Online Retailer Farfetch Enters Beauty Sector with Violet Grey Purchase
Fashion
Asharq Al-Awsat
A banner to celebrate the IPO of online fashion house Farfetch is displayed on the facade of the of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, September 21, 2018. (Reuters)
London-based online luxury fashion retailer Farfetch said on Friday it plans to purchase US-based beauty retailer Violet Grey, marking its expansion into the cosmetics business with an eye to reaching younger consumers. The move was announced as high-end labels from fashion to cosmetics double down on efforts to cater to rising generations of luxury consumers that are often more interested in experiences than accumulating goods and products. "We've been thinking about beauty for a long time", Stephanie Phair, chief customer officer of Farfetch, told Reuters. A previous attempt to expand into the beauty category around six years ago helped executives understand that it carried its "own requirements" in terms of operations, logistics and positioning, she added. Farfetch plans to launch beauty products on its online marketplace later this year. Violet Grey, which sells serums from the Dr. Barbara Sturm label priced at $300 and Chanel bronzer for $50, is known for building up its followers by offering advice and commentary from industry experts, as well as exclusive offers. Financial details of the transaction were not provided.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441506/online-retailer-farfetch-enters-beauty-sector-violet-grey-purchase
Syria Kurds Hunt Down Extremists after Prison Attack
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
Kurdish-led fighters deploy around Ghwayran prison after its recapture from ISIS militant group in six days of deadly fighting in northeastern Syria's largest city, Hasakeh - AFP
Kurdish-led forces on Thursday found dozens of extremists holed up in a Syrian prison during mop-up operations after recapturing the facility from ISIS group fighters. An ISIS assault on the sprawling Ghwayran prison complex near the city of Hasakeh on January 20 sparked six days of fighting, in violence that claimed at least 235 lives. It was the most high-profile attack launched by the extremists since the loss of their "caliphate" nearly three years ago, AFP said. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said they had retaken full control of Ghwayran prison on Wednesday, ending battles that turned northeastern Syria's largest city into a war zone. But search operations the next day found around 60-90 extremists still holed up in one wing of the prison, the SDF said, adding that 3,500 ISIS members had so far surrendered to its troops. "Our forces have made a call for safe surrender... and in case they did not surrender, we will deal with them firmly," said a statement from the SDF, the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration's de-facto army. Sporadic clashes broke out again Thursday in the vicinity of the prison compound during the Kurdish mop-up operations, killing at least 12 militants, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The bodies of five others were found inside the prison, added the Britain-based war monitor. Hasakeh entered its fourth day in lockdown with US-backed Kurdish forces blocking all entrances to the city to keep fleeing militants from crossing into other areas. Around 45,000 people had fled their homes in Hasakeh to escape the violence, according to the United Nations, with many taking shelter in mosques or wedding halls inside the city. - 'Risked our lives' - On Thursday, families gathered at a checkpoint erected at the entrance to the neighborhood of Ghwayran, pleading with security forces to let them through, an AFP correspondent reported. "We came to check on our house," said Abu Hamza, who was waiting in the biting cold with his five children. "But they turned us away because the situation is not good." Nearby, two women carrying plastic bags packed with bread were also hoping to gain access to the neighborhood where they said trapped civilians had been left without basic supplies for days. "People have been left without bread, without water, without anything," one of the women told AFP. "We came, and risked our lives to buy bread for the neighborhood and we will distribute it," she said. The Observatory said Kurdish forces combing areas inside the prison were proceeding with "great caution over fears of suicide bombers or landmines laid by the ISIS group". It said 173 ISIS militants, 55 Kurdish fighters and seven civilians had been killed since the start of the assault. "The fate of dozens of other people is still unknown," said the Observatory. Around 120 SDF Kurdish fighters and members of the security forces were wounded and taken to hospital, "some in serious condition" it added. The Kurdish authorities have insisted no inmates escaped from the compound but the Observatory, which relies on sources on the ground, has said significant numbers got away. In New York, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths called for children trapped in the prison to be evacuated. "We are extremely concerned about the hundreds of children trapped in a terrifying prison siege," he told the Security Council. - 'Broader crisis' - Ghwayran held an estimated 3,500 ISIS inmates, including around 700 minors, when the initial ISIS attack began with explosives-laden vehicles driven by suicide bombers. "The Kurdish-led forces' recapture of the prison ends this immediate deadly ordeal, but the broader crisis involving these prisoners is far from over," Human Rights Watch warned on Wednesday. "The US-led coalition and others involved need to quickly ensure that all prisoners, especially the wounded, ill and children, are safe and receive food, water and medical care," it added. Prisoners who surrendered were being transferred to safer facilities as operations in Ghwayran continued, the SDF said. Kurdish authorities say more than 50 nationalities are represented in Kurdish-run prisons holding more than 12,000 ISIS suspects. The Kurdish administration has long warned it does not have the capacity to hold, let alone put on trial, all the ISIS fighters captured in years of operations. The administration's foreign policy chief Abdulkarim Omar said it was up to the international community to put foreign militants on trial or repatriate them. The ISIS threat is "like a fireball, it gets more dangerous and complicated with time," he told AFP. The self-declared ISIS caliphate, established in 2014, once straddled large parts of Iraq and Syria. After five years of military operations conducted by local and international forces, its last rump was eventually flushed out on the banks of the Euphrates in eastern Syria in March 2019.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441391/syria-kurds-hunt-down-extremists-after-prison-attack
Nadal Beats Berrettini to Reach Australian Open Final
Sports
Asharq Al-Awsat
Nadal celebrates winning his semi final match against Berrettini. (Reuters)
Rafa Nadal stood one win away from a men's record 21st Grand Slam title after overpowering Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 on Friday to reach the Australian Open final. A win for Nadal in Sunday's final against either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas will break a three-way tie with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer and give him sole owenership of the record for most Grand Slam singles titles. With rain bucketing down outside, the 35-year-old Nadal made a fast start under the closed roof of the Rod Laver Arena and took control by breaking Wimbledon finalist Berrettini's serve early in each of the first two sets. Berrettini finally came alive in the third and started forcing Nadal back with his forehands, a break of serve forcing a fourth set. The Spaniard got the crucial break in the eighth game as the Italian's unforced errors increased and another mistake allowed Nadal to convert his first matchpoint after a battle that lasted two hours and 55 minutes.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441386/nadal-beats-berrettini-reach-australian-open-final
UAE Convoy of One Million COVID-19 Vaccines Reaches Gaza
Arab World
Asharq Al-Awsat
A health worker prepares a vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Gaza City March 17, 2021. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has received a medical supplies convoy provided by the UAE, containing one million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to fight COVID-19. The convoy arrived in the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Border Crossing, and is the largest medical support of its kind provided by the UAE to Gaza since the outbreak of the pandemic, state news agency WAM reported. The vaccines were distributed immediately to vaccination centers to encourage people to get vaccinated as the Gaza Strip enters its fourth wave of the pandemic. Ghazi Hamad, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, thanked the UAE for its significant assistance, which comes at a critical time when the Gaza Strip is exposed to its fourth wave, to enhance the health sector's countermeasures of the pandemic. In a press conference held at the Rafah Border Crossing after the shipment arrival, Hamad said, "The medical supplies shipment is large and appreciated from our brothers in the UAE." He also thanked the Emirati leadership for the generous donation of medical equipment and the establishment of the UAE Hospital. Former Palestinian Health Minister, Jawad al-Tibi, said: "The health sector is one of the time-consuming sectors, and we are facing a global pandemic that requires unremitting efforts." "The UAE sends aid after aid to support our steadfastness and address difficulties and disease in the Gaza Strip," he added. "This batch of UAE assistance came at the appropriate time to support the health sector and vaccinate students."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441381/uae-convoy-one-million-covid-19-vaccines-reaches-gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat
US President Joe Biden. Credit: AFP Photo
US President Joe Biden pledged support for Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia during a phone call Thursday with his counterpart in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky, the White House said. Biden has been leading attempts to build a united Western front against Russian military pressure on Ukraine, which has angered Moscow by seeking to integrate with the West. More than 100,000 Russian troops are massed on Ukraine's borders, AFP reported. In the call with Zelensky, Biden "reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," a readout from the White House said. Biden "underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." In the call, Biden said Washington is "exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine's economy amidst pressure resulting from Russia's military build-up," the statement said, without going into detail. Addressing Ukrainian criticism over the decision to call on US citizens to leave Ukraine, Biden told Zelensky that the embassy "remains open and fully operational." While expressing support for talks this week where Ukraine and Russia recommitted to a tense ceasefire in the disputed east of the country, Biden promised that diplomatic deals would not be cut behind Ukraine's back, saying "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." In a tweet, Zelensky said he and the US president had "a long phone conversation" and that they "discussed recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future." Zelensky said he thanked Biden for US weapons deliveries and that "possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed."
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441376/biden-vows-support-ukraine-zelensky-call
Saudi Arabia's Green National Flag Flutters for 3 Centuries
Gulf
Riyadh - Badr al-Khuraif
Saudi soldiers carry the Saudi flag and banners during the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1911. (Photo courtesy of Adnan al-Turaif to Asharq Al-Awsat)
Late historian Abdul Rahman Ruwaished has documented the evolution of the national banner over the centuries, with focus on the history of the Saudi national flag. He has examined medals and military ranks that he believed were cornerstones of national devotion. He also studied the codes of flags, standards, medals and ranks. In his book, "History of the Saudi Flag: National Flags, Decorations and Insignia," Ruwaished tackled the "code of ensigns, medals and ranks." He delved in detail into the etymology of the word "flag" in Arabic, saying it has numerous synonyms in the language, all of which denote a piece of colored cloth that is hoisted on a pole. The flag is usually emblazoned with significant symbols and is carried by soldiers leading a parade. The flag is also hoisted at government buildings and during various occasions. Saudi Arabia chose green as its national color and the color of its flag. In the center of the flag is the Islamic declaration of faith, Shahada, and below it is an image of a drawn sword. The flag dates back to the First Saudi State. Ruwaished said the banner went through several transformations before the current form was adopted during the later years of the reign of late King Abdulaziz. The Saudi flag was first flown in 1727 by founder of the First Saudi State Imam Mohammed bin Saud, who ruled for 40 years. Journalist Adnan al-Turaif said King Abdulaziz adopted the flag of the first and second Saudi States during the early years of the Kingdom's founding. He then ordered that a few changes be introduced to the flag, al-Turaif told Asharq Al-Awsat. He cited Lebanese intellectual Ameen Rihani, who said that during the early years of King Abdulaziz's reign, the flag was square shaped, with the Shahada in the center and two crossed swords above it. Changes were introduced soon after, with the two crossed swords being replaced by a single one. The sword was moved below the Shahada. In 1925, King Abdulaziz ordered that a new flag be drawn up. In 1937, the Shura Council approved the dimensions of the flag at 150 cm in length and 100 cm in width. Later that year, a decree was issued over the national flag and over dedicating a flag to each of the king, crown prince, army, air force, internal flag, royal navy and marine trade. In 1952, the Shura Council approved new measurements and modifications to the flags. In 1973, the government approved the flag code. During the reign of King Fahd, specifically in 1991, modifications were made to the flag, whose width would be two thirds of its length. The Shahada would remain in the center and the sword just below it. In 1997, the government decreed that the national flag would be raised in the Kingdom from sunrise to sunset on weekends and holidays.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3441366/saudi-arabias-green-national-flag-flutters-3-centuries
Virus-ravaged Iran Finds Brief Respite with Mass Vaccination
Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat
FILE PHOTO: Iranian women wear protective masks to prevent contracting a coronavirus, as they walk at Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran February 20, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Nazanin Tabatabaee via REUTERS
As much of the world sees vaccination slowing and infections soaring with the spread of omicron, Iran has found a rare, if fleeting, respite from the anxiety and trauma of the pandemic. After successive virus waves pummeled the country for nearly two years, belated mass vaccination under a new, hard-line president has, for a brief moment, left the stricken nation with a feeling of apparent safety. Now, the specter of an omicron-fueled surge looms large. Hospitals are preparing for the worst as infections tick upward after a months-long lull. But so far, the variant has not battered the Iranian Republic as it has many Western countries where most adults got jabs a year ago, The Associated Press said. Drastic infection surges among the inoculated from the United States to Russia have revealed the vaccine's declining defenses against infection even as its protection against hospitalization and death remains strong. Meanwhile, Iranians have received doses more recently and are feeling off the hook with their immunity still robust. “A large number of people already have contracted the virus and huge vaccination has taken place in recent months,” health official Moayed Alavian said in an attempt to explain the sharp drop in infections easing the burden on Iran’s overwhelmed health system. The virus has killed over 132,000 people by Iran’s official count — the highest national toll in the Middle East. Iran’s recently elected president, conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi, has made it a mission to expedite imports of foreign-made COVID-19 vaccines. With hard-liners in control of all branches of government, the new administration is fast fulfilling a task that had been vexed by power struggles during former President Hassan Rouhani’s term. The contrast is not lost on ordinary Iranians. “I do not know what happened,” said Reza Ghasemi, a Tehran taxi driver. “Suddenly vaccination happened in a widespread and quick way after Raisi came to office.” “By the way,” he added, “I am thankful.” But skeptics question the presidents' starkly different pandemic responses, criticizing the human cost of the country's factional rivalries. “We delayed vaccination because of political issues,” reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian bluntly said last September. Former President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw America from Tehran’s landmark nuclear deal with world powers and pile on sanctions doomed the relatively moderate President Rouhani and his political camp. Talks to revive the nuclear deal floundered over the past year, deepening mistrust of the West as hopes for quick sanctions relief faded. With anti-American hostility simmering, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned the import of Western shots a year ago. Hard-liners swept the parliament and railed against American-made vaccines even as virus deaths shattered records. Scrambling to contain a vicious virus wave that inundated hospitals with intubated patients last summer, authorities urged Iranians to get one of the country’s five domestically produced shots instead of foreign alternatives. Rouhani’s health officials struggled as information they provided was publicly contradicted, leading to conflicting messaging and leaving the vaccine program in shambles. Desperate Iranians flocked to neighboring Armenia for spare doses. In the end, Rouhani’s government distributed just 5 million shots. Now under Raisi, Iran is riding high on its successes against COVID-19. Cases have fallen to about 7,000 a day from some 40,000 just months before. The death toll plummeted to 20 a day this month from peaks of over 700. His administration has provided 180 million vaccines since taking the reins in August. More than 88% of all of those eligible for vaccines have been fully vaccinated. Iran has administered booster shoots to 20% of its population. Last week the government announced it would make vaccines available to children under 18. Like many middle-income countries, Iran has relied on Sinopharm, the state-backed Chinese vaccine, but offers citizens a smorgasbord of other shots to choose from — Oxford-AstraZeneca, Russia’s Sputnik V, Indian firm Bharat’s Covaxin and its homegrown COVIran Barekat shot. In a sign that resistance toward Western vaccines has softened, British-Swedish AstraZeneca makes up a substantial amount of Iran's inoculations. Although Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech remain forbidden, some Iranians have described receiving the American-made shots through a booming black market. While Raisi gets credit for a triumphant inoculation program, observers note that the campaign's foundations, including vaccine-sharing agreements and supply issues, were set under Rouhani. “Under Raisi," Health Ministry spokesman Alireza Raisi said in September, “our past contracts have come into practice." The groundwork for public acceptance was laid long before. Iran's historically robust national vaccination program grew out of its battles against disease outbreaks from cholera to polio. In response to the El Tor strain of cholera that spawned a pandemic through the 1960s, Iran produced millions of vaccine doses, distributed American antibiotics to pilgrims and controlled the spread. Coronavirus vaccination marks the nation’s first mass inoculation campaign outside of childhood illnesses since the 1979 Revolution that toppled the Western-backed shah. Although the usual flood of misinformation about coronavirus shots fills Iranian social media, only a small percentage of Iran’s population has shunned the shot. The climbing vaccination rate has fueled a sense among citizens that they have overcome the worst of the crisis. Virus restrictions — and public compliance with health measures — have notably relaxed. Tehran’s cafes, markets and metro stations are bustling with maskless patrons. Last week, Raisi increased spectator capacity at major sporting events and trade shows. “I think the disease is over,” declared Masoud Navabi, a maskless 39-year-old delivery worker in downtown Tehran. But authorities fear a nightmare wave of infection as omicron spreads. Iran recorded its first three deaths from the variant this month. The central city of Ardalan was classified on Wednesday as the country's first high-infection “red zone” because of the variant. The country faces its sternest test in the next months as it marks the anniversary of its 1979 Revolution and Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The events typically involve massive street celebrations and gatherings. The country's modest success against the virus has now given way to uncertainty, officials say. A recent uptick in cases reveals how fragile its gains against the virus can be. “All (medical) centers should be on alert," Deputy Health Minister Saeed Karimi warned. “This is an alarm bell.”
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3439296/virus-ravaged-iran-finds-brief-respite-mass-vaccination
