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A28 WORLD NEWS
Monday 11 May 2020
New Iraq PM releases protesters, promotes respected general

By SAMYA KULLAB practices and took to the
Associated Press streets in outrage. Al-Saadi,
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's 56, was one of the leading
judiciary ordered courts commanders in the fight
on Sunday to release anti- against IS and the battle
government protesters, to retake Mosul, taking the
carrying out one of the first lead in many operations.
decisions of the recently In a recent briefing with re-
inaugurated prime minister porters, American Lt. Gen.
just as dozens of demon- Pat White, head of the
strators burned tires in re- Combined Joint Task Force
newed protests against the responsible for fighting IS,
new leadership. said the group was failing
Prime Minister Mustafa al- "miserably" in a renewed
Kadhimi also promoted a campaign to launch more
well-respected Iraqi gen- attacks.
eral, who played a key role "IS leadership has stated
in the military campaign what their intent is, and
against the Islamic State, they do this every year.
to lead counter-terrorism They put out what is gener-
operations. Lt. Gen. Abdul ally described as a military
Wahab al-Saadi was mys- campaign," he said. "To
teriously demoted last year date, they have failed mis-
by former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kahdimi, Iraqi Prime Minister-designate speaks to members of the Iraqi parliament in erably at achieving those
Adel Abdul-Mahdi, prompt- Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, May 7, 2020. goals." Still, plumes of ac-
ing outrage and sparking Associated Press rid smoke choked the air
popular protests in northern law," the statement said. vices. Human rights groups promoting al-Saadi to be- Sunday as protesters, un-
Iraq and Baghdad. In a press briefing Saturday say at least 600 people come head of Iraq's elite persuaded by al-Kadhimi's
The Supreme Judiciary night following his first Cabi- died in the following three Counter-Terrorism Service, decisions, returned to the
Council said in a state- net meeting as premier, al- months at the hands of just as the country was ex- streets and burned tires on
ment that it had ordered Kadhimi said demonstrators Iraqi security forces who periencing an uptick in at- a key bridge leading to
the release of protesters should be protected and used live fire and tear gas tacks by the Islamic State the heavily fortified Green
detained since those dem- that all protesters should be to disperse the crowds. group in the north. Previ- Zone, the seat of Iraq's
onstrations erupted, in line released, except those in- The demonstrations pe- ously, the general was a government.Protesters said
with the new prime min- volved in violence. tered out with the rise of force commander in the they rejected al-Kadhimi
ister's call. The council re- Protests erupted in Bagh- the coronavirus pandemic, the service before Abdul- and any candidate cho-
leased detainees based on dad and across the coun- though dozens of protest- Mahdi demoted him in sen by the political estab-
Article 38 of the constitu- try's south on Oct. 1, when ers are still camped out in September to a post in lishment and gathered by
tion which guarantees the frustrated Iraqis took to the Baghdad's Tahrir Square the Defense Ministry. The the dozens near Jumhuriya
right to protest, "provided streets to decry rampant determined not to let the Iraqi public considered his Bridge, closed off since late
that it is not accompanied government corruption, un- movement die. sudden demotion a sign last year in a standoff with
by an act contrary to the employment and poor ser- Al-Kadhimi also said he was of corrupt government riot police.q

Colombian company creates bed that can double as coffin

By CÉSAR GARCÍA of his new beds to Colom-
Associated Press bia's Amazonas depart-
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — ment, where resources are
A Colombian advertising in short supply. So far there
company is pitching a nov- is no indication whether
el if morbid solution to short- the beds will be put to use
ages of hospital beds and and no orders have been
coffins during the corona- placed. The Bogota-based
virus pandemic: combine company is usually at work
them. ABC Displays has on advertisements but has
created a cardboard bed been mostly paralyzed over
with metal railings that de- the last month as Colombia
signers say can double as a remains on lockdown. The
casket if a patient dies. South American nation has
Company manager Ro- reported nearly 9,500 con-
dolfo Gómez said he was firmed cases of the virus.
inspired to find a way to The beds can hold a weight
help after watching events of 330 pounds (150 kilo-
unfold recently in nearby grams) and will cost about
Ecuador. Families in the Rodolfo Gomez, to center, and his employees demonstrate how their design of a cardboard $85 each, Gómez said. He
coastal city of Guayaquil box can serve as both a hospital bed and a coffin, designed for COVID-19 patients, in Bogota, said he worked with a pri-
waited with dead loved Colombia, Friday, May 8, 2020. vate clinic on the design,
ones in their homes for days Associated Press which he hopes will be put
last month as COVID-19 to use in emergency clinics
cases surged. Many could afford a wood coffin, using instead. "Poor families don't coffin," Gómez said. Gómez that might become short
not find or were unable to donated cardboard ones have a way of paying for a said he plans to donate 10 on beds.q