Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 17 January 2020

In this Oct. 8, 2019, file photo, technicians walk at the three
thematic districts at the under construction site of the Expo
2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Associated Press
U.S. says its pavilion

at Expo 2020 in Dubai

Riot police arrest an anti-government protester who was protesting outside a police headquarters
demanding the release of those taken into custody the night before, outside the police sponsored by UAE
headquarters, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.
Associated Press
By AYA BATRAWY pavilion design, while the
Lebanese protesters decry Associated Press content of the pavilion it-
DUBAI, United Arab Emir-
self is decided by the par-
security forces' use of violence ates (AP) — The United ticipating country.
States said its participa-
Businesses also take part
tion at this year's World's in the process, either as
By SARAH EL DEEB pelted security forces with tained late Wednesday Fair in Dubai is being commercial partners for
Associated Press stones and water bottles outside the police station. made possible by "the Expo or as sponsors of the
Lebanese protesters Thurs- and smashed windows of He was pulled inside as he generosity of the Emirati various national pavilions,
day decried security forc- commercial banks they ac- tried to help others who fell government." according to fair organiz-
es' use of violence during cuse of corruption and de- to the ground. He said he The U.S. State Depart- ers. They said U.S.-based
rallies over the past two nying them their deposits. was kept in a small cell with ment said Wednesday brands PepsiCo, Cisco,
days, including attacks on Meanwhile, security forces 30 people overnight and Emirati sponsorship of MasterCard, UPS, Dom-
journalists and the deten- have used "excessive" tear was only allowed to call his America's pavilion, es- ino's Pizza, and Christie
tion of over 100 people. gas in densely populated family nearly six hours after timated to be at least are participating as com-
Dozens of people, includ- districts and detained over he was taken in. $60 million, was made "in mercial partners.
ing journalists, rallied out- 100 people, including five "We are expecting this. it recognition of the strong Dubai is pouring billions
side the Interior Ministry de- minors according to law- is becoming more violent partnership between the of dollars into Expo 2020,
nouncing what they said yers, in an unprecedented from them and us. They are United States and the hoping the exhibition
was the systematic use of wave of arrests, Maalouf not listening to people," United Arab Emirates." will generate new busi-
force against members of said. They have beaten Abu Zeid said after his re- The UAE's sponsorship rais- ness and spur its econo-
the media. Many raised and verbally abused some lease. "This repression will es a number of questions, my amid a slowdown in
photos of journalists get- protesters and attacked only make us stronger and such as why American growth. The expo starts
ting beaten by riot police. journalists, trying to prevent give us momentum." businesses are not pay- in October and runs for
Others gathered outside them from filming, she said. Interim Interior Minister ing directly to participate six months. It marks the
the American University of A Reuters video journal- Raya El Hassan said at- under the umbrella of the first time a country in the
Beirut and a police station ist was injured by security tacks on the press were "re- U.S. pavilion. Some lead- Middle East hosts the fair,
where dozens have been forces and treated in a hos- jected" and promised an ing U.S.-based brands which showcases tech-
detained since Tuesday. pital. investigation. She said se- could choose to partici- nology and the most in-
After a period of calm, Late Wednesday and curity forces are "tired" and pate independent of the novative ideas of the fu-
protests have returned to Thursday, authorities be- "scared for themselves" U.S. pavilion. ture.
Lebanon as politicians fail gan releasing detainees. after 90 days of protests. Also, it's unclear how the "Expos, also known in the
to form a new government Hussein Baydoun, a pho- That doesn't justify the at- United States government United States as World's
and an unprecedented tographer, said he was tacks, she said, but she ap- will now decide which Fairs, are significant op-
economic crisis deepens. briefly detained and asked pealed to journalists to put companies and products portunities to showcase
"It has been over 90 days to erase his pictures by se- themselves in the shoes of will be featured in the pa- American freedom, ide-
since the beginning of the curity forces who came af- the security forces, adding vilion, and whether the als, enterprise, culture,
protests and to this day the ter him as he filmed clashes that 100 security personnel host nation could have a and global leadership,"
authorities have complete- outside a police station have been injured. say in the content that's the U.S. State Depart-
ly failed to address the de- Wednesday night. By Thursday evening, hun- being showcased. ment said in its statement.
mands of the protests," said "The officer and three sol- dreds of protesters gath- In response to questions The Expo also gives the
Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty diers came at me and ( the ered outside the central from The Associated American private sector
International's Middle East officer) said bring him to bank, then marched in a Press, Expo 2020 Dubai a "golden opportunity" to
director. "In the past two me. They held me and they procession through Beirut organizers said that, in pursue business partner-
days, we have seen an es- wrestled the camera from to the parliament building, line with regulations over- ships and new markets
calation on both sides." me," Baydoun said. where they called for an seeing World Expos, the with visitors from around
Protests turned violent Tues- Bachir Abu Zeid was one independent and immedi- host organizers provide the world, the statement
day when demonstrators of over 50 protesters de- ate government.q advice and guidelines on added. q