evidence that the lockdowns and social distancing trumpeted the vaccine around the to honouring supply contracts”. It said It began the process of cell growing in both components of the Russian vaccine that caused the economic distress have also helped tamp down world, and said in March that Russia it stood by an off er to provide doses for November but its new factory has yet to were being produced and delivered on had signed agreements for the 50mn people in the European Union. open offi cially. time. the spread of the virus. And after a sharp contraction in GDP, production of 700mn doses abroad. Russia is hoping the vaccine will be Manufacturers said the vaccine was A global rush for equipment has a recovery of sorts has been forecast for the the Mena region in But Russia had produced just 33mn approved by the European Medicines particularly diffi cult to make because increased Russian producers’ problems, 2021. vaccines as of May 12 and exported Agency. of its design as an adenovirus vector and pharmaceutical plants are in limited Strong institutions are one crucial dimension to helping Mena fewer than 15mn, according to a Reuters Russia’s health ministry did not vaccine. supply in Russia. Generium, the biggest build back stronger and more resilient economies. tally that counted each vaccine as respond to a request for comment on The vectors are modifi ed human producer of Sputnik V doses, re- consisting of two doses. production and other problems outlined common cold viruses, used to carry the purposed existing plants to work on the Russia’s output is much lower than by manufacturers. genetic information into the body that vaccine, as did Biocad, the only other the hundreds of millions being made The industry ministry said Sputnik triggers immunity-building. major producer. To Advertise each month by Pfi zer and AstraZeneca. V production was more than meeting Unlike other adenovirus vaccines, To expand output, new plants will be Interviews with four manufacturers the needs of Russia’s mass inoculation the fi rst and booster shots of Sputnik needed. [email protected] and two people involved in the campaign, and that manufacturers V, taken 21 days apart, are made up of Generium is building one to make production process and Russia’s in several other countries, including two diff erent vectors and the first shot 200-300mn doses per year, its owner Display supply chain highlight how diffi cult India and China, were also making the is easier to produce than the second, said in March. 44466621 44418811 it is to make Sputnik V and ramp up shot. manufacturers said. The biggest problem for production. “Any local issues related to vaccine “The product is diffi cult enough and Pharmasyntez’s Punia was a lack of Classified The problems are a warning to foreign production are dealt with promptly,” it you actually have to make two diff erent experienced staff — producing two 44466609 44418811 partners - including in India - that are said, adding that the ministry “does its drugs,” said Biocad chief executive doses increases strain on staffing planning to mass produce the vaccine best to ensure that the health system’s Dmitry Morozov, whose company is also because separate manufacturing Subscription and those countries relying on Moscow needs continue to be met in full, making Sputnik V. spaces and teams are needed. “We can to supply their inoculation programmes. and that there is enough vaccine for Morozov later said that production buy equipment, we can build plants. [email protected] With the US and European countries everyone.” had increased sharply in the past month But in biotechnology, competent focused on vaccinating domestic R-Pharm’s new 27,000 square-metre or so, with technical questions resolved people is the most important thing. populations, Russia has stepped in the factory on the outskirts of Moscow has and output in the tens of millions of And there are not very many of them,” © 2021 Gulf Times. All rights reserved breach, off ering shots to more than 50 more than 200 bioreactors that grow the doses. Punia said. Gulf Times Sunday, May 16, 2021 11 EUROPE Greece formally opens to tourists

Reuters old student on holiday from the becca, a tourist in Athens from €4bn ($4.9bn) from €18bn. Athens Czech Republic. Florida, who declined to give her This year, it is aiming for 40% “I feel again alive,” she said, as last name. “I’ve been waiting two of 2019 levels. she strolled near the Roman Ago- years – two years with the Cov- On the island of Mykonos, one reece formally opened to ra in downtown Athens. id-19.” fl ight was given a water salute visitors yesterday, kick- As of yesterday, foreign tour- Greece has been rolling out upon landing. Ging off a summer season ists will be allowed in Greece if vaccines to its islands and hopes Four islands in the south it hopes will resurrect its vital they have been vaccinated or can to vaccinate most of them by the Aegean, including Mykonos, re- tourism industry battered by show negative Covid-19 test re- end of June. ceived 32 international fl ights on the coronavirus (Covid-19) pan- sults. The government says vac- Saturday from countries includ- demic. Travel between regions, in- cines and rapid testing, as well ing Sweden, Germany and Qatar. After months of lockdown re- cluding to the islands, will also be as warmer weather allowing out- Corfu, in the Ionian sea, wel- strictions, Greece also opened its allowed for those with negative door activities, mean visitors can comed visitors from Germany museums this week, including tests or vaccinations. travel safely. and France. A man waves his hat as passengers arriving yesterday from Germany and Switzerland exit the terminal of the Acropolis museum, home to “Greece is off ering what peo- As the pandemic brought in- “We are so happy. I’m happy the Heraklion airport, as the country’s tourism season off icially opens, on the Greek island of Crete. renowned sculptures from Greek ple need,” Tourism Minister Har- ternational travel to a halt in to be here,” said Pierre-Olivier antiquity. ry Theoharis tweeted. “Calm and 2020, Greece suff ered its worst Garcia, soon after arriving on the islands or holiday homes on the the busy port of Piraeus. impose several lockdowns to pro- “I feel really alive and good be- care-free moments on the road year for tourism on record, with island. mainland yesterday. Greece fared better than much tect its struggling health system. cause it has been such a hard and towards normality.” 7mn visitors compared with a Greeks also welcomed the lift- “The fi rst weekend of free- of Europe during the fi rst wave A country of 11mn, it has re- long year because of Covid-19,” Tourists in Athens were elated. record 33mn in 2019. ing of lockdown measures, with dom,” the Alpha TV network pro- of the pandemic, but rising in- corded 373,881 infections and said Victoria Sanchez, a 22-year- “I’m fi nally here,” said Re- Tourist revenues tumbled to scores of people leaving for the claimed during a broadcast from fections later in 2020 forced it to 11,322 deaths. France hits 20mn milestone in vaccination drive Portugal opening

Number of Covid-19 intensive care patients in France falls again at the Porte de Versailles confer- tensive care continued to de- halls will reopen with limited ca- ence centre in Paris. crease yesterday, with the latest pacity after six weeks of closure to most European AFP/Reuters tweet that said that “20 mil- The government is aiming to fi gures showing fewer than 4,271 to halt the pandemic, and the na- Paris lion” with a green checkmark, a have 30mn initial doses injected – down from 4,352 the previous tionwide curfew will be pushed number that represents around by June 15, when Macron has said day. back to 9pm (1900 GMT) from 30% of the population. all adults will be able to sign up That is well below the peak of 7pm. tourists tomorrow rance reached its target Health offi cials said that the for a jab currently reserved for 6,001 during the “third wave” of Non-essential shops will also of injecting 20mn initial exact fi gure was 20,086,792; with priority groups and adults over infections that battered France reopen and outdoor seating at Fdoses of coronavirus (Cov- 8,805,345 people having also had 50. starting in March. cafés and restaurants will be al- AFP tions on Britain, one of its most id-19) vaccines yesterday, days a second vaccine dose. “It’s within reach,” Castex The country also reported a lowed for the fi rst time since Oc- Lisbon important sources of tourists, ahead of a hugely-anticipated “It’s a very important moment said. daily total of 112 deaths in hos- tober 30. which sent some 2mn visitors reopening of restaurant terraces, for the entire country, because it Authorities also reported fur- pital of people who had tested Cafés and restaurants will be to Portugal annually before part of an easing of the nation- supports our prospects for end- ther declines in the number of positive for the coronavirus, able to serve clients indoors on ortugal will open to tour- Covid-19 hit. wide lockdown. ing this crisis,” Prime Minister patients requiring intensive care compared with 173 a day earlier. June 9, and the curfew will be ists from nearly all Eu- Over the winter Portugal President Emmanuel Macron Jean Castex told journalists while in hospitals. On Wednesday, museums, fully lifted on June 30 if infection Propean countries from saw one of the worst spreads announced the milestone in a visiting the mass vaccination site The number of people in in- theatres, cinemas and concert rates continue to decline. tomorrow (Monday), the in- of coronavirus and for weeks terior ministry said, following had more new cases relative to months of restrictions to pre- its population than any other vent the spread of the corona- country. virus (Covid-19). But anti-virus measures ap- The vacation hotspot hopes pear to have paid off and on Armenia asks Putin to jump-start a tourism come- May 1 the country began to back after one of the country’s gradually ease restrictions – so key industries was brought to a far with no surge in cases. for military support standstill by the pandemic. Portugal – along with the Travellers from most EU UK – currently has one of the countries, the 26-nation lowest virus rates in Europe. AFP breakaway region of Nagorno- Schengen Area and the UK London has even placed Por- Yerevan Karabakh. can make “all types of visits to tugal on its “green list” of 12 Pashinyan earlier also made Portugal, including even non- countries to which its residents a formal request for the Collec- essential visits”, the ministry may travel and return without rmenian Prime Minis- tive Security Treaty Organisation said in a statement yesterday. being required to quarantine. ter Nikol Pashinyan has (CSTO), a Moscow-led security However, travel from coun- “Portugal is the only Euro- Asaid that he asked Rus- bloc, to hold consultations on tries with coronavirus rates pean Union country that is on sian President Vladimir Putin for supporting member Armenia. above 500 cases per 100,000 that list,” tourism minister Rita military support after accusing Under the treaty, members of residents during the last 14 Mendes told AFP. Azerbaijani troops of crossing the the bloc, which also includes Ka- days will remain restricted She added that “the close- country’s southern border and zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan to essential trips – currently ness between the two coun- trying to claim territory. and Uzbekistan, consider ag- aff ecting Cyprus, Croatia, tries means it’s important to The United States urged an gression against one member as Lithuania, the Netherlands prioritise that market”. immediate pullback by Azerbai- aggression against them all. and Sweden. Travel agent Jacqueline jan amid mounting international The six-week confl ict claimed The ministry stressed re- Steadman planned to go to concern after last year’s war some 6,000 lives and ended after strictions also remained on Faro, the main town in the between the arch foes over the Armenia ceded swathes of ter- non-European countries in- southern Algarve region and a disputed region of Nagorno-Ka- ritory it had controlled for dec- cluding Brazil, India and South popular holiday destination, to rabakh. ades. Africa. get ready to meet with clients Speaking at an extraordinary The United States, which In this file photo taken on October 25, 2020, an Armenian soldier fires artillery on the front line during the “We’re not opening tourism again. session of Armenia’s parliament maintains cordial relations with ongoing fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. to the whole world. Restric- “I think there will be a lot of on Friday evening, Pashinyan both rivals, said it understood tions remain for third (non- tourists in Algarve next week,” said that he had asked Putin “for Azerbaijan was pulling back and Azerbaijani troops back to their Azerbaijan has called Pashin- representatives of the country’s EU) countries,” a ministry she told AFP. the Russian Federation’s assist- asked it to act without delay. starting positions”. yan’s claims provocative, saying border guard service had been spokeswoman said. Thousands of British foot- ance, including military assist- “Military movements in dis- The Kremlin said Putin was its “border troops are taking po- dispatched to the disputed area Under the rules, all pas- ball fans are also expected to ance”. puted territories are irrespon- calling on both countries to re- sitions that belong to Azerbaijan, for talks, the statement said. sengers above two years old travel to Porto in the north of He also said that French Presi- sible and they are also unneces- spect peace agreements, adding in the Lachin and Kalbajar dis- France’s Macron has expressed heading to the country will still Portugal for the Champions dent Emmanuel Macron “is con- sarily provocative,” said a State that Russia would continue “ac- tricts”. his country’s solidarity with have to present a negative PCR league fi nal between Manches- sidering the possibility of putting Department spokeswoman, Jali- tive mediating eff orts”. Armenia, which had control- Armenia and said Azerbaijan’s Covid-19 test taken within 72 ter City and Chelsea. the issue on the agenda of the UN na Porter. “The Armenian side expressed led Lachin and Kalbajar since troops “must withdraw imme- hours before embarking. Such activity is key to the Security Council”. “We expect Azerbaijan to pull extreme concern over the situ- the 1990s, handed the districts diately”. Airlines that allow passen- country’s economic recovery “France is ready to provide back all forces immediately and ation at the border,” Kremlin back to Azerbaijan last year un- Ethnic Armenian separa- gers to travel without the test after a disastrous year for the military assistance, to support cease further provocation,” she spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. der a Russian-brokered ceasefi re tists declared independence for will face a fi ne of between €500 sector in 2020. international eff orts aimed at re- told reporters. “President Putin shared this agreement that ended the fi ght- Nagorno-Karabakh and seized ($610) and €2,000 per passen- Last year tourism accounted solving the issue,” Pashinyan told Pashinyan informed Putin concern.” ing. control of the mountainous en- ger. for 6.3% of Portuguese GDP, as lawmakers. of his decision to turn to the Earlier, Armenian Deputy On Friday, Azerbaijani For- clave and several surrounding The announcement came a opposed to 11.8% the previous Armenia on Thursday accused CSTO during a phone call late on Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan eign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov regions in a war in the 1990s that day after Lisbon lifted restric- year. Azerbaijan’s military of crossing Thursday, his offi ce said. said that Armenian and Azerbai- discussed the situation with the left tens of thousands dead and the southern border in an “infi l- “The Russian side reaffi rmed jani offi cials were in talks to de- top US diplomat for Europe and forced hundreds of thousands tration” to “lay siege” to a lake its readiness to continue exert- fuse the latest crisis but there Eurasia, Philip Reeker. from their homes. that is shared by the two coun- ing active mediation eff orts with have been no results so far. “It was noted that such issues After last year’s confl ict they tries. a view to ensuring stability in the He said Armenia wanted to should be solved through nego- retained control of most of Kara- Azerbaijan rejected the claims. region,” it said. settle the issue peacefully but tiations,” Azerbaijan’s foreign bakh itself, with Russian peace- Politician extradited to Last year Armenia and Az- The two “agreed that the situ- added that “we must be ready to ministry said in a statement. keepers deployed between the erbaijan fought a war over the ation should be settled by getting protect our sovereign territory”. Bayramov said that senior two sides. Greece to serve time Mafia fugitive returned to Italy: police Reuters/AFP who were often seen giving A major Italian mafia fugitive who controlled cocaine routes within Athens Nazi-style salutes, were sen- Berlusconi Europe has been returned by authorities to Rome from Spain, police tenced to prison in October said yesterday. by a Greek court for running Giuseppe Romeo, 35, arrived at Fiumicino Airport under escort former member of a criminal gang linked to hate leaves from Barcelona on Friday night, following his March 11 arrest on a Greece’s extreme-right crimes during the country’s European arrest warrant after three years on the run. AGolden Dawn party, Io- economic crisis. Romeo is accused of being a top member of an international annis Lagos, was extradited to Government spokeswoman hospital drug network run by three ‘Ndrangheta clans based in the Reggio Athens yesterday from Brus- Arostotelia Peloni said Greece Calabria area of the southern Italian region of Calabria. sels, where he was a member had “fought and eliminated the The ‘Ndrangheta is Italy’s most powerful mafia group. – AFP of the European Parliament toxic poison of Golden Dawn. AFP (MEP). The rule of law stood fi rm Rome EU lawmakers stripped against criminals”. Two Belarus journalists sent to jail Lagos of his immunity last Six former lawmakers, in- month, paving the way for cluding Lagos and Golden ormer Italian premier Sil- lan’s San Raff aele hospital while The former prime minister Two Belarusian journalists, including a freelance reporter for his arrest and extradition to Dawn leader Nikos Mihalo- vio Berlusconi (pictured) evading a throng of photogra- was admitted on Tuesday, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, were jailed for 20 days Greece where he is to serve a liakos, were given 13-year jail Fwas released from hospital phers and TV cameras awaiting fourth time this year the media yesterday, and complained of torture while in pre-trial detention, a prison sentence alongside oth- terms. yesterday after being admitted his release outside one of the tycoon was hospitalised. media group said. er party members. Lagos had escaped arrest in earlier in the week for complica- central doors. Berlusconi has dominated Freelance reporter Alexander Burakov, who works for Deutsche “For Orthodoxy and Greece, October by leaving for Brus- tions linked to a coronavirus in- “He’s anxious to get back to public life in Italy for decades, Welle (DW), and Vladimir Laptsevich, a journalist with local online every sacrifi ce is worth it,” La- sels the day the verdict was an- fection last year. full activity,” the co-ordinator but has been set back by a string news portal Mogilev Region, were on Wednesday detained outside gos shouted at reporters as he nounced. The 84-year-old, who has of his Forza Italia party, Antonio of health issues in recent years, a courthouse in the eastern city of Mogilev. was brought handcuff ed before Lagos was elected to the Eu- been in and out of hospital in re- Tajani, said after Berlusconi’s re- including open heart surgery in Both were there to cover the trial of opposition politician Pavel an Athens prosecutor. ropean Parliament two years cent weeks, managed to exit Mi- lease. 2016. Sevyarynets and several other figures. – AFP The leaders of Golden Dawn, ago. Gulf Times 12 Sunday, May 16, 2021 SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE Big rally in Doha highlights support for Palestinians

From page 1 opportunity to show their support. Meshaal Hammad said that he They also denounced what they considered this as a very important described as the illegitimate and and necessary solidarity stand with inhumane practices of the Israeli Palestine, Gaza and Al Quds, where Occupation Forces against the Pal- the Palestinian expatriates, and estinian people and using excessive other people living in Qatar could force against them. show their support for their broth- According to a source, thousands ers in Palestine in a civilised way of people took part in the demon- that could help boost their morale stration and this was the largest of in such diffi cult times. any kind of rally held in Qatar in the Khalid al-Naameh said that he recent past. was keen to take part at the event Ismail Haniya, Head of the Po- and raise the Palestinian fl ag as a litical Bureau of Hamas who is cur- way to show his rejection of the rently visiting Doha, addressed the injustice taking place against the crowd and thanked them for their Palestinians in the Occupied Ter- enthusiasm and keenness to sup- ritories. port the cause, assuring them that He also stressed that he wished the resistance is going on and that all success and victory for the Pal- the Palestinian people would not estinians. relent until they get all their rights He further pointed out that the as they are ready to defend the holy large numbers of people who turned land with all they have until it is ul- out for the meeting had surprised timately liberated. him and exceeded his expectations, Ismail Haniya speaking at the pro-Palestine rally in Doha Some of the participants thanked which affi rms the popularity of the People take part in a protest rally in Melbourne to call for an end to the escalating violence between Israel yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma the organisers for giving them an cause. and the Palestinian Territories.

Demonstrators climb a border wall and hold flags during a protest to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, in Adaisseh village near the Lebanese-Israeli border, southern Lebanon.

People hold Palestinian flags during a protest to express solidarity with the Palestinian people in Tunis.

Right: Demonstrators attend a protest to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, near the Israeli embassy in Amman.

Left: People attend a symbolic funeral prayer for Palestinians who were killed in the recent Palestinian-Israeli violence, during a protest against Israel in Ankara.

Right: Pro-Palestine supporters take part in a protest in Brussels.

Left: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at a rally at the Washington Monument in Washington, US.

Below: Police try to detain one of participants of a protest in solidarity with the Palestinians, in front of the Israeli embassy in Warsaw.

Protesters, including one in a Guy Fawkes mask, hold a Palestinian flag at a march in solidarity with Palestinians in Malmo, Sweden.