Former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne has heaped praise Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, saying the duo were the ‘best two batsmen’ he played with or against during his illustrious career.
“These two guys were clearly and easily the best two batsmen I played with or against and the best of my generation too (1989-2013) Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. Did you like watching the three of us play and do battle out on the field?” wrote Warne along with the picture which he posted on his Instagram account on Tuesday.
Tendulkar made his debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 as a 16-year-old. He went on to play 200 Tests for India, scoring 100 centuries across Tests and ODIs. In 463 ODIs, Tendulkar scored 18,426 runs including 49 tons and in Tests, he has 15,921 runs to his name, including 51 centuries.
Lara, on the other hand, remains the only batsman in world cricket to score 400 runs in an innings in Test cricket. The left-handed batsman played 131 Tests and 299 ODIs for West Indies, scoring 11,953 and 10,405 runs respectively.
Warne, one of the greatest spinners of all time, scalped 708 wickets in 145 Tests for Australia. In 194 ODIs, he picked 293 wickets.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sold $ 5.6 million worth of company stock on Monday — the same day it said its and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine was more than 90 per cent effective.
Axios reported the same day the Pfizer stock soared almost 8 per cent.
As per the Axios report, the stock sale is perfectly legal through a predetermined plan called Rule 10b5-1 but the optics aren’t great.
A Pfizer spokesperson did not add any new information in a statement, saying the sale was part of a predetermined plan created in August, the report said.
Business Insider reported that the Pfizer CEO cashed out 60 per cent of his stock on the same day the company unveiled the results of its Covid-19 vaccine trial.
Bourla sold 132,508 shares at an average price of $41.94 per share as per filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The stock has been sold almost at the highs of year, according to the report.
Pfizer and Biontech announced on Monday that the vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing Covid-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis.
The analysis evaluated 94 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in trial participants. The study enrolled 43,538 participants, with 42 per cent having diverse backgrounds, and no serious safety concerns have been observed; Safety and additional efficacy data continue to be collected.
Submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planned for soon after the required safety milestone is achieved, which is currently expected to occur in the third week of November.
The companies said the clinical trial to continue through to final analysis at 164 confirmed cases in order to collect further data and characterize the vaccine candidate’s performance against other study endpoints.
“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19,” said Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO.
INDIAN ENVOY AUSAF SAEED: “The G20 provides an important platform for both India and Saudi Arabia to work even more closely on various issues, with particular focus on those that concern developing countries the most.”
Senior diplomats from India laud Saudi Arabia’s decision to go ahead with G20 Summit despite Covid pandemic and discussing solutions to revive global economy.
“Saudi Arabia being the largest economy in one of the most important geopolitical regions of the world, it is only fitting that the G20 Summit is being hosted by the Kingdom at this critical moment,” said Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ausaf Sayeed, the Arab News reported.
Saudi Arabia is hosting the G20 Summit in Riyadh on November 21— the first time by an Arab country. Apart from being one of the world’s foremost producers and exporters of energy, Saudi Arabia is transforming rapidly under the Vision 2030 through diversification of its economy and development of a vibrant society under the wise and able leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“The G20 presidency during these challenging times is yet another testimony to the significant leadership role that the Kingdom has played and will continue to play in dealing with the most pressing issues that matter to the entire world,” the envoy told Arab News.
He went on to say that India shares an excellent history of relations with Saudi Arabia, and the two countries have seen many high-level visits in recent years that have progressively transformed the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership.
On the economic front, Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth-largest trading partner and supplies around 18 percent of India’s crude oil requirement and 30 percent of its LPG needs, he said.
There is even greater scope to increase trade and investments between the two countries, he added. There are several sectors in which India and Saudi Arabia can work closely in the post-pandemic world.
In the virtual summit in March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi elaborated on India’s role in forging a collaborated response against COVID-19, he added.
Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ausaf Sayeed
Thanks to its leadership in medical research and pharmaceuticals, India is playing its part in the global fight against the pandemic, as a “pharmacy to the world,” delivering medicines and equipment to countries that need them the most. It is also at the forefront of vaccine development, he told Arab News.
As an important member of the G20 and as a developing country with one-sixth of the global population, India’s focus is on ensuring growth through the development of fair and equitable systems and frameworks.
“This is particularly significant as India is set to assume the G20 presidency in 2022, the 75th year of its independence, and continue to take forward the agenda of global cooperation,” he added.
Meanwhile, former ambassador Mahesh Sachdeva said the growing synergy between India and Saudi Arabia sets an example of cooperation for other countries in the G20, the Arab News reported.
“The Kingdom and India are important members of the G20 group,” Sachdeva, who has spent over a decade of his diplomatic career dealing with the Middle East.
“The mutual bond between Riyadh and New Delhi also underpins peace, stability and security in the Southwest Asian region, which has often been buffeted with turbulence,” said Sachdeva, who is currently the president of Economic Diplomacy and Strategies, a New Delhi-based consultancy.
On March 26, Riyadh organized an emergency summit to discuss this global pandemic which Sachdeva said demonstrates “the Kingdom’s impressive maturity to lead a global economic organization.”
New Delhi is hosting the 2022 G20 summit and “India would naturally leverage the Saudi experience,” he added.
He said that the event this year will be dominated by “pandemic related issues” and stressed the importance of collaboration between Riyadh and New Delhi in fighting the virus.
“Given extensive people-to-people connections between the Kingdom and India, a strong collaboration to combat COVID-19 pandemic is both necessary and desirable,” he said. “As the world’s largest producer of vaccines, India will be an important source of this vital supply to Saudi Arabia in future.”
Bilateral trade between India and Saudi Arabia is worth about $33 billion, with the Kingdom being the largest source of crude for India. In turn, Saudi Arabia relies on India for important items such as rice, vehicles, refined petroleum products, meat, electrical machinery and equipment.
“There has been growth in mutual investments: As of March 2020, there are 476 Indian companies in the Kingdom worth $1.5 billion. While Saudi investments in India stood at $315 million in April 2020,” he said.
With the G20 2020 presidency Saudi Arabia has demonstrated that the health and welfare of the people is a top priority, and has undertaken all necessary steps to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom Ausaf Sayeed.
In an interview with Arab News the envoy said: “The conduct of a very successful Hajj under extraordinary circumstances, bearing in mind all the health protocols, was a shining example of this.”
On managing the G20 amid the pandemic, he said: “The swift decision to organise a virtual summit in March 2020, when the dangers of the pandemic were just beginning to emerge globally, is evidence of the fact that the Kingdom handled the situation admirably.
“While the world would have hoped for a summit which would have brought all the leaders together in one place and experience the generous hospitality of the Kingdom, the decision to hold the summit virtually, bearing in mind the dangers of the pandemic that continue to linger, is well appreciated,” Sayeed added.
On shouldering the responsibility to help the world move forward and the importance of the summit in Riyadh, the Indian envoy said: “Given the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, the role of the G20 has increased manifold.
File photo of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa/IANS)
The health, economic and social impact globally of COVID-19 needs coordinated efforts towards solutions that a platform like the G20, which includes two-thirds of the world’s population and 85 percent of the global economy, is well suited to deliver.”
The economic impact of the pandemic on all affected countries has exposed the challenges that we continue to face in terms of poverty and inequality, he said. As we have seen, the pandemic knows no national boundaries, and has affected the poorest the most. Apart from the tragic loss of lives, there has been an economic slowdown that has severely affected the livelihoods of the most vulnerable.
The expectation from the Riyadh G20 presidency, held under the theme “Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All,” is that a consensus will be built around the steps that the world, led by the G20 countries, will take to transition towards economic recovery that will help people regain lost livelihoods and provide the healing touch to those most severely affected by the pandemic, he explained.
It can also build systems and strategies that will better prepare the world for the challenges of the future.
The first details of a dramatic live production to celebrate 49th UAE National Day on December 2 have been revealed by the Organising Committee of the Official 49th National Day Celebration.
Named “Seeds of the Union”, the spectacular show will take the form of a moving sculpture surrounded by sea and illuminated by digital visuals portraying themes inspired by the UAE’s history and values.
Staged in Abu Dhabi, the show will be broadcast live to an audience of millions in the UAE and beyond, ensuring residents can unite in celebration from the safety of their homes.
Khalfan Al Mazrouei, member of the organising committee of the Official 49th UAE National Day Celebration, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic required us to approach the official 49th UAE National Day celebrations in a new and ambitious way – one that uses digital visual technology to inspire an audience watching from home.
“The overarching theme of the live show is one of hope and optimism. Embracing the country’s rich legacy and traditions, it looks ahead to a vivid future in which we remain true to our values.
“The narrative of the show artistically revolves around the growth and transformation of a seed into a shoot and then finally into full bloom, mirroring the journey the UAE has taken in the last 49 years,” Al Mazrouei added.
National Day is the annual celebration of the UAE’s formation on December 2, 1971. It is an opportunity to recognise 49 years of unity between the seven emirates and to embrace the country’s spirit and values.
As the UAE’s official annual event, National Day brings together its multitude of nationalities in united celebration of inclusivity and tolerance.
The Organising Committee is working to create a memorable live event that will capture the nation’s imagination, ensure public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, and spark celebrations for the 50th UAE National Day Golden Jubilee.
In line with the UAE’s precautionary and preventive measures, the Committee follows the highest standards of health and safety to ensure everyone taking part is safe. This includes a COVID-19 testing policy for all teams and cast members involved in the show, and supports the decision of emphasising the TV broadcast in place of live public attendance.
The nation will watch on television and online as a live visual extravaganza follows themes based on the UAE’s values, and ambitions for the future. It will pay a moving tribute to the UAE’s Founding Fathers, whose long-term vision of harmony and solidarity led to the formal unification of the UAE.
The production was designed by a team of Emiratis and artistic director Es Devlin, known for creating large-scale performative sculptures and environments that fuse music, language and light. She designed the closing ceremony for the London 2012 Summer Olympics, the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics and the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
More details of the show’s content will be revealed in the run up to what promises to be one of the most spectacular productions to be staged in the UAE.
His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
Bahrain’s Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa passed away this morning at Mayo Clinic Hospital in the United States of America.
By order of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Royal Court of Bahrain has declared official mourning for the Prime Minister.
The burial ceremony will take place after the repatriation of the body, and the funeral will be limited to a number of relatives.
The Bahrain King ordered the announcement of an official mourning for a week during which flags will be flown at half-mast, reports Bahrain news Agency.
Government ministries and departments will be closed for three days starting Thursday.
NHS Awaits Pfizer Vaccine; UK Unemployment Rate Hits Highest Level; Advantage BJP as Nitish Withers in Bihar – all in Asian Lite Daily Digital – click here to read the full edition.
The US State Department approved F-35 fighter jets sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an arms sale which was questioned by some congressional Democrats.
In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a massive arms sale package with an estimated price tag of US $23.37 billion, which includes up to 50 F-35 jets worth US $10.4 billion, 18 MQ-9B drones worth US $2.97 billion, and US $10 billion of munitions.
“The proposed sale will make the UAE even more capable and interoperable with US partners in a manner fully consistent with America’s longstanding commitment to ensuring Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge,” said the statement.
Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge refers to a US legal standard that Israel maintains a military technologic edge over other regional countries.
Reports said that the F-35 deal between the United States and the UAE was a part of the US-brokered agreement to normalize ties between the UAE and Israel that had been signed in September.
F-35 fighter jet during a training exercise
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially opposed the UAE’s purchase of the F-35, but Israel’s position changed after the United States pledged to ensure Israel’s military edge in the region.
The State Department informally notified Congress of the F-35 sale two weeks ago, leading to concerns among congressional Democrats.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel said in a statement at the end of October that Congress must analyze all of the ramifications of the export of F-35. “Rushing these sales is not in anyone’s interest.”
The Democratic congressman noted that the potential F-35 sale to the UAE would change the military balance in the Gulf and affect Israel’s military edge. He also expressed concerns about the possible leaks of F-35’s sensitive technology, and the sale might generate demands from other Arab states for advanced weapons in exchange for normalization with Israel.
The proposed sale needs to be approved by Congress. If the sale is completed, the UAE will become only the second country in the region to fly these stealth fighter jets after Israel.
‘UAE Will Not Accept Interference From Iran, Turkey’; Huge public engagement for ‘Designing the Next 50’; Advantage BJP as Nitish Withers in Bihar – all in Asian Lite Daily – click here to read the full edition.
The European Commission has reached a preliminary conclusion that Amazon has illegally abused its dominant position as a marketplace service provider in Germany and France, breaching EU antitrust rules by distorting competition in online retail markets.
In addition, the Commission also opened a second antitrust investigation into Amazon’s business practices that might artificially favour its own retail offers and offers of marketplace sellers that use Amazon’s logistics and delivery services (the so-called “fulfilment by Amazon or FBA sellers”).
“Amazon may have used sensitive data on a big scale to compete against smaller retailers,” said Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of the competition policy.
“We must ensure that dual role platforms with market power, such as Amazon, do not distort competition,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Commission took issue with Amazon systematically relying on non-public business data of independent sellers who sell on its marketplace, to the benefit of Amazon’s own retail business, which directly competes with those third party sellers.
In a statement, Amazon said it will “continue to make every effort to ensure it has an accurate understanding of the facts”.
“No company cares more about small businesses or has done more to support them over the past two decades than Amazon,” the company said.
“There are more than 150,000 European businesses selling through our stores that generate tens of billions of Euros in revenues annually and have created hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
European Commission
The Commission said that its preliminary findings showed that very large quantities of non-public seller data are available to employees of Amazon’s retail business and flow directly into the automated systems of that business, which aggregate these data and use them to calibrate Amazon’s retail offers and strategic business decisions to the detriment of the other marketplace sellers.
For example, it allows Amazon to focus its offers in the best-selling products across product categories and to adjust its offers in view of non-public data of competing sellers.
The Commission’s preliminary view is that the use of non-public marketplace seller data allows Amazon to avoid the normal risks of retail competition and to leverage its dominance in the market for the provision of marketplace services in France and Germany — the biggest markets for Amazon in the EU.
If confirmed, this would infringe Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) that prohibits the abuse of a dominant market position.
In a second case, the Commission will investigate whether the criteria that Amazon sets to select the winner of the “Buy Box” and to enable sellers to offer products to Prime users, under Amazon’s Prime loyalty programme, lead to preferential treatment of Amazon’s retail business or of the sellers that use Amazon’s logistics and delivery services.
The Commission opened the in-depth investigation into Amazon’s use of marketplace seller data on July 17, 2019.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev has clinched the Paris Masters title following a hard-fought three-set victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the summit clash.
Medvedev defeated Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 that also ended the German’s 12-match winning streak on Sunday. The Russian, who was contesting his first final of 2020, had to survive some outrageous rallies before he secured the third Masters 1000 crown of his career.
“It’s great, I’m really happy. As I always say, I don’t celebrate after the match but I’m really happy to win matches,” Medvedev, who now owns eight titles in total, said after the match as per the tournament’s official website.
“Before the tournament I was not in my best form, playing not so bad with zero finals this year. I was actually, how can we call it, crying to my wife, not crying, but just complaining, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have the level, I don’t even have one final, I’m playing so bad, bla bla bla…’
“So finally I’m the winner of Bercy, a tournament that I love, first title in France, first final in France – three Masters titles, just super happy and hopefully I can continue this style of game,” he added.
Medvedev joins countrymen Marat Safin, Nikolay Davydenko and Karen Khachanov on the Paris honour roll.
