Ethiopia’s Lemma Secures Maiden London Marathon Victory

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October 3, 2021

Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma won the men’s London Marathon in a time of two hours, four minutes and one second after breaking away from the leading pack late in the race on Sunday.

In cool and dry conditions, Lemma improved on his podium finish last year to surge ahead and seize victory, bouncing back after failing to finish the Olympic marathon in Japan.

The 30-year-old crossed the line 27 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba, who took the runner-up spot for the second successive year, while his compatriot Mosinet Geremew finished third.

Defending champion Shura Kitata, who pulled out of the Olympic marathon in Tokyo after suffering in the hot and humid conditions, finished sixth in the British capital in 2:07.51 after being hampered by an apparent hamstring niggle.

Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge, winner of four of the previous five London Marathons before 2020, was absent from this year’s event, with Britain’s Mo Farah also missing after failing to qualify for the Tokyo Games and suffering a stress fracture in his foot.

The marathon, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in April, returned to its traditional route from Blackheath to The Mall for the first time in over two years.

More than 36,000 competitors joined some of the world’s best in the mass participation event and up to 40,000 joined in virtually, organisers said.

Only elite races took place on the course around St James’s Park last year, with amateurs last competing in 2019.

Earlier, Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei emerged victorious in the women’s race on her London debut with a time of 2:17.43, upsetting twice winner and compatriot Brigid Kosgei.

Italians Vote For Mayors Of Rome, Milan, Other Key Cities

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Millions of people in Italy started voting Sunday for new mayors, including in Rome and Milan, in an election widely seen as a test of political alliances before nationwide balloting just over a year away.

The two days of voting end on Monday and the first results are expected afterwards. But many voters will have to wait two weeks to learn who their mayor will be.

Runoffs will be held Oct. 17-18 in municipalities with more than 15,000 people between the top two vote-getters if no single candidate garners more than 50% of the ballots.

Nearly all the mayoral races in the biggest cities, including Rome, Turin, Naples and Bologna, are expected to see runoffs. Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala has told supporters he thinks they might be able to win enough votes to give him another five-year term without a runoff.

Around 12 million people, or roughly 20% of Italy’s population, are eligible to vote in the mayoral races.

Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi, a prominent populist 5-Star Movement figure, has been fighting an uphill battle to keep her office.

Opinion polls indicated that the likely two top vote-getters in the 22-candidate field will be a center-left Democratic and a right-wing candidate who is backed by anti-migrant League leader Matteo Salvini and far-right leader Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party with neo-fascist roots.

When Raggi took the helm of the city in 2016, she inherited a mess, and many of the the Italian capital’s problems persist.

Piles of uncollected trash still blighted the city, several subway stations were shut down for months for maintenance and aging buses often broke down on their routes, sometimes going on fire, during her tenure.

Jordan’s King Receives Call From Syria’s Al-Assad

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Jordan’s King Abdullah II received a call on Sunday from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the first conversation between the two leaders after a decade of strain over Syria’s war, according to the palace.

The call comes days after Amman opened its border with Syria, amid efforts aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries, which are facing challenging economic conditions.

The Jordanian royal court said the leaders discussed relations between the “brotherly countries and ways to enhance cooperation between them”.

Abdullah affirmed his country’s support for “efforts to preserve Syria’s sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity and people”.

Syria’s state news agency SANA said al-Assad called Abdullah to discuss bilateral relations and “reinforcing cooperation in the interests of the two countries and people”.

The call is part of a new thaw in relations between the two neighbours after the Syrian war, which the United Nations has said killed at least 350,209 people.

Syria’s defence minister visited Jordan late last month. A 10-year-old deal to transport Egyptian natural gas through Jordan, Syria and Lebanon was also revived in September.

Syria was suspended from the 22-member Arab League bloc in November 2011, months after the conflict was sparked by the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Several regional powers, betting on the demise of al-Assad’s regime, suspended diplomatic ties with Damascus. But Jordan maintained relations with Syria, albeit limited.

Syria has been under sanctions imposed by the United States and many Western nations.

Cyclone Shaheen Hits Oman, Three Killed, Flights Delayed

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Tropical Cyclone Shaheen hit land in Oman on Sunday having already killed least three people, its high winds prompting evacuations from coastal areas and delaying flights to and from the capital, Muscat.

The state news agency said a child who had been swept away by water was found dead and another person was missing. Also, two Asian workers were killed when a hill collapsed on their housing area in an industrial zone

Omani authorities said the storm was carrying winds of 120 kph and throwing up waves of up to 10 metres and Video footage from local broadcasters showed vehicles submerged as people tried to make their way through muddy brown floodwater.

Part of the eyewall of the storm, where the most severe weather occurs, had entered Al Batinah South governorate, the state news agency said. The centre of the storm was expected to cross between Al Musanaa and Al Suwaiq in the evening.

The national emergency committee said the power supply would be cut in al-Qurm, east of the capital, to avoid accidents. More than 2,700 people were put up in emergency shelters.

Most of the oil-exporting country’s five million people live in and around Muscat. Roads in the capital would be open only to vehicles on emergency and humanitarian journeys until the storm dies down, authorities said.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said precautionary measures were being taken. Police officials were moving to ensure safety by conducting security patrols near beaches and valleys where torrential rains were expected.

Saudi Arabia’s civil defence authorities called for caution in several regions from Monday to Friday in expectation of heavy winds and possible flooding, the state news agency reported.UK climate protesters face tougher penalties for blocking roads

Thousands Rally For Tunisian President Urging Change

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Thousands of supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied rallied in the capital and other cities on Sunday to back his suspension of parliament and promises to change the political system, acts his critics call a coup.

The demonstration of at least 8,000 people in central Tunis was by far the biggest since Saied seized executive power in July – a show of support by his supporters that dwarfed two protests over the previous two weekends against his actions.

Thousands of other Saied supporters rallied in Sfax, witnesses and local media said, while others rallied in Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa and Monastir.

Opposition to his moves has also grown in recent weeks as most of the political establishment, the powerful labour union and foreign donors have come out against his suspension of parts of the constitution.

Saied has frequently cited public backing for his moves against the political elite and a system of power-sharing between president and parliament that he says has thwarted the popular will.

Demonstrators waved Tunisian flags and carried placards railing against Ennahda, the moderate Islamist party that is the biggest in parliament and has acted as Saied’s main antagonist.

The president plunged Tunisia into a constitutional crisis in July by suspending the elected parliament, dismissing the prime minister and assuming executive authority.

Last month he brushed aside much of the constitution to say he could pass legislation by decree, casting into doubt Tunisia’s democratic gains since its 2011 revolution that triggered the “Arab spring” revolts across the Muslim world.

German Liberals Press Conservatives If They Want To Govern

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Germany’s liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) are pressing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives to say whether they really want to lead a new coalition government.

The conservatives’ chancellor candidate, Armin Laschet, has said he wants to form a government, even after his bloc of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) slumped to a record low result in last Sunday’s vote.

But Laschet was undermined last week when the leader of the Bavarian CSU, Markus Soeder, said the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) – which narrowly secured the most votes – would most likely form a government.

The close election result, with no party getting an overall majority, has kicked off a period of complex negotiations that could last weeks or months, with the FDP and the Greens as possible kingmakers.

The business-friendly FDP and the ecologist Greens, from opposite ends of the political spectrum and at odds on a range of issues, have moved center stage after the SPD’s narrow election victory – its first since 2012.

Both the SPD and CDU/CSU conservative bloc are courting the two smaller parties to get a parliamentary majority for a ruling coalition. Polls show voters would prefer the SPD to lead it.

The Greens would prefer the two smaller “kingmakers” to team up with the SPD, but the FDP is closer to the conservatives.

The conservatives and the FDP are due to hold exploratory talks later on Sunday. The SPD is also due to meet the FDP, as well as the Greens on Sunday.

Merkel, in power since 2005, plans to step down once a new government is formed and will stay on until that point.

UAE Official Says Time To Manage Rivalry With Iran And Turkey

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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The United Arab Emirates is trying to manage long-running rivalries with Iran and Turkey through dialogue to avoid any new confrontations in the region as the Gulf state hones in on its economy post COVID-19.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, told a conference on Saturday there was uncertainty about the United States commitment to the region and concern about a looming cold war between Washington and Beijing.

Gulf states, which have strong economic ties with China, are also heavily reliant on the U.S. military umbrella and are closely watching talks between global powers and Iran to revive a 2015 nuclear pact as well as the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal.

The UAE has moved to de-escalate tensions by engaging with non-Arab Iran and Turkey, whose influence it had moved to counter in conflicts in Yemen, Libya and elsewhere in the region.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia believe the 2015 nuclear pact was flawed for not addressing Iran’s missiles programme and network of regional proxies. The UAE has also moved to combat Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood which Gulf states see as a threat to their dynastic system of rule.

Gargash said Turkey’s recent re-examination of its policies towards Egypt, the Brotherhood and towards Saudi Arabia and others is very welcome, adding that the Turks have been very positive.

He also expressed optimism that Iran will change its regional course, betting that Iran was also concerned about vacuum and escalation.

Gargash said the pandemic placed non-political priorities at the forefront and that a main concern now was being caught in between the United States and China.

Fuel Supply Crisis ending In Parts Of UK – Association

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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UK’s Petrol Retailers Association says the fuel supply crisis is virtually at an end in parts of the UK, but said problems persist in London and the South East.

The group added there has been no overall improvement in the crisis in the last 24 hours. However, issues with getting fuel were “virtually at an end” in Scotland, the North and the Midlands, where only 6% of filling stations are empty.

In London and the South East, 22% of filling stations were dry, and 60% had both grades of fuel available.

Overall, 17% of petrol stations remain empty in the UK, while 67% have both grades of fuel available, the group said.

From 4 October, army tanker drivers are to start delivering fuel to petrol stations in an emergency move prompted by the continuing crisis at the pumps.

Almost 200 soldiers – including 100 drivers – have been training with haulage firms this week, learning how to fill up tankers and petrol pumps, and the first army deliveries will be made early on Monday morning.

Announcing the move, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “While the situation is stabilising, our armed forces are there to fill in any critical vacancies and help keep the country on the move by supporting the industry to deliver fuel to forecourts.”

Brian Madderson, PRA chairman, said: “The fuel is still not going to the pumps that need it most in London and the South East.

Madderson added that the PRA is “disappointed that no concerted action is being taken” to address the supply problems in London and the South East.

Duterte Says Daughter Running For President In 2022

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter would run for president in next year’s election and her father’s long-time aide, who filed his vice presidential candidacy, would be her running mate.

This News was reported by firm ABS-CBN news in a broadcast late on Saturday.

Sara Duterte-Carpio is currently mayor of Davao, the Philippines’ third-largest city, and filed on Saturday to run for mayor again. She has previously said she would not run for national office next year.

ABS-CBN news based its report on an interview that Duterte had with a broadcast journalist right after he announced that he was retiring from politics while accompanying his closest loyalist, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who filed his vice presidential candidacy.

ABS-CBN news said it obtained permission from the broadcast journalist to use the video showing Duterte outside a hotel in Manila where the registration of candidates was taking place, and that a transcript was also provided.

In the same clip, Duterte was asked when his daughter would file her candidacy for president, he said: “I really do not know. I do not have any idea at all”.

Asked if he had given his daughter permission to run for president, he said: “Ah, no, actually we don’t talk about politics, ever since we never talk about politics. I would say that it is for the better,” Duterte was quoted as saying.

Duterte on Saturday announced he was retiring from politics, a surprise move that fuelled speculation he was clearing the way for a presidential run by his daughter.

He had been expected to run for the No. 2 job, a plan most Filipinos oppose as violating the spirit of the constitution which sets a one-term limit for the president to stop power being abused.

US Eyes Additional UN Action On N. Korea After Missile Tests

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Zoe Maven

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October 3, 2021

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The Biden administration says it will look at additional actions that the United Nations might take to respond to North Korea’s recent missile tests.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield wasn’t specific about what those actions might entail, but noted that the UN Security Council had met last week and renewed the mandate of experts who monitor sanctions against the North.

The council is also expected to hold closed-door discussions on North Korea on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan will be meeting in Washington soon with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea to discuss North Korea strategy as the administration finalizes a review of how to approach the country.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who recently returned from Tokyo and Seoul, said the three countries are united in dealing with the challenges posed by Pyongyang.

On Monday, North Korea accused the UN of a “double standard” over its reaction to the launches, which violate UN sanctions, warning of serious consequences.

Last week, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea in a defiance of U.N. resolutions that ban such launches by North Korea. Some experts say North Korea’s missile launches, the first of their kind in a year, were aimed at applying pressure on the Biden administration.

Past short-range missile launches by North Korea have typically drawn U.N. Security Council condemnations, but not fresh sanctions. North Korea was slapped with toughened U.N. sanctions in 2016-17 following its provocative run of missile and nuclear tests aimed at acquiring the capability of launching nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland.