Tensions Mount as Armenia, Azerbaijan Continue Fighting

World

September 29th, 12:28pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

This image taken from a video released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020 allegedly shows fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces at the contact line of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan. Armenian and Azerbaijani forces fought over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh for a second day Monday, with both sides blaming each other for resuming the attacks that reportedly killed and wounded dozens as the decades-old conflict has reignited.(Armenian Defense Ministry via AP)

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces accused each other of attacks on their territory on Tuesday, as fighting over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a third straight day after a decades-old conflict reignited. Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that Armenian forces shelled the Dashkesan region in Azerbaijan, while Armenian officials said Azeri forces opened fire on a military unit in the town of Vardenis, west of Nagorno-Karabakh, setting a bus on fire and killing one civilian. Armenia's Foreign Ministry in a statement "completely" denied reports of shelling the Dashkesan region and said that with those reports Azerbaijan was laying the groundwork for "expanding the geography of hostilities, including the aggression against the Republic of Armenia." Two days of fighting have killed dozens and left scores wounded. The Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry reported 84 servicemen killed so far. Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, said Tuesday that 10 civilians were killed on its side and dozens sustained injuries. He didn't offer any details on the losses among the country's military. The heavy fighting broke out Sunday in the region, which lies within Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian government since 1994 at the end of a separatist war. Nagorno-Karabakh - a region in the Caucasus Mountains about 4,400 square kilometers (1,700 square miles) is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Armenian border. Soldiers backed by Armenia also occupy some Azerbaijani territory outside the region. The fighting prompted calls to end the hostilities from around the world. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed for an immediate cease-fire in phone calls with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, her office said Tuesday. Merkel underlined the urgency of "an immediate ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table," spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement. She told the two leaders that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe offers an appropriate forum for talks and that the two countries´ neighbors "should contribute to the peaceful solution," Seibert said. Turkey is supporting Azerbaijan in the conflict, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling on Armenia to immediately withdraw from the separatist region. "The solution to the problem is simple and there is only one solution: Armenia has to withdraw from the territories it has occupied. If this doesn´t happen, this problem cannot be resolved," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters on Tuesday following a visit to Azerbaijan´s Embassy in Ankara. The minister said the international community must defend Azerbaijan´s territorial integrity in the same way it defended the integrity of Ukraine and Georgia. "They must not consider Azerbaijan and Armenia on an equal footing," Cavusoglu said. "They are holding Azerbaijan, whose territories have been occupied, on an equal footing with Armenia. This is a wrong and unjust approach."

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2536026/tensions-mount-armenia-azerbaijan-continue-fighting

Embrace Beirut Brings Together Samba, Jahida Wehbe, and Harout Vasilian

Features

September 29th, 12:06pm

Beirut- Vivian Haddad

From the Embrace Beirut Concert

At the initiative of the Consulate General of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro, a virtual concert entitled Embrace Beirut was held on Sunday evening, the 27th of September. The first event of its kind, the concert held in Lebanon and Brazil simultaneously, aimed to provide relief to Beirut after the disaster had damaged it severely. The Lebanese community in Brazil is known to one of the largest in the world, with an estimated six million Lebanese residing in the South American country. Marcelo Amiqui was tasked with managing the concert, while the conductor of the orchestra, Tim Rascala, was in charge of technical management, in collaboration with the composer Ricardo Feghali (who is a nephew of the Lebanese diva Sabah). Famous Brazilian artists also participated in the concert, including Wagner, Claudia Leite, Lenin, Faragat, Daniel, and Milim. From Lebanon, Jahida Wehbe’s singing was complemented by the Philharmonic Orchestra led by Maestro Harout Vasilian. The composer Gilberto Gil, a former Brazilian culture minister, alongside many other artists, sent a message of hope to the Lebanese people. The concert also saw prominent figures read excerpts from Khalil Gibran’s books... In an interview about the event, Vasilian tells Asharq Al-Awsat: “They called me from the consulate in Brazil, asking my opinion about holding a concert by artists from Brazil. I explained to them that this event would not be complete without the presence of Lebanese artists. From there, the idea of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and I joining the concert came about.” He adds: “It is the first cross-border artistic collaboration between Lebanon and Brazil, and I was proud that Brazilian artists of Lebanese origin, such as Ricardo Feghali, the nephew of the late artist Sabah, participated. “I was also pleased with Tim Rescala’s participation, as I discovered that he is Lebanese, and his grandfather is a son of the Rizkallah family.” Vasilian stressed that all the concerts he has conducted, such as the Baalbek festivals and Embrace Beirut, translate his belief in hope. “Without hope, we cannot live, and music holds this message without a doubt,” he continued. My work is a manifestation of hope sought of a nation, people, and even humanity in general. We cannot surrender, no matter how severe our crises.” On the participation of Abeer Nehme, Fadia Tunb, and Ghada Shabir, who sang pieces that were recorded in their homes, he says: “I was surprised by their presence and had not been aware of it, and it turned out later that it was part of the program prepared by the consulate there. I would have preferred for it to have been planned better, as I would have supplemented their contributions with orchestral music directly from Beirut, as was the case with Jahida Wehbe.” For her part, Jahida Wehbe stressed that the concert amounted to an honorary gesture Brazil had granted to Lebanon. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, she says: “When Maestro Harout Vasilian called with this proposal, I did not hesitate to participate in concert for a second although I was outside Beirut. After the disaster that struck our city, I was in a bad psychological state. I was deeply frustrated so that I did not have the ability to sing. With (Embrace Beirut) I regained my strength and sang for my city, which I love. At the ceremony, Wehbe performed a classic Brazilian song entitled “Samba em preludio” adding a twist, a novel version (Arabic-Portuguese) of Vasilian’s distribution. She also sang “Wadia Al-Safi” by Wadih Al-Safi. The “Al-Sawt Al-Ateeq” choir also took part in the concert, singing “Ya Asheqat Al-Ward” by Zaki Nassif. “The Brazilian song is among the country’s most famous, and it is chanted by adults and children alike,” Wehbe adds. “I wrote part of it in Arabic, enriching it with both languages, in honor of two harmonious peoples, brought together by relationship strongly rooted in that ground that goes back decades. Wehbe had gifted Beirut with a song entitled “My nation hurts,” in which she expressed her sorrow for what happened in Beirut.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535981/embrace-beirut-brings-together-samba-jahida-wehbe-and-harout-vasilian

Touchless Lattes and Self-Service Kiosks: Office Break Rooms Go Virus-Proof

Technology

September 29th, 11:52am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Ericsson's cafeteria, with social distancing signage to prevent the spread of COVID-19, is seen at its office in Bucharest, Romania, in this July 30, 2020. (Handout via Reuters)

Out with grimy microwaves and sticky coffee machines with worn-out buttons, in with stylus pens, QR codes, no-touch water coolers and mobile apps that pick what brew the machine will make for you. From the headquarters of Ford in Dearborn, Michigan and Goldman Sachs in New York to Fedex facilities across the United States, workers are returning after months of lockdowns to the new reality of social distancing, hybrid remote and office work schedules, and strict hygiene protocols. The break room, where employees used to get their daily fix of caffeine and office gossip, is a big part of that reboot as coffee companies, such as Keurig Dr. Pepper, Lavazza and Nestle roll out new technology for the COVID-19 era. Nestle says it has worked with manufacturers to add a function to its coffeemakers that lets users to make a selection by just hovering a finger over the menu and has been delivering those to clients since June. Lavazza launched a new model in September that works with a mobile app to whip up those cappuccinos and lattes without having to touch the machine. US coffee machine manufacturer Bunn has chosen a different approach, retrofitting its machines with a QR code that lets users order drinks through a webpage. Last year, supplying offices with beans and brewers was a $5.7 billion business in the United States alone, according to research firm Packaged Facts. Coffee companies, which saw lockdowns wipe out so-called professional sales that also include the hospitality industry, bet they can revive that business by addressing workers’ and employers’ concerns. Dash for an app Lavazza had a new brewer slated to debut at a trade show in May, but started redesigning it to add a touchless function when the pandemic struck in March, Bruce Williamson, vice president of innovation and marketing at Lavazza Professional said. “We had to very quickly use the weeks (we had) preparing for an app.” Williamson said a survey of about 170 consumers across the United States Lavazza commissioned in August validated its decision. It showed 40% of employees expected to leave the building less often to get a drink and to rely more on office supplies, but were nervous about infection risks. “What they are telling us is... ‘I’m going to come back to the office but I’m nervous about touching the machine’.” Employers, suppliers and designers are also experimenting with a one-stop service that allows office workers to refuel without going outside, while those working remotely can do it from the comfort of their home. K-cup pod maker Keurig is supplying coffee for “mini-marts” set up to replace office cafeterias and offering fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, coffee and other staples. It has also signed deals with several companies that have classified K-cup pods and brewers essential work items and pay for their deliveries to staff working remotely, said Phil Drapeau, the company’s general manager for the ‘Away from Home’ business. Ford said more than 100,000 people out of its global workforce of 190,000 have returned to its facilities since May, but cafe service remains suspended and it offers pre-packaged meals and beverages instead. The carmaker is also testing onsite grocery kiosks selling locally sourced dairy, produce, and meal prep kits. Goldman Sachs told Reuters that 15% of its New York workforce is back with standard precautions in place - mandatory masks in all areas except employee desks and limits on the number of people in conference rooms and common areas. Rethink and recalibrate Surveys and official guidelines suggest offices will fill up only gradually and might even never return to pre-pandemic capacity. GoodFirms, a Washington, D.C.-based research firm, said this month its international survey of 168 businesses showed nearly a third of workers had already returned and nearly 60% wanted to do so, but more than half remained concerned about their safety. A makeover of office catering was important for addressing such concerns, says Alicia LeBeouf, marketing and retail strategy executive at food service company Canteen, which counts FedEx, Pinterest, Target and UPS among its clients. Buffets and chefs preparing meals on demand are replaced by grab-and-go food stations at Verizon and UnitedHealth Group Inc; contactless coffee machines get rolled out at Microsoft Corp; fridges get pedal-operated doors at Mohawk Industries and individually wrapped plastic utensils replace cutlery. At a FedEx facility Canteen has replaced all card payment terminals at its grab-and-go stations with Canteen’s “Connect & Pay” app, which also shows which items are available and their nutritional information. The layout also needs to change, says Tom Vecchione, workplace strategist at New York architecture firm Vocon. The company is knocking down doors and removing screens for its clients to create more spacious common areas that make social distancing easier while replacing chairs with stools to discourage people from lingering for too long. Canteen’s LeBeouf said employers were banking on workers coming back, but they would not be returning to the same office they left before the pandemic. “We’ve had to recalibrate and... rethink everything.”

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535956/touchless-lattes-and-self-service-kiosks-office-break-rooms-go-virus-proof

Pompeo Urges Greece and Turkey to Press on with Talks

World

September 29th, 11:41am

Asharq Al-Awsat

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits the Greek frigate Salamis at the Naval Support Activity base at Souda, on the Greek island of Crete, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. (AP)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged NATO allies Greece and Turkey on Tuesday to continue talks on a maritime boundaries dispute as soon as possible. Greece and Turkey, at loggerheads on a range of issues, have agreed to resume exploratory talks over contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean following weeks of tensions but have not announced a date for the talks. "We hope that these talks can continue in a serious way," Pompeo said after meeting Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the island of Crete. Pompeo is on a two-day trip to Greece following an increase in regional tension over energy resources. Tensions flared last month after Ankara sent its Oruc Reis seismic survey ship into disputed waters, escorted by gunboats, to map out sea territory for possible oil and gas drilling, following a maritime agreement between Athens and Cairo that angered Turkey. Since then, Turkey has recalled the Oruc Reis, saying the move would allow for diplomacy before a European Union summit on Oct 1-2 which will discuss the issue and possible sanctions against Turkey -- demanded by Cyprus, Greece and France. Athens and Ankara have agreed to resume the exploratory talks on maritime boundaries "in the future", with Istanbul the venue. The talks broke off in 2016 after 60 rounds that made little progress over 14 years. "(We) encourage them to resume discussion of these issues as soon as possible," Pompeo said. Pompeo, who also visited the northern Greek city of Thessalonki on Monday, said the eastern Mediterranean region should provide a foundation for energy security. He said the United States supports Greece's efforts to diversify energy routes and supplies and believes in Greek-US security cooperation, adding that Russia was a destabilizing influence in the region.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535931/pompeo-urges-greece-and-turkey-press-talks

Roadside Bomb Kills 14 Civilians in Afghanistan

World

September 29th, 11:35am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (left) listens to Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah at an Institute of Strategic Studies meeting in Islamabad | AFP

At least 14 civilians, including women and children, were killed Tuesday by a roadside bomb in central Afghanistan, officials said, as violence continues despite peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government. Seven women, five children, and two men died when their vehicle detonated an explosive device in Daikundi province, interior ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said in a statement. Three children were also wounded, he added, blaming the Taliban for the blast. Nasrullah Ghori -- the spokesman for the governor of Daikundi -- told AFP the victims were traveling to a shrine when their minibus struck the bomb. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, but roadside bombs have been a weapon of choice for the Taliban. "Deliberate attacks" targeting civilians killed or wounded more than 800 civilians in Afghanistan during the first half of 2020, according to a UN report released in July. The violence comes as Taliban and Afghan government negotiators are meeting in Doha, where they are trying to find a way to end 19 years of war. Despite calls for a ceasefire, the Taliban have refused to halt their violence, seeing it as key to leverage at the negotiating table. The blast came as the head of the Afghan peace process, Abdullah Abdullah, kicked off the second day of a three-day visit to neighboring Pakistan. Speaking at an event in Islamabad, he proclaimed that the "ice has been broken" at peace talks, which started September 12. Afghanistan has long accused Islamabad of providing vital support and safe havens to the Taliban. Islamabad denies it supports the Taliban, but its influence with the militants is seen as pivotal to paving the way for any potential deal.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535916/roadside-bomb-kills-14-civilians-afghanistan

Iran's New Coronavirus Cases Exceed 450,000

Iran

September 29th, 11:29am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Children return to school amid the novel coronavirus outbreak in Iran. (AFP)

Iran's confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed the 450,000 threshold on Tuesday with 3,677 infections identified in the last 24 hours, a health ministry spokeswoman told state TV, as the country’s death toll spiked to 25,986. Sima Sadat Lari said 207 people had died in the past 24 hours and the total number of infection cases reached 453,637. Coronavirus has surged in almost all of Iran’s 31 provinces, but President Hassan Rouhani said last week that his government had no plans to impose a complete lockdown despite the growing number of cases. However, Iranian authorities said some restrictive measures would be reimposed in Tehran and some other cities classified as "red", the highest category in Iran's coronavirus risk scale. Iran, which has the highest coronavirus death toll in the region, eased restrictions on normal life in April in order to help its economy, already battered by US sanctions. Health officials have repeatedly warned that easing restrictions could lead to a rose in infections. Iranian officials have said sanctions that were reimposed in 2018 after US President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with major powers have hampered the country’s ability to combat the pandemic.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535896/irans-new-coronavirus-cases-exceed-450000

Turkish Spy Networks Raise Europe's Concern

World

September 29th, 11:16am

Vienna- Raghida Bahnam

Turkish Spy Networks Raise Europe's Concern

Ankara’s problems with the countries of the European Union are mounting. The EU will hold this week a summit to discuss sanctions against Turkey, because of its continued military build-up and oil exploration off the Greek coast. In addition to Ankara’s blackmail of Europe with the refugee crisis, its refusal to abide by its pledges at the Berlin conference on Libya, and its recent intervention in the escalation between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a new chapter has recently emerged, represented by Turkey’s intelligence operations in Europe, specifically in Austria and Germany, where there is a large Turkish community. Andrian Hanni, an expert at the Austrian Institute for Intelligence and Security Studies, estimates the number of Turkish spies in Austria to be close to 200, noting that the Turkish spy network was the second largest in Austria and Germany, after the Russian network. The intelligence expert explained that Ankara’s recruitment of agents takes place in two ways: either by luring them with money through Turkish diplomatic missions in Vienna or groups of mosques and religious organizations deployed in Austria, or through arrests. He explained: “After arresting a person in Turkey, the Turkish security authorities make the detainee chose between facing imprisonment and carrying out spying operations on opponents.” Hanni noted that Austria’s public move against Turkish intelligence was “a warning not to cross the red lines.” He added that Vienna “usually tolerates espionage operations as long as the matter is not related to its own security.” Austria had pledged to take steps against Turkey after the arrest of a Turkish expert a few weeks ago, which it said had confessed to carrying out espionage operations for Ankara. These espionage operations have caused the arrest of more than 35 Turkish citizens, who also hold Austrian citizenship, when they visited their relatives in Turkey. Upon their arrival at the airport, the Turkish authorities confronted them with pictures of them demonstrating against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Vienna at the end of June. Security experts believe that the European country is investigating other cases of espionage led by Turkey on its soil. In recent weeks, Austria arrested a Turkish spy in Vienna, and the Turkish opposition uncovered a plot that Turkish intelligence was preparing to carry out assassinations in Vienna targeting politicians who had uncovered a Turkish spy network in the country.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2535891/turkish-spy-networks-raise-europes-concern