Biden signs Covid hate crimes bill after attacks on Asian Americans


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President Joe Biden signed legislation on Thursday to combat a sharp rise in anti-Asian hate crimes amid the coronavirus pandemic, hailing it as a rare moment of bipartisanship in Washington.

“Every time we’re silent, every time we let hate flourish, we make a lie of who we are as a nation,” Mr Biden said during a signing ceremony at the White House.

The law, which passed both the House and Senate with large bipartisan majorities, directs the Justice Department to expedite a review of coronavirus-related hate crimes and designate an official to oversee the effort.

The bill also funds grants for states to establish hotlines to report such incidents and instructs the federal government to help local law enforcement to publicly report anti-Asian crimes.

“I’m proud today that Democrats and Republicans have stood up together to say something,” Mr Biden said.

Attacks against Asian Americans drew new attention in March after a mass shooting in Georgia left eight people dead. Six of the victims were women of Asian descent.

Anti-Asian hate crime reported to police in the nation’s largest cities rose 169 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period a year prior, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino.

Democrats have blamed former President Donald Trump for encouraging anti-Asian sentiment by repeatedly noting the Chinese origin of the coronavirus when discussing the pandemic.

In addition to frequently referring to the “China virus,” Mr Trump labeled the disease “kung flu” at a campaign rally last June. Mr Trump used the term even after one of his advisers, Kellyanne Conway, had called the term “wrong” and “highly offensive.”

Mr Biden called Trump’s language “casual racism” and “a national scourge” during the presidential campaign.

French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS

Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.

Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.

Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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RESULT

Leeds United 1 Manchester City 1
Leeds:
 Rodrigo (59')
Man City: Sterling (17')

Man of the Match: Rodrigo Moreno (Leeds)