BUSINESS | Page 1
Envoy lauds
GULF TIMES
Amir’s wife offers
condolences to
Sheikha Hissa Sabah
Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint
Hamad bin Suhaim al-Thani, wife
of His Highness the Amir, offered
condolences to Sheikha Hissa Sabah
al-Salem al-Sabah, wife of the late
Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad
al-Jaber al-Sabah, in Kuwait City
yesterday. Sheikha Jawaher also
offered condolences to the ruling
family, praying to Allah the Almighty
to have mercy on his soul and to rest
it in peace in Paradise, and to inspire
his family with patience and solace.
PM holds phone talk
with French premier
HE the Prime Minister and Minister
of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa
bin Abdulaziz al-Thani received
yesterday a phone call from French
Prime Minister Jean Castex during
which they reviewed bilateral
relations and ways to enhance them,
especially in economy, investment
and energy. They also discussed
co-operation between the two
friendly countries regarding the FIFA
World Cup Qatar 2022 and the 2024
Olympic Games in France as well as
the exchange of experiences in this
regard, besides discussing the most
prominent regional and international
developments of common concern.
France to reopen UK border
France will reopen its borders to
passengers from England today,
ending a blockade intended to stop
the spread of a new coronavirus
variant, but which has held up
thousands of lorries before
Christmas.
collaboration with
LuLu as Italian
farmers get access
to Qatari market
PM opens
container
terminal 2
z New feat added to Hamad Port’s record of achievements
By Santhosh V Perumal
Business Reporter
Q
atar’s trade with the world will
get a further boost with HE the
Prime Minister and Minister of
Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin
Abdulaziz al-Thani yesterday inaugu-
rating the initial operations of the con-
tainer terminal 2 (CT2), which is poised
to enhance the country’s competitive-
ness.
The 403,500sq m CT2 develop-
ment project comprises four phases.
Full operation of Phases 1 and 2 will
start before the end of 2022; while
Phases 3 and 4 will be developed
later to raise the port’s operational
capacity according to local market’s
needs.
SPORT | Page 1
QNB Stars League:
The CT2, with berth length of
1,200m and a 17m draft alongside, will
have annual capacity of 2mn TEUs
(twenty-foot equivalent units).
It “is a new achievement to be added
to Hamad Port’s record of achieve-
ments, thus boosting its huge poten-
tial, modern facilities and advanced
systems for increasing Qatar’s trade
with the world, in addition to improv-
ing the country’s competitiveness by
transforming it into a regional trade
hub with sustainable development for
the coming generations,” HE the Min-
ister of Transport and Communica-
tions Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti said
after the premier inaugurated the ini-
tial operations of CT2.
The area of Phases 1 and 2 of Ha-
mad Port’s CT2 is 380,000sq m. Its
quay is 624m long. To Page 12
Edmilson scores
brace as Al Duhail
rout Al Khor
HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani and other officials after
inaugurating the initial operations of CT2.
Hotel quarantine must for more travellers
A
rrivals into Doha on flights
from the UK, Denmark, Neth-
erlands and South Africa must
have a reservation for an Exclusive
Quarantine Hotel, according to infor-
mation on Discover Qatar website.
“You will not be permitted to board
the aircraft without a UK, DK, NL
or ZA Exclusive Quarantine Hotel
pu
bl TA 978
Q since
is
A 1
he R
d
in
WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXXI No. 11771
December 23, 2020
Jumada I 8, 1442 AH
www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals
Voucher if your booking was made on “The 7 night self-funded quar-
or after December 23, 2020,” it was antine packages are available in In-
explained. tercontinental Doha Resort (5*) or
“Pre-approved QID resident permit Mercure Grand Doha (4*) for all pas-
holders are able to apply to travel to sengers arriving on flights originating
Qatar. You will need to obtain approv- from the UK, South Africa, Nether-
al to enter Qatar by applying through lands and Denmark with bookings
the Qatar Portal. Applications for a made before 13.00 local time on De-
QID return visa are now open. cember 22.” To Page 6
 Gulf Times
2 Wednesday, December 23, 2020

QATAR
Al-Muraikhi meets ambassador of Hungary Amiri Guard commander meets Pakistani
chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee

HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi met yesterday with Hungary’s ambassador to Qatar Fodor Barna-
bas. During the meeting they reviewed bilateral co-operation relations and issues of common concern.
Amiri Guard Commander Maj Gen Hazza bin Khalil al-Shahwani met yesterday with Chairman of
Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza. During the meeting, they reviewed as-
pects of co-operation between the two sides, and ways to enhance and develop them. The meeting
was attended by Pakistani ambassador to Qatar, the Pakistani military attache, the Qatari military
attache to Pakistan, and a number of senior Amiri Guard officers.

Austrian parliamentarian hails Priority patients

decision to conduct Shura polls
QNA
Vienna
M
ember of the ruling
People’s Party and Vice
President of the For-
eign Relations Committee of the
Austrian Parliament Dr Reinhold
Lopatka hailed His Highness the
Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
al-Thani’s announcement to
hold the Shura Council elections
in October 2021. He described
the decision as a qualitative leap
to consolidate the democratic
process in Qatar.
Dr Lopatka affirmed his coun-
try’s readiness to provide all pos-
sible forms of support to Qatar
for the success of these elections,
which would enhance the leg-
islative process with wider par-
ticipation of citizens, pointing
out that this comes as a continu-
Qatar’s embassy delivers aid to flood-affected in Mexico
ation of the renaissance process
the country is witnessing at all
levels.
Dr Lopatka also emphasised
that the Shura Council elections
are of great importance in Qatar,
given its role in monitoring the
implementation of laws, deci-
sions and regulations related to
the government’s powers and
competencies and will sup-
port the role of the legislative
authority, especially in light of
the expansion of the powers of
the elected council so that it has
greater legislative and oversight
powers that enhance transpar-
ency and benefit the people.
This came during Dr Lopatka’s
meeting with ambassador of Qa-
tar to Austria and HE the Perma-
nent Representative of Qatar to
the United Nations and Interna-
tional Organisations in Vienna
Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri.
Dr Reinhold Lopatka with HE Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri.
The embassy of Qatar to Mex-
ico has delivered a shipment
of humanitarian aid provided
by Qatar to the residents
of the areas affected by the
recent floods in the south of
Mexico. The delivery of the
aid was attended by Director-
General of European Affairs at
the Mexican Foreign Ministry
Bernardo Aguilar, represent-
ing Mexico’s foreign minister,
for Covid-19
vaccination to be
contacted directly
W
ith the start of the
Qatar’s Covid-19 vac-
cination campaign
today, Dr Samya al-Abdulla, ex-
ecutive director of operations at
Primary Health Care Corpora-
tion (PHCC), confirmed that pa-
tients who are eligible to receive
the vaccination will be contacted
directly to arrange their appoint-
ments.
“The initial shipment of Pfiz-
er-BioNTech vaccines arrived
in Qatar, and provides enough
vaccines for those people most
at risk. The Ministry of Public
Health’s strategy will enable eve-
ryone in Qatar to be vaccinated
against Covid-19 in 2021, but for
now we must prioritise people
most at risk from severe com-
plications and death from the
virus,” explained Dr al-Abdulla.
“Initially, vaccines will be
prioritised for three key popu-
lation groups: people over 70
years of age, people with multi-
ple chronic conditions, and key
healthcare workers with repeated
exposure to Covid-19. Citizens
and residents within these pri-
ority groups will be contacted
MoPH reports 140,129 total Covid recoveries
QNA
Doha
Dr Samya al-Abdulla
by text messages and telephone
calls from a PHCC health pro-
fessional to arrange their vacci-
nation appointment,” added Dr
al-Abdulla.
In the first phase of the vac-
cination campaign, the Pfizer-
BioNTech vaccines will be given
to the priority population groups
at seven PHCC health centres: Al
Wajbah, Leabaib, Al Ruwais, Um
Slal, Rawdat Al Khail, Al Thu-
mama and Muaither.
Dr al-Abdulla explained that
each of these health centres will
have vaccination teams dedi-
cated solely to administering the
Covid-19 vaccine and that every
effort has been made to ensure
patients have a smooth and ef-
ficient experience when visiting
the health centres.
She added that the health
centres and nursing teams are
experienced in providing vac-
cinations as this is a regular part
of their work. Administering and
receiving the Covid-19 vaccine is
very similar to the seasonal influ-
enza vaccine, which is provided
at all PHCC health centres each
year.
“It is important to note that
the Pfizer and BioNTech vac-
cine requires a second shot to
be given 21 days after the first.
Our appointment team will book
patients in for their second vac-
cination visit and it is essential
that people keep to this date
and attend their appointment as
planned, as any delay can impact
the vaccine’s ability to offer pro-
tection. Full immunity develops
around one week after the second
dose of the vaccine,” added Dr al-
Abdulla.

and ambassador of Qatar to
Mexico Mohamed bin Jassim
al-Kuwari. Bernardo Aguilar
thanked the valuable aid
provided by Qatar to Mexico,
especially in these difficult
and exceptional circumstanc-
es. For his part, Ambassador
al-Kuwari affirmed Qatar’s
support for the government
and people of Mexico.
T
he Ministry of Public Health
(MoPH) announced yes-
terday 149 new confirmed
cases of coronavirus (Covid-19)
during the last 24 hours, of which
122 are from community cases and
27 from travellers returning from
abroad who are subject to quaran-
tine. The MoPH also recorded 202
recoveries from the virus, bringing
the total number of cases that re-
covered in Qatar to 140,129.
All new cases have been in-
troduced to isolation and are re-
ceiving necessary healthcare.
Measures to tackle Covid-19 in
Qatar have succeeded in flat-

Dreama, Baladna sign partnership agreement
QNA egy in support of programmes that
Doha serve the community, expressing
her hope that the product that will
carry ‘Dreama’ logo will be in great
tening the curve and limiting
the spread of the virus and the
number of new daily cases and
hospital admissions is continu-
ing to decline each week. Qatar’s
proactive and extensive testing
of suspected cases has enabled
the authorities to identify a high

T
he Orphans Care Center
‘Dreama’ has signed a
partnership agreement
with Baladna. Under the agree-
ment, Baladna will provide prod-
ucts carrying the Dreama logo
alongside the Baladna logo, and
part of the profit from this prod-
uct will go to Dreama.
It is expected that the product
will be available in shops in early
2021, and its launch will be ac-
companied by a major awareness
campaign in the media.
On this occasion, Acting Execu-
tive Director of Dreama Mariam
bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad
expressed her happiness at co-
operating with Baladna, noting
that Dreama Center always seeks
Officials at the agreement signing ceremony.
to strengthen its partnerships
with companies and institutions
in the private sector in order to
achieve the centre’s goals in serv-
ing its orphans. She added that
the agreement also translates the
social responsibility of Baladna
and achieves its vision and strat-
demand, because this would rep-
resent an opportunity to introduce
the centre’s logo and promote its
image at the national level.
For his part, Managing Direc-
tor of Baladna Mohamed Ramez
al-Khayyat said that the signing
of the agreement comes within
the framework of the company’s
social responsibility and the re-
alisation of its vision in support
of civil society and its various
institutions, explaining that this
partnership will provide an op-
portunity for Baladna to build
close relations with Dreama and
contribute to building a compas-
sionate society, while looking
forward for more joint co-oper-
ation in the future.
number of positive cases in the
community. Qatar has one of the
lowest Covid-19 death rates in
the world.
Authorities arrest five for violating home quarantine requirements
The designated authorities
arrested yesterday five people
who violated the requirements
of the home quarantine, they
committed to following, which
they are legally accountable for, in
accordance with the procedures
of the health authorities in
the country. The arrest of the
violators came in implementation
of the precautionary measures in
force in the country, approved by
health authorities represented in
the Ministry of Public Health, to
curb the spread of the Covid-19.
The violators are currently
being referred to the designate
prosecution, they are:
1- Siddiq Yanashenty Pur Akkal
2- Mahmoud Abdel-Hamid Abdel-
Salam Abdel-Ghani
3- Adel Ahmed Othman Mohisi
4- Mohamed Abdel-Salam
Mohamed al-Saadi al-Yafei
5- Hazam Butti Mohamed al-
Aziman al-Qahtani
The designated authorities called
on citizens and residents under
home quarantine to fully commit
to the Ministry of Public Health’s
condition, to ensure their safety
and the safety of others. They
added that anyone who violates
the quarantine will be subject
to article No 253 of Law No 11
of 2004, provisions of Law No
17 of 1990 on communicable
diseases, and Law No 17 of 2002
on protecting society.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 3

QATAR
FM meets Russian deputy prime minister, top Russian officials Official

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met yesterday with Deputy Prime
Minister of the Russian government Yury Borisov, during his visit to Russia. The meeting dealt with reviewing bilateral relations and the
means to enhance co-operation in different fields, particularly in the economy and investment fields to increase bilateral trade volume.
The two sides also reviewed issues of joint interest. The meeting was attended by HE the Minister of Finance Ali Sherif al-Emadi. HE Sheikh
Mohamed also met with Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev. During the meeting, they reviewed
bilateral co-operation relations and issues of common concern. HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh
Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also met Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs of the Russian Federation
Leonid Slutsky. During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral co-operation relations and issues of common concern. HE Sheikh Mohamed
met separately yesterday with Adviser to the Russian President, Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee-Executive Secretary of
the St Petersburg International Economic Forum Anton Kobyakov; CEO of Rosneft Igor Sechin; and Chairman of the Board of Directors of
VTB Bank Andrey Kostin. During the meetings, they reviewed bilateral relations and issues of common concern. The meetings were also
attended by HE the Minister of Finance Ali Sherif al-Emadi.

Qatar Airways offers passengers

full year of fare flexibility in 2021 Airline offers
Q
atar Airways announced
yesterday that it will of-
fer passengers unlim-
ited date changes and fee-free
refunds for all tickets issued
before April 30, 2021 for travel
completed by December 31, 2021.
Date and destination changes are
offered within the same booking
class. Fare rules apply.
The airline’s latest enhance-
ment to its industry-leading
flexible booking policy has been
designed to continue providing
customers with peace of mind
that they can change their plans
with ease, a statement said yes-
unlimited
changes for travel
completed during
2021 and fee-free
refunds
terday. The airline is also making
the option to exchange tickets
for a travel voucher with 10%
additional value a permanent
feature for all customers book-
ing travel via qatarairways.com.
The process for redeeming a
travel voucher is quick and easy
– passengers apply online and
receive the voucher within 48
hours.
Qatar Airways Group Chief
Executive, HE Akbar al-Baker,
said: “Throughout 2020, we
have provided customers the
ability to modify travel without
penalties as a result of the dis-
ruption to global travel caused
by Covid-19. As we look forward
to the possibilities of travelling
again next year, Qatar Airways
will continue to be by our pas-
sengers’ side, offering continued
flexibility throughout 2021 as
the airline they can rely on.”
The national carrier of Qatar
continues to rebuild its network,
which currently stands at over
100 destinations increasing to
126 by March 2021. With more
frequencies being added to key
hubs, Qatar Airways offers un-
rivalled connectivity to passen-
gers, making it easy for them to
change their travel dates or des-
tination if they need to. Qatar
Airways also remains committed
to honouring passenger refunds,
paying out over $1.65bn since
March 2020.
When travelling with Qatar
Airways in 2021, passengers can
expect the highest levels of safe-
ty throughout their journey. The
airline’s onboard safety meas-
ures include the provision of
Personal Protective Equipment
for cabin crew and a compli-
mentary protective kit and dis-
posable face shields for passen-
gers. Business Class passengers
on aircraft equipped with Qsuite
can enjoy the enhanced privacy
this award-winning business
seat provides, including sliding
privacy partitions and the op-
tion to use a ‘Do Not Disturb’
indicator. Qsuite is available on
flights to more than 30 destina-
tions including Frankfurt, Kuala
Lumpur, London and New York.
For full details of all the meas-
ures that have been implement-
ed onboard and at HIA, please
visit qatarairways.com/safety.
For full terms and conditions
of unlimited date changes and
fee-free refunds, visit qatarai-
rways.com/Flexibility.

Qatar Charity initiative to benefit QF schools offer children a

1,200 students in northern Syria unique learning experience
P
arents across Qatar will

Q
atar Charity (QC) launched
the ‘Support Non-Formal
Education Activities (ALP
Courses) for Out-of-School Chil-
dren’ project in northern Syria,
which is expected to benefit some
1,200 students in Azaz and Al-
Bab. The project, in partnership
with the Syria Cross-border Hu-
manitarian Fund (SCHF) of the Of-
fice for the Co-ordination of Hu-
manitarian Affairs (OCHA), aims
to bring back children to schools
by applying the accelerated learn-
ing method.
Such move will reduce the
education gap for these children
using a special curriculum (‘Cur-
riculum B’ developed by Unicef)
and they will be able to attend
formal education next year after
receiving the necessary care and
education. QC’s intervention is
qualitative in these areas where it
restored the first two temporary
education centres that provide
QC’s ALP project is expected to benefit some 1,200 students in Azaz
and Al-Bab.
non-formal education service
(accelerated education) in the
northern and eastern country-
side of Aleppo.
QC has also appointed quali-
fied academic personnel and
trained them for ALP courses. It
also distributed ALP textbooks,
school bags, and stationery sup-
plies to children, and provided
psychological support and case
management services, in ad-
dition to activating a referral
mechanism to identify and re-
spond to out-of-school children.
Besides, QC also worked on pro-
viding operating costs, and fuel
for heating and transportation
for children with special needs.
The project received a great re-
sponse from children in the areas
of intervention where the reg-
istration was completed in just
one week. QC has co-ordinated
with the education directorates
to enrol these children in public
Qualified academic personnel have been trained for ALP courses.
schools, after providing the nec-
essary support for them. A large
number of Syrian children were
out-of-school due to the chal-
lenging economic conditions in
the country as it goes through a
prolonged crisis. Also, early mar-
QC’s project aims to bring back children to schools by applying the
accelerated learning method.
riages, especially in camps, led to
the deprivation of girls of com-
pleting their education. As the
humanitarian catastrophe con-
tinued, the gap between out-of-
school children and those who
are in school has widened.
have the chance to explore
what Qatar Foundation’s
(QF) diverse range of schools
can offer their children next
month – from their own homes.
A virtual event organised by QF’s
Pre-University Education (PUE)
will provide the opportunity to
meet representatives from all 15
schools within the organisation’s
education ecosystem, and learn
more about its academic land-
scape from a series of webinars.
Discover PUE, which will be
held from 10am-6pm on Janu-
ary 13, is designed to give parents
information about, and insight Discover PUE is designed to give parents information about, and
into, QF’s wide range of schools insight into, QF’s wide range of schools and specialised centres.
and specialised centres as they
make decisions over where their
children should begin their edu-
cational journey. The interactive
event will also allow them hear
from alumni of QF’s schools and
how they are still part of the PUE
community.
“Through Discover PUE, we
are opening up our schools to
parents in virtual form so they
can find out for themselves how
an education at QF cultivates a
child’s talents and capabilities,
empowers them to become a life-
long learner, and sets them on a diverse, inclusive community team, and the Academic Affairs
the path to realising their full po- that preserves and nurtures Qa- department, which includes
tential,” said Vicki Wright, head tari culture and values.” co-curricular and extramural
of admissions at PUE. Discover PUE is also open to activities and support for gifted
“This is an opportunity to hear carers, educators, and anyone students.
from our team of specialist edu- who would like to find out more Meanwhile, topics covered by
cators how our schools support about pre-university education the event’s series of 10 live we-
children not only to learn in an at QF. Those attending will also binars – all of which will allow
educational environment of the have access to 19 booths, and those attending to pose ques-
highest quality, but also to grow be able to chat with representa- tions to PUE educators – will in-
intellectually, socially, and emo- tives from specialised PUE de- clude inclusive learning models,
tionally. partments and centres, includ- the International Baccalaureate,
“Discover PUE will also show- ing the Education Development dual language learning, progres-
case how enrolling your child in Institute, The Learning Centre, sive education, and parental en-
a QF school makes them part of Thimun Qatar, the Admissions gagement.
 Gulf Times
4 Wednesday, December 23, 2020

QATAR

MoI organises awareness Prominent Indian expatriate

M S Bukhari passes away
talk on crime prevention
M
S Bukhari (57), a promi-
nent Indian community

A
n awareness seminar by
the Ministry of Interior
(MoI) yesterday has un-
derscored the need to follow the
rules and regulations to ensure
public safety and security. The
virtual seminar was organised
by the Capital Security Depart-
ment in co-operation with the
Public Relations Department
of the MoI on ‘Crime Preven-
tion and Joint Responsibil-
ity in Maintaining Security and
Safety and Enhancing Security
Sense’.
Assistant director of the de-
partment Lt Col Saqr Khamis
al-Kubaisi, during the seminar,
highlighted the efforts being
taken by the ministry to pre-
vent the spread of Covid-19 by
implementing a host of meas-
ures including social distanc-
ing, wearing masks, install-
ing Ehteraz and restricting the
and penalties. While referring
to the incidents where workers
resort into strikes due to lack of
payment, al-Kubaisi said this is
prohibited by the law. He fur-
ther asked them to approach
the authorities and seek legal
action. He also warned against
trusting rumours instead of
taking news from their authen-
tic sources. “Some of the in-
dividuals are holding business
activities without a licence.
This will draw action including
confiscation of goods and pen-
alties,” he said.
The official urged expatriates
to adhere to the laws and be-
come aware of the customs and
Lt Col Saqr Khamis al-Kubaisi attending the virtual seminar. traditions of the country where
they live. He further explained
number of travellers in vehicles. the authorities in order to pre- various laws regarding theft
He said that the public is vent the spread of virus adding and check fraud and asked the
obliged to strictly adhere to that the violators will face ac- residents to abstain from street
the measures put in place by tion including imprisonment vending.
member and a leading
businessman in Qatar, passed
away on Monday night in Doha.
He is survived by his wife Sophia
and daughter Symaa. Bukhari’s
burial took place yesterday at Abu
Hamour. The family will receive
condolences today and tomorrow
from 5pm-9pm at their house lo-
cated at Zone 64, street 555 and
villa No 3.
Hailing from Bhopal in India,
Bukhari was a Qatar resident for
about three decades. A former
chairman of Indian Sports Cen- M S Bukhari
tre, an apex body under Indian
embassy, he was also the founder affairs as well as his contributions of the Urdu language and had pat-
member of Ideal Indian School as to the welfare of the community. ronised several Urdu programmes
well as a life member of Birla Pub- Besides being a leading business- and writers.
lic School. He was the managing man, Bukhari was active in several Bukhari was also well known for
director of Satco International and areas such as arts and sports. He his philanthropic feats as he was in
was a partner in several other busi- had actively supported a number the forefront of helping the needy.
ness groups. Bukhari’s friends and of sporting events in Qatar and He has won several national and
close associates highlighted his had promoted many community international awards, including
active involvement in community sports events. He was a big lover NRI Achievers Excellence Award.

Public Prosecution device gets Mada accreditation

QNA
Doha

A
self-service device, which
was developed by the Public
Prosecution and would pro-
vide electronic services for people
with special needs, has won the the
accreditation of Mada (Assistive
Technology Center Qatar) for digital
accessibility. The device, a product
of innovative technologies, provides
self-service to the blind.
The self-service device provides
electronic services that wouldn’t re-
quire the aid of any employees. The
device has keyboards that suit the
needs of people and would provide
them with the full functionality to
complete the services they need. The
device also allows the use of voice
commands as well.
Director of the Information Sys-
tem Department at the Public Pros-
ecution, Mariam Hajji Abdulla said
that getting the accreditation was an
important achievement and repre-
sents a qualitative leap in the qual-
ity of service provided by the Public
Prosecution to the public. She added
that there are currently 14 of those
devices located in areas where the
public would go to seek services.
She noted that the public prosecu-
tion started using those devices in
2014, but this year saw the second
edition of them which saw improved
services that made it more suit-
able for people with disabilities. She
highlighted that HE the Attorney-
General Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri is-
sued directives to ensure that people
with disabilities get easy access to
services by developing the self-serv-
ice system and ensuring it can meet
the needs of people with disabilities.
She added that receiving the accredi-
tation reflected the commitment of
the Public Prosecution to supporting
people with disabilities, and comes
in the framework of realising one of
Qatar National Vision 2030 goals of
providing electronic services to all
segments of society.
CEO of the Qatar Assistive Tech-
nology Center (Mada) Maha al-
Mansouri praised the cooperation
between the centre and the Public
Prosecution, based on their keen-
ness to enhance the opportunities
and accessibility of information and
communication technology in Qatar
and the world. Mada Center provides The Public Prosecution has won the accreditation of Mada for its self-
several services and activities to vari- service machine (SSM) for the visually impaired. The SSM helps them to
ous governmental and non-govern- easily access the services of the Public Prosecution without the need for
mental agencies to enhance its role as assistance from others.
a strategic enabler in ICT accessibil-
ity by developing the capabilities of was approved in 2019 as a result of to the digital platforms of the Public
various sectors, she explained. the efforts made and the commit- Prosecution, starting with the self-
Al-Mansouri noted that the co- ment of the Public Prosecution team service device (kiosk) as the two par-
operation between the centre and to apply global digital accessibil- ties cooperated from the beginning of
the Public Prosecution began in 2018 ity standards, and after passing the the project in all design stages, evalu-
through work between Mada’s dig- technical and usage evaluation. ation, and accreditation, indicating
ital access team and the ICT manage- Al-Mansouri explained that after that this accreditation is an addition
ment team of the Public Prosecution monitoring the good impact of ap- to the digital accessibility achieve-
to improve and enable access to in- plying digital accessibility standards ments of Qatar, which ranked first
formation and services on the Pub- on the website on persons with dis- in the world according to the Digital
lic Prosecution’s website. She added abilities and the elderly, work was Accessibility Rights Evaluation In-
that the Public Prosecution’s website launched to update and enable access dex.

Katara to launch
Braille print house
Katara – the Cultural Village has announced that it is set
to launch the first specialised print house in Braille writing
system for the benefit of the visually impaired in Qatar and
the Arab World, as part of the expansion plans of Katara
Publishing House. These plans include an initiative to
print 100 books in Braille System during 2021, comprising
stories and novels for children and teenagers. Katara
general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti pointed
out that this initiative is part of Katara’s corporate social
responsibility and to complement the role undertaken
by the official entities in the country to provide the target
group with the necessary educational and intellectual
content that would help them develop their skills and
continue their education.

SAB honours employees and

entities in tender supervision
The State Audit Bureau (SAB) held a ceremony to honour
a number of its employees and entities, who participated
in the supervision of tender and auction committee
programme and its procedures, which was organised
by the SAB’s Center of Excellence for Training and
Development during the year 2020.
In his speech during the ceremony, Assistant-President
for Projects & Contracts Audit Abdulaziz al-Khalifa said
that the Audit Bureau’s strategy gives priority to investing
in the human element in order to build national expertise
and competencies in the field of supervisory work,
through the various programmes offered by the Center of
Excellence for Training and Development for employees
of the Bureau and employees of the outfits under its
supervision, in addition to programmes for university and
college students in the country.
Al-Khalifa added that training and continuous training are
the guarantor to keep pace with the rapid developments
in the field of regulatory work, which enhances efforts
to preserve public finance and ensure optimal use of
resources. At the end of the ceremony, the assistant-
president honoured the participating employees of
the entities under its supervision by granting them
certificates.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 5

QATAR

LuLu Hypermarket
hosts second edition
of ‘Let’s Eatalian’
L
uLu Hypermarket Qatar
launched the second edi-
tion of ‘Let’s Eatalian -
Authentically Italian Products
Promotion in Qatar 2020-2021’
yesterday, in collaboration with
the Italian Trade Agency (ITA),
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and International Co-opera-
tion, and Trade Promotion Sec-
tion of the Italian embassy in
Qatar.
The event was inaugurated
at LuLu Hypermarket, Al Mes-
sila branch by Italian ambassador
Alessandro Prunas, in the pres-
ence of the ITA commissioner
Giosafat Rigano, director of LuLu
Hypermarkets Dr Mohamed Al-
thaf, and officials from ITA, Ital-
ian embassy, LuLu Hypermarket,
and dignitaries from various Ital-
ian companies operating in Qa-
tar.
Prunas said: “Our partnership
with LuLu Hypermarket serves
as a bridge between Italy and Qa-
tar. Through LuLu, small farmers
from Italy under the association,
Coldiretti, are able to get access
to consumers in Qatar by provid-
ing them high quality, yet afford-
able Italian products.”
The festival, in its totality,
will run approximately for a year
starting from October 2020 till
September 2021 in four quarterly
editions strictly in line with the
blueprint set by the ITA and the
Italian embassy.
The promotional campaign
has showcased a wide range of
Italian products at very attractive
prices at all LuLu Hypermarkets,
and customers will have the op-
portunity to discover the rich
food of Italy through tasting and
sampling.
Customers could buy freshly
made pizzas, pastas, lasagna,
tiramisu, and many other popu-
lar Italian delicacies, as well as
canned vegetables, pasta, rice,
cheese and dairy products, bis-
cuits, coffee, olive oil, fresh fruit
and vegetables, chocolate, sauc-
es, spices, condiments, and many
more.
The pre-defined second phase
of the promotional campaign,
which will run until December
26, is dedicated to the Italian
culinary and food tradition and
largely focused on boosting the
sales of authentic Italian food
products in Qatar.
LuLu Hypermarket has been
conducting Italian Festival since
last 16 years in succession. LuLu
Hypermarket has long-standing
business relations with many
Italian companies and has been
importing Italian products since
2004 in Qatar.
Rigano said: “Our F&B exports
to Qatar grew by 3.5% or almost
€33mn in the first 10 months of
this year, which is a good sign
considering the global conditions
economies worldwide are experi-
encing.”
Althaf added: “We had tre-
mendous response from our con-
sumers; with the help of the ITA
and the Italian embassy, as well
as our partners in Italy, we have
almost tripled our volumes now, Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas and Director of LuLu Hypermarkets Dr Mohamed Althaf lead the
but the best results will come ribbon-cutting ceremony together with ITA and LuLu Hypermarket officials.
very soon.”
Italian cuisine is character-
ised by its simplicity, with many
dishes having only two to four
main ingredients. Italian cooks
rely chiefly on the quality of the
ingredients rather than on elabo-
rate preparation.
Pasta, vegetables, olive oil and
fish are a major part of the Ital-
ian cuisine. With Italian food
trending worldwide, it is a great
opportunity to explore a wide
range of new products, favourite
classics and time-tested popular
brands of foods.
With a view to make the Ital-
ian food more popular among
the local community, LuLu Hy-
permarket has initiated extensive
promotional campaign through
instore branding, newspaper and Italian ambassador Alessandro Prunas officiates the cake-cutting ceremony while Director of LuLu
radio ads, social media, booklets, Hypermarkets Dr Mohamed Althaf, ITA commissioner Giosafat Rigano, and other dignitaries look on.
and google ads. PICTURES: Jayan Orma

Arab youth exchange views on marriage, challenges

QNA Director Dr Sharifa Numan al- of these discussions ahead of the economic impact of the Covid-19
Doha Emadi stressed on the importance upcoming international confer- pandemic on marriage in Jordan
of creating a social infrastructure ence titled, ‘Marriage: Formation and the impact of modern tech-
that supports the healthy mar- and Constituents of Stability’ in nologies and social media on mar-

T
he Doha International
Family Institute (Difi), a
member of the Qatar Foun-
dation for Education, Science and
Community Development, or-
ganised a series of regional youth
discussion sessions in three Arab
countries under the title ‘Youth
Views on Marriage and Its Chal-
lenges’.
The first session was held in
Morocco, in co-operation with
the National Institute for Social
action in Tangiers, while the sec-
ond was held in Jordan, in part-
nership with the National Council
for Family Affairs. The last session
was held in Qatar, in co-operation
with the Qatar Debate Center.
The participants of the discus-
sion sessions were from different
Arab countries, who exchanged
views on marriage, their aspira-
tions, the social and economic
factors that they believe affect
The participants were from different Arab countries, who exchanged views on marriage, their aspirations, marital relations, and the chal-
the social and economic factors that they believe affect marital relations, and the challenges they face. lenges they face. Difi Executive
riages, pointing out that marriage
is the basis of a healthy family and
a strong society.
“With the change in percep-
tions and attitudes towards mar-
riage, and the changes that the
marriage institution is witnessing
due to the formative changes that
are occurring in today’s societies,
and the emerging social trends,
there is a need to change the per-
ception of young people towards
this institution,” she said, not-
ing that such discussion sessions
give us an in-depth look at the
views of a future generation about
marriage. This helps in providing
appropriate policies and support
systems.
Dr Sharifa al-Emadi expressed
her happiness with what she
found from the participating Arab
youth and their deep understand-
ing and advanced thinking, which
added momentum and diversity
to the discussions, expressing
her aspiration to share the results
February 2021.
Regarding the discussion ses-
sion held in Morocco, professor of
higher education at the National
Institute for Social Action in Tan-
giers Thouria Hossam said that
the session reviewed important
opinions of married and unmar-
ried young people between the
ages of 18 and 30 years, which re-
sulted in a very rich workshop that
took longer time than it is planned
because of the enthusiasm and
participation of the attendees.
Regarding the discussion ses-
sion held in Jordan, Project Man-
ager at East and West Center for
Sustainable Development (WE
Center) Afnan Haloush, said that
the researchers asked questions
that influenced the dialogue and
allowed the participants to dis-
cuss the topic from different
points of view, think about it and
express their opinions comfort-
ably, explaining that the discus-
sion touched on the social and
ital life, in addition to the steps
that countries can take to address
these challenges.
The third session that was held
in Qatar. Nadia Darwish of the
Qatar Debate Center stated that
this session provided an oppor-
tunity for young people to review
the challenges they face in mar-
riage since they are directly in-
volved in these difficulties in the
different environments and cir-
cumstances.
She added that such discussion
sessions will make them more ef-
fective in the real life. As young
people, opinions will be taken into
account during the decision-mak-
ing of the state, besides their dis-
cussion on the current problems
and challenges of youth whether
customs and traditions or the
traditional and non-traditional
methods of choosing a partner, the
importance of marriage and who is
responsible for it and the reasons
for delaying marriage.

MME plants trees with

Polish embassy

The Ministry of Municipality and Environment’s Public

Gardens Department in co-operation with the embassy
of Poland in Doha has organised a tree-planting initiative
at Onaiza Family Park within the one-million tree planting
initiative. The Polish ambassador to Qatar Janusz Janke
took part alongside Mohamed Ali al-Khori, director of the
Public Gardens Department, besides a number of officials
and staff at the department. A number of saplings that
are suitable for the local climate were planted.
 Gulf Times
6 Wednesday, December 23, 2020

QATAR

WCM-Q’s Lifestyle NBK Auto offer on

Mercedes-Benz
Medicine Week draws vehicle suspensions
big response online N
asser Bin Khaled (NBK)
Automobiles, the au-
thorised general dis-
tributor of Mercedes-Benz in

R
ecord numbers of participants took
part in this year’s edition of Lifestyle
Medicine Week, an annual initiative by
the Institute for Population Health (IPH) at
Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q).
Taking place entirely online for the first
time since its launch in 2018, the week-
long series of events drew participants from
all over Qatar and beyond to take part in a
healthy cooking competition, learn stress
management techniques, connect with oth-
ers through an online trivia quiz, and join in
with live physical activity sessions.
Lifestyle Medicine Week is the centre-
piece event of a series of initiatives run by
the IPH throughout the year, all of which
are designed to empower people to adopt
healthy lifestyle habits in order to promote
well-being and prevent or help control non-
communicable diseases like obesity, type 2
diabetes, hypertension and many others.
Dr Ravinder Mamtani, vice dean for
Student Affairs-Admissions, Population
Health, and Lifestyle Medicine at WCM-Q,
said: “We are truly amazed at the number of
people who took part in this year’s Lifestyle
Medicine Week, with people showing great
enthusiasm to learn the best ways to look
after their own health and that of their fam-
ily members. Research shows that following
simple habits like taking regular exercise,
getting enough sleep, eating a healthy and
well-balanced diet, avoiding tobacco and
other risky substances, and managing stress
are incredibly powerful tools for maintain-
ing good health.”
All of the initiatives co-ordinated by the
IPH team follow the latest evidence-based
research to optimise their effectiveness. The
team also conducts its own research, offers
certificate courses in lifestyle medicine for
healthcare professionals, and runs com-
munity outreach programmes with local
schools and businesses to raise awareness
of a wide variety of health issues, from road
safety to nutrition.
Given the need to follow physical distanc-
ing protocols during the Covid-19 pandem-
ic, this year’s Lifestyle Medicine Week had
a special focus on the importance of social
connectedness for maintaining good mental
health.
Qatar, launched a special offer
on Mercedes-Benz vehicle sus-
pensions.
Mercedes-Benz owners can
now avail this special offer and
get the suspension of their cars
changed at special prices at
any of NBK Automobiles/Mer-
cedes-Benz workshops. The
offer is valid until January 16
on selected Mercedes-Benz ve-
hicles with models range from
2010 until 2020.
Sheikh Faleh bin Nawaf
al-Thani, managing director
– Auto, at Nasser Bin Khaled
Group said: “The suspension
offer is one of a series that NBK
Automobiles has launched on
the occasion of Qatar National
Dr Sohaila Cheema, assistant dean, In- Day. We are always committed
stitute for Population Health/assistant pro- to support our loyal custom-
fessor of Population Health Sciences, said: ers with various deals that help
“Lifestyle Medicine Week emphasises the them maintain their vehicle at
importance of viewing and pursuing health best costs.”
in a holistic manner and social connected- Ihab El Feky, director, NBK
ness is a key element of this approach. When Auto said: “Our workshops are
we are socially connected, we feel happier ready to support Mercedes- maintenance service via tele- rafa open from Saturday through
and far more motivated to follow healthy Benz owners to change the sus- phone 4496 0000, e-mail mer- Wednesday, from 7am to mid-
lifestyle habits, and by giving and receiving pension of their cars at special cedescares@nbks.com or on- night, and on Thursdays from
moral support we can boost our self-esteem rates. It is a good opportunity line booking on the website. 7am-5pm.
and mental health. The IPH team strongly to start the new year with well- The main Mercedes-Benz Established in 1957, NBK Au-
encourages everyone to make the best use maintained vehicle and leverage service centre at Industrial area tomobiles is Qatar’s exclusive
of online communications platforms to stay from great discounts on parts opens from Saturday through distributor of three of the world’s
connected with family and friends during and labour charges”. Thursday, from 8am to 6pm, most respected, iconic brands:
the Covid-19 pandemic.” Customers can book an ap- while the other branches at Al- Mercedes-Maybach, Mercedes-
pointment for their vehicles’ mana petrol station and Al Ghar- Benz and Mercedes-AMG.

Lecture throws light on Lekhwiya Force strategy

HE the Undersecretary of the Ministry of
Interior and Commander of the Lekhwiya
Force Major General Abdulaziz bin Faisal al-
Thani delivered a lecture on ‘Lekhwiya Force
strategy and its national security position’
at the Joaan bin Jassim Joint Command
and Staff College. The college hosted the
lecture by HE the Undersecretary of the
Ministry of Interior as part of the National
Defence Course No 1. After the lecture, a
discussion on the most important points
related to national security took place in
MME cleans up Doha Corniche
the presence of the participants, including
senior employees of the various ministries
and state institutions and security agencies.

The Ministry of Municipality and

Environment (MME)’s General
Cleanliness Department removed
as much as 56.2 tonnes of waste
from Doha Corniche after the
completion of the recent Qatar
National Day celebrations. The
department had prepared an
exceptional plan to tackle such
a task, including preparing the
necessary field teams, dividing the
work into three shifts around the
clock during the weekend to clean
the targeted locations and roads,
besides providing the necessary
equipment and additional garbage
containers.

Hotel quarantine must for more travellers

From Page 1
The details on Discover Qatar web-
site are as follows: “If you have al-
ready made your hotel reservation in
a different hotel, and are arriving be-
fore 6am local time on 23 December,
your reservation will be automatically
transferred upon arrival.
“If you have already made your ho-
tel reservation in a different hotel, and
are arriving after 6am local time on 23
December, you will need to contact us
before departure to change your hotel.
You will receive a new UK, South Af-
rica, Netherlands or Denmark Quar-
antine hotel voucher. You will need to
present this voucher to be permitted to
board your flight.
“For arrivals up to 6am on 23 De-
cember any differences in the cost of
your original quarantine hotel will be
eligible for a refund claim. After 6am
local time on 23 December you will be
required to pay any additional costs
between your original hotel booked
and either of the mandatory UK, South
Africa, Netherlands or Denmark Quar-
antine hotels, if there is a price dif-
ference. Equally you will be eligible
to claim for a refund if your original
quarantine booking was more expen-
sive than the options available.
“All new bookings made on or after
13.00 local time 22 December will be
required to book a UK, South Africa,
Netherlands or Denmark Quarantine
hotel Quarantine hotel for your man-
datory quarantine stay in Qatar.
“All new bookings from 13.00 local
time 22 December will be required to
present a UK, South Africa, Netherlands
or Denmark Quarantine hotel Quaran-
tine hotel voucher to be permitted to
board a flight departing from the UK,
South Africa, Netherlands or Denmark.
“Any bookings made on or after
13.00 local time 22 December not in
a UK, South Africa, Netherlands or
Denmark Quarantine hotel for a flight
originating in the UK, South Africa,
Netherlands or Denmark will be can-
celled at 100% cancellation fee.
“If you are not on a flight from the
UK, South Africa, Netherlands or
Denmark you should not book a UK,
South Africa, Netherlands or Denmark
Quarantine hotel for your mandatory
quarantine stay in Qatar; you will not
be permitted to check in unless your
boarding pass states your journey
commenced in the UK, and you will
not be entitled to a refund.”

Art contest deadline on December 31

T
he Visual Arts Centre an-
nounced that entries to its com-
petition, ‘The Crescent Draws
Hope’, being held in co-operation with
the Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)
will be received until December 31.
The contest aims to highlight the
sacrifices of QRCS volunteers in fac-
ing the Covid-19 pandemic, their co-
operation and dedication to serve the
country, local Arabic daily Arrayah
reported.
Entries will be accepted from those
between 14 to 35 years, and the size of
the artwork should not be less than
40cm x 30cm. The artworks should
express the theme of the competition,
taking into account the special iden-
tity of QRCS, its logo, the volunteers’
uniform, highlighting the humanitar-
ian mission and the seven principles
of humanity, impartiality, unity, inde-
pendence, universality, neutrality, and
volunteer service.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 7

QATAR
Gharrafat Al Rayyan
Interchange tunnel closure
QRCS, Ajial Qatar conclude forum
Q
atar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)
and Ajial Qatar yesterday conclud-
ed the 4th Ajial Forum, which was
attended by 20 students at the Sharq Vil-
lage and Spa, under the theme of ‘Doing
Good to Others’.
The closing ceremony was attended by
QRCS’ Volunteering and Local Develop-
ment executive director Muna Fadel al-
Sulaiti, Community Development head
Mooza Mohamed al-Kuwari, project ex-
pert and event manager Huda Abdul-Latif
Hamdan, Ajial Qatar director general Faisal
al-Qahtani, and Hassan Yousef al-Mulla,
businessman and a contributor to QRCS’s
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced closure of Covid-19 control efforts.
Gharrafat Al Rayyan Interchange tunnel for three weeks starting from Al-Sulaiti said the forum has the po-
tomorrow (Thursday) midnight until January 14. The closure in co- tential to be a prominent event in the GCC
ordination with the General Directorate of Traffic is to complete the region and all over the world as it instils in
surface water drainage network as part of Khalifa Avenue Project. During the young generation human ideals, crisis
the closure, road users coming from Gharrafat Al Rayyan and heading The Ajial Forum participants with officials at the conclusion. management skills, and a sense of respon-
towards Doha will be directed to the signalised Gharrafat Al Rayyan
Intersection. Road users coming from Doha and heading towards Strong winds
Dukhan will be directed to the service road of Al Luqta Street. Ashghal will
install road signs advising motorists of the temporary closure and urged
Partial closure of left turns and cold spell
Traffic awareness drive
all to follow them and abide by the speed limit to ensure safety. on Mehairja Intersection forecast
sibility and helping others.
She lauded the efforts by Ajial Qatar
and other partners in the event: the Min-
istry of Interior’s General Directorate of
Civil Defence and General Directorate of
Traffic, the Ministry of Municipality and
Environment’s (MME) Public Parks De-
partment, and the Sharq Village and Spa
(host).
Hamdan stated that the event played a
key role in developing the personalities of
the participants. The workshops and ac-
tivities focused on the Islamic, human,
and national values, mainly the principles
of volunteerism, proactive benevolence,
and serving the country. This was evident
in the activities done by the students, such
as tree planting, traffic awareness and civil
defence lectures, and first-aid workshops
to help injuries and manage any emergency
or accident, she added.

Closure of part of Al Oqda The Qatar Meteorology

Department has forecast
Street in both directions strong winds, high waves
and a drop in tempera-
ture on Friday and Satur-
day and urged to avoid
all marine activities.
The dip in mercury is
expected especially dur-
ing the night and early
morning. The maximum
temperature is to range
between 20C and 24C
and the minimum
between 11C and 18C and Officials from the General Directorate of Traffic visited the Ajial
lower in the southern Education Centre as part of an awareness drive. Students were
and exterior areas. taught about common traffic errors and duties of traffic officers.
Fresh to strong north-
westerly wind is expected
to affect the country
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced a three-month between Friday morning
partial closure of all left turns on Mehairja Intersection and the access and Saturday evening,
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the closure of between Mehairja Street and the Wholesale Market Street from ranging between 12-22kt,
the part of Al Oqda Street in both directions from its intersection with December 25. The closure in co-ordination with the General Directorate gusting 30kt at times in
Al Khor Road towards Al Farkiyyah Beach from December 25 for seven of Traffic is to enable the revamp works of the vital junction. Road users some areas, causing blow-
days. The closure in co-ordination with the General Directorate of Traffic coming from Mehairja Street and heading to Al Sadd through Al Waab ing dust and low visibility
is to complete the final layer of asphalt works on Al Oqda Street as part street are advised to use U-turn on Sport City Intersection to joint traffic below 3km in most areas.
of the road development project around Al Bayt Stadium. Commuters to Al Sadd. Road users coming from the Wholesale Market Street and Sea waves are expected
can use Ahmad bin Jassim Street or any of the side roads of Al Khor heading to Muaither through Al Waab Street are advised to use U-turn to rise and range be-
Road to reach their destinations. Ashghal will install road signs advising on Al Waab Interchange. Al Waab street road users are advised to use tween 4-8ft, reaching
motorists of the temporary closure and urged all to follow them and U-turn on Al Waab IC and Sports City Intersection instead of the left 12ft at some places.
abide by the speed limit to ensure safety. turns on Mehairja Intersection.
 Gulf Times
8 Wednesday, December 23, 2020
QATAR
AMNM: an exciting new phase
in Qatar’s health journey
By Joey Aguilar
Staff Reporter
I
ntroducing new medical spe-
cialities such as Executive
Health to the region enhances
Qatar’s position as a hub for pre-
mium medical services and med-
ical tourism, Alfardan Medical
with Northwestern Medicine’s
(AMNM) chief medical officer Dr
Jessica Adam said.
“As part of the National
Health Strategy (NHS) 2018-
2022, Qatar’s vision is to build
on the significant expansion of
the country’s health services
while improving the health and
healthcare services for everyone
A pioneering step for Qatari market
AMNM’s Executive Health
services offer a personalised
medical assessment, which
determines the presence
or absence of risk factors
associated with diseases of high
complexity through a series
of tests and procedures of
early detection and diagnosis,
made by a highly qualified and
experienced multidisciplinary
medical team that incorporate
lifestyle assessments related to
nutrition and exercise.
The goals of AMNM’s Executive
Health service are to determine
risk factors and pre-empt
potential health problems
before they occur, provide
expert personal healthcare
for conditions, illnesses,
and injuries, and promote
general health, including
nutrition, fitness, and stress
management.
AMNM’s Executive Health
services mark a pioneering
step for the Qatari market
Highly credentialed allied health professionals at AMNM.
in the country,” she told Gulf
Times, adding that the launch
of the NHS 2018-2022 marked
the beginning of an important
and exciting new phase in Qatar’s
health journey.
Dr Adam highlighted the im-
portance of having world-class
evidence-based medical services
in Internal Medicine, Gastroen-
terology, ENT, Orthopaedics and
Rehabilitation, Dermatology,
Dentistry, Reproductive Medi-
cine and In Vitro Fertilisation,
Gynaecology, Anaesthesiol-
ogy and Diagnostic Imaging, and
Laboratory Medicine (all offered
at AMNM) – which is expected
to further boost Qatar’s medical
tourism.
and bring forth the concept
of long-term wellness. This
is especially important for
executives, business owners
and entrepreneurs with busy
schedules or individuals who
seek comprehensive care in an
efficiently organised schedule
to help maintain good health in
years to come.
The partnership between
Alfardan Group and US-based
Northwestern Medicine
for AMNM leverages both
organisations’ complementary
strengths: Alfardan Group’s
legacy and scale in offering
hospitality and luxury
experiences, and Northwestern
Medicine’s longstanding history
and leadership in the medical
field.
The co-operation between
Alfardan Group and
Northwestern Medicine is built
on the shared values of service
excellence and delivering
world-class experiences.
She noted that AMNM will
introduce other medical speci-
alities such as ophthalmology,
plastic surgery, additional den-
tistry specialities and Executive
Health in 2021.
Dr Adam also underscored
the vital role of having highly
credentialed allied health pro-
fessionals to provide advanced
medical care and premium serv-
ices.
“AMNM’s vision is to become
the trusted and innovative, next-
generation healthcare provider
in Qatar and beyond. Building on
Alfardan Group’s legacy in pre-
mier leadership in luxury expe-
riences, AMNM aims to position
and cement Qatar as a regional
hub for premium medical servic-
es and enhance its prominence in
international medical tourism,”
she said.
“We operate an American
model in advanced and evidence-
based medicine practices, backed
by highly credentialed physicians
and allied health professionals
practising in a complete patient-
centric approach, incorporating
a multi-disciplinary approach
to patient care,” Dr Adam said.
“This entails a seamless health-
care journey for the well-being of
patients through infrastructure,
architecture, and services.”
She noted that AMNM’s com-
mitment to excellence is rooted AMNM is responsible for the selection of medical staff and specialists, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine.
in advanced medicine: offering
the top-quality level of healthcare Drug Administration approved medical staff and specialists, in Dr Adam said the ambula- lenges in opening an ambulatory
and following the continuous ad- equipment,” Dr Adam said. collaboration with Northwest- tory care centre – following the care centre in Qatar amid a pan-
vancement in the medical field. She added that the ambulatory ern Medicine and based on their guidelines set by the Ministry of demic, she said: “Opening a new
“Moreover, benefiting from care centre’s world-class health- stringent talent recruitment and Public Health – ensures that the healthcare facility during a pan-
the interdisciplinary collabora- care services are powered by a development standards. right protective measures and demic is not easy, but our strong
tion between the different de- multinational collective of spe- About the impact of the coro- policies are in place to safeguard commitment and dedication to
partments at AMNM and support cialised medical staff and pro- navirus (Covid-19) pandemic everyone’s well-being. These serving the community and pro-
from Northwestern Medicine in fessionals from leading markets, to medical institutions such include temperature check and viding service excellence, even in
Chicago when needed, patients including a large contingent from as AMNM, she said ensuring symptom screening, wearing of times of uncertainty, has com-
receive high-quality medical the US or US-trained profession- and taking responsibility of the face mask, frequent sterilisation, pelled us to ensure that AMNM
care from outstanding doctors als. health and safety of their em- sanitisation, and social distanc- is ready to welcome patients. We
and friendly medical staff using According to Dr Adam, AMNM ployees and patients within their ing, among others. were able to start operating with
state-of-the-art, USA Food and is responsible for the selection of premises have become a priority. About addressing the chal- the support of MoPH.”
Dr Jessica Adam Premium medical services at AMNM.
The ambulatory care centre’s world-class healthcare services are powered by a multinational
collective of specialised medical staff and professionals from leading markets. Meet the healthcare Providers.
The ambulatory care centre – following the guidelines set by the Ministry of Public
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safeguard everyone’s well-being. AMNM’s Executive Health services mark a pioneering step for the Qatari market.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 9

Coronavirus reaches the end of earth as outbreak hits Antarctica
Reuters quarantine staff from a remote
Santiago research station surrounded by
ocean and icebergs.
The Covid-19 respiratory dis-
ing maintenance at the base.
The permanently-staffed
research station, operated by
Chile’s army, lies near the tip of a
in Magallanes, in Chilean Pat-
agonia, the army said.
Research and military stations
in Antarctica – among the most
Researchers with the British
Antarctic Survey estimate about
1,000 people at 38 stations across
the frozen continent had safely
WORLD
An army press officer said the
first Covid-19 cases had been re-
ported in mid-December, when
two soldiers fell ill.
Much of the area, blasted by
cold winds off the ocean, moun-
tains and glaciers, has been under
quarantine for months.

T
he coronavirus has landed
in Antarctica, the last con-
tinent previously free from
Covid-19, Chile’s military said
this week, as health and army of-
ficials scrambled to clear out and
ease is caused by the coronavirus.
Chile’s armed forces said at
least 36 people had been infected
at its Bernardo O’Higgins base,
including 26 army personnel and
10 civilian contractors conduct-
peninsula in northernmost Ant-
arctica, overlooking a bay often
dotted with icebergs.
Base personnel “are already
properly isolated and constantly
monitored” by health authorities
remote in the world – had gone
to extraordinary lengths in recent
months to keep the virus out,
cancelling tourism, scaling back
activities and staff and locking
down facilities.
navigated the southern hemi-
sphere winter without incident.
However, an uptick in travel to
and from the region this spring
and early summer have height-
ened infection risk.
The Magallanes region, one
of the closest populated areas to
Antarctica and take-off point for
many boats and planes headed
to the continent, is among the
hardest-hit in Chile.
Chile’s navy reported it too had
detected three cases of Covid-19
among 208 crew members of a
ship that had sailed in the Ant-
arctic region between November
27 and December 10.

Two cardinals test positive for virus

Pope Francis will deliver his Christmas Day message indoors due to

WHO meeting today

coronavirus restrictions, the Vatican said yesterday, as two cardinals close
to the Pontiff tested positive for Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused
by the coronavirus.
The Pope traditionally gives his Urbi and Orbi (To the City and The World)
message from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on December 25.
But this year Italy has imposed tough new restrictions over the Christmas
and New Year period to stem the spread of coronavirus.
As a result, the Vatican said: “Pope Francis will deliver the Christmas mes-

on new virus variant

Reuters/AFP “Supply chains for essential
Geneva goods & essential travel should
remain possible,” Kluge tweeted.
Drug makers including BioN-
The latest 1mn cases were re-
corded in just six days, according
to a Reuters tally, as US Covid-19
fatalities approach 320,000, the
coronavirus pandemic.
According to the text, which
will now be submitted to parlia-
ment, a negative Covid test or
to stop the novel coronavirus
spreading as a third wave of the
pandemic proves much tougher
to contain in the densely popu-
sage and impart the blessing Urbi et Orbi in the Hall of Blessings in the
Vatican Apostolic Palace.”
On December 26 and 27 and January 1, 3 and 6, the recitation of the Ange-
lus prayer will take place in the library.
Christmas Eve mass on December 24 had already been brought forward
to allow the faithful to get home by Italy’s 10pm curfew.
The news came as Vatican sources said two cardinals in the Pope’s entou-
rage were confirmed to have coronavirus.
The Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who is in charge of the Pope’s chari-
ties, “tested positive for Covid-19”, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, 78, the president of the governorate –

T
he World Health Organi-
sation (WHO) has called a
meeting of members today
to discuss a new, more infectious
variant of the coronavirus that
has emerged in Britain.
The coronavirus causes the
Covid-19 respiratory disease.
A spokeswoman said the
meeting was designed to help
with information-sharing.
“Limiting travel to contain
spread is prudent until we have
better info,” Hans Kluge, the
WHO’s Regional Director for Eu-
rope, tweeted.
However, the Geneva-based
body has cautioned against ma-
jor alarm over the variant, saying
that it is a normal part of a pan-
demic’s evolution and praising
Britain for detecting it.
As trucks barred from entering
France backed up along miles of
motorway in southern England,
the WHO also said in a statement
that cargo transport for essential
supplies such as food, medicines
and fuel should be prioritised and
facilitated.
Tech and Moderna are scram-
bling to test their Covid-19 vac-
cines against the new variant.
The WHO repeated that there
was not yet enough information
to determine whether the new
variant could affect vaccine ef-
ficacy.
More than 77.41mn people
have been reported to be infected
by the novel coronavirus globally
and 1,704,703 have died, accord-
ing to a Reuters tally.
Infections have been reported
in more than 210 countries and
territories since the first cases
were identified in China in De-
cember 2019.
Meanwhile, the total United
States Covid-19 cases surpassed
18mn yesterday as health officials
tried to tamper fears about a new,
highly transmissible variant of
the coronavirus in the United
Kingdom.
News of the coronavirus mu-
tation comes as the United States
deals with a surge in new infec-
tions that is overwhelming hos-
pitals in some states.
most in the world.
Britain reported a record
number of new Covid-19 infec-
tions yesterday as it battles a
surge in cases caused by a variant
strain of the disease.
Official figures showed there
had been 36,804 new cases and a
further 691 deaths within 28 days
of a positive test, both up mark-
edly from a day before.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
and his scientific advisers said
on Saturday that a variant of the
coronavirus, which could be up
to 70% more transmissible, was
spreading rapidly in Britain, al-
though it was not thought to be
more deadly or to cause more se-
rious illness.
Meanwhile, people who fail to
get a Covid-19 vaccination could
be banned from using public
transport in France, according to
a draft law.
Prime Minister Jean Castex on
Monday got his cabinet’s backing
for a bill that is designed to pro-
vide a legal framework for dealing
with health crises, including the
proof of a “preventative treat-
ment, including the administra-
tion of a vaccine” could be re-
quired for people to be granted
“access to transport or to some
locations, as well as certain ac-
tivities”.
The government’s vaccination
campaign is to start on Sunday,
and officials already face wide-
spread resistance to a treatment
developed in record time since
the outbreak hit Europe early this
year.
A recent poll by the Journal du
Dimanche newspaper found that
59% of respondents said they
would not get a Covid shot, one
of the highest rates in the Euro-
pean Union.
President Emmanuel Macron
has promised that coronavirus
vaccinations, though strongly
recommended, will not be man-
datory, a pledge reiterated by
Health Minister Olivier Veran
yesterday.
South Korea moved yester-
day to shut down all ski resorts
and winter tourist spots in a bid
lated region of the capital city.
From December 24 to January
3, the government will close ski
facilities and tourist attractions,
popular during the year-end sea-
son, said Prime Minister Chung
Sye-kyun, speaking during a tel-
evised briefing.
Taiwan reported yesterday its
first locally transmitted case of
Covid-19 since April 12, a friend
of a New Zealand pilot who was
confirmed to have been infected
earlier this week, and is testing
more than 100 contacts of the
woman.
Taiwan has kept the pandemic
well under control thanks to early
and effective prevention methods
and widespread mask wearing,
with all new cases for more than
the last 250 days being among
travellers arriving on the island.
Health Minister Chen Shih-
chung told reporters the new
locally-transmitted case was a
woman in her 30s who had close
contact with the New Zealand
pilot, who was himself confirmed
to have been infected on Sunday
effectively the chief executive – of the tiny state of Vatican City has also
tested positive, a Vatican source told AFP.
India’s CBSE board exams delayed: minister
Every year India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts
examinations for classes 10 and 12 starting in February, but the board
exams in 2021 would be delayed.
According to Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, there is
no proposal to conduct board examinations in February 2021.
Along with this the Union Ministry of Education has clarified that other
procedures related to the board examinations will also be given additional
time.
Nishank said: “The process of board examinations will no longer be
started in January-February this time.”
The board examinations usually start from the last week of February.
There are also various practical examinations conducted in January every
year. – IANS
having flown flights to the United 67-year-old prawn seller from
States. Mahachai market, Samut Sa-
A coronavirus outbreak linked khon province, about 40 minutes
to a seafood market in Thailand southwest of Bangkok.
passed 1,000 cases yesterday, as As of early morning yester-
authorities weighed whether to day, there were 1,063 confirmed
introduce a wider lockdown. positive cases out of 6,156 tested
Thailand has been on tenter- – a major outbreak for a country
hooks since Thursday follow- which previously had 4,300 in-
ing the positive virus test of a fections.

Locked-down sisters EU urges end to bans

design board game over UK Covid strain
Reuters finding that hoarders have al- AFP “potentially dangerous virus
Wiesbaden, Germany ready snapped up all the pasta or Brussels mutations from spreading in
toilet rolls. continental Europe”.
“The basic principle is one of The border closures come as

A T
t wits’ end during Ger-
many’s first lockdown, the
four Schwaderlapp sisters
decided to put their long hours
indoors to good use – by invent-
ing a coronavirus board game
that is selling by the thousands.
The coronavirus causes the
Covid-19 respiratory disease.
Corona can be played by up to
four players, who compete to buy
all the groceries on a shopping
list for an elderly neighbour who
is shielding against the virus.
The players collect and swap
game cards, and the winner is
whoever delivers all the items
first.
Hurdles along the way include
encountering the virus, which
sends you into quarantine, or
solidarity,” 20-year-old Sarah
told Reuters TV from the fam-
ily home in the western city of
Wiesbaden. “Each of the players
can decide to co-operate with the
others ... or make thing harder
for them by blocking their path
with viruses.”
The sisters worked on the game
most evenings during the spring
lockdown, gradually incorporat-
ing more elements from news
broadcasts about the pandemic.
“That was the case with
hoarding. And we saw about the
balcony concerts in Italy and
turned that into a playing card
too,” added sister Rebecca.
Impressed with his daughters’
efforts, father Benedikt Schwad-
erlapp decided to commercialise
he European Commission
has urged EU nations to
lift travel bans imposed
on Britain to halt the spread of
a coronavirus variant that has
swept the UK and spurred global
panic just as vaccines are being
rolled out worldwide.
The new strain which has also
been detected in small numbers
elsewhere, appears to spread
more easily than other types but
there is no evidence it is more le-
thal or resistant to vaccines, ac-
Corona – the rush to the shops board game invented to pass away the time in lockdown, in Wiesbaden cording to experts.
Biebrich, Germany. Its discovery has nevertheless
heightened fears that led more
the game by hiring an artist to secondary distributor. ation – packing and posting 500 than two dozen countries around
design cards, board and box. “Because the game has been games within a very short pe- the world to suspend flights from
So far he’s sold 2,000 copies, so popular it’s been quite a chal- riod,” he said. “Demand has been the UK out of precaution.
and has signed up a toy store as a lenge for our family-based oper- massive from across Germany.” With the bans unleashing
travel chaos during the holiday
season, the European Commis-
sion, the EU’s executive arm,
recommended lifting the border
the European Union prepares to
start rolling out the Pfizer-Bi-
oNTech vaccine on Sunday, fol-
lowing similar vaccination cam-
paigns in the UK and the US.
The co-founder of BioN-
Tech assured yesterday that it is
“highly likely” that its vaccine
against the coronavirus works
against the mutated strain de-
tected in Britain.
And if not, the vaccine could
be adapted in six weeks, said
Ugur Sahin, adding that tests are
already being run on the variant.
In an increasingly isolated
Britain, one of the biggest con-
cerns remains France’s move to
cut freight traffic as part of a 48-
hour blockade on the movement
of people across the English
Channel.
The British government said
yesterday that it is considering
tests for truckers as part of talks

21 journalists victims of ‘reprisal’ killings in 2020 restrictions with Britain, urging

AFP A total of 30 journalists were
New York killed in the line of duty in
2020, according to a tally by the
watchdog group.
with at least five journalists sin-
gled out for reprisal killings, the
group said in its report.
“The fact that murder is on
essential,” CPJ executive direc-
tor Joel Simon stated, adding:
“It’s appalling that the murders
of journalists have more than
meanwhile, to the lowest level
since 2000, in view of pandem-
ic-related travel restrictions.
The CPJ counted three such
virus tests be carried out on pas-
sengers within 72 hours before
travel.
“Flight and train bans should
be discontinued given the need
to ensure essential travel and
avoid supply chain disruptions,”
with French authorities to allow
the resumption of freight traffic.
While Prime Minister Boris
Johnson insisted that supply
chains were “strong and robust”,
experts warn that Britain may
face shortages of certain fresh
foods over the Christmas period.

A
t least 21 journalists have The CPJ is still investigating the rise and the number of jour- doubled in the last year, and this deaths, all in Syria. a statement from the EU execu- Andrew Opie, director of food
been victims of reprisal the deaths of at least 15 other nalists imprisoned around the escalation represents a failure of Earlier this month, the or- tive said. and sustainability at the British
killings so far this year, journalists this year to deter- world hit a record is a clear dem- the international community to ganisation reported a record EU member states are among Retail Consortium, said that the
more than double the number mine whether journalism was onstration that press freedom confront the scourge of impu- number of journalists impris- those imposing flight, train and “borders really need to be run-
from last year, the Committee to the motive. is under unprecedented assault nity.” oned in 2020, in line with a ferry bans on UK arrivals since ning pretty much freely from
Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in Mexico was the most danger- in the midst of a global pan- The number of combat-relat- similar tally from France-based Britain announced the discovery tomorrow to assure us that there
a report yesterday. ous country for newsgathering demic, in which information is ed deaths for reporters declined Reporters Without Borders. of the new strain of coronavirus. won’t be any disruption”.
The ban on arrivals in France Washington has so far held off
has led to long tailbacks of freight on suspending flights with the
European, US police take down ‘best’ criminal VPN Rio mayor arrested on corruption charges trucks in southern England, and UK but passengers flying from
has disrupted passenger travel in Britain to New York with Brit-
European and US police have taken “This VPN service was sold at a high Rio de Janeiro’s outgoing mayor was was crucial to the far-right Bolsonaro’s the run-up to Christmas. ish Airways or Delta will have to
down one of the world’s foremost virtual price to the criminal underworld as arrested yesterday on graft allegations in 2018 election victory. EU member states are respon- first test negative for coronavi-
private networks (VPNs) used by criminals one of the best tools available to avoid an embarrassment for Brazilian President Bolsonaro endorsed Crivella’s re-election sible for their own borders, but rus, New York Governor Andrew
to commit ransomware attacks and law enforcement interception, offering Jair Bolsonaro, an ideological ally and attempt, which the unpopular mayor lost, representatives were to meet Cuomo announced.
other serious cybercrimes, Europol said up to five layers of anonymous VPN anti-corruption campaigner who had drawing just 36% of votes in a November later to study the Commission’s A US official advising the
yesterday. connections,” Europol said. backed the mayor’s failed re-election bid. run-off vote. recommendations. country’s Operation Warp Speed
Police in Reutlingen, southern Germany, Investigators also identified some 250 Marcelo Crivella, who was arrested at Crivella’s arrest poses questions for The World Health Organisa- vaccine programme also stressed
seized the Safe-Inet VPN service on companies spied upon by criminals using home in western Rio just nine days the president, who has railed against tion said it would also convene that more information was
Monday, taking down its servers. Safe-Inet. before the end of his term, denied any corruption in previous administrations its members to discuss how to needed to establish the risk of the
“A splash page prepared by Europol was The companies “were subsequently wrongdoing and said he was the target of and pledged to clean up Brazil’s politics. handle the outbreak”. UK variant.
put up online after the domain seizures,” warned of an imminent ransomware attack political persecution. Crivella is just the latest Rio politician to Yesterday Germany extended “There is no hard evidence
the Hague-based agency said. against their systems, allowing them to A former evangelical pastor, Crivella is be arrested over suspected graft. its ban on arrivals from the UK that this virus is actually more
Active for over a decade “Safe-Inet take measures to protect themselves the nephew of billionaire preacher Edir Rio state Governor Wilson Witzel was – as well as South Africa, where transmissible, (but) there is clear
was being used by some of the world’s against such an attack”. Macedo, one of Brazil’s wealthiest men suspended from office on August 28 on a similar variant has been found evidence that there is more of it
biggest cyber-criminals ... responsible Police chiefs hailed the operation, saying and most politically-connected religious concerns he would interfere with graft – until January 6. in the population,” said Moncef
for ransomware, e-skimming breaches that co-operation between Europol, France, leaders. inquiries he is facing. Health Minister Jens Spahn Slaoui, a vaccine scientist and
and other forms of serious cyber-crime”, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and The support of figures such as Macedo Corruption investigations landed five of said that “as long as it is pos- former pharmaceutical execu-
Europol said. the United States led to its success. and Brazil’s huge evangelical voting bloc his predecessors in jail. sible”, Germany aims to prevent tive.
 Gulf Times
10 Wednesday, December 23, 2020
COMMENT
Will China turn off Asia’s tap?
CHAIRMAN
Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Attiyah
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka
By Brahma Chellaney
Deputy Managing Editor New Delhi
K T Chacko
E
ven after Asia’s economies
P.O.Box 2888, Doha, Qatar climb out of the Covid-19
recession, China’s strategy of
editor@gulf-times.com frenetically building dams and
44350478 (News), reservoirs on transnational rivers will
confront them with a more permanent
44466404 (Sport), barrier to long-term economic prosper-
44466636 (Home delivery) ity: water scarcity. China’s recently
unveiled plan to construct a mega-dam
44350474 on the Yarlung Zangbo river, better
facebook.com/gulftimes known as the Brahmaputra, may be the
biggest threat yet.
twitter.com/gulftimes_Qatar China dominates Asia’s water map,
owing to its annexation of ethnic-
minority homelands, such as the water-
GULF TIMES rich Tibetan Plateau and Xinjiang.
China’s territorial aggrandisement in
the South China Sea and the Himalayas,
where it has targeted even tiny Bhutan,
has been accompanied by stealthier
Mutated virus, new efforts to appropriate water resources in
transnational river basins – a strategy
that hasn’t spared even friendly or
pliant neighbours, such as Thailand,
lockdowns and Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Kazakhstan,
and North Korea. Indeed, China has not
hesitated to use its hydro-hegemony
against its 18 downstream neighbours.
global caution The consequences have been serious.
For example, China’s 11 mega-dams
on the Mekong river, Southeast Asia’s
arterial waterway, have led to recurrent
Mutations of viruses is a natural phenomenon as they drought downriver, and turned the
circulate in their hosts. Mekong Basin into a security and
But a new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus is spreading environmental hot spot. Meanwhile,
in largely arid Central Asia, China
rapidly in Britain and prompting high levels of concern across
has diverted waters from the Illy
the world, bringing about a fresh wave of lockdowns and and Irtysh rivers, which originate in
travel restrictions. China-annexed Xinjiang. Its diversion
Scientists say the concerns are mostly justified. While of water from the Illy threatens to
it was first seen in Britain in September, by the week of turn Kazakhstan’s Lake Balkhash into
December 9 in London, 62% of Covid-19 cases were due to another Aral Sea, which has all but dried
up in less than four decades.
the new variant. That compared to 28% of cases three weeks Against this background, China’s
earlier, according to a Reuters report. plan to dam the Brahmaputra near its
Amid all the alarm, there are two striking aspects about the disputed – and heavily militarised –
new strain. border with India should be no surprise.
The bad: It may be up to 70% more transmissible than other The Chinese communist publication
Huanqiu Shibao, citing an article that
circulating Sars-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19)
appeared in Australia, recently urged
strains. India’s government to assess how China
The good: There has been no conclusive evidence to suggest could “weaponise” its control over
that the new mutant is deadlier, according to the World transboundary waters and potentially
Health Organisation. “choke” the Indian economy. With the
In a wider sense, many Brahmaputra megaproject, China has
provided an answer.
thousands of mutations
There is no and distinct lineages
The planned 60-gigawatts project,
which will be integrated into China’s
evidence to have already arisen in
the Sars-CoV-2 genome
next Five-Year Plan starting in January,
will reportedly dwarf China’s Three
conclude that the since it emerged in late Gorges Dam – currently the world’s
largest – on the Yangtze River,
2019 in Wuhan, China.
new mutant is And the vast majority of
generating almost three times as much
electricity. China will achieve this
deadlier, says mutations have left no
apparent effect on the
the WHO virus.
However, scientists pay
most attention to mutations like those found in the new UK
strain. It involves the gene that encodes the Sars-CoV-2 spike
How to make better economic policy choices
protein, which is associated with viral entry into cells and
influences immunity and vaccine efficacy. By Mariana Mazzucato , Simon Sharpe
A key question now is how the new strain will have a bearing London
on the vaccines.
WHO officials have said the Sars-CoV-2 mutations have so
T
he United Kingdom is entering
far been much slower compared with influenza, and that even its deepest recession in 300
the new UK variant remains much less transmissible than years. Millions of jobs are at
other diseases like mumps. risk. And national debt has
exceeded 100% of GDP. Now is hardly
More reassuringly, they say the vaccines being developed
the time to explore the conceptual un-
to combat Covid-19 should handle the new variants as well, derpinnings of economic theory, right?
although checks are under way to ensure this is the case. In fact, as governments everywhere
Maria van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19, are borrowing, spending, and regulating
told the BBC on December 20 that current information on an unprecedented scale, a deeper
suggests that the new variant doesn’t have any impact on the understanding of economic decision-
making is essential both to accelerate
vaccines being rolled out. the recovery and to avoid longer-term
However, as more mutations occur, vaccines may need to be risks. That is why the UK Treasury’s
altered. This happens with seasonal flu, which mutates every new guidance on decision-making for
year, and the vaccines are adjusted accordingly. transformational change is so welcome,
Unlike common flu, coronaviruses have a proof-reading and why finance ministries everywhere
should follow suit.
mechanism that means they don’t mutate as quickly.
In a recent study for the UK’s Better
Covid-19 vaccines that have so far proved effective in trials Regulation Executive, we found that,
can be easily tweaked if necessary, the BMJ medical journal while public policy organisations
reported on December 16. are increasingly diversifying their
WHO officials have even sounded positive on the discovery approaches to decision-making, many
of the new strains, saying new tools to track the virus are remain overly reliant on static tools
such as cost-benefit analysis. Such
working. tools are ill-suited to understanding,
Countries imposing travel curbs are acting out of an predicting, and driving innovation and
abundance of caution while they assess risks, according to structural change in the economy. In
WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan. “That is prudent. But it the UK, critics of cost-benefit analysis
is also important that everyone recognises that this happens, argue it has contributed to worsening
regional inequality.
these variants occur.” If infrastructure investments in
The virus, for sure, is not going to die out any time soon; the higher-productivity areas are assessed
world has to learn to live with it in the long term. as more valuable, these wealthier
As a matter of fact, global concerns over the new strain regions will receive the lion’s share
are justified as Sars-CoV-2 still remains insidious. Equally of new investments, raising their
productivity further. This reinforcing
important is complying with national protocols and making
feedback loop will naturally cause a
sensible choices based on information substantiated by growing gulf between the haves and the
official agencies. have-nots. Static cost-benefit analysis
does not recognise these dynamic
feedbacks.
Prevailing economic-policy
To Advertise frameworks have likewise hindered
the global response to climate change.
advr@gulf-times.com Static analysis has suggested that
replacing coal with gas would be the
Display cheapest way to reduce emissions.
44466621 44418811 But this utterly ignored the dynamic
feedbacks that would drive renewables
Classified rapidly to become the cheapest form of
44466609 44418811 electricity generation.
These are not market failures; they
Subscription are failures in our understanding of how
markets work.
circulation@gulf-times.com When we worked together on the
UK’s Industrial Strategy in 2017, we
found that many economists had highly
© 2020 Gulf Times. All rights reserved restrictive views about the role of the
by harnessing the power of a 2,800-
m (3,062-yard) drop just before the
river crosses into India. What the
chairman of China’s state-run Power
Construction Corp, Yan Zhiyong,
calls an “historic opportunity” for his
country will be devastating for India.
Just before crossing into India, the
Brahmaputra curves sharply around the
Himalayas, forming the world’s longest
and steepest canyon – twice as deep as
America’s Grand Canyon – and holding
Asia’s largest untapped water resources.
Experience suggests that the
proposed megaproject threatens those
resources – and China’s downstream
neighbours. China’s past upstream
activities have triggered flash floods
in the Indian states of Arunachal and
Himachal. More recently, such activity
turned the water in the once-pristine
Siang – the Brahmaputra’s main artery
– dirty and grey as it entered India.
About a dozen small or medium-size
Chinese dams are already operational in
the Brahmaputra’s upper reaches. But
the megaproject in the Brahmaputra
Canyon region will enable the country
to manipulate transboundary flows far
more effectively. Such manipulation could
leverage China’s claim to the adjacent
Indian state of Arunachal, which is almost
three times the size of Taiwan. Given that
China and India are already locked in a
tense, months-long military standoff,
which began with Chinese territorial
encroachments, the risks are acute.
And yet the country that will
state. Some advocated government
support only for sectors that had already
proven to be relatively competitive
exporters. Others said anything beyond
fixing market failures was too much. For
still others, the best industrial strategy
was none at all.
And yet it was state-led investments
that led to the Internet and
smartphones – investments that were
aimed not at fixing market failures, but
at developing new opportunities. If
South Korea had concentrated during
the post-World War II years on sectors
where it had a proven comparative
advantage, it would have doubled down
on rice exports rather than transforming
itself into the world’s most innovative
economy.
The UK Treasury’s new guidance is
revolutionary in recognising that the
economy is a complex system, shaped
by dynamic feedbacks and constant
change. This new understanding, based
on the concepts and mathematics
of evolution, rather than those of
Newtonian mechanics, can look beyond
the allocation of scarce resources to the
creation of new ones. It recognises that
innovation, growth, and transformation
are happening all the time; it is up to the
state to encourage a direction of change
that is advantageous to society.
Direction-setting choices are
important, because seemingly small
developments can have huge, long-
lasting consequences. The innovations
that gave internal combustion engines
the edge over electric vehicles in the
early 1900s had profound effects – on
The United Kingdom is entering its deepest recession in 300 years.
suffer the most as a result of China’s
Brahmaputra dam project is not India
at all; it is densely populated and
China-friendly Bangladesh, for which
the Brahmaputra is the single largest
freshwater source. Intensifying pressure
on its water supply will likely trigger
an exodus of refugees to India, already
home to millions of illegally settled
Bangladeshis.
The Brahmaputra megaproject
also amounts to a slap in the face of
Tibet, which is among the world’s
most biodiverse regions and has a
deeply rooted culture of reverence
for nature. In fact, the canyon region
is sacred territory for Tibetans: its
major mountains, cliffs, and caves
represent the body of their guardian
deity, the goddess Dorje Pagmo, and the
Brahmaputra represents her spine.
If none of this deters China, the
damage it is doing to its own people
and prospects should. China’s over-
damming of internal rivers has severely
harmed ecosystems, including by
causing river fragmentation and
disrupting the annual flooding cycle,
which helps to refertilise farmland
naturally by spreading silt. In August,
some 400mn Chinese were put at risk
after record flooding endangered the
Three Gorges Dam. If the Brahmaputra
mega-dam collapses – hardly
implausible, given that it will be built
in a seismically active area – millions
downstream could die.
The Great Himalayan Watershed is
the oil industry, urban planning, global
geopolitics, and the planet – with which
we are grappling to this day.
Path dependence arises because
markets are deeply social, embedded
in institutions, norms, and routines,
and because technologies benefit
from increasing returns. As a result,
markets can get locked into sub-
optimal conditions, and economies
can get stuck in competitive positions,
whether they like it or not. For
decades, Germany has been a world
leader in machine tools, and the
United States in information and
communications technologies.
Today, the world is moving toward a
clean-energy economy. But the shape it
takes, the pace at which it develops, and
the competitive positions of countries
within it depend on the economic-
policy decisions governments make
now. Governments that try to stimulate
their economies by building new coal
power plants will create new stranded
assets and increase the future risk of job
losses. Those that invest strategically
in clean technologies, by contrast, will
claim superior positions in the economy
of the future.
Having set a direction, governments
need to identify the most effective
policies to drive progress. In complex
systems, cause and effect are usually
disproportionate. To secure large gains
from small inputs, and not vice versa,
we must find points of leverage.
Many economists have recommended
a single carbon price, applied
equally across the economy, as the
home to thousands of glaciers and the
source of Asia’s greatest river systems,
which are the lifeblood of nearly half the
global population. If glacial attrition
is allowed to continue – let alone to be
accelerated by China’s environmentally
catastrophic activities – China will not
be spared.
For its own sake – and the sake of
Asia as a whole – China must accept
institutionalised co-operation on
transnational riparian flows, including
measures to protect ecologically fragile
zones and agreement not to dam
relatively free-flowing rivers (which
play a critical role in moderating the
effects of climate change). This would
require China to rein in its dam frenzy,
be transparent about its projects,
accept multilateral dispute-settlement
mechanisms, and negotiate water-
sharing treaties with neighbours.
Unfortunately, there is little reason
to believe this will happen. On the
contrary, as long as the Communist
Party of China remains in power, the
country will most likely continue to
wage stealthy water wars that no one
can win. – Project Syndicate
O Brahma Chellaney, Professor of
Strategic Studies at the New Delhi-based
Center for Policy Research and Fellow
at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin,
is the author of nine books, including
Asian Juggernaut, Water: Asia’s New
Battleground, and Water, Peace, and War:
Confronting the Global Water Crisis.
most efficient approach to reducing
greenhouse-gas emissions. But, apart
from a few exceptions, where targeted
carbon pricing has helped to activate
tipping points, new investments, not by
carbon taxes, have so far driven almost
all the world’s progress in low-carbon
transitions.
This should not be a surprise.
Imagine the incumbent fossil-fuel
economy as a large building that needs
to be demolished. Should we drive up
in a bulldozer and push hard against
the side, spreading pressure equally
across the whole edifice, or should
we concentrate that same energy in a
controlled explosion at a critical point
in the structure?
Identifying those critical points
requires a better understanding of
feedbacks in the economy, as we
advocated in 2018. Policy choices
also benefit from the consideration of
dynamic spillovers – where change in
one sector catalyses further changes
in others. For example, the software
industry emerged as a spillover from
Nasa’s Apollo programme. Had the
programme been evaluated based on
cost-benefit analysis, it would never
have been started.
In a new working paper, we suggest
how traditional cost-benefit analysis
can be broadened to become “risk-
opportunity analysis,” in which the
mapping and manipulation of feedbacks
is central. By grappling with the
economy in all its messy, ever-changing
complexity, this approach is better able
to ensure that our investments are not
wasted, our recovery is not delayed, and
the new world economy we create is
more prosperous, more equal, and more
sustainable. – Project Syndicate
O Mariana Mazzucato, Professor
of the Economics of Innovation and
Public Value at University College
London and Founding Director of the
UCL Institute for Innovation and Public
Purpose, is Chair of the World Health
Organisation’s Council on the Economics
of Health for All. She is the author of
The Value of Everything: Making and
Taking in the Global Economy, The
Entrepreneurial State: Debunking
Public vs. Private Sector Myths, and
the forthcoming Mission Economy:
A Moonshot Guide to Changing
Capitalism (Allen Lane, January 2021).
Simon Sharpe is a visiting policy fellow
at the UCL Institute for Innovation and
Public Purpose.
 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11

WORLD
Indonesian president
appoints new health
and trade ministers
CAR rebels seize city
Reuters
Jakarta

I
ndonesia’s president an-
nounced yesterday
sweeping reshuffle of his
a
cabinet, including a replace-
ment for a health minister
criticised for his perceived
mishandling of the country’s
coronavirus crisis.
The coronavirus causes the
Olivia Herlinda, policy di-
rector at the NGO Centre for
Indonesia’s Strategic Develop-
ment Initiatives, said the re-
shuffle was an opportunity for
a more effective approach.
“The new (health) minister
days before election
Russia sends ‘300 military personnel to support the trou- back and the situation was “un- The Russian foreign ministry expand its influence in Africa,
should quickly map out the instructors’: ministry bled country. der control”. said in a statement that the op- where the former Soviet Un-
gaps in Covid-19 handling thus Bambari is located 380km (240 The CAR is one of the poorest position and armed groups were ion used arms sales and military
far and prioritise strategic ac- AFP/Reuters miles) northeast of the capital and most unstable countries in trying to destabilise the situation training to wield clout.
tions,” she said. Bangui/Moscow Bangui. the world, experiencing only rare with the help of external forces. Rwanda has also sent “several
Jokowi had hinted at the re- The attack, which began at moments of peace since it be- The ministry said it was “seri- hundred men” under a bilateral
shuffle back in June after la- 10am, triggered a two-hour came independent from France ously concerned that the events agreement, the CAR government

Covid-19 respiratory disease.
President Joko Widodo,
known by his nickname Jokowi,
said six ministers would be re-
placed, including in the port-
folios of health, trade, tourism
and fisheries.
The newcomers will be inau-
gurated today.
Outgoing health minis-
ter Terawan Agus Putranto, a
military radiologist and former
personal physician to Jokowi’s
late mother, has faced public
calls to resign over a corona-
virus caseload that is among
Asia’s biggest.
At the start of the pandemic,
Terawan was criticised for sug-
gesting that prayer could help
protect people from the virus.
Indonesia has recorded over
678,000 cases and 20,250
deaths.
Budi Gunadi Sadikin, a
former head of Bank Man-
diri and chief of Indonesia’s
economic recovery taskforce,
would take over the health
portfolio.
menting to his cabinet a lack
of “sense of crisis” among his
ministers, and inefficient gov-
ernment spending.
Mohamed Lutfi, currently
Indonesia’s ambassador to
Washington and a trade min-
ister under president Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, will
replace Agus Suparmanto as
trade minister.
A politician from one of the
Islamic parties in Jokowi’s coa-
lition, Agus had been accused
of not doing enough to increase
export competitiveness when
Covid-19 was crippling world
trade.
The reshuffle come weeks
after the ministers of fisheries
and social affairs were named
as suspects in corruption cases
by the nation’s anti-graft body.
Jokowi also appointed in-
cumbent Surabaya mayor Tri
Rismaharini as social affairs
minister and Sandiaga Uno, a
businessman and former Ja-
karta deputy governor, as tour-
ism minister.
R
ebels in the Central Afri-
can Republic (CAR) have
seized Bambari, the coun-
try’s fourth-largest city, five days
before nationwide elections, the
local mayor, government and UN
sources said.
“The town is under the control
of armed groups,” Bambari may-
or Abel Matchipata said, while a
senior government official con-
firmed that “they are in the town,
we are waiting for reinforce-
ments, which are on their way”.
The attack follows the govern-
ment’s accusations at the week-
end that former president Fran-
cois Bozize was seeking to mount
a coup with armed groups ahead
of upcoming elections.
At the CAR’s request, Russia
and Rwanda have sent military
Little Fox eyes donkey
gunfight with CAR troops and
the United Nations’ peacekeep-
ing force MINUSCA, sources in
NGOs and the UN said.
“There has been no violence
towards local people, but they
have ransacked the police sta-
tion, the gendarmerie and peo-
ple’s houses,” Matchipata said.
The sources said the rebels
were led by an armed group called
the Unity for Peace in Central
Africa (UPC), one of the militias
contesting the government in the
run-up to the December 27 polls.
On Saturday, the government
accused three militias of advanc-
ing along key highways towards
Bangui.
The MINUSCA said late on
Sunday that the advance was
halted and in some places pushed
in 1960.
The presidential and legisla-
tive elections have been gripped
by tension between President
Faustin-Archange Touadera and
a mosaic of armed groups that
sprang up after the country spi-
ralled into conflict in 2012.
Touadera is frontrunner in the
poll, but his government holds
sway over only about a third of
the country.
Russia confirmed that it had
dispatched 300 military in-
structors to the CAR at Bangui’s
request “to train the military
personnel of the national army”
under an existing co-operation
agreement.
It had previously deployed 175
military instructors to the CAR,
according to official figures.
of recent days have led to a sharp
degradation of the security situ-
ation” in the CAR.
The actions of the three rebel
groups had been “well-co-ordi-
nated and fed from the outside”
and aimed at “disrupting the
electoral process”, it said.
On Monday, Deputy Foreign
Minister Mikhail Bogdanov
denied that Moscow had sent
troops to the CAR, although he
noted that Russian military in-
structors were already there un-
der the existing bilateral deal.
The Kremlin has led a diplo-
matic and financial offensive in
the CAR since 2018 in return for
concessions to Russian compa-
nies to exploit its mineral wealth.
The strategy has been seen in
the context of a Russian bid to
Sudan, Ethiopia
said on Monday.
The deployment was con-
firmed by Rwandan President
Paul Kagame, although he did
not give details on numbers.
Thousands of people in the
landlocked country have died
since 2012, and nearly a quarter
of the population of 4.7mn have
fled their homes.
The International Criminal
Court (ICC)’s chief prosecutor,
Fatou Bensouda, called for “calm
and restraint” ahead of the elec-
tions.
“Anyone who commits, or-
ders, incites, encourages or con-
tributes, in any other way, to the
commission of crimes” would
be liable for prosecution either
by Bangui courts or by the ICC,
Bensouda warned.

Pakistan opposition issues tentative

start border talks
schedule for anti-government rallies AFP products, vandalised their
Khartoum camps, and hampered their
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an opposition parties’ harvesting.
alliance, has issued a tentative schedule for the second phase of its “A number of civilians have

S
anti-government campaign. udan and Ethiopia
According to the tentative schedule, the first rally will be held started talks yesterday
in Mardan today, in Larkana on December 27, in Bahawalpur on in Khartoum to demar-
December 30, in Bannu on January 6, and in Sialkot on January 9. cate their border, as Addis
The PDM plans a rally in Malakand on January 11, Loralai on January Ababa said incidents in a dis-
13, Tharparkar on January 16, Faisalabad on January 18, Sargodha on puted area jeopardised other-
January 23, and Sialkot on January 27. wise friendly ties between the
PDM spokesperson Mian Iftikhar Hussain said these dates would neighbours.
be finalised by the top leadership of the alliance. Pakistan Peoples Recent violence “did not
Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PDM will resemble the cordial relation
decide when to start the long march in Islamabad. – Internews that exists between our two
countries”, said Ethiopian dep-
uty prime minister and foreign
Pakistani activist in Canada dead minister, Demeke Mekonnen.
“It is endangering the
A Pakistani human rights activist living in Canada who went missing agreements we have reached
over the weekend has been found dead, Toronto police said, adding to maintain the status quo,”
that they believed her death to be a non-criminal matter. he said, according to opening
Karima Mehrab, a refugee from the Balochistan region of western remarks distributed by Ethio-
Pakistan, who was also known as Karima Baloch, went missing on pia’s embassy in Khartoum.
Sunday in Toronto’s downtown waterfront area. The two-day talks in Khar-
Police said her body was found on Monday. toum come a week after Ethi-
Mehrab was a prominent student organiser who campaigned for opian forces reportedly am-
Balochistan’s separation from Pakistan, and later fled to Canada bushed Sudanese troops along
amid threats. Two-year-old Sofia Fox is seen with a donkey wearing a Santa hat in a shopping street in Galway, the border, leaving four dead
She was named one of the BBC’s 100 inspirational and influential Ireland. and more than 20 wounded.
women of 2016. Sudan has since deployed
troops to the Al-Fashaqa bor-
der region, the site of sporadic
clashes.
The most contested region
been murdered and wounded,”
he said.
Demeke called for “reac-
tivating the existing mecha-
nisms and finding an amica-
ble solution”, while warning
against “unnecessary escala-
tion”.
Addis Ababa had previously
downplayed last week’s re-
ported ambush, saying that it
did not threaten the relation-
ship between the two coun-
tries.
A foreign ministry spokes-
man in Addis Ababa had told
AFP that Ethiopian security
forces had “repelled a group
of (Sudanese) low-ranking of-
ficers and farmers, who had
encroached on Ethiopian ter-
ritory”.
Sudanese Prime Minister
Abdalla Hamdok and his Ethi-
opian counterpart Abiy Ahmed
had on Sunday agreed to the
talks on the margins of a Dji-
bouti summit of regional bloc
the Intergovernmental Au-
thority on Development.
Sudan’s minister in charge

Family mourns mum and son gunned down over noise
Reuters a row over noise, triggering ac-
Paniqui, Philippines cusations from activists that
President Rodrigo Duterte’s war
on drugs had created a culture of
who do their duty, warning that
“there will be a hell to pay” for
rogue officers.
In a video recorded on a family
intensified, Nuezca shot her in
the head before doing the same
to Frank.
Before fleeing, Nuezca shot the
criminals and promises to pro-
tect law enforcement have em-
boldened police to commit and
cover up murder.
there is a 250sq km (100sq
mile) area where Ethiopian
farmers cultivate fertile land
on territory claimed by Sudan.
The area borders Ethiopia’s
troubled Tigray region, where
fighting broke out early last
month, causing tens of thou-
of the cabinet, Omar Manis,
led the Sudanese delegation.
Sudan and Ethiopia share a
1,600km frontier, with meet-
ings on border demarcation
previously held between 2002
and 2006.
In 1902, a deal to draw up

R
elatives of a woman and
her son shot dead by an
off-duty police officer in
the Philippines have called for
justice at their wake, amid pub-
lic outrage over an incident that
went viral on social media after it
was caught on camera.
Sonya Gregorio, 52, and 25-
year old son Frank Gregorio, were
shot in the head on Sunday after
police impunity.
“I lost a mother who was the
most loving mother to us. I lost a
brother who was also a very lov-
ing and caring brother. It’s very
hard for us,” said Tasha Delos
Santos. “I hope our family gets
justice.”
Duterte on Monday con-
demned the Tarlac shooting, and
said that he only defends police
member’s mobile phone, police
officer Jonel Nuezca was seen
engaging in a heated argument
with the Gregorios over the use
of a homemade cannon in Tarlac
province, north of Manila.
The devices, which make a
booming sound, are typically
used to celebrate New Year.
When Sonya wrapped her
arms around her son as the row
prone Sonya Gregorio again.
Nuezca surrendered to police
that night and faces two counts
of murder.
The government has promised
a thorough investigation.
“They weren’t criminals, they
were the nicest family here,” said
neighbour Gonyong Liwanag.
Critics and rights groups say
that Duterte’s talk of killing
Police reject that.
Government data show that
5,942 suspected drug dealers
have been killed by police since
2016.
Rights group say that number
is an understatement and accuse
police of summarily executing
users and pushers.
Police say those killed had re-
sisted arrest.
sands of Ethiopians to flee and
cross into Sudan.
But Demeke said that since
last month, Ethiopia had ob-
served “organised attacks by
the Sudanese military forces
using heavy machine guns”
and armoured convoys along
the border.
He said the forces had looted
Ethiopian farmers’ agricultural
the border was struck between
Great Britain, the colonial
power in Sudan at the time,
and Ethiopia, but the agree-
ment lacked clear demarcation
lines.
The last Sudan-Ethiopia
border talks were held in May
in Addis Ababa, but another
meeting scheduled for the fol-
lowing month was cancelled.

West Point hit by cheating scandal
AFP pandemic, after teachers found
New York irregularities in their answers,
officials said.
Following an investigation,
held accountable for their ac-
tions.”
It represents West Point’s
biggest cheating scandal since
Putin beefs up protections for ex-presidents
Reuters sweeping reforms of Russia’s po-
Moscow litical system initiated by Putin
this year.
Among other things, these al-
consecutive term and his fourth Among other things, the proc-
overall. ess involves the upper house of
Former presidents were al- parliament voting overwhelm-
ready entitled to immunity from ingly to revoke it on the strength

A P
merica’s prestigious
military school West
Point has been shaken
by its biggest cheating scandal
in decades, with dozens of its
cadets accused of breaking the
academy’s honour code in the
spring.
“A cadet will not lie, cheat,
or steal, or tolerate those who
do,” reads the code of the elite
school, situated 60 miles
(95km) north of New York City
on the banks of the Hudson
River.
However, in May more than
70 students were accused of
cheating on their final calculus
exam while learning remotely
because of the coronavirus
two cases were dropped due to
lack of evidence and four cadets
resigned from West Point.
Of the 67 remaining cases, 55
students admitted their guilt
and have been enrolled in a
“Special Leader Development
Programme” due to foster their
rehabilitation.
Eight must undergo further
investigation while four will
appear before a school board,
officials said.
“Cadets are being held ac-
countable for breaking the
code,” Christopher Ophardt,
a school spokesman told AFP.
“While disappointing, the
honour system is working, and
these 67 remaining cases will be
1976 when 152 students were
accused of cheating and the
US Secretary of the Army ap-
pointed a special commission to
investigate.
The probe concluded that the
rights of the students had not
been respected and the honour
code investigation process had
not been followed properly.
West Point, founded in 1802,
has 4,000 army cadets enrolled
in its four-year course.
They attend for free in return
for five years of active service
after graduation.
Notable alumni include
former president Dwight Ei-
senhower, Civil War general
Ulysses S Grant, and astronaut
Buzz Aldrin.
resident Vladimir Pu- low him to run for two more six- prosecution for crimes commit- of accusations by the lower house
tin signed laws yesterday year terms in the Kremlin if he ted while in office, but the new that the president has committed
granting former Russian chooses. law grants them lifelong immu- treason or another serious crime.
presidents expanded immunity He would otherwise have had nity, and says they cannot be ar- The other laws signed by Putin
from prosecution and allowing to step down in 2024. rested, searched, questioned, or allow presidents to name up to 30
them to become senators for life The reforms are being parsed prosecuted. senators to the Federation Coun-
in the upper house of parliament for clues as to what Putin, 68, The new legislation also makes cil, Russia’s upper house, and to
once they leave the Kremlin. may do at the end of his cur- it harder to revoke a former pres- join the Council themselves once
The new legislation follow rent term, which is his second ident’s immunity. they have left office.
South Korea scrambles jets over Chinese, Russian aircraft in air defence zone
South Korea said it scrambled fighter jets in Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). “This incident seems to be a joint military drill
response to an intrusion into its air defence The South Korean military dispatched air force between China and Russia, but it requires a
identification zone by 19 Russian and Chinese fighters to take tactical measures. further analysis,” the JCS said in a statement.
military aircraft yesterday. The South Korean military said the Chinese South Korea’s foreign ministry contacted
Four Chinese warplanes entered the Korea Air military had informed South Korea that its China and Russia and told them that there
Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) followed planes were carrying out routine training should not be a recurrence, Yonhap news
by 15 Russian aircraft, according to South before the Chinese aircraft entered the KADIZ. agency reported.
12 Gulf Times
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
QATAR
Qatar’s food security
facilities 85% complete
By Santhosh V Perumal
Business Reporter
Q
atar’s 530,000sq m “Strategic
Food Security Facilities” (SFSF),
being built at the Hamad Port at
an estimated cost of QR1.6bn, is 85%
complete and will be dedicated to the
nation by the second quarter (Q2) of
2021.
The Hamad Port project steering
committee is supervising the construc-
tion and development of the SFSF for
storing, processing, refining, and pre-
paring three main food commodities
(sugar, rice, and edible oils), which will
be available for use in the local, regional,
and global markets.
“The current overall progress of the
project is around 85%. Work is ongo-
ing to complete the construction works,
and targeted to be operational by Q2,
2021,” the Ministry of Transport and
Communications (MoTC) said, adding
that the tender document for the fa-
cilities operator, in co-operation with a
global consulting company, is complete.
The construction of the rice storage
silos has been 95% completed.
The rice processing facility is also
95% complete; it will receive 20%
brown rice and 80% white rice.
Brown rice will be milled first, and
then it will go to long-storage silos,
where the white rice will be stored for a
minimum of two years.
Both types of rice will be milled be-
fore packing.
The processing facility can produce
bagged rice with a capacity of 550MT
per day, ready for distribution to the
market.
The SFSF comprises 51 concrete stor-
age silos with a total storage capacity of
Mahaseel Festival opens today at Katara
about 300,000MT (metric tonnes).
There are two storage warehouses
(double and triple module) to store rice.
The total area of the double module
warehouse is 10,000sq m, with a stor-
age capacity of 28,000MT,
The total area of the triple module
warehouse is 15,000sq m, with storage
capacity of 44,000MT.
While processing the brown rice,
there will be waste in the form of bro-
ken/coloured rice.
This byproduct has been taken into
consideration in the SFSF project de-
sign; it will either to be processed into
rice flour or into animal feed.
Highlighting that 90% of the edible
oil tanks manufacturing works have
been completed, the MoTC said that in
the SFSF, the oil will be pumped from
ship to the intermediate storage tanks,
and then to the oil drying section.
Later, it will be stored in long-term
storage tanks, which is for a minimum
of two years.
As and when required, this oil will
be refined in the refinery section, and
stored in the refined oil tanks.
From there, it will be sent to the filling
section, where the oil will be filled and
packed in PET (polyethylene terephtha-
late) bottles.
“There will be four different types of
oils; sunflower, corn, palm, and olive
oil. The facility can produce oil in bot-
tles with a capacity of 326MT per day
ready for distribution to the market,” it
said.
As for the edible oil plant and tanks
facility, it consists of 44 stainless steel
oil storage tanks, with 36 to be used for
long-term, and eight for the final prod-
uct.
The total storage capacity of oil tanks
will be 120,000MT.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani and other officials inspect the
newly-inaugurated Hamad Port Medical Centre..
Two separate filling lines will be used
to bottle the refined oil.
The total storage capacity of oil ware-
house will be 13,000MT.
The MoTC said that about 90% of
the construction works for the sugar
Katara – the Cultural Village, in co-operation with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, is all set to open the fifth edition of the
Mahaseel Festival today (December 23). A wide range of farm produce – from vegetables, meat, and dairy products to ornamental plants
– will be offered at the annual event, which will see the participation of 28 Qatari farms and nine national companies. It will be open from
9am-9pm every day until January 2, after which the Mahaseel souq will operate on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until March 31.
PICTURES: Thajudheen
warehouses (final product) have been
completed, and work is currently un-
derway on the construction of Ware-
house 1 sugar storage, which is about
60% complete.
The total area of Warehouse 1 is
HE the Prime Minister and
Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid
bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani
listening to a briefing by HE the
Minister of Transport and
Communications Jassim Seif
Ahmed al-Sulaiti, during a visit to
the Hamad Port yesterday.
Left: HE the Prime Minister and
Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid
bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz al-Thani
with top Mwani Qatar officials
inspecting the progress of the
under-construction warehouses of
the SFSF at the Hamad Port.
15,000sq m, and it has a total storage
capacity of 130,000MT.
The total area of Warehouse 2 (quad-
ruple module warehouse) is 21,000sq
m, and it has a total storage capacity of
65,000MT.
PM opens
container
terminal 2
From Page 1
The Phase 1 of CT2 has been
equipped with three STS (ship-to-
shore) quay cranes with advanced
technology, including semi-auto-
mation and remote-control opera-
tions.
STS cranes are fast and highly-
efficient in handling containers and
capable of handling latest types of
vessels.
Each crane can handle four 20-
foot containers or two 40-foot con-
tainers at the same time.
Four more cranes will be added in
2021, taking the total to seven.
CT2 has been also equipped
with 12 RTGs (rubber-tyred gantry
cranes), and 14 more will be added in
2021, taking the total to 26.
RTGs are used for handling con-
tainers on the landside.
RTGs are of battery hybrid type,
which reduces the environmental
impact by lowering fuel consump-
tion.
Further, when a container/load is
lowered, there is a spike of generated
power which results in a rapid charge
event of the batteries.
CT2 has 22 Terminal Tractor
“APM 75T HE” for container trans-
portation within the terminal and
the port.
This type of terminal tractor is ca-
pable of functioning very efficiently
in high temperatures.
It’s equipped with advanced bat-
teries, an entirely solid-state tech-
nology insensitive to temperature
variations from -20°C to 160°C.
This supports its operations at
Hamad Port in summers, when tem-
peratures are very high in Qatar.
Highlighting that all materials
and equipment used in the works
of infrastructure, preparations and
establishments at CT2 were made
in Qatar, HE al-Sulaiti said that the
MoTC is “significantly” contribut-
ing to reinforcing the localisation of
manufacturing, expertise and global
technology.
QTerminals, which manages and
operates Phase 1 of Hamad Port, has
so far completed 3mn man-hours
without lost-time incident during
the development works of CT2, ac-
cording to the MoTC.
The premier also inaugurated the
Hamad Port Medical Centre, which
is equipped with all necessary medi-
cal equipment to serve the port’s
employees, visitors, and for the fit-
ness check-up of sailors and ship
crews, when applicable.