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04 NEWS PUNjAb Set to iNCReASe fUNdiNg, PoweRS of LoCAL govtS: HASHiM

LAHORE TLTP

PUNjAB Finance Makhdoom Hashim javan Bakht has said that resources will be distributed to district governments under a regular formula under the next Provincial Finance Commission (PFC).

The minister expressed these views during a briefing on the Provincial Financial Awards in a meeting with Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Muhammad jahanzeb Khan at the Finance Department. He was accompanied by Finance SecretaryAbdullah Sumbal, Secretary Planning and Development Imran Sikandar and concerned officers of the Finance Department.

Makhdoom Hashim javan Bakht said that the local government funds will be increased and the scope of powers will be expanded in order to improve the delivery of services at the local level.

Additionally, the areas with natural resources will be given a share in royalties and profits. Similarly, recommendations from local governments will be given priority for development work under district-level projects in the districts.

The minister instructed that alternative sources of investment will be introduced for the provision of civic amenities in backward areas.Accountability will also be ensured along with technical assistance to local agencies for the proper use of resources.

The Provincial Finance Commission will set out procedures in accordance with the law to audit expenditure at the local level, he said.

The provincial minister informed the deputy chairman Planning Commission that a 17-member Local Government Finance Commission has been notified.The government officials, opposition, local representatives and four technical members were included in it.

Further, there are also plans to set up a specialised secretariat for the Finance Commission.The Punjab government is introducing plans for poverty alleviation and provision of basic amenities for equitable development in the province along with enhancing the capacity of local governments. In this regard, the Human Capital Development Project is noteworthy.

He said that hospitals and healthcare centres are being set up at district and tehsil level to reduce the mortality rate of pregnant women and newborns. He said that the local projects were undertaken at the district level to improve service delivery and administration. Further, the suggestions for the transfer of governments and the integration of local tax collectors into local governments are also being considered.

To improve the socio-economic indicators in the province, data is being collected from the tehsil level for which various departments have been mobilised.

Expressing satisfaction over the steps taken to provide resources to the district governments in Punjab, the deputy chairman Planning Commission said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wants the provision of services at the public level and positive response from the administration. To this end, the efficiency of the district governments is being improved.

The provincial minister directed the secretary Planning & Development Board to make the Punjab Statistics Agency more functional and instruct it to provide the relevant statistics to all the departments.

PM recommends ‘Capitalism's Achilles Heel’ for reading

ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday recommended reading a book on money laundering and its dire effects on countries. The book titled ‘Capitalism's Achilles Heel’is authored by Raymond W Baker.According to the Prime Minister, "It is an eye-opening account of how white-collar criminals, businessmen and politicians illegally launder their dirty money and how it affects individuals, institutions and countries. " The prime minister has long maintained that money laundering and corruption are the biggest contributors to the economic crises faced by Pakistan. The foremost priority of his government is to put a stop to the flight of illegally obtained capital from Pakistan to "tax havens" for laundering. In September this year, while addressing the United Nations International FinancialAccountability, Transparency and Integrity (FACTI) panel, the prime minister called upon countries he termed "tax havens" to "adopt decisive actions" and return wealth looted from developed countries.

Basharat vows to improve police force

RAWALPINDI TLTP

Provincial Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja has said that the improvement of police force as well as welfare and establishment of law and order is the first priority of the government.

He said that Punjab Police are giving better results in the most difficult times despite having less resources. He expressed these views while addressing a function to provide 30 vehicles to the Police Department at the Police Headquarters, Rawalpindi.

Basharat said if the salary of the police was made equal to that of the Motorway Police, it could solve many problems. He said, "Police youth have sacrificed their precious lives for the protection of life and property of the citizens which are commendable. The process of improving the police is not limited to vehicles but the Punjab government is bringing more packages of better measures for the police. ”

He also said that new vehicles provided to Rawalpindi Police have trackers, anti-car lifting software, criminal record, high tech wireless system, video calling and tab and other facilities. Under the current government, Safe City projects will be ensured in Rawalpindi and Faisalabad, he vowed. The provincial law minister said that unfortunately, the over one hundred-year-old law is still in force. “We are trying to harmonise the law with the present, ” he added.

He lamented that in the case of

LAMENTS COPS GET RS25 PER MURDER PROBE, USE 2G TECHNOLOGY

investigation of a murder, police officers are given an investigation bill of Rs25 only per file, whereas officers have to go to Lahore to submit the files. “We are ensuring that a centre for the collection of files is set up at the divisional level, ” he further said. He maintained that locators provided to the police are currently using 2G technology while the world is currently using 5G technology.

Speaking on the occasion, RPO Imran Ahmar said that with the efforts of the law minister, the police got allowances, adding the new recruitment process would solve the problem of shortage of personnel.

"Every police officer feels that we have our own representative in the cabinet because of your presence in the cabinet, " he said.

Basharat assured that the work of the CPO office would be completed soon. He later visited the Command and Control Centre where RPO Rawalpindi and CPO Rawalpindi gave a detailed briefing to the provincial law minister on command and control system.

Members of Provincial Assembly Punjab Chaudhry Adnan, Major (r) Latasib Satti, Raja SaghirAhmed and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.

Sugar being sold at USC outlets at Rs68 per kg, claims Hammad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Industries and Production HammadAzhar has claimed that the government is providing sugar at reduced prices of Rs68 per kilogram at outlets of Utility Stores Corporation (USC). In a tweet on Sunday, the minister for industries and production said that the Punjab government is supplying imported sugar to various districts of the province, where sale of the commodity is continuing at Rs81-84 per kilogram. Earlier on Friday last, Hammad said that imported sugar will reduce the prices of the commodity by Rs15 to Rs20 per kilogram in the domestic market, adding that controlling inflation is the government’s prime priority. “Over one hundred tons of imported sugar has arrived at the Karachi Port, ” he said. TLTP

Another PML-N leader quits party over anti-institutions narrative

LAHORE: Another leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has resigned from the party over the controversial statement of Ayaz Sadiq and the party ’s narrative against the state institutions. According to details, Rozeena Alam has resigned from her basic party membership. In her statement, Rozeena said that she was hurt by the statement of party stalwart in the National Assembly (NA) against state institutions. After being dejected she is tendering her resignation from the PMLN, Rozeena Alam said. A day earlier, former Chief Minister of Balochistan Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch announced to quit the PML-N and threw a challenge towards his former party to win even a single seat from the province without their support. Zehri recalled that he and Abdul Qadir Baloch were awarded PMLN tickets from Balochistan when nobody was ready to contest polls on their party symbol in 2018. TLTP

Technology being used under Rs30bn project to quell smog: Amin

ISLAMABAD TLTP

SpecialAssistant to Prime Minister on Climate Change MalikAminAslam has said that tackling smog-forming pollutant sources is the most effective way to quell smog that causes serious health hazards during winter months.

Talking to media persons here on Sunday, Aslam said that technology is being introduced across the country under the present government’s ambitious national project ‘Mechanised Management of Rice Crop Residue’for which Rs30 billion are being spent for disbursement of the 50,000 units of the rice straw shredder and happy seeder technology to the farmers to stem the stubble burning, which is among the key causes of smog in winter.

He said that burning of rice crop residue, dirty fuel in traditional brick kilns, solid waste burning, old urban transport system, and factories are the causative factors of smog. He informed the media that the around hundreds of the pairs of the rice straw shredder and happy seeder technology are being provided to the farmers under a joint multi-billion rupees initiative launched jointly by the Agricultural Engineering Division (Lahore) of the Punjab Agriculture Department and the Federal Ministry of Climate Change.

The PM’s aide said that efforts including curbing emissions from factories, closing brick kilns and fining polluting vehicles and farmers burning rice stubble in the winter would be needed for effectively controlling the smog problem.

Referring to the recent introduction of the Rice Straw Shredder and Happy Seeder technology in Sheikhupura district on November 6, Aslam said the much-needed technology has been finally launched and being provided to the farmers, which would help them avoid burning of the paddy crop residue and instead convert the residue into organic fertilizer for boosting fertility of their farmlands.

He hoped that provision of the new technology would prove a great milestone of successful environmental governance by the present government and help quell exacerbating challenge of the smog, which also reflects the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government’s commitment towards taming the smog and protect public health and environment from the heinous pollution. ” Quoting a study published in the journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2018, he said that the study findings show that cumulative exposure to air pollution impacts intelligence.

Another latest study, published in the journal of Epidemiology, has also linked exposure to air pollution from burning fossil fuels to brain cancer, he highlighted.

Aslam insisted that burning of the agriculture field is among the top contributors of the smog problem in the country ’s various parts, most of which comes from neighbouring India. “Most of the smog issue in Pakistan is linked to widespread stubble burning in northern Indian states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, ” he remarked.

The PM’s aide added that though burning of the crop residue materials in October and November months is also observed in the country's various parts, but as compared to blazing of the crop residue in the Indian districts its much less in Pakistan.

PUNJAB PUNCH: WIll tHe fArmerS get tHeIr rIgHtS?

PUNJAB PUNCH SHAHAB OMER

IT appears that unless one takes to the streets, their demands are not entertained in Pakistan.This pattern in visible in the protests that took place recently, and the ones that are being held right now.

When the protest of the paramedical staff, nurses and junior doctors ended, teachers took to the streets to push their demands. Later, last week, farmers from different parts of Punjab protested in Lahore for four weeks. Now, government employees are protesting in Islamabad.

Last week, hundreds of farmers of Kissan Ittehad staged a sit-in on Multan Road for four days. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Wednesday, removing hundreds of protesting farmers from the site. The farmers were beaten with sticks and tear gas was used indiscriminately while 50 protesters were arrested on the spot and shifted to Central Jail. The sit-in apparently ended, and the district administrationwashappythattheroadsblockedby the protesters were finally open for traffic.

Apress release was also issued on the success of the talks with the farmers at the CCPO Office. However, the farmers’ protest in Karim Block Market continued

tillmidnight.Thefarmerswereoftheview thattheyhadbeenarrestedundertheguise of negotiations and said that they had yet toaccepttheadministration’spromisesfor the acceptance of their demands.

It is important to examine the demands of the farmers.They said that sugar was being sold at Rs120 per kg, but mills were not ready to buy their sugarcane at even Rs250 per 40 kg.

It is worth mentioning here that the

photo: zubair mehfooz poor treatment is meted out to farmers every year. Sugarcane is sold to a mill for Rs200 per 40 kg, and when the farmers reach the mills on rented trucks, they are already long queues, and they are told for days at end that it is not their turn yet. They are told that if they want to sell their sugarcane, then it would be purchased at Rs140 per 40 kg.

In eight days, the weight of the crop is drastically reduced, and it adds to the benefit of the mills. To make matters worse, they are paid after several months.

Most sugar mill owners belong to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). If there is an effective alliance against poor farmers, it is these sugar mills owners. The representatives of Kissan Ittehad have pinned their hopes on the chief justice to take notice of their problems and to provide justice to them.

If Pakistan remained relatively safe during the Covid-19 lockdown, it was mainly because it is an agricultural country and is -sufficient in flour, sugar, vegetable, and rice production.

However, instead of facilitating the farmers, the government has left them at the mercy of landlords and mill owners. Instead of succumbing to the pressure of the sugar mafia, the government should pay attention to the plight of the farmers so that there is no oppression of the poor farmers. Farmers should be given full compensation and a permanent solution should be found so that they are not exploited and compelled to protest.

Farmers should get the respect they deserve. Political parties voting in the name of farmers are not playing any role in solving their problems, and as a result, the victims are forced to burn their precious crops.

Explainer:What’s next? Saturday’s election verdict isn’t last step

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Saturday ’s election verdict isn’t the last step in selecting an American president. Under a system that’s been tweaked over two centuries, there is still a weekslong timeline during which the 538-member Electoral College picks the president. A look At the key steps: —WhenAmericancitizensvoteforapresidentialcandidate, they really are voting for electors in their state. Those electors in most cases are committed to support the voters’candidateofchoice.Thenumberofelectorsisequal to the number of electoral votes held by each state. State laws vary on how electors are selected but, generally, a slateofelectorsforeachparty ’scandidateischosenatstate partyconventionsorbyavoteofaparty ’scentralcommittee. —After Election Day, states count and certify the results of the popular vote.When completed, each governor is required by law to prepare “as soon as practicable” documents known as “Certificates of Ascertainment” of the vote.The certificates list the electors’names and the number of votes cast for the winner and loser. The certificate, carrying the seal of each state, is sent to the archivist of the United States. — December 8 is the deadline for resolving election disputes at the state level. All state recounts and court contests over presidential election results are to be completed by this date. — December 14: Electors vote by paper ballot in their respective states and the District of Columbia. 33 states and DC have laws or party regulations requiring electors to vote the same way the popular vote goes in the state, and in some states, electors can even be replaced or subjected to penalties, according to the Congressional Research Service.The votes for president and vice president are counted and the electors sign six “Certificates of the Vote. ” The certificates, along with other official papers, are sent by registered mail to various officials, including the president of the Senate. — December 23: The certificates must be delivered to the designated officials. If they are not delivered, the law provides alternative avenues for getting the results to Washington. — January 6, 2021: The House and Senate hold a joint session to count the electoral votes. If one ticket has received 270 or more electoral votes, the president of the Senate, currently Vice President Mike Pence, announces the results.

Members of Congress may object to returns from any state as they are announced. Objections must be made in writingbyatleastonememberoftheHouseandoneinthe Senate. If the objection meets certain requirements, each chamber meets separately to debate the objection for a maximumoftwohours.Afterward,eachchambervotesto acceptorrejecttheobjection.Backinthejointsession,the results of the respective votes are announced. Any objection to a state’s electoral vote has to be approved by both houses in order for any contested votes to be excluded.

If neither presidential candidate wins at least 270 electoral votes, the House decides the election, based on the 12thAmendment to the Constitution. If required, the House would elect the president through a majority vote. — January 20: The president-elect is sworn into office on Inauguration Day.

NEWS 05 Pandemic empties India’s Silicon Valley suburbs

BENGALURU AGENCIES

The coronavirus pandemic has transformed India’s Silicon Valley. The shops are emptying out fast in an upscale suburb of this bustling Indian metropolis, and the once-popular pubs frequented by the young workforce have fallen silent. The interiors of trendy showrooms, eateries and software companies are accumulating dust and rental signs have lined up the hollowed-out commercial hubs. The residents are calling it a bloodbath on the streets. Koramangala, a popular haunt among college students and young working professionals in southern Bengaluru city, the IT capital of India, is a mix of luxury apartments, commercial structures, and posh bungalows where many Indian billionaires live. But with months of lockdown forcing businesses to shut and rental dues mounting, companies are downgrading their spaces and moving to cheaper suburbs, leaving the wide tree-lined boulevards eerily empty. Thousands of students and professionals who worked for IT companies and lived in the area have moved back to their native places to work remotely. Even as much of the Indian economy has reopened, Bengaluru ’s professional workforce is returning to work at a much slower pace than those in most other major cities, raising the risk that the city faces a more protracted recovery. Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore, has been one of the worsthit cities with nearly 345,000 cases including 4,000 deaths. Nationwide, more than 8.4 million people have been infected and over 125,000 have died. In May, the government announced a $266 billion stimulus package, but consumer demand and manufacturing are yet to recover and the once-thriving shopping districts and commercial hubs are struggling.Across Bengaluru, the stories are the same of property owners renting out places cheaply or watching them empty out. Some are even losing out on decades-old tenants. “My good tenant of 17 years, an Italian designer furniture outlet, vacated recently, ” said G. Kirankumar, owner of a commercial building in Koramangala. The situation is bad. C. R. Janardhana, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said 15 per cent of the Bengaluru city ’s businesses have closed down and 140,000 industries and small and big stores have permanently shut. He said the city was witnessing a slow recovery after opening up but expected the crisis to remain until the pandemic ends. “People are not in a position to come out. They want to protect their families, ” Janardhana said. For businessmen like Mir Riyaz, a handicraft seller at a luxury hotel in Bengaluru, decisions were made based on revenues, not health risks. When the owner of his shop refused a rebate in monthly rentals, Riyaz made a quick calculation and realised he could not afford to pay the money. With uncertainty about the resumption of his business still looming large, he vacated the store. “I am suffering like many others. Whatever is my fate, I have to face it, ” Riyaz said.

By SyEd AfSAR SAjId

title: ‘My Inner Landscape’ author: Zafar Aziz Chaudhry publisher: Azeem Publishing House, Urdu Bazaar, Lahore pages: 390 – Price: Rs.1500/-

Zafar Aziz Chaudhry is a reputed essayist and column writer in English. ‘My Inner Landscape’is the latest collection of his essayspublishedearlythisyear.Hisbook‘Moments in Silence’ (2018), comprising a miscellany of his essays and a few e-mails encircling a wide range of topics related ‘to our country and her inhabitants’ , served to introduce the reader to his vast literary-cumsociological proclivities. The subjects broached in that book were diverse yet variegated, and cast ample light on the author’s knowledge,experienceandsyntacticalskills. The word ‘essay ’ was imported into English from France (Cf. Montaigne’s essai), by Francis Bacon (1561-1626). Curiously enough, he was so deeply enamoured of the genre that he felt obliged to write a sizeable volume of essays published in book form, in three successive editions in his lifetime. Samuel Johnson, the English writer and lexicographer (1709-84), would latterly call them ‘a loose sally of the mind’ , which implies an unmitigated freedom to the writer to devise his own frame and for-

A mix of the exoteric and esoteric

mat of the genre to express himself felicitously on a given topic.

‘Some people write because they feel that’s the only thing they are good at. Some write for fun, some for money, others for pleasures and still others for a bit of catharsis.Whatever one may write it must be with love and passion. Any writing devoid of these emotions is dull, insipid and boring. One must only write when there is an uncontrollable urge to ventilate one’s feeling and sharing it with the public at large as if relief was only possible by disseminating one’s thoughts and making the readers witness to what had been passing within the writer’s mind and soul. ’

Theaboveextractfromtheauthor’sprevious book ‘Moments in Silence’ reaffirms his faith in the dynamics of his vocation as a writer.The content of ‘My inner Landscape’ tends to further magnify this impression.

A cursory reading of the titles of the content of the book in review would substantiate the view that the author has a natural flair for essay writing which involves an onerous intellectual exercise requiring incisive observation, insightful evaluation and discreet judgment formation.

The book is divided into four parts: Perspectives, Personalities, Commentary, and Political. It seems to be a methodical classification, a potpourri as it were, embodying all sorts of men and matters. The author’s

style combines scholarship with rhetoric and repartee. His judgments are based on his understanding of various currents and cross-currents of the human situation permeating the global environment besides the topical. The author delves deep into the mysteries of history, geography, psychology, natural and physical sciences, politics, religion, morality and sociology, to name but a few. He possesses a wide but valuable knowledge of the current affairs, too. His career as a civil servant would lend an aura of worldly wisdom and knowledge to his repertoire of penmanship. In the ensuing essays, the writer seeks to study the anomalies and paradoxes ingrained in the

Zeitgeist, that is to say the spirit of the age we are living in. The unsavoury existential realities besetting or emanating from the modern life pattern form the substance of the book. The gyrating gulf betwixt perception and reality seems to deepen the dilemma of ‘to be’ .

The book contains, in his own estimate, ‘a wide array of topics of general interest which cover articles of contemporary political, cultural, and institutional issues, including descriptions of exemplars, icons and high achievers in the realm of letters, history, arts, and philosophy etc. The book covers no special field, but caters to the anxiety of any sensitive reader who is inquisitive to know the contemporary world in all its diversity. ’

One could pertinently correlate the aforesaid observation of the author to what Prof. Manzoor Mirza, an eminent prose writer, has proclaimed in one of his essays that ‘Man does not look into himself but looks into the mysteries of space. Man does not like to conquer in himself evil instincts like greed, animosity often leading to conflicts and wars. His inner urges often impel him to strive for peace of mind and satisfaction, which normally remain buried under material burdens of life. Gaps in the self of manaregettingwideneddaybydaywiththe advancement of scientific knowledge. Present-day man is too much obsessed with scientific rationality and is unaware of the chasm he is developing in his being. While he has the passion to probe into the secrets of the universe, his own universe is getting darkened day by day. ’ Zafar Aziz Chaudhry ’s ‘My Inner Landscape’is therefore, a leap into this ‘darkness’ which eventuallybringsthebestoutofhimbyswerving into the idyllic realm of ‘beauty and truth’ . The paradox runs deeply into the themes of these aphoristic pieces of prose writing.

The flap of the book contains commendatory observations from scholars and writers of the status of Ejaz Rahim, Dr. Tariq Rahman, Navid Shahzad, M. Athar Tahir, Javed Hafiz, Javed HasanAly and Dr. Amra Raza. Ejaz Rahim praises the work for its ‘contagious positivism in a world where hypocrisy, rank cruelty and heartless exploitation are enough to drown our spirits’ . M. Athar Tahir thoughtfully observes: ‘Poets and politicians, philosophers and proselytizers, writers and artists, sufis and scholars, of the East and West, severally make their cameo appearance. Thus fortified with sense and sensitivity and primed by his opinion, Zafar Aziz Chaudhry ’s write-ups prod one to question the exoteric and ponder the esoteric. ’

06 COMMENT The fall of an arch populist and nationalist

Impact on South Asia and beyond

tHe world has heaved a sigh of relief after the departure of the most unpredictable President donald trump. He was a super nationalist who sought benefits for his own country alone in a world where give-and-take is the basis of international economic transactions. What is more, the outgoing President denied realities like climate change and rejected scientific views regarding the devastating character of the coronavirus. His unilateralism led to trade war against china and sanctions against cuba. He withdrew from numerous Un bodies including Unesco and the WHO, unilaterally canceled international treaties and threatened to pull the UsA out of the WtO and nAtO. He tried to browbeat the eU with tariffs. He not only isolated the UsA but also created divisions in his own country as no other President had done before. Unlike trump, Joe Biden has pledged to be a president who seeks not to divide but to unify and make the UsAonce again the leader of the free world. in his victory speech he has vowed to end the grim era of demonization inAmerica, to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature and has called for stopping treating opponents as enemies. there is a lot in this for Prime Minister imran Khan to learn from. it is an important development that unlike trump, President-elect Biden is going to restore the dignity of international organizations and treaties. this will remove the element of unpredictability from international politics in matters that involve the UsA. the south Asia policy under the new President will however be different only in nuances rather than in content from that of his republican predecessor. the new Us administration would continue to treat india as a counterweight against china. the pressures on Pakistan vis-á-vis the cPec will continue. While china-Us bilateral tensions that had climaxed will ease to some extent, the rivalry will persist over time. in times to come the Modi government is likely to be censured by the Biden Administration for human rights violations, particularly in Kashmir. With Kamala Harris as Vice˗President and democratic lawmakers like Pramila Jayapal and rashida tlaib known for their strong stand on india’s denial of human rights, the indian government has reasons to be perturbed. Keen to be recognised as a global leader, the new Us President could try to bring Pakistan and india to the negotiating table, thus succeeding where trump failed. the transactional relations with Pakistan will remain important to the UsA as long as the Afghanistan issue remains unresolved. the new Us administration will lay emphasis on cooperation in Afghanistan and counterterrorism efforts in Pakistan. However President˗elect Biden will show greater interest in the state of democracy in Pakistan than President trump did. As chairman of the senate Foreign relations committee, President-elect Biden played a vital role in having the $7.5 billion Kerry-lugar-Berman bill passed by the Us senate. A condition attached to the bill that deeply offended those who matter was requiring secretary of state to report to congress every six months on whether the Pakistani government is exercising "effective civilian control over the military. " With Mr Biden as President, the UsA is likely to monitor the state of democracy in the country more minutely. this should worry many, including Prime Minister imran Khan. the ongoing unbearable pressure on iran is likely to decrease in days to come. lifting of sanctions on iran will take time, but whenever this happens it will help Pakistan import cheap iranian oil and implement the stalled gas pipeline agreement. While Mr trump was keen to bring back troops from Afghanistan at the earliest, Mr Biden’s stance on Afghanistan is more measured and may not be liked by the Afghan taliban. Mr Biden wants to withdraw Us troops responsibly while insisting that a residual force presence will be needed in Afghanistan to prevent attacks against the UsA and its allies. the populist and nationalist trend in politics has been on the rise in various countries for more than a decade now. With the fall of Mr trump the trend has faced the first major setback. it would however be premature to presume that it is on the decline now.

DedicatedtothelegacyofthelateHameedNizami Arif Nizami Editor

Back to normalcy?

Biden wins a tough election

Arif NizAmi

President-elect Joseph r Biden Jr. has finally won the coveted prize of the Us presidency, albeit not without a lot of hiccups. trump has yet to concede and he will not do so without creating more hurdles in the way than he has he has already done. nonetheless, Biden’s election is a fait accompli. the Us electoral system is highly complex and complicated and owing to its contentious nature, this particular one was simply too close to call. the state of Pennsylvania, and Georgia still hanging in balance the final call was yet to be made. nevertheless, when Pennsylvania finally fell to the democrats, it was it was all over for the republicans. trump can keep on harping that he is the winner. the democrats are also struggling to wrest control of the senate from the republicans and unless that happens, the elections will prove to be a pyrrhic victory for the democrats. in order to govern effectively either party has to have control of both the senate and, the House. the house of representatives is already a done deal. But the upper house is a necessity to pass all the legislation required for Biden to deliver on his many promises. President trump’s hate-filled divisive logic has done rather well. He almost was able to steal the elections from the democrats. Post elections 2020, the Us will remain a hate filled and a highly polarised polity for years to come. With their sizeable presence in both the Houses the republicans are poised to give a tough time to the Dr. Omer JAveD Fund (iMF or the ‘Fund’) stands halted with Pakistan. the pandemic is starkly ers across the globe, both in terms of revisiting neoliberal basis of policy and moving there is need for greater public investments in the form guidance/conditionalities that the current iMF cies given the deep failings of such policies during reasons that led to glob ‘troika’ – of the european equality; which also feed-into the rise of populist/extreme political parties on the fringes in were being used. Washington after using them left

democrats. even before the dust has settled it is obthat there are no free lunches in the conduct of foreign relations. vious that the American voter is almost equally di- challenges for islamabad. Apart from career vided amongst the conservatives and the liberals. diplomats, the newly elected president will spend there is very little room for a rational debate, ex- busy days selecting a new team. the president’s cept on party lines or on the basis is of narrow ideo- transition team headed possibly by the chief of logical wavelengths. demagogues can easily and staff will have a pivotal role in the process. in quickly divide a country with their extreme rhetoric. sharp contrast to trump’s, which never got off the However, it takes time to ground and scores of posibring back sanity. tions never got filled. closer at home we have the state department, own version of hate mon- which has a key role in congers, be it on the basis of ide- duct of foreign policy, was ologies political or on narrow agendas.the ruling The change of guard in perennially short of key personnel. Many senior people Pakistan tehreek-e-insaf Washington poses new were summarily moved or (Pti) in has worked on sim- whimsically sackedtrump's ilar lines. that is why toler- challenges for Islamabad. team (if you call it a team) an ha c s e s of eac lowly h b o ut ther’s views surely been Apart from career diplomats, was a trump family ’s son run in affair with law Jared replaced ther by intolerance. e is a perennial dethe newly elected president Kushner When tr playing ump’s n a key role. iece wrote bate that has been raging in will spend busy days a tell-all insider’s account of virtu that ally eve who is ry Us good election, for Pakselecting a new team. The trum flaws p’s and many initial cha days racter in the istan; public a an democrat or rerun president’s transition team White House, it w mediate bestseller. as an imadministrations. Over a few headed possibly by the chief in the perception of deca shift des ed. now the Whethe d r ebate has democ- of staff will have a pivotal out ton side wa o s bserve being s Wa run shin by ga rats hard or ly the matt re ers publicans, anymore. it role in the process. In sharp bunc less, h th of ere joker was s. a no met neth hod ein since the end of the cold contrast to Trump’s, which their madness. the lowest war, relations between states common denominator was are calibrated on the basis of never got off the ground and naked self-interest. A conshifting sands of various matrixes of states. For example, scores of positions never got sist the ent peru family sal thr of en ough rich the ing ofmany Pakistanis Us abandoned crib that the islamabad filled. fice been of a the hal Presid lmark ent of has the after using it as a frontline trump presidency. state during the Afghan With legal challenges jihad. Only a few Pakistanis against the Biden team alare willing to concede that ready looming trump, with once Washington’s own all his pomp and show and strategic goals were met, they had no other interest bluff and bluster will not easily give up. nevertheless, in this most impoverished country of southAsia Biden is not exactly new to this game.trump, a quinislamabad was at one point was a trusted ally of tessential bully will meet his nemesis challenging the the Us. But this required a tit-for tat. eventually, Us legitimacy of an elected president and commander in diplomats visiting islamabad had to suffer a litany of chief. Finally, he could end swallowing more than he complaints from their Pakistani friends how they will able to chew. them to stew in their own juice. it has taken quite a Arif Nizami is Editor, Pakistan Today. He can be while for us to come to terms with the stark reality contacted at arifn51@hotmail.com.

Renegotiating a ‘Green’ IMF Programme

There is no going back to the past

CUrrently, the international Monetary bringing to surface a need for policymaktowards more creative and involved methods for both reaching correct prices and in turn reducing an otherwise exacerbating income inequality situation, and in terms of financing in climate-friendly endeavours to reduce carbon footprint and in the course shifting growth and jobs from fossil-fuel industry to a renewable energy sector. the current programme with the iMF simply cannot allow this much-needed ‘transformed’ approach to economic development– the overall run-of-the-mill aggregate demand structural adjustment programmes will not allow progress for recovering ‘green’ . Firstly, wake of the high level of uncertainty and recessionhit profits of the private sector. Within this is needed the effort to improve the efficiency of public sector institutions, for which is needed a set of policies more reform-oriented than the slim set of institutional reprogramme contains. secondly, there have been shifting sands in terms of adopting neoliberal-based polithe last one decade in particular, especially after the central Bank, european commission, and the iMF–that did not allow needed economic recovery that delivered for most, and in turn exacerbated income inthe change of guard in Washington poses new

many countries, only to sway the otherwise moderate and saner political base to irrational political stances. sadly, the current iMF programme in Pakistan continueswiththelegacyofthisneoliberalmindsetof aggregate demand squeeze, and too much liberalizationoftheprivatesectorandmarkets.suchlibertyhas been irrational because of the existence of an environden-causing taxes on the general public, for instance, minimizing the petroleum levy and rationalizing margins of oil companies, where the latter already had a ment of weak economic institutions and regulations, especiallyindevelopingcountrieslikePakistan,which has allowed the ‘invisible hand’ involved of politicaleconomic collusion to influence policies to extract resources from the ‘many ’to the ‘few ’ . Hence, the government needs to renegotiate the current iMF programme so that it allows balanced focus on aggregate demand and supply policies, and enables government to take the country out of recession through greaterinvestmentsandinstitutional reform. it should help governmentinreducingboththecarbon footprint in economic growth and the labour market, and in reducing income inequality, which would require the programme to let government go for institutional reform and not rely on quick fixes, for instance through rapid privatization, undue focus on tariff enhancements but rather subsidizing costs for industry and households– especially as they struggle during the recession–andinthemeantime fix the energy sector through reform on the supply side to nullifytheneedforsuchtariff adjustments in the first place. thirdly, the current programme needs to allow greater tax breaks for the low bigger chunk to bring home due to the political economic pressure tactics of the collusive nature of the oil supply sector as seen in the June oil supply manipulations. the same goes for tax breaks for households in terms of proportion of taxes in electricity tariffs, where the ceiling of such breaks is increased much more than for the lifeline users. the difference for domestic resource mobilization should be made through taxing more heavily on sectors that have fared well during the pandemic like stock exchanges and tech sector, and also on the very rich segment in general that has evaded taxes. Moreover, there should be a better effort planned under a renegotiated iMF plan to clamp downontheinformalsector. the current programme ‘ties’the hand of the government on all these ends, and anyeffortbypolicymakersto return to the same programme with any significant change cannot allow for a ‘green economic recovery ’ that delivers for all in the economy. the government should approach the Fund with this agenda– most of whichisanywaysreflectedin iMF policy talks from by its Md, and chief economist–for a much needed renegotiated‘green’iMFprogramme. Hence, the tax structure needs not only to be made more progressive, but the burden of taxation should be much greater on the very high income brackets. This would also entail purging the burdencausing taxes on the general public, for instance, minimizing the petroleum levy and rationalizing margins of oil companies, where the latter already had a bigger chunk to bring home due to the political economic pressure tactics of the collusive nature of the oil supply sector as seen in the June oil supply manipulations income ends, and a lot more tax burden on the higher income brackets. Hence, the tax structure needs not only to be made more progressive, but the burden of taxation should be much greater on the very high incomebrackets.thiswouldalsoentailpurgingtheburOmer Javed holds from the University of worked at Internatio tweets @omerjaved PhD in Economics degre Barcelona, and previousl nal Monetary Fund. H e y e

Reforming the bar

Bar elections are crucial this year for the profession next few voters to years. now is the time step out and decide w for all hether registered they want Pic incidents to be repeated or the legal profeshe shall not be made answerable for his actions. sion to be revived as a noble one. the choice is such is the state of the noble profession when yours, missing out on the opportunity takes it comes to Pakistan. First we attack doctors and away the right to criticize the policies of the bar. under-treatment patients in a hospital then we the most unfortunate part of bar politics is violate the sanctity of our own courtrooms. the the vacuum created by professional lawyers. corridors of justice, which are supposed to pro- they have simply distanced themselves from the vide relief to the com- bar politics in an attempt to portray their respecmon man, remain a tive image in contrast battleground for to the widely popular lawyers settling per- one.What these professonal t sc he ores. conduct of the It is daunting to see the lack of sional unders lawyer tand is s t fa he il p to erlawyers itself isn’t per- professional skills and ethical ception of the common tu fa rbin ctor g i . s t th he e sil cruc ence ial of training in the vast majority of man. doesn’t the distingu pu ish blic bethe regulatory body, the the young lawyers. Most do tween a lawyer appearb d a e r, nts o . ver in f the act se th i e nci ba r know how to mishandle or ing and before anoth co er urts d who aily has mostly steps in to jus- misbehave with a judge but never pleaded a case. SyeD KASwAr GArDezi tify th plays ese u of neth uni ica ty l disand not many of them harbour the they black simpl coat y see and the its protects the perpetra- ability to persuade the same shenanigans around the

OFten cited as a noble profession, t i ors. mpo Unit rtant y fa maybe ctor gen an er- judge with knowledge and the country. the hooliganism persistent has law is considered an honorable career ally; however, it should law. For once, let us do brought about a bad choice call it around the the profess world. While some ion of lords, others not be tegrity at th of e cos the t of inentire something for our profession t i aste mage a . nd it i a s t drea ime dfu tha l t term lawyers to be the defenders of profession.As opposed as opposed to for our seniors the sentiment to bring t l he aw peo yers p t le o s’ sa rights. feguard ind the eed fun it da is me the ntal duty rights o o f f to bl strutting ack suit, proudly it beco in a mes who make us tag on ourselves about boure a d. change some is a harctual the public and ensure that due process is fol- disgraceful to intro- badges of their favorite professional lawyers lowed. though be subjective, in laws of different countries essence, it is important that may they duce lawyer onese in the lf afte as rmat a h candidates. Let us put an end are the also in the run for upcoming elections; be implemented. of incidents like the to the exploitation of ‘junior’ it would be a start to or Our country also able beginnings in traces its legal roots to honthe shape of our founding Pic att As ack. a member of the lawyers on the pretext of vote tive for of them group irres ings pecand father, a smart barrister who delivered Pakistan legal fraternity myself, i apprenticeship. Yes, the latter political affiliations. and fought for the rights in the Quaid-e-Azam’s f of millions. Following ootsteps, lincoln’s inn find me it to incumbent raise a upon voice does exist but not in political the it is lack daunting of profes to see sional has found itself crowded with students eager to against the inactions of offices. Unfortunately, as skills and ethical trainmatch cated the fam Quai ilies, d, w or ith at re le sp a e st ct try t able o b do ack s g o. ro eduunds, the bar. Blanket tion should not protecbe acopposed to books and files, ing in of the the yo vast ung majority lawyers. have always pushed their children forward to- corded to all those batons and sticks are Most do know how to wards the law, though end up entering the pr most ofess such ion. children do not wielding A check theblackcoats. and balance is distributed to the team of mis hav h e andle with or a ju mis dge b b eut While we continue to enjoy the glory, unfor- essentialwhichhasbeen aspiring young lawyers not many of them hartunately, the profession itself in Pakistan brings more disgrace than honour.the disgrace is in the lacking for far too long. the question is, why? striving to make a place bour suad t e he th a e bility same to perjudge form of incidents like the Pic attack which are A simple answer to for themselves with knowledge and insulting not only towards the profession but to- this anomaly would be the law. For once, let us wards our founding father as well.All oaths are the disinterest of do something for our taken under the shadow of his portrait and yet, elected members of the profession as opposed the very oaths are violated before the vows even bar themselves. in fact to for our seniors who sink in. As deplorable as these events are, more the hooliganism has make us tag on ourdaunting is the inaction which follows. On the been exploited by the fraternity on most occa- selves badges of their favorite candidates. let us contrary, certain legends celebrate and show tri- sions. even the Pic incident saw many sitting put an end to the exploitation of ‘junior’lawyers umph over such actions. members as well as aspiring candidates gracing on the pretext of apprenticeship. yes, the latter Just this past weekend, a few “learned” the hospital with their presence. these contra- does exist but not in political offices. Unfortumembers of the bar turned a courtroom into a dictions cannot be resolved unless there is some nately, as opposed to books and files, batons and wrestling ring and ganged up on an unarmed action from within. Mere criticism of these ac- sticks are distributed to the team of aspiring man with batons and specially prepared sticks tions and a few words of condemnation are not young lawyers striving to make a place for themfor the purpose. the most learned of them, the going to be lasting. there is a drastic need to selves. leader, stood guard at the door and incited his change the control of the veins of the bar so as i call upon every member of the bar to make cronies to hit harder and inflict more injuries. to introduce better reforms. this incident, coin- a choice in these elections; behold the law or the sanctity of the courtroom, the black coat cidentally, comes at a time when the provincial make a mockery out of it yourself. and the law itself was annihilated without fear. bars are gearing up for elections. Hundreds of the showdown was followed by a proclamation candidates are in the run for a seat in the parent Syed Kaswar Gardezi is a lawyer and a of pharaonic superiority. the irony being the body of the provincial bars. it is these gentlemen columnist. He can be contacted at contentment that no harm shall befall him and or ladies who will be leading the lawyers for the kaswargardezi@gmail.com

Editor’s mail

Send your letters to: Letters to Editor, Pakistan today, 4-Shaarey Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan. E-mail: letters@pakistantoday.com.pk Letters should be addressed to Pakistan today exclusively

Increasing medicine prices

sir, the government of Pakistan is allowing an increase in prices of 94 life saving drugs, while other countries are making free of life-saving drugs for the comfortability of their public. drugs whose prices have been allowed to increase include medicines such as furosemide injections for emergency are in high blood pressure, acetazolamide tablets for glaucoma, hydralazine tablets for lowering blood pressure and carbamazepine tablets and suspension for epilepsy. However, atropine sulphate injection used in emergencies, magnesium sulphate used to treat seizures due to preeclampsia during pregnancy, hydroxyurea, daunorubicin , cancer nitroglycerin and glyceryl trinitrate used as emergency heart medicines and rabies vaccine are also among the medicines. the patients are facing several problems and they can't get proper treatment. so, the government should control the prices of life-saving drugs in order it's public should be save from diseases. IMTAIz JAvID, AwArAN Second wave of Covid-19

dUe to the negligence and irresponsibility of public and government the situation of covid-19 pandemic is getting worst as the results the positivity ratio of virus getting increased than 3% after a gap of 70 days. the responsibility of the government and authorities concerned do not get finished after issuing standard operating procedures rather it is the responsibility of the government to make the public to follow sOPs and it is first and foremost responsibility of the government and concerned authorities to follow the sOPs strictly by themselves. Our respected ministers and authorities always blame the public for not following the sOPs, what about their high populated gathering and ceremonies taking place in different part of the country. it is only possible to control the spread of the disease if public and government work together and follow the instructions strictly.According to a news report the federal authorities have issued multiple warnings in the past few days on the ignorance towards implementation of cOVid-19 sOPs as the second wave hits the country. i want to ask that all these instructions were followed by the federal government. not at all, i urge the government to use all available resources to follow the sOPs strictly and make the public to follow them, if someone goes against the instructions should be finished equally that belongs to government or public. MUHAMMAD BAKHTIyAr TUrBAT Peshawar bleeds again

Once again a painful tragedy occurred in Peshawar religious school and killed 8 innocent children and more than a hundred children were injured by the terrorist. no doubt, six years before the terrorists attacked a school in Peshawar also killed a hundred innocent children. But this time a religious school in Peshawar has been targeted by terrorists. However, the hospital officials said that those killed were young men, aged between 20, dozens of others were injured, including some innocent children under the age of 13. there are no words to express the pain and anguish that the people of Pakistan have felt after this tragic incident. Hence, the government of Pakistan is requested to take a strong action and punish the culprits soon. NOOr BAKHSH SALEEM TUrBAT Domestic politics

AFter Pakistan's triumph on 27th February 2019 along with the capture and release ofAbhinandhan, we had got over the incident with a triumphant sense. But now that particular incident has resurfaced with a different narrative. the recent coalition of rival political parties against the ruling party has given birth to PdM (Pakistan democratic Movement). People have rights to express their contrary views in a democratic nation, and so the opposition parties have decided to practise their rights. the problem arises when the political rivalry goes international. the recent statement ofAyaz sadiq is a prime example of why politics should remain domestic. this statement has made headlines in india and started trends on twitter. the legitimacy of Pakistan's victory on 27th February, 2019 is now being questioned and leaders are forced to give statements for clarity. this should be a lesson for all the political parties and general public, that political rivalries should remain domestic and shouldn't be allowed to damage national interests. ABUBAKAr SADDIqUE LAKKI MArwAT France in flames

tHe situation in France is worsening.Awoman was beheaded by an attacker with a knife who also killed two other people at a church in the French city of nice on thursday, police said, in an incident the city ’s mayor described as terrorism. Mayor christian estrosi later said that the attacker had yelled “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) repeatedly, even after he was detained by police. estrosi said on twitter that the knife attack had happened in or near the city ’s notre dame church and that police had detained the attacker. Police said three people were confirmed to have died in the attack and several were injured. the French anti-terrorist prosecutor’s department said it had been asked to investigate. One of the people killed inside the church was believed to be the church warden, estrosi said, adding that a woman had tried to escape from inside the church and had fled into a bar opposite the 19th-century neoGothic building. “the suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to hospital, he is alive, ” estrosi told reporters. “enough is enough, ” estrosi said. “it’s time now for France to exonerate itself from the laws of peace in order to definitively wipe out islamofascism from our territory. ” the mayor said the victims had been killed in a “horrible way ” . GULzAr MANSOOr ISLAMABAD

08 WORLDVIEW COuld A President Biden leAd A divided AmeriCA?

THE OUTCOME THAT CURRENTLY LOOKS MOST LIKELY – A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT WITH A REPUBLICAN SENATE AND MORE EVENLY BALANCED HOUSE – COULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICA TO REGROUP AND SEE MODEST BIPARTISAN PROGRESS

chriStian Science Monitor CHRIStA CASe BRyAnt, FRAnCIne KIeFeR AnD noAH RoBeRtSon

nEW Hampshire Democrat Frank Fahey once clashed with Joe Biden on national TV. Now he thinks the former vice president is exactly the bridge-builder America needs. When Mr. Biden was first running for president, in 1987, he derided Mr. Fahey for asking about his academic track record, boasting that he probably had a higher IQ than the New Hampshire educator. The moment went viral, 1980s-style, and an already beleaguered Mr. Biden dropped out of the race shortly thereafter.

Today Mr. Fahey, now retired and an avid follower of nitty-gritty congressionaldeliberations,sayshe’sseenamellowingintheerstwhileDelaware senator – born not only of professional experience, including 36 years in the Senate, but also of the personal trials of a man who lost his young wife and daughter, and in 2015, his adult son Beau. “I think he has compassion, which is something we need right now, ” says Mr. Fahey by phone, while watching TV coverage of the ongoing vote tallies inArizona and Georgia.

As of press time, Mr. Biden was leading in four key swing states still counting the remaining 2% to 8% of ballots – with a growing lead in the biggest prize of Pennsylvania, which alone would be enough to give him the White House. While President Donald Trump and his campaign have launched court challenges, and many have cautioned against calling the election prematurely, Democrats as well as Republicans have pushed back on the president’sallegationsofwidespreadirregularities.ControloftheSenatewill likely come down to two Georgia runoffs, the last nine of which have produced Republican winners, even when the Democrats led in the initial vote. FOR SOME ABROAD, FOUR MORE YEARS OF TRUMP SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD: After a particularly divisive four years, the extreme wings of both parties are revved up, and any suspicions about the fairness and credibility of the election could lead to further agitation. But many others across the country – from voters to mayors to state representatives – see this election as a clear indication that trying to govern as if there’s a mandate for either party ’s vision of sweeping change is not going to work.

Perhaps counterintuitively, the outcome that currently looks most likely – a Democratic president with a Republican Senate and more evenly balanced House – could provide an opportunity forAmerica to regroup and see modest bipartisan progress.That’s in part because Mr. Biden has long-standing relationships with many Republican lawmakers, particularly Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “Certainly a large part of the country is suffering from Trump fatigue, ” says Ed Goeas, a Republican strategist in Alexandria, Virginia. “[Mr. Biden] has a real opportunity ... to work from the center and not be pulled into what appears to be a desire on the part of the progressives to go to war. ” Still, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican, emphasized the importance of not calling the election prematurely, even as it appeared increasingly likely that Mr. Biden would win. “Every vote needs to be counted, ” says Governor Whitman, the national chairwoman of Republicans and Independents for Biden, adding that the Trump administration’s court challenges should be taken seriously. “Those will need to be heard, so that people have confidence that it is what we want it to be – a free and fair election. ” THE NEW-OLD POWER COUPLE: Should the Senate remain in Republican hands while the White House goes to Democrats, Senator McConnell and a President Biden would become the nexus of power in Washington. The two have a strong working relationship and a long Senate history in common, including working on legislation targeting voter fraud. At Beau Biden’s 2015 funeral, the Kentucky senator was the only Senate Republican to attend.

Vice President Biden was Senator McConnell’s go-to negotiating partner in the Obama administration, together getting the country past the shoals of debt and fiscal crises.Around theWhite House, the vice president was called “the McConnell whisperer. ” To the surprise of many, the Senate stepped up its productivity when Republicans took control in the last two years of the Obama presidency – working out deals on infrastructure, budget, education, and Medicare with Democrats.Though the country has become increasingly polarized since then, both Mr. Biden and Senator McConnell are likely to be thinking ahead to how history will view them, says SteveVoss, a political scientist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. “So that’s an opportunity for them to not worry too much about the clamor among the noisy wings of their party, ” says Professor Voss.

Still, Senator McConnell’s pitch to voters this year was to keep the Senate in Republican hands as a “firewall” against Democrats. “Mitch is not about public policy; Mitch is about power.Anything that makes Biden look good, he’s going to think twice about, ” said former Democratic Sen. Heidi

Heitkamp, in a preelection interview.

As majority leader, Senator McConnell would control the Senate agenda, and can be expected to block progressive priorities, including progressive Cabinet picks and judges, if Mr. Biden were to nominate them.The Kentucky lawmaker’s strength, said Senator Heitkamp, a centrist from North Dakota, is his tight control of his caucus. The way for Mr. Biden to break that is to work with individual Republican senators, such as Susan Collins, who won reelection in Maine, or Rob Portman of Ohio.

Senator McConnell may find it harder to control his caucus as a number of senators consider their own presidential bids in 2024. “There’s going to be a lot of competitive pressures on him. There will be [conservative] folks who want to burn the place down and moderates who will say, ‘We need to heal the country, ’” said John Feehery, former spokesman under Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert, also in a preelection interview.

By the same token, Mr. Biden could face significant pressure from “the Squad” and other progressive members of Congress who would have vastly preferred a President Bernie Sanders or ElizabethWarren. But in that regard, Senator McConnell could become a useful foil, allowing Mr. Biden to blame the majority leader for stymieing a progressive agenda, rather than dealing head-on with intra-Democratic divides. “Biden will have to take very modest baby steps in terms of policy innovation ... if he’s going to get anything through the Senate, ” says Charles S. Bullock III, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia. “[That] will frustrate the left wing of the party but also possibly give him an excuse for why he can’t go further left. ” A TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT: If Mr. Biden begins his presidency by rekindling and building on relationships with his former Republican Senate colleagues, and they are game to work together, that could have a trickledown effect to their constituents, says Martha Hennessey, a Democratic state senator in New Hampshire. “If they are telling the people they represent ... ‘This is OK, we’re going to give this guy a chance, ’ ... if they even give a hint of that – people will start to calm down, and breathe deeply, ” says Senator Hennessey, whose party just lost control of both chambers of the state legislature in the nastiest election she ever recalls seeing in New Hampshire.

Determininghowthecountrygotsopolarized–andwhetheritwasdriven or simply reflected by Washington – is difficult. But most political scholars agree a clear turning point was 1994, when Georgia Rep. Newt Gingrich led a Republican charge to take back the House. After years of compromising with Democratic-dominated chambers of Congress, he argued it was time for “trench warfare, ” says Professor Bullock of the University of Georgia.

The GOP takeover that vaulted Mr. Gingrich into the speaker’s chair –and the no-holds-barred approach behind it – did not go unnoticed by other ambitious politicians, who began adopting similar techniques, on both sides of the aisle. During that time, more lawmakers also began keeping their families in their home states, coming to Washington only for weekday business and ending an era of bipartisan mingling over dinner parties and children’s soccer games. “Gingrich gets a fair amount of the credit or the blame for what politics has become today, ” says Professor Bullock.

Parallel to that, voters have increasingly “sorted” themselves into partisan camps that are both ideologically and geographically distinct, creating an urban-rural divide.

“We talk about the online echo chambers and ideological bubbles in which folks exist, ” says Professor Voss, who describes himself as a radical centrist. But, he adds, if more voters lived among people who were different from them politically, “it wouldn’t have the power that it does. ”

At the local level, some officials point out they can’t afford to let polarization stand in the way of fixing potholes or repairing the sewer system. “I don’t know if it came out from Washington or we sent it back toward Washington, ”saysDonnieTuck,theindependentmayorofHampton,Virginia.But wherever it started, it needs to be stopped at every level, from the president ondown,addsMayorTuck,whomakesapointofattendingsocialgatherings and meetings with people who don’t agree with him. “We need leadership thatwilltrytobringustogether. ”DemocraticMayorSteveWilliamsofHuntington, West Virginia, who just won his third term with 62% of the vote in a deep-red county, points out that the oath of office taken by politicians is not to uphold a political party but the Constitution of the United States. “That’s whatthisnationneedsrightnow–putthenationfirst, ”saysMayorWilliams, whose city has become a national model for dealing with the opioid crisis, for which he credits his own community ’s willingness to work together as well as support and funding from the Obama and Trump administrations. “There are some people in Washington who want division, because as they push division on both the right and the left, more [campaign] dollars come rolling in, ” he says. “Let’s ... just start getting something done. ” In a speech Thursday, Mr. Biden reprised themes of unity he’s often emphasized on the campaign trail. “Once this election is finalized and behind us, it will be time for us to do what we’ ve always done asAmericans: to put the harsh rhetoric of the campaign behind us, ” he said, calling for the nation to unite, heal, and come together. “I am campaigning as a Democrat. But I will govern as an American president. The presidency itself is not a partisan institution. It is the one office in this nation that represents everyone. ... I will work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me as I will for those who did vote for me. ”

He may have his work cut out for him, with many conservatives expressing doubt in the run-up to the election about whether he could or would hold off the increasingly energized left wing of his party, whose progressive agenda and stark discourse alarmed moderates.

Staff writer Story Hinckley contributed reporting from Pennsylvania.

One America, two nations

WHAT IS WORTH HIGHLIGHTING IS THAT THE COUNTRY’S DIVISION IS NOT FOR THE MOST PART ALONG ECONOMIC LINES. PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES VOTED FOR BOTH CANDIDATES, AND DEMOGRAPHIC, GENDER, AND RACIAL VOTING PATTERNS WERE NOT AS ONE-SIDED AS MANY PREDICTED

Project Syndicate RICHARD HAASS

Only citizens may vote for the US president, but the choice affects people everywhere. If it is too soon to be certain of the results, it is not premature to explore what the election reveals about the world’s most powerful country.

On the positive side, the United States remains a robust democracy. Voter participation was high, despite the physical constraints linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. The process appears to be unfolding as designed. Violence has been minimal. Courts are investigating what seem to have been politically motivated decisions by the US Postal Service to impede the delivery of ballots from areas expected to vote mostly Democratic. President Donald Trump’s unwarranted declaration of victory Tuesday evening gained little traction, while his calls to stop the counting (at least in those states where he leads) appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

What is concerning, however, is that the US electorate remains so deeply divided. Voters were near-equally split between the two candidates. Not surprisingly, this division is likely to lead to divided government. If current trends continue, Democrats will win the White House and retain control of the House of Representatives, while Republicans will keep control of the Senate. Governorships and state legislatures are near evenly split between the two parties (Republicans hold a slight advantage).

The “blue wave” anticipated by Democrats did not materialize. Joe Biden will probably win the popular vote by a wide margin – some four or five million out of nearly 160 million votes cast. But Republicans held onto seats in the Senate that many predicted would flip to the Democrats, who actually lost seats in the House. There was no firm mandate, no political realignment.

Trump polled extremely well, receiving five million more votes than he did in 2016 – the second-most votes of any presidential candidate in US history, and more than any previous winner. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that it occurred against the backdrop of a record-high 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases and more than 1,000 deaths. Just when the consequences of his administration’s mishandling of the pandemic had become most severe, nearly half the electorate turned out to support him.

Even ifTrump loses, which seems likely, he will continue to have a powerful voice, especially if he remains in the public eye (which also seems likely). Even if he himself does not run, he will probably have considerable influence in choosing the Republican Party ’s nominee in the next presidential election in 2024. The GOP will be a far cry from the party of Presidents George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Trumpism – a modern-day American populism – will remain a powerful force.

Trump, no surprise, has done his best to salt the earth and delegitimize the election results, charging fraud despite his inability to produce any evidence. Many of his supporters will refuse to accept the legitimacy of a Biden presidency. It is quite possible that Trump will never concede the race, much less attend the swearing in of his successor. To paraphrase Will Rogers, Trump has never encountered a norm he didn’t break.

Americans increasingly dwell in separate worlds. They have sorted themselves into communities and regions with those of similar views. Each world tends to watch its own cable television channels, listen to its own radio stations and podcasts, and visit its own websites.And the absence of a national civics curriculum facilitates sorting across generations.

What is worth highlighting is that the country ’s division is not for the most part along economic lines. People of all classes voted for both candidates, and demographic, gender, and racial voting patterns were not as one-sided as many predicted. Where they differed mainly concerned remedies.

Educational levels are clearly an indicator of political orientation, as is geography, with Republican voters more likely to live in outer suburbs and rural regions and Democrats in metropolitan areas. Culture, though, may account for more in American politics than anything else. For the record, foreign policy did not seem to have mattered much in the campaign, except to mobilize specific constituencies, such as South Florida’s large Cuban and Venezuelan communities.

Against this backdrop, it will be difficult tobuildsupportforsignificantchangetohow presidentsareelectedorhowthegovernment operates. The situation resembles nothing so much as the United Nations Security Council. Many agree the current system is deeply flawed and unrepresentative, but it is impossible to reach consensus on reform, because anypotentialfixwouldbenefitsomeandhurt others. Not surprisingly, those who stand to lose from change resist it.

This will make governing difficult. Much will depend on the calculations of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and his ability and willingness to work with a President Biden. Working together would also require Biden to compromise, something sure to be resisted by the more ideological members of his own party.

Democrats were hoping for a stinging repudiation of Trump and everything he embodies. They didn’t get it. Republicans sought an election that validated Trump. That, too, didn’t happen. Instead, what the election revealed is one country and two nations. They will have to coexist; whether they can work together remains to be seen.

Traders demand abolishment of Time of Use metering system

Businessmen have urged the government to abolish the Time of Use (ToU) metering on electricity bills as general consumers have to pay high rates of electricity during the peak hours due to the prevalence of the metering system in the country.According to a report by the Express Tribune, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that the ToU metering was introduced in Pakistan at a time when the country was facing great shortage of electricity and this system was enforced to discourage the use of electricity. However, he said that now Pakistan is producing surplus electricity as according to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2019-20, the installed generation capacity of the country has exceeded 36,000MW while the maximum utilisation of electricity in peak season was around 23,000-25,000 MW. He was of the view that there was no justification to continue with the ToU metering. MONITORING REPORT

First ‘online-offline’ industrial exhibition to kick off Nov 13

LAHORE: The Pakistan Industrial Expo 2020 will be held in the provincial metropolis from November 13 to 15, wherein Chinese products will be showcased. The threeday exhibition which can help increase the production capacity of the Pakistan industrial sector will use both “online and offline” method. Products will be physically present at the booths set up on this occasion while B2B meetings will be arranged online through specially installed gadgets at every booth while the visitor flow rate will be limited according to coronavirus SOPs.As many as 100 Chinese companies are likely to participate in the event. Products will be physically presented at the booths set up on this occasion while B2B meetings will also be arranged online through specially installed gadgets at every booth. The main sectors which would take part in the exhibition included CNC machinery, construction machinery, new energy, building material, agricultural machinery, plastic machinery, hardware, chemical, and auto parts. APP

China signs contracts to buy commodities from Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China’s State Development and Investment Corp (SDIC) has announced that it has signed procurement contracts with Pakistan and 15 other economies during the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) being held in Shanghai. The purchase covers more than 20 kinds of commodities including grain, fruit, textiles and chemical products, according to China Daily on Saturday. SDIC Chairman Bai Tao said that China is committed to taking initiative in the mechanism of global sharing and enabling global cooperation to be more flexible with an open mind and measures. “SDIC will continue to deepen cooperation in important fields and key industries with partners both at home and abroad, so as to share opportunities brought by the CIIE, go hand in hand and contribute to the promotion of global economic development and regional economic and trade exchanges, ” he added. APP

Global economy may never return to pre-pandemic growth level: WB

WASHINGTON:Therecoveryoftheglobaleconomyfrom thecoronaviruscrisiswillbeveryslow,accordingtothe WorldBank’ssenioreconomistPatrickKirby.Hesaidthe growthratemayneverreturntopre-pandemiclevels. “We believethatforacoupleofyearswe’llremainbelowthe2019 level,andwillalmostneverreachthegrowthratesthatwere beforethat, ”KirbysaidduringtheMoscowExchangeForum thatwasheldvirtuallythisweek.Accordingtotheeconomist, thesituationobservedinmanycountriesacrosstheworld, couldbecomparedtothe“hardest”consequencesofthe20082009financialcrisis.Andthatisdespitethepositiveresultsof thethirdquarter,Kirbyadded.Healsosaidthatasthesecond waveoftheCovid-19pandemicstartsspreadingacrossmany countriesandtheglobalrecoveryisrelativelyslow,central bankswillbeforcedtokeepkeyrateslow. TLTP

BUSINESS 09 ‘TAPI GAS PIPElINE To BrING ECoNomIC ProSPErITy To PAkISTAN’

ISLAMABAD SHAHZAD PARACHA

TURKMENISTAN Ambassador to Pakistan Atadjan Movlamov on Sunday announced that theTurkmenistan-Afghanistan-PakistanIndia (TAPI) gas pipeline is at the stage of practical implementation, adding that the project is certain to be a game changer for Pakistan’s economic prosperity.

He stated this while meeting with representatives of the (EJAF) Economic JournalistAssociation Forum in Islamabad.

Movlamovsaidthata1,840kmlongpipelinetransporting natural gas fromTurkmenistan toAfghanistan, Pakistan and India would be constructed by the stateowned gas companies under the TAPI project.

“We have been finalising agreements with the Pakistani government and are considering to start construction soon after that” , he said, adding that his government will complete the pipeline’s construction within this year.

The Turkmenistan ambassador said that the TAPI project can change Pakistan’s fortunes as natural gas power generation is significantly cheaper than diesel and fuel oil, besides access to natural gas will stimulate industrialisation and investment.

Similarly, Pakistan and Afghanistan will benefit from billions of dollars of transit fees and this project shall also bring a Know-how for the region in terms of modern hi-tech equipment, technologies and so forth.

He said that the project also has social and environmental importance as natural gas offers a safer and cleaner alternative to coal and dieselfired power generation.

Presently, India and Pakistan are among the world’s largest contributors of CO2 emissions; 7.5 per cent of global emissions.

Movlamov said that along with the TAPI pipeline project, a 1635 km fibre-optic line will be laid from the border of Turkmenistan across Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The fibre-optic facility will monitor gas pipelines and provide the data of Europe, Asia and South-EastAsia at a speed of 100GBs per second with the ability to increase up to 6TBs per second.

Apart from this, he said, there is a TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan PowerTransmission Project and the new TAP electric line will not only provide TAPI gas pipeline and its facilities with electric energy but also allow export of up to 3000-megawatt energy via Afghanistan to Pakistan.

Responding to a question, the ambassador said that the project would strengthen peace, stability, and security among neighbouring countries and create motivation for resolving important issues.

He added that said that anyone can make an investment in the TAPI project.

The Turkmenistan ambassador also said that his country has a desire to participate in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

‘Exports to Afghanistan to reach $5bn in 3 years’

ISLAMABAD:Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and InvestmentAbdul Razak Dawood has said that the government had set a target of $5 billion in exports to Afghanistan during the next three years.

“Pak-Afghanistan trade has three dimensions including transit trade, bilateral trade and informal trade, which not only need to be documented but also modernised with infrastructure for smooth functioning, ” the PM’s advisor on commerce toldAPP.

Replying to a question, he informed that informal trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan was $2billion in 2019 whereas both sides have prospects to enhance bilateral trade volume. He said that the government had prioritised to document bilateral trade between the two countries to evolve a data sharing mechanism for ensuring transparency.

The advisor said that there was a need to improve trade facilitation through streamlined payments settlement and improved insurance mechanisms, use of bonded carriers, visa issuance, trade financing, tax collection, and documentation. “Specifically, there must be an internationally acceptable mode of payments, ” he added. Razak Dawood said that trade could further strengthen relations between both sides and achieve the agenda of benefiting in areas of mutual interest.

He said that Pakistan andAfghanistan are not only neighbouring countries but also “have shared religion, culture values and commonalities for increasing economic and people to people connectivity. ”

“Pakistan also shares a 2,200km long border with Afghanistan, which can play a vital role to increase economic interdependence and ties in both sides, ” he added.

The PM’s advisor also expressed his wish to visit Afghanistan to join the AfghanistanPakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA) meeting to work over future trade prospects and opportunities.

He said that both sides are committed to reducing the cost of doing business to enhance the bilateral trade volume between Pakistan andAfghanistan.

He said that Pakistan needs to focus on infrastructure issues, temporary vehicle and driver admission policy, access to third countries and also improved processing at border posts for reducing the cost of business to increase bilateral trade volume between Pakistan andAfghanistan.

Replying to another question, he said that the Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA) would be reviewed in February 2021whilebothsidesarenegotiatingwithdifferent stakeholders to finalise the agreement.

“Bothcountriesareindiscussionstoremove barriers and promote free trade between each other, ” he said, adding that solid recommendations were floated at the recent trade and intermentforumheld in Islamabad in this regard.

Further, parliamentarians, business community members, experts and relevant ministries of both sides highlighted important issues and proposed solutions to the problems being faced by the business community on both sides. He said that trade-friendly and anti-smuggling legislation should be introduced to reduce the informal economy for the benefit of both countries. APP

Shippersurgedtoplanforhigheroceanfreightcontractprices

WASHINGTON: Cargo owners should start planning for an upwards correction in longterm ocean freight contract prices, according to container shipping consultancy Sea-Intelligence, which believes the current levels of contract rates are not high by historical standards and that the low rates enjoyed by customers in recent years are the “aberration” . Having reviewed price developments over the past 22 years, Sea-Intelligence’s latest Sunday Spotlight report concluded that the current level of long-term contract rates “are not high” , except in contrast to the weak rates in recent years, which were caused by a severe vessel overcapacity resulting from the last global financial crisis. But it also warned of major uncertainties ahead, with the coronavirus flaring up again in many major economies, and where the lockdown measures being reintroduced in European countries may cause consumers to limit their spending.And on the US side, the likelihood that whichever candidate loses the presidential election will dispute the results may lead to a temporarily dysfunctional federal government and rapid spread of the virus in the country, noted SeaIntelligence CEOAlan Murphy, adding: “The ramifications are unknown but hardly positive to the economy as a whole, nor to the current US consumer boom. ” TLTP

SBP governor lauds Sialkot business community for building airport

SIALKOT: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Dr Reza Baqir on Sunday said that the local business community should be hailed for building an international standard airport on selfhelp basis which had improved the country's image. He was addressing a function held in his honour after visiting Sialkot InternationalAirport. Sialkot InternationalAirport Limited (SIAL) Chairman Mian Naeem Javed presided over the function while concerned officials were also present on the occasion. Dr Baqir said that if the business community could make an international standard airport, then they could establish a bank for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) too. He promised to set up a National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) booth at the airport and abolish the requirement of signatures of all directors for opening a SIALaccount in any bank. Further, Mian Naeem Javed highlighted the problems faced by SIAL and requested the SBPgovernor to mention the achievements of Sialkot's business community in the country and abroad whenever he gets the opportunity. He also demanded Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to grant a three-year tax exemption to SIALto offset the financial loss caused by Covid-19 in addition to giving Sialkot the status of an export zone. APP

Johnson says EU trade deal is 'there to be done'

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday a trade deal with the European Union was “there to be done” , suggesting his view that the agreement’s broad outline was already “pretty clear” was shared in Brussels.After months of talks on a deal to protect trade between the two neighbours from possible quotas and tariffs, the two sides have yet to close significant differences on at least two main sticking points.Any deal should be agreed by mid-November to allow for ratification, with some businesses hoping that the time pressure and a Covid-19 crisis spiralling across much of Europe can focus minds to avoid disruption at the end of the year. The chief negotiators, the EU’s Michel Barnier and Britain’s David Frost, will resume talks in London on Monday to “redouble efforts to reach a deal” , Johnson’s office has said. “I’ ve always been a great enthusiast for a trade deal with our European friends and partners, ” Johnson told reporters. “I think it’s there to be done, the broad outlines are pretty clear. We just need to get on and do it if we can.And I said that to (European Commission President) Ursula Von der Leyen just yesterday.And she totally agrees with me. ” Earlier, foreign minister Dominic Raab told the BBC’sAndrew Marr Show that there was “a good chance of a deal if we get the flexibility from the EU on fisheries and a level playing field” . Disagreements on guarantees for fair competition, especially over state aid rules, and fisheries, a sector laden with symbolism for Brexit supporters in Britain, have dogged the talks since Britain left the EU in January. Both sides have called on each other to compromise to unlock an agreement in increasingly testy exchanges that have underlined a lack of trust, especially after Britain moved to undermine parts of an earlier divorce deal. AGENCIES

Clouds gather over battered dollar in aftermath of US election

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

An increasingly bearish picture is unfolding for the U.S. dollar, which has suffered its worst week since March on signs that Federal Reserve money printing rather than government spending may be deployed to bolster the economy in the aftermath of Tuesday ’s elections.

A potentially divided U.S. government with Republicans in control of the Senate may mean a smaller fiscal stimulus package from lawmakers, increasing pressure on the U.S. central bank to ramp up its bond-buying and other economically supportive policies that have weighed on the dollar this year.

MajornetworksonSaturdaydeclaredDemocratJoeBidenthewinneroftheU.S.presidentialelection,offeringsomecertaintyafter days of conflicting reports about who might run the White House for the next four years.

Fresh concerns come on top of issues that have dragged the dollar lower for most of 2020 and led some investors to fret about its status as the world’s dominant reserve currency, including expectations of rock-bottom interest rates and massive U.S. government spending for years to come.

The U.S. currency is off about 10% from itshighsoftheyearandstandsnearmorethan a two-year low. Its decline has buoyed rallies in assets some investors see as dollar alternatives, such as gold and bitcoin, which are up 4% and 12% so far this month, respectively.

Aweakerdollarwouldlikelybewelcomed by many U.S. companies, as it makes it cheaper for multinationals to convert earnings back into their home currency while boosting the competitiveness of U.S. products abroad.

But it also pushes up the value of other currencies, complicating the efforts of economies like the euro zone and Japan to boost growth and potentially leading other central banks to cheapen their own currencies in response.

The euro has gained around 6% against the dollar this year, while the Japanese yen is up around 5%. Momtchil Pojarliev, head of currencies at BNPAsset Management, believes the dollar will sink to fresh lows over the next three months.

Some don’t agree with the bearish sentimentonthedollar.JohnFloyd,headofmacro strategyatRecordCurrencyManagement,argues that while the Fed has said it will keep assetpurchasesatcurrentlevels,theEuropean Central Bank recently signaled it may increase its economic support in December.

“That’s a big difference, ” he said.

10 FOREIGNNEWS CongRatUlatIonS fRoM woRld leadeRS poUR In foR BIden

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

wORLD leaders began congratulating Joe Biden on winning the White House, shortly after several media outlets in the United States called the presidential race in his favour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Biden and his running mate Harris on Twitter saying he looked forward to working with them to strengthen the “special alliance” between the two countries. “We’ ve had a long & warm personal relationship for nearly 40 years, and I know you as a great friend of Israel. ” In a tweet, he also thanked Trump for “the friendship” .

CanadianPrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau congratulated Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris, saying he was “really looking forward” to working with them.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he looked forward to working with Biden and Harris on issues ranging from “climate change to trade and security ” .

London Mayor Sadiq Khan congratulated the winners, adding it was time to “build bridges, not walls” .

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani congratulated Biden and Harris, saying he looked forward to continuing to strengthen the close relations between the two countries.

Iranian Vice-President Eshagh Jahangiri said he hoped for a change in “destructive US policies” following Biden’s TRIPOLI AGENCIES newly found mass graves in western

Libya’s Tarhuna region, taking the total exhumed in recent months to 112, the

Government of National Accord (GNA) The graves are located in Tarhuna, 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of

Tripoli, served as the main staging point for Haftar’s failed offensive. The presforces from western Libya in June.

Bashagha said the graves represented

“atrocious acts” that cannot go unpunThe graves found this week are the latest in a string of grim discoveries in Meanwhile, three cases of coronavirus were reported on Sunday at the hotel hosting the Libyan peace talks in YANGON AGENCIES Polls have opened in Myanmar’s general elections – only the second democratic vote in the Southeast Asian country since the end of five decades of military rule –withAung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) widely expected to win re-election. of Covid-19 cases in Myanmar, which has recorded more than 60,000 infections and projected win.

“I hope we will see a change in the destructive policies of the United States, a return to the rule of law and international obligations and respect for nations, ” Eshagh Jahangiri was quoted as saying by Iranian state media. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa congratulated Biden and Haris on their victory and said he looks forward to strengthening their relationship to “benefit both our people” .

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani congratulated Biden and Haris saying they look forward to “continuing/deepening” their strategic partnership with the United States “including in counterterrorism & bringing peace toAfghanistan” .

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said it was too soon to congratulate Biden and he would wait

for “all legal issues” in the US election to be resolved.

“We don’t want to be imprudent. We don’t want to act lightly and we want to respect people’s self-determination and rights, ” Lopez Obrador, who has had good relations with Trump, told reporters.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in tweeted: “Congratulations to @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris. Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid. I very much look forward to working with you for our shared values. ”

Palestine Liberation Organization member and leader Hanan Ashrawi tweeted “America Detrumped!” following the declaration.

“The world also needs to be able to breathe, ” she added.

“Trumpism must be carefully scrutinized and remedied to restore the human, moral & legal equilibrium within and beyond the US” .

In a congratulatory cable to Biden, Lebanese President Michel Aoun voiced hopesthatthepresident-electwould“restore balance” in Lebanese-US ties, Lebanon’s state National NewsAgency reported.

Sudan’s Prime MinisterAbdalla Hamdok congratulated Biden and Harris “on behalf of the Sudanese people” . “Looking forward to working closely with them both to continue building bridges of friendship and cooperation between our two nations and countries. ” Hamdok tweeted.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also congratulated Biden and Harris. “I look forward to future cooperation with President Biden, ” she said in a statement friendship is irreplaceable if we are to master the great challenges of our time. ”

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga congratulated Biden and Harris, saying he looked forward to working with the new administration to further strengthen the alliance between the two countries.

Iraqi President Barham Salih extended hiscongratulationstoBiden. “JoeBiden[is] a friend and trusted partner in the cause of building a better Iraq. We look forward to working to achieve our common goals and strengtheningpeaceandstabilityintheentire Middle East, ” Salih tweeted on Saturday.

European Union leaders Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen hailed Biden’s election, calling for stronger transatlantic ties.

Seventeen bodies found in new Libya mass graves

Seventeen bodies have been unearthed in missing persons authority said.

Lotfi Tawfiq, who heads a committee tasked by the United Nations-recognised to search for missing people, has said that five new mass graves containing 17 bodies had been discovered since Thursday.

from where eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces launched an aborted assault last year on the capital Tripoli, seat of the GNA. The area, some ence of mass graves in Tarhuna was first reported after the withdrawal of Haftar’s

Libya’s GNA Interior Minister Fathi ished. He said one of the bodies exhumed was Mabrouk Khalaf, a general and former director of information.

Tarhuna, and excavations continue.

posted on Twitter. “Our transatlantic Tunis. The hotel is moving to contain the cases so that the one-day summit, which is part of efforts to permanently end the Libyan civil war, can go ahead as scheduled on Monday, Libya 24 reported. It is not yet clear which hotel the talks are being hosted in. The summit will be hosted in-person and are aimed at finding apoliticalsolutiontoyearsofdivisionthat seesthecountrydividedbetweenrivaladministrations in the east and west.

A three-day meeting last week focused on the implementation of the ceasefire agreement reached last month between the government in Tripoli and Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan NationalArmy.

Walid El Hajjam, the diplomatic attaché in the Tunisian presidency's office, said that it is hoped a historic agreement will be reached. The dialogue is the outcome of a long journey of consultations andco-ordinationbetweenTunisiaandthe United Nations Support Mission in Libya.

The UN acting envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, said in a press statement on Saturday that the aim of the Tunisia summit is a road map towards constitutional elections. A major oil producer, Libya has been wracked by violence since a Nato-backed uprising in 2011 overthrew and killed veteran leader Muammar Qaddafi. Since then, the North African country has been dominated by armed groups, riven by local conflicts and divided between two bitterly opposed administrations.

‘Stop the steal!’Trump supporters call Biden victory a fraud

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

Shortly after Joe Biden claimed victory in the presidential election, throngs of Trump supporters descended on their state capitols, demanding that allegations of fraud be investigated.

President Donald Trump has refused to acknowledge Biden’s claim, and accused the former vice president of winning by fraud.

Trump’s supporters have been struck by the embattled president, and showed up at state capitols across the country, demanding that state governments support Trump and “stop the steal. ”

As the Republican majority in Michigan’s state legislature met on Saturday to investigate the GOP’s claims of fraud in the state, hundreds of Trump supporters gathered outside the capitol in the city of Lansing, chanting “We won!”

Left-wing groups soon showed up, and some fights broke out between both camps, and police intervened to separate the groups.

A similar protest took place in Phoenix,Arizona, where several hundred protesters assembled after picketing a vote-counting site earlier in the morning.

Ballots are still being counted in Phoenix, and Trump’s supporters have been a constant presence outside the counting center since Wednesday.

Even in states where Trump won easily, like Louisiana and South Carolina, protesters still demonstrated outside government buildings.

Reports of alleged voter fraud have surfaced from several swing states won by Biden. Whistleblowers in Michigan have claimed that mail-in ballots were backdated so as to be accepted, reports of unusually high turnout have raised eyebrows on the right in Wisconsin, out-of-state ballots have been reported in Nevada, and President Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has claimed that dead voters cast ballots in Pennsylvania.

These claims, though mostly unproven, will form the basis of Trump’s legal battle against Biden’s apparent win.

Trump’s hopes for victory hinge on the Supreme Court finding fraud and invalidating a swathe of ballots, and in recounts in states like Georgia and Wisconsin. Should these paths fail, Republican state legislators could opt to ignore the vote and send proTrump electors to Washington in December. The US Constitution does give state lawmakers the final say in appointing electors, but this last-ditch option hasn’t been used since 1876, when Democrats ceded 20 electoral votes to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in exchange for a withdrawal of federal troops from the former Confederate States.

US ‘Muslim ban’ set to end ‘on day one’ of Biden presidency

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

On the first day of his presidency, presidentelect Joe Biden intends to rescind Donald Trump’s travel bans on travellers from 13 countries, most either majority-Muslim or African nations. Shortly after taking office in 2017, Trump issued an executive order that banned travellers from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States. The Trump administration reworked the order several times amid legal challenges and the Supreme Court upheld a version of it in 2018. The countries subject to entry restrictions have changed over the years. The bans could be easily undone as they were issued by executive order and presidential proclamation, according to policy experts, but lawsuits from conservatives could delay the process. In October, Biden also promised to push politicians for laws to fight the surging number of hate crimes in the US. “As president, I’ll work with you to rip the poison of hate from our society to honour your contributions and seek your ideas. My administration will look likeAmerica with MuslimAmericans serving at every level, ” he said. “On day one, I’ll end Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim ban. ” Trump imposed the travel restrictions – often referred to by critics as the “Muslim ban” – through a series of executive orders singling out Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria andYemen, triggering criticism that it amounted to unlawful religious discrimination. Trump then expanded the ban to include Venezuela and North Korea and later added Nigeria, Sudan, Myanmar and three other countries to the list. “Muslim communities are the first to feel Donald Trump’s assault on Black and brown communities in this country, with his vile Muslim ban. That fight was the opening barrage in what has been nearly four years of constant pressure and insults, ” Biden said. The Council onAmerican-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the US’largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation, congratulated Biden on his victory on Saturday and said it would hold him to his election promises. “President-elect Biden has pledged to end the Muslim Ban on his first day in office, include Muslims at every level of his administration and address issues of racial and religious discrimination, ” said Nihad Awad, CAIR’s national executive director. “We plan to join otherAmerican Muslim leaders and organisations in ensuring that the Biden administration fulfils these promises. We also plan to continue holding our government accountable when it errs. ”

Silk Road to expand economic ties between Iran, China

BEIJING

Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Shanghai said that the Silk Road will expand cultural and economic ties between Iran and China. Highlighting the strategic and international importance of the Silk Road, Ramezan Parvaz underlined that the road will expand cultural and economic ties between Iran and China. The Iranian diplomat further pointed to the significance of expanding relations between the two countries in the future. He went on to say that Iran plays a major role in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative due to its strategic position in WestAsia. The event was organized by the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association and on the sidelines of the China International Import Expo.As many as 28 Iranian companies in the fields of technology, Carpets, and handicrafts, dried fruit, and culture attended the event.

Myanmar votes in second democratic election

Sunday ’s vote comes amid a resurgence TLTP

1,390 deaths since mid-August.

Opposition parties had called for an election delay over the surge in coronavirus cases, but the governing NLD and the Union Election Commission insisted on forging ahead. Elderly voters were allowed to cast ballots in advance while the government promised to provide adequate personal protective equipment for poll workers and to ensure social distancing at every polling station.

The region worst-affected by the vote cancellation was Rakhine state, where the military is battling theArakanArmy, a popular rebel group seeking greater autonomy for the Rakhine people. The move tilts the electoral field decisively in the NLD’s favour in a state where it is arguably the least popular, and analysts have warned the conflict in Rakhine may intensify in the wake of the election.

The western state is also home to the persecuted Rohingya minority, who Myanmar views as immigrants from Bangladesh and has barred from registering to vote. More than 730,000 others from the ethnic group fled Myanmar for Bangladesh in the wake of a brutal military crackdown in 2017, and Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said on Friday that he hoped Sunday ’s vote would allow for refugee returns in “safety and dignity ” .

UN investigators have accused Myanmar’s military of “genocidal intent” in the 2017 campaign against the Rohingya, but Suu Kyi has rejected those claims. The Nobel peace prize laureate remains popular in Myanmar despite widespread international criticism over her government’s handling of the Rohingya crisis and its treatment of other ethnic minorities.

Myanmar’s commander-in-chief Senior General MinAung Hlaing refused last week to commit to honouring the results of the general election, criticising “ widespread violation of the laws and procedures of the prevoting process” .

But on Sunday, after casting his vote, the general said he “must accept that the result must come from people’s desire” . “It is undeniable and I agree to it, ” he was quoted as saying by the Myanmar Times.

SPORTS

HAiderAli,UsmANQAdirliftPAkistANto ANotHerbigWiNoverZimbAbWeiNsecoNdt20

AGENCIES

YOUNGSTER Haider Ali and captain Babar Azam plundered halfcenturies as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday. Ali, 20, playing in only his thirdTwenty20, made an unbeaten 66 off 43 balls and Azam (51) hit a second successive half-century off 28 deliveries that eased Pakistan to 137-2 in 15.1 overs.

Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani got both wickets to finish with 2-33 but the rest of the Zimbabwe attack struggled to contain Ali andAzam's fluent strokes.

The duo shared a 100-run second-wicket stand off only 63 balls before Azam holed out at long off after hitting eight fours and a six.

Ali scored a half-century in his Twenty20 debut against England in September and hit six fours and three sixes in yet another impressive knock on Sunday.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, fast bowler Haris Rauf and leg-spinner Usman Qadir combined to take six wickets between them and restricted Zimbabwe to 134-7.

Rauf removed BrendanTaylor (3) and captain Chamu Chibhabha (15) in his first two overs before finishing with 3-31.

Qadir eclipsed Rauf with 3-23 as he deceived the middle-order with his sharp leg breaks and googlies. Ryan Burl top-scored with 32 not out to stretch the total, but Pakistan's strong top order batting finished the game with 29 balls to spare.

The comprehensive win gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after it beat the visitors by six wickets on Saturday.The final game of the series will be played on Tuesday.

Earlier, captain Babar Azam won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in to bat in the second Twenty20 international. Pakistan kept the same line-up that won the first match by six wickets at the same venue on Saturday.

Zimbabwe left out Tendai Chatara to bring in another fast bowler Donald Tiripano for the only change from the last game. The final match is onTuesday, also in Rawalpindi. TEAMS: Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain

Zimbabwe: Chamu Chibhabha (captain), Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chisoro, Wesley Madhevere, Elton Chigumbura, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Donald Tiripano, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams

Wales defence coach Hayward leaves role ahead of Autumn Nations

LONDON AGENCIES

Wales defence coach Byron Hayward has left his role with immediate effect just five days before Wayne Pivac's side start their Autumn Nations Cup campaign against Ireland. The former Wales under-20 coach, who has left by mutual agreement, previously worked with Pivac for the Scarlets region and was appointed to his senior national team role alongside him in 2019. Wales head into the new tournament, starting on Friday, after their worst Six Nations campaign since 2007. Pivac's side won only once in the interrupted championship, which has just finished, and have lost five matches in a row since a February victory over Italy. "I would like to thank Byron for all his hard work with Wales and thank him for his honesty in recent meetings, " Pivac said in a Welsh Rugby Union statement. "I have worked alongside Byron for six-and-a-half years. He is a dedicated coach that has had great success in his career. "On reflection of the last campaign it was mutually decided that the best way forward for Wales and for Byron is for him to step down from his role. " Pivac said the existing coaching team would manage the defence for the four matches in the Autumn Nations before a full-time replacement was appointed Hayward said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Wales and it was an honour to coach my country. "As I have always said from day one, the team comes first and upon reflection of the last campaign with Wayne we felt it was best for me to step aside. "

Mir over the moon as MotoGP title nears after Valencia triumph

VALENCIA AGENCIES

Spain's Joan Mir won Sunday's European MotoGP in Valencia on Sunday, his first victory in the premier category, to close in on the title after rival Fabio Quartararo crashed on the opening lap.

Mir took advantage of Quartararo's spill to widen his lead to 37 points with just two races left as compatriot Alex Rins ensured a one-two finish for Suzuki, the first for the Japanese manufacturer since 1982.

Frenchman Quartararo recovered to trail home in 14th but saw his championship hopes suffer a potentially fatal blow. He is level on 125 points with Rins after losing considerable ground on Mir, who is top on 162. "I'm super happy.This is what I was missing, one victory, and it came at the perfect moment, " said 23-year-old Mir, the Moto3 champion in 2017.

Mir became the fifth first-time winner at MotoGP level this season and the ninth different rider to take the chequered flag in 12 races. A podium finish for Mir on the same Ricardo Tormo circuit at next week's Valencia MotoGP would secure the title, ending the injured Marc Marquez's four-year dominance. "We've had a very good weekend, " said Mir. "Now we need to be more intelligent than ever. Even with this victory the championship is not done, but I'm in a much better position than Friday. If I'm not able to fight for the win, scoring points will be enough. " Pol Espargaro of KTM, who started the race on pole, came third ahead of Japan's Takaaki Nakagami of the Honda-LCR team. Quartararo, who qualified outside the top 10 for the first time, slid off his Yamaha-SRT on the opening lap at the same turn as Aleix Espargaro, who never remounted after losing control of his bike. GEAR ERROR HURTS RINS:While Rins led the first half of the race, Mir overhauled his fellow Spaniard and continued to stretch his advantage to finish over 0.6 seconds clear. "I got a gear wrong and that cost me first place, " said Rins, on the podium for the fourth time in five races having overcome an injury that hampered him at the start of the season.

"I wanted to wait a bit to overtake him, " said Mir. "But you never know when is the best time and I seized the opportunity. That was the key to victory. " Valentino Rossi's return to racing was short-lived as the seven-time MotoGP champion retiredjustfivelapsintotheraceafterenginetrouble.TheItalianhadbeengiventheall-clearFriday after missing the past two races following a positivetestforcoronavirus.Rossi,41,isalowly15th and hasn't scored a point since coming fourth at the San Marino grand prix on September 13.

'Amazing' Bottas doesn't get the credit he deserves, says Hamilton

AGENCIES

Lewis Hamilton has been the one making the headlines this year with his record-breaking exploits on track, but the British driver has been championing his Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas, and insists the Finn doesn't get the respect he deserves.

Since they became team mates in 2017, Hamilton has picked up an incredible 40 Grand Prix victories to Bottas' nine, but in qualifying, Bottas often pushes Hamilton extremely close and is more than capable of bettering the six-time champion – who holds the record for the most poles in F1 history –as he did at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Ahead of that race, Hamilton was asked how he often manages to grab pole by the tiniest of margins – sometimes just thousandths of a second – from his team mate. "When I look back on those times they were too close, and they weren’t good enough, because I believe that I have a certain amount of extra time in me, " he said. "But it’s honestly just never giving up, never believing that it’s over and just pushing to the limit, and trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together in a rush. "When you go into practice, you ’ ve basically got a new puzzle, and pieces are all over the place, and you only have a select amount of time to put all the pieces of the puzzle into place. "And when you get to qualifying, sometimes you have half the puzzle done, sometimes you have the whole thing done, sometimes you have less, and

then you just have to throw it all together and hope it comes together, " he said.

But Hamilton, who is on course to win his seventh title this year, also said the tiny margins between himself and Bottas were also down to his team mate doing "an amazing job" and that the Finn doesn't get the respect he deserves. "I think Valtteri doesn’t get the credit that he’s due because he does an amazing job, " he said. "He’s an incredibly fast driver, and I think he’s better than a large portion of the field that are here –not only in his driving but also in his mental attitude and approach, because being a driver is not just about driving, it’s not just about practice. "It’s about how you bring and elevate people around you, and he’s great at that, " he added.

cannavaro's guangzhou held in tense china title decider

SHANGHAI AGENCIES

The coronavirus-hit Chinese Super League title race will be decided on Thursday after Fabio Cannavaro's Guangzhou Evergrande were held 0-0 by Jiangsu Suning in the first leg of the championship final. In a bad-tempered encounter Sunday in front of several thousand fans in Suzhou, Brazilian international Paulinho squandered one of the few clear opportunities as reigning champions Evergrande struggled to break down Suning. Veteran Evergrande captain Zheng Zhi went looking for a penalty in the 11th minute and referee Shi Zhenlu initially gave the spot-kick, but overturned his own decision after consulting the video assistant referee (VAR). A scuffle then broke out and Evergrande attacker Wei Shihao was booked after raising his hands. Suning's Gao Tianyi was yellow-carded a short time later for going through the back of former Barcelona star Paulinho. The 32-year-old midfielder, who took the captain's armband when Zheng went off injured, had the best chance of the first half but pulled his effort wide from close range in injury time. Suning, who have never won the CSL, failed to muster a shot on or off target in the first period. They were more ambitious at the start of the second half, but again Cannavaro's side looked the more threatening, without really troubling Suning stopper Gu Chao. The two teams will do it again in Thursday's decisive second leg, the culmination of a season which began five months late and behind closed doors because of the pandemic. As part of the changes for this campaign, the title is decided over two legs in a championship decider. The Chinese Football Association expected about 7,00 fans to attend each leg on neutral territory in Suzhou, having allowed a capped number of spectators in recent weeks.

NEWS

BIdenpRomoTeSUnITyInfIRST AddReSSASpReSIdenT-elecT

AGENCIES

JOE Biden used his first national address as presidentelect of the United States to vow to heal a deeply divided nation, declaring it was time to “let this grim era of demonisation in America begin to end” and reaching out to the millions of people who voted against him to say, “Let’s give each other a chance. ”

His calls for reconciliation at a Saturday evening victory celebration came even as President DonaldTrump continued to argue that the election had been stolen from him, an indication that the divisive politics that have gripped the US over the past four years are far from over.

It also suggested that even as Biden seeks to build out a government during his transition to the presidency, the president has little interest in helping him do so. “For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment, ” Biden said during a drive-in event in Wilmington, Delaware. “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again. ”

Biden heads into his first full day as president-elect on Sunday with key staffing decisions to make as the coronavirusrages.Thealways-frenzied10week transition period before Inauguration Day on Jan 20 already has been shortened by the extra time it took to determine the winner of Tuesday ’s election. The second Catholic to be elected president, Biden planned to attend church at St. Joseph on the Brandywine near his home in Wilmington, as he does nearly every week. He began Election Day with a visit to the church and the grave of his son, Beau,aformerDelawareattorneygeneral who died of brain cancer in 2015.

His top priority in the transition is expected to be quickly naming a chief of staff. Biden suggested during the campaign that his first call after being elected would be to DrAnthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, but his advisers have not said whether the two have spoken yet.

Biden said on Saturday that he would announce a task force of scientists and experts on Monday to develop a “blueprint” to begin beating back the virus by the time he assumes the presidency. He said his plan would be “built on bedrock science” and “constructed out of compassion, empathy and concern” .

Biden was on track to win the national popular vote by more than four million, a margin that could grow as ballots continue to be counted. He made Trump the first incumbent president to be denied a second term since Republican George H.W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton in 1992. KAMALA SHOWCASES HISTORY-MAKE PLACE:

His running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, used her first address as vice president-elect to showcase her history-make place as the first black woman to become vice president, an achievement that comes as the US faces a reckoning on racial justice.The California senator is also the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency and the highestranking woman ever to serve in government. “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, ” Harris said in her speech on Saturday night. To win, Biden successfully unified different wings of the Democratic Party around their universal loathing of Trump, garnering support from progressive insurgents and establishment moderates alike.

“The party came together to defeat Donald Trump, ” said Brian Lemek, a longtime progressive fundraiser and executive director of Brady PAC, which invested $6m on 2020 candidates supporting gun violence prevention efforts and voting rights. “His main job right now, we all think, is to heal the nation. ” Biden senior adviser Ted Kaufman said the transition team will focus on the “nuts and bolts” of building the new administration in coming days. He said Biden plans to speak to legislative leaders and governors from both parties. Biden may not make top cabinet choices for weeks. Buthebuilthispresidentialrunaround bipartisanship and he has spent the dayssinceTuesday ’selectionpledging to be a president for all Americans. That suggests he could be willing to appointsomeRepublicanstohigh-profile administration positions. Many formerRepublicanofficeholdersbroke with Trump to endorse Biden’s campaign. His selection of some of them to join the new government could appease senate Republicans, who may have to confirm many of Biden’s choices for top jobs. The GOP could retain control of the chamber after two special elections in Georgia on Jan 5.

Still, too much across-the-aisle cooperation could draw the ire of progressives. Some already worry that uncooperative senate Republicans could force Biden to scale back his ambitious campaign promises to expand access to health care and lead a post-pandemic economic recovery that relies on federal investment in green technology and jobs to help combat climate change.

“I think there will be a huge misuse of the word ‘ unity ’ to imply that we need to water down the ideas that Joe Biden just campaigned on, ” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. He said the country was more united around bold solutions to big problems than small-scale efforts to appease moderates in both parties.

Trump does not plan to concede any time soon, aides and allies indicate

WASHINGTON AGENCIES

After the declaration on Saturday that Democrat Joe Biden had won the race for the White House, Republican President Donald Trump and his allies made one thing clear: he does not plan to concede anytime soon.

The president, who has spent months trying to undermine the election results with unproven allegations of fraud, pledged on Saturday to go forward with a legal strategy that he hopes will overturn state results that gave Biden the win in Tuesday ’s vote.

Trump aides and Republican allies, while somewhat conflicted on how to proceed, largely supported his strategy or remained silent.

“The simple fact is this election is far from over. Joe Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor, ” Trump said in a statement released by his campaign around midday. The president’s allies and advisers privately admitted that the former New York businessman’s chances of overturning the election results and staying in the White House were slim. While preparing for an eventual concession, they called for time to let the legal challenges run their course.

“He should allow the recounts to go forward, file whatever claims there are, and then if nothing changes he should concede, ” said one Trump advisor. The Trump campaign and Republicans have brought numerous lawsuits over alleged election irregularities. Judges tossed cases in Georgia, Michigan and Nevada. In Pennsylvania, judges sided with Republicans and ordered some provisional ballots set aside and granted Republican observers greater access to vote counting. Legal experts said the legal challenges were too narrow in scope to have an impact on the outcome of the election.

Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to raise at least $60 million to fund legal challenges, sources told Reuters. “He should make sure every vote is counted and demand transparency.That puts him on solid rhetorical grounds, ” said another formerWhite House official. Trump was at his golf property in Virginia when the race was called for Biden. Clusters of Biden supporters lined two blocks of his motorcade’s route back on Saturday afternoon. Trump re-entered theWhite House wearing a “MakeAmerica GreatAgain” hat, looking glum with a cell phone in his hand. Biden supporters gathered and celebrated loudly near the White House. ‘CONCEDE GRACEFULLY’: Republicans worried that Trump could tarnish his legacy if he does not eventually make a graceful exit, eroding his future political power. “It will be impossible for him to run again in 2024 if he’s seen as a sore loser, ” a congressional Republican source said.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham, a staunch Trump defender, on Friday urged the president, if and when the time came, to accept an unfavorable outcome with “grace and composure, ” and the Wall Street Journal’s conservative editorial board wrote that Trump “needs evidence to prove voter fraud. ”

“If Mr. Biden has 270 Electoral College votes at the end of the counting and litigation, President Trump will have a decision to make.We hope in that event he would concede gracefully, ” it said.

Biden crossed that crucial threshold on Saturday by winning the battleground state of Pennsylvania. OneTrump adviser saidWhite House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows would likely be the aide who would raise with Trump the idea of conceding.

Iran's Rouhani says next US administration should make up for Trump's mistakes

TEHRAN AGENCIES

Iran’s president said on Sunday the next US administration should use the opportunity to compensate for US President Donald Trump’s mistakes, Iranian state TV reported after Joe Biden captured the US presidency. Tensions have spiked between the United States and Iran since 2018, when Trump exited a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and then reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. “Trump’s damaging policy has been opposed […] by theAmerican people. The next US administration should use the opportunity to make up for past mistakes, ” President Hassan Rouhani was quoted as saying. “Iran favours constructive interaction with the world. ” Biden has pledged to rejoin Iran’s 2015 nuclear accord with six powers, a deal that was agreed by Washington when he was vice president, if Tehran also returns to compliance. In retaliation for Trump’s actions, Tehran has gradually reduced its commitments to the accord. But Iran’s clerical rulers have said those steps were reversible if Tehran’s interests were respected. “The heroic resistance of the Iranian people proved that the policy of maximum pressure is doomed to failure, ” Rouhani said. Biden has said returning to the agreement would be “a starting point for follow-on negotiations” and that Washington would then work with allies to strengthen and extend the nuclear deal and address other issues of concern. Iran’s leaders have so far ruled out any talks aimed at further curbing Tehran’s nuclear activity, halting its ballistic missile programme and limiting the Islamic Republic’s regional influence. “TheAmerican people have spoken.And the world is watching whether the new leaders will abandon disastrous lawless bullying of [the] outgoing regime — and accept multilateralism, cooperation and respect for [the] law. Deeds matter most, ” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.

Azerbaijan announces capture of Karabakh's second-largest city, Armenia denies it

AGENCIES

Azeris celebrated on the streets of Baku after President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday his country ’s forces had taken Shusha, the second-largest city in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, but Armenian officials denied the city had been captured. Shusha, which Armenians call Shushi, is of cultural and strategic importance to both sides and is located 15 km (nine miles) south of the enclave’s largest city Stepanakert. At least 1,000 people have died in nearly six weeks of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous enclave internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians. “(This day) will become a great day in the history of Azerbaijan, ” Aliyev said, announcing that Baku ’s troops had taken Shusha/Shushi. In Baku, Azeris gathered in large numbers to celebrate, waving flags and chanting slogans, while drivers sounded their car horns. Officials from the Nagorno-Karabakh region and Armenia’s Defence Ministry denied Aliyev ’s statement. “Shushi remains an unattainable pipe dream for Azerbaijan. Despite heavy destruction, the fortress city withstands the blows of the enemy, ” the Nagorno-Karabakh Rescue Service said. Armenia’s defence ministry said that heavy fighting for the strategic site continues, while the Defence Army of Nagorno-Karabakh said they had repelled multiple attempts by the Azeri side to advance on the town.

OPEC would miss ‘friend Trump’ , wary of strains under Biden

LONDON/DUBAI AGENCIES

Key members of OPEC are wary that strains in the OPEC+ alliance could reemerge with Joe Biden as U.S. President, sources close to the organisation said, and would miss President Donald Trump who went from criticising the group to helping bring about a record oil output cut.

Biden could modify U.S. diplomatic relations with three members of OPEC – de facto leader SaudiArabia, and sanctioned countries Iran and Venezuela, as well as with key non-OPEC producer Russia. Russia is the leader of oil producers allied with OPEC, a group known as OPEC+.

Strict enforcement of U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela has kept millions of barrels of oil per day off the market, and if Biden should relax measures on either in years to come to an increase in production could make it harder for OPEC to balance supply with demand.

Biden has said he would prefer multilateral diplomacy to the unilateral sanctions Trump has imposed, although that may not mean relaxation in sanctions any time soon. In his campaign, Biden said he’d return to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal if Tehran resumes compliance with the pact.

Trump quit the pact in 2018, reimposing sanctions that cut Iran’s oil exports. Some in OPEC fear that a return of Iranian volumes will add to oversupply without cutbacks elsewhere and worry about Moscow ’s continued participation in OPEC+.

“Iran sanctions can be re-evaluated and then Iran will be back to the market, so again there would be oversupply and the current cut deal will be at risk, ” an OPEC source said before the election result was known.

“There is the risk of Russia leaving the OPEC+ deal too which means a collapse of the agreement, as it was Trump who brought Moscow on board, ” the source said. GLOBALTHREAT: Biden has named Russia asWashington’s most serious global threat. During his campaign, he also pledged to reassess ties with SaudiArabia.

Trump in April was involved in talks that led to a deal in which the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and SaudiArabia worked with allied producers led by Russia to agree a record oil supply cut as the coronavirus outbreak hammered demand.

Trump stepped in to put political pressure on Saudi Arabia and Russia to end a dispute that had sparked a price war and resulted in both countries planning to raise output just as the pandemic led to restrictions on travel – and consequently in demand for fuel.

The result was an unprecedented global deal to cut oil supply by about 20 million barrels per day, or around 20 percent. OPEC+ alone agreed to cut 9.7 million bpd.

For Trump, the motivation was to raise global oil prices and prevent bankruptcies and hundreds of thousands of job losses in the U.S. energy industry as the election loomed.

Trump has been a proponent of the oil and gas industry, rolling back environmental regulations and rejecting mainstream science on how emissions are causing global warming.

Earlier in his presidency, he had criticised OPEC for seeking higher prices and urged members to pump more. Anti-OPEC U.S. legislation known as NOPEC – first introduced years ago – didn’t become law despite having gained some momentum earlier in his presidency.

“Trump is now our friend – after the historic U-turn, ” said a senior OPEC source from a U.S. ally OPEC member, declining to be named. “From NOPEC toArt of the Deal, ” he added, in a reference to theApril OPEC+ pact and a 1987 book by Trump. SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS: Trump developed a close relationship with top OPEC producer SaudiArabia’s de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, or “MbS” , who relies on the United States for weapons and protection against regional rivals such as Iran.

The OPEC+ alliance has been propping up oil prices since 2017 and any developments that threaten the future of the alliance could weaken the market, with significant implications for OPEC and other producers, governments and traders.

Trump engaged more actively with OPEC than his predecessors, often taking toTwitter to comment on production decisions and oil price moves. Biden is seen as more likely to keep the cartel at arm’s length.

“My view is that Biden would rely more on professional advice from his advisers and would not micromanage as Trump does today, ” said Chakib Khelil, Algeria’s oil minister for a decade and a former OPEC president.

“Biden would not have the cosy relationship with Putin that Trump appears to have, ” Khelil added.

Still, despite Biden’s campaign comments on the U.S. -Saudi relationship, a radical reset is viewed as unlikely. Gulf regional sources and diplomats have told Reuters a Biden win would not upend decadeslong alliances.

And a source familiar with Iranian oil thinking welcomed Biden’s win but said he doubted sanctions would be lifted swiftly.This would give OPEC+ members long enough to adjust their deal to make room for more Iranian oil. “Even if Iran’s sanctions are lifted, it will take two to four months for Iran’s oil exports to return to presanctions levels due to technical issues, ” he said. “Therefore, OPEC+ has enough time to decide on a new production ceiling. ”