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Saturday 22 August 2020

3 Muharram- 1442

2 Riyals

www.thepeninsula.qa

Volume 25 | Number 8357

Cheering for Paris! Ooredoo, the network of heroes.

SPORT | 15BUSINESS | 11

Historic Turkish

gas find

in Black Sea

announced

Di Maria

feeling good

vibes on

‘home’ ground

Guidelines for blended learning system releasedSANAULLAH ATAULLAH THE PENINSULA

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education has released details about the functioning of blended learning system which is set to be introduced in the first semester of the forthcoming academic year 2020-21.

Blended learning is an edu-cation approach that combines online learning and in-person teaching in the classroom, the Ministry tweeted yesterday. Under the new system, every school will inform the con-cerned parents through SMS about the in-school days of attendance for each student.

Under distance learning, six sessions will be held per day with the help of recorded lessons. Each session duration will be for 15 to 20 minutes. The

Ministry also asked parents and students to access Q-learning portal and Microsoft-Teams app for daily/weekly assessment.

Students must have username and passwords to watch recorded lessons and com-plete assessments on Q-learning portal. Parents will provide com-puters for their children, making sure they have the username and password, create convenient environment and offer them support and guidance.

Technical support will be available on hotline 155. Stu-dents will be informed about blended learning approach in schools from September 1 to 3.

Every student should attend in-person one to three classes per week, as assigned by the school. During the first term, schools will receive only 30 percent of its students’ capacity

to attend in-person classes on daily basis.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education said that pre-cautionary measures must always be observed to help control the spread of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education had earlier announced changes to its previous back-to-school plan for the 2020-21 academic year. The new plan will apply blended learning during the first semester of the next academic year.

A combination of online and classroom-based learning will be implemented in all stages of education across public and private schools, preschools and the higher education institutions.

This move came after close coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) on the

necessary precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as the virus infection rates in Qatar. It also aims to mitigate the academic consequences of the school clo-sures and delay of the new aca-demic year.

Based on the new approach, students will attend school one to three times a week, with a maximum attendance rate of 30 percent of school capacity per day. This will allow students to attend basic classes and conduct laboratory experiments and tests.

To comply with the health and social distancing require-ments, schools will need to break the students into groups of no more than 15 in each classroom. Desks must also be arranged to keep a safe distance of 1.5 metres.

Qatar welcomes agreement for immediate ceasefire in LibyaQNA — DOHA

The State of Qatar welcomed the agreement between the Presi-dential Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representa-tives on an immediate ceasefire, the suspension of all combat operations across Libya, and the activation of the political process.

In a statement issued

yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the State of Qatar’s hope that all Libyan parties would respond to the declaration of a ceasefire, expedite the com-pletion of the political process, and lift the blockade on the oil fields to resume production and exports.

The statement expressed Qatar’s hope for this declaration to contribute to supporting efforts for a political solution in Libya and rebuilding the country in a way that preserves the rights of

the Libyan people and the rule of law.

The statement renewed Qatar’s support for the Skhirat Agreement, and called on all Libyan brothers to uphold the national interest and adhere to dialogue without excluding any component of the Libyan society, leading to a com-prehensive political settlement that preserves Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and fulfills the aspirations of its people for security and stability.

July records 20% rise inbuilding permits issuanceTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

The latest data released by Planning and Statistics Authority yesterday reveals an increase of 20 percent in building permits in various municipalities in July this year in comparison with the number of permits issued in June 2020.

According to data, the increase was noted in the majority of the municipalities including Umm Slal (87%), Al Khor (41%), Al Wakrah and Al Doha (20%) each, Al Rayyan (17%), Al Da’ayen (6%).

On the other hand, there was a clear decrease in the municipality of Al Shammal (8%), Al Sheehaniya (6%).

The sixty-seventh issue of the monthly Statistics of Building Permits and Building Com-pletion certificates issued by all municipalities also shows municipality of Al Rayyan comes at the top of the municipalities where the number of building permits issued were 196 permits which is 29% of the total issued permits, while municipality of Al Wakrah came in second place with 150 permits (22%) followed by Al Doha municipality with 116 permits (17%).

After Doha municipality, Al Da’ayen municipality issued 106 permits (16%) in July 2020. The rest of the municipalities are as follows:

Umm Slal 56 permits (8%), Al Khor 31 permits (5%), Al Sheehaniya 17 permits (2%), and finally Al Shammal 12 permits (2%).

In terms of type of permits issued, data indicates that the new building permits (residential and non-residential) constitute 49% (336 permits) of the total building permits issued in July 2020, while the percentage of additions permits constituted 47 percent (320 permits), and finally fencing permits with four percent (28 permits).

According to new resi-dential buildings permits data, villas’ top the list, accounting for 68 percent (175 permits) of all new residential buildings permits, followed by dwellings of housing loans permits by 21% (54 permits) and apartments buildings by 7% (19 permits).

Commercial buildings were found to be in the forefront of non-residential buildings permits with 46 percent (36 permits), followed by industrial buildings like workshops and factories with 28% (22 permits), then governmental buildings with 12% (9 permits).

The data on building com-pletion certificates issued during July 2020, reveals that Al Rayyan municipality comes at the top of the municipalities where the number of building completion certificates issued were 100 certificates which is 28 percent of the total issued certificates, while municipality of Al Wakrah came in second place with 84 certificates (24%) followed by municipality of Al Doha with 60 certificates (17%), then Al Da’ayen municipality with 59 certificates(17%).

The rest of the municipalities are as follows: Umm Slal 18 cer-tificates (5%), Al Sheehaniya 17 certificates (5%), Al khor 11 cer-tificates (3%), Al Shammal five certificates (1%). �P2

Al Rayyan Stadium slowly coming to lifeWith its glowing façade and brightly-coloured seats, Al Rayyan Stadium, a venue of 2022 FIFA World Cup, is slowly coming to life, said the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) sharing picture of the stadium on its Twitter handle yesterday. The most striking feature of the stadium is a glowing façade, comprised of patterns that characterise different aspects of the country: the importance of family, the beauty of the desert, the native flora and fauna, as well as local and international trade.

Short film Caravan embodies Qatar’s multicultural societyRAYNALD C RIVERA THE PENINSULA

Caravan is a unique film that delves into the cacophony of thoughts of people from different walks of life trapped in a traffic jam.

Shot in one day at The Pearl-Qatar, this film helmed by Suzannah Mirghani is the featured Short Film of the Week by Doha Film Institute (DFI).

The film examines the day-dreams of a cross-section of Doha residents as they explore their inner thoughts.

From serious preoccupa-tions like work and the future to mundane ideas like maths tables and music, the film’s various characters engage in a flurry of thoughts as they sit in their cars awaiting daily

life to begin again.“Caravan kind of represents

a Gulf society to me. It repre-sents what our society in Qatar is like. It’s extremely multicul-tural, everyone in different cars speaking a different language. People are here for different reasons,” said Mirghani.

With a keen eye and attention to details, the film-maker weaves a story that hints on the kind of life each of the characters lead.

“The story came from my personal experience of being a daily passenger in the backseat just watching other people and imagining what they’re thinking, imagining other peo-ple’s lives,” Mirghani recalls, adding inspiration can come from all places that the film-maker may find interesting.

The film was made in a DFI filmmaking workshop and since the film required many actors, everybody in the workshop was involved in the film, she said. It was screened in the 2016 Ajyal Film Festival.

“I started the film with the DFI lab and I ended the film with the DFI screening at Ajyal Film Festival. It was really a great experience to have this film from beginning till end as a DFI experience,” she added.

Mirghani is a writer, researcher, and independent filmmaker, who highlights stories from the Arab world. Being of multicultural Sudanese and Russian backgrounds, she is interested in stories that examine the complexity of identity. �P2

New building permits

(residential and

non-residential)

constitute 49 percent

(336 permits) of the total

permits issued in July.

Villas top the list of

residential buildings,

accounting for 68

percent (175 permits) of

all new residential

building permits.

Commercial buildings

were found to be in the

forefront of

non-residential buildings

permits with 46 percent.

Under the new system, every school will inform the concerned parents through SMS about the in-school days of attendance for each student.Under distance learning, six sessions with 15 to 20 minutes duration will be held per day with the help of recorded lessons. Every student should attend in-person one to three classes per week, as assigned by the school.

Al Duhail crowned QSL championsAl Duhail's players and officials celebrate with Falcon Shield after winning the QNB Stars League 2019-2020 following their victory over Al Ahli in their last round match at Al Janoub Stadium yesterday. �P16

02 SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020HOME

Ministry gives approval for reopening of 18 more nurseries

THE PENINSULA — DOHA

The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs has issued a third list of 18 nurseries, in addition to the 29 announced earlier in two lists, which were approved by the Ministry for reopening.

With the issuance of the third list, the number of nurs-eries reached 47, which have been approved to reopen fol-lowing the preventive and pre-cautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The 18 nurseries which are added in the third list for reo-pening include Acorn Nursery, My Care Nursery, Al Fereej Nursery, Smart Start Nursery, Leap Ahead Nursery, Al

Khuloud Nursery, Kids Garden Nursery, Barara Nursery — Al Aziziya, Birds Nursery, Rainbow Nursery, Educate Me Nursery, Snow White Nursery, Happy Kids Nursery, Life Time Nursery, Kidzone Nursery 3, Al Baraem Nursery, Grandma Nursery 3 and Al Joury Nursery.

The Ministry said on its social media handle that the said nurseries were approved after they met all conditions, preventive and precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The lists of remaining nurs-eries for reopening will be pub-lished as soon as they will meet conditions, preventive and pre-cautionary measures.

Qatar University organises second virtual debate for healthcare studentsTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Qatar University’s (QU) Health Interprofessional Education Committee in collaboration with the Interprofessional Education Students’ Associ-ation in Qatar organised its second virtual debate with the motion: This house believes that in public health emer-gencies, the necessity to protect the public should outweigh personal freedoms.

The event lasted for two hours and was conducted online through Qatar Uni-versity WebEx application. The event was attended by around 200 local and inter-national participants.

Layan Sukik, Vice-Pres-ident of the IPE student asso-ciation and a senior human nutrition student at the College of Health Sciences (CHS) in Qatar University, gave the opening remarks, which included an overview of the association’s vision, mission, and events.

Then, Dr. Mohammad Diab, Dean College of Pharmacy (CPH) at Qatar Uni-versity, welcomed attendees followed by the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at CPH and QU Health Chair of the Inter-professional Education Com-mittee Dr. Alla El Awaisi.

The debate was moderated by the president of the IPE Student Association and pharmacy MSc graduate Ms. Sawsan AlMukdad.

Members of the affirmative side included the following students: Menatalla Said from QU College of Medicine (CMED), Jawaher Matiullah from University of Calgary- Qatar (UCQ) and student, and Hala Alkhatib from CPH.

The negative team

included Aishat Akomolafe from CMED, Yasmin Attia (CHS), and Kaoutar Barakat (CPH).

The debate followed a format where each student was given a five-minute speech, a two-minute caucus and a chance for a cross exam-ination from the opposing team.

The audience were allowed to ask questions directed to the teams after the debate and the judges pro-vided their feedback and asked question to both teams at the end.

The winning team was determined after receiving the votes from both the audience (50 percent) and the judges

(50 percent). The judges included: Dr. Deborah White, UCQ Dean, Dr. Lily O’Hara, CHS associate professor and IPEC lead, and Dr. Ahmad Awaisu, CPH associate pro-fessor and Head of Clinical Pharmacy & Practice Department. The negative team stood out and was held the winner.

CPH Dean Dr. Mohammad Diab said: “Qatar University has significantly invested in developing Interprofessional education (IPE) locally and regionally and has moved a great way forward towards its advancement starting with hosting the first Middle Eastern conference on IPE to hosting the ‘All Together

Better Health’ international conference in 2021.”

CHS student Yasmin Attieh from the negative team said: “Having this virtual debate was a brilliant idea and an amazing opportunity, espe-cially during these times, since it allowed us to interact with students from different health professions.”

CMED student Menatallah Said from the affirmative team commented: “As responsible individuals each one of us has to pay the cost during a public health emergency to protect the greatest interest even if it requires us to give up on some personal freedoms, since pre-vention is better than cure.”

The Vice-President of IPE, Layan Sukik, said: “This debate gathered students from different health disciplines and helped the manifestation of their collaboration. The way the teams presented their evi-dence was in harmony and their work was coherent.”

Participants during a virtual debate for healthcare students.

New and returning faculty members enrich HBKU’s expanding academic communityTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

With the 10th anniversary of its founding firmly in mind, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) remains committed to drawing exceptional academic staff from within Qatar and abroad to inform its interdisciplinary port-folio of innovative and mission-driven research activities.

Once again, several new faculty members from diverse academic backgrounds will be joining different colleges across the University. Beyond upholding HBKU’s reputation for scholarly excellence, each will make their mark on the University’s deter-mined efforts to build and cul-tivate human capacity through enriching academic and research experiences.

On his experience as a newly joined faculty member, Dr. Puthen Veettil Jithesh, an asso-ciate professor with the College of Health and Life Sciences (CHLS) and Chair of the Genomics and Precision Med-icine (GPM) Admissions Com-mittee, said: “It is a great honour and privilege to join HBKU as a full-time faculty with the newly established CHLS. My association with the college as an adjunct faculty since its inception and coordination of modules and teaching for the GPM programme have provided a stimulating and rewarding experience.”

“Precision medicine is an incipient approach to the pre-vention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases considering the genetic, environment and life-style makeup of an individual or group of individuals, moving away from the trial-and-error and one-drug-fits-all models of healthcare. Advancements in high throughput technologies such as genomics are beginning to facilitate the implementation of precision medicine in routine healthcare.”

“The Masters and PhD pro-grammes in GPM at HBKU are

examples of the College’s com-mitment and capability to impart education and training to the next-generation of scientists and biomedical professionals in cutting-edge fields relevant to healthcare in the country and beyond.”

Dr. Anis Ben Brik, a returning College of Public Policy faculty member, said: “As a faculty member who loves my job and loves my students, I’m very excited to go back. Although I miss being on campus and I miss my students, and since we now know that online instruction can only partially replace the power and potential of student-teacher relationships and learning, I still believe that distance learning has enhanced portions of my teaching. I am now allowed to utilise technology that perhaps I haven’t had time to before. My students learned so much, not the least of which is resilience, time management and how to assume responsibility for their own learning.”

Incoming faculty member, Dr. Aiman Mohmood Erbad, of the College of Science and Engi-neering, said: “It is an honour to join HBKU’s College of Science and Engineering as a faculty member. The college draws regional and interna-tional attention due to its leading and diverse set of pro-grammes in engineering man-agement and decision science, sustainable development, and information and computing

technology (ICT).”“My area of interest, ICT,

includes innovative pro-grammes in data science and analytics, cyber security, health information systems, and com-puter engineering. Computing technologies are leading in the digital transformation of the manufacturing, business, and government sectors through adopting innovative technol-ogies, such as artificial intelli-gence (AI), 5G networking tech-nologies, blockchain, robotics and automation.”

More than 90 faculty members currently work across six colleges and three research institutes to advance HBKU’s remit of delivering a globally r e l e v a n t e d u c a t i o n a l experience.

The University draws on in-house expertise to advance graduate-level education and continues to be recognised as a knowledge hub within Edu-cation City, the State of Qatar, and beyond.

Dr Puthen Veettil Dr Anis Ben Brik

Dr Aiman Erbad

QRCS health education activities benefit 6,059 peopleTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

The Training and Devel-opment Centre of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)s organised activities to educate the public on good health behaviours and ways to prevent COVID-19 infection.

The health education activities have benefited 6,059 persons, including inmates of the recently closed Mekaines quarantine facility, workers, community leaders, and QRCS volunteers. The informative materials are introduced in multiple lan-guages to ensure easy com-munication with the trainees with various backgrounds.

To raise awareness against COVID-19 risks, QRCS’s health educators con-ducted 13 activities. These included 19 outdoor sessions for 5,507 quarantined persons at Mekaines, in addition to three online sessions.

In the sessions, psycho-logical and health support was given to the COVID-19 patients, in the form of workouts, fun activities, advice, and practice of washing hands, wearing masks, physical distancing, and other ways to protect

oneself and others against COVID-19.

All the sessions were held during the evening time in order to avoid exposure to hot weather during the day. Pre-ventive measures were taken to protect the trainers, health educators and volunteers.

Under the theme of ‘COVID-19 Prevent ion Measures and Tools’, nine workshops were held for 156

workers at the Zekreet Health Centre, operated by QRCS under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health.

As part of the collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, QRCS organised three online training workshops on the topic of ‘COVID-19 Pre-ventive Behaviours in the New Lifestyle’. It was watched by 396 members of sports clubs and youth centres.

The event lasted for two hours and was conducted online through Qatar University WebEx application. The event was attended by around 200 local and international participants.

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July records 20% rise inbuilding permits issuance

FROM PAGE 1

In terms of type of certif-icates issued, data indicates that the new building com-pletion certificates (residential and non-residential) con-stitute 75 percent (265 certif-icates) of the total building certificates issued during the month of July 2020, while the percentage of additions cer-tificates constituted 25 percent (89 certificates).

According to new resi-dential buildings completion certificates data, villas again top the list accounting for 56 percent (124 certificates) of all new residential buildings completion certificates, fol-lowed by dwellings of housing loans certificates by 36 percent (80 certificates), then apartments buildings and others residential buildings by five percent (10 certificates).

The commercial buildings

are found to be in the fore-front of non-residential buildings completion certifi-cates with 45 percent (20 cer-tificates), followed by govern-mental buildings and indus-trial buildings like workshops and factories with 16 percent (7 certificates) each, then others non-residential buildings with 14% (6 certificate).

Comparing number of cer-tificates issued in July 2020 with the ones issued in June 2020, a general increase of 11% has been noted.

This increase was clearly noted in most of the munici-palities including Al Shammal (89%), Al Khor (38%), Al Doha (15%), Al Rayyan (11%), Al Wakkrah (8%), Umm Slal (6%), Al Da’ayen (2%) while there was a clear decrease in the municipality of Al Shammal (38%).

Short film Caravan embodies Qatar’s multicultural society

FROM PAGE 1

Apart from Caravan, she has made several other short films, including Msheireb Oral History Films (2017), There Be Dragons (2017), Hind’s Dream (2014), and Hamour (2011).

Caravan was uploaded on Thursday on DFI’s YouTube channel as part of the second season of its Short Film of the Week initiative.

Launched in April, the

initiative brings the very best of DFI-supported films for film enthusiasts to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes. The initiative aims at encour-aging people to stay home amid COVID-19 pandemic while lending support to Qatari films and Arab cinema.

The series kicked off with the short narrative Al Johara” helmed by Qatari filmmaker Nora Al Subai. Other films which

had been featured were Amer: An Arabian Legend by Jassim Al Rumaihi, Red by Kholood Al Ali, Elevate by Hamida Issa, In the Middle by Mariam Al Dhubhani, The Unlucky Hamster by Abdulaziz Mohammed Khashabi, Gubgub by Nouf Al Sulaiti, Land of Pearls by Mohammed AlIbrahim, Smicha by Amal Al Muftah, Kashta by AJ Al Thani, and 1001 Days by Aisha Al Jaidah.

FAJR SUNRISE 03.48 am 05.09 am

W A L R U WA I S : 33o↗ 37o W A L K H O R : 32o↗ 40o W D U K H A N : 33o↗ 42o W WA K R A H : 28o↗ 43o W M E S A I E E D 28o↗ 43o W A B U S A M R A 27o↗ 40o

PRAYER TIMINGS WEATHER TODAY

HIGH TIDE 05:51 – 18:38 LOW TIDE 01:56–13:30

Hot daytime with some clouds and slight dust at times.

Minimum Maximum33oC 41oC

ZUHR

MAGHRIB

11.38 am

06.09 pm

ASR

ISHA

03.07 pm

07.39 pm

03SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020 HOME

WISH to host discussion on mental health and sportTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Stars who shone on the athletics track, the football field, and the cricket pitch will this week join an expert on sports psychology to discuss the impact that sport can have on mental health, in an online event hosted by the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), Qatar Founda-tion’s global health initiative.

Mental Health & Sport: The Challenge of Balancing Risk With Reward will feature a panel discussion where participants will share first-hand experiences of the pressures that elite-level sport creates, and the toll it can take amid the trophies, medals, and glory. It comes as the impor-tance of maintaining mental wellbeing is thrown into even sharper focus by the strain that COVID-19 has placed on indi-viduals and societies worldwide.

The panelists brought together by the World Inno-vation Summit for Health are double Olympic gold medal-winning athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, former Liverpool FC and England footballer Robbie Fowler, ex-Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram, and Pro-fessor Claudia Reardon, a psy-chiatrist specialising in sports at the University of Wisconsin and co-chair of the Interna-tional Olympic Committee’s working group on mental health and elite athletes. The one-hour event, which is free to view,

starts at 5pm Doha time on August 26.

WISH 2020 — the latest edition of WISH’s biannual inter-national health summit, which will take place virtually from November 15-19, will include a focus on sport and health, as well as on mental health.

“Sport has emerged as a field needing special focus in terms of mental health, with many prominent athletes raising public awareness by speaking out about their own battles, both while competing and after retiring,” said Sultana Afdhal, CEO of WISH.

“This virtual discussion pro-vides the perfect opportunity to highlight key issues surrounding sport and mental health ahead of WISH’s November summit,” she said.

Fowler — whose 19-year football career included 128 goals in 266 games for Liverpool, and 26 caps for England — has spoken about the challenges that fame poses for young foot-ballers, and of the need for sports stars to be more open about discussing their mental health with teammates.

“The mental health of sportsmen and women is an issue that has rightly started to receive a lot more attention

recently, so I’m happy to be part of the WISH panel discussion and to hear other people’s opinions on the topic.”

Since an athletics career that featured 12 major champi-onship medals ended, Dame Kelly has opened up about her personal mental health struggles and established a charity that uses the skills of world-class athletes to help hard-to-reach young people fulfil their potential.

Cricketing legend turned commentator and coach Akram, regarded as one of the best bowlers of all time, took over 900 international wickets and, for six years, was captain of the Pakistan national side — often described as one of the most highly-pressurised jobs in sport.

The panel discussion will be moderated by BBC Sport and BBC News presenter Dan Walker, who recently hosted a conversation on mental health and football with HRH the Duke of Cambridge. It will be followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session, with viewers having the chance to pose their questions to the speakers.

To register for the event, please visit www.wish.org.qa/webinars/

Sultana Afdhal, CEO of WISH Dame Kelly Holmes Robbie Fowler

QNL panel discussion explores changes to library services across world during pandemic


Qatar National Library recently hosted an international panel discussion examining how library services across the world have changed due to the coro-navirus pandemic.

The event, ‘Libraries and the Pandemic: Preparing, Planning and Providing Services,’ brought together leading librarians from Qatar and across the world to share knowledge and highlight how library services are evolving in 2020. Eiman Al Shamari, Infor-mation Services Librarian at Qatar National Library, mod-erated the event.

Randa Chidiac, Executive Director of the Projects and Grants Unit at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon, and the Vice-President of the Lebanese Library Association, gave an emotional address to delegates after the explosion in Beirut and spoke about the crucial role of the Lebanese Library Association and the importance of information

governance during the coun-try’s current situation.

Chidiac also spoke about advocating for copyright reform in Lebanon to allow digital sharing during the pandemic, and the changing role of the librarian during this year, par-ticularly in promoting public health awareness and increasing remote work.

Carol Ann Daul Elhindi, Manager of Reference Services at Qatar National Library, spoke about libraries in the US as “second responders,” institutions that step up during times of dis-aster to provide a range of services that serve the needs of their communities. These include professional training pro-grammes, mental health pro-gramming and support, and sup-plemental support for the census, tax forms and elections.

Alicia Yeo, Deputy Director of the National Library Board at Singapore National Library, spoke about the importance of creating a strong workplace culture in libraries after the pan-demic, including encouraging

good personal hygiene and infection control practices across organizations.

She also elaborated on her library’s safety measures, including dividing staff into split teams with staggered reporting and lunch hours, temperature reporting, “clean desk” policies, and avoiding physical meetings. Staff members are also encouraged to telecommute and stay home if they are unwell.

Yeo also shared that Sin-gapore National Library has been documenting the impact of COVID-19 through archiving websites and television broad-casts, as well as librarians taking photographs and col-lecting pandemic-related ephemera. Together with the National Museum of Singapore, the library launched a public call to contribute materials that document experiences of the pandemic, aiming to capture a fuller picture of life during these times for the future. Members of the public can con-tribute videos, audio

recordings, memes, photo-graphs, flyers, posters, journals and diaries.

Dr Milena Dobreva, Asso-ciate Professor of Library and Information Studies at UCL-Qatar, gave an analysis of the reopening plans of 40 libraries across the world and spoke about the key themes for reo-pening: “Safety, Spaces, Staff, Sanitization and Services.” She also suggested that the pan-demic has allowed libraries to rethink their strategies on digital transformation.

Amani S Alyafei, Head Librarian in the science section of Qatar National Library, said:

“This event was a fantastic opportunity for Qatar National Library to bring together an expert panel to share knowledge and experience from across the world and see how libraries have taken dif-ferent approaches to the unprecedented situation of the global pandemic.

“We at Qatar National Library were delighted to be able to share what we’ve learned during this time with other libraries across the world, and we hope to run similar events in the future to ensure we provide the best service we can to our patrons.”

A view of Qatar National Library.

WCM-Q research sheds new light on treatment-resistant cancersTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have devised a new way of testing cancer treatments to reveal how some tumours are able to resist chemotherapy drugs and continue to spread.

Led by Dr. Anna Halama, Assistant Professor of Research in Physiology and Biophysics, the WCM-Q team combined two innovative research techniques to create a new testing platform that not only gives deeper insights into the ways in which certain types of cancers resist chemotherapy drugs and pro-liferate, but also delivers signif-icant cost and time savings over existing research methods.

Dr. Halama said, “The resistance of tumours to chem-otherapy is a major obstacle in fighting cancer, and the underling mechanisms are not fully understood. In some cases, cancer cells switch the way they generate the energy and building blocks they need to grow to evade drug treatment and to further proliferate. To understand and counter these processes, experimental models that accurately reflect the tumour as an entity are needed, but their availability can be a major challenge. For example, cancer cells simply cultured in a Petri dish lack a realistic

tumour microenvironment, whereas human tumours grown in mice have severe time and cost constraints”.

Dr. Halama’s team com-bined the already established laboratory technique of implanting cancerous cells into chicken embryos (called in ovo research) with a powerful bio-chemical analysis method called metabolomics. After implanting treatment-resistant breast cancer cells into the embryos, the researchers then treated them with doxorubicin, a potent anti-cancer chemotherapy drug. As predicted, tumour growth was reduced, but a portion of the cells continued to proliferate

further. By analysing these tumours using metabolomics techniques, the researchers were able to draw a detailed map of the biochemical proc-esses that allowed the cancer cells to evade the chemotherapy.

The research is considered such a significant breakthrough that it was featured on the front cover of Metabolites, one of the industry’s leading scientific journals. The in ovo technique also has the advantage of costing less and being faster than using mice, while at the same time being much more reliable than simpler cel l culture techniques.

A study by Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar researchers Dr. Anna Halama (right) and Dr. Karsten Suhre has shed new light on the ways some cancers resist chemotherapy drugs.

UCL Qatar students and alumni join hands topublish research collection on museum studies


A group of UCL Qatar students and alumni have joined hands to publish the book titled Studying Museums in Qatar and Beyond. The book is a collection of research papers written by students that explore pressing topics in the field of museum studies.

The book, which is accessible on the UCL Discovery webpage, is the latest initiative by UCL Qatar aiming to enrich discourse on the museum and cultural her-itage management sectors both in Qatar and globally.

Participants included Qatari students Issa Al Shirawi and Wadha Al Aqeedi. The former examined the relationship between artists and institutions, while the latter investigated per-formance art curatorship, with an emphasis on works from the Arab world.

Issa Al Shirawi, who is now working for Qatar Museums said, “Working on this project gave me the opportunity to make my research accessible to a global audience and I am honoured to be able to contribute to the inter-national discourse on museums management. I am thankful to the academic staff and members at UCL Qatar for the support and for involving me in a project that showcases the importance and ongoing development of cultural heritage and museology in Qatar

and beyond.”Other students included

Ignacio Zamora Sanz from Spain, who focused on Hamad Interna-tional Airport’s public art pieces and the impact such displays have on travellers as well as how they fit within Qatar’s wider cul-tural policies. Lina Patmali from Greece explored the meaning and importance of self-reflective exhibitions and institutional curatorial practice. Lejla Niksic from Bosnia and Herzegovina discussed affect and emotion in museums and finally, Syeda Arman Zabi from India discussed strategies that museums use to construct narrative and produce knowledge around traumatic events.

The book was edited by Dr. Alexandra Bounia, Associate Pro-fessor in Museum Studies, and Dr. Catharina Hendrick, Lecturer in Museum Studies. The topics covered in the research papers

explored themes discussed as part of the Master of Arts pro-gramme in Museum and Gallery Practice offered at UCL Qatar. These include art curatorship, interrelations between western and non-western practices as well as cultural policies, among others.

Speaking about her involvement in the project, Dr Alexandra Bounia said, “UCL Qatar has produced some out-standing research that will con-tinue to resonate and inform the future of the museums’ profes-sions and of the knowledge on cultural heritage management for years to come. Some of this research was produced by our students with their dissertations and I am extremely proud of the work they have put on this book, which aims to make all the knowledge they acquired and the research they developed visible and accessible to all. ”

Issa Al Shirawi Dr. Alexandra Bounia

Mental Health & Sport: The Challenge of Balancing Risk With Reward will feature a panel discussion where participants will share first-hand experiences of the pressures that elite-level sport creates, and the toll it can take amid the trophies, medals, and glory.

MoPH: 292 more

recover; 257

new virus casesTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) yesterday announced the registration of 257 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Another 292 people have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recovered cases in Qatar to 113,216.

All new cases have been introduced to isolation and are receiving necessary healthcare according to their health status.

The Ministry further said that measures to tackle COVID-19 in Qatar have suc-ceeded in flattening the curve and limiting the spread of the virus. The number of daily new cases and hospital admissions has gradually declined over the past few weeks.

The Ministry has also said that Qatar has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world, as a result of, Qatar’s young population, proactive testing to identify cases early, expanding hospital capacity, especially intensive care to ensure all patients receive the medical care they need, protecting the elderly and those with chronic diseases.

However the Ministry has emphasised on the importance of taking precautions against COVID-19.

Arab Doctoral Students

in Western Universities

Conference concludes

QNA — DOHA

The Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies concluded the work of the second session of the Arab Doctoral Students in Western Universities Conference which was held through the “Zoom” appli-cation during the period from August 9-20.

As many as 37 participants from universities all over the US, Europe, the UK, and Aus-tralia took part in the con-ference along with over 30 faculty discussants in each topic area, from both within the Arab Centre and the Doha Institute as well as other insti-tutions around the world.

The conference endeavours to establish a link between the Arab world’s research universe and young Arab students com-pleting their doctoral studies in Western universities in the diverse fields of social sciences and humanities.

04 SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

Libya’s warring rivals announce ceasefire

AFP — TRIPOLI

Libya’s warring rival govern-ments announced in separate statements yesterday that they would cease all hostilities and organise nationwide elections soon, an understanding swiftly welcomed by the United Nations.

The statements were signed by Fayez Al Sarraj, head of the UN-recognised unity gov-ernment based in the capital Tripoli, and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based parliament backed by military

strongman Khalifa Haftar.The two have been at war

virtually since the formation of Sarraj’s government in December 2015.

The UN’s top official to Libya, Stephanie Williams, called for “all parties to rise to this historic occasion and shoulder their full responsib-lities before the Libyan people.” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi welcomed the ceasefire declarations.

“I welcome statements by Libya’s presidential council and the House of Representatives

calling for a ceasefire and halting military operations in all Libyan territory,” Sisi said in a tweet.

Sisi, whose government has

been a major supporter of the eastern-based administration dominated by Haftar, said the twin announcements were an “important step” on the path to

restoring stability.Libya has been in chaos

since a Western-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Qadhafi in 2011.

Haftar launched an offensive in April 2019 to seize Tripoli from the Government of National Accord (GNA).

But the move prompted intervention by Turkey in support of the GNA.

After 14 months of fierce fighting, Turkish-backed pro-GNA forces expelled Haftar’s troops from much of western Libya and pushed them eastwards to Sirte, a gateway to Libya’s rich oil fields and export terminals.

As well as Egypt, Haftar has had the backing of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Russia, prompting repeated calls from the United Nations for outside powers to stop meddling.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, on a surprise visit to Tripoli on Monday, warned that Libya faces a “deceptive calm” since fighting stalled around Sirte.

The central Mediterranean coastal city — a symbolic site as the hometown of Qadhafi — is the gateway to Libya’s eastern oil fields and export terminals, and to the key AlJufra airbase to the south.

Western powers, fearing that a GNA attack on Sirte would raise the prospect of direct clashes between regional heavyweights Turkey and Egypt, have called for renewed peace efforts.

Egypt , which has threatened direct military intervention, has also sought to join forces with some of the neighbouring country’s pow-erful tribes, to give it a local partner aside from the volatile strongman Haftar.

A file photo of Libya’s internationally recognised Prime Minister, Fayez Mustafa Al Sarraj, speaking during a news conference in Tripoli, Libya.

Iran says US has no right to demand restoration of sanctionsAP — TEHRAN

Iran’s foreign minister in a letter to the UN Security Council said the US has no right to demand the restoration of UN sanctions against Iran, the Foreign Minis-try’s website said yesterday.

Mohammad Javad Zarif said the US lost the right to make demands in 2018 when it withdrew from the nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. He also said America’s unilateral pullout violated a UN resolution that required signa-tories to avoid any damage to the deal.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday officially informed the UN it is demanding the restoration of all UN

sanctions on Iran, but allies and opponents declared the US action illegal and doomed to failure.

Pompeo insisted the United States has the legal right to “snap back” UN sanctions even though President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers that was endorsed by the Security Council.

He said UN sanctions will continue the arms embargo on Iran, set to expire on October 18, as well as prohibit ballistic missile testing and nuclear enrichment that could lead to a nuclear weapons program - which Tehran insists it is not pursuing. The US insistence on snapping back international

sanctions against Iran sets the stage for a contentious dispute. The US demand could be ignored by other UN members — calling into question the Security Council’s ability to enforce its own legally binding decisions.

Zarif said the term “snapback” was never men-tioned in the deal or in the UN resolution that supported the deal. “The US intentionally has applied the word to suggest speed and (an) automatic” return of sanctions, he said.

The Trump administration wants to reimpose all interna-tional sanctions that had been eased under the nuclear deal. Other nations claim the US has no standing to make the demand

because the Trump adminis-tration pulled the US out of the deal. Under the agreement, Tehran received sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. The “snapback” mechanism was created in the event Tehran was proven to be in violation of the accord.

Zarif said the Security Council should stop the US’s uni-lateral “misuses” of council res-olutions, saying “the people of Iran expect the council to force the US to be accountable” for its “damages” to Iran.

The US imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran and sent the country’s economy into free fall following its pullout from the deal.

Israeli jets bomb GazaAFP — GAZA CITY

Israeli warplanes bombed the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip yesterday, as Palestinians fired rockets and launched fire bombs into southern Israel, the army said.

Parts of southern Israel were partially cordoned off by the security forces.

Israeli planes launched raids against Gaza shortly after mid-night on Thursday and then again later yesterday morning.

Israel said the bombs were in response to seven rockets launched from Gaza, six of which were intercepted by its air defences. Witnesses in Gaza said rockets were launched towards the town of Sderot, just across the border. The rocket that was not intercepted damaged the roof of a house in Sderot, but did not cause any casualties, a witness said.

Israel has bombed Gaza almost every night since August 6 in retaliation for the launch of balloons fitted with fire bombs, or, less frequently, rocket fire, across the border. The number of rockets fired from Gaza was the largest number in a day, since the latest round of exchanges began two weeks ago.

Hamas “will not hesitate to fight a battle with the enemy if the escalation continues, if the bombardments and the blockade continue,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said in a

statement. “If the Israeli occu-pation continues its aggression... it must pay the price,” he added.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz this week accused Hamas of “playing with fire” and warned that Israel would respond to any attack “on its sovereignty”.

Israel has also tightened its 13-year blockade of Gaza’s two million inhabitants.

It has banned Gaza fish-ermen from going to sea and closed its goods crossing with the territory, prompting the closure of Gaza’s sole power plant for want of fuel. The reprisals came after an Egyptian delegation shuttled between the two sides, trying to broker a return to an informal truce. The latest ceasefire, which has already been renewed several times.

The truce provided for permits for Gazans to work in Israel and financing for Gaza development projects, both measures that would provide some economic relief in an impoverished territory where unemployment exceeds 50 percent. According to a source close to Hamas, the movement wants the extension of an indus-trial zone in the east of Gaza, and the construction of a new power line. Hamas also wants the number of work permits issued to Gazans to be doubled to 10,000 once anti-coronavirus restrictions are lifted, the source said.

Smoke rises after Israeli warplanes hit areas targeting positions of the military wing of Hamas in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strips, yesterday.

Lebanon begins partial lockdown amid spike in coronavirus casesAP — BEIRUT

Lebanon yesterday began a two-week partial lockdown and nighttime curfew after coronavirus cases increased sharply following an explosion in Beirut that killed and injured thousands of people.

Confirmed cases of the virus have increased from 5,417 a day after the massive blast on August 4 to nearly 11,000 yes-terday, leading officials to announce the lockdown.

On Thursday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry tallied a record 605 confirmed new cases in the previous 24 hours, raising the total registered cases since late February to 10,952.

The pandemic has killed 113 people in the tiny country, which was successful in lim-iting the spread of the virus during the early months.

Many businesses were closed yesterday morning in Beirut even

though some sectors, including banks, groceries, book shops and pharmacies were allowed to open. Restaurants, night clubs, beaches and clothes shops are among the businesses ordered to close by the Ministry of Interior.

Virus cases had already been on the rise since the beginning of July, when an earlier lockdown was lifted and Lebanon’s only international airport was reopened. At the end of June, Lebanon registered 1,778 cases. That number has since multiplied more than five times in seven weeks.

But the numbers shot up dramatically following the August 4, explosion of nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut’s port. More than 180 people were killed, more than 6,000 injured and a quarter of a million people were left with homes unfit to live in.

Syria constitution talks in Geneva an ‘important step’, says UN envoyAFP — GENEVA

A meeting in Geneva next week of Syrians tasked with amending their country’s constitution marks an important step and could help open the door to a broader political process, the UN envoy said yesterday.

Members of Syria’s Constitu-tional Committee will be meeting for the first time since last November, following delays brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

“Obviously, the fact that we will be meeting here in Geneva after nine months is an important step in the right direction,” Geir Pedersen told reporters in the Swiss city.

The full constitutional review committee is made up of 150 del-egates divided equally three ways among President Bashar AlAs-sad’s government, the opposition and civil society.

But next week’s meeting will only include about a third of them, with 15 members from

each group taking part.Due to the COVID-19 pan-

demic, Pedersen said that strict measures had been put in place to ensure everyone’s safety.

All delegates have been tested prior to departure, and will be tested again upon their arrival in Geneva over the weekend, he said.

He added that the week-long meeting would be held in a large UN hall to allow for proper dis-tancing, and all participants would wear masks.

The Constitutional Com-mittee was created in September last year and first convened a month later.

A planned second round of talks in late November ended after disagreement on the agenda prevented government and opposition negotiators from meeting.

Pedersen voiced hope that the delegates could next week get into “substantive discussion”, and stressed that the talks could serve as “a door-opener to a broader

political process.” But he acknowledged that “the consti-tutional committee in itself... of course cannot solve the Syrian conflict.” The United Nations has been striving for more than nine years to try to help find a political resolution to Syria’s civil war, which has killed more than 380,000 people and has dis-placed more than 11 million Syrians from their homes.

Constitutional review is a central part of the UN’s peace plan for Syria, which was defined by Security Council resolution 2254, adopted in December 2015.

The resolution also calls for

UN-supervised elections.Pedersen on Friday stressed

the urgent need to build confi-dence between the parties to move forward in the political process.

He insisted that progress on determining the fate of detainees, abductees and missing people on all sides “could be the one key important development that could help to build trust.” Repre-sentatives from a range of coun-tries involved in Syria’s complex conflict, including Russia, Iran, Turkey and the United States, are expected to be in Geneva next week.

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, gestures during a news conference ahead of a meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

Kenyan police

teargas anti-graft

protesters

AP — NAIROBI

Kenya’s police have teargassed protesters holding a peaceful demonstration against alleged corruption including the theft of supplies for the fight against COVID-19.

At least 12 demonstrators from a group of 100 protesting in different parts of Nairobi, the capital, were arrested by police, said central business district police chief Mark Wanjala.

Picketing and protesting are rights guaranteed by the Kenyan constitution but police argue that they dispersed Friday’s demon-strations because of concerns that large gatherings could lead to the spread of the coronavirus.

However, protest organiser, Wanjeri Nderu, who runs a con-sumer watchdog site on Twitter called ‘Buyer beware,” charged

that police were being used to silence demonstrators.

“We cannot continue like this. Others are balling (enjoying) from proceeds of theft and we are dying,” she said.

“The reason we are being overtaxed is because they (gov-ernment leaders) want to cover

this big hole in the economy caused by theft of public resources.” Independent rights activist Ndungi Githuku, lamented that activists were being treated like criminals.

“When exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime; it’s because we are being ruled

by criminals,” he said.Kenyans have expressed

outrage throughout the week on social media platforms over the announcement that the anti-cor-ruption agency is investigating the theft of millions of dollars of supplies from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.

A cop escorts a protester after tear gas was used during a demonstration. in Nairobi, Kenya, yesterday.

The statements were signed by Fayez Al Sarraj, head of the UN-recognised unity government based in the capital Tripoli, and Aguila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based parliament backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The two have been at war virtually since the formation of Sarraj’s government in December 2015.

05SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020 ASIA

NZ court to sentence killer in mosque massacreREUTERS — WELLINGTON

A New Zealand court will begin hearings yesterday on the sentencing of a suspected white supremacist accused of killing 51 Muslim worshippers in a massacre that shocked the world and prompted a global campaign to stamp out online hate.

Brenton Tarrant, an Aus-tralian national, attacked Muslims attending Friday prayers in the South Island city of Christchurch on March 15 last year with semi-automatic guns, broadcasting the shooting live on Facebook.

Tarrant pleaded guilty to all charges in March, which include 51 charges of murder, 40

charges of attempted murder and one charge of committing a terrorist act.

High Court judge Cameron Mander will hear statements from 66 survivors of the attack early in the week and Tarrant is likely to be present in the courtroom. Tarrant will be

allowed to speak to the court before sentencing.

The attack led to a ban on firearms in New Zealand and a campaign against hate content online led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, a response that was hailed as a model for other countries.

“This will be the acceptance of his guilt and acknowledgement of his punishment,” said Aliya Danzeisen, a community leader and member of the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand.

“Obviously he could appeal, but for families this will be that closure in the sense that he did damage to us and he’s having to pay for it,” said Danzeisen, who will be in court with a friend who was a victim of the attack.

Justice Mander said in an order issued earlier this month that the court has discretionary powers to prohibit the publication of victim statements, if needed, and also ensure it is not used as a platform to cause further harm.

T a r r a n t f a c e s

life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 17 years. But the judge has the power to decide on imprisoning him without possibility of release, which means Tarrant would be imprisoned for the rest of his life. Such a sentence has never been imposed in New Zealand.

Tarrant stormed into the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on March 15 last year, spraying bullets on worshippers, including women and children, before attacking another neighbouring mosque. He was arrested on the way to a third attack.

A manifesto posted online by Tarrant shortly before he attacked the mosques, and video recordings of the mosque

shootings are banned by New Zealand’s censor board.

The greater coverage Tarrant gets, the more oppor-tunity it gives him to say things that could resonate with others, said Chris Wilson, the pro-gramme director for the master of conflict and terrorism studies at the University of Auckland.

“We do need to have some coverage. We need to know, the Muslim community needs to know... we need justice. But it needs to be done in a way where it’s not an inspiration to others,” he said.

Live reporting from the courtroom is banned, and other restrictions have been put in place on what the media can report.

Coronavirus cases in Australia dive to five-week lowREUTERS — SYDNEY/MELBOURNE

Australia headed for its lowest daily increase in coronavirus infections in five weeks yesterday as the hotspot state of Victoria neared the midway point of lockdown, prompting the prime minister to hail “a week of increased hope”.

While the rest of Australia eases restrictions, the home state of a quarter of its popu-lation is in a six-week lockdown due to a second wave of virus infections.

Victoria reported 179 new cases in the past 24 hours, from 240 a day earlier and down from over 700 a day two weeks ago. The state reported nine deaths.

The country’s most pop-ulous state, neighbouring New South Wales, reported just one new case as an emergency cabinet of state and federal leaders discussed the prospect of relaxing closures of state borders that have been in place for months.

“Today’s meeting of national cabinet came during what I would describe as a week of increased hope,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a televised news conference.

“We’re doing better than most and many of the developed world in this situ-ation.” Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said new case numbers in his state had fallen faster than he expected after the state imposed a nightly curfew and shuttered many businesses.

“We are all pleased to see a ‘one’ in front of these additional case numbers,” Andrews said. “To be at this point shows that the strategy is working.” With cases in Victoria declining and low or zero levels of infections elsewhere — some states had yet to report daily figures by mid-afternoon — business leaders have called for an easing of internal travel restric-tions to alleviate the blow to business and the economy.

Many states have closed

their borders to prevent the spread of infection, and Queensland’s premier said earlier this week its border won’t reopen to any states with cases of community transmission.

However, Prime Minister Morrison said Queensland had now agreed to relax a ban on interstate travel for people

seeking health services. He said he would call for an agreed def-inition of a “hot spot” so the authorities and travellers could understand who was, or was not, allowed to travel interstate.

Qantas Airways Ltd said this week that state border closures were severely hampering a recovery in the domestic

aviation market, while retail group Wesfarmers said the restrictions were causing “enormous hardship”.

Other than the Victoria out-break, Australia has largely avoided the high casualty numbers of many other nations with just under 24,500 infec-tions and 472 deaths linked to the virus.

A person wearing a face mask walks past Victoria Police, Airforce and ADF personnel outside of the Melbourne Museum as the city operates under lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday.

COVID-19 cases

in India near

3 million as

festival nears

REUTERS — MUMBAI

A jump in coronavirus infec-tions yesterday pushed India closer to the three million mark, piling pressure on authorities to prevent huge gatherings this weekend as Mumbai celebrates the Hindu deity Ganesh.

For most of western India, especially the country’s financial capital, Ganesh Chaturthi marks the beginning of an 11-day festival usually marked by big public celebrations.

Social media was flooded with pictures of shoppers crowding markets to buy flowers and sweets, but it is expected to be a quieter Ganesh festival this year.

“You can see everyone’s shops are full of idols. No one is coming out to buy anything,” Ramdas Ghodekar, who sells Ganesh idols in central Mumbai, said.

India reported 68,898 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours — the third straight daily increase above 60,000 —taking the total to 2.91 million, the third worst in the world after the United States and Brazil Deaths increased by 983 to 54,849.

Cases have plateaued in Mumbai, which now averages 1,000 a day and has recorded more than 120,000 in total, but strict government regula-tions have meant that the fes-tival season, which begins this month, has been lacklustre.

“People are buying cheaper idols and cutting down their budgets because there have been pay cuts and job losses. Last year, I sold all the idols in my shop — this year I will sell half of that,” idol-maker Nand-kumar Patil said.

India imposed a strict lockdown in March, at the beginning of the outbreak, and in several cities like Mumbai, public transport, malls and theatres remain shut.

As other doors close, some Rohingya cling to hope of resettlementREUTERS — DHAKA/GUWAHATI

On the third anniversary of a mass exodus of Rohingya to Bangladesh, prospects look bleak for about one million members of the Muslim minority from Myanmar living in bamboo and plastic shelters in refugee camps.

Two attempts to get a repa-triation process going, in 2018 and 2019, failed as the refugees refused to go back to Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship and con-sidered outsiders, fearing violence.

Some take the dangerous option of travelling with people-smugglers by boat to Southeast Asia. Scores of people

have been killed in recent years as their over-crowded rickety boats have capsized or run out of water and food.

But even that perilous route is getting more difficult now as countries like Malaysia shut their borders, threatening to push boats back out to sea, to protect jobs and resources amid novel coronavirus lockdowns.

Some Rohingya are clinging to the hope of a third option - resettlement in a rich country.

“I just pray and hope that one day my family will be settled in a Western country,” said Mohammed Nur, who lives in a refugee camp in Bangla-desh’s Cox’s Bazar district neighbouring Myanmar.

Nur was on a short-list for resettlement under an earlier programme.

But Bangladesh, which has for decades given refuge to waves of Rohingya fleeing from Myanmar, ended the reset-tlement programme in 2010 out of fear it would become a hub for refugees seeking to move to the West.

Nur lives in hope the pro-gramme will be revived and has even put off marriage because he worries a bigger family would see him dropped from the list.

“I’m 29 now but still not married as I don’t want to expand my family,” he said.

Whether a resettlement programme gets going or not

depends on Bangladesh.Bangladesh’s refugee com-

missioner sid the focus was on repatriation but his agency was ready to work to resettle ref-ugees in other countries if his government decided to resume the programme.

Talukder said it was up to the United Nations High Com-missioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to request the resumption of resettlement, then his government would decide.

“If the government takes the decision, we’re ready to implement it,” the commis-sioner, Mahbub Alam Talukder, said.

From 2006 to 2010, the programme saw 920 Rohingya

resettled in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States.

Bangladesh’s foreign min-ister and the ministry’s sec-retary did not respond to requests for comment.

The UNHCR said it was in “continuous dialogue” with the Bangladesh government over the Rohingya.

“We continue to pursue durable solutions for the Rohingya refugees including repatriation in safety and dignity when conditions allow, as well as through third-country pathways for those with the most acute vulnerabilities, if this option becomes available,” UNHCR spokeswoman Louise Donovan said.

Lockdown in Kathmandu

A man walks along the deserted streets of Thamel, a major tourist hub, after the government implemented restrictions on transport and gatherings and all shops are shuttered for a week as part of safety measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease, in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday.

‘Bangladesh needs other testing methods to detect COVID-19’ANATOLIA — DHAKA

Experts in Bangladesh suggested that alternative testing methods be introduced alongside the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis amid low COVID-19 testing and sample collection, which has raised fears over the further spread of the deadly disease in the country.

The time has come for uti-lizing antibody and antigen testing to detect the coronavirus as a supporting method as such testing involves less effort and is hassle free, they observed.

Bangladesh is now the 16th worst affected country in the world in terms of total infec-tions. Meanwhile, there is an over 20 percent infection rate in daily sample testing (only PCR labs conducting testing) while there has been a sharp fall in virus sample testing.

Bangladesh ranks the lowest among Asian countries in sample testing as cut the testing about 25 percent in July

as comparison to June.The country, with a popu-

lation of around 165 million, tested 1.4 million samples so far with more than 290,000 pos-itive cases of coronavirus and over 3,860 deaths.

The story behind the low number of sample tests is also linked to the asymptomatic positive to COVID-19 without having no symptom in the country, said Dr. Bijon Kumar Sil, the leader of a Bangladeshi research team at Gono-shasthaya Kendra Hospital, the first health center or hospital in independent Bangladesh.

“Symptoms have taken a turn from the respiratory organs or routes to gastro routes, so people could not understand whether there is any COVID-19 infection,” he said.

He suggested that — at least 20,000 samples be taken daily.

“We should begin the antibody testing to know the real scenario of infection in the country while the virus has already spread outside the

capital, Dhaka,” said Sil, whose team has also developed a kit that can detect antibodies that have developed in the body of a person who has recovered from COVID-19.

“A single testing method could not cover such a big pop-ulation; we need to operate both PCR labs and antibody sample testing. Like where there is no facility of PCR lab testing, we could go for antibody testing. Antibodies develop in the human body in 15 to 20 days, so it would be hassle free to diagnose what we used for the SARS outbreak in 2003,” Sil added.

Dr. Mohiuddin Ahmed Khan, a member of the coun-try’s National Technical Advisory Committee on COVID-19, said “50,000 would be better, but considering the country’s capacity, we should test at least 20-25,000 on a daily basis.” “I think about 40 percent of the total population in the country has already been infected with COVID-19,” added Khan.

High Court judge Cameron Mander will hear statements from 66 survivors of the attack early in the week and Tarrant is likely to be present in the courtroom. Brenton Tarrant, who attacked Muslims attending Friday prayers in Christchurch on March 15 last year, will be allowed to speak to the court before sentencing.

06 SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020ASIA

Philippines protestsChinese fishingseizures, air warningsAP — MANILA

The Philippine government filed a diplomatic protest after Chinese forces seized fishing equipment set up by Filipinos in a disputed shoal in their latest territorial spat in the South China Sea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said in a statement on Thursday night that the Philippines “also reso-lutely objected” to China con-tinuing to issue radio challenges to Philippine aircraft patrolling over the disputed waters.

A Chinese government spokesperson responded yes-terday that its coast guard was enforcing the law in Chinese waters, and that the Philippine aircraft had harmed China’s sovereignty and threatened its security.

“China urges the Philippines to immediately stop its illegal and provocative activities,” foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a daily briefing in Beijing.

The Philippine government has protested China’s increas-ingly aggressive actions in the contested sea despite a dra-matic improvement in relations under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has nurtured friendly ties with Beijing while often criticizing the United States, which has raised alarm over his deadly anti-drug crackdown.

The Philippine foreign affairs department did not immediately provide other details of what it said was the Chinese coast guard’s illegal confiscation of the fishing equipment.

The devices, locally called “payaos,” were seized in May after they had been set up by Filipino fishermen in disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippine province of Zambales.

China seized the shoal after a tense sea standoff in 2012, and the Philippines brought its dis-putes to international arbi-tration the following year. The tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claims to virtually the entire South China Sea, but Beijing continues to ignore and defy the decision.

Radio warnings by Chinese forces against Philippine air force patrol aircraft have i n c r e a s e d a r o u n d

missile-protected Chinese arti-ficial islands, Philippine officials said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused China of taking advantage of the intense preoccupation of governments with the pandemic to advance its territorial claims.

Last month, the US gov-ernment rejected nearly all of Beijing’s South China Sea claims and in effect sided with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei in each of their territorial spats with Beijing.

China responded by saying the US was trying to sow discord and was meddling in an Asian dispute to flex its muscles and incite a confrontation.

Separately, Manila city offi-cials said they have closed four stores selling Chinese beauty products with labels that iden-tified the Philippine capital as a province of China. They accused the stores of “misrep-resentation” and violating other business regulations.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno has taken steps to have two Chinese busi-nessmen associated with the beauty products investigated and deported.

“This is unacceptable,” Moreno said, vowing he would not allow the country’s sover-eignty to be disparaged. “I’m not a governor of China.”

A man without a face mask rides on a scooter at a hutong, after Beijing Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced that wearing face masks are no longer mandatory outdoor in Beijing, China, yesterday.

Beijing says residents can go mask-freeas COVID-19 cases hit new lows

REUTERS — BEIJING

Health authorities in China’s capital Beijing have removed a requirement for people to wear masks outdoors, further relaxing rules aimed at preventing the spread the novel coronavirus after the city reported 13 consecutive days without new cases.

Despite the relaxed guide-lines, a large proportion of people continued to wear masks in Beijing yesterday.

Some said the mask made them feel safe, while others said social pressures to wear the masks were also a factor.

“I think I can take off my mask anytime, but I’ll need to

see if others accept it. Because I’m afraid that people would be scared if they see me not wearing mask,” one 24-year old Beijing woman surnamed Cao said.

It’s the second time Beijing’s health authorities have relaxed guidelines on mask wearing in the capital, which has largely returned to normal after two rounds of lockdowns brought it to a standstill.

Beijing’s municipal Centres for Disease Control first said res-idents could go without masks in outdoor areas in late April, though the rules were swiftly reversed in June after a new out-break in a large wholesale market in the city’s south.

China has reported no new locally transmitted cases on the mainland for five days after successfully controlling flare ups in the capital, Xinjiang and elsewhere.

Experts say the key to the country’s success in controlling the disease has been the strict enforcement of local rules, including wearing masks, mandatory home quarantine and participating in mass testing.

Authorities reported 22 imported cases in the mainland on for August 20, and has closed its borders to most non-Chinese citizens. The country has reported a total of 84,917 cases since the outbreak began.

Water levels at Three Gorges near maximum after rainsREUTERS — SHANGHAI

Water levels at China’s giant Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze river are inching closer to their maximum after torrential rains raised inflows to a record high, official data showed yesterday.

With 75,000 cubic metres per second of water flowing in from the Yangtze river on Thursday, the reservoir’s depths reached 165.6 metres by yes-terday morning, up more than two metres overnight and almost 20 metres higher than

the official warning level.The maximum designed

depth of China’s largest res-ervoir is 175 metres.

Authorities raised the dis-charge volume to a record 48,800 cubic metres per second on Thursday to try to lower water levels, and they might have to increase it again to avoid the pos-sibility of a dangerous overflow.

“They will do everything they can to prevent the dam from overtopping,” said Desiree Tullos, a professor at Oregon State University who studies the Three Gorges project.

“An overtopping dam is a worst-case scenario because it produces significant damage... and can lead to the entire thing collapsing.” Rainfall in the Yangtze basin has been well over double the seasonal average this year.

The floods had caused nearly 180 billion yuan ($26 billion) in economic damages by last week, and 63 million people have been affected.

The Three Gorges Project, completed in 2012, was designed not only to generate power but also to tame the fierce Yangtze, the cause of

many devastating floods throughout China’s history.

China’s giant hydroelectric dams have stored more than 100 billion cubic metres of floodwater this year, and shielded 18.5 million residents from evacuation, according to government figures. The Three Gorges project alone has cut downstream floodwaters by 34 percent, officials said.

But opponents say the flood control capability of the Three Gorges Dam is limited, and it could even make the problem worse in the long term.

Fresh warrants issued for Nawaz Sharif in land allotment caseINTERNEWS — LAHORE

An accountability court has again issued bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a reference pertaining to a 34-year-old land allotment transaction also involving Jang group editor-in-chief Mir Shakilur Rehman.

Earlier, a police report filed with the court said the summons could not be served at the Model Town residence of Sharif due to his unavailability.

Presiding Judge Asad Ali asked a police official if the former premier had only one residence in Lahore.

The official said there was another residence (of Sharif in the city) in Jati Umra, but the summons were not sent to that address. The judge issued fresh bailable arrest warrants of Sharif and ordered the police to ensure service of the summons at all known addresses of the suspect.

The judge also extended judicial remand of Mir Shakilur Rehman till next date of hearing on September 3.

Rehman was not produced before the court by the jail authorities due to COVID-19 pandemic standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The NAB in its reference alleged that Rehman illegally obtained exemption of 54 plots, each measuring one kanal, sit-uated in Block-H, Johar Town.

It alleged that the land was

allotted in connivance with then Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif against the exemption policy and the laws for monetary gains. It said the suspects caused a loss of Rs143.53m to the national exchequer through allotment of the land in violation of exemption policy.

In this case, the NAB had arrested Rehman, while Sharif had been declared an absconder for his continuous non-appearance before the investigation team.

Sharif is in London for his treatment following a per-mission given by courts. The other two suspects were not arrested by the NAB, but inter-rogated only.

An accountability court completed scrutiny of a money laundering-cum-illegal assets reference against the family of Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, filed by the NAB.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan was set to start formal hearing of the reference from yesterday.

A total of 20 persons had been nominated in the ref-erence, including the four approvers — Yasir Mushtaq, Muhammad Mushtaq, Shahid Rafiq and Aftab Mahmood.

The main suspects are Shahbaz’s wife Nusrat Shahbaz, his sons, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz and Suleman Shahbaz (absconder), his daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali.

S Korea urges more testing, quarantines as virus cases rise

REUTERS — SEOUL

South Korean health authorities warned yesterday that a cluster of coronavirus infections in the capital Seoul was threatening to spread after thousands of people attended a rally by conservative political groups last week.

While many of the current spike in cases have been among members of a church, some of whom attended the rally, offi-cials say more people need to come forward and be tested to head off an uncontrollable outbreak.

Amid government com-plaints that some churches had not been cooperating with health officials, President Moon Jae-in called on Friday for pen-alties for anyone obstructing

anti-virus measures.Moon’s office said it would

be implementing an emergency response system, including high-level meetings every morning and 24-hour work schedules until the crisis has passed.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), reported 324 new cases as of midnight Thursday, the highest daily count since March 8. That took the country’s total to 16,670 cases, with 309 deaths.

While most of the new cases are centred in Seoul and the surrounding areas, new cases have also been reported in 16 provinces and metropolitan areas, KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.

South Korean police stand guard near the Sarang Jeil Church, which has become a new cluster of coronavirus disease infections, in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday.

Pakistan’s Punjab province pushes crackdown on publishersAFP — LAHORE

Publishers in Pakistan’s most populous province could soon face prison if they fail to win approval from government bureaucrats before printing or importing books, pamphlets and many other written works.

Lawmakers in Punjab, home to about half of the coun-try’s 215 million people, unan-imously approved the measure last month as part of a sweeping bill targeting “objectionable”

printed material.If implemented, the bill

could gut the publishing industry in regional capital Lahore and divide Pakistan’s lit-erary world, leaving books available in one part of the country but banned in another.

Proponents claim the legis-lation will root out blasphemous content and enhance national security.

But critics say it is just the latest example of authorities pandering to populist religious

pressure, and attempting to stifle debate in a culture of ever-increasing censorship.

The bill has such “loose and vague terms that they can be easily used against progressive publishers like us”, Bilal Zahoor, editorial director of a Lahore-based independent publishing house, said.

“Publishers like us will be pushed out of business,” he warned.

Punjab’s governor has yet to sign the bill into law and has

indicated he may seek some amendments before doing so.

In its current form, the leg-islation would give authorities almost unlimited scope to control, censor and confiscate any texts they deem problematic.

“Any material that is likely to jeopardise or is prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan” would be subject to tough new controls, the bill states.

So would any work pro-moting “vulgarity” and “obscenity”.

Publishers would have to submit detailed descriptions of all books to an “authorised officer” with Punjab’s office of the Director General of Public Relations (DGPR) -- which would gain broad new powers to inspect any printing press, publication house or bookstore and confiscate books.

Supporters say the bill will boost national security because

it will bar writing seen as glori-fying “terrorists” and “extremist elements”.

It would also require every single printed mention of the Prophet Muhammad to be pre-ceded and followed by wordy honorifics — something few books currently include.

Publishers would have to inform bureaucrats of works they are producing or trans-lating, and booksellers would need to reveal books they are importing.

Radio warnings by Chinese forces against Philippine air force patrol aircraft have increased around missile-protected Chinese artificial islands, Philippine officials said.

Russian doctors say there is no evidence of poisoning, and the Kremlin denied the authorities tried to prevent the transfer from happening.

07SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020 EUROPE

Russia to let dissident in coma fly to Berlin for treatment

AP — MOSCOW

Russian doctors gave a dissident who is in a coma after a sus-pected poisoning permission to be transferred abroad for medical treatment, in a sudden reversal yesterday that came after more than 24 hours of wrangling over Alexei Navalny’s condition and treatment.

Navalny, a 44-year-old pol-itician and corruption investi-gator who is one of Russian Pres-ident Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics, was admitted to an intensive care unit in the Siberian city of Omsk on Thursday.

His supporters believe that tea he drank was laced with poison — and that the Kremlin is behind both his illness and the delay in transferring him to a top German hospital. It would not be the first time a prom-inent, outspoken Russian was targeted in such a way — or the first time the Kremlin was accused of being behind it.

Russian doctors say there is no evidence of poisoning, and the Kremlin denied the author-ities tried to prevent the transfer from happening.

Even after German spe-cialists arrived on a plane equipped with advanced medical equipment yesterday morning at his family’s behest, Navalny’s physicians in Omsk said he was too unstable to move.

Navalny’s supporters denounced that as a ploy by authorities to stall until any

poison in his system would no longer be traceable. The Omsk medical team relented only after a charity that had organized the medevac plane revealed that the German doctors examined the politician and said he was fit to be transported.

Deputy chief doctor of the Omsk hospital Anatoly Kalin-ichenko then told reporters that Navalny’s condition had stabi-lized and that physicians “didn’t mind” transferring the poli-tician, given that his relatives were willing “to take on the risks.” According to Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, the flight to Berlin is scheduled for today morning.

The Kremlin denied resistance to the transfer was political, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying that it was purely a medical decision. However, the reversal came as international pressure on Rus-

sia’s leadership mounted.On Thursday, leaders of

France and Germany said the two countries were ready to offer Navalny and his family any and all assistance and insisted on an investigation into what happened.

The most prominent member of Russia’s opposition, Navalny campaigned to chal-lenge Putin in the 2018 presi-dential election but was barred from running. Since then, he has been promoting opposition can-didates in regional elections, challenging members of the ruling party, United Russia.

His Foundation for Fighting Corruption has been exposing graft among government offi-cials, including some at the highest level. But he had to shut the foundation last month after a financially devastating lawsuit from a businessman with close ties to the Kremlin.

Navalny fell ill on a flight

back to Moscow from Siberia on Thursday and was taken to the hospital after the plane made an emergency landing. His team made arrangements to transfer him to Charité, a clinic in Berlin that has a history of treating famous foreign leaders and dissidents.

Dr. Yaroslav Ashikhmin, Navalny’s physician in Moscow, said that being on a plane with specialized equipment, including a ventilator and a machine that can do the work of the heart and lungs, “can be even safer than staying in a hos-pital in Omsk”.

Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, posted pictures of what she said was a bathroom inside the hospital that showed squalid conditions, including walls with paint peeling off, rusting pipes, and a dirty floor and walls.

While his supporters and family members continue to

insist that Navalny was poi-soned, doctors in Omsk denied that and put forth another theory. The hospital’s chief doctor, Alexander Mura-khovsky, said in a video pub-lished by Omsk news outlet NGS55 that a metabolic disorder was the most likely diagnosis and that a drop in blood sugar may have caused Navalny to lose consciousness.

Another doctor with ties to the politician, Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva, said that diagnosing Navalny with a “metabolic dis-order” says nothing about what may have caused it — and it could have been the result of a poisoning.

Ashikhmin, who’s been Navalny’s doctor since 2013, said the politician has always been in good health, regularly went for medical checkups and didn’t have any underlying ill-nesses that could have triggered his condition.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny delivers a speech during a rally to demand the release of jailed protesters, in Moscow, in this September 29, 2019 file picture: RIGHT: Yulia and Oleg, wife and brother of Alexei Navalny, and Anastasia Vasilyeva, Alexei Navalny’s personal physician, speak with the media outside a hospital, where Alexei is receiving medical treatment in Omsk, Russia, yesterday.

Children over11 in Franceto wear masks at school

AFP — PARIS

French schoolchildren above the age of 11 will be required to wear masks when they return to school in just over a week in a bid to halt the quickening spread of the coronavirus, the Education Minister said.

The new policy marks a toughening of measures as coronavirus infections pick up pace in France, with 4,700 new cases reported on Thursday — a massive increase on the previous day and a post-lockdown record.

“Use of masks will be sys-tematic inside from middle school and not only where there is no social distancing. But outdoors, it’s a local decision,” Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said in a televised interview.

The government will provide masks for families with limited income on a case by case basis, Blanquer said on Friday as he visited a school in the Oise region in northern France, an area heavily affected by the virus.

The measure concerns pupils between the ages of 11 and 18. Pupils are due to return to school on September 1.

Blanquer ruled out any nationwide delay to the start of the school year, a move advocated by some teachers’ unions worried about the spike in infections.

New infections across France have been increasing in recent weeks and the numbers of people admitted to hospital and to intensive care have been rising as well.

P a e d i a t r i c i a n s o n Wednesday called on the gov-ernment to establish clear and precise strategies to deal with the discovery of a COVID-19 infection within a school.

“We immediately test the class and the school, and from that moment we trace the chain of transmission,” the minister said, responding to their concerns. Masks are compulsory in the busiest areas of many French towns and cities, including Paris and Lyon, on public transport and in all shared-work places.

After initially casting doubt on the value of masks as an infection barrier, the French government has recently been promoting their use The coro-navirus outbreak has claimed more than 30,400 lives in France so far.

UK warns airport COVID-19 tests can’t replace local quarantineBLOOMBERG — LONDON

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps downplayed the ben-efits of introducing COVID-19 testing at airports including London Heathrow, citing the lengthy quarantine period that would still be required.

In comments likely to come as a blow to the travel industry, Shapps said that while the gov-ernment keeps coronavirus restrictions under review and

is working with airports, the testing of travelers is “compli-cated” by the need for a second medical check a week or eight days later to ensure accuracy.

“In between time, guess what? You would need to quar-antine,” Shapps told BBC Radio 4 yesterday when asked whether airport testing could replace the UK requirement for travelers to self-isolate for two weeks. “So you’re not removing quarantine entirely.”

Even using the tests to try to shorten the isolation period could be problematic, Shapps told Sky News in a separate interview, because there would need to be systems in place to ensure authorities are “testing the right person on that second time round”.

Carriers including British Airways and EasyJet Plc are pressing Britain to drop a self-isolation requirement they say is destroying demand in major

markets like the US and key tourism destinations such as France and Spain. Heathrow, usually Europe’s busiest airport, said in July it wanted to trial a testing procedure that could allow the quarantine period to be reduced.

“We appreciate that there issues to work out but that is why we are trying to do a trial,” Heathrow spokesman Weston Macklem said. “Even if we could cut it to eight days that would

be better than now.” The gap between tests couldn’t be reduced to less than five days, regarded as the incubation period for the disease, Macklem said, though in future people might be able to have the first check three days before flying, requiring only two days of quar-antine on arrival in Britain before the second one.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said this week the gov-ernment is working on

introducing tests at ports and airports, though he declined to set a time-frame.

Shapps said that while he’s not telling airports testing won’t work, he doesn’t want to offer “false hope by saying it’s just as simple as a test at the airport,” because that “won’t tell you what you need to know.” Heathrow is proposing a private testing service with swabs taken by nurses from Collinson Group. The tests would cost around £150.

Masks, empty seats for Venice Film FestivalAFP — ROME

The Venice Film Festival issued virus safety guidelines yes-terday, as organisers hope the oldest such event in the world can maintain its international panache while remaining infection-free.

Festival organisers have already warned that the

September 2-12 event will be a more scaled-down affair. Those who arrive from outside Europe’s Schengen area will have to submit results of a COVID-19 test just before their departure, organisers said, with a second test carried out in Venice. Ther-moscanners will be set up at every entrance to the festival, with disinfecting liquid available

in all screening rooms, halls and meeting points.

Masks are mandatory not only inside theatres but in all outdoor areas. In a move sure to disappoint star-struck fans, the public will not be allowed on the sidelines of the red carpet. Inside theatres, seats will be alternated to maintain one empty seat between filmgoers.

Ireland minister resigns over COVID-19 breach

REUTERS — DUBLIN

Ireland’s agriculture minister resigned yesterday, a cabinet colleague said, after his attendance at a social event which may have breached COVID-19 regulations drew a wave of public anger.

Dara Calleary apologised “unreservedly” on Thursday for being at a hotel dinner hosted by the Irish parliament’s golf society, a day after the gov-ernment significantly tightened nationwide restrictions to try to rein in a spike in infections.

More than 80 people, including European Trade Com-missioner Phil Hogan and other politicians, attended the golf outing held the night after Cal-leary and his cabinet colleagues introduced the new measures.

WHO hopes end to pandemic in ‘less than two years’AFP — GENEVA

The World Health Organization said yesterday that it hopes the planet will be rid of the coro-navirus pandemic in less than two years — faster than it took for the Spanish flu.

“We hope to finish this pan-demic before less than two years,” Tedros Adhanom Ghe-breyesus told reporters from the WHO’s headquarters in Geneva, insisting that it should be possible to tame the novel coronavirus faster than the deadly 1918 pandemic.

Compared to back then, the world today is at a disadvantage due to its “globalisation, closeness, connectedness”, which has allowed the novel coronavirus to spread around the world at lightning speed, Tedros acknowledged.

But the world also now has the advantage of far better tech-nology, he said. By “utilising the available tools to the maximum and hoping that we can have additional tools like vaccines, I think we can finish it in a shorter time than the 1918 flu.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has to date killed nearly

800,000 people and infected close to 23 million worldwide, according to a tally from AFP.

But the deadliest pandemic in modern history, Spanish flu, killed as many as 50 million victims and infected around 500 million around the world between February 1918 and April 2020. Five times more people died of it than did in World War I. The first victims were recorded in the United States, before it spread to Europe and then around the world.

That pandemic came in three waves, with the deadliest second wave beginning in the latter half of 1918. “It took three waves for the disease to infect most of the susceptible indi-viduals,” WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan said.

After that, the flu virus behind the pandemic evolved into a far less deadly seasonal bug, which returned for decades. “Very often, a pandemic virus settles into a seasonal pattern over time,” Ryan said. He warned though that so far, “this virus is not displaying a similar wave-like pattern. Clearly, when the disease is not under control, it jumps straight back up.”

Storm Ellen due in BritainLarge waves hit the sea wall with the arrival of Storm Ellen, in Kingsand, Cornwall, south west Britain, yesterday.

Biden, who has a solid lead in most opinion polls, cited those threats in January when he said he would not meet with Kim unless unspecified preconditions are met.

08 SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020VIEWS

CHAIRMANDR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

[email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED

[email protected]

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITORMOHAMMED OSMAN ALI [email protected]

EDITORIAL

STRONG parliaments are the cornerstone of democracy and essential for development. They represent the people, pass laws and hold governments to account. Parliamentarians are representatives of the people and therefore have a critical role in bridging the gap between citizens’ expectations and global governance.

Qatar participated in the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday via video conferencing. The Speaker of the Shura Council, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, repre-sented Qatar at the event. The conference was organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union with the cooperation of the United Nations and the Austrian Parliament.

In his speech, His Excellency stressed that the wise policy pursued and followed firmly by Qatar under the leadership of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is based on respecting the principles of interna-tional laws, strengthening cooperation and friendship among the world’s nations and helping them overcome all the challenges facing them.

H E the Shura Council Speaker addressed the pre-ventive and precautionary measures taken by Qatar to curb the coronavirus pandemic and provide treatment and care to all citizens and residents in the country. He stressed Qatar’s humanitarian role in providing material and moral support, including field hospitals, medicines and equipment to Lebanon after the Beirut port explosion. He affirmed the keenness of Qatar to strengthen its support for the UN and its various bodies in the humanitarian field.

H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud high-lighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in enhancing cooperation between peoples and contributing to achieving international peace and security and resolving international disputes and issues by diplomatic means in accordance with the principles of international law.

H E the Speaker also noted the pivotal role parlia-ments play in achieving sustainable development goals in order to liberate the world’s nations from the clutches of poverty, wars and the absence of progress and devel-opment, in addition to the role of parliaments in consol-idating cooperation, exchange of experiences and spe-cialties and uniting efforts to address all challenges that face humanity. His Excellency stressed the importance of supporting and strengthening the role of the Inter-Par-liamentary Union and giving it all the means that enable it to achieve the goals for which it was established.

The conference, which was attended by UN Sec-retary-General H E Antonio Guterres, stressed that addressing climate change should be an important part of the future strategy and called for non-politicization of humanitarian efforts, commitment to protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and supporting the core values of democracy.

Parliamentary diplomacy

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Quote of the day

At this stage, an agreement between the UK

and the EU seems unlikely. Too often this week

it felt as if we were going backwards more than

forwards.

Michel Barnier, EU’s Chief Negotiator

Former Vice-President Joe Biden accepts the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination during a speech delivered for the largely virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, yesterday.

No more “Little Rocket Man”, exchanging love letters or summit pageantry.

If Joe Biden is elected US president, American policy toward North Korea is likely to see less emphasis on per-sonal dealings with leader Kim Jong Un, and more focus on allies and working-level diplomacy, campaign advisers and former officials say.

President Donald Trump has said he will make deals with North Korea “very quickly” if re-elected on Nov 3.

Pyongyang officials, however, have said while Kim still has a good relationship with Trump, they have to look ahead to a time when Trump isn’t president. Last year, North Korea lashed out at Biden, calling him a “rabid dog” that should “be beaten to

death” for comments seen as disparaging of Kim.

Biden, who has a solid lead in most opinion polls, cited those threats in January when he said he would not meet with Kim unless unspec-ified preconditions are met.

After months of trading threats and insults - Kim was “Little Rocket Man” and Trump a “deranged US dotard” - Trump became the first sitting US president to meet with a North Korean leader when he held a summit with Kim in Singapore in 2018.

The two leaders met twice more, and exchanged what Trump called “beautiful letters”, but failed to resolve a standoff over North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

“There’s no question that the era of love letters will be over,” one Biden policy adviser, speaking on con-dition of anonymity, said.

Biden told The New York Times he would not continue the personal diplomacy with Kim, calling the meetings a “vanity project” that should only happen if coupled with “an actual strategy that moves the ball forward on denuclearization.”

Biden would not shut the door to diplomacy, but instead “empower negotiators and implement a sustained and a coordinated effort with allies and partners” to pressure and incentivize North Korea to denuclearize, while also drawing attention the country’s human rights abuses in a way that has been

lacking in current US policy, the Biden adviser said.

Biden was vice president under Barack Obama, and some parts of his policy would likely be similar to Obama’s “strategic patience”, which sought to isolate North Korea and not offer diplomatic rewards for its provocations.

“Many advisers in Biden’s campaign were part of the ‘strategic patience’ team, which is pro-alliance and takes orthodox approaches to foreign policy, including North Korea politics,” said Chang Ho-jin, a former South Korean presidential foreign policy secretary who worked with several Biden aides.

“North Korea wouldn’t have to face fears of unpredictable military action as Trump had floated, but would likely suffer from tighter screws.”

Biden’s promise to work more closely with allies may be complicated by South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s push for more engagement with North Korea and looser sanctions, while downplaying human rights issues.

“That could create a discord with Seoul,” said James Kim, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Kim has also made significant progress in advancing his mil-itary capabilities since Biden last held office, successfully testing North Korea’s largest nuclear bomb and missiles capable of striking anywhere in the United States.

The US arms control com-munity is likely to have a

strong voice in a Biden administration and will argue it is time to accept the idea that North Korea is now a nuclear power, said Evans Revere, a former US nego-tiator with North Korea.

But that approach would effectively grant North Korea’s long-time goal of cementing its nuclear status, and a Biden presidency will almost certainly take a more hard-nosed approach, likely prompting pushback from Pyongyang, Revere said.

“If Biden wins in November, we can expect North Korea to take a dramatic step later this year, possibly by conducting a nuclear or ICBM test, to warn the new administration away from this path,” he said. The Biden adviser declined to elab-orate on what Biden might do if North Korea returns to nuclear or ICBM tests.

Jung Pak, a former CIA analyst who now works at the Brookings Institution and provides informal counsel to the Biden campaign, said any North Korean provocation could be used by a new administration.

“A nuclear or ICBM test by North Korea would provide an opportunity for the new administration to highlight the threat that the Kim regime poses and try to build some consensus or agreement with our allies on a coherent North Korea policy,” she said, while noting that she does not speak for Biden’s campaign.

“That is, don’t let a good crisis go to waste.”

FERDINANDO GIUGLIANO BLOOMBERG

The resurgence of the corona-virus in Europe has reignited fears that governments will have to lock down their econ-omies again in the autumn. Some political leaders, including President Emmanuel Macron of France, have rushed to dismiss this possibility, saying the collateral damage from a new bout of confinement would just be too high.

Europe’s second wave of Covid-19 is certainly different - and, so far, less alarming - than the first. There is plenty that politicians and the general public can do to avoid a return to the most dra-conian measures of March, April and May. Localized lockdowns have been effective in particular towns or regions that suffer sudden infection spikes.

However, it’s impossible to rule out a new round of

generalized isolation. A full shutdown isn’t an optional policy, but a last resort against the epidemic should it spiral out of control again. As we saw in the springtime, tens of thousands of deaths and overwhelmed hospitals are not politically acceptable in most countries. We’ve yet to see what will happen in the colder months, when more people are forced inside and governments try to keep workplaces and schools open.

After a quiet start to the summer, Europe is experi-encing a sharp rise in cases. Spain and France have regis-tered more than 3,000 and 4,000 new infections per day respectively, and Germany and Italy are seeing more cases too. The pressure on hospitals remains manageable, but it’s slowly increasing. Public-health officials, who are generally working hard to trace the contacts of those who test positive, face an increas-ingly difficult job.

There’s no doubt this phase of the virus is unlike the first. Many more people are being tested and the per-centage of those who test pos-itive is significantly lower. In Italy it is barely above 1%; in March it was regularly in excess of 20%. There’s a much higher proportion of people with few or no symptoms. This means that the number of counted cases is much closer to the “real” figure than it was a few months ago. Back then, most of the testing was of people with severe symptoms, meaning the scale of contagion was inevi-tably much larger.

Moreover, governments have designed better tools to keep the situation in check. For a start, they can seek to circumscribe the outbreak actively via contact tracing. They can also rely on more help from the public. While there’s growing evidence of “distancing fatigue,” where people are letting their guard down by not wearing masks

and ignoring guidelines on socializing, the severity of the first outbreak is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Finally, doctors have got better at treating Covid-19 patients, even though there’s no defin-itive cure yet.

This explains why Macron and others believe they can avoid another full economic lockdown. Of course, there will be sacrifices: It’s unlikely that governments will permit events with large crowds, or the reopening of nightclubs. There are also fears over how students will be allowed back into schools and universities, given the potential for wide-spread contact and evidence that youngsters can carry a similar load of the virus as their parents. But relying on smart, localized lockdowns, as Macron aspires to do, is indeed the ideal course of action. It would help avoid the calamitous economic and psychological costs of a second generalized lockdown.

Biden on North Korea: Fewer summits, tighter sanctions, same standoff

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France makes impossible promise on coronavirus lockdowns

Established in 1996

JOSH SMITH, HYONHEE SHIN & TREVOR HUNNICUTT — REUTERS

Speaking to agricultural workers, Lukashenko bluntly rejected Western offers to mediate between his government and the opposition, telling the US and the EU to mind their own business.

09SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020 EUROPE / AMERICAS

Belarus President vows to end opposition protestsAP — MINSK

Authorities in Belarus detained a leader of striking factory workers and threatened dem-onstrators with criminal charges yesterday in the latest response to massive post-election protests challenging the country’s authoritarian pres-ident of 26 years, who accused the United States of fomenting the unrest.

Investigators also sum-moned several opposition activists for questioning as part of a criminal probe into a council they created with the stated goal of coordinating a transition of power with the government and the protesters demanding President Alexander Lukashenko’s resignation.

President Alexander Lukashenko blamed the US of instigating the protests that started on the night of the Belarus’ August 9 presidential election and intensified after officials declared him the winner with 80% of the vote.

“The US is planning and directing everything, and the Europeans are playing up to it,” Lukashenko said while visiting a state farm to rally support yes-terday. The United States on Thursday urged Belarus’ authorities to engage in a dia-logue with the opposition council and described the

election that handed Lukashenko a sixth term as neither free nor fair. European Union leaders said this week they were preparing sanctions against Belarusian officials.

Speaking to agricultural workers, Lukashenko bluntly rejected Western offers to mediate between his government and the opposition, telling the US and the EU to mind their own business. “It’s just a convenient way to distract attention from their own problems,” he said. “They should sort out their own affairs first.”

Belarus’ Interior Ministry said that Yevgeny Bokhvalov, who organized the strike at the huge Minsk Automobile Plant, was detained, but gave no further details. The strike com-mittee at the giant Belaruskali

potash factory in Soligorsk said agents from state intelligence agency KGB detained one of the organizers of the walkout, Dmitry Kudelevich, but he managed to escape through a toilet window and fled to neigh-bouring Ukraine.

In a bid to halt the strike, the Belarusian leader has warned that the participants would face dismissal and ordered law enforcement agencies to protect factory managers from oppo-sition pressure.

“Most of all, Lukashenko fears the factory workers’ protest, so he tries to scare strike organizers and stop the strikes,” said Sergei Dylevsky, the leader of the strike-organ-izing committee at the Minsk Tractor Plant.

Dylevsky, a member of the opposition Coordination Council created set up this week to facilitate the transition of power, was summoned for interrogation along with another council member, lawyer Maxim Znak.

Early yesterday, police deployed to block the streets around the headquarters of the Investigative Committee where the opposition activists were to be questioned. Several dozen demonstrators rallied nearby to protest the authorities’ actions as the post-election protests entered their 13th straight day.

In a bid to stem the daily demonstrations, Belarus Pros-ecutor General Alexander Konyuk warned that partici-pants in unsanctioned protests could face criminal charges.

Lukashenko once again derided the opposition as Western puppets and vowed to take steps to quickly end the protests. “You shouldn’t worry about that. It’s my problem that I must solve. And believe me, we will solve it in the nearest

days,” he said. “They mustn’t destroy the country, we will not allow that to happen.”

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Lukashenko’s leading election challenger and the wife of an opposition blogger who has been jailed since May, urged factory workers to continue striking in a video statement released yesterday. “The future of Belarus, the future of our children depends on your unity and resolve,” she said.

Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for Lithuania after con-testing the election results that gave her 10% of the vote, spoke later at a news conference in Vilnius. She demanded the release of all detained pro-testers. and called for a new presidential election. “New fair, free and transparent elections must be held,” Tsikhanouskaya said. “People of Belarus have woken up, and they do not want to live in fear and lies anymore.”

People rally in support of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk yesterday.

An aircraft drops fire retardant on a ridge during the Walbridge fire, part of the larger LNU Lightning Complex fire, as flames continue to spread in Healdsburg, California.

Firestorms kindled by lightningdisplace thousands in CaliforniaREUTERS — BOULDER CREEK

Tens of thousands of displaced Californians huddled under mass evacuation orders in the midst of a heat wave and a pan-demic yesterday as lightning-sparked firestorms raged across tinder-dry landscapes in and around the greater San Fran-cisco Bay area.

At least six people have died in the fires, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) reported on Thursday night.

With firefighting forces badly depleted from the heaviest spate of incendiary lightning strikes to rake Cali-fornia in over a decade, some ground crews labored through grueling 72-hour shifts against the deadly onslaught, despite efforts to muster reinforce-ments from out of state.

“With no reserves coming, they just do what they’ve got to do,” CalFire spokesman Scott Ross said by phone, referring

to firefighting teams that nor-mally work in 24-hour shifts. “We’re stretched very thin.”

An estimated 11,000 lightning strikes, mostly in northern and central California, ignited more than 370 indi-vidual fires this week, spawning nearly two dozen major con-flagrations that threatened thousands of homes and prompted mass evacuations.

“Everything is gone,” res-ident Nick Pike told CapRadio in Sacramento, the state capital, after he and three neighbors lost their homes near the town of Vacaville, about 88km northeast of San Francisco.

As of Thursday night, the biggest fires statewide had col-lectively scorched more than 630,000 acres, or 980-plus square miles, an area twice as large as the entire land mass of sprawling Los Angeles. Hun-dreds of homes and other buildings were left in ruins.

A utility crewman died on Wednesday while on duty

helping clear electrical hazards for first-responders. Earlier that day, the pilot of a firefighting helicopter contracted by the state was killed in a crash during a water-dropping mission in Fresno County.

CalFire officials reported four civilian fatalities in the same fire zone, dubbed the LNU Complex, where the utility worker had perished, though no details on the circumstances of their deaths were immedi-ately available.

Plumes of smoke and ash fouled air quality for hundreds of miles around fire zones, adding to the misery and health risks of res-idents forced to flee or those stuck inside sweltering homes that lacked air conditioning.

Medical experts warned that the coronavirus pandemic has considerably heightened the health hazards posed by smoky air and extreme heat, especially for older adults and those already suffering from respiratory illnesses.

TikTok removes over 380,000 videos in US for hate contentAFP — SAN FRANCISCO

TikTok on Thursday said it has removed more than 380,000 videos in the US this year as part of a part of a mission to “elim-inate hate” on the platform.

TikTok also banned some 1,300 accounts for breaking rules against hateful content or behavior, and deleted 64,000 comments on similar grounds, according to the video-snippet sharing sensation.

“These numbers don’t reflect a 100 percent success rate in catching every piece of hateful content or behavior, but they do indicate our com-mitment to action,” TikTok US head of safety Eric Han said in a blog post.

“Our goal is to eliminate hate on TikTok.” Han’s overview of what TikTok is doing to combat hate comes as the app defends itself against what it calls “rumors and mis-information” about its links to the Chinese government.

President Donald Trump has issued executive orders giving TikTok parent ByteDance, which is based in China, deadlines to stop running the app in the US and divest TikTok.

“TikTok has never provided

any US user data to the Chinese government, nor would it do so if asked,” the company said in a recent post.

“Any insinuation to the contrary is unfounded and bla-tantly false.” US user data is stored in this country, with a backup in Singapore, according to TikTok.

Han on Thursday outlined rules and actions being taken to make it more difficult to find threatening, violent, or dehu-manizing content on TikTok.

TikTok has a zero-tol-erance stance against accounts linked to white nationalism, male supremacy, anti-Semitism and “other hate-based ideol-ogies,” Han added.

As tensions soar between the world’s two biggest econ-omies, Trump has claimed TikTok could be used by China to track the locations of federal employees, build dossiers on users for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.

The US leader early this month also ordered a ban on the messaging app WeChat, which is used extensively in China. China meanwhile has slammed Washington for using “digital gunboat diplomacy” in the TikTok case.

Scottish court sets date for Lockerbie bomber appeal

AFP — EDINBURGH

The family of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Mohmet Al-Megrahi yesterday began a formal legal challenge to overturn his conviction, after winning permission to appeal.

A procedural hearing, held remotely and presided over by Scotland’s most senior judge, fixed a date for a full hearing for arguments in the case to be held on November 23.

Megrahi, who died in 2012, was the only person convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 243 passengers and 16 crew as it travelled from London to New York in December 1988.

Eleven people on the ground also lost their lives in the Scottish town of Lockerbie, in what remains Britain’s biggest terrorist attack. Three Scottish judges sitting at a special court in the Nether-lands jailed Megrahi for life in 2001 but he was released on health grounds in 2009.

He returned to his native Libya, where he died three years later. His appeal was referred to the High Court by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Com-mission in March, after it ruled that a possible miscarriage of justice may have occurred.

It cited an “unreasonable verdict” and “non-disclosure” in the handling of the case. Lawyer Aamer Anwar, acting for the former Libyan intelli-gence officer’s family, said the hearing was an “important milestone” in their fight to clear his name.

Megrahi’s son Ali Al-Megrahi called the original trial “unfair” and added: “We have faith that justice will win in the end and overturn the unlawful verdict.”

Death toll from virus in LatAm passes 250,000REUTERS — RIO DE JANEIRO/SANTIAGO

The number of reported COVID-19 deaths in Latin America passed 250,000 on Thursday, as the virus afflicts the region that has become the worst hit in the world.

The grim milestone was passed as Brazil reported 1,204 deaths from the novel corona-virus in the past 24 hours, according to the health min-istry. Over the past week, the region has reported more than 3,000 deaths a day. According to a Reuters tally, daily caseloads continue to rise in Peru, Colombia and Argentina.

Brazil is battling the world’s second largest outbreak, behind only the United States, with the virus killing more than 112,000 people in Latin Amer-ica’s largest nation.

The continent has a popu-lation of more than 646 million according to the World Bank compared with the 330 million in the United States, which has recorded more than 173,000 novel coronavirus deaths,

according to the Reuters tally.Mexico, which has the third

highest death toll in the world, on Thursday reported 6,775 new confirmed cases of coronavirus and 625 additional fatalities, bringing the total to 543,806 cases and 59,106 deaths.

Brazilian President Jair Bol-sonaro has drawn sharp crit-icism from health experts for his handling of the crisis. He has downplayed the gravity of the virus, dismissed the need for social distancing and urged businesses to reopen.

There are, however, small signs the worst may be over for the current outbreak in Brazil, with the Health Ministry saying on Wednesday that the spread of coronavirus could be about to slow.

Neighbouring Argentina posted a daily record 8,225 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday as it struggles to slow the spread of the virus after easing lockdown restric-tions. The country now has a total of 320,884 cases and 6,517 fatalities, health ministry data show.

Mexico President defends brother hit by cash scandalREUTERS — MEXICO CITY

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador yesterday said footage showing his brother receiving cash was not corruption because the money was for legitimate election funds, but that the prosecutor’s office should investigate the videos.

The fallout from the videos threatens to damage Lopez Obrador and his government at a time when Mexico is con-vulsed by a corruption trial of a former state-oil company boss who has alleged graft against previous Mexican presidents.

Lopez Obrador said the money given in the videos to his brother, Pio Lopez Obrador, was “contributed” by supporters to pay for things like petrol and there was no corruption.

“The aim (of this video) is to damage the image of the gov-ernment but they will not achieve it,” the President said in his daily news conference.

The two videos were pub-lished online on Thursday by Mexican news outlet Latinus. They show David Leon, who was an adviser to Lopez Obrador before heading Mexico’s Civil Protection agency, giving cash to the president’s brother.

Leon was slated to begin a new senior job in government focused on purchasing medicine supplies but said on Twitter he would not take up the role until the situation arising from the videos was “clarified”.

Leon added that he was not a public servant until 2018. “My way of supporting the movement was to collect resources among acquaintances to hold assemblies and other activities,” Leon added.

Pio has not yet spoken pub-licly about the videos. Lopez Obrador, who won power in 2018 after running on an anti-corruption platform, said the

money was used for the 2015 elections in Chiapas state, where his MORENA party was almost entirely unsuccessful and won only one small municipal seat.

When asked if the money was registered as campaign money with authorities, the president said: “I don’t know.” Lopez Obrador said it was normal for parties to raise money from ordinary people.

The videos of Lopez Obra-dor’s brother come at an awkward time for the president, who has sought to politically benefit from the trial of Emilio Lozoya, the disgraced former head of state-oil giant, Pemex.

“I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” Biden said.

10 SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2020AMERICAS

Boy bonds with Biden at Democratic convention over their stuttersAFP — WILMINGTON

The scene-stealer at Thursday’s Dem-ocratic convention was not a politician or Hollywood A-lister, but a 13-year-old boy whose stutter has substantially improved through the help of the man at the center of the gathering itself: Joe Biden.

Brayden Harrington (pictured) said in a touching video aired on the event’s final night that he had met Biden while the candidate with blue-collar roots campaigned in New Hampshire earlier this year.

“Without Joe Biden, I wouldn’t be talking to you today,” the young boy wearing braces and a wide smile explained. “He told me that we were members of the same club. We stutter. It was really

amazing to hear that someone like me became vice president,” Brayden said, halting on some of the words.

As a child, Biden, now 77, was ham-pered by a stutter so severe he was cruelly nicknamed “Dash”. The can-didate occasionally tells the story on the campaign trail of his effort to overcome the condition, about how he

read from books by Irish poets and practiced his diction at night with a flashlight in front of a mirror.

Brayden said Biden sat him down and told him about the poems that he read aloud and practiced, and showed the boy how he marks his speeches in a way that helps make them easier to recite.

“I’m just a regular kid and in the short amount of time, Joe Biden made me more confident about something that’s bothered me my whole life,” the boy said. “Joe Biden cared. Imagine what he can do for all of us.” Braydon was praised online for his courage, and he was trending on Twitter shortly after his appearance.

Former Democratic congress-woman Gabrielle Giffords, who was

shot in the head in 2011 and now has a speech impediment, tweeted: “Speaking is hard for me too, Brayden. But as you know, practice and purpose help. Thank you for your courage and for the great speech!”

Outspoken singer Bette Midler wrote: “Wow! What a story! #Brayden-Harrington! BRAVO!”

And praise for Braydon crossed political lines, as even Kellyanne Conway, an aide to President Donald Trump, tweeted: “Way to go, Brayden!”

A video about Biden’s life that ran before he accepted his party’s nomi-nation on Thursday night mentioned the candidate’s childhood stutter, and about how his mother drove him back to school when he came home saying he had been mimicked by a teacher.

“Did you say to my son Mr. B-B-Biden?” Biden says in the clip, quoting his mother. “The nun said ‘I was just trying to make a point.’ My mother stood up (and said) ‘If you ever talk to my son like that again I’ll come back and rip that bonnet off your head, do you understand me?” The issue became visible during the campaign when he stumbled multiple times during the Democratic debates.

In a revealing interview last year in US magazine The Atlantic, Biden acknowledged he still gets caught on words as an adult, which could help explain some of his slips. The candidate told a town hall in February that when he meets someone with a stutter, he often gives them his private number. “They can call me,” he said.

Key quotes from Joe Biden’s Democraticnomination speechAFP — WILMINGTON

Joe Biden on Thursday accepted the Democratic nomination to be the party’s presidential candidate, the culmination of a con-vention held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some key quotes from Biden’s address:

‘ALLY OF THE LIGHT’: “The current president has cloaked America in darkness for much too long. Too much anger. Too much fear. Too much division. Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness.”

WINNING: “It’s about winning the heart, and yes, the soul of America. Winning it for the generous among us, not the selfish. Winning it for the workers who keep this country going, not just the privileged few at the top. Winning it for those communities who have known the injustice of the ‘knee on the neck'.”

FOUR CRISES: “Four historic crises. All at the same time. A perfect storm. The worst pandemic in over 100 years. The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The most compelling call for racial justice since the 60s. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change. So, the question for us is simple: Are we ready? I believe we are. We must be.”

COVID-19 RESPONSE: “As president, the first step I will take will be to get control of the virus that’s ruined so many lives. Because I understand something this president doesn’t. We will never get our economy back on track, we will never get our kids safely back to school, we will never have our lives back, until we deal with this virus.”

‘UNFORGIVABLE’: “Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to this nation. He failed to protect us. He failed to protect America. And, my fellow Americans, that is unforgivable. As president, I will make you this promise: I will protect America. I will defend us from every attack. Seen. And unseen. Always. Without exception. Every time.”

YOUTH: “One of the most powerful voices we hear in the country today is from our young people. They’re speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America. Economic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice. I hear their voices and if you listen, you can hear them too.”

DICTATORS: “I will be a president who will stand with our allies and friends. I will make it clear to our adversaries the days of cozying up to dictators are over.”

RACISM: “Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from our national character? I believe we’re up to it.”

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden interact with supporters via video teleconference after Biden delivered his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware.

Biden vows to return hope to America

BLOOMBERG — WILMINGTON

Joe Biden challenged Americans to embrace the “path of hope and light” as he accepted his party’s nomination late on Thursday, in an emotive and emphatic speech that cast November’s election as not merely the choice of a president but a fundamental referendum on the nation’s character.

“May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight,” Biden said in offering the closing argument of the Democrats’ virtual convention. “I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness,” Biden said.

He spoke from a stage in a near-empty auditorium. The unusual setting let the former vice-president play to his strengths as a retail politician, connecting his personal expe-riences of grief and loss to the coronavirus pandemic that he will use to frame voters’ decision in less than three months.

Biden offered his vision to confront the health and eco-nomic devastation wreaked by the virus, as well as the “perfect storm” of racial unrest and climate change. “Our current president has failed in his most basic duty to the nation,” Biden said. “He has failed to protect us. He has failed to protect America. My fellow Americans, that is unforgivable. As pres-ident I will make you a promise: I will protect America.”

Biden devoted significant parts of his speech to addressing

the concerns of his party’s left flank, pledging to be a president for young Americans. “They’re speaking to the inequity and injustice that has grown up in America,” Biden said. “Eco-nomic injustice. Racial injustice. Environmental injustice.”

The first time Biden emerged from self-quarantine after the virus hit was to go to downtown Wilmington to meet with peaceful protesters fol-lowing the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minne-apolis police. On Thursday, he painted his campaign as one for “communities who have known the injustice of the knee on the neck.” “History has thrust one more urgent task on us. Will we be the generation that finally wipes the stain of racism from

our national character? I believe we’re up to it. I believe we’re ready,” Biden said.

Republicans — including former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Ohio Governor John Kasich, and Cindy McCain, the widow of 2008 Republican nominee John McCain — were also given time to extol Biden’s decency. Like other speakers, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who chal-lenged Biden for the nomi-nation, focused his critique of Trump on performance not per-sonal behavior. “I’m not asking you to vote against Donald Trump because he’s a bad guy. I’m urging you to vote against him because he’s done a bad job,” Bloomberg said.

Television ratings for the

convention were down more than 25% over the first three nights compared to 2016, when about 25 million viewers tuned in. This year, Democrats averaged an audience of just around 20.6 million for the first three nights - though millions of additional viewers tuned in to Internet broadcasts of the proceedings.

Polls show Biden with about a 7 percentage-point lead over Trump that hasn’t wavered much in months. But on Thursday night, Biden argued that Americans “know in our bones” that the election was more consequential than most. “So,” Biden said, his voice rising, “the question for us is simple: Are we ready? I believe we are.”

Pence leads Republican counterattackREUTERS — WASHINGTON

US Vice-President Mike Pence yesterday launched the Repub-lican counterattack to the scathing criticism that Pres-ident Donald Trump received at the Democrats’ nominating convention this week, coun-tering that a Joe Biden presi-dency would crush the US economy and allow civil unrest in the streets.

“The Democrats are offering a vision for this country that would crush our economy and promote the kind of policies that will result in more violence in our streets,” Pence told Fox News in one of a series of morning television interviews following the four-night Democratic event.

Biden accepted the Demo-cratic Party nomination for the White House, vowing to heal a United States battered by a deadly pandemic and divided by four years of Trump’s pres-idency. Trailing Biden in many national polls, Trump is under pressure to convince Americans they should re-elect him amid double-digit unemployment and an economic downturn that Democrats blame on his failure to address the coronavirus pan-demic, which has killed more than 170,000 Americans.

Pence countered on Fox Business Network that the Democrats painted a grim

picture of America and said most of the convention was “an ad hominem attack on the President of the United States".

The Vice-President outlined what would be the main thrust of Republicans at their own national convention next week, appropri-ating a line from Biden’s speech that character, decency, science and democracy “are all on the ballot”. “The economy is on the ballot. Law and order is on the ballot, and the American people know it,” Pence countered.

Republicans will focus on what Trump has done to rebuild the military, revive the economy, appoint conservative justices and “standing for law and order”. They will contrast that with the Democrats agenda of higher taxes, government-funded healthcare, immigration reform “and continued calls to cut, defund, disassemble law enforcement, that’s driving vio-lence in the streets of our major cities,” Pence said.

He dismissed the array of high-profile Republicans, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Ohio Governor John Kasich, who have crossed party lines to support Biden, 77, over Trump, 74, in the November 3 election. Those Republicans turned on Trump because he came to Washington promising to shake up the establishment, Pence said.

Meghan Markle calls for ‘change’ in US election

AFP — WASHINGTON

Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, broke from pro-tocol normally followed by British royals in calling for a “change” in the upcoming US presidential election.

Her comments came during a virtual “voter regis-tration couch party” organized by When We All Vote, an out-reach group co-chaired by former First Lady Michelle Obama, actor Tom Hanks and others to increase partici-pation at the polls.

“We all know what’s at stake this year. I know it, I think all of you certainly know it,” Markle said. “You’re just as mobilized and energized to the change that we all need and deserve. We vote to honor those who came before us and to protect those who will come after us — because that’s what community is all about and that’s specifically what this election is all about,” she said.

The “Suits” actress did not mention President Donald Trump, who will face Dem-ocrat Joe Biden at the polls on November 3.

Markle, whose mother is black, spoke out in June after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American killed by police, reflecting on her own memories of racism growing up in Los Angeles.

Supporters of United States Postal Service rally outside of a post office in Old Redford, Michigan, US.

Election mail will be handled ‘securely and on time’: Postal chief DeJoyREUTERS — WASHINGTON

US Postmaster Louis DeJoy yes-terday told lawmakers that the Postal Service has not changed the way it handles election mail as he sought to assure the public that ballots would be handled “securely and on time” in the November presidential election.

In his first public appearance before Congress, DeJoy sought to tamp down Democratic concerns that service delays prompted by his

cost-cutting measures could result in millions of uncounted ballots in the November 3 election and help Republican President Donald Trump.

DeJoy, who has donated millions of dollars to Trump and other Republicans, said he has not spoken with the Trump campaign or White House Staff Mark Meadows about postal service operations. DeJoy said postal workers will prioritize election mail as they have in the past, adding that he would per-sonally vote by mail.

“As we head into the election season, I want to assure this committee and the American public that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nation’s election mail securely and on-time. This sacred duty is my number one priority between now and Election Day,” said.

But DeJoy said he would not bring back mail-sorting machines that have been pulled from service in recent weeks, saying they were not needed.

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