Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Sponsors Graduation at King Fahad Naval Academy
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Prince Khalid sponsors the graduation ceremony. (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman sponsored on Thursday the graduation of 35 students of the King Fahad Naval Academy. Prince Khalid was representing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, at the ceremony. The event took place the Jubail college. Prince Khalid oversaw a military parade that was held on the occasion. The graduates included several nationals from friendly countries, such as Bahrain, Jordan, Mauritania, Yemen and Djibouti.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3566256/saudi-deputy-defense-minister-sponsors-graduation-king-fahad-naval-academy
How Hong Kong’s Covid Troubles Infect Property Investing
Opinion
Shuli Ren
Shuli Ren -
For those looking to buy a second home as an investment, take a pass on Hong Kong. Maintenance costs are rising. Your tenant is probably working from home, cooking, washing and cleaning a lot more than before Covid. Appliances break. And good luck finding a plumber or electrician. Repair men are hard to schedule these days, as many catch the contagious omicron variant and take sick leave. Meanwhile, your rental income may soon not be enough to cover your mortgage payments. Almost all of the city’s new loans are benchmarked against Hibor, which has been creeping up. Hong Kong pegs its currency to the US dollar, so when the Federal Reserve starts hiking rates, borrowing costs in the city rise too. You will have to stretch your math. The rental yield stood at 2.4% at 2021 year-end, according to realtor Centaline Property Agency Ltd. That should cover the 1.6% mortgage rate you could get from, say, HSBC Holdings Plc’s local subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank Ltd, which charges a 1.3 percentage-point premium over one-month Hibor. But not for much longer. Fed fund futures are pricing in about 2 percentage points in rate hikes by year-end, so expect your cost of borrowing to rise in near lockstep. The average 30-year mortgage rate in the US has reached almost 4.7%, the highest since December 2018. If the futures market is correct on the Fed, by year-end, you will most likely earn negative carry for the first time since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. It will be a seismic mental adjustment for the city’s new generation of landlords. To make matters worse, this is a renters’ market now. Owners are slashing rent to attract and retain good tenants, as the city enters its third month of soft lockdown. Expats are grumpy. Many have left the city for good. Meanwhile, young people, who make up a big portion of rental demand, may be struggling to find jobs right now. Last year, unemployment rate among those aged 20 to 29 averaged at 8.7%, well above the economy’s overall 5.5% rate. They might just move home and sleep on their parents’ couches. What’s left is the prospect of rising home prices, which seems unlikely. The last time the Fed raised rates, in 2018, home prices fell by about 10% — and that was with economic growth at 2.8%. Now, Hong Kong is poised to enter a recession. Home prices may fall by 20% by 2025, estimates Goldman Sachs Group Inc. For over two decades, Hong Kong’s real estate market has been pretty predictable — on the way up. So in the last two years, whenever the city lifted its social-distancing restrictions, home prices saw a mini-rebound. Some investors might be tempted again, as social life gradually comes back. Weekly transaction volumes at 35 housing estates reached a 45-week high, according to Midland Realty. But think very carefully this time. If we look further back in history, Hong Kong property is by no means a sure bet. It was in a bear market for years, and many owners were deep under water. Home prices tumbled by two-thirds from their peak before the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997 to the SARS outbreak in 2003. So don’t fight the Fed, and learn to live with a recession. Hong Kong property’s got an infection it can’t shake. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3566251/shuli-ren/how-hong-kong%E2%80%99s-covid-troubles-infect-property-investing
Asharq Al-Awsat
King Salman arrives in Jeddah. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz arrived in Jeddah on Thursday from Riyadh. He was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Governor of the Makkah Region, Prince Khalid al-Faisal. He was seen off in Riyadh by Prince Faisal bin Badr bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh Region, and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Riyadh Region.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3566246/king-salman-arrives-jeddah-riyadh
Arab Coalition Says Committed to Ceasefire in Yemen
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi-led Arab coalition said on Thursday it was committed to the ceasefire in Yemen it had declared earlier this week in compliance to an appeal by Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf. Al-Hajraf had called for a cessation in military operations as it kicked off intra-Yemeni consultations on Wednesday. The coalition stressed it was taking all the needed steps to ensure the success of the talks and pave the way for comprehensive peace. The ceasefire, which went into effect on Wednesday, is aimed at creating the necessary positive environment to ensure the success of the talks. It will also be observed with the advent of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3566231/arab-coalition-says-committed-ceasefire-yemen
Congress Hears Sirens Wail as Ukraine Legislators Visit
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, center, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., right, hold a meeting with members of the Ukrainian Parliament, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. From left are: Ukrainian Parliament members Yevheniya Kravchuk and Lesia Zaburanna, Ukrainian Amb. Oksana Markarova, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Ukrainian Parliament members Maria Ionova, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, and Anastasia Radina. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
As members of the Ukrainian parliament were pleading for aid on Capitol Hill, an air raid siren blared from one of their cell phones — a wrenching alert from the war-torn country back home. One of the visitors reached into her bag, pulled out the phone and let the siren wail in the halls of Congress, The Associated Press said. “Right now, you hear the sound?” said Anastasia Radina, a member of the Ukrainian Rada. “This is the air raid alarm in the community where my son is staying right now,” she said at a press conference this week after meeting with members of Congress. “I need you all to hear that.” The Ukrainian lawmakers met for a second day Wednesday with their counterparts in the US Congress, urging American allies to more quickly provide additional military aid — fighter jets, tanks and other support — and to impose stiffer economic sanctions on the invading Russians they're trying to push from their country. The visiting legislators, all women, with family back home, were warning the US that they do not trust negotiations underway with Russian President Vladimir Putin over ending the monthlong war. And they impressed on the Americans that their country is at a crucial juncture in the fight against his invasion. “They desperately need more help both with military assistance and the tightening of sanctions,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, emerging from Wednesday’s private meeting at the Capitol. US lawmakers have been pressing President Joe Biden’s administration to do more for Ukraine — providing their political support for sanctions on Russian leadership, a ban on Russian oil imports to the US, even declaring Putin should be investigated for war crimes. Biden on Wednesday did announce that the US will send another $500 million in direct aid to Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. At the same time, the Senate was working to pass legislation suspending Russia's favored trade status — a measure that has been tangled over a related human rights provision, even though there is widespread support for suspending normal trade relations and halting Russian oil imports. Lawmakers emerging from two days of meetings with the Ukrainian lawmakers kept up a largely unified front, with both Republicans and Democrats saying more funding would be needed, beyond the nearly $14 billion in military and humanitarian aid recently approved. Many are members of the Ukraine Caucuses in the House and Senate, formed years ago to bolster the emerging democracy after it emerged from the former Soviet Union. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., described a sense of "buoyancy” in the room with the Ukrainian lawmakers Wednesday amid word of a possible Russian move away from Kyiv, even as he acknowledged the likely fighting still ahead. “There’s a lot of support in Congress to continue to help them,” he said. Yet there is concern in Congress that Biden's administration is too timid in its response and too slow to send needed military equipment. Some speak of an administration “Afghanistan Syndrome." Republicans in particular, but also Democratic lawmakers, suggest there's a hesitancy from the US to push deeper into an overseas conflict with commitments of military aid after 20 years fighting the “forever war” in Afghanistan. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said the Ukrainians she had met with in the past had used that term “Afghanistan Syndrome,” but on Wednesday the Ukrainian legislators instead spoke with urgency about the military aid they need — with fighter jets at the top of the list. “If they’re going to win, they need more," Ernst said. "And they know they can win. But they just need the support coming from the United States.” The Ukrainians delivered a long list of specific military equipment they are requesting, and senators said at the top remain the fighter planes the Biden administration has been reluctant to transfer from NATO ally Poland. The Ukrainians told reporters after meeting with House lawmakers a day earlier that they also want other air support systems as well as tanks to push the Russians back from their cities. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has roused the world to his country's side, speaking via video livestreams to legislative bodies around the world, the Ukrainian legislators provided their own compelling portrait this week in Washington — women fighting for their country abroad while their loved ones and families fight from home. In the meetings on Capitol Hill and later with officials at Ukrainian embassy, the lawmakers said that while they are thankful for the US help their country has received, they need more — especially now, as Russia’s strategy may be shifting. But the Ukrainian lawmakers were apparently leaving Washington without firm commitments. Opposition lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said there is a “readiness” by members of Congress to act but nothing concrete. “Unfortunately, we don’t have time,” she said at a later press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington. Governing party lawmaker Radina expressed frustration that the US was still distinguishing between defensive and offensive weapons, and said said Ukraine needs jets and air defense systems now. "What we need is action,” she said. The Ukrainians are wary of talks with Putin, and they framed the war not only as a fight for their country but for all of Western democracy. More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion. “Putin cannot be trusted,” said Yevheniya Kravchuk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, at Tuesday's press conference. Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are making weekend trips to the Ukrainian border regions to understand the war first-hand. What they've seen is reminiscent of imagery many grew up with learning about World War II. “It’s freezing cold. There’s like a little gust of snow, I mean, most folks didn't have winter coats, they had like one bag,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., recounting what he saw a few weeks ago on the Polish border. “It was reminiscent of the Second World War," he said. "You're just like watching, you’re just seeing this mass exodus of people.”
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564436/congress-hears-sirens-wail-ukraine-legislators-visit
Friends of Sudan Group Supports UN-African Initiative to Resolve Sudan’s Crisis
Arab World
Khartoum - Mohammed Amin Yassin
Head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. (AFP)
The Friends of Sudan group has reiterated its strong support for the combined efforts of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission to Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to facilitate a Sudanese-led political process to restore a civilian-led transition to democracy. The group, consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. It issued a statement on Wednesday saying it looks forward to the imminent launch of the next phase of the talks with the aim of building consensus around the structure of credible, civilian-led institutions that will lead Sudan through a revived civilian-led transition period, culminating in free and fair democratic elections. “The urgency cannot be overstated,” the group stressed, urging constructive engagement of all stakeholders in this next phase and underscoring the importance of ensuring women, as well as youth, and other historically marginalized groups enjoy full, effective, and meaningful participation and inclusion throughout every stage of the process. The statement called for creating the enabling environment that allows all stakeholders to participate and freely express their views, adding that Sudanese citizens must be protected from all kinds of violence. “Full respect for freedoms of association, expression, and peaceful assembly is vital, as is protection of property.” The group also expressed its deep concern by the immense economic pressures currently facing the Sudanese people, affirming that it is committed to continuing to provide direct, humanitarian support to them during this difficult period. “We look forward to the restoration of a credible transitional government agreed through the UNITAMS-AU-IGAD-facilitated political process, which would pave the way to restore economic assistance and international debt relief,” it added. The group members said they continue to endorse the Sudanese-led political process facilitated by UNITAMS, the AU, and IGAD as the best vehicle to realize the Sudanese people’s aspirations for freedom, peace, and justice and to restore Sudan’s democratic transition and pledged their full support to the Sudanese people and this process. Meanwhile, Sudan’s opposition Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC) has announced supporting the political process launched by the UNITAMS and the AU. It commended in a statement the report of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes, before the UN Security Council in which he denounced the grave human rights violations against protesters and underlined the need to restore civilian democratic rule in the country.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564286/friends-sudan-group-supports-un-african-initiative-resolve-sudan%E2%80%99s-crisis
In its most specific description of Russian forces moving away from Kyiv, the Pentagon said “less than 20 percent” of the Russian contingent in the vicinity of the Ukrainian capital are starting to “reposition.” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby gave no specific troop number on Wednesday. He said those that have begun moving away from Kyiv had been deployed in the vicinity of the Hostomel airport northwest of Kyiv. Kirby said it appears Russia is pulling troops away from Kyiv in order to resupply and reorganize them for use elsewhere in Ukraine -- not to send them back to Russia. This came as a US defense official said Wednesday that Russian forces have begun to pull out of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power site. "Chernobyl is (an) area where they are beginning to reposition some of their troops -- leaving, walking away from the Chernobyl facility and moving into Belarus," the US official said, AFP reported. "We think that they are leaving, I can't tell you that they're all gone." Moscow officials had said earlier this week that they were significantly reducing military operations in the Kyiv area as a gesture to advance peace talks. But Ukrainian and US officials have expressed skepticism about Russian intentions. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president said his country's defense against the Russian invasion is at a “turning point” and again pressed the United States for more help. According to The Associated Press, talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to resume Friday by video, said the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564126/pentagon-says-russian-troops-are-repositioning
Asharq Al-Awsat
Show and tell: People visit the newly-inaugurated 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum KARIM JAAFAR AFP
Qatar on Wednesday opened one of the world's biggest sports museums with artefacts from some of the most famous Olympic heroes but also gives prominence to local athletes hoping to boost efforts to attract a new generation into sports. The 19,000 square meter 3-2-1 Museum Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, next to one of the stadiums to be used in this year's World Cup, has taken more than 15 years to get off the planning board and fill. After scouring private collections and negotiating with the International Olympic Committee and other federations, its 17,000 objects include a glove worn by late boxing giant Muhammed Ali, when he won a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics, a Ferrari driven by Formula One champion Michael Schumacher and a shirt worn by Brazilian football legend Pele. There is also a cricket bat that belonged to Indian hero Sachin Tendukar and a torch from each of the modern Olympic Games, according to AFP. The museum is part of a billion dollar-plus drive by the Qatar government to build the Gulf state into a cultural haven alongside its big spending on sports events. But museum director Abdulla Al Mulla denied the museum only intended to put the spotlight on Qatar's energy wealth. "We are not showing off," he told AFP. "We have the confidence, we earned the confidence of international federations." Al Mulla also said Qatar's ruling family wanted the museum to show off the state's sporting legacy. Al Thani, a member of the Qatar ruler's extended family who raced from 2003 until 2015, also said the museum was an "icon" through its recording of all Qatar's athletes and their rankings. "If I knew that there was a wall with a local athlete on it, for sure I would want to be better than that athlete." "So I will do 110 percent to be on that wall as well. Now I am a target, I am behind there, and so people can work hard and remove my picture and put someone else's on it."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564106/qatar-opens-huge-sports-museum-world-cup-year
Saudi Arabia Calls for Sighting Ramadan Crescent Moon on Friday
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Authorities sight the crescent moon marking the first day of Ramadan. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on all Muslims throughout the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon of the holy month of Ramadan on Friday evening, state news agency (SPA) reported. The Supreme Court called on whoever sights the crescent moon by naked eyes or through binoculars to report to the nearest court and register their testimony, or to contact the nearest relevant department to guide them to the nearest court. More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will mark the month, during which believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and having marital relations from dawn until sunset. They also try to avoid evil thoughts and deeds.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564066/saudi-arabia-calls-sighting-ramadan-crescent-moon-friday
The Next Covid Wave Is Probably Already on Its Way
Opinion
Tom Frieden
Tom Frieden -
The most important lesson of the Covid pandemic is that the only constant is change. Variants spread, cases surge and abate, treatments change and knowledge expands. This means that we — the public, elected officials and public health leaders — need to learn constantly and adapt quickly, acting on the insight that no one policy response is likely to stay effective for long. Now is the moment to put that flexibility into practice. Rising Covid cases in Europe, the toll Omicron is taking particularly on unvaccinated elderly people in Hong Kong and slowing vaccinations are warnings that another wave of infections is likely approaching the United States. But we are by no means helpless. We can prepare better, save lives and reduce disruption. Although the exact reasons for the rapid increase in cases in Europe aren’t known, it almost certainly results from a combination of the highly infectious BA.2 Omicron subvariant, changing public behavior and waning immunity. BA.2 is making up an increasing proportion of new cases, and is extending the Omicron surge. At the same time, countries in Europe are lifting Covid-19 restrictions, including mask mandates and indoor capacity limits, and immunity to infection from vaccines and possibly also from prior infections is waning. Thankfully, although protection against infection through vaccination is something of a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon, the protection vaccines provide against severe infection and death is more durable. We’ve also learned more about the nature of the threat. It has been an open question whether Omicron is a much less severe variant of the Covid virus than earlier strains, or if it has caused much less severe disease because it had run into a wall of immunity from vaccination and prior infection in the United States, Europe and parts of Asia with high vaccination rates. The deadly outbreak in Hong Kong answers that question: Covid remains ferocious, and Omicron is lethal in an immunologically naïve population, particularly among unvaccinated older people. This has caused the devastating surge in deaths there and helps explain why the United States continues to report around 1,000 deaths per day, the vast majority among people not up-to-date with vaccination. Unfortunately, in the United States and many other high-income countries, vaccination has slowed to a trickle: It’s down in the United States by more than 95 percent from the peak of 4 million vaccinations a day. In some countries of Africa, where competing health risks are substantial and the health care infrastructure is stretched thin, vaccination rates are very low and are likely to remain so for many months. The risks for the United States are clear. BA.2 is increasing and will likely soon account for most new cases in the country. Masks have come off and approximately 60 percent of Americans, including more than one third of people above age 65 — more than 15 million seniors — are not up-to-date with vaccination. This doesn’t mean that BA.2 will inevitably cause a deadly surge. But it does mean that cases may increase soon, and that unvaccinated and under-vaccinated elderly and medically vulnerable people could face a deadly threat. Leaders need to redouble efforts to get more Americans, particularly older adults, vaccinated and boosted. Also, people who are older or immunocompromised and those around them should consider masking with a more protective N95 or equivalent mask. Increasing access to rapid testing could blunt the case increase by isolating people faster and linking those who test positive to rapid treatment with medications which drastically reduce the risk of severe illness. Improving vaccination rates may be harder with the rollback of vaccine mandates, which increased vaccine uptake and saved lives. With vaccine mandates politically or legally infeasible in some places, other strategies become increasingly important. These include ensuring that every physician offers Covid-19 vaccination to every patient at every clinical visit. Outreach programs and media campaigns can engage people without a regular doctor or who are otherwise not receiving care. Providers and health systems should reach out to every Medicare patient who may not be up-to-date to schedule vaccination. Repeated Covid surges have thrown into relief the underlying weaknesses and chronic underfunding of our public health and primary health care systems. Infectious diseases emerge where society fails. Lack of trust limits the ability of governments to protect their people. Weak public health systems mean that new threats are discovered when it’s too late to take action. Sustained funding can help ensure Americans are protected from future pandemic threats by allowing permanent budget-cap exemptions for critical health defense functions rather than relying on transient supplemental funding for each health emergency. Until US primary health care systems are much more robust, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination against Covid and other threats will remain lacking, allowing Covid to spread, and to do so among populations that are far less resilient than they would be if people received good preventive care. “Follow the science” is a mantra, but science can be painfully slow and decisions inevitably need to be made before perfect information is available. We don’t yet know what’s driving the emergence of variants or what future variants will bring. Nor do we know the optimal vaccination schedule for different groups, whether a fourth dose will be needed, and, if so, for whom and when. And we don’t know whether the highly effective treatments that have been discovered, on which the Biden administration is betting heavily, can reach enough people to greatly reduce hospitalizations and deaths. The struggle to get even half of eligible Americans up to date with vaccination doesn’t bode well for widespread treatment; treatment is generally much more difficult to scale than vaccination. Even so, we must try. Public health, like politics, is the art of the possible. Rigorous epidemiology, meticulous response management and well-communicated science need to be the foundation of public health action. Increasing vaccination, including boosters, among older and vulnerable people is a life-or-death challenge. Scaling up the linkage of testing to treatment can reduce hospitalizations and deaths substantially and protect health care systems. The United States also needs to support faster detection and response systems nationwide and globally. As a supplement to strengthening other tracking systems, monitoring for Covid in wastewater, as is done for polio and other diseases, may identify disease spread before many people become ill. If public health professionals find outbreaks right as they start, leaders can limit spread. For now, most of us can enjoy the warm spring sun on our unmasked faces. But we can also do a lot more to control Covid. If we learn quickly and act quickly, we can outmaneuver the virus. As Covid continues to adapt, our response needs to adapt along with it. We could be entering the endgame for Covid. How we play it will determine what happens next. The New York Times
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3564061/tom-frieden/next-covid-wave-probably-already-its-way
Asharq Al-Awsat
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting with Vladislav Deinego, head of the Foreign Ministry of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic, and Sergei Peresada, deputy head of the Foreign Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, in Moscow, Russia February 25, 2022. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on Wednesday in his first visit to the key ally since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month. In a post on its Weibo social media account, the Russian embassy in Beijing confirmed Lavrov had landed in the eastern city of Huangshan, posting photos of delegates descending from a plane and being met by health officials in hazmat suits. Lavrov will attend a series of meetings hosted by China to discuss ways to help Afghanistan. Diplomats from the United States and the Taliban-led country's neighbors are also expected to attend. But Russia's bloody assault on Ukraine is likely to loom large over proceedings. Unlike many Western nations, China has refused to condemn the invasion and has lagged behind many other countries in providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Beijing has said Foreign Minister Wang Yi will collectively meet with representatives at the meeting, but it is not clear whether he will meet one-on-one with Lavrov.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561986/lavrov-makes-first-china-visit-ukraine-war
A Tale of Two Covid-Zero Policies: Hong Kong and China
Opinion
Anjani Trivedi
Anjani Trivedi -
Hong Kong appears to have accepted defeat. Chief Executive Carrie Lam set out a blueprint for undoing the stringent social distancing measures and border curbs that severely curtailed residents’ daily lives for the past two years. Despite the government’s Covid-zero measures, 3.6 million of the city’s 7.3 million residents may have been infected. The statistic reflects badly on Hong Kong. But that doesn’t mean that the same policy in China has failed. To most of the world, there is a simple reason for why Hong Kong is a pandemic shambles: The territory is acting on guidance from Beijing. But the mainland has been far more clever and dynamic with the implementation of its Covid-zero agenda. While the territory has been reactive and prone to slapping down panicky measures, the mainland’s economically important metropolises, such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, have been efficient and resilient. Hong Kong and the mainland also have different priorities. China has been calibrating for omicron outbreaks. Mild cases will no longer be sent to hospitals. The government even changed the threshold for a negative PCR test — raising the bar to come up positive — thereby allowing people to be discharged from quarantine facilities much faster. It has also approved the use of at-home and personal rapid antigen tests. In the mainland, contact tracing is the first line of defense, whereas Hong Kong has largely relied on strict border controls and social distancing, including playground and school closures, to contain the virus. That means Chinese cities go into lockdowns a lot earlier during an outbreak but also come out much faster. Shenzhen, a city of 17 million, went in and out in a week after reporting just 66 new coronavirus cases. It has lifted restrictions, with the government saying the virus had come under control. Apple Inc. supplier Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., also known as Foxconn, resumed operation in two plants after a shutdown of only two days. Shanghai is the role model for a targeted, nimble Covid-zero response. The city has a team of around 3,000 people dedicated to identifying all close contacts. It employs the “2+12 days” approach: An apartment building can be locked down for two days because of a close contact, but its residents can roam around freely as soon as mass testing results come out negative. By comparison, Hong Kong’s health system broke down in the face of omicron. Two months of a semi-lockdown set off an exodus as people realized the only certainty was that the city’s Covid policy would be inconsistent. Close to 50,000 left for temporary or permanent refuge abroad in the first half of March alone. No long-term and sustainable solutions have been presented or discussed. And what happens when the self-exiled residents return, presumably with the virus? There are also huge holes in Hong Kong’s policy: What rules regulate unvaccinated children, for example? Other cities and countries are opening up completely, removing restrictions and leaving almost all Covid-19 measures in the past. On Monday, Indonesia, southeast Asia’s largest economy, said it was lifting all restrictions for tourists, throwing open its borders. Hong Kong can’t seem to see a path toward that kind of liberation. This raises the question of when the mainland will be able to open to the rest of the world. Just like Hong Kong, its elderly are reluctant to get vaccinated. For those aged 80 and above, just over half have had two shots. It’s a narrow path forward, but China wants to be sure its hospitals are not overloaded with patients. Five local manufacturers have been licensed to produce a cheaper version of Pfizer Inc.’s Covid-19 drug, Paxlovid, an oral medication for the treatment of the disease that will cut down on hospitalization. More importantly, China’s economy doesn’t need open borders or foreign visitors as much as Hong Kong’s. The mainland has focused on demand and supply within its borders, and its exports have been at a record high, thanks to pandemic-related demands for computer and medical equipment. While China’s supply chains have faced delays, they haven’t been severely disrupted. The industrial ecosystem has been honed to work with Covid closures over the past two years. That is all in keeping with China’s quest for stability. Hong Kong’s priorities are different. It needs to rebuild its credibility and show that it can, in fact, lay out and execute effective, well-thought out rules to restore its fading global stature. It needs to reconnect with the world to remain Hong Kong. At this point, the next time it faces an outbreak, the city should take a page from its peers in Shanghai. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561981/anjani-trivedi/tale-two-covid-zero-policies-hong-kong-and-china
Gulf-Sponsored Yemen Consultations Set to Kick Off in Riyadh
Gulf
Riyadh - Abdulhadi Habtor
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
The intra-Yemeni consultations are set to kick off in the Saudi-capital Riyadh on Wednesday. Various Yemeni parties and figures are set to take part, while international and United Nations officials will also attend. The consultations are being sponsored by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and held at its Riyadh headquarters. The United Nations and American envoys to Yemen are set to deliver opening remarks at the talks. Other speakers include the secretary-generals of the Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and GCC. A panel discussion with the UN and US envoys will then follow. Asharq Al-Awsat received a copy of the agenda of the consultations. The discussion will focus on the partnership between the GCC and Yemen. The day will conclude with a presentation on the arrangements for the consultations. Thursday will witness the launch of consultations between the Yemeni parties over the main political, economic, military, social, relief and media issues at hand. The talks will run from 10 am to 3:30 pm. Yemeni Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak said the situation in Yemen demands that all sides assume their humanitarian and moral responsibility. He urged the Iran-backed Houthi militias to "listen to the voice of reason" and engage with the consultations so that the desired peace can be achieved. The FM met on Tuesday with UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg. He expressed to him the legitimate government's support to his efforts to reach a solution to the crisis.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561976/gulf-sponsored-yemen-consultations-set-kick-riyadh
In the never-ending quest to make the world a better place, a new idea is beginning to draw more attention: educational migration. If you want to assist someone in a poor country, why not spend extra money and help them get a good college education in the West? Part of the appeal of educational migration is that it combines the gains from two beneficial ideas. It is not unusual, for instance, for a migrant from Africa, moving to a wealthier country, to earn 20 times the income. That higher productivity also represents goods and services produced for the consumers of the receiving country. And of course some number of those migrants may go on to win Nobel Prizes or make other notable achievements. By educating the migrant, a skilled rather than unskilled worker is entering the labor force. Unlike with many foreign aid programs, these wage boosts and achievements are likely to be sustainable gains. That will limit future reliance on welfare benefits and should make the program more politically palatable. These now-educated workers are less likely to create downward pressure on the wages of the poorer classes in Western societies — an ongoing source of tension, whether those worries are justified or not. As fertility rates fall and populations start to shrink in many Western nations, labor shortages can be expected. Educational migration can help address that. At the same time, poorer parts of the world such as Africa have a glut of raw talent, but they lack the infrastructure to train, mentor and employ it to its maximum potential. While “brain drain” from poor countries is a legitimate concern, these programs are hardly sucking those countries dry of all of their talent. More important, successful migrants often invest back in the home country, carry back know-how, provide role models and send remittances. India, for instance has benefited from having so many successful Indians in the US. Furthermore, many people in poor countries will strive to leave but be unable to. In the meantime they will have become better educated. One charity investing in educational migration is Malengo, which helps Ugandans study in German universities. Germany is an especially effective receiving country for educational migration because its higher education fees are close to zero. Furthermore, some undergraduate programs are taught in English, which is a national language in Uganda. According to Malengo, 98,392 Ugandan students took an advanced certificate exam in 2020, and of that group 68,222 received high enough grades to qualify for study in Germany. Of course in many instances what is lacking is the money, as deposits are required to receive the student visa and then living expenses must be paid. Still, once they are studying in Germany, it is legal for the students to take part-time jobs; eventually, German or other employers may wish to hire them into full-time jobs. One nice feature of educational migration is that there are some natural domestic interest groups in support of the core idea — namely, educators and universities, as well as many corporations. Even opponents of immigration may find highly motivated, pre-qualified students to be less threatening than other groups. The educational migration idea also has potential for the US, though with additional hurdles. American universities typically offer some tuition aid to foreign students, but they could pledge to do more. Imagine if every school in America offered 10 additional zero-tuition slots a year to students from very poor countries. The strain on the facilities of most schools would be minimal, yet with about 5,000 institutions of higher education in America, that could amount to tens of thousands of new slots for educational migrants. Given the great and justified interest in helping emigrants from Ukraine, the US and other countries might also consider special programs for Ukrainian students. Millions are leaving Ukraine, and while the charitable response has been impressive, over the longer term these individuals will need to find good jobs. Education is one major step toward this end. It remains to be seen how readily educational migration can be scaled. Not all students from poor countries have the linguistic and cultural preparation to study in the West. They may require mentoring, and they may have difficulties navigating the university application process. Universities, and the charities working with them, may have to work harder to create admissions tests that are relevant, challenging and secure. Still, they may get better at those tasks the more they try to make educational migration work. The US has a longstanding history of people moving here to study and then becoming smashingly successful. The beauty of educational migration is that it can help more people, in America and around the world, reach their maximum potential. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561971/tyler-cowen/can-educational-migration-save-world
Arab Coalition Suspends Military Operations in Yemen to Ensure Success of Consultations
Gulf
Asharq Al-Awsat
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Malki. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Joint Forces Command of the Saudi-led Arab coalition announced on Tuesday it was suspending military operations in Yemen, starting Wednesday morning, to ensure the success of the intra-Yemeni consultations that will kick off in Riyadh. Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is sponsoring the meetings, appealed for a ceasefire on Tuesday. He called for a halt in operations so that a positive environment can prevail over the talks during the holy month of Ramadan, which begins in early April. Arab coalition spokesman Turki Al-Malki said the suspension aims to support efforts to reach a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the crisis in Yemen. He added that the coalition forces will commit to the ceasefire and take the necessary steps to ensure it is upheld. He stressed that the coalition stands by the Yemeni people and their aspirations to build a state and restore security and peace. The consultations will kick off at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh on Wednesday and are set to run through April 7.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561966/arab-coalition-suspends-military-operations-yemen-ensure-success-consultations
If World Happiness Reports Make You Miserable, Join the Club
Opinion
Noah Feldman
Noah Feldman -
The annual World Happiness Report came out this month and, sure enough, the usual rich Nordic and northern European countries clustered at the top. Finland and Denmark ranked as the happiest and second-happiest corners of the planet, and the top eight were all in northern Europe. Afghanistan, Lebanon and Zimbabwe brought up the rear, as war-torn and impoverished countries always do. Data for the survey, issued by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a United Nations affiliate, was compiled before the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine (No. 98) by Russia (No. 60) presumably reduced human happiness pretty much everywhere. The US was No. 16, about where it usually shows up. For a country supposedly dedicated to “the pursuit of happiness” — not to mention self-boosterism — the result is always a bit disappointing. Americans wonder at it, shake their heads and ruminate in their political silos about the causes. There’s often a big difference between how people feel about their individual well-being and what they think about the state of the nation. And every year I gnash my teeth. Ranking happiness like a medal count at the Olympics makes little sense. To begin with, ranking comparative happiness is only logically coherent if we have an agreed-on conception of what it is. We don’t. It isn’t an abstractly measurable quantity. To talk about it, much less purport to measure it, is to express a belief about what it should mean. Self-reporting from different countries therefore doesn’t reflect standards that are common from place to place. It reflects the way people in those countries conceptualize happiness and the way they measure themselves against their own conceptions. Today, in ordinary American English, “happiness” means something more like smiling joyfulness, whether deeply felt or merely passing. Americans are a smiley people, judged by the world’s cultural norms. If we applied the American definition of happiness to a world index, the Scandinavians would not come out on top. Their version of happiness is different. The most important observation about true happiness is that it is very different from the simple feeling of pleasure or enjoyment. The word itself has a complex history in English. But when we speak of it as a human ideal, we are, or should be, referring to a specific meaning: happiness as well-being or human flourishing or thriving. This is what Aristotle called “eudaimonia” and defined as living well and faring well. It is what Thomas Jefferson was referring to in the Declaration of Independence when he put the pursuit of happiness alongside life and liberty in his troika of inalienable rights. His 18th-century “happiness” was meant as a translation of Aristotle’s notion, via the Latin felicitas. Jefferson’s ideal happiness was something deeper than the smiliness of today. To be sure, there are different ideas about what constitutes human flourishing or thriving. How important is it, for example, to be contented with your lot? Some people would say that it’s the secret to flourishing. Others would say that accepting the world around you makes you less likely to be motivated to improve it, or yourself, or your circumstances. The second important aspect of the word happiness in English is its etymological association with luck or fortune. The word “hap” means luck, as in happenstance. To be happy once meant to be lucky or fortunate, at least to English speakers. Luck obviously plays a big role in the various conceptions of happiness measured in the world report. No one chooses where they are born or whether they are enter the world rich or poor. The luck of being well fed and healthy undoubtedly explains some of why citizens of richer countries on average tend to say they are happier than those of poor ones. Even the human connections that we forge over a lifetime have a big component of fortune to them. We may choose our non-familial relationships, but it takes luck to be in a position to cultivate them. In fact, it takes fortune to be born into a situation where you have the capacity to try to make yourself happy, whether by forging bonds to others or by other means. Acknowledging the good-fortune component of happiness — as Aristotle himself did — gives a reason to look askance at the typical interpretation of the global surveys. Ordinarily, the point of these indices, whether for freedom or gross domestic product or literacy, is to motivate policy makers to improve their ranking. The nominal idea is that no country wants to be lower in the rankings than it “should” be. This is the ideology of simpleminded meritocracy. We rank all the pupils from first to last on the dubious theory that the ranking will motivate everyone to work harder, especially those at the bottom. But to the extent that luck contributes significantly to the happiness index, the ranking isn’t going to motivate anyone. People in Rwanda (No. 143 and a perpetual low finisher) know that they are struggling with violence and poverty. Presumably they want to improve their lot — but not because they want to rank higher on the happiness index. The Finns may enjoy being told they are the happiest people on earth. But they won’t set their social policy to win this race in particular. Ranking happiness, or trying to, expresses a fantasy that it is some attainable quantity — and that someone else might have more than we do. Happiness as well-being is a wonderful goal to set for ourselves, individually and collectively. But ranking it, for a person or a country, misses the point of happiness itself. Bloomberg
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561961/noah-feldman/if-world-happiness-reports-make-you-miserable-join-club
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed - Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is the former general manager of Al-Arabiya television. He is also the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, and the leading Arabic weekly magazine Al-Majalla. He is also a senior columnist in the daily newspapers Al-Madina and Al-Bilad.
As the nuclear deal inches toward revival, the Houthi attacks on airports and oil depots in the Saudi cities of Jizan and Jeddah in the last few days are a call for consideration, not wonder. Aside from the question of Iran’s aggressive behavior in general, why does Tehran demand that Washington lift sanctions, yet simultaneously arrange, through its proxy in Yemen, attacks that threaten oil facilities and global oil prices and cause damage to states sitting across from it on the negotiating table? Iran is redolent of a scorpion who asked a frog (the West, in this case) to carry it on its back so they can cross the river, vowing not to sting the frog as that would cause both of them to drown, yet still stinging it mid-way across the river. The reason? That’s just how Iran’s regime is. Whether or not Tehran signs the deal, attacking regional friends and allies of the United States is in the nature of Iran’s extremist religious system. Iran took over Lebanon and turned it into a center of operations in the north of the Arabian region. It took over Yemen and turned it into an Iranian base from which to target Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, threaten international maritime traffic in Bab al-Mandib on the Red Sea, transfer militants and weapons to troubled East African nations, and carry on with destroying the Iraqi government system put in place by the US and threatening Gulf states and Israel. This is the nature of the extremist regime that’s been ruling Iran with an iron fist since the early 1980’s, one that regards the Vienna deal as a triumph that will add to its offensive capabilities and appetite. What happened in Yemen was not a case of Yemeni infighting, but rather a chapter of the regional power conflict. Yemen’s woes began in the summer of 2014, when the Houthi Ansarullah militia attacked and captured the capital. At the time, all but a few in the region truly comprehended the danger that the Houthis would pose to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the whole region. With the Houthis in power, Iran gained a foothold in Sanaa and indirectly took over, through its proxy, a country about three times the size of Syria and 50 times the size of Lebanon, both of which had already fallen prey to the grip of Iran’s regime. Contrary to popular belief, the war was only waged by Saudi Arabia and the Coalition after it became clear that Yemen was not in the clutches of an internal conflict between local Yemeni forces during the so-called “Spring Revolution”, but rather in the hands of a proxy of Tehran’s regime, who stormed the Presidential Palace, held the interim President at gunpoint, then occupied one city after the other until it surrounded Aden, the last stronghold. As such, the war happened because the Houthis are merely an extension of Iran and not an independent Yemeni component. Ever since, the Iranian regime has held the reins in Yemen, as it has in Lebanon, using the force of weapons, threatening local civilian leaders and their families until all but a few of them left for Riyadh, Cairo, or elsewhere. As it did in Lebanon in 2005, when it assassinated then-Prime Minister Rafik Hariri through its proxy, Hezbollah, Iran also decided to get rid of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who, like Hariri in Lebanon, enjoyed wide political and tribal support on the ground. Saleh was killed in December 2017 at the hands of Iran’s proxy, Ansarullah. The war in Yemen falls within the context of the regional conflict, and the targeting of Saudi cities is part of Iran’s plan against regional powers standing up to it. Today, Tehran’s regime is almost completely in control of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Rarely does it find anyone to stand up to it, except for the Coalition and the Kingdom in Yemen. But standing up to Iran’s regime everywhere is a collective necessity, in order to ensure that Tehran pays dearly for its occupations and rein in its control over the region. The attacks on oil storage facilities in Jeddah and the bombing of the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil within two weeks puts negotiators in Vienna before a practical test, away from theory. This is the regime they plan to remove from the sanction list. This is the regime they plan to re-allow as an ordinary state into the international community. It is not only Saudi Arabia that stands before real risks in the future, but all the states of the region. Iran’s intents know no boundaries or limits. Tehran is only moving forward with no intention to stop, contrary to the common belief that Iran only has its eyes set on Iraq, or that its boundaries end at the shores of Lebanon. The leniency it found in Syria and Lebanon has only paved the way for Tehran to march toward Iraq and Yemen.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3561956/abdulrahman-al-rashed/attacks-jeddah-and-erbil
Jordan's King: Regional Security Cannot Be Achieved without a Palestinian State
Arab World
Ramallah - Kifah Zboun
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomes King Abdullah II of Jordan ahead of a meeting in Ramallah in the West Bank, on March 28, 2022. (AFP)
Jordan's King Abdullah II assured Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Amman will always support Palestine, despite all challenges. Meeting Abbas in Ramallah, King Abdullah asserted that security and stability could not be achieved in the region without just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. King Abdullah's visit to Ramallah is his first in five years amid rising tensions. He met Abbas after the latter met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who led a ministerial meeting in Israel that included his Egyptian, Emirati, Bahraini, Moroccan, and Israeli counterparts. The King called for ending all unilateral Israeli measures, especially in Jerusalem, which undermines the prospects of achieving comprehensive and lasting peace, stressing that the goal is to have a Palestinian state living side-by-side with Israel in peace and security. The monarch noted that Jordan would continue all efforts to preserve Jerusalem's historical and legal status quo and safeguard its Islamic and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship. During the talks, the monarch emphasized the importance of giving the Palestinian cause the required international momentum to avoid being eclipsed by other recent crises. Abbas welcomed King Abdullah, who was accompanied by Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, saying: "We want to keep constant communication, whether through visits or contacts between us." Abbas stressed that Jordan and Palestine share common interests, concerns, and hopes, underlining the importance of such visits. He emphasized that "we never forget that the Jordanian position on the Palestinian issue is a Palestinian position, and we know that your Majesty's instructions that everything related to Palestine is not revised, but implemented immediately." The meeting addressed recent developments in the Palestinian Territories and the need to maintain calm and stability, especially during the holy fasting month of Ramadan that begins in early April. They also stressed the importance of respecting the rights of Muslims to worship at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem without provocation or interference. They discussed the importance of working with all sides to avoid any escalation that could undermine the prospects of achieving peace. Talks also covered joint regional projects and means to allow Palestinian participation, especially in projects related to food security and mitigating the repercussions of the Ukraine crisis on the region.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3560026/jordans-king-regional-security-cannot-be-achieved-without-palestinian-state
US Trial Begins for ISIS Militant who Beheaded American Hostages in Iraq, Syria
World
Asharq Al-Awsat
A combination picture shows Alexanda Kotey and Shafee Elsheikh, who the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) claim are British nationals, in these undated handout pictures in Amouda, Syria released February 9, 2018. Syrian Democratic Forces/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
An alleged member of a group of ISIS militants that beheaded American hostages in Iraq and Syria, nicknamed "The Beatles" for their British accents, faces a US criminal trial beginning on Tuesday. El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, will stand trial in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, on charges including lethal hostage-taking and conspiracy to commit murder. Elsheikh was one of four ISIS militants belonging to the four-member ISIS cell. The cell garnered international attention after releasing videos of the murders of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig, among other victims. Two of the cell's four members, Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, were held in Iraq by the US military before being flown to the United States to face trial, according to Reuters. Mohammed Emwazi, a British citizen who oversaw the executions, died in a drone strike in 2015. Aine Lesley Davis, the fourth member of the group, was convicted in Turkey on terrorism charges and jailed. Kotey pleaded guilty in September 2021 to the murders of Foley, Sotloff, Mueller and Kassig. He will be sentenced next month. Kotey was a citizen of the United Kingdom, but the British government withdrew his citizenship. The charges against Elsheikh, a UK citizen, carry a potential death sentence, but US prosecutors have advised British officials that they will not seek the death penalty against Elsheikh or Kotey. US District Judge T.S. Ellis will oversee the trial, and is expected to spend Tuesday questioning potential jurors to ensure a fair trial. Elsheikh's lawyers have said the killings were planned and carried out by Emwazi at the behest of ISIS leadership.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3560006/us-trial-begins-isis-militant-who-beheaded-american-hostages-iraq-syria
King Salman Sponsors 'Umm al-Qura' Centennial on Wednesday
Gulf
Riyadh - Asharq Al-Awsat
King Salman during a cabinet meeting. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz will sponsor on Wednesday the centennial celebration of the Umm al-Qura newspaper. Governor of the Makkah region Prince Khalid al-Faisal will represent King Salman at the event, which is being held by the Media Ministry. The Kingdom's official gazette, Umm al-Qura was witness to the rise and development of the media sector in the Kingdom. It issued its first copy during the reign of the founder King Abdulaziz, on Jamadi al-Awwal 15, 1343 Hijri. Umm al-Qura is among Saudi Arabia's most famous media outlets and has managed to modernize itself to keep up with the times under the acting Media Minister Dr. Majed al-Qasabi. It was first printed on yellow paper, then white and eventually in color. It is held in high esteem in the Kingdom and reports official statements, rulings, local news and government decisions and announcements.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3559941/king-salman-sponsors-umm-al-qura-centennial-wednesday
New Google Feature to Allow Users Make Doctor’s Appointments
Technology
Asharq Al-Awsat
Google app is seen on a smartphone in this illustration taken, July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Google is trying to make booking a doctor's appointment a little easier using its search engine, the German News Agency reported. Though the new feature is still in its early stages, Google plans to roll it out soon across the US, if only for select providers at first, according to the CNET website. The company is working with MinuteClinic and other scheduling providers, so when the user goes to book an appointment, the new feature enables him to see open appointment times. Google also announced next steps for the Fitbit wearable, including pending clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for its photoplethysmography algorithm, or PPG, which detects heart rate data directly through the wrist and may offer signs of an irregular heartbeat. Results of a Fitbit-initiated heart study led by a cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital were promising and showed that the algorithm identified undiagnosed atrial fibrillation in 98% of the time.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3559936/new-google-feature-allow-users-make-doctor%E2%80%99s-appointments
