Expert Panel: Maradona Was Left to 'Fate' Ahead of Death
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Soccer Football - Superliga - Boca Juniors v Gimnasia y Esgrima - Alberto J. Armando Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 7, 2020 Gimnasia y Esgrima coach Diego Maradona before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian
Argentine football icon Diego Maradona received inadequate medical care and was left to his fate for a "prolonged, agonizing period" before he died last year, an expert medical panel concluded Friday. In a 70-page document, the panel stated that Maradona, who succumbed to a heart attack on November 25 at the age of 60, "started to die at least 12 hours before" the moment he was found dead in his bed. Maradona died just weeks after undergoing brain surgery on a blood clot. A panel of 20 experts was convened by Argentina's public prosecutor to examine the cause of death and to determine if there had been any negligence. Maradona's neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov and psychologist Carlos Diaz are under investigation as well as two nurses, a nursing coordinator and a medical coordinator. The finding could result in a case of wrongful death, and a prison sentence of up to 15 years if convicted. The legal proceedings were prompted by a complaint filed by two of Maradona's five daughters against Luque, whom they blamed for their father's deteriorating condition after the brain operation. Maradona underwent surgery on November 3, just four days after he celebrated his 60th birthday at the club he coached, Gimnasia y Esgrima. However, he appeared in poor health then, and had trouble speaking. Maradona had battled cocaine and alcohol addictions during his life. He was suffering from liver, kidney and cardiovascular disorders when he died. Two of the football great's daughters have accused Luque of responsibility in Maradona's deteriorating health. The panel concluded that Maradona "would have had a better chance of survival" with adequate treatment in an appropriate medical facility. He died in his bed in a rented house in an exclusive Buenos Aires neighborhood, where he was receiving home care. Maradona did not have "full use of his mental faculties" and should not have been left to decide where he would be treated, the experts said. They also found that his treatment was rife with "deficiencies and irregularities" and the medical team had left his survival "to fate.” Sebastian Sanchi, a former spokesman for Maradona, told AFP, "it is clear that the panel says that things were not done right." Maradona is an idol to millions of Argentines after he inspired the South American country to only its second World Cup triumph in 1986. An attacking midfielder who spent two years with Spanish giants Barcelona, he is also loved in Naples where he helped Napoli win the only two Serie A titles in the club's history.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2949011/expert-panel-maradona-was-left-fate-ahead-death
Gazan Engineer Behind Mars Helicopter Says Visiting Home Is No Small Step
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
Elbasyouni has made an astonishing journey from Gaza to the US space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. (AP)
An electronics engineer from Gaza, Loay Elbasyouni, had worked with the NASA team that made history this month by launching an experimental helicopter from the surface of Mars. But he says an expedition to his hometown in the Gaza Strip, where posters celebrate his achievement, feels even farther away. “When you deal with electrons and technology, you can calculate things and know their path,” he said from his home in Los Angeles. “When you deal with people and politics, you don’t know where things can go.” The 42-year-old has himself made an astonishing journey from the hardscrabble town of Beit Hanoun near the heavily-guarded Israeli frontier to the US space agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, where he worked as a contractor helping design the Ingenuity helicopter. He left Gaza in 1998 to study in the US and has only returned once, for a brief visit in 2000 prior to the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, late that year. Some 6,000 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis were killed in fighting, attacks and Israeli military operations before the violence ebbed in 2005. As Gaza weathered one crisis after another, Elbasyouni pursued his studies in the US. He struggled to afford tuition at the University of Kentucky, especially after the family farm was bulldozed. At one point he said he worked more than 90 hours a week at a Subway sandwich shop to make ends meet. He eventually transferred to the University of Louisville, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering. In 2012 he was hired by a technology company that was developing electric aircraft. Two years later, the company was contracted by NASA for the Mars helicopter project, and Elbasyouni was promoted to lead electronics engineer. He spent six years working alongside other NASA scientists to develop the helicopter’s propulsion system, its controller and other key components. The robotic helicopter he developed hitched a ride to Mars on the Perseverance rover, which was launched into space on a rocket in July. He said his feelings were “indescribable” when he watched it touch down on the surface of the red planet in February. Elbasyouni followed every moment of the expedition, and nervously awaited any signal the helicopter was working once it was launched. When the first images reached Earth showing the helicopter taking flight, “I screamed in the middle of night and woke up everyone in the building,” he said. Elbasyouni says he’s unlikely to visit anytime soon because of the travel restrictions. If he wanted to visit he would have to go through Jordan or Egypt, as Israel does not allow Gazans to fly in or out of its international airport. In Jordan, he would have to wait for a special shuttle to take him from the Allenby Bridge crossing across the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Israel to the Erez Crossing with Gaza. The irregular shuttle only runs every few days. Each direction would require an Israeli permit, a process that can be complicated, time-consuming and uncertain. Exit permits are usually only granted to patients seeking life-saving medical treatment or a small number of businessmen. His other option would be to go through Egypt and try to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, which only opens sporadically.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948996/gazan-engineer-behind-mars-helicopter-says-visiting-home-no-small-step
Extinct 'Horned' Crocodile Gets New Place in the Tree of Life
Varieties
Cairo - Hazem Badr
A crocodile is pictured at the Nairobi National Park outside the Kenyan capital Nairobi April 6, 2015. Reuters.
New research has resolved a long-standing controversy about an extinct 'horned' crocodile that likely lived among humans in Madagascar. Based on ancient DNA, the study shows that the horned crocodile was closely related to 'true' crocodiles, including the famous Nile crocodile, but on a separate branch of the crocodile family tree. The study contradicts recent scientific thinking and also suggests that the ancestor of modern crocodiles likely originated in Africa. The arrival of modern humans in Madagascar between about 9,000 and 2,500 years ago preceded the extinction of many of the island's large animals, including giant tortoises, elephant birds, dwarf hippos, and several lemur species. One lesser-known extinction that occurred during this period was that of an endemic "horned" crocodile known as Voay robustus. Early explorers to Madagascar noted that Malagasy peoples consistently referred to two types of crocodiles on the island: a large robust crocodile and a more gracile form with a preference for rivers. This suggests that both types persisted until very recently, but only the gracile form, now recognized as an isolated population of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), is currently found on the island. Despite nearly 150 years of investigation, the position of the horned crocodile in the tree of life has remained controversial. In the 1870s, it was first described as a new species within the "true crocodile" group, which includes the Nile, Asian, and American crocodiles. Then, in the early part of the 20th century, it was thought that the specimens simply represented very old Nile crocodiles. In 2007, a study based on physical characteristics of the fossil specimens concluded that the horned crocodile was actually not a true crocodile, but in the group that includes dwarf crocodiles.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948976/extinct-horned-crocodile-gets-new-place-tree-life
Saudi Arabia Says it Intercepted Hostile Air Target Aimed at Jeddah
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia Says it Intercepted Hostile Air Target Aimed at Jeddah
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a “hostile air target” aimed at Jeddah, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday. On Tuesday, the Saudi navy intercepted and destroyed a remote-controlled explosive-laden boat off the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki said it was destroyed according to the rules of engagement. He said the ministry was taking strict measures against any hostile attempts to target the Kingdom’s economic facilities.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948966/saudi-arabia-says-it-intercepted-hostile-air-target-aimed-jeddah
First Woman of Color to Chair Royal Shakespeare Company
Varieties
London - Asharq Al-Awsat
Santander’s Shriti Vadera. TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/GETTY
Shriti Vadera has become the first female and person of color to chair Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), the prestigious theater firm announced Wednesday. As of the fall, she will succeed Nigel Hugill, who led the company for a decade. Vadera, a former banker, was born in Uganda, and fled with her Indian family following the expulsion of Asians by Dictator Idi Amni Dada. This appointment comes as RSC prepares to resume its work after months of suspension caused by the pandemic restrictions, which the British government has started to ease, AFP reported. In January, Shriti Vadera was appointed chairwoman of UK British insurance company Prudential, following its position as chairwoman of Santander Bank between 2015 and 2020. She also served as development under-secretary in former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government between 2007 and 2009, and was among the nominees to succeed Governor Mark Carney in Bank of England. Shriti, who lived in India and Uganda, said she is passionate about arts and that she read Shakespeare's works and always imagined them before watching his plays. She also said she is excited to support RSC, and looking forward to help the firm "emerge from one of its most difficult years, responding to the global pandemic."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948951/first-woman-color-chair-royal-shakespeare-company
London - Asharq Al-Awsat
Britain's William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, pose at Kensington Palace to mark their 10th wedding anniversary, in London, Britain in this undated picture obtained by Reuters on April 29, 2021. Chris Floyd/Camera Press/Handout via REUTERS
On their 10th wedding anniversary, two new portraits of Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate have been published on the official Twitter account of Kensington Palace. The portraits were taken by Camera Press photographer Chris Floyd. The first photograph shows the couple sitting close to each other, William looking at Kate, while she is gazing at the horizon. In the second, the prince and his wife hug each other in the palace For the snaps, Kate wore a blue dress, and her famous wedding ring, which was first given by Prince Charles to Princess Diana for their engagement in 1981. Prince William wore a blue shirt, a blue sweater, and navy blue pants. The couple married at Westminster Abby on April 29, 2011.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948946/william-kate-celebrate-10th-wedding-anniversary
Kremlin Backs Saudi Crown Prince’s Stance on Global Relations
Gulf
Moscow - Raed Jaber
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Russia supports the stance of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on international relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday in a statement carried by Russia’s state-owned Sputnik news agency. Peskov reaffirmed that Moscow backs the recent statements made by the Crown Prince on building global relations according to principles of equality, mutual respect, fair consideration of national interests, and non-interference in the internal affairs of each other’s country. “These statements deserve the highest praise,” stressed the spokesman, adding that his country “completely backs such an approach.” “In light of what is happening in the world in terms of violations of international law, Moscow believes that this approach is fundamental and wonderful,” Peskov told reporters. Time and time again, Russian sources confirmed that Moscow and Riyadh have near-identical views on non-interference in the internal affairs of other states as a policy and promoting equality in international relations. “President Vladimir Putin is a convinced and consistent supporter of this attitude towards the main framework of international affairs,” Peskov said. The spokesman also said that Russia is ready to encourage further the entire range of bilateral relations with the Kingdom, including via the implementation of the agreements that reached during Putin’s latest visit to Riyadh. “Given our shared outlook, we are ready to expand our relations with Saudi Arabia, including the implementation of agreements reached during President Putin’s visit to Riyadh in October 2019,” noted Peskov. Marking the fifth anniversary of the launch of the comprehensive modernization program in Saudi Arabia, dubbed “Vision 2030”, the Crown Prince had given a detailed 90-minute TV interview in which he discussed the development plan and various other topics.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948936/kremlin-backs-saudi-crown-prince%E2%80%99s-stance-global-relations
Asharq Al-Awsat
FILE PHOTO: A view shows the deserted Rue de Rivoli in Paris during a nationwide curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in France, December 15, 2020. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
The euro zone economy dipped into a second technical recession after a smaller than expected contraction in the first quarter, but is now firmly set for recovery as pandemic curbs are lifted amid accelerating vaccination campaigns, economists said. The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat said gross domestic product in the 19 countries sharing the euro contracted 0.6% quarter-on-quarter for a 1.8% year-on-year fall, putting the single currency area in a second technical recession in 12 months. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.8% quarterly and a 2.0% annual decline. “Underlying resilience shows that the economy is set for its (somewhat late) start to the pandemic rebound, meaning that the picture of a lackluster euro zone economy is set to change quickly,” said Bert Colijn, euro zone economist at ING bank, Reuters reported. “Domestic demand is set for a strong rebound when economies reopen and the manufacturing recovery seems to only be limited by its own supply at the moment. While late out of the starting blocks, the euro zone is set for its start to the pandemic rebound,” he said. The first quarter contraction was caused mainly by a 1.7% quarterly slump in the biggest economy Germany, as a pandemic lockdown since November hit private consumption. It was mitigated by 0.4% quarterly growth in second biggest France, as consumer spending and business investment held up despite coronavirus curbs. The country only entered its third national lockdown at the end of March. “The recession is a thing of the past. With progressive vaccinations and a seasonally slower spread of the coronavirus, infection figures should continue to fall in the coming weeks,” said Christoph Weil, senior economist at Commerzbank. “With the shops open, social life will resume and economic activity will pick up noticeably. By summer, restaurants, hotels and other contact-intensive services should also be able to resume normal operations. We expect the economy to return to its pre-crisis level by the end of this year,” Weil said. Eurostat also said euro zone consumer prices rose 0.6% month-on-month in April for a 1.6% year-on-year gain, as expected by economists polled by Reuters. But rather than driven by stronger economic activity, the acceleration of price growth was driven by a 10.3% year-on-year surge in energy prices. Without the volatile energy and unprocessed food components, or what the European Central Bank calls core inflation, prices rose 0.5% month-on-month for a 0.8% year-on-year rise, a deceleration from the 1.0% year-on-year rate the month before. This core inflation drop is likely to reinforce calls by ECB doves to maintain the stimulus to the economy and hold off on tapering pandemic bond purchases until growth firmly takes hold. “The ECB will be challenged significantly in terms of communication over the coming meetings. With inflation approaching 2%, once GDP growth jumps ... it will become key for the ECB to get the message across that inflationary pressures look to be transitory for now,” ING’s Colijn said. Eurostat also said that euro zone unemployment fell in March to 8.1% of the workforce, or to 13.166 million people, from a downwardly revised 8.2% in February or 13.375 million people, defying expectations of a rise to 8.3%.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948931/euro-zone-see-recovery-despite-q1-recession
Asharq Al-Awsat
People walk outside Disneyland Park on its reopening day amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Anaheim, California, US, April 30, 2021. REUTERS/Mario
Fans wearing Mickey Mouse ears lined up as Disneyland in California finally reopened Friday, more than 400 days after the pandemic forced an unprecedented closure for the self-styled "Happiest Place on Earth." "It is the greatest feeling ever!" said Momi Young-Wilkins, a 55-year-old mother as she brought her children to the world-famous park near Los Angeles. "I promised my daughters we would be back here on opening day, and I made it happen." Disneyland Park -- the world's second-most visited theme park -- and neighboring Disney California Adventure Park have been closed the longest of all the Mouse House's globe-spanning parks, delayed by California's sharp winter Covid spike and tough restrictions. But with the Golden State now boasting the nation's lowest per capita infection rate, the sprawling resort flung open its gates Friday to the delight of many of its most obsessive devotees. Sisters Carla and Jasmine, 23 and 17, who preferred not to give their last name, used to visit "pretty much every day" before the pandemic. "We would go after school, after work, and just go on rides, even if it was for a couple hours," said Carla, as they eagerly waited to re-enter. "We've been excited for this opening day... it's very exciting and emotional!" Inside the park, attendance is capped at 25 percent capacity, and only California residents who have reservations can enter in groups restricted to three households. As of Friday morning the park was practically sold out for the next seven weeks, AFP reported. The only spots available in May and June require special tickets that also give visitors access to Disney California Adventure. Face masks are mandatory, temperatures are checked before admission, and Disneyland's famed parades and "nighttime spectaculars" are on hold for fear of encouraging tightly massed crowds. Staff in Disney costumes -- known as "cast members" in the theme park's lingo -- can no longer hug visitors, but were on hand Friday to wave from a safe distance and "pop up posing in the background of selfies," according to an official press release. A Marvel superhero-themed Avengers Campus is due to open at Disney California Adventure in June. Disneyland Park is already sold out for the entire first seven weeks. Some rides remain shut for pandemic safety reasons, including the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and the resort's monorail, while others such as Jungle Cruise are closed for maintenance and upgrades.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948921/disneyland-fans-hail-greatest-feeling-ever
Asharq Al-Awsat
FILE PHOTO: An employee rides a bicycle next to oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
OPEC oil output has risen in April as higher supply from Iran countered involuntary cuts and agreed reductions by other members under a pact with allies, a Reuters survey found, adding to signs of a 2021 recovery in Tehran’s exports. The 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 25.17 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, the survey found, up 100,000 bpd from March. Output has risen every month since June 2020 with the exception of February. Iran’s exports are rising as talks take place to revive a 2015 nuclear deal which could eventually allow more oil to the market. US President Joe Biden’s administration took office in January pledging to rejoin the accord. So far, OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, are not concerned by Iran and plan their own output boost from May. “The elevated levels that we are seeing from Iran are generally continuing,” Daniel Gerber, chief executive of Petro-Logistics, a consultant that tracks oil shipments, told Reuters this month. Hoping for a demand recovery, OPEC+ this week confirmed a plan to ease from May more of the record cuts made in 2020. From May Saudi Arabia will also begin to unwind an extra voluntary cut it made in February, March and April. The extra Saudi cut means OPEC still pumped much less than called for under the OPEC+ deal in April. Compliance with pledged cuts was 123%, the survey found, versus 124% in March. Iran, plus fellow OPEC members Libya and Venezuela, are exempt from making cuts, so changes in their output do not affect the compliance rate.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948906/iran-boosts-opec-oil-output-april
Health Crisis as Jordanians Smoke More in Lockdown
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
An ashtray with cigarette butts. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
Already saddled with one of the world's highest rates of smoking, Jordan has seen the numbers lighting up soar since coronavirus restrictions began last year, sparking fears of a double epidemic. Mounir Shana, who sells hookah waterpipes in the capital Amman, was rarely seen without a cigarette dangling from his lips even before the crisis. But draconian restrictions imposed by the government have increased his intake. "I've been smoking more and more for the past year because of the psychological pressure of lockdowns," said 24-year-old Shana, lighting a fresh cigarette from the butt of his previous smoke as he talked. "From one to two packs a day before the epidemic, I went to four to five today,” he told AFP. A survey by the University of Jordan's Center for Strategic Studies in April 2020 found 52 percent said they were smoking more since pandemic restrictions began. Shana spends some 300 dinars ($425) each month just to fuel his smoking addiction. "I know the dangers and I suffer from chest pains," he said. "But what do you want me to do? When I am locked between four walls at home, tobacco gives me psychological comfort." Jordan has one of the highest rates of tobacco smokers in the world, with 70 percent of men lighting up, according to the World Health Organization in 2015 -- second only to Indonesia, at 76 percent. Eight out of 10 men aged 18 to 69 smoke, according to government statistics. Jordanians smoke an average of 23 cigarettes per day. But medics fear the situation has grown worse since then. "With the pandemic, tobacco consumption has increased because of the psychological state of the population," said Abeer Mowaswas, a health ministry information official. Since the coronavirus pandemic broke out, Jordan has imposed a series of restrictions, including curfews. As the Covid-19 pandemic drags on in Jordan -- recording over 700,000 cases including 8,800 deaths in a country of 10 million -- smoking adds to the worries. The WHO warns that since smoking impairs lung function -- making it harder for the body to fight off respiratory diseases -- smokers are likely "at higher risk of developing severe Covid outcomes and death.” Faced with the problem, the government has increased the number of addiction centers to help people stop smoking from five to 20, launched a social media campaign and set up telephone hotlines, said Mowaswas. Over half of deaths in Jordan every year are due to smoking, she said. "Every year, 9,000 people die because of tobacco and tobacco-related diseases," she said, adding that tobacco costs the state some $300 million. Last year, the government banned smoking in enclosed public places, but from cafes to malls, the rules are widely flouted.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948901/health-crisis-jordanians-smoke-more-lockdown
Japanese Shipowner Asks Cargo Owners to Share Suez Damage Cost
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
In this March 30, 2021 file photo, the Ever Given, a Panama-flagged cargo ship, is seen in Egypt's Great Bitter Lake. (AP)
The Japanese owner of a massive container ship that blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week, halting billions of dollars in maritime commerce, is asking owners of the freight it is carrying to share the cost of the damages demanded by Egyptian authorities. Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd. said on Friday that it has asked freight owners to share the damages in a deal known as a general average declaration. The damage sharing scheme is often used in maritime accidents covered by insurance. The company said it has notified a number of the owners of the approximately 18,000 containers on the ship to assume part of the damages demand, estimated at about $916 million. The shipowner said earlier this month that it has been negotiating with Egyptian authorities over the demand for compensation. The ship, called the Ever Given, is being held at Great Bitter Lake, a wide stretch of water halfway between the north and south ends of the canal, for inspection and won’t be allowed to leave until the settlement is reached, Shoei Kisen said. The company refused to disclose further details of the negotiations, including the amount covered by insurance and how much it is asking freight owners to share. The Ever Given was on its way to the Dutch port of Rotterdam on March 23 when it slammed into the bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal about 6 km north of the southern entrance, near the city of Suez. T he ship’s 25 Indian crew members who are still on board are all in good health, the company said. The ship has enough food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, and drinking water, the ship’s technical management company, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, said.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948896/japanese-shipowner-asks-cargo-owners-share-suez-damage-cost
Vaccine Passports Are a Reality, Whatever They’re Called
Opinion
Joe Nocera
Joe Nocera -
I downloaded my vaccine passport the other day. Of course, it wasn’t called a vaccine passport. Rather, it was an “Excelsior Pass,” issued by New York State. In addition to verifying that I have been fully vaccinated, it has a QR code that ticket-takers can scan when I want to go to Madison Square Garden to see the resurgent Knicks or Yankee Stadium to watch the faltering Yankees. It can also show the last time the holder has tested negative for Covid-19; more on that in a moment. The Excelsior Pass, developed with IBM, is the first government-issued proof of vaccination in the US. But it won’t be the last — at least 17 more are in the works in the US alone. In the media, and among government officials, vaccine passports are the subject of debate and controversy. Right-wing pundits and politicians have denounced them as a threat to personal liberty — just like mask mandates. Many liberals worry that they will further exacerbate “pandemic inequality” because the vaccination rate among the poor is low. Earlier this month, the White House declared that Americans would not be required to “obtain a single vaccination credential.” On the other hand, the Washington Post reported in late March that the Department of Health and Human Services is “working to develop a standard way of handling credentials … that would allow Americans to prove they’ve been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus as businesses try to reopen.” At a recent White House pandemic briefing, Jeff Zients, Biden’s coronavirus coordinator, said that the administration’s goal was to “help ensure that any solution in this area should be simple, free, open source, accessible to people both digitally and on paper, and designed from the start to protect people’s privacy.” That doesn’t exactly sound as if the administration is opposed to the idea of vaccine passports. And, indeed, it’s not. There may not be a single national passport, but states and the private sector are developing any number of certification apps. Regardless of what they are called or however strident the opposition, vaccine passports are, in fact, going to be inevitable for any return to something resembling normal interaction. For example, universities are going to need them soon. Several dozen universities are already requiring all incoming students for the fall 2021 semester to be vaccinated — small schools like Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, and large institutions like Duke University. The California State University system is requiring not just students but faculty and staff to be vaccinated once the Food and Drug Administration gives the vaccines its full approval (as opposed to the current emergency use authorization). With additional schools announcing vaccine mandates almost daily, it seems likely that by September the vast majority of universities will require proof that students have been vaccinated. Given that universities have been a chief source of infection — with 535,000 Covid-19 cases, according to the New York Times — it is hardly a surprise that school officials nationwide would want a vaccinated student body. Brian Clark, a Brown University spokesman, told me that there has been very little pushback. “Most on campus recognize that the sooner the vast majority of our community is vaccinated, the sooner we can return to a more traditional campus experience,” he wrote in an email. Americans who want to take that long-delayed European vacation are going to need vaccine passports. Just a few days ago, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told the New York Times that because the US is using vaccines that have been approved by the European Medicines Agency, Americans would be free to travel to any of the EU countries. But to do so, they are going to have to prove they have received one of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. From the Times article: Technical discussions have been going on for several weeks between European Union and United States officials on how to practically and technologically make vaccine certificates from each place broadly readable so that citizens can use them to travel without restrictions. Inevitably, airlines will have to enforce any vaccine certification requirement imposed by European countries — which means that many international flights will be restricted to those who have been vaccinated and can prove it. And on it goes. Professional sports are going to want to employ vaccine passports, especially once they are allowed to fill up their arenas. Concert venues will, too. And Broadway theaters and cruise lines; really, just about anywhere that people come in close contact. Vaccine passports aren’t the death knell of liberty that opponents proclaim. Many people have come to take for granted a lot of mandated safety requirements that they resisted at first such as car seat belts and motorcycle helmets in some states. “Everyone is sick of masks,” Donald G. McNeil Jr., the former New York Times pandemic reporter, wrote recently. “So the only way we’re going to finish it is through vaccination. And we do need to know who’s vaccinated.” As I mentioned earlier, the Excelsior Pass that I downloaded doesn’t just show that I’m vaccinated, it can also keep track of Covid-19 tests. So far, venues such as Yankee Stadium allow the unvaccinated in as long as they can show they had either a negative PCR or rapid antigen test within the previous 72 hours. I suspect most other places will do the same. Thus, people who object to the Covid-19 vaccine can’t complain of being discriminated against. They can go to ballgames or concerts and sit side by side with the vaccinated. But, perhaps unwittingly, allowing people to be tested instead of vaccinated also provides incentive for full vaccination. Imagine being an unvaccinated Yankees’ season-ticket holder. Such a person would have to take a Covid-19 test a few days before most home games. Getting vaccinated, on the other hand, means never having to be tested again. The Covid-19 test requirement thus becomes what behavioral economists like to call a “nudge” to encourage vaccination. Richard Thaler, the Nobel-prize winning behavioral economist at the University of Chicago, says vaccine passports should feel like a “perk to those who have been inoculated” — one that would lure the more reluctant to get their jabs as well. It’s pointless to argue against vaccine passports. They are simply too useful to set aside. Once they are in use for European travel and crowded events, even resisters such as Governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida will most likely tamp down their political objections. Just imagine going through customs in Paris, pulling out your phone, watching the customs official scan your vaccine passport and then waving you through. It’s going to feel almost as good as getting vaccinated in the first place, and painless to boot. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948891/joe-nocera/vaccine-passports-are-reality-whatever-they%E2%80%99re-called
US Security Adviser: Indirect Talks on Iran Nuclear Deal in ‘Unclear Place’
Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat
A police officer patrols in front of banners put up by members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an Iranian opposition group, in front of the Grand Hotel Wien. (AFP)
Indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran on a return to compliance to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal are in “an unclear place,” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday. Sullivan's comments followed the start this week of a third round of the talks in Vienna in which representatives of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and European Union shuttle between US and Iranian delegations. “I'm not going to characterize the substance of the negotiations at this point because they are in ... an unclear place,” Sullivan told an Aspen Security Fosrum webinar. “We've seen willingness of all sides, including the Iranians, to talk seriously about sanctions relief restrictions and a pathway back into the JCPOA,” referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal's title. “But it is still uncertain as to whether this will culminate in a deal in Vienna,” he said. The agreement limited Iran's nuclear program to block the development of nuclear weapons. In return, Iran received relief from US and international sanctions. Former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord in 2018, reimposing and adding US sanctions. In response, Tehran began breaching JCPOA restrictions. President Joe Biden has pledged to return to the deal. Iran refused direct talks on resuming compliance in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions. Sullivan was asked whether the Iranians are negotiating in good faith. “I guess good faith is always in the eye of the beholder,” he said. “The Iranians have come in a serious way to have serious discussions about details and the teams are working through those details now.” The main differences are over what US sanctions will need to end, the steps Iran must take to resume its obligations to restrict its nuclear program and how to sequence the process.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948886/us-security-adviser-indirect-talks-iran-nuclear-deal-%E2%80%98unclear-place%E2%80%99
Britain’s Royal Navy Is Sending a Warning to China
Opinion
James Stavridis
James Stavridis -
Throughout my US Navy career, I loved to operate at sea with the British Royal Navy. UK warships were unfailingly well-handled, manned by crisp communicators, and — when they needed to be — quite operationally lethal. And when you visited them at sea, you could actually get a beer in the wardroom at lunch — unlike onboard our own “dry” ships. In the 1990s, I spent a fair amount of time operating with the Nottingham, a destroyer led by a fellow young commanding officer who went on to be a British admiral and remains a close friend today, Ian Moncrieff. In our North Atlantic Treaty Organization operations conducting an arms embargo off the coast of the war-torn Balkans, his ship was simply the best of the multinational force — outperforming my own brand-new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, despite the Nottingham being a decade older. The news that the UK will soon send a full-strength carrier strike force to sea for the first time since the Falklands War in 1982 reminds me how capable US allies can be globally. And given that the flotilla is deploying to the Indian and Pacific Oceans — with stops planned in India, Japan, Singapore and South Korea — it demonstrates the unity those allied nations are showing with the US in its growing rivalry with China. Centered on the 60,000-ton aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, the strike group includes two frontline air-defense destroyers and two very capable antisubmarine frigates, as well as a nuclear submarine. The air wing is made up of fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighters built by the US and a consortium of allies, including the British. Additionally, there is a very capable suite of helicopters onboard capable of attacking both surface ships and submarines, and carrying out long-range reconnaissance and targeting. While lacking the catapult launching system on US carriers (which weigh in at around 100,000 tons) and having an air wing about 40% smaller, it is still a formidable presence. Notably, there will also be an American destroyer outfitted with the Aegis missile-defense system assigned to the strike group, as well as a high-end Dutch combatant. All of this represents the vision of “Global Britain” that the administration of Prime Minister Boris Johnson is touting post-Brexit. The strike group will ultimately visit 40 countries in the Indo-Pacific. As a parallel to the so-called Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the US), the Brits will highlight their similar “five powers” defense agreement with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. For the US, the more such allies and friends accomplish on their own in terms of security, the better. Predictably, China is unhappy with the deployment, calling it outside interference in the region. Similarly, Beijing has reacted negatively to “freedom of navigation” patrols in the South China Sea by other European nations, including France and Germany. Japan and other Pacific nations, on the other hand, have strongly welcomed the British deployment. The forceful UK presence in these waters way will be welcomed not just in Washington — but also at the headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet in Hawaii and, above all, by the US Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan. The US Navy knows that facing China will be the ultimate team sport. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948881/james-stavridis/britain%E2%80%99s-royal-navy-sending-warning-china
When it comes to Covid-19 vaccinations, Britain has been a bit of a renegade. At the outset of the global rollout, the UK — in an effort to inoculate as many people as possible as quickly as possible — started its campaign by lengthening the time interval between the first and second shots beyond what was indicated from trials. Instead of a recommended gap of as little as three weeks for the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech shot or six to 12 for the one developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford, the government stretched the interval to 12 weeks for all cases. It was a risky gamble that invited criticism from health experts and analysts (myself included) who worried the untested move might lead to subpar protection and enable the generation of virus variants. Thankfully, the gamble paid off. The campaign has gone amazingly well, helped in part by the simultaneous four-month hard lockdown that helped reduce infection rates and lower the risk that vaccine-resistant variants would evolve. I turned out to be wrong to worry about this approach; Britain’s scientists and policy makers should be applauded for getting the country to a very low infection rate despite the gradual easing of restrictions. Now, though, the UK is again breaking from the pack over vaccines in a way that poses fresh risks. Except this time, the pack may be misjudging risks, too. Amid the discovery that the Astra shot can lead in rare cases to serious blot clots, Britain decided to only slightly restrict the vaccine’s usage, recommending those under 30 not get the shot. That’s a substantially lower age than that of every other Western European country despite the potentially higher rate of clotting (now called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS) in younger people. All of these countries have access to the same data regarding the rates of these rare clotting events and can make the same calculations when it comes to the risk-benefit ratio. So who is right? I think both are wrong. In making risk-benefit assessments about vaccines, you need to take into account background infection rates, because they can help determine whether the risk of side effects outweighs that of developing disease. When there’s a higher rate of infection, the risk of severe Covid also increases, and that can help justify the lesser risk of taking a vaccine that may cause side effects. When infection rates are low and the risks aren’t as disparate, the opposite is true. This is the crux of the issue. Both the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the European Union’s European Medicines Agency have released infographics showing this interplay. At low infection rates, such as those currently in the UK, the MHRA shows that rare clots from the vaccine occur at a rate of 0.8 per 100,000 for the 30-to-39 age band, compared with a 2.7-per-100,000 rate of intensive-care-unit admittances. There is a difference, for sure. But it’s not as great as the difference when infection rates are higher. In several European countries, the rate of ICU admittance is 24.9 per 100,000. Given its low infection rates, the UK is taking too much risk with the Astra vaccine. It should raise the age cutoff to the over-55 population, where the relative risk of clots is 0.4 per 100,000 compared with a 10.5-per-100,000 risk of ICU admission. And it should do so even if that means a delay in some reopening measures. Similarly, EU countries are wrong to keep the vaccine limited to individuals older than 55 or 60 given the relatively high rates of infections and deaths across the region. While the EU isn’t totally dependent on AstraZeneca’s vaccine, the shot is still important in the fight and could prevent many deaths. Of course, all of this pales in comparison with the tragic events that are unfolding in India, where every single dose of these vaccines would have a huge risk-benefit profile in favor of the shot. But at the end of the day, the struggle against Covid is a global one and even in places where infections are falling, the appropriate response — employing risk-benefit calculations based on local health conditions — is crucial for keeping things moving in the right direction and limiting further damage. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948876/sam-fazeli/britain-eu-and-astras-vaccine
If you are lucky enough to be healthy in Covid-haunted Delhi, life feels strangely disconnected. Offline, there’s an undeclared lockdown. The normally noisy city is silent except for the sound of birds. Social media, on the other hand, is an unfolding tapestry of tragedy. People beg for help finding hospital beds and life-saving medicines. Friends and acquaintances call and text asking if you know where they can get an oxygen concentrator for the home. In one way or another, everyone is battling the virus. Everyone, it seems, except the Indian state. Once again, ordinary citizens feel as if we’ve been abandoned by our government. Even in the face of an unprecedented emergency, state and federal officials seem more interested in point-scoring and blame-shifting than in cooperation. Denialism about the scale of the problem is official policy. Ministers, bureaucrats and even government lawyers insist that there is no shortage of oxygen or hospital beds, although everyone can plainly see that there is. Things are even worse in places such as Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state. There we might not know the scale of the humanitarian disaster for months, if ever: Few deaths are being recorded and the state’s administration has warned those spreading online “rumors” — including about family members gasping for oxygen — that they might be prosecuted under draconian national-security laws. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. Perhaps we shouldn’t have expected more of the notoriously fragile Indian state. There’s no escaping the fundamental contradiction of 21st century India: It is one of the world’s largest economies, ambitious and aspirational, and its government has vast resources. But it is also, still, a poor country, with a per capita income one-fifth China’s. The state’s capabilities are spread truly thinly across India’s billion-plus people. Government spending on health in particular has always been shockingly low. In the villages of Uttar Pradesh, the needs of hundreds of thousands of people might be filled by just five health centers — and not a single qualified doctor. And citizens need more than the basics. In Delhi, the local government often talks up its expenditure on primary health centers, which are indeed vital. But that hasn’t made up for the lack of tertiary care, which is what most Covid-19 patients need. Delhi has only 5,000 usable ICU beds for its roughly 20 million citizens; less than a dozen were free on April 30, according to the official dashboard. For years, many Indians believed the private sector could make up for the government’s shortcomings. Indians mostly pay in advance and in cash when a calamity hits and hospitalization is needed. We run down our savings, or we look to personal networks for help: As much as 60% of healthcare spending in India is out-of-pocket expenditure by households. That’s where Indians have turned in this crisis as well — to friends, family and Facebook. But the pandemic is a reminder of why even a dynamic private sector needs a state that can support its efforts. That’s true in the best of times; in the worst, such as these, there is no replacement for a government that can coordinate private efforts and supplement them where needed. Instead, authorities can’t supply enough oxygen or even tell us which hospital has the fewest ambulances lined up outside its gates. Underfunded and understaffed governments such as India’s simply have no spare capacity to serve their citizens when disaster strikes. You can’t hope for the private sector to do so; only the state can afford to carry this vital excess capacity or build it up at short notice. It doesn’t have to be this way. India’s southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have, for decades, been better run than their northern counterparts. In recent weeks, they’ve set up elaborate systems of online triage to sort out Covid-19 cases and minimize the burden on hospitals. Even the financial capital Mumbai, epicenter of the latest variant, has established war rooms in each municipal ward, manned by public-school teachers, to triage patients and tell them where to go and what to do. While it took too long to increase the number of hospital beds, at least the local government is allotting those beds to the neediest. Perhaps residents of Mumbai feel less abandoned; certainly, that city seems to have turned a corner in the past fortnight. In Delhi, by contrast, whether you and your loved ones live or die still largely depends on who’s in your phone book. This is unfair to all of us, but particularly unfair to those who are from historically excluded religions, castes and classes. A functional state would be impartial between these categories. A flawed government might not be impartial but would at least pretend. Instead, in the anarchy that rules here today, parts of India are reverting to their stratified worst. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2948871/mihir-sharma/india%E2%80%99s-state-failing-its-covid-test
Major Chinese Investors in Talks to Take Aramco Stake
Business
Hong Kong - Asharq Al-Awsat
General view of Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo
Major Chinese investors are in talks to buy a stake in Saudi Aramco, several sources told Reuters on Wednesday, as Saudi Arabia's state oil firm prepares to sell another slice of its business to international investors. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, announced on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia was looking to sell one percent of Aramco to “one of the leading energy companies in the world.” He also said it could sell additional Aramco shares to other international investors. “There are talks with other companies for different stakes, and part of Aramco’s shares could be transferred to the (Saudi) Public Investment Fund and a part listed on the Saudi bourse,” he said in an interview aired by Saudi TV marking the fifth anniversary of Vision 2030. A stake of 1 percent would equate to around $19 billion based on Aramco's current market capitalization. Sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corporation (CIC) was among those that could invest, two sources told Reuters. Aramco was talking to CIC, as well as Chinese national oil companies, said one of the sources close to CIC. CIC did not comment on the story. None of the other Chinese companies could be reached immediately for comment. Aramco had been in touch with Chinese investors for a few years and CIC is the most likely investor, said the second source with a state-backed private equity fund. "The Kingdom does have close relations with China," said a third source, who is close to Aramco. "The major shareholder will decide what to do with their shares." Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, retained its position as China's biggest crude oil supplier for a seventh consecutive month in March. Another source said before the COVID-19 pandemic, Aramco had toured around China looking for investors, talking to all the major state investors with overseas money, but few were interested. CIC and China's Silk Road Fund were also among the firms they approached. Aramco, the world's biggest oil company, listed on the Saudi bourse in late 2019, raising $25.6 billion in the IPO and later sold more shares under a "greenshoe option" to raise the total to $29.4 billion.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2947516/major-chinese-investors-talks-take-aramco-stake
Britain Says to Host 2022 Vaccine Summit to Prepare for Future Pandemics
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
A dose of AstraZeneca vaccine is prepared at COVID-19 vaccination center in the Odeon Luxe Cinema in Maidstone, Britain February 10, 2021. (Reuters)
Britain said on Friday it would host a summit in 2022 to raise money for vaccine research and development to support an international coalition seeking to speed up the production of shots for future diseases. Britain is using its presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations to highlight the need to prepare for future pandemics in light of the devastating consequences of the coronavirus crisis. Britain said the summit with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) next year would support the body's goal of cutting the development time for new vaccines to 100 days in future pandemics. "We look forward to working with CEPI to speed up vaccine development, creating a global solution to ensure we're better prepared for future pandemics," health minister Matt Hancock said. The summit is aimed at raising investment from the international community, though there was no immediate word on which governments or organizations would be invited to attend. CEPI, a partnership created in 2017 between public, private, philanthropic and civil society groups, played a leading role in funding early development of a range of candidate vaccines against COVID-19. Britain said global health would be on the agenda of a May meeting of G7 foreign ministers, and it would urge international partners to work to strengthen global health security. "Now is a moment to capitalize on the rare alignment of political will, practical experience, and technical and scientific progress emerging from COVID-19 to prevent such devastation happening again," said Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive of CEPI. "CEPI has laid out an ambitious plan that aims to dramatically reduce or eliminate the risk of future pandemics and the UK has embraced the central pillar of that plan – the aspiration to compress vaccine development timelines to as little as 100 days – as part of its G7 agenda."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2947506/britain-says-host-2022-vaccine-summit-prepare-future-pandemics
Washington, London - Muath Alamri and Badr al-Qahtani
The US Secretary of State and US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking in Washington, US. (US State Department)
A Middle East stopover by the UN and US special envoys for Yemen is taking place this week against a backdrop of concerted international community mediation efforts to end the military escalation in the war-torn country’s oil-rich governorate of Marib. Marking the American diplomat’s fifth official visit to the region, the trip focuses on bringing hostilities in Marib to an end and promoting humanitarian relief efforts in Yemen, several well-informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Major regional and international peacemaking efforts are being met by Iran-backed Houthi militias carrying out military escalation, whether it be rocket or drone attacks against Marib or neighboring Saudi Arabia, revealed Yemeni Foreign Minister Ahmed bin Mubarak. “We hope that these militias will listen to the voice of reason and take sides in the interest of Yemen, especially in light of recent calls and positive messages from the Yemeni government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. As for Tim Lenderking’s visit, the US State Department confirmed in a Thursday statement that he would travel to Saudi Arabia and Oman for talks with government officials about efforts to end Yemen’s war. Lenderking’s “discussions will focus on ensuring the regular and unimpeded delivery of commodities and humanitarian assistance throughout Yemen, promoting a lasting ceasefire and transitioning the parties to a political process,” the statement said. It added that he “will build on the international consensus to halt the Houthi offensive on Marib, which only worsens the humanitarian crisis threatening the Yemeni people.” “Houthis must realize that they haven’t won Marib and that the patience of the international community and the US is running out,” a Western official told Asharq Al-Awsat. Moreover, Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the West was leaning towards allowing oil to enter the battle-weary country through the Red Sea port of Hodeidah. In a recent State Department briefing, Lenderking showed great reservation towards using terms like “siege” when discussing the flow of imports and humanitarian assistance through Hodeidah port. According to a State Department spokesperson, Lenderking pointed out that ships were unloading at the port and that there was a need for more supplies. “The envoy continues to bring up the issue at hand, but we must also realize that the humanitarian crisis can’t be resolved without first finding a permanent solution to the conflict. All parties bear responsibility,” they told Asharq Al-Awsat.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2947491/lenderking%E2%80%99s-mideast-stopover-looks-cease-marib-hostilities-promote
Saudi Arabia Distributes 9 Million COVID-19 Vaccines Doses
Gulf
Riyadh - Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia has distributed 9 million vaccine shots. (SPA)
Amid an increase in the number of critical COVID-19 cases, Saudi Arabia has accelerated the delivery of vaccines across its territories with over nine million doses distributed in the past five days. The Saudi Health Ministry tweeted on Thursday that over nine million shots have been administered across the Kingdom at more than 587 centers. Health officials are urging all citizens and residents to book appointments to receive the vaccine. The Health Ministry called on people to register to receive the vaccine through the Sehaty application. On Thursday, the Ministry reminded that all citizens and residents over the age of 75 are allowed to get the vaccine without booking an appointment. The Kingdom aims to cover 70 percent of the country's population - that has not yet contracted Covid-19 - by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry recorded 1,026 new virus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 416,307, including 9,852 active cases. Of these, 1,312 are critical cases. It reported 11 new deaths, raising the toll to 6,946. Meanwhile, as many as 1,055 cases have recovered, taking the total to 399,509. Accordingly, the Ministry warned citizens to continue to comply with health measures as active and critical cases continue to rise. Also on Thursday, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance temporarily closed 34 mosques in nine regions after detecting 34 COVID-19 infections among worshippers. In the past 81 days, Saudi Arabia closed around 901 mosques of which 862 were reopened after completing disinfection procedures.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2947471/saudi-arabia-distributes-9-million-covid-19-vaccines-doses
Lebanon’s Qaraoun Lake Spews Out Tons of Dead Fish
Varieties
Asharq Al-Awsat
Workers clean up dead carp fish from the shores of the reservoir on April 29, 2021. AFP
Tons of dead fish have washed up on the shore of the highly polluted lake of Qaraoun in eastern Lebanon in the past few days, an official said Thursday. It was not immediately clear what caused the fish kill in Lake Qaraoun on the Litani river, which several local fisherman said was unprecedented in scale. A preliminary report said a virus had killed only carp in the lake, but a veteran water expert said their deaths could also have been caused by pollution. Hundreds of fish of all sizes lay dead on the banks of the more than five-kilometer-long lake Thursday, and the stench of their rotting flesh clung to the air. Men shoveled carcasses into a wheelbarrow, as a mechanical digger scooped up more into the back of a truck. "It's our third day here picking up dead fish," said Nassrallah el-Hajj, from the Litani River Authority, dressed in fishing waders, adding they had so far "carried away around 40 tons.” On the water's edge, 61-year-old fisherman Mahmoud Afif said it was a "disaster.” "In my life I've never seen anything like it," the father-of-two told AFP. The Qaraoun lake was built as a reservoir on the Litani river in 1959 to produce hydropower and provide water for irrigation. But in recent years experts have warned huge quantities of wastewater, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff containing pesticides and fertilizer flooding into it have made it increasingly toxic. Since 2018 fishing has been forbidden in the reservoir as the fish there was declared unfit for human consumption, though fish from the lake have continued to appear in several markets. The Litani River Authority and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon on Friday warned of a "viral epidemic,” and called for fishing to be forbidden in the Litani as well as in the lake. It said the likely disease had only affected carp, while four other types of fish appeared to be unaffected. Kamal Slim, a water expert who has been taking samples of water from the lake for the past 15 years, said pollution could also be the cause. "Without analysis, we cannot be decisive," said the researcher. But the lake is also home to cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, and in warmer months the excess nutrients from pollution have caused the bacteria to erupt into bright green blooms that release toxins. "Right now there is a cyanobacteria bloom, though less thick than last year," he said. That or a bacteria could be responsible for harming the fish, especially since they are weaker during the reproduction season. "Another possibility is very toxic ammonium," he said. In July 2016, Lebanese media reported that tons of fish floated to the surface overnight in the Qaraoun lake. Slim said that was due to a toxic bloom and oxygen depletion.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2947466/lebanon%E2%80%99s-qaraoun-lake-spews-out-tons-dead-fish
