Libyan Rivals to Hold Peace Talks on Home Soil, Says UN
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
In this Aug 31, 2019 file photo, fighters from a militia allied with the GNA aim at enemy positions at the Salahaddin neighborhood front line in Tripoli, Libya. (AP)
The UN's Libya mission said Saturday that a joint military commission with representatives from the two parties to the country's conflict will meet this week on Libyan soil. The November 2-4 talks will be the first time the teams have met on Libyan territory, UNSMIL said. "Participants will initiate discussions in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement," the UN said, referring to an October 23 deal signed in Geneva. Talks will take place in Ghadames, a desert oasis some 465 kilometers (290 miles) southwest of the capital Tripoli, near Libya's borders with Algeria and Tunisia. Libya has been wracked by conflict for nearly a decade, since the overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011. It has since been dominated by armed groups and divided between two bitterly-opposed administrations: The Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli, and another in the east backed by Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar. The October 23 deal saw the two warring factions sign a "permanent" ceasefire deal intended to pave the way towards a political solution to the country's grinding conflict. The military commission is dubbed "5+5", because it is made up of five officers from each camp. The talks will be attended by the UN's Libya envoy Stephanie Williams.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597756/libyan-rivals-hold-peace-talks-home-soil-says-un
Johnson Locks down England as UK COVID-19 Cases Pass 1 Million
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
People wearing masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus walk along Regent Street, one of the main shopping streets in London, Oct. 29, 2020. (AP)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England back into a national lockdown after the United Kingdom passed the milestone of one million COVID-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service. The United Kingdom, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19, is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day and scientists have warned the “worst case” scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded. Johnson, at a hastily convened news conference in Downing Street after news of a lockdown leaked to local media, said that the one-month lockdown across England would kick in at a minute past midnight on Thursday morning and last until Dec. 2. In some of the most onerous restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, people will only be allowed to leave home for specific reasons such as education, work, exercise, shopping for essentials and medicines or caring for the vulnerable. “Now is the time to take action because there is no alternative,” Johnson said, flanked by his chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, and his chief scientific adviser, Patrick Vallance. The government will revive its emergency coronavirus wage subsidy scheme to ensure workers who are temporarily laid off during a new England-wide lockdown receive 80% of their pay. Essential shops, schools, and universities will remain open, Johnson said. Pubs and restaurants will be shut apart from for takeaways. All non-essential retail will close. Johnson’s imposition of stricter curbs came after scientists warned the outbreak was going in the wrong direction and that action was needed to halt the spread of the virus if families were to have any hope of gathering at Christmas. Johnson was criticized by political opponents for moving too slowly into the first national lockdown, which stretched from March 23 to July 4. He fell ill with COVID in late March and was hospitalized in early April. The measures bring England into alignment with France and Germany by imposing nationwide restrictions almost as severe as the ones that drove the global economy this year into its deepest recession in generations. So far the United Kingdom has reported 46,555 COVID-19 deaths - defined as those dying within 28 days of a positive test. A broader death measure of those with COVID-19 on their death certificates gives the toll as 58,925. The United Kingdom has the world’s fifth largest official death toll, after the United States, Brazil, India and Mexico, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597751/johnson-locks-down-england-uk-covid-19-cases-pass-1-million
'Gritty and Witty': Reactions to the Death of Screen Legend Sean Connery
Entertainment
Asharq Al-Awsat
Sean Connery. (AFP)
Sean Connery, who has died at the age of 90, was known not only for movie roles including the British secret agent James Bond but also for his support of Scottish independence from Britain. Here are some reactions: Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland “Sean was a global legend but, first and foremost, he was a patriotic and proud Scot. His towering presence at the opening of the Scottish Parliament was a sign of his dedication to his country. “He was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude.” British actor Daniel Craig, a fellow James Bond “It is with such sadness that I heard of the passing of one of the true greats of cinema. “Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more. He defined an era and a style. The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course.” James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli “He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘The name’s Bond ... James Bond’. “He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.” Australian actor Hugh Jackman “I grew up idolizing #SeanConnery. A legend on screen, and off. Rest In Peace.” Sam Neill, actor and “The Hunt for Red October” co-star “Every day on set with #SeanConnery was an object lesson in how to act on screen. But all that charisma and power — that was utterly unique to Sean. RIP that great man, that great actor.” American actor George Takei “Sean Connery was a movie legend, even far into his golden years. Our strongest Bonds were formed by him, and he was Untouchable. He passed today at age 90, a suave hero to the end.”
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597701/gritty-and-witty-reactions-death-screen-legend-sean-connery
Ziyech, Werner Score as Chelsea Eases to 3-0 win at Burnley
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Chelsea players celebrate with Hakim Ziyech, center right, after he scored his side's opening goal during an English Premier League match against Burnley at the Turf Moor stadium, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP)
Chelsea’s expensive offseason overhaul is starting to deliver results. Two of the club’s six summer signings — Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner — scored in a 3-0 win over Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, which came three days after a 4-0 victory in the Champions League at Krasnodar. Perhaps just as pleasingly for visiting manager Frank Lampard, his team’s remodeled defense kept a fourth straight clean sheet in all competitions, highlighting Chelsea’s strength at both ends of the field as it seeks to challenge for the title after spending around $300 million. Center back Kurt Zouma was the scorer of the other goal — his third of the season — at Turf Moor as Chelsea climbed into the top four and Burnley slumped to a fifth loss in six games to stay in the bottom three. Lampard had to reorganize his lineup at the last minute after Christian Pulisic was withdrawn after getting injured during the warmup. The United States international has recently returned to full fitness after a hamstring injury which forced him to miss the opening weeks of the season. A rejig saw Werner promoted from the bench to play on the left wing but it was on the other flank from where Chelsea took the lead in the 26th minute, with a cross being laid off by Tammy Abraham for Ziyech to shoot home from the edge of the area, wrong-footing Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope. Ziyech, also recently recovered from injury, has scored in both of his starts for Chelsea, having also netted against Krasnodar. Zouma again showed his eye for goal by powering in a corner from Mason Mount in the 63rd before Ziyech slipped a pass in for Werner, cutting in from the left, to curl in a fine finish for the third goal.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597691/ziyech-werner-score-chelsea-eases-3-0-win-burnley
Sudan Says Deal with US Blocks Further Compensation Claims
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Sudanese pro-democracy supporters celebrate a final power-sharing agreement with the ruling military council August 17, 2019, in the capital, Khartoum. (AP)
Sudan said it has signed an agreement with the US that could effectively stop any future compensation claims being filed against the African country in US courts, following Washington's decision to remove the country from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. The deal restores in US courts what is known as sovereign immunity to the Sudanese government, and comes after a year of negotiations between the Trump administration and Sudan's new leadership, the Sudanese Justice Ministry said. A transitional government led by a mix of military and civilian figures currently rules Sudan, after the overthrow of former leader Omar al-Bashir in April 2019 led to the country seeking better ties with the US. Sudanese Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari said that the agreement will allow Sudan “to resolve historical liabilities, restore normal relations with the United States, and move forward toward democracy and better economic times.” The ministry said the deal, signed at the US State Department Friday, was meant to settle all lawsuits against Sudan in American courts, including those related to the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. The deal would enter into force after US Congress passes legislation needed to implement the agreement. Sudan’s transitional government has agreed to pay $335 million in compensation for victims of the attacks that were carried out by Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network while the militant leader was living in Sudan. The ministry said the money would be held in an escrow account till the US finalizes the restoration of Sudan’s sovereign immunity. The State Department has notified Congress of the agreement, which it described as a “monumental win for victims of terrorism.” It said the deal also included compensation settlement for victims of the deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole at Yemen’s southern port of Aden which killed 17 Marines, and for the killing of John Granville, an official with the US Agency for International Development, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum in 2008. “The signing ... marks a critically important step toward achieving justice for the tragedy our families,” said Edith L. Bartley, spokeswoman for the families of the Americans killed in the Kenya attack. Bartley urged US Congress to “immediately” pass legislation needed to implement the settlement and release the money. The US designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism dates back to the 1990s, when Bashir ruled Sudan and his government briefly hosted bin Laden and other wanted militants. Sudan was also believed to have served as a pipeline for Iran to supply weapons to Palestinian fighters in the Gaza Strip. De-listing Sudan from the blacklist was part of the US administration's efforts to have Sudan normalize its ties with Israel. Sudan has become the third Arab country — after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — to normalize ties with the Jewish state in the run-up to Election Day on Nov. 3. However, President Trump’s decision on Friday to extend the US national emergency regarding Sudan stirred up confusion and concern among Sudanese over American policy. The US embassy in Khartoum on Saturday sought to reassure Sudanese, saying in a tweet that the decision “in no way impacts the removal of Sudan from the state sponsors of terrorism list.” It said the extension was meant to maintain UN sanctions related to the Darfur conflict. Darfur has been gripped by bloodshed since 2003, when rebels took up arms against the Sudanese government, accusing it of misruling the region. The United Nations says 300,000 people have died in the conflict and 2.7 million have fled their homes. Sudanese transitional authorities have promised to hold elections by 2022.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597686/sudan-says-deal-us-blocks-further-compensation-claims
Hazard Ends Yearlong Scoring Drought, Madrid Beats Huesca
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Real Madrid's Eden Hazard, second left, celebrates with Sergio Ramos, second right, after scoring during the La Liga match against Huesca at Alfredo di Stefano stadium in Madrid, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP)
Wimbledon Champion Simona Halep Tests Positive for COVID-19
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Simona Halep. (AFP)
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep has tested positive for COVID-19 and said Saturday that she is “recovering well from mild symptoms.” The 29-year-old Halep, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, had skipped the US Open due to fears of catching the coronavirus. She said in August that she preferred to stay and train in Europe. The Romanian player announced her test result Saturday. “I wanted to let you know that I tested positive for COVID-19. I am self-isolating at home and am recovering well from mild symptoms. I feel good ... we will get through this together," Halep said on Twitter. Halep, a former top-ranked player, won Wimbledon in 2019 and the French Open in 2018. Wimbledon was canceled this year because of the pandemic. Many European countries are experiencing surging numbers of COVID-19 infections. A new wave of lockdowns swept across France, Germany and other places in Europe this week. Countries such as Switzerland, Italy, Bulgaria Greece have closed or otherwise clamped down again on nightspots and imposed other restrictions such as curfews and mandatory mask-wearing. In August, Halep expressed concern about traveling to New York for the US Open.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597671/wimbledon-champion-simona-halep-tests-positive-covid-19
Egypt's Sisi Presides over Inauguration of King Salman Int’l University in Sharm El-Sheikh
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi presided over the inauguration of the King Salman University in Sharm El-Sheikh. (SPA)
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi presided on Saturday over the inauguration of the King Salman University in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The ceremony was attended by Governor of the Tabuk region Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and several ministers and senior officials. Sisi and Prince Fahd toured the university and were briefed on its construction process. King Salman International University is among the major projects aimed at developing the Sinai Peninsula. The university boasts 15 faculties distributed among its three branches in El-Tor, Ras Sedr, and Sharm El-Sheikh and can accommodate 30,000 students, reported local Egyptian media. Sisi inaugurated several other projects during his visit to Sharm El-Sheikh.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597661/egypts-sisi-presides-over-inauguration-king-salman-int%E2%80%99l-university-sharm-el
Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia registered on Saturday 402 new coronavirus infections. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia registered on Saturday 402 new coronavirus infections, taking its tally to 347,282. In a daily briefing on the outbreak, the Health Ministry said 433 more people have recovered from the virus, raising the count to 333,842. It confirmed 19 more fatalities. The death toll now stands at 5,402.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597656/saudi-arabia-reports-402-new-virus-infections
Asharq Al-Awsat
US military forces rescued an American citizen in Nigeria, the Pentagon said. (AP)
US military forces rescued an American citizen in Nigeria, the Pentagon said on Saturday, days after he was kidnapped by gunmen in the south of neighboring Niger and apparently taken across the border. The hostage, Philip Walton, was abducted Monday night on the outskirts of Massalata, a village about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the border with Nigeria. Walton is safe and in the care of the US State Department, the Pentagon said in a statement. US forces did not suffer any casualties in the rescue operation, it added. "The United States is committed to the safe return of all US citizens taken captive," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a separate statement. "We delivered on that commitment late last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most skilled warriors rescued a US citizen," he said. President Donald Trump hailed the rescue operation. "Big win for our very elite US Special Forces today. Details to follow!" he tweeted. Niger's Defense Minister Issoufou Katambe had earlier confirmed the hostage release to AFP without giving details about how he had been freed. Local officials had said this week that the kidnappers had called the man's father to demand a ransom, though the family did not confirm this. Walton had been living in Massalata with his wife and child for two years, according to his father, who himself has been in Niger for nearly 30 years. Niger lies in the heart of the vast Sahel region, which is struggling with an extremist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes. US forces have two drone bases in Agadez and Dirkou, in northern Niger. Their aircraft provide significant support to the French anti-jihadist Barkhane force. In October 2017, four American Special Forces soldiers and five Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush in Tongo Tongo, near Mali, in southwestern Niger. The attack was claimed by ISIS in the Greater Sahara. Several Westerners are currently being held hostage in the region, including American aid worker Jeffery Woodke, who was kidnapped in the central town of Abalak in 2016 and is believed to be in neighboring Mali now. Three Europeans, including 75-year-old French charity worker Sophie Petronin, were released by their captors in Mali earlier this month under a prisoner swap arranged by the Malian government. In August, six French aid workers and two Niger citizens were killed in the Koure wildlife reserve west of Niamey, in an attack claimed by the so-called ISIS group.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597651/us-forces-free-american-hostage-nigeria
Scottish movie legend Sean Connery, who shot to international stardom as the suave, sexy and sophisticated British agent James Bond and went on to dominate the silver screen for four decades, has died aged 90, the BBC and Sky News reported on Saturday. Connery was raised in near poverty in the slums of Edinburgh and worked as a coffin polisher, milkman and lifeguard before his bodybuilding hobby helped launch an acting career that made him one of the world's biggest stars. He will be remembered first as British agent 007, the character created by novelist Ian Fleming and immortalized by Connery in films starting with "Dr. No" in 1962. As Bond, his debonair manner and wry humor in foiling flamboyant villains and cavorting with beautiful women belied a darker, violent edge, and he crafted a depth of character that set the standard for those who followed him in the role. He would introduce himself in the movies with the signature line, "Bond - James Bond." But Connery was unhappy being defined by the role and once said he "hated that damned James Bond". Tall and handsome, with a throaty voice to match a sometimes crusty personality, Connery played a series of noteworthy roles besides Bond and won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop in "The Untouchables" (1987). He was 59 when People magazine declared him the "sexiest man alive" in 1989. Connery was an ardent supporter of Scotland's independence and had the words "Scotland Forever" tattooed on his arm while serving in the Royal Navy. When he was knighted at the age of 69 by Britain's Queen Elizabeth in 2000 at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, he wore full Scottish dress including the green-and-black plaid kilt of his mother's MacLeod clan. Became fed up with 'idiots' Some noteworthy non-Bond films included director Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" (1964), "The Wind and the Lion" (1975) with Candice Bergen, director John Huston's "The Man Who Would be King" (1975) with Michael Caine, director Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and the Cold War tale "The Hunt for Red October" (1990). Fans of alternative cinema will always remember him starring as the "Brutal Exterminator" Zed in John Boorman's mind-bending fantasy epic "Zardoz" (1974), where a heavily mustachioed Connery spent much of the movie running around in a skimpy red loin-cloth, thigh-high leather boots and a pony tail. Connery retired from movies after disputes with the director of his final outing, the forgettable "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" in 2003. "I get fed up dealing with idiots," he said. The Bond franchise was still going strong more than five decades after Connery started it. The lavishly produced movies, packed with high-tech gadgetry and spectacular effects, broke box office records and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars. After the smashing success of "Dr. No," more Bond movies followed for Connery in quick succession: "From Russia with Love" (1963), "Goldfinger" (1964), "Thunderball" (1965) and "You Only Live Twice" (1967). Connery then grew concerned about being typecast and decided to break away. Australian actor George Lazenby succeeded him as Bond in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" in 1969. But without Connery it lacked what the public wanted and he was lured back in 1971 for "Diamonds Are Forever" with temptations that included a slice of the profits, which he said would go to a Scottish educational trust. He insisted it would be his last time as Bond. Twelve years later, at age 53, Connery was back as 007 in "Never Say Never Again" (1983), an independent production that enraged his old mentor, producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli. In a 1983 interview, Connery summed up the ideal Bond film as having "marvelous locations, interesting ambiance, good stories, interesting characters - like a detective story with espionage and exotic settings and nice birds." But Connery's influence helped shape the character in the books as well as the films. He never attempted to disguise his Scottish accent, leading Fleming to give Bond Scottish heritage in the books that were released after Connery's debut. Born Thomas Connery on Aug. 25, 1930, he was the elder of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a mother who worked as a cleaner. He dropped out of school at age 13 and worked in a variety of menial jobs. At 16, two years after World War Two ended, Connery was drafted into the Royal Navy, and served three years. "I grew up with no notion of a career, much less acting," he once said. "I certainly never have plotted it out. It was all happenstance, really." Connery played small parts with theater repertory companies before graduating to films and television. It was his part in a 1959 Disney leprechaun movie, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," that helped land the role of Bond. Broccoli, a producer of the Bond films, asked his wife to watch Connery in the Disney movie while he was searching for the right leading actor. Dana Broccoli said her husband told her he was not sure Connery had sex appeal. "I saw that face and the way he moved and talked and I said: 'Cubby, he's fabulous!'" she said. "He was just perfect, he had star material right there." Connery married actress Diane Cilento in 1962. Before divorcing 11 years later, they had a son, Jason, who became an actor. He married French artist Micheline Roquebrune, whom he met playing golf, in 1975.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597426/former-james-bond-actor-sean-connery-dies-aged-90
Iran Imposes New Restrictions to Stem Coronavirus Spread
Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat
People wearing protective face masks to help prevent spread of the coronavirus walk on a sidewalk of a commercial street in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 20, 2020. (AP)
Weddings, wakes and conferences will be banned in the Iranian capital until further notice as the region’s hardest-hit nation battles a third wave of COVID-19, police said on Saturday. President Hassan Rouhani meanwhile announced new restrictions that will take effect on Wednesday in 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces for 10 days. The official IRNA news agency said Tehran police had extended by one week the closure of businesses including beauty salons, teahouses, cinemas, libraries and fitness clubs. Police will make unannounced visits to other high-risk businesses, and those that violate health protocols will be shut down, IRNA quoted police official Nader Moradi as saying. Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said in a televised press briefing that the new restrictions from next week in the 25 provinces and 89 counties will include the closure of institutions such as schools, universities, libraries and mosques. Rouhani said in televised remarks that strict health protocols should be observed when holding weddings and funerals in those provinces and counties. Iranian authorities have blamed a sharp increase in cases on people failing to follow restrictions, and Rouhani said an operations headquarters will be set up to ensure compliance with the health protocols. Total COVID-19 deaths rose by 386 over the past 24 hours to reach 34,864, health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari told state TV on Saturday, adding total cases rose by 7,820 to 612,772.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597411/iran-imposes-new-restrictions-stem-coronavirus-spread
Cairo - Mona Issam
Director Sameh Alaa with the award.
“I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face” has won the top prize at the Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Egyptian film to win the coveted award. Eleven films, from France, Belgium, Britain, Colombia, Mongolia, Portugal, Greece, Canada and the United States were nominated for the award. After being postponed in May due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers held a downscaled version. The films were screened outdoors, and the festival ran for just three days. The Egyptian Cinema Professions Syndicate hailed the win on its Facebook page on Thursday evening, calling it a significant victory for short films. The 15-minute film tells the story of Adam, a man trying to return to his girlfriend after leaving for 82 days, facing many challenges on the way. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, the film’s producer, Mohammad Taymour, expressed his delight at the victory: “It didn’t expect the movie to win the award, especially after competing with 11 movies from different countries.” He considered it “a culmination of the effort put into bringing this film to light, amid and overcome the difficulties we faced while producing and filming for over a year and a half.” Filmed in downtown Cairo in just three days, the film was produced by Mark Lotfy and Mohamed Taymour. Scriptwriter Mohamed Fawzy developed the film, the second ever directed by Sameh Alaa. While this is time an Egyptian film takes the prize, the late great Egyptian director Youssef Chahine won the Palme D'Or for his distinguished career in 1997.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597406/egyptian-short-film-wins-palme-d%E2%80%99or-cannes
Gulf States and the Next President: A Sober Reading of the American Elections
Opinion
Zuhair Al-Harthi
Zuhair Al-Harthi -
Today, unless surprises emerge, the world will remain preoccupied with one thing, finding out who will become the next president of the United States on November 3. As demonstrated by the immense media coverage of the intensifying election battle, everyone is waiting to see who will arrive at the White House, the current president Donald Trump or veteran politician Joe Biden. The great attention being paid to the elections and its results worldwide is routine and predictable. It is not a regular event, and everyone on earth is concerned. For we know this position’s importance and the impact it has on global issues and heated matters. The US is the land of dreams, opportunities, freedoms, miracles and democracy. Despite everything, it remains a country of laws and institutions, even with the gaps, deficiencies, developments, contentions or indications of insecurity or violence that appear from time to time, it consistently entrenches the principle “what is right is right.” Some are betting on a change in the presidency, linking it to the potential impact it will have on our region. Their assessment sets off from analyzing the winning candidate’s speeches and statements to become acquainted with his views, positions and the policies he will pursue in the future. This approach is sound in many ways. However, the predictions and convictions that some have formulated on the basis of that analysis are exaggerated, and they raise the ceiling of expectations from this or that president too high. It is no secret that the speeches and statements candidates make during elections are framed for purely electoral ends. As for the policies that are drawn after the candidate takes power, they are shaped by the balance of power and institutional stakeholders and determined according to the country’s interests, ascertained by listening to experts and advisors’ assessments. It is totally different from the logic and methods of an electoral campaign. And, despite this or that candidate winning a debate or even leading in the polls, it is difficult to know who will emerge victorious until zero-hour and the last results come out. An change in leadership does not necessarily imply a dramatic or radical change in US foreign policy. The faces and officials might change, but foreign policy strategies and parameters are nonetheless foundations that are not interfered with and unaffected by a party or candidate’s victory. Disagreements pertain to means, frameworks, tactics and prioritization; that’s it. Both parties’ views on external issues remain tied to protecting vital US interests. Of course, we are not downplaying the impact that presidents have; they stress this or that concern or give impetus to this or that issue. Historically and theoretically, we know that the Democrats are inclined to idealism in their pursuit of achieve goals. That is, respecting the legitimacy and principles of international law, seeking peaceful resolutions for conflicts, discouraging armament and focusing on environmental, climate and human rights issues. On the other hand, we find that the Republican approach is founded on political realism and aimed at maintaining national interests. All sorts of means are utilized to achieve that end. It believes in the importance of military strength in protecting its vital interests and is concerned with producing oil. This formula has not been the same since Obama took office. The first Black president in American history disregarded those notions and took an approach consistent with his convictions and ideas. The US relationship with its allies in the region came to be characterized by an unfamiliar state of confusion. At the time, the state of the US reminded us of the Britain of yesterday when it lost its empire, and its hegemony was fading after it had been omnipresent. It was a turbulent period during which Washington’s influence was obscured, and its influence on our region declined terribly. Obama left the White House, and the fear now is Obamanism returning with Biden. The region cannot forget his words and actions, or how he flirted with Iran and embraced it as though he were rewarding it for supporting terrorism, to say nothing about the Muslim Brotherhood... Luckily, he was succeeded by Trump, who put things back in order. He restored some of America’s prestige. His administration successfully contained Iran’s ambitions, pulling out of the nuclear deal that Obama had signed in 2015 and liquidating Iranian general Qassem Solimiani, who had been in charge of Iran’s terrorism portfolio in the region. The American presidential election concerns us and our region, regardless of our emotions, hopes and reactions. We won’t get into the complexities of the voting process and figures, the difference between the Electoral College and the popular vote, and the potential suspension of the results in the event of a judicial dispute. We know that our relationship with the White House will not necessarily be rosy if Trump wins the election; a Trump win, though, would nevertheless suit us better. Likewise, if Biden wins (perhaps the more likely scenario given the polls and figures), it would not mean that US relations with the Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, will suddenly take a negative turn. That’s not how things work. We are talking here about longstanding relationships between nations, their institutions and many intertwined interests. Politics is very complicated, and it is full of entanglement. It would be very simplistic to assume that everything changes with a new president. We should admit that Riyadh and Washington managed to overcome many periods of tension, tepidness and crises, regardless of who had been in the White House. It is not reasonable for either of the two countries to jeopardize a strategic relationship that has survived for more than eight decades. The relationship doesn’t depend on goodwill or public relations anymore. Rather, it has shifted toward a sustainable institutional joint effort to meet objectives. Over the past three years, both parties have put immense effort, especially by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to reformulate the relationship and set priorities. The pragmatic relationship needed to protect their mutual interests was the key to saving the relationship. That does not mean the Gulf states do not have any cards left to play to correct the relationship’s course in case of any future impairments. Still, we know that America today is no longer the one we once knew and that we must prepare for that. The issue, then, is not whether Trump stays on or Biden sits in the Oval Office, in as much as it is an issue of who is responsive to my requests and furthers my interests. A Trump victory (despite his moodiness and unpredictability) would lead to a fortification of relations with the Gulf states, strengthen their ability to contain terrorism and face up to the dangers of Iranian expansionism. We would also want the US to stop green-lighting the barbaric acts perpetrated on Arab territory by Turkey, which exploited Russia’s actions to garner American support. As for Biden’s ascension to the presidency, it may not be the Gulf’s preferred option, since he might revive the foundations of Obama’s policy that were detrimental to the region and because he does not understand the changes the region is undergoing, but they will engage and work with him. Indeed, regardless of his inclinations or convictions, Biden is aware that he has to meet his obligations and responsibilities to further his country’s interests. We must deal with him clearly and inform him of the reality of the dangers threatening our region. Irrespective of this or that candidate’s characteristics, whatever the results, the Gulf states will deal with the man whom the US electoral system brings out as president. What the people of the Gulf want from the next president is serious American policies that correspond to the dangers and challenges facing our region. Whether it is dealing with Iran’s terrorist expansionism and Erdoganist Turkey’s encroachments, what they want is that “Trumpist” policies be pursued and that the mistakes made during Obama’s term do not recur if Biden comes to the White House. The Gulf’s stability and security is a strategic necessity and paramount to American interests. Any threat that security and stability would have ramifications on the global economy’s stability. Therefore, confronting the Iranian and Turkish projects is crucial, and turning a blind eye to their actions implies further tension, conflict and chaos in the region.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597386/zuhair-al-harthi/gulf-states-and-next-president-sober-reading-american
Goals Galore – but Does the Empty Grounds Theory Actually Make Sense?
Sports
London - Hannah Jane Parkinson
Tottenham Hotpsur's 6-1 thrashing of Manchester United is just one of a plethora of high scoring games in the Premier League this season. (AFP)
Goals, goals, goals. 4-3. 5-2. 6-1. 7-2. Penalties. Lots and lots of penalties. In the 48 games of the season so far, the Premier League has seen 172 goals; an average of 3.58 per game. Liverpool, runaway title holders, have been thrashed 7-2 by Aston Villa, a team who avoided relegation by a tug of the shirt last time. Manchester City have shipped five at home. There were two 3-3 draws two weekends ago. The first 0-0 was last week, West Brom against Burnley. Written down that looks wrong – two wide eyes shocked at empty nets. And it was yours for £14.95 on pay-per-view TV. The 3.79 goals per match average recorded this month is unprecedented in the modern era (all data from Nielsen’s Gracenote). The last time football in England was so prolific was in 1930-31, when an average of 3.95 goals were scored per game. 2019-20’s average was 2.9 goals. Why? “The obvious answer is the fact the crowd isn’t there,” says Clifford Stott, crowd psychologist and author of a book on football hooliganism. “That relationship is missing. The ‘12th man’ is a common expression, which is why playing at home has such an advantage.” As supporters, we know it well: the dance one does between sitting and standing when the ball is in the opposition box; the hugging of strangers; the voices worn hoarse. Players sliding into adoration. The drama of dugout dust-ups. Gary Lineker knows it well too. He only ever played one match behind closed doors in his career. A 1985 replay of a third-round FA Cup tie between Leicester and Burton Albion at the Baseball Ground. “The first time we won easily,” Lineker tells me. Leicester won 6-1 and he scored three. “That game was annulled [ because Burton’s goalkeeper had been injured by a missile thrown from the crowd] so we played again at Highfield Road. We won 1-0, but I had my hat-trick ripped away from me!” What was it like, playing without fans? “It feels like training but more important. Training plus, I call it. It doesn’t feel like a match. I think, too, when teams are getting battered, home or away, there’s that element: you’ve got to keep going for the fans. It is probably easier for heads to drop and semi-give up without.” Penalties have played a large part in the weight of scorelines too – fueled by the introduction of draconian changes to the handball rule (since softened) and the liminal nature of VAR-decided offsides. There have been a record 23 so far this season as of last week, with a conversion rate of 92%. Lineker: “Less pressure behind the goal. Both sets of fans give pressure, so you have it double.” Less pressure also seems to be a key factor in goals from open play, because conversion rates have soared. Players are taking, on average, one and a half fewer shots than last season, but rather than a goal being scored every nine shots, it’s every six. There have already been five hat-tricks (an opening day one from Mo Salah, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Son Heung-min, Jamie Vardy and Ollie Watkins following). Meanwhile, goalkeepers have gone from saving 70% of shots to 59%. This can’t all be down to Jordan Pickford’s erratic handling and Adrián kindly playing passes to opposition strikers in his own box. So what’s going on? Rupert Fryer, a South American-focused football journalist who has spent five years observing Brazilian training sessions, has a theory. Yes, the matches are like training, but a massively congested fixture list and a condensed pre-season mean there is less of the latter. “Attackers are the sport’s kings of improvisation; defenders and defenses need to be drilled. A lack of structural organization will certainly cost you more heavily at the back than it would going forward. Roy Hodgson, for instance, is famed for doing countless hours of mind-numbing shape work with his back-fours in training; and the conditions under which the league is now operating means there’s just nowhere near as much time to do that.” Dr. Victor Thompson, a clinical sports psychologist, mentions something else. Absent fans aside, playing with the lurking threat of a potentially deadly virus is probably fairly stressful. The measures put in place at the ground – the testing; the one-way systems to be adhered to – will be unfamiliar. Both will have a psychological impact on players which can lead to under-performing and mistakes. I’m keen to know, too, if the echoey environs making manager’s bollockings and teammates’ hollering more audible is likely having an impact. “Managers will shout such nonsense at you,” says Lineker. “But with crowds, either you don’t hear them or you can pretend you didn’t. Last season we had the FA Cup final at Wembley. It was just a few of us, we had Wrighty there. The Arsenal players celebrating winning the cup ran up to him and said: ‘We could hear everything you were saying!’ It’s really weird being at a ground now.” The goal glut is being replicated elsewhere. Serie A is rolling in goals. Last earlier this month alone saw two seven-goal games and two with a total of five. Bundesliga results suggest home advantage is no longer a thing. But it’s not happening everywhere. The increase in Ligue 1 is marginal. The true outlier is La Liga, which is recording the lowest goals per game in a whopping 93 years. You might say it is fortunate then, that the loss of the match-day experience for many fans who would ordinarily be at grounds has been mitigated somewhat by how exhilarating the games have been, though I doubt that’s much comfort to the clubs’ bottom lines. If the Premier League season carries on the way it has been, it is safe to assume the average number of goals per game will not be below three – for the first time since 1967. For supporters, that’s something to cheer about; even if the players can’t hear us. The Guardian Sport
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597341/goals-galore-%E2%80%93-does-empty-grounds-theory-actually-make-sense
Iraq Clears Sit-in Square, a Year after Mass Protests Began
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Security forces remove anti-government protesters' tents at protesters' site in Tahrir Square, Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP)
Iraqi security forces on Saturday cleared out sit-in tents from the capital's central square that has been the epicenter of the anti-government protest movement, a year after the eruption of demonstrations against corruption led to months of clashes with authorities across Iraq. More than 500 people were killed during the months-long protest movement, many of them demonstrators shot by Iraqi security forces. Iraqi authorities also reopened the nearby Jumhuriyah bridge, which leads toward the heavily fortified Green Zone housing government buildings and foreign embassies. The bridge across the Tigris River witnessed fierce clashes between protesters and government forces last year as protesters tried to cross it. It has been sealed off to traffic since. The reopening of the bridge and removal of tents in Tahrir Square appeared to put a formal end to a mass movement that had for a brief moment given many Iraqis hope for the future. “The opening of Al-Jumhuriyah bridge and the removal of the tents from Tahrir Square was done in coordination with the protestors and there was no tension whatsoever,” said Maj. Gen. Qais Al-Mohammadawi, the head of Baghdad Operations Command. Security forces used bulldozers to help clear some of the protesters' tents that remained in Tahrir Square. A few days before, thousands had rallied there to mark the anniversary of the mass demonstrations that swept the country against corruption by Iraq’s entrenched political parties and its sectarian system. Despite reaching unprecedented numbers in late 2019 and successfully mounting pressure on elites, the anti-government protests have been largely dormant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Activists also blamed the drop in numbers on a violent crackdown by Iraqi security forces and militia groups, as well as kidnappings and targeted assassinations.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597251/iraq-clears-sit-square-year-after-mass-protests-began
Tel Aviv - Asharq Al-Awsat
A worker at the site of an electricity plant near the West Bank town of Jenin on July 10, 2017. (Getty Images)
Hours after the Israeli army concluded military exercises, power outages were reported all over Israel on Friday, affecting a third of the population. The Electric Corporation said that the blackouts were caused by a major technical defect, stressing that it was not a cyberattack. The army military exercises included training for cyber wars scenarios, where vital facilities in Israel were hit, and methods on initiating the fastest response to them. Outages were reported in Tel Aviv suburbs and the southern areas, including Ashdod, Herzliya, the Tel Aviv suburbs of Ramat Gan, Givatayim and Rishon Lezion, and other areas. The Corporation said the blackouts were caused by “a malfunction in power production units,” announcing that the current will be back shortly, but many citizens reported that the electricity was cut off continuously for about an hour. At a certain point, the electric company's website stopped working, telephone lines collapsed, and traffic and street lights stopped working in some areas. The statement stressed that the private power station in Beer Tuvia stopped working which led to a chain reaction in other surrounding stations. However, security sources did not rule out the possibility of a cyberattack from hostile parties. They told Ynet and Channel 12 that it could be a cyberattack as power stations collapsed one after the other. They reported that a third of the country's population were without electricity in the middle of the night, a time when usually there is no high consumption of electricity, or pressure on any power plant, which indicates the possibility of a cyberattack. Israeli security reports confirmed last month a cyber war between Israel and Iran, in which the two sides exchanged attacks. During the past months, Iran has targeted Israeli water networks, while Israel attacked the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas and disrupted its operation.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597206/power-outages-affect-third-israel%E2%80%99s-population
Tokyo Film Festival Taps 'Power of the Arts' to Give Courage amid Pandemic
Entertainment
Asharq Al-Awsat
The Tokyo International Film Festival kicked off on Saturday with live screenings and a host of coronavirus prevention measures. (Courtesy of Tokyo IFF)
The Tokyo International Film Festival kicked off on Saturday with live screenings and a host of coronavirus prevention measures to ensure the show could go on. Audiences were barred from cheering festival guests, required to wear masks, have their temperature taken and use hand sanitizer. Foreign guests were mostly absent given Japan's international border closure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, although a small number of directors opted to quarantine for two weeks in order to attend the 33rd annual festival. Many screenings during the 10-day event were sold out. "The fact that in these challenging times that you've found a way to honor and enjoy watching films on the big screen is a source of inspiration to myself and filmmakers around the world," said "Tenet" director Christopher Nolan in a video message at the opening ceremony. The decision to push ahead with the festival highlights the relative progress toward a post-COVID life in Japan and other Asian countries, while surging infections in the United States and parts of Europe prompt renewed lockdowns. As Hollywood struggles, Japanese animated film "Demon Slayer" is breaking box office records at home after the government recently allowed cinemas to operate again at full capacity. Festival Chairman Hiroyasu Ando said organizers had agonized over what to do after many other international festivals were cancelled or restricted to online events. With the pandemic easing in Japan and cinemas reopened, they decided to go ahead and provide courage through the "power of the arts," he said. "More than anything, going to the cinema, everyone sitting together and laughing and crying together, the feeling that comes from that is so important," Ando told Reuters in an interview. "This excitement you feel in the cinema - it's a happiness you just can't get from watching something alone online." Organizers did make one major concession because of the pandemic, scrapping most of the competition sections because of the lack of an in-person jury with foreign members. Instead, 32 of the films screening through Nov. 9 will compete for an Audience Award.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597191/tokyo-film-festival-taps-power-arts-give-courage-amid-pandemic
Brash and Pugnacious, Trump Has Presided over a Tumultuous Presidency
Features
Asharq Al-Awsat
President Donald Trump arrives at Capital Region International Airport for a campaign rally, Oct. 27, 2020, in Lansing, Mich. (AP)
Businessman-turned-politician Donald Trump has promoted “America First” nationalism, withstood impeachment and a bout with COVID-19, and taken contentious stands on race and immigration during a turbulent presidency that detractors say has flouted US democratic norms. After decades of fame first as a brash and media-savvy New York real estate developer and then as a reality TV personality, the pugnacious Trump tapped into discontent among many Americans to become a political phenomenon unique in the country’s 244 years. Seeking re-election on Tuesday against Democratic challenger Joe Biden, Trump initially encountered fierce resistance within the Republican Party but managed to remake it in his own image and won loyalty even among some Republicans who had once denounced him. On Twitter and in raucous rallies, Trump eviscerated opposition Democrats and the news media as well as some fellow Republicans, Cabinet members and other officials he appointed. “If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician, it’s because I’m not a politician,” Trump told an Oct. 26 rally in Pennsylvania. Trump, 74, assumed the presidency in January 2017 after his surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in November 2016. He lost the nationwide popular vote by about 3 million ballots but prevailed in pivotal battleground states to amass an Electoral College majority. His 2016 victory made him the first US president with no prior political or military experience as he pursued a right-wing populist approach. Trump’s ascent was part of a populist wave extending from Britain’s European Union “Brexit” to the election of Brazilian far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro. Trump denounced “globalism” and focused US foreign policy around an “America First” world view. His presidency came at a time of deep polarization in the United States and political dysfunction in Washington. At home, Trump curtailed legal and illegal immigration and slashed the number of people admitted as refugees and asylum seekers, secured sweeping tax cuts, moved the federal judiciary including the Supreme Court dramatically rightward and rolled back environmental regulations that he called burdensome. Abroad, Trump helped broker deals between close US ally Israel and three Arab states, abandoned international agreements that he portrayed as unfair to the United States, alienated longtime allies and praised authoritarian foreign leaders. He showed deference to longtime US adversary Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin. US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia used a campaign of hacking and propaganda to boost Trump’s 2016 candidacy and that Moscow was interfering again during the 2020 campaign to try to denigrate Biden. Critics including senior Democrats and former members of his own administration portrayed Trump as a peril to democracy with autocratic tendencies. “I believe that the president is literally an existential threat to America,” Biden said of Trump last year in Iowa. “This is a guy who does everything to separate and frighten people. It’s about fear and loathing.” “Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people - does not even pretend to try,” Jim Mattis, a retired four-star Marine Corps general who served as Trump’s first defense secretary, said in June. “Instead he tries to divide us.” But even through a parade of controversies, the passionate support of many Americans - especially white men, Christian conservatives, rural residents and people without a college education - seemed undimmed. “I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves,” Trump said in accepting the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.” Democrats accused Trump of placing himself above the law and disregarding constitutional constraints on presidential powers as he ignored congressional subpoenas, complained about a “rigged” American voting system, refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power if he lost to Biden, and assailed figures in the FBI and US intelligence agencies. Critics also denounced Trump for employing falsehoods; fact-checkers listed thousands of them during his presidency. He pushed back at questions about his mental state. “Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart,” Trump wrote on Twitter in 2018, describing himself as “a very stable genius.” At rallies as a candidate and president sporting carefully coiffed golden hair, Trump soaked in the adulation of supporters, many wearing red baseball caps emblazoned with his slogan, “Make America Great Again.” They cheered his taunts against Democrats, liberals and elites, and his attacks on journalists as “the enemy of the people” and “fake news.” Pandemic and impeachment The coronavirus pandemic presented a challenge to Trump. He cast doubt on protective masks, promoted unproven medicines and predicted the pathogen’s disappearance “like a miracle” - actions that many public health experts said cost lives and contributed to an economic cataclysm. About 230,000 million Americans have died from COVID-19. Trump, who often ignored mask-wearing and social-distancing advice, disclosed on Oct. 2 that he had tested positive for the virus and then spent three days hospitalized receiving multiple COVID-19 treatments before returning to the White House. Congressional Democrats unsuccessfully tried to remove him from office over Trump’s invitation of foreign interference in an American election. Trump last year asked Ukraine, a vulnerable US ally facing Russian aggression, to pursue an investigation into Biden and Biden’s son Hunter into unsubstantiated corruption allegations. Trump became only the third US president to be impeached when the Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to charge him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over the Ukraine matter. The Republican-led Senate kept Trump in office by acquitting him at a trial in February. Trump bristled at investigations into Russia’s role in the 2016 election. A special counsel appointed by the Justice Department, Robert Mueller, documented Russian election interference to sow discord in the United States, disparage Clinton and help Trump. Mueller detailed numerous contacts between Trump campaign figures and Russians. Trump called the investigation a “witch hunt” and declared “complete and total exoneration” in 2019 after Mueller’s report did not accuse him or his campaign of a criminal conspiracy with Russia. Mueller did not exonerate Trump of committing obstruction of justice in trying to impede the investigation, but Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, subsequently cleared him. Trump avoided condemning Moscow, publicly giving credence to Putin’s denials of election interference while doubting US intelligence conclusions. Trump praised Putin for his strength, part of a pattern of complimenting authoritarian leaders including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines. Race in America Racial tensions simmered during Trump’s presidency. Protests against racism and police brutality spread to many cities, sometimes accompanied by violence and looting, after incidents such as the police killing in May of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis. Trump called demonstrators “thugs,” promised to maintain “law and order” and sent federal personnel onto the streets of some cities. Critics accused Trump of pursuing policies built around “white grievance” in a nation with a growing non-white population. Even some fellow Republicans expressed unease over Trump’s failure to disavow white supremacists. Having succeeded the first Black US president, Barack Obama, Trump erased many parts of his Democratic predecessor’s legacy. Trump walked away from an international treaty over Iran’s nuclear program and a global accord to battle climate change, reversed environmental protections and rolled back warmer ties with Cuba. Trump’s hardline stance toward immigration was a hallmark of his presidency. When he launched his presidential run in 2015, he promised a wall along the US-Mexican border, paid for by Mexico. Mexico refused to pay. One of the first policies he pursued as president was a travel ban on people from several Muslim-majority countries. He implemented a policy of separating some detained immigrant children from their parents. Trump cultivated an image of a flourishing businessman and deal-maker, though he had a history of financial losses, bankruptcies and business failures. Tax documents uncovered by the New York Times in September showed Trump paid just $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and again in 2017 - and no income taxes in 10 of the previous 15 years - mostly because he reported losing much more money than he made.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2597146/brash-and-pugnacious-trump-has-presided-over-tumultuous-presidency
