European Report Finds Waning of Democracy in Poland, Hungary

World

September 30th, 6:16pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Poland's PM Mateusz Morawiecki (L) speaks with Hungary's PM Viktor Orban prior to a meeting with European Commission president and the Visegrad Group at EU headquarters in Brussels, Sept. 24, 2020. (AP)

Democratic standards are facing “important challenges” in some European Union countries, particularly in Hungary and Poland, where the judicial systems are under threat, the EU's executive commission said Wednesday in its first report on adherence to the rule of law. The European Commission depicted a bleak situation in the two countries. Its wide-ranging audit found that prosecution of high-level corruption in Hungary “remains very limited,” and deemed Poland deficient in the four main areas reviewed: national justice systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media freedom and checks and balances. “It is relevant to have an overview of these issues, and see the links between them. Not least because deficiencies often merge into an undrinkable cocktail," EU Values Commissioner Vera Jourova told journalists. The report, published a day before the leaders of the EU’s 27 nations meet in Brussels for a two-day summit, could have repercussions for discussions on the bloc’s long-term budget. While EU leaders have agreed in principle on a 1.8 trillion-euro economic recovery package for the 2021-2027 budget period, they have yet to find common ground on how to distribute the money because many countries insist that allocations should be linked to respecting the EU's rule of law standards. Poland and Hungary, which believe they are being unfairly targeted, are opposed to the idea. The EU has accused the two countries of violating rule-of-law standards for years and is pursuing sanction procedures against them. Hungary immediately dismissed the report as irrelevant and biased. “The Commission’s Rule of Law Report is not only fallacious, but absurd,” the Hungarian government said in a statement. “The concept and methodology of the Commission’s Rule of Law Report are unfit for purpose, its sources are unbalanced and its content is unfounded.” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made no reference to the report while presenting his new cabinet on Wednesday, while Poland's liberal opposition, the Civic Coalition, stressed that the report was critical of the right-wing government, but not of the country itself. “It is the current ruling team that is rated so low in the report and it’s Law and Justice (party) that is responsible for all the problems that the European Commission is referring to now," said Civic Coalition lawmaker Kamila Gasiuk-Pichowicz. The EU report also called out Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia and Spain for threats against journalists, and threats, attacks and smear campaigns against journalists were also reported in Hungary. Bulgaria also was cited for a lack of judicial independence and an inability to tackle corruption cases properly. Bulgarian officials reacted along party lines. While government officials called the report an appreciation of Cabinet efforts to stem corruption, opposition lawmakers said the EU's conclusions demonstrated that the government lacks the political will to implement needed reforms. “The report is positive, objective and clearly outlines the results of cooperation with the EU,” Minister of Justice Desislava Ahladova said. The left-leaning country’s president, Rumen Radev, who has been a vocal critic of the government and supports the three-months long anti-corruption protests in Bulgaria, had a different perception. “They should have come earlier,” he said of the report's findings. The sticking points in Poland are the right-wing government’s moves to take control of the justice system, especially the judiciary. The report says “the double role where the minister of justice is also the prosecutor general has raised particular concerns, as it increases the vulnerability to political influence.” In Hungary, government-sponsored laws targeting media freedoms, minority rights, the electoral system and academic and religious freedoms drew the commission's notice. The EU report also criticized a “consistent lack of determined action to start criminal investigations and prosecute corruption cases involving high-level officials or their immediate circle." In an interview last week with Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine, Jourova said the report highlighted an “alarming” picture, and she accused Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of “building a sick democracy.” The story triggered Orban’s anger. He said Monday that Jourova’s statements humiliated Hungary and asked for her resignation, but EU officials have offered their overwhelming support to the commissioner. “As I grew up in communist Czechoslovakia, I know how it feels to live in country without the rule of law,” Jourova said. “The European Union was created also as an antidote to those authoritarian tendencies." The commission also looked into government measures that have limited personal freedoms during the coronavirus pandemic and noted that “reactions to the crisis showed overall strong resilience of the national systems." The commission will next debate the report with the European Parliament and EU nations.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538721/european-report-finds-waning-democracy-poland-hungary

Ball-Maker Hoping Nadal Wins in Paris to Prove Himself Wrong

Sports

September 30th, 6:12pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Rafael Nadal prepares to serve against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round match of the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sept. 30, 2020. (AP)

Less than half a gram, or half the weight of a dollar bill. That, according to their manufacturer, is the almost infinitesimal weight difference between the old French Open ball that Rafael Nadal happily bashed in winning his 12th title last year and the new one riling him in his chase for No. 13 at Roland Garros. In cool, damp autumnal Paris, weather alien to the native of a sun-kissed Mediterranean isle, the balls play “like a stone,” Nadal grumbled even before he had hit his first one in anger on the clay courts, aiming to tie Roger Federer's record for men of 20 Grand Slam titles overall. But the ball manufacturer who oversaw their development and testing is so convinced that Nadal is wrong that he’s quietly crossing fingers that Spain's “King of Clay” triumphs again, despite the fact that he is sponsored by a rival equipment maker, simply to prove that the balls are just fine. “Part of me is like, ‘Gosh, I hope Nadal wins, just so it makes this a really moot point,’” Jason Collins, the global product director for racket sports at Wilson Sporting Goods Co., said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I’m very confident that when the dust settles on this event, the ball is not going to be what Roland Garros 2020 is going to be remembered for." When the tournament announced the selection last November of the Chicago-based manufacturer, replacing French firm Babolat that sponsors Nadal, the coronavirus was unheard of. Wilson was, by then, already at work tailoring a bespoke ball for the often warm, occasionally rainy conditions expected in May and June of 2020, when the tennis world was due to jet into Paris for the second major tournament of the year. The pandemic nixed all that. The French Open got pushed to September, becoming the last of only three Grand Slams this year, after Wimbledon canceled for the first time since World War II. Instead of Paris in springtime, players got rain, cold, leaden skies and a wan sun that sets two hours earlier than it did in May. Either confined to a sanitary bubble in their hotels or laboring in wet-weather gear and leggings on clay courts rendered sticky and inhospitable, there has been considerable grumbling from some players, and the new ball has taken some of the brunt. “Some of those balls we were using you wouldn’t give to a dog to chew,” British player Dan Evans said after losing a five-set, 3 hour, 49-minute slog on the particularly sodden opening day. “It’s brutal. It’s so cold. I think the balls are the biggest thing. Maybe they got it a little wrong with the balls. It’s tough to get that ball to go anywhere.” Plugged into the tournament from Chicago, with TV coverage always on, Collins says that while “I don’t mean to defend Dan Evans for his comments," the feedback he got was that the problem lay in the way the balls were handled, not the balls themselves. Some rolled into tarpaulin covers that are folded at court-side when not deployed to shield them from a soaking, and where rain had puddled. “The damage is done but the reality is that, yes, some of those balls were literally in a puddle," Collins told the AP. "They should have been taken out of play.” The language of tennis, where players use the word “heavy" or, in Nadal's case, “super heavy," to describe what they perceive to be a lack of bounce and kick off the surface that is topped with the ochre dust of crushed bricks, has also fed into perceptions that the ball is unresponsive, perhaps even unsuited or somehow flawed. But Collins says the ball's specifications, finely measured and also tested by the governing body of tennis, tell a different story and that they're only very slightly different from the previous Babolat balls that also got mixed reviews when they replaced Dunlop at the French Open from 2011. In development, unbranded Wilson balls were blinded-tested by players and repeatedly tweaked — through some 10 iterations, “it was very micro," Collins says — until the final production of what tournament director Guy Forget insists is “a very good ball.” “From a pure spec perspective, the balls are virtually identical," Collins said. "From a weight, from a rebound, from a size, from a deformation perspective, they are very, very close. “From a weight perspective, it would be less than half a gram,” he added. “Any time there is a change, these guys and girls are super-sensitive and unfortunately sometimes perception takes over from common sense. This is just one of those times.” American player Jack Sock is among those who haven't noticed. “In general, if you gave me two different balls, I couldn’t tell you which was lighter, heavier. I just go out and play,” he said after a straight-sets win in his opening match. “I’m not sure about the crazy difference that guys are talking about.” And while No.2-ranked Nadal said it's “not a good ball to play on clay, honestly," and then added in Spanish that “with the cold, you can imagine, it’s like a stone," on the other end of the spectrum is No. 7-ranked Alexander Zverev. Like Nadal, the German isn't a Wilson player; his racket sponsor is Head. Yet Zverev has rejoiced at the change. “For me, the Babolats were the worst balls of all time. Because of that, for me, any other ball is just progress," he said in German. "We’re playing at 10 degrees, with drizzle. I think you can’t say so much good or bad about the balls now.” Collins says early indications from Nadal's first match, a straight-sets win, were that the balls' speed off his topspin forehand, a favored shot, was faster than last year. “Tennis is a mental sport, he may be making comments just to take pressure off himself," he said. "A stone definitely wouldn’t be good for his game but the good news is: This is not a stone.”

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538711/ball-maker-hoping-nadal-wins-paris-prove-himself-wrong

Director Schele Williams is Writing Book on Enslavement

Book Reviews

September 30th, 6:06pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Broadway director Schele Williams. (Brent Dundore)

Broadway director Schele Williams is working on a book for young people about the history of enslavement. Abrams Children’s Books announced Wednesday that Williams' “Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History” will come out in October 2021. The publisher is calling “Your Legacy” an “uplifting introduction to African American history that celebrates and honors enslaved ancestors, their accomplishments and sacrifices, and defines how they are remembered.” Williams said in a statement that the book, which will include illustrations by Tonya Engel, was inspired in part by her childhood education. “I remember learning about slavery in elementary school. My teacher read out loud about the Civil War and slavery as I sat transfixed by the accompanying illustrations,” she said. “I felt shame, isolated and othered seeing my ancestors in rags and shackles. I had so many questions but didn’t know where to begin. When my children came of age, I wanted them to hear about their history from me. So I searched for a children’s book about our enslaved ancestors but couldn’t find one … so I wrote it.” Williams is directing the upcoming revival of “Aida,” the Elton John-Tim Rice musical, and previously served as associate director of “Motown: The Musical.” She is also a founding member of Black Theater United, an advocacy organization which also includes Anna Deavere Smith, Audra McDonald and Wendell Pierce.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538701/director-schele-williams-writing-book-enslavement

Barkley Loaned to Villa as Chelsea Starts Trimming Squad

Sports

September 30th, 6:02pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Ross Barkley. (AFP)

Chelsea began the process of trimming its squad after a record spending spree by loaning England midfielder Ross Barkley to Aston Villa for the rest of the season on Wednesday. Barkley was facing limited playing time at Chelsea after the arrival of attacking midfielders Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech, with Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek also providing competition. The 26-year-old Barkley has started just 28 Premier League games since arriving from Everton in 2018 and sees a move to Villa helping his chances of remaining in the plans of England coach Gareth Southgate ahead of next year’s European Championship. “The last couple of years, I’ve been stop-start — performing well and then being out of the team,” Barkley said. “To come here and have the chance to play and perform regularly is a big thing for me. With the Euros at the end of the season, it’s a big target for me and hopefully I can be there.” Chelsea has spent around $300 million on new players for this season.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538696/barkley-loaned-villa-chelsea-starts-trimming-squad

Study: Neanderthal Genes May Be Liability for COVID Patients

Varieties

September 30th, 5:59pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Scientists say genes that some people have inherited from their Neanderthal ancestors may increase their likelihood of suffering severe forms of COVID-19. (AFP)

Scientists say genes that some people have inherited from their Neanderthal ancestors may increase their likelihood of suffering severe forms of COVID-19. A study by European scientists published Wednesday by the journal Nature examined a cluster of genes that have been linked to a higher risk of hospitalization and respiratory failure in patients who are infected with the new coronavirus. Researchers Hugo Zeberg and Svante Paabo determined that the genes belong to a group, or haplotype, which likely came from Neanderthals. The haplotype is found in about 16% of the population in Europe and half the population in South Asia, while in Africa and East Asia it is nonexistent. Modern humans and Neanderthals are known to have interbred at various points in history, resulting in an exchange of genes than can still be found today. The genes are one of several risk factors for COVID-19, including age, sex and pre-existing conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart problems. Zeberg and Paabo, who work at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, noted that the prevalence of the particular Neanderthal gene group is highest in people from Bangladesh, where 63% are estimated to carry a copy of the haplotype. They cited studies from the UK showing that people of Bangladeshi descent have about two times higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than the general population. “It is striking that the genetic heritage from the Neanderthals has such tragic consequences during the current pandemic," Paabo said in a statement. “Why this is must now be investigated as quickly as possible.” But Andre Franke, director of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology at the University of Kiel, Germany, said the findings have no immediate impact on the treatment of COVID-19. In a comment ahead of the study’s final publication, Franke said one interesting question arising from the study is why that haploytpe — unlike most Neanderthal genes — survived until today. “Perhaps it’s good for a very active immune system if one doesn’t have other risk factors,” he suggested.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538691/study-neanderthal-genes-may-be-liability-covid-patients

Rihanna Wants to Cheer up a Troubled World with Fashion Show

Fashion

September 30th, 5:56pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Rihanna. (AP)

With help from Lizzo, Travis Scott, Rosalia and some of the biggest names in modeling, Rihanna said she decided to forge ahead with a new digital-only Savage X Fenty lingerie show to bring something good into a troubled world. Insofar as well-priced intimates in a broad range of sizes can achieve that goal. “There's a lot going on in the world right now and I relate to all of it,” the superstar and fashion icon told The Associated Press during a recent round of interviews. “People need a little bit of hope, they need a little bit of happiness, and if we can bring a smile to their face and a little bit of fun while they're stuck at home, it's a desire and an honor to be a part of that.” The Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 2, with musical performances and dancers along with models, was filmed in September in Los Angeles and will drop Friday exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. It’s the line’s second turn on the streaming platform. Rihanna has quickly made a name for the company, launching Savage X Fenty in 2018 with splashy, performance-based shows before large (very excited) live crowds. For the first time, there's something for men, thanks to Christian Combs' appearance in last year's show with chunky bling around his neck, a bare chest and some ultra-tight skivvies as a disembodied voice purred: “Dirty. Nasty. Dirty. Nasty.” Combs designed some boxers worthy of all gender expressions to debut with pajamas and trunks in knits and satin for the Fall 2020 collection, all of which will be available for purchase Friday on Amazon Fashion and SavageX.com. Rihanna has proven her commitment to inclusive representation when presenting Savage X Fenty in her use of models in a range of sizes and shapes and across a broad spectrum of skin tones. Since the beginning, the line has been available from 32A to 42H in bras and XS to 3X in undies and sleepwear. In addition to Combs' contributions, new looks for her third Savage X Fenty show include her own doodles embroidered into some pieces, along with lacy lingerie with oversize floral designs and high-voltage color in silhouettes and styles intended for day-to-night wear. Other performers include Bad Bunny, with Combs, Rihanna pal Cara Delevingne, Bella Hadid, Big Sean, Normani and Irina Shayk among her models. Willow Smith, Paris Hilton and Demi Moore will model as newcomers this year. Like Savage X Fenty, Rihanna's embrace of diversity was expressed in 2017, when she launched Fenty Beauty with 40 shades of matte foundation, from the palest of pale to deep, deep brown with cool undertones. The company has been wildly successful, and her offerings have expanded, including a skin care line, Fenty Skin. She's also been busy regularly rolling out luxury wear for Fenty at LVMH. Savage X Fenty, Rihanna said, is “one of those spaces” where “inclusivity is part of the brand, always." As the Black Lives Matter movement and fight for social justice continue to play out throughout the US and the world, she said she'll continue to build on her commitment. “We don't believe in division. We do not believe in excluding anyone," she said. “That's been our message from day one and it's not going to change now because everyone is having that realization." Rihanna added: “We started this company on a Black woman's back.”

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538681/rihanna-wants-cheer-troubled-world-fashion-show

Kenzo Gets the Buzz at Bee-Themed Paris Fashion Week Show

Fashion

September 30th, 5:52pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

A model wears a creation for the Kenzo Spring-Summer 2021 fashion collection, Sept. 30, 2020, during Paris fashion week. (AP)

A hybrid Paris Fashion Week continued Wednesday featuring a stand out live runway show from socially-distanced Kenzo, but no sign of any A-list celebrities. Here are some highlights: Kenzo gets all the buzz Kenzo’s show was a fairy story in nature. Guests smiled as they breathed in the fresh air of the inner-city garden amid the sounds of the frothing fountain. Large umbrellas placed among the rose bushes marked out the show “seating,” little wooden stools, that ensured a safe distance between them. Many traipsed in bleary-eyed to this morning show, and were happy to discover a pot of honey on each stool. The “Honey of Montmartre,” which guests read off the honey pot label as the show got off to a tardy start, is the stuff produced near the Sacre Coeur church as part of a city-wide initiative to revive the dwindling bee population. For Felipe Oliveira Baptista, the bees were more than a show gimmick, and the sweetness not just in the pots -- it was to be found also in the creative, bee-themed designs. The designer used the Kenzo touchstone of the safari or the trek, and reinterpreted the sand dust visor as a netted beekeeper’s mask. On one of the first looks, the sheer fabric of the headwear was held with a large floppy hat. In clever creative play, Oliveira Baptista evoked a camouflage effect using printed vermilion flowers. Colors were eye-popping, either prime or acid and the silhouette was tight and sporty, or flowing and diaphanous. The collection was also defined by shape. One look featured a netted visor in peach yellow that fell straight down from the round hat in a column tube shape, and shoes were geometric sandals with soles made of the bubbles shapes that evoked the inner lining of a beehive. The eco-invite It took perhaps a deadly global pandemic for the fashion industry to change its wasteful and un-ecological system of invitations. Usually, houses compete to produce the most eye-catching, inventive and flamboyant show invitations delivered often by gas-guzzling courier to each guest’s personal or professional address with little thought to ecology. This season, owing to the virus threat and also the uncertainty surrounding the fashion show schedule, many top houses such as Balmain opted to invite guests via email. Some that did send physical invitations, such as Kenzo, were made of eco-papers. Anrealage pops with color Highly famous in native Japan, award-winning designer Kunihiko Morinaga is known for his daring concepts that merge art and fashion — such as a square box that becomes a trench coat when the box ribbing is taken out. The fashion-forward house has also built up a huge fan base in Paris since it landed here in 2014 for its intellectual designs and original use of techno-fabrics. For spring-summer 2021, the brand was as original as ever as it touched on one of this season’s already-big trends: Eye-popping color. Acid ochre was the hue of one floor-length dress-cape hybrid, on a sapphire blue gown with layered frills at the hem. Colored headpieces resembled origami works of art, against starkly contrasting bright shades of lipstick. One large voluminous coat-dress sported frills all the way down that made it look part Marie Antoinette, part jellyfish.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538671/kenzo-gets-buzz-bee-themed-paris-fashion-week-show

Bekele Wary of New Course in London Showdown with Kipchoge

Sports

September 30th, 5:41pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, right, trains alongside his coach Peter Eemers within the grounds of the official hotel and biosecure bubble in London, Sept. 30, 2020. (AP)

Ethiopian runner Kenenisa Bekele warned that valuable seconds could be lost on the curves of the modified London Marathon course in pursuit of Eliud Kipchoge's world record. The longtime rivals spoke at a news conference Wednesday from a biosecure hotel reserved for elite marathoners ahead of Sunday's race. “It’s not an easy thing running curves," the 38-year-old Bekele said. “Maybe at some point you are losing some speed because of curves, some seconds, it’s affecting maybe some times. We will see on Sunday.” Athletes will compete on a 26.2-mile (42.2 kilometer) closed-loop course consisting of 19.6 clockwise laps around St. James’ Park. The traditional course along the River Thames was scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic. Only elite men and women are competing and no spectators are permitted. “It’s a new course. At this moment, it’s really difficult to say if it’s a really fast course or not,” Bekele said. The 35-year-old Kipchoge is seeking his fifth London victory. The Kenyan is the world-record holder (2 hours, 1 minute, 39 seconds) who last year became the first person to run a marathon distance in under 2 hours, in an unofficial exhibition. Bekele, a three-time Olympic champion on the track, won the 2019 Berlin Marathon in a time that was only 2 seconds off Kipchoge’s world record set the year before, also in Berlin. He said the repetitiveness of the course could be a problem. “If you get some difficulties on some place, you are repeating several times. This makes you may be uncomfortable and stressed,” Bekele said. Kipchoge said the laps “will be no problem” but that it will be “a different race” than the sub-2-hour performance nearly one year ago in Vienna. “I have shown the way to many athletes that to run under 2 hours is possible,” he said. "I’ve done my part ... to actually inspire everybody.” Kipchoge had elite pacemakers and specialized Nike sneakers for that historic run. He said critics should adapt. “We live in the 21st Century," he said. “First, we need to accept change. Secondly, development goes hand in hand with technology.” Both men said they plan to compete in the Tokyo Olympics next year. Kipchoge has won 11 of the 12 marathons he’s run with his only blemish a second-place finish seven years ago in Berlin. He was his typically philosophical self when discussing how much longer he can compete at an elite level. “Everything has a beginning and an end ... like the day has a morning, an afternoon and an evening,” Kipchoge said. “I'll still be around. I will call off the sport when the time comes.” Only one other World Marathon Major — Tokyo — was held this year as Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York all canceled because of the pandemic. The Tokyo field was also elites only. Virus testing was conducted before athletes left for London and on the day of their arrival. They’ll also be tested on Friday. Degitu Azimeraw, who won the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon, withdrew after she tested positive in Ethiopia. Brigid Kosgei will try to defend her title in the women's race. The 26-year-old Kenyan holds the world record of 2:14:04, set in winning the Chicago Marathon last October. Kosgei will be challenged by Kenyan teammates Ruth Chepngetich and Vivian Cheruiyot. Manuela Schär and David Weir will feature in the wheelchair events.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538666/bekele-wary-new-course-london-showdown-kipchoge

Quiet Please: French Jet's Sonic Boom Shakes Paris, Disrupts Tennis

World

September 30th, 5:37pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

A picture taken on June 4, 2018, from the observatory deck of the Montparnasse Tower in Paris, shows a view of the Eiffel Tower and the Défense business district in the background. (AFP)

A French fighter jet broke the sound barrier on Wednesday as it scrambled to join a commercial jet that had lost contact with air traffic control, causing a sonic boom that reverberated through Paris and its suburbs, the defense ministry said. The boom rattled windows, scattered startled birds, briefly interrupted tennis at the French Open and prompted a flood of calls to emergency services. In a city already tense after a knife attack outside the former offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Friday, the blast sent people on to their balconies to see what had caused it and prompted intense messaging on social media. “A Rafale (warplane) based at Saint-Dizier, intervening to assist an airline which had lost contact, was allowed to break the sound barrier to join the airplane in trouble. It broke the sound barrier east of Paris,” army spokesman colonel Stephane Spet said in a statement. He added that a seconds after the boom - which happened at an altitude of 10 km and was magnified by cloud cover - the passenger jet, an Embraer 145, reestablished contact with air traffic control. France’s DGAC civil aviation authority said the warplane was dispatched after contact was lost with two civil aircraft. It said that one was a Falcon 50, operated by a private Brazilian company, on a flight between Cape Verde and Brussels. The other was an Embraer 145, operated by regional airline Amelia, on a flight between the French cities of Brives and Saint-Brieuc. DGAC said communication with both aircraft had been restored, adding that it would launch an inquiry into why contact had been lost.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538656/quiet-please-french-jets-sonic-boom-shakes-paris-disrupts-tennis

Harry Potter Flies in London, Playing Quidditch over Leicester Square

Entertainment

September 30th, 5:33pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

London's Leicester Square now has a tribute to JK Rowling's beloved character, Harry Potter. (AP)

A statue of Harry Potter, flying a Nimbus 2000 broom over the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, was unveiled on Wednesday in London's Leicester Square. The bronze statue, which shows Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, is just a few steps from where the film "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" had its world film premiere in November 2001. "Harry Potter is hugely important to literature, theater and, of course, to film," said Ros Morgan, chief executive at Heart of London Business Alliance. "We know there are fans of Harry Potter of all ages all around the world and we look forward to welcoming them to the West End and Leicester Square, whenever that will be." Potter joins other film icons including Laurel & Hardy, Mary Poppins, Mr. Bean and Paddington as part of “Scenes in the Square”, an interactive film trail in Leicester Square. Some young fans were enthralled. "I love Harry Potter and have been posing for photos pretending to play Quidditch with the statue all morning," said Finn Bruce, aged 10. "I love coming into London and I'm happy Harry is here now too."

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538651/harry-potter-flies-london-playing-quidditch-over-leicester-square

Facebook Overhauls Instagram Messaging, Enabling Cross-App Chats With Messenger

Technology

September 30th, 12:43pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Facebook Overhauls Instagram Messaging, Enabling Cross-App Chats With Messenger

Facebook Inc said on Wednesday it would start replacing the direct messaging service within Instagram with a version of its Messenger app, the first major step in its plan to tie together messaging across its suite of apps. The move enables users of each service to find, message, and hold video calls with contacts on the other without needing to download both apps. It also introduces features like custom emojis and themes that have been mainstays on Messenger but were not previously available in Instagram's minimalist messaging product, along with new features like disappearing messages. If users accept the update, the messaging icon in Instagram will change to the Messenger logo. As on Messenger, Instagram users - who have not been able to forward messages - will be able to do so to a maximum of five people at a time. "The goal of this exercise is to get to the point where we build something once and then it works across, so we don't have to repeat the same thing multiple times," said Messenger chief Stan Chudnovsky. An initial launch will begin on Wednesday in a few unspecified countries and then be rolled out globally soon. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg first announced a vision for cross-app messaging early last year. The company eventually aims to integrate WhatsApp and extend end-to-end encryption across all three services. The move is likely to figure in antitrust deliberations over Facebook's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, which are the subject of several probes. Antitrust experts have raised concerns that weaving the services together could make it more difficult for regulators to break up the company. Chudnovsky said no new categories of user data would be swapped between Instagram and Messenger beyond what was already shared, as both messaging services have relied on the same back-end infrastructure for years.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538306/facebook-overhauls-instagram-messaging-enabling-cross-app-chats-messenger

Cypriot FM Expects EU Support against Turkey at Summit

World

September 30th, 12:26pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint news conference with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, in Nicosia, Cyprus September 8, 2020. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou

Cyprus expects support from its European Union partners against Turkey, its foreign minister said on Wednesday. "Cyprus looks to the EU and its partners for solidarity in action," Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said after a meeting with his Spanish counterpart, Arancha Gonzalez Laya. "Concretely upholding our common values and interests, and implementing our own decisions is of the essence." Cyprus is withholding its consent to European sanctions on Belarus because it wants tougher measures from the bloc on Turkey, which it said is violating its maritime rights. Greece supports Cyprus's position. Senior EU diplomats have said the bloc is unlikely to accede to Cyprus' demands, after Ankara agreed to talks with Greece in a separate, but related issue, Reuters reported. Turkey dispatched two survey vessels to separate areas in the eastern Mediterranean this year, drawing strong protests from both Cyprus and Greece, which said Ankara is operating on their respective continental shelves. Turkey claimed its within its rights. While the vessel close to Greece has been recalled by Turkey to allow for exploratory talks between the two NATO allies, the ship close to Cyprus, the Barbaros Hayrredin Pasa, is still operating south-east of the island. "Unfortunately.. signals of de-escalation have not been extended to Cyprus," according to Christodoulides. Laya said dialogue was needed to resolve the issue, not unilateral action. "(That) is what Spain has been advocating between Greece and Turkey and which Spain advocates between Cyprus and Turkey," she said. Eastern Mediterranean tensions are to be discussed at the summit of EU leaders meeting Oct. 1-2.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538236/cypriot-fm-expects-eu-support-against-turkey-summit

Iraq Says 'Not Happy' With 'Dangerous' US Pullout Threat

Arab World

September 30th, 12:19pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Iraq's foreign minister holds talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington last month before a surge of attacks on US interests prompted a US pullout ultimatum | AFP

Baghdad is "not happy" with a "dangerous" threat by Washington to pull its troops and diplomats out of Iraq, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Wednesday. AFP reported several political and diplomatic sources as saying that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an ultimatum last week that all US personnel would leave Iraq unless the government puts a stop to a rash of attacks against them. "A US withdrawal could lead to further pullouts" by members of the US-led coalition fighting holdout jihadists, which would be "dangerous, because the ISIS group threatens not only Iraq but the whole region," the minister said. "We hope that the United States will rethink its decision," which at the moment is only "preliminary", Hussein added. "Some people in Washington make parallels with Benghazi but it's a faulty analysis, just as this is a faulty decision," he said, referring to Libya's second city. Four US personnel, including the ambassador to Libya, were killed in Benghazi in 2012, when militants among a crowd of protesters stormed the US consulate. Between October 2019 and July this year in Iraq, around 40 rocket attacks have targeted the US embassy or bases housing US troops. Since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi was received in the White House amid great fanfare in August, the frequency of such attacks has increased significantly. In the space of just two months, another 40 attacks have taken place, targeting not only the embassy and military bases, but also the supply convoys of Iraqi contractors for Washington and its allies. "Attacks on foreign embassies are attacks on the government, which has responsibility for protecting them," the Iraqi minister said. Recent attacks have mostly been claimed by little known factions among the array of Shiite armed groups equipped and trained by neighboring Iran during the war against ISIS. Underlining the risks, a rocket attack targeting Baghdad airport hit a nearby home on Monday evening, killing five children and two women from the same family. The US still has hundreds of diplomats in its mission in the high-security Green Zone in Baghdad and around 3,000 troops based in three bases across the country.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538226/iraq-says-not-happy-dangerous-us-pullout-threat

Esper Arrives in Tunisia on North Africa Tour

Arab World

September 30th, 12:10pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, seated second from the left, meets with his Tunisian counterpart Ibrahim Bartagi, seated to his right, in the capital Tunis. AFP

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived Wednesday in Tunisia, his first stop on a North Africa tour where he was set to reaffirm US engagement in the Maghreb region. Esper was set to meet President Kais Saied and Defense Minister Ibrahim Bartagi before delivering a speech at the North Africa American Cemetery in Carthage, where over 2,800 American soldiers were buried, most of them killed during World War II. Washington in 2015 classified Tunisia as a Major Non-NATO Ally, allowing for reinforced military cooperation. Since 2011, it has invested more than $1 billion in the Tunisian military, according to Washington's Africa command, Africom. The US armed forces organized a military air display in March on the southern island of Djerba, AFP reported. Esper, during his Tunisia visit, was due to warn of growing Russian and Chinese influence on the continent, according to a US official speaking before the trip. The other goal of the visit was to reinforce ties and discuss the threat of extremists such as the ISIS group, the official said. Esper was set to visit neighboring Algeria on Thursday, becoming the first US defense secretary to do so since Donald Rumsfeld in 2006. He will then head to Morocco, the other US Major Non-NATO Ally in the Maghreb region.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538206/esper-arrives-tunisia-north-africa-tour

Belgium Forms New Government After 16-Month Deadlock

World

September 30th, 12:06pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Photo: Reuters

Belgium formed a new government on Wednesday, 16 months on from an inconclusive election, with caretaker finance minister Alexander De Croo named as the new prime minister. After weeks of talks, seven parties spanning the French-Dutch language divide agreed to form a coalition to replace the caretaker administration of Sophie Wilmes, which was appointed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March. Belgium has not had a fully-fledged government since December 2018, when a four-party coalition collapsed. The two largest parties, the French-speaking Socialists and Flemish separatist N-VA, have struggled to overcome their differences, leaving the unwieldy, seven-party "Vivaldi" coalition across four political groups as the only viable option. De Croo's government will officially start work on Thursday when he and fellow ministers are sworn in by King Philippe. "We have done what appeared impossible for long, too long, in our country... namely the formation of a federal government," De Croo said in a short statement to reporters at the venue for the talks. De Croo, 44, comes from a family deeply involved in politics and has written a book on how feminism also liberates men. Under Wilmes' caretaker administration, he took charge of finance, overseeing stimulus to tackle the COVID-19 crisis and a deal to save Brussels Airlines. Belgium has one of the world's highest COVID-19 fatalities per capita and the death toll passed 10,000 on Wednesday. De Croo inadvertently referred to his work under "Sophie Michel", mixing up the names of Wilmes and her predecessor Charles Michel. "The first gaffe had to come. I've done it rather quickly," he said. French-speaking Socialist Paul Magnette, standing beside De Croo, joked that his rival had won a coin toss to become prime minister but was "an excellent choice". In their agreement, the parties agreed to close Belgium's nuclear power plants by 2025, set a 1,500 euro ($1,755) minimum monthly pension, and reduce sales tax for green investments. De Croo will present the plan to Belgian lawmakers on Thursday, the first day of a summit of EU leaders that he would be expected to attend. ($1 = 0.8546 euros)

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538201/belgium-forms-new-government-after-16-month-deadlock

KSrelief Delivers New Batch of Medical Aid to Palestine to Confront COVID-19

Arab World

September 30th, 12:00pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

KSrelief delivers 3rd batch of Saudi medical aid to Palestinian health ministry to confront COVID-19. SPA

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) delivered on Tuesday the third batch of medical aid provided by Saudi Arabia to the Palestinian Ministry of Health to confront the coronavirus outbreak. The aid delivery took place in the presence of Palestinian Minister of Health Dr. Mai Al-Kila. The aid includes ventilators, intensive care beds, operation tables and patient monitoring equipment, which will contribute to equipping Palestinian hospitals and health centers specialized in treating COVID-19 patients, especially in areas that are in short supply of equipment and need more support to develop the health situation. The aid comes in implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the Crown Prince to stand with all sisterly countries in confronting the virus.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538186/ksrelief-delivers-new-batch-medical-aid-palestine-confront-covid-19

Lebanon’s Sfeir Seeks Cabinet with Practical Expertise

Arab World

September 30th, 11:55am

Asharq Al-Awsat

FILE - People wearing face masks stand outside the damaged entrance of the Association of Banks, in Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 21, 2020. Reuters

Lebanon's next government needs ministers with practical experience in finance and other areas to restore confidence in the collapsing economy, the head of the banking association, Salim Sfeir, said. "The most important step is to reestablish confidence," Sfeir, chairman of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), told Reuters on Tuesday at the headquarters of Bank of Beirut, which he also heads. Sfeir spoke after the latest bid to form a cabinet fell apart last week. Banks have faced a crisis since last year after political unrest, slowing remittances and a foreign exchange liquidity crunch left the state struggling to finance a mountain of debt. Depositors have been frozen out of their dollar savings. Adding to Lebanon's woes, the government quit after a huge port blast on Aug. 4 that devastated a swathe of Beirut. Efforts to form a new cabinet of non-partisan, specialist ministers have stumbled amid sectarian politics. "All will depend on the new government and the expertise that its members will have," Sfeir said in his office, where glass shattered in the blast had only just been replaced. The central bank has told banks to recapitalize and provision for losses on Lebanese Eurobond holdings, as well urging them to repatriate cash sent abroad by big depositors. Sfeir said a central bank circular requested repatriated funds be blocked for five years, offering liquidity to support the private sector. The funds would be placed in a correspondent bank abroad not with Lebanon's central bank, he added. He said the "ultimate target" was to secure the return of $4 billion to $5 billion. France, which is leading international efforts to help Lebanon, has drawn up a policy roadmap, including implementing a capital control law approved by the International Monetary Fund. Paris has said banks might have to accept that depositors would lose money, via what is called a "haircut" on deposits. Sfeir said banks remained opposed. "The easiest formula is to have a haircut, but a haircut will create for you a social problem," he said. Proposals by banks include setting up a fund to hold $40 billion in state assets to offer a guarantee to depositors. "The state fund objective is to establish confidence as fast as possible to whoever is skeptical about the repayment of the deposits," Sfeir said, adding assets could still remain in state hands with income generated offering liquidity.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538161/lebanon%E2%80%99s-sfeir-seeks-cabinet-practical-expertise

Fuel Shortage Crisis Back in Lebanon as Smuggling to Syria Resumes

Interviews

September 30th, 11:49am

Beirut- Enas Sherri

Hezbollah’s yellow flags flutter near a Lebanese army checkpoint in Kunin | AFP/THOMAS COEX

The fuel shortage crisis has returned to the forefront in Lebanon, and this time, it is not only the scarcity of government subsidies that is stoking it, but smuggling to Syria as well. A video depicting a fuel tanker crossing the border through Bekaa was widely shared on social media, as was a voice recording of the tanker’s owner threatening the state and those who share the video. The video deeply frustrated citizens who are suffering from a scarcity of fuel and frequent diesel shortages and wait in queues to fill their tanks. Some stations, especially in the Bekaa, but also in the south and the north have even closed. A member of the Strong Republic (Lebanese Forces deputies), Deputy Antoine Habshi, says: “Remaining silent about this matter is no longer acceptable. The video, if authentic, is a scandal for the authorities in power; their people are being humiliated in front of gas stations while the fuel it subsidizes is going to Syria." In his conversation with Asharq Al-Awsat, Habshi adds: “Smuggling fuel to Syria is ongoing despite the recent announcement regarding a crackdown on this front, adding that “there are illegal crossings that are known to all and the goods smuggled to Syria clearly pass through them. Nothing is concealed, and the security forces should play their role." The Supreme Defense Council had deliberated the illegal crossing issue in mid-May and decided to draft a holistic plan to establish military, security, and customs control centers aimed at curbing smuggling. Habshi points out that “the smuggling issue is not new”. He considers that “today, more than any time in the past, it needs to stop it, especially in light of the (Central Bank’s) decision to lift subsidies on fuel imports because of the decline of its foreign currency reserves." As part of the effort to curtail smuggling, the Economy Ministry, in collaboration with the Energy Ministry, set up a framework to monitor the quantities entering and being consumed in the local market. Fuel companies and distributors are required to submit to the Economy Ministry a list of the quantities sold and the customers (companies, fuel stations, and generator owners) who bought petrol and diesel on a weekly basis. According to citizens, however, the framework has not changed anything. Zahir Suleiman, an advisor to the Caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar, explained that “this framework is still being followed, and it is being implemented in stages. The Ministry of Energy has worked on updating the files of companies that obtain (fuel) from state facilities and made it obligatory to own a filling station. This restrained shell companies.” In his interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Suleiman stressed that “several companies that were found to have storage facilities without obtaining a storage license have been held accountable, and the necessary legal measures have been taken against them.” Suleiman also pointed out that greater quantities were imported this year than the previous year and the year before that, meaning that either consumption has increased, or hoarding or smuggling schemes are being orchestrated. “This is the responsibility of the security authorities in charge of protecting borders.” Many citizens reported that the fuel shortage in the Bekaa is due to “gas station owners’ preferring to sell it to smugglers who buy it at twice the rate set by the state to smuggle it to Syria.” Responding to these claims, Suleiman says that the ministry has not received complaints to this effect from the authorities concerned and that the company or gas station engaging in such actions would stop receiving its share of the facilities’ fuel if these claims are shown to be accurate. For his part, the representative fuel distributors in Lebanon, Fadi Abu Shakra, believes that the fuel crisis stems from “the limited quantity received by distributors,” explaining that “there is a scarcity in state facilities.” He adds: “A steamboat arrived last Sunday, and a small part was delivered on Monday, and another part will be delivered today (yesterday), but the quantity does not meet market demand, so distribution is being.” He expressed his hopes that the crisis would be solved as soon possible, stressing that, “it is the Energy Ministry’s issue. Distributors receive [fuel] from it and distribute, and they cannot do anything if they did not receive."

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538146/fuel-shortage-crisis-back-lebanon-smuggling-syria-resumes

Oil Giant Shell Axes Thousands of Jobs

Business

September 30th, 11:36am

Asharq Al-Awsat

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Royal Dutch Shell is seen at a petrol station in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium January 30, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Royal Dutch Shell will axe up to 9,000 jobs or more than 10 percent of its global workforce, the energy giant said Wednesday as the coronavirus pandemic slams oil demand and prices. The Anglo-Dutch group will cut between 7,000 and 9,000 positions by the end of 2022, including 1,500 staff who have agreed to take voluntary redundancy this year, it said in a statement. "This is an extremely tough process. It is very painful to know that you will end up saying goodbye to quite a few good people," AFP quoted Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden, who oversees 80,000 staff across more than 70 countries, as saying. "But we are doing this because we have to, because it is the right thing to do for the future of the company. "We have to be a simpler, more streamlined, more competitive organization that is more nimble and able to respond to customers," he added. The virus has hit the entire energy sector, with Shell's fierce rival BP axing about 10,000 jobs or 15 percent of its staff. Shell on Wednesday added that it aims to generate annual savings of between $2 billion and $2.5 billion (1.7-2.1 billion euros) by also cutting back on refining capacity. It will help the company to achieve a $3-$4 billion efficiency drive announced in March and that runs to 2021. Shell had in July flagged that job cuts were in the pipeline after posting a colossal $18.1-billion second-quarter net loss. On Wednesday it warned that it would suffer more post-tax impairment charges of $1.0-$1.5 billion in full third quarter earnings due next month. Van Beurden added that Shell was looking at a raft of other areas where it can cut costs, such as travel, its use of contractors and virtual working.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538136/oil-giant-shell-axes-thousands-jobs

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah: A Busy Political Path Since Kuwait’s Independence

Features

September 30th, 11:28am

Kuwait - Merza al-Khuwaldi

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Sabah part of a delegation of Arab foreign ministers in a meeting with US President Richard Nixon in 1973 (Getty Images)

The life of the late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, was full of rich political experiences that began with the country’s independence from Britain in 1961. Sheikh Sabah received educational and training courses in some European countries and held important positions at a young age. He was the country’s first Minister of Information and the second Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is the fifteenth Emir of Kuwait, and the fifth since the independence. Kuwait before Independence Kuwait gained its independence from Britain on June 19, 1961, when the late Emir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the 11th ruler of the country, signed the independence document with the British High Commissioner in the Arabian Gulf, Sir George Middleton. Kuwait witnessed an active political life, even before its independence from Britain. The country saw its first written constitution and the birth of its Shura Council in 1921. Moreover, Kuwaitis were the first Gulf people to elect a legislative council in 1938. The Gulf State was also known for its parliamentary system that was established by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the man of independence. During his reign, the constitution was approved, the first document of its kind in the Gulf. The current constitution was promulgated on November 11, 1962 and entered into force on January 29, 1963. Seven years before the independence, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah began his political career at the age of 25. In 1954, the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al Sabah, appointed him to the Supreme Executive Committee, which acted like a cabinet and was responsible for organizing state departments. After the completion of this committee’s work, he was appointed in the following year as head of the Department of Social Affairs and Labor, when the governmental departments in pre-independence Kuwait were in the ranks of the ministries. In 1956, he established the first center for popular arts in Kuwait. He also worked on publishing the official newspaper, Kuwait Today. With the formation of the first cabinet in Kuwait’s post-independence era, Sabah Al-Ahmad was appointed Minister of Guidance and News (Media) in the first government, and thus became the first Minister of Information in the country’s modern history. By virtue of his membership in the government, he also became a member of the Constituent Assembly which started the process of drafting the constitution. In 1963, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he remained in this position for 40 years. He also held the ministries of finance and oil as an acting minister, in the fifth ministerial lineup after the independence, between December 4, 1965, and January 28, 1967. After that, he headed the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The late Emir was also appointed as acting Minister of Interior between February 16, 1978 and March 18, 1978. In 2003, an Emiri decree was issued appointing him Prime Minister, a position he held until January 24, 2006, when the Council of Ministers nominated him as Emir of the country, and members of the National Assembly unanimously pledged allegiance to him in a special session that took place 5 days later. He is the third Emir to take to oath of office before the National Assembly in the history of Kuwait.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2538116/sheikh-sabah-al-ahmad-al-sabah-busy-political-path-kuwait%E2%80%99s-independence

Disney Plans 'Lion King' Follow-up Film

Entertainment

September 29th, 5:58pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

Director Barry Jenkins. (AP)

Walt Disney Co is developing a follow-up to its 2019 retelling of "The Lion King" under the direction of Oscar-winning "Moonlight" director Barry Jenkins. The original 1994 animated Disney classic tells the coming of age story of a young lion cub named Simba. The 2019 version used photo-realistic technology that made it look similar to live action. The new movie will incorporate the same technology as the 2019 film, which earned $1.7 billion at global box offices, and will also feature music. "Helping my sister raise two young boys during the 90s, I grew up with these characters," Jenkins said in a statement on Tuesday. "Having the opportunity to work with Disney on expanding this magnificent tale of friendship, love and legacy while furthering my work chronicling the lives and souls of folk within the African diaspora is a dream come true." Jenkins won a screenwriting Oscar in 2017 for best picture winner "Moonlight." He also was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the screenplay for James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk," the story of two hopeful young lovers in Harlem whose future is ruined when the man is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. No expected release date, voice casting, or production start was announced.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2536466/disney-plans-lion-king-follow-film

Israel Says Hezbollah Has ‘Arms Depot’ in Beirut

Arab World

September 29th, 5:54pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

In this image from UNTV video, PM Netanyahu, of Israel, speaks in a pre-recorded message which was played during the UN General Assembly, Sept. 29, 2020, at UN headquarters. (UNTV via AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Lebanese Iran-backed Hezbollah party of maintaining a “secret arms depot” in a residential neighborhood of Beirut, warning it could cause another tragic explosion in the Lebanese capital. In an address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Netanyahu showed maps purportedly showing the missile depot’s location next to a gas station and residential housing. He also showed what he said was a picture of the entrance to the depot. “Here’s where the next explosion will take place, right here,” he said. Addressing the Lebanese people, he said: “You’ve got to act now, you’ve got to protest this, because if this thing explodes, it’s another tragedy. ... You should tell them, ‘Tear these depots down.’” Last month, a warehouse filled with nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut’s port, killing nearly 200 people, wounding thousands and causing widespread destruction in the capital. The ammonium nitrate had been stored there for several years with the knowledge of the country’s highest authorities, including the president and prime minister. No one has yet been held accountable for the blast, which appears to have been triggered by an accidental fire.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2536461/israel-says-hezbollah-has-%E2%80%98arms-depot%E2%80%99-beirut